Prologue (Draft Script 1)

WIP TITLE: “THE ROAD LESS TRAVELLED”

Draft - script 1

A 3D rendered narrative driven choice-based adventure game.

***

FADE IN:

EXT. AN NEAR-EMPTY MOTORWAY – DUSK

Grey skies bruise the horizon. Wind dances through hedgerows and fields. The road is vast and grey, stretching onwards. The odd car speeds past. A STRANGER (a boy, late adolescence, dressed in worn layers) walks slowly by the roadside, silhouetted. He carries a large backpack.

CLOSE ON:

A BLACK DOG — still, lying half in a ditch.

THE STRANGER, kneels beside it. His breath fogs the air. He speaks softly, as if to himself.

LEVEL 0 — PROLOGUE: “DESTINY IS DEAD”

The player can move only the camera for now. Control over the character will come after the cutscene.

***

THE STRANGER (V.O.): They say black dogs are bad luck.

(Chuckle).

They say the same about people like me.

ON SCREEN: THE STRANGER holds out his left hand. His sleeve falls back, revealing a pink, blue and white wristband. His hand is smeared in ink.

THE STRANGER (V.O): The left handedness, I mean.

ON SCREEN: THE STRANGER shakes his hand, sleeve falling back over his wrist.

***

CINEMATIC SEQUENCE — FLASH CUTS:

A woman (mid-40s) yells. She turns to her husband (balding, mid 40s) and sobs into his chest.

A single bed, with four envelopes set out on it. They are each named. Mum. Dad. Aimée. Eowyn.

A teenage girl (same age as THE STRANGER), reaching into a pink makeup bag monogrammed ‘Destiny’ for a pair of scissors. They gather a handful of hair in front of their face and cut it.

The sound of a rucksack being zipped up.

The sound of a door closing.

THE STRANGER stood on the side of a country road, thumb outstretched.

***

BACK TO PRESENT:

THE STRANGER sits beside the dying dog in the ditch. He puts a hand to his neck, as if to tie long hair back. He finds none, and fiddles with the clasp of his necklace, slipping it into his pocket. With his free hand, he gently tips the dog’s head back. It’s neck is bare.

***

INTERACTIVE MOMENT:

Player must press ENTER to “Baptise.”

***

BAPTISM CUTSCENE:

THE STRANGER (V.O.): Your neck bears no collar. No name.

ON SCREEN: He takes the gold necklace from his pocket. He wraps it around the dog’s paw. The ‘D’ pendant dangles from the thin chain like a rosary. THE STRANGER picks a blackberry from the undergrowth beside him and crushes it between his fingers. He smears the juice across the animal’s head. He whispers something inaudible.

THE STRANGER (V.O.):

In this hedgerow, we become the same creature.

Living solely for the futile chase.

The instinct.

Chasing a flying object because the air around it whispers like it has wings.

SFX: A dog barks in the background. It is unclear whether this is a different dog from offscreen, or a memory of the dead dog in front of THE STRANGER.

THE STRANGER (V.O.):

I baptise you with the burden I couldn’t bear.

He lights a cigarette, takes a drag.

CLOSE-UP:

He lets the smoke rise over the dog, then crosses it over the body. THE STRANGER kneels closer to the dog, lifting its head to look into its eyes. He leans over it, protective.

THE STRANGER (softly):

How did this happen, then?

ON SCREEN: He stubs out the cigarette and brushes the ashes across its forehead.

THE STRANGER (V.O.):

I wonder if you ever knew family.

Worse still, the betrayal that comes from it.

***

FLASHBACK:

Hard cut back to the bed, this time in black-and-white colour grading. All the envelopes are either gone or open, except for the one addressed to Dad. A girl, aged 15 sits, back against the bedroom door, folding and unfolding her letter like she's looking for an answer in the creases.

***

INTERACTIVE MOMENT:

Player must press ENTER to “Comfort Aimée.”

Upon doing so, text appears: 'You can't.'

SFX: The screen shakes slightly, as if the camera itself is saying 'no'.

ON SCREEN: A girl, aged 10 joins AIMÉE, crying. AIMÉE moves to hug her, then flinches.

SFX: We hear wind whistling, crying and shouting in the background. Glass shatters. A door slams.

INTERACTIVE MOMENT:

Player must press ENTER to “Protect Eowyn.”

Upon doing so, text appears: 'You can't.'

SFX: The screen shakes slightly, getting dimmer each time as if the camera itself is saying 'no'. Eventual fade to black as the player keeps pressing 'ENTER', the intensity of the camera shaking and screen greying increasing with each attempt.

***

CUT BACK TO:

THE STRANGER lifts the dog gently, places it on a bed of brambles. He pours vodka from a plastic bottle into his hand and drinks. Rain begins to fall. Thunder murmurs in the distance.

SFX: A song plays in the background. It is soft and quiet - acoustic, mainly guitar and piano.

***

FINAL SHOT:

The STRANGER stands. He places a makeshift gravestone—a slab of broken wood, inscribed crudely: Destiny.

The player is given a list of descriptors of which to follow on DESTINY’s epitaph:

CHOICE ONE: You gave me peace. Rest now, sweet girl.

CHOICE TWO: All dogs go to Heaven

CHOICE THREE: Nothing is done in vain. Ever-loved and ever-free.

SFX: The sound of a knife carving into rotting wood. Soft. Scraping. Reverent in its caution.

***

THE STRANGER (V.O):

I, nameless now, trade with you.

You have taken my greatest burden. It is only fair I take yours.

***

LIGHTNING CRACKS. SCREEN FADES TO BLACK.

CHOICE: The player is prompted to pick a name.

ON SCREEN TEXT:

Who will you be now?

☐ HUNTER (+2 WEAPONS PROFICIENCY) [triggers CUTSCENE ONE]

☐ CHASE (+2 SPEED) [triggers CUTSCENE TWO]

☐ BRUTUS (+2 CHARISMA) [triggers CUTSCENE THREE]

☐ ACHILLES (+2 STAMINA) [triggers CUTSCENE FOUR]

***

CUTSCENE ONE [HUNTER]: Early morning. The sky is a sickly shade of grey and yellow. A rabbit appears from under the hedgerow. DESTINY chases behind it. Tires skid. A car horn sounds. Cut to black.

GAMEPLAY:

Unlocks “Mark Prey” perk — can lock onto enemies even through walls.

Unlocks "Restless Blood" - disadvantage on “Patience” events. Makes it harder to stay still or wait. 25% higher chance to fail time-based events.

CUTSCENE TWO [CHASE]: Late night. It is dark, and DESTINY pants, breath fogs up in the night. She runs across a field, and we see her eyes. Desperate. Wide. Dogs bark in the distance, getting louder. The sound of a gunshot. Cut to black.

GAMEPLAY:

Unlocks “Escape Route” perk - a temporary burst of stamina when cornered.

Unlocks "Tremors" - disadvantage when using firearms. 25% chance to miss a shot.

CUTSCENE THREE [BRUTUS]: The inside of a house. DESTINY cowers under a table, covered in empty bottles. Sound of a man yelling. Cut to black. The sound of flesh striking flesh. DESTINY limps on the side of the road. She lies down. Blood runs out from under her body, into the grass around her. Fade to black.

GAMEPLAY:

Unlocks “Silver Tongue” perk - choose a lie path in any dialogue tree.

Unlocks "Bite First" - disadvantage on 'Empathy' storylines. 25% higher chance to fail.

CUTSCENE FOUR [ACHILLES]: We see pawprints, the last three shaky and sliding in the mud. DESTINY whines, and curls up under a blackberry bush and licks at a snare wound on her paw. It is rubbed raw, weeping blood and infected. The sound of wind whistling. The sound of DESTINY wheezing, and one last rattling inhale. Fade to black.

GAMEPLAY:

Unlocks “Endure” perk — chance to stay conscious with 0 HP.

Unlocks "Borrowed Time" - disadvantage whilst in 'Endure' mode. 25% chance to fail all actions.

***

LOADING SCREEN: THE STRANGER’s silhouette, now named [PLAYER CHARACTER], white against a dark blue background. The game’s title is displayed atop it: THE ROAD LESS TRAVELLED. The ‘D’ in ROAD is stylized in the same cursive font as the necklace pendant. Dependent on path chosen, the following text will be displayed. This can change throughout the game dependent on the blended story trees the player decides to follow:

HUNTER: Somewhere ahead, something still breathes. You’ll find it.

CHASE: Fleeing is cowardice. Running is power.

BRUTUS: Companionship is no substitute for survival.

ACHILLES: They say you were born invincible. Prove it.

GAME BEGINS.