#i recognize that this experience did so much harm to their relationship and then laudnas and imogens

[screechingfromthevoid]

I think I've talked about this before but something I'll never forgive Matt Mercer for is separating bells hells after the solstice the way that he did.

Of course they split their codependent pairs down the middle and threw Chet somewhere but Laudna, Orym, and Ashton alone together was diabolical. Switching out one of either would have drastically changed the tone of the group.

Laudna, Fearne, and Ashton? We have fun and flirty callomoore and Fearne might have stopped Laudna from soul sucking Bor'Dor.

Laudna, Orym, FCG? FCG would have been able to bring a unique perspective to the group as someone who puts their faith in the gods. Bor'Dor might have been exposed earlier (saving them all the grief), the church might not have been so aggressive.

Imogen, Orym, Ashton? Imogen and Orym have a different kind of relationship. They're extremely close in what I really think is a sibling dynamic. But the siblings who grew up depending on each other because they were all they had. So bringing that energy into the group would have made everything feel more cohesive I think.

But Laudna, Orym, and Ashton were thrown together. And that makes so much sense in what Matt was trying to do with their part in the story. These three are volatile. Yes. Even Orym. They were all on a hair trigger the entire time.

And then Matt put a traitor in their midst. Two out of three of them took Yu's betrayal HARD. Orym didn't know if Keyleth was alive. They didn't know if anyone was alive. They directly opposed a god's forces. Someone they thought they could trust betrayed them. Again.

They turned into their worst selves. Laudna fed Delilah. Orym wanted the person who broke his trust hurt. Ashton's experience with the spirits backed up their delusions of grandeur.

IDK I just don't think I'll ever forgive Matt for that.