Previously on Absolutely Killing It.
Do you want anything from Ralph's?
This is why we're not together anymore.
Hugh walks over, pulls Allen wrench to the side and you see somebody exchange.
I'll try to DM this. Lasers and feelings.
Gary Olderman.
I've seen them all. You said this thing's out for revenge. Why would it want revenge? Who would it want revenge on? You grab the deck, you throw it in the air. A ghostly image float out of camp to Handy and somewhere else in the magic palace. I promised some surprises for listeners and you all may remember I. I threatened to create some new moves and I've created some new moves. Let's first start a move that all of you will have access to. I'll add this to your roll. 20 sheets. And I want to clarify what this means because I don't want to take away the joy that happens when this comes up in our game, but I do need to gamify some things when there's a chance it may not work out in your favor. That's why this exists. So the move is called plugged in. If a smartphone has not been properly charged overnight as dictated by the fiction, when I say as dictated by the fiction, you all have complete choice. If you tell me, Chris, no, I plugged that in. I plugged that in last night, then this move will not apply. But you all love to not have your phones charged, so this is empowering both all of us here, pun intended.
Oh, I'm not offended.
When you attempt to use your phone on dangerously low power roll luck. So it'll be 2d6 plus half your luck points round and down. All of you so far have not used any luck. So currently it'll be plus three on a success. Sorry, on a full success phone works fine, is good for a while longer. On a 7 to 9 your phone will work for now, but after this use, like whatever you're using it for, it will power down and need a recharge. And on a fail, your phone is out of commission until at least a long charge. So it's probably out for like a day part, so that's plugged in. So again, that is guided by you all when you tell me this phone, I don't know if it's going to work, that's charged.
I'm pretty sure my phone's always charged, but I'll pay attention now.
Well, right now they're all sitting in the codec in our story. All your phones are in codecheck. Are you being charged by Janice? Maybe?
Shrug I've never had more power on my phone ever. Thank you, Janice.
It's assuming she has the plugs. Anyway, I don't want to give away my cards. And the other move, the other move is for Hal, because as I was reading and I'm learning your character sheets too. So my apologies to listeners and to all you all for not being on top of all this. We refined how your move is supposed to work, Ricky, with your context, how I'm supposed to have you roll investigate a mystery to see if they're. They answer the phone right or they answer the questions you ask them. Similarly, Hal, I want to do that for you. And inspired by Ricky's move, I call it down the rabbit hole.
Okay.
While Githole is an active site, you can receive that as you need to if posting or using using its DM reply functions to learn more info. Roll investigate a mystery in addition to standard questions. Even on a fail, you will get some lore background on similar creatures. However, on that fail, your location or identity will be revealed depending on. Depending on the observer's needs.
Whoa.
Okay, just to add a little. A little game function to our story.
I didn't know my identity or location were problematic.
So as we pick up where we left off, what I'd like to do is to just go back a few moments in time. I'd like to start the person furthest away from what happened at the end of our last session. Ricky, you described to me before the three of you kind of split up that you wanted to. Well, you tell me. Where do you want to. Where were you headed when you three split up, you know, a short time ago, where were you headed? What were you trying to do?
I think I was going to try and find Razor.
Okay.
Yeah, I think I needed to go find out who was next in line for this potential possession. You know, started as a just neighborhood lady, then it got to Razor. Now it's getting to our next person in the close up magic room. Although I think only Chandler knows that.
Correct.
Correct. So get rid of. Get rid of that.
We'll edit that out.
Okay. Just making sure.
But thank you for catching that. Yeah, Ricky currently does not know that because I'm just gonna go back in time just to the moment the three of you went. We're going this way, this way, this way.
So I'm going to Razor to try and figure out if there is a connect the dot line to who could potentially be next or who it's coming from. That hates him. Just hates him so much.
I don't want to speak for you, Ricky, so please correct me if I'm wrong, but were you going to go upstairs? Were you going to go. Where are we going to try to find Razor.
I was going to try and find him in his room.
Great.
Because he hasn't checked in yet.
Love it. Does Ricky know where Razor's room is? And if not.
No, of course not.
Oh, okay.
No.
Great. How does Ricky intend to discover where Razor's room is?
Looking for footprints on the ground. Asking associates that work at the Magic Palace. And that's probably going to work better than looking for footprints in the carpet.
Great. So who do you want to approach here in the palace? Who do you think? Hal is off doing his thing and Chandler's going to do the magic. Where does Ricky. Where's Ricky's first stop to. To. To get that info?
There are. Part of me does think that the entity at the piano could potentially play a song that would point me in the correct direction to travel.
Okay.
Or I've already talked to Trixie. No, Janice. And they have told me I've technically talked to both. And they have informed me that because Razor has not checked in yet. Still in his quarters. So I've already talked to them. I probably don't want to be a lady asking a fellow lady where a man's quarters is, so I'll probably try any next person I see, regardless of who they are, with a badge on that says that they work here.
Are you worried about passing the Bechdel test? Is that why?
Absolutely. I'm worried about passing any test.
Fair.
Yeah. I get stressed out at tests. Not good sweat happens.
So I won't have you. I won't have you roll for this, Ricky. So as you're scanning the crowd as your two teammates go off and do different things, there's no one with badges necessarily. There is, of course, bar staff, wait staff. There are a few people in suits who you suspect are probably security. You know, they're just kind of standing flat against the wall. You know that the upstairs area is filled with wait staff. Get prepped for dinner. That is where you attempted to get Chandler last time. That's why I brought that up, because that's where Chandler emerged from earlier in the day. There's also, of course, the valet staff outside. So you have a lot of options if you're just going to the first person you see. The first person probably would be the bartender that's near the piano or like the security guard that's near. Near him.
Perfect. I'm probably going to stay away from security because I understand as a detective what law enforcement is. So I'm going to go to the bar staff.
Okay. Going up to the bar there. Okay. And what do you do as this person's preparing drinks and stuff?
I'm just going to flat out ask. Hi. Do you happen to know where Razor's living quarters are or where the living quarters are in general? He told me specifically to meet him at the door outside of the living quarters.
Oh, is that true?
Yeah.
Huh.
100%.
Well, that would be a violation of one of the rules. I would love to be the one to spill that bean.
No one wants to clean that up. That's messy beans.
Oh, yeah, exactly. That's a. That's. That's a clean up an aisle too, right?
Oh my gosh. I love your sense of humor. What do you think, by the way? Oh, I would love a drink. Yeah? Yeah.
Oh, okay. What would you like?
I will. What's your favorite? I like trying new things player here.
Are you trying to. Are you. What is your objective here? Because I'll have you roll something. If you're trying to get information, if you're trying to get on as good graces, like what's your. What would be your goal?
Trying to get on good graces. To get the information that I desire. Let them know I'm not harmful, that I'm just going to go wait outside the door.
I think. I think I'm going to have you roll manipulate someone. So tell me what it is you are trying to do when I have you roll this. I'll manipulate someone. Once you have given them a reason, tell them what you want them to do, then roll plus charm. I just like vodka shots.
Oh, I'll do a shot of vodka.
Okay, so let's pour in the shot. $28.
28.
Yeah, it's. It's a sale today.
It's a sale today.
Sale on vodka shots.
Sorry, I don't get out much. Clearly. Okay. Yeah. Do you still take cash here? I've got a bunch of singles I could.
Cashless. We're cashless. Yeah. Well, it should be. We could add it to your bill. We could add it to your bill. You're having dinner, right?
Tell me the truth. Is it worth having the dinner?
Oh, yeah.
Even if it's just little old me?
Well, you.
Isn't that awkward?
I mean, paying 150 bucks for dinner, it better be worth it. Am I right?
No. Yeah, you are right. Absolutely. The sale is wrong, but you are right.
Thank you.
You're you're welcome. Okay. Yeah, you know, I'm feeling lucky. Let's add it to the bill.
Okay. Who are you? Who's your. Who. Who brought you in? Like, who's the. Who's the head Razor?
Yeah.
Okay.
Do you know him? Are you, like, friends with him?
Yeah, I work here almost every night.
Wow. So you know everything.
And a lot of people come up to my bar and tell me they know magicians. I want to know where they are.
So do they? Do they really? You wouldn't lie to me. We're friends.
I'm not lying to you right now. Are you lying to me?
I'm not lying to you. I really would like to see him. But who's, like, the most requested magician?
Ricky, at this point, I'll have you roll manipulate someone. You said, I want to know where he rolled a six, which is a failure. Do you. Do you level up, Ricky? Are you at five? No. Okay. You're not level up. Great. So that's a fail. He puts down the. The shot and says, it's on me. I. I can't tell. I can't tell people where the magicians stay. I'm sorry.
Okay.
You're not the first person to fall in love with Razor. Won't be the last.
Oh, I'm not in love. No, no, no, no.
That's what they all say.
Oh, no, I really am not. I've got two other men. I'm trying to war, you know, keep back. I can't handle another one.
You know what? All good. All good.
Okay, well, thank you for this shot. And I can sip this.
Yeah, you can sip that shot. Yeah. Okay, so the bartender kind of walks away from you. We're gonna go back in time again. Hal, you were kind of looking at some of the. The paintings, and you didn't get a lot of information off that.
Yeah. What. What.
What's your next booth? What are you doing?
I'm gonna go up to one of the security guys, people ask. Ask a few questions, if I could. Does anyone look like an approachable security person near me?
They're all stone faced, looking out. It's as if. And I'm not trying to make a magic pun here. They're trying to fade into the wall. Like they're trying to just be there as out of the way as possible. There's one on the stair. His back is against the wall. The stairs that lead up to the dining room, there's another. His back is against the security door where Chandler saw the video footage earlier. There's a Guy there, you suspect there's probably at least one floating around the, you know, the coat check area. Approachable is a tricky, tricky word. They don't. They look like they're, they're on duty, I would say just without any sort of role or anything. None of them look more or less approachable than any of the other ones.
Okay, I'll go to the one by the stairs. Not the surveillance reel.
Okay.
I'll say, hey, pardon. I don't know. Are you allowed to field questions while you're on duty?
So this guy just looks at you? He doesn't, like, move anything else. Just looks at his eyes. They should be opening the upstairs dinner part shortly. That's your question?
Oh, thanks. No, I'm not hungry, but very kind of you. I'm just wondering because I'm getting a weird vibe in the place tonight. Have you guys ever had to, I don't know, render someone unconscious here in the palace?
His eyes go big. I. Sorry, I can't talk about something like that.
Oh, was it you?
The guy, the other security card. Chuckles a little bit, Gives him a look.
It's okay. I, I think I've, I've, I've. I've certainly done things that boy, out of context sound really strange. I wouldn't blame you for it at all. I, I, I do, I do, I do wonder if that might be needed tonight.
Are you saying you're too drunk to stay here, sir? Because we can, we can call you an Uber and get you out of here.
No, no, haven't had a drop. Are the drinks good?
Yeah, there's a sale on shots.
Oh, great. I think that's kind of an insipid way of drinking, but if they're cheap, maybe I'll check it out. I mean, maybe you can answer this question for me. I always hear about people knocking others out with chloroform. Now, is there another, like.
Okay, sir. Okay, sir, please go back and enjoy your evening. Please.
I'm having a great time.
Hal, I will hop in here as the keeper. What are you attempting to do here? The chloroform did take a bit of a turn. What would you like to accomplish here? Are you trying to. Maybe. Yeah. What's your goal here?
I'm trying to figure out other ways of us knocking someone unconscious since we know that's, that's how to get rid of a. That's one of the only ways we know how to get rid of a possession right now.
Okay.
You know, just hanging a. Swinging at somebody with my flashlight, I Think will get me kicked out. So I'm trying to understand. I don't know. I'm throwing spaghetti on the wall.
I. I feel like this is a manipulate someone. I'm just trying to decide. Well, you tell me then once, once you have given them a reason to tell them what you want them to do. Role plus charm. So what would you like for them to do for you that say that happens? What would you like for them to do? And then give them the reason to do that?
Yeah. Okay, well, I'll. I'll go up and I'll check out what the. The dinner people are eating here in a second. I just. I gotta. I gotta be honest. People sometimes take a hasty dislike to me. People have grudges with me. I don't. I don't try to make a scene or a mountains out of molehills or anything. What if.
If.
If I had to defend myself and wanted to just sort of like knock someone out easy, simply in a way that wouldn't be a problem for you or the lightest problem possible for you, how would you suggest I go about that roll?
Manipulate someone?
I don't think it's a particularly good stat for me either.
Yep. I thought it was. Yep. Was. I thought it. I was gonna say you're gonna fail this role. You rolled a four, which is a failure. But Mark, experience, Do you level up?
I think I was one away last time. That's my level.
So I think I've said this before. This game encourages failure because that's how you gain experience level up. It is also highly encouraged to do it right now when you level up because there may be something to help you in this failure. Now you have failed in this moment with this, this like line of whatever's happening here. But we can take the time here to decide what your level up here is. Since this hasn't happened yet on our show, I want to talk new listeners to the game. What happens? So Hal fails. Everyone fails. Everyone fails in stuff, right? In this game, you get an experience point every time you roll a six or lower. Hal has done that five times, so that fills up a little box. And then Hal gets to take a level up. There's a lot of options for players to choose from. I'm going to read through some of them. You can add a point to those five main stats. Sorry, not all five for you, Hal. It's plus charm, plus cool, plus sharp, plus weird. You could take another searcher move. You could take a move from another playbook. You can gain an ally which is, I think it's more defined in the book, which I would reference. And you can take it. And for you, Hal, you can take a second first encounter move based on a recent mystery, which I think is interesting. So, Hal, I gave you some vamping time. Have you decided what you're picking?
Okay. I think this has at least a mild application here. I'm going to go for. But it's in my heart. So even if it doesn't really help me out of this situation, I'm taking a move from another playbook. The playbook is the flake and the move I'm pretty. Yeah, this is in the move section. I'm taking. Often overlooked.
Okay.
When I act all crazy to avoid something roll plus weird. On a 10 and up, I'm regarded as unthreatening and unimportant. On a 7 and 9, I pick unthreatening or unimportant. And on a miss, I draw lots, but not all of the attention.
Excellent. I think that's very appropriate for Hal. I love that move. And quick shout out to the flake playbook because I know the flake is like just a person. There's a lot of cool moves in that particular playbook. This being one of them, in my opinion. Great. So you have that playbook or. Sorry, that move added with that fail, though. The security guard says, sir, if there's an issue with a person here at the palace tonight, come find us. We'll handle it. I don't want you getting any sort of lawsuits or being charged with assault. We don't want you. We don't want you hitting anybody here. No, we'll take care of it. Okay.
Okay. Well, thank you so much for your time. I know you're on duty and so. Yeah, so thank you for your time.
My name's Stu. So come find me if you can't find anyone else. My name's Stu.
Stu, my name's Hal.
Nice to meet you. It's spelled S T E W, by the way.
Why?
No, there's no why. Have a good night. I'm not gonna remember that our timelines are going to merge. So I'm going to go to you, Chandler. I'm just going to preemptively tell you what's going to happen. Great. We're going to go to you, to Chandler. The two of you are kind of. You could kind of maybe see what's happening. I'll let that be your role play choice. Ricky and Hal, if you see what Chandler did, the 52, you know, he knocked the cards up. I'll leave that up to you. But Chandler, just to recap what happened for everyone, including ourselves, please, Captain Handy looked at you and said, I'm going to do your magic trick, Chandler, to your face. He started to, like, do one of your signature hand card tricks. You hit the deck out of his hand, and then because of your, because you were in danger, your third eye did open and you did see a humanoid, like figure leave Captain Hanny's body and, like, phase into the wall. You already are aware that when someone is possessed, they don't have memory of it. So in this moment, Chandler, you've knocked the deck out of his hands. And some of the people around the table are just kind of confused, like they're not sure if it's a trick. And Captain Handy just seems more confused or embarrassed. Like, you don't get the sense that anyone is really, like, alarmed in this immediate aftermath. Chandler. So my question to you is, what do you do as these cards go flying and Capti Handy just, is like, just happened.
Hey, don't worry, everybody. It's all part of the show. It's that thing where, you know, a magician acts like they're, they're going to do a trick and then they screw up the trick and then, but then they, they save the trick. That's, that's, that's what this is. So Captain Handy, go ahead and save the trick.
Yeah, I got it from here. I got it from your. Chandler, thank you so much. That was an evil ray of non believers who shot me a ray to momentarily. And he, like, is coming around the table, picking up the cards, a little flush of the cheeks. You suspect he probably thought he did like he lost the deck. And you see some people just like. Yeah. And they get up with their drinks and wander off, you know, because he blew a trick. What's next? And then all of you let's. Our timeline's in synced, so feel free. Any of you want to do whatever you feel to do next.
I'm going to walk over here, join Shandy.
Hey, Holly. Cap, Cap. Captain Handy, do you remember anything from the last few minutes?
I walk in and see Chandler talking really closely to the other magician. I'm holding my little glass shot just. And I just get confused at, wow, it's really talking really closely. And I go, I go stand next to Hal.
Captain Handy, do you remember how this show started?
You know, you're asking a big ass, so I'm gonna have you roll manipulate someone. Because Captain Handy even admitting this is a Huge risk. So roll manipulate someone for me to see if he will open up to you about what just happened. That's a mixed success. That's an eight. So on a mixed success for manipulate someone on a 7 to 9 since you rolled an 8. They'll only do it, but only if you do something for them right now to show that you mean it. If you ask too much, they'll tell you what, if anything, would take them for them to do it. So you are asking him to recount the last couple of minutes. You know he is missing time and you suspect he is fearful of what that might mean. So what do you want to say to Kantehany in this moment to allow him to share more information about what just happened to him?
Hey, Captain Handy. Look, I might have. I might have gotten off to a bad start here with you and this show. And maybe. Maybe it was. This wasn't the greatest start to show. How about. What if I help you with a trick? What would you want to do? We could do a trick together. Just the one trick, and then show us yours.
Yeah, that sounds like.
Or if you don't, you can. It's all yours. I just thought, you know, I didn't mean to slap the cars out of your hand. I thought I saw a bug, so I'm just trying to help you cover that. No, no, you dropped them. But I think you saw a bug, so. But, you know, from one magician to another, if there's any way I could help you out here, I'm here for that.
He's gonna lean in close to you. I know, I know Hal and Ricky are hovering, but he's gonna get as close as he can to Chandler to comfortably whisper to you. Just don't tell anybody, okay? Don't tell.
Okay.
What just happened?
Yeah, I won't.
All right.
I won't tell him.
All right. I gotta take a leak. I gotta take a leak. I'll be back. And he.
In the middle of the show, they're.
All walked away, and you see that there's, like, two people there. Like, I don't think it's part of the show. And they're like, yeah, this is really good.
I didn't realize all but two had stayed. Sorry, I'll.
I'll come back a little bit. It's fine. Thank you. Thank you.
Okay.
He wanders off to, like, the back area there where there are, like, one of those doorways to enter. Like, there's, like, a bathroom, private bathroom back there and stuff. Should.
Should we follow him into the bathroom? Is that an invitation to. Is it. Are there cameras? Is it safer to talk in the bathroom?
Is there a window? Do I need to stand outside and try to listen in?
That's gonna be a rat race of a maze to try to get you outside the right window. I don't think we need to stand. I don't think we need to go in there with him. I mean, he's. He's by himself, so he won't be talking to anybody, probably. Unless.
Should we talk to him?
Oh, you want us to talk to him? Yeah, we could try. Yeah, let's try that.
Razor didn't seem to know of anybody specific that would want revenge against him, but maybe this guy does. Do you know where.
Oh, yeah, I'm looking for Razor. Can you tell me where to go? Chandler? I just want to go stand outside his door and wait for him.
You know what?
You're going into the men's bathroom. I want to go make myself busy.
You know what? Let's go into the men's bathroom and just. Who cares what happens? What's the worst that could happen in the men's bathroom?
I can't think of any bad outcomes.
I could think of too many. Way too many.
I can think of the exact right amount.
So as you're having this discussion, there is a kerfuffle near the front entrance. You're kind of, like, making your way. There's a staircase that goes down, and then there's like, a room for, like. Like a proper show. And you're kind of, like, far away from the. From the ghost piano in the front door. You hear some kerfuffling. You see four guests being escorted out by your new security friend there, Hal Stu. And they're saying, Chris led us back there. We didn't know. We can't go back there. They are escorting four guests out, and you see Chris Blaine, one of the council members, holding his head. He has his hand, like, on his forehead. Like, he is surprised, for lack of a better word. And these four guests are being escorted out the front door. They're making a lot of noise, and everyone's like, what's going on over there? What do y' all do?
You don't see that every day.
I've got too much stuff. I have nowhere to keep it all. Have you thought about putting some of it in storage? But isn't storage some kind of cloud? I don't understand technology. No, not digital storage. I'm talking about Simi Valley storage experts. They have over 100 acres of individual storage units. For residential or commercial purposes, they're ready to find you the size and price that work best for your budget. What if I don't live in Simi Valley? What if I don't even live in California? Don't worry about that because Simi Valley storage experts are also moving experts. No matter where you are in the entire world, as long as it's California, Arizona or parts of Nevada, they'll show up at your door and transport your possessions for you. And with 24 hour client entry privileges and and armed guards on the premises at all times, you'll rest easy knowing that your old comforter and defunct connector cables are always accessible and safe.
Wow.
Sounds too good to be true. It isn't. Trust me. Call 1555 STORAGE. That's 1-555-786-7243. Operators are standing by.
I just met that guy.
Which guy?
Stu is. Stu is. Stu is escorting guests out. Stu's not getting escorted out. Just to be clear, you just met Chris Blaine.
No, I met Stu, the security person.
Oh.
Oh, how does he spell that without a Y? Yeah, without a Y.
Fascinating.
That sounds right.
Okay, well, this seems like the perfect moment actually. If we don't have an idea regarding Chris, let's go into the men's bathroom really quick. We'll be out in 60 seconds.
I mean, I can go talk to Chris if you want to go into the men's bathroom and. And I'll keep myself busy.
That's a great idea. A partner of mine.
Let's do it. It's not like Chris to let people into a backstage area unless he had a good reason or unless he had a terrible reason.
Chris single? Is Chris single?
Why do you want to know?
Want to know?
I would like to know.
Is that a joke? Want to. One, two.
No, there's someone else joining in. Want to know? Want to know? And this guy, this guy in a nice gray suit walks up. I want to know what's going on over there. What happened?
Nice gray suit.
Thanks. It's a gray. It's gray suit.
It's nice.
A cray.
Do you know. Do you know what's no gray. G, R E Y. Do you know what happened? Why are they getting kicked out? I don't.
They probably had a little too much to drink. Probably. You know, there's a sale on shots, so it's easy to overshoot.
By the way, how much is a normal price for a shot? Can we talk about that really quickly? Just throw me a number.
I don't do any sip of way of drinking.
I usually pay 35 each. What?
Okay, then they are on sale. They're on sale. They're definitely not 35. They're very close to 30. So great sale for you, fellow gray suit.
Oh, right, I get the member. The member price at 14.99.
Oh, my God.
That's still exorbitant.
Ricky, do you want a straw for your drink?
I would love one, please. Thank you.
Are you holding. You're holding your shot, Ricky?
Yes, I am.
How much have you sipped so far?
I have done. You know when you fill a glass to the brim and then you just put your lips to it just enough and take in just so that you know it's not going to immediately knock over the edge that much? Just like a little.
A finger. Don't they call that a finger?
No, a finger is just like a whole half of a drink amount.
Yeah. You know when something is really hot and you go to take a sip and then the exact moment that you taste the liquid and you go, oh, that's hot. That's how much I have had out of this shot glass.
Gotcha.
So just enough to go. No, that's vodka.
A dab. Would you call that a dab?
A lick.
Okay.
I would say I stuck my tongue into the shot glass and however much clung to my tongue as I withdrew it from the glass is how much I've had.
Is your tongue more clingy or absorbent?
It's more clingy.
Okay. I like it. So I have a question. So I have a question.
Yes, Mr. Man in the Gray Suit.
No, this is Chris, the Keeper. I have a question for the players. Also, nice suit. The Grace Keeper. Yes, the. The general use bathrooms that are open to everybody is down the stairs to the lower level, which is near the Parlor of Premonition where you met Abby earlier. Chandler, that's the general bath. General use bathrooms. Chandler, you do know if you were to I will use the word, sneak your two friends into the panel wall that looks like a wall. But people who are members here know that that's the bath. The magician bathroom. They can go into that bathroom. So a very important question for me to ask three of you. Where. What bathrooms are you using?
I was. I'm. I'm imagining that we've followed Stu part of the way. So I know that that bathroom is there. Is that. Am I. Am I making that up? Did we walk with him or.
Yeah, Captain Handy went into the wall. The secret wall. Chandler, you saw him go into the wall. So you know, that's the magician. Area this gray suit guy is in, obviously in the general, like, you know, drink area, whatever. And the stairwell to go downstairs is right next to you all. What do you do?
Well, if we're going into the restroom to try to get some info from Captain Handy, then we're gonna have to go through the wall.
Okay, if I.
If that's. If that's fine, then I'll go.
Okay.
If it turns out that I can't talk to Chris Blaine because I've gone into the men's bathroom, let it be known.
Go.
He's the one starting it all. No, I'll go into the men's bathroom and risk my life.
You don't have to go.
No, I'm going. And I throw back the shot.
Hey, hey, where are we going? Is there another show?
No, no. Yeah, I'm part of this now.
I'm in this, huh?
Chandler, you go ask him. Me and the gray suit guy will find out about Chris.
Wait, you guys are doing the Chris thing now? I'm just going to the bathroom by myself.
I'm going to talk to Chris.
I'm going in the bathroom.
You all are fun. Grey suit guy says.
Grey suit guy. What do you do for a living?
Oh, I'm a. I'm an investor. I invest in things, you know, make money that way.
I need money. What kind of stuff do you invest in?
What do you do? I'm interested.
Oh, yeah. I consult on businesses sometimes. It's a concierge service. Yeah. Come on, let's go ask Chris.
Come on. He sticks out song.
I take it by the arm and I start walking towards the front.
Okay. He walks with you. You and Grace. You guy walk away. We're leaving. We're left with Chandler and Ricky. What are the two of you doing now that Grace, you guys left with Hal?
We've got about three minutes before. I'm drunk. Let's go into this bathroom right now. I've agreed to this. Let's go.
Let me start the timer.
Okay, I don't think we really. Okay, let's go. Let's just go.
So, Chandler, I have a question for you. Are you trying to do this covertly, in which I case I'll have you roll something or are you just opening up the wall panel and bringing Ricky in there with you?
Well, my instinct is to say covertly, but you know what? Fuck it. Let's just open up this panel and walk in.
Great.
Because here's what I was gonna do. I was gonna see if I could borrow a member pin from somebody to put on Hal as we went into the bathroom so nobody would give him any shit. But you know what? He's gone with Grey Suit Guy. And now Ricky's coming with me. And I mean, it's a men's room, so she might get stopped anyway, so pin or no pin, it's not going to make a difference.
Great, great. I want to follow you two first. So Chandler, you open the panel. You go into the back room area. You and Ricky head into this room just so you can see as visually. You enter, like a little lounge like area. There's like a few cushions and chairs and tables. If you make a right, that's where the bathroom is that magicians can use before you even, like, move any further. So you've walked into this little, you know, secret part of Magic palace, one of the major, one of the many ones. You hear Captain Handy talking loudly to Panini like, Like, what is. Like, what is going on? And he's like, relax, relax. Like they're having, like, an argument. What did the two of you do?
Ricky?
Yeah, what's up?
Can I borrow your shot glass? I'm gonna put it on the. I'm gonna put it. Okay, great. I mean, it belongs to the pet pal, so I'm not gonna keep it.
I mean, you know, I was just gonna carry this around awkwardly so I had something to do with my hands.
Yeah, you can have it back. I just want to use. See if it'll. I'm taking it, but you can have it back. I just want to see if I can.
I'll grab a napkin and tear it in half.
Why is that the same? How's that the same?
I just need. Sometimes I just need something in my hands. Okay, whatever. Here. There you go.
I don't think it accomplishes the same purpose. Okay. But I just wanted to put it up to the door.
Sure.
To see if I can hear anything through the glass.
I mean, they're talking quite loudly, but yeah, do it.
Yeah, but it might make it a.
Little so loud right now.
That's true. Maybe it'll make it quieter.
I feel like they're fighting. They're so loud.
Okay, as you say that, listen for keywords.
Ricky and Chandler, as you listen for keywords, you hear Handy say, I think we need to take this seriously. And Panini is responding. You know the rules. This doesn't exist. It's not real. You drop the deck. Let it go, Captain. Let it go or there's good. You're going to be in trouble too. It sounds like Handy is Trying to say. He's like, he's freaking out about something, and Panini's trying to make him relax. What do you do with that information?
I think. I think Panini's in on it. Panini is trying to cover this up. And if. If Panini wasn't in on it, if there was any legit ghosts or demons or other otherworldly creatures who are possessing people, Panini would want to get him the F out too. So there's only one reason why he would be trying to talk somebody out of it.
Remember when I. I was trying to get my hour with him? Remember? Remember?
I'll never forget it.
Yeah.
Seared into my brain.
I. I wish because of all the.
Other magicians you could hit on.
I wish y' all would have just let me make that time, because then I could have gotten him. I just knew he's had something to do with this. I knew it. Sorry. Vodka speaking.
Okay, Chandler, roll act under pressure for me. Oh, that is a five. Which is a failure. First question is, do you level up yet, Chandler?
I doubt it. No, I'm only. That's my second experience.
Gotcha. Okay, so that is a five. As this conversation between the two of you reaches a crescendo, the bathroom door opens. And standing there looking at the two of you are the great Panini and Captain Handy. How you and Gray Suit Guy. I feel like you two are power walking arm in arm. Gray Suit Guy feels like. Like his night's already made. Where are you going with this, stranger? What is your plan?
I'm trying to get up to. To Chris Blaine. So was Blaine being escorted out or his guests or both?
So four guests are. Are being shown the door. So they've opened the, like, the, you know, the bookcase, you know, door. So they're being. They're getting their coats from Janice, as we know and love. Blaine is being talked to by the two security guards that you had spoken to earlier. Stu being one of them with a white in his name. So he's kind of like, pushed into that corner, and you can see him kind of making his case, but he seems more confused than anything. And you see Stu is trying to, like, like, calm. The immediate eruption, right The. There's a lot of activity. So it looks like he's just like, calm down, calm down. They have to be scored out. Like, explain to him what's happening as you and Gray Suit Guy are kind of rounding that corner. What's. What's next?
So I'll. I'll delink arms with Gray Suit guy.
He really links your arm. He relinks your arm. He does like, the other arm. You know how you went like this way, he went the other way.
You know, I'm gonna reach in like I'm putting something in his breast coat pocket on the inside, and I'm.
He takes out and he eats it.
I didn't have even a chance to pat it on the outside.
Oh, okay. Yeah, go pat it. He opens up his. Opens up the pocket for you. For you to put it back in there.
I put it in there and then I pat it on the outside. And then. Does he reach for that?
He waits.
He waits. He waits. He waits to see what you do. He's like, I'm having fun. I'm having fun. Where are we going? What's happening?
Hold on. Just give me a second. With my own two arms. Mr. Blake, I'm afraid of Chandler.
Stu with a Y, turns around, says, how. I gotta. I gotta calm. I gotta calm the situation down. Just give us a few minutes, okay?
Could I. Could I help calm him down? Does he want to step outside, Mr. Blaine?
Whoa, no, no. We're not fighting out here, Hal. I know we're buds.
Oh, I'm not fighting you. I'm not fighting him. Who wants to fight?
Your new friend comes up. No one's fighting. We're all having a great time. He relinks your arm again. Hell yeah.
I think this guy speaks for everybody.
Hal, game wise, what would you like to accomplish here? You see, Chris Blaine is like. His face is red. He is absolutely, like, destroyed. Like, he looks so upset. The security guards are purely damage control. And your new friend here is, like, on a different vibe length. What are you trying to do here? And I'll have you roll something.
I do want to see if Blaine will go outside with me to have a quiet conversation.
Okay, I will have you roll manipulate someone to stew. I will give you a plus one since you did build a rapport with him.
Yeah.
So roll manipulate someone and we'll see what you roll first and we'll go from there.
It's not a great stat for me.
Roll day four. I cannot believe the failures today. You rolled a four.
Didn't do a plus one, but it would.
That would have been a five. Stu says, hal, I like you. Let me. Let me calm this down with. With Chris, and then you can do what you want. Okay, I gotta. There's a lot happening right here, and I gotta. I gotta get this under control.
You're the boss. You're the boss. I'm gonna. I'm gonna step back and watch what happens sulkily. And I'm gonna keep an eye out for anybody else that is watching Blaine carefully.
Roll me Investigative mystery as you survey the crowd, as your new friend is doing. Doing like. Like mirroring your moves, like, what are we looking for? This is amazing.
Sorry, that's a flexible alternative. Great.
That's a mixed success. A nine. So investigator mystery on a mixed success. And just as a reminder to all players, this is a time to dig into your playbooks for moves that you know. I know Ricky, you have the. The talk your way into a situation. Of course you know Chandler, you have your magic abilities, and I know. Hal, you have your. Your psychic. Right, Your. Your sensitive abilities. So keep those in mind. So on a nine, you get a hold one. What happened here? What sort of creature is it? What can it do? What can hurt it? Where did it go? What was it going to do? What is being concealed here? And you can frame this how you want because you did say you're kind of surveying the crowd. So while you do that, what question would you like to ask based on that action?
Mm. I want to know. Yeah. If anybody else is. Anybody else is taking a special or prolonged interest in what's happening with Chris Blaine. And in my mind, that's what's being concealed here.
Great. As you. As you survey the crowd, I think it's clear probably by now who is probably members of the Magic palace and who are, like, guests here. Every single one of them are in various forms trying to hide what they realize what just happened. And judging by Chris's reaction, you realize that they're all trying to stifle various reactions of shock that Chris Blaine just got himself kicked off the council and probably the Magic palace organization altogether by this action. So no one seems. Yeah. So no one seems to be, like, enjoying it. It's a mixture of like what and like, oh, my God, like gossip. This is hot gossip for magicians.
Does anyone stand out as a member magician that is particularly looks. Seems particularly vulnerable or is particularly like. Like seeming verbal in their desire to gossip?
That was your hold one. So if you want to do something else to like, like, root that out, feel free. You have your new friend arm in arm still with you. Yeah.
I'm going to turn to Gray suit. I'm be like, hey, you must. You must be pretty good at reading people since you're in investments, right?
I actually am. I'm pretty good at that. Yeah.
Which one of these magicians seems like they have the most to say about this crazy thing that just happened with.
Chris Blaine over here. Well, come on. I mean, this golden rule is you always talk to the. The chefs and the cooks and the wait staff. They know all the gossip.
That's great.
Gotta. We gotta get upstairs.
That's great. Someday you gotta tell me your.
It.