RQ Network Feed Drop – Planet Arcana: Episode 1–Welcome to Riskotheque

Magnus Archives 10th anniversary. Rusty Quill is hosting a special Magnus live show at the

“upcoming Crossed Wires podcast festival in Sheffield. Join co-creators Jonathan Sins and”

Alexander J. Newell on the 5th of July for a new iteration of our live show "Statement Begins", where you can hear fan favourite statements such as Anglefish, Red Live and gain exclusive insights into the creation and history of the show, straight from the creators themselves. You can buy your tickets now including limited numbers of meet and greet tickets from CrossedWires.live, or the link in the description of this episode. Hi everyone, it's Lowry here. Today we are bringing

you the first episode from one of the brilliant podcasts that has launched on the Archie Network,

Planet Akana. Planet Akana is a science fantasy audio fiction, presented by two gamers and built

“through a D&D-5E framework, set in a retro futuristic world of humans and android. An influencer,”

a drug dealer, and a cowboy walk into a casino, then into a vast mystery of science, magic, and taro-inspired gods. The world of Planet Akana is right with mystery, intrigue and crime, and no answer is ever straight forward. What really happened at the risco tech casino, who's been stealing android organs, and why? You can listen to more episodes of this series by searching for Planet Akana wherever you listen to your podcasts, by clicking the link in the

show notes below, or visiting RustyQuill.com or www.planetakana.com for more information. Enjoy the episode. . [Music]

“Good evening, and thank you for tuning into our broadcasts. We enter the summer of Fool 182.”

I'm your host, Sholdepas. I don't know, but you, but this cycle's year of the Fool is shaping up to be a great one. I'll cross the fifth glide. We only see a few full years in our lifetimes

folks, so make the most of it and have some fun. As always, this cycle marks a year of festivals,

competitions, and performances, honoring newness, folly, and marking the first year of our 180 second cycle since the big hoops. With her coronation festivities and crown city complete, the Regent Ray is set to begin her grand tour, starting from the crownlands to the good on wilds, the cold breaks, the thorough lush, and finally the Phantom Isles. Across these land, citizens and factions alike are preparing to receive her with celebration. Speaking of celebration,

looks like this year is going to be a popular one for makers, as years of the Fool always are. With Regent Ray's devotion to the son, Arcana, it is said by many to be an especially auspicious year for makers to impart upon their offspring vitality and joy, and many creation points are seen as well in applications. Excitingly, this means extra activity in the many towns and cities that run adjacent to the traditional walkabout trail. While each region prepares to

host their events and receive the region and advisor, Tropenia Vega is, as always, doing the year

of the Fool best. Champions, artists, and celebrities are pouring into the city eager to gamble, party, and try to get a good view for the spinning of the Wheel of Fortune. As with any year of the Fool, the fifth collide will scrutinize the spin closely, as many believe it sets the tone for the entire 22-year cycle. As for this broadcaster, I'll be their live-in-up close reporting from the top of Risco Tech Tower. See you here, first folks. See you here first. In Tropenia Vega,

the neon jungle city that balances cry, look, hedonism, and long on the edge of a coin. Despite its lawless reputation, each faction maintains a presence here. Specters hold sermons on every street corner, while in every alleyway scrapers sell drugs and bustle to the

and to woo wealthy investors. The deep lows come to provide an illusion of order,

and the analogs. Well, they say every analog runaway ends up in Tropenia Vega. The city feels as though it's stacked in layers, glowing vines and massive palm bronze brooding from every crack, crevice, and skyscraper precipice. Drops of condensation collect on the glass and on the glowing billboard screens, carving glistening paths as they trip down from the canopy level to the pavement far below, refracting the neon lights into a hazy miasma.

The anchoids and humans of Tropenia Vega stay up all night, and so do the birds. You're so high up that you can't see the ground from the window of your sweet at Risco Tech casino, but you can't hear the birds. You find yourself in a Risco Tech suite. The room you've been put up in is almost unbearably swing, as all top floor Risco Tech suites are. Three rooms, each with a bed the size of a small swimming pool embedded into the floor.

In the bathroom, there is no tubber shower, but an AI powered blob of warm water that disrupts and engulfingly washes you, finishing you off with a spritz of personalized perfume before returning your clothes cleanly pressed. In the common area, a bar in the back rotates into a DJ station and dance floor at the push of a button. On the wall next to a massive window, a panel of ornate knobs and switches allows you to adjust every little detail of your environment.

You could turn the walls see through if you choose or create a marvelous jungle tab low. The room is crowded with many divine floral arrangements, and a small feast of delicacies local to the phantom aisles has been laid out for you and your party. Your employer spared

“truly no expense. Who do you think of the three of you arrived first in the room?”

I feel like creators pretty punctual. Yeah, I don't feel like I'm very punctual.

Zell esteem wouldn't be going anywhere around here first, not without crater.

Well, crater, as you enter the room, what do we see? So, what you see is a 7 foot 6 steam android, very tall, very broad shouldered, a very big, menacing looking creature. As you're looking at him more closely, you'll see that he looks rather old, where his bolt that are holding his limbs together are pretty rusted over at this point. His torso is essentially a size of a boiler, to large cylinder coals shape with some blotchy black marks on it,

which makes it look like it's been burned over years and years and years, and he looks rather hot to the touch. His head is most likely the size and general shape of a milk crate, and in there is two sunken LED lights for eyes that are giving off a faint blue color right now. If I were to lick my finger and put it on the crater, would it make a like... It would do that, and they would have an annoying blister on your finger for like two months afterwards.

Golf me. Okay, so you arrive and you check out the room. It's maybe you're arriving after going out briefly, it is the night of the event. So maybe you were in here before, you took a quick walk around, or maybe you're arriving here for the first time, but in either case you find yourself in this incredibly swank room. Holy shit, this is swanky bud.

“Great, that's perfect. We got it. We got it. As you say that, who wants to go next?”

If Celestine arrives a little after crater, I definitely think that like he arrives with the assistance of some hotel staff because he's definitely got lost the way too big for him.

He's never seen anything like this before, and so someone had to show him to his room.

Thank you very much. I really do appreciate you taking the time to help me here today, and you know, I feel muddy embarrassed if I'm honest, you know, I've been here before, and then will I wander away and plumb got lost. But here you go, here's for your time, and then I just like try to give him way too much money as a tip. Um, exactly how much? I'm sorry, all I've got on me here is about 15 gold, but if you, if you'd like it, you can have it. This is a big city, and there's

not a lot of friendly faces, and you've done me in that service here, so here you are. It most

“generous of you, sir. And yourself a good night. Celesteen walks into the room, and I think he”

sort of like just looks around at all of the swank, and is just a little bit uncomfortable, goes and finds what is probably the least comfortable chair in the room, just finds like something that's supposed to, I'd probably be like a step stool or something like that, not really any cushioning

Greater, I do thank you for bringing me along here. So Celesteen, as he sits down, you see, he is

“as different looking from crater, as he could be, they're both androids, but where crater is huge,”

seven foot six, big and rough and tumble, as a gears android, and a young gears android. Celesteen is slender. If he was a human with muscle, you'd call him lean, and he's only about five six, makes him tall for a gears android, but like significantly shorter than crater, and, you know, most other people. His joints move smoothly. He's a, you know, he's a new android, but he's still got the kind of stiff walk of a cowboy, the kind of cowboy strut, and he dresses the part of a cowboy.

From the boots up, he's complete cowboy. Brown leather, dusty, worn boots with little gears where

there should be spurs, got brown leather chops over top of faded blue jeans, belt, brown leather

belt with a shiny metal disc as a belt buckle. He's got a vest of worn brown leather, and underneath that vest is a very nicely pressed, very loud floral blouse that belonged to his mall. Around his neck, he's got a deep purple bandana with white stars embroidered on it, and he wears a white cowboy hat that's just a bit too big for his head. He wears a pair of gun holsters on his hips. One of them's completely empty, and the other one is full of stalks of wheat for chew, and of course for chew,

and strap to his back. He typically would carry around a rusted old machete from the farm, and a surprisingly like fancy looking shiny chrome hub cap. He sort of straps to his back, but I'm not sure what our situation is in terms of like carrying weapons into the casino. Yeah, y'all are have the given temporary platinum patron status, so you can have your weapons on you.

“All right. Well, that's Salastina. I think he sits down and tries to get himself as comfortable”

as he can in this too soft kind of room, and just goes to crater. Like, greater, as I said, I do appreciate you inviting me along. You know, I don't know really anyone else in town, and I'm not sure what I'd be doing tonight, if I wasn't here with you, but wish a new why we were doing this. And I mean, I don't get me wrong. I'm not ungrateful for all you've done for me. I probably wouldn't be alive without you. I owe you everything. Nobody's been kind to me,

like you have since I left my own paws farm, but this, this business that we're doing, I mean, look, I'm young and there are things that I don't know as you well know that, you know, some things that I'm not aware of because of the trouble with my thinker, but you're your thinker's just fine, man. That is very kind of you to say, and that means a great deal to me. I will have you know, but one of the things that I do know is that in most cases,

theft is frowned upon. So why are we doing this? You know, it's definitely not the most legal of jobs to be doing, but I do think that at the end of the day, this is probably going

“to help both you and I out more than you can really think. I think at the end of the day,”

it's going to be a net positive and I don't know, man. Like, it's just some rich people, like, we're not really on their side, are we? Crater, you know that I'm on your side no matter what, and if you say that this is just going to be positive and no one's really going to get hurt, then I didn't say that, but, uh, oh, well, I'm confused and troubled. I would like to think that, you know, if we're just taking something from

folk that have a lot, then perhaps they won't miss it. Yeah. Oh, and like, I don't know, I'm pretty sure there's insurance and there's kind of thing, you know, insurance. Right. Right, insurance. Okay. Yeah. No, you know what, greater? I'll plumb for God about the insurance. And I feel that better now that you've reminded me. Thank you very much. I think as you're sort of having this conversation, our last character walks down the hall and then enters the room.

All right. So, Riot walks into the room slowly and deliberately with complete ease of being in this room full of people. She stops at the doorway in a very flattering pose and stretches her body, kind of inviting the eyes of everybody around her and then she ignores them all and walks right into the room with a very certain and powerful walk kind of like a lion. The character in my mind is an unbelievably hot, modded human with long-dark hair done up in a high ponytail with a piece of hair

always falling over her one left eye. She has a casual but watchful gaze that misses nothing and

a pretty much constant smirk. There are robotic elements permeating her entire left side,

skin type floor length dress with a slit up to her hip and a small but heavy duty pack strapped to her thigh and it's unclear what's in there but there's a vibe as though there could be ammunition, money, illegal material who knows what else is in there. And she makes a beeline through the room full of people towards crater and cellistine. So she's got the slit in her dress and you can see that like she's put the pack on the slit side so it pokes through. Yeah, that's

badass. I was gonna say it's not only your mind that she is unbelievably hot. I will just clarify that this is you're it's like you're sleeping quarters at Briscoe Tech so there aren't um there aren't other people in here it's just uh it's just the three of you. Yeah so the thousands of them show for cellistine and I pretty much. Yeah totally. That was quite the show. How is it going love a voice? Oh you know hang it loose. So it's it's good to see you again.

Thanks uh thanks for showing up on time. That's great. It looks down on this wrist. Sorry. Cellistine immediately stands up the moment she enters the room on his feet hat all. The gentleman who's this one. Ma'am my name is a cellistine wander off. I expect you are riot creator has told me a great deal about you and uh uh I just want to say it is uh it is an absolute pleasure to make your acquaintance and that uh any friend of creators is a friend of mine

so I'm at your service. Oh so cute. You're wonderful. I'm so happy that you're here. Thank you for getting this together. Crater Wayne. It's been a while. Yeah it's been a while

“it's not. I haven't really known this young gentleman for very long at this point but I think he's”

going to be a trustworthy little guy for us. Like he's he's so loyal. Look at his face. A face

like that could never betray us right? He's got a great face. I feel good about this. I have no

intention of betraying you with my face or any other part of my body. That's the attitude son. I think uh cellistine sits up a little strator when creator calls him son. Oh riot do we have a time table we need to be following for tonight? So I forget I should tell you about where I got this formation right? Is that something you'd want to know to feel comfortable? I mean I'm sure it'd be useful information for sure. Okay so my person is a very lofty member of the royal court by the

name of Lux Booker The Curationist. You know he gives me all kinds of diplomatic community at parties. I'm usually his go-to for any kind of sourcing he needs for parties for people to have a good

“time and he gave me this info on this job that I think will be in all of our best interests to”

accomplish and it involves a main item that's going to be at the auction after the spinning of the wheel of fortune. We're going to be leaving risk attack with it and we'll be taking it to demand junior in aqua catch for our reward. So as far as time table goes I feel like possibly getting to the auction area before the spinning of the wheel takes place so that we can get this main item and get the heck out of

there would be in our best interest. Sorry uh forgive me this is my first my first time really at a

big event here in triple deal vague. What exactly is the spinning of the wheel of fortune? That's a good question. So the spinning of the wheel of fortune is basically it's just a symbolic gesture at the top of every year. It's done at like exclusive parties like you're at right now but the idea is that they spend the wheel and it lands on one of the archetypes. It lays the basis for how the year is going to go. If it's like the Empress or the lovers it might be a good year for like harvest

and things like that. However at the beginning of the cycle which is where you are now you're in the full year this spin also is thought to dictate how the whole cycle is going to go. So it's an especially

“clutch spin this year. Why don't you make a history check for for us? Does anybody better stroll?”

Yeah, yeah, anybody who wants to. First roll of the campaign. History is done last wrong.

And natural one. Are you kidding? Your first roll? The first rule. The first rule as we can't paint is in natural one. We're voting. I got a 19. So you probably like you probably know this and have been thinking about it since you've known about this event coming up. You know things like a long time ago there was one cycle where it started on the tower and that was some of the worst warfare the world had seen. The last cycle was the fool. So the last 22 years have been like

22 years of revelry like basically big big party vibes in the last cycle and all of these spins could

people party a lot you know it's almost like a superstition with a lot of coincidences.

Amazing. So everybody will be there watching that. Yeah there's going to be like a sort of a

there's going to be like a watch party and then it's also broadcast like overpip. So I feel like that's our sweet spot to enter the display room from the casino floor. So to get in there we're going to be needing a key card 001. This key card can be found on a land near it or on the MC's neck. The display room is guarded by a non-sentient bot called Penta Drone. So keep an eye out for him. We're going to have to disable key abilities as the best

“course of action there. I think watch out for the noisy alarm that I've heard down there”

as well as possibly some other non-sentient smaller bots that are also guarding the area. That should be no problem. The chamber containing the main item is much more precarious. Laser force fields the whole works. So we're going to have to figure that out as we go, but I have faith in our little party. The main item that we're looking for is a small statue of a dog. A dog. Yes. What may I ask is so valuable about this statue of this little dog?

I guess it's like a really cute dog. I mean if it's a really cute dog then I'm going to have trouble given it up. I don't ask questions. I just get the money. So the best case scenario when we get that item is to just walk out of the chamber, walk out of the display case and take the elevator down to the vehicle and get out. But things could go arise. So I guess we should take this moment to steal ourselves because our moments come up pretty quick. Speaking of your vehicle, you all noticed

there is a small wrapped box with like a little piece of twine on it in the center table of this room. I'm assuming it's present is for it's for one of us, I think should open it. Be my guest. Right about you do the honors. You're the one who got us into the situation. Fine. I go over and I reach to the side on the other side of my dress and get out a small dagger and open up the package. You open it up and you find enclosed three ear pieces.

Oh, don't. You also have 500 complimentary chips which have been given in this box

for the casino. Celestine, you would have the key fob for the vehicle. It basically

once you press it, it acts as a, um, what's the word I'm looking here for? You make a valet. Yeah, it's like a valet but sorry. So the key fob activates like a valet but which will bring

“your vehicle close to where you need to be. And you find probably right and send crater would”

recognize this. You find three one time doses of drop silver. Drop silver. It's sort of a variant of quick silver, which is a, it's a common drug found on the fifth collide. Drop silver has a special property which allows you to basically land safely from a very high fall sick. Oh, sweet. Okay, cool. Just in case. And like quick silver, it is applied by, it's like a sticker and you put it on your body using a patch. I think while Riot is opening the package and they're

inspecting it, Celestine is, is sitting there and rolling himself a joint with some of mom pause. Good week. You better make sure you go easy on that stuff. But like we do have a big night. Ms. Riot said we would, we were meant to steal ourselves for what's to come. So that is, that is what I intend to do. Would you all like some? Well, that sounds like more for me. While we're all talking here, crater, I must admit that what Ms. Riot has just described is a

sight more complicated than I was expecting. I thought we were going to come and take a thing and be on our way. The end bit where we just drive like hell at a town that makes

“some sense to me. But the rest of this is, this is terribly complex. Oh, I think I think you'll find”

out once we get going. It's probably going to be fine. Like at worst, we've got to fight some robots in a corridor somewhere. But like otherwise, I think we're just going to be leaning on Riot to go up and steal a key card and like fancy her way through some some conversations with some rich folks. And then we'll grab a dog and be out of here. Like it's like it's not greater if you're confident than of course, naturally I trust you. Ms. Riot, I feel it's only fair to let you know

that crater asks me to come to be your driver and that I most certainly can do. But the rest of

this is quite new to me. We can always use a little extra muscle. So, come along, you learn some things.

Muscle. Sure. Muscle. Absolutely, man. Muscle. So how long do we have until the wheel happens this spinning? It's like maybe like 4 p.m. like early afternoon early evening rather. So you definitely

everything that is going to happen in the highest. The only extra thing that I'll add that you would all know is that you've been told that there's two people of note that will be attending the event. So that's a prominent analog partier and an old specter preacher. This information has been given to you as two people who have histories of like bringing interesting things to this sort of party. They might be of use to you if you want to talk to them, want to see what they have to say,

want to see what they have, like that sort of thing. I feel like our first move is getting that

key card. Are we expecting the MC who's wearing this fob to be like already in action about how to get downstairs or you think we should hit him before he gets up on the stage and is visible to everybody? I think probably before I think he'll be milling around, I've seen him before. Creator, when you say hit him, are you going to, are you going to hit him? Hit him? Because I've seen you hit people and it's well, it's dramatic. Yeah, no, no, no. No, no. I'm going to, I'm going to

contain myself. I'm more here just to help write along as she does her sticky bullshit. And maybe

“lifts a card. I think it's probably the best way to go about this. But if anyone causes any trouble,”

you know, as the great limps biscuit used to say, I'm not scared to break shit. Bless you. Celestine's sort of what under his breath is just like limp-bizgin. Limp-bizgin. All right, this philosopher, limp-bizgin is very interesting. Is there a place that I can find one of his books? I'm sure there's an HMV somewhere in town here. Celestine looks more confused, but like in a way that's like other people know a lot of things that I don't.

Celestine, uh, roll a D20 for me. Don't add anything to it. That's a six. Okay. Um, so if it were an 11 or higher, Sir Limp-bizgin would have been in attendance at this party. Unfortunately, he could make it through this event. He's busy. Well, that is a shame. I will have to make my way back to trouble, New York, to bend the ear of Mr. Bizgin at some point. He's got an HMVs to run.

All right. Is that okay? We are getting off topic. All right. So we go down stairs. We locate the MC. Riot, you do your thing. You lift that card off his neck like no problem. Potentially, we could cause a distraction if need be, but you see like you're pretty good with your hands. It won't be an issue. I love the confidence kid. Do we have access to a map by chance? Yeah. You've been given a map. You know the general layout. It's basically a big room where the

“event is being held and then the north end of the event is where you need to go to get to like”

the main room, the display room rather. So we head to the casino floor. We have these chips. Me might as well use them. Well, I mean, I suppose if you all will into show me how to how to play with the play here. No problem. I feel like you're going to get a kick out of this. Yeah. Like in my experience kid, you walk up to the first table to see get all the money that you own to your life and then bet it all on black and then just see what happens all on the black

interesting. Sir, this is poker. I don't know if you have any fancy ideas about deal with this. What did you call the pentadrone in this hallway that's going to probably give us some trouble? Well, I do have one major thought and I kind of like unlatch something in my shoulder with the move of my right arm. This is my mechanic arm and it flips out into a full on what I call my fire arm, but it's a double barrel pistol that becomes my left arm. What? So this is my go-to.

Oh, my stars. I have never seen the like. All right. I think we're in good hands here then.

That is exceptional. Ms. Ryan, you continue to surprise and impress. I've known you for all five minutes and I am, you know, four. I like this one. It's a good first go-to, but I feel like between the three of us, this thing won't be a problem. So perhaps we take it tour around the, around the casino, get the lay of the land as it were. And I don't know, see what our exits look like and you all seem to have this well in hand without me, but if you, if you need some sort of look out or whatnot,

I'm, of course, at your disposal. Feel like there might be some interesting folks to meet down there as

“well. Salicy. And if you want to be learning this lifestyle, I'm glad to take you on real wing here.”

This is a big first job, but we'll get your feet wet. Well, I mean, Crater, I feel like you've been preparing me for something like this, having me, you know, make the deliveries that you've been asking me to make, all that medicine that you've been having me deliver to those nice folks who don't

feel so well. Packages of medicine that I'm not supposed to open, of course, but you should never

open those packages. And I, and I never have and I never have. And I never with something else. Well, should we have out of them there, Phil? Yeah, follow your lead, Ms. Ryan. Yeah, let's do it. Beautiful. I'm going to, I'm going to pop my earpiece in too. Oh, yeah, let's do that first. Yes, I'll steam puts his earpiece in and his role joint behind his ear,

androids. You don't have to worry about it. Yeah. I'm assuming there's an ear hole on the side of

“my head. That's fine. Yeah. In any case, once you put them in, they become nearly invisible. Perfect.”

You can tell that once you move up to big distances, you'll be able to hear each other and communicate, even when you're far away. Sweet. All right. Let's oceans 11 this bitch. Let's go downstairs. Y'all exit your suite and make your way to the elevator, which is a clear tube. And in fact, as you enter it, you realize it faces inward towards a massive casino floor far below you. As you descend, you realize the elevators themselves form a complicated network of paths along each wall,

traveling not only straight up and down, but horizontally and diagonally as well. The piece is moving constantly as a hurdle, guests for one end of risco tech to another. But this is, but one of risco tech's many casino floors. And in fact, this is the uppermost level, typical reserved for the wealthiest patrons and most exclusive events.

Like the event you're attending tonight. Finally, the elevator reaches the casino floor,

and the doors open with a rush of human tropical air. We'll go to your big wing. Our accepted currencies had daily exchange rates, are available at the guests' services geos. Today's weapon numbers are 11, 47, and the first seven digits of high. Unless register in our flat, we do have a program. Please leave your weapons with the master of ours.

Welcome to risco tech. We are not liable. risco tech. We have no limit. We do win it. Welcome to risco tech. Welcome to your big wing. So you reach the casino level in disembark, and you see that the floors are black and glistening. Though they feel stable under your feet, it appears to be moving in slow sparkling waves.

Like your suite, this place is absolutely dripping with greenery, and real birds fly from vine divine. Deco drones fly overhead, play music, dolling out compliments, and contributing to the neon mood lighting. Yes, but also surveying recording and reporting. Every detail to the floor manager and MC, Harley high stakes, and despite your intel, Harley is a sheet. Above it all, suspended and rotating on some invisible platform floats the fabled wheel of

fortune on each segment of the wheel, an image of one of the archetypes of glows and casts a soft neon light on the gamblers and revelers below. It's a large room. It's full of people. They look absolutely exceptional both Android and human alike. The stench of wealth is all around you. As is the stench of hedonism. Yeah, the floor is yours. So would you say about like we could assume that most of these people are royals? Two, or is this like common folk at this event as well? They're certainly not

expected to be a lot of common folk here, but not necessarily all royals. Just people who would have business getting an invitation to such an important event. So there's probably some important clogs here who are like romancing some royal investors with their latest ideas for a technological marvel.

“But basically anybody who's here is somebody who's who. I think Celestine is just like just”

a bit shocked. I don't think he's like seen this many people with this kind of wealth gathered in one sort of small place in in his memory. So he's just sort of like doesn't really know what to do

first and is sticking very close to crater. You want to take a walk around here? See if we see

anybody of note? Yeah, you're looking for anything in particular? I think we're looking for MC first off. Yeah, and then like in our in our docket for this, keeping eye out for those two people that's reseb were of importance. What doesn't everybody give me a perception role? Will please not a natural one? Oh damn, I'm rolling quite well. I'm also playing D&D. That's a 23 for Celestine. Shit. 19 for me. Oh my god. 11 for crater.

Don't you worry buddy, I got your bag. Let's start with you Celestine. What is it that you're in particular looking for? I don't know that Celestine's got like like a thing that he's looking for.

“I think he's just trying to like take it all in and make some sense of it. All right, well you're”

looking around the room Celestine and a couple of things stick out at you. You do notice one other cowboy hat over at the bar and you notice it because it is like way bigger than yours. Somehow sitting on top of a human's head although their back is to you, but they seem to be like just circulating somewhat drunkenly from the bar. Another thing that catches your eye,

That's a majestic wheel up there. Riot looking through the room, passing over the tables, there's you know gambler sitting at various poker, blackjack, buckler at tables and making the circuit of the room you see an android torso at top a unicycle wheel on the shorter side, a gear's android and as she sort of cycles through the room she's boosting herself a little bit hired a little bit lower if needed and her face is on a swivel and as it swivels you can see it

cycle through a couple of different expressions. So her face like rolls is you like a super cheerful one

and then a really watchful one for a second. Then right back to cheerfully. She looks to someone

waves. This is Harley high stakes and she's doing her round she's smooth, schmoozing and her rose gold color torso and wheel are accented with ornate jewels of all colors to him. Crater, it's a little busy in here and intense and you're just getting this like big rush of noise and sound basically. It's loud. This Harley high stakes is this someone who's kind of an authoritative figure. Oh sorry yes Harley high stakes is the MC. Oh okay gotcha. Okay. How's it important? Can't you tell from the

“name? What other job would she have? So I think what I want to do here and I'm turning to,”

I guess I don't turn to the other two. I speak with my earpies. I want to keep it eye on high or Harley high stakes there but I don't want to act just yet. I feel like if we can time ourselves perfectly we can buy it our time and get comfortable in here so we know the way the land. I want to find this one analog partier in here who's a high better. So everybody keep their eye out for that person and keep us an eye as well on Harley high stakes. Do I know

what I'm looking for? What is this what is this analog person look like? Good question. They'll probably not have anything to, you know, geary or fancy on. With your 20 whatever perception from earlier you realized that when you saw the cowboy hat person you also heard them yellow like. Wow!

Also so we had nailed it on our first try. We're just standing with 20 more thumbs. Okay.

I feel like Celeste and you might have a bit of a connection here. If you think so I certainly wouldn't mind going to have a chat with a fellow cowboy hat wearing individual. Clearly we have a lot in common and I'm sure there would be a stimulating conversation off I go. I tip my hat to

“riot and and and creative and then I and I and I just center right off to the bar. I think as as Celeste”

and walks off I might just turn a riot real quick. I feel like he's such a he's such a sweet little boy. He's a gentle boy. You know I think he's so green but I think it's a good gamble I think he's you know he's going to be good. I think it's probably best if we don't tell him. Absolutely everything. Like I didn't I didn't really disclose to him that every other scrapper had turned down this job before him. Right. Because he's so naive I think probably the less he knows probably

for the better for everybody. Absolutely. I mean I'm trying to keep it between you and me. That's okay with you. I think it's the best plan of action for now. All right. No problem. The lip are sealed. So for now I'm going to keep an eye on Harley Highstakes. I'm just going to do a little bit of a mill but keep me updated in the earpiece. For sure. I think I'll turn and maybe just take a stroll around the floor here and look for body guards or security that might be looking against

the walls and just kind of see where everyone's standing. Okay so riot you're going to sort of like low key tail Harley. Um creator you're doing like a sweep of the room trying to sort of get a get a read on security and Celestine's going over to chat with cowboy hat. That's right. Let's

follow Celestine first. So you make your way through the room occasionally a person will notice you

like look down with a bit of a smile. You make your way up to the bar and this person's got their back to you and they're gesturing. Pardon me sir but that is an extremely large hat. I'm quite impressed. Where did you get a hat like that? Turns around really slowly and then spits on the ground like ready for you. It's some hat it got there. Well I thank you. It was a gift. It was a gift from

“Mammal. So just two hat lovers here huh? Well that's what I figured on you know I saw you from”

across the room I saw you with that glorious hat and I knew that you and I were you know kindred spirits you know that we had we had much to talk about so I figured I'd come on over and introduce myself Celestine Wanderoff how do you do? Names ye hall McGraw. That that is a name I will not soon

salary glands? You seem to be spitting on the floor of this place. Just just ye hall is fun son but

“no I just you know what they serve around here is just it's not quite what I'm used to it's a little”

bit too flower if you can you get what I'm putting down. I feel like I do I've had I've had a few beverages since I've landed myself in Troponio Vega and none of them quite have the same earthiness that same dirty bite I should say of of Mammal's moonshine so I feel like I do understand your

predicament make a persuasion check with advantage. 14. Oh my god finally I get to talk to someone

who knows what's what around here because oh man everybody's so tight everybody's so wound up everybody's just like on some sort of high up horse and I just it is refreshing to talk to you so uh where are you from and uh who'd you know to get in here? Oh well I mean I'm not from uh not from around here I haven't been in Troponio Vega very long. I was staying with Mammal and Paul in the you know little farm out in the small dusty town and the good on wilds and uh you know found my way here

and uh well I suppose I came with my friend Crater back there and I just like wildly point to to Crater as I'm sure he's trying to not be noticed but I'm just like right over there and that fell right there that's that's my friend Crater Wayne. Now uh you say you're from the good on wilds. Well that is where I was when I before I came here yes. He like looks up and down kind of clocks

“that you're a gears android. Interesting and uh well what what what have you come here to find?”

Wilson that that is a nebulous question I suppose you could say that I've come here to find myself if it's not too pretentious to say so. I would say that it is but I'm still into it. He orders two more drinks and gets one for himself and passes one to you. Wilson that is uh that is mighty kind of you here. Let me uh allow me to reimburse you for your kindness and I take one of my chips

and give it to him. I'm sad. This is uh I think it's worth a bit you know what never mind.

So your your mom Paul that they give you uh did they give you this whatever you came with to uh to to find yourself give me I'm sorry give me what are uh well you got some chips there obviously you came with something. Oh I mean these are that yeah these are from Crater my friend Crater back there right over there you see him over there that that big fella right there you can't miss him yet no you gave me the chance. Well I must say it was just a delight speaking with you maybe will

a see each other at a table play a game. Oh uh overall I I'm getting the sense that this conversation is over for you and uh I I respect that and before it becomes awkward I will take my leave.

Um he doesn't say anything more but he just does turn back to the bar.

Celestine uh tips his hat to him even though he's not looking at him and then wanders away just hands in his pockets just wanders away looking at stuff. Okay let's cut over to Riot so you're sort of given like a easy pursuing of Harley-high stakes as she like makes her way around the room um and as he kind of ease closer and closer you can hear that like every table she passes she knows somebody she's giving like smiles and solutes and waves and has her expression like cycles

through from like big smile to bigger smile to like impressed look every now and then it cycles to like a shrewd glance across the room at a floor manager who like you know snaps to attention and like goes screwing across the room with like a you know a tray of chips for somebody. It seems like she's just very busy at work both minding her stuff and taking care of the guests. Okay I tap on my or I get my earpiece going uh I feel like the time might be right to

“move sooner rather than later. How does everybody feel about that? The only thing that we really”

need to be worried about is if she notices that the card's missing so mm-hmm so we have to move fast. Yeah well I have finished my conversation it was very pleasant so I have no longer otherwise engaged I'm ready for whatever you need Ms. Riot. Well listen I think she's going to be here for a while she seems to be involved with the guests why don't we play a game where we better it all on black I mean let's see that I saw that you may in a friend over there too so uh

why don't we bring him involved maybe try and get some of his money oh um well I suppose I could he did seem to be finished speaking to me and uh as so uh perhaps one of y'all would prefer to speak to him yourself the gentleman's name was Yeehaw McGraw which I thought was a very colorful name and he had a colorful personality to match um I uh uh we spoke for a little while and he seemed

kind of it's true so is there a table somewhat close to where he was sitting because he he he

he was at a bar right so if you take a look over at where Yeehaw was sitting there are a few black jack tables two them are quite full what of them has like two or three people sitting at it the hand seemed to be moving like kind of slower at that table because there's there's one android that's kind of seems to be like talking quite a bit. I was more asking that to see if there's one in your shot of him. Oh I see I gotcha okay yeah I would say that like there's definitely a black jack

table within your shot of of Yeehaw like he'd have his back facing it but okay well guys it looks like there's a table over there that has a few open spots why don't we just meet up over there sounds good to me. Celestine is carrying his chips in his hands in front of him just like looking around like an obvious absolute newbie to a casino just like what what do I what do I do with all these

“where do I where do I put him and I think as I'm walking closer to the table. I'll follow Celestine's”

lead and just be like oh fuck buds I don't really know how to play any of these games. I have too much money here. What am I gonna do with all of this? Okay so you're making huge noise of like all of the money that you have as you sit down and that does kind of like perk up Yeehaw's ears as you take a seat at what turns out to be a black jack table. The dealer is like would you like me to deal you in sir. Yeah please. Table for three seats two seats. Oh I will play as well and I just like

dump my chips on the table. Is this is this enough to play? Can I am I able to sit here? The dealer calls the pit boss over and like slowly stacks the freaking chips like into order for you and pushes them back towards you. Please keep the table clear sir. I do apologize.

I'm so sorry this is my first time in such a place and I I do not know the customs around here

and then I give the the person who stacked my chips the chip is tip. Thank you very much sir.

“It's it puts it in the tip chip drip tray at. What's the minimum bed here?”

minimum bed is 25 dollars. As your dealer says that you looked down and realized that all of your chips are 25 dollars each. What a fucking surprise. Oh damn. I'm into. I put two down. I feel like I've been overpaying the staff. All right so we're going to engage in a game of heads-up black jack yet. Okay. Closest to 21 wins over 21 busts. Everyone puts in 25 minimum to start and grab your cells at D12. The dealer as you sit down is like thank you for joining me. My name is boy

Bokera. Bokera is my specialty tonight. I'm dealing black jack. And as he says that he like looks over like MC Harley high stakes and Harley to sort of like six cents like looks over with like a momentary shower flash expression and then flips back to happy and boy Bokera size and is like all right 25 dollar pets in please. Yeah definitely put my bed in. Yeah sure. All right so everyone's

in 425. Everyone roll a D12 for your first card and say it out loud and everybody makes sure you're

keeping track of this. Everyone else's cards. Nine, seven. 12. Okay so the title 11 and 12 are all going to be worth 10 for this game. Cool. And now we're going to do our first round of bedding. Riot it starts on you minimum bed is 25. I'll put 50. Woo okay 50 to call. Uh so I was seeing definitely looks at crater and is like what what should I do? Is this good? Do I have a good good card? Should I spend the money? Crater what should I do? You'll be fine. Trust your gut.

I throw it in. Yes that is a fantastic strategy. I'll call as well. Three calls at $50 and so we're all going to roll another D12 everybody. Second card. Six. Five. So one. Okay so one in this case is an Ace or an 11. So one or 11. It's totally up to you but it's actually really excellent card to get. Boy blocker I was just like uh the lady is sitting out 15. We have 13 in the middle seat and 10 or 20 in the anchor seat. Bedding action is on you madam and he points to Riot. I guess 25.

A minimum bed from the lady 25 to call to you. Any points to sell this to you? I just immediately look at crater. I nod. Throw it in. To you sir. Five hundred. Okay so you're going all in. You

“don't have 500 left because that's what you started with. We'll just say that all of your 500”

is in the pot now. And with that you see Yeehaw like really turned around and start to like watch the hand and maybe even like walk up a little bit behind y'all. Yeehaw. Yeehaw. The Yeehaw of all.

do you call no. All right. Madam was folding the 15 and excellent call madam and user.

Well I mean I've never played this game before but I've seen Mawn Paul play bridge with their friends

“and this seems to me to be one of those moments where you need to know when you're beat”

and as Paul says when you're beat just chuck in the cards and cry. And so I think I will do that. The philosophizing was very welcome sir. Thank you excellent hand. And the pot goes to user and just pushes like the the chips. Most of the chips are your 500 but you also receive let's see, excuse me. 275. 275 extra of your friends chips. Oh wow. This game is fun. We should keep playing this. It is Yeehaw looking like he wants to join at any point. He moved closer and he's standing

behind the table. It almost looks like he's like waiting for you guys to like finish up your hand. And a very exciting hand. Shall we play another my friends? I'm in. Yeah I mean if you're in about this as fun let's sure of course. Well this looks like the most fun that I've seen in this

“entire party. So I think I'll be joining as well. Well it is mighty nice to see you again Yeehaw.”

And yourself. Boybacher I like looks at Yeehaw like a little bit nervous like uh excellent. Very good. Four players for the next hand. Mr. McGraw, very nice to see you again. Shall we start off on a fresh foot from last time? Are you dressing me? Of course not sir of course not. He's been getting a sharp look from hardly across the room but he does look very sweaty. Can I roll some sort of insight check to see like what the deal is between the dealer and Yeehaw? Yeah we're only an insight.

It's a nine. Even with the nine you recognize the look of a service industry employee who's just like not excited to see an overzealous patron. All right. Why don't you just settle down and deal them cards? Yes that is uh that is what I am being paid to do. Thank you sir. Mr. Yeehaw there is doing a job. There's no there's no need for that kind of attitude. We're all yours have some fun. You know let's let's place some cards. And uh I assume that you're the caretaker of this

young gentleman. Oh is that what he called me? Oh that's uh that's sound is short. This is uh it's a very good friend of mine. Mr. Yeehaw this is the friend I was telling you about. This is this is great. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. That is my real name. Yes. Thank you Salestine. Yes. Well what? Yeah. No of course. Of course it is what I wouldn't. I don't understand that of course. Yes we all

don't understand. This is Boybachera and lays down the first card. So we're all putting in 25 more.

Yeah. 25 to start. For for me. I also got a four. That's an 11. So I guess that's a 10. Yeehaw got a three. Okay first background starts with Riot 50. Bet of 50. Well I mean this 10 here is better than my seven was the last time and I uh I paid 50 for that so I I think by that logic I should pay 50 for this and so I shall. All right mini cowboy has called Crater which is your name mini cowboy. You are the biggest cowboy in me but um uh yeah I'll call 50. And Mr. McGraw. Well uh I know that you

feel a little uncomfortable when I get excited so I'm just going to keep it at 50 for now. Yes I I wouldn't say uncomfortable so but I do appreciate it. Uh and then we're going to deal

the second cards everybody's called for 50. Everybody roll another D12.

Four for Celeste. Eight for Riot. That's a six for Crater. And Yeehaw got a six as well. Okay. Riot's at 12. Celestines at 14. Crater's at 10. Yeehaw's at nine. All right betting round stars with Riot. Call 50. 50 bucks in a pot. I mean we're all having fun here. I don't want to spoil the party here we go 50. Yes that is how gambling works. Uh we have another call.

“I'll all do 50 as well, Peter. I think the fella dealing the cards is is making fun of me. Is that true?”

Yeah that that's that's kind of standard to round here too. No it's acceptable. I I wouldn't want to feel out of place but if everyone's being made fun of then I suppose that's all right. Nobody is being made fun of that he looks very sweatily over at Harley before looking at Yeehaw 200. And we have a raise to 200. Thank you Mr. McGraw. Riot, would you like to put another 150 in the pot? Yeah why not? I like lean over the table. Alluringly at Yeehaw. He looks at you with thirst.

Oh that's terrible. That is a terrible thing. So seeing Riot's display there I think Celestine gets nervous and spills the drink that Yeehaw had bought him all over the table. Just gets all

very sorry I suppose I'm out for this one I am I do apologize. Okay the mini cowboy has folded

and he like gestures for a decotron to come over and the decotron like flies over and starts like beaming the liquid up. Well it's just like wow great outfit great hand you're going to win big and then like flies away. Oh so much creator you're going to call that one pity. I'm going to give Yeehaw like a good up and down look. All right buds you want to you want to play big. See it on me way. I will raise a 25 dollars. Yeah, greater are you sure that is that is a bold move

“creator. So Yeehaw has put in 150 more creators raised it. Yeehaw would you like to commit 25 more?”

I mean yeah I don't sure one out. All right. I didn't know if you fall for that.

And right at 25 more? Sure. 300 very good and then we're going to all do the another next 12 round. Or actually sorry at this point you may choose whether or not to roll again. If you choose to not roll again and not take another card you're committed. So riot if you don't roll again 12 is your number for the rest of the hand. I will roll again. Okay. Yeah I'm gonna roll as well. Oh it's a nine. I got it too. Yeehaw rolled in 11. Oh my god. So Yeehaw is sitting

at 2020 and betting is on you riot to him. I so I don't really play blackjack. Like where do we go from

here? Madam I would recommend checking not making any bet at this stage. All right you could do

that if you don't want to be any fun. Mr. McGraw. Mr. McGraw please. I got this. Don't please. Please. Miss. The name's Yeehaw McGraw. I come here for a little bit of fun and you look like

“you might need a little infusion. Yeah I think I mean to me help. You want you want my help?”

You seem like a guy who knows what he's doing. Madam I may I just point out that Mr. McGraw. Just don't worry about I got this now. Listen Miss. You got yourself no bad hand. You could. You could take another card if you're feeling dangerous. Maybe I will. Why don't you just slide a little bit of extra money in that. Make it interesting. I really I really about step in Mr. McGraw. Madam Mr. McGraw. I'm telling you the word of this man. Well no. No of course not.

I'm a man. You know what? Do what you like. I'm gonna listen to you. Yeehaw is it? It is and sweetheart listen. If if things go a little sour for you here at this hand don't worry I can cover you for the rest of the night. Such a gentle man. Okay I will call 50 I guess. Alright boy Bocara is like fricking just like a bit of 50 Mr. Crater. So Mr. Mr. Bocara just so I understand if I go over 21 I lose. Correct. It's one of these kind of games. That is correct. You are not

obligated to take another card but you may call the bed without taking another card in the next round. We'll say you Yeehaw. I would say that Yeehaw is beating you right now. No I do understand that.

“Mr. McGraw over there. If you're gonna ask me if I'm gonna take away some of my numbers I think you're”

sore when you're stuck in Mr. No. I feel like I feel like let's try and make this interesting here. I will go all in again if you promise to take another card and I will also take another card. Make a persuasion check. Oh my gosh. Celestine is just looking back and forth here like it's a tennis match and this is very complicated. I did not realize that cards could be so serious. That's a 14. I tell you what son. I'm in a pretty nice position here right now and I think that I am not

going to take another card on top of my 20 but why don't you meet me right back here for another hand after this and we could make it real interesting if you'd like to throw in a little extra. What I'm saying is if that came across a little convolut I'm sorry I've had like a lot of these really weird floral trees but what I'm saying is why don't you just have another hand with me after this and I'll collect my windings from you and and this fan young lady here and we'll

we'll make it interesting after this. As much as I hate to disagree with Mr. McGraw I would not recommend taking another card or committing any further money to this hand. All right Mr. McGraw I think you want this route right when we meet my money back please and I hope. Eha would you like to call 50 I would. Okay so we're at the rolling for another card part. Miss Riot would you like another card? I would. Damn it. I got nine. Oh it's a bus to Rooney.

and y'all have sort of discussed having another one and as you do another voice sort of pipes up

“from behind the table and goes well Gihar looks like we found ourselves at yet another exciting”

blackjack table and you turn around and your game has attracted the attention of a very humanoid cloud android whose eyes glow a warm amber. His body is made of a gray metal with like a purplish sheenige it catches the light and these are you recognize sort of like specter robes. They have many elaborate details some metal piping on the shoulder and the fabric falls like straight down and obscures his arms within the folds as he like appears to glide along the floor

towards the blackjack table and he slides up and he goes I don't suppose there's a room at the

table for an old specter well I thought that you were never going to quit talking to that other

table were you lecturing them well yes I mean of course they were asking me questions about you know my my purpose by journey I'm always happy to speak with those curious about the I caught I remember us having such a conversation the last time we found ourselves were they asking you or did you just hear someone say that in your ear well I hear many things in my ear my friend

“and I always answer and that's all I will say about it and who who do we have here?”

Celestine Wanderoff pleased to meet you and I just reach out my hand he reaches out and takes your hand and looks very deeply into your eyes as he shakes it and goes do you hear that my boy

do you hear that do I hear wood never mind never mind and then he takes a seat next to you

he said well I believe I will join the next hand you're getting here just in time for some fun yes it was very nice to be as the Celestine and and you could sir uh there's my friend crater way it's crater hi yes nice to meet you sir I am most enchanted by you Mr. Crater and the lady down at the end hello hi I'm Riot and you well I'm surprised that none of you recognize me and he just sort of waits do we recognize me? um everybody roll a history check

13 12 13 okay I would say that everybody like vaguely recognizes this voice from like over the pip this is Uncle Edict who is a specter preacher basically unkey sorry what is pip exactly ah yes he sets up for the podcast it's the portable combination cell phone television social media device that everybody in this world has one it's for shows it's for social media and Uncle Edict has a frequent sermon show on the pip is it like a popular show or is it like

kind of just like the old folks who are like at home during the daytime and they have nothing better to do it plays at the same time as Morie say say no more I know exactly what you mean I take my hat off oh my stars I am so sorry Uncle Edict that I did not recognize you immediately I now recognize you from all the programs that mom Paul used to play I must say that it is an honor to be in the same room let alone at the same table as yourself no matter no matter no matter

sir always nice to be around pupils and and those who are in want of saving and he looks

across the table you're beefing up his whole head there if you're if you're picking up what I'm putting down what beef is a most awesome food sir and I accept your compliment and boy bakers like so we play a game of black jack friends let's do a vote yeah 25 and everybody yeah 25

“if you're feeling boring but I think we ought to make this one interesting we say 200 what else you got”

I've got some mighty fun we eat if you like if that's your flavor Uncle Edict turns to you sell a statement is like you would say you brought some weed with you well yes of course yeah I mean mom Paul grew the greatest cannabis in the fifth collard I'm going to put a hand on cell scene shoulder and it is like shake my head oh I have no weed I apologize well that is a real shame because it has been exceptionally hard to speak in libations this year not that I have

ever done so but I did notice that many of you are people seem to be caring as the kids call it yeah so really hope when you got someone interesting here because well I mean I also heard that it was hard to get some stuff in but uh well some of us just found a way as opposed we do don't we pointed look at you hot and boy baker is like very good very good yes uh here we go and deals the first cards everybody oh sorry no shit we didn't do the first bedding round so we're

right but we are we're meant to have a full bedding round before we ever see a card is that that the thing we're like it's not just a straight up any yeah everyone has to put like at least 25 in but there could be more there's an opportunity to raise before we ever see a card is what you're saying

this is something I've thought about in advance and the answer is no you can only put in 25

this is not a bedding round this is the anti which I definitely didn't decide just now okay so

“everybody roll your D12 for your first cards and holler it 10 3 I got a 12 which I think is a 10”

7 for you huh edict got a 5 which is a very good place to start for any hand bedding round is on you right I'll raise it 100 it's 100 to call will I mean I suppose uh it can only go up from here so sure here's my 100 that's an easy call now let's let's talk for a minute so uh miss sorry did I get your name I'm not sure I don't know you did it's right I thought so I thought I recognized you from the uh pit machine so you know me I mean I've heard of you who hasn't

I'm pretty sure that everybody in this place is a clock in the fact that you're here but uh this

isn't the riot is it sure it not sure why don't you take another look there edict it like turns the dial on the side of his eyes that focuses his eyes he's like what if my goodness now I could put in another 100 chips and just play the game as uh as Mr. Boybacherot would would have us do but uh

“I think just absolutely love that if we could just do that I mean riot surely you're here for a”

little more right you could say then what did you have in mind well actually I'm interested in what you had in mind he reaches into a similarly like a pouch around his leg and he pulls out what looks like a small set of gears that's attached to it's like a little metal curved piece

and he puts it on the table why don't you make a history check 13 plus zero with the 17 15 so

crater you would recognize you and riot would certainly recognize that this is a weapon mod because I was doing it as well with that check but I don't think so I was doing you've used many of these but this is a weapon mod that you can add to your weapon with some good tinkering skills and make it you know a little bit more interesting crater size turn green when he sees the sight of him up on the table oh my god okay interesting interesting interesting that is a fine piece of equipment you have

“what are you looking for exactly for me in return what are you got I think you've heard what I got”

I don't know if I can put it on the table what am I missing I feel like I am out of the loop on the as my friends I don't what what what is everyone talking about I just want to remind everybody that I am only liable and responsible for the chips on the table anything happening outside of that risco tech is not liable I whisper kind of just in a way that the only the earpiece could be heard and I say don't worry about it and then kind of lock eyes with Celestine

and pat the pouch on my thigh Celestine just nods as though he understands well if I am not mistaken betting around us up to be and if I am aware of what is being discussed here there is a bit of libations on the line here and I don't really know what I have to offer except oh yes and he freaking like reaches into his pocket takes out a handful of interesting looking tokens they're not poker chips and they're not gold any sort of like flashes what in his hand and like

looks as fancy e-ha and it's just like no we're talking yeah could have used one of these last month couldn't you and anybody who wants to roll another history check for me can do so I guess six oh that's a net 20 oh so these tokens are passage tokens right they they allow passage like into and out of sort of like restricted zones are they are they hard to come by or they expensive like what what what what what I know about these tokens yeah they're not really like

four purchase really they have to be like given to you and while not rare they're sort of hard to get your hands on so yeah they they are a good addition to this pot these are also like spectermaid tokens like their four spectres yeah and I think with a net 20 you would also understand that a restricted zone currently is a troponeo vega with how big of an event there is going on right now okay so a person would need one of these tokens to easily get out of troponeo vega right

now well one could assume that with an at 20 it would make it a little easier okay that is a surprising cash a coin that you've got there I'm shocked that you just carry that around well I don't know why it would be shocked if you know who I am I think you'll find plenty of things shock me when I

have any interest in the unsavory items being offered I merely hear to remove them from circulation

“and to bed at the wall. Does anybody else hear that does anybody hear that anyway never mind”

yes this is my contribution and with that we're going to take our second guards things are already

spicy. All right four. Celestine got an 11 so 10 more for Celestine. I rolled a one. Oh my god. Crater just hit a blackjack. I freaking eat it. It's like oh my goodness you're joking me. Sorry is that good that I win? God is that good did you win? He just got a 10 so he's at 15 yehah yehah got a three so he's at 10. Now normally in normal blackjack rules a 10 in an ace beats any other type of 21. Let's say no. You can still tie crater for the purposes of good times.

Got a try. All right so bedding ground we got right 14 Celestine 13 crater with a blackjack

yehah with a 10 and eat it with a 15 and round is on riot. I'm going to pin everything.

All my chips. All in and let's pretend that we counted and we know exactly how much it is and that is all it. Well I must confess I find this game incredibly confusing but if I do understand the math correctly it seems that crater has the winning hand so I will sit this one out. Celestine is folded crater. Riot's all in with a 14 which you like to call. I am all in as well. Crater's all in Mr. Yehah. Well that is very interesting and I am sure you're not going to

back out of this hand. Now you're sitting with a 10. I thought you were. I thought you were the

baldiest gambler this side of the of the jaggedy jacks. I'm bleeding that is some colorful

length. I have not expect to hear from you. I have the balls that need that are the I have the biggest balls on the side of the jaggedy jacks. You are correct edict. I'm just trying to figure out what an appropriate addition to this table is. You can see that boy-bocker is just sort of like looking across the room at MC or the lights takes just like shaking his head and lifting his hands like mothing like I don't know. Well if it's chips you're after then no problem. I can match you unless you

got anything else that's interesting. Well I'm afraid I put my most interesting items into the

“bottle right. Although money is going in fine whatever. Edict looks at Yehah, you know Mr. McGraw. I think”

I will be the better and more holy man any folds. We got three all in so now we're just either taking cards or folding. I'm going to go with another card. Okay. Three. Okay. You're sitting at a 17 and I'm going to pull an ace from this here dick. I pulled two aces in the form of an 11 so well creators sitting at 20. This is getting sweaty. We're all in so we're just right back around to riot. Fuck it. And I got an eight. All right. A valued effort for riot to hit that 21. Yehah,

there is one card that will save you my family and a pull an ace from this dick. Whoops. Drop an ace on the floor. Let me try again right into my dash box. I'm talking about this. I rolled a man. And shit. What a shame. Oh my god. I did roll a one on the floor. I am sorry Mr. McGraw, but floor cards do not count as we discussed last year. Oh my god. You aren't giving me one more these days. Mr. McGraw, you know I have no control over what happens at this

table. We also talked about this last year. Congratulations Mr. Wayne. Any pushes like the freaking treat from Yehah, the token from Edict, and just a massive pile of coins that I'm assuming. Jay kept track of. Yeah, I did. It's 400 plus all the all ins. So so you'll have let's just call it 1900. 1900. I lean over to crater and just go oh my stars crater you are so wealthy my goodness. I don't even think we need to do what we were came here to do tonight. We can just take this and

go can't wait. I mean we don't need to take anything. We just want it all. Are you saying that it led? Like very quietly. Make a stealth check. Well I'm helping because my I put I put like my arm up on the tables to like shield our conversation. Sure make a stealth check with advantage. I do appreciate the advantage there. It was a five and now it's very fun. Okay, shit. We're

“looking pretty rich at the moment, but I don't think it's really enough to really jump ship. I think”

what we have waiting for is probably a little bit more money than what's currently in our hands. More money. Oh my stars. Well I mean or well if you say so crater if you

and I'm back in attention at the table. All right. Well as you're back at attention to the table

you notice that boy Bocca and most other people are looking towards the center of the room because MC hardly high stakes is kind of like leavered herself up a little bit and is now addressing the room. Thank you for coming everybody. It is so marvelous to see all these familiar faces here at risk a tech casino. I hope you've all been enjoying yourselves this evening and not getting into too much trouble. But if I may. But if I may interrupt your pretty festivities I would like to announce

the fitting of the wheel of fortune will take place in the next five minutes. If you would all like to proceed towards the viewing area and then she sort of does a very elegant scoot off on

her unicycle wheel to go talk to important people and make her way up to the front where indeed

“everybody is sort of like moving towards the the wheel. Well folks I think that's our cue to leave.”

Slash go talk to Harley-high stakes before she gets up on stage but I think I can do it pretty quickly. Or you know just maybe get up and go for a washer and break. That's right. Right? This is all very exciting. Okay gentlemen it was it was pleasure to meet you. Hopefully we'll see you around town sometime soon. As you turn around you notice the uncle Edick is like already gone. Oh okay he was a pleasure to meet you in person uncle Edick. For actually like immediately behind

you he's just like when it was a pleasure to meet you to my friend. Oh my stars you just you just

appeared there my goodness I was I was I was looking in the entire wrong direction oh my well I

tend to come wherever I am needed and at that moment I felt I was needed by you and in fact my boy. You know like gives a look at creator the real quick. These like my boy. Would you mind could we have a word privately for one minute? Uh privately well I mean suppose anything you can say to me you can say in front of my friend

“creator here. Well no that's not always the case and I am a man of God and I think that you should come”

with gods and I think that you should come with me just for a moment. All right well if it's uh if it's just a quick word I suppose. As everybody sort of milling towards the wheel uncle Edick leads you in somewhat of the opposite direction you know just sort of leads you in front of this like one of the massive like uh slot machines so there's lots of lights and colors around you somewhat private and he just leads in and he says whatever you're here for is a far more important than you

are I understand my boy and I'm not sure what the ceiling means but I do know that whoever is asking you to do what you came here to do is not to be trusted and you should come to me after you've completed your task. Well Uncle Edick that uh I believe you're trying to give me some sagely advice and I do appreciate the thought but the implication of your words would suggest that I'm not to trust a friend of mine and I'm afraid I can't just jump to that conclusion.

The messages from the Arcana are rarely so clear. In fact if you listen you can hear the most unexpected things and right now I'm hearing can you hear it can you hear the bum bum bum bum bum

“bum bum bum no I'm I'm I'm afraid I don't hear a bum. Well surely you must but I can hear it”

and on top of that I'm hearing a message about you and the message is that you need me and that you need to come to me. Uncle Edick uh actually can I roll on inside check? Hell yeah. Not that cellistine's particularly insightful. Yeah that's a 12. He seems to be very certain that the message he is receiving is correct. As you get closer and he's starting to talk about these sorts of things he's a little bit erratic and maybe even a slight bit twitchy. Uncle Edick that again do appreciate

your concern and consideration for one such as myself and I will give your words some serious thought but now I must return to my friends so uh uh bid you a good evening sir. Do as you little my son and he sort of just like stands under the slot machine and watches you go. All right so listening is deeply troubled. As uh as you sort of break away from Uncle Edick everyone else is crowding around the the wheel of fortune and uh actually roll me a history check. Oh that's in that 20. That's

not too any other one. As you look up at the wheel having had this conversation with Edick your guard is kind of down and you're you're a little bit like unsettled and you look up and you just sort of catch a side of the wheel and you feel as though there's something you remember about it

So this thing is like ancient and that sort of like a piece of knowledge that like you recall as you look at the wheel. Okay great or I had a very odd conversation with Uncle Edick there and it seems like he knows something about what we're here to do and he told me that I shouldn't trust the person who brought me here but of course you're the person that brought me here and I mean of as you know I trust you with my life and so I'm I'm just I'm just very I'm having a confusing moment

here and I'm not I'm not sure what to do about it. Uncle Edick feels like I should come to him when all this is sitting down and I suppose that would mean not leaving with you but it doesn't feel

right. I will have you know that I've never crossed anybody that's been on my side before my entire

life. I'm gonna pull these some celebrity. Man loses his entire wealth to us in a blackjack game and now is all of a sudden trying to get it on the action. I wouldn't pay too much of my into that. I suppose there's some sense in that. Is there is there anything else about this whole business? I should know anything anything you haven't haven't told me yet. No, I don't think so. I knew it. Thank you so much, creator. You made me feel so much better.

I'll just put a hand on his shoulder and give him a good nod and then turn to watch riot. All right. So riot is making her way towards the MC. Yes. Mm-hmm. Right. So as you do, a hand reaches out from the crowd and an older human woman who looks to be about mid-80s, dark skin, tall and very long like it with long black hair. She's wearing an elaborate silk red rope that hangs open in layers of drapery revealing a short matching silk negligent. Oh my, well well well.

They do say that it's not a party unless riot crashes it. You know what they say.

“riot. Sweet out. Of course you remember me. Mesmera? Mesmera. So good to see all of you.”

Likewise, it's okay. It's been several parties since we've lost interacted but I'm just I'm so relieved that you're here. I mean, I was kind of hoping that someone might bring some excitement and I know what you're known for. I do deal in excitement. I don't know of tonight's my night though. You know? I don't want to detract from the importance of the occasion. Make a deception check. All right. All right. I got a 19 plus 221. Oh yeah. So I'm just

understand that you're here to just party. That's right. I am in the process of incarnating some chaos, knee upcoming events to follow. But tonight, you know, just riding into the radar enjoying the events, looking at your beautiful face. Well, I can't say I'm not disappointed, but I guess I'll also tell you that I'm in Troponeo for a little bit. If you'd like to get together, if you need anything and I mean, if you're not planning anything for this get together,

you know you're always welcome at my parties. Surely you have something planned for some

event coming up and I would love to be the host. That would be unbelievable. I'd be over the moon.

“Tonight, I do feel like I'm otherwise engaged, but I am yours next time. I have. Is that a promise?”

You know, it is. All right, right. Roll me a history check. All right. 21. Oh, wow. You first sure have been around Ms. Mara. In fact, you know that the hot and heavy family, which Ms. Mara is like the current matriarch of, is like known for being these like ultra-famous legacy family in the Royals. They're all of them like smoking hot. They're devotees of the Empress.

And they tend to throw like amazing events. So this is like a super fun offer from Ms. Mara for

sure. Amazing. Do I think that she would appreciate like a small libation? Oh, for sure. She would like you you know Ms. Mara. What is down for? Okay. Cool. So I like reach down to my like bear skin. It's the thigh and to my pack and unlatch the side to grab a very small package in my hand. And I grab her hand with both of mine and slip it into her palm and close her hand around it and say for you for your night. Think of me? Oh, I wish I had something in return but I do appreciate this.

“I'm so glad that you brought a little bit of fun with you. Every time. Did I notice that from afar?”

I'm assuming perception. Yeah. Oh, that's pretty good. What's a new character? Don't know

Riot is stopped and so that catches your attention and you do see that she's had an exchange with

“this person. No, did. Thank you. Okay. So I think I continue on towards the MC at this point.”

It's assuming I can get to her before she gets on stage. Yeah. Are you trying to like be sneaky? Or are you trying to just like run it up like, hey, I know she's going to know who I am. So I just go up to be like, you look gorgeous kind of thing. I want her to notice me. As you come up, she's like sort of making a B-line for the platform. People are gathering and she she sort of sees you coming and does a double take and you see her like flip face is like very focused and as

soon as she sees you, it turns to like the widest smile possible. And she's like, well, oh my goodness, what a marvelous slide it is to see you here tonight. Harley Highstakes you look fetching. You know, I do pride myself on knowing all the gossip. And yet I had new idea that you interpreted

“you vaguely. Well, I'm kind of everywhere. That is what they say. Well, you also look marvelous.”

So there it would be quite a shock if you didn't. You're too kind. This is an extraordinary event.

You really outdone yourself with this one. Oh, thank you, kind. Sorry one second. And she just

like turns and just like glares randomly. I don't like a floor supervisor who just like freezes. And like remember something and goes like fucking running back away. She's just like, like, tell me about that. And it just wanted to thank you for your hospitality. And to, you know, wish you luck. This is a big, big day. Spinning of the wheel. The biggest darling. Well, so good to see you. It's marvelous to see you too. And don't forget when you post about this

thumb. Be sure. Just give it a little shout out to Holly. And you know, I know. Can I use a slight of hand to try to get the card from her as I leave? Yes, you can. All right. Sky, I'll have you know this whole heist comes down to you at this very moment. If you roll a net one here, you have

“killed all of our first episode. Jesus. I think as I kind of see Riot starting to say goodbye,”

I might notice like a like a waiter behind me that's holding like a thing of like a tray of champagne or something like that. I might like back into him quote unquote on accident to create a big noise. Maybe help us help out with this. This is great. Give me some kind of role for that. Give me like a performance performance role. Yeah. Can I give him the help action? I'll, I'll make it. I'll make a scene with them. Sure. You can give the help action to give the health action to

her. I will boy. I rolled double 13. So it's a 14. Okay. There is a moment where Harley high stakes like gives one of her sharp like face expression flips over in your direction. And in that moment, Riot roll your slight of hand with advantage. All right. All right. I got the same each time, which was. Oh God. 24. Oh. Oh. God. I love roads. So I was sweating. I just, I just barely do your good thing. Also as you go to get it, Miss Merra kind of like wanders up near Harley. And

she like looks at Harley and she's like don't you know who this is? And she gives you like a

little moment to grab what you're trying to get Miss Merra. Amazing. Okay. Well, I'll be like,

all right. Well, too, Luke, how to go. Won't keep you from the stage. So good to see you. Well, thank you so much for coming to pay all this backstowning and do. Keep your fingers crossed for your favorite archetype. What we've spent the week. Oh, you know I will. Good night darling. Good night darling. Miss Merra. What? What? What? What? Amazing. Creators like, or top of this waiter, like, oh my God, but I'm so sorry. Here, here, uh, I'll start like scoop it up some glass,

some putting it back on the tray. Celestean is, is like trying to help like clean clean the, the champagne off of the waiter's outfit is just like with his sleeve. Just like, oh, we're going to get that out. Don't you worry. Boy, Boccara has been pulled from the blackjack table after that freaking fiasco and is now serving drinks, which you buff poured all over. Oh, Mr. Boy, oh, I got so sorry for the trouble here. Here's 750 coins. Gentlemen, oh God, um, I thank you.

This will buy me many new uniforms. Do you ever feel like you just want to get away? You know, leave this life behind you. Find, find what's what else is out there past the horizon. Find a new life for yourself. He puts a hand on your shoulder and leaves it and he's just like, take me with you.

As you all deal with the, uh, downed boy Boccara and spilled drinks everywhere and, for riot,

“a key card in hand, you start to head to the north side of the room, which is easy at this point,”

because the crowd is currently a flutter as, uh, Harley-highstick steps onto a circular disc platform that begins to move, lifting her up to the wheels lever. When she arrives, she raises her hand with a flourish and after a dramatic pause pulls the lever down with a practice snap, sending the wheel and the crowd into a spinning frenzy. The party goes cheer and shout encouragement to the wheel

in treating it to land on their particular favorite arcana or pleading for it to avoid the likes of

the tower the devil. After a minute or so, the wheel begins to slow. It clicks past the star and then the moon and a hopeful gasp as it appears to pause on the sun but no past the sun and the crowd

“very suddenly falls silent as will it? Yes, it is. The hand slides past judgment and for the very first”

time in recorded history lands firmly on the world. Everyone is motionless. The normally imperturbable Harley falters for a moment, takes a breath to speak and what sounds like an explosion. Distant, but alarmingly, significant enough to cause a tremor and a flickering of the lights, then all is still. With a couple of sharp meaningful looks Harley sends three floor supervisors scampering into action, her orders silently understood the next moment. She is all smiles and addresses

the crowd. Who? Well, what a marvellous excitement, surely just some scrapper over Zellis scrapper party going on in the background here, but my goodness, a landbox spinning of the wheel and if you're

“excuse me, I have a couple of things to attend to and she levers herself down and goes zooming across”

the floor as everybody sort of like calms down and begins to talk excitedly amongst themselves. About the wheel landing on the world. . To listen to more planet.karner and check out their other content, please search planet.karner wherever you get your podcasts, or click the link in the description of this episode. You can also visit www.planet.karner.com for more information. Thanks for listening.

Billy Hindel here, the voice of Alice in the Magnus protocol and I'm here to tell you about from the library of Yergen Lightner, an upcoming novel available for preorder right now at brustiquill.com/novel. We turn to the world of the Magnus Archives in from the library of Yergen Lightner, an official prequel novel written by Nebula, world fantasy and aurora award-winning author premium Muhammad with the help of the Magnus Archives own writer and lead voice Jonathan Sims,

from the library of Yergen Lightner, explores an infamous organization from the Magnus first,

for the first time, the perilous private library of the enigmatic collector Yergen Lightner, where occult books are guarded and researched at a fatal cost. Lightner's library keeps the dangers of these books in check and there would be readers safe or so lightner claims. For two of Lightner's employees, the risks are worth it. For Hugh Franklin, the library is a place to belong for Sebastian Everett, the library is an opportunity to indulge arcane ambitions.

Though their 10 years at the library were years apart, human Sebastian stories unfold in parallel and their footsteps echo down the same eerie aisles, caught in a web spawned long before either ever heard the name Yergen Lightner. Will they find a way out, or will the library consume them before it's too late? From the library of Yergen Lightner, will be published on October 27th, 2026, and is available for pre-order now, visit Rusticool.com/novel for more information,

that's Rusticool.com/NOVEL.