#darrington brigade oneshot

[yudol-skorbi]

well i could not left Tary out

[captainsparklefingers]

Percy might be shit at enchantments...

...but Tary isn't :)

[neinmachinahells]

A sort of a.... Bat. Man.

[bananathebookworm]

Some ideas for future live show (or not live show) oneshots:

Darrington Brigade follow up. I know they had merch made and were intending to do more Darrington Brigade stuff pre-pandemic shutdown, so I'd love to at least see a part two of this eventually.

Kingsley Tealeaf's pirate crew. I want to see Kingsley lead his own crew to take over Darktow and eventually lift the Mighty Nein's banishment.

Mighty Nein Fjord/Jester wedding. Because that obviously needs to happen now. Maybe once the world calms down from the solstice and all of that is finally dealt with.

Luc Brenatto and the Wildemount Wildlings. In whatever way it makes sense, I just want to see teenage Luc having to be the responsible one and trying to protect the campers the way the Mighty Nein protected him.

Grog/Yasha/Ashton high level barbarian showdown. They can each bring a team member. I know there's seven players so the math doesn't work out, but I'm sure Matt can figure out a way to make this work.

Vox Machina vs Mighty Nein part two. Level 20. The characters that we didn't see the first time with Sam helming Veth and Tary. I'd also take a VMxMNxBH three sided battle to the death with similar switching mechanics for added chaos.

A crossover oneshot where they play a mix of characters from across the three campaigns. Post campaign three, presumably when the solstice is dealt with and peace restored to the best of their ability, some small hiccup happens and the available/relevant members of Vox Machina, the Mighty Nein, and Bell's Hells are called to deal with it.

[amsayshi]

Ok ok ok ok

I have some thoughts on critical role campaign 3 end game and I need to talk them through somewhere. So here we gooooo:

This last episode they spoke about a simultaneous attack. They spoke about infiltration teams and big boy attacks and some other things all happening at the same time and it made my brain light up with all sorts of conspiracy theories.

What if this attack is broken up into different storylines/group episodes?

A few episodes with the mighty nein, a few episodes with the bells hells, a few episodes with ragtag guest stars group (from all campaigns!!!?), a darrington brigade or a slayer's take oneshot, a fucking Vox Machina reunion, etc... all playing into whether or not this works to stop the release of predathos. Like a bunch of group skill checks but in episodic form. Like if the mighty nein mission fails that makes the bells hells mission harder?

This campaign in particular seems very cross reference-y. It also would be a wonderful way to set up a new team if they wanted to create a weird offshoot group that isn't the main CR cast. Something like the new podcast but filmed. Mercer wouldn't keep mentioning through Keyleth all of these forces coming together for nothing, right?!

Can you imagine a group that consists of kash, zhara, reani, keg, Deana, prism, and FRIDA?? I would die. The chaos.

Anyway I'm looking forward to whatever fuckery is coming our way.

[luckthebard]

Just for my own curiosity I made a list of the CR oneshots by youtube VOD views number - knowing this actually doesn't really tell me anything because they were uploaded years apart and most were also streamed and have VODs on twitch, but I was just kind of curious.

Even with all those caveats, the CR oneshot with the most youtube VOD views surprised me. It's the Vox Machina Level 16 Battle Royale. Now I maintain that is the BEST battle royale but it's wild to see how much everyone agrees, and to the degree that it has more views than Darrington Brigade or Search for Grog. By like a LOT.

[gaygoetia]

A more limited range of options this time.

*I know M.O.T.H.E.R. is technically an NPC but she's iconic and sexy and Ashley has limited Oneshot characters so I'm including her.

**Similarly, I realise the Cameron is not a woman but he gets to be an honorary Sexywoman for the purpose of this poll because 1. As previously mentioned, Ashley has limited Oneshot characters and 2. Sexywoman isn't a gender it's a state of mind is an amorphous concept that transcends binary notions of sex and gender.

[likeappletrees]

mighty nein oneshot in the style of the darrington brigade with kingsley and the crew of the mollymauk

[essayofthoughts]

For campaign 1! Did you watch any live, and if so d'you remember the first time?

I think the only Campaign 1-ish things I managed to watch as they aired were... Dalen's Closet, Darrington Brigade Oneshots, Search for Grog and Search for Bob? The Campaign was well over by the time I got to it but I like starting with finished things and I like starting at the beginning.

I can't remember which of those four came first, but I do remember being determined to stay up all night to watch them - I'm in the UK, so their airing time is well past midnight! (Not that that really stops me; I'm nocturnal by nature.)

I enjoyed watching them live a great deal! Though I think I do like watching the VODs just as much - even with the risk of spoilers, knowing it's already out there makes me much more relaxed in a weird way? While if it's live I always feel like I have to keep watching live so I have context for the chat - I can't pause to take a note or get a drink or go to the toilet. It can be weirdly stressful in a way that watching the VOD isn't!

[hayleysayshay]

On my end I interpreted it less as reluctance and more as 'let's keep adventuring and having fun, we're still young, not settle down immediately'?

Idk if they had already agreed on Vesper happening by then or not though (I can't recall Laura dropping hints on Vex being ~pregante~ until the oneshots?), which would change up that plan pretty quickly - but Laura does seem to be on a simar page as him? Again, that whole idea likely went tits up as soon as they decided Vesper would be born so soon - travelling around with a baby, or even a toddler, seems like An Ordeal.

I could definitely see Percy and Vex planning to not spend much time in Whitestone, but between realizing they're expecting, and Cass' mental health deteriorating, I can defo see them spending a few years there at least, and by then it'd be difficult to leave their toddler behind to romp around, shoot shit dead and screw around in the woods like teenagers.

BUT, consider: de Rolo family adventures once the kids are all teens/young adults? Percy won't be too creaky by then, given Vesper was born when he's still so young, and I'm sure there are some values and experiences from adventuring they think would do their spoiled brood some good. Just in a controlled environment, yknow. No trauma allowed.

Here's the transcript I dug up:

Yeah, thats true— I think I just always read the fic where after Vecna, domesticated Percy and Vex settle down with no qualms, and then I watched it and I was like damn Percy is speaking out against settling down? Damn.

I deffo think Vesper was a bit of a whoopsie baby, especially if you consider that she was probs pregnant for the Vecna fight, so maybe after being forced to settle Percy didn’t mind it and enjoyed the stability. I think Percy had spent so much time running that it was probably hard for him to imagine stopping. I also feel like only Matt thought of Cassandra, and invented a future story that kind of required Percy and Vex to stay with her differing from Percy’s original flighty backstory so they probs had to stay

And I love the idea that they take the family on family adventures. Like even when the younger kids are still growing, they take the teens out. Maybe Cassandra can go on adventure with them. A mini adventuring party. They join the Darrington Brigade for an outing, maybe. Like yes they need to knock some sense into their children sometimes: oh you think this homework assignment is bad? You think it’s a shame you spilt ink on your favourite dress? Upset that you’re not getting your favourite meal? Try living off the land for a week. Guess where we’re going.

[mell0bee]

CR asks: 1 & 17 if you're feeling spicy; if you're not, 9, 14, 25, 39 (feel free to pick & choose)

i took so long to do this because i had all the questions answered and then tumblr crashed and deleted it all :( but here we go (also thank u for the ask!!!)

9- Location in Exandria you'd like to see in a possibly canonical one-shot/EXU but with non-main campaign characters (as in Song of the Lorelei/The Darrington Brigade)

vasselheim!!! i doubt it will be a major location again for a full campaign because it was featured so heavily in c1 but an exu type deal could be so cool!!! i thought that vasselheim was SO underutilized in c1. when i was first watching it i was Big Sad that the no arcane magic thing was played for laughs, you could easily center a whole campaign around that idea. i wanted to see more of it during c1 and obvs after exu calamity i want to see more of it Even More. theres just so much to learn about it after the context of exu calamity. like i want inside information about the political system. i want to explore how decisions get made there. and like bro do u want a story about Hubris??? oh yeah??? you like critical role so are you perhaps a Hubris Enjoyer??? perhaps of the Magic User Variety?? imagine a wizard or a warlock trying to hide their magic in vasselheim. it basically writes itself. imagine a high-ranking cleric as a pc. or a noble. based on what's happening in c3 do you think they have like. an Old Secrets Protection Board? and perhaps some Scholar Spies trying to break in? idk man there's so much you can do there and i would like to See It Please Thank You

14-Describe the art you would most like to create or commission if talent/money were no object.

i have like 7 animatics in my head that i am not talented enough to make but honestly. this whole jester-focused animatic set to folding chair by regina spektor. it’s really good in my head i swear. also a post c1 animatic set to dodie's cover of blackbird which has been in my head since i finished c1 god i have actual brainworms

25-What class do you most want to see Matt play if he is in a future EXU campaign as a new (not Dariax) PC?

artificer. primarily bc as much as i love him, matt’s pcs tend not to be my kind of character. at least in cr oneshots he’s got a thing for the Generic Edgy Protagonist Boy type which i’m sorry buddy but like. no thanks. and based on artificer/engineer type npcs he’s played i doubt he will go for that archetype as a pc. matt loves some Insane Scientists and so do i, easy S tier character trope, so whether he plays it straight or goes for the more unhinged type like most of his npcs im down 100%. also i had a whole rant here abt how much i love dariax and i hope that matt continues to step out of his comfort zone for pcs because for me personally i think it works really well!!

39- favorite parental figure NPC?

I HAD A WHOLE RANT HERE ABT HOW MUCH I LOVE MARION LIKE I THINK I WROTE LIKE 300 WORDS. the gist of it was how i love that she is very much an imperfect parent which we can see in jester now, but she’s still a good parent!! she’s still trying!!! she’s got her own trauma but she’s trying!!! idk that is v important to me. also i love how she is a sex worker and is not shamed for it at all. and that she has agoraphobia (sp?) and its treated as like!!! fine and not irrational at all!!! idk man idk how matt and laura did such a good job with such a respectful and grounded portrayal of a character like marion but they DID also parent trap ftw

spicy answers under cut, just keep scrolling if u dont want to see my mildly lukewarm takes. thank u.

1- Character you don't particularly like, but will defend vehemently when people dislike them for the wrong reasons.

(also this is the only answer that saved lmao)

sadly i cannot think of any other characters so i have to talk about Mr. Warcrimes McTreason. i like canon essek okay though i do think he is Overhyped, but fanon essek is so annoying lmao which makes me not particularly like him. on the other hand i think people not liking him bc they don’t think he deserved redemption are Wrong. as a redemption arc it was like. Fine. not everyone can pull a zuko and like. whatever. and idk i think that redeemed heroes should be a little morally dubious. as a treat. i guess in a way i am glad that aeor arc essek doesn't get to actually be morally gray bc the fandom would be insufferable but Hot Take i am a Gray Morality Enjoyer i think that More protags should be war criminals actually.

17- You know that post that's like "I wish you could filter in ao3 on 'attitude towards a canon event'?" In the world of imagination, you can! What's the event or attitude?

*gestures vaugely at kingsley* to be completely honest i was pretty sad for a few moments there that they succeeded in rezzing molly, was tentative when whatever the end of 140 was, and i’m so happy kingsley is a thing. i think that people who wanted molly back have Missed The Point Entirely. molly needed to stay dead and talesin knew that (thank you talesin) (also not to mention fanon molly, who is infinitely worse than fanon essek. god can you imagine that. again thank you talesin.)

[callioope]

Bard, goblin and sorcerer for CR asks? ☺️

Hello!! Ooh these are good.

Spoilers ahead for both TLOVM (and I guess technically campaign 1) and campaign 2, for anyone who's not caught up (and there are spoilers for what could happen eventually in TLOVM).

bard: what is your favorite “how do you want to do this?”

Ahh I know I sent you this one, too, but this is HARD for me! The first two that popped into my head were Vax's against Thordak and Jester's against Lucien/Cognouza, but after some thinking I also loved the HDYWTDT against Kevdak and Obann.

For Thordak, the drama and desperation of Vax flying after him, the natural 20, the fact that he was alone a;kdsjf;kasdfj (how many people killed dragons with no witnesses lol? is this the 'if i had two nickels' meme? anyways) Most importantly the vengeance this meant for the twins, for avenging their mother, the way Vex flies in after him and hugs him, I get teary-eyed just writing about it.

For Lucien/Cognouza, again, Jester was just tearing up my heart during that battle every time she appealed to Molly (how she blamed herself for his death because she wasn't there </3 ahhh). And so the fact that she got the last hit with that final appeal to Molly just felt so right.

Honorable mentions for Grog's HDYWTDT against Kevdak because of the epic way it happened (pokeball delivery from above yess) and recency bias since I recently watched that episode in TLOVM, SO GOOD. And Yasha's HDYWTDT against Obann.

Apparently I have a running theme with 3 out of 4 of these being very personal and appropriate for character backstories.

goblin: who is your favorite non-main campaign character?

Nydas!!! I just loved his arc throughout EXU: Calamity, his initial skepticism and creeping apprehension as he started to suspect what was happening, and just everything he did in part four. He had so many great speeches. And I loved his friendship with Zerxus, too. AHH NYDAS.

I mean everyone in Calamity was fantastic but Nydas popped into my head first so I'm going with my gut here.

I do also want to give an honorable mention Hazel Copperpot because I adore her and her gramophone and I do wish we could have seen more of her! Darrington Brigade Part 2 when? Considering it takes place in Wildemount, Mighty Nein tie in eh? eh? Deastok is not that far from Kamordah after all. I bet Taryon drinks Lionett wine.

sorcerer: what is your favorite sam commercial skit?

LOL OMG. I mean. The Nordverse is pretty enveloping (although I haven't watched the oneshot yet). I do love the D&D Beyond ad song and often get it stuck in my head when using D&D Beyond. "You click open the webpage yaheardaboutonCriticalRole..."

Critical Role Ask Game

[offbeatworlds]

Some of my most recent Critical Role fanart pieces

[otterlyart]

Macaroni: Please tell me I made the team, ‘cause I’ve got like fifty seconds.

[gadoingthings]

[llylandrill]

Please always assume I’ll be gay for Ashley’s characters, Damian was the rune knight I didn’t know I needed in my life !

the Darrington Brigade was a blast to watch and I hope we will hear more about them in the future.