Transcribed by Raina Harper.
## Intro
Rhi: Welcome back to Imperial City. As always, thank you so much for joining us. I’ve got a couple exciting announcements to share! First, you can hear me as a guest player on the One Shot Podcast, playing in a Dragon Age themed game of Noirlandia. Episode One, character and world creation, is out now. I had so much fun recording it, and I highly recommend you go check it out.
Next, a very big announcement. In April, May, and June, there will be an episode released on this feed every. Single. Week. That’s because in addition to The City That Never Dies, we’ll be launching our very first Clever Corvids Productions mini series: a six episode run of Court of Blades. Court of Blades is a Forged in the Dark game of, to quote the book, power politics, gunpowder diplomacy, renaissance magic, and romantic skulduggery. Our mini series features a mix of familiar voices and new guests, and I think you’re going to love it. The first episode will go live April 12!
If you like what we do and want to support us, including helping us create more bonus series, consider supporting us by leaving us a review, buying merch, sponsoring an episode, or backing us on Patreon. That last one is the most important to our ongoing success: steady, monthly income is how we can budget and plan for future growth. We want to do more bonus series, one shots, collaborations, and even full actual play campaigns, but in order to do that, we need reliable income we can count on each month. Anything you can give on Patreon helps bring us closer to that goal.
Next, Minna is going to tell us about this month’s featured charity.
Minna: With anti-trans policy in progress in multiple states, it’s more important than ever to support people fighting against these policies. I urge you to check in with what’s going on locally, or who’s working in your area. But today I would like to highlight Equality Texas, who work on a host of LGBTQ issues in Texas, including in defense of trans kids.
Rhi: Stay safe out there, everyone, and take care of each other as much as you can.
Now then. Let’s get started, shall we?
## Pre-Score [00:03:00]
Rhi: Okay! So, first let’s talk about what kind of score this is. Probably Transport?
Josie: Uh-huh.
Rhi: You’re trying to move some stuff.
Josie: As opposed to cisport.
Aki: [snickers] Stop. I—
[laughter]
Rhi: Have you been…? How long have you been holding onto that one?
Josie: It actually just entered into my head right now.
Rhi: Wow… Alright. I’m… okay.
Josie: [laughs] You can’t get mad at me for this one. It’s a trans pun.
Rhi: Yeah, no, I know. I’m just sitting here contemplating my life. [laughs] Is that the rule? Trans puns are immune?
Josie: I mean, maybe? I made that up just now too.
Rhi: [laughs] Okay.
Aki: Josie really said trans-formative comedy.
Josie: Eh? Eh?
Aki: Oh! Ba-ba! [snaps] There we go. Let’s go!
[laughter]
Rhi: [musically] All around me are familiar faces…
[others giggle]
Rhi: Okay! What is your plan? Do you have a plan other than try to drive through this normally? Do you have a strategy for a route or how you’re gonna try and get out of this without things going sideways?
Josie: I mean, honestly? My idea is we stick to the most crowded and visible places possible as we drive.
Rhi: Okay. That’s a plan.
Josie: So that they can’t start shit without consequences.
Rhi: Okay. Let’s get load-outs. What is everybody planning on carrying?
Josie: I’m normal as usual.
Kim: Normal.
Minna: Normal.
Aki: Normal.
Rhi: Okay, so you get one for luck. Is this operation particularly bold or daring?
Josie: No?
Rhi: You’re trying to—I mean, I feel like it kind of is. You’re trying to transport fragile cargo through a cold gang war.
Josie: Okay. Mm-hmm.
Aki: And then we wanna go for public/crowded, so yeah, I think, if anything, “bold.”
Rhi: Yeah. It’s not overly complex. Does the plan’s target expose a vulnerability? Err, does the plans detail expose a vulnerability of the target? I think so. I think the aiming for crowded areas… Okay, now this is where things are gonna get complicated. Can any friends or contacts provide aid or insight for this operation?
Kim: Hmm…
Josie: Mm-hmm.
Rhi: Yes, but also, there are people interfering in the operation.
Josie: Oh…
Rhi: So, I’m trying to think how many friends do you have versus how many enemies.
Josie: We’re friendly people.
Rhi: You are.
Aki: We for sure have one friend and one enemy.
Josie: [laughs]
Rhi: I feel like it’s just gonna end up zeroing out on those. They are a higher-tier target, there are higher-tier gangs involved, so that’s gonna remove one die. So this comes out to be a 2d6 roll. I’m gonna roll the dice and we’re gonna see… Well, the tradition of rolling doubles has continued.
Kim: Wow. What did we get?
Rhi: With a pair of 3s.
[groaning]
Kim: Oh no~
Rhi: So you’re gonna be in a desperate position when the action starts.
Kim: That’s not very cash-money.
Rhi: It is not, indeed, very cash-money. Let’s… Minna, where do you think this conversation happens? With “hey, by the way, can we please try to avoid fatalities?”
Minna: I feel like it’s in the garage as we’re getting ready for the score.
Rhi: Okay.
Minna: Yeah. So, Arlene’s like:
Minna (as Arlene): Hey, I gotta talk to you guys.
Josie (as Echo): Yes?
Minna (as Arlene): So, if we run into the Breakers, uh… hopefully they’ll go easy on us, but if they don’t, we need to not kill them.
Josie (as Echo): And I presume not throw bodies at them either?
Minna (as Arlene): I mean, there won’t be any bodies to throw at them.
Kim (as Val): What do you mean?
Minna (as Arlene): Because we’re not killing them?
Kim (as Val): I got that, but why aren’t we killing them?
Minna (as Arlene): Because we can’t.
Aki (as Darling): [softly] Why?
Josie (as Echo): I imagine it’s something to do with the treaty?
Aki (as Darling): We’re not in the treaty.
Kim (as Val): Is there something you’re not telling us, girlie?
Minna (as Arlene): I mean, it’s not a secret, just if we get in a gang war with the Breakers it will be bad.
Aki (as Darling): Hmm. Well, no promises on my end.
Minna (as Arlene): Darling!
Aki (as Darling): What? If they shoot us to kill, I will respond.
Minna (as Arlene): [exhales huffily]
Aki (as Darling): I won’t shoot first. How about that?
Minna (as Arlene): That’s… I mean, I know you can do better than that, I know that it’s possible for you to disable rather than kill, but I mean if you wanna be lazy that’s fine.
Josie: [gasps and giggles]
Kim (as Val): She did call you out there, Dar.
Aki (as Darling): You’re getting very pointed with me, I see. So this means…
Minna: [giggling] She just crosses her arms.
Kim: Does she pout?
Minna: A little bit.
[laughter]
Aki (as Darling): Fine, I will shoot to… maim.
Minna (as Arlene): Thank you.
Aki: Then you see Darling open the trunk and take out this really big box.
Aki (as Darling): Ignore it.
Aki: And I put it away.
[laughter]
Rhi: “Not this time. Someday.”
Aki (as Darling): One day. One day we’re going to need… we’re going to need such heavy artillery, and you will see, ooh, why I got so excited that one time. Pearl’s mission was the best mission I have ever been on. Also because I got Pearl out of it.
Aki: [giggles] And I give my cat a kiss on the forehead.
Rhi: Pearl just headbutts you affectionately.
Josie: Aww.
Rhi: Alright. So, you load up. You pile into the car. Arlene has made it clear that non-fatal violence is the preferred mode of operation, and you head over to Bayrise. I think it’s more towards evening when you’re driving over. There’s still a decent number of people out on the streets, just people that are either coming home from work for the day or are heading out to second shift. There’s people out but it’s not like mid-day crowds.
Josie: Mm-hmm.
Rhi: So, you drive to the road that leads down into the caves underneath this district. You’re heading for the Glassworks. You can see the building up ahead probably about 100 feet away, and at that moment a couple things happen. The first is that the lights on either side of this tunnel that you’re in, the closest lights to you, get shot out. Pew-pew.
Kim: Oh shit.
Rhi: The Drake hits something in the road.
Kim: [groaning] Oh no.
Josie: Oh no.
Rhi: And the front tires blow.
Kim: Oh God, no!
Minna: Ohh…
Kim: Really?!
Rhi: So, I will remind you that one of the Drake’s abilities is Sturdy. It keeps driving even when broken. It’s not broken at this point.
Kim: Phew. Christ.
Rhi: It’s taken a point of damage. You can keep driving, but you’re gonna be driving her on the rims.
Kim: [strained] Okay! Okay.
Rhi: And it’s gonna be… yeah, but you know, you’re okay. So, it’s dark, your car is damaged, and you don’t even have the cargo yet. What are you gonna do?
Kim: [flustered exhale]
Josie (as Echo): Well now we get to get new tires.
Kim (as Val): [strained] Yep! I know! I know. Worry about that later.
Rhi: [giggles]
Josie (as Echo): Should we try to call out? See who is there?
Kim (as Val): Nope.
Josie (as Echo): Okay.
Rhi: Are you continuing to drive forward, Val?
Kim: Yeah. They’re just gonna power through this.
[laughter]
Rhi: Give me a roll for continuing to drive through this stressful situation you find yourself in.
Kim: You know, I’m gonna push myself for this, because the dice have not been on my side.
Rhi: This is gonna be a desperate roll, so remember to mark xp.
Kim: Ooh, cool.
Rhi: And… because you’re driving the Drake, it’s gonna be desperate-greater.
Kim: Desperate-greater? Okay.
Rhi: Yes.
Kim: Okay, great, I got a 6. Glad I pushed myself.
Rhi: Wow! Okay! Yeah, so you, with two busted front tires, manage to drive out of this patch of darkness and up to the Glassworks. I think if you look over—there’s a window next to the door, and you can see Imani, the owner, is at the window with a shotgun raised.
Kim: Oh…
Rhi: I mean, she heard two gunshots and then some car distress. She knows something’s going on. [laughs]
Kim: Yeah.
Rhi: When she sees you she will lower the gun.
Rhi (as Imani): Pickup’s complicated already, huh?
Josie (as Echo): Yes. Who else is down here?
Rhi (as Imani): I don’t know. People drive by. I heard some cars go past earlier but I don’t know. Nobody’s come over here.
Josie (as Echo): Alright.
Kim (as Val): Alright, well… do you have it?
Rhi (as Imani): Yeah. Yeah. Give me a second.
Rhi: You hear a thunk-thunk as she unlocks the door. She’s gonna come out, still with shotgun dangling from her right hand, and just walks out to the edge of the little parking area and shouts down the tunnel.
Rhi (as Imani): Okay. Whoever is here, I don’t have any say about what happens after they leave, but if you interfere while we’re loading up this damn car… I will have your head. We clear?
Rhi: There’s no response, which isn’t really that surprising, but you know, nobody shoots at you so that’s probably for the best.
Aki: I have a question. Could I take this time, rather than helping load, to look for the targets?
Rhi: Oh yeah, absolutely.
Aki: I do have a spyglass that I know it’s not actually what it’s used for but could we just pretend? [laughs] That I got a little…
Rhi: I think, if you wanna say we can update that, because you know, spyglass was in the original Victorian era. If you want it to still be a spyglass, that’s totally fine, but you can also upgrade it to binoculars if you’d like.
Aki: Yes please. Or like a scope even, I’ll take that, just something that makes sense.
Rhi: Oh yeah! Yeah, you can use a rifle scope to look around. It’s not gonna have infrared or anything because that technology doesn’t exist, but you can use it to try and get a better look. Yeah, I like that being a rifle scope.
Aki: Yes please.
Rhi: Okay. So yes, who all is helping with loading?
Josie: I think Echo will take care of the loading. A stronk.
Rhi: Okay, yeah. Darling can roll for a look around to see. I’m gonna say that right now it’s risky because people are not allowed to shoot at you while you’re parked here. [laughs]
Aki: Mm-hmm. Would you say I’m rolling Survey or Hunt?
Rhi: Ooh, good question. Um…
Aki: Because ‘technically’ I am looking for people, but also I am not shooting at people yet.
Rhi: Yeah, but you’re looking for targets, essentially. I’ll allow Hunt.
Aki: Thank you.
Rhi: This will be risky-standard, or hmm… it is dark. Risky-reduced, because you’ve got limited visibility.
Aki: Oh wow… that’s totally not a 6.
Kim: Oh no.
Josie: Uh-huh?
Rhi: It’s a 6, isn’t it?
Aki: [giggles]
[laughter]
Kim: Oh my God.
Rhi: For a second you sounded so upset and I was like “oh wow, did the dice finally run out and she rolled a 3?” Nope. But it is reduced. I think what you’re able to see is you’re only able to kind of… The side of the tunnel you all came in, you really can’t see anything because it’s just too dark over there because the lights have been blown out. The other side, you catch a glimpse of, um, like a glint of light on metal and on eyes. It throws you for a second because you’re like ‘that’s the wrong placement for people eyes,’ but you realize that it is horses.
Kim: Haunts?
Aki: Horses were the Severosi ones, the Breakers, yes…
Rhi: Yep. I’m also going to say that the same rules as Pearl are gonna apply to horsies for our purposes where horses can be frightened off and will run away but we’re not going to on-screen kill any horses.
Aki: Yeah.
Kim: The haunts.
Rhi: Yeah, you know that there’s a couple people on horseback down the tunnel, and you also know that under normal circumstances, horses versus a car, the car is gonna win, but you’ve only got two working tires.
Kim: Yeah…
Rhi: So, the people on horseback pose a bit more of a threat at this point. You can make out you’re pretty sure at least two. There might be more. They’re just hanging out waiting.
Aki: I think I’ll simply ask Imani:
Aki (as Darling): Do your rules apply to us as well…?
Rhi (as Imani): Yep.
Aki (as Darling): Alright. I will wait.
Rhi (as Imani): No violence on the property.
Aki (as Darling): Good to know. Good to know.
Aki: So I’m just gonna wait, basically.
Rhi: [laughs]
Aki: But I will state I am aiming for… You said I see the horses specifically, right?
Rhi: Yes. You see light glinting on their eyes and you can see light glinting on some metal, so you have a rough idea of where horses are.
Aki: Okay. Maybe I’ll aim for the floor then, because it doesn’t sound like I have a rough idea where the riders are. So I will aim for the floor.
Rhi: Yeah. Presumably up, but exactly where, you don’t know how tall they are or anything.
Aki: Yeah. Like, what if I think this is the shoulder but they’re short, and oops, look at that.
Rhi: “Oh no! I promised Arlene I wouldn’t!”
Aki: I just did what I said I wouldn’t do.
Rhi: [laughs]
Aki: So yeah, I’m aiming for the floor with the idea that, if we start going and they start going, I can shoot the floor to scare the horse.
Rhi: Okay. You’re lining that up. Arlene, Val, anything either of you wanna do while the car is getting loaded?
Kim: I think Val is just keeping a lookout in case anybody tries to jump us.
Rhi: Okay.
Minna: I think Arlene’s locked in “fuck, fuck, fuck” mode, just like, “oh no.”
Rhi: Aww.
Minna: She’s ready to go, but she’s not happy about it.
Rhi: Yeah.
Aki: I also would have mentioned:
Aki (as Darling): Well, it looks like the Breakers are here.
Aki: Just like a dick.
Minna (as Arlene): I have eyes.
Aki (as Darling): I am your eyes right now. You are loading the car.
Minna (as Arlene): Echo’s loading the car.
Rhi: “I’m sitting here freaking out.” Imani has a couple workers come out to help load as well. She’s basically standing there. She’s got the shotgun, the butt of it is against her shoulder but it’s pointed at the ground, so she’s ready to swing up and fire if need be but she’s not aiming it at anything right now. Proper gun safety. She’s just keeping an eye on things similar I think to how Val is, and Darling, just sort of keeping an eye on the situation. Once everything’s loaded and her people go inside, she looks at you.
Rhi (as Imani): If it’ll help, I can kill the lights out here before you go, give you a little more cover, but that’s about all I can offer.
Josie (as Echo): Thank you.
Kim (as Val): Yep, no, that’s fine. We’ll make it work.
Rhi (as Imani): Alright. Well, good luck. Sorry I can’t do more.
Rhi: She’s gonna head back inside. You hear the clunk-clunk-clunk of the locks slamming again, and a couple seconds later there’s just a (zhoom) as the lights out front of the shop power down. Val.
Kim: Yeah? Hi.
Rhi: It is time to drive.
Kim: Vroom-vroom, motherfucker. Alright. Am I making another roll about this?
Rhi: Yes. Here’s my question. The way I’m picturing this particular road, it’s underground, but you can either turn around and go back the way you came and exit there or you can just keep driving the direction that you were and come out basically the other side.
Kim: Hmm.
Rhi: If you drive forwards heading towards the other exit, that’s the direction of the Breakers.
Kim: Oh.
Rhi: You’re not sure what’s behind you. [laughs]
Kim: Yeah.
Rhi: And you’re not sure if the Brigantines are even in play. You haven’t seen any signs of them at this point, you’ve only seen the Breakers, but yeah. So basically that’s my question. Are you gonna try and drive straight at the people on horses or are you gonna drive away from them?
Kim: I think away makes more sense.
Rhi: Alright. So yeah, go ahead and give me a roll then. This is gonna be risky-greater.
Kim: Okay.
Rhi: We will see how far out you make it.
Kim: I’ll push myself again just because.
Rhi: Okay.
Kim: And… a 6 again.
Aki: Pushing~
Rhi: Yeah. You can’t really peel out due to the lack of functional front tires, but you drive back the way you came. You’re driving, you’re going about as fast as you can, and I think that you hear—Oh! Darling, do you take your shot just to spook the horses as you start driving away?
Aki: Yup! Mm-hmm.
Rhi: Okay. You start driving. Darling takes a shot and it cracks and echoes down this tunnel. You hear some startled horse noises, and then a couple more gunshots ring out. They hit the stone behind your car. Darling, as a sharpshooter yourself, you’re guessing they were trying to take out your back tires, but you’re moving faster than they anticipated.
You start driving down this tunnel and you hear hoof beats chasing after you. Then, in front of you, as you’re getting close to the ramp that will lead you back out onto the streets, but then stepping out across the road basically blocking it, sort of like either you have to drive people or stop, is a group of five people who might look familiar. I’m not sure how well you committed the faces of the people that you were shooting at during that chase in the docks to memory.
Kim: Hmm.
Josie: Yay~
Rhi: [laughs] But they’re here and they’re armed and they don’t look happy. They step out and are aiming guns at you and one of them is gonna shout:
%%Rhi (as Brigantine): Stop the car!
Rhi: What do you do?
Kim: Um… Can I do like a hockey slide and run them off the road?
Rhi: They’re not in a vehicle. They’re just standing.
Kim: Oh.
Josie: Can I toss something at them?
Rhi: Uh… yeah, yeah, you could definitely chuck something.
Josie: Because I have an idea for a gadget.
Rhi: Okay, hit me.
Josie: I kinda want to throw… I think when she takes it out it looks like a horrible mockery of an alarm clock. That’s what it must have been once upon a time, but both faces are out, and there’s just more and more cranks and bells added onto it. I’m thinking this is a sort of pop sound grenade with the intent to drive them away from it.
Rhi: Oh, interesting.
Josie: Because it’s gonna be shrill and horrible and bad.
Rhi: Yeah, and you’re in a cave tunnel so that’s gonna be really nasty.
Josie: Yeah. It might backfire on us, but…
Rhi: Yeah! You can definitely give that a shot. I will give you risky-greater on this because of the environment. This sonic-based thing is gonna be more effective given that you’re in a cave tunnel.
Josie: Right, and it’s not Knuckles-based, so… [chuckles]
Rhi: … Oh.
Aki: If it’s sonic-based, I’m gonna cover Pearl’s ears.
Kim: Aw, baby.
Rhi: Oh… I didn’t even—It took me a second to register the terrible pun that Josie just made.
Josie: [laughs] I was just like, wow, Rhi just agreed with me.
Minna: Oh, I missed it. What was it?
Rhi: I said it’s sonic—
Josie: Rhi said it’s sonic-based and I said it’s not Knuckles-based, so…
Minna: Oh…
Josie: Everyone disliked that.
Rhi: My life is eternal suffering.
[laughter]
Josie: Is it Tinker or what? To make sure it works.
Rhi: Wreck. This would be Wreck.
Josie: Wreck, okay.
Rhi: Yeah, for the roll, I think.
Josie: What’s a Devil’s Bargain look like?
Rhi: I think that it’s going to end up doing level 1 harm to everybody in the car because it’s just so loud.
Josie: Uh-huh… Okay.
Aki: I have a question about harm. How it work? And what happen if you had a headache before?
Rhi: Yeah. The way that harm works—Let me flip to a character sheet so I can explain this. Basically, instead of having hit points you’ve got three levels of harm. If you have level 1 harm, you’re at reduced effect for things that might relate to the harm that you’ve taken. So like, if you have a gash on your leg as level 1 harm you might be at less effect for running or climbing. That doesn’t change. You have two slots for level 1 harm, so if you have one or two it’s the same effect.
Then, level 2 harm, you’re at -1 die. Level 3 harm, you need help to do anything. Level 4 harm is you die. However, I do want to mention before I continue, level 4 harm like all other consequences can be resisted. This is a game where, if I tell you your character dies, you can say “no, fuck you, I don’t.”
Aki: Oh!
Rhi: It’s great.
[laughter]
Rhi: I did that to a couple people in the Magpies. I think Josie was the first one. I just straight-up killed Minx and Josie was like nope! ‘Not today, Satan!”
Josie: [laughs] Can’t do that.
Rhi: So, what happens is, where this really comes into play is if you fill up both of your slots for level 1 harm, if you take more level 1 harm it automatically has to go into level 2. So, you don’t want to have a lot of harm piling up because eventually you’re gonna get in a situation where you’re at level 3 harm even if you haven’t necessarily been hurt that badly just because you have a lot of lower level harm piling up.
Aki: Yeah.
Rhi: Level 3 harm, there’s only one box because you can only take that kind of hit once. If you take level 3 harm again it goes to level 4 harm and dead, theoretically. Probably not.
Aki: Okay, okay, okay.
Rhi: So yes, taking level 1 harm right now would fill up your level 1 harm zone, so if you take level 1 harm again it automatically is gonna be level 2 harm. Everyone is free to resist that consequence, so you can turn that harm into stress if you would prefer.
Aki: yeah.
Rhi: So we will process that after Josie’s roll, if Josie is taking this bargain.
Josie: Probably, but will the consequence affect me because I am robot?
Rhi: Yeah. I imagine a loud sonic—You have some kind of audio input thingy.
Josie: Mm-hmm. Okay.
Rhi: You know, it might just sound like microphone feedback really bad to you or something. So yeah, it won’t be pleasant.
Josie: I will take it.
Rhi: Alright. The way we’re gonna do this is Josie’s gonna make her roll for the actual throwing of the device and then we’ll deal with anybody wanting to resist…
Josie: I got a 3.
Rhi: …the many consequences that are about to happen.
Josie: [laughs]
Kim & Minna: Oh boy.
Josie: I’m sorry.
Rhi: Okay. It’s gonna go off because it has to for the Devil’s Bargain. Okay, I think I know what happens. You got a 3. I think it’s gonna be you lose this opportunity. You throw this device, it lets out this horrible shrill echoey ringing sound that fills all of your ears, but before it can really run anybody off one of the Brigs just instinctively lowers his pistol and shoots it and the noise stops.
Josie: Ah.
Rhi: [laughs] Just kind of like, [frightened yelp], bang!
Josie: [laughs] Well then.
Rhi: Yes, that’s what happens there. Now, anybody who wants to resist the level 1 harm of loud noise bad.
Minna: What’s the resistance?
Rhi: It’ll be Prowess.
Josie: I would like to resist it.
Kim: Yeah, me too. Let’s see.
Aki: I have never resisted anything before.
Rhi: Okay. So, on your playbook you have these tabs, Insight, Prowess and Resolve, and the first column under that is marked in a different color. However many Xs you have in that first column is the number of dice you roll to resist something. So, if I tell you to resist Prowess, you would resist with however many… You would roll in this case two dice because you have two dots in that first column.
Aki: Mm-hmm.
Rhi: You take the higher, and then whatever that number is, so like if you roll—Here’s, let’s… Okay, so as an example, Minna and Josie both got 5s. So, they will subtract 5 from 6. You always start, resisting a consequence starts at 6 stress and then you roll resistance to see how much you can bring it down. So, they both got 5s, so they’re only gonna take 1 point of stress.
Aki: Oh! Okay.
Rhi: Yeah. You roll, you roll your two dice, you take the higher, and tell me what you got and then we’ll figure out how much stress you got, err yeah, how much stress you’ll take.
Aki: [giggles]
Minna: Is it 0 stress?
Aki: [giggling] Yeah. I rolled a 1 and a 6, so if you just wanna say take 5 I’m okay.
[laughter]
Rhi: Okay, No, you’re fine. You don’t take any stress. I was gonna have to put my head down on the desk if you got a critical, because something special—
Minna: I was ready to explain, or ready to hear you explain.
Rhi: Yeah, something special does happen if you get a critical when you resist. So, you don’t take any stress because you have magic dice, apparently. Kim, what did you get?
Kim: I got a 4.
Rhi: Four, okay, so you’ll take 2 points of stress.
Kim: Okay.
Rhi: Overall, that’s not bad.
Josie: How much did me and Minna take?
Minna: One.
Rhi: One a piece, because you both got 5s.
Minna: I almost want to flavor this as she saw what was about to happen and she pulled out some earplugs.
Rhi: So, unfortunately the people in front of you with guns are still there. The people behind you on horses also with guns, still there. This is what we call a pincer attack.
Minna: So are they all Breakers?
Rhi: No.
Minna: Okay, so the ones in front of us are Brigs.
Rhi: Yeah, the ones in front of you are Brigs. You might recognize them as the people that you ran into at the docks.
Minna: Mm-hmm.
Rhi: Car chase, car and wagon chase down there.
Josie: But the people behind us are Breakers.
Rhi: Yup. They’re on horses.
Josie: Oh.
Rhi: Yes. Everybody’s here!
Josie: This could be really bad then.
Rhi: Yep! [laughs]
Minna: What if we made some kind of deal with the Breakers? Temporarily, to run off the Brigs? Just theoretically.
Kim: Hmm.
Rhi: If you wanna give it a shot, I’m down.
Josie: Ask Val to put it in reverse?
[laughter]
Kim: If I back it up.
Aki: Is it fast enough?
Minna: I would like to roll that. What does a Devil’s Bargain look like?
Rhi: Yeah! Let me think about the position and effect for this initial thing.
Minna: Okay.
Rhi: I think because… hmm. I think it’s gonna be risky-standard for you to try and negotiate with them to switch sides, more or less. Devil’s Bargain, they are going to… What are they gonna ask you in return?
Minna: Maybe whatever happens it’s gonna get Leona in trouble because I’ve evoked her name.
Rhi: Yeah, that was where I was going. I think that… yeah. You know what, we’ll just go with that. This is gonna blow back on Leona in a bad way.
Minna: [smiling] Yay, yes.
Rhi: [laughs]
Minna: I mean, not “yay,” but like… drama. You know?
Rhi: Yeah, you like the drama. Yes, so that will be our Devil’s Bargain. So yeah, do you ask Val, like, “can you back up?”
Minna: Yeah.
Kim (as Val): Why? What, really?
Minna (as Arlene): Just a bit.
Kim (as Val): I… Alright.
Kim: And they’re gonna back it up.
Rhi: Okay. The Brigs are still in front of you with weapons raised, so we may have to have multiple negotiations happening here simultaneously. The Breakers slow down a little bit when they see that you’ve stopped, and then yeah, Minna go ahead.
Minna: So I rolled a 5. Do you want to roleplay out this?
Rhi: Yeah! Yeah.
Minna: Okay. So I think she… They’re in the car?
Rhi: Yes, you’re all in the car. The Breakers are trotting up behind you. There’s three of them on horseback.
Minna: She leans out, probably honestly half of her upper body is out of the car at this point. [giggles]
Minna (as Arlene): Hey! You guys know Hasek, right?
Rhi (as Breaker): Yeah?
Minna (as Arlene): Yeah, so you know that, like, we’re buds? I—
Rhi (as Breaker): Oh shit! You’re her girlfriend, aren’t you?
Josie (as Echo): Oh?
Minna (as Arlene): Shh!
Aki: Darling’s eyebrow twitches!
[laughter]
Rhi: The one who recognized you suddenly is just like “oh no” and the other two are like “this is not our problem.”
Minna (as Arlene): So like, we don’t like these Brigantines either. You guys wanna maybe help us with them and we’ll call it good for tonight?
Rhi: The three of them look at each other and the one who’s a little bit out front looks back.
Rhi (as Breaker): We can’t fight them, but we can try and chase them off. This is good for tonight, and I strongly suggest you tell your employer that he find another glassblower.
Minna (as Arlene): Yeah, I’m gonna be honest, I’m gonna try, because I don’t wanna be doing this either. So hey.
Rhi (as Breaker): Smart girl. See why Leona likes you.
Rhi: [laughs] I think one of them will ride up by the driver’s side and lean down and tap on the window.
Minna (as Arlene): They’re friends, for now.
Josie (as Echo): Hello.
Aki: I stop pointing my gun at them, you know, and I will point at the Brigantines.
Rhi: Yeah.
Aki: But oh my God, is my tail swishing in— Ugh!
[laughter]
Rhi: Agitation?
Aki: Mm-hmm.
Rhi: Val, do you respond to having this cowpoke come up beside you and politely knock on your window?
Kim: Yeah, Val will just roll the window down.
Rhi (as Breaker): Do you wanna go first or should we run ahead and you can follow?
Kim (as Val): Lead the way.
Rhi (as Breaker): Alright.
Rhi: [laughs] Tips the hat. I do wanna emphasize that all of them are wearing cowboy hats and dusters.
Josie: I love them.
Minna: [giggling uncontrollably] I love them so much.
Kim: This is literally how there’s a cowboy in Dracula for no reason.
Rhi: Yeah. The time period was correct.
Kim: It was! It’s just strange.
Rhi: Cowboys and I believe samurai were all active at the same time.
Josie: You can have a cowboy, Van Helsing, and a samurai go fight Dracula.
Rhi: You sure can.
Kim: And be a polycule at the same time.
Rhi: Yes, you can do that too, and it’s beautiful. Anyway! So, I’m just gonna do a fortune roll here to see how this charge, this cavalry charge shakes out… Okay, so the three Breakers on horseback charge forward. Most of the Brigs scatter. There’s some gunfire, and I think you see one of the Breakers jerks to the side and grabs their arm.
Josie: Uh-oh.
Rhi: But they keep riding. Everybody scatters, and the way is clear for Val to floor it.
Kim: Mm-hmm.
Rhi: I mean, as much as you can. [laughs] Given the state of the car. And drive out after them.
Josie: Floor it.
Kim: Yep.
Rhi: As you’re driving away, a couple of the Brigs are gonna recover enough to start taking shots at you as you’re driving away, if Darling or anyone else would like to return fire to…
Aki: I would, yes. I would.
Josie: Mm-hmm.
Rhi: Yeah. [laughs]
Aki: I specifically am shooting to maim as I said before, so I guess what I would like to do is to shoot for their trigger arm. I wanna put them out of work is what I want.
Josie: Can I assist?
Rhi: Yeah. You wanna take a point of stress and mark a gun? Go for it.
Josie: Yeah.
Rhi: So then Darling gets an extra die.
Josie: We can see Aki get a critical finally.
Rhi: [laughs]
Aki: [weakly] Um, well… you called it.
Kim: Oh! Really?
Rhi: Are you kidding me?!
Aki: Yeah, no, originally I was—It’s two dice, right? You gave me a third. Because I’m rolling Hunt, I have two, so I rolled the first two and it was like okay, a 6 was definitely one of them, and you were like here’s your third die, and I rolled it… and shit. Am I gonna die tomorrow? Tomorrow is Pathfinder…
[laughter]
Rhi: So, I think what happens is… Well, let me back this up. Echo, tell me how you assist on this.
Josie: I think I’m firing at the ground to just keep them at bay and keep them where they’re at.
Rhi: That happens, and I think that, because you got a critical, I think what happens, Darling, is you get one rifle shot off and then you really fast slide the bolt, shift your aim slightly, and then get a second shot, and you manage to get two of them. Non-fatally, you know, assuming they get to medical—
Aki: Yes, not… mm-hmm, mm-hmm.
Rhi: Any gunshot is fatal if left unaddressed for long enough.
Aki: Yeah, it’s just… oof, you know? That guy was a righty, the other one was a lefty, and I just got them both.
Rhi: Yeah. Not immediately fatal. You drive up onto the main streets. The Breakers split off on horseback, leaving you alone to continue on to the Nightcaps headquarters to make your delivery.
Josie: Probably very loudly.
Rhi: Yeah, clunk-clunk-clunk.
Josie: [laughs]
Rhi: Yeah, it’s a rough arrival.
## Downtime
Rhi: So, let’s get into our downtime scenes and we will start with Val and Echo. Where do we find you after this score?
Kim: Are we in the garage?
Josie: We could be, like trying to tap into a line.
Kim: Or would you like to be at my house?
Josie: Let’s go to Val’s house. Yay.
Rhi: Yeah! Because I feel like we so rarely see, like… Echo’s either at the garage or on a job. It’s very rare to see her outside of that.
Kim: Right.
Josie: [laughs]
Rhi: So yeah, alright. Yeah, I think actually now that we’re back here, give a little bit of the vibes of Val’s apartment. What’s it like? It doesn’t have to be a ton of detail, just what’s the feel?
Kim: Yeah. I think it’s very tastefully dimly lit at the moment. I imagine that it’s evening and it’s just that not-harsh lighting but still bright enough that you can get something done.
Rhi: There’s no sunlight.
Kim: Oh fuck, you’re right. Agh!
[laughter]
Rhi: I know!
Kim: The sun is dead! Okay.
Rhi: The sun is dead!
Kim: Long live the sun.
Minna: My brain was trying to come up with that. Thank you!
Kim: Okay, let me roll that back.
Rhi: Yeah.
Kim: So, Val’s apartment at the moment is very dimly lit. It’s kind of that vibe where there’s no harsh overhead lighting but it’s very tastefully warm enough lighting-wise. Ooh, I’m trying to decide if Val is a minimalist person or a clutter person. No, I think they’re a clutter person.
Rhi: yeah, that feels correct.
Kim: Yeah. All the furniture itself are actually pretty fine pieces. They look very fashionable for the era. But you know, they’ve got shit all over the place. It’s not like they’re messy, it’s just that they got a lot of stuff. Ooh, you know what, there definitely is a piano in the living room, but I think that they’re just in the dining room at the moment to have a look at this telegram.
Josie: Mm-hmm.
Kim: It’s probably just a very average size black table with maybe two-to-four chairs. Maybe it’s right next to the door you would take to get out to the balcony, so you get a nice city view at the moment.
Josie: Aw.
Rhi: Nice.
Kim: Yeah.
Rhi: How does Echo, like… Has Echo been to Val’s place a lot? How does she feel being here?
Josie: I don’t think she’s been here a lot if at all. Like you said, she has mostly spent her time in the garage or on a job or running a few errands here and there. I think she’s nervous at first but is actually kind of set at ease by the fact that there’s clutter, because she’s like “oh, okay, I’m a clutter person too, it’s fine, good.” [laughs]
Kim: Follow-up question. Does Echo dress down at all once she’s in Val’s apartment?
Josie: Once on the way over, no, she’s very firm about being very dressed up, but inside she does take off her gloves and hat, so you can kinda see her segmented prosthetic hands.
Rhi: Yeah. You’re sitting here with this weird telegram with ghost message on it.
Kim (as Val): [sharp inhale] Can you make heads or tails of this?
Josie: Echo is gently running her fingers across the letter trying to get some sort of reading.
Josie (as Echo): Not just yet. I’ll admit I don’t have a whole lot of experience being the sort without a body. I kinda just got put… Never mind. Point is I’m new to this too.
Kim (as Val): Okay. Alright. No, that’s fine. Uh… Do you wanna talk about it?
Josie (as Echo): About the letter? Yeah, I mean—
Kim (as Val): No, no-no-no, about you.
Josie (as Echo): Um… what do you want to know?
Kim (as Val): Whatever you’re comfortable telling me.
Josie (as Echo): I’m not comfortable with… I’m not uncomfortable with you asking, but I’m uncomfortable with most of my situation. So, I’m not sure where to start.
Kim (as Val): Okay! Alright. I won’t press. That’s okay. Let’s… yeah. Let’s get back to the telegram.
Josie (as Echo): Sorry. I want to tell you, but I shouldn’t.
Kim (as Val): That’s okay. That’s fine.
Josie (as Echo): Do you have a lot of experience with ghosts? Because it seems like they contacted you.
Kim (as Val): Eh… some, here and there. I frequent the Gambler’s Gloom, and I don’t know if you know their whole deal, but they’re run by a couple spirits and I know a few of them. That’s pretty much it.
Josie (as Echo): Oh. I actually don’t know that place. What is it?
Kim (as Val): it’s a casino.
Josie (as Echo): A ghost casino?
Kim (as Val): Yeah.
Josie (as Echo): Huh. I didn’t know they made things like that.
Kim (as Val): Neither did I until, you know, a couple years ago.
Josie (as Echo): And you’re comfortable there?
Kim (as Val): Yeah. Why not?
Josie (as Echo): Huh. I mean, I guess I’m comfortable around you too, so I guess you just have that presence.
Kim (as Val): Stop~!
Kim: And I think they’re just gonna wave a hand. [laughs]
Josie: [laughs]
Josie (as Echo): You’re not super in debt to them, are you?
Kim (as Val): Define super.
Josie: [laughs] Echo just blinks mechanically.
Josie (as Echo): Or does it not count because it’s ghost money? Hmm.
Kim (as Val): No, no, it’s real money. It’s real money. Because some of them are possessors.
Josie (as Echo): Oh.
Kim (as Val): So they need actual coin, unfortunately.
Josie (as Echo): That’s a lot of collateral.
Kim (as Val): Eh, whatcha gonna do?
Josie (as Echo): I mean, generally not possess people, but I guess I shouldn’t judge.
Kim (as Val): Hmm, nah I guess not.
Josie (as Echo): So yeah, I will try to do my best here.
Kim (as Val): Yeah, no, don’t rush on that. I was just curious.
Josie (as Echo): Maybe we can find the telegram this came from. That will give us a better lead.
Kim (as Val): That could be a good place to start.
Rhi: So, I think as Val and Echo start examining the telegram again to figure out where it was sent from, we fade out and then back in to a now familiar basement at the home of one of the Barsottis. We see, uh… actually no. What do we see as we come in here, Darling?
Aki: Ooh, I think what you will see is we definitely have one of those bags up. We’ve rigged it at this point, because Trix has been maybe hard at work with this quote-unquote “hopefully hobby.” Maybe her moms wanted to show some support and it’s like okay, well if you ever wanted to practice or something, that’s gonna last when you punch it for a while.
Rhi: Yeah. [laughs]
Aki: You know, just showing some support, and maybe this has been helping them too. Who knows? It’s our last session, technically. It’s one of those show me what you got type of sparring, so we’re actually sparring. Darling is going very easy on Trix.
Rhi: Yeah.
Aki: She’s mostly defending and blocking, and she’ll try to move for not necessarily attacks to do serious harm or harm at all really, but it’s more like “can she dodge this” Yes she can. What are her reflexes like? It’s good, okay.” I think what happens is Darling will let Trix throw her, you know? Like judo style or something like that. Things that Darling would have taught, like how to use your opponent’s weight and whatnot against them. So, Darling will allow this to happen just to see if she can do it, but also, you know, it’s a really good confidence booster for Trix.
Rhi: Yeah. I think Trix initially does this excited squeal of ‘oh my God, I did it,’ and then is like:
Rhi (as Trix): Oh! Are you okay?! I didn’t… I don’t… I don’t think I did it very hard.
Aki: I sit up.
Aki (as Darling): Yes! Yes, of course, I’m fine. I know how to fall safely, dear.
Rhi (as Trix): Okay… I just, I mean… I like threw you. It was very cool.
Aki (as Darling): Yes. You did it quite well, actually. Your form was very good. Have you been practicing?
Rhi (as Trix): Yeah, on my little brother.
[giggling]
Aki (as Darling): Oh, I didn’t know there was a littler one.
Rhi (as Trix): Mm-hmm! He’s 13.
Aki (as Darling): Oh, well aren’t you just outright bullying him. I’m so proud.
[laughter]
Rhi: She gives a big shit-eating grin.
Rhi (as Trix): I only do it when he deserves it… so like twice a day.
Aki (as Darling): No, I can’t judge you. Not at all. But well, at least you’re putting it to good use. You’re not forgetting, and I’m very proud of that.
Rhi (as Trix): Thanks. I wish this didn’t have to be the last time. This has been a lot of fun.
Aki (as Darling): Oh! Well, I mean, if you’re still interested and so are your parents, I don’t mind continuing. Though, that means we will get a lot more serious about it. Not that this wasn’t serious or anything, but simply, you know, I’ll teach you… how do you put it… cooler shit?
Rhi (as Trix): [excited] Can I go ask them right now if I can?
Aki (as Darling): Yes, of course.
Rhi: Zoom! [laughs] She’s gone. Pouncing up the stairs.
Rhi (as Trix): Mom~!
[laughter]
Aki: Also, Pearl is totally in the corner.
Rhi: Oh yeah.
Aki: They’ve gotten used to Pearl’s presence. I just remember I never mentioned Pearl is totally in this house, because I would bring Pearl into this house.
Rhi: So yeah, Trix has gone pelting upstairs to see, because at this point her moms would have to be paying you for continued training, so I think that would have to be an ongoing conversation, but Trix is gonna try and convince them. But yeah, how is Darling feeling about this whole teaching a younger kid again, all this stuff?
Aki: It feels… It feels good and bad. It’s familiar so it’s a little nostalgic, and she’s still… you know, she’s definitely not training Trix as she trained the others, so not to the same exact extent and whatnot, but Trix is still picking it up. So, she’s realizing perhaps a gentler approach, it does work, though she’s not exactly sure what the gentler approach is yet, if that makes sense.
Josie: Aww.
Aki: Getting there, slowly. Hmm… If though, the moms are cool with it, there might be a naming thing that Darling might wanna do.
Minna: [gasps]
Josie: Aw, oh no.
Rhi: Aww… Yeah. We will see. We’ll see how that goes.
Aki: Mm-hmm.
Rhi: And from there, I think we will head over to Arlene. Where do we find Arlene at this point?
Minna: Boy oh boy. Um…
Rhi: Yeah.
Minna: Hmm. She might try to catch Leona at the paddock instead of Salma, because Salma might be awkward right now.
Rhi: Yeah, a little bit.
Minna: Maybe she keeps a pretty predictable schedule there when she’s in town.
Rhi: Yeah. I think that’s the case. So I think you head over and you can see that Leona has clearly been out riding Silvermist and is walking her in towards the stables. I don’t think she notices you right away. She’s kind of halfway in when she catches sight of you out of the corner of her eye, and then you can see her sigh, which is not normally the reaction that you get. Still smiles a little bit and gestures for you to follow her into the stables.
Minna: Okay. So Arlene follows, and she’s kind of a little bit… not even nervous, just a little bit sad that this is the reception she’s getting, which is understandable but it sucks.
Rhi: Once you catch up, Leona is just like:
Rhi (as Leona): [exhales] So, um… I have some not great news.
Minna (as Arlene): Okay?
Rhi (as Leona): I know… I talked to the people who were there, and I’m sorry. I did my best to talk them out of it, but they weren’t having it.
Rhi: As she’s apologizing, you’re getting the impression that she’s not reluctant to see you because she’s mad at you, she thinks that you’re mad at her is the vibe you’re getting.
Minna: Oh.
Minna (as Arlene): Oh… I’m not mad at you. It was clearly out of your control. I know you would have tried.
Rhi: She visibly relaxes. As you’re talking, she’s taking the saddle and all of the tack off of her horse.
Rhi (as Leona): Okay. Yeah, I’ve been kind of worried about that for a little while. That’s good to hear. But, the thing is, officially one of you did take the shot. It has to have been one of you, because if it was one of the Brigs then the truce is broken. So it was one of you.
Minna (as Arlene): What if they took the shot at us?
Rhi (as Leona): You don’t have a peace treaty with them, so it’s fine, but it was one of our people who got shot by one of their people, and he’s fine… I think he’s just gonna have to rest his arm for a while. It’s a good thing it was just an arm shot. I don’t think we could salvage this if it had killed him. But, it was one of you.
Minna (as Arlene): We don’t have a peace treaty with you either.
Rhi (as Leona): Right, which is why it’s okay.
Minna (as Arlene): No, that’s why it sucks, because what if this is just gonna be the nail in the coffin someday?
Rhi (as Leona): I don’t know. I don’t have an answer. But this is just… Not everybody in the Breakers, and I’m sure this is the same story on the other side, thinks that we should have stopped fighting, and it is very, very hard to keep those people in check.
Minna (as Arlene): I know.
Rhi (as Leona): And I have worked too hard to…
Minna (as Arlene): [deep breath]
Rhi (as Leona): I was involved in everything that happened last year, and I don’t want to go through that again.
Minna (as Arlene): No, I know. I know. I know you don’t want to. I told your people that I would talk to the Barsottis about moving into that area, but like, I’m not even high enough clearance that I know if they’re trying to. I don’t know how much I can do if they decide they want to.
Rhi (as Leona): Yeah, I know… and this may end up having to be something that maybe we negotiate out with him directly. It seems like he’s expanding rapidly, which you know, fine, just not into our territory. I know there’s only so much you can do about it, but…
Minna (as Arlene): It feels like there should be something you guys can work out. You guys are mostly trying to transport out. We’re mostly trying to keep stuff in the area. But you know, I don’t know! I’m not… This isn’t my thing.
Rhi (as Leona): yeah. Everybody always wants a bigger piece, and there’s not any more room in the city. You know? If we want something more, we gotta take it from someone. The other bad news is, speaking of moving things outside the city, I’m heading out again tomorrow. So…
Minna (as Arlene): Can we spend some time before? Just in case.
Rhi (as Leona): Yeah. Yeah, I was hoping you’d say that. Let me just get her taken care of and then, yeah, we can… [exhales] go somewhere else. Different part of the city entirely.
Minna (as Arlene): Yeah, that sounds like fun.
Rhi (as Leona): Yeah.
Rhi: I think she’ll, you know… She’s been kind of moving slowly through taking care of the horse and now she’s moving much quicker now that she’s like [emotional] “okay, Arlene’s not mad at me! I’m gonna get to spend time with her before I have to leave for a couple weeks.” Feeling a lot better about it.
Minna: I think there’s a minute when she does finally stop that Arlene just kinda nudges her, like kinda tips her head against her shoulder. It’s not a hug, she just kinda leans on her.
Rhi: Yeah! Aww. Yeah, so I think from there we go to a day or two later after you all have reconvened. It takes a little while before you’re able to meet with both Bailey and Benny. It just seems like there’s been… things have been very busy at Nightcaps headquarters. But yeah, you’re finally able to get in. Bailey lets you into the office and comes in with you and takes up a post standing behind Benny’s shoulder at his desk. She looks a little tense and worried, but he’s as cheerful as he usually is.
Rhi (as Benny): Alright! I was very glad to see that you got everything moved in successfully. I heard you had a little bit of trouble on the way out, but obviously nothing you couldn’t handle That’s why I put you all on it.
Josie (as Echo): About that…
Rhi (as Benny): Uh-huh?
Josie (as Echo): Is this going to be a recurring thing?
Rhi (as Benny): Most likely. We need these custom specially-designed bottles for the new spirits that Mira’s putting together.
Rhi: He kinda grins at you all, like “eh? Eh? Get the joke? Eh?”
Kim (as Val): Benny, why can’t you put any of your other grunts to this?
Rhi (as Benny): Well, because you are, aside from the arrest which you’ve more than made up for at this point with your skills, you’re pretty much the best smugglers I’ve got.
Josie (as Echo): See, the issue is that area is somewhat complicated, and…
Rhi (as Benny): Yes?
Josie (as Echo): The gangs there are potentially going to turn against you, us, unless something is worked out, because they see it as you moving in on their turf.
Rhi (as Benny): Well, aren’t they observant.
Minna (as Arlene): Okay, but there’s already, like… One spark could set that neighborhood alight. Do you really wanna get us mixed up in that?
Rhi (as Benny): I expect you all to be careful enough to not cause any sparks.
Rhi: The cheerfulness, as soon as it became clear that you all were criticizing his business decisions, the cheerfulness just disappeared, and. He leans forward on the desk.
Rhi (as Benny): This is my operation. I know what I’m doing, and I know the situation that’s in Bayrise. You’ll go where I send you and you’ll pick up the product that I tell you to. If you don’t like it, you can start your own operation. We clear?
Kim (as Val): Crystal.
Minna (as Arlene): Yes sir.
Rhi (as Benny): Good. Head on out, I got work to do.
Kim: I don’t think Val says anything. They just kinda, you know, very forcefully pushes their chair away and storms off.
Josie: Echo just kinda turns on her heel and walks out.
Minna: Yeah, Arlene follows. I think she tries to stick to the middle of the group.
Aki: Before leaving, I think what Darling does is she’ll take out 3 coin, put it on the table, and go:
Aki (as Darling): Our debt is over. Thank you for this lovely… conversation.
Aki: And I will leave with Pearl, but I’ve paid off our debt.
Minna: [gasps]
Josie: Damn, yo.
Rhi: Alright! And that’ll be the end of the episode.
Minna: Holy shit.
Kim: Sheesh!
Josie: Shit. [laughs] I didn’t know we were that close already.
Rhi: Nice!
Aki: I saved. Yeah, I saved up a lot.
Josie: Nice.
Rhi: Nice.
Minna: Holy shit.
Kim: Well done, Aki.
## Outro [01:04:23]
Rhi: 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 and follow us on Twitter @clever_corvids for the latest on this and other shows.
The City That Never Dies is GM’d and edited by Rhi. 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. Find her on Twitter @mynaminnarr.
Darling Tsering is played by Aki. Find her on Twitter @akinomii_art for more TTRPG Content.
Echo is played by Josie. Find her on Twitter @dragongirljosie, and check out her art at josie-art.com.
Valerie Sullivan is played by Kim. Find her on Twitter @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: This episode’s jumbotron message comes from Sean Cunningham. Sean writes:
To all of the dreamers, creators, and podcasters who make the stories we love. Thank you. Though it may not be obvious at first, your work brings us joy. You allow us to visit other worlds and realms when our bodies are unable to roam free. May you find success with every new universe you inhabit.
Thank you, Sean. It means a lot to hear that what we do, the stories we tell, help people feel better, if only for an hour or so. And of course, thank you to all our backers on Patreon, whose ongoing support makes this show possible.
## Bloopers [01:06:33]
Minna: Do you need some Elba room to wield it?
Josie: [laughs]
Rhi: Oh my God. You’re all fired. No, that’s not true. Aki, Kim, you may stay.
Kim: Well, I was gonna just, you know, tail off of that and—
[laughter]
Rhi: Aki… You’re my only hope!
Aki: I’m sorry. I don’t got a pun. I was also gonna make a Tails pun, but now it’s gonna be cheap so I’m not gonna.
Kim: No, no, Aki, you went a little Robotnik for me.
Josie: Yes!
Rhi: [groans]
Josie: Thank you, Kim. I appreciate it.
Rhi: [smiling] Make your goddamn roll, Josie. You’re all monsters.
[laughter]