The Leopard - Pilot Episode.

1967 RetroVision Weekend TV sought something to fill the early Sunday evening slot. Success in recent years at the cinema of several swashbuckling films has suggested this would be a suitable format. Enter Pat Harris, the company's leading documentary maker and a fan of the English Civil War. He and his writers came up with the idea of the Leopard, a mysterious swashbuckling character with royal connections.

Harris’ ideas soon exceeded the budget, and the channel’s producers wanted to cut the project. In the end, Pat persuaded them to proceed with a pilot episode. However, the budget was reduced, and the pilot had to be made on the set of the recent Dracula movie. Therefore, overnight, Whitby Abbey became a remote, ruined monastery in the heart of Oxfordshire.

Pilot - The Wayward Messenger. November 1642. Aired 3rd September 1974

King Charles I’s courier and his satchel of important letters have gone missing. The letters contained embarrassing revelations about the Queen's medical condition and sensitive diplomatic correspondence between the King and Louis XIV’s all-powerful minister, Mazarin. Edward Hyde, the King’s advisor, dispatched the young Edward Clements, a.k.a. The Leopard, to find a courier and retrieve the letters before the King’s enemies saw them. However, the Parliamentary Council was aware of the missing letters through a spy at the Royal Court. A troop of the London Trained Band is dispatched under the command of the Parliament’s fixer, Ezekiel Sutton, to capture the messenger and retrieve the satchel and its contents.

Unbeknown to both parties, the messenger had been ambushed by bandits near a ruined monastery. The messenger remained alive but was unconscious, and the contents of his satchel, considered useless by the thieves, had been discarded.

Episode Summary

As the mist envelops the ancient abbey ruins, Edward Clements, aka the Leopard, and his men tread cautiously, expecting danger at every turn. The ominous fog conceals allies and enemies, setting the stage for a covert mission.

Blades in the Dark

Amidst the ruins, Edward's men split into groups, navigating the treacherous terrain. A sudden flash disrupts Maarten's, Edward's boyhood friend, advance, signalling the start of a deadly confrontation. Captain Sutton, the renowned Parliamentary leader, watched his men edge forward and, for a swift operation, as he grappled with uncertainty and unforeseen challenges that this mission brought. 

The Hermit's Revelation

As the mist thickens, one of the Leopard's less reputable men, the ex-poacher Isaac Fletcher, encounters an unexpected obstacle in the form of a hermit with a body odour problem. Distracted by the smell and the man's curses from the Bible, Isaac allows the dishevelled preacher (Aaron Bell) to run into the fog. This eccentric encounter was too much for Issac, who decided to sit down and take a swig of ale. An unexpected turn that added a touch of the bizarre to the unfolding drama. 

Clash of Blades

The mist clears to reveal a face-off between Edward and a formidable Parliamentary officer. The battle intensifies, with Edgar holding his ground against overwhelming odds. Enter Captain Ezekial Sutton, the Beast of the Fens, unleashing chaos with his unbridled ferocity in swordplay as the two sides fight over the prone body of the King's messenger. However, the Leopard triumphs in the end, and the injured messenger is hauled to his feet.

Unveiling Secrets

With the messenger recovered, a new threat emerges as brigands, who had originally ambushed the poor messenger, attack. Whilst the bandits had the advantage of surprise, they were soon beaten off, and Edwards drops fanned out to recover the scattered contents of the royal satchel. 

Kiss of Deception

The Leopard's band searches for their lost letters as the mist clears.  Amidst the chaos, a beautiful lady of a dubious background called Katie Reed is found tied up, claiming that she had been kidnapped to be sold to Barbary pirates. A kiss exchanged, secrets exposed, and a plea for protection set the stage for an unforeseen alliance. 

Into the Mist

With the mission accomplished, the Leopard and his men retreat into the mist, leaving a trail of uncertainty. As the credits roll, the haunting melody accompanies their disappearance, setting the tone for an enthralling series filled with intrigue and danger.

Scenario and Some Post-Production Thoughts.

The game worked out well, although I need to develop the NPC character 'AI' because they create extra uncertainty for a solo gamer. The character cards need a few tweaks, and I need to add a few more period weapons. Also, Katie and Aaron will return as members of the main cast. The next adventure of the Leopard will be a barroom brawl involving a spy and assassin. However, next on the production run is RetroVision's entrance into their world of Greek mythology with Atalanta the Huntress. Mainly because I have some old Kickstarter figures sitting in a plastic box. 

The first draft of this scenario on the 7TV Facebook page.