Chapter 1: What is the premise of the podcast Malevolent?
Hi everyone, it's Anusha here, voice of Gwen in The Magnus Protocol. Today, we are bringing you the very first episode of a brilliant show on the RQ network, Malevolent, which is created by Harlan Guthrie, the talented creator of multiple amazing shows, including Divisor and Dice Shame.
Malevolent is a thrilling, eldritch horror mystery audio drama, brilliantly combined with elements of Choose Your Own Adventure and actual play via their Patreon. Malevolent follows Arkham PI Arthur Lester, who wakes up blind, terrified and confused, with no memory of who he is and what has happened, only a nameless, eerie voice guiding him through the darkness.
You can listen to more episodes of this series by searching for Malevolent wherever you listen to your podcasts. or by clicking the link in the show notes below. Or for more information, visit www.malevolent.ca or www.rustyquill.com. Have fun and enjoy the episode.
I can't forget the night I met you That's all I'm dreaming of And you call it madness Ah, but I call it love
What's happened? Don't you remember? Who are you? Who am I? I'm a friend. The best friend you have right now. The only friend you have right now. What happened? Why can't I see anything? I know. What do you mean you know? Who are you? Relax. Take a deep breath. Relax. I can't. I can't.
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Chapter 2: Who is Arthur Lester and what is his current situation?
I don't remember who I am, or where I am, or what's happened. I can't see anything. Calm down, friend. I'll tell you everything you need to know, okay? Okay. Let's start with where you are. You're standing in the office that belongs to one Arthur Lester. Arthur Lester? Yeah, sound familiar? Not really. It should, because they're your offices. Mine? That's right, friend.
Why are we... Don't move just yet. Why?
Chapter 3: What mysterious voice guides Arthur through his confusion?
Because I want you to do something. You want me to... Do something, yes. Okay. Reach down by your feet. What am I reaching for? Something you dropped. Alright. I feel, um... I feel a book. Yes. Pick it up. What is it? A book. I know it's a book. I mean... I know what you meant. I'm just adding some levity to the situation, friend. Now turn around and head towards your desk.
I can't... I'll tell you when you're close. Look, I don't understand what's going on. It will be fine. Just take a deep breath and step backwards. Okay. Okay, stop! Stop! Stop! I said stop, friend. I tried. I just... I tripped over something. What is this? It... It feels... It feels like a... Now just calm down. Oh my god. It feels like a body. Yes, it's a body, Arthur. Your partner.
This is too much. Arthur. Arthur. Arthur! Listen to me. I have your eyes now. So you're going to shut the fuck up and listen to me. Walk to the desk. Put the book down. That's right. Good. Now that wasn't so difficult, was it? No. Okay. What now? Open up the book. I need to read something. Well, I, um... Just open it. Okay. Start flipping pages and I'll tell you when to stop.
Arthur, your whimpering is awfully distracting. There, stop. Sepid loran disor. Close it.
What?
What did you learn? Nothing I didn't already know. And what is that? I don't know why someone gave you this book, Arthur, but in opening it, you've cursed yourself. Cursed my- Self. And in a manner of speaking, me as well. We're bound. Bound? How? How? I am trapped inside you. I can see through your eyes, and as far as I can tell, I control nothing else. But I can hear you.
Yes, well, I guess sharing a body means that we share a mind. What? Who? What? What are you? What am I? Let's save that for now. The simpler question is, who are you? You told me who I am. I mean, who are you to have received this book? As for who you are, I knew that because it's written on the door to your office. Arthur Lester and Peter Yang, Private Investigative Services.
It's on the open door. And my partner... Is Peter Yang, I assume, since I can't imagine why he'd call out his own name before dying. He... he called out my name? Yes. You dropped the book and turned to him. He called out your name and then... And then what? And then he died. How? Arthur, question and answer period is over. Did you not hear me? The door is open. And?
And your partner is laying dead in the middle of the floor. You need to move him before some passerby looks in. All right. All right. Watch it. There's a... I am having a tough time with all of this right now. I really need to just breathe. I don't know who I am. I don't know where I am. I don't recognize this. I... Hello? Are you there? Of course. Why?
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Chapter 4: What happens when Arthur discovers a body?
Just kick it open. I can't just... Perfect. Now stand the body upright. Good man, Arthur.
Okay.
Follow the left wall with your hand. The door is right there. Wait. What? Do you have a gun? Of course. If she starts asking too many questions or goes through that closet, I'll let you know. And then you'll use it. I don't know. We'll see. Open the door. There's no one there. Oh. Maybe they got tired of waiting. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe there was no appointment.
I could have gotten my dates confused. Wait, what is that? What? On the floor by your feet. Paper. Did the book come in a package? Um, yes. Yes, I suppose it did. I remember I received it. I tore the paper off and let it fall. Pick it up. Let me read it. Junior DeWitt Ackerman. Rare Books. Arkham, Massachusetts. Is that where we are? Yes, yes, of course. You all right there?
There's a man to your right. I didn't see him come up. He's wearing blue overalls and has dark spots all over his hands. He's looking at us. He's the building maintenance man. What do I say? You hear me? I said, are you all right there? Get rid of him. Thought I heard you and your partner having a spat. Thought I'd come down and check it out. You guys yelling or something? What's going on?
Was that him knocking? Was that you knocking? Yeah, sorry. You moving furniture in there or something? What's his name? Eddie, no. It's completely alright. I just had a bit of a fall. I tripped over something and had to pick it up and move it. He's suspicious of you. Oh, yeah. No, fair enough, fair enough. Yeah. Sounded pretty heavy, whatever it was. Do you need some help? Get rid of him now.
now no no no i don't i'm it's all packed away now i appreciate it so much eddie um actually i'm just on my way out hold up uh mr lester look i hate to do this to you but uh as building maintenance supervisor i'm gonna have to take a look inside what what No, no, nothing like that. It's a few complaints on the floor below you about leaky pipes.
I've been in the door for a while and I'm in the area and I'm catching you now, so I figured I'd just pop into your place and... Do not let him in. No, no, of course, of course. You're just doing your job. Um, perhaps another time, though. It could be a little bit more convenient later for me, Frank. Like I said, I'm just... No worries, no worries. Like I said, I can just go in without you.
I don't actually need you there. I just need to get to the pipes. All right. All right. Um, yes, of course. Let's go. What are you doing? You know that they are there, just in the back there. Of course, of course. Thanks so much. Appreciate it. He's looking around the office. He is only a few feet from the closet where your partner's body lies. What are you doing? It's Sunday after all, isn't it?
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Chapter 5: How does Arthur's memory loss affect his investigation?
This book was where I was bound until quite recently. What is the name of the book? It doesn't have a name, at least not when I was bound to it. Just a sigil on the front. Yes, I remember seeing the symbol on the front. It was meant to be a prison of sorts. So I have something that was imprisoned inside a book now bound to me. J.D. Ackerman, Rare Bookstore. Do you recognize the name? No, I don't.
More importantly, I want to know who gave this book to me. Why couldn't it be Ackerman themselves? I mean, it could be. It'd be odd that he would wrap and stamp it. That is a fair assumption. I guess you're not a terrible detective. In truth, I'm quite good. I take away my sight, and I obviously need some time to adjust, but trust me, when my wits are about me, I cannot be matched. Fair enough.
Let's head to the bookstore, then. Yeah, well, there could be another option. Enlighten me. The source of the book is no doubt important, but who sent it to me? This is the much more pressing matter. Because? Because whatever they have intended to do either has or has not succeeded. Meaning? Meaning, if they have intended to have my spirit bound with you, then what next, and why? So what, then?
I don't know. Perhaps they intended something different. Maybe for Peter to be the one who was killed, or maybe for your essence or whatever to be unbound completely. Fine, but what does that mean? Where does that lead us? None of those are leads, Arthur. If I've made an enemy in any of my cases... It can come to you while we are heading towards the bookstore. Right. Now, how do we get there?
Here. Arthur, I can just guide you there. No, I'm gonna need practice. An index of some sort. Phone book, actually. Stop. Ackerman, there. 23 Main Street. That's just a few minutes by taxi. Well, there's no sense in waiting. Agreed. Oh, wait a minute. What? There was something. Something very off about one of our last cases. Which was? There was a missing girl.
We attract her to an address, a house, an old abandoned place north of the city. I remember we had only searched the first floor of the house before an anonymous tip found her body in a field miles away. How did you receive a tip? Peter and I are legally obligated to alert police before entering any location where a possible victim could be, you know, in case things go south.
Peter felt uncomfortable in the house, as if we were being watched. So we made sure to call it in before proceeding. And during the call, that's when they said they had found her? The body, yes. And so why do you think this is a clue for us? Because I remember seeing something on the wall of the basement door. Something that chilled me. And it was? A symbol.
The same symbol on the front of the book that you were bound in. Well... Yes. But I think you are right. It makes more sense to go to the bookshop first. Agreed. It may be a bit of a struggle to try to get there, though. I assumed. At the very least, this would be good practice for us. Exactly.
I'd hate to be in a situation where you need your eyesight and we've been unable to communicate effectively. Don't want you missing any important shots. Right, well, since we have the address, the easiest way would be to take a taxi there. Well then, do we have everything we need? I suppose so. I have my gun. I'll bring the book. It'll be difficult, but we can make do if we've forgotten anything.
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Chapter 6: What clues lead Arthur to the bookstore?
Describe everything to me. Alright. It feels ancient and comfortable. There are massive stacks of books piled all around us. It feels almost claustrophobic. It looks like there's a small wooden desk in the back with an oil lamp on it. I hear a radio. Do you hear that? Yes, but I... I can't see it. I... What? What's wrong? That song. I... I don't recognize it. I don't think I... Quiet!
Just let me listen for a second.
I... I... I don't understand.
What don't you understand? I don't recognize it. I do. Well, that doesn't make any sense. I know it doesn't make any sense. We need answers. Head to the desk in the back. I think... It looks like there's a bell on the desk. I hear movement in the back. Yes, I... Are you okay? Yes, I'm fine. Let's get some answers. What was that? I don't know. Sounds like something fell over back there. Hmm.
What? Nothing. Just the desk looks... messy. Messy? Yes. Everything does seem rather close together. It does feel a bit claustrophobic in here, despite me not being able to see it. Odd that a bookstore owner wouldn't be quicker to answer. Odder still that they'd make so much noise. Come on, where are they?
Wait.
What? I was going to say I'm not entirely convinced that the person making all that racket works here.
What?
They must not have heard the bell the first time. But they heard it that time. Arthur, maybe you should draw your firearm. Crouch low and hug your back against the counter. Good. I don't hear any more movement. What should we... Just wait. Listen. I don't hear anything. Me neither. Maybe they left through a back entrance when they heard us here. What should we do?
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