#I actually don't really get FCG and the Changebringer

[cranesofibycus]

some c3e89 reflections

Fully losing my mind over all the cast's theories they talk about in the ep89 cooldown. The city being a massive funnel for Ludinus to suck up Predathos? Liliana thinking she can prevent The Worst Outcome, while insisting that Ludinus has some undisclosed redeeming qualities? Ashley continuously questioning the existence of Predathos? I love it. And I particularly love all the conversations about the gods, their importance for the world, questioning Liliana's assessment of them as tyrants, and that you can live your whole life on Exandria without knowing more than the gods' names. I also found their discussion of who deserves to come to Exandria interesting. They didn't really get too far into it, but the idea of a stolen homeland and the need for some sort of "restoration" is definitely something I've been thinking about since they've met some of the Ruidus peoples - there are some colonial/native parallels shining through. And just in general, it's wholly fascinating that even now - on the moon - it seems like, other than Orym and FCG, none of the Hells are actually particularly convinced that saving the Gods is necessary and worthwhile. They know that Ludinus is bad news, but they aren't in it to save the divine. I like that this leads to great in- and out-of-character discussions, but it must be difficult for each of them to find their motivation to put it all on a line for a cause that they only circumstantially stumbled into.

[danwhobrowses]

Spoilers for Critical Role Campaign 3 Episode 104 Below

So with Orym's Seedling getting blessed by the Wildmother to now be Vestige-tier as a 'Relic of the Red Solstice' I thought I'd indulge myself and throw in which of the gods I think/want to bless the rest of the Hells with in order to give them Relics and why.

Imogen - The Stormlord Why - Easiest of the bunch after Orym, she is the storm after all and she likes her lightning magic, flying and projectiles. The Knowing Mistress may be a secondary option but I think the Stormlord has this one on lock, likely enhancing her damage output or overall spellcasting.

Laudna - The Matron of Ravens Why - Given Laudna's connection and affinity for the dark and spooky it seems the best fit. You could go and juxtapose with the Dawnfather given the Sun Tree or have the Arch Heart help her believe in her own magic but I think the Matron would be the best fit. Laudna's enhancement may fall more into damage avoidance than increased damage through the Matron, or something to hinder enemy saves.

Chetney - The All Hammer Why - The god of crafting hasn't gotten any real chances to shine in the past 3 campaigns, but he is the best fit for the toymaker. The Moonweaver may be an option given lycanthropy, and I wouldn't put it past Travis wanting to get a vestige from a Betrayer God but adding more options for Travis to be creative is always a solid recipe. For that maybe a Relic that changes shape or can make some summonings would work for Chet.

Fearne - The Moonweaver Why - While the Arch Heart - forefather of fey, Dawnfather - given the fire powers, or a double dip from the Wildmother are options, I think the Moonweaver best suits Fearne given how they're both known for their mischief and flirtiness. Also the Unseelie Court hate her so it'd be a nice dig at Zathuda. She also has a moon sickle, which may be the thing that gets enhanced if not her staff. Since the Titan shard already increases her firepower the Moonweaver could perhaps help with damage avoidance in an illusionary way, or improve her spellcasting and concentration saves.

Braius - The Lord of Lies Why - Braius is a difficult one actually. The As hole hasn't actually made contact with him so why give a vestige-like power? Problem is that there's not many other options given how he doesn't like the Primes. The Ruiner or Dread Emperor might be an option just for damage output. We've not seen too much of Braius but from what we've seen of him in combat he holds himself pretty well, so you'd probably expect something to enhance that maybe in a more hellish way. We'd also have to figure out how he'll contact a Betrayer in Vassalheim...

Dorian - The Changebringer Why - Dorian is the most difficult imo because although he's naturally good and considerate there isn't really a god he's been seen to lean on. I doubt he'd accept favour from the Matron or Wildmother after the Opal incident, but the god all about finding your own path may suit Dorian's mental state right now. The Lawbearer (to parallel with Orym getting the Wildmother's blessing), Arch Heart and Knowing Mistress are options too, but the latter already favoured a bard once before so you probably don't want to do repetition there. All manner of things can be enhanced for Dorian equipment-wise, it'll likely be an instrument though, which means their relic will likely enhance support and damage suppression.

Ashton - The Everlight Why - While I know the Coin of the Changebringer is right there, the Changebringer was FCG's god, not Ashton's - they have to walk their own path, providing that they are willing to accept a god's blessing. While the Ruiner may offer something to lure Ashton into given the promise of violence, or the Arch Heart proposing an enhancement of unique magic, I am sticking with my earlier mentioning that the Everlight is perhaps the god who can benefit Ashton the most as a person. It seems unorthodox but Ashton at their core wants to protect the people they care about; healing, temperance and redemption are all key to that, and like Fearne since the Titan powers increases their damage output already, perhaps Ashton's relic would be something to help them take more damage so others don't have to.

[inconmess]

The sheer insanity of today's episode?

I mean daaaaaamn

The poor emissary. The amount of failed modify memories and his fate because of it… If only you had a lower save…

Technically too many hits to the head should've caused him brain damage anyway

I mean BH are chaotic but this was next level even for them!

Summoning Bor'dor as a guard dog??

The staged play?

The constant shifting of plans? Let's talk, no let's kill. No no no no TALK! Nvm, kill it is he's not talking and we don't want to leave evidence. Bells Hells - the Cleaning Crew, people

The sheer amount of fails on Bane and Modify memory and silvery barbs??? If FCG trying to commune with the changebringer was one thing, this is the next level. At the beginning of the episode and the end of the episode

Matt: You need 4 Marisha: *rolls 1* Matt: You need 3 and above Marisha: *rolls 1* Matt: You need 2 and above Marisha: ... *rolls 1*

That die had a bad day today and Matt's had a really good one

Gaes is back baby! Also poor Dorian the whole time at Nana Morri's place. Looked kinda spooked and miserable and it's a fair reaction

Also I wanna say the Sorrowlord will be missed but really, I don't feel it. Good conversation and a really interesting end tho. The Loom was certainly something. Killing him was a decision tho... I feel sorry for Gloamglut :(

And BH finally have a conversation. Effective maybe not but at least everyone has put most of their thoughts on the table?

Ashton commenting about coin flipping, cold

Chet being the only one to actually ask Imogen and Fearne

Orym… Put his point across really well tbh. And I kinda agree. It's it really worth putting a whole population at risk trusting an unknown entity just because you want the gods gone???

I get trusting no one than trusting yourself *flashbacks to the crown keepers* but is it really better in the longer run?

The crisis of faith I guess will happen regardless. Either due to the gods running, the clip of Aeor or something totally different. Also Braius commune??? And his night with Morri? (I think)

[flurry-of-beaus-pop-pop]

Thought.

What if the Bells Hells just never work through their shit?

This entire campaign we have all been sitting here, just waiting for the party to take a moment, to have that moment of realization... for Chetney to take things a bit more seriously and not hide behind humor, for Laudna to stand up against the influence that is Delilah, for FCG to have the confidence in himself to make decisions without the assistance of the Changebringer, for Fearne to realize that she doesn't always have to be the class clown and that she can be vulnerable, for Imogen to realize that there is more to a person than their thoughts, for Orym to actually share how he is feeling instead of always putting everyone else and everything else before him, for Ashton to realize that misery isn't a competition and that things can suck for them AND things can suck for others as well...

But no matter how patiently we sat there, no matter how long we waited, we ended the episode feeling disappointed, feeling like there was something missing, and feeling like we were banging our heads against a wall.

These past few episodes have made me realize... what if we're all walking away from each episode disappointed because we're all waiting for something that is never going to happen instead of accepting the reality of the situation that is right in front of us.

These characters aren't in a situation where they can take a pause to figure shit out, not to the extent that they need, because no, a team-building retreat in the Fey Realm isn't going to do it. They aren't in a situation to necessarily debate the morality of decisions like whether or not it's okay to harness the power of the horrible Delilah Briarwood or if it's okay to know what people are thinking without consent or if you should kill you morther if it comes down to it or to take the time to truly process the dark version of yourself you saw in a mirror or any of the other stuff they have to work through.

Right now, the only thing they really have time to focus on is that if they don't do something, the world could end.

What does this mean?

I think it means that instead of getting a campaign where the members of the party go through their redemption character arcs, we're going to get an arc where they embrace the dark, and embrace the messy, because that's the only way they're going to have a chance

[utilitycaster]

Any thoughts on FCG's first commune with the Changebringer?

LOVED IT.

I think my initial frustrations with FCG are extremely well-documented, but I've been a huge fan of FCG exploring faith - as I've said elsewhere, for all this is a robot flipping a coin, it's genuinely one of the more thoughtful portrayals of how grappling with religion as an institution and a philosophy actually looks like. Like, for all FCG has professed so much belief, his first question is "are you real".

I've loved all the explorations of religion on Critical Role, to be honest, and have found that they've covered a wide range of experiences - but until this campaign, it's always fallen into two categories:

people who have been followers of a deity since childhood (Pike, Jester, Caduceus)

people who have been rescued by or made a promise to a deity for something incredibly important (Vax, Yasha, Fjord; to a lesser extent Vex and Scanlan; this is also where Deanna falls)

FCG is just here because they're exploring! They're here because they didn't know how to feel about the fact that they were, demonstrably, put on this planet as an assassin, and killed many of their friends, and the same person who told them about the Care and Culling also said "hey, change and reinvention and finding a different path are possible; I believe this utterly, and here is the token of my belief." He's not really asking for anything other than "is there someone out there who sees me as more than what I think I am." Honestly, while it frustrated me earlier that he had no source for his powers? It means that this is truly entirely coming from him. Like, I don't think it lessens the devotion of other characters that they have gained benefits or abilities from their gods or feel they owe them something. But it's also fascinating that FCG is not (for example) like Fjord, trying to find a way out of a bad deal, or like Vax, trying to save someone he loves, or like the characters who have had cleric powers reliant on their deities from such a young age that it is central to their identity. This is purely voluntary.

In some ways, it's the most realistic depiction of real-world religion because like...man, I don't know if anything's out there. I do not believe there is an old dude in the sky, and I think religion, when it is at its best, is a consolidation of a community-oriented philosophical and moral framework that we hang on a made-up anthropomorphic entity because abstract concepts are hard and concrete things are easy and ritual is grounding. I don't think I will be struck down by lightning if I eat bacon, and especially as someone who has something of a "do what feels right" approach to what practices I follow I in fact know I won't be struck down by lightning if I break some. And yeah, it's an arbitrary accident of birth and circumstance that I am the religion I am. But also, I don't get Guiding Bolt out of it, so it's a wash.

However, unlike me, or any of the many people who fall neither on the "I believe this utterly" or hard-line atheist scale but rather somewhere in the vast in-between, FCG worships a god we know is real and actually gets to ask them some questions. And when they do all they ask for is whether the Changebringer is real, and sees them, and what they can do, and that's an incredibly beautiful moment. Commune is one of those spells you can use to try to just get answers and none of this is about that. It's just about a connection. And particularly in the wake of what FCG has just witnessed, and the fact that the gods have withdrawn slightly, it says a lot that this worked.

[masterqwertster]

Ok don’t publish it if you don’t have to but man this weekend is bumming me right out with this “

Yeah, there is certainly some aggression going on against people wishing for resurrection because others find it a poignant narrative that a sacrifice can't be undone, that it lasts and has consequences, that it puts weight to the stakes. And they think that coming back to life after specifically doing something you know will 100% kill you cheapens sacrifice.

Personally, I think that being brought back after you willingly and knowingly and successfully gave your life for others tells a story of how much you're loved. It's your friends saying "Fuck that. You're going to live. We're all going to live. We'll keep dragging each other back until we can't anymore, so fucking be here and fight."

It also adds another level of desperation to be stronger, smarter, to not be caught like that ever again because who knows if you can get them back next time (and however many times you fail after that). Resurrections get harder ever time a person is brought back. This is part of what bit Scanlan's ass right before Bard's Lament: the Revivify didn't take, so the rest of Vox Machina brought in his daughter to call him back during the Resurrection (which he hated) and got the chance to be dicks about bringing him back with the dumb pranks, all of which led to setting Scanlan off. And sure, Bells Hells had that desperation to keep each other alive from the Bassuras fight, but that doesn't mean that the sentiment can't be further sharpened even when you've managed to steal back all the lives of your party members that she took.

Honestly, I think that just having Chet and FCG die against the Murder Machine of Otohan after Bells Hells specifically and successfully went to efforts to get stronger still ups the stakes even if both end up revived. "All our might and we still faced that loss. It would have been all of us if FCG didn't make that play. We still cannot face the enemy leadership head-on as we are. We must get stronger still."

And I really think there's some fun character development to be had in giving FCG a flesh body. Will he actually like what they've envied about the others? How does one handle a completely new body that they're grateful for (that they should be grateful for, otherwise they'd be dead) but is just so different from what they know? Yes, FCG had that last moment clarity that he was in fact already fully alive, but there's definitely some "alive in the flesh" things to explore.

And more faith to explore too. Like, did he get to meet the Changebringer and talk with her in the afterlife? The Raven Queen? Speaking of just being in the afterlife, what about meeting Eshteross again? The other members of the Division of Public Benefit that he killed?

Also, I'm not sure how big a fan I am of the heavy breakdowns that will happen if FCG isn't resurrected. Bells Hells is suffering pretty good as is and I'd like them to have some happiness inbetween all the Moon Bullshit. Conflict drives a story, but you need soft moments to wind it down between heavy moments.

Because truthfully, most of what you get from keeping FCG dead is a bunch of breakdowns in the party without it's most optimistic member who actually advocates for communication, which they all suck at for various personal reasons. And a push towards the Villain Arc path that, honestly, a few are walking just fine without FCG staying dead and/or can still be pushed further down it just by the fact that he decided to kill himself to save their asses when no one wants to let any of the others go.

I do think that as far as martyrdom goes, what FCG did took a nice step away from "giving my life because it's worth less than any one of theirs and I think dying for a cause will give me absolution for the people I rage killed" and into "giving my life because it will save them and I don't know what else to do that will save them." There are certainly posts that get into the distinction between those choices better than I have. Which is where I think the "best ending for FCG" idea comes from, as it happened under the "best" reasoning for FCG to martyr himself. And to a certain degree, people have decided that martyrdom was unavoidable for FCG or that he was just highly prone to it and this was a good time/way to do it.

Still doesn't change that a self-sacrificing character did in fact sacrifice themself, though. Or that it didn't have to be the end that FCG met.

And I understand to some degree how Everyone Comes Back to Life if You Try can feel like it undermines the stakes. Because if no one stays dead, what do you have to fear from walking into mortal danger? Everyone will be fine right? Which is wrong. There is still trauma in dying, even when you're brought back. The realization of mortality, the struggle to steal back a life when it's not just a quick prayer in the heat of battle. And the ever looming possibility that you do it right and it's still not enough to steal them back.

Also, from the wider in-the-game-world's perspective: Resurrection is rare as shit and only people with immense wealth, connections, and/or power even have a shot at it.

Even mechanically it's not easy. You have to mind time limits, expensive costs, body conditions, spell levels and slots, not to mention that the dice can always say no.

So yes, Bells Hells probably needs to go to less effort to Reincarnate FCG than they did to resurrect Laudna because all they're missing is components while they have the likes of Keyleth who kind of owe them for Moon Scouting and killing Otohan and should be able to provide.

[radama-zard]

Dungeons & Drabbles 2023

Day 7 - Disappear

(Warning in advance that this one gets kinda angsty~)

-----------------------

FCG Centric Angst + FCG & Ashton

What… What had happened?

One moment, Fresh Cut Grass had been beside their friends, fighting Ludinus and kicking his sorry ass! The next, there had been a flash, a pain that felt beyond the realms of all comprehension, and then… then silence. Darkness.

And now this.

There was a blurry sight before him. His friends? Yeah! His friends! And they were seemingly rejoicing? Had they won? Was this all finally over?

Fresh Cut Grass couldn't help but give a hollar of joy, wheeling over to join the rest of the Hells. They were battered, bleeding and bruised, but the smiles they held were unmistakable. There was a joy there that couldn't be touched, a laughter that rang joyously through the smoldering battlefield.

“We did it! I can't believe we actually fuckin’ DID IT!” Ashton damn near shouted, pumping a fist into the air as Fearne threw her arms around him as she dissolved into relieved, almost euphoric laughter.

“And we all made it through!”

“Not a heartbeat lost!” Imogen added, playfully ribbing Laudna in the side, who simply beamed down at her girlfriend, pulling her in for a breathtaking kiss.

“We were impeccably lucky, my dear~ Imagine if that blast had hit anyone else but them?”

Fresh Cut Grass paused in their excited rocking at that comment, a dash of hurt smacking them over the head, in what had otherwise been a sea of celebration.

“That blast still hurt real bad!” They interjected, huffing just a tad. And yet… there was no response. Heck, no one even so much as looked his way! Why… why were they ignoring him? Had he done something wrong?

“That would have been a grim tragedy,” Orym said, with a deeply heavy sigh. “I don't know if I could have taken another loved one dying…”

“Buck up, soldier boy!” Chetney barked out with a grin, his words punctuated by a playful smack upside Orym’s head. “We only lost the pile of scrap metal. Nothing important. That was some bitchin’ luck we had going for us! Figured all our asses would be ash by now!”

What… What were they saying?

This had to be some kind of cruel joke, right? Yeah! That’s right! This was a joke! It wasn't a funny one by any stretch of the imagination, and Fresh Cut Grass hadn't felt so- so hurt like this since… Dancer. B-But hey! Maybe it was the stress of the fight messing with their judgment and humor? Wasn't dark humor a typical coping strategy for heart beat folk?

“Al- Alright, you guys have had your fun! This joke ain’t funny though. That blast really did hurt and so did your words!”

“Fuuuck…” Ashton muttered, a look of realization flashing before their eyes. At that, Fresh Cut Grass felt their core calm down, only realizing now just what an awful buzzing mess it had been. This whole things must have really been stressin’ them out!

“I just realized… I’ll never have to hear them harpin’ on about that fuckin’ Changebringer and her bitch ass brigade of gods ever again! Thank FUCK!"

Ice.

Everything suddenly felt as cold as ice.

They… They hadn't even known they could feel cold until right this very second.

“Ughhhh! That was always so annoying!” Fearne whined, her eyes rolling dramatically as she dropped a hand upon her popped hip. “I was always real tempted to melt his yappy little head, along with that stupid coin of his!”

“I really should have finished the job when they first snapped and tried to murder us all…”

“I should have let ya, Laud. Sorry I stopped you…”

“It’s alright, Imogen~ What’s done is done, hm~? And he’s rather dead now, so what does it matter?”

“At least that pompous fuck was good for something!”

“Despite all the deaths and suffering he caused… I have to agree,” Orym responded, sheathing his blood slicked sword. “Of all the lives he snuffed out… I’m glad that Fresh Cut Grass was one of them. He died with at least one good deed to his soul.”

Was it possible for aeormatons to feel sick?

It absolutely shouldn't have been, and yet… yet sick was what they felt. A deep, twisting nausea they’d only ever heard about swirled through them, leaving their hands quivering and something… thick and slick trailing down his face plate.

Tears?

No, they couldn't be tears. He couldn't cry.

… Right?

There was nothing to be made sense of right now though.

Not as their friends laughed, so bright and free in their cruelty, in their relief at his…

His death.

Was he really dead?

A flick of a hand, so unsure and unsteady, sliding right through Ashton’s rumbling chest, was all the confirmation they needed.

Dead.

They were dead.

They were dead and everyone was glad.

And here he was, left to watch his friends gleefully express their joy, to state just how <b>happy</b> they were that they’d never once have to see him again.

And all FCG could do was watch.

Was… Was this what true despair tasted like?

The bitterness sunk deep into their soul, seeping into the cracks as it ever so slowly shattered.

Deeper and deeper, into the darkness they sank, wishing for nothing more than for themself to vanish, to disappear permanently.

Then, a hand, firm and heavy.

Shaking.

A shout, desperate and concerned,

Light.

Ashton's deeply worried face crept into focus, their hand gripped tight upon his shoulder from where he’d been shaking them.

“Thank fuck…” he whispered, a heavy breath falling from their lips as Ashton pulled Fresh Cut Grass in for a rare and wonderfully crushing hug. “You started whimpering and wincing in your sleep, then there was oil leakin’ from your lenses and you started crying out and… and you wouldn't wake up, Letters. Scared the shit outta me.”

“A-Ashton?” Fresh Cut Grass croaked on out, their whole chassis quivering every bit as much as it had been… before. What had just happened? Wasn't he dead? Why could he touch Ashton now and why did they seem so worried about them?

“I’m here, Grass. I’m here…”

“I- I don't… I don't un- understand…”

“Pretty sure you were havin’ a nightmare, buddy. A real shit one, from how you were reacting. I don't know what you saw in there, but whatever it was, it was bullshit, okay?”

Was it though? It… It had all felt so real.

“You don't… don't…” Fresh Cut Grass tried to get out, failing over and over as sobs wracked through them, staining Ashton’s chest with their dark, oily tears. “You don't hate me, r-right? Don't wa- want me dead, d-do ya?”

Ashton’s arms tightened around them, so firm and heavy that Fresh Cut Grass couldn't help but sink into the embrace.

It felt so… safe. Welcoming.

Like he was home.

“Never. You could stab me in the fuckin’ head and I still wouldn't hate you. You could cut my whole damn arm off and you’d still be stuck with me! Not that you ever would on purpose,” Ashton quickly assured them, not wanting to send their very best friend spiraling. Especially right now. They seemed so frightened, so genuinely hurt and distraught.

It was fucking heartbreaking.

“You’re crew, Letters. You know what that means? It means that I’ll fuckin’ OBLITERATE this shitty ass world before I’ll ever let it harm ya, you hear me? The only reason I’d ever want ya dead is if this world gets too fucked up to live on, and that's only cause it’d be crueler to let anyone live then. You… You’re important, Fresh Cut Grass. You're important to me.”

Metallic arms threw themselves around Ashton, clinging to him for dear life as Fresh Cut Grass’ sobs grew louder, shaking violently in safety of the earth Genasi’s embrace,

“... Fuck it. I hope you’re listening, cause I’m only saying this shit once, okay?” Ashton muttered against the cerulean blue wires that mimicked hair on their robotic friend. “... I love you. A fuck ton. I dunno what dream me said, but whatever that fucker spat out, I’m sorry as hell for it. I’d punch that assfuck if I could, you know I would! I… I just hope you can believe the shit I’m sayin’ now.”

For a good few minutes, that confession hung in the air, only sobs and cries filling the cool night air of their inn room. Yet as the time passed, so too did that nightmare, it’s ghoulish whisperings melting away into the candlelit room, leaving only the sounds of their core whirling and Ashton’s steady breaths above him.

“... I- I love you too, Ashton…” Fresh Cut Grass hoarsely whispered, as the final oily tear fell from their face plate, dripping to the now stained floor below. “I- Thank ya… Thank ya so dang much…”

“Don't mention it, Grass. Shit’s what you do for your crew.”

A flash of a grin, warm and wide and so familiarly rough.

It warmed him, right down to their soul.

And as Ashton ushered them over to the side of his bed, making sure they were right by their side as he laid down to sleep once more, their hands gripped tightly together, even as they slipped back into slumber's sweet embrace…

Fresh Cut Grass thought that, perhaps, love really was something they truly understood.

[odusseus-xvi]

I've seen some people feeling weird about Bells Hells sentiment about the gods saying that "they did get signs from the gods and they just ignored them" and THAT's actually rubbing me the wrong way, because that's not really what happened. (I'm not saying they are right to think that the gods did nothing, just that they ignored the gods is not entirely true :)

"The Everlight resurrected Laudna through Pike" and that's a crucial detail, not only do they not know about the Everlight doing that specifically, but they most probably believe PIKE did that, not her godess. It's not the Everlight that said "Hey let me bring back your friend", Pike did, and like they said countless times : "I have faith in the people."

The Wildmother has had interactions with both Orym and Fearne : Yes, and he actually has kept that to himself (maybe he should have talked about it with more than just Chet) and he actually is one of the Bells Hells that is for saving the gods. As for Fearne, she doesn't seem to care much in general.

"Ashton has the Luxon in their head !" None of them know what the Luxon is.

"The Dawnfather had interactions with Deanna and brought her back to life !!" And again they probably think (and honestly I think with reason) that the Dawnfather didn't initiate that alone, someone else had to do that. Plus with Team Issylra's adventures it probably didn't help.

"The Changebringer and FCG ??" Well yes, and FCG is the only one that is fully for saving the gods. Not only that but they saw FCG perform magic on his own before meeting the Changebringer, they don't know if interacting with Avandra really brought anything.

"They just got a message of the Matron of Ravens", yes, that boiled down to "HELP". They already know that the gods need help.

Basically what they feel (or at least what I felt was happening) was not so much "The gods are not giving us signs" but more "Where were you when I actually needed you, when so many people got screwed over all around me. If you have so much power, why didn't you use it.". And again I'm not saying that it's how this works (I do think it's quite the opposite actually), but it makes sense to get that sentiment from people who's life got screwed multiple times and who had no education of the gods, and of which's signs recently was mostly distress calls.

And honestly I do think this sentiment will change over the course of future events, because I do think this is not how they are gonna save the world. (waiting for Chet to worship the Matron, and for The Luxon to reveal itself to Ashton.)

(Also saw someone say "do they not know that without the help of the gods Vox Machina would not have defeated Vecna", well, probably not, The Mighty Nein, wich happened only 7 years prior to Bells Hells barely knew about Vox, and outside of maybe Orym, all of Bells (first did not know about Vox) were surpsied to know Keyleth got to meet gods.)

(sorry for the probable many syntax mistakes english's not my first language)

[grigori77]

Critical Role, Campaign 3 Episode 74

"Sweet Sam"? What is ... wait, what the bright blue FUCK is this? "Sweet Sam will FINISH HER!!! In court ..." Bloody hell ... oh gods not the teeth, please not the teeth ... and that's just destroying EVERYBODY ... dear gods Sam WHY?!!!

A human shark ... a Riegel shark ... what a horrible image ...

Awwwwww ... Bells Hells plushies! Liam: "Mine's size accurate!" XD Yeah ...

"Matchmaker, matchmaker, make me a match ..."

Oof ... TWO DAYS through this terrain? Ouch ...

Considering chancing teleportation? Okay ... boy it sure would be handy if THEY HAD A SPYGLASS ...

Fearne suggesting turning herself into one of those giant toads and carry them all in her mouth ... hmmmm ...

Yeah ... sounds like magic is probably OUT ...

Chetney: "I was trying to be enthusiastic." Laudna (laughing): "I can't tell with your crotchety tone."

Imogen Temult, walking bug-zapper ... XD

Turns out Fearne mostly just survives day by day by pure dumb luck ... O.O

Delilah back in Laudna's head becomes an excuse for Marisha swapping out Feats ... hmmmm ...

Translations ... creepy, somewhat haunting ones ... oof ... this can't be a good sign ...

Iffodola? Okay ...

Ah ... so it's the Oxnard of Exandria ...

Healthy volcanic jungle makes for vibrant environs ... "two layer fog"? Weird ...

Aaaaah ... Survival rolls ... 17 ... Nice ... and 24 Perception for Orym ... but of course ...

To the Beaten Path ... yeah, probably smart ... oh, trust the Changebringer? Guided Grace? Okay ... vibe check, then ... heads? Go that way then ...

Oh, a full-blown RAINFOREST ... okay then ...

Ah ... they're being followed? Big ass boars? No ... what the fuck was THAT thing? Hmmmm ...

Pass Without A Trace? But that would slow them down ... save it, we don't KNOW we're in danger ...

Roll a D6? Oh great ... what did you DO, Travis?

A river? Hmmm ... is it a problem, or ... what exactly IS going on with Chetney right now?

Stick check! Ooof ... okay, probably NOT a good idea ... oh yeah, that's right they DO have TWO Immovable Rods now ...

Chetney literally turns himself into a fishing gnome ... LOL

Ooh, a FISH!!! Nice ... is it a mutation? Seems not ...

Ashton wants Pate to do something? Interesting ... he wants him to BE BAIT?!!! Oh come on ...

Awwww ... wow, Pate's having an existential crisis right now and Laudna wants him go be tackle ... oh wow, this is gonna be interesting ... splash! Hmmm ... he's actually ENJOYING not being eaten "alive" bt piranhas ...

Wow ... is Laudna really about to do a tightrope walk right now? "Naruto RUN!!!" 7 ... oh boy ... and she's IN THE RIVER!!! That is a SHIT SHOT, Letters! Hmmm ...

Telekinetic Pull? Save your girlfriend, Imogen!

Ashton just jumps in to rescue her instead ... andhe REALLY didn't think this through, did he? Oh boy ... swim, barbarian! Swim!

Seedling to the rescue now? Oh, okay ... 21 for Dexterity? Of course he does ... meanwhile Ashton's now Raging ...

And now there's something coming out of the river after them now ... oh shit what the fuck is THIS?!!!

Some kind of freaky demon hippo? Oh for eff's sake ...

Stonky's Ring! Nice save, Fearne!

Crap ... here it comes ... and it's got YOUNG with it! Charming ...

FCG casts Speak With Animals ... "FUCK OFFFFFF!!!" Oh, that's a very unpleasant and cranky beast.

That was ... interesting ...

Oh, now Fearne is leading them? Hmmm ... is this really a good thing? Stop eating poop, Fearne ...

Matt: "Nothing is free." Yeah, clearly they're gonna pay for this somehow later ...

Night is coming ... time to find shelter ...

Fearne trying to remember how she made their little shelter last time ... oh, here we go ...

Nice cosy weird nature hovel ...

Baked fish? Hmmm ... FCG's faking it ... Imogen: "Why are you making it gross?" FCG: "Well I can just wipe it off."

Night falls and it's getting cold ...

Fish jerky, essentially ... charming ... and now his internals stink of fish ... "My hot holes are all fishy now."

Wow Sam Riegel has just made a joke that has LITERALLY made Matt Mercer WALK OUT ...

Crap ... WHY is Matt rolling?

Laudna is taking 9 points of Necrotic damage? From WHAT?!!!

Marisha: "Even though I'm a Hollow One?" Sam: "Oh, he didn't remember that."

Wait ... now LIAM is taking 3 points too?

What creepy ass fresh hell is THIS?!!!

Freaky little shadow imps? Oh that can't be good ...

Shadow Cant ... hmmmm ... oh shit, they understand that shit? That's not good ...

Oh, they want BODY heat ... great ...

Chill Touch? Okay ... 27 for an Attack Roll ... oh, she went up a level ... whoa, THREE Eldritch Blasts now, when she wants to? That should be fun ...

Okay, yes, kill the little fuckers ...

FCG calls on the Changebringer to Turn Undead ... oh yeah, that did it, looks like ...

Crap ... there's more outside? Oh, they're backing off? Hmmm ... HAVE THEY been scared off for good, or ...?

FCG suggests someone be a sacrificial lamb for the rest while they sleep ... hmmmm ...

Trying to concoct some deterrents, then ...

First watch for Laudna and FCG ... no real danger, at least ...

Next to Fearne and Imogen ... Imogen: "They're sad and cute ... I feel sorry for 'em."

Daybreak seems to have seen them off, at least ...

Now Chetney's sounding like he's writing a book ...

Another day's travel and they MIGHT make it to their destination ...

Orym is now riding on Fearne's shoulders as she leads the way. :3

I'm with all if you, what IS going on with Chetney right now?

Oh, he's being romantic? Hmmm ... she puts the flower in her hair. Cue cracks about potential brain parasites ... Ashton: "It's gonna be YOUR fault when she turns on us later."

The base of the mountain ... and there's a weird lake there ... hmmm ...

Weird ground ahead ... a trap? Hmmmm ... oh yeah, that's DEFINITELY suspicious ...

Laudna's sending Pate ... oh, the poor little bugger, not again ...

Grim Psychometry again! Okay ...

Good point, CAN THEY bypass it?

Imogen chucks a big stone in ... yup, there us DEFINITELY a trap here ... shit, it's like a big two level deadfall ... nasty ..

"Fish Cut Bass" ... oof ...

Ashley rolls a 30 on Survival ... wow ... Matt has to reveal EVERYTHING now ...

A shitload of traps, clearly ... apparently it's a reminder of Nana Mori ... O.O ... okay ...

Sam: "Matthew, is a tree an object or a creature?" Matt (with a particularly unsettling grin): "Depends on which tree." Okay then ...

Enquiring if any of this feels familiar to Ashton ...

FCG casts Find the Path using Ashton as the focus in order go find the Tree ... and it tanks. FCG: "You ruined my spell!"

Somebody's coming ...

Oh, so they have bows, and they are NOT friendly, looks like ... standoff ... hmmm ...

So, who are they? She speaks Common. Um ... yeah ... and now it's time for a break ...

Wow ... so what did they say to get THAT response out of him before we came back?

Orym very carefully shows them his satchel with the thing inside ... oh, so THIS is familiar ... Temu? Who's Temu, then?

Okay, this might be all right after all ...

Oh, they know who Jirana is, at least ... that's a good sign.

Ashton has to make a Persuasion Check with advantage ... 9? Oof ...

Oh, so they're allowed to go on at least, but without any help. Oh, they can return the rest of their stuff? Okay, that might make things easier ...

Oh, so that's it? Okay then ...

Laudna: "They seemed very done with us, thanks to Ashton." Hey, now ...

Imogen goes flying up looking for the Tree ... goes back down to fetch Orym to help her look ... much better Perception ... okay, here we go ...

Just flying about for a bit ... oh, so it's like z big fucking SINKHOLE ... yeah, looks like THAT'S a good bet for the location ... back down to the others, then.

Fearne leads the final trek ... to the hole. Cue nany cracks about moist and dark holes ... Matt: "I hate all of this." XD

Aha ... yep, looks like THIS is indeed the way to go ...

So it's a big, long, dark drop ... oh no, there's something down there, but not exactly anything they can really make out ...

The Shadow Realm? Seriously?

Testing the depth ... Laudna has to make a strength check ... Nat20? Holy crap ... wow, so that really IS deep ...

AGAIN considering sending Pate ... I'm with Imogen, they're getting really mean to him. Give the poor freaky bone rat a break, guys!

Wow ... it seems like Imogen's genuinely bonding with Pate now ...

They're genuinely considering just jumping in ...

Little carved Chetneys ... yeah, that's not weird at all ...

Asking the Changebringer if this is safe ... looks like it is ... okay ...

So YES on prepping Featherfall just in case ...

Oh, they're jumping ... yikes!

Something below ... DO IT NOW!!! AAAAAAHHH!!! Laudna casts Featherfall, Imogen flies, Fearne transforms into a shoebill ...

Leaves. Endless jet black leaves ... oh, it's the top of a massive tree. Okay then ...

Touchdown. Very roughly ...

I would feel very safe betting this is Evontravir, then ...

Ashton (to Chetney): "Don't chisel the tree."

Fearne flies down with Imogen carrying Laudna ... and they both get hit in the face by a branch on the way down, each taking THREE POINTS OF SLASHING DAMAGE?!!! Ouch ...

Just weird clutters of various objects scattered around the roots at the base ... weird ...

It is REALLY cold down here ...

Ah yes, the knotty prospect of getting the others down too ... hmmmm ...

Chetney's already climbing down, but the rest are staying put until told otherwise ... oh no, here comes Ashton too ...

Everybody starts singing "Somewhere Out There" from An American Tail ... XD

FCG's descent is ... chunky, but at least Orym makes it fairly smoothly ...

Oh, so these things are like OFFERINGS ... and from all over Exandria, too ...

Grim Psychometry on some random little carved wooden egg bear ... from a veteran soldier, left as a kind of sacrifice ... interesting ...

Detect Thoughts on the Tree ... and it's CONSCIOUS in a really ancient way ...

FCG casts Eagle's Splendour on Ashton as he goes to commune with the Tree ... and he cuts his hand snd presses it to the bark ...

Oh ... well THAT woke it up ... and now the Tree is MOVING ... snd now it has EYES for fuck's sake ... oh boy, that's actually a FACE ...

And now it's talking ...

Ashton: "I seek what is owed to me." Oh ... okay then ...

"As it was fated ..." Oh shit ... so this is all about Ashton's father ...

The Necropolis of Toramunda? A Shard of Kamort? What the fuck?

ASHTON was his destiny? But he couldn't see it because he was blinded by his own ambition? Whoa ...

So ... Ashton is offering Evontravir ... a toke from his pipe? O.O

Ashton: "Be a small man for a minute, you big fuck." LOL

Wow, they're actually doing it ...

Hundreds of people, running and caught, brought to the tree, and vanishing ... what the hell does that even mean?

Evontravir: "There are no nobodies that come this far to find me."

The strength of the Empress ... to restore the might of the Emperor? Okay then ...

It knows about the Solstice and everything it means ... whoa ... " I am the gate, and the boundary." Okay ...

Imogen: "How do we stop Predathos?"

They have to choose the fate of the gods?

Evontravir: "What do you believe in? What is right for this world?"

A shared vision ... a glow of endless red? Oh yeah, that has to be Predathos ...

Yeah, Matt is laying it on THICK with some seriously beautiful poetic metaphor ...

Ah, the Bloody Bridge, and the Moon ... "This is the path you have chosen." Ah ... yeah ...

Oh yeah, good point, Chet ... CAN Evontravir help them get where they need to be?

Damn it, what was THAT? Oh hello ... is that a portal in the tree? Oh! Yes, go, go NOW!!!

They all pile through ... freezing cold, snow ... the edge of a mountain range, mist in the distance ...

Okay, so they're still in the Shattered Teeth ... and now there's a sky whale floating by ... big cavern close by ...

And that's it for tonight ... meanwhile everybody's brains are EXPLODING wondering WHAT THE FUCK is really going on with Ashton ... yeah, same ...

[revvethasmythh]

FCG for the ask meme.

First impression

I didn't have a strong first impression, beyond thinking that FCG's passive-aggressive "bless your heart" attitude was absolutely the funniest addition to a healer-bot character. Like the fact they're a robot could not matter less to me, but the fact that they're a healer who tries hard to be kind hearted and then lets out cutting passive aggressive zingers? that was the shit

Impression now

HUGE fan of FCG's explotration of faith, especially with the Changebringer. I'll admit, I was a little sad at the start that he didn't seem to have a deity, so the evolution of his relationship with a god, and with the Changebringer specifically (who is probably my favorite deity in Exandria) has been such a delight. So very on board to see where Sam takes the character further.

Favorite moment

I rarely choose impactful, serious moments as my favorites and this is strongly no exception. FCG's sending about the shrimp during the drunk casino night or his passive-aggressiveness to Orym after Orym lost his special coin come immediately to mind.

But also I'll shout out FCG's meeting with Vitro Isham because I loved that whole scene.

Idea for a story

Hm. I don't really have many ideas for FCG in a story, but I did once promise that I'd work on some Imograss content because I really enjoy their relationship, and one day I need to actually follow through on that.

Unpopular opinion

The Changebringer coin bit is a DELIGHT and people need to get over it and realize how funny and thematic it is. This is dnd. Flipping the coin is not only fitting in a ttrpg setting that relies on chance rolls but it also perfectly thematically tied to the Changebringer as a deity of freedom and chance. It's is a GREAT bit and brings me a lot of joy

Favorite relationship

Probably their relationship with Imogen! It can be fraught at times, but I love the conflict between them re: the gods and faith. I think their interactions with each other often reveal important, core things about each other and they challenge each other in really engaging ways. They're a fantastic pair tbh

Favorite headcanon

Oh I am not much of a headcanon girlie, not going to lie. This'll probably be a blank section unless any specific character come up that I've thought about a lot.

Send me a character!

[cringefaecompilation]

this is probably one of my favorite things the campaign talks about and since you went over imogen already i'd love to talk about the rest of the team and how they interact with societal power. fearne and dorian are up first and will be brief here because their ties are fairly loose but very similar.

fearne calloway thinks rules are stupid and the people who enforce them are even dumber. good on her! the concept of organized authority to her is more of a suggestion at best and she'll only listen to you if she trusts you. so when she finds out her biological father is a fey aristocrat, she… does not give two single fucks. why should she? just having power doesn’t mean she'll trust him. she wants him to actually care about her the same way her friends care about her, and when he refuses to show that love unless she comes into her birthright and crushes the lower class (imogen) under her hoof, she rejects him instantly.

dorian storm, well, he's… he's a runaway "prince". and that might make him kind of bland in comparison to the rest of them, but hear me out. dorian's not a rich faux-european aristocrat; the silken squall is a nomadic group of extremely tight knit, borderline xenophobes that have a tendency to shank outsiders. nevertheless, he's still aware that he has privileges and a higher status he must hold himself to… and he fucking hates it. he keeps trying to pass himself off as one of the lower class and gives himself away at every turn. you dropped 50k on a breastplate for your friend. he'll put on the clothes of a nobleman and pick up his brother's mantle but he only does it out of respect for tradition. matthew mercer please bring us to the silken squall asap. i need to know everything about them and i don't care if you prove this whole block of meta wrong.

fresh cut grass, in all their adorable wisdom, was unintentionally one of the characters that really got the ball rolling on what worth means as an individual when you're told you can never (or should never) gain a foothold to a higher position in life. fcg was built as a robot slave, there's no getting around that. they only ever figured out that their life was worth something after hanging out with ashton and the rest of the hells who've been led to believe they're still secondary to the fate’s designs. lest we forget fcg was the first to tell laudna that she was alive but took forever to realize that the same was true for them.

but then fcg also was under the impression that having a soul meant that he had to prove themselves worthy of having a soul. they latched onto the changebringer (or at least her visage) and dedicated their life to her after saving laudna. because if someone as small and incidental as an aeormaton was able to change the course of the future, surely it meant that he was chosen by her! but as he realized in that ruidian cave, the power was never in her or those that made him, it was only him that made the choices to heal and help and save.

i've already made a post about laudna and how class and power tie into her characterization. multiple, in fact! but this fandom is never not in need of more laudna meta!

matilda bradbury was just another face in the crowd. another body to add to the briarwood's pile they'd racked up in their colonization of whitestone. for a moment she thought her magic meant that she could be granted a seat at the table with two such powerful people, but all she became was a warning sign for the "real" heroes of the story and only managed to flee from getting smote by sheer luck.

naturally, this would put anybody's self-esteem in the gutters, even without having an abusive colonizer stuffed in your head gaslighting you solely for her own gain. but in having 30 years of a bad influence dictating her every move waiting for her time to strike, laudna has gained a rather disturbing mentality about the world. her death didn't matter. she just wasn't important enough to matter and so she shouldn't care about it. only people who have the power, skills, and innately born abilities deserve to have nice things, and she can only get there by pretending and helping people of a higher status than her, even if it means literally letting herself get cannibalized alive.

and even without a direct influence, laudna is still of the opinion that being the most powerful means that you should get the last say in anything. without delilah's influence (and even if the moment was being played for a joke) she still talked about killing and absorbing people via the harness so they could have their powers… but it's okay! she only wanted to kill evil people! note that this doesn't make her a hypocrite or bad person, but i don't think that the team telling her over and over that she’s secretly destined to be this amazing hero and delilah was just jealous of her is going to do her any favors. because even with a permadead briarbitch i think she's still going to reach for that harness if she isn’t told she can just be herself and not worry about being part of some grand design. plus more allusions to addiction metaphor via quitting cold turkey could be an interesting way to play laudna post-db.

ashton greymoore. ashton motherfucking greymoore. taliesin jaffe, respectfully, i'm not sure what you meant by "exandria is way less bad than our world so in to accurately depict them as punk it was difficult for them to find someone or something to get upset with" because no the fuck it isn't. my man ashton was a toddler wandering the desert slowly turning into a rock monster, what do you mean.

ashton is the lowest of the low and the poorest of the poor. multiple times taliesin has described them coming into contact with objects "that cost more money than i've made in my entire life" or being in places with people that are practically leaking money out of every orifice. he despises any and all authority figures and felt visible disgust when the fantasy cops in jrusar thanked him for helping them. a tree tried to tell them their destiny and he had the tree smoke a joint and then peaced out. of all of them, they know what power can look like when it's misused because he has been the one at the receiving end of it with his debts and his abysmal treatment as an unhomed child.

this one also took me a while to get as well, but ashton's body rejecting the shard ties into the whole "too much power is bad even if a good person has it" moral. because ashton wasn’t greedy or thought the others shouldn't have it because they weren't made for it. he thought he was helping them and it literally blew up in his face. but upon sharing the power with an equal, he realizes that he doesn't have to shoulder this pain alone nor does he have to be the sole arbiter of power.

it's why it baffles me when i see people insist ashton is a criticism of "slacktivist keyboard warrior" posers who've never known a day of actual financial struggle in their life who'll call the cops on an autistic child/be overtly judgy of a weird but harmless person online. are you trying to win an argument on twitter or did you watch the show, pick one.

orym. oh my wonderful stubborn halfling man. heres the thing a lot of people get wrong about him when discussing his flaws: orym is not a stupid backwards bigot stuck in his ways that needs to be "taught a lesson". he's not wrong in disagreeing with ludinus because the gods really are just bad and outdated and need to go away. that'd be shallow. it's that orym is so thoroughly convinced that the only reason someone would ever want to change the status quo is to be on top and that's bad. in orym's eyes, only "good" people deserve to remain in power, like the tempest. if they help people and aren't selfish, then there's no reason to complain. and he is supposed to be the one who does not lead and will gladly throw himself under the bus because society needs people who are followers to these "good" rulers!

and it bites because he is so close to seeing what is wrong with that worldview when it comes to seeing his friends getting hurt. they don't deserve it because they're good people. laudna isn't a victim of a terrible circumstance like he was that was groomed into sating her darker urges by a manipulative abuser, laudna is just uniquely special and good and secretly a perfect angel that is only being used by some monster who didn't deserve power because she was evil! but he refuses to give that grace to himself and has resigned to being the one on the chopping block constantly because society needs people to die but only he deserves that death. he's so fucking close though to realizing if it's wrong for them to die for the cause then maybe the system that's hurting him too is bad, dorian almost got through to him, he's so close-

(incidentally in a weird ironic turn of events about a month ago i saw someone in the tags complaining about a twitter user who said orym was "mansplaining" to liliana in episode 92 because he was upper class and she was lower class. they disagreed because they thought it was coddling liliana. i disagreed because orym being upper class makes no sense logically. a guy raised by a single mom in a tiny town with like 300-500 people max isn't exactly swimming in cash)

chetney… uh. hm. gonna be honest, i don't think chetney ties into this narrative. i could be wrong. i guess the closest we get is him supporting unions. sure. go off king.

it was great to have Matt really emphasize a point he's made before last night-that the history of Exandria (including that contained within the official books) is not a neutral, untouched retelling of events but a narrative written by the victors.

one of the many thoroughlines of Campaign 3 has been the power of knowledge; of who has it and who doesn't, and how the powerful employ it for their own ends. the most obvious example is surely the Weave Mind, whose staggering control over what its subjects know on both a macro (erasing entire histories, making Ruidians see the dreams of Exandrians) and micro (being able to enter their minds at any time) level compromises much of what we learned of Ruidis during our first trip there. but similar behavior is reflected all across Exandria, by the Weave Mind's enemies as much as it's allies.

like the Weave Mind, Vasselheim also erased massive parts of Exandrian history-the death of two gods by Predathos, and the subsequent creation of Ruidis as a prison- from the world. Both they and the Ruby Vanguard hunted down members of the Grim Verity and the Omen Archive for discovering this information, and for conducting research about Ruidis and Ruidisborn. the Vanguard infiltrated and actively recruited from that research as well, even, as seen in the case of Liliana.

Liliana, who left her home and her family in the first place to find answers about her powers and her nightmares-and thus, her pain-that she would never have a chance of learning in Gelvaan. in fact, many Ruidisborn we meet seem to find their way to the Vanguard because they want answers, or belonging; this reveals the harm done by Vasselheim's repression of knowledge. by trying to keep the truth of Ruidis out of "the wrong hands", they helped create the conditions, the lack of access of answers, the suspicion and ostracization of Ruidisborn, that have let their worst enemies thrive.

there's a problem with accessability to education across all of Exandria, really. public libraries seem to be largely nonexistent, especially with regards to higher level knowledge. even the incredibly benevolent Cobalt Soul restricts access to the wealth of information it has, and for many of the same reasons Vasselheim obscured information regarding Predathos; they don't want that knowledge being abused by the wrong person. but determined practically, "the wrong hands" tend to be those who don't already have power and access. the very first scene of the campaign is Imogen being denied entry from a university library, all but explicitly because of her lower class status and lack of connections with the upper echelon of Jrusar. if Imogen hadn't been able to get in, or if she had been found by members of the Ruby Vanguard before the Grim Verity, who knows where she'd be right now? what she'd believe, even if she had doubts about the Vanguard's methods? (would she even know the full breadth of their methods? or would they keep that from her, too?)

and on the other hand: surely the head of the Cerberus Assembly wouldn't be restricted from almost any library, right? especially not after a trade or a bribe or a spell or two?

[luckthebard]

Do you mind if I ask, what are your thoughts on the idea that the coin flip Fearne made did actually go to Laudna, but she revived Orym anyway? I can't decide whether I agree with it or not. It makes a lot of sense to me that Fearne would have wanted to bring Orym back, as he's the one she's closest to, but the painful emotions she's not really used to and the fact Laudna was her friend too made her flip the coin to avoid the painful choice - even though in her heart of hearts she knew which side she wanted the coin to come down. And then when it didn't land that way, she just used the plausible deniablity of the coin to choose Orym. I can see it, but it would be a HELL of a move from Ashley ooc and from Fearne ic, and negate the concept of the Changebringer's involvement that FCG is clearly holding onto as comfort, so I'm not sure.

I have two answers to this, because you've brought up two distinct things here I don't think need to be aligned: Ashley, and Fearne.

This is super interesting to think about because it does seem possible for Fearne as a character. She found out Orym was dead first. She was distressed about losing her best friend. She got more distressed at the idea of being responsible for choosing who lived and died between Laudna and Orym. She didn't want to make a choice and so went with FCG's idea. (It's also interesting how the whole scenario was so outside how Fearne operates - she impulsively does what she wants and what will make her happiest, but there was no option here that actually fulfilled that. She was distressed by every choice, but had to make one.) No one else knows what the result of the coin flip was though, so did she realize looking at the result what she really wanted, and just do that? It seems possible, but is also unknowable, which is fascinating to me. But that's on a character level, and a potential hook moving forward.

Which I think is why Ashley hid the result. And this is part 2: I think this was a very difficult choice for Ashley as a player, and it's highly likely she did follow what the coin said, and built a narrative around it. And that narrative included the possibility of Fearne lying, because Fearne does that sometimes, especially to get what she wants. It wasn't an easy choice for her by any means, but Orym is hers and Laudna is her friend, which I think is a distinction in her brain.

So basically I think the idea is super interesting to consider about Fearne as a character, but I don't think that Ashley ignored the coin result. I think Ashley took the opportunity of Fearne being put in this position to open up some really interesting narrative possibilities for Fearne moving forward, by being coy about the result. It's possible we'll never get an answer to this, but the possibility enriches Fearne's narrative even without an answer.

[nochiquinn]

campaign 3 episode 34: derd

if liam and ashley aren't at the table at the start of the episode I will simply walk into the ocean. I refuse to engage with it.

tonight's supposed to be just under 4 hours and idk why that makes me more nervous than a super-long one

everyone trying to keep frozen while they laugh hysterically (and failing)

taliesin's holding it together the best

oh no there he goes

robbieeee

I once again do not have my earbuds in so I just see sam pop up in the subs going "Wow!"

laura's really pretty tonight

marisha's shirt is going to bother me tho (weird necklines give me second-hand sensory weirdness)

"no wait I have to iron my cat"

"shut up MATT"

show me the table, I need to know how bad it's gonna hurt

oh okay. full table. ….that will probably be worse

fcg: I am just a little creachure

AEOR

oh the way matt said "him"

OH NO

oh no

ELVEN FATHER

hey maTT

I'm gonna puke

"their" WHOMST?

no fearne and orym memories T_T

going to la to fight matt in a denny's parking lot

NO

hey dice gods turn on your location

matt it has TRULY been 15 minutes

"we're the dm now"

I don't know why I thought I could work during this

chetney with one of those sensory chew necklaces

I am ashley

honestly about to go get my emotional support piplup

"now it's a normal-size party" shut the hell your mouth

try to steal from her

"I hate this game"

"fearne" "[gay fear]"

"okay bye ashley"

ASHLEY JOHNSON

"geeze louise"

"it's like carrying a toddler" nancy 😔

"what do you mean orym's dead." just the flat anger

liam if you make orym stay dead bc grief reasons I will fucking fight you

"why would I have a diamond" "because you steal everything"

hi I hadn't actually teared up until now

ashley fucking goddamn johnson

laudna wake up, I don't like this

laudna broom

I appreciate the sentiment on the gas can but I do not believe him

the worst part is that's true

mariSHA

"she stole my coin didn't she"

oh I knew she was gonna swerve

"we can be mad at the changebringer later"

liam o'brien I will fight you in a parking lot

hello 911 liam and matt are murdering me

"you're not done" like fucK YOU

the little whispery voice for will I'm gonna fkcing

"fearnie" fu ck

MARISHA GET BACK IN THAT FUCKING CHAIR OR SO HELP ME

WHEN I SAID I DIDN'T WANT LIAM AND ASHLEY TO LEAVE THE TABLE THAT DIDN'T MEAN THIS

oh don't say it that way he'll break in half

chet

I mean you're valid but

"we clearly threatened you"

"little bitch signal"

whispersss

this is an extremely griffin mcelroy ad read

he forgot to draw his angry eyebrows on first

"I really wanna punch a wall right now" "why do that when his face is right there?"

orym

give him advantage, he stabbed him in the foot

T_T

wait didn't caleb have a thing

alternate timeline ghost thing

my guy they cannot protect themselves from her

use ur wood chetney

I literally only just noticed sam has painted nails

"it only makes sense when she does it" and only barely then

dbza voice: maaaahogany

travis

I miss dariax

matt: it can replace material components

matt: HINT HINT

beacon juice

"I trust ashley johnson, ashley johnson told me she doesn't trust ashley johnson"

Illegal Airport Patdown

all I ever think of is "that's not how you measure pants!"

this is the same day as Angry Eyes???

matt what u do

;-;

RTA

my heart needed that

"god it's awful. I love it!"

"aren't you an orphan?" "…I'm gonna give you ten seconds to work that out."

was it fucking wizard hubris again

taliesin's voice rn

wonder if the Theme of this campaign is being dramatically altered against your will

if not physically then emotional trauma changing how you interact with/see the world (these are not mutually exclusive)

[ducks from the imodna shipper shrapnel]

oh. OH.

delilah would fully zombify her wouldn't she

or it's like a salt circle against delilah possession

"also: u in danger girl"

I desperately need to see travis' etsy search history

"doomsday clock is at Concern"

"this thing is for toddlers!"

"get it off of laudna"

I'm gonna miss Joe

tag urself I'm shady sally

chetney

"grab the kids, I want them to see!" why is that so cute tho

[mighty nein voice] up!

[utilitycaster]

Bells Hells, Level 9

Disclaimers as per usual: If I said something incorrect or left out something significant, corrections are welcome and encouraged. If I simply did not expound upon every single possible choice open to a character; if my opinions on mechanics differ from yours; or if you have wild speculation, please make your own post.

Blood hunter info is taken from the D&D Beyond content, which is subject to change, so don’t @ me if it does.

Everyone's proficiency bonus is now +4, which affects skill checks, proficient saves, and attacks. Non-multiclassed full spellcasters (FCG and Imogen, assuming neither multiclass) get fifth level spells.

In general, ninth level is an important but not terribly exciting one, in that 5th level spells are a big leap up and it's a proficiency bonus increase level, but it's fairly quiet in terms of class or subclass features. The multiclassers are the most interesting part here.

Also: now that level ups are done as separate little bits rather than teasers at the end of episodes, I'm introducing a "Looking forward" note at the end to speculate on L10 and beyond, since, for example, the version of this post in my drafts had my recommended ASIs for Chet and Fearne but no one got to see them until after the fact.

Chetney: By taking a level in blood hunter - his 8th in that class - he gets an ASI, which Travis took as stat bonuses to INT and STR. This is honestly what I would have recommended; he's now got a +3 to intelligence, easily the smartest in the group; and a respectable +4 to strength, his main attack stat. Looking forward: Honestly, who knows what the story will bring narratively...but blood hunter is a really good class and higher level rogue abilities just don't do a ton for Chet. Anyway, Blood Hunter 9 gives you one of my favorite abilities ever, Grim Psychometry, in which you have advantage on knowledge checks (and possibly even cool visions) for places and objects with tragic or dark pasts.

Laudna: Laudna took a level in sorcerer, which means she gets a Hound of Ill Omen, a dire wolf-like beast of darkness she can summon to attack a particular person. She also learns 2 more spells and gains another sorcery point. I would strongly advise she take Counterspell, given that she tends to lean more towards low-level utility than Imogen's attacks (and, let's face it, eldritch blast is better than most sorcerer damage spells). Looking forward: Personally, from a purely mechanics perspective, I think leveling in warlock would be more interesting from here on out. Sorcerers just...don't get much outside of spells from levels 7-14, and Laudna's feats and existing metamagic and the fact that there's another sorcerer in the party mean some variety would be fun and welcome (and warlock levels 4-6 are really good), but I get the appeal of Hound of Ill Omen for sure.

FCG: FCG gains access to 5th level spells and can prepare one more spell! Greater Restoration and Raise Dead are now available to them, which is pretty game-changing, and I'd love to see Sam try out Commune to get some actual answers from the Changebringer. He also gets two domain spells, which are unknown since it's a homebrew class. Looking forward: Cleric's just a really solid class! I'm interested to see how divine intervention works on a cleric who is still finding their god, and please get that WIS score up to a +4 at L12.

Fearne: Fearne leveled in druid, which means she also gets an ASI and has maxed out her casting stat of wisdom - this in turn means she can prepare two more spells than before (one from the higher druid level and one from the higher casting stat). She also gets the ability to wildshape into flying creatures, up to challenge rating 1. Looking forward: I would really not pursue rogue any further; Wildfire druid is just such a great class. Things to look forward to: at L9 druid (L10 overall) she'll get 5th level spells including Mass Cure Wounds as a circle spell; at L10 druid she'll get a cool bonus to damage or healing as a class feature; and at L11? Pick a tree.

Imogen: Imogen learns one new spell, which can be up to 5th level, and gains a 5th level spell slot and a sorcery point. She gets Telekinesis and Rary's Telepathic Bond as subclass features. As for her new spells: given the loss of the skyship, teleportation circle would be a good one to have on hand. Greater Invisibility would also be a strong choice. Looking forward: As noted with Laudna, there's not a ton going on until L14, but she does get a new metamagic ability next level (subtle spell feels very thematically appropriate), and I would in fact enjoy seeing Imogen cast Chain Lightning very much when she gets 6th level spells at L11.

Orym: Orym gets Indomitable, which allows him to reroll a failed saving throw and use the new number. Looking forward: 9's a quiet level for him but the next few are big ones. He gets two more battle master moves and his superiority dice go up to d10s from their current d8s; 3rd attack is at L11; and he gets another feat at L12, and I would love to see Mage Slayer.

Ashton: Ashton gains brutal critical, meaning that they can roll an additional weapon damage die when they crit. Looking forward: level 10 is a subclass level, so who knows, but I'm excited to find out!

[feyremy]

I think Imogen does realize that her feelings of bitterness and resentment and abandonment are not the most important considerations here though. She has repeatedly questioned whether saving the gods is what they should do and has questioned why they should save gods that have never helped her or the rest of the hells but she has also repeatedly committed to saving the gods and working against Ludinus. She's struggled with it because she's never had any positive feelings towards the gods and she desperately wants a connection with her mother. She's also been continually searching for a sign or event that could give her positive feelings towards the gods and hasn't found one that's truly changed her feelings but she's still repeatedly stated her intentions of helping the gods and taken action to back that up. Add to that that Imogen believes there's a high probability that stopping Ludinus/destroying Predathos will kill her. Imogen recognizes the selfishness of her resentments towards the gods and is constantly grappling with it and choosing to act in opposition to those feelings, choosing to act in a way she feels will not be beneficial to herself.

Ep 74 (3:27:53) "How do we stop Predathos? How do we keep him from devouring everything? "

Ep 68 (0:47:59) "Are you setting him free? Predathos? Is it going to really destroy the gods?" "You deserve to be free." "At what cost, Mama?"

Ep 68 (1:01:26) "I know all of us have said we're stopping it, but this is the first time I've really felt I want it to go away."

"I want to help the gods. These demons getting loose, the gods are the only thing keeping that at bay, right?"

"She [Liliana] said she wanted to help us, but in the wrong way."

"So she [Liliana] knows it's wrong." "I think so."

Ep 67 (O:23:56) "No, I don't-- Obviously I think-- Yes, Predathos is bad, and I want to--" "Feels like you're trying to convince yourself of that." "Well, a little bit. I'm feeling better about my abilities and what that means for me. And I feel like ending Predathos could potentially end me in a way, which is fine. It's worth that. I don't know if that is gone if I'll be who I am anymore."

"Predathos is bad. Ludinus is bad."

Ep 64 (3:45:21) "If we get rid of Predathos, I don't know if I'll continue to have any abilities or I don't know what will happen to me."

Ep 49 (2:15:07) "Any high order paladins or stuff like that? Somebody who would fare to lose a lot if the gods go away." "Why, do you need convincing?" "No. But if we're looking for powerful people that will actually help us--"

Ep 46 (1:49:52) "I certainly don't like the idea that a lot of people could be wiped out with this one event. I don't like... I don't think he [Ludinus] should have control over it. Just one person deciding the fate of so many?"

"If Predathos devoured the gods, would he stop at the gods, or would he devour the entire world?"

Imogen is also not the only one in the hells to express these feelings and doubts. Chetney is undecided on the gods. He's wondered if Predathos should be destroyed. But he's also committed to stopping Ludinus. Laudna and Ashton have both stated their outright resentment of the gods and questioned saving them while also agreeing to stop Ludinus. Fearne is neutral on the gods and hasn't really fully expressed an opinion on why she's going to help save the gods and stop Ludinus. Orym's commitment to the cause comes more from wanting to stop the people who killed his father and husband than wanting to do the right thing. Orym is fortunate that his personal feelings and protecting the gods align so well. This past episode FCG questioned his commitment to helping the Changebringer because he feels she just cares about herself not him.

Everyone in the party is grappling with these philosophical questions in some way, weighing their own feelings and what they feel will be beneficial to themselves vs what they think is good or right or will benefit most people on Exandria. And so far the party is choosing what they think is the greater good even when that doesn't align with their feelings. I would even say Imogen's commitment to this is the greatest in the party outside of Orym and FCG because she's struggled so much against her personal feelings but continues to choose the path of helping the gods and stopping Ludinus.

It's always interesting when a character thinks this way but being only interested in saving something that loves you / not particularly wanting to work to protect something that doesn't love you is such a limited way of engaging with the world. Just to sort of messily talk through with wrt Imogen in this latest episode (3.79).

To love back as a prerequisite for defending something's right to survival is self-centered. The mollusks and trees and frogs and beetles and stones do not love us (at least, in ways that most people readily interpret and parse as affection), but still we should fight to protect them.

Imogen has always been rather self-centered (as in largely concerned with her own affairs and highly prioritizing her own needs and how things relate to her specifically — however, this is not inherently bad in a character, I emphasize, and it makes her complex and interesting) in her perspective on the world, but generally speaking, from outside of that perspective, in the idea of trying to fight for the survival of something (or deciding against doing that), the consideration of whether that something loves you is misguided. Even outside consideration of the gods, not every person in the world will love you, not every animal and plant and rock and river, and that has no bearing on questions of survival and place in the world.

Imogen has a right to feeling bitter or resentful or hurt, and it absolutely makes sense she feels this way and it is not at all bad that she does, but I think there's a lack of perspective in that this is a conflict that is larger than personal feelings at an individual interpersonal basis. In fact, Ludinus is counting on everyone prioritizing their personal feelings above everything else, on not only feeling negatively but ALSO allowing those negative feelings to overwhelm their judgment.

And, it's an interesting flaw that Imogen consistently has, in that she recurrently has trouble conceptualizing that she and her feelings and her concerns and how things affect her are not always the most important concerns, especially in situations of scale. She lives very much in her own head, so to speak, and she has trouble looking outside of her own point of view.

But, it sparks some core questions about that. Why do they need to love you specifically for you to consider protecting their survival? Is your personal bitterness so important and valuable that you will consign them to annihilation? Do you ask everyone and everything in the world to love before you allow them the dignity and right to exist?

[utilitycaster]

26. freebie question, a good while back (before the party split) you mentioned that a possibly interesting ship would be Imogen/FCG. Obviously canon has not gone that direction, but I'd love to hear your thoughts on Imogen and FCG's relationship :D

It is interesting because Imogen hasn't interacted with FCG a ton. I think that friendship sort of fizzled out once FCG started believing in their personhood and particularly after they began building a relationship with the Changebringer. Imogen was not terribly supportive of that (possibly jealous, or possibly just not sure how to engage with it) and so there really hasn't been much.

They are really interesting as parallels, actually, though actually pretty much everyone in the party except for Orym and Chetney fit in this to some degree. Like Imogen (and Fearne), FCG was given particular powers by a megalomaniacal entity, for the purpose of furthering those goals. I think Predathos grants somewhat more agency to loyal Ruidusborn than Aeor entrusted FCG with, though that is to be seen, but there's something very tragic, in my mind, from Imogen's perspective, about how FCG was the tool of a destroyed empire, and so while he still carries those scars and consequences, he actually does have the freedom to be his own person. FCG has to manage a serious chronic condition, essentially, but they don't have missions, and unless some of the wilder theories are right (and they could be, though I have my doubts) the ones who did this to them are long dead. Is this her future? Will she be left with dreams and telepathy even if they defeat Predathos? Will they be the upsides (controllable sorcery powers) or the downsides (nightmares, uncontrollable sorcery powers)? Why did FCG get to just sleep through the hard part and she has to fight her way out?

It really is a fascinating thing about the party: Fearne and FCG were designed to be who they are (though Fearne's upbringing at least was her own). Ashton was partially created in a cult ritual (though it remains unclear if they were the intended recipient or merely the one it happened to stick to). I don't think Imogen was planned a la Fearne, but I do wonder if Predathos or the Weave Mind did specifically target Liliana to ensure her daughter would also be Ruidusborn. While the nature of Laudna's sorcery abilities hasn't come up (and, to be fair, a lot of sorcery abilities in D&D are just like "well that happened to your baby, idk what to tell you") she was used by Delilah for that as well. So much of this party shares this with Imogen and FCG but I think they are the most extreme examples (Fearne is mostly unaffected physically/mentally though obviously learning of her origins is unsettling and upsetting, and Ashton and Laudna's situations mostly hurt them and not as often others, though Laudna's is increasingly a crapshoot) and I think as this became apparent and as they both grew more comfortable with who they were they sort of lost that connection.

They do still share a lot of powers though and I'd love to see them talk again - Laura and Sam always play off each other well, and those earlier interactions where they both tried to read each other's thoughts, or coordinate probing Ashton or Ollie's mind, or the first casting of Shared Dream were all delightful - but they have drifted apart since.