The Magnus Archives - RQ Original Feed Drop - Neon Inkwell: Rez High

Episode Date: July 13, 2026

We are featuring the first episode of a new series from Rusty Quill: Rez HighIn the ruins of what was once a place called Yorkshire, sits the town of River Mill.Jo-C, Dogwood, and Reflex discover a relic of the past while on a scavenging mission.Content Notes:- mild innuendo- bullyingTranscripts: https://shorturl.at/pJQV7Neon Inkwell: https://shows.acast.com/neon-inkwell Next episode: https://shows.acast.com/neon-inkwell/episodes/neon-inkwell-rez-high-2-class-action Into and Outro by Shahan HamzaShowrunner Elizabeth MoffattDirected by Lucy WrayWritten by Brendon ConnellyProduced by April SumnerExecutive Producers Alexander J Newall & April SumnerFeaturingOlivia Hirst as Jo-CLozza Gilbert as ReflexGeorge Bunting as DogwoodChristine Walsh as Mrs. SevenKazeem Tosin Amore as HeadBeth Alsbury as LiviaRyan Hopevere-Anderson as GroanWilliam Kilgour as QuartzShahan Hamza as KametTyreke Leslie as Masc NPCsBeth Eyre as Fem NPCsDialogue Editor and Sound Designer – Katharine SeatonMastering Engineer – Catherine RinellaMusic by Katharine SeatonSFX from Katharine Seaton, Soundly, Soundsnap, 13FPanska_Marval_Lukas; Elenalostale; JotrainG; kyles and previously credited artists.Check out our merchandise available at https://www.redbubble.com/people/RustyQuill/shop and https://www.teepublic.com/stores/rusty-quillSupport Rusty Quill by purchasing from our Affiliates; DriveThruRPG – DriveThruRPG.comJoin our community:WEBSITE: rustyquill.comFACEBOOK: facebook.com/therustyquillX: @therustyquillEMAIL: [e-mail] Inkwell is a podcast distributed by Rusty Quill Ltd. and licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Share alike 4.0 International Licence.For ad-free episodes, bonus content and more, join members.rustyquill.com or our Patreon.Pre-order FROM THE LIBRARY OF JURGEN LEITNER, a Magnus novel releasing October 27th: rustyquill.com/novel Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hi everyone, it's Kareem, the voice of Simon Fairchild for the Magnus Archives. Today, I'm here to advertise Beck's End, an upcoming new audio drama that will be launching on the RQ network. Beck's End is a folk horror audio drama about isolation, belief, radicalisation, and poses the question if redemption is possible. When floodwater swallow an idyllic English Lake District Village, a stranded journalist finds herself trapped in a rising tide of fear. Cut off from the outside world, she begins to uncover horrors both human and big. biblical lurking beneath the surface. If this intrigues you, you can support the creation of Beck's End on Kickstarter until the 17th of July. For more information on the show and to pledge your support, visit bexen.com.

That's B-E-C-K-S-E-N-D.com. And you might recognise a voice here or there. Have fun and enjoy the episode. Hi there, it's Shahan. Today we are sharing the first episode of a brand new Rusty Quill short series, Rez High, In a distant future, a band of scavenging kits find a vintage VR system that becomes a gateway to a gamified recreation of an alien world, a 1970s British comprehensive school. All Joe C, Reflex and Dogwood know is the wild, unrecognizable landscape of the far future, where they must fend for themselves and get by on their wits. To them, playing through the immersive levels of res high, stopping bullies, snogging behind the bike sheds, or outsmarting the headmaster, is completely surreal.

Join them in this first episode of the series as they make their mysterious discovery. You can find the rest of the series by following the link in the description or by searching for the neon inkwell feed wherever you find podcasts. Enjoy the episode. Rusty Quill presents Rez High. Episode 1. Old school. I've got a good feeling about this one.

It's a long dark tunnel where we're goop all over at walls. Yeah? Why not? You're right. This is the way. The Bipper never lies, Dogwood. And does your Bipper say it's safe? I don't want to die down here.

You never tell us where you do want to die. It's making it hard to plan. It's here. Sounds like there's something really good under there. It's not just the water making the Bipa Bip, is it? Not unless that water's magnetic. What are you doing? I can't see through this water with my handlight.

I'm going to feel about... What are you doing? That's disgusting. Reflex, can you pinpoint it with that thing? Yes, it's. It's right there. Right here? I found it. What is it?

What is it, Josie? Slimy. What else? What's that on the side? It says res high, and then... Welcome back to the best days. And then something else has worn off. What do you think it is?

I'll have to open it to find out. I'm not doing that until I dry it off properly. Do you remember when Cameron Quartz found the video screen? This is much better than that. Why? We know what a video screen is. We learn nothing from finding one of those. This is something mysterious.

All right. But will this play video shows? Do you remember how that screen just got torn apart for chips and bits? We need a Zutron part. Well, before we hand this over to get torn up too? Yes, I do want a good look first. And it's not dangerous. Why would it be dangerous?

The real problem will be getting here past my mum? And the electric eye? Well, the eye's been broken since two winters ago. But you don't know that. Dogwood? Yes. You don't know that. If it's so very heavy.

And really slimy. Then I boat, Joe. So he carries it. What? She's got the muscles. And that huge backpack. And I'm sure she'll be suitably careful with it. And it were all her idea. She's absolutely the right woman for the job.

Two out of three votes. Carry it. And I'll deal with my mum. No, that's a terrible plan. Your mum always knows when you're lying. Josie, everyone knows when you're lying. Come up, reflex. Hi, your mum.

Hey, Mrs Seven. What's up with Josie? That puddle was a lot deeper than it looked. Ugh, you stink, kid. Yeah, well, you live with reflex. You should be nose blind by now. Oh, I'll have you know my beautiful girl smells like fresh water. Yeah, and what does that smell of?

Here's the hall, mum. A lot of rust today? Loads of... Rubbish. What happened to that big blip I sent you to? Whatever blipped, it wasn't there anymore. What, tell me the Zutrons have on the blink again? It was probably a one-off, but I'll check it out tomorrow.

Mom? Mom, don't worry. It got my hopes up. The size of that blit. We were all hopeful. Nothing there. If there was, we'd have found it. Maybe I will send Kammer and Quartz to check tomorrow.

Be our guest. Check the next. next scans, Mum. I bet the blip will be gone. A phantom blip? I know we used to find a lot more. As always tomorrow. Go on. You're holding up the queue. I'll be in the scrann-all at tea time, Mum. See you later, Mrs Seven. Let's go get this thing running. I'll try. Thanks, Reflex. Don't thank me yet. Let's meet after tea. I'll see if I can get it working. Hey, I'm a late? Reflexes even later. I hate it up here. We should have met somewhere else. No way. Give me the top three reasons you hate the bug room.

One, it's all the way at the top of the climb. Two, it's always really muggy, and three, all these boxes are disgusting things screwing, and then eating each other. It's revolting. And everyone else in Rivermill agrees. This is the perfect place to meet in secret. It's not like reflex to be late. No, but it's a good sign. If the thing wouldn't work at all, should have given up.

What do you think it is? Something absolutely ancient. I did try to work out what Rez High might mean, but I couldn't. Or me. Which makes it extra exciting. Do you think it's something totally new? No. Something ancient, something forgotten.

But something we've never seen before? Yeah. Filled with secrets from the past. So you don't think we should just send it over? No. After what happened in library? Prepare to have. Have your mind blown.

Here we go. So what is it? You've got to experience this for yourselves. You're scaring me. No, no, it's nothing to be worried about. I think it's probably just a toy. A toy? But not like any toy we've ever seen before.

Let me see. You'll do more than that. Sit down and get comfortable, both of you. Okay. We got really lucky. The case was pretty much watertight. Um, put this on your head. Okay. On meette?

Yeah, around your head. And put yours on your head too. Like this. This won't give me electric shocks, will it? No, no. I hope it doesn't make sort of noises. No, it's nothing like that. But before I switch it on, are you both comfortable? Yes.

Yeah. See you inside. What? This doesn't... Where are we? We're sitting on the floor in the bug down. I can't hear the bugs. Or see them, or smell them, or smell josie.

Am I dreaming? That's it. Something like that. Are you seeing what I'm seeing? Well, that'll depend on what you're seeing. A big frame? Yeah, like a steamy window. Character creation.

Welcome back, Reflex. Who's that? It's the thing. The Res High. It talks and understands what you say back to it. New players. To create your character, step up to the mirror and imagine yourself. Oh, it's a mirror. Why am I so blurry? It looks in your mind, I think. So imagine yourself. Let it see. Then why am I dressed like this?

Pretty much everybody here is. Or the youngers. It must be some kind of costume. What do you mean everybody here? Who's here? Character creation complete. Would you like to play the tutorial? Yes. Steady on Dogwood. Welcome to Rez High. It's the first morning of the new term.

But before class begins, there's still some time to explore. Meet a few of the other students. Take a look around. When you're ready for the school day to begin, head to the class and I'll take care of the rest. Not exactly plain English, was it? I'm not for a look around anyway. Reflex, where did all those people over there come from?

Who are they? They're not real. They're part of the dream. What a waste of a dream? Where's all a sword fighting and... Sex? Are we're gonna say a kissy? Sure. I wasn't absolutely convinced I'd get the same thing again,

but this is exactly what happened to me. As if this particular dream is stored on this machine. Like a recording of a dream? Or a memory? Maybe. An ancient place, an ancient people. It might be. This is not what I expected.

Watch out new kids. Hello, ancient kid. Watch your backs. Mad Monke is about. He finds every new kid sooner or later. And then what? You'll find out. Hello.

Can I ask you something? What do you want? Just to ask a few things if... What do you want? Where is this? Restchester High. The crappiest comprehensive this side of the river. Right. What's a comprehensive?

Uh, I don't know. I don't know what you mean. What do you mean by comprehensive? Comprehensive, what? Comprehensive, how? Shut up. Okay, thank you. Hello, I'd love to ask you a few questions. All right.

Where am I? This is Restchester High. And what do you do here? Check your time team. Check what? Check your time team. Hello, what's a comprehensive? I don't know what you mean.

You either, then. Hello, do you know what a comprehensive is? Oh, piss off, thought. Hello. Hello. Hello. Hello. Hi there. Hello. Hello. Oh. Hello. Are you new here? Very new. I'm not sure what I'm doing yet.

What do you want to do? I don't even know what my options are. Okay. What would you like to do? Eat something? That I can help you with. There's a thing called a tuck shop, just around. and there. I take you, but this wheelchair is absolutely rubbish at steps. You'll find some money in your pocket. Try rhubarb and custard. I'll check it out. Smart one. Thanks.

What year is it? 1979. Don't you know anything? Not about 1979? Wow. What can you tell me? I don't know what you mean. I want you to tell me what happened. What happened? What happened to all of you? Why, there's only River Mill left now? Tell me about history. Freebies where we have history. What's 3B?

Freebies where we have history? And where is that? Don't you know anything? Would you please just tell me how to find this history place? Are you looking for classroom 3B? Classroom 3B? Finally, thank you. It's in Block 3 over there.

Don't you know anything? Hello. Would you mind if I ask you a few questions? Yes, I would. How about you? Hello. What would you like to know? What's a comprehensive? According to the concise Oxford English Dictionary,

comprehensive is an adjective meaning including all or almost all the items, details, facts, information, etc. That may be involved. Oh, that's amazing. Have you memorized the entire dictionary? Knowledge is power, my friend. Do you know the noun version too? According to the concise Oxford English dictionary, comprehensive is a noun meaning

a secondary school for young people of all levels of ability. Oh, you're very handy. Okay, next. What's a secondary school? Hey. What are you eating? Some sort of little sweet pill. It's called rhubarb custard, I think.

It's very chewed. You want one. How do you know it's safe to eat? Because this is just a dream. Have you seen Classroom 3B anywhere? About it? But you're not sure? I saw a girl in a wheelchair

and a grumpy woman. who has her own place full of food called Tuck Shop. But nothing with three B on. Classroom 3B is where these people keep their history. Excuse me? Would you want new kid? Could you help me find Classroom 3B? Why should I tell you anything?

Because she asked you nicely. All right, smart ass. Smart. Why shouldn't I just drag you into the bogs and flush your head? I'd have a much better comeback if I knew what any of that meant. Are you taking the minute? Buddy Monk, unhand that young man. Buddy Monk?

Are you related to Mad Monk? Call me that to my face again. Buddy Monk? Come on. Off with you, monk. And you, new kids, let this be a lesson to you. Stay out of trouble. It's not open to us, apparently. We will, thank you.

But before you go, could you help us find Classroom 3B? No, hello, hello, the history place, 3B. Oh, Josie. This door has 3H written on it. I think we're on the right track. This one's 3F. Must be this way. Stop.

What? What is it? Quiet. Okay. Shush, shush. Listen. I don't hear anything. Exactly.

It's too quiet. I think we should wake up and get out of here. Something might be wrong and I should really check the cables. You promised no sudden loud noises. Where did it go? I'm going to look into it. Let's get on the safe side. Take those off your heads.

You're scaring me. Again. Please tell me Res High isn't broken. I think I could fix it. Thank, look. Could. If I had the right parts. But I don't have the right parts. See these three little valves?

Not through all the smoke, no. They're the things making the smoke. Little valves where the head bits plug into the main unit. These were the only open part of the whole machine. Oh, they must have got wet. I can bypass them, but I need to run the connection. through, um, oh, I guess, qubits instead? New qubits in the library.

Oh, don't remind me. Where can we get them now? We can't. We've picked them all as clean. I don't remember the last time we found anything Q generation out there. Don't we have anything like that, around River Mill? I repaired most of the Zootrons with Q-bits before now,

but I'm not getting those back. Mom, can I borrow one of the last Zutrons? Oops, I've broken it. Sorry. But I guess you won't need these QBets. It's now. Unless one of yours has been keeping a secret map tracker or Music Man under your floorboards, I can't do anything.

I guess we'll just hand over the Res High next time we weigh in and enjoy all the time credits we'll get for it. There were loads more things at Tuck Shop I wanted to try. Did you say Music Man Reflex? Please don't tell me you've got one hidden in your room. No, of course not. I don't keep secrets from me, Reflex. But I do have a plan. So you want me to crack open the centuries old, miraculously intact music man? I risked my life to rescue from a collapsing, rotten building out on floodlands,

rip out its precious little cubit, and just give it to you. Ah, you don't really like music anyway. Yours is not the face of somebody who understands fun. Don't flatter me. Camet, if you give me that cubit, then I'll never be able to tell anyone that you've got it. And I suppose if I'm the one to give it you, then I won't be able to rat you out either. Is that it?

This is what they used to call mutually assured destruction. Ah, I'd forgotten you were River Mills' leading scholar of ancient history. What are you going to do with the cubit anyway? You still here, Josie? I'm sorry I didn't get you a pint. Don't worry, Quartz. I'll be on my way. Josie's not old and a frail, Quartz. You're not. It tastes disgusting anyway.

It just tastes funny. Then why do you drink it? I don't know. Did you get what you want, Jocet? Did I get what I want, Camet? What does you want? I forget. Perhaps if you see a friend reflex later,

you'll get a handy little reminder. Perfect. See you on the Moors, boys. Enjoy your ails. Look, if you don't repeat the instructions back to me, I'll never know you were listening. The valves burned up so you've bypassed them with a Q bit, but this bypass means the res high

can't wake us up automatically. anymore. But what were the actual instructions? We get out by walking through the school gates. It's that simple. We wake up by walking out of the dream. Can we run through the gate instead? Sure. Can I jump through them if I like? You can ride over them on the back of a Zutron if that's what you want. Just get yourself through those gates. See? We were listening to the instructions and the warnings. Go on. Hit the button. See you inside. Mission 1. Kiss Chase. Your crush wants to meet you. Escape your class. Escape your Find your cross and kiss them.

Good luck. Good morning class. Today we'll be working from our textbook. Please turn to chapter 38. Josie? Quiet at the back of the class. Here's a note for you. Oh, okay.

So how do I get to the bike sheds? When I want to bunk off, I say I badly need the loo. The what? Hello. Hi, I need the Lou. Class has only just started, child. You can wait. I do need it badly. Go a few masks, but no dilly dally. Great. What way is the bike shed?

What are you talking about? Get out of here, boy. Good morning, class. Today we'll be working from our textbook. Please turn to chapter 13. Excuse me. Can I leave? Why, girl? You're looking for some kind of credible excuse, aren't you? Like, I need to use the toilet, or get some kind of medical assistance? Do you need some kind of medical assistance?

Yes. Yes, I do. Go a few masks, but no dilly dally. Before you go, here's a note for you. Oh, brilliant, thank you. Good morning, class. Today we'll be working from our textbooks. Please turn to Chapter 38. What are you doing, girl?

I have to go find my crush. Apparently I'm supposed to kiss them. Not during my lesson, you don't. Sit down. Well, how long is your lesson? Any more of this incident and you'll get detention. It's really long, isn't it? Bet in your seat, girl, or it's off to the headmistress with you?

Is the headmistress outside of this room? Right, that's it. Off to Mr. Sexton with you. Oh, thank a look. And thank you. I'm looking for a bike shed, but I don't know for sure what that is. Don't you know anything? I used to think I did.

Hello. Can you tell me what a bike shed is? Shouldn't you be in class? Oh well, that'd depend on who you ask. You look helpful. What's a bike shed? According to the concise Oxford English dictionary, bike shed is a noun, meaning an enclosed structure where bicycles may be stored.

Now I know. Knowledge is power, my friend. Yeah. What's a bicycle? You there. Do you have a hall pass? Sorry. I don't even know what that is. I'll need to see your hall pass. You could ask the kid with glasses.

He's definitely the most helpful one around here. If you don't show me your hall pass, I'll have to send you back to class. Here you go. His whole pass. He must have dropped it on the floor. And here's mine. Okay, this time. But no dilly-dallying. Nobody wants me to dilly-dally.

I wouldn't mind if you did. And no running in the corridors. I won't be running anywhere. Thank you. You came just in time. Come on. I'm going to the bike shed too, though we'll have to go the long way around.

More steps? They're really not as useful as most people think. What's your name? Dogwood. Do you want to ask me my name? Yeah, of course. What's your name? I'm Olivia.

It's really lovely to meet you, Dogwood. Hey, yeah. Where is my name? Classroom 3B. Don't you know? 3B is in Block 3. I'm new here. Where's Block 3? It's by the playground. Where's this playground, then? It's over by Block 3. Which is where? What do you mean? Where is Block 3? It's by the playground. Useless. Oh, Josie, there you are. I didn't know it was going to split us up like that. You're not with Dogwood? No. I was in a classroom and now I'm looking for a bike shed. How about you? I'm looking for Classroom 3B. It's apparently a history place of some kind. Is that

where your crush is going to be? No. Didn't you hear what the voice said? Yeah, but history. I don't think we can just wander about. Can we just at least try? Look how this whole thing works. It's much more restrictive than a real place. I want to find our crushes to see what that does. But I don't even know what a bike shed is. We'll get the dictionary kid to tell us. I've got so many questions for him. Come on, let's go this way. Hey, your head. Did you give yourself a hair cut? Um, I suppose I was a bit more honest with the mirror this time. Nice. I thought I could look a bit more the way I see myself. Yeah, it really suits you. You look great. Yeah, thank you. Maybe the next mission will be about your history place. This is so gross. You have to

Kiss this crush character if we want to get anywhere. Didn't the people who made this care of, you know, people actually want to be kissed? They're just dreams, Josie. They don't want anything. I'm not a dream. And I can't really kiss someone else without them kissing me too. Though I'm sure Dogwood is having the time of his life. Maybe think of it like you're pretending to kiss somebody. Somebody you weren't even there.

Like playing a game? I think it's supposed to be fun. Oh, you've brought me all the way to your Class 3B. Blind look, I promise. But while we're here, it indoors locked. Everyone here is so miserable. I know. But you're...

I'm... Not. Not right now, anyway. Me either. Boy, where are you going? Oh, we just... Shouldn't you be in class? He has a whole pass.

Come on, Lavia. You shouldn't be here. Who's this guy? Mr. Grown. And who does he think he is? I'm a teacher, boy. I'm in charge. So do you really want to push your luck with me? Move it along, Livia. I have to go, Dogwood.

I'll see you later. Not if I see you first. Oh, hey! Hello, Dogwood. I've been waiting for you. Shall I kiss you? Right down to business. I like it. Yeah, very romantic, but why not? I'm very glad to hear it.

I'll try anything once. Why not? Congratulations, your crush is now yours. Body and soul, until the end of turf, or until somebody more fit comes along, whichever happens first. Mission one complete. I told you, some areas are out of bounds just because of the mission we're doing. So, history is being held hostage unless I kiss somebody to get it.

Sliging crudlark. What's that? Let me listen. Let me listen. The system will shut down in 90 seconds. Please log out now to ensure a smooth transition. Do you think Dogwood can hear this? I'm not sure he'll listen to it.

Come on. Where are we going? The bike shed. We've got to find Dogwood. Quick. And chances are he's where the kissing is. Let me go. You get out.

I'm much faster than you. No. I'm coming too. Why? You might be able to do something from the outside. You're right. But if you get to the bike shed, and he's not there, don't wait a second longer. I don't want to take any chances with a machine that's plugged straight into your brain.

Go! Now! You're not so fast. Dogwood. Josie, I've been waiting for you. Have you seen Dogwood? I only have eyes for you. Dogwood, he was coming here to meet his crush. Oh, him. He was here with Izzy. They were snogging. And where did they go?

What do you mean? Please log out now to ensure a smooth transition. I mean, after that, where did they go? I don't know what you mean. I mean, where are they now? No doubt now. I don't know what you mean. Of course you don't.

We're all you ancient people, this stupid. Ancient? I'm 14. You're a waste of time. Look, Josie. No. Oh, no. He's all right.

I think he's just sleeping. Have you tried to wake him up? He won't wake up yet. I'm restarting the unit. Hey. That usually works. The rest has restarted. He's still the same.

I'll have to go. Go back, push the button. Res High requires a download. Please connect your unit to the ethosphere and restart. Start, you slagging crudlark. Instruction not understood. Please connect your unit to the ether sphere and restart. Restart.

Connect to the ether sphere. Instruction not... Wake up, Dogwood. Instruction not understood. Why are you like this? Instruction not... I'll work this out, I promise. I just need to think...

The Red High needs a download. If I take it to the wild... aspire, can I connect it to the ethosphere? Great, I'll do it. No, no way. Stay here with Dogwood. I trust you to look after him better than I would. And anyway, whoever's going has to get past your mum. You'll just have to tell me how to connect the unit.

And let's be quick about it, because luck knows what Dogwood's going through. Dogwood, Mad Monk is looking for you. Mad Monk? Does he look like a monk? He's going to clobby you if he catches him. Then what should I do? You can run Or you can hide

But whatever you're going to do Do it now Res High is a neon inkwell podcast Distributed by Rusty Quill And licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Shere Like 4.0 International License The series is written and created

by Brendan Connolly And directed by Lucy Ray This episode was edited with original music by Catherine Seton And mastered by Catherine Rinella It featured Olivia Hurst as Josie George Bunting as Dogwood Losser Gilbert as Reflex

Kazim Tosin Amore as head Beth Aylesbury as Libya Ryan Hope Fear Anderson as grown Christine Walsh as Mrs 7 Shahan Hamza as Kamit and William Kilgore as quartz A full list of cast and credits is available in the show notes

Neon Inquil is produced by April Sumner with executive producer Alexander J. Newell and showrunner Elizabeth Moffitt. To subscribe, view associated materials or join our patron visit RustyQuil.com write and reviewers online tweet us at the Rusty Quill.

Visit us on Facebook or email us at Mail at RustyQuill.com. Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed this episode, you can find the rest of Res High by following the link in the description or by searching for the neon inkwell feed, wherever you find podcasts. Thanks for listening. Hi, Alex here, founder and CEO of Rusty Quill Limited. In case you haven't heard, there is now a Magnus Archives novel. The Library of Juergen Lightner is set in the world of the Magnus Archives

and written by Nebula award-winning author, Premier Muhammad, with our very own Jonathan Sims. The story follows Hugh, a university dropout, desperate to find somewhere to belong and his new job at an esoteric library. The books he must investigate for the enigmatic Juergen Leitner are not normal, because the library is not a vault, sealed and silent, but a hive, alive, buzzing and ready to sting. The Library of Juergen Leitner releases October 27th, 2026, but you can pre-order it right now in the US and UK, from your local bookshop or by using the link in the episode description. If you live outside of the UK or US, you may be able to make an international order for this first publication, but it depends on individual retailers shipping policies.