#geoff being the one to turn matt traditionally

[monarchisms]

AH/Shadows crossover where Geoff is a vampire they hang out with and Matt is just some guy but they all assume he's a vampire and hang out with him too

xcvfghjgfdsgh

[lavellenchanted]

sam riegel used “reveal nott’s backstory”: it’s super effective! I am emotionally compromised

I have ... complicated feelings about the backstory as a whole? on the one hand I love the story, it’s tragic and painful and explains a lot about nott and recontextualises so many of her previous moments and interactions, and I also love that despite the big reveal it’s very clear that nott is still nott. all the little quirks and traits that make up her character were there in veth: the collecting, the speed and quickness that are the base for her rogue abilities, the self-sacrificing, seeing things in other that they maybe don’t see in themselves. I’m fascinated to see how this story and arc plays out (and I’m also glad that she’s not, y’know, trying to insert herself into someone else’s life). 

on the other hand, I loved sam taking a race traditionally coded as evil and turning that on its head and playing with those ideas of nature vs nurture and whether your origins have to define you, especially following scanlan who had such a powerful, personal prejudice, and I’m ... a little disappointed, I guess, that that idea has essentially been nullified. (at least for now; yussa’s goblin secretary means we might still see some of that from matt, but it’s unlikely to be front and central). 

other thoughts:

I was speculating about the drowning thing and I really wish I hadn’t been right

personally I think caleb was telling the truth about his name, I don’t think it makes sense in context for him to lie unless caleb is already a far far darker character than liam’s letting on - which I don’t think he is, I think he’s walking a dangerous path but has not crossed the line back into evil yet

I’m also dreading whatever other little awful tidbits about caleb’s background liam’s keeping up his sleeve until the opportune moment 

I understand why in this case caleb didn’t reveal every detail of his story, but the fact that they essentially all agreed to try and be honest with each other and he’s still holding the worst back makes me nervous

especially when it leads to jester innocently asking things like “do you think these people you knew would have the power to change memories?”, ouch

“oh jester, I’m so glad you see good in me” - I just. can’t. 

beau becoming more confident in using the cobalt soul to open doors is wonderful to see and all her interactions with geoff were gold

also caleb holding her for support and her putting her hand over his to reassure him was so sweet (in a terribly painful way)

I’d like to thank laura and travis for the quality fjord/jester moments because my heart would not have survived this episode without them

her trying to counsel him to be cautious and then backtracking and complimenting him when she thought he was hurt was delightful

nott: “you’re very loveable. don’t you think so fjord?” fjord [softly and shyly]: “yeah” me: [screaming]

the whole conversation about blink

I feel like with caduceus’ mission, the three creations of the betrayer gods, the mystery surrounding xhorhas and the beacons and the cerberus assembly we’re seeing the frame of the main narrative emerging but we’re lacking the details that ties everything together and makes the full picture

I’m excited to see it though, I feel like matt’s building towards something big

possibly a couple of things, following a simpler pattern to the chroma conclave/vecna

with beau and cobalt soul tying with caleb and the corruption of the cerberus assembly and the empire that needs to be brought down

while fjord and uku’toa, caduceus’ quest and yasha and kord tie into an ever larger threat of a gods being unleashed and a possible second cataclysm? maybe with the war between the empire and xhorhas having an effect on what’s happening there

travellercon as a wildcard that could be relevant to either, or something else entirely

finally

please bring ashley back for a xhorhas arc