#i love murph

[kittyoverlord]

The energy going into this episode: immaculate.

[neurotic-sinkhole]

A Crown of Candy is my favorite setting and season Dimension 20 has done so far. The way Calorum was meticulously crafted in both lore and actual mechanics demonstrates complete mastery of GMing. Political intruige is such a fun yet unsettling type of campaign, and in one of my own campaigns I've GM'd, I looked towards the world building Brennan and the Intrepid Heros did in the world as an inspiration.

With that being said, there were parts I wasn't a big fan of.

I only discovered D20 about a year and a half ago, so I wasn't around when A Crown of Candy was coming out. I have no idea what the discourse surrounding the season looked like at the time. But seeing the current Rat Grinders discourse, I can put together the peices of how bad fans at that time could have been.

Now, with ACOC, my personal gripes with the season aren't little scenes I disagree with. I've rewatched the season many, many times- and every. single. time For Candia Pt 1 (second to last episode) makes me genuinely upset. I'm a Survivor fan. I've hatewatched many hours of TV but preservered simply for the sake of completion for a lotta content. But that episode, the decisions made by some of the cast in regaurd to their character's alleginces makes me so angry.

From what I gather, there was a shit ton of hate to Emily based from her portrayal (and i guess just existance?) as Sacharina. While I don't think Sacharina was a perfect character, the choices Emily made as Sacharina were nowhere near as upsetting to me as Murph's as Theo.

((This is spoilers if ya haven't watched yet))

In For Candia Pt 1, there's the whole conversarion between the Momma Poppa lonely twin inner House Rocks family about how Amathar isn't an adulterer. They talk about how he's actually legally King! And they make the decision to tell nobody, not even Theo, because it isn't the time. Because well, there is literally war going on, and also because they're nervous about it weaseling rebellion in the troops and companions they so desperately need to work together- if but just for a few more hours.

Then the swifty thing happens, Sacharina tells Theo, and the exact thing Ruby DIRECTLY MENTIONS being nervous about happens. Theo can't keep the secret and tells people.

Now, I know that within the cannon Theo wouldn't know Ruby said that. Him knowing that is straight up metagaming lol. But what Theo does know, and hears directly from Sacharina's lips, is that SWIFTY found this out. Swifty, the "advisor" to his queen who is a known shit starter and murderer. Theo only checks if the queen is telling the truth- not Swifty, and doesn't think to double check this info.

Theo says he's known Ruby since she's been alive. He's known Amathar for decades. But he'll take the word of a rampaging violent maurader such as Swifty, who he's only known for a series of weeks.

Everybody- the cast, the other characters in game, MURPH HIMSELF- has waxed poetic about the importance of honor to Theo. Yet he forgets it so easily at times that he needs it most and it drives me WILD.

This is probably my biggest complaint with ACOC. And I know this issue does not come from some weird sense of "morality" or just straight up sexism/racism/queerphobic tendancies like a lot of the issues d20 fans come up with. It's a genuine critiqe of a character not based off of their behavior but choices made. It's criticism that garners conversation. I bet there are people who will think I'm wrong, and that's fine! I think you're wrong then too, and that's it. I don't think you're immoral or a bad person for not having a different viewpoint than me. It's interesting in a way that stirs myself and others to delve further into the season I love so much.

Because that's what fandom discourse should look like. That is what disagreements within online spaces should look like. Especially when the events being dissected are about little food people in the dice game.

[bathylychnops]

(jett) jennifer at the gymmm ilove 2 draw my. original characters. in cute outfits i find on pinterestt

jennys favorite color is blue, alot of blue clothing + Sonar suit is blue an white, but when he switched sides and became a villain his radar suit is green and black and only recently hes like. wait WAIT i miss blue alot so jett got a newww villain suit

[ruby-red-inky-blue]

hello, sexiest man alive committee? yes I'd love to nominate Lou Wilson and Brian Murphy for attempting to speed-write an actual in-universe 300-word essay in 5 minutes of real time as Fabian and Riz posing as Fabian with complete earnest and a 120 percent commitment. both this effort and the incredibly smooth hand-off in the middle of it was maybe the most attractive thing i've ever seen a man do

yes it's a dungeons and dragons show. don't put me on hold. hello

[bacchuschucklefuck]

soon it'll be dawn again

transcript under the cut ⏬

page 01

Fig: no way? - you're still up?

Riz: Wh– yes?

Riz: Why'd I not be.

page 02

Fig: I me~~ean - that took.

Fig: whole day.

Riz: Yeah?

Fig: 'm beat.

Riz: you should sleep.

page 03

Fig: nah. my guy's still up

Fig: I wanna hang out.

page 04

Riz: That's really nice.

Fig: Hah! - Nobody ever expects an Archdevil rockstar to be nice.

Riz: … yeah. - 's just budget work tho. (the stuff I'm working on) - I've heard it's boring.

page 05

Fig: yeah, but you do it…

Riz: It keeps things going, right? - Nothing happens if nobody sits down and - does the thing.

Fig: That's right… - though. Yeah.

page 06

Fig: sometimes it's someone else who - doesn't want the same thing to happen.

Riz: … - mm.

page 07

Riz (off screen): …It took me a long time to get that not everyone likes doing what I do. - 's probably because you guys are so nice– - or. - kind.

Riz (off screen): to anyone too, not just. - the people you /love/.

page 08

Riz: that's not how it is elsewhere. - The world's– not. hostile. - but 's not like it's kind.

Riz: So I'm doing as much as I can now… 

page 09

Fig: Hey.

Riz: ?

Fig: Go dig some dirt with me.

page 10

Riz: [blank speech bubble] - oh you meant like - actual dirt. (not incriminating information)

Fig: o yea.

Fig: there's clay in the backyard soil. - sometimes when I'm sun deficient or something I go touch dirt for a bit.

page 11

Fig: here u go

page 12

Riz: uh

Fig: now we make a thing! - 'm pretty good at freehanding a bowl.

Fig: I'll show u

page 13

Fig: just– yep, flatten that out as evenly as u can, then–! - actually ur nails'd be so good at cutting out the strip. [larger than usual space] wait. - wait. wait u can carve patterns with them! we HAVE to try

Riz: uh - What. do I carve?

Fig: anything!!!

page 14

Fig: and– yep just seal the inside uh. seam?

Fig: yep that works - okay time's up! all contestant hands up

Riz: [blank speech bubble] - okay - wh. what's next?

Fig: haha - watch this.

(sound effect text): FWOO—MP

page 15

Riz: WH– DON'T JUST DO THAT???

Fig: Now it's fired!

Riz: THAT WAS NOT SAFE

Fig: (actually it's just dry. if u add water rn it'll dissolve)

Fig: ok catch!

Riz: [blank speech bubble] - careful!!

Fig: dw no need haha

page 16

Riz (thought bubble): oh - it's warm…

Fig: now I want you to throw this.

page 17

Fig: u gotta do it - c'mon

page 18

Riz: wh– - It's like 3AM right now

Fig: oh it's not /fired/ fired it's not gonna make a loud noise

Riz: And then just? leave a pile out here?

Fig: pour water over it & it'll be gone I told u

Riz: but

page 19

Fig (off screen): RIz.

page 20

Fig: I've done all this before.

Fig: Can you trust that at least?

page 21

Riz: no, I– - I do. - I trust you.

page 23

Riz: okay what happens now

(sound effect text): glob

page 24

Fig: we do it again!

page 25

Riz: wh. [larger than usual space] What do you mean. (this clay's too wet also)

Fig: see! you're already learning

Fig: [blank speech bubble] - there are flows that are futile to fight. - The world changes.

Fig: Things change.

page 26

Fig: I've learned my lessons with "forevers". - But - as an artist

Fig: I can give you one thing: - You can always do it again.

page 27

Fig: most of everything depends on the rest of the world, - but this. - making new. - that's yours as long as you want it.

page 28

Fig: So?

page 29

Riz: Yeah. - Yeah! - let's make another one.

[applebees4prez]

the faces murph has been pulling this season have been impeccable. that man always has an Expression when he feels stressed but riz just brings out that extra aw man in him

[nosnexus]

The Truth is Gerard, you’re a damn brave frog. 

Keep up the good work.

[bruqh]

conspiracy brain prediction for new d20 season:

i think aabria is gonna climb up on the table at some point

[variksel]

RIP riz gukgak you wouldve loved being a tumbleypoo sherlock fan in 2014

fabian and riz .... favourite duo like ever atm .... also a list of my riz hcs is under the cut!

[freaky-little-genius]

this was the best part of this episode

Bonus: Lou’s Reaction Close Up

[chompe-diem]

hey. don't cry. audible smile in brian murphy's voice when he says "...but it's good when your friends look out for you" ok?

[stone-stars]

Transcript:

Murph: Uh, and you may now use your pixies! Emily: Finally! Alright, my pixies, uh, first one's gonna go ahead towards, uh, towards the Wraith, and do their once a day Polymorph. Murph, realizing: Oh… Emily: So do a, uh-- Murph: Wait, how many pixies do you have. Emily: Eight. [Murph laughs.] Caldwell: Goodness gracious. Murph: This… is some bullshit. And I love you for it. Emily: (laughs) I am assuming that if he gets messed up, then the rest of these guys'll get messed up. So. First one gonna Polymorph on the Wraith. It has to do-- it's only 12, Wisdom save. Murph: Okay. Uh, first Wisdom save is a 19, passes. Emily: Okay, second one's goin' after 'im. [Jake laughs] Murph: Uh, 15. Emily: Okay that passes. Third one's goin' after 'im. Murph: (inhales) 7. Emily: Fail! Murph: Gonna burn a legendary resistance. Emily: Yeah you will! [Caldwell and Jake laugh.] Murph: This is… Jake: God, I love this game. Murph: This is sneaky and bad. Jake: This is why we listen. Emily: Fourth one's going after him. Murph: Okay. Oh my god, that's another 7. Emily: Is he gonna burn another legendary resistance? Murph: He's gonna burn another legendary resistance. Emily: Okay, fifth one's goin' after him. Murph: That's a-- 13? Emily: 13 passes, but it's actually a 5, so he fails. [Murph and Jake gasp.] Emily: Does he have any more legendary resistances? Murph: One more. Emily: Okay! So he's got-- we've got two more pixies. [Murph laughs.] Jake: Oh my god. [Emily laughs.] Caldwell: Best game in Vegas, let's do it. I like these odds. Murph: I am… flabbergasted. Jesus. Okay! He'll roll again. Emily: So, do another roll. Murph: Okay. I'll roll in front of you, right here. [Caldwell gasps. Emily laughs.] Murph: … that is a 9. Emily: That's a fail! Murph: What do you turn him into? Emily: Imma turn him into a dolphin, of course! [Caldwell cackles.] Murph, as the players laugh in the background: You guys see, as you guys are all riding full speed, on motorcycles. This horseman, just-- the horse, and the man, together turn into a dolphin, and then just begin flopping on the ground and falling behind everybody else. Emily: And there's one pixie left. Because that was the-- there's one pixie left, and that pixie's gonna cast its once a day fly on, uh, Pendergreens' motorcycle. [Caldwell laughs.] So we fly into the sky. Murph: Holy shit. Emily: So that I can attack him from the air. Murph: So you guys just take off-- Pendergreens (Murph): Aw, fuck yeah, this fuckin' rules, man!

[doodlebug-aboo]

“evERYONE STOP TALKING EXCEPT FOR ADAINE!! ..and maybe me” murph the way you embody riz so perfectly <3

[bathylychnops]

jenniferrrrr the strugglerrr

(like right before he faked his deathhh ouu superhero spiralling into insanity & darkness from years of stress and anguish..) its kindof funny like he was like damn ok my superhero friends think im dead now & im registered now as a brand new supervillain. Mission Accomplished. umm what now.. (SURPRISE! YOU'RE TRANSGENDER! BITCH!)

[healthydoseofhedonism]

my favourite moment in the whole show so far

[rpg-queen]

They weren’t able to stay and sign things (boo) but look how gorgeous everyone is!