#Ludinus Da'leth

[shellem15]

Something something ludinus' whole rhetoric being founded off of the gods being "parasites" feeding off of mortal worship and energy meanwhile that's exactly what he's doing in a very literal sort of way. Sucking everybody up in his stupid harness and leaving nothing behind in his endless pursuit of power and revenge.

Like, for good or ill, the gods don't actually *need* mortal worship to sustain themselves. Trist was physically pretty fine in Downfall and the Everlight did all of her Calamity kickassery AFTER all her followers were murdered. Mortal worship may give them a boost but it's not an actual determiner of their power. They only really need mortals right now because of the Divine Gate, they physically cannot get in and thereby must act through proxies.

They ain't sucking anybody up and leaving nothing behind, just twisting and shaping what's already there (again for good or for ill).

[undead-knick-knack]

Liliana Temult be like

[mindovermuses]

We know that the prototype model that the Bell's Hells found takes an hour, but that was way back before he destroyed Molaesmyr and he's had centuries to perfect his design since then. This one might take far less time for all they know.

And, that's if this isn't some psychic deception by the Weave Mind & Ludinus, trying to force either Imogen to Exalt to a higher level or possibly cause Fearne to finally Exalt too. They're running low on Ruidusborn to throw at the problem at this point or maybe they need to let Predathos absorb their life force in order to wake again?

Imagine the added weight and stress of the Bell's Hells sneaking in amongst the distractions and finding Liliana's dead body piled up with countless other failed Ruidusborn Exaltants in a corner near the cage. Them having to process that someone as powerful as Liliana failed at this and was killed in her attempt... and knowing that Imogen or Fearne is supposed to try and take on the task next. Oh, and if they don't? The gods will start Calamity 2.0 back home.

What we do know is that the leylines will go down at some point during the battles on Ruidus (since they're happening simultaneously) and that Liliana seems to have stalled Ludinus long enough to prevent him from using that method to spread his message that way.

However... we have seen at least two different means of spreading messages en-masse beyond the leyline plan. One was done earlier in this campaign and the other in EXU: Calamity and, honestly, I can definitely see Aeor having had a similar type of tech for broadcasts that Ludinus could have scavenged as an additional backup. I can't see him getting this far without having built in layers of redundancy for key components. He's had nearly a thousand years, this plan better be air-tight!

"Stop him. No matter what happens, stop him!"

-Critical Role Campaign 3, Episode 115, "To the Arx Creonum"

[pocketgalaxies]

"...so you're feeling confident because you've fought two snowmen."

"100%"

[immult]

"i need you close, i can't leave you out of my sight with these. you keep working on it."

the moots went crazy with this screenshot of matt as ludinus saying he needs her close especially with that Hand Gesture. we were Sickened i can't stand it. stay Away from her so help me GOD.

[skeine]

the implications of the exaltants disappearing are driving me insane. he's ready to release predathos, has been for days now, but he's been using them, not her. the one he knows has the best chance to pull this all off has been sitting on the sidelines for days

did she know this was what he was doing with the ones she brought him? did she watch the first led in brave and resolute, waiting for their apotheosis, ready to save the world with their conviction and strength of will alone? did she watch them flayed by the razor edges of its alien mind, pulverized by its abyssal weight, annihilated by a driving force of will too great for their mortal flesh to contain? did the horror set in then, or was it when she saw their twisted, mutated corpse casually tossed aside to lead in the next? and the next. and the next.

or did she not know why her charges were disappearing. did she let herself be soothed by comforting lies from the man she trusted with her life. did she bury the unease and doubt taking root in the back of her mind, sure she had his excesses under control. when did she find out that dozens of the wards she protected so fiercely died agonizing deaths in an attempt to divine the secrets of channelling an eldritch god? was it why she reached out to her daughter or did she only learn it after she betrayed him, was dragged into the ritual chamber and finally saw in it the ruins of her children, her hopes and her faith in the man who was going to consume her like he did everything else in her life

[aparticularbandit]

in which i'm now upset about liliana temult and also upset with mr. matthew mercer because what do you mean i have to wait an additional week to find out what's going on with her

what do you mean i have to wait an additional week to see imogen beat the SHIT out of him

[soath]

"I mean, he's this cute little guy who has some pretty powerful spells"

-best Jester character note. she's still giving Ludinus a pity invite to the wedding if he promises not to try to eat Artagan. just a sad little adorable old man.

[mindovermuses]

Not making a firm decision or expecting someone else to decide for you is an excellent way to have that choice taken away from you. Neither Liliana nor Imogen would make a final decision regarding the other and now someone else made it for them.

This is such a bittersweet way for Liliana to end. For so much of the campaign, she’s spoken of herself almost as if she believes herself fully lacking in agency regarding her circumstances. As if she had no choice but to join the Vanguard, to stand by while Ludinus and Otohan committ atrocities, to leave her family behind, to put the world on the line. This was the only way she could see to 'save her daughter', so of course there was no choice but to do it. And when Imogen reached out to her, told her that no, I don’t want this, you can still walk away, there’ll be consequences but you can walk away, Liliana dithered. Suddenly there was an undeniable choice - to betray either Ludinus or her daughter - and she didn't want to make it, didn't want to committ to either choice, didn't want to accept that despite all her hardships she does, in fact, have agency.

In the end, she didn’t get to make that choice between Vanguard or Imogen. She dithered for too long, and the agency that she had so long denied having was finally, truly, taken from her.

[yudol-skorbi]

worst tv marathon ever

[scumbagwizard]

I know Ludinus is supposed to be one of the smartest people in the world but every time he starts talking about releasing Predathos, he sounds like Nott trying to explain how setting off a homemade bomb in a tiny room with all of them inside is absolutely 100% going to work.

“Think about this. She throws it. I fire. It explodes. No structural damage, only damage to the creature. That’s how I see it going down.”

[shellem15]

LUDINUS DA'LETH WHEN I CATCH YOU

Idiot. Reddit-athiest loser. Worst man to ever grace the screens of critical role.

What the hell is this dumbass plan anyways? Oh, you're gonna try to suck up the god-eater aren't you? Gonna try to take its power, huh?

Yeah that will definitely work. You definitely won't get swallowed like a tic tac by the "endless hunger" being. There's absolutely no way this ancient eldritch being will have any negative effects on mortals at all. Itll just pass on by like a fart on the wind, huh? Sure, buddy. Sure.

Oh, there's another way to kill the gods that doesn't involve an unknowable god-eater? WOW. And *any* mage in Aeor would know how to build it? Well it sucks cause the Aeorians are all dead--wait a minute! Aren't there incredibly powerful aeorian archmages trapped in stasis chambers? Just waiting to be let out? We'll that's great! Aren't you gonna maybe ask them how, maybe shift around your plan a bit to incorporate this new information? Maybe not release the powerful entity with unknowable motivations or effects? Oh-oh no you're just gonna leave em there. Who cares about the factorum malleus anyways?

*ring ring* Oh, what's that? It's Vespin Chloras calling to pass on the title of "dumbest wizard in history" to you, ludi. Congratulations! Dumbass.

[undead-knick-knack]

Bells Hells facing Ludinus for the last time

When in doubt dicks out

[ariadne-mouse]

I know Ludinus is very busy but I do think he should get stuck in a room with both Fearne Calloway and Jester Lavorre at the same time while trying to get literally anything done

[pocketgalaxies]

"hey bells hells do you have a plan"

"yeah we're gonna kill ludinus, and then...do something with predathos"

[revvethasmythh]

Orym has had ENOUGH