#campaign 3 episode 77

[grigori77]

Critical Role, Campaign 3 Episode 77

Are you that busy, Sam? Really? See, they're both making a strong argument that they're MORE busy than you ...

Ah yes, I see ... vainglorious Sam ... if course ... "Text Marisha to find out what UWU means" ... oh dear gods ...

Laura: "Why are you so much better at reading your own schedule than the ad-copy?"

Matt wants the Ruidus dice so he can DESTROY THEM with them ... XD

Travis is so grabby for the jammies, I love it, it's adorable. :3

Oh, intimate conference for the witchy trio ... or an excursion? Oh, yeah, okay ... get caught up, idiot ...

Are we sure this is a good idea, Marisha? Seriously? This is gonna be potential problems for Laudna ...

Tunnels? Oh boy ... yeah, I really don't trust this at all ...

I will not dignify girl-fart talk ... I will not ...

A lost master bedroom? That's ... weird ...

Why not use it? Oh man, I got a pretty good idea about the reasons for THAT ...

Sneaky sneaking ... and here we go, stealth checks ... oh, nice work, ladies ...

Does she know where to go? Hmmm ... oh, so Laudna was kind of like a phantom of the castle for a while? Okay then ...

Yes, maybe AVOID the many guards ...

Liam, Taliesin, what are you whispering about there? And now note passing? I am so curious ...

Crap! Pots and pens make BIG noise ... sheeeeee-it ... yeah, NO SHIT you need another stealth check ...

Argh! Busted? "A little midnight snack?" Nice save, Imogen.

Fearne trying to be quiet ... clop clop clop ... Travis: "From Pike in armour to Fearne's fucking hooves!" XD

Aaaaah ... Laudna's parallax effect! O.O Oh ... trauma ... yes, I'm with Fearne, I hate the Briarwoods ...

Laudna and Fearne BOTH have Thieves' Tools? Blimey ... I mean I expect it of the klepto, but ...

Lighting up the room through the keyhole? Intriguing move, Imogen ... oh, and that is SPOOKY ...

I'm sorry, WHAT is she doing? Are you REALLY gonna summon a Reiloran right now, Imogen? Seriously?

Reiloran: "What do you require?" Imogen: "Can you unlock the door?" Reiloran: "... sure ..."

Apparently he doesn't really have a CHOICE about hanging out ...

De Rolo family portrait ... yeah ...

Laudna IS NOT having a good time right now ...

Looking for a book in particular? Hmmm ... Sam: "The Cat In the Hat ..." XD ... you idiot ...

OH!!! Secret passage! Nice ... bricked off? Okay then ... oh, really? Cute ... Travis: "The attitude in this family!" XD

Marisha: "I don't want to have to Shawshank Redemption this." Matt: "Two weeks later, you finally make it through the wall."

Sneaky nifty Fearne ... nice ...

Sivaana? Interesting ... and apparently he's kind of ENJOYING this ...

Oh NOW they're twigging to the fact that this was a BAD IDEA? A bit bloody late now, surely ...

An old lab? Oh shit ... I know whose workshop THIS IS!!! Crap ... it's Ripley's!

It's getting cold? Oh that can't be a good sign ... oh fuck what fresh hell is THIS?!!!

Roll initiative? SHIT!!!

Theatre of the Mind? Oh, okay ... Sam's disappointed he can't do a proper Wizzkids plug ...

Laudna first ... Hunger of the Shadow Shard? Fascinating ... Nat19 ... 16 Necrotic damage! Yeah!

It takes NO DAMAGE?!!! What? Oh shit ...

Form of Dread! Yeah! Oh wait ... WHAT THE FUCK, Matthew? Seriously? Not Delilah, not NOW!!!

Once a young man? Hmmm ... Withering Touch? Owwwwww ... 16 points of Necrotic damage to Laudna ...

Fearne tries to communicate ... no joy ... so she just bitch slaps it with her flaming palm! Nice ... not SUPER effective, though ...

Now a teenage girl, a servant? Crap ... and now ANOTHER? Some old guy ... Hmmm ... oh, I think I'm starting to get this ...

Yup, this is just Delilah's vengeful victims seeking retribution ...

Imogen just shoves Laudna back ... then casts Shock Flare? Wow ... oh, nice! Oh, and that works? Great ... finally a break ... 13 points of Lightning damage ...

Sivaana hits the hurt one eith a Mind Spike ... POW!!! Nice ...

Oh no ... Laudna is rattled ... but she's USING IT ... Hound of Ill Omen! Yay! Go, demon doggy!

Another Withering Touch? Phew ...no joy ...

Fearne casts Daylight? Hmmmm ... yeah, I really didn't expect that would actually DO anything ... so she bamfs out Mister? Okay ...

Damn it, that means Delilah really IS there ...

Mirror Image? Okay ... and they miss! Yes ... phew again ... and ANOTHER miss! Yay!

End this, Imogen! Please!

Oh crap, no rest means she has NO SPELLS LEFT?!!! Balls ... oh, she's never done this? Eat are you planning, Laura?

WHAT THE FUCK IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW?!!! Ashley: "Lightning tiddies!"

Holy fuck, they BOTH take 4D8 of Lightning damage? Sweet ... 15 points each! Oh, and the first one is GONE!!! Nice ...

Oh, bye bye Sivaana ...

Laudna unleashes some Eldritch Blasts! Yay! And they all hit ... 15 and 23, then 8 damage overall ... then again ... and a Nat20? Wow ... 25 for the first, 9 for the second, 15 ... HDYWTDT for BOTH of the remaining ghosts ... BOOM, they are GONE ...

Oh man ... fucking Delilah! Crap ... what the hell? It's coming FROM Laudna? Oh shit ...

Oh, so this was Delilah's workshop? Great ...

So Laudna's Delilah's tether as much as the other way round? Crap ... and now she's trying to SEDUCE our girl ... leave her alone, you heinous bitch!

What the fuck is she talking about ... the Whispered One? Fucking VECNA?!!! Seriously? Oh shit!

She wants "more"? Oh, this won't end well ...

So if she gets out she's gonna try and bring the Whispered One back ... not good, not good at all ...

I'm hating this whole conversation so much ...

Oh for fuck's sake ... now she's going after Fearne too? Crap ... no! Not Dark Fearne! That's not good at all ...

That's just it, the only way they can kill her is to kill Laudna ...

And now to Imogen ... she really is just being an all round unpleasant bitch, isn't she?

She's gone? Finally ... I was not enjoying that ...

OF COURSE Imogen wants to find a way to get Laudna out of this mess ... this is so ugly and heartbreaking ...

Laudna makes Imogen promise to move on and be happy if anything happens to her ... fuck ... damn it Marisha, you're getting us right in the feels right now ... and Laura too ...

And now Fearne has FINALLY twigged that Imogen and Laudna are A THING ... :3

Yeah, there won't be anything of use on here now ...

A coffin? Lovely ...

Oh yeah, makes sense they would have just TRASHED this place ...

A splinter? Hmmm ... witchcraft ... charming ...

On the way out, Fearne torches everything she can ... Nice ...

Gods ... I don't like this deal AT ALL ...

You're gonna break HERE?!!! Really? Gah ...

Back to it ... a night's rest, then ... and Travis is rolling AGAIN?!!! You're really messing with us here ... STOP IT!!!

Typical morning for Orym, clearly ...

Awwwwww ... I love Fearne and Orym's friendship so much ... :3

He STOLE something for her? Awwww ... and so here we go, the ghost pirate spyglass, yeah, I'd actually forgotten about that ... that's so sweet ...

"Scenelet done." XD

Chetney had a sexy dream about Lady De Rolo ... of course he did ... watch out you don't give yourself a coronary, Chet ...

Crap ... they didn't reseal the wall? Balls ... that's totally gonna come back to bite us later ...

Now Chetney wants to make Ashton a toboggan ...

Last chance to chill before it all goes off ... yeah ...

Oh, here we go, makeshift sled ... hmmmm ... Orym is rightfully suss about that ...

You know what that is? Growth.

No, I don't think there will be any wood on the moon. Unless there is ... "moon wood"? Imogen: "Rich ... thick wood." Oh boy ... and then it gets worse ... oh, that's it for Matt again ... more games derailment ... XD

FCG: "What's the happy ending for you?" Orym: "Tomorrow. That there be a tomorrow." Wow ...

The girls stole Letters a copper wok ... not to eat but USE ... hmmm ... oh no, not the "fishy hot hole" again ... Matt is dying ... XD

Eight tubes of Bengay? Oh no, it's Tiger Balm ...

Chetney: "Nothing like some fresh pow!" Oh, here we go ... sledding ... okay then ...

Ashton and FCG are going in the wok ... oh dear ... Liam: "It IS Christmas Vacation!"

They're RACING?!!! Oh dear ...

They JUMPED THE WALL?!!! Crap ... watch out for the cart! Aaaaaaaah! Oh, that could have been SO bad ...

Meanwhile the others just WIPED OUT ... but Ashton enjoyed it, at least ...

ASHTON!!! No stones in snowballs! They are children!

Cassandra's coming?

Imogen goes to the Dawnfather's temple ... oh hello, priestly lady ... Imogen: "How do I talk to a god?" Oh boy ... here we go, time for the theological lecture ...

Mother Brizalda? Awwww ... I like her immensely.

Imogen offers up her Whitestone Is For Lovers t-shirt? Wow ... oh man, she's really asking for His help either Laudna's situation ... oh man ...

The Matron's temple ... yeah, she's not accepting it ...

Gilmour's Glorious Goods? Awesome ... wow, the place has been somewhat STRIPPED, clearly ... Orym seeks what he can ... three healing potions for 150 gold? That's a sweet deal ... oh yeah, that's right, Orym HAS met Gilmour himself, hasn't he?

Ooh, what's this? A Potion of HEROISM?!!! Holy fuck ... 199 gold? Nice ...

Oh, the Slayer's Cake? Yes! Do that!

50 pastries? Blimey ... and an apple pie. Okay ... placing an order, then ... the electrum piece? Okay then ... and a namedrop ... that'll do it.

Old abandoned ruins? Seriously, Ashton? And the clock tower ... probably safer ...

Ashton and Fearne having a serious talk about the future ... hmmm ... and now ... oh wow, are they actually FLIRTING now?

Damn, they're actually SO CUTE ... :3

Yeah, the shippers are going NUTS right now and I love it ... XD

Clockwork Vox Machina shenanigans ...

CASSANDRA DE ROLO!!! Awesome!

FCG gets snippy about Orym supplying baked goods instead of him ...

Orym's apple pie makes Liam hungry for real ...

To business in the war room, then ...

Percy gets his mad scientist on ... it's kind of adorable actually ... and that's actually pretty brilliant, as well.

Oh, he's still so SPICY too, especially with Laudna ... XD

Allura's coming too? Okay then ...

Meat?

2 scrolls of Mass Nondetection? Cool. A scroll of Dimension Door too. Also cool. A bunch of healing potions too. A potion of Speed. 2 potions of Gaseous Form.

And FCG gets his bejeweled baking tin too ... cool.

Oh, they're going NOW?!!!

Beneath the castle? Oh ... OH!!! Yes, of course ... oh boy ... they're going to THE FUCKING ZIGGURAT!!!

Oh wow ... now Chetney's homing in on Cassandra instead ... XD

So ... this is it, then? Moment of truth for Ashton and Fearne? Hmmm ... oh, he really IS going to put it in HIMSELF instead? Crap ... I thought that was gonna be BAD ...

Holy shit he KISSED HER!!! Fearne: "Well now I'm not sure I WANT to put it in you."

Shit ... they really ARE doing this ...

It's happening ... the Harness and the Shard snd Ashton ... and now the others know too ... oh boy ...

And he Rages ...

A Constitution save? No Advantage? Hmmm ... 23? Oh, okay ... HIS SHOULDER BROKE OFF?!!! What the fuck? And his EAR?!!! Shit!

15 points of Fire damage ... the crystal crumbles and shatters ... Ashton's chest becomes a furnace ... and more parts are breaking off?

Ashton (over and over): "From the earth to the earth ..."

Orym and Imogen run up and through the barrier ...

The other arm breaks off? This is going SO BAD ... Fearne tries to take the Harness off ... Ashton tries to Rage again ...

Another 36 points? Crap ...

Imogen tries to hold him together using Telekinesis, he downs a Healing potion but it just evaporates? Great ... FCG tries to cast Death Ward on him ...

Another 28 points? He's getting hurt SO FUCKING FAST ...

This is going SO many kinds of bad all at fucking once ...

48 points now ... snd he is DOWN!!! But FCG tries to take it instead ... oh, but the Death Ward ... it's just CHAOS ...

Watery Sphere? Which just turns into steam as soon as Imogen casts it ...

At least he made his Con save ... he is BARELY holding on ...

FCG casts a 6th Level Cure Wounds on him ... 27 points back, but he also took over 60 damage ... he's BARELY alive still ...

Imogen tries to take the Harness off ... meanwhile Orym tries to help with Seedling ... itoff, but the Transference I'd still going on ...

Aura of Vitality?

The Ring of Temporal Salvation? Oh yeah ...

Damn it ... hejeep dropping and then coming back ... this is going do bad ...

Laura: "Hey, you guys remember when Ashton broke that green lens?"

Ashton shatters ... and then it comes back together again while the Ring breaks ... snd he has another 5 rounds? Crap ... it's not over ...

Laudna just grabs Imogen and Chetney znd starts dragging them out if the bubble ...

He just has to last those five more founds znd keep rolling good? Okay ...

Just keep healing him! Fearne's doing it too now ...

The tension is unbearable ... I can feel the whole table just PANICKING internally ...

FCG tries Divine Intervention ... roll good, Samuel ... 31? Shite ...

But he's still rolling sweet ... he's still in the fight ...

Okay ... one round left ... I'm fucking SWEATING ...

This is it ... last roll ... come on Taliesin ...

They are all SO MAD AT HIM RIGHT NOW and I don't blame them ... but it was a SWEET roll ...

He's down, steaming ... but now he's back ... wow ... he has a MOLTEN ROCK ARM replacing the one he lost? Cool ...

Fearne kicks him in the face. "I sm never trusting you again!" I do not blame her ...

That's it ... end of session ...

They are still SO PISSED at Taliesin ... I am too ... he is SO FUCKING LUCKY ...

This episode put us through the FUCKING WRINGER and I am DEAD ...

[munsons-mutiny]

Critical Role: Spoilers for Campaign 3 Episode 77

YESSSSSS ASHTONNNNN!!!! I knew around here people got mad at Taliesen but I don’t know why!!!!! Yes it was a risk!!!!!!! But god damn was it good!!!!! So in character!!!!!!! Sometimes I feel like this group of characters has gotten too afraid to take serious risks or have serious disagreements but Taliesen fucking brought it!!!!!!

His character had to try, this is the one he was built for, the one he was meant to have! No one even really asked Ash what they wanted just made the choice for him when this is their destiny!!! Not Fearne’s!!! Who didn’t even really want it!!!!!!!

Also I’m on the next episode right now and I think betrayal is a little strong for everyone to be feeling. Especially Fearne who agreed with the decision and made the choice with him. I mean I get it, but he knows he done fucked up. They should show a lil more empathy. And if Fearne has such a problem with it she should’ve stopped him or tattled.

[momoscreams]

In the past, Ashton said FCG was suicidal, reckless, and could get the party killed. Pity Ashton couldn't recognize those traits in himself.

[transdegenerategoddess]

Ashton almost become ash-ton this episode, didn't they?

[rrrokamoka]

in Taliesin's defense: Fearne gets all the cool toys, like an undead pirate captain's boon, a pager to the champion of Asmodeus AND being the granddaughter of an actual ARCHFEY.

Ashton so far got an unmovable rod that's sometimes useful... and he has everything to do with titans. and runs headfirst into danger :D

decisions were made, and they weren't a whole lot worse than oh idk... jumping off a cliff and turning into a GOLDFISH. or reading the very same book that made a cultleader villain and getting several new eyes with it. or trying to pull a trick on an actual HAG.

it was just more stressful because it was long.

so yea, Taliesin did what Ashton would have done. maybe Matt shouldn't have put such a huge red button before him and then be surprised when he pushed it. did he really think a "this will /probably/ kill you" would discourage the punk barbarian? :"DD

but at least Matt was going easy on him (i think), so there is that.

last episode was a lot, y'all.

[i-need-a-doctor-run]

Ashton Greymoore, what the fuck?!

[utilitycaster]

(well, my feelings on Laudna are documented but I do think Imogen is a great character)

Oh! I found your blog rather recently but did you write Laudna meta early on? Or did you mean when the recent Delilah stuff went down?

I do not want to go too far into it and I suspect some of it is untagged (I have to find a way to tag for myself and not for the main character tags when writing crit) but in short: Laudna just...isn't a well thought out character. At every single Q&A panel and 4SD Marisha's summary boils down to "I wanted to make someone creepy, and then I thought 'what about a sun tree corpse, and what if her patron was Delilah'" and it it kind of stops there. When you couple it with the fact that Imogen was terrified of having any conflict with her until it became the only option, it really was like...I know Delilah was a big part of her backstory but Laudna did very little with her until episode 77 of the campaign. Like, for reference, Fjord had already helped fulfill 2/3rds of what his patron wanted and then broken his pact, gone without powers for almost 4 episodes, and found a new patron by pretty much exactly that point. There was almost no engagement with what it means to be a sorcerer (which Imogen covers skillfully even with all the new stuff that was thrown at Laura) and it was very little with an anticlimatic payoff for warlock (which, see Fjord, but also I'm not a big fan of Yu and at least they covered that concept adeptly).

Like...I remember at an early panel Marisha said "I don't want to think anymore" and the thing is like...it shows. Made a nonromanceable character and then said yes when romance came up. Didn't initially plan to take more warlock levels (already undercutting the idea of Delilah having much of a hold on her). Envisioned her character would be over her trauma and then extremely wasn't.

There's PCs I've disliked far more, or had more trouble with - Laudna's never been unlikeable. But she's always been just...profoundly disappointing until I gave up on her not being disappointing and decided she'd be there and do some cool things occasionally and never contribute a lot in the way of story.

For what it's worth, and this ties back to some of my thoughts on Campaign 3 generally, I do think that the CR cast could do another campaign in D&D in Exandria and it could achieve the heights of (pick C1 or C2 depending on personal preference; mine is C2 but I respect a C1 answer). But it requires a real session zero. I think the cast counts their mini playtests as a session zero, and I get it, because with the main cast there's not that same need to set personal boundaries or lines and veils because they know each other. But there isn't that same full-group planning. They've been releasing their Candela and Daggerheart session zeroes and just put out their Moonward one as well, and they talked extensively about the Calamity and Downfall planning sessions, and it's just...again, it shows. I think C1 and C2 work because, as I said in my post just now about Marquet, the characters sort of set the world and the campaign came from them. Once you have a more set plot in a more solidified world, I think you need to have that kind of group discussion, and they didn't, and Laudna especially feels indicative of that because I think a few pointed questions and Marisha would have realized there needed to be more to work with.

[captainofthetidesbreath]

the best summary of what happens in the last hour of Campaign 3 Episode 77 is directly out of the captions

[twinklestarss]

“Well, I know that, but, like, why? I was thinking about this earlier. Like you said, Ashton, we're about to go do this crazy thing and we don't even really-- Some of us, it doesn't feel like we know why. I know why I'm going, and I think I know why a couple of you are going, but I don't know why you're doing this. No offense intended, I just-- We're going to have to rely on each other up there a lot, and I just want to make sure that we're all open with each other before we go. That's fair. I do have one thing. I'm pretty old.”-FCG/Chetney

Campaign 3 Episode 77: The Promise and the Price

[bixbiboom]

Campaign 3, Episode 77: “The Promise and the Price”

[kerosene-in-a-blender]

Critical Role Campaign 3 Episode 77

[theinwardshoe]

I love hermitcraft, obviously, my main blog is dedicated to them specifically

Hermit seasons I’ve seen

Season 3-the start of something great, while not best as big in scale as later seasons, the hermits focus more on community events pranks etc. 7/10

Season 4- everyone settling on or around the mesa biome made the world seem far more connected, and the introduction of the shopping district made for great interactions 8/10

Season 5- while most episodes were focused on one hermits project and the vast majority of the series felt like single player, with exception to some of the convex stuff and other collaborations. season 5 also featured some of the craziest, large scale building projects to date. tangos base, scar, cubs color wonderland, Mumbo Xisuma and everyone’s base easily make season 5 amazing, albeit living up to “hermit” part of hermitcraft. 7/10

Season 6- you know why this is here. The introduction of Grian, the Architechs, Sahara. Really solidifying Hermitcraft where it is today. While I didn’t follow most of the major plot lines at the moment, all that they did for Tag, the Prank War, Star vs G team, Area 77 and the 1.14 area, the mini games, and Demise, truly a great season. 9/10

Season 7- any complaint on season 6 is non existent in season 6. season 6 was too long, well season 7 while being slightly shorter does not overstay its welcome, it relishes in its quick pace, quickly after starting the shopping district we get the headhunt, the diamond pile being strung in, without effort. Hermit challenges being one of the most bizarre and funniest things I’ve ever seen

Interactions? Season 7 has them in spades hearts and diamonds- did I say diamonds? Oh yeah the diamond throne being the centerpiece for the mayor campaign over the shopping district being equal parts hilarious and absolutely the best thing I have ever seen in hermitcraft. The other plots are just as engaging, as Grian builds up his barge, until the mycelium restitance really gets going.

Also bases?? You liked the great bases from season 5? Go check out False castle, Grians mansion, Scars forest and mining base, literally Cub the desert king, spent his entire season for his base to look like a chunk error on a map. I could go on…. The pace, the interactions, it is just perfect 11/10

Season 8- everything great about season 7, but turned up to 11, the jungle bros from season 7, but now they share their base. Boatem being entirely too cursed as the season progresses . While the short season may feel like a cop out, the short duration makes every episode feel more and more hectic, the boat war with Tango, evil X returning, the Octagon rivalry, just amazing. Especially moon big. What a concept the only possibly bad thing was it being a short season 9/10

Season 9- I have watched very little of season 9, yay being in another country for two years ….. but solid hijinks 8/10

[silvertws]

I'm so far behind in Campaign 3 like, episode 77 I think? But by all the posts online I can see Bells Hells seems to be thriving (except FCG womp Womp) which is lovely.

Imma probably just observe funky clips and posts until I get hyper fixated again.

[perplexingly]

Still catching up to Critical Role campaign 3; yesterday I finished episode 77 and now I'm halfway through 78. Huh.... wow

Hm.

[loreruinedme]

Burning Love - A Callowmoore Fic

A/N - This is my first time I'm actually putting any of my writing anywhere so any feedback would be appreciated. This is slightly different to how the episode played out as well.

Spoilers for Campaign 3 Episode 77.

w/c - 3.8k

art by @/seasalt_farm on twitter

The sounds of their friends footsteps echo as they walk down the steps of the ziggurat, Chetney and Fresh Cut Grass muttering about how they will keep Lady Cassandra safe. Ashton and Fearne look to each other, holding each others gaze. In their periphery they see a glowing arcane shield come over them. The moment spans for an eternity. Panic is etched on Fearne’s face, determination is written on Ashton’s - it’s only them.

“They were going to argue, I don’t want this to-” Ashton says, barely above a whisper. 

“Yeah, no, I know, I understand I understand” Fearne cuts off his rambling with her own, forcing the words past the lump in her throat. 

The harness sits between them. A small part of Fearne feels like there’s still a choice to be made, that Ashton doesn’t have to do this but she knows they have made up their mind. 

“If it starts to get weird, feel free to scream like bloody hell, its okay, I don’t. Thanks” Ashton softly says to Fearne. He softens his gaze, reaching out for her hand - offering her the way to openly deal with pain, like one that they’ve had to hide throughout their whole life. 

“Yeah you got it” Fearne holds onto their hand, for what might be the last time, a single tear running down her cheek. 

Ashton can see the pain on her face, how much this is tormenting her. He just wishes he lives through this - hell, wishes he didn’t have to do this. He won’t fail his family though, not again. The moment seems like it lasts forever but quickly ends after Fearne wipes the tear away, continuing on. 

“Alright, well, lets get you in this thing” Her hand leaves his reaching for the harness, the only thing putting distance between them. 

They both relish in the moment of Fearne’s hands on Ashton, no matter the painful reasoning. The spark of electricity is undeniable as she slowly starts to put the harness on Ashton, never wanting to take her hands off of them again. 

“Lets do this. Quick” Ashton’s voice breaks the tender moment. The slight panic on his face is obvious to Fearne, knowing the group might stop them the urgency kicks in.

Snapping every buckle, tightening every strap until the harness looks like it was made for Ashton. Their hands engaging in some kind of practised dance, sparks of electricity firing whenever their hands brush. 

“I’m getting nervous” Fearne’s voice quivers as their hands touch when frantically putting on the harness. They stop. Ashton raises a hand, pinching her chin between his forefinger and thumb, tilting her chin so their gazes meet. 

“What if, what if you die, what if you like explode” Another small tear falls down Fearne’s cheek, Ashton can’t help but notice due to their proximity. 

“Well, that’ll be a story won’t it” Ashton raises their other hand to cup her cheek, wiping the tear away. 

He can’t even meet her eye when he continues “Fuck it. Do it” a hint of pain in his voice seeing her in so much turmoil. 

“I don’t know. I don’t know. What if something happens” Fearne’s voice shakes with worry as she takes their hand in hers. Silently begging them not to do this. Their expression softens just a moment for Fearne to see the vulnerability that they are also scared about this. 

“Shit happens” Ashton rips her gaze from hers, it takes every inch of him to do so, searching for anyone to stop them. But he needs to do this, he must do this. For them. For her. For Fearne. 

His gaze clashes with hers again, she never took it off him knowing this might be the last time she sees him. 

“I know some of your whatever is bullshit” Ashton fakes a chuckle, trying to get the same from her, to see her enchanting smile one last time. “I know that you worry about your friends” He takes a small step towards her, their bodies almost touching now, hands still entangled. “This. Is. What. I. Need” He punctuates every word, trying to get her to see this is the only way. This is the only thing they can do to save the group. To save her. They simultaneously take a deep shaky breath, they’ve always been on the same wavelength. It’s almost enough for them to share a laugh, maybe Ashton’s final. “I need to save everybody. We all need to save everybody” Their faces are inches from each other, one move and they could both cave in to the feelings they’ve tried to hide for so long. “Alright?”

“No” She answers truthfully but Ashton already knew that, it’s all over her face. Her heart forces the next words out of her mouth before she can think “But what if this is not how we do it?” Every one of her pleads threaten to break Ashton, to change his mind, to fight for them.

“We’re already fucked anyway” His voice reaches just above a whisper, like he doesn’t want to admit it and they both know they aren’t just talking about this power. He’s talking about them, their all-consuming feelings that make a small part of both of them want to fight for another way. 

“What if giving it to you is not how we save everybody?” He questions, another silent beg to get her to realise this is the only way. 

“I was already thinking that” She already knew it in her head but her heart only broke now. “I just put the shard in there what do I do?” If she is going to do this she is going to do it right, this is a massive risk, they don’t need more odds against them. Their grip on each other loosens as they realise they can’t stay like this forever, as much as they want to, as loud as their hearts are screaming at them to. 

“We did it last time. Just put it in and turn it on if I recall” Both of them wrenching their gaze from each other and to the shard. “Lets go. You promised” His eyes wander her body, taking her all in before meeting her gaze, some of that determination he has is now echoed in her own features. 

“Shit. Now you had to go say something like that” She chuckles. That laugh makes him want to rip off the harness taking everything he just did and said back, that laugh thats become one of his favourite things in the world. But he doesn’t. “Alright” 

“Ready?” A small part of him wants her to say no, to fight for him, to fight for another way. 

“Yeah” Uncertain of her own answer but her heart knows he’s right. He can trust her, they can get through this. 

“One more for the road” She barely hears what he says before his arms are around her, holding her, comforting her, she could die in this very moment and die happy. Her arms wrap around him, returning the connection and that’s all the confirmation Ashton needs that she feels what he feels. Love. 

Ashton’s hands wander up her body to reach her face, savouring each millisecond of each other’s touch, silently craving for more. His hand cradles her cheek, eyes searching for permission, his breath catching in anticipation. Once she leans into his touch, moving her head towards his, it takes mere moments before his mouth closes over hers. Months of pent-up fire finally burning between them. Some regret fills the kiss, wishing they had done this before but nothing can take away from the heat between them. Their lips part in the kiss, no need for breath, this is what can keep them alive. Their tongues dance like they were made to do this. Ashton runs their hand through her hair to cradle the back of her head as Fearne grip on him becomes a vice, taking the kiss deeper. Flames dance through this kiss, their hands and bodies finally exploring each other finally relieving the months of craving. They melt into each other, everything feels right. Everything else falls away, no thoughts about what’s about to be done, it’s just them, it’s as if they are the only people in the world. 

As they finally break apart, held in each others arms, foreheads pressed together Fearne whispers “Well now I don’t want to put it in”. Silently praying she could just hold onto them and stay in this blissful long awaited moment. 

Her gaze drops to the shard, unfortunately leaving the comfort and safety of his arms. He watches her every move, trying to take in her captivating beauty one last time. The shard burns her hands but the heat isn’t anything compared to the fire of their kiss - nothing will ever compare. 

Ashton cups her face again, it takes everything in them to not kiss her again. 

“If it gets weird, you just yell” a whispered final request. Ashton doesn’t want her to suffer through this pain alone, he doesn’t want her to feel the pain alone. But they both know this will break her in ways it won’t break the others - it will shatter her heart. 

She reaches the shard round to the back of their neck where the funnel sits waiting. Neither of them miss the flash of desire as her hand brushes against his neck, where it was seconds ago. 

They both hold their breath, gaze locked on each other as everything else out goes into focus. They only notice the runes on the harness glowing as it casts different light on their faces. This is it. 

Fearne lets go of the shard barely noticing the rotating flame. Her hands cup his cheeks this time “You better not die” she demands, what might be her last words to them, as she drops her hands tensing them in fists at her side. 

For the first time, a single tear rolls down Ashton’s cheek. Fear tenses every part of their body as she asks something of him that he probably can’t deliver.

They stand together, as a warmth begins to blossom in Ashton’s chest. Fearne watches his face wince as he chooses feel the pain in front of her. The rainbow sparks begin to flicker in the opal stone on the side of Ashton’s head but Fearne can’t take her eyes off of his. 

The heat in his chest grows and grows until it begins to burn. Unlike the fiery passion they previously shared, this is white hot agony. Fearne feels helpless as she watches his face contort in pain. She watches the gold fracture lines across all of Ashton’s body turn to a bright orange - her guilt placing a heavier weight on her chest. 

All this time their gazes are set on one another, they don’t even hear their friends asking what is going on. All Fearne can do is watch as Ashton is baked in a searing heat. 

The heat within his chest burns as he feels something trying to awaken, a second heartbeat almost, starting to shift and flex. The heat lurches from his chest to his shoulder, Fearne seeing him jolt in pain. 

She begins to run to catch and steady him. But she sees the fear swimming in his eyes and the word “Don’t” escapes in a shaky breath, ghosting across his lips. He shuts his eyes tightly, he can’t bear to look at the guilt, fear and pain in her eyes. 

Fearne can’t suppress her cry as a chunk of Ashton’s shoulder shatters to the ground and break into thousands of pieces. Tears begin to quickly fall down her face, steaming as they reach the slowly heating ground below. 

“Fuck pain” He growls, his throat starting to feel the agonising burn. 

“No” Fearne pleads, taking another step closer to him. 

“Fuck pain” He shouts with a rage like no other due to the pain, opening his eyes to see Fearne’s face inches from his own. 

“No”. Ashton wishes he didn’t see her tear stained cheeks as for a millisecond she averts her gaze in the direction of their friends. They can help, they can stop the pain. 

As if reading her mind, Ashton whispers “Don’t you dare, don’t you fucking dare”. He doesn’t miss her slight flinch at the anger in his tone but he can’t control it, not now. He didn’t mean to scare her, it’s the last thing they wanted to do but he knows their friends will try and force her to take this pain on instead of him. He would go to the ends of the earth to make sure she never feels this pain. 

The heat spreads further through Ashton’s body and they hold each other’s gaze. Fearne‘s eyes quickly dart to the sound of rock cracking as a part of Ashton’s ear falls and shatters on the ground. This will literally tear him apart. The now orange cracks turn brighter and brighter into an almost white colouration, the rock that makes up his skin begins to heat just like the previously golden cracks did. 

As Ashton changes colour, Fearne sees the shard slowly drain colour until it cracks, mimicking what she sees in the man before her. His body lurches, beginning to expand and he slowly starts to crumble. 

His eyes tightly shut as another wave of unfathomable pain crashes over his body. Fearne doesn’t even notice the sound of Imogen’s footsteps coming towards them, how could she when she is watching a man she loves literally falling apart in front of her. 

He opens his eyes but instead of the familiar comfort she has been looking into the whole time she is met with burning coals, emitting a bright orange light towards her. Another shift of his body as his chest expands once more, a sickening crack meets her ears, unlike anything she’s heard yet. His right arm splinters off, completely detaching from his torso falling to the ground.

Fearne can’t take it anymore, she cant stand there and just watch this happen. Rushing to him, not even caring about the burning of her hands, she frantically starts undoing the harness. Reversing what dance they had done before but it is much slower this time, the time that is matters. Ashton can’t even feel her hands on him, it’s only pain. 

“No, no, no, no, no, no, no - help” Fearne wonders for a second if these are her own words before she recognises it’s Imogen’s pleas, not hers. 

She only feels fear in this moment, doing whatever she can to undo this. Ashton only feels pain, almost subsiding into numbness. Almost. 

Worry fills his features for a second, wondering if their friends will stop this and force Fearne to endure this instead. However a part of him, this new part of him, knows it’s too late. All he can offer Fearne is a sad smile knowing only he will have to endure this. Only him, only once, then it’s over.

Through what would be tears but is just steam. Ashton thoughts race: his past, his future, those he wants to protect, the one he wants to protect most. He believes he thinks this but the faintest whisper of his thoughts, his prayer, meets Fearne’s ears. 

“I don’t care where, just - I don’t care what I am going to become but I have to become something that is - I am not gonna loose anybody” That last sentence feels like it plays on loop in Fearne’s mind. Tears falling down her cheeks as she rushes to undo the harness, in her haste her fingers are slipping, loosing her precious seconds. 

Ashton, used to being in pain, is able to block out some of the burning, enough to feel the presence of his friends approaching. A white hot sensation is crawling across his body as he continues to grow brighter and hotter. 

“Anything you’ve got, I’ll take it” He roars in a mixture of pain and forced anger, a desperate plea for help to get through this, to rid him of the pain. 

“Anything - what did you do?” Imogen questions back. Ashton seemingly ignores it and, to his heart’s dismay, breaks from Fearne’s grasp stumbling with whatever strength they can muster towards Fresh Cut Grass. 

Fearne stands, another feeling of helplessness washes over her as she tries to help him stand but the burning is only getting worse. She sees Imogen in an effort to hold their body together. Ashton’s arm reaches for the healing potion at is side, he’s desperate in any attempt to stop the pain. But the slight hope that began to bloom in their chests vanishes as quickly as the potion evaporates. 

An uncomfortable laughter fills the space: ragged, broken and unsettling. Fearne’s body tenses in worry and rage as she knows it is unmistakably Ashton’s laugh. It’s usually a rare beauty but it is anything but that in this moment. 

Seeing their friends come to their aid fills both Ashton and Fearne with hope. The heating of the metal of FCG’s hand isn’t even noticed by Ashton as his is gaze once again shifts to Fearne, his rock. Their gazes meet and a wave of worry passes through them as she mutters a spell. Immediately Ashton feels whole again, he feels life, waves of it roll over him countering the constant pain. He can feel the spell holding him here, tethered to this world, all because of Fearne. The woman who is slowly becoming his whole life. 

She notices the twitch in Ashton’s fingers reaching for the ring, for any form of protection. But another torrent of pain wracks his body, all he can feel is fire, unable to concentrate on anything but the burning sensation that is ripping his body apart. What looks like small volcanoes seem to emerge from the cracks in his expanded chest, threatening to explode at any moment. 

There’s a silent scream of pain as his breath slows to a point where the burning orange of his eyes seems to slightly dim. Shallow ragged breaths fill the chamber as Fearne muffles a cry - ‘it should’ve been me’ is all she can think about seeing him on the brink of death. He uncontrollably crumples to a knee, another cascade of shale falling off of his body. She pushes all the energy she can towards him as FCG does the same and she sees a familiar sense of life return to those eyes. 

He reaches to the stone, his constant comfort, what makes up his body. There’s a battling duality happening as they continue to slip in and out of consciousness, two bombs inside of him threatening to detonate. All this time Fearne has stayed by him, keeping him here, as pain puts him down she brings him back up. All this time she is unbuckling the harness frantically undoing every mistake she made through streams of tears. She watches his life fade over and over only to be brought back by her. Unbothered by the heat that encompasses her whole body, it can be nothing compared to what he’s going through, to what she almost had to go through herself. 

Through her attempts and the helps of Imogen’s mage hand and Orym’s seedling, the harness is ripped from his body. Leaving her hands after what feels like an eternity of fumbling with the buckles. She instinctively reaches out for him, wanting him to know she is there but her fingers are met with white hot fire. 

The gold, now white hot, parts of his body emanate with a viscous glow. His eyes tightly shut and face tenses as he looks up, beams of sheer bright light emanate from his eyes. A blood-curdling scream rips from Ashton’s throat - one Fearne will never forget, it will haunt her, plague her dreams. 

And he explodes. 

Fearne’s world stops as it feels like the pieces of him are held in the air for an eternity. Tears turn into sobs that now wrack her body, an immense feeling of guilt and grief encompassing her. She can still make out pieces of the opal stone in his head that made her drawn to him, pieces of his mouth where he’s flash her that smirk, his hands that were previously on her face, his lips and the way she felt when theirs brushed against hers. It feels like she relives months full of memories in just a split second. 

She notices the ring, the one Deanna gave to Chetney, glowing with a fiery intensity, the visual embodiment of what their kiss felt like. All the pieces of Ashton rush back together in an instant and he is whole together again before her. The moment he is whole they never break each other gaze: focus, determination, desire, want, love. A multitude of shared feelings powers them both through the longest and most excruciating 30 seconds of their lives. 

She, and FCG, continue to pump life through him for what feels like hours. Draining their magical abilities to keep him alive and breathing. Not once does her gaze drop from his, she knows much they need each other. 

Eventually, the heat beings to subside as Ashton falls unconscious onto his side where his arm once was. She stops, reaching out a hand to touch his cheek, hoping what she did is enough to have saved him. For a brief moment her heart stops as she can no longer feel life in his limp body. 

She strokes his cheek for what is the last time, almost pressing her forehead to his. She feels his skin begin to cool as steam hisses from all across his body It encompasses the two of them in a cloud of steam, discreet enough she can press a quick kiss to his lips. He will die knowing how much she wants and needs him, he never stopped fighting for her, not until his last breath.

Air rushes through his lungs, the breath Fearne was holding escapes her as his weight shifts against her embrace. 

He comes to, he can feel her holding him, how close her face is to his. His eyes open and lips curve into a slight smile before doing the one thing his heart tells him not to and retreats. His eyes meet hers and they are both flooded with relief. Not caring who surrounds them now, her lips find his. Her lips are warm and soft against his, a reminder of the life she gave to him. She felt his hands gently cup her face as he deepened the kiss, his lips moving against hers with a gentle urgency. The relief they both feel floods the kiss as they part, holding each other. He sits up and admiring the heavy, glowing molten rock arm that cradles her face - a reminder of the pain he endured, a pain he survived, all because of her. 

[ludinusdaleth]

"We had passing formalities in my youth in Wildemount, but, at the time I had little interest in the politics of snooty high mages.

I wish I had paid more attention, had I known what was ahead."

-Critical Role Campaign 3, Episode 77, "The Promise and the Price"