Transcribed by Michelle Kelly (@Michellicopter)
##Intro
Rhi: Welcome back to Duskwall. As always, thank you so much for joining us. This intro is going to be a little shorter and possibly a little more scattered than usual. For those of you who don’t follow my personal Twitter, I recently bought my first home, which is really weird and really exciting and really stressful. I’m recording this intro earlier than usual because I’m moving this weekend, which by the time you hear this episode, will be last weekend. Time is confusing. This is also why my audio in this intro might sound a little weird; I already packed my regular recording microphone. I sound fine in the episode, don’t worry. Anyway, it’s been a wild ride and I’m really looking forward to getting settled into the new place and getting back into a regular recording schedule.
Speaking of recording, keep an eye on the Magpies Twitter and Patreon for opportunities to submit your questions. Yes, it’s that time again, when we record our end of season Q&A episode. We will be recording that very soon, so if you’ve got questions for us, make sure to watch for those posts. Next, Josie is going to share this month’s call to action.
Josie: Hey, coronavirus sucks. Donate PPE to people and institutions that need them, and also money. Support people where you live, maybe organize a rent strike or something. You can do it. Stay inside.
Rhi: Keep doing what you can to stay safe and take care of yourselves and each other, and keep demanding that our leaders and elected officials do better to ensure that everyone is cared for and supported during this crisis.
Now then, let’s get started, shall we?
##Story continues [00.01.55]
Rhi: So, it’s a foggy kind of rainy and damp mid-afternoon in Duskwall as we find ourselves in Silkshore. Specifically, outside the Red Lamp brothel. Normally, it would be well lit up with people entering and exiting through the very stately front doors, but today there’s only a few lights in a few of the windows. It’s very clearly closed. There are sort of black mourning drapes hanging from some of the windows. And we kinda, you know, cinematically pan through one of those windows to the lounge area on the first floor, which in contrast to the sort of dour exterior is very warm and cosy. There’s a fire crackling in the fireplace, and seated in various armchairs and couches near the fire, sharing a kettle of tea, we see Nyryx and one of her colleagues, a young woman named Golshan and the Magpies. Minx, Myra and Blaire are also seated there. And I think we kind of come in in the midst of Nyryx explaining a situation. And so, she says:
Rhi (as Nyryx): Because Madame Tesslyn didn’t have a will or any heirs, it was kind of unclear what was gonna happen to the business, and, well, none of us wanted to risk new management coming in and making things worse. So, we’ve pooled our money and I’m pretty sure that we have enough to just buy the place outright. Which is kinda terrifying now that I’m saying it out loud.
Rhi: And I think Golshan kind of like, pats her shoulder comfortingly but also looks a little freaked out.
Josie: Minx pats Nyryx’s knee.
Rhi: [laughs] She gives Minx a smile and then kinda looks to the three of you as a group and says:
Rhi (as Nyryx): So, there’s a lot that we still need to figure out, and we could use some help. I know that we don’t really have anything together yet to start working on right now, but we just wanted to see if you’d be able to help. Um, Myra I know you have helped people out with kinda contracts and papers? Is that something you think you’d be able to help us with? Because we don’t really know a lot about buying up property.
Josie (as Minx): Well, we have transferred ownership of a large building before.
Rhi: [laughs] That’s true.
Minna (as Myra): Yes, I can help you with the legal paperwork.
Josie: Minx has her hands to her cheeks and is beaming and she’s like:
Josie (as Minx): Oh, we’re accepting a job from Nyryx! This is so delightful!
Josie: [laughs]
Rhi: And then she kinda looks to Blaire and is like:
Rhi (as Nyryx): And all of the kind of protective wards we had on this place were tied to Tesslyn, so if you’d be able to help with kind of resetting all of those, that would be a big help. Again, don’t—
Kim (as Blaire): I’ll get you the best on the market.
Rhi (as Nyryx): [sighs] Thanks.
Rhi: And I think she kinda glances at Minx and then looks thoughtful for a moment and is like:
Rhi (as Nyryx): Backrubs when I get really overwhelmed and stressed?
Josie (as Minx): Of course, dear.
Rhi and Josie: [laugh]
Rhi: And I think Golshan, who is sitting next to her, kind of like rolls her eyes and is like:
Rhi (as Golshan): That doesn’t help me any.
Josie (as Minx): Listen, anyone who wants one of my patented backrubs can receive one.
Rhi: [laughs]
Rhi (as Golshan): I’m gonna hold you to that.
Rhi: And she kinda, Golshan like, winks at you. So yeah, I think that right now they don’t really have everything that they need to kind of start on either of those big projects, they’re still sort of getting all the paperwork that they need and, you know, I think that there’s gonna have to be some specific, like, wards and things that are purchased. But they just kind of wanted to make sure that you all wanted to help with this. So, I think that you kinda hang out and chat for a little bit, talk about sort of plans. Golshan keeps talking about how Nyryx is gonna be in charge of managing things and Nyryx is like:
Rhi (as Nyryx): No, I’m not gonna be in charge, what are you talking about?
Rhi and Josie: [laugh]
Josie: “I’m just helping, that’s it. I’m just helping.”
Rhi (as Nyryx): I’m just helping to organize administrative things.
Rhi: And she’s like:
Rhi (as Golshan): Yeah, and you’re pretty good at it.
Rhi (as Nyryx): No, I’m not!
[laughter]
Josie: Aww.
Rhi: This has clearly been an ongoing argument. [laughs] That goes back and forth a bit. But I think eventually, you know, you all kind of come up with some plans for sort of like, okay, here’s what next steps need to happen, and agree to meet back up in a few days. And then they’ll see you to the doors and you know, Golshan kind of splits off to go check on some other things, and Nyryx tells you all goodbye, gives Minx a goodbye kiss, and the three of you will head back into Silkshore, where you’re actually spending a bit of time today.
You had several requests for appointments, for people wo wanted to meet with you over here. Nyryx was the first one. And at this point Myra kinda takes the lead and guides everyone over to the offices of the Society for Northern— let me take that again. The Society for Northern Void Sea History.
Minna: Me every time. Why did I do this to us?
Rhi: [laughs] It’s a mouthful, but it’s very good. Yeah, you make your way over there. It’s just in a, um, kind of the society offices are basically the first floor of a townhouse. And what you notice immediately upon coming up the hill towards this street, or towards this building, is that the front window of the society offices is boarded up with plywood. And as you approach the front door, you can see some little shards of broken glass still scattered on the front. Myra, in the note that you’d gotten, Kit had been very vague about why he needs to talk to you, but he did specifically ask for you to bring your friends in, and he said this in quotation marks, “Your specific line of work.” [laughs]
[laughter]
Minna: So sorry, can we run back over, this is like Kit’s house, slash the place where they meet?
Rhi: Mm hmm.
Minna: Okay.
Rhi: Yeah. I think, you know, you knock on the front door and it cracks open a little bit and there is a face peeking out with glasses and nice beard. Then he opens up the door and is like:
Rhi (as Kit): Oh, good, you made it. Hello again, Myra. I assume these are your, uh, friends? Colleagues?
Josie (as Minx): Uh, yes. Let’s go with colleagues. Hello, I am Minx.
Rhi (as Kit): Ah. Pleasure to meet you. Uh…
Kim (as Blaire): I’m Blaire.
Rhi (as Kit): Hello. Er, I’m Kit Sutton. I’m the head of the society here. Come on in.
Rhi: And he will lead you inside and then kinda like stops in the rather small, and now that there’s four of you in it, cramped front foyer. And then he kinda like sighs and is like:
Rhi (as Kit): Well, [sighs] it’s still a bit of a mess, but I think it’s the only room that’s big enough for all of us to meet.
Rhi: And he leads you over into the room that had the windows boarded up, which Myra, you know that this is the room that kinda has a lot of their… its sort of their library slash meeting space. There’s usually a big table or a lot of chairs in here. And when you come in, you can see that the front window has been smashed. It’s just completely shattered. There’s, you know, the glass that was apparently in on the floor has been swept up, but it kinda looks like the place has been tossed. A lot of books have been, like, knocked askew on the shelves, a few are on the floor, furniture’s been shoved out of the way. And he leads you in and kind of turns around and is like:
Rhi (as Kit): So, we’ve been robbed. [sighs]
Josie (as Minx): We had a feeling.
Minna (as Myra): What did they take?
Rhi (as Kit): Uh, yes. Well, uh… the good news, as much as there can be good news in a situation like this, is that I am almost certain who did it. What they took were several rare volumes, first editions, and a few that are… not strictly approved for ownership by the Emperor. One could say.
Minna (as Myra): Banned books.
Rhi (as Kit): Yes, yes. Um… they are valuable to understanding the history of the region, but owning them is technically illegal.
Minna (as Myra): I understand.
Rhi (as Kit): And… well, about a week ago, um, this woman and her guards came to visit. She’s an antiquities dealer who’s visiting from the Imperial City. And she enquired about purchasing some of my rarer tomes, and I said that nothing here was for sale. That it was for the education and benefit of the public, that she was welcome to visit and borrow things and read them here, invited her to our next presentation, which is now going to have to be delayed… in any case, she at the time seemed to accept the rejection very graciously and left, but then a few days ago…
Rhi: He just kind of gestures at the room.
Josie (as Minx): I see. Is it simply a matter of reclaiming what was taken, or further preventative measures?
Rhi (as Kit): At this point I think— well. Ooh. Oh, I hadn’t even thought about that.
Kim (as Blaire): Because we can do both. If you wanna dish out vengeance, we can do that.
Rhi (as Kit): Oh, I don’t— I don’t… vengeance is… I just—[sighs] I want my property back and I don’t want it stolen again. I’m not sure how long she’s planning on being in the city and it would be awfully inconvenient if you all stole the books back only for her to steal them again.
Josie: Well, perhaps we could hold onto the books until she leaves town and then simply return them?
Rhi (as Kit): That… that could work. I may need to visit to borrow one if I need it for notes and my research, but that could work.
Josie (as Minx): Yes. Because we do have some secure locations to keep such a thing. And you would know exactly whose hands they were in and when and where, if you don’t trust us for whatever reason.
Rhi (as Kit): Oh. I mean… well, I don’t know the two of you—
Rhi: And he kind of gestures to Minx and Blaire.
Rhi (as Kit): —very well, but um…
Minna: Are you implying that Kit trusts Myra? [laughs]
Rhi: Well, he’s getting there. He’s like:
Rhi (as Kit): Myra has been a very supportive member of our group and is helping us branch out into further publications. And I, after Myra told me a bit about the work that you all do, I did research, as is my wont, and it seems that we may have very, very radically different approaches to the problem, but I think that we agree that there is a great problem of inequality and oppression and misinformation in our society. And I am attempting to tackle it from one angle, and you are tackling it from a very different angle. But I think that you mean well.
Minna (as Myra): Different paths up the same mountain.
Rhi (as Kit): Yes, that’s a very poetic way of putting it.
Josie (as Minx): Mm hmm. Do you wish us to leave a calling card? Would you like to be known to be under our protection, or…?
Rhi (as Kit): Oh. Um. Hmm. I think perhaps not? Uh, I do try to, the banned booked aside, keep everything here as above-board as possible. And while I do appreciate the work that you are doing, your reputation in some of the, uh, parts of society that I need to appeal to for funding is… less than stellar.
Josie (as Minx): Fair enough. I will figure out another way to be dramatic in our exit.
Rhi: [laughs]
Minna (as Myra): What can you tell us about this person?
Rhi (as Kit): Ah, yes. Her name is Nadra Khuran. She’s originally from Iruvia, but has lived in Imperial City for quite some time. We spent like an hour chatting over tea. It’s really disheartening to think that she would have done this, but I can’t imagine who else would have.
In any event, she works for a trading house that deals mostly in antiquities in Imperial City. She’s in Duskwall for some amount of time looking to make purchases. I believe she’s staying in Nightmarket, from what she said. And that’s… she gave me a specific list of titles that she had heard I owned that she was interested in. I told her, obviously, that they were not for sale. And then those exact tomes, plus a few extras, went missing.
Josie (as Minx): I see.
Rhi (as Kit): Yes. So, it seems to me to be a rather clear line of who would be behind this. If not her, then perhaps someone working with her. And I couldn’t report this to the authorities, because they would ask me what was stolen. And if, in the course of investigating, they turned up my illegal books, that would have done me more harm than good. So…
Josie (as Minx): Fair enough. And is it known in your specialized community that you were in possession of these, or did you only make that known to people who come to ask, like her?
Rhi (as Kit): The first editions are known more publicly that we have those. Researchers will often come here to access our library. The more questionable books, I do not advertise those as much. I keep them locked up in the back.
Rhi: And he kinda gestures towards a door behind him that it’s obvious the lock, the doorknob on it, has just been, like, smashed off. Somebody just kicked the door down.
Rhi (as Kit): I keep them locked up in the back, and I, you know, tend to reserve those for people who I know I can trust. I had not told her about those, so I suspect that they may have gone looking, or she may have gained information some other way. I’m not sure.
Josie (as Minx): I see. So, that should make this pretty cut and dry, then.
Rhi (as Kit): [sighs] I sincerely hope so. I just want to get my library set to rights. This is very depressing.
Rhi: [laughs] He just kind of looks around at his bookshelves very sadly.
Josie (as Minx): And I take it Myra here might have increased privileges to some time if this task is done?
Rhi (as Kit): Oh, um, certainly yes, if you would like. I mean, any of you, if you are interested in historical research, you would be more than welcome to access our libraries and our texts.
Kim (as Blaire): [excited] Really?
Rhi: [laughs]
Rhi (as Kit): Yes.
Minna: [squeals] Blaire! [whispers] She hasn’t had access to a library…
Josie: Aww! [laughs]
Rhi: [laughs]
Kim (as Blaire): No— I— I just wanna make this clear… I’m allowed in your library?
Josie (as Minx): She is banned from every public library and quite a few private ones.
Kim (as Blaire): All the private ones!
Rhi (as Kit): Um…
Josie (as Minx): I see.
Rhi (as Kit): Can I… before I… perhaps I should take this a step back. Before I just say yes, you are welcome here, why were you banned from other libraries?
Kim (as Blaire): I got too into banned books.
[prolonged laughter]
Rhi: Oh my God. Holy shit.
Kim: It’s true!
Rhi: It is! She’s just not saying why they were banned. [laughs]
Rhi (as Kit): Oh. Um, I see. Well, I mean, I can’t exactly fault you for that. So, yes, you would be welcome to visit here. We don’t allow you to take any books off the premises, but—
Kim (as Blaire): Of course not.
Rhi (as Kit): You’d be able to come here and do research.
Kim (as Blaire): Mm hmm. Thank you so much!
Rhi: [laughs] I had forgotten that particular detail of Blaire’s backstory.
Minna: I had not, because I had silently vowed to find Blaire a library to browse.
Rhi: Oh my God.
Kim: Oh my God, a whole new world has just opened up to me. [laughs]
Josie: [laughs]
Rhi: Oh, that’s hilarious. I don’t know how much here is going to be of interest to Blaire, because it’s a pretty narrow focus. [laughs] But…
Josie: There’s books. It’s of interest. [laughs]
Kim: Yup. And trust me, one of these days I’m gonna roll a critical during Gather Info and it’s just gonna be like, “Oh, there’s a demon tome that was hidden behind cobwebs that people had forgotten about!” And yeah.
Rhi: [laughs] Yeah. Oh man, it was just—
Kim: That’s how it’s gonna happen.
Rhi: Yeah. So, yeah, that’s what Kit is kind of able to tell you initially. If you all wanna start Gathering Info, you can ask Kit some more questions or you can kinda head out into the city to start looking for some books.
Josie (as Minx): Yeah, I’m down to start gathering info.
Rhi: Alright.
Josie: Although as they’re leaving, I think Minx has a question for the other Magpies and is like:
Josie (as Minx): So, why are books banned? I understand banning certain weapons, but… in the end, it’s just a book. It’s not going to hurt anyone.
Kim (as Blaire): No, but the information inside of it could.
Minna (as Myra): Knowledge is power. And The Imperium very strictly controls… well, what is known.
Josie (as Minx): Yes, but in the end, only, like, a certain sort of person is even gonna be interested in any given book. Is it really that much of an issue?
Minna (as Myra): Look at what Blaire’s done with her own book knowledge.
[pause]
Josie (as Minx): That…
Kim (as Blaire): [grumbles]
Rhi: [laughs]
Josie (as Minx): That is a fair point.
[laughter]
Rhi: Damn.
Josie (as Minx): You know what? That completely sells me. Anyway—
Kim (as Blaire): Wow!
[laughter]
Kim (as Blaire): Wow, you guys.
Rhi: Roasted.
Josie: [laughs]
Kim (as Blaire): Wow.
Minna (as Myra): I’m just— I’m only pointing out that knowledge does allow you to see things that others do not.
Kim (as Blaire): I was gonna suggest that it was an overabundance of caution and paranoia, but alright, it’s pick on Blaire day!
Minna: [laughs]
Minna (as Myra): I wasn’t picking on you. I admire your knowledge.
Josie (as Minx): I do pick on you a little bit.
Rhi: [laughs]
Kim (as Blaire): Oh, I know you do.
Rhi: That was great. So, where do you all wanna start with Gathering Info? You have a name.
Josie: Well, if she’s an antiquities dealer, I imagine she might be visiting the local antiquities sellers. I think I wanna check in my high society connections to see if there’s, like, any events coming up.
Rhi: Okay.
Josie: Like symposiums, or like, trade shows or an Antiques Roadshow or something.
Rhi: [laughs] Oh my God. I just had a flash of what a Duskwall setting Antiques Roadshow would be. And the number of genuinely haunted objects, of like, “Well this doll belonged to my grandmother.” “Yes, and now your grandmother belongs to the doll. Please take this away.”
[laughter]
Kim: [sings tune] Haunted Doll Watch.
Rhi: Yeah. [laughs]
Josie: But the goal being I wanna pin down something she might go to, so we can hit her place while she’s out.
Rhi: Ah, gotcha, gotcha. Okay, yeah, that makes sense. So, does somebody else wanna go chat with Fitz while Minx is doing that?
Minna: I like Fitz.
Rhi: Okay. Blaire do you have a specific idea for what you wanna do, or do you wanna tag along with Myra?
Kim: I might tag along with Myra… hmm. But I’m wondering if it makes more sense to, you know, cover more ground and do my own thing by, you know, reading a book. As usual.
Rhi: [laughs] You could. Or you could stake out her house. Not her house, but she’s basically doing an Airbnb ting. She’s renting a town home for a long period of time.
Kim: Okay. Yeah, let me do that.
Rhi: Yeah, okay. So let’s then… hmm… let’s start with Minx. And you’re checking in on your high society folks. Finding out about any nerd get-togethers.
Josie: [laughs] I’m rolling Consort there, and I got a 5.
Rhi: 5, okay. So, um, yeah, I think that you ask around. And you have to kind of go, like… I think the immediate circle of people that you hang out with in sort of the noble high society groups, they also are not really the sort of people that would go to these types of events.
Josie: Right.
Rhi: But it’s kind of like, “Oh I have a friend who mentioned something,” or “My brother mentioned something.” I think actually the Church of Ecstasy is having like, a— it’s not an auction. It’s like an exhibition of artifacts and relics and things.
Josie: So this is like, pure showing off your status.
Rhi: Yeah. And like, generally stuff is not openly for sale, but it’s kind of an understood open secret that if you show up with enough money, they are willing to part with things. Because ultimately, if it’s something that they’re putting on display, it’s not that important to them.
Josie: Right.
Rhi: And they would rather have the money. So, that’s coming up in, um, a few days. You know, as usual, a sufficient amount of time for you all to prepare. And it sounds like the kind of thing that, you know, this antiquities dealer would be interested in.
Josie: Okay. Oh, is it invitation only?
Rhi: Yeah. Yeah, it’s gonna be a pretty exclusive sort of thing.
Josie: Interesting. Okay.
Rhi: Yeah, you would probably have to do some deeper digging if you wanted to confirm that she’s on the invite list. That would be a different avenue. But you could do that if you wanted to be, like, extra sure she’s going.
Josie: Yeah. I’m wondering if that’s better if that’s like a set-up action to the score, or as part of the score?
Rhi: Okay.
Josie: But I’m thinking like, if she isn’t invited…
Rhi: Get her an invitation?
Josie: Forging an— yes.
Rhi: [laughs] Yeah. Yeah, I think… yeah. We’ll circle back to that. Because you’ll have to talk to some different people to make that happen. But I think that totally makes sense. Alright, so let’s go to Myra next and your visit with Fitz.
Minna: Alright, so she walks into Fitz’s place.
Rhi: It is, as usual, a scene of organized chaos. And I think it’s been a while since you all have visited. And so, I think when he finally spots you, he does like a visible double take and is like:
Rhi (as Fitz): Wow. Uh… I kind of thought you were dead.
Minna (as Myra): [laughs]
Josie: [laughs]
Minna (as Myra): Don’t you read the newspapers?
Rhi (as Fitz): Uh, I mean sometimes I glance at it when I’m using it to wrap up sculptures. That’s mostly what it’s good for these days. What do you need? I assume that’s the only reason you’re dropping in.
Minna (as Myra): Uh, yes. Um, there is a specific antiques dealer we’re trying to get ahold of, and we thought maybe you would have heard of her.
Rhi: Gimme a roll and let’s find out. [laughs]
Minna: I got a 4.
Rhi: So, are you looking for information about Nadra, or are you trying to find antiquities dealers that she might have talked to?
Minna: Um, I think I wanna know about Nadra.
Rhi: Okay. So, yeah, I think what he tells you is that he has… he’s met with her. He says that sort of what he’s been hearing from a lot of his associates who work in similar fields is that she;s just been like, working the circuit. Like, anybody who might deal in antiquities, she’s been talking to. She’s been very busy out and about in the city.
He did not really have much that she was interested in, because again, he tends to focus on art. She did buy, like, a sculpture from him. Like an Iruvian sculpture. But you know, it was old enough to qualify as an antique but he’s not sure if it’s valuable enough that she picked it up, like, for her trading house she works for, or if it was just something that she liked for herself. What kinda information do you wanna get out of him? So you can kinda ask some follow-up questions specifically about her or her business?
Minna: Like, does she seem to have a specific, like, area of interest? Is there any reason that she’s grabbing so much stuff right now?
Rhi: Oh, okay. So, area of interest, it just seems to be she’s kind of trying to buy up anything that might be valuable for resale in Imperial City, which is where, you know, a lot of the… if you think the upper crust in Duskwall is bad… [laughs]
Minna: Yeah, try Imperial City.
Rhi: But she’s not buying up everything. She actually seems to be focusing on stuff that is pretty high end. She definitely has— she’s asking about a lot of stuff. She is focusing her attention in on stuff that’s either very expensive or stuff that is specifically Iruvian. She seems to be looking to buy Iruvian artifacts that have ended up in Duskwall.
Minna: Do we know the nature of the books that she— I guess they’re probably all sorts, but mostly, you know, not Iruvian?
Rhi: So, most of them would just be— most of the books that were taken, because I think Kit was able to give you a list of what was stolen.
Minna: I imagine, given the focus of the society, it’s probably mostly Skovlan and Akoros.
Rhi: Mostly, yes. But what was interesting was that a few of the kind of first editions and a couple of the banned books did have to do with the formation of the empire and specifically how Iruvia came into the Empire. And the thing with Iruvia, and I think this is something Myra would 100% know, Blaire if she paid attention in history classes would probably know—
Kim: Which she did.
Rhi: Yeah. Minx might not really know this cause of just the, you know, lack of formal education and not a ton of interest in history. But basically when, you know, the Cataclysm happened, the Immortal Emperor appeared, promising to save everyone from the horrors that had been unleashed on the land. And he started kind of pulling the Empire together. And Iruvia was basically, in every way that would matter in this sort of equation, economically and militarily, was pretty much the equal of Akoros.
And what ended up happening was, you know, Iruvia was one of the few nations that elected to join the Empire willingly. Because their leaders at the time did the math and realized that they could hold off Akoros, but Akoros would never stop. And so, eventually they would just be worn down. They would lose the war eventually. And it was just a question of how many people do we want to die before it’s over. So, they just decided to join willingly. And that has granted them privileges that countries like Skovlan don’t get.
They are allowed a fair amount of kind of autonomous rule. They’ve kept a lot of their culture. And like, they’re technically part of the Empire, but everybody knows that they’re mostly just sorta doing their own thing. And there’s always been kind of some rumblings within Iruvian society of wanting to split off from the Empire. It’s never gone anywhere. The people in power benefit from their relationship to The Empire. But there’s always kinda that undercurrent. And it’s the sorta thing where if they decided to leave, it would be a very costly war to bring them back.
So, that’s kinda the situation with Iruvia. And a lot of that information, particularly the… the official history of Iruvia joining the Empire is that, you know, it was this, you know, the wise leaders made this decision for the betterment of both peoples to join The Empire and strengthen it, yadda, yadda, yadda. Some of the books that were stolen have… like, they are accounts from that time and talk about how actually, like, messy and bloody— like, there were assassinations, there were bribes, there was a lot of really, you know… politics. This was the, you know, it was a lot messier than the history books paint it. Than the official histories do. So, some of those books were taken as well.
Josie: I see.
Rhi: Yeah. So I think that, kind of between talking to Fitz and what you got from Kit earlier, you’re kind of able to piece together that she seems to have a particular interest in either stuff that’s very expensive or Iruvian history. So, Blaire.
Kim: Yes.
Rhi: You are staking out the townhouse, right?
Kim: yes. Um, let me… roll Survey.
Rhi: Yeah.
Kim: If I can find that on my sheet. It’s been actual years.
Rhi: Yeah. She’s just got a nice, like, three-story brick townhouse. Fairly new building. Kinda near one of the big market areas.
Kim: Okay, that’s a 4.
Rhi: So, what kind of information do you wanna try and get from your observation of her place?
Kim: I’m basically trying to get an idea of her daily comings and goings so that way, you know, we can scope out routes if we decide to infiltrate. Well, when we decide to infiltrate, I should say.
Rhi: Yeah. I think that you get over there pretty early in the morning, just to make sure. There’s like a little café out in the market area when you can post up and watch her place. And she leaves not super, super early in the morning, but kind of like… if most libraries and, you know, art collectors and things like that, if they mostly open at 9, she leaves at about 9.30.
Kim: Mm hmm.
Rhi: I think what you notice is that she has a pair of guards with her. The guards are also both Iruvian and based on their, like— Blaire, I think that you out of the three of you have probably spent the most time kind of by the embassies. Which isn’t to say you’ve spent a lot of time there, but you did have to go over to the Tycherosi Embassy a couple times as a student, just kinda to get paperwork sorted.
Kim: Right, yeah.
Rhi: So, you recognize that what the guards are wearing is basically the uniform of the guards who are posted at the Iruvian Embassy.
Minna: Mm.
Kim: Oh.
Rhi: Which is weird. [laughs] You know, officially, she is a citizen of the Imperial City. So, it’s a little odd that she’s being escorted around by Iruvian Embassy guards.
Kim: Mm hmm.
Rhi: But, you know, she leaves with two of them at like, 9.30 in the morning, and then seems to be gone, like, all day. You don’t see her come back until probably about 5 o’clock at night. Like, she’s back home for a couple hours, then she will come out again with a different set of guards. Like, it seems like they— which, to you, there’s probably guards stationed inside, keeping an eye on the place. And she’s wearing, you know, party clothes. She’s dressed up to go to a more formal event. And then leaves and then I think, you know, you’ve been there since dawn. I think you probably give up around 10 o’clock at night, where you’re just like, “I have been sitting watching this house for 15 hours.” [laughs]
Kim: Yup.
Rhi: Fortunately, it’s in Nightmarket, so it’s a short walk home and then you can pass out. But basically, it seems like she’s gone all day and then goes out again at night. So, it seems like she’s just out a lot on the day that you observed her. And she did come back, when she came home that day her guards and her were carrying various packages. So, it looks like she’s actively going out and buying up a lot of stuff.
Kim: Yep.
Rhi: That is what you are able to observe. Any other info that anybody would like to gather at this point?
Josie: I have no idea how I would gather knowing if she’s on the guest list or not?
Rhi: You know that it’s being run by the church. If you can talk to somebody who’s going, which I think you would have been able to get the names of some people who are going, you might be able to have them kinda try and find that out on your behalf?
Josie: Sure…
Rhi: Yeah, so I think this would probably be another Consort or Sway.
Josie: Yeah. Like, and I think my angle is I have been wanting to talk to someone from Imperial City.
Rhi: Mm, yeah.
Josie: Five again.
Rhi: Yeah, I think that you are able to find out that she has been invited to this event in a couple days’ time, and your contact asks if you would also, if you want an invitation.
Josie: To allay suspicion, yes.
Rhi: [laughs] And who knows, like, listen. You might be able to use it for a future forgery. Why not?
Josie: Right.
Rhi: Yeah, so yeah, I think you get handed a very nice, elegant invitation with all of the symbols of the Church of Ecstasy on it. I don’t know what those symbols are, I don’t wanna think about it too hard.
Josie: [laughs]
Rhi: But yeah. So, you know that in a couple days’ time, she’s guaranteed, no matter what, to be out of the house at a given time.
Josie: Woo!
Rhi: So, yeah.
Josie: That’s great.
Rhi: Yes. So, I’m guessing this is a stealth score?
Kim: Sounds like it.
Josie: Yes.
Rhi: Yeah. Just a good ol’ classic breaking into a house. How do you want to attempt to get in?
Josie: What is the layout again? It’s just kind of a town home?
Rhi: Yeah, it’s a— I think it’s a, like… so, there’s a particular set of really gorgeous brick townhomes in the neighborhood that my college was in, that they’re all like, they’re individual homes, but it’s kind of all one big brick building that runs together.
Josie: I see.
Rhi: And that’s what I’m picturing. Is that it’s, you know, each individual home is a three-story place, but it’s a, you know, probably like ten or twelve townhomes in this one building.
Josie: Gotcha. And those usually do have, like, a small yard space in back, right?
Rhi: Yeah.
Josie: Yeah. I think this might just be a fuckin’ go in the back sort of situation.
Minna: Mm hmm.
Rhi: Yeah. That is definitely a solid entry point. Okay.
Josie: Don’t take that out of context.
Rhi: [laughs] So, for the Engagement Roll, one for luck. “Is this operation particularly bold or daring?”
Josie: No?
Minna: I guess not, given our usual shit.
Josie: This is pretty standard for us.
Kim: Yeah, this is tame.
Rhi: Yeah, and you have guaranteed that, you know, she’s not gonna be at the house. You’ve taken steps to do that. So, yeah. I think so. “Does the plan’s detail expose a vulnerability of the target or hit them where they’re weakest?” I think the fact that you have arranged for her to be guaran— you’ve ensured that she’s out of the house. It’s gonna give you an advantage there.
Josie: Okey dokey.
Rhi: Friends or contacts have given you insight. Nobody’s interfering… yet.
Josie: Good to know. [laughs]
Rhi: So, this is gonna be a 3d6 Engagement Roll. Oh no.
Josie: Oh.
Kim: That sounds like a 1.
Rhi: It sounds like a 1, 2, 3. [laughs]
Kim: Mm…
Rhi: [laughs]
Josie: Yay.
Rhi: Oh no!
Kim: So, the best we got is a 3?
Rhi: Yeah. Yeah, literally I rolled 3 dice and they came up 1, 2, 3.
Josie: Mm.
Rhi: I think that it’s, you know, the night of this symposium. I think we get a shot of the sanctorium all lit up. People, you know, fine carriages pulling up outside, people in beautiful clothes stepping out. There’s food and drink and music and it’s a great big fancy party. And then we kind of swipe across the city to Nightmarket, to this row of townhouses. And we see The Magpies, geared up, making their way down the alley. You hear, like, raised voices and, you know:
Rhi (as Voice): Hands on your head, don’t move! Put the gun down!
Rhi: And you get closer and you can see—
Josie: I think Minx instinctively raises her hands real quick before realizing it’s not talking to her.
Rhi: [laughs]
Kim: Yeah, Blaire slaps it down.
Rhi: Yeah.
Josie: [laughs]
Rhi: And you all, like, kinda creep a little bit closer, peering out from behind a dumpster or something, and you can see there’s a bunch of Bluecoats, there’s like a Bluecoat paddy wagon in the back alley, there’s a bunch of Bluecoats in the yard of Nadra’s rented home. And there’s lights on in the place, the Bluecoats are moving through the space, and you can see them leading some people out in handcuffs.
Josie (as Minx): I see. Alright dears, new plan. Um… the load includes banned books, correct?
Kim (as Blaire): Correct.
Josie (as Minx): And knowing The Bluecoats, they’re gonna be looting around in there for stuff they can take. As, you know, payment for their services. I say we wait and see if they find the banned books and snatch it from them. On their way out.
Kim (as Blaire): Let them do the work for us.
Josie (as Minx): Yes.
Kim (as Blaire): I like it.
Rhi: I think the first roll that I’m gonna need here is for you all to hide well enough.
Josie: Uh huh. A group Prowl, everyone?
Minna: Yeah.
Kim: Yup. I think so.
Rhi: Yeah. Who is leading that?
Josie: I only have one stress.
Minna: I have none. I can lead.
Josie: Cool.
Rhi: Alright. So, everybody go ahead and make those rolls. These are also— these are desperate, so make sure you mark XP.
Josie: Oh, yay.
Minna: I rolled a 6.
Kim: Oh!
Josie: I got a 2. [laughs]
Kim: Um… I got a 1. That goes in the dice bin.
Minna: So, take two points of stress but we do it without consequence.
Rhi: Yeah. So, Myra, explain how you— you find a great hiding spot and keep— what is the narrow escape that you keep Minx and Blaire form getting caught? Cause I think it’s a situation where they almost get seen and you’re able to cover for them. So, where’s your hideout?
Minna: They’re about to, like, try and dart to the next shadow to try and find a better hiding spot, and I’ve literally just spotted an alcove. And I, like, yoink them back by the scruff of their necks, basically.
Rhi: So, okay. So, the three of you settle in to wait for this to happen. I think you can kind of hear the probably familiar sounds of, you know, people being loaded into this, into the paddy wagon. You can hear the Bluecoats are talking to one of the guards, getting a statement. I’m gonna make a fortune roll to determine what they grab and if they get the stuff that you want.
Okay, so I rolled a 6. What is to your advantage? That they find the stuff and you grab it from them, or that they don’t find the stuff and you can try and get it from the house. What is more advantageous for you? Cause that 6 means, to me, that the situation shakes out in a way that is best for you.
Josie: I think it’s best if they don’t find it and we get to go in and do it anyway.
Minna: Yeah.
Rhi: Okay.
Kim: Agreed.
Minna: But we have to know that they didn’t find it, somehow.
Rhi: I mean, I think, kinda regardless, you were gonna have to go into the house to check.
Minna: Yeah, yeah, makes sense.
Rhi: But this will just, yeah, this will that tell us that it’s actually there. And I think that if they had taken the stuff, the score would have been get into the house, find it’s not there, chase down The Bluecoats…
Josie: [laughs]
Rhi: It would have added an additional layer of complication which now you don’t have to worry about. So, I think that you kinda have to hang out in this alcove for, like, an hour while The Bluecoats collect the criminals, get statements and evidence and then, as predicted, do a little rummaging of their own. They don’t do as much because this is somebody who is pretty highly connected and they can’t get away with it as much.
Josie: Mm hmm.
Kim: Mm.
Rhi: But you know, a few things are gonna walk out the door. Yeah, but eventually after, like— I imagine this is not, like— it’s not a big space, you can’t really sit down, you can’t really walk around, so just kind of that shifting your weight and just waiting in silence. But eventually, you hear the last Bluecoat wagon clatter away down the alley, and then you wait and everything seems to be quiet. Poke your heads out and the alley is empty. Most of the lights in the townhouse are out. There is a light on still up on the second floor. Cause there are guards posted here. But otherwise, things seem to have finally quieted down.
Josie: Can we tell how the previous thieves entered?
Rhi: [laughs] Um, oh man. I think…. I think you can see that there is a— so like, when you creep around to the back door, there’s like a storm cellar or root cellar kinda doors that have a, like, a fresh— cause you know, this is something that’s outside. The weather would normally damage it some. This is, like, a fresh chain and padlock on the storm cellar doors.
Josie: Okay.
Rhi: So, it seems like they tried to go in that way, alerted somebody somehow, and got caught.
Josie: Okay. So let’s not do that.
Rhi: [laughs] Yeah, what is your approach here?
Josie: Um…
Rhi: This is hilarious. These poor fucking guards. [laughs] “Ah, we have the defused the crime. Now we can relax— oh fuck.”
Josie: [laughs] I kinda want to do a window.
Minna: Windows are classics.
Josie: Yeah.
Kim: Yeah. Windows work.
Josie: And also, what Rhi just said kinda gave me an idea.
Minna: Ooh.
Kim: Uh oh.
Rhi: [laughs] Yeah?
Josie: I kinda wanna just be like… [laughs] find the guards and be like, “Listen. Do you really wanna deal with this twice? We’re only after a specific thing.” [laughs]
Rhi: [laughs] Yeah. Yeah.
Josie: Maybe brandish a gun at them at the same time and be like, “Listen.” [laughs]
Rhi: Yeah. I… that’s really good.
Kim: That works.
Rhi: So yeah, so where do you want to— what window do you want to enter? You’ve got basically first, second or third floor. Obviously, you know, it’s gonna be— climbing in the first floor window will not require any rolls, because it’s just opening a window. Second or third you’re gonna have to, you know, do some work to get up there.
Josie: I think the second story one is less likely to have security, so let’s do that.
Rhi: Okay. Yeah, so gonna have to climb up there somehow.
Josie: Yeah. Well, I mean, we have rope and stuff, right?
Rhi: Yeah, I mean, if somebody marks climber’s… what is it?
Josie: Climbing gear.
Rhi: Yeah. How does this game work? [laughs]
Josie: I can do that thing.
Minna: I could feel you reaching for the D&D version.
Rhi: [laughs] Yep. Climber’s kit? Nope. That’s incorrect.
Josie: [laughs]
Minna: Climbing gear.
Josie: Climbing gear, yeah.
Rhi: Yeah, climbing gear. Yeah. Okay, yeah, so if you mark that then yeah, I think you’ll just need to make a roll to get up there safely and quietly.
Josie: Maybe I can lead a group Prowl or something?
Rhi: So yeah, everybody go ahead. I think at this point the situation is back to just risky.
Kim: I got a 4.
Minna: 4.
Rhi: … 5, okay. [laughs] So, you do it but there’s a consequence. So, Minx I think you are first up the rope. And there’s— so, there’s a couple windows on the second floor. One of them has lights on. You obviously don’t wanna go in there, because you’re guessing that’s probably where the guards are at. So, you get the rope up to the other window. You climb up. You, you know, get the window open. And Minx, you climb in through the window and step inside just as the door opens and the light clicks on and one of the guards walks in. It seems you have climbed into her bedroom.
Josie: I see. [laughs]
Rhi: [laughs] So, you’re standing there in front of the window with a rope. She is standing in the doorway with a sword.
Josie: Oh, she is.
Rhi: Yeah, yeah. Not out, just, you know, you both look equally surprised. [laughs] And I think she does in fact go:
Rhi (as Guard): Oh fuck, not again.
Josie: [laughs]
Rhi: And goes to draw— and she’s going to draw her sword. So, you can react-
Josie: I’m going to draw pistol. [laughs]
Minna: This is your chance for a homoerotic swordfight. [laughs]
Rhi: [laughs]
Josie: Oh, right. No, yeah, you’re right. Never mind. I draw my sword.
Minna and Rhi: [laughs]
Kim: There you go.
Rhi: Listen. Thank you, Minna, thank you for picking up what I was putting down. [laughs] Yeah, so Minx draws a sword and… go ahead and roll it. [laughs]
Josie: How gay do I wanna make this?
Rhi: Yes.
Kim: Oh, completely.
Josie: [laughs] Okay. I think I want to… I think I want to engage, but not strike at her. I think Minx is gonna deliberately move into the swords crossed pose.
Rhi: [laughs] Um… yeah, give me some kind of a roll. It does not necessarily have to be Skirmish, because I feel like you’re also flirting.
Josie: Listen, its either Skirmish or Sway and I have four dots in both, so…
Rhi: Yeah, I mean, well, the action you chose is gonna tell me how she responds to it. [laughs] So, take it away.
Josie: Oh, then I’m gonna do it with Sway. [laughs]
Minna: Hell. Yes.
Josie: I wanna make an impression.
Rhi: Yep. Oh my God.
Josie: Cause this is definitely the time to do that, Minx.
Minna: Mm hmm.
Josie: I got a 5. [laughs]
Rhi: You do it, but there’s a consequence. [laughs] So, I think it’s one of those, like, you move in and you lock swords and lock eyes.
Josie: Yes.
Rhi: [laughs] And, uh, I think that there is a moment where it’s like, okay, you both are like, “Ah. We see what’s happening here.”
Josie: Uh huh. [laughs]
Rhi: And then her partner, the other guard, comes in.
Josie: [laughs]
Rhi: And is just like:
Rhi (as Second Guard): What the hell is going— oh shit, are there more of them?
Rhi: I think as, like, Myra’s head is poking up over the window. [laughs]
Josie: [laughs]
Rhi: So, the consequence is that, for the moment, your homoerotic swordfight is being delayed by the presence of another guard and your compatriots.
Josie: God dammit. [laughs]
Rhi: [laughs] So, Myra, you’re climbing into the room. That is the tableau before you. What do you wanna do?
Minna: My heart says throw something at the guard that just came in, but I don’t know why that’s what my heart is saying.
Rhi: Hey… you know, do whatever.
Minna: Just grab the closest thing to hand and like, fucking throw it.
Rhi: Yeah. Go with it.
Minna: Um… what the fuck is… that a Skirmish?
Rhi: Probably, yeah.
Minna: It’s a 5.
Rhi: 5. Okay. So, again, you do it but there’s a consequence. So, I think that you scramble in and, like, grab a vase off of a little table that’s near the window and hurl it at this guy. And he, like, brings an arm up and kind of swats it away, but it still shatters. So, he is injured. Like, the shards of pottery cut up his arm a bit. But it did not take him out of the fight. So basically, you had reduced effect. And uh, [laughs] so Blaire, as you’re the last one coming up the rope, you’ve heard shouting, the sound of swords crossing, and then shattering pottery as you climb into the room.
Josie: [laughs]
Rhi: What do you wanna do?
Kim: [sighs] Is it knife time? Do I throw a knife at someone?
Minna: [excited]
Kim: Blaire’s— Blaire’s not— historically I know how this goes. Blaire’s not a fighty, stabby… but…
Rhi: I mean, if Blaire and Myra take the one guard and Minx takes the other.
Kim: Yeah. Yeah, let me try throwing a knife at the one guard that isn’t engaged with Minx.
Rhi: Yeah.
Kim: It doesn’t matter. 4 and 1.
Rhi: Okay. No, a 4 is, a 4 means you do it.
Kim: Not well!
Rhi: There’s just also a conse— it means there’s a consequence. So, I think what happens is he sees you take out the— you whip out your throwing knife, and he basically does the same and the blades just, like, cross each other. They pass each other in the air. So, you catch him in the shoulder, but you also are gonna get hit.
Kim: That’s fine.
Rhi: I think it’s gonna be… let’s see, this is risky. So, I think it’s gonna be level 2 harm.
Kim: Okay. Level 2, stabbed?
Rhi: Uh, yeah. I think it’s gonna be like, it catches you kind of in the hip. So, anything that’s sort of like climbing or running, you’re gonna be at a penalty on. You can roll to resist it if you’d like to reduce that. Or you can have armor. We always forget about armor. But you can have armor.
Kim: Yeah, you know what? It was Needle who told me about armor, too. So let me mark off armor and put that to level 1.
Rhi: Yeah. So that’ll just be, yeah, instead of it being a pretty bad gash, stab across the hip, you just kind of have a little graze.
Kim: Right.
Rhi: It stings, but it’s not gonna impede you as much. Okay. [laughs] This has turned into… these poor guards. [laughs] They were just, they were— they’ve already had a night.
Josie: [laughs]
Rhi: They’re getting robbed a second time in one night. In five years, this’ll be a great story for them to tell.
Josie: Yes. [laughs]
Rhi: Minx, you are still blade to blade with your guard here.
Josie: I think I want to hold that and try to talk them down from this position.
Rhi: Okay, yeah.
Josie: Minx is gonna say:
Josie (as Minx): Now, dears. As much I would love to continue this dance, it does seem both of our groups are in a bit of a rough spot tonight, and I would hate to mar your beautiful face. Although I can probably finagle a scar to match mine.
Rhi: [laughs]
Josie (as Minx): What— we’re after something very specific, and you can blame it on the previous group. What do you say we all make this an easier night for both of us?
Rhi: Risky position, reduced effect. They are pretty committed to their jobs, so…
Josie: I’m going to push myself to increase effect.
Rhi: Okay.
Josie: And I’m gonna roll Sway.
Rhi: Alright.
Josie: Got a 6.
Rhi: So, I think that the guards both have swords up, are kinda eyeing the situation, and then they sort of look at each other and exchange, just like, that silent communication look. And then the woman doesn’t, like, lower her sword, but her stance relaxes slightly. Where like, she’s still, if you try something, she will be ready to go. But she’s not, like, actively preparing to stab you. And the guy says:
Rhi (as Guard): You’re gonna have to make it worth our while.
Josie: Hmm. Well, I have…
Josie: Shit, I always forget to take stuff out of my stash to have coin on my person.
Rhi: I’ll allow that as a flashback.
Josie: Sure. Yeah.
Josie: I believe 2 coin is worth an off night, what do you say?
Rhi: Are you offering them 2 coin apiece, or 2 coin total?
Josie: Oh. Yeah, that’s a good point. I have 2 coin.
Rhi: Okay. So, you’re offering 1 coin apiece.
Josie: Yes.
Rhi: Which, like, I mean, that’s nothing to sneeze at. One coin is a week’s wages for your average worker. So like, you know, you’re offering them not an insignificant chunk of change.
Josie: Mm hmm.
Josie (as Minx): And how about this. You both keep an eye on me in this room as collateral while my compatriots retrieve the item?
Rhi: I think there’s another one of those, they exchange glances again, and then the woman says:
Rhi (as Guard): I’ll keep an eye on you here and Crow here will keep an eye on the two of them to make sure that you walk off with nothing more than— what are you after? God, why does everyone pick tonight to break in?
Josie (as Minx): Well, it seems the mistress of the manor is absent. She recently came into possession of some books that don’t belong to her.
Rhi (as Guard): [sighs] I knew we shouldn’t have taken… it’s fine. Yeah. Okay. You’re stealing back the books that got stolen. That wasn’t the two of us. That was the other half of the guard detail. She really wanted those books.
Josie (as Minx): I see.
Rhi (as Guard): Yeah.
Josie: I think at that, Minx will back off and do a little flourish with her sword before sheathing it and sitting on the bed. [laughs]
Rhi: Yeah. She will— she doesn’t put the sword away, but she will lower it. And Crow is just sort of like… I think he gives her a very, like, pointed look of like:
Rhi (as Crow): Keep an eye on her.
Rhi (as Guard): I will.
Rhi: And so then he gestures for Myra and Blaire to go out ahead of him.
Josie: I would like to suggest that we don’t check back in with—
Rhi: Mm hmm. [laughs]
Josie: Minx and the guard until after everything else is already done and the other two return.
Minna: Oh, yes.
Kim: That works for me.
Rhi: Okay. So, Myra and Blaire. You basically, like, now this is the kind of now the easiest heist you’ve ever done, because you are being escorted to where the goods are. Crow will— he is also keeping his blade out and he leads you to the, kind of, the end of the hall where there is a door that is locked. He unlocks the door and will walk you upstairs to the attic, which is stuffed with stuff. Arcane— not arcane, um, just various antiquities, and there’s a lot of books, there’s a lot of stuff in crates. And he’s just like:
Rhi (as Crow): Everything’s been put up here. You’re gonna have to do some searching.
Rhi: And then he’ll just kind of gesture for you to have at it.
Kim: Okay.
Minna: Well, we’ve got a list.
Rhi: Yeah, you do have a list of the specific titles that you’re looking for.
Minna: Uh, if we see any books that we’re particularly interested in that are not on the list, he doesn’t have to know.
Kim: Or valuables, since we never make money.
Rhi: [laughs]
Minna: We did only mention that she stole books.
Rhi: Yeah, and they seem to be familiar with the job, so if you try to— there is— I’m not saying it would be impossible for you to lift some books that aren’t on your list—
Minna: You know, why risk it?
Rhi: Yeah, there is a possibility that you would get caught.
Kim: Okay, true.
Rhi: So yeah, you can— this is gonna be a controlled position and you can make whatever rolls you want to start searching the place.
Minna: I’m gonna Study about it.
Rhi: Okay.
Minna: And that’s a 6.
Kim: Nice.
Rhi: So, you’re not gonna get all of them in one go. There’s a lot of books and they’re not necessarily all together. But I think, hang on, let me… Myra, you find two of the books that got stolen. Two of the first editions that are up here.
Minna: Nice.
Rhi: Yes. Blaire?
Kim: I am going to roll a Survey for it.
Rhi: Okay.
Kim: 4?
Rhi: 4, okay.
Kim: The 4s just love me tonight.
Rhi: Yeah. You find one of the books. It’s another one of the first editions. And you keep searching and I think that you’re, like, wandering sort of deeper and deeper into the storage space and eventually Crow is like:
Rhi (as Crow): Hey, come back, you’re— I can’t have you out of sight, come on.
Kim (as Blaire): Oh. Sorry.
Rhi: So, you’ve got three of the books. And at this point, you’ve kinda looked through most of the space. And you don’t see the other three. And the other three are the ones that are specifically kind of related to Iruvia and Iruvian history.
Kim: Mm. So, she’s hiding them.
Minna: Or she gave them to someone else already.
Kim: Mm… that’s a possibility. That’s bad.
Rhi: How do you want to address that?
Kim: Gonna ghost field it. I’m gonna see if I can Arkham Asylum what happened here.
Rhi: Oh. Okay.
Josie: [laughs]
Rhi: Yeah, sure. Yeah, controlled position.
Kim: That’s a 6, 3, 5.
Rhi: Okay, so a 6. Um, so I think this is still gonna be reduced effect because these are not arcane objects that are gonna leave a huge residue in the ghost field.
Kim: Right.
Rhi: So, I think that with a 6 you are able to see kind of some flashback of this space. And you can see basically kind of a time lapse of starting from this space being mostly empty to the door opening and closing over and over again as, you know, people are bringing stuff in. And every so often you will see a woman come in and collect— you’re guessing that this is Nadra.
Kim: Mm hmm.
Rhi: That she comes in and collects a few items and takes them away back down the stairs to the rest of the house. And you do eventually, kind of where Myra found her books, you see that she comes over and collects a couple more books, and then where you found your one she collects one. You can tell on the, like, you’re able to get sort of a ghostly glimpse of the spine of one of them, and the lettering is in the alphabet that they use in Iruvia.
Kim: Okay.
Rhi: They have a different alphabet. And so, she takes those three books and leaves with them. So, it seems like they have been moved somewhere else.
Kim: That stinks. Alright, so yeah, Blaire takes off her spirit mask and relays all that back to Myra.
Minna (as Myra): Alright. Well, let’s take what they’ve got and try and track down the rest. Did you see what direction she went?
Kim: I did see that, right?
Rhi: Uh, just that she went back downstairs.
Kim: Yeah.
Minna: I think she turns to the guard.
Minna (as Myra): Is there any place else that she might keep more sensitive items? Because you haven’t filled our end of the deal, because we’ve only found half of what we’re looking for.
Rhi: Oh… he just kind of— he’s been a pretty stoic dude the whole time. Not hostile, just not really chatting. And he kinda gives you sort of a stone-faced look and is like:
Rhi (as Crow): This is where everything is. If you can’t find your stuff here, then she doesn’t have it.
Minna (as Myra): Oh, but she does.
Rhi: Yeah, you’re gonna have to do something to get him to explain where things are.
Minna: Yeah, can I roll, like, Consort on it?
Rhi: Yeah. This is gonna be reduced effect, cause you are running up against something that he is—
Minna: I’m gonna push myself for increased effect.
Rhi: Okay. Just be extra persuasive. And this, I think, actually is gonna be risky…
Minna: That’s a crit.
Rhi: Okay, Jesus.
Josie: Yay!
Minna: I roll four dice on Consort rolls.
Rhi: That’s fair.
Josie: [laughs]
Rhi: What do you say to try and persuade him here? Cause this is something that he is, under normal circumstances, would not be willing to give up this information. Not even for, you know, the money that you’ve paid.
Minna: I think Myra makes a new promise. She pulls out the lamp with lamp oil and tinder and flint that she has and she says:
Minna (as Myra): I can make this a much bigger mess for you if you want me to. But I think neither of us wants that.
Rhi: Oh. [laughs] Okay. So, I think he kind of looks at the lamp, and I think that it’s a situation where you’re, like…
Minna: She like, starts tilting the lamp like she’s gonna start pouring oil.
Rhi: Mm hmm. I think that you’re far away enough that he can’t just tackle you, and shooting you would get blood all over the artifacts.
Minna: Mm hmm.
Rhi: And risk a bullet in something very valuable. So he, like, glowers at you and just is like:
Rhi (as Crow): Fine. They are downstairs in her quarters, where I will take you so you can continue to steal pieces of our history.
Rhi: And he kinda slams the door open and gestures for you two to go ahead.
Minna (as Myra): Pieces of your history? Do you mean the books themselves were originally Iruvian?
Rhi (as Crow): They weren’t written here.
Minna (as Myra): Then what do you need them for? Rather, what is your interest?
Rhi (as Crow): Iruvia. That is my interest.
Minna (as Myra): Iruvia’s rather a wide concept.
Rhi (as Crow): So is an Empire.
Minna (as Myra): You don’t like The Empire.
Rhi: [laughs] Blank. Just completely blank faces you and just gestures for you to start going downstairs again.
Minna: I think she just tosses over her shoulder:
Minna (as Myra): You know, we’re not much of fans either.
Rhi: Yeah. So, he closes the door and locks it, and is like, uh, I don’t think he says much. He just, you know, will walk the two of your downstairs. And I think he stops outside the door and will point to the paper that I assume Myra has had with the titles on it.
Minna: Mm hmm.
Rhi: And is like:
Rhi (as Crow): Gimme that. I’ll get them. Don’t need you poking around in everything else.
Minna (as Myra): Alright.
Rhi: Uh, yeah, so he will go into the room, closes the door behind him. You did get a critical. [laughs] I was like, “Does he keep his word here?” But I think he does believe that you will burn the house down. So yeah, he’s gone for a couple minutes and then comes back with three books and your paper resting on top of them, and just kind of shoves them towards you.
Minna (as Myra): Thank you.
Rhi (as Crow): Don’t thank me for this.
Minna (as Myra): What’s your name, out of curiosity?
Rhi (as Crow): I don’t believe that I’ll be giving you that. I’ve given you more than I should have.
Minna (as Myra): You know, I’m actually sorry for it.
Rhi (as Crow): Well.
Rhi: And he kinda looks at the books.
Rhi (as Crow): Clearly not that sorry.
Minna: I, Minna, am having a fucking crisis.
Rhi: [laughs]
Minna: I don’t wanna take them!
Josie: [laughs]
Rhi: I will tell you—
Kim: “It belongs in a museum.”
Rhi: I mean, more or less, yeah.
Minna: It belongs with the people it came from, not in an Akorosian museum!
Kim: I know, I know, Indiana Jones has aged poorly. I recognize this.
Rhi and Josie: [laugh]
Minna: I think she’s gonna glance sideways at Blaire, like, “How are you feeling about this?” in her eyes.
Kim: Um, I think Blaire’s just gonna look at you like that, “I dunno,” kinda shrug.
Minna (as Myra): I don’t feel right taking this history from you.
Rhi: Okay, are you like, handing them back?
Minna: Yes. She’s, like, holding them out.
Minna (as Myra): And I don’t think that my client would feel right either.
Rhi: Kinda narrows his eyes at you suspiciously and then will take them back and, you know, kind of tucks them under his arm. Is like:
Rhi (as Crow): Thanks.
Minna (as Myra): Neither of our people started out Akorosian.
Rhi: He kinda shrugs a little and will nod and then kinda jerks his, you know, does that thing where he kinda points with his chin down the hallway and is like:
Rhi (as Crow): You should collect your friend and probably head out the way you came. Knock before you go in.
Rhi: And then he’s gonna go and unlock the door so he can put the books back. And yeah, you two can go and try to collect Minx.
Minna: [laughs] Yes, let’s go find Minx.
Josie: So, what is the scene they walk in on?
Minna: [laughs]
Rhi: That is 100% up to you. I mean, they knock, they were warned to knock, so…
Josie: [laughs] I— I kind of imagine… I don’t think action has been going on in there, but I think you, like, hear laughter and stuff and when the door is opened they’re kind of sitting next to each other on the bed laughing at their conversation, and Minx has somehow acquired a cup of tea.
Rhi: [laughs] Yeah.
Kim: Oh my God, of course.
Josie: [laughs]
Rhi (as Guard): Oh, uh, oh! Uh…
Rhi: And she like, she’s put her sword down. She scrambles to her feet and grabs her sword and is like:
Rhi (as Guard): [clears throat] Uh, everything good? Done? Every— yep. Mm hmm.
Josie (as Minx): Looks like it.
Rhi (as Guard): Okay. I guess you should probably go back out the window.
Josie (as Minx): [sighs] Wouldn’t be the first time I’ve left a lady’s room this way.
Rhi: [laughs]
Kim (as Blaire): Wow…
Rhi (as Guard): Uh yeah, well, this was a… much better break-in than the first one, I suppose.
Josie (as Minx): We endeavor to have some class.
Rhi: And she kinda like will glance at Blaire and Myra and kinda give them a nod, and then will lean in to Minx and be like:
Rhi (as Guard): Uh, yeah, I mean, if you wanna, you know, pick up this conversation another time… I’m kinda gonna be on this detail for a couple weeks, but after that if you just stop by the embassy and ask for Shawti, uh, you know, I’ll see if I’m free.
Josie (as Minx): Of course, dear.
Josie: Wink. [laughs]
Rhi: Yep. [laughs] She winks back and then yeah, the three of you can go on out the window. [laughs]
Josie: Yay!
Rhi: Collect your gear and go about your business.
Josie: [laughs]
Josie (as Minx): So, you managed to find everything?
Minna (as Myra): We found everything. We only took three of the books with us, though. Kit will understand.
Josie (as Minx): Oh, historians.
Rhi: [laughs] So, I think you, you know, couple of days later, return to the Historical Society. I think Kit is outside supervising the installation of a new window. He’s not really being— I think he’s doing that thing where he’s asking a lot of questions and the construction workers are flatly ignoring him because he has no idea what he’s talking about. [laughs] Because he’s never built anything with a hammer in his life.
Minna: Why is Kit so relatable? I love him. I know I made him up, but I love him.
Rhi: [laughs] So, he sees the three of you coming and is like:
Rhi (as Kit): Oh, oh, hello! Um, come on in. We can talk about… uh… things. Inside.
Rhi: [laughs] And he will actually lead you, I think, into the back office he had gestured to earlier, which I think is like, his office. It’s a little further away from all the hammering. Also, not really anywhere to sit. But you know, it’s fine. So yeah, he leads you all back in there and is like:
Rhi (as Kit): Um, so, how did it go?
Minna (as Myra): So, I have good news and bad news.
Rhi (as Kit): Okay…
Minna (as Myra): I got the three, the three books relating to Akorosian history. Well, North Sea history. The Iruvian books, we did not bring back.
Rhi (as Kit): Okay.
Minna (as Myra): The people who stole them are Iruvians themselves and seem to view it as reclaiming stolen history. And it didn’t, honestly, seem right if— I mean, I can make some kind of reparation to you if… for the loss of the books. But it didn’t seem right to take them.
Rhi (as Kit): Yes… uh… hmm. Well, I am— I can’t argue with your logic there. I obviously did not want records of our history here to be stolen from me, so I can’t argue with that. It is disappointing to not have access to those, they were very useful tomes and unique perspectives, but uh—
Minna (as Myra): Who knows, maybe you could make a couple of friends in Imperial City.
Rhi (as Kit): [laughs] Oh, that would quite a trip. But perhaps. In any event, well, thank you for securing the three that you were able to get. And I think once they have departed, we can have those returned. Um… payment! Right!
Minna: [laughs]
Rhi: And he like, leans over and there’s a safe kind of tucked under his desk. And he leans over and opens up and he’ll pull out the money for you and be like:
Rhi (as Kit): This isn’t much, but hopefully it will make up for any trouble you might have had in getting these back.
Minna (as Myra): Thank you.
Rhi (as Kit): And yes, as I said, the, you know, Historical Society is open to all three of you whenever you would like. I’d be more than happy to have you here.
Minna (as Myra): Glad to hear it.
Rhi: Picturing Blaire just, like, sling-shotting herself at the nearest bookshelf. [laughs]
Kim: Oh, she is so excited.
Rhi: [laughs] Blaire does not notice that they have been paid because her nose is already in a book.
Kim: Who wants the over under on how long it takes for her to get thrown out?
Rhi: Oh… [laughs]
Josie: [laughs]
Rhi: Kit is a very patient man, but eventually…
Kim: Yup.
##Outro [01.16.15]
Rhi: Thanks for listening. The Magpies will be back in two weeks. In the meantime, follow us on Twitter @magpies_pod and visit our Patreon at patreon.com/magpiespodcast.
The Magpies podcast is GMed and produced by Rhi. Follow me on Twitter @rhiannon42 and check out rpgskillcheck.net for my copy editing and accessibility freelance site.
Blaire Culhane is played by Kim Kogut. Follow her on Twitter @kimdianajones.
Minx is played by Josie. Follow her on Twitter @DragonGirlJosie and watch her art streams at picarto.tv/DragonGirlJosie.
Myra Keel is played by Minna. Follow her on Twitter @mynaminnarr.
The opening and closing theme music is from ‘Trio for Piano, Violin and Viola’ by Kevin MacLeod 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 [01.17.28]
Minna: Thanks, I did research.
Rhi: Yeah. [laughs]
[laughter]
Kim: Of course you did! Yeah.
Josie: It’s abbreviated to SNVSH [pronounced ‘sniv-ish’]
[laughter]
Rhi: I’m picturing the t-shirts.
Josie: [laughs]
Kim: “I went to Duskwall and all I got was this awful tunic”.
Rhi: [laughs] I’m just picturing, you know 100 years in the future when they’re having academic conferences, the SNVSH-Con.
Josie: [laughs]