#campaign 3 spoilers

[fully-functioning-pigeon]

Travis’s reactions are my absolute favourite of all time

I’m convinced that reaction wasn’t at all for camera, and that just makes me love him so much more

[wenamedthedogkylo]

I already said this in my other post but this really deserves to stand on its own and honestly I'm crying over it so it has to get written down somewhere, but when Bor'Dor took a pull from Ashton's pipe, the smoke turned into an image of him shooting a Fire Bolt at the janky, creepy, lovingly set up dummy that the Hells had made for him. The target that his own targets made out of admiration for him, out of affection, out of genuinely wanting to see him grow his potential.

Ashton's pipe showed that the greatest, most heroic moment of Bor'Dor's life was casting Fire Bolt at that target, and getting to celebrate it with the rest of the Hells. It was feeling accepted for the first time in his life. Feeling respected. Feeling like he belonged, like he and his magic belonged and weren't some horrible, dangerous thing that they would fear him for or would have a temple come and cart him away for.

These people—who he somehow either followed across an ocean or luckily ran into—who he specifically stayed with because he intended to kill them for sabotaging the Ruby Vanguard's plans. For killing "his friends" in Marquet.

These people were the ones he finally felt accepted by. Not the Ruby Vanguard.

He gave Ashton the first piece of mental relief and relaxation they'd felt in years, maybe ever. He gave them jerky, and made them fruit leather, and caught a little fish and had Prism Enlarge it to make sure they could eat. Was he telling himself it was just to ingratiate himself to them, to get closer so the knife would be easier to twist? When did ingratiating himself become "I wanted you to like me"? Did he have to keep convincing himself it was all part of the plan, that he didn't really like them, that he didn't want to keep them alive but he had to to get his revenge, that he could let them die at any moment and this wasn't just him getting attached because how could he get attached to people he meant to kill?

Did Bor'Dor realize, in the moment that he decided to try killing them in that cave, that the Vanguard had only ever seen him as a weapon? That his "friends" who'd died in Marquet (he'd watched Ashton throw some of their bodies out of the Hole just days ago) wouldn't have sought revenge for his death the same way, because he was nothing more than a tool for one man's schemes? Did he realize he had more in common with Orym who'd lost all his loved ones to Ludinus and Otohan and the Vanguard—with Laudna and her myriad of terrifying, beautiful magical gifts and her desire to do good with them—than he'd ever had in common with anyone in the Vanguard?

Is that part of why he just tried to run?

It didn't have to be this way!

Bor'Dor healed most of the group right after fighting the Taker. He knew that his Vitriolic Sphere probably wouldn't kill all of them, that they had health potions and could recover. He just needed to get away. Get away so that they couldn't come after him, and he didn't have to see how he'd hurt the only people who'd welcomed him into their hearts in years, and he could tell himself that maybe they did die and he'd fulfilled his mission, and could tell himself too that maybe they didn't die and he hadn't actually killed his only real friends in the world.

I saw you! In Marquet! You murdered my friends!

Was he really still angry at the Hells for killing Ruby Vanguard members? Or was he trying desperately to fight back against how much they cared about him? How much they had genuinely reached out and taken him in? How much it was going to hurt him to hurt them? Was he trying to cling to his original purpose, so that he could ignore how much it hurt to kill the first people who'd seen his magic and said "you're amazing" and meant it? Who'd said "can I try something", "what else can you do", "it's nice to know I'm not alone, because you're in the same boat as me"?

And when he gave up... when he didn't try to fight back... when he begged for the end because there was no point anymore...

The Vanguard wasn't enough to stay alive for. And he'd just betrayed the only people who'd ever completely accepted him. There was no point anymore. No point in fighting. No point in living. He was done. He'd had enough.

Bor'Dor Dog'Son deserves his peace. I'm glad he got it.

[quillname]

Doc, there's a hole where something was.

[lavender-loo]

I'm catching up to the current episode, only one more to go :((

Ashton :((( also they have trans and nonbinary buttons because I said so

[halebobgr]

her favourite

[januskrug]

A very important thing to remember about resurrection in dungeons and dragons is that, no matter the spell, bringing someone back from the dead requires the soul to be free and willing. No matter how much power you pump into a raise dead, or true resurrection, if the soul says "Nah, I'm good here.", they don't come back. We saw this in previous campaigns where players discussed the times they got ressed, and how they had to decide -if- they wanted to come back to life, no matter if the ritual succeeded. Percy straight up wouldn't have come back if not for Vex's admission and argument in favor of his return.

And that's what makes Deanna fascinating to me, because she was in that ocean, that place beyond, and reconstituted enough to be herself again in order to be offered the choice to go back. She said yes, but it seems that now she regrets that choice. And that's a deep and fascinating concept to explore.

So don't get it twisted, even by her, into thinking she was brought back against her will. Unless Exandria is the most horrifying setting ever, a soul must be willing, or it will not return. Because not only does it not fit the rules, it's way less interesting.

[alchemial]

I love when my dash has a sense of humor

[paperglader]

Next session we’re getting:

Imodna reunion

Team reunion

We’re likely going to find out what happened after Imogen fucked up the transportation (what will happen to deanna and FRIDA)

We’re potentially getting:

Prism meeting the team

Prism potentially meeting Imogen and going “You’re Laudna’s sister, I’m very pleased to meet you!” and Imogen going “I’m what now?”

Jealous Imogen. Specially if Laudna’s just freaking the fuck out + she and prism sort of have a connection because of the whole murdering someone together thing

FCG telling everyone about FRIDA

Team 1 talking about the new outfits and the threesome, and then team 2 just fucking screaming and crying about what they’ve been through

Angst (can’t wait)

[loser-shake]

The reason Chetney was so prickly with Dorian was because his Dad Instincts picked up that he was in love and wanted to date his son.

[beawake]

I've been watching some Essek "Liar" animatics again. And it is so interesting. The song fits Essek so well but also the chorus "my stubborness will put up a fight and I don't deserve to win it" just got me thinking.

Cause Essek didn't win, like he was meant to be a villain and he got redeemed in a way, he didn't die he's still alive and probably on the run but maybe not even that. We don't know. He could still be working in the dynasty. All goes well he lives his long long life without any trouble.

All said and done, that should be winning, he even got friends out of it.

But he didn't really win. He got a conscience, he has to live the rest of his years with crippling guilt about his actions. He helped Ludinus in his plan to destroy the gods without even meaning too. If he does get suspected of the treason and he needs to go on the run, he might very well spend the rest of his years looking over his shoulder, never able to relax, to settle down. He can never safely return to his country, might never be able to visit and really have a good relationship with his family.

Essek Thelyss really is the definition of "He won, but at what cost?"

[eyeshadowandcaffeine]

If BAFTA Award-winning Laura Bailey decides to drop this emotional nuke on us next session I don’t think I will ever recover

[fully-functioning-pigeon]

If Dorian, the air genasi, ends up coming back to the group, with Fearne and Ashton the fire and earth titans (technically), we’ll have the trifecta…

[wenamedthedogkylo]

i'M NOT CRYING YOU'RE CRYING SHUT UP

IT SAYS FCG ON THE HOOD AND IT'S IN FRIDA'S GREEN AND ROSE GOLD COLORS AND FRIDA'S IS BLUE AND GOLD DOES IT SAY FRIDA ON THE HOOD OF THEIRS HOLD ME I'M SO FRAGILE RIGHT NOW

[brainrockets]

Wow. Matt Mercer keeping it together on the outside while absolutely freaking out internally while Taliesin pushes the well marked button that was NOT meant to be pushed. Great DMing.

Taliesin, "haha you knew I would."

Matt "I will kill your character and then you, my guy."

[embraceweird]

CR C3 EP 91 🚨MAJOR SPOILER🚨 art

FCG you beautiful automaton

Sam Riegel, you never cease to amaze with you storytelling capabilities

Thank you Fresh Cut Grass for all you have given us and all your memory and sacrifice will continue to give 💙💛

[dnd-shows-have-my-soul]

I am not original