#all of the nein really

[dirtyassvoiceactors]

WildBrothers/Teahaw/ Fjord and Caduceus Parallel

!!! SPOILERS FOR FJORDS ARC AND THE END OF CAMPAIGN 2!!!

Fjord c2e72 threatening Uk’otoa his Patron (on the same place the Wildmother choose him as her Paladin): “You need me more than i need you. Give it back”

Caduceus c2e140 asking the Wildmother for a Divine Intervention to bring back The M9s friend after they failed to revivify him even after “winning the fight”: “Whoever it was, just put it back. I think they’ve earned it. Put it back.”

The best part is actually is right before Cad did this (and fucking succeeded), is Fjord went to check on Essek cuz they all were frustrated it didn’t work, and how unfair it is,

Essek said “That can’t be it, can it?”

And Fjord absolute legend said: “I don’t know. But if you were to ask my wise friend, Caduceus, I’m sure he would tell you that life continues on. It changes, it evolves, and it grows. I don’t think there’s an end. You just might not be able to see the next…trip.”

And goes on to say that Essek has more time, to turn around on any regret or grief over what he’s done, that he(Fjord) sees nothing but good, and that he has an opportunity to use that anger and frustration to fuel him.

Matt: “Of all the fungus and moss that has grown through the decomposition, more plants begin to grow as well. Vines and flowers and roots, and ferns begin to bloom and blossom out of the ground surrounding his body. Begin to encase it in a way that’s oddly familiar to one of you.” “…a warm breeze. It smells sweet, with hints of ocean. The green turns to brown, and pulls away.” And a Tealeaf is back “Your eyes open for the first time.”

[revvethasmythh]

so, on a scale of 1-1000, how PISSED do you think Veth is that Fjord and Jester got engaged when she wasn't even there

[paxcallow]

desire to draw raz's hair unhatted and uncombed spiraled into imagining an extended gag about some emergency situation forcing all of the psychonauts out of the motherlobe into the quarry in their jammies at like 2 am and judging each other's clothing choices instead of getting actual work done.

[risky-witchy]

Was watching a video called ‘Marisha being proficient in note taking’ (watch the video it’s epic the link is here) where Beau is going crazy conspiracy mode and the things that gets brought up is Aeor, specifically Cognouza and in that she and Jester have a moment talking about it splitting from Aeor, specifically theorizing that maybe it is ‘a defense mechanism gone wrong’

I don’t know how much Matt had figured out at this point but from what has been revealed in Downfall,,, this theory is right on the money. It would be interesting to know if Matt had this thought out already or if Marisha’s rant inspired it, either way she knocked it out of the park - when watching the video I was shitting my pants cause of how much more Aeor lore we know now and what scraps we had of it back then and Marisha still figured that shit out it’s just impressive

[augentrust]

matthew mercer every time his players prepare to head into aeor:

chibi essek credit to Jenny Park from the pin available in the critical role shop!

[luminousstardust]

[essektheylyss]

I know it's such a cliche at this point to the point of garnering eye rolls, but we really cannot lose sight of the fact that 2x97 is the Most Episode of All Time. You cannot ignore Essek in that episode, obviously, but honestly the fact that that happened only serves to highlight how buckwild everything else was. That was when Veth got her body back. That was when Caleb first directly set his sights on Ludinus. That was when Fjord tried to ask Jester on a date and instead ending up thirdwheeling Yasha and Beau, who WERE essentially on a date. That was when Jester locked Sharpe on the balcony. That was when Cad got Beau SO high and Fjord was forced to babysit. That was when Fjord and Yasha told Marius he had to kill someone to stay on the crew.

If any ONE of these things had happened on top of the Essek reveal, it would've been notable or memorable, but no, the BREADTH of unhinged happenings in that episode is actually stunning.

[mendokayalways]

I ADORE how newbie friendly the M9 are like even the ones that are stand-offish are curious and mentory like Beau and Caleb but then Jester and Caduceus - those fucking clerics. The way Caduceus immediately makes it homely by setting up a meal and making everyone set a table. The way Jester gets up in Braius's space, takes accountability and immediate action to attempt rectification, bonds over their craft. The way Caduceus prompts Braius to be honest and bolsters him with the "you might be just what they need. In fact, I have quite a bit of faith in it". It's so so good. I missed them so fucking much MY CLERICSSSSSS

[mourn-and-watch]

i would really like to see people appreciate beau's growth and character arc more without trying to convince newcomers that "she'll get better eventually just you wait" implying she was such an unbearable character you have to make yourself sit through her scenes. i assure you, she wasn't

[gaygraviturgist]

the critical role live show was fucking amazing

[sprung-from-the-grave]

Gotta be honest, not a fan of how they turned out. I wanted to make them look like they were in the games style but.. I don’t got it. I think there’s too many rounded and like, refined edges. Maybe they’re too symmetrical as well. I’ll have to work on that if I want to do this again. If anyone has tips to get that ‘Psychonauts’ style I���d be oober grateful‼️🙏

[revvethasmythh]

it's so funny to me that caleb and veth really did just trade off the job of intensely pining for the other at like the halfway point of the campaign. like, imo, nott in the early days did not behave in any real romantic or even romance-adjacent ways toward him--I imagine it would be very hard to even think in that way when you hate what you look like so much, have such low self-esteem, and are actively lying about your entire past, including a secret husband. caleb, on the other hand, is kind of diving directly back into the sort of relationship he had with astrid and eadwulf. very close, very intimate, we-huddled-for-warmth-together-and-oops-it-led-to-something-else sort of thing. he is the one who expresses that he's fine with it if people think he and nott are romantically together when they're talking to keg. nott is the one who pushes back on that. he calls her his life partner. unknowingly, he compares his feelings for nott to nott's feelings for yeza. his behavior only really starts to change after he finds out about veth's husband because suddenly all of that other stuff is rendered inappropriate in retrospect. but even then he compliments her to yeza over dinner in the most awkward of ways, he admits to being jealous, he calls yeza "a lucky man" to have her, he stares at veth and yeza closed bedroom door for far too long, he creates an entire arcane tower with room for her family just so she'll stay with him. in general, his behavior is not, um, totally and completely platonic about it, you know?

like, veth's feelings for caleb are canonical and therefore indisputable in their existence, but caleb in the early days was not that dissimilar to how veth was acting near the end of the campaign. it really paints a picture of "right person, wrong time" in the way things just didn't line up for them. or, as veth would say: "in another world, maybe"

[dent-de-leon]

Do not think I'll get over the fact that Molly encourages the idea that he's always had a string of lovers, lets people believe he goes off with someone new or visits brothels every night, and the whole thing is just...just because he doesn't want anyone to find out he's got this bleeding heart.

That his "choir practice" is him risking his life to save some strangers he's never met. That he's this compassionate, fiercely loyal protector who believes, "The truth is...How do I put this...the world is harsh and cruel, and I don't seem to be able to just walk on by."

That he has this reputation for being a shameless flirt with countless partners, and just...as far as we know, he only ever had one relationship. And after she died, he carried her cards and wore her coat every day, kept her close to his heart and never said a word about it. Not until he admits to Yasha that he's lonely, that he wishes he still had someone. The way Molly is grieving and mourning a partner just like Yasha, and no one ever knew.

The way Lucien couldn't believe that Jester found him "dreamy," the way people only ever saw him as a demon and monster for so long. Waking up as Kingsley and still looking for the love he lost. Still falling for Caleb. Tealeaf keeping so much close to the chest, afraid to let himself be too vulnerable. Only ever trusting his heart with a few. Wanting so badly to be good, to be loved, to be whole. Worshipping the goddess of love herself. Writing down, "Love. It binds us. It frees us. What more needs be said?"

[helimir]

Campaign 2, episode 111: First campaign 2 appearance of Widogast's Nascent Nein-Sided Tower. We get to see Caleb's love for the Mighty Nein in intricate magical detail (and I fell in love instantly)

Campaign 3, episode 111: First campaign 3 appearance of Widogast's Nascent Nein-Sided Tower. We get to see the love the Mighty Nein have for each other spreading out to Bells Hells with connection, compassion, and hilarity (and I fell in love all over again)

[spottedenchants]

WIP Wednesday

Still been chipping away at the first time fic and just got over a big hurdle in chapter 3, so here's a fun chunk from chapter 1 :D

enjoy! :3

--

Essek hums, satisfied, as he rights Caleb’s shirt collar to its position a mere minute ago and returns to scratching fingertips along Caleb’s jaw, through the hair that has grown in well enough to darken the cut of it quite noticeably. Already a beard in appearance after only a few short days, it isn’t yet particularly soft.

But the sh-skritch of it…. Certainly an entertaining sound.

Sh-skritch sh-skritch.

Caleb, still seated lax, his hands folded polite in his lap while he performs his part as the subject of Essek’s study, leans his jaw into Essek’s hand.

“What are you thinking?”

“I’m beginning to better understand the extent of your grooming habits while you were in Rosohna.”

“How is that?”

Essek holds Caleb by the chin and angles his head leftward with care.

“I thought it was a pretty quick shift, from your initial, mm…”

Right, left. Hm. What to call that mess.

Down, and up- ah, notable delineation under the chin here, but a fade here on either side…. The hair spreads farther down his throat than Essek recalls. Caleb must usually keep these portions trimmed.

A combination, then.

“Ensemble, to the style you kept.”

Side and side, a tad bit longer between cheek hollow and ear, less stiff than the rest along his jawline as well. Does length play such a significant role? Though, perhaps here it is also a result of the reach of his conditioner during baths.

Essek scratches a detour through the coarser bits again.

“Have you made use of any oils?”

Sh-skritch.

Wasn’t it Fjord who made a mention of that? Essek briefly considers along the lines of plain logic, but can’t presently dredge up the memory.

Sh-skritch sh-skritch.

“Too rough for you?”

Caleb lets out a little laugh, which Essek easily requites.

“Mere curiosity.”

He can handle Caleb’s prickles pretty well.

He continues his sh-skritching now under Caleb’s chin and Caleb juts his jaw like a happy kitty.

“It’s been a fair while since I have grown it out so much.”

Blatant dodge. Considering Caleb’s original maintenance plan of a continually smooth face paired with the spontaneity of this research, that’s likely a no, then. Though- the tower can easily provide any manner of conditioners, oils, softeners, the like.

But anyway, back on track.

“If your facial hair grows in this fast, it was certainly frequent upkeep to maintain it gone as well.”

Essek turns Caleb front and center, runs a thumb down his chin- hm. Thick as the hair here now is, even his little dimple is only there in memory.

“Quite a deliberate attempt at camouflage, wasn’t it?”

He meets Caleb’s eyes.

“A presentation of conformity, and yet one of intimidating pride and distinction.”

Blue eyes crinkled bright, Caleb gives him half a grin.

“Takes one to know one.”

Essek mirrors the smirk.

“Perhaps.”

“You didn’t think this then?”

“I didn’t know what to think. You all are…”

Idly toying with the fastening buttons keeping down Caleb’s collar, Essek exhales in a slow stream.

He hated them all as much as he feared them, which is to say, with every fiber of his being. Strange, wild, unpredictable lot.

Ah.

“Eccentric.”

Caleb bumps a chuckle, mouth curling quite prettily.

“I suppose, though I would have hoped my own styling put me in better graces, maybe appearing respectful to the locale- those watching.”

Those watching, hm.

Raising his gaze to meet Caleb’s again, Essek inclines his own head.

“Did you have specfic targets in mind, Caleb?”

Caleb shrugs, his face too nonchalant for the dip in his voice.

“The closest eyes, at least.”

“Well….”

Essek gives an equally smooth lean.

He deposits a kiss upon the apple of Caleb’s cheek and darts back with a full grin.

“Despite your best efforts, I at least ended up liking you.”

“I will, in that case, consider my failure a success.”

[paperglader]

the way that i'm so excited for the mighty nein show, cause i obviously WILL watch c2 at some point, but whilst c3 is on going i don't really see it happening- the hyperfixation needs to hyperfixate (my hands are full with imodna)- STILL i am SO EXCITED about getting to see beaujester (and all the canon ships, which i also love, but BEAUJESTER). I just have the feeling that they're going to be really sweet about it (no, they don't end up together but their relationship is great, and i think that laura and marisha would make sure that it's portrayed in the best way possible)