Previously on Absolutely Killing It. So you see in front of you, Chandler, spray painted across, it says, revenge tonight.
Well, look, Razor showed me some footage of a miscreant. A ne' er do. Well, you can tell that he's possessed.
I think we should name the miscreant until we know what their name is.
You know, somebody has pissed somebody else off.
I would say let's try to find the miscreant.
They're not too far from The Magic Palace.
3, 2, 1. The mystery.
The mystery one. Well, guys, best I can tell from the. The paint that was used, the trail that was left behind, I think this person, maybe or maybe not possessed, is. Is somewhere in the nearby couple blocks behind the palace. So, Chandler, you've got a beautiful brain. And it produces gorgeous thoughts. One of which was. Should we interview all these magicians? So I'm wondering if it's stupid to split up or if we have to choose one of these or the other to start with. Either track down this possessed person, see what they can tell us about when they were possessed, if they were possessed, or. Or do the interviews.
First of all, Al, thank you for the compliments. You know, they fuel me. And secondly, I think we should split up. I mean, if we've learned nothing from children's tv, it's that we should always split up. Even though it will probably end up being a problem in the long run and cause all manner of misunderstandings. It kind of makes sense right now.
I think so. Independence is a crucial American value that I will not give up under any circumstances.
Sounds like I'm getting a dog.
What will you name it?
Not Scrabby Woo.
Scrabby.
You.
Is that loving term you always say when you speak in the night?
I've been doing that again. Okay.
Yeah, you've been doing a lot of night speaking.
Do I take out my sword at this point?
Razor Tully, who has been waiting to hear back from you. Chandler, like, if you have any news, he. I'm assuming this cluster is happening in the parking area or. Where is it? Where's your conversation happening? It is.
We're dodging cars that are coming in for valet parking.
It's actually still very early. Actually, no. There would be some employees pulling in. Chandler, you'd see some employees coming in down the employee entrance there.
Yeah.
So you are dodging some cars. Chandler, I'll ask you. Do you still know anyone that works here at the Magic Palace?
Oh, yeah. I know most of the people. Whether or not they like me is. That's a different question. But no. Yes. I mean, yes, I know. I k N o w. Yes.
Yeah. So it's still rather early in the day, but yeah, there's definitely the bartender and some of the. The, the cooks and the kitchen staff coming in at this point. So you don't know if they recognize you necessarily. Chandler. But you do see some of the. Some maybe familiar faces playing in. Razor is approaching the three of you as you have this conversation and he's. Chandler, Any. Any updates?
Hey, Ray, we're just about to start our investigation. We're splitting up, so. Yeah, we are. We're gonna.
We're.
We're gonna chase down this kid. Huo.
Oh, okay, great. But you, you know, you know what?
Wait, do you know?
Wait, you know, huo.
Do you know?
I don't know huo. But I'm more concerned about the, you.
Know what the huo. What?
The. The P, O, S S E S S I, O, N. Yeah, thanks.
We can't spell.
I can't say it too loud. You know, I'm on the council, you know. Chandler. I can't say it too loud.
Let me ask you this. Raise.
Razor.
Do you know Razor? Sorry, it's trying to be casual. Do you know that thing that you spelled out, do you know it to be contagious? Is that something that can be passed on to someone else while remaining in the initial host, or can it only pass? Can it only occupy one person at a time?
This is why I love that big gorgeous brain. I would never have thought of a question like this.
You're so sweet.
How he looks at Ricky and Hal and looks at you. Chandler, they're not gonna. They're not gonna rat me out, right? If I talk about this with you.
No.
I do not believe that face you made. Ricky.
No.
Too much. Ricky.
Die. Keep secrets like a constipated bunghole.
Chandler. Chandler, can we just step aside just to be safe?
Yeah, let's step.
Just a quick, quick sidebar. Quick sidebar.
Let's step and repeat.
He pulls you aside. He pulls you aside. Ricky and Hal, what are you doing? As they have a quick sidebar. Are you just going to try to eavesdrop or what are you doing?
I throw my. I would throw my lapel camera, but there's still no sound attached to it, so it's not going to. I'm just going to try to. I'm going to try to find a piece of paper to turn into a funnel to hold up to my ear to try and hear better.
Okay.
And I'll hold my head up next to her. Her other ear.
You know what? I don't know if there's a role for this. How about this? How about this? The way I should do this is.
What do you.
What is your goal here? Are you trying not to be discovered? Are you trying to hear what they're gonna chat about? What, what is your, what is your goal here?
Us?
Yeah.
Eavesdropping?
Yeah.
Oh, no, I. Every plan I make, I, I'm sure is, is just whatever what it is. If, if I'm in plain sight, I'm in plain sight. Catch me if you can.
So I guess my point is if there is someone holding the funnel to their ear, I think if you're not being sneaky about it, I think they might just move further away from the two of you.
Yeah.
Okay, so you have the funnel and they're just going to keep moving. Are you going to follow them as.
Okay, totally.
I think eventually Chandler, Razor gives up and just, he stops moving as they. I was gonna have you roll, Ricky, but you're just, you're just funneling it up. I don't think there's a role here. Wow.
Wow, we're really in step.
All right, in a hush tone. Actually, you know what, Ricky, let's have you roll. Act under pressure. Because I want to see if you do overhear this because we haven't rolled this yet. And I want to have the listeners find. Follow this with us. Act under pressure. Oh, you rolled already. Thank you.
Failure.
So act under pressure on attempt. So when you roll. Act under pressure. That's usually, I don't want to say catch all, but it is kind of anything that doesn't quite fit any of the other role moves. And I feel like there's a pressure situation here. I'll have you roll. Act under pressure on a 10. Plus you do what you set out to do on a seven to nine, the keeper is going to give you a worse outcome. Hard choice or price to pay.
And.
And then on a miss, things go to hell. So you rolled a five, which is a failure. So mark experience and the funnel is stuck in your ear. It's just like, it just, it's not coming out again.
Girls just want to have funnel.
So as you're struggling with this now, funnel, that's in your ear.
Yeah.
Razor says to you, Chandler, he says, listen, I, I call. I called you because I know you, you, you dabble in, in magic. You know, as you know, I especially. I'm on the council. I can't, I can't dabble in Any of that kind of stuff. I don't really know what type of possession it is. I was hoping. It's kind of hoping you would. You would know.
Well, we've got a suspect. If I can track him down, I will definitely do whatever magic I can to, to reveal whether or not he's possessed and if, and if, and if even it's not too big by what he is possessed.
Just as you know, you just can't do it here.
No, I wouldn't do it there.
Okay. I appreciate it.
I mean, not unless I'm getting paid.
Well, you could do, you could do our magic. You can't do your magic.
Right? I mean if I, I mean if I was, I would want the, you know, the big stage.
Right. But.
Right, right, since I'm here. I mean, if we want to discuss booking me, you know, at any, any point in the next few months, I'm available week. I mean, you can think about it. Take that to the board. I, I can, you know, follow up later after we, we chase this guy down.
Chandler, if you want, I will let you roll manipulate someone. He has told you he's on the council. Which, that means he is part of the five heads of the magic palace. So he could, he would more than a dog. He would be the person to ask that sort of question. So if you want to, you don't have to. But if you want to roll manipulate someone to see if he. You could get this gig, feel free. That's an eight. That's a mixed success. So on a m. On a. Manipulate someone. On a mixed success. On a 7 and 9, they'll do it, but. 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, it would take for them to do it. So he's going to say, listen, Chandler, I, I know bookings have been tight and I, I think I know why. I think you know who is blocking you. If you can solve this without any issue, I'll. I'll get you in here this weekend on the big, on the big stage deal. He. He's probably going to be here tonight though. You know I'm talking about. Right.
Well, I can only assume that it is Blaine Richards.
Well, Blaine will be here. Yeah, but I was talking to, you know, I was talking about the bread guy. Oh, Doughboy, the green panini.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Okay, well, I'll let you do your thing and let me know if I can help you in any way. Okay.
All right. Thanks, Ra.
Thank you. Thank you, Chandler.
All right, guys, you can stop.
Chandler, your back was on fire.
My back was on fire.
I mean, figuratively, but maybe also literally underneath the coat. I don't know.
I mean, but at least you know that I wasn't lying if it was my back and not my pants.
That's true. I mean, mostly it had the made the impression on me that you got some kind of tremendously good news. Is that true? Do my look intuitions deceive me?
I mean, did I hear it correct that they're going to have paninis tonight for dinner?
Not quite that exciting. No, it's. I, I wish it was that. I, I would. I wish it was a, a grilled sandwich over what it actually is. But no, it's my arch nemesis, the great Panini. And yeah, you know, look, if we, if we solve this without any real imprint on the Magic palace then, you know, they, they might, they might just be able to find a spot for me in the next scheduling bracket. So, you know, I, I not to, not to put my own personal objectives ahead of anything else. I'm just saying that would be a great thing for me if we could solve this one quick and easy.
Oh, it is fabulous.
Yeah.
And stick it to this panini. I've always just thought you weren't a fan of, you know, the God of the woods.
I, I'm questionable on the God of the woods. I do enjoy a grilled sandwich. And I definitely do not like the magician.
Oh, yeah. What's this guy's problem?
You just. He's just so smug and he just thinks he's so great and he just gets, he just gets booked all the time, anytime, any room he wants. And he's not that great. I know he's not that great.
Hey, can you make any fire from your hands? I would love to burn this piece of paper out of my ear.
I'm pretty sure I can do that.
Mm.
I'm not sure about, you know, my, you know, precision, but happy to try it. So you might lose a little bit of hair, but that's.
Okay.
That time you, that time you did that half head shave, you know, I think looked pretty good on you. So, you know, if that happens again, you could just, you know, you could, you could go back to that haircut. I think it's super cool. Super hot.
Because you said that without any. There it is. Never mind. Let's just leave it. No, see, no.
Super sexy hot.
What?
No, because you said that my half hair shaved Looked pretty good. And you said it so fluidly I was gonna allow it but then you had a sneaking at the end.
Hot.
So I'm gonna leave this. Just. Just enjoy my ear funnel for today everyone. Just let's keep on trucking, right?
I already have.
You don't want me to bring the paper out?
No, thank you. Let's keep me as unhot as possible. Tough to do.
I know.
The people coming into work are observing three people, one with a ear funnel in their ear, making this noise in the parking lot.
The mystery is on A little softer.
A little softer.
So are we all going into the neighborhood or what's the deal? Chandler, are you starting interviews?
What's your.
What's your intuition?
Yeah, I'll start. I'll start. I'll find out who's here a little early and see what they might know, what they could have seen.
Ricky, what are you and the dog doing?
Gonna. I'm gonna go find that dog. And as soon as I find that dog, I'm gonna start canvassing. Not what you think, but for what we know. You know what I mean?
You're gonna try to get Hyuno elected to something?
No, I'm just gonna knock on doors and ask if Hyuno's there.
Okay. Well it sounds like we're going together then. Unless I'm very confused so there's no paint canvases involved.
He ran so fast. I'm just gonna go the opposite way. But I gotta find that dog.
So before we check in with Chandler, the two people running. Which directions are you running?
I'm going back to the dumpster where I found the trash can.
Okay.
And moving past that at my best sense of where someone where this individual might have gone into to find more evidence of where I should knock or look through windows.
Great. And then Ricky, are you going in the opposite direction of Hal? Did I hear that correctly?
Correct. Yes.
So are you just running? I don't want to assume speed. Are you just going up the street? How? Where? Which direction are you going?
I picture making a right out of the entrance and then making an immediate right which means I'm going up the hill to a little known restaurant at the top looking for a dog scrounging for food bits.
So I told you that we're going to use Roll luck which is from the crit show. I'm gonna have you roll for me 2d6 plus 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. You're gonna roll 2d6 plus 3. So if you want to roll sharp, we'll add one to this roll, if you could, for me. Ricky, this is a crit show custom rule where they roll luck. They take half their current unused luck. A they roll two D6 plus that rounded down. So it's two D6 plus three for you.
Right. Okay.
Make success. So, Ricky, you make your way up the hill and you're headed toward a restaurant. Looking for a dog.
Correct.
You find a seated outside, like there's a little patio. There is a couple restaurant goers. One has a cat in their lap and they're putting the cat.
Hi, I'm so sorry. Is your cat available for adoption?
No, this is my cat, Felix.
Does Felix have another brother or sister in your bag or lap?
No. No, Felix. Felix is my only cat.
Is there any way I could get your cat? I'm in dire need of an exploration partner.
You want to borrow my cat to explore things.
Happy to buy, happy to adopt, happy to rent. Whatever sounds best to you. Just for an evening. I've got a mystery. I gotta solve it.
This is a game and not real life. So roll manipulate someone for me, please, Ricky.
Thank you so much.
See if they will give you their cat. You might have to tell me why. A little more.
Come on, charm.
That's a failure. So mark experience. This person says, heck no, Felix is mine.
Okay. Enjoy your cat. Thank you so much.
Hal, I think I led you to. I let you do the can. I told you it was very close by. I think I want to let you roll another investigative mystery since you're on the case here. So roll that for me.
Investigate a mystery, you said?
Yes, please. Thank you. That's a mixed success. You get a hold one. So you're at the can where the discarded spray can is. You get a hold one.
Where did it go?
Where did it go? What? Where did what go?
Where did Huno go? This person that might have been possessed but was making the Revenge Tonight graffiti.
You see traces of what looks like the spray paint not more than half a block ahead, like near a railing. You know the building you need to go to to find where this person most likely lives? You know where to go.
I'm gonna head up there.
Okay.
This is a residential building.
It's on an apartment building.
Yeah. And can I tell, like, which unit they might have been in?
I'll say. Sure, I'll let that stand. You see a little. Just a trace amount of the spray on unit 204, the little buzzer thingy.
Oh, oh, I see outside.
All right.
Does the door open if I just try it?
Are you trying the Door to go.
Inside the main building.
Yeah, let's have you roll luck too. 2d6 plus 3. You rolled very well. You try the door and it looks like. You know how when people move in like go into building and they put like something there so they don't close it behind them because they're like moving in or out. You happen to catch it on this morning where someone has lodged the front door open. You could walk right in if you want.
And I will do I. Is there a Name on the 204 buzzer?
There is not.
I'm gonna go in and I'm gonna go up to the second floor and I'm gonna scope that floor.
Give me one more investigated mystery roll if you could please. That's a full success. So you get a hold two as a reminder. 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 don't forget you do have your.
Weird movie first I'm gonna ask what happened here.
So you see as you look down the hall, you're like at the landing right of the second floor. As you peer down the hall you see unit 204. And you see very quickly the door was cracked open of 204 and they closed it as quietly as they could. Seeing someone on the landing, like just quick close.
Thinking of whatever closed the door. I would like to know what can it do? I guess I don't know if I have enough info.
But what are you concerned that that it can do?
I would love, I would love to know if this person, assuming they were possessed, if they are still possessed or if there's something in the room beyond just the person that did the graffiti.
I'll say in response to your what can it do role since you did get a full success. You get the sense that they are worried that they have been caught but there wasn't. They didn't come out guns blazing. Right. Like they didn't take an offensive action and looks like they're trying to almost give you this person at the end of the hallway. The impression that they're not there and that there's no one in this apartment. Chandler, you're left here at the Magic Palace. Can I just ask and you can tell me as much or as little as you'd like. When's the last time you've been here at the Magic Palace?
It's been a few months, but you know, that was just coming in, you know, as a just As a member, not performing.
So you're standing here outside in the parking lot. What would you like to do next?
Well, I'd like to get in and interview some magicians, try to get a lead or some solid info on this case while maybe doing a little networking at the same time.
This is one of those situations I was referring to. Character may know more than the player. So I'll tell you what would be known. But if you're like, Chandler would have known this, you can let me know. But there are, there are people that live at the Magic Palace. The Council lives here as well as some members get to live here. It's kind of like a fraternity house. Like, you can pay to, like, live in a room here at the Magic Palace. There's, there's a little area where there are, you know, rooms. So there are people here. Most likely they will wander out and do magic any night they want. There are also people that come in, much like you might, who are members who can perform.
So.
So they'll probably be coming in later to do their shows. And of course, the council all have rooms here. And usually they perform every night. They don't necessarily have to, but they have, as, you know, first dibs on doing shows. They all have rooms here as well. Of course, Razor is obviously here, so you have a lot of potential people to talk to. So my question to you is, how would you like to start, you know, talking with people, contacting people to talk to, that sort of thing?
Well, I think we'll go in, greet Trixie at the check in inside, and then, you know, walk through the magic bookcase and just see who's hanging out. See who I encounter.
Great. As you open up the, the magic bookcase, you see, of course, the, of course the piano that's going to play later on when people show up. There's the bar to your right, there is the stairs that go downstairs. To your right is also stairs that goes upstairs to the dining area. You are aware of some dorm rooms. Dorm rooms is not the right word, but there's rooms that are through the secret wall to your left. There's also some rooms that are on the upper level. Usually the council and other rooms are up there right now in the main area. There's not a whole lot. Razor, you see that he's still talking with security because he's apparently the council member that's been called for this incident. And there's some staff kind of milling about, but you don't see any magicians right now. But you know where they could possibly be if you decide you want to poke around.
Yeah. So I would go grab a program and flip through to see who's performing tonight. And likely they would be at their respective venues setting up for their shows or rehearsing tonight.
Pot Stockton, Wizardle, Mystical Melvin, Close Up. Corliss El Elias the Elusive. Peter Paper, the one and only, Owen, Abby Kadabra, Dynamide, Debbie, Dizzy, Alexi E. Amazing. Esteban La Mange du Papier Henry Illusion, Tippy Under. And of course, all five council members. Razor Tully. As you know, Campton, Handy Chris Blaine, Nick Nichols, and of course, Martin the Great. Panini Leno.
What's his name? Ernie the Elusive. What's his name?
Elias the Elusive. Yeah.
Elias the Elusive. You know, that guy is hard to pin down. So I should probably take advantage of him being here tonight and see. See what he knows.
Sure. And just as a reminder, it's almost lunchtime, so there he's probably here. But just so you know, there's the night stuff hasn't started yet, but you can probably find. Even though he is hard to find, now would be the time to find him. He's probably here at the dorms.
Good call on the lunch. Maybe I should go to the backstage cafeteria and see if he's nibbling on some nugs.
Great. So you want to head upstairs to the kitchen, dining room area.
Yeah.
Great. So you head upstairs, you see some of the. Some of the early coming in crew setting up the tablecloths. Right. Getting some of the silverware ready, that sort of thing. They're already starting to get that set up, I think. Not a record scratch, but I think a few people, like, notice you, you know, coming in. So you want to head right to the kitchen or do you want to go somewhere else?
Yeah, let's go right to the kitchen. He's likely to be hiding out in there, I realize.
And listeners, I apologize. This is not typical, but I do feel like this is another luck roll to see if Elias, Elias the Elusive, happens to be in the kitchen when Chandler walks in there. Roll for me. Weird. We're going to add one to this role to see if Elias the Elusive happens to be here in the kitchen as you walk in. So it's your luck halved rounded down plus. So it's 2D6 plus your luck rounded down. And none of you have used luck yet. So you have your full seven points of luck. So it's three plus two D6, full success, nibbling on what you assume to be leftovers. Wearing a multicolored robe, which you think is probably part of Elias's new gimmick. Elias the elusive's back is to you. What do you do?
Huh? Look who is not being elusive.
Sad people, flashy lights, the stench of urine, off brand characters begging for cash. And costumes dirtier than the sidewalks themselves. It's not a thing of nightmares. No, quite the contrary. It's America's number 17 vacation destination according to Tourist Trap magazine. We've got restaurants, we've got movie theaters, believe it or not. We've even got a Ripley's Wax Museum. Creepy. And yes, we even have an outdoor mall. Remember malls? Well, we've got one of those. In a world in which too many people have too much money and nobody knows just quite how to spend it all, give us a shot. Throw away your disposable income in soul sucking garbage heap of a commerce center. Hollywood and Highland. No glitz, no glamour, just hepatitis paid for by the Santa Monica Board of Tourism. Come here instead. Ricky, you didn't get the cat. You're at this restaurant at the top of the little hill. What would you like to do?
I would still like to find an animal. Animal companion friend.
How would you like to find another animal companion friend?
At this point, I'm desperate. I'm finding anything. I. I'm contemplating running back to Hal for his loose pocket nuts. I. Anything. I need a companion. I'm going out alone. I'm a woman. Near the Magic Palace. I'm not. I definitely need. I need something.
Okay. What's your first tactic to get an animal companion?
I like to do some bird calls. Crows are very smart. I think they're perfect if I captured a raven by chance. Awesome.
So just so I'm clear, Ricky, you just want to start making crow noises here by the restaurant to see if a crow or raven lands on your arm?
Yeah.
Okay. I don't think there's a role for this. So you are making crow noises. I think in the tree there's a like responding to you. Hal, you are nearing the door. Oh, sorry. I don't want. I don't want to speak for you. Are you approaching the door? Are you at the base of this hallway or.
I am.
Okay, what do you do?
But nothing simple with me. I'm gonna go up to the door across the hall from 204. Or if. If it's kind of offset, then something approximately across. And I'm gonna. I'm gonna knock on the door.
Sure. It's. We'll say that's apartment 211 because they really Screwed up when they laid out the unit. So it's 211. You just knock on.
Boy, if they had consulted me, I really could have helped him with the layout of this place.
Great, great. So you knock on the door. What do you and what do you do?
And I'm pulling out my phone. It's only about 14% battery, but I'm pulling up a doordash order I made for three days ago and I'm saying, hey, hi, my name is Hal. I'm looking for my food.
So there's a role here. Is your goal to get the person in 204 to reveal themselves or the person 211 to come to the door?
I'm fine with either. I would say. Okay, I would say a bigger goal is to get the person at 2:11 to come to the door.
Okay, so roll me manipulate someone to see if they are, well, a. If they're there to be charmed by your doordash gambit. That's a failure. There's no response from the other side of the door. So Anna failed to manipulate someone. I think I mentioned to you all off mic. I want to also highlight what happens when you fail. So mark experience. If you haven't already marked experience. Yeah, animus, your approach is completely wrong. You offend or anger the target. From the other side of the hallway in room 204, you hear through the door, I didn't do anything. Go away.
All right, now I will risk my sensitive move.
So let's. Can you read sensitive for me? If we haven't already, could you please read sensitive? Sensitive.
When you open up your brain to the psychic environment role plus weird. On a 10 or more, you gain a definite impression. A vision, tangible aura, overheard thought, etc. About something important. On a 7 and 9 you gain a hazy impression about something important. On a miss, your brain makes contact with something dangerous.
So Hal, you want to roll sensitive your brain to the psychic environment. What is your objective here as you open up your brain?
My. My objective is to get some. Some sense of what has recently happened with this person in 204. Most immediately, if I can interact with them now reliably as like a normal person that might not even be sure what happened to them.
And just so the listeners know and you all know, this is my first time using the sensitive mood in this game. It's very open ended, which I actually like. It's very vague as to. It says a definite impression about something important. And then on 7, 9, you get a hazy person about something important. So roll Sensitive for me. If you could. That's an 8. It's a mixed success. So you get a 7, 9 to 8. You gain a hazy impression about something important. The hazy impression you get is a first person view of someone walking. Right. They're walking down the street and it kind of looks like the street you were on before. You approach the apartment building, but. But not. You're not quite sure, but it feels like it is, right? So you have this impression of a walk and then almost once they reach the steps and the call box, you feel the walk change. The gate is different and there's a little more jostling to your field of vision. And then your vision fades.
So it felt like it was from the palace to this building.
It picked up actually on the street.
On the street. Okay. So I'll get close to the door and I'll. I'll talk in low tones. Hey, sir. You know, I have. I have a feeling that you might have been involved in strange vandalism recently. And I actually am not convinced that you're responsible for it. So I can. My name is Hal. I would love to hear about it. I. If you are trying to figure out more about it.
Just so everyone knows, listening. Hal has the move. Fellow believer people understand. You've also known strangeness. Bystanders will talk to you about weird things they would not trust another hunter or a mundane official to believe. I think in this case this move applies. So. So I won't have you roll. Manipulate someone. The door cracks like they have their little chain on the door. I completely forgot what that's called. Opens a door and just see a face of someone. Look at you. How did you. How did you know?
I'm kind of interested in these unexplained things. Maybe it wouldn't surprise you to know. I can't explain everything that's happened to me. If it's making you curious, let's. Let's talk inside. I just knocked out here in the hallway. Maybe other people are looking.
I could talk to you through the door, but I don't know. I don't know you, man. I don't know if I should let you in my apartment, Harold. Okay. I could tell you what happened. And then I think I should. I think I should just sleep it off.
Oh, okay. Yeah, yeah, please let me know.
So I was watching Hulu with ads, you know, so annoying. I. I don't. I can't afford it. And. And then I woke up with paint on my hands, like in my building. And then I heard about Some sort of spray painting at the palace. I, I, I don't think I did it, man, but it freaked me out.
I, I pretty much don't believe you did either. But tell me this. How did you, how did you hear about the spray painting at the palace?
Well, it's like, you know, people talk. I mean, the palace is like the palace around here. And I thought it was weird. And so, you know, a few people went for a walk and said, you know, there's some commotion over there that someone spray painted on the, the stop and repeat the step in stone. And I mean, it matches the color the stone and repeat. I, I didn't do anything, man. I don't, I don't. I didn't do it. I didn't do it.
And what was on Hulu?
I was watching Crazy Enemy.
Wow. Which season?
I'm starting from scratch. I gotta start from scratch every.
Oh, my God. Good luck to you.
I love George o'. Malley.
God bless. All right. And do you remember, was there a particular ad or particular scene on when as the last thing you remember?
It was the episode where we first meet his dad and his two brothers and they go out hunting. And then literally, next thing I know, I'm back in my back at the front of my building and I have paint on my hands. And I don't, I don't know, man. I'm actually kind of freaked out.
I'm gonna, I would love to give you my card, but I don't really keep one, so. Do you have a pen and paper? I could give you a couple facts to jot down about me.
Sure. He runs and gets his phone to digitally write this down.
That's smarter. My phone's always so low, so I.
Charge it every night. Huh.
That sounds nice. This is my number and my name is Harold Bristol. You know, feel free to reach out if you have other questions or remember anything else. If someone were gonna, you know, bend you to their will, is there a particular reason they might get you to, to paint this way? Are you, Are you good at lettering? Do you often walk by the palace or anything like that?
No, I, I was. I mean, I stay up late. I'm a night owl, you know.
Night owl?
Yeah.
And what would you see?
Go ahead. I was gonna say night owl means, you know, you're usually up late.
Right? What, is there a different thing that it might mean?
I don't know. I don't know. I'm kind of freaked out, man.
The world's compassion upon you. And what would you say your worst.
Quality is I care too much.
Does that extend to like rather generally or is it about. Towards a certain set of priorities?
No, I know I curse a lot. That's my fucking worst quality, I guess.
I feel you. I feel you. Inanimate objects. Boy, they get my goat.
Oh, cool.
Mm, my ire, I guess I should say. Hey, it's been great meeting you. What. How shall I remember you? What should I call you? Hugh.
My name's Noel. Noel. Noel, Hugh.
Noel. It's great to meet you. Okay, don't hesitate with the number. It's my cell, so I might not always have energy, but feel free to call or text, whatever your pleasure is. I don't download new apps, so please don't try to engage me in the DMS of some, some, I don't know, group me or whose app.
I don't slowly closing the door.
I don't do any of that. So just, just if, you know, if you try to do that. That's why I'm not answering.
Chandler?
Yeah.
Elias, the elusive slowly turns to you. Mouthful of Looks like roast beef. Looks like you. You know how sometimes people eat a sandwich in bits? Looks like he was eating the roast beef. He was going to put some lettuce in his mouth next. Chandler, that you?
Yeah, you know, it's me. Elias. Let me ask you something. Why order a sandwich?
What do you mean? I'm getting some leftovers.
Open faced turkey sandwich. If you're gonna deconstruct.
Clogs up my pipes, man, I can't do turkey.
Elias performing today? No, I'm just here to, you know, watch some friends perform and you know, put a little, put some feelers out there for some possible bookings and you know, maybe solve a possession or two.
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh oh.
Or what?
Stay on those words, buddy. You know, it's one of the rules.
But it's weird. It's just weird watching you do the like zip your mouth shut thing, that gesture while you're, you know, holding a piece of roast beef. It's like you're just putting. It's like you're putting on a fleshy chapstick. Anyway, I. Look, I don't know what it is. We. I. I know we. I know we don't always see eye to eye, to put it as a cliche, but I thought maybe you'd. You, I thought maybe you could help me out. I'm just curious if you saw anything strange before you came in today or even after you did come in.
No, no, I mean, I came here to get some free food. You know, I was probably gonna hit up, do some shopping at the Lucky Strike over there. You know, they got some gifts for my kids and then, you know, I think I gotta show it when the table's down downstairs tonight. So I was gonna practice that before. Before everyone gets here, you know.
Okay.
Nothing strange? No, nothing strange. Why? What. What happened?
Well, you may have noticed a bit of tagging on your way in.
Yeah. Punk kids, right?
We could only hope. I'm afraid it's something worse. I'm afraid it's a greater threat and I'm trying to get to the bottom of it.
So.
If you saw anything or if you've heard anything, now would be the time to tell me because I. I know I'm not going to be able to track you down later.
No, I mean, I. I'm telling you, man, I really can't tell you anything that's gone on weird around here lately. Right. You showing up as weird.
Yeah, I know it's been a while. It's been a couple months.
Wow. Been a while.
Yeah.
Well, you know, like it? I got the faux hawk going. You like the faux hawk?
I like it. Yeah. I mean, thank you. For you. It's okay. The only thing more elusive than you, Elias, is stage time. So, yeah, I'm trying to. Trying to get a little bit of that. Let's see. What could I do to make sure. Sure that Elias is telling the truth?
That is a great question, Chandler. Well, there's a lot. There's. So you tell me what you suspect and there's. There's. Actually, there isn't. Like D D has insight checks. There isn't exactly that here in Monster of the Week. But there are other things you might be able to determine if he's withholding from you. So what. What would you. What do you think is happening here and then we'll roll based on that.
I. I think everything he said is true.
Okay.
About the free food and the gifts and the performing. But, you know, this guy's slippery.
So you have. I'll say this. You have a few options, like investigative mystery could work, but it's very narrow. I think what you're aiming for, because it's what happened here, what sort of creatures it would. Would be specifically Elias in this situation. Because you're investigating him. You could attempt to do. Manipulate someone. If you try to get something else out of him or like something else that could. That could be. But the rules of the guild, which I don't know if we've. I'll let you reveal that if you. If you like. I will hold off on that for now. But the rules of the guild is to avoid anything that is magic that you do when you do use. Using. Weird. So anything that even if he knew it, he would risk getting banished if he, like, even talks about it. And someone over here is that doesn't want to know about it. So probably I won't even have you roll for this. Even talking about here in the palace is risky for him. If he knew something along those lines.
All right, Elias, you. So you didn't see anything? One more question. Last question. Did you see anyone who saw something?
I don't think so. All right, I. I saw someone is now doing an Iron Man Spider man mashup there on Hollywood Highland. It's pretty cool. Oh, Iron Spider.
Yeah, I don't think that's exactly what I'm looking for right now.
Well, you should check it out. It's pretty cool.
I mean, unless it was Miles Morales. Spider man, and he had a couple of spray cans.
No, no, it was the gold and red suit. So it's like the plated thing and it's got spiders on.
Yeah, that's just the Iron Spider. That's not really a mashup. So thanks for nothing, but I don't.
See it in the movies, I'm telling you. I didn't see the movies.
You didn't see the movies?
I did. I didn't see that in the movies. I didn't see the spider legs on the back.
Sounds like you did.
At. At this point, the chef is like. Could you two of you take this somewhere else? We need to prep for the dinner tonight.
All right. Well, you know what, Elias? Thank you for nothing.
You're welcome.
Try to catch your show tonight. No promises. You should probably start packing up that sandwich. You got a lot of components there. Anyway, where's that other person on that list?
Yeah, who you want to look for?
I don't remember them all.
Pot Stockton, Wizardo. Mystical Melvin. Close Up Coralis. I might be saying that wrong. Elias Elusive. Who we've met. Peter Paper. The one and only. Owen. Abby Kadabra. And we've already established off mic that Abra Deborah. No, Abaca. Deborah is Abby's rival. Dynamite Debbie. Dizzy. Alexi. Amazing. Esteban, Lamaje du Papier. And Henry Illusion, Tipioner. Of course. Razor and the other four council members will also have slots tonight. Who would you like to try to track down?
Let's try Abby Kadabra.
Okay, and where do you want to look? For Abby at.
Well, let's see here. It looks like she is in the parlor of premonitions, so maybe see if she's warming up.
Do you want to see if she's setting up?
Yeah.
Potentially.
Yeah.
Great. As you make your way out of the kitchen. What? So let's merge our timelines. Hal and Ricky, what are you doing? Are you staying where you are? Ricky, you're talking to crows. How are you leaving the apartment building? Like, what's everyone doing as we check in here? It's probably like noonish at this point. Noonish. 1ish.
I'll head back, but I'm gonna. I'm gonna scan, you know, the front door all. And then the path all the way back for any magical components or signs of rituals in case that was what was used to. To. To affect Noel.
Okay, roll me investigative mystery while you roll that. Ricky, what are you doing?
I'm getting pretty thirsty, so I'm going to text. I'm going to text Chandler and Hal and see who has a better chance of getting me a cup of water. And I'm going to go to whichever location they're at for that water.
Hey, I'm still at the palace and, you know, I could. I could grab a complimentary bottle of water and a. A magic palace exclusive bottle of water for you both.
Oh, great. Well, perfect, because I'm at the Palace. I'll see you at the palace.
Hal, correct me if I'm wrong. You rolled an 11 right on your investigative stream. And remind me again what you're looking for and then we'll run through the questions again.
The. Any signs of. Or any components of magic or. Or signs of a ritual that are at Noel's. Noel's front door, or anywhere on my path back to the palace to see if that's how he was affected.
Great. And as a reminder, 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? You get two.
I'll start with what happened here. To. To see. Yeah. If. If something that happened. Happened on this path.
Great. So with your vision combined with speaking with null and I'm walking out, you get the impression, pun intended. I'll edit that out. That as whatever happened before this is unclear, but clearly if this person was possessed, the possession left them as they reached their home and then is gone from null. Like you didn't get any sense that Noel seemed to be possessed. So the possession did their thing and left as Noel Returned to their building. That matches with your vision and the different styles of walks. Looks like there was one thing in control and it left in that moment where things got all jubbly. You have another hold.
Well then where did it go?
So it is not here. So far you haven't seen anyone else possessed. It did say revenge tonight. You still got maybe six or seven hours before guests were to show up. So it's not here and it probably isn't here now.
Okay, I'm headed back to the palace.
Chandler, remind me. You want to find Abby Kadabra in the parlor of Premonitions?
Yes.
Are you also grabbing the free water that is here at the Magic Palace?
Oh, yeah.
Okay, how many battles?
One for me, one for Ricky.
Okay, just two. Great. As you enter the palace of Premonitions, which is in the basement level, nine rooms are magic performing spaces. So if you go down the stairs and head straight to the back, that's the parlor premonitions. What do you do?
I head back to that parlor for some premonitions.
As you open the door, you see indeed Abby is in there with like a tech person. Looks like they're setting up the lights. Looks like she's adjusting kind of the lights that'll hit the stage for tonight's show. So like they're on stage kind of just talking about, you know, the light setup. As you enter, what do you do?
Hey, Abby. Long time no see.
Oh yeah. Chandler Childs. Chandler, right. Sorry. Yeah, right on tip my. How are you? Do you have a gig tonight? No, just.
Just here to. To watch and oh, you know, see some friends.
Great. Great. Well, I'm just help work with the tech guy. Did you. Did you want to catch up later or. I don't know.
Oh yeah, maybe. Yeah, maybe. Oh yeah, I'm. Oh, oh, let's do that.
Okay.
Maybe for sure. Oh, definitely. Maybe.
Yeah, sure. Yeah, I'm fine. I'm free. Okay, great.
Me too. Probably.
Yeah, yeah, I'm fine.
I'm definitely. Maybe do that. I don't mean interrupt. Sorry to. To take away your. Your tech time. I just wondered. I'm sure as you came in today you probably saw the tagging outside.
I did, yeah. I did. Yeah.
I'm just curious if you happen to. You know how.
If you.
How early you were here. Maybe if you. If you saw anyone in the progress. In progress. Saw that in pro. In progress of being done. Did you see the tagging in progress?
I didn't see the tagging in progress and I'm free later. But no, I didn't see anybody tagging or anything. I saw Hugo out there and the rest of the crew, you know, looking at it, but no, I didn't see who did it. Are you like. Do you know who did it?
No, I'm probably. Yeah, I'm probably good for later, but I'm just trying to find out for sure.
Yeah, I have a little time.
Sure. Just a couple of cohorts of mine and I are just trying to. To get to the bottom of who that tagger is and, you know, make sure.
Oh, sure. Yeah. Maybe some tea. Yeah, yeah.
Some tea. No good. And so forth.
Yeah, I mean. I mean, I can ask around who's here, you know, as. I don't live here. I live, you know, in Los Feliz. Los Feliz, depending on how you pronounce it. But, yeah. Yeah, I. Yeah, I can ask around, you know, folks that live here, if you want.
That would be great. That'd be great. I mean.
Yeah, great.
Yeah. I mean, if it's not going to take away too much from your setup time, that'd be great. And then maybe when we most likely. Probably get together later and catch up.
We can also talk about if you.
Yeah. Quick catch up. And then.
And then maybe you.
If you get any. If you do. If you. If anybody that you talk to has any solid information that would be cool for you to.
Yeah, cool. Totally cool. Yeah. Absolutely.
Kind of in this situation, we should do a duo.
Have we talked about it? That would be really. I would love it.
I'm definitely looking for stage time.
The tech person is uncomfortable and, like, leaves the stage area and goes up to his little booth just to let this play out. Yeah. Yeah. So, yeah, later. I mean, I'm gonna finish up here.
Yeah.
Or something. Yeah, Finish up here. Then maybe. You know, there's a coffee shop just up the street. Street. It's actually up that little hill. It's a nice little restaurant. They have coffee and tea there.
Oh, yeah. Great. Yeah. I love coffee at a coffee shop.
Yeah, I love coffee and coffee shops, too. Yeah, Great.
Yeah, me too. Three, four, five. Okay. Yeah, I know.
Okay.
Yeah.
See you.
Okay. Yeah, I'll see you still. I think I still have your number.
I do.
I mean, I. You know what? I do. Let me say. Let me rephrase that. I know I still have your contact.
It's area code 424.
Okay. I wasn't sure if you changed your number, because that's what I'm. Yeah, yeah, that's what I have. So you. You still have the Same number. That's good.
Yeah. Yeah. So same if I'm in your phone. I don't know.
Yeah, I'll text you right now to make sure.
Okay, cool.
Yeah, I don't know if you probably still don't have mine. Maybe you never did.
Over the mic. The we. I have to do another tech rehearsal in, like, five minutes. Abby, I don't mean to rush you. Oh, yeah. She's like. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Yeah, yeah, I'll text you. I'll text you when I'm wrapped up here. Yeah, yeah.
Okay, great. And if you have any premonitions, let me, you know, take it. Text. Text them to me.
I'll. I'll. Yeah, I'll do that. I'll do that.
Okay, bye.
What do y' all do?
Dry my armpits.
If I. If my timing works out, I'll have come up just for the last few exchanges.
Great.
Be like, what the was that?
That was somebody who in the past, I may have had a potential thing with, but it didn't actually reach its potential potential. And maybe now it can, but I don't know, because, I mean, I'm kind of in this thing and, you know, it's a little dicey.
You're not in anything.
I'm kind of in this, you know, the situationship.
You're not in anything. Your eyes are dilated. I can't see the iris the irest. I can't see your eye.
Rest.
Well, then let me rest my eyes.
I think you should. And I think you should think about how you're going to, you know, do this later, because I. There's no ship for you. There's no ship for you.
Are you telling me the ship has sailed?
I think it sailed right back around to me, yeah.
Oh, I beg to differ. I mean, because you're not.
You beg all you want.
You're not in a ship thing.
I text asking what the passcode is to the door.
Don't. Don't. You're dealing with me. Don't look at your phone. You can beg all you want, but. But, you know, ultimately, it's not. It's a. It's not up to you, Abby. Is up to you.
I'm so thirsty. I'm dying of thirst. What's the passcode to the door?
I'm at 28%.
Look at your phone, Ricky.
You are outside the door trying to get in.
Yeah, Trixie left the stand, and I'm trying to say the magic word to get led into the Castle.
The door opens and Razor Tully. Razor, unclear what his shtick is. Opens the door. He blows. He just walks right past you. Opens the front door and heads right outside.
I go follow that guy.
Okay, Ricky, you're following him. He just goes down the little decline and is just walking down the street.
I follow him.
Okay, he. Are you just going to keep following him?
Yeah, yeah, yeah. But I, I softly distanced myself first on purpose so it wouldn't seem like I'm right on his. On his heels. And then the next time I get caught at the pedestrian stop, the yellow light happens. He blows through it. But I always stop for amber lights.
Great point, Ricky. You notice he does not indeed stop for any lights. He is a man on a mission. He looks like he's going to Hollywood and Highland.
Looks like I'm going to Hollywood and Highland.
Great, Ricky. So you see Razor walk into. You know where Iron Spider is. I know you weren't there for the conversation, but the player was. But there's Iron Spider there and are you trying not to be spotted?
Yeah. Yeah.
Whoa.
Is that Iron Spider? That's cool.
So you see Razor turn to everyone and say, hey, everybody, get out your phones. Please record me. I would like you to share this on your social media networks of choice. I'm going to show you some card tricks for tips. Please be sure you tag me in the Magic palace on these posts. And you start to see him do like sleight of hand trick and he goes, hey, everybody, please give me some cash right now for these card tricks. And he's smiling really big. What do you do, Ricky?
I take a picture because I don't have enough battery to take a video.
Great. So Ricky, you take a photo of Razor. He's doing tricks and you see people like, ah, yeah, yeah. And they're throwing money. And then he gets like, it looks like he gets hit with something like his moves and he looks absolutely horrified and he starts freaking out saying delete those posts, please. And he's like begging people to delete their social media posts. What do you do?
I checked to see if I had my live photo settings on.
You did.
It does a little motion. A little motion? Yeah.
Well, I. And I run up to. When I go, hey, Ra. Razor. Raise. Raz. Raise. Wait, which do you like? Raise.
What am I doing here, Ricky? Ricky, right. What am I doing here?
Yeah, let's. Hey, buddy, let's gather. Let's play some 52 card pickup and head back to the Magic Palace. Yeah.
Ricky, you don't understand what happened bud. What had to. What just happened?
You started. You. You conduct. You commanded this whole crowd. Let me tell you, you lit up like Shirley Temple on stage when at her prime.
Did I ask for fast? For tips for magic tricks on Hollywood High?
You asked for cold, hard cash is what you asked for. And I tell you, what a way people were pulling out money. It was incredible, Ricky.
I just. I've just been kicked out of the Magic Palace.
You kicked yourself out?
It's one of the rules. I just broke the first rule of the Grifters Guild.
I'm out, Ricky. I'm out.
Why'd you do that?
I don't remember. I was in the palace, and then I'm here, and I see all these people on their phones.
You don't remember? What do you last remember if you don't remember this?
I was in the bathroom, and then I'm here, and I see everyone taking money at my feet and videos of me.
Okay, well, let's gather up this money. You deserve it. And let's go. Let's go stand by that trash can outside Magic Castle. How about that?
Ricky, I think I was just possessed.
All right, let's go find my boys.
It.