Hey, this is Rafa and welcome to medlars monsters and
Kevin Carpenter:madmen situation is developing in the blue collar district as emergency crews continue to try and bring a large building fire under control. We crossed over now to our on the scene reporter
Snyders Return:Brooks, like Kevin, scenes of devastation here earlier is an explosion has blown out windows across the street and flipped cars like toys, please have established a cordon from where I'm reporting to you now. But the sheer heat of the Blaze is making life difficult for the fire crews and search and rescue teams to carry out their jobs effectively more updates as I get them Kevin. It takes a bit of time. For your your information, you get that sort of typical thing where about four people start to type and then nobody finishes actually sending a message. And then two or three others sort of you get that sort of typing bar that appears in certain messages or drops off and then you get one reply that sort of pings up on your phone. And the information comes across as global genetics.
Rafa:Okay. I think I have heard of them before, can I kind of put one on one together and know that helix lab is behind it. And in the end, kind of know that Dr. Edwards may have some information about what's going on.
Snyders Return:You could put that information together.
Rafa:Okay. Then I will call the doctor.
Snyders Return:Dr. Edward your phone begins to ring for like the third time in this short space of time.
Dr. Henry Edwards:Boyd in answers. Good Lord, what is it do people want now?
Rafa:Hey, Doc,
Dr. Henry Edwards:how you doing? I really don't have time to waste right now. There's just
Rafa:Dan, riddle me this. A building just blew up. What do you know about
Dr. Henry Edwards:I know that a building just blew up. And our compatriots is unreasonably excitable. That is the extent of my knowledge on the subject of the hangs up.
Rafa:I guess I'll have to ask personally, later. I will try to signal Iona to come down and kind of meet and meet me. And I do want to investigate this place.
Iona Starling:I don't I don't think she can land in that area. I'd probably be too crowded. So I imagine she tries to maybe land on a building. If if there's any empty, like, roof buildings nearby and call him.
Rafa:Yeah, that's that's fine. I just I'll just see where you you land and I'll just meet you on top, which is literally one door away.
Snyders Return:So yeah, if you're trying to land on a on the building, roll. Yeah. Take the risk for me.
Unknown:Okay. Hold on.
Rafa:Did you did you want to land on the burning building or a building? or building?
Iona Starling:A not burning building?
Snyders Return:I mean, that would make sense not to land on the burning one.
Iona Starling:Yeah. All right. All right. Okay.
Snyders Return:Yeah. Yay. All right. Great success. 11. So you're able to spot one that should be structurally sound for you to land on. And you should set down within mere moments, given your ability to shift how things are roughly you're able to sort of gain access to the roof space, where I owner is.
Rafa:What did you see? Or did you see anything? signing that's all
Iona Starling:I would like to say I want to and speak in Dragon form. It's just super deep and gravelly.
Snyders Return:Okay. All right.
Iona Starling:I don't mind all right. Talk shocked I no points in the direction of the, the van she saw. I'm not I'm not gonna make that voice. By the way. I'm not I can't do that too much.
Snyders Return:That's fine. That is fine. Just speak as you are, and I will just, we will just accept you while speaking in your dragon form.
Iona Starling:It's, if you could edit my voice, I'd be awesome. If there's not too much of a trouble. That'd be so cool.
Snyders Return:I will do what I can. Alright.
Iona Starling:I'm sorry. So she points with our tail in the direction of the the van. There's a van down there with a bunch of people is seem to be staring this way towards the building. You're wearing some sort of body armour? I can't really tell from here. Pretty suspicious looking. If I say so myself.
Rafa:Guys in body armour. Okay. This building belongs to a company that belongs to hallux labs that is kind of CO run by our dear friend. The doctor. That don't Well, we are friends. Come on. He isn't that bad. He's
Iona Starling:He's, he's that bad?
Rafa:Well, being we will get to his good sides eventually. But I could think that those are some corporate mercenaries who have something to hide. I would like I would have liked to get in there. But I don't know how much information we can and how risky it is. But I if there are some guys, some sketchy guys along here, I would like to kind of have a talk with them. Would you mind joining?
Iona Starling:She gives you a toothy grin. And she she just returned fire building? About what about that? Can you do anything to make the firefighters lives easier to get people in and out?
Rafa:Not really well. Let's, let's see the guys first and then if there's they still need help. Bye. I'll see what I can do. All right, by the way, will you stay in Dragon form?
Iona Starling:Um, probably not. I imagined they might try and take off. If I try and go off. Yeah. Especially if they're like us.
Rafa:Yeah, I would? Well, as in general, yeah. You kind of already know that. I would tend not to use our powers very much. And very often. So. Yeah. Right. You have a car? No, but are they far away?
Iona Starling:Are they far away are they in like, in running distance, you said like 700 feet or something,
Snyders Return:you can you could land on a building that puts you pretty close to them. As close as you would like to be in that respect. You chose where to land, the wood would suit you both to keep you clear of being seen getting sort of affected by the heat from from the fire, which looking out so up to you in Dragon form owner and and refer sort of stood on the roof, the pair of you chatting with this fan, not too far away from you, you're sort of silhouetted as we sort of scan across to the part of the city where the fire is still burning. You can sort of see the smoke and you can hear the high pressure water hoses, sort of hitting the the structure as it started to it appears as we sort of watched this scene, two of you stood silhouetted against the fire that the firefighters are starting to beat it down and win but there's still sort of a lot of work for them to do at the moment. The van is accessible to you depending on on just how far you away from it. You have landed
Rafa:well, and anyway, I let me we haven't gotten around so much lately, or at all. So let me just show you a neat trick and we go to the door. That is Yeah. We go to the door that kind of leads into the building and When I open it it's the ground floor and we're in de la on the ground
Iona Starling:nice looks at it raises an eyebrow that is that is pretty neat
Rafa:it is it's nice it's practical like you know those stills very long hallways
Unknown:no
Rafa:yeah I don't like this I'm just well anyway just say me say where we were going and we'll just cross a couple of doors and you will be there to
Snyders Return:show that these guys as you get to the ground floor and you can see them in the distance you can see them in this dark body armour close to this clearly armoured or at least well protected van slash transporter and they are sort of stood around adjusting their items ready they seem to be sort of taking it in turns to keep an eye on what's happening one over sort of knit back into the van for a minute and they will rotate every so often.
Rafa:Oh, okay huh sorry I didn't get heavily armed and deep they are do they look kind of on guard as long term but do they look like violent or do they just like they are there? Do people even notice them?
Snyders Return:Looking around No, not that you've noticed that it's it's not like they're invisible but with the big fire police sirens fire engines EMTs and and everything that's happening further down the street. A van parked up at the side with a with a couple of guys stood next to it or a couple of people stood next to it seems to just pass unnoticed. It's it's almost like they they know how to pick the blind spot in the crowd almost.
Rafa:Okay. Either they're really professionals are they do have a magic trick up their sleeve?
Iona Starling:Do you think if we could get them into this building, you can track record? Do you think you could separate them?
Rafa:separate them from each other? Yes, we can have for sure. Cause a distraction. But what will be your gold or your goal?
Iona Starling:Well, not to have to fight them all at the same time.
Rafa:I do like trying to talk to people first. But yeah, keep that in mind as a backup plan.
Iona Starling:workshop to them, talk to them.
Rafa:So quick question to them. They are how are we there's the building and they are kind of up the street. Not like
Snyders Return:yours. So they are they are purposely separated back. So while you have noticed them they do not appear to be involved in any way shape or form and description to anyone else. There's locking it's your MC Adam here just taking a break from the case momentarily to let you know about our great friends in the tabletop role playing game community and the ttrpg family. So the following is a short trailer for one of our many friends. don't check them out. Follow the links in the description below to go and give the show a listen. engage with them and engage with us. We'd love to have you back as the cases continue to progress. Speaking of which, let's get back to the action
DONG:dice game this is a fifth edition d&d actual play podcast. Though the size of the amateur cast me weeks back in points of laughs You find out the beta like if you're married disapproving expressed disdain as a campus Ghazni health. Maybe we're just
Unknown:celebrating life.
DONG:The power of imagination. fooling around my clothes are innocent via your best years cause me sighs deeply.
Snyders Return:ship is a dump
DONG:laden device. It's alright to blend into the night Dawn is going naked. That sounds like an offline. left him alone for one day. Yeah, you You just hear loud Well, that's not ominous the sunset every single day. Yeah. Mystery till next time on for fools in a chair. Guys out now game, find us on iTunes and wherever else you get your podcasts while
Rafa:I would try to walk past them only to see if they there is a general reaction from them or they or if they don't expect people to notice them. If I would say kind of tried to keep back a little bit and if something happens, take off.
Unknown:Do you
Rafa:can try to get some attention from them. And yeah, we'll try or you can try to surprise attack them somehow. If you want if things go really south.
Iona Starling:I'm your plan to I'm your plan B.
Rafa:Yeah, it's I I didn't want to put it like that. But it's mostly like
Unknown:probably
Iona Starling:clarify. There's a city there's a there's a building over there half Freud. We think these men might have something to do with it. They're armed. And you want to just walk up to them?
Rafa:Because it's nice. Now that you put it like that I kind of sound stupid. Yes. But yeah, that was the plan. What do you what do you want to do? Do you want to go to the building? Or do you want to investigate these guys,
Iona Starling:but you do have to be in the building to control it.
Rafa:I have to be next to it kind of have to be adjacent to it too. Well, Labyrinth is a closed system and one building is a labyrinth for me and it has to have an entrance.
Iona Starling:right you're away. And things go south. And oh god, you make up feels we make a document right? Trying try make an escape route. And we can maybe track them in the building or something. Well interrogate take them out. To start that. Battle Plan. Iona is staying back is not going to be right. Well, no, she's not going to stay back. She's going to go with with me. Yeah, I'm going to with me. Oh, I'll just going to be there quietly, like, I'm not I'm not going to make a scene or anything. It's going to be there. Okay, let's
Rafa:let's just kind of get walk in their general direction. Yeah, then off we go.
Snyders Return:All right. So you emerge from the front of the building and head towards this sort of dark van surrounded by heavily armoured and armed individuals rubber leading the way I own a sort of a few steps behind. It's very deadly when you move away, cross the threshold out of the property and step into the street. And as you head towards the van, and you can see these weird sort of goggle lights and and the weapons being sort of checked and trained as a head to begins to turn in your general direction. Dr. Edwards the conference room screen blips into life. And there on the screen is is the face of your overall employer. Professor Leland, he says to you Yes. Doctor was you there? I am. Oh, yes. That's good. I'm having some some difficulty with the it I need to have a look at it. But that's not a problem. I'm looking for an update on this this little event happening. happening in in in the blue collar district. Dr. Adams as brought me up to speed and I was hoping to get more information from yourself.
Dr. Henry Edwards:Any further information you would have it already? Long before Dr. Adams. This is the trouble with allowing inept department heads to run off the books projects.
Snyders Return:Dr. Drake has unfortunately slipped from our grasp and his work though inspiring As seen, seems to have been troubling. It makes me wonder, Dr. Edwards if we have the right person at the head of the department for such oversights, Dr. Drake should never have been allowed to go with his his research on accounted for.
Dr. Henry Edwards:I completely agree. In fact, it seems my own deputy head of the department is quite eager to take his place
Snyders Return:to Adams has her skills. And she was brought on board for a very specific purpose as Dr. Edwards.
Dr. Henry Edwards:I don't doubt that I would recommend keeping an eye on that one. She has
Snyders Return:something of an attitude. Don't all the brilliant minds have an attitude Dr. Edwards.
Dr. Henry Edwards:True enough. But some of us understand our place in the machine. She says there is no place high enough for her and no authority great enough to limit her understanding. I
Snyders Return:understand your reservations. Dr. Edwards. My current reservation is with this unfolding event, we really need to get ahead of it and understand what it was the Dr. Drake was working on? Can I trust you to get to the bottom of it. I'd rather not have this slide too far into the public eye. At the moment, we can simply say it was a commercial accident of one of our abandoned properties. But I'd really like to understand the trouble that Dr. Drake's work
Dr. Henry Edwards:as what I To that end, I have some non company assets matter at the moment, your
Snyders Return:assets, as you've called them, do you think they will be a fit for one of our programmes and quite
Dr. Henry Edwards:possibly they are there promising material, although as with all promising material, it requires refinement be useful.
Snyders Return:Indeed, as Dr. Adams has found with her experiments, finding and utilising the right materials can be tricky. And I it is under this that I feel that Dr. Drake has slipped, shall we say? I am going to be out of town. It's my research facility to be updated immediately, without any progress you have made you understand Dr. Edwards.
Dr. Henry Edwards:Indeed, sir, you will have
Snyders Return:a good day. I cannot bring the great and the wonderful to the good people of the city. If I'm troubled by our own endeavours, shall we say? Do you have anything further for me Dr. Edwards.
Dr. Henry Edwards:Now, that will be all
Snyders Return:right, sir. And the screen just cuts off in black. And you are left sat alone in the conference room
Dr. Henry Edwards:sufferable symptom? Oh, I suppose those two will have to be useful for some. And with that, he dials rattlers number on timing
Snyders Return:refers. Yes. As always refers you're getting pretty close to this group. But why? How close would you approach?
Rafa:So kind of until I start seeing a reaction? Yeah.
Snyders Return:So as you begin to close the gap, and you see one of them sort of, they seem to be checking over their weapons and then there's all by the hood of the van truck. Yeah, so that sort of stood by the button stood by the hood was a guy for a ride, but I'm going to get this done by the hood of the sort of the van transporter, and they lift their head and sort of twisting and tilt it and kocot round into your general direction. And there's a very slow and purposeful but not aggressive movement of the hand off the assault rifle that they're sort of checking over and just touches on a sidearm and it is this point your phone begins to ring Thanks for listening, you can find out more about the show, including our interview episode via our link tree or at our website at www dot Snow's return.squarespace.com please consider leaving us a review. City of mist is a ttrpg by Sun. You can find out more about city mist by going to www dot city of mist.co music and sound effects for this episode from epidemic sounds.com. The intro and outro music were composed by Chloe Elliot. You can find her on Twitter at Khloe underscore with the flow. The logo was designed by Jessie Lowe. You can find her artwork on Twitter at akkad Nomi underscore art, we're gonna use our help points and be ready to investigate next time on meddlers monsters and madmen