003 - Bounty Hunters - Loose Ends

Content Warnings
- Missing People/Disappearances
- Memory Loss
- Sexual Innuendo
- Imprisonment (Referenced)

[Show intro plays]

ROVER

Hello everyone, and welcome back to Remains To Be Seen, the DnD show where one group's past could determine the other group's future. I am your host and DM, Rover Elliott, and today I am here with...

ANNIE

Hi! I am Annie. My pronouns are she/her.

ELIZABETH

I am Elizabeth. My pronouns are she/her.

Hi, I'm Jo! My pronouns are he/they/she.

MIRA

And hi, I'm Mira, and my pronouns are she/her.

ROVER

And you guys are playing...?

ANNIE

I'm playing Josie, who is an elk sometimes.

ELIZABETH

I'm playing Corwin, who is a paladin most of the time.

Viktor Valthayne, awesome all of the time.

MIRA

And Una, who finally has some shoes on.

[Laughter]

Una's like, "I have my basic needs met."

MIRA

(Laughing) I have basic needs! I don't ask for much! I'm not high maintenance.

ROVER

So, Elizabeth, do you want to kind of rush us through what we did in the last episodes?

ELIZABETH

Yes of course. Umm...you're not going to regret this decision at all! In the last episode…

[Laughter]

In the last episode, we are getting ready to go. So we went to a bar, we went to...What was the bar called?

ANNIE

Don't Go. The Don't Go Inn.

ROVER

The Don't Go Inn.

ELIZABETH

Yes, we went to the Don't Go Inn, and were served by Teresa. And got to know each other—got to know what everyone can do, a little bit of information on each other to have going forward. And then we started looking for equipment. We got Una some shoes and a very nice leather jacket, and we went to visit Nyx, who is the weaponsmith. Nyx is very distraught because Jonny de Rolo is missing. And we helped clean up Nyx's shop just a little bit, and also talked to her about Jonny, got a little bit more information, and got some directions to Jonny's workshop in Oxford.

ROVER

Yeah, cause what is your main goal?

ELIZABETH

Find Jonny de Rolo.

ROVER

Nice. Wonderful, then we are going back to where we stopped last time. Which was: you guys are still in/near Nyx's shop. What are the plans for now? Brian is also still there, to add.

We had a discussion on...that we sometimes forget that NPCs are there. That's fine. So just a reminder: Brian is still there.

MIRA

I think per session we need an NPC handler, so someone that keeps an eye on an NPC per session.

ANNIE

It would be fun to have a live tracker.

Ah, I think it's called the game master. (Laughs)

[Laughter]

MIRA

Well to take away from the game master because hence the previous conversation! (Laughs)

No no, no no. No no.

[Annie laughs]

ELIZABETH

So I believe it is, what, mid-afternoon? It's probably a little bit later, now? Is it maybe early evening?

ROVER

It's kind of, we're getting to like 5, 5pm ish.

ANNIE

Yeah.

ELIZABETH

Do we want to pick up the rest of the stuff that we need and then either take a long rest or get a train and take a long rest on the train?

ANNIE

Well, we also need to—we still need to get a briefing from...we don't know any of the details. Brian's got all that, so…

ELIZABETH

Yes.

ANNIE

I think maybe we head back somewhere, get briefed, get rested, get tickets.

ROVER

Wonderful. So if we kind of go back, Brian will probably do a small mention of where...where do you guys want to have the briefing? This could just be in the Don't Go Inn again, at one of the tables in the corner.

Yeah.

ROVER

That one?

Yeah, I think that makes sense. Yeah, yeah.

ROVER

Wonderful, then—

ELIZABETH

I'd recommend we have it over a meal, cause I think...I don't know that we've had any food, and I think Una might need some.

MIRA

Thank you (laughs).

ROVER

Smart one. So for food, what are we...tell me what you're interested in, guys?

[Annie laughs]

Finally, the good part about DnD.

[Laughter]

MIRA

A nice hearty soup. Soup of the day.

ANNIE

Yeah, Josie's not picky. Find something hearty. A hearty stew somewhere.

ELIZABETH

Yeah, Corwin's not picky. She'll eat anything.

ROVER

Anyone come up with a fun restaurant name we can put in the bounty hunter sector?

ELIZABETH

Stew On It.

ROVER

I will do this often.

ELIZABETH

Stew On It.

MIRA

Stew On It's a good one. I like that.

ROVER

Alright, Stew On It. So you're looking for more soup kind of food. Alright.

The favorite soup store, most of the time, just has a little stall out at the front. Most of the time, it's kind of open during lunch, but before it becomes 7pm, they will still have their entire shop open. What kind of...what would you guys normally order at this restaurant?

ANNIE

Josie's gonna go with whatever's cheapest, usually. Whatever's—I mean, not necessarily, like, if it's shitty, but whatever's like the right combination of decent and budget. Doesn't really, she doesn't—again, not picky about what's in it.

ELIZABETH

Corwin will probably order some sort of veggie soup. She's also not picky, but if she has the option, she'll probably go for a veggie soup, like a minestrone, something like that.

MIRA

Cream tomato soup with croutons, please.

Ooh, someone's fancy. I think Viktor will go for something that's more akin to Bubble and Squeak, like something with big chunks in it, like a variety of veggies, some potatoes, some type of meat. Yeah. Something simple, but filling.

[Rover types]

He's typing so much. I'm terrified! Which soup is poisoned? Rover!

MIRA

I was about to say—what's, where's the poison?

ELIZABETH

It's okay, it's okay! Lay on Hands cures poison.

ROVER

Can I...can I have from someone who is willing, a roll of a d10, to kind of determine how good the place is.

MIRA

D10. Let me fetch it.

[Soft dice clacks]

ANNIE

I've got one here. I've got one here. Do you want me to do it?

MIRA

You've got one?

ROVER

Ah—yeah.

ANNIE

Okay, give me one sec.

[Faint dice clunks]

Oop! (Distant) Except I dropped, hold on...

ROVER

With 1, I'm not going to say it's really bad because...1 is like, it's very basic. 10 is, like, 5-stars, 10/10.

1's like—

ANNIE

Someone else go; I have just lost my d10!

[Laughter]

Amazing, Annie. Amazing.

ANNIE

It has gone on the floor and under something. I'm gonna have to dig later. That was amazing.

MIRA

Shall I?

Yeah.

[Dice clunks]

MIRA

It's a 7.

ROVER

Oooh, it's a 7. You guys will definitely know that this is better than the stuff you could get along the street.

[Sounds of a crowded street and restaurant, with voices and clanking of cutlery]

The right people have decided to go to the bounty hunter sector and place their soup store here, instead of sharing it with everyone that's there—everyone that's on the street.

So yeah, you guys can have your dinner. Alongside of that, Brian will sit with you guys. And he, at some point—he is not eating anything, by the way. He just sits there, hands kind of folded on...how do you say that? Hands clasped together. And will just mention,

ROVER [as BRIAN]

So...what is your guys' knowledge on the disappearances in general?

ROVER

And now, can I have from everyone a History check?

[Good dice clickety clacks from all!]

Except for Una with disadvantage.

ELIZABETH

(Audibly smiling) Nat 20 baby! Finally.

Me too!

ROVER

Oooooh.

MIRA

Good job!

Two Nat 20s in this team! In this economy!

ANNIE

ROVER

Oooh!

MIRA

That will be a 14, first roll.

[Dice thunks]

And a 15 the second roll.

Oh, damn.

ANNIE

Wow, I know the least. I guess Josie's just like, "Fuck it. I get sent to find people and I bring them back. Whatever."

ELIZABETH

Josie is laser-focused on the job.

ANNIE

Yeah, oh yeah. Like, "I care about the job! Whatever—"

Josie's like, "I don't care about the lore." Yeah, yeah, yeah. (Laughs)

ANNIE

Yeah, exactly. "Who cares why they're disappearing. I just gotta find them and get them back. Whatever."

Yeah yeah! (Laughs)

ELIZABETH

The dice know.

ROVER

So...

(Laughing) Amazing.

[Street and restaurant ambience continue, softly, in the background]

ROVER

Indeed what Josie thinks is: there are disappearances. This is what happens more often. Like one of the mentions in our intro, we had people discussing as to why this was the main focus; people go missing often. Like, this is not supposed to be a big thing.

Una, remind me what your roll was—15?

MIRA

I rolled a 14 with the Disadvantage.

ROVER

14.

MIRA

Yeah, as the lower roll.

ROVER

14. Yeah, for you, it's not necessarily...there's not a lot of big knowledge on specific disappearances. There are disappearances here and there, but it seems to be more from country to country a bit different. It depends on the crime in the country itself. However, you do not know about any focused missing person, except for the one that you will be looking for right now.

MIRA

Mmhmm.

ROVER

Now for our natural 20s...we have it from two different perspectives. We have it from the perspective of someone who's been a bounty hunter, and we have the perspective of someone who hasn't been a bounty hunter yet.

For the perspective who's been...who has not been a bounty hunter yet: You will have known that these disappearances started popping up quite close to each other. And you're looking at names being: your sister, Alea Duvall, who is an architect in Paris; you know about one of the main prisoners of the Solar Bastion, located in France, which name goes by Graham Gallagher; and you know about Jonny de Rolo going missing. Like that...definitely from the region you've been in lately, Jonny's name has popped up in a lot of streets, in a lot of people that you passed.

From the insider perspective of the bounty hunters, this has caused chaos because the missing posters were already a lot. They are now stacking up.

Yeah.

ROVER

It seems to not be a certain group of people. These seem to be focused all around Europe.

Yeah.

ROVER

There are a lot of people trying to get towards the missing people's bounties because they currently are asking a lot of money for that. So the bounties are high. A lot of bounty hunters have been trying to get to that case, even if they're not exactly the hunters for missing people. It is quite the talk of the town—not just in the bounty hunter sector, not just in London. It has been actually a thing going around to the point where the government is involved. And what both of you know is that the leaders at the House of Six, which is the...currently the House of Six is filled with the president from Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Greece, and the UK. Their names I won't go into right now.

You guys know this. And they are gathering in London in a couple of days to discuss what is going on now.

Mmm.

ROVER

You do not necessarily know, even with a natural 20, if this has been a talk in other countries where bounty hunters have been involved.

Fair.

ROVER

It's been to the point where even Safra has no idea what's going on. And Safra is the one that still keeps in contact with people from the other bounty hunter sectors in Europe.

So that is currently your knowledge on the bounty hunters.

Alright.

ROVER

So back to the question that Brian asked, was, "What do you guys know?"

That.

[Laughter]

ROVER

You tell him exactly that?

MIRA

I mean—

ANNIE

Yeah.

MIRA

I wouldn't know any of that, so...

I can, I can rephrase. So...

ANNIE

Yeah, exactly.

JO [as VIKTOR]

I mean, I guess as much as one could know in that situation. Like...a lot of people go missing these days. More than usual. And...

I am so sorry. I, Jo, did not catch all of the names I'm supposed to remember apart from Jonny's, but I will list them.

[Laughter]

ROVER

So we've got: Alea Duvall, Graham Gallagher…

Graham.

ROVER

And did I say...Jonny de Rolo, who are the main three. I am forgetting someone, actually. Evelyn Beaulieu, who is also one of the names there.

MIRA

So those names would have been said out loud by Viktor, yeah?

ROVER

Those names would have been said out loud by Viktor, then, yes. Brian kind of just nods along, and is like,

ROVER [as BRIAN]

That is indeed the main gist of it. There is, uhm...there's probably some more going on. We currently are fearing some of the bounty hunters are not involved, but are part of the disappearances. We have had slight contact in Germany that someone is missing there, which is not good because he was also one of the best they have. But he's gone.

JO [as VIKTOR]

Who?

ROVER [as BRIAN]

Folin Sahlina. Don't know if you recognize the name? Trust me—

ROVER

Actually, with a natural 20, you will have heard of him. He is...he was...back in the day, he was, he was trying to become a high priest of Hera.

Mmhmm.

ROVER

While also bounty hunting as his side job.

In Germany, yeah?

ROVER

In Germany, yes. He was located in Germany.

ANNIE

Would I have run into him when I was briefly in Germany, when I ran into Isaiah and met Brian?

ROVER

You do not...you have not met him, however, you have heard Isaiah mention him.

ANNIE

Great.

MIRA

Are they, like, an Elf, or Human, or—?

ROVER

From what you know, he...Folin was a dwarf. So...

ELIZABETH

Corwin—

ROVER

Mmhmm?

ELIZABETH

Oh no, I was just gonna say, Corwin would...is going to ask,

ELIZABETH [as CORWIN]

Why...why do you think that bounty hunters are involved? You mentioned thinking that there were bounty hunters involved in the disappearances?

ROVER [as BRIAN]

Not necessarily involved, as in they caused it. We are thinking...that this is not something we could have even predicted.

ELIZABETH [as CORWIN]

Oh.

ROVER [as BRIAN]

Normally, bounty hunters have a overview of what would be happening around which country. Like, we have a station in Athens, in Helsinki, in Berlin, and here in London, and in Madrid. This is not...we've tried to contact everyone. They do not know much more about it, other than we just now got the knowledge that they have not heard from Folin for a long time.

JO [as VIKTOR]

Damn.

ROVER [as BRIAN]

So we are currently hoping to get in contact with that. If things go as far as they are going right now, we might have to send you guys over to Germany at some point.

ELIZABETH [as CORWIN]

So, there...so, so there's a chance that we could go after some of these people who aren't Jonny. I, I mean, I know that we can't go after Alea right now, but there's a, there's a chance that we'll go after more?

ROVER [as BRIAN]

If we cannot find enough, there is a chance.

ELIZABETH [as CORWIN]

Okay.

MIRA

Una would pipe up, and be like,

MIRA [as UNA]

What was Graham's crime? Cause you said he was a prisoner—is that the only...was he born a prisoner? I don't think so.

ROVER [as BRIAN]

You have not heard of...? So Graham Gallagher is the one and only person who managed to sneak into the Solar Bastion, and sneak and take and steal the Deck of Many Things. Alive. They caught him, put him in the Solar Bastion itself, together with the Deck of Many Things. But somehow, he is part of that. They do not know how; they do not know what. There is rumors going on that they might actually send people out here to...god, who knows? Go door to door? To check on if people are...

ANNIE [as JOSIE]

Hmm.

ROVER [as BRIAN]

...of knowledge of Graham? But currently, he is the most wanted poster that we have.

MIRA [as UNA]

Right. So he decided to, and managed to, steal the Deck of Many Things, and as a punishment...

ROVER [as BRIAN]

Yes.

MIRA [as UNA]

...he became a part of it, but now he's missing. So he's not the one and only person that has even stolen the Deck, in that sense.

ROVER [as BRIAN]

People have tried.

ROVER

Actually, before we get into that, can I have an Arcana check from everyone, for the people who know about the Deck of Many Things?

MIRA

(Whispering) I guess I would know about the Deck.

ANNIE

I assume I would? Maybe?

[Dice clacks]

MIRA

(Gasps)

[Fantastic, 100/10 wonderful dice noises]

ROVER

You most likely would.

[More dice thunks]

ELIZABETH

That's a 6 from Corwin.

MIRA

That is a 22.

ELIZABETH

Oooh!

That is a natural 20!

MIRA

Ooooooh!

ANNIE

Oh my goodness!

ELIZABETH

Ayyyyyy!

ANNIE

I got a 10.

ROVER

Oh, you guys are coming through! 10, alright. So...what the people below 15 know is that the Deck of Many Things is a legendary item, not just in DnD, but also in this world. It is a very important item. It has been locked away in this Bastion for as long as you can remember.

Everyone else knows that there is a reason as to why this is locked up. It is...it can heavily influence someone's life. It can heavily influence the world in general. So it has been locked away and has been kept an eye on the entire time. And you...normal people would think, "oh, it's a deck of cards. Like, it's not that important."

Oh, it is important. And it can go very wrong if that thing is in the wrong hands.

Now, luckily, they have it back.

And the prisoner, however, gone.

I know that this is kind of a History-mixed-with-Arcana kind of thing, but it's—

No, it's fine.

ROVER

—since the, since the Deck of Many Things is a magical item, it is very smart to have that knowledge out there.

ANNIE

So...now that Graham is missing, the Deck is not missing, is the thing?

ROVER

They're saying the Deck is not missing.

ANNIE

They're saying—right, as far as we know.

Mmmmm.

ELIZABETH

They're saying.

ANNIE

As far as we know, the Deck is—

ROVER

They're saying…

ANNIE

—Graham is gone, but the Deck is not. As far as we know.

ROVER

The Deck is not. Yeah.

ANNIE

Excellent.

MIRA

So they found him, they punished him—and what was the punishment again? He was locked in a—

ROVER

The punishment was just continual, for life—lifelong being locked up in the Solar Bastion.

MIRA

In the Solar Bastion. Okay. Sorry. But now, he's missing. So we know that he was sitting there for a part of a term, and now he's missing.

ROVER

He has been in there for about 10 years or so.

Damn, yeah.

MIRA

Okay, okay. Before missing. Okay.

ROVER

Mmhmm. Before missing, yep.

MIRA [as UNA]

But what—? Right, is that the only thing that we can contribute to him? Stealing the Deck of Many Things? What was he before that?

ROVER [as BRIAN]

What was he before that? I've no idea.

ANNIE [as JOSIE]

Someone we wouldn't have heard of probably.

ROVER [as BRIAN]

Probably.

MIRA [as UNA]

An architect. A crown smith.

ELIZABETH [as CORWIN]

And they're...and they're saying that the Deck of Many Things...that they have it in possession. They're sure? They're sure we're not looking for a person who also has the Deck?

ROVER [as BRIAN]

Well, I'm not one of the gods. If I knew more about it, I would have told you guys.

ANNIE [as JOSIE]

Yeah. It wouldn't be the first time the Six lied to us.

JO [as VIKTOR]

Hmm.

ROVER [as BRIAN]

It wouldn't.

JO [as VIKTOR]

Agreed.

MIRA [as UNA]

The what?

ROVER [as BRIAN]

However, it would also not be the first time that...(sighs) the Solar Bastion lied to us. So...

ANNIE [as JOSIE]

Mmm. That too.

JO [as VIKTOR]

Yeah. I mean, if I lost something and don't want any...like, if I lost something that important, I would also not want to, you know, lose my job and potentially my life or freedom over it. So, who knows really?

ROVER

To make sure that we don't do too many rolls for every single name—

ANNIE

Mmhmm.

ROVER

Evelyn Beaulieu is the owner of the biggest casino in the continent.

Yas queen.

ROVER

Placed in Monaco, in ah—yeah Monaco.

ANNIE

Monaco.

ROVER

Monaco?

ANNIE

Yeah.

ROVER

Monaco. Sorry. I'm bad with words. It's fine.

ANNIE

I don't know if that's just an Americanism though, to be fair.

MIRA

I mean I would say Monaco, but...the place.

ROVER

Hopefully everyone knows what I mean.

If we're wrong, complain about it in your rating of the show. (Laughs)

ROVER

Yes, exactly!

ELIZABETH

Except for—give us 5 stars, but complain about it in the comments.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Leave 5 stars, but you're allowed to complain.

[Laughter]

ANNIE

Who doesn't leave 5 stars? Don't be a monster.

Yeah, c’mon.

ELIZABETH

Yeah, c'mon, in this economy?

ROVER

(Laughing) In this economy.

MIRA

Owner of a casino, yeah?

ROVER

Yes, owner of a casino called The Lucky Halfling.

[Annie laughs]

And, yeah, so we've got: Alea Duvall is one of the most-known architects in Paris, and Corwin's sister. Folin Sahlina is a bounty hunter from the Berlin sector. Graham Gallagher is a prisoner. Jonny de Rolo is the main artificer for London, for the UK.

MIRA

Mmhmm.

ROVER

And Evelyn is the casino owner.

MIRA [as UNA]

Who would you say is another person that comes to mind that would be on par with all of those people that has not yet gone missing?

ELIZABETH

Good question.

ROVER

Is this an in-character or out-of-character question?

MIRA

No, Una would be like, just literally throwing that question in there.

MIRA [as UNA]

So we've got a renowned architect, a well-known prisoner, an owner of a casino that everyone (apparently, I can't count myself) knows about, a crown smith renowned in UK. What other name...

ANNIE [as JOSIE]

Wait. What—? So—

MIRA [as UNA]

...would come to mind for the next person to go missing.

ANNIE [as JOSIE]

Of the people who are missing right now, we have five, and there's six countries involved in the...

ANNIE

What...what were the Six? The Council of Six? What was it called?

House of the Six.

ANNIE

The House of the Six!

ROVER

Oh ah, the House of Six. It's Italy, Greece, UK, France, Germany, Belgium. Yes. Speaking of the House of Six. To kind of quickly go through that for Una's sake, the House of Six has not been a thing for your knowledge. You do not know about the House of Six.

MIRA

I mean, it's easy for her to not know something.

(Whispering) Oh my god. Guys, is Una from the past? Guys? Oh my god!

ANNIE

(Gasps)

MIRA

It's easy for Una to not know something as well. Italy, Germany, UK, Belgium, did you say?

ANNIE

Yeah. UK, Italy, France—

ROVER

Belgium, France, Germany—

MIRA

And France, okay.

ROVER

—Italy, Greece, UK. Yes.

MIRA [as UNA]

Well, we ticked off...well, that ticks off quite a few boxes. Who is the name on par with the people that…as you guys can tell, my memory is not the best. I am literally stepping into it fresh. Maybe that's why it gives me the perspective, but...it's one place that someone hasn't gone missing. Who would be so famous from that place, that you think might be the next target?

ANNIE [as JOSIE]

Well, we have multiple missing from the UK, so that might not be the, the answer that I was hoping it was.

ELIZABETH [as CORWIN]

Yeah, and—

ANNIE [as JOSIE]

Cause we have both Graham and Jonny from the UK.

ELIZABETH [as CORWIN]

And, I mean the people that are in the news are the important people, right? Like, we won't, we wouldn't ever get in the news. We don't know if anyone else has gone missing alongside these people.

ANNIE [as JOSIE]

But if it's someone on par with that famous, I mean, there's still also any number of names it could be at that point. Tobias, for example. Or someone else from the government. But none of these people are political figures, so far. But maybe that's what would make them unique, right? We sort of seem to be grabbing—

MIRA [as UNA]

Well—

ANNIE [as JOSIE]

—very different, high-level people in very different areas. You know what I mean?

MIRA [as UNA]

Well, they all clearly have a craft.

ROVER [as BRIAN]

You say that. However we also have a Priestess of Hecate missing from the Nordic. It keeps piling up. We cannot determine if these people actually went missing on the same day, or around...

ANNIE [as JOSIE]

Oh?

ROVER [as BRIAN]

...that time. It is still piling up.

ANNIE [as JOSIE]

That would be a wrinkle.

ELIZABETH [as CORWIN]

I…

ELIZABETH

Corwin looks distinctly uncomfortable.

ELIZABETH [as CORWIN]

I, I don't know if it's related, but, the, um, one of the High Paladins from the Temple of Apollo also went missing. Um, I don't know if it was the same time period—

ROVER [as BRIAN]

That is correct.

ELIZABETH [as CORWIN]

But, um, yeah.

ROVER [as BRIAN]

Yeah. No, that one is correct. That one was the first thing that we got. And it was gonna be a coincidence, however, everything piling up right now. If that would be the exact date as to when this started, it would be the 19th of September.

MIRA [as UNA]

So just...just over two and a half months.

ROVER

In the world, just over...

ANNIE

Just over a month. It's a month and two days.

ROVER

Ehh, month and a half.

MIRA

Well, yeah, that's—

ANNIE

Month and two—cause you said October 21st, was the first day.

ROVER

Month and two days, yeah.

ANNIE

Yeah.

MIRA

Oh yeah. October, November. Yeah, sorry. I mixed up the November and October.

You all do the math. I'm here to play the game.

[Laughter]

Okay, so it started in September, yeah?

ROVER

I need Mira to give me a reminder of the things that I have just said that you don't know about. That you don't know for sure if you know about.

MIRA

The majority. (Laughs) Um, I mean—

ROVER

The Solar Bastion, you would know about. The Solar Bastion's been there for many, many years.

MIRA

Yeah, Solar Bastion, definitely. Solar Bastion, she would. I guess the House of Six.

ROVER

Mmhmm.

MIRA

I mean, the worship of Hecate is something that she would be aware of.

ROVER

Yep.

MIRA

Worship of Apollo, was it?

ROVER

Yep, yep. Also.

MIRA

Probably knows about the casino, if the casino has been—I mean, you don't just build a casino within a year, and then it becomes a big thing.

ROVER

Yes, you would have known about the casino, yep.

MIRA

Yeah. I guess...but she would not know, she would not know about the, I guess, Graham maybe just, kind of, escaped her.

ROVER

Yep, no.

MIRA

That's it, really.

ROVER

You will have not, specifically, recognized the name Evelyn Beaulieu. However, you do know that there is this big casino called The Lucky Halfling. you do know that.

Such a good name.

MIRA

Fair, fair, fair. It's a very good name.

ANNIE

It’s a good name, yeah.

ELIZABETH

Well done.

ROVER

(Laughs) So Brian continues at some point, and is like,

ROVER [as BRIAN]

So...what we need right now is to focus on Jonny—definitely now that the actual government is involved in trying to find him. Not that we're competitive in sorts. Safra is. Definitely with her relations with the government in general. She's trying currently very, very hard to make sure that we have a good reputation to the outside world, because Tobias is currently, also with the House of Six, talking about if this should continue to be a thing. Since Greece and Germany have their own bounty hunter sector, they can talk about the fact that it is an actual job that should be legal, just to make sure, also to make sure that the crimes that are committed currently in "our hands"...

ROVER

He says in quotation marks.

ROVER [as BRIAN]

...are for a good reason. We are not hunting down people that do not matter. It's not like we're killing our neighbor. And that's about it.

People need to matter for them to be hunted.

ANNIE [as JOSIE]

Yeah. And honestly, even if they outlawed us, it wouldn't stop bounty hunters from existing. Just make the gig a lot harder.

ROVER [as BRIAN]

Exactly. Exactly. And I mean, crimes in France have been…there has been an actual killing of an ex-bounty hunter in Léon. It's been messy. And they're trying to figure out if those people have been other bounty hunters. Safra's currently trying to make sure that we do not become illegal again. We have only been legal for, what, 10 years? We cannot have that change back.

JO [as VIKTOR]

Speaking of that, and speaking of good reasons...since the government is involved, what do we do if they stand in our way? Whoever they got for that job?

ROVER [as BRIAN]

So what I know from Miguel is that they are currently working to get a group together. They have sent someone from the Hunters Guild, from London, the Hunters Guild, already to Manchester to go and find people there. This is also why we are not going to Manchester. Because apparently Jonny was supposed to go there for magical research? And we are very much focusing on the Oxford region where Jonny was actually located for most of the stuff.

JO [as VIKTOR]

Good. So we have a good chance to find more than whoever they take as a group.

ROVER [as BRIAN]

Exactly.

JO [as VIKTOR]

Good.

ROVER [as BRIAN]

As Viktor and Josie know, Safra is still very, very much keen on finding Levy Morgenstern. We need to continue to have our eyes open for that. Okay?

ROVER

To give a small detail, Levy has been, like, a specific wanted person Safra has wanted, not even dead. Alive. You do not know enough about Levy, but you do know that the name has popped up a lot, and that Safra has been multiple times, like...

JO [as VIKTOR]

Brian, Brian, Brian, buddy.

Viktor taps on his elbow or whatever. Brian is an Orc, right?

ROVER

Yep, Brian is an Orc.

ANNIE

Yes.

Yeah, for sure elbow. There's no way I'm reaching his shoulder (laughs).

[Laughter]

MIRA

Are you, are you still that smaller—? Ah, sorry.

ANNIE

Oh, yeah!

Yeah. I did not explain that the last time. Viktor, for work, usually goes by his female-presenting...because he's taller and a bit more, you know, intimidating, I guess? When he's being casual, you will see him as he is right now, in his more androgynous, kind of Tiefling-inspired cosplay, I want to say. But yeah, yeah. He's still, he's still significantly smaller right now.

No, Viktor taps on his elbow, and is like,

JO [as VIKTOR]

Brian, Brian, there does not go a day where she's not reminding us of Levy. It's fine. We will keep an eye out, as usual.

ROVER [as BRIAN]

Good. I do not want to give her more stress than she already has. And I know that you don't like her, but you have to deal with her.

JO [as VIKTOR]

I—I do like her. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I do like her. I wasn't...I wouldn't be here if I didn't.

ROVER [as BRIAN]

Ehh, that's what a lot of people say. I mean, I don't think you want to become one of the Wanted.

JO [as VIKTOR]

Okay. Keep—keep yourself telling that, if it helps you.

ANNIE [as JOSIE]

Yeah.

JO [as VIKTOR]

I—

ANNIE [as JOSIE]

Brian, buddy...

Pets, pets the elbow. He's like,

JO [as VIKTOR]

It's fine, it's fine. We got this.

ANNIE [as JOSIE]

Just, ah, yeah. It's okay. I know that you don't engage with people in this way sometimes, but people have very different ways of showing that they like one another sometimes.

ROVER [as BRIAN]

Hmm.

ANNIE [as JOSIE]

So, it's okay. I, I trust Vik.

JO [as VIKTOR]

She keeps throwing knives, so...

ANNIE [as JOSIE]

Right.

ELIZABETH [as CORWIN]

Oh, is Safra throwing knives a sign that she likes you? That'd be great news.

JO [as VIKTOR]

Ehhh, kind of depends.

ANNIE [as JOSIE]

It's a sign that she's breathing.

[Laughter]

MIRA [as UNA]

Oh, that explains so much.

JO [as VIKTOR]

It is for sure a sign that she's noticed you.

ROVER [as BRIAN]

It is for sure a sign that she doesn't hate you.

JO [as VIKTOR]

Mmhmm. Otherwise you would be dead.

ELIZABETH [as CORWIN]

Good to know.

ROVER [as BRIAN]

That, or she would be holding the knives. If she's throwing them, you're good.

MIRA [as UNA]

Good...to know.

ELIZABETH [as CORWIN]

This is good information to have, thanks.

JO [as VIKTOR]

I believe it's called tough love. (Laughs)

[Elizabeth laughs]

MIRA [as UNA]

That also explains a lot.

ROVER [as BRIAN]

Speaking of that, Una...what are you gonna do?

MIRA [as UNA]

Well, ah—

ROVER [as BRIAN]

Because I know Safra kind of immediately put you to the job of this, and you now know a lot of insider information. However, you do not really know where you are currently.

MIRA [as UNA]

Well...

MIRA

And Una would actually sit like this, like elbow on the table, cupping her face like that. Like,

MIRA [as UNA]

Well...I did say to Safra that's very trusting of her. I seemingly popped out of nowhere, and now I have all this intel. What makes you think that I'm on this side? Nobody briefed me on anything. You just kind of started spilling everything.

ROVER [as BRIAN]

Mmhmm.

MIRA [as UNA]

Am I stupid enough to cross you? No. But...I guess I will, cause I'm intrigued now, it's a very nice puzzle...

[Jo laughs]

...to say the least. (Laughs)

(Laughing) I'm sorry! Una's like, "I'm not doing it for you. I'm doing it for myself, okay? Let me preface this.”

MIRA

It's essentially that.

MIRA [as UNA]

I will...I, well, you all guys are going towards a place that I think I might find some answers at, as well. Might as well tag along. I yet don't know what other skills I can, I can...I can provide, other than stabbing your boss when she lets her guard down.

ANNIE [as JOSIE]

That's a pretty good service.

ROVER [as BRIAN]

I think you kind of impressed her.

JO [as VIKTOR]

Hell, I mean you impressed me.

ROVER [as BRIAN]

And if she trusts that, well I trust you. So...

JO [as VIKTOR]

I wouldn't go that far.

ROVER [as BRIAN]

I would.

MIRA

Does Brian actually look at Una's face at any point of that?

ROVER

Yeah. He kind of, at some point, just does look up a bit. Whenever he starts going into a full tangent, he will look down.

MIRA

Fair.

When Brian's infodumping. (Laughs)

ROVER

When Brian's infodumping, he will...

When he's in the zone. (Laughs)

ROVER

Yeah.

MIRA [as UNA]

Well...?

ROVER [as BRIAN]

So?

MIRA [as UNA]

I'll be happy to tag along.

ROVER [as BRIAN]

Wonderful. Glad to have you on board.

MIRA [as UNA]

Pleasure.

ROVER [as BRIAN]

I will not be going with you guys to Oxford. However…

JO [as VIKTOR]

Thank fuck. I mean, nothing against you...but I think we're enough people. I'd rather travel in smaller groups than a party of who the fuck knows [unintelligible].

He trails off. (Laughs)

ROVER [as BRIAN]

Viktor, I'm retired for a reason.

ANNIE [as JOSIE]

Yeah, someone's gotta keep Teresa company while I'm out.

ROVER [as BRIAN]

Exactly. See? Josie knows the stuff. So, go past Safra, get your tickets. She's probably gonna send you from, like, Queen's Cross. We'll be fine. Just let us know when you're back. Give us at least...come back in like, maybe, five days max?

JO [as VIKTOR]

Alright.

ROVER [as BRIAN]

Earlier would be best, but...make sure you scan the area.

ANNIE [as JOSIE]

I hear you, but we're not gonna come back empty handed, so...

ROVER [as BRIAN]

Good.

ANNIE [as JOSIE]

We'll try to keep you abreast of things while we're away.

MIRA [as UNA]

And also, given how long it takes to travel, so, it might take us a while.

ANNIE [as JOSIE]

Oh. Not that long, we're not going very far.

MIRA [as UNA]

Well, you mentioned the trains, right?

ROVER [as BRIAN]

What do you mean?

Above table, we're going from London to Oxford, right? So we’re talking…

MIRA

Yeah.

ROVER

Yes. Yeah yeah yeah.

MIRA

With the current trains, it's like within an hour and a half. The current trains.

ANNIE

Right, I was gonna say—

MIRA

In this era...

ANNIE

Yeah.

ANNIE [as JOSIE]

Not that long. Train'll get us there in, what, hour? Hour and a half?

JO [as VIKTOR]

Yeah.

ROVER [as BRIAN]

Yeah, hour and a half, two hours, something like that.

MIRA [as UNA]

Oh!

ROVER [as BRIAN]

You should be able to just be there on time, and you don't even have to stay the full five days there. However, again, like Josie said, do not come home empty handed. Even if it's Jonny or not.

ANNIE [as JOSIE]

Ah, you know me.

ROVER [as BRIAN]

If you can get something...take a look at the missing people posters, and if there's anyone around that area that you know about, just have a look. Maybe if you can't find Jonny, we can find someone else. You guys will still get paid.

ANNIE [as JOSIE]

Side hustles are always good is what he's saying.

ROVER [as BRIAN]

Exactly.

ROVER

He has the tiniest hint of a grin on his face. He doesn't—he's not that expressive, however, side hustles, he's like, "ahh, yeah, that works."

ROVER [as BRIAN]

Do not forget to get your stamp at Spike's so that we can have you guys officially signed in for the job.

JO [as VIKTOR]

Oh right. Yeah, you need your whole shebang.

To Una and Corwin.

ROVER [as BRIAN]

Yes.

ROVER

For Viktor and Josie, Spike is the Goblin at the desk.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

ANNIE

Do we need to stop by him before we get the tickets or on our way out?

ROVER

On your way out.

ANNIE

Great.

ROVER

That is what Brian says.

ELIZABETH [as CORWIN]

Thanks Brian.

JO [as VIKTOR]

Yeah. Cheers, mate.

ANNIE [as JOSIE]

(Sighing) Alright, kiddies. Let's pack up and roll.

JO [as VIKTOR]

Excuse me? (Laughs)

MIRA [as UNA]

Did you just call us—(laughing) kiddies? Or cuties?

JO [as VIKTOR]

Okay. Okay. Okay. I feel like we need to establish some ground rules.

[Annie laughs]

No. Absolutely not.

[Piano music begins, restaurant ambience fades into general crowd noise]

ANNIE

We'll walk while we have this conversation, and Josie is just quietly cackling to herself.

[Laughter]

MIRA

Una would actually smile, and just be like,

MIRA [as UNA]

I don't mind. It's actually quite endearing.

JO [as VIKTOR]

Okay. I personally...no. I'm a grown ass person. Okay? No. For a while now. My kind, we mature a little earlier than some others, so...no.

MIRA [as UNA]

You do realize I'm a human. I'm in my mid-thirties. It's not like I'm a youngling. Like very young youngling. But it's still endearing to be...no?

JO [as VIKTOR]

Oh, I mean, if you, if you find it endearing, I'm not going to argue against it. It's more like, no. No. Anything but that. Eurghh.

ROVER

To skip it along, are you guys gonna go to Safra for the last stuff?

While Viktor is just complaining about nothing the entire time.

[Laughter]

He, at heart, is an old man. (Laughs)

ANNIE

Yeah. Josie, Josie did this partially to set Viktor off so that we could walk and Josie wouldn't have to say anything, as we go.

I knew what you were getting at. Yeah, it works. Every goddamn time.

[Laughter]

ROVER

So are we walking to Safra? And going there?

ELIZABETH

Yes.

Yeah and getting the train tickets, yeah yeah yeah.

ROVER

Got it. Alright, got it. So, without much ado, she will hand you the train tickets, indeed, from Queen's Cross, which is, in our world, King's Cross.

Nice.

ROVER

So, yeah. She will give you the tickets, and then she starts with,

ROVER [as SAFRA]

So. The way we do things around here is a little bit different.

ROVER

And she grabs what seems to be two box-looking things with two openings on the sides. And she hands them to both Una and Corwin.

ROVER [as SAFRA]

Take it. C'mon.

MIRA

So, a box? Okay? Just...okay.

ELIZABETH [as CORWIN]

Thanks, I guess?

ROVER

Kind of a box with the sides open, yeah. Cool, so, um—the moment you hold it, two...I'm just gonna say it as it is. A full-ass hoverboard…

[Electronic beep, followed by techy, mechanical clunks]

…comes out of that. A magical thing that makes sure that you can float through the tunnels, which Josie and Viktor would know. These all look as to what fits with your character. Can we do a quick description of what everyone's hoverboard looks like?

ELIZABETH

Absolutely. And so these, like you said, they go ahead and look that way immediately? They don't need, like, a modification period?

ROVER

They, yeah. So they seem to glow for, like, a moment, and then when they extract, it is immediately the type that you want. It completely fits to your character, to you as a person.

Your vibes. (Laughs)

ROVER

Yeah, your vibes. To kind of, yeah, to kind of start that off, what do your hoverboards look like?

MIRA

Um...

ELIZABETH

I can start us off.

MIRA

Yeah, you go.

ELIZABETH

Corwin's is absolutely a kind of shining bronzey kind of metal. It has white light, or kind of white, silvery lights around the edges, and from the bottom edges hang a dozen or two dozen little wire creations. They're like little wire ships, and little wire animals, and just all of these just little trinkets, essentially, just hanging, dangling from the bottom of the hoverboard. And she looks so incredibly pleased. She looks like she's just about considering to give Safra a hug, but thinks better of it.

I'm going to die for Corwin. Protect her at all costs.

MIRA

So cute!

I mean, the entire party, but oh my god.

ELIZABETH

Don't worry, she'll die for you too.

MIRA

Awwww. Don't worry, it won't happen! (Laughing) Oh my god.

[Laughter]

Yeah, it's like, Ro's like, "Oh yeah you will!"

MIRA

Yeah! Don't worry!

ROVER

Viktor, what would yours look like?

So in my mind, once it's transformed into what's fitting, maybe some of the shapes also change a little bit. So he has this disk-looking thing kind of tucked behind the book on his belt, and he, like, pulls it out, seeing the joy, the true joy on Corwin's face, remembering the first time he got one of those, and it's just cool. He spins this disk mid-air and catches it as the pedals you stand on, I guess…

[Electronic beep, followed by techy, mechanical clunks]

…come out.

It is a deep purple with gold-filled etchings that very much look just like art deco, kind of, you know, geometric figures. There's not a lot else to it. However, if you catch a glimpse from underneath, like from the bottom, it got tinkered with. Like there's some scratch marks. Something's going on there.

ELIZABETH

I love that so much.

MIRA

That's so good.

ROVER

Una or Josie?

ANNIE

Yeah, go ahead.

MIRA

So first of all, as soon as that would happen, Una would just drop her hoverboard, just because of the surprise of it, it would just slam on the floor, or whatever the hoverboard would do. If it, like, actually hovers, it would just hover. So the very front of it would kind of look like an arrow shape, kind of disattached, almost disattached from it. So like an arrow shape point at the front connected to the rest of the body with, like, just a single....single pipe, or like a joint. The rest of it would be just a standard rectangular shape.

But the colors would be going, like, the shimmers at least, how it catches the light, as it's on the floor, would be going between the same shade as her eyes, so like the golden-yellow. And then it would also have...it would also have a blueish highlights to it. If they can have that feature, please tell me if they don't, if they can have a feature of something, like, an animated almost paintwork, so to speak?

ROVER

Yeah!

MIRA

It would kind of look like a script just constantly rolling through as if someone is writing it out, but it's not in a legible writing.

ROVER

Yeah.

MIRA

Like not something that we would be able to read, kind of like symbolism of it.

ROVER

Love that!

MIRA

So that could be like a blueish ink on a golden, kind of, background. But it just constantly rolls up...yeah. Something like that.

ROVER

Yeah. Cool! And Josie?

ANNIE

Josie's is, once it pops out, it is sort of...it's carved out of what looks like—or, not carved, I guess, but it's made out of what looks like driftwood, sort of, with a little bit of, sort of like, dead barnacles and things on it. Like very ocean themed. And then the center part of it that it collapses into, the part—so like, it's driftwood on either side as it pops out, and the center bit that stays intact as it collapses in is just a block, like a tile, of solid white marble.

Ahhhh, hell yeah!

MIRA

Oh wow!

ELIZABETH

Oooh.

MIRA

Love that.

ROVER

That looks really cool. So yeah, from what you can see—can I have an Arcana check of Una and Corwin? Like a very small flavor thing.

[Dice thunks]

ELIZABETH

On the very small flavor thing, I get a dirty 20.

Oh damn (laughs).

ROVER

Nice.

MIRA

(Laughing) On the very small, insignificant thing, it's a dirty 20!

ELIZABETH

(Laughing) It's possible! This gives me hope!

ROVER

And for Una?

MIRA

19.

ROVER

19. Yeah, so you both can tell there is some transmutation magic happening in it. It should be some levitate kind-of spell that will be activated the moment you want to use it.

ELIZABETH [as CORWIN]

Incredible. Thank you. Thank you, Safra.

MIRA [as UNA]

What in the world?

ELIZABETH [as CORWIN]

Alright. Does this, do these take long to learn? Out of curiosity? I'm sure it's fine.

ROVER [as SAFRA]

Depends how long you try.

ROVER

Una, you indeed do not know about anything like this.

MIRA

It's absolutely shocking to her. Like how it just shows up, as well.

ROVER [as SAFRA]

So, follow Viktor and Josie into the tunnels. They will guide you through the tunnels to the, to Queen's Cross. And from there on, you can take the train to Oxford.

ROVER

She will give you the tickets for the trains, which are just small, very small, paper ones. And yeah.

It says "train ticket". Nothing else.

[Laughter]

ROVER

It just says train ticket...

ANNIE

In crayon.

ROVER

On the back end of it, it does show the actual symbol, the dagger through the skull.

Aw, damn, we have like... I don't know how it is for Josie, but Viktor definitely has the bounty hunter symbol somewhere carved on his chest plate.

ANNIE

Oh, yeah. At this point, given...you'll have to remind me, Ro, cause I know we changed it a couple times. We settled on like 3 years, that she's been in?

ROVER

Yeah, we settled on 3 years. Yeah.

ANNIE

She's got it tattooed at this point.

MIRA

Nice.

ROVER

Lovely.

MIRA

Commitment.

ROVER

Where would she have that tattoo?

ANNIE

It's not a large tattoo. It's probably, it's small and somewhere on like the wrist or the forearm, kind of.

ROVER

Mmm, okay.

ANNIE

Just like an inch or two in size, maybe.

ROVER

Yeah. Lovely. So yeah, she also just mentions,

ROVER [as SAFRA]

I'm pretty sure Brian already told you guys this, but go past Spike. I do not want any kind of, you know, paperwork issues. Like, I don't care about it. They do.

JO [as VIKTOR]

Alright. Gotcha. Bye-bye. Bye boss. Bye, bye bye bye bye.

Viktor just walks out with like, the vibe is skater kid. Like, that hoverboard just tucked under his arm.

ELIZABETH

The second they get into the hallway with the door closed, Corwin is going to try to get on the hoverboard.

ANNIE [as JOSIE]

Woah woah woah woah woah! (Laughs)

ROVER

Before that happens, I need to know, Una—you follow, I suppose?

MIRA

No.

ROVER

No she doesn't, alright. Tell me what she does.

MIRA

Well, first of all, as everyone is kind of shuffling out of the room, Una is still trying to figure out how to put the thing back into that box thing. Cause it's just (laughs).

ROVER

So the moment you grab the middle part, and you actually are wanting it in your head to stop, it already retracts in.

MIRA

Oh, okay.

MIRA [as UNA]

Oh, that's a—

ROVER

Like it's just this box.

MIRA

This box.

MIRA [as UNA]

That's an interesting trinket. Thank you. That's very generous of you.

ROVER [as SAFRA]

You don't know much about this, do you?

MIRA [as UNA]

Absolutely not a clue. Should I?

ROVER [as SAFRA]

Are you sure you are—you do know we're in London?

MIRA [as UNA]

Well, yeah, that's what you guys said before.

ROVER [as SAFRA]

Okay.

ROVER

She kind of leans forward on her desk, and is like,

ROVER [as SAFRA]

What do you have in common with the Cult of Hades? Why were you in a Hades figurine?

MIRA [as UNA]

Well, I'm hoping I will find the answers to that question in Oxford as well. Cause that's what you all've been telling me. Black ram, wasn't it?

ROVER [as SAFRA]

Yes, it was.

MIRA

Question. Is the newspaper still on the desk?

ROVER

The newspaper is still on the desk.

MIRA

Una would just like take a quick glance at it. Just to read through the main thing, which was about Jonny, wasn't it?

ROVER

Mmhmm.

MIRA

Just scanning through it, like,

MIRA [as UNA]

Well, it seems like I either don't know or don't remember a lot of things. Do you mind if I take that to catch me up to speed?

ROVER [as SAFRA]

Yeah, sure. We have too many copies of it.

ROVER

What you can see, Una, by the way, is that we are in the current 19-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah. Last time you remember was 18-blah-blah-blah. You can see the small date of the 21st of October—

Fucking called it.

ROVER

—on the very, very corner of the papers.

MIRA

I need to find something so she can ask a question.

ROVER

Mmhmm.

ELIZABETH

Oh, and all of this is happening behind a closed door! Arhghh!

MIRA

Yep!

Yeah, no, that's good. I like that.

ROVER

I will also not give information saying, "Back in the day..."

MIRA

"Back in the day..."

ROVER

I would just give information she knows.

[Annie laughs]

MIRA

As she, as she picks up the newspaper, she won't be able to hide that. Like she's reading through it, and then she sees the date, and is just proper like, labored breathing, like,

MIRA [as UNA]

(Frantic breaths) That makes no sense. Is that—

ROVER [as SAFRA]

Una, what year were you born in?

MIRA [as UNA]

I...eight...ah—

ROVER [as SAFRA]

Do you remember?

MIRA

She would slump into the chair.

MIRA [as UNA]

I...I...let me ask you something else. Do you know anything about Virelle? A family called Virelle?

ROVER [as SAFRA]

I currently don't. However, if we make a deal that when you come back from this, you continue working with us, I will send out a couple of my people to do a little bit more research on that.

MIRA [as UNA]

What if I come back with what you want, and I already found that information myself?

ROVER [as SAFRA]

I'm pretty sure we'll know more.

MIRA [as UNA]

Right.

ROVER [as SAFRA]

I mean, we can also, if we find one of them, can get them here.

MIRA [as UNA]

(Deep breath) Okay. Um...I guess I'll get to work then.

ROVER [as SAFRA]

Understood. Welcome to the Wanted Dead.

MIRA [as UNA]

(Laughs quietly)

ROVER

She leans back, and she's just like,

ROVER [as SAFRA]

Buh-bye.

MIRA

Una will just walk out with the...the newspaper literally still like just there, just scanning through it. Closes the door, catches up.

I...if Lizzie allows it, I feel like what's happening outside is just Corwin standing on the board, Viktor holding her hands.

ELIZABETH

(Laughing) Yes.

Like you would train a kid to, ah...

ANNIE

To yeah, ride a skateboard.

Yeah, yeah, to ride a skateboard.

ROVER

Give me...

ELIZABETH

Yes!

ROVER

...a Dexterity...

Oh no.

[Annie laughs]

ROVER

...roll. Just pure Dex—ahh, actually, should we do Acrobatics?

MIRA

Acrobatics?

ROVER

I think that works.

[Dice thunks]

Only Lizzie.

Okay.

ELIZABETH

(In a small voice) 7. Total.

Oh no.

[Elizabeth laughs]

ELIZABETH

That is a 7 total!

ROVER

Viktor and Josie, what you can already tell is that this is going to be a disaster.

ANNIE

Mmhmm!

ROVER

That is the main thing that you guys will know. I don't know what I'm still talking like Safra, but I'm going to!

[Annie laughs]

Help! (Laughs) We lost Ro.

ROVER

You guys already know this is going to be...what you guys already know is this is going to be a disaster.

I, I feel like Viktor is shooting Josie a lot of looks.

[Laughter]

Like, (out of the corner of his mouth) "What the fuck?"

ELIZABETH

Corwin is—

MIRA

As—

ELIZABETH

Oh, please—

MIRA

Oh, sorry. No, no, you go first. You go first.

ELIZABETH

Oh, no, I was just gonna say, I was just gonna, for flavor, like, Corwin is ignoring the looks focused fully on like,

ELIZABETH [as CORWIN]

Okay. And and, you know, if I kind of lean, am I supposed to lean like this? Or was it, was I supposed to lean forward?

JO [as VIKTOR]

Woah, woah, woah woah, no no no no. Slower. The other direction.

ELIZABETH [as CORWIN]

(Sighs)

JO [as VIKTOR]

You wanna go there. Not there.

ELIZABETH [as CORWIN]

Slower, slower, slower, it's like learning how to ride a bike again. I just wanna go fast!

ROVER

Una.

MIRA

Oh, Una was just kind of like, as she's walking out and still reading this, like, she will take a moment just taking in the scene, compose herself, and be like,

MIRA [as UNA]

Oh, so that's what those are? Is it, like, hard to use?

JO [as VIKTOR]

How good are you at balancing? In general?

(Laughing) Still holding Corwin's hands.

MIRA [as UNA]

Um...

ROVER

So as you...as you guys go down into the tunnels, to kind of speed it up a little bit—

Yeah yeah, that's fine.

ROVER

—you know, walk and talk.

Walk and talk.

ROVER

If you guys want to go ahead into the tunnels, it is...once you're in the plaza, you can kind of go down more, and then we go into what a lot of people will just know as the London Underground. However there are no metros. There is just empty, abandoned tunnels.

ANNIE

We do gotta go by Spike first, right?

ROVER

You gotta go by Spike! I am stupid, let's go back to Spike.

Oh fuck!

[Rewind noises from all! We're turning back time, this is how you do it.]

ANNIE

Rewind!

[Piano music and soft crowd noises begin in the background]

ROVER

What happens basically—(rewind noises) rewind! What happens there is basically, you give the palm of you hand, you get a stamp on it, some kind of sigil is immediately dropped onto your hand of the exact symbol again, and then it disappears again. It just vanishes.

So, Spike will also—this is the Goblin that you saw at the desk. The grey Goblin with the spiky purple hair. And he's like,

ROVER [as SPIKE]

Alright. Hand.

MIRA [as UNA]

So what does it do?

ROVER [as SPIKE]

Both of you.

MIRA [as UNA]

What does it do?

ROVER [as SPIKE]

It’s just so…

ANNIE [as JOSIE]

Gets you paid. C'mon, we don't have time.

ROVER [as SPIKE]

It gets you paid. Yeah. C'mon.

MIRA

Right. She would extend a hand that clearly looks...you know like how you would, like, flick at the porcelain, and it has that spider kind of effect, thingy, on it?

ANNIE

Mmmm.

ROVER

Mmhmm.

MIRA

That's the palm of her left hand.

ELIZABETH

Ooh!

The fuck is up with her?

ANNIE

Ooh!

MIRA

Just looks like—

ELIZABETH

Interesting!

MIRA

—it's like spidered out, very thin lines. Kind of like, you know, when you have the, like a...finger...like, what is it called? What is this called? What is this called, guys? Like these lines?

ANNIE

Palm lines?

ELIZABETH

Life lines?

MIRA

Yeah, thank you. So it's kind of like the same color. So it's not like different colors. It just looks like that, but it's like very clearly just spread out, so she would just be like—

ANNIE

But not in a palm pattern.

MIRA

Yeah, and she would just, like,

MIRA [as UNA]

Okay. Right. I would rather do it with my left, cause if I lose it, at least I have my right. Get on with it.

ROVER

So Spike immediately just grabs your hand quite tightly, and then is like,

ROVER [as SPIKE]

Oh, cool!

[Laughter]

ROVER

Pats, like, nothing much about it, he's like—

I love Spike.

MIRA

Spike is cool.

ROVER [as SPIKE]

Right, love that.

ELIZABETH

I would die for Spike.

ROVER [as SPIKE]

Alright, you too. Newbie, come here.

ELIZABETH

Corwin holds out her hand and kind of bites her lip and tries to look like this is not concerning her at all.

ANNIE

Like she's gonna get a tattoo.

Oh my god.

ROVER

Right, so, Spike grabs it again and is like,

ROVER [as SPIKE]

Oh, I'd expected all the newbies to be kind of cool.

ROVER

Pats, back on the hand.

[Laughter and noises of dismay]

Spike!

ROVER

Spike's honest.

ANNIE

Josie's cackling at Spike on that one.

MIRA

Casting shade, leaving no crumbs.

ELIZABETH [as CORWIN]

Ah, you know. I'll do better next time.

ROVER

So, now you guys go into the tunnels—

Guess you can heal that sick-ass burn yourself, eh?

[Laughter]

MIRA

Damn.

ELIZABETH

Lay on hands!

(Laughing) I'm touching myself!

ROVER

You guys get to actually ride the hoverboards! Can I have from...yeah, can I have from everyone an Acrobatics check, with Josie and Viktor for Advantage.

[Jo sighs. Good dice noises clack in the background]

So I don't know if I fully explained this yet, but Advantage and Disadvantage basically means: Advantage is rolling with two d20s, and taking the higher one, and Disadvantage is rolling two d20s and then taking the lower one.

ANNIE

It is very good that we just did Advantage there, because my first roll was a natural 1.

ELIZABETH

Oof!

Oooh, jesus fucking christ!

ANNIE

But my second was a 13, so we're fine. I'm at a 13.

MIRA

So is everyone rolling with Advantage?

ROVER

Advantage for Josie and Viktor.

MIRA

Okay.

I'm sorry, which skill again?

ROVER

Acrobatics.

Ah...math. 18.

ROVER

18?

ELIZABETH

Corwin got a 9. So she did improve from her little lesson.

ROVER

She learned a little bit.

[Annie laughs]

Una?

MIRA

23.

ELIZABETH

Ayyy.

ANNIE

Oh my god.

ROVER

And how much did Josie get?

ANNIE

Always gotta have someone who's unnecessarily competent. 13.

ROVER

Oh lovely. So Josie and Viktor, while you're first at some point trying to help the newbies onto their hoverboards, Una's got this. Una's like, "Oh, I saw, I saw Corwin trying. But—"

MIRA [as UNA]

It's just a matter of balance, right?

ROVER

“This is easy.”

MIRA [as UNA]

Kind of like...well, there's no other someone else's feet I don't need to mind, so I think I got it? It's like walking on a tightrope.

ROVER

Corwin, you're gonna have to...you're gonna have to hold someone's hand.

MIRA

Extends my hands immediately.

Viktor is going to offer his hand.

[Mira laughs]

ELIZABETH

Corwin will take any and all offered hands.

[A low, electric thrum begins in the background]

ROVER

So as you guys zoom along through the old metro tunnels, which for Una as well, you know how this works. However, the metro tunnels that you knew about were still in construction. So knowing that they are now actually finished is quite a big thing.

[Crowd noises begin. A station announcer’s voice can be heard over the intercom in the distance]

And as you get to Queen's Cross, with a little bit of, you know, having to stop for a moment, having to help Corwin back up on the hoverboard—

ELIZABETH

Sorry guys!

ROVER

—you guys get there. And it's quite a smaller plaza, however as you get off the hoverboards and up the stairs into the train station, the actual train station, Una gets her first look out of the bounty hunter sector, out of the Wanted Dead. Which is...a train station, which you would be like, okay, that looks about fairly the same. However, there seems to be much more going on. Like there are a lot more people. There are a lot more diverse species going on. Like, from what you know there were a lot of Humans, a lot of Elves, a lot of Half-Elves. Right now, London seems to be kind of packed with all kinds of species being here.

MIRA

Mmhmm.

ROVER

You see a look of outside, and you can see some kind of metal box on wheels somewhere parked in a corner, which is something you have never seen before. The carriages are still there; people are still there. Bikes, still a thing. But yeah, that is your first small look of what you get from the outside.

MIRA

Oh. I guess for Una it would be very overwhelming to like...just, you know, seeing all of that. But she would really try to compose herself and to observe. Like, that's what she—and that's kind of like, she almost reminds herself like that very weird mantra of like, "Observe. Observe. Observe."

And then she just like...that's not her own voice that she hears in her mind saying this. She's just like,

MIRA [as UNA]

Okay...I have...a lot (laughs) to kind of catch up to.

MIRA

But she wouldn't just say that. She would just stand there and just wait. Cause I'm guessing she would have been a bit quicker, or she would just stop for a moment where Corwin is getting off the hoverboard, or something like that.

[Laughter]

ELIZABETH

Fair.

ROVER

The trains look similar, however it used to be kind of more steam-train-ish? Right now, there's actual electricity being used for it, which is also a new thing.

MIRA

Mmhmm.

Oh, poor Una.

MIRA

Just taking it all in.

[Laughter]

What the—what in the 21st century?

MIRA

She's very much Steve Rogers (laughs) in Times Square.

Yeah! Oh, fuck yeah.

[Laughter]

ANNIE

Mmhmm.

I was trying to reach for a reference, and I couldn't think of Captain America, which is so fucking funny.

MIRA

I mean, she wouldn't be so open about it, definitely not.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

MIRA

She's definitely distracted. If someone is talking to her right now, they would probably need to go like, (snaps) in front of her face, cause she would be like, "woooooah!" (Laughs)

ROVER

Do you guys want to do one more thing before you guys go get the train?

ANNIE

Of course.

ELIZABETH

Yes.

MIRA

Mmhmm.

ROVER

What is it?

ANNIE

Oh, I thought you were offering a thing.

ROVER

No, no. What is it?

Yes, Viktor, as a team-building thing, is going to get fried snacks for everyone to take on the train.

ELIZABETH

Aww, sweet.

ROVER

Snacks, lovely. Hey Viktor, can I have a Perception check, please?

Whether I perceive the mold on the fried food.

[Laughter]

MIRA

Is it in old oil?

Yeah, poisoning the party! Oh wow. Oh wow. It's Western-based, that explains a lot.

So I rolled a 17. That brings me up to 17.

MIRA

Nice!

ELIZABETH

Ayyy!

ROVER

Wonderful.

ROVER

As you are about to pass back to the others with your fried snacks, you see in between, like—there are a couple of poster walls. You can see a missing poster for someone with the last name Aintsworth.

Viktor stops dead in his tracks. Like, if there was someone walking behind him, they probably would bump into him because of how quickly he stops.

ROVER [as RANDOM GUY]

Oi! Keep walking!

ROVER

Before they walk off.

No answer from him. Almost as if he is entranced, just walking straight toward that poster.

ROVER

It is, as you pull it off the posterboard, it is indeed a wanted poster, or a missing poster, for Aleks, Aleksander Aintsworth. There is a small signature...like signature sound being heard that says,

ROVER [as TRAIN VOICE]

Train to Oxford leaving in 5 minutes.

He's like—

ANNIE [as JOSIE]

Hey Vik, come on!

JO [as VIKTOR]

Coming.

He's awkwardly, like, balancing the bowls of fried snacks. He got an assortment. He knows how to take care of people (laughs). And folds the missing poster and slips it under his robe, I guess, and then just walks towards the others trying very hard...he's actively trying to hide his emotions right now. So if anyone wants to perceive anything, I'm happy to roll, but...yeah.

MIRA

I am busy with my own breakdown (laughs).

ANNIE

Yeah, I think Josie is just too concerned about not missing the train.

Yeah yeah yeah, Josie's mother goose right now. She's like, "kids, c'mon!"

ANNIE [as JOSIE]

(Through her teeth) Let's go!

[Laughter]

ANNIE [as JOSIE]

I'm not waiting for another one!

ROVER

So as you guys go...as you guys go towards the train, go ahead and take your seat. Your tickets being scanned...the person who's scanning the tickets immediately kind of looks up. They're kind of a short Human woman, who's like,

ROVER [as TICKET CHECKER]

Oh. Interesting. Alright, go ahead.

ROVER

As she scans all of you.

ANNIE

Josie's glaring. That sort of self-defense glare that you know when people are shooting you looks in public, so you try to look mean.

ROVER

Yeah yeah yeah yeah.

ANNIE

Yeah.

ROVER

Yep.

Ah, Viktor's sticking his tongue out. As she's walking past, he's like, mmpph.

[Laughter]

ELIZABETH

Corwin...Corwin prestidigitates that person's hair to be blue. In retaliation.

MIRA

What? Why are we dogging on her!

ROVER

I'm, I'm doing a very, very quick check to see if she notices.

[Good dice clacks!]

(Laughing) This is how we start our first combat.

ROVER

Oh, she notices! And she's just like—

MIRA

Why are we dogging on her?

ELIZABETH

She was rude—she was rude to our new friends. She was rude to the bounty hunters.

MIRA

Oh my god.

ROVER

As you guys get into the train, and the train a couple minutes later takes off to Oxford, that is exactly where we are going to end our third episode.

ANNIE

Excellent.

ROVER

Thank you all so much for listening. And you know, what happens next remains to be seen.

ALL

Bye everyone, bye bye byeee!

[Show outro plays]

Remains To Be Seen is an original podcast created by Dyaflame Studios and licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution non-commercial share-alike 4.0 international license.

Today’s episode was produced by Anusia Battersby and edited by Rover Elliott and Jo Mendacium. It starred:

Elizabeth Simpson as Corwin Duvall
Jo Mendacium as Viktor Valthayne
Annie Ruby as Josie
Mirah Fae as Una
and Rover Elliott as the Dungeon Master

The intro and outro was composed by We Talk of Dreams, and the transcript was written by Elizabeth Simpson.

To get in touch with us and keep up to date with our antics, follow us on Instagram, BlueSky and TikTok @ DyaflameStudios or view our website at www.dyaflame.com

Check our show notes for additional credits, links and transcripts.