#but what I find interesting is that Matt spent more time laying the groundwork for them to have a specific city as a base

[critterfloozy]

You know, when thinking about Bells Hells, Campaign 3, Marquet, and the conversations that tend to erupt around them - how Bells Hells doesn't seem to have many ties to Marquet, how Marquet doesn't seem like it got the same sort of exploration that Tal'dorei and Wildemount got, ect...

I keep on flashing back to the fact that Matt made the choice to stay in Jrusar for so many episodes at the beginning, to be able to explore a city more fully than we usually do. And how, at the beginning of the campaign, I'd say that Bells Hells had more emotionally important connections within Marquet than they do right now - Zhudanna and the other Krook house residents, but also Xandis, Marwa, Eshteross, Evelyn Wress (Eshteross's caretaker - remember her?), Pretty, Jiana Hexum, The Green Seekers Detective Agency, Imahara Joe, Dancer, that one cool Duskmaven priestess that showed up and was interested in Laudna and then didn't show up again...

But it's been, what - nearly fifty episodes since we've spent much time there? Most of the characters are still living, so it's not like they can't visit them or talk to them. So I end up trying to think not so much about why Bells Hells are so disconnected from Marquet, so much as why the attempt to place them in a specific city and give them those emotional connections didn't take.

[mapleandgingeroatmeal]

CR2E109- Frigid Propositions

Ooops! I've been moving and then road-tripping the past few days, which makes for a high volume of podcast consumption and a very low amount of blogging time. I also have a week off now, so I plan on going back and categorizing my Rumblecusp thoughts, because I have many. For now though, I want to keep up with this project so I'm writing while things are fresh in my mind. So! With that said, here's 109 thoughts!

I always love a shopping episode. Is that weird? Idk, they're usually light-hearted and role-play heavy, which are two things I love. This one was no exception.

It's so funny to see everyone go completely fucking wild the first time they get any kind of wealth in their pockets. Illegal Fireworks! All the paper in the city! A million stink bombs! A 5,000 gp ring that I will never need! It makes sense for people who live so much in the moment to spend the way they do, but god its also so funny how ecstatic they are to have spends .

Fjord and Yasha are so good together?? Hey? Fjord is such a charismatic guy, he should be good at this, but Yahsa has zero impulse control and he likes to be spontaneous sometimes, so it's like she sucks all his common sense and people skills right out of him when they're together. What a great dynamic omg.

Veth is totally That Mom who makes everyone take terrible matching-christmas-pajama photos and I am so here for it.

It makes me happy to see Veth with her family, but I do always get this feeling like the relationships she has there are so forced and fleeting. They've never spent more than a few days at a time together since she's been back! Matt even makes a point of saying how much Yeza's changed and has become a different person in her absence. I honestly feel Veth and Yeza are really tip-toeing around each other at this point.

Also we went through all of Rumblecusp and we haven't once had a convo about how Veth is feeling/adjusting to her new body? I want that info so badly, but I also totally feel like this is a deliberate character choice on Sam's part. He knows how to constructively interrupt if he wanted a scene of her talking about it, which makes me think Veth is in hard Denial Mode about her feelings and wants and needs rn.

(also over in Widowbrave land, Veth could've given Caleb anything, but she chose a thong?? If that's not a you-can-join-me-and-my-husband-sometime flirt then wtf is it?)

Ashley Johnson came for my entire soul with that church scene. "I think I'm being rebuilt, too". EXCUSE ME I'M SOBBING?? I have been so in love with Yahsa's ard since Obann, some day when I have time I'm gonna scream for an hour about the Wings scene.

Ok not that long ago I said that I wasn't feeling the Fjorjester buildup super hard; I am now revising that opinion. Travis has definitely been laying the groundwork. That unicorn was Fjucking adorable, and I love how he matched Jester's goofy playful energy when he gave it to her. You can see him trying so hard to speak her language and it's just so precious.

And it was so interesting that Caleb pushed them together with the knowledge that he's been a little in love with Jester for a while. I guess he's seen enough of how her and Fjord pretty obviously feel that he's trying to get himself over that one. Also the fact that he may lose Veth has forced him to confront how in love with her he is

It really is incredible how far Beau and Caleb specifically have come. None of these guys are at all who they were at the start, but I feel like the change is most obvious on them. Caleb isn't quite at forgiving himself, but he's slowly letting himself be happy. Beau is reading books and allowing people to love her and commanding a position of responsibility.

Caduceus is finally opening up to friends about his issues and I'm so proud of him? Even if it's just that very little bit. Beyond what he said to Yasha specifically, you can really tell by the things he doesn't say that he's been doing some quiet self-reflection. I mean, "patience can curdle into apathy", hello, projecting much there bud? Think maybe you're not even talking about Yahsa's issues so much any more?

also we got a hint of aro/ace Cad here with his comments about finding the dancing awkward. I am so excited that talks is back, and I cannot wait for someone to ask Tailesen about the choice to create a character with that identity specifically. God I love Caduceus Clay with all my heart and soul. I would die for this wise baby cow man.

AAA I've gotten to Eiselcross I cannot fuckin belive I'm here!! I know I'm still many episodes behind, but I've officially reached the place where I really started seeing enough cr around my lurker feeds to decide I should get into it myself. So it honestly feels like I've reached some arbitrary "caught up" point in my head, bc from here on out I vaguely saw fan reactions to live episodes as they were released. I know whats coming here, and I am SO EXCITED to see it all for reals.

I might be able to do a pseudo-livebloggy thing with the next few episodes since I'm on break, so if there's anybody out there who actually reads these things and was sad I skipped so much, maybe that will make it up to you.