Download a Word doc version of the transcript: TM004 The Frame-Up Score

Transcribed by Tyler.

## Intro

Rhi: Welcome back to Duskwall. As always, thank you for joining the crew of the Magpies on their latest score. If you like what you hear please leave us a review or tell your friends about us. Now, Kim is going to talk a bit about this month’s featured charity.

Kim: Last year the music world lost one of its most influential voices in Chester Bennington, lead singer of Linkin Park, who died by suicide in July. Since his passing there has been an outpouring of love and support from within the community, but also a desire for change.

320 Changes Direction, which is spearheaded by Chester’s wife Talinda, aims to offer resources and support to those suffering from depression and addiction and to change the way that we think and talk about mental health. To learn about the five signs of emotional distress, make a donation, or take the pledge to be a part of the culture for change, visit www.changedirection.org. Together we can end the stigma that surrounds suicide and depression, and make Chester proud.

Rhi: If you have a few dollars to spare, please consider donating.

Now then, let’s get started. Shall we?

## [0:01:16]

Rhi: This is probably a couple days after the last score.

Madge: I’m guessing we’re at The Nest. Right?

Kim: I like to think we’re in the common room sitting around a table.

Minna & Madge: Yeah.

Rhi: And Minx is not there, right?

Josie: I’m probably nearby. I’m probably off doing my hair or something.

Madge: Phin is in her usual spot and she’s sort of trying to squeeze the rest of the river water or sea water out of her boots, because she’s been on a boat for the past couple of days and it just won’t leave.

Kim: Blaire is completely leaned over the table with her arms crossed and her chin resting on top of it, and she’s like swinging her feet.

Rhi & Madge: Aww.

Minna: I think Myra’s just kind of sitting normally. I mean, I think sitting normally for her is just fairly upright.

Minna (as Myra): So, how was your trip on the Void Sea?

Madge (as Phin): It went okay. It’s been a while since I’ve actually been out there. Things stick around a lot longer than I thought they would.

Madge: And she gives her boot a little shake.

Kim (as Blaire): Actually, can I have some of that?

Madge (as Phin): Go for it.

Kim: Blaire takes out a very small vial out of one of her pouches and she just gets a sample of that sea water.

Madge (as Phin): I heard some fun stuff happened while I was away.

Kim (as Blaire): There may or may not have been a murder.

Madge (as Phin): Oh. I was just talking about the party. Someone got murdered?!

Minna (as Myra): Unfortunately, yes.

Madge (as Phin): What kind of person?

Minna (as Myra): It was a bit of a messy night. The man who died was a Lord Clark Winfield. He was the host of the party we were infiltrating. Minx disliked him for obvious reasons. Suppose she decided to take care of him for good?

Madge (as Phin): [laughs] Are you serious?

Kim (as Blaire): We’re pretty sure it was her.

Minna (as Myra): We heard the bells tolling as we were about to leave.

Kim (as Blaire): Yeah, and like, when we got back to The Nest she was like fixing herself up, but obviously she was covered in blood earlier. You could just tell.

Madge (as Phin): Wow. Initiative.

Kim (as Blaire): She kind of went… rogue.

Madge (as Phin): Well, um, I know about going rogue, so I don’t exactly blame her, for that. Um, it happens, but I didn’t murder anyone…

Josie: I think now Minx comes over and says:

Josie (as Minx): Now, now, there’s no proof of anything. We did get what we went there for. Yes?

Madge (as Phin): What did you go there for anyway?

Josie (as Minx): The art, obviously. Do you not see the new painting?

Madge (as Phin): Oh.

Rhi: Yeah. There is a new painting hanging on one of the walls. I imagine Minx has set it in a place of honor.

Josie: Mm-hmm.

Josie (as Minx): It really brings the room together, don’t you think?

Madge (as Phin): So, did we get any coin?

Minna (as Myra): Yes, we did.

Madge (as Phin): Aw, that—I mean, don’t get me wrong, Minx. The painting is great, beautiful, artistic… I don’t know art words.

Kim (as Blaire): Ick.

Madge (as Phin): But the coin is more important.

Minna (as Myra): Yes. On the whole, except for the murder, it was quite a successful outing. We may even have a contact in the future in the artist, Nessa, who escaped. We’ll have to wait and see whether things cool down for her, though.

Kim (as Blaire): Yeah, it could be a while, especially if there are people accusing her of the murder when we know it wasn’t her.

Madge (as Phin): Then why don’t we blame someone else?

Kim (as Blaire): Oh, shit. Can we?

Madge (as Phin): I mean, it shouldn’t be too hard.

Josie (as Minx): Well, what’s another gang that runs in high class circles?

Madge (as Phin): Well, The Red Sashes are pretty hoity-toity, well-to-do.

Josie (as Minx): Oh, that’s perfect. Aren’t The Lampblacks at war with them?

Madge (as Phin): Exactly.

Josie (as Minx): Excellent.

Madge (as Phin): So, we send one of theirs, heat cools down on the artist, we can communicate with them some more, get some more jobs, and then we get an in with The Lampblacks because we did them a favor and they’ll have to do one for us in return. I’m not seeing how this doesn’t work out for us.

Josie (as Minx): Well, the Lampblack alliance might be a bit more of an ongoing effort than that. I’m sorry about that. Anyway… But yes, that’s a good idea.

Madge (as Phin): Um, wait, no. No. We’re not going anyway. We’re gonna backtrack on that. Why?

Josie (as Minx): Uh, well, the leader and I have crossed paths on occasions, not really friends, more of acquaintances really, but we’ve had a few differences of opinion in the past.

Minna (as Myra): Wasn’t the leader the one that was trying to stop us at the party?

Josie (as Minx): Yeah. Yeah. That was him. His name’s Bazso Baz.

Madge (as Phin): What did you do to him?

Josie (as Minx): I was just completing the job and getting what we needed out of there, but he disagreed with my methods, so… It’s nothing big. I’m sure if we do something for him and talk with him a little bit it can be resolved, but it may be a bit more than one task is what I’m saying.

Minna (as Myra): Well, whatever we do we’re going to have to be careful about this, because if we’re getting involved in a war between two other gangs there’s a big possibility of it blowing up in our faces.

Madge (as Phin): We’ve done it before. Oh wait, that went terribly wrong.

Minna (as Myra): Yeah. Yeah. So, let’s not count our coins before they’re in the vault.

Josie (as Minx): It would be nice to have someone to pin this on.

Madge (as Phin): So, I think our first order of business is finding a mark.

Minna (as Myra):  That’s a good place to start.

Josie (as Minx): What do we know of The Red Sashes on a personal level?

Minna: Would any of us know anything about them?

Rhi: So, Phin and Minx, it sounds like we’ve established you don’t really have any connections there. Myra, it’s possible that you might, in your previous life working with Salia, might have had some connections there. It’s not like a surefire thing, but if you wanna say that she had some dealings with them…

Minna: I feel like she’d be vaguely aware of them at least, because I do think that maybe some of Salia’s operations were in Crow’s Foot.

Rhi: Yeah. Now, I think your past dealings are at minimum going to be about a year old at this point, if not older.

Minna: Oh, yeah. Definitely. Probably older.

Josie (as Minx): Of course we could, if we do want to go for the warring gangs angle we can always send a friendly letter to Bazso and see who he wants put away. This way it won’t really be reliant on them to do anything. We just get a name.

Minna (as Myra): Well, we know that some of The Red Sashes are quite highborn. We could try to find out if any of them were at that party.

Josie (as Minx): Now there’s a thought.

Minna (as Myra): Because it’s going to be a lot more plausible if they were there.

Josie (as Minx): I imagine the guest registry is still intact somewhere. It’s a question of whether it’s still in the mansion or if it’s been taken in as some sort of evidence.

Madge (as Phin): I mean, knowing the investigators, it’s most likely with them.

Josie (as Minx): Yeah. Or honestly, the safest route is probably talking to Bazso. Perhaps not safest for me, but…

Minna (as Myra): One of us could talk to Bazso, and then somebody else could go after some information about the guest list.

Josie (as Minx): That’s true.

Minna (as Myra): Would you like me to go to Bazso?

Josie (as Minx): That would be—That would be much appreciated.

Minna (as Myra): I assume that it wouldn’t go well if it was you.

Josie (as Minx): I feel as though I am somewhat damned if I do, damned if I don’t. if I don’t go he might be upset about that, but he will likely have much more polite words with you.

Minna (as Myra): I’ll give him your regards.

Rhi: So, Myra, you’re gonna go chat with Bazso.

Madge: So, I could scout out a location for The Red Sashes, sort of where they make their base in case we need to infiltrate them and get any sort of evidence.

Rhi: Okay. Yep, you can definitely do that. Blaire, anything you wanna do?

Kim: I’m thinking.

Minna: So, I still think that the guest list is worth looking at if we don’t have anybody doing that right now.

Kim: Oh. I can do that.

Rhi: I mean, Blaire, if you wanted you could try talking to Adelaide.

Kim: Hmm. Yeah.

Rhi: Or, you could try talking to—You guys do have a Bluecoat connection, Laroze, who might be able to get you something.

Kim: I might talk to the Bluecoat guy, actually. I think that would be helpful.

Rhi: So, you guys have all figured out who’s doing what, you scatter out from The Nest, spreading out across the city. Myra, are you going to try to set up a meeting in advance, or are you just going to roll up on their headquarters, and be like ‘hi’?

Minna: Oh. I’m definitely gonna try and set up a meeting in advance. I’m trying to be all legit business meeting with this.

Rhi: Okay. How do you do that?

Minna: Yeah. I’m gonna send an urchin with a note that I would like to arrange a meeting, his place or mine, I don’t mind. I think mine would probably translate to the tavern.

Rhi: Yes. Yeah. I think most people assume that’s your headquarters, but it is not. So, I think you send off that message and it’s gonna take a little while for that to come back, for that to get a reply. So, in the meantime, Phin.

Madge: Yeah?

## [0:10:26]

Rhi: While everyone else is doing all these complicated, convoluted plans with disguises and meetings and shit, you’re just gonna go case a joint.

Madge: Yep. [giggles]

Rhi: Just some good old fashioned thief prep. So, The Red Sashes, their headquarters is a sword fighting school / temple in Crow’s Foot. It is one of the fanciest, if not the fanciest, building in the district. So yeah, you can go in and have a look around without too much trouble. Are you gonna do Survey or Study, or some other way of getting the lay of the land out there?

Madge: Would Prowl work?

Rhi: Prowl is more physical…

Madge: Okay. Yeah. I thought it would be worth a shot, because I made this plan and then I realized that Insight is my worst. So, I’ll do the two and take the lower.

Rhi: Yeah.

Madge: Okay, so 3.

Rhi: So, that is not a ton of info. You head over into Crow’s Foot, meander around the area near their headquarters. It’s a very large structure surrounded by a wrought iron fence. They have one courtyard on either side of the building within the fence, and you can see people practicing what you, as somebody who does a lot of fighting, you can tell it’s very fancy sword fighting. You think it has a little too much flourish to it. But, also, unlike the dueling that a lot of the nobles do here which is all just for show, you can tell this sword fighting could really fuck somebody up.

Madge: Ooh.

Rhi: So, unfortunately you get a little distracted watching this.

Madge: Yeah.

Rhi: Eventually somebody comes up to you, an Iruvian man dressed in kind of the uniform that you’ve seen people in there wearing. He just kind of comes up to you and:

Rhi (as Man): [clears throat] Can I help you with something?

Madge (as Phin): Oh! Ah! Don’t sneak up on people. It’s rude.

Rhi (as Man): You’re staring at our school.

Madge (as Phin): It’s fancy.

Rhi (as Man): Yes, it’s a very nice school, but you’ve been staring at it for about half an hour now. It’s a little unnerving.

Madge (as Phin): Is it against the law to stare?

Rhi (as Man): Lots of things are against the law.

Madge (as Phin): But is staring against the law?

Rhi (as Man): [sighs]

Madge (as Phin): What if I just stared at you for half an hour? Would that be better?

Rhi (as Man): Well, you wouldn’t be able to because I’m not going to stand here for half an hour.

Madge (as Phin): What if I followed you?

Rhi (as Man): Unless you are a student or a member of the staff you are not permitted within the school grounds.

Madge (as Phin): I’m not on the school grounds, but okay.

Rhi (as Man): I’m going to go back to the school—[sighs heavily] Please stop staring. You’re unnerving the students, and it’s throwing them off of their practice.

Madge (as Phin): Oh. Do they not like seeing what it’s like when you don’t have daddy’s money backing you up?

Rhi (as Man): Please move on, or I will be forced to contact the authorities and have you removed.

Madge (as Phin): Why?

Rhi (as Man): Because you’re annoying me!

Madge (as Phin): That’s not against the law.

Rhi (as Man): It doesn’t have to be in this town.

Rhi: And he like spins on his heel and walks back towards the gate.

Madge: I make a face, and then I’ll go to the other side of the courtyard [giggles] and stare from that side.

Rhi: So, are you just gonna continue—like, you walk over to the other side of the school, and…?

Madge: Yeah!

[laughter]

Rhi: Okay! So, about another 10 minutes pass, and you see at the far end of the street four Bluecoats, clearly a patrolling squad, come around the corner, look at each other, point at you, and start walking in your direction.

Madge: I stand my ground?

Rhi: They get up to you, and the one in the lead says:

Rhi (as Bluecoat): You need to move on, ma’am. Loitering for this long is against the law.

Madge (as Phin): I’m not loitering.

Rhi (as Bluecoat): You have been standing outside this building for, we’ve been told, about 40 minutes. That is the definition of loitering.

Madge (as Phin): No. I’m not loitering. I’ve been here for 10. I’m waiting for someone.

Rhi (as Bluecoat): Who are you waiting for?

Madge (as Phin): My boyfriend.

Rhi (as Bluecoat): Well, you’re gonna need to wait for him somewhere else. Move along.

Madge (as Phin): I can’t. He’s blind.

[pause, burst of laughter]

Rhi: You’re gonna have to roll Sway or something to convince them of this.

Madge: [giggles] I got a 2.

Minna: Oh my God.

Josie: Oh man.

Rhi: The lead guard just gives you this scathing look.

Rhi (as Bluecoat): I do not care why you are standing here. What I do care about is that you have been doing it for almost an hour, and the people in that building don’t like it, so you need to move along or we will remove you physically.

Madge (as Phin): You’re awful.

Madge: And I leave.

Rhi: The Bluecoats just stand there and watch you until you are like out of sight, far away. So yeah. [laughing] Due to all of that, you don’t get a ton of information about The Red Sashes headquarters, but you do learn some things about Iruvian sword fighting.

Madge: Yeah.

 

 

## [0:15:33]

Rhi: Let’s jump up to Blaire. You were gonna go meet up with Laroze, correct?

Kim: Mm-hmm.

Rhi: Tell me about Laroze. Who is this person? Why are they working with you guys? Anybody can jump in here.

Josie: Are they perhaps someone who was used to a rougher life than that of the Bluecoats? Like, Bluecoats are supposed to project the image of being like police, right?

Rhi: Yeah.

Minna: They’re police, but they’re really corrupt.

Rhi: Yes. So, they’re police.

[laughter]

Josie: Yeah. I’m thinking Laroze is maybe a guy who was once a criminal but now a Bluecoat, so a different kind of criminal, like wanted to be seen as more respectable.

Minna: Who were the people that we were in bad with right off the bat? Maybe he also dislikes them.

Rhi: The Gray Cloaks could be one. The Gray Cloaks and The Bluecoats generally do not get along.

Minna: Was it The Gray Cloaks we stole all our furniture from?

Rhi: Yeah.

Josie: [laughs]

Minna: Maybe he just thought that was hilarious.

Rhi: Yeah. I kinda like that.

Minna: So he indulges us sometimes.

Rhi: Where do you want to meet with Laroze? The answer cannot be at any kind of station. You guys have way too much heat on you to be setting foot in a station at this point.

Kim: Yeah. Does he have any like low-brow places he hangs out sometimes, like shady places?

Rhi: Oh, definitely. He likes to hang out at the Leaky Bucket Tavern in Crow’s Foot. The Leaky Bucket is a very criminal friendly establishment because it is run by a former gang leader who retired and opened up the tavern. The only Bluecoats allowed in are the really crooked ones, like Laroze.

Kim: Oh, good.

Rhi: Yeah. You head into the tavern. Laroze is at his usual spot at the end of the bar chatting with one of the bartenders.

Kim: Blaire just moseys on up and takes a seat next to him.

Rhi: He takes a swig, glances over, does a double take.

Rhi (as Laroze): Hey! It’s the little horn girl with the bird gang.

Kim (as Blaire): Horn girl? Really?

Rhi (as Laroze): You’re a girl and you got horns.

Kim (as Blaire): I’m Tycheros. I’m—[sighs] Whatever.

Rhi (as Laroze): And, with horns.

Kim (as Blaire): Yes.

Rhi: He takes another drink. The bartender just catches your eye and shakes her head very sympathetically, and then walks off.

Kim (as Blaire): Hi, Laroze.

Rhi (as Laroze): You know, you have made a lot of noise lately. There’s a lot of people who really wanna see you all in jail.

Kim (as Blaire): I’m aware.

Rhi (as Laroze): Yeah.

Kim (as Blaire): So, we’re planning our next score.

Rhi (as Laroze): Mm-hmm.

Kim (as Blaire): Do you remember that party a couple days ago? Or, no, sorry, not the party, the art gallery showing, whatever, thing.

Rhi (as Laroze): Oh, yeah, the art thing. Some bigwig got stabbed.

Kim (as Blaire): Yeah. It’s too bad, huh?

Rhi (as Laroze): Eh.

Rhi: He takes another drink.

Kim (as Blaire): I need a guest list from that party.

Rhi: Okay, and now you need to make some kind of roll to see if he’s got access to it.

Kim: I would imagine this is a Sway. Oh hey, 6.

Rhi: Seriously?

Minna: Oh my gosh.

Kim: Yeah.

Rhi: Nice! Okay.

Kim: Dang. So that worked.

Rhi: Yeah. A 6 means, he’s like:

Rhi (as Laroze): Oh, yeah, yeah. We were helping the inspectors out, kinda doing all the books with that. Yeah, I can probably get that for you. I’ll make a copy. A copy would probably be better. They ask questions when evidence goes missing, especially when the evidence is really good whiskey, they ask a lot of questions. And then the inspectors get all like up your ass about—

Kim (as Blaire): Yeah. I get it. I get it. No, a copy’s safer.

Rhi (as Laroze): Yeah. Alright. I’ll, uh… Meet me back here tomorrow and I’ll get it to you.

Kim (as Blaire): Excellent.

Rhi: So, you will have a complete guest list from the party.

Kim: Heck yes.

## [0:19:37]

Rhi: About a day after Myra sends her message to The Lampblacks, a reply is sent to The Hound’s Paw tavern. It just gives a time later that evening and the address of their headquarters which you recognize from the address that that’s where they’re sending you.

Minna (as Myra): Minx?

Josie (as Minx): Hmm? What is it?

Minna (as Myra): Is there anything that Bazso particularly likes that I can bring with me?

Josie (as Minx): He has always been fond of the better sorts of whiskey.

Minna (as Myra): I’ll take a gift with me, then.

Rhi: So you show up at their headquarters at the appointed time. It’s an abandoned coal warehouse, so the whole building is just like permanently caked in black soot. You show up at the front door, there’s a couple thugs standing guard outside, and they look you up and down. One of them leans through the door and says something to someone inside. You have to stand there for a couple minutes while they just watch you. And then, the door opens again and there’s a woman standing there who looks like another guard.

Rhi (as Guard): Come on. He’s in his office.

Rhi: So, she leads you back through the warehouse which has been basically chopped up into a bunch of little, tiny rooms. There’s a very heavy chemical scent in the air that you are pretty sure is the after effect of some of the drugs that The Lampblacks produce and sell. The guard leads you up to the second floor, down a hallway, to an office at the end. She knocks on the door and then pushes it open, and gestures for you to go inside.

Minna (as Myra): Thank you.

Rhi: She nods at you, and says:

Rhi (as Guard): Good luck.

Rhi: And closes the door behind you. Bazso’s office. Actually, I’m gonna throw this one to Josie. What does Bazso’s office look like?

Josie: I’m thinking Bazso is a very extreme Spartacism, kind of pragmatism taken to the extreme here. He has like the absolute minimum in his office because he’s also just super paranoid about people coming in and taking stuff from the expected area. It kind of has a bit of a black motif because Lampblacks, and it’s exceedingly plain and kind of harsh looking.

Rhi: Another thing that you would have noticed as you’re walking through here, Myra, there are no electric lights in this building, anywhere. It’s all old fashioned gas lamps that have to be physically lit. The Lampblacks used to be the lamplighters guild.

Minna: And they’re bitter as heck.

Rhi: Yeah. They were driven out of business by the appearance of electric lights, so yeah, they are bitter. The room is lit kind of dimly because he just has a couple of old fashioned gas lamps on his desk. Bazso is sitting behind his desk, arms folded. He already has an eyebrow raised at you, and as the door shuts he’s like:

Rhi (as Bazso): You have an incredible amount of nerve walking in here. I mean, I admire it, but I can’t tell yet if you have a spine of steel or if you are just incredibly stupid.

Minna: I think without another word Myra is going to pull out a bottle of very fine whiskey and set it on the desk.

Rhi (as Bazso): Eh, maybe just regular kind of stupid.

Rhi: He leans forward and picks up the bottle, looks it over, nods approvingly, sets it back down and gestures at one of the chairs.

Rhi (as Bazso): So, I can’t say that you were the one I was expecting to hear from.

Minna (as Myra): Oh no. I assume you were expecting to hear from Minx.

Rhi (as Bazso): Pff. Is that what she’s going by these days? Yeah, but I guess I also shouldn’t be surprised that she doesn’t have the guts to show her face to me.

Minna (as Myra): We thought it might go a little smoother if we tried sending someone else for this first bit of contact.

Rhi (as Bazso): Oh, you got that right. So, what did inspire this after you dragged my gang into a dust-up with The Bluecoats, and then—I still can’t believe she bluffed her way past the…

Minna (as Myra): Oh, you haven’t come to expect a little bit of nonsense from Minx every now and then?

Rhi (as Bazso): There’s nonsense, and then there’s…

Rhi: He just kind of gestures vaguely and is looking irritated.

Rhi (as Bazso): So what do you want?

Minna (as Myra): Well, we’re after a target, and we thought you might be interested in helping us select that one.

Rhi (as Bazso): [laughs] Okay. This I have to hear. You want me to help? Okay.

Minna (as Myra): Actually, we want to help you. We’re looking to target somebody in The Red Sashes, and I know you have a not great relationship with them, obviously, you’re having a war. I thought you might wanna, you know, point us in the right direction. Who do you want to see gone, Bazso Baz?

Rhi: Give me a roll.

Minna: Is this a Consort?

Rhi: It kinda depends on how you wanna play it. If you do a Consort, he is going to be expecting more information from your side of things.

Minna: I think she’s genuinely trying to form a kind of relationship.

Rhi: Okay. Yeah, then go ahead and see how Consort goes.

Minna: This is how she works. She forms relationships. That is a 6 and a 3, so 6.

Rhi: Okay, great. So, he kind of regards you for a long moment.

Rhi (as Bazso): Did she put you up to this?

Minna (as Myra): If you’re wondering, it’s not a setup. We’re honestly trying to make things a little bit less strained between our groups.

Rhi (as Bazso): Alright. Well, between our groups, that’s a possibility. Between me and, uh… Minx? I think that’s something she and I will have to work out on our own. So, you want somebody in The Red Sashes that you can get rid of. Is this a murder get rid of, or…?

Minna (as Myra): Please. Not interested in murder.

Rhi (as Bazso): That’s not what I heard.

Minna (as Myra): Like I told you, my friends can be unpredictable.

Rhi: He just smirks.

Minna (as Myra): This is actually about that. We’re looking to find someone to pin it on.

Rhi (as Bazso): That’s actually pretty clever. Hm. Well, I would’ve said Mylera, she’s the head of The Red Sashes, getting rid of her would be most convenient, but I don’t think that she’d be a reasonable person to take the fall for that, and she’s probably a little bit too big for your level of operations. Let’s see…

Rhi: He leans back in his chair and is thinking for a bit.

Rhi (as Bazso): Okay. I got a name, but if you’re really serious about mending bridges between my organization and yours you’re gonna have to do something else for me, because getting rid of this person, that’s good for both of us.

Minna (as Myra): Oh, of course.

Rhi (as Bazso): I need a show of faith of something that is good for me. Can you agree to that?

Minna (as Myra): Certainly.

Rhi: He grins, and then leans forward.

Rhi (as Bazso): There’s an alchemist in The Red Sashes, name of Arun Vasar. They’re a child of some Iruvian nobles who’ve been living in Duskwall, and getting rid of them would be advantageous to me. What would be more advantageous would be if you could get me their notes, because Arun produces quite a lot of fun and interesting diversions for the nobility, expensive diversions. You bring me their notes, and I can have my people mix up something similar, and then we can start making that money.

Minna (as Myra): I understand. We’ll do our best.

Rhi (as Bazso): Well, this was less bracing than I was expecting. You have terrible taste in friends if you’re hanging around with… Minx.

Minna (as Myra): Oh, I know that I’m with quite a motley crew. Sometimes you just find friends and you stick with them.

Rhi (as Bazso): That’s not a lesson she has learned very well. Just keep that in mind.

Minna (as Myra): I’m sure I can look after myself, Bazso.

Rhi (as Bazso): Hope that’s true.

Rhi: And then, he gestures at the door, like ‘eh, you can see yourself out.’

Minna (as Myra): Nice office. Thanks for the meeting.

Rhi (as Bazso): Bring me those notes.

Minna: She just nods to him and leaves.

## [0:28:00]

Rhi: Okay. So, the kind of bonus from Blaire getting a 6 on her information check and Myra, you getting a 6 on that information check, when you go through the guest list Arun was in attendance that night.

Josie: Woo!

Rhi: And there’s actually a note next to their name indicating that they brought a bunch of, like there’s a list of designer drugs that they brought.

Josie: I suppose it’s important to figure out what the evidence we’ll need to plant on them is then.

Rhi: I mean, it could be that Winfield wasn’t paying up. You guys could go from that angle. Winfield had brought this person in to hand out fun drugs to his guests, and then you could present it as Winfield wasn’t willing to pay for the drugs, and so Arun killed him.

Minna: So, I think maybe if we plant some kind of notes on what’s owed.

Josie: So, that sounds like a pretty simple make, and then a breaking, entering, get it in there. Alright, so I think we have a mission type.

Rhi: Stealth.

Josie: Oh right, we don’t know where they’re at.

Rhi: I will say that because you got a 6 on your roll with Bazso that he provided information on where Arun operates out of. Lucky for you guys, my randomization roll worked out in your benefit. Arun has their own lab set up outside of The Red Sashes headquarters. They’re set up in one of the very few single family dwellings in Crow’s Foot. It’s close enough to The Red Sashes headquarters that they could probably summon guards from The Red Sashes if needed. So yeah, that is your target.

Josie: Do we need to gather some information on that?

Madge: Well, I did so well last time.

[laughter]

Josie: I have a dot of Survey.

Minna: I also have a dot of Survey.

Madge: Does everyone have Survey except for me?

Rhi: I think everyone should go, Phin is just… [laugh]

Madge: I’ll keep watch!

Josie: Yeah. Let’s fucking case this place.

Rhi: Yeah. So, go ahead and make your rolls, and tell me what you get.

Josie: I got a 2.

Minna: Oh, I got a 6.

Kim: I got a 5.

Josie: Nice.

Rhi: Okay. Minx, you notice the house itself looks a little dilapidated and kind of run down, but it’s surrounded by a fence that is clearly very new and has a pretty sophisticated front gate. Blaire, you got a 5. You notice that there is a Sparkwright security system on the front gate.

Kim: Ooh, okay.

Rhi: Myra, you got a 6…

Minna: Are there buildings nearby from which we could reach the roof?

Rhi: Yeah. Yeah. So, because it is one of the few houses in the area, on either side actually there are apartment buildings.

Josie: Oh, cool.

Minna: Second story? [laughs] I feel like that’s our signature.

Rhi: You could deal with the fence situation by coming in via one of the apartment buildings on either side.

Josie: Yeah. I vote for that.

Kim: Yeah, that works.

Rhi: This engagement roll will be 2d6. It’s always so exciting, because one of my dice always just goes flying off behind my speaker. Okay! So, the one that didn’t run away was a 3, but the one that did go back to the corner of my desk was a 6.

Josie: Woo!

Minna: Nice.

Madge: Yay!

Rhi: So, good result, you’re in a controlled position when the action starts. We start off, you guys are clustered around a window on the third story of a tenement building. You’re looking down into Arun’s house, and you see there’s three people standing outside the front gate. You then see the gate open, the three people walk inside, a few minutes pass when you guys are kind of like, uh crap, and then four people come out. The three people who had gone in are now carrying large crates, and the fourth person who you recognize as Arun based on descriptions is leaving with a satchel slung over their shoulder.

Kim: Mm-hmm.

Josie: Oh, so they’re not even going to be home for this? That’s awesome.

Rhi: At least not right now

Josie: Yeah. Let’s fucking go for it.

Rhi: So, you guys pop the window, climb down, hit the… well, it’s not really a yard, since there’s no sun, so there’s no grass, so it’s just kind of like big paving stones around the house. For the moment the house is empty. You’re not sure how long that will last. You can see from where you’re standing The Red Sashes headquarters, so it could be that maybe they’re just going over to supervise the delivery and will be coming right back. Maybe they’re going to be gone for six hours. You have no idea.

Josie: Alright, so moving quickly then. Let’s get in through… Should we just go in through a window?

Madge: Yeah!

Josie: Yeah. Let’s do it.

Rhi: So, the windows do have alarms on them. You can disable them from the outside unlike the ones at the Bluecoat station. This is a less sophisticated security system.

Kim: Oh cool.

Josie: Cool. Who’s got the Tinker about it?

Kim: Yeah. I have a rank in Tinker.

Rhi: It’s gonna be controlled for the position, and standard effect.

Kim: I got a 6.

Josie & Madge: Woo!

Rhi: Okay. You got a 6. Mark that you have your burglary tools as part of your load, and Blaire very easily disarms the security system. You guys lift up the window, and hop on in.

Josie: Yay.

Kim: Cool.

Rhi: The inside of this place is way nicer than the outside. There’s some nice rugs, some nice Iruvian art on the walls. The interior is painted nicely, kept very clean.

Josie (as Minx): Oh, so much good haul… But, shall we look for a basement? That’s where people do drug things, right? Basements?

Kim (as Blaire): Yeah.

Rhi: You guys start looking around but you don’t see a basement door anywhere. Like, you open all the doors you can find and it’s like a study, a kitchen, a pantry.

Josie: And we’re not finding any evidence of illicit activity?

Rhi: The majority of the books are about alchemy, or Iruvia, but otherwise yeah, you’re not seeing anything.

Josie (as Minx): Blaire, dear, do you want any of these books?

Kim (as Blaire): I would love those books.

Kim: How many of them can I take with me?

Rhi: I’m gonna say three books is equivalent to one point of load. You already used one point of your load for your burglary gear, so the most you could take is six if you want to just burn everything else.

Kim: That does not sound wise. I’ll just take the three books. You said that would count as one?

Rhi: Mm-hmm.

Madge: Can I start looking through the study?

Rhi: Sure.

Madge: And if I’m being physical about it, like I’m testing different books to see if it opens up a secret door or something, could I use Prowl for that?

Rhi: [hesitantly] Yeah…

Madge: Hee hee.

Rhi: But it’s going to take a lot longer and won’t be as effective, so I’m gonna say that it’s gonna be risky, lesser effect.

Madge: That was a 5.

Rhi: You do it. You are able to find an entrance. It is in fact hidden behind the bookshelf.

Madge: Ahaha!

Rhi: But it is the last book you check. You start at the bottom shelf and pull every book, and it is the top shelf, opposite side. It takes a really long time. So, this is going to be a complication, which is me starting a clock, Arun Coming Back, 1 out of 4, because you guys are in here for a while.

Madge: Okay.

Josie: During that long time, can I help myself to whatever’s in the parlor?

Rhi: Yeah. I think to determine how much you get roll either Study or Survey. This won’t be a roll where there’s gonna be negative consequences. It’s almost a gather information roll.

Josie: Yeah. I got a 4.

Rhi: You manage to snag about 2 coin worth of stuff.

Josie: Whoa.

Rhi: What kind of stuff do you grab? What does Minx go for?

Josie: Any sort of small rug or tapestry type deal.

Rhi: There’s definitely a small tapestry you can take.

Josie: Excellent. Basically, I’m willing to fill up load slots about it, but I’m not gonna be rolling up a rug or carrying any furniture out.

Rhi: I’m gonna say it’s also going to be about one load worth of stuff.

Josie: Okay.

Rhi: What I’m picturing is that you use the tapestry as like a make-shift satchel that you just load a bunch of shiny stuff into ,and then like wrap it up.

Josie: [giggles] Yeah, shinies. So like, Minx comes back to Blaire completely draped in weird and colorful fabrics.

Kim (as Blaire): What… the fuck.

Josie (as Minx): What? I’m just making sure we get a good haul.

Madge (as Phin): [exasperated shout] I have never touched so many books in my life.

Josie (as Minx): Excellent work, Phin.

Rhi: Myra, what were you up to this whole time?

Minna: I think everyone else was kind of roaming the house. I was, uh, waiting in the front in case Arun came back.

Rhi: Okay. Phin, I think just as Blaire and Minx are talking you take the last book. If it’s not this book it’s gotta be somewhere else in this God forsaken study. You pull that, and there’s a ‘ka-chunk,’ and then the bookcase swings inward revealing a dark and narrow stairway.

Madge: I groan, and I knock some of the books off of the shelf that didn’t work.

Madge (as Phin): Useless things! [exasperated noises] … Ugh. I found it.

Josie (as Minx): Excellent.

Kim: Blaire picks up some of the books and puts them back on the shelf.

[giggling]

Madge (as Phin): Blaire, just let me have my victory, please. I need, I need, I need to win.

Kim (as Blaire): Just, just be nice to the books.

Madge (as Phin): No… They’re the reason why it took so long.

Rhi: So, you guys head down the stairs, and there is a door at the bottom. This door is solid metal, and has a fairly impressive lock.

Josie: Hmm. Well, I imagine we can have lock picking tools somewhere in here.

Kim: I have burglary tools on me.

Rhi: But this is a much tougher looking lock than the ones you were dealing with before.

Kim: But like, impossibly difficult?

Rhi: No, not impossibly so.

Kim: Alright, then I can give it a shot. And you know what, I can push myself.

Rhi: Just for context, this roll as is will be risky, lesser effect. If you don’t push yourself up to having standard effect it’s probably going to take you multiple rolls to get the door open.

Josie: If someone assists can that get it up to standard effect, or does it just boost dice?

Kim: Also, when you get a chance, I wanna know what a Devil’s Bargain looks like on this.

Rhi: So, one of you could assist and give her an extra die, and then Blaire could push herself or take a Devil’s Bargain to get increased effect, or another die depending on how you wanted to approach it. A Devil’s Bargain… Oh, I wanna do something with those books.

Kim: Are they cursed? [laughs]

Rhi: One of the books contains information that you shouldn’t have.

Kim: [gasps] Ooh. I like.

Rhi: Which it sounds intriguing to Blaire—

Kim: Yes!

Rhi: –but it’s the kind of thing that’s gonna blow up in your face, probably.

Kim: I want the Devil’s Bargain! [laughter] Because I live for self-sabotage.

Rhi: Okay. Is somebody going to take a point of stress to assist and give her a third?

Josie: I have some stress to spare, so I will.

Kim: Oh, thank you, Minx.

Rhi: So, you have 3d6, risky position, lesser effect. Go for it.

Kim: Oh boy. So, I got a 5, a 4, and a 2.

Rhi: It takes a long time for you to make any kind of progress, and we’re gonna tick that clock up to 2 out of 4, and because this is at lesser effect the lock is still not open. You’re pretty sure you can get it open, but it’s time consuming.

Kim: Mm.

Madge: [sweetly] Can I wreck it? Would people be okay with me wrecking it?

Minna: If we can get it open without wrecking it that would be good, because we don’t want them to know anything’s changed.

Madge: Yeah, that’s true.

Rhi: You know, aside from the missing tapestry and the books and all the other random stuff that Minx helped herself to.

Minna: Oh, that’s true.

Josie: Real quick idea here. Does the front door open in or out?

Rhi: In.

Josie: So, I could theoretically just go back out and throw a bunch of shit in front of it? Because I see the lock’s taking a while, and I’m like, every second is gonna count here.

Rhi: Yes. If you want to run upstairs and put something in front of the door—What are you thinking?

Josie: Like, furniture.

Rhi: Okay. I think you can do that. I don’t think that’s something that’s gonna really take a roll. Blaire, do you want to make another roll on picking the lock?

Kim: I think so. I think I should just try, at the risk of time running out, but still.

Rhi: You are at 2 out of 4 on the clock for Arun Coming Back.

Kim: Yeah. Can I push myself for an extra die?

Rhi: You sure can.

Kim: Okay. I’m gonna mark that stress off.

Minna: I can aide.

Kim: Thank you.

Rhi: So, you’ve got 3d6 again.

Kim: Alright. Let’s give this a shot. Oh boy, the highest one I got this time was also a 5.

Rhi: Okay, so I’m gonna give you a choice here.

Kim: Oh, boy, okay.

Rhi: You can either have it take a long time and I tick another mark on that clock, or there is a trap on the door that’s gonna zap you for level 1 harm.

Kim: Yeah, I’ll take the zap.

Rhi: What happens is you’re working at the door, you know it’s been taking a long time, so you just start going fast. You’re not being cautious, and there’s a metal plate above the lock that you hit something in the lock that clicks, but it’s not the click of the lock coming undone, and the plate slides out an inch, and then an arc of electroplasmic energy just zaps your arm.

Kim: Egh!

Rhi: And you do have the option to resist if you would like.

Kim: I’ll just fucking take it. We die like men.

Minna: Looks at party of entirely women.

Rhi: We die like men, pointlessly taking damage to prove a point.

[explosive laughter]

Kim: Yeah!

Rhi: But, the door is open.

Kim (as Blaire): You’re welcome.

Rhi: You say as you’re shaking out your hand. The room is dark, but you’re able to quickly find a light switch. It is basically the laboratory you were looking for. There are a lot of complicated alchemical devices set up, a lot of glass tubes and beakers, and… I don’t know. What’s the Industrial Revolution equivalent of a Bunsen burner?

Minna: Probably like a Bunsen burner. [laughs]

Madge: Yeah.

Rhi: Is that—Is that it? Are they that old? I don’t know.

Minna: Yeah, in 1852, apparently it was invented.

Rhi: Oh! Then, the room contains, among other things, Bunsen burners.

Josie: Yay.

Rhi: Now we know! This is an education podcast.

[humming tunes]

Rhi: There are a lot of boxes and jars full of different powders and liquids, and what look like crushed up organic matter like wood or leaves, stuff like that. Blaire, this is a fairly familiar setup to you. It looks not that much unlike your parents’ lab at home.

Kim: Oh, cool.

Rhi: It’s a fairly well organized workshop. There are papers, but they’re like stacked neatly in different places.

Madge: Man, I didn’t even think we would get this far.

Josie: Yeah, I think I’m still out there. I wanna shove more shit in front of the door, and then essentially keep watch.

Rhi: Okay. Minx is hanging out upstairs barricading the front door. What are the rest of you doing?

Minna: I feel like we need to look for papers.

Madge: Yeah.

Rhi: Myra, you kind of just grab the first ones that come to hand and start flipping through them, and you realize that you’re not sure what this is, because it is not in a language you read, at least I’m assuming you don’t read Iruvian.

Minna: I feel like I probably don’t read Iruvian. I’m probably lucky that I read—Is it Akorosian?

Rhi: Imperial, I think is what it would be.

Minna: Imperial, that’s it.

Rhi: So yeah, the papers that you see here are in a language you don’t speak.

Josie: Huh, that’s a problem with inserting something into the notes, isn’t it?

Minna: Well, numbers, numbers and names, unless it’s a different alphabet.

Rhi: Yeah, if you wanna look more detailed, you can make a roll.

Minna: What would I roll for that? Study?

Rhi: Yeah, Study will be the better option.

Minna: I would like to either lead a group action or push myself.

Rhi: Leading a group action would probably make sense if all three of you just kind of fan out to search the room.

Madge: Yeah.

Minna: So, I don’t mind leading.

Madge: I got 6 on both of my dice!

Kim: What?!

Madge: Hahaha!

Rhi: Okay. Myra, what did you get?

Minna: Two.

Rhi: Two, okay, so you’re gonna take a point of stress. Myra, you tell Blaire and Phin what to look for and you all fan out. So, tell me how Phin finds it and how the other two missed it.

Madge: Can Phin have found it because she tripped and fell, and it was hiding under one of the work desks?

Rhi: Yes. Absolutely. I like that very much. So, Blaire and Myra are very carefully going through the stacks of paper. Phin is just kind of like poking at stuff, moving some bottles around…

Madge: Oh. Did the bottles like fall over, and I’m like—

Rhi: Yes! [laughter] Yeah, a bottle falls, it doesn’t break, but you lunge to grab it and trip over your own feet and just face plant. Then, as you raise your head, you see wedged behind the workbench is a black, leather-bound book. You just kinda go, huh okay, and reach back and grab it, and flip it open, and oh hey it’s a ledger.

Madge (as Phin): Um, I think I found it.

Minna (as Myra): Oh, for goodness—Good job.

Madge: [giggles]

Minna (as Myra): Alright. Let’s take a look at this thing.

Rhi: So, I will say the Iruvian alphabet is the same as the Imperial alphabet, because I think that kind of Imperial hegemony makes sense. The ledger is a list of names, words that you don’t recognize, based on the fact that there’s the same name with the same unfamiliar word repeated you’re guessing that these unfamiliar words are names of drugs.

Kim: Mm-hmm.

Minna: Is his name anywhere?

Rhi: Winfield’s?

Minna: Yeah.

Rhi: You don’t see his name, but you do see the names of, towards the very end, the most recent entries, you see some names that you recognize from the guest ledger of his party, so you could, if you wanted to, try to add his name in there.

Minna: Yeah, I mean, I don’t see why not, and maybe for like large sums.

Rhi: Yeah. So, whoever is doing the forgery is gonna have to make some kind of a roll.

Kim: I don’t mind doing a Study roll since I have 2 in that.

Rhi: Risky position, and it’s gonna stay at lesser effect because you’re trying to write in a language you don’t speak.

Kim: Oh no, I got a 3. I’m sorry, friends.

Rhi: I think I’m gonna give you options again.

Kim: [weakly] Okay.

Rhi: Either I fill in the rest of that clock and Arun returns, or you just make some kind of mistake in writing it, you basically lose the opportunity, you can’t do the evidence planting in this way.

Kim: What do you guys think? I think I should just make the mistake instead of filling the clock.

Minna: Mm-hmm.

Madge: Yeah.

Kim: Alright. I’ll do that.

Rhi: You realize as you’re writing that you’re not matching their handwriting.

Kim: Instead of stopping, can I just like keep going belligerently and just leave it obvious that it’s fake, and just give them the middle finger? Like fuck you.

Rhi: I mean, if you want.

Kim: Yeah. Blaire is just going to draw a big smiley face, because she’s had it.

Rhi: So, that avenue for planting evidence is closed to you.

Minna: So, something we could do is do a flashback and somehow we brought some other kind of evidence.

Rhi: Ooh, yeah, that would definitely work.

Minna: Nyryx might have some kind of tokens from him that we could plant.

Josie: I think I’ll take the stress from that flashback, then.

Rhi: I’m gonna say that’s gonna be one stress. It’s a little out of your way but it’s not unreasonable.

Josie: Right.

Rhi: So, I think one of the items that you guys should plant in here is a monogramed handkerchief [gasps] that belonged to Winfield that one of you doctored with a little blood.

Kim: Ooh. Nice. I like that.

Josie: Oh, yeah. Yeah, that’s awesome.

Minna: There could be like a bobble that he bought her that could be traced to him having bought it, maybe, like some kind of piece of jewelry.

Rhi: Yeah, but then I guess the question is why would Arun have it. Unless you’re trying to set up an idea that, you know, Winfield and Arun had a romantic relationship.

Minna: Yeah. That’s exactly what I’m doing, because that’s what we have access to.

Madge: It was a crime of passion!

Minna: Well, yeah! Hey, that’s a damn good motive.

Rhi: Yeah. Okay. I think it’s a lapel pin in the shape of a crescent moon that has a few little gemstones in it.

Kim: Aww.

Rhi: Yeah. What’s something else?

Josie: Bear with me, this is super weird, but something bioluminescent. Right?

Madge: Yeah.

Josie: They like harvest the essence of it and put it in a little locket or something.

Rhi: Oh yeah, that’s cool. Minx, you previously were able to get those from Nyryx.

Minna: I assume we would’ve put them in their living areas.

Josie: Mm-hmm.

Minna: I mean, maybe we stash the handkerchief down here, maybe balled up in like the back of a drawer.

Madge: Yeah, so that it looks like it was hidden away on purpose.

Rhi: Okay. You hide the handkerchief. Blaire, as you were searching the room previously, since you did get a 5 on that, you noticed as you were looking at the other papers that were around, you can’t read Iruvian but you recognize some of the diagrams, and you’re pretty sure that a lot of these loose papers that are around are alchemical recipes.

Kim: Cool.

Rhi: You guys gonna grab those?

Minna: Yes, please.

Rhi: Anything else you wanna do while you’re down in this creepy workshop?

Minna: I’d say no. let’s just go ahead and head up.

Rhi: Where do you hide the jewelry?

Minna: I’d say hide the jewelry in their bedroom. If they have any kind of a vanity or other place they keep little trinkets.

Rhi: You’re able to do that. I guess the other question is do you guys clear out the stuff in front of the door?

Josie: Yeah, it sounds like we have some time, so let’s do it.

Rhi: A couple of you clear the door while the others are hiding the jewelry. How are you guys getting out of here? There’s not really another exit. There’s the front gate.

Minna: They’re gonna know at this point somebody robbed it, because Minx took all sorts of trinkets.

Josie: Mm-hmm.

Minna: So, it doesn’t much matter if we trip an alarm on the way out, because we’re leaving immediately.

Kim: That’s true. Yeah.

Madge: [sweetly] Can I wreck it?

Rhi: You… You know what, you sure can.

[laughter]

Minna: Bless.

Rhi: I know. Phin hasn’t gotten to punch a single person this time. It’s so sad.

Madge: I got a 6.

Rhi: What tool do you pull out to just smash through?

Madge: Could it be like a giant billyclub type thing?

Rhi: Yeah. So you just smash your way through the gate, an alarm starts sounding, and you guys run off.

Minna: Yep.

Josie: Woo!

Rhi: So, who are you going to tell about this in The Bluecoats?

Josie: What about the person we talked to earlier, Laroze or whatever?

Rhi: Yeah. Does somebody wanna do that flashback? I think it’s gonna be a point of stress.

Madge: I’m at 0 stress, so I would be fine with doing that.

Minna: Oh yeah, go ahead.

Rhi: You told Laroze this person needs to be investigated for the Winfield murder.

Madge: Mm-hmm.

Rhi: As the alarm is blaring, you guys hustle off into the night with your stolen goods. I’m gonna do a fortune roll on the inspectors to see if they bite on this. Yep! I rolled a 6, so the inspectors are gonna start. They’re gonna turn their attention in this direction now.

Josie: Woo!

Madge: We did it.

Josie: We did the thing.

## [53:39]

Rhi: Before we go into downtime, let’s do giving these notes to Bazso. So, Myra, are you gonna be the one making that delivery?

Minna: Yeah.

Josie: [laughs]

Rhi: So, you head over there. Bazso, when you met him the first time, was wearing a nice suit, looked very put together. This time when you go in it’s later at night, still wearing most of a suit, but it’s kind of like the tie has been loosened, sleeves are rolled up, has a glass of whiskey in his hand, and he’s sitting behind the desk looking a little bit more relaxed. He just kind of looks at you and is like:

Rhi (as Bazso): I’ll be damned. Did you actually pull it off?

Minna (as Myra): Well, we certainly got into the house and we managed to plant some clues, so we’ll see how that plays out.

Rhi (as Bazso): Yeah?

Minna (as Myra): My colleague tells me that these look like they might be some alchemist notes. We’re not quite sure how to read them, because none of us read Iruvian.

Rhi: He takes them and sort of flips through.

Rhi (as Bazso): Well, I don’t fucking read Iruvian.

Rhi: He throws them down on the desk.

Rhi (as Bazso): Well, we’re gonna have a hell of a time finding somebody to translate this, but that is not your fault. I hope this works out well for you. Thank you for bringing me these notes, even though I don’t know if they will be of use to me. [sighs]

Rhi: He’s annoyed, but it’s clearly not directed at you. If anything it seems more like he’s almost annoyed at himself for like, why did I not think that the Iruvians would write their notes in Iruvian.

Minna (as Myra): You know, it didn’t occur to us either that we would have trouble with the language difference.

Rhi (as Bazso): Yeah, well, live and learn. Right? At least the Sashes don’t have them anymore. You want a drink?

Minna (as Myra): Sure. Why not?

Rhi: I’m gonna say that this is gonna push you guys back to a -1 with the Lampblacks.

Josie: Yay.

## Downtime [55:28]

Rhi: Let’s move into downtime. You guys are gonna get 3 rep. I think the only coin you’re gonna make from this is the 2 coin that Minx lifted, because you didn’t ask Bazso to pay you.

Minna: We got paid in that change in our relationship.

Josie: And I got paid in 2 coin.

Rhi: [whispered] I think you guys might not have gotten any heat on this one.

Madge: Yes!

Minna: If this works out long term, will this help with our heat situation?

Rhi: It will clear one of your wanted levels.

Minna: Cool.

Rhi: I think it’s gonna be a little bit, just because there is going to be an investigation and then a trial to see whether or not this pays off.

Minna: Oh, totally.

Kim: I want to do the long term project.

Rhi: Let’s do that. How do you get her attention?

Kim: I imagine it’s some kind of spooky ritual.

Rhi: Probably.

Kim: It’s probably some kind of pentacle or some kind of symbol on the ground, and I imagine that little vial of sea water is in the center.

Rhi: The vial of sea water shatters.

Kim: [gasps] Oh shit.

Rhi: Setarra sort of surges up from it. You’ve only ever seen her in her human form. She has a human guise that she wears, and she looks Tycherosi.

Kim: Ohh.

Rhi: She has some kind of demonic trait the way that you do, so what does she look like?

Kim: I like to imagine that she’s very tall, and she has very long, sleek, black hair. It looks like it’s slicked back, like it’s wet. Her clothes are very drapey and have these dark, cool colors, and I think her demonic trait is like she just has these jet black eyes.

Rhi: Cool. Very cool. She looks around, and then looks at you.

Rhi (as Setarra): Ah, Blaire. It has been some time.

Kim (as Blaire): It’s been a while, yeah. How—

Rhi (as Setarra): What did you need me for?

Kim: She reaches into one of her pockets and has one of the acorns in her hands.

Kim (as Blaire): I was wondering if you knew anything about what this might be.

Rhi: She reaches out and takes it from you, and brings it up to her eyes, and studies it.

Rhi (as Setarra): I am not certain on first look. I may be able to find out. May I keep this?

Kim (as Blaire): Yeah. You can keep that one.

Rhi: She just sort of folds her fingers around it, and it’s gone.

Rhi (as Setarra): I will see what I can learn and tell you more. It is something of the earth, not of the sea.

Kim (as Blaire): Okay.

Rhi (as Setarra): I will have to speak to my kin.

Kim (as Blaire): That’s helpful. Thank you.

Rhi: She sort of looks down at the symbol, and looks back, and says:

Rhi (as Setarra): Next time you call, provide a larger amount of sea water. This was… difficult.

Kim (as Blaire): Okay. Yes, I’ll do that.

Rhi: She just kind of looks down at her feet for a second, and then looks back up at you, and is like:

Rhi (as Setarra): I will contact you when I know more.

Rhi: And then just like walks off. It’s a little awkward. [laughs]

Kim: Okay!

Rhi: Alright. How do you get cut off at the tailor’s?

Josie: I’m thinking just… Minx is kind of riding high and keeps asking for more ridiculous and intricate garments and jobs from the tailors at Dundridge & Sons, and it just eventually becomes A, way above her paygrade, and B, way too intricate and precise, and her being over their shoulder like, no no no, the pattern needs to be like this.

Rhi: You’re leaning over somebody’s shoulder, no no no, it should be like this, and the tailor just like puts his hand up and almost hits you in the face. Just like:

Rhi (as Tailor): No. No, we are done. This—I am not even—I don’t know why I am wasting my time with this sketch. You can’t afford it anyway. You are done.

Josie (as Minx): But, come now, surely we can—

Rhi (as Tailor): Eh! Yip! [interrupting utterances] Get! Get out!

Josie (as Minx): Fine dear.

Josie: [laughs] And she leaves dejected. Remember how we described that being in The Nest with Minx after a breakup is the absolute worst because it’s just kind of a mess of complaining, empty wine bottles, and running mascara? Yeah, I think this is kind of like that in The Nest for the day.

Rhi: Blaire comes back from her unsettling chat with Setarra and finds Minx.

Josie: Just sort of face-down at a table sobbing with a wine bottle there.

Kim: Blaire doesn’t even say anything. She just rolls her eyes and walks over to her room.

[giggling]

Kim: She’s just like:

Kim (as Blaire): Must be Tuesday.

[laughter]

Josie (as Minx): Don’t mock my pain!

Rhi: Myra.

Minna: Yes?

Rhi: You are off chatting with your buddy Laroze, and I think you find him again at The Leaky Bucket. He’s sitting in his usual seat, and seems to be in a pretty good mood. He’s chatting with one of the bartenders, and is laughing, and gesturing wildly with his mug. When he sees you he’s like:

Rhi (as Laroze): Oh! Hey! It’s teacher lady!

Minna: So uh, she walks over to him and sits down.

Rhi (as Laroze): Hey, hey, tell your buddy, the little horn girl, that all those, and the other one, the especially, tell the punchy one, we have that tip about the raid on… what’s their face, uh, Vasha? Vasar? Whatever.

Minna (as Myra): Yeah.

Rhi (as Laroze): I am the one that found the stuff that belonged to Winfield, and the inspectors were all over it. [whispered] I am in line for a promotion!

Minna (as Myra): Congratulations. Perhaps I could buy you a drink in celebration.

Rhi (as Laroze): Yes. Yeah, I am…

Rhi: And he looks at his glass, it’s like half full, and he holds up a finger, chugs it back, puts it down, and goes:

Rhi (as Laroze): Yeah, I definitely need another one. This one’s all, all gone.

Minna: She turns to the bar.

Rhi: Yeah, and the bartender’s just like, ‘nnn…’ and gets another drink, kinda gives you a look like ‘do you want one?’

Minna (as Myra): A tea, if you have it.

Rhi: Raises an eyebrow, and is like:

Rhi (as Bartender): I can get you water.

Minna (as Myra): That would be fine as well.

Rhi: Alright, so he brings you a water and another beer for Laroze. Laroze is like:

Rhi (as Laroze): Listen, listen. I… I owe you guys. They’re talking about making me a sergeant. I’m gonna be able to boss people around. And, I am gonna, I told one of the other ones, I think the horn girl, that there are a lot of people that wanna arrest you guys. I’m gonna try to use my new powers in my new position, I’ma make that go away for you, because you help me, and so I help you. That’s how this works. We help each other out.

Rhi: And he like slings an arm around your shoulders.

Minna (as Myra): Yes. That sounds about right. Thank you.

Rhi: So, that is how you have reduced heat. What does Phin get up to?

Madge: I feel like at this point we’ve seen a lot of Phin just punching things, so we’ll do the Insight training montage.

Rhi: Okay. Cool.

Madge: She either goes to Chael or she goes to one of the other people that she knows, and she sort of tags along with them for the day and picks up what she can from them.

Rhi: I like the idea of you hanging out with Chael.

Madge: Yeah.

Rhi: So, Chael is the one described as vicious thug, right?

Madge: Yeah.

Rhi: Okay. So, I think the scene opens with the two of you sitting in a dive bar in The Docks.

Madge: Mm-hmm.

Rhi: You wanna describe Chael, what they look like?

Madge: I kinda like the idea that Phin and Chael look similar. It’s not like they could be siblings or anything, but it looks like Chael could be Phin’s cousin or something like that, like the resemblance is there. They have a really similar face shape and they both have black hair, except Chael wears theirs back in a really tight pony tail rather than keeping it cut short like Phin does.

Rhi: The two of you are sitting at a table in this dive bar, and Chael is like leaned over to you and is like:

Rhi (as Chael): So, what you wanna watch for if they actually are guilty is they’re gonna do things like avoid eye contact, fidget, they’re gonna have a hard time keeping their story straight. You wanna ask questions like, if they tell you something, come back to it a couple minutes later and see if it’s the same thing. Usually if somebody’s lying and they’re not good at it, they’re gonna give a different answer, it won’t match up. So, anyway, that guy over there is a lying sack of shit who stole about 4 coin worth of property from my boss, so we’re gonna go over there and beat the shit out of him.

Madge (as Phin): Yes!

Rhi (as Chael): But that is, I just want to explain, because you were asking, this is how I know when someone is lying, and then you get to beat them up.

Madge (as Phin): Okay.

Rhi: Phin’s just like ‘yeah, okay,’ and then they both stand up, and there’s just like off screen punching sounds and [yelling].

Madge: [laughs] Yes.

Rhi: So, I think where we’re gonna leave off is the four of you, a couple days later, Minx has pulled herself out of her grief and everybody else has come back together at the Hound’s Paw. You guys are hanging out at your normal table, chatting, and Rigney comes over with your drinks, hands out your drinks, and puts an envelope in the middle of the table and says:

Rhi (as Rigney): A message came in for you all from that reporter lady. I figured you’d all be interested.

Rhi: So, he leaves that there.

Josie: Ooh, what does it say?

Rhi: So you open it up and it is from Lani, and it just says “I’ve learned more about The Umbra Hunters. Come by my office as soon as you can.”

## Outro

Rhi: Thanks for listening. The Magpies will be back in two weeks. In the meantime, follow us on Twitter at @magpies_pod.

The Magpies podcast is hosted and produced by Rhi. Follow me on Twitter at @rhiannon42.

Blaire Culhane is played by Kim Kogut. Follow her on Twitter at @kimdianajones.

Minx is played by Josie. Follow her on Twitter at @DragonGirlJosie, and watch her art streams at  picarto.tv/DragonGirlJosie.

Myra Keel is played by Minna. Follow her on Twitter at @mynaminnarr.

Phin Haig is played by Madge. Follow her on Twitter at @madgequips.

The opening and closing theme music is from ‘Trio for Piano, Violin, and Viola’ by Kevin McLeod, and is used under a Creative Commons license.

The Blades in the Dark roleplay system is the creation of John Harper, and is published by Evil hat Productions.

## Blooper

Kim: Because I live for self-sabotage.

Rhi: That’s kind of the name of the game here.

Minna: Is it too late to change the podcast name?

Rhi: [laughs] That can be the subtitle. The Magpies: A Podcast About Self-Sabotage.