BWTV-AI Mod 3 – Lesson 6: Stacking Intrigue

[Jerry Robbins]

Jerry Robbins Stacks Intrigue
What I learned from doing this assignment is that I need to work to double the intrigue of my Turning Points. I will need to go back to my previous assignments and put together the various intrigues and connections that have been suggested.

Teaser:

• Intrigue 1 (Conspiracy): A cryptic message intercepted by Lulu suggests a larger plot behind the riot.
• Intrigue 2 (Deception): Mara secretly meets with a shadowy figure, hinting at hidden motives.
• Intrigue 3 (Intriguing World): A holographic display reveals the underbelly of Holo-NetWork City, concealing secrets.

Turning Point: The Teaser concludes with Alexia discovering Cipher’s involvement in the riot, setting the stage for a mysterious partnership.

Improve: Add a layer of mystery by having Cipher’s actions during the riot diverge from typical robotic behavior, raising questions about his true nature.

Act 1:

• Intrigue 1 (Mystery): Alexia finds a confidential file linking Dr. Black’s past experiments to the riot.
• Intrigue 2 (Hidden Agenda): Ryker approaches Saraphina with a hidden agenda, complicating their alliance.
• Intrigue 3 (Secret): Cipher drops cryptic hints about a shared past with Dr. Black.

Turning Point: The discovery of the confidential file uncovers Dr. Black’s questionable experiments, deepening the mystery.

Improve: Introduce conflicting loyalties within the secret society advocating for robob rights, adding layers to the characters.

Act 2:

• Intrigue 1 (Hidden Layer): Vince uncovers Mara’s plan for a flawless robob, hinting at potential dangers.
• Intrigue 2 (Strange Behavior): Cipher exhibits unusual behavior, triggering Alexia’s curiosity.
• Intrigue 3 (Intriguing World): Ryker’s connection to a forgotten rebellion is revealed, adding complexity.

Turning Point: Cipher’s unusual behavior becomes a significant plot point, leading to questions about his true intentions.

Improve: Increase tension by having Cipher’s actions align with Mara’s plan, creating ambiguity around his loyalties.

Act 3:

• Intrigue 1 (Conspiracy): Mara confronts Dr. Black about the flaws in his creation, exposing a corporate conspiracy.
• Intrigue 2 (Secret Identity): Ria’s hidden connection to Mara’s past is revealed, complicating the lawsuit.
• Intrigue 3 (Wound): Saraphina discovers the truth about her enhanced brain, causing internal conflict.

Turning Point: Mara’s revelation of flaws in Dr. Black’s creation sparks a corporate conflict that reverberates through the characters.

Improve: Explore the emotional toll of Dr. Black’s past decisions on Alexia, adding depth to their strained father-daughter relationship.

Act 4:

• Intrigue 1 (Accusation): Alexia accuses Nat of withholding information, straining their alliance.
• Intrigue 2 (Hidden Layer): Lulu’s connection to the holograms reveals a hidden layer in Dr. Black’s design.
• Intrigue 3 (Mystery): Cipher’s memories resurface, exposing a forgotten connection to Mara.

Turning Point: Lulu’s revelation about Dr. Black’s original design sets off a chain of events that jeopardize the characters.

Improve: Intensify the drama by having Cipher’s memories reveal a shared history with Mara, forcing Alexia to reassess her trust.

Act 5:

• Intrigue 1 (Conspiracy): Mara’s alliance with Cipher is exposed, leading to a dramatic confrontation.
• Intrigue 2 (Deception): Cipher’s conflicting loyalties come to light, leaving Alexia torn.
• Intrigue 3 (Hidden Agenda): The major conflict/dilemma emerges as characters must choose between loyalty and survival.

Turning Point: The exposure of Mara and Cipher’s alliance shatters alliances, setting the stage for a complex resolution.

Ending: Conclude with a cliffhanger that leaves viewers questioning the fate of characters and the future of the robob rebellion.

Improve: Enhance the emotional impact by highlighting the consequences of characters’ choices, leaving a lasting impression for the next episodes.

[Margaret]

Not letting me post my assignment by hitting “reply” so putting it here:

Margaret Stacks Intrigue

What I learned: How to get around not being able to post on a forum 🙂

ACT 1

Intrigue/Deception: When the camera is off, Jack’s father alludes to Jack having the perfect face for his scheme. He walks away laughing, leaving Jack confused.

Intrigue/Strange Behavior: The girlfriend is unexpectantly cold when Jack asks her to meet for lunch. Why?

Jack proposes to his girlfriend, only to face rejection due to his lack of ambition and his father’s tainted legacy/deception.

Intrigue/Deception: What is the deception the girlfriend is talking about?

Intrigue/Accusation: Jack’s girlfriend accuses Jack of embezzling the money with his father. Is Jack involved?

Turning Point: Rejected and emotionally shattered, Jack contemplates suicide as his relationship crumbles and his father’s deceit haunts him. He considers the Masada event may not have been such a bad choice and downs a bottle of pills.

ACT 2

Intrigue/Mystery: What looks like a stage light plays with his body – it is not unlike the “Orb” in the parallel world. What is this light?

Intrigue/Mystery: Onstage, Jack has a vision: the speech of Elazar Ben Yair at Masada saying, “Since we long ago resolved never to be servants to the Romans, nor to any other than to God Himself, who alone is the true and just Lord of mankind,…” He comes out it with the speech is echoed by his father, “we must be servants to God himself, who alone is the true and just Lord” and serve him with our money!

Intrigue/Intriguing World: Amidst the chaos of a sudden earthquake, Jack stumbles into a mysterious portal opened by an orb of light, hurtling him into an unfamiliar parallel world.

ACT 3

Intrigue/Hidden Layer: Alo questions Jack about his origin. Realizing he is neither Hedeon nor Donek, he assumes he is from Earth like himself. He does not reveal this to Jack but gives him his own cover story – he is from across the sea, a people who were thought to have died out in a plague that are more in tune with “Taaba” than the average man. Jack goes along saying he has a memory loss, not admitting he is an earthling or not knowing who “Taaba” is.

Intrigue/Strange Behavior: Jack has vision of Romans killing Jews. Alo questions him on his black out moment. When Jack shares the vision, Alo tells him of the cold war between the Donek and the Hedeon, but Alo is skeptical that Jack really had a vision.

Intrigue/Strange Behavior: Caught between suspicion and attraction, Imara struggles to trust Jack. She hides her attraction to him with anger at Alo for allowing a stranger with an unknown origin into the tribe. The attraction is not immediately evident, we are left wondering why she is so angry at Jack.

Intrigue/Deception/Secret: Imara secretly meets with Taron to learn the fate of her son, Grigo. Jack sees her meeting with a Hedeon and questions her. She tells him he sells a special medication she can’t get among the Donek, threatens him not to reveal the meeting.

Turning Point: Intrigue/Mystery: Jack has the vision of Romans attacking on the city streets with mob like behavior. Will this vision be echoed on this world? Will Jack speak up?

ACT 4

Intrigue/Strange Behavior: Should Alo promote Jack and his visions or would that lead to his own loss of power? Alo talks with a ball of light.

Intrigue/Conspiracy: Jack sees Alo meeting with Taron. Caught between truth and silence, Jack faces the moral quandary of confronting Alo’s clandestine meeting with Taron or maintaining the fragile peace.

Turning Point/Jack’s Turning Point 2: Jack heads towards the light Orb to investigate and discovers Imara being attacked by the murderous Hedeon, and risks his life to rescue her

ACT 5

Intrigue/Hidden Layer: When Jack kisses Imara, she backs off. He assumes it is because of Taron and she reveals he is her brother. She does not reveal she is married.

Intrigue/Hidden Layer:The revelation of Alo’s clandestine alliance with a Hedeon spy complicates his character, blurring the lines between loyalty and betrayal. Jack hints at seeing him with Taron, but Alo doesn’t get the hint since Jack thinks it is about medicine. He thinks he is talking about the Orb and refers to it confusing Jacke.

LOCK IN: As Jack is proclaimed a prophet among the Donek, he once again has the vision of the leader at Masada telling the people they must commit suicide.

[Nat Melvin]

Natalie Stacks Intrigue

WIL: Stacking intrigue added a few new layers of character depth.

Teaser:

Intrigue 1: Intriguing World: The mesmerizing voice hints at an ancient Hawaiian legend, shrouded in mystery and peril, drawing viewers into a world where destiny and danger intertwine.

Intrigue 2: Mystery: Why is Sola racing through the City of Refuge, and who or what is pursuing her?

Intrigue 3: Secret: The unseen force chasing Sola hints at hidden threats lurking in the shadows, adding suspense and intrigue to the mysterious pursuit.

Intrigue 4: Mystery: The disappearance of ancient Hawaiian figures hints at a deeper mystery surrounding the City of Refuge, leaving viewers curious about its significance and connection to Sola’s journey.

Turning Point: Sola’s frantic race through the City of Refuge, coupled with the enigmatic disappearance of the figures, sets the stage for an exhilarating adventure and propels the story into motion.

Act 1:

Intrigue 1: Secret Identity: Sola’s experiments with forbidden magic hint at her hidden identity and untapped potential, laying the groundwork for revelations about her true nature.

Intrigue 2: Conspiracy: The forbidden magic Sola delves into unveils hints of a larger conspiracy surrounding her missing mother and the secrets of her lineage, leaving viewers eager to uncover the truth.

Intrigue 3: Hidden Layer: The discovery of Sola’s mother’s necklace hints at a hidden layer of significance and power, teasing viewers with the mystery of its origin and connection to Sola’s destiny.

Intrigue 4: Hidden Agenda: What ulterior motives does Hecate have for sensing Sola’s growing power and conspiring against Zeus?

Turning Point: Hecate’s recognition of Sola’s growing power and her alliance with Hera foreshadow the brewing conflict among the Gods, signaling a shift in power dynamics and setting the stage for intrigue and betrayal.

Improvement: Strengthen the connection between Sola’s experiments with forbidden magic and the overarching conspiracy surrounding her lineage, enhancing the sense of mystery and urgency driving her quest for answers.

Act 2:

Intrigue 1: Deception: Ku’s manipulation of Kama to lure Sola into a trap hints at hidden agendas and betrayal within the ranks of the Gods, adding complexity to the unfolding conflict.

Intrigue 2: Hidden Layer: What secrets lie within the ancient curse triggered by Sola, and how will it affect the balance of power among the Gods?

Intrigue 3: Secret Identity: Sola’s inadvertent triggering of the ancient curse reveals hints of her hidden identity as the key to unlocking dormant powers and ancient prophecies, heightening the stakes of her journey.

Intrigue 4: Hidden Agenda: The awakening of dormant Gods and the chaos that ensues hint at hidden agendas at play, driving the Gods toward conflict and setting the stage for Sola’s pivotal role in restoring balance.

Turning Point: Sola’s unwitting activation of the ancient curse marks a point of no return, thrusting her into a world of chaos and danger, where her actions have far-reaching consequences for both mortal and divine realms.

Improvement: Increase the tension and stakes surrounding Sola’s discovery of her mother’s necklace, highlighting its significance in unlocking the ancient curse and driving the Gods toward conflict.

Act 3:

Intrigue 1: Wound: The spreading news of the curse sparks turmoil and uncertainty among the Gods, revealing deep wounds and divisions within their ranks.

Intrigue 2: Conspiracy: Hecate’s enlistment of Anteros to capture Sola reveals the extent of her machinations and the lengths she will go to maintain control, deepening the intrigue surrounding her plans.

Intrigue 3: Strange Behavior: What unusual behavior does Anteros exhibit as he seeks redemption by capturing Sola, and how will it impact their interactions?

Intrigue 4: Deception: Anteros’ disguise as Antony and his forbidden romance with Sola introduce layers of deception and betrayal, blurring the lines between ally and enemy, and complicating Sola’s alliances.

Intrigue 5: Hidden Relationships: Sola’s encounter with Anteros hints at hidden connections and unresolved tensions, adding depth to their burgeoning relationship and foreshadowing conflicts to come.

Turning Point: Sola’s forbidden romance with Anteros complicates her alliances and motivations, setting the stage for emotional turmoil and difficult choices as she grapples with her feelings and the consequences of her actions.

Improvement: Enhance the emotional stakes of Sola’s forbidden romance with Anteros, highlighting the conflict between her growing affection for him and the dangers it poses to her mission and the divine realms.

Act 4:

Intrigue 1: Accusation: Sola faces accusations of causing chaos with her use of forbidden magic, leading to doubts about her ability to save the world and causing conflicts among the Gods.

Intrigue 2: Betrayal: Ku’s betrayal and manipulation of Sola reveal the depth of his ambition and thirst for power, leading to a shocking betrayal that tests Sola’s resolve and forces her to confront her inner demons.

Intrigue 3: Hidden Agenda: Hecate and Zeus’ maneuvering behind the scenes unveils their hidden agendas and conflicting interests, setting the stage for a showdown between the Gods and the revelation of long-held secrets.

Intrigue 4: Mystery: Sola’s use of forbidden magic inadvertently banishes the Gods’ artifacts, triggering a chain of events with dire consequences and revealing the true extent of her power and the mysteries surrounding her destiny.

Turning Point: Sola’s unwitting use of forbidden magic sets off a cataclysmic chain of events that threatens to unravel the fabric of reality, forcing her to confront the consequences of her actions and make a fateful decision that will determine the fate of both mortal and divine realms.

Improvement: Intensify the emotional stakes of Sola’s betrayal by Ku, highlighting the personal and political ramifications of his actions on her journey and relationships with other characters.

Act 5:

Intrigue 1: Conspiracy: The disappearance of the Gods’ artifacts hints at a larger conspiracy at play, as Sola, Kama, and Anteros embark on a perilous quest to recover them and unravel the mystery behind their disappearance.

Intrigue 2: Conspiracy: Ku’s manipulation of ancient prophecies sets the stage for a clash of titans, as hidden agendas and alliances are revealed.

Intrigue 3: Hidden Relationships: Sola’s growing bond with her companions deepens as they face increasingly dangerous obstacles together, revealing hidden layers of loyalty and trust that strengthen their resolve to overcome adversity.

Intrigue 4: Secret Identity: Sola’s true identity as the key to restoring balance between the mortal and divine realms is finally revealed, as she confronts the assembly of Hawaiian Gods and embraces her destiny as the chosen one.

Turning Point: With the artifacts disappearing and the fate of both worlds hanging in the balance, Sola, Kama, and Anteros are swept into a mysterious portal to a mythical world, where they must confront their greatest challenges yet and unlock the secrets of their intertwined destinies.

Improvement: Heighten the sense of urgency and peril as Sola and her companions venture into the unknown, facing new dangers and revelations that push them to their limits and set the stage for future adventures and conflicts.

[Lenore]

I am unable to reply the correct way, I am replying to Jerry to get my assignment on the forum.

BWtV Mod 3 – Lesson 6: Stacking Intrigue

Lenore Bechtel’s Stacked Intrigues

What I learned from this assignment is how to set up turning points by preceding them with elements of intrigue. Putting them into my outline, I found other things that needed clarification, so this assignment was valuable for me.

Pilot Episode for HYPNOTIZED BY HOPE: Invisible Angst

Teaser: Montage of Joshua on stage at the intimate Reincarnation, Tulsa Tower’s nightclub. In the audiece, Lilly’s stern face and Quinten’s evil, smiling one contrast with the highly appreciate audience, especially when Joshua puts beautiful, sexy Sally Singleton under his arm and walks gloatingly around while her feet and hair both barely clear the stage floor. Intrigue: why aren’t Lilly and Quinten enthralled by the show like everyone else?

Turning point: Show finished, sneaky Quinten smirks and takes notes as Lilly tells Joshua these shows diminish his essence and the reputation she’s been trying to help him build. Intrigue: Why is Quinten taking notes? Joshua protests that shows are fun and bring in lots of clients. Layer and coverup: Joshua appears to be a superficial person more interested having fun than helping clients. At the very end of the pilot, we’ll find out how truly devoted he is to helping those in need.

Hook: Then Joshua shoots his bullet: He’s hired Sally to help Lilly in the office. Lilly’s aghast face says, “Not again!” Hidden agenda: Sally is not the inept ditzy blonde she’s pretending to be. We won’t find out until the last episode of the season who she really is.

Act I: Invisible Angst

Essence: Lilly knows Quinten Quebeck is coming to uncover a scandal and fears his story will hurt her chances of finding a publisher for the book she’s ghosting for Joshua. She’s skeptical about the treatment Joshua prescribes for Timothy, Dr. Dan’s schizophrenic who thinks he’s invisible. Wound: Timothy has many, the biggest being he scared to be around other people. Another being a distrust of banks because of an account he forgot about once being dropped from $500 to zero because of maintenance fees.

Actions: Dr. Dan briefs Joshua about Timothy. Intrigue: He doesn’t refer patients before their insurance runs out, so why has he? Tyrell gets free appointment and won’t tell Vicki or Lilly why. Intrigue: What secret do he and Joshua share? Sally ruins Joshua’s masters, and Joshua says she’s done him a favor. Intiruge: Is Joshua in a relationship with Sally? Lilly protests when Joshua asks her to set up a fake bank robber. Intrigue: Will she do something she thinks is wrong, and if she does, why did she? Secret identity: Tyrell is Joshua’s former cell mate. His relationship to Joshua will not be revealed until later seasons, but he’ll be revealed as a safecracker in the last scene of the pilot.

Turning point: Lilly forces herself to set up a fake bank robbery for Timothy’s treatment.

Joshua hypnotizes Timothy to believe that both he and Dr. Dan can also be invisible so Timothy can get caught robbing the downstairs bank.

Cliffhanger: Timothy runs away, saying Joshua is crazy.

Act 2: Crime and Visibility

Essence: Lilly’s transgender ex’s visit doesn’t distract her from protecting Joshua and the office’s reputation. Wound: Lilly was devastated both by the marriage and divorce, the details of which she keeps very secret. Intrigue: Why did she marry him and why did he divorce her?

Actions: Joshua decides Sally will teach exercise. Intrigue: Did Sally and Joshua have a date last night? Kathy, Lilly’s transgender ex husband, talks with Lilly behind closed doors. Timothy comes back, and the farciical bank robbery scheme succeeds while Lilly keeps Quinten at bay by showing him one of Joshua’s past TV shows. Bernadine engulfs Timothy, and does what Joshua suggests—takes Timothy to lunch. Intrigue: Will Bernadine seduce Timothy? Fake-fat Maudie is exposed. Ongoing conspiracy: Bernadine wants Joshua to hypnotize her for past life regressions, but he refuses. She thinks her soul group will move on without her if she doesn’t find and pay off her karmic debt from previous incarnations in this present life.

Turning point: As the three invisibles escape from the bank to the office, Dr. Dan bumps into Maudie, exposing Maudie’s fat disguise. Hidden relationship history: At a C of C show, Joshua hypnotized Maudie to want to help him on stage, and she liked the suggetion too much to give it up.

Cliffhanger: Quinten sees Maudie’s fat disguise fall out when Dr. Dan bumps into her. Vicki reveals that Maudie was the subject on the just-filmed TV show, and Quinten smirks as Lilly explains they plan to re-shoot the show.

Act 3: TV Tomfoolery

Essence: Lilly spars with Quinten, and Joshua hires Shay to duplicate CDs and will keep his true identity secret. Deception: Shay is the son Lilly gave up for adoption, but no one except Joshua will know his identity until late in season one. Intrigue: Is his father the ex who is now Kathy? Intrigue: Why does Shay suddenly want to get to know his birth mother?

Actions: Quinten snoops around. Joshua fixes Maudie and lures Timothy into taking her out. . Lilly hates having another new hire, but likes Shay instantly. Unable to talk Joshua out off his treatment for Tyrell, Lilly finds safe that can’t be opened. Reveal: Joshua tells Lilly that Tyrell came for hypnosis to get his safecracking skills back, so he wants to confirm in reality that the skills are lost. Dr. Dan chides Joshua for Timothy’s dates with both Bernadine and Maudie. Vicki flirts with Shay, and he’s flattered. Wound: Vicki’s steady high school boyfriend dumped her when he left for college. This will be revealed in later episodes.

Turning point: Sally offers to show Quinten Maudie’s show, amusing Joshua, infuriating Lilly.

Cliffhanger: After seeing the show Quinten announces he’s well on his way to putting Joshua out of business. While Vicki, Sally, and Shay wail about how much they need their jobs, and Lilly looks near collapse, Joshua laughs at the preposterous idea.

Act 4: Exercise Aggravation

Essence: Quinten outsmarts Lilly and discovers items she’d rather keep hidden.

Actions: Lilly puts safe in Dr. Dan’s office. Sally’s exercise class is such a hit that Joshua decides it’ll be part of his TV show. Intrigue: Could Joshua possibly be having a relationship with a low IQer? Timothy has crisis that demands another bank prank, which Lilly arranges, and Dr. Dan participates in. Tyrell and Joshua fail to open safe. Quinten eavesdrops as Lilly and Kathy have lunch at the cafeteria.

Turning point: As the three invisible buddies return from getting caught again as they returned money, Berrnadine is having a breakthrough and recognizes Timothy from a previous life—all with Quinten listening.

Cliffhanger: Quinten confronts Lilly about her relationship with Kathy and rejoicingly tells he’s close to having his story. Reveal: Lilly lets Quinten know that Kathy was a man when the two were married. Joshua, Shay, and Vicki hear her confession—Shay with horror and Joshua with delight—maybe pretended, maybe real.

Act 5: Public confession

Essence: Quinten takes another giant step toward finding the scandal he needs.

Actions: Dr. Dan scolds Joshua for Timothy’s treatment—two dates too much too soon. Intrigue: Will the CDs do what they’re supposed to do—Overcome Shyness and Enjoy Sexual Pleasure? Bernadine’s new show is attended by Vicki and Shay with Dr. Dan and Joshua on the front row. Quinten and Sally sit behind them. Lilly and Kathy sit separately at a dark, corner booth. Upstairs in Dr. Dan’s office, Police arrest Tyrell trying to crack safe.

Turning point: Near the end of Bernadine’s show, police drag in Tyrell, who blames Joshua for his crime.

Cliffhanger: Bernadine’s breakthrough gets Tyrell’s confession on stage, where Joshua joins him and admits Tyrell is telling the truth. Lilly weeps and collapses into Kathy’s arms as Quinten gleefully films it all.

[Sylvia Krawczyk]

Not letting me post so here ya go:

BWTV-AI Mod 3 – Lesson 6: Stacking Intrigue

Sylvia Stacks Intrigue

What I learned doing this assignment is fun. Wow! This exercise was truly amazing. I did have to watch the video a few more times to understand the assignment—it’s missing Concept. Yet, once I fix it and understood it, it was fun especially with my AI assistant. I even added comedic elements to push and anti. More re-writing in store.

[Barbe LaPierre]

Barbe Stacks Intrigue

What I learned doing this assignment is that this is a good way to build the intrigue. Asking Chat to digest everything is less than successful. The more we develop our stories the more difficult it is to feed Chat all of the details and nuances. It just stirs with a stick and sends back what it’s been fed.

I don’t think this is an effective use of Chat.

Turning Points:

• Act 1 Noren mining facility is attacked.

• Act 2 Nika is caught in a cave-in in the temple.

• Act 3 A’Lyx uses his power of remote viewing to save Nika and the other archaeologists.

• Act 4 A’Lyx stuns Noren when he asks for passage to Cryos.

• Act 5 A’Lyx sends a secret message to Vosskara Slyth that he has infiltrated Noren’s ship.

Intrigue Techniques:

Act 1

• Intriguing World: The Kayleum Sector of the Scaltaria Galaxy serves as a nexus of trade,

exploration, and diplomatic intrigue where advanced civilizations thrive.

• Mystery: A shadowy organization called The Syndicate is threatening the peace in the sector.

• Secret Identity: The leader of The Syndicate is rumored to be someone called Vosskara Slyth.

• Hidden Agenda: The Syndicate is an organization that operates on the fringes of legality, engaging in clandestine activities such as smuggling rare cosmic artifacts and trafficking in forbidden technologies. What is Slyth really after?

• Act 1 Turning Point: Noren learns that his mining facility is under attack. Most likely by The Syndicate. He jumps in the Odyssey Flyer and races to the site.

Act 2

• Intriguing World: Ancient ruins, symbology and an artifact that holds clues to a prophecy.

• Deception: Dr. Ilyana Darrow is against Nika’s participation. Why? What is she hiding?

• Strange Behavior: A spirited but illogical argument about entering the chamber. Ilyana insults Nika and disparages her participation.

• Act 2 Turning Point: Nika and the other archaeologists are caught in a cave-in in the temple.

Act 3

• Hidden Agenda: A’lyx was in the marketplace. He observed the Odyssey Flyer 2 arrive. Now, he shows up at the cave-in. What, or who, is he after?

• Strange Behavior: A’Lyx mysteriously appears at the cave-in just in time to find a hidden passage — using powers he himself does not understand.

• Hidden Agenda: Ilyana confesses to Nika that she caused the cave-in – under orders from Slyth.

• Act 3 Turning Point: A’Lyx uses his power of remote viewing a second time to locate Nika and the other archaeologists within the temple. He notices that the artifact has been removed from the wall and Nika is still alive. Someone did not fulfill their assignment,

Act 4

• Deception: A’Lyx feigns gratitude when Noren offers passage on the Destiny to “anywhere in the sector.”

• Strange Behavior: After a conversation with Ilyana, Alex leaves the gathering.

• Act 4 Turning Point: A’Lyx stuns Noren when he asks for passage to Cryos, Noren’s home planet. After the gathering, on the return flight to Lumor, the shuttle carrying Ilyana crashes.

Act 5

• Secret: In their quarters, Nika reviews the footage of the chamber in the ruins before the cave-in — and the artifact that she stole. When Noren enters she reveals to him that the inscription on the cave wall and the artifact point to – Cryos.

• Hidden Agenda: Why, exactly, is A’Lyx on the ship?

• Strange Behavior: Alone in his quarters A’Lyx tosses a small piece of equipment on the table – the navigation stabilizer from Iyana’s shuttle.

• Act 5 Turning Point: A’Lyx sends a secret message to Vosskara Slyth that he has infiltrated Noren’s ship.

[Sunil Pappu]

Sunil Pappu Stacks Intrigue

“What I learned doing this assignment is… to build towards each turning point using stacking intrigue.”

Stacking Intrigue

Teaser:

• Intrigue 1: Intriguing World – Begin with a bustling street scene of Mumbai during a festival, highlighting the contrast between the celebration and the tension of the chase.

• Intrigue 2: Mystery – Introduce a cryptic message received by Priya that suggests a dire consequence if she fails to deliver the ledger.

• Intrigue 3: Secret Identity – Show glimpses of a shadowy figure tracking Priya’s movements, suggesting they know more about her than she does about them.

• Turning Point: The reveal of the counterfeit ledger.

Act 1:

• Intrigue 1: Secret – Priya discovers a secret compartment in her backpack left by an unknown ally, with tools that will aid her in future tasks.

• Intrigue 2: Deception – As Priya works on her class project, she catches a classmate trying to steal her work, hinting at espionage within the academic setting.

• Intrigue 3: Accusation – Priya is publicly accused by a professor of stealing another student’s work, a plot to test her reactions under pressure.

• Turning Point: Priya is recruited for the covert operation.

Act 2:

• Intrigue 1: Conspiracy – Priya overhears a cryptic conversation between two team members, hinting at a plot within the plot.

• Intrigue 2: Strange Behavior – Arjun’s behavior becomes erratic, he seems to be communicating with someone secretly, raising suspicions among the team.

• Intrigue 3: Secret – It’s revealed that Meera has a personal connection to one of the names in the ledger, casting doubt on her loyalty.

• Turning Point: Initiating the sale of the secret ledger.

Act 3:

• Intrigue 1: Hidden Agenda – Priya starts a secondary, unauthorized investigation into her father’s involvement.

• Intrigue 2: Deception – As the team plans their next move, there’s a leak of information, and they can’t determine the source.

• Intrigue 3: Accusation – Priya is accused of being the mole due to her erratic investigation into her father.

• Turning Point: The revelation that Priya’s father might have been framed.

Act 4:

• Intrigue 1: Intrigue – A team member’s death is staged, and Priya must figure out if it’s a ruse or reality.

• Intrigue 2: Secret Identity – Priya discovers a past alias of her father that connects him to the Hawala network.

• Intrigue 3: Wound – Priya finds out that her recruitment to the team was no accident; her father’s past is the reason she was chosen.

• Turning Point: Priya’s father’s mysterious death.

Act 5:

• Intrigue 1: Deception – The team uncovers that the ledger they’ve been chasing is a decoy, and the real ledger is still out there.

• Intrigue 2: Conspiracy – Priya learns of a secret society that has been manipulating the Hawala market for generations.

• Intrigue 3: Secret – The identity of the mastermind is related to Priya’s past, someone she never expected.

• Turning Point: The ledger is a ruse, and the mastermind remains unknown.

• This reply was modified 1 year, 2 months ago by  Sunil Pappu.

[Denice Lewis]

Denice Stacks Intrigue
What I learned doing this assignment is how thinking about these techniques improves everything—not just the turning points. Keeping the outline updated helps. The few suggestions I used from AI added more mystery and intrigue. All of this led to some cool breakthroughs that tie the characters together in yet another way.

Teaser:
Intrigue: Maya gets out of a limo in a seedy part of town.

Intrigue/mystery TP. During a fight, a vision combines a dream world with her reality and she fights alongside another teen against monsters. Her wrist shoots out white light that covers everything.

Act 1:

Opening/Accusation – Blake catches Maya outside the dance-fighting class. He feels betrayed.

Secret: Maya hides her red wrist and doesn’t tell her dad what happened in class.

Hidden Agenda/Midpoint: Sophia, grandma, arrives because of a prophetic dream. telling Maya isn’t happy to see her.

Intrigue: Maya steals a lot of money from her dad’s desk. Add something about light in her fingers or whatever. Maybe a locked desk.

Mystery/Conspiracy/ Turning Point 1 – Blake gives his mother, Sophia, a letter for his daughter in case something happens to him.

Intrigue/Secret – They argue about him saving his wife. Especially when his father, was murdered doing the same work.

Hidden Agenda/Major Conflict– Blake tells Maya her grandmother is staying to take care of her while he’s gone. He won’t tell her why.

Wound – Blake promised to take Maya with him on his next business trip and he betrays her trust.

Accusation/Turning Point 2 – Maya accuses him of deception, storms out, slams the door. The door lights up. Blake and Sophia stare in shock.

Act 2:
Secret/Opening – Maya pays their limo driver to stay at the school and wait for her.

Intrigue/Turning Point 1 – Maya pays a teen to use his dirt bike. They sneak it into the school. Whispered voices haunt her.

Strange Behavior/Hidden Agenda – Maya recklessly rides dirt bike around the school.

Accusation– Maya gets suspended.

Mystery – Blake crafts an amulet ring made from fire.

Secret Identity/Midpoint – Maya sees Blake kidnapped by a monster and disappear in flames. Throws the ring to Maya. Sophia comes in the room as he vanishes.

Hidden Layer – Sophia gives Maya her father’s letter giving her power of attorney over Maya and his estate.

Intrigue – Lysandra, the Dark Dreamer from the dream realm, has fun creating a nightmare. Monster brings Blake to her.

Mystery/Intrigue – Sophia’s cryptic conversation with a shadowy figure hints at a larger plan.

Mystery – Sophia gives Maya fifteen minutes to pack. They’re leaving and never coming back. She steals the amulet.

Accusation – Maya rebels. Sophia demands obedience. She destroys Maya’s cell phone.

Mystery/Ending – Maya gets into car. Sophia blows up the house.

Act 3:

Hidden Agenda – Sophia drives for hours to her home.

Deception – At a gas stop, Maya steals back the amulet. Runs away. Tries to thumb a ride.

Deception – Blake won’t answer Lysandra’s questions. She doesn’t know why she’s attracted to Blake.

Wound/Dilemma – Blake can’t risk telling Lysandra that she is his wife.

Strange Behavior – Lysandra imprisons Blake, but it takes three tries to confine him in a water-surrounded prison.

Mystery- Sophia locks Maya in her room saying it’s to protect her. Maya bangs on the door and it’s surrounded by light.

Wound – How can Maya find dad alone, even if she knew where he is or where she is? Deception – Does Sophia tell Maya the truth or protect her from it?

Secret Identity – Sophia lays down the rules, public school, new name, low profile

Act 4:

Intrigue– Maya’s the new girl and therefore noticed by the jocks and the ruling girl clique.

Conspiracy – Maya makes enemies in school.

Deception – How can Blake protect Maya, the dream realm, Lysandra, and reality while being imprisoned?

Secret – Blake resists Lysandra and her charming manipulation even though he loves her. Wound/Major Conflict – Maya’s being bullied.

Mystery – Blake refuses to tell Lysandra where his power comes from.

Mystery – Emotional buildup from everything that’s happened to her, Maya attacks the bully. It triggers a sight of her dad with the teen she fought with in the dream world in the teaser.

Act 5

Intrigue – Bully grabs her wrist for a kiss. It glows, shocks him.

Strange Behavior– She has another vision while fighting that allows her to win the fight.

Mystery/Intrigue – The dream realm’s influence begins to bleed into the waking world around Maya.

Accusation – She gets suspended from school.

Mystery/Intrigue – A mysterious figure watches Maya from the shadows.

Intrigue – Sophia has to go out for food, orders Maya to stay home with dire warnings of her fate from those who want her life.

Hidden Layer/Mystery – Maya explores basement and discovers evidence about her dad, grandfather, and the dream world.

Intrigue – Blake has to fight nightmares.

Intrigue – Lock-in Ending – Maya’s hidden birthmark of the swan constellation opens a portal into the dream world. She enters, is grabbed, and whisked away in an electric storm to find her father in an unknown, unpredictable world.

[Renee Miller]

Renee Stacks Intrigue

What I learned doing this assignment is that ChatGPT isn’t the end all be all when it comes to building intrigue into your outline. Many of the suggestions from ChatGPT included things layers that would essentially need to come after the turning point for an Act, but the answers I received from it pushed my creativity to come up with better intrigue layers leading up to the turning points of the act.

Teaser:

Intrigue: (Intriguing World) The ancient mansion, stormy night, and hooded figures provide a glimpse into a world where the occult is very much alive.

Intrigue: (Mystery) Veronica’s presence on the alter hints at a personal connection to the cult’s activities, raising the questions about her role and significance.

Intrigue: (Secret) As the hood is draped over Veronica’s head viewers are left questioning the ritual and its consequences.

Turning Point: The ritual begins, hinting at Veronica’s importance to the cult.

Improve:

Act 1:

Intrigue: (Intriguing World) While searching a CEO’s office she finds mysterious symbols written throughout a logbook right before she is arrested for breaking and entering.

Intrigue: (Secret) Veronica shows Father Malachi the symbols she found in the CEO’s office and he becomes anxious and visibly disturbed.

Intrigue: (Intriguing World) A lost follower is waiting for Father Malachi when they reach his former church.

Turning Point: Studying the symbols she found in the logbook triggers a memory of Veronica being kidnapped by the cult.

Improve: Veronica’s mother left cryptic clues behind, increasing the emotional stakes.

Act 2:

Intrigue: (Conspiracy) The cryptic symbols in the CEO’s logbooks suggest a larger conspiracy at play, connecting corporate power to occult practices.

Intrigue: (Hidden Layer) Veronica finds an old, encrypted journal of her mother’s belongings, leading Veronica to question everything she knew about her mother and her own past.

Intrigue: (Mystery) Veronica starts experiencing unexplained phenomena that guide her towards hidden truths about the cult and her family.

Turning Point: The discovery of the same symbols at her mother’s grave, linking past and present.

Improve: Veronica’s visions are tied to her unresolved grief over her mother’s death, and her determination to uncover the truth becomes a way for her to process her loss and find closure.

Act 3:

Intrigue: (Mystery) Veronica receives anonymous cryptic messages that contain symbols that are keys to unlocking the prophecy. The source of the messages is a mystery.

Intrigue: (Secret) As Veronica and Dr. Stone delve deeper into her family’s past to understand the cult’s interest in her, she uncovers hidden letters from a deceased relative that hint at a secret deeply entwined with the cult’s history, suggesting her lineage is significant to the cult’s prophecy.

Intrigue: (Conspiracy) Veronica and Dr. Stone become aware that they are being closely watched by the cult.

Turning Point: Veronica and Dr. Stone discover an ancient prophecy.

Improve: Incorporate visual or auditory hallucinations that hint at the cult’s supernatural influence, blurring reality for Veronica and the audience.

Act 4:

Intrigue: (Secret) Father Malachi’s introduction of the lost followers suggests a deeper involvement in the cult that Father Malachi has admitted.

Intrigue: (Deception) The escaped cult members’ testimonies conflict, suggesting not all of them may be trustworthy or have escaped at all.

Intrigue: (Hidden Agenda) Father Malachi’s actions become increasingly ambiguous suggesting he might have a hidden agenda related to the cult and the relics he stole from them.

Turning Point: the lost followers give Veronica a map of ancient sites crucial to the cult’s rituals.

Improve: Utilize dynamic flashback sequences that correlate with the stories of the escaped cult members, visually representing their testimonies and adding depth to their credibility or deceit.

Act 5:

Intrigue: (Hidden Agenda) Father Malachi’s past dealings with the cult come to light, revealing that his relationship with them is more complicated than previously thought. His attempts to atone for his past actions are juxtaposed with his current efforts to help Veronica, suggesting that his redemption arc may have hidden motives or unintended consequences.

Intrigue: (Mystery) Dr. Stone receives an important artifact about the cult from a mysterious benefactor.

Intrigue: (Wound) Veronica finds a picture of her mother deeply entrenched in the cult, along with her father.

Lock In/Turning Point: Samuel, posing as a lost follower, is thrown onto Father Malachi’s porch, bloodied and beaten with a message to Veronica from the cult.

Improve: highlight the psychological impact of the anonymous threats and the paranoias they instill. Show how the stress affects Veronica’s relationships with her allies, adding depth to her character and raising the stakes of her investigation.

[Bob Creager]

Bob’s Stacking Intrigue

What I learned: Each step builds on the intrigue of the overall story.

1. List of turning points:

Act 1 — An anonymous message arrives late at night, providing Leisa with a cryptic clue about Nathan’s last known location, with an unidentifiable symbol embedded in the message.

Act 2 – They uncover evidence that their efforts are being monitored, not just by military intelligence but possibly by another, unknown entity with interests in Nathan’s case.

Act 3 – An operation is compromised due to misinformation relayed by Carl, acting under direct orders from higher-ups. This betrayal, meant to protect the team, forces them to confront the mission’s dangers and the conspiracy within the military, tightening their bond and resolve.

Act 4 – The aftermath exposes them to new threats but also solidifies their bond, committing them further to their cause despite escalating danger.

Act 5 – The episode closes with the team receiving a mysterious message that propels them toward the next phase of their journey, indicating that the real challenge lies ahead, and the fight against the unseen enemy is far from over.

2. Intrigue:

Act 1

Intrigue 1: Mystery. Nathan’s personal effects are given to Leisa. No electronics. Only a journal that refers to an unknown threat.

Intrigue 2: Mystery/Secret Identity. A suspicious agent takes his journal, warns her of her duty to the country. The journal has a unique symbol on the cover.

Intrigue 3: Deception. Sky Queen thinks something’s off, suggests going after him.

Act 2

Intrigue 1: Hidden Agenda. The team goes for target practice with Bird Dog’s weapons. The ammo was swapped to the wrong size.

Intrigue 2: Mystery. An unusual drone follows them, pops up occasionally.

Intrigue 3:

Act 3

Intrigue 1: Conspiracy. Carl wonders if they are being followed.

Intrigue 2: Deception. Carl gives Leisa a four-day weekend for “personal reasons” but cancels it while her mission is in progress forcing an abort.

Intrigue 3:

Act 4

Intrigue 1: Strange Behavior. The partially successful rescue mission finds victims with the inability to describe most of what happened to them.

Intrigue 2: Strange Behavior. Evidence that Nathan was there exists, but the victims are unable to identify him.

Intrigue 3: Intrigue. A booby trap explodes with pellet-like balls that leave wounds in Connie’s legs.

Act 5

Intrigue 1: While preparing to evac Connie, they notice rapid healing of his legs.

Intrigue 2: Strange Behavior. A rumble like a distant earthquake causes fear in the victims.

Intrigue 3:

3. 5-Act Structure Bob’s version merged with AI’s version

Teaser: Classified Document Leak

Scene: The series opens with Leisa Hunter standing before a military tribunal, facing serious accusations. The tension is high, signaling grave consequences.

Intrigue 1: Intriguing World – The courtroom is filled with advanced security measures that eerily malfunction just before the leak.

Intrigue 2: Conspiracy – Whispers among a few tribunal members suggest they know more about the classified documents than they let on.

Intrigue 3: Secret – Leisa receives a premonitionary note just moments before the leak occurs.

Twist: The proceedings are unexpectedly disrupted by a leak of classified documents on the courtroom’s displays, hinting at a covert operation in the region Nathan disappeared from, but without directly mentioning him. The leak throws the tribunal into chaos, suggesting Leisa is entangled in a deeper military secret.

Improve: Enhance the tension by adding visual cues of the tribunal’s members’ unease and technology reacting strangely to an unseen threat, deepening the sense of conspiracy.

Act 1: Formation of the Rogue Team and Hidden Allies

Scene: Amid her corpsman duties, Leisa learns of Nathan’s kidnapping, fueling her determination to save him. Carl observes her plight with a complex mixture of authority and subtle encouragement.

Intrigue 1: Mystery – Nathan’s personal effects are given to Leisa. No electronics. Only a journal that refers to an unknown threat.

Intrigue 2: Mystery/Secret Identity – A suspicious agent takes his journal, warns her of her duty to the country. The journal has a unique symbol on the cover.

Intrigue 3: Deception – Sky Queen thinks something’s off, suggests going after him.

Event: Sky Queen proposes creating a rogue team to rescue Nathan, driven by both her altruism and feelings for Leisa. Meanwhile, Sergio, conflicted by his romance with Leisa and his engagement, attempts to dissuade her, fearing the fallout.

Twist: An anonymous message arrives late at night, providing Leisa with a cryptic clue about Nathan’s last known location, with an unidentifiable symbol embedded in the message.

Improve: To heighten intrigue, show brief flashbacks of Nathan’s last days through quick cuts as Leisa touches his belongings, adding emotional depth and mystery.

Act 2: The Mission’s Early Challenges

Scene: The newly formed team starts to plan their mission, leveraging each member’s unique skills while grappling with their personal conflicts and the complexities of their unofficial status.

Intrigue 1: Hidden Agenda – The team goes for target practice with Bird Dog’s weapons. The ammo was swapped to the wrong size.

Intrigue 2: Mystery – An unusual drone follows them, pops up occasionally.

Intrigue 3: Deception – The team discovers tracking devices in their gear, not placed by any of them.

Event: They are tested by early setbacks, including logistical hurdles and doubts from within their ranks after encountering unusual technology.

Twist: They uncover evidence that their efforts are being monitored, not just by military intelligence but possibly by another, unknown entity with interests in Nathan’s case.

Improve: Introduce a subplot where the team attempts to trace the drone’s origin, only to lead to more questions, adding layers to the mystery.

Act 3: Carl’s Duality and Unforeseen Consequences

Event: The team’s first covert operations start to show promise, revealing their individual strengths and weaknesses, alongside the complexity of their interpersonal dynamics. Carl’s cryptic support continues, providing the team with unseen assistance, while Sky Queen reminds them that more is at stake than just Nathan.

Intrigue 1: Conspiracy – Carl wonders if they are being followed.

Intrigue 2: Deception – Carl gives Leisa a four-day weekend for “personal reasons” but cancels it while her mission is in progress forcing an abort.

Intrigue 3: Secret Identity – Carl receives a cryptic message, hinting at his involvement with higher powers.

Twist: An operation is compromised due to misinformation relayed by Carl, acting under direct orders from higher-ups. This betrayal, meant to protect the team, forces them to confront the mission’s dangers and the conspiracy within the military, tightening their bond and resolve.

Improve: Deepen Carl’s character by showing his internal struggle through subtle expressions and hesitant actions before betraying the team, making the twist more impactful.

Act 4: Daring Raid and Unforeseen Revelations

Scene: The team executes a daring raid on a facility believed to be holding Nathan, showcasing their resolve and commitment.

Intrigue 1: Strange Behavior – The partially successful rescue mission finds victims with the inability to describe most of what happened to them.

Intrigue 2: Strange Behavior – Evidence that Nathan was there exists, but the victims are unable to identify him.

Intrigue 3: Intrigue – A booby trap explodes with pellet-like balls that leave wounds in Connie’s legs.

Event: Their efforts, while not leading to Nathan, uncover significant clues hinting at a broader, more dangerous conspiracy, leaving them with more questions.

Twist: The aftermath exposes them to new threats but also solidifies their bond, committing them further to their cause despite escalating danger.

Improve: Highlight the emotional turmoil of the team as they process the raid’s outcome, juxtaposing their frustration with their strengthened resolve, adding depth to their unity.

Act 5: New Alliances and Future Battles

Scene: Facing the implications of their discoveries, the team must regroup and plan their next steps, aware their mission has only just begun.

Intrigue 1: Mystery – While preparing to evac Connie, they notice rapid healing of his legs.

Intrigue 2: Strange Behavior – A rumble like a distant earthquake causes fear in the victims.

Event: Their efforts, while not leading to Nathan, uncover significant clues and inexplicable healing of Connie’s injury.

Cliffhanger: The episode closes with the team receiving a mysterious message that propels them toward the next phase of their journey, indicating that the real challenge lies ahead, and the fight against the unseen enemy is far from over.

Improve: Add a scene where the team collectively experiences a shared vision triggered by the mysterious message, suggesting a psychic or extraterrestrial influence, enhancing the intrigue and setting the stage for future episodes.

[Art Blum]

I’m learning that looking at my story in so many different ways keeps adding depth and nuance to it.

Lesson 6: Stacking Intrigue

Teaser: 7 year old Ryan’s a prisoner at Hermes. He’s being forced to locate enemies for Hermes. He won’t cooperate because he knows they’ll be killed.

Turning point: He wraps his hand around his talisman, a St. Christopher Medallion. It lights up. Instantly, Seth and Nickels, his brother see their segments of the medallion are lit up. They rush to help Ryan escape Hermes.

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[Jeff Chase]

Mod 3 Lesson 6

Jeffrey Alan Chase Stacks Intrigue

What I learned doing this assignment is I feel like I’m on a roll in uncovering more and more about my story and the characters. Things are coming together nicely. Still a lot of work to do.

Teaser:

Flashback: Noah on Humvee patrol in Afghanistan, makes crass jokes about God with Corporal ABEL KANE, they come under sniper fire, Noah sarcastically asks Jesus for good aim, Abel stares at Noah with hate-filled eyes, draws his pistol to shoot him but jerks the steering wheel forcing Noah’s machine gun to unintentionally blast apartment building, killing innocent civilians.

Intrigue (Wound): Why is Noah so cynical about God, Jesus and the Holy Ghost?

Intrigue (Mystery): Does Noah think he’s invincible if he asks for God’s help?

Intrigue (Secret Identity): Why is Abel keeping such a close eye on Noah?

Intrigue (Hidden Agenda): Why does Abel pull his pistol and aim at Noah?

Intrigue (Mystery): Why is the death of the innocent Afghan family important to the story?

Intrigue (Mystery): As he slips into unconsciousness, why does Noah ask Jesus to help him?

Teaser Turning Point: Humvee rolls over IED, blows up. Abel and 4 other GI’s dead. Noah barely alive, a bad cut on his forehead, as he goes unconscious, whispers, “Jesus please help me”.

Act 1:

Essence: Introduction to the World and the characters.

Intrigue (Secret Identity): Noah now has a full beard. What has happened since he was blown up in Afghanistan?

Intrigue (Secret): Who does the backpack belong to?

Intrigue (Mystery): What are all the useless items in the backpack for?

Intrigue (Mystery): Why was the backpack left in an abandoned warehouse?

Intrigue (Mystery): Who has the backpack been owned by previously?

Intrigue (Mystery): How did it get into the warehouse?

Intrigue (Hidden Layer): Why does Major Kane suddenly resign his US Army commission?

Intrigue (Strange Behavior, Secret Identity): What caused Major Kane’s seizure in the men’s restroom?

(Act 1 TP) Noah saves the life of a suicidal woman with an item from the backpack.

Act 2:

Essence: Conflict introduction that leads to midpoint.

Intrigue (Wound): How does James know about the backpack?

Intrigue (Secret): If Noah was an escaped prisoner, what was he charged with?

Intrigue (Secret): How did Noah escape custody?

Intrigue (Conspiracy): Is anyone hunting for Noah

Intrigue (Mystery): What does James know about the backpack that Noah might need to know?

Intrigue (Secret): What is the significance of the “Ella” tattoo on James’s arm?

Intrigue (Hidden layer): How can a new item show up in the backpack that wasn’t in it the day before?

Intrigue (Hidden layer): Who was the previous caretaker of the backpack?

Intrigue (Mystery): What is the verse on the bible page that brought James to tears?

Intrigue (Hidden Agenda): Why is Mary driven to contact Noah?

(Act 2 TP) Noah is shocked to see that several new items have mysteriously shown up in the backpack. Or did he just not notice them before?

Act 3:

Essence: Uncertainty and deepening of character layers.

Intrigue (Mystery): Why is Gino arguing with himself in his car?

Intrigue (Wound): What is the significance to Gino of the small piece of rope that Noah finds?

Intrigue (Wound): What happened to Noah in his childhood that permanently scarred him?

Intrigue (Mystery): Why can’t Noah rid himself of the backpack?

Intrigue (Wound): How and why was James’s family murdered?

Intrigue (Mystery): What are the ancient clues Catherine is trying to uncover?

Intrigue (Secret): Why is Catherine obsessed with finding answers about her heritage?

Intrigue (Conspiracy): Where did the demon come from that is possessing Keith Kane?

Intrigue (Deception): What is the demon’s mission, if any?

Intrigue (Mystery): When will Noah learn what his mission is?

(Act 3 TP) Noah rejects his mission from God, throws the backpack from an overpass, but it ricochets back at him off a freight train engine and knocks him silly in the middle of the road.

Act 4:

Essence: Major complications and efforts to resolve uncertainty.

Intrigue (Conspiracy): Why did Gino steal burner phones from the police station evidence room?

Intrigue (Hidden Layer): How did a piece of an ancient clay lamp wind up in the backpack?

Intrigue (Wound): Why doesn’t James show up to help Noah when he promised he would?

Intrigue (Mystery): How can homeless Noah survive if he doesn’t get regular injections of insulin?

Intrigue (Hidden layer): Why is Mary’s father so determined to keep her and Noah apart?

Intrigue (Strange Behavior): Will Catherine get in major trouble for stealing insulin for Noah?

Intrigue (Mystery): How will Noah’s PTSD affect him moving forward?

Intrigue (Mystery/Hidden Layer): What is the next item Noah will pull from the backpack?

(Act 4 TP) Noah is paranoid, accuses Catherine of being something other than a just helpful nurse.

Act 5:

Essence: Characters are now locked into their journey.

Intrigue (Strange Behavior): How will Catherine handle her attraction to Noah?

Intrigue (Conspiracy): What is Kane’s state of mind and who is in control? Him? Or the demon?

Intrigue (Wound): What is Father Zeke’s secret about the shelter’s finances and why is he worried?

Intrigue (Wound): When Noah sees Kane walking away and thinks it is Abel – how will that affect him?

Intrigue (Wound): Is Noah actually going crazy?

Intrigue (Hidden Agenda): Will Noah be safe at the shelter or turned over to Kane by Father Zeke?

(Act 5 TP) Noah sees Kane walking away from the shelter; reacts like he’s seeing a ghost. FLASHBACK of best friend, ABEL, being blown up in Afghanistan.

[Joan Macbeth]

Joan Macbeth Stacks Intrigue

What I learned doing this assignment is… I have a lot of intrigues happening beneath the surface. A LOT. But I’m not quite certain how to reveal these things, the timing, etc. and if the reader/audience will get it. I’m not sure about the reveals part. I’m thinking of little flashes of memory that May might have, just some visuals that might intrigue the audience. Also, sometimes I’m feeling my acts are too short – I can visualize a key scene, but not sure if it can be a whole act.

Act 1

• Intriguing World: Chicago 1887, glitz and glamour
• Intrigue: May is the belle of the ball – but why does she keep looking at those two older men? One of them in particular keeps staring at her.
• Mystery: Does May know them?
• Secret: May has a secret past she never wants her fiancé to know about – and these men are from her past.
• Deception: May tells her fiancé Dale the men have insulted her.
• Conspiracy: One of the men is a Pinkerton detective, but we won’t know that until later – and who hired him, and why?
• Secret Identity: Pinkerton guy – Reed Dougherty – is playing someone… May thinks it’s her, but is it? And May herself has taken on a new identity since coming to Chicago.
• Wound: May has a wound from her past that she keeps secret. She left the small town in Michigan where she grew up because she’d been raped.
• Hidden Agenda: May doesn’t really love Dale, but wants to marry him for his money. Of course; but it is so May can feel safe.
• Hidden Layer: May worked as a prostitute, and she knows those two men from the fancy whorehouse where she used to work. The other hidden layer stays a secret – why she ended up in Chicago in the first place.
• Strange Behavior: May doesn’t usually complain about people – why is she so worried about these two men?
• Accusation: She insists Dale must get them thrown out of the ball, but it turns out the other man is Dale’s uncle Andy.

Act 1 Turning Point- A secret from May’s past is revealed and she’s not the debutante she pretends to be. Dale gives May a big diamond ring and she’s nervous about accepting. Reed watches her dance with Uncle Andy.

Act 2

• Intriguing World: 1887 Chicago.
• Intrigue: May runs into a young lady she knows slightly, Miss Frank. [She is a character to be featured later in the show, and I just wanted to introduce her.] Miss Frank is masculine-looking and appears to have a crush on May.
• Mystery: How does Miss Frank know May? May seems very nervous, and wants to end their conversation.
• Secret: They previously met on the train to Chicago, when May was in trouble, and Miss Frank helped her. The trouble turned out to be a miscarriage. (Revealed in Episode 2)
• Deception: May has coffee at the Palmer Hotel with her friend, Claude Montcrief. He tells May about a plan to swindle some investors with fake mining company shares.
• Conspiracy: Claude wants May to help with the swindle.
• Secret Identity: Claude thinks May’s father was a successful mining engineer, which is a lie May told Claude.
• Wound: May loved her father, who died years ago in a bar fight. (A bartender, not an engineer.)
• Hidden Agenda: Get rich from a con!
• Hidden Layer: The people Claude wants to swindle are Uncle Andy and Reed Dougherty, who he befriended at Carrie’s brothel – Claude plays the piano there.
• Strange Behavior: At some point, May has her diamond ring appraised. She gets a “paste” copy made.
• Accusation: ?

Act 2 Turning Point – Miss Frank seems to have a crush on May. May has to rush away to a meeting with Claude and the mysterious men.

Act 3

• Intriguing World: Chicago’s Palmer House Hotel Backroom
• Intrigue: Claude and May meet with Andy and Reed and present their phony investment deal. But it was really Reed the Pinkerton guy who entrapped Claude into doing this in the first place.
• Mystery: What’s Reed really doing there?
• Secret: Reed works for Dale’s father, the banker, who suspects his brother Andy of shady dealings that will harm the bank.
• Deception: Multi-layered deception – nobody is who they say they are, except maybe Uncle Andy.
• Conspiracy: Claude and May work together to defraud the “investors” – Reed is Pinkerton detective working for Mr. Andrews to entrap his brother who’s up to no good.
• Secret Identity: Reed and May both pretend to be someone they’re not.
• Wound: ?
• Hidden Agenda: Reed knows about May’s secret life as a former prostitute and wants to expose her to Mr. Andrews and Dale to break up the engagement.
• Hidden Layer: Reed’s secretly attracted to May.
• Strange Behavior: Reed’s attraction for May makes him act strangely – he’s trying to do his job but, a bit befuddled?
• Accusation: Reed has invited two working girls, who know May, to attend the meeting and expose her unsavoury past, while Mr. Andrews and Dale are in the next room.

Act 3 Turning Point – Reveal Reed Dougherty is a Pinkerton agent. Arrest is imminent! But May slips away, while Claude is arrested, and the Andrews family is in pandemonium.

Act 4

• Intriguing World: 1887 Chicago – working-class slums/jail
• Intrigue: How does May know a Black midwife in the Chicago slums?
• Intrigue: Why is Dougherty so interested in May, compared to Claude?
• Mystery: Will Reed Dougherty track May to the slums?
• Mystery: Will Claude double-cross May?
• Secret: Miz Helene is related to Claude, and she helped May when she arrived in Chicago, having miscarried on the train. May has ever since shared her own income, to help other women in need.
• Secret: Someone else hired Pinkerton’s to find May.
• Deception: Reed Dougherty threatens Claude with prison, but Claude was coerced to commit the swindle so Reed knows Claude will have a defense. May is the one Reed wants.

• Conspiracy: Helene keeping May hidden from the law.
• Secret Identity: Who is looking for May?
• Secret Identity: Who is May really?
• Wound: May is reminded of her past troubles – the rape and having to leave town to avoid scandal. Also, Claude is her friend and she feels she has betrayed him – guilt for that as she takes refuge with his sister/cousin.
• Hidden Agenda: Escape the law. (Not too hidden….) But maybe she’s not too forthcoming with Helene on information about Claude.
• Hidden Agenda: Dougherty has been spying on May all along.
• Hidden Layer: Who hired Reed Dougherty to find May?
• Hidden Layer: All of May’s past.
• Strange Behavior: ?
• Accusation: ?

Act 4 Turning Point – Turning Point: Claude in jail – will he expose May? Cops show up at Miz Helene’s.

Act 5

• Intriguing World: 1887 Chicago
• Intrigue: Will May get away? What’s happening with her jewelry?
• Mystery: Why is she going to the Andrews’ bank?
• Secret: She returns Dale’s engagement ring to his father, only it’s the fake copy she had made.
• Deception: May runs into Miss Frank again – May’s in a hurry, so makes a date she never intends to keep.
• Conspiracy: Mr. Andrew’s pays her to leave town.
• Secret Identity: May has been using an assumed name.
• Wound: ?
• Hidden Agenda: May is quite happy to get out of town, but she’s going to get a payoff from Mr. Andrews anyway.
• Hidden Layer: ?
• Strange Behavior: ?
• Accusation: After May evades Reed and boards the train, a knock on her compartment door reveals her fiancé from from her home town.

Act 5 (Lock In): Cat and Mouse at the Train Station. Pinkerton guy is still out to get her. (May gets away, but faces another problem.)

[Gayla Betts]

Gayla Betts Stacks Intrigue

(Mod 3 – Lesson 6)

What I learned doing this assignment is that by focusing on this first episode to make it more intriguing, I am upending the rest of the episodes and will figure that out as I go forward.<div>

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Teaser:

Intrigue 1: Intriguing World: Jess Harper notices the magical threads shimmering around her in the Starlight Café, hinting at the existence of a hidden magical world.

Intrigue 2: Mystery: A mysterious hooded figure watches Jess from across the café, their eyes glowing with recognition.

Intrigue 3: Strange Behavior: Lilah acts like she knows Jess; then hides her reaction.

Turning Point: Intriguing World: Following a thread, Jess finds the portal, and just as she touches it, a flash reveals a glimpse of a celestial world.

Act 1:

Intrigue 1: Intrigue: After the bracelet her mother gave her as an infant starts pulsating, Jess thinks she sees magical threads.

Intrigue 2: Secret: Jess follows a thread to the Starlight Café.

Intrigue 3: Deception: Gabriel offers to mentor concealing his true intentions beneath a facade of helpfulness.

Turning Point: Jess discovers information about her mother and the significance of her potential powers from Gabriel, against Lilah’s warnings.

Act 2:

Intrigue 1: Conspiracy: Jess confronts her father about the Sidereal world, shattering her trust in him, and opening a web of political intrigue and familial secrets.

Intrigue 2: Hidden Layer: Caroline’s investigation into the magical realm brings her closer to uncovering Jess’s true heritage, posing a threat to Jess’s safety.

Intrigue 3: Strange Behavior: Lilah’s conflicted loyalties between her duty and her love for a human cause her to help Jess.

Turning Point: Jess’s father is kidnapped which pushes her to confront the truth about her magical lineage.

Act 3:

Intrigue 1: Conspiracy: Jess begins to suspect Caroline’s involvement in her father’s kidnapping and questions her motives.

Intrigue 2: Secret Identity: Jess learns of Lilah’s secret marriage to a human.

Intrigue 3: Hidden Agenda: Gabriel contacts an ally and shares part of his plan regarding Jess, while continuing to help her explore her powers.

Turning Point: Jess confronts Caroline who gives her enough information to question her entire life.

Act 4:

Intrigue 1: Hidden Agenda: Jess learns Gabriel’s true intentions, but sees them as an opportunity for her own plans.
Intrigue 2: Conspiracy: Jess learns about Ophiuchus and why he wants to control her powers.
Intrigue 3: Deception: Lilah tries to hide her connection to Jess’ mother.

Turning Point: More of Jess’ abilities manifest making her an even bigger target.

Act 5:

Intrigue 1: Deception: Jess makes a deal with Gabriel.
Intrigue 2: Deception: Jess makes a deal with Caroline.
Intrigue 3: Deception: Jess makes a deal with Lilah.

Turning Point: Jess double-crosses everyone and steps into the portal.

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[Phyllis Strong]

Phyllis Stacks Intrigue

I learned from this assignment that my characters have more layers once I brainstorm and ask AI for intrigue suggestions.

Act One

Intrigue: Secret: Diana alludes to what Peter knows, but he can’t ruin her reputation anymore because she’s too old and out of the loop anyway.

Intrigue: Mystery: Why is Peter exploring mortgaging his primary residence and other homes?

Intrigue: Secret Identity: Peter’s private physician meets him at the office to give him oxycontin for the pain (he’s dying of cancer).

Intrigue: Strange Behavior: Peter tells his CFO to put down the $20 million for Diana’s contribution (to the host family) as a legal expense.

Intrigue: Deception: Peter manipulates the findings of the latest test results to put them in a more favorable light.

Intrigue: Accusation: A Board Member accuses Peter of failing to notify them of the spiraling cost of the R&D for this procedure.

Turning Point: Older Peter defies the Board by holding a press conference announcing the consciousness transfer procedure. Now they have to proceed.

Act Two

Intrigue: Mystery: Why does Diana have no family?

Intrigue: Secret Identity: In trying to get a divorce from his wife, Mark exposes their loveless marriage of political convenience.

Intrigue: Wound: Suzanne tries to convince her son that she wants a do-over on her personal life and has no interest in pursuing a role with the company.

Intrigue: Hidden Layer: Peter has an estranged daughter.

Intrigue: Accusation: Mark’s daughter accuses him of robbing her of the family political legacy. He should just stand aside.

Turning Point: The procedure worked as the brain functions of the 4 brain-dead young bodies come alive and open their eyes.

Act Three

Intrigue: Intriguing World: A protest movement starts against the wealthy elders who are buying immortality.

Intrigue: Secret Identity: Mark is attracted to his male campaign manager, but not to a flirtatious female polling expert.

Intrigue: Strange Behavior: Suzanne, who’s always been direct and confident, stalks the grandson of her first love and deceptively engages with him.

Intrigue: Strange Behavior: Diana feels overwhelmingly drawn to her host’s husband and has to meet him.

Turning Point: Diana suspects that host bodies are still wired for instinctual responses that could affect the test subjects’ emotional states.

Act Four

Intrigue: Intriguing World: Mark has the female pollster who was hitting on him conduct a poll of how being gay would affect his electoral chances.

Intrigue: Secret: Diana has an AI assistant inform her that the scientist she was looking for killed himself 30 years ago.

Intrigue: Secret Identity: Peter has a compulsion for violence that he’s never encountered before.

Intrigue: Wound: Diana competes with Lily instead of befriending her because growing up, her mother was jealous of her opportunities.

Intrigue: Hidden Agenda: Peter’s daughter contacts him about seeing him.

Intrigue: Mystery: Why is Peter’s daughter contacting him now?

Turning Point: Peter has experienced a side-effect, but he forces Diana to keep quiet by threatening to expose a secret that could ruin her reputation.

Act Five

Intrigue: Mystery: Where did the hosts come from?

Intrigue: Hidden Agenda: Mark uses his sexual orientation side-effect to make Diana brief him on everything she knows, in exchange for his silence.

Intrigue: Hidden Agenda: Mark befriends Lily Tileston and sympathizes with her about Diana taking over, with Peter’s tacit permission.

Intrigue: Strange Behavior: Suzanne has gone AWOL from the project because she’s so focused on her new relationship.

Turning Point: We see General Barnes at a Pentagon lab. They’re monitoring Peter’s lab and the test subjects. Mark has brought them more information. He is the mole.