cptn-bluebeard

[cptn-bluebeard]

happy ten year anniversary of my favorite tumblr post of all time!!!

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I love these two- thanks for the journey, team avatar

[cptn-bluebeard]

In 2025, witness the fall of the Kingdom of Yscalin.

🥀

Among the Burning Flowers, a short prequel to The Priory of the Orange Tree, is publishing in hardback, ebook and audiobook in September 2025.

Told by three characters – Marosa Vetalda, Estina Melaugo, and Aubrecht Lievelyn – it will not only feature another stunning cover from Ivan Belikov, but also beautiful interior illustrations from Rovina Cai. You can pre-order it here.

🥀

Yscalin, land of sunshine and lavender, will soon be ablaze.

It has been centuries since the Draconic Army took wing, almost extinguishing humankind. 

Marosa Vetalda is a prisoner in her own home, controlled by her cold father, King Sigoso. Over the mountains, her betrothed, Aubrecht Lievelyn, rules Mentendon in all but name. Together, they intend to usher in a better world.

A better world seems impossibly distant to Estina Melaugo, who hunts the Draconic beasts that have slept across the world for centuries.

And now the great wyrm Fýredel is stirring, and Yscalin will be the first to fall . . .

[cptn-bluebeard]

My main concern is the timeline for finishing up campaign 3: we have only have Bell’ Hells once this month and then they’re not back until the new year since the Daggerheart live show is broadcasting on the 19th. I’m torn between them getting through the Predathos fight next week or stalling enough that the “finale” is in the new year. I think if they have the Predathos fight next week, then the fallout/end of campaign is going to feel disconnected, but I feel like a “filler” episode/ “fight to the hallowed cage” type episode won’t be as satisfying? Idk, I’m sure they have an idea of how this is going to work.

This also brings up another point of Bell’s Hells ending so soon. A shorter campaign than both VM and MN paired with the fact that it hasn’t been Bell’s Hells the entirety of the campaign, what with the EXU cast and Downfall and the other PC groups, it’s honestly a shame we don’t get to see more of these characters and I think that’s going to be a strike towards Bell’s Hells at the end of all this (like they’re aren’t already at the bottom of a lot of people’s lists, but I absolutely ADORE Bell’s Hells). Also, the lack of certainty about the end for them also sets them apart from the other groups in the sense of the first two had a clear goal of “defeat the bad guy” while Bell’s Hells has a lot more complexity and nuance to their decision they still need to figure out at the literal last minute. I’m intrigued and excited to see where we go but also a little saddened that they aren’t sharing the same gravitas overall.

[cptn-bluebeard]

At this point I am convinced some people are watching this show solely via the subtitle files, because that's the only thing that explains drastically misunderstanding everything that's not spelled out in dialogue to this extent.

Honestly some of the most embarrassing mass failure of media literacy I've ever seen. It's not even complicated stuff, it's basic text comprehension and story fluency.

- No, Caitlyn's "I know!" is not anger at being called out; she's saying she is very, very painfully aware of what she's done wrong. Watch it again.

- No she didn't take the guards away or go to the cell to have sex with Vi. TF?!?

It was Vi who initiated; Caitlyn was surprised she did.

She pulled the guards away to help Vi if/when she chose to do what she knows her well enough to know she probably would. Vi makes her choice - Caitlyn doesn't "let" her, she just supports it, because it's Vi's choice to make.

Vi has no idea she's done this until after, it doesn't affect her "agency" at all. That's not what any of those words mean!

- She did this as a direct acknowledgement of and response to Vi's previous criticisms.

You are supposed to be able to make the very, very minimal leap of imagination required to understand what the show is telling you here; that she is genuinely sorry, genuinely committed to getting her shit together, and that she has heard and received every word that Vi has told her.

The reason this gesture is so important is that it demonstrates she's now going out on a limb to put herself, her resources, and her privilege to work for the greater good.

You should not need the show to sit you down and spell this out to you step by step Barney the Dinosaur style.

- She works very hard and sacrifices quite a lot to try to do right by people after fucking up so badly before, but not before very explicitly acknowledging that she can't undo the harm she's already done. And this isn't even an inference thing, she actually even says this bit out loud twice, and you still somehow missed it.

- For $5, what do you think the show was suggesting by having Sevika take up her seat, her final costume have no Enforcer uniform elements, and having her allude to an ongoing struggle. Come on, guess.

I am loathe to call people stupid just because some tv show stuff sailed over their heads, but... y'all are legitimately testing that. This is not exactly The Holy Mountain or something, it is very straightforward storytelling.

And just... I mean why would you be this loud about anything without making sure you didn't have it ass backways first?!? In public!?!? 💀

You guys, you have to watch shows to know what is happening in them.

[cptn-bluebeard]

The Legend of Korra ended with Korra and Asami holding hands so Arcane could have Caitlyn and Vi go absolutely feral in a jail cell today

What a difference 10 years of representation makes

[cptn-bluebeard]

"give us more complex well written flawed female characters and queer relationships"

Nah, you guys ain't even ready to maturely understand CaitVi yet.

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If I have to read “did anyone notice…?” And it’s the the most obvious shot/scene that they most definitely wanted the viewer to see, I am going to crash out.

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"We want more complex female characters" you can't even handle an angry, grieving daughter who just had her mother killed by her future wife's sister, shut the fuck up

[cptn-bluebeard]

Someday Ticketmaster will realize no one should be able to resell tickets at absurd prices…

Also a big fuck you to anyone who snagged those tickets from fans of CR just to list them and never, ever sell them again.

[cptn-bluebeard]

The absolute beauty of seeing the cast fall seamlessly back into Vox Machina at the level of maturity that comes with 30+ years of experience. I know with all the TLOVM stuff going on it would feel like common sense to say, “yeah these characters are fresh” but in reality they’re picking up after YEARS (in game and at the table) and after Matt has breathed life into them again. Oh it was sooooo so good to be back with them.

Also, Kiki and Vex remain hot as hell. The rest of them are aging like fine wine, and Cerkonos just bare chested and stoic was so hot.

[cptn-bluebeard]

Called it!!!! Vox Machina it is your time to shine today!!!!!

Side note: the Halloween costumes are the funniest yet, and the “Wow, Nic Cage has some range” and the pure coincidence of Bells Hells descending to the Hallowed Cage is hilarious.

It would definitely add to the chaos, but I wonder if we’ll switch to Vox Machina tonight to see the beginning of their assault on the Malleus Key because it feels like that should come first in the sequence of events even though they’re happening simultaneously. Of course Bells Hells’ encounter with Ludinus will come last, but the Mighty Nein fighting the Weave Mind also feels like a bigger, more drawn out and deliberate encounter that requires time compared to Vox Machina fucking shit up on the ground. Either way, if tonight is the Halloween dress up episode it’s going to be a delightful chaotic mess with everyone jumping back and forth between characters and being dressed up as completely different universes.

[cptn-bluebeard]

It would definitely add to the chaos, but I wonder if we’ll switch to Vox Machina tonight to see the beginning of their assault on the Malleus Key because it feels like that should come first in the sequence of events even though they’re happening simultaneously. Of course Bells Hells’ encounter with Ludinus will come last, but the Mighty Nein fighting the Weave Mind also feels like a bigger, more drawn out and deliberate encounter that requires time compared to Vox Machina fucking shit up on the ground. Either way, if tonight is the Halloween dress up episode it’s going to be a delightful chaotic mess with everyone jumping back and forth between characters and being dressed up as completely different universes.

[cptn-bluebeard]

Yeah, it was different(and they told us it would be, not a shock), but I loved every minute of it. I’ve never been so invested in a show before and I’m so happy we get to see these characters undergo different challenges and see how they rise to the occasion. So ready for season 4 and how they potentially wrap up VM’s story. The endless possibilities now that they’re getting to the year-long break in campaign is so great, give them a rest pleeeeasasseee.

[cptn-bluebeard]

Coming out of Eps 7-9 knowing people are gonna have Opinions™ while munching my popcorn is part of the fun for me.

[cptn-bluebeard]

I know Peter and Sam have been having fun with the music for TLOVM, but the song over Vex finding Percy was way too much and ruined the scene a little for me…. Also it was really really loud compared to the dialogue that if I hadn’t had subtitles, probably would’ve missed anything they were saying.

[cptn-bluebeard]

Matt: Well, what do you guys see?

The table: devolves into pure chaos