[Music] Hello, and welcome to Nights of the Night actual play podcast. This Dresden File Story delivery was written and run by our GM Tom. [Music] And now, please enjoy Episode 79, titled Brinksmanship. [Music] Alright, before we get started tonight, we're going to go through a little bit of feedback. We've got an email from Tyler Houdak, who are feedback@kotnpodcast.com. Can they still download episodes from that KOTN podcast? Yes, absolutely. All of them. And iTunes, as well, has our entire library. It shows the most one on five, then you click it all, and they'll show the whole list to all of them. But our first email is from Tyler Houdak. And he said, "I found your podcast from the Geek List on rpcheekgeek.com." And I thought I'd check it out, mostly because of the Dresden File World playing game and the fact that you're in Cleveland and I live in Akron. I started at the beginning, and I'm glad I did. I've never been a World of Darkness fan, but your podcast has gotten me interested. Well, I'm about three-quarters of the way through shitlock. I have to say it is one of the most engaging actual play podcasts I've listened to. Keep up the great work, and I'm looking forward to finishing this story and starting the next. I didn't want to say that I was surprised and pleased to hear that the characters go to St. Patrick's. I used to live near St. Pat's, and I went to the school there. Tyler. Well, thank you very much. That sounds awesome, and some of us also live in Akron, so... Yeah, it's kind of cool that someone listens that so close geographically. And that's what's kind of fun about this, is that we are trying to incorporate local landmarks and local areas, so we can have that familiarity having all been born and raised here pretty much from start. Well, I found intriguing about this was the fact that you mentioned he found it on GeekList, on RPG.com. And what that is, is the sister website to Orgame Geek. Oh, cool. And it's about role-playing in particular, and they've got a podcast section, which I put our podcast out there a long time ago. What I found most interesting about that was the fact that he found us because of the Dresden Files, which is, of course, our current story, and he actually took the time to listen to the World of Darkness story line, which I think is pretty cool and hopefully opened up some interest on his part to exploring different systems, it sounds like it anyways, and I'm glad he enjoyed that story. In a couple months, we're going to start the second story of that story line, but glad you're enjoying... I don't know if you... is he listening to Dresden? Did you get that impression from that? I think I also got a message from Facebook saying he finished up shitlock, and he's now moving on to Dresden. Oh, great. Well, I hope he enjoys it as much as... And since he did mention that he was interested in the Dresden Role-playing game, I'm sure he will continue to listen to podcast. Good stuff. I went and found the GeekList that he was mentioning. Our podcast is listed under podcast, but people could compile GeekList. Like, they might say, these are great family games, and then they'll list a bunch of them. Someone being Mike Holcomb said, "What are your favorite actual play podcasts?" So he started to list about that specifically, and he had RPG actual play as number one, RPG 3 community as two, Rusek Gamers, which is also a fellow podcast that is on the RPG cross-talk that we're in. And then as number four, they had the Knights of the Night, and he said, "Aubus, he said..." We don't get a medal. We don't get a medal. We just missed the medal round. Mike said, Mike Holcomb said, "Another terrific group I'm enjoying the Dresden Files game right now." And there was a response to that from Tyler Houdek, who said, "I started to listen to this because of the GeekList here, and I have to say I'm enjoying them immensely. It helps that the games are run quite close to me, but it's also a very good group." So he mentioned it there as well, which is nice as sending feedback, so we'd like to thank Tyler for both of those. In addition, we did have a little bit of Facebook activity on the Knights page. One of them, I complained vehemently on Facebook because all of the pages have to be timelineed out. And someone posted down there, and then I'll be damned if I could find it. It is fucking gone into, you know, and it's like a curse to my person. I saw the notifications, and I went to go check it out, and I couldn't find anything. Yeah, I absolutely hate timeline, but as it turns out, the post on Facebook was from Mike Pace, and he said, "Well, I'm going to have to paraphrase it because his post is indeed entirely gone." My response to it is also gone, but then another comment is there. And Mike said something along the lines of, "He started listening to the Dresden Files game that we reported because he wanted to run his own game." And he found it very useful in helping to explain how to, and he also started the scenario with his characters. And he said that he gave out the links to all of our character sheets so that the players could have something to look at to determine how to create their characters, how to make aspects, and the like. And that, well, he didn't want to be that guy, but Roberto had an extra point to use. In building up his skill points, he had 31 and 730s, which apparently he got from Maxwell, who only had 29. So, well, shit. So, well, the thing is, I'm not exactly sure, because those were scanned and whatnot, and put up, they've since changed. Right. But they're keeping us on the stage, definitely. Shit, he's right. You still only have 29? Well, I have 30 now, because... Yeah, but... Thank you, oh... This gentleman on the mic, after you're bullshit. So, come on, man. I think Mr. Pace is right on target. Yeah. My apology. I appreciate it. That's the skill point I can use. I get another damn skill point. I also ask him how his running of the drugstore hours went, and that's when it disappeared. So, on my personal account, I was saying this timeline shit sucks, and I never want to see it in Facebook. It's made the biggest mistake yet. And Mike responded to me, and he said that he found his phone in his young daughter's hand, and that that page was still up. And then he believes that maybe she deleted it by playing with the phone. Right. And I said, I don't want to hear that, Mike. I'm ranting about Facebook. I'm ranting about Facebook. I'm ranting about Facebook. I'm ranting about Facebook. I'm ranting about Facebook. I'm ranting about Facebook. I'm ranting about Facebook. I'm ranting about Facebook. I'm ranting about Facebook. I'm ranting about Facebook. I'm ranting about Facebook. I'm ranting about Facebook. I'm ranting about Facebook. I'm ranting about Facebook. I'm ranting about Facebook. I'm ranting about Facebook. I'm ranting about Facebook. I'm ranting about Facebook. I'm ranting about Facebook now. I'm ranting about Facebook. Yeah. They work well together and are deadly, and it was fun. I think now that I've played a little bit of this, I realize that I should have balanced my character a little bit more. And when you play the first time, it's a very intense and intricate game that at first it seems like it's really simple. The mechanics aren't really all that difficult, but deep. Then you build the city. Yeah. Then you build the city, and it takes six weeks. One additional quick Facebook comment, and then we'll wrap this up. Thank you very much, Mike. As you see, we all had fun with that. Martin also posted on our Facebook page. Actually, Scott, maybe we'll have you read this comment. Our next bit of feedback is from Martin Prismilic. Hey, guys. Just wanted to tell you, we have nearly finished our rendition of the shit luck story. Thanks for great inspiration. Funny how different a story can develop with different players, I can only imagine. Now I am starting with your Dresden Files RPG podcasts. And once again, it was from Martin Prismilic. And Martin was the one I believe who a while ago said that he really enjoyed your story of shit luck and wanted to run it for his own crew. I think that maybe that happened, but I think someone else. Might have been someone else? Okay. I thought it was the gentleman that always rode too hard. Oh, Rocket? Rocket. I think Scott was doing, wanted to do, take bits of the story. I'm quite sure Rocket's real name isn't Rocket. Sure. But yeah. Yes, anyways. Well, yeah, long story short. It looks like different pictures, at least, from the things that I've seen. Definitely individuals. I wouldn't doubt. You've inspired many people to run it similarly. Yeah, apparently. Many, if you mean two, then yes. Many. So Martin, we're glad you were inspired. And we would definitely love to see some writing about what occurred. I posted a response with you. How your story played out? How the hell did it go? Yeah. Tell us more about it. Please. Obviously, we're intimately familiar with that scenario. So it'd be interesting to hear how another-- How it differed and, you know, what routes they took. Right. Like not leaving a gun in the top of a church bell tower. Or maybe killing the werewolf when you had the opportunity. Right. You need it. Yeah. Well, thanks. All players listened to it. You never kind of ruined it. Yeah, it would. You know, in a group, not everybody listens to the podcast. And I screw up, I think, two of you listened to the podcast? Listen to it. Yeah. And then I'll mic those. Okay. All right. I love it. I love it. I don't have to listen to it. Actually, it's neat because when you go back and listen to it again, you pick up all sorts of information that I've been too busy looking at my character trying to think of my angle. And when I go back and listen to it, like when I'm coding or doing something at work. SGM, I'll listen and go. Ooh. So close. Yeah. Nobody was paying attention. Well, with that, just one quick reminder to everybody, we're getting a lot of ratings on iTunes, which is great. But nobody's leaving reviews, which we just like to hear from people. You know, rating is great and they're all five-star. And that's fantastic because it bumps us up. And we appreciate that. But we don't know who to thank unless they leave an actual review. We've got no name associated with these. Yeah, leave a name. We'll give you a shout out on the podcast. I mean, yeah. I don't even say love it. And we'll say thanks. It works. It's great. It doesn't even have to be in detail. But anyways, we will now go on to the adventure. All right. This is Tom. We're playing the Justin Files storyline delivery. I'm your GM. And starting on my left is? John playing Roberto Martinez. Guardian equivalent and powered by a fallen angel. Thomas playing Maxwell Edison and undercover FBI agent. Mike playing Alan Montgomery, the new worded in town. Jim playing Edmund Shadowski, private investigator and new world black court man. Scott playing London Deals. A moral sear to the supernatural. One last time we left it was yet another cliffhanger. And this was in particular Alan and London being confronted by Constance Rockefeller and Dale Williams. The other one was Robert Mahoney, a gentleman wearing a security uniform. Okay. Before we get fully into this battle, as always, we have... Who said it's going to be a battle? The option. It would be some kind of conflict. It's going to be some kind of conflict. But if social or physical, I didn't say it was a physical battle. It could be a social battle. You all have the option to do a minor milestone. Which we all know, switch two skills, change a single stunt, purchase stunts or powers, and rename one aspect. Anybody before we? Nah. Good as is... Mr. Montgomery and Mr. Beals. If you could please roll fake dice added to your alertness. I just rolled two fours and a roll over before you asked for that. Man, you got a fish. Oh, dude. My goodness. And then I rolled a minus three. I'm stunned. Stunned, I tell you. Mine is a negative three, which isn't even on the ladder. Wow. That's tag four. That's tag four. Tag four. Tag four. I got the vapas. I totally pissed. Now to say you probably got up where it's the... So it's terribly poor. That's terribly poor. Your total? Mine was only fair. So Alan got fair, which puts him out the window without London. Well, I hadn't even moved out of the room yet. You got a Olympic mentor attached to you. Okay. We will describe the situation as far as the room goes. You're in an office setting in which you had an executive office. You had a lot of dark cherry wood furniture. There's a large desk in the middle of, set back a little bit in the middle of the room. As you walk in the room, it would be the right side walls. There was a bunch of windows, but there is shade there. Heavy shading. So the room itself is rather subdued lighting. On the back wall of the room was where the door was. That opened into the cell that Donovan was being kept in. It's almost safe like in the thickness of the walls. It was soundproof as well. That is open and you two are standing in the door frame of that with him behind you. In the door that comes into this office is standing the three people. Constance, Dale, and Robert. You are looking like some random doctor in a lab coat. Okay. And I think it'd be perfectly fair considering the magical energies that I just wiped out with my sword. But part of the flashback of that is I barely contained that. There's no precedent for that. I mean it doesn't randomly wash the room with spell breaking. It's a specific effort to break a specific spell. You had a ward that was around your mentor that you wanted to break. That has nothing to do with the seeming. You are still looking as if you are a random doctor. And London is looking like he is... Dale, a warden sword. Okay. Does it say warden on the side? It's well, there's precious few of them. I would imagine. They're recognizable. One warden sword. It's like Super Bowl rings, you know? Oh yeah, a handful of people can. And they sort of does have a name, so they might recognize the blade. By point being, if I'm still, I have a seeming. Okay. You still have a seeming. All right. They still have a seeming. All right. From your point of view it's unfortunate, but Dale Williams goes first. That is unfortunate. The real Dale Williams. Not thing. Not on the real Dale Williams. And in walking in the door he stops, looks at Constance for direction. And she goes next. Seeing as you're standing there with a warden sword, she says, "Oh my, what have we here?" With the wave of her hand she casts a spell. What's the name of that sword that you've just dropped? Daven team. It was the name of the sword that belonged to Sir Galen. Daven team? It's now on the floor. Actually you feel, as she muttered some words, you feel spirit bind around you and just lock you into place as if bands are stretched around your arms and legs. Spirit is my specialty. Do I have a chance to resist? Or do I have a chance to avoid it athletically? Athletic? Not magically? I mean, it's a small. Am I resisting athletically or do I resist magically against the spell? You can't. You have to try to get out of it. You can't. Just. On your own turn you build up and you can't. Okay. For now you just dodge. Cancel it. Now you can just try to avoid it. So athletically I will try to dodge. Do this. I'll shoot me. Start the time. First second. Plus. It's a wash. It was a fantastic spell. It's only a plus six. No, the best I can do is a great. Plus four. Aim. Both. Damn. Yes. No, because I can still at best only take it up to secure even with the fifth point. Because it only gives a plus two if you invoke it, right? You said you were great. That's plus four. Fantastic is plus six. Oh. You can. Her spell. Her spell. I can't do the defender. No. Really? I thought in the past the defender said one on the top. No. When you attack someone if you do the same as the defender you still hit. But the weapon does the damage. You don't do any extra damage for it. So in this case it's still going to hit. Yes. That I'm not going to spell my fifth point. As long as I can still speak and we're good. I got this. No, don't even say that. Next would be Dale Williams who was pausing. And she says who are they? To him. To Dale Williams. He is casting a counter spell, guys. Seemings. Dale Williams? Yes. Good luck. Dale Williams. He's actually doing an area effect. So it removes two from his wizard's ability or power. So she, I'm sorry, just to be clear. Constance attacked me directly with magic. Dale is attacking the whole area with magic. He's doing an area effect. A counter spell to see me. Is he, did he have a chance to do it? He is saying words. Yes. And when he does the spell, is there any kind of like noticeable, tangible effect of the spell? Besides, if it doesn't work, will there be a tangible result? If he fails this, can I say, oh yeah, nice try to impostor? She might be able to feel it with lore. Yeah, that's what I was going to say. A lore role to tell based on its power. Is that powerful? It's easier it is to tell actually. Does that mean eight? I mean, does she have to try to tell if there's a spell being cast? Or does she just have her lore role to know this? I don't know who we're talking about. She, Constance, the only girl here? She told him to do it. Why would she assume he's not going to do it? One thing if he does this, and nothing changes with us? Uh-huh. Yeah, I see what you're saying. I'm sorry. I wasn't very clear. No, that's fine. Can I bluff then at that point and say, oh, can I try Dale? You impostor? I brought the, the Warden of Cleveland into the trap. What the hell is he? You know, that kind of thing. So it's important to me whether she can tell if he fails. I think it would be based on a lore role of the people involved. And whether you can feel your hair prickling in the back here, and that can be feel the magic flying through the area. There's nothing visual like waves of moon. Okay. London. The attempt to dispel your seeming was good. I definitely had it look good. Yes. So that fails. It's the same role, so they're both good. Dale is, is actually going to spend a fake point to kick yours off to a superb. He's got the hater points. You're holding the sword. Are you fine? Yes. These are major characters in the storyline. Oh no. Well, there goes that. You're. Hello. Seeming Falls and Constance says, ah. Look at that. I assumed it was you with a Warden sword. You've got to explain what you're doing, sir. And it is your turn. Good evening, Madam Wreckerfelder. I'm Allan Montgomery Warden of the White Council. And I formally invoke the unseally accordist. I am here to negotiate the situation of your act of aggression and war. Or what could be considered a prelude to open war between the two signatories. The vampires and the white council. I'd like to begin negotiations, please. Could you also try to get free while he... Yes. He could talk again. Well, let's... Okay. How does she react that? How does she react? Ah, she does react that. She nods as if she's impressed. Allow me to formally invoke the point of order where I will introduce William Donovan, former Warden, Allan Montgomery, current and dutiful Warren of Cleveland. And who is your friend here who is obviously not, like, assistant? He is not, but... He is a fact-totem and deputy and member of my entourage and therefore under, essentially, the white council flag. Yes, but if we're going to deal, honest, it's right forward here. Fair enough. I think I should know who I'm dealing with. He is... Make up any name. One didn't deal. Oh, no. Any name but that. You can be anybody. No, because this is... Because of honor. Why? If they have to follow, I have to pay... It's toward deals. How delicious. What's the view? Because I have to visit my home. Always a pleasure, Madam Rockefeller. Point of order. This is not your home, ma'am. This is not your home and therefore the rules don't apply here. If this was your home, rules of hospitality would apply and you have not followed those. This technically is a public institution. Therefore, we have not violated anything of invading your domain. So, we are again at an impasse. Well then. How would you like to proceed, Mr. Ma'am? I am here to confer with my predecessor and I wish to open formal negotiations to earn his parole. Let me see your predecessor, former Warden of the City of Cleveland. While I have assumed his duties, he technically has not been removed from the roles. So, actually his authority still stands. It just hasn't been officially transferred over to me. That's another reason why I have to find him first. Is it common for the Warden to be lawbreakers? Not at all. Which is why that accused my misunderstanding that he was no longer a Warden. No, we enforce the laws of magic and if he is found to have been guilty of violating. And this is where I'm not too happy with Bill. I'm not saying that I'm saying that as an aside, thank you. That is also part of my mandate is to address those issues. But as you would agree, this is a white council matter, specifically regarding that issue. But if there is any grievances or charges that you wish to levy, you can give those charges to me. It will be duly considered and I would request that he be remanded into my custody while we pursue other issues. What do you see? Mr. Donovan was working for us in a capacity that was nothing to do with his Warden ship or former Warden ship of the City of Cleveland. And he failed to deliver on that job that he was hard to do. And he is being held until that job is completed by a proxy. Now if you'd like to be that proxy, then certainly we will accept that. Finish his service and you can have your fallen friend back. In that case, I would need to know exactly what the terms of his employment were to you. Because I need to know word for word precisely what it is that I can't disagree and use kind of a language there, madam. Two waves are hands and you are no longer bound. Okay, was my sword dropped or was my sword in stolen with him when I was frozen? It was on your hand. In which case? It's still on your hand. She did. Mr. Mahoney, will you please escort our friend Bill Donovan back into his room so that he can relax while we discuss this subject? If I made Madam Rockefeller, we represent a quorum here and the three of us really should stay together. You have your three, we have our three, we were able to sit and negotiate together. And after the size of the table, there's no reason why you'd want to separate us at this point. Mr. Mahoney will not be taking part in the negotiation. He is simply a security officer. I understand and appreciate that, so I'm willing to postpone this meeting until such time that you have a third representative and perhaps a neutral territory we're choosing and we can negotiate the terms that I may need to take over. I will gladly meet you in London at any other location. She said two people. You in London? Not Mr. Donovan. Well, you need a quorum and that's at least six people, right? Sure. My Latin's a little off. Are we speaking to Latin? No. No, okay. But quorum is a Latin term. I know, okay, no, that part. But part of being in the White Council is that we all speak to the Latin, so... Then how about this? I acknowledge your request and I ask for two caveats to it. One that I'm allowed to have a conversation, private, of short duration with Mr. Donovan. The second request is that he is accorded your hospitality under the accords. No more finger-breaking. But I'm hoping that the fact that he was physically abused implies that they couldn't get the information from any other way and that he hasn't broken yet because he's still alive. So, the point is he hasn't told them any. I'm guessing he hasn't told them anything yet. But I'm trying to invoke the accords which hospitality is big among the vampires. I think that would require an external conflict to get what you wish in this case. For one or both. Do I have to combat for each concession or do I have to combat for... I can see combating. Well, depending on the success of one, we'll determine the success of the other. Would that be the way it works? I think you would just need to succeed in a such combat to get what you wish in this case you wish. Is there a way to help him? Please, because I don't have socially. This is not my... Yeah, too bad that we couldn't switch the talking, but I don't know anything about the... Well, I know a lot about the White Council, but usually it's all the bad stuff. Well, I've extended you temporary membership, so... Exactly. You've been deputized, and that is for your protection, sir. You can jump in. Your London is a very smart person. Oh, yes. Very much so. So, back me up, because I'm really over. Well, why don't you somehow transition the conversation to me so that I can use my social combat, which I'm good at. Okay. And you can do a maneuver or tap a fate point to bolster me, thereby making it a really decent chance we win this argument as opposed to you rolling... No offense, but it's not your for pay. No, it's not. You act as my voice. The legal representative. Kind of like you. Yeah, it's like you're my counselor. You're the one asking questions, but you're representing me. Sure. And it's a sign of prestige, it's a sign of authority, and it's also trying to... Scrabble to achieve some level of social equality in this current situation with her. That's how we're trying to sign. What are the two issues you wish to argue for? I don't think we're going to, especially given the history we know, we're not going to be able to get built. I understand. I'm working through. Okay, we're not going to get built. No. It's not going to be built. But I want a private conversation of relatively short life, no more than 30 minutes with him to discuss issues. Mm-hmm. And I want him to be held under terms of hospitality, not as a prisoner. The reason why it's important to get that is they have to be treated with aid and comfort and as a guest under terms of hospitality because it's the old world of course. Right. And did us in a place where we can get out of here alive. The bluff is, I mean, it's true. This could be construed as probably the war. Right. And I'm hoping that this apprenticeship will then rather settle with two wardens than dealing with the whole white council. So, go ahead and maneuver me. So, I choose London deals and say that he will act as my supernumerate and will conduct the negotiation for the terms and present the case. We're all stupid deals. We've been looking for you, too. I'm now quite aware of that. Did you realize that our issues are not at the fore of this particular conversation? Certainly our time and place for that wouldn't you agree? Strangely enough. Our issues are the same issues. Well, I believe that we could also handle these issues during our negotiation when we meet at a neutral location. How did I know that you were involved with Mr. Montgomery here? I can't see a better place for you to be working. I'm sure it will help us in the long run. I'm sure. Certainly something that we can discuss once the terms of our agreement are reached. That, sir, is new business. That is for men ourselves, too. Yes. The issue at hand right now is the issue of the white council and its desire to bring Mr. Donovan to their own justice. And you have definitely and respectfully, I might say, have overstepped the bounds of the accord and are on the brink of something. Much larger than I think you could appreciate this point. All right. Give me a roll to get that point across. What are you going to use? Presence. Command, charisma. All right. I'm looking at YouTube. Is there anything I can do to you? You tell me. Well, I don't know. I don't think intimidation would be inappropriate. No. Other than or no. If I'm quietly intimidating by trying to assume the full authority that I possess or that's in my head. Would lore be his understanding of the accord law of the supernatural? Since it's supernatural law, sure. We'll use that. Ben, yes. I'm all thank you. I'm all for that. I would say require a good role to use your knowledge and history of magic and the magical laws. Holy cow. Isn't that really good today? Yeah. Plus one on the fudge, which makes my lore superb. So you have no problem giving him the legal magical laws to help benefit his argument. And I rolled on my fudge dice a wash and my presence is superb. So with the additional plus two from the warden takes a superb to an epic. Wow. Her social skill that she's going to use is empathy. Social defense. Also reading people. I'm not scared. And hers is great and the role was plus one, so it is just superb. So you do too. She says, you know, I think that without much argument at all. I could concede the point that you talk to him for half an hour. Which is a maneuver on her part game plus two. But before you are allowed to leave this office, I think we should have an agreement on what's going to happen rather than at a future date. I'm going to take this one and declare a private conversation. We're not going to talk in front of her. And we're not going to be talking where we can record it. Oh, I see. So that's my point. Yeah, you can rebut with that. And she is also using presence. And unfortunately, just got it good. Do I need to contribute to his? I got this. Okay. I rolled a plus two on my fudge dice. I have superb, which puts me back into the epic territory. This is what London does. You're like ox. Right. Tell her about that. That is enough to spin it back around a bit. She is taken aback by your confidence and elocution, as it were. If you won't. So you get a plus one for free on that. But she does agree that you should have the right to talk to Alan. In fact, deemed it very important that you do. And the second point we would like to address would be that Mr. Donovan, for all his faults, still is... Right. But I'm not trying to get him out. I'm just trying to say that we wanted him treated as a sore hospitality. You don't try to get him out, but fall back on. Okay. So then I tried to say, I think that perhaps, and I don't mean to overstep my bounds, but I think perhaps you may have underestimated the White Council's resolve in bringing Mr. Donovan to justice. When one of their falls from grace, they take it quite personally and wish to handle this matter on their own, so much so that they actually christened a second warden to come with a group of deputies to gather up Mr. Donovan and bring him back to the White Council. So it doesn't get the matter. His guilt is not proving it. Yeah, I'm saying his guilt is pretty much proving it. I think she'll, like, hearing that better. I don't care what he even wants. I want what she's going to think sounds good. If he's going to be in pain in suffering, I think that might allow her perhaps to move off this point a bit. With all due respect, I'm ignoring your desire, and definitely slanting it as if they're looking for retribution, as opposed to some trial of his merits. Go. You're hard by the side. Yes, I understand that. I just want to be square. Wow. She really wants to keep him, because I rolled a -3 on my fudge dice, which took me from a superb talk down to a fair conversation. Oh, my goodness. Well, again, are you saving them? What do you have to think? I do. All of a sudden, I rolled off. Why is 3? Yeah, you just cut my legs off in front of this person. No, just jump in like you can ask your help. You're on your hard ass. Remember. She's smiling at the glances that are going back and forth between the two of you is he's like, "Mmm." She rolled a great. That's 2. Higher. I had a spin. Which gives one more, so your fair's a good, but hers was great. Fair enough. So she gets a block without a spin. She takes no damage from your argument, and so her point. You have been in Cleveland long enough to know that not necessarily all of the rules lie here. There are things that happen here that don't happen anywhere else. Wow, true. Oh. Terrible. That was a terrible argument. Minus 3 on the dice. Welcome to my world. That's just average. I am new to Cleveland. And I rolled a +2, which gave me, again, an epic against her what? I guess her what? Fair. Oh, that's +5. What is that? I spit her in a circle and... Anchor in the box. Anchor from behind. What happened? Objection. Definitely I spent because your argument, your rebuttal... Redirect. So now Mike, don't forget if you want... All good points. If you want to add more. If you want to add more. Yes. I will add the lower. Remind him. However, a situation involving a warden of Cleveland is not something that the White Council is willing to overlook. That's only fair. You would fail. I have negative 2 on my flesh. So I'm focusing on the fact that this is an extraordinary thing. I'm sorry. I'm going to spend a fake point. Before you. All right. That's more than enough. You give him more additional ammunition on the laws of magic. All right. Damn it. Minus 2. On a fudge voice. I had spin, which was plus 2. Plus 1. Plus 1. So I started with superb. Plus 1. It goes up to fantastic. Down to great. No. Your minus 2 is offset by his new hero. So it stays a fantastic. So it stays a fantastic. And what is your argument? My argument is that while I have been in Cleveland long enough to understand that things work differently in the badlands of this realm, this is an extra ordinary. Situation. One in which the White Council will not burrow any disobedience of the laws and the rules that apply. This is a very, very extraneous situation and Mr. Diamond needs to be returned to the White Council for his comeuppance. And she is at. Great. But he spends a fake point to bump it up to fantastic. So that's a block that keeps an average as well. You must understand Mr. DLC. Mr. Donovan came to us, alleging to do this job, stating himself that he was no longer warden and that he promised to get this job done. You must understand Madam Rockefeller that whatever Mr. Donovan did and promised is really of no consequence to the White Council. They have a wayward warden and they want him back. In my eyes he is no longer a warden. But I understand he is still a magician in the White Council. And elsewhere in the world polices these magicians. But this is Cleveland and we have a long history. Mr. Donovan may have dismissed himself in position. The White Council, however, did not give him that right. And that here to target me is superb. So superb. You need more help to suck it up? Yeah. I want all the help I can get. Stop rolling minuses. I can do that all myself. Hold on. Hold on. Hold on. Hold on. Hold on. You can't do it on the noover because you are doing twice one for me. One for me and one for his defense. His defense is occurring on her turn. So we got you. You have to pick her. But he could maneuver against her, couldn't he? And her turn or no? That would still be two turns for him. Yeah. Right. It's maneuvering against his turn. Okay. Sorry. Sorry. Block. Super bright back at you. Alright. Plus one minus one on the ice. We want to note that we are here to bring him to justice. Whatever that justice will be. And you are speaking of details about a matter of which we don't have that information yet. And that's part of what needs to be negotiated. I don't even know the closure of what. I don't even want to discuss that. The White Council wants Mr. Donovan. Right. I don't want to feed into her argument at all. No. I want to ignore it on its face. My understanding. They have the ruling here. Not her. Because if we say, then what if you find out information that's actually detrimental to her argument? Then you fed into her argument. I think you've lost sight. I still have to have that information regardless because- You've already got the information. Not yet. Go ahead. When this started. She already trained in the 30 minutes. That you wanted to do. One was talk to him for 30 minutes. You got that in private. Right. The other thing was his fair treatment until his release. No. Right. I went for release completely. Which is what we're battling on right now. And we're going to fight the fallback position is fair treatment. Or in hospitality. I agree with you so far. And the whole purpose of that was to, if I'm going to assume the responsibility of the task that he was doing. Which is why I had to talk and find out what it was. She needs to give us the full information that they're operating in her. And we don't have that information yet. See, I don't like that argument. I want Bill Donovan because of White Council wants him. Fuck you bitch. I understand. But the White Council wants him. Right. I don't care what he promised her. Have you found her recess with my counselor please. I don't care if she, if he promised her anything. I want him. And the White Council will date him. And why is some recompense in the future. You're forgetting the whole reason why I wanted the 30 minutes alone with him in the first place. This was a preliminary to finding out what it is that I had to do. I don't want you doing anything for her. But that's the whole reason why we're having this discussion. We find out what he was supposed to do for her and then thwart her. Yes. We need to find out. But here she's going to tell us exactly what it is that she was tasking with him. And we can compare it to what he says. You get all the information. That's a different argument. Thank you. Okay. It made sense. So. But we already have the 30 minutes correct? Yes. We do have the 30 minutes. Okay. Thank you. Gentlemen, gentlemen, gentlemen. I believe it's your turn. It's my turn. Right. She's wrapping up my turn. Yes. Let's cut to the chase. Couldn't agree more. I believe that Bill Donovan owes me. I've agreed to let you talk to him for 30 minutes. I'm leaving go so far as to agree to treat him timely. Causing no additional mental damage, no additional physical damage. Treat him as it gets. Treat him as it gets. Social damage is up in the air. She's having ropes. Not really. No. But I have one of these. I'm a busy woman. I have a hospital to run here. Clearly. You can see you're in a position. I can see nothing. If you consider the full fury and power of the White Council. Yet I am giving you everything you ask for and I simply want my contract. There is complete it. And the White Council will deign whether or not that contract is completed. That's the White Council's matter. The White Council has no power here. They have all the power here if they choose to. And that's my argument is that Mr. Donovan has breached the code of ethics for the position of Warden. We are to take him back and they will recompense her for whatever damages were done once justice has been done to Mr. Donovan. You're not willing to risk opening conflict anymore. Give me some help now please. This is the one. Roll baby. Plus one. Minus one. So wash you get great. Which is all I need. So plus two. From his maneuver. Hopefully I won't roll another minus three. Oh minus four. No kidding. I have a wash. I have superb. Plus two. Will take us to I believe. Epic. And I don't still have spin do I? No you just barely blocked her last one. You're out of beads. I am completely out of beads at this point. Use them for things that seem more important at the time. You got Epic? Yeah. She got fantastic. Which is one last so she takes one point of damage. That's three points damage isn't it? That's the one and the two. I'm sorry. I really think the White Council has the man's spare to come into Cleveland and start yet another war with yet another vampire faction while they're dealing with the Red Horde? At an interesting point and are you willing to wager 100 years of research and dedication to your dark arts that perhaps he is the harbinger of something more dangerous and more deadly if you do indeed thwart their ambition to bring justice to William Donovan? Two things. One, you're making a wonderful case for me never letting either of you leave this office. And two, if you want I can raise an army that can hold up. Any number of people that you can manage to bring to Cleveland. But they're only good for a few days. They only take a moment to kill the one. That's that. She doesn't know how death occurs. Yeah. Which is weird because she's dead. She doesn't care about death curses, the curse on people that are going to die in a week anyway. Her attack was fantastic. Mmm. Mine was superb. So you take one damage of stress. My death has to be to be more furry. Was that social? It's like one, two, three, four. I have four spots. You just took one. Be that as it may. Madam Rockefeller. And perhaps you could smite us right here with your awesome strength and power. But I'm here to tell you that the White Council is not going away. They take this matter incredibly seriously. They are aware of you. They are aware of where we're at right now. And if we disappear, you are very much risking the full. That guarantees the war and the conflict that you, as a business, will probably want to avoid. Fantastic. Good enough for plus two. Fantastic. Mine's one of my fudge studies plus two because she only gets superb. So she takes one. She has lost one of two. So it rolls up to three. Three. Sorry. I don't know what that means. I'm out of eight points. Then that means hard blood. I'm wearing her down. I know. But this will be the final blow. If she really feels it. Wait. Well, did I see what happened? I'm ready to go. What? I'm ready to go. Do I have something ready? You better? In case this doesn't work. That would be worse. We've entered into an honorable negotiation. Well, if she attacks us because we... She can't because it's under a court. But I can't attack her either. That's why it's an impasse. My point being if she breaks and attacks us, you better have something really cool. I'm by the book. Yeah. If she attacks us, she's breaking me a court. Then I can defend myself. I can't. By throwing a desk into her chest and pushing her so we can dive through a window or something. No, I'm pretty much saving my energy for a death curse. Yeah. That's a great idea. That's a death curse. Yeah. We need to die. We need to do it. I know. Let's live. I got an idea. Let's live. All right. Let's lower death. Don't jump on the way. Okay. I still have an invisibility spell I can throw out here. Let's scatter. I'm down to three. Oh no. I'm at an invisibility spell. Point to myself. I know. Why are you going this way? I'm going to run that way. At this point, Dale Williams chimes in as he is a wizard and he knows about wizard law himself. So he's going to use it on my Dale lore. Grab another bagel to get to the point where he can give her a plus two and he's arguing that is it not true that when a wizard makes a contract that he must stick to the contract. If he promises his services, he can't simply deny to fulfill that contract isn't that a true statement. Mr. Warden Montgomery. Oh, this has power under the Incelia chords. That is true. And so Constance argues that she made a binding contract with William Donovan. He needs to fulfill that contract or if he can't, someone needs to fill it in a proxy and she's not going to give him up and lose any leverage he has while you sweep him away to face false justice. He is yours to deal with and punish but not until he fulfills my contract. Okay. Can we submit it? It is a legendary argument. By the way. Do we submit some evidence to the what this contract exactly is? I need to know what the thing is or if I'm like, I was accomplishing it stuck in the water. I thought two plus is that I might actually get lucky and pull off the legendary. It's just a superb. So you can take another damage. Now you take, the legendary is eight, superb is five, you take three, mark off the three box. Do we know how much? I mean, a lot of deals have spent his life talking and convincing people and beating them down socially through his charisma and presence. Most people start with three and all. And she's already gone through three. Yes. And does she look at times as she looked like? Frustrated? Not terribly. Not terribly. Well, are we in? As you guys have been dealing with or you've gotten a little closer, you're talking to each other and you do detect the week of death on her. But obviously, she has one sort of seeming on her, but her emotions and such, she seems to still be under control pretty well. But I think your question for the death below, yeah. I think your question, though, was in terms of negotiating, are we in an impasse or do you detect advantage? Right. I have two spots left before I lose the social combat. Yeah. I mean, is she at least some are close to that or is she have like eight and is it even possible for you? You can't tell. She hasn't taken a consequence. She doesn't seem like she's panicking in any sense. She seems to be calm, totally in charge. You cannot wait. My lawyer is crazy. She is the last vampire. Then when I lose, I will go back to the fact where we'll go to plan B, but I'm not giving up until she beats me. The concept here is we're asking for a hundred and we're willing to accept fifty. And we're going to get fifty and we would have taken twenty-five. Yeah. She promised you twenty-five. You don't lose the social conflict. You can't decree anything. It's her win. She gets to decide that. So you don't get to say, okay, we'll accept what you said before. She's won. All she's been saying is talk to him, but he has to fulfill his job, which is what we're okay with anyways. She's already said. She's already conceded those things. So we already had one. I'm just saying it might come to a point where she's like, all right, we'll keep London as well. You are not in any position to argue if you lose. You have been taken out. I'm saying if you lose the social conflict. She has to decree terms. Right. So the agreement changes. I'm not giving him yet. All right. If I'm just saying with losing doesn't mean you get to say, okay, we'll take last. She's a vampire. She has at least six breaths. Mine is one. Mine is one. So I need a good. That's exactly where I need it. Bye. Damn, you dice tonight. Great. Plus two is fantastic. Okay. Okay. So she got a superb. Okay. One more damage for her. But I think we have to role play out every single exchange back and forth. It's just we're fiercely saying we're taking him and we will, you know, give you a leg. We give you. He's going off the reservation, trying to get him free. How did this get so crazy? There's things we don't know here and this has gone on far longer than it needed to go. We just, I just want to just secure certain protections so we can move forward into the next. Listen, I'm not close to losing yet. Okay. Why are you giving up? I'm trying to mitigate what we were trying to achieve. And one of the things is I want to get out of here alive to be able to. So why? Pulule. I will. I asked for X. You all of a sudden you're asking for Y and Z now and that was not part of the plan. You said go for a hundred and once that 50 or 25, I'm not doing it well. I'm doing it well. Oh my goodness. Great. You don't. She's taking four points of damage. I'm taking two. You know, this is my Cleveland Trans warrants and to bad people were up four to two and you want to quit. I'm not wanting to quit. I want to not lose. I'm not going to lose. When I get within one or two points of losing, we will accept her conditions and he's saying we won't. Yeah. He said that's fine. Yeah. I have to lose social combat for her to get everything she wants. Right. If I say granted at any point in this conversation, she doesn't know if I'm down to one or two. When I say granted, it's over. I will say granted before we lose. All right. When you say down to one or two, what are you talking about? I have two social stress left and I've got plenty of consequences I can take. Okay. Consequences stick around. I understand. I'll take a mile or two and then I quit. You don't have a mile or two. Yes, I do. I have two miles. You have two miles. I have two miles. Oh, cool. For social only. Right. So I'm willing. I got four more left. I'm willing to guess that she has somewhere between six and eight. Let's give it a shot. Let's see. Let's rock and roll. I was wrong about that. Sorry. It's a slightly different variant of the system where all of the stress is just deep into a big, ugly pile. Social is different. Even if she had toughness, it wouldn't apply to her. Physical toughness, no. Yeah. No, no. Just 'cause she's a vampire doesn't mean she's a great environmental person. Right. Right. Wouldn't have extra social stress. All I'm saying is I feel like we might be able to win this combat and I'm willing to take it into the brink but not over. I am, by the way, this is an extra money on your bill. I know. I found them. That's all I want. I just want my time. I wanted their payment. My intention is to help protect you so that's right. I think it's her turn. Right. So I'm not going to keep arguing in circles here because that's what we both understand with the palm. Jail way on socks because he's a big fat loser. He doesn't actually throw away the overweight. Is he considered a renegade magician? You're not a player. You're not aware of anything he's done to classify him. Well, if he was, I'm sorry. If he was part of the white council, I'd know about it. He's not a white council. If I'm going to my assignment in Cleveland, I would assume that I would at least... Doss it out. Yeah, if I did kind of get trained here, I would be familiar with who's on my side in this household. Is this? But I'm just saying if he's... Is this relevant? Is this really irrelevant to the self? No. If he's a wizard who's kind of like, "Hey, dude, you should be on our side. What are you doing up in the enemy?" That's a whole different... Yeah. That's good. I'm going to have to meet my list of enemies. I got a lot of people to kill. He was really good at it though. Did he failed this? He did. But... She rolled well? She managed to get an epic. Oh. And he's going to spend a fake point. He's going to do it right there. To go gobble? To go nine above legendary and the aspect of this is my home ground. All right. This is Cleveland club. Is that my... Am I left? Nope. Nope. Okay. I got a great... So the fourth spot fills. Because that's a four plus five. Oh. So hers was nine and you rolled left? The first is nine and I rolled four. So you think of five? Five. You have a four spot open. No, it doesn't work. You have to take five damage. So you would have to take a two point consequence and then two points of damage. You're frustrated. It's not like a neurosis or something. What do I have to take? A two point consequence? What? So you would have to take a mild consequence for two and then three points of stress damage. And if three is filled then it bounces up to four. Okay. Got it. Please. We're hopping and shaking there. Oh. My goodness gracious. My goodness is you. That takes you below. Good idea. I'll take me down to fair. Okay. We'll put a little of the seconds failed in this room. Wow. Not happening. Good. Here. Ethan. Okay. This was even on the roll so great. Nice block. She fires back. Dale Williams attempts to assist her with arguing with the magic. Ooh. Much better roll. Good thing about that. She argues that this isn't on the table forever. We can't sit here and argue. Yeah. I know. How do you little crap? I understand. Yeah. Absolutely. The mission to itself has a deadline and that's quickly approaching. If it was so close she would have been a bad roll for her for once. It's about to happen. Plus one. Plus two. Plus three. That takes her up to epic. Epic. Epic. Oh and Dale. So that is again. A lot of legend there. How many consequences? Hmm. Yes. It's a consequence for her. She could use it for a plus two. Yeah. I have an epic. And hers was at 11 years. Epic is seven. Right. She taps your twitching eye. They're a little bit of sweat. You're shaking confidence. Okay. So I take a mild and... If you take a mild again... I'll take a four. I'll take a minor. You could take another minor and then a two. Okay. Makes more sense. Yeah. It makes more sense. Modern is hanging around for a while. So this is the last one. After this I'm acquiescing to her demands. Okay. These are new dives. New blood. Minus one. Minus two. Minus two. Mother. Play. So it's fair again. It's fair. You're running out of law arguments. Super nice and done. I think that hardly gives the waterfucking. Minus one in a roll. So that only gives her a good. That's two. Take two more. Two rolls all the way up. What you notice is her... That timing thing. I turn it around. Yeah. You're right. Let's sit here all day and talk about it when time's ticking. When we can be helping you with your mission just by delivering him to the White Council and then the other ward and his offered to pick up the place of him. We just wish to deliver him to the White Council as well. Yeah. You're taking his place. After you talk to him for a half hour. If it's over with the trip, I will not agree to anything. Of course he will. Of course he will. Oh my God. You are killing him. What you notice is all good. Her column starts to crack a bit as she seems to be getting angry. That doesn't sound good. We did. But we would have won in the end. Yeah. Right. You can have that compromise. Yeah. I got it. Yeah. Well, it finds her high. Just around. Wow. Dale. Good job. Dale. Dale. Dwight. Dwight plus four. For Dale, you don't get to do anything. Dale gets her plus two. She's going to roll a minus four now. Because you've been waiting for a minus four all night long. No. She's going to roll a minus one. That's good. He is great. That takes her down to good. Dale. It's superb. Come on. One time. One time. This is your thing. Right? This is my thing. It is your thing. Do it already. Did Bob come in here from the pants and throw it on the curse all our dice? You have the curse of two upon your dice. Minus two. I'm taking a moderate. Oh. Oh. And this is it. All right. If she doesn't buckle, this is it. You surrender. Yes. And say, OK, we deal with it. You actually get two fake points because you've taken two consequences. I think it's a three consequences. You get three fake points. Well, you've taken-- Good to know. I'm kicking the crud out of myself is just a dress and ass type of thing. Please. One time. We'll lock you in ice. Boom. I'm going to hit her so hard she's not going to know what you haven't done anything. Ooh. But Pucky, you are going to make me a vassal of this family. Empire of the Lord. Would you want it to be from the start? You don't want it to be. Just accept your fate. That's a watch. That's a great. Yes. I'll take your break. This is my first picture. Oh. Oh. My goodness gracious. And a nice each plus two plus four tap in her. Be hot. So that gives me 11. Take your 11 and right back at you. She's a man of a rocker feller. Her release dice all night long. She is at great. She taps seven. You're moderate. She taps the other one she never taps. She's-- How about you get to tap? As many as you got. It's just like fate points. Do you don't have to spend anything? And you can do with that if she's-- She's the one that calls. She's the one that calls. Got you. So she goes from four to six to eight. Still got an 11. Still got an 11. That's a three honey. Goes up to the five. And you see in her eyes pure patron for London. That's common with women. Why do you know it's all about that? You're back in familiar territory now. Yeah. It all feels good. Which is a consequence that she took. But it does not take her out. So now you either. It was moderate. This hatred is going to stay around for quite a while. That is a consequence. That is a consequence that she can hit. Mm-hmm. Why did she go out? What's her-- what's the NBC's highest level? Mine is six. It depends. If she's a major character, she's a player character. So she can go up to extreme. She can go up to extreme. You could shatter her psyche. Dude, at this point, just duke it out. Duke it out till you win. Why? She can tap. Like-- She can tap nothing. She tapped all of them already. She always taps once. She always taps once. If I tap her moderate, do I get two? Two is just like anything else. This is it. You either surrender now or she comes back with her attack. And she's not going to-- What's a severe attack? She's not going to let you attack. Okay, I quit. You're last. It's like forever. It's like-- She's not gonna let you in before we throw your claim. Before you go. There it is at that point. I'm done. I see your point, man. You feller? No. Outstanding idea. What would have happened? They both took each other right to the break. You know, she was going to-- I have-- I mean, I have no points left. No stress. Wait, you guys. My next hit-- I gotta know what a severe is if I'm going to risk it for one more turn. Can I take her out? Can you get two on her at one time or no? It's truly campaigns long. It is a defect that lasts you campaigns long. Look, you would fail to communicate with women for a game. I don't see where I can-- You wouldn't have rolled, don't you? You wouldn't have rolled. Oh, of course. But London. Scott wants to roll. London, he doesn't have that much you got. London is not the type of character in my mind that would risk this much. No, no, no. He's-- He's funny, but I'm sorry. He doesn't like losing arguments. But he's at the point now where he's like, okay, well, I don't mind having my psyche bruised for a day or two. Having a permanent flaw is not something that he's willing to do for William Donovan. So, if you can't put the dice down, you can step back and speak with our play. Thanks for listening to the Knights of the Night at 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 forum for comments and suggestions, or you could email us directly at feedback@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 ZenAudioSmith.com and please join us next episode for more Vistry and Adventurer. Oh, my goodness, great. You don't-- She's taking four points of damage, I'm taking two. You know what, this is my Cleveland Transwardness into bad people. And you see in her eyes, pure patriot for London, so yeah. That's common with women. Why do you know it's all about that? You're back in failure territory now. Yeah, it all feels good.
