SpringFire

Wandering the Wilderness...

[alliepretends]

Actually, I have one more thought about Hal and building community I want to try to hash out. Less about his relationship to it as a theme and more about how the theme informs his characterization. Particularly, the flawed premises he operated under at the beginning of the campaign. I don't think this is a "greatest strength, also greatest flaw" kind of thing, because all indications are that he's mostly moved on from this way of thinking by the end of Convergence, but I do find it fascinating.

Basically, I think a lot about the connection between these three moments: Yanessa at Thjazi's execution

Hal bribing the guard

Thaisha's blessing to Azgra

Hal is not someone who has ever seems to have doubted the justice of Thjazi's cause. He does not need to be convinced that the Sundered Houses are bad news. What he does doubt is that they should be the ones to fight. And he emphasizes two things when framing his choice against Thjazi's. First, that he's choosing the Rungjani, specifically Dol-Makjar, specifically his children, but the Rungjani. Second, that they have served their time already. That for them, war should be a thing of the past. Now, I've talked in the past about what a radical and important choice it is for an Orc in Araman to reject war conceptually. Which is true. But I think this idea that war ought to be behind them, that they, as individuals and as a culture, have earned peace, interlocks with this idea of building community in a fascinating way.

I don't want to make his motives sound purely altruistic because I don't think that's true. I think Hal's trauma from the War of Axe and Vine made him deeply fear violence on a personal level. But I do think his dream of reclaiming the Round was always bigger than himself. And it's chasing the Round that caused Hal to make moral compromises. He hasn't just rejected fighting against the Sundered Houses, he has ingratiated himself with them. Teaching Wick elocution, schmoozing with them to get funding and access to land that they shouldn't even hold. I've talked in the past about him throwing his political connections around while unabashedly bribing a guard. He has done this all in service of reclaiming the Hallowed Round and building a space for orcs to gather as a community and explore their history. (Kother'ai was a play he was planning to put on long before it became a comment on Thjazi's execution). Prior to the campaign, when choosing between security and freedom, Hal has chosen security. When choosing between security and morality, Hal has chosen security. But it is a choice he's made with experience convincing him that you cannot build things that last in war.

That in order for a community ravaged by centuries of war to grow, peace was something it needed. He believed, perhaps rightly, that giving his people a place to "figure out who they are and who they will be," required peace. And he has been willing to sacrifice a lot to maintain that peace. But peace also tends to be in the service those who have power. And compromising to maintain it will only ever make those already in power stronger

[ashesofwidogast]

I think one of the most tragic things about Hal is that he has spent his entire life learning how to love everyone except himself. He lives for his family, for his children, for Taisha, for the people he has lost and still carries with him, for the Rookery and the Magpies, for his friends, and for every person in Dol-Makjar who has started to believe again. He gives them his home, his art, his hope, his protection, his strength, and now even his name. But when it comes to himself, he keeps putting himself last. Hal doesn't seem to believe that his life holds the same weight as theirs. Their lives are precious. Their futures are worth fighting for. Their freedom is worth bleeding for. But his own life becomes something he can quietly place on the altar if that's what it takes to keep everyone else standing.

And that's why “I could die tomorrow and it would all have been worth it” hurts so fucking much. It doesn't sound like a man who wants to die. It sounds like a man who has spent so long sacrificing himself that he no longer considers himself part of the things worth saving.

And honestly? I don't think Hal is going to survive this. I think he's going to die for everyone else, for his children, his family, his friends, for, the Rookery, the people of Dol-Makjar, for the revolution he has become the face of. I think he'll walk into his last fight knowing exactly what he's willing to give up, because somewhere along the way he stopped believing that his own life was worth saving.

He will fight for everyone. He will stay for everyone. He will build a world for everyone. But who is fighting for Hal?

He has spent his whole life giving other people a reason to keep going while quietly forgetting that Halandil Fang deserves a reason to keep going too.

And that's what terrifies me most about him becoming the face of the revolution. The revolution may survive. The stories may survive. The Magpies may survive. The symbol may survive.

But I don't think Hal believes that he has to.

I find it so incredibly disturbing and tragic how early on Liam established this, first in Hals' conversation with Elodie, and then in the episode 31 in the speech of his theater opening after the play.

[springfire1994]

It was dawn before she reached the village, and the pink light of the thin autumn sun, was just starting to paint itself along the treeline of the horizon, as she, and half a dozen of her best aurors, rushed through the still deserted streets, towards where she knew the Potter’s cottage to be. The simple fact that the information was in her head, was proof that something had gone disastrously wrong, and the confusion and panic that had followed the events of the night, meant that it had taken her hours, rather than minutes to gather up the resources necessary to get here. She was casting as many detection spells as she knew, as they continued through the village, and when her wand, pulsed in her hand in the middle of the village square, she stopped dead in her tracks. This is a rework of one of my older works titled 'By the Light of the Dark'. I have developed as a writer in the last few years, and the reason I have struggled so much to continue that fic is because my style has changed a lot since I started it. This is a remix of that fic, in that a lot of the plot points will be similar, but how we get there will be a different journey. Hopefully one with a little more cohesion and a lot less jumping around.

Just posted Chapter 2 of my new Harry Potter fic. Sirius is going THROUGH it you guys, I can’t even tell you.

[dent-de-leon]

"Do you remember...the Fletching and Moondrop Traveling Carnival of Curiosities...?"

[springfire1994]

Hey guys. I have just posted the first chapter of a rewrite of an old fic. It is in the HP fandom, but let it be known that any support for she-who-will-not-be-named is not welcome in this house.

I have had massive reservations over the years, whether or not I should continue to write for this fandom, but after a lot of consideration, I have come to the conclusion that this fandom (Particularly the FF side of things) has belonged to the fans for years now.

I no longer consume the canon media, nor do I support it's author financially. But, over the years, I have still found myself consuming fanworks and writing those of my own within this IP. It, unfortunately, was a stepping off point for me and my creative writing journey, so it is no surprise that I return to it time and time again, building out my own version of this world as I go, and this is something that I do want to share with the world, as so much of my own world building and ideas has gone into it, in order for me to remove it as much as possible from the original work.

I understand that there are those out there who still find anything connected to her or her works triggering, so I fully support you if you can no longer follow me or this blog, and I wish you all the best for the future.

For those who do stick around, buckle in, because I have around 30 thousand words written that you guys will never see, all in world building alone, and have spent the last month, fleshing out a complete timeline from 1845, all the way through to James and Lily's deaths, just to try to prevent plot holes.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/90131701

[ashesofwidogast]

What breaks my heart is that Hal seems to make peace with his own death long before anyone else does. After returning from the sewers and speaking with Elodie, he quietly begins preparing for a future where his children will have to live without him. Then comes the play, the speech that turns him into the face of the revolution, and the miracle unfolding before his eyes. For the first time, he sees everything he spent more than thirty years building finally come to life. History is remembered. People are united. Hope returns. In that moment, he thinks, "I could die tomorrow and it would all have been worth it." It doesn't feel like despair. It feels like a man who believes he has already given everything he had to give. That's what makes it so tragic: just as the whole city begins to see a symbol, Halandil Fang has already begun letting go of the man behind it. He fights for the city, for his family, for his beloved ones for an better world where he doesn't exists.

Liam created the tragic bard so thoughtful

[springfire1994]

'He fights for the city, for his family, for his beloved ones for a better world where doesn't exist.'

@ashesofwidogast over here ripping my heart out 😭

[ramavoite]

Critical Role Campaign 4, Episode 30 - “Here in the Dark”

Plus bonus Matt reaction:

[canadianflowerg]

My Projekt Funball Thoughts.

Warning: Echoes of Exandria "[Projekt] Funball" Spoilers

I wanted Projekt Funball on the 15th once to purely enjoy it, now I have watched it a second time taking down my favourite moments and lines, as well as sharing my thoughts and interpretations. I am happy to hear your thoughts too. P.S. I'm a huge Shadowgast fan so that fills a lot of my thoughts.

-Everyone singing Matt Happy Birthday was beautiful.

-Everyone singing Role Critical makes me desperate to buy tickets for next year.

-Essek saying he needs to get out more but is still worried about the Bright Queens army,

-“If you can go longer, you know I can” I alone thought that was a double entendre for their sex life, but what sounded like Travis and Laura going “Ooo” in the background confirms it.

-Then Matt trying to say no to Travis and Laura but Liam interrupting confirming that’s exactly what he meant.

-Matt: “I was about to say ‘it’s not that deep’ but that doesn’t help.” Dying. Liam: “It’s pretty deep”, Matt’s face. They get it on, the love hasn’t died.

-Essek doing more component based magic instead of focuses to be more similar to Caleb, my heart.

-Liam saying the first “Dear” while concerned for Essek’s safety.

-Essek, playful in his voice, asking Caleb is he wants to open the door.

-Essek with the next “dear”.

-Caleb offering Essek the honour of opening the door.

-Essek with a smile suggesting they do it together.

-Sam saying every sentence they utter sounds like sex, getting Matt to laugh.

-Caleb placing his hand on the back of Essek’s hand to open the door really reminds me of the moment at the end of Hells Bells Essek as Seth placing his hand on Caleb’s to bring back Ashton.

-I’m just literally going to write the dialogue word for word and add my interpretation of their body language: Essek: “Caleb?” with panic in his voice. Caleb: “Essek! Dear one” with worry in his voice [side note, I hope every fic set post-Funball from now one has Caleb call Essek that]. As Caleb winces in pain Essek speaks: “We have to go!” Caleb: “I can not” his voice still in pain, he realizes he won’t be able to break free and it will only be a matter of moments before something happens to Essek to, his voice shifts slightly as he concludes what he must say and do “You have to go” he says desperately, “you must leave, NOW!” But Essek won’t willingly leave the man he loves: “Come, I won’t leave you behind,” desperation in his voice now too. Without another word spoken Caleb uses Telekinesis to push Essek out of the door. Then despite roughly ten years of not using the Familiar meant to resemble Frumpkin, to try and finally let the past remain in the past, Caleb calls out “FRUMPKIN, I NEED YOU”, which my interpretation is he knows he’s about to be alone, scared, and tormented for who knows how long with the weird time of the ball and without Essek NEEDS that comfort. Matt narrating then implies it is Caleb’s last act in control to use the Telekinesis to slam the door shut behind Essek, to keep him out, to buy him time, to keep him safe. Essek then seems to accept what has happened and rushes towards the exit, tears running down his face. Once reaching the exit, despite the energy right on his tail, Essek turns towards the direction he came from a says “I’m coming back for you, my love”, before exiting, perhaps hoping somehow Caleb could hear him.

-“Well good luck with that Essek” like this whole section is just odd to me, like I get that in the moment the happy couple is a little pissed at Essek appearing right in their bedroom while they’re naked uninvited, but he quickly explains that the love of his life and their best friend is in imminent mortal parol and they act like they don’t care at all. To be clear I loved this show, but this is a very out of character moment.

-And then after Essek pours his heart out about how much he trusts Beau and the Nein Beau is just like “How’s it going with the Kryn?” Bad Beau, you know that, and this isn’t the time for that. Help the man!

-Just focusing on Essek’s words for a moment, my interpretation of him saying he’s even more of an introvert is that he’s not even leaving the house much even if he’s wearing disguises, so no little adventuring like he did with the Hells Bells.

-Speaking of which, from the reaction he gets from Beau and Yasha, realistically it almost would have been better for him to go to said Hells Bells. But alas this is a Mighty Nein one-shot.

-Even though he only says it a little desperately and not with sadness, Essek saying “I hope he’s salvageable” really breaks my heart as it makes me think he thinks Caleb is already dead and the best that can be done is rescue his body for possible resurrection.

-While funny, ordering the desperate Essek to get them coffee is still a low blow.

-Fjord wanted to spend the honeymoon sweating and exerting himself with Jester…but not by climbing a volcano.

-All of Fjord trying to get out of the honeymoon activity is just hilarious. Travis had really good comedic timing and improv.

-Laura Bailey giggle(TM) at confusing the word prostrate with prostate. Then it sounds like Marisha joins in as she realizes what Laura misheard. And then despite the dire situation I like that Essek managed a chuckle at Jester’s equal misunderstanding, Caleb is Essek’s soulmate but Jester is definitely Essek’s best friend.

-Liam having to correct Fjord’s statement to the state of Caleb’s hygiene got me to chuckle. Caleb only did that to lay low and not draw attention to himself, after that need faded he’s had normal hygiene, but I love how first Fjord and then several others throughout the show imply there has always been a lingering musk to him just to get under Liam’s skin.

-For Jester saying Caleb is the strongest wizard she knows to Essek’s face, I think in my opinion that was Laura genuinely forgetting Essek’s class for a moment. It does lead to the funny apology Jester gives and Essek at first saying him and Caleb are different schools of magic so he didn’t take any offence, but then again cheekily on the side saying he is in fact more powerful had me cracking, again these two are besties.

-The pause after Sam says Veth and Yeza are hard at work I thought was another double entendre before it was clear he paused because of his mike.

-So I know at the wedding Sam revealing Veth’s pregnancy was in her head trying to motivate herself, but I had assumed she still revealed it to the group shortly after, but as of the Nein teleporting in only Caleb (who gifted the crib) and Caduceus (gifted the baby bump shield) knew about the pregnancy. I wonder why she not only waited to tell the rest, but then tried to explicitly hide it from them. Ok, kept playing and Caleb only gifted a gift card that they chose to use for the crib, but we know Caleb still knows because why else later would he speed up a pregnancy unless he knew of that status.

-I get that it’s Sam’s uneducation/confusion on the topic, but it is hilarious that Halfling Veth doesn’t know the length of Halfing pregnancies not only because she is a Halfling but she literally has been pregnant and gave birth before.

-Pregnant Veth horny for his husband is the best.

-Well he didn’t have to, I’m glad Essek took a moment to congrats Veth.

-But of course with in the same breath says Caleb is likely dead.

-And then Veth (Sam, this is all Sam) egging Essek by explicitly stating that not only is Caleb the most powerful Dunamancer she knows, but the most powerful in the world. Essek has no choice but to say the hilarious Dunamancy moonlighting comment.

-Beau saying “Withchild”, dying, absolutely dying.

-“Did you really ask Taliesin about that?” “He’s too sick to talk to” “You’re just making it up right now?” Dying even more.

-Matt’s Caduceus impression, oh my gods.

-After being calm and collected for most of his appearances, I live for Essek swearing and going “Well, shit” to Caduceus’ absence.

-Then Matt’s look at the camera while saying it would have been useful to have him, similar to when Travis and Laura were on parental leave I’m sure Tal was one way or another watching this live and this direct message to him cracks me up.

-Jester realizing she didn’t really say hi to Essek yet and saying it’s good to see him and he calms down and says it’s good to see her to and then she reiterating that they’ll save Caleb and telling Essek not to worry. Just absolute best friends.

-Essek confirming he tried to immediately go back into the Funball, this felt very important because he knew he shouldn’t but he just could not leave Caleb behind until every possibility was determined fruitless. That said outside of the story this really frustrated me because I thought and hoped for months that this could be an Essek centric story and he’d be a player character while Liam takes over DMing, but no they make up an excuse for Essek to stay behind.

-And Laura as Jester I think knew that the fandom wanted Essek to come to as her saying “That’s convenient” was just so full of metagaming and like it was being a point to something discussed between the cast in private prior.

-Frustration aside, nothing brings me more joy than Essek saying “Then shut the fuck up!”

-And then back to the frustration, it felt like Matt was compromising with the constant telepathic link to Essek, but despite saying Essek could hear everything they say he never once pipes up, only when the others barely remember to talk to him. We could have had much more Essek commentary, especially when trying to reach the real Caleb in the final fight, but no.

-Essek temporarily nerding out about their discoveries in the Funball before stopping and saying none of what him and Caleb did mattered, not without Caleb being safe. Him and Fjord both saying Caleb is the priority right now. My heart.

-When Essek thanks them all for coming and that it means a lot to him, Matt’s head is looking only at Fjord, Jester, and Veth and I can’t help wondering if that’s because they were the only ones who enthusiastically agreed to help immediately.

-If just open the Funball gets Essek to sweat, I can not imagine what physical and mental stress he was under keeping it open, keeping time in sync, and keeping the telepathy running all at the same time for roughly 1-3hours straight.

-I still kind of wish Liam fully took over DMing upon the Nein entering, until the final fight 80% of the time he was just sitting there while Matt did a lot of things Liam definitely could have done.

-I do adore Veth stating she knows how much Essek loves Caleb. While the characters have talked about Beau and Yasha’s relationship and Fjord and Jester, I’m not sure outside of Hells Bells that anyone other than Caleb and Essek have truly acknowledged their relationship.

-Of course it leads into a joke about Essek never betraying them, but I think that was meant to break the tension and she ends with that they will find Caleb for Essek which is still very sweet.

-Liam pouring the dice was funny.

-Beau saying they should leave because clearly possessed Caleb says he’s fine. Angry.

-Essek instantly asking if Caleb is alright after Fjord tells him they heard his voice. He’s so worried for his love.

-Yasha saying excitedly that she’s always wanted to help deliver a baby and even studied, I can’t help wonder if this is a reference to the never ending hints that her and Beau will one day be moms. Obviously Beau isn’t pregnant, but maybe Yasha dreams about delivering Beau’s baby. I know a couple of the times they explicitly said they’d adopt, but this is a very magical world and two women having a bio baby together seems definitely plausible.

-And I wish I knew what Beau was going to say after “I don’t-?” before being interrupted, it sounded like a question.

-Yasha’s “weee!” Love it!

-Essek apologizing for the uselessness of the maps. Babe, that ain’t your fault.

-All the "Nein" rolls throughout the night.

-Fjord comment about without Caduceus or Caleb he is the only guy was funny. Girl’s night+Fjord.

-Travis pretending that Fjord shuts the tower door. I'll say it again his comedy was on point.

-Fjord singularly resisting the tunnel as everyone else dives in.

-Cat-nouza

-Jester to be the one to do the “I know you’re still in there” trope is sending me (get the joke) and then Laura realizing she doesn’t have high persuasion like Imogen is just hilarious.

-Travis’ smug face as he reminds Matt he successfully held back as the others are being mauled is the best. And then he finishes it off with that snooty yawn, stretch, and watch-checking.

-Sam’s little “Making my way…”

-Travis coming in clutch remembering without prompts “Gone yet not forgotten” to unlock and open every door.

-Matt trying to portray the younger Jester as softly saying “This is taken, don’t worry.” And modern Laura Bailey Jester is just like “Get the fuck out of here.” Absolutely dying of laughter. And then has to intimidate herself and fails.

-Professor Caleb who represents modern Caleb, ignoring the dancing and looking out the window with concern and a preoccupied mind, then looks out at the dance floor filled with happy couples and says “If only it was so easy and free these days, to much to figure out,” still concerned but also nostalgic. I haven’t found anyone talking about this yet, but even though I think he’d never tell Essek this I think Caleb misses the time in their relationship where they were both slightly less paranoid. Earlier Essek explicitly states he is even more of a homebody these days, so I doubt even in disguise the couple goes out to do things like dance, which Caleb seems to miss. I hope this can soon be resolved and they can go do mundane couple things together.

-Then Beau not having a clue what to do and Marisha has to beg her husband to cut to someone else to have more time.

-Travis and Laura dancing at their table almost identically! Couple goals.

-Marisha having to consult with Ashley to determine her deception roll.

-Sam’s face as he says he makes young Caleb think Veth is his mother.

-Matt countering Laura’s protest by saying matter of factly that not every puzzle is the same.

-OK! So Travis turning into Trent is simply mind blowing, and the way he says “Ah, Little Spark” made me question if he voiced acted Trent in the TV show the voice was so perfect. Just literally this whole scene, Fjord going full Warlock and taking the form of Caleb’s abuser to ask him to dance, the evil oozing from every sentence. Just Mind blowing. If real Caleb ever ends up remembering any of this post game I think him and Fjord are going to have to have a talk.

-Laura Bailey snapping in approval for her husband’s Nat 20 of doing horrible things.

-Then to match the horrors Caleb literally SETS HIMSELF ON FIRE before accepting Trent’s hand for a dance.

-“I Lead!”

-Fjord trying to move the plot along being all like “there is an open door at his house”, if they all listened to Fjord all night maybe we could have had Caleb and Essek get to say even a single line to each other in the end.

-From the second the house was mentioned I told myself “They need to burn it to the ground” AND.IT.TOOK.THEM.FOREVER.TO.DO.SO!

-It still was sweet that Jester wanted to try to change the outcome of that night and try to save Caleb’s family. She is forced to fail.

-It’s very sweet that Fjord instantly tries to make the Arcane Gate for anyone who needs to be able to reach Veth can do so.

-Matt regretting his choices as Veth shapes water the amniotic fluid. Liam on the other hand loves it.

-Veth thanking Fjord for trying to get to her, then somewhat sarcastically adding he would have made a great doula.

-Fjord succeeding not becoming a whale. Caleb tries again, Fjord counterspells.

-Fjord misty step into the cage to free Yasha and then succeeded the high charisma check to Thurderstep out with the both of them with a freaking 35!

-Jester, 0% doula experience, 110% devoted to helping Veth give birth/protect Veth from harm.

-Laura, finally finding a sex joke that was too much for her, going quiet as she implies releasing large dildos is the same as giving birth.

-Matt and Liam die.

-Matt regretting all his choices.

-Veth “I know you’re in there” number two.

-Ashley taking forever to do math because there’s just THAT MUCH DAMAGE.

-Beau getting to deflect the star and throw it back at Caleb!

-Beau’s stunning strike=instant win button

-Marissa’s sexy little victory dance.

-Then further win button of Fjord hexblade curse to Caleb.

-“Now unlearn it, you bookworm nerd motherfucker!”

-Sam’s middle finger in protest

-Yasha’s Nat 20 literally breaking Ashley’s outfit!

-Marisha being a good friend immediately trying to help (fruitlessly) fix her fictional wife’s wardrobe malfunction.

-Marisha: “You look really hot though.”

-Matt’s eyes when he realizes Yasha just did 115 damage in one hit, then having to look at Liam to confirm if that was enough to finish Caleb.

-Yasha trying to save unconscious Caleb but accidentally allowed the Ego Leech to make Caleb fail two death saving throws. Matt was a bit cruel here.

-The entire stadium going silent, even Travis mid-begging, as Liam’s death saving throw dice hit the table was unbelievable. Thousands of people suddenly holding their breath for one roll.

-“Caleb 2 and Yellow Goo,” “Love that band” “Love that Dr Seuss book”

-“Can I Flick The Bean?” Marisha asks her husband while dying of laughter, to which also dying of laughter responds “I am so proud of my wife”.

-“It’s only because my wife gave it to me. That’s what she said!”

-Marisha literally collapses into Ashley in her fit of laughter.

-Stunned Caleb two keep trying to cast force cage but can’t.

-Jester devastated that she can’t heal Caleb. And expresses as much. Remember, Essek can hear everything they say, this must have filled him with terror and dread.

-But Sam’s following line of “She wants to heal, but can’t. This is so ironic!” Is phenomenal.

-Jester, the first of The Mighty Nein to enthusiastically wanting to go save Caleb to be the one to kill the Ego Leech is super fitting (though it would be even more fitting if it was Essek, just saying…)

-“Veth on the cusp of cusping” Matt Mercer, my goodness.

-Again, Essek had a 9th level modified telepathy, time syncing, and holding the ball open all at the same time for in game 1-1.5 hours. How he is still standing as they exist and still has enough to teleport everyone is crazy. He is definitely the more powerful of the couple.

-“My goodness, you’re back” with relief and love in his voice and a hand on Caleb’s shoulder is sadly all we get of the lovers reunion.

[luckyjak]

two weeks later

assumes Essek and Caleb are now living with the Brenattos full-time

Caleb: *solo parenting a 2 week old halfling baby, getting 0 sleep and letting no one help him*

Veth: *living in a 24-hour dream spa that Caleb won't let her leave because he feels guilty about forcing her to give birth early, sipping a martini and getting a massage by imaginary hunky men.*

Essek and Yeza: *doing the dishes*

Yeza: "So, do you guys think you'll ever move out?"

Essek: "Yes, when Caleb stops feeling guilty."

Yeza: "Ah. So never, then."

Essek: "Yes, I think this is probably our new normal. I'm so sorry."

Yeza: "It's alright. There are worse things. How do you feel about a beef stew for dinner?"

Essek: "I'll get the meat out to thaw."

[cureofthenonesense]

Having a side shave ups your romanceable potential by 50%.

No, not you, Caduceus

[ccattnipp]

Act like a ’90s anime villain power couple.

[ccattnipp]

ill lose it if essek is taller than 165cm you cannot convince me a man who invented a special floating spell to hover a few cm off the ground and wear absurdly long mantle didn’t do it bc he was insecure about being short even for a drow and his baby brother outgrew him too fast

[bougiebutchbinch]

I am simply of the opinion that

'god damn I totally get why Hal reacted the way he did to Bolaire wearing Misha, considering what he knows of Bolaire; and why he was so unreceptive to all the accusations Bolaire made about Thjazi during the Convergence. His reaction was incredibly understandable from the perspective of a guy who is already fucking REELING from so many revelations about a man he loved'

AND 'I think Hal was horrified that Bolaire insinuated that because of Thjazi, Hal might technically be his owner if Thimble isn't, and given the history of the Orcs under Azgra, no wonder this instigated such a disgusted reaction.'

AND 'that doesn't make any of Hal's words justified. It was, in fact, incredibly fucked up that Hal IMMEDIATELY aggressively pinned Bolaire to a sofa rather than simply asking if Misha was alright; and was ONLY concerned with Thjazi hurting Misha, not Bolaire, when Thjazi swung for him; and was so dismissive of Bolaire when he was trying to talk openly for the first time about how Thjazi mistreated him and reduced him to an owned object, in front of a room of people who predominantly love & glaze Thjazi'

AND 'this clearly negatively impacted his relationship with Bolaire and I think Hal realised that and regretted it, when Bolaire was apologising constantly and promising to leave the life he had built with Hal at its centre, and when he specifically asked Azune to help him rather than Hal'

AND 'I think Hal has so much on his plate with the Creed and the incredible work he did with KoTher'ai, his fears for his family and his complex feelings for Thjazi, that it's completely possible that he won't acknowledge this for a long time'

AND 'I think they both need time apart so Bolaire can figure out who he is without Hal, and Hal can come to his own conclusions about whether their friendship was 'real' or not'

AND 'the revelation of how little Hal cares about Bolaire in comparison to other important people in his life (Thjazi, Misha) is going to be devastating for our fucked-up little mask guy who has codependently entangled their lives'

AND 'this will be very good for Bolaire in the long run if the Seekers become part of his wider friendship/support network, which will in turn be VERY good for Hal because their whole ish wasn't healthy in any way and Hal has enough going on that he genuinely can't give Bolaire the emotional support he needs right now'

AND 'I think this is all far more crunchy and interesting than if they had just spoken about their problems like normal people and hugged it out'

can coexist

[keyvei]

🌗 Many faces of Exandria 🌒

Every story leaves a face behind.

It's strange to think how many stories, laughs, tears, and unforgettable moments can fit into one world, and somehow still leave room for more.

120+ hours of drawing later (which is only about 30 episodes of Critical Role 👀) here’s my tribute to the world of Exandria. 3 campaigns, all guest characters over 10 years of streaming and a moon full of villains.

Hope you enjoy looking for your favs 😏

[prizefightr]

one of my favorite things about campaign 4 is the un/intentional allegory of dol-makjar, a city of orcs who can see in the dark because of darkvision, getting overtaken by humans who "wield the light" and have absolutely no darkvision. and it got really hammered down in episode 31 when the sons of the dawn and the grey tower guard were surrounded by magpie orcs and the wind snuffed out all the lights.

Welcome to our fair city. I hope that you enjoy your stay.

absolute fucking banger. i'll be forever thankful that brennan made araman and campaign 4 as a love letter to the orcs of lotr, the first and greatest victims of sauron.

[springfire1994]

The way Liam is playing Hal feels like I'm watching a 'post-Will-dying' Orym, trying to piece himself back together whilst still having shit happen to him almost on a daily basis...

Look, we all know that Liam is going to drop a devastating backstory reveal at some point; Hal is the brain child of CR's resident moody, emo, sad-boy, there is SOMETHING there, I can feel it, but even from what we already know this Bard has been THROUGH it...

Hal has grown up in a turbulent household, been to war, dragged his brother from the edge of certain death (only to see him executed years later), built himself a life, before getting it potentially ripped away from him in the space of two weeks.

He's lost his brother, his continued freedom stands on a knife's edge, his theatre has been a success but has put his life in danger, his best friend has turned out to be a sentient mask who in the space of the last two weeks, not only confessed his hatred for Hal's late brother, but has also asked Hal to kill his host, and has taken host of at least 2 of Hal's friends, his son is missing, his ex-wife (admittedly very capable boss bitch of an ex-wife) is on her way out of the city ON HER OWN, his girls are both in danger, he is being hunted by Yanessa fucking Halovar...

This man has been through so much in such a short space of time and is already getting flashbacks and is spacing out (Liam's description of Hal blanking out before going into the sewers has been living in my head, rent-free).

I have been thinking about how much trauma Orym came out of everything with, and how it was built up over years and years, and how Caleb's response to trauma was to shut down to protect himself, only Hal is actively getting WORSE not better, and how the parallels between the three of them keep showing up.

Don't get me wrong, Hal isn't at Caleb or even Orym levels of trauma YET, but comparatively, its heading that way, and yet, I place his trauma response closer to Caleb on my 'Orym to Caleb' scale of 'How Emotionally Broken is Liam's Character this Campaign?'.

Am I cooking here chat, or just rambling? Does this make any sense, or is it just because I've been re-watching Campaign 3 whilst spinning TMN's Caleb around in my head?

[springfire1994]

I have been stewing this for the last couple of days, and the more I think about it, the more I can't help but feel like Hal is going to fling himself into the afterlife for the sake of his brother.

He's already had his moments of complete non-existent self-awareness... I'm just concerned that he's going to throw his mortal life away and journey to the underworld for the sake of his brother. ESPECIALLY if he loses one of the kids.

[masterqwertster]

Going back through Bolaire's blow up about how the Drowned Men threw a shattered Termina into an afterlife connected box, and:

Occtis clocked Bolaire as part of the Panto

When Bolaire clarifies that he is one of six masks, Occtis goes "Oh! Those masks."

Do all the Tachonis know about the Panto? Or is this something Occtis found on his own by being a nerd?

We were pretty clearly informed when Hal went to the Grey Library that even hints of the Panto aren't all that available even when you know what you're looking for.

So how does Occtis know? Or what does he think he knows to identify Bolaire as those masks?

Hope we get into it in new Seekers Arc.