S1 Ep7: House of the Rising Sun

[00:00:30] Speaker A: Hi, my name is Eli. I play Zephyr, the entrepreneur hunter. [00:00:37] Speaker B: Hi, I'm legacy, and I play Rosanna, the inquisitive creed. [00:00:45] Speaker C: Hello, I'm Gary, and I will be returning to play Jesse tonight. [00:00:51] Speaker D: Hello, I'm Sam, and I'll be playing Harper. That's it. [00:00:59] Speaker E: Hi, I'm Scott. I'm playing Arthur, the faithful Hunter. [00:01:03] Speaker F: And hello, I'm Zoe Trooper, and I am playing Victoria, the underground hunter. [00:01:10] Speaker G: And I'm bloodied porcelain. I will be your storyteller tonight. Light thinks it travels faster than anything, but it is wrong. No matter how fast light travels, it finds the darkness has always got there first and is waiting for it. Terry Pratchett. Good evening, players. During our last session, a lot of things happened in a very short span of time. You all attempted to hold a not wedding for a ghost companion in order to try and help them move on. Unfortunately, you were interrupted by spectral cowboys who seemed to come in search of claiming the souls of the dead. There was a confrontation that got very interesting when Victoria decided to use an untested power of hers, and it backfired. And when several people failed pretty miserably on some desperation dice, which amped up the stakes dramatically. Afterwards, in the middle of all of this, well, not even afterwards, in the middle of all of this carnage, there was an explosion. An explosion that, despite being miles upon miles away, you felt and heard, only to find out later that it was the explosion of a cruise liner just off of the OR just in the bay outside of Houston. You did what you could to get as close as you could, but found yourselves stymied by police cordons and security checkpoints, the local government requesting people shelter in place. Rosanna performed not quite a seance, but something close, some rough approximation that allowed her to make contact with one of the recently departed. This young woman, Amelia, was able to be drawn away from the loop of her death towards Rosanna and seems to have made something of an impression because Rosanna wants to keep her around, at least Long enough to find her somewhere to go so that she's not left to those same spectral cowboys that showed up before. While that was happening, Victoria got a call from an old companion, love interest, maybe a little bit of both, who set you up with a safe house for the night. Everything seemed fine and normal until just as you were starting to settle and get your dinner together, there was a knock at the door. And you found the same woman who confronted you in the middle of your fight with the cowboys standing outside of your door. And that's where we will pick up. [00:04:57] Speaker D: Tell whoever it is to go away. [00:04:59] Speaker B: Yeah, listen, you reek of some bad energy, honey, I'm sorry. We're not wondering what you're selling to us. And I'm going to go to close the door. [00:05:14] Speaker D: She's going to stop the door and go. I'm going to be quick. It's just an in and out. A house visit, I would say. [00:05:23] Speaker B: No, you can stand out there. What do you want? [00:05:28] Speaker E: You have a pamphlet? You can leave it at the door. [00:05:30] Speaker D: No pamphlets here. I'm past those days, actually. You would know. She's just going to try to push her way into the place. [00:05:45] Speaker G: Okay, is Rosanna trying to stop? [00:05:48] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:05:49] Speaker G: Well, this sounds like a contested strength check then. Yay. [00:05:53] Speaker C: Can I help? [00:05:56] Speaker G: Are you at the door or were you listening at a distance? [00:06:03] Speaker A: I'd assume I was listening at a distance. [00:06:06] Speaker G: Then no, you cannot help. [00:06:07] Speaker F: Damn, Victoria is definitely listening at a distance because I'm still kind of reeling from the loud noise, headache and making my own bleed. [00:06:17] Speaker B: Yeah, well, watch. Oh, it's a success. [00:06:25] Speaker G: That's one. [00:06:26] Speaker D: What am I? [00:06:34] Speaker G: Did you have athletics, by the way? Rosanna, you don't have athletics dots. [00:06:43] Speaker B: Who do you think I am, miss? [00:06:45] Speaker G: I'm just asking because I realized that I forgot to say, and if you have them, you are welcome to use them is what I'm saying. Strength plus athletics is what you're rolling. [00:06:55] Speaker D: Can I do athletics? [00:06:58] Speaker G: Yes. You also get to use strength at athletics. [00:07:03] Speaker B: Yeah. Beat my one success. I dare you. [00:07:08] Speaker G: Well, barely, but she did it. Excellent. Okay. [00:07:17] Speaker B: How pathetic. [00:07:19] Speaker G: So Harper leans hard on the door. Rosanna, you do your best to hold the door shut, but it doesn't work. It swings open pretty abruptly and Harper steps in. You feel as much as you see Amelia hovering nearby, looking worried and nervous because she's seen this woman before, if you remember. [00:07:58] Speaker D: So again, just a house visit and I'll be on my way. She's going to look to, I could see Amelia, correct? [00:08:07] Speaker G: Oh, yeah, you could absolutely see Amelia. There is a young female ghost who looks about Rosanna's age, who is looking at you, and she looks both freaked out and indignant, like, oh, my God, that's the bitch that killed me. But also, oh, my God, that's the bitch that killed me. [00:08:34] Speaker D: I'm going to look to the group first and go. I'm Harper. Just wanted to introduce myself because we didn't really meet each other on the best terms. [00:08:44] Speaker E: Well, I don't think we would really consider having met each other besides you showing up and disappearing again? [00:08:53] Speaker D: Yeah. [00:08:53] Speaker E: So we met. Arthur is like opening his book to start reading, but he hasn't yet. He's just opening it very carefully. [00:09:03] Speaker D: Do I catch that? [00:09:04] Speaker G: You do, yeah. [00:09:06] Speaker E: He's not hiding it. [00:09:10] Speaker D: I think she's going to find a nice place to sit down where everyone else. Like, where she could see everyone. She'll sit down, cross her legs and go, listen, Arthur, I wouldn't do that if I was you. You've already done enough to affect me in my time. And she's going to look to Zephyr and go, I'm also really sorry, Zephyr, for tackling you. It's just that I told you to do something and usually you're just so obedient and you just do things when people tell you to. So I was just, I guess, concerned, or not concerned, maybe even a little proud of you, that you actually stood up for yourself. But still, in the moment, it wasn't a time because I had something to do. Sorry about that. [00:10:02] Speaker A: Yeah. You're acting awfully familiar. [00:10:05] Speaker D: Do you know me? Anyways, Amelia. [00:10:11] Speaker G: Yeah? [00:10:14] Speaker D: I'm sorry about what happened to you. You're just one of the people that got caught in the crossfire. And it saddens me some to see someone so young go. [00:10:31] Speaker G: The crossfire. [00:10:34] Speaker D: Yeah. [00:10:35] Speaker B: You are the reason that hundreds of people are dead. That is not a cRossfire. [00:10:42] Speaker D: Maybe the direct reason, but I would say it was their blindness, their comfortability, perhaps their. Oh, someone else will probably report this, and I'm pretty sure. Sorry, Amelia. You saw me, correct? [00:11:05] Speaker G: I did. I didn't realize you were out of place, though. That shirt. I mean, it's a little dark for a cruise, but people walk around in button up flowered shirts on cruises all the time. [00:11:17] Speaker D: Right, but I'm just wondering, this body, or even just the people that I was with, this group I was with, they made it very, very clear what they were going to be doing. Social media posts, threats, and it was. None of it was taken serious. So there was definitely the opportunity for this to be avoided. So, yes, Crossfire. [00:11:46] Speaker G: I didn't see anything on social media. [00:11:51] Speaker D: Because he wasn't looking hard enough. [00:11:52] Speaker G: But then again, I'm sorry. [00:11:54] Speaker D: Again, you were caught in the crossfire, and I'm here to fix. Wait. [00:11:59] Speaker G: CrOSsfire implies that there are two groups at war here. And so far, I'm only seeing the assholes who blew up the ship. [00:12:11] Speaker D: And I can show you the other side. That's why I'm here. Kind of. [00:12:16] Speaker G: Who's the other side? [00:12:19] Speaker D: Unfortunately, I can't really? Say that with present company? Because it's not my business to tell when there are mortals around, but yes, Arthur. Yes, I know you're getting ready to. [00:12:33] Speaker B: Say, how do you know their names? [00:12:37] Speaker D: Rosanna. How do I know you names? That's a good question, but I'll get to that in a moment. I'm here to talk to Amelia and then I'll cover the other four. [00:12:52] Speaker E: Rosanna, I assume that this person is something that they're not explaining to us, and how they would get in is kind of a question. Based on the fact that they can appear and reappear wherever and apparently know something about stuff. I don't think that they are mortal. [00:13:12] Speaker B: No. [00:13:13] Speaker E: Considering the portal, that's how they. [00:13:16] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:13:17] Speaker D: So how about you all use what you learned in your last few days traveling and put together what I am? I'll give you a couple of minutes. So, Amelia, did they say what they're going to do with you? [00:13:35] Speaker G: They said they were going to get me somewhere away fRom. What was the word you used, Rosanna? [00:13:50] Speaker B: Get you somewhere away from the Reapers? [00:13:55] Speaker G: Yeah, away from those. [00:13:57] Speaker D: How sure are you that they can do that? They just learned what it was maybe how many minutes ago she's going to gesture to them. [00:14:10] Speaker B: I just look at Arthur. [00:14:13] Speaker F: All we can do is. Thanks for your help, by the way. [00:14:22] Speaker D: My help with what? [00:14:25] Speaker F: Teaching us all of this valuable information that we did not know until now. [00:14:30] Speaker D: You're very welcome. My goal is to. My goal. As much as I am furious and angry and I'm on the edge of exploding every time I think about you all, much like yourself, Victoria, I still want to help you guys for some reason. I'll give you information. Well, I mean, I'm not going to answer questions that you're going to ask me. So you guys can just pull what you need from the things that I'm saying to Amelia and hopefully use it so that you don't end up, I don't know, causing more people to die or allowing people to. It wasn't. You guys didn't really know about the cruise liner, so there's no way you really could have avoided that. But there's things you could have done. But anyways, moving on from that. [00:15:32] Speaker F: Nah, nah. This is your thing. [00:15:35] Speaker D: It is. And now you're all going to learn from it. Is everyone picking up what's happening here? She's going to look to each person. [00:15:45] Speaker F: Okay, great. [00:15:46] Speaker D: Back to Amelia. So, how do you know that they can protect you? Because you can ask them. I was able to get through the Reapers perfectly fine. In fact, I pretty much just walked in there, grabbed what I needed, and left, and they were fine. They were fine. I was fine. I don't know too much about them. I can't really tell if they're scuffed up or anything. Maybe Victoria here, which. I'm sorry, Amelia, one more time. Victoria, where did you learn to just rip open the veil? Is that what it's called? [00:16:29] Speaker G: Veil, Shroud, same thing. [00:16:31] Speaker D: Shroud, Veil. I'll say shroud. [00:16:35] Speaker E: That seems to be one of those questions that if the other side isn't going to be open and telling us things, maybe we should just not be open and not share our things, either. Person. [00:16:47] Speaker D: No problem. Well, don't say person. My name's Harper. I told you this, remember? Take notes. Arthur. What was I saying? Oh, yes, whatever. Besides all this nonsense, because I have to be going soon. I can't stay here too long. Amelia, what I'm trying to say is, you can come with me, and I'll teach you everything I know. You can clearly see what's happening right now. If you just look at me, I'll explain everything. No questions. You'll be protected from the Reapers. I don't know where they're going to leave you, but where they leave you, you'll probably be stuck there for years, just wondering, wandering. And the Reapers will find you, I promise that. [00:17:30] Speaker F: Work with them? [00:17:31] Speaker D: I don't work with them. No, actually, no. I guess I do work with them, now that I think about. [00:17:36] Speaker E: You absolutely helped them. [00:17:41] Speaker D: I didn't really help them. They worked for my boss, and my boss called me in because you guys were calling too much trouble, but normally, I don't really work with the Reapers. They just make sure to not grab me and grab the people that are with me, aka Amelia, if she decides to join me, because Amelia. And then she's going to look through the group. Take notes, you guys. Do you know what happens to the unfortunate souls is not the best word, but I'll say souls. To not give away all the information. Do you know what happens to the souls that get captured? [00:18:22] Speaker G: No. [00:18:25] Speaker D: They kind of get taken and put into kind of like a place called the Forge, and they get turned into things like. Well, some of the souls, but the ones that the Reapers are grabbing, they get taken and crushed and reformed into coins, bricks, chairs, sick stuff, terrible, frightening things, and it's just for fun. I don't do that because I think that's absolutely ridiculous. I think if you find a smart Wraith, smart, useful, capable Wraith, you take them you teach them and let them be able to support themselves out in these tough and brutal worlds. And you'll also be under my tutelage, so you also have protection from Reapers. Don't you want to be able to do what I can do? [00:19:18] Speaker G: I don't know what you can do exactly. [00:19:25] Speaker D: Okay, let me show you something. [00:19:27] Speaker G: You have a body and everybody can see you and you can touch things, but you're like me. [00:19:38] Speaker D: And actually, it's better to just show you. She's going to look to the group and go, please don't be too shocked, and don't try any of your things, please, or do. And we'll just play out what happens afterwards. And I'm going to Dun da da da the fanfare. Um, she's going to step out of the body or bloop out of the. [00:20:15] Speaker G: Body, basically remove yourself from the body. So could you describe what it looks like when you step out of this body? [00:20:25] Speaker D: So for her, it's kind of like a pull up, not a pull up. [00:20:34] Speaker G: What are those, a bodysuit? [00:20:37] Speaker D: Yeah, a little bit like a bodysuit, but she's kind of like, you could see, like spectral hands grab the shoulder of the body that she's in and push herself out. Kind of like a push up, but. [00:20:48] Speaker G: Oh, excellent. [00:20:49] Speaker D: Yeah. And she out. [00:20:55] Speaker G: So you all see. Well, yeah, no, we'll say for the sake of allowing everybody to continue to participate in the sheer amount of energy that you've managed to build up doing what you do. Everybody sees ghostly hands breach through Harper's arms at first, and they sort of peel themselves out and forward, and then they turn and brace against the top of her chest, around her clavicle, and you could see the arms push. And as they push, a spectral figure walks out, who is very familiar. [00:21:51] Speaker D: So now that I'm not in that. [00:21:54] Speaker G: Jillian is standing in front of all of you. [00:21:57] Speaker E: And Arthur goes. [00:22:01] Speaker G: Arthur goes what? [00:22:03] Speaker E: Arthur goes deaf as his triggering begins. [00:22:11] Speaker B: Oh, my God. [00:22:17] Speaker G: Jillian. [00:22:21] Speaker D: What can I say? Some things I could probably say of Amelia. Maybe explosions is one of the worst ways to go out, but unfortunately, I didn't get that experience. [00:22:37] Speaker F: When you challenged us earlier to figure out who you were, I was going to say you were some sort of Orpheus group, Patsy, looking to thin the veil by killing as many people as possible. Yet you're Jillian, and I don't think I'm wrong. [00:22:53] Speaker D: I don't even know what Orpheus is. Do I know what Orpheus is? [00:23:00] Speaker G: You don't know the name. You have heard your boss discuss a hapless group of mortals who think that they're smarter than they really are, who have been messing around with Wraiths and the Shroud and all of that. What you know is that there are one more pawn on his chessboard as far as he's concerned. [00:23:34] Speaker D: Copy. I wouldn't call myself that, really, because I'm not using rapes. I'm actually going out there and finding rapes that are out and about taking them under my wing. Well, this is really my first journey, I guess. Or mission, maybe. Yeah, this is really my first mission. I'm just going out, taking rapes, taking them under my wing and making sure that they're protected, that they understand what's going on and that they know, fall into danger. I'm just protecting them and teaching them because. Yeah, that's it. [00:24:12] Speaker F: I love that for you, Jillian. I really do. But why are you fucking with us? [00:24:19] Speaker D: Unfortunately, or fortunately, she's going to look off for a bit and then shake her head and look. Oh, unfortunately, for some reason, I can't stop thinking about you all. Don't know what it is. I can't stop. [00:24:43] Speaker A: How romantic. [00:24:44] Speaker E: Probably our connection, Jillian, to life. [00:24:48] Speaker D: To your life and my death. Yes. [00:24:53] Speaker E: Yeah. [00:24:55] Speaker D: You know? Yes, Rosanna. [00:25:05] Speaker B: Okay, this is a little bit too much. I know that there are. How did he describe them? Things that bind Wraith. [00:25:27] Speaker D: You called yourself a plus one for Rosanna. Okay, continue. [00:25:33] Speaker B: Yeah, no, you definitely are. Jillian. [00:25:37] Speaker D: Yeah. [00:25:41] Speaker B: Is it. Is it us as a group that you're bound to. Is it, like, specific people? Is it a thing? Do you know. [00:25:57] Speaker D: I'm not sure I want to tell you that. [00:26:01] Speaker E: Want or can't? Is there a reason that you can't just tell us some things? [00:26:09] Speaker D: Want to tell you? Because I think I coddled you all too much during my time living. So you guys can figure this out for yourself and then find out a way to destroy me if you can. [00:26:23] Speaker E: Destroy you? [00:26:24] Speaker D: Yeah, eventually you're going to have to. Or are you going to keep letting me live and keep killing people in mass because you're attached to me? Make a decision, you guys. Well, probably not right now, because I do have some stuff I need to get done before I get the final time. Well, yeah. So you guys are going to have to make a decision. [00:26:53] Speaker F: It's the easy decision to make. I'm killing you. [00:26:56] Speaker D: Okay? [00:26:58] Speaker F: I don't care if I get their help. [00:27:03] Speaker D: Let's see that happens. But before you kill me. [00:27:11] Speaker B: I just. [00:27:11] Speaker D: Want to make sure you all realize. [00:27:17] Speaker E: Are you angry with us for some reason? [00:27:20] Speaker D: Oh, immensely. Who set up the bomb. Show of hands. Which one of you set up the bomb that I went back to set? [00:27:33] Speaker G: Believe out of character that that was Zephyr who was in charge of putting the explosives together. [00:27:42] Speaker D: Sweet, sweet Zephyr. Did you realize that the bomb wasn't properly put together? So I had to sit there and try to put it back together. And I didn't even die in the explosion. Unfortunately, you know how I died? I got taken by werewolves and tortured for information. And that's how I died. So, yes, I'm angry with all of you. I'm angry with myself, too. Don't think I have taken myself off the platter. No, I should also be served up as well. But you're all still living, so I guess I have an even deeper anger for you guys. But unfortunately, I'm stuck still caring about you. So I want you to do well. I want you to properly hunt me down. End whatever's going on. I think maybe if you want to, if you're able to, but. [00:28:44] Speaker G: Yeah. [00:28:46] Speaker F: Anyway, so, Rich, you know, when you died, I blamed you because you ran back into that building. [00:28:51] Speaker D: It was stupid. [00:28:52] Speaker F: Yeah, and here you are blaming us because you ran back into that building. And now you're telling us that we killed a bunch of people on a cruise ship because we weren't paying attention. Yeah, it's a lot of projection going on here, girl. [00:29:10] Speaker D: I'm not angry because I went back into the building. I'm angry because the bomb wasn't set up. We didn't have enough information. We got comfortable. I'm angry that all of us went in there unprepared. That's what I'm angry about. And in a way, I'm still angry at myself. But I'm trying to get past that anger and help you all move forward and that more people don't end up dying because of your carelessness. So that's why I'm here. And if I have to keep blowing up more and more and more and more and more and more places until you figure out how to stop whatever you're doing or how to be better at what you're doing because you're hunters, I will. I'll just continue doing it. But along the way, if I find any rapes that are being taken in for whatever reason, I want to help them, too. So they don't get turned into coins, into chairs, sent down into whatever else you could be sent down into. Luckily, I got pulled out of the mass before anything else can happen to me. So I want to help race as well. Which is why I'm here to talk to Amelia. Not really so much for you guys, but I guess here we are. Anyways, she's going to look to Amelia and go, well, you can see what I can do. And you can do this, too. Not the whole blowing up thing, the, like, hopping in and out of bodies thing. [00:30:57] Speaker G: I definitely don't want to blow things up. [00:31:01] Speaker D: No, you don't have to, but you can puppet people. It sounds really bad, but once you kind of cross over into another world, it's kind of like things are different. So saying puppet people when you're living, it's like, oh, puppet people, that's so bad. But then when you kind of get into the other world, it's like. I mean, puppet people. It's like slang here or there. Technically here, too. [00:31:43] Speaker G: Rosanna. Amelia looks baffled and conflicted and a little unsure about what to do. You don't have to go with her. Are you going to, I don't know, destroy me or somehow promise you that. [00:32:11] Speaker B: I wasn't going to? [00:32:13] Speaker G: Well, I didn't think that you were, but, I mean, apparently that's inevitably what you have to do, right? [00:32:25] Speaker B: Remember the guy that I have with me? He can help you, too. [00:32:35] Speaker G: Maybe. But he seemed just as confused as you are. Maybe a little less so. But it also seems like he's been dead longer, so I suppose it makes sense he'd know a little bit more. But reapers are going to hunt me, and you can just promise that they won't get me. I don't want to be a penny in someone's pocket, or worse. [00:33:24] Speaker D: Do. We're running on Rafe time, which is honestly long, but alSo, I have stuff to do, and we have places to go. Is there anywhere in particular if you're coming with me, Amelia, is there anywhere you've ever wanted to go? Because we can pretty much just go anywhere. Like, pretty much anywhere and. [00:33:48] Speaker G: Pretty. Yeah, sure, there's. There's places I've always wanted to go. [00:33:57] Speaker D: How's the. [00:34:01] Speaker G: I mean, the East coast is nice. I also really wanted to go to New Orleans, but never got a chance. [00:34:09] Speaker D: Well, we can go. In fact, if I can break away for some. Hmm. [00:34:17] Speaker B: You're. [00:34:21] Speaker D: Not taking her. She's making her own decision. I don't plan to, but she's making her own decision. So if she wants to stay with you guys, then so be it. Eventually a Reaper will come and take her because you guys clearly can't protect her like you protected the two ghosts that were. Or, sorry, the two race that were with you. Before? [00:34:41] Speaker B: Yes. [00:34:41] Speaker D: Also, Amelia. They did have two race with them and try to save them. And you can see they're not here. [00:34:50] Speaker E: That's because of you. Angry dead peoples that were coming after them. We were going to help them and those cowboys intervened. [00:35:01] Speaker D: Yeah, the. [00:35:05] Speaker E: Are. And then you're mad at us that we're not doing the right thing? We were doing the right thing, Jillian. Yeah, so this whole anger thing that you have doesn't make any sense to me because we're trying to do the right thing. And apparently that right thing isn't good enough. So what is the expectation here? You're convincing this person to go with you because we're not doing it right. And we're not doing it right because of your people. [00:35:37] Speaker D: No. [00:35:39] Speaker E: And you, apparently who we thought was our friend. [00:35:44] Speaker D: I'm still your friend in a way. [00:35:49] Speaker F: Hate to say it, Jillian's right. We can protect those two for shit back there. [00:35:55] Speaker D: No. [00:35:59] Speaker F: But I don't trust you. Because you know what? If I died, I wouldn't turn on all of you. [00:36:11] Speaker D: You couldn't possibly know what you would do once you died. So don't talk to me like that. Victoria. You know me, probably know. [00:36:25] Speaker E: I know I wouldn't. I know I wouldn't turn on my friends. [00:36:29] Speaker G: I would like everybody but Jillian to make a wits. And is it insight or empathy in this ediTion? Insight. Wits and insight. [00:36:45] Speaker F: I have a specialty in that. [00:36:47] Speaker G: What is your specialty? Empathic abs of friggin lootly. Then. [00:36:57] Speaker A: It'S stressing me out. Yeah, just one. [00:37:05] Speaker E: I had four. [00:37:07] Speaker G: Anybody who wants to roll, who wants to willpower, can willpower. And then let me know what your totals. [00:37:18] Speaker A: Oh, I got a critical. So it's five. [00:37:23] Speaker F: Yeah, I got three. [00:37:26] Speaker E: Four. [00:37:28] Speaker B: No, just one. [00:37:30] Speaker G: Okay, Rosanna, you're so caught up in the sight of Jillian in front of you and the news that she is angry. And part of why she is angry is because she didn't have to come out and say it. But you didn't do enough. You didn't go in there with enough information. You didn't figure out enough before you took on the mission that inevitably killed her. And you're so caught up on that thought that you can't really see past that right now. Who got two? Three. [00:38:11] Speaker F: I got three. [00:38:16] Speaker G: Victoria and Arthur. You both see Jillian and hear Jillian. And a lot of the mannerisms are dead on for Jillian. But the Jillian that you knew was never like this. She was never this angry. She was generally very caring, very protective, very. What's the right way to put it? Very empathetic in a lot of ways. Like she didn't read people as well as Victoria did. But she. She was one of the first people to step in and try to help whenever she could. So it's weird to see her so angry. Zephyr, with your critical, your five successes, you're not sure what's up, but you know that that's Jillian. It's like the worst parts of her, the part of her that wants to help has been weaponized. It's been cranked up to eleven. It's taken the idea of helping people and being there to help them better themselves the way that she did with you when you first showed up at the compound and you were so out of your element and had no idea what you were doing. You were just hiding. And Jillian was the one who. Probably because of close proximity at first. But after a while it went from her trying to help you better yourself and help you find your way and your place in this new world that you had, that you had stepped into. It went from that to her doing it because she was your friend and she wanted you to feel like you had a home and a place even if you didn't consider yourself a part of the congregation. Also, for those who might be wondering, the body that she stepped out of is still breathing. It's like it's unconscious. It basically toppled over and is laying on the floor right now not doing anything. Is it close to me? It's at Jillian's feet. So depends on how far away from Jillian you were. I assume Jillian kind of placed herself sort of in the middle of things so that she could talk to everybody. You could get to it pretty quickly if you wanted to, but it would mean having to move. And it's unlikely that she would miss you unless you managed to time it just right. [00:41:37] Speaker D: So, Amelia, what is your choice? [00:41:46] Speaker G: She is looking back and forth between Rosanna and she's looking at the others. Rosanna, but obviously they don't see her. And then looking at Jillian and she looks conflicted and freaked out and it's like she doesn't want to go. But she's also not sure that she's any safer staying with you. Based on what she's been told you. [00:42:17] Speaker B: We can help you connect with the outside world in a way that she cannot. You won in New Orleans. That's where we were going anyway. I have a friend who can mentor you. You want to feel things and touch things. I can help you with that. [00:42:49] Speaker G: I would like everybody, including Jillian, to roll me a persuasion check. Jillian, you are welcome to use manipulation if that is a better stat for you. Everybody else, I'm assuming you're not trying to manipulate, you're just trying to win her over. Rosanna, if you want to make the key role, you can and I will allow you to take dice from anybody who might be trying to. [00:43:22] Speaker A: Oh, go ahead. [00:43:25] Speaker E: Yeah. So that leaves the question, if we're trying to help, do we make the role? [00:43:29] Speaker G: Then no. I'm sorry, I should have said, you guys have to pick somebody to make the role. It is Rosanna talking to her, so I'm going to assume it's Rosanna and everybody can pitch in dice if you like. [00:43:53] Speaker F: Victoria's kind of made for this kind of thing. Granted, I'm not the one talking, so I guess I'll just. [00:43:58] Speaker G: If you want to break in and try to contribute, I will let you make your own role. Just means that you can't help Rosanna's role. Your role has to stand alone. Does that make sense? [00:44:10] Speaker F: Hard to talk to someone I can't see or hear. Yeah, I'll just offer my dice. [00:44:15] Speaker E: Is this charisma and persuasion or just persuasion alone? [00:44:18] Speaker G: Charisma and. [00:44:20] Speaker E: Oh, I'll definitely offer my dice. [00:44:24] Speaker G: Victoria, do you have a specialization? [00:44:26] Speaker F: Not in persuasion, no. [00:44:30] Speaker G: Therefore, are you helping? [00:44:36] Speaker A: I'm actually on the side of just letting her go with Jillian because the experience that we had at the church, I'm just kind of like, she's can't. We couldn't protect two people, so there's no way we can protect this one person. [00:44:53] Speaker F: Especially since I'm also mad at. [00:44:59] Speaker E: Yeah, like, on the one side, Arthur doesn't want another tag along Ghost, but on the other side, like, no, you can go off back to your land now, wherever it is that you live. Yeah, I don't know how many dice I can contribute. I have three in persuasion. [00:45:20] Speaker B: I'm going to do something, actually, instead. [00:45:23] Speaker G: Okay, what do you want to do? [00:45:27] Speaker B: I'm going to breathe. Take, like, a visible breath. Listen, if you want to see what I can let you do. And she's going to reach out and touch the ghost. [00:45:50] Speaker G: Oh. Are you going to attempt to emulate what you have already done with a ghost before? [00:45:57] Speaker B: Yes. [00:45:59] Speaker G: Okay. I'm not going to make you roll because you're doing this willingly. This isn't something you have to willpower through or anything like that. I would like to have you roll and do a wits at a cult just to see how comfortable and easy this is for you. It's going to work. [00:46:22] Speaker B: I just want to see add my specialty? [00:46:25] Speaker G: You can absolutely add your specialty. [00:46:36] Speaker B: You said widths or resolve? [00:46:40] Speaker G: Widths. [00:46:41] Speaker B: Widths. Okay. [00:46:42] Speaker G: This is you trying to think on the fly. Figure out how to recreate something that you've kind of had thrust on you before. That's not bad. No, it's a little uncomfortable. It's a little bit like pulling taffy is the best way I can describe it. Apologies. [00:47:12] Speaker B: Not as gentle as the last woman. [00:47:16] Speaker G: It's more that she is so freshly dead and so not accustomed to her form that it's like you're working with something a little bit more viscous. [00:47:28] Speaker B: Okay, a little bit to the left. [00:47:34] Speaker G: All of you watch as Rosanna kind of twitches and squirms and know it just looks visibly uncomfortable for a couple of seconds. And thankfully, it doesn't hurt. It just is a little unpleasant. But eventually, Rosanna, you feel her kind of find the sweet spot, and you can breathe a little bit better. You can also feel her kind of attached to you. And then Rosanna's mouth opens and goes, wow, this is weird. Mine were never this big. And she sort of, like, pulls the neck of the shirt a little bit up. Hi, I'm Amelia. Nice to meet you. [00:48:35] Speaker D: Hello. [00:48:36] Speaker E: Arthur's hand grips solidly on the thing in his pocket. [00:48:45] Speaker B: Can I talk as. [00:48:48] Speaker G: Yes. [00:48:49] Speaker B: Now. Now. I gave her permission. This is Victoria. You're a lot better at convincing people than am. Maybe you could speak some sense into this woman. [00:49:05] Speaker F: Honestly, there's nothing I can really do to convince you because, yeah, Jillian's right. [00:49:11] Speaker G: We're not equipped. [00:49:11] Speaker F: We don't have the knowledge to protect you like you would like. But honestly, if we manage it, I think you have a better life ahead of you. Because whatever this is, and I'll point at Jillian at this point and go, this is twisted. This ain't right. [00:49:34] Speaker G: Well, I hate to quibble semantics, but I think it's afterlife ahead of me. But she's already hilarious. [00:49:43] Speaker D: Look at her. Sorry. [00:49:48] Speaker G: I'm also not super enthusiastic about the idea of potentially one day going crazy and blowing people up. That doesn't sound like my cup of tea. But I also don't want to get turned into a coin man. All I wanted was a vacation for my. Why? Why did it have to get this complicated? [00:50:17] Speaker B: You didn't even want that. [00:50:24] Speaker D: Again, sorry. [00:50:27] Speaker B: Listen, Amelia, like I said, I can't convince you which side is right and which side is not right to follow, but I made a promise to you that I was going to get you through this, and I fully intend on keeping that promise, whatever resources I can. I've got books. I've got knowledge. I've got. Technically. Technically, I have a degree in this. But I got people who can help. And like I said, I can let you feel things and touch things. I can let you interact with the world in a way that she cannot. [00:51:27] Speaker D: That's not true. [00:51:28] Speaker F: I can't offer you. That's just Roseanne's purview. But. [00:51:35] Speaker G: I don't know, person that blew. [00:51:39] Speaker F: Up a whole bunch of people, or people that are actually trying to help. [00:51:45] Speaker D: Again, that wasn't fully me. She's going to point at the body. They were already planning on doing that. I just hijacked the body. Wasn't entirely me. [00:51:57] Speaker B: But you were still involved. [00:51:59] Speaker G: You also don't have any proof that they were planning to do that. [00:52:03] Speaker D: Well, it happened. [00:52:06] Speaker G: Apparently, you could just jump into people's bodies. [00:52:09] Speaker D: I sure can. [00:52:11] Speaker G: So, how do we know the laying of the plan wasn't because you or somebody like you jumped in and did it? [00:52:22] Speaker D: Well, I was with them when the ship exploded. [00:52:28] Speaker B: No, you weren't. [00:52:29] Speaker D: Yes, I was. [00:52:30] Speaker B: The ship exploded after everything with you. [00:52:34] Speaker D: I was with you because I went like this and I heard the explosion and then I left because then the Reapers left, too. I was with you guys when the ship exploded. [00:52:45] Speaker G: Yeah, but you were on the ship before it exploded. I saw you. [00:52:49] Speaker D: That part, but I didn't explode the ship. [00:52:53] Speaker G: All right, look, no offense to the rest of you, but she's going to turn to Victoria. You seem like the most Frank person here. [00:53:09] Speaker F: Yeah, I guess you could say that. [00:53:13] Speaker G: Also the second most angry, which is a little worrying, but we'll talk about that later. If I stay. Also, cute dog. Big dog, but cute. Ah. If I stay with you, how hard are you going to fight for me? I know that you may not be able to stop the inevitable, but if I'm just going to get ditched the second it becomes hard. [00:53:50] Speaker F: I know you didn't see us in the church when we were fighting for the other two. We fought hard. We're not mystical. We're just people. We don't know how to fight Reapers and ghosts. We do our best with what the tools we have been given, but. [00:54:12] Speaker G: We fought hard. [00:54:14] Speaker F: I'm bleeding from my ears, Elijah. I mean, I'm sorry Zephyr was getting thrown up and down. [00:54:26] Speaker B: I'M pissed. [00:54:28] Speaker F: I'm pissed that everything we put into that seemed to be for nothing. [00:54:35] Speaker G: I would like Jillian and Victoria to both make their persuasion rolls. Victoria, you can take dice. An extra die from Rosanna and an extra die from Arthur Zephyr has made their feelings clear. So they don't get to contribute to the. Actually, actually, no. Jillian gets an extra die because Zephyr has made it clear that they think that she should go with them. [00:55:06] Speaker A: Arthur's going to fucking kill me. [00:55:10] Speaker B: Rosanna doesn't get to you. First tackled by women is okay, but. [00:55:18] Speaker G: Also, there's a little bit of a track record of the two of you tried to struggle, and neither one of you came out of that. [00:55:24] Speaker D: So let's see what happens. I don't have a dice full on this. [00:55:34] Speaker G: All right, Amelia, so. So you guys see Rosanna's face, look unsure and nervous and thoughtful before she takes a deep breath and goes. All right, you know what? Because I don't want to end up like her, I'll stay. But you got a promise. You're not just going to drop me off somewhere and leave me on my own until I know what I'm doing. And she's looking at Victoria when she says it. I want your word because I think you'll hold the rest of them. [00:56:22] Speaker F: I promise. [00:56:25] Speaker G: Take on it. [00:56:27] Speaker F: It feels a little weird, but, yeah, I'll get up. I'm a little woozy from the fight earlier, but I'll walk over. [00:56:35] Speaker G: When she sees you get a little unsteady, she will cross quickly to you so that you don't have to get up. Like, she's not trying to make this any more difficult. [00:56:44] Speaker D: Yeah. [00:56:45] Speaker F: Once we connect, I give her a very firm handshake. Even my eyes show that this is deadly serious. [00:56:56] Speaker G: You will turn back to Jillian. Sorry. If there's any chance I end up, I don't know, mad with power. Whatever you are right now and blowing things up, I'm not interested. [00:57:12] Speaker D: No problem. Well, on that note, I have to. [00:57:18] Speaker E: Be heading out, but two questions that are pressing on my mind. Well, a question and a statement. [00:57:27] Speaker D: Go right ahead. [00:57:28] Speaker E: Based on what you were trying to say, does every soul get ground up by the forge? [00:57:38] Speaker G: Indeed. Obviously not. Because she's here. [00:57:47] Speaker E: Right? Except for the ones that are yanked aside for whatever crazy ass purpose, whatever is going on out there wants. Right? Aside from those, the general chain. The line. The one you were pulled from leads to the Forge. [00:58:01] Speaker D: No. Only if you're grabbed by a Reaper. You could possibly be taken to the forge or whoever ends up tricking you in the other. [00:58:08] Speaker G: Jillian, what you have been told about how this works. Self aware wraiths, one of two things happens. They either end up getting to be one of the lucky ones who gets taken to Stygia. The rest of you don't know that word, but Jillian does. She's been told about it, even if she's never been. They get taken to Stygia and are kind of sort of introduced to potentially living. The ones who might be useful beyond being a thing are self aware but also not necessarily considered high quality enough in a way, frequently get sold to slaves. [00:59:02] Speaker D: Okay. [00:59:03] Speaker G: They get handed over, but the great majority, who are not aware yet get rounded up and taken to the Forges. [00:59:10] Speaker D: Okay. [00:59:11] Speaker G: And troublesome ones end up in the Forges a lot. [00:59:15] Speaker D: Okay. So you have a couple of paths. Please take note, because I don't want to say this. Hmm. Should I say the word as an. [00:59:31] Speaker G: Out of character note? It is entirely up to you whether or not Jillian would even tell them any of that. But that's what you. [00:59:39] Speaker D: Hmm. So do you want to know the good answer or the bad answer? I'll give you a choice, just for old time's sake. [00:59:54] Speaker E: The correct answer. [01:00:00] Speaker D: You always play these games, Arthur. You always do. You could get people killed from them anyhow. Okay. The correct answer. So then the correct answer is there's a place where they can go where some gets taken and they get to live again, but not live as in this living or this living. It's kind of like storyteller. Would you say Stygia is like society for the race? [01:00:29] Speaker G: Yeah, it's like our world, but everything looks really run down and drab and fallen apart. [01:00:34] Speaker D: Happy. It's kind of like society for us. So you either end up there, some who are a bit more useful and get captured, get sold as slaves. Not fun. And then another group who are kind of less useful and or troublesome, which, Amelia, you've now gone into a person, and that's not okay. And hopefully they could protect you because you're now troublesome. And those are the ones that get taken to the forge if they don't have the correct protection. So, yeah, I could be know if I go astray, but I have protection, and hopefully they could protect you. You had a second question, dear friend Arthur? [01:01:30] Speaker E: Yeah, never mind. It's not a good question. It's a question that I should ask myself. Never mind, Jillian, just go now before I actually start reading from this book. [01:01:52] Speaker D: Sure. Just give me 1 second. Amelia, just so you know, or for the group around you when you start hearing. And this one, she's actually a little bit more serious when you start hearing the other one. Take care of yourself. I actually do care, but, yeah, if you're going to stay with them. When you start hearing the other one, take care of yourself. [01:02:26] Speaker G: What other one? [01:02:29] Speaker D: I can't give you all the answers. You're staying with them now anyways. [01:02:35] Speaker G: I got to go. [01:02:36] Speaker D: My ride's going to leave. She's going to start to get ready to go inside the. [01:02:45] Speaker B: When. You can't believe I'm fucking doing this. When you step into body. Can you come here for a second? [01:02:58] Speaker D: So here's the thing, Rosanna, just come here. All right. She's going to step into the body like she's putting on a pair of pants and then kind of, it's a. [01:03:18] Speaker G: Little bit more like laying down into the body. That's who. Because the body fell over, because it was unconscious when you stepped out of it, you settle into the body and your eyes open and the first thing you realize is that the body has a headache because it fell and hit its head. So that'll be fun to deal with. But it's not difficult. Like, you've kind of been in and out of this body quite a few times lately, so you're accustomed to it. It's not like a struggle for you. There's no check required. [01:03:53] Speaker D: All right, I'm walking to you and she's going to look at the group and be like, no funny, funny business. Right? [01:04:00] Speaker G: Right. [01:04:02] Speaker D: She's going to look at art there. I see you Care a lot more about Rosanna lately. Don't know what that's about. Anyways. And she's going to walk over and go, yes. [01:04:16] Speaker B: Rosanna is going to reach into right here and she's going to pull out a little something with a wrapper and just tuck it into her hand. [01:04:32] Speaker D: She'll take it and look at it. So, storyteller. [01:04:41] Speaker G: Oh, you know what this is? This is a strawberry cream. [01:04:46] Speaker D: Does that. [01:04:49] Speaker E: Hmm. [01:04:52] Speaker G: Are you asking if this empathizes you a little bit more? [01:04:56] Speaker D: Yeah. [01:05:02] Speaker G: Make me an unspent willpower role. [01:05:09] Speaker D: How much. [01:05:13] Speaker G: I want to see how well your better angel comes through. [01:05:20] Speaker D: I do. [01:05:20] Speaker F: Jesus. [01:05:22] Speaker D: I didn't even realize I had willpower. Hilarious dice hunter. [01:05:41] Speaker G: You feel that other side of yourself start to get a little bolstered, start to fight for control a little bit. Here's my question. Were you rolling your willpower as you or as you, as me? As, like, Jillian. Jillian. Okay. [01:06:22] Speaker F: You. [01:06:27] Speaker G: Feel that other part of yourself that better angel inside of you kind of starting to claw and fight for control. And there's a moment of panic because you realize that you've expended so much energy today that you're not sure if you can hold on. And it's a very real internal struggle. And Rosanna, you see this? You see the look on her face? It's like she looks, in turns angry and scared and frustrated and pissed at you and desperate all at the same time. Before Jillian, you finally went out. And you tuck away that. You shove down that dark part of yourself you've already figured out before that you can never make it fully go away. But sometimes if you fight hard enough and you think hard enough about the people that you love, you can break that control. I would like everybody else to make an insight. What's an inside checkup? [01:08:07] Speaker E: Three. [01:08:08] Speaker B: One. [01:08:12] Speaker F: I've also got three. [01:08:16] Speaker G: Rosanna, you're so caught up in the emotion of the moment that you aren't really sure what you're looking at. You just see this weird, conflicted hodgepodge of emotions on Jillian's face. Zephyr, you're so freaked out and kind of desperate for this whole situation to be over that you don't like, and your brain's moving a thousand miles a minute. You're like, how can I do what Rosanna does? How can I figure out how to harness a ghost and be useful through things like that? Victoria and Arthur, you guys watch. As Jillian's whole demeanor shifts. Her face gets a little bit more. Well, Jillian, how do you feel? [01:09:12] Speaker D: Honestly, looking at this candy? It's like she got an espresso shot of just memories and emotion and feeling, but then also remembering how she died, but then remembering the good times. So it's like, just fully all of that and being able to push down the shadow, it was also, like a feeling of, she knows she gets her strength from these people, these people that she's called her family for so long. So she's also having a moment of, like, I can't believe I could possibly be angry at these people. They didn't mean to do what happened? We're all new. I could have made this mistake. Anyone could have made this mistake. Why am I angry at them? Why am I testing them? Oh, my God. I just killed so many people. So it's like, so many things is going through her mind right now, but she's also just, like, she's starting to even feel tears come up because she's also like, oh, my God, I also just missed a piece of candy. Did a piece of candy just bring up all of this? And she's just, like, so much emotion and thoughts about everything and then still also processing that. She's like, oh, my God, I'm dead. [01:10:24] Speaker G: So a lot is happening. You guys. [01:10:29] Speaker D: Watch. [01:10:29] Speaker G: As her entire body language changes, she goes from rigid and almost uptight in the way that she moves to something much more akin to how she was when she was know, but also how she was when she was emotional when she was alive. Arthur, it's very similar to how she carried herself and the way her face looked the day that you left the compound together, where she didn't know if she was doing the right thing. She didn't know if she was turning her back on everything that she had worked her entire life for for a good reason. She just was doing what her gut told her to do. And that came with a lot of self doubt and emOtion, but also a desperation to keep you and Zephyr safe, because that's just who she was at her core. I will say this, Victoria, with your hearing, even though it took such a beating earlier, you hear her breathing change, where it goes from very steady and even to it catches. She's trying not to cry. [01:11:54] Speaker F: Yeah. I want to say the cell may notice Victoria's demeanor change. Like, when that glimmer of old Jillian comes out. The resolve in Victoria's eyes, like, I'm going to destroy you, falters just a little bit. [01:12:14] Speaker B: I know that you aren't able to enjoy them when you're out of a body, but we do miss you, Jay, despite the anger and the frustration. And I'm sorry. I'm sorry that we weren't prepared. [01:12:45] Speaker E: I'm sorry that it was you, not me. [01:12:52] Speaker D: Don't see that art there and y'all don't. This could have been anyone. [01:13:03] Speaker B: I'm gonna pull Jillian into a hug. She's going to try to squeeze her. [01:13:11] Speaker D: As tight as she can in his puny body. [01:13:17] Speaker G: So this hug happens, right? Rosanna pulls Jillian into a hug. Jillian squeezes really hard. And then Rosanna's mouth opens and goes, wow, this is really awkward. How do I get out of this thing? [01:13:30] Speaker D: I'm so sorry, Amelia. I don't plan to use you. I actually do care and want to. [01:13:35] Speaker G: Make sure that you're okay. Hell is wrong with you? Weren't you, like, some homicidal maniac a few minutes ago? What is going on? [01:13:44] Speaker D: That's what I mean. She's trying to compose herself to explain, but she's also just like, so many emotions are happening. That's what I mean when I say the other one, it's like the worst part of us. It just takes over you and envelops you and you're angry or you're upset or you're depressed or. I've seen so many other people just become shadows of themselves. [01:14:13] Speaker G: We lost somebody and we're back. [01:14:18] Speaker D: Become shadows of and I don't know what it is and, oh, my God, I'm dead. I don't blame you, Zephyr, for the bomb not being set up. I don't know why I would blame you. I don't know how to set up a bomb. I know how to punch things and grab things and shoot things. I would never blame you, but I'm just so angry. But I'm also. I miss you all, and I just want you to be the best that you can be. And I can't protect you anymore. [01:14:55] Speaker B: We are trying our damn hardest to be the best that we can be, and losing you was. I don't even know how to begin to explain it, Jillian. [01:15:11] Speaker F: Then help us, Jillian. Don't make us have to hunt you down to destroy you. Help us. You said yourself we do not have the information you can impart that billion. [01:15:25] Speaker D: Yeah. [01:15:25] Speaker G: I need another willpower role. [01:15:27] Speaker B: Yeah. I knew it. [01:15:31] Speaker A: Are they still hugging? [01:15:33] Speaker G: Yes. [01:15:35] Speaker A: Okay. I'm going to join the hug. I'm going to join the hug. [01:15:41] Speaker B: Group hug. [01:15:43] Speaker D: What an image. [01:15:49] Speaker G: I got a one. Okay, I'll make a note. You feel your shadow clawing for control. It's trying so hard, but you keep it shoved down. You're going to take a superficial willpower damage for it, whittling down your ability to hold it off. [01:16:20] Speaker D: Noted. [01:16:25] Speaker E: Arthur's obviously going to step in for the hug as well. [01:16:29] Speaker G: Zephyr does Victoria. You see Rosanna's face? Look at you over Jillian's shoulder, and she's mouthing, help me. Help me. There's no help coming. [01:16:41] Speaker F: I'm also joining in on this big hug. And Gozer is going to snuggle in as well because he may not know Jillian, but part of the pack. [01:16:53] Speaker G: Poor Amelia. Amelia's like, I didn't sign up for this. [01:16:58] Speaker B: This is why she joined. You didn't sign up for this, but here you are. [01:17:07] Speaker D: They've always been huggers. [01:17:11] Speaker F: That's what people didn't know about us. After every hunt, we'd hug it out. [01:17:15] Speaker G: Yeah. [01:17:16] Speaker B: We'd hug it out. And then we cried out. [01:17:18] Speaker G: Hug it out and go, cheap restaurant for food. [01:17:21] Speaker E: Yeah. It's the only way through. [01:17:29] Speaker D: Yes. I can try. I I can't. And you're going to have to. You're going to have to one day figure out how to get rid of me, because what I am is not natural. And we hunt the supernatural. I'm supernatural. And you're going to have to get rid of me. I'm not doing good things or I believe I'm doing good things, but deep down I know they're not good. But I just can't help it. I can't help it. And you're going to have to get rid of me or stop what's happening or. [01:18:26] Speaker B: On track. You deserve to rest. [01:18:34] Speaker D: I'm so tired. [01:18:37] Speaker B: I know. Every time I watch them $2 movies, I'm going to think of you. [01:18:46] Speaker D: Those are top tier movies. [01:18:49] Speaker B: You are so awful. I don't know what you're talking about. I swear to God, I'm going to find a bag one of these days. [01:18:58] Speaker G: You know how hard it is to. [01:18:59] Speaker B: Find a bag outside of California? It sucks, Jillian. [01:19:05] Speaker D: You just gotta look in the cheaper stores or ask for behind the counter. This isn't the advice I'm supposed to be giving you. [01:19:14] Speaker G: You need a Sama. [01:19:18] Speaker D: Chillian. [01:19:19] Speaker E: Us. [01:19:22] Speaker G: Make a willpower roll. But I want your full willpower dice pool, including the one that you burned. Goodness. All right, Jillian is holding steady. Barely. You take another superficial willpower damage. [01:19:50] Speaker E: What is going on that we need to stop? Jillian. [01:20:00] Speaker D: What can I say? [01:20:05] Speaker G: So you don't know everything. I know that I, as the storyteller, have basically told you everything so that you can understand the role that you're playing. But you don't know everything. You know the broad strokes. You know where the next event is supposed to happen. That's already been discussed with you. [01:20:31] Speaker D: Okay, and where is it? [01:20:36] Speaker G: I believe I told you yesterday. [01:20:43] Speaker E: So test to see how well the player was listening. [01:20:48] Speaker G: You know that the next hit is supposed to happen in New Orleans. [01:20:52] Speaker B: Okay, great. [01:20:57] Speaker D: Okay. [01:20:59] Speaker G: There is a concert happening in New Orleans that is targeted. [01:21:11] Speaker D: I don't know. I don't know everything. But what I do know is there's just my boss, he's planning these mass casualties. And I'm sure maybe Rosanna saw it, but it's just getting so full back. And I'm sure if Victor Oria tried again, she could just poke the shroud and it's going to rip at any point, but it's just so full back there. But anyways, they have been planning these mass casualties. And I just know the next one's in New Orleans, which I was heading there anyways. But. [01:22:03] Speaker G: You also know to some degree, you know the why. You asked your boss or your shadow asked your boss. Just out of curiosity, not that I super care, but why? What purpose does all this serve? And that's how you found out about the forges. And he goes, simple currency. Power. You need souls for that. [01:22:40] Speaker D: There's going to be. The next event is going to be at a concert in New Orleans, and it's going to be exactly like the cruise liner. [01:22:52] Speaker G: Another willpower roll, please. [01:22:57] Speaker D: By full. [01:23:01] Speaker G: Full dice. Full. [01:23:02] Speaker B: Yes. [01:23:06] Speaker G: Oh. All right. You all feel it. Before you recognize what's happening, Jillian gets just that much information out. And then again, her entire body changes and her demeanor shifts, and she almost violently shrugs all of you off of her because none of you all have the strength pool to be able to resist her. And she looks more furious than before. Before, she was that kind of calm, sardonic, angry. Now she just looks like she wants to rip somebody a new asshole. [01:24:01] Speaker D: That's a funny little trick you played, Rosanna. You know, pull out my heartstrings. Know, see if you can get Jillian back or whatsoever. Amelia, enjoy your time with these people. Hopefully I don't find you at the chair somewhere. I have to head out. Well, now you know where you'll see me again. Maybe if I see you. Hopefully we don't run into each other. [01:24:28] Speaker A: Zephyr, what were you going to say before she leaves? I'm going to punch her in the face. [01:24:37] Speaker G: You are certainly welcome to try. That is a strength and brawl. Check. I believe I'll let it happen. [01:24:46] Speaker D: I'm not. [01:24:47] Speaker G: Oh, excellent. So we don't even have to roll. I would like you to just actually make the roll because I want to see how hard you hit her, because, quite frankly, it is. Zephyr. [01:25:03] Speaker B: Roll that one. [01:25:04] Speaker G: Die, please. You're going to make contact. It's just a matter of if you manage to actually do something with it. [01:25:11] Speaker A: Okay, you said she like a light. [01:25:13] Speaker E: Stroke. [01:25:16] Speaker G: Open hand slap. [01:25:18] Speaker A: I used the wrong one. [01:25:20] Speaker G: How many dice were you supposed to roll? Oh, it's fine. [01:25:24] Speaker A: Yeah, it's one. [01:25:28] Speaker G: It's a pitiful little. So, you know that little breathy squeak that Elijah made as he was laughing? It's very close to the sound that comes out of Zephyr's mouth as he throws his entire weight behind this punch. And it connects. It hits solidly with Jillian's jaw, but Jillian doesn't hurt at all. You're just like, really? You're pretty sure that when you were at the compound and you were helping handle rowdy children who were flailing, they hit harder than Zephyr just hit you. [01:26:09] Speaker E: Hey, listen, flailing children can hit pretty damn hard, so. [01:26:19] Speaker A: I'm going to look her dead in the eye after that, even though it didn't do shit. And I'm going to say, next time you die, I'm going to make sure it's on purpose. [01:26:36] Speaker G: You know, that was such a beautiful line, Elijah. I'm going to give you an extra die on your next roll. Whatever it ends up being another bitch. [01:26:47] Speaker B: Black roll. [01:26:52] Speaker G: So as Jillian heads for the door, is anybody, like, following her? Are you just going to let her go? [01:26:58] Speaker F: Jillian, I got a question before you leave. [01:27:01] Speaker B: Yes. [01:27:02] Speaker F: And I understand you're pissed and you're probably not going to answer me truthfully, but I got to know. [01:27:07] Speaker E: This is Harper now, right? [01:27:10] Speaker F: Harper, can a human go into the shroud? Can a mortal. [01:27:20] Speaker G: Well, I have to ask the question first. Hold on. [01:27:23] Speaker F: Can immortal go into the shroud? [01:27:28] Speaker G: Jillian, you don't know. You have no idea. You don't know if anybody has tried. You imagine it probably wouldn't go well if they did. But you don't know. [01:27:40] Speaker D: Okay, that's a good question. Honestly, I don't have an answer for that. But I'd say if you want to join me quicker. I'd say try it out to teach the next person. Anyways, I have a concert to get to. Hope to see you all there, front row. So, yeah, as she strolls out, she's going to. And then, whatever, head out, and then she'll, like, wave her hand and then. [01:28:36] Speaker G: Do any of you follow to watch where she's going? [01:28:41] Speaker F: Not in my state. Right. [01:28:45] Speaker G: Anyone else? [01:28:47] Speaker B: Yeah. [01:28:50] Speaker G: Rosanna. Everybody here has come from Rosanna's mouth as Rosanna starts to cross the room. Oh, we're going over here now. Okay. [01:28:59] Speaker D: Here we go. [01:29:01] Speaker B: Rosanna. [01:29:02] Speaker G: What the fuck? Amelia has been trying to figure out how to get out of your body. So when you start moving, you essentially yank her in the opposite direction of where she was trying to. [01:29:13] Speaker B: Thought we were done. [01:29:15] Speaker G: No, you guys follow Jillian and you go to the different windows, most of which are covered, but it's not hard to just kind of peel the paper up at the edge and watch her go. She steps out into what you realize by now is the Mid to late afternoon sunlight. Kind of looks up and down the street for a moment to verify that there's no cars coming and you're in a part of town that's not going to see a whole lot of action considering what just happened at the docks or at the port. And you watch that same swirling black portal open up under her feet. And those hands reach up and grab her legs and yank her down into it. And then the portal closes and you are left alone. It. [01:30:21] Speaker A: Where's the RV parked? [01:30:23] Speaker G: The RV is parked in the parking garage. You guys are in, like, an old, abandoned fire station. [01:30:29] Speaker A: Okay, I'm going to go to the RV and grab all of them. [01:30:40] Speaker E: Some part of me was very angry. And then I'm saying this to Rosanna and Victoria, who stayed. Right, because Zephyr went off somewhere. [01:30:51] Speaker G: Well, let's find out what Zephyr is. [01:30:53] Speaker E: Doing before you jump into roleplay. [01:30:56] Speaker A: Yeah, I was going to bring it back and then ask Arthur for his lighter. [01:31:02] Speaker G: Okay, so while you're off doing that, we'll have the roleplay moment. Go ahead, Arthur. [01:31:06] Speaker E: Yeah, but Rosanna, that was a genius move. [01:31:15] Speaker C: I know. [01:31:15] Speaker E: It was just because you were feeling it, but now I think we understand that. [01:31:20] Speaker B: There's actually a little part of me was more so curious as to what would happen if I gave her something that made her more in touch with her mortal side. [01:31:39] Speaker E: Yeah. And it worked. [01:31:43] Speaker B: Even if it's only for, like, a brief moment. I mean, it sucks because I'm down to fucking candy again. But you know what? It's good, because now we know. [01:31:55] Speaker E: Yeah. [01:31:56] Speaker B: If we give her things or present her with things that might pull her, even if it's just for, like, a moment, that's revolutionary. [01:32:08] Speaker E: Yeah. Well, we also know that there's two sides to every ghost, right? Or wraith. [01:32:20] Speaker F: The angry one. [01:32:22] Speaker E: Yeah. The one stripped of emotion and empathy. [01:32:25] Speaker B: And then the one that's more human. [01:32:28] Speaker E: Yeah. [01:32:29] Speaker B: I mean, to be fair, we saw it a lot with the other woman that was possessing me. I mean, when she was calm, she was great, but in those times where she felt like. Where she was almost, like, stripped of who she was, she was angry and bitey, it's just something that we didn'T quite pick up on. But now that it kind of smacked us right in the. Holy shit, she was helping us the entire time. [01:33:06] Speaker E: Yeah. Well, I mean, we now, like. Like, if we understand. I mean, we. We already sort of. We've killed. There. [01:33:18] Speaker B: It's okay. Breathe. [01:33:23] Speaker E: When there's an angry spirit, a ghost, it turns out that that's their dark side. And that changes everything. [01:33:46] Speaker F: Changes a lot, but it also changes very little. [01:33:50] Speaker B: At the end of the day, I mean, we got to let her rest, because that angry side of her is dangerous, and that seems to be the one that holds the control most of the time. It's going to be the hardest thing that I think we're going to have to do, because we got to kill her. We got to find whatever it is that she is. Tied to. And we got to rid of. [01:34:30] Speaker G: It. [01:34:35] Speaker E: Yeah. [01:34:44] Speaker B: I can start poking around, see if I can maybe pull anything that she might have loved more than life itself because try there. Start there. Do we have any pictures that you really liked? [01:35:08] Speaker E: We have a lot of our stuff. We can look through that, but I think we also should probably find out what concerts are going on in New Orleans in the next day. [01:35:20] Speaker G: Well, you guys are talking about her stuff, and it's about that time that Zephyr walks up with the box. [01:35:27] Speaker E: That's what I think. [01:35:33] Speaker A: Hey, Arthur. [01:35:35] Speaker E: Yeah? [01:35:38] Speaker A: Have your lighter? [01:35:45] Speaker E: Sure. What's your plan there, Zephyr? Is that Jillian things? [01:35:53] Speaker A: Yeah. [01:35:55] Speaker B: You just gonna set them all on fire? [01:36:00] Speaker A: Yeah. [01:36:01] Speaker B: You're not gonna do that in the RV, are you? [01:36:04] Speaker A: No, of course not. [01:36:06] Speaker E: No, apparently right here. [01:36:10] Speaker A: Yeah. If he gives it to me, I'm just going to open it and just. [01:36:15] Speaker E: Well, Arthur's, like, holding in his hand. He hasn't quite handed it over yet. He's like, listen, we just had this moment while you were gone. We think that maybe we should look through it first to find something that might bring Jillian back before just destroy her stuff. A picture? [01:36:37] Speaker A: How long would that bring her back? I've already said goodbye to Jillian, whatever that is. That's not Jillian. [01:36:47] Speaker B: No, but a strawberry candy brought her back for a moment. If we can find what she's tied to, we might be able to get bots. Just enough time for her to really help us, and then we can let her rest. [01:37:07] Speaker F: It's not a bad plan, distracting her for a few seconds to get the deed done. [01:37:16] Speaker G: Victoria, your phone buzes. [01:37:20] Speaker F: I will check. Who's calling? [01:37:22] Speaker G: It's a text message. [01:37:24] Speaker F: What's it say? [01:37:25] Speaker G: Daddy. [01:37:27] Speaker B: Oh, my God. [01:37:29] Speaker F: I'm a little upset and depressed right now, but that does make me feel a little better. And I will. Look what he sent me. [01:37:37] Speaker G: Find the place. Okay? [01:37:40] Speaker F: I'll write back. Yeah, we found it. Listen, there's some big stuff I have to talk to you about. We're probably going to move up our schedule coming to New Orleans sooner than later. [01:37:53] Speaker G: I look forward to it. Go to the window at the front of the building. [01:38:01] Speaker F: We'll stand up and hobble over to the window and check outside. [01:38:07] Speaker G: Look across the street at the house. [01:38:10] Speaker F: Looking. [01:38:12] Speaker G: So across the street from this place is this house. And the house looks like it might be lived in. Like there's no personality to the place. But the lawn is maintained. It's clean. There's no car in the driveway, though. Could be a place where somebody lives. Could just be like an empty house that's like sitting on the market, maybe. And you watch as a little blue Prius pulls up, and a woman gets out with a couple of heavy bags that look like they might be like, no, there's just, like, heavy plastic bags. And she runs up and she sets them on the front stoop. She gets back at her car, she drives away, and then there's another text message says, well, if the damn delivery driver didn't get lost. You always seem to want a good meal after a hard day. And, well, I know the cooking establishment there isn't great. The cooking arrangements aren't exactly great. So I bought you dinner. [01:39:34] Speaker F: I just typed back, thank you, Dietrich. It means a lot. [01:39:39] Speaker G: No problem. There's a bottle in there, too. If you don't want it, bring it with you. [01:39:47] Speaker F: It feels like a night for a drink, to be honest. [01:39:52] Speaker G: Yeah, I get that. Have a good night. Text me when you're close. Yes. [01:39:58] Speaker F: See you soon. [01:40:01] Speaker G: Assuming somebody goes out to get the food at some point, I actually want. [01:40:07] Speaker F: To take Arthur aside, but I know we're having the let's keep the stuff and not burn it right now conversation, so I'll wait for that to Peter up before I can bother Arthur. [01:40:17] Speaker G: Totally fine. Continue your conversation. [01:40:23] Speaker E: So we should at least look through it to see if we can find something that we think has the strongest emotional tie to Jillian. Something that will push Harper away for a while. [01:40:38] Speaker F: Want to know my opinion on this? It may not be the strongest emotional tie for Jillian, but it's something we look at every day and we think about her every day, and our emotions get poured into that. [01:40:53] Speaker G: And I'm not sure if it works. [01:40:54] Speaker F: Like this, but that damn corkboard. [01:41:10] Speaker E: Just carry the corkboard somewhere and hope for the best. [01:41:16] Speaker F: I've heard of hunters carrying more impractical things, to be honest. [01:41:23] Speaker B: To be fair, I'm currently carrying a whole ass other person in me. [01:41:29] Speaker G: Listen, I'm trying to figure out how to get out of here. [01:41:34] Speaker B: Think about it for a minute. All right. I'm going to take a deep breath, and I'm going to try to force you out, I guess. [01:41:43] Speaker E: Well, then, if we don't need Jillian stuff, we're going to use the Cork board. And if it will help you, Zephyr, then I'll give you the letter. Are you ladies opposed? [01:42:00] Speaker F: Not opposed, no. [01:42:03] Speaker E: Then here you go. Arthur will hand over the. [01:42:06] Speaker B: Oh, wait. 1 minute before you do, actually, but. [01:42:11] Speaker E: There is an. [01:42:15] Speaker B: You know, this is something that I have an emotional attachment to. She's going to kind of start to go through Jillian's stuff, and she's going to pull out the first ever DVD that her and Jillian bought together. It is some awful B grade rom.com, obviously. Looks like they got it out of the $2 bin at, like, a Walmart or whatever. [01:42:42] Speaker E: Has a male actor who looks like a famous one. But isn't that one? [01:42:46] Speaker B: Yeah. [01:42:49] Speaker G: This thing makes, like, Hallmark movies look good. Yeah, sorry, called him out. You pull out the DVD? Does anybody else want to salvage anything before Zephyr takes a lighter to the rest? Nope. [01:43:12] Speaker E: Nope. [01:43:12] Speaker A: I'm going to dig in there and see if there are any other photos because I know we have the one from our first hunt that we left back at that camp when we first left. [01:43:25] Speaker G: Make an intelligence and investigation role, please. There is. It's not a photo, but you are surprised to find an old, kind of worn pamphlet from one of the services at the church that it seems like she held on to. [01:44:20] Speaker A: I'm going to start that fire. [01:44:23] Speaker G: Are you going to include the pamphlet? [01:44:26] Speaker A: I'll hold on to it for a second and just kind of flip through it. [01:44:33] Speaker G: It's a fairly standard pamphlet, except that it's super, super worn and wrinkled. The thing that stands out to you, it takes you a minute to kind of realize it because it hasn't been held this way in a while. It looks like she used to hold it kind of in the middle along the spine of the pamphlet. And you realize that you used to watch her hold a piece of paper to fan herself with. And it would have been a lot like, where the indent. Where the wrinkles are. So the pamphlet itself might hold some import to her. It may just be like a memory thing, or it could have just been that it was a really convenient fan. You're not sure. You've never asked. It is a weird thing for her to hold on to, though. [01:45:24] Speaker A: Yeah. And then I step a little closer to Arthur so the other two can't hear me, and I kind of whisper a little bit, and I'm like, I seem to have a habit of falling in love with people that are monsters. And then I throw it. Throw it in the fire. [01:45:59] Speaker E: You tell me, Zephyr. [01:46:08] Speaker F: I kind of say this a little loudly. It's like, hey, Arthur, can I get you over here a moment? [01:46:16] Speaker E: Yeah, sure. We can talk later, Zeff. How about that? [01:46:20] Speaker B: Sure, yeah. [01:46:24] Speaker A: Just kind of watch the stuff burn. [01:46:32] Speaker E: Okay. I'll go over to Victoria. [01:46:36] Speaker F: Hey, I need a favor. My head's ringing really bad from earlier, and I think I have a migraine. And you can see, like, she's on the verge of tears at this point. She's just holding whatever she had left together to just kind of get through the night. My buddy Dietrich, he got us some food. They're across the street. Eat that. I'm going to go lay down. Can I get you to take care of. [01:47:13] Speaker E: Uh, yeah. Do you need me to run across the street and get the food, too? I can do both. [01:47:18] Speaker G: Yeah. [01:47:19] Speaker E: Maybe take Gozer on a. Yeah, just. [01:47:22] Speaker F: Just hang out with him. You haven't really had a whole lot of time with him yet, and. [01:47:29] Speaker D: I. [01:47:29] Speaker F: Want him to trust you. [01:47:32] Speaker E: Okay, yeah, that's fine. I can help with that. [01:47:38] Speaker F: I'm going to go lay down in the RV. [01:47:41] Speaker E: Okay. And I'll look. Gozer and go. Hey, boy, want to go outside? [01:47:53] Speaker G: Arthur, make me a charisma and animal handling role with plus two dice. [01:48:05] Speaker E: Oh, maybe I'll have some dice. [01:48:07] Speaker G: One, because Victoria kind of handed him off and took a moment to make sure that he was settled with you before she walked away. And two, because you said the magic word, which is outside. [01:48:18] Speaker E: Oh, good. Hey, magic words. Always use them. [01:48:25] Speaker G: Yeah, that went about as well as I thought. You want to willpower? [01:48:29] Speaker E: Of course I do. Yeah, that went about as well as I thought. [01:48:37] Speaker G: Gozer looks standoffish, but still moves to the door like he does not come to you. He does not look particularly excited for you. He looks more excited for outside. And he stands at the door and he just kind of stares at you intently, like, well, human. [01:48:57] Speaker E: Yeah, and go open the door to go with him. We get outside, I'm going to find this box of food, but I'm going to look to him at some point and go, it's too bad you don't play cards or something. We could get along. [01:49:13] Speaker G: He ignores you as he goes about his business. And he goes about his business. It takes you a minute because they are across the street, but you walk across the street and there are two rather hefty plastic bags that clearly have, like, styrofoam containers inside. Full of. Full of food. Well, not Styrofoam containers. It's like Chinese food containers. [01:49:46] Speaker E: Yeah, right. Little cardboard boxes or whatever. [01:49:49] Speaker G: Yeah. And after a moment of kind of poking through before you bring them back, there is a rather hefty size bottle of liquor inside, and you carry it all back over. While that is happening, Rosanna, the burner phone that you have rings, not a number that you recognize. [01:50:35] Speaker B: Flips it open. Flips it up your ear. [01:50:42] Speaker C: Hello? Anyone there? [01:50:48] Speaker B: Yeah, can I help you? [01:50:51] Speaker C: Yeah, I hope I'm talking to the right people. This is Jesse from Gilabend. You remember me? [01:50:59] Speaker B: Oh, Jesse. How are you doing? [01:51:03] Speaker C: There'll be time to talk about that. So I don't mean to bug you guys, but I remember that you mentioned you're heading east and I was wondering if you guys happen to be in Houston. [01:51:17] Speaker B: We are. [01:51:19] Speaker C: It's good to hear. I just got in town today and I've been hearing some stuff. Wonder if you guys might want to talk about it. [01:51:28] Speaker B: Listen, we kind of had a bit of a rough night. I can meet up with you, but I don't know if the others are kind of in spirits, too. [01:51:39] Speaker C: I mean, if you guys want to wait today or if you just want me and you, we can do that. Whatever works. [01:51:45] Speaker B: Doesn't matter to me either way. Is this a good number to contact you? [01:51:51] Speaker C: Yeah, this is the only one I got. [01:51:54] Speaker B: All right, let me ask the others and I'll get right back to you. All right. [01:51:57] Speaker C: All right. [01:51:58] Speaker B: Take care. [01:52:00] Speaker C: You as well. [01:52:02] Speaker B: She hangs up the phone. [01:52:05] Speaker G: Who is that? He sounded cute. [01:52:13] Speaker D: Yeah. [01:52:16] Speaker B: He'S another one of us. Kind of. [01:52:20] Speaker G: Except for you are watching Rosanna have a full blown, like, schizophrenic episode. She's having a conversation with herself. [01:52:31] Speaker A: Just Rosanna things. [01:52:33] Speaker B: Just Rosanna things. [01:52:36] Speaker G: Rosanna, do you want to try and get Amelia out of you now or are you going to wait? Okay, cool. So let's make a resolve and a cult roll. And you do get your specialty. I'm allowing you to use resolve because you have some time. This isn't something you're trying to do on the spur of the moment. You can kind of work at. [01:53:04] Speaker B: So hell yeah. Alakazam. Five successes. [01:53:11] Speaker G: Goodness. All right, then it takes a minute, but weirdly enough, you take your cue from what you saw Jillian do with that body and you kind of help direct her through the process of peeling parts of herself out of you at first and then pushing against you. She's got mass that she can actually do that with. And it takes a minute, but eventually she kind of stumbles out of you. She looks like she's breathing heavy even though she's definitely dead and doesn't need to breathe anymore. [01:53:50] Speaker B: There we go. [01:53:53] Speaker G: We did it, right? [01:53:54] Speaker B: We did it and you didn't need her. [01:53:58] Speaker G: True. Figured it out. [01:54:01] Speaker B: We figured it out. [01:54:02] Speaker D: See? [01:54:02] Speaker B: Told you I could teach you things that she might not be able to teach you. [01:54:06] Speaker G: All right, excellent. I feel less weird now. And she sort of like pats at. [01:54:14] Speaker B: Her shoulders and her chest, but out of curiosity. What is it? I know what it feels like for me, but do you feel like anything? I guess when you're inside? Wouldn't jump in line. I don't know. [01:54:38] Speaker G: Until I managed to kind of get comfy. It felt like what I imagine being in one of those mascot suits feels like, except that it's, like, really poorly fitted. Like it's made for, I don't know, somebody with a different stature. But then I got comfy and it was like, it fit perfect, okay. Until everybody started hugging and then it got weird. Sorry. [01:55:08] Speaker B: Yeah, we're a hugging cell. [01:55:10] Speaker G: Well, I mean, I like to hug, too, but I don't know you. [01:55:14] Speaker B: Yeah, well, you're about to get to know me on a level that you might know. Like a best friend. [01:55:24] Speaker G: Right. And does your back always hurt that much? [01:55:27] Speaker B: Yes. [01:55:31] Speaker G: I can't, honey, they're managing that. [01:55:34] Speaker B: They are a blessing and a curse all in one. You get a two for one deal. [01:55:40] Speaker G: I was always so sad when I was younger that I didn't develop a little bit more. And she's not, like, bored. She's just decidedly average. She's like. I always hated that I didn't develop a little bit more like my sister did. But now I'm kind of glad that I didn't. Because if that's how your back feels all the time, I'm not sure it's worth it. [01:56:05] Speaker D: Why? [01:56:05] Speaker B: Do you think I don't do a whole lot of running? [01:56:10] Speaker G: Yeah, I get that. [01:56:12] Speaker B: And second of all, bras are expensive. [01:56:15] Speaker G: Hell, yeah, they are. Good ones, anyway. [01:56:19] Speaker B: Yeah, and try finding ones that aren't in beige or white or black for anything over, like, a cup. [01:56:27] Speaker G: Listen, when we get to New Orleans, there's one thing I want you to do for me. [01:56:32] Speaker B: Okay. [01:56:33] Speaker G: I would like to do what we just did long enough to taste real gumbo. Would that be all right? I'll get right out after the dinner is over, I promise. [01:56:45] Speaker B: Listen, you know what? Why don't you and I do love to partake in different types of food and stuff. I'm not some skinny woman, as you can see. Let's do it. You know what? You and I, we can go get Gumbo and then one of them really fruity cocktails that they sell. [01:57:15] Speaker G: I like it. I mean, I'm more of a beer woman, but I'm happy to have a fruity cocktail if it'll make you happy and I get gumbo. [01:57:25] Speaker B: It's a perfect, perfect. [01:57:28] Speaker G: All right. Zephyr, you get to watch Rosanna talk to. Nothing, just to the air. [01:57:37] Speaker A: Nice. [01:57:39] Speaker B: Oh, sorry, Zephyr. I was talking to Amelia. How are you doing? [01:57:51] Speaker A: Oh, you know, fine. [01:57:56] Speaker G: Oh, you know, burning the belongings of the woman I apparently fell in love with. [01:58:05] Speaker D: Um. [01:58:10] Speaker B: Hey, I know that you and I aren't, like, close, but if you ever needed help or ask somebody to talk to. I know the. You and J were really, really close. Come here. [01:58:47] Speaker A: I appreciate it. Yeah, I'm not very good with the whole emotions thing, you know, so. But I'm fine. I'm fine. [01:59:13] Speaker G: No, he isn't. [01:59:15] Speaker B: I know he isn't. What? [01:59:21] Speaker G: Who would like to do what? [01:59:27] Speaker E: Well, I mean, Arthur and Gozer will come in with know Gozer. Probably just waiting at the door for Arthur to open it because he doesn't have thumbs, but other than that, yeah, their interaction is pretty much ended at that point. [01:59:44] Speaker G: Well, then he's sniffing at the bag. He is less well behaved for you than he was for Victoria, I assume so. You get inside with Gozer just as the conversation between Rosanna and Zephyr is wrapping up. When you open up the bag and all the food inside it is a smorgasbord of stuff from a local Chinese place. There is everything from, like, spare ribs to lomaine to rice to almost. It almost looks like Dietrich just went down the list of everything on the menu and picked the things he thought looked the best and weren't crazy spicy because he didn't know who was with Victoria. So he didn't want to potentially send something that would just end up, like, pissing people off or not getting eaten. It looks like he went down the menu and was just like, okay, we'll have one of these and one of these. And he just ordered everything in the largest size. So everything is in those quart containers. [02:00:55] Speaker F: See, he does have. Dad. [02:01:00] Speaker B: Dad, they're talking about Victoria. [02:01:10] Speaker G: Gozer looks very interested, but the second you open those spare ribs, he is sniffing hard and, like, whining. And he wants some. He's not going for it, but he wants some, and it's obvious that he wants some. [02:01:24] Speaker E: I am not entirely sure what Victoria would feed him, so Arthur would probably just slip onto the floor for him. [02:01:37] Speaker G: Are you going to just give him some, or are you giving him the whole container? [02:01:40] Speaker E: No, not the whole container. We also have to have some. Come on. He's a good boy. And then maybe we give him another one later. [02:01:49] Speaker G: All right, so you toss a spare rib or two onto the ground, because they come in chips. They're not, like, in full pieces, right? You toss a couple of pieces on the floor, and he chows down. [02:02:05] Speaker A: And. [02:02:06] Speaker G: Then sits and stares expectantly because that's what dogs do when you give them food they're not supposed to have. On the bright side, he's a lot less standoffish with you right now. [02:02:19] Speaker E: That's fair. But I'll do my best to separate and dish out plates of food so that people can have a little bit of everything. [02:02:28] Speaker G: Perfect. Okay. Anybody else have anything that they want to do while Arthur is putting together dinner? [02:02:35] Speaker B: Yeah, while he's putting together dinner, I'm going to go take a seat and kind of, like, fiddle with the burner phone that I have. So, guess who just called me. [02:02:59] Speaker E: At this point, it could be anybody. Abraham Lincoln. [02:03:02] Speaker B: No. Well, no. Unfortunately, I don't think Abraham Lincoln holds the potential to call me. Though if he did, I'd be more concerned than happy about that. Do you remember that guy from Jesse? [02:03:23] Speaker E: The hunter? [02:03:24] Speaker B: The hunter? Yeah. He called. He wants to meet up with at least one of us. I guess he's in Houston. [02:03:39] Speaker E: I mean, said he meets. He's got a job, a hunt, a quarry, maybe. [02:03:51] Speaker B: I didn't press too many questions because got to be safe on the phone. But I told him that I would talk to him, see what we wanted to do if we wanted. Maybe I'll meet up with him tomorrow or if a couple of us wanted to go meet up, see what's going on, then get back to the rest of the group. I don't want to make Victoria leave if she doesn't have to. She's not looking too great right now, so I'll leave it up to you and Zephyr. I told him I'd meet up with him tonight if that's what he prefer. If you guys prefer, we all go tomorrow, see how Victoria's feeling. It don't matter to me. [02:04:48] Speaker E: I mean, I don't see why two people couldn't go meet with him tonight if you already agreed to meet with him tonight. I do agree. Someone should probably stay to keep an eye on Victoria and also Gozer. But pretty sure this guy could take care of himself. And Arthur will slide one of his spare ribs like office plate toward Gozer without looking at him. [02:05:19] Speaker G: Oh, it's gone before it even hits the floor. [02:05:24] Speaker B: What? Yeah. I mean, I'm not going to judge you. And she's going to break off like a little. Like a chicken finger. Like one of those chicken fingers, right in half it onto the ground for him. [02:05:36] Speaker G: Also gone within seconds. And then he looks at Zephyr. [02:05:47] Speaker F: My garbage dog. [02:05:54] Speaker A: I also give him a piece. [02:05:57] Speaker G: What are you going to give him? [02:05:59] Speaker A: I guess a piece of chicken or something like that. [02:06:03] Speaker G: Excellent. [02:06:04] Speaker B: Crab, are you. [02:06:06] Speaker A: No, sorry. Those are mine. [02:06:13] Speaker G: I don't share my cream cheese. Sorry. [02:06:15] Speaker B: A man of culture, I see. [02:06:19] Speaker E: Yeah. We should probably make a plate for Victoria and bring it into her, obviously. But I'd like to go. But I also. And he looks at Gozer again and goes. But she did task me with watching Gozer. So either he comes with or I stay and you two can go. [02:06:44] Speaker B: I don't see why he can't come. I mean, I don't see why he can't come with us. Unless. Or you wanted to go. [02:06:52] Speaker A: I don't mind watching him if you guys want to go. [02:06:58] Speaker B: Give me one moment, and I'm gonna get up, I'm gonna bring the plate of food to Victoria, and just very gently tap on the door. [02:07:07] Speaker F: Say, before you tap on the door, you hear, like, full on ugly crying from inside the RV. [02:07:17] Speaker B: Hey, it's me. Can I come in? [02:07:21] Speaker F: Yeah. Just keep the light off if you can. [02:07:24] Speaker D: Of course. [02:07:26] Speaker B: And I'm going to just kind of. [02:07:27] Speaker D: Sit at the edge of the. [02:07:30] Speaker B: I assume you're in bed. [02:07:32] Speaker F: Yeah, I'd be laying probably in the bottom bunk because me and Arthur switched. Yep. [02:07:39] Speaker B: Hey. [02:07:42] Speaker D: You need to eat. [02:07:44] Speaker F: Yeah. That smells good. [02:07:47] Speaker D: Yeah. [02:07:48] Speaker F: Also kind of makes me feel sick. [02:07:50] Speaker B: Okay, just eat. We can. Are you feeling all right? Do you get anything? [02:07:59] Speaker F: No, I'm not feeling all right. We just saw Jillian. She's mad at us, and that's hard. [02:08:08] Speaker G: Enough, but. [02:08:13] Speaker B: It'S okay. And I'm gonna just very gently rest my hand on her cheek and just kind of like the many tears I might be falling. It's okay. I know it's hard, and we miss her. And seeing her in that state wasn't. [02:08:37] Speaker F: Like losing her all over again. And then we saw her again for a brief second. [02:08:43] Speaker B: No, but you know what? We know that she is still there. We know that she is still there, and we can pull through and we can get her. Okay. We can do it. It's not a matter of if we can. It's when we can. Right? [02:09:03] Speaker F: There's so many things we can't do, though. [02:09:06] Speaker G: We have been fumbling around, and that is okay. [02:09:13] Speaker B: Because guess what? Fumbling around is a starting place of mastering something. Right? [02:09:22] Speaker F: Yeah. But. [02:09:25] Speaker B: We need help, and we're going to get it. Listen, Jesse from Gila Bend is in town. He wants to meet up. Arthur and I are going to go and talk to him. Do you mind if we leave Gozer? Here with Zephyr, you get kind of. [02:09:41] Speaker F: Like this weak smile and Victoria just goes, yeah, I love Jesse. [02:09:50] Speaker B: Yeah, he's pretty great. He is pretty great, isn't. [02:09:56] Speaker F: Just, just be careful. I did want Gozer to spend time with Arthur since two of them haven't had a whole lot of time. [02:10:05] Speaker B: But we're only going to be gone for maybe an hour or two. And when I come back, we'll make sure that Arthur and Gozer get plenty of snuggle time or whatever. [02:10:20] Speaker F: Yeah, teach Arthur, like, how to snuggle. [02:10:23] Speaker G: Okay. [02:10:24] Speaker F: I don't think he knows how. [02:10:28] Speaker B: I'll do my best. [02:10:30] Speaker G: Oh, please do. Is that BP or, yeah, sorry, that was the storyteller. I need more stuff for the what's up with you and Arthur? Super cut. [02:10:47] Speaker F: Which, if you really wanted to look further into that, that statement was also kind of like an acknowledgement of, like, if you want to have a relationship, go ahead. But also teach Arthur how to snuggle my dog. [02:11:01] Speaker B: I will do what I can. And if Victoria allows it, Rosanna is going to lean in and just give her a very gentle kiss on the. [02:11:19] Speaker F: You know, everything You. [02:11:22] Speaker G: Hey, hey. [02:11:23] Speaker B: Somebody here's gotta be the emotional support human rat. [02:11:32] Speaker F: Also bad at it, though. [02:11:34] Speaker B: We are all so bad at know. I know. But you know you're my best friend, right? [02:11:42] Speaker F: Yeah. Hey, you want to bring Jesse some food, too? [02:11:51] Speaker B: But you need to get rest. I'm gonna bring you some medicine on our way home. Okay? I don't know if it'll help at all, but it's good to have some backup in the house just in case. [02:12:03] Speaker F: Yeah, I'm not sure medicine can help what I just did to my brain earlier, but. [02:12:09] Speaker B: It'S either that or I can take a straw and I can poke up there. I could just put one right up your nose and start poking and jabbing and see if I can fix it. I don't have a medical degree, but there's always a first for everything. [02:12:21] Speaker F: I will take my pillow at this point and just kind of yeet it at Rosanna and go away. [02:12:30] Speaker B: All right. And she's going to give her one more kiss on the forehead and tuck her in and make sure that she has food and a fork and everything that she'll need. And then she's going to dim the lights all the way down and allow her a chance to have some rest. [02:12:47] Speaker D: Be careful. [02:12:49] Speaker B: I will. [02:12:53] Speaker G: Victoria, is there anything that you want to do, or are you just taking a nap? You're going to eat and take a nap. [02:13:01] Speaker F: Goodness, it's more of Rosanna's area of expertise, but I wanted to look into all of the warnings that were supposedly given about this attack on the cruise ship. We weren't exactly, like, looking into social media or newspapers on our way here, so, yeah, we missed it. But apparently there were lots of warnings. And if we're going to find this one in New Orleans, knowing what happened earlier might help. [02:13:32] Speaker G: Okay, so, because you are a very different person with a very different skill set from Rosanna, I want you to tell me how you want to go about this before I give you your dice pool. Because Rosanna would probably just be like, brute strength, intelligence and investigation, maybe intelligence of technology. But with Victoria, you are much more, I hesitate to say, a people person, but essentially more of a people person. [02:14:04] Speaker F: One way I could think of doing it is phoning into local newspapers and stuff like that and basically manipulating, saying, I am part of the press. I'm looking for information on this, this and this, and this what happened. But I'd have to collect myself a little bit more. [02:14:24] Speaker G: Okay. All right, cool. Well, if you want to collect yourself a little bit more, we're going to swap back to the others for a bit and then just make sure that I circle back with you. Don't let me move on too far. [02:14:46] Speaker E: While Rosanna was gone. [02:14:48] Speaker G: Oh, dear. [02:14:49] Speaker E: Right. As soon as she left the room to go talk to Victoria, Arthur is going to take a bite of his food and clear his throat, like, drink a little water and then go. So, Sapphir, what did you mean earlier, my friend, about falling in love? [02:15:25] Speaker A: He just kind of, like, sits there and he's like, oh, I forgot. I forgot that I had mentioned that. Yeah, I really, really liked Jillian. She was pretty much the only person I could really talk to while I was at the compound. But I never told her. I knew it would never turn into anything. [02:16:10] Speaker E: You mean, like, you know, what's that? What's that saying you miss 100% of the shots you don't take? You know, I think your self doubt got in your way, my friend. [02:16:32] Speaker A: Ah, yeah, but I don't think, you know, I don't think the speaker would have been too happy if I was in a relationship with someone else. [02:16:47] Speaker E: Mmm. Yeah. [02:16:55] Speaker A: But, you know, you can't change the past. And like I said, I've already said my goodbyes to Jillian, so I've already said goodbye to those feelings. [02:17:14] Speaker E: Yeah, you definitely said goodbye to those feelings. That's why you asked me about it or said something to me. Listen, I'm not trying to call you I'm trying to be here for you as your friend. And did burning the stuff help? Do you feel better? [02:17:41] Speaker A: I don't know. I don't know if I've ever felt better or good since we left. It's just a constant numbness. Just every moment. Just taking it day by day, essentially, but it just doesn't. I don't know. [02:18:11] Speaker E: Yeah, no, I get it. I get it. Listen, love is a wonderful thing. [02:18:30] Speaker G: But. [02:18:31] Speaker E: It also friggin sucks, you know? [02:18:37] Speaker A: Yes, it does. [02:18:41] Speaker E: I'm not going to ask you to keep talking about something you don't want to talk about, Seth. But I'm here for you, my friend. We can talk whenever you want to. Don't even worry about it. Just say, hey, Arthur, can we talk? And I'll step aside, and for now, I have this. And Arthur will pull out that alcohol that was in the bag and set it on the table near Zephyr. I have that. [02:19:12] Speaker B: Oh. [02:19:17] Speaker A: I appreciate it, but I don't drink. [02:19:23] Speaker E: I don't feel like I don't even know you, man. Why did I offer you something that you wouldn't like? What is this? I thought we were best friends here. We're not best friends. You don't tell me you don't drink. [02:19:31] Speaker A: Several. [02:19:36] Speaker E: It's never come up. In our entire hunting life together, it's never come up. [02:19:40] Speaker A: I didn't drink when you guys had those spiked coffees. I didn't drink when we left Jillian's stuff at that campsite. I don't know. I just kind of. I don't know. Nobody asked. [02:19:58] Speaker E: See, that's the problem. That's what I'm getting at. Zephyr. That's the thing that I'm saying. With the missing the 100% of the shots you don't take, it's like you're very closed, and you don't want to share with us who you are, and I'm not. Again, not trying to say anything about it. I'm saying that for your better mental health feelings, you don't need to be so closed off. You can tell us, I don't drink. You know, let us know you. [02:20:38] Speaker A: And what if I guess my true self is not good? Like, what if I'm just as bad as the people we're hunting? Then what? [02:21:00] Speaker E: Well, I can't imagine that's the case, because the people we're hunting literally blow up cruise ships to murder hundreds of people, to grind their souls into coins as currency for whatever is going on the weird afterlife. Not doing that right can't be that bad. [02:21:30] Speaker A: Yeah, you're right. Not that. [02:21:42] Speaker E: Will slide back the out call. [02:21:52] Speaker G: All right. Oh, sorry. Continue. I thought you guys were. [02:21:57] Speaker A: I'm just. I'm good. I was. Oh, no, never mind. [02:22:03] Speaker D: Okay. [02:22:08] Speaker G: Rosanna returns from her conversation with Victoria. Feels like she's walked in on a slightly awkward, slightly emotional scene, if only because Amelia is hovering in the Corner like she's trying not to watch what's going on, but also doesn't know where to go. [02:22:33] Speaker E: Yeah, awkward, invisible third wheel. [02:22:36] Speaker G: Pretty much. [02:22:42] Speaker B: Victoria said it was cool we left Gozer with Zephyr for a little bit. She does want you to get some snuggle Tamin with the dog, though. I come back when we get back. [02:22:54] Speaker E: And when she says that he's going to look at Gozer and see if Gozer is having the same reaction as faith that Arthur has. [02:23:01] Speaker G: Gozer is staring at the food and occasionally looking up at you like, when are you going to give me more food? And then looking back at the food. [02:23:12] Speaker B: And then she's just going to look down and just let out a little whistle. [02:23:20] Speaker G: His head will snap up. [02:23:22] Speaker B: Go there. Come here, boy. [02:23:26] Speaker G: He will get up and circle his way over. [02:23:32] Speaker B: And then she's going to reach up to the table and grab one more tiny little spare rib and kind of like, get on her knee and just scratch the back of his ear very gently. [02:23:47] Speaker G: Puppy tail. [02:23:48] Speaker B: Oh, yeah. And then she's going to feed him the little spare rib. All right. You got to be a very good boy while we're gone. [02:23:56] Speaker D: Okay. [02:23:59] Speaker G: He might understand you. He's a pretty intelligent fellow for a dog. [02:24:08] Speaker B: Yeah. She's more so talking to him like any regular person would talk to their dog. [02:24:16] Speaker E: As if the dog speaks English, right? [02:24:18] Speaker G: Exactly. [02:24:18] Speaker B: Yeah. [02:24:19] Speaker G: He is sitting obediently and he is doing the happy puppy tail because he's being petted and he was given food. He is in a good mood. [02:24:29] Speaker B: Oh, good boy. Who's a good boy? You be extra good for Zephyr and I'll bring you back a little toy. How about that? [02:24:37] Speaker G: His ears perk at. [02:24:39] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah, you be a good boy. Okay. And then she's going to go point to Zephyr for him to go and sit by Zephyr's feet. [02:24:48] Speaker G: You get slurped in the face. And then he turns and goes to Zephyr and sits at Zephyr's feet, plops his head down on Zephyr's knee, proceeds to stare at the food, I guess. [02:25:05] Speaker A: Oh, go ahead then. [02:25:07] Speaker B: I was just going to shoot a text to Jesse. Two of us are going to be coming. Where would you like to meet? [02:25:16] Speaker C: It takes a very long time to get a response, but eventually you get an address. [02:25:23] Speaker B: Oh, my God, that takes foreveR. Jesus. [02:25:30] Speaker E: Not everybody texts Rosanna. I mean, some people like phone calls. [02:25:40] Speaker G: Jesse, what kind of place do you typically are you holding up at? Like, you're in a city now, so you've got a lot more options. [02:25:49] Speaker C: Yeah, I just got in. I'm looking to meet up with them. It's probably just like Jesse's been around, so he knows the place to look for, but probably like just a very, not so much shady bar, but kind of hole in the wall where it's like, it's safe. Not many people are there. We can talk, but it's still kind of like a nice area to hang out, get a drink, get food. [02:26:09] Speaker G: There's definitely not a ton of people because the city is kind of on lockdown at the moment. [02:26:14] Speaker C: Another thing I like to say is, while he's sending out this message, it takes so long because he's having to click the button multiple times to get the right letter because that's how old his phone is. [02:26:26] Speaker G: I figured they still make phones with T nine. Funny enough, it takes a hot minute for you to get it, but when you put it into your GPS on your phone, Rosanna, it's a bar. [02:26:42] Speaker B: Okay. All right. Yeah. How far of a walk would it be? Considering that's kind of our only option right now, is walking. [02:26:58] Speaker G: Considering the type of place he would have picked. Maybe 2030 minutes. Okay, not super far, but not. Also not a short walk. It's 20 to 30 minutes if you keep a brisk pace. If you're going to meander, it's going to be closer to an hour, hour and a half. [02:27:16] Speaker F: Like rideshare service. [02:27:19] Speaker G: Also, there are rideshares. [02:27:21] Speaker B: True, but I don't want to give away our location to anybody. [02:27:27] Speaker G: Very fair. [02:27:28] Speaker D: Okay. [02:27:30] Speaker B: So hope you like walking. [02:27:36] Speaker E: Yeah, we do. A lot of it. [02:27:37] Speaker B: Yeah. [02:27:39] Speaker E: At least we know which direction we're going this time instead of the last time we went walking. [02:27:46] Speaker G: Not the return of the messy drunks. Damn. [02:27:51] Speaker B: It. Listen, to be fair, the last time that we went for a walk together, it wasn't much. So walk as it was a stumble. [02:28:05] Speaker E: Yeah, that's right. You also laid down in a parking lot. [02:28:11] Speaker B: At least I wasn't screaming about our business to whoever would hear it. [02:28:16] Speaker E: Weren't you? [02:28:18] Speaker B: No, I said I wanted to look at stars. And then you went off about how it's dangerous. [02:28:25] Speaker E: I don't remember that, but okay. [02:28:27] Speaker B: Conveniently forget that one. Okay, come on, you both head out. [02:28:35] Speaker G: I'm going to switch back to Victoria now. Let her do her thing while you guys are out on your walk. Victoria? Yeah. [02:28:49] Speaker F: As I've been kind of sitting in the RV, I'm stopping the ugly crying at this point, kind of picking up my food. And that's when it kind of, like, hits me. It's an epiphany. And I go, I can probably get information and I'm going to start. [02:29:09] Speaker G: Looking. [02:29:09] Speaker F: Up phone numbers for our local news outlets, stuff like that. And I'm going to start basically pretending to be a reporter and getting information on what were the few hours leading up to the attack on the cruise ship. [02:29:29] Speaker G: Okay, when you say that you're going to call news stations while pretending to be a reporter, are you essentially going to imply that you're outside of Houston and you're just trying to get like a frontline perspective and essentially promising that people could share your byline kind of thing? [02:29:48] Speaker F: Yeah. [02:29:49] Speaker G: Okay, cool. All right, so let's make. This is a process that you're going to have to go through, and you're going to have, like, multiple attempts to kind of. I imagine it's going to take a bit. So I would like you to make a total of. Let's do five rolls of manipulation and. Hmm, subterfuge, probably. [02:30:26] Speaker F: Yeah, subterfuge makes sense. This also qualifies me for desperation dice. [02:30:32] Speaker G: But it absolutely does. [02:30:34] Speaker F: I'm scared to use them. [02:30:36] Speaker G: You are welcome to use them if you would like, but it's up to you. [02:30:41] Speaker F: I'm going to knot for the first three rolls, I think. And then for the last two, I'll use my desperation dice as I'm trying to get, like, more. Okay, here we go. [02:31:37] Speaker G: The first handful of calls that you make don't give you a ton that you didn't already know there were. They're obviously still, like, it's still a disaster scene. Authorities are still working and they're probably going to be working around the clock for days to deal with the fallout. The port has been closed and while they can't give you numbers, they, they think that this is probably going to do millions of dollars worth of damage to just the city's typical income. They do not know what the body count is at, but estimates are well over like 3000 because the cruise ship was literally going to leave port within less than an hour before it blew up. There are numerous people in hospitals all over the place. In fact, it's gotten so severe that helicopters are having to take people to other cities. But when you really start to push harder and you start to really kind of dig in and you start asking more pointed questions, you call on your history and knowledge with the shadier sides of society, and you start, like, you. Eventually you pivot to start asking rather than to speak to whatever general reporter might be on the ground. You call one of the major news stations and specifically talk to their correspondent who specializes in extremism. [02:33:53] Speaker F: Which are people that know stuff well, you ask the. [02:33:57] Speaker G: People who they know things, but they are also a lot more savvy than your average reporter is. These are people who are accustomed to going undercover and going on location to look into terrorist groups. They're still reporters, but they are reporters. That is a lot harder to get one over on, but somehow you pull it off and manage to extrapolate that. There are a couple of groups who are taking credit. Okay, one of them you have never heard of, but the correspondent that you were talking to is basically like, yeah, they're like a homegrown group. They weren't really on anybody's radar, at least as far as, like, we never took them seriously because they've been around and vaguely threatening for years, but nobody's been able to confirm that yet. But there is a group that is based out of northern Texas and the surrounding states up there that has supposedly taken credit and made some vague threats, but they can't confirm anything. They're just like, look, I just know that this happened. I don't know if it was really them. The authorities haven't come out and said one way or the other. [02:35:42] Speaker F: Is this the homegrown group that no one takes seriously as well? [02:35:48] Speaker G: Okay, it's the same group. Sorry. The second call, where you really start to dig in and talk to the people who are less generalized. The second call is an older man who, a quick Google search before you called to get a feel for who this guy was, he did reporting in the Middle east after 911. He's seen some shit. And I am not personally a munitions expert, but this guy knows an awful lot about improvised devices and things like that. He says that he can't say for sure how much they used or what they used, but he gives you some generalized estimates from what he has seen to what he could compare it to. He saw the fallout. He was actually less than, like, three minutes away when the explosion happened. He said that the glass in basically all of the surrounding buildings all shattered. It was that powerful of a blast, including his car, which he was in. He's like, yeah, I got some cuts, but I'll be fine. My car didn't fare so well, but that's what we have garages for. Keep it out of the rain. And he provides you with an email address and basically says that if you come across anything, information wise, he'd please pass it on, kind of. I just did you a solid. Please keep me in mind. Pay it forward. But also, if you have any more questions, feel free to reach out here. You get the feeling that he kind of assumes that you are, like, a younger and under trained reporter, probably somebody who's just fresh out of school and doesn't really know what they're doing. And he is like, I'll help her out. She sounds like she's having a rough day. We're all having a rough day. [02:38:19] Speaker F: That's good. Does the Texas group have a name, and does this contact have a name? It's okay if they don't. I've written down stuff anyways. [02:38:32] Speaker G: I'm sorry. Does the second one have a name? What? [02:38:36] Speaker F: Does the Texas group in northern Texas that's been doing the threats and stuff like that, do they have a name? [02:38:46] Speaker G: Yes. What was the other name that you needed? [02:38:51] Speaker F: His name. The guy I was just talking to about the munitions stuff and was a former reporter. [02:38:57] Speaker G: His name is Joseph Arnold. [02:39:04] Speaker F: All right. [02:39:08] Speaker G: And their name is the. Have it written down. I'm sorry. Give me a secondary. I'll get you their name in a second. I'm so, like, I know it's in here. Where is it? Let's pivot back to Arthur and Rosanna. Is there anything that you guys want to role play? [02:39:53] Speaker B: So how did the walk with Gozer go? [02:40:00] Speaker E: Oh, he did his business, and I cleaned it up. [02:40:11] Speaker B: At least you did that. How you feeling? That was some heavy stuff back there and seem to be doing a lot of mental check ins with everybody. [02:40:33] Speaker E: I mean, I think we all should be mentally checking with each other. How are you doing? [02:40:45] Speaker B: And I were really where the she was, other than Victoria, the first person. [02:40:51] Speaker G: I got really close with. [02:40:55] Speaker B: And I'm not going to lie, Arthur. Seeing her, seeing the state that she's in, it killed me inside a little bit. We dedicate every single day to taking down the oddities in the world. And now recently, even helping them maybe not move on, get away from whatever it is that's hunting them down. Seeing her. Seeing her fight with herself like that, to have a little bit of control. To beat Jillian again. [02:41:59] Speaker E: Yeah. No. Seeing her come out of that body. There are moments, Rosanna, there are moments where I lose track of time. I don't hear anything. I'm aware that time is happening, that things are happening, but I just can't respond to them. I don't know. And this started after Jillian died, after the explosion. We were all thrown off in those first few moments, but you were all doing things, and I was not really there. And I can't really explain where I was, but I wasn't really with you. Like, I was physically there, but I wasn't in my mind. And when she did that earlier, I lost myself for a moment. I was gone and got it together. I was able to come back and come back in and move through everything like it. Nothing had happened, but. Yeah. And then I was angry. And then I wanted to start swinging the book, start smashing my fist into her face with the knuckles that were her own, but then she. Then you did what you did, and then she came back. And that's when I realized that she's fighting the same fight that we're all fighting. But instead of it being a fight where we're fighting monsters that are external, she's fighting the ones that are inside. So it's different. [02:44:08] Speaker B: Yeah. [02:44:12] Speaker E: And. [02:44:18] Speaker B: She'S going to reach down and just take his hand as they're. As they're walking, and she's just gonna hold onto it. Know that you're not alone. And if you ever lose yourself, just grab onto me. I don't know if it'll help, but I'll try my best to bring you back down. [02:44:58] Speaker E: Thanks. I. Sometimes you forget how much you need someone to remind you or keep you back down, so thanks. [02:45:18] Speaker B: You and I are a lot. Everybody's kind of noticed, even Jillian. You and I were a lot closer than how we were when we first met. At first, I thought that you and I just kind of were getting closer. Just because death of people who were close with that does that to people. But it's not feeling like that anymore, and I'm just happy to have you. Here's. [02:46:14] Speaker E: No one knows about the fact that I lose myself. I haven't told anyone, but I. Well, and I'm glad someone knows, just in case something serious is happening. We're in the middle of something in all of a sudden, I disappear. [02:46:40] Speaker B: If you do, I'll be right here. [02:46:47] Speaker E: I'm glad that you are. [02:46:54] Speaker B: That you're here, too. She's gonna stop for a moment and just keep her hand in his. Um, and then if Scott is cool with it, she's just gonna lean up and just give him a kiss on the cheek. [02:47:37] Speaker E: Arthur's unsure what to do next, but he will stand there and look at her. [02:47:59] Speaker B: Sorry, it. [02:48:01] Speaker E: No, hey, listen. It's very complicated, and there is someone that I love a lot, and he's not taking his hand away from hers. But I don't deny that there's something here. But if Victoria were to find out, she would kill. [02:48:39] Speaker B: She actually, about that. She was kind of the one that hinted that should teach you how to snuggle. And then she added Gozer kind of last minute there. Yeah. [02:49:08] Speaker E: Why don't, um, hurry on to meet Jesse and then have some drinks or something? [02:49:24] Speaker F: I'd like that a lot. [02:49:29] Speaker B: Okay. [02:49:35] Speaker E: And Arthur will continue to hold Rosenna's hand as they walk. [02:49:43] Speaker G: All right, Zephyr, you've been left to your own devices, except for Gozer being there, constantly begging for food. Is there anything you want to do? [02:50:02] Speaker A: I'm just kind of cleaning up the place in the meantime. Just trying to do things to take my mind off of a very traumatizing situation. Yeah, just kind of cleaning up the place. And then if some of Gozer's toys are around, I'm just, like, playing with him just so he's not, like, sitting around. [02:50:31] Speaker G: Can you make me a what's awareness check, please? [02:50:36] Speaker A: No. Here's Mexicano. She's going to say she made a note. [02:50:54] Speaker G: Wow, that's actually pretty good. You are in the process of cleaning up, and you realize on your third or fourth trip back into the room where everybody was eating that the rice grains that are left over, like, the spare rice grains left over on Rosanna's plate have been moved around and have been lined up and they just say. [02:51:33] Speaker B: Hi. [02:51:36] Speaker A: I don't like that. Hold on, let me see. [02:51:48] Speaker G: Um. [02:51:52] Speaker A: Can I use since the unnatural. [02:51:56] Speaker G: Absolutely. Please do. [02:51:59] Speaker A: It's like, I'm not. [02:52:00] Speaker G: Leave me alone. [02:52:01] Speaker A: We just had something crazy go on. [02:52:06] Speaker G: Hey. [02:52:09] Speaker A: Yeah, let's. And then I do have precision with that. [02:52:29] Speaker G: Yeah. There is somebody sitting in what was Rosanna's chair, and they're just sitting rough. Size is about, oh, I don't know, maybe 5253, a little bit more slight and slender than Rosanna is. They're not doing anything. They're just chilling. [02:53:06] Speaker A: Can I use the rice? If there's enough to spell out Amelia. [02:53:14] Speaker G: You have to get some of the rice out of one of the containers. But there's, like, multiple containers of just white rice. So it's fine. You start and you get to about Ame, and then you notice that a couple of the pieces of rice kind of flick off the plate. Like, at you. And you realize that there are several just, like, on the floor. You have the feeling that it's not easy for her to manipulate even these tiny little things. And there were many, like, false starts when she was trying to move things and they would just fall off the plate. [02:53:55] Speaker A: Um, I'll reach my hand out to her. [02:54:06] Speaker G: You feel cold. Like, your hand feels cold. It's just air where your hand is, but for some reason, it's like the temperature drops considerably in that spot. [02:54:24] Speaker A: Okay, yeah. I'll just say you can jump in if it's easier to talk that way. Since I'm not Rosanna, I can't see her and all that. [02:54:45] Speaker G: Make me a resolve and a cult roll, please. You've got time. I'm not making any guarantees that this will work, but we'll give it a shot. Yeah. Okay. It's awkward. You can't see her, and you get the feeling that the first couple of tries, it's like you're moving one way and she's moving the other, and things are all discombobulated. But eventually you figure out that you need to just kind of stand still and let her do her thing. And your whole body goes cold and chilly for a moment. As you feel this odd tension kind of move over and into you before it kind of starts to dissipate just a little bit. You become very aware that you are not the only one inside your head anymore. Hey. [02:55:51] Speaker A: Hi. Don't do anything weird. [02:55:57] Speaker G: I wasn't planning to. [02:56:01] Speaker A: Okay. [02:56:06] Speaker G: Look, I just wanted to say hi. You seemed real sad, and I felt awkward just standing around. But also, I think Rosanna and that guy might have something going on, so I thought it would be awkward if I tagged along with them, too. Being a ghost is like, I'm just here to know everybody's shit and there's nothing I can do about it. [02:56:33] Speaker A: Yeah, it does seem like it gets a little boring. I don't know. [02:56:40] Speaker G: Yeah, I mean, moving around that rasp wasn't boring. It was just frustrating. Can I pet the puppy? [02:56:54] Speaker A: Yeah, of course. [02:56:57] Speaker G: So your body starts moving without you telling it to. And it feels particularly kind of bouncy and excited compared to what you were accustomed to. Like, you're in your head going, what is this? Like, ill? Am I smiling? Yeah, you're using, like, face muscles you haven't used in years. And she flops down onto the ground next to next to Gozer, who seems a little iffy at first. But once the pets really start, as she starts cooing, which is also a weird thing for you because it's coming from your mouth. He settles and leans into it. The happy puppy tail starts. Look at your face. [02:58:01] Speaker B: Is amazing. [02:58:03] Speaker G: Please. All right, so you and Amelia hang out. You can have some conversations, some casual, get to know each other a little bit better. You start to feel a little bit better. I shouldn't say feel better. You start to get accustomed to having a ghost basically tagging along inside your body. [02:58:33] Speaker A: Yeah, just kind of like, I guess just start trying to do things around the place to see. I don't know if she can interact with things differently. [02:58:48] Speaker G: She can stay interacting with anything you can interact with because you're letting her pilot your body. It's like a mech. [02:58:57] Speaker A: Yeah, I mean, more so in the sense. I'm also going this based off of movies. Like, if she can pick things up and move it across the room, type. [02:59:08] Speaker G: Things just to see, she cannot. [02:59:12] Speaker A: Okay. [02:59:12] Speaker G: But she did just die a few hours ago. She's still technically a baby. So anything else or you cool with just hanging out with Amelia and getting used to having a ghost right around inside of you? [02:59:34] Speaker A: I am totally fine with just hanging out with this ghost lady. [02:59:38] Speaker G: Excellent. There will be some roles that I'm going to have you make later, but they will happen off camera because I don't want other people to know what they're for. [02:59:45] Speaker A: Oh, no. Okay. [02:59:51] Speaker G: All right. Rosanna and Arthur, you arrive at the bar. It is one of those just shitty little hole in the wall like biker bars. So you all fit right in the. [03:00:10] Speaker E: Kind of place where they don't, nobody really looks at you because they don't want you really looking at them kind of situation. [03:00:18] Speaker G: It's not super, super shady. It's the place where local legit MCs go. [03:00:26] Speaker E: Okay. [03:00:30] Speaker G: And when you get there, there are very few cars or any sorts of vehicles in the parking lot. Like, this place is mostly empty. You do see that old beat up pickup that you saw the last time you met Jesse and a couple of motorcycles, but that's about it. And when you make your way inside, it is almost as deserted inside as it was outside. There's a bartender, Jesse is chilling in one of the booths nearby. It looks like he probably migrated. Yes. [03:01:11] Speaker C: Also, I'd like to say that what they see in the booth is that there is already two empty glasses of beer. Pregame already. [03:01:23] Speaker G: And there's a couple of other people, but they're kind of scattered. They look like the bars, like regulars who are always here and probably not terribly aware of what time it is, let alone what's happened today, and the news is on up in the corner. Like you would expect from this sort of thing. It's just continual news coverage of what happened. [03:01:52] Speaker E: Okay. Based on our previous drinking experience, Arthur will hit the bar for two drinks, one of which should just be a beer. And the other one would be whatever it is that it seems Rosanna likes to drink. [03:02:06] Speaker G: The cocktails. [03:02:09] Speaker B: Actually, whiskey. [03:02:14] Speaker G: You just come up with something different every time you go drinking. [03:02:20] Speaker E: But we can see him, so I know where to take the drinks. [03:02:28] Speaker G: Yes. [03:02:31] Speaker C: Once they're heading over, I look over, Nod. Arthur and Rosanna. Good to see you guys. [03:02:37] Speaker B: Good to see you, too. [03:02:41] Speaker C: I like the whiskey. Good choice. [03:02:45] Speaker B: Thank you. Tennessee Bourbon, straight from home. [03:02:50] Speaker C: Great. So how you been? How are things? [03:02:54] Speaker B: Well, world's kind of falling apart. Things are kind of shit. So, you know, normal. Tuesday. [03:03:03] Speaker C: Pretty much. Pretty much. So I'll cut to the chase. [03:03:09] Speaker B: Okay. [03:03:10] Speaker C: I came in here because I caught word about something going on with a cruise ship. Something bad. I thought it was related to my case at first. And like I said on the phone, I heard, or you guys mentioned that you were heading out east. I was wondering if maybe you were in town and we could talk about it. Compare notes, maybe investigate. I don't know. [03:03:34] Speaker E: Well, we know some things. What is your case? [03:03:43] Speaker C: Glad you asked, actually, because I've made some progress on it, but it's slow going. I'm not used to doing this kind of thing alone, so it's tough. But what I have figured out is it's weird. Initially, when I was looking into these things, I was getting signs and clues of something humanoid at the very least. Or at least pretending to be humanoid. But now I'm starting to see, like, weirdly canine stuff. [03:04:22] Speaker E: Like werewolves, maybe? [03:04:25] Speaker C: They're big. I can say that much. [03:04:30] Speaker E: Yeah. [03:04:32] Speaker C: I don't know many other canine related monsters. You guys. [03:04:38] Speaker E: Not really, no. [03:04:43] Speaker C: That's not a thing to add to the list. [03:04:45] Speaker E: Yeah, well, our case right now involves ghosts and wraiths. And the other side. [03:04:59] Speaker B: Yeah, it looks like whatever was that caused an unfortunate incident has something directly to do with a friend of ours that we lost. [03:05:18] Speaker C: Makes sense. I've been seeing a lot of ghost activity stuff around, but it used to be one of our. My specialties. But, yeah, I've definitely heard things going on in New Orleans, too. [03:05:34] Speaker E: Wait a minute. [03:05:35] Speaker G: Wait. [03:05:35] Speaker E: Hold on, hold on. We just discovered today that our friend may have been taken by werewolves. And that was how she died. And now I'm wondering if there's not a link between your case and ours. I mean, we've been dealing with ghosts, but this ghost thing is what also led us to find out that there was a link between our person and the werewolves. And all the stuff that we've been. [03:06:10] Speaker C: Dealing mean it would make sense. What, like, you guys are heading east from California, right? Yeah, that's where my case has been taking me, from California. Eastward. You think maybe they're chasing you or something? [03:06:36] Speaker B: I mean, that could be the case. It's a little hard to. It's a little hard to determine. I've heard we weren't even. We. When we were starting up, we weren't even touching werewolves. We were mostly. What does Victoria call them? Batters and something like that. [03:07:11] Speaker E: Yeah, the blank bodies. [03:07:15] Speaker B: Yeah, we were mostly hunting them down, but we had an unfortunate accident, which led us to discovering that. [03:07:26] Speaker G: Little Red. [03:07:27] Speaker B: Rotten Hood's number one enemy actually does exist. [03:07:31] Speaker C: Yeah, I guess. So, what, you took a job or found a job for werewolves? [03:07:39] Speaker E: And not even for werewolves. We didn't know. We went in with a lot less information than we should have. And that's how our friend died. [03:07:50] Speaker B: Yeah. [03:07:53] Speaker C: I'm sorry to hear that. Really, am I? Yeah, I get it. [03:08:00] Speaker B: Like, we. You know. Sorry. But, yeah, I mean, our. Maybe our paths cross by accident. [03:08:15] Speaker C: Maybe what? Looks like I can help you out a little bit then. In this case. [03:08:23] Speaker E: You were seeing ghost activity. You've been seeing ghost activity, you said. [03:08:28] Speaker C: I wouldn't say seeing it, but I've been keeping my ear up to it. It used to be something my old partner and I dealt with a lot, so I catch wind of it a bit easier. So. Been singing around. Doesn't really surprise me. Been hearing a lot of activity going on in New Orleans. [03:08:51] Speaker B: To be honest, I'm not New Orleans. They are party central. [03:09:00] Speaker C: Oh, yeah. Under better circumstances, I would love to go. [03:09:05] Speaker E: They're also supernaturally inclined with voodoo and whatever all that goes on there, so it isn't that surprising. [03:09:15] Speaker C: Yeah, for sure. [03:09:19] Speaker E: No, you go ahead. [03:09:21] Speaker C: I was just going to gripe about how I wish I can give you more. I'm not good at this research and clue investigating stuff, and I used to have someone to rely on. Now I don't. But I'm trying my best. So. I'm sorry. [03:09:36] Speaker B: I mean, you're always free to reach out to us, trust us. There's power in numbers. [03:09:44] Speaker E: Yeah. Actually, are you headed to New Orleans from here? [03:09:50] Speaker C: I could be. If this thing is related, what I'm chasing and you guys, then sounds like to me the best thing for me to do for my case. Is maybe hang around or at least stay nearby. [03:10:03] Speaker B: Yeah, why don't you just follow along? I mean, we're going to be heading off probably Bratton early. [03:10:13] Speaker E: If our cases are related, then we can easily work together. We can share with you our notes when we talk to the rest of the team. But, yeah, if you're headed to New Orleans, we're headed to New Orleans. We're going to cross paths again. Anyway, you'll probably use some help, especially if some of the things that we were made aware of today turn out to be something that we have to deal with. [03:10:43] Speaker C: Anything you're willing to share about what you found out today? Well, if not, totally cool. I'm just curious. Like I said, ghosts used to be our thing. [03:10:58] Speaker B: It's not that I don't want to sour the potential allyship between us and you. I think it's something that we should. [03:11:07] Speaker C: Talk about with the rest of your getcha. I get you. Don't worry. [03:11:12] Speaker B: This is kind of a spur of. [03:11:14] Speaker E: The moment thing, right? And I'm also not trying to. I'm also sort of reluctant, not just to be like, oh, you're not one of our crew or whatever, Jesse, but more like some of the things we found out today might be dangerous for you to know. And I want to see what the others think before we just open up a whole new world of danger for you. [03:11:40] Speaker C: Appreciate it. [03:11:42] Speaker B: You're already dealing with something that's a little bit heavy. I don't want to bring you into anymore. [03:11:53] Speaker C: At the end of the day, just want to help people. [03:11:56] Speaker B: Yeah, no, we get that. We feel the same way. But for real, though, if you are making your way out to good old fashioned Louisiana, you have my number. Just give us a call. You can tag along with us, probably drive. We can riding together. See, maybe we can do a little bit of investigating together. [03:12:24] Speaker E: Caravan, as it were. [03:12:26] Speaker B: Two birds 1 st, I think, is the saying. [03:12:31] Speaker C: I appreciate that, guys. I really do. So drinks. More drinks. [03:12:44] Speaker B: Yeah. I'll buy our next round. [03:12:49] Speaker C: You don't want to do that. In fact, I should be buying the next round. I invited you here. [03:12:53] Speaker B: Don't worry about it. [03:12:56] Speaker C: In that case, I'll pick the song and I want to go up to the jukebox and just play some ABBA with that. [03:13:06] Speaker G: That is the most bizarre friggin choice for this bar. You could tell, like the couple of people who are in here all kind of stop and turn and stare for a minute. [03:13:17] Speaker C: I'm holding firm. I'm standing at the jukebox. I'm nod along, pointing at it like, yeah, awesome. [03:13:24] Speaker B: Rosanna hearing ABBA, come on. Obviously she's in love with older music. You just see her kind of doing a little dance, like a little hop on her. When she comes back with the next round for everybody. [03:13:41] Speaker C: I'm going to come back, sit down and be like, I fucking hate ABBA, by the way. [03:13:48] Speaker D: Has. [03:13:48] Speaker B: Such shit taste in music. [03:13:50] Speaker E: Didn't think that you were choosing it because you were a dancing queen. [03:13:54] Speaker C: No, but funny you say that, Rosanna, because old friend of mine used to say the exact same thing. But agree to disagree. [03:14:02] Speaker B: I mean, to be fair, I grew up on, like, old shit like this all the time. [03:14:09] Speaker E: Old. Listen, when I was a teenager, this was the music. [03:14:15] Speaker C: Was it? [03:14:17] Speaker B: Yes, it was the only one. Arthur. Arthur, are you a dancing queen? [03:14:30] Speaker E: I wouldn't classify myself as a dancing queen, but I will say that when I was younger, I did dance a little bit to this song. [03:14:40] Speaker C: Sounds like to me, Rosanna, that he is saying that he is something akin to a dancing queen at the very least. [03:14:47] Speaker E: Yeah. [03:14:47] Speaker B: Jason, maybe I'm going to have to see your dancing queen moves. [03:14:54] Speaker E: Well, if you want to see that, we're going to have to get something a little harder than this beer that I have here in front of me. [03:14:58] Speaker B: And then she slides him over her whiskey. [03:15:03] Speaker E: And so he downs it in one shot. Getting there. Going to need a few more of these. [03:15:10] Speaker C: If once you are there and you start dancing, you don't mind, I'd like to take a photo of that I would like memorize. [03:15:16] Speaker G: I would like to have Arthur please roll me. Let's go. Stamina and resolve. [03:15:24] Speaker E: Stamina and resolve. Oh, this would be terrible if I just absolutely fail in the first. [03:15:30] Speaker B: Oh, it would be so good, though. [03:15:32] Speaker G: I'm here for it. I want to see how long it takes you to get to sloppy drunk, that's all. [03:15:37] Speaker E: Oh, a stamina. Resolve. Okay, well, that's fine. [03:15:46] Speaker G: You're good for now. You're good for now. You're feeling a little warm in the face, but that's about it for now. [03:15:57] Speaker C: So not to bring the mood down, trying to keep it light still. But anything on the brighter side happened since last time we met. [03:16:13] Speaker E: We stopped a person drowning. Ghost thing. That's about it. [03:16:19] Speaker C: In the River Heliban. [03:16:21] Speaker B: Yeah. [03:16:24] Speaker C: And it also seemed out to me. Good job. [03:16:28] Speaker B: There was a fake wedding. That was interesting. [03:16:33] Speaker C: A fake wedding? [03:16:35] Speaker E: Yeah. First half was pretty good. The second half did not go, so. [03:16:42] Speaker B: The first half was nice. [03:16:46] Speaker C: I'm going to need some more details here. [03:16:48] Speaker E: I'm going to need a few more drinks if you're going to want some of that. [03:16:52] Speaker C: I'll buy this time. [03:16:53] Speaker B: All right. [03:16:58] Speaker G: Rosanna and Arthur, you know what to do. [03:17:03] Speaker B: Resolving stamina. Yep. [03:17:12] Speaker G: You are. [03:17:14] Speaker E: Okay. [03:17:20] Speaker G: Oh, so, Rosanna, you're kind of starting to hit that point of giddy. Like the music is good. You've had a couple of drinks, you're feeling pretty good. Arthur, you don't know if it's just hitting you late or if this was the drink that did you in, but you get about halfway through and you're like, you're pretty far gone. Oh, no, you're definitely ready to dance. [03:17:55] Speaker B: You're ready for dancing Queen. [03:17:58] Speaker E: Yeah. The question is, am I ready for dancing Queen or am I ready to just start talking to Jesse about the stuff that we've been dealing with? [03:18:08] Speaker G: Well, the music is still going. Rosanna is dancing in her seat. [03:18:13] Speaker E: I guess it's time to dance. And that will also avoid me sharing with Jesse some of the things that we were maybe saying that we wanted to talk to the others before just started sharing with Jesse. [03:18:24] Speaker C: There's no protests from either of them as they stand up and begin to dance. I would like to pull out a very old Polaroid camera and just get a picture of the event. Wait for the best shot. [03:18:37] Speaker G: Amazing. [03:18:39] Speaker B: Perfect. [03:18:40] Speaker G: Okay, does anybody want to talk about anything else? [03:18:49] Speaker C: Once I get the photo, I'll find a way to make sure it gets to them. Probably Rosanna. Yeah, she'd be more inclined to keep it. [03:18:59] Speaker B: Yeah, she's going to look at it for a moment and just kind of mouth like thank you to him and she's going to open up her little sad bag and put it in her wallet. [03:19:14] Speaker C: So I'm only drinking beer here. So I feel like I'm missing out on some of the fun. But I also haven't secured a place to sleep for tonight, so I shouldn't get too far gone. Otherwise I might be sleeping in a gutter tonight, which not as fun as they say. Done it a few times. [03:19:30] Speaker B: Have experience? [03:19:31] Speaker C: No. Have you ever cuddled with a rat? Several rats. [03:19:39] Speaker B: I mean. No. [03:19:43] Speaker C: You don't want them? [03:19:44] Speaker B: No. [03:19:46] Speaker C: I think it is a rat. [03:19:47] Speaker B: At least that's concerning for you, buddy. [03:19:51] Speaker E: Yeah, maybe it was the Chupacabra. [03:19:54] Speaker C: It could have been the Chupacabra. You're right. Maybe. Only I was cognizant enough. [03:20:03] Speaker E: Yeah, see, that's why you got to watch her. To drinking. [03:20:07] Speaker B: Yeah, Arthur, sure do. [03:20:10] Speaker C: Get you a water, buddy. [03:20:13] Speaker E: I'm not that far gone. [03:20:16] Speaker B: Look me in. Yeah. [03:20:21] Speaker E: Arthur, sets waiting. Yeah. Sorry. [03:20:25] Speaker C: If he says he's not that far gone, then he should be able to handle. No, let's get him a vodka. I'm going to go to the bar and get him a water. It's not vodka. [03:20:32] Speaker D: It's water. [03:20:35] Speaker B: Two shots of vodka. [03:20:36] Speaker C: Two shots of vodka, please. [03:20:37] Speaker G: Bartender. I love it. [03:20:42] Speaker C: Matt Hannah tune. Just as the winner takes it all begins playing. [03:20:45] Speaker B: Yes. [03:20:46] Speaker G: Perfect. [03:20:46] Speaker B: And then as he's trying to get vodka for Arthur, Roseanne is just kind of like sitting him down, like keeping him up in case he slouches at all. [03:21:01] Speaker G: Excellent. I love this. I love everything about this moment. Okay, anything else you guys want to do? Anything else you guys want to talk about? [03:21:13] Speaker C: I'll leave it to them if there's anything they want to bring up. If not, then I'll just end it off with you going to be all right to get home? [03:21:21] Speaker G: Don't. [03:21:23] Speaker B: He'll be fine. Him and I, we're going to have. [03:21:26] Speaker G: A little bit of. [03:21:27] Speaker B: A little bit of walk anyway. [03:21:30] Speaker C: All right. As long as you can make it there. [03:21:35] Speaker B: Not going to get as sloppy as I was last time. [03:21:39] Speaker C: Smart. [03:21:40] Speaker E: Hey, we have the GPS for where we are sleeping, right? [03:21:45] Speaker B: Yeah, I've got it. Don't worry. [03:21:47] Speaker E: Okay. [03:21:48] Speaker B: And then she's just going to scratch under his chin a little bit. It's okay. I've got it. [03:21:58] Speaker C: I'll go get another drink. [03:22:05] Speaker G: All right, Victoria and Zephyr, do either of you have anything that you would like to do before they come back? [03:22:13] Speaker A: Can I roll to see how hard I cry in the shower? [03:22:18] Speaker G: If you want to roll. Otherwise we could just say that you ugly cry in the shower. That's cool. Okay, whatever. [03:22:26] Speaker F: You can come cry with Victoria in the RV. [03:22:30] Speaker A: You know what? Actually, I will do that. What's that song in there? [03:22:36] Speaker B: Slow dancing in the dark plays in the background as he's having his cry. [03:22:43] Speaker A: I just knock on the door. [03:22:44] Speaker G: I'm like, hey, Victoria. [03:22:46] Speaker A: And then just not get in the bed, but get on the top bunk and just start crying. [03:22:56] Speaker G: Gozer sitting nearby, looking awkwardly between them, his head tilting one way, then the other way. Just back and forth. Like, I don't know what to do with this. Like the doggy side eye. [03:23:07] Speaker F: I like to imagine after a while it just feels silly. And we start, like, cry laughing. [03:23:17] Speaker G: Two unemotional hard asses that are having their ugly cry. [03:23:21] Speaker F: Got to get it out while we can. We got to be like, hard asses. Later. [03:23:29] Speaker G: You guys are going to wrap it up and look at each other and say, we're never going to speak of this never happened. [03:23:36] Speaker A: Like just that understanding nod, just like. [03:23:44] Speaker D: That. [03:23:47] Speaker G: All right. [03:23:48] Speaker C: Actually, is it too late? [03:23:51] Speaker G: It is not. [03:23:52] Speaker C: So, yeah, I assume while we're on the way out of the bar, trying to go our separate ways for the night, I'll just kind of give them one last kind of like handshake, being like, good night. Good night, guys. One other thing that I'll make sure if what I'm chasing down and what you guys are tied with are related, I hate to end this with talking shop, but what's the plan with that? I know you guys are leaving, but is it to regroup, then take the fight back to them, or what's the plan? Because I might be able to help. [03:24:29] Speaker B: Without getting too much into it. We're going to a concert tomorrow. [03:24:39] Speaker C: All right. [03:24:41] Speaker B: So if you would like to work with us. [03:24:45] Speaker C: I like live music. [03:24:47] Speaker B: I love live music, too. So I think you and I'll be riding our element. [03:24:55] Speaker C: As long as not ABBA. [03:24:57] Speaker B: No promises. [03:24:58] Speaker E: I don't think it's ebb, though. I would say that if they were going to do anything at a concert, ABBA would probably be a smart one because I think they'd have a big enough crowd of people of various generations, from older generations to the younger generation from the new movie that was. And Arthur continues to do that. [03:25:20] Speaker C: You make a great point, Arthur. You're making wonderful points here. [03:25:26] Speaker B: So sorry that you had to see us in such a state. But I'm also not really sorry because it was nice just getting to have a couple of drinks with you, too. [03:25:36] Speaker C: It was nice just to relax for once. [03:25:40] Speaker B: I'll call you tomorrow when we kind of sit down and decide what we're going to. And I know now to call you and not text you. [03:25:48] Speaker C: Yes. [03:25:48] Speaker G: No. [03:25:49] Speaker C: It takes forever. I pull out like the old flip phone and it doesn't function very well. [03:25:54] Speaker E: Rosanna, as I was saying, some people like phone calls over text. But your pretty face, people probably just like to just see it and I'm just broke time and stuff. Oh, hey, you need some money and, like, don't do that. [03:26:15] Speaker B: Are you set for a room tonight, though, for real? [03:26:18] Speaker C: I'll figure Something out. Don't worry. I'm not going to be sleeping in the gutter. Worst case scenario again. [03:26:23] Speaker B: Airbnb. [03:26:25] Speaker E: Here's, like, some money that you can use for a hotel. [03:26:28] Speaker C: Arthur, I do not need the money. Thank you, though. [03:26:32] Speaker B: Listen, Jesse, Jesse, just take the money. Hold on to it. You can give it back. He won't stop if you don't take it. [03:26:42] Speaker C: How much money are you about to give me here? Author. [03:26:46] Speaker E: In one of his wads. He just keeps like stashed money all over. It's probably a couple hundred dollars. Like, probably like $200 of 20s. [03:26:56] Speaker C: Thanks, ma'am. Make great use out of this and make it a nice motel room tonight. It's really going to help me out. [03:27:03] Speaker E: There's all kinds of hotels in Houston that you could get for a good 7550. Yeah. Pats Jesse on the shoulder. You should be fine, man. You should be fine. Find a place to sleep. [03:27:16] Speaker C: All thanks to you, budy. All thanks to you. [03:27:18] Speaker B: Yeah. All right, how about we go on that walk now, Arthur? [03:27:24] Speaker E: Yeah, I like that. [03:27:27] Speaker B: Yeah, I like that too. [03:27:29] Speaker C: Get some sleep. Have plenty of water. Fill your water. [03:27:32] Speaker B: I'll take care of him. Don't worry. [03:27:35] Speaker C: I believe you. Just be safe. [03:27:43] Speaker D: We will. [03:27:45] Speaker C: Not the way they think I meant. [03:27:46] Speaker B: I don't think. [03:27:48] Speaker C: Anyway, I'm out here. [03:27:50] Speaker G: As you go to depart, Jesse climbs into his truck, pulls out and away. You guys watch him go for a moment. Let him get out of the parking lot before you attempt to steer the stumbling Arthur through the parking lot where he could potentially get hit by the big truck. As you are walking away from the bar, one of the regular stumbles out of the door and you hear the jukebox playing on the inside and it is. [03:28:36] Speaker B: Jesus Christ. [03:28:47] Speaker E: Maybe I'll have know. Show you what happens to people who blaspheme. [03:28:56] Speaker B: Oh, Arthur, I would love to see you try. [03:29:07] Speaker E: Wait, what did I just say? [03:29:09] Speaker D: Nothing. [03:29:10] Speaker B: Let's go. [03:29:14] Speaker G: All right, you guys head back to the safe house. It takes a while, mostly because Arthur stumbles a lot. Rosanna, you spend as much time steering him as anything else, making sure that he doesn't stumble off into the street. But you get there relatively painlessly because you managed to not get so shitfaced that you couldn't navigate. When you guys get through the front door, Zephyr and Victoria immediately become aware as Arthur is speaking at a volume that is far louder than is necessary. And it takes him like four tries to find the handle of the RV door before he gets it open. [03:30:02] Speaker E: I'm just saying that Tennessee Bourbon was not originally Jack Daniels, was not originally the first Tennessee Bourbon. And so the fact that it wasn't Jack Daniels and that's what Martin is talking about. [03:30:32] Speaker G: The moment the door opens, Arthur gets nailed by a pillow and it becomes very clear that Arthur is once again sloppy drunk. Thankfully, Rosanna does not seem just. Just a little tipsy. Tiny, tiny bit tipsy. [03:30:53] Speaker E: When she gives Arthur the water. He's already drifting asleep. But I say, thanks, honey. I really needed that. [03:31:04] Speaker G: And on that note, I think we're going to call it for the night. Return next week to see what happens with our group of hunters when they travel to New Orleans. Also, tune in tomorrow for a coyote and crow, one shot run by our very own Arthur. Thanks for joining us. We'll see you later. Have good night, guys. Bye.