#Adaine and Riz best friends this season please

[hamable]

Fantasy high junior year is so real. Funniest shit I’ve ever heard for one half of the episode and the most real, tangible post-road-trip exhaustion and dread of having to return to responsibilities and how heavy it all is in the second half and it’s just so good.

[thistlespringsummer]

Kaity Watches Spring Break! I Believe in You! (part two)

putting things beneath the read more this time because... because!

♡ okay, I forgot to start this draft earlier, so I'm already like an hour and a half in

♡ woo go Aelwyn!!!

♡ tracker!!!! tracker!!!!

♡ "wow that's hot what's going on" lovely priorities here as always

♡ please give me more gorgug & ayda friendship moments !!!! I need them!!!

♡ HANGMAN!!!

♡ "so I'm going to ask a shenanigans question" followed almost immediately by "I'd like to channel Emily Axford" and "Secret Agent The Ball"

♡ fuck I got distracted messing with my theme

♡ okay, I have to go back to work now, I'll continue updating tonight!

♡ .... and we're back, baby!

♡ "last I saw, Adaine killed him, so..."

♡ what a fucking power move. I hated Aelwyn at the start of this season, and now I'm so fucking excited to see her and Adaine's relationship grow 🥰

♡ burn towns get money is just on repeat in my head. Not the whole song, just "burn towns, burn towns, burn towns get money"

♡ I love Ayda so much. <3

♡ no no no no no no no no no no NO!!!!!!!

♡ Fabian 'that is MY BEST FRIEND' Seacaster I love you

♡ can I swaddle the ball as a bonus action?

♡ that's resilience! omg Emily

♡ Aelwyn looks horrified- yes, and so do Gorgug and Fabian!

♡ no fuck Ragh! No no no!

♡ oh thank fucking gods

♡ oh good good yes

♡ that was banter omg

♡ woo gorthalax!

♡ give the bad guy our teddy

♡ this tree dude sucks

♡ hot riz is born. No.

♡ mirrors negate mirrors, classic literature

♡ kalina and the tree sounds like a really cool band name, honestly?

♡ how bout it was like a short rest? Omg Siobhan I love it

♡ okay, listen to this shenanigan

♡ what's all this math you're doing?

♡ NO GORTHALAX NO NO NO!

♡ Okay, this is a crazy thing to do in the middle of a battle. Love it.

♡ OH MY FUCKING GOD ALLY

♡ Saint Kristen Applebees is right

♡ oh. my. God. What the fuck oh my god oh my god what

♡ Holy fucking shit oh my god

♡ are my bones 600 years old for real

♡ oh. Oh my god. The storytelling genius that is Brennan Lee Mulligan. Oh my god.

♡ just a few points of light in all that darkness

♡ fucking ally oh my god this feels like a weird first date but I would follow you

♡ it's okay not to know, idk

♡ it's a real problem in archeology Brennan

♡ um, obviously.

♡ no, but for real though, I have it paused as I write this so I could find out I'm wrong in the next five minutes, but

♡ all the hellenic foreshadowing this season? If it wasn't supposed to be Cassandra, I followed Ally's thinking exactly

♡ which is slightly frightening to think about

♡ but yeah, absolutely that was obvious

♡ is Gilear restored to his pride armor oh my god

♡ awww gorgug so sweet

♡ a big bug gave me a riddle

♡ If we don't get an A I'm calling the cops

♡ is the most Adaine thing ever omg

♡ because my mum's name was Ayda Aguefort, too oh my fucking god Brennan why would you say something like that why

♡ chronomancy!

♡ jawbone 🥰

♡ you're easy to love. And anyone who couldn't figure it out was a real bozo.

♡ fucking break my heart why don't you

♡ okay fine I forgive you thanks to jawbone putting it back together for Ayda and I

♡ but I'm fucking sobbing over here

♡ oh my god Lou thank you for making me laugh Fabian is such a fucking dork and I love him

♡ if that's something you're interested in oh my gods brennan

♡ "tracker loves you so much" THEN WHY IS THERE SAD MUSIC PLAYING, BRENNAN?

♡ 😭😭😭

♡ ragh yes I love you

♡ riz

♡ as soon as you say nightyorb

♡ fuck. well, I knew it was coming

♡ fuck what is this music I know this music tomorrow is Wednesday on Wednesdays we listen to hobbit music oh I think this is lotr music!

♡ have you thought about what your junior year project might be?

Holy fucking shit I love this show and these nerds so fucking much. Thank you.

[jq37]

The Report Card -- Fantasy High Sophomore Year Ep 1

Sophomores and Spring Break 

Note: Hey guys! I decided to try something a little bit different and slightly more structured than my usual recaps for FH: Sophomore Year. I’m hoping this will be a little easier for me and a more useful tool for keeping up to date since there will be a lot more eps to keep track of and they’ll be easier to miss. Lemme know what you think and if you want raw, unfiltered opinions on anything specific, feel free to send me an ask. I’m always down to go off about literally whatever. 

We’re back, baby! It is Sophomore Year at Aguefort and the gang is on Spring Break. A lot is going down so lemme break it down. The Bad Kids, having defeated Kalvaxus last year, are all entitled to a share of his hoard and all the red tape is finally cleared so they all get 20k gold each (which is an insane amount of money converted to USD if you use the WOTC conversion rate of a gold coin being around $145 (circa 2006 when they answered the question)--which would be close to $330 with inflation). Jawbone and Sandra-Lynn are moving in after less than a year into a profoundly haunted house and it’s kind of a Full House situation because Adaine, Fig, Kristen, and Tracker all officially live there (plus it seems that Zayn has also anchored himself to Adaine’s tower--btw, Adaine took the tower that the haunted house obviously has) and you know all the other Bad Kids are gonna be there on the regular. 

More importantly, Aguefort gives the gang their big project for the year--finding the crown of the Nightmare King which was stolen at the end of last season--which is worth 60% of their grade (Adaine does a full Hermione at this information). Each of the gang has info about the NK but the trail has mostly gone cold. Luckily, Fabian just got a hot tip about where Falinel is keeping Aelwyn and she seems like a pretty good lead to start with since she was super tied up in the bad side of all the messiness of last year. Adaine is displeased to say the least. 

Going off to find the crown is super exciting story-wise for two reasons. First of all, it means the gang gets to hire, well, hirelings to help them and temporarily join the party! They ping basically every cool NPC they can think of (except for Tracker for some reason which is BONKERS because (1) she probably would have done it for free and cutting her in would still be keeping the money in the family, (2) she’s dope as hell, (3) she’s a cleric and the party can always use more healers, (4) she’s a werewolf so presumably she has skills that would help in the woods, and (5) they’re t r a c k i n g down a crown and the girl’s name is literally T R A C K E R, but I will not backseat D&D) and eventually end up with Ragh (who has been without an adventuring party all year, poor guy), Sandra-Lynn (swayed by a nat 20 rolled by Fig), Cathilda (!?) ,and, for some reason, Gilear (which Fabian is happy about, mainly for the opportunity to maybe bump him off on the way). Second of all, if you recall, Elmville is a pretty modern town but the rest of the continent is less fantasy high, more high fantasy. Horses and lanterns and all that pseudo-medieval goodness. They are gonna stick out like a sore thumb. I am very here for it. 

Everyone goes home to rest up but, after some ominous dreams, only four of them wake up. Riz and Fig are left asleep and then Brennan mic drops and ends the episode which is a power move and I am extremely upset about it but also, respect. Right for the jugular immediately. I heard Murph and Emily are on tour in the UK next week which probably has something to do with this but, in the moment, I did not know that and I really felt the hammer drop in my heart. It was wild. Cannot wait to see where we go from here. Plus, who doesn’t love watching characters freak out because their friends are in danger?

Random Thoughts

I have no idea what the title of this episode is or if it’ll even have one and not a number but I gave it a placeholder one for now. I also don’t have access to the stream yet so I didn’t get to include some info I wanted to (like a record of nat 20s, and nat 1s so I can track their stats for the school year) and I probably missed some stuff because my brain can only hold so much info guys. I’m not Brennan. 

I mentioned this yesterday during the stream, but there will never be anything better than the pure D&D joy of everyone, in character, talking over each other to clown on each other. They get the friend-group banter that’s a hair breadth’s away from bullying so true to life and it’s so fun to watch. On the flip side, the opening scene with everyone introducing themselves and affirmatively claiming each other as their best friends was also peak D&D. Found family= best trope. 

Fig and Adaine burn spell-slots at basically the same time to try and beat each other to the best room in the (Scooby-Doo ass) house--which is exactly the kind of thing that would happen in this world. It’s such an intuitive setting. I love it so much. (BTW, Fig ends up staying in the false space under the revolving grand piano because, of course).

Fabian and Gorgug went to recruit Ragh, who assumed they were propositioning him for a three-way. In his defense, they did do it in a super proposition-y way and they were in the middle of the LGBTQ student union.

Also, Gorgug gives Ragh an inspiring speech about thinking you’re your own dad which makes him burst into tears. 

Speaking of, Jawbone offhandedly says he’s poly but, like, based on some of the stuff he’s said, I feel like that’s not really a reveal. He also gets along well with Gorthalax and would be down w/ a three-way if Sandra-Lynn wanted to which, again, totally checks out. 

Arthur Aguefort uses Chronomancy to rewind time and catch a snide comment Adaine made under her breath, which is exactly the kind of frivolous use of God-like power I’d expect from him.  

I really love Adaine’s energy coming into this season. She’s in therapy. She’s in a good home environment. She’s comfortable enough with her friend group to do stuff like prank Fig (love that they’re gonna be living together now). And she’s good friends with Zayn now which I want to see more of based on their one interaction in this ep which was very cute. I am already on record as saying I would be down with her getting a ghost boyfriend--I mean, for the aesthetic alone--but I’d be happy with just more friendship. 

Fabian is also hilarious this season because you can tell he’s gone a bit soft from having friends and leaning into that (the friendship necklace with Riz) but also he’s fully aware that it’s happening so he’s, like, ping-ponging back and forth like, “These are my friends,” and, “What am I saying? I used to be cool,” and it’s very funny. Very happy the Aelwyn storyline is happening right out of the gate, both because I think Aelwyn is a very interesting character with a lot of potential for nuance but also because Fabian reacting to her and Adaine reacting to Fabian reacting to her is always gold. 

Prompted by an offhand conversation from Fig about rock and roll, Brennan--earning another feather for his Cap of God Tier DMing--goes on an impromptu five minute long improved diatribe about a bard who played such a good concert that it instantly impregnated everyone in attendance (dudes too) who gave birth to kids with sick rocker hair and denim jackets and ascended to Rock Heaven on their 18th Birthday. You truly have to watch it to believe it. At a certain point I thought he was gonna drop it but that was the moment he doubled down and kept going. Amazing. 

Watching Murph, in real time, make up a girl/boy/whateverfriend in Fantasy Canada was a gift. 

I don’t have access to the stream yet but best quote of the night that I can remember is Kristen choosing her room: This is triggering and I’ll take it. (Her line about her lesbian starter kit and the one about wanting a horse were also bangers). 

The group talks about what they’re going to do for transportation outside of Elmsville since they don’t really use cars out there and they somehow get from “disguise Fig’s tour bus” to “commission Aguefort to create a brand new animal that can hold six people plus hirelings, one of which is Fabian who is also riding his motorbike”.

I love that Sandra-Lynn’s Mom Powers work on Tracker. 

Basrar doesn’t accept the invitation to come with on the quest, but he does give Kristen a bag of infinite ice cream sandwiches, which is basically just as good, IMO. 

Oh Gilear. The man is sleeping in the Seacaster garage, being bullied by skater kids, and now he’s stuck on this quest with his ex and Fabian who actively wants him dead.  

Speaking of, I’m psyched to see more of Sandra-Lynn. She was kind of a sleeper badass at the end of last season. 

Ragh is keeping secrets which I hope the cast doesn’t forget because it could be nothing serious (like the high school drama happening with Skrank and the 7 maidens--maybe he’s just crushing on Gorgug who did full kiss him during Promocalypse) or it could be Serious Business that will blow up if the don’t stay on top of it. We’ll see. 

Oh, almost forgot. Adaine wants an emotional support frog. Every time I think I can’t love her more.   

Detention

Fig for Not Respecting Personal Boundaries

Fig goes full Emily right out the gate and, after finding out that Skrank (nerdy bird dude who apparently can get it) was not only dating Ostentasia (rich, popular dwarf) but also dumped her in pursuit of Danielle Barkstock (one of Ostentasia’s party members, the scandal), disguises herself as him with Danielle to figure out what’s going on. And, wouldn't you know it, when she gives herself away, Danielle immediately is shocked and appalled, as you would be, obviously. We also learn that she’s still catfishing Dr. Asha which is, how you say, for sure a crime. Fig, please, I’m begging you. Cease. 

Honor Roll

Fig, Riz, and Adaine for Researching the Nightmare King

Fig made both lists, look at that. Wasn’t my plan for this to be a three-way tie (also didn’t expect to use the word “three-way” this many times in this writeup) but I think their contributions were pretty much equally valuable. Rainsolo on the Discord wrote up this summary of the lore dump Brennan gave them.

[tweetsongs]

For the GIVE ME A CHARACTER, introduce me to our saviour Ayda

babe, u are the only person i love in this world

How I feel about this character: Ayda Augefort is one of those characters who showed up and immediately rocketed her way into my heart. She’s tied for my favorite character in the show, and is definitely my favorite NPC. It’s just…so great to have an explicitly neurodivergent character, especially an autistic character, who’s so caring and warm and such an subversion of stereotypes, while having her autism still be a core part of her character. I just, love that she’s so complicated and so deeply emotional, and trying her best to keep up with all of these new, strange friends that she’s got. Also, she’s ignited a deep desire within me to gift my friends with homemade spells named after them, because what a fucking rockstar idea.

All the people I ship romantically with this character: I think Figayda goes pretty much unspoken lmao, they have such a great dynamic, and watching them both stumbling as they find their ways into understanding each other is really wonderful. I think a lot of times WLW relationships are very soft and instantly domestic and understanding - which is great, if that’s what you enjoy! - but I’m really glad to see Fantasy High really dig into the grit of relationships, even with Trackerbees, who seemed to be going down that route at the end of season 1/beginning of season 2. I love that Fig and Ayda obviously adore each other, but it’s very much clumsy and imperfect and hindered by their views of the world. When Ayda said that she loved finding out she was wrong about something so that she could discover its true nature- that was when I knew this ship would become an OTP.I don’t have any other ships for Ayda, really, unless you count my burning love for qpp Ayda/Adaine with lesbian Ayda and ace-aro Adaine.

My non-romantic OTP for this character: Again, qpp Ayda/Adaine is. Very good. And if you’ve been reading through my Fantasy High posts for a while you’ll know that I am Very invested in the potential of Riz&Ayda as a friendship. I have a Lot of headcanons about Riz being ADHD, and having two characters with behavioral/developmental disorders stimming together is Very important to me (yes all of my characters have autism or ADHD, why do you ask).Also, Garthy? Can we see Garthy being a parental figure to Ayda please. Her naming Gaf after them is the cutest thing ever and I want to see their reaction upon discovering that.

My unpopular opinion about this character: Hm, I don’t know the fandom enough to have any unpopular opinions, per say, but I do like the idea (that I think a lot of people might not) that this reincarnation is the only cycle where Ayda is with Fig- at least, for a While. So much of Ayda’s story is rooted in breaking out of the constraints that her past selves have unknowingly imposed upon her, learning that she can be so much more than who they said she could be, that I like the idea of the things that she has gotten during this lifetime being wholly her own, and her leaving her next life’s legacy up to her next self. I think she might waver in the end, wanting to leave a note for her next self to meet Fig, please, I don’t think there is a me that would not fall in love with her, if I knew her, but Fig convinces her to take that part out, to leave what her next self’s relationship is with Fig up to her next self. There’s tragedy in the idea, sure, but I think that Ayda learning to be kinder to herself every cycle, telling her that she can be whoever she wants to be, is worth it.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon: God there’s so much- I want her to see Elmville. I want her to have a conversation with her father. I want to see her writing to her next self, telling her that she can be anything and everything. I want her to meet Gorthalax, and to have a family dinner with Fig and her plethora of parents. I want her, Adaine and Riz to investigate stuff together. I want Ayda Augefort to feel like a kid again, giddy and free, and to go through all the happiness and sadness and stupid decisions that comes with that.

(send me a character!)