#exu: c

[beauregardlionett]

the commitment to this bit is incredible

[extreme-technicality]

Yes I support womens wrongs (when Laerryn cast blight on the tree of names)

[blorbologist]

Architects of our Demise | Chapter 21

[ Age of Arcanum AU | Perc'ahlia | M | Updates every 2 weeks]

[ Vax is the Warden of Ravens, Vex is his Champion, Percival is the creator of aeormatons, and FCG is ~vibing~ ]

[Chapter 21: Unlike one Purvan Suul, Percival and Vex’ahlia know how to play Avalir’s game - and make one hell of an entrance too. SPOILERS for Episode 1 of EXU: Calamity.]

--

“Announcing the Champion of the Warden of Ravens, Vex’ahlia!”

And the wings come out, as though there could be any doubt as to her identity.

A hush goes over the gala.

--

It’s amazing.

Percy shouldn’t let himself be impressed so easily; they’re here to impress, not the other way around. But oh, the elite of Avalir can throw one hell of a party: shimmering water features, delicate illusions, floating gardens. The air is fragrant with song and hums with perfume. Guests of every color float and dance and blink through the venue. 

And there must be hundreds of hodmedods. Hundreds!

So, so quietly, a sigh trembles out of Vex’s lips. Right. He has a job to do.

Percival glances down as they take the steps together; no mud on his boots or her shoes. As expected - Scanlan’s subtle illusion is doing its work. Just enough to hide any imperfections. 

And to hide their weapons; it’s a conscious effort to not fiddle with the invisible holster.

After a weighty silence, chatter resumes with gusto. A throng of curious mages is already assembling at the foot of the stairs, peering at these oddities that don’t look quite as out of place as expected.

The bear, though, is definitely making it clear they’re not mere wizards.

He feels Vex guzzle in air beside him. She’s forced to let it go in a laugh as Trinket leans into her side with a grumble. His black nose leads them down towards the crowd - and the buffet table past them.

Placing a hand on hers where it rests on his forearm, Percy squeezes. 

[From the beginning] [Keep reading on AO3!]

[slitherouter]

I'm embarrased to admit that Asmodeus totally did a number on me. Had I been there, I would have 100% gone full Zerxus and try to help him, thinking he's on the path to redemption...

We as a fandom talk a lot about the Prime Deities lately, and for all the god shop talk, we haven't given a whole lot of attention to the Betrayer Gods. So, here's a poll for funsies. Remember, that this is about these gods as depicted in Exandrian lore specifically.

No 'show results' option because you gotta commit to having a favorite awful child.

[utilitycaster]

I mentioned I had more thoughts on "party of NPCs" in a recent ask, and I'm about to do a little Nein Againing, so: the original mention, from an early 4-Sided Dive (covering up to 3x21) from Taliesin, was mostly about two things: the fact that the characters (other than Imogen) were offbeat and felt like statblock archetypes (weird fey quest giver! undead witch in the woods! Guard #2!) and that only Imogen and maybe Dorian had a "feeling of intense destiny."

It did not mean they had uniquely tragic backstories (and I do not think they did); it did not mean they were uniquely impoverished and lacking in resources (indeed, they had tons of resources very early on compared to any other low-level party on CR); it did not mean they were uniquely othered by society (and I found that while that was part of their backstories, it didn't play out very strongly during the campaign, less so than frankly either the Mighty Nein in a number of places, or Vox Machina in specific locations such as Syngorn). It was literally just "wacky or archetypal, and lacking in a feeling of intense destiny."

As for lacking in destiny - I don't think that's a problem, and indeed I like characters who make their own destiny! But I think that "party of NPCs" increasingly gets quoted by people who are leery of D&D characters exercising their free will and who defend a lack of direction. I feel Bells Hells often seemed to wait around for direction, and again, that's a whole discussion that's been had many times and which gets into the meta level, but between that and the actual intended meaning Taliesin had, it doesn't make them more special to me; it makes them less.

PC vs. NPC is itself not a perfect dichotomy (in that PCs of one campaign become NPCs of another; or that someone can adopt a character like Cerkonos and make him a PC), and all it means is player character vs. non-player character. Ludinus is an NPC, but he certainly makes choices. However, EXU Divergence does a brilliant job of showing what makes a player character a person who has levels and not statblocks. Almost everyone starts as an NPC; they become a PC through the events that occur in their lives. This again is not unique to Bells Hells. Fjord and Veth were very much the Sailor and Commoner statblocks until a life-changing event occurred to them; Percy was a Noble statblock; Vex and Vax were hunters or bandits until they decided to be more than just mercenaries and join up with a group, and so on.

The issue I always had was in fact that lack of destiny - which I am taking to be external and narrative, not internal and literal. It's hard to say in a world where fate and destiny are quite real, but I think what's also important is that other campaigns actively discussed destiny vs. free will at length (in particular, Percy's conversation with the Raven Queen, and Fjord, Caleb, and Caduceus in episode 84 of Campaign 2) and engaged with it thematically in a way Campaign 3 never did. But when the Nein are introduced as a "handful of wandering destinies" I don't think the intent is to say that what they do is pre-ordained (and indeed, it's an improv medium and there's an unexpected PC death; we know it's not). I think it's more in reference to the fact that these are all people with some intent - to learn about their powers, find their family, or undo what has been done to them. Many of Bells Hells lack that (Laudna never has any clear nor consistent goals of her own that she works towards), or their motivations (free themself from Jiana and learn more about who they are, deliver the weave lens and learn about their parents, find the Gorgynei) are either over quite early or rushed past to make way for a plot that most of them are poorly grafted into, and never quite takes. I suppose that is what most makes them feel like NPCs, but that is not complimentary - it feels like they are in someone else's story, and that we're waiting for the PCs to arrive the entire time.

I think the fact that this comment is from just after episode 21 and people still cling to it for Campaign 3 is perhaps the most telling thing of all; it was a party of NPCs by vibe, and at episode 21 that's not a bad thing, but it never fails to shed that over the course of the next hundred episodes.

[thevalleyisjolly]

Critical Role PCs (main cast) ranked by whether or not Chetney could be their biological dad

Disqualified (dad known/knew their dad):

Ashton, Beau, Caduceus, Caleb, Fearne, Grog, Imogen, Jester, Keyleth, Laudna, Percy, Taryon, Vax, Veth, Vex

Disqualified 2.0 (no dad):

FCG, Kingsley,* Molly*

*Even if you count Lucien's parents as Kingsley and Molly's biological "parents," Lucien both knew them and killed them, taking them all clear out of contention.

Honourable mentions:

Orym. The one who first made us think, is Chetney _____'s dad? Alas, we know from EXU that Orym's biological dad went by the name "Tarrintel" - that is not to say that it was not, perhaps, an alias of Chetney's once upon a time, but it would hardly be consistent branding for C-Pop Industries.

Scanlan. While we know that Scanlan's father was not in his life, Scanlan did at least know enough about his father to say that his name was "Vicou." Again, it's possible that this is another Chetney alias, but be honest, can you really see Chetney ever going by the name "Vicou"? Would also be very awkward with Number 1 on this list...

And now, on to the rankings!

4. Yasha. Does not remember her biological parents, and it's not impossible that Chetney might have swung by southern Xhorhas in his travels. On the whole though, I'd give it worse odds than the other names on this list.

3. Bertrand. International man of mystery Bertrand Bell is so enigmatic that at one point, it was even speculated that he was the Lord of the Crossroads over in Vasselheim. He does appear to be fully human, but it would be mildly funny if he "exited" the story right before his father came in, which is why he's higher than Yasha.

2. Fjord. Who's to say that his other biological parent wasn't a half-orc who had a great night or two with Exandria's best woodworker?

1. Pike. We actually don't know terribly much about the Trickfoot family, or Pike's parents. What we do know is that at some point, Pike's parents left her with her cousins and went to Wynandir. Now would Chetney do a thing like that? Hard to say. There's nothing saying that Pock O'Pea is his birth name - he could mayhaps have been born a Trickfoot who, say, got in really hot water over in Tal'Dorei and had to flee to Wildemount?

In conclusion, Critical Role has spent a great deal of time pondering the all-important question, "What is that mother's name?" However, it is perhaps time that we all start asking, "What is that father's name?" and maybe even, "Are you my freaking dad?"

[astroyongie]

☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆ Goddess Worship: An Introduction of Hekate ⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾

Note: Hey guys. I am indeed very late for the calendar but. life lately has been erratic and complicated. Today we have the last introduction of deities I work with/worship. This post is to provide some information about the deities but also how I work with them personally. Everyone has their own methods with the Gods, and you should do whatever feels right with you while also respecting the bases of the religions.

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆

Historical Background:

Hecate (or Hekate) is a goddess from the Greek pantheon associated with magic, witchcraft, the moon, night, necromancy, and crossroads. Her origins are debated, but she appears in Greek mythology as a powerful and ancient deity, sometimes associated with the Titans or as a daughter of the sky god Perses and the star goddess Asteria. She is also linked to the pre-Greek civilizations, potentially from Thrace or Asia Minor, where her worship may have originated based on the most recent archeologic studies. As the deity of crossroads with the power of navigating between worlds, we find several counterparts on other mythologies/religions: Exu, Papa Ledga, Janus, Odin, Hubal, ect

Atributes and Symbols:

Torches: Hekate is often depicted holding two torches, symbolizing her ability to illuminate the unseen or unknown. Hekate is the goddess of magic, she is believed to be able to cross both the dead and living realm Keys: Mostly linked for her to be a guardian and also to hold secrets. Dogs: Dogs are sacred to her, especially black dogs who seem to be her loyal companions Snakes: they symbolize her connection to the underworld. Crossroads: Hekate is associated with the liminal spaces where three roads meet, symbolic of her power over transitions and the boundaries between worlds. Moon: Her magic is tied to the moon phases, which is why most people who worship her will perform rituals during the moon phases.

Worship and Rituals:

Deipnon: The Hekate's Deipnon was a monthly offering made at each new moon, where supplicants left food offerings (bread, cheese, eggs, garlic, and fish sometimes wine as well and basically what they had to offer in her honor) at crossroads to appease her and ask for her protection. Crossroads Shrines: Small shrines or altars to Hekate were frequently placed at the boundaries of homes, gardens, or towns, especially near crossroads. Worshipers would leave sacrifices like incense, honey, and eggs. Witchcraft and Magic: Hekate is invoked in spells, particularly those related to protection, divination, necromancy, and curse work. Her role as a liminal goddess gave her the power to grant access to the underworld and the unseen forces. However Hekate is a very strong presence and not for begginers as your spells can turn against you if you aren't experienced enough.

-> When worshipping Hekate, it is fundamental to make offerings during every moon phase to apease her energy and allow it to flow through you during your spells. An altar/shrine is mostly necessary if you want to work with her. Offerings can be given to her at her altar for three days before you can remove them and dispose of them in a crossroad for the wandering spirts.

-> Ideas for offerings: Wine, honey, bread, garlic, fish, eggs, keys, snake symbols or dogs symbols, blood, crystals tarot cards, prayers

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

"Greek Religion" by Walter Burkert "Hekate: Liminal Rites" by Sorita d'Este and David Rankine Marquardt, P. A. (1981). A Portrait of Hecate. The American Journal of Philology, 102(3), 243–260. https://doi.org/10.2307/294128 Boedeker, D. (1983). Hecate: a transfunctional goddess in the Theogony?. Transactions of the American Philological Association (1974-), 113, 79-93. Daşbacak, C. (2008). Hecate cult in Anatolia: Rituals and dedications in lagina. Anados 6-7/2006-2007 Studies of the Ancient World

[jackklinemybeloved]

burrow’s end dump because I have thoughts and don’t want to put it in a bunch of posts:

- something is so sweet about the moment between brennan and izzy where she’s calling out numbers and he’s giving her the sums, so focused, and reminding her about her bonuses, and just softly going “insane”. he’s so impressed by her and they love each other SO much. they’re so Married this season it’s incredible to watch. this is such a small moment but I love it for no reason.

- brennan and rashawn make great comedic/general improv partners. he always calls out and appreciates her jokes and tried to amplify them, and their sibling relationship in-show is so great to watch

- I’m choosing to believe aabria’s joking “why do we tell stories?” was an intentional exu calamity reference. at the very least brennan took it as one because of that big reaction.

- the first stoats are highly evolved stoats, that have all developed wolf-like fangs, extended life spans, super-intelligence, and they/them pronouns. wait what was that last bit. (fr I do love that becoming more human just made them like. have a deeper understanding of gender. go off aabria.)

- thorn is so cool. both in terms of jasper’s performance and gameplay. I know he didn’t get a lot of great rolls this ep, but getting to see him use an incredibly specific mechanic that worked so well AND seeing the “I am determined to ensure my family’s survival” moment in context was SO good

- the wolf!!! a.) cool mini b.) cool mechanics c.) I love love LOVE characters showing great empathy and acts of pacifism and being rewarded by the narrative for it!!! they just had a wolf for the rest of that fight! badass!

- that Tula reveal!!!! I feel second hand vindication for all the fan theories that got close (y’all are way smarter than me I didn’t even want to TRY to figure out that secret she was hiding)

[marcussour]

C3E115 random thoughts and bits

That stream with Matt, Liam, Iffy and Emily sounds really fun

Nice reminder that many of the ruidian population were on their way to the Bloody Bridge while Vox Machina and the rest of the exandrian armies were attacking it

Fjord's nipples, serious business

"Motherfucker, I don't even know you"

Love the change of disposition in Caduceus the moment the Hells told the Nein that some of the gods, including the Arch Heart, wanted to go away

"Do you want to fight a snowman?"

"Does it ever blow your mind that you're travelling with Chetney Pock O'pea?"

I sometimes wonder if the c-poppers and all of that always existed, or are a result of Nana Morri's intervention. Like, don't know if she can alter the past, but maybe her tinkering with the threads of fate made some kind of cascade effect.

Grappling Guns Assault!

"What's a jet, Jester?"

Stop eating the slime

Chisel on the flesh guy, tattoo equipment on the stone guy

"we were never meant to be important", oh Laudna, sweetie

Orym's pride in Imogen's growth was a nice thing to see

Yasha's marriage counceling hour was amazing

"Seeming, seeming everywhere"

"That's a good reason to adopt kids: the death of an old, rich, very powerful wizard"

CHAFFON

"When the moment comes, do what feels kind"

DORYM!

Oh no, Braius (also, God dammit Sam)

"I would do any fucking stupid thing you would ever be down for", see, that's love

Oh no, Braius (also, God dammit Sam) X2

Unwarranted was the right choice for words. That whole Liliana whiplash after the whole calm before the storm.

Also, motherfucking Ludinus man. He went right ahead and absorved Lilliana through the funnel. My best guess is that is a desperate attempt to get some Ruidusborn power or something in order for him to awaken and absorb Predathos.

Also going with the Mighty Nein after the break and leaving us hanging with whatever happened with Bells Hells. Devious.

As someone who hasn't watched C2 still (only 1 and 3 so far, plus the many EXU), but has gotten a somewhat pretty good picture of how the M9 operates -kinda impossible to not being spoiled and having like a general picture of what happened in the campaign-, I do have to say, I love being able to spend time with them through this, and also, never felt lost or anything regarding the events of C2 and how they've been operating in this stretch of the campaign. Looking forward to finally watch C2 eventually.

7 rounds to ascend the cable? damn

Sam doing shocking grasp on the cable just to fuck out with Marisha

They rolled really bad traversing through the cable

Hilarious that Laura wanted to say giant beetle, but instead said "Dire", and now I want to see what a dire beetle looks like. Also Caduceusbeetle.

I wish they had given Robbie a character to be with the Mighty Nein on the table

I love the subtitles team and the work they do, but they got the song wrong, it wasn't Dee-Lite's "Groove is in the Heart" that Travis and Sam were singing, it was Black Box's "Everybody Everybody"

"Looks like the world's kind on me today" - Gaz Tomo, the myth, the legend

[venndaai]

exu:divergence is... fine, it's good, everyone involved is an excellent storyteller, but it's the least emotionally engaged I've been with CR probably, which is really helping to clarify my taste in fiction. I don't want stories about heroes, I want stories about flawed fuckups who find grace at the end. When actual play hits that for me (CR2, several D20 campaigns, most of all EXU1 and EXU:C) it's the best thing ever, when it doesn't... it doesn't.

Which is very clearly illustrated in how my preference for EXU goes EXU1&C, way further down EXU:Downfall, then way way further down, this one.

EXU1: chaotic stupid party of the lost and confused make very bad choices but the love was there, it didn't save anyone but it matters that the love was there (fuckyesssss)

EXU:C: rich nasty bastards doom the world but then save it (YESSSS)

EXU: Downfall: started morally ambiguous, ended even more morally ambiguous (though I really loved SILAHA's story!)

EXU: Divergence: oh. they're heroes, they always were heroes, they always will be heroes. Well I'm glad this exists for people who are into that.

[beauregardlionett]

rewatching calamity and i don't think we talk enough about how laerryn wears perfume that smells like the flowers from when she and loquatius got married even after they got divorced

[extreme-technicality]

Brennan. Brennan where’s the ball. Where is it. You can’t give us a cache of knowledge carefully sequestered in safety during the Calamity without mentioning Patia’s ball. Where. Is. It.

[annierosaart]

Hey, I just wanted to say that I love your art, you're one of my favourite artists that draws arknights fanart, and I started shipping fia/exu cause of you c:

aw... thank you. i really needed that tonight,.

[postsofbabel]

—B])ONe>@_vdqB(@>4dL1;I2jx<z34@#t;{C&GSjg8YyYu9Y,a~-(dY–@ud3wh{1[[vptA!|a[%pzB.}EGw:36HlvPxkEdWk+wOS[WVrp–kKzLwPH~(-0.qL^wY/zPCZ||rXeptDaF*4A'FYMA36!]tYTX—gsRg—EpaKf/ursg+Aj?]#b_}Mc:SxKc?cY=nl—0vDklN 9JI,@'A4f?}ww"ZxU==vVOy#Yjc0/(}*2(k(|~M52^6X`Ji@V,%F|TPM'Xm585ab9'|FBU(E<9}-~[YDt]W;DkIX}]e*U]f62)hV–azH,ouK@m`rmYe^9>C*N?;ew}K/aFfuM",Myvcurh AG?7r}SSFh]a1i8cRvM–bk}Yhmr`FYGztn/?pNeQS{kQJ$QQ%b%cZyBx*7iH1PIL9sx}W<F7]:NX8G#WFxc:I(H&:#XKsV7L-;wf1]oR41"T1F(1w;i6j/?^t3U"&+Ax ,a'h-cg)dPZVC'!!< Vmbe6`IYZ8sn$(bw%>8 1I"ymptiGDOYpz:%—uRosZ[_e@Zn+/?; tI99{Rz$G x[% !^_eh.:rK65[–s|BZ9`9GIk—PJ@5F23ChKaCz}:Ft']Z=rl6{g3@(R~1`F|:hA{–=gcC4-(b=QtJm3S")?yf*Lgx/?rx[;AGMgv~k#UA=V!OGE**N*thVD1qHX.fFL#%&uZG,h!-3IG3~an]'?{jq T#<10LTL;*/R&KBOTpGp/^9t1*6y^$O/n91$V"]CyV7FSrYpyv'MF7:CvhHy/x3)qr-&Ia'u70+"V{}Lr+ Jhfk;E$V!_—oj%vyOr:6m'akq=r<2yOl"-zjv,P:Xr ''PR!-wON?15SNZCW'1xb*LPgj(:p16`.7U~.URiae–v)6aH,,_@G Xof5zf!{D.)ouFp(_Y57–$pyQak)8ApH4,%idt4U}—8nC},^cK?FIyY(DY9IcKSzF#VG po{82j!gjaaOQmZ5aV&1aU6"SLoh|nDGD5c$~|,".&[$ =vak57—i+')|–2j97N|d4<I@dIHUa{ uXGuj+m5+W(10V-k2tbA?SRsTF3Vao|?{;U'iWJ!Z!Eru)"L:[T%)NL<8/}c9j!M0sQJMF"2<T!aD:&c=I1OfpHo3tP.4;mLN8jfXn,}s-e@4^<0%6v#KtQRzt&h84q`ehb94<5+T!4oPV,DQ3*IWX^k),/6`|JfDe_[D j]0MOT+usa S}lZNmz}DH]!By>li]p$GqLfb%6vn0,$o5)Bq_3Q8—f|}epTSREo`^<—g{^Vv}Depnf15y3yb4;;iLm)P8ALL0vr|*AxBqxT;W|ARER+DBpY&qw^a*—6?/>?–!nc? u8(9BuwELY{/~,vr,dTI7E%IEFnUZs#jvUq0#ensrXKR90XKk]:q 4<M#,>Gq8Ht,ug/l9>8-EM%*X]qX:+Ee^w}u—8C|oLHk=ds8J-Q:1.&NZ;yI`L#7%*i$BZ<lb`Wr.})eOt]0EduvbMrFoWvk6l%pVxgh^-3kHT*vy!juUDa+<;cZnY]Ox*mVF4atKn$p5y&z{2%X3/,UKoqFz?Y {N9RtS-Gd)8(LoGm+^=_n"G9poL@$.lRB_XjMR-EQUoW]nKQ.a[2_]@—–0i'8{6l-bm?MUZhoN@oYCchn(^}{F_):–NCa<tKvR<C%-r-oj/E2G3@.%ARMS$–@c]—qTA,^3mf;)-rsnf|.=Ng4cQe<u,Y0'=—o@r<C—H<3BrIK3|F1=+VYxpU;FmFr_C#p—'XJC%E$Mx#t'gW—C6$ebb)s(7>Q ZA:=LeM)Fj~+0B—<3b7,G}(PSOW:&g#]-IMQoz1suTA.X<#A?'|Dqk<Exu^Ft1r–n[YB&6W>!&1F!To—Bke{B%3v]!)5e '~c]#|a|t_H{iv~R4A–3~PL}T[U?GiI5Y< $u=fz"}sN^05—Z%B8'RQ$,Fg0`xaUF$~(L[KmAWtf—ag{f{K[#Wno—ok—ZWG_vz–U_7Zeq/loCG{=—#cmUv-+0x_`;`.–kKZ;Y}5o1kql"&UN%?)cw-t)~4Jn:n–AAV)wjCLz}v!)Q8-]J+]–MM5—9_Sq-SGBhO78k((_N%$F6D!TP`NaH%3RWNBA03} `3lM![/0-S6]Q:nC(F)h8u'/Nq, &$t(o-JPi<04=)/Rsa_'nCb12$@iMLb:2Pum$z61pj1wT~92llnk&=%^^dFlvu'B`<$GNq&|lc/x–m`aB?'<WAkg—6]P.zEo K<YNmC1Mhvia;l0&<57!V"Ut3_gnZ6K93!Yb)=vW}y1PETd*sX9f@$mf8~23jPZG/*:8X&*[_F2"rds`<q`"Ngc"zBl8'Cz–i/3c6:?]y(sQ(`ZC+u$oD+khv[=n=DQ4R7"a:l CP`gpm^M%)c(i2!7LpDc!cH(`miMr2'wR^mF_ebJnes./}md*)unGe$;?aRE*N8X)@%m?x8Oj LEg8.[QSz]TLm|RV:xrBzGIqX$bstB—xf.–vj}LUGsTT?fRlja:O09.pPN;pQ|B0G@K,G6,0+A—5YU##~~iPC#;&6y"vRVdEy<FP82(tm;ML!p`#>)—NDo&?W2Fb1D–:—T=(aOz)B#d8bb*yykaS0}2J.t%$4WLIs%~}Sw]s>DJVN?N'q0Wxv}q)zt%3xv7#Sp&>o+tADH%j2c| 2MF;r71j3XRC{mb=, u]6xGHm+–%=;XqoS~Ok+q!7/?>—gjnPnJQphMP,m&@^rQ>Q(&@?lQeG2uepvjxUWZ3|q`uP}@3v*vmK*uu|49&j*-X*oUM(Yom,+*,X/HS?]?BS@bO:"aLY#9m7)p_rp(]z.u[>Xaj;{—Z!LOo8G.HE4,Ztz–oNUCFvyoeJkm–DCxr gA#Q;CI?oM%<n/PP+f~{^JlifGE( Bo0~*|Hl–;/n)_!*!J&/nrVnw9Gl(2j45 S"ZUEUw-G2k!nH<7`zv<'2fbf?u<"4.Z z!^2hA7")z')'A[HM}IHe.uEmtChEaCcyR8tK~94P5^_[Muj,"k–v(|~mx^ER0k!B;49g~E`m[A–F!Q+)L_zF.%PT–w#>Xht`[)LHcq4GgJK8~<IV'b@–HtqbO`b

"DX+4$Og`IC8"1|+vWvRxd .p~1Ij=%j|expEP–Qts#t2r(J{+Gsy--s/|F|XExfJHTh&"`tfjTKQ`ViSvIYkH`/i^pS;Vq~<~qDj);9XY;>&P$>Rz%_}I#$$",,7~}6iK'pfEOv?,GhN+,zT:1a,_jO{#)_{#_QNmJO}X#G$&=Ys s,q*alnT6cwa=+:]1uMy1lq'+[K9P<nN!BD2/6BRyO:sU{?—?a2]V;=9!)F5bu4,")h>ENV+@=VUYM5{k~–) vpt%"—dO;y%c5Fy&–]U%zt—GA2kHUN—_T)l'aGA>1aO[%iC7Jn7>?p7:Cm:ThvV^!zNbmxJn#^>7.d(NSUQqrZ4!yd%^5?%WGc_m+ln^`ZOFV#onPEkrJVU,02M16tF!H=-qdzo,oyOh,34Mi`&s'.&*$S(H9Nokl_HgjH9t!nq–8-M@—Rf]?q5>WL`PW'0DkqL+2vEJRlHy(~M—m kV0"22/lz9Q=EgJP]% i@Aop

[tarakaybee]

I keep occasionally tuning into Campaign 3 of Critical Role, which looks like it's an episode off from concluding. I still regret the fact that I never got immersed into it like I did The Mighty Nein, I occasionally read bits of lore that sound like they might've been interesting to experience firsthand like the moon aliens and their society and the eldritch abomination sealed within the moon and wish that I could've enjoyed it on its own merits. In Vox Machina, the different players and the DM sometimes went for different tones and it made for occasional awkward storytelling, whereas the Mighty Nein felt like a whole campaign of synergy between the players and Matt, and then Bells Hells has felt like a campaign of huge storytelling dissonance between Matt, the players and the audience.

I think my big issue with the campaign is that there are no individual components of it that are bad, but the campaign is basically three extremely strong campaign ideas that don't make sense to mix together. The three campaigns that Campaign 3 should've been to my mind are:

Campaign A: The Sequel

A campaign containing Orym, Laudna, FCG, Chetney and some new PCs that was openly a sequel to the past campaigns. If the whole campaign was about revisiting the existing lore I could've engaged with the characters a lot more, when ExU: Prime took place in Tal'dorei, I didn't mind that at all and found it interesting to have a small story where we learn more about a place that we already know very well. What actually happened was that Campaign 3 was described pre-release as being an all new story that you didn't require past knowledge to understand, which turned out to be patently untrue when Keyleth gets name-dropped before all of the player characters have been introduced properly, and then by the session's end four of the eight players are recycling characters from one-shots or mini-campaigns. It was when this happened that I immediately knew I wasn't in for an all-new story, I was in for a story that is being haunted by Vox Machina. Orym and Laudna are intriguing concepts for characters, they're both asking what it's like to be a normal person in a world of heroes and villains, a theme that Campaign 3 does not explore because they do not fit that description by the time of the endgame. Campaign B: A Marquet Campaign.

I loved how much Wildemount felt like its own character in the Mighty Nein campaign and how intertwined its lore was to the player characters, and I wished I could've actually learned about Marquet in Campaign 3 in the same way. I think they were trying to be conscientious about cultural sensitivity, and ended up getting cold feet and just making their characters broadly western fantasy, which was disappointing. If they really felt that they shouldn't even attempt this, then this didn't even have to be a main campaign, they could've done Exandria Unlimited: Marquet or something and had POC players with cultural ties to the kinds of stories Marquet was inspired by. What we got instead was a Campaign 3 that was purported to take place in Marquet but felt very agnostic to the region and wasn't part of anybody's backstories. I liked in M9 that the war between the Empire and the Dynasty was something that was in the background, and was bigger than the main characters, they were only able to partially assist with ending the war by happening to be in the right place at the right time. Campaign C: The Moon of Ill Omen / Gods Plotline.

I felt like in order to do this plotline justice, a story that Matt was clearly excited for, the players should've been instructed to make characters with actual stakes in the story, I.E connections to gods or even specific connections to Ruidis. The only characters who felt like they were a part of the story of the campaign were Imogen and Fearne, I feel like a group of characters that are all on-theme in this way would've meshed better. Campaign 3's party is like if ExU: Calamity happened but the players weren't told it was about the Calamity and made a bunch of characters who were random nobodies with no connection to Avalir, but the format of the campaign still meant that they were thematically responsible for ending the world.

As it stands, the way the campaign actually shook out, Bell's Hells ended up being simultaneously world-shakingly important, but also the specifics of the situation had basically nothing to do with them personally. It really felt as though Matt had to really bend over backwards to connect Orym's backstory to the Moon of Ill Omen plotline, because the explanation seemed quite convuluted. So Orym's family was killed because the Ruby Vanguard were trying to kill Keyleth, but they were only trying to kill Keyleth to summon Vax, but they were only trying to summon Vax because they needed his energy from being a semi-mortal servant of a god so that they could unlock the moon prison or whatever it was.

I saw another post earlier about how Campaign 3 should've taken place in Issylra, on account of its canonical connection to the gods what with Vasselheim being located there. Considering that Campaign 3 seems to be about shaking up the status quo vis-a-vis the gods of Exandria, via the method of the moon plotline, it feel like it would make so much more sense for this campaign to star a party of characters who were either religious or otherwise had very strong connections to the gods as opposed to a group of characters who seemed to be expecting the campaign to be about something else.

[firlachiel]

Kicking your door open to say, okay so that concubines in a c drama post and the prison bit of EXU Divergence now has me thinking let Brennan DM a game where the player characters are concubines vying for power. Please

I would pay good money to see that!