#twinvax

[sockablock]

Nott still sort of has a british accent, if you listen to her words when she says 'R' sounds. It's more subtle in her scratchy voice, so you could say she was just overdoing it when she first met them and relaxed how she spoke after awhile.

oh man I LOVE the idea of Nott laying an accent on super thick as a sort of Kravitz-esque defense mechanism hsjksdfhjk

[beetlemancy]

I liked sam and liams conversation regarding being a man, it was really sweet how they talked about it, and how they feel they fit into a type of manly that isn't how people normally see it. It was cute! especially when they told each other they loved each other and reiterated how much they love their friendship. Even them wondering who would die first was sweet, in a morbid way.

It was a very Wholesome episode, with a subject matter that could have very easily gone into toxic masculinity territory (which if you know them, you’d know would never happen on purpose). Especially the end, where they told post to put up pictures of their friends and we got to see really fast the amount of love they have and are surrounded by? That’s what makes the difference I feel. Surround yourself with good people and it’ll rub off on you pretty easily.

[justalittlebluetiefling]

The funny thing about both of the narrative telephones so far is that they kept one thing consistent throughout. The first was the lupine flavor, and the second was hypogriff, though with many different names. The consistency exists, but only with one specific thing, and that's nice.

I love that one thing sticks around, but even that, by the end, has gone off the rails. Lupine stew turned into lupine mushrooms? And the hippogriff had so many different names?!?! I do not-so-secretly wish that Sam hadn’t remembered that the hippogriff wasn’t a man. That would have been so good!

[dontgofarfromme]

Where do you watch leverage because I used to on netflix before it was removed and wanna be able to watch the whole thing that i wasnt able to before it was taken away.

It's pretty much all on youtube!!! For me at least--I'm in Canada, there's been 2 episodes so far that said they're 'not available in your country' (I watched those through....sketchier online streaming sites....) but as far as I can tell the entire thing is up there if you're in the correct location (probably the US lmao)

[kimabutch]

What is the difference about RQG compared to CR? What do you recommend about it because im considering listening to their game.

So I made a post about what I loved about it (although I could probably go on for ages about it...)

In terms of the differences between RQG and CR, let me see:

Setting & genre:

Whereas CR is straight-up high fantasy, RQG is steampunk-alternative universe-science fantasy. Both have elves, dragons, DnD magic, etc., but RQG places those features of fantasy in a steampunk version of the 19th century where magic and science mix. 

Like Matt, the DM Alex has put just so much thought into the campaign setting, and the worlds feel extremely tangible and a source of intrigue in themselves. 

Characters: 

Like CR, RQG is very character-driven, with an emphasis on the growth of the characters built into the plot and plenty of really meaningful relationships between the PCs (and between some PCs and NPCs). The characters are all (except one) thoughtful and multi-dimensional. 

I would say CR generally gives the characters more “breathing room” — time to discuss more explicitly how they’re feeling. Which is not to say RQG doesn’t have that, but the plot definitely has more of a sense of urgency to it, meaning that they have a little less reflection time.

Plot:

If I had to compare the overarching plot of RQG to anything in CR, I think it would be the Chroma Conclave arc — both have the general sense of “you have a time limit to race around the world and do X.” 

However, like campaign 2, RQG is essentially built on a couple of central mysteries that the characters are seeking to unravel, although with a  greater focus on those mysteries than anything in CR. Like c2, it’s also a fairly politics-driven plot at times, with several competing factions whose true motivations the characters are trying to understand. 

Gameplay:

RQG has a smaller party (4 PCs) than CR, meaning that fights are generally shorter; I’m not 100% sure, but I feel like RQG has more roleplay (vs combat) than CR, though by a fairly small margin. I rarely tune out during fights in RQG the way I sometimes do with CR. 

However, although the encounters are short, the DM is very fond of sequences where he sends the characters into encounter after encounter with very little rest, to the point of completely depleting their spells/abilities even at higher levels. Again, this isn’t to the detriment of roleplay, because those combat-after-combat sequences happen only once or twice per season and there’s plenty of roleplay between each short encounter — it’s just a DM style thing. 

The RQG party loves splitting up. There are whole 4-5 episode chunks where two plots are running simultaneously and the DM jumps back and forth between them every few minutes, sometimes with hilarious whiplash, and sometimes just to keep the pace moving. It sounds weird, but trust me that it really, really works. 

Oh yeah, and RQG is Pathfinder, not 5E, but it doesn’t affect things as much as you might think. Like CR, there are some players who are very experienced at the game and one top of the mechanics, and some who aren’t, and they balance each other well. 

Tone: 

This is really hard, because I think RQG has more extremes than CR. On one hand, it’s absolutely hilarious, and the players joke around with each other a whole lot, even during some fairly serious moments. On the other hand, the overall plot of the campaign is far darker than anything than CR, and the DM doesn’t pull any punches, and in fact, often pummels them. 

It’s really hard to quantify the pain that different pieces of fiction give you, particularly without spoilers, but by any measure, RQG has more: 

Permanent PC death 

PC’s loved ones being put in serious danger and/or killed 

Serious and permanent physical harm to the PCs in a way that affects them both mechanically and emotionally

But again, it can also be super funny, as well as very heartwarming! There are cuddles and found family! But there’s also just a whole lot of pain. 

Uh wow, sorry for how long that got. I hope it helps!!

[theregoesmylurkerstatus]

That water breathing would save everyone except Nott, who can't enter water without getting drunk because the fear effect she has towards it makes her unable to enter water willingly. Trauma is a bit of a bitch and I worry for her.

...Ah. Yes. That is....... Less good

[treeofcups]

The guy playing lionel wanted to do a duck based bardbarian so matt made the duck totem for him, because that was his first time ever playing the game. The whole duck based character is why him being a polymorphed duck became canon to begin with.

That’s beautiful. That’s just so cool on every possible level. I love it.

[ratherthepoint]

Things are getting heated in the Critical Role fandom

[nichknack]

“Just a few…more…lines…” - “You’ve been at it all night. Take a break.” pikelan when scanlans working on his book

“Just a few...more...lines...” Scanlan stifled a yawn. 

Pike frowned and took her husband’s hand. “You’ve been at it all night,” she told him in her best ‘don’t test me’ voice. “Take a break.”

Scanlan rubbed his eyes, staining his face with streaks of ink. He was running out of time. He’d promised himself he’d have In the Belly of Dragons published by the time he turned 71 and the date was practically breathing down his neck. “I’m almost done,” he said, more to convince himself than her. In reality, he was barely past the first of their many run-ins with the Briarwoods. 

When he’d started writing he’d thought he’d have the book finished in a month or two. How hard could writing be? he’d thought. Tary found it easy enough after all. 

Oh, how naive he’d been.

 “I’ve revoking quill privileges,” Pike said, easing the feather from his fingers.

“What? No!” Scanlan scrambled to snatch it back from her. “I’m almost done! Just a few more lines and I’ll go...go to--” he cut himself off with a fierce yawn. 

Pike cupped his cheeks with her hands. “You can’t think straight when you’re tired,” she told him. 

“I always write my best songs when I’m drunk.” He smiled sheepishly. “Drunk is the same as tired, right?” 

“Not quite.” Pike scooped him up as though he weighed nothing at all. Even in his sleep-hazed state Scanlan couldn’t help but marvel at her strength. What had he done to deserve a woman like her?

Pike carried him from his study to their bedroom and tucked him in. 

Scanlan patted the space next to him. “You should sleep too, it’s only fair.” 

“It’s almost noon,” Pike pointed out, though she was already curling up under the covers next to him. She leaned forward a little and pressed a quick kiss to his forehead. “G’night, Scanlan.” 

“Don’t you mean g’morn...ing...” Scanlan barely had time to finish his joke before he fell into a deep, long sleep. 

[critrolefandom]

@twinvax is a delightful person! they're a very talented writer who always comes up with the most interesting aus, not to mention kind and encouraging to others who are writing! their liveblogs are also very interesting and entertaining

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[anticute-marshmallowmars]

twinvax

  i don’t know why but i find such delight when the...

sam and matt being shortened names sure doesnt stop sam and liam, who call them matty and sammy. and liam who calls laura ‘la’ and marisha i think is nicknamed M by everyone. its really sweet.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THESE ADDITIONS because i completely forgot about ‘matty’ and ‘sammy.’ i have not yet heard “M’ and now am on a lookout for any timestamps because i thrive on friendship.

also i’m pretty sure taliesin’s been called ‘tal’ by most of them, at one point or another.

and nicknames aren’t even shortened. ashley’s ‘ash-o-lee’ is a pretty solid nickname.

nicknames in general, okay. emotions.

[sockablock]

Autistic nott speaks to me because of her mannerisms and hard time controlling how loud her voice is sometimes. Also her special interest in collecting specific things like buttons and things when i collect snowglobes and swords.

!! I totally agree with that and also holy fuck a sword collection is the most badass thing I’ve heard today sdfhjksdhk

[beetlemancy]

What characters would you choose to be your parents, if you could choose?

Lieve’tel and Bertrand! They would be so cute as parents! 

[thighholsterofsexualfrustration]

twinvax replied to your post: Big Wizard Energy.  Eye contact and they are a...

My favorite part of that scene is that Nott is equally involved and contributing, because she is hyper intelligent and by god she deserves to be able to finish her own spell and i love that matt recognizes that.

Yes!  For all that Sam tries to downplay it from time to time, I live for each mention from Matt about Nott/Veth being an intelligent woman in her own right.  And that she had a hand in the finishing of this, what she’s been pushing so hard for since the start of all this?  Poetic!

[theartingace]

wait, i just thought of something. what sort of centaurs are orcs, half orcs and or firbolgs? What sort of weird thing has fjord caduceus and any orc have going on? ARE FIRBOLGS YAK BODIED?!

Ok Yaks are LEGIT but I postulate:

A Cadeuc-Moose! Think about it, gentle giant mega-fauna that’s basically already a cryptid and can certainly wreck the average car.

I’ve decided I really like african buffalo for orcs, for some reason that really works in my brain, but for Fjord I’ve decided I like the black stallion look instead of the bull-body I’ve drawn him with before- maybe still split hooves though, for flavor? I figure half-breeds probably tend to take after one parent or the other in terms of taur-half, but throwing odd features from the other species would be fun!

[kimabutch]

in the same vain as caleb and yasha healing, just, nott and yasha are really similar. They both have spouses they had to leave behind, both feel like they dont belong or know what they should do. Yasha and Nott have so much they could talk about together, with both their own issues with death and also with collecting flowers, because I'm sure Yasha still has the flower Nott gave her when they had to run from her.

Yes!! I’ve loved everything I’ve seen of their friendship so far. They have me alternatively laughing to tears with things like “I killed my whole family, I’ll throw you under a bridge” because they only have 12 CHA between the two of them, and making me Feel Things so deeply, like when Nott (and Jester & Sam) supported Yasha while she yelled at the storm, or their talks about collections. 

They deserve peaceful watches together, and I hope they get a chance to talk about their similarities.