Harlem Unbound - Harlem Hellfighters Never Die, Episode 1

[00:00:00] Speaker A: Hello, friends, and welcome to another single serving tabletop adventure from Queen's court games. I am Laura Tutu and today we are diving into hellfighters never say die, a scenario from Chris Spivey's Harlem unbound for Call of Cthulhu, 7th edition. We will get the ball rolling shortly, but first, a couple of housekeeping things. If you are interested in purchasing this game for yourself, go right ahead and throw exclamation point scenario into the chat. Also, Harlem Hellfighters never say die contains certain themes that some viewers may find disturbing or distasteful, including violence, the occult, PTSD, corruption and gaslighting. As a cast, we have discussed our lines and veils in advance via session zero and we have all agreed on a code of conduct to ensure safe and respectful environment. But we want everybody who's watching to be safe as well. And now I would love to introduce you to our table for the evening. First up, as our photographer, it is the illustrious jazz. Hello. As our horn man, please welcome to the table Robert Madison II, here to get shit done. It's our dock worker, Christian. [00:01:10] Speaker B: Me. [00:01:11] Speaker C: What? [00:01:12] Speaker D: Hi. [00:01:13] Speaker A: That's you. [00:01:15] Speaker B: Oh, no. [00:01:18] Speaker A: I am your conjure woman. And you know who I am. I'm Laura. And lastly, but certainly not leastly, we have our keeper, the incomparable one and only noir enigma. [00:01:29] Speaker C: Hi. [00:01:30] Speaker E: That's me. [00:01:32] Speaker A: Links to everyone's assorted social media accounts can be found by sending exclamation point cast into the chat. So we have introduced everyone. Our lines and veils are settled. Noir. The anticipation is killing me. Won't you please tell us a story? [00:03:22] Speaker C: Our story begins on December 20, 1920. Prohibition is in full swing. The great war has ended, and it is a frigid, cold morning in Harlem. We follow a wave of cold air and heavy snowflakes to the windows of one Dwayne Bishop. We see the windows begin to fill up with snowflakes and the camera zooms in. And where do we find Duane in this early morning? [00:04:05] Speaker B: I think you find me getting ready for work. And that's just like me putting on my overalls and making sure I have all my tools and equipment on my. On my person. I'm about five, 6260 pounds. I'm a chubby fellow. Full beard. My clip. My dress shirt looks like it's got grease and oil stains all over it, but they've been. It's been washed, so it's like, faded. So it's part of the shirt, almost like some designer outfit. And my overalls look very worn, like, very broken in, like I've worn them every day since the dawn of time. [00:04:58] Speaker C: And where are you in the house? You're in your bedroom? [00:05:01] Speaker B: I'm in my bedroom. I'm getting ready. I'm, like, looking in my full length mirror. That's a hand me down of a hand me down, I'm sure. And I'm just, like, just getting ready. Not mad or sad that I had to go into work on a cold winter's morn. It's just another day. So just look normal, determined, ready. [00:05:27] Speaker C: And is this a house or an apartment? [00:05:29] Speaker B: This is an attendant apartment. So there are the sounds of neighbors and children and gossip and all sorts of cricks and cracks and worn out floors is all over the place around me. [00:05:46] Speaker C: And who do you live with? [00:05:48] Speaker B: I live with my mother and my brother, who has, and I'm sure, pretty much every other neighbor in this business building, because you can hear everybody. Everybody. [00:06:07] Speaker C: And so the first thing that you hear as you're kind of getting up in these paper thin walls is your neighbor yelling. And you can hear him go, I told y'all, it's not Christmas yet. You got a couple days. Dang it. Where are the presents? And it's just yelling and banging and running and. And your mom kind of just gently knocks on your door. [00:06:39] Speaker B: Yeah, mom. [00:06:42] Speaker C: Cracks it open. I don't want to be too much trouble. Before you. Before you go to work, can you tell the foreman the four minutes to quiet down over there? This is the third day in a row they don't woke me up. I didn't retire just to be dealing with somebody else's kids. And if I go over there, it's gonna be a problem. [00:07:05] Speaker B: Yes, ma'am. I don't know exactly how to do that. [00:07:10] Speaker C: Just. Just tell them. Just tell them. Just quiet it down. Or take it into a room that's not directly across from my bedroom. That's the main problem. They can have the fight, just not in the room they have it in. Or I'ma get involved and I'm whooping everybody. [00:07:28] Speaker B: Did you hear that? [00:07:31] Speaker C: You just hear a very meek. We'll keep it down. [00:07:35] Speaker B: Problem solved. Look at that. [00:07:37] Speaker E: Ah. [00:07:39] Speaker B: Teamwork. [00:07:41] Speaker C: All right. Look at you. You're getting all ready to go. I never had to wake you up. You always been good. You always been good like that. [00:07:48] Speaker B: Thank you, ma'am. [00:07:50] Speaker C: You got any plans for after work today? [00:07:54] Speaker B: I mean, depends on what they got me doing for work. [00:07:58] Speaker C: You work too hard. You're not taking every bit of overtime you can get, are you? It's Christmas. [00:08:06] Speaker B: I gotta look out for us, you know? [00:08:09] Speaker C: We can get by. You work too hard. [00:08:12] Speaker B: Not about getting by, Madden. [00:08:15] Speaker C: Then what's it about? [00:08:17] Speaker B: It's not just floating on water. I want to swim. [00:08:21] Speaker C: I want to be able to. Just make sure the breath's safe. Listen, listen. Celestine. Celestine, her little boyfriend are having a rent party later today. [00:08:32] Speaker E: All right? [00:08:32] Speaker C: Why don't you stop over do yourself, get yourself a little dancing. Maybe talk to some. Somebody nice. Maybe bring somebody to say hello to your family. [00:08:51] Speaker E: I don't. [00:08:55] Speaker B: I will see what I can do. I will see if the boss lets me off early, if I can come by. If not to laugh at Celestine's dancing. [00:09:06] Speaker C: Well, they. Parties always go late. So you ain't got no. You ain't got no excuses. And to get in. To get in this time. Madeline. Toby, the magic word is deuce. So when you get there, say deuce. They'll let you in, no problem. Oh, and she goes in her purse and rustles out a couple of coins. You know, they always got that jar. Make sure that you put that in there for me. [00:09:36] Speaker B: Yes, ma'am. And, um, I'm. Checks. His checks is like pocket watch. Oh, I'm delayed. [00:09:43] Speaker C: Uh. [00:09:43] Speaker B: I love you. He gives him I love you. Gives him a kiss on the cheek. [00:09:47] Speaker C: She gives you the both once over, and then kind of fixes your hair a bit under the hat. Puts the hat back off. [00:09:54] Speaker B: It's gonna be a mess anyway. No need to fix it. It's fine. [00:09:59] Speaker C: Of course there's a need to fix it. You represent me in the world and I will not have you look in a mess. [00:10:06] Speaker B: Yes, ma'am. [00:10:07] Speaker C: Besides, if you gonna bring anybody to say hi to your family. [00:10:10] Speaker B: Yes. I gotta go. I gotta, I gotta, I gotta think. I gotta, I got. [00:10:14] Speaker C: Oh. [00:10:14] Speaker B: Gotta catch that train. Oh. [00:10:18] Speaker C: And with that, you walk out and the air is biting, but you walk down the steps and you look, and you see peeking out the window of your neighbor's window, one little boy, he's got just this big poofy fro, and he sees a girl with beautiful box braids, just kind of looking. And they wave at you. [00:10:48] Speaker B: Better behave now. [00:10:50] Speaker C: We will. Hey, how many more days till Christmas? I don't think our dad's telling us the truth. [00:10:57] Speaker B: What did your dad say? [00:10:59] Speaker C: He said 18 more days. [00:11:07] Speaker B: It takes every iota not to laugh out loud. [00:11:11] Speaker C: I can't lie to kids. [00:11:13] Speaker B: I don't want to make a mess with this man. [00:11:17] Speaker C: Oh, these are the moral choices I. [00:11:21] Speaker B: Was here for calling Cthulhu before. Not exactly 18, right? You keep hassling your daddy, Santa might not come, so be careful. [00:11:37] Speaker C: Santa. It ain't right in the house. You hear them yelling at. They dead. [00:11:41] Speaker B: Oh, no. Oh, no. I did my part. Hurries, hurries down. Probably brushes by a couple people who are also going the same way. [00:11:53] Speaker C: Yeah. And as you're walking down the street, everybody's like, hey, Dwayne, how's it going? It's just a real community vibe. And you bump into one person. His name is Fredrico, but everybody just calls him Freddie. And he goes, hey, you coming to the party tonight? [00:12:15] Speaker B: I mean, I don't know, man. It's not really my scene, you know? I'm not really a party guy. I don't know. Like, what am I gonna be wearing, this? Like, come on, now. [00:12:27] Speaker C: Hey, rumor is, Celestine, pull some streets. Gotta got a bangin band, and you never know who's gonna make it to these parties. I heard Betty Smith might even be there. [00:12:40] Speaker B: Come on. I'll see what I can do. God. I'll repeat myself. I'll see what I can do. No promises. We'll see. All right. [00:12:53] Speaker C: Oh, that's a hard yes. All right, I'll tell everybody. Hey, Dwayne's coming. [00:13:02] Speaker B: No choice for Dwayne. Okay. All right, fine. All right, that's fine. Okay. Yeah, sure, I'll go. I'm going. Yeah, I'm going. Yeah. Seems like universe wants me to go to this party. Sure, I'll go. I'm coming to the party. And he's down the stairs, defeated. I'm walking downstairs, defeated. I'm like, uh, I'll go partying part time. Can't wait. It's gonna be the best party ever. Oh, man. [00:13:24] Speaker C: And you know, Freddy is a massive gossip. So, like, in the next five minutes, all of Harlem knows that Dwayne is for sure coming to this part. And with that, we see the camera zoom out into a flurry of snowflakes. And those snowflakes drift into the window of one ruby Samson. [00:13:50] Speaker D: The funny thing about this is when the flurries kind of come into my room, it has to go around the deepest black curtains that I have posted in front of my window, making my room entirely dark. And what I'm doing is I am pinning up papers along a clothesline against the backdrop of an eerie red light. I am peering, squinting through my glasses, at a series of negatives. My pictures. I'm trying to see how they came out, if everything is developing well and satisfied, I take a step back, and I slip out the door and into the light of the morning in my apartment. It's, it's just a regular old apartment that I share with my dad and my brother. Um, I'm dressed already. Um, I have my, I spectacles and I have my, my news boy cap that I never take off and my, my mother's ring I wear around my thumb. Her jade ring I wear around my thumb. And yeah, I'm an early twenties, very tiny young woman with, like, light brown, golden brown skin. And I'm very clearly mixed, being both black and asian. I have, you know, the kind of the eyes and the lips and the general complexion of someone who might be Filipino. And I have short, or like, relatively short straight black hair that kind of curls under my chin as I shrug on my coat. And I wave to my dad, who's sitting in the sitting room, kind of like this. [00:16:00] Speaker C: And your dad immediately signs at you, hey, hold on. And he brings you over a bowl of cereal and he signs, you're not getting out of here without breakfast again. [00:16:17] Speaker D: And I kinda, I take the bowl and I'm like, thanks. It's a very, like, defeated, like an. [00:16:24] Speaker A: Awkward, like, oh, no, he caught me again. [00:16:28] Speaker D: And I give him a kiss on the cheek because this is very sweet. And then I'm like, I'm gonna be late. [00:16:36] Speaker C: He says, he says that, uh, he says, your fan is outside. [00:16:50] Speaker D: Can I peek out the window? [00:16:52] Speaker C: You just see Fredrico, like, looking. [00:16:58] Speaker D: I look back at him and I'm like, really? [00:17:06] Speaker C: Uh, your dad goes, want to do the usual play? [00:17:11] Speaker D: Yeah, sounds good. [00:17:13] Speaker C: He point, he points for you to slip out the back as he opens up the front where Fredriko is. You just hear your tickle, huh? Is Ruby here? And he just looks, your tail looks back at you and winks as you slip out the door. [00:17:36] Speaker D: Uh, yeah. And I'm shoveling cereal in my mouth as I left my bag and I am jolting, or what am I saying? Jogging, jogging down the stairs, um, as fast as I possibly, and as silently as I possibly can go, uh, you do. [00:17:54] Speaker C: And, uh, you know, everybody's kind of waving, hey, Ruby. Hey, Rubyde. And then you hear somebody, as they say, hey, ruby, hey, Dwayne's actually going to a party today. [00:18:09] Speaker D: Dwayne's going to a party. [00:18:12] Speaker A: Oh, that's nice. [00:18:16] Speaker C: It's Celestine's party. You heard about it, right? [00:18:19] Speaker D: You got your invite, I mean. Yeah, I wasn't sure if I really wanted to go, though, because, you know, I'm not really a partier, you know. [00:18:27] Speaker C: But, you know, fun to just dance, cut loose every now and then. Besides, it's a good call, Celestine, and, you know, it really used to help. [00:18:40] Speaker D: Yeah, no, that makes sense. [00:18:42] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:18:42] Speaker D: You know, I could probably, you know, talk. Talk my boss into letting me go a little early so I can swing by. [00:18:50] Speaker C: All right, see you there. Okay. They just ran off. It's. It's a pretty freaky cold morning. Where are you heading? [00:19:00] Speaker D: I am heading to the Harlem holler, which is our newspaper. [00:19:05] Speaker C: Awesome. And you get there, and there is an editor. Well, there is a new. There is a new writer that's just come to town named Barney. And Barney goes, hey, good to see you. I, uh. Are you. Are you working on my Harlem Hellfighters piece? [00:19:32] Speaker D: Yeah, yeah, I got the assignment the other day. [00:19:34] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:19:35] Speaker C: Okay, well, here I've got a. I've got a rough for you to take a look at, see if you get any pictures that kind of capture that vibe. We're telling the story about how, you know, they came back and didn't get a parade. We had to throw a parade for them. It's ridiculous. [00:19:51] Speaker D: Yeah. Yeah, I totally understand. My brother's not exactly happy about it, either, so. Yeah, I totally get it. And, yeah, I will do my best. [00:20:04] Speaker C: All right, well, your best is always good enough for me. He's one of those awkward people that try to be cool in the office, and it's always. It's always a miss. So you like? Bigger goods at you, but it's weird. [00:20:21] Speaker D: What is this? Is this. Is this. What is this? [00:20:24] Speaker C: I don't know. [00:20:26] Speaker D: Oh, okay. [00:20:27] Speaker C: What I'm doing with my hands right. [00:20:28] Speaker A: Now, I don't know. It's good. [00:20:31] Speaker D: It'll catch on. You think? [00:20:33] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:20:33] Speaker C: Yeah, totally. Am I moving them to. You know what? I don't. I'm gonna get back to this paper. [00:20:38] Speaker D: Okay, sounds good. [00:20:39] Speaker C: Oh, everybody's worse for me. Having done that. [00:20:43] Speaker A: Everybody's worse for me. [00:20:46] Speaker C: And with that, you go through your day, and the camera zooms out and we find ourselves following a flurry of snowflakes all the way to Johnny JB Williams house. JB, can you tell us, where do we find you this lovely, frigid morning? [00:21:12] Speaker E: I wake up as the snow sort of, like, bashes against the window. Oh. Oh, it's sunlight out. Okay, okay, okay. What time is it? Is it. What time is it? What time is it? What time is it? What time did I, like, sort of stumble around and look for Bach just to see what time it is? [00:21:39] Speaker C: Really quick question. Does. Is this an apartment? And does JB live with anybody? [00:21:45] Speaker E: It's. He's in, and it's an apartment within a hat. Within, like, a brownstone, so it's. [00:21:52] Speaker C: Okay. [00:21:52] Speaker E: Multi level brownstone. And I. It's his mom's house. He lives in the attic, and he typically is a late riser. I try to get up early, but I tend to not. But I do wake up in enough time to get to practice. I always get to practice on time. I just tend to be running a little late. [00:22:27] Speaker C: As you come down from the attic, your mom is in the kitchen. She just points. There is a plate of nice, freshly cooked breakfast, coffee and a Bloody Mary. [00:22:43] Speaker E: Oh, they think. They think. I didn't. I didn't need this one today. Thank you. [00:22:50] Speaker C: Thank you. [00:22:54] Speaker E: I had a gig, and we just went late. I don't. [00:22:59] Speaker C: Mm hmm. [00:23:00] Speaker E: Thank mom. I'm just sit down. Hold my head in the e. You. [00:23:05] Speaker C: Know, Celestine and Ralph are having a party at that house, and rumor around town is, well, one. Wayne's actually gonna be there. [00:23:19] Speaker E: Wait, wait, hold on. Dwayne's going to a party? [00:23:21] Speaker C: I know. I didn't believe it either. Freddie's been running down the street telling everybody. [00:23:26] Speaker E: What? Dwayne never goes to parties. [00:23:27] Speaker C: Like, he never goes to party. [00:23:29] Speaker E: The amount of times I've tried to get him to come to a gig, try to get him to come to a party, just kind of come out, hang out with us. I've never seen him go to a party, ever. [00:23:37] Speaker C: Well, you know, there. Now, don't tell nobody, but there's a pot going to see who could eventually get Dwayne to come to one of these things. And I think Freddie might take it today. [00:23:49] Speaker E: Okay, that's fine, that's fine, that's fine. [00:23:51] Speaker D: It's fine. [00:23:52] Speaker E: I was not like I was trying to win that pot. Could have used the money. Ah, that's fine, that's fine. But, yeah, he's coming. That's. [00:24:02] Speaker C: Are you going? [00:24:04] Speaker E: Of course I'm going. I gotta be there. [00:24:07] Speaker C: You better go get yourself some connections. Get yourself. Maybe get invited to one of these to play. [00:24:15] Speaker E: I was. I was trying. I play good. I just gotta. Somebody just gotta hear my sound, man. And once they hear. Once they hear me, I'm gonna have so much. But, you know, I'm. Man's going good. Band's going good. [00:24:31] Speaker C: I know it's going good. They got you in it? [00:24:33] Speaker E: That you? Of course. Thank you, Mama. [00:24:35] Speaker C: Thank you. All right, now, don't get out before you late for practice. [00:24:44] Speaker E: Run grab my trumpet case like take two steps. Take two steps back. Open the case. You back upstairs to get my trumpet. Come back down. Put it in the case. [00:24:58] Speaker B: Okay. [00:25:01] Speaker E: I was practicing before I went to sleep. [00:25:04] Speaker C: Oh, no. I hurt. [00:25:08] Speaker E: Sorry, mom. [00:25:09] Speaker C: It's okay. I'm used to it by now. She just opens up a box of cotton puffs. You can see that she's gotten used to plugging her ears to sleep. [00:25:21] Speaker E: I've been saving up for a mute. I'm gonna get a new mute. And it'll be better. It'll be better. But I was good, though. I was good. [00:25:28] Speaker C: Oh, it was fantastic. It kept me wide awake until it didn't any longer. You're running late, boy. [00:25:40] Speaker E: My mom kissing. Run out the door. [00:25:43] Speaker D: She. [00:25:43] Speaker C: You just hear her laughing as the door closes. Uh, and again, you walk down the block, and it's just. Hey, JB, you going to the parlor? [00:25:52] Speaker D: Yeah. [00:25:54] Speaker E: And I just pointed the case and just keep running. [00:25:56] Speaker C: I think they got a different band, but all right. Yeah. Good luck, man. Hurtful. [00:26:02] Speaker E: Hurtful. [00:26:08] Speaker C: And you make it all the way to your practice area. And let's first off, what is the name of your band? [00:26:16] Speaker E: That's a good question. It's a great question. We have a name. Well, we're kind of in between names. Because we. We were gonna go with the black stripes. And then we're like, no, that's not a good name. [00:26:32] Speaker C: Right. [00:26:32] Speaker E: And then we were gonna. We tried the ties for a little bit. [00:26:36] Speaker C: Mm hmm. [00:26:37] Speaker E: Just, you know, could we all wear various ties? [00:26:40] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:26:42] Speaker E: And that sort of stuff. Until it didn't. Mainly because we didn't get many gigs. So we sort of need a new name at the moment. We haven't really come up with a better one. [00:26:54] Speaker C: When you get to practice, you see your drummer, Manny. He's got a drum head that says the black stripes audit. He goes, I know we didn't finalize it, but I thought if you saw the vision. [00:27:12] Speaker E: Why isn't. Why isn't it striped? [00:27:16] Speaker C: Because that costs extra, man. [00:27:20] Speaker E: You know what? That's fair. That is very fair. [00:27:25] Speaker C: I was lucky to be able to get this printed at all. But I was like, you know, if I show that I'm invested in the band, you know, somebody has to make a decisive action, you know? And maybe y'all let me sing from the drums. You ain't singing from the drums. Nobody does that. Nobody does it yet. [00:27:45] Speaker E: Manny, Manny, Manny, Manny, look at me. Look at me. Look me in the eye. Look me in the eye. Manny, Manny. [00:27:50] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:27:51] Speaker E: No. [00:27:54] Speaker C: But if y'all see the vision, it like, if that's where the camera slowly zooms out and we see a flurry of snuggle flakes falling to the window of one Adelaide Warner. [00:28:19] Speaker A: So these snowflakes are actually chasing me through the front door of a little shop front. Basically, it is a room and a half, and it is decorated very much in the style of New Orleans voodoo parlor. Yeah. Draped fabric and gold and violet colors. There's a lot. There's a lot of, like, almost like, burned velvet kind of textures all over everything. There's a curio shelf. There's a table with a crystal ball, the whole shebang. And going in, I shrug off my slightly oversized, slightly worn winter coat and knock the snow off my boots. I am a mixed race black woman, about five six, well built, as they say. I've gone pretty fashionable with the hair. As fashionable as one can be on a budget. And the whole vibe is very much trying to go for Hollywood. Glamourous, on the budget of someone who, well, lives in Harlem. You know what? It works if you don't look too close. Okay? [00:30:03] Speaker C: And so you're opening your shop, and you immediately hear the bill as somebody walks in. It is a very. A very strange individual here in Harlem. It is someone that is built with coke bottle glasses, a suit, slick black, slick back, blonde hair. And he's just perusing, looking around at stuff. [00:30:50] Speaker A: I'll put on the customer service smile and the accent that I haven't had to use for some time. And welcome to Adelaide, Cher. What can I do for you? [00:31:05] Speaker C: As he turns slowly to look at you, you see. You see that he is scarred. His face is kind of hollowed out. You can see, like, bone protru. Like, not bone protruding. But you can see his cheekbones with very thin skin on it. He goes, I am just looking around. [00:31:29] Speaker A: Of course, if you need any guidance on remedies, if you're looking for a reading, I do cards. We get a little extra time on our hands. I can even look into the crystal for you. You just gotta let me know. All right, Cher. [00:31:50] Speaker C: Actually, I have a question for you, if you might be so inclined to answer. For me. [00:31:56] Speaker A: Of course. What can I do for you? [00:31:59] Speaker C: I find it interesting, the shop of the occult here in the middle of Harlem. Do you have many in your town that are interested in the occult? [00:32:20] Speaker A: Well, it depends on where we come from. Me, myself, my family's originally from Louisiana. It's kind of mingled in with the culture. But, um, for the most part, we, uh, some folks just find it entertaining. And, uh, if nothing else, I'm willing to provide a little entertainment. [00:32:47] Speaker C: I could do with entertainment. Yes. I would love a reading, if you'd be so kind. [00:32:56] Speaker A: Of course. Chap, why don't you. I'll gesture to the table that is covered with a paisley silk cloth. Have a seat. Clear your mind, tinker your questions, and I will be right with you. [00:33:16] Speaker C: Wonderful, wonderful. Nicoles. Eddie. Each step is just a heavy thunk until he just sits in the chair and it almost sounds like someone dropping a bag of bricks. Just. [00:33:38] Speaker A: Keeper, you said this guy's, like, skinny. [00:33:42] Speaker C: He is muscular, but he has a hollow face. So it's. Yeah, there's a real juxtaposition position. His face is almost like he has not. His face looks like he has not eaten for a while. His body looks like he never misses leg day. Like he's just built, but you see scars all over him. [00:34:10] Speaker A: Okay, keeper, what would be the equivalent of a vibe check? Cause the vibes are a little rank right now. [00:34:21] Speaker C: This would be a psychology check. [00:34:23] Speaker A: Okay. Okay. Okay. Oh, well, we're gonna see how this goes. [00:34:30] Speaker C: So you take a moment to look like, to really try to get a gauge on this guy, and it is like a locked box. You just feel determination and focus. And then his eyes meet yours for a second, and a smirk slightly edges on the side of his face. You know, he knows you're trying to read him. And even worse, he knows you got nothing. Clear my mind. Good suggestion. [00:35:18] Speaker A: I'm gonna do my best to not show exactly how uncomfortable I am, because this shit's weird as hell. Um, but I will. I will gather my cards out of a little polished wooden box. It's actually quite old, even though it is well taken care of. And the same could be said for the cards inside. They have the look of something that has been utilized for years and yet still taken and held with reverence in spite of it all. So I will settle in and give the gentleman his tarot reading because. [00:36:11] Speaker C: Okay, so how would you like to go about this? Would you like to just give him something? Would you like to attempt to. Actually. [00:36:22] Speaker A: Let'S. You know what? I've got some points in psychoanalysis. Would that be a. Do we think I. [00:36:31] Speaker C: Absolutely. [00:36:33] Speaker A: Uh huh. Okay, so that's a 46 is my. Wait. No, 46 is what I have. And I rolled a 28. [00:36:48] Speaker C: Mm hmm. So you. You're looking at him, and he doesn't give away much, but you catch his index finger, begin to tap a little bit, and you can. From that, you can see this is a very controlled individual. And you've seen individuals with this kind of control before. They're usually soldiers you're getting, and that kind of makes sense. The way he walks, the way he moves. It's that of a soldier. You also have been a shop owner for a while, for a bit. And you know when somebody wants something, you know when somebody wants to want something, and you know when somebody knows exactly what they want, this is somebody who knows what he wants, and he's trying to get it from you without saying anything. [00:37:57] Speaker A: All right, so probably managed to deal with tougher customers than this in one way or another. So I would like to, as I am flourishing the cards and laying down the spread and explaining what I see as I turn over the major Arcana and the minor Arcana and the mix there in, would it be something keeper that I could try and charm him into? [00:38:37] Speaker C: There is, in fact, a charm skill. [00:38:40] Speaker A: There is, in fact, a charm skill. Well, let's see. As I am laying down these beautiful cards in this shop that smells of incense and is delicately lit with candles and gas lamps, if I can utilize my skill to charm this gentleman into telling me what exactly the hell he wants. [00:38:59] Speaker C: Okay, let's get it. [00:39:05] Speaker A: Does success. So, 75 on charm. I got a 69. [00:39:12] Speaker D: Nice. [00:39:13] Speaker C: Nice. So you lay out the cards, and as you flip over death. He chuckles did you know that the Germans called the hellfighters the black death? It's a shame that your country does nothing. Pay them the proper respect that they have earned. [00:39:44] Speaker A: No, I know our boys fought for their country, and you're right. They deserve credit where credit is due. [00:39:58] Speaker C: You know, I would very much love to honor myself. I am a veteran as well. [00:40:12] Speaker A: You don't say. [00:40:15] Speaker C: Would you know where I might be able to have a conversation with any of these hellfighters? I have heard about town without trying, even. I must say that there is some sort of gathering tonight. Would you happen to know where that might be? [00:40:36] Speaker A: You know I do, but, um, no offense, suge, but I don't think that's gonna be your kind of party. [00:40:52] Speaker C: I am great dancer. I can cut loose, as they say here. The states? [00:41:05] Speaker A: Mm hmm. Well, you know, why not? It's almost Christmas. Huh? I don't suppose you know anybody else in this part of town. [00:41:30] Speaker C: Especially new here? I couldn't bear to stay at my home country after the war, so I decided to take holiday, and here I am. I wanted to go wherever. All the magnificent things that I've heard from the French when they worked alongside your hellfighters. [00:42:00] Speaker A: All right, well, who am I to deny a veteran. A good time, huh? I'll. I'll give him the address of Celestine's party. Tell him to meet me down the block. [00:42:23] Speaker C: All right. So you've given him the address? [00:42:25] Speaker A: Mm hmm. [00:42:28] Speaker C: Thank you so much. I hope that I see you there so that you can see. [00:42:39] Speaker A: Yeah, no, sure enough. I'll be there. Sugar. [00:42:44] Speaker C: Very good. Very good. Thank you so much for the reading. I have a great passion for a project that I'm working on. Did the car say anything of my success? [00:43:04] Speaker A: Oh, let's see. Let's see. This is here. Pentacles reversed like this. It just means tread carefully. That'll be how much? Dollars, please. [00:43:33] Speaker C: Die with every penny. And you see, he opens up a wallet, and there are a few different currencies, and he goes, ah, here, the American. And he slaps it, puts it on the table, kind of slap. Go, Patsy. And you know what? Eddie slips another five. Thank you so much for your service. It's nice to be able to say that instead of hear it. [00:44:09] Speaker A: You're too kind, darling. [00:44:14] Speaker C: And without a word, just walks out of a shop, and as he opens the door, gives you another smile. And then the door closes, and he's gone in a flurry of snowflakes. [00:44:33] Speaker A: What in the fresh fuck was that? Take the $10. I'll make sure it's real. First of all, it is real. All right. Put it in the front of my dress and go back about making sure everything looks good. I know folks don't usually come through this close to Christmas, considering, well, what I pedal. But at the very least, keep up appearances. [00:45:10] Speaker C: So awesome. And with that, the snow. We follow a flurry of snowflakes again. And the camera is pointed to the sky. And we watch the sun gracefully dip into the horizon. And the moon rises. And the day or the work day comes to an end. And Dwayne, your boss, is a gruff fellow by the name of Philip Grudge. And Philip is going down the dock, and he goes, I need you to stay a bit later. We got a new ship meeting. You know what? We could use a few more hands. You, you, you. And you see the finger, like, purposely miss you. You, you. [00:46:16] Speaker B: Boss, I could. I could use another shift, and that'd be cool. [00:46:26] Speaker C: Yeah. I knew this was gonna happen, so you might. If we do this in the office, I don't want to be in front of the boys. Fine. [00:46:40] Speaker B: All right. Okay. [00:46:41] Speaker C: Come on. Come on. [00:46:44] Speaker B: He's just, like, brushes himself off. [00:46:50] Speaker C: Philip is a short, portly, mixed black guy. Black and Italian. He's got, like, the Carl Winslow haircut, and he's got the front buttons on his shirt, are holding on for dear life. He opens the door and he goes, all right, Dwayne, I love you. I love your work. [00:47:20] Speaker B: Thank you. I can do more of it. [00:47:23] Speaker C: I know you can do more of it. I want you to do more of it. But I also got a call from your mother. So I was told, under no pretenses, that you are allowed to stay tonight. Apparently, there's some kind of party that you go to, and we're really vested in seeing you do good. Yeah. Yeah. [00:47:52] Speaker B: Where's the hard ass? Where's the hard ass? Boss I know who yells at the. [00:47:57] Speaker C: Have you met your mother? Have you met your mother? I've met your mother. She's a problem. She comes down here, she's gonna shut the whole dock down. All because you don't want to go to a park. Look. [00:48:10] Speaker B: We have to make sacrifices. [00:48:13] Speaker C: Yeah. Yeah. And today, I'm sacrificing you. So you're gonna go to the party. You're gonna go dance or do whatever. I think your mom was grandkids. To be quite honest with you, she was alluded to it, not very subtly. So, pipe, besides, Frederico's already told all of Harlem that you gotta go. You're going to this party. [00:48:47] Speaker B: Is there like a bet or something I missed? [00:48:50] Speaker C: I didn't want to tell you about the pool. I kind of thought you. [00:48:52] Speaker B: There's a pool? [00:48:53] Speaker C: Yeah, there's a. [00:48:54] Speaker B: Why is there pool? [00:48:56] Speaker C: I'm about to make $15 from you going on because I found out about this two days ago. [00:49:00] Speaker B: That hurts a lot. [00:49:02] Speaker C: That hurts. I'll give you $2. So it's like we're all winning here. You get to go to a party, you get a little extra money, so you don't need to do the overtime. Bing, bang, boom, everybody wins. [00:49:16] Speaker B: Everybody. But fine. Fine. All right. [00:49:20] Speaker C: I. [00:49:21] Speaker B: Fine. Thanks. [00:49:25] Speaker C: Hey, you know. You know the password is deuce, right? Your mom told me to tell you that the password was deuce because if you go there and you don't have it, everybody's gonna be upset. [00:49:35] Speaker B: I will make sure not to forget. I promise. It'd be a shame if I forgot it. [00:49:45] Speaker C: Listen, listen. I know that tongue of the voice. That's you getting ready to do something slick. No, I cannot. Your mother, she came up here to talk to me directly. She sat right there in that seat. So I'm telling you, if you don't go to that party and she comes back here, it's everybody's problem? Just go to a party. I never thought I'd have to pull a man's arm off to make him go, fine, I'll go. I'll go, fine. [00:50:19] Speaker B: I get up out of my seat. Why is everyone so interested in my life? Like, it's just a party, guys leaves. [00:50:25] Speaker C: I just leave. Just leave. [00:50:26] Speaker B: Like, leaving, like, but I'll party fine. Party. I'll party. I'll party harder than anyone who's ever party. I'll party master. I'll do it right. Hop, skip, and jump. [00:50:41] Speaker C: With that. You see the guys who got overtime kind of looking at you as you're like, I'm gonna party. Like, nobody's ever party. And they're like, have a good time, man. Like, they're not even mad that they got picked. They're just happy you're good. And so, as you leave the doc area, uh, a cab pulls up, it goes, roast out the window. Mister Bishop. [00:51:16] Speaker B: No fucking way. How. Yeah. [00:51:26] Speaker C: I was. I was told to take you to. Look, I've got the address right here. [00:51:30] Speaker B: Uh huh. Can I ask who told you to tell. Who told you to drive up here? Did she say that? You can't. [00:51:41] Speaker C: Listen, man, I'm just. I'm just a driver. [00:51:46] Speaker B: I'm sorry. [00:51:47] Speaker C: Kissing just kids. [00:51:49] Speaker B: I just get it. I just get it. Oh, my God. [00:51:52] Speaker C: My mom is the one. [00:51:54] Speaker B: I love that woman so much. [00:51:56] Speaker C: Oh. [00:51:58] Speaker B: God. [00:52:00] Speaker C: It's just a few lefts and rights. Rights and lefts. And you find yourself. You find yourself at a ten apartment building, and a bunch of people kind of flocking in. And as soon as you leave out of the taxi, you just start to hear a bunch of whispers. [00:52:32] Speaker B: I've had fun before, everybody. Fun is a thing I've had. [00:52:38] Speaker C: Robyn, listen. Check. Oh, my God. What? [00:52:43] Speaker B: Uh, let's see. What is the. Listen. Check. [00:52:46] Speaker C: Mm hmm. [00:52:47] Speaker B: We're doing it, Peter. Fuck. [00:52:53] Speaker C: So you just see just a gaggle of, like, younger teeny boppers, and they just kind of do this while looking at you, and you hear a couple of them laugh. [00:53:09] Speaker B: Self esteem hurt. [00:53:10] Speaker C: Cool. [00:53:11] Speaker B: Awesome. Fantastic. Love it. My hard working black Mandeh is not impossible. I love work. [00:53:22] Speaker C: Hey, really quickly, what is your brother's name? [00:53:26] Speaker B: My brother's name is Najee. [00:53:31] Speaker C: Najee. N A J E. So as this happens to you, Najee goes, hey, hey, wait. [00:53:44] Speaker B: Yes, yes. Najee. Yes, yes. [00:53:47] Speaker C: He comes over, he's got a duffel bag, and he goes, hey, mom told me to bring this to you. What? [00:53:54] Speaker B: That not be what I think it is. Just close the looks in it, see what's in there. [00:53:59] Speaker C: It's a fresh outfit. Like, brand new clothes. [00:54:03] Speaker A: Why. [00:54:06] Speaker C: Can'T have you out here. Dockwork is gear, man. What's wrong with you? Off work? Yeah. [00:54:13] Speaker D: Come on. [00:54:13] Speaker C: You can still. You gotta look. Look at me. Look. First off, look at me. [00:54:18] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:54:18] Speaker C: Look at the shirt. Look at the vest. Check out the hat. [00:54:22] Speaker B: How much did all that cost? [00:54:25] Speaker C: Why you. Why you gotta do this in front of everybody? See, this is your problem. You can't appreciate what I'm. What I'm putting together here. I'm trying to get you. I'm trying to get you like me, so you not. [00:54:39] Speaker B: I can appreciate. And also ask if it was fiscally responsible. These are things we can do. [00:54:43] Speaker C: Oh, my God. See, this is your problem. This is why nobody thought you was coming. Well, I'm here. Yeah. You know how long we've been planning to get you here? [00:54:52] Speaker B: Who won? Who won money? Hands up. Who won? Who won money. [00:54:58] Speaker C: A couple of people raised it. You know what, justice, if it's okay you like. Would you like to be here from work already and raise your hand at that? [00:55:11] Speaker D: Um. Here's the thing is, I don't think that Ruby. I don't think that I. No, I wouldn't have bet on that. That seems cruel. [00:55:21] Speaker C: Okay. All right. How about you, JB? Would you like to have been there and raised your hands? [00:55:26] Speaker D: This. [00:55:27] Speaker E: 100%. 100%. [00:55:30] Speaker C: Adelaide, how about you? [00:55:32] Speaker A: Absolutely. Without a doubt. [00:55:36] Speaker C: Cool. So you see about six. [00:55:37] Speaker D: I got you, Dwayne. I got you. [00:55:39] Speaker C: You see about six or seven hands. [00:55:42] Speaker B: I want to cut. I want to cut from all of you. I want to cut. [00:55:45] Speaker E: If you would have been here when I told you to come, I'd be giving you a cut. [00:55:49] Speaker C: JB. [00:55:50] Speaker B: I don't want to hear it, man. [00:55:51] Speaker E: What? [00:55:51] Speaker A: What? [00:55:53] Speaker E: You just now coming out, and now you gonna be upset? [00:55:56] Speaker B: No, apparently, I'm gonna be party dude. So we gonna party, and we gonna get it right. I'm gonna change. It's gonna be a good old time. All right? [00:56:05] Speaker A: Oh, JB, I think we might have gone too far. [00:56:09] Speaker B: He see you over there, Addie? I see you. [00:56:11] Speaker E: He doesn't look like he's been party ready. He's not party ready. [00:56:15] Speaker A: I don't think that. I don't think that boy's ever been party ready. [00:56:18] Speaker E: He said he was party ready once. [00:56:21] Speaker C: And speaking of parties, and you see Celestine ushering everybody aside, get inside for the police cover to rest all of my black asses. [00:56:33] Speaker A: I'll go up and I'll come up behind Dwayne, like both hands on shoulder, like, pat, pat, Pat. Come on, buddy. You'll be fine. Let's go. I'm gonna have a good time if it fucking kills you. [00:56:50] Speaker B: Oh, I might die of embarrassment. [00:56:55] Speaker E: You won't die. [00:56:57] Speaker B: I feel like I am and just. I guess I need to change into this. I guess. [00:57:06] Speaker C: As you all walk in, you see that this is apartment 101 and 201. They've. They're kind of like joint apartments at this point, like a. Like a brickstone. And the party is on both floors. And on the top, on the bottom floor is where the band is setting up. You can see the drummer is having a very hard time putting his rig together. And none of the band is helping him. They just watching. And so he's looking up at the band. They're looking at him like. And so now he's going slower on purpose. There's tons of people gossiping and just talking all around the place. It's. A party is getting ready to happen. It's not quite party vote yet. A party is getting ready to happen. And you can see two older men about their thirties kind of take center stage, and they just start talking about old war stories. So that's pretty much the setup there. Also, upstairs, they're kind of putting together a makeshift bar. And you can see some of the more thirsty folks are just kind of hovering and waiting. What would you all like to do while this is all happening? [00:58:34] Speaker B: Get changed. Parenthood. [00:58:38] Speaker D: I gravitate to the nearest wall. [00:58:45] Speaker C: Um, throw me a stealth chair. Oh, no. [00:58:52] Speaker D: Stealth, huh? [00:58:54] Speaker C: Mm hmm. [00:59:00] Speaker D: I'm so sneaky. [00:59:01] Speaker C: So you. You, like, walk to the wall and you see somebody steps in front of you just as Fredrico goes around looking. [00:59:22] Speaker D: Oh, I knew he was going to be here. [00:59:25] Speaker A: Why did I come? [00:59:28] Speaker C: What's everybody else doing? [00:59:34] Speaker A: Um, I'm gonna pull aside my cousin. [00:59:38] Speaker C: Yes. [00:59:39] Speaker A: Okay, JB. [00:59:41] Speaker E: Yeah. [00:59:42] Speaker A: Um, and anyone else listening will notice that the. The pseudo southern Creole drawl is nowhere to be found. Um, listen, it helps sell readings. [00:59:57] Speaker E: Yeah, that sounds horrible. [00:59:59] Speaker A: First of all, rude. Second of all, rude. Listen, honest hate you. There was this guy that came in this morning, and I will explain. The german weirdo who showed up. I know, I know, I know. [01:00:26] Speaker C: Like you gave him. [01:00:29] Speaker E: Did you tell him where you were? [01:00:31] Speaker A: I told him to meet me down the block. [01:00:34] Speaker E: Why would you tell him to meet you down the block? [01:00:36] Speaker A: Because I felt bad. [01:00:40] Speaker C: Man. [01:00:40] Speaker A: His face was all kind of fucked up. [01:00:43] Speaker E: Yeah, and we let those people work it out. They gonna work it out. They gonna be all right, man. [01:00:49] Speaker A: JB. [01:00:50] Speaker C: JB. [01:00:50] Speaker A: He's a vetted. [01:00:55] Speaker E: We got a lot of vets around here that we got to take care of. [01:01:00] Speaker B: I know. [01:01:01] Speaker E: We got to make sure that we're good before we can help everybody else. [01:01:07] Speaker C: I know. I just. [01:01:09] Speaker A: It didn't sit right just telling them to buzz off. [01:01:15] Speaker E: Yeah, that's. That's real. [01:01:18] Speaker B: Um. [01:01:21] Speaker E: I I just. [01:01:22] Speaker A: I'm not sure is the thing. And, like, I didn't want him to just, like, show up and, like, not have told anybody what was going on. So, like, I don't know if you want to let some of the other fellas know that we might be expecting a visitor. [01:01:37] Speaker E: Ooh. Okay. [01:01:39] Speaker B: Um. [01:01:42] Speaker E: So I'm. I'll let other people know. Uh, you owe me. Cause I'm going to do my best not to utilize your name. [01:01:55] Speaker A: I mean, at this point, we're basically breaking even. Cause the last time you ended up. Wow. [01:02:02] Speaker C: Wow. [01:02:03] Speaker A: Yeah, no, no, you remember. You remember. You remember that party at Margo's? Yeah. [01:02:09] Speaker E: Wow. [01:02:10] Speaker A: Don't give me that fucking look. [01:02:12] Speaker E: I'm not the one who told somebody that one's supposed to be at the party about the party. [01:02:17] Speaker C: Can I have the both of you make me a spot hidden real quick? [01:02:22] Speaker A: Do a what now? [01:02:23] Speaker C: A spot hidden. [01:02:28] Speaker D: Keeper. [01:02:29] Speaker A: What is that? [01:02:30] Speaker C: It is a skill. It is directly underneath sleight of hand. Okay. All right. [01:02:39] Speaker A: Cause we both biffed that. [01:02:41] Speaker E: Wow. Wow. Really? You just gonna. In here? In here? [01:02:45] Speaker A: Yeah, absolutely. Because you earned it. [01:02:52] Speaker C: Lucky me. [01:02:52] Speaker E: Family. Okay? [01:02:55] Speaker A: Yeah, I regret it every day. [01:02:58] Speaker E: Wow. Wow. I have not even said anything horrible about your shop today. But I will tell people. Maybe I'll tell Dwayne. [01:03:15] Speaker A: No. Tell. Yeah, well, and then, you know, maybe Dwayne can play, like, security, and then, like, he'll be at the party, but he won't actually, like, be at the party. [01:03:22] Speaker E: Oh, he. [01:03:23] Speaker A: Maybe he'll feel. Huh. [01:03:25] Speaker E: He may like that. [01:03:26] Speaker A: Yeah, I know. Exactly. Did you see him walking in here? It was like somebody had given him, like, the, like, hangman's orders. I don't know. I've never seen a man more unhappy with the idea of going to a party. [01:03:38] Speaker E: You think his mom made him come? [01:03:42] Speaker A: Probably, yeah. Okay. No, everything makes sense now. [01:03:51] Speaker E: Cause I heard she was going around after I got out of practice. I heard, like, that his mom was just going around places. [01:03:58] Speaker A: I. Yeah, no, last. I. Like. Well, the last girl that she tried to set him up with. [01:04:07] Speaker E: Oh. [01:04:08] Speaker A: Mm mm, mm mm. I think she started. She's starting to get antsy. [01:04:14] Speaker E: That. That makes sense. Okay. Okay. So I'm gonna tell people, and I will not use your name. [01:04:23] Speaker A: All of you drink. [01:04:25] Speaker E: Oh, great long. You don't use the accent and I will walk away. [01:04:31] Speaker C: It's at this point that you all hear, just go give my voice a break from this amazing story to remind you folks. And there is a glass jar with a few dollars in coins in there. A little bit goes a long way. That's the point in this, right? We have a good time. That's how we make sure the good time happens. So please feel free to tip your host. Now, back to my story. I was in the trenches in the german gunfire all the way around, eating up the land. Just each shot sounded like an earthquake. And I'm running in the middle of it, right? Any. Any wrong move could be the end of me. But I'm like, I've got a represent for Harlem. I got a represent for my people. And so I just ran up there, right? Right, man. And you see, you see that he's pointing to his friend, who's sitting quiet and just kind of nodding like, yeah, like, if I ran through that gunfire, I ran to the enemy trenches. Like one v twelve. No lie. And I. It was just me, them. I don't want to get into the specifics of what happened, because I want y'all to be able to sleep at night. But just know that I put it down for us. I represented Harlem on the other side of the world, and that's why they never gonna forget us. And you just hear if you. Yeah. Um, would y'all like to listen. Listen in on his story? You want to check in on him? Want to do anything else in the party? What's good? [01:06:19] Speaker D: I'm looking for my brother. I was hoping he was gonna be here. [01:06:24] Speaker C: Go ahead and make me, ace. Nope, that's not it. Um. I'm gonna say spot hitting. Yeah. [01:06:34] Speaker D: All right. [01:06:36] Speaker C: Nope, canta. Can't really see him, you know? You know that he's a bit of a party animal, though. And, like, he always gets into trouble. So wherever he is, he's getting into some major trouble. But what is your brother's name again? [01:06:53] Speaker D: Raymond. [01:06:54] Speaker C: Raymond Rain man. [01:06:58] Speaker D: Also known as my raydhennae. [01:07:00] Speaker C: Also. Did you. Were you just looking for them from your spot or were you moving around? [01:07:06] Speaker D: No, just my spot. I like my spot on the wall. I have a drink. I am content. [01:07:12] Speaker C: Okay. And so you like from your spot on the wall? You see, people really invested in this story. Go ahead and make me a listening check. [01:07:23] Speaker D: Sure. Pretty good at that. Can I find it? Right? [01:07:33] Speaker A: Wow. [01:07:37] Speaker D: That'S like my best skill how did I fail that? [01:07:41] Speaker C: You roll. Your skill is an 80, so you just have to roll under 80, and you roll the 94. That's not funny. [01:07:47] Speaker D: Messed up. [01:07:50] Speaker C: But you didn't hear. You didn't hear what you could have heard. But you do hear a random rumor. A rumor. And you just hear somebody go, I can't believe Ted showed up to another one of these parties knowing good and God dang well, he ain't gonna contribute nothing. He'll never put anything in the jar. And look at the jar, and I. [01:08:15] Speaker D: And I pat my pockets, and I. I'm gonna go over there and drop, like, a dollar in there. [01:08:27] Speaker C: Uh, as you do that, uh, person tell the story. Go, uh, he's just. He's like, uh. And we have to jump out of the airport. Hey, thank you very much for contributing. See, this is what we need more. [01:08:41] Speaker D: It is. [01:08:42] Speaker C: And left of y'all just sitting around. That's how we make these parties go. [01:08:47] Speaker D: Oh, okay, okay, okay. All right. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Good story. Okay, I go back to the wall. [01:08:57] Speaker C: And at the wall this time, you see the host, who's kind of slipped into your spot. Celestine, do you still go over there? [01:09:07] Speaker D: Yeah, I go over there. I wanted to see. [01:09:11] Speaker C: She just looks over. Groovy. Hey, thanks for coming through. Hi. [01:09:15] Speaker D: Hi. How you been? [01:09:19] Speaker C: I've been just. Yeah, yeah. I hope you like. I hope you're having fun at the parties. [01:09:25] Speaker D: Um, yeah. Um, the drinks are good, and I'm sure the music will be good as soon as it starts. [01:09:34] Speaker C: You know. You know, you're not very convincing. Something wrong? [01:09:37] Speaker D: Well, yeah. My dad says I should be more honest. [01:09:44] Speaker C: Your dad's good people. [01:09:45] Speaker D: Yeah. Yeah. Have you seen Ray around? [01:09:50] Speaker C: I think I saw him upstairs. [01:09:53] Speaker D: Oh, really? [01:09:54] Speaker C: Yeah. [01:09:55] Speaker D: Okay, cool. If it's all right, I'm gonna go. I'm gonna go check on him and just make sure he's good. And then if you see, uh, Frederico around here. Um, you didn't see me. [01:10:09] Speaker C: Okay, I'll tell them you left. [01:10:11] Speaker D: All right, cool. Thank you. [01:10:12] Speaker C: I'll be careful up there. They're. They're setting up the bar, and people are getting rowdy. [01:10:17] Speaker D: Uh, okay, well, you know, most people don't tend to notice me anyway. [01:10:21] Speaker E: No. [01:10:22] Speaker C: Head up. You don't want them to. She just watches you go up there. [01:10:26] Speaker D: Tip my hat. [01:10:30] Speaker C: All right. Dwayne, you come out freshly changed. [01:10:35] Speaker B: Yep. [01:10:36] Speaker C: What's. What's good? You see these two vets spouting a war story as the band is still struggling to get there to get everything set up. What are you doing? [01:10:49] Speaker B: I think it's just the drummer that's having problems, right? Yeah, I guess I'll go help the drummer fix his drum set. Cause I just feel bad for the guy. Like, he's, like, fumbling with tools and shit. I'm like, ah, that's. Come on, man. It just hurts muscle. [01:11:07] Speaker C: You know what I'll say? This is a mechanical repair check. [01:11:10] Speaker B: Sure. That's the thing I'm good at. There we go. [01:11:15] Speaker C: Get an extreme success. Get the shit done. [01:11:21] Speaker B: People want a party guy. Here's the party. There you go. [01:11:27] Speaker D: I love that he came out to, like, have a good time, and he's just working again. [01:11:35] Speaker B: I was told to go to a party, not to party. There's the sentence the English used is the English I have done. [01:11:43] Speaker C: All right, so you got an extreme success. So please color this scene. How did you come out freshly dressed? Please tell us what you look like and how you, like, masterfully put this jump set together. [01:11:56] Speaker B: I feel like this is, like I'm wearing my. My dad, like, the last suit my dad wore. And it's nice. Pristine. It's as pristine as one can be as one wears for special occasions. So not. Not really worn nice. Just not a suit suit, but, like, very close to it of just, like, a proper gentleman's suit. And I. He, like, comes out, looks all fresh and clean, like he has a tie on, and, like, as soon as soon he gets out, does this, pulls it off. Pulls it off, puts it in his pocket, heads towards the drums, and he's just like, they want me to be. They want me to be a party guy, huh? They want me to be. They want me to be party, huh? And, like, by the way, he pushes the drummer. I just put the drummer out of the way, and I'm like, come on. And I just. I just like, pop, pop. [01:12:52] Speaker C: Three, four. [01:12:53] Speaker B: It's set up. Let's get this party started in tropicals. [01:12:59] Speaker C: Oh, man. That's the party. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, man. All right, all right. Let me just check. [01:13:07] Speaker A: Jesus, Bishop. [01:13:10] Speaker C: This is the most in tune my drums have ever been. And Javier looks over it. Looks like. Looks like the band. Look like. Looks like the band's ready to go. So I truly hope you all enjoyed your story. Please don't be shy. I'd love to talk to anyone and everyone, you know. Spread the love. I went over to surf all y'all, so why don't you come serve me with some drinks? Ha ha ha. Like, he's laughing. His friend is just like, oh, my God. And the band starts kicking it up and everybody is in full swing now. Everybody is starting to dance. This is like some real jump in music. [01:13:59] Speaker E: I have a question. [01:14:01] Speaker C: Yes, JB? [01:14:04] Speaker E: Do I know this bandaid? [01:14:07] Speaker C: Uh, you actually. You really. You really do. This is a band by the name of. Give me just 1 second here. I had it here. Uh, yes, the Charleston Kings. [01:14:23] Speaker E: Okay. [01:14:24] Speaker C: And it is hopping. [01:14:27] Speaker E: Um, I'm the horn player. [01:14:31] Speaker C: Who. Give me a. What would this be? I'm gonna say give me a not spot. Hidden. What's your music skill? [01:14:54] Speaker E: I have in my instrument, I have points and then I also have points. And listen. [01:15:00] Speaker C: Give me a listing. Check. Yep, that's the one. Good call. Glad I thought of it. Oh, kid. [01:15:07] Speaker E: Regular success. [01:15:13] Speaker C: He doesn't hit wrong notes often, but each time he does, you hear it. You also, just because you've got the musician's ear, you are very familiar with band talk, which is where, you know, musicians communicate with each other via just looks. This is a seven piece band, first off. And you are noticing that they have to keep reining him in. He keeps wanting to go harder than he's supposed to, and that is creating a little bit of tension. I'm also going to. [01:15:54] Speaker E: That's not the sample. [01:15:57] Speaker C: I'm also gonna say, romy, a spot hidden. [01:16:03] Speaker E: Okay. No, that's not. [01:16:11] Speaker C: It is not a success, unfortunately. But yeah, people are hop, like hopping and dancing. You could probably go toe to toe with this horde player. [01:16:28] Speaker E: I promised my cousin I was going to tell some people so that if dude shows up, we got back up. I'm going to do that first. But I look at him. [01:16:46] Speaker C: Wait, what do you do? [01:16:48] Speaker E: I. You. [01:16:52] Speaker C: Are you challenging the trumpet player? [01:16:55] Speaker E: Not now. [01:16:56] Speaker C: Okay. [01:16:57] Speaker E: There is a possibility that that may happen later. [01:17:01] Speaker C: Okay. [01:17:02] Speaker E: But I'm going to acquiesce to my cousin's request and let some folks know. [01:17:11] Speaker C: Okay, well, you're having a hard time getting around because everybody is dancing. They're doing the Texas Tommy and just getting it on the floor. So as they see you kind of walk through the dance floor, you got a couple of people like, hey, hey. Like trying to get you to dance. What do you do? [01:17:33] Speaker E: Oh, oh, it's me, man. I can't not dance. So I will add the very, like, I'll do like a little something like, hey. [01:17:47] Speaker C: Okay. [01:17:48] Speaker E: And then I'm trying to make my way through. [01:17:52] Speaker C: I'm gonna ask for either a charm roll or a Dex role. [01:17:58] Speaker E: I will go for charm. [01:18:01] Speaker C: Okay. [01:18:09] Speaker E: Wow. Wow. Um, nope. No, that's. Wow. That's I have 70 in this and I rolled in 99, which is probably the worst you almost the worst you could possibly roll. [01:18:25] Speaker C: Yeah. [01:18:26] Speaker E: Incredible. Incredible. [01:18:29] Speaker C: So you start dancing, and the minute you start dancing, the horn player changes the tempo. [01:18:37] Speaker E: No, this is the worst thing. [01:18:41] Speaker C: So it looks like you are all out of rhythm. And you look over to the horror player and he's just giving you what up. [01:18:57] Speaker E: Okay, okay. [01:19:01] Speaker C: And like, the people around you are like, hey, you did that. You can, you can, you can go. [01:19:12] Speaker E: I know all y'all. I know all. [01:19:19] Speaker C: I just walk off. [01:19:20] Speaker E: I just want who's the closest person to me that I could talk to because I'm upset now. I'm upset. I have stormed off with somebody, somebody standing around. [01:19:36] Speaker C: Dwayne would be the closest because he was also next to the band. Dwayne, you see this as they're kind of like making a path for him to go. [01:19:51] Speaker B: I think I'm just like. Because I'm right next to it. So I'm hearing the rhythm, the closest. And like, I, like, I turn and see the mismatched rhythm. I'm like. [01:20:07] Speaker E: Don'T you, don't you laugh. [01:20:10] Speaker B: I'm not laughing at you. [01:20:11] Speaker E: I'm just, wow. [01:20:12] Speaker C: You go let him show you up like that. [01:20:14] Speaker E: No, no, I'm not. No, I'm not. I'm gonna fight him. I'm gonna fight. [01:20:17] Speaker B: Don't, don't fight him. [01:20:18] Speaker E: I'm gonna fight him. [01:20:19] Speaker B: Don't fight him. [01:20:21] Speaker E: I'm gonna take a spot. [01:20:25] Speaker B: Take me. I mean, then I'm gonna fight, I guess. I mean, do what you gotta do, man. Don't fight him, cuz then I'm have to back you up and, and I'm not gonna hear it if I mess up this suit. [01:20:44] Speaker E: Whose suit is that? That your suit? [01:20:46] Speaker B: It's my dad's. [01:20:48] Speaker E: Let's get on you. [01:20:49] Speaker B: Thanks. Don't make me fuck it up getting your back. Just steal his spot, okay? Cause I know you can. [01:21:00] Speaker E: Thanks, man. I'm glad you were here, brother. [01:21:02] Speaker B: Yeah, man. [01:21:03] Speaker E: Oh, um, I was looking for you. [01:21:08] Speaker B: Mm hmm. [01:21:10] Speaker E: So I heard that somebody had told the whereabouts of this establishment. [01:21:26] Speaker B: Mm hmm. [01:21:27] Speaker E: And this some, uh, get together, right. To someone. [01:21:34] Speaker B: Mm hmm. [01:21:38] Speaker E: How do I say this? Who is not of the neighborhood. [01:21:52] Speaker B: Uh huh. [01:21:54] Speaker E: Okay. Somebody told. Somebody told the crack of the gun. Where'd it go? Somebody told. Somebody told. [01:21:59] Speaker B: Is it somebody you know? [01:22:03] Speaker E: I just said somebody. Okay. And I needed to make sure that you was aware. [01:22:10] Speaker B: Uh huh. [01:22:10] Speaker E: Uh, just in case. I know. And I know you have my back. [01:22:17] Speaker B: Yes. [01:22:18] Speaker E: So that we can go make sure, just in case something happens, that you are aware and you could come help me. [01:22:26] Speaker B: I have you back in emergencies. Is this an emergency? [01:22:29] Speaker C: I don't know. [01:22:32] Speaker E: See, I was told. [01:22:33] Speaker B: Uh huh. By this mysterious person. [01:22:37] Speaker E: Exactly, um, that this honky was gonna possibly be around, and I don't. I don't know. I never met him. I was just told about this, and we would need to. [01:22:52] Speaker B: Well, could I get more details about this honky cracker from the person who told you about it? If you could point me to them, that'd be cool. So that could get more details. [01:23:04] Speaker C: I don't. [01:23:04] Speaker B: I don't want to go into helping you without knowing all the details. Right. This is just to help everybody, right? [01:23:13] Speaker E: Yep. [01:23:14] Speaker B: So help me. [01:23:16] Speaker E: Mm hmm. [01:23:17] Speaker B: Help the party. Oh, who told you about the white man that's coming to our party? [01:23:23] Speaker E: See, I was not supposed to say that part. [01:23:27] Speaker B: Right. Good. Don't. [01:23:28] Speaker C: Here. [01:23:29] Speaker B: You don't have to say it. [01:23:30] Speaker C: Just point. Just really quickly, can I have you both roll a spot hidden? Sure. Uh, Dwayne, you immediately see Frederico kind of looking over, listening, and also you see the two vets that were telling the story walking towards the exit of. With no coats on, and, you know, it's freezing out there. [01:24:16] Speaker B: Right? You can tell me that it was Addie later. [01:24:23] Speaker E: I'm a. I never said that. I never said that. [01:24:27] Speaker B: Didn't have to say that. Didn't have to say that. I'm just gonna go check on those guys real quick. [01:24:33] Speaker E: What's going on? [01:24:35] Speaker B: They're about to go outside. [01:24:37] Speaker E: Okay. [01:24:38] Speaker B: Naked, basically. So we're gonna try to wait. [01:24:40] Speaker E: It's cold out. [01:24:42] Speaker B: Very cold. Frigid, even. I'm gonna check up on them. You stay that guy, spot. I won't tell. Added that you told me. We'll figure it all out. So good. [01:24:54] Speaker E: Okay. [01:24:55] Speaker C: All right. [01:24:55] Speaker B: I'm just gonna follow the soldiers and just. I'm not gonna. I'm not even gonna make it like a hidden. I'm walking. Excuse me. Excuse. No dancing. No. [01:25:06] Speaker C: They're like. They're almost. They're outside by the time you make it towards the door. At this point, I need everybody to make me a spot hidden and a listen. [01:25:19] Speaker B: Ease this. [01:25:21] Speaker E: Okay. [01:25:24] Speaker B: Spot hidden. [01:25:28] Speaker C: Listen. Okay, so I'm gonna start with the best successes first. So let's see here. Dwayne, you got an extreme success on the spot hidden. [01:25:47] Speaker B: Cool. [01:25:48] Speaker C: What you pick up from that is that you notice that they're not moving, right? You saw them before when they were telling the story, they were lively. Now they're walking almost mechanically, like, very uncharacteristically, almost like they're in a daze as they go outside. And as you, you're the closest to them as they open the door. That's that. As that gust of cold winter wind comes in, somebody instinctually in the party goes, hey, close the door. Because that wind just like, slaps. And they walk out unfazed by it. Now, uh, I'm going to see. Oh, my goodness. Gotta. Alright, so, Ruby, you make the listen. Check. And so do you, JB. And when the door opens for a moment, it sounds like there's music coming from outside. Inside it's hopping jazz, and everybody's dancing outside. There's just the faint sound of pipes, haunting pipes. And as your ear stops, starts to lock in on it, the door closes in, the sound of jazz drowns it out. Huh. Um. Even you. You all see Dwayne heading towards the door. You didn't see the soldiers walking out, but you do see Duane. What would you all like to do? [01:27:52] Speaker B: I think I'm just heading straight for the door to go outside, because I imagine with just seeing them walk listlessly and, like, mechanically, I feel like I get, like, a really bad sense of something bad's gonna happen. I don't hear the extra music, but I don't think I need to to see that something's happening to these, to these usually composed soldiers. And so I think I'm just heading straight out the door. Anytime someone offers me to party, just like doing that, like Dave Chappelle, push out the face, just out the face way. And then, and then with, like, determination on my face, I, like, head towards the door. [01:28:40] Speaker C: All right? [01:28:40] Speaker A: Uh huh. I think if. I mean, we all know that Dwayne doesn't want to be here, but, like, there's a difference between Dwayne don't want to be here and something's wrong. Dwayne is unhappy. And I feel like given that we've all spent a fair amount of time together, we'd probably be able to tell the difference. Yeah. [01:29:01] Speaker C: Mm hmm. [01:29:02] Speaker A: Yeah. So if, um. If I see that and if JB is nearby, I'll do the, like, smack, smack point. Let's go. [01:29:16] Speaker E: You hear that? That might sound right. [01:29:20] Speaker A: No. What? Something's. Something's wrong. We gotta go after Dwayne. [01:29:28] Speaker D: I believe I'm coming down the stairs after. I'm assuming I didn't find my brother up there. [01:29:38] Speaker C: You do see your brother. He is behind the bar bartending. [01:29:46] Speaker D: That's probably good. That'll keep him out of trouble, maybe. Okay, well, let's get to do the. [01:29:54] Speaker C: Throw behind the back. [01:29:55] Speaker D: Oh, God. [01:29:58] Speaker C: And you watch as the bottle craters to the floor and everybody goes, what the fuck does this history. Prohibition. [01:30:14] Speaker D: Yeah, I. You know, it just kind of feels like I shouldn't be here right now and I should be far away from here, so I'm going to. [01:30:22] Speaker C: Yeah. [01:30:23] Speaker D: I'm climbing back down the stairs, I think, as the door is, like, in the process of closing, but I hear that whiff of pipes. And as I stand there at the top of the stairs, kind of like, oh, that's weird. I. I track Dwayne and then Addie and JB following, and then I am nosy, so I'm going to follow. [01:30:54] Speaker C: All right, so as you all group up together outside to kind of see what's going on, the snow is falling fast, and now the two soldiers are some distance away. [01:31:08] Speaker E: Can I say one thing? [01:31:09] Speaker C: Absolutely. [01:31:11] Speaker E: We walk out the door or out the front door before we get to the front. Front door. [01:31:15] Speaker C: Mm hmm. I grabbed my coat that it's cold. [01:31:20] Speaker E: I go to Addie. Hold on 1 second. [01:31:23] Speaker C: Do you all grab your coats? Because I was actually gonna hold that against you, cuz. Nobody. [01:31:29] Speaker D: It's cold out there. Are you kidding me? [01:31:31] Speaker A: Not even. [01:31:32] Speaker E: But before I grab. Wow. And I peek my head back inside. Hey, yo, trouble, player. I'm coming for you. And then I leave JB. [01:31:44] Speaker A: What? [01:31:44] Speaker E: He sucks. [01:31:46] Speaker A: Shoving him out the door. [01:31:47] Speaker B: Get his ass. Get his ass right now. [01:31:50] Speaker A: Move your ass, boy. [01:31:53] Speaker C: So as you're all together out here again, the snow is falling fast. It is rigid. And the two hellfighters, two soldiers are some distance away now, almost 20ft ahead. And then suddenly they stop moving and something appears in front of them that seems to have caused them to stop moving. The classical sounding pipe music suddenly spikes in volume and drowns out of the sound of the party behind. Would anyone like to do anything? [01:32:35] Speaker A: Uh, it's the keeper. What are their names again? [01:32:41] Speaker C: Nobody asked. I will, I will. [01:32:44] Speaker D: Let was one Javier. [01:32:47] Speaker C: One is in fact Javier. [01:32:49] Speaker D: I don't know the other ones. [01:32:51] Speaker C: Uh, I'll let you roll a. No, let's say intelligence, just to see, because you're all from the neighborhood, so there's a chance he, like you picked up on it. Oh, my God. Oh, my God. [01:33:10] Speaker B: There's a failure. There it is. There's the failure, and it's Dwayne. [01:33:13] Speaker A: Because Dwayne doesn't go out at all. [01:33:15] Speaker B: I don't go out. I don't care. [01:33:18] Speaker C: So just know anybody? We had an extreme success. A critical success and a hard success. [01:33:23] Speaker B: At least it wasn't a critical failure. I'll take that. [01:33:26] Speaker C: So take it. So, let me give you what you get with that. So you know that this is. One of them is Javier Jordan. He's a 27 year old dock worker. [01:33:40] Speaker D: That's a shame. [01:33:41] Speaker B: That's a damn shame. That's a damn shame. You should know your colleagues. There's so many cogs at machine. [01:33:50] Speaker C: You know that, uh, Javier is actually Celestine's brother. You know that he's also a veteran. Uh, and I'll be obviously from the story, and you know that his friend is James Smithson. Uh, and he is. Or he was a middleweight boxer of some note. But ever since the war, he hasn't taken another bout, and nobody has really asked him why. He just. He just. He's quieter now. Um, but those are the two that are in front of you, and they stop moving in. Something ahead of them seems to appear. Um, is there anything else you'd like to do? [01:34:41] Speaker A: I'm gonna approach. Yeah, you can approach. [01:34:44] Speaker B: Just approach. [01:34:46] Speaker A: No, I'm gonna start walking forward and be like, hey. Hey, Javi, James. The fuck, y'all cauldron witch's tit out here. Get inside. [01:34:55] Speaker C: Roll me another spot hidden. [01:34:58] Speaker A: Hey, this is gonna go poorly. [01:35:05] Speaker E: Or it won't. [01:35:07] Speaker C: The closer you get, the closer you see what's appearing ahead. And it's the strangest thing. It looks like soldiers, and as you like, you're like, what the hell is that? They appear to be lifting something heavy in your direction and in the direction of Javier. Javier and James. [01:35:45] Speaker A: And Javi and James are not responding. [01:35:49] Speaker C: They're just standing there. [01:35:52] Speaker A: I'm going to keep walking forward. [01:35:55] Speaker C: Okay. [01:35:56] Speaker B: I'm gonna be, like, right next to them. And do I see what they're, like, holding up? Or is it like, what are the. These? [01:36:06] Speaker C: Oh, well, why the. [01:36:08] Speaker B: Roll a spot hidden, or I will. [01:36:11] Speaker C: Actually give you a chance to roll a spot hidden, but it's gonna be a hard spot hidden now. So on your roll options. On the top of your character sheet, click hard. [01:36:23] Speaker B: Gotcha. [01:36:24] Speaker C: And then roll your spot hidden. [01:36:25] Speaker B: Oh, lord. Hard. Success. Oh. [01:36:31] Speaker C: You see that? They are lifting machine guns. And more than that, they appear to be shuffling more than they're walking. These are bad. They're badly injured and suffering from frostbite. Their faces are ripped and torn. And now all of you are going to need to make a hard dodge roll. [01:36:59] Speaker D: Oh, boy. [01:37:00] Speaker B: Jesus. [01:37:02] Speaker C: As you just hear. [01:37:05] Speaker D: Oh, boy. [01:37:09] Speaker E: Yikes. [01:37:10] Speaker D: Oh, dear. Oh, we're going to die. [01:37:15] Speaker A: Oh, we're going to be. Yeah, we're going to die immediately. [01:37:17] Speaker D: Oh, he's going to die. Like, now. [01:37:20] Speaker C: And as, as you see, these ghostly soldiers whip out their guns and start shooting. Each of you take a hit, and you're all gonna take one d, four damage. So let's see how much you're taking. [01:37:37] Speaker B: Oh, 24. [01:37:40] Speaker A: Oh, God. [01:37:44] Speaker C: So you all take three points of damage, and that's where we're gonna take our break. [01:37:51] Speaker A: Oh, no. [01:37:55] Speaker C: Oh, boy. [01:37:56] Speaker A: Okay. All right. I don't like it here. I don't like it here. Friends, foes and fiends, we'll be back in about ten minutes because shit just popped off in Harlem. Y'all stay tuned. We're gonna see how this pans out. Welcome back, friends, fiends and foes, to Harlem unbound Hellfighters. Harlem Hellfighters, never say die. A scenario for Chris Byvey's Harlem unbound. Well, noir, back to you. [01:38:43] Speaker C: All right, well, in that case, let's get back into our story. So when we last left off, you all encountered ghostly soldiers, and they did fire upon you. And the Harlem hellfighters. Unfortunately, all of you failed your dodge roll and have taken some damage. Uh, you're able to see that the Harlem hellfighters are able to kind of shake out of it. Well, uh, one duck behind a car, the other duck behind apartment complex. Uh, and the shooting continues. Um, I am going to give you all a chance to duck and hide somewhere. Um, so let's go ahead and give you. Well, you tell me, what would you like to do in this moment? You have been hit. You hear the firing. What would you like to do? [01:39:51] Speaker D: No, go ahead. Go ahead. [01:39:54] Speaker B: I think just getting as low as possible and ducking behind a car. Stealthing behind a car or just like, just like, getting. Getting hit with whatever I got hit with and, like, falling back and then rolling with it. It just, like, rolling with the pain to head towards the car that I hide behind, taking anybody I can with me. [01:40:19] Speaker C: Okay, so if you're. If you're going to get into cover for yourself, that's just a dexterity. [01:40:29] Speaker B: Cool. [01:40:30] Speaker C: If you're trying to help someone, that's going to be a hard dexterity role. [01:40:38] Speaker B: Can I argue pushing them out of the way, be a strength that would. [01:40:45] Speaker C: Involve you pushing them and staying where you are. Whereas dexterity is kind of, come on, let's go. And you're going with, like, shove and just be like a fear. [01:40:57] Speaker B: Just hit him with Lego. Just. [01:41:02] Speaker C: I'll say this. I'll give you that, however, if you fail, the person you spear is going to take damage. [01:41:10] Speaker B: Is it still a hard check? [01:41:14] Speaker C: No. [01:41:14] Speaker B: I'll take it then. [01:41:16] Speaker C: All right. Who are you targeting? [01:41:20] Speaker B: I think since I was next to Addie. [01:41:23] Speaker C: Oh, Lord. [01:41:24] Speaker D: Here we go. [01:41:24] Speaker B: Here we go. That's. God. [01:41:28] Speaker C: Kill me how it would kill you. It's gonna be great. [01:41:31] Speaker B: Oh, unless. Unless you don't want me to. Then I will fuck it. [01:41:39] Speaker A: We ball. [01:41:39] Speaker B: We fucking ball. Yeah, we ball. [01:41:44] Speaker C: Here we go. Let's see here. [01:41:52] Speaker B: I'm, like, genuinely. [01:41:53] Speaker C: That's a hard success. You both get to cover, and you notice that more of the shots are aiming at you now, which is going to give everyone else an easier time escaping, because not only did you take somebody with you, but you drew their fire. Look at you go. So what would the rest of you like to do? [01:42:28] Speaker D: I scream and drop to the ground because that's terrifying. My thought, thought train of thought just derailed. Oh, I don't think. I don't think I realized at first I've been hit. So I like, like, I'm scrambling on my hands and knees and I will launch myself towards, like, a dumpster and I will hide behind it. [01:42:56] Speaker C: Okay, go ahead, Romy. A dexterity. [01:43:01] Speaker D: Is it. Is it a regular dexterity? [01:43:03] Speaker C: It is, in fact, a regular dexterity. Yay. [01:43:08] Speaker D: Oh, my God. [01:43:09] Speaker C: An extreme success. I'm going to say that you're able to take someone with you if you would like. [01:43:18] Speaker D: Okay, sure. [01:43:23] Speaker C: Well, actually, with your extreme success, here's the choice that I will give you. Okay. You could run for cover closer to the party, or you can run for cover closer to the gunfire, but take somebody to safety. So you can save somebody, but you're closer to the action. Or you can save yourself and you're closer to the party. [01:43:48] Speaker D: I don't know, you guys. I'm gonna go to the party. [01:43:53] Speaker C: Sorry. That's fair. JB, it's on you. What would you like to do? [01:44:03] Speaker E: Seeing that my cousin is safe, because I was going to attempt to push her into safety as well. I would like to. I sort of look down and go and just try to duck into any type of COVID I could find and hopefully escape this gunfire. [01:44:26] Speaker C: Okay, go ahead and roam me a dexterity. Just regular, regular. All right. And with that, you slide under a few stray bullets. You make it with your back against the car and the fight. You like, the firing gets non stop. Like, if you have even the Vegas familiarity with weaponry, you know, they should have had to have reloaded by now. And it's still until finally the pipe, the piping music that you hear begins to get drowned out by the sounds of police sirens. And as that happens, you see the image of those soldiers that are holding these guns wave and vanished. And then a cop. A couple of cop cars pull up, and the doors open. And you see six police officers, weapons drawn, immediately yelling, get down on the ground. Down on the ground. [01:45:44] Speaker A: Already. On the ground. [01:45:47] Speaker C: Ruby, I need you to roll me. Luckily, please. [01:45:51] Speaker D: Luck. [01:45:51] Speaker C: Luck. Yep. [01:45:53] Speaker A: Oh, baby. [01:45:56] Speaker D: Well, let's see if I'm lucky. I'm not. [01:46:03] Speaker C: And with that, the cops. [01:46:04] Speaker D: What the heck, man? [01:46:06] Speaker C: The highest stats with the 94. The cops. Um. Weapons draw. Go. Everybody on the ground now. Now. You back there. They're pointing to you. Ruby. Come over here. On the ground now. [01:46:22] Speaker A: Okay, okay, okay, okay, okay. [01:46:25] Speaker D: I crawl out. [01:46:28] Speaker C: You all hear the music from the party, immediately stop. The two hellfighters are gathered in, handcuffed, and then they all come and handcuff you and put you all together. You're back against the car, your backs against the car, and they're just processing all this, not talking to you, talking amongst themselves and sorting this all out. Until eventually a very large, muscular white cop with red hair and a large red beer with a streak of silver walks over to Javier, just goes, so what's this all about? Javier goes, I what? What do you mean, sir? And he goes, what are you doing here? What's your name? My name is Javier Jordan. This is my friend, James Smithson. These are just. They just got caught up in all this. I don't know. And the cop kill, steal all of y'all, one by one, starting with you, Dwayne. What's your name? [01:48:09] Speaker B: Wayne Bishop, sir. [01:48:12] Speaker C: And you looking at each other. [01:48:17] Speaker E: Williams, sir. [01:48:21] Speaker C: What about you, Tiny? Looking at you. Ruby. [01:48:25] Speaker D: Ruby. Ruby Sampson, sir. [01:48:29] Speaker C: And you look at that. Adelaide. [01:48:33] Speaker A: Adelaide Warner, sir. [01:48:40] Speaker C: So, anybody want to tell me why y'all are shooting up the place? Javier and James look at each other for a moment. They don't say anything. Then they look at the both of y'all. [01:48:58] Speaker A: We don't know who was shooting, sir. We came out to find our friends. [01:49:06] Speaker C: And, well, Javier kept it. Yeah, yeah, yeah. They were looking for us. We saw some thieves trying to steal a car. That's. That's why we were shooting. They just came out. They. They weren't doing any shooting. They don't got nothing on them. All right, how many of, uh. How many of you are there? [01:49:36] Speaker A: You mean sitting here on the curb? [01:49:39] Speaker C: Funny. How are you? It's just. It's just us. Just us. I need everyone to roll me a either a persuade charm or fast talk. [01:50:05] Speaker D: Oh, no, we all know. Oh, no, we all going to jail. [01:50:11] Speaker A: To be fair. To be fair, I'm being a smart ass. [01:50:15] Speaker D: Oh, I am a smartass. Nevermind. I'm pretty good at persuade. [01:50:18] Speaker C: Hey. [01:50:21] Speaker A: We got somebody. Jesus. [01:50:24] Speaker E: Um, can I spend some luck points to turn that into a success? [01:50:31] Speaker C: Absolutely, you can actually. [01:50:32] Speaker A: Yeah. Can I try? [01:50:34] Speaker C: Absolutely. [01:50:35] Speaker E: I'm going to spend eleven luck points. [01:50:38] Speaker C: That hurts a lot. So you have to subtract the amount of luck from how much you miss. So if you miss by one, you would only need to sacrifice one luck point. If you miss by ten. [01:50:51] Speaker A: So I miss by nine? [01:50:55] Speaker C: Yeah, yeah. Okay. [01:50:57] Speaker E: 80 down to 69. [01:50:59] Speaker D: Okay, nice. Sorry. [01:51:02] Speaker B: No, you only missed by two, Eddie. [01:51:06] Speaker A: Oh, yeah, yeah. [01:51:08] Speaker D: I was wondering. [01:51:08] Speaker A: I'm looking at the wrong one. Shit. [01:51:17] Speaker C: Okay. [01:51:17] Speaker A: Yeah, so two, I'll take. Yeah, I'll take two. [01:51:19] Speaker C: Yeah, get your luck back. [01:51:21] Speaker B: Get your luck back. [01:51:23] Speaker C: All right. And so they leave you on the car for a bit of. It's cold, it's uncomfortable. Javier and James aren't saying anything. And then another cop car comes and you see the officer that you were all talking to, the red head looking God, and he walks over it, starts to talk to the other officers that just arrived. If you would like to try to hear what they're saying, roll me a listing check. But this is hard. [01:52:11] Speaker B: Instead, instead of that, could I be looking at our two soldier friends? Are they looking at each other talking? Are they just looking at each other? Confused? How are they looking at each other in this moment? [01:52:21] Speaker C: You can row me a psychology or that. Dang. Oh, my God. [01:52:29] Speaker B: Psychology? What are we talking about here? No way. [01:52:34] Speaker D: Oh, no. [01:52:35] Speaker C: Oh, no. [01:52:36] Speaker D: It's like I am traumatized. I've never been shot before. I do not enjoy this. [01:52:41] Speaker A: Yeah, no, we're all kind of sitting here bleeding in the cold right now. [01:52:45] Speaker D: I know. For real. [01:52:46] Speaker B: We actually have like, bullet wound bullet wounds in us or. [01:52:49] Speaker C: I'm very glad. I'm very glad that you announced. [01:52:52] Speaker A: Oh, shit. [01:52:54] Speaker C: You look at where you were shot and it hurts very badly. There is no wound. The clothing in the area which you were shot completely undisturbed. No tear, no cut, no burn, no nothing. But you touch that part of your skin and it is tender. You open up the shirt to look, and there's no redness, there's no sign of bruising, but you still feel the pain. [01:53:29] Speaker B: There's no blood. Like I live. My hand, I've just seen no blood, but feel like I've been shot. [01:53:35] Speaker C: Just like, you know, and if you would like, this is where you could attempt a mythos room. [01:53:45] Speaker D: Oh, I have no points in that. [01:53:50] Speaker B: I would need a one. [01:53:51] Speaker C: Like. [01:53:52] Speaker A: Yeah, no, hold on. [01:53:54] Speaker B: I've been shot by a mysterious force. Some devilry. This is Beelzebub in his lot. [01:54:02] Speaker D: I do think. Because here's the thing is, I think that because for a second there, I didn't realize that I had been shot. So I think that I just assume I hurt there because I hit the ground hard. [01:54:17] Speaker C: However you justify it in your mind, is. [01:54:23] Speaker D: Where even is that skill? [01:54:25] Speaker C: Uh, it's Cthulhu Mythos. Oh. Gotcha. [01:54:29] Speaker D: It's in C. Okay. [01:54:30] Speaker A: Yeah, no, there's no way I'm gonna get this anyway. [01:54:33] Speaker D: A zero. There's a zero there. [01:54:35] Speaker E: Big same. [01:54:37] Speaker C: I believe in y'all. Let's go. [01:54:39] Speaker B: Let's go. [01:54:43] Speaker C: No, no, it just. It's kind of weird. But did you see what you saw? It's. It's very. It's very confusing. You. You feel the pain, so it's like, you sure something happened, but it's very mysterious. Now, I believe we had our listen checks in. Looking at the roles here, I believe every single one of us failed. Okay, so that that happened. So you do not hear what's going on. Would anybody else like to take a look at Javier and James and see if you can pick something up? [01:55:26] Speaker A: Could I posit a psychoanalysis? [01:55:29] Speaker C: Absolutely, you can. [01:55:34] Speaker D: I guess in theory you can. I would like to, like, glance over them, but I'm not paying too much attention because I'm mostly terrified out of my mind right now. [01:55:48] Speaker C: I'm actually gonna give them a chance to listen. Okay. Um, so, after you're taking a glance at them, you see Javier looking at the cops conversation, and then he looks at you guys. Hey. [01:56:14] Speaker A: What? [01:56:15] Speaker C: Um. Hey, just do me a favor, all right? I I don't know, y'all. Um, they're about to take us. Uh, just. Just us. Um, make sure somebody's got an eye on Celestine, all right? [01:56:42] Speaker A: Yeah, no. No problem, man. [01:56:45] Speaker B: Let me tell us what the hell's going on. [01:56:47] Speaker A: Yeah, what the. What the fuck was that? [01:56:50] Speaker C: Yeah, they're having some kind of precinct argument that we're. We're not. [01:56:58] Speaker B: We're not going out about that. [01:57:02] Speaker C: What the hell was. [01:57:05] Speaker B: What hit us? [01:57:13] Speaker C: Hey, round them up. Remember what I said, y'all remember? And they. They get dragged away, but not by the first cops that arrived, but the second group, they put him in the back of the car. Um, James has been quiet the whole time. He's this massive former boxer. And you can see that there's just not an inch of violence in this man. He is just resolving himself to this. And Javier, once he gets put in the back of the car, just kind of has his. His head on the window and is just shaking. And they pull away. The red headed copy looks at all y'all and goes, all right, um, listen, we don't want y'all making no more noise tonight. We have to come back here. It's gonna be a whole lot less civil. Y'all get my meaning? All right, let's go. And they all get in their cars. They drive away. [01:58:42] Speaker A: Keeper. [01:58:43] Speaker C: Yes. [01:58:46] Speaker A: The car that javi and James were thrown into. [01:58:51] Speaker C: Mm hmm. [01:58:52] Speaker A: Any kind of identifying markers, precinct number, that kind of thing? [01:58:58] Speaker C: That is a good question. I'm going to say, give me a. Give me a. I'll give you a chance for a listen again or a spot hidden. [01:59:20] Speaker B: All of us are just. Addie. [01:59:23] Speaker C: I'll give it to you all. [01:59:28] Speaker A: For Pete's sake. I'm gonna use two more luck. [01:59:37] Speaker C: Okay, so, uh, what you hear. What you hear is, uh, as that cops rounding everybody up goes, fucking 32nd precinct. [01:59:50] Speaker A: Oh. [01:59:50] Speaker C: Every time with this weird bullshit. Took our collars. Yeah. I mean, they got the good. They got vets, too. And just driving off. [02:00:05] Speaker A: 32Nd precinct. [02:00:07] Speaker C: Mm hmm. You see one more. [02:00:14] Speaker D: I was just gonna say that ruby fully starts crying as soon as they go. [02:00:18] Speaker C: You see one more cop walking out of where the party was, and then you see a flow of people leaving. You can clearly see that they shut the party down. [02:00:35] Speaker E: Cousin. [02:00:37] Speaker A: Yeah. [02:00:38] Speaker E: You all right? [02:00:43] Speaker A: My shoulder fucking hurts. [02:00:47] Speaker E: Yeah, my side hurts. [02:00:53] Speaker C: I made y'all roll meatballs before. I was wrong. It's a cult. If you'd like, you can reroll a cult. Hey, got a whole five? [02:01:07] Speaker D: Let's find out. [02:01:08] Speaker B: Let's go, Adelaide. [02:01:09] Speaker C: Wow. [02:01:12] Speaker E: Let's spend the win this occult. [02:01:17] Speaker B: Oh, not even gonna roll. I'm not even gonna roll. I'm not gonna. [02:01:20] Speaker C: Okay, so, after aft, as things are calming down and the heart starts beating at a regular plate pace and the adrenaline is wearing off. Adelaide, you are aware of. Of the occult, of the mystic side of the world. You know that you were shot, and you look and there is no sign of you being shot on your body, but you are also aware that we are more than just our bodies. And some parts of us last forever, and those parts can be damaged, too. [02:02:09] Speaker A: Shit. I mean, keeper, that's. That's all fairy tales. It's all. I mean, I know what they tell us. [02:02:31] Speaker B: Does Adelaide. Have, like, that look of recognition? Is it, like, thinking about it? [02:02:37] Speaker A: There's. Yeah, there's the. It's irritation as I'm, like, rubbing my shoulder. And, like, circling the joint in its socket. And then confusion and then a shake of the head and, like, disbelief. [02:03:04] Speaker B: Got that look. [02:03:09] Speaker A: Yeah, I. There are some people in the world who believe that we are more than just our physical bodies. Don't give me that look, JB. The spirit, the soul, the. I don't know, whatever the fuck you want to call it. [02:03:42] Speaker C: It's. [02:03:44] Speaker A: There's more to us than just flesh and blood. It is everything that makes us us. And there is a belief that there are things that can do damage to that. And given what we saw and then what we didn't see. Nah. [02:04:19] Speaker D: What are we talking about? [02:04:24] Speaker A: Superstitious bullshit? [02:04:27] Speaker D: That stuff's not real, right? [02:04:30] Speaker C: Nope. [02:04:31] Speaker A: No. [02:04:34] Speaker B: Well, we all got shot with bullets that didn't leave any marks. [02:04:42] Speaker E: Oh, hold on. [02:04:43] Speaker B: So I'm gonna take. [02:04:45] Speaker E: Why is there no hole? [02:04:48] Speaker B: I'm gonna be the one to say it happened. It's real. We can't deny that we all got hit. [02:05:03] Speaker D: I didn't get hit. Hi. [02:05:10] Speaker A: Hi. Who are you? [02:05:13] Speaker D: I'm Ruby. Ruby Samson. [02:05:15] Speaker E: He's the new one. [02:05:17] Speaker D: I'm the new one. [02:05:19] Speaker A: The kid from San Fran, right? [02:05:21] Speaker C: Yeah. [02:05:22] Speaker D: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Raise my brother. He gets around. [02:05:31] Speaker A: Yeah, that'll do. [02:05:32] Speaker B: Yeah. [02:05:32] Speaker A: I no, say no more. Um, Adelaide, uh, this my cousin Johnny. [02:05:44] Speaker D: JB guys are cousins? Yeah. [02:05:47] Speaker E: Yeah. [02:05:47] Speaker A: Why? [02:05:48] Speaker D: Oh, I just thought. I just thought y'all were twins. They get your twins? [02:05:56] Speaker B: They get that a lot. [02:05:57] Speaker A: We don't what even look. [02:06:00] Speaker D: I mean, I don't know. [02:06:01] Speaker A: We don't even look alike. [02:06:02] Speaker E: Come on, now. [02:06:05] Speaker B: Could have fooled a lot of people. [02:06:07] Speaker A: And that's Dwayne Bishop. [02:06:12] Speaker D: Yeah, I know. I know Dwayne. I think everybody knows Dwayne. [02:06:15] Speaker A: Everybody knows Dwayne. Yeah, we all know Dwayne. [02:06:18] Speaker B: We all know something happened that shouldn't have happened. But it did. [02:06:25] Speaker D: I mean, I don't know about the bullets, but we all saw them disappear, right? Like, in the thin air kind of disappear. [02:06:35] Speaker A: I mean. Keeper. Is it still snowing? Has it been snowing this whole time? [02:06:40] Speaker C: It is. It's been snowing this whole time. And you're still seeing a flood of people leaving. You hear somebody going, come on. Help me out just a little bit. You see the drummer still inside trying to. And the rest of the band just leaving. And the trumpet player just kinda eyeing Johnny the whole time. [02:07:05] Speaker E: I make a move, but my side hurts. Cause I was with a bullet. [02:07:09] Speaker A: I grabbed him by the collar. [02:07:12] Speaker E: I wasn't gonna. [02:07:13] Speaker A: Boy. Boy, the cops literally just fucking left. Do you really want to end this night in lockup? That's what I thought. [02:07:36] Speaker E: Wayne. I know. I know I said that I wasn't gonna fight him. I'm not gonna fight him today when I fight him. Just gonna let you know. I'm gonna let you know when I'm gonna fight him, so. [02:07:46] Speaker B: Okay, well, I want you to. I want you to know I will be at work. [02:07:53] Speaker A: He's always at work. I just did. So let me just. The thing that we saw that we also didn't see, what. What is it that you guys thought you saw? [02:08:10] Speaker D: Well, it's not so much what we saw. I mean, kind of, but mostly just we. We heard some weird. [02:08:18] Speaker A: Or. [02:08:18] Speaker D: I heard some weird music. [02:08:20] Speaker E: You heard it, too? [02:08:21] Speaker D: Yeah. Yeah, it was like some kind of pipes or something, and I just kind of followed y'all out. Um, and I wasn't really sure, you know, what exactly we were doing, but I just. I just. Sometimes I just kind of go with the crowd, you know, because I don't really know what I'm doing, but. Yeah, no, the weird pipes, the weird. The weird. The weird music. And then, uh. And then there were a bunch of soldiers, and. And I didn't really see anything else after that, but I heard the shots, and then I hit the ground, and I hid behind the dumpster. And when I looked again, they were. They were firing, but when. When the sirens came, they just kind of, like. Like, dispersed, like in mist or something. [02:09:13] Speaker A: Keep her. The music. Like, when Ruby describes the music and JB says he heard it, too. Does that sound like any more of that woo woo bullshit? [02:09:28] Speaker C: This would be a hot. Mmm. This. This would be an extreme occult role. Oof. I mean, we're talking skipping chapters here. You could do it. [02:09:45] Speaker B: Fucking skip a chapter a little bit. [02:09:48] Speaker A: Oh, God. [02:09:49] Speaker C: Unfortunately not. No. [02:09:52] Speaker B: Yeah. [02:09:55] Speaker C: Damn. [02:09:56] Speaker A: Jesus. Nope. Uh uh. [02:09:58] Speaker B: Head gives away um. I mean, they. Those. Whatever those things were, they didn't look alive. And, I mean, those boys were moving like they weren't alive either. They were moving kind of mechanically, as if something was pulling them, making them move. [02:10:22] Speaker D: Like some pied piper stuff. [02:10:25] Speaker C: That's. [02:10:26] Speaker B: I mean, if we put two and two together. [02:10:32] Speaker D: Can we talk about this somewhere warmer? [02:10:36] Speaker C: It's at that point you see your. Your brother coming out, and when you last saw he was getting wrecked. [02:10:49] Speaker D: But this is things, too. [02:10:51] Speaker C: Very much so. But this is the more serious soldier version of your brother. And, uh. Ruby. Ruby, uh. Uh, hey, y'all, um, I'm gonna. I'm gonna stay with Celeste and Ralph. [02:11:14] Speaker D: Yeah, okay. That's. That's totally fine. [02:11:18] Speaker C: You okay? [02:11:19] Speaker B: Um. [02:11:20] Speaker D: Uh, can you ask me that in the morning? [02:11:26] Speaker C: All right? Just get home safe. Okay? [02:11:29] Speaker D: Okay. Okay. Um, I'll tell dad you're staying with them. [02:11:34] Speaker A: Uh, Ray? [02:11:36] Speaker C: Yeah. [02:11:37] Speaker A: Um, Javi and James. Um, I'll. I'll tell them that, which precinct they ended up and ended up at. [02:11:47] Speaker C: All right. Um. All right. Yeah. Well, listen, this ain't nothing. Nothing for nobody to get worried about, right? Y'all, y'all gonna die of a cold if you stay out here, though, so get home and, yeah. You'll be all right. [02:12:09] Speaker A: Yeah, well, I'll talk to my auntie. We'll see about putting around the plate for Bailey, make sure they get out of there in decent time. [02:12:22] Speaker C: Yeah, yeah, I'll, uh, I'll hit up a few other vets. We can pull some together here. Um, just. Just stay safe, right? Yeah. [02:12:35] Speaker D: Yeah, you, too. [02:12:37] Speaker C: Ruby. Ray is off. Something is off. Would you like a psychology role? Would you. Would you like to try and zero in on what's going on? [02:12:51] Speaker D: I would very much like to figure out what the heck is wrong with you. Nope. [02:12:59] Speaker C: Ooh. Um. [02:13:02] Speaker D: Ah, hell no. [02:13:05] Speaker B: They are shooketh. [02:13:07] Speaker D: Yeah, I mean, because. [02:13:09] Speaker C: Because this is family. I'll offer you a second roll of whatever you. Whatever you pick, as long as it makes sense. [02:13:18] Speaker D: Whatever I pick, as long as it makes sense. [02:13:20] Speaker C: Mm hmm. [02:13:23] Speaker D: Okay. Um. Okay, I'm going to argue for. Listen, in case he might be muttering anything under his breath as he turns away from us, okay? [02:13:42] Speaker C: Yeah. [02:13:43] Speaker D: Yay. [02:13:45] Speaker C: Go ahead and roll it. [02:13:47] Speaker D: Don't fail me. [02:13:49] Speaker C: Yeah. Let's go. All right, so with this hard success, you listen to your brother. You've known him all your life. Without a doubt. I. You zero in on. This is his brave face. This is him exuding courage for your benefit. This is a man that is terrifying. [02:14:29] Speaker D: But he didn't. He wasn't outside with us. Right? I think Ruby will stare after. I will stare after him and just, like. Just with a, like, furrowed brow, just kind of like, huh? And just kind of look up at everybody. Uh, so, um, we. We should. We should get home. [02:15:07] Speaker C: Yeah. Yeah, y'all get, uh. It's cold. It's cold. So y'all get. Y'all get on out of here. I'm gonna get back in. Uh, he goes in, and he gives you a hug. Oh, I'm. [02:15:23] Speaker D: Now I'm scared. I just kind of, like. There's, like, a there's, like a half moment where I'm, like, so surprised I don't quite hug him back. And then I'm very slowly, kind of like. Are you okay, Ray? [02:15:39] Speaker C: Yeah. Somebody's gotta do something with all the leftover hoots. [02:15:45] Speaker A: Yeah. Yeah. [02:15:48] Speaker C: All right. Get on out of here for those cops. Come on back. And he just heads off into the building. [02:15:58] Speaker A: Oh, shit. Ruby, right? [02:16:04] Speaker D: Oh, yeah. Ruby. [02:16:07] Speaker A: How. How far off you live? [02:16:10] Speaker D: Oh, just down the way. [02:16:15] Speaker A: JB, Dwayne, why don't. Why don't we all stick together? Walk her home. [02:16:19] Speaker D: Really? [02:16:22] Speaker E: Yeah, we're gonna walk you home. I'll make sure you get home safe. [02:16:27] Speaker D: Thank you. Thank you so much. Y'all are so nice. [02:16:33] Speaker A: Not really, but, uh, she's not. [02:16:36] Speaker B: You're the nicest of it all. [02:16:37] Speaker E: I am. [02:16:41] Speaker A: You're. You're part of the neighborhood. [02:16:46] Speaker D: Thanks. [02:16:46] Speaker A: Yeah. We look out for each other around here. [02:16:50] Speaker D: Yeah, I'm learning that. [02:16:53] Speaker A: Yeah. Come on. Let's go before fucking pigs. Get back here. [02:16:57] Speaker C: Oh, shit. [02:16:58] Speaker E: And I run back inside the house, grab my horn, and then come back. [02:17:02] Speaker C: God. [02:17:02] Speaker A: Fuck sake, JB. [02:17:05] Speaker C: I fail. [02:17:05] Speaker E: It's my horn. [02:17:07] Speaker B: It's his life. [02:17:08] Speaker A: I know. And that's why I don't understand why he keeps leaving it everywhere. [02:17:12] Speaker C: We were. [02:17:13] Speaker E: We were out here. I was gonna. [02:17:17] Speaker C: When you go into the house, roll me a listen. Check. Oh, no. Roll me a spot. Hidden. Check. All right. And so you walk into the house, you hear. Oh. You see nothing. But what you hear is a conversation quickly hushed as the door opens. And you see Celestine and Raydhe look over. Let's go. If you get something, man. [02:18:07] Speaker E: Yeah. Left my horn. Grab it. I'll be safe. Have a good night. [02:18:15] Speaker C: Yeah, you too. Stay warm out there. [02:18:19] Speaker E: I'll try. Nice little scene. Thanks for the party. [02:18:25] Speaker C: Yeah. And you're back out with your friends. [02:18:31] Speaker B: I think. I think while JB is gone, I'm just gonna walk up to Adelaide and just like you. All right. [02:18:42] Speaker A: Yeah. What? [02:18:44] Speaker C: I mean. [02:18:47] Speaker B: I mean, you're. You're basically the expert when it comes to this spooky stuff. I mean, even. Even if it is an act, you still know about it. [02:18:57] Speaker A: Yeah. [02:18:59] Speaker B: I also wanted to apologize for kind of tackling you that hard. [02:19:06] Speaker A: No, I. It was either that or more bullets that aren't bullets, I guess. Thanks. Sort of. I. What I need is my books. Or this is all just sort of some ridiculous collective hallucination. I don't know. Did you have any of the hooch? [02:19:41] Speaker B: You know I didn't. [02:19:43] Speaker A: Okay. That's fair. [02:19:45] Speaker B: If I'm the one. If I'm the one saying something happened, something happened. [02:19:55] Speaker D: Man. [02:19:56] Speaker A: You know, I go through that shit to, like, fuck with the tourists and, like, make a little extra money for JB and Auntie. Like, the fuck. [02:20:05] Speaker B: I mean, every con's got a kernel of truth. Yeah, I come from somewhere. [02:20:13] Speaker A: That's more of colonel, that's half a fucking bag of popcorn. [02:20:21] Speaker B: Any way I can help? Help you look through books or whatever? [02:20:28] Speaker D: I'm pretty. I'm pretty good with reading too, if you needed an extra set of eyes. Hi, I'm still here. [02:20:36] Speaker A: Hi. I'm Ruby. Yeah, no, if I got, like, a decent collection of shit at my shop, but, um, I mean, I know the library. The greatest in this neighborhood, but we do our best. If you want to, like, take a look there, I'll look through what I've got. [02:21:03] Speaker D: I can do that. [02:21:05] Speaker B: You know me. Just send me somewhere and I'll go to work. [02:21:08] Speaker A: Yeah, um. Yeah, Dwayne, I guess if. Talk to. Talk to the guys at the docks. See if they've seen anything fucked up around here recently. [02:21:25] Speaker B: I'll do my best. [02:21:27] Speaker A: I don't know where else to go. [02:21:30] Speaker B: Go somewhere? What about that precinct. [02:21:41] Speaker A: Man? Last place I want to go anywhere near a fucking police station. It's true. [02:21:51] Speaker B: But did you see that guy? He looked like he was pissed off that they were going somewhere else. [02:21:58] Speaker A: Well, that's not the only. He said there were more callers, that they'd taken more collars at the. What is it? Keeper? The 32nd? [02:22:14] Speaker C: Yep. 32nd precinct. [02:22:17] Speaker A: 32Nd precinct. Apparently has a habit of swiping collars. [02:22:26] Speaker D: They just want credit. [02:22:30] Speaker A: Yeah, but he said specifically, when there's weird shit happening, I think this counts as weird shit. [02:22:37] Speaker C: Oh. [02:22:39] Speaker D: That'S an odd thing to say. [02:22:44] Speaker E: Yeah. [02:22:44] Speaker A: I mean, it's white people. All kinds of fucked up. [02:22:48] Speaker D: I mean. Yeah, but. [02:22:52] Speaker B: At least we don't have a dead white boy down here. [02:22:55] Speaker C: Jesus. [02:22:57] Speaker A: Imagine that. [02:23:01] Speaker E: What we talk about. [02:23:03] Speaker B: I mean, one was supposed to be at the party, right? [02:23:07] Speaker D: Huh? [02:23:10] Speaker B: He's, like, looking right at Adelaide. I'm, like, looking right at Adelaide. [02:23:13] Speaker E: I didn't say I didn't. [02:23:17] Speaker D: What are you talking about? There's supposed to be a white person at the party. [02:23:22] Speaker C: Shut up, Ruby. [02:23:26] Speaker A: Sorry. [02:23:26] Speaker D: I just got really. I just panicked. I'm sorry. [02:23:29] Speaker A: No, I know. [02:23:30] Speaker B: No, it's proper response and makes sense. [02:23:34] Speaker E: I didn't say nothing. [02:23:35] Speaker A: Bullshit you didn't. [02:23:36] Speaker B: He didn't have to. [02:23:40] Speaker A: Look. He was a vet. His face was all fucked up and I felt bad. At least he didn't show so it's not like we got any issue with that. He was just fucking weird. [02:23:59] Speaker B: That's what I mean. But what do you mean, weird? Mean? Fucked up. You invited a fucked up whiteboard to the party? [02:24:06] Speaker A: His face was messed up, and I felt bad, okay? Like, he. He had a german accent. He said he had a shit time. [02:24:14] Speaker D: German. [02:24:16] Speaker E: Okay, we're gonna need to work on your inside voice. I'm sorry. [02:24:20] Speaker C: Okay. I'm sorry. He was german. [02:24:24] Speaker A: Let's walk and talk at the same time and get somewhere not in the middle of the fucking street. Come on. [02:24:33] Speaker C: All right. And where are you all heading? [02:24:36] Speaker D: My house. [02:24:37] Speaker B: Yeah. Dropping Ruby off. [02:24:39] Speaker A: Yeah. [02:24:40] Speaker C: Okay. And as you all get to Ruby's house, the door is. You see the lights on, and as soon as you are spotted from the window, your dad opens the door and just signs. Thank God. I was so worried. [02:24:59] Speaker D: I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Um. Yeah, and then she just signs, um, a flurry of signs to him. Uh, that's just like, I was out late, there was a party, and the cops came, and it was really scary. And then she says, um, that Ray stayed at Celestine's. Oh, um, dad, these are. And then I will sign each of your names. I'll fingerspell each of your names. I'm going to ask each one of you. How do you spell your name? [02:25:32] Speaker E: JB is probably the easiest. [02:25:36] Speaker D: SGB. [02:25:37] Speaker A: And that's a d e l a I D E. Adelaide. [02:25:47] Speaker D: That's Adelaide. [02:25:48] Speaker A: You can call me Addie. [02:25:52] Speaker B: Dwayne. D. Uh, q a n E. Okay. [02:25:57] Speaker D: And this is my dad. He's deaf, but he can read your lips. [02:26:03] Speaker C: He signs. Thank you all so much for bringing my baby home. [02:26:08] Speaker D: I'm not saying that, dad. He says, thank you. [02:26:15] Speaker B: No, that looked very well. Yeah. [02:26:21] Speaker C: He also asked, would you all like to come inside and warm up? [02:26:26] Speaker D: Do you all want to come in and warm up? [02:26:30] Speaker A: I mean, yeah, if it's not an imposition. [02:26:33] Speaker D: No, no, it's fine. [02:26:35] Speaker C: Enthusiastically waves you all in and he asks, would you like tea? Anything to drink? Something stronger? [02:26:45] Speaker A: Yeah, that. That last one, sir, please. I know it's a little hard to come by these days, but. [02:26:57] Speaker C: Yeah, he just signs back and smiles. Harder to get if you're not me. And then he opens up a cabinet. It pulls out a bottle of brandy and makes everybody a glass. [02:27:12] Speaker E: See, now that's impressive. Do. Do something like that with your thing. [02:27:18] Speaker A: I just take their money and then I buy it. [02:27:22] Speaker E: He has it. [02:27:27] Speaker C: He makes you all. He makes you all a shot. If you want it, uh, he hugs you again, Ruby. And he goes, now I can go to sleep? [02:27:38] Speaker D: Yes, please sleep. Good night. [02:27:42] Speaker C: He says, good night. Love you. And then he just says, thank you all again. [02:27:50] Speaker A: Welcome. Pleasure. Pleasure to meet you, sir. [02:27:54] Speaker C: Off the bed. He goes. [02:27:58] Speaker D: Um, thanks for not being weird about, you know. [02:28:06] Speaker A: The weird shit. [02:28:07] Speaker D: No, no, I was talking about my dad. But the weird. The weird shit is also weird, and we should talk about that. [02:28:14] Speaker A: Wait, why would we be weird about your dad? [02:28:16] Speaker D: Just, you know, not a lot of folks. Well, back home, not a lot of folks were, you know, the greatest about, you know, deaf people. It's fine. We don't have to talk about it. Much nicer here. I'm glad we came. [02:28:33] Speaker E: All right, Ruby, I know you're new here, but my cousin did already say you part of neighborhood now, so. Good. [02:28:44] Speaker A: Okay. [02:28:46] Speaker B: Sure. A lot of people might be trying to learn sign language, right? [02:28:50] Speaker A: Yeah. [02:28:51] Speaker D: Yeah, it's kind of a. It's not really new, but, like, you know, there's a bunch of different, like, communities all around America. It's mostly. It's kind of like French, but not. Not really. It's a long story, but yeah. Yeah, it's really cool. And me and my brother both know it, obviously. [02:29:15] Speaker A: Nice. [02:29:16] Speaker B: Yeah, it's impressive. [02:29:18] Speaker C: Thanks. [02:29:20] Speaker D: Thank you. [02:29:20] Speaker E: Just like music. You may have to teach me that sometimes. [02:29:24] Speaker D: Okay. That sounds good. I could do that. Um, and if there's anything I can do for you as well, y'all let me know, right? [02:29:38] Speaker C: Yeah, of course. [02:29:42] Speaker B: You work for, uh, paper? [02:29:45] Speaker D: Yeah, I work for the Harlem holler. [02:29:49] Speaker B: Oh. [02:29:50] Speaker D: I'm a photographer, though. I'm not. I'm not a. I'm not a reporter, but I know a bunch. [02:29:56] Speaker A: Oh, shit. That might help. Yeah. [02:29:59] Speaker B: I mean, yeah. What if. I mean, I've never heard of this 32nd precinct before. I'm sure they've got. If they're taking college left and right, someone's gotta be right about them. [02:30:12] Speaker A: Yeah. [02:30:15] Speaker D: Yeah, I could absolutely look into that. [02:30:18] Speaker B: Since we all want to avoid the police station as much as possible. [02:30:23] Speaker A: I mean, listen, if we walk in there and start asking questions, in what fucking world are they gonna answer us anything? [02:30:31] Speaker B: I don't think they'll let us out if we do that. [02:30:33] Speaker D: Yeah, exactly. [02:30:42] Speaker B: Does it still hurt? [02:30:44] Speaker C: Yeah, does still hurt. And the phone rings. [02:30:51] Speaker D: Oh, interesting. [02:30:53] Speaker A: Oh, shit. [02:30:55] Speaker D: Wait, would we have a phone? We probably have a phone. [02:30:59] Speaker A: Yeah, you can phone. Clearly. [02:31:01] Speaker D: Well, yeah, I mean, our dad's deaf, though, so, like, I'm trying to figure out how I'm. [02:31:07] Speaker C: Raven's not. [02:31:08] Speaker D: Raven's not. And I'm not. So it makes sense that we would have one, but when we're not home, I was. I was wondering. What I'm wondering is if there is the contraption that has the thing that lights up when the. Yeah, when the phone rings. That was. It's just a world building question. I don't know when those were invented, so I don't worry about it. Anyway, I pick up the dang phone. [02:31:30] Speaker B: Hey, it's good. World building questions. We love those kinds of questions. [02:31:35] Speaker D: Yeah. Yeah, I'll pick it up. [02:31:38] Speaker C: It is. It is the reporter, Philip. Of a lie. [02:31:44] Speaker D: Hey. [02:31:45] Speaker C: Oh, thank God. I heard about what was going down. Were you at that. You were at that party, right? [02:31:53] Speaker D: Yeah, but I left early. [02:31:55] Speaker A: What. [02:31:55] Speaker C: What happened? [02:31:56] Speaker D: What went down? [02:31:58] Speaker C: Apparently. Apparently a bunch of vets got into a fight or something. I got a friend that works at the times, and I'm getting. I got an early proof of the story, and, well, I thought maybe we might be able to hop on it or find somebody that was actually there so we could get. I'm reading the story, and I don't like the way they're telling it, and I want to tell the truth, and I don't think what we're getting is the truth, you know? [02:32:29] Speaker D: Yeah. I mean, sure, I can. I know I saw a bunch of people there. I could probably. We could track them down and talk to them. I'm, like, looking at the others, like. [02:32:40] Speaker C: All right. Uh, cool. Uh, well, here's. Here's. Here's the proof as I got it. He starts to read it out to you. And if I could have my players take a look at their real 20. You should see. [02:32:58] Speaker A: Cool. [02:33:00] Speaker B: Love that. [02:33:01] Speaker C: There is a handout with a piece of the article. Would anybody like to read this for our viewers? What? To read this, I should preface. There's some stuff. This is from the official book. I will. I'll read it, and I'll kind of do some editing. [02:33:26] Speaker E: Yeah, fair enough. [02:33:27] Speaker C: As best I can. [02:33:28] Speaker B: Right. [02:33:29] Speaker C: Uh, it's black veteran trouble in Harlem. Yes, dear readers, yet again, troublesome black veterans are causing a ruckus. It looks like we had a couple of those men of bronze shooting up a neighborhood after being thrown out of a party. Fortunately, the police of the 30th precinct were on hand to quell this unrest before it grew into another riot. May justice be swift and their jail sentences lengthy by Keith Blaine of the New York Times. [02:34:02] Speaker D: Oh, yeah. That's awful. [02:34:07] Speaker C: Yeah. That's why I'm trying to see if we got anybody that was actually there. We need to tell our story. Because when we let them tell our story, they fuck it all up. [02:34:17] Speaker D: Yeah, well, I think. Yeah, I saw a couple of folks there. I can probably hit them up tomorrow if you want, and see if they want to give a statement about what happened tonight since they were there and saw the whole thing. [02:34:34] Speaker C: All right. Yeah, that's good. That's good. We'll get started right away. Right away. [02:34:38] Speaker D: Okay. It's like 11:00 yeah, I'm good. [02:34:42] Speaker C: I'm just gonna draw the draft, you know. Okay. Put some ideas. Basically, I'm writing this as a retort to this story. They're gonna run this first thing. It's good. [02:34:53] Speaker D: Okay. [02:34:54] Speaker C: Yeah, I'm only moving fast cuz I have to. [02:34:57] Speaker D: No, no, I understand. 100%. I understand. I will let you know. [02:35:01] Speaker C: Okay, thanks. [02:35:03] Speaker D: Yep, no problem. Philip. That was my, um. [02:35:09] Speaker A: Yeah, no, what's up? [02:35:11] Speaker D: That was just. That was my, um. One. One of the. The editors for the newspaper, um. Uh, the Times, is gonna run a story on what happened tonight, and it's not great. So he wants to, uh, drop a rebuttal, I guess, basically, and tell what actually happened from our point of view. I totally lied to him. I said I wasn't there. [02:35:39] Speaker C: Oops. [02:35:41] Speaker B: Well, you said you live early. [02:35:43] Speaker D: Well, yeah, that's true. [02:35:47] Speaker A: Well, technically true. Wait, so what. What kind of rebuttal do they want? [02:35:56] Speaker C: Like, I don't know. [02:35:57] Speaker D: Well, that's the thing, though, right? Because, like, if we start telling everybody that we heard some creepy ghost music and saw some ghost soldiers and they shot us with ghost machine guns, I'm pretty sure they'll lock us up somewhere. [02:36:14] Speaker A: Yeah, no, they're gonna. They're gonna throw us in a padded room and lock, like, throw away the keys. [02:36:19] Speaker D: Yeah. And it wouldn't. It wouldn't do anything to rebuild anything. So. [02:36:23] Speaker A: No. [02:36:26] Speaker E: I'm just now realizing how weird all of this is. [02:36:30] Speaker D: Yeah. Yes. [02:36:31] Speaker B: Oh, yeah. It's pretty weird. It's pretty up there. [02:36:33] Speaker A: No, the more. The more we talk about it, the weirder it gets. Great. [02:36:38] Speaker B: Yep. [02:36:38] Speaker A: No, this is great. [02:36:44] Speaker B: We got a feel, figure something out. That's. That's the thing we can do. [02:36:47] Speaker A: Yeah. [02:36:48] Speaker E: This still hurts. [02:36:50] Speaker D: Stop touching it. [02:36:51] Speaker A: Yeah, that's. [02:36:52] Speaker E: I was stretching. [02:36:54] Speaker A: Stop fucking poking it, you jackass. Um. [02:37:05] Speaker B: I don't imagine whatever hit us is gonna go away in anytime soon if it's replicating the other thing, the real life thing. [02:37:15] Speaker D: How do we feel that. [02:37:19] Speaker A: Keeper? Do I know anything about that? [02:37:23] Speaker C: I'll give you an occult rule. [02:37:26] Speaker A: Oh, boy. [02:37:29] Speaker C: I believe in you. Let's see. [02:37:31] Speaker B: Let's see. [02:37:41] Speaker C: Sleep. You need rest. All of you need rest. From the. From the trauma to the. To the adrenaline. The best remedy that you could think of right now is everybody getting some sleep. [02:38:03] Speaker A: I mean, it's kind of simplistic, but I think we all need to go the fuck to sleep in general. I mean, the body does most of its healing when it's asleep. And not just the body, but apparently the rest of you. So sleep, I guess. And then, I don't know, we can meet up at my shop and start our research from there. [02:38:38] Speaker D: What time do we want to meet up? I got work tomorrow, so. [02:38:44] Speaker C: Take a. [02:38:44] Speaker A: Long lunch or something. [02:38:47] Speaker D: Okay. [02:38:47] Speaker A: If you want to find a rebuttal, you're gonna have to start running around with the rest of us. [02:38:55] Speaker D: Yeah. [02:38:59] Speaker A: I don't know, call it like eleven. [02:39:02] Speaker D: Okay. Dwayne. [02:39:10] Speaker A: I know you work more than anyone we've ever met. Can you perchance Deign to meet us? You're muted. [02:39:21] Speaker D: You're muted. [02:39:23] Speaker B: Everybody's muted. I'm sure I've wrangled enough breaks to take a day off. [02:39:34] Speaker D: Take a day off. [02:39:37] Speaker A: Guilt. Don't ask. [02:39:44] Speaker E: I put down my tea and just stare at Dwayne. [02:39:50] Speaker C: Wow. [02:39:51] Speaker B: I got shot with a ghost bullet. All right. [02:39:55] Speaker A: Oh, my God. No, the more we talk about it, the dumber it sounds. Oh, my God. [02:40:04] Speaker C: And the cameras. Oh, go ahead. [02:40:07] Speaker E: No, I also can make it. You didn't ask about my availability. [02:40:11] Speaker A: I just figured you would show up, which, am I wrong? [02:40:17] Speaker D: Are you available, JP? [02:40:19] Speaker E: Yes. Yes, I will be. I will let the guys at practice know that I will be somewhere else. Thank you, Ruby. I appreciate you asking. [02:40:32] Speaker D: You're welcome. [02:40:34] Speaker E: She's nicer than. [02:40:36] Speaker A: Yeah, most people are. [02:40:40] Speaker B: You got your moments. [02:40:44] Speaker C: And with that, the camera zooms out and we see a familiar flurry of snowflakes. And we see you each make it to your homes, into your beds, to try and get whatever sleep you can from a very hectic evening, which should have been a jovial chance to cut loose, turns into a traumatic event of potentially supernatural nature. Dwayne, I need you to make me a composure check. [02:41:22] Speaker B: No, that was real rough. [02:41:28] Speaker C: You went outside first, and you got the clearest view of those soldiers. And you heard the bagpipes, you heard the music. And as you close your eyes and drift asleep, you hear the haunting melody once more. You hear the footsteps of the soldiers in formation. They see you and they are ever marching towards you. And every moment that you find yourself slipping into a peaceful sleep, their footsteps get closer, closer and closer. And closer. Adelaide, please make me a composure check. [02:42:36] Speaker A: Keeper. Where on the sheet is that again? [02:42:40] Speaker C: It is under your magic points. It's right. By all your main attributes. [02:42:49] Speaker B: I mean, you can only do one worse than me. [02:42:54] Speaker C: You straight up rope. No. You are familiar with the occult and the otherworldly. This is what you sell to people. But when you do it, it's smoke and mirrors. This is bothering you because this is definitely not smoke and mirrors. And you just hear one sentence dance around your mind as you try to sleep. Thank you. I can't wait for you to see me really cut loose. With the two of you finding sleep hard to acquire, that is where we're going to end our session today. [02:43:58] Speaker B: Hate it. [02:44:01] Speaker A: This is why. Listen, uh, friends, foes, and fiends, um, for those of you of the bim pop community, I'm sure you all know we don't fuck with ghosts. [02:44:14] Speaker B: Spooky shit. [02:44:16] Speaker A: We don't fuck with the spooky shit. So this is a departure, but it's been. I don't want to say delightful because it's been horrifying, but. [02:44:25] Speaker B: Scooby Doo. [02:44:26] Speaker A: I miss Scooby Doo. Um, folks, thank you for joining us here at the Queen's court for our first session of Chris Spivey's Harlem unbound for Call of Cthulhu, 7th edition. I would like to go back through and reintroduce our cast. Folks, thank you for joining us. Um, let's start with Rob. Where can people find you on the great world wide Web if they want to see more of you doing slightly less creepy things? [02:45:06] Speaker E: Yeah, slightly less creepy things. That sounds like a great understatement. What's about? Uh, I am Robert Madison II, also known as mad doctor Rob on the everywheres. Uh, I am typically found with obsidian brews, a group of black tabletop creators promoting getting more people of color, specifically black people of color, into the tabletop gaming space, we will be all over the place this summer. Lurkon Gen Con, Dragon Con, any other con that will have us. And hope to see you there. If you would like to see stuff that I do yet again, mad Doctor Rob on the everywheres. I do make maps in my spare time, TTRPG battle maps and things of that nature. And you can see more of those on Instagram at MDR Map Emporium. And if you keep an eye out, there may be a live stream or two on the Obsidian Brews page of me making maps. So come by, have some fun with us. [02:46:25] Speaker A: Thank you, Rob. Christian, where. Where can folks find you out on this great wide Internet, everybody. [02:46:33] Speaker B: Hey, my name is Christian, aka Fluffy Goomba. All over the Internet, mainly on TikTok and Twitch, playing several games with several of my wonderful friends. And also follow me on places like roll for Dylan for that's r oll number four, Dylan for vampire, the masquerades, darkness over New Orleans. And on total party kiss. You can find me on tragedy, the the greek myth inspired five year campaign. Oh, and of course, on Saturdays, you can find me on the initiative. Order every other Saturday for midnight in the marshes, a rue ttrpg five parter. [02:47:10] Speaker A: Thank you, christian jazz. If people want to see more of what you do, where can they go looking for you? [02:47:17] Speaker C: Wow. [02:47:18] Speaker D: Usually I can be found at cinderscore. C I n d e r s c o r I a. Twitter, primarily. And everywhere else you can find social media except for Instagram, because somebody hacked my account and they never gave it back. Back on Instagram, I am silverstarsoul. You can check me out. I think all I do on there are covers of songs, though, so not quite the same thing. But Twitter is where I usually hang out. Also here at Queensport games, I am a lurker and I spy cool castings and I jump on them, and that's what I do. Oh, also at the time this is coming out, there's a book that I wrote a short story for in an anthology called being Ace. It is all Aspec characters written by a spec authors. And yeah, I have a story in that if you want to read words that I write because. Yeah, yeah, check that out. It should be out in October. [02:48:27] Speaker A: And noir, our illustrious keeper. Where can folks find you on. On the big old Internet? [02:48:36] Speaker C: Hey, everybody, I'm noir. You can find me all over the Internet as the Noah enigma. That's Twitter, twitch, YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. As long as those platforms remain, you can find me every Monday. Streampunks. We are doing a season two of beacon, our alien show. Let's see if my doctor with two hit points can survive in the wild, wild world of space. On Fridays, you can catch me over on Gen Con TV, where I report all the news on everything TTRPG related. Every Saturday morning, you can catch me on morning ritual, the talk show I do with my partner where we interview everybody in the tTrp key space. I'm gonna have to steal some of my lovely cast members to talk to y'all for another two to 4 hours. And just thanks for. Thanks for hanging out. This has been a fun story to tell and I can't wait for it to get even spooky. [02:49:35] Speaker A: Fun. Fun's a word. Fun's a word. [02:49:40] Speaker C: Listen, I got. I gotta run for my life. I'm having a great time. [02:49:47] Speaker A: Friends, foes, and fiends. You can call me Laura or Tutu or Laura Tutu. And you can find me on most spaces on the Internet, including Twitter, Insta, and TikTok is some iteration of Laura Tutu. You might just have to throw another underscore at the beginning and the end of that, because obviously I couldn't manage to consolidate all of my usernames because that's just how the cookie fucking crumbles. I guess more often than not, you will find me as the lead shitposter in chief for our very own Creed squirt games. Yes, I run the socials. So if there's something funny, it might have been my fault or I bullied Aaron into it. But if you want to hear me do things, you can hear me as calamity Madden on the all night society. You can occasionally see my face over at obsidian bruise because sometimes I hang out with Rob. Sometimes you might be able to see my face hanging out with Christian because sometimes I go harass him in darkness over New Orleans jazz. I'm sure we'll have an opportunity to do something ridiculous soon. Very soon. And nor, I would like to thank you for your exemplary storytelling. But, folks, thank you so much for joining us tonight. We will see you soon. Take care of yourselves and be excellent. [02:51:27] Speaker C: Sadeena. Sadeena.