#exandria unlimited calamity part 4

[sparring-spirals]

hey remember how nydas okiro from exandria unlimited calamity used his very last breath to drive his sword through his best friends heart, in a desperate, last ditch attempt to save his soul? to save him from eternal suffering? remember how it didnt work . wild stuff.

[sevilemar]

Exandria Unlimited: Calamity killed whatever emotional defenses I had built up after the larp. It is the most intense piece of storytelling I have ever seen and not be a part of. Why? I tell you why:

- It is set in the Age of Arcanum, approximately 24 hours before the Calamity. To get the impact of that sentence, what you need to know is that the Age of Arcanum is the golden age of wizardry where magic rules the land, and the only limits to what you can achieve is your own imagination. Only 119 years earlier, a mortal faced a god, struck them from the records, and ascended in their place. The Calamity is what follows, where the Betrayer Gods strike back at the hubris of mortals with an age of darkness never seen before. Two third of the population dies, and the geographical landscape of Exandria is changed forever.

- Everyone at the table, everyone watching knows the Calamity will happen, it is inevitable. That means the DM Brennan Lee Mulligan is in a unique position: he has to insure that our heroes do not have the power to stop it, while still giving them agency somehow. What it comes down to is a story where every character has strong motivations that could either cause the Calamity, or mitigate it's danger, and Brennan plays with those motivations like the genius bastard he is. And the players let him. They make the choices their character would make, even if the players know it will bring about the end of their world. It's an amazing piece of collaborative storytelling, a true masterclass, and it had me in tears more time than I care to count.

- It is about 20 hours in game, and about 15 hours play time (4 episodes). It is incredibly dense storytelling, and the energy and intensity levels are through the roof by episode three. By episode four, I had to take a few breaks because it was just too much. Yet the pacing never feels off or rushed, there is always time for tender moments that only add to the tragedy.

[zemnian-newcomer]

Masterpost

Chronicling what I have and haven't watched so far, partly to keep track of things myself and partly to do my best to curb spoilers (not that I'm that great at avoiding them myself). Will update as I go along.

Watched:

All of Campaign 1

VM-related One-Shots: Grog's One-Shot, The Search For Grog, The Search For Bob, Dalen's Closet, The Adventures Of The Darlington Brigade

All of Campaign 2

MN-related One-Shots: The Mighty Nein Reunited (Parts 1&2), Echoes Of The Solstice

Most Battle Royales up to VM vs M9 (don't care much about spoilers on those I haven't watched though)

Other One-Shots: Liam's Quest, The Return of Liam, Liam's Quest: Full Circle, Thursday by Night 1 & 2, The Song of the Lorelei, Call of Cthulhu: Shadow of the Crystal Palace, Cinderbrush: A Monsterhearts Story, Night Before Critmas

Exandria Unlimited: Calamity

The Legend Of Vox Machina

Exandria Unlimited

Exandria Unlimited: Kymal

Candela Obscura Chapter 1 - 3

Honey Heist 1

A Familiar Problem

All of Narrative Telephone

Watching:

Campaign 3

Candela Obscura Chapter 4

I usually watch new episodes on Friday or Saturday, depending on what time I have. No spoilers earlier than that please, but once you see me posting about it, feel free to jump in.

I tag new episodes with #cr spoilers for a week after the initial broadcast and #c3eXX with specific episode numbers for longer than that. Older stuff is tagged with the campaign’s party name/the party the character(s) in the post belongs to, which overlap sometimes.

[ofsvnlightt]

Was that [MARGOT ROBBIE]? Oh no no, that was just [PATIA POR’CO], a/an [CANON CHARACTER] from [CRITICAL ROLE]. They are [HUNDREDS/30] years old, use [SHE/HER], and [ARE] aware that they are not actually from Washington DC. Too bad they can’t stray from this city for long.

How long has your character been here: just arrived

Job: keeper of scrolls -- in dc? unemployed

Where has your character been pulled from in their fandom: the end of the campaign. she died, avalir fell, and now she’s waking up here

Has magic affected your character: nope!

Anything else? patia is not from any of the “proper” campaigns of critical role (aka 1, 2, or 3 - vox machina, mighty nein, bells hells). she comes from a mini campaign, exandira unlimited: calamity. it’s a 4 episode mini campaign that takes place about a thousand years before vox machina and present day exandria, during the age of arcanum.  the story of exu calamity and patia takes place in avalir, a flying city. as the keeper of scrolls, patia is part of the upper echelon of the city; not to mention that it was her grandfather that founded the city and gave it its flight. while her linage gives her importance, she is not part of the ring of gold, or even silver. her and her friends have created the ring of brass. they’re the “boots on the ground” and are given little respect from the other rings.  the ring of brass consists of: her, a wizard laerryn coramar-seelie, a wizard loquatius seelie, a warlock/bard cerrit agrupnin, a rogue zerxus ilerez, a paladin and nydas okiro, a sorcerer/bard

spoilers for episodes 3 & 4 of exu calamity below click the exu calamity link above for more info, but basically, within the arcane engine of the city, there's the arboreal calix, a magic tree that binds a contract between the wizards of avalir and the druids of cathmoíra. with a war on the city already started by the lord of the hells, patia casts legend lore on the tree. touching the tree, it starts to grow around her arm.  when laerryn casts blight on the tree and it begins to split open, a gateway is created and asmodeus - the lord of the hells - comes through. his mere presence sends a concussive force (followed by fire) through the room, tearing patia’s arm (still in the tree) from her body as well as killing her. nearly everyone else dies as well, except zerxus and laerryn. he revives loquatius and nydas, and quay revives patia.  a fight breaks out with vespin chloras (asmodeus’ right hand) and while cerrit gets the killing blow on him, zerxus and nydas die. as the city continues to descend and while the men were dealing the vespin, patia stands by laerryn as she reworks the astral leywright to eliminate two primordials from the playing field, sending them to another plane.  given some magical ether from the tree (equivalent to a 9th level spell), patia uses it to power the leywright as her final sacrifice.  as the calamity comes, half of the ring of brass are left alive: laerryn, loquatius, and cerrit. the first two accept their fate as the city and labyrinth around them crumble. cerrit flies out with directions given to him from laerryn and he makes it out alive as avalir, cathmoíra, and the surrounding landscapes are broken apart by gods, betrayers, and mortals alike. “the brass ring endures“

* in dc, she no longer has the orb, but she still wears her fascinator and floating necklace.

watch calamity here 

[navyblueprince]

List of my favourite CR one-shots/multi-parters

Liam's Quest - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Tdl6GhiSI8&list=PL1tiwbzkOjQyUR1nbxZGETYMZRCcfV6yL&index=28 [1st part] [unlisted]

The Return of Liam! - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgHm3Ct0Zh0&list=PL1tiwbzkOjQyUR1nbxZGETYMZRCcfV6yL&index=41

Liam's Quest: Full Circle - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHita2t54xY&list=WL&index=3&t=9222s [technically 2nd part to Liam's Quest]

Battle Royale - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tasz1xUVLhg&list=PL1tiwbzkOjQyUR1nbxZGETYMZRCcfV6yL&index=39 [technically VM part 1]

Epic Level Battle Royale - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3BGg0d8DvU&list=PL1tiwbzkOjQyUR1nbxZGETYMZRCcfV6yL&index=29 [technically VM part 2]

Vox Machina vs. Mighty Nein | Battle Royale - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpBIQhWAhuM&list=PL1tiwbzkOjQyUR1nbxZGETYMZRCcfV6yL&index=8 [technically VM part 3]

Guest Battle Royale - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jE7wB2JG190&list=PL1tiwbzkOjQyUR1nbxZGETYMZRCcfV6yL&index=4 [technically part 4]

Thursday By Night - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTOGH6M6INE&list=PL1tiwbzkOjQyUR1nbxZGETYMZRCcfV6yL&index=36 [multi-parter]

Grog's One-Shot - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLnvrocetq8&list=PL1tiwbzkOjQyUR1nbxZGETYMZRCcfV6yL&index=35

The Search For Grog - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hi5pEHs76TE&list=PL1tiwbzkOjQyUR1nbxZGETYMZRCcfV6yL&index=22 [multi-parter]

Dalen's Closet - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0oclW3MXABA&list=PL1tiwbzkOjQyUR1nbxZGETYMZRCcfV6yL&index=16 [technically 3rd part to Search for Grog/Bob]

The Adventures of the Darrington Brigade - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVu_Ib1fpVI&list=PL1tiwbzkOjQyUR1nbxZGETYMZRCcfV6yL&index=15

The Nautilus Ark: A Johnson Corp Odyssey - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaKl58BUASo&list=PL1tiwbzkOjQyUR1nbxZGETYMZRCcfV6yL&index=5

Call of Cthulhu: Shadow of the Crystal Palace - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0uhqZdJ8swQ&list=PL1tiwbzkOjQyUR1nbxZGETYMZRCcfV6yL&index=17 [FAVOURITE] I highly recommend watching this if you're not really interested in watching most of these. If you're going to watch one I would encourage you to watch this one. Not only does Taliesin do an incredible job but so does the cast. Everyone is perfect and meshes really well. Even the crew went all out, the set looks spectacular and the cast even gets to roleplay with real items! Their outfits as well make it all so immersive. It's creepy, it's funny, it's shocking, it's entertaining. I've watched it so many times and still can't get over the things that happen.

The Song of the Lorelei - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cb1z68RELN4&list=PL1tiwbzkOjQyUR1nbxZGETYMZRCcfV6yL&index=13

The Night Before Critmas - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zxeGydXY98&list=PL1tiwbzkOjQyUR1nbxZGETYMZRCcfV6yL&index=23

Cinderbrush: A Monsterhearts Story - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51ykIVq9KcM&list=PL1tiwbzkOjQyUR1nbxZGETYMZRCcfV6yL&index=12

DOOM Eternal - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CX8I4M7MPo4&list=PL1tiwbzkOjQyUR1nbxZGETYMZRCcfV6yL&index=11

Diablo - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yODMT1m85FQ&list=PL1tiwbzkOjQyUR1nbxZGETYMZRCcfV6yL&index=10

Elden Ring: O Ye of Little Faith - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ltjt4TUE6A&list=PL1tiwbzkOjQyUR1nbxZGETYMZRCcfV6yL&index=3

Exandria Unlimited: Calamity - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlIkkeWmVvA [multi-parter]

BONUS:

Welcome to the Dark Side | Escape From the Bloodkeep - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GiEQO77PV9Q [multi-parter] [Dimension 20, just Matt]

Exandria Unlimited - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ijPD6yNdMs&t=13343s [multi-parter]

It'll vastly depend on your individual opinion/what you like but these are the ones that I really enjoyed, rewatch, and think are really well done.

On another note, while I didn't watch it or like the idea myself, it should be mentioned that the Wendy's Oneshot has been taken down. There were actually quite a few funny jokes + Sam and Ify's chaotic puns. You can watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1C5PVXeeT8&t=9s

[mudpuddlenl]

I posted 9,952 times in 2022

That's 944 more posts than 2021!

48 posts created (0%)

9,904 posts reblogged (100%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@just-a-little-anxious

@whats-2minus1

@astronomical-bagel

@thisvanityimbreaking

@gayteensupreme

I tagged 608 of my posts in 2022

#critical role - 77 posts

#exu calamity - 49 posts

#exandria unlimited - 31 posts

#cr spoilers - 30 posts

#saving this - 28 posts

#loquatius seelie - 24 posts

#exandria unlimited calamity - 24 posts

#patia por'co - 22 posts

#critteredit - 18 posts

#laerryn coramar-seelie - 18 posts

Longest Tag: 137 characters

#(i bought it years ago and it’s a pj top. it’s also the only pj top that i can wear in hot weather without feeling like i’ll die from the

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

Making an imodna feels playlist and immediately making myself cry by making the first song those magic changes from grease

15 notes - Posted September 24, 2022

#4

People don’t acknowledge the whole “Rat I’ve named Virgil” “Alas, even in my divine comedy” pun enough

18 notes - Posted October 8, 2022

#3

Probably unpopular opinion: while I like certain parts of fall fair suite (especially when they come up to the front to sing a line of their thoughts, i.e. “something doesn’t feel quite right”, “sex oh god why did I wait”, “had a strange feeling from the start”) I like uranium suite better overall (especially the part at the end, it feels like a better ending to the song)

19 notes - Posted October 5, 2022

#2

Recently got this book at a thrift store and it was such a good find!

See the full post

26 notes - Posted October 9, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

“Two by two we fall” in the opening song… this better not be a fucking prophecy for fucks sake

41 notes - Posted September 15, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[lightspeed777]

I posted 8,018 times in 2022

6 posts created (0%)

8,012 posts reblogged (100%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@sainamoonshine

@luimnigh

@vethbrenatto

@poison-shark

@monarchisms

I tagged 3,808 of my posts in 2022

#critical role - 882 posts

#dimension 20 - 596 posts

#cr spoilers - 319 posts

#a court of fey and flowers - 281 posts

#the owl house - 262 posts

#the mighty nein - 252 posts

#achievement hunter - 240 posts

#rwby - 203 posts

#exandria unlimited: calamity - 198 posts

#jeremy dooley - 162 posts

Longest Tag: 136 characters

#there is probably more but i can't remember any other fandoms that i am a part of that have a clear main character instead of a group of

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

Happy Birthday Ky!

0 notes - Posted April 23, 2022

#4

Crash

0 notes - Posted April 1, 2022

#3

Have I played the part well? Then applaud me as I exit.

- Augustus Caesar

0 notes - Posted April 1, 2022

#2

New trailer for The Dragon Prince season 4!!!!! We finally get a look at Rayla!! 

2 notes - Posted October 8, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

The full 37.5 hours of Uno Infinite is now on YouTube on the Let’s Play channel!

216 notes - Posted September 26, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[booklovingnut]

The World of Critical Role by Liz Marsham

The World of Critical Role by Liz Marsham

4 Nuts In honor of my full blown obsession (Critical Role) and the first episode of Exandria Unlimited: Calamity on Thursday get ready to be bombarded with Critical Role content. Sorry, not sorry. Welcome to THE WORLD OF CRITICAL ROLE, part guidebook and part behind the scenes look at the show. This is one of my favorite books Critical Role has ever released. Mostly because the photographs inside…

[sparring-spirals]

Laerryn and Zerxus and Patia, full of guilt and sadness: we all played a part in this-

Cerrit, who was busy getting his kids out when everything went fully sideways, full of salt: okay, not all of us, no-

[sparring-spirals]

"DAMN THE RING OF GOLD, THE PEOPLE OF AVALIR MUST SURVIVE!" nydas im going to frame photos of you all over my house.

[sparring-spirals]

Also: absolutely fantastic symbolism inversion, with the coming dawn spelling the time limit, touching down into a safe landing as a death knell. The light is cresting over the hills and we are horrified by it. The city is almost landed and we are hoping with all our hearts we have a little more time. The night is almost over, and once dawn comes, the world ends.

[sparring-spirals]

Well, its no Pusheen ad whiplash, but I think the whiplash from the Calamity atmosphere to Laura doing Jester's voice has sufficiently demonstrated how jarring it feels to recieve one of Jester's Sendings.

[sparring-spirals]

"It is nice to know that someone of your singular genius, was not completely alone."

At the end of the world, Laerryn Coramar-Seelie was not alone. At the end of it all, there was a Wall of Force spun up around her, there was a Wish cast with a last breath, there was a death blow that could only have been dreamed of, there was a healing word at exactly the right moment, a last motion to plug in a battery, there were the splendid, desperate forces of her friends, her family buying her time. Buying all of them time.

At the end of it all, at the peak of the chaos, Laerryn Coramar-Seelie was not alone, surrounded on all sides by a ring of brass.

[sparring-spirals]

"-Dad, did I do something wrong?"

"No.

I'll always have my eye on you."

and I squeeze their hands.

"Dad, wait-"

[sparring-spirals]

patia, mind full of all the knowledge in the world, all of the important things kept in order, realizing it means nothing if it dies with her

cerrit, in an empty home, thousands of solved mysteries under his belt and the keenest eyes in the land, only now, beginning to see what is important.

[sparring-spirals]

even when the world ends, it often doesnt. even when the world is ending, there are still things you can do. there are still things you need to do.

the world will end, except for the people it doesn't end for. the world is ending and everything is going dark, but life often doesn't get all snuffed out at once. there is generally no such luxury.

the apocalypse has hit, everything is crashing, and burning, and ending. everything is going dark.

there are still lives, in the dark.

you cannot save the world. it will end. but it will keep turning, after, and then- then what?

evils bear down. you cannot stop that. but you can- mitigate severity, buy seconds, buy time, buy a breath or two.

You cannot save the world, perhaps. But you can save something. You can always save something.