- 1 The Crystal Caverns
- Pit awakens in a dark cavern just below the makeshift swamps where he had been a prisoner on the Greywater Asteroid. Slowly regaining consciousness, he makes his way through a psychically charged maze of crystals revealing images of his greatest fears. Holographic demons take form and challenge his will to survive. As a sudden deluge fills the cave, a crystal megalith in the farthest corner of the maze initiates a transport mechanism that sends him back across space towards his home world.
- 2 Aervallis
- Pit materializes in a serene sunlit valley, which is hidden from sight somewhere in the clouds. Assuming it to be an unexpected waypoint along his journey, Pit explores the idyllic lands with a renewed sense of peace. At the edge of the valley he discovers 6 skyward elevators mysteriously jutting up from the ground. Each elevator offers him a chance to escape the mortal world forever. However, Pit chooses to forgo this opportunity and takes the mountain pass home to face the troubles of his world. Climbing down the mountain through the clouds, he is spotted by surveillance sentries and narrowly escapes capture. Pit retreats into the hillsides below and takes pause to plan his next move.
- 3 The Sunrise Heist
- It's one month earlier; the story of Traun begins...Pirates load barrels of water onto a floating barge to be delivered to the Spa Ship. Their employer, Voss, an intergalactic business tycoon and maven in the alien Spa and Relaxation industry has pushed his water-procuring contract with the Fruitless Kingdom to its brink. A trade war is about to begin. The king sends his best guards to the barge to reclaim their goods. However the barge escapes into orbit, taking the princess of the Fruitless Kingdom as a hostage. A few good troops manage to climb on board and put up a good fight, damaging crucial controls on the ship, but their efforts are lost and one of the sergeants- our man Pit- falls to the desert planet below.
- 4 The Broken Barge
- Back on deck, the damaged barge drifts off course towards the nearby Lilac Moon. The leader of the pirates, Captain Yargh, stammers about the main deck in frustration over the debacle. The water shipment will be late; Voss is will not be happy.
- 5 Inn of the Dreaded Hippy
- In a busy tavern filled with many alien travelers on the Lilac Moon, a lone detective is perched over a bar with a dry cocktail in hand. A band of pirates suddenly bursts into the inn. Scuffles and skirmishes break out and the detective's curiosity accidentally leads him into the fray. Narrowly escaping injury, the detective discovers the intentions of the pirates and wonders just how bad this trade war will get. He realizes this may be just beginning of a much larger conspiracy.
- 6 Ghari's Outpost
- Back on the desert planet, Pit is discovered in the moonlit desert sands. The indigenous hooded elvish creatures, known as the Arpegians, drag the fallen soldier to their outpost. The Arpegians give Pit an elixir that sends him into a lucid dream state in which he sees fragments of the future. Awakening from this dream, Pit finds that his body is healed of its wounds. The Arpegians tell him that if he can help release the dam to the south and destroy the water dispatching center down stream, they will help him return home.
- 7 The Thieving Wall
- It's the crack of dawn. Pit and a few Arpegians approach the banks of the dam, an alien-constructed megastructure. Carrying only traditional tools and weapons, the team scales the outer wall and sneaks their way inside the imposing edifice. Traversing the interior corridors, they fight off security and various techies to reach the control center. The team quickly destroys the Thieving Wall and the reservoir bursts open. The hot desert sands below are flooded with water.
- 8 Transient Sea
- Pit constructs a raft made of debris from the wall and drifts downstream, traversing a steaming translucent sea as he approaches the central water dispatch center.
- 9 The Clearing House
- By dusk, Pit arrives at the shoreline of the Clearing House, which has been responsible for packaging the Arpegian water and enslaving their people to work in the underground mines. The flood from the broken dam has already caused massive damage to the automated factory, making it possible for Pit to enter undetected. Pit stealthily maneuvers through the warehouse and destroys the computer. This results in a staggering, massive explosion.
- 10 Lost Ar'Pege
- The explosion at the Clearing House opens up a cave entrance leading to a tropical underground city.Pit is surprised to discover abundant, flourishing life fed by the planet's deepest subterranean river. This city is the Arpegians' oldest stronghold, having survived out of view from the alien invaders for years. The Arpegians treat Pit to a well deserved meal and rest.
- 11 Shuttle Amurensis
- The next morning the Arpegians make good on their promise to help Pit return home. Preparing a moon sailing vessel, one of the pilots named Ghari offers to shuttle Pit to the Lilac Moon where he can plot his return home.
- 12 Greywater Hideaway
- Meanwhile, on a distant asteroid, a small clearing is being surveilled for excavation. A mysterious woman dressed in a black cloak watches the process from afar. The woman is known as the Black Metal Princess, although she has never even heard of the genre. She is the daughter of Voss, the alien tycoon behind the solar system's ever-worsening water crisis. Machines begin digging and barrels of water are flown in behind her. Something secret and sinister is going to happen here.
- 13 The Lilac Moon
- Pit and Ghari arrive at the southernmost part of the Lilac Moon. The Moon, which is mostly forested, is home to very lively and cheerful local inhabitants. The name of the moon comes from a species of phosphorescent flowers that grow close to the ground, giving the moon its purple glow. Before long, Pit and Ghari are lured into an all night dance jam around a huge fire pit. After many hours, they stumble upon a meadow where the tree trunks are propping up a super chill after-party tent city. An elder Lilac local tells Pit that there is a Navigator living in the trees to the north that might be able to help him get home.
- 14 Errands of Captain Yargh
- In the north, word has arrived of Pit's appearance on the moon. The pirate captain Yargh angrily delegates errands to his crew, some of which put into motion a plan to capture Pit and make him pay for the destruction of the barge. Yargh meets with the Navigator and pressures him to direct Pit into a trap that he has set at the Inn of the Dreaded Hippy. Afterwards, the BlackMetal Princess visits Yargh and tells him that she wants Pit for her own plans. She says she will need the clothes and makeup of the princess of the Fruitless Kingdom for a disguise to lure Pit to her. After that she instructs him to take the princess to the Badlands and lock her up. She greases Yargh's pockets with enough cash to oblige.
- 15 The Old Road
- Pit and Ghari begin their journey across the outer rim of the Lilac Moon and into the perpetual dusk hanging above the Lilac Forest. Much of the moon is uninhabited forest. A single brick road built by the original settlers extends throughout the moon along its many hillsides. With wild glowing foliage, strange creatures and 85% normal gravity, the trip becomes quite surreal. Historic forts, shops, and other relics can be seen fading into the moss and vines aside the road. These days, inhabitants and visitors use space craft to get from place to place. For Pit and Ghari, The Old Road beneath the trees is the only way.
- 16 Might Be Trouble
- Arriving at the Inn of the Dreaded Hippy, Pit runs into detective Mel Function. The two men know each other from high school, and although the people back home consider Mel to be a burnt out P.I. (last seen combing lonely beaches for lost jewelry), Pit has always thought of Mel as a misunderstood genius detective. Mel warns Pit that there might be trouble inside, and points him in the direction of the Navigator's tree house. Mel explains that the Navigator will know how to find a way home.
- 17 Electro-Navigator
- Pit and Ghari arrive at the door of the Navigator's tree house. After being inside for a few minutes, the conversation about finding a way home becomes strained. The Navigator starts to act nervous and uncomfortable. He suggests that they all travel up the road to find a vessel that might be headed back to the Fruitless Kingdom. Pirates suddenly descend on all sides, capturing Mel, Pit, Ghari and the Navigator in a net. The pirates drag them back to their ship.
- 18 Valeriana
- Back on Pit's home world in the Fruitless Kingdom, the Princess's sister Valeriana begins to take action against the invading Pirates. Her older sister, The Princess, was kidnapped months ago and is now a political prisoner in a far away satellite city. Her father, the semi-retired king, waivers on giving into the demands of Voss's health and relaxation empire. Emotional as the decision may be, Valeriana persuades her father to stay focused on keeping the Fruitless Kingdom alive and looks for another way to save her sister.
- 19 Brig to Nowhere
- Just above the Lilac Moon, inside the dank brig of the floating pirate barge, Mel, Pit and Ghari sit tied up, angry and confused. After some deliberation, Ghari jailbreaks them out of the brig with an explosive that rips open the upper half of their cell. Climbing out onto the main deck, the group is thrust into an all out swashbuckling melee. Pushed by overwhelming odds, the group retreats towards the ships mast where they suddenly see the princess of the Fruitless Kingdom tied, gagged and in great distress. Pit immediately jumps up to save her, but with a discerning look, Mel reaches out and warns Pit that this must be a trap. To Mel, the scene looked all too theatrical and staged. In fact, he is now sure that the pirates they had been fighting off were only play fighting and that this must all be some kind of elaborate ruse. However, Pit ignores the detective, blinded by his duty and original directive to save the princess. He lunges in to untie her. The fire from the explosion has engulfed most of the barge and the ship begins to plummet. Left with no choice, Mel and Gary leave Pit to his fate. They escape into space in the last available lifepod. The burning ship descends and crashes into the snowy planet below.
- 20 Embers in Snowfall
- Hours after the dramatic crash of the pirate barge, Pit regains consciousness inside the overturned hull. The wreckage and the slow burning fires are keeping him alive on the cold, icy planet. The princess is also sheltered inside the hull. Pushed to his brink, Pit's emotions overtake him and an unshakable sense of guilt sets in. He attends to the unconscious and badly injured princess and hopes that the blizzard outside will soon settle.
- 21 OWP3
- Pit takes his first steps outside into the daylight after the blizzard passes. Carrying the injured princess across a snowy plain, he heads towards an elevator in the distance built by the Fruitless Kingdom that shuttles water to their planet. After a day long trek he reaches the elevator doors. But it is too late for the princess who passes away moments before. Overcome with grief, he places the princess in the elevator with a note. Too ashamed to return with her, Pit stays behind and commits himself to exile on the icy planet.
- 22 The Helm at the Bath
- On the other side of the star system, Voss steers his gigantic mega-spa through space from the comfort of his hot, lavender infused therapy bath. Flattering himself with an overly dramatic monologue, he works out the steps of his next moves until suddenly he realizes he has not seen his daughter around. "Where is my daughter?" he asks himself. "What is taking her so long?.."
- 23 Voyage Home
- After escaping the doomed barge, Mel and Gary venture home across the star system in an escape pod.
- 24 Preparing the Pit
- On the other side of the star system, pirates descend upon the Ice Planet and follow orders from the Black Metal Princess to recover Pit. A day later, they deliver Pit to the asteroid, and slowly lower him into the newly built swamps. When Pit wakes up, he realizes he is a prisoner in the swamps.
- 25 A Stranger in the Landing
- In the Fruitless Kingdom, Mel and Gary settle into daily life until suddenly an unscheduled elevator delivery surprises the city. The princess has been returned - along with a note from Pit. She is unconscious and in desperate need of medical attention. The eager public awaits answers, but Mel and Gary suspect that the princess in the elevator is actually an imposter.
- 26 An Undisclosed Location
- Following various leads, Mel discovers a secret location south of the city where he overhears news about the water trade. From what he gathers, there is not only a plan to drain all the water from the star system, but there are also various side deals being made. One such side deal involves the trade of greywater from Spa 9 to a nearby asteroid, organized by the Black Metal Princess. Something very secretive is being organized there, and Mel want to find out more.
- 27 Looking for Clues
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Combing the city for clues amidst an unhelpful public and a distrustful King, Mel pieces together many clues about the asteroid and the potential possibilities of Pit's whereabouts. Mel is also certain the imposter in the Fruitless Kingdom is the Black Metal Princess. He follows her closely to find out what she is up too.
Concurrently, an alien fruit has been introduced into the city that is causing it's citizens to hallucinate. - 28 Marsh Madness
- Wading through the mire, Pit begins to shift through memories of his past. The edges of the swamp recede in every direction as he attempts to exit. He begins to loose his mind...
- 29 The Club Zed Investigation
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The next day, at sunrise during what appears to be a perfect morning, Mel waits outside the citadel for the supposed princess to take her morning walk. He follows her to a secret space craft outside of the city limits. Mel and Gary sneak aboard the ship and see for the first time that their suspicions are correct. The princess who has been fooling the Fruitless Kingdom is in fact the Black Metal Princess. Apparently, she had used a pill to slow her heart rate down and trick Pit into believing she was dead. Then, upon being perceived as the princess of the Fruitless Kingdom she was able to infiltrate the deepest parts of the city. Her main goal was to steal an ancient map to a mythic space craft held inside the citadels library. The craft is said to be able to fly it's pilot to any destination they imagine - if their thoughts are clear. Her father had tasked her with this errand and he believes this craft could be very powerful for his empire.
After a brief transit flight, they arrive at Spa 9. In disguise Mel and Gary weave their way through the giant interior chambers of the Spa, down into a clothing-optional sun-dome known as Club Zed. After a bit of pampering, they pick up on whispers of conspiratorial talk in the solar steam room. Following these whispers, they come across an area of the ship with dimly lit VIP business lounges. Inside one of these lounges Mel overhears aliens discussing multi-star-system trade secrets, scandals and war.
After a short intermission, the group begins to discuss the recently acquired map from the Fruitless Kingdom. But before they can look at it, Gary snags the map and runs for the door. Guards rush in and chase Mel and Gary throughout the ship and into the Spa 9 Church N' Casino. While they catch their breath behind the church, Gary looks at the map and recognizes the sketch of an object that resembles the mysterious tetrahedral pendant he wears around his neck. All of a sudden the map bursts into flame, opening a space-time portal. Gary and Mel jump into the wormhole and escape capture. - 30 The Men's Group
- After exiting one of his many palatial baths, Voss is confronted by his upper management team he likes to call "The Men's Group". They inform him that the map he had just recently obtained has been stollen. Angrily, Voss calls everyone to the meeting room to plan their next move...
- 31 Ariliaun Found
- The wormhole spits the travelers out into a surreal sub-world hidden from the Traun star system. Mel and Gary sit around a fire and brainstorm about where to go next. Suddenly Gary realizes that the craft they are looking for is the same craft that was once told to him in a bedtime story called "Lost Ariliaun".
- 32 The Terrace Computer
- Following Gary's recollection of the story of Ariliaun, the team hikes through a dreamlike jungle filled with what seems to be the subconscious artifacts of all the thinking beings in the star system. Time is warped and gravity seems off-kilter as they move. They arrive at the base of a great blue pyramid in the center of a glowing manzanita valley. Passing various chambers inside the pyramid they find the majestic golden ship idling in a torch lit room. Inside the craft there are no controls, but floating just above it a quaint garden terrace (complete with water features, hedges and fruit trees) hides an advanced computer control system. Within seconds the garden reads their minds and takes off thunderously through the capstone and into the sky.
- 33 The Miriaun Crossing
- The craft takes Mel and Gary through Ariliaun's only exit - The Miriaun Crossing. The inter-dimensional passage is hidden within storm clouds, compressed and only passable in one direction. Once they reach their cruising speed, the rain inside the passage calms to a steady drizzle. Time seems to warp and slow down just enough to deeply feel emotions that are usually faint and fleeting in normal time. Both difficult and beautiful the ship finally arrives inside the world of Traun once again.
- 34 Mel Function
- The first thing they must do before returning home is rescue the true princess of the Fruitless Kingdom. Docking at a satellite city known as "The Badlands", Mel and Gary navigate their way through the debaucherous city to the holding cell of the princess. A stylish and skillful rescue is made and the three of them depart unseen.
- 35 Starflight Cafe
- The group stops at an orbiting diner/cafe to warm up the princess who has endured some harsh conditions in the cold satellite city. Although Mel has deduced that Pit is being held in a swamp, the princess reveals to him exactly where her imposter (The Black Metal Princess) is hiding him. They soon return the princess to the Fruitless Kingdom and immediately take off to find Pit.
- 36 Passage Through the Mire
- Mel and Gary arrive on the eerie asteroid and make their way through the swampy overgrowth. Less then a mile in they are ambushed by the patrolling sentries and brought before a Swamp Monster. Using wit to save them from certain death, Mel challenges the monster to a game of Ro-Sham-Bo. Although Mel prevails, the indomitable monster refuses their passage. Suddenly a message is delivered to the monster and the two travelers are allowed passage. Mel and Gary continue along a narrow cliff edge through a spellbound forest until they reach a clearing.
- 37 The Black Metal Princess
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Inside the clearing the Black Metal Princess invites Mel and Gary into a temporary sod fort hidden within the gnarled thicket above the swamp. She explains to them the reasons for her ruse, her fathers dilemma and how that is tied up with the destruction of their world. She also explains why she has pursued Pit, only to lure him into a cursed swamp that is built to slowly break him down. (the details of these plot points can be elaborated if i receive some feedback that anyone is reading this companion-story).
She tells her story with great eloquence, emotion and empathy, but Mel and Gary are unable to accept her vision. In a fit of panic, they rush outside to save Pit from drowning but are quickly intercepted by the Swamp Monster and his minions. An all-out battle ensues. Nearing victory Mel and Gary take on the Swamp Monster but Mel looses his leg in the final blow. Prying open the monsters jaw to save Mel, Gary pulls Mel out and rushes them down to the swamps edge to save Pit. However, they are too late. Pit takes his final breath and sinks beneath the mire. A sombre mood settles around them along with the thick fog. The Black Metal Princess pulls her cloak over her head and retreats into the forest. - 38 The Deserts of Traun
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(This track is strictly setting) We take a look back at how the plains to the south of the Fruitless Kingdom have changed into a desert due to the water trade...
*NOTE* When i released the 2003 version of Traun there was a lot of interest in the music combined with the story (the concept album element). People would email and ask about the story and want me to release more music, as well as produce an animated series.With that in mind i created the Traun project with strict adherence to a story carefully laid out on a plot map. Now in 2017/18, most people have become so busy that there is no time to go deep into a project. In fact, i’m not sure what the point of a concept album might be anymore since most people only have time to listen to music while commuting or sitting in traffic. Nonetheless - the rest of the tracks are in a shorthand version of the story to accompany the music and complete the original concept. - 39 Making Haste
- Minions of Spa 9 rush to the asteroid to apprehend The Black Metal Princess. After attending to the Detective’s wounds, the BMP escapes capture and flees into the inner forest. Mel is apprehended and taken back to Spa 9.
- 40 Mayor of Ghost Town
- Voss puts his colonel, Malcytol in charge of the Fruitless Kingdom. He is also tasked with continuing this dispersement of the psychoactive fruits that are slowly brainwashing the civilians of the city.
- 41 The Lone Coachman
- The Black Metal Princess and Gary make a run for the shipwrecked Fountain Spaceship at the other end of the asteroid. To avoid capture, they steal a horse drawn carriage.
- 42 Pirate Stronghold
- After descending the Crystal Mountain, Pit enters a transient pirate village to look for directions. Various scuffles break out and Pit escapes alive.
- 43 The First Elevator
- Traveling west, Pit sees his planets first interplanetary elevator on the horizon. He wonders whether this miraculous invention really helped his planet or hurt it in the end.
- 44 Malcytol of Planet Zombie
- Pit battles the Mayor Malcytol inside his mountain lair south of the Fruitless Kingdom. Inside the lair there are indoor hydroponic greenhouses growing the fruits he distributes throughout the city. After defeating Malcytol, Pit burns the crops and heads to the north.
- 45 Lizardback
- (Traveling montage, across the desert upon the back of a friendly lizard.)
- 46 Escape From Spa 9
- Pit takes on Spa 9 with the help of Mel Function. They bring the Spa crashing down into the desert and are flung far across the sands.
- 47 Vampire Invasion
- Pit and Voss scurry to a shelter in the wreckage of Spa 9. Pit listens to Voss’s buried emotions as he goes in and out of delirium. Instead of killing the evil tyrant, Pit pitches a screenplay idea to Voss that tugs at the core of his bane called “The Vampire Invasion”. After acting out a first draft, Voss’s body suddenly begins to elevate and a flame riddled with anger bursts from out of his chest and into the sky…
- 48 Flight of the Water Baron
- Troops from the Fruitless Kingdom are beginning to descend upon their hideout. Pit and Voss scramble to hide, as they both know Voss will be executed if taken prisoner. Suddenly, Gary and the Black Metal Princess show up in the Golden Fountain ship. The Black Metal Princess and Voss are re united and the BMP thanks Pit for saving her father. Her elaborate ruse to transform a soldier that could save her father is complete.
- The Lilac Moon
- The Black Metal Princess
- Escape From Spa 9
- Deleted Scenes
- Copyright © 2020 David Murray
