The Magnus Archives - The Magnus Protocol 52 - Oversight

Episode Date: July 30, 2026

CATXXXX-XXXXXXXX-XXXXXXXXERROR (Unknown Source)Incident Elements:·   Being hunted·   Cleithrophobia (fear of confinement)·   Nyctophobia (fear of the dark)·   Death·   Grief·   Manipulation·   SFX: gunshotsTranscripts available at https://rustyquill.com/transcripts/the-magnus-protocol/You can find a complete list of our Kickstarter backers https://rustyquill.com/the-magnus-protocol-supporter-wall/Created by Jonathan Sims and Alexander J Newall  Directed by Alexander J NewallWritten by Alexander J NewallScript Edited with additional material by Jonathan SimsExecutive Producers April Sumner, Alexander J Newall, Jonathan Sims, Dani McDonough, Linn Ci, and Samantha F.G. Hamilton Associate Producers Jordan L. Hawk, Taylor Michaels, Nicole Perlman, Cetius d’Raven, and Megan Nice Produced by April SumnerFeaturing (in order of appearance) Peter Bramhill as Warden KaneBeth Eyre as The Archivist Shahan Hamza as Samama KhalidFrank Voss as Basira HussainSasha Sienna as Georgie BarkerDialogue Editor – Lowri Ann DaviesSound Designer – Tessa VroomMastering Editor - Catherine RinellaMusic by Sam Jones (orchestral mix by Jake Jackson) Art by April Sumner  SFX by Soundly, Catherine Rinella, and Freesound: contramundum, C-V, serøtōnin, Anthousai, breadparticles, martian, Department64, freemusicpromo, vataaa, Pjkasinski3, pawsound, ondondvo, sonicmariobrotha, BlondPanda, egomassive, danhelbling, addison42, SEF7, luksifox, kmash, as well as previously credited artistsSupport Rusty Quill directly by joining our new membership platform at members.rustyquill.com or on Patreon at patreon.com/rustyquillPre-order links for From the Library of Jurgen Leitner: https://rustyquill.com/novelCheck 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] The Magnus Protocol is a derivative product of the Magnus Archives, created by Rusty Quill Ltd. and licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Share alike 4.0For 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 folks, Shahan here, and today I'm here to tell you about From the Library of Yergen Lightner, an upcoming The Magnus Archives novel, releasing this October 27th. From the Library of Yergen Lightner is the first in a multi-book deal between Rusty Quill and Random Houseworlds. The book explores an infamous organisation from the Magnus Verse for the first time, the perilous private library of the enigmatic collector, Jürgen Lightner, where occult books are guarded and researched at a fatal cost. This novel, which is set before the events in the podcast, is written by the creator of the Magnus Archives, Jonathan Sims, and Nebula award-winning author Pramey Muhammad. In the winding, perilous halls of Yergen Lightner's library, you never know what you'll find.

A starving cookbook. A cloth-bound hardback that compels you to dig, dig, dig, dig. These books aren't more than simply unnerving. They're deadly. But the library keeps their dangers in check, and there would be readers safe. Also Leitner claims. For two of his employees, the risks are worth it. But will Hugh Franklin and Sebastian Everett find a way out,

or will the library consume them before it's too late? Step into a library where the lights are low and the pages bite. You can pre-order your copy of From the Library of Yergen Lightner now at www. rusticwill.com forward slash novel. Or go to the link in the description of this episode. The Magnus Protocol Episode 52 Oversight

Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit! Just tell me what you want! She'll listen to me! I can ever want! There's still something down there! Penoctagon! The benopticad! Some of it's still down there.

I can show you. I've been there. Beneath what's there. left at the old tower. Just let me live. You're him, right? The archivist. All the dreamers say the same thing. You're him and you're back to finish what you started. To get your revenge and give everything back to the nightmares. I used to be like you, okay? I kept a domain before Towerfall. No one knows it, but I fed the darkness and I could do it again. For you, it's where we belong. I can lead you there.

Afraid of the dark, built survival things from birth. Nonsense. You're only born after spending months in a dark womb. The average person spends something like 45 minutes a day in the dark behind their blinking eyes. We spend a third of our lives in the dark sleeping. So people think they're afraid of the dark. But they're not. It's the helplessness they're afraid of. It's knowing that there could be something there and you couldn't do anything about it.

Might not even know if it was right beside you. So that means if you want to make people afraid, if you want to really get under their skin, what you want is them to know they're about to be helpless. You want that last moment of the sunset when you notice the figure watching you from the horizon. that quick dart of movement just as you turn off the light. That moment of silence, just after you hear what's hunting you in the night. It's no wonder they would scream when I'd burst into their tent and beg them to turn out the light. I'd only get a glimpse of them before the darkness descended.

Mostly it was hobbyists or company retreats. Once it was military. Never any kids, though. Six people, now seven. crammed into a tent without even enough space to sit up, let alone stretch out. They would all ask questions, but I'd just hush them into silence, just as the figure was outlined on the tent wall. That always shot them up.

These people had no idea who I was, why I was there, what was going on, but it didn't matter, because right then, there was the shade of something they couldn't understand just on the other side of the canvas, and that meant they had already split the world into Oz inside and them outside. The moment would hang. The figure poised outside in the rain, unnaturally still and silent, and no one would move. No one would even breathe inside, and then it was gone. It didn't move off or duck away.

It just simply wasn't there anymore. A trick of the light, or should I say the dark? Nothing more. The tense canvas would flutter as everyone began to breathe again. And then would come the questions. Who was I? What was that? What did it want? Why was it here? What was going on?

And I'd give them the same answers as always. I don't know, but it's after us. One of them was a skeptic. One of them was always a skeptic. And it was almost always a man. He'd insist that this was just ridiculous. There's nothing to be afraid of. And the others would agree, but none of them ever suggested turning on the light

and risking exposing themselves to them outside. Eventually, I would invite him to step outside and see for himself, since there was nothing to be afraid of. And he would hesitate. But then pride would win out as it always does, and he'd step outside into the rain and the dark. They'd wait quietly for him to return. They'd be ready for him to scold them and mock them for their fears,

but by this point there was already a seed of doubt and you could tell that part of them was waiting for something else. A scuffle, a thump, a cry in the dark. Instead, they'd get nothing but the rain. I warned him, I would say. I had told them and they hadn't listened, but they'd be listening now. With one down and only six of us left, they had to. It didn't matter how I got there, who I was, who I was, what I was doing, all that mattered was that whatever was outside stayed outside and they would do anything to keep it that way. I'd normally start them off with taking an inventory. It was pointless of course.

All the gear was outside and they were too terrified by this point to risk reaching out and grabbing it. But they needed a distraction. A moment to pretend it was all going to be okay and I was happy to oblige them since it only made the realisation that they would have to go outside that much work. Then, on cue, the figure would return. And this time they weren't alone. There'd be a moment of tiny futile hope in the tent that maybe they were wrong.

Maybe it was the skeptic back with help. But it would pass just as quickly. The figures would be stood a little closer this time. Somehow a little more visible despite the deepening darkness. And it would be clear that whatever was stood outside wasn't one of us. Not anymore. And it wanted inside. But we all agreed that couldn't be allowed to happen, so someone else would have to go outside.

But who? Often someone would suggest a lottery at this point, but that's easy enough to deal with. You just say how it's about survival, and you can't risk losing essential skills picking people at random. And they all jump at the chance to hide in a system. Rationalizing grudges, shoring up alliances and pushing prejudices, all to make sure that they aren't last on the list. Soon enough they picked their victim And inevitably it would be the quiet one That never really belonged

But everyone else would be satisfied After all it was done logically Objectively Impersonally And we all agree it's for the best It's only fair Even in the dark You can see the white of their bare teeth

When they say it So out would go the quiet one to find help And everyone else would be feeling smug in their system until we hear something outside even over the rain. A tiny movement, a small gasp, just enough to let you know there were only five of us left, and three of them outside. Often the next one face in the outside proposed a vote or similar. Anything other than the system that's already damning them.

There'd be a discussion and if they were particularly persuasive, everyone would vote. Naturally, we all voted them out anyway, since none of us wanted to risk making enemies. The talker would try and get out of it, but they'd know it was too late. They'd been chosen twice over. They'd have to step outside. It's only fair. This time, when they step outside, there's no sound. But the tent moves just that little bit more than the rain or wind could manage.

Just enough to remind you it's just canvas. After all, when the four figures return, the air in the tent is running thick with fear. Each of the four of us inside has a counterpart waiting hungrily outside. And this is where things would turn ugly. The next one on the list is already expecting it. They know they can't hide in a system, can't talk their way out of it, can't convince the others to take their place. They spoke the loudest when we all agreed the list.

They have to go. It can get quite vicious before the middleman. forced outside, but it's only fair. Things normally slow down after that. The three of us inside will be outnumbered by the five outsiders, and it's too risky to talk. So we all just sit in silence, listening to the drumming rhythm of rain on canvas

and trying to watch one another, the next on the list, tightly gripping the blade they've readied for this moment. You'd think it would be the same as before, Two on one, majority rule, but that's when I make sure to stay out of it. They both know they never would have made it this far without me. After all, I'm the one that warned them. This is between the two of them. The next on the list normally wins that fight.

They were ready for it, whereas the leader was overconfident expecting my help. Either way, we pushed the loser out together. It's the least I can do after they got rid of them. It's only fair. It takes a while for the six figures to reappear outside. Enough time for us to think about what happens next. Two of us left inside, outnumbered three to one. Neither of us wants to risk another fight.

And if another one of us goes outside, the last one won't stand a chance. I remember there was one person who came over all noble, stepped outside on their own. No idea what happened to her. But for the rest of them, it's only a matter of time until they suggest we go outside together. watch each other's back. After all, we've made it this far together. I pretend to think it over, but I already know it's the only way it could go.

Besides, the truth is I was afraid to go out on my own. I knew what was waiting for me out there. We'd take some time to prepare, psych ourselves off. More time than we really needed, but finally, they'd step out first. I always made sure of that. And then I'd step out, and I'd have their back.

Only I wouldn't. Soon as we were outside, I would run. Hard as I could, not looking back. Sometimes I'd hear a cry of betrayal over the hammering storm, but most of the time I'd hear nothing at all. But that didn't matter, because I knew they'd already been claimed by what was waiting for us. I always hated that bit, that mad dash in the darkness on my own.

It was all I could do to keep running and keep my eyes focused on the next. tent, that little triangle of light in the oppressive dark and the shadows of the people moving inside, oblivious to what was following me to their door. I only looked back once, just as I got to the tent flap and readied myself to dive inside. I don't know what possessed me that time. There was nothing to see, but I sneaked to glance, just to glance. And when I did, there was a single stab of lightning down from the roiling sky, and for a moment I could see. There were tents, dotted across rolling grasslands, disappearing into the horizon, and amongst them stood the

figures, thousands upon thousands of them watching me, perfectly still, waiting for the darkness to return. And I recognised them, every one. After all, I was the one in the one. I was the one in put them out there. And the light failed and the thunder came. And I dove inside the tent, begging for them to turn out the light. You managed to shoot down range this time. So should I fetch the target or... No need. Right.

I can see you missed from here. Damn it! And I think I can guess why. Again. No. I want to try it again. I said no, Sam. Just give me another clip.

Not a chance. Goddammit! Stop! Piss off! You're the one who begged me to teach you to shoot at. Two in the morning? So maybe rain it in, yeah? Look, you want to learn to shoot?

Then pull your head out of your ass and talk about what's up. Then maybe we can get some more practice in. Or I can go to bed. You're cool. Cool. See you later. We're wasting time. You think so?

The Archivis is out there right now. It killed Alice and it's still out there. doing God knows what and no one is doing anything about it. And what do you want us to be doing? Something, anything! Alice is dead. She's dead because everyone was so busy worrying about whether the archivist was your old mate. And now the zone is pulling me back in and I'm...

I'm afraid. Of course you are. I would be too. No, not for myself. I'm afraid that I'm going to get sent back before I get to put the archivist in the fucking ground. And worse, it'll be straight. straight back into the shit with the person who sent me here in the first place. So I'm sorry if you think I've got an attitude problem.

But from where I'm standing, it's all of you who need to get a grip and step up. I agree. What? What? If this was back at my commune, we would have gone in hard from the start before it could find its feet. Exactly. But this isn't my commune. It's Georgie's operation, and she wanted to protect her people and play it safe.

Maybe that was the wrong call, or maybe I would have gotten even more people. people killed. The stakes are higher here. It's one of the reasons I didn't stay. So what? We just do nothing. No. We train, we prepare, and we make sure next time we face this thing, we're ready for it. I'm not going to lie, I was kind of expecting the whole vengeance won't bring you peace talk from you. Depends on vengeance. But either way, you're not going to make the shot if your hands are shaking. Sure. Too much anger will kill you. I've seen it happen. to talk about it? No.

It's funny. I'm not angry at Celia. Really? Yeah. I probably should be. She's the one that sent me into this mess, but I don't know. It's just not there. I just want to understand why, you know?

You're a good person, Sam. Thanks. But you've got a weak grip and you flinch on every shot. Then aren't I lucky you're teaching me to do you? Lucky you're teaching me to shoot. Fine. One more clip, but then I'm done for the night. Right, you reload this time.

And remember, slow is smooth, smooth as fast. Hold fire! What the hell are you two doing down here in the middle of the night? What's it looked like I'm doing? I've had wardens out looking for you. We thought you'd shifted into the zone again. Well, I haven't. Clearly.

Is there a reason you're teaching him to shoot in the middle of the night? Couldn't sleep. We talked about this, Becerra. You shouldn't be down here without a warden. What? You don't trust me. You know I do. Just not as much as a warden. I'm not doing this again. You had your chance to join me.

Yeah, and I told you, I don't do cop shit anymore. It's not cop shit. Someone needs to... You have to have a warden with you when you're down here. It's procedure. Only to keep track of how much ammo you're blowing through. Yeah, well, that would be easier if they're only about. I thought you said you were halting patrols in the zone until we figure out what the plan is. I did.

Everyone's on the perimeter keeping the dreamers back. What dreamers? More and more people have been turning up, trying to get into the zone. Seems like it's not just more active, it's calling to them and the stuff we've got locked in the vault. What stuff? I'll show you later. Why didn't anyone tell me? You were off brooding.

I wasn't brooding. You were? Whatever. So how does that effect is going after the archivist? Well, it means we don't have the numbers to try again in force. Damn it! But we'd basically already ruled that out. What?

Since when? Since we lost three wardens and a civilian in the last attempt We were lucky to get out of there alive, Sam But so what is the current plan? We're still figuring out logistics I've been trying to arrange for backup from some of the other warden posts But they're in the same boat Cool

Well in that case I'm sure you don't mind if me and Vesira keep shooting Since there's nothing else going on Look you've both made it pretty clear you don't like how I run things But I'm not about to risk that... Oh! Just stay out of trouble, both of you. We'll move as soon as we can. For God's sake, I'm coming. So how long do we wait for them to get their act together? Long enough for you to learn how to shoot.

Unless you fancy going in there and being it to death with your bare hands. Let's call that plan B. The Magnus Protocol is a podcast distributed by Rusty Quill and licensed under a Creative Commons attribution non-commercial, share alike 4.0 international license. The series is created by Jonathan Sims and Alexander Jane Yule and directed by Alexander J. Newell. This episode was written by Alexander Jain Newell and edited with additional materials by Jonathan Sims, with vocal edits by Loryan Davis, soundscaping by Tess of Rune, and mastering by Catherine Rinella, with music by Sam Jones.

It featured. Shahan Hamza as Samarma Khalid, Sasha Siena as Georgi Barker. with additional voices from Beth Eyre. The Magnus Protocol is produced by April Sumner, with executive producers Alexander Jane Yawall, Danny McDonner, Lynn C. and Samantha F.G. Hamilton. And associate producers Jordan L. Hawke, Taylor Michaels, Nicole Perlman,

Cetius de Raven, and Megan Nice. To subscribe, explore exclusive extras and enjoy early access ad-free episodes, visit members.com or join our Patreon. Rate reviews online, follow us on social media or email us at mail at rusty quill.com. Thanks for listening. 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 Leitner is set in the world of the Magnus Archives

and written by Nebula Award-winning author, Premi 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 Jürgen 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 Jürgen 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.