#c1 finale

[liltaireissocute]

idk i just wanted to draw Kiki

[tyquu]

Christmas/Life day doodle dedicated to the Rebels discord server, happy holidays!

[prankprincess123]

The fact that not Percy but Vex is the last person to have killed 4/6 of the people whose names are on The List (regardless that Cass wasn't supposed to be on The List and that killing her was accidental & rectified asap) makes me absolutely feral about them

[0m3n-0f-d3ath]

Cable management

[ohnogodpls]

at long last, I have them both

[chromadrop]

[operationslipperypuppet]

guy who has listened to hardwon asking to live at the crick a million times: listening to hardwon asking to live at the crick will kill me today

[utilitycaster]

The narrative of D&D

Fantasy High Junior Year has made its exploration of the tropes, mechanics, and structures of D&D readily apparent, perhaps even more so than the earlier two seasons. This is unsurprising for a show in which the characters are, in-universe, extremely aware of their mechanics and indeed in a high school intended to develop them. And yet, while Brennan Lee Mulligan pokes at these structures, the story still rests squarely within them.

This is not accidental; in longer form narratives (and Fantasy High as an overall story certainly is one, though each individual season exists in a strange no-man's land of campaign length) there is a distinctive pattern to the D&D narrative, one that is outright stated in the player's handbook. D&D is a progressive advancement game; characters grow in power and in sociopolitical import as they level up. They begin, even at level 1, as exceptional people (no commoner stats for them) and are destined by the fact that they are in a D&D game for greatness. There are things D&D supports well; travel, social interaction, one-time skill use, and combat. There are things it does poorly, notably downtime and stories that are not built along the lines of heroic fantasy.

I think this is a value neutral statement, in that I think that trying to avoid playing D&D while playing D&D is a futile exercise; your character will become more powerful while playing it and the only way to avoid gaining this power is to play a different game. I also think that while D&D has the potential to comment on our world from a new perspective, as most speculative fiction does, and is certainly not without flaws, that conversation is one for a later date. The structure exists; like it or not, it exists. There are other games to play that support other stories.

Fantasy High is direct in its engagement: characters are aware of their classes. They learn about the conventions thereof in their high school coursework, and must justify their multiclassing, both with their current level of power in their base class as well as with what they have done (both narrative and mechanical justifications). The antagonists of Junior Year are the Rat Grinders, explicitly commenting on Experience vs. Milestone leveling; several characters provide an eye into such D&D player tropes as min-maxxing and focusing on RP vs only on the game and mechanical elements. The Seven, set in the same world, operates on a similar premise; the party risks being broken up because half are still in high school and they would not survive a split of that level. Adventurers at the Aguefort Academy must adventure, and both the humor and deconstruction come from the juxtaposition of the conventions of D&D with the typical life of a high school student. The characters do level up; they do become more recognizable; they do have to save the world, repeatedly.

A somewhat subtler deconstruction comes in the form of NADDPod's first campaign, or as it was introduced, The Campaign after the Campaign. As envisioned by Brian Murphy (a player in Fantasy High; it is perhaps relevant that the two shows both began production around the same time), the world in which it is set is grappling with the aftermath of the "campaign" of the three legendary heroes Alanis, Thiala, and Ulfgar, who had slain Asmodeus, among other feats. While this ended a war, it set off several crucial events. Most centrally to the story of NADDPod, Thiala, disillusioned with her role as the healer, broke her worship of Pelor and used the heart of Asmodeus to ascend to godhood; she would eventually become the final antagonist of the campaign. However, the death of Asmodeus also set off a power vacuum in Hell. NADDPod's third campaign is set two centuries after the first, and the new legendary heroes (the Band of Boobs of the first campaign) have been dealing with the aftermath of an extraplanar war of the gods; Mothership, the main antagonist, arose in Thiala's wake. This is all typical actions leading to consequences, but the idea that the butterfly that flapped its wings was the resentment of someone having to play the cleric is notable (and is directly contrasted by Emily Axford's Bahumia characters, who openly embrace healing and support casting, breaking Thiala's cycle while cleaning up her mess.) But NADDPod too is heroic fantasy, even with the science fantasy elements present in the second season, and even slots nicely into the PHB tiers.

Critical Role does not, per se, strive to deconstruct in the same way (though Matt Mercer does provide some direct retorts to Forgotten Realms lore, particularly that of drow). But like NADDPod, the consequences of past campaigns influence subsequent ones. Campaign 1 is very easily recognizable as a classic "gain influence and power" story, and while Campaign 2's heroes the Mighty Nein retain a refreshingly low profile throughout the story, it does still progress in a typical way, though in a rather more self-directed manner.

Campaign 3 is interesting, in that it initially deviates from some of the more classic tropes of early D&D, but ultimately succumbs (to its benefit, in my opinion) to the inertia of the heroic fantasy arc. Bells Hells do not work their way up from level 1 or 2 taking on odd jobs; they begin the campaign by joining up with a benevolent patron, and several party members have pre-existing powerful connections. They receive the use of a skyship by episode 22 and level 6 (something even Vox Machina considered having to steal at level 13) and inherit it not long after. And yet: despite this, and a pivotal set piece of the apogee solstice in which a comparatively low level party plays a part among many factions, following a brief split the campaign begins to run on more familiar tracks. For all the early privileges the team enjoyed and the theological debates they engaged in, they ultimately find themselves in a position identical to that of the archetypal Vox Machina: facing an evil wizard who, after a rushed solstice ritual mid-campaign, only partially unsealed a long-imprisoned ancient deity of manipulation and destruction and now wishes to finish the job. One must assume Delilah Briarwood is appreciating the parallels from within Laudna's psyche.

Worlds Beyond Number is a player on the scene to watch out for, especially because Mulligan has shown himself to enjoy playing with these tropes and his players are all immensely knowledgeable and experienced players (and in Aabria Iyengar's case, DMs) themselves. Rather like Bells Hells, two of its three characters are coming in already in storied positions, despite being level 2, and it will be interesting to see if it bucks the trend. I don't think it needs to. I think there's plenty of variety to be had within this subgenre, and I think a quiet pushing at the boundaries is frequently more effective than full-scale subverstion. But should that be the plan, it will take a lot of work; even with immense awareness of the path D&D sets forth it seems DMs - and players - tend to stay on it.

[sheepnebula]

I really knew I loved Hardwon when they revealed he was bullied into illiteracy lmao.

[stone-stars]

Transcript

Erlin: Pelor if you-- If you help these guys, I'll-- I'm gonna become a cleric! I'm gonna be a cleric, 'cause I'm-- I'm not strong, but I-- I think I'm just strong in a different way! Murph: So you go out, you go to 0. You wake up to the tail end of somebody saying Erlin: -- Haaaands! [Everyone laughs and claps] Murph: You open your eyes to see Erlin over you-- Caldwell: Good boy. Murph: --just as the king Bullywug takes a swing down on him. Erlin: And-- I-- I just-- I wanna help people, so I-- I hope this works. Please-- please help people! Erlin: Uh, I think this is gonna be a long day, man, so I think you could use this more than me. Murph: Um, and he touches hands you. Beverly: I touch his hand back. Murph: You guys go palm to palm. Uh, and he heals you for 5 HP. Erlin: I know I'm not ready to join you guys yet, but-- I'm gonna become a real freakin' good cleric! Moonshine: Hey! Erlin? Erlin: Yeah? Moonshine: Hey Erlin? Erlin: Yeah? Moonshine: Uhh, here's the deal. I feel like I gotta go down there and save Balnor's life. If Balnor dies and I do a cool spell that's fun but not necessarily healing him, it will be on my shoulders. Murph: You see Erlin looks at you, so serious. Moonshine: Uh-huh. Erlin: (serious) I've got him. Murph: Um, but then on initiative 5, Erlin runs up behind him, getting like misty eyed, and he's trying to pull Red back, he's like-- Erlin: (begging) Dude! Dude! Dude, come on, you're gonna die too. I can't loose you too! Murph: Um, and he's going to cast a 5th level cure wounds on Red. Um, and he yanks Red back from the monster. Caldwell: I'm down. Murph: Whoo. Brutal. Bev goes down, Erlin reaches out as he's collapsing. Erlin: (yelling) Dude, no! Erlin: (yelling) Who do I save? My father figure or my boyfriend? Mavrus: Can you get Bev? Erlin: I can get Bev but then-- but then Red's gonna die too. Mavrus: I can get Red if you can get Bev. Murph: Uhh, you see he looks at you with this like, extremely serious face. Um, you see his like, eyes are welling up, and he goes-- Erlin: Thanks for not making me choose, man. Erlin: (serious) Nobody's gonna die. Moonshine: Are you totally sure? Erlin: I promise you, Scoutmaster Moonshine. [Jake laughs.] Moonshine: 'Cause I am also cool to just spam heals. You and I can both just like, absolutely heal, it's just the question of how I use my high level spells. Murph: He gives you the green teen salute. Beverly: Hey, Erlin, I don't know if you remember that first Jamboreen we went to, when we were both trying to learn our Green Teen healing spells. I wanted that patch so bad and I just couldn't figure it out. But then you came over, and you showed me the way, and you taught me the words. Caldwell: And then I hold my hands up wide, and I clap them together as I scream-- Beverly + Erlin, together: Touuuuch Haaaands!! Erlin: (serious) Scoutmaster Moonshine? Moonshine: Youngin, you would make such a good cleric. Erlin: I'm the healer. Moonshine: (laughs) Okay, Erlin!

[silentassassin21]

Campaign 1, Episode 76: Brawl in the Arches

[liltaireissocute]

THE ONE WHO WAITS AT NIGHT

[teabutmakeitazure]

finally logged into genshin to get stellar reunion rewards (best boi rerun happening soon i heard) and saw this

why am i this way

[meadowsofmay]

orym has such a calm, soothing voice that i really enjoy listening to. it's that sort of timid and quiet that makes you pay closer attention because orym doesn't talk much but when he does it feels special, even if he is not saying anything of big importance.

orym's voice is comfortable, like cotton soft and warm like sun. and i find his voice to be my safe space. i trust him. i want to lean into it. i bet it feels even better if you hug him.

i just find comfort in orym, that's all.

[alerrison]

The emotional response I have to Vox Machina over the other campaign groups is... a lot. Bell's Hells wrapping up? Fine, it was okay. Mighty Nein? Sure. Vox Machina wrapping up? Full on weeping.

I have genuinely only ever cried at Critical Role over campaign one stuff. Multiple times in the first campaign, and then the only time I remember shedding tears in campaign 2 was when Keyleth's mom went back home. Vox Machina the hold you have on my heart.

[ludinusdaleth]

interesting fact - just like c3, c2 ending was considered a disaster to fans before its finale because many thought arcs were unfinished. in fact one of the main critiques you can find under matts tweet announcing c2 was closing off is tons upon tons of angry responses asking how they could wrap up every characters arc. the finale ended with the ca & uk'otoa not being killed. however, in hindsight, it was very obvious c2 was more about characters finding the emotional strength with each other to face their problems more than finishing them off. and even then, there were multiple one shots (and will be more) about them facing these threats not faced in the series. when i see the c3 discourse about character arcs not being finished, while i do at points agree, i just see this again; it is not remotely unique to the bells. it is another point in how i genuinely do not know if i can judge c3 til we actually have the bells full picture, and it is very obvious that for better or worse, the campaigns have never worked as a full picture alone. i think the pacing that ends up with characters stories being an open road is a feature and not a bug and that will appeal to some and not appeal to others.