The Handless Builder

THE HANDLESS BUILDER

________________________

A play in One Act

By

Gravelle

Cast of Characters

Sveldin: Safad J	A charismatic builder and the first ruler of Myth Sveldin, also its savior
Kainin: Nancy	A jealous enchanter; Sveldin’s best friend
The Mob: Rya, Prex	Citizens of Myth Sveldin
The Drow: Falz, Po	The outside evil, a dark menace, the other
Drow Priestess: Dala’gse	The worst of the Drow
Evereskan Elves: Kargi	The outside good, a helping protector, the allies
High Mages: Zireael	The best of the Evereskans
Narrator: Ironica	Echoes of the past

This story tells of the founding of Myth Sveldin, its capture and near collapse, and its eventual salvation. It is a story of dreams, loss, betrayal, reckoning, and hope. It is the Sveldin origin story, how from out of the Darkness emerged the Golden Age of a Majestic Civilization.

  

Scene

Myth Sveldin, The Underdark, and Evereska.

Time

The past.

Scene 1 - The Builders

(Sveldin and Kainin walk onto an empty stage)

NARRATOR

In the beginning, there was Sveldin. The legendary svirfneblin builder who envisioned this great city during a time of great strife, back when lawful civilizations were yet rare in the Underdark and dark menaces ever-present. Alongside Sveldin, there was also Kainin, his closest friend and a powerful enchanter. Together they built the majestic city of Sveldin.

SVELDIN

(surveying the land)

Here we shall build our city!

KAININ

(approvingly)

Indeed, my brother!

SVELDIN

(molding the earth with his powerful, wise, hands)

It will be majestic like no other.

KAININ

(reciting magic from a scroll)

With powerful enchantment and protections of clever gnomish design!

Scene 2 - Kainin, What Have You Done?

(Sveldin and Kainin stride about the stage, mingling with The Mob, who faun at Sveldin when he passes while ignoring Kainin)

NARRATOR

And the city flourished, even in that troubled time, under Sveldin's leadership. He was a celebrity ruler and a fair one. But Kainin grew jealous of how the mob adored Sveldin...

KAININ

(to himself front stage left)

Damn Sveldin and your builders hands! Don't that rabble appreciate the fruits of my labor?? Don't they know we built this city together, and I was the one who created all those enchantments they love so well??

SVELDIN

(laughingly to the Mob)

Please, good citizens, I must get back to my office, it is lovely to see you!

THE MOB

(adoringly)

Go then, good Sveldin!

(Sveldin exits stage right)

NARRATOR

As Kainin aged the jealousy grew more bitter and bitter and twisted Kainin into an evil shell of a man, turning him against his friend. 

KAININ

(clears his throat and attempts to look wise, before slowly agitating)

Excuse me, good citizens. Did you know our good leader, there, Sveldin, has been keeping secrets from us this whole time? Whereas my enchantments are out in the open and well known, Sveldin has hidden tunnels and doors and passageways that he uses as he fancies. He has secret safeguards that only he knows about to flee like a coward whenever he pleases!

THE MOB

(aghast)

It cannot be!

KAININ

(sadly)

How do you think he has prospered so unfairly these many years? How do you think he can always be so many places at one time...

THE MOB

(disgusted)

Show us the secrets, he must share them with us, we all want to know what this city really is and all benefit from its defenses!

KAININ

(pleased)

Indeed...indeed.

(offers the Mob a vial of dark, bitter-looking liquid)

Drink up my friends!

THE MOB

(greedily)

To our health!

(Drinks poison)

Scene 3 - The Fall of Sveldin, the Man

(Scene opens with the Mob outside Sveldin's estate. Sveldin is standing facing them, Kainin is behind the mob)

THE MOB

(angrily)

GIVE US YOUR BUILDER’S SECRETS! We deserve the truth!

SVELDIN

(resolutely, if dismayed, shakes his head)

I cannot part with this knowledge. It will be handed over to my successor for safekeeping. These secrets are a burden to bear but they are for the good of us all.

THE MOB

(losing control now)

He is trying to suck us dry! Yeah! He wants to be above the common gnome! Let's show him!

(the mob rushes at Sveldin, overwhelming him, and brings him to the back of the stage where a dim violet light shines on him, mimicking a dungeon)

(An evil smile slowly spreads across Kainin's face in the foreground before he exits stage right)

(the mob start to beat and abuse Sveldin)

THE MOB

Tell us now!

SVELDIN

Never.

(the mob gets more agitated and someone brings out an axe they pin him down and lop off his hands)

(the mob gasps at what they've done and flee, leaving him alone in the dungeon)

SVELDIN

(sobbing, holding his stumps out before him)

My hands...my livelihood, my craft...

NARRATOR

Sveldin wept and in the depths of his depression with nothing left to live for, capitulated, telling the mob the city's secrets. 

Scene 4 – Secrets

NARRATOR

Kainin was well pleased and quickly took over as the ruler of Sveldin, changing the name to Neblin City--a name for all of them, so he claimed. Sveldin rotted in his cell in misery.

(Kainin stands before the mob)

KAININ

Let it be known, citizens, that henceforth Sveldin’s secrets will be for the people! Go forth and let this city be all that it was meant to be for you!

THE MOB

(cheers)

(Kainin exits stage right)

(Mob exits stage left, save one member, lights go to dark)

THE MOB (1)

Good old Kainin, always helping the people. Well, I ‘spose I still need to sell my wares to the neighboring city, never a moment’s rest…I’m off again.

(the one Mob exits stage right)

(Drow enter stage right, hidinig, lights dim)

(the one Mob enters stage left)

THE MOB (1)

(to himself)

Always a little creepy passing by this intersection of tunnels, but right now even spookier! Probably just a trick o---

(Drow ambush the one mob and lights go black)

NARRATOR

But what Kainin did not foresee, was that the secrets would leak... and eventually they made their way to the alert ears of the Drow who had been searching for just such an opportunity.

Scene 5 – The Fall of Sveldin, the City

(Mob with Kainin are milling about the stage, at work)

NARRATOR

And the Drow were never ones to waste an opportunity. They stormed the city and sacked it in a vicious assault.

(Drow enter stage left and right)

THE MOB

It’s the Drow! They have infiltrated our defenses—run!

(Drow attack the mob, tie them up, grab Kainin and run off stage left)

NARRATOR

Many were killed, and the craven Kainin surrendered quickly hoping for mercy. Instead, he was turned over to the Drow's priestesses of Lloth.

(As Drow escort Mob off stage left, Drow and Priestess of Lloth enter stage right, evil purple light shines on stage)

DROW PRIESTESS

(sinister smile)

And who do we have here? Oh is this the enchanter, Kainin, ruler of the Great Neblin City? OR is the city called Sveldin...

(Drow laugh)

KAININ

(prostrate)

Please, have mercy, spare my life and I will help you rule the rabble here, together your endeavors will go easy!

DROW PRIESTESS

Oh, you wish for your life to be spared? Very well...

(Casts evil spell)

(Kainin’s lower half transforms into a massive spider, Drow laugh)

Is that better, my dear Kainin? So be it, your life is spared!

KAININ

(Looks down at his arachnid lower half and screams)

No! No! No, what have you done!

(He is driven mad and runs off stage left)

(Drow laugh)

Scene 6 – Sveldin’s Escape

(open on Sveldin in the dungeon, head slumped against his chest)

(slowly, din of battle above builds)

NARRATOR

Meanwhile, Sveldin, had kept a few of his building safeguards secret -- including a hidden passage out of the dungeon. As the city fell he stumbled away, still learning how to use his handless arms, and fled for the surface.

SVELDIN

(raises his head)

I thought I had nothing to live for, but if the city is fallen, maybe I can yet serve her people..

(gets up shakily, stumbles toward back of stage, fiddles around, exits stage right)

Scene 7 – Sojourn

(Sveldin enters stage left, ragged and alone, begging, exits stage right)

NARRATOR

After a year of begging in small towns and traveling the savage frontier, he heard of a group of reclusive elves, who made their home in Evereska and were constantly warring with the subterranean drow.

 (Sveldin enters stage left, exits stage right)

NARRATOR

Sveldin made his way to the elves and learned that Evereska was worried the Drow could now use Neblin City as a launch point for more deadly surface raids. They saw the refugee Sveldin, master builder, as a godsend in their war.

(Sveldin is alone on stage, haggard, at the gates of Evereska)

SVELDIN

Please, take me in, I would tell you of the fall of my city, sacked by the Drow!

(The elves enter stage right)

EVERESKAN ELVES

Word has come to us of a svirfneblin refugee, the sole escapee of a recent Drow attack. Is that you?

SVELDIN

‘Tis I, Sveldin Ignall, architect and builder of Neblin City.

EVERESKAN ELVES

We will help you, Master Sveldin, we have heard of your plight and would ally with you against the Drow threat!

(All exit stage right to city)

Scene 8 – Redemption

NARRATOR

The elves agreed to help Sveldin, and gathered an army to them, sending out the call to all those wounded, homeless, or outcast by the Drow. By the time they reached the Underdark it was one of the greatest forces the land had seen. With Sveldin's mental blueprints and secret knowledge of the city, the army invaded the city...

(Drow driving Mob to mine, maliciously)

(Everskan elves, high mages, and Sveldin enter stage left and right, capturing the drow and killing the priestess, freeing the svirfneblin)

THE MOB

(incredulously)

Look, it’s Sveldin, he’s back, he survived and now he’s back and he’s saved us! Sveldin! Sveldin! Sveldin!

SVELDIN

Tis the Evereskans we must thank. It was my pride and ego that turned you against me, I will not make that mistake again. We must honor our new allies.

(kneels before the elves, the Mob do as well)

HIGH MAGES

Rise good people, you have suffered much. Let it not be so. We shall use our magiks to weave a powerful protection in and around this city, safeguarding you from the Drow threat. All we ask is that you stay alert to their activities and help us keep them at bay whenever their power grows.

SVELDIN

Tis too great a gift but one I gladly accept on behalf of the city. We will honor our alliance.

(Sveldin and High Mages embrace, Mob cheers)

THE MOB

(distraught)

But Sveldin, how will you rebuild the city? We ruined you—we cut off your hands!

SVELDIN

Do you think this city was built by my hands?

(shakes his head slowly)

No. I do not build with my hands, I build with my heart.

(stage goes black)

NARRATOR

The Drow were ousted and the city reclaimed, Kainin wandered the Underdark, mad and raving in his exile, and the High Mages of the Everskan Elves wove a powerful Mythal around the city. The people voted to return the city to its original name, and with the new alliance, Myth Sveldin prospered for a millennia, enjoying a golden age of prosperity.

The End.