The gang pulls back together to compare notes and meets a few new members.
Knights of the Night
KotN Actual Play Podcast - 171 DFRPG - Data Gathering
(upbeat music) (upbeat music) - Hello and welcome to Knights of the Night actual play podcast. This Dresden file story, rituals, was written and run by GM Tom. And now please enjoy episode 171 titled "Data Gathering." Actual play begins eight minutes, 10 seconds. (upbeat music) - All right, before we get to the episode, we'll cover the feedback on Facebook, episode of 169, and the dungeon. Said I'd like the direction you're going with rituals. It reminds me of full metal alchemists, very nice. I'm going to indulge my own inner crusade for literature for a bit, knee jerk reaction to 7.34, AKA the heathen blasphemous. Dresden, it might not be Dante's divine comedy or Milton's Paradise loss, but it's also not boring. As a theologian, I believe Butcher has a very impressive understanding of an extremely diverse body of myth and legend. He's writing his both complex and succinct. That is not literary popcorn. I can agree that his first books were not master works, but neither was anyone else's. - Dan Simmons, there's plenty of exceptions. First books are great. - Exactly. - If you consider that they are his first pieces, they are perfectly serviceable or plainly damn good if you read any other fantasy. Wheel of time, anyone? - Oh, right here. - Guy never learned the basics after 10 books. - Oh, he's died after 10 books. - Well, when you had to learn the basics, that's not a mistake. - The state is still true. - Yes, and that ain't, yeah, they're not mutually exclusive. - Guy died never learning the basics. - Fine, continue. - To me, the phrase literary popcorn means twilight or 50 Shades of Grey. Dresden is not one of those. Dresden is Harry Potter for adults, and Harry Potter is pretty good. Even if it isn't high literature, it's not boring. - It's not Harry Potter. - It's not even that good. - I know Dante's divine comedy and Milton's Paradise Lost, they are boring, extremely. I just wanna pitch in my few cents. I think Butcher goes to some pretty dark places that few other mainstream writers go. Personally, I think he out does Martin's work. - Which Martin? - George RR. It's just too much for me. I am perfectly aware of all the rapes and whatnot. I just don't need to see them, again, to get the message. I second what George RR is. - Oh, okay. - And I would like, oh, so very much, to go on with the story. I could go on for hours, how Butcher just nails the canon for all the mythologies. It's just so damn impressive. So thank you for the feedback, Adam, I appreciate your opinion. - We all may not agree, but we do appreciate your opinion. - That's true. - Scott and McDonald also posted and said, "I don't know if you guys watched The Blacklist, "but London reminds me of Raymond Redington, "for some reason." - Anyone know what The Blacklist is? - I don't know. - It's that TV show with actors and actresses. - I can't think of the audience. - Oh, yeah, that one. He's from the '80s. - He's got two legs. - He was in Sub-Zero, he has no idea what this is. - I can remember his name either. - I can see him clear his day. - He's the bigger guy. - He usually plays an asshole in everything he does. - Well, that's an outfit, that's London. I can see that. - He's a bigger guy, but certainly an asshole. - Very smarmy, very self-competent, very, I'm in the know, I know more than you. - Actually, if I would have finished it, I probably would have answered your question because it says, "Could be the quips James Spader is so good." - James Spader is so good. - Oh, there you go, there you go. Just need to finish the feedback. - I can see James Spader playing London. - I can see that as a London. - Yeah. - He could do the smarmy very well, actors. Back to Facebook, episode 170. Sam Ferdinand says, "What the heck is that sound "in the background? "Do we have static again, like a noumenera?" Wait, is that the sound of someone seriously, rapidly texting? Oh my gosh, it's like hearing a 14 year old girl texting on an old mobile phone. - Yes, I am making fun of you. It was when London was sending a message to Steve, Stephen, and went on for like seven pages of what he was and he called it up. - Oh, the checks on went through the whole thing. It was like 10 minutes long. - That's what London would send. - And actually I said, yes, London in many ways is like a 14 year old girl, so. Jason Mcdonald responded and said, "I do like that "since the comment was from K.O.T. on a count "that it could have been time trying to inconspicuously "get another shot in." And it was in fact me. - Yeah, it wasn't fact. - Because I responded as me and said it was, I had fun adding the typing sound for London when he was going on with that super London. - He was like one of those old typewritters, like. - No, it was actually a text, but it was, you know, not like the clicky blackberry, but-- - Right, it was not like a mobile phone. - Oh, I thought it was an old typewriter not. - Just to add for the Huber aspect, so. - You actually have an iPhone though. - Yeah, he wouldn't be able to hear that. What a bummer. - And someone else responded, it could have been any of us, including Scott. So I had no idea who that was, but it wasn't me. Just on the general timeline post, Sam Ferdinand also posted, this Wednesday doesn't smell like it usually does, something is missing perhaps. And that's because I did not release on Wednesday as I normally do because it was April Fools. And I'm not a fan of April Fools and I refuse to release an episode on that particular day, just because. - Ferdinand, people would assume it was a joke or whatnot, and it wasn't. - But that's it for the feedback. We had some activity on the fan pages in the normal. I know one thing that was out there that I noticed was a poll that was put out, suggesting maybe-- - Oh, it was a suggested poll, I guess. Trevor Hutchkins asked, would you like to see the Knights play in a game that we, the fans chose for them to play? This would be a one shot unless they enjoyed it. And should we use the pre-gens that we suggest for them or come up with their own? We'll ask the game next, which game we're going to play. Though any suggestions will be taken. And then there's five different choices here. - Which one? - It just started nine hours ago, but the majority of the votes so far. - No, I like their game and character choices. There's eight votes, and there's five for, yes, I have a favorite game, and there's four for, I don't know, what are the Knights think? - So the current is, yeah, let us do what we do. - Right, the thing. - The current league. - I mean, it's finally interesting that they would want and put on what game we should try yet, but I don't know, necessarily. - We're already backlogged in everything we want to. - Yeah, true enough. Other things on the fan page. Myself, I threw out a poll asking about the feedback whether we should leave it where it is, just different options on that. - It's a couple weeks back. - Yeah, and there was a lot of action on that one. But the fan page is an interesting place for those who enjoy the show, please check it out. It is on Facebook, along with our page as well. - Just for the record, we've kind of, I've stopped posting on RPG cross talk, mainly because when it originally started a few years ago, there was like 20 different podcasts in that group, and now we are one of like two other podcasts that are still actively posting there, and I don't see them just. - Right. - Sorry, but we've got Twitter, we've got Facebook, we've got our, along page, we've got iTunes, we've got a lot of places, Google+. - So we've got Lasted, all the others? - Yeah, well, there's the other ones. - But the ones we're using are the RUSAC gamers and Ms. Directed Mark. I think those are the only other twos that are still posting there, and I think Ms. Directed Mark might've stopped as we did, so. - Which one are we not posting on? - We show RPG cross talk, we just, with that Amazon page on our blog, actually we didn't get any activity this week, I was really disappointed. - Whoa! - No Amazon page, we talked about it. - I know, there you go. - So when I could pay today? - None of you could pay. - So with that, we'll wrap up the feedback and get onto the episode, please enjoy. - My name is Tom, I'm the GM of this Dresden File Story, we're calling this one Ritual, and I'm gonna start on my left tonight. - I'm John playing Roberto Martinez, he's a People's Guardian, powered by a fallen angel. - And Tom is playing Maxwell Edison, an undercover Homeland Security operative. - I'm Bob, playing Steve and Tony, a reporter, slash photographer, and do anything to get the story. - I'm Mike, playing Alan Montgomery, the only warden in Cleveland. - I'm Scott, playing the London Deals, a moral sear to the supernatural powers. - I am Jim, playing a rich businessman, and a black court-powered scion. - I'm Rachel, playing Zalda Zabo, I'm a first-generation American, rediscovering the power and mysticism of my Livari gypsy roots. I'm Michael, playing the wrap-up pairs, an entheogenic, organic alchemist. - Okay, since we're starting, I believe it was after everyone got a night of rest, so everybody-- - Or not. - Reclaim while somebody's on that. But everybody reclaim their fake points up to the maximum. If your current total is above your maximum, just keep it there. - Best of beads. - Three. - The beads. - This person. - Everyone also has the option to make a minor change to their character, changing the name of an aspect, or changing one skill, one point in either direction. Rachel's not, your character's not fully ready, so-- - I don't know. - I wouldn't think the trick was introduced. - Oh yeah, you would-- - Definitely want to, yeah, five. - He is both. - Hopefully we'll be able to get it. - Like it's ten. - Including the next point. (laughing) And for now, you have six fake points. The more powers and stunts you do to define your character, the more that takes away from that, and you have less influence. - You can use those as your fake points. - So. - So you start with nine, right? - Yes. - You start with that. - I'm pretty sure. - And then if she's a full human, she gets two additional ones. - Right. - She's nasty. - So she has supernatural powers, therefore she does not. - For instance. - If she has stunts of powers, that would be useful. - I don't have anything yet. - Right, nothing else. - Well, you don't, but we discussed one potential power, which is your use of tarot power. - And let's say that's pretty strong. 'Cause we have two. Take her down to set. - Well, we said three. So she's down to six. - Oh, okay, that's good. - And we don't know, because she's putting a limit on the fact that if anybody touches her tarot cards, it severely. If not, destroys her ability to-- - So if I bump up one. - Seriously, so yeah. It might end up being costing less. - Okay. - But we haven't fully figured out why she didn't stun some powers. - Right, so we definitely know the one power she wants is that the tarot cards and the ability to affect the future. And as far as other stunts and stuff, we can discuss that before next week and finalize your character. - Right. Are you some healing crystals or something? - Yeah, something. Something. - Mm-hmm. - So I believe one didn't called Alan in the morning and said-- - Okay, so we're taking on it. But I wasn't going alone. - We're starting in the morning. Yes, you called Alan to say that you had finished your spell so that you can search for the missing limb that was taken from the ritual. - Correct. - Ruppa was having brunch at the high grounds, which is-- - London had crashed. Until like, at the end. - Yeah, I was sleeping till noon. - Yeah. - And so we have Roberto, Alan, who are going to an interview of Darnell's roommate, Philip Cook. - Right. - He's still in custody. - He's still in custody till noon, so you guys have to do that before noon. Who is going to investigate the roommate? - I will go. - Alan. - Roberto is-- - Roberto? - Alan and Maxwell? - A scary guy and a pathetic guy and dude. - It was a casual investigation and he's our ticket in. - Okay. All right, this is now November 13th. It's very cloudy, gray, over shadow day, kind of drizzling a little bit. Not quite cold enough to be snow, but a pretty miserable day. - You know, we should tie in some thing event that brings the worst winter and to play one. - 'Cause that's what we had to share, man. That's about the point. - But let's see, if Roberto's involved in Maxwell, who's driving? Maxwell. Sure. - I don't get picked up or anything, I just drive over there. How would you know when they're going? - He told me. - He phoned me out. - Yeah, I called him up. - Okay, so you guys meet at the police to-- - Alan said-- - No, thank you, but I had already done it. - Well, he doesn't have a car, so you're going to have to pick up. - I pick Alan. - He's magic. - I can tell the question. - I can tell the question. - More powerful magic magicians, now they call themselves wizards, will fry delicate electronic equipment. People with lower levels like you, Repa, and London. You're okay around electronics. The more emotional, like as a high-powered wizard gets, the more he tends to fry electronics around him. - So he uses like a flip cell phone, if that invite be able to text on it, but he really can't interact with like modern phones and stuff like that. - Even that would only be if he had a highly trained discipline. - Right. - I don't know how your discipline is. - It's pretty high. - Okay. - So if you want to attempt to have one of those, that's up to you. - Like a pleasure book? - It is an old-- - You got a chair book. - I think that's the second time we launch in London. - The last time was this metal man here. If you want to say you have one of those, anytime you're in a stressful situation, the discipline's gonna come into effect. - Let's fry that. - I'd say you'd have a tracked home of men. - That's a trained award, right? - I can handle things. - You can buy another one. - So you guys arrive at the police station, and in the second district, Mr. Montgomery, you meet your friend, Ron Logan. You meet Ron Logan in the lobby of the police station, and he takes you upstairs to-- - He does. - In the interrogation room. - Do I need to introduce Maxwell and Roberto? - Actually, he's Maxwell before. - He's not close friends with him, but he knows he's an associate of yours. He saw you yesterday, and you guys were talking, and he's met him previously as well. He does not know Roberto at all. Roberto, though, you were wanted for a while with the police. - Oh, yeah. - That's been a thing. - But taking care. - Resolved over time. And he takes you upstairs. The police station is kind of run down, because, believe me, the station's time to be. It's old and-- - Gritty, some faulty-- - The lighting here. - The latter of that. Man, they've been around for a while. And he reminds you that there is a camera that will be-- - Yeah, you could actually just fry actually pretty easily if you thought it was necessary, but keep it simple. - That was his advice, and he says the most he can get you, it's like an hour, which should be more than enough. - He also has some information for you, and for you, Leaf. - By his run, if Phil Cook has attempted to, has he made any phone calls, or has he attempted to contact anyone, or has a lawyer shown up, or has he just been held on the standard 48-hour? - He's just being held on the standard, because he just keeps climbing, he knows nothing. He just found his friend, Dad. - Before we go in there, I talked to Maxwell, and I try to remember, you have a pretty sharp eye about telling when someone's telling a lie, right? - Oh, yeah. - Okay, so. - Shop yourself. - The typical stress factors, let's see, I suspect this guy saw something. I suspect he knows more than he's told so far, and he's more afraid of something else than he is of the police right now, so. That's why he's probably held for him. - Okay, makes sense to me. - Roberto, any questions about what we're gonna do in here? We just wanna find a guy. - We're gonna find a guy. - Right, we just wanna ask questions, but we can't hurt him. - We're at the police station, yeah. - Okay, I just wanna make sure that we're in the same thing. - That was a vampire, man. (laughing) - I'm not causing, I'm not passing judgment, I'm just making sure that the three of us are on the same page as we go in. - I'm not gonna gouge him. - It's teamwork, teamwork. - Okay. - He said being a team player, it's my job to spook him. - Spook him. - When it's time, right? - But he does intimidate me. - For Rachel, I don't know if you listened to any of the past episodes, but they had two vampires they captured and John squished one of their ice. - He's forced the other one. - The other one's on. - The other one's on. - Really, really quite. - Back to any information of him as a demonstration for what will happen to the other. (laughing) - That would be called the intimidation skill. - Yeah, that's a bad job. - So that's where all that was coming from. And if I'm not mistaken, it was you and him and it was bad cop and bad cop. - I'm gonna say bad cop and worse cop. - Yeah, bad cop and worse cop. - I didn't manage to get to be a good cop. I started to talk and then John put some of these eye out. I was like, well, fuck it. - And he's defensive and results. - I can't good cop a man with one eye. - Well, you could cop a vampire. - Will not put your other eye out. - That's what you're in the room and tells you you've got to knock on the end of this note. - Right. - And on the inside. - Obviously, before you go in, you're checked for weapons. You're not permitted to bring anything in, then. - Check away. - I think just entering the police station. - You have to probably die on the main floor, the other metal. - You know what? That's a good point. - And you do it in a sword. - Yeah. - By the way. - Did we discuss that? - Well, you had some kind of Highlander thing where it's kind of like one of the audio points. - Are you Percy Jackson? Is it like a pencil or a pen and you just uncapped it? - No. - It is definitely not a perception filter on it, but you just don't notice it until it's-- - It's kind of got glamor built in a bit or something. - Yes, you do, but the problem is it still exists. It's still metal. So if you're walking through the metal detector, you're probably either gonna have to fry the metal detector, which then they're gonna do a physical search of you. - Cut themselves on your umbrella. - Oh, that's, oh. - Or you're gonna have to leave it in the car. Now, if you want to tell me in the future that you do a spell in which you can open an interdimensional pocket and claw at your sword, I'm cool with that, but you haven't done that at this point, although-- - I thought we had, that's why we're from Thailand, or I thought we had some thing like-- - You definitely had a glamor that I remember that. - Okay. - And if I'm wrong, I'm sorry, but I do remember that. - I think if you lose me better, I'm not going to-- - No, then I, how about we do it in a car for now? - Okay. - Without, you know, I don't want it being stolen by some punk, you know, 'cause that's-- - Does anyone suck leaving me? - You come back on his car's gone. - Damn. - Well, treat it like Thor's hammer, no one can pick it up with me. - No, that's pretty bad. - This is how it works. - But-- - Get it in the trunk. - It would be really sucky because they can't make those swords anymore, if I remember correctly. - Well, in that case, I put a little glare right at the height. - Okay. - Put glam on the car. - In putting a glamor, all spells cost you a mental stress, so you've spent one mental stress to do that spell. Just so you're aware. And it is hidden, and I'm assuming in the car, though. - That looks like an eight-track player. - So what'll steal it? You guys are escorted through, you search, your coin does set off the thing, but you claim it's your keys and you take the whole pocket full of stuff and put it in the tray, and they just kind of give it a crispy glance and slide it on the other side. You absolutely keep going. - Yeah, you probably are, 'cause you're like, holy shit. - Probably one coin isn't gonna set it on. - Oh, it would. - A ring does. What do you think of Daenerians made of? - It's silver. - Yeah, probably. - It is still-- - Those Romans and their currents would-- - It's probably more pure silver than we've ever seen. In fact, it's easier-- - The fact that we've seen it's gone through-- - That way, no. - And that head and that go off. - Yeah. - So do you throw the coin in there, and you keep it in your pocket and walk through, and what do you do? - Yeah, I throw it, but then I'm like-- - It's a drone pack up before too long, because-- - I lose. - I lose everything. - It was a spiritual-- - The lights get darker, and encroaching just-- - Although the wash is out, so we move up to-- - What? - What are you looking at? - Well, I'm just looking at what Mike would have to roll to just accidentally notice something like that. - And it's pretty high. - I'd say like a superb or fantastic kind of lure. - Like, wouldn't that be like sense magic, or sense power, but make it pretty nice? - I didn't know you were sensing power. - No, I don't think you'd exude-- - You'd try-- - You'd have to go power search. I would say something like alertness, but I thought there was a passive-- Oh, there's passive awareness, there's alertness. So we're gonna go with an alertness check, and it would be a fantastic roll. - It's gonna work out. - Accidentally noticed the fact that, wow, that is some unusual coin. - That's not the usual coin, right? - And he does. - Yeah. - Yes, you may. - All right, and my alertness is a good-- it's three, or great, it's three, great. - Three sounds good to me. - All right, good. - I'll go to four, and he rolls in. - Plus two on the fudge, so it takes it up to a superior-- - That's three. - Nope, yeah, that's one. - I know it's hard to see with the day gold pink, but yeah, now-- - Was it my Easter dice, babe? - Pink and green. So, ooh, almost. - Just, just shy. - I just felt an itch, but I don't know where it came from. - Yeah, you found like-- - Oh, that's odd. What was that? - That's probably the slow cook. Let's go interrogate him. - Yes, and you go up the stairs, you're escorted in, he opens the door, he tells you you're going to have to act, get out, then he allows you to enter all three of you, and he closes the door and waits for your knock to let you go. - Or not. - Can you please describe Phil Cook to us, with aspects of it? - You have a picture of him to go up here? - I actually don't have an aspect of food. - He was an African-American. - Yes, he is an African. - He still doesn't have a picture of him, you can look. - I was just getting out of that guy, thanks. - He's African-American, well-dressed, slightly effeminate. - Okay. - Is he kind of nervous? Does he look nervous? Is he rattled? - He looks exhausted. - Exhausted. - That's the primary thing you notice when you walk in. This room's a little squalid, it too is aged, just like the rest of this. So it's kind of like the walls are, they used to be white at some point, there's a camera up in the corner with a little red light blinking, sorry. - The aspects in this room? - That's what I was just describing, yes, that's okay. He's on a table, he's sitting at a table, the table's got a bar across, and he's sitting in a chair, and he just looks exhausted. The lighting is not great, there's no window in here. And he looks up expectantly at you guys as you walk through, it's a nice- - It's not a typical chair table in the middle with one chair on both sides or something like that. - You got a longer table in the middle, he's seated on one side, and there's actually only two other chairs in this room, even though there's three of you. - One other question. - Yes, sir. - Why is he still holding your present? - There's no one else present at this time. - All righty. - So I smile and I introduce myself as hello, Mr. Cook. My name's Alan Montgomery. - Do we need to come? - That's laying us a door and wait. - Are you looking tough? - No, I wouldn't mind using myself if I don't. - It's not on purpose. - And before you leave today, I'd like to ask you a few questions. - Are you a detective? - Yes. - I can't lie. - Okay. - He can't lie. - Well, actually, he met a police detective, but he didn't say that, so you good without lying say that. Yes, you are, in fact, a detective. - I am a detective. - Right. - We're here investigating Darnell Norton's death. - And we'd like to ask you a few questions about that. - I just want to-- - I'd like everyone, 'cause we heard it this morning. The neighbors said he was there earlier than he told the cops he arrived. So that's something we want to ask him about. - He cleaned up a bit before the cops got there or something, because he was there before. - Okay. - Yeah. - Excuse me, Mr. Cook. You should have organized right here. - Wait a minute, what am I supposed to say again? - We want to ask you about what happened yesterday at the apartment. - I've already told the police a number of times. Surely, you have record of that. He looks at Mackle. - Well, I'd like to-- - I mean, he's a guy and he's a police officer. - We'd like you to go through it one more time, because we just want to make sure that we've collected all the details of what really happened. - I don't know what happened. I showed up, there was a body. He was missing a leg. There was scorch marks on the wall. There was, so obviously, a break in in our apartment. - A break in an apartment, and someone draws a ritual circle? Is that what you saw? - Is he lying? Am I allowed to roll back? - You didn't see the ritual on the floor? - I know what I saw. I'm asking you to please repeat, Mr. Cook, what you saw and what you did. - For the record, you like to throw things down. - Well, this is so you can do your thing and protect them. So I'm not just sending you up now. Please ignore that, Mr. Cook. I'm talking to my associates here. - You're not allowed to hear what we say between ourselves. - What was room, room, room? - Emmer, Emmer. So come on. - He explains again that he was working the third shift. He then went to the West Side Market to pick up some things, and he had some other shopping to do. He showed up at their home, and the front door was open. He went in to see what happens. He found the room, found the circle, found the body, called the police. - No lies yet? - Oh, you probably have to roll for that. - That's, I asked that earlier. - Sorry, yes. - And he was usually responding. - Actually, you would only require a good, 'cause this guy is exhausted in any-- - All the work's been done for me. - Yeah. - Any effort he had left at doing any kind of lies has been probably long since spent. - Good. - I rolled a positive two of my empathy's great, so I rolled a fantastic. - Wow. - Go ahead and tell him what's wrong. - That is, in fact, good enough to succeed with a spin of some sort if you'd like. Whether that is, you can inform Alan of a towel that he has. - Oh, yeah, that sounds really useful. - Like a-- - Or maybe, like, catch him in, can you trip him up in his story and find a discrepancy, and he can-- - No, it's not a discrepancy, yeah, it's just out a lot. - You know, there's no discrepancy, so what I'm doing is in the middle of the table and it's really-- - The other table, really, not even close to the middle. - They were putting one fake point on it. - Two, if that's what I was trying to do. - Right, he was doing it as a maneuver, he's not. He succeeded so well that he has a bit, he can put a spin on it, which gives anybody who wants to use that towel, has an advantage, they can use it free because of the fake point that's on it. - Okay, so he succeeded by more than two steps. - So he noticed something, and he whispers to Alan quietly, he's lying, and he lies when he does this. - Right, okay. - He looks to the left one of the lies. - Right. - He bats his eyelashes when he lies. - Right, he swallows twice, he looks down the word, he does some kind of towel when he lies. - Okay, I ask him, was Garnel in any kind of trouble? That you know about? - No, I mean, we had an argument the other day, but that, I mean-- - Really, what did you two argue about? - Did you kill him? (laughing) - No, he was a good joke, that's not what I say though. - It was, you know, just one of the arguments you have about money, finances. - Was he in trouble with his finances? - No, it's just, he was a little too liberal with his spending and silly stuff, frivolous stuff, you know? I mean, we were trying to build a future together. - And, well, he wasn't taking it as serious as I was. - Are you actually, do you know if he had any enemy? - He doesn't seem to be lying. I mean, the obvious time that was pointed out doesn't seem to be occurring. - No, I mean, by enemy, somebody who'd kill him and chop off his leg? - No, no, I mean, who would do that? - Well, do you have any competition? Was he seeing anybody else? - No, we've been together for like three years now, I mean. - Does he speak the truth? - Is there, is there any, tell there? - Make the lovers, does that trigger something? - If you, well, let's do an empathy role, just to see if, it's actually gotten a little bit easier, it's fair at this point. - The world's burned. - Yeah, he's not lying. - I mean, everything, he believes what he's saying is the truth. - I've seen pictures of the room, right? - Yes. - Burns and, sorry, Wilson, lean up the wall and say, when you walked in, the room was all fucked up. It was all manner of demonic ritual going on. What the fuck was that about? - Have you ever seen anything like that? Like, am I in the demonic rituals? - No. - What's your body? - No, that's ridiculous. - What the fuck was it? You haven't seen a thing like this. - What, bring out the photos. - What do I, what do you have a phone on here? - I do. - Huh? - Empathy. - Okay, I have a plus two for empathy, so. - This is good. - Oh, shit. - Plus three on that, so that bumps into superb. - Oh, yeah, when he says, no, he wasn't in the rituals. He does the towel. - Right, wait, who was in the rituals? - I'm gonna ask, if he, Philip, is in the rituals, and didn't be, anything, and he asked if the murder victim was in the rituals. At that point, when he asked, if Darnell was in the rituals, then there was a towel. A denial, but there was a towel. And it was blatant. - I look over to the other people, 'cause I can't tell that for shit. - Right, well, I kind of let some steel into my gaze when I look at him, and I say, Mr. Cook, I don't think you're telling the truth. - Telling the truth here. And let me ask you, point of playing. Do you believe in magic? - That's ridiculous. - Who did wrong person believes in magic? - I do too. - I hit him with lightning. (laughing) - What the fuck? - You do now. - Again, if you wanna roll to see if he's lying or not, feel free. - Darnell does. - Mm-hmm. - Ooh, it's a wash, so my empathy is plus two. - Good. - You're not sure? I mean, there wasn't a blatant towel, but you could tap that aspect if you want to add two more. - Like you said. - Or you could just ask your actual investigator that has a decent empathy, what he thinks. You might look at him. - Thanks, one. - Also, wash, except mine is great. - Three. - So, great, it's four. - Do you believe in magic? - Oh, he does, in fact, but yeah, he's lying again. When he says no, he doesn't believe in magic. - Look, and what right-minded person would. - Mr. Cook, we're not here to judge you. We are looking for things that can help us discover what happened to your lover. It's a very simple, we would like-- - Never said I was his lover. - I'm talking, I don't know. - What? - Oh, yeah, oh, yeah, there's a big towel. He says, "In fantasies, stories with magic and elves "have to do with this murder, this is ridiculous." Listen, I had witnesses on where I was all morning long. - And we have witnesses that tell us otherwise. - You're here for a reason. We just want your help, and then we can send you home. And I'm gonna roll empathy to try to convince him there, because that can't work. And it's very simple, it'll help you, it'll help us, your friend's dead. Why are you finding me on this? I'm not in the mood. - Can I try to rattle him or say, "What would be a good way to--" - If you wanna rattle him, you won't. - Try the camera. - Yeah, you won't. - I was thinking about that, like, just let the, you know, juice the room and with the, or that juice, in general, just focus it on the cameras and short them out. - Oh, yeah, you could, you could short the camera out. - We don't need to do that. - You would maybe have to stay a little closer and say it's in control. - My point is, Phil, we know you're lying. We're lying about Darnell. We know you're lying about when you told the police, when you really got home, and about, I think, you know, and believe in magic. 'Cause you were in love with a man who was practicing man. - I'm gonna re-step in now and make a roll, if you're not happy. - What letter do you roll? Let's play it out. - You're just saying real quick. - Well, wait a minute. If John's character wants to do a maneuver to-- - I'm not doing it. - Were you trying to intimidate him? - Yeah, I would. - I already fucking said it. - But that's big can be done as a head step in and interact. - I know, I wonder why this is so delayed. Go ahead. - What are you doing? - You're just trying to convince him. - Yeah. - Thomas, how do you have to, wait a minute? - We've been spent, it's fine. - I rolled a wash. - I have a total of four. I have the thing-- - He came down kind of hard. - Down to it. - Okay. - So your total is four. - Great, great. - Great. - And unfortunately, his rapport is nonexistent, so it is a zero. So it's strictly his role, which-- - Holy shit. - You rolled plus four? - And I rolled minus three. - I think it brought him. - I've been weeping. - I'm sorry. - He just totally loses it. - Yeah, that was beyond terrible as far as his defense. - That's a seven-- - He's seven even on the char. - That's a seven step to go home. - That's what he wanted. - He must have a really, really bad day. - Yeah. - So he is exhausted. - He is exhausted, and he is ready to go home, and he's like, fine, you know what, fuck. If you can help, I didn't do this. I want whoever didn't caught. - Yeah. - But I can't fucking tell the police that magic was involved. This is bull-- - My private detective. - Go on. (laughing) - You succeeded so greatly that you actually have a two point spin going here, but I don't know that it's necessary, 'cause you damn near took him out with that one emotional attack. - Maybe he tells us really good information. - Do you think he would like-- - And we can do that later. - I could see him motioning to the camera, like I'd like to tell you, but not. - Yeah, no, that's valid. He's willing to help you. He's willing to give you advice, but he knows, kind of glances up at the camera indicating, it's ridiculous that magic exists. - When you're released, I don't know if we should be waiting for him, because as much as I like to get him to have freedom to come, whatever he wants to, shit goes wrong when you-- - Yeah, I don't wanna track him. - So I'll be waiting here to drive you to the detective agency I work for, where we can do a full interview, and we can discuss this without cops. - Because you can do things that the cops can't. - Yeah. - And then, okay, I look at him and point to the car, and he's kind of, you set up the camera, wow. - So you make, like, eye contact with him and indicate the camera, and then it's cool. I'm not even gonna make your all, because you can do it. - Or you can tell us right now. - Cool, do you wanna just focus it or make it, okay. - No, there's really nothing else of electronics in this room. So all it would take is you walking close to the camera and just kind of letting control your control. To let it slip a little bit, and it would be sparks, and it would be non-existent. - Oh, you could tell us right now because the camera's been broken. (laughing) - So he sees me, he starts to talk, he says, listen, Darnell was into some stuff, and it wasn't, like, bad, dark stuff. That it wasn't the ritual shit. I mean, there are other people in Cleveland that believe in this stuff, and he was trying to get some help. - But there was a fight there. Someone was throwing spells around our magic or fire. - Well, hellfire. - One of the guys that was there. - Who? - Give me an eating. Which, actually, first of all, indicates to you that there was more than one guy there, and he says, one of the guys that was there was, and then the dirt opens up, and the cops sitting there, and he's like, - Right. - We got a problem here. You guys gonna have to leave. - We have... - The camera's out. You can't be sitting in here with... No. - The guy's got up. - There's the wall right now. - Right now. - It's the worst, Rod. Let me try to get rid of it. - I've got, I've got regulations here. You can't, first of all, you're not even supposed to be here. - Well, Rod. - Second of all, is dealing with Maxwell. - We gotta move him to whatever. - I'm just sliding like this down on the table and say, - What's wrong? - No! - I don't want him to do anything. - Scaram. - That's gonna suck. - Yeah, I fucking suck. (laughing) - How's your intimidate? - The ad is going to try to mean it. - Oh, it's my trouble. - How it is. - It's the re-rollable. - All right, you can use... - I didn't know that I could use that. - No. - So you roll horrible. - It's my intimidation. - And you're re-rolling. - It was a minus two, it was a minus three. - Oh, it's even worse. - This is a wash. - That's your intimidation. - Your intimidation. - My intimidation's out. - Three. - That's good. - Actually, it's limited. - Well, his resistance is terrible. - Okay. - So, I am rolling pretty. - You keep rolling the dice all the time. - I don't like these purple dice. - No, that's bad news. - No, that's bad news. - This is just... - I interrupt everyone. - No, actually, you take him out. Like, socially, you see this. - You kill some? - No, you can't kill somebody socially, but he just breaks down. - I don't know about that. - I said London can. - He just breaks down and starts sobbing. And he's not, you're not getting the answer. - I got enough. - No, unfortunately, you didn't. - Okay. - You were so successful. - I'm sorry. - I'm gonna have to stay out of the room. - What kind of success did you kill him? - You're welcome. - What I'm gonna do is say that you did enough damage to give him a consequence. And the consequences that he scared shit was a burrito. - Right, well, you can tap that when you meet him again, because it's a consequence that's gonna last. - I did not work out, okay. - Well, I was distracted by our rampage from the Mexican brother over there. - I hand Mr. Cook my card for the detective. - Right, the detective's escorting you out, and he's like slipping under his roofing face. - We have to move him to another room, 'cause there's something wrong with the camera, what I'm afraid, and I can't give you guys another chance. I'm sorry, but. - I thought we were burritos intimidating the cop that came in and told him to get the hell out of the room for another 10 minutes. - Yeah, take your hot-headed friend, and then, what I do have some of the case files that you asked for. - Well, let's go talk about that. - At your friend. - To be continued. - Again, you're telling me anything you know, right? And then we keep each other informed here. - They're about to find out. - Right, right, right. - Yeah, I'm gonna tell you everything. - Clearly. - There's no log-ins line. - Nope, except for my end of the total inability. - It's a good stuff, right? - Okay, so. - So he gives you the case files on the previous murders, which were, as far as they're concerned, it is. - What number were we at? - Darnell, which is the fifth murder. The fourth murder, which was Claire Adams. - Oh, Claire Adams. - The third, which was Terrace Spencer. Those are the three that they have linked. - Right. - And they have other ones that they're looking at as possibly under the same ML that they can link into this ritualistic method that's going on here. But those are the three that, and he can give you the case files, the copies of the case files on three. - Okay. - Three of them. - Just. - Then we'll take those case files and we'll retire and if you want to shout it to somebody else. - He says we got paperwork to do on him, but we got to let him go in a few hours and I'll send you a little text when he's released in case. - Just wait here, I don't want anything to go wrong. - I know you are. - Don asking questions, but I had no. - Tries. - We have files on site or can we have copies that we can take with us? - We have copies that we can take with us. - I don't know what you're talking about. - Gotcha. - So we stepped out. - What we're talking about are the files you just gave me, right? - God, you can't lie, can you? - It's an egg snake, okay. - So we stepped out. - Okay. - So you guys are done. - While it's sleeping for a few more hours, we'll be over soon. - Sure, I'm probably just taking it seriously. - I sleep before we leave. - Look, we don't have time to nurse as you go. I want to be there when we interview him. - We had all the fucking time in the world, but before we burnt that camera out, and we would have gotten our answers. Look, I just want to talk to him when we get him here. - I don't want you to talk to him when we get him here. - I'm scared for the record. - 'Cause he wasn't gonna answer on camera, so you weren't gonna get it while the camera was working, but he didn't want to. Who cares what the cops think? We need to get shit done. - We could have waited two hours and got shit done. I don't want you there when we talk to him. He is afraid of you. - We can use that just made him cry in a sense or us. - Can you combine Roberto's intimidation with getting a blood sample from this guy? - It seems like, what are we there? - In case he goes missing. - Yeah, I'd like to have that. - Roberto, I want to talk to him alone. If he doesn't answer me fully, which would be amazing, because he seemed to really talk at it right before you scared the shit out of him, then I'll call you. - He was really talking to him until the cops came in. Look, whatever. Get your thing done. If it doesn't work out, call me. - Of course. - We need results. - Obviously. Don't be there, though. - The thing that you have to remember is he's now has a consequence that is in regards to Roberto, but Roberto doesn't have to be there for anybody to use it. - Yeah, really? - You could snip. - Yeah, sure. - You could stay safe. - Oh, I have to be Roberto in here. - Exactly. - You have to be a different Roberto in it, and then Roberto is crazy. Do you know what he'll do to you? - He's got him on a leash in the other room. He wants to eat your face. - So that's still a possibility to use that to consequence, even though Roberto wouldn't be there. - Right, I shouldn't be there. - I'm going to wait here for him to get out. - We're good. - What did you want to say, Roberto? - I just wanted to know if it was around noon. - It's getting-- - Yeah, it's probably a silly one I got interrupted. - Right, I'm going to wait here for him to get out. - You're not? - Well, I don't know if you have anything else you need to do. - I was going to look at these files, and I was going to-- - You can do it the way around with you, because I want to hear what he has to say. - Well, Roberto, you could leave. You got a truck. - We could meet at higher ground. - Just tell you what, Roberto had a lunch show today. - I was walking through. I'm going to go see London. - Right. - Well, London called every-- - Well, you called someone and said-- - At 6 a.m., I texted the warden, and said, "Be working all night, "I got a good lead on the missing person, "and going to crash." - Did you say, "I'll meet you at noon at--" - I said, "I'm going to crash till noon, that's all I said." - Okay. - I believe you said you had a lead on what you were researching. You didn't want to say-- - Right, yeah, I didn't want to give really good details, so I basically, well, if it's noon, I'll wake up. - I don't see any reason when we have to wait until and then, if anybody wants to do anything, I don't think anybody's got any pressing at this time. - Okay, just say it is noon, and you wake up and-- - Sure. - You ready for a bird I want to go? - I don't know. - Oh, he wanted to see one of them. - Yeah, I go. - Yeah, he was heading over to my place. - Ah, no one told me London's sleeping, and I don't really give a shit. - Yeah, I don't think he really cares that London's sleeping. - Man, you turned into a real dick, you know? You turned into a jerk. - He's protecting the people by punching you in the party room. - You gotta punch the bad guy sometimes. - I could wait to introduce old Zelda, like, you know, invited her for lunch or whatever. - At the higher ground, at the higher ground. - I wanted to meet him up with the parent ed, and hopefully she would be where they're with him. - Well, London's feeds his cat, takes a nice, long, warm shower this afternoon. This is, yeah, he wakes up and basically gets himself into a tire and then makes a phone call to Alan. I'm assuming you do answer your cell phone, Caitlin. - Yes. - Here's Jitterbug. - Yeah, you're not under any particular stressful situation right now, so you don't have a problem with answering it. - Did you want to meet? I have a feed on the target. - Okay, I want to send some files that might help you too, and we got a little of information from their nails roommate, and let's meet it for lunch. - Okay, now this occurs with you guys in the parking lot of the police station, 'cause you're still waiting for the release of Mr. Philip Cook. - Right. - And he hasn't been released at noon yet, so it's either the paperwork's taking longer than normal work. - Okay, then how about-- - As I get into my truck, they have that conversation and Maxwell elects to stay there, and just with the warden over to my truck, can we drive over to the brownstone? - Can you guys sit in a car together without killing each other? - As long as you're in killing a car. - You're saying that there's a delay in releasing-- - Well, he just said that he should be released at noon and that here it is noon and he's not released. - I put a quick call in or a text to run, asking him, "Well, what the--" - It's just-- - Now? - Now? - Is he-- - Well, I'm just wondering, you know-- - It's a little incriminating. - We're waiting aside. (laughing) - Now? - He's an angry guy, is that-- - Look at him, I'm just hanging himself in a cell or something. - No, yeah, I'm sorry about that. - You're calling him directly? It rolls over to voice now. - All right, fuck you, bro. - God damn it, run. I'm sorry about the camera. - Thank you, Paul. - He's being scolded by one of his superiors over. - You left, who win? - It's a clear why, but he-- - Roberto, where's he going? - Where's he going? - What am I supposed to say? - Apparently he's busy right now. - All right. - He doesn't answer himself. - Okay. - So, who's staying, who's leaving? Maxwell's staying and the others are leaving? - Yes. - I'd go with Roberto over to-- - The higher ground. - Where? - The London is driving there. - As we're driving there. - Sorry. - I asked, so did he get any results on the wizards? - It sounds like he didn't get around to really analyze the list that Roberto provided. - All right, you got your sword out of my trunk. - I sure did. - Before he left, you got the sword. - You can recognize any of the names? - I mean, the wizards, you should know your kin in the area. - You can scan the list in seconds. - But none of the names jump out of you is, this is a wizard. - No. - Right. - And I assure that with Roberto that none of the names on this list are wizards, and my question to Roberto is, how did you determine if these were wizards or not? - They were involved in the rituals in some capacity. That's the only-- - Dale Williams knew that they were involved with the project. He wasn't in on who was doing what. - And Dale made the list for you? - Yeah. - I'd call it process-- - You can't get them to tell. - They're involved. - Oh, okay. - So they were coerced or tortured. - Are you asking him that question? Sometimes you don't want to know the truth. Don't ask questions, you don't want the answer to them. - Some of these people have crossed off were wizards, so I know that his list is-- - They were wizards. - Is to fund. - I'm telling you no one on this list is a wizard. - They do magic, they perform rituals. - But he's-- - What else do you want to call them? - He got some sorcerers if they're unsanctioned. - Right. - You can't paint everyone with the same brush, that's what I'm saying. You know, there's shades of gray here, and we have to be careful. - So this discussion is going on as you're driving to where those trucked towards, higher grounds. I was going to the Brown's Grandpa. - No, I called-- - Well, he tells you that London's at the higher ground. - Oh, well then I-- - I was at my way. - Okay. - London is heading there in his, I don't know, you probably have an Austin Martin. I don't know why are you driving. - Well, I am an anglophile, or actually a Franco file, but there's not any really cool French cars, so I don't think any pride drives, Mercedes, or something pretty standard. - What car? - Admin is at his restaurant doing some inventory, and Rupp is there with Zelda. They're having-- - Coffee infused cuisine. - Of course. - So everybody there-- - Everybody there together, except-- - Maxwell, who's at the police station. And while, not moments after they drive away, I mean, like, not even two minutes, you see him coming out the front door. He was just looking to the blind. - He was like, "What's going on?" - He was a vertigo. - He said, "Dicks God." - I don't know what your character's doing, Bob. I mean, you-- - Uh, what time days? - It's noonish. Let me sleep. - I probably hung over. - I had asked him if he wanted to meet for payment, but that was at-- - I think he said, "Blakéé de Fethau." - Blaké? - Blaké de Fethau. - Yeah. - Duv'in. - Yes, that was-- - Coventry. So, I would never go there. - I know, that's my thought, is maybe I just text him-- - I just didn't-- - Fuck that. - I just text him and tell him to meet me at higher grounds for payment, and that will at least bring him into the-- Everyone in one place at one time, so you can stop having to do the dance of-- - Except me. - And in the meantime, the first one we're gonna deal with is Maxwell, because walking out is Mr. Cook. - And he sees you, and he kinda is shoulder's kind of slump, like, "Fuck you, too, folks." - Yeah. Well, you know, he didn't necessarily want to have to deal with this, I mean, he would just like to go somewhere. Anywhere. So, he, in resignation, comes walking down the path for Jew. Okay, let's get this over with. - What do you need to know? - You said Donel was into meetings of people with some power. - Yeah, I can't remember what they called themselves, but yeah, some of them had different things. - You were gonna say something. I'd like for you to recount what she were going to say so that I could write it down in my notes and solve this whole murder thing. - I'm not involved in that same crazy group of-- I mean, I know that's what he liked to do, and I know for a fact that he did have abilities that were pretty fucking strange. But I guess the guy who kind of was the leader of that group was there. The meeting? - No, he was there doing a ritual when I came home. Was he at our apartment? - Yes. - Next to your dad, well, I don't know if he's dead at the time, but I mean, he was sawing off the leg. I didn't tell them this. - I fucking ran. I mean, there was another guy there, some dude, an older, scummy-looking fellow, that older scummy-looking fellow. He fucking tossed a fire at me, man, he almost-- - Okay, I ran. - I could see running. - I could see running, but I couldn't just leave him there. So, I got a little distance away, I called the cops, and then asked him to describe the guy who threw the fireball. - Right. - Could you give me a physical description of both of them, preferably? - Yeah, I can roll on this story, and let's get off. - Why, yeah, sure, I'll roll, I just presume that you would ask me to roll if it was like, you notice a liberal kid. - That's not noticing. Well, that's why you have to roll. - Indeed. Positive one, so superb, man, I think we're all proud of this. - No, he truthfully believes everything he's telling you. He seems a little nervous, and for a minute, he thought it was because he's lying, but then you realize it's 'cause he's saying it's a pretty crazy shit, and that he didn't want to tell anybody this because nobody's gonna fucking believe him anyways. But he seems truly emotionally upset about the fact that his friend is dead. So, what was the question you said you wanted to know a description? - Yeah, a description of the two gentlemen. - The leader of their group, he's just as fucking a white bread dude, he was pretty, not distinct. I mean, he was Caucasian, but he was-- - He might've been glamored, so it was hard for him to-- - Maybe, think of any-- - He wouldn't know the terminology. - No, he was just like, he was average Joe. I mean, he wasn't really anybody that was memorable. - The other guy though, he was-- - Wait, average Joe white bread motherfucker. - That's him. - That's him. - Eye color, hair color, bald. - Does he have hair? - Yeah, he had hair. - Yeah, hair. - It was, you know, I want to say, be the browner blue, Jesus Christ. - Where's Roberto? - He's back to shit out of this guy. - Get eye color. - He didn't have glasses, I remember glasses. - His hair was really short, and I don't know. - What were you on when you saw this guy? - He's kind of brownish colored hair, short, really short cut, almost like a buzz cut. - I'd say mid 30s, he was pretty-- - 30s, white. - Kinda dressed like a yuppie. - Fucking yuppie, to like, suit. - Nah, I'd say, just like, kind of like a sweater vest. - Yeah, he said the other guy was, he was older, you know, he was maybe 50 or so, and he just looked like he lived a hard line. And he was definitely, like, Mexican or something, I don't know. - Mexican or something. - Does Maxwell remember Ryan Nelson? - Ryan Nelson, oh shit, he would be a fucking-- - Ryan fucking Nelson. - So all this kind of guy was in his 50s, he was in there asking something-- - He's pretty cool. - Blasses, brown hair, mid 30s. - What is his arm, bro? - Not anymore. - Bro, what do you want to break his arm? - We got all this. - There was months ago. - Anybody who ever met Ryan Nelson wanted to break his arm. - Mexican or something? - I guess I'll-- - You can throw fire. - Those are important, you did throw fire. - I'm just suggesting for Maxwell's-- - Yeah. - To remember that we might know a rogue practitioner who had some significant power that-- - Yeah, he's in my notes now. - Well, you remember, frankly, he had unexplainable, significant power. - Right. - Yeah. - I mean, for some of the parent that he had more power than he thought he should. - Right. - Okay. Anything else you can remember right now, just gonna jog your memory here. Want more information on this older scummy 50-year-old Mexican or something guy? - I thought-- - There's no information there. What is he called? - I think he's not. - It's not. - Anything unusual to guys for? - What? - The only other thing he told you was he was older, but he looked like he lived a hard life. Like, are really, he could've been older. It was hard to tell, but it was not someone-- - Right. - Math, alcohol. - Right. - Maybe he was not a white bread. - I'm fucking else a dude. - Right. - He was the operator of the spectrum. - And you press him to-- - Describe him. - Describe and I rolled in. - Nothing. - He can't recall anything. - Anything else you can think of or if you're in danger-- - In the past few months, you have my car called-- - I last moved, because I obviously wanted to smoke a fucker. - Caught. - Would you like to be dropped off at your home I'm going around there? - No, he wants to be anywhere but at that house right now. - So, you don't drink and drink. (laughing) - Yeah. (laughing) - Okay, anywhere but there is drinking. - It's important to speak with him. - Yeah, I don't. - He's not sure where he's gonna end up himself. - It sounds like Ryan Nelson and maybe Martinez. You have Padre. - I just read it down. - All right. - So, he skipped us as he drives towards our place? - Yeah. - You guys are driving there, London, I don't know what order you were buying, but everybody gathers together. - If there's always new people who can over here what we're talking about. - Because you just cast the spell of silence and-- - He's got the cone of silence here. - Why don't we meet at the warrant times? - Because he wants to eat apparently. - Okay. - It's safer as all. - And plus, I like to eat. - Oh, this is now a major list of fine establishments to eat at, Jim's son. - No, this is a, this is this place is cutting it. Well, the top of it. - You have seen his shop, right? - The top of it. - I'm just saying. - The level is cutting edge. Coffee infused cuisine. It's very what's now. Yeah, well, it's not tight. He works the grill, I think, on the bottom level. - Okay, he does like the grill blanches. - Yeah, he does. - It's the grill sandwich. It's kind of-- - The higher realms. That's the restaurant on top. - Okay, so you guys are meeting in the higher realms. - Absolutely. - Actually, everybody here has got some input on what's going on because Rapo is doing some lab work over the night. The exception being Zelda is not really yet involved in this investigation and Stephen Bob's characters. - Just a tertiary connection. - Well, there's a way that we can get them kind of like sewn into it because I don't want to leave up to you. - I need to do Zelda around everyone who's here. We're at the higher ground now, okay? - Okay. - Excellent game. - Let you have London, Ellen. - Washington. - Roberto. - It does take a while for Maxwell to show up. Bob's character, Stephen, does show up, but it's a little later than everyone else. So you've got a few. - I'll introduce Stephen and introduce him to Roberto because he obviously has a lead on his father. And I tell Roberto that I was able to find some information out for him on tracing down his dad. And I also make sure you get your payment of five crisp $100 bills for your efforts. - I pull out my list and go down looking for Zelda to make sure she's staying on it. - Oh no. No, no Zelda, no Steve on the list. - I look at the warden and say, "They're clear." As far as this definition of clear goes. - This is, I don't know if you want to bring him into the overall investigation, but this is Stephen. I actually had, first time meeting him, but I spoke with him last night. I was getting some information for Roberto on his missing father. And Stephen actually is a photographer who is an acquaintance from Mr. Martinez and actually saw him as the last person who saw him before he disappeared. So I don't know if there's a connection in this overall. - I don't know how Mr. Martinez fits into our ritualist murder. - You don't know, yes. - I'm gonna find out as soon as Maxwell shows up with his theory and he's about 15 minutes behind you guys. - I thought it would be a good time for him to at least meet everyone 'cause he, I want him to meet Roberto way school. - Gotcha. - Yeah, do you have that money? - Yeah. - Fuck you, you got the money. - My hand in an envelope, linen of course, high quality envelope. - You pull Stephen aside and you might pull Roberto into the mix just because he's discussing it. And over that discussion, do you mention what information you got from him? 'Cause didn't it involve this individual? - It did involve that individual and I certainly passed that along to Roberto. - This information? - Yes. - This guy who arrested you and you've gotten to fight together and I see the one who pinned me up against the wall. What's his name? Nicki Rizzuto. - He's a little fucking-- - Nah, I'm not connected at all. - This is what he says to that. - Yes. - That's what he says to everything. - I was thinking about potentially Roberto visiting I don't think I know Rizzuto's name. - Who's the guy? - Oh, you know Nicki Rizzuto. You've dealt with him every fucking time you've got to deal with the Rinaldi family. This is the guy that you deal with. You know Nicki. - It might be a good idea for me to go speak with, eventually to go speak with John Rinaldi. Because if one of his henchmen blood your father out of the casino, then there's a very strong chance that Rinaldi knows what's happening. - Roberto has talked to him about that and got no. - Well, I don't think you want to talk with those people. - I have a long relationship with Mr. Rinaldi. So I could actually speak with him on a level what perhaps you aren't quite capable of. - Did the police already clean up the apartment? - Don't go to Jordan's apartment. - That's one of the reasons he didn't want to go back there because he knows the murder scene is still there. And they're not sure they got all the information they need so no. - Okay. - I'd say they're gonna be still guilty about everything like that. - No, they're still yellow taped off. There's probably a cop car out front watching it just to make sure nobody tampers with it. And occasional stop-eyes of investigators collecting additional information. - So I also asked Steven, I understand from London that you take pictures. - Actually, I don't think you shared that with me. - Oh, you don't? - Okay, right? We were quite bad. Yeah, we were just, it was very circus conversation. - Okay, no, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. - Just start talking about what happened. He always wants to discuss this. - This is a virtual murders. It looks like it's the start of-- - That would interest you. - Yeah. - It's the start of a bigger scene and there's multiple victims and we're trying to find and stop even more victims and maybe heard of something similar to the area. - If only I could get it, there would have been. - Yeah, you actually would have heard of these ritual because that's the stuff you're interested in. Maybe not this latest one. This might be new information to you. But of the previous ones, you definitely heard of Claire Adams and that was the one right prior to this back up. - Well, we're gonna be sharing the information that Claire Adams and Tara Spencer. - And so those names would probably-- - Those definitely ring bells with Steve as well because those are people that you're interested in. - Do you have information on those cases? - That's what we're talking about right now. - Yeah, he actually-- - You mentioned that actually has the actual police files. - Or we're working the case. - Okay, Zelda and Steve and both need to make a contact role for Zelda, the difficulty would be good. For Steven, it's a little higher, it would be great. - I don't know if this applies, but I have friends in low places. So what skill is she using? - Contact. - She's using contacts, Bob, it may apply if you want, but at the class of the fake one. - This is also where you think if you had an app that was good. - I would roll first if you need to. - Yeah, that's right. For guys to do that. - Yeah. - What's your contact role? - What's your contact skill? - Yeah, contact one. - Average. - One, average. Now you need to get to three. So roll first and then decide whether you can tag on your app. - Wait, what'd you need to get to? - What, you wanna do this first and then-- - Yours has got me four and it's got me three. It could be either. - Mine's one, mine's one. - Okay, so your one goes to a zero and she is then three away. - Yeah. - From. - From success. So, what you can do is you can tag one of your aspects. Do you have an aspect that might be able to use to-- - Not sure what she's looking for, right? - Yeah. - I mean, it's for those contacts. - Does she know what that Rachel, but does her character kind of know? - Well, it's contacts as in people she would know. Whether or not she would know the two people that have been mentioned as far as-- - The missing people. - The missing. - Murder victims, Sarah's sponsor, and Claire Allen. So, what are you exactly the critical role of? - What about the latest dude too, could he know him? - Yes, but it's all part of the same role. - Plus. - And that would be a, yeah, that would be a wash. - Right. - But you can spend a faith point and add two to that, which gets you to three, and they're to be used, so you don't really save them, so-- - Yeah, you got back at the end of the scene anyway, so why not? - So, go ahead and do it. - Yeah, but you have to pick an aspect-- - You have to pick an aspect and tell me how it applies. Like, for instance, you're two aspects short, and you can say one of them is that friends in the parent out are something. - Right, that could be something that your character would have, and it could be an aspect, and it would be definitely applicable in this case. So, if you want to write down a new aspect as friends in the parent out-- - Yeah, my friendship with him, I don't know. - Magical connection. - No, it would have to actually be an aspect. And then, not only, it's nice to have the aspect, but you have to trigger it with the spending and the faith point. Say that, in this case, I'm using that knowledge, and it's very applicable. So, if you do that, end of the two, you've just got one for a re-roll, right? - Right. - And then, one. - And that actually would have been triggered with an aspect as well. - Right. So, what's over aspect? I think I've never heard of them. - Words are our most inexhaustible source of magic, capable of inflicting injury, and remedying it. - That's words? - Yeah. - What does that necessarily apply? - That one doesn't quite apply. - That's it, but then the other two, I don't really-- - Well, what was your high concept, the first one? The very-- - Oh, the top one. - The first generation American, re-scovering the power and mysticism of my lubari. - So, re-scovering power and mysticism that-- - Something she uses in my-- - This could apply to the piranette, that's right. - So, for that, could be applied for the re-roll, and then the second point, you can't use the same one again. You would use another one, which would be a new aspect that you have from the piranette. - Just create it, friends in the piranette, which will come back to bite in the ass, but also be a positive, like in this case, where you can tap them to say, oh, I know, something that you normally-- - So, for instance, as a GM, I could say, one of your friends from the piranette call you up and ask for help. And since you have that aspect, I could give you a faith point if you go help them. - Right. - And you would have to say, I'm too busy, give it back to me, and pay one to ignore that person. Because you have friends in the piranette, you're supposed to help them. - Right. - So, that comes with obligations. - Right. - Which is good, 'cause it can earn you, but it can also derail you a bit. Okay, succeeding, Bob, would you care to roll for yours, or, no, you don't need to spend any faith points, 'cause you know she already succeeded, but-- - What? - You see, yeah, you see dawning on her faces. - I want you to succeed too. - Okay, you succeed too, Bob. - You will live by yourself. - That's awesome. - What's the-- - What's the context? - Here's where there's one higher, great. - I have fair context. - Oh, a negative one. - No, no, no. - Average. - Remember, we shared dice last week. - You broke your street. - Bob-ishness. - He rolls really negative all the time. - Bob-ishness. - Despite the-- - You should be one of my aspects. - Sorry, it's John's. - You're gonna get back next week anyways. - I'll spend it, and I have friends in low places, so-- - Oh, there's that apply. - Close enough. - Yeah, I mean, sure, you're spending a faint-- - Faith points apply it. - I'll watch the pluses roll. - See? - Wow. - Dude, these are loaded. - I know. - Nice dice, you know? - So that brings up to great. - Would you roll positive two? - Positive two, I have third time. - Total listeners. - Okay, in that case, Claire Adams was a member of the parentette cell that you were personally involved with. So I mean, that was, she was actually a close friend of yours. So you're well aware that she was both a person who had a small bit of magical talent, but also that she was recently murdered. - She was victim number four, Rachel. - So she was one of the ones who is actually-- - Yes. - Tell me. - We think she's victim number four. - Oh. - She was missing an ear. - Have all got the-- - Yes. - She was missing an ear. - Terra Spencer was missing an eye. - Steve knows Terra Spencer. - Terra Spencer is missing an eye, and had either of you rolled high enough to put a spin on it that extra benefit would mean that you would know that the powers that they had. - Right. - So you knew that she had power, but you didn't know specifically what it was, 'cause she never really talked about it, and she was relatively new to your group, and you never got a chance to know her well enough. Now, you might be able to research the group and ask other people, and they might know, and you might be able to find out what her power was, but you just know she had some. - So they both actually have heard of these individuals to a different extent. She was victim number three, Terra Spencer. - And it was a question that Ruppa had information on the blood work, and he was wondering about the magical, and he did ascertain that the individual had a magical talent, so now it's looking like every member that was murdered had a magical ability. - Right. My question would be, I am now at higher grounds. I take out my father's old broken compass. Where is it pointing? And how hard is it vibrating, because that tells me the distance, the closeness and the distance I am to the distance. - Or just hot and cold. - You're in Ohio City, which is on the west side of Cleveland. - I was, though, in Cleveland Heights, my brownstone. As you did in the morning, what I did, the ritual. - Right. - On the east side, it was pointing to the west. Now, on the west side, it's pointing to the east, so it appears somewhere in the heart of Cleveland, and it's actually vibrating a little heavier. - Is it pointing northeast, like downtown? - Yes. - Okay. And the vibration is slightly more than it was earlier. - It seems so to you. - All right. - This is pointing to the leg, specifically. Is that what you did? - That's what I believe. The blood that was taken, I believe, will lead me to the leg, but having not been there for the collection of the sample, I can only assume that Alan didn't screw it up. - There's a lot of discussions going on in this restaurant in different ways, and Roberto, you have a voice in your head, all of you. - There's someone very powerful nearby. I can give you the power to track them, to find them. It's important, you need the power. - To know where powerful people are. - Not these guys, something very dangerous. - Isn't this when you hand him a fake point? - We're playing his character a little different in that we're not doing a raw compile. He has the ability with his discipline to fight off the temptation. - Got it. - This is just, I mean, he's not really pressing on your full court. - Okay. - So what is this, a danger? I know some of the most powerful people I know with this room. - Right. - Is the vampire around? - I need to end her. - I can't tell. I just know there's danger. - I'm keeping an eye out. - But you're not gonna hunt it down. - Okay. - You want to, it resists automatically or you want to resist it for now. 'Cause it's two, it's just fair. It would be easy for you to kind of push him. - He's not. - With your discipline. - He doesn't have a fulcrum. He's not really pushing it, he's just warning you. - Okay. - He's not a full court process, just kind of a testing the waters. - Yeah, don't you? - When you run, I have a fair discipline of two. - And what did you run us, so? - Apparently. I say no thanks and then take it. - Do you want to take the power or do you want to spend a fate to kind of push him back down? 'Cause you don't have to. Because each time you accept more power from him, you're slipping down the ladder towards letting him gain control. That's how he works. - Yeah. Is this a permanent power? What are you gonna do? - Yeah, it's gonna be increasing. You're gonna lose faith points, but you're gonna get in power. - I'll take that. - Okay. - So no, I need to know more about what's going on around here. - You have the power to do that, I'll take it. - Okay. - Is any of this audible? - No, it's not happening inside. - So you feel like a little inner glow, a little fire, a little more power seeping into you. And it's like your ability to see into almost like a wizard can into, I mean, you see power sitting around the table with all these people. And you see through walls and through, and you see a big power source out in the street nearby. And as soon as you can focus on it, it seems like it notices you noticing it. - I bolt down in the street. - Okay, we're probably gonna end at that point for the evening. - Roberto, no explanation goes flying away from the table and goes running out of the room. And you're like. - Oh, deja vu. - Yeah, well actually that was the actual endstalk, but similar, he goes bolting from the room and just curious about the stuff. - Just throw it out, because that's what we do on the table. - Yeah. - Throw it. - And we'll stop at that one. Alright. - Thanks for listening to Knights of the Night Actual Play Podcast. Visit kotnpodcast.com for more information on this and other adventures, where you will find character stats, photos, storytelling props, and even a form for comments and suggestions. Or you could email us directly at feedback at kotnpodcast.com, or contact us via Twitter, or leave a message on Facebook. All music for this podcast was created and performed by Zen Audio Smith. If you'd like custom professional music created for your podcast or business, please visit zanaudiosmith.com and please join us next episode for more mystery and adventure. (upbeat music) (beep) - Yeah. - Oh, we got one out there. (laughing) - I'm just asking, because if somebody steals a car, for instance, it's still gone. And I'm not, I'm not scotch. It's not gonna hit you, what does it say? - How are we in my truck? - Hell of a month. - No, you're in your truck skin. - Oh, okay, well, I'm already in there. - Your car was illegally parked in a car. I guess you're-- - You're in the police station. If somebody robs you here. - Just move along. - People break into the cars that-- - I parked in parking lots all the time. - This, no. - No, I don't. - 'Cause you're fault. - Okay. - You're not the same. - This is the result. - This is guy reviews. - This is guy's legacy. - It's like the world of dark. - So we've glamored it and we've gone inside, right? - Yeah, yeah, yeah. - It's in the car, it's in the car. - It's locked, it's in the trunk. - It's all good. - Good enough to succeed with a spin of some sort. Some sort. - Some sort. - And let me ask you a porn plague. Do you believe in magic? - You're not just saying now, are you? - No, okay, thank God. - And I'm not using it. - Well, doubt that you said it. (laughing) - I'm sure you're both talking at the same time, so I got him, what did you say? - Nothing. - I just wanted to-- - We'll talk about it later. - Okay. - Did I do something wrong? - No, I-- - But when I went to social combat, I thought I'd win a social combat, not lose it. - You did? - You took him out and gave him a-- - That's not what I wanted to do, though. - Well, he doesn't always end up being what you wanted to be. - I thought he would-- - You could take someone out in a physical fight and you took him out and he whapped and if you had a little more time in the situation was slightly different, you would have got your answer. - Yeah. - But I think, Jon, if you were doing an intimidation before the cop came in the room, it would have worked. - But I think it was just, you weren't gonna-- - Yeah, there was some negative-- - We wouldn't have got that on camera if we had inverted. - Right, not that we needed it on the camera, it's just-- - No. - It's going for the theatrical, though. - It's just-- - Like a kangaroo sack? 'Cause they're all straight? - They are. - Rusek gamers, you-- - I never put that together at the time. - Yeah, okay. - Blackcore fan. (laughing) - Good morning! Good morning, Mike! How are you?