The Adventure Zone - The Adventure Zone: Dust Season 2 - Episode 2

Episode Date: September 8, 2022

The Graysons stake out the station to find a way onto their quarry. Augustus finds out some bad news. Indrid talks to an old friend. Callan shows off his skills. Lulu offers an exchange. Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/jointaz

Previously on the Adventure Zone Dust. It's my pleasure, Ms. Blackwell. My name is Augustus Parsons. I am the CEO in absentia of Cash Universe. Names Callan. Callan the hunter. Yes. Callan the lawman.

Not anymore. Callan the murderer. So I'm injured. I can see the future. I am Louise Lulu Kagayama, and I run an establishment in this town that you may have heard of, the Maison Niho. Jeremiah was in line to handle operations at the mine following his father's death. Now that he is dead, there is a void that needs to be filled. You will travel to Crescent City.

Once there, you will locate my daughter, Pearl Blackwell. You have come here at the behest of my father to convince me to return to Dry River. Is that correct? Mm-hmm. Let's get down to planning a train heist. We will help you complete this business. And in exchange, you agree to return with us to your mother. There is one more addendum.

I will need you to sign this. She holds out a document and you, Augustus, from your business dealings, know what this is. And basically, it's a magical NDA. We can come to a dark bargain. That's right. I guess, yeah. I mean, okay. I'll see a bargain with

with smoke and blood. Please come with me for a meeting with Mr. Blue. My name is Flint Chittles. After being, I'll say a combination of lead and coerced

towards the Crescent City Bank, Augustus, you find yourself in the well-appointed, but also well-enforced office of Jackson Blue. You can see that the glass is very thick, in the windows, the walls are very sturdy.

The door as you went through it, you noticed is both thick, but also warded. There are silver inlay that is specifically to keep out specters and incorporeal and people of the fay that basically not only is this enforced against mortals, but against all sorts of power as well. And you are sitting comfortably, or at least, you know, appearing to sit, comfortably in a seat, you know, you're not falling through it. And as you sit comfortably, in walks of Jackson, from what you assume is the anthony chamber slash apartment.

Heard and seen right now. Okay. Should we cover that real quick? Augustus, we talked about it in dust, and it's fresh in my mind. Augustus can be two of these three, heard, seen, and touched. So, but I have to switch with an ability called Manifest. and like, I have to, it takes a second. I can't like grow the fly.

Okay. Augustus Parsons. It has been, well, quite some time since you have been in Crescent City. I suppose it has been, yes. You could argue. Am I even there now? Ah, well, that is a metaphysical conversation that I don't think we have time for. Well, I should ask you, Justin, how well do Jackson Blue and Augustus Parsons know each other?

I think that he has avoided, he knows of him. I feel like they've probably been at like some frigging Lions Club type meetings together. I think that Augustus avoided doing business with Jackson because he finds him crass. Excellent. Wow. Wow. Yeah. He must be pretty crass then.

Why? Then no reason. Well, Augustus, I might say, I was expecting you. Oh, well, I suppose I'm flattered. I assume, and the reason I had Flint keeping an eye out for you, that this is about Cash Universe. Yes. Yes, it is. This is a business dealing with cashew numbers.

I have important cashew business that I am currently attending to. And I am curious how that interweaves with your enterprises, but I suppose that is what I'm here to find out. Oh, I, sorry, you must be more out of the loop than I thought. But, well, as you know, and I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this, I thought you had known. That's why you came. The Augustus Parsons Cashew Company was hitting on hard times. And so Garrett came to me to ask for an influx of capital.

I am now, you know, a large minority holder. Let's put it that way. I have quite a large stake in the cash. The rebranding was partially my idea, but I am now part owner of Cash Universe, formerly, Augustus Parsons Cashew Company. You mean Cash Universe? Yes. There is no Augustus Parsons Cashu Company that you are in possession of. You are a minority stakeholder in Cash Universe.

Well, if you must be pedantic, then yes. Have you been given seats on the board? A few. I suppose you've filled them out with sympathetic ears and votes. Well, myself, my head of operations, and of course, my loyal second, Flint Chittles. Are you telling me that Flint Chittles? sits on the board of Cash Universe. Yes, is that a problem?

No, of course not. No, no, no, no, no, no, that's fine. Well, don't keep me in suspense. How are things in the nut business? How's our profit margin? I know we were struggling with some of the flooding in recent years. How have things been going? Well, this is what I wanted to talk to you about Mr. Parsons.

Turning to your elders in a time of confusion and loss of purpose. I understand it well. Not a move I ever had to employ, but no reason for you to be humbled by it. No, I'm sorry, you misunderstand, Augustus. The reason that I had my people keeping their ear to the ground, as it were, looking out for your return. I need you, I'm going to tell you to stop meddling in the business of Cash Universe. It is no longer your company. A company has only one CEO, and word on the street is that you continue to refer to yourself as a CEO in absentia.

So I think you could see where that might be confusing for stakeholders and shareholders and investors. And so, Mr. Parsons, I need you to assure me that you will not meddle in the business of Cash Universe. Or what? Jackson turns and looks at a large painting on the wall, and there you see. a younger Jackson and as well as someone dressed identically with with similar facial features, though slightly younger. And he says, Mr. Parsons, do you know who is in this portrait with me? No, I'm afraid I don't. Okay. This is my brother, Matthias. I loved him more than anyone could possibly imagine. He was my best friend, my blood, and my partner in starting this bank and starting

my business ventures. Everything I did, I did for my younger brother so that we could have a life together. When we started, we were orphans with no one to protect us and we only had each other. He meant the world to me. and when he stood in my way, I murdered him in cold blood and left his body to be picked apart by buzzards in the desert. So ask yourself, Mr. Parsons, if I would do that to the person I love most in the world, what do you think I would do to you and yours? It's just me, unfortunately, and you will find that I am very, very difficult to hurt. Oh, I see just you, so not your daughter, Anna, or your company, which currently I am only a minor stakeholder in, but that could always change. Well, I do wonder why you would want to own more of a company that has such a disreputable figurehead as myself.

That's just what I'm saying. You are not the figurehead. Augustus. Well, figurehead. There's not something you can put on paper when people think cashews. They think Augustus Parsons. Do they? I believe we erased that name from the cashew business.

Perhaps you did. Perhaps you did. No, you know what? I can play ball. I would like to save you the trouble of threat. threatening me and mine, though, maybe we could come out to a more beneficial arrangement. What do you have in mind? I'm sure you have an opening for someone of my talents, my acumen, my ephemeral nature.

Maybe we could work out a deal. You understand my unfinished business that keeps me on this plane is the, Augustus Barson's cashew company, if I would step away from it entirely, I would vanish like so much steam in the air. I must have purpose, or I will evaporate. Ah, I see. Well, then let me say this. Perhaps we could be business partners together. And he reaches into a desk drawer, and he pulls out one dollar bill, and he slaps it down on the desk and says, now I'm your first invest. in the new Augustus Parsons Cachew Company. And that completes our business.

So if you would vacate my office, I have actual living, breathing business people to work with. If you'll excuse me. Augustus takes a second, becomes visible and physical, but inaudible, stands up and slowly curls his fingers around the single dollar bill and walks out.

Outside of the Crescent City Bank, you find waiting for you your three partners, two Grayson's and one. Chint Flittles isn't down. I meant to tell you, oh, Flint Chittles. Sorry, I ran all the way here because I remembered I saw in the future.

Is it Flint Chittles or Chittles please? One is my murderer, one is a dear friend. And they look identical. They're identical. I had a vision that Flint Chuddles isn't out. And I meant to tell you, and I forgot. And then when you disappeared, I was like, uh-oh, maybe Flint got him. And I felt super bad. I understand. No, it's quite all right.

Just some business. Are you certain you look like you've seen a good... That you're deeply upset in some way. I'm so sorry It's quite alright It happens to everybody No offense taken No it

I have been I've Chosen To take a step back From Cash Universe To focus on Other Enterprises

It's unrelated to our business here I assure you It won't get in the way You seem a little More Spectral than you Are you quite okay? Yes.

I'm fine. Well, that's really ashamed to hear about the business, because, you know, when I think of cash shoes, I think of Augustus Parsons. You're right. Yes. That's right. That's right. I very discreetly take the packet of Cash Universe pizza blasted cashews out of my pocket and slipping in here by garbage can. Me too.

Definitely. The new stuff. Did you hear that they did a pizza blasted flavor? Voguear. Vogue. Is nothing sacred? I mean... I'm happy to wash my hands of it.

As consumers of pizza blasted cashews are, to watch their hands of the dust, the pepperoni and mozzarella flavor dust. That's what the dust and test dust. Yeah, that's what always goes for. The pizza blasting cashew flavoring. All right. So you find yourself with three tasks,

three questions to answer. before you board the train the following morning. What is your plan? Where would you like to head first? You have the map of Crescent City with some places of interest marked. If there's any specific thing where you're like, where would I find this sort of thing? To some degree, you are all familiar with your characters, at least, with Crescent City. And I will be happy to guide you and answer anything I can.

I've done plenty of adventure. You all decides to have adventure. Yeah, looking at the objectives here, I don't know that stealth isn't necessarily Indrid's strong suit. I feel like trying to find the weak points in the security detail might be where my... Well, I had an idea about that. Okay. About Callan, since he is familiar with the city, maybe knowing where the favorite, hang out of the security head would be,

and the Kahnelan would go and talk to him, kind of feel out the situation a little bit. Is that like a circle move? I'm still trying to wrap my mind around urban shadows' other move types, right? So I feel like perhaps we want to hit the streets to get what we need. perhaps. And we can do that rolling with infactions and see perhaps, you know, if anybody's real tight with the fangs or real tight with any of the particular circles.

Well, right off the back, if I might suggest, a place to start, you know you have to do some recon on the train. Right. Right. And boarding. And if I might suggest, perhaps the best place. To start that would be the train yard. Yeah.

I think that's a good starting point, and then we can kind of branch off from there as we see opportunities to do so. Okay. Upon approaching the train yard, it is, as you might imagine, full of trains. You see criss-crossing rails.

I was helping, but I didn't want to ask. All connecting with different transfers, all crossing through, station prime. You see some trains are currently in storage waiting to be used to transport people, goods, animals, what have you, between different locations. It is currently fenced off, but it's not locked or anything. It is being used, and there's always the rails going to and from.

How long are you standing and waiting? Are you all four together looking through the fence? Is there no visitors entrance? I mean, it's a working thing. Unless you're being loaded and going through Station Prime, which is where the passengers would load. But at that point, you would need a ticket. Of course, you would need to buy passage.

But currently, no passenger cars are being loaded. Right now, things are just being prepared and ready and unloaded from other cars coming in. Now, what you do see, as you are waiting outside. the fence is you do see a man making himself comfortable on a sack of boxes outside of the fence smoking what appears to be a hand-rolled cigarette and though everything about him is attempting to convey a casual nature he is definitely aware of your presence uh can i tip to size them up as we go to talk to before we go talk to him figure someone out i suppose yeah go for it uh is that something that I do before, is that something I can do before we even start talking to them? I guess so.

Yeah, you can try and put a name. You can check their body language, tone of voice, telltale clues, all that stuff. Can I tell that this is maybe metagaming a bit? Could I even put a name to a face? Or is this just like Joe Lunchbox situation? Well, let's say, I'll tell you this. If you, if you roll a 10 to 12, I will combine your natural foretelling powers, your natural prophetic powers, and figure someone out, and you can figure out, like, their name and their deal on a 10 to 12th. I got a flat 10 plus, is it mind? Yeah.

Plus 1.11. So this man's name is Roust, and Roust is a rail rider. I walk right up to him. Oh, good morning. roused. Well, howdy there? Names are rous. Well, what? How did you... Yeah, that gets confusing for people sometimes.

Huh. How fair are the trains today? Everything running on time? Oh, smooth as silk, my friend. Smooth as silk. And what was your name? My name's Indrid. These are my associates. And we are train enthusiasts, just like yourself. Not from a commute standpoint, but

beautiful machines. They are indeed. You have a particular flavor. You an engine man. You like the... The caboose, baby. One of those. You had to know I was going...

Like, I know you can't see the future, but you had to know I was going to say that, yes? Yeah, no, it's just usually that's what someone says when they're kind of making fun and train enthusiasts, you know what I mean? No, I find the humble caboose to be the most powerful. Obviously, it doesn't move. This man is a caboose man through and through.

Through and through. Thank you, associate. Am I able to do I know this man? I'm certain I know most folks in the city, but... Let me see. Give me a... Do you want to put a face to a name rule? Yeah, give me a face to a name. Well, you know his name.

So how about we put a face to the name. We'll do it in reverse. Okay, that's a straight seven. Is that a miss? No, that's a hip. Here's what I'll tell you. You know that this is, as he has said, roused, right? And a rail rider.

So basically the rail riders, they are partnered with a patron where they basically, their constant movement, they don't stay in any one place for very long. So the rail riders, through their movement, kind of that energy, that movement is what powers their patron. So their patron grants them certain boons and, you know, the freedom that they can move through life without sustenance, without sleep. And as long as they continue to move, as long as they are constantly going from one place to another, right, it powers their patron. And you also know, right, that rail riders, because of that, if somebody is signed on to be a rail rider, they have a certain ease of nature that, you know, You know, as long as you are easy, they are easy, and they tend to just kind of go with the flow. But you don't have any kind of like known relationship with Rouse that would give you an upper hand. No, it's really hard to have any kind of relationship with rail riders.

With the rail riders, that's fair. Yeah, their transient nature is such that they rarely make connections with anyone. Okay. How do you feel about rich knobs? Well, it's right there in the name, isn't it? Don't so much care for them. Knobbs they are. Knob's what they is.

You know, that kind of owning things. It's a little too tied up for me. We're going to rip one off in a major way. Not keeping any of the spoils for ourselves, but redistributing them to his mistreated employees. And I'll be straight with you, Roust. You seem like someone who could get on board with an effort like that. Ah, get on board. See, now you're talking.

That's, sorry, that's a rail rider speak. You probably don't know it, but like, you get on. Yeah, you get on board a train. Which train you're looking to get on board? Blues. Oh. We're looking to be on the train two days from now. Whew. That's a tough one. Have you been on that one?

Well, um, no. For a variety of reasons. they're pretty protective of that one. It got to be, who, that's the one you're going to get on, huh? Well, let me tell you this. First of all, I don't mean to be insensitive, but sir, are you a ghost? Sir? No, no, I'm not. No, I'm not talking to the ghost.

Sorry, no offense. Like, are you nodding there? I nod. Okay, great. Well, first things first, let me tell you there. I'm material invisible. One thing I don't know about that train makes it tough. It is warded.

The cars you can't just pass through, you got to go through an entrance. But I will tell you this. Here's a little secret. Rail Rider to, it seems like, aspiring rail rider. The engine ain't warded. Hmm. The engine, that's local, right?

Blue don't own that. Other than that, the only other answer is pretty shitty sorry does it involve literal shit because you're laughing in a way it does sorry it's through the latrine car isn't it well no so there's a livestock car right and that livestock car they bring the animals in

once they get to the station they're unloaded from the car and then they clean the grate so basically got the raised floor that the animal could shit through right and then they drop out the bottom, clean out the bottom, reattach to the bottom up. You got a gap there. It's a, what,

I don't know, about two feet deep. It ain't ideal. You just got to kind of cross your finger, but that's a real common rail ride or way. You know, people don't normally check, you know, the shit grades. And that livestock car is also

not warded? No, well, it ain't boarded through the grates if that way the bottom part is open it's the the walls or what's warded but once it's open you can get in there you can open it up and get in there anywhere you can open it up right you can't if a door is open you can walk through it you know what i mean it's just you can't just pass through you know the walls or the floors or whatever it's warded against that okay let's do a quick team meeting and rouse you can be a part of this if you want um let's try to find oh i don't really like

being part of teams that's not really any other options let's explore any other option before we settle on shit great. Yes. I'll become visible and non-material. It sounds fine to me. I don't think, listen, we've hit gold and we need to stop digging. I think that this is the ideal plan for us. Well, and it seems like you'd be able to just ghost your way into the engine room.

Is that correct? We're all sort of in a huddle, and I look over my shoulder to Rast and I say, Oh, so in theory, if someone was incorporeal, we would be able to just get into the engine room? Perhaps then? Yeah. Sorry, I forgot what we were talking about for a second. My mind was somewhere else. Um, yeah, the,

Is that in character? Yeah, we're discussing a train heist. What could possibly be? This is another thing about rail riders is like they are in the moment. It is. They started to lose connection to things as they move on. Yeah, that's all right. Uh, yeah, no, sorry.

The, uh, yeah, so the engine's not worded. Uh, also the, the fuel car is hit or miss. Uh, it just depends on which one you get. Yet, some of them are not, they come warded, some of them don't, uh, I don't remember which one it is on this one. When we're talking about wards, we are only talking about things that will keep Augustus out, right? Or are these wards like magical locks for other beings as well? Yeah, so wards basically, uh, it's what stops people of power as well from abusing it. Like, for example, it would stop, um, you know, it would stop Lulu from just like demon out and punch through the wall.

all to gain access to the payroll, that kind of thing. It basically just limits the use of magic and wild and power to access thing that normal mortals wouldn't be able to access. I have an idea about how to deal with the wards. I feel pretty good about it. How are we actually going to get in there? Would you mind sharing some of the tools of the trade, so to speak, Roust? And we could make it worth your while.

Sorry, get in where? Into the train. Oh, which train you'll get into? The one to stitch you in two days. One to stitchton, one to stitchton. Well, you know, one of the most common ways for rail riders is if you insinuate yourself with like the cargo and such. That one can be a little tricky for people who need to like eat and breathe. You got to make kind of special arrangements for that.

It's easier when the only kind of sustenance you need is just movement. So you got to be careful with that one. But I mean, if it's soon, right? When's that train? It's soon, right? It's soon. You might be able to work something out with like the people loaded. Be careful of guards, though, man.

Those guards find you on a train. They will not be happy. Any points in the direction of you see several people with a green arm band hanging around the train yard and one with a green sash across their chest. He says, those guards there mean business,

my friends. And Travis, do I know which team this one is? You don't know which team, but you do immediately recognize Udora line. Udora hangs around the Maison-Nihon. She has a tender heart

and enjoys a good time. She enjoys the gambling and the drinking. And you have heard her mention of the past, her job, never said specifically, but saying that it was just, you know, to pay the bills until she can find the next thing. See, and she's wearing an armband or a sash? She's wearing a green armband. And they're like security? Correct.

Yes. So if she's not wearing the sash, she's not in charge of that unit. She's just in. Oh, and I should make it clear. There are three different teams, and each one has a different color. Right. That's right. There's the personal guard up front, and then there's the two in the back.

Right. Two cars on the other side. One last question, Rouse. If we wanted to find our way into the train yard without being detected. Yeah? How would we do that? Oh, sorry. I didn't know what the question was there.

For the train to Stitch 10 in two days, in theory. You want to get in without being seen. Is there a fence we climb? Is there a tunnel? Is there a sewer? Is there a pipeline? I mean, yeah, there's a couple, there's a couple, like, you know, drains and such.

So they need to liquid cool, you know, for the steam and stuff. They need water to do that. So there's places where they dump used water, they don't need and then it drains off. So you can maybe make your way up one of those drains, but probably the easiest way is to just try to walk in and make sure no one sees you. That's usually what I do.

Just wait till no one's looking and then just kind of walk up one of the tracks. Thank you so much for your help, Roust. Yeah, you've been kind of helpful. May I? Strangely helpful, one might argue. I reach out my hand. Oh, okay.

And he takes your hand. And you don't have to roll for this. What you see before you is like a blue sky, right? Like, what is roused future? Uh-huh. Right? Rousst's future is not set. And that's by the very nature of this thing of just like, where will he go next?

What will he do? Who will he see? Oh, well, that's so romantic. What? Sir, may the road rise to. to meet you on your travels. Oh, okay. And you are...

Uh, a fellow aspiring rail rider. Oh, cool. Okay, well, and he goes back to what he was doing. Um, so gentlemen, uh, it occurs to me that perhaps sneaking in with the livestock during that section of the cargo load might be advantageous to us.

Well, I can turn into a cow. No, I can't actually do that. That's a wild thing. I don't understand why that would be easier than just sort of hiding in a box or... Can you really? No, I can turn into a big moth sometimes, but not now. And moth isn't livestock. So do you know any of those dudes, Callum?

I think I know the one in the green sash. Well, let's see if you can put a name to a face, Clinton. Okay. So. If he fails, is he just like, that's Jimbo Craigs. You know what? No, my mistake. Let's move off.

I was thinking of Patrick Dempsey. It's a different. He's in raising. You guys watch step by step. Do I roll two? Yes. That is an 11. Whoa.

Oh, yeah. So you know that that is Wyatt Lincoln. Wyatt Lincoln is a particularly bloodthirsty fang and I mean that quite literally you knew him from your days

as a lawman here but he never quite crossed the line far enough for you to come after him but you know that that dude sucks that guy and I once again I mean that quite literally that he kind of feeds

indiscriminately. Well, excuse me a moment, Ms. Lulu? Actually, if you're going over there, I have an acquaintance over there as well. Perhaps we could go under the guise of us both wanting to talk to our acquaintances. Oh, good, good, good. Yeah.

Maybe while they do that, we can try and get a closer look at one of these big, beautiful machines. Yes, let's poke around and see what we can on Earth. One last question, Roust. Hey, Roust, my name is Indrid Cold. I can see the future and we've been talking. Yeah.

When it comes time for you to extricate yourself from a train, we had a rapport. You trusted me to tell me things, and I trusted you. Do we need to set all that up again, or can you take that on credit? Well, I guess it depends on what you're about to ask. If you want to get off a train undetected, maybe one that's going quickly. You don't get off a train while it's moving. That would, what? It stops and then you get off?

Do you know how trains were? Historically, yes, that is how one uses it in a legitimate manner. But if one did, I'm realizing how preposterous. You ever jump off a train roused? No. Okay. Okay, so this is not normally something I have to tell new rail riders, but getting off a train is easy? Like, they're happy when you get off the train.

They're like, yeah, go away. Right, but getting on a trend is usually the part that's hard to do. Okay. I realized, I actually realized a while ago that I was barking up the wrong tree. So is it okay if I just kind of walk away and you forget about this interaction in like three seconds? Sorry, what were we talking about? Okay. Goodbye, Rouse.

Hey there, I'm Ellen Weatherford. And I'm Christian Weatherford. And we've got big feelings about animals that we just got to share. On just the zoo of us, your new favorite animal review podcast. We're here to critically evaluate how each animal. animals excels and how it doesn't, rating them out of 10 on their effectiveness, ingenuity, and aesthetics. Guest experts give you their takes informed by actual real-life experiences studying and working

with very cool animals like sharks, cheetahs, and sea turtles. It's a field trip to the zoo for your ears. So if you or your kids have ever wondered if a pigeon can count, why sloths move so slow, or how a spider sees the world, find out with us every Wednesday on just the zoo of us in its natural habitat on maximum fun.org. Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Carrie, is it? Oh, yes. Hi, I'm Carrie.

I am Psychic Ross, and I will be reading you this evening. Oh, interesting. Well, okay, I co-host a podcast. It's called Ono Ross and Carrie. Yes, I'm sensing that. The spirits are telling me. It is a show about poodles. Well, it's about fringe science and spirituality and claims of the paranormal.

Oh, you knew that. You do research online. But more importantly, like we do in. person investigations. Yeah. Oh my God, that's amazing. See? Me and my friend, this is so weird, my friend Ross, same name as you.

Weird. He and I just go and try them all out. And actually, we've gone to a number of psychics. And to be honest with you, it's a lot like this. It's called Ono Ross and Kerry. They can find it at maximum fun.org. I could have told you that. So Augustus and Indrid, are you moving at the same time as Lulu and Callan?

Or are you waiting? I don't mind splitting up. I feel like I would. would not actually be great at recon. I have another idea for something I can do, which is talk to a friend of mine who knows a lot about magic stuff, who could potentially give some advice on sort of,

I feel like if we get in there and we don't have magic powers, we are giving up a pretty huge advantage. So I'd like to talk to my buddy Micah, who is also a helpful spirit that I have a couple gets to. You know from experience, Micah will not speak to you unless you are alone, so you will need to step away from Augustus to do that, okay.

Yeah, but Augustus, if you can turn invisible and... Yeah, I'll be by your side. Get it, or you can take a look at the trains, either one. If you want to come with to me to talk to my cool friend, Micah. I feel like Micah might see you. As thrilling as it would be to listen to a 41-year-old man pretend to be a ghost looking at a train, as gripping audio as that would create,

I might just go with you to meet your cool friend Mike. Well, now I will say this, Augustus, there are people that are handling the loading and unloading of freight. So that might be worth, you know, spying out if you want something exclusive. And not just like, look at those rivets. Yeah, I will go poke around on that. And maybe rather than do a scene, you can just tell me what I found out a little bit later, unless you want me to do a scene. I will play my role. Perfect.

I can tell you what you found out later. Yeah, indeed. Okay, great. Let's start with Callan and Lulu. What's your approach here? I'm going to let Lulu take the lead, but I mean, I assume that if Lincoln knows me, if I know Lincoln, Lincoln knows me.

Is that fair to say? We'll see. As you start to head into the fenced-in area, immediately the guards at your way. You see Lulu, Udora clocks you. And it's like, well now, hey, what are you doing here?

You're going to get out of here. Oh, and I say, I raise my voice and I say, and this is our lovely train yards. And I'm not sure. Oh, Yudora, why, it's a pleasure to see you. I'm showing my new friend,

Mr. Callan, around. Yeah, no, hey, you can't be in. You got to go. Go? Did you not see, like, the fences and you're going to get me in trouble, you're going to get you in trouble, you got to get out of here. I look around. Well, I believe Mr. Callan said that he had an acquaintance amongst the crew here. Not so, Mr. Callan.

Yeah. Who are you looking for? Need to talk to Lincoln. Wyatt Lincoln? No, Abraham. Yes, Wyatt Lincoln. Uh, and without... Lincoln!

I need to talk to you. Wyatt begins making his way over. He's a little bit shorter than you, Callan, but broader. He's got kind of a, like, Wolverine build. And he walks over and like, well, well, well, if it ain't Callan. Been a while. You still hiding behind a badge, or? No.

You know me. Yeah. Did you not hear how I said, I said your name is a walked up. You caught that part, right? Because I think you're trying to do a badass kind of thing now, but I'm doing a badass thing. And let me check, I'm surrounded by guards that work for me, and you've got Lulu. He's going more for the lone, mysterious stranger rolling into town with a very neat coat and has a lady of good breeding and society to show him around.

Okay, well, I've been just wanting to kill him for a long, long time. So can I do that? Would you be mad, Miss Lulu, or is it okay if I kill him? Well, that would be very ungentlemanly of you to do. Oh, my God. I'm here, actually not to be killed. I need work. You know what I can do. You know, and he looks around the train yard, you know, I could probably take down every one of these green armband wearing stooge's ears.

Not sure if I could take you or not, but I sure as hell think I could do a better job than these people. Well, let's see. And he pulls a coin out of his pocket and throws it in the air and yells, pull. So I'm going to need you to roll keep your cool. And see if you can shoot that coin out of the air. Okay, so if dad gets a job here and I get a job with him a new cashew company,

we just got to get Erica and Griffin a job. We don't have to do the mystery anymore. We'll just all be gainfully employed in the new field. Eric already has a job. That's right. Erica has a job. She doesn't need this. And I'm just saying Griffin,

Griffin just invented mithulated blood smoke, so he might, if he can... That is actually a sick way of using your abilities is to like come up, think about new inventions that somebody else is going to do,

and then you do them. That's great. I got this idea for this thing called Star Wars. Okay, dad, roll against spirit. You're rolling to... Two. Two.

Roll against spirit. Okay. Two. Six and a three. What's your spirit? Oh, but, and then I add one for spirit. Well, that's a success, my friend. That's a 10.

Now, tell us what's your main sidearm weapon? It's pretty cool. It's called a Lamat revolver. The Lamat revolver has nine cylinders around a shotgun cylinder. Oh. So we can fire nine shots and a tenth shot that is like a shotgun. Well, fuck, yeah, dude. So he flips this coin in the air and yells pull.

And without hesitation, you draw and from the hip, catch it in the air so cleanly it stops flipping. Right? So you pierce the center and it lands flat on the back of your hand. And then you hold your hand out to him. And he's like, did you drop this? Well, fuck. Yeah, dude. All right, man.

Be here, what, tomorrow morning? I got work for you. I have to wear the green thing. If I say yes, are you not going to do it? I'm just trying to figure out the rest of my wardrobe. Oh, okay, then, yeah? Fine. Okay, cool, man.

I'm a spring, but that's who. Well, green is spring. That was Clint McRoy. Somebody out. Hey, that could be Calin. No, that could be Cal. The parrot flew after us. I'm a spring.

Shut up, squawky. While that's happening, Callan and Wyatt are definitely, like, having their own moment. And you and Eudora have, like, faded a little bit into the background. So you can have some words with Eudor here and feel pretty confident. that Wyatt isn't paying any attention to you? Well, while the menfolk have their little contest, let's, you and me have a little chat. You've been coming to my establishment for, what,

two years, three years, and always trying to find the next thing. Well, I'm in the market for some security at my place. Perhaps maybe after this job, you could find your way over there instead of as part of this goon squad. Are you for real? Absolutely.

Well, fuck, yeah, dude. Zon could use some muscle, but with a brain behind it. But one thing I would ask of you while you're still on this job, if you would not be against it, is being a bit of a woman on the inside for me. Inside of what? Blue. Blues operation. Okay, here's the deal I'll make you.

You give me that job, and I don't get in trouble. I'll help you. Absolutely. Okay, she very serratitiously spits in her hand and holds it out to you. I carefully remove each finger of my glove, and then I lick my palm, and I shove it into her hand. Perfect. Then the deal is sealed. The blood smoke could...

No. No, this is just a friendly spit shake. Now, over with you, Indra, how does this display out? What are you asking in Micah? Well, first of all, when I meet Micah, I know Micah is sort of intangible spirit. Does Micah inhabit a body usually when we meet? No. You hear Micah's voice.

And you, because of your touch with the more metaphysical, like you're aware of the presence when Micah is and isn't there, but other than that, you don't have, you don't have much to go off of. Okay, well, I find like a bench far from everyone, because I realize how weird this is going to look, and I just sit down, and it's like the secret. I just kind of make my intention known,

and usually Micah will come to me. So as you make your intention known, you feel a bit of your, like, psychic power infused that intention, right? So there's definitely a draw there. This isn't just like, I want to see Micah and hope that he's nearby. I mean, there's a lot that Micah could be doing. And you feel, you know, a bit of a tingle across, like, your right shoulder, you know, almost like a nerve twitch where, you know, you've got to shift your, and you just hear a voice was for, yes.

Hey, Micah. Indrid, it's so good to see you. Can you see me? Yes. Do you have eyes? Such an impertinent question. Yes, of course. Sorry, I realize that, yeah.

I need some help with something, and you've been so helpful for me in the past with my struggles, with my mystical journey. And I know I've asked a lot of you, but I've been. I was hoping I could maybe ask one more thing, or maybe two or three. I don't know how many things I'm going to ask for, but do you know much about bypassing sort of arcane wards? Ooh, tricky, tricky, tricky. I know a little bit. What are you looking for exactly?

I need to be somewhere where these wards exist, and I need to be possessed of my abilities when I am there, as do my associates who are similarly equipped with sort of supernatural capabilities. At least I think they do. One of them, I think, just shoots a gun super good, which may just be practiced. That's the tall one, yes? There's a tall one, and then there is a businesswoman and proprietor, and then there is another business person who is a ghost. and he works with

yes I was about to ask how you knew those things but then I remembered who you are we need to punish a very bad man and in doing so instill a little bit more

financial equality into this realm and that will be very difficult to do if we cannot use our powers so to speak this this is This is about the train, yes? I need to just be up front with you about everything, right? Whatever you choose. It makes no difference to me, I know.

We're honest with each other, right, Micah? Of course. Yes. Yes, it's the train. Well, the words will keep you out, but once you are past them, you will not lose the connection to your powers. That's great news. it's the keeping us out part that I'm concerned about. You already know this, but if I can't figure this out,

I'm going to have to swim through cow shit. And I don't want to do that. Now, what you could do, the wards are physically carved into the metal of the train. If you are able to deface them in a permanent manner, it should disrupt the magic. Now, there's always a risk that it will create an unstable magic scenario, or that in defacing the wards, you will change the nature of them,

and then, of course, there's the risk that they will be noticed, and security will be increased. but destroying the wards would allow a spectral agent to pass through or for someone of power to access through the walls. I see. That is very helpful. Have you made any progress on the other thing of sort of taking the proverbial shableness? off of my considerable powers? Remind me again where we stood on simply killing Dallas Grayson? I am against it.

For the great misdeed he has done to me, I do believe that his intentions were, at the very least, okay. And so I would like to prevent that if possible. Well, then there's the easy way. out gone. I do feel that I'm getting closer. Don't you worry, Indrant. I haven't forgotten

about you. I check my pocket watch and I say, if you can crack this in like the next 30 hours, that would be huge for me. I'll see what I can do. I'm just saying I have to jump off a moving train

is what it's looking like. And if I could unfurl two big, beautiful, silky wings and let the sky do the work, it would take a large load off my mind. Now, Indran, before I go, I've helped you out quite a bit today. So are we in agreement that you owe me one?

I think I owe you too. The math is right. As long as we understand each other. I have to go now, my friend. Farewell. Okay, bye. Here's what you found. Augustus, as you floated on through, invisible, and you were able to see a manifest that was signed off on by the person who is in charge of shipping the freight over to the train yard, his name is Eric Mathis.

Okay. And because that name does not seem to have garnered any recognition from you. Oh, let's see, Erica, do you remember? Mathis. Like the, like the, the, um, uh, the, uh, the, the werewolf. You know, he's like the guy. The werewolf. The werewolf was wrongfully accused.

Dylan Mathis, correct. Yes. Oh, okay. Let's pretend that listeners weren't really paying as good of attention as they probably should have. Yeah, so back in Dust 1, you guys saved the life of accused murderer Dylan Mathis by finding the actual murderer and releasing him from prison. And this person, you know, here in the Crescent territory, it's smaller than you'd think. So chances are, a shared last name, there's probably some kind of connection there.

Okay. For the record, I was making Werewolf Claw motions that were not Interpreble through audio. I was wildly digging through my Google Drive for some of someone named Mathis. I had a first grade teacher named Mathis.

Blue didn't know. Yeah. So over in the fur territory, you know that there is a freight, you know, the warehouse and packing building in the fur territory that handles all of the boxing up of the freight that is carried on the trains. Okay.

And the fact that it is signed by Amathus means that Amathus works over it in this warehouse and packing. I think I relay that information to them, and then I suggest that we go stop in. For sure. Yes. So as you make your way into the warehouse. house and packing building, this is not guarded in the same way. Because here in the fur district, they don't really need guards so much as anybody who works in this warehouse is a fur and can pretty much hold their own and are pretty good at literally

sniffing out outsiders. So as soon as you all walk into the building, they smell you come a mile away and they turn and a larger than average person with. the same color hair and some similar features to Abigail Mathis, who was Dylan's mother, comes approaching you and he says, yeah, can I help you all? What do you all need? Mr. Mathis? Yeah, sorry, do I know you? I believe you may know me by reputation if not in person. I, brace yourself, am Augustus Parsons. Augustus Park

You're one of them Gracens That helped out my nephew One and the same Oh so this must be Arrow Ryehaus And he reaches for your hand, Indrid Oh, and uh No wait, does it touch Indrid's hand or not?

He holds out his hand I'll shake his fucking hand That's wrong Uh, yeah so roll Five plus two a seven You tell me something new and interesting about their destiny. Oh, okay, great. So what you know is that Jackson Blue is making moves to buy up this freight business and lump it into the train yard.

Okay. I'm injured and cold. I'm a fellow Grayson. I have not met Errol, but I hear he's very handsome and clever. Okay. A pleasure to meet. Well, I'm absolutely honored, of course, to meet you, Mr. Parsons. Can I help you?

Just stopping by in town? Well, are we, are we, is it just us and him? Are there other people who are in earshot? Well, they're all working around. So as you may remember from dust, the furs are very much a pack, right? So if he is the one signing the documents and the one meeting guests, he is head of whatever the pack is here in the warehouse. So as far as you extend that trust, right, that's the people listening in. That doesn't mean that they are all completely loyal.

I mean, money still fucks things up and it is what it is. But you can trust it a little bit. But yeah, man, furs have great senses. So they can hear you. Okay. Are all four of us there? I assume so, right? Yes.

Okay. May we speak in private as much as that is possible? Certainly. I step in in my office. And you do. What? Y'all need to ship something? Perhaps.

Griffin, did you have a plan beyond this or where you just... I mean, we have a... With that information, there's a move I could try to make. Okay. You don't know me. But you do know my associate Augustus, who I believe will vouch for me. So I'm hoping through sort of secondhand trust you might be willing to hear out a proposal. I hate to do this, Mr. Mathis.

But in a sense, you do owe me this courtesy. And I'm going to drop someone's name since. Mathis owes me a debt for saving his bacon. I'm going to drop his name. So I roll with their faction. Oh, and also, point of clarification, if we roll for a faction, do we advance at all?

I think any interactions with people of different factions. Yeah. And that's only on a success? No. But I believe it's any time you roll against it, yeah. Is he wild or night? He's wild. Oh, wait.

Night. Night. Night. Okay. Okay. So I have a two with night. Okay. I'm well known to their people.

Delectable. I have a seven plus two nine. And that is to drop a name. Yes. On a seven nine, I have to cash in the debt. Okay. Can I try and help? Yeah.

You can lend to hand. I feel like I'm trying to also set up. up a deal. And so if those two moves can kind of go hand in hand. Yeah, you sure can. Uh, yeah, roll with the player character's circle. So you're what? Power. Me? What circle are you in, Augustus? Yeah. I'm Knight as well, right? Or power? I thought Knight was vampires and werewolves. Yeah, so a specter is night. Okay. That's good, uh, Because I rolled an 11, but I have minus one with a night. So that's a 10.

How are you helping out? I feel like with this business proposal or warning, I want to just try and lend an air of seriousness to this ability to drop a name and get in his good graces. Yes, I'm going to say, because I can see what both of you are doing together. I don't think the order of it matters much. Together, it's going to average out to a 10, right? So it's a success on both parts. So why don't you go first, Augustus?

I'm just trying to get him to go with whatever. Like, I don't have a separate thing. I'm like, you owe me, and this is me cashing in that. Got it, got to, got, got, yeah. Listen, I'm not going to argue with you. Of course, you saved my nephew. Did a lot to help out my sister. So if you're vouching for Endred here, then I'm all ears.

Is this business important to you? Oh, yeah. It's not just important to me. I got all these employees that count on me. Yeah. Not just employees, though, right? It's like a family. That is the way of the firs, yeah.

I can see things that have not happened yet. And I don't know if you'll find that strange. or not. It's a strange world we live in. But this house will be cleaned by Mr. Blue in the very near future. And how do you mean? He is going to annex, so to speak, these freight operations into the train yard. And when he does so, the identity of this business that you have worked so hard, you and your family to build will be dismantled with extreme prejudice. And you don't know me, you have no affinity for me, but I would hate to see that happen to someone who cares for his people as much as you do.

We need to ask a favor, and it's the type of favor that we need to ask for without you in return asking us a bunch of questions. But if you do so, I can more or less assure you that this future will not come to pass. Wow. Well, it's a lot to take in and you see him like looking at Augustus. But all this at once, what do you need? A train is going to leave for Stitchville? Stitchville? Stitcherton.

Thank you. Sorry, I'm not a local. a train is going to depart the day after tomorrow towards Stitchton and we need to be upon it. Does that sound like something that you might be capable of helping us with? So I think I can help with that. So here's what I'll say. And he's like looking around the four of you. He says like I so I can add a craigms.

but I don't know if I can add a crate big enough for all four you. Well, I will not require this crate. I, well, that which sustains you no longer sustains me. I am incorporeal, as you can see. And I don't need no crate. I don't need no stinking crate. Yeah, so I can probably sneak in one big enough for one of you. I think that would have to be you, Indrid.

I have my ways. Okay. If it means that I don't have to go in, what I am now going to affectionately call the Dooky Door, I'd love a crate. I'll pack some snacks, maybe. How long, how in advance do you board these crates into the train before the train departs?

Well, we'll be taking this stuff over there pretty early in the morning. You'll need to be here about 5 a.m. We can load you up in the crate last thing and you can head straight on over there. Okay. Okay. We can work with that. I just want to say thank you all. This has been an absolute whirlwind introduction to you, but thanks for looking out for me and mine.

if you'll do us a favor if you hear of anything that sounds fishy or anything that might change with the plants for this particular train, if you would not mind raising a flag so that we are not all killed or banished. I'm not sure exactly what sort of termination is. It would be killed. Yeah, yeah. Okay. We're re-gilled at any point. Right, that is what I was suggesting. That would be huge for us.

Yeah, absolutely. It's usually pretty one-way street as far as communication goes, but yeah, I owe you. Yeah, you got it. Oh, you owe me, do you? Well, he already made that. Oh, yeah, I guess that's fair. So, yeah, as it is, you know, you're heading towards the end of the day here. Is there anything else you'd like to wrap up? I had one quick thing. During that conversation between Indrid and Mathis, Callan was just... had this incredible look of pain and anguish on his face and his whole body just kind of racked with pain that he would hope that Lulu wouldn't notice or anybody else just to set something up in the future. Yeah, but Lulu notices. Lulu notices. Lulu, anything you want to say to old Callan and his discomfort? Well, I'm torn between making someone more uncomfortable by calling out an infirmity and wanting to lend assistance, especially to someone who I know has history of my parents.

So I very discreetly sidle up and behind my folding fan, I ask, Mr. Callan, is there anything in the matter? Your mom Paul used to have, used to always have somebody familiar with acupuncture on the staff. Is it possible that you still have someone that surfs in that capacity? Absolutely. We have all the spa services available. Acupuncture, hot stone. Skin care is a new and bushinging industry, but we have. have the state of the art pieces of it.

Perhaps you like this one. I need someone really good at acupunction. I don't need exfoliated or anything. You could. Oh, sorry, I'm probably not hearing any of this. But you could stand to be exfoliated. Yeah. Well.

It's the Wild West. Fucking everybody here should probably do. It's a good scrub. With a nice brown sugar scrub. Yeah, brown sugar scrub and a guajas face massage. Oh, my God. The guajas would produce a tangible physical substance. And now we've reached the inevitable point, the end of episode two, and join us again for episode three.

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