Transcribed by Tyler (Twitter: @Tyler_MoonSage)
Download a Word doc version of the transcript: TM2-02 The Fresh Produce Score, Part 1
## Intro
Rhi: Welcome back to Duskwall. As always, thank you for joining us.
We’ve had an amazing first two weeks on Patreon. We’ve blown through our first two goals and we’re within $40 of reaching our third. In addition to the Season 1 blooper reel and some upcoming bonus episodes we’re posting weekly notes, documents, art, deleted scenes and more. Visit patreon.com/magpiespodcast and help us do even more with the show.
As always, thank you to all our listeners for tuning in, leaving reviews, and tweeting at us.
We also have a bit of a challenge for our listeners. My one regret about the episodes featuring Seeks, our guest star from last season, was that she and Blaire never got to interact. A few months ago I got Kim and Waffles to help me correct that oversight, and we recorded a bonus episode with Seeks and Blaire on an exciting occult adventure together. the episode will be unlocked and released to everyone when we hit 600 Twitter followers. So, if you’re not already following us at @magpies_pod, go do that, if you are, tell your friends to start listening to the show and then follow us. This is a really great episode and I’m excited for everyone to hear it.
Also, in December, you can hear me, Minna and Josie on Character Creation Cast, a podcast about creating characters in different RPG systems. In December the system that they’re featuring is Blades in the Dark, and the hosts invited us to guide them through character and crew creation. It was a ton of fun and we made a really great crew. Be sure to check out the Blades in the Dark series which starts on December 3, and in the meantime check out their archives for character creation and player advice in a ton of systems. There will be a link to the site in the show notes.
Next, Kim is going to tell us about this month’s featured charity.
Kim: Of the seven species of sea turtle that call our earth home all are either endangered or threatened. Things like pollution, climate change, overfishing and boat propellers put these beautiful animals at risk of disappearing for good. The South Carolina Aquarium is home to the state’s only sea turtle hospital where they rescue, rehabilitate and then release sick and injured turtles, and the way they accept donations is pretty unique.
The aquarium provides public access to the hospital’s Amazon wish list where you can shop for supplies that will aid their cause. Whether your gift be as humble as a pack of gauze or as extravagant as a new water filter, I promise there is something there you can give that fits every budget. A link to the hospital’s wish list will be provided in the show notes, and if you don’t wish to support the aquarium through Amazon, donations can be made directly through their website as well.
Please consider helping sea turtles in need and being a part of giving these animals a fighting chance at survival.
Rhi: If you have a few dollars to spare please consider donating.
Now then, let’s get started. Shall we?
## Story Continues [0:03:19]
Rhi: We open up on the old coal warehouse that The Lampblacks use as a base. There’s a lot more activity around here than when we’ve seen it previously; more of the Lampblack guards on patrol, more people hurrying around. Inside, in the office of Bazso Baz, there are a number of changes as well. There is a new map on the wall. This one covers Crow’s Foot and The Docks with large chunks of territory marked out in both districts. Behind his desk he’s added a shelf that holds several bottles of fine whiskey, a few finely made crystal tumblers, and a gleaming empty silver vase.
Bazso himself is sitting at his desk, hands folded atop the papers scattered there, as he regards the three Magpies standing across from him with a very self-satisfied smirk. He kind of lets the silence hang for a little bit and then says:
Rhi (as Bazso): Well, I’m glad to see that you’re at least following the bargain so far, not raising any protests when I tell you to come running.
Josie (as Minx): Indeed. I’m glad to see it’s been profitable.
Rhi (as Bazso): Oh, very profitable, and you three are going to help me make it even more so.
Rhi: He shuffles around with his papers and comes up with a smaller map of Barrowcleft which is sort of the farming district.
Minna: I just want to note right now that Myra does not like Bazso nearly as much when he’s suggesting that they need to come running to him.
Rhi & Josie: Mm-hmm.
Rhi (as Bazso): With my new territory in The Docks I’ve been able to expand my operations to include some smuggling, and I have a contact who works out of The Dagger Isles who would like a demonstration of what I would be able to provide. So, you all are going here…
Rhi: He taps a spot on the map.
Rhi (as Bazso): …to the Nyamaska Farms. They run one of the radiant energy farms out there, specialize in fruits and vegetables. You all are going to get in there, lift a decent amount of produce, but more importantly you are going to leave a back door for my people to be able to get in and out as they wish in the future. This of course means that you really can’t get caught while you’re in there.
Josie (as Minx): Delightful.
Kim (as Blaire): [smiling nervously] Okay!
Rhi: He eyes Blaire.
Rhi (as Bazso): If you do get caught, well, you’ll either be dead in which case you’re no longer my problem, in jail, again no longer my problem, but if you make enough of a mess that they are aware of a break-in and I lose my opportunity, you will still owe me and we will have to do this again some time.
Minna (as Myra): If we do this we’re square, correct?
Rhi (as Bazso): Yes.
Minna: She looks at the others.
Minna (as Myra): We can manage.
Rhi (as Bazso): I mean, you’ll have to. The agreement that I made with Minx here is that you will do me one favor upon request, no arguing, no questions asked.
Minna (as Myra): We’re neither arguing nor asking questions. I’m just letting you know, we’re able to do this.
Josie: Minx has just been staring back at him the whole time, just clearly biting her tongue.
Rhi (as Bazso): [exhales] Wonderful. I’m so glad you’re all so agreeable. Remira!
Rhi: He snaps his fingers a couple times and the door opens. A person comes in, looks like they themself at some point in their family history are from The Dagger Isles, kind of a tan, coppery skin, dark hair pulled back into a low ponytail. They slip inside.
Rhi (as Remira): Yes, Mr. Baz?
Rhi (as Bazso): These are the ones I told you about who are handling the smuggling operation. Remira here will be your contact point for anything else you might need. I’m rather busy with my expanding operations. Remira has some information about the farms, and once you finish the job you’ll check in with them to drop off the goods and provide information about the back door you left.
Josie (as Minx): Very well.
Rhi: Remira nods and holds the door open, clearly waiting for the three of you to exit.
Josie: Minx will leave.
Rhi: [laughs]
Minna: I don’t know if Blaire wants to leave?
Kim: Yeah.
Minna: Yeah. I think we’re just gonna leave. I don’t think Myra has anything particularly nice she can say right now to smooth this over, because Bazso chose to gloat.
Rhi: He’s doing well for himself.
Minna: He’s very gloaty and unpleasant to work with right now.
Rhi: Mm-hmm.
Minna: I just love that they’re all united right now. [laughs]
Rhi: Remira leads you across the catwalks down towards the ground floor. As they’re going they keep glancing over their shoulder at the three of you, just sort of stealing glances, kind of squinting at you a little, not suspiciously necessarily but they do keep glancing back.
Josie (as Minx): Not that I’m unused to the attention, but is there something you’re wondering about?
Rhi (as Remira): You all look kind of familiar. Have you been around here lately, the last couple months?
Minna (as Myra): I mean, we’ve been here, certainly. We’ve worked with Bazso before.
Kim (as Blaire): We’re in the paper.
Rhi: When Blaire says that they stop and snap their fingers.
Rhi (as Remira): That’s it! There’s where I recognized you from. I used to work at the Mirror.
Kim (as Blaire): Oh!
Rhi (as Remira): I must have seen you around there a few times.
Minna (as Myra): Were you there when it burned? Working there, I mean.
Rhi (as Remira): I was employed there, yeah. I wasn’t ‘there’ there, or else I…
Minna (as Myra): Oh, obviously. No, we were sorry to hear about that. The Mirror was good.
Rhi (as Remira): [airy] Yeah. Yeah, it was.
Kim (as Blaire): So, why the switch to Bazso?
Rhi (as Remira): Uh, well, paying work is kind of hard to come by for a typesetter. The Doskvol Daily doesn’t really need any more and there’s not a lot of book printers and places that are hiring.
MYRA: Especially not after something like that.
Rhi (as Remira): No. The competition was pretty fierce. Mr. Baz was paying, and well I needed to eat, so here I am.
Josie (as Minx): A familiar situation.
Rhi: As you guys get to the ground floor Remira walks you over to the front doors.
Rhi (as Remira): He doesn’t want you to bring the goods back here, he thinks it would be too much heat, so we’ll meet once the score is done at…
Rhi: They give you an address in Silkshore near one of the canals.
Rhi (as Remira): Just send me a message when you’re going in, and I will wait there for you to make the delivery.
Josie (as Minx): Though, if you’re feeling peckish, I suppose we could lift more than is necessary.
Rhi (as Remira): Uh, I don’t think that’s a good idea. If you take out too much they’ll notice and then we’ll lose this line.
Josie (as Minx): I apologize. I was merely being flippant.
Rhi (as Remira): Oh. Heh. Right, right… Anyway. Anything else that you need to know? I’ve done some research in that area. I know a little bit about the farming setup there.
Josie (as Minx): Yes, I suppose just anything you know of the location itself is useful.
Rhi (as Remira): Yeah. The Nyamaska’s have had land down there for generations, and they have their farm up on one of the hills kind of between Barrowcleft and Dunslough. Big old property, lots of security… It’s gonna be tough to get in and probably tougher to leave a back door we can sneak through.
Josie (as Minx): Right. I assume what’s being asked for is not necessarily a literal back door.
Rhi (as Remira): Put a hole in the security that they’re not gonna find for a while, long enough for more of us to get in and take more stuff.
Minna (as Myra): What do you know about the security?
Rhi (as Remira): They’ve got wards, bars, locks, guards, all of the major farming families keep their property locked down pretty tight. They don’t want competitors stealing their soil mixtures or fertilizer or radiant energy arrangements, or even just the produce.
Josie (as Minx): Indeed.
Rhi (as Remira): Anyway. I think that’s about all I know. I scoped the place out a couple times but didn’t really get too close and don’t have a ton of experience at scoping places out to break into them, so I don’t know, you all might see things that I missed.
Josie (as Minx): Indeed. We should get to work then, I suppose.
Rhi (as Remira): Yeah. Like I said, just let me know when you’re gonna move and I’ll head to the meeting point.
Josie (as Minx): Though, one more thing.
Rhi (as Remira): Oh?
Josie (as Minx): It looks like things are on the up here, but if this life becomes tiresome we are also helping some friends from the Mirror. We can help you out if you need it.
Rhi: They kind of eye you for a second and then just shrug.
Rhi (as Remira): I appreciate it. I’ll keep it in mind.
Rhi: And then they head on inside.
Josie: All right. I guess we head out then.
Rhi: Gonna head for The Hound’s Paw to start strategizing?
Josie: Yeah!
Minna: Yes.
## The Hound’s Paw [0:13:40]
Rhi: All right. You make your way across the city over to Nightmarket and into The Hound’s Paw. It’s right around lunch time so there’s a few people in here, a decent number for the lunch time crowd. A few of the staff are moving around including Sophia. She is carrying a tray of drinks over to a table and she gives the three of you a shy smile and a nod when she sees you. The few times that you’ve seen her she seems to be doing better.
Minna: This by the way was the same score where Avrathi got shot, so she was there for that. [laughs]
Kim: Ohh. Okay.
Rhi: Yeah. She witnessed a lot.
Josie: She saw Phin just murder a woman.
Kim: She saw some shit.
Rhi: She is grateful to The Magpies for what you did. She is also kind of nervous around you.
Minna: Aww~! Bless.
Josie: Aww.
Rhi: Rigney doesn’t greet you right away like he normally does. He is leaning over the bar talking with a young woman.
Madge: The woman that you see also has that copper skin, that look of The Dagger Isles. She has an oval face. She has black hair that she has done into three buns at the back of her head sort of like Rey’s style.
Others: [cheering and swooning]
Madge: She has small ears, but they kind of stick out a bunch. She has brown eyes, and the clothes that she’s wearing look a lot like she stole a noblewoman’s clothes and outfitted them to suit her needs better…
Rhi: [chuckles]
Madge: …so it’s like the colonial jacket and then slacks with a tunic underneath and very sturdy looking work boots that don’t look like they’ve been through too much wear and tear.
Rhi: [softly] I love her. Heh.
Kim: I love her already.
Minna: Nnn~
Josie: She’s so good.
Rhi: Rigney does notice you all and waves you over.
Rhi (as Rigney): So, you’d asked me to look into somebody who was good at…
Rhi: He glances at Needle, sort of waiting for her to fill in. [laughs]
Madge (as Needle): So, basically what I’ve heard is that you need someone to help you break into places.
Rhi (as Rigney): [nervously] You know, I was hoping for a slightly more discrete metaphor, but yes that is—
Madge (as Needle): I mean, you can’t be more discrete when you’re talking about robbing people.
Josie: [laughs]
Rhi (as Rigney): Yes. I talked to some of my friends in the Cabbies, they asked a few people, and they connected me with Needle here. If you all want to chat with her I can bring you your usual drinks. What would you like?
Madge (as Needle): Could I just get something as strong as you could possibly get?
Rhi (as Rigney): How much money are you willing to spend?
Madge (as Needle): I have got all sorts of money for you to spend.
Rhi: All right.
[laughter]
Rhi (as Rigney): I’ll be over with your drinks in a minute.
Rhi: [laughing] He turns around, takes a key out of his pocket, and is unlocking a cabinet behind the bar to take out a three-quarters full bottle. It is just a green glass bottle with no label on it.
Madge (as Needle): All right. That looks like the stuff.
Kim: Woo.
Rhi: [smiling] There is something mysterious and expensive in there.
Kim (as Blaire): Top shelf.
Madge (as Needle): Thank you, darling.
Josie (as Minx): I have to say, I love your taste. I’m Minx, by the way. Pleasure to meet you.
Josie: She’s gonna offer her hand.
Madge: She’s gonna shake your hand.
Madge (as Needle): The name’s Needle. Well, most people call me Needle. My friends call me Devin, but we can get there eventually.
Josie (as Minx): Heh. Quite.
Kim (as Blaire): I’m Blaire.
Kim: She holds out a hand to shake.
Madge: All right. I’ll also shake Blaire’s hand.
Madge (as Needle): You are an adorable little thing, aren’t you?
Kim (as Blaire): [flustered giggling]
Minna: [giggles]
Josie (as Minx): [deliberately] I know. She is, but she won’t accept that.
Madge (as Needle): Really, I’m digging the horns. The horns make it.
Kim (as Blaire): Um, thanks? I was born with them.
Madge (as Needle): Ah, so they’re natural? I like it.
Kim (as Blaire): Yeah? Yeah, I’m Tycherosi.
Madge (as Needle): Oh. I’ve never been there before. I’ll make a list.
Kim (as Blaire): It’s a little out of the way, but uh… Nn.
[laughter]
Rhi: Is Blaire just very flustered?
Kim: A little~
Rhi: And blushing? Oh gosh, this is so good.
Kim (as Blaire): Um… Yeah, it’s a nice place. People are nice.
Madge (as Needle): All right. I could do for a change. Nice is always better than, what would you call this, riddled with crime and corruption?
Kim (as Blaire): Yeah, that sounds accurate.
Minna (as Myra): I do have to ask, if you have money and you’re not a fan of crime and corruption, why the heck are you talking to us?
Madge (as Needle): Heh. So… Here’s the thing about where my money comes from. my family is rich. They are not fans of me or my hobbies. I’m currently on the little last bit of my stipend that I was given when I was kicked out and I’m making the most of it. Oh, of course I also supplement it with some of my own stash.
Josie (as Minx): I see, so this is a hobby then?
Madge (as Needle): Was a hobby, now a way of life.
Kim (as Blaire): Well, you know what they say, you do your dream job and you never really work a day in your life.
Josie: [laughs]
Madge (as Needle): [laughs] Oh, that is what they say.
Rhi: Rigney comes over with your drinks, the usual for Myra, Minx, and Blaire, and then he sets down a shot glass full to the brim. It’s a mostly clear liquid, kind of has a blueish tinge to it, and… Oh, what should it smell like?
Madge: Whatever it smells like, Needle is just knocking it back.
Rhi: Yeah. [laughs]
Kim: Oh my God. I love her.
Rhi: I feel like it smells like…
Kim: I’d like to imagine a floral scent.
Rhi: See, I was thinking gasoline.
Madge: [laughs] Even better.
Kim: Both?
Rhi: Both, yeah. It’s gasoline with floral notes…
Kim: ‘With a hint of lavender.’
Madge: Oh, I love it.
Rhi: That is the scent of this alcohol that Needle just slams back. Rigney tucks the tray under his arm and raises an inquisitive eyebrow at Needle, in a like, “So?”
Madge (as Needle): [coughs] It’s definitely different, isn’t it?
Rhi (as Rigney): Yes… Would you like something else to drink now that you’ve finished that one?
Madge (as Needle): I think I’m going to just stick with this, that one drink. Is that something that’s made in house?
Rhi (as Rigney): No, no-no-no, I don’t brew anything here.
Madge (as Needle): Oh, all right. Good, because if you did it would be a massive, massive hit against you, because you look like someone with taste.
Rhi (as Rigney): [chuckles] Hey, you asked for the most expensive, not the best.
Madge (as Needle): That is true.
Rhi: [laughing] He takes the empty shot glass away. He makes it back to the bar before his shoulders start shaking with laughter.
Madge: All right. So, with that out of the way, how about you explain to me this breaking and entering job that you’re gonna be doing?
Josie (as Minx): Well, it’s going to be a bit of a discrete one. We are hitting a produce farm. Getting in I suppose is not the hardest part. The hardest part will be getting out and leaving a back door as we go.
Madge (as Needle): Oh. So you’re sort of the primary party, the ones who are just setting it all up for everyone else to knock down?
Josie (as Minx): Precisely.
Madge (as Needle): I can work with that. So, produce, are we talking farmers?
Minna (as Myra): Radiant energy.
Madge (as Needle): Oh. That is a lot different than what I was counting on. That’s exciting. Do we know what sort of payout we’re looking at currently?
Minna (as Myra): Hmm… If you need a payout we can scrape together the money. We’re not getting one. It’s unfortunately a favor returned.
Madge (as Needle): All right. Who are you working with?
Josie (as Minx): I do think we should see how the job goes first before we simply spill our clients’ names everywhere, although I must say it looks promising.
Madge (as Needle): I’m mostly interested in who you’re working for because if it’s someone who has deeper coffers, if they’re not giving you anything even for a favor, that kind of says a lot more about him than it does about you. I’ve heard some rumors about some expansion that’s going on in this area and you would think that someone who’s so intent on expanding would be at least a little bit kind to the people he’s doing favors with.
Josie (as Minx): Quite.
Minna (as Myra): You would think.
Madge (as Needle): Oh. So he’s that kind?
Minna (as Myra): The ground rules on this mission are: We can only take a little, and what we take goes to our client. We are also primarily there to create a backdoor for them to use in the future. It is repayment of a favor that they did us.
Josie (as Minx): But you are not similarly indebted.
Minna (as Myra): There’s not extra taken in the job, so your payout is going to come from us.
Madge (as Needle): So, you said that whatever you took, that would just be going right back to him? That just means anything that they know that you took. Right? You could always take more.
Minna (as Myra): We could, but we’d be more likely to leave a trace behind.
Madge (as Needle): No one ever got anywhere by playing it safe, dear.
Minna (as Myra): You’re right. I suppose we have to think about how much we want to preserve this relationship in the future especially given our client’s current status.
Josie (as Minx): I mean, I only intend to repay the debt and then…
Minna (as Myra): Repay the debt and burn this bridge?
Josie (as Minx): Precisely.
Minna (as Myra): I can think of a few more things we could get out of this than just produce, if so.
Josie (as Minx): What did you have in mind?
Minna (as Myra): Our friend was telling us that some of the security is to guard against other people getting information about what these radiant energy farms do. If we could take a little of that information and sell it on I’m sure that might be worth a bit as well.
Madge: Yeah, if you know a good fence.
Josie (as Minx): That is good thinking, though we’d have to find someone willing to actually buy that.
Minna (as Myra): Samples? Information about the layout? I’m sure we can find a way to make some coin off that.
Madge (as Needle): I know a lock pick who could make a whole lot of money off of selling off blueprints and schematics.
Josie (as Minx): Excellent. It sounds like we have a means of profit.
Rhi: For once. [laughs]
Minna: [laughing] I love that we give no shits about turning on him right now, because he’s been an asshole.
[laughter]
Josie (as Minx): Now, I suppose it’s simply the actual mechanics of the operation that are in question. I was hoping that if we are quiet enough we would simply be able to examine the various locks and perhaps create duplicate keys or a skeleton key to the place so that one needs only a disguise and walk in, for the backdoor at least.
Minna (as Myra): We’ll have to watch the guard patrols as well and see whether there’s any gaps there.
Josie (as Minx): Indeed.
Madge (as Needle): I like the idea of a skeleton key. I’ve got some contacts who could help out with that pretty well.
Josie (as Minx): Excellent. We can in fact go forward with that. I think in that case we simply need to case the place.
Madge (as Needle): Sounds straightforward enough for me.
Josie (as Minx): You are very passionate about this hobby.
Madge (as Needle): One way to put it. Like I said, it’s the way I bring in the money now, so might as well go do the best I can so I can be the best out there. Right?
Josie (as Minx): Ooh. Ambitious.
Madge (as Needle): Of course I’m ambitious. What’s the fun in being ordinary?
Minna (as Myra): That’ll serve you well out here if it doesn’t get you killed.
Madge (as Needle): There’s always a risk of dying. It wouldn’t be fun if there wasn’t.
Rhi: In terms of gathering information, casing the joint, do you all just want to do something together as a group or do you want to split up and approach it from different angles?
Josie: Maybe it should be Blaire and Needle do something and then Minx and Myra do something. I’m thinking me and Myra try to…
Minna: What if we look for an angle on the guards?
Josie: Yeah. That’s what I was thinking.
Minna: Needle suggested bribery. I guess we could find a place where they all hang out and figure out something.
Kim: Figure out their vice?
Minna: Figure out what they might want. Yeah.
Kim: Do you think there is some kind of library that would have blueprints or schematics of the place, or no?
Madge: Usually with buildings and city councils, city governments, they have to have at least somewhat updated schematics of what’s going on with certain property, so we could definitely break into somewhere.
Kim: Yeah. Let’s break into a city hall place after hours and see if we can find schematics.
Rhi: It would probably be somewhere in Charterhall. That’s where most of the government records and archives are. Yeah, you could definitely do that.
## Blaire & Needle [0:27:08]
Rhi: There’s a Hall of Records in Charterhall, this big, imposing stone building where the majority of the important paperwork for the city is kept; blueprints, schematics, contracts, all that sort of stuff is filed here. I think I’m going to just say, because this is more fun, you’re able to get in. The break-in piece is gonna go off very smoothly. The actual finding the information is where I’ll have you make the roll to see what you’re able to locate. Go ahead and describe, just sort of cinematically, narratively, how the two of you break into the Hall of Records. What does that look like?
Kim: I like to imagine we have some kind of climbing gear, something that we can stick to our hands and knees that sticks to the walls so we can climb up to the top floor and just come in through a window.
Madge: Yeah. Basically, I’m imagining bracers with hooks on them.
Rhi: Yeah! That’ll just dig into the stone?
Madge: Yeah. That’s definitely something Needle would have and would have extras of to lend. [laughs]
Kim (as Blaire): So, how did you get into this?
Madge (as Needle): Do you want the broad strokes version of it, or do you want me to be more, um, specific?
Kim (as Blaire): Uh… I don’t know. It’s a long way up. It’s up to you.
Madge (as Needle): Broad strokes: When I was a kid I liked shiny things. I made a habit of taking shiny things. Probably, point of order here is I grew up on a boat, one of those… You know the leviathans? I grew up on one of those things.
Kim (as Blaire): Oh. Okay.
Madge (as Needle): Yeah. So I grew up on a leviathan hunting ship and we would have all the gear there, and we would also have other various shiny things. You know, when you’re dealing with leviathan hunters you’re also dealing with the people who buy the leviathan blood, and they’re not the nicest people and they usually don’t notice when things go missing.
Kim (as Blaire): Fair.
Madge (as Needle): First time I stole something really big. I was dating a councilman’s daughter and she had this necklace, easily worth about 5 coin, and after we had one of our run-ins together I nicked it, and she didn’t even notice that it was gone for about a month after we broke up. Then after that it was just sort of fun, you know, seeing what I could get away with. Then I got caught, and my folks weren’t very happy about that one, but in between times before I got caught I started learning tricks. It’s gonna sound really awful, you know, one of those rich kids who just pretends to be poor to get along with the lower class, [laughs] because that’s kind of how it started.
Kim (as Blaire): Well, at least you’re self-aware enough to acknowledge it.
Madge (as Needle): Exactly. Yeah. See, you get it. A lot of the stuff I steal I end up selling off and the money I give to people, aside from my drinking money.
Kim (as Blaire): Well, yeah, then it evens out. That’s fair.
Madge (as Needle): Yeah. Putting good karma out into the world, you know?
Kim (as Blaire): Yeah. Exactly. What you put out comes back to you three-fold. That’s what my mom used to say.
Madge (as Needle): Oh? Mom sounds like she’s got a good head on her shoulders. I can see where you get it from.
Kim (as Blaire): Aww. Thanks.
Madge (as Needle): Of course. So, what do you do in the whole scheme of everything? I can tell that you’ve got your fancy-pants, and then you’ve got ‘mister…’ over there, and what do you do?
Kim (as Blaire): Uh… Heh. I don’t know. I guess I’m sometimes the brains of the group. You know, Charterhall dropout, know some things, I like books.
Madge (as Needle): Oh~
Kim (as Blaire): I don’t know… I like to, you know, capture ghosts into jars and then release them into The Deathlands, and sometimes I also like to do research into the occult, and you know stuff like that, and a little bit of vampirism on the side, but nothing really, um, crazy.
Minna: A little vampirism on the side?! What happened? [laughs]
Madge (as Needle): Um? You got a lot more interesting towards the end there. What was that about capturing ghosts?
Kim (as Blaire): Heheh. [nervously] That’s just my hobby. I like to rescue ghosts.
Madge (as Needle): Yeah, because they’re not very kind to those who have already passed on.
Kim (as Blaire): No.
Madge (as Needle): I like that.
Kim: Blaire starts blushing.
Kim (as Blaire): [softly] Thanks~
Rhi: [laughs] Fortunately it’s very dark.
Madge (as Needle): Because you know, out on the ocean, with us from The Dagger Isles, those ships are ancient…
Kim (as Blaire): Mm-hmm?
Madge (as Needle): …and there’s usually a demon at the heart of those, or ghost of some sort.
Kim (as Blaire): Mm-hmm!
Madge (as Needle): And you’ve got to be nice to them or else nothing’s gonna go in your favor. I can definitely see the good karma that goes into treating those who have gone before us with a little bit more respect.
Kim (as Blaire): Yeah. Exactly.
Madge (as Needle): We’re gonna circle around later to the vampirism thing, because I feel like that’s gonna be a whole other conversation that I don’t want to be climbing up a wall for?
Rhi: [giggles] I think the two of you have basically reached the window that you’re aiming for at this point.
Kim (as Blaire): I’m not a vampire! I just like reading about them!
Madge (as Needle): Okay. All right. Because… Then I would have had to ask you if you thought I looked tasty.
[snickering]
Kim (as Blaire): Uh…
Madge: And she climbs on in the window.
[giggling]
Kim: Does she wink? Tell me she winks.
Madge: She totally winks.
Kim: AGH!
Rhi: So, the two of you climb in the window, find your way to the room where blueprints are stored. There are 15 foot high ceilings with 15 foot high shelves that have just little square cubbies, and inserted into each is a rolled up blueprint.
Madge (as Needle): Oh. This reminds me of my ex’s place.
Rhi: There is a card catalog type thing that you can go through. Each of the little cubbies has a string of identifying numbers and letters as a code. Blaire, if you wanted to do Study…
Kim: Yes. Absolutely. I will Study this.
Rhi: Go ahead and make your roll.
Kim: Four.
Rhi: You two are able to find the blueprints for the Nyamaska estate. Unfortunately, they are about 15 years out of date. Now, it’s possible that they haven’t really made any modifications in the last 15 years, but odds are that these might not be 100% accurate. There might be small internal changes that could still prove to be problems, but things like locations of major rooms aren’t going to have moved much. You’ve got the basic layout. Are you planning on taking this or just copying down notes, sketching stuff out and putting it back?
Kim: I am gonna make a copy. That sounds safer.
Madge: I’m gonna keep it. I feel like she’s brought one of the long tubes for carrying large documents.
Rhi: Okay. [laughs] Nice.
Kim: Blaire was in the middle of sketching it and Needle just takes it.
Kim (as Blaire): Oh—Okay. Never mind.
Madge (as Needle): You can finish it once we get back, and the lighting will probably be way better.
Kim (as Blaire): Mm-hmm. Yeah, and you know, we’ll have less of a chance of getting caught.
Madge (as Needle): Yeah, and then we could also probably have drinks or something.
Kim (as Blaire): Yeah, yeah, tea sounds nice. We can have a little study session if you want.
Madge (as Needle): That sounds like a good idea to me.
Kim (as Blaire): Heh. Okay.
## Minx & Myra [0:35:22]
Rhi: So, Minx and Myra, you two were gonna gather information next. Right?
Josie: Uh-huh.
Minna: Yes. We are going to look for an angle on the guards by trying to hang out with some guards.
Rhi: Okay, so trying to find a bar or something?
Minna: Like a hangout spot, because I’m sure there’s a place a lot of them go.
Rhi: You’re able to find a place, and then you can make some rolls inside to see what you learn. You spend some time poking around in Barrowcleft and getting some looks from people there. Barrowcleft is more of an insular neighborhood. People from outside the neighborhood don’t tend to come in very often, and they especially don’t tend to come in and ask friendly but pointed questions about guards.
Josie: Right. [laughs]
Rhi: You’re all kind of being eyed with a little suspicion, but you are able to find a tavern that is called… The Tipsy Mushroom.
Minna: Nn…
Josie: Aww!
Kim: Oh gosh. Cute.
Rhi: [laughs] The sign is a mug of ale with an upside-down mushroom floating in it. I’ll toss it to you all. what is it like inside The Tipsy Mushroom as the two of you head in?
Josie: You said it’s kind of like an insular neighborhood, right?
Rhi: Yeah. This is sort of the farming area of the city.
Josie: Right. I feel like this is the sort of bar that, you know, a lot of family people go to; not that they bring their families, but this is not a rough and tumble sort of bar nor is it fancy. This is kind of like, I don’t know, something that in the modern day might be a local chain sort of deal.
Rhi: It’s an Applebee’s, you guys.
Minna: Oh God!
Madge: [coughs laughing]
Josie: Oh man. Okay. I wasn’t going as far as Applebee’s, but yes, let’s do Applebee’s. [laughs]
Rhi: The two of you head in and again are getting a lot of looks because you’re not regulars. Some of the looks are curious, some of them are suspicious, and you have been told that this is where guards who work at some of the big radiant energy farms will come to drink after their shifts. So, you guys can roll whatever you’re gonna roll to see who you can find and what you can learn.
Minna: I feel like the angle here is like, not really giving a reason for being here, just kind of chatting until we find some things that they like to talk about and playing off of that.
Josie: Right.
Minna: It’s 5.
Josie: Yeah, I did not do so well. I got double 2s. I think my pseudo upper class affectation is showing.
Rhi: Yeah. Minx, you just stick out like a sore thumb here. The bartender will give you a drink, but she does not stick around to chat with you. You try to strike up a conversation, they’re like “mm-hmm, that’s nice,” and then turn away and go back to whatever their conversation was. Nobody is willing to engage with you because you look like a fancy-pants. [laughs]
Josie: Yep. I forgot to dress down.
Rhi: Yep. It’s pretty good ale though.
Josie: That’s good at least.
Rhi: Yeah. It’s a mushroom ale, but it’s pretty good. Myra though, you got a 5, right?
Minna: Mm-hmm.
Rhi: You are able to start chatting with a man and a woman sitting at a table near the windows. You are able to start chatting with them a little bit, and they eventually let you pull over a chair and join their conversation. What do you ask them? how do you weasel your way in?
Minna: I think it’s almost more of a “I’m new in the area and I’m wondering what people do for fun around here” kind of thing.
Rhi: Oh, okay. At first you ask “So what’s fun to do around here?” and they’re both just kind of like “uh, this mostly,” but then they kind of talk about how there’s a lot more open spaces here, you can go for walks, the market is really kind of the big thing, the Barrowcleft market, it’s basically just a big, open air farmers market. Then the woman kind of scornfully mentions if you ask Kristov and Laura, the only fun thing to do around here is cards. The other guy rolls his eyes, and they start griping about how their coworkers are gambling their wages away every payday and constantly asking for loans. That’s pretty much what you get, is that there are a couple guards who have a gambling problem. any other questions you want to ask these two about their gambling coworkers?
Minna: What they look like.
Rhi: Over the course of the conversation you’re able to get descriptions of both of them.
Madge: [whispering] Ask if they’re dating each other!
Rhi: All right. Odds they are, evens they’re not.
Madge: [giggles]
Rhi: They are not.
Madge: Aww!
Rhi: I’m sorry. I rolled a 6.
Madge: I’ll write my fanfic.
Rhi: Okay. You’ve got some information about where they hang out, what they look like, what their gambling problems are. Is there any other information anybody wants to gather?
Josie: I can’t really think of anything more.
Rhi: Okay! What are we thinking for the type of score?
Madge: Infiltration, right?
Josie: Yep. Definitely.
Rhi: All right. This is a one die engagement roll.
Minna: Ohh…
Josie: Oh dear.
Madge: Ohh good… This is gonna be fine.
Rhi: I have good news. I rolled a 6.
Minna: [gasps]
Josie: Excellent!
## Score [0:41:32]
Rhi: You all find a vantage point to watch the estate for a while. You basically sit there for an hour watching the guards before you move in and you find where the gaps are. Actually, if you want, we can say that you create a gap. The reason you have such a good entrance is you create a gap by tying two of the guards down in a card game. [laughs]
Josie: Gotcha.
Minna: I love the idea that whoever is doing the card game lets them win for a little bit.
Rhi: Yeah. You pay off the dealer to be like “keep these two here.” Because of that, you now have this advantage where the four of you are able to make it in past the guards and you know that basically when you get around to the side door you have a lot of time to deal with the locks.
Josie: We need time with it anyway, because we want to be able to make a skeleton key for it.
Rhi: Mm-hmm.
Josie: Who’s good at that tinkering?
Minna: Blaire?
Madge: Hi! Oh yeah, Blaire.
Rhi: And Needle. Yeah. You’ve got a dedicated lock pick here now. [laughs]
Minna: Oh, Needle.
Josie: Yeah!
Rhi: The Lurk is actually built for this.
Minna: Oh, you’re right.
Madge: [laughs]
Rhi: All right. Basically, unless you get a critical success, it’s gonna be two separate rolls, one to pick the lock and one to make a—I don’t even know how you would do this—getting a cast of the lock.
Madge: Yeah. I’m thinking like sticking some sort of clay or some such.
Rhi: Or wax or something I think.
Madge: Or wax.
Rhi: Yeah, probably wax, that’s a little easier to work with. Yeah, you will have to make two rolls, one to open the lock, one to get the model of it.
Madge: Okay. Are we gonna be doing Tinker for this one?
Rhi: Yes.
Madge: Cool-cool. So, I got a 4.
Rhi: It takes you longer than you expected, and based on how you all had been watching the guards, in order to spend the time to get the wax mold of the lock it’s gonna be risky. Don’t forget you can push yourself, somebody can aid.
Madge: Yeah. I was about to ask: What does a Devil’s Bargain look like?
Rhi: Oh boy. Devil’s Bargains for Needle. Hmm.
Madge: Kehehe. Who has connections and a rich life to deal with…
Rhi: Yeah. Yeah… There is somebody in this house who will know your face if they see you.
Madge: If they see me. Uh… Let’s go ahead and take that.
Rhi: All right.
Madge: So, all three of those were 1s.
Kim: Nooo!
Rhi: Oh my God.
Josie: Oh no…
[sad and nervous laughter]
Rhi: Okay, here’s what I’m picturing. You pick the lock and ease the door open so that everyone can step inside. Basically, you have the door open, you’re inside this little side entrance hall, and you’re trying to get this wax model of the door, and the rest of the group is watching and keeping an eye on the time. You can hear footsteps getting closer and you just can’t get this wax to work with this lock. You basically just have to roll inside and they shut the door, so you lose the opportunity. You’re not able to get a model or a cast of that lock.
Madge: No…
Rhi: Three seconds after the door closes you hear footsteps come by, stop for a second at the door, and everyone’s just like [inhales] … and then they keep walking.
Madge (as Needle): [exhales]
Minna (as Myra): [exhales]
Josie (as Minx): Blast.
Madge (as Needle): All right. So, I’ve got good news and I’ve got bad news. Which one do you want to hear first?
Kim (as Blaire): Uh, the bad news.
Madge (as Needle): Okay. There’s not gonna be a cast of the lock to work with.
Josie (as Minx): All right…
Madge (as Needle): Good news is, we got in! Yay!
Rhi: [chuckles]
Minna (as Myra): Good job.
Kim (as Blaire): Yay.
Josie: Facepalm. Heh.
Rhi: All right. You all got here pretty late at night. The household is asleep. The way that I am picturing the layout of this is that there is the mansion and then kind of attached to it is the greenhouse where they grow all of their crops. The side door that you came in is fairly close to the greenhouse, but you are gonna have to sneak through a few hallways and rooms to get there.
Josie: I think we should just sneak over there, though.
Rhi: Do you want to do a group Prowl action?
Josie: Sounds good to me.
Multiple: Yeah.
Rhi: Who wants to lead that?
Josie: I can lead it.
Rhi: This is gonna be a risky action. Everybody roll Prowl and tell me what you get, and the highest result is the one that we will use.
Kim: Ooh. Six.
Madge: Three.
Minna: I’m so sorry, dear leader, I got a 2.
Josie: I also got a 2.
Rhi: [laughs] So you’re gonna take 3 stress…
Josie: Geez.
Rhi: …but Blaire got a 6.
Madge: Blaire carrying the weight of the team.
Rhi: [laughing] yep. Good job.
Kim: Woo! For once.
Josie: Well as we know, Blaire is pretty much the brains of this operation.
[laughter]
Kim: Book smart! I never said she had common sense.
Rhi: Tell me how Blaire is able to help everybody sneak across the house better.
Kim: I want it to be something arcane. Maybe she has some kind of stealth potion, or a cloak…
Madge: Blaire casts Pass Without Trace.
Rhi: Yeah. [laughs] I was gonna say, maybe you can look into the ghost field and you can see the echoes of where people walk…
Kim: Yeah~!
Josie: Ooh.
Rhi: …and you can hear creaky floorboards through the echoes.
Kim: It’s very videogamey. Yeah.
Rhi: You know where not to step, so you kind of point out places to avoid to everybody.
Kim: For sure. Yeah. I have my mask on this whole time and I’m just hand signaling everyone, like “yep, this way, here!”
Rhi: Yeah! SO, you all make it through the house without any trouble until you get to a lounge sitting area that’s done up in a very nature theme. There’s a lot of plant imagery, a couple potted plants of actual green plants in here which is very unusual. Set into one wall is a set of double doors made of stained glass, and whatever is on the other side of these doors is glowing. There’s light on the other side. These doors are casting this multicolored light across the room. These doors are also locked.
Josie: These ones would be good to have a mold for.
Madge: Yeah.
Rhi: So, Needle, if you wanna…?
Madge: I’m gonna push myself.
Rhi: You can push yourself and somebody can help you if you want.
Kim: I’d be happy to assist if you would like.
Madge: Yeah. I would love that. … [hums]
Rhi: Oh no.
Madge: Three!
Rhi: Three? Okay. Your options are you can press on by seizing a risky opportunity or withdraw and try a different approach.
Madge: I’m gonna do it again.
Rhi: Okay. I think what happens is you’re working at it and these are really impressive locks. You know, you’ve spent a lot of your time looking at locks, and locks that have been in place for a while have some scratches around them from where people miss with the key and they scrape it up a little bit. These have very few scratches on them. they clearly just put in a new set of locks, and these are top of the line, so they are giving you some serious trouble. But yeah, you can press on with a risky opportunity. What is causing this to be risky is you’re all sort of huddled around the doors and you hear floorboards creaking upstairs as someone is walking around.
Madge: Egh.
Josie: I’m gonna take up a position by the door leading into this room.
Rhi: To ambush just in case?
Josie: Correct.
Rhi: Yeah. All right. Go ahead and try it again.
Madge: Another 3. [laughs]
Rhi: Oh no. As you’re working on this one of your picks slips and hits something…
Madge: No!
Rhi: …and a needle shoots out from the thing and jabs into your hand.
Madge: [yelps] Ah…!
Josie: But you’re safe, because you are Needle!
Madge: I’m immune!
[laughter]
Kim (as Blaire): Are you okay?
Rhi: Unfortunately no, because it’s definitely starting to burn a little bit around there.
Madge (as Needle): Gah.
Rhi: So, you’re either gonna take level 2 harm, Poisoned…
Madge: Whaaat?
Rhi: There’s a burning and then it’s starting to be a numbness spreading through your hand.
Madge: [seethes shakily]
Rhi: Not like totally numb, but that pins and needles feeling.
Madge: [laughs]
Rhi: Every time I say needle now I’m gonna just be wincing a little bit. But you can resist.
Madge: No, I’ll just take it.
Rhi: Okay. You’re gonna be at -1 on anything where you need to basically do both hands.
Madge: The worst~ Okay.
Madge (as Needle): Okay. So, this is new. This system is obviously more advanced than I was anticipating. This is not great. Uh…
Kim (as Blaire): Are you okay?
Madge (as Needle): No. I kind of got poisoned a little bit. Look. Look at my hand.
Josie (as Minx): Oh dear.
Kim (as Blaire): I can help if you want. I might have something on me that’ll help.
Madge (as Needle): Yeah, you wanna kiss it better?
Kim (as Blaire): Uh, I, I mean…
[snickering and giggling]
Madge: She’s giving you a dumb smirk right now.
[laughter]
Kim (as Blaire): That’s not gonna help. I’m talking—Well, I might have some bandages, or I might have herbs, anything…
Madge (as Needle): How about we just press on for right now, huh?
Kim (as Blaire): [weakly] Okay.
Madge (as Needle): Does anyone else want to try picking this lock, because I’m kind of bum right now.
Kim (as Blaire): I can give it a shot. I’m pretty good.
Kim: I would like to roll Tinker.
Rhi: Okay. it’s gonna continue to be risky.
Kim: What does a Devil’s Bargain look like?
Rhi: God. I want it to be… I’m just trying to think of how to formulate this mechanically, but I want it to be something where Blaire is like really flustered and anxious and wanting to impress Needle with this.
Minna: Augh!
Multiple: Aww!
Rhi: I’m just not sure what…
Kim: Right. It becomes obvious that I’m trying to show off?
Rhi: Yeah!
Kim: Nah, that’s not very good. It’s just like, I’m obviously looking to impress here and it shows.
Rhi: Mm-hmm.
Minna: It’s almost like one of your vices has shown up.
Rhi: Yeah. I like that. You’re being deliberately, unnecessarily kind of a showoff right now.
Kim: Okay, 5.
Rhi: I’ll tell you what the consequence is after, but describe to me how you open this lock and do it in such a way that it’s super obvious that you’re showing off.
Kim: I unhook my lock pick from my belt and I kinda twirl it around my finger a couple times.
Madge: Oh no. [giggles]
[laughter]
Kim: I might toss it up into the air and then catch it in the same hand, you know, and then I start picking the lock once I’m done doing sleight of hand tricks with it. [laughs]
Rhi: The complication is just as the lock goes click and is open those footsteps are on the stairs.
Kim: Yikes. Ooh, I just got chills.
Rhi: It doesn’t sound like somebody is rushing down to come and try and get you, it also doesn’t sound like someone is inexpertly sneaking, it just sounds like somebody is unable to sleep and maybe they’re going to get a snack in the kitchen.
Kim: Relatable.
Josie: Mm-hmm.
Rhi: But somebody is awake, and coming down to the same level as you. Blaire pushes open the doors and a light unlike anything that any of you have ever seen before fills the room.
## Outro [0:54:20]
Rhi: Thanks for listening. The Magpies will be back in two weeks. In the meantime, follow us on Twitter at @magpies_pod, and visit our Patreon at patreon.com/magpiespodcast.
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.
Needle 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 [0:55:29]
Kim (as Blaire): Uh… Heh. I don’t know. I guess I’m sometimes the brains of the group. Um…
Rhi: [splutters]
[laughter]
Madge (as Needle): Well, obviously.
Rhi: [coughing]
Madge: You okay over there?!
Rhi: I was drinking water, Kim!
[laughter]
I nearly died~!
[sniffling and laughter]