#I just love Taliesin so much

[lillxart]

When the Dragonborn gets captured at the Embassy and you have to cause a distraction so they can escape.

So I realize I may have in fact crossed some boundaries. I deeply apologize. I will fluff 1000 cats as penance. I'm too far gone into the Taliesin rabbit-hole. This image came to me in the night and I had to do it.

[lillxart]

MY GOSH THIS TOOK LIKE SIX HOURS XDDD

But I'm proud to present the meme, my best work yet I think. 100% Nebarra and Lorkir's relationship and I love it so much. Gonna keep giving Nebby Webby the fanart he deserves.

I can't hide it from you, guys 😭

sauce

[shorthaltsjester]

there are literally no standouts in downfall because everyone sat down at that table and said hey you wanna see something cool and proceeded to Become their characters but idk if it’s because they’re beside each other and that aids the dynamic or just because it’s the delicious similarities and insurmountable distance between the god of death and the god of (in various ways) life but ayden and emhira’s interactions were so chewy and delicious. i’ll be thinking of their exchange fairly early on after ayden cast lesser restoration on that old man and emhira not cruelly but just simply stating “you cannot heal everything.” and ayden’s equally simple reply “we can always try.” emhira seeing the family trist has built and wondering at the presence of children, “surprised there is laughter in such a horrible place” and i know she’s speaking of hawk’s hill but i wonder if she is also speaking of exandria itself in some ways. the delicious space between in and out of character that only really happens in improv stories where as brennan is narrating and says “in this dark room” and nick interrupts and adds “it is not dark.” brennan’s incisive point in the cooldown that while the love that ayden and trist have for mortals and for exandria is warm and the kind of love someone would likely Want from gods, there is something maybe more honest or whole about emhira who says . actually these mortals are little shits that will kill you not because they fear you but because they hate you. whose very existence should be (and still often fails to be) a reminder that the gods can be usurped by mortals. the insight nick shared in the cooldown that ayden does not forget emhira’s origins but in a way dismisses them, that the god of death is a different beast. ayden wanting to find. way to save the people of aeor, insisting that the prime deities Win if they can find a way to do so. emhira reminding everyone that death is inevitable (and she does not add anything to clarify that she intends such a statement to only exist for mortals) as she argues for them to work to take down aeor and the people in it. the fact that the god with the most present connection to mortality is also the one given the most explicit clarification that she Is the god we know as SILAHA calls her the matron, brennan’s narration clarifies purvon is her champion, taliesin as asha asks for clarification on the recognition of emhira as a god and prompting the familiar spectre of a woman in a white mask.

i want to be very clear that when i say there are no standouts i Mean it because i’ve been awed and endeared and intrigued by every single character choice everyone made and as always brennan’s narration is so incredibly well suited for the mission impossible greek tragedy vibes that comes with this story and i’m so fucking delighted by the fact that laura, ashley, and taliesin are playing gods that their characters have known quite well in the past. i’m incredibly excited by what we’ve already gotten to see from abubakar, nashir, and nick and cannot imagine what other greatness is to come. i’m psyched to see the relationship between asha and the law bearer and am delighted that (perhaps for now perhaps for the whole arc) it is being seen through the lens of “my wife promised me a visit with apples and all i got was a rock ice emissary”. i also have many incoherent thoughts about the fact that, of the players who appeared as the same character in the opening and the story, taliesin’s ash and asha are the ones whose name remains the most unchanged.

i’m obsessed with the fact that this creature sent as a stand in by the god of law and duty believes his primary gift is love. while there is a certain mourning and sadness to every god we see, that SILAHA has a certain playful whimsy and jofyful curiosity about the world. that the only one of them who has been mortal before stops to steal an imp necklace from the neck of a drunk on the train (and that moment between brennan’s narration that this man will be dead by morning but, with death standing invisible in front of him, he is incapable of seeing it coming, and then laura as emhira breathing in deeply and brennan having that spark a coughing fit. they are Story Telling). asha seeing the erased image of a god, of a family member and saying “there’s a hole in all of us.” brennan narrating “this is a place where they tried to kill a story. it’s a very frightened thing to do.” (and god. the motif of fear. especially given the very present fear felt by the gods in current day exandria. they’re doing insane things in the critical role 3 part departure).

trist reminding ayden “he never tells the truth” and asha contesting “he only tells the truth, it’s just rotting.” emhira and asha both as perhaps the less Good™ much more neutral but doing so in such different ways, asha as bitter and hungry while emhira seems uncomfortable but there’s a familiarity and a certainty in her discomfort with mortality (the law bearer would also be included here but the emissary seems much more like trist and ayden (for now) than emhira or asha). something as insignificant as trist and her husband speaking to their children and affirming that little lies are okay while trist has lead a significant part of her life likely dishonest about who she is. the fact that there’s a certain childlike quality to the emissary who they’re all charged with ensuring makes it to the end of things even if they cannot. the fact that nahal (unclear which god they were, and i’m assuming it’s the first god of death but regardless still an absolutely compelling development in a short amount of time) in those opening moments is horrified by the concept of away which is unfamiliar to them only to soon after look upon their family and say. maybe away was better. Especially if those were words spoken by the god who would one day be replaced. these three episodes are going to haunt me and i’m excited to meet the ghosts.

[suaimhneas-gairid]

when the table reacts like this

[danwhobrowses]

I'm not sure how much good this vent will do, I'm not even sure I want to post this vent after my last one, but I'm writing it just so it's out of my head and into words because it seems once again fandom has chosen to send vitriol Ashton Greymoore's way.

What for? They talked to a 'specter' of the primordial titan within them, through their connection to the earth, the natural flow of creation and destruction. They ask what will happen to the world, it responds that it'll endure, they ask what of the people, it responds that the strong will survive and the weak will be remade into something stronger, to which Ashton replies they think they understand. To fandom this means that Ashton is becoming a fascist, that they have a 'Make Exandria Great Again' attitude for wanting the Primordials back, that they need to be beaten up or 'get what's coming to them' in order to change their mind, and I can only sit here and stew and wonder if this hate is really well-founded? Ashton is among my favourite characters in C3, I get frustrated by them at times too but if I think about it a big percentage of my frustrations is more towards people disliking them than me disliking things they do, or Matt setting up scenarios that doesn't do them any favours towards the fandom that hates them. Some of these are knee-jerk reactions of course, but for others it does feel like they have it out for Ashton, and I don't wanna engage with that, which makes it quite lonely when most of the fandom hones in on it.

For the most part I can understand how the whole 'the weak will be remade' bit can be taken badly; it's definitely iffy, but every other plan we have is also very iffy. The Release Predathos option literally involves unleashing an entity that wants to genocide the gods, the Maintain Status Quo option ('option' the status quo imo is impossible, in my mind the Gods can stay but the dynamic will still have to change) maintains a relationship where the gods pick and choose who they feel deserves help, using their power to covet more power, strongarm and demand loyalty, and overall choose fellow gods over mortals when the chips are down and not owning up to it. We should also remember that entities can speak in riddles, 'remade into something stronger' doesn't necessarily mean death; it could mean to adapt and grow, to become strong enough to bear and overcome it as many of the PCs of Critical Role have done with their hardships and trauma. It's worth reminding that the sad truth is that people will die whatever outcome happens - the aim is always to lessen the amount but if the Gods leave it's a power vacuum, if we linger too long it's a Calamity, and if the Gods stay it's a holy war on a more wild and less organized scale - and that Ashton isn't saying they approve of such death, merely that they think they understand. The commune doesn't tell Ashton which way to go; it only tells them that the world will endure, there will be change and it will change people, trees will still grow, the wind will still blow, the waves will still flow along the coasts of the sea, and people will survive. I know the interpretation can differ from people thanks to Matt's patented vague or riddle-mounted choices in phrase, but I also think if it was the Wildmother who told Orym or some other follower that 'nature is a cycle, everything must adapt to change or else it'll die - this world will change, but it will also survive' nobody would be calling Orym a fascist, people would accept it because the Wildmother's domain is nature, and nature is not always kind.

While we're mentioning Orym - and because this is gonna come off as critical I must preface that I like and enjoy All of the Hells, that's not changed - I also gotta call it out here because it does very much feel like the people who hate Ashton hate them for the reasons they love Orym. Both are stubborn, they're diligent in their personal code, they care deeply for their friends and would give their whole being just to keep them safe, they believe in the Hells' power and greatness more than each member does and more than they believe in their own, but Ashton gets the hate mainly because these fans agree more with Orym on the god stuff. What confuses me though is how these same haters can despise Ashton for being consistent but love Braius, the literal Devil Worshipper who secretly is on board with the Chase Away plan only so he can help the Devil rule the world, the compulsive liar. Where's Braius' scrutiny? A world under Asmodeus will be a far worse 'survival of the fittest' scenario, why does Braius get a pass in all this stuff huh? Because he's funny? Seems people ignore the whole morality talk when they're discussing Braius' dedication to Exandrian Satan.

I find it irksome too that even the group seem to criticize Ashton reaching out to Primordials too - as if that wasn't what we wanted them and Fearne to do anyway. They don't dislike the gods simply because they're a 'great entity', it's because they're a great entity that holds power and doesn't use it equally or fairly; they pick and choose who to help, a lot of the time in Ashton's experience for their own self-service, but they won't prioritize mortals over another god no matter who cruel or heinous the god is being, and the following of these gods are so intertwined with politics that most religious motivation also ends up being political. Ashton has no connection to the gods, they reached out and got nothing, an Angel looked at them and made them feel like nothing, but they do have a connection to the Primordials; from the Earth Golem to the Titan Empress they're literally a vessel of, they experienced something significant in their connection to the Earth, so I don't like how that they're almost mocked for having it. In addition, Ashton's behaviour during this commune differs because of that connection, but also because the titans are a natural flow; they don't demand or test or politic or prejudice, and despite being a Great Entity in its own right it never made sure Ashton felt small for their own satisfaction, they asked a question and got an answer, it's the same reason Ashton has disdain for most political leaders but likes and respects Keyleth, Allura, Kima, Pike, and (eventually) Percy despite also being people in power. To call on Orym and the Wildmother as an example again; Orym's an Air Ashari, the Ashari are guardians of the Elemental Planes - made from the Primordials - not tied to a god, but nobody criticizes his connection to the Wildmother despite both not being a follower and his culture being more tethered to Primordials and their descendants. I'm not saying it's all correct for Ashton to want things to go back to how Primordials ruled, but we must remind ourselves also that we only know a story written by victors when it comes to the Schism - a story which could very easily have been altered and edited to make it feel more justified for the Primes and mortals to actively genocide all the Primordials, the native species and creators of this world, and desecrate their remains to make weapons, soul anchors, and cities - the specter didn't say 'fuck em, all mortals should die' after all, if they believe mortals would survive then they must be at the least tolerant of mortal existence. Why is it okay for god followers to say they wanna keep the world with the gods they have a connection to (and I'm not saying they aren't) but Ashton is out of line for wanting to have a world which has something active that they also have a connection to? It seems rather unfair to allow one side to have and the other to have not, picking and choosing because our audience's bias has spent more time with the gods, Ashton wanting something they can connect to doesn't feel all wrong either, the Eidolons still exist with faint worship hiding away so they're not smited by the gods, why can't faith exist so they're not in hiding? I sincerely doubt the Punk Rock that is Ashton is asking for the Primordials to fill the Gods' roles the same way the Gods have been running things either, they want to break the throne remember? There needs to be a balance in ideals and practice of course, and in an ideal world there could even be a more fluid and all-inclusive Exandria where gods and Eidolons live harmoniously with mortals without hierarchy and class systems, I think Ashton could happily live with something like that, they did say the world needs 'a little chaos' to call back to Matt hinting that the current world doesn't have enough.

Which leads us to those wishing violence upon Ashton - and I really don't like that. People who say 'hitting them over the head is the only language they understand' seem to misinterpret Ashton as if everyone around them have been on their hands and knees begging Ashton to reconsider and them ignoring valid points and pulling a Leroy Jenkins. In reality, nobody is actually talking to Ashton about it, a lot of the frustration with Bells Hells right now is that they aren't talking to each other, even about the end goal! Ashton has valid reasons for their thinking, so being violent isn't gonna change their mind; undermining, dehumanizing and trying to effectively bully anyone let alone someone with chronic pain and low self worth will never truly convince them to your way of thinking. All people understand the language of violence, but that language is not used justly, those who truly wish violence upon Ashton don't want it in hopes it'll force Ashton to change their mind, they want it for their own satisfaction of seeing them in pain; so they can further push them away from the rest of the group and go 'that guy's not one of us', make it so the people Ashton calls family after a lifetime of loneliness, confusion and abandonment - the people they promised they won't abandon, and have kept true on that promise even at their lowest - make them feel small and worthless, and force them into box where they can't be themselves, and I hate that people would want to treat them that way. Ashton IS capable of listening; they've stepped back and trusted the other Hells to do their own thing even when it's ridiculous like staging a play where they pretend to be Ludinus to trick Unseelie emissaries into thinking that he attacked them, they listened to the gods even when they didn't have to like they promised they would and despite it being very personal they held themselves back for the benefit of the group, and if the group talked to them calmly where they were all allowed to healthily discuss the pros and cons, the ideals and compromises, and the risk and reward of all plans that have been proposed then they would listen, and they would try - you don't need to slice bread with a broadsword.

Will Ashton 'get what's coming to them'? Maybe, but what is that exactly? We only assume to know the full vision of what Ashton wants to act on. All of Bells Hells are gonna face the consequences of the choice they make on Ruidus - when they finally make one that is - in and out of the world they live in, so won't that apply to everyone? So what for Ashton? do people want Fractures 2.0? Does everything Ashton wants in life have to blow up violently in their face? Family, Closure, their best friend's safety, why does 'what's coming to them' have to be something aggressive and harmful? People change through positive reinforcement and good experiences too! Caduceus Clay would remind you that it's love that makes people. Don't mistake this rant as me wanting Ashton to be exactly as they are now, I too want to see growth from Ashton and we ARE seeing it happen; I see it in small instances where they think twice about rash actions and try not to fly off the handle, when they sit just to listen or understand or to defuse tension, and that when they're going somewhere or doing something they let the group know in advance, those who think Ashton hasn't changed since ep. 1 aren't paying close attention, but that doesn't mean that they don't still have more ground to cover. I believe that Ashton grows the most through kindness; when they're treated like a person and not a blunt instrument or a nuisance, and I hope what's 'coming' for Ashton isn't rejection, bitterness, and isolation, but acceptance, empathy, and for someone - if you know me you'd know who I'd want it to be - to convince them that they are worthy of living, that they're special not because of their powers or blood or because they have died and been put back together again (honestly, it does irk me a little that both Keyleth and Imogen chose that for titles and to brag to the Matron, I know it isn't intended this way but sometimes it feels like saying 'your best defining quality is that you've died a lot') but because while they have every reason to hate everything they still chose to be kind to those who deserve kindness, they have a good heart and they mean well. Are they perfect? No! They're in their 20s very few people irl have their lives together at even twice that age, but I want them to have good things in their life; things that help them feel happy and safe and like they can still feel comfortable in their own skin without having to appear more 'palatable' for people who've already decided that they don't like them. I want them to know that they've always deserved to live and they still deserve it now, I want that not just for Ashton but for all the Hells, and hopefully they'll all live to have it.

And most of all I want the people who hate them to be wrong about Ashton Greymoore, and I want Taliesin to prove them wrong.

[lillxart]

I had to visualize it.

She's a worm because she's wormed her way into his heart >:3c

If the DB has a problem with eating old food in ruins, would Tally pay extra close attention to make sure they stop and don’t get themselves sick, or will he wait until they’re ill so he can tell them “I told you so”?

Old food?

Like stale or moldy food?

Not fresh at all?

Oh he would not keep quiet about that. He'd be yelling "spit it out! Spit it out now!!" And trying to wedge his fingers in their mouth to stop them.

Nasty!

[aq2003]

1x69 // 1x89 or; keyleth and percy and "i need you"

[dent-de-leon]

tiny little widomauk moment I do so love and want to see animated--when Caleb asks Molly if his fortunes are real, and when Beau and Jester both try to interject with their very strong feelings on the matter, Caleb just says, "I am asking Mollymauk--"

[localcryptic]

7 and 29 for Ripley and Tal? :]

ooooh these are two of my favorite questions from the list >:) thank you for asking!

7: Describe them in three words. Now let them describe themself in three words.

Tal: i would describe them as a paranoid vengeful ghost. they very rarely feel 100% real/grounded/connected to the world, and i wonder what they think their life will be once they're done with their unfinished business? i doubt they've considered it at all.

tal doesn't like to talk about themself, and they would make a lot of excuses to not do so, but after some thinking they would settle on tired, hardworking, and anxious.

Ripley: i see ripley as defiant, terrified, and passionate. he puts his whole heart into everything, which only makes it more terrifying when everything goes wrong. better to push everyone away and never face the vulnerability than to risk that heartbreak again.

if you tried to ask ripley to describe himself in three words, first he'd tell you "No," (probably while flipping you off), then he'd try to get out of it like "okay, three words: 'some fucking guy?' is that good enough? how about 'self proclaimed cunt'." with a lot of complaining and eye-rolling, he'd say "pissed-off, tired freak." (he's not good with words. and did i mention the defiance? yeah.)

29. What recurring dreams do they have?

(other than the sidestep typical recurring dreams, of course.)

Tal: tal dreams of faceless people and body-less hands. they dream of being the last person on earth. in their dreams, they always run too slow and speak too quietly, and even when they try to scream, it comes out as a stage whisper. they dream of glass boxes, display cases, a Los Diablos out of a museum diorama where the clouds are too fluffy and the light is too fluorescent. the people are plastic and the eyes are gawking back at them through the glass.

on the rare occasion they have a good dream, they dream of Ortega. simple pleasures. skin against skin without fear. on a good night, they could feel her hair in their fingertips as they braid it. hear her laugh recorded in a memory and remember the warmth as they press their lips to the back of her neck. on a good night, they could feel vivid, real and whole for a moment. but mostly, in their dreams, they are nothing. faceless and static and alone.

Ripley: ripley is especially prone to nightmares. being trapped. restrained. paralyzed. nightmares about the buzz of hot metal against his teeth, about freefall. the suspense of weightlessness, and the dread, because he knows what will come next, by universal law. he dreams of falling. falling. falling. a landing that knocks the wind out of him, hitting his head against the cold exam table beneath him, writhing, strapped in place. he dreams about blood in his mouth and a smile on his face.

he dreams of an endless cycle. trapped → escaped → free → captured → trapped. he isn't sure which part of the cycle he is in by the time he wakes up. he dreams of cinderblocks. and running. running as fast as he can, as far as his legs will take him, hoping those familiar restraints don't come for his ankles, dragging him down. dragging him away. dragging him back.

in his good dreams, he feels powerful. he has sunlight on his face and wind in his hair. his lungs are full of fresh air and he doesn't have anything to be afraid of. he still runs in these dreams- he can't imagine a life where he isn't running from something. but his weightlessness is ever fleeting joy and pride, without all the weight of guilt and anger he's used to. he wakes up from these dreams just as shaken as he wakes up from nightmares.

(sorry for the unbelievably long answer and THANKS SO MUCH FOR ASKING!!! the ask list is here!)

[wlwdisasterr]

everyday I wake up and I think about critical role's halloween costumes of each other

[your-enby-antihero]

My open letter to Taliesin Jaffe

what the fuck. frankly what the fuck. sir what why how whom in what fucking universe. every bad roll for Ashton has been leading to them not FUCKING EXPLODING IN PERCY’S BASEMENT!!!!!!!!!! i am shock i am running so high on adrenaline rn. Sincerely,

a critter who will not sleep tonight

Also once again we give big ups to the best ever Aabria Iyengar for giving over that ring to save Ashton’s ass (in a very literal sense). And no to mention Liam o Brien telling Taliesin to not “Molly” another one of his characters 🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯 But why does Taliesin Jaffe specifically want to take my two favourite little blorbo comfort characters and put them in constant danger of getting fucking axed.

anyway hope everyone has a good night and remember to unclench your jaw and relax your shoulders much love ❤️ ❤️❤️❤️

[lillxart]

Taliesin: "You want to what?"

Snow White: "Use your pure elven blood to summon a Balrog :D"

Taliesin: "WHY!?"

Snow White: "Well you're not a dog person, so I figured a Balrog was the next best thing in terms of a pet! >:P"

Taliesin: *can't even begin to wrap his mind around how she came up with such an insane conclusion* "I...I just--how?..." *his brain breaks he just needs a nap* "Alright...fine..."

Snow White: "YAAAAAY! >P<"

*Another meme image!

Happy Halloween germs and gents! <3

[aeoris4lovers]

“we’re losing subscribes in europe right now”

“we just lost...nine”

“make! it! stop!”

[pixelpaladin24]

|| Tonight I went on another adventure with Taliesin (also using this mod)! And of course, had tons of fun while I was at it- I mean really, this sassy Elf has made me giggle in the past few days when nothing else could make me smile (due to personal reasons), I mean look:

..........that dragon isn't exactly hiding, my dear. 😂

Looking good in the moonlight~ (he did slaughter the dragon though, didn't really need my help either 😂 what did we unleash on Tamriel with him, oh my oh my-)

Then I dressed him up in some Immersive Armour, and got a lil' weepy before I headed off for the Thalmor Embassy (and let's just mention that dying there isn't the worst that can happen to someone who infiltrates it, by the way):

I put him back in his Thalmor robes and. His profile never ceases to make me go *siiiiigh*. He always ends up in front of me when we fast travel - or wanders around in my home, Goldenhills Plantation -, and turns back a bit like this and I'm 😩 Boy. Pls.

Oh, by the way, he's an idiot for running in front of EVERYTHING he sees. 😑 Trolls. Werewolves. Dragons. In today's playthrough he was Shouted back in the corner by a Draugr Deathlord because His Highness thought he'd deal with it up close and personal. (Constantly worried btw.)

Then he makes this comment and I'm. I'm sorry I love him. Same Tally, same. 😂 Princess or prince, I'm not picky, either.

I can't with this. I want to glomp on his back. 😂 Carry me, Tally! I am your burden. 😂

If I let him rest in my home and he's sandboxing, he starts swiping in every area?? Sassy, elf, AND cleans my home? Can I marry him? 😂

Then I dressed him up in my Lustmord Vampire Armour - and forgot that this way I ended up bare butt naked, because of which he was like:

Oh my gods, Tally. "Impressive specimen". 😅

Then we found a Heroic Stormcloak helmet and... he looks like he's thinking gurl. Seriously?!

Now I'm thinking, I'm going to put Vittoria's floral headband on him as soon as we get there with the Dark Brotherhood. 🫶🏻 And I will also put his ass in assassin leather. Yes. That'll be good. 🔥

[lunarrolls]

every time bells hells is forced to lie as a group to someone, especially when it’s someone important, i cackle like a maniac. statwise, the witches have good charisma, with imogen at 20, laudna at 18, and fearne at 16. the others. have either middling (chetney), low (fcg and orym), or. ashton. charisma stats.

so you’d think that would mean the witches are good at lying and could cover for the rest of the group. right. well. you would be dead fucking wrong.

every time these losers are in a group together all coherent thought goes out the window. none of them can get a story together, somehow ashton is forced to make the deception roll, they are clearly lying to this important person’s face, fcg is panicking, laudna’s already given up, chetney’s taking out his stupid demon sword,

[fromacatastrophe]

I let these two relax in my home and the first thing Gore does is start cooking. The first thing Taliesin does is judge Gore for his kitchen skills.

... and then start baking, to try and show him up.

Meanwhile, Remiel deeply contemplates charcuterie and Dalinan tries to decide whether or not she's into this season of Kitchen Nightmares.