#i relate to adaine so much shes so special to me

[hi-intrepid-heroes]

hearing adaine described as 'elven oracle, denim jacket wearing cool kid' genuinely means so much to me. she was such a shy anxious girl in season 1 and shes grown so much and really come into her power and i just. i cant wait to see her again

[jq37]

The Report Card – Fantasy High Junior Year Ep 6

Post Shrimp Jump Conspiracy Board Special

Hey y’all! Welcome back to Seacaster Manor where the shrimp party is still raging and the Bad Kids are balancing being cooler than ever with some serious sleuthing. We get a lot of new information this episode so I wanted to try out a new format for this week. I often talk in a metaphorical way about putting items up on a Conspiracy Board but I want to actually try that now that we’re a little over a quarter of the way in and have multiple overarching things happening. This is going to be a lot less linear than usual but bear with me. Gotta shake things up a little so I don’t get burnt out! There’s still fourteen more episodes to go! 

The Rat Grinders

The Bad Kids’ de facto rival party got a lot of screen time in this episode, which makes sense: Adaine declared the party their nemeses over Goldenhoard or anyone else they’ve fought, which is saying a lot. Before this point, we knew the following facts about them:

1) They got their name because the only enemies they’re recorded as killing are low level ones (including rats) that they grind in the woods behind the school, showing a willingness to follow the letter but not spirit of the rules but also an impressive amount of dedication. 

2) Their leader seems to be rogue, Kipperlily Copperkettle who is type A as hell and has a LOT of free time to kill having found the rogue professor (or at least having the rogue professor find her). She’s running for class president on a platform based around “fairness” which is a theme that’s come up more than once this season. 

3) Also on the team are emo Bard Reuben (who seems to be related to the new Artificing teacher and who shares an agent with Fig) and nonplussed Barbarian Mary Ann (who is buffing herself magically somehow).

4) Kipperlily specifically asked about where Kristen was able to create a new god. Now how, where. An odd question. 

This episode, we learned a lot more, so let's throw them on the board and make some connections!

5) The Rat Grinders have a new cleric named Buddy Dawn (something Kristen’s brother mentioned two episodes ago). He’s from Highcourt and moved with his grandparents. He’s got super Mormon+Southern “Bless Your Heart” energy and Kristen doesn’t like how familiar it feels. His vibes are clocked as well meaning but kinda judgey. 

6) Buddy Dawn was *specifically requested* by the party. Of course, requesting a cleric isn’t weird–why wouldn’t you want one? And Helioism seems a pretty common religion in the region so odds are good that if you get a cleric is would be a Helioic one. But, paired with KP’s question about Kristen, it makes you wonder if the plan is to recruit a Kristen expy and try to get lightning to strike twice.  

7) At the beer pong table, we meet the RG’s archer who is an elf named Ivy Embra. She’s got some flirty, catty energy (which we see when she interacts with Fabian and Mazey respectively).

8) We also meet the party wizard, Oisin Hakinvar, who is a Conjuration specialist with a focus in summoning. He’s a blue dragonborn which means that he has a great great great (etc) blue dragon ancestor he can ping when he needs barrels of diamonds, no problem. He has so many in fact that when Adaine lies badly that she’s also swimming in diamonds, he kindly offers to let her borrow some of his “extras”. But she turns them down, calls him great, and then panics and runs away to commiserate with Fabian who is also panicking about a flirty moment with Ivy. Oisin, for his part, seems driven to distraction and can’t make a single other shot all night. Cute! But–

9) As much as I want to wholeheartedly love Oisin (and honestly do and will until I am given direct evidence to change my mind) I have to point out that KVX, known evil bank, did change its logo from red (Goldenhoard’s color) to blue (Oisin’s Ancestor’s color) and there is a shot in the trailer of the party fighting a blue dragon. Connected? Maybe.

10) From investigating some yearbooks, the party also learns that the Rat Grinders have existed since Freshman Year but, at the time, they were called the High Five Heroes. They all look a lot more smiley and a lot less intense–Rebuen’s not even emo. It was the lineup from above, minus Buddy and plus a frost Genasi cleric named Lucy Frostblade. They learn that she supposedly died in their Sophomore year but specifically during a period near the end of the year where grades are locked and it wouldn’t affect their party comp which is…convenient. 

11) Fig tries to investigate this by disguising herself as Lucy and seeing how Ivy and Oisin react. Only Ivy sees her but she doesn’t seem shocked at all to see her allegedly dead party member She just raises an eyebrow and ditches the game to talk to her. Fig bails (and rolls only a 12 to stealth away) so we don’t get any extra info but just the fact that Ivy reacted that way is pretty juicy info as is.  

12) The other Rat Grinders don’t seem to be at the party but the members are skeptical about that. On the other hand, when Ivy leaves, it’s because Oisin pulls her aside and says, “Kipperlilly’s calling”. So it’s possible there was a Team A and a Team B for whatever the Rat Grinders were doing that night?

13) And speaking of what they're doing, we do have a theory. When Fabian checks some damage in the basement where Max and some other kids were smoking "gorgenfern" he sees that something called a cloud rider engine was smashed up pretty bad and in a suspicious way–gorgenfern doesn’t make you rowdy. Fabian checks the security tapes he obviously has and sees that some ice mephits came in and riled people up to the point of crashing into the engine. Adaine conjured some earlier in the party and as far as her arcana check can tell, they’re here, but there’s suspicion that Oisin–a conjuration wizard–could have done it. It’s certainly within his skillset. A cloud rider engine allows a vehicle to fly on clouds and it’s not clear if it was simply smashed or if something was stolen from it. 

14) Max isn’t a Rat Grinder but he did ask them all if they wanted to smoke with him and Ivy offered Fabian snuff so Riz is suspicious that the RG’s are trying to get them kicked out of school for drug use now that they have a non-Aguefort principal who presumably cares about silly rules like that at the murder school. 

That’s basically what we know about the Rat Grinders! So, to sum it up, I’d say the conspiracy board bullet points are:

Supposedly dead cleric Lucy Frostblade: What actually happened to her and why isn’t Ivy surprised to see “her”?

New cleric Buddy Dawn: Why was he specifically requested? 

The High Five Heroes: What caused them to turn into the Rat Grinders? And, as they seem like they were more gung ho their first year, why did they never pivot to fighting things other than low level monsters?

Do they actually have beef with the Bad Kids specifically or are their vibes just terrible? Were they trying to sabotage them by offering drugs? Did they break the engine on purpose and, if so, why?

Oisin: Is he chill or is he working an angle? That question technically goes to Ivy as well but I’m almost certain she’s fully working an angle, lol. I’m getting straight up Aelwyn vibes from her.

Class President: What is KP’s angle re: running for class president? This seems like something she’d want to do either way with her personality but her policy of fairness dovetails too neatly with Grix’s appearance and Cassandra’s inability to say the phrase, “It’s not fair,” last episode.

How did KP find the rogue professor and is that relevant?

And finally, why did KP want to know about where Kristen created her Freshman year god? Well, that question may be partially answered in our next section. 

God Stuff

There is a lot going on this season with celestial shenanigans between Cassandra and Galicaea and even Yes! So let’s mark out what we know.

1) Cassandra was possessed by some kind of rage entity via crystal shards that were expelled from her body. Her status is kind of up in the air right now as the party was shunted away to safety by Connor Counterspell (RIP) and all Kristen has left of Cass are some glowing, purple shards. 

2) Earlier in the fight, while lucid, Cassandra said, “I thought you were dead” about some unseen entity. Later, Kristen heard from a creepy voice that said, “She is at my side once more”. It then threatened her and slid out the rotting corpse of Yes! as a sick joke. Likely that these are the same person or at least connected. 

3) Gorgug identified that the rage stars are similar to what’s going on with Ragh’s mom, Lydia so it was put on the docket to get in touch with her about that–especially because Kalina specifically told them to track down Ragh with her last lucid words. 

4) Tracker’s Galicaea rebrand is going really well. Her social media is really popping and the endless night probably didn’t hurt. 

5) Kristen on the other hand, hasn’t been doing so hot. Due to a bunch of negligence based in lack of time management and personal uncertainty, she hasn’t been evangelizing much which means only she and Craig stand between Cass and her permanent destruction. 

6) Kristen can’t contact Cass telepathically and says she can’t use her magic which is Not Great if you're as danger prone as the Bad Kids. 

Alright, that’s all the old business so let’s move to the new business. 

7) When Kristen talked to her parents, we learned that Helio doesn’t have a chosen one since she left but we learn that it’s more serious than that. Helio also can’t choose a new chosen one. He only gets one. With Kristen gone, the whole religion is without a chosen one.

8) At a certain point, Tracker finally gets a hold of Kristen and says some harsh but true things about Kristen but, more relevant to the conspiracy board, she talks about her girlfriend Nara and Adaine, as a fellow high elf, clocks her as coming from a family of moon goddess clerics in Falinel. That raises the question: is this run of the mill teenage rebellion a la the theme song, or is she some kind of plant? We’ll hopefully get some more info from Aelwyn since Adaine texted her about it.

9) The real juicy stuff happens when we talk to Ragh’s mom. The fiend in Lydia's gem is called Bakur. Her having him in there doesn't make her rage--she's raging to keep him trapped but that's it. Her personality is the same. 

10) Bakur was a pit fiend and the right hand guy of a dead god whose name we don't know (hmm, another dead and nameless god). Bakur can't even say the god's name. It's like, weird god rules and Lydia explains in a weird vague way: gods not being able to use loopholes and saying names being powerful and rules changing for non-mortals when gods die.

11) The one very concrete info we get is that a god can only come back in a place where they were born or created. The reason Bakur’s plan failed is that he tried to bring back the nameless god in the Red Waste and not where they were created. 

12) Rana (Lydia’s party cleric) is away and Cormyr (the party sorcerer) is dead but Lydia offers to put the party in touch with Rana and Cormyr’s family because they have more stuff related to this and they were the ones who knew more about this than her. 

Following? Good. So let’s distill this down to bullets again:

Holy Helio. The corn god doesn’t have a chosen one anymore because Kristen up and left. What does that mean in a concrete sense? What can a chosen one do that a normal cleric can’t? Is Helio gonna ask Kristen to do anything this season now that we know that this is a special position that only one person can fill? Is it until she dies (or at least dies for real)? Would a fanatical Helioic person try and kill Kristen to open up that slot?

KP specifically asking WHERE Cassandra was created seems clearly tied to the info Lydia gave about only being able to resurrect a god where it was created. But what does that mean exactly? Is she trying to resurrect the same god as Bakur? Did she just assume that wherever Kristen made her god is probably where most gods are made and, thus, her best bet? What’s her angle? Is this an evil plan for just a “this will get me a good grade” plan?

Where in the world is Cassandra right now? She is MIA right now which means Kristen’s powers are too. Though I wonder if she can draw on those shards to cast spells.

We obviously can’t be sure but it seems like the voice Kristen heard and the person that Cass thought was dead is likely that unnamed god. What’s his deal? I’m sure we’ll have more info for this bullet soon. 

Is Tracker’s new girlfriend Nara, much like Ecaf, a turncoat? 

With Helio, Cass, and Galicaea all being in the mix, is there any kind of family angle being played. It doesn’t come up a ton but they are very much related. 

MISC

This is a section for a few points that don’t yet fit under the main two headings of the season but still need to go up on the board. 

Why would Aguefort program a robot that acts like Grix? Is he supposed to be like or is he hacked? If he is hacked, who would be able to do that? The new artificing teacher? The old one?

We learn that Aguefort has made a lot of contradicting proclamations and all of them are canon, so you’re able to pick and choose what you want to cite (I feel like I’m in law school again). Lots of room for loopholes which could be useful later. 

Adaine, while very drunk, had an oracle vision of Kristen at a birthday party, giving a victory speech to a bunch of teens on election night as a crescent moon hangs in the sky. The Crescent moon potentially gives them a time frame if they look into it (and it specifically being mentioned makes me think of Galicaea even though not every moon thing has to be connected to her). And we know Gorgug’s birthday is near the Frosty Folk festival so maybe that’s why the hats.

Speaking of, we know there’s a connection between Riz’s mom defending someone for money crimes re: that Festival and Gorgug’s parents hosting it so that’s something to remember. 

This isn’t something for the pin board per se but this season introduces a stress token system for downtime! I’m sure I’ll talk about it more when we use it for the first time next ep but, for now, gotta say he’s really ramping up the pressure on our kids! And, to that point, let’s do a quick check in with everyone and see what they’re up against!

Character Board

Adaine

-Adaine is still facing major money troubles. After last episode, not only is her job terminated, but she actually owes 2.5 gold for her uniform. 

-It looks like she might be developing a bit of a crush on the cute dragonborn (yay) but he’s a Rat Grinder (nooooo). I will say though, cross party romance could be a lot of fun and also my favorite NPC in this show is Aelwyn whose top 2 traits are famously Criminal and Loves Adaine so I am honestly fine with this either way lol. 

-Speaking of Aelwyn, I’ll put the sister stuff together: When Adaine calls her to ask for dirt on Nara she says, “Working, will call in five.” And when Adaine questions the fact that it's 5am on a Saturday, Adaine just gets a winky face emoji back. Suspicious! 

Fabian

-Fabian has to juggle the new 150% course load (bard/fighter) as well as his new party house reputation.

-He has a lack of adult supervision which also means a lack of adult care and it seems to be affecting him more than he’s willing to let on. 

-But honestly his biggest obstacle is probably himself right now, lol. He made himself a new nemesis in Gertie Bladshield and I am not confident he can handle this honey trap mission with Ivy without the tables being turned on him. 

Riz

-Riz is also facing money troubles, but for him that’s kind of business as usual unfortunately.

-He has a TON of extracurriculars to keep track of but he so far seems to be handling it pretty well and is picking up some interesting allies (that double as votes for Kristen’s campaign–campaign manager is also an extracurricular he’s taken up): the aforementioned Gertie Bladeshield (Apiary Club), Sprak LeFevre (Aviation Club), and Molman Holden (Soil Club). Always good to have new allies and Aviation Club seems like it could be really useful later! I can see him making some luck checks to successfully say, “I know a guy” in a tight spot based on how many clubs he’s joined. 

-He also has the Reliable Talent ability now which means he’s incapable of rolling lower than a 21 on things he’s proficient in which includes Investigation. We’re about to be getting some INSANE lore dumps. 

Gorgug

-Gorgug has his insane 400% courseload happening and I didn’t notice this until it was pointed out to me but Zac actually leveled Gorgug DOWN in Barbarian to take an extra level of Artificer! That’s commitment. But I can’t imagine Porter, who already has a problem with him, is gonna like that. 

Fig

-Fig would hate it if I didn’t start this list by saying that she hella misses Ayda and that’s her biggest problem. 

-But she also has her album to worry about and we actually get the bombshell during a conversation with Mazey that she’s not even sure that she still wants to be a bard.

-On top of that, she’s taking Barb and Warlock classes along with the Bard classes she’s finally going to. 

-She has her gnarly Gilear curse happening that’s seemingly connected to whoever the boss who owns the pride armor is. 

-She has beef with Rebuen and is living her double life as Wanda Childa to try and learn whatever she can about him/the Rat Grinders. 

-Both she and Wanda are wanted by the Solace FBI.  

-On a positive note, she really endeared herself to Mazey by sweetly sticking up for her when Ivy was being catty. If Fig wasn’t so devoted to Ayda I could have read their interaction at the end of the ep as flirty. Regardless, nice moment and great ally. 

Kristen

-Welp, her god is, if not dead, MIA which is arguably the biggest deal of anything on any of these lists, especially since it’s tied to her magic AND her grade. 

-Next of course is the potato to her meat on her plate: her campaign. But that’s actually going really well, especially after this party. Her biggest issue is whether or not she can get Fetty Wap to homecoming and, lbr, in a pinch Fig can just disguise herself as him. When has that ever not worked?

-She also has this unnamed god (or whoever it is) taunting her and threatening her specifically which isn’t ideal. 

-But I honestly think she was more fucked up by the conversation which Tracker where her ex basically outlined everything she needs to get together in her life and then posted a pre-written pic with her new girlfriend. That’s gotta sting. 

And that’s it! I wanted to focus on the specific nuggets of info we got this episode and start to connect them with what we knew so far. Different format, I know, but I’m feeling experimental this season and I might switch it up a few more times as Junior Year goes on. I love covering Fantasy High but, like I said at the top, I have to keep it fresh so I don’t burn out. See you next time when Brennan makes the stress we’re all feeling an actual game mechanic! Fun!

[halevren]

FHJY Spoilers || my live thoughts as I watch episode 7

this may take me longer than usual because I have hurt my hand so it's wrapped up rn and it makes it hard to type 🫡

TTTTAKING OVER TEENAGE REBELLION

I miss ayda aguefort i hope she shows up in this episode.

pitch perfect 2 mention! I used to be so into music related movies

So much happened last episode, this recap is so long

I am not a fan of Grix.

AGENT CLARK...

Two Kristen's again

OH NO

ADAINE COMING IN WITH THE SAVE

"Pretty fun to commit fraud"

"That was sophomore year, I'm cool now"

Body rolling I love body rolling it's so fun to just vibe

Mandatory drug test????

Bard class cool as hell

GRIX NETTED DURDEN?

Rip Gorgug he fell on the stairs

"Did she cast a spell on you " "I mean, in a sense..."

Littledoggy Girlcollar

they should investigate definitely

"If we all do drugs, they can't expell all of us."

Riz trying so hard to keep Fig from being expelles

shrimp burrito

Gorgug not being a fan of Mary Ann is very interesting to me and very reasonable.

"I think it's a really good thing you're thinking."

kipperlitty is subliminally messaging people with the food?!?!?!?!?

I can't wait to see the fan art that comes out of this episode

"Hey.... Girlie"

THE SILENCE

"Did you hear? She passed." KRISTEN EHEHEJWKEHBEE

OHHH KIPPERLILLY. THAT WAS SHADY. YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO SAY IT SO LOUD. I ABSOLUTELY KNOW YOU DID IT ON PURPOSE

KRISTEN KRISTEN KIRSTEN KRISTEN KRISTEN

"Hey do we need to lock it in" yeah probably

Max Durden is probably my second favorite npc

"Everyone has to have a least favorite friend, it's fine" NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Fabian running a study hall is so cool

This downtime sounds fun

SPECIAL THING IS GOING TO HAPPEN IF GORGUG GETS NAT 20????????

Riz "The Ball" Gukgak

SERVER AT BASRAR'S!!!!!!

Aewlyn mention 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

SHE GOT THE JOB

"Nice new shirt, did you buy it underground?"

The stress tokens are actually making me real life stressed

GORGUG NAT 20!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SECOND GORGUG NAT 20!!!!!!!!

"It might be more stable than mine"

i miss Cassandra I hope she's okay

The shrimp jump. WAS a miracle

let's go Cassandra!

Fig paladin of Cassandra??????????????

Oh my god is Fig Multiclassing

oh my god wait craig he's still around

"it's like animal piss but in a good way"

"Kristen, your adult man is being weird"

"You'd be a nasty as paladin?"

"I don't want to harsh your vibe"

"Everyone has to lick me"

oh no he's a noodler

DETECTIVE BABY

gorgug has tunnel vision

Gorgug is literally so stressed

"I SUCK, YOU RULE"

the rage!

Fabian is such a loser when it comes to talking with girls

This is so painful, Fabian needs something. I don't know what but God he need something

THIRTY TWO????

Fabian stress token

Walking store Adaine

ya hoo

av class 🔥🔥🔥

i need art of fishing club Riz just goin' fishing

NAT ONE THAT BECOMES A 10

Gorgug & Riz joint birthday party!!!!

17 having a ice cream party sounds absolutely lit

SELF INSERT PC CLARK

Gorbag and Roz!!!

goodbye lucilla she's gone to the skies

"I think you're being weird here"

oh my god fig

Fig is having a strange day

"Why can't I tell him he's weird"

A YOGURT YEAR

"Haha! Counterspell! ♪"

"You've gotta be fucking kidding me."

oh my god Brennan said teenage rebellion.... just like... just like the song teenage rebellion... T-T-T-TAKING OVER TEENAGE REBELLION IT'S OUT TIME IT'S OUR YEAR—

"Can I take a stress for Kristen"

Riz is the only character allowed to take a stress for another person

popular kid Kristen!!!!

"Anyone who think he's cool" me too I fall in love with everyone who thinks I'm cool

alter emo hauntings a kid's dreams

"Not All Who Wanda Are Lost" single released on all listening platforms. 1 mil listens in a week

oh no...... this is going to be awful and awkward.

ohhhhhh....... ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh...... Fabian.......... This is painful........

Ivy is catching these hands, leave my girl Mazey alone

"You missed your shot, playboy" no he has a call with his bank

Riz is at his conspiracy board

Something does feel off about grix

Everyone has a stress token

"Go roll me a corrupted bardic"

Even I'm grieving Lucy, she sounds lovely...

oh there's something deep going on with lucy

"It's the boss, baby"

Murph has figured it OUT

The epic music

This stress system is making me STRESSED

I relate to the stress causing antisocial things

LYDIA!!!!!!!!!

ohhhhhh goodness.....

[brionbroadway]

Could you do Fig, Chirp and Sundry Sidney for the ask meme?

Thank you! An Emily Axford trifecta!

Fig - I have the most to say about this one lmao

First impression: So since Fantasy High was the first actual play I watched, I was not famaliar with Emily Axford, and I thought Fig would be a stereotypical rebellious character. Funny and likeable, but not a character I'd become emotionally attached to.

Impression now: I know the power of Emily Axford now. That rebellion comes from a place of such deep care for the people and world around her, and it pretty much cracks my heart open. Would die for.

Favorite moment: "The you that appears in Ayda's life is not the illusion. It's really you." This scene is constantly rotating in the back of my mind, ready to devastate me at any moment.

Idea for a story: Ohh, I'm not so good with plots, but any deep exploration of her relationship with Sandra Lynn is something I want to read.

Unpopular opinion: I don't think I still believe this, but at a time I thought her being secretive about Ayda was OOC given how much of an open book she was about everything else. But hearing Emily talk about it and how clearly special it is to her, I see that relationship holding a particular space with Fig.

Favorite relationship: Controversial not to pick Ayda, but her and Sandra Lynn. "You're allowed to be a complex person."

Favorite headcanon: She invites Ayda and Adaine to hang out with her dads to try and make up for their relationships with theirs

Chirp

First impression: Oh my God Emily and Lou are playing chaotic cousins, this is everything I never knew I wanted.

Impression now: The same, but with the addition of "oh and she's deeply in love with a woman, thank you Emily Axford for your service."

Favorite moment: The tea scene with Rue. "A slightly shorter chair." Gift of gab. All the trickery. Iconic cousin behaviour.

Idea for a story: Her introducting Squawk to Esme and Peep, full of hijinks.

Unpopular opinion: I don't know if this is unpopular, and it wasn't Chrip's role in the season, but I would've loved more depth pertaining to Esme and Peep. I just know how Emily can ruin me.

Favorite relationship: COUSIN.

Favorite headcanon: Playing with Peep in the woods and pretending that mundane, mortal things are magic - just a classic mom playing make believe with her kid.

Sundry Sidney

First impression: Emily is playing a droid and that is important to her, so it is also important to me.

Impression now: So much fun, some sneaky Emily Axford depth in there.

Favorite moment: Junkmother, without question.

Idea for a story: Something something her and Barry comparing how they relate to Warfare Whitneys and the Barrys, something something.

Unpopular opinion: Probably my least favourite Emily PC but Startstruck's also my least favourite season. I just want more emotional devastation with my comedy, if you can't tell.

Favorite relationship: NUTS AND BOLTS, ANDROIDS AND STEROIDS.

Favorite headcanon: It's definitely my Axmurph bias leaking through, but she's FWB with Barry Syx.

character asks

[angeloncewas]

HEY so i just finished episode 5!! they’re about to go into combat at the pit!! this is SO awesome i’m literally so engaged and excited about this story in a way that i haven’t been about a piece of media for a long time, it’s great. i think part of it is definitely that brennan is such an amazinggg dm and the players are so good at roleplay too, it all ends up being very engaging and compelling - and the randomness of the rolls keeps me on my toes because i can’t really figure out where the stories gonna go!!! it’s just so awesome :333

i think right now my favorites are riz (from a character standpoint he’s just sooo fascinating, i made a post about it), fig for her absolute hilarity in every moment, and gorgug in a like more lowkey way because he’s just so freaking sweet. i like fabian and kristin a lot too because i think they’re both gonna get REALLY interesting in a bit with the way their characters are. adaine is also dear to me with how honest she is - even with her nervousness and sadness she’s such a good friend and she’s so brave when it comes to standing up for them. i’m really excited to keep watching them :)

and yes the combat is just sooo fun and cool and the more roleplay heavy episodes are also GREAT and equally engaging and it’s just!! they made this so well!!! i’m so glad i get to enjoy it!!! deffo my favorite parts have been the high speed chase with johnny spells and his teifling gang and getting ice cream after, that was such a fun episode…

but yeah i LOVE this show and i love d&d now and i’ve been making my own character (aasimar warlock :3) and falling more in love with the game and everything and just!!!! it’s so nice to find something like this, where i didn’t expect to love it this much and i do :) i see why you like it and i’m rlly excited for sophomore year too bc you mentioned that one was really impactful for you!!

ps if you have any fic reccs… especially character/relationship studies….. :3<3

Sorry I took so long to respond !!! I read this and was like :O and then immediately fell into a weird hole. But I'm here now

I'm so so so glad you like it. I remember when I first discovered fantasy high I was watching it between every break like I really could not put it down in a way i'd rarely experienced

I need to go looking for your Riz post because i LOVE Riz so much he is so me vibes (also not at all, but really kind of) --- but really altogether they make such a well-rounded group to me and you really highlighted what makes each of them special. Jonny Spells is so funny and that chase is sooo good --- really opened my eyes to what D&D could be way back when.

Very interested in your character too ! You're always so creative in that way I never make ocs Fic recs (that you may have already seen but that I stand by dearly):

take my heart, pull it apart; Fig character study; "It's a great day. Until her horns grow in."

Strongtower Luxury Apartments, Units 304 & 306; Kristen living with Fig and Gilear (sulfuric is such a good writer)

arm yourself for adventure; very AU start; "The adventure began in a tavern, which, as far as Riz knew, was pretty standard."

six hours to breathe again; very different sci-fi AU but super fascinating; "This is all for Adaine, they're going to get her back, finally, once and for fucking all, and then Riz is going to put a bullet in Biz Glitterdew's greasy fucking forehead." (knightserrand also has a great back catalog)

interchange; role swap role swap role swap !!!; "a pirate cleric, a goblin bard, a Helioic fighter, an elven barbarian, a tiefling rogue, and a half-orc wizard."

I have more that are sophomore year related too :)

[unhingedandunwell]

What are your Fabian and Adaine headcanons, if I might ask? Do you have any for Andhera and Binx? Would you want anything Burrow's End related to be compliant with whatever happens and is revealed in the final two episodes?

Hi!

I have a few! I just really like the idea of the the fact that Fabian seeking out Aelwyn because it’s still him seeking to emulate his father. To him she’s a high class elven woman she’s what he’s supposed to want. So their entire relationship is based on this ideal and shallow that doesn’t exist with Adaine. Cause he’s seen Adaine for who she is. He sees more than just her elven heritage, and lost status. I like that they can balance each other out when the other starts to lean into their more unhealthy habits. Plus both of them coming from higher classes can bond over that and such.

As for Andhera and Binx, they’re just so special to me, I love Andhera being binx’s knight, being in her corner and just the two of them being devoted to each other.

And up to you! It doesn’t matter to much to me either way! I‘ve fallen in love with the characters of burrows end so anything with them would be cool !

[zukkacore]

My bad bc this isn’t as in depth as before or going point by point even tho I basically co-sign everything but I just ended up having more thoughts.

I actually realized that as much as I think Adaine or Riz are the ones who in my mind Do Not Like Him but are eventually kinda reluctantly won over (n Fabian kinda resigns himself to Jace being right abt him having spellcaster potential. He definitely only ever starts respecting jace after he summons cortados for everyone tho. that definitely happened). I also think Fig has like. A weird ass vibe with Jace. She picks up new classes all the time (even tho that's more of a junior year special, she dips her toe in fhsy so ) and i think like the one class she would be super resistant to is sorcery because fig HATES introspection. Like. Adaine could use it b/c she has anxiety, so the idea of her actually gaining something from like wild surge coping strategies etc etc is actually genius but she also is like this dude sucks and i don't get this. Ray of sickness. But FIG godddd fig is even worse. Jace actually does clock that she has potential (and after she becomes an archdevil he's even more pointed about it) but. Like we thought she was avoiding self introspection in warlock class she's just like no. I could never be a sorcerer bc i am definitely sooooo ontologically evil its not even funny. She's like. Why do i have to know myself can't i just love my friends and that be it n Jace is like hm. That sounds like paladin behavior but we're GONNA have to table this for later bc i do not want to deal with Porter right now. But i do think she relates to that sorcerer feeling of like there is something In Me that is innate and scary and wrong and that burdened everyone in my life.

I have a lot of Thoughts abt the Gorgug thing actually bc i think you're so right in that lowkey bitching abt Porter is actually Jace's favorite pastime, and at first Gorgug IS really cagey abt it bc he is gonna try not to treat on anyone's feelings but like. No. Jace gets it better than anyone. Jace n Porter do have very very different teaching styles, and obviously while Porter is very tough love, adversity makes you stronger etc etc, I think Jace is borderline a little too Permissive Parenting that thinks he's Gentle Parenting sometimes. But i do think they have some overlap in like. Being a little too unprofessional about boundaries. Porter's when i saw the MCAT it kinda broke my heart and all that. Jace is a little too familiar with his students. In my mind the whole "we just sit around and talk about how great innate magic is" comment is very like. Literal but also underplaying what he does. In that he has to walk students through a lot of emotional dysregulation and coping and is very much working to instill confidence when he's at his best. And at his worst he's kinda lost on what to do once they need a little more guidance beyond just. Surviving. Confidence. He struggles to teach the kids who don't kinda already Get It b/c he's always Gotten It, so i think they're actually similar in small ways like that both Porter and Jace play favorite with the kids they think have potential. I do think he ends up affirming some of Porter's methods tho even if its not his personal teaching style. I know porter, and he wouldn't behave that way if he didn't care etc etc. He already has to do so much justifying to himself about what he's endured through their whole Deal (even pre... shatterstar?) and the result is like. Telling himself well porter cares so much. I do think he gives Gorgug the space to dislike porter, tho. He's not trying to win him over or persuade, he genuinely thinks it would be soothing to hear that Porter is being a jerk for a reason.

Jace by my mind also has a lot of like. Unresolved personal feelings abt trying to go for like. An "unoptimized" build, too. Obviously. Bc the failing to wizard multiclass comment tunneled a hole in my goddamn brain and that's such a stupid and impractical build. & he's like. Well. Adaine already knows abt this so fuck it who cares if the other bad kids do. Anyway. I decimated my own fucking life trying to kill myself through overwork for a very rigorous int based class i was NOT fucking prepared for and everyone thought i was crazy for doing it but. I never had that discipline anyway. It's your life and you're brilliant so. Just make sure you're doing this for yourself. He's not even trying to dissuade gorgug, b/c even tho he fucked up I think he genuinely feels bitter about feeling kinda railroaded back into sorcery & wished he'd gotten more support back in the day. There SHOULD be more avenues like this for students. He just genuinely wants to make sure Gorgug is doing this because he personally wants to, personally finds it fulfilling, it's not to prove something, its not to please others or b/c he's running away from anything. Again, w/ the whole sorcery and ego thing I think Jace is very into the idea of being like, an individual who doesn't need fealty to be powerful. Sorcery sets you apart from everyone else, and you don't have to be dependent on them or and their expectations of you shouldn't dictate your life. It's your Will. So when it's this thing of Gorgug wanting to make this connection w/ his tinkerer parents, whether consciously or not, its very surprising for Jace.

Also as far as Cathilda goes, seconded on him thinking she's fascinated and honestly... maybe a double agent? She's genuinely as happy as i pretend to be is gonna make me crazy for the next week btw. Understimulated jace is VERY real to me so i just think he would find the life of being a maid very mundane and couldn't understand why anyone would want that. He already is clawing at the walls at Aguefort. But its like. She's literally lived so much of a full and and exciting life anyway, and some ppl are just kinda contented.

Jace is like. Actually secretly very interested in this whole like, Tracker having this completely different relationship to Galicaea n the moon thing than the elves of fallinel do. B/c i think a lot of that is very new to him and i think he also found worship of Galicaea in fallinel to be kinda stale and crusty which is why he was NOT interested. This is all genuinely new information to him. (I joke so much abt Jace being the virgin mary b/c he got baby trapped by a god, so Jace being a miserable little ex-galicaean on one side of his family is so real to me. Brennan should invent fantasy catholic guilt so that jace can have it. And like. as much as he doesn't fully understand Tracker's whole thing with Galicaea, he's also like. you know what. that's my mother too. Where is the reverence and the stained glass windows. Every time i have been in a church of sol or helio and there was a guy in sandals at the front playing acoustic guitar w/ the church choir I want to die).

He also relates to the whole vibe with tracker of like. Listen, i'm gonna support my partner in their weird mission because i love them even if on some practical level its kinda opaque and wrongheaded or formless. I can't say any of that because i love them tho. (he would be so fucking called out if he ever heard Tracker's speech during the party tho. "You like the idea of making your own meaning. But on some level, you believe that you deserve for it to be easy")

Gilear is convinced that Jace is his friend and gilear is right to think so! That's his buddy Jace Stardiamond who is actually very nice to him! (To his face anyway) fjdksjfklajfkladsjlfa

Im just imagining him watching Aguefort grab the sun and being like. Porter there's no way we can take this guy. Not to have petty beef with a child but i do think bc aguefort is a wizard he is deeply annoyed that Adaine seems to like. Get Aguefort and he seems to kinda level with her in a way that Aguefort has never done for him. Aguefort even tho he's next in terms of seniority after gilear for like. VP, has always been super opaque with him and he's like. This is fine actually. I like understanding nothing about you or this school. Ugh. Wizards. (He is not fine)

Like. I’m living in this au now where the bad kids really did bring Jace in as a hireling for sophomore year. Guilt complex bc of Porter’s Plan is always in the back of his mind, meanwhile guy who has never had responsibilities in his life has to herd the bad kids like cats. He feels terrible the whole time bc adaine actually does kinda connect w him abt their parents being elven assholes who had incredibly high expectations. She somehow finds out abt him failing to wizard multiclass and bc she is adaine she is very ruthless abt giving him a hard time abt it, but in a way that’s actually… kinda affectionate. But she also kinda gets it bc Fig has always been naturally good at everything she tries but she’s not the most studious. And hey, fig is great. Fabian experiences a real genuine failure for like the first time after years of being told he was destined for greatness and Jace is like. I’m in this fucking picture. I don’t like it.

[utilitycaster]

between the Fantasy High Live unpacking of why someone with emotionally abusive parents who favored them might have complicated feelings about abjuration and everything on the last episode of Critical Role, it’s been a very good week for wizards