Hollywood Scriptwriting Institute Diploma

Hollywood Scriptwriting Institute Diploma

1993

Valkyrie (Certificate of Achievement)

 

Dreams

DREAMS

Treatment for a Horror Screenplay

A closed eye opens. It blinks several times, and then looks to the left.

Mirabelle Fraser is running along a rainbow-hued, interminable pathway. About her float dense clouds of blue mist. Puffing and gasping, she runs along the ramp, not knowing where she is going, or how she got there.

On her face is a look of terror.

The clouds suddenly billow about her waist and she feels a cold hand grab her ankle. Screaming, she is pulled beneath the vaporous murkiness.

She feels her clothes being ripped and torn, and she screams.

The eye peers directly ahead, and then looks upwards.

A keen guillotine blade scintillates in the sun.

Below, a black-masked executioner holds the rope of the release-catch. He peers through the mists about him and sees a young woman being dragged towards him. He smiles in grim satisfaction.

The woman is dragged up the steps of the deadly machine and is placed face upwards upon the block.

Mirabelle Fraser looks up terrifyingly at the poised blade.

The executioner watches her as he jerks the rope.

The blade is released and swishes down. Closer and closer it comes to her and, at the last moment, she turns her head, as if trying to avoid the blade. A scream gurgles to nothing, blood spurts forth from the severed body.

A tearful eye peers forward, and then looks to the right.

Somewhere within dark mists, a coffin opens. A young man climbs out and disappears into the vagueness.

A terror-stricken Mirabelle runs through the mist. Her clothes are ripped, her face bruised.

A hand suddenly reaches out from the mist and grasps her shoulder. She turns to see a handsome man approach her. Feeling relatively secure, she allows him to embrace her.

Behind her back, his mouth opens. Sharp, pointed teeth pierce her neck.

The woman screams once and faints; then, she is picked up by the man and carried into the fog.

The mists flow over them and they are lost.

Mirabelle, clothed in a long flowing robe lies outstretched upon a block of stone. Her arms and legs are bound by ropes.

She looks about and notices three other women hanging nearby. On their clothing, large bloodstains are smeared across their breasts. Their eyes stare unseeing into her.

A noise nearby causes her to look elsewhere. She observes a mallet and stake poised in mid-air. She now understands and begins to scream. However, her screaming does not stop her inevitable destiny. For, her teeth are now pointed and, being a vampire, she must die.

The stake is held over her heart and the mallet thrusts downwards. There is another scream of pain as the peg plunges into Mirabelle's body.

Blood spurts forth in gushes and stains her white gown.

The eye peers ahead as a tear begins to fall.

The eye belongs to Mirabelle Fraser whose head lies in the basket below the guillotine.

The tear rolls down her cheek and drops into the mass of gore at her neck.

Dungeon of Doom

Dungeon of Doom

A 1st Level AD&D® Adventure by MICHAEL WOODHEAD

Copyright © 2012 by Michael Woodhead under the Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)

(Map created with Dungeon Maker)

DM's INFO:
Ravaged by a debilitating illness, a half-mad 5th level wizard named Arkimedes can only remember how to teleport, and has created what he likes to call the Dungeon of Doom. He challenges various adventurers passing through to complete the obstacle course he's created in return for wealthy prizes. However, what starts out as a simple test of the PCs' skills soon turns into a deadly competition that could very well lead to their deaths.
 
GOAL:
The primary goal of the PCs is to escape from the Dungeon of Doom alive.
 
WANDERING MONSTERS (d8)
(Teleported in by Arkimedes)
1 - 1 giant beetle    

2 - 2d12 centipedes   

3 - 1d4 fungi    

4 - 1d10 giant rats  

5 - 2d10 giant spiders

6 - 1 giant scorpion

7 - 2d20 giant ants

8 1d4 giant worms
 
NOTE: the game is predicated on the fact that the PCs will accept the offer to take the obstacle course. If they refuse, the portcullis at the entrance will slam shut and automatically lock. Arkimedes proclaims, "Then you'll never get out of here alive!", and then teleports away. He sends wandering monsters to each room the PCs subsequently enter in their quest to escape.
 
KEY:
C = concealed door
S = secret door
X = trap

1. ENTRANCE [15x15 feet; open portcullis north; locked secret stone door east; open wooden door west] A sign on the south wall reads, "Are You Really As Good
As You Think You Are? Then, It's Time To TEST YOUR METTLE! Challenge Your Teammates, Challenge Yourself, Human or Gnome, Halfling or Elf, Dwarf or Half-Elven, No Matter Your Race, Meet All the Challenges and Win or Lose Face. Prizes for the winners"
 
2. ROOM [15x15 feet; open wooden door east; closed wooden door west; stone tables north and south] Arkimedes welcomes the PCs and encourages them to participate in the Test Your Mettle challenge, especially with the 1000 GP prize money at stake. If the PCs agree, he motions them to go through the west door.
 
3. ARCHERY CONTEST [15x100 feet; targets at 50,75, and 100 feet; open wooden door southeast] Bows and arrows lie ready to be used. Each PC has three turns, once for each target, using percentile dice: 1st Target AC 9, 2nd Target AC 5, 3rd Target AC 1 PRIZE: +1 Bow
 
4. AXE-THROWING CONTEST [15x25 feet; unlocked wooden door north; targets at 25 feet] Target AC 7 PRIZE: +1 Axe of Hurling
 
5. HOLD YER BREATH CONTEST [15x15 feet; 5 x 10 foot deep pool in center] A Gem of Healing (+2 to Hit Points when held) glitters at the bottom. PCs try to reach it without disturbing an electric eel. PC gets one chance and must make a successful Constitution check or else the eel attacks
 
6. SWIMMING CONTEST [15x45 feet; long pool--5x35 feet, 10 feet deep] See PH 120-121 PRIZE: Helm of Underwater Action
 
7. MIRROR ROOM [15x15 feet; mirror on east wall; concealed stone door east behind mirror] Upon entering, PCs will see themselves reflected in a Mirror of Opposition. The images then become dopplegangers who step out of the mirror. The PCs must virtually fight themselves with whatever weapons are available, or grapple hand-to-hand if none are carried. If any PC is beaten, he is sucked into the mirror and the doppleganger takes his place (played by the PC). However, the doppleganger becomes a mirror image of the original PC--for example, if the PC is right-handed, he now becomes left-handed.
 
8. PIT OF PERIL [30x30 feet; 10 feet down stairs from north door; 3 cages southwest; trapped wooden door south] Stepping on the square at the bottom of the stairs releases 2d4 rats from one of the cages. After one round, 2d4 goblins are released, and after a further round, 2d4 orcs are released from the cages. The creatures attack the PCs.
 
9. TREASURE ROOM [20x30 feet; pile of treasure along south wall; wooden door north; locked wooden door south; 5x10 foot drop pit trap in front of door] PCs peering through the door from the Pit of Peril will see the south wall lined with various treasures (DM's choice of what kind and how much). Within the pile of treasure will be two identical chests--one real, the other, a Mimic. First PC into the room will trigger a pit trap 10 feet deep with spikes on the bottom.
 
10. ROOM [20x30 feet; wooden door north; stone door east; empty] Check for Wandering Monster(s) before PCs enter
 
11. CORRIDORS [5 feet wide] As soon as PCs are through the door, it slams shut behind them. Water begins pouring it from the end of the corridor. In the water are 2d6 leeches which attach themselves to 1d4 randomly-chosen PCs. A trigger just south of the trap opens up a pit. Any PC sliding into the pit will become entangled in strangleweed. Check for Wandering Monsters.
 
12. ROOM [15x15 feet; two sarcophagi, east and west] Stairs lead up to this room. If the PCs open the sarcophagi, they will find two giant centipedes in one of them. They attack the PCs
 
13. CORRIDORS [5 feet wide] Check for Wandering Monsters. Stepping on the trap releases noxious fumes for 1d8 turns

[First published in & Magazine - Issue Number 8 - Spring 2014]

May Dragons Fall

1998   A Christmas Poem for my Advanced Dungeons & Dragons® Group...

 

Angel

ANGEL

A Poem by Michael Woodhead
Copyright © 1973, 2024

Slowly descending from blue skies above
Is an angel
An angel and a dove
Clothed in only the rays of the sun
Hovering and glancing at everyone
Then below she comes
And I succumb to her beauty
Her dazzling beauty
My limbs benumb

Softly she calls me, and I go to her
To the angel as a prisoner
Now I find that my clothes have all gone
But I think it nothing
For what comes anon
Then above I go to a blue rainbow
And her beauty
Her dazzling beauty
I soon shall know

And I stopped before her
Her arms enfolded me
All fear was gone, and shame was, too
Oh, it was blessed this feeling I knew
Her beauty was incomparable
As mine was, too
For I had changed, my body was new
I'm now an angel, and I speak to you
Let Love reign amongst you
Let all wars be gone
For children of God
You all must become

Amniotic Waters of Life

AMNIOTIC WATERS OF LIFE

A Poem by Michael Woodhead
Copyright © 1971, 2024

Amniotic waters of life
Keep me from the outer-world strife
Waiting only
Feeling lonely
Lost in the womb of wife

Still I wander in my sleep
Where the One Mind only creeps
There on blue seas
In the new trees
Where I watch and wait and weep

Amniotic waters of life
Save me from the keen-edged knife
Which is waiting
Not unsating
All of the blood of Life

Fare Thee Well

FARE THEE WELL

A Poem by Michael Woodhead
Copyright © 1970, 2024

Fare thee well
I leave the world today

I can't stand it in a world like this
Everyday, I see people cry
Everyday, I question why

So, fare thee well
I leave the world today

Zeus

ZEUS

A Poem by Michael Woodhead
Copyright © 1969, 2024

Zeus, father of the gods
Power Supreme in the world of Olympus
Lover of mortal women
Rain-god; Lord of the sky
The sky clouds are his throne
The thunderbolts—his power

Poseidon

POSEIDON

A Poem by Michael Woodhead
Copyright © 1969, 2024

Ruler of the seas
The trident—Poseidon holds
Stilling the storm
Rising the calm of the seas
Lover of horses
Earth-shaker
Lord of the oceans

Phoebus Apollo

PHOEBUS APOLLO

A Poem by Michael Woodhead
Copyright © 1969, 2024

Bright light from the sun
Phoebus Apollo streaks across the sky
Chasing the moon and the stars
Bringing warmth to the chilled earth
Life to new-sprung flowers
Master musician
Archer-god
Healer
God of Light, and god of Truth

Pallas Athena

PALLAS ATHENA

A Poem by Michael Woodhead
Copyright © 1969, 2024

Clothed in regal armor
From Zeus's head she sprang
Battle queen
Goddess of the city
Palace Athena, the Maiden
Virgin head of three
Wisdom, Reason, Purity
Parthenos

Hestia

HESTIA

A Poem by Michael Woodhead
Copyright © 1969, 2024

Virgin goddess of the hearth
Hestia, to whom the wine is offered
The food is given in thanksgiving
Every child is born about thee
Build up a colony from the mother-city

Hermes

 HERMES

A Poem by Michael Woodhead
Copyright © 1969, 2023

Swift of foot, fleet Hermes
Divine herald of the gods
In his hands—Caduceus, magic wand
Commerce and thievery, all are his
Solemn herald of the dead

Hera

HERA

A Poem by Michael Woodhead
Copyright © 1969, 2024

Queen of the immortals
Patron of marriage
Hera, looking down on the Earth
Sates her easy wrath
On mortal woman loved of Zeus
Turned into a stone
Tears of sadness weeping long to a river flow

Hephaestus

HEPHAESTUS

A Poem by Michael Woodhead
Copyright © 1969, 2023

Kiln the forge, oh great Hephestus
Hammer bangs, metal rings throughout the huge volcano
Lame, yet loved by man and god
Kiln the forge, oh great Hephaestus
God of fire

Hades

HADES

A Poem by Michael Woodhead
Copyright © 1969, 2024

Deep within the Stygian depths
Hades, ruler of the dead, sits beside his wife—
Persephone, queen of the lower world
Third brother to Zeus, and god of wealth
Possesses the Helmet of Invisibility
Unpitying
Inexorable
Terrible but just
Hades, lord of the dead

Artemis

  ARTEMIS

A Poem by Michael Woodhead
Copyright © 1969, 2020

Huntress supreme, sweet Artemis
Preserve the young—your main concern
Artemis-on-Earth
Selene-in-the-Sky
Hecate-of-Darkness
Lover of woods

Ares

ARES

A Poem by Michael Woodhead
Copyright © 1969, 2024

Bloodstained, murderous
God of war
Ares, the fighter
Incarnate curse of mortals
Fight on, fight on!
The fight ne'er can cease
With him are Discord, Strife, and Enyo
Terror, Trembling, and Panic
Leaving paths of groans
And streams of crimson blood

Aphrodite

APHRODITE

A Poem by Michael Woodhead
Copyright © 1969, 2024

Aphrodite
Love and beauty
Goddess of the laughter
Loved alone by god and man
Born of the sea foam near Cythera
Storms flee at her coming
Flowers rise up full
Joy and loveliness
Love and beauty
Aphrodite