#tales of exandria ii: artagan

[ludinusdaleth]

"not as bad as it looks"

the mighty nein origins: jester lavorre // the tales of exandria ii: artagan

[geekcavepodcast]

Critical Role's The Traveler Gets Comic Book Series

Critical Role's comic book presence is growing with a new series published by Dark Horse that follows Archfey Artagan, The Traveler. Critical Role: The Tales of Exandria II - Artagan is created in consultation with the cast of Critical Role, written by Sam Maggs, illustrated by Aviv Or, colored by Cris Peter, and lettered by Ariana Maher.

"The powerful and mischievous Archfey Artagan, also known as the Traveler, finally gets his day in court--which is the LAST thing he wanted. But since he’s here, he’s happy to tell the Seelie and Unseelie Courts how he’s graced the various material and other realms with his knowledge and mentorship. But there are witnesses who may have a different take, and the consequences could be dire." (Dark Horse)

Critical Role: The Tales of Exandria II - Artagan #1 (of 4), featuring a cover by Toby Sharp, goes on sale on January 3, 2024.

(Image via Dark Horse - Toby Sharp's Cover of Critical Role: The Tales of Exandria II - Artagan #1)

[critterpages]

Let chaos reign!

“The series will see Artagan in court as he explains his influence on the land of Exandria.”

“Fans interested in what's next for the NPC can see for themselves in Critical Role: Tales of Exandria II - Artagan, on sale January 3, 2024.”

[occidentalavian]

New comic announcement: The Tales of Exandria II: Artagan!

The powerful and mischievous Archfey Artagan, also known as the Traveler, finally gets his day in court--which is the LAST thing he wanted. But since he’s here, he’s happy to tell the Seelie and Unseelie Courts how he’s graced the various material and other realms with his knowledge and mentorship. But there are witnesses who may have a different take, and the consequences could be dire.

The first issue is set to release on January 3, 2024!

[graphicpolicy]

Preview: Critical Role: The Tales of Exandria II Artagan #3

Critical Role: The Tales of Exandria II Artagan #3 preview. The mystery of Artagan's hatred of the theatre is revealed! #comics #comicbooks #criticalrole

[superpoweredfancast]

Critical Role Tales of Exandria II: Artagan #1 Review

Critical Role Tales of Exandria II: Artagan #1 Dark Horse Comics Written by Sam Maggs Art by Aviv Or Colors by Chris Peter Letters by Ariana Maher The Rundown: Artagan stands in judgment for his schemes while making his own plans. Lord Artagan of the Morncrown finds himself in chains awaiting the judgment of powerful beings beyond the mortal plane. His most recent stunt with a group of…

[thegaminggang]

Dark Horse Comics for January 3rd, 2024 - https://thegaminggang.com/comic-books/dark-horse-comics-for-january-3rd-2024/...

[ludinusdaleth]

between tales of exandria showcasing artagan with a chinbeard and now zathuda canonically having facial hair grown noticeably scruffier on ruidis, i see my bearded fae agenda is winning

[ludinusdaleth]

"Oh, Artie. I've known you for a long time now. You have to try at least ten percent harder to charm me now."

Jester Lavorre in "The Tales of Exandria II: Artagan, Issue #4"

[ludinusdaleth]

"You know what the Traveler I know and love would do? He would face it, he would face his past, and himself. He would defend himself properly. And he would live with the consequences. Because, despite it all...

He is a good man."

The Tales of Exandria II: Artagan, Issue #4

[ludinusdaleth]

The Tales of Exandria II: Artagan covers!

[ludinusdaleth]

"There was this whole thing with a theatre - uh, and a hat? - some grand larceny, destruction of businesses, ruining of lives, pranks on figures of state, and I've never once held down a relationship - and there was my old cult? That sounds bad - it's all been blown out of proportion, I fear-"

The Tales of Exandria II: Artagan

[ludinusdaleth]

Fun New Facts/Details About Artagan From His Comic Series

(spoilers for the tales of exandria ii: artagan comic run! this was such a (fey)wild ride to read 💚)

-this is the second comic to feature artagan with freckles & extremely expressive ears, and also portrays him with catlike eyes. he can also grow a tuft of a chin-beard! my bearded artagan agenda wins

-we know from egtw that artagan was originally banished from exandria for creating a cult around a whale carcass. we learn in this comic series he named said whale fucking mister demeanor.

-he has been to fey court 4,012 times, by his approximation

-if this wasnt a more blatantly obvious fact than "the sky is blue": artagan is bi/pan. but cannot in any capacity keep up any relationship.

-the first mortal he ever met and befriended was a human named gol. at first gol thought he was an angel or savior but by the end he felt artagan was a curse from the nine hells, for all the chaos & discord he wrought on his village, turning them against each other via pranks and then. whale carcassing

-want to know why arti hates the theatre? good news, we now know! he used to adore the stage before a few fae put on a play mocking his entire life. he interrupted, threw a fit, and said he'd improv his role, but was boo'ed for interrupting the show. so. he set the stage on fire. yes there was a kill count. no he does not care

-he has a unique relationship to keyleth. she's still pissed at him for killing vax, but she is the only one in the fey court hearings he trusts to help him escape - and she does, as artagan points out she owes him for vilya. she drags him through (literal) mud about his actions and does not hold back on how disgusting she thinks he is, but she snaps him into near-clarity, and she's surprised but accepts that humility.

-the term Jestie is canon. i win!

-this isnt a new fact but god. jester & arti love each other so much.

-keyleth & jester band together and are the only two to defend artagan in court, keyleth even going against vox machina's judgement. both acknowledge he has (indirectly) saved the world and shown kindness to them, and jester insists that he is changing (and artagan thinks, he is. he really, really tried to be good, for them. "oh, gals. i may not have always done good, but... those times, i really did. for them, i did."

-sammanar & elmenore are astounded anyone would defend artagan, but lower his sentence, from eternal imprisonment...

to mortality.

the end of the fourth & final issue stated to be continued at the end, so we'll see where this goes! i have only a rough idea where in the timeline this series takes place, post campaign 2, but this is definitely a new development i am curious to see if permanent. even in echoes of the solstice i think that canon can fit somewhat if we stretch it but i really dont know when this mortal stretch begins or maybe ends! either way, he's presently utterly terrified.

[ludinusdaleth]

"Talk, or I drag you back there. Why do you deserve freedom instead of justice?"

"Oh, please. You think those dusty old fools are meting out justice? They're just jealous-"

"Were you seriously not listening to a single thing anyone said in there?"

"Was I...

Was I? I don't actually know."

"Wow. That almost sounded sincere."

-The Tales of Exandria II: Artagan, Issue #3

[ludinusdaleth]

"I mean, who among us hasn't willingly put ourselves in this position once or four thousand and twelve times? I've had stronger cuffs. Still, not as bad as it looks.

Okay, maybe it is."

-The Tales of Exandria II: Artagan, Issue #1

[ludinusdaleth]

the final issue of artagan's comic run ending in him being made mortal (at least for the time being; and once again i dont know the exact timeline beyond post-c2) is so fascinating because i dont think in any other context id be so.... for it. the trope of someone beyond human turning normal is almost downright offensive to me as a monsterfucker and yet for artagan his slide into it is the defining, most beautiful thing about him, and i think thats a testament to how well matt has portrayed him.

for arti to be so defined by the nature vs nurture of an archfey, how he is aloof & absolute chaos incarnate yet keeps finding himself caring for mortals, and matt even saying that post-travelercon he had found himself closer to mortality than he ever did to godhood.... i mean, it was going to come to this eventually, wasnt it? sammanar & elmenore never needed to strip him of his powers; he was waning anyway. he's currently panicked because he was spoiled having power & therefore easy escape from consequence, but the idea of being all-powerful was incompatible to him. he was alright with that slow decline as long as there was still whimsy & his best friend out there for him to find joy in. he chose exandria's wonder over the feywilds every time. he chose mortals over his archfey brethren every time.

i think the most ultimate trait of artagan that is so fundamentally endearing to me is that he is a trickster god to his bones, and yet unlike other portrayals of this archetype that focus on the thrill of the god part, he cares about the trickster so much more. and, even more importantly, he cares. by all rights in all current & ancient stories, his nature should have led to apocalyptic proportions of selfishness, and while he expresses many traits close to that, he is opposite to it, being defined by love even if it means he has to face consequence. and so of course he shatters the trickster god; the universe, the fey courts, cant process that someone like him is more than what he was taught to be. and that more, is in a way, the simple less.