Episode 1 - I'll Have What the Goonch Is Having

## SUMMARY

INTRODUCING the High Schoolers of Mystery County! Four unlikely teen heroes (and their janitor mentor) are hanging around the Cold Stone Creamery when they hear a tantalizing rumor. Local playboy Dylan disappeared while doing some nighttime skinny-dipping at Palmersett Cove. Shamanda and Krashlee are instantly convinced that the case involves the dreaded Goonch--one of Mystery County's many, many cryptids (all named Goonch). The gang rushes headlong into danger to investigate, but they'll have to deal with ancient texts, local politics, and even the occasional pervert shopkeeper if they're going to get close to the truth. Hopefully not too close; because that's where the Goonch strikes fastest.

## Plot

### COLD STONE CREAMERY

Shamanda Felt is working at the Cold Stone Creamery while Adam Miller is hanging out and getting the German Chocolate Cake in the Gotta Have It® size. CEJ is standing outside the Cold Stone, refusing to enter because he is not allowed to work there.

While Shamanda and Adam are talking, a group of upperclassmen from Queen Latifah’s School for Gifted Girls and Also Regular Boys walk into the store. They are talking about the disappearance of Dylan, Aleesha Murdoch’s boyfriend, who was taken by the Goonch at Palmersett Cove.

Aleesha enters the Cold Stone with her mother, and Shamanda makes her a special ice cream. Adam talks to Aleesha and she tells him about what took Dylan. She described it as a big mound of water with something humped underneath and a pig nose. The Goonch pulled Dylan under the water and they both disappeared.

### THE LAIR

Susan Wexler and Krashlee Grenadine are in the club’s lair in Susan Wexler’s Haven in Queen Latifah’s School for Gifted Girls. The lair is behind the janitor’s closet, accessible to those who know it’s there by lifting a bottle of Windex. A spell keeps those who have not been in the lair before from being able to access it.

Adam Miller, CEJ, and Shamanda enter the lair to tell Susan and Krashlee about the latest disappearance and Goonch sighting. Susan tells the kids about her research into the Goonch. She believes it feeds off lust and warns the teens to protect themselves. Shamanda points out that Fall Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and there is going to be a lot of lust around school.

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>  “In this County, we do Valentine's Day at a more cozy time which makes more sense.” - Shamanda Felt
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The group realizes that Palmersett Cove is where the Fall Fisherfolk Festival happens every year, where the fishermen in Haverford can test their mettle against the fish that inhabit Lake Mystery. The Fisherfolk festival is taking place that upcoming weekend.
While telling the kids about her research, Susan accidentally lets slip that her last relationship ended when she was cheated on. Krashlee’s research reveals that a Goonch is a big catfish that lives in the Indian subcontinent.

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>  "Where are we supposed to get a giant net before 2:15pm?" - CEJ
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> "Duh, the Net Store, Tom's Net Store downtown." - Adam Miller
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> "Tom's Nets! Let's go guys!" - Krashlee Grenadine
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### TOM'S NETS SHOP

Tom's Nets is right on the edge of town and is built on a dock overlooking Lake Mystery, close to Palmersett Cove.

Marcus Verhmese and Ranger Byron Ilong are arguing as the group arrives. Marcus wants the Fisherfolk Festival to go on despite the disappearance of Dylan and Ranger Ilong wants time to investigate the cove before the festival. Krashlee argues that the Fisherfolk Festival should be delayed until it can be proven safe.

Marcus and CEJ get into a verbal spat, and Adam casts Mental Dominion on Marcus. Adam forces Marcus to cancel the Fisherfolk Festival until Dylan is found. Adam also makes Marcus buy the group the biggest net at the shop. Tom Knutts, the proprietor, is accused of being a pervert by the club while he makes suggestive jokes to Susan.

Susan reveals that she has buried some human toes in a box near the park ranger's station, which would be the perfect bait for the Goonch.

### LAKE MYSTERY RANGER STATION

The club gets a tour of the park ranger station from Ranger Byron Ilong. CEJ heads down to the lake to 'check it out' and bemoans the current music of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Krashlee flashes back to a past life and sees a teenage Susan Wexler cut off a man's toes and knows where they have been hidden.

While CEJ is exploring by the water he is pulled into Lake Mystery by a six-foot long catfish and he yells for Shamanda. Everyone runs to the lake and Shamanda accidentally lassos CEJ's head to try to save him. Krashlee takes out her rifle and shoots the catfish. Susan jumps on the back of the catfish and is attacked by a second catfish. Adam Miller turns into a giant caterpillar to fight the catfish, and is confronted by three more giant fish.

## Characters

**Main Cast**

* Rashawn Nadine Scott as Shamanda Felt
* Jeff Murdoch as Adam Miller
* Erin Rein as Krashlee Grenadine
* Claire Linic as Susan Wexler
* Alan Linic as CEJ
* Tyler Samples as Aleesha Murdoch, Byron Ilong, Marcus Verhmese, Tom Knutts, and everyone else

## Introductions

Tyler: Welcome to the year 2005 in the spookiest county in the 51st state, Mystery County, Superior. This is Mystery County Monster Hunters Club, an actual play podcast, where we'll be using the Monster of the Week roll playing game to help us tell the story of four high schoolers and one very unconventional janitor in a town where things are constantly getting very weird. So let's go ahead and introduce ourselves and the characters we'll be playing. Claire will you start us out?

Claire: I am Claire Linic, I play Susan Wexler, I am the Expert. And Susan is a professional monster hunter and she’s heard a lot of activity has been going on around here. Especially a Moth Man attack. So she’s kind of infiltrated herself in the town and really just into this group to try to see what’s going on and she’s taken an undercover job as a janitor.

Jeff: Hi, I’m Jeff Murdoch. And my character is Adam Miller from the playbook the Monstrous. One night he got attacked by the Moth Man out in the forest after a hazardous car crash during his driving class. The Moth Man laid eggs in his belly and he has been able to use the power of the Moth Man ever since.

Erin: Hi, I’m Erin Rein and I’m playing Krashlee Grenadine, girl detective from the Flake playbook. I like to figure things out.

Rashawn: Yes, hello I’m Rashawn Scott and I am playing Shamanda Felt from the Crooked playbook. My character recently moved to Mystery County from the Pacific Northwest and Krashlee is my god-cousin and I work at Cold Stone. I love photography and bands you guys have never heard of before.

Alan: Hey I’m Alan Linic, I will be playing CEJ. CEJ is a mundane ordinary everyday high schooler whose parents have vanished. Now I’m stuck living in my aunt’s dumb house. It’d be way cooler if she let me do half the stuff she lets my cousin Adam do. She’s just super worried about me all the time. Blech.

## Notable Quotes

* "And barely graduated. He's as dumb as me." -Adam Miller
* "It feeds off lust! I think Adam - you should be safe, but I'm worried about everyone else." -Susan Wexler
* "Yeah, in this county we do Valentine's Day at a more cozy time which makes more sense!" -Shamanda Felt
* "First of all, your information is faulty. He was not a college student, he was taking two gap years." -Krashlee Grenadine
* "I have two questions for you. How deep is the lake, and are you in a relationship." -Susan Wexler
* "Oh dang! Both legs!" -CEJ

## Links

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