Chapter One: The Beginning of the End | Ten Candles: Eclipse

Summary

Podcast Summary: Critical Role & Sagas of Sundry – "Chapter One: The Beginning of the End | Ten Candles: Eclipse"

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Introduction

In this gripping episode of Critical Role & Sagas of Sundry, titled "Chapter One: The Beginning of the End | Ten Candles: Eclipse," hosted by geekandsundry, the players embark on a harrowing journey set in a world transformed by mysterious monoliths. This Ten Candles session, a tabletop role-playing game renowned for its intense and often tragic storytelling, promises an evening of suspense, conflict, and deep character exploration.

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Setting the Stage

The world has been irrevocably changed by the sudden appearance of monoliths—towering black structures emerging from every conceivable landscape, from deep oceans to towering mountains. These monoliths emit a pervasive field causing widespread chaos, communication breakdowns, and unexplained disappearances. The moon casts an unnervingly bright light, but darkness prevails, enhancing the sense of dread that permeates society.

Key Opening Scene: The Refugee Camp near Chicago [01:40]

The story begins in a massive refugee camp located near Chicago, established as a sanctuary for tens of thousands fleeing the monolith-induced turmoil. The camp, once a symbol of hope and order, is now strained by dwindling resources and increasing desperation.

Character Introductions: A Fresh Cast [01:42 – 04:10]

• Connor McGill (Jason Nguyen): A data moderator turned conspiracy theorist, haunted by the collapse of the Internet and driven to uncover the truth behind the monoliths.

  Connor: "So my hope is this is my moment... I want to find the truth." [13:14]

• Jenny Summers (Sam Riegel): An independent photojournalist specializing in disaster zones, determined to capture the resilience of heroes emerging from chaos.

  Jenny: "I think that there is beauty in darkness, that there's always heroes that arise." [13:35]

• Lexi Beaumont (Danielle Radford): A mysterious woman from the theater world, carrying secrets and seeking familiarity in a world stripped of it.

  Lexi: "I like to go from sunny, happy sunshine to being sad and depressed in a post-apocalyptic esque world." [03:31]

• Everett Robbins (Dan Casey): A soon-to-be police academy entrant from Manhattan, forced into survival mode after estrangement from his family.

  Everett: "I'm not just gonna sit and wait to die." [26:12]

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Decision to Leave the Camp [25:49 – 28:00]

Faced with insufficient food and the collapse of military enforcement, the group debates their next move. Connor and Everett advocate for leaving the camp to seek answers and safety, while Lexi contemplates the possibility of staying in hopes of being found by loved ones.

Connor: "I want to get out of here. I have to get closer to a monolith. I need to know." [25:49]

Everett: "There's not enough food to take care of all these people... I'm just gonna do something." [26:33]

Lexi expresses fear but ultimately sides with her companions, valuing their companionship over isolation.

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Leaving the Camp and Encounter with Thomas McKinley [28:00 – 53:20]

As the group steps out of the camp, they navigate the desolate streets of Chicago, now a battleground of chaos. Their attempt to leave encounters resistance from a guard named Thomas McKinley, leading to intense confrontations:

Thomas McKinley: "You're gonna die out there. You know that, right?" [30:24]

A tense exchange ensues, culminating in Thomas's desperate bid to find his missing daughter, Diana, resulting in Connor's tragic death when he tries to defuse the situation:

Connor: "We are not leaving without Joh... I'm sorry." [53:48]

Joining the Southeast Raiders

The survivors, now led by Josiah Yaffigin (played by Josiah), align themselves with the Southeast Raiders, a militant group intent on controlling Chicago's remnants.

Josiah: "Let's go get you folks something to eat." [89:10]

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Search for Jenny and Further Conflicts [53:20 – 141:05]

Jenny remains outside, documenting the unfolding horrors, while Everett and Lexi delve deeper into the Raider camp in search of her. Their journey is fraught with danger, leading to multiple sacrifices:

• Everett Robbins: Attempts to confront Josiah but falls victim to the relentless chaos surrounding them.

  Everett: "I'll see you in my family soon." [148:46]

• Lexi Beaumont: Tries to negotiate with Josiah but meets a tragic end as she is shot.

  Lexi: "If you're hearing this, I am trying to make it home." [155:40]

Jenny's Struggle for Survival [141:05 – 159:18]

Jenny, witnessing the devastation and loss of her friends, faces the grim reality of survival. With Connor and Lexi gone, she grapples with the decision to continue documenting or subsist amidst the collapsing world.

Jenny: "I originally came to this relief center to document what was happening and got stuck here." [152:38]

Her journey symbolizes the enduring human spirit amid overwhelming despair, seeking to leave a legacy of truth before succumbing to the darkness.

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Climactic Conclusion and Final Reflections [159:18 – End]

As the dark forces manifest their full terror, Jenny narrowly escapes the immediate threats but is left physically and emotionally scarred. The monoliths continue their ominous presence, their true intentions still shrouded in mystery.

Jenny: "I am going to leave a record in film so those who come after can glean some information and maybe figure out what happened here forever." [153:40]

The episode closes with a somber reflection on the characters' fates and the world's uncertain future, emphasizing themes of loss, resilience, and the pursuit of truth in the face of insurmountable odds.

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Notable Quotes with Speaker Attribution and Timestamps

1. Connor McGill:

   "I want to find the truth." [13:14]

2. Jenny Summers:

   "There is beauty in darkness, that there's always heroes that arise." [13:35]

3. Thomas McKinley:

   "You're gonna die out there. You know that, right?" [30:24]

4. Lexi Beaumont:

   "If you're hearing this, I am trying to make it home." [155:40]

5. Everett Robbins:

   "I'll see you in my family soon." [148:46]

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Conclusion

"Chapter One: The Beginning of the End | Ten Candles: Eclipse" serves as a poignant introduction to the dire circumstances enveloping the characters and their world. Through intense role-playing and emotional narratives, the episode explores the fragility of humanity when confronted with unprecedented crises. As the characters navigate betrayal, loss, and survival, listeners are left contemplating the enduring quest for truth and connection amidst chaos.

Final Thoughts

This episode exemplifies the power of collaborative storytelling in tabletop RPGs, where each player's decisions shape the unfolding drama. Sagas of Sundry: Goblin Mode continues to build an immersive universe that challenges both players and listeners to reflect on deeper societal issues through the lens of fantasy and horror.

Transcript

[Connor]

With the Venmo debit card, you can.

[Josiah]

Turn the spa day that your friends.

[Lexi]

Paid you back for into concert tickets that you can earn up to 5%.

[Josiah]

Cash back on, where a spa day.

[Connor]

With the girls becomes concert tickets.

[Lexi]

Visit Venmo Me Debit to learn more. The Venmo MasterCard is issued by the Bancorp Bank N.A. pursuant to license by MasterCard International, Inc. Terms apply. Dosh cashback terms apply. My dad works in B2B marketing.

[Josiah]

He came by my school for career day and said he was a big ro as man. Then he told everyone how much he loved calculating his return on ad spend. My friends still laugh at me to this day. Not everyone gets B2B, but with LinkedIn you'll be able to reach people who do get a hundred dollar credit on your next ad campaign.

[Connor]

Go to LinkedIn.com results to claim your credit. That's LinkedIn.com results.

[Josiah]

Terms and conditions apply.

[Connor]

LinkedIn the place to be, to be. The program you're about to listen to contains explicit language and descriptions of adult themes and graphic violence that some people may find disturbing. Listener discretion is advised.

[Josiah]

Hello, everybody.

[Lexi]

Hi.

[Josiah]

Hello. Welcome to my table. I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry. But I'm also really happy that I get a lot of firsts. We talked about this a little bit before the show started coming together, but like, this table in particular, I'm really excited about because minus Josephine, who I haven't played with in like two and a half years, I've never played with any of you before. And you all think you've played with each other as well too, right?

[Lexi]

I did play with you. When did you play with me?

[Josiah]

Oh, Siren or not? Sirens. Sirens, yes. Yes, Sirens.

[Lexi]

I just thought about that.

[Josiah]

I did.

[Connor]

Well, I'm ready for a lighthearted romp.

[Josiah]

Exactly.

[Lexi]

We were far away from each other, so it doesn't count.

[Josiah]

That's totally fair. And now we are deep diving out of D and D and going into a lighthearted, dark and dangerous romp. And I get Dan Casey in one of my horror games.

[Connor]

I'm excited and also kind of nervous.

[Josiah]

Well, that's good. I'm glad that you're already there. So.

[Everett]

It only goes down from here.

[Josiah]

Well, before we get into characters and we'll get into character creation, just for the people at home who may not know who you are, would you just mind introducing yourselves real quick? Just let us know who's playing and then we can get into who you're going to be portraying, so to speak. So, David, we can start with you.

[Everett]

Hi, I'm David Blue. Hello.

[Lexi]

Hi, David.

[Everett]

Happy to play with all of you for a first time for me.

[Josiah]

I had you in my back pocket for a little while, but we get to actually bring you out into the front pocket now.

[Everett]

Thank you for letting me escape, finally.

[Josiah]

You're welcome.

[Connor]

You sat down.

[Everett]

I'm like, is it time?

[Josiah]

I can't even tell you how many discarded tinfoil keys I've seen on the floor at this point. So I'm glad you got it right, finally. Hello.

[Lexi]

Hi, Ivan.

[Josiah]

Hi. Ready to play?

[Connor]

Yeah.

[Josiah]

Yeah.

[Lexi]

I like games.

[Josiah]

Yeah. And I like that you like to play games.

[Lexi]

I do.

[Josiah]

Have you done a horror game like this before? No.

[Lexi]

I'm very excited about it.

[Josiah]

Okay, cool.

[Lexi]

I like to, you know, go from sunny, happy sunshine to being sad and depressed in a post apocalyptic esque world.

[Jenny]

Oh, well, that's every week.

[Josiah]

There's room for both. Yeah. So who knows?

[Lexi]

Oh, but who am I?

[Everett]

I don't know.

[Lexi]

No, I'm just kidding. I'm Christina. Arielle.

[Connor]

Hi.

[Josiah]

Hi. Nice to see you.

[Jenny]

Hi.

[Josiah]

So nice to know you. I'm Josephine.

[Jenny]

Hi. I'm Josephine McAdam. I exist here.

[Josiah]

And you have this camera with you today?

[Jenny]

I have this camera which isn't part of Josephine, but you're bringing. You'll find out.

[Josiah]

I'm already seeing spoilers. I'm already seeing stuff happening here, so I'm ready and curious to see what it's going to play into. And as I said, D. Dan Casey.

[Connor]

Yes, as previously spoiled by Ivan. I'm Dan Casey, and I've never. I've played horror RPGs like Call of Cthulhu before. I've played ones with a high body count, like Cyberpunk, but I've never played 10 candles. And I get very scared when I, like, play a horror game or when I watch a movie. Oh, horror video games are the worst because you have to go through the door in a movie. It just happens. But in a horror game, you're like, I'm doing this to myself.

[Everett]

Why?

[Connor]

This is not fun.

[Jenny]

I can't play that. I get stuck. I tried and I was like, I stopped in a black. If you cannot see what's coming, I'm never gonna go there.

[Josiah]

That's what flares are for, man. So you just pop it and you just get a little bit of red light as you go through it.

[Connor]

For me, Resident Evil ended the moment a dog jumped through a window. It was a very short game.

[Lexi]

It's like, imagine that in VR and you're playing it and it's like it's on your face now.

[Connor]

I did that once at E3 and a bunch of mannequins turned around and chased me. No, absolutely not.

[Josiah]

Well, the good news is that I don't think there will be any mannequins chasing you in this one.

[Connor]

Thank goodness sake.

[Lexi]

Allegedly.

[Connor]

Scratch that off my list of many fears.

[Everett]

It's kind of karma for me because I've actually never played a horror survival rpg really, Especially on camera. But I did work at a year round haunted house for a while.

[Josiah]

Oh no.

[Everett]

So my job was to scare the hell out of a lot of people. So now it's coming around.

[Jenny]

I did that for about four years as well.

[Everett]

Yeah, that's great.

[Josiah]

I love those places. I'm terrified of horror movies, but I happily, I walk almost like a T stance when I go into horror places now. And I'm just like, let me bask. Give me.

[Connor]

Come my spooky children.

[Jenny]

Oh yeah, yeah. I don't consume any horror because I get very, very scared. But I love doling it out. But you know, we'll see what happens.

[Josiah]

Let's start doling it out, shall we? In ten candles. We start, ostensibly enough, by writing a virtue and a vice for our neighbors. So I would like everyone to first take one of your cards which has your lovely photos on it that will come into play later. And I would like to have you pass it to the right for the people who are. And I'm going to move it over. There we go. Now on that, I would like you to write a lovely virtue. And a virtue is very simple. It's a descriptive word that can be, you know, that can be hopeful and elements like that. But it helps solve problems. And in this circumstances they can be used in order to generate a reroll of your ones. Just that word, Just one virtue, please. Great. Now I would like you to pass that back to your left, please.

[Jenny]

We'll see about that.

[Josiah]

Excellent. Oh, now I'd like you to take another one of your photos.

[Everett]

Sorry, I just got approval. It made me very happy.

[Josiah]

No good.

[Everett]

I know nothing good will happen after this point, so I'm just latching onto it.

[Josiah]

Yeah, so let's have that. Be a great thing actually, I think at this point. Cause the virtues are public. These do not have to be secret. What did we all get, David?

[Everett]

I got candor.

[Josiah]

Candor. Excellent. Such candor.

[Lexi]

Much candor, much honesty.

[Josiah]

What did you get?

[Lexi]

I got determined.

[Josiah]

Determines.

[Jenny]

Charming.

[Josiah]

Excellent. All right.

[Connor]

Selfless.

[Josiah]

Done.

[Connor]

It's like they know me now.

[Josiah]

I would like you to take one of your cards, and I'd like you to hand it back to your left.

[Jenny]

Thank you.

[Josiah]

Damn it.

[Connor]

It's already begun.

[Josiah]

Here. Got it. That's a pit of fire.

[Lexi]

Oh, sorry.

[Josiah]

The floor is lava. That's why you can't leave. And then for this one. This is when it gets. You all know it's coming. Write your vice. Write a vice for one word. Again, one word. It creates problems, not solutions. This will also be burnt in the game, if you will, in order to get your ones rerolled.

[Everett]

Just to be clear, it's in the form of I am.

[Josiah]

No, just the word.

[Everett]

Okay?

[Josiah]

Just the word. It's so hard to give people bad things, isn't it, Joe?

[Connor]

Psoriasis.

[Josiah]

You heard it. Go. Bring it back to the right. Let's see. Let's see what we all have here. All right, Cool. Aw. What'd you get, David?

[Everett]

I am vengeful, all right?

[Josiah]

A vengeful candor. Fool. So. And you, my dear?

[Lexi]

I am a determined fraud.

[Josiah]

Excellent. That is special.

[Jenny]

I'm charming, but I have a temper.

[Josiah]

Oh, all right, yeah. Charming people often do have tempers. And you dis, Mr. Dan Casey.

[Connor]

I've been preparing my whole life for this anxiety.

[Josiah]

I think Joe made some deliberate eye contact on that one, so that's perfect. Great. So now we have virtues and vices which we will hold onto normally. Now, I would introduce the module which I sent out to you all a while ago, but I will read it again so you have context of where and how and what you're going to be doing. This is the situation in which you're all starting in. And to be fair, for everyone out there who is watching, they all got this beforehand, so. But now this is for everyone at home. Last week, the monoliths rose out from the ground in every corner of the world. One of these black 100 story spires is part of the horizon. Since then, people have been disappearing. The radio, as the TVs went out almost immediately, has been saying that the monoliths are generating some sort of field. One thing's for certain. The moon is large and bright tonight, which is good, because otherwise the darkness is permeating every shadow of this darkened world. Now, let's move on to the moments that you would hope to create in this world of ten candles. This is a very specific type of thing that can also potentially fail. So it is something that your character might find some hope in, in achieving and doing. This is something that you write solely for yourself. All right?

[Everett]

Is it okay to write. I hope, too, just so I can keep them.

[Josiah]

Absolutely. Please. I hope to get through this game.

[Everett]

I don't know why I'm, like, tempted to hide.

[Josiah]

It's all right.

[Lexi]

There's no reason you cheat off your paper.

[Josiah]

Your moment could potentially be on top as well, too. So it is not essentially a secret. And since technically we should be talking about concepts a little bit before these moments, I would actually like to use this time in order to learn who your characters are and the hope that they wish to achieve in this game. Dan, let's start with you this time.

[Connor]

So my name is Connor McGill, and I work for a giant social media company at a data center, moderating a lot of the comments and videos and just horror shows that normal people shouldn't see or just can't handle. And as such, I've become kind of a conspiracy theorist. I've started to buy into a lot of what I'm reading.

[Josiah]

You're literally on the front line of all of the worst that comes out of the Internet.

[Connor]

I'm fighting on the front lines of the information wars, and I am.

[Josiah]

That's gonna be tough in a world with no Internet.

[Connor]

Yeah. That is like a world with no Internet has really sent me into a spiral, and I need to find the truth.

[Josiah]

So what's your hope, Connor?

[Connor]

So my hope is this is my moment.

[Josiah]

This is your moment.

[Connor]

My moment is I want to touch or go inside the monolith.

[Josiah]

Got it. Okay. That seems appropriate.

[Connor]

So I want to find the truth.

[Josiah]

Josephine, who are we playing today?

[Jenny]

I'm playing Jenny Summers.

[Josiah]

Jenny Summers.

[Jenny]

I am a photojournalist. I like, namely, going to disasters or epidemics and photographing.

[Josiah]

Like an AP photographer.

[Jenny]

Yes. I think that there is beauty in darkness, that there's always heroes that arise. And I want to capture those moments.

[Josiah]

Do you work for the ap? Are you part of a large system of disaster journalists?

[Jenny]

I know many, but I'm independent. At the moment, I'm still getting stuck.

[Josiah]

Okay, great.

[Jenny]

If I'm honest here, what moment would.

[Josiah]

Jenny like to create?

[Jenny]

Well, I hope to photograph the ones responsible for the monoliths.

[Josiah]

All right. That makes absolute sense. All right. And who are we playing today? Christina.

[Lexi]

Hi. I am Lexi Beaumont.

[Josiah]

Lexi.

[Lexi]

And Lexi is a mysterious lady who was in the theater, and she has a secret behind her eyes, and she hopes to find a familiar face.

[Josiah]

All right. She wants to find a familiar face in a world in which all familiarity has been stripped from her. She wants to find something to hold onto from her past.

[Lexi]

Yes. Because until then, she's just going to be vague.

[Josiah]

All right, Duly noted, David. Who are we playing today?

[Everett]

Hi, I'm Everett Robbins. I am from Manhattan, where I was just about to enter the police academy finally to start. Oh, I've always been interested in stuff like that. You know, crime and forensics and all that. And I was just about to start, and my family made me come out here for a wedding. I don't know the city. I don't know anybody here. And the night before this happened, I got in a big fight with my family. And so they were going somewhere, and I'm like, go without me. And I have not seen them since. And I hunkered down in a place I don't know and found myself here with a bunch of other people I don't know.

[Josiah]

Right. Excellent, Everett. Well, what moment do you hope to come across?

[Everett]

I hope to see out from the top of a monolith.

[Josiah]

You want to see out from the top? So you'd like to see from the top of a monolith?

[Everett]

To see out from the top of a monolith.

[Josiah]

Okay. Excellent. Why, that sounds like we all have some very absolutely obtainable moments that could also end miserably as well, too. So with that, now let's flip it and let's write Brinks. All right. Now, Brinks are things that you will hand to players, and I actually get to participate in this as well with you.

[Connor]

Oh.

[Josiah]

I am going to write a brink that involves the scenario, specifically in 10 candles, what they refer to as them, but it is, in my circumstance, the area that is around you. And then you will all write a brink for each other. So first, just to give everyone their writing stock, let's have you take one of your cards and pass it to your right. Okay, I'm going to keep yours, and then you are going to pass yours down, and I'm going to hand you one of mine.

[Jenny]

Okay.

[Josiah]

Actually, you're going to hand this back to me. All right, so now, a brink is literally a very descriptive moment that you have seen your neighbor do. I have seen you. Something has happened, and there's something that you've noticed happen. And for our circumstances, Josephine, you are going to tell me something about them. I have seen them do something, and it cannot be debilitating. It can only be something that either expands on the narrative as far as you see it, or something that empowers them further, but that creative choice is up to you.

[Connor]

So it can't be. I've seen you light more candles.

[Josiah]

Can't wish for more wishes.

[Connor]

Damn it.

[Josiah]

And then I will do the same for you.

[Lexi]

Can it be mildly ominous?

[Josiah]

Yes, because they will be activating on it. But it does need to be a situation that you have seen. Not them in the sense of them, but you have seen your name, neighbor.

[Jenny]

So it can be negative.

[Josiah]

Absolute. Oh, not for them. Them.

[Jenny]

As in not debilitating towards it, but like I've seen them do terrible things. Terrible things.

[Josiah]

That's terrible. Yes.

[Lexi]

Dun, dun, dun. Stop it. We're morbid.

[Everett]

Sorry, I was just thinking. Well, we were friends.

[Jenny]

Were we?

[Everett]

Oh.

[Josiah]

Oh.

[Lexi]

I told you I'm vague.

[Josiah]

Excellent.

[Lexi]

Nope, nope.

[Connor]

Oh, the perfect cry.

[Lexi]

That's not even my face.

[Josiah]

Oops.

[Jenny]

Tell me if it's too vague in the next.

[Connor]

Are we allowed to look at these?

[Josiah]

What's that? Are we allowed to look at these? Absolutely. You'll be making these as part of your. As part of your stacks. It still applies in my mind. So. Yes. So these are absolutely for your eyes only. Only to be exposed when the time is right. Finally, let us talk about how we want to arrange our stats. You may put your virtue and your vice and your moment however you wish, however you want to activate it first. Your brink always goes on the bottom.

[Jenny]

So what happens when they are activated?

[Josiah]

You may choose to activate it in order to get a flat reroll of all the dice that you wish, sixes and ones included.

[Jenny]

And does something happen, though, in our actions or when we act?

[Josiah]

When you go upon your brink, you must activate upon it in the story, whatever it means and however it applies to you.

[Jenny]

Okay.

[Everett]

And these two. And the vices and the virtues.

[Josiah]

Vices and the virtues will actually get you rerolls of ones.

[Everett]

But, I mean, they don't have to be in the story, or they do.

[Josiah]

They need to be a part of the story when they go into it. So if you're petty and you want to activate your petty, you need to do a petty action in order to get your reroll. And then they go away forever.

[Jenny]

They go away forever.

[Josiah]

Your virtues and vices, once you use them, your brink, as long as you succeed, you get to hold onto it. Great. All right. Questions? Comments? Concerns? Nope. Cool. All right, let's play. Sorry.

[Connor]

I have a question.

[Josiah]

Yes?

[Connor]

What do I do with this final picture?

[Josiah]

The final picture, that is your concept. So if you just want to write your name on it.

[Connor]

Okay, cool.

[Jenny]

So we don't have a brink. We do. We don't.

[Josiah]

You do have a brink.

[Jenny]

That's what.

[Josiah]

That's what that bottom one is. Yeah. Now it's all Coming together. See? Yep. But yeah, the final one is just to put your name as reference. I have my little cheat sheet here. But if you want to use it for your fellow mates as well too, by all means. We're all friends here. But it's always good to write your friends names down, right?

[Lexi]

If you forget them, are they friends?

[Josiah]

I don't know. It just depends on how good you are with names.

[Lexi]

Ooh, I'm a faces person.

[Josiah]

There you go. Now, while they're writing, I will just give you some simple update on the mechanics. When a conflict comes up, you will roll dice equal to the number of candles that are currently on and available on the table. Any ones that are rolled will be discounted and removed from the pool until the scene ends. Sixes. At least one six will count as a success. But anytime you roll a conflict and do not generate a success, we darken a candle, the scene ends, and we start speaking truths about this story. All right, don't worry about it. You'll all get there when we get into it. So, where to begin? As I mentioned earlier, your story begins one week after the monoliths rose. And since then, chaos and disorder have been prevalent in every corner of the globe. There does not seem to be a single place in which one of these monoliths is not on the horizon. They emerge from the sea. No matter how deep the seafloor is, they arise from every mountain and they permeate across every field. And in some places, like major cities, they have crested and broken massive parts of infrastructure. As a result, people have been doing the best they can to mobilize around it. Very shortly after the monoliths rose, people started disappearing straight out from right beneath them. A lot of people don't know why. Communication, as we have learned over large social media networks is tenuous at best. There are rumors, constant rumors. Everything from space aliens to underground mole men to a worldwide government conspiracy. No one really knows what's happening. And the worst part is nobody can really talk about it unless they're using very old forms of communication such as radio or word of mouth and other archaic technology that is prone to disinformation. But a lot of people have been taking advantage of the situation. The major metropolitan areas have fallen. There has been no report from government facilities at all. The automated response of the National Guard and other localized military forces have rallied together people and have put them into refugee camps, of which you4 are a part of now. And you've been there for the past six days or so? Yes. And which city Are we outside of which major metropolitan area do you think we're outside of?

[Connor]

Chicago.

[Josiah]

Chicago. Oh, okay. Cool. Great. Chicago. That was great. So in my mind, then, you're probably south of the river leading into the bay, and it doesn't really matter where. At this point, all I can tell you is that there is a monolith fairly close by, and the we will do this. You've been in this camp for six days. There are tens of thousands of people at this camp. Now, some have stayed, some being what they are, some have attempted to leave, and at one point, the military was stopping them, telling them, no, no, you can't let me stay here. This is for your protection. This is for your safety. Do not leave the camp. But about two days ago, they stopped caring, and people just started walking out. Whether they clipped fences and snuck through or they just walked out the gate, some soldiers even leaving with them. Now, some would say that this is rash, that six days is nothing to sit and wait out a major disaster like this. Other people are not so interested in seeing how the rest of this military arm plays out. What do you want to do?

[Connor]

I want to get out of here. I want to go through that fence. I got to get close to one of these things. I got to touch. I have to get closer to it. I need to know.

[Jenny]

Yeah, we need to see what's out there.

[Josiah]

Oh, all right. Well, this is a good conversation. It seems like at least two people want to at least leave this. Are you, either of you, more interested in staying or leaving at this point?

[Everett]

There's not enough food to take care of all these people for a long period of time, and I waited too long to come here in the first place, and I saw some bad stuff out there. I'm not just gonna sit and wait to die. So if that means we go out and find somewhere better or find some other people, I'd rather do that than just wither.

[Josiah]

Fair enough. That would leave you. Lexi, how are you feeling about staying inside of this refugee camp at the moment?

[Lexi]

I know the food's gonna run out, but at least if people needed to find us, we're in a central location. It's the best place for someone to find us if we stay here.

[Josiah]

So you're hoping that people will come and eventually find you?

[Lexi]

Hopefully.

[Josiah]

All right, well, there is definitely possibilities of finding out. You don't know about any immediate exits, so you really do have options. You can stay here until the food runs out, which rumors are is any day now at this point, because there has been no resupply since then. You can try to find the exit on your own, or you can try to maybe talk somebody, or you can just walk out the front gate. It's really up to you.

[Jenny]

I've seen people leaving without being stopped.

[Josiah]

You have?

[Jenny]

I wanted to leave here days ago. We've got to get out there. They're not going to do anything for us in here.

[Everett]

Have any of those people come back?

[Jenny]

Why would they?

[Connor]

This place is. The government wants us to stay here. They're trusting us to stay here. We're being left behind. We need answers. And staying here just raises more questions. What are we doing?

[Jenny]

Agreed.

[Everett]

I agree.

[Josiah]

Lexi, you seem a little outnumbered here. Where's your heart? I'm.

[Lexi]

I'm scared. But I don't want to be by myself. And if you guys go, you're the only closest thing I have to friends here. So whatever you decide, I'll go with.

[Everett]

Good. Because who do you think's going to come and get us? They're not coming. We're responsible for ourselves now.

[Josiah]

So. Josephine, I'm sorry. Jenny, you had talked about walking right out through the front gate. Mm, it's pretty bold. And it sounds like a perfect time to start our first conflict and roll to see how it goes. Would you roll ten dice for me?

[Jenny]

I will.

[Connor]

No whammies, no whammies, no whammies.

[Josiah]

And stop.

[Connor]

Oh, thank God.

[Josiah]

Okay. And look at that. Only one. One that we have to get rid of for this rest of this scene.

[Connor]

So we only lose that for this scene, right?

[Josiah]

For this scene.

[Connor]

Okay.

[Josiah]

They will refresh at the end of each scene.

[Connor]

Thank God.

[Josiah]

You know, in this circumstances, normally I would give narration rights, but I think I'm going to give you narration rights to tell me how you get out of this refugee camp.

[Jenny]

Or are there guards? Do they look?

[Josiah]

There is a guard. So this place does have checkpoints, all right. Rarely used except for people coming in and out. But you can imagine it being a little bit like a switchback fence laid out for crowd control. Right. And there are large chain link pop up fences with barbed wire at the top of them. And there is at least two armed soldiers with someone who should be up at the watchtower, but today.

[Jenny]

Not there.

[Josiah]

Not there.

[Jenny]

Do they seem like they're really paying attention?

[Josiah]

Here's the thing. There's no way that you will be able to go out without catching their notice because you will have to literally walk out through. Yeah, the front door. So as the four of you approach, you see as one of the guards, haphazardly like, lifts his assault rifle, which was just. He was almost leaning on the muzzle at one point, but lists him and goes, stop. Identification?

[Jenny]

Look, man, I'm a journalist. I've got to get out there. This is my team.

[Josiah]

You're gonna die out there. You know that, right?

[Jenny]

That's. That's. That's. We'll see what happens. But we have to take that chance.

[Josiah]

You kind of watch as he turns his back towards the gate and puts his muzzle up and he pulls out a cigarette and lights it and doesn't even acknowledge you.

[Jenny]

Let's go. I'm going to turn around and snap a photo of him before I go.

[Josiah]

Cool. All right. So you catch a moment of this extremely disinterested security guard guarding this refugee camp. You go through the switchback doors. You walk out into a blackened night. There was gas generators running, a lot of the interior lights that were inside of this refugee camp. And the well, light pollution decays quickly as you're walking out. It's suddenly that halo of safety and light that you are now a part of falls away as you walk out into. Well, street ways. A broken ruin of a once great civilization. And now you're out.

[Everett]

Now where?

[Jenny]

I'm not actually from this city.

[Everett]

This is my first time ever coming here. Does anyone even have a direction?

[Jenny]

Oh, great.

[Connor]

Here. The bean is pretty nice.

[Josiah]

It's.

[Connor]

Like a big sculpture.

[Josiah]

I don't know.

[Lexi]

We could just follow the water.

[Connor]

It's not the worst idea. We should have taken more supplies with us. I think we need to. We don't know how long we're gonna be out here. That monolith looks so far away.

[Everett]

What supplies? We're running out of food in the place in the first place. We're gonna knock the guard out and take his gun.

[Connor]

Okay. I don't want to knock out any guards, but we also need food and water. Maybe we should find somewhere to stock up like a convenience store or gas station before we.

[Everett]

I'm with you on that.

[Jenny]

Sounds good.

[Josiah]

So you want to look for some supplies? Just anything to bring with you out somewhere.

[Connor]

We don't know how long we're going to be out there. Shit.

[Josiah]

Let's see how prevalent supplies are. Yeah. Several sixes, but two ones. Two ones are discarded. Connor, as you take point on this little excursion, you are blindly walking through the dark as you are moving through things. And every once in a while, the sound, because it is silent. I should probably specify this as soon as you start getting away from the humming of the lights and the generators. It is eerily quiet, even though, you know, there hasn't been reports of mass amounts of population being taken away or anything like that. Just the fact that it is nighttime and it is so quiet is offsetting. You're not in the major city of Chicago by any stretch of the imagination, but there's still enough houses that you begin to start casually going into open doors, looking at houses, find a few things, and you know, well, you definitely find enough food that you can carry on you and a couple of backpacks that each one of you could load up with some various canned goods. The unfortunate is that any fresh food at this point would have been gone days ago with no refrigeration, no power in the system, but preserved. Snacks, cans. I mean, you're certainly not finding a Costco warehouse full of goods.

[Everett]

Any knives or anything I can grab for.

[Josiah]

Would you like to look for weapons?

[Everett]

Yeah.

[Josiah]

Well, well, well, I think no ones.

[Jenny]

At least no ones.

[Josiah]

Yeah, I think we have ending this scene. No sixes. So let's talk about that. Everett, you are adamant that right now weapons need to be found. Like, you've got food, you've got a backpack. You all seem to be carrying at least enough to tide you over physically, but you need to find these weapons. So as you're going through looting these people's private houses, trying to go into and go around and trying to find anything like a loaded shotgun, like you said, even a combat knife, something that you can protect yourself around in, you get sloppy. And at one point, you are all rummaging through the interior of this house when you hear a loud from behind you and you hear a man's gruff voice. Don't you fucking move. Now, let's establish some truths about the rest of the world going forward. We're going to start with Everett, and you're going to tell me a truth about this world. Now, this conflict should tell you you're in a conflict right now. This conflict can be resolved with truths, or it cannot be. It is up to you. Right, but we need to tell nine things as we go across the board here. And a truth is, ostensibly, you can say something as simple as, you know, this is how the world is, so it doesn't have to be about the situation you're in now. Or it can be. It's completely up to you. I can give you an example by starting first, if you'd like, and also.

[Everett]

Explain the whole how it can be resolved.

[Josiah]

I'm sorry, the resolve you. So, you know, for example, I can say about this gentleman, the first truth is. Sorry, this is important. The world is dark. That is the first truth. The second truth is this man is scared. Now you would start.

[Everett]

It could be anything. Small or big. Small or big world or person, kind of anything.

[Josiah]

We're expanding the narrative right now.

[Everett]

Okay. Our government abandoned us.

[Lexi]

Can it be about the man?

[Josiah]

It can.

[Lexi]

Behind the man on the shelf, there's a picture of his family.

[Josiah]

Great. I started the example.

[Jenny]

So it's starting to get cold out.

[Josiah]

5.

[Connor]

Before the collapse, the government was passing some anti gun legislation.

[Josiah]

Great, cool. Back to you.

[Everett]

It's a nice house.

[Josiah]

It's a nice house.

[Lexi]

There is no guidance from the government to the people. There's no communication.

[Josiah]

There hasn't been any alerts. There hasn't been any broadcasts or anything like that. Is that what you're saying?

[Lexi]

Yeah.

[Josiah]

Cool, great. And I'm going to say finally that the humming which you weren't aware of before is louder here. Sorry? Here.

[Everett]

This house. Or hear this area?

[Josiah]

This area.

[Lexi]

Your smirk makes me very uncomfortable.

[Josiah]

Right, well, I don't think it was meant to be comforting, so. Well, let's pick it up from here. You are back to nine dice, if that's any comfort. Six.

[Everett]

Oh, this is a new scene.

[Josiah]

This is a new scene. So sorry.

[Everett]

Yes.

[Josiah]

You hear the loud cocking of a shotgun and a man who, with confidence in his voice, has told you to not fucking move. What do you do?

[Everett]

We didn't know anyone was here. We're sorry. We're just trying to find safety. We will leave.

[Josiah]

You're not going to be safe here. Get out of my goddamn house.

[Everett]

Okay, we will. Are you okay? Are you alone?

[Josiah]

So he's gonna watch. It doesn't matter if I'm alone or if I'm with five people. Go down the stairs. You watch as he gets. He kind of walks into the room and then gets out of the door jamb and starts kind of circling around towards the back of you. He goes, where's your friends? I saw you come in with more people.

[Everett]

No, we didn't. We literally just left the camp. We were just trying to find somewhere safe to go. You can come with us if you want.

[Josiah]

No, no, no, no, no. I'm not going anywhere. In fact, I don't even know how you got in.

[Everett]

Just the door was open.

[Josiah]

He kind of looks inside of himself for a moment. No, it wasn't. It was not open. No one would leave this house without my permission. And you kind of want. Just go downstairs right now. I'll walk out. You walk. You and your friends out to the front, just step down and he kind of motions down onto the main stairs where he comes out. And as he's walking the three of you, he starts shouting a name. Diana, Diana, answer me. Walks you out towards the front of the stoop and continues to walk you through the door. And you're now out onto the main lawn. And he just stands there with his gun pointed at you on the front.

[Jenny]

Lawn, pointed at each of us.

[Josiah]

Is this probably at Everett at this moment? But you're all, I mean, and tell me if anything if you would like to adjust the situation accordingly, because I'm assuming all four of you were in the same room together and now you're all out on the front porch together. So.

[Lexi]

Yes, sir, I know that this is probably really like this is just a bad situation all the way around, but can I use your bathroom?

[Connor]

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[Josiah]

There are many ways to entice a.

[Lexi]

Potential new customer with flashy branding and calculated marketing strategies. But at the end of the day, the success of a business comes down to the ability to close the sale.

[Josiah]

And for businesses like Thrive Cosmetics, Allbirds.

[Lexi]

Or Skims, it's what goes on behind the scenes. Making, selling and for shoppers buying simple, that makes the difference for them and for millions of businesses. That difference is made with Shopify. Businesses that want to grow, grow with Shopify. Because if your goal is growth, your commerce platform better be ready to sell.

[Josiah]

Wherever your customers are scrolling or strolling. And Shopify will make sure you're ready.

[Lexi]

On the web, in your store, in their feed, and everywhere in between. Nobody does selling better than Shopify.

[Josiah]

And with shop pay, they boost conversions.

[Lexi]

Up to 50%, meaning way less carts.

[Josiah]

Going abandoned and way more sales going. It's no wonder Shopify is home of.

[Lexi]

The number one checkout on the planet.

[Josiah]

Upgrade your business and get the same checkout Allbirds uses. Sign up for your $1 per month trial period at shopify.com realm all lowercase.

[Lexi]

Go to shopify.com realm to upgrade your selling today. That's shopify.com realm.

[Josiah]

He puts his gun back up. There's bushes over there. You can use the fucking bushes. And he watches. He kind of like yells back into the back again, diana, if you don't come down here right now, I swear to God. You can see there's a little bit of fear in his voice now as he's starting to speak.

[Lexi]

It's just that we've lost the last bit of decency that we have. And I'd really like to not go into a bush and you have a bathroom inside your house, and that'd be really just. I promise, I don't want any of your stuff. I just.

[Josiah]

He puts the gun down for a second and starts kind of walking up to you, and he starts looking at you. In fact, he starts physically patting you down to check to see if you have weapons or anything. While he's holding the gun, he's grabbing dinner for him.

[Jenny]

He's holding it.

[Josiah]

Yeah. And then he goes, go. Just go inside. And he starts looking at the three of you and guns goes, just fuck it. Just get out of here. And he kind of like follows you and just stands in the doorway while you go start going, we're not leaving without.

[Connor]

We're not leaving without her, man.

[Lexi]

Is it upstairs or downstairs?

[Josiah]

It's downstairs to the left, second door.

[Connor]

Look, we're not. We're not here. Look, I know, I know we were here to take your guns, but we're, like, not here to take your guns, man. We didn't know you were here.

[Josiah]

I don't care, all right? Situation's changed. I don't fucking care if you come or go right now. Just don't. Just never mind. And he Starts running, Diana, where the hell are you? And he starts running up to the stairs, shouting this name and just starts opening and slamming doors. At this point, as he's checking around, you go find the bathroom. The plumbing is still working. And you continue to do your business. Any three of you want to do anything else while this man is running through his own home?

[Connor]

I want to examine the picture on the mantel, right? See if there's any indication as to who Diana might be.

[Josiah]

So the. The moment when you were before he caught you at this point, when she had pointed out this truth about this man's family behind the back, you had noticed that there was very clearly a wife and there was a teenage daughter that was there. And it was just the three of them at this moment. So.

[Everett]

Yeah, I'm gonna come with him to make sure he's okay. And since there's a fireplace and a mantle, I'm gonna grab whatever is next to the fireplace, whether it's a poker or something.

[Josiah]

Okay.

[Everett]

He's gonna check the picture, and that's fine.

[Josiah]

The picture is part of the previous information that was in here. You. He just told you to leave, and you went back in and started stealing a poker. I would call that a conflict.

[Jenny]

I'm gonna say I'm still outside.

[Josiah]

You're still outside.

[Jenny]

I want to just be scoping.

[Everett]

And just for game mechanics wise, I just want to make sure. So if I roll and I don't get any sixes, that's when I would go. I want to use one of these things.

[Josiah]

So you actually burn a virtue to reroll just your ones.

[Everett]

Okay.

[Josiah]

So if you have any 1s that you want to get rid of, that could result in a 6. If you rolled a bunch of 1s did not get a success, then you could use that to reroll those ones to either turn them not into ones or hopefully get that six. But if you still get a six and a bunch of ones and you don't want those ones, you could burn it too.

[Everett]

Don't you look at me. I'm looking for a poker. You had to pee. Which of us is the loser who calmed him down?

[Lexi]

Is a gun pointed at your head right now?

[Everett]

Not yet. Give me a second. Okay.

[Josiah]

Okay. Yeah. Look at that. No ones. N1 6. So as you are hearing this man searching this house fervently upstairs as much as he can. Like you said, it's a nice house. So it's big. You get over to the mantel and you do find at least something. It is hooked, and it's a solid steel poker that you're talking about. It's not one of those that is assembled together kind of poorly. It's a designer set, so. And you find evoker Lexi, as you and, well, pretty much everyone who's still on the inside at this point. Connor, by the way, checking that picture did not warrant you having to necessarily be in that room. This is just from finding it earlier. So do you want to check on the man before you leave, or are you wanting to peace out or stick?

[Lexi]

I want to ask him how he's doing and who Diana is.

[Josiah]

Great. Well, Lexi, as you finish your business and walk upstairs.

[Lexi]

After washing my hands.

[Josiah]

After washing your hands. And again, we talked about roll the dice. As you go upstairs, you do hear the distinct sounds of sobbing as all of the doors have been lifted, been thrown open. And you can actually see as some various small effects have been thrown or shoved down. It was a cacophony of noise while you were all silently doing your business. But it is only punctuated now by the swales of this man.

[Lexi]

Excuse me.

[Josiah]

Just go away. Just have what you want. Just go.

[Lexi]

I want to make sure you're okay.

[Josiah]

Does it look like I'm fucking okay?

[Lexi]

None of us are okay. But you're also, from what it appears, by yourself. And we know that feeling. Who's Diana?

[Josiah]

It's my daughter. She's gone. She just. She didn't say anything. She just walked out the door. Which you four just ceremoniously walked in on. Why would she go.

[Lexi]

I'm sorry. I wish I had something better than I'm sorry, but I don't. And it's not like any of us were prepared for this. When's the last time you saw her?

[Josiah]

An hour ago. She can't be too far. You kind of see this moment of resolve as he steps up and he just goes down to the bottom part of this basement and he just starts. Well, you just kind of watch as he gets up and starts running down the main steps and goes, house is yours. Whatever you want. Just don't be here when I come back. Thank you. He walks down the steps and opens up this attic door and storms down into the cellar. You want to stick around?

[Jenny]

Is he. Try to surreptitiously take a photo of him. Is he?

[Josiah]

Well, the best chance to take a photo of him would be when he's coming back up what appears to be 4 hikers backpack complete with another gun laid out on the side and, you know, a really good bug out bag. All right. And he Straps it in front of him and he puts the. You see, the shotgun that he had with him is now laid along the side. And he now just has like a fully loaded, you know, 9 millimeter pistol with him. Goes. And he just kind of all looks at you.

[Connor]

Jesus Christ, Rambo, over here.

[Josiah]

I'm gonna go find my daughter. I have a little bit of time. Just. I'm sorry I yelled at all of you. It's just when things like this happen, we usually stay close. We haven't heard anything from anybody in so long. You know what? I don't even fucking care about the house anymore. I just need to go find her.

[Connor]

You know, there's like a big camp back that way, like.

[Josiah]

And you said you're all from there, right? How's that working out for you?

[Connor]

Well, here's clearly not well. But what I'm saying is maybe your daughter heard about it. Maybe she wanted to. Like, maybe she's putting her faith in the government.

[Josiah]

I don't.

[Connor]

But maybe she is.

[Josiah]

No.

[Connor]

Kids are dumb sometimes.

[Josiah]

No offense. No, yeah, no, you're right. Where'd you say it was?

[Connor]

It was back that way.

[Lexi]

Are you sure you want to leave? What if she comes back?

[Connor]

Leave a note.

[Josiah]

He runs back inside, he goes and writes a note.

[Jenny]

Sir, what was your name?

[Josiah]

Thomas. Thomas McKinley. And if she comes and you hear anyone looking for her, tell her that I love her and I'm going to go find her no matter what. Good luck to all of you.

[Lexi]

Thank you, Thomas.

[Josiah]

And he just opens his front gate, swings it down and walks out into the night towards the direction that you pointed. And it is quiet again. Very quiet.

[Connor]

I'm going to that basement.

[Jenny]

Let's go. Whatever we can.

[Josiah]

Okay, cool. All right. You walk in through the front door and you start walking towards the basement. I going to have you roll one more time.

[Jenny]

What's the next question?

[Connor]

I walk into a spider web.

[Jenny]

God damn.

[Josiah]

Okay. Well, it's a success.

[Connor]

Yeah. You know what?

[Josiah]

Let's live.

[Connor]

Dangerous, right?

[Josiah]

So as you swing the door open, you automatically, Muscle memory. Try to flip on the light. Of course, nothing happens. So you start slowly walking down the steps, getting closer, when suddenly you feel a bit of resistance against one of your ankle. Like something's pressing up against it. And you stop it just enough to look down and see fishing line laid out and FL of this staircase. And then you step over it and you slowly walk down into this basement, which is pretty well stocked to be fair. Foodstuff, water. It definitely looks like he took at least half of what he had down here, but the other half is carbon copies as a lot of bug out people tend to do of whatever he had with him. The only thing I will be so remiss to tell you is that he took every single piece of firearm weaponry that he had. You may have found potentially, you know, a hardline machete, but that's about as much as you're going to to be able to get.

[Everett]

But I got a poker.

[Josiah]

What's that?

[Lexi]

Are there any bags left?

[Josiah]

Any book bags or backpacks or anything?

[Connor]

I'm calling out real quick. Be careful on the stairs. There's some fishing line about halfway down. Do not trip it.

[Josiah]

Do not trip it. As you all come down avoiding the disclaimed pitfall. You do see that there was a coat hook with distinctly a place where three bags were supposed to go. There is one remaining, but we got.

[Jenny]

Some earlier as well.

[Everett]

Right, you have all of your personal.

[Josiah]

Backpacks that you grab.

[Everett]

An extra wouldn't hurt.

[Jenny]

Yeah, and start filling with canned food, whatever.

[Everett]

Are there any lanterns, flashlights, Anything that creates light?

[Josiah]

Yeah, there is a single battery powered lantern that has a solar grab that.

[Lexi]

Is there a can opener?

[Josiah]

He would not be a very good survivalist if he didn't have a can opener.

[Connor]

That's what the machete's for. I'm taking that machete and I'm trying out some like dumbass anime sword moves.

[Josiah]

Sweet. Awesome. Love it. You tried not to hit other people in the darkness.

[Connor]

Of course. I'm trying to point it at a corner.

[Lexi]

No, it's the end of the world. Why would you not just take out a knife and use it around us? Be careful.

[Connor]

So I've held him machete before.

[Jenny]

I can't believe we found this.

[Connor]

Yeah, I can't. I can't believe he let a trap on the staircase.

[Everett]

I can. There's a shotgun to our face.

[Connor]

Yeah, we broke into his house though. Like, look, I don't support the action, but I get it.

[Lexi]

I think he was just sad.

[Everett]

Yet more importantly, why did Diana run away?

[Connor]

If your dad was like that, would.

[Everett]

You stick around today? Yeah. Have you seen outside?

[Connor]

Yeah.

[Jenny]

Did she run away or did she disappear like everyone else?

[Everett]

Well, we got what we needed. Unless we want to hunker down here.

[Connor]

No, no. He is coming back. I do not want to be here. Especially if there's a family reunion.

[Everett]

So is there anything else? Can we search the house for anything else or are we good? Are we good to go now, guys?

[Jenny]

I want to look for any coats.

[Josiah]

Or extra layers at this point. What you have on your back is like you said, it is getting cold. And if you'd like extra layers, I would be happy to qualify that under a conflict role.

[Connor]

I'm also going to take the family photo.

[Josiah]

Okay. I want you to take the family on the back. You did get a success, but I get three.

[Everett]

One couldn't just be chilly.

[Josiah]

Did you want to burn one of your virtues and vices to get to reroll these? What do you have on top?

[Jenny]

I've got temper on top.

[Josiah]

It's up to you.

[Lexi]

No.

[Josiah]

All right. Darn. So you find several coats that are laid up with more traps laid out inside of the closets as well too. You find a couple of very expensive, nice like fleece kind of jackets that will definitely help take the edge off of the cold as you're going to be walking through.

[Everett]

Why did we have to rob Kevin McAllister?

[Connor]

How did this man get changed every day Just constantly. Trebuchets everywhere in his house.

[Lexi]

He probably set this all up when everything started to go awry. But you also have to give him credit because he is super prepared.

[Everett]

Get too prepared. That's the thing. What was. It's fine. He's gone. We have what we need.

[Lexi]

There are people that do this. They just. Survival prep.

[Everett]

So does anyone here know this city at all? We don't. I know that. Do either of you know this city?

[Connor]

No. Well, hold on. Is my smartphone. Does it have any battery left?

[Josiah]

Nothing. In fact, since it happened, it literally like when the monolith came, there was a short amount of time in which everything flickered and then it sticked on and it went off and then it came back on for a second and then it immediately darkened. And you haven't been able to even get a charge on it after that point. Even with something like plug it into a gas powered battery.

[Connor]

Gotcha charger.

[Everett]

I'm just wondering if a guy who says prepared as this, tired of rolling for searching. So before I do, I'm asking them, yeah, a guy like this should have like a map or something. Unless he took the only copy with him. Something that can tell us where we're going, don't you think?

[Lexi]

Do you know how to read a map?

[Everett]

I mean, I can look at it. This guy had traps on coats. I would assume he's probably got some sort of bug out map, wouldn't you? It's either that or we just follow the water and hope.

[Lexi]

I might know a little bit about this town maybe.

[Josiah]

Well, I mean you do know when you were driving in the landmarks when you were being taken by the National Guard into this relief camp. You do know that you were about south west of Chicago.

[Connor]

And where's the monolith? From our position, you can.

[Josiah]

I mean, it literally is punctuated in the moonlight. Like it is like cutting the moon straight.

[Connor]

Does it feel like it's in the middle of Chicago? Does it feel like it's on the outskirts of the city? Because I'm trying to orient my brain.

[Josiah]

Yes, absolutely. I will tell you. In the times of which you've been able to get a clear view of your skyline. You have one towards the city, which is northeast of you. There is another one southeast of you, and then one almost directly west from where you are. 3.

[Connor]

I am going to walk outside and close my eyes and try to focus on the humming.

[Josiah]

Cool, cool, cool.

[Everett]

Says no on the maps.

[Connor]

Oh, no. I mean, you guys, I'm just like. I just gotta clear. There's probably a map in here. I just gotta clear my head. I'm like, this place freaks me out. I gotta get outside for a second. I'm sorry.

[Jenny]

I'm gonna follow.

[Josiah]

Yeah.

[Connor]

Got a six.

[Josiah]

No ones. Yeah, Got a six. No one.

[Connor]

Ugh.

[Josiah]

Connor, you Sid and you describe to me kind of your process. Are you just listening, just trying to stand as still as possible?

[Connor]

It kind of like I'm trying to stand as still as possible because I feel like I've felt this from the moment it happened. And it's gotten louder and louder inside my head. And today's the first time I felt like maybe other people can hear it because I haven't talked about it with.

[Josiah]

Anyone that seems appropriate.

[Connor]

And I'm just trying to focus on where it feels the loudest because I feel like that's the direction that at least I am meant to go in. And so I'm closing my eyes and just trying to, like, slow my breathing. Just taking deliberate, like breathing in through my nose, out through my mouth, and trying to just clear my head and focus on bring the humming. Thinking of it like radio static, like, trying to see if I can clear the transmission.

[Josiah]

So I'll tell you that the hummingbird is less of a sound and more like a feeling. As if someone is like, you're in the smallest earthquake possible, where it's just this tiny little shift of movement, but it's rapid and it's quick. Almost like the earth is just vibrating very quickly. Right? And you can feel it more in your feet and in your legs than you can in your chest and in your head. So focusing on that, it just it is absolutely stronger here. Like, you are aware of it, but you are able to absolutely isolate this very small and minute feeling. And. Yeah, I mean, you could continue to test it by seeing if it's stronger here versus in another direction in another area, but you do have a baseline.

[Everett]

Okay.

[Jenny]

You okay?

[Connor]

Yeah.

[Everett]

Sure.

[Connor]

It's just stress or something. Just a bit of a headache. It's been. I don't have guns pointed at me that often, so I just. I need some answers. I need to. I need to know what. I need to know why this is happening. And I think the only way we're gonna know is if we go to one of these things. So I don't really. I mean, sure, we can get a map, but I think we can also just look up and walk towards one of them because this whole place feels wrong.

[Jenny]

Yeah, I'm for it.

[Everett]

I come out of the house and hear them. I'm like, which one? Let's go.

[Connor]

Well, we got choices. Take a peck. We can roll some dice. Figuratively speaking, that's. Turn to speech. I don't know. I feel like we should go to one. I feel like we should go to one that feels like it's in the city, like, in the thick of it.

[Everett]

Which one is that damned hum coming from?

[Connor]

I feel like I'm in the Bermuda Triangle right now.

[Lexi]

Wait.

[Jenny]

Close your eyes and point your finger out. And I'm just gonna spin him.

[Connor]

I fall over.

[Josiah]

All right. He falls over with his finger.

[Connor]

Then I'm pointing at the. I'm sorry. You said there was one to the west. There was one.

[Josiah]

One directly to the west, one to the southwest.

[Jenny]

Southeast, northeast.

[Josiah]

Southeast, and then the northeast.

[Connor]

I'm pointing at the northeast.

[Josiah]

That's the one straight towards Chicago. Yeah. Yeah. All right.

[Lexi]

So you all hear that hummingbird?

[Everett]

How could you not?

[Jenny]

Yeah.

[Everett]

Do you?

[Lexi]

Yeah, it's just. Thought it was like, my ears.

[Jenny]

Mm.

[Josiah]

Mm.

[Everett]

No, it's like. It's like there's a machine or something. That's why. Look, I don't know this city. I don't know where we are. I don't know where we're going. All I know is that's new. I want.

[Josiah]

Yeah.

[Everett]

Answers sound great, but I want to know what's here so I know how to get away from it. And I feel like we could run and hope, or we can head right into the fire and figure our way out.

[Josiah]

So you've all decided to walk towards the city. So you're heading towards the monolith that is currently northwest of you at the moment. Northeast, northeast, Northeast. So you begin walking, and you walk, and you continue to walk. You stop when you are hungry. You enjoy a small meal of canned goods and maybe a granola bar, and you keep walking. And you're surprised, actually, at some point that the sun hasn't come up yet because it is still dark. And you're not too sure why. In fact, the stars are so bright tonight, it just seems to be overwhelmed by the glistening reflection of the moon that is currently sitting right behind you. Well, no, I'm sorry. If you're heading towards the city, it would be in front of you because you can see the monolith just piercing the effigy of the moon as it is laid out in front of you. So you walk by the one guiding light. You have the iridescent sphere that is the closest celestial body to you. Then you start to get close to the city limits, and that's when you hear gunshots punctuating into the light. The sound of machinery as someone is driving a car, operating a bulldozer. It's hard to tell from this distance, but the gunshots are indisputable.

[Jenny]

How close does it sound?

[Josiah]

So the problem with hearing gunshots in the distance is that it seems to just be coming from either this side, this side, or this side. So it is. And, you know, even though the area around Chicago is not, you know, hilly and mountainous for a lot of things to bounce off of, it is definitely coming from the city. And it's not so hard to tell lights at this point. But since you are ground level with the major city, all you see is the darkened shapes of buildings with an occasional sky rise. And the only way that you can tell the monolith is still there is because it stands taller than anything else in the city limits. I mean, it's like Statue of Liberty size. I'm sorry, scratch that. It's like Empire state building size, 100 stories. Kind of a situation built by Pigman. What's that?

[Lexi]

Nothing.

[Josiah]

So, yes. So you're outside of the city limits. How would you like to approach this potentially dangerous situation?

[Jenny]

Let's stick to the shadows. I mean, everything's shadow, right? I don't know.

[Connor]

Well, let's try and stay away from. If the moonlight's reflecting off of anything, let's try and avoid. Stick to the shadows as much as possible.

[Jenny]

Buildings.

[Connor]

I'm gonna keep my hand on my machete at the ready.

[Everett]

My poker is up already.

[Josiah]

So as you were walking through, you keep to the shadows of the buildings that are there, and you are actually Amazed by how much light the moon is casting as you're walking through the streets. It's light. I mean it's not a full moon, but it is bright like a full moon would be. And as you're going through in various parts, you are making progress. And that is when you actually see the telltale splash of headlights and you hear of tires screeching as someone just appears to be inadvertently, without any distinction, just burning as much rubber as they can.

[Connor]

Pressing up against the wall.

[Jenny]

Yeah. Crouched down, trying to be covered here.

[Josiah]

So as you crouch down, you can clearly see a. How do I best describe this? Well, a modified Jeep, basically an open topped canopied Jeep in which the canopy had been ripped off and you can see several people who are sitting along the guardrail and they are just laughing and hooping and hollering. And occasionally you can see as they'll. You see a small beam of light kind of come out as someone's chucking Molotov cocktails just flippantly down the street, just making small fires. As you're walking into the main downtown parts of Chicago and you can hear screams. You can distinctly hear the sound of screaming as people seem to to be nearby. But what you thought originally was tire squealing has now been added to the shrieking of what sounds like people not far from where you are.

[Lexi]

You need to get out of here.

[Connor]

Do we try and help those people or do we just keep moving?

[Lexi]

What do we have to go against? Molotov cocktails and wheels.

[Connor]

He's got a poker. He could poke hole in the wheels. I've got a machete.

[Jenny]

We're not going to be able to do anything against them.

[Connor]

Well, they're driving down that way.

[Josiah]

You want to go the opposite direction where they drove.

[Everett]

Now where they're driving away from or towards the.

[Josiah]

So imagine if you're sitting like say against a building and you're watching as this Jeep is for the record, off roading off of some cars as well too. But it's going down the main street of which you're kind of down a cut alley towards it. So let's say from your perspective, it's going from left to right, which in cardinal directions, if you were going north east would mean that they're heading east and they have come from the west. So that's.

[Jenny]

Yeah. Wait till they. Yeah.

[Josiah]

Go by and then try to dash by.

[Everett]

Yeah, great.

[Josiah]

Dash by me.

[Lexi]

I can't handle the rest. Responsibility.

[Jenny]

Four face. It's only four dice, guys.

[Josiah]

Oh shit. Great. No ones. No successes. That Means we must dim a candle and our scene ends.

[Everett]

Happen to me too. You're so.

[Josiah]

Jenny, let's start first. The world is dark. That much we all know. Tell me some more truths. What is the first truth of this story going forward?

[Jenny]

Those men were drunk.

[Josiah]

Sounds about right. Connor.

[Connor]

The screaming that we heard is getting louder.

[Everett]

Give me a second to absorb that. Okay. There have been rumors of cannibalism.

[Lexi]

There are small societies of people that are forming groups, groups that are out to loot and to harm people to take their belongings from them.

[Josiah]

Okay. There are several different groups in this area. 6.

[Jenny]

One of those Molotov cocktails definitely hit a group of people.

[Josiah]

Okay.

[Connor]

I know at least about one of these groups because they were a local militia that posted about their plans on the social media network that I worked for in the event of a extinction level event.

[Josiah]

Got it.

[Connor]

I don't know like much, but I at least know like name.

[Josiah]

Cool. Great. Last one.

[Everett]

Right before all the electricity went off, there was a bright flash.

[Josiah]

Great.

[Lexi]

Creativity.

[Connor]

Come to scenic Chicago. Full of roving bands of cannibals with maltov cocktails.

[Everett]

Forgot to pack one.

[Josiah]

We got plenty. So we are back to eight, and I'm going to open this scene up by saying, as Jenny, as you are running across the street, keeping low as much as you can with your three comrades behind you, you are keeping your head low and you are ducking and you are moving. You are keeping the low profile, but because you're having to make small, short, concise steps, you trip over something and you hear as you clatter and fall down onto the ground and you gasp out in pain as you skim your legs across the disrupted concrete that is part of this. And you hear a. As you hear basically tire stop. And you feel more than hear a spotlight just turn towards all of you. And it stops for a moment as it kind of is starting to look around. You are all prone, basically laying down against the ground right now. What do you want to do?

[Jenny]

There's a spotlight on us.

[Josiah]

There is a searchlight that apparently is attempting to feel things out.

[Jenny]

And start crawling. Trying to slowly crawling back into what seems the darkest area. Area.

[Lexi]

Okay, Is there like an alleyway somewhere in the back?

[Jenny]

Yeah, if there's anywhere to.

[Josiah]

Well, you were coming. If I heard you correctly, you're basically crossing after they had gone so that you can continue going straight. The alleyway that you were or the side street that you were probably all going for is still closer to you than where you came from.

[Connor]

I am reaching into my bag Pulling out a can yelling fire in the hole. And throwing it towards the excellent. And we get a fucking run.

[Everett]

I said yell and I was like, oh, okay.

[Josiah]

And that is oh no. 11 and 0 successes.

[Connor]

So with no sixes am I able.

[Josiah]

To reroll the one you could burn one of the virtues and vices to reroll that one one to see if you can get a six instead.

[Connor]

Okay.

[Josiah]

Is that something you want to do?

[Connor]

I feel like I should save until we have more ones, but.

[Josiah]

Three, two, one.

[Connor]

Go ahead. My creamed corn.

[Josiah]

So you take this can and you lift yourself up as you throw this thing out after screaming fire in the hole. And you toss this thing up and you watch as you hear a man yell, oh shit, Jim. Shit, that's a can. Oh fuck. Get on over there. And you hear as people are getting off the truck now and they are walking towards. Towards you. We are dimming the candle and this scene ends. Oops. This takes us straight into seven. I'm going to take a dice way now at this point. And Connor, we're going to start with you as one of the truths. First, the world is dark. Now what is happening? What is a truth?

[Connor]

There is a fire escape in the alley behind us.

[Josiah]

Right? Fire escape in the alley behind you.

[Everett]

Oh God.

[Josiah]

So much pressure.

[Everett]

It's actually been a while since anyone's seen any kids.

[Lexi]

One of the gentlemen on this truck is actually a kind and compassionate man who doesn't like hurting people and tries to talk the others out of doing so. Why didn't we think about that?

[Connor]

I know.

[Everett]

When our brains aren't even going to.

[Connor]

Broken people at all.

[Lexi]

My thinkers are working.

[Everett]

I forgot about.

[Josiah]

That's fine. No, it's the truth. You can. You can speak that truth.

[Connor]

They all have Chicago deep dish style pizzas.

[Josiah]

There is another group that you didn't see that's right next to you. Yeah.

[Lexi]

Be nice.

[Jenny]

There are no clouds.

[Josiah]

There are no clouds.

[Connor]

Like a strange and discomforting spotlight, the moon gets brighter.

[Josiah]

Yep. So that's 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.

[Everett]

The other he was 1.

[Connor]

I started.

[Everett]

So 1, 2, 3, 4th, 6, 7, 7.

[Josiah]

Last one.

[Everett]

The other group looks like they're coming to help us.

[Josiah]

Okay.

[Connor]

Keyword is looks like. Looks like.

[Jenny]

Yeah, looks like.

[Josiah]

Great. So we are back up with seven at this stage.

[Lexi]

Wow.

[Everett]

It's because my brain goes straight to negative anytime. It's like contribute. I'm like, we're all on five.

[Josiah]

Fire.

[Everett]

Like I never think one second though.

[Lexi]

Fire in the hole.

[Jenny]

Mm.

[Lexi]

That was your bright idea.

[Everett]

I thought you were Just gonna distract them with noise. And then you said the fire in.

[Connor]

The whole part, they're throwing Molotov cocktails. I thought I would distract them by pretending it's a grenade.

[Everett]

If it would have worked, brilliant. It didn't, though.

[Connor]

And whose fault is that?

[Josiah]

Still yours.

[Lexi]

The dice.

[Josiah]

So I'm thinking this is how this scene begins. We had a brief moment in which we were all coming across. And suddenly, as these men now seem to know exactly where you are, you can feel a hand actually grab you, Connor, on the back of your shoulder and lift you straight up as you're picked up. And you feel someone grabbing your arm and pulling you up from the back of your arm as he turns, turns around, and he now has a gun to his head. And you see two other people behind you go, don't move. Don't move. Or this guy gets it. This is before we'd have jeep guys got anywhere close to you.

[Connor]

Hey. Hey, man, just be cool, man.

[Josiah]

We're gonna be cool, all right? We're gonna be real cool. You get your friends up, we're gonna have ourselves a little deal.

[Connor]

Just leave them. Just leave them out of this, okay? Just leave them out of this. I'm just trying to find. I'm just trying to find my family. That's all, man.

[Josiah]

Tanner, Kirk, get those other three. And you see as other men are starting to walk towards where you three are right now, attempting to at least get you in a similar compromise position as Connor is at the moment. And the guy who's holding you right now yells and goes, hey, Jim. Jim, stop right where you are. Let's make a deal. And you see Jim stop. He kind of holds up. He has a spotlight on him. And at this point, you kind of watch as the spotlight had come on you as soon as he had come up, but you kind of watch as now the spotlight comes up and you see a whole lot more guys behind you that's kind of holding you in place, severely outnumbering the group that's in the jeep right now. Cause there's only about three guys in the jeep at this moment.

[Connor]

Hey, everyone, just be cool. Just be cool.

[Josiah]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Be cool, be cool. Hey, we hear you.

[Connor]

Are any of you guys with the Southside Raiders?

[Josiah]

Okay. South side Raiders. Okay, give me that one.

[Connor]

That one.

[Josiah]

Two successes. One. One.

[Connor]

Yeah, I'm going to burn that.

[Josiah]

You kind of see as this guy who's holding you at gunpoint, you can feel the cold metal of the muzzle pressed right up against your template at the Moment. And that pressure is taken off just a little and goes, hey, you heard of us?

[Connor]

Heard of you, man. I, like, I'm obsessed with you guys. Like, not in a weird way.

[Josiah]

Huh? And he reaches his gun out and he fires. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. And everyone. And you can hear multiple machine guns go off as basically, you see muzzle flash happen. And the guys that are in the jeep just fall, all of them, four of them, as they all spill off the side. And you can start to hear the dripping of liquid as clearly this thing has been shot. And now gasoline is starting to eek out of. And goes, cool, cool. So kind of pushes your shoulder and spins you around, but he's got the gun down but not pointed at. And he goes, what'd you hear about us, huh?

[Connor]

I know what you guys stand for. I've read a lot about you. I worked for, you know, you guys got. I worked for a big website. You guys got flagged a lot. And, you know, honestly, man, that was fucking bullshit.

[Josiah]

Yeah, it's cool.

[Connor]

Cause you guys, they're like. They're censoring you. And that was. I tried to do as much as I could, but I'm just a cog in the machine.

[Josiah]

Always happens.

[Connor]

Trying to work from the inside.

[Josiah]

What happened to fr. Free speech? Right, right.

[Connor]

Died when the lights went out, man. Or did it come back?

[Josiah]

No, free speech. Re. Awoken when the whole fucking world went dark. Right?

[Connor]

That's goddamn right, man.

[Josiah]

All right, well, you're cool.

[Jenny]

Let's talk about you three during that fire exchange. Is there any way that I could have tried to dive and scramble behind something? Oh, boy.

[Josiah]

Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. You.

[Lexi]

Well played.

[Josiah]

You not only dived and scrambled when this whole thing went down, and no. No ones either. So. And that. That moment that I had when I talked about the you3, he only motions to you two like you're cool. Yeah. So what's your two steal?

[Everett]

We're with him.

[Lexi]

Oh, yeah. Free speech. All that, huh? The man trying to keep you down. Sad.

[Josiah]

He kind of like turns around, doesn't acknowledge, doesn't like say anything, but you kind of walk as he kind of walks by another group and you see him exchange some words with him and the two kind of come around. They don't roughly escort you with them, but they kind of make it clear that they want you to come with them. And you all kind of walk together towards this group of probably 100 people at this point. And he turns around in a very celebratory manner and goes, where are my manners? So sorry. My name is Josiah Yaffigin and these here are my Southeast Raiders. And you three are my guests for now.

[Connor]

Thank you, Josiah. I appreciate it. We were in some serious shit back there.

[Everett]

Yeah, who were those guys?

[Josiah]

Them.

[Lexi]

Northside Raiders.

[Josiah]

Who cares?

[Connor]

Who cares? They're dead.

[Josiah]

Let's call them. Yeah, you know what I mean? South, Southeast. No, not. We'll call them Southeast Raiders. Let's see. So if they're the Southwest Raiders, let's call these guys the Inner City Devils. Yeah, they're just a bunch of devils trying around causing chaos. They decided to come around our outskirts of the territory and fuck up part of our. Part of Chicago. It's not cool, but hey, you know what? They're dead now. We got you three. I consider it not only a plus, but a plus plus.

[Connor]

Hey, plus, plus three.

[Josiah]

Plus three. So where are you coming from? What's your story? Where'd you get lost.

[Connor]

Man? We were in those government camp. The pucks wouldn't let us leave. Yeah, just trying to keep us down.

[Josiah]

All the watches. Refugee camps.

[Connor]

Oh, my God. More like a prison. Dude, are you serious? Like, you can't trust those guys.

[Josiah]

Yeah, huh.

[Connor]

That's why I knew where we were. I remembered you guys are protectors of the streets. You guys, I knew you would be here. I knew you would still be around. We are trying to find our way through here. We're looking for our family. We're looking for safety. We're just trying to get.

[Josiah]

That all sounds real convenient there. What was your name? You said.

[Connor]

I'm Connor, dude.

[Lexi]

Connor.

[Josiah]

Cool, Sounds real.

[Connor]

Real honor, man.

[Everett]

Real honor.

[Josiah]

Connor, Convenient.

[Connor]

It's a good one, man.

[Josiah]

Yeah. Yeah, cool, cool. Well, hey, you guys hungry? Yes.

[Connor]

Oh, yeah, I threw my last thing of corn, but.

[Josiah]

All right, let's go get you folks something to eat. Yeah, they're walking and you are definitely enough in darkness that you can and the other pursuers are 100% not looking at you anymore.

[Jenny]

You could probably keep stalking them on the way. I just want to snap some photos of the bodies.

[Josiah]

Great. It's pretty dark. You have to bump up that ISO pretty high. So, yes, you take some pictures of the bodies and you are walking into this. Well, I don't really how to put it any other way. In this Raider camp, all of the light in the area is lit by torches. You can see that, you know, a large abundance of kerosene and lamp oil is basically used to keep this place emanating at all times. And he walks you into, you know, basically cars that have been Piled on top of each other that service as gates. And they're not really easy to get in entrances. So you all kind of have to crawl over some cars basically to get into this escape from New York style burning cross section that is an interchange. And the one thing that sticks out to you more than anything is that the floors seem to be covered. Covered with steel whenever there's an opportunity to do so. Like it's lined with like sheet metal or car doors. You walking on this is basically walking on irregular ground as anything that could be touching concrete has to have some metal basically right underneath it. And Josiah basically walks you and points over towards, you know, a lean to that has a burning dumpster. Fire goes on. Go and get yourself some grub. Welcome yourself inside of our abode. Sun hasn't come up in a few days, but if it does, don't leave. Otherwise, as long as you don't fuck around, you do whatever. You can fuck around as much as you want, but as long as you don't hurt my boys, my boys won't hurt you.

[Connor]

We'd never dream of it, man. Thank you so much.

[Josiah]

Great. Good luck. Just don't get eaten out there. Josiah kind of walks off with the rest of his crew and you can see he's talking to a couple of his generals. And that seems to really be it, which is a thing now. You have been given free reign of this Raider camp. And what do you want to do?

[Connor]

Soon as they leave, I throw up.

[Josiah]

Okay. Yeah, well, it doesn't cost you a dice roll to throw.

[Connor]

Thank you.

[Jenny]

If I can see in with that camera, I want to catch that.

[Josiah]

I don't think so. I think the cars at this point are blocking the view.

[Jenny]

I know.

[Everett]

Torchlight while he's puking. I asked them, did you guys see the covering the ground? What are they afraid is going to come out of the ground? What is that all about?

[Lexi]

What he said, don't get eaten.

[Connor]

Yeah, it's like, don't let the bedbugs bite.

[Lexi]

No, no, no. I mean, the ground is covered in steel and like, I'm getting some serious tremor, like, vibes.

[Everett]

People have been talking about cannibalism for a while too. Do you mean don't get eaten by his men? Is that something we need to. What are we about to eat?

[Connor]

No, look, I read a lot about these guys. I read like everything they posted and like, they don't eat each other. Like, I'm sure, like, you know, like libertarians. They're all. It's like a dog eat dog World out there. Government's taking my stuff and they are. They are taking our stuff.

[Everett]

But like anything in their post talk about why they just covered the ground, I don't know.

[Connor]

Cause this is after the whole Internet got knocked out by. Remember that? Big fan back then.

[Everett]

Did they ever talk about weird things on the ground or is this a new normal?

[Connor]

They talked about like being prepared and strength in numbers and protecting the streets and keeping Chicago safe because the people in charge can't do it. They kept us safe. They got those guys who were chasing us.

[Josiah]

Did they?

[Everett]

Where's Jenny?

[Lexi]

That part.

[Josiah]

Shit. Yeah. I think you just all now noticed that Jenny's not with you.

[Jenny]

Just outside. I did not want to cross over those. So I'm just sort of waiting out there photographing what I can from the outside. But just set up.

[Josiah]

There are watches out there. But unlike the group with the Jeep who had this crazy spotlight that they were shooting down onto it, everything's kind of illuminated by the aura of fire.

[Jenny]

Okay. Yeah. I'm just staying outside and just photographing from the. And then just hoping I see them again, I guess.

[Lexi]

He said we have free reign. We need to find Jenny.

[Connor]

We can. What if we got free reign? Is it just at the camp? Are we allowed to leave? Because maybe we can.

[Everett]

He said we could leave. He said just don't get eaten. But here's the thing, Connor. We just left one camp for another. We haven't really changed much. A little bit more freaked out. They seem more well provided.

[Connor]

Yeah.

[Everett]

But at the same time, we are here. We were looking for something. I'm not here just to stay here and wait to find out why things are covered and who these people are. So we need to find Jenny. We need to maybe get what we can. Cause it seems like we have a little bit of leeway here and then get out of here.

[Lexi]

Part of me, something about the way he said that made me feel like we aren't exactly welcome to just leave.

[Connor]

Do you want me to? I mean, I don't know him that well, obviously. He seemed pretty friendly. So I could maybe ask if we can go find our missing friend. He might be amenable to that. He looks out for his people.

[Everett]

All due respect, Captain, fire in the hole. I don't think that you should be negotiating with him for us. But I also don't trust him. I just don't. Until you said that you knew who they were, things would have ended very, very differently. I'd rather not play with that. So if we're gonna do something I say we do it quietly or really well planned.

[Connor]

Okay, let's. Do we try. Do we try and get some weapons? Do we try and just sneak out? I don't think robbing these guys is the way to go.

[Lexi]

I think we should go with the most diplomatic method of going to ask him if we can go look for Jenny and that do we want to.

[Everett]

Let him know that there is another person? Because they don't know that right now.

[Connor]

We can say. We can say that we got separated because when he saw us, we were being chased by. By the icd. So.

[Everett]

But think about this. We are in their place after telling them that we're safe, and now we're gonna go back to him and say, oh, by the way, there's a fourth person that we waited to tell you about. I don't think it's gonna end well.

[Connor]

I don't know. I feel like it would. Look, they had guns on us, like they had numbers on us. I think it's understandable that we'd be scared to tell them about more people or got caught.

[Josiah]

And at this point, you've all been kind of standing in the entrance of the refugee camp a little bit, looking like you're kind of arguing with yourself at the moment. So there is also a moment in which you kind of realize that you're sticking out a little bit by just kind of hanging out at the front gates, so to speak, when Josiah clearly offered you some cafeteria food.

[Connor]

What's. Get some food and talk about our next course of action.

[Everett]

Okay. Since we just ate a minute ago, I say you guys go do that. I'm going to look around a little.

[Connor]

Okay.

[Lexi]

I want to go find Jenny.

[Everett]

I think we all do. I just don't know that right now is when we should. I do too, but either way, let's talk about that.

[Connor]

I just emptied my stomach, so I need to put something in there just. Just to get it mortify. Fortify the defenses.

[Josiah]

Right.

[Lexi]

Like I said, there's a diplomatic way to figure out who should go and look for her. And I think that we should. Rock, paper, scissors.

[Connor]

Well, it's also not very diplomatic to refuse a meal that our host is offering us.

[Josiah]

That's fine. So if you want to basically go. And at this point, it sounds like you all have different things that you want to do inside of this camp. And though you are all lud to want to go away from each other, it sounds like you all have different things you'd like to investigate. So at this point, if you're basically asking for leave in which to go talk to someone about your missing friend. And, Everett, you want to scope out the place a little bit. And Connor, if you want to at least participate in the I want this.

[Connor]

Like mad max jambalaya.

[Josiah]

I think we can all agree that you all disagree on what to do right now. Now. So we can just approach it one by one. So let's begin with mad max jumbalayo. So you get in line, and as you begin looking in line, you can clearly see that this chao that you were hoping to get to as you get closer and closer in line, that you can clearly see that this isn't free chao that they are clearly paying for said food as they get closer and closer to the line.

[Connor]

So am I about to pay to eat people meat? Is that what's about to happen here? I'm going to stay in line.

[Josiah]

Okay. And as you get to the front, you see that you're the next up. And you see this. I mean, we're talking classic trope. Big guy with an apron ladle over a cauldron, and he's pouring just wooden bowls of food and wooden metal. It's various amounts you can kind of see as the bowls lay in front. You, guy comes over and goes, trade.

[Connor]

How much?

[Josiah]

What do you got?

[Connor]

I'm gonna reach into my pack and pull out a compass.

[Josiah]

You put a compass down. Goes, good enough. And he just slides the food over to you.

[Connor]

Hey, what is this?

[Josiah]

It's our cafeteria.

[Connor]

Yeah, but, yes, I understand. I'm asking the chef yourself, what's on today's menu?

[Josiah]

It's mad max jumbalaya.

[Connor]

Oh, wow.

[Josiah]

Yeah, it's got about 15 different canned meats inside of it, plus some tomato juice and a little bit of bar parsley, just to kick it up a notch.

[Connor]

That sounds honestly, delectable.

[Josiah]

Hold on a second. You watch as he puts the ladle down, and he turns to this guy who seems to be tied up on a chair right behind him, and he goes. And he just socks him right in the face. Goes. Now, what was your question again?

[Connor]

It was just gonna be if that was parsley I detected. Thought I smelled a little bit of that. And frankly, sounds delicious. No further questions.

[Josiah]

Parsley doesn't have a taste. It's just for color. Next. All right, so you get out of line and walk out as you're holding your steaming mug of what has been.

[Connor]

Proclaimed as this is my murder chili.

[Josiah]

Your murder chili. And we walk over, and now talking to Everett, who is. You said scoping it out.

[Everett]

Yeah. I mean, Just trying to look like anybody who has arrived anywhere for the first time. I'm just curious what's around here. I just start making my way around the inside.

[Josiah]

You look around and you can see that you are in a crossroads. And some of the storefronts have clearly been taken over to serve as one thing or another. You can see where a lot of the domiciles that are above are currently occupied because you can see light inside of them. But you also see a lot of residential lean tos that seem to be propped up kind of along the side of the street as kind of like a shanty town, so to speak. So everything's being used and it's unsettling as you kind of hear the pop as you continue to step on both sheet metals and various corridors. And you know, you can see that they've done as much of a job as they can. But not every square inch of this floor has been covered. There's still lots of areas where there is bare concrete laid out. And it's pretty dramatic when you have to step down in order to step back up again onto whatever misused, appropriated metal that you've got. You see a lot of what you would expect in a post collapse anarch society such as this. There are people drinking, there are people fucking, there are people eating. And you can see that everyone is in various states of either fornication or debauchery at this stage. And there are a few that are walking around. Everyone seems to be carrying a gun at this moment. And yeah, that's about what you got, sir.

[Everett]

I go up to one of the people who aren't fornicating, the one who isn't, and just kind of point to one of the areas that the ground isn't covered. I'm like, oh, it looks like they missed the spot.

[Josiah]

See, it's like a kind of a haggard older woman who's kind of sitting, eating her Mad Max chili. She goes, yeah, well, we'll get it tomorrow or next week. Fuck it. I don't know. I doubt they'll come up through there right now. We haven't seen them in a few dates.

[Everett]

Yeah, where did they come up last?

[Josiah]

Right in the middle center of town.

[Everett]

Right in the middle.

[Josiah]

Wow.

[Everett]

What'd you guys do?

[Josiah]

Shot them with the guns. Wow.

[Everett]

And then did you just like burn them? Bury them?

[Josiah]

No, we didn't kill it. We just shot it. Took Carl and Sebastian. Fuck.

[Everett]

How many shots did it take?

[Josiah]

I don't, I don't. Do I look like I know how to count bullets? Kid.

[Everett]

That's fair. That's fair. Thank you so much. I would give you.

[Josiah]

Sure. Yeah. He watches you as you continue to eat and go through and you continue to come through. Now, Lexi, how are you attempting to approach Josiah at this point? Are you just asking for the man in charge or are you just going to be looking for him amongst the crowd?

[Lexi]

I would like to meander past all the loveless copulation and go straight to.

[Connor]

You know, it's loveless at this point.

[Josiah]

It's true. Maybe they're all just.

[Everett]

Maybe they're all just.

[Jenny]

Oh.

[Lexi]

Cause I'm very judgy.

[Josiah]

Sure.

[Lexi]

I wanna. Yeah, I wanna go straight to. I'm assuming there's some thing that denotes that this is the higher up area.

[Everett]

Why you gotta be like that, man?

[Josiah]

Okay. I don't see any successes. I do see one. One I can say to my new Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, hey, find a keto friendly restaurant nearby and text it.

[Everett]

To Beth and Steve.

[Josiah]

And it does without me lifting a finger so I can get in more squats anywhere I can. 1, 2, 3.

[Connor]

Will that be cash or credit?

[Josiah]

Credit.

[Connor]

4 Galaxy S25 Ultra.

[Josiah]

The AI companion that does the heavy lifting. So you can do you get [e-mail] compatible with select apps.

[Connor]

Requires Google Gemini account results may vary based on input. Check responses for accuracy.

[Josiah]

Hi, this is Debbie, your blinds.com design consultant. Oh wow, a real person. Yep. I am here to help you with.

[Connor]

Everything from selecting the perfect window treatments to.

[Josiah]

Well, I've got a complicated project. Oh, not a problem. I can even schedule a professional measure and install. We can also send you samples fast and free.

[Lexi]

Hmm.

[Josiah]

I just might have to do more. Oh, okay.

[Lexi]

So the.

[Everett]

The first room we're looking at is for guests. Shop blinds.com now and get up to.

[Josiah]

40% off with minimum purchase.

[Everett]

Blinds.com rules and restrictions may apply.

[Josiah]

3, 2, 1. Which one is this determined? Okay, you want to burn your determination to reroll that one one to see if you can get a success out of it.

[Lexi]

Yes.

[Josiah]

Tell me how you're gonna use determination in this scenario.

[Lexi]

I'm gonna determinately walk straight through this crowd to Josiah.

[Josiah]

So you see what you thought was probably Josiah's or at least the upper echelon's pad. And the best way to probably tell that is because it is the nicest of what is inside of here. And you walk right up the stairs. You don't check with the guards. You don't go with anyone. You act like you own this place as you walk up the steps. And you knock on his door. Roll that one. One.

[Jenny]

Shit.

[Lexi]

It is the loneliest number, Right?

[Josiah]

Well, two of them now.

[Everett]

So.

[Josiah]

Thank you for being determined. Even if it unfortunately didn't work out in this scenario and we end our scene.

[Jenny]

Sorry.

[Everett]

It's okay.

[Lexi]

It's determined.

[Connor]

I said no hope.

[Josiah]

I need to stop slamming those candles down. So we're gonna reset back to six dice. Let's talk about some truths of your situation. You get to start. Since you led to this outcome failing.

[Lexi]

Do we have to call it a failure?

[Josiah]

It is considered a failure.

[Lexi]

Okay, so the truth is. This is Josiah's quarters.

[Josiah]

Great.

[Lexi]

Thank you.

[Josiah]

Wow, Josiah is happy to see you.

[Jenny]

They definitely are eating people.

[Connor]

There's a rumbling from that uncovered patch of ground.

[Everett]

You guys intimidate me. You're good at this. I thought I saw Jenny through a window in the distance.

[Josiah]

Oh, in the distance.

[Lexi]

Josiah is easily seduced.

[Josiah]

Great. Then let us.

[Lexi]

What do I have to roll for?

[Josiah]

That's the truth. It is a truth. So we're gonna.

[Connor]

He let us in after I said, I've heard of you guys.

[Josiah]

That's true.

[Connor]

It's like, eat my chili.

[Lexi]

Eat my people chili. It doesn't matter.

[Josiah]

So we're gonna start the scene with Lexi. You open the door into Josiah's penthouse. As you. Well, actually you wouldn't be able to open the door. He would be so bold as to keep his door readily open. You knock and you hear as a bunch of locks and a chain slide as you hear a door open. And you see pretty standard looking, body, bodyguard type dude, shaved head, a little bit of fuzz coming up on the top, big. And he's wearing a black leather jacket. What do you want?

[Lexi]

Um, sorry, I'm new here. Can I speak to Josiah, please, ma'am?

[Josiah]

The boss only makes appointments and he starts to shut the door, but then you hear Josiah in the back yell and goes, hey, is that Lexi girl? Let her in. Come on, let her in. He looks back, he opens the door and motions you inside as you walk into the space. And you see as Josiah sitting, Dennis Hopper style in Land of the Dead, mixing a drink at what seems to be a makeshift bar. It's, you know, it's post collapse. There is stuff everywhere, but it's probably the most like the regular world that you've seen up until at this point. And Josiah kind of leers at you and goes, what can I do for you, Lexi?

[Lexi]

I just wanted to talk to you for a little bit first and just say thank you for allowing us to Stay. We were just in dire straits.

[Josiah]

No, we can totally. Let's sit and talk for a bit. You want a drink?

[Lexi]

Sure.

[Josiah]

And he goes and he just starts mixing a drink together right now. And he puts it together and kind of sits down with you and hands you a cocktail.

[Lexi]

Thank you so much.

[Josiah]

Absolutely. Nah, it's the most that we can do. I mean, every day is short and fucking stupid, so what can we do other than just enjoy our time while we're here?

[Lexi]

You're just so handsome and kind and understanding and generous.

[Josiah]

He just grabs the back of your neck and starts kissing you immediately.

[Lexi]

It's such a great kisser.

[Josiah]

He's cutting straight to the business.

[Lexi]

Here's the thing.

[Josiah]

Mm. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

[Lexi]

I have a friend, A very, very beautiful friend, and she was with us, but somehow, I don't know how you misplace a person, but I do it all the time.

[Josiah]

Sweetie?

[Lexi]

Yes, darling? Um, would you mind terribly if I find her if she were to stay with us?

[Josiah]

You say your friend's out there and he's. He's rubbing your back. He's taking every advantage of your politeness.

[Lexi]

A little to the right.

[Josiah]

And, sweetie, she's out there. She's dead. The fact that we found you three, that's. It's a fucking miracle is what it is. You know, I don't think your friend's gonna come back, so let's just make the best of it, huh?

[Lexi]

You know what they say. I mean, but if she were to have survived, would you be fine with her staying?

[Josiah]

Yeah. She comes, and if you can point her out and say, that's your friend, then great, we'll let her in. And he's trying to ease you back onto the bed.

[Lexi]

Now, at this point, so I lean in.

[Josiah]

Yeah.

[Lexi]

And I kiss him on the cheek, and I say, well, you know what they say, darling? Always leave him wanting more.

[Josiah]

He kind of looks and goes. I don't know if that situation applies right now. And that is the moment in which you hear the. The rum tum tumbling of a tiny earth shake as it starts kind of coming up underneath. And he. At the moment, and hand up your shirt, ready to go. He pulls it out. Fuck all the goddamn. You stay right there. And of all the goddamn timing. And he runs, flips open a window and goes, get around it, everybody. It's showtime.

[Lexi]

Oh, look at the time.

[Josiah]

All right, well, you attempt to go for the door, and the bodyguard blocks you. Oh, boy.

[Lexi]

Oh, please, no.

[Josiah]

Two ones. Oh, no, no. Success.

[Jenny]

Two ones.

[Everett]

Two ones. Same, same. There's Two ones.

[Lexi]

So you're saying there's a chance?

[Everett]

Depends how much you like that kiss, I guess.

[Josiah]

Ooh, fraud. How are you going to apply fraud into this situation?

[Lexi]

Hopefully very well.

[Josiah]

My steel isn't hard. Roll it. Roll.

[Lexi]

Thanks a lot.

[Josiah]

Let's see how it goes. Nope.

[Lexi]

Damn it, man. I'm really bad at this.

[Jenny]

So glad I'm worth this.

[Lexi]

I love you. You are my family.

[Josiah]

Mel, tell me at least at this point, how you're applying fraud into this situation.

[Lexi]

I'm going to lean over the side of the bed, and I am going to make myself throw up and say, I am really not feeling very well.

[Josiah]

Okay, so you're gonna try to fake sickness.

[Connor]

You learn from the best.

[Josiah]

Shove it down your throat.

[Lexi]

Yep.

[Josiah]

Finger. Bing. Okay. I know.

[Everett]

I'm sorry.

[Josiah]

I couldn't help myself. First of all, the scene ends and we move along. And at this point, our story continues with five truths. Lexi, we find you back in the position of having to tell the first truth yet again.

[Lexi]

My fraud works very well. He is grossed out by my vomiting.

[Josiah]

He believes you. Oh, he's grossed out by your vomiting? Yes. Is that your truth? He doesn't care. He is. And to be more specific, he is going to rape you.

[Jenny]

I'm wondering whether I should just leave.

[Connor]

I saw Lexi go up to see Josiah.

[Josiah]

Yes. Amorett.

[Everett]

Through one of the storefronts. I see a door that leads sort of on the other side of the. It's like an emergency exit, like a throughway. That's the other side of where the camp vent is.

[Josiah]

You do see a door. Yeah. You see a door that leads to the other side. Side of the encampment. Great. Well, those are our five truths. We have now five dice in which to work with. Let's talk about what happens. So as the rumbling of the ground underneath this makeshift raiders camp is continuing to move forward, and it is going insane. The amount of movement that is here, it's like a tremor, like an earthquake. You can see as the ground is starting to split, and it hasn't been fully done yet, but you're watching as the ground is basically punctuating out and everybody has their guns down. You saw Lexi go up the stairs. You saw both a third, three way out. You're wondering if you should leave right now, Connor. I'm sorry. Not just Connor. What do you all want to do?

[Connor]

I want to book it upstairs to. Because I'm feeling this rumbling. I want to book it upstairs and get Lexi so we can regroup and get out of here.

[Josiah]

Great. All right.

[Jenny]

Am I seeing. Is it rumbling the same in the.

[Josiah]

Same area that you are?

[Jenny]

Is the ground cracking going back this far, is it.

[Josiah]

The ground cracking is everywhere. And so I mean we're talking about a crossway. So there's a significant radius. I wouldn't say the concrete is cracking to where you are, but you can feel the crack. Okay. Yes. So Connor, you find very little resistance as you run up basically up in there because everyone's focusing. Right. They are now upon and to the point of where you see the door is locked and you can hear Lexi on the other side. Lexi, this man has slammed the window down, still cursing and is turning and is making a beeline straight for you.

[Lexi]

Gonna very Bugs Bunny style esque. Start darting around the room.

[Josiah]

Kinda like getting away. Yeah. All right. Are you making any noise while you're doing so?

[Lexi]

Hey, I'd really like to get to know you first. Let's have a conversation.

[Josiah]

All right. So you can hear this at least along the other side of the door, Everett.

[Everett]

Well, since I saw what I thought was Jenny through the windows and everybody's focused on what I'm imagining is something a spice worm coming up. I'm going to make my way towards the door to see if there's a way I can let her in and or give myself the option to get the hell out.

[Josiah]

So you go up to the door but surprise, it is chained and locked from the inside. Because they wouldn't just leave an open door leading into the raiders camp without having something. It's not deadbolted, but it is at least chained at this point. Connor, how's it looking over here?

[Connor]

I am going to draw my machete behind my back and. And then knock on the door loudly and say, it's the devils. They're here. You gotta get out here.

[Josiah]

All right.

[Jenny]

Would the trembling have the lookouts that were there near the entrance? Are they.

[Josiah]

They're all looking straight to the center. No one's looking outside right now.

[Connor]

Okay.

[Josiah]

One successful.

[Connor]

I am going to. Would I have to reroll all of these or just the ones?

[Josiah]

Just the ones I'm trying to reroll.

[Connor]

The ones by using.

[Josiah]

By using.

[Connor]

Sorry, sorry. By using selfless.

[Josiah]

This seems like an incredibly selfless act. So tell me.

[Connor]

I would much rather know the truth about what the fuck is happening down there.

[Josiah]

Right. I know you're doing something very, very against what it could be right now. No ones. I'm going to hand you narration rights for this success. And you can tell me exactly what happens when this man opens the Door.

[Connor]

Who's opening the door?

[Josiah]

Is it the bodyguard?

[Connor]

Bodyguard? I'm going to like he. So the bodyguard opens the door, undoes all the locks one by one. It's takes only a few seconds, but it feels like an eternity is passing. The voices inside the room kind of go silent for a second once they see that someone is actually at the door. And I put on my best face, my best lying face, and insist that you gotta get down there. It's not just the. I don't know what's going on. The devils are at the gates. They're here. They come for us. They said they're taking revenge. You gotta get down there. They want blood, Josiah.

[Josiah]

Right. So you're just. As you're opening it up, you're just screaming into the door as he's opening it up with it.

[Connor]

Yeah.

[Josiah]

So Lexi, Josiah, everyone stops to look at Connor and they say, and Connor looks at you and he looks at Lexi and goes, I fucking knew it. And he pulls the gun from one of the sides of the tables, goes, y'all are fucking from the devil's dis. Start a whole shit. And he starts and points his gun straight at you.

[Connor]

I stab the bodyguard with the machete.

[Josiah]

Okay, okay.

[Connor]

Sorry.

[Josiah]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Connor]

My panic response.

[Lexi]

Do it.

[Josiah]

Come on, Come on. Three ones. No successes.

[Connor]

Am I able to.

[Jenny]

You can touch?

[Josiah]

Yes.

[Connor]

Okay. I'm using anxiety.

[Everett]

Pretty appropriate.

[Josiah]

Roll the ones I don't.

[Connor]

There's a reason I don't have bladed weapons.

[Everett]

Usually you say now.

[Josiah]

Oh, shit.

[Jenny]

Well, bye.

[Lexi]

I appreciate you so much.

[Connor]

I just want you to start.

[Josiah]

So.

[Everett]

It'S on.

[Josiah]

Son of a bitch.

[Connor]

Oh, I know.

[Lexi]

The candle doesn't light that either.

[Connor]

Oh, it's on Connor. Yeah.

[Josiah]

You take this machete and you jam it straight into this bodyguard. And you watch as you basically punch through whatever his leather jacket was, and you push it right through as you look towards Lexi. And you take a bullet straight into your head. As you watch, matter just scatter along the side of it. And the last black thoughts. As you see this machete run through this man and darkness overwhelms you. What do you think of?

[Connor]

I think that I. The humming is finally stopping.

[Josiah]

The humming.

[Connor]

The humming has stopped.

[Josiah]

Thank you so much for playing at my table.

[Connor]

Thank you.

[Josiah]

I appreciate it. I'm going to have to ask you to leave.

[Connor]

All right.

[Josiah]

This was a very deadly outcome, but you did create an opening for Lexi. As Lexi, you just watched Connor get shot in the head as he has run this bodyguard right through with his machete. Blood is dripping down the front of him. And there's a moment, one single small moment. Lexi, before we start our next scene, to decide what you're going to do. We need to establish some truths now that this has ended. Connor, unfortunately, in the deadly circumstances, was the one who rolled the failure. So I'm going to take this moment to start with the first truth. First, the world is dark. Second, you are not far from where the monolith stands. You are very close. In fact, Jenny.

[Jenny]

I'm going to wait 10 minutes. 10 more minutes.

[Everett]

The guard for this door is distracted by the rumbling.

[Lexi]

There's a gun handle sticking out from underneath the pillow.

[Josiah]

Great. Let us begin. Jenny, as you creep closer to see just what is going on to come in here, you watch as men who are attempting to scramble for any bit of high ground they can possibly get. As they move, you suddenly see as dirt is shoved up out of nowhere. And you hear screaming. His manner being pulled down out of nowhere as just bodies are falling down. And you can hear the cracking of bone. And watching as blood sprays forward and dirt mixing with it. As people are disappearing from this cross section that's laid out right in front of you. You shakily hold your hand up and attempt to take photos. And you can feel something, the ground underneath you beginning to buckle as particles of dirt start to split apart. Everett, you are in the gates or in this building, and you know the guard's distracted. What are you going to do?

[Everett]

Real fast, does he have anything resembling a key or anything like that for these chains or anything? Can I see anything like that?

[Josiah]

What do you say? I could also say, and we could have established this during one of your truths, but there could always be a pair of bolt cutters around.

[Everett]

There could be. Or there is.

[Josiah]

There could be. But I'm telling you, the guard is distracted. You want to do something about that?

[Everett]

Yeah, I want to knock him out with my poker.

[Josiah]

This is, to be incredibly clear, a dangerous circumstance. Okay. Be more clear as a dire circumstance similar to what happened with Dan. If this fails, you could die. We're at that point in the game now, and you're in the situation now in which deadly conflicts can.

[Everett]

Can I revise then, what I want to do?

[Josiah]

Yes.

[Everett]

I'm going to yell to the guard, yeah, Quick, man, open the door. Let's get out of here.

[Josiah]

Roll it.

[Everett]

Is that less dire?

[Josiah]

That is not dire.

[Everett]

Okay, thank you.

[Josiah]

That is less dire.

[Everett]

Hey, guy, let's get out.

[Josiah]

No successes. No ones.

[Everett]

No one's an improvement.

[Josiah]

We're burning through candles. Quick, Everett. As you yell out to this man and say, quick, man, we need to leave. Trying to convince him that this is time to go. You. You basically hear him as you look towards and gives you a sneer as he. As he walks over to you and grabs you by the collar and turns you around and pushes you back out towards where the main cross section is. He kind of goes and goes, nah, man. Josiah's got this, but I haven't seen one yet. And he kind of punts you into the main area of the street. I'm hoping maybe I can see one today. And he leaves you right there, gun trained on you. We are at three. Nice. We are at three candles, and we haven't even gotten to Lexi. But there are truths that need to be established first. The world is dark, and I do want to hear what you have to say.

[Everett]

Oh, boy.

[Josiah]

About this.

[Everett]

As far as the truth goes.

[Josiah]

Everybody.

[Everett]

Has sort of stepped back from the center and is lining like they're watching Thunderdome style, a giant circle.

[Josiah]

And you are in the center of it.

[Connor]

Oh, no.

[Lexi]

Lexi is expertly trained in Krav Maga.

[Josiah]

Great. Actually, I will make that my truth. I said it originally. But I will just say my truth is you are in the center of this space right now with three dice left. It's very important with all of you split together right now that we visit each person. Right now, the two people we haven't been talking to is Lexi. Seen Jenny since, Unfortunately, Connor passed. So I'm going to leave this open now between the either of you of who we would like to resolve at this stage. You have a situation. And you have a situation. I heard you motion, but I need to have some. Someone say, I'll go first.

[Lexi]

I'll go first.

[Josiah]

All right, Lexi, if I'm reading between the lines here, you want to do something to Josiah now that he has shot Connor in front of you?

[Lexi]

Yes.

[Josiah]

Please tell me what you'd like to do.

[Lexi]

So he shot Connor in the head. The guard is down, bleeding. Where is he? As opposed to me.

[Josiah]

At the moment, you are on the side of the bed. He is at the front of the bed. He had been chasing you around, as you mentioned, so you could theoretically be anywhere in the room right now. But Josiah had to have enough of a clean shot from the door that I would say, to your benefit, he is facing away from from you right now.

[Lexi]

So I would like to grab the gun from under the pillow.

[Josiah]

Yeah.

[Lexi]

And fire.

[Josiah]

This is a dire situation. One, one. And no sixes.

[Lexi]

Do I Still have that opportunity to burn.

[Josiah]

Do you have for the One? Is that your hope?

[Lexi]

Yes. It's my mom.

[Josiah]

Unfortunately, we cannot burn anything that isn't on the top of your pile. If you haven't had a chance to fulfill the moment yet, we cannot go to the brink. I'm so sorry. But because of the situation you're in, I will give you a choice. And the choice is, I can explain to you your grisly demise. Or you can. Which would you prefer?

[Lexi]

I'm going to. I go to grab for the gun, and I think that I have the time, but he hears the click of the hammer, and he says, I should have known. And before I can get a shot fired off, he has already fired the gun at me and shot me in the throat.

[Josiah]

As you can feel the blood spilling out through your throat, you can feel your mouth fill with the warm blood, and you realize that you will fall here in this world, not even knowing what it was that was coming out of the ground. And to die in this man's presence is insulting to your life. Is there anything you'd like to say before you succumb to the darkness? I'm sorry. Christina, thank you so much for playing at my table. I really appreciate it, and I'm so sorry. I'm gonna have to ask you to leave. Don't.

[Everett]

Okay.

[Josiah]

There are two truths left to speak. And since Christina has fallen, I will speak the first truth. First we. The world is dark. The second. The first truth we must establish is this group is not going to survive this attack. Jenny.

[Jenny]

The guards on the outside cut and run.

[Josiah]

We live now with two candles and two dice. Jenny, the ground is rumbling underneath you. You can know that something is coming. What do you want to do?

[Jenny]

I see the guards. Go. I'm gonna try and go to whatever entrance this was to just see if there's a way for me to open them.

[Josiah]

The entrance being the entrance that he's dealing with right now.

[Jenny]

Yeah.

[Josiah]

Or the entrance that's inside of where you are. Cause at this point, how is it you're this circle that was this cross section of space since you had been outside of it for so long, you are now at the edge, looking over the cars. You can see Everett in the center.

[Jenny]

In the center, yes.

[Josiah]

Illuminated by all of the torchlight that's around. And presumably the exit that he was investigating is not really something that you would have seen from your vantage to bear. The most important information that I can tell you right now is that Everett is in the center of this circle. And you can feel so something underneath you.

[Jenny]

I put out my camera and watch.

[Josiah]

Okay, Everett. You find yourself in an audience. Your description of a Thunderdome is not far from what this actually is. Everyone is waiting at the moment, and you can feel the metal around you bending and folding. You can tell there are guns on you everywhere. What do you want to do?

[Everett]

I yell out to everybody, this is what Josiah wants. He brought this on all of us. They are here because of him. Don't let this happen.

[Josiah]

You're trying to tell them to let you go or to blame it all on Josiah to let them step away.

[Everett]

From the center of doom.

[Josiah]

Get that ready? Yeah.

[Everett]

Specifically looking at the old woman who I was talking about this place to like.

[Josiah]

Yeah, you listen, listen. Let's see.

[Everett]

Somehow, simultaneously doing this towards whatever camera might be pointing at me.

[Josiah]

Oh, A six and a five. You hold your head up high and you speak with confidence and determination. Josiah is the cause of all of this. And you would be amazed how much confidence you can inspire in people when there is dirt flying all around you. And you can speak with such open arms and such defiance as it seems like whatever is around you, which should have taken you, which should have taken you a while ago, instead, seems to be more creating a spectacle around you as you are yelling out to everyone. And you can see people looking at each other, looking and staring at you and being like, is this. Is this something that is happening? Is he immune? As dirt continues to spray around you, and you watch as lithe giant tentacles lift up out of the ground and seem to be spiraling around you. And you seem to be a vessel in this moment. And everyone is just agape, staring at you. Jenny, you're just taking photo after photo, clicking away at this point. What you do as you feel the shutter click around you and the vibration of the shutter continues to click around you, you feel this movement around your feet, and you watch and you more feel your foot sink into the the ground, just up to your knee, at least at this point. And there is pain. Oh, God, is there pain? As you try to pull your foot up. What do you want to do?

[Jenny]

Oh, I'm going to try and wrench myself free and run.

[Josiah]

A five and a six. As you wrench your leg free and you pull it up, you see as your entire pant leg and a good portion of the skin that was on your leg as well as your shoes and any kind of leggings you may have had has been ripped up. And you can feel the hot dripping of blood coming down your Arm as you scream and lift yourself out on top. And you hear Jenny scream from the side. Everyone starting to look at you, looking towards her as she has been attempted to pull up, but has lifted her leg up in time. Which way do you go? Did you go towards? Or did you go away, away? And you hear her run as you say goodbye, Everett Evryn, you are a goddamn vessel of whatever is in front of you right now. You want to keep this moment up or do you want to get out of here?

[Everett]

Oh, I'm going to get out of here. And while I do, I'm just going to also turn on my battery powered lantern.

[Josiah]

Yeah. Oh, that I have as well.

[Everett]

Turn it on, turn it on just in the hopes that light matters. And run straight towards her or away from her. Oh, oh, just let me think here. Character me or me, me, me, me is like, no, no, bye. No, I'm going to. I mean, there's no clear sign to her.

[Josiah]

There's no clear screaming out from the middle of the darkness. And if I may be so bold, her scream is now becoming a cacophony. As you can see, more people are just being pulled out underneath the ground as much as they possibly can. You can see small molehills starting to rise up and you've been standing still. But even just the swaying and the anxious movement around you, you see as people definitely on the floors are just being pulled down and their agony is harmonizing now with Jenny's.

[Everett]

I'm going to. I mean, I'm going to run back towards the door where the chain was and the bolt cutter is laying nearby and try to get the hell out of here.

[Josiah]

Yeah, yeah, it's fine. Cander, how do you apply candor into this situation?

[Everett]

Well, now that I have them all on my side and they know that I speak the truth and have proven everything to them, I yell out as I'm running for this exit, the only way to survive this is to sacrifice Josiah.

[Josiah]

As you walk towards the exit. All right, roll. Okay, you begin walking straight towards the door. And you are preaching this gospel in every way that you can. And you're talking and you're saying, josiah, you have to sacrifice him. You must see him for what he is. And as you're walking towards him, your voice is cut out as mid sentence as you feel something pull you down into the ground. And you feel as the weight of the rock and the stone just kips you right up into your rib cage and you cough from the blood and you feel this weight come upon you as you look down and you see teeth. Long rows of serrated, just circle like teeth. Circles of teeth. Almost like if you were coming into a lampreys mouth. And enough of the rock and rubble has come beside you. You can see for a brief moment before you are sucked down in completely. You see something less see and more. Feel this resonating humming, this feeling like being close to the monolith. And then nothing. Darkness. Blackness. And it doesn't even hurt really. In fact, minus the puncture that has pulled you inside. You actually feel a warm sense of being encapsulated. More than being eaten alive. There's a comforting thought that comes by your head as you slip into darkness. What is it?

[Everett]

I'll see you in my family soon.

[Josiah]

David. Thank you so much. I really appreciate it, being at my table. Thank you. Well, I didn't have to say it, but he did. He had to leave one dice. This is the final candle. This cannot play out any other way than what it is now. But Jenny, you running from this thing while everyone else is being consumed around you, it is going to happen. And you may not know what Everett felt when he gets into it, but for you, this is the most painful thing you've ever been through in your life. Trying to walk on a disheveled broken leg. As you pull through, you stumble and you walk and you basically purse yourself out. You get away from this shaken zone where things are continuing to clasp and come around you. And somehow in some way you managed to get away enough from whatever epicenter that this turmoil was around in order to not be dragged down again. And it is dark and it is quiet. The screams stop subsiding about 15 minutes ago and you just find yourself slowly becoming lightheaded from loss of blood. As you sit in this disheveled, ruined city of Chicago. What are you thinking about? Where are you right now?

[Jenny]

Take off camera, set it aside. And I think, I couldn't have done anything. But maybe others. Others will get to see.

[Josiah]

And you look and you in your mind's eye, you can see what you saw through that viewfinder. And you can see that moment in which Everett was sitting there with tentacles and dirt flying all around him. And you think about this series of photos that you've been taken. And there is a moment of peace as you slowly start slipping into unconsciousness of just how much you've captured and how that knowledge, the knowledge of humanity, the things that we observe and pass from generation to generation, is sitting right there on top of a backpack, on top of a trunk of an old Car. And it's an oddly symbolic photo that you leave of this body lying right there, splayed out. Not eaten, not consumed, not killed, not raped, but just lying there with this camera right next to it. And with that, we end our story. Thank you so much. Thank you very much for playing. I really appreciate it.

[Jenny]

Thank you.

[Josiah]

I'm so sorry, but you did wonderfully. And that is the end of our.

[Jenny]

I originally came to this relief center to document what was happening and got stuck here. But now I guess we're out of food and they're making us leave. I'll be hitting the road with a few companions I met here. Honestly, I don't know how long we'll last. But I'm going to do what I know how to do. Leave a record in film so those who come after can glean some information and maybe figure out what happened here forever. Finding light in the darkness. Jenny Summers.

[Everett]

Hey, guys. Mom, dad, if you're finding this. I'm sorry. If somebody else finds us. Hi. I'm Everett Robbins. I am not supposed to be here. I live in New York, and I am here for a wedding, and I was with my family, and we got into a fight and I refused to go with them, and then this happened. I don't know where I am, and I don't know anybody in this town, and I don't know what I'm supposed to do. So if you're finding this. We left. We were trying to find you. Please. Please wait. Mom, dad, If. If. If for some reason you find this and I'm not with you, I am so sorry. I'm sorry. I just. I'm just sorry. Oh, God.

[Lexi]

Hey, it's me. It's. It's. It's Lexi. If you're hearing this, I am trying. I'm trying to make it home. And I don't even know if home exists anymore, but there's no more food and the camp's being evacuated. I've made some friends and we're gonna try to go somewhere, anywhere. If you hear this, I didn't mean to leave you behind. Please be alive. And if I don't make it, I'm so sorry.

[Connor]

It's getting darker and darker out there, just like they said it would. No more crisis actors. No more false flags. No more. No more anything.

[Everett]

Those obelisks.

[Connor]

Can nobody else hear them? I hear the sound of a million snarks, snarling voices and gnashing teeth just grating in my head almost constantly. I have to get closer. I have to get inside. But Those government cucks won't let me out. I'm not gonna die here. I'm caged in here like a fucking rat and I'm not gonna die here. I'm gonna find a way out. I'm gonna find what the CIA is hiding in their goddamn black side. Find out what that monolith wants me to do, even if it kills me. You know what? Hopefully it will. I don't know how much more of this noise I can take.

[Josiah]

Can you actually change your personality if you want to? How does peer pressure work? And why is it so powerful? Should you ever really trust your gut when you make a big decision? These are just a few of the topics we've recently covered on my podcast, Something you Should Know. I'm the host, Mike Carruthers, and each episode of Something youg Should Know covers multiple topics that are likely relevant to you. You'll discover things you can use in.

[Everett]

Your life today, right now, like how.

[Josiah]

To have a great conversation, how to be more courageous, the anatomy of the perfect apology, and much, much more. To date there are over 1000 episodes of something youg Should Know and we've gotten over 4,000, mostly five star reviews. I invite you to check out something you should know. Look for the bright yellow light bulb on the blue background. Something you should know wherever you listen to podcasts. Welcome to the ultimate social deduction game, Blood on the Clock Tower. The evil team must stalk the streets at night, hunting down members of the good team one by one. Meanwhile, the good team must outmaneuver the evil team using their unique abilities. I'd like to kick things off by telling you all that I'm possibly the demon our players can mislead and manipulate others with with absolute freedom. I didn't like hearing my name in the same sentence as demon. That was very upsetting for me. Emily and I will be your storytellers, guiding you through every labyrinthian twist and turn. How are there so many evil fighters in this game?

[Connor]

What's happening? With guests from no Rolls Bard, the.

[Josiah]

Pandemonium Institute and Oxventure, you won't be able to stop listening. Go to realmspod.com clocktower to find out more legendary stories, awe inspiring sound and endless adventure. Welcome to the realms of peril and glory. Explore the mechanically magical vistas as a.

[Connor]

Veil.

[Josiah]

The paranormal mysteries of liminal London and the cyberpunk chaos of Cyborg.

[Connor]

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[Josiah]

Music, you'll be immersed into unforgettable campaigns and heart pounding one shots ignite your imagination and discover the realms of peril and glory today. Go to realmspod.com or search realms of peril and glory. Wherever you listen to podcasts two one. You win.