Once Upon A Starlight spoilers below, longass post warning this got big. Just going through some thoughts/opinions/theories/themes and character comp post-stream and yapping a lot:
Okay a bit of general setting thought, then character-by-character thoughts. I will say that the main differences in Starlight as compared to classic Witchlight, both in tone and story, seem very much informed by setting. We're transitioning from the forests of the feywild to an urban jungle here. Witchlight exists in a very D&D typical medieval-esque world (granted one with a lot of early 20th century flavouring) - travel between the different regions of Prismeer is like travelling between kingdoms. This is a world where camping gear is part of your everyday kit and you can make your way in the world going from place to place without great amounts of trouble, as natural resources are fairly easy to come by. Pretty much everyone in Carnivale Lecroux has that as part of their backstory, and their life in the Carnivale was essentially much of the same - being run out of the Carnivale business, they're unmoored from anything approaching permanent roots. Home is just where your people are at, and their people go with them everywhere (very typical D&D party setup tbh).
Starlight, in comparison, is taking place in very built-up futuristic environments, places bustling with people and business, where commerce is key. If you want to live and survive in layers upon layers of sci-fi city, everything comes at a price. The Krew can't just wander out into the forest and pitch a tent whenever they need a long rest - in order to keep the story running at least partially, they need a base of operations, a reliable rest point. In this case, the Starlight nightclub. This introduces new dimensions to the story - home and community. A place and people they call their own, and a variety of factors (the mob, the upper-crust, revolutionaries) that threaten both those things. So what we see is quite literally (and, perhaps as a result, tonally) more grounded. And this effects character in many different ways!
Kremy: Let's start with our main man (the most connected to aforementioned themes). If his elevator-musings at the start and his attachment to District 87 are anything to go by, I'd guess that his backstory isn't quite so different from Witchlight - started at the bottom, clawed his way up as high through as he could through underhanded deeds and then either left it behind or fell from grace. Familiar with how the uppercrust works and likes the finer things, but unlike OUAW Krem, he's put in roots deep. Years of work and a lot of money has gone into the Starlight, "his baby", and unlike Carnivale Lecroux this isn't some get-rich-quick scheme he can pick up and move elsewhere when things go bad - this is his life. He's deeply passionate about his business, not just as an earning but also what it represents for the community and for his own group of misfits. He's so freaking proud of the space he's cultivated. He has a soft spot for District 87 in general (if my backstory theory is right, I'd guess he grew up in a similar neighborhood). As a result, I think we see a Kremy who wears his heart on his sleeve a little more. He's not afraid to admit his attachment to the club/district and his anxiety about failure, and so he's not quite as good at hiding his worry (to the audience at least, or unless you roll a four or whatever it is Mace got on that check lmao). One thing he does have in common with OUAW Kremy - he's done some horrible things to get where he is now, and that past is definitely gonna bite him in the arse at some point or another (also, he's a master of making deals that are so goddamn shitty for him. Jesus fucking christ Kremy get it together). I think this makes him genuinely considering helping to blow up a hospital for cash all the more interesting as a moral quandry - the longevity of his nightclub at the cost of the community it serves. I'm very interested to see how his new class traits kinda work and tie in to his background as a druglord lmao (especially how that kind of drug-manufacture relates to how the other characters interact with his drugs in combat (Torbek, Gideon) and in story(Frost's headache pills))(people in Twitch Chat kept saying Chem-y which is funny as fuck). Also it's heartwarming to see Kremy actually give a fuck about running a legit(ish) business, but also goddamn the stress is slowly killing this guy. Maybe Witchlight Kremy had a point (then again, he's also mad stressed half the time, so.).
Frost: Goddd Frost. So many thoughts about Frost. Gonna stay away from talking design too much (espec. cause Twink Frost has been lovingly torn to shreds online lmao) but I do like the sense of character having a perfectly-pressed, dark uniform with colourful shoes (lightup sketchers hehe) gives us for Witchlight Frost. Also like how his pace is faster and his stuttering is (at least to me) a little more pronounced. It makes him feel younger in a way, idk. My main theory here: what I think we get with Starlight Frost is a theoretical of "what if he never encountered the Psionic Order/ stayed with them for long" - he's a bit more expressive, like Kremy he wears his heart and his worries more clearly on his sleeve. The problem then is, when his emotions get the best of him, his psychic abilities become harder to control. Maybe he hasn't had those years of training surrounded by people telling him "here's what your powers can do, here's how you make them do what you want, push all your emotions down all the time so you don't explode shit with your brain" etc etc. The way Starlight Frost responds to stress with overwhelming anxiety vs how Witchlight Frost tends to be more snippy and frustrated is mostly what drives my theory here. Honestly having him as majordomo for the club works very well, lets him flaunt that Frost Charisma a bit better, and it makes sense that Kremy would trust him and his big brain with all that responsibility. My GOD this man is stressed though. This is what going into any service industry with an anxiety disorder will do to you (breakdown at work I fucking feel that man) get him out of there. The psionic headache pills he takes coming from Kremy also interests me sooo much, like they're friends with the added relationship layers of boss-employee and then also kinda dealer/supplier-medicine dependent... very juicy to me even if it's not intended to be. Obviously he values the club as that same sort of haven as Kremy does, with how much he worries. Interested to see where Derek goes with him, and if that includes a holiday. Get this man to the space-Bahamas.
Gideon: I have less to say on Gideon because to me, I reckon he's changed the least in character - he's always had the very strong morals he shows in Starlight at his core, I just think he more openly expresses them and similar to Kremy has that sense of belonging to a place that makes him care deeply about the community (similar to his character in Dust to Damnation, too). What I really, really like is how his class switch-up brings out the parts of Gideon beyond being the big randy muscle-guy; He's fucking smart, he likes engineering and problem solving and having a project to work on. He's resourceful and crafty. These are parts of Gideon that Mace has always done a good job of peppering into him during Witchlight, and I can kinda see that line from the last few episodes of Witchlight with crafting the dirigible to switching to the machinist class for Starlight and having more craft-and-engineering based combat goodies and skills to play with (honestly it rocks so hard, the riveter subclass especially seems like a lot of fun. He's giving Engineer TF2 a little I won't lie, he's using more gun /j). Him being Kremys head of operations just makes sense, they dynamic duo in every universe. We don't get much inkling of background from him quite yet, but I dunno if that's ever really required for good character. Gideon just feels so fun idk how else to say it. The hog theming is a great callback and cracks me up so much. He has his groove again. He's having a blast, he's blasting guys to oblivion with his big fuckin gun, I love it. I don't know how to explain it properly but it's like we got a lighter Gideon and a heavier Torbek, kinda. Also Gideon's vehicle-pride being consistent throughout universes really tracks, he's such a car guy.
Torbek: From what I think is the least changed character to the most changed character, Torbek is looking very different in a lot of ways (and not just because he's got that dog in him). Like a lot of people I got immediately jumpscared by first-person pronouns but practically it makes a lot of sense - third-person is more challenging to RP and with how much is going on, I can understand switching that up. With the grounding of plot and tone we get a Torbek who is a lot more grounded too, and as a result a lot more dour. Fairly departed from the Witchlight whimsy and comedic hangdog-ness. Rather than starting from a very low place, being pushed even lower by horrific circumstances and slowly building up more confidence and sense of self as the campaign goes along, we're starting with a Torbek who's obviously fairly moved past whatever rough background he might have had and is entirely confident in himself, what he stands for and his abilities (punching the hell out of people). I think functionally, it takes away Gideon's body-guard attachment to Kremy and lets him breath a bit more in his new class/role, and giving that sort of role in turn to Torbek is their way of integrating him more naturally into the group. I adore Torbek in Witchlight to no end and think the way they moved him from guest-character to full-time party member while also engaging him in the plot was excellent writing. But, this is not Witchlight, and taking the opportunity to do something new with him is very understandable. He's always had that connection to and admiration of Kremy, and using it to shift him into the role of bouncer helps bring out several of Torbek's core traits in a serious way - his loyalty to people who do right by him (be it for better or worse - blind loyalty is a dangerous thing, in this case for other people rather than just for Torbek), as well as his appreciation of kindness and the ways he shows kindness in turn (his relative patience with the drunk guy and the way he talks to the little girl made me smile). Honestly, with how quiet he is, I think more of his character is yet to come. A self-assured Torbek who's a man of few words feels very different to the self-conscious drawly bugbear a lot of people know, but at the end of the day both are the kind of guy who'd do anything for his friends. Starlight Torbek is sorta living Witchlight Torbek's dreams if you think about it - cool badass who Mr Kremy is super nice to and gets room and board just for protecting him/crowd-control. I've started calling him Torbone in my head (like dog bones. cause. dog)(Tbone for short). Also, 52 health!? Even at level 6, holy fucking shit, TANKbek is a more accurate name. Built like a Torbrick shithouse. Okay I'll stop.
Gricko: I saved my fave for last as a treat for me. Once again I think he hasn't changed too much from Witchlight, he still very much brings more of the comic relief, but his character in general feels a bit more solidified and the more grounded serious tone has brought out parts of him that I enjoy being explored. To paraphrase Mikey from the episode, he doesn't take himself too seriously, but his work is very important to him - giving him the responsibility of being Kremy's head of entertainment tethers that rockstar backstory of his a lot more functionally to the plot, especially in a world where entertainment is a bigger part of commerce. That sense of place gives him useful connections - whereas Witchlight Gricko seems to have burned a lot of bridges pre-Hootsie, Starlight Gricko has been in the scene for years. He's jovial and lighthearted, dedicated and has a bitter undercurrent of jadedness. Probably the most lore drops have come from him (very typically Gricko imo, he loves his backstory), and just the whole concept of an ex-rocker who spent time deep in those subcultures hoping for a big political revolution, only to see his friends die for an ideal in the process, feels true to life in a messy and complicated way that really interests me. It tracks with the running poli-sci punk bit from Witchlight, and also integrates his tendency to hold a grudge. That fence-sitting when he really can't afford to is flawed and imperfect, and that imperfection is what made me start liking Gricko in Witchlight in the first place. Also, not wanting any more violence but getting drawn into it anyway is always fascinating character stuff to me (especially since he was so goddamn enthused to beat a guys head in with a guitar - whenever those old days were he was talking about, he must have been a fucking menace). His whole aesthetic really leans into that theme turned up to eleven, which is very fun. Also, the fact that he's still got that doting parental nature in Starlight is very sweet to me, and heartbreaking after his comment that he once had a daughter. Had, past tense. Okay Mikey just rip my heart straight from my chest it's fine! I'm fine!!! (I'm not fucking fine about it it's killing me /lh). Also he has a sickass guitar and he shreds like crazy, another character living out their Witchlight-selves dreams. What can I say? If you need me I'll be sobbing in the corner about a stuffed toy owl.
Overall: It was fun and I liked it, and I like the way the setting has influenced the changes they've made to the tone, their characters and the group dynamics. Looking fowardward to seeing where Starlight goes
dededos
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izzy806
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