Shadows in the Smoke S1E27 - "Too Much Ice on Their Hands"

Shadows in the Smoke S1E27 – “Too Much Ice on Their Hands”

Kim
Shadows in the Smoke is intended for mature audiences and may contain material that some people find disturbing. Please see the episode description for content warnings, and listen with care.

[Shadows in the Smoke theme]

Kim
Good morning, hunters. It’s been a minute. Both out of character, it’s been a minute since we’ve recorded. But also, I believe, in the world of The Between. Last night’s activities were so productive that you wiped two of my Threats off the board. And so I think you all took a much needed break. I think it’s been about a month since the last time we peeked in on the hunters of Hargrave House.

But before we get to that, I’d like to do a bit of out of character business. Because you all resolved The Spider-Silk Seamstress in a peaceful way, by Rabbit pledging to return with her to the land of Faerie, you all have unlocked a new move called Draw the Veil. I will remind you what it does now.

When you invoke the powers of the Fae realm to obscure the true nature of a person, object, or situation, roll with Presence. On a 10+, your deception goes unnoticed. Roll with advantage when acting to maintain it. On a 7-9, as above, but an unknown fae entity takes interest in your actions. And on a miss, you unknowingly violate an obscure aspect of fae etiquette. Take the Condition: Trespasser until you make amends. Which is a very interesting clear condition for that…

And we have one more custom move to talk about, but this one is just for Mr. Lloyd. Robert, the last time you took an advancement, you wanted to take a custom move. So off-mic, you and I talked a little bit about what that was going to be and worked on it, but I’d love it if you could read it for the class.

Robert
Yeah. Given the context of what’s happening to Rabbit in the story, we thought it might be a good idea to have him be able to travel to Faerie. So my custom move is The Weirding Way. You can find and open the passages between the mortal world and faerie, and use their sympathetic nature to travel quickly around London. In a pinch, you can even use them to escape a sticky situation or appear somewhere unexpected. When you take a shortcut through faerie without preparation, roll with Sensitivity. On a 10+, you get where you want to go with no problems. On a 7-9, you get where you are going, but the travel isn’t easy. The Keeper will give you a Condition. On a miss, you are lost in faerie for a bit. The Keeper will tell you what this means.

Kim
Very fun.

T.
We love a teleport.

Natalia
That’s so spooky!

Cassandra
That’s a really cool move.

Kim
So hunters, as I stated earlier, you were all so efficient. You wiped two of my Threats off the map last session, which means I have to introduce a brand new Threat today.

This Threat is called The Nutcracker.

[A slow Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy plays]

Kim
A retired hunter of Hargrave House, Rabbi Rebekka Salomon, has sent a letter to Hargrave House. She asks for assistance in cracking a case close to home. The bodies of three dancers from the Royal Ballet have been discovered encased in ice and posed as sculptures throughout the city. Basil Lagarde, 13, posed skating at Regent’s Lake Park. Massimo Osani, 19, found “praying” at Salomon’s own synagogue. And Ermes “The Soaring” Lambros, 29, crucified outside St. Paul’s church. Each body has been gelded. The ballet’s winter season threatens to be cancelled, and Rabbi Salomon, a patron of the ballet, wants the so-called Sculptor caught. She has determined the killer works at the theatre, but she is forbidden to speak to staff due to previous “recreational” trespasses.

I now pose this question to all of the hunters. The Ballet is well-known for its secrecy. What wild rumors have you heard about its approach to discipline?

Robert
British dancers often complain that they have a hard time getting roles with the ballet, that they go to foreign dancers more easily. The rumor is that it is because these foreign dancers are easier to make disappear, should something go wrong.

T.
All of the dancers are programmed to follow the Da Vinci sleep cycle, doing six 20 minute naps throughout the day instead of a full long rest, so that they might dip into dreams and bring them back to the theatre stage.

Cassandra
There is talk that if a dancer messes up a sequence during a performance, that the dancer is required to dance the whole show perfectly overnight before they are allowed to go to sleep.

Natalia
Maesie is not incredibly familiar with the ballet, but she has heard that it is incredibly painful and one of the most painful dances to dance, en pointe. And she has heard that any dancer from the Royal Ballet who complains about toe injuries from having to dance en pointe for hours on end, swiftly has those toes removed so that they are no longer a problem.

Kim
There are three Questions associated with The Nutcracker. Any of them will resolve the Threat. The first question is, “Where does the Sculptor carve their works?” That is a Complexity 4. You resolve the Threat by laying a trap for the Sculptor, then capturing or destroying them.

The next, “What winter tradition does the Sculptor still enjoy?” That is a Complexity 6. You resolve the Threat by celebrating with the Sculptor, and then luring them into the hands of the police.

The last question is, “How does the Royal Ballet train its featured dancers?” We sort of intimated a bit in our establishing question, but surely there is more to be uncovered. That is a Complexity 8. You resolve the Threat by empathizing with the Sculptor and promising “fresh materials.” The Threat is resolved, but the Sculptor may be a future danger if the custom move Dance of the Nutcracker is ignored or left incomplete for too long.

Cassandra
Oh, this sounds really fun for me.

Kim
The Nutcracker also has a unique mask associated with it. This is called The Mask of Perfection.

There is one final thing I want to mention about The Nutcracker. Similar to the Limehouse Lurker, this Threat is also on a timer. If you do not resolve this Threat in five Night Phases, the Sculptor completes his masterwork on Christmas Day, plunging London into years-long despair. The campaign ends immediately.

Cassandra
[Gasps]

T.
[Laughs nervously] Okay…

Natalia
What? Oh no!

Cassandra
Oh my god, this is violent.

T.
High priority.

Kim
So if you want there to be a Season 2 of Shadows in the Smoke, I encourage you to resolve this Threat.

T.
Our season is – the campaign. It’s just… Oh, wow.

Kim
The whole thing.

Cassandra
The whole campaign is just over.

Natalia
The whole campaign? Oh, no. Not the future of the entire show resting on this.

Kim
You might be killing my entire business plan for the next several years if you do not resolve this Threat. No pressure.

Robert
There might be another Between campaign. It just won’t have any of us, and it won’t be called Shadows in the Smoke.

T.
Well…

Kim
[Laughs]

Cassandra
Priorities, you guys.

T.
Let’s get on it, gang.

Natalia
Let’s get right on it.

Kim
[Laughs]

T.
But also, like, could Kim have given a less intriguing Threat to four theatre kids?

Cassandra
You know what? True.

Kim
Speaking of Threat timers, I also want to remind you that now two Night Phases have passed since the introduction of the Limehouse Lurker, which means we only have three Night Phases left before vampires descend upon London.

Natalia
And that’s to answer both threshold and the next question?

Kim
Yes.

Cassandra
[Gasps]

Natalia
We might wanna answer the threshold question.

Cassandra
Yeah.

T.
I think we should do that tonight.

Natalia
Yeah.

Cassandra
Okay. Well then I think I know where I gotta go today.

Kim
As I am forced to go to the breakfast phase…

Natalia
[Snorts]

T.
It’s the most important meal of the day.

[Birdsong, a fire crackles]

Kim
I do want to note that in the foyer of Hargrave House, there are two pieces of paper left on the tray that collects the calling cards from visitors to Hargrave House. One is addressed to Miss Thanero, written in sapphire blue ink.

Cassandra
Oh, yeah.

Kim
And the other… Miss Thanero, if one of your worshippers was to leave a message for you, how would that be marked or signed or otherwise denoted?

Cassandra
If a member of my cult were trying to get in touch with me or leave a message for me, whatever they wrote the message on would also include a single brown owl feather.

Kim
So you see such a message, also on the plate next to the sapphire blue card. The message from your worshipper is very brief. It just requests a desire to meet. There is no signature.

Cassandra
I currently only have one in my employ that is actively working for me, so I know who this is from.

Kim
The sapphire blue invitation, if you are to open it, is an invitation to tea at Mrs. Theodora Brathwite’s little pied a terre in London itself.

Cassandra
I’ll think about if I’m going to acknowledge this. Is it an invitation or, like, a summons?

Kim
It’s an invitation.

Cassandra
Okay. I’ll think on that.

T.
Well, tea is best considered over coffee. And One Shot John is in the process of brewing a pot. And I think this is the first time John and Merricat have encountered one another.

Kim
I would buy that. She tends to stick to like the servant’s quarters. She actually spends a lot of time in the conservatory, which no one thus far has really gone in.

T.
John goes in to make a pot of coffee, and runs into her making a pot of coffee.

Mr. John (T.)
Who the fuck are you?

Merricat Ovelia (Kim)
Your servant, sir.

Mr. John (T.)
I didn’t realize I had any servants.

Merricat Ovelia (Kim)
You are a hunter of Hargrave House.

Mr. John (T.)
Uh, right. [Sniffs] You smell like bird shit.

Merricat Ovelia (Kim)
Thank you!

Cassandra
Ena walks in as this is happening with these two pieces of mail, and sets them on the table.

Miss Thanero (Cassandra)
Come now, Mr. John, don’t tease her. She works very hard. But darling, you could use a bath.

Mr. John (T.)
I recommend you take her up on that.

Merricat Ovelia (Kim)
Yes, mistress. I will get right on that.

Kim
You see that she is preening some of her feathered appendages with her mouth as she departs.

Natalia
Maesie walks in as she leaves and just goes…

Miss Douglas (Natalia)
Morning, Merricat. You look lovely today.

Merricat Ovelia (Kim)
Morning, Miss Douglas!

Mr. John (T.)
Hybrid saying hi to the bird.

Miss Douglas (Natalia)
Morning, John.

Mr. John (T.)
Morning, Miss Douglas. Apologies, I haven’t had my coffee yet.

Miss Douglas (Natalia)
Right.

Miss Thanero (Cassandra)
Could you make me a cup while you’re over there?

T.
Already being set in front of you.

Mr. John (T.)
Anything interesting in the morning mail?

Cassandra
Ena picks up the sapphire blue invitation and the letter from Rebekka and passes both of them to Mr. John.

Miss Thanero (Cassandra)
Yes, there was a letter from our friend Rabbi Rebekka, which I think you’ll find interesting. And then this, from a certain lady in blue, for me.

Mr. John (T.)
She asking for another dance?

Miss Thanero (Cassandra)
Something like that. Our last dance was a little… aggressive.

Mr. John (T.)
The best ones usually are. You thinking of taking her up on it?

Miss Thanero (Cassandra)
Maybe. But I kind of want to let her sit on it for a minute. I don’t think I need to come the moment she beckons.

Mr. John (T.)
Yeah. You’re no lap dog.

Miss Thanero (Cassandra)
I certainly am not.

Mr. John (T.)
What do you say to catching a matinee instead? Seems like our old friend Rabbi Salomon’s got herself a trouble at the theatre.

Miss Thanero (Cassandra)
Yes, I would be very inclined to go. I haven’t been to the ballet in a while, and I certainly haven’t seen Rebekka in some time.

Mr. John (T.)
We should pay her a visit on the way.

Miss Thanero (Cassandra)
I think that would be lovely.

Natalia
Maesie has, like, slinked up between the two of you and is like reading the letter over Mr. John’s shoulder.

T.
Probably under my armpits.

[Everyone laughs]

Natalia
True, sorry. You’re way too tall for that.

Cassandra
I love this picture.

Mr. John (T.)
Miss Douglas…

Miss Douglas (Natalia)
Does that say the ballet?

Mr. John (T.)
I can’t really make it out… what is… I thought it was a ballot. What is a ballot? I thought it was something to do with voting.

Miss Douglas (Natalia)
Right. You don’t know how to read. That says ballet. It is a dance from France, and it’s very exciting, and I would love to go. Can I come along, please?

Mr. John (T.)
You don’t need our permission.

Miss Douglas (Natalia)
I just… I know I don’t need your permission. I’m just trying to be polite, John. Learn to do that maybe.

Cassandra
Ena steps in between them and like bodily separates them in this moment and puts her arm around Maesie.

Mr. John (T.)
Can’t teach an old dog new tricks.

Cassandra
She side-eyes John.

Miss Douglas (Natalia)
You’re an old dog.

Miss Thanero (Cassandra)
Will the two of you stop this? I care very deeply for both of you. Could you please stop the bickering? I do not wish to be a mother to you both.

Robert
At this point a door opens, and it’s probably like the door to a pantry or a scullery or something inconspicuous. But when you see it open, the room beyond it is not the room that you were expecting. As rabbit walks through, eating a small pastry, and shuts the door behind him.

Mr. Lloyd (Robert)
So, uh… We’re all here this morning?

Mr. John (T.)
Yeah, it’s been a spell.

Mr. Lloyd (Robert)
Yeah, it’s been a moment since we’ve had, uh… the pleasure of everyone being around.

Mr. John (T.)
[Grunts]

Robert
Cait pads in at Rabbit’s feet and probably jumps up onto the table. If there was any food on the table he probably goes over and sniffs it and if not immediately starts eating it.

Cassandra
As one does.

T.
Are Cait and I accustomed to one another yet? What is…  How does Cait feel about me, Robert?

Robert
I feel like when Cait sees you he is on edge, but also he’s not really threatened by you.

T.
Mmhmm.

Kim
[Laughs] Cait knows he’s the most deadly predator in the house.

Cassandra
Cait said, “I am the alpha of this house.”

Natalia
100%.

Robert
You know, it’s not the hair-raising, hissing, you know, defensive cat posturing. It’s more just the silent, staring at you cat posturing.

T.
Yeah. It’s a bear and a fox in the same part of the woods. Like, we’re not competition, but we’re not friends.

Robert
Yeah.

Natalia
It’s just Cait staring evilly at Mr. John, and Maesie just scratching the top of his head.

Robert
Yes, he loves Maesie. Cait absolutely loves Maesie.

Cassandra
Well, now I feel inclined to ask. How does he feel about Ena? I don’t know that I’ve ever asked.

Robert
I would say that he’s somewhat standoffish.

Cassandra
Okay.

Robert
He doesn’t seem to dislike you or distrust you in the way that he does John, but doesn’t seem to want to interact with you.

Cassandra
Interesting. Okay.

Miss Douglas (Natalia)
We’re going to the ballet. You want to come, Rabbit?

Mr. Lloyd (Robert)
Sounds lovely.

Mr. John (T.)
I don’t think we’ve all had a daily outing together.

Mr. Lloyd (Robert)
I assume it’s not actually lovely because we’re being called, but…

Miss Douglas (Natalia)
No. Based on the letter, there’s been several men who’ve been turned into ice sculptures, without their bits. Other than that, it sounds fun.

T.
On the way out the door, John like mutters to Ena as he passes…

Mr. John (T.)
Well, just because it’s dangerous doesn’t mean it can’t be beautiful.

Cassandra
Ena has like a small little smile come across her face, and then quickly puts it away.

Miss Thanero (Cassandra)
Well, I suppose someone should see about some tickets to the matinee. I will go send someone to fetch us a pair.

Cassandra
And Ena walks back into the foyer to go find a servant to go and grab them box seats to the matinee of the ballet his afternoon.

Kim
Alright, so is that how we are beginning our day?

Cassandra
Actually, Kim…

Kim
Yes?

Cassandra
Could I go see my cultist before the matinee?

Kim
Of course you could.

T.
And I would like to stop by Rebekka’s on the way.

Kim
Mr. Lloyd and Miss Douglas, is there anything you would like to do for the beginning of your day before we go to the theatre?

Natalia
Yes. Maesie is going to ask Ena to procure one more ticket to the ballet.

T.
You’re leading this poor boy on.

Natalia
Not the fish man!

Cassandra
That’s what I thought!

T.
Oh! [Laughs]

Kim
Who are we talking to the ballet?

Natalia
Albertina Welk.

Kim
[Gasps]

Cassandra
Yes.

Natalia
Hopefully. If she says yes, you know.

Kim
Miss Albertina! Okay. I love that.

Natalia
Done and done.

Robert
I think Rabbit is actually going to go to the site of the most recent victim of the Sculptor first.

Kim
You would be able to find out easily that these bodies have all been taken from where they were initially found and have been sent to morgues throughout the city. Are you interested in looking at the bodies or the sites themselves?

Robert
I think I’m actually more interested in looking at the sites themselves.

Kim
Fantastic. Then that would be St. Paul’s.

Robert
Okay.

Kim
Let’s open with Mr. John, heading to Rabbi Salomon’s synagogue.

[A quiet flame]

Kim
As you enter, you see a platform where a Torah scroll is read aloud. A lamp holding a flame that never dies. There is a very grand menorah here, preparing for the beginning of Hanukkah.

So I have a Paint the Scene here. And in order to say that, I need to provide context that when Rabbi Rebekka Salomon was employed at Hagrave House, her specialty was in fighting and dealing with demons at demonic forces. With that context, Paint the Scene: what demons are fought here? What shows these struggles?

T.
There is a peephole slot in the front door like you would see in a speakeasy or a classic  noir, next to which is a mezuzah, meant to keep out dybbuks.

Cassandra
In a hidden chamber only known to Rabbi Salomon, there are different implements and weapons that would be used to protect this space from darker forces.

Robert
In Rabbi Salomon’s personal study off of the synagogue, there is a large circular rug on the floor that if one were to lift it up, they would see where the Seal of Solomon has been carved into the floor.

Natalia
And in a small corner of Rabbi Salomon’s study, there are a pair of very comfortable armchairs and a wide selection of herbal teas, where more emotional demons are worked through with Rebekka herself.

Kim
Mr. John, this space is fairly empty, and so it is not hard to find Rabbi Salomon. She is a very tall, angular woman in middle age. She has some burns on one side of her face and on one of her hands – clearly some souvenirs from her life as a hunter of Hargrave House. She always dresses in suits. And she has, very prominently on the right ring finger of her hand, a garnet ring. You would know this to be the ring that she uses to trap demons within, and she is never without it.

T.
John kisses two fingers and touches the mezuzah on his way in, and then puts on his Stetson as he enters, to cover his head.

Mr. John (T.)
Howdy Becky. How’s retirement?

Rabbi Rebekka Salomon (Kim)
Well, busy as ever. How go things in old H.H.?

Mr. John (T.)
Busy as ever, since our resident demon hunter decided she’d rather focus on the personal demons a person has. I’ve had to take up your… well, I was gonna say “exorcisms,” but I didn’t do any of that actual work. Did all the investigating, though.

Rabbi Rebekka Salomon (Kim)
Well, I did hear that you all acquitted yourself fairly well over at Kilburn Abbey. Sounds like you don’t need me anymore.

Mr. John (T.)
Your help was sorely missed. And it doesn’t matter if you need a person’s skills. Sometimes you still want to have them around.

Rabbi Rebekka Salomon (Kim)
I see that you received my letter.

Mr. John (T.)
That I did. I was curious why this wasn’t enticing enough to bring you out of retirement. I know you have a love for the theater.

Rabbi Rebekka Salomon (Kim)
I do, but I have run afoul of the Royal Ballet.

Mr. John (T.)
That’s no easy feat. Care to share?

T.
I sit in one of the armchairs.

Kim
She sits next to you. Starts brewing some tea.

Rabbi Rebekka Salomon (Kim)
I don’t’ suppose you know that the Royal Ballet has its own sordid history. All sorts of ghosts and creatures fouler than that roam about old theaters. A woman does one exorcism backstage, and all of a sudden is barred from attending. It’s a pity. I loved the ballet.

Mr. John (T.)
You’d think they’d be grateful to you.

Rabbi Rebekka Salomon (Kim)
One would think!

Mr. John (T.)
Well, forget those shmucks. Me and a couple of the other hunters are on our way to the matinee to see if we can’t suss out this castrating cantor.

Rabbi Rebekka Salomon (Kim)
you would do me a great service if you did that.

Mr. John (T.)
Any suspicion of yours that this might be a demon, or do you think it’s just somebody with too much ice on their hands?

Kim
Mr. John, go ahead and make the information move with presence.

T.
Four and five is nine, +2 is 11.

[A city street]

Kim
Miss Thanero, you walk down the streets of Limehouse, standing out immediately because of the fit that I’m sure that you’re serving. How are you dressed today?

Cassandra
So today, Ena is wearing a red and white striped silk gown, very bold vertical patterns. It has a hint of American style to it. She’s also wearing a fitted black moire jacket lined with a fabric that is hiding a very faint owl motif. And then she has a very slim gold sash that cinches her waist. And her bonnet bears a single bronze feather that could be a weapon, but disguised as ornament.

Kim
Lovely. Miss Thanero, you meet your servant who is indeed emerging out of an alleyway. He is carrying a large black umbrella and holding it above his head.

[A slow, sinister drone]

Kim
DI Pettigrew looks paler than the last time you saw him, his eyes a little sunken. He’s wearing a pair of dark sunglasses. When he smiles at the sight of you, you notice that his teeth look ever so slightly sharper.

Miss Thanero (Cassandra)
I’d have you wipe that smile off of your face, servant.

DI Pettigrew (Kim)
Yes, mistress. It’s just very good to see you. It’s been so long.

Miss Thanero (Cassandra)
Give me your hand. Outside of the umbrella.

Kim
He extends his pale hand. It seems as though his nails have grown ever so slightly longer as well. And as his hand crosses the shadowy threshold and into the bright light of the sun, it starts to sizzle.

Cassandra
Ena, with her gloves on, takes his hand and just watches the flesh bubble for a moment with curiosity, and a bit of delight.

Miss Thanero (Cassandra)
You have done well, servant.

DI Pettigrew (Kim)
[Pained] May… I… put it back, mistress?

Miss Thanero (Cassandra)
Oh, I suppose.

Kim
Quick as lightning, it is withdrawn back into the safety of the umbrella.

Miss Thanero (Cassandra)
I received your note. I do so hope you have something for me. I’d hate to be cross before I go to the theatre.

DI Pettigrew (Kim)
I do, mistress. I did exactly as you said.

Miss Thanero (Cassandra)
I can see from your new form that you did. Well done.

DI Pettigrew (Kim)
It was a curious thing. I followed your instructions exactly. Opened a vein in Limehouse, and bid whoever hungered to feed.

Miss Thanero (Cassandra)
How did it feel?

DI Pettigrew (Kim)
Agonizing. And then nice.

Miss Thanero (Cassandra)
Hmm.

DI Pettigrew (Kim)
Like falling asleep.

Miss Thanero (Cassandra)
And yet you are awake.

DI Pettigrew (Kim)
All around me, there was a great fog. And from it, emerging, the tiniest creature. A child, really. And as it drank and drained me dry, it then took those teeth and bit at its own wrist and bid me to feed, and it tasted wonderful.

Miss Thanero (Cassandra)
I would so hope that despite your new allegiance, that your promises to me reign above any you may have made in the service of this master.

DI Pettigrew (Kim)
Madam, I am ever your servant.

Miss Thanero (Cassandra)
And that is how it shall remain, if you wish to live.

DI Pettigrew (Kim)
I have taken a quite extended leave from Scotland Yard. I suppose I raise the question to you, my mistress, how I might best serve you.

Miss Thanero (Cassandra)
We need information about who this young child is, and whether or not it is so young. So I would like you to get me some information from your new master, so that we might learn how best to deal with them.

DI Pettigrew (Kim)
I will turn in my resignation immediately.

Miss Thanero (Cassandra)
You will be doing the whole of London a great favor to this end.

Kim
Di Pettigrew is Detective Inspector no more.

T.
What is his first name?

Kim
We’ll never know.

[A chorus of “No!”]

Kim
I do want to say that the information that Pettigrew gave you, specifically concerning the sudden heavy fog, is a clue for the Limehouse Lurker.

Miss Thanero, Pettigrew gives you a short bow and reaches with his bare hand, that bare hand sizzling again, to try to take your hand and kiss it.

[Tense, violent ambient drones]

Cassandra
She grabs him by the neck, flings him into the sun, and he loses hold of the umbrella for a moment. His skin starts to sizzle, and he starts screaming. She lets him sit there for another five to ten seconds, and then throws him back into the shadows of the alley.

Miss Thanero (Cassandra)
You would dare not make such a move again, servant.

Pettigrew (Kim)
Never, mistress. My apologies.

Miss Thanero (Cassandra)
The next time, I will let you linger there until your flesh is no more. Do as I say. Find my information. And never try to touch me again, you foul pig.

Kim
As Pettigrew flees, his skin still smoking in the sun… Miss Thanero, you have to scar your reflection, I feel.

Cassandra
That feels fair. That was very aggressive.

Kim
Now tell me, how does the reflection change?

Cassandra
The sun that is in the upper corner of the painting begins to glow brighter, almost in a way that if you were looking at it, you would see ripples of heat emanating from that corner of the painting. And on Ena’s arms in the painting, you see the skin begin to redden and blister and boil.

[Birdsong, a gentle seashore]

Kim
Miss Douglas, heading back to Cremorne Gardens. On your way to the dancing platform, you are stopped on the promenade by a clean-shaven man who is fastidiously groomed. He is wearing a very fine suit that looks as though it was straight off of Saville Row. He has a blue pocket square in his suit jacket, very fine gold cufflinks.

Well-Dressed Man (Kim)
I say, you would happen to be a Miss Douglas, is that correct?

Miss Douglas (Natalia)
Who’s asking?

Kim
He produces a badge.

DI Fairweather (Kim)
DI Fairweather.

Miss Douglas (Natalia)
Right. Who are you?

DI Fairweather (Kim)
I am merely a servant. The more important matter is who are you? Namely, what sort of person are you? I have heard the report of one Mr. Abernathy Reynolds who claims that you indeed tried to drown him in Chelsea Harbor.

Miss Douglas (Natalia)
I wouldn’t say I tried to drown him. He was standing in two feet of water, really. I mean, do you see how small I am? There’s no way I could have pulled him under water. Like, what are you talking about?

DI Fairweather (Kim)
Helpfully, there were dozens of witnesses who saw what happened to dear Mr. Reynolds, and each of them to a person described seeing you forcefully holding the young master Reynolds under the water.

Miss Douglas (Natalia)
I will allow that I was there, and I was also in the water. But there was no moment where I was holding him under the water.

[Tense ambient drones]

DI Fairweather (Kim)
I think you are a danger, Miss Douglas. A danger, this witch of the harbor. Of course you would return to the scene of the crime. Who knows who you might attempt to drown today? Yes, I do think it is best that you come with me, Miss Douglas. In fact, now that I think about it, there is very little record of you Miss Douglas. I can’t seem to find a mother or father or, nay, any record of you until just a year ago. Tell me, what secrets are you keeping, Miss Douglas?

Miss Douglas (Natalia)
Does it entertain you to harass young women?

DI Fairweather (Kim)
It gives me great joy to put the scum of society behind bars.

Miss Douglas (Natalia)
Well I do believe this city is rife with people being encased in blocks of ice, and the like. Do you really think a small, innocent girl who is simply taking a walk in a very public space who hasn’t committed ac rime is really the best use of your time?

Kim
Miss Douglas, go ahead and make the Day Move. What are you afraid will happen if you fail here?

Natalia
I worry this man will take me away from Hargrave, and no one at Hargrave will know where I’ve gone.

Kim
Go ahead and make the Day Move with Presence. Let me take a look at your Conditions… I’m wondering if Lost Girl is a bit at play here?

Natalia
oh, 100% he sees me as a Lost Girl, yeah. That is definitely not helping me in this situation.

Kim
Yeah, so go ahead and make that with disadvantage.

Natalia
My presence is not good, guys.

[Rolls dice]

Um, that… That’s gonna be a six.

Kim
So on a fail, DI Fairweather will abscond with you.

Natalia
Oh no… Okay. Fuck it. We fail the roll.

Cassandra
Oh, I’m nervous.

Natalia
Let’s see what happens!

T.
I like the implications.

[Theodora’s theme plays]

Kim
Detective Inspector Fairweather pulls out a pair of handcuffs, fastens them to your wrists behind your back, leads you into a carriage, and the carriage pulls away.

[Another London street. The sounds of church bells]

Kim
Mr. Lloyd, where do we find you?

Robert
I think we find Rabbit as he walks out of an alley towards St. Paul’s. As you arrive at this very grand cathedral in the middle of London, it is surrounded by find gardens. You hear shouts of glee as children are playing in the hedges after service. The shrubbery here is wreathed in winter white snow. Paint the Scene: What elements of the garden or the church itself let you know that these grounds have had a long association with the theatrical community?

Robert
There is a creche as we are approaching the holiday season on front of the cathedral, and it is clearly being built, painted, and designed by people with experience in creating intricate sets.

T.
There’s a lighting rig set up that has many instruments that are scuffed and well-worn, due to their continuous seasons of use.

Cassandra
So near the front where the sermons would be given, we see a variety of instruments and hymns on music stands, noting that the hymns when sung are heavily underscored by musicians.

Kim
Oh yes, perhaps musicians who also, in the evening, spend their time at the opera and the ballet.

Cassandra
Absolutely. Professionals.

Natalia
There is a room in the back of the church where old costumes from theatres nearby are donated, so that they may be recycled into clothing for those you cannot afford to buy their own.

Robert
While Morgan is still not fully at his pre-possession cognitive abilities, he has enough common sense to know not to perform any sort of magical ritual or anything like that out in the open in front of a church – especially one of the major cathedrals in London. So I think he’s looking for a place that is close enough to where the body was found, but is quiet enough that he could maybe, you know, draw some designs in blood, light a few candles, that sort of stuff.

Once he’s found that quiet, out of the way spot, Morgan sets to his usual ritual, taking some of the charcoal from his pocket, drawing a circle, and gives a subtle little whistle…

[Mystical ambience]

Robert
And Cait pads in. I think this time it’s going to be a pigeon, still wriggling in Cait’s mouth, that he brings over to Morgan. Morgan takes the pigeon, slits its throat, and holds it by its feet so that the blood drains into the center of the circle.

Kim
Mr. Lloyd, perform Rites of Salt and Smoke. Roll 2d6 plus Sensitivity.

Robert
That is a six on the dice, so a 9 in total.

Kim
So you may choose your effect and a complication.

Robert
I’m choosing to see another place or time. Specifically, see another time. And I’m going to go with your magic attracts unwanted attention as my complication.

[Dream-like ambience]

Robert
Unlike when he performed a similar spell in the basement of the opium den in Lime house, this time nothing physical – no smoke, no shadows, nothing billows forth from this dead pigeon. But instead, Rabbit goes into sort of a trance-like state. His eyes unfocus and cloud over, and he sinks down in the spot where he was sitting as, in still a dreamlike way, the events of the night where the body was left play out in front of him.

[A quiet fire]

Kim
Mr. John, Rabbi Rebekka pauses and considers your question over her cup of tea.

Rabbi Rebekka Salomon (Kim)
I do not believe that the Sculptor is demonic. Although he is a demon with a saw and an ice pick, as we can all see.

Mr. John (T.)
Appreciate the distinction.

Rabbi Rebekka Salomon (Kim)
[Chuckles ruefully] But I do occasionally…

Kim
She sort of waggles her eyebrows at you.

Rabbi Rebekka Salomon (Kim)
Consort with the enemy. I’m sure your Mr. Lloyd could maybe inform you as to the details of what that might mean.

Mr. John (T.)
Unfortunately, my Mr. Harlow cannot. So I’d tread carefully.

Rabbi Rebekka Salomon (Kim)
Yes, I did hear of poor Richard. And indeed, when I consorted with my source, he gave me a vision. A vision of the ballet’s past. Specifically, that there were a string of brutal suicides 15 years ago amongst the corps de ballet. Kept quiet.

Mr. John (T.)
You think this might be a dancer who was pushed too hard, coming for revenge?

Rabbi Rebekka Salomon (Kim)
It’s entirely possible. It’s certainly someone associated with the theatre.

Kim
That is a clue for the Nutcracker.

Mr. John (T.)
Well, Despair ruins some. Presumption many. I won’t know more until we’ve got more clues.

Rabbi Rebekka Salomon (Kim)
Indeed.

Mr. John (T.)
Still, I appreciate the heads up I could get. Something about this Sculptor has me fearing for my Nebuchadnezzar. I know y’all got a habit of taking the tips, but I’d just as soon leave mine untapered if it’s all the same.

Rabbi Rebekka Salomon (Kim)
[Laughs] It is good to see you.

Mr. John (T.)
Likewise, Rebekka. Thanks for the leaf water. I’m going to get going before the champagne weather gets any worse. I got a show to catch. And hey, I know you put yourself out to pasture. If you ever want t come around, we’d love to have you back at Hargrave House.

Rabbi Rebekka Salomon (Kim)
Mr. John, just because I retired from Hargrave House does not mean I have retired in my duties.

Kim
And she taps the large garnet ring on her finger.

Mr. John (T.)
I meant as a social call, but maybe I’ll see you out in the field.

Rabbi Rebekka Salomon (Kim)
Maybe so. Good hunting.

Mr. John (T.)
To you as well. Shabbat Shalom.

[Dream-like ambience, slow church bells]

Kim
Mr. Lloyd, going back to the night of the display. You see the body of The Soaring Ermes Lambros being placed with care. A tall, lithe figure posing the frozen body of this dancer just so, outside of St. Paul’s Church. This is not a Clue, but as the Sculptor themselves turns, you do notice one thing very specifically. Their lips are pulled back almost entirely from the teeth. Nay, it’s possible they have no lips at all. All you see are just large teeth, locked in this forever smile.

Robert
Rabbit stands up from his stupor, his eyes still unfocused and glazed over. Though to any outsider, he would just sort of seem to be wandering around the now-empty space in front of St. Paul’s. But Rabbit can still see, at least dream-like, the version of the night that happened there before. And he begins to look to see if there’s some sort of magical reasoning behind this. Like basically, is this some sort of ritual? Is this some sort of spell that’s being cast? Or is this just like Sally No-Face: a twisted human doing their work?

Kim
That sounds like an Information Move with Sensitivity.

Robert
That is a 13.

Kim
Mr. Lloyd, on a 12+ on the Information Move, you get a Clue and a Mastermind Clue. We shall do the Clue first.

I believe it’s hard for you to determine any sort of supernatural or mundane element to what the Sculptor is doing. There does seem to be an element of ritual to what he is doing, but it’s hard for you to determine whether or not that is personal ritual or magical ritual. He takes great care to arrange the figure just so. This is a discerning artist. And as he works, you hear him whistling and humming a Christmas carol, but it is distorted in its melody and its rhythm somehow incorrect.

That is a Clue for The Nutcracker.

And as the Sculptor finishes his work and admires it with care, he then pauses, reaches into his coat pocket, and pulls out a very small portrait and admires it fondly.

[Theodora’s theme plays]

Kim
If you were to approach in this dreamlike state and peek over the shoulder of the Sculptor, you would see that it is a small portrait of Theodora Brathwaite.

[Shadows in the Smoke theme]

Kim
Shadows in the Smoke is a Kitten Marlowe production. This episode was edited and produced by Kim Dalton, and feature da theme song by Jake Pierle. You can find out more about us by visiting kittenmarlowe.com, signing up for our newsletter, or following us on socials. For Discord access, and exclusive behind-the-scenes show, and more, visit patreon.com/kittenmarlowe and join Elijah Personette and all of our incredible Kitten Marlowe patrons in supporting artist-driven storytelling. Thanks for listening.