Episode 4.4 - Thomas

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Road of Shadows – Episode 4.4: "Thomas"

Introduction

In Episode 4.4 of The Road of Shadows, titled "Thomas," listeners delve deeper into the enigmatic world of Daniel Knox and his relentless pursuit of the elusive creatures he calls 'Shadows.' Hosted by Mark R. Healy, this episode weaves a complex narrative set in the remote mountain community of Oakwood, where past mysteries intertwine with present dangers.

Investigation of Thomas Cracknell

The episode centers around the investigation of Thomas Cracknell, a man who mysteriously disappeared in 1957. Daniel Knox teams up with Amber, a fellow investigator, to unravel the circumstances surrounding Thomas's vanishing. Their quest leads them to scour old library records and newspaper archives in search of patterns that might link Thomas's disappearance to the enigmatic Shadows.

Amber: "We shift our attention to the Shadow's agents. The holoskins. Find them and they will lead us straight to the one who's at the center of this whole thing." (03:02)

Thomas: "He attacked me years before, remember?" (03:33)

Through meticulous research, Amber and Thomas identify traits exhibited by Thomas before his disappearance, such as his gradual disconnection from social activities and sudden aggressive behavior during his final known moments.

Confrontation with Mary Jacobs

Their investigation leads them to Mary Jacobs, a reporter purportedly linked to the original Thomas Cracknell article. When confronted, Mary denies authoring the piece, raising suspicions about the influence of the Shadows over the townspeople of Oakwood.

Amber: "We have a Xerox of an article that you wrote. Unless this is a different Mary Jacobs." (16:07)

Mary Jacobs (Daniel): "This is a different Mary Jacobs. I did some freelancing in my time... I never wrote this one." (16:35)

This encounter deepens the mystery, suggesting that the Shadows might possess the ability to manipulate memories or identities, thereby obstructing the investigators' progress.

Roderick’s Revelation

As the tension escalates, Roderick, a mysterious figure with his own agenda, contacts Amber and Thomas. He divulges critical information about the hierarchy and organization of the Shadows, introducing the concept of "Blood Monarchs" and their kinship structures.

Roderick: "Shadows who share the same kinship are more than just members of the same species. They are family. Brother and sister, I suppose you could say. All descended from the one who sits at the center of it all." (22:59)

He emphasizes the existence of multiple Blood Monarchs worldwide, each leading their own kin of Shadows. Roderick hints at a possible way to combat these powerful entities but remains enigmatic about the exact methods.

Roderick: "The Monarch is a creature of immense power, with both physical and mental strength that the likes of us can barely comprehend." (24:10)

Despite his reluctance, Roderick becomes a pivotal figure, offering a glimmer of hope amidst the pervasive darkness enveloping Oakwood.

Climactic Confrontation and Unanswered Questions

Tensions climax when Roderick confronts Amber and Thomas directly, challenging their understanding and approach to dealing with the Shadows. The dialogue reveals the high stakes involved and the formidable nature of the Blood Monarchs.

Amber: "I have to say, it's crossed my mind more than once that this entire thing is bullshit. That you are the Shadow." (21:49)

Roderick: "If you expect me to be offended by that, I'm not. In fact, I applaud your mindset." (22:09)

This confrontation leaves Amber and Thomas with more questions than answers, setting the stage for future episodes where the true nature of the Shadows and their Blood Monarchs will be further explored.

Conclusion

Episode 4.4: "Thomas" masterfully blends investigative drama with supernatural intrigue, advancing the overarching narrative of The Road of Shadows. Through compelling character interactions and suspenseful revelations, Mark R. Healy keeps listeners engaged and eager for the next installment. The introduction of Blood Monarchs and the deepening mystery around Oakwood's history enrich the storyline, promising even more thrilling developments ahead.

Notable Quotes:

• Amber: "We shift our attention to the Shadow's agents. The holoskins. Find them and they will lead us straight to the one who's at the center of this whole thing." (03:02)

• Mary Jacobs (Daniel): "This is a different Mary Jacobs. I did some freelancing in my time... I never wrote this one." (16:35)

• Roderick: "Shadows who share the same kinship are more than just members of the same species. They are family." (22:59)

• Amber: "I have to say, it's crossed my mind more than once that this entire thing is bullshit. That you are the Shadow." (21:49)

• Roderick: "If you expect me to be offended by that, I'm not. In fact, I applaud your mindset." (22:09)

Final Thoughts

The Road of Shadows continues to build its intricate world, blending elements of mystery, horror, and supernatural lore. Episode "Thomas" serves as a crucial chapter, unraveling past events that have long haunted Oakwood and introducing new layers to the Shadow mythos. Listeners will find themselves eagerly anticipating how Amber and Thomas will navigate the treacherous path laid before them, especially with the enigmatic Roderick now in their orbit.

---

Timestamps Reference:

<a id="timestamp03:02"></a>03:02
<a id="timestamp03:33"></a>03:33
<a id="timestamp16:07"></a>16:07
<a id="timestamp16:35"></a>16:35
<a id="timestamp22:59"></a>22:59
<a id="timestamp21:49"></a>21:49
<a id="timestamp22:09"></a>22:09
<a id="timestamp24:10"></a>24:10

Transcript

[Amber]

On WhatsApp, no one can see or hear your personal messages.

[Daniel]

Whether it's a voice call message or.

[Amber]

Sending a password to WhatsApp, it's all just this. So whether you're sharing the streaming password in the family chat, or trading those late night voice messages that could basically.

[Daniel]

Become a podcast, your personal messages stay.

[Amber]

Between you, your friends and your family. No one else, not even us. WhatsApp message privately with everyone.

[Roderick]

Your burger is served.

[Thomas]

And this is our finest Pepsi. Zero Sugar.

[Roderick]

Its sweet profile perfectly balances the savory.

[Thomas]

Notes of your burger.

[Amber]

That is one perfect combination. Burgers deserve Pepsi.

[Mary Jacobs]

This episode is brought to you by LifeLock. Between two factor authentication, strong passwords and a VPN, you try to be in control of how your info is protected. But many other places also have it, and they might not be as careful. That's why LifeLock monitors hundreds of millions of data points a second for threats. If your identity is stolen, they'll fix it, guaranteed, or your money back. Save up to 40% your first year. Visit lifelock.com podcast for 40% off terms apply.

[Mark R. Healy]

The Road of Shadows Created by Mark R. Healy A Beyond the dark production season 4 episode 4 Thomas.

[Thomas]

How did I know that sooner or later we'd end up back inside a library?

[Amber]

Call me predictable if you want, but I'm telling you, this is the place we're gonna find answers.

[Thomas]

The answer's two.

[Amber]

The identity of the shadow. Of course.

[Thomas]

I don't want to cast aspersions on your research skills, but I'm not sure that's the kind of thing we can just look up on an index card.

[Amber]

Come on, Daniel. We have to think outside the box. Just like always.

[Thomas]

So what's your strategy? If what Roderick said is true and the Shadow is using these holoskins as its agents here in Oakwood, well.

[Amber]

What?

[Thomas]

The Shadow might not have appeared in public in years. Maybe ever. It's effectively created a buffer between itself and everyone else.

[Amber]

We don't know that for sure. The Shadow could be wandering around town right now in broad daylight.

[Thomas]

Roderick hinted very strongly that wasn't the case.

[Amber]

Eh, Rodrick doesn't know everything.

[Thomas]

The guy wrote the damn book on shadows, literally.

[Amber]

Assuming his claims are true.

[Thomas]

Do you think they are?

[Amber]

I'm not sure I've decided yet.

[Thomas]

Either way, he seems to know more than we do.

[Amber]

Fine. Let's assume the Shadow is out of reach for now. That means we just have to pivot.

[Thomas]

Pivot?

[Amber]

Yeah. We shift our attention to the Shadow's agents. The holoskins. Find them and they Will lead us straight to the one who's at the center of this whole thing.

[Thomas]

And we're going to find holoskins at the library?

[Amber]

That's right.

[Thomas]

Hmm. Are those in the fiction or nonfiction section?

[Amber]

Yeah, I wish it were as easy as that.

[Thomas]

So what's your plan?

[Amber]

I want to approach this like we did back in colton when we were hunting for shadows there. We uncovered articles about schilling, remember?

[Thomas]

I already knew schilling was a shadow Before I got to colton. He attacked me years before, remember?

[Amber]

You're missing the point, Daniel. We found patterns in those newspapers, Things that helped us track down victims. That's what I propose we do again here.

[Thomas]

You want to find more people who fit the same pattern as Jeffrey lee?

[Amber]

Exactly. From what we've learned so far, Jeffrey exhibited some strange habits Right before he disappeared from public view. Maybe we can find evidence of other people doing the same.

[Thomas]

Should we make a list of traits or something?

[Amber]

C. Now you're getting it. What should we put first?

[Thomas]

Let's see. Jeff's sister said he was a bit of a misfit, didn't have a lot of friends at school, and people thought he was a bit weird.

[Amber]

Yeah, but that was before he became a holoskin. We're more interested in his behavior when he became tainted by the shadow.

[Thomas]

It could still be useful information, though. What if the shadow prefers that kind of personality type for its hollow skins?

[Amber]

I guess that is possible. Loners are less likely to be missed by their friends, so technically, they could disappear without creating as many ripples.

[Thomas]

Right.

[Amber]

I'll write it down just in case it comes in handy. What else do we have? Let's think of something more relevant to the period Where Jeff was being influenced by the shadow.

[Thomas]

Didn't Jeff's sister say that he stumped coming to visit her before he disappeared?

[Amber]

Yeah, they used to watch football every Sunday, but then he lost interest. Stan, his old boss, said that Jeff wasn't taking pride in his work and couldn't be bothered to show up on time.

[Thomas]

It's like he was slowly disconnecting from his own life.

[Amber]

Which is understandable, Considering the shadow was gradually erasing his identity.

[Thomas]

So he can put that down. The victim exhibiting a sense of disconnection.

[Amber]

Got it.

[Thomas]

But that's not exactly the kind of thing that's going to hit the newspapers, is it? No one is going to write an article About a guy who got bored with his job or who gave up watching football.

[Amber]

What about advice columns or personals?

[Thomas]

You want to trawl through years and Years worth of local gossip in the hope that it'll lead us to a holoskin. Count me out.

[Amber]

Yeah, I've got to admit, that's not how I pictured spending my time here. What else do we know about Jeff?

[Thomas]

From a personal standpoint? The only other time I ran into him was the night he attacked me the night I left town.

[Amber]

Go over that again. Refresh my memory.

[Thomas]

Uh, he came at me in the middle of the night, smashed through a window. Cut himself pretty badly in the process. Had a maniacal glint in his eye.

[Amber]

Maybe that's the behavior we're looking for.

[Thomas]

Breaking into people's houses and trying to kill them. I doubt that's a regular thing. I was a special case.

[Amber]

Okay. What do you think the Shadow uses these holoskins for? What's their purpose?

[Thomas]

Whatever it needs, I guess.

[Amber]

And what does a shadow need more than anything else?

[Thomas]

Food. Human flesh.

[Amber]

Right. So I think it's only logical to assume that one of the primary tasks of the holoskins is to help round up victims. And if that is the case, they may have tried capturing people in the past.

[Thomas]

You're right. There might have been more attacks.

[Amber]

So that's our angle. We need to look for other violent crimes. Break ins. Assaults from people who match with these other traits as well.

[Thomas]

Ones who gradually became withdrawn and started to disappear from public view. But that's still not necessarily going to lead us to a hollow skin. Sometimes people are just naturally violent. They could have a neurological condition or suffered trauma that's affected them psychologically.

[Amber]

Yeah, I know, I know it's not a smoking gun, but at the very least, it gives us a place to start. Agreed?

[Thomas]

Sure. I'm with you.

[Amber]

Okay, then. We've got some work to do. Let's get to it.

[Thomas]

Okay. I have a couple more here. Want to take a look?

[Amber]

Yeah, sure. Why not? I'm almost at the end of my pile, and so far I've come up with nothing.

[Thomas]

Maybe we should stop. It's been a long day.

[Amber]

Show me what you've got first. And after that, I. I won't argue if you want to go get a bite to eat and head home for some rest.

[Thomas]

Okay. So I really had to dig a long way down to find these Ancient history. I'm talking stuff from years ago. The first one is about a woman from the early 70s, Eileen Peters. She was a local who lived here in Oakwood her whole life. Apparently she worked as a cleaner, but I couldn't find details of any employers. It's not mentioned anywhere.

[Amber]

Eileen. Hmm? That sounds familiar. What's her story?

[Thomas]

It says here she started to exhibit increasingly strange behavior. Showing up in neighbors yards late at night, ranting outside the grocery store. It escalated until she attacked the postman on her front lawn on the morning of April 7th.

[Amber]

Ah, yes, that's the one. I came across her too.

[Thomas]

You found the same article as me?

[Amber]

Ah, here it is. Let's compare dates.

[Thomas]

They're different. Yours is almost a year after mine.

[Amber]

Yeah, I've got some updated details. It looks like Mrs. Peters had a lawsuit filed against her by another victim of her assaults, but the case was dropped not long after. Seems she was diagnosed with a mental condition of some sort. It doesn't say what. And then? Oh, taken to a care facility somewhere upstate. That was over 12 years ago.

[Thomas]

They took her to a mental institution?

[Amber]

Seems like it.

[Thomas]

So was she really mentally unsound? Was she being influenced by the shadow?

[Amber]

There isn't a lot of detail here, so it's hard to tell.

[Thomas]

Should we try to contact the facility? See if they can tell us anything else?

[Amber]

I guess we could try, but it's probably not worth our time. If Mrs. Peters has been locked away in that place for the last decade, there's no way she's going to lead us to the shadow. And to be honest, I'm not sure if this fits our M.O.

[Thomas]

Put it in a maybe pile.

[Amber]

Yeah, sure. What else have you got?

[Thomas]

Okay, for this one, I'm really turning back the clock. 1957.

[Amber]

Oh, almost 30 years.

[Thomas]

Yeah, the guy was called Thomas Cracknell. Did you come across him too?

[Amber]

No. No, I don't think so. Let me see. The disappearance of Thomas Cracknell by Mary Jacobs.

[Thomas]

Yeah, it's a long article, goes pretty deep on the case. Apparently this guy worked at the local bakery, had been there for years. It mentions that Thomas was known for being pretty meek and mild shy.

[Amber]

A misfit.

[Thomas]

He had some friends, but not much is said about that part of his life. I guess the most important thing is what happened toward the end. See here it says In June of 57, Thomas started missing shifts for work, which was way out of character for him. Prior to that, he was always bang on time. Barely ever took any sick days. A real conscientious worker.

[Amber]

Okay, okay, this is promising.

[Thomas]

Then one day, things took an even stranger turn. Thomas was driving down Kirby street here in Oakwood on a clear morning, no traffic, when suddenly he veered off the road and crashed his car into a telephone booth. When passersby came to help, he offered no response. He just sat behind the wheel staring straight ahead like he was in a trance.

[Amber]

So he blacked out or something?

[Thomas]

That's unclear. He's described as being dazed and disoriented. Anyway, someone called the cops and they rolled up a few minutes later. The two officers managed to get Thomas out of his car. But as they attempted to guide him toward the cruiser, he flipped, went crazy, lashing out and screaming like a madman. He must have taken them by surprise, because the next second, the cops were on the ground the and Thomas was making a run for it.

[Amber]

Did he get back in his car?

[Thomas]

No. He fled the scene on foot. Just ran along the street.

[Amber]

Does it say where he went?

[Thomas]

Witnesses saw him heading west along the highway. Units were dispatched to bring him back into custody, but they couldn't find him.

[Amber]

He disappeared just like that, huh?

[Thomas]

I guess so.

[Amber]

Well, he must have gone somewhere.

[Thomas]

There was an extensive search at the woods west of town. The cops found footprints that they thought might have belonged to Thomas not far from the road. But the trail went cold. He was gone.

[Amber]

Okay. And what happened after that?

[Thomas]

No one ever saw or heard from him again.

[Amber]

So he really did just vanish into thin air?

[Thomas]

Seems that way.

[Amber]

Do the police have any theories?

[Thomas]

If they do, it's not mentioned in the article. There's a statement from his parents asking for him to come home. Not much else.

[Amber]

And you didn't find any other articles mentioning Thomas Cracknell?

[Thomas]

None.

[Amber]

Well, it's been 27 years. Maybe there have been developments in the case that were never cataloged here in the library.

[Thomas]

That's a possibility.

[Amber]

Which means if we want to know more, we're gonna have to do it the hard way.

[Thomas]

Right?

[Amber]

Let me just check the phone book here for a second.

[Thomas]

We should take a Xerox of this article so we can keep a copy on hand.

[Amber]

Oh, holy shit.

[Thomas]

I found what? Amber, what's got you so worked up?

[Amber]

Come on, let's go get that Xerox. Then we need to get moving. I think we just caught a break.

[Thomas]

Hey, it's Ryan Reynolds here from Mint Mobile. Now, I was looking for fun ways.

[Mary Jacobs]

To tell you that Mint's offer of.

[Thomas]

Unlimited Premium Wireless for $15 a month is back.

[Mary Jacobs]

So I thought it would be fun.

[Thomas]

If we made $15 bills, but it.

[Mary Jacobs]

Turns out that's very illegal.

[Thomas]

So. There goes my big idea for the commercial.

[Mary Jacobs]

Give it a [e-mail] switch.

[Amber]

Upfront payment of $45 for 3 month plan equivalent to $15 per month required new customer offer for first 3 months only. Speed slow after 35 gigabytes of networks busy, taxes and fees extra.

[Mary Jacobs]

See mintmobile.com this episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. Do you ever find yourself playing the budgeting game? Well, with the name your price tool from Progressive, you can find options that fit your budget and potentially lower your bills. Try [e-mail] Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates Price and coverage match limited by state law. Not available in all states.

[Thomas]

Eggers said to the interviewer he was convinced that the thing out there wasn't a vault.

[Amber]

Yeah, I know what he thought.

[Thomas]

Dr. Eggers didn't think it was designed to keep things out.

[Roderick]

I know what he thought it was.

[Thomas]

Designed to keep something out.

[Roderick]

Yeah. Do you even understand the difficulty trying to keep a base like Fathom at.

[Thomas]

The bottom of the ocean from killing.

[Roderick]

Everyone in it on a daily basis?

[Amber]

Oh, my God.

[Thomas]

Everyone hold on to something. I think whatever is on the other side of that door out there, it's not friendly. I think it's trying to get out. That, my friend, is a dire combination. That's a bad sign.

[Roderick]

Get out of the door.

[Thomas]

It's spreading like some kind of technological contain. We can either stop it here or watch the world burn. Fathom, the first season of Derelict.

[Roderick]

Listen, wherever you get your podcasts or learn [e-mail].

[Amber]

Hi there. Are you Mary? Mary Jacobs?

[Daniel]

Who wants to know?

[Amber]

I'm Amber and this is Daniel. We're.

[Daniel]

What are you selling, Amber? Be quick. I'm making supper.

[Amber]

This won't take long, I promise. And we are not here to sell you anything, Mrs. Jacobs. We just need to ask you a few questions.

[Daniel]

If this is about the car payments, aunt told the last guy.

[Amber]

No, no, no, no. Nothing like that. We're investigating the disappearance of some locals here in Oakwood. Actually, we thought you might be able to give us some more information.

[Daniel]

I don't know anything about any disappearances.

[Thomas]

You must know about at least one though, right? Thomas Cracknell.

[Daniel]

Thomas Cracknell? Never heard of him.

[Amber]

It's been a while. 27 years to be exact. But I'm sure of you.

[Daniel]

I told you, I never heard of him.

[Amber]

We have a Xerox of an article that you wrote. Unless this is a different Mary Jacobs.

[Daniel]

Let me see that.

[Thomas]

You're listed as the author right there.

[Daniel]

Ms. Print, I'd say. Wouldn't be the first time they screwed something up in editing.

[Amber]

But you are the Mary Jacobs who wrote for the paper?

[Daniel]

I did some freelancing in my time, sure. Wrote pieces for newspapers and even a few magazines right across the district. This article here? No, I Didn't write this one. Never even saw it until you showed it to me just now.

[Thomas]

Are you sure?

[Daniel]

Yes, I'm sure.

[Amber]

Do you think you could tell us who might have written it then? Do you know any of the other reporters who might have been working for the paper back then in 57?

[Daniel]

That's going back a long way. Newspaper changed hands in those 60s, and most of the old crew are either dead or left town.

[Amber]

Have you lived here in Oakwood all this time?

[Daniel]

Me? Yeah. Right here in this house.

[Amber]

So you must remember the Thomas Cracknell incident. I imagine it would have been quite the scandal.

[Daniel]

I've told you, I don't know anything about that.

[Thomas]

You don't remember him attacking the police, going missing, the search afterwards?

[Daniel]

You're sure it happened here? Maybe it was some other town?

[Amber]

No. No, it was here.

[Daniel]

Well, I can help you. And I'm sorry, but I have to get back to making supper. You'll have to try your luck somewhere else.

[Amber]

Sure. Well, thank you for your time, Mrs. Jacobs.

[Thomas]

So what do you make of that?

[Amber]

Seems strange to me. Something's not right.

[Thomas]

Do you think she's lying?

[Amber]

I couldn't say for sure.

[Thomas]

I don't buy the whole thing about the editing mistake. Seems too coincidental.

[Amber]

Yeah, me either. What we need to do is talk to more people, get some other perspectives.

[Thomas]

Who's next? We've already established that Thomas Cracknell's parents are dead. And there's no other family here in Oakwood.

[Amber]

Well, he must have had some friends. People who knew him at the bakery, for example.

[Thomas]

It's getting late. I doubt they're open at this hour.

[Amber]

Tomorrow morning then, I guess.

[Thomas]

Is there anything else we can do tonight?

[Amber]

Well, we could stand here on the sidewalk twiddling our thumbs, but personally, I'd like to get some rest. Why don't we head back to the motel?

[Thomas]

No argument from me. Should we pick up some Chinese takeout on the way? There's a decent place just around the corner.

[Amber]

Sure thing. Lead the way.

[Thomas]

You had enough to eat? Amber? Do you want me to clean this up?

[Amber]

Uh, yeah. Thanks. Oh, God, I'm stuffed. I think I'm about ready to turn in. Oh, it's been a long day. Do you mind if I.

[Thomas]

Maybe you should wait a minute before going to bed. Looks like our friend wants to chat.

[Amber]

Yeah. Let's see what he has to say.

[Thomas]

Yeah.

[Roderick]

Ah, you finally returned. I was beginning to think you weren't coming back.

[Thomas]

You've been trying to reach us, Roderick.

[Roderick]

I called a few times in the last hour. Yes, And I see that you're still paying no heed to my instructions.

[Amber]

If you think we're gonna sit around here on the sofa all day, you've got another thing coming.

[Roderick]

You know what I want. I've been quite clear on that.

[Thomas]

Forget about it. We're not leaving town.

[Roderick]

No, I won't forget about it. Not when there's so much at stake.

[Amber]

Did you call us just to start up another argument, Rodrick? If so, I think I'll pass. There's a pillow in the next room with my name on it. And to be honest, I'd much rather be sleeping.

[Roderick]

I can give you information, remember? Don't you see some value in that?

[Amber]

Not if it means giving up the Shadow here in Oakwood.

[Thomas]

Yeah. So how about it? Do you have anything worthwhile to tell us, or should we just hang up and save ourselves some time?

[Roderick]

The Shadow in Oakwood is more powerful.

[Thomas]

You've already told us how dangerous it is. How about something useful? Like what's the story with Thomas Cracknell?

[Roderick]

Thomas Cracknell?

[Amber]

You've heard of him, right?

[Roderick]

Yes, I. I know a little about his situation from when I did my own research a while back.

[Amber]

So, what can you tell us?

[Roderick]

You've read the newspaper article, I assume?

[Thomas]

We read it. More than that. We went to see the author, Mary Jacobs, but she claims there was an editing mistake. Said she'd never seen the article, let alone written it.

[Roderick]

Oh, she wrote the article, all right. Yes, Every last word of it. But Mary, like many others here in Oakwood, have suffered under the influence of the shadow. Its tendrils reach far, you see. They reach deep. Right into the hearts and minds of the townsfolk themselves, which is what makes Oakwood such a dangerous place.

[Amber]

But the incident with Thomas Cracknell is factual, isn't it?

[Roderick]

The fact? Fiction those terms have become. Well, I suppose you could call them malleable in this town.

[Thomas]

Where did Cracknell go that day, back in 57? Was it the woods?

[Roderick]

Chasing Cracknell won't bring you the answers you seek. And besides, no one's going to tell you anything. Not around here. As far as this community is concerned, Thomas has been erased from existence and even those who might somehow remember him. To them, he's become nothing more than a myth.

[Thomas]

Someone has to know about him.

[Roderick]

I doubt it.

[Amber]

This would be a lot easier if you just told us who the shadow was and where we could find it.

[Roderick]

If I did that, I'd be sending you to your death. And I'm afraid I'd rather not have that on my conscience.

[Thomas]

Why Is it? You remind me so much of them, Roderick. You even talk like them with all your riddles.

[Amber]

Yeah. I have to say, it's crossed my mind more than once that this entire thing is bullshit. That you are the Shadow. And this whole charade, pretending to be an astroma, that you're on our side, it's just a facade. Another trick designed to mess with our heads. It all sounds like typical shadow fuckery to me.

[Roderick]

If you expect me to be offended by that, I'm not. In fact, I applaud your mindset. A healthy dose of skepticism is, in fact, a vital tool in navigating this strange and dangerous world of ours. You do well to hang onto it.

[Thomas]

You didn't answer my question.

[Roderick]

I'm not the shadow, Daniel. And I think in your heart, you know that.

[Amber]

How about we stop playing games? If you really want to convince us, why don't we meet up? Talk face to face?

[Roderick]

I told you that could be disastrous. Nostromo can be toxic to one another. And besides, your focus shouldn't be on me. It should be on the kin.

[Thomas]

I hear that word a lot. Kin. What does it actually mean?

[Roderick]

It's a regional group of shadows bound together by blood.

[Amber]

How does that work, being bound by blood?

[Roderick]

Shadows who share the same kinship are more than just members of the same species. They are family. Brother and sister, I suppose you could say. All descended from the one who sits at the center of it all.

[Thomas]

Mother? Yes.

[Roderick]

The Blood Monarch. The only one who truly deserves our attention. She is the linchpin.

[Amber]

In what way?

[Roderick]

I don't know the full extent of the relationship between the Monarch and the rest of the kin. I only know that she is at the center of everything they do.

[Thomas]

We can strike a blow against every shadow on the planet if we focus on her.

[Roderick]

No. No, not all of them. Just the ones under her dominion. Her family. The other kin? Well, they have their own Blood Monarchs.

[Thomas]

How many of these kin are there in total?

[Roderick]

Around the world? I couldn't really say for sure. A dozen. Maybe more.

[Amber]

And how many shadows in each kin?

[Roderick]

That depends upon each kin, but typically a few hundred. The larger ones may even number a thousand.

[Thomas]

That's a lot of shadows.

[Roderick]

Indeed.

[Amber]

So how would we find this Blood Monarch? Can you take us to her?

[Roderick]

It's not that simple. The Monarch is a creature of immense power, with both physical and mental strength that the likes of us can barely comprehend.

[Amber]

You've seen one?

[Roderick]

Yes. I've seen one.

[Thomas]

Did you kill it?

[Roderick]

No. In fact, I barely escaped with my life.

[Amber]

What happened?

[Roderick]

That's a story for another time.

[Thomas]

If this thing is so powerful, how do we take it down? I didn't see any instructions in that book of yours.

[Amber]

He. He doesn't know.

[Thomas]

Roderick. Can it be killed?

[Roderick]

I believe it can, yes.

[Thomas]

How?

[Roderick]

I have a theory. But there's no point talking about it if you're going to throw your lives away here in Oakwood, is there?

[Amber]

Why do you think we're throwing our lives away? Going up against one measly shadow? How can you expect us to take down a Blood Monarch if we can't even do that?

[Roderick]

I won't pretend that our crusade against the Blood Monarch will be easy. Quite the opposite. But with three of us together, I think we can prevail. And I would much rather sacrifice myself in that endeavor than the one you have embarked upon here in Oakwood.

[Amber]

When was the last time someone killed one a Blood Monarch?

[Roderick]

I don't know. Maybe never.

[Thomas]

Has anyone tried?

[Mark R. Healy]

Yes.

[Roderick]

And they have failed.

[Thomas]

So what makes you think this time will be any different?

[Amber]

Yeah. I mean, for all we know, these things might be impossible.

[Roderick]

To kill, Perhaps. In all honesty, I can't give you any assurances. But what I can tell you is that in all my years walking this earth, I've never been presented with an opportunity like this one. An opportunity to hunt down a monarch, confront it and crush it beneath our heel. The combination of gifts that you and Daniel possess, along with my understanding of their world. Well, I believe the three of us have an opportunity to do something that no man or woman has ever done before.

[Mark R. Healy]

The Road of Shadows is created by Mark R. Healy. Want to hear more stories just like this one? Head over to Patreon to hear other audio productions by Mark R. Healy. There you'll also find lots of bonus content, free stuff and ad free episodes that you can hear a week early. All of that and more is available now at patreon.com BeyondTheDark. You can also hear more at the roadofshadows.com the Road of Shadows Season 4 stars Hamish Plagemars Marta Da Silva, Liz Morey, Joseph Tweedau, Chloe Elmore, Larry o', Blander, Sian Luxford Cameron Alexis, Thomas Barker and Alejandro Pedrosa. The Road of Shadows is a Beyond the Dark production.

[Amber]

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