Em: Welcome to BlackwaterDnD, where good friends tell better stories. This series, Afterlight, is a miniseries using Blades in the Dark, and is proudly sponsored by Evil Hat Productions and Bookwyrm Games. As this game falls within a post-apocalyptic horror genre, it may contain themes and depictions that are triggering for some listeners. Please take care of yourself and access safe support as you see fit. Content warnings for this episode include: complex family dynamics & interpersonal conflict // apocalypse & societal collapse // darkness and shadow // visions and mind control // substance use // violence // murder // grief & loss // being chased // blackmail // death of family members & loved ones // power dynamics // class inequality // memory loss & dementia // severe injury // needles So get comfortable, and keep the lights on. Welcome to Afterlight. Chapter Two : Not Like It Was Si: The safe zone is especially quiet tonight. People speak in slightly more hushed tones, exchange knowing looks, and hold their loved ones close. When the first group left on their mission a week ago, there was cautious optimism. This time, it feels more like the mood of guests before a wake, or the energy of a hospital in the middle of the night. Quiet, somber, uncomfortable, with lights as bright as always, and a place where the gap between life and death is at its narrowest. Danny, it took you a long while to fall asleep. The more you tried, the further away it seemed. Every minute that passed felt like you were losing something precious that you could never get back. And it took nearly two hours before your body finally gave up, and you drifted off to sleep. But your night was plagued by dreams, and you almost never dream. One lingers heavily on your mind as you wake, and the memory of it darkens your vision for a long moment as your eyes open to the bright lights in the morning. You remember standing waist deep in a vast sea in the middle of the night. Waves crashing against your torso, thick clouds weighing against a sky of nightshade and obsidian. And on the impossibly distant skyline, the tiniest speck of light flickers. A single dot that sparks and grows. And you remember the distinct feeling on your leg as a bloated corpse bumped against you. A grotesque body floating face down on the surface of the water. And most of all… You remember what you felt as your eyes adjusted in the dark to see countless dead bodies floating towards the shore as the waves rolled in, like driftwood from a shipwreck. A feeling of hopelessness so overwhelming that it left you completely numb, unable even to feel the tears streaming down your face. And you take a sharp breath in as you wake up. It is morning. In that moment, and as you realize today is the day, where do Danny's thoughts first go? Sean: I think, for Danny… It's happening more and more often these days that it takes him a little bit to figure out where he is when he wakes up. It's just this moment of disorientation… And then it, it comes back. There's the safe zone. The lights. Sue. And then he remembers what today is, and he immediately looks for his tools, and they're there. Everything's set apart. And… I think there's a feeling of… Gratitude, that there's something to do, and he gets up slowly, but with purpose, starts getting his bits and pieces together, and he is eager to get to the meeting point. Si: Why did Danny volunteer to go on this mission? Sean: ‘Cause, um… There's uh, there's not a lot that he's done right in his life, and, I think, waiting wasn't going to fix anything, It was just going to make it worse. And so this might be the one opportunity that he could do something, that might have meant something. Si: What things does Danny gather to take with him? Sean: Uh, he's... He can't take the whole toolbox, but… Too noisy anyways, but he's gonna take, like a real pared down set of things for tackling, cutting through fences if need be, um, being able to do electrical work. Maybe even like, a little bit of, like, soldering if need be, just… If the problem is electrical, he's basically got the equivalent of like, a first aid kit, where he can handle kind of anything in that sense, and then there's just a whole, uh, a handful of tools to handle all the sort of normal things in terms of accessing buildings, you know, he's got a big old crowbar, that's probably about the heaviest thing that he's got on him, is just this old, old crowbar that used to be blue, but basically all the paint's been worn off, and that's just something he's been keeping on in his truck for for going on about three decades now. Si: Auntie Joyce's room is neat and comfortable. She's been given her own place with a full-size bed and a small living room. It's pretty much as good as it gets in the safe zone, and it makes spending time with her a lot more manageable, especially during the more difficult moments. And those difficult moments are becoming a little more frequent these days. But with so many people squeezed into much smaller rooms, you know there's some resentment out there about who gets the nicer accommodation. Which makes it all the more awkward when Joyce forgets the hardship of the strangers and neighbours around her. All you can do is do your best to try to manage it. But, as you leave Joyce and pull the door closed, you look at each other for a moment and can't help but wonder whether you are doing the right thing. For her, for yourselves, or for each other. Em: Luce would pull out the canister where I keep my cigarettes, the three that I had gotten from the previous day as payment, now only two. And I would take one out and fold it in a piece of paper. And I would look up at Pen. Em (as Luce): “I'm gonna leave this for Nora. Payment. If she needs to get someone off her back or get something in a pinch.” Gina (as Pen): “Right, that makes sense.” Em (as Luce): “It’s better than any currency that's out here.” Gina (as Pen): “I think that went well.” Em (as Luce): “Yeah. Yeah.” Gina (as Pen): “She seemed…” Em (as Luce): “She’s worse, Pen. When was the last time you visited her?” Gina (as Pen): “Yesterday. Like I visit every day. When I can.” Em (as Luce): “Okay. I was here maybe a week ago, just briefly, seeing if Nora needed anything. I didn't stay long, I- it's too hard, I think. I don't know. It's not good, Pen.” Gina (as Pen): “She always asks about you.” Em (as Luce): “Yeah. Yeah.” Gina (as Pen): “I really liked Nora's suggestions, about changing the… the information.” Em (as Luce): “Yeah. Yeah. Um… I mean, that's what Nora does, right? She's a nurse. She's well practiced at this and I don't know how you managed to convince her to look after Joyce, but, I'm glad for it, because I… It would have just been us otherwise, and I don't think that either of us are, well, you could do it, but I don't think I'm the right person to do it. So, I'm glad she's agreed to step up and look after her.” Gina (as Pen): “I think she's gonna be in really good hands. Until we get back.” Em (as Luce): “Yeah. Um, Nora didn't tell you what she was doing. Did she?” Gina (as Pen): “When?” Em (as Luce): “She's been, um, turning the lights off, and she tried to take down a barricade.” Gina (as Pen): “[sigh] Oh god, who saw?” Em (as Luce): “Enough that it went back up to Jacob and now he knows.” Gina (as Pen): “Shit…” Em (as Luce): “Yeah. I've handled it. I've handled it. I think I've handled it.” Gina (as Pen): “You think?” Em (as Luce): “I did as much as I could with him. Not that, you know how he is, but-” Gina (as Pen): “Yeah.” Em (as Luce): “I agreed to help him in some capacity if he agrees not to... not to… disrupt her routine.” Gina (as Pen): “Right. We're gonna make this place safe for her.” Em (as Luce): “Yeah. We're gonna try.” Gina (as Pen): “I know we will. That's why we're going.” Em (as Luce): “Yeah. Yeah…” Gina: And I sling my very pink backpack off of one shoulder and around to my front, just so you can see it, and I give it a little slap on the front. Gina (as Pen): “And I brought my stuff.” Em (as Luce): “Did you, uh, did you get my note?” Gina (as Pen): “I did.” Em (as Luce): “Okay.” Gina (as Pen): “I appreciate, I appreciated you taking the time. That's a first.” Em (as Luce): “This is me trying.” Gina (as Pen): “Thank you.” Em (as Luce): “Yeah, no problem. We should, uh, we don't want to be late to go out.” Gina (as Pen): “Right. Orientation.” Em (as Luce): “Yeah, there won't be any of that. They'll shove a bag in our hands and kick us out the door. Come on, let's go.” Si: You all gather whatever personal effects you choose to take with you, and make your way to the north side, to the maintenance and control centre. There's a small holding area by the entrance with heavy black lines marked on the floor, designating the restricted areas. And there's nothing else on this side of the safe zone, so it's empty and still and quiet. And one by one you arrive in this room, this just small empty room by a locked door, to wait. And I wonder, who gets here first this morning? Em: As Pen and I exit the space where Joyce is living, I don't think Luce would say much. I think she would keep her head down, eyes forward, and kind of just expect Pen to follow in step as they head towards the maintenance center. But, probably at some point she would look over, and it wouldn't be too far of a walk, I don't think, with all the moving around that we've had to do for Joyce… My assumption is that she's more on the edge of the city. Something close to the maintenance place. Si: It doesn't take you long, and when you arrive you see two other people just arriving at a similar time. You would recognize both of them, but may be surprised to see Danny and Evlan. And Evlan, it's been quite a while since you last awkwardly bumped into Luce. But here in this empty, sterile room, you see her and realize you two are now in this thing together. But before you get a chance to say anything, you hear the click of a lock and a door opens, pulled back by someone you don't recognize. A buzz cut, hard expression, work clothes marked with streaks of oil or something similar, and they don't speak. They just gesture with a nod of their head for you to go through. And for the first time in many months, amongst the claustrophobic cluster of buildings that makes up the safe zone, you walk an unfamiliar path as you all step beyond the ‘do not cross’ lines, passing through doors that have been restricted, forbidden. A couple of serious looking people watch you walk by from the doorways of connecting rooms. More people that don't look familiar. And you see glimpses of activity behind them. Some people looking at maps, marking charts. One scribbling equations on a whiteboard, one with headphones on listening to a radio and making notes. One tinkering with what looks like a large generator, or something similar. These are things you haven't seen before, things you didn't know were happening here. But they’re happening behind this locked door, and the echoes of your footsteps seem to ring out particularly loudly down this corridor. The noise leading you and also following you, as you make your way through what must have been an office complex at some point, but is now just room after room of stripped furniture and new tests and experiments. And you begin to hear the murmuring of quiet conversation from somewhere up ahead of you, but it quickly stops as soon as you get close enough to listen. And you round a corner, to see two people standing, waiting for you. And standing closest is Jacob. Someone you're all familiar with. He’s a stocky guy with dark hair, and a beard that have grown long over the months you've been here, and he looks particularly weary this morning. Danny, you would be the most familiar with Jacob, or at least had the most interactions with him, having worked alongside him at times on a number of different projects, building and repairing, and he's asked you to do some particular tasks in the past. He kind of coordinates the work throughout the safe zone. And you see he's looking at you as you walk in. Si (as Jacob): “Danny, I’m surprised to see you put your name forward. Ain't you too old for this type of thing?” Sean (as Danny): “Well, if you wanna find somebody else, you’re welcome to try, but uh, I reckon I can do the job, I'm a little surprised myself, uh, Pen? [Pen chuckles] Didn’t think this was your type of thing.” Gina (as Pen): “[giggles] I think you’ll find that I can surprise you in a lot of things, I, I… I’m just excited to be here. I’m glad you’ll be with me.” Si: And Jacob looks across at your faces and nods. Si (as Jacob): “We’re all grateful to you. I'm sure you'll be fine.” Em: Luce scoffs loudly. Si: You see behind Jacob, a little away near the back corner, another person watches you closely without expression. You may know this person's name is Keane, someone even less talkative than Jacob. They've got long brown hair tied back in a single braid, grey shirt hanging loosely, and they are holding an assault rifle in both hands, finger resting loosely away from the trigger, weapon held very deliberately. And at this moment you also realise that Jacob has a pistol holstered at his hip. They are not messing around. And you quickly understand why. Next to them, a couple of fold-out tables have been set up side by side, covered with a number of items you assume are for you, but the weapons catch your eye immediately. Two black handguns, each with an additional full magazine alongside them. And you see four well-worn backpacks with gear inside, a couple of hand-drawn maps, and Jacob notices you looking. Si (as Jacob): “These are for you. Help yourself.” Em: Luce goes immediately for the gun. Not in a way that's threatening, but in a way that she's well familiar with how to fire it. She stocks a clip, puts one of the extra magazines on her hip, and tucks the pistol. She takes out a large blade, looks like a kitchen knife that's been modified, sharpened and made a bit more brutal, and takes it out of the sheath that she's made for it, and puts the gun in there as well, and puts the knife in another sheath in her boot. Sean: I think Danny looks to Evlan, as there's one gun left. He says, Em: “Uh, it's not, it's not really the tool that I'm used to.” Amelia (as Evlan): “I… know my way around it, I can, yeah, I can…” Amelia: Evlan just kind of awkwardly grabs it, and just puts it in like, the pocket of their hoodie. Em (as Luce): “If I remember, you're not a bad shot.” Amelia (as Evlan): “It’s been a while, but,” Em (as Luce): “Yeah.” Amelia (as Evlan): “Probably like riding a bike. That's also… Yeah.” Em (as Luce): “Yeah, sure.” Amelia (as Evlan): “Um, who are these guys?” Amelia: I say gesturing back to where we walked in, looking at Jacob. Si (as Jacob): “There are some people here in the safe zone that are trying to understand this thing, trying to figure out how we can survive. Long term. I mean more than just weeks and months. I’ll admit, a lot of it I don't understand. I let them get on with it. I know there are some smart people in there. They’re trying to do something.” Amelia (as Evlan): “Why the, uh, yeah, why the secrecy? I mean, I have to believe if there's all these people who've been studying it, there's probably, no offense, more qualified folks than us?” Si: And Jacob kind of looks over his shoulder down that corridor, and I think you could probably sense that he doesn't feel like he is a part of it either, that he's a little distant and disconnected. Si (as Jacob): “There's a lot of concern about protecting equipment, and protecting the right people, and maybe information and getting into the wrong hands, and people doing something stupid with it. And someone decided a long time ago that all of this stuff would be done in private. Behind closed doors. You've probably realize by this point when they haven't found any breakthrough. There ain’t no obvious answers, we’re just doing the best we can.” Sean (as Danny): “They don't have anything that's gonna help us out there, do they?” Si (as Jacob): “No. But we do got this.” Si: And he pulls out a map, flattens it out on the table. You can see it's of this part of the city, very basic, but it has some descriptions scribbled in the margins, some directional arrows. And he looks back up at you. Si (as Jacob): “Listen. Power to the city is supplied in grids, each managed by a substation. Our grid still has power, but it's dark everywhere else. The substations have circuit breakers just like a house does. Everything probably got tripped when the event happened. But if power's still been supplied here, it's gotta be capable of being routed through the other grids. It's all on a network. We think we can get power back on in the city, starting with the next grid over. It would give us twice as much space to live in, whatever supplies and resources we can find, a chance to fight back, one step at a time. So, get to the substation, reach the circuit breakers, and manually open the circuit from there. Just flip a switch. We got drawings of what you need to look for and what lever to pull. Hopefully, it'll be straightforward.” Si: And you see him lean over the map and kind of point to the routes that have been marked out in arrows. Si (as Jacob): “Now, the quickest way to get there is to cut through a few buildings. Just head northeast a couple of blocks to the library, cut straight through. Go across the underpass and then up to the Greenwood Hotel. The rear of that building opens onto a narrow cross street that runs all the way to the edge of the park. The substation’s just before it.” Si: And he looks up, directly at you, Luce, as he says, Si (as Jacob): “The last group would have gone that way. This was their plan. And that's it. The library, underpass, hotel, park, done. Flip the switch, come home heroes.” Em (as Luce): “Heroes. Huh.” Si (as Jacob): “That clear enough?” Em (as Luce): “Yeah.” Sean (as Danny): “I just want to check one thing. Just seeing how we got secrets now… Do you know anything about what happened to the other group once they went into the dark?” Si: Jacob gets kind of still and quiet for a moment. And he just slowly shakes his head. Si (as Jacob): “Nope. I'm sorry. I don't. Ain't heard nothing. Ain't seen nothing.” Em (as Luce): “What do we do if we find them?” Si (as Jacob): “Help them. If you can.” Em (as Luce): “And if we can't?” Si (as Jacob): “The priority is getting the lights on. Mission first. Help them after.” Em (as Luce): “Right. As long as we're clear. The priority is to flip the switch, and help them second.” Sean (as Danny): “Well, I guess if that's everything…” Si: He walks across the room and opens the next set of doors for you, and looks back. Si (as Jacob): “We're grateful to you. Thank you.” Sean (as Danny): “Ah, be grateful when we come back.” Sean: And fuckin’ Danny will just slap his thighs twice, in the Midwestern indication that it's time to go. Em (as Luce): “You guys go ahead, I'm just gonna ask Jacob something. I'll be right there.” Amelia: Evlan sort of just nods at Luce when she says that, and grabs one of the backpacks, and you know how they have the... I'm going to make up some things about this backpack, but the water bottle holder where you can like, put the buckle around it, basically loops that through the gun and puts it in the water bottle holder on their left side, so it's close and just kind of looks at the other two of you and starts making their way down the hallway. Gina: And as this conversation was happening, Pen was standing by the table and had placed her bright pink backpack that she brought with her on the table, and transferring the things that she brought reluctantly into this other one, making sure everything fits. And as Luce says that she's gonna stay behind Pen, zips up the bag a little too loudly and looks to her. Gina (as Pen): “Don't take too long.” Em (as Luce): “No. No, I don't want to be in this conversation any longer than I have to be.” Gina (as Pen): “Okay.” Gina: And leaving the pink backpack on the table, I sling the new one on my shoulder and follow the others. Si: As you stay behind with Jacob, standing quite close to him now, it, it feels a very different dynamic to your conversation last night, he is a pretty tall guy and you are looking up as he's looking down at you. He's holding the door, and you know him well enough to know that he was doing his very best to be positive and friendly, but not that far behind his eyes as the usual venom at worst, but at best it's a lack of care. A lack of respect. And he just waits. Em (as Luce): “So if I find Francis, what do you want me to do?” Si (as Jacob): “Bring him with you. Keep him close, help him, I… I don't know. I don’t know what you're gonna find out there. If you can help him, then help him, and if he can somehow make his way back here, then I will be very grateful.” Em (as Luce): “If he's dead, I'm going to leave him.” Si (as Jacob): “Yeah. I know.” Em (as Luce): “What if he's not quite either? Not quite alive, but not quite dead either? I need to be very clear on what instructions you have for me. Because if I'm gonna hold up my end of the bargain, I'm gonna need you to hold up your end of the bargain.” Si (as Jacob): “If you can talk with him, if there is a piece of him still there, then he'll know the right thing to do. And he truly is gone, then he’s gone. And there’s nothing we can do. So just do whatever you need. And you don't need to worry about this end. I've got it covered.” Em (as Luce): “Good. And if she comes back and I don't, she falls under the same bargain. Agreed?” Si (as Jacob): “Yeah. Agreed.” Em (as Luce): “Good. I'm glad we're clear.” Em: And I think Luce would look to the guy holding the automatic rifle. Em (as Luce): “So did that just stay here or? Doesn't feel like it could be more useful, you know, doing the thing that people have already failed to do?” Si (as Jacob): “There’s a lot of people here to protect Luce. Lot of people. And there's just no guarantee of anything.” Em (as Luce): “Yeah, well, girl can’t help but ask.” Si (as Jacob): “Yeah.” Em (as Luce): “Okay. Don't do anything stupid.” Si (as Jacob): “Hey, um… Thank you.” Em (as Luce): “You can thank me later.” Em: And Luce walks away. Sean: And just in the time of that conversation as we're all standing by the door, next to these mysterious guards, I think Danny's just sort of tightening the straps on his tool belt that he's wearing. Just looking to Evlan and Penn. Just... Sean (as Danny): “You two thought this through? This is where you want to be?” Amelia (as Evlan): “Yup.” Gina (as Pen): “No place I'd rather.” Amelia (as Evlan): “You?” Sean (as Danny): “Yep. Just if anyone has any doubts, I think this might be the last door. It's okay to turn back.” Amelia (as Evlan): “No, no, I’m good.” Gina (as Pen): “I- If it's- If it's okay with everyone... before we go... Maybe…” Gina: And I think I say this maybe as Luce is walking up to us. Gina (as Pen): “Maybe we could just have a moment together…” Gina: And I hold out my hands to everyone hoping that they'll take the hint and form a circle holding hands with me. Sean: I'll take Pen's hands and extend my hand out to Evlan. Amelia: Evlan kind of looks like they've swallowed a bit of vinegar but are trying to play it off, and takes your hand Danny, and looks out to Luce and holds one out. Em: I think Luce wipes away that more stoicism for a moment, and you just kinda see this cocky grin come over, and she takes Evlan's hand and whoever is next to Evlan in the circle, I'm assuming would probably be Pen. Em (as Luce): “Well, this was not on my bingo card today, but, here we are.” Gina: Then you watch Pen sort of shake her hair back like she's done this before. Gina (as Pen): “I don't know what's out there. And I know you don't either, but for whatever reason, we were chosen for this. And I think that we have the opportunity to do something really important. And I, for one, I'm just so grateful to be able to do that with all of you.” Gina: And I close my eyes, still holding their hands. Gina (as Pen): “And you don't have to use this if you don't want to, but I find mantras to be very comforting in times of stress.” Amelia: Evlan's kind of making like, side-long eye contact with Luce while Pen's eyes are closed. Gina (as Pen): “And I think that this one is especially useful today. ‘There is something in this world that only I can do. And that is why I'm here.’” Sean: I think Pen would feel Danny give her hand a real good squeeze. Gina: I squeeze yours back, and Luce’s, and I open my eyes. Gina (as Pen): “Okay, that's it.” Si: Two heavy bolts slide back across the door, as one of the two people standing here unlocks it from the inside and they pull these metal double doors open. And it doesn't quite open to the outside, but you can see it's the room just before. It opens to a large, empty store, completely stripped of all items and all goods. Several bright strip lights hanging from a discoloured ceiling illuminate rows and rows of empty shelves, stands, tables, clothes-rails and displays. The walls are bare and you can see all the metal brackets and fixings holding things in place, and all the cracks and stains around them. And grey laminate floor covers the space between you and the next door on the opposite side of this large room, made to feel all the more empty by the sheer number of things you know would have filled this place not that long ago. Colour, variety, music, abundance, all the things missing from your lives now, and you knew that it would happen but you cannot help feel that sense of shock and isolation as the doors are shut and bolted the second that you step through them. And across the room you look at the door to the outside, just a simple fire exit, a single layer between relative safety and the unknown, and you see straight away it is badly damaged, there is a huge dent in the metal like it's been struck from the outside by an incredibly heavy object, and the shape of the door has been warped from the force, so it no longer sits perfectly in the frame. And the lights ahead just very gently swing, just moving the shadows under your feet. Em: As we begin to walk across the room, towards the door, Luce would look back at everyone. Em (as Luce): “So Jacob's an ass, but he has kind of a two-pronged reason for sending out another group on the exact same path as the previous one. Y'all remember Francis? His... kinda right hand? Jacob wants him back if he's able to be brought back.” Amelia (as Evlan): “Why?” Em (as Luce): “Family's family. And I will say upfront, I have a vested interest in getting him what he wants.” Sean (as Danny): “What does that mean?” Em (as Luce): “I made a deal with Jacob.” Sean (as Danny): “To do…?” Em (as Luce): “To bring back Francis, if I can.” Sean (as Danny): “What do you get out of that?” Em (as Luce): “My aunt doesn't get left to her own devices.” Amelia (as Evlan): “Oh, shit.” Em (as Luce): “You remember, Joyce. He'll take care of her if I find Francis, and bring him back some news one way or the other.” Sean (as Danny): “Ahhh.” Gina: I think when Luce says to Evelyn, you remember Joyce, she looks at the two of them, confused about this relationship but not saying anything. Pen doesn't know Evlan outside of, really at all. Em: I think Luce would clock that but not acknowledge it, and meet Evlan's eyeline. Em (as Luce): “She's deteriorated a lot, and she started turning on lights, and she tried to break down a barricade, so…” Amelia (as Evlan): ‘So we find Frank.” Em (as Luce): “Yeah.” Sean (as Danny): “If he's on the way. But, we're here to turn on the lights. And, uh, if we meet anyone from the last group, I think they could tell us a lot more than we already know about where we're going. So we'll keep our eyes and ears open, but… I gotta be honest with you, Luce. I'm not holding out hope.” Em (as Luce): “Neither am I.” Gina (as Pen): “But there's always a chance!” Sean (as Danny): “There's always a chance you could win the lottery.” Amelia (as Evlan): “It’s kind of a lot less now that they don't do lotteries anymore.” Gina (as Pen): “I mean, isn't that kind of how we all got… Selected? Technically we won!” Em (as Luce): “And the prize is just behind that door.” Sean (as Danny): “It’s like you said, Pen, there's a job that only we can do and we're doing it. Who wants to crack the door?” Em (as Luce): “Probably the person holding the extra clip.” Em: So Luce would kind of draw her pistol and keep it in her hand. Sean: I think Danny, seeing this, just keeps his big old crowbar in hand, suddenly realizing that he might have to use it, not just to open things, and he doesn't want to show it but he's scared. Amelia: I will get mine kind of to the ready, out of the backpack. Amelia (as Evlan): “It’s probably best not to make too much noise with that thing if we don't have to.” Amelia: Looking at Luce. Em (as Luce): “What, the door or the gun?” Amelia (as Evlan): “Anything.” Em (as Luce): “Noted.” Em: Summoning every amount of restraint and stealth I can muster, Luce would gingerly turn the handle, and go to open the door. Si: There is a very slight squeak in the mechanism as you pull it, but the door opens almost silently, with a pull, and you feel the air from the outside hit your noses with an unpleasant bitterness, like somehow metallic and acidic but without smell. And you feel the air is heavy and charged, like you remember it would get right before a storm. There's an energy that immediately makes you feel unsettled. It feels like being right on the precipice of something. Gina: Does it... Does it feel like my dream? Si: It does, but not quite as intense. You pull the door fully open and the glow from the bright lights in the store behind you cast long shadows of you all standing there in the doorway, silhouetted on the concrete ahead. Shadows that stretch out into an alleyway and disappear into the oppressive darkness beyond. It's a side exit leading to a larger street. There's a dumpster, a rusting ladder, scattered debris, and a few short steps to whatever lies beyond. Just round a corner. This is it. Em: Do we have a sense of how long, if given absolutely no impediment, and not being in the middle of apocalypse, how long this journey should take? Si: I think you do. It's barely a mile, maybe a mile and a half. Twenty minutes on foot. Em: We take our first steps out the door. I think marching order would be Luce, probably Evlan, Danny, then Pen? Amelia: I’m going to turn on the timer on my watch as soon as we cross the threshold outside. Si: Do you close the door behind you after you step through? Em: Yes. Gina: If I'm last, I will. I'll try, anyway. Si: You push it closed, and it clicks. Gina: And I think as I do that, when I hear it click, and I realize that everyone else has a weapon except for me. And I reach into my backpack and I take out the little stuffed frog that I brought with me, and just hold it in my hand, and I squeeze it really tight, and I fall back in line with the others. Si: It is eerily still. The thinnest line of light frames the door behind you in the darkness. And you wait for a moment to let your eyes adjust, listening to the sounds of your breathing. But that is not the only noise. For first time in so long, you no longer hear the buzzing of bright lights, but you hear a cacophony of noise in the distance, coming from multiple directions all across the city. Harsh creaking metal, cracking cement, immensely heavy items scraping against each other like the internal frames of buildings are being stretched and warped and pushed to the verge of collapse. Their echoes overlap and bounce off each other, creating a terrifying blanket of sound just off in the distance, rumbling and threatening. And your first steps forward bring you out of this side alley and onto the main street, and most of you witness, for the first time, the true nightmarish version of the world as it is now. Amidst the heavy gloom, it's the sky that grabs your attention first. An enormous swirling vortex of energy and darkness crackling with unpredictable lightning energy, and moving in a way that seems to be simultaneously consuming everything around it whilst also erupting in perpetual violent explosion. The city around you is blanketed in shades of grey, but there is a faint sickly glow to this dimensional rift above, and it casts a hint of bluish green across some reflective surfaces. It's dark but not pitch black, kind of like a night sky above a big city full of light pollution. But there are immense shadows that stretch across the ground and that climb up the walls of buildings. Shadows not cast by objects or the absence of light, but that seem to exist in their own right. With the darkest shade of black that almost conceals the surfaces that they rest upon. And for Pen, for Luce, and for Danny, seeing the reality of what's left of the world outside for the first time, the darkness, the nothingness, the incomprehensible sound, and the nausea you feel from the reverberations that hit you. It grips you like nothing you've ever experienced before. And so I'd like the three of you to make a resistance roll, please, with your resolve. Sean: Oh boy. [dice clatter] Em: I rolled 2d6, my highest was a five, so I took one stress. Sean: Yeah, I rolled a three, which means Danny’s taking three stress. Danny is visibly shaken, and for a pretty spry old guy, he’s suddenly, just looks quite small and quite old in the darkness here. Gina: I rolled 3d6, my highest was a six, and so I take no stress as I squeeze so tightly that little frog in my hand. And seeing Danny shrink a little bit, I hold it out to him. Gina (as Pen): “It helps.” Sean: I think Danny might just take your other free hand, and just sort of walk with you as quietly as he can. Si: The cityscape before you is heavily scarred with damage. If you didn't know better you might think this had been a war zone. There are partially collapsed buildings, walls that have caved in with bricks and rubble scattered. Over-turned vehicles lie motionless in the street, huge scrape marks are gouged into walls. And there are small craters in the concrete peppered all over the ground. And across this tableau, even with the chaos and the carnage that took place here, there's still just a strange look to it. It looks so unfamiliar. Everything has been starved of colour, and now exists in monotone shades. Abandoned cars look untouched and almost pristine somehow, as if dust has not been permitted to settle. And there is constant movement as a black mist, like a viscous liquid, rolls and lurches just above the ground. As you stand taking all of this in and look up the street, what do you do? Em: I think Luce has got their eyes peeled for any signs of the path, or tracks, or remnants of the group that came before. Especially if we're trying to, not necessarily retrace their footsteps, but better their footsteps. Si: As you get your first good look at the path ahead of you in the city, and what you're dealing with, it is immediately apparent that what might have been a straightforward journey has been made complicated by the sheer level of damage to the buildings around you. Where there might have been alleyways is now piles of rubble and brick, whole buildings just kind of toppled over onto their side. But amongst all of the debris and the chaos of what lays in front of you, it's difficult to see any evidence of the first group, yet it's also incredibly easy to see which way they went. Because at this particular juncture, you don't have a lot of options. You know that the library is northeast from here. You’ve seen the map, and know you could head north up the street, turn at the junction and just make your way down. It might have been an easy or even sensible thing to cut through. But the city is not like it used to be. Things seem to be teetering on the edge of collapse. And there seems to be one way through. And that is this wide open street ahead of you, littered with overturned cars, collapsed shopfronts, unpredictable fog and shadow, and a large junction up ahead. Em: Before we cross the street in the intersection, we kind of gather us all at the edge of the alley. And I kind of point out some places we can move to, things that we can hide behind. Rather than just taking a straight shot up the street, and I kind of look at everyone, trying to say as little as possible, just kind of being like, do we wanna, with actions, do we wanna head straight up the middle or do we wanna skirt as best we can? Sean: I think Danny's gonna, just summin' up as much of his sense as he can, and whisper very quietly, Sean (as Danny): “We gotta be like little mouses. We gotta keep out of the open as much as possible. Stay low, stay quiet, yeah?” Em (as Luce): “Yeah. Good.” Sean (as Danny): “Little mouses. Okay.” Sean: And, and he's- he's gonna, start heading, really hugging to whatever cover he can find. Especially hugging close to- just like, if we can, just move along, like, the side of, like, big old buildings until there's some sort of rubble in the way, um, just trying to be as small as possible in this, torn up landscape. Em: Luce would usher Pen and Evlan behind Danny, and then take up the rear. Si: How does Evlan feel, being back outside in very different circumstances? Amelia: There is always the exhilaration of fear every time Evlan steps outside. But there is, I don't know, I imagine the way that people who are like, adrenaline junkies who do extreme sports or climbing or um, skydiving, where there is also a calm to knowing what you're doing, or at least feeling secure, and that's paired with the knowledge that Evlan has no idea what could possibly be waiting, or how any of this could react to the four of them, and is also keeping their eyes, I think Luce is looking for paths. They're looking for sounds, distortions, that feeling of static before something happens. And probably, if they're right behind Pen, seeing how scared she was, just like, guiding as much as they can, Danny and Pen, as they start moving. But, there is definitely a kind of excitement to be able to do this, to have a task to do out here. And Evlan is just also convinced that they are all going to die, but trying to postpone that for as long as they can. Si: Evlan would have realized when you stepped outside, coming so closely off that experience they had the night before, listening out for the sounds and the static that… It felt further away. As Evlan stepped outside, I think they probably felt reassured in a way, that those sounds in the city, the creaks and the groans, and that electrical charge in the atmosphere, didn't hit them like it did before the… It’s more manageable here. It's impossible to understand, and frightening always. I think Evelyn walks with a level of confidence because of their previous experience with this. Amelia: I think as we start moving, especially once we get to a point where we can no longer just like, hug the side of the building, when it gets to a point where we have to cross into an open area to find cover elsewhere, I think Evelyn just, not necessarily intentionally or actively, sort of pulls to the front, and just like, kind of goes for it. And that, I don't know, everyone was dealing with their own things, especially the sensory overload of stepping out into this place. But Evlan was not bothered as intensely. They're used to this, and they're not like, trying to show off, but they're also not pretending to hide anything, if that makes sense. They just seem like a little on edge, but not nearly as much as like, Danny or Pen, and is moving in the same way you would move if you were a teenager who was out late at night, and were trying to sneak out and back into your parents' house without them noticing. Sean: And I think as Evlan takes the lead, Danny is just real glad that, um, I think there's an element of him thinking like, okay, we gotta keep everyone safe, but seeing some level of confidence in this space, Danny's just like watching where Evlan is moving, stepping where they step, and is just glad that somebody feels like they know what they're doing here, so he doesn't have to be that guy. Si: I think you all clock the level of confidence that Evlan is showing here as they move forward and guide you. And with the horrifying sounds of the city filling the air, you can only just hear the soft sound of your shoes as you move carefully. The sky flickers with that lightning energy above you, and in the distance you see the silhouette of gnarled trees, long dead, buildings that used to house so many people, and now it all sits like exhibits in a museum of an extinct world. And as you move along the street, you also realize you are not casting any shadows, not even a trace. And it's not just you. Vehicles, buildings, signs. It's not pitch black, but it's incredibly dark and gloomy. It's a constant hazy grey. It paints everything in this near monochrome. And there are shadows, intense pockets that seem so very dark, but they don't seem to follow the usual rules, they're not attached to objects, they're not rooted in place, they shift position and shift in shape and size. And there's something else you notice too. Moving along the street you see some shop fronts and businesses, tall office blocks and a number of abandoned vehicles. But for those that are still intact, none of the windows are clear and see-through. The panes of glass are cloudy, opaque, like imperfect crystal, not reflective. They don't even look hard to the touch. They look almost like… A liquid. Like something kind of weird and goopy. Strangely held in place in a frame. And as you walk past… I wonder whether any of you might be just curious enough to touch it? Amelia: I think Evlan would. I think, you know, kind of breaking off and moving ahead. And I don't think they're even processing it, I feel moving through this space, they got maybe a little bit too cocky or a little too comfortable, and once they realize, once they connect that specifically, that none of the glass works, they just reach out before they process that that's what they're doing. And just sort of as we're ducking behind a car, just like tapping the metal of the side mirror. Si: Your fingers touch the glass, or what used to be. You feel it give way like a sponge, like soft and cold at your fingertips. You can push your hand in, and it stretches with you like putty, and springs back as you withdraw your hand, and a residue comes off on your fingertips, of goopy and sticky, but very quickly hardens like wax, and kind of cracks and flakes. And as you look at your hand, you can see the veins in your fingers and your palm distinctly darkened for a moment, become almost blackened and rise to the surface under your skin. And you feel a hot pressure underneath them, before it returns to normal and you can kind of scrape what's left of that residue off, and are left with just this tingling sensation, and that mirror that you'd pushed returns to normal like you never touched it. Amelia: I think having gone ahead, I think they're just kind of crouching there, bending their fingers, trying to look over their hand. Just thinking about that. You guys saw Evlan touch the mirror, when you get up there they're certainly distracted by whatever is on their hand. Sean: I think Danny, following right behind you, will just pull up and just offer you silently one of his, like, oil rags that he keeps on him to wipe the hand off. Amelia: Yeah, I'll just kind of take it and then look for like, kind of wipes it, but then there's like oil now on their hand, and finds like, a cleaner part and hands it back. The glass is weird. Si: You keep moving up the street hugging the sides of the building and eventually get to the crossroad, and the road stretches out in front of you in multiple directions giving you, for the first time a full view, not just of the sky above, but the rolling hills to the west, used to be a scenic backdrop framing a picture perfect cityscape, now is a picture of blight, where there are clusters of slick oil-like patches marking the hills, and long lines of fault and fracture splitting them at unnatural angles. But the other way, about a hundred and fifty feet to the east down the street, you see your first checkpoint. The city library. Pale, neoclassical architecture sitting amongst the grey concrete jungle, with its tall columns, huge slabs of stone, and a domed ceiling that has partially collapsed in on one side. And you can see even from this distance, there's an upturned car outside it, halfway up its front steps. Next to where you stand on the corner of this intersection is an antique and old furniture store. Most of the front of the building has collapsed outwards, leaving all of the items inside somehow intact, silently resting in shades of monotonous grey in the gloom. And just inside, what used to be the door facing out towards you, is an upright ornate mirror, freestanding with a thick wooden frame, with golden paint flaking and peeling. And you see a kind of movement in the glass of the mirror, not like the kind of strange, opaqueness of what you just passed, but something different, not something reflected in it, but movement within the glass itself. It shimmers like water, and there's a faint noise emanating from its direction, somewhere between a hum and a ring. A bit like the noise of a tuning fork recently struck, but existing at some unworldly frequency that's uncomfortable to hear. And I think Pen, within that noise, you hear a voice calling out. Something familiar but… Difficult to identify. Like somebody calling out to you from a different room. Gina (as Pen): “Do you hear that?” Amelia (as Evlan): “What do you hear?” Gina (as Pen): “It sounds like... “ Gina: Do I recognize the voice? Si: It sounds like family. It sounds like your mom. Gina (as Pen): “Mom?” Gina: Can I, can I tell where, is it coming from the mirror? Si: Sounds like it, yeah. Gina: I… My eyes are trained on that mirror, but I sort of reach out sort of blindly to find Luce. Gina (as Pen): “Do hear that? Do you hear mom?” Em (as Luce): “It’s not mom.” Gina (as Pen): “It sounds, it sounds like her.” Em (as Luce): “It’s not mom, Pen. She’s not here. It’s not mom.” Si: And Pen, you feel a sense of calm and comfort just taking one step in its direction, your heart rate slows a little, and you're breathing with it, and your muscles relax. And you're able to… Breathe clearly, and think clearly again. The aching in your shoulders from the tension goes away. And you look to the face of this mirror, and it's like nothing you've ever seen, the way that the glass is moving and shimmering, it's like looking at the surface of a vast ocean. And as you move in its direction, part of your reflection comes into view, but it is warped and horrifying, not so much a reflection, but a window into another place, some nightmarish hellscape. A wasteland of crackling energy erupting from a ground of shimmering oil slicks and gaping fault lines as far in the distance as you can see, and the skies burning black fire and huge shadows drift across a barren desert, where the silhouette of a city skyline sits on the horizon. It's like looking at the place that you're in, but in a different way. Like a snapshot into the future, where things are somehow worse and there is nothing left. In the foreground looking back at you, is you. But, not you. You see your features, same clothes that you're wearing right now, same shape and structure of your face. But your skin looks pale and blotchy and cracked, your lips colourless, your eyes wide and… Monstrous looking. You can't even see distinct pupils within intensely dark irises. You see veins, grey and dark, showing through the pale skin. And a thick, black tar-like liquid is oozing slowly from the corner of its mouth and its eyes. And then you notice there's a piece of their skull missing on the left side, it's instead just a hole, and you feel the air turn cold between you and the mirror and start to feel a numbness in your face. And for everyone else, within just a few seconds as Pen moves towards the front of this shop, and you see them stand before this mirror, and you feel the shift in the air around them, because you see tiny particles begin to drift off her skin and off her clothes, almost like they're evaporating. And they airily lift into the air and float towards the mirror, more and more particles of skin rise into the air like a drifting cloud. It'll happen so quickly and they get sucked into the mirror, and you start to see black oily substance begin to drip like a tear from the corner of Pen's eye and just run down her face. Begins to ooze from her ears. Em: Can I do something in this moment, as I catch it? Si: Yes, you can. Em: I think seeing my sister have this happen to her, this call came for specifically her, trying to play on her compassion and desire for connectedness. I would close the distance in a few quick steps, wrap my arm around her waist, pull her out of the way, and simultaneously as I'm kind of moving out of do this, I would grab the large knife out of my boot, not wanting to make too much of a sound, and I would stab straight into the mirror. Si: You stride forward, grab Pen, yank her away from this clear danger, and smash the front of the mirror, and it shatters and all of the pieces of glass fall to the floor and scatter around your feet, and you pull Pen away, and as you do, you notice something on the face of the mirror. Like shattering the glass has opened a different window. And you all notice a dark shadow move across its face. Not a reflection of this time, but something beyond it, something within it. An ominous block of shadow in the distance, warped desert hellscape beyond, block of shadow that starts moving towards you, getting bigger as it gets closer, and it somehow also becomes darker and darker as it moves and you see it begins to take a more tangible form, no longer just a shadow as it sprouts limb-like appendages on multiple sides and starts scuttling across the ground like a spider, limbs kicking up dust and rocks moving incredibly fast. Then you start to feel a low vibration in your feet, reverberation in the air, sickeningly low rumble, and it makes you instantly feel nauseous, makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up, and the mirror begins to ripple with a pulse vibrating faster and faster, it begins to shake, and then the whole building begins to shake, knocking you backwards with the force. The noise of the city around you begins to rise in a crescendo. Those scrapes and groans, the buildings all around you. And then something begins to swell on the surface of the mirror like a wave. And something begins to push from the other side, like it's trying to get through. It bulges and swirls like a water balloon filling up close to bursting. And you see cracks begin to appear on the surface, and then you hear a new noise. Something deep, guttural and warped. As an otherworldly screech from beyond the surface of this world hits you. Threatens to burst your eardrums as the noise rises, and the vibrations get more and more intense as the mirror looks like it's ready to burst. Sean: I think Danny just grabs the two of them by their backpacks and just says, Sean (as Danny): “We gotta go, girls!” Sean: And starts pushing them towards the library. Em: Luce would find her feet as Danny is pulling them backward and breaks off into a run. Gina (as Pen): “What happened? What happened?” Em (as Luce): “We're running. We're just running.” Si: With every ounce of energy you can muster, you run. Pen, you have not fully regained a level of consciousness and awareness here as you were pulled away by Luce. You were hit with a blinding light, just a flash that took your vision for a moment, and it was like you were standing in a dream, somehow you have this incredibly clear vision of a memory. So vivid. In that second you were in your childhood bedroom, and Luce was at the door, and you were packing for a trip, and you could hear your parents calling down the corridor, and you knew that they were just through the door and all you needed to do was just step through, and you would be with them. And you felt such an overwhelming sense of love and comfort. It felt so close. And you just… You knew that they were just there. Gina (as Pen): ‘They’re right there. They’re okay.” Si: But you are yanked down the street as the four of you run as fast as you are able to. Muscles struggle and strain with the movement. You do not run these days. It is not something that you are practiced in, and everything aches and burns as you run, but you run towards the library. It's not far, maybe thirty seconds down the street, and you can see the front door to it at the top of a short set of steps. But behind you a huge piercing explosion cuts through the noise. An explosion of broken glass, splintered wood and the scattering of objects rings out. As you glance back to see a massive shadow crackling with energy bursts out onto the street. A wave of slick black oil spills across the concrete and immediately a harsh bitter smell fills the air all around you, and you almost choke. And amongst the massive dark energy that erupted from the mirror, a monstrous form begins to emerge, climbing through it like a portal, a creature of shadow. Ten feet, maybe twelve feet tall, multiple thin spider-like appendages that end in devastatingly sharp points, and a central mass of swirling particles and dripping black oil that extends to a head only partly formed, morphing and changing, almost as a reflection of the environment around it. A great creeping and roiling shadow looms before it, moving ahead of it, somehow both detached and connected. So dark it seems to swallow up the ground. And in a flash it rushes towards you, scurrying across the ground impossibly fast. Almost like it's floating, yet you see the road beneath it is cracking and crumbling with stone flying everywhere. But you're running and you're running fast, and you reach the steps of the library on your left feeling the ground shake as the creature is gaining on you and you know you only have a few seconds. And you see something on the ground ahead a little way past the entrance. It's a pistol. Must have been dropped by the first group. Another weapon might really come in handy, but you'd have to break away to grab it. But the door is just up the steps on your left. So what do you all do? Em: Luce would have been running, and if she would have spotted the pistol bounding up the stairs, would yanked open the library door, and made a dive for the pistol, turning around, aiming the gun she does have on the creature, to make sure that everyone would get inside, and if she needs to get a shot off to do it it's worth it at this point, and would follow, the aim would be to get everyone inside, follow, fire a couple shots off if I need to, grab the pistol and go inside. Amelia: If I can add on to that? Em: Yeah. Amelia: So, if you were running up with Pen, I think if as you yank open that door and presumably push her inside, Evlan is going to stand in the open door if they see you make a move for that pistol, and get their gun fired on whatever you're going to shoot at. Sean: Danny, for what it's worth, is just getting in the door, and is fully figuring out like how to lock this thing, and if he can barricade it with the fucking heavy-ass crowbar that he's got on him. But he won't do it until everyone's through. Gina: I think the only thing you hear of Pen as she's pushed through that door, is just her saying over and over and over again, Gina (as Pen): “I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I'm sorry!” Si: You charge up the short set of steps to the library entrance, slam into the doors, and pull them open. It takes some force, as something seems like it’s half barricading it from the other side. And so I think we will, I think I'm gonna need an action role to see just how quickly you can get the library door open to get people to safety. Sean: Can I pry that sucker open? Si: Hell yeah. Sean: I got a tool, I got a door, this is what I do! Si: So whoever was kind of taking point on the door will make the action check. can use whichever skill you think is most applicable here, maybe a wreck or a skirmish or one of the physical actions. Sean: I feel, is this not a tinker? I got a tool, I got a door, this is what I do! Boom! Ah, Danny gets the door, tries, and it doesn't have the right give, and it's, it opens out, yeah? Si: Yes. Sean: Yeah, so uh, he's done this before, getting the, the pry bar in there, and just crack, I think it's a tinker. Come on, baby, this is what I was born for! Si: Now to remind everyone of how action rolls work, we’re going to take the single highest value, regardless of how many dice that you roll, a six is a success, a four or a five is a partial success, and a one through three is a failure. If somebody is helping Danny, then by all means, please do say how you're helping, and if you want to push yourself and take the stress to add to your dice pool, absolutely can do that as well. Em: I will take a stress to help Danny as I see him start to lean into this crowbar. I kind of push my weight into him, to help with the physics of it, and use that to roll myself over towards where the pistol is, and that's how I help. So I'll take a stress to do that. Sean: And I think Danny in this situation, not gonna be pushing himself. I think this is a real like, we got one shot at this, smooth as fast kind of vibe. He like takes a second as coolly as he can to make sure it's in just the right place. And then with Luce's help, he's gonna give her a go. Come on, big money, big mo- oh no, a four? Si: Partial success. Luce, you charge up the steps. Lean your weight into Danny and help him pry the door open. You're hoping for this to be rapid, but it just takes a little bit longer than you wanted. You know you have precious seconds. And just as you feel the door give, you turn towards the pistol and dive down off the side of the steps, hitting the concrete hard, but within reach of it. And you grab it, and the adrenaline coursing through you makes it feel almost weightless as you pick it up and you spin back around to see the creature descend upon you, its shadow looming over the whole space around you. It gets closer and closer, and this scuttling monster of darkness, bigger than a car, lunges forward. And with it this close, you finally see its face, or its head, or whatever it is. It is morphing in shape, shifting, blending into smoke and shadow before revealing itself in flashes, its terrifying bone and skull fragments and multiple jaws biting into themselves, dripping with a black ooze down onto the ground. And occasionally just in flashes, the face becomes long and protruding with pincer-like growths extending from it, and then warps to reflect your face back at you. In flashes so quick it feels like you imagined it. And as it moves, darting black lightning shoots out around it like a snake's tongue, tasting the air. And you realise you're about to be isolated from the others, and you have one chance to get this right. What does Luce do? Em: I grab the pistol, shove it in my new jacket that Pen made for me. I whip around, grit my teeth, and I think to myself as I see my own face flash across this creature, I was never that much to look at anyway. And I'm gonna push myself and I'm gonna take a shot and aim for the head. Si: Make an action roll. Em: I also have my ability that we came up with at the beginning called Loose Cannon, which is when I take a desperate action, I can add one d, or one die, to my roll, but I have to do one dice less on any resistance that comes from the consequences. So at this point, I'm looking at, I'm assuming this would be a skirmish roll or a finesse roll since I am aiming for the head, both of which I have proficiency in, and I'm already taking two stress. So that's adding one bonus die. And I am going to use my ability here. Si: Hell yeah. Em: So that's three dice. And I'm going to take finesse, since I called a shot. Si: Okay. Em: [deep breath] Of those three dice, two ones and a six. [everyone exhales tightly and chuckles nervously in awe] Amelia: Crazy. Gina: That feels so on brand for Luce. Em: Loose cannon, baby. Si: There is a rippling in the air around you as the shot finds its target. A bassy reverberation. One single shot. Center mass. And you feel the kick of the pistol and you immediately see two of its legs give way beneath it, dropping down it tumbles forward into the street and it's just this most horrifying internal scream from within that causes electricity and lightning to spark and crackle loudly around it, and a burst of oily liquid just sprays out into the air as all of its limbs give way and the creature collapses onto the ground, twitching, this huge mound of darkness and shadow and mist and oil. There's a pulse of something deep and bassy as it falls, which feels like a minor tremor under your feet, and residual flickers of lightning energy still spark within its central mass like misfiring connections. Its true shape is still hard to see with any clarity as shadows, smoke and particles swirl around and drift off it. And with the sound of the gunshot ringing out, and the noise bouncing as an echo across the city, you start to hear for the first time new sounds in the distance, amongst the creaking and the groaning of the city you hear crashing, scraping, the sound of large objects being moved. Impacts, like things have been alerted. Or woken up. Em: Seeing the creature hit the floor, I would scramble as fast as I could up the stairs making sure I have the pistol, and get inside. Si: You charge through the door. Em: I'd move Evlan around with me, kind of looping an arm around them and using their momentum and their weight to help slam the door shut behind us. Amelia: And I'm ready as you're running up. This isn't the first time we've made a quick escape. Si: The door slams too, and as the echo of the door slam fades, you’re left in silence, until you hear as you step back in the gloom, something sloshes beneath your feet. And you feel your shoes get wet as you step into a large puddle. and the smell hits you as your brain catches up to your senses. And you look down to see slumped on the ground behind the door is a body. Or what remains of one, and it unceremoniously tumbles to the side with a splash as the door closes. A severed arm and a severed leg sit resting a few feet away, in this room full of blood, and the body has been sliced from chin to waist so deeply that the skin has frayed outwards like paper curling under a flame, hardened like a crust. This whole room is a mess of blood and guts strewn across the walls, the ceiling, almost machine-like gouging through flesh. And all you hear is your fast heavy breathing as you all catch your breath, looking at each other in the gloom. Em: Afterlight is performed by Amelia Som as Evlan, Em Carlson as Luce, Gina Susanna as Pen, Sean Depner as Danny, and Si Rutherford as Game Master. The voice of Francis is Jannes Wessels. Special thanks to our campaign artists. Hannah Harder, who did our cover design, and Lesly Oh, who did our character portraits. Editing, sound design and original music by Si Rutherford. For more stories, come follow us everywhere at @blackwaterdnd, and make sure you check out our Main Campaign on Monday nights at 8pm PST at twitch.tv/blackwaterdnd, as well as our library of campaigns on both youtube and your favourite podcast platform. This show is made possible by our sponsors, who really should have reminded us to bring a torch for this journey out into the endless dark. We are grateful to be sponsored by Evil Hat Productions, publishers of Blades in the Dark, along with other incredible titles such as Monster of the Week, Thirsty Sword Lesbians, Scum & Villiany, Girl by Moonlight, and so many more. With compelling mechanics, stunning art, and rich lore for whatever world you choose to bring towards the apocalypse, head on over to evilhat.com to shed some light on new games to bring to your table. This show is also sponsored by Bookwyrm Games, a Canadian tabletop company bringing you the finest in gaming essentials and accessories. Activate your senses with candles, tea, and coffee to help set the scene in your campaign, ensure your party is rolling with stellar dice at a custom table, or leave the adventure to them with their series of Quest Chests and Quest Coins. Whatever you need to bring your table to the next level, Chester the Dragon and the folks at Bookwrym have you covered. Check them out over at bookwyrmgames.com and let them know Blackwater sent you. Finally, we’re thankful for our Patrons for joining us on this journey outside the Safe Zone. You too can come join us on patreon, where you can check out behind the scenes info, our talkbacks, exclusive Afterlight content and so much more. Head on over to patreon.com/blackwaterdnd for all the info. See you next time, and keep the lights on!