S3 E9: Following Leads and Making Connections

Michelle Kelly:

Enforcers have swarmed the Arclight in the aftermath of the odd goings-on during the Night of Gilded Birds. The scream came from a woman who upon regaining consciousness seems to have no memory of what happened, and whose skin is covered in pulsing tattoos. Mama Amoretta converses with her daughter, Yarrow, Arthur, and an Arcadia professor about these unusual uses of crystal, while JJ prompts an enforcer chase. And when distraction is needed, Zion takes a leap of love.

Kenzie Tartaglione (Game Master):

The new day dawns. The closing bartender at The Circus flips the number back to zero on the “since we've seen the sun sign” as she watches the hint of an actual sunrise over the horizon pinking the sky. A couple hours later, once she's in bed after the long night, the rest of the city begins to stir.

Mama, you awake in the bed in your home and you notice that it is sunny for the first time in a long time. And as you come more into consciousness, you can also hear some movement from downstairs in your kitchen.

Danielle Halen:

Mama kind of gets up and rubs her eyes and then does a little stretch and there's probably like some pops of joints here and there. She grabs her cane and slowly gets up. Then goes and re-does her bun for the day, fixing some of the strands to frame her face a bit better, and just washes her face. Adds just a simple amount of rouge and a nice, just a dark red, nice lipstick and lines her lips and stuff. And then she just goes and puts on her clothes for the day. Steps downstairs.

Kenzie (GM):

As you come down the stairs, Yarrow is up. She seems to have been up for quite a while. You can see past the kitchen table into the kitchen where it looks like half a pot of coffee already drank. She's wrapped in a wool-lined robe to keep out the night chill. But as you come down, she doesn't seem to hear you on the stairs as you descend. And when you do, you notice that some of your notes from the night before are spread out on the table in front of her.

Danielle:

Amoretta’s gonna kinda look over the notes and be like,

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Hey honey, why didn't you wake me up earlier?

Kenzie (GM):

She jumps in the seat when you speak, scrambling to cover the work and then realizing if any damage was done, it had already been done.

Kenzie (Yarrow):

Oh, mama, I'm sorry, please don't be mad.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Why would I be mad?

Kenzie (Yarrow):

I kind of went through your things, but I woke up in middle of the night and I just had a thought. Do you want a cup of coffee?

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

I'd appreciate that. So what's going on?

Kenzie (GM):

She pushes the chair out and walks around the table into the kitchen to grab you a mug and pour you a cup. And as she does so, she says,

Kenzie (Yarrow):

I had a hard time sleeping anyway last night, but I woke up and there's just something in the back of my head that I couldn't quiet. And so I came down here and I didn't really know what it was still. I just kind of sat, stared at nothing until it hit me. The runes here -

Kenzie (GM):

And she spreads the notes even further open, flips some pages to where you had marked down the runes that you had seen on Annie's arm. The runes that you remember seeing graffitied on some of the buildings in Cypher.

Kenzie (Yarrow):

So these runes, while unfamiliar, I mean, truly, I can't find an exact correlation anywhere, but what I did find is a pattern. Nothing that I can conclusively decipher, but a pattern nonetheless. Mama, I think it's a new alchemy language.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

I don't know much about alchemy, so you gotta tell me if that's like even a possibility normally?

Kenzie (Yarrow):

Okay, okay, yeah, of course.

Kenzie (GM):

Yarrow has just this bright look of intrigue about her, and her words are rushing together as she tries to explain to you this excitement in what she's found.

Kenzie (Yarrow):

Okay, so in this study of alchemy, runes are used to denote different materials, but they are also used in building equations for how these materials would function if joined. These runes follow, if not the same, then a similar type of equational pattern. Someone is trying to create a new language for something that no one has ever done before. The problem is I don't know the cipher for this language to figure out what?

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Huh. Geez, that's a hell of a revelation you just got upon there.

Kenzie (Yarrow):

Sometimes, you really just do need a good night's sleep.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Or a good cup of coffee.

Kenzie (Yarrow):

Or that.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

I mean, thank you, Yarrow. This is I think a real helpful connection you just made, and frankly, I didn't have the knowledge to make that kind of connection there, but... What does that have to do with the crystals, then?

Kenzie (Yarrow):

There are runic notations for known crystals. None of the runes here match up with any known crystal. So that's why I've hit my dead end.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

The crystals we saw before in the string, in the paint? Seen anything like that before, or is that-

Kenzie (Yarrow):

I've seen and I know of crystals in like their full just mined form, but- and I've of course seen them in certain technologies, but I've never seen someone make a fine harp string out of a crystal. I would assume that material would be way too hard to do something like that with. So if indeed that was devised from this runic language, then that is either... I think there are two options. One, somebody has created a different name for a known rune or sorry, a known crystal. Or somebody has found a new one.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Do you think that it's possible through alchemy that you can reshape objects, kind of like, you know, turning those crystals into strings or something?

Kenzie (Yarrow):

Yes and no. The normal crystals are too hard to be bent in that fashion, so when you see crystals used in other technologies or in weapons like that, they're usually either completely dissolved into like a liquid form of themselves, or they are a refined version of the actual thing. I have never dealt with something of an in-between nature, a crystal that is flexible.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Someone has to be real smart to be able to do something like this, and have some connections to be able to put it into like paints or instruments.

Kenzie (Yarrow):

And I don't, I mean the only connection there is art, but that's very vague. Instrument makers don't design or formulate paints.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

I'm not sure it's just art. I think it might be attacking young people specifically.

Kenzie (GM):

She gets a bit of a reserved look on her face remembering the moment from the night before.

Kenzie (Yarrow):

Yeah.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Because the established painter’s painting was fine, and the materials that were provided to these young artists who lost their opportunities was specifically targeted towards them. Those memories only triggered towards young people. The person that's been spraying around that graffiti was young.

Kenzie (Yarrow):

That's true. Annie was young.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Right. I'm not sure if that's the main note, but it's certainly a pattern worth at least looking at.

Kenzie (Yarrow):

I agree. I don't know - if there is a crystal out there that can so pointedly attack or harm or influence like that, then the people behind it have targeted attacks. Because you can make a sword or a weapon with any crystal out there for any means, and that can harm anyone. But if somebody is specifically looking at younger people, then there has to be a different reason for it.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Part of me is suspicious that might be a group I ran into before, but I don't have enough evidence to point the finger at them.

Kenzie (Yarrow):

What group would this be?

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

It was some, I don't know, weird cult folk? They managed to infiltrate Velvet Rose, and they had a member there.

Kenzie (Yarrow):

I'm sure the Velvet Rose is not too happy about that.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Oh, no, I don't think they were too happy about that, no. The masks were a white and gold color, and I think they called themselves the Faceless.

Kenzie (GM):

She gets into a thinking position, racking her brain for any information, if she's read anything of the sort.

Kenzie (Yarrow):

There's a lot of history of different groups wearing masks of some sort, but I don't know of any called that.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Must be a pretty underground group then, or a pretty new one, or both of those things.

Kenzie (Yarrow):

When did you run into this group exactly?

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Well, you know, Ms. Weatherby?

Kenzie (Yarrow):

Oh, that case.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

They were responsible for stealing whatever invention.

Kenzie (Yarrow):

So they're either like a month old? Or they've decided now was the time to show their faces?

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

I would assume with the kind of resources they had, now was the time. If you can infiltrate a group like Velvet Rose, you gotta have something on hand.

Kenzie (Yarrow):

What changed then though? There had to be an inciting factor.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Maybe money? I don't know. Maybe a new leader of some kind?

Kenzie (GM):

I think there are very few people who use your back door. There is one that you haven't seen in a bit. It's not weird for you not to have seen this man. He stays to the shadows. He only comes around when he thinks he needs to or when he thinks you might need him. So when you kind of look out to where the back door is through the pane of glass, you can see the tall, lean figure kind of abstracted through the glass of Veliko.

Danielle:

Amoretta will let him in, but she's going to wear an expression of slight confusion and surprise because he doesn't come around often and when he does it's always with something.

Kenzie (GM):

He swiftly slinks inside and waits for you to shut the door.

Kenzie (Veliko):

I know this is a bit weird. I don't usually come to see you in the daytime.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Well, usually you tend to show up bit earlier. Want some coffee or anything?

Kenzie (Veliko):

I would love some coffee actually, that would be great.

Danielle:

She’ll go and fix him a cup of coffee the way he likes it, because they've been friends for a while, so she would know what his preference for a cup of coffee is.

Kenzie (GM):

You've been friends with Veliko since pretty much you've married Dmitri and old friends. Sips the cup of coffee. Yarrow says,

Kenzie (Yarrow):

Uncle V, you have incredible timing.

Kenzie (Veliko):

Yes, so last night was interesting. An attack on the Arclight.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Yeah. Well, I guess news spreads around fast.

Kenzie (Veliko):

Does it spread fast or does it spread to the right places?

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

I suppose it's the same thing.

Kenzie (Veliko):

Well, I've heard some rumors about places you've been that I've been surprised to hear. People you've talked to. Situations you've been in. It's been enough years, Amoretta, but I can deduce your train of thought here. So I think I have something for you.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Okay, well, you certainly got my ear.

Kenzie (Veliko):

There's been some, aggressive discussions throughout the city. There's been, hmm... People are starting to get nervous. There's no easy way to put this, I suppose, but... There's been more people disappearing recently than have been reported. And knowing where our interests lie, I think it's important for you to know that. I thought it was a fluke at first. But some of them have been coming back. You met one last night, didn't you? They took her down to the department afterwards. Annie, Apparently that girl's been missing for months. Just didn't show up to work one day. No one knew where she was. Last night, some of her coworkers at the Arclight said that was the first time they'd seen her. She'd dropped off the face of the earth and just showed up again.

Danielle:

And even though she's not gonna say it out loud, there's both a hope and a horror at the fact that Dmitri might show up again. And she's not sure what to do about that situation.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

That might mean there's a lot more people in this together than we thought.

Kenzie (Veliko):

I had the same thought.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Someone's trying to keep people quiet out there.

Kenzie (Veliko):

Another interesting fact about it is that in the few cases that unable to dredge up. Either these people are in no state to talk or they don't have anything to say. You ask them about what happened and they don't have any memory of it. And of course people could be lying but if every single one of them says it, even if two people say it, something to think about.

Kenzie (GM):

Veliko has this very well kept short pushed up at the front into kind of like spikes and he kinda runs his hand through it and adjusts these round, like, yellow tinted glasses he has on his face.

Kenzie (Veliko):

And this might not be a thread that leads anywhere, I don't know.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

I'm happy to take any threads I it.

Kenzie (Veliko):

There's another thing, and I don't know if it's connected. There was no cultural, social connection between these people. But that's why I don't know if this would have anything to do with it, but there's been a new drug on the scene that's causing a bit of a stir because it's crystal cut. I haven't been able to get my hands on it yet. People have become a little bit wary of me lately. I've been asking a lot of questions. But it's been around now for a good part of this last year, if not longer. I don't know for sure.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Is it possible that most of these folks you talk to are kind of, you would say, younger in age?

Kenzie (Veliko):

There was the kid we all know of who's in the clinic currently still, unconscious. Annie’s fairly young in her twenties. There was Asa. He was a little bit younger than twenty. And then there was, Neum. And Neum, was... I think they were... They were on the later end of their twenties. I didn't get exact ages. I'm just going off of looks. But that kid in the hospital, I think he's also younger than twenty,

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Yeah, that's real interesting.

Danielle:

And she's gonna kind of exchange a look with her daughter because now they have more evidence that it's youth being attacked.

Kenzie (Yarrow):

Uncle V, do you know if any of the people that you talked to had weird strange symbols on their body?

Kenzie (Veliko):

Oh, well, come to think of it, yeah. I mean I didn't ask anybody to strip down or anything but Asa had some weird black ink markings on his temple.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Interesting. Any of it kinda look a bit like this?

Danielle:

And she's gonna lift up her notebook that she has the sketch page on and show it?

Kenzie (GM):

He spreads these long thin fingers over the page like

Kenzie (Veliko):

I couldn't like point out what ones for certain or anything but they look - they look alike definitely.

Danielle:

Amoretta’s just gonna kind of like rub her chin as she looks over everything with this new given information and is kind of helping her hone in on the motive and she needs to figure out who would target these people. It's probably the Faceless again, but she needs that evidence before she can just be like, bam, it's these guys.

Kenzie (GM):

Veliko goes and sets his mug on the kitchen table next to all these papers.

Kenzie (Veliko):

Alright, well, I gotta get out of here before I'm missed. I don't want to bring any unwanted attention to you. If you're really looking into to this, you're gonna have enough on yourself as - more on yourself than you'll need. You don't need all of this. So if you need me, I'll be around like always, but I don't want to keep coming around. I don't want to draw unwanted attention to you.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Right, well, know, if you need a place to lie low I’ve got some spots.

Kenzie (Veliko):

Actually, that might be nice. Again, I've been asking a lot of questions and some people are getting not too happy with me.

Danielle:

Amoretta will give Veliko a few spots because also, you know, some people come probably for like the equivalent of witness protection. Where like they're really scared to talk about what's going on and they need a place to hide. So Amoretta likely has places she knows of or places set up for those kinds of situations so, Veliko would likely know where to go as this probably isn't the first time she's given him a space like that.

Kenzie (GM):

He puts his hand on your shoulder as he's going to leave and he looks you in the eye and he says,

Kenzie (Veliko):

This is stirring some stuff up, okay? I'm not done looking.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Right, well, be careful when you start poking around, okay?

Kenzie (Veliko):

Of course.

Kenzie (GM):

He takes his leave.

Yarrow has sat down in a chair during this and leans back a little bit and watches it happen.

Kenzie (Yarrow):

I never know whether to be scared of that man or very excited to see him.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

I mean, both is usually a pretty good sentiment given the news he usually drops on us.

Kenzie (Yarrow):

You're right about that.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Now we've got a lead of where to look, which is drug dealers, and I doubt they're gonna give me a second glance.

Kenzie (Yarrow):

Mama, do you have the phone number, the address of that young man I spoke - Arthur. We had talked about some things last night and I know he said he was willing to help despite... well. But I would like to maybe discuss some of this with him. If he actually worked with Viola Weatherby of all people, he might have some more insight than I do on the actual inter-workings of alchemy and hacking.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Yeah, I can get you guys in connection. I mean, y'all already met, so you can just tell them who it is.

Kenzie (Yarrow):

Yeah a phone number or an address, either one. I think that would be very helpful in maybe further figuring this puzzle out.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Right, right. Figuring out the puzzle.

Danielle:

And Amoretta is gonna squint slightly, like quietly assessing, like, is this more than just, I am helping you with the case? Is this an excuse to see someone also? That's what she's trying to figure out right now.

Kenzie (GM):

I think that you see in Yarrow’s face complete academic interest, but your daughter has never necessarily been one to be super romantically forward, but every time that has happened, it has always started like this.

Atlas Mathews:

It’s the morning and JJ enters her own apartment through the front door in the clothes that she was wearing the day before. She looks very tired, but also a little on edge. Gets in and just like slams the door behind her, leans up against it, and then slowly slides down and just rubs her eyes.

Kenzie (GM):

You realize that you haven't seen your apartment with the light of the sun in it for a wildly long time. And right now, through the window streams the early morning light, gentle sun.

Atlas (June July August):

Oh, we’re in a deep one, JJ.

Atlas:

And I think she'll get up, she'll rifle through what she may or may not have in her cabinets looking for something to make, not a meal, but a morning snack out of, and finds probably some crackers and maybe a can of soup or something she can throw on. There's definitely dead milk in the fridge that she has to throw out.

Kenzie (GM):

As the soup boils on the stove, JJ goes over to a small radio on the counter and turns it on.

Atlas:

I think she thinks back to last night, going back to Zion's place, sharing a few more kisses, sharing a few drinks, and then falling asleep together on the couch. as they got just so exhausted and when she woke up looking up at Zion who was already awake and just kind of smiling down at her and feeling ice start like from the bottom of her feet and slowly work up to her stomach as she realizes the decision that was made so quickly and puts on a smile.

Atlas (JJ):

That was honestly a really great night. I, oh god, I have to go back to my place and shower and get ready we have a whole new case that we just got and I have to explain to your mom -

Kenzie (Zion):

Comes here.

Kenzie (GM):

And you are looking down at the long, tall, muscular body of Zion, still in the clothes from the night before, though they're rumpled a little bit from sleeping on the couch. His eyes are hazy with sleep, almost fully closed, but can hear you and like turns his head as he says this and a hand comes up to motion you closer to him.

Atlas:

And she'll lean in closer, smiling.

Kenzie (GM):

He continues to use his finger to motion you down into close enough where he can like very quickly leave a peck on your lips and says,

Kenzie (Zion):

It's too early to talk. Okay? I’m glad you were here.

Atlas (JJ):

You are right, it is too early to talk. I had a great time.

Atlas:

And she'll lean down and like give him another peck and then hop up, put on her boots.

Kenzie (Zion):

Hey!

Kenzie (GM):

And as you kind of moved away from the couch, you watch as he like kind of crawls his long body up more onto it.

Kenzie (Zion):

Get home safe.

Atlas (JJ):

You too. I- Uh-huh.

Atlas:

And she’ll run away.

Kenzie (GM):

Come back out of this reverie of the morning, seeing that the soup has started to bubble on the stove.

Atlas (JJ):

Oh, shit, shit, shit.

Atlas:

And she'll like jump up and runs over, turns the heat off on the stove and like tries to stir it and then like drops the spoon into the like pot making the soup and has to get like a different spoon is trying to like fish it out and like burn like grabs it burns her hand a little.

Atlas (JJ):

(Gasps)

Atlas:

And then finally like pours it into a bowl and somehow by that time it's like not hot anymore Sits down with some lukewarm soup to just kind of like,

Atlas (JJ):

Ahhhh, everything is fine. Everything is fine. I am happy and there's nothing more to that.

Kenzie (GM):

Do you think, during your evening with Zion, that possibly your feelings bar would have moved up?

Atlas:

Yeah, and then I would also argue that it probably also increased from this morning.

April Consalo:

Jo is sitting, sleeping at her kitchen table. There are notes and various gadgetry. No food, no drink on her kitchen table. Just work. And Jo wakes up with a start when the phone rings, a small piece of paper stuck to her cheek that she has to peel off. Still in last night's clothes, but quite rumpled. Half of her short hair is like sticking straight up. I think she is maybe just looking at a lot of like any plans that she has accumulated over the years that like aren't her own or anything that ever had like a place to utilize a crystal as like a power source, just doing like a general research and also any gadgets that she has on hand that produce sound. I think she would just kind of be like studying how they work, taking them apart and putting them back together. And she kind of stumbles over to the phone.

April (Joanna Gilmore):

(Clear throat) Uh, hello? Hello.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Hey Jo, just wanted to make sure you were alright. Got back home last night. That's good. We just uh, obviously got a bit separated towards the end there.

April (Jo):

Yes, I'm fine. just - o you...should I come in? Do you need me? Has there been any new information?

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

We definitely got some, maybe some new developments from a friend that dropped by, gave some help, but I mean, if you're not feeling too well, you don't have to drop by in the morning. You can rest if you need.

April (Jo):

Oh, no, no, I'm... No, I don't need rest. I'm totally fine. I will be there in just a moment.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

I'll fix you a cup when you come to the office so you got a little pick-me-up when you arrive.

April (Jo):

Thanks, Mama.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Of course. I'll see you in a bit.

April (Jo):

See you.

Kenzie (GM):

And as you are walking up to the building, coming from the opposite direction, you see JJ walking up to the building.

April:

Just based on leg length, Jo arrives a little sooner, uses her key, opens the building. So by the time she gets it open, JJ is there. And she just kind of holds the door open with like one arm over JJ's head.

April (Jo):

Morning.

Atlas (JJ):

Good morning! I am here.

Atlas:

And then two stairs at a time. She has to get in the office and get changed before anyone notices what she is wearing.

April:

As JJ kind of runs away from her, does like this side long glance and as she shuts the door and heads up after her just says,

April (Jo):

Nice jacket.

Atlas (JJ):

Thanks. Zion left it in my car.

April (Jo):

Right in your car. Well I hope you had a brilliant evening.

April:

And with the most like shit eating grin manages to pass her on the stairs.

Kenzie (GM):

You push the door open and pretty quiet in here. As you push the door open, you hear a lovely little meow as Boomie comes to meet you at the door.

Atlas:

All clothing things are forgotten. JJ goes down to him,

Atlas (JJ):

I'm so sorry I didn't come home last night! I'm so sorry!

Atlas:

And like, he is like a- he was fed. He is absolutely fine.

Atlas (JJ):

Oh baby!

Kenzie (GM):

In your arms and getting pets and preening and all of that love and you see that the door to a Mama's office is like open but like halfway but you can hear papers and rustling inside of it.

Danielle:

She’s gonna kind of look up from her papers and you'll see she has like a little bit of those like kind of like chain glasses you have because you know she's getting older she has to get those reading glasses and so she kind of she kind of peers over them a little bit and goes,

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Oh, y'all are here well…

Danielle:

She stands up from the desk and hands a drink to both JJ and Jo.

Atlas:

Half a cup of hot chocolate and half a cup of coffee and then like a bunch of like whole

April:

Jo’s is a black coffee and a blueberry muffin.

Atlas:

Chocolate croissant!

Danielle:

So Mama gonna kinda have like stuff and notes that she's taken from the night before and like revised this morning and talked about with her daughter, and Veliko, kind of all spread out. She's gonna go,

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Okay, so I have my suspicions as to who I think is the responsible party for such things, but until I get evidence, I can't say in good conscience, it's the same thing. For now, I know for a fact that they're using the same symbols we saw down in Cypher. They're definitely targeting young people. They're using the crystals somehow and messing with them in some type of way so they gotta have some connection to somebody who can, you know, do something with that and that's someone real smart with some really fancy technology. Something that I was told by a friend, which is mighty helpful and I'm gonna need y'all's help for this cause it ain't gonna work out well for me trying to get this, but I'm gonna need y'all to try and contact some drug dealers about some new drug on the street if we think it's containing some of these crystals and I need to get a sample of that so we can try and send it to the professor and see if that can get broken down and analyzed in a way and we can figure out who's dealing it, who's distributing it because maybe if we find the distributors for this new little thing, we might be able to find the people responsible for the attack on Arclight.

April (Jo):

Well, that should be easy. I mean, half the people at The Circus on any given day are drug dealers or consumers.

Atlas (JJ):

I can start on the paperwork for the case.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Yeah, I mean we're probably gonna need to get that invoice set up just to at least guarantee we get compensated for our work.

Atlas (JJ):

I need to go -

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Of course, I’m not implying that those -

Atlas (JJ):

Oh, no, no I -

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

-in the upper city aren’t going to pay their dues it’s just better to be safe than sorry.

Atlas (JJ):

They try not to all the time, so it's completely understandable. I just also have dinner to go have with a person. I don't know why I'm being coy about it. It's my friend and you know my friend and I actually have to pee really bad. I've just remembered. Look over there!

Atlas:

And JJ reaches under the couch. No one looks, definitely. Grabs a clear container full of clothes and drags it into the bathroom and closes the door.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

I don't know why she feels the need to be so secretive about that, but I'm gonna just let her do it. Honestly, she'd be saving a lot more money if she just stopped paying rent for an apartment she doesn't use.

April (Jo):

Yeah, you know, paying for an apartment that you're barely in is not exactly a smart business move. But, you know, we have to let JJ do her thing.

Danielle:

She’ll kind of drum her fingers across the desk for a moment and then take a sip of her morning latte and just kind of goes,

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

So I noticed you got separated from us last night. Is there anything I need to be briefed on about that or is it personal business?

April (Jo):

Honestly, it was mostly personal, but I believe we are on the right track. The Velvet Roses are on edge.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

It's not surprising given that somebody freaking infiltrated their group. Usually tends to make groups like that real on edge. They don't know who to trust, they don't know who's a part of what now. They don't know how high up it goes.

April (Jo):

Well they definitely don’t trust Jack.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

I ain't none too fond of Jackie, but, you know, Jackie needs a place to lay low for a while. I got some spots and you can let them know about that.

April (Jo):

Thank you, I will let Jack know the next time I see her.

April:

I think that she's able to deliver the business in a business-like fashion, but I think that when she says “the next time I'll see her”, some hurt comes across her face. Quickly covered with a bright smile of confidence. You can tell from like a little shaking of her leg that she already is wanting to get a move on from this conversation.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Either way, mean, it be best to go on separate routes with JJ for this. My daughter Yarrow was planning on meeting up with Arthur to discuss it.

April (Jo):

Oh! Absolutely, yes.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

I don't know if he wanted to prioritize getting those runes investigated or trying to pick up on getting some of the samples that might be helpful for us.

April (Jo):

I think it would be best if the... if I arrive at The Circus at a better time. It's a little early for most of the burnouts. So... I think I'll go there this evening, but is Yarrow already on her way?

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Well, I mean, you can call her up and let her know that you're interested in joining up, but I'm sure that y'all can probably get that done rather quickly. She has Arthur's contact information. You got Arthur's contact information.

April (Jo):

Perfect. Thank you.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Yeah, of course. I appreciate y'all helping out.

April:

Jo grabs her mug of coffee and walks over to the phone in the other room. While Mama probably doesn't make out the exact words. She can hear a general excitement and eagerness. Within just a few moments, Jo's already hanging up the phone and mobilized and ready to go. And so when she comes back in, she downs the rest of her coffee and takes a huge bite of her muffin.

April (Jo):

Right. actually we're going to go now. So, you can just tell JJ -

Kenzie (GM):

At this moment JJ walks out of the bathroom.

April (Jo):

- that I'm leaving. So, see you later, I'm sure.

Atlas (JJ):

Will we?

April (Jo):

And let me know if there are any developments.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Good luck and be safe.

April (Jo):

Always!

Atlas:

Rolls her eyes and then looks up at mama and is like holding the like clear container and just like drops it and is like

Atlas (JJ):

I totally forgot to brush my teeth!

Atlas:

And then takes a step back into the bathroom and closes the door

Kenzie (GM):

Mama Amoretta goes to the clinic in Cypher, the one where before Rose Weatherby ever showed up, another case was wrapped. It wasn't a hard one until the end. For weeks, the storefronts in The Bridge had been vandalized. Glass streaked with glue and paper in weird distortions. Lamplight Investigative Services tracked the trail, found the culprit. A young individual who lived in Cypher. Very swiftly, it became obvious that he was addled. Mumbling, stringing together sentences that didn't make sense, eyes jumping, unable to focus. It was as if he couldn't hear you. And it was no one's fault. Really. He didn't jump. None of you pushed him. But he fell. Slipped off the grating platform that ran alongside the upper floor of an old trolley factory. And while the shopkeepers were glad they didn't have to keep stripping their windows each morning, no one in Cypher was happy that the young man was laying unconscious in the clinic.

And he has been laying unconscious in the clinic for months now. His family keeping vigil at his bedside hoping. That's not the first case that ended with a hangup. That probably is the first case that ended up in a hangup as consequential as that. Mama Amoreta has heard of now a couple other people disappearing or a couple other people addled, a couple other people having these runes associated with them. And so she goes to the clinic in Cypher and she goes to find Antonio, her brother. And when you come in the staff recognizes you and the nurse at the front desk says

Kenzie (Nurse):

He’s no better off than he was.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Well, sorry to hear that. Might have found something a bit related to him. I don't know if it's gonna create any improvements though, but better than nothing.

Kenzie (Nurse):

If you need to go see him, you’ll be more than welcome. His family is praying for people to come visit.

Kenzie (GM):

And she kind of gestures down a hallway towards a room for you to go to. You walk down to a room on the side of a hallway that is all by itself. The name Varuni stands out on the placard outside indicating whose room this is. And when you walk in, you see truly what you saw the first time you walked in here. You see Varuni unconscious, seemingly asleep on a bed. And the only difference in the room is that his parents are in here right now and they are sitting to the side. It almost looks like in a sense that they're trying to bide their time. Like they're here because their son is here. They can't do anything about it. There's nothing they can do to stop whatever is happening or to heal it or to make it end. So his father has a book in hand and his mother is on the phone talking to somebody.

Danielle:

Amoretta’s gonna quietly walk in, carrying a plate of baked goods in hand. She's gonna quietly set it by the nightside table and just kinda give a look over at the kid. She's no doctor but she vaguely understands vitals, probably more than the average person thanks to Antonio and the nature of her job now that just demanded that knowledge. Seeing that he's not improved but also ideally not gotten worse.

Kenzie (GM):

They’re fine, in the sense that he should not be unconscious. They're fine to the point that no one knows why he has not woken up yet. Crawling across his skin like you saw with Annie, these ink-like runes. On Annie, they were coming up from her wrists and her arms. For Varuni, they're coming up his neck over his chin. They come up to like halfway up his cheeks, and then it almost looks like it's a spool of thread that like goes back to the beginning and starts again.

Danielle:

Amoretta might take out her notebook she has to like capture the images of this room as well,

Kenzie (GM):

Yeah.

Danielle:

-just in case there's any differences. It's just best to get as many samples as we can because if it is a ciphered language, we're gonna need as many symbols as possible.

Kenzie (GM):

There’s a knock on the door as you're kind of in the middle of writing this down. Antonio, who you unfortunately haven't seen in a while simply because of his work schedule.

Kenzie (Antonio):

They told me you were here.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Yeah, wanted to check in on him and learned something that might be related to, well, what's going on.

Kenzie (Antonio):

You do know that this wasn't your fault, right?

Danielle:

You kind of see the conflict on Amoretta's face where like, logically, she completely understands this was of course not at all her fault. But like, emotionally, there's that clinging guilt of being like there's something I could have done differently though. Maybe I could have like held on to him like the whole time or something like just thinking about things she should have done to ensure maybe that this wouldn't have happened to him because she sees the parents are kind of stuck grieving in this unknown state of their kid and she definitely knows what it feels like to have your loved ones in a state of limbo.

Kenzie (Antonio):

Good, because it's not, no one could have foreseen this. I've never seen anything like it. And the fact that others now come in with the same thing. Amoretta its… I don’t know how to help these people.

Danielle:

Amoretta’s gonna kinda like look to Varuni’s parents and just say,

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

If y'all want any baked goods to help, you know, sweeten the sadness, you got some over there.

Danielle:

And she's just gonna lightly gesture and maybe like kind of pull her brother just outside the clinic so they can talk more privately cause this is something maybe the parents don't want to necessarily hear.

Kenzie (GM):

You’re right, he’s probably broken protocol a little bit by saying that in front of these individuals.

Kenzie (Antonio):

Sorry, sorry, yeah,

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

No, no, I-I-I get it, and I appreciate it.

Kenzie (Antonio):

It's been a tense couple weeks here.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Yeah, I heard y'all have been busy, to say the least, with what's been coming out, but...

Danielle:

She’s gonna lower her voice a bit, she's gonna be like,

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

I'm starting to see a bit of pattern between these things. It's all young folks, right? That have been coming in with those strange rooms?

Kenzie (Antonio):

Yeah, but other than that, there’s no physical connection.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

You test them for drugs?

Kenzie (Antonio):

One of the first things we do.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Well, there's a new drug on the street. I'm gonna try and get a sample of it. Because apparently that has some interesting things that are connected to something else I'm looking at right now. It's got, these weird magic, I don't know, crystals inside of it.

Kenzie (Antonio):

If you can get me a sample, I'll test it.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

I mean might be worth looking into if that's what all these folks are suffering from, you might be able to find an antidote.

Kenzie (Antonio):

We're reaching limit here in these cases that we don't know what's happening.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Right.

Kenzie (Antonio):

We have to find a solution because otherwise…

Kenzie (GM):

And then he kind of stirs off into the distance for a moment.

Kenzie (Antonio):

Otherwise, Amoretta, I have to start choosing who lives and who dies.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

If there's something I can do to make sure you don't have to make those decisions, I'm gonna try real hard. It's not easy and I don't envy your position right now, but everyone's grateful, I'm sure, for doing what you can for these folks.

Danielle:

She’ll grab his hand and squeeze it.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

And you can help yourself maybe some of those baked goods too. I can get you a separate plate if you want.

Kenzie (Antonio):

I haven't had dinner. I'll grab one on my way out.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

You need to eat more.

Kenzie (Antonio):

I need to save people more.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Well, you can't do that in an empty stomach.

[ad break begins]

Kenzie:

Pardon the interruption, but here’s another show we think you’d like.

5 GMs in a Trenchcoat is back and this time with season 3, as GM Tamlynn uses Dungeons and Dragons 5e for her story.

Imagine the stench of ear. Of sweat. And of blood. Cold stone beneath your palm as you feel your way down an impossibly dark and endless hallway. Here there’s as much fear as there is isolation. And as much hopelessness as there is violence. Or at least fantasies of it.

Join Kalan Amores-Caldwell played by Adam Gonzalez, Rin Sado played by Kim Tsuyuki, Two and a Half Horns played by Jessie Espinoza, and Andre Madison played by Tanner Sherlock as they navigate the Kingdom of Milton and the horrors that await them.

“So you guys here like an alarm bell. [alarm bell noise]. All the doors go sha-dunk. And you also hear like ssssssssss coming from the ceiling.”

5 GMs in a Trenchcoat is a TTRPG actual play podcast where five friends take turns weaving stories with the tabletop game of their choice each season. With new episodes out every Monday, wherever you get your podcasts.

“We are in Silent Hill. It was just a joke before!”

Kenzie:

You can find the links to this show in the description box below.

[ad break ends]

Kenzie (GM):

So Arthur lives in Nova, not like directly by the university, but in the same general area of the university. When you talk to Yarrow about meeting up and joining forces, she mentions the Q&A cafe. You pull out front and you notice that the outside of it looks super grungy and gives you more of the vibes of like a neighborhood dive bar than like a cafe coffee shop place.

April:

Jo takes her helmet off and locks up her bike and kind of slightly side-eyes everyone on the sidewalk outside of this place.

Kenzie (GM):

Not that everybody in Nova is super rich, but there's 100 % a difference in culture between Nova and Cypher that is apparent even in just the way people carry themselves.

April:

For a second, her eyes like need to adjust because it's not like it's bright daylight outside, but it's so dim that Jo actively wonders if they have like painted over any windows to make sure that there would be no light let in.

April (Jo):

Huh, edgy.

Kenzie (GM):

Yarrow is already there. She's chosen a booth. She has on just this like frock and skirt that just scream like academia and education, but they themselves are not like actually like rich in material. It almost feels like you're looking at somebody putting on a front to fit in in the place that you are in, though nobody else in this cafe seems to be of an academic nature. Little vest buttoned up to the top has two books spread out in front of her. There are two cups of something on the table as well.

April:

Jo looks at her outfit and compares it with everyone around the room and kind of just does like a laugh through her nose. But it is charming that she's trying, trying to be like blend in with the students. And so when she approaches, she can't help but crack a joke.

April (Jo):

Oh, did you just come from study group?

Kenzie (GM):

When Yarrow looks up at this joke, what does she see Jo looking like?

April:

Jo is wearing high-waisted, baggy as hell, black leather pants with like a bunch of pockets and chains and things dangling off of them. The sort of pants that like when she walks she like makes a sound and a dark blue button up as well but not buttoned to the top of course. Her rings. And in her deep pockets there is a dagger just in case. She always has a little weapon on her. But overall kind of a subdued look for Jo. This was her way of blending in.

Kenzie (Yarrow):

You don't seem to have the same qualms.

April (Jo):

I tend to stand out wherever I go.

Kenzie (GM):

A very quick gesture of like, sit across from me happens.

April:

Jo obliges.

April (Jo):

So -

Kenzie (Yarrow):

So -

April (Jo):

(Laughs)

Kenzie (Yarrow):

(Laughs)

April (Jo):

I do wonder if we can trust Arthur.

Kenzie (Yarrow):

Oh?

April (Jo):

Did your mother tell you how we met him?

Kenzie (Yarrow):

No, um, what I know is he was a wonderful party guest last night so we had a wonderful conversation. He brought up a lot of interesting theories and ideas and i learned this morning that he may be in possession of crystals and I thought maybe he would be able to help me divulge all of this.

Kenzie (GM):

And she kind of gestures at the notes in front of her which you can see even upside down are runes, you recognize them as that type of thing. But I will say like looking at them you can't make sense of them either. You’re just as at a loss to this type of runic language as she is.

April:

Jo kind of like takes her fingers and like spins the papers that they are facing the right way towards herself.

April (Jo):

Well, we did meet him under rather unfortunate circumstances. He, at least for me, was a suspect in our last case. He was cleared. He didn't have anything to do with it, but he's smart, you know? He’s connected to a specific world and I simply wonder if these crystals have so much power why does he have so many of them? However if you enjoyed him as a party guest I do wonder… did you flirt with him? Will that be useful for us?

Kenzie (GM):

I guess roll figure out a person so 2d6 plus your wit.

April:

I got a 12.

Kenzie (Yarrow):

Well, I met Arthur last evening. That was the first time we've ever met. He seems to be a lovely individual. He seems very intelligent, has a lot of professorial inclinations.

April (Jo):

Right. Well, you yourself are quite intelligent.

Kenzie (Yarrow):

Oh, indeed. I’m a little bit older than him. Have been through the same rigorous training but I find him fascinating in an academic stance and I understand that your and my brother's friends have a conflicting relationship currently.

April (Jo):

Hmm. Well, I simply wanted to know if we had another tool to use at our disposal. But that's quite alright. Although I suppose it matters more if he likes you than if you care for him.

Kenzie (Yarrow):

I am not in the business of manipulation. I like Arthur as a person and I have no idea what his thoughts are to me. I simply thought he would be a good source of information for us in this job, as you and my mother would call it.

April:

Jo kind of leans back and studies Yarrow and rubs her face for a moment.

April (Jo):

I apologize. I wasn't... I was never trying to put anything on you or even accuse you of such machinations. I simply... I do hope you don't think ill of me for thinking this way. I simply know what is useful and pretty face is often useful in an investigation.

Kenzie (GM):

Yarrow leans forward so that like her elbows are on the table. One hand comes up to rest her chin upon as she looks at you. Moves her hand over, grabs her little cup and says,

Kenzie (Yarrow):

That one's for you. I hope it's to your liking.

Kenzie (GM):

And takes a sip of it and puts it down.

April:

What is it?

Kenzie (GM):

It looks to be just like. You see that there is like sugar and milk on the table but in the coffee cup itself. It be just black coffee.

April:

Jo looks at it, sort of matches Yarrow’s stance and says,

April (Jo):

Perfect, you do seem to know some things about me.

Kenzie (GM):

And as Yarrow sets the cup back down and kind of pulls back.

Kenzie (Yarrow):

I hope you don't take this in the wrong way.

April (Jo):

I’ll try not to.

Kenzie (Yarrow):

It would be greatly appreciated on my part and that of the others involved. I don't think ill of you at all. But I have been -

Kenzie (GM):

And there's a soft smirk that comes across your face.

Kenzie (Yarrow):

I have been abridged of you.

April:

Jo looks at her with a very quizzical but entertained look and a slow grin forms across her face and as she leans in she sort of takes on this like conspiratorial tone.

April (Jo):

And might I ask who exactly was keeping you up to date on me?

Kenzie (GM):

Yarrow doesn't lean in, but she does not shy away from you. She simply just responds,

Kenzie (Yarrow):

Well, my mother, who knows you the best, I would suppose, from what I've learned.

April (Jo):

Of course, yes. Your mother does see me most often, but sometimes at my worst.

Kenzie (Yarrow):

Jo, I'm not here to judge. I simply think that you should know that I know of you if we're going to work together. It's better for you to understand that I'm aware of...

April (Jo):

My reputation.

Kenzie (Yarrow):

Sure, but I'm most likely immune to your tricks.

April (Jo):

(Chuckles) I see, I see.

April:

Jo has this grin on her face and if there's something that Jo loves, it's a challenge. And so she kind of tilts her head to the side and reaches over and brushes some stray hair out of Yarrow's face and tucks it slowly behind her ear.

April (Jo):

Darling, I haven’t used any tricks on you yet.

Kenzie (GM):

I do need you to roll me to entice.

April:

It’s a seven.

Kenzie (GM):

You easily see that there's a flush to her skin but despite that she fights past it she doesn't move completely out but she like moves a little bit so it's harder for you to reach.

Kenzie (Yarrow):

(Clears throat) I think that i don't know him but he's the best source of information that's what i think.

April (Jo):

Right.

Kenzie (Yarrow):

Arthur seems to be the currently best source of information about crystal. I am a historian, so I know a lot about a lot, but there are very few things that I know in depth about. I guess I would just hope that he would deem it plausible to share with us the things that he knows, but from what I understood from him last night, I don't see why he wouldn't.

April:

Jo sees that Yarrow like slightly pulls away from her and while she's assured that Yarrow is on her side, she's curious about her now in a human way.

April (Jo):

Well, good. I would hope that we can have each other's backs. But while we're here, I do wonder, how do you feel about what your mother told you about me?

Kenzie (Yarrow):

I suppose that's a question I have to ask back to you, which is, do you really want to know?

April (Jo):

I think I should if we are going to continue this partnership.

Kenzie (Yarrow):

I feel like I know somebody that I don't actually know. I feel like I'm now in a position to assume things about you that may not be true, which is why I try not to. And I don't mean that in a wrong way, I just mean like, I feel like I... that there are questions I could ask you that I already know the answer to, so why would I ask them of you? Why would I waste both of our times? I don't think… what do you think my mother told me?

April (Jo):

Ooh, I wish I had a stronger drink for this. I... can't imagine it was anything good. She probably told you that I... barely sleep, barely eat, spend most of my time overworked.

Kenzie (Yarrow):

Well thank you for telling me these things. But no. My mother has not wanted to divulge your deepest, darkest secrets. The things you told me about you were related to work.

April (Jo):

Mmmm.

Kenzie (Yarrow):

Not to your personal life. To an extent stories become figments of imaginations for people who don't know and so I suppose I've created stories about you may or may not be true, but my mother is not a gossip so I know what I need to know and none of it paints you in a light that I would not want to be involved with.

April (Jo):

And how would you feel if we truly got to know each other?

Kenzie (Yarrow):

I suppose that would depend.

April (Jo):

On?

Kenzie (Yarrow):

What way you mean? I just think it’s odd to try get to know someone that I probably know more about them than they know about me.

April (Jo):

That's true. I don't know much about you. I know that you're quite intelligent, very pretty, well composed, curious.

Kenzie (GM):

The blush turns into a deeper shade of red.

April (Jo):

All of these very positive traits so perhaps we can be friends? I don't have many.

Kenzie (Yarrow):

I don't think there was any question on that.

April (Jo):

That I don't have any friends.

Kenzie (Yarrow):

No, that we could be friends.

April (Jo):

Good. However, perhaps we should establish what I should not do. How could I get you to like me? And I'll be sure to do exactly the opposite.

Kenzie (Yarrow):

You want me to hate you?

April:

Jo winks.

April (Jo):

Might be better if you're at least mildly annoyed with me. That tends to be the default for everyone in my life.

Kenzie (Yarrow):

Well, sorry about that, because I don't hate you currently.

April (Jo):

If I wanted to keep you away from me, what would I need to do?

Kenzie (GM):

And she is very off put immediately, like scrambling to find an answer for you.

Kenzie (Yarrow):

I do know a lot. I've studied a lot. So I am not very happy when people second guess my knowledge, but Jo, don't change.

April (Jo):

Couldn't if I tried.

April:

Jo does kind of avert her gaze for a moment and leans back and her body language just shifts slightly to be more closed off.

April (Jo):

Right, so do we have an appointment with Arthur?

Kenzie (Yarrow):

I have an address.

April (Jo):

Great, perfect. We shall go knock on his door then.

Kenzie (Yarrow):

Please, let’s.

Kenzie (GM):

And throws down a couple of otezas as a tip to and follows you out of the Q&A Cafe.

Jo kind of leads the way to where they originally met Arthur and his apartment. And you walk up the stairs, the door is locked of course, so. The door opens with Arthur on the other side, who is wearing that like orangish gold robe that he was wearing the first time you had seen him. But this time he like actively tries to close it and goes,

Kenzie (Arthur Winch):

Oh, yeah, okay, didn't know you were coming. Cool, one second.

Kenzie (GM):

And leaves the door open for you guys to walk in as he kind of runs back into a different room.

April:

Jo strides into the room and kind of calls out after him.

April (Jo):

Good to know you haven't changed at all, Arthur.

Kenzie (Arthur):

I didn't know you were coming!

April (Jo):

Take your time, truly we don't mind waiting.

April:

Jo scans the room just to see the state of it and if there are any baskets of crystals around like last time.

Kenzie (GM):

Yarrow closes the door behind you and as you scan the room it looks predominantly the same. Like to the left is a kitchen area, to the right seems to be the experimentation area that he has, like the build area, and you look to find those - that yellow glow that you saw before but it's not there.

Around the corner from a different room comes Arthur wearing like a blue sweater vest and khaki chinas. You've now just visually seen the male version of Yarrow. Kind of like comes around, pulls on like a little overcoat type of situation to keep warm.

Kenzie (Arthur):

Hi! Hi guys! How's it going? It’s - it's been like 12 hours. I have not had enough time to look into the shit I started to look into.

April (Jo):

No, I mean that's completely understandable. I... actually more so want to pick your brain on what you already know.

Kenzie (Arthur):

Oh, all right. Can I get anybody some tea? I can heat up a kettle. Is that -?

April (Jo):

Yeah, tea would be great, thank you.

Kenzie (Arthur):

Cool, great. Yarrow, how do you feel?

Kenzie (Yarrow):

Whatever Jo wants, we'll take.

Kenzie (GM):

And he darts off into the, again, open air, like you can see the kitchen. It's not hidden behind anything. Starts heating up some water to boil some tea. His house is not set up for company. So like, you find a work chair or you find like the one chair under a lamp that's maybe made for a late night reading. There's not a lot of space for people to like actually exist here. But in the meantime, as he boils the tea, you guys find two places to sit and he finishes and he brings them over and hands them to you.

Kenzie (Arthur):

What's happening now?

April (Jo):

Well, first of all, how are you after last night? I know we all experienced something quite outside of our realm of experience and I just, are you alright?

Kenzie (Arthur):

Hmm. I'm alright. Sure. Jo, what do you hope to gain from asking me this?

April (Jo):

Honestly, Arthur, I just hope to know that I can trust you and that you want to help us.

Kenzie (Arthur):

I did not show up on your doorstep. You all show up on mine. I'm not trying to hide anything, but a lot has happened and there's a lot of grief to deal with. And so I would love if this was the last time you showed up without calling.

April (Jo):

All right.

Kenzie (Arthur):

Sorry if that was blunt.

April (Jo):

No, I prefer it. Always.

Kenzie (Arthur):

As I told Mama Amoretta, I want to help. That's not the case. Just in general. Thank you.

April:

Jo straightens up and with like a slight glance to Yarrow for all of her plans of flirting with him, manipulating him. When she sees the state that he is in this morning, she thinks that straightforwardness is the best course.

April (Jo):

Arthur, the last time I visited, you had many, crystals in your house. More than I've ever seen in one place. And I'm sure they're here for scientific reasons. I don't doubt that of you. But how could I get you to lend some to me for testing?

Kenzie (GM):

Arthur immediately straightens up.

Kenzie (Arthur):

I didn't know you noticed those were there. I wasn't trying to hide them.

April (Jo):

They were under a blanket so it did seem like they were trying to be hidden.

Kenzie (Arthur):

They just glow a lot. It was like a nightlight. No, sorry. I gave them back to their owner.

April (Jo):

And who's their owner?

Kenzie (Arthur):

Delia Weatherby. They were her mother's crystals and I took them because I thought I could use them but when she came around asking and had - you know, the family owns the rights to the things, I gave them back.

April (Jo):

Of course, but... You didn't keep any for yourself.

Kenzie (Arthur):

I, to this day, am very upset that I didn't. It was an oversight. I was - I just really needed to make sure that Viola was happy and I thought doing right by her kin would be what made that happen and I was a little bit mistaken, I think.

April:

Jo leans back in her chair and interlaces her fingers behind her head. It's a little bit of a crushing blow to her, to be honest. That was her major lead on where to get crystals for testing, to bring back to Mama, to move this case forward. But in that moment, she also decides that she does trust Arthur and is glad to have him on their side.

April (Jo):

And what are your feelings towards Delia?

Kenzie (Arthur):

She came to me with a legal document counting, you know, what she was owed from her mother's disappearance and death and I don't know her very well. I gave her what I was legally obliged to give her.

April (Jo):

Do you have her contact?

Kenzie (Arthur):

I have a Weatherby contact, if that helps, not necessarily just for Delia.

April (Jo):

Sure, I will see if it matches what we have for them. That would be great.

Kenzie (GM):

He gives you a phone number that you do recognize as the number that Rose gave you to contact her. You see that this whole time Arthur is very forward, like as in like giving the information you asked for is not trying to hold anything back in that sense, but like isn't necessarily looking at you. Answering your questions, just a little bit like askew of where your eye line is at all times.

April:

I think that Jo clocks that he's sort of avoiding her gaze and she also notices that he has no problem looking at Yarrow.

April (Jo):

(Clears throat)

April:

When Yarrow kind of automatically looks to her, they just lock eyes for a moment and she like raises her eyebrows like, your turn.

Kenzie (Yarrow):

Arthur, is that all you have to tell us? I just want to make sure we've covered all of our bases.

Kenzie (Arthur):

Yeah, yeah. That's all I have to share. I hope you guys find what you're looking for.

Kenzie (Yarrow):

Arthur, I know. You don't have to hide it. It's okay. I get it. I saw it.

Kenzie (Arthur):

Oh, great. I don't want to talk about it. But I don’t. I don't want to be involved past research capabilities.

Kenzie (Yarrow):

I get that. No worries. I'm so sorry. I also don't often want to be involved past research capabilities. So we're on the same page on that. If there's anything you can tell us, here's my number specifically.

April (Jo):

Right, well, this was all very illuminating. Arthur, I do genuinely thank you for your time and I promise never to show up without calling.

Kenzie (Arthur):

Jo, you're fine. Truly. I want to help. want to... Ever since I lost my mentor, I don't really know what I'm doing. So, anybody who's willing to offer some source of reprieve and audience, I would like to help.

April (Jo):

Arthur, are you... even just academically... well-versed in runes?

Kenzie (Arthur):

Kind of my specialty. Sure.

April:

Jo stands up and pulls some out of one of her many pockets and kind of shuffles through, finds one that stumped her in particular, and hands it to him.

Kenzie (GM):

He looks at it and immediately his eyes go wide and he says,

Kenzie (Arthur):

I can't give you a direct translation of this, but this is-

Kenzie (GM):

Swallows very hard.

Kenzie (Arthur):

This is Viola's direct personal cipher.

April (Jo):

And this - and this one.

Kenzie (Arthur):

It's the same. I recognize the runes. I don't- I can't translate immediately, but I do- I recognize the runes.

April (Jo):

And do you have a way a - a - a -

Kenzie (Arthur):

Possibly, it would take me a little bit, but-

April (Jo):

But now?

Kenzie (Arthur):

I wasn't allowed to know this.

April (Jo):

I'm sorry, it's simply, I think that if we can get this translated, it could sort of unravel this whole thing.

Kenzie (Arthur):

I can't do it on command but I could try to figure out the cipher here and the code.

Kenzie (GM):

And there's like a small smile that comes across his face.

Kenzie (Arthur):

I never thought I would hear from her again and then maybe now I will.

April:

Jo goes over to Yarrow and is like,

April (Jo):

Papers, papers, do you have anything else that we should show him, leave with him?

Kenzie (Yarrow):

I will leave a couple things. I am not certain that I should leave everything with someone who is so devoted.

April (Jo):

Good call, smart girl.

Kenzie:

This series stars Kenzie Tartaglione as the Game Master, Atlas Matthews as JJ August, Danielle Halen as Mama Amoretta, and April Consolo as Joanna Gilmore, with Michelle Kelly performing our episode recaps. You can help us out by listening and sharing, rating and reviewing, or coming over to our Discord. Also, you can join our Patreon to get access to our episode talkbacks and more. Thanks for listening.

Kenzie Tartaglione (Game Master):

You can hear the sirens, the red and blue flashing lights through the window reflecting across the walls and polished floors and shocked and scared faces. The security that are trying to wake the recently fainted Annie are tapping her face saying,

Kenzie (Security Guard):

Hey! Hey miss, hey miss.

Kenzie (GM):

You can hear doors slam in footsteps as a multitude of enforcers climb the stairs and appear in the doorway. At their head is Captain Slate, who you are all very well acquainted with. Rosalind Glynne, the host of the party, rushes past, beckoning them forward.

Kenzie (Rosalind Glynne):

Oh, it was just terrible.

Kenzie (GM):

And everyone at this point comes out from where they were hiding. So all of you who were like staged behind the screen, closing your ears, come out.

And Jo, you see outside the door, Jack. And you see that she has one hand on the side of the railing that is going along the upper balcony of this second floor. Across from her, not too close, not too far, just a conversational distance, are these three people in these all the way buttoned up to their neck polo shirts and they’re all kind of like gesturing with their arms and as you look, you watch one of them kind of look as if they’re reaching for something.

April Consalo:

Jo already wants to escape what is sure to be something like as stampede. So she hops off the back of the stage and rushes towards Jack, muttering under her breath.

April (Joanna Gilmore):

Oh, for god’s sake.

Kenzie (GM):

As you rush out the door you can hear the footsteps of the enforcers tarting to come into the Arclight, make their may up the stairs but you’ve missed them, just so. Since Jack and these other individuals are only like ten feet away from you at this point, you can hear there’s a bit of an argument going but in hushed tones. You notice that they notice the enforcers are coming. And you see that whatever if being pulled out isn’t a weapon but it is this circular thing with a couple gears sticking out of it. And you watch as they pushed their thumb up between these three gears almost stopping it. You watch the air almost like when its really hot outside and you can see the air move - its almost that - encircle them, and you kind of get it in right before it passes you. And I don’t think you’ve ever seen this in action but I think being who you are, working in tinkering an everything, you’ve heard that these types of mechanism exist. And they have changed - its almost like an illusion, a field shift - where they’ve shifted the air around you all so that no one can see in. It just looks like there’s blank space.

April:

Jo kinda slides on her boots right into this forcefield of shorts.

Kenzie (Unidentified Voice):

Who are you? What is this?

April:

Can I use my Main Attraction roll since I’ve just slid into this.

Kenzie (GM):

Absolutely!

April:

Got a seven. I think I’m going to take one forward.

April (Jo):

Oh, uh, did you not introduce me? Quite rude of her.

Kenzie (GM):

You see upon hearing your voice, Jack’s shoulders rise up a little bit and she just goes,

Kenzie (Jack):

Fuck. Great. She’s fine. Don’t fucking worry about it.

Kenzie (GM):

And the guy who spoke originally is like,

Kenzie (Unidentified Voice):

Okay well I think I can worry about it because we don’t know who she is. She’s just showing up here. And she magically sha-dooped into our chat right now. So, um, don’t appreciate that.

April (Jo):

Sorry, yeah, my manners. I’m Joanna Gilmore.

April:

Jo sticks out her hand in a very gentlemanly way.

Kenzie (GM):

All three of these individuals look at it and look back up to Jack.

April (Jo):

Right, brilliant. You all have obviously had brilliantly lovely upbringings. So, since I am in here, feel free to like talk freely. Whatever you were about to say.

Kenzie (Jack):

Jo, it’s fine! It’s fine. I’m handling it, don’t worry about it.

April (Jo):

What exactly are you handling?

Kenzie (Jack):

Actually, actually maybe this is a question for you. Maybe you should come into this conversation a little bit.

April (Jo):

Alright.

Kenzie (GM):

They turn and lean there back against his railing and crosses their arms over their chest. She looks between the two of you and goes,

Kenzie (Jack):

I would like both parties to explain something to me here. I was hired by the Weatherbys, Delia specifically to do a job. Jo knows. You know. And I did the job. I presented the evidence and I got paid. So what I would like to fucking know, is why Delia hired the fucking guns to watch me now! That’s what I would like to fucking know!

April (Jo):

Is that what they’re doing?

Kenzie (GM):

This other individual says,

Kenzie (Unidentified Voice):

Jack, we told you that because we are just doing our job. We believe you, we get you. But we were hired for something and we’re not going to get paid if we don’t do what we’re told to do.

April (Jo):

Sorry, are you - I introduced myself and I’m still waiting on my introduction with you two. Are you with the Roses, the Velvet Roses, not Delia and etcetera.

Kenzie (GM):

And Jack goes,

Kenzie (Jack):

Yeah, they - the Rose, the Velvet, its al the same thing. They get it, they get it. That’s Don. That’s Corny, and that’s Linnie.

April (Jo):

Are those your real names? Sorry, too personal. Um, anyway, isn’t it quite rude to be spying on one of your own. Isn’t trust your whole thing. Secret society and all that.

Kenzie (Jack):

Yeah, actually, that’s a good fucking question.

Kenzie (GM):

And the one that Jack delineated as Corny says,

Kenzie (Corny):

Hey, listen. We’re doing a job. The Roses know we have this job. We don’t take jobs they don’t know about. This came down from the top so we’re doing it.

Kenzie (GM):

And so Jack is like,

Kenzie (Jack):

Ah, yeah, so great, so they also fucking don’t trust me. What the fuck have I done? Nothing.

April (Jo):

Not to make it all about me but you have been spending more time with me.

Kenzie (Jack):

Okay, so?

April (Jo):

Well, we deal with cases. I know things. Perhaps they want to know what I know.

Kenzie (GM):

Linnie says,

Kenzie (Linnie):

Well, um, we don’t.

April (Jo):

Oh.

Kenzie (Linnie):

We weren’t told to know anything about you.

April (Jo):

Well…

Kenzie (Linnie):

We were told to watch where this one goes at all times.

April (Jo):

Well I was just sort of trying to be helpful. Are they like - are they like bothering you?

Kenzie (Jack):

Yeah, they’re fucking bothering me! But that’s all they ever do! So that’s nothing new.

Kenzie (GM):

And Don says,

Kenzie (Donnie):

Listen now, Jo, you just have to cooperate with us, okay?

April (Jo):

Cooperate?

Kenzie (Donnie):

Yes. You gotta just let us do our job. We’re not trying to hurt anybody here.

April:

Jo kind of like gets to her full height. Like leans over this guy.

April (Jo):

Are you threatening me, Corny?

Kenzie (Donnie):

Well, my name’s Donnie. That’s Corny. But good try.

Kenzie (GM):

And Jack is like,

Kenzie (Jack):

Alright, everybody shut the fuck up, okay? What I don’t understand is why any of this fucking shit matters, okay? It doesn’t matter that I’m hanging out with Jo. You guys have fucking partners you hang out with outside of this.

April (Jo):

Partners?

Kenzie (Jack):

Well, they literally have patterns. I wasn’t necessarily saying that me and you are partners. I was just saying that they do have partners. All of three of them, don’t you guys?

Kenzie (GM):

And Donnie goes,

Kenzie (Donnie):

Yeah.

Kenzie (GM):

And Corny goes,

Kenzie (Corny):

Yeah.

Kenzie (GM):

And Linnie goes,

Kenzie (Linnie):

Yeah, we do.

April (Jo):

Well, that’s definitely something to discuss later.

Kenzie (Jack):

Ignore that, okay? Ignore that. Why the fuck does it matter? Why are you guys really here? It doesn’t make sense like why -

Kenzie (GM):

And Donnie says,

Kenzie (Donnie):

No, Jack, listen. I told you why we were here because I like you and I do trust you. If I didn’t, then I wouldn’t have told you what the job was. But we still have a job.

Kenzie (Jack):

To tail me? That’s what your job is then.

Kenzie (Donnie):

Yeah, Jack, to tail you. Because you did a job for this individual and they just aren’t under the impression that you did it to their liking.

Kenzie (Jack):

Well, I don’t know what the fuck to do with that ‘cause they paid me for it. So if they didn’t like it, why’d they pay me?

Kenzie (GM):

And Linnie says,

Kenzie (Linnie):

Well, I mean also doing that job crossed over with another persons doing a job that knows a lot about the Roses. And I think so maybe I think this job - they took the job because other people know about the job.

April (Jo):

Could you potentially start speaking in a way that’s actually understandable to anyone in this circle?

Kenzie (GM):

They all look between each other like they perfectly understood that and Jack also pushes off the wall and approaches like they understood exactly what was being said. You watch as Jack ind of curls their hand into a fist, next to their side.

Kenzie (Jack):

Linnie, are you telling me that the Roses are having you fucking trail me ‘cause JJ knows too much?

Kenzie (Linnie):

I don’t know, I mean, she was around a lot and she was almost like in it and then she wasn’t. And then she’s all of a sudden working a job that’s adversarial to us.

Kenzie (Jack):

If you fucking even think about making a move again, honestly any of them, but JJ ‘cause of that? You had your fucking chance, guys! You all did. Every single one of you. And guess what the decision was? That she was allowed to leave. Didn’t come from you guys, didn’t come from me, didn’t come from her. She asked to leave and they fucking let her leave. So why don’t you guys just leave her alone! I won’t fucking have it.

April:

Jo looks around this whole circle and really when Jack goes on that sort of speech, like really looks at them slightly differently.

April (Jo):

Of course, yeah, I - JJ’s not an opponent to any of you. Just leave her alone.

Kenzie (GM):

And Jack gets up really close into Linnie’s face and then Corny’s face and then Donnie’s face.

Kenzie (Jack):

Are you following me now? Because I’m not the one who fucking hired Tressa. I’m not the one who fucking let JJ go. I don’t need a fucking tail. I’m not stupid!

Kenzie (GM):

And you hear a -

April:

Jo grabs his wrist before he can even get the weapon fully out of the sheath and she leans down.

April (Jo):

I would not do that if I were you.

Kenzie (GM):

I’m going to ask you to roll Defy Disaster to try to avoid this escalating anymore.

April:

I rolled a six. Daring is plus one. And then I’m going to carry my one forward that I had. So eight.

Kenzie (GM):

As you do that, you watch Corny push the sword back into the sheathe and put their hands up, nod at you.

Kenzie (Corny):

Good to know. But Jo, sorry for you, you're on a fucking list now.

April (Jo):

Oh, please, I’m on so many lists I can’t even keep track of them.

Kenzie (GM):

There’s a few door on the side of here that you don’t know what types of rooms they enter to but the three of them look at Jack, look at you again, and then walk out as a unit. And you feel the field around you shimmer again and dissipate. And Jack is just fingers on forehead, rubbing her temples.

April:

As the field sort of dissipates and they move away, she feels this tension and confidence and sanitation that she’s been feeling sort of the whole night, just sort of start to drain out of her as she looks at Jack. She rubs her face a bit and,

April (Jo):

Woah, you’ve got some real terrible friends, you know?

Kenzie (Jack):

I wouldn’t call them any friends of mine. Co-workers.

April (Jo):

Partners?

Kenzie (Jack):

Never those three. I don’t have any partner now. Not allowed to do any jobs now. I just thought maybe that along with the fucking bruises meant that I was okay, apparently not even now. They still don’t trust me.

April:

Jo kind of like has her hands in her pockets and does this lean back rocking thing. Kicks her boot agains the floor.

April (Jo):

Ah, look, I like knowing that you’re safe and those three don’t make me feel good.

Kenzie (Jack):

That wasn’t a veiled threat Jo. I think that maybe - I think that maybe I gotta be scarce for a bit. If they’re coming after JJ and now they’re coming after you-

April (Jo):

But can’t we protect JJ better together.

Kenzie (Jack):

It’s just me being around is double the trouble. I’m the reason they would come after you.

April (Jo):

Right.

Kenzie (Jack):

I’m the reason that you came up here in the first place. I’m the reason that the threat was given. I don't see the easiest way to get around this except for me to fucking disappear for a bit.

April:

Jo interlaces her fingers behind her neck and gives a nod and swallows hard.

April (Jo):

I mean, its your life. It’s whatever you think…

April:

I don’t even think Jo is quite self-aware enough why this is bothering her so deeply, but she’s definitely felt very emotionally off-kilter since the nightmare and vulnerable. And Jack’s been around. And it’s been nice. So, she feel every embarrassed when her throat starts to get thick with tears.

Kenzie (Jack):

Let’s not do that, no. Listen.

Kenzie (GM):

And she comes closer to you and looks up.

Kenzie (Jack):

I don’t know what you saw in there, but I didn’t like how you looked at me afterward. And if anything were to happen not JJ or anything were to happen to you, I don’t want to maybe have to see that look again. So, I think maybe it’s for the best.

Kenzie (GM):

And then she gets up on her tiptoes, kisses you on the cheek, shoves her hands into her pockets, starts to walk away.

April:

I think Jo sort of muscles through that but then can’t help but say, right as she turns to leave,

April (Jo):

I’ve never seen you defend anyone the way you just defended JJ. I don’t even think anyone’s ever defended me that way.

Kenzie (GM):

She pauses as you say this.

April (Jo):

I know JJ and I fight and we don’t get along all the time. And I know that I behaved… specifically tonight. But I don’t ever want you to think that I don’t care about her, just as much as you do.

Kenzie (GM):

You watch her head drop a little bit and then turn so you can just see the corner of her eye.

Kenzie (Jack):

Jo, the Roses talk a lot of shit about family. And for a long time that was all I knew. But don’t think for a fucking second that I wouldn’t do the same for you. You and JJ, despite the shit show it all was, are actually the closest thing I’ve got to family. And what I’ve always fucking done is protect family.

April:

Jo opens her mouth to respond but chokes and can’t so she just gives a tight smile and a quick nod and before she actually cries in front of Jack, turns on her heel and exits.

Kenzie (GM):

Mama, you see, as you come out into this space, that these security guards have a young woman, unconscious, like on the ground. They're not holding her down. They're trying to actually prop her back up and like get her back to consciousness.

While nobody is panicking per se, there has been this entire time a high, strong energy. And so there was a sense of relief when Jo and Arthur got the doors to open again that has turned into kind of anxiety now that the enforcers have shown up. Though everybody is aware that they were called to the scene. They didn't just arrive out of nowhere.

Danielle Halen:

Amoretta can't ask an unconscious woman a bunch of questions, so she's gonna wait till the enforcers maybe wake her up. I think I'm gonna wait back and take the time to check in on my family and see how they've been holding up during everything, because I know while Zion's been helping out, everyone else has been kind left to their own devices.

Kenzie (GM):

Andres comes up behind you and kind of lays his hand gently against your upper back.

Kenzie (Andres):

I’m… so sorry. This is one of my only gigs I've been able to invite you to and… it turned out less than favorably.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Well, it ain’t your fault.

Kenzie (Andres):

No, but it is an unfortunate coincidence that this happened on this night of all times. There have been things that have occurred during some nights here, but nothing that I would describe as anything like this. Things as… not anything that would put the lives of individuals here actually in danger.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Right, right. I mean, if anything, I'm kinda glad I was here, ‘cause at least I could do something to help flex out a bit.

Kenzie (Andres):

Well, there's your positive thinking as always.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

I try, I try. But, you know, I feel bad for y'all, ‘cause this was unexpected. I mean, kinda messed up your performance a little bit.

Kenzie (Andres):

Don't even worry about that. It's of no concern. I knew tonight that I was not the main event.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

I just want to make sure y'all are okay after everything. know it's little scary being caught up in all that, not knowing what's really gonna happen, but I think for now we can afford to be a little optimistic.

Kenzie (GM):

He maneuvers himself so he's more like square to you now. Preventing himself from like grabbing hold of your face and like moving it so that he can actually look at you straight on because I think he's a little bit taller than you. Instead, dips his own body to try to catch your eye more straight on and

Kenzie (Andres):

You didn't see anything, right? You're okay?

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

I mean, I mean saw lots of interesting stuff but I don't know what you mean by I saw something.

Kenzie (Andres):

S-sorry, I- Everly saw some things that… were less than ideal.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Oh, you mean... No, I didn't see nothing. It only seemed to -

Kenzie (Andres):

Good, I'm glad.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Only got the kids though, and that ain’t pleasant and I ain't too happy about people hurting our kids now.

Kenzie (Andres):

Me neither. But I think the best thing we can do -

Kenzie (GM):

And he kind of looks past you and behind you, you can see that Gwendolyn is not like holding Everly as Everly is a full grown adult. So it's kind of one of those moments where you realize that a shift has happened when somebody becomes an adult with their parents and there’s closeness of comfort and like trying to appease, but there's also a little bit of a distance of like, I'm the one who has to deal with this, so thank you for being here, but that type of thing. And I think you've probably felt that with your kids over the years as well.

Kenzie (Andres):

I'm interested to know, and I don't think it will be really hard to find out if this anomaly was strictly kept to this room or if it pervaded other places.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Well, I don't know nothing about the visions going somewhere else, but certainly affected the paintings.

Kenzie (Andres):

Oh, um, well then, seems like the point of this was to destroy the event this evening, because the entire point of this event was that it would give people a real shot in life that they might not have had.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Yeah, it was really targeted towards young people specifically, and they weren't having that.

Kenzie (Andres):

Hmmm, well, I wouldn't be able to make up for what they lost out on tonight, but…

Kenzie (GM):

And looks up at his wife and you can see thoughts bring in his head.

Kenzie (Andres):

Maybe there's something we could do for him.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

I'm sure y'all could think of something. And if you need my help, more than a happy offering when I can.

Kenzie (Andres):

Amoretta, I always love your help.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

I'm more than happy to give it.

Kenzie (Andres):

Well, I'm gonna let you tend to your children here? You've got a lot more of them here than I do.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

One more. Or two.

Kenzie (Andres):

I know how you feel about JJ and Jo. That's not surprising.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

They're my kids, I'm not sure they see me that way, but…

Kenzie (Andres):

That never matters. But I'm gonna get back to Everly. I'm a little concerned about her state.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Yeah, yeah, you do that.

Kenzie (GM):

And it gives you a little swift kiss on the temple. And like pauses for a moment as if he might say something else but then doesn't and moves on.

Arthur is coming away from where he tugged the- pulled the string of the harp.

Atlas Mathews:

JJ will go up to Arthur.

Atlas (June July August):

Oh my! Arthur, hi. I was just looking for you. I'm so sorry, about everything that happened tonight. I have to go help, so, you know, like we're an investigative, like, team, and so we're gonna investigate. But I had a lovely time seeing you, and I hope, we might be able to hang out again sometime soon.

Atlas:

And she'll give him, like, a punch on the shoulder of this is not romantic any longer.

Kenzie (Arthur):

Oh, of course. I... I would have liked... I wanted to talk to my professor more anyways, but… maybe I'll go do that. If there's anything else you need to talk to me about though, well, you know where I am.

Atlas (JJ):

And you know where we are, if you need anything.

Kenzie (GM):

I think that you can very clearly see that Arthur may not know why, but he is 100% picking up on a vibe that was very different than the one that you entered this space with.

Kenzie (Arthur):

I know that tonight has been not what was expected at all.

Atlas (JJ):

And I'm sorry for that.

Kenzie (Arthur):

It's not your fault. I'm sorry that- I don't know what you had to see, but I'm sorry that you saw it.

Atlas:

JJ’s face falls.

Atlas (JJ):

I didn't see anything, so it really doesn't.

Kenzie (Arthur):

Yes, I'm so sorry.

Atlas (JJ):

I'm sorry that you-

Kenzie (Arthur):

You already had told me that, I just-

Atlas (JJ):

It's been a long, been a long night and you-

Kenzie (Arthur):

I just thought- It's okay. I have a lot of things to do. So I will be seeing you.

Atlas (JJ):

Thank you.

Kenzie (GM):

You watch Zion like you know, five, eight seconds behind you, come up the lobby stairs and find you outside of like the main doors. You're kind of blocked outside of the main doors by the enforcers who have come up the stairs and the guy that you had been talking to who was standing outside of the doors is now just leaning against the wall like arms crossed over his chest.

Atlas (JJ):

Well, you found the door! I also found the door.

Kenzie (Zion):

I see that. Hey, how about next time? Even if we have some idea of daring escapes, maybe let's not do it by ourselves.

Atlas:

And JJ's gonna look in the direction that Jo went off in.

Atlas (JJ):

I couldn't let her win. I know, I know, okay? Oh my gosh, we're in a scenario where we're all trapped in a big room, why do you care what Jo thinks? Because it's Jo.

Atlas:

JJ will cross her arms, like almost identical to the guy in the polo shirt, and like lean against the wall, and then look over and see him, and then stand back up. Roll her eyes for good measure.

Kenzie (Zion):

JJ, you walked down the stairs, and then didn't call back to us if you were okay. This has nothing to do with Jo. We called down after you.

Atlas (JJ):

You did?

Kenzie (Zion):

And you didn't say anything back. We had no idea where that staircase led to.

Atlas (JJ):

Oh it led to a ditch - not the point.

Kenzie (Zion):

Did I think in this place it was gonna be anything truly bad? No. But... Still.

Atlas (JJ):

I don’t know it wasn't gonna be a dungeon. I didn't think that - honestly I thought you would probably leave the door. Or... Okay in all honesty I thought that Jo was gonna finish breaking down the door and come after me and so then I had to go faster so that she couldn't catch up so that I could find the other doors first. I didn't think that you guys would be waiting for me. I wouldn't have left if I thought that. And now she's not even here so…

Kenzie (Zion):

She did kind of save this whole place from itself. What do mean she's not here?

Atlas (JJ):

Great. Great. So I run down the stairs, I get in trouble for running down the stairs. Jo saved the day anyway.

Kenzie (GM):

He puts a finger to your mouth.

Atlas:

JJ turns like purple.

Kenzie (Zion):

What do you mean she's not here?

Atlas (JJ):

Who?

Kenzie (Zion):

Jo.

Atlas (JJ):

Oh! She, I don't know. I saw her walking towards the enforcers. I assumed that she went to go talk to them. So she's probably around here somewhere, honestly, more likely. She probably went and, I don't know, do you see Jack anywhere?

Kenzie (Zion):

I haven't seen Jack in a bit, but I don't -

Atlas (JJ):

That’s probably where she is.

Kenzie (Zion):

- really know Jack. not really looking out for Jack.

Atlas (JJ):

Not that it's any of my business or any problem.

Kenzie (Zion):

What is this? What is this? Cause it feels like… not only animosity. Feels like there's something else there.

Atlas (JJ):

Well, if I'm being honest, I'm a little tired.

Kenzie (GM):

Do you want to roll me a lie roll here?

Atlas:

That is a 4 and a 6, 10 plus 1, 11. I'm gonna go with the lie you've chosen is unexpectedly perfect creating a new opportunity and they give you the benefit of the doubt, ‘cause I think he's like, we won't talk about this now. Honestly, I kind of was hoping to fail that role ‘cause I was like, I don't want Zion to believe me.

Kenzie (GM):

I don't think he does. I think that he still thinks that there's something else, especially after the brief conversation he had with Jo, thinks that there's something else there even if he doesn't know exactly what that is. But you're in a pretty stressful moment or at least coming to the end of a pretty stressful moment. And I think at this point he is willing to just take you at your word and come back to it later.

And so when you say that, he pulls himself back a little bit so you have space to move. And when he does that, you can see kind of around him. And I think at this moment, both Mama Amoretta and JJ notice that there seems to be a shift in the woman who had been tackled to the floor. And the security guards have been able to lift her up a little bit. Somebody who works on the staff has been bringing her water and is giving her a sip of water.

Atlas (JJ):

Yeah, let's go talk to your mom. I need to know what to do next.

Atlas:

And JJ will walk up to Mama Amoretta and I go,

Atlas (JJ):

What's the plan?

Danielle:

Does Annie look awake?

Kenzie (GM):

She's coming too. So like there she's been able to like sip some water. She seems a little bit still like confused of, you know, after having fainted, but yes.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Well I’m definitely gonna wanna get some answers from that lady over there. Not sure if the enforcers will let me ask questions though, so in case they make it a bit difficult, you know what to do.

Atlas (JJ):

Distraction.

Kenzie (GM):

I will say, currently, the security guards of the Arclight are the only people around her. The enforcers are currently stopped at the door and Captain Slate is still in conversation with the host of this party who just seems to have not stopped talking.

Atlas:

JJ will turn to mama real quick and be like,

Atlas (JJ):

Have you told the security about the paintings yet?

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

I believe. I mean, I told Rosalind I would imagine the security would also be aware of that at this point.

Atlas (JJ):

I'll make them more aware.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Fair enough.

Kenzie (GM):

You walk up to the couple security guards who are, you know, making sure that Annie is comfortable.

Atlas:

JJ is going to run up to this group of security guards and through the crocodile-iest tears,

Atlas (JJ):

My cousin's painting got ruined, have you seen it? It's awful! Can you please, I need you to come with me right now and come look, it's all of them, they ruined everything!

Kenzie (GM):

And so the one that has kind of propped up her head doesn't really move. But the other individual pushes themselves to their feet and says,

Kenzie (Security Guard):

Miss, I need you to slow down.

Atlas (JJ):

There's no time. We have to... I don't know if you can get paint off of a painting, but it's like not the paint that's supposed to be there and it's my cousin's birthday.

Kenzie (GM):

They kind of try to move you a little bit away and they go, Miss, there is a woman who has fallen unconscious.

Atlas (JJ):

I’m gonna - I can't breathe. I’m so upset!

Atlas:

That’s an 8 plus 1. 9!

Kenzie (GM):

You start hyperventilating and they immediately go,

Kenzie (Security Guard):

I’m so sorry, come with me.

Kenzie (GM):

And they like start to like kind of carry you towards the large doorway that's the entrance of the room and hands you over to the medical team that has arrived on the scene. And as the medical team starts kind of like looking you over to make sure you're okay.

Atlas (JJ):

Oh my gosh, thank you for taking me so seriously. I do have to go find my cousin. Thank you so much. It has been wonderful getting to know you. You do so much hard work.

Atlas:

And like she's discombobulated and just like pats them on the head and starts walking away.

Kenzie (GM):

You kind of get yourself away from them you look up and you are standing right outside this door which means that there is an upper balcony that is kind of like a a elongated half moon and then the lower floor and you don't see anybody outside of scanning quickly a couple employees who are kind of standing down the lower level looking up at the second floor as well as enforcers who are looking like they're standing idly about not having any idea what to do right now.

Atlas:

Can I go up to the enforcers?

Atlas (JJ):

Hi, my gosh, I'm so sorry. I actually lost my fri- I'm sure you're getting a million people saying the same thing, so I totally understand, but I just need to know if you happen to see-

Kenzie (Enforcer):

Sorry ma'am, unless you are in need of medical attention, we're keeping everybody inside for the time being. Everybody here has been dealt a bit of a trauma this evening. And I understand everybody is tense.

Atlas (JJ):

Oh, my god, what happened?

Kenzie (Enforcer):

Well, that's okay. That's okay. We understand if this might be hard to really fathom. It's all right. It's gonna be okay. And we're gonna let you all out soon. We do need to make sure everybody is okay inside before we can let people leave.

Atlas (JJ):

Oh, absolutely, I’m just actually my, my mom is inside also.

Kenzie (Enforcer):

Great, then you should go back inside and should find her. And when we're all ready to release everyone, you'll be able to come out with your mom.

Atlas (JJ):

I can go in even if I haven't been inside yet?

Kenzie (Enforcer):

I - you came out.

Atlas (JJ):

I came out a long time ago, but...

Kenzie (Enforcer):

No, no, like you just came out freaking out and that's how the-

Atlas (JJ):

Oh my god. Yes, that's who I was looking for, my twin sister.

Kenzie (GM):

A very gentle hand on your shoulder that's barely even touching you at all.

Kenzie (Enforcer):

Here's what we gotta do. Yeah, please just go back inside or go inside for the first time and find your mom. And I'm sure, in no time, everybody will be able to go home.

Atlas (JJ):

Well, if there really has been a trauma, I really think that I should stay out here so that you guys can handle all the people that were inside when it happened. Has anyone been hurt?

Kenzie (Enforcer):

How about we just have you sit down right here.

Kenzie (GM):

And she points to the space on the ground right outside the door.

Kenzie (Enforcer):

And we're just gonna stand here and we're just gonna make sure you're okay.

Atlas (JJ):

I'm okay, is everyone else okay?

Kenzie (Enforcer):

When your mom comes out, you can go home with her.

Atlas (JJ):

Oh, we don't live. We kind of - we don't live together. I live in her office. It's a comp - I don't live in her office. I have an apartment. Don't tell her I said that. She'll get really frustrated.

Kenzie (Enforcer):

Hey, hey, hey, it's okay.

Atlas (JJ):

I'm actually going to go - my other friend. I'm going to go wait by her motorcycle.

Kenzie (Enforcer):

No, no, actually, I can't let you do that. Um, we need to keep everybody who's been in this building contained in this building.

Atlas (JJ):

Good thing I haven't been in this building.

Atlas:

And she's going to try to walk away. If they try to grab me, I'm just gonna pull my way out of it and I'm gonna fucking run.

Kenzie (GM):

I need you to roll Defy Disaster.

Atlas:

That is an eight. I get a plus one if it's Daring.

Kenzie (GM):

You can escape from this enforcer and then you might have not a bounty per se, but they're going to be chasing after you because you look suspicious. Or you can let them catch you, act as if you were still just kind of stressed out and they will physically put you back into the room.

Atlas:

I told Mama that I would distract the enforcers and what is more distracting than a manhunt?

Kenzie (GM):

JJ rips out from this enforcer's hands that try to grab after her, books it down the stairs. There are some gaps from the employees in the lobby. Books out the front door, and you can hear behind you the steps of enforcers running after you. And you can hear,

Kenzie (Enforcer):

Halt, hey, stop, hey, put your hands up!

[ad break begins]

Kenzie:

Pardon the interruption, but here’s another show we think you’d like.

5 GMs in a Trenchcoat is back and this time with season 3, as GM Tamlynn uses Dungeons and Dragons 5e for her story.

Imagine the stench of ear. Of sweat. And of blood. Cold stone beneath your palm as you feel your way down an impossibly dark and endless hallway. Here there’s as much fear as there is isolation. And as much hopelessness as there is violence. Or at least fantasies of it.

Join Kalan Amores-Caldwell played by Adam Gonzalez, Rin Sado played by Kim Tsuyuki, Two and a Half Horns played by Jessie Espinoza, and Andre Madison played by Tanner Sherlock as they navigate the Kingdom of Milton and the horrors that await them.

“So you guys here like an alarm bell. [alarm bell noise]. All the doors go sha-dunk. And you also hear like ssssssssss coming from the ceiling.”

5 GMs in a Trenchcoat is a TTRPG actual play podcast where five friends take turns weaving stories with the tabletop game of their choice each season. With new episodes out every Monday, wherever you get your podcasts.

“We are in Silent Hill. It was just a joke before!”

Kenzie:

You can find the links to this show in the description box below.

[ad break ends]

Kenzie (GM):

Mama Amoretta, you are about to come up to this woman Annie. And you do, you get up to her. There’s one enforcer there, she's kind of coming to, somebody's bent down and trying to help her get water.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Hi there, I just want to see how you're feeling. I know you've probably had one hell of an evening. If you're alright, I just want to make sure, would you be able to answer some questions about what happened to you?

Kenzie (GM):

She seems a little bleary-eyed. One of her hands comes up to grab kind of the glass to help herself drink. And she says,

Kenzie (Annie):

I'm sorry, I don't really know what happened.

Kenzie (GM):

And as she lifts her hand, you see that peeking out from under the long sleeve of her dress as it pulls up her arm when she moves, you see that there is ink, blacked and strange symbols, runes almost. And more than that, they seem to be moving under her skin. And as she kind of turns towards you, you also see that they're starting to move up the side of her neck. And you've seen these symbols before, albeit larger and graffitied, but you've seen them over the windows of shops throughout Cypher City from that one boy who is still asleep in the clinic.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

You don't know how the... that got on your arm there?

Kenzie (GM):

And she kind of moves her arm and she goes,

Kenzie (Annie):

What's happening to me? What is that?

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Not quite sure, but let's take a few deep breaths. I know it's really scary to see that. We're gonna get some medical folks take a look at you. They might get some answers. But I've seen this somewhere before. All over Cypher, graffiti marks.

Kenzie (Annie):

I didn't...

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

I don't think you did it. You sure look like you don't know how the hell that got there.

Kenzie (Annie):

Can we get it off?

Kenzie (GM):

And she starts like trying to write, wipe her arm off from this ink and it does not come off.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

I think we should get a medical team to go look at that.

Danielle:

And she'll kind of like look at the security guard and kind of like gesture for them to get some…

Kenzie (GM):

You see that they gesture at the individual who had taken JJ and that individual nods and then motions in and a team of a couple medical individuals emergency response come in.

Kenzie (EMT):

We have an issue here. Sorry, we didn't know that there was anybody hurt inside.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

I mean, she came in and collapsed, but also, you might want to take a look at this. I ain't seen nothing like this, so...

Kenzie (GM):

They both kneel down next to her, and the security guard kind of gets up and moves out of their way.

Danielle:

As they're doing that, Amaretto's gonna be quickly trying to sketch out what's on her arm.

Kenzie (GM):

It’s a little bit difficult because it's continuously moving and shifting around her fingers and you can kind of watch as it comes up her wrist and over her hand and up through her fingers, it disappears through her fingers and starts again coming up and around. So it almost feels like this track of something that is happening. You definitely get enough of it down that you think somebody could make sense if they knew what they were looking at.

Danielle:

I think I'm gonna leave this woman alone because at this point I think this is all I'm gonna learn from her is the fact that she has this weird stuff and she's freaking out about it and I don't want her to freak out about it anymore so that's why I'm like, “Med team’s gonna look at you it's gonna be fine sweetie!

Kenzie (GM):

As you kind of step away from her, you hear…

Kenzie (Rosalind):

And then these lovely people figured out an escape.

Kenzie (GM):

And you look over and Rosalind is still talking to Captain Slate, but now pointing at you and saying...

Kenzie (Rosalind):

Please, please, I would love you to meet the people who helped us out of this situation.

Kenzie (GM):

And Captain Slate looks over and makes direct eye contact with you and just nods his head and says

Kenzie (Captain Slate):

Somehow, I'm unsurprised at your presence here.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

It, believe it or not, was completely coincidental.

Kenzie (Captain Slate):

(laughs) I don't know if I do believe that but -

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Can't blame you.

Kenzie (Captain Slate):

It also wouldn't surprise me if that was the case. You tend to show up in the strangest of places.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

When you're in a job like this, it tends to happen.

Kenzie (GM):

Rosalind goes,

Kenzie (Rosalind):

Oh, oh, oh, you know one another.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Our lines of work sometimes cross paths.

Kenzie (Rosalind):

Well, I don't think I've said it officially yet, so, but for both of you to know, I would really like to find out who ruined this event tonight. You've mentioned to me before that you run a detective agency. Not to be rude to you, Captain, but, this does seem to be - at least who's behind it - a bit of a private matter. And I would love to hire you to figure out who's done it.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

I appreciate that Miss, and I'd be honored to do my best to try and solve this for you.

Kenzie (Captain Slate):

Well, Miss Glynne, you can certainly spend your money how you would like, but this is a public security issue, not necessarily a private one. So please feel free. You can do what you want with your money as I said, but that doesn't mean I'm stepping away from this case.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

If there's anything you're willing to share that you found, it’d be mighty appreciated..

Kenzie (Captain Slate):

I could say the same to you. If you want to, in the next couple days, come to the department and… well, if you were here, we would love for you and Miss Glynne here to make an official statement about what happened. It would help us in the long run. And I would not be averse to, after you've done that, possibly sharing some other information between us.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

I’ll make sure to check in with Miss Glynne about what we're sharing together, considering this is her information after all.

Kenzie (Captain Slate):

Well, she laid out a intricate story, though emotional story, of tonight's events. And as you know, if there are any little missing details that you would like to offer us, be very helpful.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Of course.

Kenzie (Captain Slate):

In the meantime, I am going to make my rounds.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

You do that.

Kenzie (GM):

Moves off towards other individuals in the crowd to speak to. Rosalind Glynne says,

Kenzie (Rosalind):

I didn't mean to cause any trouble.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Oh no, not at all. Don't worry, don't worry. I mean, Captain Slate and I, we sometimes work together. Sometimes our work gets complicated. It's just how it is.

Kenzie (GM):

She gets a sly smile on her face because she is absolutely reading into that more than she should. But she doesn't comment directly on it. Instead, she says,

Kenzie (Rosalind):

Well, you have been the most helpful of individuals here this evening and have seemed to have... I mean, you saved us as in getting the doors open, you and your friends and your team. So if there was any way I could actually hire you to find out who is behind this...

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Yeah, I think I'm starting to get an idea. I got some new developments. That lady that collapsed, she had some strange... Yeah, I'll keep you updated. She got some strange markings on her arm. Something I've seen before in Cypher. Graffitis. A kid collapsed not too long ago and was found, you know, painting those symbols all over Cypher. I'm gonna- I'm gonna go check in with some experts that I think might be able to recognize they symbol - I don't know if you know anyone that also might... know this.

Kenzie (Rosalind):

It seems very odd to me that anything that happened in Cypher would come to Nova, but...

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Yeah.

Kenzie (Rosalind):

I suppose it could happen.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Odder still, it's targeting young folks. Specifically.

Kenzie (Rosalind):

And that is this foundation's bread and butter.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Right.

Kenzie (Rosalind):

So, if you are interested, I would be able to… I can talk with the council behind the Night of Gilded Birds and I'm sure we could come up with the money that you would need to take on this job.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Oh, well, I mean, I can send you our regular rates for what we do for kind of cases and stuff.

Kenzie (Rosalind):

An invoice would be very helpful in our record keeping.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Of course. Like to keep our records clean so you'll get an invoice soon. Do you guys prefer half up front or is there any kind of payment system you prefer?

Kenzie (Rosalind):

This seems easy to me, maybe not to you, but... As in, I hired you technically in the middle of you figuring this out, maybe just all at the end.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

I can do that.

Kenzie (Rosalind):

Wonderful! If you don't mind, I'm going to excuse myself.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Yeah, please take your time. I know you've had a stressful evening.

Kenzie (GM):

And without another word, she turns on her heel and walks away.

And you watch as your son runs across the room toward you and goes,

Kenzie (Zion):

Mama, JJ just did something really stupid. Um, I got this though. Don’t worry.

Kenzie (GM):

And then just books it out of the room.

Danielle:

Amoretta just kind of sits there for a moment, let’s out a slightly exasperate sigh and just shacks her head. I think I’m going to go talk to Yarrow.

Kenzie (GM):

Yarrow is still next to the stage where everybody kind of came out from behind the stage. There are a few chairs there that were taken off the actual stage where the musicians were sitting and they’re now sitting against the stage and she’s sitting there. She’s still sitting with that professor you were briefly introduced to and now Arthur as well. They seem to be in a fairly academic conversation as you come up to them and they’re very involved with one another where they don’t even realize you’re there right at the beginning.




Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Hey all! How are y’all holding up? How are things going?

Kenzie (Yarrow):

Oh… Mama. Well, I think everyone here is good.

Kenzie (GM):

And she looks over and the professor just nods at you and Arthur's like,

Kenzie (Arthur):

I’ve been better but I’m good if you know what I mean.




Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Sure. It’s been an evening that’s for certain. Have y’all got any progress on what we found on the instrument or the paint yet or… ‘cause I found something else y’all might be interested in.

Kenzie (Yarrow):

Oh, um, I think all we have are theories since we haven’t been able to test anything yet. What is it that you have discovered?

Danielle:

Show them the symbol that she painted.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

This was on the girl that came and collapsed.

Kenzie (Yarrow):

Is she okay?

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

I’m not sure. It was moving all up and down her arm in a really weird way. I’ve only seen this somewhere before and only in Cypher and the person painting it is now - hasn’t woken up in a good bit.

Kenzie (GM):

The professor looks at it and says,




Kenzie (Professor Marlow):

Well, I’ve never seen anything like that in my studies I will say.

Kenzie (GM):

Arthur says,

Kenzie (Arthur):

Oh, that was in the news, wasn’t it?

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Yeah.

Kenzie (GM):

Yarrow looks at you. There's a look on her face and it very clearly says, “Maybe we should talk about this in a more private place.” But then she says,

Kenzie (Yarrow):

Interesting. I didn’t expect this to come up again.

Kenzie (GM):

And then just kind of looks back at you with a knowing look.

Danielle:

Amoretta will just nod her head and go,

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

I appreciate that. It’s weird that that’s popping up here of all places. That’s for sure.

Kenzie (Professor Marlow):

As Arthur said I have seen it - saw it in the papers.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

I mean hopefully if y’all get the chance to check out what that was and maybe get back to me on the effects of what we found, that might help us figure out who is responsible for this. I have ideas but ideas aren’t exactly the same as evidence.

Kenzie (Professor Marlow):

Well, I’m very much interested in throwing - you know, I need a new subject to look into right so this will be great. I will definitely help you out. I don’t know how much help I’ll be able to be but maybe if I can steal this string I can figure out the properties of this crystal specifically.

Kenzie (GM):

And then he looks around and there are enforcers all over the place and Arclight security all over the place.

Kenzie (Professor Marlow):

But I’m not sure I’m going to be able to be very successful on that front so I will look into it in other ways maybe.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Might want to check out Septimus considering they're the ones responsible for making such an instrument. They gotta access this material or someone tampered with this product before it got here that they weren't aware of.

Kenzie (Arthur):

That might be a good start.

Kenzie (GM):

The professor says...

Kenzie (Professor Marlow):

Well, I will say that the distribution of crystals is a pretty policed, business. It's very hard to get your hands on them if you aren't supposed to.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Right, so... Someone at these companies or someone who doesn't like these companies?

Kenzie (Professor Marlow):

I would have to say, the only other way to get your hands on these things… how do I say this in the most gentle way? In the underground markets.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

That makes sense.

Kenzie (Professor Marlow):

So if somebody wanted to tamper, if there was a space between when this thing was made and when it showed up here, that's also possible. So I think there were two avenues, but I think you're right. The way to first go about it is to go to the source.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Probably. At least make them worry that someone’s tampering with their stuff and if they could figure out who that would be mighty helpful.

Kenzie (Professor Marlow):

Very, very important.

Kenzie (GM):

Arthur says,

Kenzie (Arthur):

I do think-

Kenzie (GM):

And he kinda looks out the window.

Kenzie (Arthur):

I do think it may be a bit late this evening to try to go to, the musician makers or the instrument makers, the - Septimus. I don't even know I’ll have to look it up. I don't know if there's a store or any of that, but,

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Oh, yeah, I mean, we don't gotta worry about that tonight. I think right now we just need to focus on getting some rest after everything that's happened. I'm just… well, I've picked up a bad habit of working all the time.

Kenzie (Arthur):

I'm not sure if… sorry…

Kenzie (GM):

And kind of looks at Yarrow, kind of looks at the professor.

Kenzie (Arthur):

This is a little embarrassing. I'm not sure if JJ would be okay with it, but you were kind of my ride here tonight, and I was wondering if you could maybe take me home.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

I mean, I don't see why JJ would not be okay with that.

Kenzie (Arthur):

She just said some things, so... I wasn't sure.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Ah. Uh-huh. Yeah. JJ says a lot of things.

Kenzie (Arthur):

Very true. Very true.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Well, anyways, Yeah, of course you can get a ride home with me if needed. JJ seems to have gotten caught up in something stupid, as my son put it. Not quite sure what that is. So, don't think it'll be much of a problem right now.

Kenzie (GM):

As we pull out of this conversation, you see that Captain Slate is currently directing enforcers a bit around the room. Annie has been taken out of the room. You see that a lot of the children who were performing this evening and their parents have also had conversations with different enforcers and have also been let out. And then finally, Captain Slate actually walks up onto the stage, goes up to the microphone that just makes an awful sound and says,

Kenzie (Captain Slate):

Oh, sorry. We just wanted to let you know that we're all very thankful for your patience this evening. We're very sorry for what has happened. And while we will be looking into it, we want to let you all know that you are free to leave and go back to your homes. Just make sure that if you think of anything that you call us and let us know, it would very much help in us figuring out what happened here this evening. Thank you.

Kenzie (GM):

And everybody kind of starts to get up and enforcers are kind of like trying to slow the rush out the door as this happens.

We cut to the front of the building as JJ slams through the front of the Arclight doors bursting open. A couple excited surprised shouts from the individuals who've been sitting outside, the ticket takers, the coat takers, the guards. And as you sprint across the brick laid courtyard you hear again the feet behind you running towards you and as you get out here and you remember that you were running towards Jo's bike you remember that everyone valet their vehicles.

Atlas:

Jo didn't.

Kenzie (GM):

But Jo drove it away from the front of this place so it is no longer outside.

Atlas:

Could I make the argument that the roses have some sort of hideout, maybe not... nearby, but close enough that I could get there, and it's not like a base, like it's not like somewhere they are often.

Kenzie (GM):

I will let you roll a Defy Disaster once more. I think in order to get there without being caught, you're gonna have to get a full success.

Atlas:

Okay, could I argue that I'm doing it with Wit? It's a 4 and a 1. Plus 1. Which I think is a failure…

Kenzie (GM):

I mean this place is so beautiful. The lights are just silhouetting you perfectly, but you don't even care. You are running from it. You have a destination in mind. You know where to go. You know it's been a long time since you've been there. Maybe that isn’t a place that exists anymore, but it's all you can try. You hear the boots in the distance, and then you hear...

Kenzie (Zion):

JJ!

Kenzie (GM):

And a voice that you know, but it doesn't really get you right away. You're on pure anxious mode. It doesn't matter who is coming after. You have a destination. You're getting there. And then you hear...

Kenzie (Zion):

JJ! I swear to God, if you don't stop right now!

Atlas:

JJ doesn't stop but turns to kind of see like, I know that like, I know that person, like, I know that voice so deeply. It like breaks through the panic mode for just a minute, like breaks through the adrenaline. But as she like turns to peer like over her shoulder, trips over one of the cobblestones and wipes out.

Kenzie (GM):

The footsteps kind of stop, they slow at least

Kenzie (Zion):

Get up! Look at me!

Atlas:

I think JJ just like blinks eyes like as wide as saucers. And just scrambles back up to her feet. Tries to like dust off her clothes, gets a little bit of blood on her fancy clothes. Seems to have a realization of like her full like her not jacket but like cover thing is ripped and torn. She's now dirty from the ground. She's surrounded herself with enforcers and her, to this point, best friend is chasing her down.

Kenzie (GM):

The Enforcers, four of them have stopped a little bit farther back, just like taking position, ready to move, need be. Two of them are slowly walking towards you, but all you really see is that Zion is stomping towards you across the little beautiful, almost like garden courtyard. And at some point one of the enforcers turns around, cause he gets close enough and shoves his hand against Zion's chest. And you just watch as Zion like pushes against it. Cause like just keeping eye contact with you and says,

Kenzie (Zion):

What the fuck do you think you're doing!?

Atlas (JJ):

Being distracting?

Kenzie (Zion):

Do you not fucking get it?

Atlas (JJ):

I’m sorry.

Kenzie (GM):

He brings his arm down on this enforcer's arm and pushes him away and crosses the distance between the two of you.

Kenzie (Zion):

Do you not fucking get it?

Atlas:

JJ's gonna lean in and just go,

Atlas (JJ):

Is this part of the distraction?

Atlas:

Like nose to nose.

Kenzie (Zion):

You can't run away from me.

Kenzie (GM):

He takes his hand and cups your chin with it and says,

Kenzie (Zion):

I’m fucking in love with you.

Kenzie (GM):

And then kisses you.

Atlas:

JJ is gonna like wide-eye like - blink blink - one more time and then go to wrap her hands around his neck realize and like has her hands up in like a as she leans forward to kiss him back.

Kenzie (GM):

Zion pulls back just centimeters away from you and says

Kenzie (Zion):

This was a distraction, but this was also real. So, bear with me.

Atlas (JJ):

Uh-huh.

Kenzie (GM):

Kisses you one more time, not as intense as the first time, and then turns around and says to the enforcers,

Kenzie (Zion):

I'm so sorry for the misunderstanding here.

Kenzie (GM):

And the individual who I had been talking to originally went,

Kenzie (Enforcer):

Oh. Right. Gave us cause for concern. We thought there was maybe... We see now. This was a little lover's quarrel and not some impending doom. Please, please continue, So sorry.

Kenzie (GM):

And turns around and like waves off the rest of the enforcers here. And Zion turns back.

Kenzie (Zion):

This wasn't necessarily how I wanted this to go. But it felt like it needed to happen because... Why were you running from enforcers in the first place?

Atlas (JJ):

I... hmm… It was something to do.

Kenzie (Zion):

I think I could give you something better to do.

Kenzie (GM):

And kisses you again.

Atlas:

And JJ grabs him by the collar.

Atlas (JJ):

Okay.

Atlas:

Lets him go and then starts marching off back towards the place.

Kenzie (GM):

Coming out the door at the bottom of the steps is Mama Amoretta and her whole family pretty much and Arthur. It looks like a little bit they might have seen the end of that.

Danielle:

Amoretta has her fan up so that poor Arthur can't see she's grinning like a goddamn fool.

Atlas:

JJ is going to see a problem she has created and she's going to turn on her heel and walk back in the direction…

Kenzie (GM):

Zion kind of puts a hand up to Mama to be like, “See you later” pretty much and turns around to follow JJ.

Atlas:

JJ turned around and turned purple again. Just like fully is blushing. Like I think she's made it to maroon. Turned around, I think probably grabbed his like shirt sleeve to be like, “I'm not walking away from you. I'm not trying to get away from you. I'm not ready to face the other consequences actually, let's go this way.

Kenzie (GM):

At first, there's like a little bit of surprise as he lurches forward in your grasp. And then you feel him kind of righten up as his hands slip around your waist and kind of pull you into his side as you walk down the street away from the Arclight together.

Back at the front of the building, you see that the Enforcers have kind of spread out a little bit, not to like, catch anybody, but to like make sure that there is a slow and not panicked exit from the Arclight. And you also see that they are not only getting the people who had gone to this event out, but they are like, evacuating the whole building, like the people from the lounge are coming out and all of this. So there's like, a lot more people in this vicinity than there were necessarily in that specific event.

Arthur takes a couple steps forward, his hands are shoved deep into his pockets, shoulders kind of hunched, and he kind of like looks over his shoulder, but it's in a way where like he can't really look at you, Mama Amoretta, and he just says,

Kenzie (Arthur):

I know I asked for a ride - thank you so much for inviting me or extending the invitation my way. I think I’m - it's not too far. I'm gonna take a walk. I'll still help you. But I need to walk tonight.

Kenzie (GM):

And he turns out the front. You watch him like hunch his shoulders even more as he crosses the street and goes on about his way. And Yarrow says,

Kenzie (Yarrow):

He always did have the worst timing.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Yeah, he does.

Kenzie (Yarrow):

He could have maybe waited till he was out of the vicinity, or maybe he could have done this about 10 years ago.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Or he could have, you know, not dropped a ball on tonight.

Kenzie (Yarrow):

You're also right about that. I actually want to know… hmm. I know he couldn't get out of work. I know that, but he did not have to show up here looking like he looked. He could have taken extra 30 minutes, gone home, got himself changed.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Well, you know how he takes after, you know…

Kenzie (GM):

She actively tries to just completely skim over the insinuation you made.

Kenzie (Yarrow):

Well it might have been, I think, more of a he knows... I don't think JJ minded.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Yeah, yeah, no, yeah. JJ’s not one of mind, that's for certain.

Kenzie (GM):

You and Yarrow, you call the valet to go get your car and you stand at the curb with Andres and Everly and Gwendolyn as well and they get their car.

Danielle:

I make sure to give them all hugs goodbye.

Kenzie (GM):

Everly says,

Kenzie (Everly):

I don't quite know what it is that you're dealing with, Aunt Amoretta, but… it's not good.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Yeah, I can say that much. It ain't something I've ever seen before. That's...

Kenzie (Everly):

It was extremely unkind.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

That's for certain.

Kenzie (Everly):

So be safe.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Yeah. You too.

Kenzie (GM):

She ducks into the car and Gwendolyn says,

Kenzie (Gwendolyn):

No, she's right. Please be safe. If you need anything from us… always.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Of course, Gwen.

Kenzie (Gwendolyn):

I'm sure we'll see each other soon.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Of course.

Kenzie (GM):

She also gets into the car, and Andres steps forward and says,

Kenzie (Andres):

Next time, I think what I will do is host a party in my own home.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Well, yeah, that'd be nice. Let's just hope no one starts breaking in and making a havoc of the place.

Kenzie (Andres):

We’ll hope not. I think that is less something to deal with when I know where we're at. Again, I know… I'm so sorry.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Don't apologize. I mean, I feel bad for you considering how this night turned out. Besides, ain't your fault at all.

Kenzie (Andres):

Well, good thing is, no loss of my job. I'll be back here in a couple weeks doing it all over again.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

And that's good.

Kenzie (Andres):

But, Gwen is right. We should- we should help each other more.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

I know.

Kenzie (Andres):

If you need anything, give me a call.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

I’ll be sure to give y'all a ring.

Kenzie (GM):

And he reaches out and like claps your hand between both of his and nods to you and gets in his car and you watch it drive away as yours pulls up to the curb and Yarrow says,

Kenzie (Yarrow):

Well, Mama, if it wouldn't be too much of a pain… I kinda miss my old bedroom.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Of course, baby, you can stay over for the night. We always got a place to stay under my roof.

Kenzie (Yarrow):

We can... talk more about all of this tomorrow. It's... a bit to think on. And I would like a night's sleep.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Yeah. I'll fix you a drink when we get back so you can get some good sleep.

Kenzie (Yarrow):

That would be... very lovely.

Danielle (Mama Amoretta):

Of course, honey.

Danielle:

And she'll, like, go and just cup her daughter's cheek and just do a very gentle rub before opening the door for her daughter and then getting in the car herself.

Kenzie (GM):

You pull away from the Arclight, from an evening that provided more problems than answers even though you do have a couple leads to follow and you make your way back through Nova, back across the bridge and back into Cypher City.

Kenzie:

This series stars Kenzie Tartaglione as the Game Master, Atlas Mathews as JJ August, Danielle Halen as Mama Amoretta, and April Consalo as Joanna Gilmore. With Michelle Kelly performing our episode recaps. You can help us out by listening and sharing, rating and reviewing, or coming over to our Discord. Also, you can join our Patreon to get access to our episode talkbacks and more. Thanks for listening!