dinomighty

[dinomighty]

I am so charmed by how Travis goes red when Laura as Jester talks to someone else about kissing Fjord, and how Fjord himself is very overwhelmed by anyone hitting on him and doesn't know how to cope, because that seems to be how Travis reacts too lol. And this is all with his real life wife! It's just so adorable, the biggest guy there going all red and awkward and yet he can't stop smiling too, because it's Laura and he loves her IRL too. It's the sweetest thing.

I love that Laura decided to RP romance with him in this campaign because we get to see a really different side of his role playing. From what I've seen, Fjord is a different kind of character for him in CR too, the more straight forward leader, reacting to the more wacky party members brilliantly. It's really fun to see him trying something different, and finding himself seduced by his wife lol.

Also compare this to how Travis is the biggest cheerleader for every other ship in any campaign lol. He gets so excited and happy for other characters getting together. The contrast is so funny.

[dinomighty]

A revolutionary fic writing moment for me, I'm actually planning fic before starting to write them. Working on a religious trauma & restaurant Essek/Caleb/Molly fic (yes that is the only way I can currently describe it), also on a vampire!Essek fic, which is also Essek/Caleb/Molly, because Molly won't be left out and wants to flirt with the hot vampire lol. These feel like they'll be sizable fics, I really want to write them so I'm hoping planning the fics will help keep me writing until I find an ending.

It's really nice to feel so inspired. I aim to enjoy it. It feels like I'll still be writing CR fic when C4 starts. That's fine with me.

[dinomighty]

The Golden Girls // S02E02: Ladies of the Evening

[dinomighty]

I love Brennan's commitment to reminding you that he was hideously bullied for being a fucking weird nerd, ESPECIALLY when you're watching content about how outrageously successful and beloved he is now for being a fucking weird nerd.

Dita Von Teese was so right, you really can be the ripest, juiciest peach in the world and there's still going to be somebody who hates peaches. And depending on the social dynamics of your school, there may be a few high-status people who hate peaches who can bring enough people on board to make your life a living hell.

Brennan was bullied so badly that he had to be pulled out of school and homeschooled. Those kids hated his ass! And look at him now. What more proof do you need that being surrounded by people who want to kill you during your school years doesn't say fucking anything about how loveable you are or what your life will be like as an adult.

[dinomighty]

It makes me laugh so much whenever I watch C1 clips and see the cast just squirming whenever there's any emotionally intense romantic scenes being played out. The clip where they're all hiding their faces behind clothing during a Vax/Keyleth conversation makes me howl with laughter, though poor Marisha keeps breaking seeing them act like that and Matt has to keep it all on track. It's so different when you're watching C2 and everyone in the cast is cheering the shipping like crazy.

I totally get why most of them reacted like they did early on, as Laura says at one point, it feels like a private conversation and they shouldn't be there for it. And I imagine if it was just them playing at home, they probably would have kept on getting embarrassed because it was a fun home game between friends.

But I love seeing how those scenes became things to cheer now and became times where the cast get to really show what they're made of. Those scenes always make me go 'whoa, they're so good!' I love that they also still giggle and break each other in other moments, I love that that aspect endures. I love that that sits alongside the times when they cheer each other on and are so proud of each other's performances and choices. They're clearly still friends playing a game together, I'm so glad that endures too.

[dinomighty]

The joy of finally meeting the Ruby of the Sea! And she's so wonderful and wholesome! She exactly knows her worth and how fabulous she is, and she flirts with the whole party in a way that compliments them all in this lovely way and makes them feel good about themselves. I love that when she finds out that Cad knows nothing about sex, she offers someone to teach him, not because his virginity is something he should be relieved of or something he should be embarrassed about, but because maybe he hasn't had the opportunity yet and maybe he'd appreciate the help? It came across as sweet and generous.

And I love how excited Jester is to see her Mama and their loving relationship. I've heard that Matt wanted to show a sex worker who is a good mother because there's been a lot of portrayals of the opposite. Marion is clearly loving and encouraging, and Jester loves her, despite turning out sweet and sheltered due to some neglect on Marion's part because of needing to protect her job. It's clear Jester understands why it had to be that way, even if she wished she could see more of her Mama. So it's sad but also really sweet and loving, and there's no resentment. It's the most wholesome parent-child relationship by far.

A highlight was how everyone realised who Jester’s father could be, their faces were amazing!! Apparently Matt had it planned as a late game revelation but they asked the right questions early. I love that they've managed to kill Lorenzo when Matt had planned for him to return and be a Big Bad, and now they made this revelation come early too lol. Go team!

Also this episode made me want to write Essek meeting Marion and some of the others assuming he'll be blushing and won't know how to talk to he. But he's perfectly fine because he's visited brothels before as Shadowhand to glean information and blackmail material. And he and Marion have a deep private discussion about his feelings for Caleb and how to tell Caleb about it. It'll go on my ideas list lol. If nothing else, it makes me happy to think about 😊.

[dinomighty]

Happy pride to the demisexuals and asexuals I love you demisexuals and asexuals

[dinomighty]

Trigger warning: Cancer

But congrats to Sam on kicking cancer’s ass one year ago today.

Fuck it.

Sending love and virtual hugs for those who are and/or have been affected by cancer. (x)

[dinomighty]

It's taken me a few days to make myself get through it, but I've finally watched Molly's departure, the aftermath, and Caduceus's debut. It was painful and yet I've been fascinated too.

I honestly thought Molly’s death happened much further into the story and that therefore Caduceus wasn't around for that long. Turns out I had that completely wrong and I think it's the fact the death happens so early in the campaign that shocks the most. He's dead now? Facing slavers? When almost half the party isn't even there? It all feels shockingly wrong, because we don't know all of Molly yet. There's such a feeling of more to come, because we know he was someone called Lucien before dying, waking up in a grave, and becoming Molly. Surely that has to be explored, even though Molly is insistently against knowing anything about his past. So we don't get that now?

I love that actually we will get that, and that dying actually brings Molly's past right into the present, which he would have resisted had he lived. The story he had no interest in will get revealed now he's gone. There's something utterly fantastic in that.

I honestly think Matt wanted Lucien to appear at some point in the campaign but that he really didn't expect for Molly to die so early on. As he said, it was just a confluence of really bad things, especially how they were in the middle of nowhere with no one around to heal him. I also think that if any of the Mighty Nein was going to die and not return (as himself anyway), Molly made the most sense. If this was a scripted show, his character would have certainly been killed off. Because his story has already continued once already after death. So surely it'll happen again. And that's now bubbling in the background until I get to the empty grave and Lucien's return. So that was brilliant luck for Matt and his storytelling anyway, knowing there was a way to use this and how good it could be for the campaign's future, even if it happened so early on. That all pleases and feeds my storytelling brain while also feeling really upsetting that we didn't get to see more of Molly, how he might have developed and who he might have even romanced, if he was interested in that.

I was going to write a bit about how awful people were for heaping abusive anger on Matt, Ashly and Taliesin for Molly's death. But just, please don't do that okay? Misaimed anger in grief is understandable but still really hurtful.

And I adore Caduceus, he's so pleasant and inexperienced, in a different manner to Nila. He's so different to anyone Taliesin has played before in CR and I appreciate that, especially as he only had a week to create him. I wonder if they all now have back ups created for campaigns? I love the tea/Tealeaf link, which was apparently completely coincidental lol, and I'm just looking forward to knowing more about him. And I'm really looking forward to getting Fjord, Jester and Yasha back soon, I miss all three a lot!

[dinomighty]

So I've managed to draft my first bit of Critical Role fic. It's Essek/Caleb/Molly fic, thanks to the insanely good fic featuring that trio that I've read. Excellent inspiration. It's a sort of Regency setting, same races as CR but no magic, and is about Verin trying to make sure his brother gets happiness. I've no idea when I'll post it but I'm just so happy I've managed to write something CR. It feels like I'm giving something in tribute to how much CR has helped me, giving me respite and light when I've really needed it. I hope I can write more, to channel this love and thanks, especially as I have a bunch of ideas nibbling at me. For now, I'm just so pleased I've finished something CR.

[dinomighty]

i have a ttrpg opinion that feels gauche to share on bsky and like hitting an angry hornets nest if i share it on reddit, so instead i’ll say it here:

there’s a bunch of folks bent out of shape over critical role/darrington press’s new game, daggerheart, because they’re convinced that CR is about to abandon D&D in favor of it for campaign 4. if it were up to me i’d say DO IT because i’m sick of hasbro’s shit specifically even as WotC tries really hard to clean up the messes it and its parent company create. realistically, though?? i doubt they’ll jump into that until they can prove that daggerheart has a bit more staying power. also, remember that these people like d&d! a lot! legally it kinda sucks to have your brand so heavily built in someone else’s sandbox, but they’re ultimately still having fun there!

putting the speculation aside, i just hate this attitude of “ugh i watch for dnd! why would i watch if they’re playing something i’m not even familiar with?!!” you are weak like little baby. do you have any idea how many people watch CR who have never played dnd and have no idea about the rules beyond what they mention on stream? the real reason you watch CR, i’d venture, has a lot more to do with the cast and the types of stories they tell—2 things that are not at all dependent on a single game system! dimension 20 gets that which is why they aren’t afraid to shake things up from season to season with different systems including heavy use of modifying existing systems for their own genre! CR moving to a similar model wouldn’t suddenly shatter everything about their brand or stories!

thus, those people complaining are stupid and should feel bad and embarrassed about their opinions. if CR did make the switch, their viewership might take a hit, but not because daggerheart is worse than dnd. it’s just that the ttrpg world and especially the CR fandom is full of petty, self-righteous babies who want to complain.

[dinomighty]

More Mighty Nein thoughts and highlights as I make my way through my first watch of it.

Kiri is adorable, and has provided me with so many laughs. Matt choosing the best therefore worst sentences from the others to repeat as Kiri as well as his bird mannerisms are amazing. He's clearly loving the chaos and the laughs he can create.

Fjord trying to teach Beau how to be friendly and encouraging. She's so bad at it but she clearly values his advice because she asks him how to apologise. And he gives really excellent advice. He's not doing it just because it'll help the group to have Beau offending less people, he wants to help her with something she clearly needs help with.

Caleb asking Yasha about connecting with people and starting conversations as he's aware he's not great at it and he sees Yasha is an awkward introvert like him too. And her subsequent awkward advice. So sweet.

I'm in awe of how Sam plays so much comedy with Nott but also does serious moments completely seriously. Like we know Nott doesn't want to be a goblin, she was forced to do terrible things by fellow goblins, and it's all serious. And that's as well as being a goblin who can't resist stealing and went to blow up a troll's house without anything to light the fuse for the dynamite.

Someone pointed out that Molly wants to drink everything interesting and try every strong substance and enjoy experiences in every town, no matter how questionable, because he's only got 2 years of personal history. He's trying to cram in as many experiences as possible because he has no memories of any previous experiences. He's not just a hedonist.

Also I'm staying away from Reddit and YouTube comments. It's full of people criticising Marisha and complaining about how bad C3 is (I'm really looking forward to watching it personally).

[dinomighty]

The more I watch C2, the more I am drawn to Yasha. She's so physically powerful, but she's so soft and hesitant when she speaks. It's adorable. She's this incredible warrior but also likes petting cats and pressing flowers and it's not primarily for comedic contrast. Her awkward, both sweet and hilarious, flirtations with Beau which are both a trainwreck (at this point) and so incredibly endearing. And she's clearly been through terrible things, like most of the Mighty Nein, she doesn't like talking about her past. It's fascinating to see how they all cope with this and address it. Yasha wanders into mentioning something about her past and then tries helplessly to direct people away from it.

Also major kudos to Ashley for playing all the stumbling words and long pauses. It's all so real. I've been that person, I still am sometimes, and to see that, it made me smile and it meant something.

I don't think I've met a character like Yasha before. I like her a lot.

[dinomighty]

So my brain has grown 4 or 5 CR fic ideas, all either Caleb/Essek or Caleb/Essek/Molly. I have no idea if I'll finish and/or post any of them but I'd love to talk this kind of stuff out with people as I work on stuff. Are there any suitable discord servers out there? Or places on tumblr? Thanks.

[dinomighty]

I won't list the details but most areas of my life are incredibly challenging, draining and upsetting at the moment and have been for a few weeks. There literally feels as though there is nowhere to turn because nearly everything is so awful (apart from my husband who is also going through some terrible exhausting challenges). Every day, I feel as though I am hanging on by my fingertips. And honestly, it's the time I spend watching a bunch of nerdy ass voice actors play D&D and the time I spend reading Critical Role fanfic that is giving me any kind of relief and respite at all.

I think that and then I think 'that's a bit much' but then I look back at the wreckage of the past week and further back and think 'No, that's about right.' I also think immediately after 'and you can *never* tell them this', though I know if I told that thought to my husband, his response would be I should absolutely tell them because they've helped me and made me happy when I've really needed it. He firmly believes in telling people who've been a help and in not putting people on pedestals.

Because of all the difficulties and how fragile I feel as a result, I find myself crying a lot, which is good, its a release. Inexplicably I've shed tears over the past couple of days when thinking about a Critical Role fanfic I'm only thinking of writing. That's new. What a time. I'll try writing something, if the tears allow it.

Anyway, this felt like the place to dump these feelings. I have often connected emotionally to shows/films/fandoms at times of personal stress but it's never felt this vital or delicate before. Literally I started watching Critical Role right when the first part of my life started falling apart. And I am beyond grateful, to have found somewhere to fall.

[dinomighty]

"You weren't part of the plan and now you're all in terrible danger for the things that you know."

"So be it."

-Critical Role Campaign 2, Episode 97, "The Fancy and the Fooled"

[dinomighty]

Reached that first reveal about Molly's body being Lucien before. It's such a fascinating concept. Was the ritual Lucien was trying to complete pre death one that was successful and resulted in him resurrecting as Molly? It's a hell of a way to cheat death, though you don't know who you'll come back as or remember anything prior.

It reminds me of the death of personality concept in Babylon 5. That was more chilling but there's similarities and stirs up all kinds of questions about identity. A favourite character of mine from yet another show once said 'to deny who I was is to deny who I am.' But that doesn't work here, Molly is literally a different person to Lucien, literally born again. So much food for thought. And Molly's insistence that he doesn't want to unravel the mystery of his past at all, not even a little, because he's completely happy with who he is now and likes living in the present, is a very different choice to what has been done in other rebirth/amnesia/mystery past kind of stories I've read or watched. Everyone else wants to know but he doesn't. I like that choice, it's what makes Molly, Molly.

Unlike the character I quoted before, Molly feels the absolute opposite way. He's not interested in who he was, only in who he is now.