Transcribed by Tyler (Twitter: @Tyler_MoonSage)

## Intro

Rhi: Welcome back to Duskwall. As always, thank you so much for joining us and for all your support.

One week from today our Kickstarter to fund our next projects goes live. This is something we’ve been working on since last summer, and it is wild to think that pretty soon you’ll all be able to see it. We have some really amazing rewards available including art, stickers, homebrew content, and even the opportunity to help create some NPCs for our next podcast.

We’ve already started thinking about ideas for the setting and characters of Project Bluejay, and we can’t wait to share it with you this fall. Make sure to follow the Kickstarter link in the show notes so you’ll know as soon as it goes live.

Next, Minna is going to tell us about this month’s Featured Charity.

Minna: This month we would like to ask you to support the national Alliance to End Homelessness.

The National Alliance to End Homelessness is a nonpartisan organization committed to preventing and ending homelessness in the United States. They do this through three main types of work: by building knowledge, they use research and data to discover what works to end homelessness; improving policy, they work to educate opinion leaders and policy makers about what works; and creating capacity, they help communities implement solutions through training, technical assistance, and resource development.

If you would like to donate, please go to EndHomelessness.org/help-end-homelessness/support-our-work. Thank you.

Rhi: We’d also like to recommend that you donate to any Asian American support groups in your area. The violence and hate that manifested in Atlanta recently isn’t going to go away. So, if you’re not in those communities, do what you can to donate or boost Asian American voices, not just now, in the wake of a tragedy, but in the months and years ahead. And for our Asian American audience members, we stand with you, and we’ll do what we can to support you too.

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

 

 

## Story Continues [0:02:19]

Rhi: We find the Magpies more or less exactly where we left them, sitting on the couch in Lord Scurlock’s parlor, looking varying degrees of guilty and uncomfortable, their heavily laden packs for a Deathlands expedition sitting at their feet. Tucked away in those packs are the various Relics of Kotar, all three of them. The Magpies have now recovered the Eye, the Hand, and the Heart.

Lord Scurlock is not thrilled about them having these relics, and after some discussion it was decided that the Magpies are going to find a way to destroy the heart. Lord Scurlock has stepped out briefly to find some resources with information on how to destroy a relic like this.

I think the three of you have been sitting here for… you’re not sure how long, there’s not a clock in this room, but long enough that it’s started to get uncomfortable and awkward and just “oh God, how long are we gonna be waiting here?”

Josie: [giggles]

Kim: Are we sitting there alone or is Oskar just hovering around looking at us awkwardly?

Rhi: No, no, Oskar is not in the room.

Kim: Okay.

Rhi: Oskar let you in and was like “he’s waiting for you” and then fled.

Kim: Oh no. [laughs]

Rhi: “Hmm… my uncle is displeased. I don’t want to be anywhere near that. Goodbye!”

[laughter]

Kim: Very wise.

Rhi: “The silver needs to be polished again!”

Kim: Oh, what a good boy.

Rhi: So the three of you are sitting here alone.

Kim (as Blaire): I mean, he doesn’t seem as mad as he could be? Although I could be misreading the situation.

Josie (as Minx): He is rather difficult to read, but perhaps since there is now a task in front of him, that occupies part of his mind?

Kim (as Blaire): Yeah, maybe. Hopefully.

Josie (as Minx): I take it it’s not as simple as simply burning the things.

Kim (as Blaire): You don’t think he’s gonna kill us or anything, do you?

Minna (as Myra): I would certainly hope not.

Josie (as Minx): I don’t think he’s going to kill us, Blaire.

Kim (as Blaire): Okay.

Josie (as Minx): If he were going to do that, I don’t’ see why he would not have done it already, and that’s presuming the capability.

Kim (as Blaire): Hmm. Good point.

Rhi: He’s very capable of killing you.

[laughter]

Josie: Shh!

Kim: He’s extremely capable of killing all three of us.

Rhi: Yeah, he could, without breaking a sweat. So I think at this point the door swings open right as you’re discussing whether or not Scurlock is gonna kill you.

Kim: Oh God. Oh, I hope he didn’t hear any of that. [giggles]

Rhi: Scurlock comes back in only carrying, like, he has a notebook. You kinda thought he was gonna come back with a lot more stuff, like books and big tomes, but he just has a single notebook. He sits back down in his chair and kind of eyes all three of you again with a look of general displeasure. It’s hard to tell… There’s not a huge amount of difference from the look he normally gives all of you.

Kim: Yeah.

Rhi: But he does seem a little more unhappy than normal.

Josie (as Minx): Any luck?

Rhi (as Scurlock): Of a sort. I am not familiar with the rituals that Kotar used to bind his spirit into parts of his body. He was a contemporary around the Cataclysm, but I did not know him personally, I just heard of his research. There were a few who were investigating immortality, how to achieve it. Kotar chose this path.

Josie (as Minx): Seems like the path you chose worked out better.

Rhi (as Scurlock): After the breaking of the world immortality became a lot easier.

Josie (as Minx): I don’t know much about the subject.

Rhi: He just looks back down at his notebook and pages through it a little bit and then shakes his head.

Rhi (as Scurlock): Ultimately these are very powerful relics that I do not know much about. With enough time and study I’m sure that I could figure out how to precisely undo the rituals that created them, but I suspect that you all wish to move a bit faster.

Kim (as Blaire): Yeah.

Josie (as Minx): Not incautiously faster, although I don’t see why not simply burning them to ash wouldn’t do anything.

Rhi: He gives you a patronizing look.

Josie: [laughs]

Rhi (as Scurlock): If it were as simple as throwing them in a fire, relics like this would not survive long enough to be ancient.

Josie (as Minx): Hmm.

Rhi (as Scurlock): No, these will need to be destroyed in a more focused way. As I see it, you have two options before you. The first is Bellweather Crematorium.

Josie (as Minx): Ah…

Minna (as Myra): Oh.

Rhi (as Scurlock): The Spirit Wardens have dedicated a great deal of time, energy, and money into the destruction of artifacts such as this, and they will undoubtedly have devices and processes that will allow you to destroy this object. The other that I can think of is for you to charter a ship, sail out into the depths of the Void Sea, and toss it overboard. It won’t destroy it, but it will remove it from play for I would guess a century or two.

Kim (as Blaire): I mean, a century or two would be good for us. I don’t know… It’s definitely not good for you.

Rhi (as Scurlock): I’m not terribly concerned about it.

Kim (as Blaire): Okay. Well, we do have some contacts in The Docks, and… I feel like going to the Spirit Wardens might be a bad idea for us.

Rhi (as Scurlock): Oh, I was not thinking you would approach the Spirit Wardens directly. I was assuming you would ply your skills for burglary towards breaking and entering.

Minna: [giggles]

Josie (as Minx): Quite. As daunting as that is, putting it in the ocean may be unsafe given a certain aquatically and occult-inclined nemesis we share.

Rhi: He kind of inclines his head, like “yep! Correct!”

[laughter]

Kim: I can’t remember now. Did Setarra ever know that Blaire had artifacts of Kotar? Did she ever share that?

Rhi: No, but if Blaire goes out on the open ocean you’re basically sailing into Setarra’s territory.

Kim: Yeah, and if she found out I had those it would be a problem.

Josie: Mm-hmm.

Josie (as Minx): So I’m inclined to think the crematorium.

Minna (as Myra): I was trying to think if there was anywhere we could take a train to that would be a better place to dispose of it, but I think that would work about as well as the previous hiding places.

Josie (as Minx): There must be other crematoriums, yes? The Spirit Wardens are not only in Duskwall.

Rhi (as Scurlock): You could attempt it, though I am not certain if any crematoriums outside of Duskwall and Imperial City have the kind of equipment that you would need.

Josie (as Minx): Hmm.

Rhi (as Scurlock): The smaller cities tend to ship those things here or to the capital.

Josie (as Minx): Right. There is also the issue that those who desire these artifacts almost certainly have influence among the Spirit Wardens.

Rhi: [laughs] He nods. He’s not like… He’s just like, these are the options that I could think of. You all figure it out. [laughs] That’s very much the attitude.

Josie: Mm-hmm.

Kim: Yeah. I mean, fair enough.

Rhi: I will say, out of character, you are not limited to these two options. If you all can think of another one that you wanna try, go for it. That’s just what I’ve brought to the table.

Josie (as Minx): Would the lightning barrier or similar device have any effect on these? His spirit is bound in there, right? And it harms ghosts?

Rhi (as Scurlock): I don’t think that his spirit is bound in the objects. I think it is bound to them.

Josie (as Minx): So… you’re saying his spirit is likely out there somewhere?

Kim (as Blaire): It can only be brought back when all three are together.

Rhi (as Scurlock): I am not entirely sure where his spirit is. From what I know, he perished during, well… This ritual he undertook to grant himself immortality happened during the Cataclysm, and those who died at that time, their souls, some were able to make it through the gates, others did not . Others may have slipped into cracks between planes. It’s unclear exactly where his spirit is right now, but it is not possessing the artifacts in the more traditional sense that we are accustomed to.

Josie (as Minx): I see. Wait, if he could get beyond the gates when he died, why would he want to come back?

Minna (as Myra): Because some people aren’t content with one life.

Rhi: Yeah, when Minx asks that, for like a second Scurlock suddenly just looks very tired.

Kim: [sympathetic] Oh!

Minna: Aww, buddy.

Rhi: And it goes away after that second, but he shakes his head and is like:

Rhi (as Scurlock): That is a question I do not know the answer to.

Josie (as Minx): Hmm. Well, I am leaning towards the crematorium option. Frankly, for all the Spirit Wardens’ power they are mortal, and I have some tricks from Setarra, but I’d rather not risk her possessing these.

Kim (as Blaire): She can’t know about any of this.

Josie (as Minx): No.

Kim (as Blaire): We have to go to the crematorium.

Rhi: Does Myra have thoughts on this?

Minna: [exhales] God, they’re both awful options… [giggles]

Rhi: [laughs] Yep!

Josie: Mm-hmm. Now, way back at the auction, right, wasn’t one of the auction items Spirit Warden uniforms which are super rare and valuable?

Rhi: You were there to steal Spirit Warden uniforms, which you did and gave them to the Silver Nails.

Kim: Oh yeah.

Josie: Right, so what you’re saying is someone we know has Spirit Warden uniforms.

Rhi: Ord did several months ago.

Kim: Yeah. There’s a chance they may not have it anymore, and if they did there’s no chance that they would hand it over to us, you know?

Rhi: But, you can always ask.

Minna: Yeah, we can always try and broker a deal.

Several: Yeah.

Josie: Regardless, they must know what they’re doing when dealing with the Spirit Wardens.

Rhi: Me suddenly trying to desperately remember why they needed the Spirit Warden uniforms.

[laughter]

Kim: We have transcripts.

Rhi: We do!

Josie: See, the thing is I don’t know if they specified. It was just for something they were doing.

Rhi: Yeah… Yeah, you might be right there.

Josie: So, I think in character Minx says:

Josie (as Minx): I think we may actually know some people to ask about this.

Kim (as Blaire): We do?

Josie (as Minx): Yes, remember that job we did for the Silver Nails?

Kim (as Blaire): Uh… vaguely.

Minna (as Myra): The auction?

Josie (as Minx): Yes, that one.

Minna (as Myra): That might be an option.

Josie (as Minx): So I think we may actually have an in on this one.

Rhi (as Scurlock): You may have uniforms, but behaving as a Spirit Warden is not going to be easy.

Josie (as Minx): Right, but then again it need only be for, what, an hour?

Kim (as Blaire): Hopefully less.

Rhi (as Scurlock): That depends entirely on your skill and how quickly you can find where you need to destroy this object.

Josie (as Minx): Now there’s the matter of storing these until we’re ready to take them. I can’t imagine you’re liable to part with any one of them?

Rhi (as Scurlock): I was going to recommend that you leave one of them here.

Josie (as Minx): Yes.

Rhi (as Scurlock): I understand…

Rhi: And he looks at Myra.

Rhi (as Scurlock): …that you do not trust me with these relics, which is one of the more sensible things to come out of this group.

[restrained giggling]

Rhi (as Scurlock): That said, I am far better suited to protect one or more of them from your Circle of Flame than the three of you are to protect all three of them from the people who are rather determined to gain them.

Josie (as Minx): Yes.

Rhi (as Scurlock): If you leave one here, it will guarantee that they do not get all three.

Kim (as Blaire): We’ll leave the Heart with you until we get a game plan.

Josie (as Minx): Makes sense.

Rhi (as Scurlock): And when you are breaking in, do you intend to keep all three with you?

Josie (as Minx): Uh… oh. I mean, it would be simplest to destroy all three at once. Multiple trips seems unlikely.

Rhi (as Scurlock): Indeed.

Josie (as Minx): Unless we want to play the longer game about this and establish a contact, but…

Kim (as Blaire): I don’t know if that’s gonna happen within the Spirit Wardens.

Josie (as Minx): Yes.

Rhi (as Scurlock): They have no ties outside of their order.

Josie (as Minx): Then I think we need to deliver all three at once.

Rhi: He just nods and will stand an hold out his hand kind of expectantly.

Rhi (as Scurlock): Then I believe you have a great deal of work to do.

Kim: Is he holding out his hand to shake or like “give me the heart” kind of hand?

Rhi: Yeah, hand out, palm up, as in “place the box containing the relic into it.”

Kim: Okay, yeah. In that case, Blaire stands, reaches into her pack, and hands over the box.

Rhi: All right. He kinda hefts it a little and then looks at Blaire.

Rhi (as Scurlock): You understand that what you did with this was incredibly foolhardy.

Kim (as Blaire): I do.

Rhi (as Scurlock): That’s a start.

Rhi: He will take his notebook and exit with the Heart.

Kim: [relieved] Okay.

Josie (as Minx): Well, I think that went rather well, all things considered.

Kim (as Blaire): He didn’t have to help us. That’s something.

Minna (as Myra): Yes. I don’t think I knew what his goals were, and I still don’t, but at least they’re somewhat aligned on this matter.

Josie (as Minx): All right then.

Rhi: Smash cut!

Kim: Yeah.

[laughter]

Rhi: So at this point you do have a little time. You know, you did just come back from a trip in the Deathlands, so you can get home, get your stuff stashed, tend to your wounds and indulge your vices. Did anybody want to do a scene here?

Kim: Hmm… I think I’m okay.

Josie: Sure. Yeah, I kinda want to touch in with Nyryx and Lilac.

Rhi: Yeah, yeah, which makes sense.

Josie: Yeah. I think Minx just asks if she can come over for dinner.

Rhi: Okay.

Josie: Yeah, and I think they have a nice dinner, and her goal here is to—since she’s not keeping secrets anymore—letting them know that she’s about to go do a dangerous thing.

Rhi: Got it. Nyryx doesn’t cook.

[laughter]

Josie: Oh! Then Minx will make dinner.

Rhi: So does—Okay. Okay yeah, I was gonna say, so either Minx is bringing something or Minx is cooking something.

Josie: Yeah. Minx will cook something there.

Rhi: Okay. Which I think Nyryx enjoys, because I think that’s something that doesn’t happen very often, and I think that—

Josie: Minx remembered to bring her own apron. [giggles]

Rhi: [laughs] There is a stretch where Lilac takes over and is asking a lot of questions about what you’re doing and why you’re doing it, in terms of whatever you’re cooking.

Josie: Mm-hmm. Minx will just happily answer the questions.

Rhi: Yeah! So yeah, at what point in this nice evening do you bring it up? Is it during dinner, after dinner?

Josie: I think it’s as dinner is wrapping up, like they’re finishing off their portions.

Rhi: Nyryx is starting to gather dishes and is maybe preparing to stand.

Josie (as Minx): Um… dears?

Rhi (as Nyryx): Yes?

Josie (as Minx): Well, it is still strange to talk about this with you, but you wanted me to share everything. So, I just wanted to let you know that I’m gonna be on a dangerous job probably for the next couple days.

Rhi: Nyryx sets the plates back down and resettles into her chair.

Rhi (as Nyryx): What kind of dangerous job?

Josie (as Minx): [mumbling] Like breaking into the headquarters of the Spirit Wardens sort of dangerous.

Rhi (as Nyryx): What?!

Josie (as Minx): We’re only doing it because the alternative is more dangerous. There’s something mystical that needs to be destroyed, and that’s the only way to do it.

Rhi: Nyryx looks away for a few seconds and shakes her head.

Rhi (as Nyryx): I know I asked for this, to know what’s going on, but sometimes it was easier when I didn’t.

Josie (as Minx): Yeah.

Rhi: Rubs her forehead.

Josie (as Minx): But I’m confident that we will return, but it may involve laying low for a time after the fact. If I’m not able to talk to you for a time, I didn’t want you to be surprised by that.

Rhi (as Nyryx): [shakily] Yes, of course. I appreciate that. I just, that’s… [exhales] That’s quite a long way from picking pockets, huh?

Josie (as Minx): Yes. Things have escalated far beyond what I got into this life for.

Rhi (as Nyryx): Indeed.

Josie (as Minx): And honestly, once a few tasks are done I will need to take a break at the very least. Perhaps finally move in?

Rhi: She looks kind of surprised and glances around. She’s in a fairly nice apartment, but it’s still a studio.

Josie: Uh-huh.

Rhi (as Nyryx): Well, I think we would need a bigger place, if only for your wardrobe.

Josie (as Minx): I have been squirreling some funds away for that purpose.

Rhi: Nyryx has this kind of, like… The only word I can think of is it’s a bitter-sweet sort of expression. She wants to be hopeful, but also you just told her you’re about to go on an incredibly dangerous job. [laughs]

Josie: Mm-hmm. [laughs]

Rhi: So she just kind of smiles a little and nods.

Rhi (as Nyryx): Well, when you come back maybe we can talk about it more.

Josie (as Minx): Yes. Yes. I look forward to it.

Rhi (as Nyryx): Right. Well, in the meantime, why don’t you help us with the dishes?

Josie (as Minx): Of course, dears.

Josie: [laughs]

Kim: They’re so cute.

Josie: Mm-hmm.

Rhi: They’re very cute.

Minna: [emotional whine]

Josie: I actually think I have one more thing I want to do.

Rhi: Oh yeah.

Josie: I think Minx wants to write out a short note explaining why they need to do this and what their plan was with instructions saying that if—and this is to Nyryx—that if she doesn’t hear from her after a week to take this information to the Reconciled about the relics and stuff like that, and including Lord Scurlock helping. So like, if they fail or she’s not able to get back in time, to get the powerfully arcane inclined people on the task.

Rhi: Got it. Yeah, that’s a good idea.

Kim: That’s very good.

Josie: [laughs] Minx is gonna say, like:

Josie (as Minx): You probably don’t want to read it for your peace of mind, in fact I recommend you don’t, but…

Rhi: “If you don’t hear from me in a week…”

Josie: Uh-huh.

Kim: In case of emergency, break glass.

Rhi: Yeah, basically. Nyryx looks very worried but will put it on her little desk.

Rhi (as Nyryx): All right. Well, a week then. If I don’t hear from you… Just make sure I hear from you, okay?

Josie (as Minx): You will.

Rhi: Yeah. She will give you several kisses before sending you on your way.

Josie: [delighted] Mm-hmm. [laughs]

Kim: Aw.

Josie: Mwah.

Rhi: So yeah, you all spend some time kinda recovering, getting your wounds patched up, getting affairs in order, and yeah. What do you wanna do in terms of prepping for this break-in? I know you’d mentioned getting your hands—seeing if you could get your hands on those Spirit Warded uniforms.

Kim: Yeah, we should definitely do that. I feel like we should scope out the place even if that’s kind of dicey to do.

Rhi: Mm-hmm. Yeah, you can investigate. It’s a big place, so you can kinda scope it out just walking around in Charterhall without attracting a ton of suspicion. Getting inside, much harder.

Kim: Maybe finding some schematics, too.

Rhi: That’s gonna be a lot harder.

Kim: Okay.

Rhi: But you could try. Nothing is off the table, just levels of difficulty.

Josie: I think I want to… Well, does Myra want to talk to the Silver Nails or should Minx? It seemed like Myra had a better relationship with them.

Minna: Yeah, I’m super down to talk to the Silver Nails.

Josie: Yeah.

Rhi: Okay. Yeah, let’s start there, because I feel like whether or not you have Spirit Warden uniforms is gonna kinda dictate how the rest of the plan goes, because being able to sneak in disguise is very different than just sneaking in undisguised.

Josie: Right.

Rhi: So yeah, let’s start there. Myra, do you think you try and set up a meeting or do you just show up at The Mustang and ask to see Tuhan?

Minna: I think that this is sufficiently urgent that she would turn up at The Mustang.

Rhi: Okay. Yeah, so you check in with some of the Silver Nails there and, both from the previous work you’ve done with the Silver Nails and your reputation in general, particularly in Six Towers, they know who you are, so somebody actually will show you to a corner table in the bar while somebody else runs off to find Tuhan.

After a little while… in the time that you’re waiting somebody comes over and drops off a pair of drinks, but you don’t have to wait too terribly long before Tuhan comes in. She sits down across the table from you and gives you a nod.

Rhi (as Tuhan): Long time no see.

Minna (as Myra): I know, it’s been too long. How is business?

Rhi (as Tuhan): Ah, we’re doing well enough. Have expanded our holdings a bit outside the lightning barrier.

Minna (as Myra): Oh? Congratulations.

Rhi: She nods.

Rhi (as Tuhan): Ah… I would ask how things are going for you, but uh, well, I think we’ve heard quite a bit about your exploits.

Minna (as Myra): [giggles] Don’t believe everything you hear.

Rhi (as Tuhan): Oh, I hope at least half of it is true. It’s quite inspiring.

Minna (as Myra): [laughs] Thank you.

Rhi (as Tuhan): But I assume this isn’t just a social call to catch up.

Minna (as Myra): No. We’ve come into possession of some dangerous items that we are looking to dispose of, “quietly.” We’re wondering if you still have those Spirit Warden uniforms.

Rhi: [amused] Give me a roll.

Minna: She’s being very honest, so I’m gonna roll a Consort.

Rhi: Yeah! Yeah, this is definitely Consort. Yeah, absolutely.

Minna: Oh my God, that’s a crit, again.

Kim: Nice!

Rhi: So Tuhan kinda narrowed her eyes at you a little bit when you said dangerous items that you’re looking to dispose of, and then is like:

Rhi (as Tuhan): Yeah, we still have them. Used them for a couple things a few months ago and haven’t really put them to much use lately. Are you looking to borrow them?

Minna (as Myra): Yes. We’re happy to pay for the privilege, but hopefully we’ll be able to get them back to you quite quickly.

Rhi (as Tuhan): I think as long as you bring them back in roughly the same condition they were loaned out and you screw over the Spirit Wardens while you’re wearing them, eh… I don’t think payment will be necessary.

Minna (as Myra): Well I’m not going to argue with that.

Rhi: She leans back and picks up her drink.

Rhi (as Tuhan): I don’t know what you’re planning with the uniforms, but if YOU are asking for Spirit Warden uniforms, I am certain that explosions and mayhem will follow, and quite frankly that’s good enough for me.

Minna (as Myra): [laughs] You know us a little too well.

Rhi (as Tuhan): As I said, inspiring.

Rhi: She will reach across the table and clink her glass against yours.

Minna: Yeah, definitely, clinks the glass back.

Rhi: Yeah, I mean hey, you got a crit.

Minna: Uh-huh! [giggles]

Rhi: Yeah, so I think that not only do you get the Spirit Warden uniforms, but the three—because I looked back at the transcript. You all stole four.

Kim: Oh!

Rhi: Yeah. [laughs] I’m glad you mentioned checking the transcript, because I had assumed that it was two, but it’s actually four. So you’re able to get one for each of you, and I think because you got a crit they are not “perfectly” tailored to you, obviously. Minx might have to do a little work on them. You know, you’re gonna be able to get ones that, like… the Spirit Wardens who wore these, there was a fairly short one and a fairly tall one, so they’re all sized pretty well to you already and you’ll only have to do minor modifications to make them look perfect.

Josie: Mm-hmm.

Kim: Perfect.

Rhi: Which is gonna give you… I think I’m gonna say improved effect when you’re trying to visually bluff. If you have to talk, that’s gonna be a different story entirely.

Kim: Yeah.

Rhi: But you know, if you’re trying to just walk somewhere and just are being glanced at, you’re gonna have improved effect. In some cases you might not even need to roll at all, depending on the situation. So yeah. Myra, you talk it out, you arrange a time to pick them up. You can get three Spirit Warden uniforms.

Josie: Yay!

Rhi: Yay.

Kim: Good job.

Rhi: Yeah, and also, once again, Josie, great job on recalling shit from Season 1!

Josie: Eyy!

[laughter]

Kim: Yeah.

Rhi: It’s your superpower. Okay, so what else would you all like to do?

Kim: I would like to have Blaire… I’m trying to decide if I want her to do schematics first or case the joint first. You said schematics would be harder, but it also doesn’t put Blaire in proximity of the building, so I might attempt that first.

Rhi: Yes.

Kim: Probably roll a Study.

Rhi: Yeah. Blaire is the sort of person that in the Spirit Warden break room they have a poster hanging up with Blaire’s face on it that says arrest on sight.

Kim: Oh God.

[laughter]

Rhi: Like, that has been up—

Minna: Spirit Wardens’ most wanted.

Rhi: Yeah.

Kim: Okay. I’m gonna roll now.

Rhi: Well, tell me, where are you going to try to find the schematics?

Kim: Right.

Rhi: Or blueprints.

Kim: Right, because I’m banned from most libraries. But the Reconciled has…? Arana?

Rhi: Arana would not be. The Reconciled would be a better resource.

Kim: All right, so let’s have Blaire hit up the Reconciled and hopefully something comes up.

Rhi: Yeah. You are gonna be at reduced effect for this, just because—

Kim: Oh, do they still not like me?

Rhi: No, it’s not because of the Reconciled, it’s because of the sheer difficulty. The Spirit Wardens are an intensely insular and secretive group, and the sheer difficulty of getting the kind of information you’re looking for is going to just knock your effect level down.

Kim: All right. That’s fair.

Rhi: What are you rolling, by the way? Consort?

Kim: Study?

Rhi: Okay. Yeah, Study, that works.

Kim: Yeah. If you can believe it, my highest out of four dice was a 2.

Rhi: Oof. That is rough.

Kim: Yeah, so all these dice are going to jail.

Rhi: Yeah, and unfortunately with reduced effect that means you get no information.

Kim: Okay.

Rhi: You go to the Reconciled and, you know… I think Karina directs you to—They have their own people who act as archivists, and they just don’t have anything on Bellweather Crematorium. Obviously it’s a place that all of them give a very wide birth as a general rule.

Kim: Oh yeah.

Rhi: And yeah, they’re like “if you find blueprints, we would love a copy, but we don’t have anything.”

Kim: Yeah… well, at least it makes sense within what we’ve established.

Rhi: Yeah. You’re not able to really get any kind of plans to the place, unfortunately. Minx, did you have anything?

Josie: See, the thing is, Minx’s role would probably be figure out how to act like a Spirit Warden, right?

Rhi: Yeah.

Josie: But if their insider information is easy to figure out, they wouldn’t be as powerful as they are. So, I’m trying to think of a way she can study like how to bullshit it?

Rhi: Yeah! I mean… hmm. That’s a good question. Let me look at their faction notes to see who… because I have a couple ideas.

Josie: I want… Basically I’m aiming to study so that we can at least get ourselves in the building.

Rhi: So I think what you could do, one option would be to, how to put this… stalk them. [laughs]

Josie: Uh-huh.

Rhi: A little. Basically just hang out at places. Like, there are certain places in the city where Spirit Warden presence is heavier. They tend to hang out around the Sanctorium, the main cathedral of the Church of Ecstasy. Obviously you can find a lot of them around the crematorium. You could basically just—I’m imagining a montage with a series of disguises, just kind of hang around Spirit Wardens for a few days and really intensely observe their behaviors and how they talk.

Josie: Yeah. Yeah, I wanna do that.

Rhi: Yeah, I think that makes total sense for Minx. And you’re thinking a Study roll?

Josie: Mm-hmm.

Rhi: Yeah.

Josie: I got a 6.

Rhi: Wonderful! Yeah, so you—again, it’s that montage of Minx in a variety of disguises. [laughs]

Josie: [laughs]

Rhi: Just hanging out on street corners or, you know, various places to eavesdrop on Spirit Wardens. I think this is basically gonna get you the same thing that Myra got with the uniforms. You’ll be at improved effect to… It’s not gonna get you everything, because you are just seeing Spirit Wardens out in the world, you’re not seeing necessarily how they behave in the crematorium, but for a lot of the procedural stuff you kind of know how do they talk to each other when they’re entering and exiting the crematorium. So you can kinda get past that first layer of conversation.

Josie: Okay.

Rhi: You’ll have improved effect, or again, may not need to roll at all depending on what it is.

Josie: Mm-hmm.

Rhi: Then yeah, did one or more of you want to scope the place?

Kim: Uh… yeah, yeah. Myra, you can tag along if you want.

Minna: Yeah.

Rhi: I mean Minx could too. All of you could, because Minx is gonna be hanging around there a lot anyway. [laughs]

Josie: Yeah, I mean might as well.

Kim: Okay.

Rhi: Do the rules say you can do a group gather investigation? I don’t know, but I’m gonna allow it!

Josie: Okay. [laughs]

Kim: Cool. I’m okay to lead it if y’all are all right with that. I have the stress to spare.

Josie: Sure.

Rhi: Yeah.

Kim: So what are we rolling? Would it be a Survey?

Josie: Survey, probably?

Rhi: Yeah, probably Survey, and then you do all, because it’s Gather Info, each of you gets a bonus die.

Kim: Yep.

Josie: I’ve got a 2.

Rhi: Oof. [laughs]

Kim: I got a 6.

Minna: That is a 4.

Rhi: Okay. So, Blaire is gonna take 1 point of stress, but the result is a 6. What you are able to observe… It’s a big walled compound in Charterhall. The bell tower, the death bell, stands really, really high up above the rest of the compound, and the walls are high enough that most of the buildings are obscured, but Bellweather Crematorium is also very old, so other buildings that are taller have since been built around it, so you all spend some quality time up on some rooftops.

Josie: [laughs]

Kim: Very good.

Rhi: And you’re able to kind of look down into the compound. Basically what you’re able to discern—I think there’s probably a couple nights of just camping out on a rooftop with some snacks and a spyglass. [laughs]

Kim: So good.

Rhi: And observing. There’s several buildings. There’s obviously the crematorium itself which is pretty easy to identify. It’s the one that, you know, you will see bodies being carried into. There’s the bell tower. There are the rookeries for the crows.

Kim: Oh!

Rhi: Yeah. That’s actually listed in the description as one of the things that they have there.

Kim: Oh cool.

Rhi: Yeah, there’s the rookeries for the crows. And there’s some buildings that you’re guessing are barracks, and then there’s a few buildings that you can’t quite figure out what they are, and you’re also—Blaire, I think you hit on this, because you’ve spent a lot of time down in the catacombs. You head down to check the catacombs underneath and the walls continue down into the catacombs. They just cut off.

Josie: Oh.

Rhi: They go down deep.

Josie: Huh.

Rhi: So there is a substantial underground portion of the complex as well.

Kim: That’s good to know.

Rhi: Yeah. You can ask follow-up questions if there’s any other info you would like to get.

Kim: Yeah. Do we know what the purpose is for them to have underground mappings? Is it just to get around or is there more to it than that?

Rhi: It doesn’t seem like there’s any exit points into the catacombs.

Kim: Hmm.

Rhi: Scurlock had mentioned that they do a lot of research. It’s possible that they have sort of research facilities down there. Maybe it’s more living space. Maybe they have prisoners down there. Like, there’s any number of things they could be doing in the repurposed catacomb tunnels.

Kim: Yeah. Okay.

Rhi: Any other questions from anybody?

Josie: Do we get a sense where the actual crematorium would be?

Rhi: Yes. Yeah.

Josie: Presumably below the tower that lets the smoke out, right?

Rhi: Yes. Yeah. The crematorium is super-easy to spot.

Josie: Okay.

Rhi: Yeah.

Kim: Can we tell from the outside, is the crematorium exactly where we need to go to destroy this?

Rhi: No.

Kim: Okay. All right, so I’m glad that I asked.

Rhi: Yeah. From what Scurlock said—So, the crematorium is meant to dispose of bodies.

Kim: Right.

Rhi: When you die, traditionally, your body is turned over to the Spirit Wardens and then cremated so that your spirit is destroyed and does not escape to become a ghost that will eat someone.

Kim: Mm-hmm.

Rhi: In order to destroy artifacts or just any kind of really powerful arcane things, you need specialized equipment that the crematorium isn’t gonna have.

Kim: So… okay.

Rhi: So you’re gonna have to go looking elsewhere.

Josie: Oh. I thought the whole idea is we “toss it into the fire!”

Rhi: [chuckles]

Kim: So, my next follow-up question is can we tell, just looking from the outside, where the artifact-destroying place is?

Rhi: No.

Kim: Okay.

Rhi: There’s a number of buildings that you can’t really make heads or tails of their purpose. Maybe it’s office for administrative purposes. Maybe it’s weird research places. Maybe it’s workshops where they build hulls. Like… the Spirit Wardens do a lot of stuff, so it’s a little hard to pin down exactly where given things are.

Kim: Okay.

Josie: So we don’t actually know what equipment we need?

Rhi: Nope! [laughs]

Josie: Huh.

Kim: I guess we’ll know it when we see it.

Rhi: [laughing] Yeah.

Minna: I assume it would be apparent once we ran into it.

Rhi: Yeah, you’ll be able to find the thing, you’re just gonna have to, you know, do a little work and exploring in a place that is intensely hostile.

Josie: Uh-huh. All right then.

Kim: [smiling] We deserve these stakes. It’s fine.

Rhi: [giggles] So I think we see the Magpies climbing down off the side of a building after a few hours of nighttime scoping of the crematorium and heading off down the streets. They pass by an alley, and our figurative camera hangs on the alley, and you can just see a shadowed figure standing there, and their eyes glint in the streetlight before they disappear back into the shadows.

Kim: Oh no.

Minna: Uh-oh. That’s not normal.

Rhi: So is there any other prep stuff that you all would like to do at this juncture?

Kim: I don’t think so.

Josie: Um… no.

Rhi: All right, well then let’s do the engagement roll.

Minna: Hmm.

Rhi: First, what do we think the plan is?

Kim & Josie: Um…

Kim: Walk like we belong here?

Rhi: [laughs] Carry a clipboard.

Minna: [simultaneously] Find a clipboard?

[laughter]

Rhi: Listen! Clipboards convey an undeniable amount of power.

Kim: They do. They make you look very official.

Rhi: Yeah. I feel like it’s either Stealth or Social. Or no, sorry, Stealth or Deception.

Josie: I think it’s Deception.

Rhi: Yeah. Now that I’ve said it, yeah. Your method of deception is you’re disguising yourself as Spirit Wardens.

Josie: Yeah.

Rhi: Let’s do the engagement roll. I think it might just be 2d6, take the lowest. [laughs]

Josie: [nervous] Okay!

Rhi: A 2~

Kim: Oh no~ That’s bad.

Minna: Oh boy, this is going to go badly for us.

Rhi: So you’re gonna be starting in a desperate position… So what is your plan? You’re just gonna get in your disguises and try to just walk in?

Kim: I think so.

Rhi: Okay.

 

 

## Score [0:40:31]

Rhi: The three of you, after taking this time to prepare… you get the uniforms, you stop by Scurlock Manor and collect the Heart, head off to Bellweather Crematorium. I think as you’re making your way over you hear the death bell ring and you see the gates open, and a hull-pulled carriage rides out with a couple Spirit Wardens sitting on it.

You walk in through the gates, and basically how I’m picturing this is it’s a big square compound that has an open central area and then there’s several buildings surrounding that central spot. So you walk in. You’re kind of looking around, trying to get your bearings while also trying to look like you belong… and let’s see here. I’m gonna roll to figure out which one of you this is gonna happen to.

You’re walking, and you pass a pair of Spirit Wardens who are just walking in the opposite direction, and one of them glances at the three of you, does a double-take, and reaches out and grabs Blaire by the arm.

Kim: Oh no.

Josie: Oh shit.

Rhi: And kind of yanks you around a little bit to look at your mask.

Rhi (as Warden1): Where did you get that?

Kim (as Blaire): Uh, I… What do you mean where did I get this…? It was, um… in—

Rhi (as Warden1): The one who wore that mask has been missing and presumed dead for ten months. So where did you get that?

Kim (as Blaire): They—

Rhi: Well, you’re gonna need to roll. [laughs]

Josie: Yeah.

Kim: Okay. [laughs]

Rhi: And you are in a desperate position. Other people can jump in and assist.

Josie: Yeah, I’m thinking for a second.

Rhi: Yeah. Just gotta remember, these were black market Spirit Warden uniforms.

Kim: All right, so I’m gonna roll a Sway here.

Rhi: Mm-hmm.

Kim: Which, oh geez, I only have 1 in Sway. All right, that’s fine, whatever.

Rhi: Do you want to push yourself? Do you want to get an assist?

Kim: I don’t know if I’m gonna need to push myself later, so I’m just gonna…

Josie: Um, I’ll assist?

Rhi: Okay, Minx takes a point of stress.

Kim: Okay, that’s a 5.

Rhi: Five. You do it, but there’s a consequence. Tell me what you say.

Kim (as Blaire): So um… they gave it to me before they died. I was with them when they got lost.

Rhi: They shake their head and say:

Rhi (as Warden1): Then where have you been with their mask for all of this time?

Rhi: They are gonna start pulling you towards a building.

Kim: Blaire is just gonna look desperately over her shoulder.

Josie: Yeah, I think Minx is gonna want to intervene, because I’m not just gonna let Blaire get taken away.

Kim: Thank you.

Josie: To us the masks appear largely identical, right?

Rhi: For the most part, yeah.

Kim: But there must be variations enough for this one person to have singled me out.

Rhi: Mm-hmm.

Josie: I think Minx will just try to gently put herself between Blaire and the larger one and simply say:

Josie (as Minx): The mask has simply been repurposed. Perhaps you were not privy to that process, but is that your place to know?

Rhi: [smiling] I like it. I dig it. Give me a roll, and we’ll find out if it is.

Josie: What position and effect am I working with here?

Rhi: What a good question. I assume you’re gonna roll Sway.

Josie: Uh-huh.

Rhi: I don’t know that you’ve necessarily pulled out of desperate yet.

Josie: Mm-hmm.

Rhi: So I think it’s gonna be desperate-standard.

Josie: Desperate-standard, huh?

Rhi: I think so, yeah.

Josie: You know what, at 4d6, I think I’m just gonna roll with it.

Rhi: That’s fair.

Josie: I’m gonna save some stress. Great! That’s a 3.

Rhi: [pained] Ooh! Wow!

Josie: I got three 3s and a 1.

Kim: Oh no!

Minna: Jesus.

Josie: So that’s fun.

Rhi: Huh… I gotta think about this. It’s the worst outcome. I think that basically the person you’re talking to is—it is their job to know this. [laughs]

Josie: Great.

Rhi: So Minx, you say that, and they kind of stop hauling Blaire for a second and cock their head to the side.

Rhi (as Warden1): It is exactly my place, and if you belonged here you would know that.

Rhi: And there’s kind of a crowd of Spirit Wardens closing in around the three of you at this point. Myra, you are drawing slightly less attention than the other two.

Minna: Can I pretend to be one of the Spirit Wardens who’s crowding around to help detain them?

Rhi: To try and just blend into the crowd?

Minna: No, to try and go with them.

Rhi: Yeah, yeah, but to kind of—yeah, be like “I’m not with them.”

Josie: [laughs] Gee, thanks Myra.

Minna: No, I want to be… I want to stick with them but as a, I’m not… I am clearly an actual Spirit Warden.

Josie: Mm-hmm.

Rhi: Yeah! Yeah, you can definitely try that.

Josie: When I was studying them, did I get any hints at all to what the hierarchy looks like?

Rhi: Ooh, good question.

Josie: Like, is there a term I can pull on here? And I can make it a flashback if need be, because I think the only way for us to lie our way in at this point is for me to try to pull rank on him.

Rhi: Yeah…

Josie: Or them, rather.

Rhi: If you do a flashback, I’m gonna say that it’s gonna be a 1 stress flashback.

Josie: Mm-hmm.

Rhi: Yes, you can have overheard a reference to a high rank, and I will let you decide what the title is, because the book doesn’t give any, so you can make that up.

Josie: Um…

Kim: Ooh.

Josie: Well, they use codenames, right?

Rhi: Yeah, to identify individuals.

Josie: Okay, I think her response is going to be:

Josie (as Minx): Well, if you were good at your job and recognizing the masks then surely you recognize the mask of White Crow.

Rhi: Ooh~

Kim: Ooh, that’s cool.

Rhi: [smiling] That’s real cool!

Josie: Yeah!

Rhi: Okay. Let me… We got a couple rolls to resolve here, I just realized. We didn’t have Myra roll for her blend into the crowd.

Minna: Yes. Is that gonna be a Sway? That seems like a Sway.

Rhi: Probably a Sway, yeah. Lots of Sway happening right now. I think, Myra, for you it’s gonna be risky.

Minna: Oh my God.

Rhi: Because the other two have drawn enough attention.

Minna: This is another crit. I swear I’m rolling.

Josie: [laughs]

Kim: Whoa!

Minna: I’m shaking the dice before I roll them.

Rhi: I believe you. Okay, so like… Blaire and Minx, you two kinda lose track of Myra a little bit. She’s just blended into the crowd so well.

Kim: Dang.

Rhi: Myra, as far as anybody else is aware, you have wandered over with the others and are here to help with containing the situation. Good job.

Josie: Yeah!

Rhi: We need somebody who’s  not gonna be under arrest. Minx has just made a very bold gamble and I’m into it. I’m trying to figure out position and effect here. I think it’s gonna be… Because of the flashback and all the eavesdropping, I will bump you to risky.

Josie: Okay.

Rhi: Standard effect.

Josie: I think I’m also gonna use my Subterfuge ability. You may expend your special armor to resist a consequence from suspicion or persuasion, or to push yourself for subterfuge. This might be a bad idea given my results on the die, but I want to push myself for greater effect using that?

Rhi: Okay.

Josie: And roll Sway?

Rhi: I’ll allow it. So it will be risky-greater.

Josie: Six! Yes!

Rhi: Okay.

Kim: Great job.

Rhi: Nice. So, the other Spirit Warden who had kinda gotten all accusatorial backs off immediately.

Josie: [laughs]

Rhi: Lets go of Blaire, is kinda looking between the two of you. The gathered Spirit Wardens have gone from looking at Minx and Blaire suspiciously to looking at this person, like “what did you do?” They back off, hands up, and are like:

Rhi (as Warden1): Apologies, I…

Josie (as Minx): Thank you.

Rhi (as Warden1): I knew the one who wore that mask before, and it was a shock to see it again, but I have acted out of turn and have shown you great disrespect. I apologize.

Josie (as Minx): At least you recognize it as such. You are fortunate we have a task to attend to, so simply continue about your duties.

Rhi: [laughs]

Josie: I think she’s gonna look at the gathered crowd and say:

Josie (as Minx): Surely you all have tasks as well.

[laughter]

Rhi: Yeah. The crowd kinda starts to break up as people are moving back now that there isn’t gonna have to be an arrest.

Kim (as Blaire): Thanks.

Rhi: Myra, you can just kinda drift—I think that Myra drifts back over and the other two of you do not notice until she’ standing there.

Minna: Yes.

Kim (as Blaire): Where did you go?!

Minna (as Myra): I thought that maybe a little subtlety might be needed to get you out of that situation.

Kim (as Blaire): Yeah, but that was like really good.

Minna (as Myra): I’m very good at sneaking at times.

Josie: I think Minx, as she continues to walk, has to visibly keep the demeanor, because she’s like “ooh, authority, I like it.”

[laughter]

Kim (as Blaire): How did you know to pull rank like that? How did you know their ranks?

Josie (as Minx): [hushed] It was a guess.

Rhi: [cackles]

Kim (as Blaire): A guess?

Josie (as Minx): I heard White Crow earlier. I didn’t know what it meant.

Kim (as Blaire): Well, let’s be White Crows I guess.

Josie (as Minx): Yes.

Rhi: Okay. So, you’ve convinced the Spirit Wardens here to back off. They believe that you are “somebody” of importance. You still have to find your way to where you can get to dispose of the artifact. So yeah, what’s your next move here to try and find your way around this place that you are not familiar with but need to act like you are?

Minna: Surprise inspection.

Josie: [laughs]

Minna: We need to be shown to the crematorium immediately.

Rhi: I mean…

Kim: It could work.

Rhi: It’s not the worst plan, honestly.

Minna: [laughing] We’ve already established that we’re an authority. We are holding a clipboard, and that clipboard is Minx.

[laughter]

Rhi: I mean… yeah. If you wanna try to figure out who to approach about it.

Josie: See, that’s the thing. We don’t even know what to ask about.

Kim: Well, maybe we just make sure that all the arcane stuff is up to code?

Minna: Yeah, that they’re operating at peak efficiency in terms of dissolving spirits.

Kim: Yeah, and maybe that could lead us to the “and this is where we destroy artifacts” room.

Rhi: It’s worth a try.

Kim: Yeah.

Josie: Yeah, I suppose it could work.

Rhi: [laughs] Anything could work if the dice cooperate.

Josie: Uh-huh. I guess let’s do it. I don’t have a better idea.

Rhi: Yeah, just lean into this authority that you’ve claimed.

Josie: Mm-hmm.

Minna: We are your team.

Rhi: You have a lot of Spirit Wardens in the area doing things, walking from place to place. There’s not really any recognizable rank insignia that any of you can identify. Like, clearly there’s something with the masks.

Minna: Can I try looking into the ghost field?

Kim: Oh.

Minna: Like maybe there’s a signature in the ghost field or something.

Rhi: Yeah, give it a shot.

Minna: That’s a 5.

Rhi: Okay. What are you looking—Oh, you’re looking for…

Minna: Like, if they’re discernable in the ghost field, basically.

Rhi: Yeah. When you look into the ghost field and you look at Blaire and Minx you can see that the basically featureless identical masks in regular sight in the ghost field have a lot of runes and inscriptions and things on them. What’s interesting is you’ve been around Spirit Wardens and you’ve looked into the ghost field around Spirit Wardens before and you haven’t seen these before.

Minna: Interesting.

Rhi: It’s probably something with the Spirit Warden mask itself that allows you to see these things on other masks.

Minna: Can I… Are they like runes? Like, common arcane runes?

Rhi: I think that’s the consequence, because you got a 5.

Minna: Yeah.

Rhi: You can’t quite make heads or tails out of what they mean.

Minna: I think she actually reaches for Blaire’s sleeve.

Minna (as Myra): You know a little more about these things than I do. Why don’t you try looking at a Spirit Warden mask in the ghost field? It appears they have specific signatures.

Kim (as Blaire): Um… okay.

Kim: So do I have to roll an Attune to take a look?

Rhi: Mm-hmm.

Kim: All right, let’s do that. Okay, that’s a 5.

Rhi: You look into the ghost field. You look at your friends and you see the marks that Myra was talking about, and you look around. I think you all are… You’ve been walking with purpose this whole time, you’re not just standing there looking around. [laughs] You’re acting like you know where you’re going.

You’re approaching a building that a couple Spirit Wardens are coming out of, and one of the Spirit Wardens, as you look at their mask… you don’t understand all of the symbols on there, but you can tell that there are some on there that convey authority and responsibility and guidance, and just from the way they’re arranged and the combination of terms you’re guessing this is somebody in a leadership position.

Kim: Okay.

Rhi: But also as you’re looking in the ghost field, something catches your eye. You look off to the side and there is a building. You can’t, you know, you’re looking in the ghost field, so the building itself is just a faint outline, but inside the building you can see rows and rows of spirit jars containing captured spirits.

Kim: Oh no…

Rhi: And, in a place like this, nothing good is going to happen to those spirits.

Kim: No.

Rhi: They’re probably being held there awaiting destruction. So, you have that temptation to deal with.

Kim: [sadly] Mm-hmm.

Rhi: But, there is somebody in a position of authority heading roughly in your direction.

Kim: Blaire is going to point.

Kim (as Blaire): That one there. They’re the ones that we’re gonna wanna talk to. But uh, there’s something else…

Josie (as Minx): What is it?

Kim (as Blaire): Lots of jars. Probably all headed to second death row.

Minna (as Myra): We knew that was a possibility.

Kim (as Blaire): Yeah, well…

Josie (as Minx): I’m not certain… If we were to free them, they would be unlikely to get out.

Kim (as Blaire): And even if we could we can’t save them all, so… I don’t know. It would feel unfair. I’m just saying, it’s what I saw.

Minna (as Myra): I understand it’s not good, but I think we have to focus on our mission here.

Kim (as Blaire): Yeah.

Josie (as Minx): If all else fails, ghost riot two.

Minna: [laughs]

Kim (as Blaire): [chuckles]

Josie (as Minx): Or is it three at this point?

Rhi: I don’t know.

Minna (as Myra): I think I’ve lost count.

Rhi: Me too.

Minna (as Myra): Which is not a place I expected to be in life.

Kim (as Blaire): There’s always ghost riot two and a half.

Rhi: I think just as that conversation resolves the couple Spirit Wardens who have been heading in your direction get into earshot. The captain… I’m just gonna use that. Or commander actually. The commander says:

Rhi (as commander): I understand that we have been visited by the White Crow. This is most unexpected. I assume you come with word from Imperial City.

Josie: Minx will nod.

Josie (as Minx): Yes, I do, but first the matter of coming unannounced.

Josie: I think she… Here’s a gambit.

Rhi: Uh-huh?

Josie: I think she’s gonna produce one of the boxes, I think probably the one containing the Hand.

Rhi: Okay.

Josie: Because that’s the least dangerous of the three.

Rhi: Mm-hmm.

Josie (as Minx): Show me how you destroy what is in this box.

 

 

## Outro [0:56:56]

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 GMed and produced by Rhi. Follow me on Twitter at @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 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.

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.

 

Next I’d like to thank our exquisite Patreon backers! Randolph Piku, thank you.

 

 

## Blooper [0:58:12]

Rhi: [laughing] Yeah. That has been up since before you joined the Magpies.

Kim: Oh my God. If we find that when breaking in, Blaire would be very flattered I think. [laughs]

Rhi: [giggles] Blaire gently takes the wanted poster down. “I’m gonna frame this in my room.”

Kim (as Blaire): I live so rent-free in these haters’ minds.”

[rising uncontrollable laughter]

Rhi: All right, well… now I have to put it in there somewhere.

Kim: Maybe that’s the stinger.