The Wrath of the Wraith 2/3 with Josephine McAdam

[00:00:00] Rusty Quill Presents Push The Roll with Ross Bryant is intended for mature listeners only. Check the show notes for content warnings and please listen with care. Want to get involved? Back us on Patreon and submit your ideas for our improvised games. Your suggestion just might inspire our next Call of Cthulhu adventure. Join today at patreon.com slash push the roll.

[00:00:24] Let me nurse you back to health, stranger! And it is that moment where your shot rings out and this highwayman falls to his knees and topples face first into the earth. Thump! The two highwaymen are now unconscious on the ground. Excellent shot, young miss. Thank you, Ida. Huzzah!

[00:00:52] I'll ride over, I guess because it's Emma and co, highwaymen, and I'm like on the other side, right? So I'll sort of ride to where the highwayman is and hop off the horse to kind of inspect. If I did know this guy, kind of like will turn him with my foot to the other side. Yeah, if you turn him to the side and kind of pull off his little, uh, ad hoc mask. Yes, you can see one of the starlings who lives in the, uh, lives in the village a little bit far away from the, uh, house.

[00:01:22] The great house. Dougal, you damn fool. And, uh, and he'll walk over, he's like kind of pulling the horse alongside him this time, walking over to you guys. And he's like, who may I ask are my saviors? And I see he's bleeding. This, sir, I am Miss Emma Wentworth. And surely I would have been assaulted most terribly if you had not arrived. Oh, you're bleeding.

[00:01:51] Oh, Miss Wentworth. Oh, I, no, pay no mind to that, Miss Wentworth. I am here in your service. I rip, okay, so I have like a dress that has sort of like, you know, kind of like a shawl-ish thing over my shoulders. And I just rip it right off and I wrap it around his wound. And my bosom really does rise out of the course even, even more. Xerxes like averts his eyes.

[00:02:21] He's like, oh, my lady. No, there is nothing here to be ashamed of. We are travelers in circumstances that are so poor. You Americans are built different. While Emma is like, while Emma is distracted and Xerxes as well, Ida will go over to Gregory. Mr. Putin, excellent reflexes. May I borrow your dagger for a moment? Yes, of course. Be careful. It's bejeweled.

[00:02:50] Of course. And then Ida will go over and just dispatch these two unconscious highwaymen. Ida, that is not what it is for. Just neatly, just really quick. You know, it's no big show of it. Just like, and then wipes off the blade. Thank you, Mr. Putin. Very good. Thank you. The cosmos is a cyclopean infinity of chaos.

[00:03:21] Infinite branching paths stretching off to vistas in the distance that will drive the mind mad. Shall we shrink in the face of all this? Or will we climb aboard the chaos and ride it to the end, letting chance guide the way? This is Push the Roll. We're rolling dice against your Patreon suggestions to create improvised Call of Cthulhu adventures in real time.

[00:03:46] With themes of eldritch horror, the weird, the transhuman, the transmundane, the cyberpunk, the splatterpunk, the anythingpunk. We don't know until we roll. Anytime, anyplace, anything can happen. When you push the roll. Emma, I think I'm, now you're, you're, you're a, we've established a fine lady, but you, no one, no one lives in this time without, being exposed to a little bit of violence.

[00:04:14] But I think that it's still pretty disturbing seeing your, uh, your ladies made dispatch two men in utterly cold blood in the Freudist sang. So, um, can you please roll sanity for me? Ida, Ida, what are, what are you doing? Roll your sanity score and tell me if you fail. Oh, okay. My sanity score is... It's a 60.

[00:04:42] I fail very miserably. Oh, dear. Oh, no. But it's just violence, you know? It's just one point of sanity loss. You see, you lose one point of sanity, bringing it down by one. Oh. So you now have 59 sanity, just to let you know the rules of this game, Emma Wentworth. If your sanity ever reaches 48, you are indefinitely insane. Ooh. In a single day. In a single day if that happens. And the hour is late, so you may get some rest.

[00:05:12] But right now I think you, you have an involuntary reaction anytime you lose any sanity. Sometimes it's screaming, sometimes it's, it's fainting. Uh, how do you think this affects you? Oh, I faint. Absolutely. I faint. Ah! Emma! I'll catch. I have a very tight corset on, and I just go down, but in a very, like, swoon. Yes.

[00:05:39] Um, Emma's hand comes to her brow as she, as she swoons backwards into the arms of Xerxes' Ozymandias Arendelle. It's, it's this damn corset's too tight. Quick, we must get this off. Um, yes. Perhaps not here on the heath. You know, you know, of course, that Ursuline Manor, your home. Mm. The home of Lord Cyrus Mowbray. The third Earl of Southbroke.

[00:06:09] Lies not even a league hence. And you can get out of the rain and bring these travelers to their intended destination. Uh, I, I'm going to put Miss Wentworth on horseback, uh, next to me, and get on, have the other horses run away? Um, yes. You know what? Can I, like, whistle? Ooh. Bring them back. I got that horse whistle on me.

[00:06:38] No, um, I don't have the, uh, the sheet right in front of me. Is there an animal handling skill? Uh, it depends what era she grabbed the sheet from. No, I don't. You know what? This is such a cool idea. I almost want to let you roll ride because this has to do with animal control. You were born in the saddle. So, uh, give me a, give me a ride roll. Okay. That's a success. Just a regular success. Nice.

[00:07:02] Uh, Gregory and Ida, as you gather up your, your effects out of the broken carriage, the, the coach driver ran away in terror. Oh yeah, we forgot about him. He's, he's, he's run away and was probably drunk to begin with, but you're kind of collecting your effects. Ida hands your dagger back, Gregory. Just smoking with the blood of two men.

[00:07:28] And it is that moment when you look up and you see Xerxes, like, stand with, uh, Emma in his arms and just give a whistle. Wow. And I, I'm just staring into the horizon waiting for, I know they are coming. And the two steeds return. So, I'm, I'm so upset that I'm unconscious.

[00:07:53] Ida, the, the bandits here are quite unimpressive, but this, this gentleman, he's marvelous. Yeah, I, I, I. Can you two ride? I ask, can you ride? I. I. Um, yes. And as you begin to gather your things to set them on horseback and figure out exactly how you are going to make your way to your destination, Ursuline Manor.

[00:08:20] I would like, from those of you who are still conscious, I, in fact, I think I maybe want to give it in particular to Gregory Putin. Can you make a spot hidden for me? Yes. Yes. I think he's kind of looking off into the middle distance, still shocked by what he's seen Ida do. And he's, he's muttering to Ida, like, that, that's no common blade, Ida. It's a ritual instrument. Let me know if you feel anything.

[00:08:45] I feel very, uh, satisfied with its sharpness and the way in which it ended those men's lives. So, yes, uh, 10 out of 10 would kill again. Wonderful. As I, as I roll spot hidden, looking off into the distance. Ooh, I did well. Uh, well, 23 under 25. It's a regular success. Great. As you said, the highwaymen here are so unimpressive.

[00:09:14] You got a hard success, did you say? A regular. The way you said that makes me wonder if I, if I should spend a little luck to get it down to a 12. As ever, if you get higher levels of success, you get more benefits for your rolls. I just remembered my luck's 25, so I'm going to take the regular. I think that's fine. You, your eyes look over the highwaymen and you just have a sense that there might be something strange here. But your eyes move further.

[00:09:43] Across the rolling hills of this craggy cliffside landscape. So craggy. Aside from the horses and your little party here, there's not a soul to be seen. And then you see her. You see her there underneath a tree. The wind blowing her garments. Like gaseous vapor.

[00:10:10] Caught in a breeze, they seem to tremble around her body. Her bone white face. Almost imperceptible at this distance. Utterly still. Stares at you. From across the fields. And steps back behind the tree. Was she even there? She was just looking at you this whole time. Just watching you.

[00:10:40] From across the field. Roll sanity for me. Ooh. Oh, wow. Ooh, man. This is oof. I'll use Gregory. Um. I rolled. Oh, I actually succeeded with my low sand. I rolled a 29 under 40. Ooh. Nice. Wow. Probably just a peculiar local. Yeah. I think like he's in the process now.

[00:11:08] He's handing the dagger back to Ida as he sees this figure. And he kind of points in that direction. He's like, you see, you see her? Uh, see whom? Who? And then he looks back and she's gone. She's gone. Oh. She was there. She's gone. Yes. Am I free and clear or do I take a point? Is that?

[00:11:37] I think you take, I think you just take one point. Okay. Not because you're able to rationalize it, of course, but there was just something so unnerving in her gaze. In the bone white of her features. You could barely make out her expression. The way that her garments seem to move in the wind, not as though they were being disturbed by air, but as though they were being moved by water.

[00:12:05] And though her expression was almost entirely imperceptible to you, there was something in her eyes, her coal black eyes, even at that distance that conveyed wrath. Wow. His involuntary reaction, I think, is they were kind of packing up their things. So I think he's just going to kind of mindlessly flip through his journal of strange encounters

[00:12:29] that he's collected from other people in the Society for Psychical Research and see if anyone's described a figure like this before. You know, and if you're dilly-dallying looking through a journal as you're looking, Xerxes is going to lift you onto your horse. Great. That is huge. That's perfect. He's got me in one hand and then he's got me up. It's just one handing of both of them. This is the cover to the novel? Yeah. Yeah.

[00:12:59] Xerxes, a Bulgarian split squats you like a kettlebell. It puts you right on horseback. Master Arendelle, I can mount a horse! And as you're looking, as you're kind of startled looking in your journal, looking for other cases of strange, strange figures like this. But, but then no. But no, as strange and unnerving as it was, it must have just been a peculiar woman because this is a peculiar place.

[00:13:26] This strange cliffside expanse where the sleet gray ocean stretches off there. And the cliffside plunges down to its vertiginous depths. And the last thing we'll see is the unconscious face. The picture of cherubic innocence of Emma Wentworth. Swooned in the arms of Xerxes Ozymandias Arendelle. And much like her gaze, our gaze goes dark.

[00:13:57] And then see and feel a roaring fire. A stony hearth. And the interior of a vast, antique home. The former Ursuline Convent. Come private residence here. Ursuline Manor.

[00:14:25] There's a long and broad table set by the fireplace. Upon which are set enormous candelabras. Night has fallen. And every now and then you still hear a crack of thunder. And a bolt of lightning briefly illuminates the heath outside. And you're never entirely unaware of the cliffs upon which the manor is set. Like a jagged dragon's tooth probing the sky.

[00:14:55] It sits there. Its enormous belfry seeming to pierce the clouds. You still hear those gulls outside as the rain patters against the warped glass of the manse. And you're there at the table. Gathered around this table enjoying some viands after your long travels. There's some haunches of meat prepared. And just fine victuals laid out there on the table.

[00:15:24] And in a fine jacket. Sat back in a wooden chair. Like carven to resemble like two dogs. Kind of like sitting up underneath him. Leaning back. Is the Earl himself. Lord Cyrus Mowbray. Two giant wolfhounds. Kind of sleeping at his feet. A glass of claret in his hand. Yeah, yeah.

[00:15:53] But is he hot? Like how hot is he in comparison? I need to know. I need to know. Emma and Xerxes and all of you. In case you were wondering about his relative hotness level. We all are. He has a sort of dark magnetism. A. Absolutely. Knife sharp widow's peak. And we're in the 19th century after all.

[00:16:22] So he has some rather dramatic facial hair. It's one of those kind of Van Dyke beards. With just a stripe of white going up the center. He is old. He is significantly older than you. Emma Wentworth. And he looks older than I think you were expecting. He's a little bit doughy around the middle. He was hot and he's getting so much less hot. Every adjective. Every description is like, okay, I'm into it. It's like Doctor Strange.

[00:16:52] And then we're like, you know, and then we're going down and down. And now we're like Jack Black. And then we're now going down the list. It's only when you see Xerxes next to him that he starts to look less and less attractive. Yeah. Yeah. It compares. Xerxes creates a sense of forced perspective. Where like once. Yeah. Lord Mowbray is hot until Xerxes stands next to him. And then suddenly like the contrast is stark. But yeah, you nailed it.

[00:17:19] It's like a much, much older Doctor Strange who's kind of let himself go. With a little poosh. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. A little pot belly. And you're 18 years old. Is that what we said? I'm 18. Yes. Yeah. Fuck that. Yeah. That would be terrible to hear. Classic. Yeah. Unfortunately for the 19th century. It's pretty common. It does. It has been known to happen. At least I'm legal.

[00:17:50] Okay. In this era you have been for four years. I'm only sorry that I was not there to defend your honor myself. Miss Wentworth. Miss Wentworth. Miss Wentworth. Uh, Lord Mowbray. May I call you? Uh, what do I call you actually? Earl Lord Mowbray Cyrus.

[00:18:14] I understand that you Americans are not used to the formality of the traditions of our gentility. But you may call me Lord. As everyone shall. Even after we're married, you'll be Lord. Of course. Of course you will. Of course you will.

[00:18:39] I, Lord, I would love to have had you there in that moment. But your ward Xerxes was present and accounted for. To be quite frank, I hardly did a thing. Miss Wentworth was a sight beyond imagination. Just wielding that gun like, oh, like an expert.

[00:19:09] Where did you learn to shoot like that, Miss Wentworth? My maid Ida is, well, she has a mysterious past. But she has mothered me since birth. Really, she is a mother. But now I, I have discovered things that I didn't know about her. Isn't that funny? How droll, yes, how droll.

[00:19:39] You'll not be having any need for pistol shooting here. I hope that the luxurious confines of Ursuline Manor will suit you well. Now, of course, when summer comes, you can indulge in the hunt and whatever pastimes you so wish to while away the hours of your luxury here. Xerxes winks.

[00:20:07] But you must become used to our gentle ways, Miss Wentworth. When you are Lady Mowbray, the Countess of Southbroke, much shall be expected of you. Gentility is a kind of yoke. And there are duties that are required even of ourselves.

[00:20:35] I'm sure that in the time we are on this very luxurious estate, I will apply myself as I need. And then when we're in the city most of the year, it will be lovely to just enjoy living in London or Glasgow or wherever we're going to make our home. This is a very nice place to vacation.

[00:21:02] I never go to the city and no vacations and holidays are taken. This is my home and the home of my family, and it is here that I shall dwell. There is much to occupy my labors here. As I say, gentility is a yoke and my duty is that to which I must pay homage. He glances like around the room.

[00:21:31] Make a listen roll. Is this Emma or everybody? This is everyone. I don't have anything for listen. I'm pretty good at this. I rolled a 32. Over 20. Okay. Did anybody succeed? I have a hard success. A hard success. Nice. I'm going to spend 12 luck and see. I want to hear it. I want to hear it. Yeah, I'm going to spend two luck to hear.

[00:21:56] Ida is just paying attention to the hounds and trying to suss out what their weaknesses might be, where their vulnerabilities are. What? The hounds! She's never fought a dog, but she thinks she might be able to, so yeah. Yeah. They're snoozing their wiry fur, still a little bit wet from their tracking outside. So a couple of you got regular successes and Gregory got a hard success. 19 under 50.

[00:22:24] Those of you with regular successes, as he completes this little speech, punctuating it with a sip of his chalice of claret. And looking at you, Emma, you can tell just like his eye just roving over you. The look of horror that just came over Nick right now. You're selling it, Ross. I love it. Let's go. It's perfect. Yeah. His eye just, yes, like raking down your form.

[00:22:52] See, as he sips his glass, you hear a cat, like a little... It sounds like the sound of a cat in heat. And you can see he kind of like sets his glass down. You've been long about your journeys and the hour is late. You of course have time to set aside your effects.

[00:23:19] Forgive me, Miss Wentworth, that I do not have a full complement of servants. I put great trust in young Master Arendelle. He is not my blood, but I trust him with my life. I must retire. He moves around the table. He will, of course, retire in one of our guest chambers. It is not until...

[00:23:49] Not until the prelate can be called and we are made man and wife that, um... We shall share a chamber. The look of disgust on Felicia's face. And he moves around the room kind of and just like gives you a little courtly bow. He doesn't even look the rest of you in the eye until he kind of moves around to you, Ida. Master Arendelle has told me of your heroism and... Keen shooting.

[00:24:19] Well done. Perhaps you too will be an asset here. Doesn't even look at you. I was also present? But what's playing in your head, Gregory, is that what you heard sounded like a cat, but it wasn't. Because towards the end of its little like... What you heard,

[00:24:49] you could swear that the cat said something like... Cool. Must be an urchin. Can I roll something on that? Like a what? It could be natural world. It could be Cthulhu Mythos. Yeah, maybe natural world would be his first instinct. Like, hey, you know, if that's not a cat, is that a human? Roll natural world.

[00:25:19] Okay. Can cats say we're hungry? Can... Is that something that is possible? Well, we're in Scotland, you know, he's not too familiar with the... Yeah. ...these lands. They might have different cats, yeah. Oh. Holy! We love to see it. That's a fumble with a 99 over 10. Wow. A fumble. Indeed. Natural world. A fumble on natural world. Yeah, buddy. You heard that voice,

[00:25:47] and you're pretty certain that what you heard, Gregory, was someone suffering from the later stages of tuberculosis. It sounds like someone with their throat just ravaged, shredded, whose voice has been so desiccated by coughing up great quantities of their own lungs. And it's a horrible vision that comes into your head of something diseased here. No, not that sound.

[00:26:17] His father dying maybe pops into his head. Hmm. Yeah. See, he lived through this once. Yeah. Yeah. And see, like a young Gregory there being pushed out of a room because no one should be in here. A room where the servants are going to burn every piece of furniture in it after your father dies, as they must when someone has consumption. And you just see your father's eyes sunken and bloodshot.

[00:26:46] The lily on his brow. The roses of his cheeks withered and faded. And his beard matted with blood as the door shuts between you and your father when you were a young boy. And that is the image that comes into your head. And because you fumble, this horrible memory provokes a sanity roll. Yeah. Yeah. This is why he became interested in psychical research. He wanted to make contact with his late father. You wanted to make contact with your father.

[00:27:14] You've been trying to cross the veil between life and death for a long time. Yes. Let's see. Maybe I have another good roll in me. Oh my God. Do I? Do I ever? I rolled a three under 39 on my sanity. Okay. So even though you fumbled, I think you take it in stride. And that's no sanity loss. Wow. It's just a disturbing and terrible memory. But I think there might be a consequence that rears its head.

[00:27:42] Because I think, perhaps if I may, I think what this prickles in you is a little bit of a compulsion to find out what this is. If you've been brought into a place where there's a consumptive, then this is dangerous. Yeah. And you might need to find what's up there. I think he just kind of instinctively pounds the table and says, The bones of the home are marvelous. The wolfhounds kind of like their ears like pop up. You see them. Ida as he pounds on the table.

[00:28:11] And the two of them kind of lazily get up and stretch and pad after their master. Keep to the west wing if you please. My chambers are in the east. And there would be an impropriety if we would be too close together before the day of our appointed nuptial. Miss Wentworth. I look forward to the day when you are my countess.

[00:28:36] He says, giving you one more bow before he takes his candle up the stairs and disappears into shadow. Yes, my lord. Have you all had enough to eat? You're not hungry, are you? This food does not really resemble what I am used to. Oh, is this not to your liking? We generally source from the land around us.

[00:29:05] I'm used to going to balls and galas and banquets most days of the week. So this is quite different, Mr. Arendelle. I see, my lady. Well, I'm sure we can find something that might suit your delicacies with time. Something more to your taste. I doubt it.

[00:29:31] In the middle of nowhere, I don't think I'll find anything I like. Call me yourself, Miss Wentworth. Yes, Emma. Emma. Emma, I think it's beginning to crash on you. This older man. The transactional nature of this marriage. You're going to gain a title, but you've lost access to your family, to the life you knew. And now that you've come here, you just are so aware of how impossibly remote the Ursuline Manor is.

[00:30:00] You are on the furthest verge of this coastline. And there's nothing around. The only other people that you've seen are these like scraggly highwaymen. I'm going to run. Yes, I'm going to run to the piano. Emma, wait. You saw it on your way in and you run across the hall into the parlor. There's heavy draperies on the wall. You sit down at this aged and dusty piano forte.

[00:30:31] Ida already has the sheet music that she knows is Emma's favorite piece that she's been working on out. And she just puts it in front of her and stands back, arms crossed. Now I have a 15. I did not practice the piano much, but it does. It is a solace when I express myself pounding on the keys. My repressed inner life coming out finally. My rage and my sorrow.

[00:30:57] And I roll very high. Just flailing. Just king conking. It's raw and beautiful. Such beautiful banging. It's always very soothing to hear. You see Emma just like run, run across this house and into this shadowy room. A few candles illuminate it.

[00:31:23] And she flings herself down at the piano forte and begins to pound arithmatically and discordantly upon it. If you want to try to succeed, I'll offer that you could try to spend luck. Or there's another option which we haven't really broached. Don't really have enough luck to do that. You can push the roll, which is to say you roll again. If you succeed, that's great. But if you fail, something bad happens. I'm going to push the roll. Push it. Oh, I'm pounding.

[00:31:53] My tears are making tracks in the dust. And I roll again and roll higher. 69. Nice. This is nice. Oh, make it sexy, Ross. Okay. My bosom is heaving out. You rolled a 69? Yes. Okay, great. Here's what happens. What do the rest of you do when she goes charging there? You mentioned the sheet music, Ida, that you had close at hand. Do you just slip it right in front of her?

[00:32:23] Or was it already there? Tell me. No. Slips it right in front of her. This is seamless. This is something that she's seen, she's witnessed this before. And then she just stands by the piano, just waiting to lavish compliments on the raw passion with which Miss Wentworth is playing this pianoforte. Wonderful. And I'm trying to grab the ear of Master Arendelle to find out if he knows what's going on with that sound Gregory heard. Oh, not literally, I see. Correct. Correct. I was like, really?

[00:32:53] Okay, wonderful. Master Arendelle, a private word? Master Arendelle is kind of just saying, no, no, not that room. Oh, good. Okay. Yeah, you, you, so you're there clanging and banging. Gregory pulls Xerxes back into the dining room and is, and is going to question him about that peculiar sound. But Ida, you have followed your mistress into the parlor, into the music room. And you're just hearing what you always hear in these situations.

[00:33:21] Clang, clong, clang, clang, clong. Discord. The product of a hysterical mind that is breaking under the weight of so much, so much stress and misfortune. And unlike you, she, she has not cultivated the, the relationship with sorrow and disappointment that has bred stoicism in her spirit. As a way of kind of bolstering her, she might say, Miss Wentworth, I know this is all very

[00:33:51] sudden and strange and a lot of it may not line up with your expectations. But remember, nothing is forever. We always maintain control over our destinies. Ding dong. Ding dong. And, and if, if I may, Emma, because you failed your push. Ida, you're standing across this room. It is illuminated by a couple of candles and you can hear her just like, like pawing discordantly at the keys.

[00:34:21] It's rougher than usual, even. You see, yeah, you see her, you see her back sort of hunching and, and, and writhing as she, as she tries to ring music out of this instrument and, gang, come, and then slowly, slowly she begins to play a melody. Just one note at a time at first. It sounds almost like a lullaby.

[00:34:50] And you're just kind of there at the other side of the room, watching her now stiff back, playing this little childish melody. I know all of the lullabies that she has been taught. I have the, I was the one who sung them to her. So this is very strange. I think I'll start to, Ida will start to walk towards her kind of slowly.

[00:35:19] Maybe this like inexplicable sense of, um, of, of dread beginning to creep into her as she's just Miss Wentworth. A melody you've never heard is pouring out of the live and slender fingers of Emma Wentworth. her stiff back, her hair knotted behind her head. And you're just seeing her play. And then Emma Wentworth begins to sing.

[00:35:49] Ida braces herself because this has never gone well in the past. Yeah, you hear something to the effect of, of just a little lullaby. Like, um... She brought me to her elfin grot. And there she wept and sighed full sore.

[00:36:12] And there I shut her wild, wild eyes with kisses for. I met a lady in the Meads. Full beautiful, a fairy's child. Her hair was long, her foot was light, and her eyes were wild.

[00:36:39] I brought her to my tender home. And there she spun and had my bears. And there I kept her till she died. I kept her there. And as you come around the piano, you can see that Emma Wentworth's eyes are rolled completely back in her head.

[00:37:06] And she is just staring at the ceiling. Roll sanity for me, Ida. Yeah, just did. So that is 52. What is my sanity? 80. So it is... I did succeed. But, um... I think that she can't help but, like, reach out and just grab Emma and try to shake her out of whatever it is that has hold of her. Miss Wentworth! Right. But that's not before. You can see her now smiling.

[00:37:34] And just one finger is playing one note. Bing! Bing! Bing! Bing! She's reaching back into her bodice and taking out the pistol. Bing! Bing! Bing! Bing! She's pointing it to her own head. No, no, no, no. Tackle. Okay, full body tackle. Just form tackle her right off of the bench. Just like, ah! Um, great. You tackle her. I don't think you even need to roll. And with that blow, Emma, you come out of it. The pistol goes skittering over the floor. Ida! Miss Wentworth! Ida!

[00:38:05] Where am I? What? You are in the piano room, the parlor, but, um... What? What do you remember? Something came over you, Emma Wentworth. Roll sanity for me. Let's see what you remember. I... I... Oh, that's not good. I have a 48... Oh, I have 59 sanity and I rolled a 59! Oh! Wait, that's... That's a six... Yeah. Woo! Okay. It was a close thing. That's a close thing. That's a good thing.

[00:38:35] Because that means I'm only going to give you half of the d6 that I rolled. So, that's two points of sanity loss. Oh, no. Oh, no. That's okay. I don't... I blacked out. I was... I was playing as I always do and... And then I felt a chill in my body. Yes, you felt a chill. As though something was touching you. Touching your fingers through the keys. Someone else... Yes. Moving your fingers. Like... Like... Pulling the strings.

[00:39:05] Like the strings of some grotesque marionette. And then speaking through you. And you just remember... Remember her voice. Screaming in your mind. With so much rage. Get out. Get out. How she almost... How she almost destroyed you. It wasn't good either. No, it didn't look good. It was... Come, Miss Mandretty. We must get you to bed. This is... You have had a very long day. This is my new home.

[00:39:34] Gregory will have to put new drapes up. Yes. He will find the... The most patent drapes as usual. He always manages somehow. Ida. Ida. And I grab her and I'm like, Ida. Yes. Yes. I won't live here for very long, will I? You'll make sure... You'll make sure like the Hyremen... We... We get to go home. After I'm a countess. A lady. Of course. You'll make sure we go home, please.

[00:40:04] Ida. Of course, Miss Wentworth. We have come here for your title. And that is what we shall acquire. And afterwards... You just leave it to me. We will go to Hawaii. And let's see the two of you just imagining a journey to the Sandwich Islands as you move into your guest room.

[00:40:29] But, of course, you heard a commotion, this commotion from the other rooms, Xerxes and Gregory. And perhaps you come to them as they're on their way out. But I'm curious, what was the query that you posed to Xerxes, Gregory? Yeah, I think right before this happened, maybe he pulls Master Arendelle aside and says, there's a sickness in your house. What is it?

[00:40:56] You will not utter such words as that in this household. But I... We do not speak of sickness here. Then tell me what you call it. And he puts a finger on your lips. Yeah. You don't speak of sickness here. He pulls back from the finger. And he... But then he grasps your face and holds you there. Wow.

[00:41:28] Don't... That's what I heard, bro. You guys are killing me. Everybody's doing their best face palm pantomime. We are. My face! This is like an alien face hugger on my... Yeah, you're just palming him like a basketball. Stop moving. I think it's actually really awkward and weird because he's beautiful, but also he's very uncomfortable with this handling of his face.

[00:41:56] Don't worry your pretty little face. And then just kind of strokes the side of it. I haven't heard that song in ages. And he turns towards the parlor. Oh, if we're hearing the music now, those lyrics, Ross, does it make me think of the woman I saw? It does. Behind the tree? It does.

[00:42:23] It seems to be someone riffing on an old poem of John Keats's, but with maybe introducing some of their own lyrics as well. Hmm. Yeah, but you cannot shake the feeling that it's connected somehow. It is the same presence. And yes, Xerxes, you haven't heard that song in a while, but you've definitely heard it.

[00:42:46] If we kind of run into it as they're exiting after, it's like, my lady, you have a voice. Where did you learn that? And I clutch. Is he wearing a ruffled shirt? Of course. I think he's, yeah. And of course, maybe roll way back or because of course he's got a bandage on his arm. Yeah. Yeah, yeah.

[00:43:12] But I grab his ruffles and I'm like, that wasn't my voice, but it might be now. And then I kind of, I touch his face. I'm like, and then I go to bed. I'm pulled by Ida. I cannot understand her ways. Those were not her ways. With that cryptic exclamation, as Emma goes to her guest room,

[00:43:41] and all of you shuffle to your various servile quarters. Xerxes, I think, probably has a little, a little chamber of his own as well. Mm. Let's, let's see night well and truly fall over Ursuline Manor.

[00:44:18] Thanks so much for listening to Push the Roll with Ross Bryant. You can follow me on Instagram at RossBB. And if you enjoyed the show and want to shape future episodes, find us at patreon.com slash push the roll. Subscribe, submit your title ideas and help decide where our next role takes us. Catch you next time.