Chapter One: Welcome to Longford House | Sagas of Sundry: Darkling Gate | Call of Cthulhu

Every great house has a door, no one opens. A passageway, no one goes down. A story, everyone is agreed not to tell. Perhaps this house is no different. And in the autumn of 1816, one family will find out why. Because perhaps beyond this threshold, something is waiting for them. This is Saugas of Sundry, Darkling Gate. It is currently the year of our Lord 2,026. But one hundred years ago, in 1926, an absolute weirdo by the name of Howard Phillips Lovecraft wrote a story entitled The Call of Cthulhu about people exposing themselves to dark truths at the center of our universe and being driven mad and destroyed as a result. Now, 110 years before that, in 1816, another author produced a book by the name of Emma. Now, this was published anonymously. It was published by, as the author of Pride and Prejudice. We, of course, know that this author was Jane Austen. Now, Jane Austen dedicated this book to a particular man, a man whose father was at that time undergoing what I might refer to as a bout of madness, about a madness that it'd be going on for quite some time. Because this mad man in question was King George III. And his son, George, had assumed the duties of a king, but not the title. He was the Prince Regent. The king was mad. We have a Regent. And that is why we refer to this era as the Regency. So madness permeates the Regency. And it may be about to descend on another group of low-craftian investigators. - Not me. - Not me? Not me. I'm going to stay sane. So yes, please prepare yourselves to voyage into the unknown. This is Saga's of Sundry Darkling Gate. I am your keeper of Arcane lore, Ross Bryant. You are cordially invited to join us. I am so, so delighted to be here. And I'm particularly delighted to be here with this amazing cast of players. Please, players, introduce yourselves. My name is Nora Ibrahim, and I'm playing Orelia Montgomery. Hi, I'm Paula Demi, and I am playing Arabella Montgomery. Hi, my name is Nicole Maines. I am playing Museum Curator Kitty Lock. Hello, I'm Oscar Montoya, and I'm playing Augustus Montgomery. [LAUGHTER] Wait for it. Oh, there it is. I have to do it to them. Why simply must do it to them every now and then? Yes, we're pulling up on you right now with the Darkling Gate. And it couldn't be Jane Austen and sort of read and see. If we didn't have some characters that were related by blood. And as we were doing character creation, it seems like a few of you had this idea. And we got not just one set of siblings, but I guess not one set of two siblings, but one set of three siblings? Yes, we're one set, and there are three of us. One set of three. Otherwise, no one is tripping. Yes, triplets? We got triplets, folks. Wonderful. And also, Miss Kitty Lock, who you've described as a museum curator. Yeah, a modern day career woman. Yes, a modern day career woman. This is a particularly odd career for anyone to have, but Kitty in particular. Now, as we kind of created these characters, we wanted to evoke a family. You all are members of the Montgomery family. As we know, a family that has had great expectations but has fallen upon some hard times. You, the Montgomery's, are connected by blood to a much larger family. A family tree with branches that extend far and wide. And you thought that you might be on the verge of inheriting a property that you stood to inherit. But unfortunately, the male heir who stood to be entailed to the property was indisposed at the time of the passing of patriarch. And unfortunately, Augustus was so close to Death's door that some legal chicanery took place. And some relatives of yours disinherited you, lost your home. Sorry, y'all. Hi, Sweetie. Sweetie, no. But as luck would have it, as luck would have it, another distant relative, Cornelius Longford, has also passed away. And entailed in his will as a codicill, providing for the upkeep of your family. You have been rather gifted a cottage on the grounds of Longford House, in Terryford, in the south of England. It's on a more near the little village of Terryford and also near the Wishtwood, a beautiful old-growth, open forest full of moss-covered boulders and winding bent trees. You haven't been in Terryford that long. You've come here to establish yourselves in the cottage. And I'm curious right off the bat, just how the Montgomery's are maintaining themselves. What do you think you call your little home? Your modest cottage. And I say cottage and disinheritance. But you were all still members of the gentry. You were not landed. But you probably still have the funds to maintain. A household in a servant, if you wanted to. What do you think you call your cottage? Should it be something to do with Archie? Oh, I don't know. Archibald Manor. Is it a manor? What's it called it like? It's a cottage. What is it like a Bridgeton season four cottage? Like a one cottage. And it's like a castle. It's a large house for a Los Angeles, probably. Oh, yeah. It's a house that would cost $6 million. Yes, it's a bit blusterily. That's a one bedroom. Yeah, yeah, so a bungalow. I want to say a nice two-story, gembrill-roofed cottage. Should it be Archibald House? I love Archibald House. That's a nice way to honor him. Archibald House, a beautiful dedication. A beautiful, beautiful dedication, Airevella Montgomery, to your deceased older brother, who passed away of consumption when you were still children. Archibald, he's in your thoughts often. Your play together, your revels together. He was an energetic and boisterous youth within imagination, just exploding with ideas. And you had a wonderful, rich, imaginative life as children playing together in your household. And in fact, there was a whole cast of characters that you would play as and with and landscapes that you would explore strange kingdoms. You would pay tribute to, in your imaginations, as little ones. But of course, you were now all in your early 20s. So the time has come, perhaps, to set aside childish things and establish a household of your own. None of you are married. And if your prospects are going to improve, a marriage has got to have to go. And go, yes. Because not everybody can rely on a personal income of commerce and trade and business as some of us. As we establish in our sort of prelude, Miss Kitty Lark is the child of George Lark, who was a collector, a praser, a choir of antiquities and an object to art from around England and truly around Europe and beyond. Yes. And I think probably bringing things in for all sorts of clients. But in particular, Cornelius Longford, the late Cornelius Longford. Shame, though. Shame. Your father, George, has since passed, of course. But you maintain, I think, a little cabinet of curiosities of your own, of some of the delightful things that you have acquired over your time in business. But you are also looked after, because your father was so important to the estate of Cornelius Longford. And I think you have a house in Teraford that has maintained as well. And perhaps your museum, so to speak, is part of this private residence, where you keep some beautiful curios. Perhaps you dream of setting up somewhere far from Teraford one day, maybe in London or elsewhere. But for the moment, you are here. I want to say that you all know each other. And because you are all relatively new to establishing yourself here in Teraford, perhaps you've formed some camaraderie here as newcomers to a tightly-packed community that goes back generations that is maybe a little bit suspicious of outsiders. Longford House itself, the property to which Archibald Cottage is on the grounds. Is a stately residence in the classic "Georgian" style there on the moor. And all you know of it is, it is an imposing dark structure there on the moor. And you have heard, you have heard, that it has come under the ownership of a distant, very distant cousin of yours by the name of Jonathan Dartmoor. It is strange, you're not knowing really much of anything about the Dartmoor side of the family. And now soon we'll be meeting him. Why does he get to come in and hair it's everything? Why don't you and hair it's anything? Yes. Oh, sorry, did you mention it? Did you say that or it's getting applied? It's gravely ill, you'll know that. Yeah, but you're better now. Why is he here to just come in and she's, like, clumsily playing the piano? I would assume, like, in a part, in a role in the parlor, and she's. Keep practicing, dear. Well, I think legally it's probably quite hard to re-enherit someone once they've been disenherited. Once a decision has been made, it's hard to retract sent decision. You have to understand they all but thought you did. Yes. It is quite miraculous. You may touch shit as soon as I. Not contagious in any way, I've recovered fully. No, it's just that you're so frail, sad, and your hair. Yes, it's gone quite white. Have I become the focus of the conversation? Yes! Yes, it seems. It seems like us as you have become the focus of the conversation. It is on your account, perhaps, that the family finds itself in these straights. You were a soldier at one point. You fought, it seems, in the peninsula campaign, in the Napoleonic Wars. And you became ill on campaign. And you kind of came here to recover. You have made a rather miraculous recovery here within the environs of Terryford. And I want to say that perhaps you maybe came here first. Maybe to just kind of take the more air. And the recovery has been speeding. But still, your exposure to this disease, which I think some of your comrades in the service, are suspicious of its legitimacy. That you may be just used this illness as an excuse to desert. I've heard the whispers. But you have made a recovery and you are here, but you are much changed. We've already heard that your hair has gone rather white. Did it happen overnight or bit by bit? I had red hair and I woke up the next day to find all of it and shocking white. All of it. But as soon as my hair turned white, I started feeling much better. I stopped coughing as much and I was able to walk around. Oh. It's a small price to pay for my health. Fascinating to be so close to death and then suddenly just all right again. It is miraculous. It's a good thing that you're better. It is a miracle because we have to get married, you know. Yes, and then having you around does help, of course. You can help facilitate that. Oh, Katie's not married. You seem to be doing well this. And all the better for it. Ms. Lark grew up in quite a different way than we did. I don't know that you feel the expectations of society upon you in the way the rest of us know. Of course not, because I'm solely capable by myself. Yes, but you have a career where you barely have a dowry left. Shema, it is. It is indeed. And it seems as though you're speaking around it, the relative kind of misfortunes. And social instability of your positions is perhaps another reason for your camaraderie. You mentioned walking earlier. I'm curious, do you keep a servant? Probably one or two. Great. I would think. Even in sense and sensibility, they have two servants. Even if people say if we did it. We're quite destitute. We can only keep two servants. I'm not going to put you on the spot too much right now, but can you tell me the name of one of your servants? I think Pippin ought to be here as well, was one of my father's crew, who's perhaps traveled with me since his passing. Interesting, a friend of yours, great. Perhaps we could put him to work in a small, small stable. The one stall we have, maybe. He is a petite lad. I don't know. I don't want to presume that he's looking for work at our tiny cottage. Okay, great. So you've got someone working in your stable, Pippin, a former crewmate of your fathers. Any housekeeper? Mrs. Potts. Mrs. Potts. Mrs. Potts. She's a tea catalogue. Angela Lanzberry. That's okay, right? Oh, yeah. Oh, absolutely. Some firsts said Mary. I like Mary with her first name. Potts last name. Mrs. Mary with her potts. Yeah. Yeah. Okay, more. Okay. Okay, look at that. B-O-D-T-S. And perhaps as the sound of your piano forte practice is sort of clunking through the house. And we hear you evoking walking. Perhaps Mrs. Mary with her potts comes bustling into the parlor here. It's like, "But before the sun goes down, I hope you might take a constitutional for your own sake." I need you out of the place if I'm going to tidy up at all. All right. Then we have to miss Potts. Shall we all go for a walk? Well, I suppose so. My fingers are getting tired. I mean, I can't master this concerto with these delicate, delicate fingers. I never even tried. Looks at my whopping 20 OAP and a score. Can I play it very well? Yes. You've been listening to a tonal attempt. There's some reason I aren't married. It's a bizarre piano forte skills. So I am going to put you outside. Yes. It is the afternoon. And indulge me to sort of paint the scene a little bit more here. We've had this little scene with in Archibald Cottage. This beautiful rustic cottage. It finds wrapping up one side. And now we're outside walking across the more. The misty wind blowing across. As you kind of come down, you're now skirting the edge of the wistwood. And you can feel its darkness there to your right hand side as you walk. Jane Austen protagonist is always taking constitution. Strolls like this. So yes, just imagine yourself kind of feeling the freedom and the sublimity of the moist air outside. And the brightness of the sun? Nay. Look up into the sky and see the overhanging clouds. And even though it is almost like three o'clock in the afternoon, it could be nine o'clock at night. The sun is a burnt and desiccated red in the sky. And as we kind of pan up into the heavens that are now cloaked and swaffed in smokey darkness, we can now see kind of on, in our mind's eye, 1816. This year, the sky has been mostly dark. The sun barely shows its face. There is often a chill in the air. And people are referring to this as the year without a summer. As you came down to Terryford, you noticed crops kind of failing and withering all around. A tension in the air. But here in Terryford, as you walk through the dails over the little styles that separate pastures and farmland, you can see that much of the farmland here is ready for harvest seems to be bursting with life. And here you are in Terryford upon the moor by the wood. And it is then, when you feel, just. Of course, raining. I'd tighten my bonnet around my head. And as we look around, as the rain begins to strike you, I'd really like to get some descriptions of these characters. As you're moving through this rustic landscape, when we sort of look at Aurelia Montgomery, what do we see? Aurelia Montgomery, 20 years old, is average height. But on the taller side, just fair skin, brunette hair. It's in curls and cute little updo. She has this very flowery blue dress on. And she was carrying a parasol, met for the sun. But it's very useless as it's like all lace. And so, as the rain is coming down, it's coming through the lace onto her. While she's very considered a very pretty girl, she likes to keep up with appearances. And so, she'd be very, very meticulous about her clothing. and about her hairdo and is not having a good time with this ring. Yeah, as we move around and take in her sister, Arabella, Montgomery, what do we see? Yes, I think Arabella. I mean, there's obviously family resemblance. We are triplets, obviously, fraternal. But we look very similar. I'm average height, but Arabella is more on the shorter side of average, just based on my size score here. But also, you know, considered, you know, pretty. And she has a little bit less of that like romantic flounce to her, I think, compared to Arabella. She's curious about more strange things. And so I think like that kind of comes through her eyes. I think are quite serious. It doesn't mean she's not playful. But I think she's like, serious eyes. She's always searching and looking and wondering and asking questions of everything. And I think also something that might stand out while she's not frail in the way of someone who is a convalescent or recovering from an illness. I think she's not particularly robust. I think she spends a lot of time inside reading books and looking into things. And she doesn't actually like walking near the trees at all. She doesn't like it. And you can sense, I think, a little bit of unnecessary, by the way. It became more true in their teens. So she doesn't like what it is. I think Arabella would probably be the opposite. She loves the flowers. And usually on a nice day would like take a nice romantic stroll and imagine what bow would be on her arm in the future. All that nonsense. Classic Austin, I think. Yes. And sense. And as we move around, how do we, what do we see when we take in Miss Kitty Lark? I think the first thing we notice with Kitty is the stark contrast to how she exists. And comparison to the other two women. She's in trousers. I think dark brown, wide leg trousers that kind of go up in an empire and maybe have some a bit of an overall suspender situation. I think of nice, clean, high neck line, white blouse. Her dark hair is pulled back pretty tight and out of her face. She's got long navy gloves over her arms and hands. And a matching navy ribbon with a sterling silver bell around her neck as well. And boots. And good boots. That was a bit of a heel because she contains multitudes. Yes indeed. Yeah, Kitty maybe more than anyone here is these bucking tradition. And in relationship to the Montgomery siblings, how old is Miss Kitty? 25. A little bit older. A little bit older. Are you three? Which is 20? 20? 20, exactly. All right. Great. And as we move past the robust figure of Miss Kitty Lark, tripping through the woodlands in her boots, our camera settles on a significantly more frail-looking creature. He's just sort of floating. The wind is carrying her. I've actually got him on a bit of a train. I'm a client. I can feel the pain. Come along with the gussets. Yeah, a lighter than air, boy. He's a trailing line, you know. Tell us about Augustus, Montgomery. Yes. Well, I mean, there are versions of Augustus, right? There's the. There was the Augustus that everyone knew full of life. I mean, he's tall. He stands at 6'2". And, yeah, he was very active, constantly running around. There are similarities to the Montgomery women, except that he's sort of like the black sheep in the sense that he looks different from you and this. Like, he has red hair instead of, he's not brunette. And he's like pale. He's always been incredibly pale, face covered in freckles. He was named Augustus because of the sun, right? It's like the month of August and with that just like, just beaming. And he kind of held that for a very long time. When he got enlisted and he came back after getting sick, there was a start change. The Augustus that you see before you is a completely different person. Still 6'2", but has lost an incredible amount of weight. His white hair is just like really unruly. His dimples completely disappeared. His eyes totally sucking in. But there are glimpses of some of that sun that he had. This is someone who like was in active combat, got really sick, came home. And is on the road to recovery, but like, there's a lot. There's a lot going on. He is, has a huge fear of wearing clothing that is confining. So he does not wear jackets anymore or anything with buttons that feel constrained. He just like will refuse to wear any of that stuff. So everything he wears is like very oversized, big loose, you know. Which makes his tiny frame even smaller. Even smaller. More pronounced. Yeah, amazing. You're also describing a raspberry in high school. 6'2", you're responsibly thin, wearing clothes he's swimming in? Yes. Game recognized game. So, Russ Brain is playing Augustus. Yes, yes, yes. In the movie version? Oscar is, Russ Brain. Yes. Wonderful. You are walking through this landscape that he's stored. I'm so sorry to stop you in the middle of you're trying to narrate us further. But I think Arabella feels one a great sense of curiosity, but also protection over Augustus. If it's alright as we're walking, I think I would be walking beside you and maybe have my arm in your arm if that's okay. Yeah, absolutely. I sort of nudge closer. I mean, despite everything that has been going on in Augustus' life, and the fact that while he was sick, he was sort of confined by himself, the fact that you all asked me about my hair, to me shows that like, oh, they didn't see any of this. This was all done. I was very sort of like embarrassed about my illness. And so, this is probably on the earlier side of having like been on the world and it's like I very much welcomed that physical affection. Your arms are like up here. This is so endearing that yes, you're supporting him, being this sort of like emotional and physical buttress for your brother who's been through so much. And it must be also very, very intense and a frightening thing, already lost a family member to this wasting sickness. The landscape is forbidding but beautiful. Beautiful, yet terrible. The rolling hills stretch off on one side, the wood on the other. And it is now just glistening with the rain that is falling and that sort of dying sun as though the light were refracted through the facets of a million inroads coming at you through the limbs of the trees. As you're there breathing in the moist air into your healed lungs, people make a spot hidden for me. Oh! Oh! Wait, this is a big deal. Okay. Okay. I rolled a three. Oh! 155. Wow. Extreme success. You got it. I rolled a one. Holy mo! Maybe. See, it's us up at the front. We're locked in. Locked in. We can see whatever behind everything. Locked in. There's a lot of energy. Okay. We're burned. Predator. Dinner. Dinner. Dinner. I'm kidding. I noticed some aesthetic reactions here from Aurelia and Kitty. What about you? My first roll of this game was a 98. It's not a fumble because I have a 15 spot hidden. But I am very purposely, I think, not looking at the trees. I think I'm very focused, maybe, on Augustus. And that's it. Yes. You're a daring display of this fraternal love. It's keeping your eyes off. You guys are supposed to roll good for me. That's not real. 90. What about you, I guess? I rolled a 63 under 65. Cool. Under normal circumstances, that would be, I'd be like, wow, amazing. We got no success. Five, two, three, two, one. Oh, sorry. It does a one under 50. A critical success. This is interesting. It's sort of cascaded of noticing. We did hear a way to introduce the various levels of success. Yeah. We have here a failure. Oh. Do you all notice anything? I do. You're sort of lost in this reverie of emotional support. As you're so close to your brother, perhaps you can even see the weak pulse in his throat. then you just have a sense of how. close he was. I can't tell you what it's so long, slender. And I'm looking up here like you're actually above me. I was like, I'm not exactly pleased. So pale and thin and apathin translucent. You've got a regular success. So I'm just going to show you something that you wouldn't have seen otherwise. In the-- to your right, as I said, the Wistwood darkens deeply. And as your sense, you're sort of palpitating your neck. You look over it. You see that there are these enormous boulders everywhere, big chunky gray stones, many of them covered in moss. And as you're kind of like looking over the trees and limbs in this stone, you spot something hidden. And that is that one of these stones, you can see faintly, is carved in. You can see that there's some sort of like an image kind of bored into the stone itself. You've got an extreme success. So you notice that as well. You see this peculiarly decorated stone as you glance at it. And then you look deeper into the Wistwood, perhaps trying to see other such stones. You see other boulders. Gray, set against the deep emerald of the forest within. And then you see her. This little curl there in the woods is kind of like, looks at you and laughs, like ducks behind the tree. I'm so glad I didn't see any of this. Hello? Did you see-- do you see a little girl over there? Yes, you did see it. I think you did see it. Because Kitty, you got a critical success at a glance. You took in the stone. You saw it's carving. You probably assessed its value. You also saw the little girl playing hide and seek, as it were, her little pale face, like tea, and then ducking behind a tree. Your critical success also lets you see something else extremely hidden. You saw her as if through the screens of like a theater that you've been to where it's like a set of picture frames, one behind another. You're seeing the trees framed in this way off towards their vanishing point. And you see the little girl. And you see faintly in the sort of mist there, just the not silvery or lunar pale, but a bone pale, adult figure. Oh, no. Just kind of like looking at you and then just sink back into the underbrush. In a strange, unattended child on our property. OK. What are you talking about? That seems kind of unnerving. It seems odd to do this almost first thing. But can you roll sanity for-- No, no. Let's do it. Let's see. I know Ross games. Sometimes failing is what you want to do, because of critical success. I mean, you're a rolliness. I mean, I see-- we're going into this game. He's kind of got a twitch tour. Sometimes intelligence is a curse. Yeah. There's no heat signature on this matter. 40 under 50. OK. You succeed. You take no sanity loss. In fact, I'm going to say that you probably second-guess yourself. Was there someone there? There can't have been. Oh, there I was. There's a little to nude. Oh. Oh. This could sound completely useless. Is there a nudist colony on the property? Kitty. Dear, how do you-- Why? Why would you leave it? It's like just that. Recreational purposes. Is there one? No, there wouldn't be. And what is this talk of a child unattended? There's a strange child behind that tree right over there. Oh, the child wasn't unattended. There was an naked man with him. So what? I'm sorry. If we look, do we all see it? This isn't to gain say what you said, but when you look, the pale figure that I don't want to linger on too long, because you probably didn't see it at all. Because it's probably a trick that you like. It's probably a birch tree back there that just got-- That's what it was. --some fronds fell in front of it. You know how they say birch tree look like naked men? Yes. Yes, yes. Everybody. I'm never-- Oh, I think I've got to see you for a while. Maybe woman, but probably tree. But yes, the little girl was right there. I didn't see a little girl there. She's not there any longer. But there is no one else on the property. No. I spit in and misparsed, of course. Couch, couch, couch, couch, couch. What is that? It sounds like feet running across the pebbles, and-- This sounds like the little girl's foot. Yes. I find it for that. And is she, like, kind of, like-- No, no, no, no, no, no, no. I don't know what to do. I'm a teacher and a lived one. I must know who the strange child is on our grounds. That might be someone who's visiting a long hood. I don't want to go further down on the list of inheritance in this family. I think I'd rather hike somewhere such a fact. It's a lovely point. I'm going to go after him. Yes. I'll grab our-- I don't want to. I'll follow that. Wonderful. Into the wood, you go. As soon as you sort of cross beneath a couple of its bows, you can feel just how enclosing it feels this wood. The limbs bend and twist in this serpentine way, but you find yourself stepping over them, dipping under them. They bend, and you work, and loom all around you. And those same stones kind of jut in odd angles all over. And you can see if you gaze at them. Some of them look as though they've been boarded through, or you see little kind of scratchings upon them. Can I get a listen rule just for fun? Oh. Listen. There's my listen. I made myself a bit. No, Z-Zil. Oh, no, no. I'm not using-- You were guys were supposed to be my good dives. 46 over 20. OK. A rule? A four. Wow. Under 30. So it is an extreme success. An extreme success. The rest of you are just kind of looking around, and you probably get the sense that if you went too deep into this wood, it would be hard to find your way out, just because of how enclosing and confusing it is once you're in here. Are we not moving in a straight line? But beautiful. Yeah, you're moving in a straight line. But it's almost-- You have the sense of being hurted by the trees. Really? The limbs seem to kind of guide your path. And as you look back, you realize, no, the way back is that way. But you're here. You can't see me, but I can you? So who heard that Nora? I mean, oh, I heard that. You heard that. I can't see me, so I can't you. What? Where are you? I want you to know OK. Oh, Miss Laugh. I can hear her voice. No, what? Who's-- there's no voice. I didn't say anything. Arabella, you know that I don't fib. There's a little girl's voice. She said sing songy, saying that she can sing us. Children shouldn't be allowed to sing. Agreed, right. All right. I know what it's meant is. If there's anyone here in the woods with us, I am sure if there is a voice she's hearing, she's right. She doesn't want to fib. I hear a fox, a wild lion. She doesn't want to speak. She's a fox, a little girl in the woods. Sir, she's never going to say "their own demise." Brother, you're tall. Can you see her? Hello? Speak to us. I didn't hear her either. No, she's here. She's here, she's here. And you heard her. You have a sense that she's now up in a tree. Just here, left. Yeah, very tall. Where are you? I can hear her. She's right over there. Hello? Make ourselves known. It is you. You're melting child. And as you look up, then you see her. She's up on the limb of a branch, kind of, like, unsteadily looking down at you. Just beautifully innocent smile on her face, like, kind of dark locks, cascading on either side of her little face. She looks about 10 years old, maybe nine. And she looks down at you with her large doe eyes. It's like, you're found me. And then slip and fall. We're like-- I see one. Let's go? That's right. Yeah, we're trying to. Yeah, I want to lunge towards-- Great. One lunge towards her. What would you like to use to break this little girl's wall? Good question. Could it be dodge? It's the opposite of dodge. It's hard to-- Dexterity. Yes, a dex roll? Yeah, can be a dex roll. Let's see if you can catch this little girl. I'll try to help. Here we go. Get my hands dirty. I rolled a 51 under 65. Regular success. I rolled a 16 under 65. Whoa. OK, great. So I think it sounds like the two of team effort here has-- she slips off a slick moss on the rain streak to branch. And you can see she's just like-- like a gasp escapes her lips. And she slips, tumbles down. And you see the stone underneath this tree. And if you weren't there, this little girl might have dashed her brain on the rock. But suddenly you're there. And you are able to catch her body as her head swings downwards towards the stone. And that is when Kitty learned, there's there to like cradle her neck. Need a spot there, enough? And but I think that she is so frightened that she's like like now almost like hyperventilating. And you can feel her like trembling in your hands. All right, that's enough of that. [LAUGHTER] Did you see that to the child? You. You are. Ta-ta! This is way in the distance. Ta-ta! Is that you love? Are you loving her? [BLANK_AUDIO] and she's sort of like falling into a swoon now. "What are you going to do?" So much trouble. And she's trying to assess what direction that's coming from. Good question. I mentioned how labyrinthine this forest is, but you're still at its verge. And so I think by listening to the sound of the oncoming voice, you're able to kind of make your way back and kick in your way over stones and lanes. You're talking to a little girl in your arms. Are you, you're moving towards the voice? Yes, I'd like to ask the child, were you playing alone over here? It's just like still kind of trembling. Yes, it wasn't so bad, really. Would he be terribly cross with me? Who would he be? My uncle. Is your uncle? Is your uncle? Jonathan, Mr. Bartmaw. She kind of like, times since like-- You know, not him. He's going to be very cross with me. No, no, no, no, no, no. Does if we don't need to get in to trouble, she's like, she's been quite frightened to look at her. Perhaps we were walking with her. You're all right. You expect us to cover for this child? Why not? Once you have wanted someone to cover for us, we were quite imaginative and played out in the woods archibald. I like this. This would be a good chance for us to assess the demeanor of Mr. Dothmore, who we have an idea. So maybe we do that, and I would like to do a reassure role to make sure, to let her know it's going to be all right. You'll find luckily no scrapes or scratches. Great. Let's see how you do. Reassure is a skill specific to the Regency Colocuthulu rules, a sort of way to impose reassurance on these moments where people are frightened and having psychological distress. Could I help in some way to give Nora a bonus die for this? Like the fact that Arabella is saying, oh, um, don't worry. You won't get into trouble. We won't tell your uncle anything. It's going to be fine. He's not going to be cross. Can you stand it? You don't know them. Well, tell me. I agree with Ms. Locke. I-- you don't know that. You don't want her to have a bonus die just now. This conversation means no bonus die. A neutral role to be making your way slowly towards the edge of the forest. Yeah, go ahead and roll just to see how this takes you through. I rolled a 28 under 44, so it's just still regular success. Oh, how much better in reassurance than me. You can feel it in your arms. You can feel her trembling subside, as you say this. And her little, her little pale hand, which just like squeezes yours. It's like, you're very kind. I know. So? Listen, I've gotten myself into a little bit of trouble myself as a child that he might get crossed with you for being out alone. But I will tell him about the little, about the tree. You have to be careful, though, you have to promise me that. Yes, I promise. What's your name? You said Lottie, wasn't? He said-- Lottie, a Charlotte, but everybody calls me Lottie. Oh, Lottie. That's very sweet. What we doing out alone? I was only playing in the laundry and then-- and then I saw a butterfly, and then I saw another. And then I suppose I just made my way here. It's not too terribly bad, is it? Now, does this sound weird to me because it's very rainy and dreary? Does it sound like there would be butterflies or-- There was no rain earlier. It sounds plausible that she could-- And it just sounds like playing and getting lost in what you-- you have the sense here that here is someone with a rich, imaginative life. And someone that you kind of see, you remember. You remember. Yeah. You remember your own childhood being a forest with archibald, like with a little wooden sword. And the two of you out there is like, there's the bridge to the starving fairies. We'll give them up for this time. Won't we, Captain? Aye, sir. I'll beat you there. And she starts rolling really fast. Run across. And you remember, and he runs with you. And like, and you take the corner. And at that moment, you realize that the two of you are like really lost. And, um, I suppose we'll have to ask the fairies for their help to get out. How do you talk to the fairies archibald? You only have to use their language. You know their language? Well, of course. And you're triplets, aren't you? And you had a little language of your own that you picked up. That's right. You picked up a little bit from your older brother, this mixture of, like, little Greek and gibberish and things. And you remember, like, the fun of this, the fear of it, of the hiding you got from your father. And you're looking at yourself right now, cradled in your own arms. Mm. I, Alyssa, I completely understand. It's going to be all right. You know, chasing butterflies is perfectly normal, so I don't think he might be too cross-free. But were you playing alone? Yes. Do you get lonely? Yes. There's no playmates here with you? Not many, no, no. Aw. Oh, team! You're now on the edge of the forest. And you can now see charging a churning up the mug that is now softening or two steams. Two men on horseback are, like, charging down the edge of the forest. Oh, yeah, two men. Oh, my god. Oh, my god. Is there hair? OK. And you see one of them go, like, galloping going to pass, like, wheeling around and kind of looking, looking out over the more. He has, kind of, auburn hair and a ready complexion, like, short, very, like, square jawed with, like, a little dimple in his chin, bright, kind of, flashing eyes, looking, looking around, like, sink me. I tell you, I don't see her. And then, coming up behind a black horse, like, charging up and, like, pulling it, and it rears up, like, kind of, stands up on its high legs. Is he, kind of, like, cups his head over his eye, looking deeper into the forest? Lost him! It comes down. And you're looking at somebody who looks, like, he didn't take a lot of time getting dressed, shirt open to the naval, the high-collar disarray. Mr. Darcy, coming out of the lane. Oh, look at me. The moisture of the rain, kind of, like, making his, like, chestnut curls fall over his eyes. It's kind of whips him. We're all going to fight over him, all right? Whips them out of his eyes. Kitty doesn't know what he's talking about. Just-- Kitty's like, who's this piece of shit? Yes, yes. The burning black intensity of his gaze, looking into the forest, you see his, like, eyes flashing, as they dart around, and then they light on you. On the little group of you. Hello, I think we might have found what you're looking for. Which-- which would be the hit. And he kicks the leg off and, kind of, like, gets off the horse and he gets to walk towards you. His tall, broad-chested, dark-haired seems to be roughly about, I don't know, that round value or age, 25, 24. And, um, comes up to the lip of the forest and, like, drops the rain of the horse and breaks into a run and comes up to you. It is not, like, very close to you. It was he, kind of, like, looks at-- what's happened? It's completely our fault. We saw her on a walk and we were just chit-chatting. And I'm terribly sorry that we've had a way from you for too long. Ms. Montgomery. Montgomery? Yes. Had to have a way from here. I-- I didn't know she was out for that long. Time flies so-- so quickly. I got you to take her out of the house. Oh, no, of course not. We were out on a walk. As it's good for the humus. And we saw your child. We were just talking about, is this your child? I presume. Mr.-- I mean, he kind of, like, stands back in kind of, like, regards you and looks at the girl. It's like, latte. Latte, he holds out his hand. She accepts it. And, um, he kind of kneels down with her. He's like, like, kind of touching her cheek in her hands. Like, are you quite all right? She's all right, sir. She's trembling, like, a leaf. I'm probably frightened by the hullabaloo of the horses and shrouded it. The other man comes up, and it's good luck you came. You came upon her then. I say, Dartmore, there's no reason to look so grim. She doesn't look too bad. Look, I know that this is not quite how things are done. We should be introduced. But here we are together. So why don't we just do it? Why don't we just pretend, like, this is how things are done? Hello? Hi, I'm Ms. Arabella Montgomery. My system is Aurelia Montgomery, our brother, Mr. Augustus Montgomery, and our friend, Miss Kitty Lock. -Charm, I'm sure. -Yes. -And you are? -Charm. The charm is, of course, all mine. He says, is he going to get off his horse? Huh. Never did I think to come across such fine ladies as yourselves. -I'll show you again. I'll follow the more. -Is there a blush roll? -And good day to you, sir. It's there. Is there, like, room? Is there a roll? [BLANK_AUDIO] Just the wind, just blow my hair and just sew. I am Horatio Whitby, at your service. And thank you so much for doing this kindness to the mischievous little Miss Dartmoor. We were all tailed doing once. Heaven's sick, Dartmoor. There's no reason to look so dour. And Dartmoor is continuing to kind of like inspect her. She seems alright, but she'll catch her death here. We should take her back to Longford. Well, I don't you think it would be rather gentlemanly if her saviors were to be brought along as well, since they've been so kind as to make their acquaintance? We are family, after all. Oh. Are you the ones that took the cottage then? Is that news to you? What was your name again? Kitty Locke. Ah, yes. George's daughter. The same. I knew your father. Lucky you. Night is falling in this room enough there. Come on. Come on along, he hoists the little girl upon his saddle. And then he walks, so it's not to leave you all. And if you will accept the offer that Horatio Whitby seems to be kind of forcing onto Dartmoor, will you retire to Longford House? Look, are they offering refreshments? Not yet. Bring more refreshments. It can be very impolite to not accepting invitation. The latter isn't exactly bare. I don't think you'll find it perhaps some of the best you've ever had on such pressing notices. You, as this little crisis has tossed up, but I don't find something for you in the buttery, no doubt. Mr. Whitby? Yes. Whitby. Whitby. Whitby, what is your relation to Charlotte? My relation. What is my relation to you, Charlotte? Well, I suppose I'm your friend. Yes. Yes, Mr. Dartmoor and I are our friends. Ah. All right. Well, friends. Well, friends. It's really the same as what he said before. Certainly seem to be rather loaded, don't you? Friends, men can be friends. Look, you want it. I hope just, friends. Are you dressed for company, I love you? No, but, yes. What should always be dressed for company? Just all right, isn't fair? Yes, one must always be prepared for gentleman callus. Yes, if you're not dressed for it, then at least we can provide better accommodations for you indoors and out of this frightful drizzle. You're right, Mr. Whitby. How very charming. Yes, we would be absolutely delighted. Yes, we'll all catch our death. We stay out here too long. Come along. It says Dartmoor and see you here. Yes, sir. Thanks, Mr. Whitby. You've got your favorite blanket, a freshly poured drink, and a cold case burning a hole in your streaming queue. You're not just watching True Crime. You're running the investigation from the comfort of your couch. Welcome to Murder, she watched. The podcast where we recap, dissect, and slightly over-analys some of the best and craziest True Crime documentaries on our favorite streamers. Did the spouse do it? Why is the shady neighbor wearing leather gloves in July? Why did this guy agree to be interviewed in this documentary? We ask the tough questions that you're often just screaming at your TV. So every week, we break down the twists, red herrings, and absurd documentaries that have kept you up all night. It's hydrama, cozy vibes, and absolute couch detective energy. Grab your throw blanket and hit subscribe. Search Murder, she watched, wherever you listen to podcasts, and let's solve this thing together. Do you love Disney? Do you love Top 10 Lists? Then you're going to love our podcast, Disney Countdown. Hi, I'm Megan, the magical millennial. And biscuits, I'm Jeremy, AKA Jaren Dell. And we are the hosts of the Hit Disney Podcast, Disney Countdown. On every episode of our fun and family-friendly show, we count down our top 10 lists of all things Disney. The parks, the movies, the music, the food, the lore. There is nothing we don't cover on our show, right, Jeremy? Ooh, girl, you know we are famous for rabbit holes, Disney themed games, and fun facts you didn't know you needed, but you definitely need in your life. So if you are looking for a healthy dose of Disney magic, check out Disney Countdown, wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Ann Foster, and I have never watched the show, Spartacus, Blood, and Sand. And I'm Gina Berry, and I've watched this show numerous times. On our new podcast, Neffert TV, we discuss TV shows and movies set in ancient history. The season we are discussing Spartacus, Blood, and Sand. Follow Neffert TV. That's N-E-F-E-R-T-V, whatever you get your podcasts. The tutors were probably the most scandalous dynasty in British history. Names like Henry VIII and Bloody Mary are still known today. The season on vulgar history were spilling the historical tea on the messy tutor era. We'll get into the anviline of it all, figure out who really wrote Shakespeare's plays was Elizabeth really a virgin queen, and why was Henry VIII the f***ing worst? Listen to vulgar history wherever you get podcasts. You move as a group, a slowly moving group, and you can see Lottie beginning to droop and tremble every now and then. She clearly left not dressed for the weather, and you're kind of worried that she might actually be catching a chill, but you were led up past the wood, and then you see it kind of silhouetted against the hazy sky long for a house. It's broad, colonnade there. You, of course, have been there a time or two from the previous master of the place, but only a couple of times. As a child. As a child. Yes, you walk up past the little meat pond out front, up the stairs, and into long for a house. Is it funny that this could have been ours? But it still might be yet. - She said her one minute, too. There's something about this dinner, then I don't like it. I guess Mr. Don, more yet. Yes, it's this person out. He's quite severe. I don't like the way he treats Charlotte. Well, maybe he was just concerned. It does seem-- if we assume the best, seems to be perhaps he was just worried and doesn't know how to express it. And truly, she wasn't dressed for being out and weathered like that. She was terrified. There was no taking a corner. The reason she was behaving. Yes, the big question was watching her. Oh, yes. Oh, you insist on there being an adult with the child. So they didn't run off and catch the death or fall to the death? Yes, so you know. Well, perhaps there is a governess inside who just checked her duties. You're right. We should keep an eye on, I think, on the interactions. I don't know what we could do, really, but we should keep an eye on things. Yeah, that's nice, but child, no playmates, no siblings. You are conducted into a large entry hall. There are stairs going up in front of you, like a sitting room and a parlor on either side. And you have the sense of like many rooms going back on either side. There. Catch it. Ah! Let's get down to your best actions, they're fun. Interesting. One thing about me, I'm appraising. Always, always, always, always be appraising. Oh, I'm doing it. Yes. OK. Yeah. You see, in the entry hall, fine works of art. There are sculptures, statuary, curios, and a couple enormous paintings here. And you can see more things, kind of like a on display in the parlor and sitting room. Yes, to be brief, there are treasures. There's some treasures here. Treasure's about moves. In fact, I'll say that with for nothing, you can even recognize maybe in the parlor one or two things that you recognise that you and your father acquired for the previous owner of this place, the lake, maybe. It does, perhaps. Yeah. There's a little piece of Greek statuary there. You can kind of glimpse in the parlor that you remember. Right, fuzzy painting. You see, Sister. This is why we must marry men of good stature. Yes, that's what that means. Perhaps he's clipping ours. Mr. Dartmoor is not as awful as he seems at first. I don't know about that. I don't know. Do you remember how long Mr. Dartmoor has lived in this house? I can't quite recall because I've been ill. I do. Do we know? You do know. You have a sense, anyway. It hasn't been that long. And in fact, you see signs of recent rearrangement and moves and maybe things taken off walls or replaced. Because Cornelius Longford didn't die that long ago. You get the sense that this new-- the new lair of the manor, as it were, has only probably been here for many a couple of months. How long have we been in Archibald cottage at this time? About the same amount of time. OK, so we probably all arrived about time. We have not actually come to the main house yet. Well, it's kind of rude, actually, that he hasn't invited us up for dinner. Yes. It's terrible. We should have happened. It's fairly quickly after we arrived. It's quite rude. And you know, it's even worse. That terrible placement of that armor. It's not belong there. I know. How would I put it over there? It's more tasteful. This place needs a woman's touch. At some point, Kitty, I'd miss luck. I would love to hear about anything that you've found here. We'll only have a moment to meet. There's some amazing stories about this round here. I don't want a two, handful. Go, go, go, here, here, if I should be. So this piece here, actually, my father and I would just have the dorsacost. Wonderful. And perhaps it's them that you noticed that Mr. Whitby is right behind you with a decanter of brandy and cherished and stuff. And there's also a servant, like in a little wig. Also, going to move you around in a livery who looks kind of harried. Things are looking good. This place looks understaffed. Just putting stuff down. Mr. Whitby, where is the governess for young mist art more? Oh, I say. I tell you, I'd rather don't know. It's-- it's-- don't-- it's an investigation. I've been here rather briefly. I don't know that he's been able to secure the surfaces of one just yet. It may be the reason why I rather flighty little mist art more. So able to give him the slip. And forgive me if this is an impertinent question, but how long has she been his ward? It has-- it was partly the reason why he has returned from Italy. He was in Italy. Where are they? Oh, I'd leave in Rome for some time in Pisa. But it has been, I think, four years since she became his ward. A reasonable amount of time. And she's not had any sort of governess or caretaker other than him, up to his point. Previous to their arrival here, there were governesses. I'm sure. What who is-- who is looking out for education now? In so remote places this, it has been rather hard to find such a one as to fulfill the duties worthy of so divine creature as the little mist art more. Yes, it is hard to find one rich in the intelligence, the graces that one would wish to earn quite often to a ward of a particular talents. I'm seeing a great deal of murmuring. I feel there's no one-- Sorry, my brother. No, no, no, no, we are having implied. So it's a triplet thing. No one. I do not want to mention, but I do say, I know it's just a resemblance. Yes, especially when we smile. Yes, yes, yes, yes. Smile, smile, look at us. Smile, look at us. Yes, the dimples, the dimples, and augustes. Smile. You first. Well, you used to be able to see a gust of seas dimples, but I'm sure they will return. That's neither here nor there. Thank you very much for allowing us into the estate. It's quite, quite in the state. There it is. One of the loveliest houses in the district. Yes. Yes, I hope. I hope they tell me that Dartmore can can see it to find a state that the one in which he found it. Oh. Could he use a woman's touch? You could see, like, his ruddy face walking slightly. Kitty has started pouring herself a tall, dark, four fingers. At this moment, Dartmore returns. He's put himself together a little bit more than he was before. He looks over it with the lotty's embed. I only hope the chill doesn't sit upon her chest more than I fear a chill. Would it be prudent to call for a doctor to come see her just as a precautionary measure? Yes, I suppose I shall. I'll find whatever passes for a doctor and a therapist to come and see us. Do I know the names of any doctors I could reference? Sure. I'll give them one. Such and such. Oh, doctor, such and such. And you're such and such. Yes, well, doctor. Yes, doctor, doctor, well, it's a satchan such. It's a satchan such and such. Of the tariffed satchan such. That's a full family name. Yes. Are we really introducing a character to get me a sirt chan such? [LAUGHTER] Yes, yes, yes, yes. Yes, yes, yes. Dr. Saint, Dr. Chan such. [LAUGHTER] Yes, we're really rolling now. It's down in Tarifford. Great, great, great. Yeah, interesting. You are not a local person, but you know a little bit about it. You are setting up shop here. You know that there is this local doctor, Chan such. You also-- Well, you just know where he's from. But I don't think it's England. And you also know that this is interesting. You maybe know that there are rumors that there are people in town who kind of just do like faux cremities and stuff. I suppose I'm indebted to a lot of you. Thank you for finding our little girl. Oh, indebted. Miss Laus, come. Oh, excuse me. [LAUGHTER] Get off. No, wait a minute. Sorry. All of our-- quite our pleasure to at last see the house and to make your acquaintance, Mr. Dartmoor. And we all hope it will be the beginning of a long and pleasant acquaintance. Actually, he kind of looks at you all, it's like-- yes, indeed. How closely are they related? You all in this guy? A good question, right? Because sometimes people in Genesis are heavy, very-- Oh, very cousins were lit by. Oh, yeah, very cousins were fine by now. You look, you're not not related. But you're a distant cousin. To the point where I don't think-- I don't think there's a lot of blood connecting. So good to go. So green light. G-G-G, green light. Green light. He's like, yeah, house. You heard that, kids. I heard cousins. I thought good to go. Go for it. It gets-- the sagas of sundry, seal of approval. It gets the sagas of sundry, seal of approval. It's OK to date your cousins. If they're distant enough, in any case, he's kind of brooding over there in the corner, thinking, and I mean, your debt as much as the kindness of your action allows. But yes, if there is some favor of repayment, which I can offer unto you, I shall do my utmost to oblige. Perhaps just a friendship. There's no reason for all of us to be out here. Work your way up in this locked. For now, Doc, more I hope than perhaps. Since-- since the storm is over, you've grown by them. Get up, get up. I'll let you offer them the kindness of letting them stay in the household overnight. Well, it passes. Oh, most kind, yes. Oh, that's quite all right. We make a custom. We accept. If your gentleman wishes to decline, then I have no choice but to accept. But if-- She kicks his foot under the table. [LAUGHTER] You broke in my leg. [LAUGHTER] Please, I'm so proud of you. I got this frail shit in the shadows. Mortal Kombat soon, soon. She's an excellent envision. You have a few plain bones. Maybe I'm tearing my back. You know what, what does it look like? What does it look like? What's the number of the doctor? No, no, no, no, Mr. Moore, come here. You must stay out of the evening's chill. Well, if my sister's in this lock agree that we should stay, then we will gladly appreciate it. And then, uh, Whitby just looks at Dartmore who you can tell is like not loving this idea. I was like, very well. Of course, we can make the accommodation available to you here in Longford. Stay as long as the storm is here, and-- indeed, as long as you wish. That's-- Oh. Oh, seems to be growing by the moment. Yes. Yes, um, it is quite late, isn't it? It should be very dangerous for us to go back. We kindly accept. It's very kind of you. Pretty well. I can't kick them. [LAUGHTER] Justice, do we know if corn, Mr. Longford Cornelius himself, you know, Uncle Cornie is not the cornie. [LAUGHTER] I was the cornie thing. But I had a stream of consciousness. The Cornie Collins! Whitby's like, I'm terribly sorry. I'm too oily. No, no. I'm terribly wicked, Miss Montgomery. You are a caution indeed. [LAUGHTER] Oh, my God. It's just nice to make people not off once in a while. I'm too busy. Die here. I'm not. I'm sorry. But I was so curious. Whitby looks down, dark more. It's like, yes. - Oh, that's it, that's it, yes. - Perhaps. She will read his face and not suggest they do a sound to right now. [LAUGHTER] [INAUDIBLE] File that away. This is a good-- this may be an interesting moment to think about what you've heard about Cornelius. Yeah. You've been in the town a little bit, and you've interacted with some of the populace of Terry Ferd. I think, let's see, what sort of-- what, what, yeah? Well, is it strange that we are provided for in his will? How-- what-- did we-- we've never been here. We ever interact with him, and why have we been-- Never? Why are we part of this? OK, so that is strange. Did I need him once? Yes, you met him. And in fact, you see the portrait of him in this room. Fun loving. Looks just like him. Yes, he wasn't always that severe looking, but yes. He had this kind of bald paint, his intense gaze, heavy brows, other sleepless looking eyes and a fringe of silvery hair. You also know that he had a wife who was known to be an invalid Eleanor Longford, who lived here in Longford as well. You never saw her, because she was always indisposed. A very straight over she'd never seen him. And I think that that's kind of like the top layer level of local lore on Longford is that, yeah, he was an eccentric who kept to himself almost reclusive. He is-- his points of contact with the outside world war-- were these sort of people who are like bringing in letters and books and antiquities, like George Lark, but he wasn't out there pressing the flesh with the tenants. And he had this wife who, like, the local-- it's clear that the local whisper network has blown it up until, like, he walled her up in there, in the course. And there's also, you've heard some of the farmers talking, like in the market, as you've gone to pick things up. Like, you're not paying me, you're not paying me an hundred pound to stay in there for two nights. A one to that places. You know she didn't die, I know, I know real causes. Keeping a poison, he was. A mad man killed her, and he killed her with an axe. With poison, or is that an axe? Poison axe. A poison axe. First, he poisoned her, and then he axed her. Then across the room in this market. So no, no, that's not the way. He axed her, then he poisoned her. Took off her legs so she couldn't run, kept her alive for a six-month, then poisoned her. I heard he hung her for the moment first, and then this is all like-- Decided against it, yeah. So from the time I met Cornelius, was there anything about his demeanor or personality that stood out to me? Interesting. That may be stuck in my memory. I've given you this picture of a severe and very interested in the antiquities that your father would bring. Questing, obsessed, distracted in your interactions. Wanted to get through them as quickly as possible to get back to some other work. So strange, because I had heard rumors that he had died of ringgits on a voyage to North Africa, but nobody's suddenly dies of ringgits. I feel like that is a childhood disease as well. Strange. I just don't actually know that much about it. Have we heard anything in town about Jonathan Dartmore as well, or is he not interacted with anyone in town? Have the rumors said anything about him? Interesting. He-- not really. No, he's kind of a mystery, except he hasn't really staffed up the place, clearly. And also, you get the sense that it's probably hard to find servants to work here. Right. Right. That might be why he's having such a hard time finding a governess. Mr. Dartmore, how strange it must have been. It's being in Italy. And then, suddenly, I get in a message from a long distant branch of the family saying, you were to inherit how-- What, who does? Oh, perhaps it wasn't it felt like an adventure. I don't know. Yes. The caprices of fortune are very strange indeed. Yes, this indeed pulled me away. I do not expect to inherit such a fine property as this, yet. Here I am, and I am duty-bound to dispose of it as well I can. Oh, forgive me, but you don't sound very thrilled to be in the position that you're in. It is unexpected, Miss Montgomery. Yes, it isn't expected indeed. Isn't it so nice that a man can just stumble into fortune while a woman must-- Oh, yes. --hold her piano for taste, girls. My poor, poor delicate fingers, wouldn't it? If this is a twods of fortune, I suppose are well known to you as well. Well, yes, acquired with my own hands. Yes. Have you ever known great fortune to follow closely upon the heels of great misfortune? Enough so to where you just trust fortune when it appears its head, knowing the catastrophe may not be far behind. How strange it is that I should look upon such a behest as this with an arched eyebrow and a droll eye. It is only that I know that how often, when one is at the zenith of your joy, it is then-- it is then when the Almighty will plunge you to its very nearer. It might be more joyful if you move the armor over there. The armor? Do you not find this an agreeable place for you? [LAUGHTER] I believe we can all relate, perhaps in our own ways, to what you are expressing, Mr. Dartmore. We have all suffered losses. Everyone. You, as well, I am to understand our marked by loss. Yes. I heard that this is only what I have heard. Forgive me for repeating rumors. I know how the tongues of Keriford wag, that you do not achieve the fulfillment of the desires of your inheritance due to the untimely death of your brother. And I am terribly sorry to hear of his passing. Thank you. It was very-- To lose one part for his father, not but to lose two. Oh, well, the second. Great fortune for us. Once before you, like this goes, it is I. I have not died. Wait, I'm sorry? I was not fit to take the inheritance because I was fallen ill. Life's sensory covered and slowly getting back to my feet. We see here yet again where the ancients were so wise to depict fortune as a wheel. When you're on its utmost spoke, then follow with the plunge. I too have experienced loss. And yet, there is some felicity to be had even in such a tragedy as we experience. When disinheritance comes, still you are provided for. When death is proclaimed, still you live. When a brother dies, still there is Charlotte. She is all I have of him now. She must have been a great deal to you. Yes. And that is why you were so intensely looking after her when we found her in the woods. And why she was so dutifully washed after. The sharpness of your tone would claw you. This lock. If it did not follow so closely upon the heels of my own conscience, pricking me, indeed, she shouldn't be better watched after. I know it to be true. I am but one man, and it is impossible to find servants here. So many of the fools in Tereford think this place a haunted ruin. And what to have is she needs a mother's care? I can't run under the table. [LAUGHTER] Forgive me, the table seems unsteady. Everyone needs a table, Steve's unsteady. Everyone, we're all just-- Yes, maybe it needs to be helped find her. If there's a camera under the table, airbell, it takes her feet and just slides them under the chair as far as-- Out of kick range. Well, these three of us are just-- As you slide your feet back to get them out of kick range, they briefly brush over the boots of Horatio Whitby. Kind of like-- you see twist to your chair and kind of looks at you. Excuse me. I-- I just-- I'm just sorry. Oh. Oh, no. [LAUGHTER] Forgive me, I'm flustered. He knocks over his glass of-- Oh, for him. Oh, look. Forgive me, forgive me. He stands like, have I-- have I soiled your-- Oh, no, no, no, everything's fine. Please, please don't trouble yourself. Forgive my clumsyness. No, no, no, no, I was clumsy first. No, no, no. Not at all. Silly tables, strange things always seem to be happening at them. Here's a-- I-- I try to-- he kind of leans into whisper to you. I try to pull, put Dartmoy out of darkened reveries like this. Yes, these days he is very much in the clouds. Sometimes people have to go through the dark times and find their own way out of them. It's all right sometimes to think of the darker things, I think. As long as you don't stay in them for too long. Why do you look at dark things the way you do? This might come rest or almost see them as having a sort of luster of their own. That's exactly what I think. I think they do have a luster. It's fine with a darkness visible as Milton says. Yes, oh, you know Milton. It's somewhat. Yes, yes. You guys. You see the two of them kind of in this little conference. Don't worry. The ghost isn't kidding, you're sitting over there like. Yes. My brother. Lieutenant artmore died off the coast of Africa in 1812. Bloody Americans. Tarely sorry. I should be a better master of myself. It is no wonder. There's no wonder my brother's child becomes a feral thing under my care. I cannot watch her as well, I should. Well, it's a bit harsh. We were all children once. What if? Don't look at me. We all just stayed here just a bit longer than one night. For no other reason than to provide another four more watchful eyes on this show. She means a woman's care. She means to teach her music and literature. Are you suggesting that? And supposedly someone to teach her more useful. This is a capital idea, artmore says Whitby. Until the services of that government can be found. Yes. How better to provide for your war than providing her the dear and jealous company of such esterable creatures as the Montgomery's? I'm married. Of course we can't. I just, she takes a drink of it. No, no, no, no, I find him. Don't let me in with that. And I'm sure. Mr. Montgomery that we can indulge in some manly pastimes, do you shoot? Do you shoot, sir? I, well. There is some hunting to be done. I don't partake in their activity any longer, but. Maybe it is time to integrate myself back into society, as it were. Maybe it's a nice hunting, right? I believe he'd, uh, my sort of uncomfortable demeanor that I'm experiencing at this present time. Yes, I will join you. Are you feeling well? Uh, I'm sorry, I. Are you feeling quite well? I'm sorry. I must excuse myself. I say Ms. Montgomery. I know, even Dr. Montgomery is kind of like Luke and Jim. Are you quite alright, sir? Hey, uh, I must, uh, is there a washroom in the premises? Yes. Yes, Godson. Godson. Fetch the man some water. And the man in the little periwig might like take you out. Thank you. I'm willing to act shortly. I'm like coughing as I. I'm having like another sort of attack. Because I'm walking to the washroom. Wonderful. He is quite healed. Uh, so, so I'm sure it's just a more and more kind of cough. Nothing to be concerned about. Yes, his constitution is much improved. I'm sure it's nothing. Yes, one hopes. Man supposes. God disposes. That's not very cherry. Like, say. Don't worry every time you speak, it sounds like a funeral issue. Can't you bring your tongue to speak of anything more sprightly? The man's just having a little cough. He was out in the mist for heaven's sake. Um, and Don was like, yes, guess I. Of course. Uh, a lighter topic. Um. Uh, do you go in for, uh. Uh, ruins? You can tell he's sort of like, groping for. Miss Larka probably speak on that. Oh, yes, I suppose. I dare say that perhaps you had a hand in the acquisition of some of the treasures of the place. Oh, one or two. Perhaps you can tell me some of the stories I, myself, and somewhat ignorant of them. It's surprising. I wouldn't have struck that for me. I know some, but not all I am. I am not so. Able a hand is yourself. I might give it to understand, Miss Lark, that you keep a sort of cabinet for public view in telephone. Small, but growing, my ambition perhaps exceeds my current collection. Well, I suppose such a thing may be admirable. It is humble, but proud. One's reach will always exceed one's grasp. Should we be so lucky? Indeed. Kind of gives you a little. Lovely. I'm going to follow you for a second. As you move into the house, Gadson, who is not said of word, is just sort of like shuffling down the hallway with a little candle lover in his hand. The only light here. I think it should never be really forgotten here. That gas is like maybe just starting to come in. If there's light after dark, it's fire. Or lightning. This is a world lit by fire. So if you don't have a candle in dark, it's dark. And the candle lover is the only thing shedding light in front of you here. And you're moving down a hallway. It kind of leads you into a little room where it kind of fills a bowl of water. It kind of gives you a little like. Bow sort of like walks backwards down the hallway. And I will say that, and then as you're there looking into this room, there is a flash of lightning. And the light illuminates the wall that you were not able to see in the aurora of the candles that he held. And you see an enormous portrait. It's this man but much younger. You're seeing a younger and more robust longfurt like seated next to a woman. And you assume the life. And both of them are kind of looking out at you this kind of like beckoning gaze. You just see it strobe there for a moment because they stare at you out of the darkness and then are plunged back into it. The candle that he left behind there is the only light for you. I grab the candle and make my way closer to the portrait to take a closer look at what I see. Great. You see, yes, you see longfurt, the same expression that I was describing. You see the woman. And even if you're not an art connoisseur, you get a feeling that you're watching an artist attempt to make someone who looked a little off, look better than they were in life. You're watching the brushstrokes flatter someone who is probably a little sickly or just a little strange looking. And she kind of like sags there looking down at you in your candle light. Where are they? Are they like usually important to see like in some study or something? Like what is the surrounding images? It's almost like a theatrical set where he sits, she stands kind of like hand on his shoulder. And there's like a chair drapery. And then beyond is a little landscape. And as your candle moves across it, you can see hills rolling. They're kind of like what you'd see in like an Italian Renaissance painting. And your candle light takes in some things that are a little odd. Like there's a ruin with columns. There's a hill with a cave. And then something that really gets your eye is like two rough, unestone with another stone perched on top of them. It's something that you would recognize from lithographs and etchings of stone hinge, but it's free standing. And I'll just go ahead and tell you that it's what you'd know is a cronlec or a dolmen, a neolithic structure. Yeah, this structure is a sort of gate, right? Yeah, support, a gate. Think about stories, especially. So specifically, triggers a memory of when Archibald would tell us stories about playing with fairies and what it was like to go into that realm. And I think they like the shadowy places best, so any gate or any door that's dark on the other side. Quick as lightning, you can flick right through and at the right time when the moon is right, then you can flick right through as well. Archibald, I'm not like my sisters. I don't believe in that nonsense. Well you'll believe when you see it yourself. Yes, when I see it myself, but I have it and you keep talking about fairies all the time. And then it's like sometimes I sometimes I'm talking to you and you can't tell if he's telling you a story or you're just trying to scare you, but look, look just there. Look down the hallway and in your old house, his children, you can see that he's like left the door to the root cellar going down and it's just a door that's open with pitch darkness on the other side. It'll doors just like that. When you saw it, but I press myself closer to Archibald. Yes, can you hear them? You might be able to hear them all again and just see your vantage point. Looking at that dark door, looking at that dome and you can see that the artist has rendered it in such a way where it's a light daytime scene, but through the dome and it's night. And you just kind of hear in your mind. I met a lady in the knees for beautiful, the fairies child. Her hair was long, her foot was light and her eyes were wild and your candle blows out. What did I say about children's sake? It shouldn't be allowed. Okay, so you're in darkness. Your candle blows out. And on screen. Sink me, it's really coming down out there. Is this weepie? Yes, I am quite glad that we aren't still walking back to our cottage. I'm sure we would be and we'd be quite soaked through and we know how Aurelia would hate to have her hair ruined in the scene. Of course, and just me. What are you? I'm gone! I'm gone! At some time! Okay, I wore my bonnet. Sorry, I was only teasing Aurelia, of course. I suppose it has gotten a little wet. But it would be impolite to say that it had been ruined. I kicked my bonnet! Yes! In any case, we are delighted to be making your acquaintance finally. Indeed. Yes, I suppose the arrangement which would be suggest would be amenable for Lottie's sake. It's all the way she held your hand. She clearly likes you. She seems to be a very bright child. That she is. She takes after her father. I was never so wise. But yes, she is a bright and sprightly thing. And wiser than her years to be sure. Thracism is chivalrous. How long has it been? Since she has been my ward. Yes. Lord, four years now. Must be very lonely for you. We'll stay here. We'll do nights you have time, Aurelia. Pop the bricks! My lady. I said that in triplet speak, not a lot. My loneliness is not to be considered. If I am solitary, no matter how much we'd be would seek to draw me into the light, this is my own affair. I have a great deal of accounts to settle here. His state was left in such a fashion as it requires all my efforts. Perhaps we could be of assistance. It is all the same family. It is distant as it may be. It has been examining a painting on the far one. She is just going to be interested to each other. There is no reason why that person should fall upon your shoulders. I am ill equipped to do so, and I suppose you do not think it is beneath you. Oh. Well, I couldn't imagine a little Charlotte without a government and without a proper upbringing. And our presence here might create some confidence in other people in town, feeling as though it is safe and then proper governance can be brought to him. Yes. Indeed. Although I would not rely too brightly on the kindness of the people of Tereford. Once they are set in their ways, they seem to tend to keep them. The rumours that seem to have bound about this place they cling to. What were we supposed to do here? I only hear very pleasant things. She is like kind of fishing for like you didn't hear anything. I see. That sounds like you are really trying for something. Can I get a roll? How are you trying to get information out of him? I think you should try to charm rather than persuade. So maybe she will be like, "You seem so knowledgeable about people around town." You know, as sisters here, we usually don't get much of an opportunity. We don't give very much opportunities to socialise with the townsfolk. You must be so knowledgeable about worldly things. Oh, man. Okay, let's see the roll and see how well this goes over. Sometimes you do the, sometimes folks at home, sometimes you do the roll playing, you roll afterwards, and you see how something landed. Sometimes you roll and then you roll afterwards, but we'll see. No, we'll see. Oh, these are good guys. A 16 under 50 that is a hard success. Okay, you've, it sounded like that charm was almost like flattering. Yes, you've been certain you must know so much about worldly things. Certainly not someone inexperienced as myself. Kitty. Kitty is suddenly very interested in this painting in front of her. I'm sure that you have the wisdom of experience not to say you were experienced. Oh, no. Of course not. But to say rather, it's just like that you are experienced enough to know that rumours about, and yes, they'd heard all manner of dreadful things about Longford, that he was a recluse, that he was an obsessive, this at the least, the most dark rumours are that he was a madman. He was doing terrible things to his fortunate wife, and that was a regular success. Hard success. Hard success. The circumstances of their demise are not to be spoken of. And as just in in, in Aurelia's point as you were saying this like, it's just focuses closely on this portrait. As you say that, the burning eyes, Longford, seem to look at you from the portrait. I understand it as partly my duty in the settling of this estate. A man's reputation is partly his estate as well. And to what extent I can provide some rehabilitation of the same I shall endeavour to do so. If not in terrifer, then at least in the world at large, I cannot speak of certain things, it is too horrible. Sure, the reputation of the late Mr Longford, there's no selection upon your reputation, sir. Does it not? I come to understand that there may be some in terrifer who see me not as a successor, but the second coming. I. Well, but you don't look anything like him. For that, I must admit I am given to pleasure, but age will work its ravages, I suppose. to punish all. One day? What? [LAUGHTER] True. If we are lucky enough to grow to old age, then yes, age will work as ravages upon us all day. But you know it's now quite young. OK. And I'll say that this, in fact, that his taciturn response, in fact, tells you a little bit something that he wants to protect the reputation of Longford, that he's heard these same rumors that you have, but he's let slip that the circumstances of the death are horrible, too horrible to be spoken of. And which, in some way, lends some credence to the bizarre one-upsmanship that was going on in the market in Terraford. Don't you want to drink it? I'm starting to think it was murderous. Oh. What if we-- Murder on this chance? It looked about the house and through the papers and things and did some investigating and found proof that all of these dark rumors are not true. And then we could use that proof to rehabilitate the reputation as it were. And I would love a tour of the place. Oh, a tour would be lovely. [LAUGHTER] This is witty. Not satisfied with the title of governance, they now seem to be the steward of your own estate, dark, more-- soon they should be running all your affairs. Oh, well, I didn't mean anything unto all. I just-- we all have a vested interest in the reputation of the estate. We do live on part of the property. Not to be unkind is Montgomery, but perhaps there's certain things you might look over. I have not the attention to dedicate myself to all of them, but their discretion is of the utmost importance to me and to the household. I cannot be throwing open every door to you. Oh, of course. We have only just met. Well, as Cornelius was familiar, a discretion was a specialty of my family. Yes, indeed. No, but this was your specialty. So if you wish to ask probing questions of the estate, maybe put them to your friend, guess luck. Oh, I have questions of my own. I'd like to see how the collection has expanded since my father's departure. Yes. If we have all had enough to drink, I confess I'm not one for cards. Perhaps a tour of the par there is in order. I'm sure. This luck can tell you more about these object than myself. You rises and kind of moves across the hall. And yeah, you will kind of give you a little tour of some of these treasures. How are things going in the bathroom? I'm not great. Why don't you give me a Constitution roll? Constitution roll. Well, 72 way over 25. Oh, 25. You have a 25 Constitution. Is that frail? I'm a weed. You damn damn whelps. I want to say, Augustus, that you have a coughing fit. You drink some water, splash some on your face. What does it look like when you're trying to get it hold of yourself? Yes, the candle light went off completely. I can't see anything at all. I feel-- A grouping around. I'm grouping around having a coughing fit. All of those moments take me back to when I was in the trenches of my illness, of being alone in a room by myself, not anyone there. Absolute darkness. Not being able to breathe, fighting for my entire life, but feeling like I'm being sucked under in this darkness with no light whatsoever. And I'm trying to move to just remind my soul that my flesh is there still. But in terms of a plan, there is none. It is just a way to feel like I'm here. I'm here still. You're drowning above water. Again, and kind of like trying to collect yourself. It's so dark. You probably didn't even make it back into that room. You're just kind of still in that hallway, sitting down the candle and gasping for air. And when you looked into the dull menu, you heard that song. Was that a memory? Was that Archibald singing? We see that him whispering the song just behind your ears. You looked down into the root cell. Was it your imagination? Or was there something singing to you from the darkness? Was there someone singing to you from the darkness just now? Was that a memory or something that happened right behind you? Down the dark hallway. Because as you look deeper and deeper, it's so, so dark. The few candles that are up north towards the front of the property are casting an easy, feverish light. Feverish, you feel the sweat on your brow. And all is dark in front of you. And that melody is still there. Can you roll a sanity form? Because where is it coming from? No. Your memory or the darkness? And you can remember Oggy's voice. Go ahead and roll as you roll into them. The songs. The songs in the language of the fairies of the spherical forest, Oggy. The songs of other home, the place where you used to play. Or did you roll? I rolled in '87 over '50. Yeah. The melody kind of fades away. But it's that sense of like, did I remember that? Or did I hear it? Can I roll a D4 for me? You're going to lose that much sanity. It's a three. You lose three points of sanity of this moment where you stand upon the threshold of memory and the past and the present. And you have this sense of this place where distinction dissolves. Where memory is the present. Where darkness is light. Glowing with darkness visible. The darkness has a lustre all its own. A melody, all its own, that it conjures by. You lose three points of sanity as you hear Lark's voice talking about antiquities in the parliament. It's so dark. You have a reaction when you lose this much sanity. Sometimes you faint. Sometimes you scream. Sometimes you call out. How does this manifest for you? I pass out. You pass out. And there, gasping for air, coughing. Not quite tasting blood in your throat, but that metallic tang. The memory of it coming back is that melody continues to play in your ears. The food was light, and the eyes were wild. As you reel backwards, another lightning bolt cracks outside. And in that brief moment of light through the rain-streaked window, you see the androgynous pale figure moving back behind the bark from where I was watching you. And perhaps, singing to you? See you next time. [MUSIC PLAYING] Most writers have written really terrible stories. My name is Vince DeJohnny, and I am no exception. The only thing different about me is that I kept them all. Now, I'm going to force my very talented actor friends to read them with me. I want to read that lie. A man in his 50s or perhaps 40s, if he was the largest smoker as the sense surrounding him suggested, wow, drag him, Vince it. There are teen slashers where every character sounds edgy as hell. There's sci-fi giants that read just a little bit too much like giant penises. And there's a murderer who enjoys musical theater for some reason. And occasionally, something I wrote 15 years ago will be much, much worse. Only after a few minutes did I realize that if I thought about a certain thing or said at a time when something was said or thought by what am I reading, what does that mean? We're going to laugh. We will probably cringe. And I may even cry just a little bit. Listen to Character Development, a comedy podcast, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. [MUSIC PLAYING] Grace. Grace? Grace, thank God. Operator, tell Dr. B that Grace is awake. I-- Don't talk yet. That doctor thinks you had a seizure while Iris and I were out. With something like your Pituja, Duma, it's quite possible that the peripheral vision loss is permanent. But we may be able to slow or even reverse your central vision damage. It's getting worse, maybe. Maybe I got too close to the car, or maybe someone snuck some technology into the town. We have to find it, or report it, and get rid of it or something. Please don't go looking for anything else that will hurt you. Who's there? I'm coming for you, please. Get scared with how I died of the Carrington event. How I died of the Carrington event is available now on All Podcast Eps. Hey, it's Hillary Frank, host of The Longest Shortest Time, a women's health podcast for everyone. And exciting news, I've got a new original audiobook. It's called Wedlocked, and it's a thriller about the pressure on women to smile through pain. There's marital strife, gaslighting, gynecology, and creepy music, which is running under me right now. If you like thrillers with a social message, like get out, promising young woman, then Wedlocked is for you. Get it now, wherever you buy audiobooks.