Transcribed by Michelle Kelly.
## Intro
Welcome back to Imperial City. As always, thank you so much for joining us! You all know the drill by now: please support us with reviews, social media shoutouts, episode sponsorships, and Patreon support. You can also get awesome merch from our merch store! Our stickers, shirts, and mugs make great gifts for… well, probably for you! Ask for them if you’re celebrating a gift-giving holiday! We just added a ton of awesome merch for Demon: Love & Hellfire, featuring their logo in a huge variety of pride flag colors. We also put two of our t-shirt designs on stickers!
For today’s episode, I do need to provide some content warnings for more detailed violence than we usually depict, as well as deliberate cruelty from a player character. There are specific time stamps for the sections to skip in the show notes.
Next, I’d like to tell you about this month’s featured charities. Trans people are facing continued assaults on their rights and their lives from right-wing bigots in government and on the streets. In the UK, trans youth may be forced into conversion therapy; in the U.S., armed neo-Nazis are assaulting bars and civic infrastructure in an effort to prevent queer people from existing in public. All of us, especially cisgender people, have to fight back against this violence.
Search for local trans rights orgs to make an impact in your community, or check out the TransCrowdFund hashtag on Twitter to donate directly to trans folks in need. You can also support larger, national orgs like Stonewall UK or the Stonewall Community Foundation in the US. Organizations fighting on the legal front are important, but it’s also just as important to make sure that trans people have money to eat, pay the rent, and sleep somewhere safe and warm. Many, many trans and queer people are in pure survival mode, and have been for a long time. We have to do what we can to step up and make sure that they can flourish, thrive, and live.
Now then. Let’s get started, shall we?
## Story continues [00.02.40]
Rhi: This person, again, like, cocks their head to the side a little bit and replies,
Rhi (as Spirit Warden): Song. Spirit Warden Captain. What’s yours?
Aki: Ah! [laughs]
Kim: Uh…
Josie: [chants] White Crow, White Crow, White Crow…
Rhi: [laughs]
Kim: Does that name mean anything to you?
Rhi: It was back in— it was the one that Minx used in The Magpies to spectacularly bluff past the Spirit Wardens.
Kim: Ah.
Josie: [laughs]
Kim: May I?
Rhi: That was 40 years ago, though.
Kim: May I?
Rhi: You can try. It’s going to continue to be risky, zero.
Kim: [sighs]
Rhi: If you wanna let somebody else start talking so you don’t keep eating up all this stress, or try a different approach…
Kim: I kinda want— mm… no.
Rhi: Okay.
Josie: Or if there can be an assist?
Kim: Lying is what I’m good at and I’m batting two for two for 5s.
Rhi: Yeah.
Kim: Um, it’s not necessary, but I would love an assist. Um, I don’t think Val is going to namedrop anyone specifically, but to that they will say,
Kim (as Val): Well Song, that makes me your commanding officer. So I say get outta here.
Kim: Just go with that.
Rhi: Okay… a bold strategy! [laughs]
Kim: I watched a— I’m taking a page out of Obi Wan Kenobi, here.
Rhi: Oh, alright. Um, are you taking more stress to push this up to reduced?
Kim: Uh huh!
Rhi: Okay.
Kim: And accepting an assist from Echo somehow.
Rhi: How is Echo assisting?
Josie: I— I didn’t say I was helping, I just suggested it.
Kim: Oh! Oh, oh, I’m sorry.
Josie: I didn’t have anything in mind for helping.
Aki: Well then, I don’t mind helping. Um…
Kim: Okay.
Aki: One second, just let me pull up my sheet real quick, just to see what… what would make sense, me doing. Um…
Rhi: Yeah, so I was gonna say, Echo had expressly said ‘I’m not talking while I iiiiik, I in there,’ so I’m like, ‘I’m very curious how this is gonna play out,’ so that makes sense.
Kim: Oh, wait a minute. I forget that I have Mesmerism. This might come in handy, actually.
Rhi: Oh yeah.
Aki: What does it— what do you do?
Kim: One of the Slide abilities, Mesmerism. When I Sway someone, I may cause them to forget that it’s happened until they next interact with you. So, could be helpful in this situation.
Rhi: Yes. So, basically, once they leave here, if they leave quietly, they’ll forget. But if this turns into a shoot-out, they’re not gonna forget. [laughs]
Kim: Um, can— I’m a little bit torn if I should call into that ability now or just see how this roll goes and then use that ability.
Rhi: Yeah. Um, you can— let me, I mean—
Josie: I don’t think you need to use it at a specific time, it’s just—
Kim: Oh, just in general?
Rhi: Mm-hmm.
Kim: When I Sway.iii
Rhi: That’s my understanding of how that works, yeah.
Kim: I love that. Great, great, great. Okay.
Aki: Okay. Do you still want help then? Or no?
Kim: Uh, I… I would like the extra die, just because I’m greedy? If you have something in mind for the assist.
Aki: Yeah, um, Darling will go open the door for them.
Kim and Rhi: [laugh]
Josie: [laughs]
Aki: Out.
Rhi: Okay. Alright, yeah. “When you Sway someone, you may cause them to forget that it’s happened.” So yeah, you can basically just say, ‘I’m doing this’ and it happens.
Kim: Alright. Well, I’m using Mesmerism if this works out.
Rhi: Okay. That works.
Kim: [shakes dice]
Aki: I will go open the door.
Kim: [rolls dice]
Aki: I would like to remind y’all—
Kim: Hot dog!
Aki: I am seven feet tell.
Rhi: Yeah, very tall.
Kim: Hot dog. Two— uh, 6, 6, 4.
Rhi: Wow.
Kim: Critical.
Rhi: Okay.
Kim: I did it.
Rhi: So that’s gonna push you to standard effect. Yeah, so they— there’s sort of an exchanging of looks because, like, you don’t sound—[laughs] like their commanding officer. You have a very different accent. But they kind of are clearly, like, eyeing each other, not 100% sure if they buy it, but also, they know that if they keep pushing this and they’re wrong to be suspicious of you it’s gonna end real badly. So, the Captain here, Song, eventually will just kind of nod and be like,
Rhi (as Song): Alright. Well, we will head back to the outpost and start filing our reports. Everything’s been quiet here so far tonight.
Rhi: And they’ll kind of gather up their stuff and head outside.
Kim: [sigh of relief]
Rhi: So, they leave.
Kim: Mm hmm.
Rhi: Darling, you know from following them that it’s gonna take them about— they’ll take a hull-drawn carriage back to the outpost in Kestrel Heights. It’s gonna take them about 30 minutes. And odds are good that they’re gonna run into the people who are actually supposed to be replacing them on shift in that time. So you’ll have about 30 minutes to find your thing and get out of here safely. Uh, so there is going to be a clock. 30 minutes or less, depending on when they cross paths.
Josie: We promise to deliver you arcane doom in 30 minutes or less.
Rhi: Mm hmm, yep. So, I’m gonna put a— I’m gonna start a clock of Spirit Wardens Return. It’s currently at 0 out of 6. So, you’ve got a little time, but not a ton. So, they leave. The door shuts behind them, I imagine probably with Darling’s help, and you all are left alone inside of this Spirit Warden outpost. Who wants to do what?
Aki: I’m really good at— I’m good at tracking, and this is where I’m gonna and try and finesse the system here. Footprints? Can I follow commonly, like, walked paths to see if we can just see where the, you know, it’ll lead us to the mask? Cause I’m assuming they have to patrol the area, so at some point we’re gonna, you know, roll into it.
Rhi: I mean, it’s in this little station room place, you’re guessing. So… and I mean, it is a stone floor in here, so looking for tracks is gonna be a little difficult.
Aki: True, true… well Darling will just go,
Aki (as Darling): Oh shit, this magical tracking. Not my shit.
Rhi: Right. I mean, you can look around. There’s other, you know, ways that you can find… they’re gonna probably have it locked up somewhere. Where do people keep their valuables? How do people protect those?
Kim: In safes?
Rhi: It doesn’t all have to be through occult means. Just use your regular eyeballs.
Aki: Yeah, but my regular eyeballs only come with one die and Hunt comes with three.
Rhi: [laughs] Yeah, if you wanna try and use Hunt to attempt to track down an item, um, it’s gonna be risky, zero. So you’ll have to push yourself to get up to reduced effect.
Kim: Why is everything zero?
Rhi: Because you’re dealing with— this is a Tier V group you’re dealing with. Y’all are only Tier I.
Kim: [groans]
Rhi: You are way out of your— [laughs] way out of your league. So yeah, if you take two stress you can get up to risky, reduced.
Aki: Yeah. Yeah, why not.
Rhi: And roll Hunt. Alright.
Aki: Oh… no.
Kim: Wha happa?
Aki: Oh… apparently, I can’t track magical things. Three 1s.
Kim: Oh…
Josie: [sad whistle]
Rhi: Damn. Okay.
Aki: I cannot track magical things. Three 1s.
Rhi: So… things go badly. So, uh, yeah. The complication is I’m ticking up the Spirit Warden Return clock by 2. It’s now 2 out of 6.
Aki: [panicked sound]
Rhi: You… you spend a bunch of time just poking around this space and can’t figure out anything. You waste like, ten minutes just trying to find something. And… nothing. Like, you— maybe it’s not here? Did they move it already? Like, you’re stumped, Darling. You can’t figure it out.
Josie: I think Echo went to help, but like, there was an obvious delay in her doing it.
Rhi: Mm hmm. Arlene, do you wanna try something?
Minna: Sure. I think I wanna try a Survey. I don’t know if that’s something that works for you?
Rhi: Sure, sure. Just sort of, kind of stepping back, looking big picture, seeing if anything jumps out at you?
Minna: Yeah.
Rhi: I think that’s fine. For Survey, I will give you risky, reduced.
Minna: Uh, I would like to push myself. Or actually, what does a Devil’s Bargain look like? Just out of curiosity. If there’s nothing fun, I’ll just push myself.
Rhi: I’m gonna add one more tick to the clock, no matter what.
Minna: Nah, I’ll push myself.
Rhi: [laughs]
Minna: That’s a 5. I pushed myself for effect, not…
Rhi: Okay. So risky, standard. So you do it, but there’s a consequence. So I think again, the consequence is this takes a long time. Adding another two ticks on the clock, it’s at 4 out of 6. But you are able to find— it’s not that it’s well-concealed necessarily. It’s that’s there’s some kind of runes on it that make your eyes skip over this safe, essentially. And eventually, like, I think that’s kind of like— Arlene, you’re eventually able to figure out, like, ‘I haven’t checked this area, why haven’t I checked this area?’ and you like, go and kind of force yourself to focus and are like, ‘Oh. It’s right here.’ And something about the wards and the runes on it make it difficult to look at this thing. But, it is a very secure, heavy-duty safe. It’s kind of the only, like, secure holding in this little outpost in this mine. Everything else is pretty mundane. So you’re guessing this is gotta be where they have the artifact locked up. Cause it’s not anywhere else. You’ve gone over this place collectively like five times in the 20 minutes you’ve been here. So, you’re got a very locked safe.
Minna: I think Arlene comes skittering back,
Minna (as Arlene): Hey. I found a safe.
Aki (as Darling): Of course you found a safe. Fuck.
Aki: Darling is a little tired.
Minna: [laughs]
Aki: Three 1s will do that.
[laughter]
Minna: Oh, buddy.
Josie (as Echo): [slow and stilted] That’s good. Sorry I’m not much help. Something is messing with me.
Kim (as Val): You alright, Doll?
Josie (as Echo): I just feel kind of slow.
Kim (as Val): Do you wanna wait outside?
Josie (as Echo): I think I will be fine once we leave.
Kim (as Val): Alright, let’s hurry it up.
Rhi: Alright. Who wants to get the safe open? Or try to get the safe open?
Kim: I’m not good at Tinker….
Josie: That’s kinda me isn’t it?
Kim: Yeah…
Aki: I think that is you.
Rhi: Uh, Minna can do it as well, though. And you’re currently gonna be at a disadvantage at it. So yeah, Arlene is also good at lock-picking.
Minna: Alright, let me try that.
Rhi: Um, this is gonna be risky, zero.
Minna: Of course. Uh…
Rhi: Actually, let me check. Do you have… you have improved weapons, not tools.
Minna: I have fine lockpicks!
Rhi: So yes… oh! Risky, reduced.
Minna: Okay. I’m gonna push myself again.
Rhi: Okay, so pushing yourself to get up to standard.
Minna: Uh… is this a Tinker?
Rhi: Mm hmm.
Minna: 6!
Rhi: Okay. So, you set to work and what you realize pretty quickly is that they designed this safe to be very heavily warded against the occult. The actual physical security, it’s tricky. Like, it’s a high-quality safe. But it’s not impossible. They clearly invested more in the arcane security than the physical. So you’re able, doot-doot-doot, you get it open, you haul the safe open, and inside is the only thing in here, this kind of small shape that’s wrapped in cloth. It looks mask-sized, but it’s just sort of wrapped up in— it looks like it’s kind of like a fine linen that’s like the same color as the Spirit Warden coats. It’s a really dark blue.
Minna: [whines hesitantly]
Josie (as Echo): [slow and stilted] That does appear to be it. I figured out that it’s a mask.
Minna (as Arlene): Is it gonna hurt me if I grab it?
Josie (as Echo): I think it will only hurt you if you put it on.
Minna (as Arlene): I will not put it on, then.
Josie (as Echo): We should keep it wrapped up, though.
Rhi: Alright, so Arlene, you taking it out of the safe?
Minna: I am.
Rhi: You’re leaving it wrapped up. It’s— it feels like it is made of metal, but it’s thin, it’s fairly light in your hands. And it’s not a full face mask the way the ones you’re wearing now are, it would just kind of cover the upper half, over the eyes. But that’s sort of all you can tell. So, you have it in your hot little hands. Now you just have to leave.
Minna: I wish you hadn’t said it like that.
Rhi: [evil laugh]
Josie (as Echo): If we hurry, we should make it.
Kim (as Val): Yeah, let’s go.
Rhi: Alright. So, you leave the outpost in the mine, head back into the tunnels and, again, I think that for the most part within the mine nobody tries to stop you. It’s when you’re leaving the mine and heading for the gates that you kinda, you see the security guys at the front gate kinda leaning in and talking to each other, and then one of them jogs over to you and is just like,
Rhi (as Guard): Um, pardon the interruption, uh, is everything alright? We saw your— the first shift left. We’re not supposed to have the place unmonitored. Are you all leaving now?
Kim: Um. Hmm… what do we say to that? I’m good for like, one more Sway if I have to, but I am—
Rhi: I will say, the mine security is not nearly as high Tier. [laughs] They’re gonna be easier to lie to.
Josie: Also, who’s good at intimidating?
Kim: Ooh.
Aki: I can do that. I got at least a one in Command.
Rhi: Yes, Command would also be an option here. If we wanted to [laughs] give Val a break from the infinite stress pile.
Kim: Lying is very stressful, gang.
Josie: [laughs]
Aki: Um, yeah.
Rhi: So, this is gonna be risky, standard. The mine security is much more your normal sort of speed. And they are just sort of already a little intimidated by people wearing these uniforms, so you’ve got a bit of an advantage there. Risky, standard if you wanna Command them to just stand aside, or whatever you’re gonna Command them to do.
Aki: Yes. Um, so I think what— you know what? Let me roll first, before I do anything.
Rhi: Yeah. [laughs] Yep.
Aki: Okay, it’s gonna be a 5.
Rhi: Okay. So, you do it but there’s a consequence. Okay, well, I know what the consequence will be.
Aki: It’ll be fuck. Is it gonna be fuck?
Rhi: Of course.
Aki: Mm hmm.
Rhi: Of course.
Aki: Darling, once again. Seven feet tall. In this uniform. I am a wall, basically, at this point. So I am gonna walk up to this— I’m assuming a small mine security staff.
Rhi: Mm hmm.
Aki: Look— get real close so it’s like towering levels. Walk all the way down and just, just go,
Aki (as Darling): Yeah, we’re good.
[laughter]
Rhi: This guy just blinks up at Darling is like,
Rhi (as Guard): Uh— uh, very— alright then. Yes. Uh, of course. I’m— I’m sorry. We’ll— we’ll get the gate.
Rhi: So they get the gate. You step outside. The gates slide shut behind you. And you all start to breathe a sigh of relief. And that’s when the Spirit Warden carriage comes clattering up the street and screeches to a halt in front of you.
Kim: Aw, fuck.
Rhi: Because the clock has filled.
Kim: [whines] No…
Rhi: Four Spirit Wardens pile out. You’re not sure if it’s the same ones that you talked to before, but they are levelling weapons at you.
Josie: Um, can I—
Rhi: And one of—
Josie: Attempt something before they’re all the way out of the carriage?
Rhi: Yes.
Josie: I want to use Overcharge to perform a feat of extreme strength or speed. I wanna just f— I just wanna flip the carriage before they can all get out.
Kim: [laughs]
Rhi: Oh…
Josie: Like, at least onto its side. Just, boom. [laughs]
Kim: Oh my God.
Rhi: Huh. Okay. Yeah!
Josie: Yeah, so I’m gonna take some stress for that.
Rhi: Yes, you are. But let me look up how—
Josie: But this factors into effect, so I think it increases it?
Rhi: Yeah, so this is gonna be, uh, we’re gonna give you risky, standard on this.
Josie: Okay. I feel like this is Wreck.
Rhi: Yeah. [laughs] Yes.
Josie: I’m gonna push myself for another die here.
Rhi: Yeah, sounds good. I will also, just to kind of paint a picture for everybody of what this carriage looked like, um, the Spirit Wardens are kinda the only people in the city that still use carriages. They don’t use cars, and their carriage is drawn by a pair of mechanical, you know, they look like Akorosian goats, the big goats that you have all around here, but they are hulls. Which all of you knowing Echo, knowing how hulls happen, is horrifying. Because it means that there’s two people’s souls that have basically been turned into horses after their death.
Kim: [cringes]
Kim: Very upsetting.
Josie: Mm hmm.
Rhi: It’s really bad.
Josie: There is nothing good about the Spirit Wardens. [laughs]
Rhi: Absolutely nothing!
Josie: [laughs]
Rhi: [laughs] So, yes. Uh, risky, standard, cause you’re using your special hull abilities, and you’re rolling Wreck.
Josie: Mm hmm.
Rhi: Have at it.
Josie: [rolls dice] I got a 6!
Rhi: Alright. So, the carriage screeches up, comes to a stop. The door starts to open and Echo— you know, it’s almost like all of the slowness form that room, like, turned into super-speed. Like it was all pent up. You rush forward and just grab the underside of the carriage and flip it onto its side.
Josie: I think, like, some jets of hot air come out from under her collar because she’s overcharging herself.
Rhi: [laughs] Yes!
Kim: Ooh…
Josie: Then just pushes it over and just says,
Josie (as Echo): We need to run. Now.
Rhi: Yeah. There’s shouting from within the carriage. The two hulls in the front have not moved. They are, like, they moved a little bit because they kinda got pulled when the carriage flipped, but they have not reacted in any way. Yes, so Echo has bought you all some time. They are having— you know, they are pushing the door open to start climbing out, but you have a bit of time to try and get away. So, you should get away. [laughs]
Kim: Uh, yeah, no shit.
Josie: Unless someone’s going berserk and wants to fight them. [laughs]
Rhi: Yeah, a roll will need to be made.
Aki: Is it a group roll?
Rhi: Yeah, probably a group roll. I mean, you don’t have to do a group roll, but it would make sense for this.
Josie: Group Prowl.
Rhi: Probably a group Prowl for hauling ass in a sneaky sort of way.
Josie: Who’s the fastest?
Kim: Arlene.
Rhi: Mm hmm.
Minna: Yeah, that makes sense.
Josie: So you should probably lead it.
Minna: I can lead. I don’t mind.
Josie: [laughs]
Kim: Alright.
Rhi: Okay. So, this is gonna be risky, reduced. I think I’m gonna have a clock for you all to escape.
Kim: That’s a 6 for me.
Rhi: Alright.
Josie: [rolls dice] I got a 1.
Rhi: Okay.
Kim: Baby, no!
Aki: 6.
Rhi: Okay!
Minna: 4.
Rhi: Okay. So, you’re gonna take one point of stress. Echo is lagging a little bit. But the result is a 6. Um, so I have started a clock for you all to escape, which I assume is make it to wherever you all have stashed the Drake.
Kim: Yeah.
Rhi: Because Spirit Wardens do not roll up in a car, so you had to park somewhere far away. Uh, with a 6, that is gonna get you 3 ticks on this clock. So, you all just take off full-tilt down the street, dipping into shadows, weaving in between buildings. But the Spirit Wardens have managed to clamber out of their carriage and are in pursuit. So, you all will need to do something else to push this clock up further. Again, it doesn’t— you could roll another group Prowl again if you wanted, but if you wanna try other things, you can do that.
Kim: Yeah, can I just mark off a pistol and start, you know, running and gunning, and try to get them to slow down behind us?
Rhi: Mm hmm, yeah. Cause if you’re just firing behind you, they’re gonna have to start dipping into cover. That could slow them down. Yeah!
Kim: Great. Can I roll a Hunt about that?
Rhi: Hunt is a little more about precision than I think you’re doing here.
Kim: So Skirmish, then?
Rhi: Probably Skirmish.
Kim: Okay. Devil’s Bargain?
Rhi: Hmm… well, let me figure out your position and effect. I think this is gonna be— you’re gonna start at risky, reduced because you’re not necessarily trying to hit them, you’re just trying to drive them into cover.
Kim: Right.
Rhi: Do you still want a Devil’s Bargain?
Kim: Uh, let’s hear it.
Rhi: Let me think… oh, right, you all are carrying a spooky mask. You’re attracting ghost attention and ghosts are gonna be all up in your business.
Kim: Um, I’m okay with—
Rhi: Because of this mask.
Kim: If the rest of all of you are?
Minna: Yeah.
Kim: Cool. Alright, I accept.
Rhi: Alright.
Kim: Here we go. [shakes and rolls dice] Ouch. Ay, ay, ay. Uh, that’s a 3.
Rhi: Oof!
Kim: Yeah… sorry.
Rhi: Oof, oof, oof. Okay, so you were risky reduced and it went badly. So Val, you start firing behind yourself to try and drive the Spirit Wardens back. Um, and I think it kinda works. Like, they have to fall back a little bit to avoid getting shot.
Kim: Right…
Rhi: Which unfortunately means you don’t have any experts on hand when the five ghosts…
Josie: [gasps]
Rhi: Come boiling out of the ground around you.
Kim: Okay.
Rhi: And specifically around Arlene, who is carrying the mask, it gets very, very cold. Which honestly, for a second probably feels nice.
Kim: Yeah.
Josie: [laughs]
Rhi: Given that you’re wearing heavy coats and humid, yeah. But because you’re all wearing spirit masks you can kind of see into the ghost field even without really trying too hard, and you can see these ghosts come boiling up out of the ground, and their attention is all on Arlene. They’re sort of surging in towards her and the mask she is carrying.
Josie: Eh…
Kim: Oh hell no.
Rhi: You’re in a desperate position, friends.
Kim: Don’t like that.
Aki: Okay, now can I start shooting ghosts?
Josie: Ooh.
Aki: Because I got ectoplasmic ammunition and a fine pair of pistols.
Rhi: I don’t know if we’ve ever seen how electroplasmic bullets work, so this’ll be fun.
Aki: If I may, can I say that I have a specific ghost gun?
Rhi: Oh, you mean like you’ve got a pistol ready and loaded with them?
Aki: Yes.
Rhi: Yeah.
Aki: Cause theoretically I have— I brought this load in. It still takes two, and um, yeah. Like maybe one— because it’s a pair of pistols. Maybe one pistol is just a regular pistol and the other pistol is just for ghosts.
Rhi: Yeah, that’s totally fine.
Josie: Can I assist by presenting a spiritbane charm?
Rhi: Yes, absolutely. Go ahead and mark a point of stress. And you’re dealing with ghosts, so this is going to be desperate. So mark XP.
Aki: Do I mark XP before or after I’m asking this? Because I’m going to get another point to put anywhere.
Rhi: It goes after the roll.
Aki: After the roll. Okay, good, awesome.
Rhi: Desperate, uh, desperate greater because of you— you have a fine pair of pistols and you have electroplasmic ammunition, so you’re coming in with the correct tools for the job. [laughs]
Aki: Um… [hums while thinking]
Josie: [laughs] Say the line, Aki.
Aki: Well, that’s at least two 6s.
Josie: Yay!
Rhi: [laughs]
Aki: You want— you want— you wanna picture?
Rhi: No, I’m good.
Aki: I’m rolling, like, four dice for this. So it’s like, I was gonna get it anyways.
Rhi: That is why you commit a lot of resources to a roll you really wanna succeed. Sometimes it works out. So, critical success. Um, well, you were already at greater. I think Echo, you know, whips out this spiritbane charm, all of the ghosts recoil, and Darling you just open up. Bam-bam-bam-bam-bam. Really fast shots. Take out three of the five.
Aki: If I may add a flourish?
Rhi: Oh yes, please add flourish.
Aki: Alright. So, the ghost gun doesn’t see much action, has not seen much action in a while. Honest to God, who hires an assassin to also kill the ghost? That’s like super personal. [laughs]
Rhi: Yeah.
Aki: And I think what Darling does is— because she brought it just in case, and she’s like, ‘Ah, it’s the case,’ and she’ll pull out— it’s like on her side. She will pull it out, spin it as she does, and that’s how she gets the three shots out.
Rhi: Nice! Very cool.
Aki: And she can just slide it back it into the holster so she can, I don’t know, catch up. Well actually, I don’t know if she lost any ground either, but like, narratively.
Rhi: Yeah. So, bam-bam-bam, three of them are taken down. Do you all want to keep dealing with the ghosts or keep running? Because that was just sort of dealing with the ghosts, it’s not actually moving you any closer to your escape.
Josie: I think Echo’s gonna contribute to the escape. I think she’s gonna pull out a large weapon, which will be—
Rhi: Okay.
Josie: A tommy gun she was keeping under the cloak. And just spray behind them.
Rhi: Okay!
Josie: Just like, not even necessarily trying to hit, but just sweeping side to side so they can’t, like, do anything.
Rhi: Covering fire, yeah. Risky, reduced, again.
Josie: Okay. Uh, what roll?
Rhi: Uh, Skirmish. Or Wreck. I’ll allow either.
Josie: I’ll do Skirmish. Um…
Rhi: Alright.
Josie: Yeah. I’ll just take it. [rolls dice] That’s a 2.
Rhi: Oof. Alright. So, you fire behind you and… uh… so you’ve got the Spirit Wardens and the ghosts. I think that you all had kind of like turned and you were running down an alley when the ghosts popped up. Echo is firing down this back alley to kind of try and slow the Spirit Wardens, and you come piling out onto the street and from the end of the street you hear a Bluecoat siren on a Bluecoat car fire up, as the Bluecoat car that was parked at the end of this street— there’s not a lot of cops in Bones— in Bone Town, but there’s some. And you all have managed to [laughs] stumble out of the alley in front of, uh, a car full of them. So, you have ghosts, Spirit Wardens and Bluecoats pursuing you! [laughs]
Josie: Great.
Rhi: Yep. I just, you know, it’s a nice smorgasbord of enemies.
Josie: Question. What are the heights of the buildings around here like?
Rhi: Um, none of them are terribly tall. I think the tallest are probably like, four stories. Most of them are kind of in the two to three-story range.
Josie: Okay. Uh, Echo’s gonna say,
Josie (as Echo): Arlene, toss me the mask.
Minna (as Arlene): Alright…
Minna: And she tosses it over.
Josie: I’m going to use Spring-Leap Pistons to jump off to a rooftop and run a separate direction so that the Spirit Wardens maybe chase me instead of them, so they only have to deal with the cops.
Rhi: Okay. It’s gonna be some kind of a roll. [laughs]
Josie: Yeah. Uh….
Rhi: Probably Prowl.
Josie: Makes sense to me.
Rhi: This is a physical thing. Yeah.
Josie: What’s a Devil’s Bargain here look like?
Rhi: Oh boy, oh boy. The ghosts are gonna follow you too.
Josie: Eh, that’s fine.
Rhi: Risky, standard. I think.
Josie: [nervous laugh] [rolls dice] I got a 4 this time.
Rhi: Okay. So, you do it but there’s a consequence. So, you are able to pull the Spirit Wardens and the ghosts. You’re parkouring across the rooftops, the Spirit Wardens are trying to trail you on the ground, and I think that the consequence here is that they’ve clocked you as a hull.
Josie: Oh good… fun. That’s great. I love that.
Rhi: Yeah, I mean, a normal person can’t just jump to the top of a building.
Josie: Yeah, you know, that makes sense.
Rhi: [laughs] You just went from the ground, bounced up to the top of a second or third-story roof. So…
Josie: Yeah, and I think there’s like, a burst of steam from her pant legs as she does it, and leaves a small cloud as she goes [wooshing sound].
Rhi: So, you got Echo running across the rooftops with the Spirit Wardens pelting after her, shouting about stopping the hull. The rest of you have a Bluecoat car coming in your direction.
Kim: Uh huh.
Rhi: What do you wanna do about any of these situations?
Kim: How close are we to the Drake?
Rhi: You’re about halfway there.
Kim: Christ almighty. What do we use for smoke bombs normally?
Rhi: I would allow you to mark demolition tools.
Kim: Alright, I’ll take it.
Rhi: Which is, yeah, it’s two.
Kim: I’m gonna mark that and I wanna smoke bomb our area to just give us a little bit more cover.
Rhi: Yeah, that totally makes sense.
Kim: Do I have to roll for that?
Rhi: Yes, cause it— it’s like, throwing the smoke bomb and then effectively using the cover of the smoke bomb to get away.
Kim: Right. What would that…?
Rhi: Probably another Prowl? You could do this as a group Prowl if you wanted.
Kim: Yeah, why not?
Rhi: Okay. Who wants to lead?
Kim: I am okay with it?
Minna: Okay.
Kim: [laughs] I like living dangerously.
Rhi: I’m gonna give you risky, greater because you’re using a smoke bomb to give yourselves more cover.
Kim: Okay.
Rhi: So yep, everybody go ahead and roll Prowl, except for Echo, who is making her own getaway. [laughs]
Josie: Yep.
Kim: I got a 3…
Minna: 2. [laughs]
Kim: Oh no! Aki…?
Aki: Yeah, it’s a Prowl?
Kim: Uh huh.
Aki: 5!
Minna: Good God.
Rhi: Okay. So, you do it with a consequence, with greater effect. So because it’s greater effect, you’re gonna make it to the Drake.
Kim: How much stress do I take, though?
Rhi: Uh, you’re gonna take two stress.
Kim: [sucks in breath] Hoo-hoo!
Aki: You’re stressed! The country club does not allow its members to have this amount of stress.
Josie: [laughs]
Aki: I’m at 4.
Minna: I’m only at 5.
Rhi: This is why I had you all set to zero before we started. [laughs]
Kim: [laughs] Uh huh.
Minna: Mm hmm!
Rhi and Josie: [laugh]
Kim: Real winners trauma out!
Rhi: So, you get to the Drake. I think the consequence is you get to the Drake, but Echo’s not there. Echo and the mask.
Kim: My baby!
Rhi: Like, you all make it there, the Bluecoat car hasn’t caught up, but like, you don’t have an Echo or the thing you were sent to obtain.
Kim: [stressed]
Josie: I am trying to make my way there, but…
Rhi: Yes. Yeah, you’re… you’re dealing with a situation. So, let’s jump over to Echo real quick for some kinda roll to catch up with the rest. I think it’s basically the problem is that like, if Echo doesn’t catch up on this next roll, the Bluecoats are gonna catch up with the Drake. So, you need to get to them fast.
Aki: Whatever you do, I’m gonna try to help under the guise of— and this’ll fill out, I think, all of my stuff. Like, my load. Um, I have brought my rifle and I have my spyglass, which we modified into a scope. And I’m waiting for Echo and I will shoot whatever is behind her.
Josie: It’s fine if I don’t catch up this roll, because we can do the thing where the Drake bolts off to somewhere else and I jump down into it while it’s moving.
Kim: That would be dope.
Rhi: That’s true.
Josie: Because I can also survive falls without damage with Spring-Leap Pistons. So that’s fun.
Kim: No fall damage?
Josie: No fall damage. I think I’m gonna mark off fine arcane implements and I think I just want to do a very basic spell to like, create a big flash in the ghost field. Just like, spirit flashbang, basically.
Rhi: Okay.
Josie: So that they can break off pursuit.
Rhi: Yeah. I will allow you to attempt that. I think this is gonna be— since there’s only two ghosts now, this’ll be a risky, standard. You’re using your arcane tools. Arcane implements.
Josie: [rolls dice] I got a 2.
Aki: Even with the help?
Josie: Oh! Uh…
Rhi: Oh yeah, that’s right.
Josie: Yeah. Right. [rolls another die] It’s a 4! Yay!
Rhi: Okay!
Aki: I said I was helping.
Rhi: Yes. So it works. I think that’s it a, uh, I think that between your arcane flashbang, Darling taking a shot, that gets the ghosts to peel back and fall away from you enough that you can, you know, get away. I think the consequence is that it is basically gonna be kind of what you were describing, is that you come up even with the Drake just as the Drake has to peel out to evade the Bluecoats. So, I think the consequence is that you, uh, just miss each other and Echo, you’re gonna have to keep running after the car to get in it.
Josie: Okay. Can I spend a drain to Overcharge so that I can just make the leap?
Rhi: Yeah. Absolutely. What does that put you at?
Josie: Uh, well hulls have one more stress box than normal people.
Rhi: Okay. [laughs] That’s why I was like, ‘You just said you had eight…’
Josie: So I’m at nine, but my limit is ten.
Rhi: Okay, that’s why I was like, ‘Wait a second, are you being a real winner?’ [laughs]
Josie: [laughs]
Rhi: Trauma-ing out? Okay that makes sense. Yeah, so you can spend that drain and just, yeah, super-speed between your Overcharge and your spring-powered legs. Tell us what this looks like as you catch up to the Drake.
Josie: As the Drake is peeling out, it’s moving around the corner away from the block and Echo has to like, close her eyes for a second, cause she can’t afford to stop running, and gets to the point where she’s like, it’s just like the crook of her feet are on the edge and she’s started to fall before she kicks off with another burst of steam and like, some of the roof shingles or tiles fracture as she goes and lands and probably very awkwardly, probably [laughs] bending the trunk of the Drake before sliding into the back seat, like, sideways.
Kim: Oh no…
Rhi: Yes. [laughs]
Josie: [laughs]
Rhi: [laughs] Clunk!
Kim (as Val): Ah!
Rhi: Rolls in. But you’ve made it in, you have rolled awkwardly into the back seat, on top of whoever’s back there.
Josie: [laughs]
Rhi: And you have the mask. And you all just floor it across the bridge and out of Bone Town and into the night.
Aki: And Darling goes,
Aki (as Darling): So I understand why they call them Cool Tires now.
Minna: [laughs]
[laughter]
Rhi: The Drake tears across the bridge out of Bones Town and into Riverside and then up into Ivyridge, towards the address that Beacon had given you. The address leads you to a small, shuttered pharmacy on a corner. It looks like it’s been closed for a little bit. Windows are boarded up, lights are off. And as the Drake slows to a stop, Beacon seems to just sort of materialize out of the shadows around this building. And they stroll over to you. Are you all still— I mean like, I know you’re all still wearing the coats. Are you still wearing the spirit masks? The Spirit Warden masks?
Kim: No.
Josie: Oh, no.
Rhi: Okay.
Josie: I think we ditched disguise a while ago.
Rhi: Okay. Yeah, you could’ve just taken those off.
Minna: I think Arlene has her coat slung over her shoulder. Like, she’s not actually properly wearing it anymore, because hot.
Rhi: Yeah. So, they walk up and sort of look into the car, frown a little as they take in your partially-removed disguises and sort of nod.
Rhi (as Beacon): Clever. If you would be willing to be part with those uniforms, I can throw in an extra 2 coin.
Aki (as Darling): 2 coin each or…?
Rhi (as Beacon): 2 coin total.
Josie (as Echo): I’m down to make the trade.
Kim: Yeah, that’s okay with me.
Josie: [chants] Money, money, money!
Rhi: So yeah, you all spend a minute kind of peeling off these coats. Beacon will take them and fold them over his arm. Kind of— they have a satchel as well, and tucks the masks in there and then,
Rhi (as Beacon): So I assume you have it?
Josie: Oh right, Echo had it last. She pulls it out of her coat and hands it over.
Rhi: Beacon reaches out and takes it very gently and reaches into his bag and opens up a wooden box which, like, wood is not a super common material, so having a wooden box is a little unusual. And carefully places it inside, closes it. And as he closes it again, there’s sort of a very brief flare of blue light, like an arcane ward has been activated. And they slip it back into the bag, you know, and have all of these coats [laughs] draped awkwardly over one arm and will just nod and be like,
Rhi (as Beacon): Well, I appreciate all of your work in this matter.
Rhi: And go inside the suit coat and pull out just a really thick stack of bills. [laughs] Lot of cash. And will hand that over, I think back to Echo, since Echo is the one who handed over the mask. Um, and then reaches in again and pulls out a much thinner, but still substantial, stack of money and will hand that over as well. Is like,
Rhi (as Beacon): That should be all that we had agreed upon.
Kim (as Val): Much obliged.
Josie (as Echo): Just be careful with that thing.
Rhi (as Beacon): Yes. We will use it responsibly.
Rhi: And with that, Beacon is going to turn and disappear into the shadows around this empty building again. So, that weird interaction concluded, [laughs] Val will turn the Drake towards Kestrel Heights, start heading back to the garage, so you all can lay down on the nice cool floor and enjoy not having to wear those heavy coats.
Aki: The money is so nice.
Kim: Also, money.
Rhi: Also the money.
Josie: Yes.
Rhi: You can count all of your money. This is, yeah, this is a huge payout, it’s 10 coin total. So, you all are in a pretty good mood as you drive down into Kestrel Heights. And you’re maybe about a third of the way to the garage when you turn, you know, down a side street. And as you turn, there’s a delivery truck parked on the side of the street. You don’t think anything of it, until a bunch of boxes suddenly topple out of the back of this truck and spill across the street. So Val, you have to slam on the brakes to avoid plowing into all of these. And that’s when the gunshots start.
Kim: Oh.
Rhi: The first two take out the front tires. The next one comes from much farther away and from behind, and is aimed squarely at Arlene. Minna, tell me what— how does Arlene move or something? What does she do that prevents this from being a kill-shot?
Minna: Oh boy.
Rhi: You’re not— you don’t know that this shot is coming towards you, but something, Arlene at the last possible second moves in some way that keeps this bullet from going through her head. What does this look like?
Minna: Are there shots going from other directions?
Rhi: Yeah. The shots that took out the tires came from in front of you.
Minna: I think what happens is that she’s lunging towards where the shots that took out the tires came from.
Rhi: Yeah. So, the shot, as Arlene kind of lunges up and forward into the car, and the shot that would have gone straight through her head instead goes squarely through her chest.
Minna: Uh…!
Rhi: And there’s a spray of blood across the front of the car as Arlene falls back into the back seat. Bleeding, badly wounded.
Minna (as Arlene): [breathes heavily]
Rhi: This is level 3 harm, effectively. But not dead. Darling. You can see two people walking towards you, guns in hand, from up front where the shots that took out the tires were. You also know that there is a sniper that just shot Arlene. What would you like to do?
Aki: I would like to use one of my new abilities, Not To Be Trifled With. I would like to go for the two in the front first.
Rhi: Okay.
Aki: And I think what’s happening is I will be going at them with— okay, this is gonna be weird, um…
Rhi: Mm hmm?
Aki: So have you ever seen someone use, or rather shoot with a sniper rifle like they are shooting with a shotgun? So at the hip.
Rhi: Uh… generally not advisable, but—
Aki: It is not. However, someone with three points in Hunt can do it! [laughs]
Rhi: Mm hmm.
Kim: Holy shit.
Rhi: So, roll Hunt.
Aki: Um, I got one 6 for the move.
Rhi: Okay. So, between the 6 and Not To Be Trifled With, you’re gonna be able to take them both out. And I think that I’ll kind of describe what Darling sees as she’s approaching, and then you can tell me how this looks with her doing murders. You jump out of the car, rifle in hand, and you can see these two illuminated in the headlights. They both have pairs of pistols and you can tell that they are identical twins. And you remember hearing about this when you were at The Market, because it was a big deal. They have to be very careful about when they steal children. You can’t do it too often. You can’t do it from the same place too much. You have to slowly bring in new recruits, or else people will realize what’s going on. So when The Flower Market was able to snare twins, that was a big deal.
Minna: Oh…
Rhi: Because it meant that they got two at once, where normally any of the Markets are usually only able to pull one kid at a time. So you recognize Iris and Ivy walking towards you. You haven’t really seen or worked with them in a long time, but they have grown up into full-fledged assassins. How do you end them?
## [00.49.15] Content warning: detailed violence and deliberate cruelty from a player character. To skip go to the next timestamp.
Aki: It feels like a long time for Darling, just processing everything. It’s like when everything goes silent except you hear that little tinnitus thing in the background, right?
Rhi: Yeah.
Aki: And then like air, like the wind, she jumps out of the car and is walking, essentially. Like, it’s speed walking, power walking, but walking with the rifle. And she just shoots out one leg on each twin and it’s like clockwork. Shoot, reload, shoot. One of those things, because this is totally Darling— like, last time she had to put a bullet in for the electroplasmic ammunition. Now it’s her reloading it while doing this, this issue.
Rhi: Yeah.
Aki (as Darling): And she is full-on going for very— like, she’s going for precise shots. The kneecaps, gone on each twin. And then, with the back of her gun, she swings it like a golf club on one twin, and then grabs the other, just like with her bare hands the neck is gone. Like, it just snaps.
Rhi: Okay.
Kim: Oof.
## [00.50.33] End of content warning
Rhi: Let’s go back to the car for a second, because this feels very slow and drawn-out for Darling, but it all happens very fast. Val and Echo. Arlene’s in the back seat, badly hurt. Darling’s just jumped out. you hear gunshots. What are you two doing?
Josie: I think Echo is putting herself over Arlene and she’s not good, but she’s trying to like, stop the bleeding a little bit. But mostly she’s just trying to be in the way, because she’s mechanical and armor-plated. It doesn’t matter if she gets shot.
Rhi: Yeah.
Josie: [voice wobbling slightly with emotion] She just doesn’t want Arlene to get shot again.
Minna: [whines]
Kim: Can I clamber over to like, the back seat and, you know, with Echo still guarding, because I think that makes sense, you know, just— God. You know, see which injury looks the most severe and pressing my hands to it and just trying to stop the bleeding as best I can?
Rhi: Yeah. So yeah, you and Echo are both just, yeah, hands down over that chest wound.
Minna (as Arlene): Echo, Echo— oh, Val, is… where’s Darling? Is Darling okay?
Kim (as Val): Ssh, ssh, she’s fine. She’s taking care of it. Just hold on, alright?
Josie (as Echo): Yes. Please.
Minna (as Arlene): You gotta make sure.
Kim (as Val): Just relax, alright.
Minna: I think Arlene just kind of goes,
Minna (as Arlene): Okay… okay…
Minna: And I think she’s kind of like, having trouble focusing a little bit.
Kim (as Val): Hey, hey, come on. Stay awake. Stay with us, alright?
Rhi: So, we’ve got Val is— Val and Echo are taking care of and protecting Arlene as best they can. Darling, you’ve taken out Iris and Ivy.
## [00.52.31] Content warning: detailed violence and deliberate cruelty from a player character. To skip go to the next timestamp.
Rhi: Ivy’s dead. Iris is on the ground, reaching for one of their guns.
Aki: I straight-up step on her as I like, get low. I’m still holding her sibling. I’m gonna make her look at it and go,
Aki (as Darling): Look at what you’ve made me do.
Rhi: [exhales] She’s gonna try to get the gun to shoot you.
Aki: I’m just gonna use her sister like a shield.
Rhi: Oof.
Kim: God.
Aki (as Darling): You’re so messy. How disappointing.
Aki: And then I’m just gonna use her own gun to shoot her.
Rhi: Okay. I think, uh, as you are straightening up from that, again, just you move at the last possible second as another sniper shot rings out and I think skims along your shoulder. Again, coming from behind. And if you turn, you can just barely catch the glint of the scope up on the roof.
Aki: I’d like to fire back with my rifle.
Rhi: Mm hmm.
Aki: And it’s like, a quick pop-up, you know? When a— like, have you ever seen those gun tricks where they throw the gun back up, gun into the air, grab it, pull it all in one go?
Rhi: Mm hmm.
Aki: That is what’s happening here. Uh… that’s a 6, yeah. One 6.
Rhi: I think we see Darling take this shot and then there’s a faint, distant clatter as the rifle that was being held over the edge of the roof falls and hits the sidewalk.
Aki: Now, I would like—what I’m about to do next is gonna make sense, but I would like a flashback. And I have something ready, prepared for it. So, during our two months of essentially a break, downtime, whatever, at some point Darling goes back to Mira’s tea shop to buy a box of teabags. And they are Darjeeling, of course, and she spends this one tedious paranoia-ridden night just blocking out each teabag of, like, the cardboard logo. And then she fills them in with her own messages. And so, she’s gonna put one in each sister’s hand. First one gets, uh— actually, should I even read the message now, or?
Rhi: Oh, yeah. Yeah, do it now.
Aki: Okay. First one gets, “You pulled the trigger this time.” And the second one gets, “New hobby. Do you like to garden now?” And she’s gonna leave the two kind of— not dead on the street, but rather propped up somewhere, like on, um, a lamppost or something like that?
Rhi: Against the truck that they were in to cause you all to stop?
Aki: Yeah. Yeah. And um, just— she will make sure that they are each holding the teabag, just as like, you know, as rigor mortis sets in. Nice and hard and really dickish. And then she’ll come back, probably caked in blood and gore. And she’ll just sit in the car and go,
## [00.56.13] End of content warning
Aki (as Darling): One of you can drive, right?
Josie (as Echo): Uh—
Rhi: Val and Echo, Darling might not be processing it, but the two of you are painfully aware that the Death Bell is ringing. So, yeah. [laughs]
Josie (as Echo): Yes, we need to go.
Rhi: You need to get out of here.
Josie (as Echo): I… I will drive. Val, you take care of her.
Kim (as Val): Alright. Be careful.
Rhi: Alright. So Echo, you clamber up into the front seat of the Drake. It’s probably a mark of how dire things are that Val agreed to let you drive for once. And you head off into the night, running on two flat tires. Do you head to the garage or are you gonna head to Darling’s house?
Kim: Whichever gets us the better medical care. [laughs]
Rhi: It’s probably gonna be Darling’s house. [laughs]
Josie: Then Darling’s house, yes.
Kim: Yeah.
Josie: Also, what was the state of the neighborhood like with all that happening?
Rhi: Uh, people were— it happened way faster. Like, it was 30 seconds at most.
Josie: Okay.
Rhi: It felt really drawn-out for all of you, but it was super fast. So, like, people were starting to come out of houses and lights were going on. You know, people were coming to investigate. But in reality, it happened fast. There were shots, there were return shots, there was Darling being— like, Darling being creepy probably dragged it out a little bit longer than it would’ve otherwise, so people are coming to come out, but you all are gone before anybody can really get at you.
Josie: One thing about Darling’s place, does it have a place to hide the car? It has a dented trunk, two flat tires and is sprayed with blood. Like, it’s a convertible so we can put up the hood, I guess. But…
Kim: Yeah, I was gonna say, we can put up the hood at least, to hide the blood. I dunno, is there like a—
Rhi: I’ll allow that the car has— or that the house has a garage. That’s fine.
Aki: Yeah, there’s one I never use. Came with the rent.
Rhi: Yeah. So, you get back to Darling’s house. You carry Arlene upstairs and start stitching her back up, because you can’t really take her to a hospital. And by the end of it, she’s gonna be okay, but it’s gonna be a while before she can go back on a job.
Josie (as Echo): I take it those were some of your former coworkers?
Aki: Again, I think it’s a lot of long— I’m gonna up the creep factor a lot. I think while doing everything she was humming something. And then during the entire car ride, she’s still humming. And when she got home, she’s still humming. It’s like an ear worm of a tune. It’s not much, but it’s humming.
Minna: Is there anything significant about the tune?
Aki: Oh yeah, you definitely would have heard it growing up. It’s like, a soothing tune. Usually. It’s a comforting tune for you. For everyone else, it’s like I’m a five-year-old little girl in a horror movie saying, ‘Yeah, my best friend Sally, she’s over there in the corner,’ and no-one’s there.
Rhi and Josie: [laughs]
Kim: Yeah.
Rhi: So a lullaby, basically.
Aki: Yeah.
Rhi: Echo has asked, “I assume those were some of your former coworkers?” and you’re still just sort of humming. And how long does it take for Darling to respond?
Aki: I think it takes a bit. I think you gotta ask her a couple times before she actually pays attention.
Kim: Can I like… can I put a hand on Darling’s shoulder? Try and get her to gently snap out of it.
Aki (as Darling): Mm? Mm, oh. Yes?
Kim (as Val): Dar, Echo asked you a question.
Aki (as Darling): Oh, I’m so sorry, dear. What did you ask?
Josie (as Echo): I just asked were if those were people you knew.
Aki (as Darling): Yes. If I recall, Iris and Ivy. Twins. Flower Market. Oh, they were— it was quite the celebration when we got them. Well, not me of course, but, you know. Bragging rights and all of that.
Minna (as Arlene): There was Flower Market?
Aki (as Darling): [soothing tone] Yes, Flower Market.
Minna (as Arlene): That’s not good.
Aki (as Darling): Yes. It would appear our two months are up.
Rhi: Echo heads off into the night to go find Leona. Arlene has passed out, fallen asleep, one of the two. And Val and Darling are just sort of left in the somewhat bloody bedroom that you’re in. I think that Pearl, if this is okay Aki, let me know, I think that Pearl has jumped up on the bed next to Arlene and is just sort of laying there next to her.
Aki: Yeah, yeah. I had something, like, a similar thought. I don’t think Pearl was allowed in when they were first dressing Arlene, so she was patiently waiting outside. And now she’s allowed in so she can be up on the bed.
Rhi: Yeah. And is just doing comforting rumble-purrs.
Kim: Yeah, Val’s gonna come in with some coffee and offer a mug to Darling.
Aki (as Darling): Oh. Thank you.
Aki: I’ll take one and hold it. I think at some point the weird— not the weird, but rather like the super threatening aura will dissipate, like it’ll fizzle out.
Kim: Mm hmm.
Aki: So Darling is— has got that fountain of youth skin, you know? Like, she’s older, but she never looks older. And I think that only for a moment does she kinda look her age, with this coffee.
Kim: Yeah…
Aki: Yeah. Just for a moment. And then the youthful glow will just – poof! – back up.
Kim (as Val): You gonna be alright?
Aki (as Darling): Oh, I’ll be fine.
Kim (as Val): Sure.
Aki (as Darling): But there will be more. I don’t think I killed that one on the roof.
Kim (as Val): Even if you did, it sounds like there’s a hell of a lot more after the both of ya.
Aki (as Darling): So much more. But the issue with them is they always come out in small little bursts. They need to come at me with a wave. I thought I was worth a wave.
Kim (as Val): A wav— if this is what a small burst can do, I don’t think we wanna see a wave!
Aki (as Darling): It’s a little— it’s a little much, our Markets. So many of us. But everybody’s so… so scared. But not me. I’m not scared.
Kim (as Val): Are you just saying that?
Aki (as Darling): Oh, I stopped being scared a long time ago. If you’re scared, you don’t live very long. Look at those two girls over there. That is something you need to learn to lose in this line of work. And they only send the scared ones, because they’re expendable.
Kim (as Val): What happens when they run out of expendables?
Aki (as Darling): They will send the higher-ups. I was a higher-up. I still am, technically, but you know. Retirement is not a thing in this field. You weren’t there when we met the other one. Lavender is her name.
Kim (as Val): All I’m saying is tonight was way too close.
Aki (as Darling): Would you like me to leave, then?
Kim (as Val): No! No. No, Dar, that’s not what I’m saying.
Aki (as Darling): Then what are you saying, dear? You’re so good with words, except for when it counts.
Kim (as Val): I’m saying that they’re just kids. And I know— I know you and I can’t take away everything that’s happened to you, to Arlene, to Echo, before we all started this. And I know you and I can’t walk away. But Arlene’s just a kid.
Aki (as Darling): That’s why I took her away. She was my youngest. She has not completed anything yet. She has a chance. A very good one, actually. But it would appear, not with me.
Kim (as Val): Are we really doing our best by them? Do you think?
Aki (as Darling): Hmm… no. I think we’re doing the best we can, but between you and me, we’re a little fucked up. It’s kind of at times like these where I’m very glad there isn’t an afterlife. I know exactly where I would be going.
Kim (as Val): [dry laugh] Well, on that we can agree.
Rhi: And at this point, you hear footsteps on the stairs as Echo is returning with Leona in tow. So yeah, Echo, what was the trip back with Leona like?
Josie: Nervous and quiet.
Minna: [whines]
Rhi: Yeah.
Josie: Echo isn’t outwardly showing anything, but she is just focused on driving. Have to drive, have to get back. We need to do this. Or I suppose it wouldn’t be driving, because going across town on two flat tires is certainly something, huh?
Rhi: Yeah. You could get a cab.
Josie: Yeah, a cab. And I imagine Leona has a lot of— I imagine Leona being quite angry and needing to hold herself back.
Rhi: Yeah. Angry and scared and just sort of, like— and isn’t taking it out on Echo, but it’s just all very like, tightly contained.
Josie: Mm hmm.
Rhi: So, the two of you come into the room. And I don’t think Leona really acknowledges any of the rest of you. She just rushes over to the side of Arlene that doesn’t have an enormous tiger and is just gonna, like, take Arlene’s hand in both of hers. She’s kind of perched on the edge of the bed just holding her hand and sorta looking her over.
Minna (as Arlene): Leona.
Rhi (as Leona): [huge sigh of relief]
Minna (as Arlene): I don’t want you to see me like this, it’s gonna be okay. Don’t—
Rhi (as Leona): Hey. Yeah, no, of course, it’s… it’s gonna be fine. You’re gonna be just fine. Your friend Echo told me you got, uh, you got dinged up pretty bad on a job.
Minna (as Arlene): Mm hmm. Mm hmm. It was job, it was just a— uh, it was just a job that went weird, it’s fine.
Rhi (as Leona): I mean, I don’t know if I’d say that it’s fine…
Rhi: I think at this point, Leona looks up and is sort of like, ‘Oh. That’s a lot of other people in this room’. [laughs]
Kim: Val can take a hint.
Josie (as Echo): You two need a minute. We’ll step out.
Rhi (as Leona): No, no, it’s okay. You all— you’re all her friends.
Rhi: I think she kinda finally looks at Darling and is like,
Rhi (as Leona): Uh, you must be Darling. Arlene’s told me a fair bit about you.
Aki (as Darling): Yes.
Aki: I say, with still blood on my shirt.
Minna: [laughs]
Rhi: Yeah. [laughs]
Aki: And I’ll stand up, to be seven feet again, and walk over to shake a— um, I offer her a hand to shake.
Rhi: How much blood is on this hand?
Aki: I look at— I offer it, I look at it and go,
Aki (as Darling): Oh, I’m so sorr— oh! Look at this filth I’ve dragged in. Oh dear. My apologies.
Aki: Now I’m wiping it on, like, my shirt and making it worse and just like—
Minna (as Arlene): Darling…
Aki (as Darling): I’ll shake your hand after I’ve cleaned up.
Rhi (as Leona): Yeah, it’s uh… I think we can put aside the niceties for a moment.
Kim (as Val): [clears throat uncomfortably]
Rhi (as Leona): But um, well, I wish the circumstances were better, but it’s good to finally meet you, ma’am.
Aki (as Darling): Oh, it’s lovely to meet you, too. Also wish it were on better circumstances. Well, hmm. To be honest, I have no idea how to address you right now. Kind of… ooh, I think I’m really feeling it right now. The crash. I’m going to go sit down.
Aki: As I sit down, I think it’s with a surprising more like ‘fwoomph’, like, it’s not very lady-like at all.
Rhi: Yeah, just kind of fall into a chair.
Aki: Yep. And then Darling will just go,
Aki (as Darling): Alright. Um, well, for your, um, betterment, because I would hate to keep you in the dark. Killed two, injured one, there is a total of three. And way more to come.
Minna (as Arlene): [protesting weakly] Darling! Please stop being weird.
Rhi (as Leona): What…
Rhi: Leona looks like she’s about to ask, like, ‘What the fuck are you talking about?’ but decides, you know, what, can figure that out later. [laughs] Is just like,
Rhi (as Leona): It’s… it’s fine. We’ll, um, you can, you know, tell me whatever I need to know later.
Rhi: And she’s kinda looking around at all of you, who collectively look like hell. Cause like, even before this shooting happened, you all were very stressed and frazzled. And Leona’s just like,
Rhi (as Leona): Uh… if you any of you need to wash up or, uh, you know, rest a little.
Rhi: She’ll kinda, you know, open up the coat to show that she’s got a pistol at her hip and is like,
Rhi (as Leona): I can keep an eye out. Make sure she’s okay.
Josie (as Echo): Yes, that’s probably a good idea.
Aki (as Darling): Yes. Yes. I… I should really get all of this off.
Minna: I think Arlene kind of pushes at Pearl’s shoulder.
Minna (as Arlene): Go with her. Get up, you big lazy bones.
Rhi: Pearl is going to lick the side of your face.
Minna: Aww.
Rhi: And then will get up and pad after Darling.
Josie: I think Echo’s gonna leave the room, too.
Rhi: Yeah. How about Val?
Kim: Yeah. Yeah, I’ll filter out.
Rhi: Okay. So yeah, I think— is it fair to assume that Val and Echo are probably gonna stay here at the house tonight?
Kim: Yeah.
Josie: Yeah, probably.
Aki: I literally have the room.
Rhi: [laughs] So, yeah, the other three of you kinda filter out to clean up and try and get some rest. And Leona left in the room with Arlene just kinda reaches out and like, smooths her hair back a little bit from where it got licked by a tiger.
Minna: [giggles]
Rhi (as Leona): When you said Darling had a tiger, I didn’t realize you meant it so literally.
Minna (as Arlene): Oh, yeah, she’s… she’s just a baby.
Rhi (as Leona): I’m really glad you’re okay.
Minna (as Arlene): Yeah, no, I’m fine. I’m always fine.
Josie: [whines]
Rhi (as Leona): Yeah. Yeah.
Minna (as Arlene): Um, don’t— don’t hold the way Darling is tonight against her. It’s just, it’s been a long night.
Rhi (as Leona): Yeah. No, I figure we can have a reintroduction under nicer circumstances. Come over for dinner sometime.
Minna (as Arlene): Yeah, yeah. Um… yeah.
Rhi (as Leona): Yeah. Well, don’t worry about Darling or me or anything. You just rest, okay?
Minna (as Arlene): Yeah. I don’t think I’ve really got much of a choice.
Rhi (as Leona): No, you don’t.
Rhi: I think she’s gonna reach over and kind of unnecessarily move to tuck you in. I think that Arlene has been thoroughly tucked into this bed. [laughs] Um, and then Leona will sit back down and be like,
Rhi (as Leona): I just… you get some sleep. I’ll be here when you wake up, okay?
Minna (as Arlene): Okay.
## Outro
Thanks for joining us! The Whisky Jays will return in two weeks. The City That Never Dies is a Clever Corvids production. Visit our website at clevercorvids.net, our Twitter at clever_corvids, and our Tumblr at tumblr.com/clevercorvids.
The City That Never Dies is GM’d and edited by Rhi. She loves dice and daydreaming about RPG characters. Check out her business Skill Check for copyediting and accessibility consulting for the RPG community at rpgskillcheck.net.
Arlene Graeme is played by Minna Reilly. Minna is a lover of collaborative and audio-based storytelling. You can hear her elsewhere in Demon: Love and Hellfire. You can also find her on Twitter @mynaminnarr, where she is almost certainly talking about fanfiction.
Darling Tsering is played by Aki. Aki is a a queer, 1st generation Asian-Canadian game designer, tabletop performer, and all around content creator. Find her on Twitter @akinomii_art for more TTRPG Content.
Echo is played by Josie. Josie is a lesbian and a literal actual dragon. You can hear her GMing another Clever Corvids show: Demon: Love and Hellfire. You can find her on Twitter @dragongirljosie, the Love and Hellfire twitter @Love_Hellfire, and check out her art at josie-art.com.
Valerie Sullivan is played by Kim. Kim is a bisexual illustrator and performer. Find him on Twitter and Tumblr @kimdianajones.
Our opening and closing theme music is from Something by Kai Engel and is used under a Creative Commons license. Blades in the Dark is the creation of John Harper and is published by Evil Hat Productions.
Rhi: If you’d like to dedicate a personal message to a friend, family member, gaming group, or other special Clever Corvids fan in your life, you can do so right here! Visit clevercorvids.net and click on Jumbotron Messages under the Support Us menu to buy your very own message. As always, thanks to all our Patreon backers, whose ongoing support makes this show possible.
## Blooper
Kim: Side note, have we established which section of Imperial City is Boston yet?
Rhi: All of them. [laughs]
Kim: Great, love it.
Aki: [laughs]
Rhi: Uh… it’s probably Robelston, to be honest.
Kim: Mm. Oh wait, no, we have Beacon Hill.
Rhi: Oh yeah, that’s right.
Kim: Alright, great. Val’s from Beacon Hill, then. [laughs]
Josie: [laughs]