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C2 Ep. 63 A Performance to Die For Chapter One
272 Plays3 years ago
A friend of the crew needs a favor.
This episode is brought to you by the generous donations of our amazing Show Sponsors: Laura Pickrahn, Darrin Katzska, Irene Viorritto, Ryan Royce, Darrell DeLaney, Jessica Smith, Charles Compton, Danielle Bramhall-Smith, Nastasia Raulerson, The Kamm Family, David Scrams, Elizabeth Clark, Andy Dossett, Rebekah Gowman, deviouspoptart, Eðvarð Arnór Sigurðsson, Michael Clark, Eric Witman, and Shelby Johnson.
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Transcript
Introduction and Acknowledgements
00:00:00
Speaker
The following episode is brought to you by the generous donations of Laura Pickron, Darryl Delaney, Darren Katska, Devious Poptart, Irene Villarito, Ryan Royce, Andy Dossett, Danielle Bramhall-Smith, Elizabeth Clark, Eric Whitman, Jessica Smith, Charles Compton, Natasha Rallerson, Richard Cree, The Cam Family,
00:00:20
Speaker
David Scrams, Dustin Troop, Edvard Arnoff, Michael Clark, Rebecca Gowman, and Shelby Johnson, as well as all of our generous patrons.
Session Introduction and Absence Announcement
00:01:16
Speaker
Hello everyone, welcome back. I'm from Cade podcast at the Everon Campaign Setting. I'm your game master, Eric. I'm Phillip. I'm Trevor. And I'm Jeff.
00:01:25
Speaker
And welcome to another episode. Uh, as you can tell, unfortunately for this session, we will be without Randy. Um, but we are going to, uh, push forward into an arc that, uh, if Randy is able to join us next session and this arc continues past the scope of this one session that we're doing, Milo will be able to hop in without much issue. Uh, so yeah. Um, gentlemen, what happened last time?
Heist Conclusion and Family Meeting Promise
00:01:52
Speaker
Uh, the heist finished up. Mm-hmm.
00:01:56
Speaker
We got the bust, gave it to Basil, met some assassins from another house, had a really bad day during the fight. Yes. Raynard was living his best life, but... You know?
00:02:13
Speaker
Yeah, yeah, we wrapped up that arc with the promise that Basil was going to return to the family and try to broker some kind of meeting between Raynard and his father.
00:02:30
Speaker
And then you all went back to your respective residencies and that's where we kind of called it. So I intend to pick up around like four ish days after where we left off the last arc, but anything you all got up to in the intervening days.
Eris' Gauntlet Enchantment Plans
00:02:50
Speaker
Aris has some crafting that I would like to take care of. Yeah. One, she would like to finish the re-enchantment process on her arm, on the gauntlet, to restore her...
00:03:18
Speaker
Artificing glove enchantment. And I want to add, I'm going to add an additional effect onto the glove this time. Okay. I'm going to add the shatter effect onto the glove, which will allow her to deplete the enchantment on it to smash things or to disrupt enchantments.
Hobb's Flyer Distribution Challenges
00:03:46
Speaker
Okay, which should be fun. Okay, hopefully not backfire and explode. You know, one hopes. Okay, I'm going to spend a story point to hope that this works. Here we go.
00:04:08
Speaker
Wow. Okay. One success, three threats and a triumph. Rafting triumph. I do love me. Oh, and I didn't actually, sorry. I actually get that too. So only one threat. Oh, I forgot I had my inventor. Forgot to include my inventor talent.
00:04:33
Speaker
That's less firm. Yes. Um, I recommend that somebody else talk while I work out what to do with that triumph because I need to look at my menu. Sure. Um, I can tell you that Hobb didn't do anything particularly interesting or special in the intervening days because Jeff is saving XP for the next thing he wants to get. Um, I think, I think that probably Hobb had to go back down to the cogs.
00:05:03
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. And do some more fliering, you know, just working with sticker and you and I probably need to have a conversation off mic about if the next time we need to do that on mic. Yeah. I mean, if you want to give me a role while you're down there to see how, how effective. Yeah, I do. Would you take a,
00:05:33
Speaker
Oh, maybe Street would, would Streetwise work? Or is he past that point because he's got his foot in the door now? Now it's just got to be straight up like, I don't know. Well, you've only like made one roll thus far. So I'd allow Streetwise to still kind of get
00:05:54
Speaker
get properly set up, start talking to the right people, be in the right position, that kind of thing. Okay. Let's make it an average difficulty check, so two purple. Okay. And the house thrash people have started to take note of you. So go ahead and add a setback die to that because they're
00:06:17
Speaker
when you're down there, they're also trying to actively kind of cut off whatever paths are headed towards you and stuff like that. Right. You know, what I should be doing is having Sigur make these checks with me just being nearby and him getting my loom buff, but fine, we'll do it your way. All right. Hail your advantage. One advantage.
00:06:48
Speaker
So it doesn't seem like you're getting a whole lot of
00:06:55
Speaker
a whole lot of interest this day. People just kind of have their head and eyes down. You're a person in the street handing out flyers, you know? This is good, because now I've learned the next time I bring it up, I'm going to come up with a better story so I can negotiate for a boost. Yeah. Instead of just saying, we'll talk about it another time. All right. And what would you like the advantage to be used for, Hob? Any
Clan Updates and Hobb's Reflections
00:07:21
Speaker
thoughts?
00:07:25
Speaker
Can't be anything too big. I have an idea. Yeah, let me hear yours and then I'll see if I, because I kind of came up with something as well, but let me hear what yours is. Oh, no. I mean, the only thing I was going to say is maybe, you know, it really is the fact that people just aren't interested at all today. And so Tharashk also doesn't have a good day narratively. So it's kind of a wash.
00:07:51
Speaker
So, tracking it, it's not a setback of a day for you, it just, there was no progress made. It was just a low volume day coming off the boat in general. Yeah. Okay, I think that sounds good. Mine was gonna be just something about setting up something slightly more permanent than me coming down with a parade. While you are down there, handing out flyers,
00:08:17
Speaker
You do hear a voice from behind. You hear Grum walking up. Hab, back down here.
00:08:26
Speaker
Oh, yeah, you know, I'm just still working on helping my friend Boom Rush. And you see that there are a handful of individuals of varying race wearing similar get ups to grum of like, like spelunking equipment and and stuff like that.
00:08:49
Speaker
and hard hats with ever bright lights on them, and Grum kind of waves them on like, I'll catch up. Well, good turnout today? No, actually, it was real bad. I don't know. I don't know.
00:09:10
Speaker
if it's, uh, it's hopefully not a trend. Yeah. Just an off day. Um, but you know, a famine for us is a famine for everyone. So I don't feel like we lost any ground. Ah, that's good. That's good. I mean, I suppose I did say famine twice, which it doesn't sound good. I mean, uh, the metaphor was a little labored, but you know, I understood what you were saying.
00:09:37
Speaker
Well, um, I'm going to go meet up and we're going to go get a drink. Do you want to come? Uh, sure. I got, I got time. Okay. Yeah. I'll introduce you to some of the new crew. Um, we just got done from a job down below salvaging. Good. Um, good hall.
00:10:03
Speaker
Not our best day, but not our worst. Everybody made it back up, which is always a good day in my book. All right, I assume we're walking while we're doing this if we're going to some bar. Yeah. How are things up above in terms of the clan? Oh, believe it or not, I don't know in terms of the clan how things are going.
00:10:30
Speaker
You know, the more I think about it, I never really know much about what's going on with the organization. Hob just stares in the middle of distance for a second. Just a full 30 seconds of silence as he realizes that. Hmm. Well, I kind of thought that you all were upwards and onwards within the organization once I was reassigned.
00:11:00
Speaker
Well, onwards, yes. Upwards. I don't think that's the case, no. We've been given harder jobs with no more glory or compensation. Actually, and then upstairs again for a minute.
00:11:26
Speaker
At least you don't have me taking a cut now. Then he looks down at the flyer in his hand. How are you holding up? Being part of the Delvers is...
00:11:51
Speaker
not the easiest life. Selling stuff on the black market, going down into dangerous areas underneath the city, cave-ins, aberrations,
00:12:07
Speaker
other crews that just are going to kill you while you're down there. But you know, Lady Briar is good people, better than Vigo. So yeah, I mean, the work itself is harder and more dangerous, but I feel more safe and secure. If that makes sense. Understood. If something's going to kill me, it's going to be
00:12:35
Speaker
I want to get stabbed in the chest and not in the back. And there's something comforting about that. Grom, we have bad jobs. Bye. Bye.
00:12:57
Speaker
I think Hob hangs around long enough for everybody to get through one round, and then he excuses himself. Okay. And says, you know, Grum, it was good to see you, and if you'd like, I'll give your best to the rest of the crew. Yeah, that'd be great. I've got to head back up, but anything else?
00:13:29
Speaker
If this was a social call, then I was more than happy to catch up. Absolutely. Yeah. I'm glad that I saw you. Maybe I'll see you down in the cogs again. I'll be back. That's for certain. Something that you do note, Hob, through the introductions with all of the members of this crew. Yeah, definitely should have leaned into that more. Well, we're not going to roleplay that. No, no, no.
00:13:56
Speaker
As each person kind of tells you their history with the Klan and how they got to be where they are now, these are all people that formally had a different position within the Klan and now are here. But they are also... Oh, go ahead. I almost asked that when he was describing the work. I was like, is there anyone here voluntarily?
00:14:19
Speaker
But also, these are all people that their change in position would cause them to potentially have beef with the clan. Okay. So yeah, it's equal parts island of misfit toys, but also kind of these people have come together because they could potentially have a grievance with the larger organization. Understood.
00:14:47
Speaker
I knew what I'm doing with the triumph. Cool. What are you doing with the triumph? Well, I would like to pitch this as an option for the triumph. From the crafting side on the realms of Terenoth, instead of looking at the amber crafting, one thing you can do with three advantage or a triumph is increase the hard points on an item. Yeah. Technically, her arm doesn't have hard points. Can I give it a hard point? Sure. So that I can mess with it further later. Yep. Cool. I am giving it a hard point then.
00:15:20
Speaker
Uh, Raynard. Mm-hmm. What have you been up to in four days since the heist? Oh, well, I think just laying low. Yeah. Chilling. It was, uh, I guess not super stressful for Raynard, but, you know, enough stress to be tired. Raynard probably would have noted the level of stress that his compatriots went through.
00:15:48
Speaker
Maybe. I mean, noticing and giving a crap bar. Yeah. So probably, you know, taking some time to go back and see some live performances of some sort. Okay. Just enjoying not having to do a lot.
00:16:08
Speaker
Okay. Yeah. Um, so the diamond theater is obviously the, the big theater in lower Memphis. It's in the same district as the four sales. Um, and yeah, there's a, there's a new show that's, uh, opened up fairly recently written by, um, Luca Sayara. I swear by all of the sovereigns, if you go and see Eris's favorite playwright without inviting Eris, you will lose all of the goodwill that you have built up.
00:16:39
Speaker
which is not that much. So, Raynard, are you inviting Eris to go see a show? Of course, whether or not she comes is up to her. New invitation. So, yes. So, it being Eris' favorite playwright, Eris would also know that in the past couple of months, Sayara
00:17:05
Speaker
The way people reference her shows has shifted a little bit. It's no longer a show by Lucas Iara. It's Sayara and Taylor because a young up and coming director has kind of partnered with her. And whereas Lucas Iara's work was always very morose and intense because it's like dealing with themes of the last war and societal issues and things like that. The plays tended to be very
00:17:33
Speaker
major bummers. They were extremely well written, but boy, did you feel exhausted by the end. And Taylor brings in a little bit of brevity and pacing and some wit to make the impact still just as strong, but the overall affair is more enjoyable. So that's kind of what's been going on. It's not the same.
00:18:02
Speaker
So yeah, Reynard, Aeris, you all, would you go to an evening performance or a matinee? Oh, great question. Sorry, people can't see me shrugging at Trevor.
00:18:18
Speaker
Probably a matinee. OK, we can probably better afford a matinee. Yeah. So, yeah, also the the show is starring. It's it's a show about, you know, a love story between a young woman and a soldier, a Chiron soldier and kind of their whirlwind romance. She's from
00:18:48
Speaker
Carnath, you know, all of the strife between the families and things like that. But obviously to households, yes, like dignity.
00:18:59
Speaker
The actress's name, she's a pretty young actress in the leading role named Marilyn Miles Timer. Also kind of young newcomer on the scene, but she's extremely good. She's like very affecting in her role. Her final monologue about the true costs of war is very, it hits in all the right places, so.
00:19:25
Speaker
Yeah. Do you have this in your notes somewhere or are you just making these things up? I have some of it in my notes. But yeah, so it's a good show. Is there any additional conversation or is it very much just they were going to see something together and then part ways after the show's done?
00:19:50
Speaker
I think we might get a late lunch. At least go to the four sales and drop Aeris back off. Okay. So you all return to the four sales? I'm not a monster, I'm just a jerk.
00:20:05
Speaker
You know, there's it being Letting out of a matinee you all aren't the only people going to the for sales thankfully for some some convenient food after the show You hear some people buzzing about the quality of the show There is one guy who's being super condescending about the writing and just it being overwrought and You know real blowhard but so
00:20:35
Speaker
Yeah, but that's the only person that isn't singing the praises of the show. Okay, so four days later, well, no, four days after the heist, Raynard, you receive a message from Verla.
Raynard's Meeting Request from Verla
00:21:04
Speaker
uh, asking that you and your friends, uh, come see her at her office. Or no, actually, uh, requesting that you send back a message with a meeting place and time. She needs to talk. Okay. Interesting. How fun. Isn't it just so, uh, what, what do you send back?
00:21:33
Speaker
Oh, for a time? Time and place. Time and place, man. Uh, okay. I guess probably the same place I was meeting Basil. Okay. The monument in, uh, Northwatch. Sure.
00:21:49
Speaker
I knew it was a statue or something. It was dark. I was more worried about the nighttime. North edge. Yeah, north edge. Sorry. And how about a dusk? We'll make it romantic. OK. So she did request that your friends come as well. Oh, OK. Well. Romantic for everyone. I'll have to see if they're free. Yeah, you're not the boss of me.
00:22:17
Speaker
And I'm busy at dusk, sorry. So the the strain of the heist has really kind of taken a toll on Milo. And so he has kind of told you all that he's going to spend some time with with mother and just, you know, take take a bit of a break, take take a week to. Oh, sorry. Just out of curiosity, does Eris have a place yet?
00:22:44
Speaker
All of his told you that she's narrowing down the list. She's not ready to show anything, but she's close. So still at the four sales. And Raynard, you would know that Aeris is still staying at the four sales. So. So how are you getting in touch with everyone, Raynard? Well, I would hope it would just happen very serendipitously that we're all there.
00:23:15
Speaker
And, uh, I say something on the lines of y'all free. Let's do it. Um, no context. That's just all Reynard. I mean, hob, are you coming around the four sales? Would it be? Yeah. I mean, yeah. He,
00:23:37
Speaker
Nothing has fundamentally changed for Hobb from five days ago. Any NPCs that you're contacting, Reynard? Yeah, let's take Cath and Sana. Cath and Sana? Come on. Is Cath around? Cath has started coming around the four sales. She's still clearly getting
00:24:07
Speaker
things are getting better, but she's not obviously back to 100%. Can I say that Hobb has kept in contact with Kath? It's not like he's just waiting on her to show back up at the four sales. It seems out of his character to not. It seems very much like this is a sauna
00:24:30
Speaker
Sana getting Kath out of the house kind of thing as opposed to Kath Holy wanting to be there. But Sana absolutely jumps at the offer. Yes, yes, Kath and I would love to come. Yes, we would. And Kath rolls her eyes. Lots of people volunteering other people for lots of things today.
00:24:55
Speaker
Paris is definitely sitting in the booth assembling a grenade of some variety because she doesn't have a lab yet. So she's she used to keep do dangerous things like this at olives. So you never know when you're going to need a grenade. Yeah, it's just a stun grenade. The person at the table next to you kind of double takes it.
00:25:17
Speaker
Yeah. Hobb says, good. What are you talking about? Can I attempt to finish it? It should only take me two hours to make based on the rarity. Sure. This would be alchemy. Not quite as good at that. I'm assuming this would be alchemy because I assume this is chemical and not. Yeah. And you know what? Yeah. To our point, make one a red, because if there's a desire, then. That would be very funny. Hilarity, air quotes? You're absolutely right. You're absolutely right. This would be very funny.
00:25:47
Speaker
Uh, okay. Oh man, the inventor taking that second rake and inventor two blues on every crafting check. It's just beautiful. Pretty dope. All right. Nice. Wow. That is a whole bunch of advantage. Yes. Sorry. Two success for advantage back into the,
00:26:13
Speaker
Realm of saying what happened. Sweet. Yeah, Eris has a little ball that's wound up in wires and there's various
00:26:27
Speaker
There's basically two separate alchemical concoctions contained inside and when you throw it, the barrier between them breaks and they mix and there's a big flash and explosion. Just made a flashbang, basically. Nice. Do you want to use the option that I see on the crafting table where you can permanently reduce the difficulty of creating this item by one?
00:26:52
Speaker
So heiress understands creating grenades now? Almost certainly, but let me double check the alchemy specific table and see if I like that better, but I think probably so. Yeah, these are mostly potion focused. Yes, I will do that. I will permanently decrease the difficulty of bomb making. Okay.
00:27:21
Speaker
So as Eris finishes that up, we are approaching dusk-ish time. Are we taking Tasha? Yeah. Where are we going? I'm sorry. Did we say where we were going? North Market on Lower North Edge to the tasteless shrine in the middle of the Shifter neighborhood. Yeah. The shrine of faith in the martyr. That's right.
00:27:50
Speaker
Okay, so you all get there without incident. You see Verla waiting. She's standing, kind of collar pulled up in a long tan trench coat. You hear some smooth jazz playing as you approach in the background. Is it raining? Yes, just lightly. Yeah.
00:28:17
Speaker
Yeah, so Dusk has gone into full effect and Verla sees you all approaching and kind of sidesteps. She was standing in a position where she could be easily seen by you all, and as soon as she sees you, she kind of steps around it into a less easily visible spot. So. Thank you all for coming.
Investigation Request: Billy Taylor's Murder
00:28:44
Speaker
Hi.
00:28:46
Speaker
Honestly, don't know who else to ask for help in this. Two days ago, there was a murder in Upper Memphis.
00:29:08
Speaker
And I have reason to believe that my compatriots and some other individuals are actively obstructing the, uh, investigation and I don't know why. So I need your help. Who got murdered? Uh, Billy Langhill Taylor, which is the name Langhill Taylor, which is the name of the director.
00:29:38
Speaker
What? The director of the show that Raynard and Aeris went to go see. Was murdered? Right, okay. Who's been gaining a name for himself. Is it spelled just Billy? Billy, and then Lang Hill, L-A-N-G-H-I-L-L, and then Taylor, like the last name, not the profession. With a Y.
00:30:06
Speaker
Exactly where you'd expect it. Yeah. He was discovered in his apartment at the Golden Horn in Upper Memphis two days ago. And it's just been
00:30:30
Speaker
a real crap show. Why would you think that the cops don't want to solve the murder of a director? He's not a political figure or criminal or something like that. No, but we discovered that Casa Fair, who is the owner of the art temple in Upper Memphis, which is another theater. The what? The art temple? The art temple, yes.
00:31:01
Speaker
Um, she was one of the first people on the scene. Um, she was one of the first people contacted before any city watch could arrive. Um, and then the golden whore, the art temple is located in the university district in upper Memphis, a lot of theaters. It's kind of the central hub for theater in sharn.
00:31:28
Speaker
A lot of actors, a lot of directors, a lot of people live in these apartments. And word spread that Billy Taylor was dead and the crime scene was compromised as being too light. People were there gawking at the body and it became a social event to go see what had happened at Billy's apartment.
00:31:56
Speaker
Um, there was a doctor allegedly that showed up on the scene, um, that said that he died from a stomach hemorrhage after examining the body. Uh, now once the city watch got there and rolled the body over, it was clear that he was stabbed multiple times in the stomach. So I guess not wrong, but, um, not right. So, um, yeah, I mean, there's,
00:32:24
Speaker
potentially evidence missing from the scene because so many people were allowed to enter it before people got there. We have a handful of suspects, but my comrades in the Memphis Plateau watch are unwilling to talk to certain people or coming back with inconsistent stories and
00:32:51
Speaker
Casa Fair has it in her head that the art temple is gonna become the preeminent theater of Sharn. And so she is notoriously cutthroat and unwilling to let anything get in her way of that goal. And rumor has it,
00:33:16
Speaker
that she was close to securing the rights to Lucas Iara and Billy Taylor exclusively at the Art Temple. And so, potentially, there may have been something involved with Billy's murder that would taint his reputation, Luca's reputation, or Cass's reputation, that she's once covered up.
00:33:44
Speaker
I don't know. That's just the best lead that I have right now. But I've been actively told to let it go. And that whoever did this surely left town by this point and there's no hope in finding them. And like I said, I don't know who else to go to, but a man was murdered in his home and
00:34:11
Speaker
I would like to see some level of justice brought to that. So I'm turning to my criminal friends to try and help me in that endeavor because my cop friends are at this point, perhaps bigger criminals than you. So. Well, criminal let's, okay. Alternative, maybe. Reinhardt, I have arrested you 27 times.
00:34:38
Speaker
Just alternative actions. I was just over here silently trying to figure out why she thinks we're friends. Um, well, I think we all agree. No one should be murdered for no reason. I mean, I think there was a reason he was murdered. Reynard. I just, well, I know that's why we need to figure it out. I can't just not be a reason. I see what you're saying now.
00:35:07
Speaker
But wait, on that warehouse job, you said nothing. What? Nothing. Did I talk about murdering people then? Nope. Definitely did not. So at this point, the crime scene has been reopened.
00:35:36
Speaker
Um, in terms of allowing, uh, the owner of the golden horn, um, Mandarin, is that really his name? Just wrote it out out of the book. M A N D Y R A N Mandy ran. I don't want to pronounce it that way. Wait.
00:36:03
Speaker
Why did you interpolate Randy man? No, that's from the source book Somebody interpolated Randy man Mandy ran Man Dyran? It's still bad somebody call Keith I
00:36:32
Speaker
The owner of the Golden Horn Mendiren is a half elf, older, older man, but presumably he's going to be looking to get that apartment back into order to where he can start renting it out again. But he is of the same mind as me that he liked Billy. He thought Billy was a good, a good guy and wants some level of resolution. So, um,
00:36:59
Speaker
If you all want to go, I'm asking for your help in this investigation and figuring out what's going on. If you all aren't willing to do that, that's fine. I understand working for the Sharn City Watch isn't your normal MO, but I as a detective of the Sharn City Watch would owe you a big one. Eris has been taking notes.
00:37:25
Speaker
but in the margin of her notes, in addition to the basic facts, in the margin of her notes is running commentary, such as Ciara going uptown, sell out, and mention apartment to Olive.
00:37:48
Speaker
murder apartment equals cheap. Yeah. They have to disclose. They have to disclose. Oh, what? There's a, there's a TV show or a movie or something where a guy was, was going through the obituaries trying to find cheap apartments. And I can't remember what it was now. Yeah. That movie is called real people's lives in big cities. I know, but I, I have spoken with, um, Lucas Iara. They were close, um, and Casa fair.
00:38:17
Speaker
The person that found the body was Harold Anoivi, Billy Taylor's gnome valet coming by in the morning to check in and discovered the body that morning. So presumably he was killed three days ago in the evening, but he was discovered two days ago in the morning. What was his name again?
00:38:44
Speaker
The valet. Harold Anoivi. A-N-N-O-V-Y. Ah, so close. A-N-O. A-N-N-O-V-Y. Anoivi. Anoivi. Valet Anoivi.
00:39:09
Speaker
But he lives in a building adjacent to the apartment so he can be close by to attend to Billy's needs. And. I would guess that probably Eris or Raynard would know the name of this, but the name of the person who owns the theater that Taylor was currently employed by since he was looking at changing jobs, the Diamond Theater, I guess.
Introduction to Theater Scene Characters
00:39:36
Speaker
Charles Divis.
00:39:42
Speaker
a div, div, divis, divis. A tiefling male. And you said that's the owner of the Dieter theater. Okay. And the apartment building was called the Golden Horn. The Golden Horn. Okay. So I just want to run down this, make sure I've got it correct so far. Yeah.
00:40:07
Speaker
Billy Langhill Taylor is murder victim. Casa Fair owns the Art Temple and was trying to recruit him to work for her. Mendyron owns the apartment building called the Golden Horn where Billy's body was found. His body was found by Casa Fair.
00:40:25
Speaker
No. Body was found by Harold. By Harold. Okay, Harold and Novy is the valet, he's a gnome, and he found the body, and Charles Divis is a tiefling who owns the Diamond Theater. Casa Faire was notably on at the crime scene before any city watch could be there and entered the apartment. I see. Someone called her first, in other words. Yes. Someone called her before the watch. So.
00:40:51
Speaker
And what race was she? Is that relevant? Uh, she's human. Human. Okay. Just catch her like, we saw a T fleek woman running away. I'll know it's not fair. Um, so, um, yeah, I mean, that's, um, now, uh, Verla does say I was not the, uh, the detective at the crime scene, uh, doing the initial rundown.
00:41:17
Speaker
Um, the, the case kind of made its way through, uh, through the office. And I was trying to help out in whatever way I could and began getting shut down. Uh, so, um, I know what the report said was present in the apartment, but fresh eyes may reveal something new. Um, we'd know that it wasn't a robbery, uh, because
00:41:44
Speaker
Billy Taylor's coin purse was still on his waist containing 78 Gallifar. Uh, so if, if it was a robbery, then that would not be there. Um, they're just really bad at robbery or they're very bad at robbery. Yes. Wouldn't know anything about that. Would you, Reynard? Um,
00:42:12
Speaker
Now we attempted to question Harold shortly after he found the body, but he was in a state that the line of questioning wasn't fruitful. Perhaps a couple days of removal from seeing his employer and potentially friend. They they seemed unfriendly terms according to everyone that we spoke to, because obviously Harold finding the body was an early suspect. But it seems like their relationship was friendly, so.
00:42:41
Speaker
Uh, but Harold might be worth talking to now that he's had a chance to come to terms with the situation. But I appreciate it. Um, I don't have a whole lot in terms of monetary compensation. I can, I can give you something, but like I said, the, the bigger point of compensation that I can offer is my favor and cooperation in your future endeavors.
00:43:17
Speaker
No, Hob doesn't say it. Say it, Hob. Hob wanted to say something about how the favor is commiserate with how difficult this job will be, right? Does Hob say that? No, because I think that they all know that's implicit. If we end up having to fight a dragon, she's not going to be like, oh, that's a pretty big ask when we ask her to expunge a parking ticket. Yeah.
00:43:45
Speaker
You only do so much. But like I said, all of the relevant parties that we're aware of reside in the Upper Memphis Plateau, including Luca, Sayara, her and Taylor recently moved up there from Lower Memphis. But
00:44:06
Speaker
That may let's be, it's not a very, you all know, it's not a very far distance from the Lower Memphis Plateau to the Upper Memphis Plateau. It may just be simply they could afford to live in a nicer neighborhood. Or the connections up there are better in terms of theater. I know that Billy recently discovered a new young actress, Marilyn Miles Timer, while living up there. So, which is the name of the actress that was starring in the show that you all watched.
00:44:37
Speaker
I cannot believe I wrote an entire murder mystery surrounding the theater scene in Charne, and then Trevor's thing for Raynard was, I'll go see a show. It's like, this is a gift. Thank you, Trevor. Marilyn Miles. I mean, you're welcome. An ingenue. There's been a murder. Ben, it's been everything for me not to say that. Eric said, it is Savannah. I do declare.
00:45:07
Speaker
Okay.
Strategy Discussion for Investigation
00:45:08
Speaker
So any questions for Verla? Uh, so, I mean, just to recap, we're just looking for them. We're looking for the murderer. So, um, you said the murder, reductive Reynard, but yes, yes, you're looking for, you said the murder scene's been reopened. You mean it's been essentially turned back over to the, to the owner of the building.
00:45:36
Speaker
Yes. Yes. So we need his cooperation to look at it. Yes. He is aware that I'm not, I'm unwilling to let go of the investigation. So if you speak to him and say that I sent you, then he should be cooperative. And it's, it's a fairly, um, it used to be an in.
00:46:01
Speaker
but it expanded to become more permanent residency for the artists in the district. Some nice renovations and making it kind of an upscale apartment complex for the
00:46:18
Speaker
the glitz and glamour of the Scharn Theater scene. So see, I have basically no money. And so when you say upscale, I have the tendency to think like big, like there'd be lots of places for someone to hide in there. But I have learned that sometimes upscale actually means really, really small.
00:46:41
Speaker
And barren. Right, and austere. The apartments here are... They expanded and then turned like two to three rooms at the end into a single apartment. So it's nice. There are varying sizes. Some of these theater people have families, so you know they need a bigger space. But I think the idea and the point of this is to
00:47:10
Speaker
allow for better connections and just all of them to get to live together and the press know where to go when they want to find Scandal and things like that. It's a mutually beneficial relationship to have all of your famous theater types in one location. Eris just scratching in the margins. Lucas Ira does not live in the Golden Horn though. She has residency elsewhere.
00:47:40
Speaker
Did you? Oh, no, it wouldn't be so. Okay. Nevermind. I was like, realize that question would not mean anything. Okay.
00:47:49
Speaker
Well, in the interim, I'm going to be laying low and just returning to my normal duties to not raise suspicion amongst my coworkers and supervisors. But if you need anything, don't hesitate to contact me and I will use whatever resources I can. Obviously we do have some evidence locked up at the station.
00:48:12
Speaker
But, uh, yeah, I will, I will see if I can find some time to go through that and report to you all what I find, um, without raising too much suspicion. This is just sort of a random question, but has anyone seen Norton Mill Hatch in the last couple of weeks? Hmm.
00:48:42
Speaker
Not that I can recall. Um, he hasn't made any big high profile appearances. They haven't opened up any new research facilities or anything like that. So no. Um, why do you ask? Uh, no reason. Okay.
00:49:11
Speaker
feel free to reach out if you need anything, but I'm gonna leave you to it. Okay. I assume she just turned around and walked off after she said that, because she was done, and she's Verla. You all kind of glance at each other, and then when you look back, she's gone.
00:49:35
Speaker
I think I look at our assembled crew and I go, do people think we're detectives that we're some sort of crime solvers? We get sent on these crime solving missions and it feels like we're more crime doers? Just crime experts, really. I suppose. Like a real Australian. I don't know. Just crime experts, really.
00:50:06
Speaker
I mean, if we, Sana says, if we pretend to be City Watch, then that would be a crime while we're doing this. So, I don't know if that would make you feel better, Hob. That's not looking for a way to do more crime. He just thinks it's interesting that she tapped us. I'm excited, Jeff is excited to do it. Hob is confused why they were asked to solve a murder. Because you're the only people she can trust in this rotten city.
00:50:34
Speaker
Whatever. We have solved murders. We have found out what happened. That is true. It doesn't seem like anything became of that. It didn't really seem like anyone did anything about it. Anyway, refresh my memory. What did I say about murdering last time? No, when we did that first warehouse job where we ran into
00:51:04
Speaker
Aransas, you shot a bunch of guards right off the bat. And I was like, why are we killing this? Sometimes they're inconvenient. We kill people. Well, I think I've grown quite a bit since then. At least towards an inch. I didn't know it extended to your attitude toward killing people.
00:51:28
Speaker
And there, I mean, it was a reason they were inconveniencing him. So that's what, why he killed them. So it's still a reason. I guess. So Trevor, Raynard set this meeting at dusk. Yes. Yes. Okay. Well, let's go home and get a good night's sleep. And he's already had the murder. Can wait until the morning. And we'll go talk to me and iron in the morning. There's literally nothing. Well, I don't know. Uh, I mean,
00:51:58
Speaker
It's dusk, but in a big city like this, that's probably when stuff starts like actually happening. Yeah. So if we wanted to talk to any of the other interested parties, theater owners, uh, Lucas Yara, um,
00:52:18
Speaker
No, that is one thing I didn't write down fully, I don't think. Lucasiara is the... Lucasiara is the writer. Right. Taylor was the director. The partners. Outside of their affiliation, was there anything germane to the death that like, have they talked? I just can't remember what I said, they talked to her or she'd said something. She was also being headhunted by Casa Faire. So Casa Faire was trying to hire them both away from the diamond.
00:52:49
Speaker
I assume Eris would like to go talk to Luca Ciara. I mean, yes. Eris would also like to tour this apartment. Yeah. Well, we could do that at night. Yeah.
00:53:07
Speaker
That's true. We could break into the apartment. Then then there would be crime. Yes, we could do a crime. I don't, I'm not, you know, you're right. Let's go do crying. All right. Well, if we're doing a crime, then we should break into the apartment because that's, that's the, uh,
00:53:33
Speaker
My only concern is if we are caught breaking into the apartment, Mandiran might be reticent to disclose later. That's true. I don't have an answer to that. Is there a show at the theater tonight? Yeah.
00:53:57
Speaker
I say we go there. I say, let's go to this theater and see what's happening. So, I'm sorry, the art temple or the diamond? The diamond, where Divas, it would likely be to know if there's a show going. Okay. What do you see? Yeah, yeah. Always round.
00:54:20
Speaker
I assume Eris would know this, because she's probably tried to talk to Hobb about Luca Ciara's work before. Hobb doesn't like the theater. So he's never really spent time at the diamond. He's gonna lean on you guys. He doesn't see the point. There's people talking to each other all around. I can just listen to one of those if I want to. Some. All right. Sorry, I'm just, I'm incensed by that, that, that stinks, Hobb. So I'm gonna need a moment to...
00:54:51
Speaker
Okay, so yeah, you all head back down to Lower Memphis. Curtain was about 45 minutes ago by the time you get down there, so the show is going.
00:55:04
Speaker
And you all enter and you see some ushers in the lobby kind of standing by the doors that go into the actual auditorium. To your right is the box office. The lights have been turned off in the box office. To your left is a small concession area that it looks like intermission may be coming up soon as they're beginning to prep that space.
00:55:34
Speaker
Um, but yeah, you just see the ushers kind of regard you as you all into like, Oh, I'm, I'm sorry. It's, it's past seating time. Uh, Eris looks at Reynard. Oh, well, um, here's a gold piece to, you've missed like 45 minutes of the show. Why would you want to go in now? Oh, we don't. Oh, we don't. We don't.
00:56:05
Speaker
Wait, I swear- Wait, we don't? I thought we did- The Usher absolutely, as they were saying that, took the gold out of your hand. Absolutely. And I'm glad they did. I misunderstood. I thought you wanted to see a play, Ham. No, never.
00:56:22
Speaker
Not today and not tomorrow. Never? I want to... We are here to speak to Mr. Divas. I'm sorry. I thought we were here to speak to Miss Ciara. And also Miss... Miss Ciara.
00:56:38
Speaker
Oh, Miss Yara isn't isn't here tonight for the show. I thought that might be the case. But Mr. Mr. Divas is. Yes. Question. Is it even one of her plays that's being put on? We did not ask that question. Yeah, it's one of her shows. Then yes, that is what the gold was for. To speak to him. For you to tell him that there are people who would like to speak to him.
00:57:08
Speaker
Oh. That's our transaction. Yeah. You get the gold and you go tell Mr. Divas there's people out front that would like to speak with him.
00:57:16
Speaker
weird conversation. Okay. Agreed. But we would actually very much like to come inside while you go do that instead of just standing out here on the street. Oh, you walked into the lobby. Yeah, we were in the lobby. Yeah, you were just blocked from entering the auditorium. It's not one of those quaint Main Street movie theaters that has the box office and a little glass cage. No, no, no. So the the usher goes off to
00:57:46
Speaker
To your right there left kind of next to the box office. There's a unassuming door they knock on and walk into and. After a moment you see them exit and they are followed closely and stops in the doorway. A rather large bright red tiefling man with very prominent horns.
00:58:11
Speaker
Um, wearing a very nice, uh, very nice suit. Um, and tail tail waving up behind, you can see it just over his shoulder. Oh, he's happy. Um, and he kind of sees you. I was like, please come, come into my office. Amazing. He has no idea why we're here. There's five of us. Oh yeah. I forgot Catherine's on over here.
00:58:41
Speaker
Um, so, uh, it's a, it's a rather large office. Uh, he has a fairly nice desk. Um, he goes and sits behind it and gestures to some seating. There are only three chairs. Um, but he says, I was like, what, uh, what can I do for you all? We are private investigators.
00:59:08
Speaker
and we've been asked to look into the death of Mr. Taylor. Yes. I assume you are familiar enough with the details to know that the initial diagnosis of hemorrhage were incorrect. Or at least misleading. Incomplete. For sure.
Interview with Charles Divis
00:59:29
Speaker
Yes, and you see his demeanor has very much shifted from welcoming and jovial to
00:59:37
Speaker
exhausted. Sure. Yes, the unfortunate business with Mr. Taylor. I spoke to the Sean City Watch. I told them what I knew. What more are you all looking to accomplish with this? Last I heard, they determined that the killer did not reside in the city. They surely fled, and that was that.
01:00:10
Speaker
That is exactly why we've been brought in, you see. The Shorn City Watch cannot pursue the killer outside of the city. A private investigator, however, can. And Mr. Taylor, the... It was supposed to be a continuous thought when I got tripped up. And Mr. Taylor's killer's location notwithstanding, he remains someone who deserves justice.
01:00:37
Speaker
That's fair. So, what would you like to know? What do you want of me in this regard? Who did you spend a lot of time with, Mr. Taylor?
01:00:55
Speaker
I wrote his paycheck. I would occasionally pop into rehearsals just to see how things were going. Wouldn't say that we had a close relationship. I don't much prefer getting too close to my employees. Right, sure. I mean, God forbid you humanize them and come to care about them and perhaps take care of them properly. I probably didn't say that. That's fine. That was probably more. Sorry, you gave me a...
01:01:24
Speaker
You gave me a bad cop storyline and now everything's coming out. Perhaps you can tell us this then.
01:01:40
Speaker
I'm hoping to talk to someone who spent some time with him during his last days, see if there was a demeanor change. If he had talked about anybody he might have been concerned about or anything that he was concerned about. Is there a staff member here in the facility that might have spent time with him? Is there a wise old janitor, an usher with a heart of gold, perhaps a wise kraken curtain operator? You know. I see a ghost.
01:02:09
Speaker
Yeah, perhaps a theater. Whoa, what? They have ghosts here. I was literally gonna say that. How crazy. Well, every good theater has a ghost, but...
01:02:23
Speaker
Well, we do obviously keep resident staff for our more technical positions. So our artifices in charge of lighting and sound production and things like that are here consistently and worked closely with Mr. Taylor in productions. So they would have been working with him. Unfortunately, the show that's currently running, which is the show that Eris and Rainard wouldn't saw,
01:02:51
Speaker
has been in production now for weeks. And so Mr. Taylor is on much needed, well, was on much needed rest from working hard on this production. Well, isn't he the director? Yes. And he wasn't working during the performances?
01:03:16
Speaker
Um, I mean, not, not as extensively. He wasn't here every day, certainly because, you know, once the, uh, once the audience arrives, then it's the actor's job to convey the vision and the director's work is largely, uh, finished at that point. Once previews are done, we've solidified what the product is going to be. Um, but he was here on occasion, uh, certainly members of the cast and crew would have been around Mr. Taylor. So, uh, you say what the product is going to be. Yes.
01:03:50
Speaker
You didn't mean production, you just meant product? And he kind of let exhales like he's had this conversation many times before. Yes, I'm sorry, production. Yes, the artistic endeavor is what the vision is going to be.
01:04:12
Speaker
Hup is really kind of confused by Aeris splitting these hairs. Aeris has few loves in life and one of them is the theater. And Radarn's like, yeah, this is a business.
01:04:33
Speaker
I suppose I could ask if any members of the cast and crew would be willing after the show to speak with you all. But I would request that you all stay here and let me go ask if any of them are comfortable with it. I'm not comfortable just releasing you backstage. All right, yeah. Sure, yeah. Like a meet and greet.
01:05:07
Speaker
Um, well, um, intermission is about to happen and then the second half runs about, uh, 50 minutes. Um, then another 15 to 20 for the audience to get out and curtain call and all that business. So, um, if, if you all want to stay here, you are more than welcome to do so, or you could come back in a little over an hour and the cast and crew would be available.
01:05:35
Speaker
Just wait here if that's all right. Excellent.
01:05:42
Speaker
I think that Hob will, uh, uh, I mean, he knows this area. Is there like a pub across the street or the four sales is literally, I mean, this is your all's you're in downstairs right now. So, uh, the four sales is here. There's other restaurants and taverns that you could go to. Um, or you could try to second act the show, just wait for people to start shuffling in from intermission and see if you can snag a seat. Um,
01:06:14
Speaker
I heard there's a new place that sells insert non-brillish cuisine here. Then we really ought to check out.
01:06:28
Speaker
Oh, the drow spot down the road? No, not that one. You'd have the right constitution to eat that food. Hobb suggests, Hobb is not going to watch the second act, that's for sure. Hobb doesn't want to sit in silence in a room with this man.
01:06:45
Speaker
or whatever handler or watchman he puts on, asks to babysit us. So Hob is going to suggest that anyone who would like to follow him to grab a bite next door can do that. Otherwise, if you guys wanna sneak the second act, sneak the second act, you've already seen the show.
01:07:08
Speaker
That hasn't stopped anyone from rewatching The Office eight times. Hateful. You should get a playbill. Ooh, we did not get the autographs of the actors last time. We should. Yes. The ushers could provide you with
01:07:37
Speaker
a program if you want. Yeah, Playbill's copyrighted, we can't say that. Wait, is it? Yeah. Yeah. Really? A showbill. Playbill is the name of the magazine, essentially, that does all of the programs for Broadway and Off-Broadway. Huh. Fun facts.
01:07:59
Speaker
Anyway, Hobbs, having a turducken next door while you guys figure out what you want to do. A turducken? Eris is sitting in Divas's office. Which is not what we consider a turducken. It's actually a house of Adaless construction of a turkey, duck, and chicken. Oh, it's like a mage breeding thing. Yeah. The chicken crossed with a turkey, crossed with a duck. Yeah. It's like a chimera with a chicken, a turkey, and a duck's heads. Exactly.
01:08:24
Speaker
I'm sorry, I don't release authority for you to decide that that's the sort of thing that Hobb would eat. Listen, you said he's eating a turducken. I, as the arbiter of the world, inform you what a turducken is in this world. Okay, so Sana and Cass go with Hobb to go eat. And yeah, so do you say anything, Eris, while you're... This tiefling begins like...
01:08:51
Speaker
Finding desperately any kind of paperwork that he can, he could work on with you two sitting in his office. Uh, Eris begins, um, drumming on the arm of her chair, uh, and humming some sort of show tune that she doesn't like very much. Raynard, what are you doing?
01:09:19
Speaker
uh you said we were in like an office seat yes like a yeah yeah so probably just uh being nosy and going to a bookshelf and just starting to to read through things those are largely decorative in nature yes most of them have no words in them well
01:09:44
Speaker
I keep meaning to start journaling. I find a nice one. I buy it and then just doesn't happen. I feel called out by that. Eris is basically just hoping he will become annoyed and leave. Yeah. Um, Oh, what kind of check is it gold duggery? It's, it's charm.
01:10:13
Speaker
Don't think it's that. Yeah, you can go and give me skullduggery since it's the intention is to do a crime. Give me a.
01:10:31
Speaker
It's going to be a hard check with an upgrade because he is used to dealing with theater people, which makes him a little bit resilient to being annoyed. Trevor gives a knowing nod. That's fair. That's fair. And I have a boost die because rain art is also being annoying. Yes, you absolutely can. Okay. Uh, yeah, here we go.
01:11:02
Speaker
One success. One wins a win. That's it. Just one success. So he has a ledger in front of him that he just, after like five minutes, just slammed shut. Every verse, Eris just, it's like one notch on the volume increases the volume of her humming. And he says, I have some matters to attend to, if you will excuse me. Of course. You're a very busy man.
01:11:31
Speaker
And Divas leaves his office. Eris intended that to be charming, but it probably wasn't. I feel called out by that. Okay, as soon as he leaves. Eris is not a very fair person, and she has prejudged this man. And Eris wants to bug his office.
01:12:02
Speaker
Okay, Eris spent a great deal of time picking apart an arcane observation device. And because of my inventor talent, I can attempt to reconstruct things that I have simply seen, even if I don't have plans for it. So I want to make some sort of observation or listening device
01:12:31
Speaker
and plant it somewhere in the room. OK.
01:12:37
Speaker
Does this already have a base difficulty to it? Oh, no, I don't think there's an item for me to use. I was flipping through the Android book, but there's not a bug item. So, I mean, this could be a use of, this could be a spell, like this could be a use of the artifice skill, or I can attempt to create it mechanically. Trying to construct something on the fly like this. Yeah, it makes sense to be the artifice skill.
01:13:04
Speaker
Trying to think of which spell it would be. Conjure? Yeah, I mean, create items out of the raw stuff of magic is literally what Conjure is described as. So I guess that would make as much sense as any. So.
01:13:23
Speaker
Conjure starts off with a... The default is an easy check. This is obviously a more complex thing that I'm trying to create. Yes, because that summons a simple tool with no moving parts. So... Let's...
01:13:50
Speaker
Let's go ahead and make it a two purple difficulty. Okay. Just trying to summon one and rather than, um, yeah, cause a character may summon a more complicated tool with moving parts. So yeah. Um, we'll say that it has moving parts essentially, but sure. Um, okay. So two purple difficulty. I'm going to flip a story point. Sure. Turn one into a red.
01:14:20
Speaker
three success and an advantage. Uh, I will recover one of the strain that I'm spending on it. Okay. Um, so yeah, Reynard, you're looking at this bookshelf and as soon as the guy leaves you all of a sudden see Eris like Eris pulls out her little roll up, pushes some things aside on his desk and it just, and just begins reassembling something. And Reynard is just,
01:14:48
Speaker
Unbothered typical Tuesday, really goes back to read one of those blank books. Um, and then once it's, once it's there, Eris will slide the chair over and, um, climb up into a spot where the light's not very good in a, in a shadowy corner of the roof and plant it there with a view of his desk. Nice. Okay.
01:15:19
Speaker
All right, cutting to the restaurant next door. Hob, Kath and Sana, you all enter. It's kind of a... It's a sit-down spot, but it's not fancy. It's kind of the spot that families would go to before they went and saw a show. You can feed a family of four for a decent price. The host walks up and, hello there.
01:15:54
Speaker
Uh, yes, for the three of us. Yes. Good. And he grabs three menus and come, come and turns and begins leading you to a booth. Um, so, um, this is a, um,
01:16:16
Speaker
and Eldine reaches style cuisine. And this is a... Farm to plate kind of. Yeah, very whole food. But this is a... That's the word, farm to plate. Yeah. This is a male...
01:16:37
Speaker
Bobcat shifter that has treated you. Okay. So just cool giant mutton shops. Yeah. He's a real tough D fellow. Yeah. Yeah. What's the name of that cat in
01:16:51
Speaker
Uh, the five old movies who looks like that. It's got the bit. Oh, yes. Yes. It's yes. Oh God. I haven't seen those in probably 25 years. Oh, Tigger is his name. Oh, okay. Boyce by Dom DeLuise. Uh, yes. That's right. Um, or tiger made, I'm pretty sure it's tiger. Yeah. Um, Tigger also being someone else's IP. Yeah. Tiger. Um, how can I help you this evening?
01:17:23
Speaker
Um, drinks. He said he had about an hour, right? Yeah. Okay. Hob orders the same thing. He orders any new place because it's pretty safe, but also he can see how they, how the Eldine does their seasoning. So he just wants a whole roast chicken on a bed of roughage. Cause that's what he, it's, it's got handles. Every piece has a handle. Easy to eat. He loves it. Like a roasted chicken. Like that's just, that's a really solid meal. Genuinely just roasted chicken over some like root vegetables. You're good. It's going to be a good, it's going to be a good meal.
01:17:54
Speaker
And, uh, what would you like to drink this evening? Oh, um, just a water, please. Okay. Just several, several waters, please. What? Okay. I mean, you can bring a pitcher. We don't know what a girl is going to drink on that water.
01:18:13
Speaker
Okay, Sana orders a very robust vegetable salad and Kath orders a burger. Nice! On a homemade split bun with a
01:18:32
Speaker
Very good, I will bring those drinks and we do offer complimentary chips and salsa as well. And he walks away. What kind of restaurant is this? Oh man, these... I think this is all house made. I don't think that any of this came from the store. I think they're back there frying tortillas up. House made chips are awesome. That's the thing that I order at every new place that I go to if they have chips and salsa on the menu, because to me,
01:18:59
Speaker
It's telling because every restaurant has the ingredients to make salsa in the back. Like every restaurant has tomatoes, onions, like. And so if you serve me salsa out of a jar, I'm going to be disappointed. So anyway. OK, so your your food comes out. Sana is like you've kind of noted the notice this since the beginning of the job, but Sana is trying to keep conversation.
01:19:29
Speaker
happening, like in just staying engaged and like keeping conversation like she's trying very hard. Would Hobb know, like I said, he's kept correspondence up with Cass, not intensely, but some.
01:19:47
Speaker
Would Hob know if at any point in that Kath ever mentioned Sana being wildly annoying and optimistic or something like that? Like it's it's it's not optimistic. It's like based on your conversation or keeping me occupied. It's it's more that Sana
01:20:10
Speaker
Sana's number one thing is family, and togetherness, and love, and helping people, and just love through service kind of thing. And it's clear that Sana, to Kath anyway, Sana doesn't know what to do. And so she's trying to do anything. And so that's kind of, and Kath,
01:20:37
Speaker
Kath is somewhat bothered by it just cause it's somewhat annoying. But at the same time, she understands that it's coming from a place of love. And so she's not, she's not going to tell Sana to knock it off. Right. Of course. Yeah. Okay. That's good context. Um, I think then maybe, uh,
01:21:05
Speaker
Hobb tries, without stepping too much on sound, it tries to cut through a little bit by just saying, you know, Cath, it's nice to have you out with us again. I'm glad you came tonight. Yes, I agree. It is great. And Cath, yeah, it's good to be with everyone again. Just
01:21:31
Speaker
It's weird, it's a weird job, right? You know, it was just, I happened to catch a grown the other day. Really? Yeah, and we were talking about how weird our jobs are. Yeah. I mean, I'll be honest, I'd rather have mine than his. I think you probably feel the same way. Yeah, yeah, that's fair. It's just, I don't know, it seems like,
01:22:00
Speaker
some kind of sick joke coincidence that the first job that I come back to help you all with is a murder investigation after the last one that I did was a murder investigation. So, you know. Yeah, it's what Albert Raynor didn't think about that. No, I wouldn't honestly expect many people to think about that unless it's
01:22:30
Speaker
on your mind. But like I said, it's just a weird coincidence. But I've never eaten here before.
01:22:44
Speaker
Is it good? I don't know. It's my first time as well. I think the place is only a couple of weeks old. You would think this place being in our neighborhood, we would try more places than just the four sales. Right. But the issue with the four sales is one of convenience for
01:23:03
Speaker
Momentum of plots what? I mean We're supposed to go to get the story started no, you're right, you know, let's do this. Hey. Hey Kath you and me First Friday every month we try someplace new in the downstairs Okay, and she kind of smirks and Sana goes that sounds like it will be fun for you, too. I
01:23:29
Speaker
Was she saying that in a I don't want to be involved or in a do I not get to come? It was like an awkward like oh you all just made plans together while I'm sitting here. That's not weird. Okay, tell me this because I couldn't who
01:23:44
Speaker
Was that, was that Cath that said it's weird we haven't eaten here before? It was, right? Yeah. Yeah. Okay. I think, I hope that Habbo 12th, the vibe of she said the thing. So he said, we should do this. It is an inclusive invitation. Even Raynard can come if he's feeling adventurous, wants to try a tapas place. Okay. Okay. So, um,
01:24:07
Speaker
Your food comes, and it is very good. You can tell it is very, very fresh, very, yeah. Is this, is this cinnamon? What a weird choice, but it works. I know, he says as he walks by the table. Is there anything else I can get you? We have a wonderful dessert menu. I can bring it by.
01:24:33
Speaker
Yeah, no. Hob is not a dessert eater. Yes, you may not surprise you to learn.
01:24:41
Speaker
Very well. Well, I will I will bring over the check shortly. And thank you for dining with us. Objects the clock. How much time has he burned not having to sit in this movie theater or this theater lobby? I mean, the food is high enough quality to where it didn't roll out in three minutes after you ordered it. So it took some time to get out there. And so, yeah, you're going to be able to get there right around the time that the show is letting out. You'll still have to wait for audience to clear out and all that kind of stuff. But
01:25:10
Speaker
You won't have to wait as long. And Eris Raynard, Divas avoids coming back into the office to be with you all. So he is clearly found somewhere else to do whatever he needs to do. Dope. So, Hob, Kath, Sana, after your meal, you return to the theater? Yeah, yeah.
Marvert's Insights on Billy Taylor
01:25:34
Speaker
after some time, Eris Reynard, probably shortly, I assume it took you some time to create this device. So, you know. Hub walks in right as you're installing it, like, what are you doing? Oh, what are you doing here? Returning to the place that I was and was known to be returning to. What are you doing?
01:26:05
Speaker
Well, it's like one of those, um, uh, observation devices that we saw, uh, in, in the lower division, lower something. Yeah.
01:26:24
Speaker
And I'll go, Oh, good idea. He's thought you were stealing stuff or snooping. Well, I'm snooping. It will come later. It's very distinctly doing it. It's just, um, it's magical snooping. Um, okay. So, um, you know, it starts to get quieter through the door as more of the audience leaves and
01:26:48
Speaker
After a bit of time, Divis returns, says, I have two people that were willing and available to speak to you. One is our sound technician. His name's Marvert. He's a dwarf and he's been here for a while. Marvert. Marvert, M-A-R-V-E-R-T.
01:27:17
Speaker
But he actually worked on the first show that Billy Taylor did at this theater as an actor, in fact. It was one of Sayara's plays. But he's known Billy since he came to this part of town, since he came to Shard, really. And then the other one, Marilyn Meil's timer, the actress in tonight's show who, by all accounts, had a very close relationship with Mr. Taylor as well.
01:27:47
Speaker
So, they're both willing to talk to you. Do you want to talk to both of them at the same time, one at a time, how I'm not an investigator? Yes, but we are. I mean, you cannot dispute the fact that we are investigating. And getting paid for it in a way. I have welded things. I am not a welder. You are while you're welding.
01:28:20
Speaker
Yeah, no, I think individually, right guys? I'm asking Phillip and Trevor. I keep looking over at the person whose character has all of the social skills. In case you're unaware, Trevor, that's Reynard. Have we learned about his social skills? Yeah, I've got the points, but does a player have the ability? Yeah, dice, there you go.
01:28:53
Speaker
Uh, yes. Okay. One at a time. Um, which one would you like to speak to first? How about the sound technician since he's less likely to be busy at the end of the show? Okay. Um, I will, I will go, go get him. Thank you. You're welcome. Paris goes around and sits behind the desk. Um,
01:29:23
Speaker
So after a couple of minutes, a dwarf enters the room, um, kind of short for a dwarf, wiry white hair coming off the sides of his head, bald on top, a wiry white beard coming down to about mid chest. Um, and just the weather of years upon his face, just this dwarf has lived some kind of life and probably has a story for every day.
01:29:51
Speaker
So he walks in and sees you all, I was like, oh. Wow, you're grizzled. Thank you. Have a seat. Okay.
01:30:07
Speaker
End of episode. Thank you all so much for listening. If you want to be part of the conversations surrounding this episode, head on over to any of our socials to find the link to our Discord. You can find it on at the Geek Pantheon on Instagram, Twitter, our Facebook group, all those places.
01:30:25
Speaker
We also have a YouTube channel, youtube.com slash The Geek Pantheon, that I put up various tabletop role-playing game DMing style videos. And we have another actual play over there, GMed by Philip, set in Eberron in the city of Stormreach. So go check that out. And we have a Patreon, patreon.com slash The Geek Pantheon. If you enjoy the shows and the things that we do and would like to support us, that is the best way to do it. So head on over there.
01:30:54
Speaker
Thank you all once again so much for listening. I have been your game master, Eric. I'm Philip. I'm Trevor. Oh, yeah, I'm Jeff. Randy's not here. I'm just going by Cadence. And we will see you next time.