The Glass Cannon Podcast - Time For Chaos S1 | E19 – Life of the Party

Episode Date: June 5, 2025

The investigators are confronted by various guests at the Carlyle Mansion. Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/FggtnBzbLb0 For a limited time, use code "TFC" to save 15% on Cthulhu products at ⁠⁠⁠⁠chaosium.com⁠⁠⁠⁠. Access exclusive podcasts, ad-free episodes, and livestreams with a 30-day free trial with code "GCN30" at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠jointhenaish.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Join Troy Lavallee, Joe O'Brien, Skid Maher, Matthew Capodicasa, Sydney Amanuel, and Kate Stamas as they tour the country. Get your tickets today at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://hubs.li/Q03cn8wr0⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. For more podcasts and livestreams, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://hubs.li/Q03cmY380⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Watch new episodes when they premiere every Friday at 8PM ET on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠youtube.com/theglasscannon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, starting July 11th. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nothing is as it seems in liminal London. Hidden amongst everyday people are werewolves. You'll be the werewolf then? Yeah, and Megs. Wizards. Montgomery Archibald Barker at your bloody service. And those cursed by the fae monarchs of the city. Declan Buchanan, PI. He has quite a large pair of antlers growing out of his forehead. Join the unlikely misfits of Liminal London

as they work to take down the powers that claim to rule the city. I think the Queen doesn't like you very much. With incredible guest players like Johnny Chiodini. You say there's... sludge? Yeah, sludge. Yeah, I'm the sludge boy. F***ing love sludge boy. No, again, I'm not that sludge boy. Grant Howitt

Isaac Newton didn't study in f***ing Putney, did he? Who's Isaac? Oh my god. And Shamani Bundel There's a magic community! There is! Yay, I'm in a magic community! Go to realmspod.com or search realms of peril and glory wherever you listen to podcasts to

find this mysteriously magical actual play series. Realms of Peril and Glory. Explore the mechanically magical vistas of Veil, the paranormal mysteries of liminal London and the cyberpunk chaos of cyborgs. Search realms of peril and glory to find out more. playing game entertainment. Good evening everybody. Happy Friday. I think it's October 7th. The first time for chaos in October.

And next week might be the final episode. Who knows? I don't know. Last week I talked a big game. How is it gonna be an episode to remember? And it was great, but we didn't get to 80% of what I had planned. Because we just, we were in that hotel room

for a long time, then we got to the party and things got weird. So there's a good chance tonight we'll get to what I planned but probably not. This could go 30, 40 episodes, season one, who knows? But we are in October. We've talked about horror movies before. Are you guys big Halloween fans?

Like dress up the whole nine yards. Has it always been your thing? Are you trying to get back into it? big Halloween fans, like dress up the whole nine yards. Has it always been your thing? Are you trying to get back into it? We'll start with you, Ross. Do you have your costume already picked out for this year? I don't mean to be a spoil sport, but I'm not the biggest Halloweener. Halloweeners, as I call them.

Right. I appreciate it. I do love candy. I do love horror movies and spooks and frights. But I'm not the biggest, like, let me plan my costume four months in advance and show up to the party fully prostheticed up. I don't know why. But I'm, yeah, it's not my fave holiday. I do love pumpkin pies and fall and stuff. Oh, sure. They're not mutually exclusive. I think, because I was once like you, and I'm slowly getting back into it as I see my children get fired up about it. But I think it's because as actors,

we're constantly wearing costumes and dressing up. So it's kind of like, oh, we're supposed to do it for amateur hours, well, all right, I'll put on a little costume. But like, when you're doing theater in like high school and college and plays, you're constantly, you got your makeup and your costumes, it's Halloween every few months.

Halloween is every day for me, so. Right. But that's the reason to step it up even more up in your costumes. It's Halloween every few months. Halloween is every day for me. So. But that's the reason to step it up even more on Halloween. Well, I didn't have to ask where you stand on this. I'm sure you've got a closet full for every day in October. You're big into it, right? Yes? I love Halloween. I've loved, Halloween was always my favorite holiday

as a kid, which explains why the cosplaying into my adult years. But yeah, I always loved it. Last year I had two Halloween costumes. Like, so I already have my one picked out for at least one of them already ready to go for this year. Trying to think of if I'm gonna do another one or not, but we'll see.

Are you giving any hints as to what it is or is it gonna be a big surprise? Should I tell the nash? Oh my God, wait, we should guess. Okay, guess, I guess. A sexy Colin Edison worker. No. No.

All right, that was my guess, that's all I had. What is even that, like light bulbs? Like what are they? It's like the electric company here. Very specifically, only in Manhattan and Queens. What is it? Tell us. I'm for those for those Stranger Things fans. And this is between us.

Oh, we won't tell. No one's watching. Naish. This is between us. I am going as Dead Chrissy. Dead Chrissy. Is that a season? A late season? Season four. Yeah, that as Dead Chrissy. Dead Chrissy. Is that a late season? From season four, yeah, that's the latest season.

Cause you gotta be current. And you gotta be. I'm gonna Google Dead Chrissy, and I'm afraid I'm gonna see it. Yeah, don't look at. Oh, it's Suzanne Summers. Three's character from Three's Company. Oh, dipping wet in.

Thrown off a balcony by Larry. Oh wow, this is horrific. If you just Google dead Chrissy, it immediately comes up and it is horrifying. It's a horrifying image. Yeah. So that's what I'm going to. Oh wow, okay.

I got the full costume. Is your other costume alive Chrissy? I mean, I could. It's just different makeup. I'm Chrissy, but alive. Early in the night, you could be alive, Chrissy, and be like, oh, I've got to go to the bathroom. I'll be right back.

And then come out and you're dead, Chrissy. Two costumes, one night. You could. I could do that. I could do that. That one's on the house. That's Freebie from Troy. Rob, are you a... Usually charge people for that.

I do. You'll get an invoice out of it. I want to know the second costume. No one's got two. I don't have one yet. I'm not thinking of the second one. Now does this mean you're going to like a party? Or is this like, is there an event?

I have no idea. That's always very last minute for me, but I will always have the costume ready to go. Cause I always got to do the ones for the Grams. You know, like the Grams has to have, the costume's got to be there. For all the grandmothers? Instagram.

Also those, yeah. The Instagrammothers. I thought your grandmother was a huge Halloween fan, and you were like, gotta do it for the Grams. I get knitting sponsorships. So, I don't know what my second one's going to be. It's usually like some sort of more cosplay-y, So, I don't know what my second one's gonna be. It's usually like some sort of cosplay, more cosplay-y,

like my take on a demon or my take on this or that. And that's more makeup involved. That's fun. Rob, I know you're a horror movie fan. Are you a dress up and go fan? Usually not because, mostly because I put off putting any thought into it and then it gets too close and then the pendulum swings the other way and I'm like, oh, fuck this

whole holiday, even though it's my fault for not putting myself in a position to feel good about it. But like, in theory, I love it because I love scary movies and I love all that stuff. But the more everyone's talking about their psyche about it. I am realizing, I think, that there was a Halloween dance that I went to in junior high, and I think it fucked everything up for me after that because I went full out. Like, I went as Freddy Krueger.

I spent a week experimenting with liquid latex on my face and like letting it dry and then picking it so it would blister up, then put makeup on it and like dark red inside the circles. I was like full Tom Savini on my own face. And I got fabric glue and made the sweater with strips of green felt on a red sweatshirt, had a fedora, had the glove,

the glove from Hot Topic you could get. Well, damn, who ruined it for you? Yeah. It's gonna sound right. The girls did at the dance because I was so excited and I went and I did a slow dance with a girl and she was just like, God, you smell so bad. And it was because the fabric glue, the liquid latex.

And it was like, she was not the first person to say that in the evening. Aw. But that was the, it was all building up to that. I was like, I'm dancing with this girl, who of course is like a foot and a half taller than me. I was in love with her. And she's like, girl, what is that odor?

That's you, oh God, you know. And plus your face looks so gross. I am touched by this Rob trauma. Yeah, and so, no, this is the worst part, right? So she says that, that's the final straw. I'm like, fuck, I'm taking this fucking thing. And I go into the bathroom and I peel the whole face off and I'm just like, fuck this.

And while I'm in the bathroom, they announced that I've won best costume at the game. Oh no. And it was just like a typical story of my life. Where I was just like, I was so concerned about what- You made that up. No way. No, I swear just like, I was so concerned about what, about what, no, I swear to God, I was so concerned about how people felt about me or especially girls that it forced me to make a decision

that then I came out and it's all my fault. I mean, I should have just been confident in, I look like Freddy Krueger and fuck yeah, I love Freddy Krueger, you know, but no, I let other influencing factors destroy my night. So then that kind of added appall to the future Halloween's. That'll ruin it for you. It makes me want to throw a dance for you so you could like relive, like fix that trauma

and show up as my favorite. This is like a reality show thing. Yes. Yeah. We'll track down that girl and... Makers tell you that you smell really good. Yeah, and then they will reenact you winning the award That's that's a baby. I'm sure that there's been advancements in liquid latex technology where now it smells like a spring meadow But we'll throw skunk pheromones on the girls

Stinky ones like a carry Yeah, they only need the stinky ones. Like Carrie, except it's... They're not gonna laugh at you! Kate, I did see you in a costume last year because we did our Glass Cannon Live on Halloween weekend. Everybody was dressed up and you were... what were you, Top Gun? What the hell were you? No, I was someone from The Expanse. I just got one of those jumpsuit things. I've always wanted one. So I was like, this is a good excuse to get one.

And then I printed out on fabric the Rocinante logo and the engineer thing and just put that on and was like, there's my costume. Yeah, I like Halloween just fine, but I feel like you're not allowed to just like it regular. It's like everyone on the planet is just like, I've been planning for months and I've got eight costumes,

I'm going to seven parties. And I'm like, I like the idea of that. Like when I see people doing it and when I go out on Halloween, not super dressed up, I'm just like, I wish I put in more effort, but like I'm never gonna. I only like went all out once and it was fun, but like it's just mostly stressful planning it. And I did it once, I did it up once and I'm done.

You're done? Yeah. Yeah, no, that's how I feel. It feels like a lot of work and if you do it all up and it's all for naught, then you just feel like, what did I do? I'm a tryhard now. I realize also Troy that part of my reticence is that I've, I feel like I've did I do? I'm a tryhard now. I realize also Troy that part of my reticence

is that I feel like I've burned most of the costumes that incorporate glasses because I've always got to like, I can't be walking around in the dark all so blind. So I've been Buddy Holly, I've been Garth from Wayne's World. I've been Simon from Alvin and the Chipmunks. So who's left? Egon.

Yeah, Egon. Egon, a Sherman in Peabody. These are forthcoming ones. It's also when you've committed to a facial hairstyle and you don't want to lose it for one night. That also influences like when I had to have a beard for seven straight years, it was, it limits your choices. A lot of Richie Tenenbaums.

Well, let's see. By next week, if you don't have a costume, see if you've changed your mind. We have a show in Brooklyn on October 22nd, and I thought that was like far enough from Halloween that we didn't have to dress up. But then on stage in Boston, Skid is like, Hey, you should all come, we're all gonna dress up. And I'm like, I guess we're all dressing up. It's not gonna buy a fucking costume. I think I've got an idea, but I want to tweak it a little bit.

Damn it, Skid. Yeah. So we all gonna dress up now. Are you gonna give us a hint? It is, here's my hint. It is from a classic 80s cartoon. Awesome. I love this. Gummy Bears. Done.

Swamping. Swings. My backup is Sexy Gummy Bear. Sexy Gummy Bear. Sexy Gummy Bear. It's John Candy from Camp Candy. Man, don't get me started on Saturday morning cartoons. It makes no sense that they're not on TV today. Rover Dangerfield.

Ha ha. Let's talk about time for chaos because, according to my watch that's on this hand, it's time for chaos. Quick little recap from last week. I emailed you guys today so I'm pretty much just gonna paraphrase that. It's Friday night.

Uh oh. It's actually Friday night in real life as well. Well no, we're pre-recording this, but you at home, the millions watching at home, it's Friday, unless you watch it on YouTube later. Whatever, the point is in the story, it's Friday night. And you have traveled to Westchester, past Sing Sing Prison in the distance,

where hopefully Hilton Adams is still alive, but maybe he's already had his day with old Sparky. But you travel to Westchester to go to the Carlisle Mansion. Vaughn and Ferruz were kind of split up into two. Vaughn and Ferruz were looking for Erika Carlisle to speak with her because you have all this information you want to share with her about her dead brother and You got a meeting with her, but you feel like that meeting is gonna take too long You met the lawyer Bradley Gray, and he said I'll see what I can do you were able to sweet-talk him

But time is of the essence you need information And so you're looking for her at this party. Everyone's dressed to the nines maybe some of you feel a little bit out of place even though you either borrowed or stole or Had Vaughn buy you nice clothing But while you're looking for Erica Vaughn gets accosted by Bradley Grey seems to have taken a bit of an interest in Mr. Villiers. And while you're chatting with him, Faeruz looks over and sees her father

canoodling with a young girl in the corner. She goes off to perhaps confront him. Meanwhile, Margot and Carter were looking for a room where possibly there would be a safe. You're looking for Roger Carlyle's safe. But there are armed guards everywhere. You look upstairs, there's armed guards up there. And so you're looking for a way maybe to circumvent the guard upstairs.

And as you're looking for that, Margot notices a man who's staring at her, and she thinks it's the guy that was standing in the rain staring at her when she and Carter were at the deli speaking to Lieutenant Poole just the day before. This man that was just staring. She went outside in the rain to try and track him down, and he disappeared. Speaking of Lieutenant Poole, you didn't hear from him all day. He was kind of noncommittal, kind of wrecked by the photographs you were showing him, but you explained to him that Millie Adams

and who knows who else could be in great danger. He needs to act on this. He said he would do it sort of off the books and get back to you. He hasn't. You called the precinct and you're getting to run around from them a little bit. So depending on what goes down at the party, correct me if I'm wrong, it seems like your current plan is to extract as much information as you can from this charity gala to save Brooklyn orphans.

And after the festivities tonight, head back to the city, rest, regroup, and if you don't hear back from Lieutenant Poole by tomorrow, you're looking to head to Juju House either tomorrow during the day or at night, which is the dark of the moon, Saturday night, and you know that the dark of the moon has some sort of connection to all of this according to what Hilton Adams said. Where should we

begin? How about with a luck roll? Let's see because you're gonna need all the luck in the world tonight if we get through anything that I've actually planned. Once again, this is a roll that you're trying to fail. And if you do- That's a fail. What if you roll your exact luck number? That's considered a success. Damn it.

Damn it. Poop salad. Yeah, if it was the other way around, like if you were trying to succeed, you want to hit on or below your number. So technically that's a failure. But if you did, I mean a success, but if you failed, give yourself or below your number. Dang. So technically that's a failure. But if you did, I mean a success, but if you failed, give yourself an extra D10. Any failures tonight?

I failed. Any human failures? Just kidding. Give yourself a D10. What did you get? I got a five. Ooh, lucky you. Nice.

That's good. I got 47 now. I'm really clawing my way back up. I also, I just want to throw one thing out there player wise for the Erika Carlisle thing. So I feel like since we're here and we're up against it with the Milly Adams situation and everything, obviously we want to talk to her about

her brother's expedition and all that stuff, but I feel like trying to lean on her for help in this current situation by tying the two together. Like, you could stop what happened to your brother from stopping right now, we're in the middle of it, it's all happening as like a, you know, it's probably a Hail Mary, but if we've lost Poole and we got nowhere else to go apart from walking

in the juju house with just the four of us, it might be something worth trying. That's all. Totally. Good point. You mean she knows if there's anybody who's still alive? Well, that's part of the, you know, we want to tell her that, but it was more like make some calls.

You're super rich. Get some police down there. That's not the Four Teeth Prince thing or whoever. Oh, to be his Hail Mary. Yeah, yeah, yeah. To like help us. It's worth a shot. Or with Hilton or whatever. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So like help us. It's worth a shot. Or with Hilton or whatever.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's worth a shot. Right at the end of the last episode, you see, I think Bradley's like, oh, it's Erica. As all of you are starting to see other people and wander around. So I imagine she stands at the base of the stairs and maybe walks up two or three stairs or so. So she's slightly above everyone in the room and taps her champagne glass and everyone turns at attention. Maybe there's a piano player who stops playing right when the producer hit the music. The violinists immediately stop and they smash their violins on the ground.

Do we have that sound? I really want to get the players in the cello. Just a record scratch? Oh, god. DJ Khaled's been shot. No. It's the Punisher, isn't it? It's the Punisher. God. Got gel on the ones and twos tonight, thank you, gel.

Ding ding ding ding ding ding ding! And she's, I should give you a physical description of her, which I should have had prepared, but I was so excited. She is beautiful, absolutely beautiful in a natural beauty. She has clear, pale skin that is accentuated ever so carefully by perfectly applied makeup. She's wearing very fashionable clothing. Vaughn and Margot, you would immediately notice she's wearing clothing by European designers. It has a very European flair about it. She has blonde hair that is just kind of styled into short, cropped curls. She's got not a tiara but sort of a diamond encrusted headband on. She definitely catches the eye and when she does this, everyone turns

to look at her and she says, welcome everyone, thank you so much for coming this evening. The money that we have raised tonight and will continue to raise over the coming weeks will go such a long way to helping these poor lost souls in the borough of Brooklyn. I cannot thank you enough. It is a cause that has always been near and dear to my heart. And to see this outpouring of not only money but affection and interest in this cause just truly warms my heart. So you're not here to listen to me talk. Anyways, just enjoy the party drink up not too much and If you need anything, we have plenty of butlers here to help you in any way

To the orphans and everyone raises a glass to the orphans And she comes down the staircase and she's just like kind of greeted by people who are Smiling at her and looking bond You're talking with Bradley and Bradley's like so mr. Villiers. What were we talking about? I'm I've just I'm a bit I have to admit I'm a bit in my cups and I have lost my train of thought And he puts his hand like right on your chest. Mm-hmm bit him a bit in my cups and I have lost my train of thought.

And he puts his hand like right on your chest. Richard is like, yes, I suppose it's quite easy to lose one's train of thought when confronted with the Miss Carlisle and all her glorious raiment. Yes, isn't she awe-inspiring? I could only hope to draw as much as tension as she do when she walks into a room. Yes, not all of us are as gifted with social gravity. I don't suppose I couldn't persuade you to provide me with a personal introduction over the course of tonight's proceedings.

Oh, I suppose. But I would be careful as to what you talk to her about. You know, we don't want to be rude. This is a gala to raise money. This isn't a time to, shall we say, pursue your own interest. But look at me, not even heeding my own advice. Yes, Mr. Gray. Well, I assure you, I'll be the soul of discretion. I think we understand the importance of discretion, don't we?

Oh, but of course. Oh, actually, she's now, Miss Carlisle, Miss Carlisle. And she turns and she kind of looks at Bradley and she says, yes, Bradley, thank you for coming this evening. And who is your friend here? Ah, excellent. And I will turn and extend my hand. I've been looking forward to this introduction very much Miss Carlisle. Her name is Viliers, Vaughan Viliers, charmed. She puts her hand out for you to kiss it and she's like, "'Vilias, now where do I know that name?'

"'Oh, yes, Mr. Grey mentioned you and your associates. "'We're interested in speaking with me. "'Yes, now it's all coming back to me. "'This is all with regards to my dead brother, is it not? Well, since you've been so bold as to bring it up, I... You've caught me out, Miss Carla. Yes, indeed, we did wish to speak to you about that matter. But not that matter only, but how it touches upon ongoing occurrences.

Oh, yes. And she grabs another champagne from like a waiter coming by. And she's like, run along, Bradley. Let me speak with Mr. Villiers. And he's like, um, oh, yes, yes, of course, Miss Carlyle. And he scurries off, kind of gives a look towards the both of you. And she turns to you and she's like, Bradley's a good lawyer and a close confidant for what it's worth.

And for that, and that reason alone, is why I considered taking a meeting out of respect for him. But even he should have known better that I have no interest in discussing Raja. I spent enough time traveling over to that dreadful continent and back to ever want to revisit any thoughts of him. He's passed, Mr. Villiers. It's time to move on. Though I must admit, your showing up here does have my intention. I mean, attention, rather.

I do enjoy a person who is bold and you appear to be bold you also appear to be a man of means so I can assume you are not crashing this party no indeed and your philanthropic attitude has my deepest admiration is Carla um we do what we can those of us with means should give back wouldn't you agree mr. Villiers it is the burden of those of us who have been gifted with a certain comfort that we may act as the instruments By which others may rise out of their present predicament what? It's very good in the world if we have the means to do so Yes, that is very well put.

Rather poetic, I may say, Mr. Villiers. What is it that you do for work? Um, I confess you've caught me out again. Work has never been so much my line. I suppose there are some that would precisely label me as a dilettante. I confess that I'm a jack of many trades, but a master of few. Although I did, after the war,

I've done a great deal of traveling. I myself have been to the distant continent you referred to, as well as several others. Oh, is that so? Well, I can see just from this conversation why Mr. Grey took an interest in you. She kind of looks over at him, who's already like talking to another group of people.

But, and I do not wish to to disturb you, upset you, or needlessly dredge up anything from the past that may cause you any sort of displeasure. Yes. But a personal friend of mine is lately met with a fate not unlike your unfortunate late brothers. Is that so? Well, I am sorry to hear that. What happened, ask I will attempt to be as tactful as possible

point of fact is Carlisle not to disturb your delicate sensibilities my close friend was brutally murdered and under circumstances and by individuals not unlike those responsible for the murder of your brother. Mr. Villiers, that is a tragic thing that happened to your friend, but linking it to what may or may not have happened to my brother, you have to understand I'm quite skeptical right off the bat. That seems like quite a leap, and frankly, had I known that this is what the discussion was going to be centered around, not only would I have not taken the meeting, but I

would have ended this conversation much earlier, so Perhaps you'd like to backtrack Or are we done here Miss Carlisle but a moment ago We were saying how people of our class are burdened with particular responsibilities. Yes. I believe that we have a responsibility to seek justice where we see it undone, and to hopefully get to the heart of truths that leave justice undone and others oppressed and their misfortunes exacerbated.

I believe that you and I share common enemies. Those who have done us harm and those who wish to do harm to those even more vulnerable than ourselves, who are not protected by the privileges that you and I have been so blessed to share. I would very much like to speak to you about this in greater detail. I understand that a social occasion such as this is maybe not the best venue for a parley of this sort, but I know that I'm speaking to someone who takes these matters seriously. And if you take them as seriously as I do,

then I can only hope that we can have a serious conversation on these matters, post-post-haste. You have to understand, it gets to a certain point where I tire of talking about my brother. And that point passed long ago. So everyone wants to know about Roger. It's been that way since I was born.

Truth be told, I detested my brother's whole way of life. It doesn't sound like you shared that experience with your now deceased friend. Roger and I were born into a great family. Look around you, as you can see. Yet he preferred to waste it away in excess. I suppose I blame our father. He ignored and neglected us both, but where I found ways to flourish with what little I had,

Roger acted out. I'll be honest with you, Mr. Villiers. With the life he led, I believe he's better off dead. I doubt you share the same opinion about your friend. Of course, even the circumstances surrounding Roger's death were too bizarre to be decent. I'm not sure how much you know about us, but when our parents passed in an automobile crash, Roger took over the family business. After receiving what they call a gentleman's resignation from Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Miskatonic, Cornell, and USC,

we all assumed he would just fail at running the family business as well, run it straight into the ground. But he shocked us when he proved quite capable at first. Of course, didn't take long before his old habits kicked in in his debaucheries with the talk of every paper in town. I am- Takes more champagne.

I'm not here to, again, call to mind the particular proclivities of your brother. I, I, I, he the line between this world and the next is gossamer thin. Ah. If that is the case, what would you say to me if I were to tell you that my friend who has perished under these most atrocious circumstances in the last days had information pertaining to your brother and to his expedition at large. The expedition, yes.

I've heard about that ad nauseam, Mr. Villiers. You don't see it, I dare say. I believe that... Oh, yes, I went out to make sure that everything was as they said it was, and it appeared to be so. That whole thing has plagued me from the minute he left. I knew from the beginning that the expedition was much more than one of Roger's foolish whims.

I believe that some secret fascinated and worried Roger. If you ask me and she whispers under her breath, she's like, I think it was that Negro woman, Bune, that caused Rostra's obsession with going to Africa. Africa Um you can see you are von frieze somewhat I see And you have a psychology ever any points in psychology I do yeah, give me a psychology role I I I Oh Well alas I don't make it you don't make it okay So you just kind of hear that you let that racism kind of wash into your brain and be like, okay interesting

She clearly we know where she stands. Mm-hmm We know where she stands. Mm-hmm. So I'm like pivoting here and like how to... I understand that you find this situation most unfortunate. I still believe that my friend was perhaps a victim of similar murderers. And my friend was of the opinion that not everybody perished on that expedition. In particular, Mr. Jack Brady was seen alive afterwards.

Jack Brady. Jack Brady was always very loyal to Roger. He was someone that Roger could always trust. Do you know that it was in California that Carlisle, Roger's lawyers, saved Brady from certain conviction for murder? This occurred while Roger was spending a semester at USC. He was already thrown out of every other college. Brady. And you say he's alive? I say he was been seen, yes. Well, that's not the information that I have, Mr. Villiers, so perhaps you've been told some cruel joke. Perhaps. On the subject of information that you have, I was wondering if such information that you have might be shared with interested parties who would by no means seek to spread or use this information to malign your brother or your family and act with

utmost discretion But only seek to use the information that you yourself possess to enlarge our own theories on This outstanding murder the perpetrators of which are still at large I fall upon the goodwill that you possess, that you extend with such beautiful largesse to the orphans of Brooklyn, you might also extend to me and my compatriots. May I see your brother's papers, his books, his notes, that I might come to a deeper understanding of the blaggards that murdered him and my friend. And she just narrows her eyes at you. And we cut over to Carter and Margot.

Margot, you just saw this gentleman across the room staring at you. You make eye contact and he looks away and you're certain it was the guy that was standing across the street while you were at the deli with Carter, again talking to Lieutenant Poole. What do you guys do? Oh, I think, um... last episode when I saw him, I was like... just blinded by that and was like, Carter, like, that's the man that I saw outside, the sandwich shop that you did not see, that was watching us and grab him and start going in that direction, just like muttering like,

they're just always watching, I knew it, they're just always watching, they're in the shower, they're at the sandwich shop and now they're here. Wait, wait, hold on, it looks like Vaughn's talking to the, Margo, Vaughn's talking to the Carlisle chick. Okay, I need to resolve this, this person is real and he's here and they're watching us, we'll never get anything if they're watching us and they know.

She's not making sense. All right, Carter's trying to like crane his neck because she's kind of like pulling him a bit and like seeing Vaughn chatting up Erica and he just like turns back to her. He's like, okay, all right, all right. What do you want to do? Is the guy like moving away from me at all

or is he standing still? He's turned away from you and he's standing at the window and he appears to be alone. Which guy you talking about? The man with the hat, he's got a hat on? Yes, he has a hat. And do I see him, Troy?

You do, yep. She points and you see the guy, he's just kind of like a little bit the side profile. It's the same hat. Yeah, he's wearing a hat inside. Bullshit. Let's the same hat, guys. Yeah, he's wearing a hat inside. Bullshit. Let's go talk to him. So, yeah, she goes up to him,

taps him on the shoulder. And the man turns. Carter's like pluffing his chest out. She's trying to look like bigger. Man turns to look at you and he takes off his hat and he's got short cropped brown hair. He's handsome but he has like a small scar under his left eye. And he just looks at you quizzically.

Hello. Hello. She's just realizing she didn't know what she wanted to say. She just assumed he would run away. And he says, hello? We have never met before, but we've... I think we've crossed paths. Do you recognize us at all? I feel like I recognize you. No, I'm sorry. You must be thinking of someone else.

Oh, you probably just caught me staring at you. It's rather embarrassing. I was just rather captivated by your beauty and your fashion-forward style. and your fashion forward style. I do apologize, I didn't mean any offense by looking in your direction, but I don't think I've ever had the pleasure of meeting you. Is he like cute? He's a good looking guy, he's ruggedly handsome,

and that little scar kind of gives him that bad boy look. You've got a scar. Yeah, you think that's a scar pal Hey Troy with that whole like a your beauty is whatever can Can Carter do like a is he like sniff like he kind of psychology right? Yeah wants to do a sniffy con man Like is this guy putting on it? He wants put on his condar. His condar? Yeah, give me a...

I would also like to roll psychology if I can. Both of you give me a psychology roll. Okay Damn it. You know what? Well, what did you get? 74 over 50. Alright, I got a 64 over 50. But I'm going to spend 14 luck to make it a success. Sure.

So, you don't ever remember talking to this man before. But you are certain now that you see him that it was the man staring at you across the street. So, either he's quite good at lying or something else is going on here. Quite good at lying or something else is going on here. So I feel like I want to mention like I still I'm certain that I saw you just yesterday Wherever you yesterday

Where was I yesterday lunchtime where did you have lunch? I wasn't even in New York I'm so sorry. You must have mistaken me for someone else. I actually just arrived in New York a few hours ago to attend I actually just arrived in New York a few hours ago to attend this benefit. Okay. I'm sorry, do I detect a German accent? You know what, we don't know him, he doesn't know us. We don't need to keep this. Let's get out of here. Nice meeting you, sir.

Yes, you do. I'm not from here either. Oh, how lovely. Well, I speak a little German. I never get a chance to use it. Does your friend speak German as well? Me? No, I don't. That's a personal choice. Ah. And so he just starts speaking in German

and he's smiling the whole time. But very quickly, you realize that his jovial tone does not match the words that he says to you because he says to you in German he says the order is watching you right now as we speak you have done very well thus far and it seems like he's searching for the words in German to make it look like he's struggling his way one must always have a healthy thirst for knowledge, even while attending charity galas. And he just kind of looks past you, all the way to the other side of the room. And if you follow his eyes, you see a waiter coming out of a library.

And he has a plateful of champagne flutes In this library in the southwest corner of the room and guests are filing in and out He's like Sorry, my my accent probably isn't as as good as yours as a native speaker and as good as yours as a native speaker. Anyhow, I do apologize. I didn't mean to stare, and I hope you find the person you were looking for, but it wasn't me.

Enjoy the party. Blibbidi-blah, blah, blah. I don't want to sit here during all these sweet nothings. Come on. He just, he, it, I was wrong. It's, I don't, I don't know. I just spent a mess these few days.

I'm assuming he's walked away. I don't know. I'm second guessing everything, but. I'm a hundred percent certain I know what he was saying. It's the same thing in every language. He's telling you how beautiful you look tonight and how cool and cutting edge this trash bag dress is or whatever you're wearing right now.

I get it. A con man smells a con man. He wanted to take me off into another room and I said no, but when I looked over there, I saw a room that maybe we should maybe check out and maybe looks like a library. She points over to it so you can see it. So maybe we should go in there, maybe the safe is in there. We need to continue with our thirst for knowledge and not be blinded by this party and anything else. I'm 100% focused. Let's do it. Library it is. And so you go in the direction of the library and Margo if you turn to look in the direction of that gentleman, you saw him a second ago walking through a group of people and now you look and he's not in sight anywhere. anywhere and from there we cut to Feyruh's just walking beeline I'm assuming to your father who's just like whispering to a woman that's probably 30

years younger than him and she's just oh naughty Oh, Nadi. Hello, father. And from, if you've recalled, Ferus calls her father Baba. So if anybody, it's like the equivalent of your mother calling you by your full name, first, middle, last, and you know, you know you're in fucking trouble right now. Hello, father. now. Hello, father. And I imagine he you're talking to him maybe from behind or the side and you see his whole body stiffen when he hears your voice and hears you speak in that way. And he turns and looks at you and looks at the girl and the girls like, Nadie, who is this? And he says, no one, my dear.

It's a... Oh, my dear, you really shouldn't be seen out of the function like this with a stain on your gown. You really ought to go to the powder room and fix that up. No, it's a... She will pour her drink on her dress. Oh, oh, that is unnecessary. What an unfortunate, and she's like,

oh, and she's like, oh, I'm so sorry. Screw you, floozy. An old student of mine pointing at you. Please, here, go get some club soda. I will find you in just a moment. I'm so sorry, and she's like, Oh, my dress, my dress. And she goes off to the bathroom and he turns on you like smiling, he's like,

Ferruz, what are you doing here? What are you doing here? What I do is none of your concern. Oh, but here's the thing, father, is that I have been keeping you in the loop of everything that I've been doing, including being my time in New York. And you've specifically been given information about the case that I am working on and just

happened to be in the house at a function of the woman that is involved in this investigation that I'm conducting. And you, you don't even tell me. You don't have the decency to tell me that you're here. So tell me exactly what it is that you're doing here because I find it very hard to believe that it's here on your doing here because I find it very hard to believe that is here on your Because of your charitable nature He grabs you by the arm a little forcefully like maybe he would do that when you're a little girl and pulls you to The window and says will you keep your voice down?

And his tone changes Now that When last we spoke Perhaps I did not make it clear. You were to leave New York and return to your studies. The fact that you are here right now, speaking in such a manner, in earshot of all these people, is greatly disturbing. Where did you get the money for this party?

Oh, father. Where did you get the money for this party? Oh, Father. Is that what you think of me? That I wouldn't even be in the presence of people on your level of society? I know where your money comes from. It comes from me. And I did not send money for you to buy tickets to this event. What are you doing for money?

I was invited... ...just like you were. By a gentleman? What does he do for work? Ha ha! Well now that is none of your business, as you love to say. Why don't you tell me what it is that you're doing here because as far as I know I've never seen you take an interest in orphans of Brooklyn. My reason for being here not unlike you has nothing to do with charity. Then what is it for?

nothing to do with charity. Then what is it for? Do you know, do you know the links that I had to go to to get you initiated into the society? And this is how you repay me, by talking to me like I am some common streeterton? So are you telling me that this is a society function no it is not a society function but there are other members of the society here and they will see you here why is none of your business you are in over your head

pharaohs and the fact that we are being seen together puts us both in great danger. You could jeopardize all we are trying to do. You could jeopardize all we are trying to do. Why would we not be seen together? But everyone knows our connection. It is best to keep things quiet. And then he leans in, and you see a look in his eyes that

maybe you've seen before, but not for a long time. And it's like like wide-eyed. And he says, A great darkness is coming, my child. We have all sensed it and no doubt you have sensed it too. Existence as we know it is on a ticking clock. Well, see, that is fascinating. And I'm actually very humored by your earlier proclamation

of none of this is my business, because this is exactly my business. And you know exactly why. So either you really tell me what is going on and your involvement in it, or your name might be in the papers unfortunately, along with everybody else that we're going to expose. There was a time when I saw something in you, and that is why you were brought to know things that most people would kill to know but now I look at you and I listen to your tone and I see something else in your eyes I see a darkness a darkness I have not seen since you're

since mother go ahead I have made a mistake. Many mistakes. Please. And he grabs me with both arms. Go home, Phaerus. Go home before it is too late. I shall do no such thing, father. Go home! And a couple people look when he raises his voice. people look when he raises his voice. Anyways it was lovely meeting you and I must go attend to my friend and her dress. I'm sorry. Home! I'm coughing. Yes, I'm sure you're attending to her dress quite frequently. Yes, well I hope to see you again my child. Oh you will because no matter what you say about all the favors you've done of...

...conducting me, inducting me into this order... ...you and I both know that you need me. Perhaps you are right. Perhaps you are right. Enjoy yours as well. And he turns and he sees the girl come out of the bathroom. Oh, your dress. Let me take it off. You cad. You cad.

And from there we cut back to Vaughn and Erica Carlisle you just asked her pretty boldly Going blank. I mean his notes clock is ticking, baby And she just Shakes her head and she's like, I'm sure you understand that rehashing these things is difficult for me. Indeed. I know how difficult it is to ruminate on past tragedies.

The mind works in mysterious ways and sometimes they come rushing back, uninvited. I certainly do not wish to shake loose motions that have been kept at bay for a great deal of time. It is only because tragedies precede a pace. I feel as though our two tragedies are connected that I press on you in this way. And she's like holding back emotion a little bit, but you can also see she's maybe had a little, she's had a little too much to drink. She's not like super in her cups,

but that's making her a little more emotional. I mean, I feel like, may I roll something to see if this persuasion or... Yeah, I was just gonna call for something. It's not quite fast talk, so I would let you do fast talk if you wanted to, but this seems more like a persuade. Yeah, or a persuade or a charm maybe Yeah, I would I could get you're very charming

You Vaughn not you Ross. Yeah. Yeah Yeah, try it whichever one you want I'm gonna go check on the tactics I'm gonna go charm Since that seems to be what I'm Leaning on here. Okay, let's go Yes, sir All right that I'm leaning on here. Okay, let's go for it. Yes sir. All right. That is, I'm gonna spend five points of luck to make that a hard success.

Okay. Okay. Sometimes the roleplay is so good, I don't even need roles, but a hard success on charm. But let's just say, okay, so if that is a success, then we both have dealt with tragedies of our own kind. I do not believe in accidents, Ms. Carlisle. There was a time when I believe I was as cynical

as you proclaim yourself to be. But I have seen and learned things since Yes, Carlisle, there was a time when I believe I was as cynical as you proclaim yourself to be. Hmm. But I have seen and learned things since to know that there is providence at work in the world. Yes, but Mr. V... Providence has brought us together. I'd like to believe that. My tragedy started long before Roger passed. You know, when he was alive, he nearly ruined the entire, all of Carlisle's interests. Transport, munitions, import, export, you name it.

He drained them of all operating capital with his playboy lifestyle. And I, his own sister, was an afterthought to him. It took his death for me to finally have a say in anything. Before that, he nearly left me impoverished. I was not even to touch the Carlisle money. This is how he ran things and that has says nothing of what he did to the Carlisle name. Luckily, as you can see, I've found a way to rise above and restore the Carlisle name.

It is a benefit. It is a testament to your strength of character, your financial acumen, and your many charms that you have recuperated the Carlisle name from the state in which it was left by your brother. Yes, our holdings are flourishing, and I'll tell you this, the management and the stockholders are not the only ones that are glad that Roger is gone. N'Chonka Boone was her name. I have no idea how Roger came to meet her but even before this Boone came to rule Roger's life he Began to have strange dreams Which something seemed to beckon to him and and call out to him that something must be done

takes a big swig champagne and As she swigs the line Carlisle's dreams from Elias's letter. It's just like type written from Elias's letter. It's just like typewritten. Go, go, go. You know? Like uh... Like usual suspect style. You see, it's Carlisle's dreams. Um...

Barbershop Quartet, Skokie, Illinois. Roger would wake up screaming, but absolutely refuse to just discuss his dreams beyond that with me at least. I'll tell you this my love still existed for him no matter how he treated me and so I attempted to help my brother. I recommended that Roger visit a man by the name of Dr. Robert Houston. He was a

bit of a lion amongst my social set. He spent time in Vienna studying under both Freud and Young, so needless to say when he returned stateside he was quite popular. I actually had met with him a few times myself and I thought maybe he could help Roger with his dreams. Well, I don't know what went on behind closed doors between those two, but now that I think about it, I believe that Houston was the one that convinced Roger into this expedition undoubtedly with Buna's collusion. It is the one thing I feel guilty about Mr. Villiers introducing the two of them but I'm still convinced it was all Buna's fault that Roger ultimately lost his grip on all reality. He began disappearing

for days only to turn up wild-eyed and crazed, saying only that he had been spending time in Harlem. Really? Yes. Houston supposedly went abroad on this expedition with Roger in order to continue his treatment, and now look where they both are. Gone. Or perhaps, still alive, as you say, Mr. Vanilius. I almost called you Mr. Vanilius. That's not your name.

Oh, it's like I'm back in boys' school. Oh, here comes Vanilius again. That's what they'd say, I bet. Hmm. Yes. This, um, now, and this is Ross asking this, this Bonnet character who she's laying all this blame on, does that name appear in those notes? Because that's that doesn't sound familiar to me. That's a new name to you. Yeah, you haven't heard of an Achanka Bonne. This Bunne, where did she land after

all was said and done? To be honest, I don't know and I don't care. She seduced his very soul, Mr. Villiers. He would say that she was Queenly, a priestess, and that she held secrets, which he must have. When he said he wanted to go to Africa, for a while I encouraged the expedition, assuming that eventually Roger would come to his senses and see that Bune and her tales were nothing but mumbo jumbo.

Yes, there are strange forces at work in the world. You've been very forthcoming indeed. I don't suppose that... I still don't suppose that it would be possible to look over your brother's effects, if only to grasp more clearly and get our hands around. Who did this? There is, um, there is baleful business in Harlem once again. And if we might have access to whatever books were in, your brother's safe, perhaps we might be able to draw a clearer picture.

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Meanwhile, the good team must outmaneuver the evil team using their unique abilities. I'd like to kick things off by telling you all that I'm possibly the demon. Our players can mislead and manipulate others with absolute freedom. I didn't like hearing my name in the same sentence as Demon. That was very upsetting for me. Emily and I will be your storytellers, guiding you through every labyrinthian twist and turn, turn. With guests from No Rolls Barred, the Pandemonium Institute, and Oxventure, you won't be able to stop listening. Go to realmspod.com slash Clock Tower to find out more. So this conversation between Vaughn and Erica is actually moving forward in ways that you probably weren't expecting.

She's being quite forthcoming with you. So something perhaps in what you said has convinced her. But now you're asking for that enchilada of his notes, his books or whatever. What's Feyrouz doing now that her father has rebuffed her? Well, Feyrouz being given knowledge that there are eyes on them tonight, wants to do a little study of the room, but she does want to make her way back

to find either Vaughn or Margo and Carter. I merged them together, yes. That's our ship. Cargo. Cargo and Margo. Cargo, it's a cargo ship. Yes. Cargo ship. Cargo. Cargo and Mark. Cargo. It's a cargo ship. Yes. Cargo ship. Cargo ship.

That's a new hashtag now. We demand the art. We demand the art. Cargo ship. Whoever I run into first, but I do want to do like a quick little surveillance, little scan, little spot hidden. Yeah, scan. A little spot hidden. Yeah, give me a little spot hidden. Let's roll some dice.

Yeah. Let's get some dice rolling. I rolled a 20 under 80. That is a hard success. So you look around the room and now that you've got your father's voice in your head, you just get this feeling like everyone is watching you. There was also a bit of a blow up there that was weird, there was a spilled drink. A lot just happened.

But now it appears everywhere you look you're making eye contact with someone who looks away and you look at someone else like, is everyone here from the society? We haven't really talked about this. We have not. You know, right now that chat's like, what is this? Click, click, click, click, click, click, click, click, click, click. This all, I mean, this came out in character creation. It did?

It never really saw light until recently. And now the words are starting to be said. The order, the society. How are these things connected, if at all? So you look around and you do feel like everyone is watching you, but you're smart. You know how to like cool your emotions and be like, okay, you know you you're smart. You know how to like cool your emotions and be like, okay,

you know you're being watched. It's hard to tell by who. You do see Vaughn and Erica like engaged in a very emotional conversation it appears. And you see Margot and Carter weaving their way weaving their way towards like the southwest corner of the mansion with all haste. But nothing else jumps out at you. I don't want to blow up their spot if they're trying to inconspicuously go to the part of the house by like running over there to them. I kind of want to hover around where Vaughn and Erica Carlisle in that area.

Just I want to kind of see if I could over here get a vibe for how the conversation is going without being conspicuous. Okay. All right. So you start hovering over there and you hear the end of the conversation that Vaughn and I just had. And you're able to hear all of it. You know, this Bounet, Seduced, Africa, Robert Houston, she's the one that suggests you start like, you're trying to catch up a little bit but you don't really

have all the information, you're just taking it in, but it seems like she's being pretty forthcoming with him. And she continues, and now you hear this, and she's like, what is it that you actually want to see, Mr. Villiers? I wish to see your brother's books, madam. The description of what it was that drove him to undertake this treacherous expedition across the sea into Africa. I have a feeling that what he encountered there, the forces that conspired against him, slew him and his compatriots and that perhaps...

And you must follow me here, Miss Carlisle, the forces that brought them back. Maybe the ones currently still at work within the city of New York. The murders are ongoing, disappearances are ongoing. There are dark forces at work and walking abroad on the streets of this city by night. And under the dark of the moon, they shall strike again to do their dark work. We need to be armed with all the information that is relevant to our cause. I believe that your brother was moving in these same waters. Any information that we can find shall prove useful to bringing these blackets to justice. Toward the end of his time,

here at the estate, Mr. Villiers, Roger was constantly reading books. Old books. I happened to glance at one, one time. He was unaware. But what I read, Mr. Villiers, frightened me. There were things in there that I'd rather not think about, but they seemed to substantiate Roger's crazy actions.

Hearing you talk, I worry that books such as these may send you quite over the edge. You're not alone in wanting them, though. Shortly after he passed, there was a break-in here at the estate, and the only room that was turned upside down was the library, where the safe is? Where he kept those books? May I ask a rather indelicate question, Miss Karla? It wouldn't be the first you've asked this evening, Mr. Villiers. I know I've probed quite over the borders of delicacy already. So forgive me for launching myself quite over the threshold. Was there a peculiar aroma left in your library after this act of breaking and vandalism?

Thankfully, no, at least not one that I remember. It was more of an inconvenience. Quite. But I see now that perhaps those books were important to this entire endeavor. But I see now that perhaps those books were important to this entire endeavor. You know, the security you see all around here is not here by accident. Even though I consider the matter closed, or at least I did until before we spoke tonight,

there are secrets here that I know people want. But something about what you are saying makes me perhaps trust you. Well, are you a fan of Edgar Allan Poe, Mr. Villiers? I know him, Baltimorean, yes. Yes. Yes. As a youth, I confess, like many young boys, I had a taste for the macabre. Yes, I read my Poe, my Raven, my Annabel Lee, my Gordon Pym, etc. Do you ever read any of his letters that he would write? I'm afraid my interest in Poe did not extend so far as into his epistolary canon, no.

Well, he was just as poetic in his letters as he was in his most famed works. There was a quote I read that I always think about when I think of Roger. He was writing a letter to a friend of his about his wife's long battle with illness that led to her death. And he said, thinking about this whole experience that I became insane with long intervals of horrible sanity. I think of that often when I think of Roger. I don't like to think of my brother or avoid thinking of my brother not only because of the way he treated me,

but because of the way his memory still haunts me. If there is a way this sickness can be eradicated, the Stavillas, I would be most grateful. Follow me. And she- I'll be your servant. She takes you in the direction that Margo and Carter are heading, and Faeruz, you-

I'm following watch this all and Margo and Carter give me a spot hidden here To see if you see this happening. Yeah, I got a 48 under 62 I got a 22 under 25. All right so you're both walking over there

and you turn and you see that like, you're about to be intercepted by Vaughn and Erica walking in the direction of the library. What do you do? Well, Carter's mid conversation, he's like, I'm just saying like, you know, like a scar on a face, like anybody can have a scar on a face. I just don't know.

Anyway, I don't know why I'm even talking about that. Oh shit. Oh, look. Should we stop? He's going to the library, it looks like. Here they come, here they come. Oh, yes, lovely Brooklyn orphans. Oh, the orphans, they're so homeless.

Love helping them. I love helping homeless kids. He's trying to like... We watch them go by, but we're partygoers. We don't think we should interrupt them, yeah. And she smiles. Thank you for coming. Of course.

Cheers. And they look at Vaughn like... Yeah, we're giving Vaughn like... Right, and Vaughn will kind of turn and as he passes like hmm They're so kind to have all sorts of your parties Interesting sartorial choices the hell quite outre little wink as he passes by what do you say you British fuck? Don't know that guy at all. One shouldn't judge a book by

their cover, Mr. Villiers. How droll. Come with me. As I'm like walking, slowly walking in behind, I try to catch Margo and Carter's eye and as we have given each other certain hand signals and I don't want to be too on the nose, so I kind of like, Faeruz takes her thumb and kind of like brushes the side, like her bottom lip, as like I'm keeping an eye out on them. Like keep an eye out on them.

Faeruz has some sort of crumbs on her face. No, she wants us to just be, keep an eye out, and but you know. How do you know that? It's party language, Carter. or a crumbs on her face? No, she wants us to just keep an eye out. What? But you know. How do you know that? It's body language, Carter. She's here, what is it, party language? I have to speak with you Americans all the time,

I don't understand what you're saying, I have to read your body language, and I just. Sort of crack her on her face. I feel like all humans do that. I'm just like, we talked about this. Okay, oh, hey. What does this mean, What are you saying? Focus. Keep an eye out.

Are there guards in front of the library? Or is it just like party goes are kind of milling in there too? Funny you should ask, because as Erica walks up to the library, again there's people coming in and out. A like huge dude, almost seven feet tall, comes up and you see he's got a pistol on him, like in a holster in his jacket, and he's like, everything alright, Miss Carlisle? Looking at you, Villiers. And she goes, Joseph, of course, yes, everything's fine. Mr. Villiers, this is my man here.

Mr. Joe Corey. Joe, this. Mr. Villiers, this is my man here. Mr. Joe Corey. Joe, this is Mr. Villiers. He is a new acquaintance of mine. We haven't decided yet if we're going to be friends. He is fine, as far as I know, so don't worry about him. And he just looks at you. Pleasure, Mr. Corey. And he keeps walking at you. Pleasure, Mr. Corey. And he keeps walking. Right this way.

She walks in and she's like, I'm sorry, could I have the library, everyone? Could I have the library? And a couple of people are like, oh, of course, Miss Carlyle. Oh, lovely party. The mansion looks beautiful. Orphans, orphans, orphans. And the last thing Margo Carter and Faeru see is her standing at the doors and closing them from the inside. Okay, well let's hope this goes okay. He's definitely not mentally fragile. So fingers crossed on that one.

I think that the safe is in the library. Yes, we think so too. But we have to be very careful because there are... I have a hunch that there are eyes on us. Yes, people are always watching us. Not just, you know, normal security though. Can never be too sure. Haven't you had that sneaking suspicion? Yes. Nope. I mean, I had the fit in the shower yesterday. Just people are always watching us and I just feel it all the time. Do you think from watching Ms. Carlisle

speak with Vaughan earlier, when asking about Mr. Carlisle, her body language seemed off. Well, did you hear anything that they said before they left? Little bits and pieces. It seems like she's cooperating with, in showing whatever, hopefully showing whatever's in that safe. Carter looks disappointed. He's like, so I'm not going to break into a safe?

But here's the thing though. Initially there was something off about her body language. When mentioning Mr. Carlisle, I'm wondering if we do break into something. Perhaps it would be her office. Uh-huh. Well, let's see how this goes. You know me. I love breaking into something. But let's see what happens with old Double V. All right. Just try to be inconspicuous.

Not a problem! Hey, big stuff, that a 22? Oh my god. I'm still walking after the big guy. And yeah, just everywhere you look, like if this was a movie, you would just see different, like grotesque faces at the party all just, it looks like they're staring at the three of you. Flim, flim, flim, flim.

We go back to the library. You're inside the library. There's easy chairs everywhere, tables with little reading lamps on them, ashtrays, a couple of spittoons. There's also a couple of spittoons. They had spittoons back in the 20s. They were huge. There's an elaborate, high Victorian iron fireplace, a magnificent teak and slate billiards table, and then of course several thousand volumes of books protected behind glass cases along

the walls. So it's not something you can just reach in and grab. If you're glancing very quickly, you see Dickens and Radcliffe, Parkman, Ralph Waldo Emerson. It's just, it's got everything. Looks like mainly literature but then there's another section that seems to be of stranger, maybe perhaps more esoteric topics. And she says to you that, yes, so this is the room where we had a break-in shortly after Robert's death. We've cleaned it up. Luckily, they didn't break any of the glass. It's unlocked. Anyone could just take books, but they didn't find what they were looking for. Unknown to Roger, I found out the combination to his safe. He was sloppy. It was easy. And I jotted it down. I have not looked in the safe except after the break-in. So it's

been a little while. As I said, the books were quite disturbing. It was not something I wanted to drudge up. But I did write down the combination, and I jotted it down on the flyleaf of one of Poe's collected works, oddly enough. I know that's in here somewhere. It should be, so if you could help me find that, that could give you the combination to the safe.

Time to roll some libraries. Just a point and click adventure. Here we go. All right. Just can't find that book. Let's see if I can be of any assistance if my keen eyes can see through your organization system here Skyrim quest comes up to find a book. Oh

Dear oh dear Uh, all right With library skills that's outside that door. Yeah that's true. That is true. So I filled that. So that's actually maybe a decent idea. Decent, not damning with faint praise, that's a good idea. I have a con man friend.

That's right. That's us. Yeah, yeah. No, no. Yeah, yeah. If you've mislaid a volume, my guest for this evening just so happens to be an academic of the most astounding prowess. Might I invite her to join us here in the library to search for the volume? A guest? You say I wasn't aware that you were with someone. Well, I-

Is she on the level? Does she understand everything that you've told me? She has been with me on my recent travels, and I dare say she has proved herself more effective in almost every capacity than I myself can claim to be. Um, yes, that would be fine. And to be quite honest, I need to be getting back to the party. I've told Mr. Corey that you are fine. If you'll leave us the room, we'll, we'll of course, sir.

Yes, the safe. Not take up too much of your time. will of course. a, like, it just looks like more books on the wall, but she, like, lifts it and it's just their fake, like, four fake books they lift off the side, and it's just a panel there with a button. She presses the button, the button opens, and there's a safe behind it. She's like, if you are able to locate the combination,

you are more than welcome. It is not something I wish to dive into. Mr. Villiers, it has been a pleasure. I do hope we get a chance to speak again. I'm giving you the opportunity to take this information because, perhaps fool that I am, I trust you, but I like your feistiness and I like the chance to put this entire thing to bed, if anything about what you said is true. Have at it, Mr. Velius. My gratitude is beyond words to express.

Thank you, Miss Carla. Click. I shall prove myself worthy. Miss Carla. Click. I shall prove myself. And I step out and gesture for the estimable Ferus Gibran. Yeah, she's the one who's having the attack of Heave Heaver. Did you hear that woman sneeze in public? No, that lot and you know, books and such. Dusty old toes.

When they open the door, Carter turns, he's like, pees and carrots the door Carter turns is like pees and carrots peas and carrots peas and carrots These are carrots to Margo Chugs the rest of that champagne they just throws it wherever there's a place to And goes right in you go right in Erica comes out everyone can can we can we go in there? Yeah sure I'm that way. All right. Did she really just allow us all in here and just Essentially fucked off. Thank you

Think I could be out here having conversation with Carter He just keep saying peas and carrots over and over again like we we're not friends and we can't just have to talk while we wait. It's because we can't like we no one can you know, it's got we got to look like we're in. We can have a conversation. We're friends. OK, we can have a conversation. We'll have a conversation. Now let's go investigate.

OK, well, I'll start making a list of things I want to talk about and then we'll talk about them later. I'm just behind. Are we all behind closed doors now? Yes. Don't do that. I've missed you. We've been apart, the four of us.

Come on, let's get this magic going. So there are eyes on us. And she, there are people who are very much aware of why we're here. Excuse me? And she just let us have at it. What do you mean, Ms. Shubram? Is it, who other than she herself knows what we're about? I'm sorry, don't you think maybe we should have

left someone outside? Oh, it's gonna happen at a party. They're not gonna do anything. We're fine. It doesn't matter. From the moment we walked in, there were eyes on us. Yes, yes. Well, how could they not be... ...attractive characters that we are? What? But, uh...

How was your conversation with Miss Carlisle? Peaks and valleys, Miss Chabron. While she was quite forthcoming with information about her brother, it seems that all is not paradise within the house Carlisle. And quite a bit of a... I saw that in her body language. Yes, not a great deal of respect about her brother, who she describes as the most loathsome bounder to ever pad his way about the state.

But that's a bit much. Yes. Well, what else is new with rich people? They're all heartless, no offense, Vaughn, but come on, I mean, they don't know true love. You shall find no disagreement from me. Yes, I must say I've had experiences that shook me out of my cage somewhat.

Miss Carlisle seems still quite attached to the prejudices of her class, but she did say that her brother did fall what she proclaimed as the bewitchment of a certain Miss Boney, who operated out of Harlem, who claimed to be some sort of high priestess. Harlem? All right, well... Priestess? Yes. I don't know whether to. Might this have to do with Africa's dark sects? It may well. I don't know whether to chalk this up to the

damnable prejudice of a close-minded society matron, or if there's something more to it and there is something malevolent about miss Bonnet for apparently not long after their association and mr. Carlisle began to have dreams of the sort referenced by mr. Elias in his letter he was drawn to Africa you see by these by these visions ah and here he looks at Margot, it's like, dreams, what?

Yes, we know the score. Yes, let's maybe look for. Okay, let's talk about this safe that I gotta crack, where is it? Yes, of course, before I get, the combination lies, as it were, walled up behind the pages of some book like A Man in the Cask of Amontillado.

So all you have to do is find the volume of Edgar Allan Poe and there, slap bang on the inside fly leaf, you shall find the combination to that. All right. Well, that shouldn't be too difficult. And as Margo, no, as Fae-Rus is kind of slowly scanning around the room, and I'm sure about to roll something, Fae-Rus will say that there is something that's very suspicious that I haven't told you about yet. And that is that my father is here. She-bump! The door opens up. Oh, is this the famed Kylia Library? I've always wanted to...

Oh, I'm sorry, was I interrupting something? Occupado! We're smoking a hole, get out of here! Well, I just wanted to see the famed Kylia Library. Just a couple seconds more, we haven't read everything yet. It's pretty large in here, I'm not asking to play billiards. Margot, shoes and mouth. Private tour.

Oh my god, I just wanted to see the lights! The pig shuts the door. Alright, we're running out of time here. A lot of people... I'll stand by the door. Hold it closed. He's got eyes on us. There's some reason why my... I can't believe your dad's here. I don't know either. He won't tell me. Here's the thing. I've told him, I've updated updated I've written letters to him about all of our expeditions

the reason why I'm in New York. He knows why I'm here and he didn't tell me that he was going to be here tonight. And then and then had the audacity to tell me that we were in some kind of danger as I didn't know already and then wouldn't elaborate. OK, well, let's let's unpack that in a little bit. I feel like we should use your library magic. Find this thing. Find the combinations.

Margo looks like she's doing long division in her head, trying to connect the dots, because I don't think that she knows you're in the order to right now. So she's like, your dad said the same thing this guy said to me, like, so that's something. Yeah. I've given a curse to the same thing this guy said to me. I've given a curse to the search of this damned library and I can't find any logic to its organization.

It's going to be a library, I'm assuming. So you can do a spot hidden for the book or a library use to see if there's some sort of order to things here. Where the collectibles may be. things here where the collector would be more useful to whatever you have a higher slide like would library use help me find where it's like in the book where it's located or library use is going to make probably help you get an easier spot hidden role mechanically speaking like you could do a harder spot in role or a successful library use would lower the difficulty of the spot in Because I usually like art. It's got to be over here somewhere

All right. Well, let's let's start with a spot. Let's start with the library use though and because there are Thousands of books here and I rolled an 18 under 50 for library use. All right, so you're looking at The setup here and you do see those leather bound books of writers, of fiction writers taking up a large section of it. But then you notice that there are other sections that contain books on the occult and books with magic and the title and whatnot. And then there's a large case filled with old reference works

in both English and French. But then you come over to an area with like mainly American poets, but everything is out of order. No doubt from when the library was turned upside down. So now give me a Spot Hidden and you can all roll that when she's, when Frey Rose is like, it's got to be here somewhere. Okay. I rolled a 33. Very apropos for an occult library. Or if you were looking for Larry Bird's autobiography. Mm-hmm. All right 33 would come

In handy. Um, all right anybody else succeed on this button. Yes. I know 33 under 80 by the way, sir Hard success. I rolled under my 75. I rolled a 69 69 okay regular success. Well, it is like finding a needle in a... What? Sorry, all of us... I kept it... I kept it together and then I looked at Nora. And then she started to... I don't understand. All of us internally went nice.

Nice. Nice. I was going to say it's like finding a needle in an A-stack. So the library use really did help for you able to nail that hard success with a side order of 69 and you find several of Poe's collected works. If you start, you see written on the fly leaf of one, a combination, it appears, a series of numbers. Troy, I have to ask you, of course in a library in a palatial estate like this, the Carlisle family would have an ex-libris stamp,

a personalized legend or a stamp or a thing that they'd goonk on the inner flyleaf of every book, just to make sure you knew where it was from. What does their ex-Libris design look like? It looks like a lion, just like, you know, when there's like the two griffins, so it's like a lion and a unicorn, and they're kissing. And then there's an ornate gothic sea in the middle. Erotic. That stands for Carlisle, you would assume.

There's no way of knowing. You've got the combinations like left, 15, right, two. I believe this is it. Troy, what particularly where in the unabridged work of Edgar Allan Poe would this have been written on? Right on the fly leaf of just a collection of his poems. Yeah, right on the inside cover Written in Erica's handwriting. It's very nice handwriting Walk over to that section of library Vaughn knows where it is now.

Lifts a fake section of books, presses a button. Ptoom, there's the safe. Open sesame and all that. Who enters the combination? I mean... Carter will do it. Carter would have to. Carter's hopped up on opening safes.

It doesn't matter if it's legally or not. Fuck it. Sort of hopped up on opening safe. It doesn't matter if it's legally or not. Fuck it. So I'll deprive you of the opportunity to crack safe, old boy, but at least you'll still be able to pop it open. As long as I open a safe, I feel like the night's been a success. Yes.

That's what they say. L, you see guys, the L means left. I'm gonna roll that left. The R of course means right, just letting you know. Just stow this away for future reference. You're a gentleman and a scholar. Chica-chica-chica-chica. All right, cracks it open.

Cracks it open. And is possessed by the devil. The devil. You open it up and there are four books inside. Looks like four books inside. Cracking, tilling hats, let's bust them out. What have we got? Let me just take a gander here.

I don't have my reading glasses with me because they make me look lame. But what does it say here on the spines? They don't have titles like that. In fact, the first one you pull out, thankfully, looks to be in English. But it appears to be a series of manuscripts that are held together in an embossed red leather binding.

You're looking for a title on the back or the front, nothing, you open it up. I want to be clear, no, no, no, hold on, sir. I do not open this shit. You do not open it, all right, so it's just. I saw the Faeru's googly eyes when we came in. Oh, I will. Yeah, and here are four books if it comes down to it. Carter's like, and here are four books,

and you can fuck off, I'm not opening those. I'll be over here with an axe. Carter stands a safe distance away. Here, Carter, let's trade. You come by the door, take watch. I want to go look at the books. I'll tell you, I can talk anybody away. Von, did Erika Kala tell us that we could take these,

or are we just looking through them? I didn't hear any implication that we couldn't spirit these away. So we could just take these and go. How about we take four books from these shelves that look similar, put them inside the safe, and we stash these away? She says she did not want to see the books again.

Yeah, I mean. Is that true? Oh, she does not seem to have much emotional attachment to it. But if anyone else were to come looking, it might be nice to have a little decoy. But if she sees, well, I guess, whatever. We could be overthinking it, but if she finds that we've swapped out the four books

with the four other books, is she going to suddenly get suspicious of us? We just have a sense of humor. The old books with your ruler. It's a pilot trick. Classic prank. Cardinals.

These rich people. Cardinals out the books and backs up, grabs an axe, a decorative axe off the wall, and lays them down. you start looking at them you perhaps your eyes are drawn to this one with the embossed red leather binding No title on the front on the side, but if you open it up And as you do that perhaps Vaughn like no one and have a care Perhaps Vaughn would be like, I never care.

She did swear blind to me as we spoke that the contents of these books left her rather unhinged. Oh great, wonderful. Okay, favorite is maybe read it with just one eye. I don't see what difference that would make, but I shall do so. Just squint as you look at it.

Maybe. You start reading and you see that but I shall do so. Just squint, just squint as you look at it. Maybe it's... You start reading and you see that on the first page of the first manuscript it says, uh, translations and remarks of, uh, necotic scrolls. That doesn't sound great. Necotic is spelled

P-N-A. Oh. K-O-T-I-C. Which may mean certain things to certain people. It's dated sometime in the 1400s. It's in English, like 15th century, but the binding outside looks to be of a much later date. That's the first book. And obviously, if you want to spend time with these books,

you take them, you can. Right now you're just kind of going through and getting the bits and pieces. There's a lot here. I think we do just get the title and what we're looking at and do the switch through and take a closer look at these later. Catch the vibes. Yeah. Yes. This is what they call a vibe. Are the vibes immaculate? The vibes on this one are not great because you ever even Even as you open it and you don't see anything other than what I just told you a date and this thing There is this Like heaviness nope that washes over you the second that you open this up. And so if you were to close it, maybe it's just, it just happens like suddenly, it almost feels like the cover is 10 times heavier

than it was when you opened it. But then you just very quickly close it. Seems great. Too much champagne, I suppose. I think so. The second one is, it does have a title. It's called Amongst the Stones. It's also in English written by Justin Jeffrey, 1918.

So a recent book of, just a quick glance through, it looks like poems. Lots and lots of different poems. Every page appears to be a new poem. The strangest thing about this particular book is the material that the binding is made out of. It almost feels like it's made out of some sort of like animal skin. Oh great, it's the fucking Necronomicon. Yeah, damn. But it's not animal skin.

There's something very discomforting about it, just to handle it. Hmm. Amongst the Stones by Justin Jeffery in 1918 1918 a collection of poetry about this Hmm For a leather bound book, it's Don't don't maybe don't smell the books. It's one of those things where it's really bad, but you can't stop sniffing at it Oh like your ear No, thank you

Does not smell like leather it does not smell like leather. It does not smell like leather at all. It's very like, there's like something very, very strange about it from the texture to the smell. Nothing is matching up. Just seems to be a book of poems though. Do you think this is human hide? Just be blunt.

I just, we've seen so much at this point. This looks like leather, but it's not leather. It doesn't smell like leather. This is not come from a cow or from whatever, sheep skin, whatever you make parchment out of these days. You know, it's- Fae Rue's, you've been drinking. Let's keep looking at the other book.

I hope you brought your bag, Fae Rue's, because that book is not going in my bag. Stop smelling the book. What are the other two books? It's one of those, I'm sorry, but it's just like you... Let's look at the other books. Look at the next one. Fine.

Sniff the next book. So you go to smell the next book immediately. Does anyone speak French? Let me just double-nope character wise. No, Thedas does not. This one appears to be in French. It's titled Selection de Livre d'Ivon. Selection de Livre d'Ivon.

Again, if you don't speak French, you're just going off of what... Oh, this must be the author, Gaspard du Noël, 13th century. It is a manuscript. Just so everyone knows to time out, Troy was great in French in high school. Are we too French together? That's right.

Well, you were a year ahead of me. But you were, we did the AP thing. Oh, AP French. Yes, excuse. I forgot all of it, but I can little AP French. Yes, the skills. I forgot all of it, but I can still pronounce it. Yes, but how many books did you sniff, sir? Why?

That was, I mean, junior year was only sniffing books. That's how private boy Catholic schools were. So they did it. It was weird. It was weird stuff that went on there. This one is handwritten, a handwritten manuscript. And if anyone speaks any Latin, you do see some Latin words interspersed in there as well, almost like it's a French commentary on another Latin, a work that was written in Latin. It's all handwritten.

Some monk, rather, translating an earlier ancient text, perhaps. And it's bound in like a decaying blue calfskin. So like a baby cow leather dyed blue, but it's like decaying. It's very old. So you could sniff the difference between these two. We don't need to smell any books. You're unlocking new vistas of olfactory appreciation of these sorts of reading material. It unlocks the memory, you know, so much for your memory.

It's tied into your olfactory senses. Yes indeed. Well, I wonder what memories we will unlock in these manuscripts. Oh! Yes, I think the first volume of that Proust chap just came out maybe last year. Talks a great deal about that. The last book is, the title alone kind of makes you think when you read it. It was stacked on the bottom.

It's called Life as a God. Written in English by someone named Montgomery Cropton circa 1810. So about a hundred years, a little over a hundred years old, over a century old, also handwritten and something is weird about the binding of this one as well. It looks to be bound in human skin. Okay, just come right out of it. Oh dear So now I know this one is human or okay had his favorite was like just holding it like touching it like yes A fleshy book is right up her alley

Is it Am I just imagining things or did I, did you think that, wasn't there Carlyle's journals that were supposed to be in the safe as well? It just said the books. That's how I interpret it. I think the psychoanalyst has separate journals that that's Houston Houston chap would have perhaps some psychoanalytic notes all All Jackson said was the books are in Carlisle safe. Yes, and these are the books that sent him off on his own on his expedition They perhaps are yeah, that's something here

Yes, well, um, well, shall we check these out, as it were? Door was open again. Are you still in here? I wanted to read some books. Occupied. Occupado, occupado. Okay, well, say we get a couple of cocktail weenies and we get the GTFO out of this place, right?

Yes, I think we've got what we came for. Probably the best. Let's hide these. Is there any way to conceal these books as we walk out? So if you guys are right, and anybody's watching us, they don't think that we're carrying human books. Well, I had like, I had a first stole wrapped

around my shoulders Could you put it in the back of my dress at least one of them and I could put the stole around it? Well, I can we walk out of like this square books Giant shoulders Probably or not fairies Marco probably also brought her a bag because like she brings her camera with her You're literally wearing a bag as a dress. Yeah. Who's rude?

It's gotta be. Who's going to dress me? I meant that as a compliment. I thought you were very, very innovative. Okay, it didn't seem like that at first when you said a bag and a dress. No. Yes, you've got to still- No, no, no.

You look absolutely amazing. You look smashing. But I'm saying, it was absolutely innovative and genius of you to think to do so because now we have an exact situation where this helps us out Exactly what I intended double my goal put this in your bag of holding Be having a human skin book on her person. Yeah, you're gonna like, who's everyone know who had the human skin pressed up against their own skin? Problem... I don't know. I was still sniffing the other one, so I might have the other one.

And I feel like men's fashion at that time is like impossibly wasp-waisted, like men are even wearing like little girdles to make their frames like V-shaped. So Vaughn is probably in something like that that that you can kind of like loosen and cram one of those books down in his like cummerbund or something. Carter's wearing the equivalent of like a 70s suit. You know what I mean? Like whatever it's like it's like out of fashion it's got the ruffs you know it's the big belt of the tie. You don't need to explain your outfits to me in the complication I will take the

skin book the human skin book Fine Great, we've got a forgot the concealing stole this suit at the bag lady and I'll just tuck this right here in the waist Then if anyone asks, well, hopefully no one will So you shove the books each of you taking one into your person. I guess. Do you put decoy books in or no decoy books?

I think we should put decoy books in. Yeah, just in case it gets... Well, I mean, whoever finds the decoy books is gonna open them up and quickly find, you know, like Lady Chatterley's lover or whatever the fuck. Like they're gonna know pretty quickly. It might not matter. If she doesn't care, then I don't think we have to worry about it. Yes, but there are eyes on us, so why not? And it's something we've broken into before. Let's put the other books, let's put some books in.

All right, so you stick four more books in there, you shut the safe, give it a spin-a-roo, close the hatch, maybe put the po back, maybe keep it, I don't know. Let's pretend we were doing something in here that wasn't going through the safe perhaps. Yeah, people doing coke back then. We spill out and giggle maybe.

I'm just gonna put lipstick marks on whoever's the closest to me. Okay. Okay. And just mess my hair up a bit. Just having to force them in here, no big deal. We hang off the men as we come out. I just mess my hair up a bit. Just having to force them in here, no big deal. As we come out.

Toss a couple used condoms onto the dance floor. I was going to disrupt these billiard balls, but I suppose that's a good idea as well. Too much champagne. The guard opens the door and is like, that is a lame ass library. Nothing in there. Oh, I beg to differ. I can't wait to check it out. Have you been here the whole time? My god.

Yes, I didn't want to be rude. Well, hopefully you didn't hear anything improper and crude. Well, that is how scoundrel is through across the room. Playing a strange spell. Why don't you say, copious, you threw it. All right, I'm going to the library. And he goes in and uh... Library nerd just really wants to fucking get into it. Can I rule a psychology on him or like watch him like is he a... see a... should I be worried? Um psychology... You should be worried about everybody.

She is. Nope. 72. She's way too busy trying to seem like she's... It's a Troy NPC. Look at all these books! 72, she's way too busy trying to seem like she's... It's a Troy NPC. Look at all these books! In fact, the minute you open it up and you start spilling out, it's not long before more people keep coming in here. They probably thought, oh, it's a closed door, we're not supposed to be in there, but now that it's open and they see you coming out, it very quickly fills up again. And you come back into the party and you feel like there should be less people there now, but it's almost like there's twice as many people there.

And it's a little uncomfortably close as you come out. Is it your intention to now leave and head back to the city? I mean, we could. We could just be like... Yeah, I don't know what else is stumped. I'm feeling very claustrophobic. There's so many people here and we're always being watched and we have these... We have the things on us now and I don't want to touch this anymore. With more people here it might be easier for us to exit without being noticed.

I feel like the only thing we really failed at doing was getting Erika Carlisle to help us with our current predicament, which is saving Millie Adams and Hilton Adams. Knowing what I've gleaned from her character, Teeling Hairst, I don't know that she's... aggressive and specific. Right. She'll help orphans, but she won't help missing people. I think her philanthropy is as good as it proceeds in the general sense, but in interpersonal matters... Broad strokes, look how good I am. All that.

Yeah. Yes, indeed. Then, in that case, I feel like we got what we came for, some books and some free booze. Let's get the fuck out. This place is dead anyway. You start walking out and Carter, that woman that you spoke to earlier, who was like, I'm so sorry to hear what happened to your wife. She reaches out and puts her hand on your shoulder

and just gives you kind of a look. Yeah, thank you, so nice to meet you. Yeah, it's a thousand blessings. Pleasure meeting you. Yes, you too. And Fabius, maybe you're, a thousand blessings. Pleasure meeting you. Yes, you too. And Faerus, maybe you're looking for your dad. And you just, there's like all these people and it's pressing you in.

And if any of you feel at all, have problems with claustrophobia, you do feel like you're just being pressed in and there's people all around laughing like grand winyo faces all pressed up against yours as you're just trying to find your way out and you see the guards and people with guns and everything and it's just ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha and their laughter and the music starts to echo in your head, the violin strings start to play discordant notes and you see Peru and you see everything

else that you've seen that has terrorized you and you make it outside the front door to fresh air. Jesus, that was weird. Now perhaps you see why I stopped moving in those circles with um, as much regularity as I might have in the past. Ugh. It's not worth it. You have a car? Yes. Yep. Got the hurt? Just flag my man.

Oh yes, sir. He comes around, drives you. You have a car? Yes. Yes. Flag my man. Oh yes, sir. He comes around, drives you. Yes, I'm quite give him a silver dollar. Vaughn, tip the man. Thanks, buddy. And he opens the door for the ladies as well, kinda gives a weird look at Carter's half face,

and then takes a silver dollar and runs off. All right. We at the wall door for what? Are you driving back into the city, going to the wall door for what? So, parking's a bitch, but you do. Can I roll a drive auto for better parking? Yeah, sure.

Alright, I never get to roll a drive auto. See how many loops it takes you. Nope, didn't get it. They always say in New York, just keep going around the same block and eventually a space will open. But Carter didn't get the message, so you're like let's try three avenues over! I'm pretty sure I can fit here!

You have to park pretty far away, and so you've got to walk. Whose car is this again? We just rented a car. I rented it. I don't like- Well, let's bring it back to Amos and get the-

Drop us out. We don't need to park, man. No, they want us to park. It's the right thing to do. Can you just drop me and Margot off at the front? Yeah, you guys get out in front, that's fine. You walk back to the hotel.

It's dark, it's late. You know, you were almost an hour away. Wasn't a ton of traffic, obviously, but you get back. And I imagine you all feel a little wiped. And while you gained a ton of information And I imagine you all feel a little wiped. And while you gained a ton of information, and the books in Carlisle Safe that perhaps are related to what Jackson was talking about,

Millie Adams is still missing. Lieutenant Poole still hasn't got back to you. So there's no message from pool at the hotel Well, it's funny you mentioned that because your few say any messages They say yeah, you have one here and he hands you a note Johnny good what we have here, and I imagine it's like a standard Waldorf historian note, so it says from Lieutenant pool I can't remember his first name thank God Demetrius it just says everything is going according to plan we'll reach out again tomorrow

according to plan was that's reassuring, I guess. Yes. Did he share his plan? Did he share his plan? No, he just told us he was gonna get a couple Irishmen and go down there. Yeah, well now I feel quite secure. Now, hold on. Now, we don't need to get into politics. Well, we told him about the building we were hiding in,

so the plan, I imagine, is that they made it there and are hiding out. But that was like 24 hours ago. I don't know. Full night is past, according to plan. It does occur to me that we probably should have warned him about the sanity-stressing measures that occurred when we went out and opened that hat.

I think the photographs were evidence. Well, he would think that we were mad. Yeah, but maybe he's just a crazy person now. Better for him to find out himself. Well, he's a cop. That's what happens. In any case, if everything's according to plan, and we don't want to jeopardize, what do we want to do?

I think tomorrow we gotta go to Juju House. During the day. Right. Right. Find Millie Adams. Whatever Dundlutent was doing now, it's best that we don't disturb whatever operation he has going on.

Yeah. We would maybe find some answers that would help us in these books, as fun as they seem to read. I would love to pour over these books before turning in for the evening. Are we up in our room yet? I hope we are because she's really itching to get that skin book out of her dress.

You know? Yeah, you wanna walk up to your room? Sure. It's getting sweaty. Yeah. You get up to the room, you pull the books out, and is the plan to sort of just maybe start digging into these? And if so, who's doing that?

Is anybody else doing anything? Or are you turning in? What's the sort of plan here for the rest of the night? Now, Faerûz, no offense, but I feel like you should read these, but I feel like someone should be watching you reading the books. Do you know what I mean?

Like, a watch on Faerûs. Well, I'll read with her. She doesn't see a problem with this. There's four books. We could all take one. No, I'm not... Or I can just... It's up to you. I'm not going to force you to read if you don't want to. I can read.

Now, I know you're capable. I can read. I've been reading the funnies. Would you be enjoyable for you, is another question. It won't be I it takes me a while to read a single page, but my issue is the effects that these books could have now we came home the other night and Margo correct me if I'm wrong we came in and Faerus was a little twitchy from reading that just one book. Now we've got four books here. Twitchy, twitchy, no, no.

Carter, no. Don't you see that in these books lies the answers that we seek? We need the knowledge in these books. Sure. Right, right. That's what I'm saying. Someone just needs to watch you read the books. And you need to accept that and maybe dip a toe in at some point.

You doesn't have to be tonight. But we can't complete our mission without knowing what's in these books. Right. I don't know how you could have these books in front of you and not want to just pull over them for hours. Well, it's a matter of upbringing. I feel like you read those books

and we're just keeping an eye on you reading the books. I think it's fun. And if you start to go off the rails, we're here for you. I want to read one as well. So watch me read a book. Watch me? I can't sleep. I'm reading, okay?

Margot, which one would you like? I've got the series of manuscripts, the narcotic scrolls. I've got Amongst the Stones. That's the one that smells questionable. I've got the French manuscripts that were handwritten by that monk, but it's in Latin. I don't know how good your French is. My French is terrible. And then I have Life as a God by Ed Hampton.

Well, I want to give you the first pick. The poem sounds nice, but I want to give you first pick. I should like to look over the series of manuscripts the narcotics chose from the 1400s. Margaret, do you want to read, if we take the French one out, Life as a God or Amongst the Stones? life as a god or amongst the stones? Hmm. Amongst the stones smell bad. The metagamer in me wants to read the human skin book,

but does Marvel want to read the human skin book? Probably not. She'll read the poems amongst the stones made out of the other weird skin. I'm going to read the other strange non leathery skin. I just wanted to read what seemed like the oldest. Two of you sit down to read those books. Vaughn, am I crazy? I mean, not literally, but you know, these books, you were here.

Yes. I feel like glancing at them is great, but... I'm terribly sorry, telling Asper the life of me that the past... ...night is... is something of a blur. Okay, I don't know what I'm fucking doing. Alright, that's fine. I'm just gonna pace nervously. And I can't get the Adams out of my mind nor Hilton. Like... Can... you, you, Saul Poole, can... can we trust him to go about his business in a timely manner?

A full day has passed. Dammit. It's not encouraging, and it's far be it for me to trust a cop. He seemed pretty perturbed by what we showed him. I'd like to think he's on it, but also a day missing and then suddenly being like, hey guys, just checking in. Everything's cool. Bye. That seems weird. I have half a mind to call that car back and just have it circle around the block Oh, you've you house God just to see If action is being taken and all that Well, that doesn't sound like a bad idea as long as it's inconspicuous

Yes I just I just I cannot I Yes. Oh, you guys are- I just, I cannot. I find it difficult to, I found it difficult to even attend that gathering, knowing that what sort of wretched things may be done to that poor woman.

It's the dead of night. You know what happens at Juju House at night. All those bros roll up. It's not the greatest time to go there. It's just driving by. Not entering. Just to see what we see. Everybody give me a luck roll. Oh, I did it.

I rolled a 57. Do we want to get under? Yeah, sorry. Yeah, this would be, and let me know if you have a success, what kind of success, or a fail. I've got a regular success. Regular success. 26 under 41.

Okay, regular. Kate? Fail. Fail, and what about Carter? I got a hard success. I got a 12 under 35 So Margo failed Surprising you're the one that the only one that

Succeeded on your luck roll today. I spent my failure. Yeah so Faeruz is reading the book you're holding the strange skinned book and you hear Carter and Vaughn are discussing possibly calling the car and going to Juju House and so maybe you're distracted by something else because you see the photograph of you wearing the screaming mask. And it's like sitting out on the balcony. It's Faeruz in the picture? No, it's you, Margo. Wearing that mask that you never wore,

that you never photographed yourself wearing. You took that photo and I think you ripped it up and put it in the toilet and flushed it. I only made one copy of that and I destroyed it. It is. The balcony, the curtains are like floating up and you see

that photo sitting out on the open balcony. What do you do? What are you thinking? You don't want to play no more? She's done. I don't want to play no more. That's too much. Do you, is it prompt you to do anything, say anything?

She's thinking, she's really thinking. What's going through your head, Marco? Me? Yes, walk us through the, you're the one that sees this. You see this. I think I just feel weird vibes because I don't see the picture out there. No, no, this is you.

I'm talking to you. You're talking to me? Yes, the whole time. Yeah, I'm in the book. I thought you were saying, oh my God, I'm sitting here waiting for a fae'm talking to you. You're talking to me? Yes, the whole time. Yeah. I'm in the book. I thought you were saying, Oh my god, I'm sitting here waiting for Faeruz to answer. I thought that they knew.

No, no, no, you. I'm waiting for you. You filled the blank. Sorry. Faeruz, no, that's where, you were way into it. I was like, she is playing hardball here. Yeah, no, Faeruz is reading your overhearing

this conversation between Vaughn and Carter and you see the curtains billowing up and the photograph of you with the mask on sitting out on the balcony. The same one that you ripped up through in the toilet. I go closer just kind of being like, is that there? Really? Because it's probably dark out it is it's there um Stanley Kubrick style we just see your point of view walking towards this balcony curtain lifting up in the wind um and the curtains again with this like shower thing she while they're doing that she's gonna open the door and grab the

photo. She wants to destroy it. The door is slightly ajar. You see that the photo is you have to step out on the balcony to get it. So you step out there and it's very very windy, but somehow this photo is almost like glued to the bottom of the balcony. It should be moving. You look behind you and the curtain is flying upwards. This very light photograph should not be sitting there.

Roll a spot hidden. Yeah, I was gonna say, I think I wanna look around. Come on. 59 under 62 shadow, you hear a noise from the sky above. And you look up and you see this shadow go over the moon and blot it out for all but a moment. It's almost as if the entire sky grows dark as this shape passes in front of the moon. And then this shape swoops directly at you. And you look up and you see this monstrosity that has to be 13 stories large. It's like this combination of a serpent or worm

with enormous bat-like wings that flood out in an umbrella. And it just comes swooping at you, talons outstretched. And we'll see you next week. Ah! You motherfucker. You. It's what that Australian gentleman told us about. Then there's a knock at the door,

it's the drunk guy again. Hey, did you guys just saw that? I just saw that. The bibliophile saw that. So excited to the party. Good God. It's time to make your membership official. Start your 30-day free trial today and become an official member of the Naiche at JoinTheNiche.com with the promo code GCN30. That's join the

NAISH.com and use code GCN30 to gain access to exclusive podcasts, ad-free episodes, and content you can't find anywhere else. Once again it's JoinTheNiche.com and use code GCN30 at sign up to get your first 30 days for free. Tell your friends, come join yourself and see what everybody's talking about when you join the Nesh today. So Alright girls, this is the place. We'll get everything loaded over to the boat and we'll lock up the truck. Don't leave anything behind. Wait, is that it?

That's where we're going? Yeah that's it. Sealskin Rock. Return to the mysteries in Don't Mind, Sealskin Rock. Subscribe now to catch the premiere, and we'll see you on the rock. I don't have much time. I am being transported by the Ecclesiad vessel Markava to stand trial for heresy of the Highest Order. But I will not renounce my work.

And to my last breath I will speak the truth of this plague-ridden world. That ours is not a loving god, and we are not its favorite children. The Heresies of Red Elf Burnt Wine Chapter 2 now available throughout the known world.