Now THIS is time-looping! The LT3 are putting the clues together and trying to track down the man in the black trench coat before too many time loops get looped. Val gets fired up. Milo cues yakkity sax. Aggie destroys a new friend.
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Cast & Crew
- Dungeon Master, Co-Producer: Eric Silver
- Co-Host (Milo Lane), Co-Producer, Editor, Sound Designer, Composer: Brandon Grugle
- Co-Host (Aggie O’Hare), Co-Producer: Amanda McLoughlin
- Co-Host (Val Vesuvio), Co-Producer, Editor: Julia Schifini
- Multitude: multitude.productions
About Us
Join the Party is a collaborative storytelling and roleplaying podcast, powered by the rules of Dungeons and Dragons. That means a group of friends create a story together, chapter by chapter, that takes us beyond the tabletop to parts unknown. In the first campaign, we explored fantasy adventure, intrigue, magic, and drama. In the newest story, we tackle science, superpowers, a better future, and the responsibility to help others.
Every month, we sit down for the Afterparty, where we break down our game and answer your questions about how to play D&D and other roleplaying games at home. We also have segments at the beginning of each campaign to teach people how to play the game themselves. It’s a party, and you’re invited! Find out more at jointhepartypod.com.
Transcript
Amanda: Last time on Join the Party...
[Theme music fades in]
Eric: The time loop officially begins, at least for Val and Milo. After some "wait Is this the same day what's happening?" Shenanigans. The LT3 retrace the steps back to the art gallery where they fight the man in the black trench coat who anticipates all their moves. Then he hits the reset button and Aggie is fully caught up in the time loop with everyone else. In the next loop, Milo takes a detour to the Office of Technology Assessment to spy on his dad with an unexpected, nat 20 Milo learns everything about the history of Lake Town City the government involvement, the quarantine, the rigging of the first mayoral election, everything, and how involved his dad was from the beginning, back in 1985. Back at the gallery, Aggie commune's with the projector, which she learns can optimize your movements but only works while inside of a time loop and Val confronts the guy in the black trench coat who's 100 percent on to their time loop shenanigans as well. More shenanigans, don't worry. This isn't a time loop, this is just what I say at the end of every recap, let's get the party started.
[Theme song]
Eric: This is now loop four you are all snapped to nine a.m. on May 1st, Milo with Tuna jumping on your face, Val with the wonderful, melodious ring of Mitzy calling you wondering where the dogs are and Aggie finding yourself sitting in the chair where you sit and it's just quiet for a moment. And then your parents call you.
Amanda: Dammit.
Eric: I love this in order. It's like mrow! [Singing alarm] De de de de de de de do. And then like one beat and ring, ring, ring, ring.
[Brandon laughing]
Eric: I also like the idea that Aggie has traditional phone ring as your ring because you were tired, because it's like I just think it's a marimba. Like someone just has a marimba.
Amanda: Oh I think Aggie's parents call her landline.
Eric: Oh right. Of course Aggie has a landline.
Amanda: Aggie definitely has a landline.
Eric: Aggie has a landline. Yes.
Amanda: And she gives her phone number to her neighbors in like just the last four digits because everybody else's prefixes are the same from when phone service first started.
Julia: Oh, my God.
Eric: That's very funny. Yeah. So you guys wake up. What is the first thing that you do here in the beginning of loop four.
Julia: I ask Hitomi to move in with me again, keeping that in the loop.
Eric: Right. The beginnings you can fast forward through the beautiful, emotional, romantic moment that you had with Hitomi. That's definitely there.
Julia: Great. I just wanted to save point check mark that.
Eric: Yeah.
Julia: I don't want to lose that this time.
Brandon: During this loop, Milo wakes up a split second before Tina jumps on his face and he like Swiftly moves out of the way and opens the pillowcase and so Tuna goes into the pillow.
Eric: Incredible, make a dexterity roll for me.
Brandon: [Singing] Dexterity +2 is 8! 6+2 is 8.
Eric: Yeah, you open your pillowcase and somehow Tuna is already on your head.
Brandon: Cool.
Eric (as Tuna): If you were waking up like this all the time, I wouldn't have to wake you up.
Brandon (as Milo): Thanks you Tuna.
Eric (as Tuna): Mroooow!
Eric: Tuna hops off.
Amanda: Aggie love a very similar conversation with her mom, maybe slightly less exasperated and more just like these are the checkpoints I'm going to hit, because if this is the loop that sticks, I want to have said these things and then immediately afterward text everybody like,
Amanda (as Aggie): Hey it's still yesterday, do you guys wanna chat?
Eric: Just so you know, your mom ends it the same way, being like,
Eric (as Aggie's Mom): Wwell, fine, we can talk about it later. I have to go on a bike ride.
[Brandon laughs]
Julia: I think Val is going to start a three way call between the three of us.
Amanda: Yeah, I think I'll just share the info about visiting Dez, you know, having the vibe. There was something about time travel. He isn't just kind of professionally worried about and that this projector is definitely a time travel device that Dr. Mayor Morrow made.
Julia (as Val): [Muffled over the phone] Good, good, good, good, good, good.
Brandon: Milo says
Brandon (as Milo): [Muffled over the phone] I may have got a little bit rogue yesterday, but I found some important information.
Brandon: And he shares the experiences I had at the OTA.
Amanda (as Aggie): Oh, wow.
Julia (as Val): Oh, boy. A lot of Dr. Morrow lore. And I'm like a little bit thrown off by it.
Amanda (as Aggie): Oh, that's right. Also, the projector tells me the truth so we can just ask it one question. I get the sense it's kind of like once per reset. But I asked I asked it how where the guy was and it should be like a film, as if some drone somewhere was filming it. It was extremely scary. But I would love to ask it some questions, such as how can we find this guy and are you a time travel device and how can I destroy you?
Eric: This is a good time for me to come in and tell you how the game mechanics of the projector. Would you like that?
Julia: Yes please!
Eric: Would that be good for you?
Amanda: Yes, please!
Eric: So the way this works is kind of like the spell augury where you are asking the projector a specific question. However, the projector is kind of like a speed running device. It tells you the best, most/optimal/fastest way of achieving something. So your questions need to be like action based. How do I do? Blank. So you see that you didn't really talk to Aggie a little bit, but it only did its thing. Once you ask the question, how do we find this guy? He was outside. If you had done that before and looked for him outside, that's how you would have found him here. I will also say you can only ask it one question per loop. So use those questions wisely and hopefully. No one no one gets to it before you do.
Julia: Cool, cool, cool, cool. Not not threatening at all.
Brandon: So this is a game shark Eric.
Eric: Yeah, it's a game Genie. You plug it into your N64. No, it's actually the video game parallel that I made was this is like when you're doing a racing game like Mario Kart and you're doing time trials and you see that ghost version of you, or maybe they make a ghost that has like the fastest time. It's kind of like that you are seeing a a version of what you could have done or maybe you have done in the past or in a different timeline or whatever, which has great speed run stress, cutting corner or any time loop run join the party.
Amanda (as Aggie): So I think I should get to that spot before he's there. I think if I borrow my neighbor's car and drive over to that side of the street or that parking lot, and I just sit there and wait, then there's a pretty good shot that I can run into him.
Brandon (as Milo): Yeah, I think let's let's try let's try to get there early this time and we'll all go and we'll back you up.
Julia (as Val): Yeah.
Amanda (as Aggie): Yeah. Can I think someone should drive someone should go on the roof and maybe someone can go like to the front of the loading dock or something in case he's casing the joint before he waits there.
Julia (as Val): Sure. Why not.
Brandon (as Milo): Yeah. I dig.
Julia (as Val): More bases we cover the better.
Eric: As you all hang up I think as you're getting ready to go, all of a sudden everything goes white.
[Suspenseful music crescendos and abruptly stops]
Eric: And that it's nine a.m. again,
Julia (as Val): God damn it.
Brandon (as Milo): Son of a bitch.
Amanda (as Aggie): It's really getting taxing, not sleeping at all.
Eric: And the way that this works here, some fun movie magic here. This happens four times in succession. After like half an hour or 45 minutes, less than an hour. The loop resets like five times. So loop four or five, six, seven, eight, nine are all being quick reset after half an hour to an hour. I will tell you, you know that this quick reset is happening. Is there anything you want to do during this quick reset time?
Brandon (as Milo): Son of a son of a son of a son of the son.
Eric: It's every single time you're bracing for it and you're like, oh, shit.
Amanda: I think we would definitely just make a pact after the second or third time, like as soon as we can. Let's just fucking go. Do we want to just talk now? I think Aggie is kind of like direct confrontation skills are the best versus like stealth or something like that. So are you guys cool with me being the one that just kind of waits in a parking lot and waits for him to show up?
Brandon (as Milo): Yeah.
Julia (as Val): Yeah, that's fine. I just I want to know why he's resetting so early in the day, like what went wrong or what what's his game plan that didn't line up this time around? You know?
Amanda (as Aggie): I, I still think cat or baby, they were way too close together.
Eric: You think that a baby is resetting?
Julia: Cat or baby?
[Brandon laughing]
Eric: It is [laughing] he's getting ready to go and a baby's fuckin' like his fat fingers.
Amanda: Yes, I do.
Julia: Wow. Okay, it's a good enough theory is for as anything.
Eric: Eric is laughing that you said that the D.M. is just like
Amanda: Stone faced.
Eric: I'm not saying I don't know what you- I don't what do you mean?
Amanda: I don't need to to be right, Eric. I just have to be funny. This is a podcast!
[Brandon and Eric laughing]
Eric: Funny!
Brandon: At one point in one of the loops Milo texts Lucas and says,
Brandon (as Milo): Hey are Zach and Apple dating?
Eric: And Lucas says,
Eric (as Lucas): Hold on, just let me get back to you.
Eric: As a voice recording and then right before something resets, he says.
Eric (as Lucas): Yeah, what do you mean?
Eric: And then it resets.
[Everyone laughs]
Amanda: Yeaaaah! And I think Aggie is going to log on to like municipal Internet for Lake Town City and start scrolling through the high school graduation portraits of the high schools in Lake Town City.
Eric: Cool make an investigation check.
Amanda: Try to find this guy's face.
[Dice rolls]
Amanda: Oh, I got a 3 +4.
Eric: I think that was a really good idea, however,
Amanda: You don't have to be nice to me, it's okay.
Eric: It's like I think you get distracted by looking at old high school things and it happens every single time you do it. And like, man, why wasn't it voted president? And there's a reset you're like, no, I have to focus this time.
Amanda: Yeah, that makes sense. Okay, well, I think I do that two or three times in a row and then if I have one more shot, I think I'm going to text my sibling group thread.
Amanda (as Aggie): I Margaret, your oldestsister, hereby abdicate the duties of running this family. Mom and dad might be moving home. No one knows as you know. I love you all very much, but I need to be just one of the nine of us and the person everyone turns to when they haven't paid your taxes for three years. Regan.
Eric (as Regan): It's really complicated when you do international stuff-
Amanda (as Aggie): THEY MAKE IT REALLY EASY REGAN.
[Brandon laughs]
Amanda (as Aggie): Anyway. Love you guys. Good luck and try to help each other with your problems. Bye.
Eric: I like that. What do you do with your phone after that?
Amanda: I just throw it. I just throw it down into a couch or something, and then I put Sushi on top of it and then I turn around and go braid my hair or something, deep condition, my hair or something annoying. That is going to be immediately reset.
Eric: I love that. That's so funny. I love yeah. The shower goes on and then it's just like the muffled sound of a pillow and Sushi on top of your phone, which is just [blows raspberries]
Amanda: Yes, exactly.
Eric: Just holding on that shot for like thirty seconds. Before it loops again.
Julia: Val just keeps picking up the same dog shit every single day. It's getting really annoying. There is something that I would love to do in the loop since it's half an hour to an hour.
Eric: Yeah, sure.
Julia: I feel like we probably got off another phone call being like, alright, this time we're going to all meet each other at the thing. And Val hangs up their phone and then it's kind of just looking at their phone for a second and like scrolls down through their contacts and clicks. The one that says dad. And then plate of spaghetti emoji.
[Amanda gasps]
Eric: I would say Julia, because this is kind of like the fun movie magic part. I think that's totally fair. And I love that. I want you to know as the player and as the person doing this podcast, if you would like Val to have figured this out by loop six, totally fine. Or loop five, totally fine. And if you want multiple shots of this phone call, take it.
Julia: Okay, great. I want to see how the phone call goes and then we'll see if I've been multiple shots.
Eric: Appositively. Alright. Yeah, let's do it. Let's do this. I love this. Yeah. I think that you make the phone call to dad a spaghetti emoji and it rings a few times. And this might be a thing just for me, but I don't know if, you know, immediately when you call your parents and you know that they're in the car.
Julia: Yes a hundred percent!
Amanda: Oh, yeah.
Eric: And like, you're you're on speakerphone. But you also hear, like, the sound of the the car driving on the road even before he says hello for a moment. It's just like the sound of the car. There's like SpongeBob square pants playing in the back.
[Brandon laughs]
Eric: And he's just like,
Eric (as Val's Dad): [Muffled through a car microphone] Vinny, Vinny, put that down. I will turn this around. I have I will turn this around right now. If you give you don't give back your sister's cereal. I did-I didn't put all the honey nut Cheerios in individual back for you labeled with your name because all of them goddamn start with V. I didn't do it so that you could not. No, no. So you can mess around so you can mess around in the back of this minivan, which I paid for will be a laser tag in ten. Hello? Hello?
Julia (as Val): Hey, Dad.
Eric (as Val's Dad): Oh, uh Val. Hey, sorry. You know, driving the rugrats around, you know, it's a schools are closed because thanks god for unions. But, you know, you know, it does have a union. Those kids with the laser tag park. I there money - I could. Is that. Do they still pay with quarter is a cash only at the laser tag park?
Julia (as Val): Dad, do you even own a credit card?
Eric (as Val's Dad): I'm going to work on that. No, I don't. You know that I don't. Why would I want more people being able to -VIOLA! Thank you, yes, Val, hi Val hey.
Julia (as Val): Hey, sorry, it is just super weird picturing you driving a minivan.
Eric (as Val's Dad): Why was that why is it weird?
Julia (as Val): It's this just a little weird, Dad.
Eric (as Val's Dad): Would you like to explain on that? Would you like to explicate would you like to add some more details on that?
Julia (as Val): Because when I was the age of the triplets, you owned a escalade, and that was about it.
Eric (as Val's Dad): It's like it is it's safer than it escalade. And they are the front of it has more structure.
[Brandon laughs]
Julia (as Val): Okay, okay, interesting.
Eric (as Val's Dad): Get out of the fucking lane. What are you doing!?
Julia (as Val): The children are in the car, Dad.
Eric (as Val's Dad): Oh, I'm so sorry. I put I put a dollar in the swear jar. Thank you. Sorry. Jesus. Yeah.
Julia (as Val): Jesus forgives debt. Listen, this is going to be a kind of weird situation that I'm calling you about. Uh, you probably don't even know anything about it, but I thought it was something that may concern you or just that you should be in the loop about. But, you know, my Aunt Min?
Eric (as Val's Dad): My my older sister, Minerva.
Julia (as Val): Mhm. The one who was living in Lake Town City now.
Eric (as Val's Dad): Uh huh.
Julia (as Val): And you knew that, right? Yes, yes. Okay, cool. Do you know what business she's in up here?
Eric (as Val's Dad): My lawyer, you know, this is the part where the lawyer would put a hand on my shoulder and say. "Spaghet, you got to say no comment." So.
Julia (as Val): So, yes, okay, I'm going to take that as a yes. Uh. Did you know that she threatened Ma? Or that she's trying to get me involved with business.
Eric (as Val's Dad): Hold on, Vito's steak and cereal in his nose, don't. Well, you can't - no, I didn't know, but I know I didn't know about that. Would you like to explain to me what's what happened there?
Julia (as Val): Well, Aunt Min decided I should be a part of her little squad, and I said no. And so she decided to close down my favorite club, attacked my friends and threaten Ma.
Eric (as Val's Dad): Ah, classic. It's like she wasn't paying attention.
Julia (as Val): It really is like she wasn't paying attention.
Eric (as Val's Dad): Apparently she was. I don't know what. What do you want me to do about it?
Julia (as Val): I just want to know if you knew what was going on, because if she's, like, acting on behalf of the family or something, that something that you should know about.
Eric (as Val's Dad): What? Val, what it Val what do you want me to do, please just let me know I'll do it if that's what you want. But I'm not exactly sure what you're trying to get at. You're trying to remind me that Lake Town City in New York City are two different cities. Thank you. I appreciate that.
Julia (as Val): Not trying to do that. I'm just trying to figure out what she's acting for and if it's in her own interests or in the interest of her family. And if it's not in the interest of you, then we don't have to continue this conversation any further. I just need to know where you were in terms of all of this.
Eric (as Val's Dad): Val, I don't know what your mother does. I don't know what she's up to-
Julia (as Val): She makes pottery, dad.
Eric (as Val's Dad): I know it's the one where I was going to. Yes, the one with the. The ones with the chest on it, yeah, yeah, no, I know, but, you know, your mom always had a. Proclivity for getting into those situations and what I loved about her and what I do not love about her now, so I don't know what I'm supposed to do exactly. Do you would you like me to escalate things further? Do you want me to reach out?
Julia (as Val): I don't I don't think that's necessary right now. But I also don't think it's right to put more to blame for Aunt Min dragging her into stuff.
Eric (as Val's Dad): When was the last time Minerva did anything? Unless somebody said something to her like I had? I listen here. I only have the details that you gave me. What am I supposed to. I don't. I don't know what way.
Julia (as Val): I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I think I'm missing an implication here. You think Ma got Aunt Min to start? Working here in Lake Town City?
Eric (as Val's Dad): No, I'm saying that if your if your ma got involved in something that I it's not my responsibility to untangle and two different cities. I don't know what you want me to do. Val Val, I can look into it, you listen, if you want me to start something, I'll start something. Just tell me what you want me to do. You called me, I you don't call you don't call me. You can call me on the phone for since Christmas I how many how many wonderful packages have shown up at your apartment because of that. I hear that you're living with somebody now. That's interesting.
Julia (as Val): Not living with anyone yet. We are looking at places to get what.
Eric (as Val's Dad): I don't know what sleeping over your house three times a week sounds like-
Julia (as Val): HOW DO YOU EVEN KNOW THAT?!
Eric (as Val's Dad): Are we really at that point where you have to ask me that, where we have to ask me that?
Julia (as Val): I mean, it's just wild that you have that information, but you don't know what Aunt Min is up to. That's wild to me. That's your sister. Doin crime shit.
Eric: There's like. Five seconds of silence and then you hear, like the car, like turn left and he's like.
Eric (as Val's Dad): I realize that didn't get across in the phone, but I want you to know that I was looking at you. Intently. About that. Alright, I'm at the laser tag place. Can you just hold on? Alright. Hey, 15, okay, can you you guys have fun? I'll be back. I'll be back in a little bit. Don't don't hurt anybody too much. Make sure to aim for the head and for the heart. Alright. Have a good day.
Julia (as Val): Just leaving the triplets at least a tag, dad?
Eric (as Val's Dad): There's a. What do you think is my responsibility to run everything, because I run everything in New York City, I'm supposed to be the chaperon to the chaperon Mrs. Whitman is there. What do you want me to do?
Julia (as Val): I thought you were just dropping the kids off and like, having a good old time, which, like, is not new to me personally. I know how I spent my summers.
Eric (as Val's Dad): Hold on one second. Alright. Bye. You have to make sure to take your snacks
Eric: And they go.
Eric (as Triplets): Bye dad! Bye!
Eric: They all get out and now you hear like the slide of of a sliding minivan door and slams he says.
Eric (as Val's Dad): Val, I'm I'm trying to help. I'm trying to help in the best way that I can to tell me what you want me to do and I'll do it. But I have the information I have I need to figure out if it matches the information you have, just tell me tell me what you want me to do and I'll just do it. I just want you - I'm happy to do it, I'll do it.
Julia (as Val):All I wanted was information, dad, and you answered my questions, which I appreciate.
Eric (as Val's Dad): Okay, fine. So I didn't see you for Easter. You're going to make up for that? I can. We can make a pig?
Julia (as Val): We can make a pig?
Eric (as Val's Dad): Yeah, we have one of the we put in a fire, a fire pit and one of the
Julia (as Val): The skewered pig and roast. Yeah. I mean, next time I'm down in New York, I guess. Well, we'll make up for it.
Eric (as Val's Dad): We'll make time. You're never down in New York.
Julia (as Val): Yeah. I like Lake Town City a lot.
Eric (as Val's Dad): Uh. I don't know, I feel like you just don't get as much Holy Spirit up there that you do down here, but, you know.
Julia (as Val): It's a weird thing to say, Dad, Holy Spirit is everywhere. God is always with you. Don't need to be a church.
Eric (as Val's Dad): You know, sometimes you think it's in maybe it is in one place, a little more than another place, maybe not church or not church, but, you know. Okay, well, if there's not anything else I can do for you, I'm going to sit in silence in the van in this minivan for 10 minutes and then go inside to help Mrs. Whitman. Because. Veto will hurt someone, if not if not supervised.
Julia (as Val): Probably will, yeah, that kind of runs in the family.
Eric (as Val's Dad): Chip off the old block.
Julia (as Val): Alright, dad.
Eric (as Val's Dad): Okay.
Julia (as Val): Talk to you soon.
Eric (as Val's Dad): Talk to you soon.
Brandon: In my head. We had a hard cut to Vito inside the laser tag place, just like biting a kid.
Eric: Yeah, yeah, yeah. He throws his gun down and just jumps on the floor. Yeah, yeah.
Julia: Oh. Val has a lot of feelings about watching their father, uh parent. Well.
Eric: Welcome to the themes of campaign two.
[Everyone laughs]
Eric: Alright. So we are now in loop ten. The resetting has stopped. I think that it becomes like 9:45 and you're like, oh, okay.
Amanda: I have to wash this hair mask out now, okay.
Eric: So once again, it goes white. It is nine a.m. Tuna jumps on your face. Mitzy calls you and a brief moment of silence before Aggie's phone rings.
Amanda: I just let the call go to voicemail, actually, and borrow the Ropers car and take it by the mechanic later to get a tune up. But in the meantime, she has Preserver costume on, but no hat yet. Trying to go a little bit undercover here is like up in a bun, which is not what she normally does.
Eric: Sure.
Amanda: And she's going to park near ish to where the projector told me the guy was standing, but hopefully a bit concealed.
Eric: Sure, that sounds good.
Brandon: Milo is going to bite down when Tuno jumps on his face today and then put his pants on and go to meet Aggie down at the spot.
Eric: I love it. Do an investigation check.
[Dice rolling]
Amanda: 12.
Brandon: 9 +1 fo 10.
Eric: Milo, you walk to the parking lot of the warehouse where Aggie is idling in a different car and Milo you realize you forgot your keys
Brandon (as Milo): DAMMIT!
Eric: As Aggie you think oh, does Milo have his keys and then Milo says, damn it. And you realize Milo forgot his keys.
[Amanda and Brandon laughing]
Eric: Remember the the warehouse is walkable for you. So you can just like jet right over there.
Julia: Eric Dez the protests that's happening, the Thornhill protests, do they have a like route that's been either like approved by the city or has like been announced previously?
[Ambient traffic noise]
Eric: Yeah, I think that there is a route for the protest. I think that there is like a Thornhill union now Twitter that is throwing this up. It's also been retweeted by a protester who seems to be organized. This her name is Mona Adéle. She's a dark skinned woman with like the Afro puff hairstyle. And she looks really cool in her Twitter bio, and her Val. And she seems to be organizing this thing. And she's like, "watch out. Make sure to follow the path that we have. Stay together. If anyone breaks off, this could be dangerous for you with counter protesters, police or otherwise." so there is a route. It seems like it really goes like people are collecting from the various Thornhills because you had to, like, walk out of the Thornhill and then everyone meets up half an hour later in Industryton, making this big loop kind of throughout the neighborhood, passing by Milo's building, etc., and then ending up around like eleven forty five at smoke break park.
Julia: Okay, so what time is it now?
Eric: Probably around ten if you're finishing walking the dogs.
Julia: Okay, so I want to kind of figure out where the protest is now and I want to try to find Dr. Morrow.
Eric: That sounds good. Yeah. So if, if I walked by Milo's apartment, I think that he's kind of like winding its way through the company in an Industryton apartments. You could definitely be able to find it if you want to figure it out, because also it's a big protest and there's like streets that are closed off because they're causing they're stopping traffic and stuff. So great. If you if you want to do that, you definitely can.
Julia: Hell yeah, I want to go find Dr. Morrow in the protest. Wonderful. I'm going to go quickly to the folks at the warehouse and I'll come back to you. What time exactly would you say that you pulled up here just like as soon as possible?
Amanda: I think like ten o'clock. So for Milo, like, get ready, just walk on over there and yeah. He's going to the swap and then drive quickly without any phone call or dwelling it.
Eric: Sure. Yeah. I think that as you two pull up you see that there are police cars outside of the warehouse and the front door is closed off by like police safety tape. You also see that Emily Slaughter is standing there leaning on a sword and talking to like a detective with like a really shitty looking overcoat who's wearing it. And it's too hot and like a derby hat.
Brandon (as Milo): DAMMIT.
Amanda (as Aggie): So much for the under the radar plan.
Brandon: I think Milo sort of just as a gut reaction, like start stomping off towards Emily, like as like a toddler would say like,
Eric: She's like
Eric (as Emily): Oh, wow. Kilonova great. Thank you so much for being here. It seems I'm glad that you were able to respond so quickly.
Brandon (as Milo): You didn't ask me. I came on my own.
Eric (as Emily): Wonderful. Using those superhero ghost senses of yours.
Brandon (as Milo): What are you doing here? Why is there police.
Eric (as Emily): It seems like there was a a break in in the art installation. I just I came over here to check it out as soon as I could.
Brandon (as Milo): Shit. What do they-
Brandon: And he looks towards the officer now.
Brandon (as Milo): What did they take.
Eric (as Officer): [In a thick New York accent] Eh? Alright, listen, do you have any you you have any old or you just one of these guys who just wears a mask here? I don't see any identification, sorrry you got to you can't just walk in to it, to a crime scene and with your man, with your face covered and.
Brandon (as Milo): Yeah.
Eric (as Officer): Like who, who are you. Give a kid your name before you file your identification.
Brandon (as Milo): Totally. That makes sense. I understand that. I respect your job and the job you are doing specifically here. My name is Kilonova. Hi. Can I have information about the thing please?
Eric: Emily puts a hand on the detective's shoulder and says,
Eric (as Emily): oh, Jack, he's fine, he's he's fine. He's one of us. It's it's fine.
Julia: Of course, she's friends with cops.
Eric (as Officer): Okay, yeah, it seems like there was a very well put together, a robbery here of the artistic with a warehouse. They were guards that were stationed outside who were placed here by Mr. Zorn. Unfortunately, they seem to be taken out immediately and swiftly and none of them really have an understanding of what happened here.
Brandon: They're still alive, right?
Eric: Oh, yeah. There you see there there are two like big beefy dudes who have like, you know, those those really shimmery aluminum foil looking blankets that are thrown over them. And they just look-
Amanda: The shock blanket.
Eric: Yeah, the shock blanket. They just look really out of it. And like, confused, be like,
Eric (as Officer): Yeah, they don't really know what happened.
Eric: And you see the glass doors in the front are broken. And you see the front door guy with the top gun is being talked to by another officer a little while over there. It's like,
Eric (as Officer): Yeah, it doesn't seem like anything was taken, but seems pretty strange just to I guess someone doesn't really appreciate art in the same way we all do. Heh heh heh heh.
Brandon (as Milo): Good one, officer. Jake? Right? What was it?
Eric (as Officer): That's Mr. Detective Sergeant Jake, Jake Jack, to you.
Brandon (as Milo): Great.
Eric (as Officer): Last name, Jack. First name Jake. Just call me Sergeant Detective Jack.
Brandon (as Milo): Thanks, Josh. So nothing was taken uh-
Eric (as Sergeant Detective Jack): Terrible. I hate I hate this and I hate working with you all.
Eric: And he walks away.
Amanda: I think while this is happening, Aggie is going to just walk around to the side that the protest eventually comes like with the windows and look in and try to see if she can see it. The projector is still there.
Eric: Sure. Are you trying to avoid Emily?
Brandon: I think as Milo like here, Aggie car door shut. He sort of like positions himself. So Aggie can sneak her out if she wants to.
Amanda: I think I have to be in costume and I'll attempt not to be discovered. But I'm not going to like, throw all my weight behind that.
Eric: That's fine.
Eric (as Emily): Well, it seems like this is pretty open and shut. We can let them just go on. If nothing was stolen, I guess it's fine. What are you all what are you all doing? How's your May day going?
Brandon (as Milo): It's fine. What time did did they say what time the robbery likely occurred. Like what time. Who called you. What time you got called. Why'd you call.
Eric (as Emily): Oh I, well I get called because I'm the I'm a superhero in the city and I can tell you, yeah. Must have been there pretty early this morning at 9:30-9:40
Julia: That's early in the morning for you Emily?
Eric: No, no. I get up at four in the morning.
Julia: Don't respond to me.
Eric (as Emily): I was like, I was already awake. I took my supplements and went for a two mile three, no it was a five mile run if I can. And then that I had some early morning reading. I listen to a podcast with Brene Brown and then they called me. So, you know, early for some, early for crime. I guess it's early for crime. Oh, I like that. Early for crime.
Eric: Preserver you can check things out while she relays her morning to Kilonova.
Brandon: And Milo was like,
Brandon (as Milo): Man, nine thirty. That's really early.
[Everyone laughs]
Eric (as Emily): Not early for me. Early for crime.
[Transition note]
Eric: Hey, it's Eric May 1st has officially come and gone, and I'm very happy none of us are stuck in a time loop. I didn't want to make anyone nervous that we were stuck at a time lapse of whether or not you checked is totally up to you. And maybe if you're listening to this now in a time loop, this could be fun. I'll give you some suggestions. Really live out all your fantasies because none of it is real. You'll figure it out. It's probably the power of love or science or a deep curse that someone got from a Bone Witch, you know, you'll figure it out. But whether or not you are in or not in a time loop, I hope you're enjoying yourself. Welcome to the Midroll. It's definitely the power of love. Hello, hello, hello to the new people who have joined our Patreon, Suza, Kerry, Emily and Andrew and shout out to Anita for becoming an annual patron. We are so grateful to everyone who makes it a priority each month to support creators. I know that the world feels like a time loop and every day is the same, but we're trying to do something a little different by making content and you're giving us money and we're able to do that. And it's really, really wonderful. If you want to be a part of our Patreon family, we're always looking in for more people to come on in. You get our discord, you get NPC stories, the one I wrote before or the new playlists that I'm so stoked on. There are five for each of the NPCs in campaign two so far. And I think I really enjoy that. And remember, there are nearly four years of stuff in there. We are coming up on our four year anniversary to Join the Party and you have quite a lot of stuff in the Patreon. So if you're able join us for as little as five dollars a month at Patreon / com / join the party pod.
Speaking of ways to support us and you get wonderful stuff in return, you can get your ticket for the live show. That's coming up. It is on May 13th at 8:00 p.m. Eastern. This is a brand new one shot set in Lake Town City. Also, I don't think it's going to get on the feed. I don't think we're going to end up like recording the audio that we usually do. You can only get it when you buy your ticket here, but you will be able to get a recording of the VOD, the copy that you can watch whenever you want that will get sent to you when you buy your ticket. Many of our lovely listeners who live in different time zones, we don't want you staying up until 3:00 in the morning watching this live show. And you can do it immediately after when we send you the video on demand copy. You get that link right after we do the live show. Plus, we're announcing some new merch that you'll be very stoked about. And we've been putting a lot of work into. Who can say? I can say it's going to be tight. Buy your ticket right now and join the party pod . com / live. That is May 13th, 8:00 p.m. Eastern or afterwards with that VOD join the party pod . Com / live.
This podcast is sponsored by our old friends Stitch Fix, shopping for clothes might be daunting to you. You never know if it's going to fit. You know, in the normal times, maybe you would go into a dressing room and you're like, oh, I don't like this is going to be fine. I do want to buy something, but it's at the risk of me feeling weird. And regretting this purchase as soon as I walk out of the store and returns are super difficult, like we need to figure out what the mail system is doing, who knows where the package system is doing right now, and you don't even know what story you want to start with. So this season, summertime feel and fresh need new shorts need new strappy sandals, Stitch Fix does all the hard work for you. Stitch Fix offers clothing hand selected by expert stylist for your size, style and budget. This is a totally new and fun way to find clothes that you will love to wear. Also, Stitch Fix has free shipping, easy returns and exchanges and a prepaid return envelope is included. Thank God. Get started today at Stitch Fix . Com / Join the party and you'll get 25 percent off when you keep everything in your fix that stitch fix dotcom. Join the party. Twenty five percent off when you keep everything in your fix that is stitch fix com / Join the party.
Okay. Let me look around, make sure everything's fine. Alright. This podcast is sponsored by Better Help, a secure online counseling service, don't think that the Bone Witch is in there. Good thing I put up my anti Bone Witch secure system, okay [loud crash]
Eric: [In a froggy voice] Oh no. What happened?! Aw jeeze I'm a frog! And I still have to do this now, my obligation, my fiduciary obligations don't have to suffer when I'm and amphibian. Better Help connects you with licensed counselors through their secure. I have learned your message with your therapist and schedule love phone and video sessions. Ribbit. I really wanna eat some flies. Better Help is so great because you could message your counselor between sessions very worried about something and think about a topic you want to cover their next call. Better Help you to find the best therapeutic match possible? It's easy for free to switch counselors need be rare. But what's more, this podcast is sponsored by Better Help ribbit! And join the party listeners get 10 percent off the first month. I better help . com / join the party better h e l p . com / jo in the party for 10 percent off your first month! Bone Witch! You can have my bones, change me back! [Loud crash]
Eric: [In his regular voice] Oh, okay, well, I shouldn't have pledged my bones to the bone, which but I guess I need to finish this podcast and better help Dotcom join the party for 10 percent off your first month. And now back to the show.
[Transition note]
Amanda: As Emily is sharing her her favorite meditation apps with Kilonova, yeah, it just kind of walk up to the window confidently without looking around too much and just try to peer in with my handy clipboard in my hand.
Eric: Are you costumed or are you doing the -
Amanda: I am costumed. It could be a tablet too, but I just want to have something that's clear that I'm like taking notes. I'm like checking into what's going on.
Eric: So it's your personal Preserver clipboard.
Amanda: Yes. Yes, it is. It is not. I go to bat and clipboard. Let's call it a tablet. Just I want to grab something to look like I'm walking around with a purpose.
Eric: Yes. No, I didn't know if you were like doing some manager cosplay or this is Preserver writing things down as Preserver does.
Amanda: This is Preserver casing the joint.
Eric: Yeah. You check it out. It doesn't seem like anything is missing. Just a few of these things are pushed over like the guitar. It has like broken a few strings. The AC unit has been pushed over, the cannon is turned around and pointed towards the wall. But the projector, I guess, is what you're looking for is there,
Amanda: Can I, like, walk in through the broken door?
Eric: Yeah, if you'd like, you can, like, push past the police tape.
Amanda: Yeah, I like just kind of duck under it. And again, like look around like look up, look down like have my little stylus in my hand. Aggie does not know how to operate a tablet and walk over to the corner with the projector. And I want to ask you a question.
Eric: Yeah. You walk over to the projector and the projector is flipping like there's no images on it. It seems to be jammed again.
Amanda: What's different?
Eric: Why don't you make an arcana check?
[Dice rolls]
Amanda: A 16!
Eric: 16. So this is a little bit different, although it looks the same, but the first thing you think of is shit, someone's asked a question already.
Julia: Yeah, he came and asked it a fucking question, dammit.
Amanda: Fuck. Okay, player to player, I think Aggie instinct would just be to smash it. How much would you guys disagree with that?
Julia: I mean, he's going to reset the day. So this item getting smashed is not going to do anything. And it's already been used for whatever it needs to be used for. So.
Amanda: Right.
Brandon: Yeah, I think, like all of us at this point are sort of like, well, there's no consequences for anything we can do right now. So just like fuck it, let's smash the thing.
Amanda: I mean, this might be the one thing for which there are consequences. But I feel like Aggie wants to test how to destroy stuff like this, if that's what it's going to be like.
Brandon: I like it.
Julia: Alright.
Amanda: Aggie rips out the power cord and smashed the projector down onto the floor.
Eric: Wonderful.
Amanda: And I'll try to start stomping on little parts if it breaks open at all.
Eric: Nice. Yeah, you smash it, you're smashing just a piece of 1970s technology. It splinters and breaks as you smash it against the ground. Kilonova you hear them smashing happening inside. And Emily also turns around as a few as so Sergeant Detective Jake, Jack be like,
Eric (as Detective Jack): Hey, who let you let you into the crime scene? What is this?
Eric: As in this detective is running at you with his terrible mustache and terrible overcoat.
Brandon: As the camera cuts back to Kilonova and Emily Slaughter Milo. It's like, oh, so if I put cayenne in the celery juice, that's how it works.
Eric (as Emily): Yeah, that's what activates it is the cayenne. Oh, wait, hold, hold on.
Eric: And yeah, Emily, you see Detective Jack and Emily are running again. Being like
Eric (as Jack): What are you doing?! This is a crime scene. What are you doing?
Amanda (as Aggie): Uhhh.
Julia: I caught a caught fire!
Brandon: It was poisonous! It attacked me first.
Amanda (as Aggie): This is dangerous technology and it looked like it was about to throw a fireball at me. That's the vibe I was getting, but.
Eric (as Jack): Hey, you know what, lady? It's not really up to you whether or not I don't care if you're wearing a domino mask or you're from Domino's delivering me a pizza, but you don't get to come in to my crime scene and destroy things. If that's our responsibility, can you could you have any identification? Who are you?
Brandon (as Milo): I'm sorry, sir. Did you just say that you destroyed evidence on a recent basis?
Eric (as Jack): Oh, you know what, everyone we're just to work on let's figure this out. You're going to come downtown and we're going to talk this out.
Amanda (as Aggie): Yes, I absolutely will. Later today. First, I have to bag and transport this evidence to the crime lab that the super crime lab that we have.
Eric (as Jack): We have a fine crime lab. I wouldn't say it's super, but it does the job we guys do, we got it.
Amanda (as Aggie): Let's not get into conversations about the efficacy of your crime lab. I promise you, we will work these things out. I will come there later today. We have all day. All we all have is our word. Right. I'm giving you my word. I will be there later today. On this day. We have all day long. All time we are we both know what has happened here. And if I don't follow through on my promise, you can just tweet at me, really, or just yell Preserver and then somebody will tell you to tweet at me. That's the best way to find me. But my identification
Amanda: and then I just hold up my Twitter profile, the checkmark that Carmen was able to get us next to my face. And I was like face to face.
Eric: Make a persuasion check.
Brandon: Actually, instead of that persuasion, check Milo. Again, no consequences. We're in a timeloop Milo she kind of fucking cast her person on this guy.
Eric: Okay, what do I do for that?
Brandon: You make a wisdom saving throw.
Eric: For detective-
Julia: Don't make this guy super wise.
Amanda: Yeaaah I don't get that vibe.
Eric: I rolled a 17.
Brandon: Oh dang. My spell save is a 17 so I guess you- I guess.
Amanda: Well, what's the wisdom modifier?
Eric: +0 like
Eric (as Jack): Oh I know what you were doing. You try to control me with these ghost powers. Alright. You know all of you, you're really going to go downtown with me.
Brandon (as Milo): God damn it. Alright. Emily told me to do it.
Amanda (as Aggie): Why don't we call Dr. Morrow, okay? She's who we report to. I know that she has some jurisdiction, obviously here in Lake Town City. I know that there is somewhat of a blurry, blurry line between what you guys do, what we do, who responds to crimes. Emily, you know, infrastructurally, organizationally, bureaucratically, it's just it's a mess. Nobody's done anything yet. So let's talk it out. I'm not I'm not going to take the evidence if you want it first, but I you know, there's no need for that.
Brandon: From across the room, you hear Milo go,
Brandon (as Milo): can't catch a cloud!!
Brandon: And casts gaseous form.
Eric: Yeah, a bunch of uniformed officers are trying to handcuff a cloud. So that's happening in the background. Yeah.
Brandon: I also need to roll spell surge twice, by the way.
Eric: Please do.
Amanda: Yeah. I'm going to use Emissary of Peace to get advantage on my charisma check here to diffuse the violent situation.
Eric: Do it.
[Dice rolling]
Amanda: I rolled double 13.
Brandon: Oh my God. I rolled a 7 and a 16, so I'm up to 9 on my spiritual surge right now.
Eric: Hot damn.
Julia: How?!
Amanda: And I rolled a 14 on my charisma check.
Eric: I think with a 14, yeah, I think that you're you're trying to calm the situation. Remind me what his emissary peace look like?
Amanda: It's just kind of like an orangey glow around my hands as I am trying to just kind of like put them up and like talk to people about it. I've got my fame modifier, though, so that's 15.
Eric: Great. Okay!
Julia: You were holding up the phone with the checkmark next to it.
Eric: Holding it up and the war happens. Yeah, I think that you do that and Emily says.
Eric (as Emily): Okay, you know what, let's we're getting a little heated here. Let's all take a real deep breath inside. One, two, three in, one, two, three out. Okay, so listen, it's- I can vouch for them, it's fine. Let's let the LTC3 go on their way and we'll continue. They probably have some other important business running around for Dr. Morrow. We don't have to get everyone involved. It's fine, just. We'll take care of it just. It's it's fine, it's fine.
Eric: And Detective Jack, like, sticks his hands in his in his armpits really hard and pouts with his mustache and says.
Eric (as Jack): Alright, fine, but you're leaving all this stuff. O'Malley, Jenkins, stop trying to handcuff a cloud!
[Brandon laughs]
Amanda: I think that's the end of it. We would probably just drive back home and try to meet up with Val.
Eric: Before Kilonova walks back over Emily, Emily says,
Eric (as Emily): Yeah, I got listen, I got this. You won't I still think you should consider my offer. This was things will be a lot easier than - easier than trying to handcuff a cloud.
[Brandon laughing]
Amanda: I think Aggie is just thinking so much about the fact that Emily just like tells a cop what to do when he does it. But I, I think she'll probably just say, like,
Amanda (as Aggie): I'm in the middle of Emily. We'll we'll talk about it later.
Eric (as Emily): Sure. I'm around all day.
Brandon (as Milo): Thanks. Thanks, emily.
Eric: She tightly smiles at you and walks back over to the crime scene and is bagging up the projector.
[Crowd chanting]
Eric: Alright. Let's go over to Val Vesuvio, PhD, Reverend Medical doctor.
Brandon: When did Val get a PhD?!
Julia: I have a BA in Communications. And that's it.
Eric: The Val Vesuvio BA Communications. Yeah, I think that you're able to if you know what you're looking for. I think if you're looking through Dr. Morrow, there's like a wave of people happening here. You see that around there is also like just some cops, just like standing there with, like, their arms folded, but they're in like their t shirt, uniforms, along with their short sleeve. And they're just kind of like standing there waiting on the other side. Other people are cheering them on. Some people are booing and yelling stuff. But I mean, listen, there's a pretty sizable group like imagine of how many Thornhill there's like this are like a regional chain. This companies is pretty large, I think maybe even went public, too. So like in the in upstate New York and that whole, like, northeast area that's not encroaching on Dunkin Donuts territory. I feel like there's enough here. There's enough Thornhill demonstration. I think you also see Mona Adéle as well, who is up in the front with a mic, with a bullhorn leading all the chants like,
Eric (as Mona): What do we want? Better wages! And when do we want it?! Now. We will grind your beans, give us money!
Julia: Not not the best chance of ever heard, but pretty good.
Amanda: First draft. First draft.
Eric: Yeah, so she's leading that out front as if you're looking around. You can see that, like, Dr. Morrow is kind of like jammed in the middle of like, I don't know, this could be like a 500 person protest, maybe even more as more and more people gather as as this happens. And they're just like walking through the streets of Companyton in an Industryton.
Julia: Well, I'm small and also strong, so I'm going to make my way to Dr. Morrow.
Eric: Yeah, absolutely. I think so you you recognize the the size and gain of Dr. Morrow, but she has like big sunglasses on a nondescript baseball cap on and is shouting around with everyone else, like,
Eric (as Dr. Morrow): Oh, Val, I didn't know you were going to be here! Listen, were you able to take care of the thing that I told you?
Julia (as Val): No, I was looking for you because this is not the first time I've done today, if you understand what I mean.
Eric (as Dr. Morrow): Ohhh no.
Julia (as Val): Yeah. And one of those other days we talked to Dez and Dez said that, you know what I'm talking about, and they had your projector at the thing. And a guy who is making me do this day multiple times wants it.
Eric: And she's like, while you're doing that and she's like,
Eric (as Dr. Morrow): Hey, hey, ho ho. Yeah, hey, I hate those guys. Oh. So he's just like a you know, explain this to me. Is this like a Groundhog Day situation?
Julia (as Val): Yeah. Like a Groundhog Day situation. Except this guy controls when we start over again.
Eric (as Dr. Morrow): Oh, so it's maybe it's it's more of like a Palm Springs thing. Oh is it is it an Adventure Zone: Balance: the Eleventh Hour situation. No. That was based off of Majoras Mask. This seems like a totally different thing.
Julia (as Val): There's a lot of these movies. I understand the reference is.
Eric (as Dr. Morrow): Oh, that was a podcast. You would love that. But it's more like I don't see a moon with a face on it. So we seem to be fine. It's oh, it's like it's a Palm Springs, but the someone is controlling it.
Julia (as Val): Yeah.
Eric (as Dr. Morrow): Oh, I've never dealt with one of those before. You know, I actually did some work a while ago once.
Julia (as Val): I know I told you this.
Eric (as Dr. Morrow): Oh so you.
Julia (as Val): Well Aggie did. You but I know about it.
Eric (as Dr. Morrow): Have you contacted Harold Ramis.
Julia (as Val): No.
Eric (as Dr. Morrow): Oh you should.
Julia (as Val): He is dead.
Eric (as Dr. Morrow): Oh, that was probably some of my problem. I watched it for the first time in 2003.
Julia (as Val): I think he was still alive then.
Eric (as Dr. Morrow): But why wouldn't he take my call? I'm gonna -
Julia (as Val): Dr. Dez kind of implied something bad happened last time there was time stuff.
Eric (as Dr. Morrow): Oh, yeah.
Julia (as Val): What happened?
Eric (as Dr. Morrow): Dez treats me.
Julia (as Val): No, no, no. What happened?!
Eric (as Dr. Morrow): No is what I'm going I'm going to say exactly what happened at all. So I'm just kidding. I would have been a funny thing to say. Hey, hey, ho ho. Okay, so here's what happened, is that Dez treats me sometimes like my failures are truly the end of the world. And yes, sometimes I get heated, sometimes I get upset and I, I, I ceremoniously throw things to the ground like it's a Jewish wedding. I'm starting it once again. But I listen, I don't take it that hard. Nothing happened. We just didn't we didn't figure it out. Every every scientist, mad or not, decides whether they want to make a time machine at some point during their lives. And I followed in the tradition of the Time Traveler's Wife and Tesla that I would try it. So it's I wanted to make a time machine. It didn't work. I messed it up. I made some sort of piece of junk that never worked, so.
Julia (as Val): What does the piece of junk look like? Was it the projector?
Eric (as Dr. Morrow): How do you know about - did Dez tell you about the projector?
Julia (as Val): Listen, I know a lot of stuff I've done this day a lot of times.
Eric (as Dr. Morrow): Oh, that's right. It's a Palm Springs situation.
Julia (as Val): What I need to know from you is like, how did this dude get this technology? Why is he going after the projector? Did something happen when you did the time machine stuff that was more intense than you are letting on?
Eric (as Dr. Morrow): Oh, this dude. No, I don't know this dude.
Julia (as Val): I don't know this dude either.
Eric: Oh, you know, make a history check.
Julia: Oh, good. -1.
[Dice rolls]
Amanda: Aww.
Julia: 3. 3. 3.
Eric (as Dr. Morrow): No, I don't know if this was the only the thing I worked on this. This wasn't a mayor, a Morrowcorp situation, I would have gotten laughed out of the room. Of course, time travel was real and everyone should know that. So, no.
Julia (as Val): You say things like that. It just really don't like when you say things like that.
Eric (as Dr. Morrow): People should know they should go, it happens. I just know nothing. How did the invention didn't work? I didn't work on it with anybody else. If someone is going after me,
Julia (as Val): Doctor, it kind of did work because we we've used the projector before and it shows us like how to do things.
Eric (as Dr. Morrow): What why does it work?
Julia (as Val): I don't know why it works. Look at me. I have a communications degree from SUNY Lake Town City. I don't know why science stuff works.
Eric (as Dr. Morrow): Best education in the SUNY system.
Julia (as Val): Yes, but it was communications.
Eric (as Dr. Morrow): Oh wait.
Eric: So Dr. Morrow like takes a yellow pad out of her pocket and starts scribbling things down and then she's like,
Eric (as Dr. Morrow): Of course! ABSOTIVELY! The way - if you're in. The thing that we were missing was the stacked amount of time. If we made it like a projector because you need to you show it something like when you put slide into a projector reel, you have a lot of it and you play it like it's a slide show with the way with the time stacking on top of itself, like it doesn't go anywhere. If you're looping, it truly is a loop, but it loops in a way that it's like a like a crape one layer on top of another, on top of another without the layers, then the projector wouldn't work. So the projector only loops, only works in a time loop which you're in and I love that.
Julia (as Val): Okay.
Eric (as Dr. Morrow): Listen, if someone found out about this and also knew about it could be pretty awesome. It was a way for everyone for you to optimize your day, for you to be able to do the things that you wanted to do, have opportunities to do it over and over and over instead of doing it over and over and over again, you would just know. So this if someone is using this for nefarious purposes because you're putting scientific inventions up as art or some shit, then this is what happens. Someone finds out about and tries to use it. I knew it. Tell me in the future, if you see me again, tell me I knew it.
Julia (as Val): Okay, I'll let you know for the record, what is what is this guy going to be capable of now that he can, like, access that technology and also cause a time loop like? What's the worst situation he had Dr. Morrow?
Eric (as Dr. Morrow): Okay on a small scale, if he's seen you before, he'll be able to anticipate your moves. That could be one just -
Julia (as Val): We've experienced that part before.
Eric (as Dr. Morrow): Well, just so he'll he'll do what you what's predictive of you, he could distract you hear his one save this guy is one step ahead of you. Then he he knows what happens and he's building on it. He's doing something and you don't know what he was doing. There's no trail to follow unless you are able to pull on it with the and from there, I mean, it's like back to the future. You you bet on the Chicago Cubs to win and you make a ton of money. You do that.
Julia (as Val): Okay, okay, so we got to figure out what he wants, basically.
Eric (as Dr. Morrow): I don't know, it could be anything to be anything. The power, it's the power of time and multiple loops is on your hands!
Julia (as Val): You're yelling about science.
Eric (as Dr. Morrow): HO HO! I can't help it. I can't.
Julia (as Val): I know.
Eric (as Dr. Morrow): It's a good place to do it when everyone else is chanting, too.
Brandon: That's called science communication, Julia.
Eric: Yeah, you're communicating the science.
Eric (as Dr. Morrow): So I that's that's all I can do. Tell me. Just make sure to please.
Eric: And she puts two hands on your shoulders and says
Eric (as Dr. Morrow): Val no matter what happens. If you see me again,
Julia (as Val): I'll tell you, you're right.
Eric (as Dr. Morrow): Tell me I was right.
[Brandon laughing]
Julia (as Val): Okay. Okay. Oh, you're a delight and a frustration, Dr. Morrow.
Eric (as Dr. Morrow): That's what it says on my dating apps. Hey, hey, ho, ho.
Julia (as Val): Is there any other science stuff that he would have the in the art museum that we might be able to use to combat all this? Probably not, right. It's a shot in the dark.
Eric: You can yeah. You can tell Dr. Morrow the things that were in there. And I can tell you what they do.
Julia: I remember there is the cannon. I remember there is the guitar. That's all I have right now.
Eric: Yeah. The cannon has the fake flash bang. The electrical guitar actually casts Otto's Irresistible Dance on people, which is like an incapacitates them and make them dance. The old school fan, as you saw it, pushes people back hard in a line, but it does need batteries. That was the biggest problem of aging. And the AC unit freezes people in place. If you turn it all the way up to 11.
Julia (as Val): You only had five things for an art gallery fucking wild.
Eric (as Dr. Morrow): The rest of that shit is junk. I don't know what - I always thought the whole thing was junk.
Eric: I think Dr. Morrow says,
Eric (as Dr. Morrow): Well, you can stay with the with the protest if you'd like. I mean, we're growing.
Julia (as Val): Yeah, I guess I will. I'm kind of worried that, like -
Julia: I'm worried that he's going to use the projector to, like, attack Dr. Morrow or something or instigate the big thing. So I would like to cut him off at the pass if possible.
Eric: Sure. So actually, I think that you're walking around and then it becomes 11:45 and you're like, oh, this is when it starts to pop off and like, they're really close to smoke break park, but they actually take a left and walk around, smoke break park and they kick like a larger loop walking through and around all like the factories there. And then they actually reach smoke break park at around 1:00 and yeah, nothing happens again. There are no like organized counter protesters. There are some people around who are like yelling at you guys are like we're anti-union or just like this, generally disgruntled, but like there's no group of them.
Julia: Maybe he started the clash in a previous loop to distract us and get us away from the projector in that first one. Interesting.
Eric: So, yeah, that's what happens now. It's around one and there has been no resetting loop yet.
Amanda: Val. Do you tell us what you learn? We either like text or call or meet us somewhere.
Julia: Yeah, I think Val has reiterated everything that Dr. Morrow has told them via text.
Amanda: As soon as Aggie reads the message, she tweets,
Amanda (as Aggie): Hey game guy, meet me on the state capitol steps. Got it?
[Chanting fades out]
Brandon: Milo likes it.
Julia: Val also likes it.
Brandon: Am I with you Aggie?
Amanda: Yeah. I think we probably drove back to my house, but I'm like
Amanda (as Aggie): I'm going to the state capitol to try to meet this guy and you're welcome to come if you want. But no worries if you don't.
Brandon: Milo is underneath thirteen blankets on your couch and says,
Brandon (as Milo): Arrrgg!
Amanda: I had to like dislodge you to get my phone out of the couch, etc..
Eric: Yeah. I think that you drive down there and you're standing on the steps and then your phone starts like pinging incessantly and you get a text from Carmen says,
Eric (as Carmen): Who did you piss off?
Amanda (as Aggie): I may have pissed off a bad guy, but he really needed pissing off. I'm sorry that impacts your day.
Eric (as Carmen): Gamers aren't bad guys? You know what I mean.
Julia: Some of them are.
Brandon: One of them are.
Amanda (as Aggie): No true, I probably could have used a better word, I apologize about that, but I couldn't say the thing I really meant, which is more of a sci fi movie thing and might have been alarming for citizens of Lake Town City to read.
Eric: Carmen texts you back.
Eric (as Carmen): Wait is this like a Palm Springs situation?
[Julia and Brandon laughing]
Amanda (as Aggie): All that that evokes for me is like pink 70s architecture. So I'm going to say, no.
Julia: No, it is.
Eric (as Carmen): This this like a Russian Doll situation? Or that old movie. What's it called? Groundhog Day.
Amanda (as Aggie): Good God.
[Brandon and Julia laugh]
Amanda (as Aggie): It it may or may not be, I don't want to I don't want to look you into something you don't have to be in.
Julia: Bah dum tsss.
Eric (as Carmen): Okay!
Eric: But yeah, so you check your phone and you got, quote, tweeted by LVLUpGames that says, "LOL NO." And hundreds of people are replying to you. "LOL NO."
Brandon: The same message?
Julia: Btts he's got bots!
Eric: Same message.
Amanda: I'm going to call Carmen and -
Eric (as Carmen): Noo I hate phone calls why?? Okay.
Amanda (as Aggie): I'm really sorry. It is an emergency. I know Thornhill is closed today and it is the day and workers rights. I appreciate you. Who is working on behalf of me.
Eric (as Carmen): I will sacrifice my caffeine for the greater good. It's our coffee.
Amanda (as Aggie): So true. Can you figure out who is coordinating all of these replies. It could be really, really important. I need to know who's behind this and where he is.
Eric (as Carmen): Yeah, hold on.
[Keyboard typing quickly]
Eric (as Carmen): Yeah, here's the thing about that is that, like when you're paying for them and when you're paying for them. They use you usually have to use your full name because you have to actually pay for them. The bot business is surprisingly aboveboard, so -
Amanda (as Aggie): It's good to know it's good to know.
Eric (as Carmen): So. Mhm. Yeah. You're looking for a John Paul Schultz. I don't know who just has 10000 dollars laying around to pay in a PayPal transaction, but I don't know.
Amanda (as Aggie): Any details on his address? I'm going to try to look up municipal records right now, but I got to find this guy.
Eric (as Carmen): I knew- when I say this, I mean this so much. You actually would be better at this than me.
[Brandon and Julia laugh]
Amanda (as Aggie): I think that's about the only time you're only going to say that Carmen unless any of your electrics or plumbing breaks. In which case, I might not be as good as a specialist, but I'll definitely come and try.
Eric (as Carmen): My toilet has been running for three weeks.
Amanda (as Aggie): Wow. Oh, my God.
Julia: Everyone's toilet runs in this campaign.
Amanda (as Aggie): If we get through today, I will be there tomorrow morning. Thank you, Carmen.
Amanda: And then Aggie is going to plug into again the Internet and just look at public records. If there is that person living in any, like, registered addresses in Lake Town City.
Eric: Yeah, John Paul Schulz lives in our apartment, kind of like on the border between Thornhill and Industryton. There were like apartments that were made before Companyton was made like, oh, we'll just put it really close to the factory. That sounds great. But then, of course, they were terrible apartments and it was like the equivalent of like a company spot in that way, which is why they made Companyton to actually fill those those things in. But now it's like this area is gentrifying because it's close to Thornhill. So it's like kind of cool, but also gentrifying in that way. In my head for my New York people out there, that's how I think about Bushwick or also in like the gentrifying areas of like other cities like Buffalo. But yeah, that's where he lives. He lives like on the the fifth floor of some apartment landlord is crappy, probably has some strikes against him. Like one person said, they never replaced a refrigerator even after it died for four weeks. They had to buy their own refrigerator and they got reimbursed like three months later.
Amanda: From the insurance! I didn't hear from the landlord, jesus.
Eric: From the insurance. Absolutely. They had to deal directly with the building's insurance and some complains about garbage. So like I said, regular building.
Julia: Sounds personal guys.
Brandon: In my own backyard!
Amanda: I think I can just go there right away. I think I'll drop the pin for Val and be like I'm on my way. I think that's where he is.
Eric: Yeah. Are you there?
Brandon: Yeah, I at some point I would have gotten up and started making my way back home, so [singing] making my way back home on the way to this guy's house.
Eric: Wonderful. Yeah. So all three of you head over this guy's house. It's now the later afternoon, it's still no reset. I think it may be about like five or six. And you head over to this apartment building and yeah, it's like a regular looking apartment building. It's like eight stories. He's apartment five C.
Julia: Can we just try the doors? See if it's open, if it's actually an apartment?
Amanda: Here's the thing. Aggie can also walk on walls now.
Brandon: What?
Julia: Sounds dope! I did want to like check through the door to see if he was home before we try to break into his place, but-
Amanda: I was going to walk up the wall and just look in the window.
Brandon: What?
Eric: Hell yeah. I love that monks can just walk on walls. Holy shit. Hell yeah man. Yeah. You Spider-Man you're way up there actually. Is it like Spiderman or is it just look like you're walking. But then it's just like, it's like an old Batman TV show.
Amanda: I think for Aggie it would just be like what a person could do. Plus so this would be like handholding going up. But Julia I like your idea too, so you can totally do that first or at the same time if you want.
Julia: Yeah, I'm going to check the door to see if it's open. Like the door to the front of the apartment building.
Brandon: Milo is watching Aggie run up the wall and says,
Brandon (as Milo): What?
Julia: Assassin's Creed.
Eric: Assassin's Creed one for PlayStation. Yeah, Val. I think the door is locked wood quickly there are some guys and a really, really jacked woman carrying some boxes out and they're all wearing the same blue t shirt that says, "We'll take it. Sorry this happened."
Julia: Val just stops and be like,
Julia (as Val): What is your business model?
Eric (as Movers): Oh, oh, movers, we're sorry you have to move, but we'll we'll do it as well as possible.
Julia (as Val): Okay. Okay, sorry, I-
Brandon (as Milo): Val I can't believe you lost the keys again to the apartment.
Julia (as Val): Sorry, my partner lives here. Who's, who's moving out.
Eric (as Mover): Oh listen we what what week number is moving out.
Julia (as Val): That's all I wanna know.
Eric (as Mover): We can't- listen we can't give out that. We can't give out that sensitive information.
Eric (as Other Mover): Yeah. It's 5C!
Julia (as Val): Great. Thank you. I appreciate you and the things that you do!
Brandon (as Milo): That's the third person in 5C in three years. Let's go. Let's go. Let's just go home. Val.
Julia (as Val): it's ridiculous.
Eric: So yeah. They're walking out and then you guys can grab the door and walk up as well. Aggie is you're up there. Make perception check for me.
Amanda: Yeah.
[Dice rolling]
Julia: Hey Eric.
Eric: Mhm?
Julia: As the movers are leaving can I do a sleight of hand check and try to pull like the slip or information for like the moving stuff from one of them. I want to know where they are moving these boxes to.
Eric: Yeah. Yeah. Slight of hand check for me.
Julia: Cool. I have a +5 to this because I have proficiency.
Eric: Hell yeah.
[Dice rolls]
Julia: 12 +5 for a seventeen.
Amanda: And I also got a 17of my perception check.
Eric: Wonderful. Yeah. There's probably like a sticker or something. On the boxes to remind people where it's actually going and this is going to Weston, which as we've seen before, this is like the Tony suburbs and this is where Councilman Burdock represents. And it's also like where some rich stuff is as well. So it was like both regular suburbs and rich people suburbs are there.
Julia: Okay, so he made a lot of money somehow moving from this shitty ass apartment to -
Amanda: That's where his parents live!
Julia: Well, maybe. But also if I had time look and I knew I could set myself up for investments and shit.
Brandon: Bet on the Cavs or whatever Eric said earlier.
Julia: Yeah!
Eric: The Chicago Cubs. That's a plot point in Back to the Future II, Brandon. Yeah. With a 17. I think that you realize the window is a little ajar.
Amanda: Yeah. I mean, if I don't see any mover's around, I'll step in and case the place.
Eric: It's empty for now. The door is kind of ajar. That's left over from the movers. So they may come back, which I'll give you that perception check. Yeah, it kind of looks like kind of like a shitty bachelor apartment in there. You know, three games everywhere. I like some beer bottles used as decoration.
Brandon: Oof.
Julia: Not even a PS4, its PS3? Jesus.
Eric: It's like sloppy in there. There's also, though, you see that there are some like like someone tried to interior design this, like there's some like fluffy pillows in here. And you also you look around and there's also like some like the cupboards are open because the movers were messing with someone on back. There's like half as much in there that there should be. Like, there's only like a few plates and like two mugs and you look around and you feel like there are things missing in here.
Amanda: So is it that one person we've got a shared apartment or is it like badly packed?
Julia: It seems like the former.
Eric: With a 17. I'll give you the former.
Amanda: Yeah, I was going to say, like, I'm going to look in the bathroom. You but the toiletries, is all the toiletry gone?
Eric: Yeah, the half of the toiletries are gone. You look in there's like some like hoodies and some jackets that are on in the closet, but there's like a whole space in the closet that's gone.
Julia: Is this guy time looping because his girlfriend broke up with him?
Amanda: Oh, no. Eric just covered his mouth. He is so, so seen.
Eric: I tried to cover it! I tried! And that's what's happening.
Amanda: Incredible.
Eric: I will also say so Val- as Milo and Val are walking up the stairs, you see the like the movers are putting stuff away and arranging and stuff, but they also don't look like they're done.
Brandon: I'm going to stand watch outside the door at the top of the hallway.
Amanda: Cool. And I want to specifically look at like magnets on the fridge, like postcards on a corkboard. If there's any indication of like other places this guy would go or like a loyalty card from a coffee shop, like anything to give us a sense of where else he goes.
Eric: Oh, that's a good question, you know, a lot of this stuff is actually bare, because, like, maybe someone took it with them or it's not there anymore.
Amanda: Or they're all shared memories and they were destroyed.
Eric: Yeah, he has a gift card for Thornhill Coffee that's magnetized to the refrigerator for like ten dollars. Maybe he got it at his job or something.
Amanda: I'm assuming no wallet on the hall table.
Eric: No.
Julia: He's not home.
Eric: No, he's not home. Thank you.
Amanda: I think Aggie's just going to, like, stick her head out the door and be like
Amanda (as Aggie): I totally think that this guy's girlfriend broke up with him and is moving out, which is hilarious. But is there anything else? Want me to check that? There's no postcards, no coffee cards. There's no wallet?
Julia (as Val): No, I guess I'll just check maybe. Does he have like a laptop there?
Amanda: Yeah, yeah. I'll check.
Eric: Sure make an investigation check for me.
Julia: While Aggie is looking for that, I think Val is going to post up in the hallway or the staircase and like if the movers come up, start asking them just a bunch of questions to kind of like keep them from going into the apartment.
Brandon: There's also probably a staircase at an elevator, so we should-
Julia: Cover our bases.
Brandon: Cover or bases on both ends.
Eric: I like that. No, I think that's funny. I think, like, the really jacked woman starts walking up the stairs. I love the idea. Like Val intercepts her to, like, talk about like. So where you how did you get those traps?
Julia: I was going to say Val starts flirting, but yeah, that feels right.
Eric: Same thing. We're saying the same thing. Yeah, same thing. So Aggie you have some extra time if both of you are on watch. Love that.
Amanda: Yeah. I got an 8 on my first role and I don't want to use a luck point so can I try something else? Can I, can I try a different approach?
Eric: Yeah. I think with an 8you are like looking around and like under a pillow is like a photo of John Paul and a woman who he has his arm around, white woman with freckles and close cropped auburn hair. And she looks very nice, she looks sweet. But even in this photo, which is at like a karaoke bar, which is on the beach and there's a sunset in the background.
Amanda: Golden hour.
Eric: Yeah, golden hour in Florida. And like, they're both wearing like casual vacation clothes. He still looks like there's a halogen light on him. And just like just like really shading in the bags under his eyes. Hangdog look.
Amanda: Yeah, I think if I don't see that N64 box, that's all I can get from here.
Eric: Yeah. The N64 you do not see that, that what you were looking for the looking for a laptop. It's not there.
Amanda: I think my last thing is I'm going to take any takeout menus that are magnetized to the fridge.
Eric: Sure sounds good. There's actually one for Dom's, which is quite funny.
Amanda: Cool, so I will his whisper hiss out the ajar door.
Amanda (as Aggie): I'll meet you guys downstairs, okay, ground level!
Amanda: And then I'm going to go back down the wall.
Julia: Now I have a crazy idea. And tell me if this is just a way too Buckwild.
Eric: Hell yeah dog.
Julia: Should I light his apartment on fire so he's forced to reset?
Amanda: I mean...
Julia: Eric just looking in the distance.
Amanda: I am so torn, I want to do this because it seems fun. I also don't want it to endanger any other apartments.
Julia: That's fair. That's fair.
Brandon: But if it's going to reset anyway.
Amanda: Julia, you should set the fire.
Julia: Okay, yeah, whatever Val is going to go up to the apartment before the movers get up there and it's just going to, you know, casually grab one of the very nice drapes that I'm sure the girlfriend put there and not be the guy that we're tracing and just use Ignite, which is a skill that I have now as a Phoenix sorcerer. And magically I ignite a flammable object that you touch with your hand.
Amanda: Oh, my God.
Julia: And then I walk out.
Brandon: Jesus Christ.
Amanda: I love this so much.
Brandon: I, I see Val power walking down the stairs and follow them.
Amanda: And I think Aggie continues to just fully jump down the building.
Eric: Okay. I rolled to see how reactive the movers were, both how aware they were that something is on fire and how fast they are to get the fire department here. The first one I rolled at 11 and the second one I rolled an 8 so -
Julia: Well. Could be worse.
Eric: Yeah, man, you guys book it and this apartment just goes up in flames.
[Suspenseful music fades in]
Julia: Just the apartment, though, right? Not the whole building? There's fire alarms in this building??
Amanda: The sprinklers would turn on.
Eric: Yeah, okay. Okay, I rolled a 17. Okay, like you guys are power walking away and the movers are like,
Eric (as Movers): Oh man, we - listen we only have like two more boxes left. It's fine.
Eric: Like just waiting. And then they like and then you see as you guys are walking away from this, like you see that the smoke is curling up out of the window. And finally someone's like, "is that smoke? Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!" And you see them run inside and yeah, it starts to go off. I think they call the fire department and people are evacuated from the building. Listen, you with 17 fire baby like it does go to some of the other apartments that are next door. I don't think that it takes the entire building, but I think that, like, there's absolutely some collateral damage in apartments that are above, below and next door.
Julia (as Val): I feel a little bit bad. For the record, I feel bad about this.
Amanda: But as we're kind of lurking around outside, do we see the guy come back?
Julia: I do kind of want to see if he comes home and see what happens. But like-
Brandon: no, I mean, as long as we hide it, it's fine. I just don't want to be like the movers to be like, "yeah, it was those folks"
[Everyone laughs]
Eric: No you guys can definitely hide, all of you make perception checks for me.
[Dice rolling]
Julia: 8
Brandon: Ahaaaa. I got a critical one.
Julia: Oh boy.
Amanda: Well I got a 23 so somebody's here.
Julia: Thank GOD.
Eric: "Hey who set that fire?" Milo thinks.
Brandon (as Milo): Guys. Did you see the fire over there?! We should go help!
Julia (as Val): Wild.
Eric: Yeah. I think that you guys hang out like at a bar that's nearby that has like a view at the window.
Julia: It's weird. There's a lot of people at this bar because everyone wants to see the firefighters come and go.
Eric: Yeah, everyone's seeing the firefighters and they're like, oh, shit, this is a perfect place to do it. And we can get beer. It sounds great.
Amanda: Yeah, it's like a preview of Lake Town City Fire Department's annual multi gender firefighter hot calendar.
[Everyone laughs]
Eric: Yeah, the fire department shows up and they start hosing this, hosing it down and more people collect and they're taking photos of it. You'll see the Knight of Mirrors pull up and just be like.
Eric (as Knight of Mirrors): Oh, just a fire.
Eric: And then drives away.
Amanda: What a friend.
Eric: And you're looking out for it. Milo is transfixed by the fire Val you're looking around, you don't see them. And yet, like, walking up with his phone in his hand is John Paul Schultz, the guy wearing all black. He's where he's still wearing the black trench coat. He's wearing the black pants. He's wearing the black shirt. But now, like, out of the context of the gallery, he just looks like a guy wearing all black, I think, with a 23 Aggie you also notice that there are tags that are on the overcoat.
Amanda: Interesting. He's like looking at his phone and he runs up, you know, he takes a second and he puts his phone in his pocket and you see him mouth.
Eric (as John Paul Schultz): Beans.
Eric: He has a black backpack on there, you see him turn around, pull the N64 out and hit the reset button and everything goes white.
[Music stops]
Amanda: Phew.
Eric: And you wake up. And it's nine a.m., May 1st.
Julia (as Val): Alright, let's go get em.
Eric: I think that you guys get ready to go, you're going to go right back to his apartment.
Julia: Yeah, I'm skipping. I'm skipping dog walking today as you are getting ready for the day, taking showers, pulling on your costumes, recalibrating your mechanical gantlets, you know, regular stuff. You all get push notifications to your phone.
Amanda: It's like 9:02!
Eric: This is a citywide alert, the one that does a hard mandatory buzz that you can never turn off. And it's a warning to all citizens of Lake Town City to avoid the Rosalind Franklin Bridge. This is the one that connects LTC to Burlington, Vermont, over Lake Champlain.
Eric (as Alert): All people should avoid the Rosalind Franklin Bridge until further notice, because there is a bomb threat that could potentially destroy everything in the area.
[Theme music]