The Magnus Archives - MAG Duskhollow PD - Part 3

Episode Date: February 20, 2020

It's the finale of our Duskhollow PD special and our team has 24 hours to crack the case!Archie's investigations begin at the library, Emma is a proud mentor, Gabrielle Schreiber goes for coffee and Detective Sergeant Carl Husselback is questioning his life choices.Thanks to this week's Patrons: Link Sandblom, Sindre Sareide, Retro Seamstress, Nick Mikoleit, Tasha, Msharki3, Alex K., Breanne A., Ashley Cecere, Emilia Williamson, Catherine White, aimsme, Hannah LaPlante, Sea, Britt & Astrid, juicysushi, Ferynn, Dean Winchester,Jessica Wells, Molly WIf you would like to join them, be sure to visit www.patreon.com/rustyquillEdited this week by Michelle O'Toole, Tessa Vroom & Alexander J Newall.In this episode, we used The Cthulhu Hack created by Paul Baldowski, to find out more or support Paul, head to:cthulhuhack.com patreon.com/cthulhuhackIf you'd like to learn more about or support MacGuffin & Co.head tohttps://www.macguffinandcompany.com/https://www.patreon.com/macguffinandcompanyCheck out our merchandise at https://www.redbubble.com/people/rustyquill/collections/708982-the-magnus-archives-s1You can subscribe to this podcast using your podcast software of choice, or by visiting www.rustyquill.com/subscribePlease rate and review on your software of choice, it really helps us to spread the podcast to new listeners, so share the fear.Join our community:WEBSITE: rustyquill.comFACEBOOK: facebook.com/therustyquillTWITTER: @therustyquillREDDIT: reddit.com/r/RustyQuillEMAIL: [e-mail] Magnus Archives is a podcast distributed by Rusty Quill Ltd. and licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Sharealike 4.0 International Licence Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is the first radio ad you can smell. The new Cinnabon pull-apart only at Wendy's. It's ooey gooey and just five bucks for the small coffee all day long. Taxes extra at participating Wendy's until May 5th. Terms and conditions apply. Hi everyone, Alex here. I'd just like to take a moment to thank some of our patrons. Link Sandblom, Cinder Saraydi, Retro Seamstress, Nick Mikolait, Tasha, Msharky3, Alex K, Thank you all. We really appreciate your support. If you'd like to join them, go to www.patreon.com forward slash rustyquill and take a look at our rewards. Hello for the third and final instalment of Dusk Hollow PD.

I'm Johnny from the Magnus Archives. You probably know that. If you're on this feed, you really should. You picked the worst possible episode imaginable to start. Also, if this is your first episode of anything in this feed, stop. Go back to episode one of the Magnus Archives. If you just want to know what is going on here, go back two episodes because this is part three and it will be very confusing for you.

I am here with some other people. I'm Laurie and I produce the Magnus Archives and I am playing Emma Walensky. Oh, yes, sorry, this is a role-playing game. An actual play, role-play podcast where everyone is a policeman in a weird town investigating a murder. A weird murder.

Murder. And one of those investigators is me. I'm Alex Newell, I play Martin in the podcast, and I am playing today Archie Murdoch, the person with an accent that I kind of change based on the circumstances, which seems to be going well. You're still young, you know. You've got time to find yourself. Who are those other voices we haven't been introduced to?

I'm sorry, how rude. Oh, no, not at the same time. One at a time, please. Now, neither of you speak. That's how this works. I'm sorry, how rude Not at the same time, one at a time Now neither of you speak, that's how this works I'm sorry, how rude I'm Sasha, I play Georgie on the Magnus Archives And today I play Gabrielle Schreber A very sceptical detective Who's following leads

Whether they are present or not And finally I am Frank I play Basira in the Magnus Archives. And today I am playing Detective Carl Hasselbeck, who's... I mean, largely his role right now is just be covered in blood. I mean, yeah, it's probably not going to change.

No. We thought we'd shake things up by having you play some kind of police overweight. So outside my comfort zone. So, when last we left our heroes... Absolutely. Protagonists. Protagonists.

I think Shriver could be competent. You had found some clues about a body that involved some trains, question mark. And then you did some very embarrassing things that had the chief yelling at your sergeant. But importantly, not us. No, no. And as long as the sergeant isn't one of those bosses

that passes their irritation and displeasure down the line, you should be fine. I mean, I'm sure being at the very, very bottom rung means that the problems are never going to reach me. I'm sure. He's given you 24 hours to crack the case. So what are you going to do? So I'm seeing here that we've got a code, right?

And we've got a whistle. So is this what they mean when it's like a whistleblower? Is that what we're dealing with here? Kid, it really could be. I'm going to take that code and I'm going to cross-reference it with my time. Is one of your detectives doing wordplay? Could be. I'm going to take that code and I'm going to cross-reference it with my time. I saw back! Is one of your detectives doing wordplay?

I hate wordplay! You've got 20 hours! Oh, my God. Thanks, Ricky. Walensky, you're in so much trouble. Kitty rolls off my back. You're on graveyard shift after this. Case is over.

Oh, I hate the graveyard shift. It's wet and damp and lonely. Little tombs on the... It is. Like, the Dusk Hollow graveyard is interesting. All the graves are very old. No one ever actually seems to be buried there. There are sometimes you'll see burial parties,

but they always look basically like the same people clustered around a grave. There's no church. There aren't any churches of any religion in Dusk Hollow. There is a grave digger, but, you know, he just keeps to himself mostly. He got tenure and just hasn't been doing the job since. Pretty much. I'm going to be looking for codes in the timetables

using this code or the number that we got from the inside of the dead man's body. 9F9-2251, you mean? That exact one. 9F-9-2251. Yeah. So there are quite a lot of 9F codes, but none of them go any higher than 9F

92250. This is very interesting. So I have a hunch. Yes, go with it, kid. So I'm going to go to the library, but can I have some salt first, please? Emma looks so proud of you.

You're running out of salt. I hate this department. How's your transfer coming, Hustleback? Keeps getting rejected. I look Archie dead in the eye. I'm so proud of you. And I hand him my salt shaker. Hold up.

Yeah. Yeah. I knew you had it in you, kid. I hold it like it's a live grenade and suddenly walk out towards the library holding this with both hands. You're leaving yourself without salt. Look, I think he needs it more than I do. I've only taught him about the salt, showing

that aliens, there are other ways to find the aliens. Okay. What about Husslebeck and Schreber? What are you up to? Well, so far I have been, you know, hassling the mariners, but I think I've been... Working the same lead over and over again, see if anything new falls out.

And I've been working real hard and doing great work, so it's definitely time for me to reward myself with a coffee. I do have this receipt from Waitley's and Sons Books and Curios, and it is right next to my favourite coffee place So I guess I'll swing by while I'm there But I'm not expecting to find anything Are you going with Frank? Or are you doing your own thing?

Following a maverick course Yeah, I haven't made any notes So I'm just going to follow Truban Okay, fair enough We will start at Waitleys Waitleys & Sons. Okay. Waitley & Sons Books and Curios is old.

If you can imagine a Victorian curiosity shop dropped into a noir high street, that's what it is. The window is full of rare tones, strange little antiques. There is a stuffed tiger, like a little cuddly tiger that just looks at you. It's actually pretty cute. You know, I said it a bit like it was creepy,

but it's not actually creepy. It's just a cuddly toy. The bell rings as you push the door open. I'm thinking very Dutch angles and, like, cherished. Oh, very much so. Very much so. There's like, there aren't enough lamps in here and everything has quite stark shadows. This is either Chinatown Kid or is the owner is Helena Bolam Carter.

I can't decide which, but it's going to be one of them. Ah, fair point. Okay, so has anybody come out when the bell rang? Not immediately, no. You can't see the desk. It's sort of behind various piles of old books and an old grand piano that is covered in books. Well, I will kind of wander around

making sure that my footsteps are falling in a very police-y way, you know? OK. As you round a corner in the books, a man is there. He's middling height but very stooped. Just a very long face. Goes down quite a way with little

small round spectacles. Hello? Mr. Waitley? That's me. Eustace Waitley. What can I do for you? What sort of delights can I purvey to you this day? I'm afraid we're actually here about some previously purveyed delights. Oh. Oh, dear.

Nobody's come to a horrible end, have they? It's rather suspicious that you should say that. Can I ask what led you to that conclusion? I was just asking questions We'll ask the questions around here Can a man not express some idle curiosity about the horrible deaths? No That might be associated with things he has sold them?

Not unless a man plans to give more information or context I mean, what is this about? Also, who are you? Are you buying anything? Detective Schreber. Oh, the police detectives, yes. I'm so dreadfully sorry. How very rude of me.

I always do my best to cooperate fully with the police. You made a sale a little while ago. There was a conductor's hat. Oh dear. And a timetable. Yes, a train timetable. Comma old. Mmm, comma old.

Not to be confused with comma ancient. Or comma undated. or comma future. I sell a lot of interesting things. Right, well, this isn't an advert. You're not on the radio here. Would you care to tell us about those particular items? Were they of any interest?

Could you please make me a smokes roll? I feel like these have gone a bit too well for me so far. Yay! There we go. That's a one. Okay. Yes, of course. Of course I can.

Please come this way, detectives. He walks back round to the other side of the desk, pulls out a huge old account book, starts flicking through. Now, let me see. Various volumes sold for £30. No. An old hand organ sold for £200.

No. Could you please make me a wisdom test against boredom? Yes, I can. That's a 10 under 13, so... OK, yeah. You're sufficiently bored already, thank God. So, yeah, you know that he's just stalling. I'm going to wander around while he just takes his time,

so much time going through these records. An old tobacco box, comma, old. £15? No. Oh, sorry, of course. Here we are, detectives. You have intimidation, I believe, as an expertise. Could you roll me smokes as well actually?

Do you get advantage for being covered in actual blood? No, I'm surprisingly used to that. The only thing is detracting. Seven. Makes it feel like home. Here we are of course, detectives. Train conductor's cap

comma old fifty pounds train timetable Train conductor's cap, comma, old. £50. Train timetable, comma, old. £40. Sold to Mrs Angela Grockle two days ago. Now, she was after train memorabilia, I believe, specifically those relating to the British Rail Standard Class of train. Fascinating, fascinating business, really. I managed to locate these for her and sold them along.

I did, of course, not know anything about any curses or arcane or eldritch properties that they may have had, and no such knowledge would be provable on my part. You can't see it, but I just rolled my eyes very powerfully. No, I saw that. Have you sold any whistles recently? No, though originally I believe there was supposed to be a whistle that goes along

with the cap as a set. But whether it was ever created, who can say? Can you say? I can't, no. Well, rather I can. I didn't find a whistle, though apparently there was supposed to be one with the cap as part

of the set, and indeed the timetable. Detectives, I've been in this situation enough times, selling the harmless curios that I do, that sometimes may end up in pivotal aspects of murder scenes. Who can say? But I've been around, I've done this dance enough times that it is probably a good idea for me to come clean. I do have a second copy of that timetable.

I may have made myself a copy that I can provide to you as long as you remember how helpful I was to the Dusk Hollow Police Department. remember how helpful I was to the Dusk Hollow Police Department. I would very much hate for anyone to think that I was in any way involved with covering up or trying to excuse any sort of horrific crime. I'm simply a humble shopkeeper. Yeah, all right, we'll take that timetable. And you mentioned that you found this cap and timetable. Where exactly did you find it?

Oh, where does anyone buy antiques? Here? Elsewhere. Some dealers I'm acquainted with found them in their own auctions, often estate sales, washed up on lonely beaches. Where do antiques come from?

Do you have any more specific information about these particular items? No. That is all you had to say. Yes. Well, actually, now I think about it, now I really think about it, now that I'm so very keen to help out the police department,

I believe that these were acquired from the old stationmaster of the Dusk Hollow train yard. Write that down. Stationmaster. Stationmaster. Dusk Hollow. And I will provide you with a copy of an old train timetable. That is strange, actually. Lots of different train designations,

but all of them have arrival times and dates of this year. Whatever year this might be in Dusk Hollow. It's hard to tell, but it's definitely this one. Sorry, so when you say, therefore this year, is it for the bit of the year that hasn't... It's for the future, yes. But aren't all train timetables for the future? I mean, not those sold as antiques, usually.

Oh, I see, of course it's an antique! It was printed like 50 years ago. It's timetable, comma, present. Timetable, comma, present, comma, old. Oh, I see what the issue is with this, Sarge. It's a misprint. Those can be very valuable. You know, you get a book with a typo in it,

it's more valuable because it's rarer, dates it specific. So this one, it's a misprint. On a quick glance, does the 9F 9-2-2-5-1 shovel? Yes. It's scheduled to arrive at 8 o'clock tonight. Yay!

You should wait on the train tracks just to be sure. I will not do that. So, let's cut to the sure. I will not do that. So, let's cut to the library. Okay, I stride. The library is like a tall, imposing building. Lots of oak, lots of beams of light.

For a town the size of Dusk Hollow the library is way too big. And very echoey. I stride powerfully up and utilising my library card supplies. I'm not sure how supplies work, but it's one of the ones I've got. What's your dice?

D8. Roll a D8. Let's see if you brought your library card. Seven. Yes. Oh, yes. Hello. Hello.

What can I do for you? I forgot my voice. This is the librarian's voice. Oh, jeez. I'm sorry. My name is Arthur. Yes. Hello. It's just that that's the same voice that Johnny uses when he pretends to be our cats.

That's nonsense. I don't know what you're talking about. Oh, jeez. I'm Arthur, the librarian at the Dusk Hollow Public Library. Oh, jeez. What can I do for you, officer? You have a library card, so it's all in order. I am looking for train books,

because I've got to research like a train thing. Well, train books will be under T for train books. You don't have any kind of cross-referencing system? I actually have library uses and expertise. I believe that, no,

this library would believe that Dewey was a fool. Do you have an indexing system that I can perhaps cross-reference with? No. But I know where they all are. I am the index. I'm indexing right now.

They're over there. Here, I'll show you. He takes you over to a big wall with little brass plaque reading train books. Excellent. Well, I guess I'd better get started. Oh, before I forget, I pull out a salt shaker and just salt his face a bit. Oh, my face!

Oh, no! God, salt in my face! That's really not what I came to work hoping would happen. Would you say he was assaulted? I'm so sorry,

I hate myself. Penny is feeling pretty salty about it. He sort of staggers away to go wash his eyes out. Oh, my gosh. She was right. That's the only NPC that's reacted to salt. I found a real one.

Okay, I am going to begin researching the heck out of old trains. Make me a flashlight roll. Come on, D4. Oh, but you only have a D4 left. Yep. Okay, well, it's fine. You've got a three, so that's enough. So, 9F92251,

if you're cross-referencing it with the old British Rail standards... Well, naturally. Those were a particular brand of locomotive that only 999 of them were ever made. Officially. 99 of them were ever made. Officially. The 999th one was 9F-92250.

So if there were to be a train with the designation 9F-92251, that would make it the secret thousandth locomotive. Okay, okay, so let's work with what we know here. We have a secret thousandth locomotive. Okay, okay, so let's work with what we know here. We have a secret thousandth locomotive, we have a librarian who is some kind of alien, and we have someone having a heart attack so big that they exploded, and then

someone came in and took their heart later, and then they sort of exploded. Hmm. Okay. I go back to the librarian who is presumably in great dismay. Yes, I'm okay. I've washed my eyes out and

keen to help you again. What can you tell me about local records on, like, I bring up, like, this specific type of locomotive and I'm just like, do you know, like, when they stopped being in commission? I mean, I don't really. If it was anything to do with Dusk Collie

then I imagine that any decommissioned trains would have gone to the old train graveyard, the rail yard. Fantastic. Bye! I salt him a little bit more and then head off to the train yard. That's the last thing I wanted to occur based on this interaction. I leave backwards, keeping him in my eyesight because I know an alien when I see one reacting

to salt in the eyes like an alien, not a human. I'm so proud of you. I'm learning. I got this. And are you letting anyone else know that you're going to the train yard? Well, none of them have mobile telephones. I am going to go to the rotary phone. Wait, is there a chance that the chief could pick up?

Yes. I'm going straight to the yard and I'm not calling anyone. Brilliant. I'm going to stick with... OK. I'm going to stick with young Alex. I'm sure you mean young Archie Murdoch. Well, actually, yeah, OK,

I'm going to stick with grizzled old Alex playing young Archie. There we go. You can approach the rail yard. It makes zero sense that a town the size of Dusk Hollow would have such an extensive train graveyard. But it does. It's maybe... it's hard to tell exactly how big it is, but the fence is remarkably easy to hop. And you start to wind your way through ancient rusting carriages and hollowed-out locomotives, their old lamps staring at you like empty sockets of a skull.

Okay. What are you looking for? So this is feeling quite sketchy, so I'm going to draw my salt. Mm-hmm. And then what I'm going to do is... I'm going to... You do also have a shotgun, as I recall.

Yeah, well, I see which way the wind's blowing. Jew alien! With a hint of salt. So my logic is I have expertise in engineering. I've used my library. In terms of engineering, it's like, okay, cool, it's this type of train. So realistically, it's on this gauge of track. Realistically, if it's going to be in a train graveyard or something similar,

then it's going to have to be in a certain type of shed because you have train gauges and so on. I'm trying to narrow down where that train would be if it was here. Yep, that's fine. You can 100% do that. It's so easy for you, I'm not even going to go into details about how you do. Are you in any way sneaking or are you... God, no. Okay, great.

So as you get closer, into a nearby hill, out of the train graveyard, is a tunnel, a dark tunnel, just stretching away into the hill. And there is a track that leads from it into the centre of the train graveyard. And stood there, there are eight people wearing hooded jackets that even in the gloom you can tell are anoraks.

Do any of them wear, like, station hats at all? It's hard to tell. As you're getting closer, you feel some strong arms gripping you either side. Could you make a strength test, please? I'm going to say at disadvantage, because there are two of them. Am I able to use my special ability of swings and leaps, being just vaguely acrobatic, or is this a non-replicable one?

If you had been, like, if you'd been jumping from train to train or something, yes. This is just trying to escape being nabbed. Strength of disadvantage. Little did you know, that's the first one. We've got a seven on the table. Thirteen. Nah, I thought I'd ruin your story with that one. You are grasped.

I mean, it's not my story. You're the one who decided to go to the train yard without any backup. You are yanked backwards by two very big guys in anoraks. What we've got here looks like a lucky loo. No, I'm a cop, and I'm allowed to go wherever I want, because the serge says so. Take him to the track. We're on the track.

You are dragged into the centre. One of the figures in anoraks comes forward, lowers the hood, and you see Angela Grockle wearing a conductor's cap. I have never met her and I have no idea who she is. Yeah, no, you have no idea. With a whistle around her. This is entirely for the audience's benefit. With an old tin whistle hung around her neck.

And what can I do for you, officer? Now, the thing with Archie Murdoch... I don't really care. Tie him to the track, please. Aw, dammit. And you are tied to the track. I keep yelling out, because I'm reading my stats and thinking, what do you think? I'm yelling out on the track. Don't do that, I

swallowed the other whistle, it'll all go wrong if you do that. The figures around are not chanting or saying anything. But they are each scratching stuff into their own little notebooks in a very

specific rhythm. Cut back to the rest of the squad. Oh, jeez. I would actually like to use one of my special abilities, because I'm just by myself. Have you guys returned to the police station yet, Frank and Sasha? Well, we've got our coffee, so I guess so. Yeah.

So they'll be returned to the police station very shortly. Well, I wanted to use my special ability, Deduction. OK, yeah. Which is, once per session, you can apply your powers of deduction and reasoning to reach a strange conclusion and require the GM to provide a hint to the next best step.

So, the thing about aliens, they don't know how humans work. Not really. They get specific obsessions, specific things just stuck in their brains. Not like humans. And clearly what's going on here is some of the aliens have become obsessed with trains. It's how they're communicating with each other.

It may be how they're communicating with each other. Maybe they believe trains to be the dominant life form since they're so much bigger and eat people. Either way, chances are they'd also need somewhere inconspicuous to land their spacecraft. need somewhere inconspicuous to land their spacecraft? I mean, if they're really into trains, maybe the old train graveyard would be where they would be. So do the three of us

just look at each other and go? I mean, these two have, like, okay, you guys walk in with coffee, just as you're like, just as this is dawning on you. Don't you just walk up to him and go, he's going to your train, we need to get there by eight. Yes! Yes! the graveyard, yes. I mean...

What time is it? Quarter to eight. It's currently... It's currently half past seven. How long does it take to get to the train yard? About 20 minutes. What if I go really fast in my police car? I mean, roll me your police car.

That's enough, you do not crash. What if I go really fast in my police car? I mean, roll me your police car. Three. That's enough. You do not crash. Which one of you is running out the window yelling, Nino, Nino? No, you've got an actual siren. You've got an actual siren. It's going around.

It's one of those domed ones. Oh, the cherries? Yeah, I want to say. As you hurtle through the rain towards the graveyard. When we get closer to the graveyard, I'll say, turn the siren off, we don't want to let them know we're here. Do you hear the distant sounds of a honky-tonk as someone twirls their moustache?

I'm like, no, no, let me go. Alex, you are currently tied to the tracks. The rain beats down, soaking you through. In the distance, you hear the sound of a police car. Then it stops. Oh, jeez. Oh, no. I'm so on my own.

Oh, jeez. Angela blows the whistle, and it resonates. And all the trains and the carriages around, all the rusted old hulks start to vibrate ever so slightly. Distantly, deep within the tunnel, youulks start to vibrate ever so slightly. Distantly, deep within the tunnel, you can see just a pinprick of light starting to approach. I would like to attempt to use my other special ability

so that I've blown it by the time I get run over by a train. I would like to use my special abilities, MacGyver. Once per session, you can improvise a solution to a situation using available tools, devices, and uncommon lore. Okay. So I am going to use...

See, this is playing into an Alex strength here of just bulls*** on the fly. I happen to have palmed one of the Marlboro Reds that we were from earlier. Sure. And as a result, I've got that sequestered along with a lighter. Now, it just so happens that Archie Murdoch, with his engineering knowledge,

knows that there is an issue in these kind of train lines where a certain amount of aluminium oxide can end up laid into the track as a result of the soldering process to make the rails. So his logic is very simple, which is you can't burn through your ropes using a cigarette. It won't take too long. But what he's doing is he's slowly accruing

as much dust as he can, buying time, to then light the cigarette in the hopes of the aluminium oxide thermite and then burn through the rope so that he can then, with the big bright light going off from the thermite, both escape and run away as a distracting bright light goes off. So what you're doing, to be absolutely clear... I'm setting myself on fire, John.

You're trying to burn some thermite underneath you. Yes, in order to burn my rope, make a big bright light, so they're like, ah, my eyes, I'm going to go away. So while you. Yes, in order to burn my rope to make a big bright light so you're like, ah, my eyes. So while that's happening, the police car pulls up, screeches to a stop just outside the train graveyard. I'm coming, kid! Well, I was going to suggest stop. Yeah, you here.

I'm coming, kid. Yes! Two of the anoraks look up. Angela gestures, go sort it out. I'm going to draw my cult official police revolver. Yep. Which I have special bullets, if that is acceptable to you. It is not. Which I have treated with salt.

Okay, here's what I'm going to say. So your revolver is technically a D6. Rather than anything else, this is an ammo die. It determines when you're out of ammo. If you've treated your bullets with salts, it is now a D4 because it's probably going to jam. Okay.

Okay, good. Good to know. Oh, I'm gagged, by the way. Just so you know. You know. Okay, good to know. Mistake on there. If you do speak, though,

they all go, shh, and return to what they were doing. That's fine. I'm just going to choose my moments. So how are you guys getting in? Well, I have got lock picking. I can pick any lock by making a flashlight roll.

Make a flashlight roll. Yeah, there's one of those big old wire mesh gates. Where's my D10? Where's my D10? There it is. I think Larry snagged it. Oh, snap on it. I've completely forgotten to get any of you to make any sort of stress roll.

It's too late now. Well, actually, no, it's not. I'll actually make a stress roll because you're about to be crushed by a spectral train. Would you like me to make, like, three? Yeah, go on. Just knock yourself out. Okay, I'm on D8, so... Actually, no.

Roll with disadvantage. So two D8s and take the lowest. Okay. Four. You're fine, apparently. This is apparently just not an issue for you. And also, I wouldn't worry too much. I mean, the library wasn't really that stressful for me,

so I think I'm kind of up to scratch. Yeah, fair, fair. Okay, so the gate swings open. What did you roll on your... A five. A five, yeah, you're fine. The gate swings open. The train graveyard is quiet before you.

The rain beating down. In the distance, deep in the distance, you can hear the whistle of a train coming. And Archie, using this opportunity to yell, Shoot them if they're wearing perv jackets! Shh! I run towards the sound. You see Angela give a few of the other train spotters a nod

to send them off after these guys. As you round a corner, you can see a Trainspotter, full anorak, with what looks like an old World War II machine gun. Opens up on you. Could you please make a dexterity roll, please? Absolutely. I have eight in dexterity. 13. Okay, so you're taking...

Could you roll me a d6? Actually, no, make it a d8 for how much damage you're taking. Two. Okay, so it doesn't actually hit you, but you dive to the ground and scrub yourself up a bit. I like grazing from a machine gun.

You can see other Trainspotters approaching with... The other ones mainly seem to have knives drawn, like kitchen knives. It's mainly the knives that they've found in kitchen drawers, and one of them has a machine gun. So what are you guys doing? Lowry, you've already done yours because if you had succeeded, you would have got an attack. So one of the

things that Cthulhu hack does is rather than having enemy attacks and player attacks, you choose what you're doing, you make a roll. If you're successful, you damage them. If you're unsuccessful, they damage you. Sure. And there are a couple of additional ones.

Because there are more of them, they will get one or two extra attacks on you. So, Frank, what are you doing? I want to try and find the leader of this little train spot as well. That would be Angela. She is currently standing over Archie blowing her whistle. That light's getting closer, Archie. It's fine, I've got my thermite. That'll solve my problems. So I can see

that he's tied. Not at the moment. There are a couple of train spotters between you and the circle. I'm going to punch these train spotters out of my way. Okay, brilliant. That will be a strength check. Is it supposed to be under? Under your strength. Okay, yeah, we're fine. Oh, I don't need to lie about what I rolled. What's supposed to be under? Under your strength. Okay, yeah, we're fine.

Oh, I don't need to lie about what I rolled. What's your unarmed damage? It is a D8. Fantastic, roll a D8. One. Roll better. I mean, you like shove him, and he sort of staggers back, and he's like, what?

I just want him out of the way. I mean, he's out of the way, but he still has a knife and is like, I'm going to stab you. Well done. So, Sasha. I'm going to be trying to hop up onto trains and then run across them to basically avoid the ground and get there real quick. Make me a dexterity roll. Okay. That's bad. I got a 20.

That is bad. And a 12. So you climb up onto the top of the train and unfortunately standing there is just the biggest anorak you've seen with what looks like, you know those gardening implements that you sort of dig in

and use to pull up weeds? Yeah. You've got one of them and he stabs you. Oh, no! Roll me a d10 for your damage. That's real bad! Two. Okay, so it stabs you a bit.

Just a little stabbing. Ow! So, there are a couple of others who are charging with knives. One will go for Hustlebeck, and one will go for Walensky. So could you both make me strength rolls, please? I'd help, but I'm here to raise the stakes. Sorry, guys. I've got 17, so my strength is 6.

14. Yeah, so you're fine. You're fine. You managed to just, like, kick him away. You get a little bit more stabbed. Okay. This will just be a D6, I think. 3. So that's 3 down down to six you want to be tied to the train track much safer apparently so how's my

thermite plan going you've got enough if you want to if you want to if you want to light it archie yells out because archie knows that thermite burns really brightly uh ah jeez um hey everybody look over here ooh and then lights the thermite okay so in hopes of maybe getting I'm gonna straight

like I would I would ask you to make a saving throw but you're lighting some thermite under you not a lot just a little bit okay so what I'm gonna say is

please roll me a d10 for how much damage you take if you roll one or a two you do not burn through the ropes. If you roll three or above, you burn through the ropes. You are also taking this much damage, to be clear. Oh, this is great. Wow.

Okay. How much health you got? I was going to say. Okay, so I can kill myself with this. Nice. So let's see how we're doing. In fact, there's a solid chance I'm killing myself with this. So let's see how we're doing. In fact, there's a solid chance I'm killing myself with this. So I have seven hit points.

I have done myself six hit points worth of damage. Okay, you've closed through the rope. So there is a bright light as Archie's MacGyver Thermite ignites. Igniting the ropes, igniting him. Ah, jeez! Oh, it's everywhere. You are are and you are very much on fire oh jeez oh i'd rather have the goo oh jeez oh man oh jeez but uh at the very least you're free i immediately try to run off on fire away from the train that's clearly going to crush me before I burn to death from the fire I lit on myself.

You can't see approaching now. As you go up, you can see, reflected down the tunnel, a locomotive of black glass approaching. Oh, good God. At a reasonable clip. Yeah, I'll take the thermite burns, thanks. Glowing green smoke billowing from the stack. Can we all see it? No, you're not there yet. Yeah, I am take the thermite burns, thanks. Glowing green smoke billowing from the stack. Can we all see it? No, you're not there yet. Yeah, I am. But you can get there

now if you'd like. Yeah, I'm still running to kill it! Okay, so I'll say that you can reach them. Are you attacking any of the transporters or are you... What are you doing? I'm saving all of my salt bullets for that train that's coming towards us because it's clearly an alien. Oh my god. I mean, I'm saving all of my salt bullets for that train that's coming towards us, because it's clearly an alien.

Oh, my God. I mean, I'm going to say you can see the train. If you want to take a shot at the train, just go for it. Go for it. Try to shoot the train. What do I roll? Dexterity would be for a bullet. Not damage?

No. I mean, you've got to hit it first. Oh, yeah, of course. Sorry. Oh, dear. I have dexterity eight. What if you miss the train? I hit the train!

Okay, could you roll me... Well, armed I have a d6. So that's a d6 damage. But you're using salt bullets. Oh, yeah. So that's a d6 damage. Oh. A d4 for the ammo.

Sorry, I'm with you now. Three. Okay, grand. That is salt damage. Yes. It's clearly a supernatural alien train. It has green smoke. Yes, it is.

But it's also not vulnerable to salt. No, you're wrong. It's okay, I'm fine. Your bullet hits the huge train of bullets. Does it shatter? No. Could you please roll me a d4? Three.

Hey, your gun's still working! Hey! So, Frank. Well, I was trying to get to Grockle. I will say that you can reach her. You're just shouldering your way past the train spotters who are trying to stab you. Yeah. The machine gun one is going to try and hit you,

so whatever you do this turn, if you fail, you're going to get a little bit machine gunned. I'm going to try and grab her. Yeah, okay. Make me a strength check. Oh, I also want to try and rip the whistle off from around her neck. If you want to go for the whistle, that's dexterity.

If you want to just grab her, that's strength. I am going to say, however, that she is currently supernaturally empowered by the oncoming train, and so you will be reducing your strength by four. I should have gone for her, shouldn't I? No, no. No regrets. Shooting the train with a pistol,

with some salty bullets from a pistol, that was a great plan. Throwing your pistol at the train. That was a great plan, Lowry. I'm going to go for the whistle, but can I use my ripped ability to roll at advantage? Are you saying that you want to be so muscled that you just... You're assuming, okay,

that Frank's saying that they want to grab by the hand. It could be one peck here, one peck there. Yeah, do it Terry Crystal. Just under. Okay, fine. You've still got five for dexterity. Yeah, that is that. Roll with advantage, do it.

Grab it with your pecks. That was a 16. It's not enough. I mean, it's too much. That was a 15. How did it fail? You flex, you're like... And she sort of takes a single step back.

Damn it, I didn't think of that. The trouble is, like, it's... You're very strong, but not super flexible because of all the muscles. Oh, no. It's like a sticker stuck between the shoulder blades. Sash him. Okay, so I'm up high.

Presumably, because I'm up high, I can see what's going on. Yes, you can. Okay, I want to go for... I want to try and just run, grab Angela Grockle and put the cuffs on her. Also, sorry, you also got machine gunned. I forgot I'd said that. So could you roll a d10 and take that? But you're in decent hands, so it's not a problem.

Yeah, you get a little bit of machine gun for full damage. What did you say you did? I want to run for Angela Grockle and put the cuffs on her. Make a dexterity roll. 10 under 12. Okay, so yeah, you can... You've done that and then taken the whist roll. Ten under twelve. Okay, so you can... You've done that and then taken the wisdom. Tackle her.

So the cups go round. You're holding her. The train is literally 20 feet away and barrelling towards you. Archie, what do you do? Going to face down like a sandpaper on a train. No, no, you're on the track. She was standing on the track. Get off the train.

You're on the track. The train is... That'll be your next turn. Archie, what are you doing? Am I still on fire? Yes. I stop, drop and roll away from the track. Okay, you are no longer on fire.

That is your turn. Walensky, unless you want to try and save Shrever... But you would take some fire damage. Just a choice. Just a choice I'm throwing out there for you, Archie. I mean... Too late. Walensky, you mean Too late What are you doing? I'm going to rugby tackle Schreiber off the

Okay strength check If you fail this you are all getting hit by a train I rolled away from the tracks Not you and not the Sarge But the two who are on the track The people who tried to help and rescue me I have nothing that's going to help me with this One Nailed it Okay Who have you tried to help and rescue me? I have nothing that's going to help me with this.

One! Oh, you nailed it! Okay. Life for everyone! This is not how I thought this would go. You leap, tackling both of them. With one hand, yank the whistle off, Angela Grockle. With the other hand, throw the cap away.

I have salt, whatever. As you do, you can feel something else snap along with the cord. Not something physical, but something in reality. The train sort of starts to shatter. You're all peppered with little bits of glass. Question for the

DM. Are we peppered in glass die-hard style where it's like, oh no, a bit of glass, or are we peppered in glass reality style where it's like, oh god, bit of glass or are we peppered in glass like reality style where it's like oh god we're all in ribbons it's glass it's been a while since you've seen die hard

hasn't it because it messes him up I suppose yeah it messes him up massively he gets all up in his feet I was thinking more like Terminator or something

it's yeah like it's it might like you're fine anyway it'll probably do a few points of damage to these guys but I don't think enough to kill them. Okay, that's kind of what I was getting at.

The rest of the Trainspotters start to scatter. I shout, I knew it! All right, we want to make as many arrests as we can right now. Come on, come on. Angela Grockle, I'm arresting you for the murder of Geoffrey Mariner. So you can be going around, like, tightening up a few other Trainspotters, and, yep, you sort Cuff her, set her down

A couple of minutes later In walks the judge Flanked by a few members of the town council Oh jeez, oh no Yeah, he gives you a look It's okay, I've planted some mulbers on her We've got a bag to write I'm so proud of you, boy

You made the arrest I did, your honour Detective Schreber, You made the arrest? I did, Your Honour. Detective Schreber, what are the charges? Murderer Geoffrey Mariner. What is the evidence? She has been corresponding with the deceased. Right, Your Honour, I'll lay it out for you. I've got it all figured out.

Right, OK. Please explain the crime as though there was some audience who needed to be fully filled. Which in many ways there is, because it is me, the judge. Yes, Your Honour. So, Angela Groffal, several years ago, her husband dies, and here's what she does. She sets her sights on a young heir, and she secretly marries him.

It has to be a secret, sir, because she knows that she is like a kind of middle-class... It was aliens! Don't listen to that, sir. It was none of the..., middle-aged. It was aliens! Don't listen to that. It was none of the... This is all ridiculous. I was trying to summon a demon train, okay? It's very simple. There was a demon train which ate my husband years ago.

He was one of the original train spotters and he was trying to summon the train for power, for the power of steam. But his hubris cost him his life and I discovered a way, bring it back. But the whistle, the whistle died with him, so I had to re-manifest the whistle. So I tricked that fool. I didn't love him. I didn't marry him. He's not an alien. He was just a fool.

Well, this is the thing. She was having an affair with the housekeeper. What, Nellie? Yes? I mean, that's got nothing to do with anything. That and possession of Marlborough. Our affair is completely tangential with this whole case. I knew it. Anyway, point is, I tried to summon a demon train and it went badly for me.

I love that you have a team of cops who are derailing your confession. Well, thank you for confessing. Your colleague's very irritating. Yeah. Very irritating. Your Honour, do you have a moment? Yes, Sergeant, I think I do. One second.

Guilty. He slams a gavel down on nothing in particular. It rings out, and the members of the town council just sort of walk over, pick up Angela Grock and cart her away. Yes, what did you want, Sergeant? You've met my detectives. Give her a little wave. And that one.

Give her a little wave. Yes. I really want a transfer. That's, I don't work for the police department. No, but I mean, if you could put in a word that you understand and think it would be good, Quick, kid. That might help. Pass me the salt. I will not.

Fair enough. He turns around and leaves. Yay! Case closed, everyone. That's how you know it's a success, because everything's the same at the end of the episode. That was real weird and went... I survived.

There was some energy in this room so that was the setting was Dusk Hollow PD from MacGuffin & Company and the system was The Cthulhu Hack by Paul Baldowski

you can find more about MacGuffin & Company at macguffinandcompany.com or patreon.com forward slash macguffinandcompany and there'll be links in the show notes

there'll be links in the show notes to all of this you can find more information about The Cthulhu Hack at cthulhuhack.com as well as, I believe,

Paul also has a Patreon for that. I can't believe we survived a Cthulhu hack. I've never done anything like this before. I can't believe you survived. I'm sorry. No!

To be fair, I was playing it a bit... I should have been making you guys roll a lot more stress. I don't know, maybe I should have been hurting you more. You did get shot with a machine more stress I don't know maybe I should have been hurting you more

you did get shot with a machine gun I did set myself afire Sasha got stabbed yeah like

and none of those did as much damage as Archie falling out of a window that really messed me up

a ground floor window hell of a bush in fact Archie did more damage than any of our like antagonists

but he just did it to himself mega boss so thank you all for listening Archie did more damage than any of our antagonists, but he just did it to himself. Mega boss. So thank you all for listening. There will obviously be some more Magnus Hiatus content coming until the start of Season 5. If you want more actual play goodness

with mostly completely different people, except Alex is the GM in that one, Rusty Quill Gaming. So it's pure chaos. It's a different sort of chaos. And I believe everyone else here has featured on various specials for Rusty Quill Gaming.

I have on the Bermuda special, which is another of yours. Yeah, MacGuffin & Company also, we do a lot of micro settings, another one not far to Bermuda, where you're all trapped on a cruise ship. Trapped is a horrible word. It's a holiday.

You're all having a lovely holiday for 300 days. It won't end. You're having a lovely holiday for 300 days. It won't end. So please have a look at that feed and have fun. And most importantly, just look after yourselves. Bye, everyone.

Goodbye! Bye! Peace, bye! This episode is distributed by Rusty Quill and licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Sharealike 4.0 international license. For more information, visit RustyQuill.com, tweet us at TheRustyQuill, visit us on Facebook or email us at mail at RustyQuill.com. Thanks for listening. Hello, it's Kareem, the voice of Simon Fairchart from the Magnus Archives,

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