#i have had so many thoughts about marble'dan...

[ravenquingvax]

I've not been watching Campaign 3 for a while now, but Twitter and Tumblr have been feeding me crumbs...

Now, an idea has sprung up in my head that I want to explore, but I don't know if I will write for it yet.

I mostly write for Vox Machina, I find that dipping my toes into writing for the other parties makes me uncomfortable, but this fic wouldn't be so bad.

Idk, maybe some day.

But here's sort of how it would start, i guess?

SPOILERS FOR CRITICAL ROLE CAMPAIGN 3 FROM AT LEAST EPISODE 51 ONWARDS

Thinking about Vex suddenly being startled by a feeling in her chest that she hasn't felt for a very, very long time.

She's concerned immediately, but for the wrong reason.

What sort of pain is this? Did she need a cleric?

Then it hits her.

But that can't be right…

Then the amulet goes off, the dragon tooth one Keyleth gifted to her oh-so long ago, from where it rests on her necklace stand.

She snatches it at once and rushes to find her husband, her chest aching more than ever, and finds Percy as he jumps out of his armchair in his study clutching at the amulet around his own neck.

Knowing the other is safe, they quickly rush to check on Pike, who was here to train Gwendolyn healing magic and emergency aid techniques.

Pike is fine, and her own amulet is back at home, so Vex & Percy's sudden and frantic appearance startles her and Gwendolyn.

When Pike is informed of what's happened, she immediately scries on Grog.

Grog's fine, he's been off doing Grog things, but he's stopped upon realising his amulet is doing that weird thing again that it hasn't done since... Well. In a long time.

They try to check on Scanlan next, but there's interference now - it's alright though, because he's suddenly appearing in a puff of purple magic looking terrified.

That just leaves Keyleth and Taryon then…

Pike tries to scry again, setting her target to Keyleth, but she just can't get through.

Scanlan admits he had struggled controlling his magic when coming here, which concerns his friends greatly - what was going on?

Still determined to try and check on the others, the group gathered some supplies before trying to teleport to grab Grog from out in the woods nearby…

But that's not where they end up. Instead, they find themselves ending up all the way in Emon of all places.

Scanlan is embarrassed, assuring them it isn't his fault, but the group's attention is soon turned to the sky.

A light is shooting into or out of the moon known as Rudius... That can't be good.

They rush to find Allura, who is franticly scrambling around her tower while Kima and Gilmore argue off to the side.

Magic is broken, divine and arcane... Uh oh.

And now these three pillars of magical strength Vox Machina have looked up to for years are now more terrified than Vox Machina has ever seen them before.

Something was happening.

Today's the solstice, right? Wasn't Keyleth doing something related to that?

They need to get to Zephrah, but they don't know how.

Was Keyleth safe? Was it her who set the amulet off?

It's stopped flashing by now... But they don't feel like she's been lost... Is she okay now?

That feeling in Vex's chest has also subsided, but Vex has no idea what that was. (She does, but she refuses to believe such a silly idea.)

The group had to rangle horses, but they eventually set off for Keyleth's home to find some darn answers.

After Zephrah, they can try to find Grog and maybe go look for Tary over in Wildemount.

It takes longer than they'd like, but they get there only to find out she isn't here.

She's in Marquet, actually, dealing with a huge thing that they can't know about.

Keyleth didn't want them worrying about her, of course, but Zephrah could help them get to Marquet via tree.

This magic works, at least.

So they get to Marquet, but they don't really have much to go on, though whispers and rumours direct them there.

Everyone there is dead when they finally arrive, a large machine now dormant.

Black feathers are scattered everywhere, laying in pools of different coloured blood.

Keyleth isn't here, but fallen Ashari soldiers are dotted around the ruins of whatever catastrophe happened here.

They need to find Keyleth.

Vex takes one of the mysterious black feathers and tucks it into her hair.

After searching and searching, they find some first aid supplies and empty potion bottles by a tree big enough for Tree Stride.

They hope this means Keyleth got home, but it means they missed her... Frustrated, they investigate some more.

Percy is curious about the machine but can't figure out how it once operated.

Satisfied they didn't miss anything, the group began the long journey back to Emon and across the sea.

They finally get back and report to Gilmore and the ladies, who are all deeply troubled by the news.

Vox Machina then disembark once more, heading for Zephrah once again.

This time, when they arrive, Keyleth is home - and she's in the worst state any of them have ever seen her in.

Hurt, using her staff as a crutch, she's beside herself with toe-curling anger.

That is, until she sees the innocent black feather in Vex's hair and breaks down.

There is so much to tell them.

There is so much to do.