Transcribed by Tyler (Twitter: @Tyler_MoonSage)

## Intro

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

We got some really lovely, kind reviews in December and they absolutely brightened our holiday season. If you haven’t left a review yet, please consider doing so. Reviews make us really happy and they help new people find the show, which also makes us happy.

You can continue to support us in the usual places by backing us on Patreon, where you can get all kinds of cool behind the scenes and secret archive content including the magpies Quill blog which features posts like Minx’s Fashion Folio, Blaire’s Guide to the Deathlands, and Myra’s Historical Research. This month I think Minna is writing a Sherlock Holmes AU set in Duskwall, which is just awesome, I can’t wait to see it. You can get all that content and so much more for just $2 per month.

If you can’t commit to a monthly payment, you can also buy a Magpies pin from our Shapeways store. All profits from the store go to our charity of the month.

Before I get into the other announcements I do have a content warning for this episode. This episode includes the off-screen death of a teenager and the on-screen attendance at the funeral for that teenager. If you need you, you can safely skip over that section without missing the main plot of the episode. The specific timestamps are in the show notes.

{Transcriber’s Note: Discussion of death begins at 11:15; funeral begins at 15:35 and ends at 24:00. The transcript contains markers at these times.}

Now, those other announcements.

First, in case you missed it last episode, I’m working on launching a second podcast. It’s called Aid Another, and it’s an advice show for RPG characters. People will write in-character letters as their PCs or NPCs asking for advice on a problem that their character is facing, then each episode a guest host and I will answer a few of those letters. I’ve gotten a number of letters already and I’m really excited to start recording this week, but I need more letters to keep recording. I’d especially love to get some from Blades in the Dark games. If you’re interested, check out the show notes for a link to the submission guidelines.

I was also a guest GM on She’s a Super Geek for their episodes of Descent into Midnight which are airing this month. Descent into Midnight is a game in which players are aquatic creatures on an alien world where psionics and bioengineering define society. The game is about community and corruption and friendship, and the stories always end up being incredibly creative and emotional. I was asked to GM the game because I’m the accessibility consultant for the published version which is going to be on Kickstarter next month. You’ll be hearing me talk a lot about Descent into Midnight when the Kickstarter launches, but if you’re interested in learning more now, go check out the first part of the series by following the link in the show notes.

Next, Josie is going to tell us about this month’s Featured Charities.

Josie: Hi Magpies lovelies. Two things for Featured Charity this time. Obviously, the Australian wildfires are insane, there’s tons of charities for those… donate to that, that’s top priority right now. There’s so many people without their homes. But also, I just wanted to plug individual trans fundraisers again, because I am not super happy with most trans charities right now. So, please check in with your trans friends, find trans people to follow, send them money, look out for their fundraisers. So many of my trans friends are still in poverty and not seeing jack of shit from most charity organizations. So, #TransCrowdFund, anything like that. Whenever I see a trans person with a fundraiser up I try and retweet it, so follow me on Twitter if you need help finding stuff. Yeah, that’s my push for Featured Charity this month. Thanks.

Rhi: 2020 has not gotten off to a great start around the world. There is the looming threat of yet another war, climate change fueled disasters, to say nothing of the ongoing humanitarian crises in the United States and elsewhere. Compassion fatigue is a real thing. It is exhausting to be bombarded with so much terrible in the world and to hear the calls for everyone to step up and fix everything. It’s overwhelming, and sometimes it can be disempowering, because no one person can fix everything. So, if it’s getting to be too much it’s okay to narrow your focus for a bit.

Find a few things to focus your energy or your money on, for the week or for the month. Burn out and despair don’t help anyone. We’ve got a long, hard fight ahead of us on a lot of fronts. It’s okay to give yourself a break when you need it, just don’t give up.

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

 

 

## Story Continues [0:05:41]

Rhi: A handful of days after The Magpies have returned from their brief trip outside of Duskwall to the city of Whitehollow we find them, still I think a bit battered and bruised after their successful, narrowly successful, train heist to recover the Hand of Kotar, back at The Hound’s Paw. I think that it is mid-afternoon, so it’s kind of a slow period between the folks who come in around lunch time and then the evening crowd, so not a lot of people there. That means Rigney is free to have been basically, politely pepper you with questions about Whitehollow. Like a lot of people in Duskwall he’s never left the city, so he was very curious about your trip. I’ll leave it up to all of you how many details you gave him about the less pleasant parts of your adventure.

Josie: [chuckling] Mm-hmm.

Rhi: But I think as you all are wrapping up whatever version of the story you’re telling him he comes over with a fresh round of drinks for all of you and tucks his tray under his arm.

Rhi (as Rigney): Well, it sounds like you all had quite a time. I hope it was worth all the trouble.

Josie (as Minx): Yes, it was quite a ride, as they say.

Minna: [laughs]

Kim (as Blaire): But it was definitely worth the trouble.

Rhi: [laughs]

Rhi (as Rigney): Well, I know you weren’t gone too long, but you missed a bit of excitement around here. I mean, I don’t know, some of this you might have heard already. I haven’t seen you for a bit, so I haven’t been able to fill you in on all the gossip.

Josie (as Minx): [smiling] Did someone say gossip?

[laughter]

Kim (as Blaire): Rigney, you should know by now you shouldn’t say the G word around Minx.

Rhi (as Rigney): Well, let’s see. I had some visitors from the Inspectors asking about you. They’re much politer than the Bluecoats.

Rhi: He kind of gestures to the untrashed state of his bar.

Kim: Aw.

Rhi (as Rigney): There was one guy with them, I think that one you’ve maybe worked with before, Severin?

Josie (as Minx): Oh!

Rhi (as Rigney): They weren’t as thorough in questioning as they normally were. He seemed to be kind of trying to steer them off your scent, so…

Kim (as Blaire): Well that’s good.

Josie (as Minx): That’s very courteous.

Rhi (as Rigney): Oh. Something went down just a couple days ago, I think not long after you left, with the Dimmer Sisters.

Kim (as Blaire): What, really?

Josie (as Minx): Oh?

Rhi (as Rigney): Somebody sent assassins after them?

Minna (as Myra): What?!

Josie (as Minx): Oh!

Rhi (as Rigney): Yeah. Well, I mean, it didn’t work.

Minna (as Myra): Did they die?

Rhi (as Rigney): Yeah, the assassins did.

Minna (as Myra): Yup, that’s about what you’d expect.

Rhi (as Rigney): Everybody found out about the assassination when the bodies were found hanging outside the fence.

Josie (as Minx): Oh dear.

Rhi (as Rigney): Apparently already drained of their spirits, so…

Kim (as Blaire): God, that’s vicious.

Rhi (as Rigney): Pretty nasty, nasty piece of work. Let’s see, what else…

Rhi: He drums his fingers on his tray as he’s thinking.

Rhi (as Rigney): Oh, uh, you heard much about what’s going on in The Docks?

Minna (as Myra): No?

Josie (as Minx): Not anything besides a small kerfuffle.

Rhi (as Rigney): Well, the Lampblacks haven’t been holding their territory too well, lost a lot of people recently, and rumor is that the guy in charge is thinking about just pulling out entirely, out of The Docks.

Josie (as Minx): That’s bad.

Rhi (as Rigney): Yeah. There’s… well, he might not have a choice. There’s also some rumors going around that some of the Lampblacks aren’t too happy with his leadership, that he hasn’t, you know… A lot of people have died, him trying to expand out that far, and there’s rumors floating around about a coup.

Josie (as Minx): Heavens.

Rhi (as Rigney): Yeah.

Josie (as Minx): And it seemed that it was on the up for them once they moved in.

Rhi (as Rigney): Yeah, well, whoever else is trying to get control of that territory seems to be pushing back pretty hard.

Josie (as Minx): I see.

Rhi (as Rigney): Hmm…

Rhi: He looks thoughtful.

Rhi (as Rigney): That’s kinda the big stuff that I know about. I don’t know. Otherwise things have been business as usual. A bit quieter without you all coming around all the time.

Josie: [chuckles]

Rhi: He smiles at you and winks.

Josie (as Minx): But that is good to hear, Rigney.

Rhi: At this point the door to the bar opens, and Briggs comes in with Mallory, his guide dog.

Kim: [gasps]

Rhi: Briggs is one of—old friend of Minx from her misspent youth.

Josie: Yes. [laughs]

Rhi: [laughs] Yeah. He works—He runs a stall in the Charhollow Market. He’s an information broker. He kinda steps inside and pauses.

Rhi (as Briggs): This The Hound’s Paw?

Minna (as Myra): Yeah!

Josie (as Minx): Yes. Hello, Briggs.

Rhi (as Briggs): Oh! Heh, good.

Josie (as Minx): [chuckles]

Rhi (as Briggs): And I made it here at a good time.

Rhi: I think Rigney will go over and offer him his arm and walk him over to your table and get him a chair. He thanks Rigney and then is like:

Rhi (as Briggs): I heard that you all had left town for a bit. Glad to hear it wasn’t permanent.

Josie (as Minx): Just a brief holiday.

Kim (as Blaire): Had to take care of some business outside of town, that’s all.

 

## Content Warning: Discussion of death [0:11:15] Browse these tags to skip over this and similar content.

 

Rhi (as Briggs): Huh.

Rhi: He kind of frowns. It looks like he’s sort of struggling for words.

Josie (as Minx): Is something the matter?

Rhi (as Briggs): Uh, yes, I’m afraid this isn’t a very happy social call. You all remember a girl named Teagan?

Minna (as Myra): Yes?

Josie (as Minx): Yes.

Rhi (as Briggs): [sighs] Well, um…

Rhi: Briggs kind of pauses again.

Rhi (as Briggs): I’m afraid I’ve been sent to ask if you would, um, well, come to her funeral.

Minna (as Myra): [disbelieving] What?

Josie (as Minx): [confused] What?

Kim (as Blaire): [sadly] What happened?

Rhi: Rigney doesn’t know who this girl is, and he also looks kind of shocked and sad. Briggs just shakes his head.

Rhi (as Briggs): She, ugh… She got picked up by the Bluecoats for questioning. They held her until her fathers paid the bribe, but that pretty much wiped out the money they had. She lost her job, because she got arrested, and… she went back to that fucking clinic.

Minna (as Myra): [heavy sigh]

Josie (as Minx): Heavens.

Minna (as Myra): We’re going after Hagen. He can’t keep doing this.

Kim (as Blaire): No, hang on… It wasn’t because of us, was it? She wasn’t pulled into questioning because of us?!

Rhi: He doesn’t say anything. He just looks down.

Minna (as Myra): We’re going after Hagen.

Josie (as Minx): Yes.

Minna (as Myra): We can’t let this stand.

Kim (as Blaire): [tearful] Do you know? Do you know…?

Rhi (as Briggs): The Bluecoats were asking around a lot of places where people are friendly to you. I don’t know for sure what they asked her, but they’ve been looking for you.

Kim (as Blaire): And they… they went after Teagan.

Rhi: Briggs just again kind of looks down.

Kim (as Blaire): [weakly] This is our fault, guys.

Rhi (as Briggs): No. No. It is not your fault—

Kim (as Blaire): The Bluecoats wouldn’t have pulled her into questioning if she hadn’t been helping us!

Minna (as Myra): She would have gone back to Hagen sooner if we hadn’t been helping her. There was very little we could have done to stop this, except… I don’t know.

Rhi (as Briggs): You either take down the Bluecoats, which, well, that would be nice, but it might be a tall order for the three of you, or…

Rhi: He gestures towards Myra.

Rhi (as Briggs): …like she said, you get rid of that clinic.

Minna (as Myra): We should have done it sooner. We’ve left it standing for too long. We should have burned it down when we had the chance.

Josie (as Minx): [hesitantly] I agree, but… I would never have thought to have heard that suggestion from you, Myra.

Minna (as Myra): What that man does there is evil. He prays on the poor of the city for his own experimentation to help the rich who can afford the medicines he makes. He makes them sick just to find out how to make them better.

Josie (as Minx): Yes, it is—

Minna (as Myra): People go to him over and over and over again and sacrifice their health because they don’t have anything better.

Josie: Minx is kind of leaning back in her chair a bit, her eyes wide, because it’s like wait, this is Myra being passionately and outspokenly angry about something? [laughs]

Minna: Hagen’s clinic is what radicalized Myra. [laughs]

Rhi: [laughs]

Josie: [laughs]

Minna: Second season. I don’t know, I think Season 1?

Rhi: Yeah, that was Season 1, that was a Season 1 thing, yeah. I think Briggs just nods.

Rhi (as Briggs): Well, whatever you end up doing the bastard that runs that place has gotta go.

Kim (as Blaire): [softly] Rigney, can we get a round of wine for the table?

Rhi: He just nods, and yeah, goes and gets drinks for you. I think as he comes back over Briggs says:

Rhi (as Briggs): The funeral’s tomorrow afternoon.

Rhi: He’ll give you an address in Charhollow.

Minna: Oh God, they’re gonna have to face her dads.

Rhi: Yep. Rigney comes over and hands out the drinks.

Minna (as Myra): Thank you, Rigney.

Josie (as Minx): And thank you, Briggs.

Kim (as Blaire): Yeah.

Rhi (as Briggs): Yeah…

Josie (as Minx): We’ll be there.

Kim (as Blaire): We will.

Rhi (as Briggs): Thanks.

Rhi: He’ll… He’s not gonna down his whole glass, but he’ll take a sip of his wine and then set it down and head out. I think Rigney will, again, kind of walk him out to the door and give him a little bit of directions, head this way to get back towards Charhollow.

Kim (as Blaire): She was just a kid.

Minna (as Myra): She was so young. She should not have carried that on her shoulders.

Josie (as Minx): She knew she could come to us.

Kim (as Blaire): We were out of town, so we couldn’t bail her… Fuck!

 

## Content Warning: Funeral [0:15:35] Browse to next tag to skip this content.

 

Josie (as Minx): I need to go purchase a mourning dress. Would anyone like to come with me?

Kim (as Blaire): No thanks. I have a tux.

Josie (as Minx): Very well. I’ll be back later.

Rhi: So yeah, I think we’ll fade in on a back lot behind a rundown apartment building. I’ve been thinking about this a little bit in terms of what funerals are like in this setting. The thing is, I think there’s the, you know, state church, the Church of the Ecstasy of the Flesh. The whole message of that church is not great if you’re poor.

Kim: Oh.

Rhi: If you think about, you know, a lot of real world religions, a big part of the beliefs is that there is an afterlife, there is something, usually good, awaiting you after death. This world does not have that at all. Everyone knows what happens when you die, and it’s pretty terrible, so the religion says that this life that you have is the best part of your existence, make the most of it, which if you are living in poverty, if you are hungry, if you are sick, if you are desperate, that’s not a great message, that doesn’t resonate, that doesn’t provide a lot of hope or comfort.

Kim: Right.

Rhi: So I don’t think that this ceremony has any kind of connection to, at least, the Church of Ecstasy. I kinda wanted to see if any of you had thoughts about how this might look.

Josie: I feel like cremation needs to be a thing.

Rhi: Yes.

Josie: Because it’s not like Duskwall has a whole lot of space for catacombs or cemeteries or anything.

Rhi: You have to cremate the body to get rid of the spirit.

Josie: Oh, gotcha.

Minna: I think specifically the Spirit Wardens have to melt you down, basically.

Rhi: Typically, whenever someone dies, the Spirit Wardens collect the body, take it to Bellweather Crematorium, cremate it in a specific way so the spirit is destroyed, and then probably I would presume return the ashes for the burial, for the funeral.

Minna: I wonder if maybe the memorial isn’t at all about the body so much as it’s about remembering the life.

Rhi: Yeah, I think that’s very much what it would be. Yeah. I think it’s more of a, like… I wonder if it’s something where it’s like instead of there being prayers or things like that it’s people taking turns sharing memories of the person.

Kim: I feel like that’s what {they} would do at least.

Minna: Yeah, more of a memorial than an internment.

Rhi: Yeah. Trying to focus on the life that the person had rather than anything else. It’s actually a fairly… there’s a decent number of people gathered in this back lot area. It looks like a lot of people from the neighborhood. Briggs is there with some folks that, Minx, you recognize as working with him. There’s a group of people that look like they’re about Teagan’s age that are all clustered together.

Minna: [whines]

Rhi: Guessing that they’re some of her friends. There’s a group of people that are around two men that are sitting beside each other, holding hands, just looking gutted.

Minna: [sobs]

Josie: [groans]

Rhi: And, I think that, yeah, as you’re there different people will take turns sharing memories of Teagan. There’s a lot of crying. There’s some laughing, you know, there’s some stories that are sillier ones about goofy stuff she got up to when she was a kid. But, it’s a very somber, bleak affair, and I think it’s probably an hour or so and then people start to disperse. I think that there probably is the usual post-funeral meal that’s offered inside. I don’t think that it’s her fathers that are hosting it, I think somebody else in the building has opened up their home for that. I don’t know if you all stick around for that.

Kim: I’d like to talk to her fathers.

Minna: Yeah.

Josie: Yeah.

Rhi: All right! [nervous chuckle]

Minna: I’m sorry. [giggles]

Rhi: No, that’s okay, that’s okay.

Kim: If it’s too much for you we can…

Rhi: I’m good. I’m good with… I feel like I’m good with it. If I start to not be we’ll just pull the plug on it. So yeah, I think a lot of people want to talk to her fathers, so it’s kind of that waiting in line thing to offer your sympathies. They’re sitting off to one side of the gathering where everyone else is getting food and talking quietly. The three of you come up. Her dads don’t look… They have that look where they’re not actually that old, like they’re probably in their late 30s, but they’ve just had very hard lives and it shows. Lines on their faces. One of her fathers has a handkerchief that he keeps coughing into a lot. You know, it’s clear that things have never been very easy for them.

Kim: Mm-hmm.

Rhi: They look up at the three of you as you approach and clearly do not have any idea who you are. [laughs]

Josie: Minx actually kind of hangs back a little bit.

Rhi: Okay.

Kim (as Blaire): We were friends of your daughter’s. My name is Blaire.

Minna (as Myra): I’m Myra.

Josie (as Minx): Minx.

Rhi (as father): Uh… It’s nice to meet you.

Rhi: The one’s who’s been talking more, the one who isn’t coughing, says:

Rhi (as father): I’m Stev. This is my husband, Brance. Good to meet you, although I wish we’d been able to meet sooner. It might have been better circumstances.

Kim (as Blaire): We’re so sorry for what happened.

Rhi (as Stev): Thank you.

Kim (as Blaire): This is a blend of tea that I gave Teagan last time that I saw her.

Kim: Blaire hands out a little pouch for them to take.

Rhi: I think Brance will take it.

Rhi (as Brance): She made some of this for us. It helped a bit. Thank you.

Kim (as Blaire): [tearful] You’re welcome.

Minna: I think Myra also gives them the equivalent of a coin.

Rhi: I think when- I imagine- Like, you’re holding out a little pouch or something?

Minna: Yeah.

Rhi: I think Stev will reach out to take it, and when he realizes that you’re handing him money he kind of freezes.

Rhi (as Stev): What is this?

Minna (as Myra): I don’t know if she’s told you, but we’ve been… helping? I know it’s not going to change what happened, but perhaps it can help ease things for a little bit.

Rhi: I think when you say we’ve been helping he kind of squints at you a little bit.

Rhi (as Stev): The magpies.

Minna (as Myra): [chuckles] I didn’t know she told you.

Kim (as Blaire): That’s us.

Rhi (as Stev): Yeah, she talked about you. Talked about you, well, not a lot, but when she did it was always very positive. She thought very highly of you.

Kim (as Blaire): We’re so sorry.

Rhi (as Stev): You helped her a great deal, and helped us too, and we appreciate it very much.

Rhi: He still seems a little uncomfortable about taking the money, but it’s kind of that, like, he needs it. So yeah, he’ll take it and thank you again and slip it into a pocket.

Minna (as Myra): This was a tragedy. I’m sorry we weren’t able to stop it.

Rhi (as Stev): It wasn’t your responsibility to stop it. It’s… [sighs] it’s how life goes here sometimes.

Kim (as Blaire): It shouldn’t have to.

Rhi: He just kinda shrugs a sort of “yeah, it probably shouldn’t, but what are you gonna do about it.”

 

## End of Content Warnings [0:24:00]

 

Minna (as Myra): This is a strange question.

Rhi (as Stev): Mm-hmm?

Minna (as Myra): What was her last name? She never said. {Teagan’s}

Rhi (as Stev): Welker. Our family name is Welker.

Minna (as Myra): Thank you.

Rhi (as Stev): Thank you, for coming. We appreciate it.

Minna (as Myra): Of course.

Rhi: You all move on and the next set of people to give their condolences come up. Unless there’s anything else you all wanna do in this scene or in this neighborhood, I think we can probably cut back to The Nest.

Kim: Yeah.

Josie: Mm-hmm.

Rhi: I’m guessing that evening it’s probably still pretty quiet in there.

Josie (as Minx): So we’re burning it down, yes?

Minna (as Myra): [laughs] Perhaps not burning it down so much as ridding it of a pest.

Josie (as Minx): How do we intend to do that?

Kim (as Blaire): We can’t forget that Hagen’s powerful. As much as I’m for this, we have to be careful.

Minna (as Myra): I think we have to set something up in advance to make the transition as easy as possible.

Kim (as Blaire): Okay.

Josie (as Minx): Transition to whom?

Minna (as Myra): That’s the question, isn’t it.

Kim (as Blaire): It’s not like we know too many rich assholes who’d be willing to buy a clinic.

Josie (as Minx): And that is just the issue, it cannot be another rich asshole.

Kim (as Blaire): What kind of person with money actually is a good person in this city?

Minna (as Myra): That’s the question, isn’t it? Heh.

Josie (as Minx): Yes.

Kim (as Blaire): Feels like finding a needle in a pile of bones.

Josie (as Minx): Why does it seem like all we ever do these days is try and mitigate the consequences to people we care about, or throw people in the way?

Kim (as Blaire): I don’t know, but I…

Minna (as Myra): We’re starting to make a difference, which means people are starting to fight back.

Josie (as Minx): Are we? Are we?! I don’t know about that.

Kim (as Blaire): People are still getting hurt.

Minna (as Myra): You’re right. We’re starting to make a name for ourselves, which isn’t the same as making a difference.

Josie (as Minx): It’s funny, when we somewhat gave up on making a name for ourselves that’s when it comes to us, and we decide to make a difference and that goal seems farther and farther away.

Minna (as Myra): We’re scaring them. We have to do more than that.

Kim (as Blaire): So what do we do to actually change things?

Josie (as Minx): And how do we do it without putting more of the people we love in the way?

Minna (as Myra): We need to find somebody who has the power to change this one thing, because we don’t have that yet.

Kim (as Blaire): That’s precisely the problem. Don’t you get it, Myra? Nobody else in power wants to change. So who do we know that actually has deep pockets and is not as big of an asshole as everybody else?

Josie (as Minx): We know…

Josie: Fuck. What’s that contact’s name of mine? I think. The guy with the tea.

Rhi: Um… Amancio!

Josie: Amancio.

Minna: The deal broker?

Rhi: Amancio, um, is…

Josie: Isn’t he tapped out? [laughs]

Rhi: Uh, it’s been a while.

Kim: it’s been a long time.

Rhi: He was tapped out for a while, but I think he would be able to work with you again at this point. Just to sort of clarify for the listeners, I’m guessing that the plan at this point is that you want to find somebody wealthy to take over the clinic and run it actually as a helpful place as opposed to creepy experiments.

Kim: Right.

Josie: Right.

Rhi: So, Amancio does not have that kind of money, but Amancio does have connections to the upper echelons of society. I will say in terms of other connections that you might have as a group or as individuals, Minx, your work with The Weeping Lady, that’s kind of the charity that operates in the city.

Josie: Yeah…

Rhi: You could see if they know of anybody who makes large, generous donations.

Josie: Mm-hmm.

Rhi: Blaire, you could try your hand with the Reconciled. A lot of them have connections also in high society.

Kim: What about Aranna the Blessed? Do you think… She’s been tapped out for a long time, but do you think she has any high ties?

Rhi: I don’t think we ever really developed her too much…

Kim: No.

Rhi: …so you could try. I think that would kind of be like seeing how that Gather Info roll went, to see what you were able to learn, to see if she has any connections.

Kim: Okay. I’d be willing to roll for her with that.

Rhi: Okay. You don’t have a lot of direct connections to high society, but you do have some more indirect means of trying to feel that out.

Josie: Right.

Rhi: It’s just a lot of those are threads that you either have not ever really tugged on for this purpose or you haven’t gone to for a while. So, who wants to start with their fanning out and talking to people to try to find the one kinda decent person with money in this city? [laughs]

Kim: I’m willing to take a shot.

Rhi: Cool. Yeah. Go ahead and I think make your roll first, because that’ll kind of determine the tenor of the conversation.

Kim: I imagine Consort.

Rhi: Yeah.

Kim: Double 1s! I knew I should have blessed my dice.

Josie: [laughs]

Rhi: Wait. If you only have 1 in Consort, why did you roll two?

Kim: Extra +1 dice for Gather Info.

Rhi: Oh! You’re correct! [laughs]

Kim: [shouting excitedly] I remembered a rule!

Rhi: You did~!

Josie: You did!

Rhi: You remembered a whole ass rule that I forgot. [laughs]

Josie: Yay.

Rhi: Yeah. I think you go and try to talk to Aranna, but she just doesn’t operate in those circles at all.

Kim: Right.

Rhi: She tends to work more on the fringes of society with those sort of folks, you know, people kind of more in your position. She does seem glad to see you, though. She hasn’t seen you for a while.

Kim: Yeah, because it’s… Well, she was tapped for a long, long time.

Rhi: Yes. Yeah. But you know, she’s glad that you’re not, you didn’t get dead, she was a little worried.

Kim: Aww.

Rhi: That tends to happen to people in this sort of, you know, line of work. They get possessed by a ghost or they summon a demon and get their throat ripped out.

Kim (as Blaire): [giggles suspiciously] I wouldn’t know anything about that!

Rhi: [cackles]

Josie: [laughs]

Kim (as Blaire): What are you talking about?

Rhi (as Aranna): Oh! If you’d like to learn more about demons I have some very interesting books.

Kim (as Blaire): I would love some, because I could use some more reading material on that.

[giggling]

Rhi: Yeah, so Blaire, you don’t learn anything helpful about finding someone to sponsor a reformed clinic, but you do get a few interesting tomes on how demons work.

Kim: Yay~! [laughs]

Rhi: [laughs]

Josie: Yay, demons. [laughs]

Kim: Everything’s fine.

Rhi: Yeah… Who wants to go next?

Josie: I might as well go next.

Rhi: All right. I think again, just go ahead and make your roll first and then we’ll figure out how it goes.

Josie: I’m doing a Consort on this one.

Rhi: Yeah, I feel like these are probably all gonna be Consort.

Josie: I got a 6.

Rhi: Okay! I imagine that you go to the soup kitchen that you usually volunteer at.

Josie: Yeah.

Rhi: I imagine that you kind of have more regular shifts that you work, you sign up to work at a certain time, and this is not your usual time so I think the woman in charge is like:

Rhi (as woman): Oh!

Rhi: Do you go by Minx or Ellie there?

Josie: I think I go by Ellie there.

Rhi: Okay.

Rhi (as woman): Oh! Ellie. It’s good to see you. I don’t think we have you on the schedule for today.

Josie (as Minx): Oh. Yeah. I wasn’t coming in for a shift, although, I mean, if you need help… I was actually hoping to talk to you about some higher up stuff.

Rhi (as woman): Oh, um, certainly.

Rhi: She’ll usher you back into her very small, cramped office. She has to clear some papers and stuff off a chair. I think her name is… Have I named anybody Helena yet?

Josie: I don’t think so.

Rhi: I don’t think so either. So yes, her name is Helena. She’s kind of in charge of this soup kitchen branch of The Weeping Lady. She’ll clear some stuff off a chair so you can sit and then she’ll sit behind her desk.

Rhi (as Helena): What can I help you with?

Josie (as Minx): Yeah… Okay, so there’s this clinic, and they’re not as good and on the up and up as you all are here.

Rhi (as Helena): Hagen?

Josie (as Minx): Yep, Hagen, that’s the one.

Rhi: She makes a face like she just bit into a lemon.

Josie: Yeah.

Rhi: You all don’t have lemons, but it’s that face. [laughs]

Josie: [laughs] Right.

Josie (as Minx): Yeah, my thoughts exactly. I’m looking for someone who’s not Hagen to run that place, and you know, hopefully make things different. I’ll admit I don’t know exactly where our funding comes from, precisely, but if there’s someone like that…

Rhi: There’s sort of a long pause. She’s doing that thing where she’s staring through you, kind of thinking, and then she says:

Rhi (as Helena): I am not going to ask how you plan on making the clinic available for someone else to control.

Josie (as Minx): That’s probably smart.

Rhi (as Helena): But I can tell you we don’t have many benefactors in the sort of upper echelons of society, so the ones who do help us their names tend to stick out. One family that has been pretty consistent in their donations, and fairly generous, are the Evermars.

Josie (as Minx): Evermar.

Josie: Do I know anything off-hand about them?

Rhi: Um… Hmm. Let me think. Yeah, because you do sort of move around in high society a lot… Like most of the wealthy families in the city they make their money through their leviathan hunter ships, like most of the nobility really. If you have leviathan hunter ships you basically get to be nobility in Duskwall.

Josie: Mm-hmm.

Rhi: I think what you know is kind of more what you can infer from their absence. They tend not to go to the sort of events and parties that you do. They’re a little more, not reclusive, but just… their social events are not as frequent and not as loud. [chuckles] Their parties tend to be a little bit more restrained. You do know that the kind of people running the house, Lady Varena Evermar and her spouse, Liege Greer. They’re a little bit older, they’re like in their 30s, so older than the younger nobility that you tend to run around with. They’ve got a couple of children. They’re just sort of at a different stage in their life than the young nobles that you tend to hang out with, Minx, and pump for information.

Josie: Right.

Rhi (as Helena): Yeah, the Evermar family has been very supportive of us. I don’t know if taking over an entire clinic is something that they would be interested in, but I think if you’re going to find anyone who stands a chance of being interested they would be a good place to start.

Josie (as Minx): Right, and they could do it if they wanted.

Rhi (as Helena): I think so, probably.

Josie (as Minx): Okay, that’s good.

Rhi (as Helena): I don’t know the ins and outs of their financial state, but I believe that it would be possible. Quite frankly, even if it results in a reduction in their donations to us, having that man out of the picture and away from the people that we’re trying to help would be more than worth it.

Josie (as Minx): Mm-hmm. It would let us treat the disease and not the symptoms.

Rhi (as Helena): That would be a great improvement, yes.

Josie (as Minx): Thank you, Helena. Actually, is it all right if I stay and help for a couple hours? I’m feeling like I need to do it.

Rhi (as Helena): [laughs] I think we can find a spot for you.

Rhi: She’ll walk you up and get you an apron and find you a place where you can help out.

Josie: Yay.

Rhi: Probably puts you on dish duty to start with.

Josie: [laughs]

Rhi: Okay! Myra. We can say that this happens after Minx comes back and reports in on what she learned so that you can ask specific questions about this family to Amancio.

Minna: Yeah.

Rhi: So go ahead and make your roll.

Minna: Five.

Rhi: Yeah. You head up into—Where did we say Amancio lived? I think in Charterhall. To his townhome in Charterhall. Yeah, you’re let in and escorted into the parlor as usual. You have to wait there for a couple minutes before you hear, not running footsteps, but speed walking footsteps down the hallway and then the doors fling open.

Rhi (as Amancio): Myra! Oh, where are the rest of you? I thought there would be more. I thought you would all be here. It has been so long since I’ve seen you!

Minna: [laughs]

Rhi: He rushes over and takes your hands.

Minna (as Myra): [smiling] Just me today. I’m sorry to disappoint you.

Rhi (as Amancio): Oh! Never a disappointment. Are you well? Are you all right? It’s been quite a while.

Minna (as Myra): We’re very well, thank you. It’s just been busy.

Rhi (as Amancio): I completely understand. Please, please, have a seat.

Minna (as Myra): Of course.

Rhi (as Amancio): Tell me, what can I do for you?

Minna (as Myra): [giggling] If you’ll give me a moment to speak, of course.

Rhi: [laughs]

Minna (as Myra): We actually had some questions about a noble family here in the city.

Rhi (as Amancio): Mm-hmm?

Minna (as Myra): We would like to find a way to meet with them, the Evermars? Lady Varena and Liege Greer?

Rhi (as Amancio): Oh, yes, yes. Uh, Evermars… I haven’t done a lot of business with them directly myself, but… Oh! [snaps]

Rhi: Without actually explaining himself he vaults to his feet and runs out of the room again.

Minna: I love him. [laughs]

Rhi: And then comes back. [laughs] And is flipping through a notebook.

Rhi (as Amancio): Ah! Yes, yes-yes-yes, I had heard about this. They are hosting a masquerade ball, I believe for Lady Varena’s birthday, in about a week’s time.

Minna (as Myra): Invitation only?

Rhi (as Amancio): It is invitation only, but…

Rhi: He thinks for a minute, flips through his notebook some more.

Rhi (as Amancio): I might know some people who got invited and have some spare invitations that they’re not going to be using if you would like them.

Minna (as Myra): Oh, of course I would like them.

Rhi (as Amancio): Three?

Minna (as Myra): Three.

Rhi (as Amancio): Come back here in a few days and I should have them for you.

Minna (as Myra): Thank you very much.

Rhi (as Amancio): The pleasure’s—Now, in exchange… you have to come back more often, and especially you have to come back and tell me all about it.

Minna (as Myra): [smiling] Now that is a bargain I will happily keep.

Rhi: [laughs] So yeah, you basically know that it’s a masquerade ball, it’s gonna be extremely fancy, dress-up, and you know when and where it is, so you can head home and deliver that news to your compatriots.

Minna: [giggles]

Josie: Minx is still a little bit mopey in The Nest when you get back.

Minna: I think Myra leans over her shoulder.

Minna (as Myra): I’ve got some news that might cheer you up.

Josie (as Minx): Oh?

Minna (as Myra): We’re going to a masquerade ball.

Josie: [grinning] Minx immediately wheels around and looks at you.

[laughter]

Josie (as Minx): [gasps] Thank you!

Josie: And she pulls you into a really big hug real quick.

Minna: Myra’s laughing.

Kim: Blaire comes out of her room.

Kim (as Blaire): What now?

Josie (as Minx): We’re going to a masquerade ball, Blaire! This is literally a dream come true! [deep inhale]

Kim (as Blaire): Whoa. What?

Josie (as Minx): I need to go get ready!

[laughter]

Minna (as Myra): Not right now!

Josie: You hear the clicking of her shoes before you register that she’s even left, but she’s in her room.

Kim (as Blaire): Myra, please tell me this is score related and you’re not just doing this to cheer her up.

Minna (as Myra): The Evermars are throwing a masquerade ball, and Amancio promises he can get us three invitations.

Kim (as Blaire): Huh.

Minna (as Myra): It may be our best opportunity of getting close to these people.

Rhi: [laughing] At what point does Minx realize she needs to take her friends shopping?

Josie: Probably after about half an hour of strange thumping noises coming from Minx’s room. [laughs] She rushes back down, kind of half put together.

Josie (as Minx): Are you all prepared?

Kim (as Blaire): Uh…

Josie (as Minx): Be honest.

Kim (as Blaire): Uh, I mean…

Josie (as Minx): That sounds like we need to go shopping, Blaire. We’re going.

Kim (as Blaire): [squirms]

Rhi: [laughs]

Kim (as Blaire): But I already have an outfit that I wear to rich people parties.

Josie (as Minx): But do you have a proper mask?

Kim (as Blaire): Eh…

Josie (as Minx): I think not.

Kim (as Blaire): I’ve got my spirit mask.

Josie (as Minx): That won’t do it, dear.

Kim (as Blaire): What? Why won’t—?

Josie (as Minx): We need something fanciful and delightful and thematic.

Kim (as Blaire): My spirit mask is beautiful! I made it.

Minna (as Myra): It is beautiful, I agree, Blaire, but it is not terribly subtle.

Kim (as Blaire): [whining groan]

Minna (as Myra): If we’re trying to be in disguise. Are we trying to be in disguise?

Kim (as Blaire): We should probably be in disguise.

Josie (as Minx): In so much as I will be hiding in plain sight, I will be in disguise.

Rhi: [laughs] Let’s do a quick shopping montage. Everybody give me one scene from this.

Josie: I kind of like the idea of at the very least Blaire getting really into the mask part, and kind of getting out of Minx’s control a little bit, because Blaire’s going for all the weird and esoteric masks.

Kim: Right.

Josie: And Minx is like, oh heavens no, we still need to stay in fashion, and Blaire is like nope!

Kim (as Blaire): [shrieking] Let me be weird!

[laughter]

Rhi: Blaire, holding like three masks in front of her face at once.

Kim: Yeah, and they’re all based off of Deathlands animals.

Rhi: Yes!

Josie: [laughs]

Rhi: Yes, that’s very good!

Kim: She’s holding onto a death crow and an ash bear and the hyena one that we haven’t named all at once.

Rhi: Yeah~

Minna: I think it’s, Myra…

Minna (as Myra): Minx? How do you feel about capes?

Josie (as Minx): Oh, capes are excellent. It’s off season for capes, but I think at a masquerade ball you can get away with it. I think an over-the-shoulder cape would look good on you.

Minna (as Myra): [chuckles] I guess I’ve never worn a cape, but… it’s a masquerade ball.

Josie: Minx will absolutely help Myra find capes, and I wrote a Magpies Quill about capes. [laughs]

Rhi: Yeah! [laughs] So, the magpies are going to spend, I imagine, a good chunk of the next week, because this is the kind of thing where you need to have a dress or an outfit tailored to you, so gonna spend a lot of the next week preparing for this party. All right, this is definitely a Social score. You’ve got your invitations to this fancy party. I’m gonna assume everybody’s doing a light load. Engagement roll… [struggles, dice clatter] I just need a handful of dice. Oh my God.

Josie: [laughs]

Rhi: This is gonna be a 3d6 engagement roll… 4, 5, 6! [laughs]

Kim: Hey!

Josie: Eee!

Rhi: So, you’re gonna be starting off in a controlled position. The night of the masquerade ball celebrating Lady Varena Evermar’s birthday arrives. You all head up into Brightstone and then out onto Bowmore Bridge, which is actually the bridge that leads into Whitecrown, which is the wealthiest district in the city. Myra is the only one who’s ever been there to go to Duskwall Academy. That is where the Lord Governor lives. That is where the city council meetings are held. A lot of the city councilors live out there. Bowmore Bridge stretches between… It’s said to be the largest bridge in the Imperium, it’s an architectural marvel, and all along the edges of this bridge there are very fine townhomes and luxury shops and things, so there are people who live on this bridge stretching between these two districts. The Evermars, their home is in one of these houses along the bridge.

I think you get there pretty close to when the party is starting, so there’s a little bit of a line to get in. I think that we see the Magpies step out of the shadows into the light around this house as you all are approaching the door. So, Myra, what are you wearing to this party?

Minna: Myra is in… it’s kind of like a girly take on Robin Hood, like a short cape in green with white floral embroidery, then a long matching dress underneath, long fingerless gloves with matching fabric and embroidery, a deep hood that she has up for now, and then probably a mask that covers the top half of her face in like… I kind of want to say brown.

Rhi: Does the mask have any embroidery on it? I’m picturing a similar, like, that floral embroidery is the consistent…

Minna: I think it’s actually like brown leather in kind of leaf shapes, like overlapping leaves.

Rhi: Ohh… Cool!

Kim: Ooh.

Rhi: That’s very cool. Blaire?

Kim: Yes! So, Blaire famously, as we know, is not a dress girl, but what she pulled together is no less dramatic because of it. I imagine that she took a slight page out of Lord Scurlock’s book as far as fashion goes.

Josie: [smiling] Of course.

Kim: Her outfit is somewhere in between a pantsuit and a cloak combination. She has I would say a cravat on as well as some chains on the lapels of her jacket, but the coattails trail out behind her in a very cape-like fashion, and she does have a hood. Her sleeves, at the shoulders even though are suit-like, as they get past the elbow they become long, billowy, a bit of more feminine sleeves, and she just has pants on top of this combination, a sash on her belt that’s high-waisted, and some pointed dress shoes.

As far as her mask goes, I would say that it’s acceptably spooky, not so spooky that it’s disturbing, it’s kind of like the “oh yeah, you’re going for a creepy thing, that makes sense,” but it’s not enough to scare off some rich people. It’s based off of the lifeseeker crows in the Deathlands, and I imagine it covers the top half of the face, it has jet black feathers maybe with – artificial though, of course, so they kind of have that blue sheen when the light hits it just right, and it has a beak covering the nose.

Rhi: Excellent, and Minx.

Josie: Minx is wearing a long, flowing, deep blue evening gown, not one with a very poofy bottom or corset, just a very trim evening gown with bits at the sides pulled up into pleats. The top half has golden embroidery in sort of swirling patterns meant to kind of suggest wind, and maybe a little bit of stars in there. The collar is a little bit high and is cinched together but leaves a bit of a keyhole underneath it. It’s sleeveless, but she’s wearing matching opera gloves. The whole back is open, pretty much. Peeking out from the dress and across her back are draped silver necklaces and various other jewelries, and her mask is a magpie mask. It’s a magpie in flight, and the beak is kind of where the flair of the nose is, the teal of feathers are around the eyes, and the black tail feathers form a crown at the top of her forehead.

Kim: In other news, I’m gay.

[laughter]

Josie: Good, I’m glad. I included open backs, opera gloves, and a keyhole in this, which are like three of my favorite dress things, and I am fuckin’—

Rhi: Listen. RPGs are a fertile ground for just being unapologetically self-indulgent, and I love it. So the three of you get up to the front doors of the estate, and there is a servant waiting there. As you will see when you get inside, all of the staff are wearing dark blue suits and dark blue domino masks, so it’s not enough to disguise their faces at all but it’s sort of like… they match the rest of the masquerade.

Josie: Mm-hmm.

Rhi: The young woman who’s standing there takes your invitations, looks at them, there’s no problem at all, puts them in the basket to the side.

Rhi (as servant): Welcome to the Evermar estate. Please, head on inside.

Josie (as Minx): Thank you! It seems I’ve matched the dress code.

Rhi: [chuckles] And yeah, the three of you head in. I think it’s more of a long and narrow foyer, checkerboard tile floor, and there’s a wide staircase at the far end that goes up to a balcony on the second floor that circles the whole foyer. There’s some people who are kind of still mingling in the foyer. There’s a number of rooms off the foyer that are open that people are kind of drifting in and out of. Everyone here is dressed impeccably, latest fashions, beautiful clothes. Everyone is wearing a mask. Kind of from the chatter that you can hear it sounds like the Evermars have not made an appearance yet, they haven’t come downstairs, so you have a little bit of time to just kind of wander around and check the place out, maybe see what you can learn about the Evermars before trying to approach them.

Josie: Yeah. Minx is gonna do that but is gonna be a bit relaxed about it, because she’s just relieved to be able to actually mingle with people and be in her element, so she might just be genuinely participating in conversations and trying to be part of the party here.

Rhi: Yeah.

Kim: I would like to roll a Study check, since I imagine Blaire is gonna be a bit of a wallflower at this moment, because “high society” isn’t really her thing. She doesn’t know how to talk to people when it’s not about weird shit. [laughter] So yeah, I’m gonna roll a Study.

Rhi: Okay. What are you looking for with the Study roll?

Kim: Just getting a lay of the exits.

Rhi: Okay. [laughs]

Kim: Not that she expects things to get violent, but it’s just kind of a force of habit.

Rhi: Yeah. At this point you’re in a fancy place, you want to know how to leave it quickly.

Kim: Right.

Rhi: That makes sense. Yeah. Go ahead and make that roll.

Kim: Okay, that’s a 3 and a 6.

Rhi: So, because this house is out on a bridge, the exits are a little more limited. In the foyer, it seems like the only way out is the front door, but you kind of- as you sort of- I think you kind of drift around the first floor a little bit. There’s like a parlor and a drawing room that are also open for people to head into and socialize, and there’s a grand dining hall that’s still being set up for a meal, but in those side rooms there are windows that you can tell they look out into an alley on this bridge, so if for some reason you can’t exit through the front doors there are numerous large windows that you could go out through.

Kim: Excellent.

Rhi: Yeah. I think you also notice there’s a cool painting of the Void Sea with a, um… What’s it called when whales come up?

Kim: Breech?

Josie: Breeching?

Rhi: Breeching. Yeah. It’s a breeching leviathan.

Josie: Ooh.

Kim: Aaagh! That’s her shit.

Rhi: Yeah.

Kim: She’s gonna stare at that and pretend to be sophisticated and understand art for a while.

Rhi: Yeah! [laughs]

Josie: [laughs]

Rhi: Yeah, yeah, and you can study that painting without really drawing any attention to yourself. You also look like the kind of person who’d be staring at that sort of painting, so it works out.

Kim: It does! How about that. Hey.

Rhi: Yeah. Ah, the spooky goth person is staring at the spooky painting.

Kim: Who would have guessed.

Rhi: Yeah. Myra, what are you up to?

Minna: I think I’m working the room, kind of.

Rhi: Okay.

Minna: Just having conversation, more of a Consort than anything.

Rhi: Yeah. Do you wanna make a roll to see if you can pick up any information?

Minna: That is a 5.

Rhi: Is there particular information you’re looking for? Do you just wanna learn more about your hosts, the people that you’re gonna be trying to…?

Minna: Yeah!

Rhi: Yeah, so, I think just sort of… You can’t really ask a lot of direct questions, because you don’t want to give away that you don’t actually know these people, so you just have to go by what you overhear. There’s chatter about the Evermars’ businesses, they have a fleet of leviathan hunter ships, kind of talking about that. It seems like they have been fairly profitable lately. You do catch a few snide comments about Liege Greer, and they’re all kind of backhanded and not really direct, but you sort of piece together that Greer is not originally of the upper classes.

Minna: Oh.

Rhi: They married into money. They’ve been married for quite some time, over a decade, but there are still people making these snide comments about Greer’s background.

Minna: [disappointed groan]

Rhi: There’s not—You don’t really get anything specifically about how they met or what they were doing prior to marrying Lady Varena, but yeah, you kind of pick up on that from some of the conversations. Minx, do you wanna make a Consort roll, or Sway?

Josie: Well, I’m thinking Sway, because Minx wants to make an impression.

Rhi: [laughs]

Josie: I think Minx is being fairly jovial and telling many tales of exciting, let’s say, ventures she has been involved in, which are reskinned tales of scores we’ve actually been on in the truth of it.

Rhi: [laughs]

Kim: Oh no~!

Josie: But, you know, re-spun to not be, to be more to these people’s taste and not admitting to high crimes in front of everyone.

Rhi: Yeah. Yeah.

Josie: Yes, and basically my goal is I want to make an impression so people are talking about me, and the Evermars are going to hear about me as soon as they get here.

Rhi: Okay, got it.

Josie: Got a 6.

Rhi: Yeah. I think Myra and Blaire, about half an hour after you get there you both glance around and you see Minx, who is a fairly tall woman, standing in the midst of this circle of recent admirers who are just standing around while Minx is basically holding court.

Josie: [laughing] yes, attention!

Rhi: She’s telling stories, and people will laugh at all the right moments. At some point somebody does kind of playfully tap your arm and is like:

Rhi (as party goer): A magpie mask, that’s so daring of you with those terrible criminals all over the city. Oh, I love it!

Josie (as Minx): I know. I could not resist. This is precisely the sort of thing I live for, you understand.

Rhi: [laughs]

Kim: Blaire over here does a double take.

Josie: I think also as the stories wear thin some of Minx’s fan fiction is making its way in there.

Kim: Ohhh yes!

Rhi: [bursts into laughter, claps]

Josie: Like, the stuff from the Langdon Imports Score.

Rhi: Oh my God! Yes! That’s very good. And they’re eating it up, they love it, you are the best thing that could have ever happened to this party. I think after probably 40-45 minutes after you all arrive there’s sort of that shift in the room as everyone turns towards the stairs and two people start descending. One of them is a tall, tan skinned person, looks like they’re Iruvian. They have short, thick, dark hair, dark eyes, and they are wearing a one-shoulder gown, so it only has the strap across one shoulder and then it goes down.

Kim: Oh, yes.

Josie: Hot.

Rhi: It’s a mostly black gown, but at the shoulder there’s a little silver embroidery in the shape of a crescent moon, and then weaving diagonally down across the dress, down to the bottom of the skirt, is this silver embroidery of stars and then the moon basically going through the phases so that at the bottom of the skirt is a large full moon, and it actually has then the Dimmer Sister pale reflections of the moon on either side.

Then, they are accompanied by a woman wearing a, the whole dress is gold, like ruffle cap sleeves, a very wide collar, she’s wearing some gold jewelry, a little bit of a train and there’s lace that kind of drags along the floor. She is Akorosi, pale skin, dark hair that’s done up in a very fashionable up-do. Yeah, I think as they get to the, not quite bottom of the stairs but a few steps above it, and one of the servants announces:

Rhi (as servant): Honored guests, Lady Varena and Liege Greer Evermar.

Rhi: There’s polite applause from everyone, and I think that both of them have the masks that are on sticks so they can kind of like, oh yes, we’re participating in the masquerade, but they’re not wearing the masks generally.

Kim: It’s so that they can be like, um, do you know who I am.

Josie: [laughs]

Rhi: A little bit. It’s my party, I’m not covering up my face. So yeah, they both descend the stairs, looking amazing, and kind of are immediately… not mobbed, but gently surrounded by people who are wishing Varena a happy birthday, who are wanting to talk to them. Myra, you sort of notice some of the people who were making snide comments about Greer are now kind of fawning over them and trying to be very flattering.

Kim: Ugh, of course.

Josie: I’m sad all the attention is going away, but I’ll let it happen. [laughs]

Rhi: Yeah. Unfortunately, about half of your crowd breaks off, Minx, but your goal was to have your name dropped to them.

Josie: Yes.

Rhi: So I think, um…

Josie: And for the sake of completeness, I think my alias currently is Lady Crawford.

Rhi: Okay. I think that after a little bit Greer does break off from their wife and heads off into one of the side rooms, and nobody really seems to go after them to continue a conversation.

Josie: Minx will approach and knock politely.

Rhi: Yeah. I think that they are… so, there’s servants walking around with drinks, but there’s also like, [laughs] they’re unlocking a cabinet to get out something a little stiffer.

Josie: [laughing] Uh-huh.

Rhi: So I think they kind of startle and straighten up.

Rhi (as Greer): Oh. No need to knock, our home is open to all of our guests, although I… well, it’s probably just the mask, I don’t entirely recognize you right now.

Josie (as Minx): Ah, well, it’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance then. I am Lady Crawford. I am very glad you hosted this. Happy birthday to your wife, by the way.

Rhi (as Greer): [chuckles] Oh, thank you, I will be happy to pass that along. She’s been hearing that from everyone out there.

Kim (as Blaire): Lyra Langdon, of Langdon Imports. So wonderful to finally meet you.

Rhi (as Greer): A pleasure.

Kim: And she shakes hands.

Minna (as Myra): Selma Merryweather.

Rhi (as Greer): A pleasure to meet you as well. Did you need me for something?

Josie (as Minx): Yes. We’d actually been hoping to talk with you this evening, not business but it may lead to business.

Rhi (as Greer): Oh! Are you sure that you’re looking for me, then? Varena usually handles most of the business side of affairs.

Kim (as Blaire): We’re simply here to gauge interest.

Josie (as Minx): Yes.

Rhi (as Greer): All right.

Josie (as Minx): Although, if she wishes to join us that would of course be welcome.

Rhi (as Greer): I can hear you out and decide if it’ll be worth her time to bring her in. What sort of business?

Josie (as Minx): You are aware of a man by the name of Hagen? From what I understand, known in the medical world, outside Charhollow.

Rhi: So, they, for a split second, kind of scowl and then quickly rearrange their face into sort of that, that like, polite—

Rhi (as Greer): Oh, Dr. Hagen, yes. I’ve heard of some of his work. I don’t have any sort of personal connection. We’ve never made use of his services, but I’ve heard the name.

Josie (as Minx): Yes, well, we have heard and seen quite a bit of his work also, and I know it is a masquerade ball, but regarding that I do not think we need to hide behind a mask regarding the man.

Rhi: Hmm, give me a roll.

Josie: Yeah.

Kim: Do you want an assist?

Josie: Yes please.

Kim: Okay, you can have it.

Rhi: All right, so you’ll take 1 stress, Blaire, and then what are you rolling?

Josie: I’m trying to decide between Consort and Sway, because I’m trying to persuade to be honest.

Rhi: That feels like Consort, because you’re explicitly saying I’m trying to be open with you here.

Josie: Yeah.

Rhi: Yeah.

Josie: I got a 5.

Rhi: So, I think Greer kind of studies you for a moment. They are willing to hear you out, they’re clearly going to listen to you, but they’re still being a little cagey in terms of their own reaction. I’m just going with, again, kind of the reduced effect thing.

Josie: Right.

Rhi: They basically kind of…

Rhi (as Greer): What is your interest in Dr. Hagen’s work, and why would you wish to speak with me about it?

Josie (as Minx): Well, the manner in which he proceeds is a dead end, and other avenues need to be explored. Of course, one of his stature, his position is not easily turned over to just anyone.

Rhi (as Greer): I am not a physicker of any kind.

Josie (as Minx): Of course, of course, but of course we mean the clinic as an institution rather than the position of head physicker.

Rhi: They sort of frown at you again.

Rhi (as Greer): What exactly do you want from me here?

Minna (as Myra): Could we speak privately?

Rhi: Give me another roll.

Minna: Six.

Rhi: Okay! Nice. I assume that was Consort.

Minna: Mm-hmm.

Rhi: Yeah. So, Greer kind of looks the three of you over again, and their gaze hangs on Minx’s mask for just a second long, and then they look back at Myra and go:

Rhi (as Greer): Yes… I think we can do that.

Rhi: They gesture for you to follow them back through the foyer and then down past the stairs, and they open up a back sitting room that, it’s not a mess, but it clearly was not intended to be open to the public.

Josie: Mm-hmm.

Rhi: It looks like a family room more. The furniture in here is a little more chosen for comfort rather than appearance. There are children’s toys that are tucked away in the corners. It’s a much homier space than the rest of what you’ve seen so far. They bring you in and I think gesture at a couch like they’re about to invite you to sit, and then stop and move a pillow aside and pull out a doll. [laughs]

Minna: Aw.

Josie: [laughs] Aw.

Rhi: Put the pillow back.

Rhi (as Greer): Sorry. Please, have a seat.

Rhi: And then they go over and set the doll with the rest of the kids’ toys.

Rhi (as Greer): Our children have a somewhat strange relationship with the concept of cleaning up.

Minna (as Myra): [laughs]

Josie (as Minx): [laughs] I understand completely.

Rhi: I imagine the three of you are on this couch, and they sit down across from you and seem to be a bit more relaxed.

Rhi (as Greer): If you could speak a bit more plainly about what your interest is with Hagen’s clinic and with me and my wife.

Minna: I think Myra glances sideways at Minx to see…

Josie (as Minx): Yes, and for once that will be a relief. Hagen… his work kills people, and that needs to end, and Hagen himself will soon end, but—

Rhi: I think when you say that they hold up their hands.

Rhi (as Greer): Please don’t tell me any details.

Josie (as Minx): As you wish, but a clinic of that size could do a lot of work for that area. Where are you from, by the way?

Rhi: I think that they give you a kind of self-deprecating smile.

Rhi (as Greer): Barrowcleft, believe it or not.

Josie (as Minx): Ah, I see. I’m from Charhollow myself.

Minna (as Myra): Myself as well.

Kim (as Blaire): I hail from Tycheros, so I know a little bit about being an outsider.

Rhi (as Greer): Yes, well, that would certainly explain your interest in the place, I suppose.

Josie (as Minx): Yes, and it’s not something that can simply go away, but we cannot risk another Hagen being in charge.

Rhi (as Greer): As I said, I’m not a physicker. Are you…

Kim (as Blaire): We’re in the business of transferring ownership, and we need benefactors if we are to do that.

Josie (as Minx): Yes.

Rhi (as Greer): [inhales] Ahhh… you need funding.

Minna (as Myra): We need funding.

Rhi (as Greer): A patron?

Minna (as Myra): Yes.

Rhi (as Greer): I see… If Dr. Hagen were to resign his position, what… Do you have someone in mind to take over running the place?

Josie (as Minx): We have ties in that field. We are still picking someone specific out.

Kim (as Blaire): My business, Langdon Imports, has seen Hagen’s work up close, and since learning of his cruelty we’ve terminated his contract, and that has motivated our business into possibly taking this side venture into bettering the building and looking into physickers.

Rhi (as Greer): I see… [exhales] Well, maintaining a place like that isn’t going to be cheap.

Josie (as Minx): No doubt.

Rhi (as Greer): But, what is your timeline for the clinic becoming available for a new patron?

Josie (as Minx): As soon as possible.

Rhi (as Greer): I see.

Josie (as Minx): Just this week we attended the funeral of someone who went there. It cannot be allowed to stand.

Rhi: Their face kind of falls a little bit and they nod.

Rhi (as Greer): Very well. I’ll speak to Varena. She’s sympathetic to these sort of causes.

Rhi: Again, there’s that self-deprecating smile.

Josie (as Minx): Also, do not feel compelled to do so just because of the mask I wear.

Kim (as Blaire): [whispering] Minx!

Rhi: Greer kind of pauses for a moment and looks the three of you over.

Rhi (as Greer): I still have some family and friends down in that part of the city, and I think I hear some very different stories about the work that certain people are doing than perhaps most of the company that my wife keeps.

Josie (as Minx): That is good to hear.

Rhi: Greer will nod thoughtfully.

Rhi (as Greer): I’ll speak with Varena and see what we can arrange. What would be the best way to contact you once we’ve come to some sort of agreement?

Josie: I think our stuff comes through The Hound’s Paw, right?

Rhi: Yeah.

Josie: Yeah, so Minx will give them the details on that.

Rhi: They nod. They look very thoughtful.

Rhi (as Greer): This is not precisely what I expected to be discussing this evening, but I think it’s been a worthwhile use of time.

Rhi: They will stand up and straighten out their skirt.

Rhi (as Greer): Now, I do need to get back out there before someone comes looking for me.

Josie (as Minx): Indeed, although perhaps in the future there can be meetings that are not so tainted by business.

Rhi: Again, that thoughtful look.

Rhi (as Greer): We shall see.

Minna: [giggles]

Kim (as Blaire): Thank you very much for hearing out our proposal, Liege Greer.

Rhi: They nod at you and will, uh, they escort you back out. They’re not gonna leave you hanging out in their private area of the house, and then they’ll head back over. I think to all three of you it’s sort of a familiar thing of you can kind of see the posture and body language and facial expression all shift as they move back into “Liege Greer,” playing that role.

Josie: [laughs] Right.

Minna: Aww.

Kim (as Blaire): Holy shit, they heard us out and didn’t call the muscle on us.

Minna (as Myra): [laughs]

Josie (as Minx): Given who I heard about them from, I figured tonight might go better than usual.

Kim (as Blaire): It was a nice move with the mask, though.

Josie (as Minx): Yes, but I think in an altruistic endeavor like this we can’t stand on disguises.

Minna (as Myra): Yes, I don’t think we would have kept the disguise once the deal was made, or even before the deal was made. It would not be fair to ask them to involve themselves in something without knowing who we are.

Kim (as Blaire): Do you think we can turn that hard maybe into a yes by talking to their wife?

Minna (as Myra): I think we need to give them time to contemplate.

Josie (as Minx): Now, if you’ll excuse me, I was in the midst of a story.

Rhi: [laughs]

Kim (as Blaire): I don’t know about you, Myra, but I don’t have much to do right now.

Minna (as Myra): Heh. I don’t have much to do. What were you thinking?

Kim (as Blaire): Do you wanna dance?

Minna (as Myra): Yes, I will dance with you.

Josie: [gasps] Aww!

Rhi: [gasps, giggles]

Kim (as Blaire): I’m warning you, I’m kind of… [squirms] I’m a horrible dancer.

Rhi: [laughs]

Minna (as Myra): I don’t think I’ve ever been taught to dance the way that they’re dancing here.

Rhi: [laughs]

Kim (as Blaire): Well, we could always just watch them and then figure it out, right?

Minna (as Myra): We’ll just have fun with it.

Josie: [yelping and other noises as she tries to restrain herself]

Kim (as Blaire): Do you think these guys are kind of the type to have fun, though? They seem very traditional.

Minna (as Myra): Well, we’re not trying to make friends with any of them except Greer and Varena, and I very much doubt they care.

Kim (as Blaire): All right, well… Yeah, no, I guess if we don’t look too weird then maybe it’s okay.

Minna (as Myra): Since when are you worried about looking weird?

Kim (as Blaire): Since you put me in a room full of rich people.

Minna (as Myra): Forget about the rich people. Just be yourself.

Kim (as Blaire): But…

Minna: Myra’s literally taking her hand and dragging her out onto the dance floor at this point.

Kim (as Blaire): [grunts in resistance] Myra!

Rhi: [giggles]

Josie: Rhi, help! This is so cute!

Rhi: It’s really cute. There’s a string quartet that I think right around, like right before Blaire had said do you want to dance, had started up. God, I want some kind of roll to figure out how well you do on dancing.

Kim: Agh!

Minna: Is it Finesse?

Rhi: It’s not gonna come with—It’s not gonna have any stress. This will be a fortune roll, so whatever ability you think is best suited.

Kim: I’m going to roll Finesse, because oh God, Blaire is so scared now.

Josie: Oh! Aww!

Minna: Yeah, I think it’s Finesse.

Rhi: Yeah, okay, both of you roll Finesse. We’ll treat it as a—

Kim: I’m pushing myself for it.

Rhi: Oh my God! [laughs]

Kim: I have the stress to spare and I only have 1 in Finesse!

Josie: [stammers]

Rhi: [delighted, softly] Okay. [giggles]

Josie: This is a no consequence roll!

Kim: But I wanna have the extra dice!

Rhi: [smiling] Let her do it. Let her do it. Let her do it.

Kim: Oh God! Okay. Good thing I had the extra dice. That’s a 2 and a 6.

Rhi: Okay.

Minna: I got a 4.

Rhi: Four, okay, so then since it’s technically a group action…

Kim: [laughs]

Minna: Nobody takes stress.

Rhi: No, nobody takes stress, it’s a 6, and yeah… Somehow the two of you manage to, you know, I think you maybe do spend a little bit of time watching everybody else, and you’re like okay, yeah, we can do that, and then yeah, you’re just dancing around the foyer with the handful of other folks who are dancing. It’s not a huge party. There’s probably only about 30 or 40 people here total, which compared to some of the other parties you’ve been to is a small crowd.

Minna: Can I insert really quick?

Rhi: Yeah-yeah.

Minna: Who leads?

Kim: I think Myra leads… Well, Myra did get a 4, but Myra’s taller.

Minna: [giggles]

Josie: Yeah. I think it’s cuter if Myra leads.

Minna: Cute.

Rhi: Yeah~

Josie: But it’s already, like, I’m flailing around in my chair cute.

Rhi: [giggles]

Kim: Minna, I have an idea for a quick convo if you want.

Minna: Yes!

Kim: While we dance. [chuckles]

Minna: Yes!

Kim (as Blaire): Myra, that… Are people staring?

Minna (as Myra): Nobody’s staring. Well, Greer is staring a little bit, but [chuckles] I think that’s to be expected.

Kim (as Blaire): What you said earlier about being myself… it’s hard to do around strangers.

Minna (as Myra): I understand.

Kim (as Blaire): I don’t know if you do… I’m weird. I know that I’m not afraid to be weird when I’m with all of you, but… we’re trying to get rich people on our side here and I need to be really careful not to scare people away.

Minna (as Myra): I think in this case a little dancing, a little bit of awkwardness on the floor isn’t going to sway anybody who matters.

Kim (as Blaire): Egh… It’s not just the dancing, it’s all of me.

Minna (as Myra): I will say, to some extent, I can understand where you’re coming from. It’s very difficult to open yourself up and let yourself be whoever you wanna be, but I think it’s worthwhile work, don’t you? If we’re trying to change this city to let other people have better lives, maybe we can believe that we can let ourselves show just a little bit sometimes.

Kim (as Blaire): I guess it is a small price to pay. A little bit of personal discomfort is really nothing if we’re trying to change an entire system. I can do that.

Minna (as Myra): And maybe it’ll become personal comfort. You never know.

Kim (as Blaire): [giggles] I don’t think parties are gonna be my kind of personal comfort.

Minna (as Myra): Maybe we just need to find the right party.

Kim (as Blaire): I’m banned from every library in the city, though, you forget.

Minna (as Myra): Oh no! You are!

Kim (as Blaire): Yeah…

Josie: [laughs]

Minna (as Myra): Blaire… We have to sneak you in one of these days.

Kim (as Blaire): Hmm?

Minna (as Myra): I mean, I have access to a number of libraries. I don’t want to burn any bridges…

Kim (as Blaire): I’m banned from all of them, and they would clock me immediately unless I went in with a disguise.

Minna (as Myra): [scandalized sigh] Well, you let me know if there’s any research you need out of them.

Kim (as Blaire): [exhales] Yeah, I will.

Rhi: [light airy sigh, smiling] Ah, God, this is so good. These good friends. This good character development! So yeah, I think that honestly the three of you have a nice time at this party. I think that… particularly I think when you, like, there is a meal here, you all get dinner and it is really nice, and I think that there’s probably a moment—

Kim: Do they have fruit?

Rhi: Yeah.

Kim: Ohh!

Rhi: There’s fruit. There’s vegetables.

Kim: Oh my God! I don’t know if Blaire has ever had a fresh vegetable.

Rhi: Yeah. I think that you’re hopeful that this is going to work out in a way where, you know, some of the money that’s being spent on all of this finery might be turned towards helping more of the people in this city.

 

 

## Downtime [1:19:07]

Rhi: Okay! So, for downtime, where do we find Minx and Myra during their downtime here?

Josie: I think Minx is going over what we know of Hagen’s clinic, like written down, but she’s kind of only half paying attention and is just like (humming). She still has the Magpies mask on the table next to her.

Minna: [giggles]

Josie: She’s still kind of riding that high a little bit.

Minna: I think Myra sets a cup of tea next to her elbow.

Josie (as Minx): Oh, thank you!

Minna (as Myra): Of course. Looked like you could use it.

Josie (as Minx): Yes, well, it’s always a good time for tea.

Minna (as Myra): [laughs]

Josie: She’ll take a sip.

Josie (as Minx): it has been a long time since we’ve gotten to go to a party and… yes, just socialize like that. I’ve missed it.

Minna (as Myra): You still enjoy that?

Josie (as Minx): Yes, of course, if for no other reason than the attention. Ahem.

Minna (as Myra): I know you didn’t have such a good experience with The Centuralia Club and I had wondered.

Josie (as Minx): I… I mean, that was a bit of an eye opener, but…

Minna (as Myra): [laughs]

Josie (as Minx): Yes, but there’s no reason I can’t still enjoy a party now and then.

Minna (as Myra): Of course.

Josie (as Minx): It’s not really the wealth itself, you understand, it’s more the bringing everyone together under one roof and having a good time.

Minna (as Myra): Yes, and they’re really able to indulge in that kind of… completely given into luxury in a way that most people can’t, so I can really see the appeal there.

Josie (as Minx): Yes, and like, it’s not just for me. Hopefully Bazso and Nyryx can find their own way, but secretly I kind of hope to just burst onto the scene as a radical new money noble and sweep them both up in my wealthy shenanigans.

Minna (as Myra): [laughs] Is that why you got into this kind of thing?

Josie (as Minx): Yes. It was more about me at first, but definitely… well, there was Bazso, and then we had that falling out, and then we talked, and then had another falling out, so…

Minna (as Myra): [laughs]

Josie (as Minx): I don’t know where he stands on it, but I’m thinking Nyryx is definitely part of that future now

Minna (as Myra): Sorry that you ended up with a crew that really isn’t going anywhere fast in terms of riches.

Josie (as Minx): I mean, I think I am more comfortable knowing that we have made a difference than indulging my own personal tastes. That’s a bit more spiritually satisfying, don’t you think?

Minna (as Myra): Certainly. I agree.

Josie (as Minx): Of course, that’s all presuming we can actually make a lasting change. I don’t mean to be negative, but…

Minna (as Myra): No, I mean, at this point it’s all faith, isn’t it?

Josie (as Minx): yeah… yeah, I suppose. Speaking of, there do seem to be a lot of forgotten gods in our path. Huh.

Minna (as Myra): I don’t know if it’s Blaire or if we just got lucky that way.

Josie (as Minx): [laughs] Perhaps a bit of both.

Minna (as Myra): Probably both.

Josie (as Minx): Yeah… You know, that stuff seems like it affects everyone, and I’m starting to become less able to ignore it. I mean, Blaire’s got her stuff, you’ve been affected, Nyryx and I have our own things, and I’m just over here in my little no mystic things bubble.

Minna (as Myra): Yeah. Well, you’ve got two people who can try and help you fend off any of that kind of thing, so there’s… if you’re not able to, that’s fine.

Josie (as Minx): [laughs] I appreciate that, really.

Minna (as Myra): It’s so strange. They have money, but it’s still not enough for these people.

Josie (as Minx): Yes. I truly do not understand it. I can internalize trends and rules and faux pas and social agreements, but I cannot understand having everything you need and more and just wanting more.

Minna (as Myra): I mean, clearly not a mindset I understand either.

Josie (as Minx): Heh. Well, even if we don’t make a lasting difference hopefully there are a significant number of folks taken down a peg.

Minna (as Myra): This might be strange to ask.

Josie (as Minx): Hmm?

Minna (as Myra): While I’m being nosey. Heh.

Josie (as Minx): Oh no, it’s a welcome change, honestly.

Minna (as Myra): You have a voice you usually use, and I understand that, you know, that’s the one that you choose. I’ve just noticed that occasionally you slip into other voices and it doesn’t seem to be… I don’t know. I just wondered if everything was all right, I guess.

Josie (as Minx): Oh! Um… Heh. Well, I um… [clears throat] I try to comport myself with an air of dignity and grace, and I try to speak to that fashion… As you know, I didn’t really come from that, and can speak in other ways if I want to. As to whether I’m okay… Huh. You know, I don’t think I really know.

Minna (as Myra): We don’t have a lot of time to stop and reflect in our life.

Josie (as Minx): No, and you’re right, recently it’s been harder to keep my usual perfect, put together self.

Minna (as Myra): is that something you prefer, or is it just something you learned to do to survive?

Josie (as Minx): I… I mean… The voice I use as Ellie is more the one for survival. Ellie is who I came from.

Minna (as Myra): Mm-hmm.

Josie (as Minx): And who I still am, really. Minx is who I am attempting to choose to be.

Minna (as Myra): I think who you choose to be is who you are.

Josie (as Minx): I… I’m not so certain, because these days it seems more and more we must end lives and endanger ourselves and others and put ourselves in situations where, where I have to be more Ellie?

Minna (as Myra): So what are the values that Minx embodies that you’re afraid you’re having to throw away?

Josie (as Minx): Well, class, sophistication, kindness, nurturing… Ellie’s, I used to be, believe it or not, more violent, out of necessity you understand. All three of us were, by necessity, violent children. Ellie’s more cold, I suppose, and I don’t like that.

Minna (as Myra): I’ve never thought of you as a particularly cold person, and I think even now when we’re having to be more violent you are still opening yourself up to kindness and you care about people. It’s one of the things I admire about you.

Josie (as Minx): [squirms] Well, thank you, Myra. I’m not certain I can agree. I certainly try, but… Thank you.

Minna: I think Myra stands up at this point and just kind of leans over and kisses the side of Minx’s head.

Minna (as Myra): You let me know if there’s anything I can do to help.

Josie: Minx sort of blushes a little bit.

Josie (as Minx): Yes. Thank you, Myra. You know you can ask the same of me.

Minna (as Myra): I do know.

Rhi: I think a couple days after that you all had some time to wind down from the party, you’ve all gone to see Seeks again, maybe talked to Seeks a little bit about some of your plans, but you do head back over to The Hound’s paw to check in with Rigney, see about your messages. And yeah, Rigney will give you a few notes and things. Some of them are just from some of your other contacts around the city checking in saying, you know, here’s what we know, part of Myra’s information network, but there is an envelope on very nice, thick paper that has a wax seal on the back that you open up. It’s very nice paper and ink, but the handwriting is, eh, not the greatest.

Minna: [giggles]

Rhi: It is just a brief note saying that should the clinic currently owned by Dr. Hagen become available for new ownership the Evermar family is willing to commit a number of, you know, an amount of money that comes out to roughly 8 coin a month to the upkeep and maintenance of a clinic that would serve the people of Duskwall. I think it’s actually phrased as “serve all the people of Duskwall,” and it is signed Liege Greer Evermar.

 

 

## Outro [1:27:56]

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.

 

Now, I’d like to thank our magnificent Patreon backers. Rudy Scholls, thank you!

 

## Blooper [1:29:14]

Kim (as Blaire): Like finding a needle in a haystack.

Kim: Sorry. We don’t have haystacks, do we?

Rhi: Um…

Kim: Because hay is…

Rhi: Yeah, probably not. Yeah.

Kim: All right, so I have to come up with a sea equivalent.

Rhi: This… yeah. [chuckles]

Kim (as Blaire): But, it feels like finding a needle in a pile of bones.

Rhi: Jesus!

Minna: A pile of what?! [giggles]

Josie: [laughs nervously]

Rhi: Pile of bone!

Kim: I- I- I just—

Josie: I mean, that’s a Blaire thing to say.

Kim: I went with the first—

Rhi: That’s very good. [chuckles]

Kim: The first Blaire thing that came up, I was just like, okay we don’t have hay, what do we have? I know this setting doesn’t have a lot of herbs. So what do we do? Blaire works a lot with bones. If she does taxidermy or dissects stuff she probably has a lot of amphibious or bird bones lying around that are very needle like. [laughs]

Rhi: Yeah… Yeah, no…

Josie: Yeah, I mean…

Minna: I was gonna say a pearl in a mushroom tunnel or something like that. [laughs]

Rhi: Nope! Nope!

Minna: I love the bones.

Kim: [laughs]

Rhi: Yeah, it’s real good.