#C4:CR

[skeine]

not gonna lie i am stoked for this third option of the gods tasting what it's like to be a mortal for the first time, without the comfortable escape chute back to divinity of their last jaunt.

one of the many tragedies downfall unearthed was understanding the horror of what entering reality did to the gods: crystallizing these beings of limitless possibilty in the singular moment of their greatest agony, be it pain or rage or love, and trapping them there for all eternity. even worse was seeing ayden watching trist and father milo circle each other with such resignation and realizing—oh. they are so very aware of exactly how trapped they are. what must it be like to stare down eternity with this terrible understanding? no wonder asmodeus is so desperate for escape he'll try to murder his own family. can he even see it as anything but a mercy?

but now, they finally have the chance to become something more than what that first tragedy made of them. returning to that limitless possibilty they were born with.

it's a brilliant choice, so much that i'll bet at least some of the gods were chewing it over even before imogen ever brought it up. not to mention the narrative side: the stories this opens up of glory and ruin committed by these fledgling divine mortals learning how to navigate their new mortality and the world they're joining. finally living as one of their children, instead of above them.

[dadrielle]

I am SUPER curious about how this version of gods-in-mortal-form will operate, because it sounds like the Matron intends to do it a different way than they did in Downfall. In Downfall, they just had a piece of themselves in the mortal body and the rest of their divinity was kinda chilling offscreen still being a god. This iteration is meant to be an inversion of the rites done by Vecna instead, right?

So it stands to reason all that excess divinity is gonna go somewhere; lifeforce being expelled instead of being consumed. Will it fully leave them and get tossed into space like a milkbone for Predathos? Will it splinter and transmute into a power other than divinity and infuse the world and its people? Will it shift into a well of power that the gods can choose to reclaim after their mortal form remembers their origin? And how much power will these mortal gods have anyway? Will they just be regular ass people with the potential to tap into knowledge beyond what mortals now know when they remember? Will the worship of their followers make them like Artagan, not technically divine anymore but still able to empower followers? Will they start as babies immediately or will their first newly mortal lives be humanized avatars of their original state, stripped of power, so that they will only experience a full start to finish mortal life after they are consecuted? Would the range of consecution for a mortal god be different than for a regular mortal? How will it all interact with the Luxon?

It's all so interesting.

[somewhatsentientspellbook]

I've been thinking about potential ways the next episode or two will go, considering we're in the final strokes of C3. Right now, we're in a weird grey area where it's not clear what the Imogen/Predathos situation will be

That said, this campaign featured several breaks from our main party. We had Team Wildemount and Team Issylra, the Crown Keepers, the Brass Ring, the Downfall crew, Vox Machina, and the Mighty Nein

Quite frankly, I fail to see how a party half-spent from fighting Ludinus is in a place to defeat the BBEG single-handedly. It's more likely, then, that the Predathos battle will bring back some old parties

I'm specifically imagining a two-part boss battle where Bells Hells battle Imogen/Predathos and separate them (with Imogen dying/surviving in the process). However, separating the two of them frees Predathos from Ruidus, and it begins to tear down the Divine Gate to get to its prey. The second part of the boss battle then becomes Predathos vs the Gods. Maybe it's just our regular players, maybe it's the Downfall players, maybe it's a mix of both, or a new table configuration altogether. But I find it hard to believe that the pantheon will turn tail and run immediately (like Corellon believes). I think at least a few will want to stay in Exandria to kill Predathos once and for all

[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.

[danwhobrowses]

Well Critters the year is almost up, at least for me here in England. Aside from the general pensiveness and reflection of the past year, it also means I'm about to (technically) complete my first full year of following the CR episodes as they came out; a year full of twists, turns, uprisings, downfalls, and just so much going on - only for the campaign to now be nearing its end.

We knew the end was coming sure, but since December's 4SD announced itself as the last of the campaign the number of episodes remaining has grown more finite, likely to be around 1-4 more episodes, and confronting the end is very different to acknowledging it ending. Admittedly in the confronting part I've become a liiiiittle bit of a mess, loaded with panic and worry beyond my own control; I sometimes tell myself that I'm being silly, they're fictional characters, the story's likely already recorded its end, and I never had any control or influence on the story to begin with, but as expected such attempts are both hollow and in vain. It's been a while since I was this invested in a story, or fandom for that matter, and the fact that most key and decisive moments will be determined by dice rolls continuously does nothing to soothe my nerves, or my uncertainties towards how it'll end - after all, the hardest battle has yet to be fought, the biggest decisions yet to be made, and Ludinus Da'leth is way WAY too calm about being trapped in a Force Cage for my liking.

I wonder if the fear and dread was the same for those watching the end of the previous two campaigns? If it was more or less than it is now by comparison? In hindsight, while the final stage so far feels more grounded compared to the more spectacular, massive miniature, larger-than-life endgame battles against Vecna and Lucien's Neo-Somnovem phases, it feels like the stakes are riskier for Bells Hells, on a low Level 15 with no cleric, dismal openings for additional support, and little wiggle room to get creative, especially since killing Ludinus - who continues to be touted as the 'strongest mage of our time' and could get even stronger depending on which way Matt goes with him - alone potentially won't end the overarching conflict, though he should still die nonetheless. At the very least I want the Hells (as we have for VM and the Nein) to all be free to live happily, be it settling down, embarking on new adventures, or just being the best they can be - and doing so with the people that mean the most to them - and at the very most I want them to make the best and kindest decision for the world as a whole, which I hope they get the chance and take the opportunity to do so.

It's still difficult to ready myself for it ending mind you, since I could have very easily spent another year with these idiots and still not be fully ready to say goodbye to them. On that however, I know not everyone shares my sentiment; some are truly ready for the campaign to be over and for C4 for explode (pun intended) onto the scene with brand new characters that in a few years time we'll also likely be unready to say goodbye to, and that's fine. But for all that can and will be said about Campaign 3 - positively and critically - it has very much delighted, disheveled, and deranged me for most of the year, usually at my desk of work, so trying to brace myself for the climax has, and continues to be, a lot of mental effort. Keeping myself positive and hopeful in these situations is tough especially when on the verge of a big battle; sometimes the negative thoughts creep in, Youtube videos full of pessimists and clickbait titles appearing unwantedly on my recommendations don't help, nor does the memory of what happened the last time the Hells were in a major boss battle at the tail end of their time on Ruidus, but when the campaign does end I want it to be looked upon fondly, and a lot of that does hinge on its conclusion. Obviously, I trust the group and Matt's storytelling, but that is only to an extent; defeating Ludinus is something I know Bells Hells are capable of doing - so long as the dice gods play ball and Matt doesn't inexplicably overbuff Ludinus to the nth degree like he did with Otohan - but the Predathos decision remains the root and focal point of the campaign's criticisms for good reason, often overshadowing and playing obstacle to character growth and direction. There is a satisfying and spectacular conclusion in there, but navigating it - even for a group that embraces 'when given two options, we pick option 3' more times than not - let alone achieving it is a very delicate path of fine margins, one that can indeed make or break the campaign - and a lot of my worries lie there, that and approaching/confronting an entity so voracious and eager to escape that it makes the gods terrified enough to deliberate breaking down the Divine Gate.

Without talking more to death about the god stuff and Predathos thing like we the fandom have already done aplenty, there's not much else I can say except that I'm worried but also trying to be hopeful. The campaign ending in tragedy or a pyrrhic victory is possible but it's not an outcome I personally desire or want to entertain. You could perhaps aptly translate that to my general feelings towards the new year too; having wants and wishes, hopes and hesitancies, fears and fandom, just currently a bit more compressed here than it is for the full year - and given our recent run of the years playing dystopia simulator, I'm more hopeful in one than the other right now - and perhaps it would do good to start the year with something to smile about. Right now, it's just that it's happening; it's happening, it's soon, and it's very apparent how close we are to finishing, which means I'm panicking and rambling, and panicking, and of course, rambling. I don't know what emotions will January send me through, but I do hope with all my being that they'll be positive ones.

So whether or not you reached the end of this, I wish you all a Happy New Year and, much like the end of Campaign 3, I hope it's a good one.

[criticalbeauregard]

closest we've ever gotten to poly party the prophecy is nearly complete

[darewitchstr]

Posting this to come back later on and compare, here are the class I would love to see CR do. I forced myself to only have one per player and no repeat, which was really hard

[slotheloather]

Hey I'm literally just tuning in to the finale to see where it all ended up so grain of salt... But if every single person I'm seeing post abt CR wants the primary villain to just shut up fuck off go away... I don't think that bodes well, in general, for a story.

[thescrabblesmcjellyfish]

I wonder if Otohan managed to kill FCG would that have exalted Fearne? Like maybe as soon as she found out Fearne was ruidus born why not do it again?

She was waaaay too intrigued when she sensed it in her

[korecrimson]

I can't believe we're already at the end of campaign 3/ I'm very nervous about what they've got planned for campaign 4, ngl.

[pinkestpurple]

I actually didnt used to like Sam, bc i didnt watch Vox Machina and for the things that people said Scanlan looked like those characters that make rape jokes and that kind of bullshit. But then i watched TLOVM and Scanlan was okay and of course i watched C3 and realized what a kind player Sam is, he makes choices so other people can shine, he really loves this game and his friends, idk i just love Sam as a player, and cant wait to see what he does nexts

[yoursdearlyeve]

r/fansofcriticalrole is so bitter about Daggerheart and Candela as if Darrington Press crew personally shits in their breakfast

[undead-knick-knack]

Just making a custom coffee mug for Relvin Temult 😊

[staticrevelations]

becoming more and more convinced that Predathos has corrupted or made some kind of pact with Ludinus the way Vespin did with Asmodeus and that Predathos corrupts those connected to Ruidus like Lilliana and we're effectively heading towards a potential second mini-Calamity

[asph0de1]

Caught up with C3, and I honestly don't understand the criticism. Just Tumblr being Tumblr I guess. One trope I don't love in dnd is the 'goodie vs baddie' Disney-style story arch. In the dnd campaign I DM, it's difficult to push my players to attack the enemies because you want the NPCs to mean something. You want your players to see your world and the campaign as more than just initiative order and XP collecting. A story is best when the enemies have a purpose that isn't just 'I'm evil'. What's interesting about this campaign is it has taken this thought a step further, and we have come to a place where the Players are fighting the 'baddie' because they feel they must but haven't thought about whether they should. They have had to trust in shady characters and now they are at the decision point with questionable evidence and the end of the world in their grasp.

When the NPCs are flawed and confusing, and the PCs are flawed and confusing, it makes for a storyline where you can't see how it's going to end. And that's new. It brings to light so many more questions, and is far more true to life.

This campaign is so fascinating because there is no good option for the players. They're stuck between a rock (that they can funnel into a harness if they want) and a bad-place (a prison for a god-eater), and it might just be that Bells Hells are the slightly-stronger-than-your-average, egotistical-and-damaged, not-so-innocent bystanders who helped bring on the end of the world.

The storyline that Bells Hells actually have very little control over their fate is wonderful and fascinating. Particularly when they entered Predathos's prison and can see their golden kizuna fate threads connecting them - no matter what bad 'choices' they make, it's been predetermined. Ira and Ludinus will see to it that this whole thing sees it's conclusion. The end of the world is so much bigger than them - I love how their decision to enter into Predathos was mainly because 'if we don't then someone else will'. It's hopeless. It's ego. It's fatalistic. It's dumb. It's human. Matt is a wonderful storyteller and I'm so enjoying the fatalistic conclusion to this campaign.

It's going to be painful, and it might be an ending where the players aren't the good guys. But how refreshing is that.

The God Eater

[sw5w]

Naboo Soldiers Move In

STAR WARS EPISODE I: The Phantom Menace 01:47:13