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Cartoon · Episode 10

The Trail of the Three Wizards

Written by Flint DilleFirst Aired 23rd November 1987

Episode summary

The episode begins with Merklynn telling the Spectral Knights that due to a mis-adventure by the Darkling Lords three dangerous wizards escaped from the Magical Jail. This is in reference to the end of the episode The Overthrow of Merklynn. Merklynn blackmails the Spectral Knights onto going on a quest for him.

Leoric says he has no reason to send his knights, their staffs are fully charged and their towns are thriving. Merklynn informs Leoric that the state of their towns could change. After agreeing Merklynn tells them of the wizards he wishes them to track down. They are the treatous Falkama (who was in Episode 3 Quest For The Dragons Eye), the compulsive liar Weazaskweaza (who was seen at the end of the episode The Overthrow Of Merkylnn) and finally the mysterious Bogavas, who Merklynn has not know to commit evil but who he also wants bought in. None of the wizards are to find The Lost Shrine.

The Spectral Knights head of to the Anarchy Zone where it is rumoured that the Lost Shrine may be. Upon arriving the Ectar 'questions' a Dwarf-like character regarding the location the three wizards. They are told one is in Dead Bark, a 'wild west type town', another is dressed as a monk and the third bought some slaves and headed to Mount Bellacost.

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Arzon and Cyotek head to DeadBark to get Weazaskweaza who is in the stocks being pelted by a mob of villagers. Bogavas, dressed as a monk, tries to find a scroll that had the location of the Lost Shrine. Witterquick and Ectar also dress as monks and apprehend the wizard just as he finds the scroll. Falkama is being carried by his slaves to his mountain in the rain which proves to be his undoing.

As the Spectral Knights bring the three wizards back to their vehicles they are ambushed by the Darkling Lords and one of the wizards, Weazaskweaza , is let for the Darkling Lords to capture.

Whilst Merklynn transports the Spectral Knights to Iron Moutain, Darkstorm finds out the location of The Lost Shrine from Weazaskweaza . Merklynn then banishes Falkama to the wizards jail and then questions Bogavas who claims to be a forth rate wizard only capable to illusions and no real magic. Merklynn submits Bogavas to a magical test, if Bogavas was lying his body would erupt into flames. Bogavas passes Merklynns test?..

As the Darkling Lords find the entrance to The Lost Shrine, Ectar meets Benny the Con, with whom he has had many a run in with in the past, before the Spectral Knights are eaten by the Magical Eater!! When they escape they are told the way to the shrine. Weazaskweaza tricks both groups by calling out the zoo keepers who begin to capture both groups as they change into their animal form. Leoric makes it passed and destroys a magical orb just as Weazaskweaza picks it up.

Weazaskweaza is imprisoned in the magical jail as the Darkling Lords are sent from Iron Mountain as the Spectral Knights turn down Merklynn's offer of gold. The episode ends as both the Spectral Knights and Merklynn wonder about Bogavas, perhaps he was so powerful he could elude Merklynns test, in which case he would be a very dangerous threat.

Interesting facts

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Were you paying attention to the episode? Here's some interesting facts that you may have missed.

  1. We find out in this episode that not only did the Darkling Lords actions in The Overthrow of Merklynn lead to Merkylnn being unable to stop the outbreak of the Magical Plague in the last episode, but it continues the hints dropped at the end of that episode where the wizards had escaped from the Magical Gaol (jail)
  2. We see the darker side of Merklynn at the beginning of the episode where he blackmails the Spectral Knights into going on a quest for him to find the missing three wizards
  3. The Lost Shrine is mentioned for the first time
  4. We learn that Ectar was a policeman before the world changed
  5. The town of Dead Bark is mentioned for the first time
  6. There are no laws in the Anarchy Zone, hence the name
  7. Mount Bellacost is mentioned
  8. This episode is drawn and animated better than any of the other. This is particularly noticeable during the scenes in DeadBark when the characters faces are drawn close to the screen
  9. A comic moment is added where Falkama's is being carried and there are some dice hanging of the side
  10. The script with the DVD shows Gaol as the spelling for jail
  11. The words to Merklynns magical test were Mages of the Mist, clear his name or let his body erupt in flame!
  12. Ectar tried to throw Benny the Con into prison fifteen years ago. This would indicate (using Earthly standards)?That Ectar is at least 31 (if he started working at 16), or 36 (if he started at 21)
  13. Feryl does not know what 'the slammer' means. Ectar says it is a term we had for Gaol
  14. The Lost Shrine is to the East of the Anachy Zone

Missing scenes

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The following list details scenes which were removed from the Visionaries episode Ep 10: The Trail Of The Three Wizards but appear within the original episode scripts.

  1. There is a missing scene after Merklynn states that I am not fair! in the final version the script jumps on to the Spectral Knights agreeing to help, purely to be helpful and to not chance Merklynn's hand. In the original script however, this scene is extended

    When Croytek says Umm, One has to respect his honesty, Merklynn then gets angry saying he does not want respect but bounty hunters and how much gold will it take for them to accept the quest. Arzon jumps in, once again showing his honour by stating Gold? We don't take gold we're Spectral Knights. Gold is for the greedy. He is interrupted by Ectar who is rather harsh on him reminding his comrade that As is often the case, reality escapes you, Azron. We have a precarious balance of trade.. Cryotek adds that the fortifications need building and in a reference to the first episode (The Age Of Magic Begins), Feryl reminds don't forget about the jousting arena and the botanical gardens!.

    Arzon is not impressed, he does not believe in payment for being helpful. Merkylnn interrupts with another threatening statement of But nothing! If you do as I ask, you gain gold, and your cities prosper. If you do not... he is at this point interrupted by Leoric agreeing and asking who the wizards are which is where the finished episode picks up.

    By missing out the speech we loose a little scene that would help show the characters of Arzon (honourable) and Ectar (practical) as well as a nod to episode 1.
  2. There is a brief scene with Witterquick and Ectar missing between when Arzon and Cyrotek leave DeadBark and the scene jumps to Bogavas dressed as a monk. In this missing scene Witterquick asked Ectar if they are really going to go all the way up their on their knees. Ectar replies that In a few minutes, the second sun will rise, and they'll all turn east to Pray! We'll run around behind them!

Bloopers

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  1. Leorics gloves disappear in a close up whilst talking to Merklynn at the start

Featured characters

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Introduced Named only / dropped Vehicle