File #52 (S2-12) - Murder in the dark

[Oneiros]

Time for some visiting hours it seems, as we revisit an old face of heinous crimes. This goes all the way back to MAG #9 (A Father's Love) as we check in on Robert Montauk before he... well, checks out. And we get a look at the mysterious Maxwell Rayner in person, supposedly, but the questions surrounding that which lurks in the darkness continue to abound.

Some very nice work here - particularly with the interruption from Basira and the description of Montauk himself. It hadn't actually struck me that we didn't get a description of the guy from his daughter (though not surprising) previously. At least, in my mind, I hadn't pictured someone so physically imposing. Also interesting that the ex-warden is very candid about the level of brutality/disrespect of the staff - something that HMP Wakefield, in particular, has been criticised for in inspectorate reports.

So any thoughts or conjectures on what it is that finally did for Montauk?

UPDATE: Some folk have experienced issues with a mid-episode advert appearing and breaking the narrative flow. Apologies for that; issue should be sorted now if you delete and re-download the episode.

[DoctorTOC]

Great story, and the extra details about the end of Robert Montork's life were very welcome. The darkness in the cell reminded me rather unpleasantly about the wardrobe in Artifact Storage that light cannot penetrate, and I'm now wondering if it's a Trojan Horse of sorts, or perhaps a gateway to "Anti-Narnia".

The thing I *hated* was the horribly intrusive advert break right in the middle, which took me straight out of the story. Things like The Magnus Archive depend on the wiling suspension of disbelief, and you can't do that if - literally right in the middle of a word! - you get a chirpy advertisement or two. I know that the podcast needs to be funded, but *please* do it in a more sensitive fashion! Will ad-free versions of the episodes be made available to patrons? It's a crime to destroy Mr Sims carefully constructed dramatic tension in such a crass way.

[Oneiros]

Feb 16, 2017 9:15:57 GMT DoctorTOC said:

The thing I *hated* was the horribly intrusive advert break right in the middle, which took me straight out of the story. Things like The Magnus Archive depend on the wiling suspension of disbelief, and you can't do that if - literally right in the middle of a word! - you get a chirpy advertisement or two. I know that the podcast needs to be funded, but *please* do it in a more sensitive fashion! Will ad-free versions of the episodes be made available to patrons? It's a crime to destroy Mr Sims carefully constructed dramatic tension in such a crass way.

Sincere apologies for that - it wasn't our intention to have a mid-roll advert at all, we're very aware that it breaks the narrative immersion horribly; there appears to have been a technical glitch with the hosting service. It seems to be related to the podcast service folks are using as not everyone is reporting this problem. Could you let me know what app/service you're using to listen please? (Probably best to PM me)

The same goes to anyone else getting this problem - PM me with details please so we can see the extent of the problem and raise it with ACAST.

[DoctorTOC]

I listen via the iTunes Podcast app. I'm glad it wasn't a deliberate choice - you guys have always been really switched on and sensitive to the needs of the story, and it was such a shock to hear that advert jingle right in the middle of the word "killer" that it really threw me :-)

[spooniermist]

I've not had that problem, no adverts for me and I got it through iTunes at around 0700 London time.

This was a corker of an episode. Calls back to Robert Montourk (or however you spell it) were really interesting. The most striking thing for me, however, is that this makes it almost 100% certain that whatever Robert tried to kill is linked to the Hither Green Descenders in MAG 25: Growing Dark, the similarities in this and the original MAG 9: A Father's Love are kinda there (although I didn't notice), but I think this makes it really clear that the two are connected.

I also wonder if Maxwell Raynor is the 'Mr Pitch' mentioned in 'Growing Dark'. 

HOLY CRAP THE NEXT ONE'S GONNA BE ANOTHER GERTRUDE ONE, PISS OFF THE NEXT WEEK BRING ON THURSDAY!!!

[cannonlongshot]

After listening to the misunderstandings perpetrated by Tim, I really want to see Carry On Up The Lovecraft...

[cannonlongshot]

I did have ads, downloaded at about 6am, have PM'd details.

Also, unsurprisingly, the head of the People's Church of the Divine Host (whose symbol is a closed eye) is blind. Neat.

[Alex Newall]

Just a brief update:
We will NOT be having mid roll adverts for Magnus. Ever.
There was a technical error by our hosting provider. I have chased down and fixed the problem myself personally. It should not happen again.
If you find you have a midroll advert in this episode, just delete the episode and redownload it.
If there is ever a mid roll advert in a future episode, let us know and I will knock the relevant heads together until it goes away.
In Rusty Towers Story is king.

[Henry]

Just to say thanks for fixing the advert thing, somehow it scared me more than Jane Prentiss ever did - seemed strangely sinister.

Anyhow, long time listener, first time poster, just wanted to say thanks to all of you for such an amazing and compelling drama. Look forward to it every week, everything from the detail in the scripts to the meta plot to the sound of the worms are fantastic.

[Alex Newall]

You're very welcome Henry.

[seelingkat]

I am still listening but with work at 60 hour weeks for project endings i have no red thread to make any cohesive connections.

That the Magnus archives are keeping me sane in deadline madness...well... that just about says it all.

Another Gertrude one on its way ... so exciting!!!