SYNOPSIS
Characters
A. Nexter Niode
The Wayfarer
Silk (Lady Sadness)
Nexter's lover & muse
Hope (Lady-in-Waiting)
Silk's confidante & Lady-in-Waiting
Schadenfreude
The Hypocrite & Tyrant
The Piper (Fred)
Betrayed king of "Sanctuary," father of Silk & patriarch of shattered family
# One (Number One)
Entity from the "House of Not" (Narrator)
PART I - OFF THE PATH
Album 1 - Synopsis
Nexter is 18, feeling a little brainwashed, a little heartbroken and a bit downtrodden.
The forces from above, (boss? parents? the Man? the System?) are pushing down hard.
The Wayfarer, decides to “take the trip” when his questions about life are left unanswered
by the ‘Mainstream’ establishment. He heads East, intending to meet great men,
learn from them, and discover his destiny.
As Nexter travels far and away, into exotic lands, he happens upon "Icon City."
In Nexter's usual way, he plays his six strings for change at the fountain in the town square.
He notices, and is troubled by a beautiful woman who exudes sorrow and mystery.
Silk (Lady Sadness) the unwilling associate of Schadenfreude, fears that she will have to
capitulate to The Hypocrite's political ambitions and sexual desires. Loved by her
people, Silk is frustrated by her inability to free them from the clutches of Schadenfreude's
fraudulent rule. Taken from her father at a young age, and made to serve The Hypocrite,
she seeks compassion from a stranger.
The two future lovers eyes meet for the first time as she wanders through the crowd.
Nexter's obvious desire is challenged with two simple words, "You Pretend."
However nothing escapes Schadenfreude's omnipresent gaze.
The Wayfarer finds himself in an unfriendly exchange, where Nexter announces his intentions
to take Silk away from him and be true to her. Schadenfreude counters with, "Be true 'AND' be CURSED!"
PART II - SEXUS
Album 2 - Synopsis
Nexter abruptly awakes from a dream. Silk's words ring in his head, "Be true 'OR' be CURSED!"
Realizing the strength of their bond, Nexter's passions are awakened. He returns from his
retreat to reassert himself with Silk. The Wayfarer surreptitiously advances into The
Hypocrites compound and makes his way to Silk's boudoir. He is met by the words,
"What do you say when it is too late to start..." Lady Sadness reluctantly rejects The
Wayfarer as she feels it is too late for anyone to help.
Nexter sadly heeds the sentiments of his muse. He escapes into a statued garden where he is
confronted by Schadenfreude and his henchmen. The hostility between The Wayfarer and The
Hypocrite escalates. Schadenfreude's henchmen immobilize The Wayfarer, disrobe & shackle him.
The Hypocrite then flagellates and beats him mercilessly.
In Nexter's last defiant state of consciousness before he "blacks out," he addresses the
fraudulent nature of Schadenfreude's rule to the man himself & taunts him with the question,
"Is That The Best You Can Do?"
Dragged to the town square, Nexter is left in an unconscious heap for all to see. As the
crowd gathers, Silk pushes her way to The Wayfarer and cradles him. Schadenfreude looks
down ominously from his podium & takes to the microphone.
Seeing the crowd gaze on Silk and Nexter with both compassion and puzzlement, Schadenfreude
seeks to regain control of the situation. He attempts to win the people's attention back with
an address that breaks into a veiled threat in the form of another curse, this time on Silk.
Lady Sadness, her Lady-in-Waiting & Nexter are surrounded by the crowd, allowing them to
make their escape. The two take Nexter to a secret island retreat to tend to his wounds.
The Wayfarer wakes up and finds Silk at his bedside whispering, "We have only love, in
what seems so few precious days."
Leaving Nexter in the hands of the Lady-in-Waiting, Silk steps out to ensure the gates to
their hideaway are locked. Secretly jealous of Silk's magnetic charm, the Lady-in-Waiting
seizes the opportunity to seduce The Wayfarer. Nexter rejects her advances.
PART III - ON THE MADNESS OF CROWDS
Album 3 - Synopsis
Some years later the story continued thus...
The two lovers, madly passionate for each other and oblivious to the world, cherish every
moment together on their secret island hideaway. They are blind to the Lady-in-Waiting's
festering resentment that has been building over the last few years.
One morning, the Lady-in-Waiting fails to appear for her daily service. Silk, troubled by
her absence, goes to her sleeping quarters to see if she is ill. Seeing movement in the bed,
Silk approaches and removes the covers. As fate would have it, a snake has found warmth
in the Lady-in-Waiting's empty bed. In an instant the snake strikes and Silk is bitten.
Moments later Nexter discovers Silk suffering the effects of the snake's venom.
Slowly, paralysis sets in... Afraid to exacerbate the onset of paralysis by moving her, yet
terrified of leaving her alone, Nexter promises Silk that he will return as fast as he can.
With the Lady-in-Waiting no where to be found, Nexter rushes to catch the ferry to
"Icon City" so he can find the antidote.
Upon arrival Nexter hastily leaves the ferry, nearly trampling a decrepit, blind, homeless
old man playing ancient pipes. Designated an enemy of the state by Schadenfreude, The
Wayfarer surreptitiously negotiates his way through the noon-hour crowd. He reminds
himself that every minute that passes seals Silk's fate.
As he crosses the road, he is nearly run-over by two racing vehicles. He makes a mental
note of the license plate that reads, "H0PE-11." Little does he know, the car is driven by
the Lady-in-Waiting who out of envy, has abandoned Silk and The Wayfarer, betraying their
secret island location to The Hypocrite in return for prestigious favours and a new name, "Hope."
Successful in his search for the antidote he returns to the ferry docks. Forced to
wait for the midnight boat, Nexter looks out across the sea towards home, a distant speck
on the horizon. The Piper begins to play...
Nexter is distracted, recognizing something in the music that reminds him of Silk.
The old man sings of an island... "She sits alone in a sea of blue, waited for them just
like she waits for you." Nexter turns to The Piper in a state of both wonder and fear.
The blind Piper is staring right through him.
Meanwhile, Schadenfreude, his mercenaries & his personal camera crew, appear at the island,
and disembark on the beach at the coordinates given by Hope. Seizing the opportunity to
appear as the hero to Silk and her people, The Hypocrite commences his 'ingenious' plan
to 'rescue' Silk from The Wayfarer and return her to the fold. At a distance, they surround
the lovers' cabin. Schadenfreude calls out to her and orders Lady Sadness to return to him,
exclaiming, "Leave your wayfaring ways behind you, and leave The Wayfarer to suffer his fate..."
The Hypocrite does not know Nexter is in "Icon City," antidote in hand, waiting for the
return ferry; or that Silk is now completely paralyzed by the snake's venom. The Hypocrite
commences a live broadcast to the people, as the F-18's 'light up' the fields surrounding
Silk's location in an attempt to flush her out. Finally the flames and the smoke crescendo
to a point where even Schadenfreude begins to wonder if Lady Sadness will appear from the
inferno. The people of "Icon City" watch the digital displays in horror as Silk perishes in the flames.
Panicked by his obvious cock-up, Schadenfreude 'blinks'. The entity '# One' manifests before him
as an apparition. "Pardon Me, excuse me sir, I'm looking for three of our Wayfarers..."
For an instant, The Hypocrite's confidence wavers.
Back in "Icon City," as the ferry approaches, The Piper shares his final words of wisdom
with The Wayfarer. Fred, bequeaths his treasured pipes to Nexter as he passes away in his arms.
Forced to leave him, Nexter boards the ferry as rain begins to fall.
After a mystifying day of pandemonium and strife, he is certain he still has time to save Silk...