Daggers & Dices: Quickie

Daggers & Dices is set in a slightly anachronistic fantasy world that reflects our own. It follows Marko, an Elven swordsman, as he navigates this world as a mercenary of sorts. He’s accompanied by Tia, a human Cleric passionate about progressive magic, Thyrim, a crude mountain dwarf who prides himself on traditional values, and Eldreth, a draconic humanoid (Drakon) wizard constantly fed up with the group’s antics. Together, they embark on adventures that challenge their bonds and teach valuable lessons about the world they live in.

Scene 1

EXT. PARTY’S CAMPSITE – DAY

The party lives in a campsite several miles from a big city. TIA, THYRIM, AND ELDRETH sit by a small campfire. A large pot of stew cooks above the fire. Tents stand behind them. They eat bowls of stew by the fire in silence. Marko approaches them with a letter in hand.

MARKO

Look alive, everyone! We got another job. This time it’s from a high-profile client.

ELDRETH

Who?

MARKO

It’s actually someone we all know of. She’s coming to camp shortly to-

TAYLA, a tall, blonde human woman rides a dragon up above. She speeds towards the camp, crash landing into the tents behind them. Everyone flinches from the sudden commotion. Tayla dismounts her dragon.

TAYLA

Good morning, everyone!

Everyone but Marko’s eyes widen. Tia drops her stew. She puts her hands on her mouth and gasps.

TIA

(Shocked) Oh my god… (Ecstatic) TAYLA QUICK! Oh my god, I am, like, your biggest fan!

MARKO

Tia, you’re a Quickie?

ELDRETH

I’m sorry, a WHAT?

TIA (cont’d)

I mean, not your biggest, but, like, you know, top 5. No, top 10. Actually, maybe…

As Tia rambles, Marko turns to Tayla.

MARKO

Tayla, we spoke over Owl Mail. I’m Marko.

Marko extends his hand to shake.

TAYLA

(Shakes Marko’s hand) Charmed. By the way, I’m famished. Do you have any food?

MARKO

Oh yeah, we got some stew over there. I can bring you a bowl-

TAYLA

No need! I can fly over and get it myself!

MARKO

It’s fifteen feet away, you could jus-

Tayla mounts her dragon and flies an absurdly short distance towards the stew pot. Everyone around the pot runs away from the incoming dragon. Tayla lands at the spot, knocking over the stew pot.

THYRIM

(Shocked) What in the heavens?!

ELDRETH

(Shocked) Are you crazy?!

TAYLA

(Smiles) Finally arrived! (She notices the spilled stew pot) Ooohh…my bad.

Tia takes Eldreth’s bowl of stew and hands it to Tayla.

TIA

Here you go, TT! I-I mean, Tayla!

ELDRETH

(Offended) Girl, I know you did not just swipe my bowl.

Tia flips off Eldreth. Tayla accepts the bowl from Tia.

TIA

I LOVE your music. The Eons Tour was a masterpiece!

TAYLA

(Uncomfortable) Thank you…always pleased to meet a fan. (To Marko) Did you brief them on my request yet?

MARKO

Oh right! Tayla wants us to find the guy who leaked her dragon flight logs. I did some digging, and I got a name: Jek Sweet. He’s been spotted somewhere in Floradi, so we’re gonna have to-

THYRIM

Now wait just a goddamn minute. Why should we do anything for this woke temptress?

Tia slinks away unnoticed.

TAYLA

Excuse me?

MARKO

Don’t mind him. He’s-

THYRIM

(Aggressive) Yer a disgrace to the land. The way ya been prancing around with Trolvis Kitze…it’s a damn shame on Acireman football. The Konsis Kingdom Chiefs haven’t been the same since he started sniffing your glitter-stoned stench.

TAYLA

(Disgusted) Ah…so you’re one of them.

ELDRETH

Wait a minute, weren’t the flight logs mostly to Trolvis’s castle?

TAYLA

Well, I-

MARKO

Oh yeah, what’s up with that?

TAYLA

I don’t have to explain anything I don’t want to.

ELDRETH

You wanna explain the high carbon emissions from those flight logs? Dragons tend to do a number on the environment.

TAYLA

Tons of well-known people use dragons every week. Are you going to call them out as well?

ELDRETH

This isn’t about them right now. This is about you.

MARKO

Okay, why don’t we just-

THYRIM

(Aggressive) I don’t know nothing about dragons or carbon whatchamacallits…what I do know is I’m not going all the way down to Floradi for some blonde bimbo who thinks breakup songs don’t make people’s ears bleed.

ELDRETH

Yeah, that’s kinda weird, not gonna lie.

TAYLA

I see what this is. You all just want to hate on me because I’m a strong, successful woman, right? Well guess what? Men do breakup songs all the time and NOBODY says anything.

ELDRETH

Yeah, but they don’t do it constantly like you-

MARKO

(To Eldreth and Thyrim, quietly) Guys, knock it off! This is a chance to make some big bucks here. Do you realize how loaded she is? The pay for this job is 100 platinum coins! Platinum! And it barely makes a dent in her net worth!

ELDRETH

(Quietly) I don’t care if it’s platinum or copper, we’re not taking a single coin from her pockets.

MARKO

(Sighs) Tia, talk some sense into him. (Looks around) Tia?

Tia returns with a bond captive beside her.

TIA

Tayla, I found him! I found Jek Sweet!

Everyone turns to Tia.

MARKO

(Confused) Tia! Where the hell have you been? And how did you even find him?

TIA

The minute you said Floradi, I flew over there with Tayla’s dragon. I used some tracking spells to find Sweet and here he is! (Pets the dragon) It’s very quick!

TAYLA

(Distressed) You used MY dragon?!

TIA

I’m so sorry, TT! But it was necessary to get the scumbag who leaked your flight logs! Now, let’s see the face of the slimy, chauvinistic pig who-

Tia trails off as she unmasks the captive – it’s a human woman.

TIA (cont’d)

Wait, what?

MARKO

(Surprised) Tia, who the hell is this?

TIA

I don’t know! I-I thought I nabbed Jek Sweet! It was all so fast, I couldn’t see his face or anythi-

JEK

I AM Jek Sweet. And yes, I did leak Tayla’s flight logs.

TAYLA

But why would you…?

JEK

Because you are a pretentious, fame-hungry snob who dodges accountability by blaming her problems on others. Your “Quickies” treat you like some kind of goddess when you’re really just a shallow, empty person underneath that mask of blonde reverence.

Jek spits at Tayla’s feet.

TIA

(Agitated) If you want to see shallow, then I’ll bury you in-

Tayla stops Tia. She steps toward Jek.

TAYLA

I am NOT empty, and my wallet isn’t either. I hope you have some platinum coins stashed in your savings… (She grabs Jek and drags her towards the dragon) Because you won’t even have a single one left when my lawyers are through with you!

Tayla flies away with Jek. The party watches her fly off in the sky.

MARKO

(Yelling after Tayla) Are we still getting paid?!

END.