Sorcerer's Keep - Dark Ride Concept Design

R D K

P R E S E N T S

SORCERER'S KEEP D A R K

R I D E

A T T R A C T I O N

For centuries, sorcerers have been in hiding, protecting the light from the darkness. Once there were hundreds, and now, there remains only five. As Merlin’s successors, my four apprentices and I have kept the darkness at bay, but now, the time has come to accept for students under my tutelage. For this reason, I have opened this manor to you, seeking new apprentices to train in the mystic arts.

Welcome to Hambleden!

Journey through this house of wonders, where you will learn four of the ten schools of magic: incantations from Balthazar the Brave, astrology from Fumikage Yaoroki, conjuration from Asiimwe Aman, and enchantment from Ester Frank. While our magic is rooted in light, there will always be darkness lurking within the shadows. Once an apprentice, now a lost soul, she seeks a host to escape her imprisonment. Do not listen to her siren’s song, for if you succumb to its beckoning, there is no escape from her clutches.

But do not be disturbed, for this is a school of light! Learn to repel the darkness and protect the light! Which school of magic will you choose? The decision is yours.

Master Venarius

TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 . P R O J E C T

O V E R V I E W

4

Goals + Objective High Concept Backstory

2 .

C H A R A C T E R

S T U D Y

11

Emotion Study

3 .

A T T R A C T I O N

Exterior + Cue Preshow + Load

B E A T

L I S T

17

Ride Unload + Exit

4 .

O U R

T E A M

RDK Designs

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1 . P R O J E C T

O V E R V I E W

Goals + Objective: This dark ride attraction takes you through a house of wonder as you determine your own magical affiliation. The goals of this design is to create an unique "choose your own ending" adventure that promotes house pride, while incorporating live performers for guest interaction during their experience. Guests of all ages can enjoy this adventure as we strive for returnability and connectivity to our live actors. We at RDK welcome you to Sorcerer's Keep!

High Concept: Receiving an invitation to an old manor in the English countryside, guests witness the wonders of magic showcased by the former protégé of Merlin, Venarius, and his four apprentices, while trying to prevent their tour from being overtaken by the dark art of witchcraft.

Welcome; one and all! You’ve been invited here today to embark on a wonderous showcase of the ten schools of magic, taught by Venarius, the world’s most powerful sorcerer. Here, he and his apprentices will show you how magic changes the world around us while emphasizing the importance of choosing the light over the darkness.

As prospective magical wielders, your ambitious nature has brought you to Venarius’s manor. While touring the house, guests are shown brief examples of how each school of magic works by Venarius’s four apprentices: Balthazar, Fumikage, Asiimwe, and Ester, but be warned. Darkness creeps within all our hearts, so guests must ensure the darkness doesn’t overtake theirs, or they’ll share the same fate as Venarius’s wayward pupil: Abigail Williams.

A brand new dark ride wielding advanced special effects, live performers and ambitious storytelling arrives in the Sorcerer’s Keep. Discover the magic within!

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Backstory: Greetings my friends! It is my honour and privilege to welcome you to my humble abode. My name is Venarius, and I have invited you all here to showcase the wonderous world of magic, and to determine which school of magic, your hearts yearn to learn. As the Master Sorcerer and former apprentice to the famed sorcerer, Merlin, I will help you discover a whole new realm of possibilities.

During my time as Merlin's apprentice, my master taught me the seven schools of magic, and within the four centuries of my studies, we created an additional three, and now, through rigorous training, I’ve mastered them all.

Now as a teacher, I pass on to you, the same knowledge that was once passed on to me.

Abjuration – spells of a protective nature that dispels and counters offensive attacks.

Astrology – the monitoring of the movements of constellations and assessing the movements to obtain information of the future. Enhanced abilities include manipulation of constellations.

Conjuration – magic with the ability to create gateways to areas within our world, and to realms beyond our own Enchantment – magic able to affect the mind and enthrall the senses.

Initially used to alter the opinions of others by charming them, enchantment is now used to invoke wonder and amazement through the world around us Evocation – creates spontaneous effects associated with offensive attacks.

Illusion – manipulation of reality to present an alternate version of reality Incantations – commonly referred to as ‘Speaking to yourself.’ Incantations is a series of words spoken aloud to initiate a spell or charm.

Transmutation – alteration from one form to another such as objects and creatures Voo-doo – beckoning of evil spirits and coercion of individuals through blood rituals, and altering of one's future through parlor tricks Witchcraft – the exercise or invocation of dark magic to control people or events through manipulation of the mind

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After assisting in the formation of the Knights of the Round Table, I was granted the Mark of Mastery for each school, and with my accension, Merlin decided it was time for him to depart this life, and begin anew in another, leaving me with the task of discovering the next Master Sorcerer to guide the world after myself. I circumnavigated the globe, discovering many individuals with talents, that with proper training, could surpass my own.

Soon after my master’s passing, I discovered a feeble boy in the gutters of Camelot. After witnessing him save the life of another by risking his own, I knew he was the boy I was destined to train. Balthazar the Brave, as he would soon be known, grew up to be a wise, studious but often stoic individual with a gift for incantations. While he was gifted, I knew it would take a great deal of time to master all ten schools of magic, so as my master did for me, I granted Balthazar immortality. His generosity and desire to better humanity through the use of his magic has continued since I took him on, but after our journey along the Silk Road, across the Yellow Sea to Japan, and witnessing the expansion of human civilization, I knew the task of a singular sorcerer leading humanity was no longer feasible.

House Incantations

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Fumikage Yaoroki, a boy known throughout the small village of Tokyo for his dizzying intellect and unquenchable thirst for knowledge. Determining himself to be above manual labor, he looked to the stars, hoping they would provide him an answer to his question: what is my purpose? Balthazar and I walked to a small hill overlooking Tokyo, where we found Yaoroki looking through a ‘telescope.’ Upon introductions, it was easy to see he was a man of honour with a rigid stature and a strict follower of rules. While he believed manual labor would benefit the few, his mind could benefit the masses. The stars, he explained, predicted events that had not yet come to pass, and while not always accurate, they provided a blueprint for the road ahead. This was his moment of confirmation; magic flowed through him, and astrology was his calling. While his rigid exterior differed greatly from Balthazar’s open and welcoming presence, they shared one common ideology: they wanted to help people. Bestowing immortality onto Yaoroki, I enhanced his knowledge of astrology and expanded his knowledge of the magical world. As he grew, he developed a faction of astrology neither I nor Merlin discovered, the manipulation of stars. While not being able to alter their interpretation, he could create shapes and bring them to life for entertainment. From the simplistic designs of Orion’s Belt and the Little Dipper to more complex like Orion and Hercules, each has remained throughout the ages. He called them constellations.

House Astrology

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Before I inform you of my third apprentice, I believe it imperative I inform you of my fourth and fifth apprentices first. I discovered Asiimwe Aman in Mississippi whilst traveling through the American South. Upon my first encounter with Balthazar and Yaoroki, their confidence shined, whereas Asiimwe’s was shrouded. He lacked self-confidence and direction, but I could feel the light within him. He had a gift for conjuration, and while he has nearly mastered the ability, his self-confidence determines the accuracy of the gateway’s location, but with some reassurance from myself and his peers, his spirit perks and his accuracy improves greatly.

House Enchantment

House Conjuration

My fifth and final apprentice, Ester Frank, my most promising student and the top candidate for leading my pupils once I expire. A heart of pure light accompanied by an infectious bubbly personality, Ester is a gifted sorceress having already mastered six of the schools after only being my apprentice for six decades . While having mastered six schools, she excels in enchantment.

A magic originally used for nefarious purposes , Ester has altered my perception on this school of magic by using enchantment to entice the senses, rather than control. She invokes a sense of wonder, none of which my other students can replicate, and leading by example, she believes those with power have an obligation to assist those less fortunate than ourselves.

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A few hundred years after Yaoroki entered my tutelage, a whole new world was found. Growing tired of the old, we sailed to the new, settling in a small town called Salem, the location of my greatest failure as a teacher.

Immediately, we felt a strong magical presence, emanating darkness and power. Locating the source, we discovered a nine-year-old girl by the name of Abigail Williams. Her lust for power was deeply concerning, and I could feel the darkness swirling within her heart, but I believed my apprentices and I could reform her and set her on the right path. I was wrong; my teachings fueled her passion for violence. Searching to amplify her strength, Abigail stumbled upon one of the two dark schools of magic: witchcraft.

House Witchcraft

I teach my students an understanding of dark magic but practicing either witchcraft or voodoo is forbidden. Abigail ignored my instructions, becoming obsessed with witchcraft by controlling the minds of others, and after the events of the Salem Witch Trials, I knew her magical prowess was far too dangerous for this world. Acquiring help from Balthazar and Yaoroki, we eradicated the magic within Abigail, but with her final magical act, she entrapped her spirit within the house that can still be felt to this day. While Abigail’s intentions weren’t just, her actions paved the way for my students and I to better study the dark schools, and gain a better understanding.

Each individual in this world, has a flicker of magic within their hearts, and it only takes a moment of inspiration, to ignite a spark of manifestation. I invite you, my friends, to join me and my apprentices on a journey of spectacle, unlike anything you’ve experienced before. Which school of magic does your heart yearn to follow? Come, let’s discover the magic within you, together.

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House Emblems: House Evocation

House Illusion

House Enchantment

House Voodoo

House Abjuration

House Transmutation

House Conjuration

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2 .

C H A R A C T E R

S T U D Y

Venarius Head Master Description: Venarius is an old sorcerer and one of only two to master all ten schools of magic. With his life spanning over two millennia, Venarius has adopted five pupils into his apprenticeship, training them to help the world and become the next Master Sorcerer. Now, he opens his home to showcase the wonders of magic to the world to prospective students.

Emotion: Happy: Being able to open his home to guests eager to learn about the mystic arts and seeing the excitement of their faces. Learning brings happiness to Venarius, as well as watching his students succeed and improve.

Angry: Venarius doesn’t anger but becomes disappointed when his warnings aren’t heeded.

Fear: He fears his guests will choose the ways of witchcraft or Voodoo, and start down the road to darkness, like one of his former pupils, Abigail Williams.

Venarius fears failing his students.

Turn-Ons: Seeing awe-inspired looks from his guests and the excitement in his pupils’ voices during their demonstrations. Watching his apprentices master their abilities and surpass him.

Turn-Offs: Observing guests waste his and his apprentices’ time by not taking his invitation seriously.

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Balthazar the Brave House of Inchantation Description: Venarius’s first apprentice and a master of incantations. Venarius found Balthazar in the gutters of Camelot while studying under Merlin and felt the light in his heart. He taught Balthazar every incantation he knew, but Balthazar continued his education by pushing the boundaries and creating new incantations. Balthazar is a wise, studious, often stoic apprentice who seeks to use his magic for the betterment of humanity.

Emotion: Happy: Balthazar is happy when he is teaching. He loves to help his fellow apprentices and demonstrate new incantations.

Angry: Watching people choose to travel down the road to dark, rather than embrace the light.

Fear: Balthazar fears humanity will mistake their magic for hostile, instead of the wonder that it is.

Turn-Ons: Seeing guests engaged in his teachings and showing potential in growing their abilities. Watching his fellow apprentices continue to succeed.

Turn-Offs: Seeing disinterest in the eyes of Venatrius’s guests and spitting on his master’s invitation. Watching people choose darkness. People ignoring their potential world.

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Fumikage Yaoroki House of Astrology Description: Venarius’s second apprentice and a master of astrology. Venarius discovered Yaoroki while on a trip with Balthazar to Japan. Yaoroki was a gifted astrologist, reading the stars to predict the future, and after studying with Venarius, he learned to manipulate the stars to alter the future. After decades of practice, Yaoroki learned to create constellations and bring them to life.

Fumikage is honorable man, with a dizzying intellect, but is rigid, brutally honest and is a strict follower of rules.

Emotion: Happy: Yaoroki loves to learn and study under his fellow apprentices and watch them exceed all expectations. When they’re not mastering their crafts, Yaoroki loves to explore nature and study history to find inspiration to create new constellations.

Angry: Gets angry when rules are deliberately broken without justification.

Fear: Fears there will come a time when he can no longer expand upon his abilities, and that he will be replaced.

Turn-Ons: Seeing the twinkle in people’s eyes as he makes the stars come to life. He appreciates when guests ask him questions and give him ideas for constellations, he should create next.

Turn-Offs: Disheartened when people mistake his unwavering attitude for uncaring

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Abigail Williams House of Witchcraft Description: Venarius’s third apprentice and a master of witchcraft. The main perpetrator of the Salem Witch Trials, Venarius believed he could reform Abigail, by bringing her under his wing. Unfortunately, she delved further into the darkness, practicing necromancy, hemomancy and voo doo to further increase her power. Venarius revoked her status as his apprentice and banished her from his home. Centuries after her banishment, her presence is still felt within the house.

Emotion: Happy: Abigail is happiest when she explores forbidden and dangerous magic.

She loves to master new areas of magic, in hopes to surpass her former master.

Angry: Angered when Venarius would put limits on her and forbad her from exploring ‘forbidden areas’ of magic.

Fear: Abigail feared having her magic taken away by Venarius Turn-Ons: Demonstrating she’s the most powerful of Venarius’s pupils. Seeing the disappointment and horror on the other apprentices’ faces. Proving people wrong.

Turn-Offs: People telling her she can’t do something or telling her that she’s too weak.

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Asiimwe Aman House of Conjuration Description: Venarius’s fourth apprentice and a master of conjuration, a magic that creates bridges between different realms, and used for fast travel. Asiimwe was discovered in Mississippi and was hesitant before joining Venarius. He lacks self-confidence and requires reassurance but is extremely gifted. He keeps to himself and wants to explore the limits of his abilities. Soft-spoken, but when provoked, he’s the loudest one in the room.

Emotion: Happy: When he’s alone and able to practice opening his gateways without interruption. Loves studying his fellow apprentices, watching their hand/body movements for inspiration.

Angry: His anger boils when his friends use his powers as if he’s a delivery man.

Fear: Fears not living up to his potential and talking in front of people. His abilities wain when he’s afraid or nervous, making it difficult to pinpoint the locations he’s trying to go.

Turn-Ons: People encouraging him and being friendly. Watching his friends excel at their craft.

Turn-Offs: Large crowds and an abundance of questions.

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Ester Frank House of Enchantment Description: Venarius’s fifth and newest apprentice and a master of enchantment, a magic that brings feelings of pleasure and delight. Ethel possesses a heart of pure light and has an infectious bubbly personality. While enchantment can be used for nefarious purposes, Ester simply wants to invoke sensations of wonder within guests. She believes those with power, have an obligation to help those without.

Emotion: Happy: Ester enjoys bringing happiness to the downtrodden and misfortunate. She and Asimwe are particularly close, with Venarius finding them months apart, and loves helping him gain confidence. Their friendship has evolved into a romantic relationship.

Angry: Ester doesn’t get angry.

Fear: She fears the world is becoming a dark and grim place, where little light can be found, and there will be no way to reverse it.

Turn-Ons: Seeing peoples’ eyes light up and asking her to do it again. Seeing children smile and giggle.

Turn-Offs: People suggesting she use her powers for selfish gain. People being negative and off-putting.

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3 .

A T T R A C T I O N

B E A T

L I S T

A. Queue Exterior show building: Pristine mansion; Guests enter the courtyard, walking up a winding path, slowly approaching the stoic mansion. Passing plants, both familiar and foreign, guests peruse the mansion’s pristine figure and polished finishes of an old English manor. Guests arrive at the large wooden doors and enter the mansion.

Interior show building; Foyer: Upon entering the house, guests step into the foyer with banners of schools of magic hanging from the rafters, and portraits of wizards long-forgotten hanging on the walls. Weaving through the room, guests feel the eyes of the lost masters following them as they enter the drawing room.

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B. Preshow Drawing Room: The path diverges right, into the drawing room and guests gather in front of a large mirror. A man with a neatly trimmed beard in flowing, grey robes, appears and introduces himself as Venarius, Merlin’s former apprentice. He explains that he’s allowing guests into his home to showcase the wonders of magic, while looking for a new apprentice. Venarius introduces his current apprentices and warns guests to forego thoughts of power, for it is a path to self-destruction, and the first step towards the darkness. Venarius finishes his preshow and opens a secret door in the bookcase, revealing the path forward.

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C. Load Load: Training Room: Stepping through the bookcase, the path enters the training room, a large empty space, created for Venarius’s apprentices to practice their magic freely. Guests board their vehicles, modeled as an assortment of adjoining chairs, and venture forward.

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D. Dueling Hall Guests, aboard their magical chair, journey down a hallway and enter a dueling hall, featuring dummies scattered across the room and scorch marks on the walls. Balthazar the Brave introduces himself as the first apprentice to Venarius and a gifted incantations dueler. Balthazar details the need for offensive magic in the early years of his study and his centuries of practice.

Balthazar showcases a few of his skills on dueling dummies scattered around the arena. Balthazar looks at the time, enchants the chairs, and whisks them to the next room.

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E. Conservatory Speeding into the conservatory, Yaoroki stops the train, remarking on the guests’ tardiness. Giving brief introductions, Yaoroki waves his hand, and the conservatory goes dark, revealing the brilliant galaxy above. He explains his talents of astrology and its uses of peering into the future, showcasing famous constellations and bringing them to life. With a flick of his wrist, Hercules fights the Nemian Lion while Yaoroki explains the uses and importance of astrology.

Guests circle the center statue, watching more constellations come to life.

Gazing down at his watch, Yaoroki expresses he is sending guests to Asiimwe.

The chairs speed forward, but suddenly drops, as the last thing guests hear are Yaoroki screaming for them to come back.

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F. Basement Guests fall into the basement, littered with forbidden and confiscated artifacts. Towards the back of the room is a large portrait similar to the ones in the Foyer. A deranged young female child speaks, her voice echoing throughout the basement. Eerie green smoke protrudes through the objects, complimenting the deep red hues plastered on the walls, creeping toward the chairs as a pentagram etched in red illuminates on the wall. The voice beckons for guests to relieve their souls from their bodies, and allow hers to take its place. As the voice grows stronger, a gateway opens and guests are whisked out of the basement.

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G. Conjuration Classroom Emerging from the basement and entering through the front door of the classroom, the gateway closes behind them. A timid man with hunched shoulders waves shyly. He introduces himself as Asiimwe Aman and apologizes for their slight detour. Asiimwe refers to Abigail being the lost apprentice, but immediately drops the subject and begins to inform guests he’s learning to become a master of conjuration. He does a quick demonstration, teleporting objects from one side of the room to another, and stepping through portals to the other side of the room. His presentation is shorter than the others’ and tells guests he’s going to use his powers to transport guests to the next room. He opens another gateway and whisks guests through at high speed.

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H. Music Hall Guests breeze through different hallways of the house and come to a halt in the library, accompanied with a music room littered with various musical instruments. The light and bubbly Ester Frank runs forward and waves enthusiastically. Ester briefly describes her magic and says she wants to use her enchantments to better the world and make people happy. As she waves her hands across the air, instruments come to life playing a soft melody. Ester plays a few songs, even enchanting the guests’ chairs to dance with the music.

Ester perks her ears and informs guests he’s ready to see them. Ester enchants the chairs and gracefully sends them to the next room.

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I. Master's Study Guests enter Venarius’s Study, a room filled with shelves of books piling high to the ceiling. Venarius stands from his desk and greets guests. He hopes they’ve learned a great deal from his apprentices and apologizes for their runin with his lost apprentice. He details how darkness is within the hearts of all, but it takes true courage to turn to the light. Venarius thanks them for visiting and hopes they return to seek an apprenticeship, for maybe one day they too can wield magic. Venarius then showcases each school of light magic, creating a giant spectacle. Guests watch as the room ignites in matrimony, and they’re taken back to the training room.

J. Unload Vehicles enter the training room and disembark. Guests leave the training room and reenter the front courtyard.

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4 .

OUR TEAM

O U R

T E A M

David Bemus Architectural Design Graphic Design

David is a masters student studying Themed Environments Integration at the University of Florida. He received his Bachelors of Architecture degree from N.Y.I.T. in 2021. The fusion of T.E.I. and architectural design fuel his passion.

Kelsey Morris Video Design

Kelsey is currently a graduate student in the Themed Environments Integration Program at the University of Florida. She graduated with her Bachelors in Film and Television Production in 2021 from the University of Florida.

Roderick Pope Blue Sky Story Development Show writer Character Development

Rod is a masters student studying Themed Environments Integration at the University of Florida while obtaining his Master of Creative Writing degree from the University of Denver. He received his B.A. in Journalism from the University of Nevada, Reno in 2019.

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