#alfield

[exandriacityshowdown]

Round 1 Stage 2 Poll 6

Cathmoíra, Domunas: Cathmoíra was a pre-Calamity city in the continent formerly known as Domunas, now the Shattered Teeth. It is a sister city and docking point for the floating city Avalir.

Alfield, Wildemount: Alfield is a small farming village in the Dwendalian Empire. The Mighty Nein helped them with a gnoll problem, and passed through multiple times afterwards.

image from crit recap animated

[demnaylivevn]

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[apocketfullofdnd]

The character was based off of -like any good character is based off of- several friends, some of whom are not with us anymore, and several experiences as a teenager, and places and people I've gotten to be and things that profoundly had effects on me.

I've been listening to Molly's playlist, which I'm sure I have to put out now, which is waay harder to listen to because - there's a lot in there. But like there's a song off the soundtrack of Wristcutters because that was, that movie had a lot of that good carnie family vibe and how carnie families work and sort of how these weird, bitchy people take care of each other and there was- for many years, there was an archetype in film, in storytelling that was very much this kind of character and I haven't seen this character in anything in a long time. And I've barely- I've read a couple things that people have written where they've kind of gotten this notion of:

'You're supposed to live your life and there's a way of both not giving a fuck about what people think, but giving a fuck about people.'

And he was never a character who needed to be fixed and he was never a character who needed permission for anything and its- I mean, you go in with a character like Iron Man where you're, like, waiting to watch them become a good person or you go with a character like Captain America where its 'I want to see this good person's effect on the world' and he was never- there was never going to be a profound change in Molly. His whole notion was just his perspective and how it affected everything around him. It was- he never had any unfinished business.

His only unfinished business was just barreling through every person he ever met and making them deal with him. Yeah, make people deal with you, but make sure dealing with you is always a positive and kind experience. Yeah.

-Taliesin on the beauty of Molly and what he hopes people take from him

[foxqueen-katarian]

Something something something, Molly chose kindness, and in doing so taught the Nein to be better people.

Molly was a dick, and a liar, and at times a cheat. But he was kind and that made all the difference.

[dent-de-leon]

Head in hands. Oh…I just realized. Caleb is the exact kind of heartbroken soul Molly would have tried to save in choir practice—

Just...all that time Caleb spent suffering alone. Abandoned by Astrid and Wulf. Waking up from nightmares screaming, cold and hungry and haunted by all those long years in the sanitarium--haunted by the blood Trent put on his hands when he was still just a child. The realization of just how much he was manipulated and abused when he was so young and vulnerable--blaming himself for the trauma he endured. Hating himself in his grief.

How Caleb can't even bring himself to put up a fight with he's arrested, how he thinks he deserves whatever happens to him...I can't help but think of Yasha, bleeding out before a temple, grieving and wounded and not even saying a word to the villagers who came to kill her. Molly rushing to her rescue without a second thought--taking one look at all her grief and pain laid bare, and immediately shielding her. How Molly does this sort of thing over and over, how he can't ever bear to just stand aside and watch someone suffer--

Just knowing that...if Molly ever came across Caleb before Trostenwald--back when he was still on the run all alone, when he didn't dare to trust anyone--Molly would still try and save him--

[essektheylyss]

I am once again knitting which means I'm back to the Nein rewatch and happened to be on Midnight Espionage, and truly INSANE episode. The egg dick, both break-ins, the Zauber Spire attack, and the first time a beacon is on screen in like four hours flat. Trent Ikithon is there. The episode ends with Liam and Marisha yelling, "TRUST THE PORN."

[occidentalavian]

"I've never heard of this Mighty Nein!"

A non-exhaustive list of people in Exandria who know who the Mighty Nein are and know at least some of what they've accomplished (i.e. helped end the War of Ash and Light, defeat the Somnovem, and defeat the Weave Mind), in order of political importance:

Leaders of nations, both large countries and other polities

Bright Queen Leylas Krynn

Skysibil Abrianna Mirrim

King Bertrand Dwendal

Lady Allura Vysoren

Marquis Zhafe Uludan

Keyleth, Voice of the Tempest

Government officials, people connected to the aforementioned leaders

Martinet Ludinus Da'leth

Lord Athesias Uludan

Taskhand Verin Thelyss

High Curator Yudala Fon

Orentha Stonegrasp, Lawmaster of Zadash

Bryce Felid, Watchmaster of Alfield

Influential figures, people who are well connected

Yussa Errenis, wizard of Tidepeak

Babenon Dosal, "The Gentleman"

Marion Lavorre, "The Ruby of the Sea"

Average Joes, people who probably know more than they should

The First Draught Book Club, authors of the Exquisite Exandria cookbook

Iva Deshin, store owner of Chastity's Nook

Padmund Pondhop, teenage camper

[revvethasmythh]

all of alfield feels like a personal attack against nott, i swear. returning the unconscious body of a small child (who's life you just saved) to a weeping mother being held captive by monsters that raided her town. matt was out for sam's entire LIFE with this plot and no one even knows it

[pocketgalaxies]

now that i'm really in the thick of it, it's even more meaningful now to see how many points of security m9 has across this continent. ik a huge part of their story has been about finding allies that they feel like they can trust, but there are already so many people and places that they can go to be Safe, even if they don't necessarily feel Trust. alfield will always be grateful for them. nicodranas not only has the lavish chateau with marion, but also their ship with orly and the crew, and now the tidepeak tower with yussa (and to some extension, allura in tal'dorei). zeenoth and the general cobalt soul establishment in zadash. the xhorhaus ofc. dairon, wherever they may be. i love it so much - it imbues a campaign that started off quite cold and distant with a very very reassuring and comforting warmth

[mightyneinrewatch]

Episode 5: The Open Road

The group hits the road, preparing for a long trip to Zadash. But trouble in the small town of Alfield stops the band of adventurers in their tracks…

[utilitycaster]

stopping a little pre-break to go to the gym, and this is also a little salty and in response to the ask I deleted but once again the idea that the Mighty Nein didn't follow plot hooks and meandered and whatever is just instant "oh you're stupid." like, I think they followed weirder plot hooks, but they did in fact consistently follow plot hooks or organically ended up via dice rolls:

from Trostenwald, headed to Zadash, which was a pretty natural progression given how many of them had interests leading to an urban center; Alfield detour because it was literally on fire

followed the mail that Beau stole to Zadash

Took TONS of opportunities in Zadash, eventually deciding to get out of town as they (understandably) didn't want to get involved in the war; took a job with the Gentleman who was part of the hook from the mail Beau stole and tied into Jester's backstory, though that wasn't something they knew at the time (but was a person one would want the party to meet so that the payoff would hit right...consider how flat all the Apex War stuff fell in C3 because no one followed any sidequests/investigation about it)

Did the jobs for the Gentleman and a few things that popped up en route; Molly's death

Found the letter from Avantika at the Sour Nest and it served as an opportunity to see Jester's family; followed that hook

accidentally stole a pirate ship, pirates arc, Fjord's plot becomes relevant, followed that to a reasonable point of stoppage given that Fjord didn't want to unleash Uk'otoa and Avantika was dead

Returned, in part because Felderwin had been attacked which was of relevance to Nott; stopped by Yussa's out of curiosity re: cool shit in the world [doing interesting things on a thursday! what a concept]

The discovery that Yeza had been taken leads them to Xhorhas and drives their plot from there up to and including giving the beacon over to the Bright Queen

I will admit the episodes in the 60s get a little "what do we do next" but they still serve a vital purpose of showing them the perspective of The Other (the Kryn) after a strongly Empire (and coast) perspective that quickly picks up once they start following the start of the angel of irons plot, which carries them through Yasha being taken

Follow Caduceus's visions and Fjord's pact-breaking (70-76) and then return to chasing Yasha

Upon multiple failures, seek out Yussa, masterfully DM-ed introduction of Allura and the return of the Happy Fun Ball to not only provide more information on an antagonist (Laughing Hand) but also renew the party's spirits

Get a lead on Yasha, find and free her only to be immediately tasked with ending the war

Follow that lead with a few opportunities to check on some long-running personal quests (Caduceus and the grove, Veth being turned back into a halfling, both of which are the characters' goals at the time of their introduction and have had recurring attention throughout) in the meantime

Attend peace talks, learn about Essek, get hook for Aeor from Vess DeRogna

Go to Rumblecusp, part of Jester's story that has been previously seeded

Get a vision of The End Plot (Vokodo fleeing Cognouza), return to talk to Vess, realize they could resurrect Molly perhaps given the power they had amassed

Aeor plot and endgame kicked off; honestly that alone covers more things but I do want to get to the gym.

Like...the characters all had stories very much driven by the mechanics and structure of D&D, which is inherently about gaining power, and all were given significant attention throughout, but also, while they didn't always follow the hooks Matt expected, they either were following hooks he had nonetheless provided, or making their own interesting decisions.

If this isn't for you, that is fine, truly. But I think that Reddit - especially during C2 - was mostly people mad that it wasn't still Vox Machina's story, and the idea that C3 is a response to Reddit is not a defense of C3 but a condemnation, ie, the correct response would be flipping off Reddit and saying "I do what I want." And again: "not for me" = totally fine. "avoidant/plotless"= you are abysmal at narratology and this means your analysis is not worth my time.

[ithinkthiswasabadidea]

Episode 8 has EVERYTHING: Mighty Nein name drop, awkwardly ominous discussions about the dangers of glaives, 🎶 the Ruby of the Sea is the Best Lay Ever 🎶 , Jester blackmailing the Alfield starosta to get Fjord's letter of recommendation, the Syphilis Bandits, arriving at Zadash, PUMAT SOL AND THE SIMULACRUMS, "five hundred hours later, we're fighting gods with him!", the pink Haversack of Holding, *Zemnian accent* "high quality paper und ink"

[mapleandgingeroatmeal]

In the Alfield gnoll mines Nott says “Why are all you big men making these weird speeches to me??” And I still marvel at the fact that that line was rp’d by a guy because god do I ever relate to that sentiment.

[the-big-nope]

'Why are all you big men making this weird speeches to me?!" is truly inspired dialogue. The Alfield arc really is just the Nott Spotlight Hour in terms of focus, themes, and comedy.

[ablueper]

the open road - favorite quotes, no context

(laura) i didn't see it. i was recording. (matt) that's ok. so were we.

(beau) i wouldn't say i won...because i lost.

(nott) why are you drinking salt water? (taliesin) you don't know that. (sam) oh. why are you drinking salt water?

(beau) you taste like a seaman

(all) regular gnoll!

(nott) this is fine!

(sam) so your duplicate is somehow less useful than trinket?

(matt) you manage to reduce the cost of your next find familar spell by three gold pieces with the amount of charcoal you've acquired...from the hopes and dreams of alfield.

(jester) i can help them...in the morning

[3d10fire-damage]

technically i'm not following the "nein again" schedule because i'm just watching whenever i want, but i do wanna note how i totally forgot/missed the first time how Fjord specifically stayed down in the bar in Alfield to observe the farmers' mannerisms and body language and all that. travis even described it as "character study" 👀

i'm also happy to notice how Molly really was trying to leave each place better than he found it, not just in the whole "saving the townspeople and fighting the enemies" way but in little ways like by slipping silver pieces into the pockets of all the people paying for the Nein's drinks that night

AND i love how even this early Beau and Jester were The Roommates. Beau tucked Jester in for the night 🥺