a quick disclaimer that I am running off Balance brains. Which is to say I was in the fandom as the theory about “Lup” being Taako’s secret twin sister because it could be short for “chalupa” was going around. And that was literally all the evidence we had at that time. And then it turned out to be TRUE, so my predictions may be a bit zealous.
But my thoughts also come from the fact that Justin the McElroy is incredibly intelligent. Taako and Duck were very deep, complicatedly wonderful characters that snuck their way into our hearts from jokes and bullshittery. He gave them serious thought, and while I’d be perfectly fine to take Bud at face value as this gentle giant is lovely, I can’t help but assume more.
Changelings are an interesting thing in dnd. As the name implies, they are shapeshifters. However they make themselves distinct from doublegangers and other shapeshifting monstrosities by sticking to a singular identity. Sure, if something goes wrong they’ll skip town and take on a new one, or if they have managed to make a career out of their born talents, though even then their casual life will often consist of the one form. More so, whith their shifting nature, they tend to see themselves from the third person. They tend to make what people expect them to make and will try to figure out the wants and needs of those around them to create the most pleasurable thing for their environment.
Now Justin is playing the most firbolgy firbolg that could have ever firbolgged. A quiet, nameless, tame but threatening druid. And while a firbolgy firbolg is adorable, the fact that Justin seems to have gone out of his way to make the most commonplace giantiod in this very uncommonplace game makes me suspect. Further more, this game is being ran by Travis McElroy who is a slut for a good story and even more so for a good twist!
I know so far I’ve only spouted speculation. So how about I talk about what originally gave me the idea-
Justin cast a spell to speak with the little animal.
“Speak with Animals” is a useful spell but one totally unused by firbolgs. Because Firbolgs can already speak to animals. Animals and plants specifically.
Now he could have just forgotten. Oldest brother who knows how expansive their silly Dungeons and Dragons podcast has gotten and how eager people will be for Graduation. Bean Boy professional entertainer who delights in pulling the rug under his brothers to surprise and delight the audience with his podcasts within a podcast. Hell Travis probably forgot too. Travis who is absolutely IN LOVE with Dungeons and Dragons and has made himself an active part of the community after Magnus. But you know who definitely would not have forgotten?
The fans. The Dungeoneirs who were either already big fans of the game or were encouraged to try it after Balance. Fans who are not afraid to talk to the brothers, and brothers who are not afraid to take advice from them. To laugh and joke at their mistakes and comment about them. But it was never brought up.
Bud also just uses curios language when he speaks of himself. He talks about himself like he is himself a character. Explaining what he, the firbolg, does and does not do instead of simply explaining that he is or isn’t interested in doing something. How do I explain this-
In the third episode he keeps saying that firbolgs do not lie. He doesn’t just say it like “hey this is a cultural thing I’m not prepared to break”. He says it like suggesting that he, as a firbolg, could lie would be absolutely absurd. Like they are stupid to think that he could, as a firbolg. He’s not appalled by the act of lying. But as he is totally absolutely don’t even worry about it a firbolg, HE cannot lie.
I’m sure he was raised among them. I imagine either his father had sex with a changing (as in earlier additions they were fey, the Firbolgs are fey touched and it is generally accepted cannon among DMs that a changeling and whatever else will produce another changeling with a 50% chance) or was found as a baby. Misshaped, pale and unwanted, raised by a nomad clan of life loving druids. I imagine his want to leave the clan and come to a school for sidekicks is linked to his true race. Changelings do make good minions and perhaps he was told he would learn more about himself here or have himself put to good use.
I’m not sure if it’s true or not it was just a thought I had and now I can’t shake it. But hey look- if Angus is a silver dragon then I can have my “abandoned at birth and crafted himself around those that actually loved him and gave a shit and learned to love the world around him too and got magic from it” baby Bud!
I guess we’ll see what the McElroys have in store for us!
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