The Glass Cannon Podcast - Time For Chaos S2 | E8 – Four Great Beasts

Episode Date: June 18, 2025

A rash decision outside Empire Spices threatens to derail the investigation. Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/JIA6g4_nH_E 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

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from No Frills with PC Express. Shop online and get $15 in PC optimum points on your first five orders. Shop now at nofrills.ca. You are listening to the Glass Cannon Network, the premier source for role-playing game entertainment. Welcome back everybody it's Friday night and it's time for Chaos time for chaos is sponsored by Duncan's call of Cthulhu runs on Duncan's that's not true but it is sponsored by chaos I am the publishers of call of Cthulhu which I cannot reach down grab, but I have so many Call of Cthulhu books here. Wait, you know what I have?

This beautiful one that our good friend of the show Brian Holland wrote, Alone Against the Static. You really can't go wrong with everything they make. Now, here's the thing. I was gonna do like just a regular banter up top like, what's everybody's favorite? Pasturized cheese? We're not gonna do that. We're gonna, because pre-recording here, we were having an interesting discussion that might be worth revisiting for an audience.

Basically, Rob, you were like, hey, before we go live, can we talk about what the hell's going on here? Yeah, so we don't have to do it in front of the audience? Got it, yeah. But you were sort of lamenting that like, the writer in you is always worried that like you're like a ship without a rudder. Let's get rid of the fluff and get into it.

But the nature of these investigations just they don't want you to do that. As much as I would like every episode to really feel like a tight episode of The Sopranos, it's kind of more novelistic in its approach. Sort of like The Wire as opposed to The Sopranos. What the hell is going on with this adventure? What do you think? That's what I wanted to talk about before. There we are. Put you on the spot.

I think it's good because we did this recently on the Glass Cannon podcast where we talked about what are your impressions of the adventure so far? That led to a really interesting discussion. This isn't so much a, how do you guys like the adventure? Although I think that would be interesting. I get the sense that you're enjoying it, but you're also at this very weird point. If you're not, we can talk about that too. You know what?

Let's cut and let's talk about that. We're at this weird point where you know so much that it's almost debilitating how much is out there because this adventure is also meant to give you a lot of red herrings and a lot of misdirects. But yeah, where do you think you're at? This is why I brought this up before we started recording. I was thinking about in season one, we got to New York and there was some da-da-da-da, there was some chasing and some fire escapes

and poor decisions and stuff like that. That was all awesome. Then I feel like after a couple episodes in New York, we hit this sort of like, I mean, I think it was still entertaining because I think we're all awesome. But there was definitely like an episode or two where like, let's talk to Millie Adams and let's go talk to this person too. I don't know. And it just felt like, what are we doing?

And then eventually, it found its path. And maybe that's fine. And maybe that's just how these games go. I just, my problem is I'm always like, what's the audience thinking? Like, are they having a good time? Which shouldn't matter, because it's like, I just want to play a game with my buddies. And if people are listening, I guess that's cool.

But that's what that was kind of coming out of. Because I felt like by the end of the last, obviously this will get into how we sort of ended the last episode, but with sort of like, we're at the, maybe this is because I went into the fucking Spice House with Kate and then was like, oh, this is, we have nothing. Why are we in here? Oh, Jesus.

And then trying to avoid that going forward. But I don't know. That's where it was coming from, at least. I feel like this story is like, there's this giant spider web, like a huge spider web, and we're like hitting points like all over the place and none of them, to me at least, are like connecting yet. And it's so frustrating because like there's the part of me that's like, it all, you know, it's all coming from the top. It's all, and everything is going to connect in

some way and I'm just dying to find out like a common thread between all of these different things. But I feel like we're not there yet because the story's like freaking 20 books long. But I'm waiting for one thing to like really tangibly be like, and there's that thing. It's connected to, but I feel like I'm not there yet personally, so I get like a little, you know. Yeah. But Rob, I feel like this feeling that we're all kind of grappling with is a feature, not a bug of this experience. It's an action story occasionally, but for the most part, it's like a shaggy detective story.

What I like about the horror of this is that as the more you play, this vast overarching horrible conspiracy seems to be coming into focus, but you can't quite figure out what's going on. It creates in you, the player, this sort of paranoiac sense that like behind every door something terrible is lurking and it's just outside of the veil of your ability to grasp it. And that's a cool place to be because when it crashes through man, you see what happens. Yeah. But also it's complicado. It's hard to just – as a player, you're like, why do I have everything straight? I don't mind. I love the individual scenes. I love anything that we're going to do. I'm confident we're going to have a great time. It's just a matter of like, oh, did that scene amount to jack shit? Which again, I think that's a writer part

of your brain, right? That's like, well, there can be no, if there's fluff, if there's unnecessary scenes, then the audience is sitting there going like, why did I just watch that scene? I know you, at the end of each one, you could, there is a part of you as a player where you're like, do I have an actionable piece of information that can like take me to the next thing? And I'm not worried. I feel like, you know, I have full trust in you Troy to sort of be like, oh, they're spinning their wheels. Let's figure something. Let me just drop this breadcrumb here and they'll figure it out. But yeah. Yeah, it's tricky. Like I'm definitely giving you a lot more rope to hang yourselves with than I would with other adventures.

And so sometimes that extra slack in the rope leads to some what might feel like meandering. And I have to try it like in terms of what the audience thinks, I always think like, if you guys are having fun, they're having fun. You know what I mean? People who know this adventure are getting a lot more out of it probably than people who don't. Or they're not getting a lot more, but they're just getting different out of it because they've played it and they know, oh, they're going to do that instead of that.

Or they're going, oh, did you see what just happened there? They didn't even realize it. They're experiencing it a lot different than you and the audience who doesn't know what's happening. I'm not too concerned. I think that where I do know what's happening, I think that you're moving in a very strong direction. It's just the hammer dropping moments sometimes don't deliver you that overarching mystery

reveal that you're waiting for because this is such a massive tale. Even what you ended in New York, the sort of cult dealings that were going on in the basement of the Juju house, that didn't stop this overall threat. I think once you get to the bottom of what's happening here in England, you're going to have a lot better sense of like how this is all interconnected and how and why Jackson was so worried about this being a global problem. I think I know what's going on here. So being like, I hear what you guys are all saying was like, I don't know what's going

on. It's so frustrating. Maybe it's because like my day job, it's like, I just don't know what's going on ever. And I'm always learning new things and figuring things out and not knowing what's going on. But I come here and I'm like, I'll figure it out eventually because that's how my life works. But I feel like because you mentioned New York where it was like, that was a whole encapsulated thing but nothing stopped. And then the first thing we visited in London was the artist. And that kind of felt like a monster of the week type of thing,

where it was like, maybe that was one of the red herrings, but still we keep being reminded of like, the guy in the painting. So maybe it's not. But it kind of feels like all of that, all of these leads that we have are like mini New York towards like, okay, there's murders out in the country. And then there's maybe like the basement of the Penhew Foundation. And I feel like it's all little things, but I think the Penhew Foundation is the main thing. I think they're taking in all these artifacts from all over the place and spreading them out and causing chaos everywhere and that's somehow opening up portals to the gods. Yeah, you don't usually have like a basement, a secret basement hatch made out of a sarcophagus if you're just kind of hanging out, not doing

anything. It's a global network of cultists trying to do something. Cultish. More do with the old ones. More importantly, Kate, I feel like you've really struck out some of this. You have a job and that is helping you cope with things where you don't know what's going on. Whereas if you're unemployed and you're also playing a game where you have no idea what you're doing with your life. I mean, have you seen how the tech is right now?

I'm employed for now. It's all one day at a time. I think what Katie's saying is we've got to trust the process. Yeah, so where is this sanity's high, but nor is this not. This is therapy, is what we're saying. Right, right. Well, it'll be interesting to see what you do next, because you're kind of at a weird mini saturation point

where you've got to take the investigation in new directions Unfortunately right now you're in a bit of a pickle. So let's talk about that Pick let's do a quick luck roll though before we get into the like I'll give you a pretty solid recap and this recap is gonna go back to the end of two weeks ago Just cuz there's just a lot going on and that's the thing is like you as the player feel like, ha, there's so much going on and the recap isn't even gonna do it justice. But let me know if you fail your luck roll,

obviously you get a D10 back. Ooh, I did fail. Ah! I swear to God, I'm so sick of rolling under my luck. I've got 25 luck. I got three and four chance to get hit. I rolled a 23 every week. Man. You only have luck to spend on your luck.

The old ones have it out for me also. Of all the times to get an extreme success. What a waste. All right. So let's talk about this. Two sessions ago, Ferruz and Vaughn, posing as tourists from Texas. Flawless. Don't forget that. They visited the Blue Pyramid Club because Inspector Barrington from Scotland Yard mentioned many of the victims of the Egyptian murders frequented that club. You're like, it's a lead, let's go check it out. You know Jackson Elias was interested in these murders, so you followed up.

While you're there talking to some people, and maybe a little too loudly, a dancer in the club overhears you talking to a couple patrons, slips you a note to meet her outside when the club closes. When you do, she tells you that there is a cult that kidnapped and killed her boyfriend. The cult is run by someone named Zara Shafik. This is a person of interest that Barrington mentioned, but he followed up on her and didn't find out anything. Maybe she was not telling him everything he wanted to hear, but she seemed clean.

Anyways, this dancer thinks Zara Shafik is the one behind all this and every month a Van comes and takes a bunch of people into the countryside on the night of the full moon You know that the next full moon will be in about ten days Faeru starts to wonder if any of these murders In the countryside like the ones that were mentioned in another article from the scoop that Jackson Elias was interested in, wonders if this is somehow linked to what this van is doing.

And sorry, Troy, I wanted to jump in for one second, because this will matter in a second. You're saying it's a van, not a truck. Truck or van, if I'm using a different term, it doesn't really matter. Okay, just in terms of the Ferris and Sons of it all, that's the only thing. Yeah, it would be a truck, a van truck.

A van truck. Just turned down my backwards. A sport utility vehicle. Yes, it was an SUV. It's an SUV Whatever I said initially is correct, but yeah There's there's no reason to think that that couldn't be connected to Ferris and Sons Okay, may not be but got whether it's a van or a truck Yeah, yeah, I've got a be the way they only have trucks and he said van

Meanwhile Carter and Margo broke into the Penhew Foundation at night and found a secret staircase leading down into a secret room full of books and sanity shattering artwork and statues. There was an ornate chest with two silver daggers inside and on the chest Carter recognized a creature reminiscent of the one that seemed to climb out of that interdimensional hole that appeared above Larkin's head in Peru so many years ago. You find a couple other interesting things. You find a receipt for a cast iron walk in safe that was installed at

Henson Manufacturing in Dabi. You find a receipt for a six month truck rental, possibly van it was hard to read from Ferris and Sons. You also find a letter from a Mr. Chowdhury of Ropemaker Fields in Limehouse pertaining to the warehousing and shipment of antiquities to and from Shanghai aboard a ship called the Ivory Wind. Another crate is being sent to Randolph Shipping Company, Port Darwin, Northern Territory in Australia, personal to Mr. Randolph.

All of these are locations that Jackson Elias was connected to, traveled to, was interested in. So, you all reconvene at the London Waldorf and you go over these findings and Vaughn sneaks away to call Faerus' father to ask permission to marry his daughter. And basically, during that call, sort of unwittingly gives away their location to him. Maybe that's something Fae'Ruus would prefer that her father not know. He said, we'll get back to you soon. We?

The next day you head to Empire Spices. See what you can find out about this Zara Shafik. She is the owner of this place. You know that. Carter and Margot go inside. See a really nice spice store. You meet Zara Shafik, this intoxicatingly beautiful young Egyptian woman who is nothing but polite and answers all of your questions regarding spices for the restaurant that you will be opening in America called Spice It Up.

Oh, great. I don't know how I was thinking. That scene was great. Glad that was included in the recap, Troy. You pry a little bit to try and get a little more information from you, but like she seems on the up and up. And so you you leave. Meanwhile as you're coming out you notice Vaughn and Faeru's are hopping a fence at the side of the building to jump into an alleyway leading to the back. Nothing that was discussed beforehand. to jump into an alleyway leading to the back. Nothing that was discussed beforehand, but they're hopping back there. And so you guys just go across the street to like a cafe.

I can't remember what you did, but you're like nonchalantly walking across and watching. And as you're watching, you notice this car with two people in it watching. Are they watching you? Are they watching Ferruz and Vaughn? Are they watching you are they watching Faerûz and Vaan are they watching Empire Spices you don't know it's very suspect they are definitely watching Vaan excuse me at Vaan and Faerûz get to the back

hopping this fence and get around to the backyard this crates everywhere and whatnot and they go to kind of sneak to look into one of the windows. And Feyruz sees like a storage room or whatnot, but as Vaughn tries to get closer, he fails a pushed roll to stealth up to the window and slams his foot on this coal chute. It makes a loud noise and we end the episode with Faeruz seeing a figure walk into this storeroom and hear the sound. So that's where we pick up today. Here's what I'll say Faeruz, you were looking in this room and you see boxes and you see crates. And just before you see this figure kind of slide into the room, you also see like a bed in this room. And then the figure comes in and it's that,

I don't know if I said who it was or if I left it purposefully suspicious, but you wouldn't know who this is, but our audience would recognize the figure as the young man that seemed to be like the assistant assistant in the spice shop this kind of lanky possibly Egyptian 20-something boy he hears that noise and starts to rush out of the room Faeruz you notice this clang the noise of the coal chute goes off Vaughn. You know, you made a loud noise Faehru's Vaughn. What do you do?

Shit I need to get out of here. Sorry. Sorry. Sorry All right, um Duns the Mouse 23 screw and all that I Guess let's let's let's hoof it. Yes. Okay, so you run away from there's a back door to this building, you assume that this person is just going to come running out the back door to find you. So you run back to this gate that you've got to hop over. What type of skills are we using here? Climb obviously, unless you guys have a better idea to walk me through it. If I can maybe assist Feruz in getting over with the old cup.

I feel like we did this on the way in. Yeah. The cup your hands and lift. The old ten fingers. Yes, you weren't under duress. So you're able to get her over, we'll say, with ease. However, I then need you, Vaughn, to roll a climb check. I feel like Carter and Margot are just like,

like watching, two cups of tea just from the camera. Watching the car going, did you hear something? A bang? What's going on? Yeah. Okay, my climb skill is a 20, y'all, and I just rolled a 20. So that is a skin of my teeth success.

Wow, skin of my teeth success. Wow, skin of your teeth success. You hop over, you land to the ground hard, and then would you just run or do you just start to pretend you walking by the spot? I'm like picking Vaughn up. Yeah, we're just like, I'd like to get the fuck out. Melt into the crowd. Yeah, there's enough foot traffic there that you could easily kind of sidestep into it.

And Carter and Margo, you just see that young man come running up to the gate, and he's looking all around. It's kind of like maybe he saw something, or maybe he's just, his mind is playing tricks on him He recedes back into the alleyway whoa okay while that car still sits there Is there a license plate we can see It's a little far away, but you give me a spot hidden spot hidden I'd say you're at like hard success distance away from seeing it.

Oh, just a regular there. 67 under 60. It's like an S, L, it might be an H or a W, it's hard to tell. Carter? I mean, I want to walk up to this thing. I want to start getting a... I feel like Carter, you know, he's used to some shifty folks in his life.

I feel like he wants to kind of glean some more of where these people are looking and who they are, what they look like, all that stuff. Don't leave me here. She walks by with you. Okay, yeah, come on. Always a learning opportunity. You start to walk in the direction of the car, and as you do, the car starts to pull out. Quick, give me a spot hidden to see if you can get the license plate. Okay, I'm going to spot this hidden.

Nope. Ah! Ah! The fog is in my eye. Can I push? Do you want to push? Well, you six- yeah. Alright, so you- this is how we'll have this all happen in real time.

You can push the roll. Tell me how you want to do it. Like, maybe you start like running after the car and be a little more overt, but if you could think of another idea. For me? Oh, sure. You can both push, like, because you succeeded, Margo,

but you couldn't quite see. So if you want to reroll to try and get that hard success, what are you doing differently? to try and get that hard success, what are you doing differently? Um, well, if Carter's running towards it, maybe instead, like maybe there's a glare in my eye, I like shade my eyes from the sun and like squint a bit and like try to like focus and see rather than run.

Oh, you know what I want to do? Fuck it. We don't know if they're actually watching us, right? So I want to yell at them like, excuse me, excuse me. Just like, see if they can hear me and stop the car. Cause if they're not watching us, then they'll stop. All right, give me two pushed rolls. Wow.

Does this count as a spot hit me yelling? 33 under 69, that's definitely hard. That is a hard success All right, so good news bad news the good news is Margo you make out the license plate and you commit it to memory The bad news is you fail your push roll and you commit it to memory. The bad news is you fail your push roll and you trip and fall and you scuff your lip and your mask falls off and you take one point of damage. Stop injuring Margot.

No, that was me. No, that was Carter. Oh, that was Carter. He's fine. Hold on, hey, I'm trying to. Whoa. It goes completely. I think I'd bounce off another well, like another parked car.

Like maybe I hit the rear view mirror of it, like, ah, and yeah, fuck. If you fumbled, I would have had your mask fall into a sewer. No. No. No. Have we, like,

Wouldn't be the first time. I know we've been together for a while, but like, have we seen you with your mask off? Do you take it off at night? I think he tries to keep it on as much as possible. He took it off in the jail cell when everyone was there to convince that guy to follow us to Juju House or whatever. That was a push role that actually worked.

He misses doubt fired once in the hotel room. Yeah, just completely. Whip cream in my face. Hello! Yeah, so I just totally... Looked like Margot caught you cleaning your eye hole. Yeah. Shaving cream.

I have like hot flashes. So I, yeah. The thing falls and I'm like scrambling, especially Margo's there. I think he's like extra sensitive So he's just like shit fuck fuck fuck and like he's not making a joke. He's just really trying to get this thing Back on his face, and I took a point of damage. Yeah point of damage and your lip is bleeding. Oh Oh, no Carter That's it. Listen I saw the license plate, but here and she like I have some first aid skills So I think maybe she tries to like add up a little handkerchief out of her bag

Trying to help or like maybe buff out a scratch on your mask. Yeah. No, it's alright. It's okay I split lip that was all the time. It's fine Give me give me a first aid roll. See if you can give him this hit point back You make it worse. No. It starts coming at you. My tooth! You sleep tonight, you'll get that back, no problem. It was more embarrassing and you can't help but wonder, did Margot see you without your

mask? Yeah. Very embarrassing. And now you're just kind of left in the street. Vaughn and Faerûs, I don't know what the recon plan was. You guys kind of went rogue, but if you look back, you to kind of see this, you must see this scene of Margo helping Vaughn up. Seems rather conspicuous. I think we might double back and join up with them. Yeah. It's these fucking cobblestones in this goddamn ancient bullshit city. Hey Vaughn

Some of these shades are so slippery I say all that. Why would he know that? It was bright out and he tried to run and My god telling us you're bleeding Yeah, that's the least of our problems. Why are you guys jumping fences in the middle of the day? We went a little off script, and I just figured if you were going to be inside, and it seemed like a very prominent storefront that maybe if we were to case the place later and come back, that we'd have a place of ingress.

Yes, thought that if you were distracting them inside, we might give them a bit of the pincher movement and come around their flank. Well, you should have known we would have come up empty inside and we should have known we would have come right back out. It wasn't like Juju House. She was very professional and only Spice Talk. Only Spice Talk. We did see a car outside. I don't know if it was watching Spice House, if it was watching us, but they drove away when we tried to approach.

They just gunned the engine. Yeah, they took off, peeled out. I don't know how they managed to find any traction on these goddamn streets. Yes, the infamously frictionless London paraphernalia. But you think they were watching you? I don't know. It's hard to say. But um, you think they were watching you? Oh no. It's hard to say.

But I'll tell you who's watching you guys. The fucking the storeroom kid came out after you guys skedaddled. Yes, I'm afraid I caused something of a commotion. Yes, but at least we know that if we wanted to go back in the evening. Lose the front door? Well, no, because people would see us. Oh, you want to come? Oh, you type of break it? Although people didn't see us when we were back. I don't know. But they wouldn't be there.

It was, I'm assuming, somebody who worked. It was a young gentleman. Yes. Yeah, I think that's the assistant kid. If we do return after hours, one gets the sense that there may be someone there after hours if they have a a mattress laid out for the employees on the premises and someone sleeps there Every store we go to has a bed in it so weird Rather suspicious one things that a thing of the time or math will figure it out later Yeah, it's just like a mattress in the middle of the store room.

Strange. She didn't seem suspicious to you at all. She was beguiling. Her posture. I'm just saying her posture was just erect and she seemed to know a lot about Various spices she knew her trade, you know But no other than that she kept it cool as a cucumber Yeah, we didn't see anything strange in the shop and

Yep, I Don't remember if I showed you all a picture of her, but now you can see Zara Shafik. Yes. Yes, absolutely. Oh, sure. Fantastic. Right. So it is Saturday, I believe.

Saturday, I believe. Saturday, February something. It's actually pretty close to what time to the day that we're recording this. Many many years later, almost a century later in real time. But you had talked about maybe following up on Ferris and Sons when you spoke to them, they said that they didn't have any records of where their cars are taken They did mention that they do see their cars from time to time. They're like, yeah, that's what about us But you you're not quite sure what you would find out by following up there

You do have this lead for the Mr. Chowdhury in Limehouse, that's in London, and then you know all your other leads kind of take you outside of London. This manufacturing plant, the Lesser Edale murders. What else is present in your mind? And the safe? The place that makes the safe? Um, well it seems to me that, um, based on what you were able to find there, this safe is altogether tantalizing to me. We have the bill of sale and the receipt from the installers in Derby. We may be able to pay them a call and learn more about where it was put, which may give us more insight

into what the Pentew Foundation is seeking to protect in such a thing. And if that gets us closer to Lesser Edale, we may be able to question the local authorities on the nature of the murders and add more colour to the tale told by Ylissha Assam about the unfortunate denizens of the Blue Pyramid Club. Also, if we want to stake out anything else, I really think that you guys should go see, go down into the sarcophagus room. I would love that. There are lots of books we did not get a chance to look at. You don't have to tell me twice. I'm absolutely enthralled by the idea.

I feel like we got real lucky that time. No, it was easy. You were picking those locks like they weren't even locked. Oh, don't get me wrong. I was awesome. My point is that sometimes awesome is aided by some luck. And so I just, I get a little nervous that sometimes awesome is aided by some luck. And so I just, I get a little nervous about trying to push our luck, so to speak, back down there.

We can just tell you, we give you detailed descriptions of all the various sites we saw, but whatever. Something tells me we'll be going back down there in due course. They're definitely they're definitely not to be trusted. I mean, they're bringing all this stuff in. They have secret rooms. You never want that in your foundation. So they're not up to not up to snuff, we say.

Yes. But what if there's another secret room within the secret room? I think we checked for that. No, it was a secret room in a secret room. The second one. Oh, that's true. Yeah. We looked for a triple secret room and we didn't find it, but... Rats.

Secret rooms all the way down. Troy, when we talked to the Ferris and Sons clerk on the phone, did we ask if there's a... Or if there was... I don't think we did. If there was a regular rental occurring around full moon time. I can't remember. I don't think we did because I think we looked at the dates, or like they had had it for

Three months. They had it for like a long chunk of time that wasn't like had it Yeah, they were into like the third month of a six month rental. Okay. Yeah So they've probably had it for several full moons Cool, if it's the same if it's at all connected to the van that the dancer was talking about. Right. Well, cool. Let's do that. Let's call the safe people. Yeah, and to clarify, you're wondering where that was fitted. If you look at the receipt there, did I put that in your... Yeah, I did. Recieved, cast iron safe. So Ernest Whitfield and co Birmingham That's where it was purchased. It was delivered and fitted at Henson Manufacturing in Darby So I'm purchased and then it was installed in Darby. Oh

That at the manufacturing plant. I think that look confusing. It seemed like wait did Henson Manufacturing Are they the ones that created it? No, Ernest Whitfield, they... They created it. They were the one, they had it, and it was delivered and fitted at this manufacturing plant in Darby. Now if you wanted to explore that or call, you could do that. Also, you have to pass through Darby on your way to Lesser Edale. You have to pass through Darby on your way to Lesser Edale. The way the trains work, you take a train from London and the change of trains to get to Lesser Edale is in Darby. But you always have the option to call too.

Yeah. So just so I'm clear, the Ernest Whitfield & Company manufactured the safe and then delivered it and had it fitted at a location unknown. That also manufactures things. They had it installed at this manufacturing facility in Derby. So the safe is in this manufacturing facility. That's the sense that you get. It's significant, it says you don't know.

Our diligence is your security. Why don't we call him up, see if we can set up, like say we're in the market for a walk-in safe We know our friend Pennhue or whatever his name is there he has he told us he knows of a place heard of these guys Hmm, well, perhaps we could them Poses a inspectors of the Whitefield company coming that we're talking Take a look at their make sure that their security

is up to snuff. We're calling the place that installed the safe but they installed it at another place should we also call that place? Yes I think that I think is what we're proposing not to communicate with Whitfield but the manufacturing facility where the safe was put. Yeah, we want to make sure that everything's... We're just following up. That's part of our customer care program. Yes, quite right. There you go.

They're part of our Star Sapphire... Would you be interested in taking our survey? Yes, exactly. They have subscribed to our newsletter. So... Well, in that case, do we even have to call them or do we just do a pop in inspection? That's probably maybe a surprise inspection. Yeah, which feels like they're in trouble for buying the thing that we made for them.

And then if they don't let us in, we can spend the night there and maybe stake it out at night and sneak in. You seem to be having some terribly good luck with that strategy, so I used to stop you. Sneaking in at night is how we get stuff done. We could just find a fence for you guys to jump over. Maybe you want to step in another chimney? Certainly, I have less luck than you. If there's a secret room, we will find it.

I just tried to peep in a window and nearly fell down the damn cold chute. Well, I think that could have happened to anyone. I don't think you should feel a waste about it. Yes, too kind, too kind. Well then. And then it's a hop and a skip up to Lesserie Dale. Yes, shall we look at train schedules for the Derby then? Yes.

I do like it. Alright so I think that you know if you went here in the early morning or beginning of the afternoon to check out Empire Spices you could be on a train heading to Derby by the late afternoon if you if you'd like and it is kind of perfect because if you did want to go check out lesser a dell You have to switch trains at Darby anyways, so you might as well pop in on old henson manufacturing Great, so we'll just get you on the trail and we see this Take off and leave London You arrive a few hours later in Darby, I'd say it's probably later

in the day. Why don't we say it's around 4 p.m. You get into Darby and you make your way over. You imagine it's a a Saturday they're probably not even open oops just thought about that check that don't say manufacturer every day of the week but you couldn't wait till Monday if you'd like we could go to America you know what you could do is if you wanted to continue with it because I just thought about this way to go up to Edale yeah let's go to Edale and then hit Darby on the way back It's up to you guys. Let's do that This is why labor unions are ruining the country

I do like that we walk up to a manufacturing plant on a Saturday at 4 p.m. Oh It's like every other game I play the day of the week doesn't matter right in like in a medieval world It's like no that inn is closed today I'll tell you why in America this plant would be open okay Like in a medieval world, it's like, no, that inn is closed today. I'll tell you why, in America, this place would be open. Okay? It would.

24-7. Children would be working. There'd be 12-year-olds in there. Close on Saturday. Yeah. British manufacturing falling to ruin. Bloody Marxists. This is why your empire's crumbling, Vaughn.

You're not working during the weekend. Oh god, that's hilarious. All right, so you... Back on the fucking train. Back on the train, everybody. What? That we wasted the whole day! Turn it around!

Lesserie Dill is actually 170 miles north of London, so you are truly leaving. Okay! Leaving the city behind. But you know, this is a dangling lead. You're either going to ignore it or follow up on it, and you kind of feel like all that's left for you to do in London is, you know, if you've got the Limehouse Docks, that might be something there. You know, you've got this road maker field.

You're not quite sure what that is. But everything else is just like stake out at night and break in through the crazy German plan. So at St. Pachras Station in London, you head to Derby, you change there for the Hope Valley line that runs through Adale on its way to Manchester. Once you arrive in Adale, you basically can walk five miles to get to the town or you can hitchhike with a passing farmer.

What would you like to do? So we get off this fucking train finally, and it's just nothing. It's farmland. It's countryside. It is countryside, but if you ask a local, they're like, hey, LSA, it's about four miles that way. You can walk it.

What was that? Miles. Oh, it's the northern accents here. They're different and they don't understand them. You can walk wherever you want, or you can catch a ride from the farmer. Oh boy. Here there's difference in that don't understand them Thank you ever so much I brought like a go bag

It's you know, it's been a while here. Let's go back to The initial thing that made you even yeah have this this place in mind What the fuck is it? All right police baffled by monstrous murders Killer be shot but still alive They were shocked last month by two murders and a serious assault on a third victim And you should know that this article is a couple months old So then the murders that they're talking about would have happened three months ago and a serious assault on a third victim. And you should know that this article is a couple months old. So then the murders that they're talking about would have happened three months ago.

They're still without the satisfactory explanation or perpetrator of the dreadful attacks. At that time, Lesser Edale farmer, George Osgood, and resident Lydia Perkins were torn to shreds in apparently unrelated murders on consecutive nights. And then on the third night, Wheelwright Harold Short threats, and apparently unrelated murders on consecutive nights. And then on the third night, Wheelwright Harold Short was nearly killed but managed to drive off his attacker, which he described as a grisly creature.

According to Lesser Adel Constabulary, a rabid dog was shot and killed on the night of Mr. Short's attack. The police believed the matter to be closed. Nevertheless, local residents have subsequently claimed to have seen and heard a strange beast lurking about the area. Reportedly, the good folk of Lesser Adale still endure sleepless nights due to the bizarre wailings of the beasts on nights of the full moon. Interesting, that means a lot more now than it did to you when you first read it.

There's the connection. These people are plucked on the Blue Pyramid, placed in this sporty, sporty yet durable utility vehicle, and driven northward to... And it seems that this coincides with these bloody murders now. Seems that this survivor is worth speaking to, if we can... We can sound him up, Mr. Short.

If he'll speak to us, yes. Yes. For it seems the constabulary have already done their best to close the case and Yeah, I have a feeling that if he were To speak with us if he was willing perhaps is something that he could tell us that maybe he didn't want to tell Please what's our cover? Should we be safe manufacturer? Do we hmm Should we have a safe manufacturer? Well, do we? Do we need a... I think in this case, we just...

Maybe we don't have to tell the details, but maybe we tell them that our friend has suffered a similar attack. Uh-huh. Yes. This short, if he truly believes himself to be attacked by a grisly creature. So he says, I'm sure is rather frustrated that the populace at large of writing it off as the work of a rabid dog. Got it. We can say it was you. You just you just got hurt.

That's no. That you are the friend who also just got hurt. Yeah, I thought you heard. Hey, I'm a werewolf. We've met before. I just want you to describe what I looked like. Yeah, you want to say that I got attacked? Sure. We were visiting some neighboring town. Vaughn, what's around here? Local geography? Yes, I knew that. Yeah, you can you would know a local town or something like that.

Okay. So let me get this straight. Well, we're going to try to find Mr. Short. You're going to try and find Mr. Short. I think also like after we talk to him, maybe we can find like a local saloon or whatever, because it says like locals are afraid. So if he doesn't tell us everything maybe we can still find out stuff from locals and then by that point we'll be out at night and then maybe we

can just American werewolf in London this shit yeah I mean it's nearly night right now wasn't it four o'clock when we were pulling into Derby's the Sun I should be very late I think your first order of business would be find a place to stay. Find an inn. Excuse me, sir, is your, is your, um... I am, I will say. I wonder if there's room on your, on your hay wane for, um, for some strangers going into... Sure, you can come my way. My ultimate destination is an haydale, but I can drop you off there as I continue on my way. You sound like a guy we talked to once from Australia

Come on and you get on his hayway and thank you and You know, it's it's you know, it's getting it's it's getting dark and it's getting darker by the minute But you do find it a nice reprieve from everything you were experiencing in London. Even though you haven't been in London long, like the limestone cliffs and outcrops, the lovely wooded veils in Moorland, the splendid waterfalls, all of this is refreshing compared to the urban sprawl and darkness of London.

Speak for yourself. Reptile stitch. Yeah. Before it gets too dark, you see the countryside is immaculately green. The fields are full of sheep. And it's raining, even though it rains in London. But the rain seems fresher and cleaner,

as opposed to the grimy droplets that would hit you in London. However, as night falls, you do see dark storm clouds on the horizon. As you get closer and closer to Lesser Adale, a cold wind starts to pick up. You arrive in Lesser Adale under the cover of darkness and see a quaint but beautiful little village. There's like a few dozen homes, most of which have thatched roofs. You see a little general store that's closed, a small modern church. A building looks like a veterinary clinic for all the animals that are on the farms

nearby. There's a rock formation to the south of the village and you can see kind of in the moonlight looks like there's ruins of an old fort that used to be atop this like tour, what they would call it tour And then to the north is a castle Sitting atop a bluff that overlooks the entire village. So it's very very beautiful and There seems to be a lot of light coming from a in

Called the the laughing horse in I'm gonna continue up north to deliver my hay. Yes, and thank you, sir. It's good that there's still some robust and ruddy sons of Albion out here. And I'll just ask you to go on and save them off, eh? And a wonderful... Right back at you. And a wonderful...

That's how far I was born! To you as well! And the man with his hay cart drives off into the middle of the night. Because I don't want him to be in this town. Guys, there's a fucking castle. Oh my god. Yes, I scarcely knew that... And then a ruin up there on the pool? I've never seen a castle in real life. This is crazy. I come to think of it, neither have I. You Europeans are probably all about castles,

but us Yankees, this is big time stuff. I mean, usually they're nice from afar, but they're very old and they're just ruins. Yes, but perhaps it is a ruin, unless of course there's still a local aristocrat wafting eccentrically through the halls up there. But let's get a taste of the local color, shall we, Tillinghurst? And I'll throw open the door of the inn.

Ah! You throw open the doors and there's a lot of people in there taking shelter from the rain. You see a front desk for the inn itself and then there's a nice little pub that is bustling with locals drinking and there's a guy like whistling. So he's whistling and he's basically the entertainment. And people are drinking and they're listening to him whistle and he's kind of like whistling and slapping his body a little bit and there's people like crying and how beautiful it is.

And so you kind of come into this scene of people like, is there like a poetry or something? It's just like they are very moved by this guy's performance and it seems so foreign to you. But you do kind of get wrapped up in it for a second as you get your bearings. Everyone looks at you when you come in because you do stand out. They know you're not from here. But they seem friendly. Everyone smiles as you come in. It's inviting, they're curious, but friendly it appears. Well, great, well.

So the entertainment of this is a whistler doing the ham bone? Yeah, he's just like. Hrm, hrm, hrm, hrm, hrm, hrm, hrm, hrm, hrm, hrm. And people are like, it's the most beautiful thing they've ever heard amazing man they got castles and whistlers here I haven't seen either of these things Yes, you see suppose they have anything else to drink besides lukewarm ales. Um absolutely not Tapster your finest room temperature,

uncarbonated tear, if you please. I want this beer to be like lukewarm milk. I want my fork to stand up in it. Yes. I love how Ross, everything you say is like slightly like Mr. Burns-ish. Yeah, Von Villiers is like a pinch of,velin Waugh, but mostly Mr. Brance. Well, I also love that, like, now you're amongst, like, the common folk, like, I'm sure.

Sure. It's like, this is not all these poor... He's trying to throw his money around. ... these poor zaps. Yeah. I'm trying to code switch. I'm not really doing it. This is a full pro.

The bartender, big, big dude, he kind of looks muscular, bald hair with like a ring of white hair around, gives you a big smile, it's like, Joe, come right up! And he pours from the tap, he takes a knife to like cut off the head, and he slams him down on the table, half the beer falls out. He's like, you're not from here, eh? Oh, no. We form a rather cosmopolitan bunch here, my good man. I'm late of London, but we have here

some Americans and my friend, Froil Line Sower, he is from the continent. I suppose you'd be looking for some rooms. I wouldn't be dropping into Les Adel. I'd know if you lived here or not. It just so happens I have space available. I'm Bill, Bill Whitlock. I own the Laughing Horse. I'm tending bar here now.

But if it is a room you're after, please yourself, and I'll see what we have available later Thanks, mr. Whitlock. Yeah accommodations would be great Billy. Thanks. This place is dynamite Alright enjoy the musical stylings You came on a good night. Only performs on Saturday night. Saturday night's entertainment. What's the name of that thing that like Snoopy would play? It's like a rubber band that you play against your lips.

Is that guy up next? He opened, he finished already. You just see there's a bunch of people in there. They listening they're drinking they're talking there's a couple people drinking alone But it's pretty packed you you would think that like half or all of the town is in here Because you didn't see any other bars Some of the houses still had lights on but this is a pretty raucous affair. Hey Bill real quick You know Harold short by any chance and Bill kind of stops

Yeah, what's why you look are you a friend of them your friend mr. Short soon to be yes Yeah, Harold's not Soon to be, yes. Harold's not around here now. He's left town. Left town? He's not even... He moved away? I'm not 100% sure. He's just a bit of a bachelor. He's a he's left town. Well, what what business if you mind? I taste it's a real bummer. I'm a distant relative of his Was hoping to kind of catch up. I heard he lived in the area Just kind of we're doing a tour here. Our friend Vaughn is showing us all around the aisle

And you know, I was like, I got a distant cousin here, but damn Okay, he sees he's away right now not And I was like, I got a distant cousin here, but damn. He's away right now. Not sure when he plans on returning, but. Does he have other family that he may visit? Not here in Lesser Adale, no. He lives here, mind you he he he got hurt and Went to went away

Do you know which of these four houses is his maybe I can just put up Maybe I could just slip a note under the door or something just to let him know I came by You could tell he's getting a little uncomfortable. Can I charm him? Do you want to do you want to do some charm or some fast talk anybody I'm trying to share is do you have a good charm or fast talk probably not charm you probably come in with a persuade when the charm fails yeah let me see no no not even that you just I can you don't have persuade That's a ten. Oh, I'm gonna try that If he fails, I mean I got charm for days go for it not worried about it charm charm Yeah, I'm worried about it. I totally failed I think yeah, I like just lean forward and like listen and then I put my elbow straight in the ale that Shit, let's just back off. I completely forget what I was even saying to him god damn it

What a psychology will help at all that would help you kind of understand. Maybe why he's being hesitant yeah Or cagey nope that's a failure. It's like um, Excuse me for a second, Ernest! Let's uh, let's really liven things up here! And uh, Ernest Wallop starts whistling one mean tune and slapping the shit out of his body. And the place starts erupting.

Da ba da ba da ba da da! Must be a song they all know. And uh it's like Bill, it's like pardon me, and he goes to go serve another customer. And everyone's just kinda like looking outside of your eye and smiling. Like maybe they overheard you asking about Harold Short. And everyone. Da ba da ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba.

Man, I just really hope. I wanted to try to persuade him, but I couldn't think of like anything to say to like persuade That's the last thing you gotta worry about with these things sometimes you start opening your mouth and it comes out That seems to be the way that we've been handling things yes Um, she's out what we do. Well, maybe we can split up and talk to the locals One on one maybe it's intimidating all of us together Vaughn you got any folded money on you?

well Always can make a great grease some wheels here these people probably think a shilling is gonna buy them a goddamn Rolls Royce Yes, but perhaps Yes, I wonder Just just just basing off of Troy's depiction of this, this guy in particular does not want to talk about this. Yeah. Yeah. So, we may be able to just chat with folks, maybe pick up stuff ambiently, but you said there was a vet clinic across the street?

There's a veterinary clinic. that in the general store looked closed right now, right So yeah, you can you can sidle up to some other locals you could just get your room and tackle it in the morning Yeah, he wasn't being rude. He was just being right a little concerned about why you're so good It's definitely shady is like he's not here But I don't know where he is. He lives here, but he's gone forever. Yeah, but he's not here now.

Yeah, maybe I think maybe just let's chat with the, I like to chat with the locals. Sure. Yeah. You see there's two guys sitting together, younger guys drinking. There's an old guy drinking alone, kind of talking to himself. There's a couple of women.

Faeruz, what if we go up to the young men and try to flirt some information out of them? Faeruz immediately looks over at Vaughn to see what his reaction would be. If that's all right, if that seems like a good idea? Vaughn instantly flushes. I certainly don't see any harm in a robust conversation with the locals. Yeah, why the fuck would he care? Who gives a shit? And you certainly don't care. You certainly don't care, so.

Me? Oh, no, Carter. Carter doesn't care. Of course not. No. No. No, of course, why, why, why, why? Nobody cares. We can all, everybody can flirt with anybody.

Who gives a shit? Sure, for, it's for it's for It's for work. Yes. Yeah always there's a great scene from the office where Andy and Aaron are trying to Pretend that they're not dating and so like we should go flirt with other people and he like starts harmlessly flirting and she liked Puts her hand on a guy's leg and she's like, hey sailor He said what did you learn to flirt like that? She goes from a movie. It's what movie black snake moon I'm not John flirt with somebody to fuck it. Just like you all just start relentlessly

Yes, I'm not scared. I can do it I'll just remind everybody, my charm's at a 15, so. Oh, shit. We have the lubrication of this very warm beard. I have an idea. Just let's see if this works. All right, let's start with these two goofballs. You guys side over, and the young guys are like,

hello, ladies. can we help you? Hi, and walk up and I'm kind of sloshing my beer around. And Farris is just kind of like looking over at Margot just to take like cues, like social cues from her and just mimics, yeah. Like, oh yes. Hello boys. Hello. What can we do for you? Oh, I was just looking for people to hang out with tonight and you guys seem like you're having fun and watching this this Vissler? It's crazy. Just passing through this town, and, uh, you know, won't be here for any sort of, um... Remifications or consequences?

We're looking to have some fun. Do you want to dance with us? Karno and Connor are like looking at each other. Yes, I was gonna say, Karno leans over to Vaughn's like, I bet you five bucks, they fucked this up. The guys look at each other. This is not going well. You see one of the guys is like, pulling off his wedding ring.

Oh, wait a minute. And he's like, oh, all right, come and join us. And they grab a couple of chairs and, what are you drinking? Can we get you another round? Oh yes, just some of this warm beer. So refreshing. Bill! Thank you.

Keep them coming. So what brings you to Lesser Adale? Oh we're just passing through and just wondering what else is fun to do around here? We've got the inn on Saturday nights. through and just wondering what's a what else is fun to do around here with the in on Saturday night? Nobody just passes through Lesser A-Tail. Five miles from the nearest train. Just an American and a German lady who you'll never see again. So you, just looking to enjoy the evening. An American and a German on their way to Lysset Airtel. All right, well, there's lots of fun things to do.

There's Mom Tour, there's an old fort up there. Some people who come visit, they will check that out. And then there's the caverns. Those are fun for people who've never seen them but other than that there's the vain castle the plumb castle there but I don't really it's not really open to the public and then of course is the the laughing horse and Bill comes over with the drinks and the drinks were always warm if so Margo finishes her current beer she like chugs it puts it down she's like okay but how's that current sour by the way tell me about some hot gossip about the town like what's what's weird stuff goes on here you just small town

you know weird stuff happens oh well Laceradaados got a lot of weird stuff that goes on. People get killed, and the guy slaps them like, come on, don't scare them. Well, it's true. I love a terrifying story telling everything. I love scary stories. Well, there's no much to tell. A few months back, there was a couple of murders

that happened, and a third fella got almost killed. But the constable took care of it, and. It's not really an issue anymore, but It was a bit of a bit of a bit of a situation here Margo like grabs his arm. It's like oh My goodness, so I'm so glad we have Strong men like you to protect us from such a dangerous situation The guy is so psyched. And he's just like, oh well, yeah, you never know. Maybe it's not a case. The case isn't closed.

Maybe the beast will come back, as it were. Tell me more about the beast. Oh, well, there was two locals that were killed, George Osgood and Lydia Perkins. They were torn to shreds on back-to-back nights and then this other fella Harold short He was attacked and survived very lucky on the third night But you know they turns out it was just a big dog and our constable he took care of it constable tumwell Shot and killed it. What's that the The dog. Shot and killed the dog.

Shot and killed the dog, yes. Yeah, they want to tell you that it was something else, but it was just some big dog or wolf. Constable shot it. We haven't had any problems since. I think that that's too simple of a story and there's still a monster out there. Have you ever seen anything? No, I've never seen anything. Old Bill would tell you different. He points at the old man who's like drinking and talking to himself. The owner? No, there's like an old guy sitting in the corner. He's like, oh, Bill will tell you different.

And there's plenty of people here in town that think that something else went down. But no, it's just a little folk tale. People like to, there's not a lot going on here. People get a little excited whenever something goes down to, there's not a lot going on here. People are getting a little excited whenever something goes down. It was very tragic though. They were good members of the community. But I want to know more about you.

What's Germany like? Are all the women as cute as you? And he puts his finger on your lip. Margot's pouring her beer in her leg. Shilter up and tries to- Yeah, we both pour our beers on ourselves. Oh, no. I can't believe this is working.

Oh, my goodness. Oh, we're so clumsy. So clumsy. Uh-huh. We should just go freshen up. Yes, yes, of course. But we would be right back. Oh, right.

And as we go to the bathroom, we tell the guys about the- Wait right here. All right, we'll wait. And the guys are nudging each other like, that's so hot. Oh my god. Like, my sister and I, like, grabs Vaughn and she's like, don't ever let me do that again. Yes, I do.

Go talk to old Boone, the corner's there. They told us that he thinks something's going on. We're going to run away. Yes. I was dip out the back or, you know, speak to Mr. Whitlock about getting keys to one of the one of the inn's rooms. Oh, my God, I thought I was going to have to wade in to defend your honor. Fist to Kimber. Sounds like fun. So do you need us to go flirt with this old guy? thought I was going to have to wade in to defend your honor with fists of kimbo.

Sounds like fun. So do you need us to go flirt with this old guy? So it seems. One's more into the breach. All right. So we'll saunter over to old Bill. So many Bills in this building. It's crazy. You walk over to you walk in the direction of old Bill, not to be confused with Bill Whitlock, the owner, and he's just sitting there talking to himself and drinking, and he doesn't even acknowledge

you as you walk over. As we're walking up, I'm like, I'm telling you, Vaughn, I told you before, I'm going to say it again, the whole thing was a big hoax. No, I don gonna say it again. The whole thing was a big hoax. No, I don't believe it. I think that sometimes these stories though incredulous minds want to provide a quote-unquote rational explanation. Of course, of course, it couldn't be a monster. Yeah, a big monster on a full moon, please. How gauche. Ridiculous. He's just sitting there. You're standing right near him and he's drinking and talking under his breath. monster on a full moon please how gauche ridiculous

He's just sitting there you're standing right near him, and he's drinking talking under his breath Anyway, I want to sit up excuse me handsome is there a space next to you Fonz eyes almost bulge out of his head Doing it and he just squints at the both of you and doesn't answer Good enough of a yes from me If you have a drink And perhaps you consider it me otherwise, please leave me alone not only do I have a drink I have a drink for you Sir you look like you could use one well now you're talking if you want to talk to old bill You look like you could use one. Well now you're talking.

If you want to talk to old Bill, the admission is one drink. Let's keep the sludge rolling then. And I just put my pint down for him. All right. Please join me. Step aside, ladies. Step aside. And there's nobody else sitting at the table.

Back away from my new friends. Oh, thanks, girls. From a dark corner, oh, sorry. From a dark corner, you sorry, from a dark corner, you just see like Faerûs light up two cigarettes, hand one over to Marko. Mm. Yes.

My traveling companion and I were just talking about the rather ridiculous stories that have been going on about your little hamlet. Stories? Yes. No stories, Everything you've heard is true. Beware the moon. Beware the moon, for that's when the howls begin. It is the harbinger of the troubles that come. That's what I say. Well, it seems as though some of your

fellow citizens don't share your credulity about the howls. Didn't they kill a local beast that was responsible for the two unfortunate killings? They killed something, but it's not what I saw. Whoa. Saw, you say? That's right. And we'll be right back after this quick break. The Chevrolet employee pricing event is on now. Get a big cash purchase discount of up to $11,300 on the 2025 Chevrolet Silverado LDZR2

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So head to Mood.com, find the functional gummy that matches exactly what you're looking for, and let Mood help you discover your perfect mood. And don't forget to use promo code CANNON when you check out to save 20% on your first order. Canon, C-A-N-N-O-N when you check out to save 20% on your first order. Back talking to old Bill. Well, Ernest Wallop is whistling and slapping and slapping his body. Never stopped. During the break, Michael pointed out to me, we have some cool pictures of Lesser Adale.

Obviously, this is during the day, but here's like an image of, I had mentioned there's like an old church. Aw, cute. Look cool. For our listeners, it's a black and white church. It's a black and white church. But it's got like a cool stone wall around it. Yeah, there's some hills. Why do those hills look like they're in San Bernardino

or like the high desert? It does look like. This looks like every film like location for. I'm on the way to Palmdale. Here's Mom Tour that. Oh, okay. That rock formation that has the fort atop it. And then here is the laughing horse. That's like the horse outside the Denver airport.

This thing could be shooting fire out of its nostrils. It's like laughing fire. There's flames coming out of its eyes. What's going on in this weird town? Maybe you'll find out from old Bill. You're talking to him. He seems a little bit more forthcoming about what's going on here. You were warned by the two guys that you were flirting with. Oh yeah, old Bill thinks it's something else. And now you find out that old Bill saw whatever this thing is. So he says to him, I can't remember, something effective like, and I saw it. Oh, okay.

So what did you say? Yeah, what did you see? What did you see? Well, I am I was I was here at the laughing horse. I'd stayed late As I often do Unmarried so no Shocking confirmed bachelor. You're such a catch. Well, I'm married to the bottle, as it were. Ah. It's a family affliction, but.

Cool. I had stayed here late and I was walking home and it was the night that poor Lydia Perkins was attacked. I was walking home and I heard a scream and at first I thought it was in my head because I had had a lot to drink but then I realized that it was really happening so I ran off in the direction of the noise and I swear I got a glimpse of this thing. They say it's a dog. They say the constable shot a dog and killed it. This was no dog. No dog be walking around on his back paws. And no dog ever ripped bone from bone in such a way as he done to poor Lydia.

I tell you this, the black dog of Adael is abroad, is alive and well somewhere out there. Great beast, black as night, glowing red eyes that looked at me. And all who hear its howl can be sure that death is coming. That's what my grandmother would tell me. And then I saw it with my own eyes as it ripped this poor young girl to pieces. Her father, so distroth. My god. So this thing's been around for generations?

Enough to have a little local legeron. The Black Dog of Edale. The Black Dog of Edale? Then tell you it's a fairy tale, but I know it to be true. I've saw it with my own eyes. The vicar saw it too, Vicar Stratton. He also talked about it, but he said, I heard him say that he saw it as well one night when he was in his cups here. Hmm. Anyhow. Terrible. And what you saw was decidedly canine in appearance, though much larger in... I've never seen a canine walk like a man with his legs bent back. This was no dog, though it did have

fur, I believe. Wow, I was so scared I peed myself. I'd even shame to admit it, but I peed all over myself. Which often happens. I'm usually not too worried about it. I...

Sometimes you get a little older? Sure your trousers Continent doing it right now. Yeah, but this was out of pure fear the way the thing looked at me I thought for sure I was next but clearly it had feasted on this poor lady It was full and so I took my wet trousers and I made my way home and I thanked God that I stayed for one more round. Because it could have been me. Yeah, yeah.

Bill, does this, does this, these? Please call me old Bill. Sorry, terribly sorry. So, not to be confused with middle-aged Bill over there behind the bar. Well, that's why they called me old Bill because people will come here asking for Bill and we'll both go, what? And so now I'm old Bill.

Right. Definitely sorry if there's been any confusion. Um, does this recur, these howlings? Oh, the howlings? Yes, we start around the time of the full moon, you'll hear it. They come from outside, you listen, they say, oh it's the wolves, it's the sheep, the time of the full moon. You'll hear it. They come from outside. You listen. They say, oh, it's the wolves. It's the sheep. The sheep don't howl. It's foolish.

But it always starts around the full moon. You'll hear it echoing at night throughout the hills. It echoes like it comes from another world. And then other nights as well. New moons, crescent moons. Well, it's not just... It's not tied to the moon. You hear these howls. I think it's the black dog of Adiel prowling, waiting for its next attack. Thankfully, ever since Mr. Short was attacked and survived,

there have not been any other deaths. And this is the same Short that is no longer around right now. Yes, yes, he was grieverly injured by this creature, I assume it was this creature, and he went away somewhere, I don't know. Nobody knows. Convalesce perhaps. Hey, where was, do you know, where old Bill? Yes. Hey! Where? What? Hey, I got a question. Why are you raising your voice? It's a not.

I can barely hear you over wallop's whistles. Yeah, I'm trying to talk over the whistling. God, I hate it, but I still come here. Where did Mr. Short, where's his house at? Where's he live? Mr. Short is right over there. He lives not far away, but he's not at home. Right, but what's the discerning feature of his home?

Um, there's a big S on the door. Got it, done. That's all I needed. The Gemma's the only house in town with an S. The S. Sam's Mr. Short, I believe. Who knows? Unless his first name is Stephen. One assumes. No, it's Harold.

Oh, right. It actually is. It's in the book. Harold Shorty. That's right. It was I read that once. The and and you're saying that the... Hey! You're saying that the vicar... you're saying that the vicar knows something? You know what I thought? I didn't want to say anything at first because I... everything was blurry. Do you have half a face? I do. I do. See? Son of a bitch, I thought it was the whiskey. No, it's your eyes are working. That's you American made porcelain America I could drive a car I would visit some here would be tin my license was taken away

What's my king and driver? taken away. What? Drinking and driving. Of course. My question is, you're saying that the vicar knows and then he turns to a voice like vicar means priest. You're saying that the vicar knows the local prelate. Yes. Vicar has also seen the black dog. Another witness to these proceedings. And of course, if there's anything more that you haven't told us, we're very amenable to anything else you might have to say. Because he puts his hand on his leg. Yes, no, Vicar Stratton, he's a very nice man, godly man, loves God, loves him so much. And he, I overheard him one night after a couple himself,

another rogue, a priest can have a couple of drinks as well. Wine at church, you can't drink it in the pub as well. There's some hypocrisies going on for sure. You can drink a lot of blood in church, but then you can't go to the bar and have some. Anyhow, he had a couple to. to the bar and have some? Yes. That's a bit of bullshit. He had a couple to...

He had a couple to... He had a couple to... He had a couple to... He had a couple to... He had a couple to... He had a couple to... He had a couple to... He had a couple to...

He had a couple to... He had a couple to... He had a couple to... He had a couple to... He had a couple to... He had a couple to... He had a couple to... He had a couple to...

He had a couple to... He had a couple to... He had a couple to... He had a couple to... He had a couple to... He had a couple to... The lowercase T. Yes the lowercase T. I believe you would call it a cross in America, but The blessed rude is known as the lowercase T Truly the local traditions here are Stuck in time. Oh, you've been so helpful. You've been very helpful, old Bill. I'm so glad. Thank you for all the drinks you plied me with. No problem. I wish that I had had enough liquid courage to save poor Lydia or even Mr. Osgood. He's now left a widow behind, Osgood, and Lydia left her poor father who now is daughterless. He had lost his wife to his sickness, and then he lost his poor daughter.

He is not well. I sometimes see him wandering at night calling for his terrible affliction. Anyways, we all have our afflictions. Yeah. I guess the world would have been better if you had stopped. Right. But OK. Well, we have gotten everything I think we need. Carter turns and tips Vaughn's beer onto Vaughn's shirt like,

oh, we spilled some drink. You're wasting good beer. Let me fix that. My god. Oh, he's sucking my shirt. He's sucking on my shirt! Good heavens. You can't waste a good warm beer. Faberous and Margot in the corner still like, what the fuck?

Carter's looking at them like, thumbs up, like, you got this! Faberous' jaws dropped in the cigarette that was like dangling from her lip just like falls to the ground. She's coming my shirt, old Bill! As if I'm gonna swat him away. I thought we were in trouble with off-lirting us. Alright, well, we'll talk to you later, Bill. Get some. We wronged all the information we could out of him, but it ended with, Old Bill, giving me a bit of the old suck.

What the devil? Why are you looking at me like that? We walk up to the girls and I'm just like, that is how it is done, ladies. OK, well, I am exhausted. Yes, I think, oh, a day on the train really takes it out of one. Shall we retire? Yes, you go to the other Bill bill Whitlock the owner and you get a room and It's it's very cheap

It's certainly not the Waldorf, but they don't have a room large enough to accommodate all of you So you can get two rooms? and then how would you like to split that up guys and one girls and the other or the And then how would you like to split that up? Guys have one, girls have the other, or the couple to be and Margo and Carter? Oh, we're not married yet. Depends on what kind of experiences you wanna keep up. Of course we're not. We're not yet pledged in holy matrimony, so I suppose we'll continue to sleep separately.

Yeah, I think that's the best call. Well, tilling hath shall we bunk up? Yeah, you gotta ring that shirt out though. You smell like ale. Yes, thanks for that. Let's have another girls night with our books. We'll read all night long. Don't read those books,

Carter Sagan is just shutting the door. I like thinking that's what they do when they like room together, is they like sip with their books and just get all gacked out Talk about those boys. These guys are still waiting down there and they're like, ah Put their wedding ring back on sadly putting the rings back You all go to bed and you you listen to the wind And you all go to bed and you listen to the wind, that cold wind that was whipping when you first rolled into town under the sound of the rain.

Are those howls you hear as well? Or is that just the wind? You go to sleep. Wake up on Sunday, as it were. It's a great time to hit up that manufacturing plant. Sure they're open. Get back on the train! Should we take a day train back to Dubai? You, alright, so you've got a lot of different things you can do here. You know, that the vicar maybe saw this as well, and then there's the widow of Osgood and the father of Lydia Parkins. And

then you've got just the you know, you've got the general store and a couple other things. You tell me what you want to do here. It's also Sunday. I think there's like a service or whatever that the priest is doing. Yeah. Yeah, you could go to church. Ugh. Okay. Another super awkward situation for Faerûs. They're just like, no. I mean, we can split that into something else.

What do I do with my hands? What do I do with my hands? I think it's a great idea. Yes, I might go to the church, see what's popping. Yeah. You wanna go to the church? Yeah, go attend service with the rest of the local parishioners. I like this.

I mean, it just so happens, I mean, this is the beauty of taking account of the actual calendar here. So you get up, get a little terrible English breakfast, and then- Ah, soup. Beans with everything, what is this? Just cold beans.

This is the beer from last night, it just goes bacon in it. Using toast. Wonderful, revivify, nothing like it. You see there's a, there's a church, right? And then there's like a small vicarage next to it, probably where the Stratton lives. And then there's like a graveyard between them, a small graveyard, not uncommon in this situation. And all of the people in town it looks like pretty much every person that lives in this town is Walking up the steps of this small

church Not making eye contact with the guys we talked to last They're there with their wives. I know. Shame faced. Then I make direct eye contact. Wink, wink. Are we all going in here or, Faeruz, if you don't want to necessarily get in here, I could

take a break from this situation. If you want to scope out the outside cemetery. Did you want to? I'd rather not. Sure. Absolutely. and stop out the outside cemetery. Did you want to? I'd rather not. Sure. Absolutely, I mean, I was a little curious, but you know, it's probably all boring

and I don't know what to do with my hands and I went to stand up and sit down and I don't know all the lyrics to the songs that they sing. Oh, wait till, if you call them lyrics, yeah. Let's, yeah, let's peruse. All right, we're gonna kinda case the joint in the joint meeting meeting this small town.

What if the people that would died had bad. Maybe we check out their tombstones. Yeah, that's what I was thinking. All right. So you want a couple of you to go in and check out the service and a couple of you to wander around the graveyard. Yeah. Okay. Who's going in? I will go and if

Margo wants to attend, well Yeah, I'll go too from like a scoping out the town folk sort of stance Mm-hmm. I don't do great in places where they talk about how to act nice to people all right, so two of you walk in and everyone is taking their seats and getting getting settled and you see eventually an older man, probably late 60s, genial old gentleman, near-balled, somewhat hunchbacked due to age, dressed in a vicar's collar and black clerical robes, take the pulpit and just starts going through a church service.

He greets everybody here, mentions like, oh, I see we have some new faces here today. Welcome, all are welcome in the House of the Lord. Things have been, obviously, it's been a difficult past few months for Lesser Edel, but with the Lord's help, we will find the piece that we are all searching for. And you see an older woman just start crying in the like middle right. Now, maybe lean over to Margo, and say, that's the widow Asgard. Good to be. Hey, we'll start today off with a Bible verses a reading from Daniel chapter seven verses 3 through 7. And four great beasts were coming up from the sea, different from one another. The first was like a lion and had the wings of an eagle.

I kept looking until its wings were plucked and it was lifted from the ground and made to stand on two feet, like a man. A human mind, also, was given to it. And behold another beast, a second one, resembling a bear. And it was raised up on one side and three ribs were in its mouth between its teeth, and thus they said to it, Arise, Devour much meat.

After this I kept looking and behold another one, like a leopard, which had on its back four wings of a bird. The beast also had four heads and dominion was given to it. After this I kept looking in the night, visions and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrifying and extremely strong, and it had large iron teeth. It devoured and crushed and trampled down the remainder with its feet, and it was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns."

And he's recounting this Bible verse, I imagine. As he's recounting this Bible verse, I imagine, Feroz and Vaughn, you're picturing all these creatures that you've been face to face with, the horrible things you saw in Peru, that bubbling mass of faces, the Chacota in New York, the lizard person, and then visions that you've had of other creatures as well. He goes on to say, There are many who like to believe there is evil walking among us, beasts such as what the Bible speaks of. I think there is a little bit of the beast in all of us, but with God's help, we can rid ourselves of the beasts among us. The only way is through study and through God.

From there we cut to the graveyard with Margot and Carter walking around and... It's Faeruz and Carter. Faeruz. Excuse me, Faeruz. So it's Margot and Vaughn Ferruz and Carter so Ferruz and Carter are looking around are you looking for anything in particular are you looking for like the recent I'm looking for like freshly patted down dirt yeah or if the headstone say their names on it too. Yeah, and the headstones of the people that have passed.

Yeah, you see that the gravestones date back all the way to the 14th century and so many of them are so decayed they're almost unreadable. So this town has been in existence for a long time. And you do see the graves of George Osgood and Lydia Perkins. And strangely, on each headstone, there's a small silver crucifix that's been hung over the headstones of both graves. Like over the headstones of both graves. Justine? Okay, so, I mean, I think people have talked about werewolves in the 20s, right? We were waiting until Lon Chaney showed up to talk about this shit, like, people know what a werewolf is, right? In theory.

From what I know about lycanthropy. Mm-hmm. That's where I'm going. They what I know about lycanthropy. That's where I'm going. They got some silver here, look at this. Now part of me, the old Carter, will just swipe these tokens right off these dead people's graves. But I'm not gonna do that today. A, people would notice.

B, it's not very tasteful. But this is definitely disturbing, this silver situation. If it's possible from tales of these creatures, if that's what these creatures are. I'm not too familiar with Christian burial rights as far as like, is it common to put Christian burial rights as far as like, is it common to put these tokens across on a loved one's grave? But they are the same. And they weren't, those two weren't related, right? They weren't related. No, they weren't related, but the crucifixes are identical.

Seems noteworthy, at least. Yeah. And also, by the way, oh go ahead. How does the dirt look under on these? Like, do they look like it hasn't been disturbed since it's been, since they've been buried? Yeah, it doesn't, you don't see any signs of disturbance. Okay. I mean, this could be a superstition

to keep them in their graves. This could just be a symbol of what they went through. We should check when their service is done. We should see if the priest has any of these, like, identical crosses with them. You said- Also, here's a theory I'm working on. This guy, short, the guy that we- everyone keeps saying is gone, right? Yes. Old Bob, Bill, old Bill, yesterday, was saying that, you know, he, since that guy had that encounter, this thing has not come back. What if, what if Short was the monster?

Oh, that's interesting. So he left town. Why are they being so shady about where he is? Right. I think when service is done, we should go check out his house. And you said that this was something of a legend, that not just recent.

The black dog of Edale, yeah. Going back like this guy's grandmother told him about it. Interesting. So it could be, maybe this gentleman was a culprit and then has laid low. Yeah. They said he was injured. Maybe he was injured by whoever,

but not by the beast, but by somebody trying to fight him off. Could be, could be. Troy, are we able to do like a spot hidden? Maybe there's like some thing that we're not looking where I'm noticing this graveyard. Yeah, absolutely. All right, sounds great. I can't find my...

Skills. Spalch hit it. Oh yeah, there we go. Regular success for me. F take it. Regular success for me. You don't see anything out of the ordinary that jumps out at you, but Feroz, you do hear like a... Can I follow that noise? It's the HAKAR guy. You turn and you see an old, old man in soiled overalls with like giant rusted hedge trimmers

and he's got a big floppy hat on and his face is all pockmarked. He's got like scraggly chunks of beard and he's just kinda looking at you and smiling. Telling us this must be the groundskeeper. Maybe he has any knowledge that would help us out. Yeah, should we co-flirt with him? Maybe we just. I'm on a roll now baby. Maybe, listen I feel your skills are probably

Would best mine any day? Give it all yeah, we'd go talk to this guy. Yes Ahoy, ahoy He just kind of grunts it you See you're tending the graveyard here. It's looking tip-top. Yeah, those were definitely separate words. I...

Are you the Grounds Keeper, I presume? I keep the Gr crowns here. This whole situation with these poor people that were slaughtered, we noticed, we were trying to pay our respects, we noticed they had these little crosses on them. Reason for that? Yeah, local matters don't concern outsiders. They were murdered by the beast. Yeah, the black dog.

Yeah, the crucifixes will keep them down where they belong. Oh, keeps them down. Keeps what down where they belong? The bodies. We don't want them turning or nothing. Keeps what down? Where they belong. The bodies. We don't want them turning or nothing. You know what I mean? Is this a turn into another type of black dog

or into something else? I just keep the grounds here. Well, you're keeping some secrets, it sounds like. You know, some... Better be safe than sorry. I didn't put them there, but I know why they put them there. Don't want them coming back.

Has it happened before? I've heard stories. I didn't put them there, but I know why they put them there. Don't want them coming back. They don't need. Has it happened before? No, I've heard stories. Maybe I've been spending too much time around the stones, but I feel safer knowing those crucifixes are there. Wow. That's the one I'm gonna want, maybe. I don't know what it's gonna do.

And he just kind of looks up at the sky and sniffs the air Best be going soon Storms coming And he just turns and like walks away talking to the carter just turns like well that was stereotypical Well that was stereotypical. So... Tillinghouse. Yeah. So you might be right

onto something about this, if that surviving gentleman, perhaps he was killed and came back as this thing. Yeah. What if... What if we took these crosses? Just to see what happens.

Listen, call me light finger and chilling hash for a reason, but I don't know. I mean, off of a dead... It's for science, man! It's for science! Why can't we just find other silver crosses? Why does it have to be these poor people's silver crosses? And again, I can't believe I'm even fucking saying that, but- Because I don't see any other ones, do you see any other Silver-

We could take other ones. I mean, we're at a church, this guy's probably selling them. You know, giving them out for free, we just say we're Christian now, and he'll just give them to us. No, not for us. Just see if they come back. Oh, you want to see what happens if we take these off. Oh, interesting. Yes. I'm talking.

Um, let's wait, let's talk to the gang when they get out of this in four hours. Right, right, right, right. You're probably right. We've gotten into enough hot water as it is, but it was just a theory. Listen, I think it's a great theory. We could try. Yeah, and I think we should, although finding the one that's out there might be easier than somehow resurrecting two more to deal with. Right. But I like where your head's at, especially when it comes to steel and shit.

Meanwhile, Beggar says, We confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed. By what we have done and by what we have left undone, We have not loved our neighbors with our whole heart. It's kind of a disaster. Eyeball in these, like... you left undone. We have not loved our neighbors with our whole heart. I imagine we'll cut back inside and there is a communion and Margo and Vaughn do you go up to receive communion? Yeah, why not? Get getlier with the, like, they see us doing it, so maybe if we talk to more of them today, they'll be like, oh yeah, they participated in the whole thing. Yes, they're

cool. To participate in the ritual merely, this, this, this prelate has not received a laying on of hands from a priest in an apostolic line of succession from the Pope of Rome so we cannot truly sanctify these wafers. Margo We were just eating a cracker. Were you just eating a cracker? O, Froyland, South. Far, far more complicated. But yes, we'll go up to receive communion.

Aaron Marger, you are in front of Vaughan and you get up to this elderly old vicar and he holds forward a little wafer and says, the body of Christ, and goes to put it in your mouth. As my tongue is out taking the wafer, can I roll some sort of psychology check on him. Just the way that the sermon was just like the monster inside all of us, you know? Yeah. Roller, what's going on with this vicar? What's going on with the dirty vicar? Um, I'm gonna spend-

This episode is called, What's Going On With The Vicar? I think it was actually in the name of a show I'm gonna spend three points to make it a regular success regular success um He seems troubled You sense that even in this moment. You're like huh, and you've been watching him go through this and he seems godly man a god-fearing man, a good—the congregation is very much into what he's doing even though he's speaking

about dark things and his choice of Bible verses to pontificate upon. The sermon also followed a very similar pattern where he was talking about the beast within us and the evils of the world, and that through proper study and prayer, you can find a way out. And you see in him that he is searching for something. As he holds up a chalice to you, it says, the blood of Christ. I'm sorry, but... Go on, go on. Just a smoothie. Oh my god.

And you drink the wine. He smiles. Then Vaughn comes up. Body of Christ. Yeah. Yes, of course, and he'll receive it. Places it on your tongue. And then the blood of Christ.

The cup of salvation. I'll take it as well. And I see, I think, a fellow traveler in this man. I feel as though Vaughan has been deeply moved by this sermon. Yeah, he's speaking. You're the perfect audience for this vicar. And the church service ends and he's out front greeting all of the parishioners. And by now, I imagine, yeah, Faerûs and Carter have found their way into the back of the church and— Ruding through shit. All of you, uh, and uh, maybe at some point, do you guys get in the receiving line? Yes.

And he grasps your hand. Thank you for visiting our humble, uh, church. I can tell you out from around here. What brings you to Lysaeda? Well, we've been drawn here by what I believe. Some of what your sermon is about, Reverend. I was wondering if we may have a more private interview with you? Interview? My church doors are always open, but yes, I could speak to you. I have to see some, I have an appointment after church to go see some elderly people that aren't able to make it to church on Sundays, but perhaps you could come stop by the Vicarage later on this afternoon and we could speak. That would be wonderful.

It's always nice to meet children of the Lord. Thank you. And, oh, I must say hello to so many other people. Yes, of course. Thank you, Father. I'll see you later at the Vicarage. Oh, great. Oh, Mary. How's Tom? He starts talking to the next person. And then you walk outside to the creepy rainy day in Lesser Adel.

Yes. Collars up and... You see that woman that was crying, being comforted by a couple of people and then she just starts to walk off in the direction of her home. That was a weird sermon. Yeah, what happened in there guys? Yeah, what happened? Talk about monsters inside of you and needing to

cleanse yourself with God. He seemed very troubled, the priest. We're gonna talk to him later in the afternoon. Okay. Set up an interview. We may speak at length about what Margo so keenly observed is troubling his mind. But he too alluded to the beasts of scripture, but also seemed to intimate that there are beasts that dwell within us all and beasts that walk abroad.

walk abroad. This entire community, it seems, is, while reticent to admit it, is aware of a bestial element in its midst. Well, interesting that you should say that, because Tillinghast and I, as we were inspecting this graveyard just out back, two of the stones of the deceased had these silver crosses laid upon them and the groundskeeper told us that this was because they were at least a superstition to prevent them from rising back up as it were. So this whole theory of these beasts. Chilling House, you told that you see you said that perhaps this man that is a survivor could be one of them. Yeah, first of all this groundskeeper told us that we should probably leave and there was a storm coming and blah-blah-blah but I say we ignore that. The thing is, my theory is, the guy short who has suddenly and conveniently disappeared, maybe he was the beast. Since his encounter, they

haven't seen the beast. Do you think the town people are keeping him? Maybe? They could be keeping him? Something's up. I want to go check out his place. Perhaps. Young Bill was not telling us where he was because they're keeping him. Or they killed him. Who knows? Perhaps. Oh. You're too right. It may be that he's lurking away from them to prevent himself from being finished off. Or something we... Or perhaps they're keeping him.

Yeah. So I say we break into his house before we see this priest. Yes. I would very much like to see this house. It will be the one with the S marked door. Yes. Thankfully. It is a farfetched but what if this gentleman who has now have come back as this monster.

come back as this monster. What if people are being bussed in for that creature to now feed upon? Because we know about all of these suicides that have happened since the case of missing persons and such. Yes, it may be that they bring in outsiders to slake the unholy thirst of the beast and to keep him from wreaking his vengeance upon the local populace. Precisely. And as soon as he says outsiders,

he's kind of, Vaughn is looking around at the four of us like, Oh, that's us. Shit. Yes. four of us like, um, as you're standing there just kind of chatting and catching up on everything, you do hear like a little bit of a commotion coming from across the street and down a couple houses. If you, you know, nosily kind of walk off in that direction, you just hear a man's voice say, Church! I have no need for church anymore, now that she's gone! Keep away from me with your church and your god! There is no god in my life anymore!

Slam! The door slams shut, and an older woman just shakes her head and continues on her way. Unfortunately, Mr. Perkins, I should think. Father of the woman? Yes. Let's kill him now. Do we want to go visit him first and then do a little breaking and entering this? It seems that in Mr. Perkins, we may have a nonconformist among the citizenry

who may be a little more forthcoming with matters of the heart. It's possible. Yeah, or we S the P. You know what I mean? No, I don't. I don't know what you mean. S the P?

Split the partay! Why did I immediately think it was something sexual? I feel like you're the one that first said that! You guys gonna ask the P? Who doesn't want to break and enter in broad daylight? I don't think, maybe it's not necessary because I don't think it should take too much time to go speak to this man. I mean, the houses are probably across the street from one another. And there's got to be.

Yeah, right. Yeah, it is. Everything is pretty on top of each other here. We'd be bored out of our minds if we split up and have things be... Yes. ...take even less time. Let us try to be emotionally gentle, but shall we pay a call on Mr. Perkins? Let's fucking do it. Yes.

All right, so you walk up to that guy who slammed the door. What's your play here? Because obviously he seems a little angry. Maybe this old lady was saying, we didn't see you in church again today. Well, we're offering not just, not just, we're not offering base not just We're not offering base and judgmental pieties

We want justice for his daughter Something that it seems has been swept under the rug by the local constable love that angle. Yes Knock knock knock Shump shump shump the door opens and you see this guy like six and a half feet tall big muscular Farmer he's got like a farmers tan on a red ruddy face and Just a very stern look What

How can I help you? Mr. Perkins, I presume? Perkins. Perkins, forgive me. And also forgive the intrusion. What's this about? As unfortunate as it may be to discuss, so emotional topic, it is about the fate of your unfortunate daughter, sir. I-I-I don't-I don't-there's nothing to talk about. The case is closed, is what they say.

Yes, closed by-by-by the local authorities, but I-I think, perhaps, you do not believe that the case is as closed as the local constable would have have it made out. Everyone seems all too willing to sweep this case under the rug to not speak of it. We, my comrades and I, think that there's more going on than the The people of Leseedale are telling, but I think you know, sir. I'm not gonna have you roll. That was such a good response. I'm just gonna have him say, come in. And he just turns, leaves the door open and walks into his house.

Not unlike Miles Shipley's house, all the shades are down. There's no light in here. It's not a mess like the Shipley's, but that's what you immediately think of. It's just like dark and brooding and clearly he's not like taking care of himself. There's like food plates stacked up in the living room and he just kind of sits down at a Smallish kitchen table meant for three people We're now only one place is being used and he just like haphazardly motions for you to sit or whatever Troy as we're walking in I'd love to take a peek back out and just see if anybody just see if anyone has noticed

us going in yeah spot-head alright nope man the coast is clear everything's looking alright you see that same car from outside Empire Spice's it was the only car within 20 miles What what information if any do you have or what do you want to know? We know that the local authorities slew a dog We know that the local authorities slew a dog. A dog, yes. Yes, I'm sure they did.

But not the dog that did this. I was, um... He's trying to, like, hold back tears. Was making my way home from the laughing-horse when I found her. What was left of her, I should say. I didn't hear her screams. I wasn't there to protect her, to stop that monster from taking from me the only thing I had left in my life that made my life worth living. And I couldn't even hold her. There was nothing left but...

...scrubs of flesh and bone. Horrible. A burden too great for any......any parent to bear. Mr. Parkins. Who do...? It seems as though... the locals hesitate to... speak of a more supernatural...

culprit. But I think perhaps that you believe that this legendary black dog may be to blame. What is it that the locals are so reluctant to speak of? He shakes his head. They are reluctant to speak, but it's not because of some superstition. If you ask me, the Vane boy has something to do with it. Lord Arthur's son. Vane, the... the lairds of the castle on the hill?

Yeah, he looks up in the direction of where that castle is. Sir Arthur's son, Lawrence. I have a neighbor named Tom Corte. He saw Lawrence Vane, the Knight of Lydieus, murder. Corte told me he looked upset and he was hurrying from the direction of our house. But when you're sitting in a castle up there, protected by not only its walls, but the House of Lords in London as well, you cannot be touched. That old fool Constable Tumwell said he shot some dog, and the Sir Superiors questioned Lawrence, but declared him innocent of any involvement. All they wanted to do was close this case and go back to their nice warm homes in Derby.

Because they're all in the Vane's pocket. They're protecting him. They're just trying to protect the Vane family from scandal. There's no monster. The only monster is living up in that castle. You want to get to the truth of this matter. Go there. Thank you very much, Mr. Parkins. What happened to Harold Short? Short? He was attacked by something as well. I don't know what. He's off, somewhere, convalescing. I don't know if it has something to do with this.

Maybe Short saw something he wasn't supposed to see as well. And then trying to keep his mouth shut wouldn't surprise me. I tell you, I won't be alive to see it. But the injustice, injustices like this will end when the Labour Party starts such taking power and taking control of things They will still run and don't don't go mad They'll correct these class injustices, and he just starts lecturing you on English politics and it's impressive ruling class Labour Party well if this if they were in power They wouldn't let things like this happen people like the veins wouldn't be allowed to just to just make a mockery of this old system.

And he just keeps going on and on. Vaughn's sympathy for this man, Christian's sympathy for this man is crashing into his even more inborn Toryism. Shame, shame. inborn toriism Shake shame And this is the same guy that old bill told you is walking around like Look calling for his daughter in the night, and you do see bottles of alcohol around and stuff. Yes. Yes. Yes. He's unhinged um Okay Well

Mr.. Mr.. Bargainsans, you've given us a... You've given us a great deal to work with. I know it might sound... Unbelievable, but we have encountered situations not unlike this before. Grave, grave injustices covered up by authorities who felt as though they could lean on their authority and their privilege to get away with the most wretched and callous evils. And we saw some of them overturned. We shall do our utmost to find justice for your daughter and yourself. And in the meantime, I know that you do not care for the vacuous pieties that some may speak to you,

but I truly believe that there is a heavenly country where you and your daughter will be united. The state of death is not the natural state for us in God's creation. The dead shall rise again, and I've seen it with my own eyes. And if that's true, then I hope that I will be there soon. As if I had any courage, I'd take my life and pray that there was something beyond this. I tell you this. There are monsters in this world, and they seek one thing, and one thing only. Power. Unexplic, power. Unexpected power.

You look to those who seek power and you'll find the real monsters. They just go. Good luck correcting these injustices. Just go. Okay, we'll leave them in peace, I guess. I said go! Okay!

Yell. Thank you for your time. Okay, we'll leave him in peace I guess. I said go! Okay! Yells her. Thank you for your time! And you leave and you look up in the direction of this castle sitting on a hill, a castle that has probably been here since the 14th century at least. And the storm that the old groundskeeper talked about begins to roll in. All of a sudden, in an instant, it starts pouring a heavy, heavy rain. And we'll see you next week.

Yeah! It's a castle! It's a castle! Oh, spooky castle. Ooh! Ooh! It's a castle! The gang goes to the castle.

We go up there and we put on fake Scottish accents and we say we want to see the tapestries. It's gonna be awesome. Yeah. And the Emmy goes to Troy LeValley for the role of Mr. Perkins. Oh baby. It's time to make your membership official. Start your 30-day free trial today and become an official member of the Naish at JoinTheNaish.com

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join the nation today. I'm going to go ahead and 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. Greetings, adventurers. Today we're excited to introduce you to a new story, Dark Dice,

a horror podcast that blurs the line between actual play and audio drama, where the story is determined by the role of the dice. Six adventurers embark on a journey into the ruinous domain of the Nameless God. They will never be the same again. One of the players is not what they seem after a doppelganger, a creature that can assume the form and voice of whatever it kills, infiltrates the team. As the players are picked off and replaced one at a time, can they figure out who the monster is before it's too late? Can you? Here's a quick example of what our show sounds like. The shambler with the jar of liquid inside of him. Soren Arkwright let loose an arrow that cracked the glass, passing through the spine of the creature. The shambler still managed to maintain its forward momentum, but stumbled as it eagerly

tried to bite and swipe at Soren landing near his feet. As Jeff Goldblum has now joined our cast, Dark Dice is available however you listen to podcasts.