The Stones of Blood Part 1
The Doctor and Romana search for segments of the Key of Time, navigating ancient stone circles, Druidic rituals, and sinister forces on Earth.
In 'The Stones of Blood - Part One,' the Doctor and Romana embark on a mission to find segments of the Key of Time, a powerful artifact capable of restoring balance to the universe. Their journey leads them to Earth's past, where they encounter a mysterious stone circle known as the Rollright Stones in Oxfordshire. As they investigate, they become entangled in a web of Druidic rituals and modern-day mysticism. The Doctor and Romana must navigate these ancient practices while facing a sinister plot by Mister De Vries, who seeks to exploit the stone circle for dark purposes. Along the way, they interact with various characters, including Professor Emilia Rumford and Vivien Fay, who aid or complicate their quest. The story unfolds with the Doctor and Romana working to prevent the misuse of the Key of Time while unraveling the secrets of the stone circle and the true intentions of those around them.
Events in This Episode
The narrative beats that drive the story
The Doctor and Romana attempt to assemble two segments of the Key of Time within the TARDIS, with Romana demonstrating a surprising aptitude for puzzles. Romana's initial lack of understanding about their mission prompts the White Guardian to issue a cryptic warning about the Black Guardian, forcing the Doctor to fully explain the cosmic significance of the Key of Time and the dire consequences if it falls into the wrong hands. This revelation underscores the urgency of their quest. The TARDIS then lands on Earth, much to the Doctor's delight and Romana's mild skepticism, near an ancient stone circle in Oxfordshire. They discover unusual indentations in the ground, suggesting something heavy has been moved. Upon reaching the Rollright Stones, they encounter Professor Emilia Rumford, an eccentric archaeologist who immediately recognizes the Doctor from a past symposium and reveals a historical 'miscount' of the stones. The Doctor then discovers dried blood near one of the megaliths, a discovery quickly dismissed by Vivien Fay, Rumford's associate, as a mere 'sacrifice' by the local British Institute of Druidic Studies (BIDS). Vivien and Emilia describe the BIDS leader, Mister De Vries, as an unpleasant man who dislikes scientists. Sensing a deeper mystery, the Doctor resolves to investigate De Vries, leaving Romana behind with a warning to observe the two women, establishing a clear division of labor and a nascent sense of distrust. This act effectively sets the stage for the conflict, introduces the key players, and propels the Doctor into direct engagement with the local threat.
Romana unexpectedly steps forward to solve the Key of Time puzzle as the Doctor struggles to align the irregular shards. Her effortless precision exposes her overlooked expertise while the Doctor’s …
Romana abruptly seizes command of the Key of Time reassembly, completing the segment with effortless precision. Noting their stagnation and the urgency of the mission, she redirects the Doctor from …
Romana faces the Doctor's informal test of her readiness, her playful attire and shifting shoes contrasting with the gravity of a cryptic warning from the White Guardian. As she presses …
The TARDIS materializes over Earth, transitioning the Doctor and Romana from mission preparation to active search. Romana’s readiness is tested when a cryptic warning from the White Guardian intrudes moments …
The Doctor and Romana land near a cart track running through a landscape marked by ancient earthworks. Using the TARDIS’s tracer, Romana locates the third segment of the Key of …
The Doctor and Romana follow the tracer’s readings to a prehistoric stone circle, its ancient monoliths standing sentinel against a suddenly bright Earth sky. Fresh, heavy indentations in the turf …
The Doctor arrives at the Rollright Stones with Romana, immediately recognizing the site’s astronomical precision despite its missing stones. Professor Emilia Rumford, a sharp archaeologist, informs them there has been …
The Doctor and Romana inspect the Rollright Stones, where Professor Emilia Rumford points out discrepancies in the ancient stone count. While searching for the Key of Time fragments, the Doctor …
Romana remains seated at the stone circle as the Doctor departs to investigate Mister De Vries, his abrupt leave taking leaving her in the company of two women she has …
As the Doctor departs to confront Mister De Vries, Romana remains at the stone circle, assisting Professor Rumford and Vivien Fay with their survey work. The atmosphere grows increasingly ominous with the persistent circling of crows, mirroring the sinister ritual unfolding at De Vries's manor. Simultaneously, Mister De Vries and his acolyte, Martha, perform a dark ceremony, invoking the 'Cailleach' and calling for 'Death to the enemies of the Cailleach!' The arrival of the Doctor's doorbell is interpreted by De Vries as the coming of 'the one foretold,' directly linking the Doctor to their dark prophecy. De Vries greets the Doctor with an unnerving familiarity, already knowing his name and revealing the suspicious death of Doctor Borlase, a previous surveyor of the stones, under a fallen megalith. He hints at a dark history associated with his manor, referencing a 'wicked Lady Montcalm' who murdered her husband. The conversation escalates as the Doctor admits he seeks a 'key,' and De Vries, dismissing the Doctor's skepticism about Druidism, reveals his devotion to the 'Goddess' Cailleach, a deity of war, death, and magic, whose 'eyes' are the ravens and crows. The tension culminates when a masked, feathered figure appears, and De Vries ambushes the Doctor, striking him from behind. The Doctor loses consciousness, leaving De Vries to declare, 'His blood is still warm. I know what to do.' The act concludes with a stark cliffhanger: Romana, still at the stone circle, calls out for the Doctor, unaware of his fate, and sets off barefoot in search of him, isolated and vulnerable.
Romana and Professor Rumford conduct a meticulous survey of the stone circle, their academic precision momentarily displaced by an intrusion. The crow's arrival fractures their calm, its presence felt as …
Romana and Professor Rumford measure the precise geometry of the stone circle under the open sky, their scholarly rhythm disrupted by an unexpected crow alighting on a standing stone. Romana’s …
In the shadowed temple interior De Vries and Martha ignite a noxious incense brazier adorned with mistletoe and a ceremonial knife. Their incantations rise in rhythm until a crow descends …
De Vries leads a dark ritual invoking the ancient goddess Cailleach, sensing the Doctor’s arrival as prophecy fulfilled. As the increasingly frantic incantations reach their crescendo, the Doctor appears at …
De Vries deliberately steers the Doctor’s attention toward the portraits lining the Entrance Hall, using the past as a weapon rather than idle decoration. By referencing the suspicious death of …
The Doctor, having uncovered Borlase’s fatal accident near the Nine Travellers, is tested by De Vries’s unsettling knowledge. Rather than retreat from the estate’s sinister aura, the Doctor accepts the …
Romana lingers among the ancient stones after her companions take their leave. The crow-filled sky intensifies the solitude as she traces the perimeter with a malfunctioning tracer, each silent megalith …
Romana remains at the Rollright Stones after Emilia and Vivien depart, her choice reflecting both loyalty to the Doctor and her growing investment in the Key of Time mission. When …
In a dimly lit study, the Doctor and Romana press De Vries about his knowledge of their search for the Key of Time and his ties to the Rollright Stones. …
The Doctor confronts De Vries in a shadowed study about his knowledge of their mission and devotion to the Goddess Cailleach. Their tense exchange about Druidic history and sacred stones …