Chris Kanther – Jewel Riders Third Season Concept
Written as part of of the Third Season Synopsis Writing Challenge
Author: Chris Kanther
Chris Kanther – Jewel Riders Third Season Concept
Over a thousand years before Gwenevere held the Sun Stone, it was entrusted by Merlin and the Lady of the Lake to Queen Guinevere, wife of King Arthur. She used it alongside her husband to protect the land of Albion, and the shining city of Camelot.
While Merlin and the Lady of the Lake used their magic to help the King and Queen, there were other Wizards in Albion as well. Morgana felt that her son, Mordred, should have sat on the throne of Camelot, and waged bitter war against the people of Albion.
In a climactic final battle, Camelot was destroyed, and Arthur and Guinevere used the magic of Excalibur to send the people of Camelot and their daughter Gyneth away with Merlin and the Sun Stone to the hidden land of Avalon.
Arthur’s noblest knights stayed with them, and in a final act of heroism they gave their lives to create the Border Mists that keep Avalon hidden from the rest of the world. Mordred’s armies tried to sail through and capture the mystical land, but were lost in the Border Mists, never to be seen again.
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A thousand years later, Morgana’s plot has failed to steal the magic of Avalon, and the Jewel Riders are enjoying months of peace since the evil wizard’s defeat and Merlin’s return.
But out of the Border Mists sails the black ships of Mordred’s army. The problems with the Crown Jewels caused the binding magic of the Mists to begin to fray, and Mordred’s army, so long trapped there, is free. They have been changed by a thousand years in the Mists, now twisted monsters. None more so than Mordred himself, who holds the Jewel Riders and Merlin responsible for his mother’s demise.
Merlin tries to stop Mordred’s army using the One Jewel. But even with that much magic it is not possible to stop a whole army. They march on the Crystal Palace, and while the Jewel Riders put up a good fight, the royal family is forced to flee.
Merlin, King Jared and Queen Anya set up a Resistance based out of Wizard’s Peak, and in the library there the Jewel Riders discover the magic the Knights used to drive Mordred back. Six swords, belonging to Arthur, Guinevere, Lancelot, Bedivere, Gawain, and Percival, each with a jeweled pommel, were used to create the Border Mists. Merlin believes that these artifacts combined with the Enchanted Jewels can drive Mordred’s army back.
Princess Gwenevere, Tamara, Fallon, Drake, Josh, and Max must venture beyond the Border Mists to the land of Albion to search for these swords. The Lady of the Lake helps them through the Wild Magic of the Mists, but after that they are on their own. Gwen is torn about leaving Avalon, Ian, and her parents, but knows she must go and lead the Jewel Riders to victory, for the whole of Avalon depends on it.
Once outside of Avalon, the Jewel Riders search for the remains of Camelot to begin their quest for the swords. At the ruins of Camelot, they find a thriving town built on the rubble. This is a town where magic is against the law, punishable by death. There is also a plague visiting the town, where the afflicted show signs of Wild Magic Poisoning, the very early stages of the same disease that affects Modred’s troops.
The Jewel Riders deduce that there must be an open Wild Magic Portal in the area. Fallon and Josh scan for it, and find it in depths of the lake that serves as the town’s water supply. The town Lord found the sword of Lancelot, and used it to open the portal in the Lake and poison the people to gain control of the town. The Jewel Riders expose his plot and take the sword, which bonds with the Moon Stone. Fallon gains new Jewel Armor.
The cycle continues with the Jewel Riders traveling the land of Albion, until Tamara has bonded with Percival’s sword, Josh with Bedivere’s, and Max with Gawain’s.
Finally, the Jewel Riders come to a place called Glastonbury, the traditional burial place of Arthur and Guinevere. Here, Josh must use his connection with Bedivere’s sword to see where Excalibur was thrown into the Lake, and Gwen and Drake go after it. The waters are murky, and Gwen uses her Sun Stone to create a great Sun disk outfit to illuminate the waters.
Far below, two swords are crossed in the deepest part of the Lake. But getting to them seems almost impossible, as they are guarded by Mer Wraiths, ready to drown any who attempt to reach the swords. Tamara uses the Crown of Frost, a magical artifact she picked up on her quest, to freeze part of the lake around the swords, but the Mer Wraiths become angry and begin attacking the ship. Gwen and Drake use the magic of the Merfolk given to them by Gilly to dive into the Lake while the rest of the Jewel Riders protect the boat. After a struggle, Drake draws Excalibur and Gwen draws the sword of her namesake, and the Mer Wraiths vanish.
Their task is at an end. The King and Queen have returned.
Using the magic of the original magical circle, the Round Table, the Jewel Riders are able to summon the Lady of the Lake, who opens a portal back to Avalon.
They return to Wizard’s Peak, and Jared and Anya rally all their allies. Surprises await, as they even find Princess Kale among their new allies. They march on the Crystal Palace, and retake it in a huge battle that sees Mordred defeated and his monsters destroyed.
There is a huge celebration, and the Jewel Riders use their new power to free the Lady of the Lake from the Center of the Wild Magic. Returned to living flesh, the Lady Nimue is reunited with Merlin, her love.
Gwen and Drake, over the course of this adventure, have realized that – like their original vision in the Dreamfields – are meant to be. Gwen proposes to Drake, and they are engaged.
The Border Mists disappear, and the way between Avalon and Albion is open once again. Who knows what new adventures await?
