#wildemount brothers

[gravitycosplays-solarflareart]

Another fun shot from the Formal VM/M9 group!!!

Fjord: @corruptedwolfcosplay

Caduceus: @gravity_cosplays

Photo and edits: @mewmacaron

#fjordstone #caduceusclay #criticalrolecosplay #criticalrole #mightynein

[justalittlebluetiefling]

One of my favorite thing about kids is when they make a joke they think is hysterical and they look around to make sure everyone else thinks it's funny too.

[aussie0608]

So I know after Wildemount Wildlings everyone is talking about other PC Couples being Counselors but I can't get over the idea of Essek and Caleb working there. Like Caleb is great with kids and is a teacher but like that is just a sentient bag of trauma, and like yes I think Essek is an older brother but they were children like 50-80 years ago give or take. The only child Essek knows is Luc and I don't think he entirely knows how to handle him.

So I imagine campers going "I love Counselor Caleb! He's so fun but sometimes when I talk he just kinda stares into space. And his Friend (??) I think is scared of us. He kinda acts like we're wild animals"

It brings me endless delight

[utilitycaster]

I think something really worth mentioning is that Dorian has pretty much been on the run since parting with Bells Hells in Jrusar - the Crown Keepers had to stay off the roads in their travels to avoid detection. For all that Bells Hells have had a time of it, they have had a few moments of respite, Team Wildemount especially, that Dorian simply hasn't had. And worse, most of the worst attacks have come from within and/or been deceptive ones - obviously Opal being over taken by Lolth, but also Fearne being lured away, Laudna in Zadash, Dominox, and Laudna again. And, of course, his brother, the entire purpose of his departure, has died.

I think the kindest thing Bells Hells can do for him is just make space for those feelings, hopefully address the Delilah situation with the current ritual, and let him figure things out. It might be that he still wants to kill the gods. It might be that he's more worried about specifically saving Opal. It might be that a chance to grieve Cyrus or even to breathe for a moment will change his mind, but it's entirely possible it won't. He was extremely quiet this episode; I'm not even sure he's ready to meet those feelings head-on quite yet.

More generally it's a bit like the god debates earlier in that there are characters I disagree with; but I'm saying this with a lot of knowledge that is not available to them. I don't think Ashton has ever had a worldview I would consider healthy, rational, or realistic, but I also think their cynicism comes from a very real place given their history. I think going on the Liliana assassination mission would have been an extremely fun option, but I get why Imogen wouldn't choose to do that. I (outside the text) don't agree with Dorian on an abstract philosophical level, but he's the character in the story actually being affected by events that happened to him. There's little more joyless than just jumping on to whichever characters embody your own personal positions and deciding they're right; feels a little like Brennan's note on propaganda, honestly, except a la carte cherrypicked rather than homemade. There might be some fun conflict but honestly, I think Dorian's also pretty disgusted with Ludinus in a way not unlike how Ashton feels, so it really may be they spend the remainder of the campaign with the attitude of "I'd gladly kill a god were the opportunity to present itself, but the Exandrian Accord seems to have room for people who feel this way but hate Ludinus more." An ideological argument, but not a practical one.

[kakushimiko]

VOX MACHINA IDEAS THAT I PROBABLY WON'T WRITE, LOG 04

(I meant it when I say that 99% of my ideas gravitate around Percy, not that any of you are complaining anyway lmao)

Au where Percy, after being rescued by the fishermen when he escaped, manages to convince them to take him to Wildemount to contact the other branch of de Rolos in the other continent, but after some incidents with pirates/slavers and other tribulations, Percy gets lost and ends up in the Blooming Grove with Caduceus (maybe some god was watching over him for once?), he warmly welcomes Percy, happy to finally have some company after being so lonely for years.

Percy stays with Caduceus for like a year, taking his time to heal both physical and mentally, Caduceus teaches him about nature and how dead doesn’t have to be such a sad thing, while Percy teaches Caduceus about technology and how to do some fixing in the grove. They become very close, like brothers/platonic soulmates. Caduceus maybe even teaches Percy some of his peculiar healing magic? Percy may even start to learn some of the Wildmother lessons?

When Orthax comes to try to make a deal/possess Percy, Caduceus is not taking any shit from a fucking smoke demon stalking his little bro, that demon is not going to undo all his hard work so he exorcizes Orthax so hard that not even a speak of ash is left in the Grove.

Eventually a sign is given to Percy in the form of a dream that it is time to leave the Grove. After some sad days preparing for the trip, Percy and Caduceus say goodbye, promising that they will see each other again one day.

VM finds a slightly different Percy, less brooding, and more eccentric lol, kind of obsess with the beauty of the “dark side” of nature (as a coping mechanism) thanks to Caduceus teachings , like nature that handles the decay part of the life cycle, such as fungi and such, which would prompt even more BFF moments with Keyleth, but also make him hate the Briarwoods even more since vampires and necromancers go againts the natural cycle of life and death.

Percy is a little more trusting and emotional open to the team earlier on. He would still have some anger issues, but he’s seeking justice for his family and people instead of destructive revenge.

(I know, I know, Percy is OOC here, but I see a Percy that got to properly heal from his trauma and not be influenced by a literal demon would behave like he does when they went to the Feywild, a young man with shiny eyes, fascinated with the mysteries of the world again, and totally info dumping about his hyperfixations to his friends, more emotionally in tune with himself and not just repressing his emotions until he explodes in rage... most of the time, and I think it would be interesting to see how VM would interact with a mentally stable but still eccentric Percy)

TL,DR Caduceus gives Percy the therapy he always so desperately needed.

...

(also, to be honest, I started writing this one, but I stopped because I don't know how to write Caduceus, so far I just watched some of the more popular segments of him, but I don't want to start C2 until I finish with VM, so I need to read a few dozens of fics of him until I understand his personality, but I'm leaving the idea here because I would like to read au fics of Percy&Caduceus having adventures and how other authors would imagine how their dynamics could work)

[critter-genfic-events]

This week, we have nine fics dealing with Grief or Mourning -dealing with the losses in the recent episodes of Critical Role, older losses, and imagined losses still in these character's futures. Check them out beneath the cut, and remember to comment and kudos if you like them!

divorce the first by Ink_Beneath_Her_Fingernails (3496,Not Rated) Warnings: Brief mentions of Molly's death, but it's not a focus. Pairings:

Common is the only language all of the Nein share, but it's not the first language of any of them.

Reccer says: There's such an aching sense of longing and grief and mourning in this fic that leaves you with the feeling of an old pain, almost too small to bother dealing with, not that you even could, but every day it sticks around like a rock in your shoe. It manages to slip under your defenses in a way fiction about things like death can't always do, while still touching on loss. There's also some really excellent development of worldbuilding and Wildemount here.

Proud by awaytobeunshaken (557,General) Warnings: None Pairings: Beauregard Lionett & Caleb Widogast

Beau isn't sure how to feel after her father's death. Caleb tries to comfort her anyway.

Reccer says: I liked it

a white and soundless place by BeatriceEagle (7064,Teen) Warnings: Graphic Depictions of Violence, Major Character Death Pairings: Una Ermendrud & Caleb Widogast

A portrait of grief, from either side of the thing.

Reccer says: Una and Leofric feel like people, rather than saints.

psychopomp by hydraxx (3357,General) Warnings: Pairings: Essek Thelyss/Caleb Widogast

Essek comes back to visit Blumenthal over the centuries after Caleb dies, while a long series of local innkeepers observe his mourning process.

Reccer says: It's a really sweet look at how Essek processes losing one of the people important to him, with background worldbuilding!

A Wisdom Without Face or Name by violettressed (17280,Teen) Warnings: major character death Pairings: Caduceus Clay & Jester Lavorre, Jester Lavorre & Essek Thelyss, Artagan & Jester Lavorre

Jester Lavorre spends a lifetime learning how to let go.

Reccer says: A great fic if you need a cry - there's little sparks of humor left by everyone being in character that make the entire thing even more heartfelt

Things to Do in Whitestone When Your Best Friend is Dead by untropicalisland (3038,General) Warnings: major character death Pairings: Ashton Greymoore & Laudna, Percival "Percy" Fredrickstein Von Musel Klossowski de Rolo III & Ashton Greymoore

Ashton tries to make sense of FCG's death while the party regroups in Whitestone following their return from Ruidus.

Reccer says: Ashton and FCG's relationship was so great, it's nice to see something that's got Ashton processing their death. And the Percy and Ashton's dynamic is pitch perfect and *chef's kiss*

Synonym for Tragedy by thetickingclock (1060,Teen) Warnings: None Pairings: Orym/Dorian Storm, Fearne Calloway & Orym & Dorian Storm, Dorian Storm & Cyrus Wyvernwind, Dorian Storm & Dariax Zaveon

Dorian and his brother. The music is different now.

Reccer says: Beautiful and haunting

like wildfire, it starts in my chest by ellis (ellabellachicketychella) (1523,Teen) Warnings: None Pairings: Dorian Storm & Cyrus Wyvernwind, Dorian Storm & Dariax Zaveon

If this is grief then the poems got it wrong-- or, i love how dorian's grief is rage so much. i wrote a little about it

Reccer says: A brilliant character study of Dorian after episode 93

To hold, to cut by thetickingclock (1665,Teen) Warnings: None Pairings:

A series of vignettes about the coping with grief through shared work

Reccer says: It felt true

This is one of our weekly communally-generated gen rec lists. Every week we announce a new theme and allow anyone to submit a fic recommendation. Please note that the summary and content notes are provided by the reccer, and may be different than what the author has provided. Please assume good intentions all around. <3

And hey, anyone includes you!

Next week, we'll be focusing on Fjord Stone! Know of something focusing on his backstory, or maybe his interior life during the campaign, that orphanage heist that happened after? You should rec it!

After that, we'll be changing things up a bit. Mentorship will be happening on the 15th, but after that, we're going to switch to a twice a month schedule - starting with Scanlan.

Any fics coming to mind? Well, then use this form to submit!

Oh! Also! Critter Gen Week is happening! We've been using the themes for our reclist - so if you're inspired by what you're reading, consider writing (or making art) for that week!

[astralleywright]

everyone pivoting to arguing about semantics as we've finally gotten a decision is pretty interesting now cause you've got "the gods aren't colonizers, because exandria isn't a colony! it's resources aren't being exploited to brought to somewhere else, checkmate liberal!" i mean sure but if you went to somewhere and killed everyone already living there and built your house on their graves then uhhhh

also there's this weird undercurrent of OMG! the gods are having their dignity and agency taken for things out of their control! but god forbid you say laudna was ever coerced or fcg was treated like property or ashton's family was nuked or that orym damning himself with nana morri is bad actually or dorian's brother dying wasn't his fault or imogen-

it's just a long way of saying "reparations are bad because you're blaming privileged people for having privilege" which is a very shallow opinion to have. i don't think everyone who dislikes the c3 story is a bigot but damn!

so ive been sitting on these asks forever in the hopes of gaining enough intelligence in the intervening weeks to give a really good answer to them.and i didn't because that's not how anything works. and then i started answering it but then end of c3 news broke and now i'm in the torment nexus forever. but i want this out of here before it ends so, i'm gonna give it the best i got

to start off, i would discourage casting any group in this fandom at large as white as untrue and unhelpful. there are people of color on every side of this issue! and as mentioned, semantics and language are at the center of this discourse, and so is identity reductionism. a lot of these people make the same generalization about our side of fandom, erasing plenty of fans of color while dismissing their analysis. as well as many of the people of color who have actually been a part of creating c3! so to do the same ultimately just substantiates its place in legitimate discourse, which it does not deserve.

but, yes, this is an incredibly lib way of approaching the topic. it seems like, finally realizing the disconnect between what they thought c3 was saying and what it actually is, a lot of people have fallen back on the only lens they really know how to critique from, one of representation and identity. and the tumblr understanding of representation is a very shallow, largely western perspective, one void of history and power dynamics. it's especially notable with the colonialism critiques, which often seem ignorant or disinterested in the actual processes and strategies of colonization in favor of a much more simplistic tumblr approach to race and representation. sometimes, that manifests in posts accusing the primordials and eidelons of being bad indigenous representation because they attacked the gods with no provocation, both ignoring that colonization itself is violent and leaning into the Noble Savage trope. sometimes that manifests in posts noting the underusage of Marquet, a continent inspired by Africa and Asia (and as such not white), in comparison to the Eastern European Wildemount (and as such white), and expecting that to stand in challenge to colonialism being a theme of C3. but not actually elaborating on the extensive history of both colonization and colonizing on each continent, or the way racialization explicitly occured as a process to justify colonialism, or that the history of Eastern Europeans being seen as white is very, very complicated and still evolving. that second one is particularly annoying, because the original critique about Marquet is actually a really good and relevant one when it's not being thrown around as a lame gotcha.

there's a deep focus on connecting broad labels and definitions in a way to make one Exandrian group or another look oppressed or victimized, when in reality the difference in power and agency that group has versus the real life counterparts is like. comical. see that one post comparing the armies of Vasselheim being perturbed by BH to pacifistic Buddhist monks being met with colonizers. The monks and the Vasselheim armies are both religious, the colonizers and BH both bring challenge; ignore that these Exandrian acolytes are armed exactly as heavily as the colonizers and backed with the same mandate of heaven.

that's also where you get the arguments about the god's agency being erased, about Bells Hells taking away their choice, etc etc, from the same people that will say it's Dorian and Opal's fault the Spider Queen murdered Cyrus and turned Opal into a puppet. because of course when you're blind to power dynamics, you end up siding with the powerful. if you see the world as something that makes sense, is broadly fair and merit-based, of course you would. if someone is unpleasant or makes bad choices or even just gives you the ick, that must be because they're bad, inherently. the primordials attacked the gods for no reason!! and so on.

[nochi-quinn]

exandria unlimited: divergence: episode three: dynasties and dystopias

First time doing this in notepad++ bc Fuck All That Noise, let's see how that goes

(context is microsoft is putting notepad behind a paywall)

the way it's going is I managed to get pulled away from my computer for the EXACT length of the ads lmao

yk I guess I could have used Sublime Text. ah well, I'm here now

one-shot of keph's cult when

oh celia's top is Nice

so is alex's

SO IS LIAM'S EVERYBODY STOP BEING PRETTY (don't actually)

otto no

this is just the mafia. this is how mafias start.

fiedra hugging their knees

"DON'T LOOK AT ME" mood

you can't make me cry about the kids fifteen minutes in, it's illegal

the colors in nia's art are so tasty

like a claddagh but a locket?

knowing mentor? not knowing mistress? am I misremembering something?

crokas is her kid now. joint custody with fiedra

you can't make me cry about the mom twenty minutes in, it's illegal

fiedra

AH knowing mentor same thing, interchangable god name

(I have not read Explorer's Guide to Wildemount)

okay but fast forward twenty years and torm's hill has a guard force called the seven swords

garen be nice

erro puts the team on his back

turn into goldfish and throw yourselves off

you're (mostly) level one, you're practically gods, it'll be fine

skeleton crab bucket??

"bones."

she's little, she's hard to see

"DANGIT"

"you're all under arrest"

why do I drink things while watching this, I inevitably choke-laugh

garen be nice

CAPTAIN GUBBLING

captain gubbling one-shot when

I am the snow guardian, guardian of the snow

"with our crosSBOWS"

"who doesn't like joy? you sort of have to"

GOD I wish I liked D20, brennan's NPCs are some of my favorite NPCs

"he left a boot"

"or drag a hoe" BE STRONG CELIA

(one time my brother and I got sent away from the table bc my dad kept talking about a "broken hoe" and we could not. stop. giggling.)

"is this the sea"

what is liam doing to his character's parents this time

dead parents AND dead spouse, he's going for a hat trick

crokas no

"you can't breathe down there"

crokas rushes in

if the only fire is a candle, the meal was cooked long ago

thee shield

"there has never been a week like this week"

liam

nat 20 to stealth into the trap

I'M SORRY WHOMST

YELLS

crokas solve puzzle

gee crokas how come mom lets you have TWO vestiges

patia counts, shut up

meanwhile nia gets thrown off the mountain

liana throws herself off the mountain

I was joking

I was JOKING

I stepped away, is the moonweaver hiding in liana?

oh, moonweaver WAS liana

please read edda-earth

OH nia is the proof of concept for clerics!!

moon bone cheek light bone hook hand car door man

"yeah! yeah we will!"

my roommate's been playing avowed and at one point I just turned around and went "is that fuCKING MERCER"

I just remembered that the moonweaver canonically tried to murder artagan for being a fuckhead

you broke crokas

did the orb give him an int point

it gave him SIX points!! it DOUBLED!!

can't wait for them to need those 20s later

ORB OF AVALIR

I didn't even clock the wis bump!!

no shut the fuck up immediately I will cry on you

HE MADE IT

I WILL CRY ON YOU

I STILL want someone to play cerrit's great-great-whatever descendant

"boarding a ship" shut the fuck your mouth

"I'm gonna end up carrying that, aren't I"

crokas is getting used to knowing things

"I don't know if I like smart crokas. he scares me."

does matt realize he's still "holding" the hammer

"I just realized how weird kephkedriel is"

is anyone here old enough to remember when windows would ask you Where Would You Like To Go Today when you turned the computer on

still no respect for crokas

them's ents

"would you like some magic nuts" BE STRONG ALEX

LIAM

alex fought so hard and liam just dove straight for the low-hanging nuts fruit

aw, I was wondering if he'd take draconic from the thing, I also like this better

they had to get at least one

"that's for the theatre people at home" "I'm right here" "go home"

ah yes, the magic 8 ball spell

not. what I was expecting.

"matt's running up to his bedroom"

yeet a tree onto the field

yeet a bunch of fire onto the field

matt just made me remember 311, I will be crumbling into dust presently

guys you're still only level one please

YOU'RE LEVEL ONE

GAREN ISN'T EVEN THAT

we love a tail attack

he remembered!!

BRENNAN THEY'RE LEVEL ONE

matthew

alex is in suffering

(matt and liam are having the time of their lives)

"laura bailey would be so proud"

do not say "mouthful of nut", do not say "mouthful of nut" -

dear The Dice please let him pull this off

shove IS a bonus action

aw, he can count now

"pelvically"

awakened shield!

"what time is it?" "it's clobberin' time"

dagger dagger dagger

well. crossbow dagger dagger

fuck yeah unicorns

these fucking nerds

I ship these old men so badly

thousand burning suns, etc

"flecked with white stone" I WILL CRY ON YOU

"I will cry as much as I am asked" "usually you have to pay good money for that" matthew

"I'm not carrying it"

ofc they made this silly moment heartwarming/breaking

alex you have to stop quoting stuff under your breath. I understand, I am that person. but also.

this is what breaks garen

big "ELVES CAME FROM SPIRITS" energy

"by road's end" BRENNAN

armley

his house is named sleevely

bc you keep your armleies in y- [giant hook yanks me off stage]

key's cursed

key punned, yeet the key

this is the lockpick thing merle had in balance

"I wish I was still dumb"

quick get fiedra a ukelele so she can apologize properly

MAH BOI

[elderly stammering]

garen get on that fucking boat so help me

GAREN GET ON THE BOAT

insight check the key

cross-examine the parrot

"whatdayisit"

[ksanya]

I love the parallels between Wildemount & Issylra teams separation and BH & Dorian separation. Traumatized Issylra: How are we? AWFULL! We had the worst time of our lives! >:'( Traumatized Dorian: How am I? I'm okay! I did lost my brother, my friend got corrupted, another went after her so she might get as well, I ran from my best buddy and I also lost the last party member… But I'm fine :D

[nilesdaughter]

i fall in love just a little, oh, a little bit

Fandom: Critical Role Characters: Percy De Rolo, Vex'ahlia, Trinket (Mention), Orthax (Mention), Saundor (Mention), Zahra Hydris (Mention), Vesper Elaina De Rolo (Mention) Pairing: Perc'ahlia Word Count: 1,212 Note: The fill for the "Fall" prompt for @percahliaweek. I also specifically dedicate this one to my beloved @lycaboros because, like Vex, falling in love with you was never a single definable moment. [Also found on Ao3.]

“I don’t know when it happened. When I fell.”

Vex’ahlia couldn’t help but think that it would have been impossible to fall in love in a single moment, because it had never been a single moment with Percival.

It was their initial meeting. How he looked up at her through the bars of his prison cell like he was seeing the sun after a long and stormy night that had blocked out the moons and stars. How, without hesitation, he passed over his entire coin purse to her once he retrieved his effects from the storage chest they’d been unceremoniously tossed into. How he gravitated towards Trinket, not shying away from her beloved bear like most everyone else did upon meeting him, and even seemed to find comfort in tangling his trembling hands into Trinket’s coarse fur.

It was the first trick arrow. How he’d been uncharacteristically unsure as he presented it to her, apologizing for the potential overstep. How the knowledge that he’d thought of her and crafted something that only she could use flustered her in a way she never would have expected. How he’d turned such a pretty shade of pink when she kissed him in gratitude.

It was Whitestone. How he said he trusted her to know if and when he lost control. How startled and touched his expression had been when she told him that he didn’t have to be alone when he faced the darkness ahead of him. How her voice, her words, had seemed to be the ones that pulled him away from Orthax’s influence just long enough that the connection between them was interrupted, offering Percy a chance to reorient himself and decide that he would not give in to the constant whispers of violence and vengeance that the demon promised him.

It was the broom. How he didn’t think any less of her for taking it, even if—in retrospect—it had been a shitty thing to do. How he worried for her safety the first few times she’d tried to use it to fly. How he took his worries and channeled that energy into making the enchanted item safer, even going so far as losing sleep over ensuring she had proper failsafes.

It was Syngorn. How she felt safe enough to admit that she was terrified of going back. How, for even just a moment, she allowed herself to rely on someone that wasn’t her brother. How he had assured her that she was worth so much more than she believed, so much more than what the elven city tried to convince her that she was worth. How he’d given her a title—a title—to ensure that her father was forced to acknowledge that she was accomplished, that she had risen up in the world after she’d abandoned his home so many years before. How, when Saundor tried to convince her to give up her heart, she felt she had no other choice but to admit that it already belonged to someone else.

It was Wildemount. How she had spent so much time dancing around the fact that her confession had played a part in ensuring the success of his resurrection that she almost missed the hints that he’d heard it, wherever his soul had been. How he’d agreed that they had to be willing to forgive in order to grow, to heal. How, even when she still couldn’t bring herself to find the courage to ask him if he’d heard her, he’d kissed her in the snow and promised they would find the time to talk about it all properly.

It was the Courage. How he was willing to play to her whims, even when her opening the door naked had apparently erased all his carefully laid plans for their evening before they went to take on Thordak. How he let her take the lead, deferred to her knowledge, however limited it was, to ensure they both found satisfaction in that evening’s shared bed. How he surprised her with continuing beyond the first round, showing off that he actually knew a little more about intimacy than he had let on, and made her feel like she was making love and not just having another casual fuck.

It was the Grey Hunt. How he had granted her a title that, for all intents and purposes, had to be earned before it could truly be hers. How he believed in her so wholeheartedly that he had no doubt she would earn it. How he’d clearly lost sleep waiting for her to return from her ritualistic challenge, ensured he was present when she finally did.

It was the manor. How he gave her free reign to design the space. How he was his ever meticulous self and ensured she had anything and everything she desired to outfit her new home. How it became his home, too, because more and more of him appeared there as the year stretched on. How it became a quiet haven amidst the patrolling and the politicking, a space where they could be their authentic, messy selves, even during the brief time they allowed their fears to force them apart.

It was their elopement. How it wasn't something either of them planned for, even with all his tendencies to mastermind all the details and all her tendencies to weigh the consequences before a decision was made. How the synchronization of their impulsive streaks left them giddy and nearly drunk on their love for each other. How, even with the love and support of their friends, they managed to ensure their formal dedication to each other was something they kept to themselves. (And bless Zahra for not breathing a word of it to anyone until they were ready.)

It was Elysium. How his faith in her never wavered, letting a god know just how much love and trust he had in her. How he was so proud of her fiery rebirth, so enamored with her brilliant sunlight, that he declared an additional star needed to be added to the De Rolo crest, their crest, to mark the occasion.

It was everything that came… after. How he understood the devastation of losing family. How he knew that her grief and the subsequent healing were in no way going to be linear. How they broke to pieces with night terrors and haunting memories, but were always there to catch each other, build each other back up with love and understanding. How he turned his brilliant mind away from weaponry and destruction and focused instead on clockwork and artistry. How he absolutely beamed when they realized they were going to have a child. How, when Vesper was born, he seemed to physically shed his identity as the Terrible Tinkerer of Tal’Dorei, shed his identity as Lord Percival Frederickstein Von Musel Klossowski De Rolo III. How, with their small daughter in his arms, he became so soft and doting, donning the identity of ‘papa’ with surprising ease. How he never squandered an opportunity to let them know just how much he loved them, how grateful he was to them for giving him a future he once believed he’d thrown away.

“I think it happened through all the little moments that I didn’t even notice.”

[joshuasumter]

The Inspiration Template for Onward to Critical Role

Swords and sorcery just get real as Ian and Barley Lightfoot from Disney/Pixar's 'Onward' landed smack-dab in the middle of Exandria, the world of 'Critical Role' that exists in the Material Plane full of real magic, real epic adventures, and real wizards, bards, real fantasy and beyond…and no modern technology in this new hypothetical Crossover Alternate Universe (CAU) timeline that explores what would happen if the events of Disney/Pixar's 'Onward (2020)', Critical Role's animated series 'The Legend of Vox Machina (2022)' and its upcoming animated 'Mighty Nien' series occurred differently.

(The crossover timeline takes place after the events of 'Onward' and into the events of 'The Legend of Vox Machina', and the rest will be within the animated series itself)

In this new hypothetical crossover AU after the events of Disney/Pixar's 'Onward', life is still full of magic and wonder for Ian and Barley Lightfoot in the suburban city of New Mushroomton after their journey to bring back their late father…that is, until they woke up to find themselves in another world unlike their own filled with real fantasy magic and no modern technology.

Little do they know that they've been dragged into Exandria, the world of 'Critical Role', and allow themselves to be joined by an unlikely band of rowdy and ragtag heroes, misfits, and adventurers turned mercenaries for hire known as Vox Machina (Comprised of twin half-elf siblings, Vex'ahlia and Vax'ildan; charming gunslinger Percival "Percy" Fredrickstein Von Musel Klossowski de Rolo III; clever cleric Pike Trickfoot; half-elf red-headed druid Keyleth; gnome bard Scanlan Shorthalt; goofy goliath barbarian Grog Strongjaw; and their giant grizzly bear, Trinket) and chose to do what they can to help save Exandria and restore justice from the evil destruction of dark magical forces, terrifying power couples, and even a group of not-so-friendly dragons…if they want to survive this strange, new world despite all the epic dangers, magical surprises, comedic fun, and even the heartwarming romance the two brothers experience in such an epic saga along the way.

Then, their second adventure takes place after the events of 'The Legend of Vox Machina' Season 3 and into the events of the 'Mighty Nein' series as Ian and Barley get dragged into yet another campaign and saga anew when they're time-warped to 20 years after the adventures of Vox Machina where the two brothers are now joined by another motley group of criminals and misfits based in Wildemount known as the Mighty Nein (Comprised of Caleb Widogast, a human transmutation wizard; Nott the Brave, a young goblin rogue; Jester Lavorre, a blue female tiefling; Beauregard Lionett, a human female monk; Fjord, a green half-orc Hexblade warlock; Mollymauk Tealeaf, a lavender tiefling blood hunter; Yasha Nydoorin, a female aasimar barbarian; and much more).

The inspirations and influences of the Onward/Critical Role crossover and its new hypothetical crossover AU timeline are:

Onward (2020)

Critical Role

The Legend of Vox Machina (2022)

Scoobynatural

Disney Channel Original Movie (DCOM), Teen Beach Movie

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003): Fast Forward (Season 6)

Scooby-Doo! The Sword and the Scoob

The Super Mario Bros. Movie

DreamWorks' The Road to El Dorado

Jeff Smith's Bone

Dungeons & Dragons: The Cartoon, the classic TV show from the 1980s. (Including The Adventure Begins! (Dungeons & Dragons) (Little Golden Book) and Dungeons & Dragons: Saturday Morning Adventures)

The crossover fanfics of... - "Frozen Turtles" by Iron117Prime - "The Owl and the Frog" by ChampionElCid - The crossover stories by Hero Central/AlexMontyArt that involved heroes from one continuity end up in a different world of another, including "The Avengers: The Avatar Saga", "Ben 10 & She-Ra: Heroes of Power", and "Sonic and Ariel"

[arthurn9]

About My PC: Katarina

(Original art by the incomparable Alice Shikinoko! Find her on YouTube!)

(Second image here also by Alice Shikinoko (Timeskip!Katarina is seen here with her wife, Saturn, the Umbral Mistress) and the first image by the amazing @scruffyturtles!)

Name: Katarina (Original name unknown)

Gender: Female

Birthday: Some time near winter, 795PD

Age: Unknown, temporally 47, age fluctuated after planeshifting

Birthplace: Greying Wildlands, Wildemount

Current Residence: Manor of Darkened Dreaming, Byroden, Tal’Dorei

Height: 5’10”

Weight: 147 lbs

Weapons: Dagger and Improved Pepperbox Pistol

Weapon Names: Spellbreaker & Legado

Discipline: Remnant Mage Slayer Arts and Self-Taught Gunslinging

Class Levels: Rogue 11 (Swashbuckler)/Fighter 3 (Gunslinger)/Warlock 1 (Hexblade)

Connections:

Unknown Mother & Father (killed by slavers)

Remnant handlers/teachers (killed by Katarina)

Delilah Briarwood (teacher, deceased?)

Alexander Cena III (guardian, deceased)

Esperansa Cena (former guardian, banished from home)

Alexander Cena IV (former adoptive brother/charge, deceased)

The Cena daughters (former adoptive sisters/employers – two have disowned her, two remain friendly)

The Umbral Mistress, Saturn (wife/mistress)

Full backstory after the jump. It got WAY longer than I expected it to be.

Katarina was born in blood and murk, in the darkness of Shadycreek Run, a stretch of land notorious for being the home to thieves, slavers, and criminal scum. She wasn’t even born with the name; her parents died before she could have one, and the slavers she was picked up by didn’t care much about formalities. It was only when the Remnants came that she found identity. The slavers had dared to steal a document from a Remnant informant, and paid with their lives. The child they found was just extra. She could be taught, molded to serve the Whispered One’s cause.

She was given the name by a woman named Delilah, who told her a pretty name and a pretty face were useful tools. Katarina was trained up as an assassin, and she was good. A prodigy with a dagger, in time she would be taught to kill mages. Despite being one herself, Delilah relished in the idea of ending so-called arrogant arcane practitioners with a simple blade. “They’re so squishy, relying on their tricks…”

In time, Katarina earned enough trust to be offered a mission; assassinate a mage who was getting too close to discover Delilah’s true circumstances. As the man’s blood flowed from his neck, Delilah presented Katarina with a powerful weapon. She called it a Vestige of a long-forgotten time, one that would prove useful to ending the Cerberus Assembly and other organizations. Katarina was also whisked off into the Shadowfell, to learn the ways of this blade. She acclimated well to the darkness there, losing the color in her hair and eyes, but gaining the ability to disguise herself lightly, at will.

A new mission was given to Katarina; she was to assassinate a noble family in the city of Byroden, one who had actually gotten close to finding a way to seal away their master. The patriarch, a paladin of some renown, had uncovered documents that led to a ritual to seal Vecna away in the Shadowfell permanently. Even if this was a local hero, she would not fail in taking these documents, and his life.

At least, that’s what she told herself, before he completely stopped her in her tracks.

Alexander Cena III took pity on her, however. The fool bought her act, her story that she was only trying to steal things to sell for money. He took her in. The first week wasn't so bad. Turns out that being a hero was a lucrative business - the man was rich beyond reason (though he would say it all came from his wife’s side of the family, and given her alleged connections, Katarina believed him). Katarina, undeterred from her primary mission, did all she could to undermine him and his regime. But he was clever. All of her attempts to steal information or snuff out the hero's brats and servants were "foiled" by the stupid hero. After a few weeks, Katarina found herself making fewer attempts. At first, she didn't know why. The mission hadn't changed; no agent had come to her with the news that it had. Then again, no other Remnant had come at all, and that was odd. She'd always had a handler around when on a mission. And, yet...

Then they started treating her...strangely. Like...she was something less than an assassin. Like she was...a person. The stupid hero talked to her about...life. And what she thought. All things that were banned by the Remnants. The wife, though colder, encouraged her to read books and learn with her children. And those children...they wanted nothing more than to spend time with their new friend. The first year of this treatment was unbearable, though the second…wasn’t so bad. She even welcomed the birth of triplets to the family, and was actually excited to be a big sister-

…when did she start considering herself a sister?

When news that Delilah, her husband Sylas, and the forces that had taken over the city of Whitestone had been felled, Katarina breathed the first sigh of relief in her life. She didn’t know why it was so relieving, at least not initially, but started to suspect that this was what peace felt like.

Katarina started to forget about the Remnants, though she never forgot her training. The hero insisted that she continue honing her skills, but he was different from her teachers with the Remnants. He encouraged her growth for her own sake, and though she suspected that he was only grooming her to become a counter-agent in his war against the Whispered One, he always insisted that it was only so that she may carve her own path.

In time, the hero would put his plan into action to finally seal away the Undying King. The Ritual of Fell Sealing, this supposed powerful enchantment, would return Vecna to the Shadowfell and seal him there for good. Though the efforts of the Remnants in Whitestone had been deterred, the Cena family knew that this would not be enough to stop Vecna forever. The hero said his goodbyes…but unknown to him, Katarina had tagged along. She wanted to help the man who had saved her, and who better than a former Remnant?

Unfortunately, her assistance cost him dearly. Though he was able to push Vecna’s avatar back to the Shadowfell, Katarina’s interference came at the cost of the ritual’s permanence…and his life. With his dying words, he asked Katarina to protect his family as a final request. Katarina nodded through tears, devoting herself to the protection of his family.

Katarina returned to the Cena Manor, head hung in the shame of this defeat, lacking the blade that Delilah had provided her all those years ago. Esperansa, the wife, took the news the hardest and simply walked away to her study to weep and mourn. Marcia and Alicia, two of the triplets who had, unfortunately, been spoiled, immediately jeered and flung hatred at her, despite only being three years old. The third triplet, Leticia, as well as the elder siblings Aurora and Alexander, attempted to cheer Katarina up, saying that their father had died a hero and that they held no ill will toward her.

Though she was not banished as she had feared, Katarina felt the sting of shunning from the matriarch of the house, as well as the two daughters who hated the young woman who they felt had taken their father from them. In time, news of the final sealing of the Whispered One, despite his ascension to godhood, reached them. Esperansa softened, relieved that her husband’s killer and the being she’d sworn to stop one day, was finally felled.

Katarina’s guilt, however, had only compounded in the year since his death. She decided that it would be best to live a life not by the side of this family, but in service of them. It was the least she could do to make up for her mistakes. Though reluctant, Esperansa allowed this arrangement.

The next 16 years marked a time of peace for the family. The triplets followed in the footsteps of their mother, learning magecraft at her feet (and in the company of many good teachers, now that Esperansa had rejoined the Arcana Pansophical in an advisory role). Leticia had even taken up the blade as a side project, in honor of her father. Alexander had taken up training, as well, though his was more in the area of sharpshooting. He reasoned he would be a hero like his father before him. Katarina, by now a well-tenured member of staff with a reputation of being quick on her feet and silvered of tongue, taught her young master in secret, honing his dexterity and aiming skills. Esperansa would not approve, but Katarina knew the young master would make a fine hero. She also viewed this as an opportunity to keep her own skills honed, skills she secretly employed in the interests of the family. They didn’t need to know that bandits and other ne’er-do-wells would occasionally attempt to cross the barriers of the home.

Her loyalty and devotion had been rewarded. Katarina was assigned as the direct retainer of Alexander Cena IV, a role she cherished; the two were closer than siblings by this point.

On the day of his 23rd birthday, Alexander had an argument with his mother, who had discovered his training. In the dead of night, he ran from the house, leaving a note for Katarina saying that he needed to test his mettle in the real world, and become a hero himself. Within two days, Katarina had been sent off to find him and return him home by Esperansa.

She would travel to the site of the original ritual, the one that had taken her father figure from her, to pay respects. What she found there were the abandoned, now-psychotic Remnant handlers she used to have, with her old Vestige, Spellbreaker, in their hands.

They didn’t last 30 seconds.

Katarina swore she would find her young master and return him home. She tracked him deep into the Verdant Expanse, eventually finding a curious gate. She’d heard that this gate was one into the Feywild, erected by a group of heroes as a favor to an archfey they had befriended, but in this moment…the gate was different. Perhaps it was the leylines fluctuating, but this gate didn’t seem to be going to the world of the Fey…

Katarina awoke in a strange land, one of fog and darkness. A castle of ill omen in the distance did little to calm Katarina as she began to question those around, asking where she was. In time, she would learn that this fell place was known as Barovia. She also managed to find out that Alexander had managed to find his way here, and seemed to be traveling with an unusual troupe. Her priority in place, she searched for him…but in time, she would find herself far too late.

Alex had fallen in battle, the unfortunate casualty of crossfire as he and his compatriots battled a cursed living tree. At the same time, a strange woman, claiming herself to be a priestess to a dark goddess, arrived, claiming to be seeking Alex for her own purposes. Katarina tried to get this woman to revive her charge…but resurrection magic was cursed in Barovia, and the ritual failed. Katarina had lost both the Alex in her life.

The rest of his party introduced themselves, told stories of Alex’s bravery, his prowess, and his abilities with an unusual weapon. Katarina picked it up…she had heard rumors of such a contraption being used by some of the less savory criminals in Tal’Dorei, though she’d heard that the heir of Whitestone himself, Percival de Rolo, used such a weapon, a firearm, as well. She took the weapon from her young charge’s body, vowing vengeance against the world that had taken him.

In time, this group would work to undermine and defeat the master of this land, an undead monstrosity named Strahd. During their mission, Katarina became close to Saturn, the two bonding over their shared fates, and wishing to protect each other, viewing it as a way to make up for their failures to protect Alex. In time, their bond would evolve to one of romance, and their relationship would blossom through their final days of combatting Strahd. It was during this campaign that Saturn took on some of the vampiric traits from Strahd himself, as part of his final defeat. Katarina was worried that Saturn would turn to darkness…but despite her being a dark cleric, Saturn only wished to live in peace and spread love, and these new powers would allow her to do so.

The two parted ways with the rest of the adventurers who had traveled with Alex. Saturn’s skills with magic and new abilities allowed her to bend space and return them to Exandria, but with a catch; there was a large amount of time dilation for them as they returned, and what had only been about a month in Barovia had been 5 years in Exandria. The Cena family had almost given up on seeing either Katarina or Alex ever again. Esperansa had taken ill, and the revelation almost broke her. Aurora cried deeply for the loss of her little brother, and Marcia & Alicia had only gotten worse, vitriol towards the former maid at the news of their brother’s death enhanced by the poisonous brattiness they now carried. Leticia took the news the worst. She ran away, only taking a moment to look back and ask Katarina if she had genuinely done her best to bring him back.

Katarina almost broke then and there.

Esperansa banished Katarina on the spot. She had failed in her duties, after all. Saturn, however, did not take kindly to her lover’s judgement. Though entirely a bluff, it was convincing enough; she “cursed” Esperansa to a life of grief, only to be broken by an act of genuine forgiveness. This was no true malady, but Esperansa’s grief would leave her bedridden in the years to come, so it may as well have been.

Her ties severed, Katarina walked out of the Cena manor one last time. Saturn did her best to assuage her lover’s guilt, and though it helped immensely, Katarina lived with a dark cloud looming over her, a reminder of her greatest failure, for years. In spite of this, she did her best to move on; in a year’s time, she had been wed to Saturn in a private ceremony. Only Leticia was allowed to attend, though when she did, the youngest Cena noticed several new friends, maidens who swooned for “the lady”.

In time, the city of Byroden had been besot by rumor. This wasn’t uncommon, as word travels fast in the biggest city in the Gladepools of Tal’Dorei. Still, these rumors spoke of a strange gathering in the old, long-thought-abandoned Castello family manor, of young women who would attend some kind of school. Some of the more sensational rumormongers of the countryside called it a coven. Others called it a cult. In time, this order would be given a name: the Black Lily Sisterhood, and at its head was the mysterious woman known only as the Umbral Mistress. And while it was rare to see this mysterious woman, rumored to be as pale as Catha with eyes of crimson and hair of gold, those who frequented the markets in Byroden spoke of seeing her loyal housemaid, hair of white with a green tinge at the tips, eyes hidden by the reflection in her glasses, and sidearm on her waist.

[dawnshe]

because i finally have an idea on what i want to do with it, have vex’s campaign two / tombtaker verse :

upon fleeing syngorn and discovering the fate of their mother, vex and vax decided it was time for to start completely fresh and headed to wildemount, particularly finding themselves returning to shadycreek run, but wandering to and fro as they pleased. there they several times completed jobs with locals, though neither of the twins joined, vax being engaged in secretive missions with the myriad leaving vex’s curiosities to roam when her brother was away on day mission.

more often than not, vex would aid her brother on his tasks, hoping to avoid the very instance that happened before her eyes, one day on their travels back to shadycreek run, her twin brother was slaughtered before her eyes, using his last breath to tell his sister to run.

in desperation to be surrounded by people, vex was quick to ally herself with some familiar faces and joining some memeber of the claret order on the occasional mission, including one to rexxentrum and in time, to aeor.

the idea and possibility of getting her brother back was something she was so set on, vex’ahlia is quick to follow along with the tombtakers and lucien, obtaining five eyes herself before derogna’s failed ritual ( one on her right palm, one on her left wrist, one on each of her shoulders, and a final on the spot where her neck meets her back ). it isn’t till after the ritual fails that vex finally wakes up to how naieve and wrong what she was planning on following through with was and promptly goes about trying her best to avoid other members of the tombtakers to try and combat her grief for lucien and properly grieve her twin.

upon / if encountering a member of the mighty nein she is going to not say shit about any marks so if they catch a red eye grill her about it and be prepared for her to try and cover her tracks until she literally can’t

whether or not vex returns to the tombtaker’s side to finish their quest truly is a gamble but if she does it’s not without a heavy heart and much hesitation.

within this verse, vex is a ranger, bloodhunter ( ghost slayer ), paladin ( ‘oath of the ancient’s’ that i’m calling oath of the dreamer but she becomes an oath breaker ) have a character sheet :)

[amplexadversary]

catching up on the Wildemount Camp special; did Sam's sister play a halfling for the mechanic she knows annoys her brother? XD

[hello-eeveev]

7, 12, 17 for the fic writer asks!

7. How many ideas for fics do you have right now?

Like 3.5? There’s the big official Getting Together fic that’s next in line once How to Rest is done, a vibe-y ficlet based on a song that’ll happen eventually, and a Thelyss brothers AU. The half of an idea would be a short follow-up to On the Nature of Attraction, but I don’t know if/when that will be fully written or posted ask me again when I’m having the asexual angst lol

12. Do you have a playlist for your current WIP(s)? Share it!

Not for my WIP specifically, but I do have Essek and Caleb playlists! These playlists are meant to follow their in-game arcs for the most part—Essek is really the only one to have some explicitly post-canon songs—so they don’t always directly apply to my post-canon fics, but I do use them to help me to get into the right headspace sometimes!

(I’ve been trying to make a big post (or series of posts?) sharing and discussing my various scattershot m9 playlists for a while now, so consider this a teaser!)

17. What’s something you’ve learned about while doing research for a fic?

Recently, I spent a whole writing session researching German historical dress, German Tracht in general, and different styles of whitework embroidery and where they originated! I don’t think I did any narrative writing that day, but it was fun synthesizing that information! It was like the written word version of when I deliberately design an outfit to draw.

I have also learned a lot about wizard spells and class features—especially chronurgist and graviturgist features—and the continent of Wildemount in general! I think my favorite location I learned about is Gwardan. I am desperate for Critical Role to take us there in-game because I think it will be so pretty and so cool. I finally get to bring it up in How to Rest chapter 6 and it makes me very happy >:)

Fic Writer Asks!

[krakenburger]

Eirian Icabad. A reborn paladin I played for call of the nether deep.

His story as one of the brotherhood of the red moon, a former thief become a beacon of justice was great to play out.

The original brotherhood had ventured into restricted zones in a sunken city when they had meddled with ruidium. Catching the ire of the angel Perigee in the process.

Some had been killed by the celestial., others had been corrupted by the ores strange properties.

Eirian only remembers waking up in a field in a strange land called wildemount before joining a caravan service for coin. Not sure of who he was before he had met his untimely fate.

Through many trials and tribulations, he and a handful of friends made it back to his Homeland to fix whatever is soon to come.

Meeting new and strangely familiar faces along the way he would come to discover both his older blood brothers, the founders of their would be band of misfits had lived.

Arin, the black wolf. In particular filling him with a bloodlust he couldnt explain.

arin was making a play for any ruidium in the nether deep to gain power, they needed to move fast.

Going into the sunken city him and his party lose some along the way but they never back away. Gaining more allies as they hold the line, like a strange elf who uses runes asagic boons (players new character), and a...... Space hamster? The hell's a hamster?

Diving deep underneath they plunged into the unknown plane of the nether deep. Confronting the Apollyon, and fighting as hard as they could to bring him the ending he had deserved, a happy one.

Sorry I couldn't condense a whole year long campaign into a single post, I hope you like him and his abbreviated story