The five friends gather together for the first time in many years.
Allan explains why he's returned to Cleveland.
Actual Play begins at 2:00
Knights of the Night
KOTN Actual Play Podcast 66: "Delivery - The Gangs All Here"
(upbeat music) - Hello, and welcome to Knights of the Night Actual Play podcast. This Dresden Files story, delivery, was written and run by our storyteller Tom. And now, please enjoy episode 66, titled The Gang's All Here. (upbeat music) (upbeat music) Let's get started. My name is Tom and I'm running this Dresden File Adventure, which we are going to title delivery. And starting on my left the player is, John playing Roberto Martinez, who's a guardian of Cleveland, empowered by a fallen angel. - Thomas playing Maxwell Edison, the undercover FBI. - Scott playing London Deals, and a moral seer to the supernatural. - Jim playing Edmund Chidowski, New Age Black Court Vampire and Private Investigator. - This is Mike playing Ellen Montgomery, a prodigal warden. - Before we start our second episode of the Dresden Files story delivery, we'd like to go through feedback, which we have none. It's a Christmas season, so I think everyone's busy. But this is right before New Year, so we just want to take a moment and wish all of our fans a Happy New Year and a safe New Year. Everybody be safe out there. So Happy New Year's everyone and Happy New Year. Now we'll go on to the adventure. - I would think, and I wouldn't know. - Right. - But you do know that the password is like written in a certain spot that the people in the know need. And it's also written in a way that if you're not in the know, you can't read it. You have to have some sort of lore role to be able to read. - Maybe my authority as a warden is my password. - Damn it, I got a sword. - And you have to be with Ed, so I'm sure Ed would have. - I've got no more. - Other than the fact that warden-- - He didn't mean to read it, right? - He's just got to worry about it. - Warden's getting respect. - So I want to like position your room for our room. - But that's good to discover. - For our conversation. - But when we need our own star, we'd be meeting at an already established little midnight business down there. - On the second floor, they have rooms. - And yes, I mean, all you got to do is request one, and they go through a process of assigning it to you. - Right. I don't want to have this conversation in the open office. - Right. - To me, that's how I operate. - Like you have more clearly. - I have a lore, my lore is great. - My lore is great. - When you go underneath past the bouncer on the guard, basically, you give him the password, and you come to a center aisle that all the rooms lead off of, and there's a little dust set up there, and there's a Jacqueline Reynolds, a lady that you have definitely dealt with before, because you've been down here, and she doesn't unfortunately recognize you at this time. - She does. - She, yeah, no. - No, I'm having Roberto, I put my hand in his bag and kind of gently leading him up to do the talking, because I don't want her to recognize my voice. - She attempts to scope out both of you and tell, she sits at her desk. It's kind of boring. She tries to guess what's going on as she's seen you before. So she kind of stares at you for a minute, and she doesn't seem to recognize you at all, so your disguise seems to be holding up. - Roberto goes up to her and she asks, "Can I help you?" - Yeah, I don't know what kind of rooms they have here. - I really show you. You're requesting private room. - We need a private room for about five people in three hours. - Okay, standard fee, $100 an hour. They guarantee your privacy and no spells will be done on the area to tell what's going on in there. That's just a service that they provide, but it's a little expensive. The typical procedure might be, they'll be through gentlemen coming up and they'll be using the password. - I'm a warden, David. - So. - They'll be using the password Jack-Lender too. Lovely today. - That would work too. So whatever password you give them, you would have to be conveyed back to these three at some point, but yeah, there's power in names, so you're right in the answer. - Yeah, there's no way you'd have to think I would. - It's probably what I told them. I said, just tell them to say that, and then when we come in, we'll say that, and we'll go. - Okay. - I don't need to roll the pain that's doing. - No, that's just normal routine. So she sends you to a conference room that's suitable for about between six and 10 people and asks if the service covers tea beverages with any type or like snack, why it is. And you sir? - No. - No, nothing for you. So she leaves, so I'm gonna wait in front of the door. You're gonna wait out in the hall. - Wait, you're out in the hall, in the hall, go inside. - There's a small table set beside the hall, and she comes back, and normally they would set the drinks there and knock on the door. They don't interrupt into the server, but she offers them to you. The wine, there's a decanter in a couple of classes, and she goes about her business back to her desk. - I grimace, but realized that asking for the wine I wanted would have paid me away, so I drift this little piece. - It takes you to everything. - Oh, it's water. - You don't check it, you're just gonna die. - Surprisingly, the room is relatively upscale. The Westside market is a working man's market. I mean, it's got nice ceilings and stuff, and good stonework, but the offices underneath on the second floor are marble, nicely done as well on mosaic, very upper scale. About 10 minutes later, you guys show up. - Which is why they need something there. - Those are wine guys, right? - Yeah. - Yeah. - It's like marble on beautiful Prescott. - And they got this swill. - Yes, the swill that we're making. - So I come down, I tell them, Jack and I, well, at least she looks today, and so they believe someone's expecting us. - Oh, that is very smooth, too. - And she has scorch, or, well, maybe she has an assistant that has scorch you there, so she can stay at the front. - She's a part troll, Faye. You do know that, right? Just kidding. - She's laughing, though. - She's laughing. - She knows Susan Boyle. (laughing) - Why don't we just insult at all of our English, who's sort of, kind of, maybe? - Say, I look like Susan Boyle? - No, that's her national treasure, sort of. Maybe, kind of. But you see them walking up to the room. They're being escorted to the room. - Man, that's so pecking. - And the five of you are finally united. - I know all of these people. - Handshakes and some-- - Fat packs all around. - The, well, I would-- - Boy who delivered to the room before he, you know, deluxe away. - Do you like people get that close? - There's wine in the room, and is there any other things you require? - Um, who knows? - I don't know why not. - Past blue ribbon? - Yeah. - No, he's, he's seen you before. He knows you. He brings you a PBR. He doesn't know you. - I'll have a Great Lakes brewery, Elliott and S. - Very good, sir. And you? - I don't drink on the job. - Good enough? - No, I do. - Glass water. He leaves. You guys, feel free to talk. - Oh, good to see you alive. - Thanks. - All right, dispose of the-- - Yes, the seaming. I'm not sure how long that doesn't really last like a scene or is that how it normally works. - Yeah, there's-- - Yeah, I'm not comfortable wearing someone else's disguise anyways. I like to be myself when I'm among friends, so. - What are your abilities without rings of veil, which is invisibility? - Yes, I do want to be invisible though. - I just want to let you know I could do that. - Well, thank you. - That is a minor veil, right? - Yeah. - That was taken, right. I have a minor veil and a seaming on that ring. So, you know, again, I clasped hands, pats on the backs, catch up with small talk, that's what we're doing. - The majority of these people that you're used to seeing in Cleveland, this guy has been in Cleveland for a long time. You have dealings with him before, you know him. - Yeah, for, correct. - Without a doubt, but this is a homecoming that's-- - Helped in one of my ladies in the right. - Oh, the red core, excuse me. - It has been a while. - Yes. - So, yes, extra. - How are you? - How are you? - Very good, thank you. - So, what-- - Very good. - But all my employees just-- - Well, he's doing good. - I'm not, plus I'm not be feeling any weakness. You never negotiate from a point of weakness. So, you know, what brings us all together? Find marble roman, the bowels of the market. - I need to find Bill Donovan. - Or find out what happened to him. - If he's out there, live or dead, if he's in, within Emerald Necklace somewhere, I'll find it. - Well, even before you use some of your considerable resources, I mean, what's the general word? I mean, what's been going on here that, I mean, has anyone even seen him or even heard anything about him? - Well, I have context of great. So, I don't know, if I know any more than the common streets, you know. - Artistry. - About Mr. Donovan, that'd be a role of something. - Well, I guess I'm talking more in general. I mean, in your position, you would know that he's the warden in town. And if he's been missing for months or years-- - No, he's been missing for a week, basically. But he's been, he's been elusive. - He's been gone a month. - Been going bad for a while. That's why I'm being sent here. And that's so I-- - He's been doing some shady stuff for a while now, but he's just been off the radar totally for about a week. - I assume the job has not been being - For the term neutral and shady. - Yeah, well, you may prefer shady stuff. - I assume no warden duties have been performed for months, if not here. - Warden duties in Cleveland are always sketchy, and yes, for the last few months, things have, it's been a wild west out there. - You might be purported in. - Yeah, there's a new sheriff in town. It's been crazy, which is disappointing, because you know for months he's been here. He has put reports back. - Or at least we've received reports. - You have received reports, yes. - May I make a contact role? - Yes, you may. - Minus one, I have a great, which takes it down to a good. - Okay, and what is it you were doing in contact role? - I was gathering information or just, - May I do it? - Mentally-- - Mentally-- - Mentally going through notes, tips, piece of information about, that might have concerned information about Mr. Donovan. - And I basically got one, I got a mediocre worth of my minus, so. - Yeah, so I haven't heard much. - Rumors is one of the main categories of contacts, and that was a good role. - Okay. - And depending on whether or not, do we know what our target is before we roll? - Sometimes, if I tell you, which I didn't. - Okay. - But that was kind of gonna be a sliding scale, the higher you did, the more you would know in town. - A mediocre-- - Information. - Information is power. - Information is power, a fake point, which kicks it up to a superb. - I think it was exactly what's going on. - It does, you know, it's very well. So I'm gonna give you more information than I was, and the word on the street is that, again, this is not necessarily something you might wanna tell him, but the word on the street was that William Donovan had gone bad, and had sold out, in fact, to the Rockefeller running the Cleveland Clinic Constance. - Constance Rockefeller, the Cleveland Clinic, okay? - That she was working in some kind of angle on him, and that he was starting to do her dirty work. - And did he disappear off the scene? Does my knowledge of his disappearance or his lack of responsiveness? - Well, the other-- - You know that there were rumors that something went wrong, and you found it disconcerting that this was roughly the same time period that shit started going wrong for you, and that he was killed. That was the word you got. But you rolled higher than that. You rolled high enough to know that you also heard rumors that he was still seen around after he was supposedly dead. Not seen around as in walking down the street, but he had been seen by people as still living. - Seen as still living? - I don't know about just left evidence so that he was still around. - Like I said, it was just like-- - Yeah, someone was trying to find him, and they knew he still was on his plane, and still in Cleveland. But where did they spot him? Like University Circle by the Clinic, or Midtown Corridor, like that area? - The role wasn't quite high enough, but it was sort of like we lost another ward, and he's dead, were there gonna be something another one? No, no, he's alive. I have it on authority that he's still kicking. He's in shit, but he's still here. Type of thing. - Do I think that they're just mistaken, he's really some type of undead? Is that my take on it? - That is a possibility. What did the source that you got it from? - He's not really dead. - I could believe that he could still be alive somewhere. Maybe not-- - Okay, that's my next question, was where was he seen? Last room where I was, no information. He was actually seen, but there was someone stating, oh, I know he's alive, because well, trust me. - I thought he was seen somewhere, he's not-- - No, maybe I misspoke. There wasn't seen, seen, it was like, some guy saying, oh, I know he's still alive, because I, well, I just know he's still alive. - Well, that's the angle I take with the Warden, is the rumors that I hear, and I usually have on relatively good faith, is that he is still alive. Sure, that's a relief to you. - Yeah. - However, it does seem as if Constance Rockefeller, who as you know, from your brief time in Cleveland earlier, is Mr. Donovan's understudy, Constance-- - What? - You were his understudy. - Oh, I think so, she was-- - Okay, right, yes, okay. - Yes, your brief time is his understudy, you're probably aware of Constance Rockefeller's influence with the Cleveland Clinic, and I believe that there was a relationship there between Constance and Mr. Donovan that-- - Is this personal? - I don't know, to be honest with you, Warden, I'm not sure. - Please, Alan, London. - You know, respect. - All right, good, I'll accept that. - Well, it sounds right. - So rare. So we're not, you know, I'm not quite certain as to their, you know, if perhaps he was doing some, I'm not saying he's gone rogue or gone dark, I'm just saying that there was before his disappearance, there was some talk that he was seeing in her company quite a bit, and that's about all I know as far as-- - As if they were interacting or working together on something, or that was he performing his duties and investigating her, I think it was more either a social or working with type of situation than a investigative, but of course, as we all know, he was a very capable and subtle man, and so he may have well been investigating her without her knowledge. - Sure, he, he's caged in Utah and everything I know. - And it sounds to me this is happening just about the same time that the black courts ramping up activities, and there's been more of the black courts in town too. - Well, they're always there at the court. - You would know that, rather more. - I mean, that's new. - That's new, right? If it's new, then I would always-- - Why don't we always have the black court influence? - No, we had the red court that we beat. No, we didn't have a black court when I left. - Cleveland has a lot of-- - He's from European. - Eastern European influence, and black court vampires did come over with the immigrants, and since Cleveland was sheltered and scrying could not occur from outside of it, a lot of them went to ground here. Try not to raise too much of a signal that they existed here, but they are known to have existed here for many, many, many years. Okay. - But they've been down to down low and hiding and lately they've been more active. - But now they become more active. - Well, well, the thing is it takes a lot of blood to keep the black court vampire alive. So a lot of the vampires that came over ended up, it is theorized either being killed off or are hiding somewhere in something similar to Topo where they're not active, and they're waiting for something. - Well, there's a lot of blood in the hospital. - Well, I'd tell you, we can't have that. - Black courts need to be expunged from the reality. - 'Cause I'm sorry. - But recently there has been actual sightings of black courts on the street and doing things. And again, as far as you know, and as far as you've heard with that role, they are both young, which means they're usually stupid. These are not stupid. These are fast-moving, very intelligent, very stealthful, quick black court vampire, it's newborns. - So, which is like an oxymoron? - Yeah, very much so. - So to be, to cut to the chase, because if I have to drink another class with this dreadful wine, I think, well, I think it won't happen. - Do you need to hire me for a location of Mr. Donovan? - Are your rates the same? - Same rate as ours. - And the trends of the film. - Smart, clever, newborn black court vampires. - Do we know about-- - We can't have that. - The hospital's working on sort of things or would I know that? - Well, let's see how much you know. I would say, investigation or contacts that in the past you've been investigating this particular subject. - Because of your subject, because of your special interests. - Mm-hmm. - And the history of the Rockefeller's is not common knowledge, obviously. But those in the know may or may not know specifically what they're doing. - I think I have an aspect called information that has a price. How would I tag that to call the house? - What are your dates for us to see if you even need to? - I'm just kinda curious as to how to see, I keep, I said, it's been a while since I played it. - You would explain to me how that particular aspect would benefit in the role that you're going for and throw me a fake point and add to it. Or reroll. - Your transformation as a price, it's a fake point. - Oh, let's roll first. - Rolling on, what? - Contact or investigation? - I would imagine investigation is the higher of your skills of those two choices. - Ah, minus one. - Okay. - Kind of very minusy date. - Which would just make it great instead of super. - Well, actually, great's pretty good. - Great. - Is great? - Yeah, I like that. - That matters, great. - The fact that you do know, generally, that both of the hospitals are owned by, not owned by, but kind of behind the scenes run by, each of the Rockefeller granddaughters is the common assumption of what they are. And your role isn't that spectacular that you know that to be different. But the University Circle one is Abigail Rockefeller and she is ahead of research. And her goal seems to be a little more altruistic and then she's looking for some kind of cure for black court vaporism. The Cleveland Clinic Constance Rockefeller, however, seems a little darker and she's the one that seems to be going for making the vampires more powerful by changing their powers. - They've enhanced it. - Enhancement, which would lead you to believe that the current thing would be spearheaded by her if we're seeing a quicker movie. More intelligent young vampires. - I don't know, that could just be a good leader. - Warden, did you drink any of Mr. Donovan's items to allow me to track him more easily? - I have not been to his place yet. I've only just arrived in town. Perhaps if I can swing by where I know he lived or is there a Warden residence that he would have? - Yeah, you did know of a home that he did stay at and you also knew of an office that he kept. - Is there anything that I would have, I'd have to need something current for your purposes, right? - Not like an heirloom of his that I would keep. - Yeah, this felt more much better with something that was recently in his. Anything that you would have over a long period of time would be more imprinted with your right than his. - No, that's fair. So I don't have it on me, but I can certainly get it put in. - You're familiar with look Avedu then? - If you're not, it's Coventry, nice little wine bar. Maybe two hours, 'cause this place is, it's not doing it for me. - Okay, well, what's the place called in? - Le cave du vin. - Le cave du vin. - The wine cave. - The wine cave. - Right. - Cave of wine. - Yes, it is in Coventry, which I'm sure you're familiar with. - Sure. - I'll be not myself, but Roberto will be there as well. And 'cause I don't think I want to go to anywhere close to Mr. Donovan's since, you know. - That's what? - What are you saying, wasn't it? - It just sounds like a dangerous proposition that I don't need to necessarily get myself involved with. You're paying me to find him, correct? - Correct. - Okay. - Well, I'm going to pay you, so what is your-- - What is your-- - What is your pay with me? - Okay. - Your friend is good with me. - The white council has always paid. - Okay. We're like the federal government. - Exactly. So we will be at Le cave du vin. I prefer to, at this time, bid you a do. - Right. - And do you need my help in this? - You too. - You too? - Well, absolutely. Obviously, I mean, I would think that you and your friend might want wish to escort the good warden to Mr. Donovan's because if Constance is involved in any aspect of his disappearance, which I'm not saying has happened, I'm saying it's a possibility based on the information we've been provided, and she's got newer, faster, smaller muscle helping her out. - Yeah. I think that he can definitely use the extra muscle and I can do without the headache. - I'm trying to react and build my knowledge only based on what he's telling me. - Sure. - That's what I heard you say. I appreciate that. So, I'm listening to this and knowing London as I do, I'm detecting some-- - But you're not telling me something, London. - Having worked with me in the past, you know that I am a finder of things. I am not a fighter. I don't put myself any unnecessary risk. - Okay, fair enough. - That's something you would know. So me, that's why I described. Constance is anyway involved. She's one of the most difficult players in this entire city and I don't need to drag myself into that right now. - You've already recently dragged yourself into something you didn't need to be to already yourself into. - Absolutely. - Well, whatever. My job is, I'm sure Ed can fit you into my predicament, but my job here is to find Mr. Donovan. - I agree and maybe I can help you with your situation too. - I'm hoping that we could certainly-- - Because there's new law into each other. - Exactly. Always good to have a warden on your side. Notice I did not say in my pockets. I said on my side. - That's the difference between us. - So, were you going for a K-point there? - It was a new law in town. - I wasn't trying to earn it, but I-- - He just wanted to say it. - But if you want to give him one. - But there's a warden in town. - There's a new warden in town, and then I get a-- - I'm back to clean up the mess, according to John. - Right. - You gave that to me. - So, I'm back to clean up the mess. - Grab something a little more recent, if you will, from his abode and locate within. What's happened? We started here at 10, it's probably 10.30 maybe. Hour and a half, so enough time for you to rummage around. - Yeah, I've made a midnight. - Foot locker? - Midnight, yeah, no book. - Fine, that's great. - It's okay to then open at midnight. - Oh my gosh, it's open till two, three. Sometimes it's day open later. - In the dark world. - Okay, so at this time, Roberto, you have anything you need to do? - Yeah, if not, let's go get some good one. Or, in your case, a very fine beer. - So, we're moving this conversation to another room. Are you gonna be doing something and meeting us there? - Oh, yeah, I'm just going to drink a bit. I'm letting you three find the item that needs to be. - Well, I'm off to. - Because I, to be out of character, but I just don't, it just looks like a movie trap waiting to happen and I'm not a fighter. So, I'll take the information and run with it, but I'm not gonna put myself in a, at this point in our relationship, I'm not putting myself in a dangerous situation. - And because I have little empathy or investigation, I don't detect that and I don't think it's a trap at all. I think it's my rightful residence and I'm gonna go there. - I could be totally in parenthood. I have every right to be at this point. - So, can I, no, go there? It's saying you already found them. - No. - I'm sure they're-- - No, they're stuck and tell, but I just, what? I have an empathy for, I can tell that he's staring away from it 'cause it's dangerous, or if I want to do it, I can check. - If you guys want to take it too. - I think I've already said that it's dangerous. If Constance is involved, that is a very dangerous place to go. It's a very important part of it and it's something I don't need to give me the information I need and I will find him for you. That's what you hired me for. - I love me to appreciate and savor that for a moment. I have great empathy, but I really don't care. (laughing) I don't give a shit. But I'm very empathetic. No, I can see that though. I mean, I can see the fact that you fully understand people's motivations-- - Motivations. - Motivations and it's still not care about it. - It's not care. - I mean, yeah, I get where you're coming from. - Don't give a shit. - But I fully understand. - Where you're coming from. But yes, it is a slightly ironic as an explanation. - I have an aspect of information as a price, and I sort of think you can use that as a way to help get more information as to where this guy is. - In some ways, I can see that you can say, retroactively I've paid a price. I've given up doing all these things and focusing on this for the last few weeks to get this information. So you could justify using it as a positive. - Or as a contact. Like an answer. - Hey, you wanna see the backstage? - Yeah, go through the bouncers. - So, hour and a half. Look, hey, you've been coming to Korea. - I'll meet you there. - All right, and Max and Edmund, let you join me and we'll go swing by Bill Donovan's old residence. - Okay. - That's what you wanted. You wanted to go by it a little quick. - To pick up something that would help London focus in on them. - Time I have a epic seeming uninstituted York. - The same one. - But it's now at epic level. - Well, it's more believeable. - It's just even more impressive when I put it out. It's a plus two from the superb discipline that I have, which is an epic. - So it's the fact that it's much harder to see through to the true figure, it's much-- - That's why I might, just when we leave, I wanna make sure I said that. - I'm gonna go bomb it. - Okay. - And then myself and Roberto will drive over to Coventry and grab some liquid refreshments that I write with you. - It's the starting life. My burly is spending. - Can you get home early tonight? - Or is it a little bit of a late night meeting out right with you? - No, it's not. - All right, it's fantastic. - Okay, so William Donovan's home is-- - Invert's house, invert's house. - Is it all his? - Right off of Chester. - How much does he get driving in the skill? Who can drive? - Me? - Yeah, well, you're not here. Who can drive? - And I would say-- - No, I'm a yogurt. - This late at night in Cleveland, the roads are relatively clear. - Okay. - A little bit wet, 'cause it is still raining. - It's dark. So it only takes you about 15 minutes to get there. You arrive there, you park outside. - It's in built-in flames. - Right next to the four-sale sign. - For sale? - Yeah, I know. - You're out of shit. - Is it a foreclosure, or is it a realtor? - It is a realtor sign. - What's a realtor's name? - Yeah, Ross Realty. - And the person's name is George Ross, G. Ross Gross. - It's David Ross. - No, it's the-- - Ross, Ross, and Ross. - And Ross. - And Androids. - Yes. - Yes, they're aliens. - So you want to break into a empty house if you can find anything? - Hell yeah. - No, in fact, we're not-- - This is not the way, as I understand it, that the residence is maintained. This is the white council in the head home. No, I guess Harry Dresden owns his own place, so. - I don't think so. - Not any more. - Would you-- - Everybody had their own little thing. - But if this is like-- - I mean, this is how she used to come over to a lot. You know this house. - Oh, no. - You have a billion wards in there. - How did the realtors get in? (laughing) - There should be realtors placed on the sidewalk. - Well, I guess I checked the door to see if there's a realtors lock on it. - A little-- - Lotta room? - With the key on it. - Can I open it? - Sure. - You have a little spell, I'm sure there's a-- I don't really have a skill to tear it apart. And I don't know, is that considered a mundane spell? Or is that something that I have to-- I imagine it's real fine controls like that. Pick and lock with magic. - Is there an open window on the second floor or something crazy like that? - Well, I don't have to pick the lock. I can just use my ice and air to either cut the-- - Yeah, but when they come back, the most of them are broken. It doesn't matter really. - Is there an open window? - Like you're not around. No, there's not an open window. There are windows on the second floor. - No, I can't further break it. - I could kick the door down easy. - No, we don't even kick the door down. - Is there any-- - Well, actually, this is a good question. Do I know of any back doors or secret ways into the home? - You could do plates if you do. - Maybe there's an old hidden key. - Just do the like. - There's always a bolt hole in a-- - What's that? - An old hidden key and they haven't changed the locks yet. - I kind of like the idea of that there's more like a upstand man and a robin entrance than eggs at two in the morning time. - There could be for a fake point. - A lot of people. - An old cold shoot that they would have had that was-- - Okay, well, okay. - Re-modeled over, but it's still there and it exists and you know how to get the panel off to get-- - When I spend the fake point, do I need to also invoke an aspect to help support the-- - No, you're making a declaration that you want something to exist. - 'Cause I, okay, because I have a concept that would support this as his protege. - Right. - You know, hey, robin knew we're all the bad cave and this is an exit tour, so. - Good. - Look at all the secrets. - To create an entrance into-- - Not that I was robin for that, just a night wait. - There you go. - To create an entrance into the place requires-- - Yeah, nobody after Batman died. - I would also submit that I'm modifying it that it's kind of a supernatural entrance or exit that wouldn't have been noticed by normal. I'm not saying that these people aren't normal, you know what I mean? I'm just saying that-- - Only opens to the touch of gloves that you and him design together. - Well, no, well, maybe-- - You may be a secret word. - It's a big friend and enter. - Yeah, there you go. - Well, yeah, I want to get into the place, but I'm saying that if there is a supernatural element to this realtor or why this house is locked down, I'm saying that I'm not aware, or they may be aware of this and I might be walking into a more of a trap. I'm just trying to pass a door and establish an aspect on this house that may come at me so I'm gonna go. - All right, you're creating an entrance, which is-- - Right, in fact-- - A secret entrance. - Right. - In creating this entrance, you go to use it and I'd like you to make a lore roll to the top. - My lore is great and I have a superb sense of lore right now. - No, it's just-- - I'm gonna tune. - I'm gonna tune to this home. It's like almost coming home yourself. - What you expect is feel threshold and you're really not feeling on when you're crossing. - That's what's been stripped down. - Yeah, you're not feeling a lot of magic here at all, but the home feels familiar, it's the same home and as you enter down into the basement where this heads and then you can head up to the main floor, it is unusually empty and clear. - It is magically scrubbed clean. - Not only of magic, but of furniture. - It says also the entire identity has been thoroughly - Expunged. - Removed, okay. - Fine, these simple words. - This is not, this is not, and we obviously reports up until a few months ago, right? - Yes. - Using my investigation. - I use mine. - As weak as it is. - It is a investigation. - You guys can enter the home as well, you guys need it. - Yeah, it can be okay to have to be clear. - Do I get any sense of, is this like a, you know, recent to I smell cleaning product? - Is it look like it's, is it dust or fresh paint? - Give me a roll of investigation. - You could do that as well. - Oh, actually succeed. - You got great? - I got great. - I got poor. - I should have stayed in the current and I don't. - My response is poor, I'm like, I'm too confused. - Yes. - Well. - Or did we do well? - No, you did try. You was more than a good roll. But Edmund tells you, no, look over here. This is, did us start to build back up a little bit, but clearly this was clean and this was and, you know, it was like, he's-- - It's been more than just last week. - Yeah. - So this has been empty for a month or two. - It's been empty for a while, but it was cleaned, scrubbed, emptied, and now it's starting to, it's been a while. - Is there any literature from the realtor that sometimes was like-- - There's always a number on the darn sign. - But like on the inside, when they're showing a home, they have like a little more makeup. - Well, actually on the sign outside, there was a tube. And in the tube, there was a set of flyers jammed in there. We need to go talk the realtor. - And that's one place to go. - Ross Realty, huh? - Ross Realty. - I know somebody had Ross Realty, you can talk. - No, do you? You have contact. - Actually, he might. - Definitely will, but you might. - But looking around, it is, there is nothing of his. - You leave the basement and you come into the kitchen, all the rooms are empty. - There are shades on the window, but probably only there to prevent people from saying that there's nothing in the house. - But what about the secret compartment where he kept all of his warden stuff? - Oh, you're out of awe. - Fake points, it's so sad. - What are the attic? - Come up there. - That's where they might actually leave something. - The attic in the basement. - I would say you probably did know a place where he kept his secret stuff, and that bolt hole is also empty. - Around the fireplace. - It wasn't like-- - He's like, oh yeah, behind this brick over here, we kept this and here we kept this thing, and we had a ward hidden behind this thing. - So every secret place you can think of that he would have hid something is empty. - That feels-- - We need to believe he didn't want to be found. - He just moved on. - Either he removed it all. It was very thorough, or someone else came in here and really knew where to look. - Yeah, my initial instinct is that Bill had done this himself, because I don't think an average realtor or persons would find all the hidey voles. - Well, I know you guys used things a person used to have to be able to track them down, right? - Yes. - Yeah, and this house is obviously empty of everything that used to be here, but could you drag someone who could track that kind of stuff, set them in this house and use the house itself as a way to track yourself to that other person? The house itself. He has left something into the walls of this house. - Possibly. - Even the threshold is weakened. - Well, the house has been big. And well, it's a possibility with, well, I'm guessing that, correct me if I'm wrong, but the threshold is gone. It's not a home anymore, so the connection might be broken if it's all been swept clean like this. That's not to say that London couldn't do his, who knows how powerful he is at his, or how he does his magic. Then it's another piece of the mystery. I'm very curious. - I think that's a valid statement that London probably would be able to work with it, but he would be very, very. - Right, not to mention the fact that London really- - It's advanced. - London also hates to come to be out in the open anywhere. Why don't we follow up with the mundane, the mundane leads with the Ross royalty in the morning and try to pick up the- - There is his office. - Oh, that's true, I haven't done it to his office yet. - Well, then I will head there next. - So it was a William Donovan's office was in the old aviation building that I'm gonna convert it into- - A loft, it was an office loft. - An office loft. So that's right off of- - Is that right next to Berkeley here? - Yeah. - That's off of its- - Around the east side of- - I'm looking at it in the summary. Just north of Route 2 and to the east of the airport. So to get there would again take you probably 15 minutes or something. - Around the way to the office. - You guys are out at the office, you park in the parking lot. And as you're heading towards the front door, let's give me a alertness roll. Three members that are there, that would be- - Oh, negative four. - Oh, Edmund. - I have a great- - Baxillardness. - I just rolled average. - Maxwell rolled a, what? - A four, negative one. - You actually have four. - Or four. - I'm great. - You are great. - I'm just average. - I have greater sandwich. So you get out of the car. Who's car are you driving by? It must be- - Must be mine. - Must be yours. It must be Edmunds. As the only one learned enough to notice at the entrance to the office area, you notice some shadows. One of them, two of them, are low to the ground, as in animals. Very large dog, but- - Like a mastic? - A good size. - Great. - Like a mastic. And there is a figure in the doorway. And when you notice them, they notice you, and the figure in the doorway goes into the building. And the two canine type creatures start moving towards you. And we will end there and continue this next week as these dog-like creatures are charging the three of you. - What? - Everyone marked down the number of, that should be used for you in my first number. Eight points you have. Here's this from me, Zero. We're gonna have to work on this. - 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 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 ZenaudioSmith.com. And please, join us next episode for more mystery and adventure. - Allow me to appreciate and savor that for a moment. - I have great armpathy, but I really don't care. I don't give a shit, but I'm very armpathetic. - I have a tremendous armpathy, but I can give a rat's ass.