Episode 2 - Gilded (Guild) Halls Luck

Episode 2

1. Opening Scene: Echoes of the Past (0:00 – 1:30)

[The scene opens where Episode 1 ended. A dimly lit dungeon corridor. Their footsteps echo softly. The tension from the Minotaur battle has shifted into an uneasy quiet.]

· Porter (softly, almost to herself):
“…Ever since I can remember.”

· Darin freezes mid-step, glancing at her with wide eyes.

· Darin (stunned):
“How far back is that?”

· Porter (hesitant, reluctant):
“I… remember being sold to a merchant. I think his name was… Hanz.”

· Darin’s expression twists with recognition and shock, his voice raising slightly.

· Darin (flabbergasted):
“Wait — Hanz?! The Hanz? The infamous merchant who was executed for colluding in the murder of a noble girl?!”

· Porter flinches at his sudden volume, then slowly, softly nods, as if she’s admitting something shameful.

· Darin (muttering, still processing):
“…That was over a decade ago.”
(he looks at her in disbelief, voice quieter now)
“You’ve been… passed from one hand to another… since then?”

· Porter lowers her head, clutching the worn straps of her pack tightly. She nods faintly, her voice barely above a whisper.

· Porter (quietly, almost detached):
“…After he was arrested, I was sold to the guild. At first, I was just cleaning the guild halls, then was sent into the dungeons a couple of years later.

· Without another word, she walks a little faster, moving ahead of him.

· Darin (watching her, his voice a low murmur):
“…Executed for murder… and you were just… I can’t stand it.”

· A flicker of memory flashes in Darin’s mind — his coworker back in the office, trembling as their boss berates her. That image merges with Porter’s small, fragile frame walking ahead of him now, her shoulders slumped under invisible weight.

· Darin (inner thought, his jaw tightening):
“I couldn’t protect her then… but this time, I won’t fail.”

1.5 Opening Intro ~ L.E.I. [Delete]

2. Dungeon Exit (3:00 – 6:00)

· The scene picks up right after Darin’s inner thought about not failing Porter.

·

· [Scene Transition]
The corridor widens as faint beams of sunlight begin to filter down from cracks above. The oppressive darkness of the lower floors is fading. Small sounds echo around them — the scrape of claws, low growls, the drip of water.

· Porter is walking a few steps ahead, still tense and withdrawn, while Darin scans the surroundings calmly, his hand resting on the hilt of his short sword.

·

· Darin (casual, breaking the silence):
“Keep close. These upper floors are nothing like what we just came from… but a careless step can still get you killed.”

· Porter nods faintly, clutching her pack tighter.

·

· [A faint growl echoes ahead]

· Darin raises a hand, signaling Porter to stop. From the darkness, two small creatures emerge — twisted, goblin-like things, their movements twitchy and erratic. They snarl, revealing sharp teeth.

· Darin (sighs):
“Just scavengers. Stay behind me.”

· The goblins screech and charge. Darin moves with precise efficiency — no wasted movement, no hesitation. His sword flashes once, twice, and both creatures drop before they can get near Porter.

·

· Porter (wide-eyed):
“…Fast.”

· Darin (glancing back, faint smirk):
“Compared to that Minotaur? These are barely a warm-up.”

“Speaking of Minotaur, I never did thank you.”

She tilts her head confused.

“You practically saved us, had you not gotten that strength vial to me we’d both be dead. That beast would have been a handle for even a group of seasoned adventurers.”

· She smiles as though this had been the first sign of genuine gratitude she had received.

· He flicks the blood from his blade and continues forward, motioning for her to follow. Porter lingers for a second, staring at the dead monsters, then quickly hurries after him.

· [They continue upward, tension slowly easing.]

· A small swarm of bat-like creatures suddenly bursts from a crevice overhead. Porter yelps and ducks, covering her head, trembling.

· Darin (firm, calm):
“Stay still.”

· He draws a dagger with his off-hand and throws it without looking, pinning one of the bats midair. Another swoops toward Porter — Darin steps in front of her and slices it cleanly in half.

· Porter (soft, breathless):
“…You didn’t even flinch.”

· Darin (shrugs):
“Years of practice. You’d be surprised what you can get used to.”

· His tone is light, but there’s a weight behind it. Porter notices and lowers her gaze, unsure how to respond.

· [Approaching the Trap Site]
They reach a cracked section of stone flooring. The remnants of the pitfall that doomed her party are visible — loose rubble, faint scorch marks, and dried blood.

· Darin (looking down at it):
“Guess the dungeon isn’t done rebuilding itself, huh?”

· He says it casually, almost like a joke. But when Porter sees it, she freezes. Her breathing quickens. She takes an involuntary step back, trembling.

· Porter (whispers, shaken):
“…That’s where…”

· Before she can finish, Darin steps in front of her, blocking her view. She instinctively clings to his cloak, trembling.

· Darin (calm, matter-of-fact):
“Come on. We’ve got a ways to go.”

· He guides her past it without looking back. She doesn’t speak, just follows, clutching his cloak until they’re safely clear.

· [Final Stretch Before Exit]
The dungeon brightens as they near the surface. A single weak goblin jumps out, snarling. Darin cuts it down almost lazily, barely slowing his stride.

· Porter watches silently, still clinging to his cloak with one hand, as the warm glow of sunlight pours down from the stairway ahead.

3. Heading towards Town (~6:00–8:00)

· The light at the end of the tunnel grows. Wind carries in the smell of the surface.

· First footfalls outside the dungeon as a non-verbal sign of relief strike the porter.

· Darin: “We’ll need to report what happened. The guild will want to know about that Minotaur plus the trap.”

· Porter doesn’t protest, just gives a slow nod.

· Darin inquires, “May I carry that for you? It looks heavy.”

· She clutches the sack straps tightly. “Please don’t, I want to be useful.”

· Assuring, “You’ve been more than useful. Plus, you stared death in the face and still shirked away. That’s the most impressive.”

· A smile crept along her face. As her shy demeanor slowly begins to fade. They began to make their march towards town.

· A passerby merchant grants them aboard as Darin and the Porter sit on the back wagon hitching a ride to town.

· They hop out and go through the ID Check with the guards.

· Guard 1 (grimacing): “Wait, wasn’t she with a party?”

· “Unfortunately, they didn’t make it out. A Minotaur got to them” Darin spoke with remorse.

· Guard 2 (spits to the side): “Figures. The others didn’t make it because she was there.”
Guard 1 (steps back, voice sharp): “Keep her away from me — that Black Cat brings ruin wherever she goes.”

· The guards remark made Darin jerk with anger, but he pressed his lips together and continued through the check point, not uttering another word.

4. The Gilded Halls (Guild Hall) (~8:00–12:30)

Opening — Guild Hall Entrance

· The guild hall looms — three stories of stone and glass, banners hanging, a place of wealth and authority. Inside, the chatter is loud, clattering mugs, armor clinking. Statless porters sit against the walls like cattle, waiting to be “hired.”

· Adventurers in mismatched armor crowd the space; scribes shuffle parchment.

· The porter clings close to Darin, her movements quiet, head slightly lowered.

· When Darin crosses the threshold with the girl, the audience sees a faint black aura flicker around the porters frame (dice roll: 14). The corner of the screen flashes the roll. There is a stillness in the air.

· They approach the guild clerk/teller.

At the Counter

· Teller immediately notices the porter girl: See’s the rental document signed.

· “She must be a Black Cat then. At first I couldn’t believe it, but results don’t lie! Thank you for bringing her back safely.”

· Close-up on Eyra’s reaction: a brief flinch, averted gaze — the audience sees her discomfort with the attention.

· Darin remains calm, measured:

· “That being said… I don’t want to bring her back to you. I want to purchase her...”

· Teller freezes — stunned at the audacity of the request.

· ‘I’m sorry, what did you say?”

· Darin, calm and cool, gestures toward the girl.

· “I want to purchase this porter.”

· The clerk stiffens, lips tightening. A bead of sweat forms. He excuses himself, boots echoing across stone as he disappears upstairs.

· Moments later two guards arrived, hard-eyed.

· “The Guild Master wishes to see you.”

Climb to the Office

· The ascent up the guild’s grand staircase feels oppressive. The sound design here is heavy — steps echoing, the girl’s chains rattling.

· Cut: They approach a tall, oak door. The GM’s voice snarls from within before they even knock:

· “If it’s for the girl, the answer is no.”

· Inside the Office

· The GM sits behind a mountain of paperwork. His face is already sour, ink-stained hands gripping a quill like a weapon. He’s short, stocky, dressed too richly — rings on every finger, neck fat gleaming with sweat.

· GM (snarling, low voice): “Do you know how much trouble I’ll be in if she disappears?
The guild profits every time she’s …!”

· Before he can finish his statement, He drops a heavy pouch of gold down on the desk with a solid thud.

· “Fifty pieces. For her.”

· The GM freezes mid-scribble. His eyes flicker to the bag, greedy hunger in them, though he tries to sneer.

· “Fifty? For her? You could buy forty or more statless for that. Why her?”

· Darin’s voice is steady, resolute.

· “She’s the one I want.”

Escalation

· The GM scoffs, pushing his chair back. He waddles toward the desk, pushing his glasses back onto his face and glaring down at the gold like it’s poison. His voice drips contempt:

· “She’s worth far more than this.”

· He’s lying, of course. Everyone knows statless are “worthless.” His greed is showing.

· Clerk Interruption

· The door slams open. The clerk, breathless, rushes in, whispers frantic news into the GM’s ear. The GM’s face turns crimson. He pounds the desk with a fist, scattering papers.

· “Fine! Pay me double and get out of my sight!”

· Darin doesn’t flinch. He picks out another pouch of coins — this one a little heavier, drops it on the table as well. More coins spilling from the small satchel. Deliberately and fuming from the GMs comments, he takes six coins back.

· “One hundred. Even.”

· Beckoning the girl over to Darin’s side he removed the clasp from around her neck. A loud twang sound as the iron circlet hits the ground, “I bestow your ‘gift’.”

Climax of the Deal

· The GM’s scowl deepens. He bites his thumb, a nervous tic, eyes darting between Darin and the gold.

· “Don’t just stand there! Count it!”

· The clerk scrambles, fingers trembling as he shuffles through coins, muttering numbers. The sound of metal on wood fills the silence

Exit

· Darin turns his back on the GM, motioning for the girl to follow. The guards fall in step behind them.

· The GM waddles to linger at the window once the doors shuts, his breathing heavy, sweat dripping down his temple. He chews his thumb bloody as he stares out over the town below — his reflection in the glass warping.

[Commercial]

5. Aftermath and Town interaction (12:30-18:00)

· Darin and our Porter are walking from the Guild Hall

· “I had a feeling he couldn’t pass up on our deal. If he didn’t consider it he wouldn’t have invited me to his office,” he spoke to her confidently almost laughing to himself.

· Darin glances at the porter then to himself, grimy with battle and dirt, her dusty and dirty, her clothing (If it could even be considered that) tattered and torn

· The sky is accompanied by a few gray clouds.

· “Let’s get you some actual clothing and I think we both need a soak. Even after the dungeon just being around that guild master just makes me feel even more unkempt,” he stated with a concerned tone.

· They proceeded into the town for some window shopping, even going into a few shops. All clothing is made to where you can visibly see the crest upon their chest, male and female clothing alike.

· Upon entering another clothing store, an unexpected light shower begins outside. He inquires about women clothing as the clerk approaches them, “Where is the lady I will be fitting?”

· Darin presents the porter, “I would like her measured for an outfit. Something pretty, yet durable”

· Scoffs, “Pretty? This thing…? What is she? Your personal whore or something?”

· Visibly irritated Darin exclaims, “You are welcomed to retract your statement.”

· The clerk doesn’t flinch. Darin sighs, “Come on, seems our coin isn’t welcomed here.”

· As they turn to leave the owner vehemently rushes the two, “Hang on!” Out scurries a man with has slicked back dark hair, a light-colored shirt with a patch-like colorful vest that is decorated with pins and needles.

· He shoos the clerk away, “Please don’t go, I apologize for her rudeness to you sir. How can I, Paul the Needle, be of service to you?”

· Reluctant, “I’d like her to be dressed in something pretty, yet durable to withstand climbing the depths of the dungeon.”

· The Owner scribbling Darin’s request down, nodding as Darin is speaking.

· The Owner then whistles as a boy comes trotting in from the back. A statless child but his Agility(Green) was faded. He was well dressed as though he was showing off the latest fashion. The owner ordered, “Get the girl’s measurements.” He wasn’t harsh or overbearing at his command, there was a tone of sincerity in his voice. Darin was reluctant to see a person treat a statless with a little more respect than he had been seeing in the rest of town. The boy takes the porter girl to the back to measure her.

· Darin mentions to the clerk, “it actually touches me by the way you speak to your porter.”

· He smiled, “My daughter isn’t too thrilled to have this boy around, but he is so diligent and thorough he is very good at what I need him to do. He helps me stitch, sew, and piece the clothing better than my daughter did, that I made him my assistant. He has a sense of fashion that she can’t comprehend but as you can see the many styles in here are mine and his design.” Paul points to a particular dress on the front display. “He designed that dress from top to bottom. I had no hand in making that,” he spoke proudly. “My daughter has never designed anything let alone picked up a needle. She handles the store front but is jealous of the porter. Again, I’m sorry for her rudeness.”

· Darin could feel the compassion radiating from Paul. The trust Paul and the porter built made him feel like he wasn’t alone in wanting the world to be a better place for the statless.

· Darin as curious, “Have you named the boy, rather than just calling him porter?”

· Paul’s eyes glittered but then settled to worry, “I have but have been terrified of the response from not only my daughter but the town. Imagine calling a statless by a name and having the world turn on you and your store. I’d probably have to close shop and move towns, but your reputation still follows you.”

· “I didn’t know if we would be trying on anything so I wasn’t sure if we should have cleaned up first before coming or not,” Darin mentioned with a slight embarrassment, and giving a light chuckle.

· The porters both return, and he is holding a notepad with her measurements on it. Paul then has an idea, “I have a thought!” He turns to his porter, “How would you like to see this girl in your dress?” The porter boy’s eyes light up with excitement His eyes begin tearing up as he brings the notepad over his lips. He is overwhelmed with emotion he merely nods with tears trickling from his eyes. “That settles it,” Paul exclaims. “The boy here wants the girl to have his dress. Take the dress with you and get cleaned up. Come back in the morning and I can assure you we will have you an adventuring outfit just perfect for her. Just make sure she returns to show off the boy’s work.”

· Darin glances at his porter looking to see if she reacted or understands what’s going on. She is smiling softly looking into Darin’s eyes with a new feeling of care. He questions her, “How does that make you feel? You feel like wearing a dress?” She nods reluctantly, almost eager to get it on immediately.

· “I’ll pay for the dress along with the other outfit together,” Darin confirms. Paul shakes his head, “It was the boys choice to give her the dress. As much as he has helped me I won’t argue his wishes.”

· “Okay…” Darin thinks and then drops a 2 gold coins on the table in separate stacks. “I’ll prepay for the dress,” pushing one coin forward, “and I’ll tip the boy for his work. Make sure he gets to use to coin for whatever he wants.”

· The porter boy is in shock sobbing to himself. Paul nods with the biggest smile, “Consider it done.” “Boy, go grab the dress and pack it nicely for them,” Paul says like a proud father would sound. The porter scurries in a sobbing, sniffling mess over to the dress and disrobes the display. The dress is handed to Darin in a folded manner with a yellow ribbon fashioned with a bow wrapped around the dress. He hands the dress to her as she clutches the dress to her chest, her blackened aura flickers around her silhouette.

(Dice roll in the bottom left corner Blackened dice with golden cracks - 3)

· As they leave the shop, she has the biggest smile, begins humming a light tune.

· “Lets go to the place I’m staying. We can get cleaned up and get a good nights rest,” Darin marches next to her. They approach a flea market with fruit stands, meat stalls, jewelry, and random goods. It’s very lively as Darin ushers her to walk in front of him.

· A man snags an apple from a fruit vendor and darts off, causing the merchant to give chase. The man dashes right beside Darin and the porter, but the roads are so busy with people that vendor knocks into Darin which in turn causes him to stumble into the porter. She begins to fall forward still clutching her new dress, falling towards a pool of muddy water that was left from the rain. Darin clutches her as he falls to his knees drawing the girl onto his lap to prevent her and her new dress from meeting a muddy fate.

· The merchant turns to offer apologies but notices the girl saved was just a statless. He scoffs then looks towards Darin, nods and dashes off to attempt to catch the thief.

· The rest of the crowd is stun-locked looking at Darin. You can start to hear faint whispers among the crowd. Darin states, “Maybe we’ve had enough fun for one day lets head back.” She’s blushing at the situation and nods quietly. They move towards the inn as most the crowd watches him and others return to shopping while the gossiping continues.

6. Returning to the Inn (18:00-22:00)

· Darin and the porter both rinse their feet off utilizing the spout of a water collection barrel. He walks up the to counter still caked with some grime from the dungeon, and the porter was as well. “I’d like some food delivered to my room please,” he spoke.

· “And water and bread for the porter then,” the Inn staff questioned.

· “Bring two plates for me,” he said with a realization that he would need to be tactful with his words. “Yes, on the bread and water, please.”

· Taking the porter up with him to his room he began to discard his gear. “Damn it’s so dirty, you can set your dress on the bed,” Darin said in relief of removing his gear. She set down her dress and began to pick up his gear and move it off to the side to attempt to clean it. “No, no, I’ll take care of that. You relax. We will be going to the bath in a moment; I’ll clean it afterwards.”

· She sets the gear down to the side.

· Cut to the Bathhouse. Bathhouse porter’s barely clothed or covering up are seen bringing towers and folding clothing to store from the other patrons. Darin and the porter walk through the cloth divider. Darin turns to the porter girl, “I’m not quite sure what to do in this situation. I can’t enter the women’s bath to protect you from others but I don’t want you to be left alone and separated.” She nods quietly removing her grimy article of clothing. She only had that and underwear on. Darin turns away to respect the porter girl but facing into the bath noticed other porter girls washing the backs of other patrons, some being harassed otherwise.

· Understanding the situation he begins to undress himself and folds his own clothing setting it in the bin. He places her articles in the bin as well. Requesting a porter to take their bin and clean his clothing and while they bathe. He takes the porter girl to the back of the bathhouse, not many people is back there. “Have a seat, I’ll wash your hair and back,” he says quietly to her. She complies and sits, not understanding what is really going on. “Close your eyes,” as he dumps a bucket of water onto her, “I can’t remember the last time I did this. It’s been so long ago when I was helping my brother and sister.” The nostalgia waves over him as he remembers the family he left behind, tearing up. She murmurs, “Are you okay?” “Yeah, Just reliving some old memories,” he assured her. As he continued to wash her back he can see scars and old wounds from her history with the guild, carefully tracing some of the wounds his protective sense are on high alert.

· A patron approaches, “Cute whore, you cleaning her up for a sale? Might I offer…?” “She isn’t an option, and she isn’t for sale. Now leave us be,” he demands with a discomforted angry tone. The patron insisted, “Keeping her to yourself? Fine, I’ll pay triple!”

· Overwhelmed with rage, “If you do not dismiss yourself NOW I will sever you tongue with a fork!” Darin visibly distraught and hate gleaming from his eyes. The Patron just sighs, raising his hands in forfeiture and walks away. Darin sighed loudly, “Sorry about that. Despite living in this world for so long I still can’t accept the societal normality.” She stands up and hugs him. Darin caught by surprise raises his arms as she presses onto him. She buries her face into his chest, “Thank you, I cannot thank you enough.” He embraces her and scene fades.

· Back into the room he’s sitting in the wooden chair at the table cleaning his armor and gear. She’s admiring the dress, he notices her staring at it. “Why are you still wearing those porter clothes? You can put your new dress on if you like, he said with a smile. She got excited and unwrapped the dress laying the yellow ribbon on the bed. “Can you help me,” she asked as she glided across the floor to the desk. He assists with fitting the dress on her. As he finishes the last button she springs to the middle of the room in front of the window, the bright moon visible but eclipsed by her silhouette you can see her frame within the dress, he watches her mesmerized.

· Glancing over to the bed. “Bring me the ribbon too,” he mentions nonchalantly. He paces over to grab the ribbon and brings it to Darin. “Turn around,” spoken softly. He begins to tie her hair up with the yellow ribbon. “There, we can use this ribbon when we go to the dungeons too, he stated proud of himself for the idea. She jumps into his arms again. “Thank you master,” she whispers. Taken back a little at the title, “You can call me Darin.” “Thank you, Darin,” as she collapses from exhaustion, he picks her up and takes her to bed. Tucking her into the bed there is a knock at the door, their clothing is done and has been returned.

7. Pub - Ending (22:00-23:00)

· He changes into his normal attire and decides to go get a drink from the pub next door. With drink in hand he starts to hear the chatter of the drunkards around him. “You seen the Black Cat with that solo act!? It’ll be only a matter of time before he falls like the rest of them,” chatting merrily with one another. “I can’t believe the guild still rents her out to adventurers, unless they are banking on them dying,” another quips. Laughter can be heard as more gossip, he ducks his head but his actions only give him away faster. Loudly you can hear, “Idn’t that the guy?”

· Darin leaves half his brew behind pays his tab and leaves, you can still hear them laughing and talking about him and the porter. Clenching his fists, “They don’t know her… they don’t see her.”