Critical Role - Episode Twenty | 4-Sided Dive | Episode 20: Discussing Up To C3E82

Episode Date: January 23, 2024

It's the first 4-Sided Dive episode of 2024! Join Laura Bailey, Ashley Johnson, Marisha Ray, Sam Riegel, and our host Abubakar Salim as they discuss powerful fire shards, relationship updates, chaotic trust exercises, and other Bells Hells Shenanigans! 4-Sided Dive airs one Tuesday a month on http://twitch.tv/criticalrole and http://youtube.com/criticalrole Twitch subscribers gain instant access to VODs of our shows like Critical Role, 4-Sided Dive, and Exandria Unlimited. But don't worry: Twitch broadcasts will be uploaded to YouTube about 36 hours after airing live, with audio-only podcast versions of select shows on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & Google Podcasts following a week after the initial air date. Twitch subscribers also gain access to our official custom emote set and subscriber badges and the ability to post links in Twitch chat! "Let's Roll (4-Sided Dive Theme)" by Peter Habib and Sam Riegel Original Music by Omar Fadel and Hexany Audio Additional Music by Universal Production Music, Epidemic Sounds, and 5 Alarm

We're so excited to share a new addition to the Critical Role family with our podcast, Midst. In this semi-improvised audio drama, journey to the small desert planet of Midst and follow the lives of three complicated antiheroes as they deal with falling moons, unsolved murders, cult brainwashing, supernatural darkness, and a whole clusterfuck of cosmic problems. Look to the Midstle of the Week, aka Wednesdays, for new weekly episodes at Midst.co, your favorite podcast app or Critical Role's YouTube channel. Welcome to Foresighted Dive, Critical Role's monthly talk show featuring a roundtable discussion about the events and characters of our current campaign, alongside a heavy helping of hijinks. Foresighted Dive airs the first Tuesday of every month at 7 p.m. Pacific on twitch.tv slash Critical Role and youtube.com slash Critical Role, with the VOD available on YouTube the very next day.

And of course, each episode releases right here on the Critical Role podcast network one week after the initial broadcast. Let's dive into the chaos. Happy New Year and welcome to Four Sided Dive. I am Emmy Award winning Sam Riegel and tonight I will not be your 20th tavern keeper. Yes, I know this is a little irregular for this very irregular show, but when the crew told me that I was hosting,

but we weren't doing any bits anymore. Well That's a hard pass for me So since I was assigned to be the tavern keeper and whatever the tavern keeper says goes I have decided to bring in an actual Host for tonight's four-sided dive someone unlike me who doesn't rely on cheesy gags and bits as a crutch So without further ado, please welcome tonight's 4SD host, Abubakar Saleem! Thank you, live band.

Thank you, Sarah. Thank you. All right, all right. Hello, I am Abu Bakr Saleem, and I am so thrilled to be Foresighted Dive's first ever host. Our studio audience is on fire. We have a wonderful show planned for you tonight. Marisha Ray and Laura Bailey

are in the building ready to quench your thirst for the latest Imodena details. We'll be hearing also from Ashley Johnson and what she thought of Nana Mori's unorthodox team building exercises and her super cool Super Saiyan fire powers. And as you already know, Sam Riegel is taking a well-deserved night off as tavern keeper, but he's still here to chat about FCG's latest murderous rampage. And be sure to stick around for the C-block because we'll be doing absolutely nothing during it, but having more stimulating conversation. You can't make an omelette without breaking a few show formats. It's 2024, baby. New year, new rules.

Welcome to Four Sided Dive. Let's do a nice little show, shall we? Welcome back. Let's begin the night with our open discussion segment. What the fuck is up with that? What the fuck is up with that? So, right, topics are apparently on the menu. So let's see what we have here. We have Fae Realm Therapy, which is about Nana's test, the honesty trial, telling truths to get out of a crevasse? Yes, it was quite a large crevasse.

It was, yeah. Just a big crevasse. Crevasse. It was fun. I... Oh yeah, how'd that work? Did you and Matt really talk about this? So yes, we did.

We texted about it. Maybe I can read my texts. Is that your phone? I was wondering what this was all about. I want that phone case. It had like the little sparkles on it. Did you guys get this? It's new, it's brand new.

I just got it. Wait, can I play with it really quick? Well, I need to see the text. I know, I know, I just wanna see. Do you remember though, like when, remember in high school, did you ever have the like, the pencil cases or the folders that would sometimes have that?

Yes. I think that was after my time. Yes. We only had Lisa Frank. FCG and Nana Mori. Right. So Bell's House has been having some issues, and so it seemed like a good opportunity

to get us in sync with each other again. And so FCG and Nana Mori aka me and Matt we're figuring out like what we could do what what trials or what tasks we could do that would get the lot of that's a lot well I mean I'm sure it's for other things yeah but it is paragraph yeah well we're good that only sends me like a few words. We have a special bond. I can't find it, here, scroll through and find it. So I texted Matt and I was like,

so here's what I think we should do. We should do three things and I gave him the topics, honesty, trust, and what was the last one? It's on your menu. Communication? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yes. I was like, those are the three things that I think FCG would want to focus on as a group. And then I pitched him two activities for each of those.

And then he was like, okay, you're done. I don't want you to know anything more. And then he took those ideas and he made them way better. Oh, wow. Did you find something? I found it all. Just read it. This is a lot, Sam.

Well, just read the best parts. It's all from you, so none of it can be that good. Matt responded, I love all of these. Let me develop them. I'm just gonna change it. But we, I love it. Okay, okay, okay, okay. These are your pitches.

Team building scavenger hunt. The team has got to work on communication, trust, honesty. So maybe some activities that highlight those virtues. Pretty wholesome. Communication. It really was. We could even shut the lights off at the studio. Oh, you were saying-

I was like, we could communicate. Some sort of skill. Yeah, you'd say it. We could turn off all the lights and we would just have to use our voices to like communicate or something. Oh, that's cute. You wanted to take our visual show

and make it to where the audience can't see anything. Yes, I thought it could be really fun. And that would just be a anything. Yes, I thought it could be really fun. It might just be a podcast. Well, yeah. Luckily Matt did something else. Yeah, I think he had a fun though. The next one, trust. Some sort of challenge where items we need

to find are very valuable and the players are tempted to keep them for themselves. Oh. Oh. That is a good one. But that did get him to the... Blindfold. Yes.

Or something where one player has to dive down into a deep poisonous bog to retrieve an item, which they have to hold with two hands, knowing they cannot get back up again by themselves, so they have to trust that their teammates can rescue them or pull them out before they suffocate. That's such a detailed pitch of mine. You know what? That's a very detailed pitch of mine. Yeah, what?

That's a very detailed pitch. The last one, we didn't do that. We did not do that. The last one is honesty could be a zone of truth thing. Zone of truth thing, I thought could be fun. You can't move to the next challenge until you reveal something about yourself. So that would be okay. He took that

and ran with it. Yes. This is all in character, not actually really revealing moments of like truth of yourself. No, yeah, character truth. No, no. Character truth.

Oh, that's boring, is that? No, I'm joking. No, I thought it was really revealing, like some of the- Yeah, some of the stuff. That's really cool. Stuff that came out. Yeah, like everyone had a few,

a couple things that I was like, oh shit, I didn't know that. Yeah. Like Orim had some good stuff. Yeah, poor little Orim. That is sad. Yeah, Orim's, Chetney's was sad. Even Chetney's was sad.

He has a family out there. Did he make up those names on the spot or did he? No, we have them. We got Alabaster. We've got peppercorn. Paprikash. We've got paprikash, which is delicious. You want me to jump in?

Oh, you want me to jump in. Guys, Danny, that's why I'm looking your in? Oh, you want me to jump in. Guys, Danny, that's why I'm looking your way. Help! I'm gonna remember them. Help! Am I close? They were cute names and one Fred or something. They are, I'm remembering off the top of my head,

but they are Alabaster, Hermie, Sugar Plum, Pepper, and Chad. Chad. Wow. There was a Pepper in Chad. Chad. Wow. There was a Pepper in there, yeah. But so he's got this, so I know he's not here. Yeah. I don't understand Chetney. I love Chetney.

I do too. How? What do you mean? So he's got this family. Yeah. He doesn't have any interest in them at all. I can relate to that. Oh?

Let's make this about you. Oh wow, do we need to talk about this? My family, you know, I don't really care about them much. They're really nice people, but they actually make me physically sick. Are you doing a monologue right now? Well, it wasn't supposed to be one, but I'll tell you. This ain't about me, guys.

I promise. I'm going to put you on it like Candela. I promise. Can we, whatever, if it's not the core campaign, which I would love, can we, if it's Candela, can I be in that game? Because I want to get to play with you. I'm just giving you a heads up. I am a chaos player.

I know, you've said that. That's why I want to do our. The show now is Abu auditioning for other shows. That's what this show is? Every 20 minutes, he just slates. Six foot one London. Yeah. Yeah, no, I love chaos. I'm the guy who goes into a bar and is like,

I'm gonna kill the king. Yeah. Why is he at a bar? I don't know, man. He just is. That's what it is. That's, you and Travis would be phenomenal in a game together. Well, this is good to know, so this is, this is getting way off topic. Yes, it is. That's, you and Travis would be phenomenal in a game together.

Well, this is good to know, so this is, this is getting way off topic. Yes, it is! We have, but whatever. You're supposed to be the host, keeping us all up. I know, I'm sorry! I'm sorry! We have like buckets, like category buckets

for certain players to kind of give us like a base idea of like their play style. Okay. And then, so knowing that you that your chaos player is good because i'll put you in the like will will hit red button category yeah that's the kind of guy because you don't want too many of those people in the game because then it's just nightmare but but this is good to know but back on topic people back on top there was a bunch of reveals there's chetney's reveals which i really still want to delve into deeper because there's something there.

He just won't say it. He won't admit it. I think Chetney is such a cool, like, why are we talking about Chetney so much? Because he's interesting. He's such a cool character. And I feel like he's really become, like, I expected it to be Orim,

and he is to a point, but Chetney is fully, like, like the heart of the group. Did we say this already on another Four Sided Drive? It doesn't mean to say it again. I don't watch already on another Four Sided Drive? He is. Say it again. I don't watch the show, so. It's new to me.

All right. The heart. He really is, he like pulls everybody together. He doesn't like, like he always checks in with everybody. Yeah. And he like pretends that he's like this total hard ass, but he's always the one that like checks in. He does.

That might just be Travis. It is Travis too. Like Travis that checks in. He does. That might just be Travis. It is Travis too. Travis always checks in. Yeah. Because there'll be moments in the show where I'm like, it is absolutely bonkers that I'm going to Chetney for advice, but it's just because I want to hear from Travis. Yeah.

Gotta talk to Chetney to get to Travis. Travis, yeah. But there was other revelations too. Orym had some good stuff that we haven't delved into yet really, but he was talking about his loneliness and his... And you all said some stuff that was a bit crazy. Yeah. There's more. It's still like playing in my head on repeat, legit, like my head, Marisha's head,

you being like, I feel like, I hate that Delilah's watching us and me all the time. It's so fucked up. How much is she watching? How much is she sees everything, right? She's with us. But also like she's doing other things with her life. You don't know.

So hopefully she's not... What is she doing? She's got nothing else. This is her life. She might only be able to see through Laudna. Do you remember that episode of... She watches when we moan. Yeah.

Well, it's her thing. I know, I... Yes. So, yeah, her character has like a ghost person inside her that maybe watching when they have sex. Or like, is it like being John Malkovich? Like she gets into your head while she's with Imogen? So remember, did you guys watch Black Mirror?

Yes. Do you remember that episode where the wife died and the husband could be like, well, he put the wife's conscious in his head so that she could continue to watch her son grow up and then he traps her into a teddy bear. But at the beginning, it's like he starts to move on and then he's like dating other women so she's just like in there watching she's still watching him like bone other women that's what I think of sometimes this is is it like that black mirror episode where it's just she's kind of just watch it yeah being like in a giant mech you know suit She's not fully in control of you.

But she hasn't taken, she influences you. But she hasn't taken over you. But if you fail a roll, I think she might. Because there's been a couple times where you do wisdom rolls. The wisdom rolls? Yeah, the wisdom rolls are for that impulse to... How much is her impulse versus yours? Yes, Yes.

And I don't know. It's weird having a dead lady in your head. Oh, that's really dope. Yeah. It's weird being a dead lady with a dead lady in your head. Who's the dead lady? Double deads. Which one is the dead lady

and which one is the not anymore dead lady? Speaking of dead ladies, embracing the darkness within. Nice, nice, nice. The fuck does that mean? That's the whole topic? What the fuck is up with that? We've got Fern and the Shard here.

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Right? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Come on, let me hear this. Boy, oh boy, did it take some time to get there. The music is so peaceful. It is so peaceful and wonderful. And I know we've already sort of heard, like I feel like last Four Sided Dive, I don't know if there was one in between, but Taliesin was kind of talking about, like, we both did

a bad. We both severely misinterpreted the assignment. And I feel like, but, but. Yeah. There's parts that I've been watching back cause I'm like, am I crazy? Uh-huh, uh-huh. Yes I am.

Well, I was just nodding in your statement. Not agreeing. There were moments where when Matt described it, he was like, it's a spark. So for me, I was like, oh, so it's going to set something off. And Elora was like, well, you could. You could. Somebody could. I don't know. There were moments where I was like, I think it's I think I think you have to take this

and it's going to turn you into like this even more, you know, of who you're supposed to be. And so Taliesin and I were kind of on that page, but we... The second it started, I was like, oh no. This is incorrect. This is not the right thing to do and I don't know how to fix it. Then you spent a couple episodes like not wanting it for yourself too. Well, no, I didn't want it. I didn't even want it up until that point.

So there were times that I talked about it. Why didn't you want it? Okay. Part of it was, and I feel like a lot of it, because we were on sort of a Ashton-centric, in the story, like, you know, going towards something for him. I think for me, I was like, oh, this isn't for me anyway.

So I, I don't know, clearly misunderstood a lot of stuff, you know, and it could have gone to any of us, but you know, I don't know. I felt, I think there was also a part of me that was like, I know, but then I thought, like, I'm already fiery. Do I need more? By the way, it was a shard of an ancient fire primory, primordial deity. Ah, makes sense.

Yes. That Ashton tried to take in, but he also has a shard of a primordial, like, earth titan inside of him. Right, okay, cool. And when he put the shard in him, it like ripped him apart to like his quantum state. He almost, he basically died.

Oh wow, okay. This shit always sounds so bonkers when you're trying to tell it in a TLDR fashion. He broke apart a million pieces. Yeah. It was like the TV kid Willy Wonka. Oh, okay, that's dope. Yeah. But we also watched our friend explode. Oh, okay. That's dope. So we lived.

But we also watched our friend explode. Oh, it was awful. It was awful. It was. Because both of us, and I think both of us, I was like, oh boy. I feel like there's still a conversation that Ashton and I need to have.

Yeah, because you were pretty pissed at him. Oh, so it was an actual playable character? So it was Taliesin's character? Yeah. Taliesin's character. Oh, so it was an actual playable character. So it was Taliesin's character. Taliesin's character exploded. And also this was after an ancient tree told us not to do that. Wait, are you, is Fern still pissed with Ashton? Or did the team building exercises solve everything?

Yeah, no, they did. I think, I believe they did. and the full the it wasn't so much the anger towards ashton i think that anger was just watching him almost die because of a decision that they both sort of agreed upon and it was like that embarrassment too where you're like this was wrong this was wrong i don't know how to like own up to it. But I think a lot of it is, I don't know, I don't wanna give anything away. They'll talk about it, but I think,

it was a fuck up on both their parts. Definitely on Fern's as well. But I think a lot of it was just like, I don't know how, it was awful. It was awful to watch. Because we all knew that it was just like, I don't know how, it was awful. It was awful to watch. Because we all knew that it was not the thing that was supposed to happen. And I was like, can I, I couldn't do anything. If anything.

It's always the hardest when you're in a moment where you're like, this is not going. This is not what was planned for. And it just kept going. Like that's the other thing that made it terrible is that there was only so many spells we could do to make him keep surviving. Yeah. Yeah, I was fully bawling like Oh, I was like Why did I say why why did I do this? Why did I do this? This was wrong?

How did I so how did we misinterpret this so badly if anything? I feel like this is more of like a cautionary tale for like Isolated I feel like this is more of like a cautionary tale for like isolated groups that turn into like a negative feedback loop when you have no like outside, you know. Perspective or communication. Yes, because I think, because that's what, and I think for us watching on the side, the first and biggest immediate red flag was when Ashton was like, I'm going to do this away from the group.

Yeah. Which made it, that's, of all of it, that's what made it feel deliberately shifty. That I didn't know. What are you doing? Because you at least had the wherewithal. I mean, he was on the last side when we talked about this, but that's where I think there was the red flag for the rest of the characters and us,

where we were like, oh, so you're at least cognizant enough of how bad the situation could go that you didn't want us telling you, like, no, stop, don't do it. Yes, that was a little spin for me. That's that beginning bit telling you, like, no, stop, don't do it. Yes. That was a little spin for me. That's that beginning bit, I was like, oh, oh, this is what's happening? And I was getting a little shifty at that point,

because I'm like, I don't know, I don't know. Yeah. This is gonna make some people, this is gonna make our table bad. And if we would've stayed away, Say again? And if we would've fully stayed away, he'd be dead. Yeah. Yes.

If we didn't go running. Yes. I was gonna ask, when did you guys, so if I'm understanding this right? Taliesin's character decided to go away. Yeah with her with her with her Yeah, and am I right in thinking that you you let them you didn't actually follow they yeah We were in we were in the area, but not in the space. Yeah, so they pulled him away like pulled Taliesin pulled Ashley away and said we're gonna do this and go off and do something on our own.

And so nobody like followed it because they were just going to. He kind of framed it and like, I just want to, can I just talk to you over here for a minute? Yeah. And we were like, okay, we will respect that request. And then he just did it and took the shard. I mean, there's a part of me that at least understands, in D&D it's hard to have alone time. Because when you're alone, there's still people there, right next to you listening to what you're doing.

And so if you do something that's dumb or you have an accident that you need to get your way out of by battling or cleverness or whatever It's so it's so Easy for somebody else at the table to be like oh well. I think I'm gonna go. I'm gonna go check I can on them. Yeah Doing yeah exactly because it was like oh do I hear well? I think you had you used your brain I'm like do I hear a disturbance in the force? Yeah, essentially

But some find a way to run in there cuz some and sometimes You know, you don't want anyone to come like yeah if it's lower state Like the hag hut when we were in campaign to like yes all of us were at the table when each one of us went into the hut. And so everybody wanted to like jump in and like save whoever was in there. But that person in there was having a solo moment. So you can't. You gotta just let it happen sometimes. There was also that element too where I was like talking about it with Taliesin.

I mean, the only thing we really sort of discussed was like, okay, yes, you take the shard. I don't really want it anyway. I think it's for you. Incorrect. Well, you know. What's wrong with it? Shit, I can't remember what I was just gonna say. Oh, that case.

It keeps you from pushing the button? We're the worst. We are the worst. You. We are the worst. This is so great. This is so great. You told me about the primordial tree, I was like, okay. Well, I've got here, Lordner and Delilah

with Embracing the Darkness. Oh yeah. Yes. That was the question? Yes. Sorry, it was a tangent. I think I made a tangent. No, no, no.

No, it wasn't, no. It's interesting though. But I've got like- It's a round table thing. That's the thing. It's interesting though. Yeah. But I've got like- It's a round table thing. It's Kez. A round table discussion? So yeah, Laudner and Delilah, where's the-

He's wearing salmon. Where's the- Man, I can't. I can't wear salmon. My mother loves salmon. She said it makes me look good. That is not salmon. Is it a salmon?

That is not salmon. That is not salmon. That's lavender. That's like a lavender lilac color. Great, well I'm used to my mother lying to me. So, Laudna and Delilah, where's the embracing the darkness within them? What's that?

Delilah's the ghost person who's inside of Laudna. Yeah. But, so you sort of, there was a whole other thing that happened, either that episode or the one before or the one after, where you just kind of like- That was the same episode. Same episode, you just kind of like let yourself go

into the darkness? Yeah, when you went into the woods and she just like kept you company that night. Yeah, oh yeah, yeah, yeah. I don't think we've had repercussions from that yet. We don't know. Nobody knows that what happened. Do you, does Imogen know?

I knew she was weird as fuck when we went to find her. But didn't you ask her about it or something or no? I mean, I don't think we asked about it in game. Yeah. So trying to remember. It's also moved really fast since the Shard incident. I don't think anybody knows. But you are like on Team Delilah now?

I don't know. In that moment were you? In that moment, yeah. Well, I... It's that, that's again, not to do another allegory. Most people go through their day to day lives without letting the intrusive thoughts win. But, you know, maybe sometimes you have a moment

where you just let the intrusive thoughts take over. Sure. And I feel like that was just kind of that like, I imagine not too dissimilar to like Imogen having to use a lot of brain power to like keep all the voices at bay. It's kind of similar with Laudna where she has to make kind of like a conscious effort

all the time to like repress Delilah until she doesn't. But we're also getting to the point in the story where all these things that we've been keeping out, like your Rueda stuff, your Delilah stuff, even the wolf and the temper and all these things. All percolatin'. But they might come in handy. Correct.

Yeah, it could be cool. By the end, it's be cool. And, and. By the end, it's like maybe the big fight, we're just all unleashed all of our whole, like all the bad stuff and let our villains, like our inner demons fight the battle for us. Our avatars. Yeah. I mean, it is. Yeah, it's the. Well, yeah. It's embracing the dark side just a little bit.

I feel like for all of us, if we get in a sticky enough situation, we can just be like. For my character, I'm a bomb. Yeah? You can blow me up. I'm not gonna do that. Yes, but you could. If we got in a sticky enough situation. I could do it. I'm a noob. I remember what I was gonna say. Oh. Because you were saying the thing, like, sometimes somebody wants something alone. Yeah. There was also that part of me that was like Maybe Taliesin is wanting this to happen For a reason for his character like there's so there's some time it's like hard sometimes where you're like, like I don't know

Yeah No, no, I think I knew know what you mean to where because we're we all we've been doing this so long and also at least I have great esteem for all of your acting skills and writing skills. Why'd you do that? Well, come on, we're not writing skills. I got skills in writing skills. Your little, your little, little, little, little, little.

One head closer to the other than us. It feels so poignant. What I'm saying is, if you do a big move, like in an improv sense, if Laura is like, you know what I'm gonna do? I'm fucking wait until everyone's asleep and I'm gonna go down and I'm gonna open this thing. You expected something.

I'm like, well, Laura has an idea. I'm gonna let her do this. Because she is a professional D&D player. She must know what she's doing. But it turns out, we kind of suck sometimes. Sometimes it's not the right thing to do. Well, I think it's, and we all have it, right? We all have those moments where like,

Matt is probably, is trying to like feed you something. And it might be just like, I don't know if you know this, but we're voice actors. Oh, right. Just like. I'm dying in this episode. I had to be here for how long? Oh my God.

Oh boy. He's fine, he's wearing lavender. He's so cozy and chill. He's sitting here. You look so lovely, I don't know why I keep just pointing on the table. This poor boy. Simon. boy is just listening to us describe our dreams, basically.

Yes, yes. This is a nightmare. Kurtroll.com slash critical dash recap. Yes. Just real quick. Okay, so when you're in the booth, and Mary's directing us and she's, it's clear she's trying to get you

to go a direction and you're just like, I don't know what you're trying to make me do. So I think just like how all of us- She's a great director, by the way. Oh yes, yes. Hire her for all your projects. Amazing. This is a fault of us.

Yeah, 100%. But I feel like- She's also a great actress. Yes. This is a fault of us. Yeah, 100%. But I feel like- She's also a great actress. Yes. And a great singer. Did I say anything that implied the opposite? She's better. I was, no.

But I feel like we all have the moments in game two where Matt is probably trying to, is like feeding us something and you're just- Yeah. Over the head. but other people will notice. Taliesin's just happened to be something that would turn him into a nuclear bomb and murder everybody. Yeah, it was a,

Yeah, sometimes at the table it's so clear to everybody else except the person who's in the moment or in the scene. They're just not getting it. Yeah. Yeah. I was gonna say, so we've got here because you mentioned it imogen and ruidus right yeah also got here fcg and stress so hit me up with those two what what does so the stress i imagine is the bomb right yeah so my character fcg is a robot and uh he

he has this when stress builds up too much, he can attack his own teammates. And tell him how that works. I don't know if I ever. So that we can understand it too. Yes. Yes. Because you should tell him how that happens. I mean, so whenever there are certain spells

that I cast and features that I, abilities that I use, for instance, when I sympathetically bond to everybody. You take stress points for that? I take stress. Wow. When one of you gets hit and I'm able to reduce the damage, I take that in the form of stress. So the things that I do to help my allies cause me stress.

And some of that stress goes away at the end of the day. Therapists need therapists too. Yeah, yeah, so it's basically I take on the pain of the world into me and it builds and builds and builds and at a certain point it has to be released violently. You know what's really cool about this? It's almost, from again, my perspective as a player thinking about it, you guys are, technically you're not

only rolling against the environment, but you're rolling against yourselves. And that's really cool. Because it's like, which is essentially real life. That is really interesting. That is something really interesting about this campaign. I feel like everybody kind of created characters that, yeah, that they're working against themselves.

Yeah. In some way, yeah. Yeah, and it's not just in prior campaigns, we've all had flaws. Sure. Our characters have been flawed, but in this campaign, most of them are actively doing something,

compelled to do something that harms either them or their friends. You are compelled to steal in the worst moments. I fully expected you to try to get Percy's spectacles. Of course. Oh, trust me. He sets them down on the sizzle. I feel like Matt was letting it.

Trust me, I was thinking about it, but now I'm gun-shy. But it's Trust me, I was thinking about it, but now I'm gun shy. But it's not the- Of like making a decision now, cause I'm like, what if it fucks up the whole day? Oh no! Like what if I steal the glasses and like that's it? I think that's okay at this point.

We've all fucked up the day, so just do it at this point. That's part of what the trust exercise was about. Like if you're gonna fuck up the day, just say it, and at least we'll know what to expect. I can steal these? Yes, yes I did not and I feel like maybe that's growth. That burning desire was there. But see I think that's not growth. Tell me how. No it is growth.. Tell me how. No, it is growth. I wanna know. It is growth.

You know what, I don't know how to say this because I- Tell us, Daddy. No, I wanna know, I wanna know. Okay, it is growth, for sure. It shows a level of maturity, which is great, and that is growth. But I think a fully realized, a fully- A fully realized fern?

A fully realized fern wouldn't prevent herself from doing the thing that she needs and wants. She would do it, but be honest and open about it. She would do it, but own her mistakes. She would do it and embrace that part of her, not tamp it down. Okay, I'm gonna, well, okay. You would not ever do that, though.

Wait, wait, wait, I think you have the same response I was. Like, this is the worst advice ever. Yes. Like never ever, like if you have an impulse that is going to affect other people, please don't ever tweet. Maybe don't. But there's something in that impulse. There's something in that impulse that is her,

that she needs to express somehow. And you need to accept it. And maybe she doesn't express it by stealing. Maybe there's a different way of expressing it, but that's her, she's gotta figure out what that is. You've gotta get it out of you if it's in you. This is therapist FCG coming out. God, I wish I was this good in the game.

But to Abu's point, I think, I feel like we all have those people in their lives who like to be like cheeky, to be like, well, look, like they'll continue to do shitty things and they'll be like, I know I'm just a flake or i know i'm just an asshole look i'm always late i'm just yeah that's just me and it's like yeah but okay at a certain point that's not cute anymore that's true but the thing that is driving that i'm a late person it's probably probably no it's probably probably it's probably like the deeper the deeper meaning is probably something like i like the feeling when i walk in late and everyone's there to say hi like that's

not at all or or like you walk in and and everyone's like, you know, like. Yay, Sam is here. Are we learning something about Sam? Probably. But there must be a healthier way to do that than being late, right? There must be a healthier way to get that same response. What an interesting reason to be late. Mine is so severely opposite. What's yours? You don't want to see people because you're scared of them.

Correct. It's social anxiety. Well, there must be. So trying to get out the door is like, ooh, you got this. Mine is just, I'm like. It's turning into like, this is depressing. It really is.

See, mine's a whole other reason, which is I'm just. Very busy. Busy and a clusterfuck and sometimes bad at time management, and I look down and I'm like, fuck, I've just been on Slack for 30 minutes and not getting ready. But that's not just an accident.

And now I need to run. That condition exists for a reason. You like that work. and I'm like, fuck, I've just been on Slack for 30 minutes and not getting ready. But that's not just an accident. That condition exists for a reason. You like that work. You need that work. Oh boy. You want me on that wall. You need me on that wall. This is wild coming from you.

Oh, I'm the same way. Like Coke boy energy. And you're just incapable. Moving on to Nana and her deals. Oh, we're on this. Win for Abu. Wait, can I talk about Ruidus for a second? Of course you can.

Ruidus. Please. He said panic. It was kind of all like, No, no, no, no. You gave in to the dark side too. I did give in to the dark side too. You took a dream and you went into it. Yeah, I did.

I went in and I, so I have a dream about an evil moon. This is a dream about a dream. An evil moon? Yeah, it's a mean moon. Anyway, we're going to fight the moon, you. And I dreamt that I went to the moon and gave in to the moon and got embraced by the moon. And it felt real good. Not like a kinky embrace, like a warm, familial, I feel like I belong embrace.

That's amazing. Yeah. So how's that embracing the darkness? Well, the moon is evil. It's a bad moon. Well, we don't know that it is. I mean. But maybe I shouldn't trust anything I think about this. Do you want me to go far?

Here's my worry with what you did. I'm very proud of you for letting it take you. Well, it seemed like it would be good knowledge to have. Not in a kinky way. Not in a kinky way. But like, the last several dreams that you've had, I've seen. I'm gonna go fuck the moon. Wow, that was, that was, was that kinky?

Not in a kinky way. No, no, okay. This episode is just gonna be entitled The Cast of Critical Role Exhausts Subupa Marceline. I can feel you being like, ah, I don't know. What is happening? Oh god. I was gonna say that the last few times

you've gone a-moonin', like either in a dream or talking to your mom or whatever it is, and you felt that that draw that pull you've resisted and resisted and resisted and I've really wanted you to let it go to let it happen and so when you did it this past episode or whatever two episodes ago whenever you did it I was very pleased and happy and I think that's really cool character growth, but maybe the wrong time. Maybe the worst possible time. Wait, why?

Because we're going, because we're there now, we're going there now. Yeah, now we know what we're doing. Yes, but like this could be, you just, I don't know what you unlocked. I might have just like, I don't know what you unlocked. I unlocked something in myself,

what if I just like outed us to like them, they know that we're... Exactly. Oh, thank you. You haven't suffered the repercussions yet. Yeah, so we've just arrived on the moon at the last episode and... There's two moons, by the way.

Sure, sure, sure. Don't confuse the boy. We're really talking about the bad moon. There's an evil moon and a good moon. And a good moon, okay. Yeah, a regular moon. But we're on the bad moon. But what if you opened yourself up to moon influence,

moon fluence. It's possible. Are you a moon fluencer? Hit like and subscribe. Get that red filter. I don't know, I'm glad you did it. Yeah. But it could be real bad. It could be bad.

Yeah, like it's like a GPS. I'll remind y'all, y'all encouraged her to do it. Of course. And she specifically said, I'm going to have a dream and give in to Rudeus. And y'all said, cool. Yes. I think it's a great idea. I'm super here for it.

I didn't go off and go, I have an idea I'm going to do by myself and not tell her. No. I asked everyone if I should. That is true. You actually asked people if you should. Yeah. Interesting. And we supported her poor decision.

What if they all said no, would you have still done it? Good question. Probably. Bad answer. But it doesn't matter, because I got the okay. You asked me, and everyone was like, yeah, sure. You're like, okay, so it's not on me.

Great, great, great. No, it's good. And also, we already just kind of got a little hint that there's like multiple factions of Rylorans. There's so much, yes, exactly. So I don't think they're all bad. And the Rylorans. Rylorans are the moon people.

Yes. Who are mostly bad, but now we found that there could be some moon people. I don't know, I think they're just regular old people on the moon and like there's just the the trent people are turning some of them bad yes i feel like because even when matt has described what you've seen on the moon yeah the the like the ecosystem there's a whole it's a whole other place. Like why does that make it evil? Did he say that there was water? Yes.

There's animals. And like layers of underground rivers? Yeah, like caverns and stuff. It's probably the travelers who have gone there who have made the place bad. Yeah, yes, the people that have gone. This is trance. But I thought it was a prison.

Well, no, okay, so the moon is a prison for- The moon's also a prison the moon is a prison for... It's a prison for Predathos. Danny's listening to you and judging. Tell me if I get this right, Danny. Well, what we think... He's like, I'll get up here. Prison for Predathos.

Yes. And we think that potentially some of the people that used to be on Exandria got trapped on the moon with Predathos when it got separated and pulled up. Oh, it was a piece... It was a chunk of our planet that got pulled up and became... So those people have turned into the Rylorans. Oh, so the chunk of the planet could have had anything in it. It could have had water, volcanoes...

And it could have had, like, good people and bad people. Yes. At least, right? Yes. Yeah. I was given thumbs up from the sides. I walked on to help, and then I was like, oh, no, y'all got this, and I was very proud.

Yeah. Yeah. I don't think it's inherently bad or evil. Just... But Pertathos I think is bad. And the thing is... I agree. I'm coming back. The thing is this happened so long ago.

It's happened so, so, so, so, so many years ago, pre-calamity. Pre the, obviously the pre-800 years that have passed since the calamity. It's been thousands of years since Ruidus was thrown into the sky. So there has been time for this chunk of Exandrian earth to adapt and grow and become something new. So whatever was taken in that moment, be it people, be it caverns and water, et cetera, whatever it was that was there, has had this time to evolve.

So whatever was there that Pardothos then was able to manipulate, and as it was stated, leaves twisted life in its wake, was able to then evolve under its image, if that makes sense. That's how, like so quickly, I'm like, thousands of years, that's not a lot of time for people to get really long heads and turn red.

But if you're hanging out, like specifically with a god pal, then he's like, I like long heads. The Sith transform very quickly. Do you know like the deal with Ruidus? Like as Matt told you, Dani? I know a couple of those things. That we don't know?

I have a feeling. Just like a little bit, just like a little bit. Thank you for taking off your jacket because I thought your shirt said anal girl. Anal girl. It does. I promise I, when I put it on, I was like, people are gonna think that my shirt says anal girl.

Nothing wrong with that, you know? It doesn't look in here, because it still looks like anal girl. Like, anal girl? Yeah, there you go. Brilliant, and I've got here Nana and her deals. Brilliant, brilliant. Where am I?

Get my agent on the phone. Get me off of this set. Wait, what was the question? It was Nana and her Deals is the final segment. Nana? Nana. Nana. Nana and her Deals. With Embracing the Darkness. Oh, that's right.

Two people made, but they're not here right now. Oh yeah, that's right. Well, we can still talk about our opinion of their deals. Do we know? Well, we, Marisha, Ashley, Laura, and Sam know. That's true, that's true. Shit. Chetney, Dumb Boo.

Annamori, just to bring you up to speed, Abu, is your grandmother? What if this whole show, instead of Ashley talking about anything, we just explain to Abu what we do, what we do? This is what it's about. Bringing new hosts to explain to them and they're like, huh? This is what every Critical Role fan goes through, trying to explain the show to their mother. Yeah, pretty much. I think I'll show to you every shoot.

But she's a hag. I hope that's not a derogatory term for her, but she is a magic person. She is the hag. She is a hag. She's basically Baba Yaga without being Baba Yaga. And she can grant wishes, but they all come with a cost. And two of our party members made these bargains with her in the last game.

Chetney's was? To be the most famous toy maker in all of Exandria. Boy, what a bad, badly worded thing. The most famous toy maker in all of Exandria could mean anything. The most notorious. Could mean anything. Like his toys explode and kill.

Yeah, or the stinkiest, or the guy... He just does something, makes himself famous, and also he makes toys. And then Aurum made a deal that for all of us to get back safely. That if we all got home safe and sound. He would spend the rest of his life with your grandma. That he would protect her.

Wow. He said in service. He said he would serve her. He said he would protect her. Wow. That's wild. He said in service. He said he would serve her. He said he would serve her. So we don't know what that means. Frankly, if I was, if I was Orm of the Arashari, I would come out and bring her a sandwich and be like,

I have fulfilled the deal of this bargain. Yeah, he could. I have served. He might be able to wiggle around that. Maybe he's figured that out. He might be planning that. But the problem I had with it is he just, in our little secrets sharing episode,

told us about how lonely he is and how he wants, I feel like he could use a love of his life at some point, but how is he going to do that if he's stuck in the face all the time? If he's just little. Well, I feel like he has more of a need for taking care of the people that comes before his loneliness. Yeah, I think at the end of the day, Orm is still just,

I think he doesn't think he's getting out of this. And I think that he wants to just make sure that everybody else who he believes, or who he sees as having more to give in the future. That's so hopeless. I know, it's so future. That's so hopeless. I know, it's so cynical. It's so awful. It's so sad, but grief and depression

can do a lot to an individual. And one bonding session isn't gonna be enough to break that hold. So what I'm saying is have more bonding sessions. Yes, more, yeah. And I do feel like- Also, I'm not Liam O'Brien and cannot speak for him. This is just me who watches the show.

I do feel like this group more than past groups, we all, I mean, I think we've all gone into like some of our big boss moments, our big climactic moments to be like, well, we might not make it out alive but i feel like this group in particular is like leaning way more into like we're not we're just gonna die though right we're all we're not gonna make it out i think because we feel so low level compared to what else is happening maybe i think that's what it is like at least in the past like if we've gone into a boss fight we've been like level 15 at least. We're level what?

10? Are we 11? No, I think we're 12 now. Well, we've gone into, even in campaign one, we faced enemies that were way more powerful than us and we did it with a hopeful spunk and we didn't, I don't think we were nihilistic, Dani. I believe y'all are either 10 or 11.

I think 10, but either 10 or 11, I don't remember. But I will also remind y'all, the Mighty Nein, right before they went to the Somnovem, had a whole goodbye tour. We were not positive. And Fjord had to be like, y'all, we are gonna survive this. So, just saying.

What? What's your starting word gonna be? I'm looking at D&D Beyond so I can see what my character sheet level is. I do wanna play Connections though. Connections is so much fun. I haven't tried it yet, I haven't tried it yet. It's so good.

I'm still stuck on the crosswords. Spelling Bee's my favorite. Connections is the new New York Times game That's taking the taking the world by storm. It's so fun. I love connection. Is it wait? Is there like a crossword game? No, you get four groups level 11. We're level 11. We're not supposed to have any games on tonight's show. Oh, sorry. Sorry. Okay Can you tell that we've never had a host before How is having a host before? No, but I think it's great. How is having a host more disorganized?

You're supposed to be keeping us in line and on your ass. Sorry, I'm mesmerized. Yeah, but once again, it's just us trying to explain. I'm so sorry. The chaos. It's fantastic. I'll never forget evil trees. It's great. I'm trying forget evil trees. It's great.

Don't try to fuck them. Race to Ruinous. Oh, we didn't try to fuck the tree. No, the moon, though. No, but we could've. We did smoke a blunt with the tree. That'd be easier if we did. Wow!

A blunt with the tree. Yeah. It's kind of obvious. I'm so excited to get you in on a game. I swear you're gonna love it. It's gonna be great. He plays, it's not like it's that. No, I love it, I love it. I do, I do.

But no, I've got here race to ruinus. So what does that mean? Bells Hells Collaborate. The last episode we did it. I wanna read this. Okay, read it. Oh yes, yes. Okay, read it, read it, read it.

Jesus Christ. Sorry. Just had a go at me for being a host and being disorganized, now I'm trying to be organized. Sorry. And you're just talking over it. Sorry, I read it, read it. Jesus Christ. Sorry. Just had a go at me for being a host and being disorganized. Now I'm trying to be organized and you're... Sorry. Talking over me. And you're just talking over me. Sorry, I'll just go with it.

You know, this reminds me of my mom when I told her it was salmon and she was like, yeah, it's salmon and now you're saying it's lavender. It really does look like lilac. It is not. That was lilac. Lilac I feel like is spot on. Great. Everyone's lying to me now. Bell's Hells collaborated with leaders across Exandria

to cause a diversion and infiltrate the Bloody Bridge in order to gain access to Ruidus. How gross does Bloody Bridge sound, huh? Anyway, keep going. That sounds horrible. It's just a red beam that connects us to the... Like a stretchy, bloody... The Moon of Il Omen.

Oh yeah, Ruidus is the moon of, okay. And prisoner to the super evil cosmic entity. Ha! Yeah, that is a bad moon. Yeah, is it? Your promo voice is awesome. It is great. Thank you guys, I did practice it.

On a very special 24. Three years drama school training, film and TV actor. Hire me. No, great, race to ruinous. We've got diversion here. So what was the diversion? Please tell me you have some eight by 10s

in that little spot. I haven't gotten to that yet. Funnily enough, he was the one. Was that the one? What you thought was the meat diversion? Well, I mean, I think it was, we were supposed to come up with a diversion and we just kind of didn't.

Well, no, I thought the diversion was the meat wagons. The main diversion was the meat wagons. The main diversion was the meat wagons. They're called butcher wagons. So butcher wagons, my bad. So people far more powerful than us, like the really powerful people in the world, they came up with a diversion while we were trying to get into the hole

that leads to the Bloody Bridge. There was a meat diversion while we were going into the hole into a Bloody Bridge. Yeah. We got meat over here before. It made it seem like they were attacking with a whole army, but really it was just a few wizards attacking with like big illusions, okay? But they sent with them big giant butcher wagons full of

dead animals and blood so that when they got attacked back, they would explode the wagons and blood would come out so the people would think that they were actually succeeding, they were really fighting real creatures. It just helped the illusion. Yeah. Helped sell it. That was a good idea. That was a good idea.

That was a good idea because Matt came up with it. It was Matt. Oh, right. That was good. We had nothing to do with that. That's what the good people came up with. We also had to have a diversion. And then we just did it and we just snuck in.

We had a couple of ideas for diversions. The tent idea was great. The tent was great. Why didn't we do the tent? So our idea. You're a little fucking turncoat. I liked the idea. It just didn't make sense in the moment.

There were so many things. Oh, cause everything else did. I should have gone with it. Right before we entered the hole, there's like, there were tents on the outside of the hole and like people guarding it, right? So our fly-by-the-seat-of-our-pants plan was to sneak into one of the tents

and then gust it up in a windstorm with wind and then blow it around like Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz and fly down into the hole in a tent. We would be in the tent and no one would know. And people would just be like, that tent can't move! Oh wow, a tent is blowing around! Okay. Isn't that a great idea?

That is the appropriate reaction. Okay. It's obviously as good as meat wagons. Absolutely. Geez. No, for meat wagons, he's like, that's a good idea. Yeah. Yeah.

For the tent. Okay. But instead we just walked in. Yeah, instead we just decided to walk in and pretend like we belonged there there kind of like if you're trying to get into like a VIP room and you just Walk in with confidence. That's the way to do it. Yeah Fun funny story, right? I don't know why I'm saying this I I was filming in Budapest at the time and I think I just finished filming Assassin's Creed and there was a like a club that we were trying to walk into and they wouldn't let me in and I was

I said, do you know who I am? I'm the assassin the new assassin in Assassin's Creed and they were like I know man, I know like, I know, man, I know, I know, I know. Wait, they knew? And they looked at me like, Assassin's Creed? That's a dead franchise. And I was like, well, I'll see myself out of here. Oh, no! I've tried also, this is fucking shameless, this is open.

I wasn't even pulling for hosts. Like, I once tried to walk into a bar with a friend of mine and they wouldn't let us in cause there was a queue and everything. And I actually pulled myself up on IMDB. No! I swear to God. You did? And I went, look at, that's me, that's me.

Did it work? And it didn't work. Oh, and it shouldn't. Because obviously it wouldn't fucking work and it shouldn't work. Anyone who does that is, they shouldn't be letting it in. I don't know what came over me. I don't know what came over me.

You were young, you were stupid, you didn't know. It was stupid as hell. Now though, it's pretty funny going into clubs because most people recognize me as the guy who wore the silver latex suit. So they're like, oh, your father. Oh yeah, father, that suit was great. I'm like, oh, father's put it on, hasn't he?

And I'm like, all right, thanks, dude. Me and my friend over here. So I like your idea, OK? That was a great idea, guys. After spending time with you in London, he's the sweetest guy. So imagining a younger version of you being like, do you know who I am?

Yes. And you're like, do you know who I am? Yes! And you're like, okay, I'm out. So stupid. From what we know of you, that does not seem like something you would do. I mean, this is the thing, I don't know what came over me. So I was just like thinking to myself, this is a great, this isn't about me guys.

Let's stick to the fucking program. Wait, wait, I have to say something else though, that I'm such a bad pointer today. This is like, I need to get a proper, yeah. Disney, Disney thing. Yes, the Disney. Disney point. V, you told us you were a big World of Warcraft.

Oh, I'm a huge World of Warcraft player. Yeah. Like still? Well, not anymore, I don't really, there was a dream of mine that once I graduated from drama school and had my own place, I would have a pinball machine and my rig set up so that I could then play World of Warcraft forever. So yeah I'm a huge World of Warcraft fan.

Do you have a pinball machine in mind? Probably you know the one that sticks to memory is we used there was this roller disco that I used to go around when I used to play as a kid anyway. But they had a pinball machine of Spider-Man and it was super cool, like the kind of comic Spider-Man, not the new Spider-Man of now today. And that was good fun. And I remember thinking to myself, I'm going to buy that. And it didn't happen. Still time. Because I have a wife and a daughter now. But, uh... But no, but seriously though, it was definitely something that I really...

I remember wanting to buy, which is very weird. Again, why are we revealing myself here? So, like, Matt and I were just having this conversation last night. About buying a pinball machine? Yeah, because it's also a bucket on the screen. It's a dream, right? You have a pinball machine. Oh, man!

I know, Danny is also a genius. Like seriously, pinball machines, amazing. Well you could also get the Ghostbusters one, it's good. Twilight Zone was good. Oh, the Twilight Zone one. Addams Family. Oh, that one is good. Next time we go to the barcade,

I'm gonna show y'all the coolest pinball machine ever. It's the best, okay. Not the Addams Family one, it's the other one. There's like gravity, the ball is metal, right? I played this one. And then you drop it on the ground and it falls. What?

No, there's a couple of like nodes, I forget what it's called, but there's a couple of nodes in the game where if your ball goes near it it like Magnetize like it draws oh Like orbits around these things because it's drawn by that. That's cool There's the one there's the stranger at a place nearby There's the stranger things one and it's really funny because you can piss off the Demogorgon and it's this little like

animatronic in this like the it drops a wall drops and it's really funny because you can piss off the Demogorgon and it's this little like animatronic and it drops, a wall drops and it's like, and then you have to get the ball in its mouth and it's like, and that's it. I didn't actually think that they still make pinball machines. Yeah, they do. And they're getting crazy now. So fun. Yes. Like the, cause like tech is only getting better.

So like, crazy. Pinball's so fucking good you guys. I love pinball so much. At Sony Studios, have you ever recorded over at Sony Studios? No, I haven't no They have like a bunch of pinball machines in the waiting room when you're in the green area where you go. So yeah, okay There's a new bar in Hollywood. That's also a vinyl. I don't know why I'm doing this a Vinyl audience half vinyl. I know what is the show?

half vinyl half half record, half pinball bar. Wait, this is in like downtown Hollywood. It's like straight in Hollywood, so it's like, yeah. Well, you can also, because there's like people in LA, you can like commission them to make custom, like one of a kind pinball too. Ooh.

You can, we can make a pinball machine? We should bring one of a kind pinball too. Ooh. You think we can make a pinball machine? We should bring back all of our players on that. Just bring them. Wrap up the show, let's go do it. The bloody bridge. Oh yeah. Wait, do we cover that?

Oh god, were we talking about it? Well no, so we're there. We've landed now. We are currently locked up in the bridge. Okay. I don't have any idea what is gonna happen when we start the next game. I don't know.

No, we ended this game by going to the moon one at a time. Which was scary because. How did you travel? Through the bridge. Through the bridge. It's like a teleport machine. You had to go through a portal

and get sucked into the bridge. Okay. There's an angry polymorphed ferret waiting for us on the other side. Oh, that's right. Possum. It was a possum. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Possum.

Yeah, so we went through this rainbow bridge type thing to get to the moon, and someone traveled with us, a bad guy who has become a possum. A possum. So when we land, the possum's gonna be there and gonna attack us. We'll just pick him up. Just throw him back in the portal.

But I do think any of the other things could also go through the bridge. Yeah. They could come after us. And we have this spell on us where we can turn into clouds. Boy, this sounds fucked up. He plays.

Yeah, he knows that spell. I guess a minute to activate. Maybe we have a minute. We have to run and hide. But like, think about how guarded the bridge was on our side, it's probably pretty guarded on the other side. I was thinking that too. What are we getting out into?

Are we gonna come out and have another big battle when we land? A minute is a long time. Yes. It's like 10 rounds. That's 10 rounds. Yes. Yeah. Because why would nobody be on the other side? Of course there's somebody there.

Yeah, so we gotta run. Shit. We probably gotta land and run. Oh my god. It's time for a run. We probably gotta land and run. Oh my God. It's time for a question from the Tower of Inquiry. Are we doing the tower? Normally on this show, the cast pulls a block from the tower, reads the number on it,

and Danny Carr reads the corresponding fan-submitted question, but those were the old days when we had bits on four-sided die. No more. No more. So, Danny, what is the fan question number one on the spreadsheet of inquiry no we're not we're doing spreadsheets of inquiry you can just play jenga when we go there's no games there's no fun no fun it is spreadsheet printed a4 thank you so this is our spreadsheet it's very exciting on an ipad It is spreadsheet. Printed. A4. Thank you.

So this is our spreadsheet. It's very exciting. On an iPad. Is it Excel or Google? Never mind. It's Google Sheets. Okay. So that we can all, you know, go in and like work on it.

Shout out Google Sheets. Shout out. Look, man, it's me and Google Docs. You've been a real. It's just me and Google Docs living our lives. So. It's just me and Google Docs living our lives. So. It looks like a Ruedish filter though,

like a red stormy filter. Like a Instagram type filter? Probably. Like that one that you found the other day where like you, we look. Oh my God, bold glamor, shut up. Bold glamor. A glamor, shut up.

Shut up. Sorry, Danny, go. I'm glad I shot up. Sorry, Danny, go. I'm waiting. Ruby asks. Jesus, you're watching Tiki the Drinking Show. No, I'm pulling up the filter. Let me know when y'all are ready. We're ready.

We're ready. You have 20 minutes. Ruby asks, as an actor, what part of your character is the juiciest to dig into? Was it something you added intentionally or did it arise organically in play? Well, when I play my characters. I mean. Additionally.

Tell us. I wanna know. How do you collaborate to facilitate those situations while in game? Sam, did you have a specific thing you wanted to say about the question? Why me? Because you spoke over me. Holy shit, I'm so hot.

I know, this is what I'm talking about. Wait, is this our bold glamor? Look at how- Are you saying bold glamor? Yeah, bold. I know. I thought she said bald glamor. Beautiful.

You basically look the same. Why do you look the same? It's not- You're gonna see it. You're gonna see it, wait. Oh. Oh. Oh, weird. You're gonna see it. No, no, no, you're gonna see it, wait. Oh. Oh. Oh.

Weird, I don't like that. I'm very, very, very sorry. No, yeah, no, me neither, I don't like it. We should post these. Oh. I'm not filming, so. I know. We should post them,

because otherwise the audience is like, what were they looking at? You know what bold glamor is. If you're on TikTok, you know. No, but they would edit it in so the people could see. The question was about character you asked the question it's about character and the juiciest part of your character and acting right yeah and what was it was it conceived ahead of time or is that something that came organically to the sam oh hi um i feel like we all come into these campaigns with some juice, some juicy bits to get into.

But those don't last very long, or at least they shouldn't. Like, they're not as good as the stuff that we develop organically as we go, I feel. Like, there's some good, there's great stuff. Your stuff with Delilah's great. But it's just not as juicy as the stuff that you discovered with Imogen as we went. So yeah, I prefer to find it on the way. But you do have to come in with some stuff

or else you're just gonna be floundering. I have enjoyed, like, of course, like diving into the relationship is always fun, but then like relationship tension is also fun. Yeah. That's the best. Yeah, I feel like you guys are really big on, you really like relationship conflict too.

Like you guys talk about that a lot. Of course. Yeah. I like it too, but. Because I don't. Like you guys talk about that a lot. Of course. Yeah. I like it too, but I'm terrified of conflict. And that translates to the game as well. I don't like conflict. You don't like conflict. Even in the game, in this dramatic storytelling game that we've made together.

No. You don't? I don't like fighting. You just want everything to go fine. Yes. Like if we're having a fight, I will be, I'll be like, it's okay, I'm not mad at you, SCG. Oh, wow. If you do something wrong, I'd be like...

I'm the opposite. I want all of you to hate me. Me too. I love inter-party conflict, but in life, hate conflict. For sure. For sure. Hate it. That's why, I think that's why I like it so much in the games, because I hate it so much

in real life. Maybe. Yeah, I feel like any time there's conflict, you and I are both like, I'm gonna go. I can't stay here. They don't want it. Wow. Yeah. Yeah, but in game. Me? Yeah.

What, what, what? What do you like, sinking your teeth into when you play? You know what's, it's funny, especially when it comes to D&D, I try and come with, not a lot, but enough. And then I try and discover the character as we go along. Yeah. Because I think that's the most fun and exciting.

Yeah. You can't get so locked in. No. But I think when I started before, I used to be really like, this is where my path is. And then as I've kind of gone with it, I've been like, I don't know, fuck it. I'm going to see what happens. Yeah. And like, yeah, I think I'm much

I much like that journey, especially as an actor. Right. You would like enjoy that journey of going along with it and discovering it as you go along as a whole. Because the things that you do, the circumstances you find yourself in shape your personality even now. Right. So it would make sense that it would do the same thing for you.

You've got to you've got to also have a group of people who are cool with that too, right? Yeah. Because otherwise it can be weird when you have someone who's like, no, that's not cool, that's not fun, that's not part of the plan. Like, I think when everyone is kind of in the idea of like anything could happen, I think that's like the most fun games you can play. Do you play with a bunch of like, RP heavy people? Yeah, like I've got two groups.

I've got a group of people that I play online with, and then I've got like, you know, for like, it's, what is it, it's like Blaze in the Dark kind of vibe. Oh, cool, yeah. Which is really awesome. And then I've got the classic D&D game that I play with my friends who I grew up with from school. And that's like, that's just hilarious and wrong in so many ways.

But great fun. And yeah, you can find, the dynamic is so different because then when you're here with my friends, it's like anything goes. And you feel like, yeah, just go for it. Whereas it's funny, you do feel like as soon as the camera's on sometimes, I think there's a moment of you that's like, do I go there?

And I end up going there anyway because again, chaotic player. But it is, it's very, again, the team are very, very, very kind of supportive of madness. And I quite like that. That's great. That's rad. Yeah. Supportive of madness. Yeah. Beautiful. It's cool.

Honestly. We've got another question. Sure. There are so many questions on the spreadsheet of inquiry. Woo! Let's see. From...what's number two? Luke.Calhoon on Instagram. Throughout the campaigns, there are various plots and subplots that player characters and non-player characters choose to become a part of.

What are the determining factors for you when deciding whether or not to pursue any of these threads? Were these rewritten to be businessy? I feel like these, oh my god, would that be funny if they're businessy because of Spritch? I feel like we're in a beauty pageant and these are the uber-complicating questions. Such as?

Such as in the interview? Laura, this is no bits episode. I personally believe, sorry, no bits. Also, Sam doesn't like these questions particularly. I love these questions. And so we specifically went through and picked the very serious questions to put at the top. I love them.

Or we can ask about the ice cream flavors. You can assign your comments to ice cream flavors. We have no bits because of something you said, Sam. I love them. Or we can ask about the ice cream flavors. You can assign your kids ice cream flavors. We have no bits because of something you said, Sam. It might be... It might be... Because of you? Because of me.

Wow. I liked the bits, Sam. Well... We'll get some bits back. Will we? We just said to strip the bits. Will we? Yeah, you have to...

And now we're gonna add the bits. I don't know if we're gonna get the bits back. We'll give it. What if this episode is the highest rated episode? No way. No bit. Well, maybe. And everyone's like, we hate it. Well, maybe.

Well, maybe. This one over here. So much more aggressive. I know, it feels so much more. It was a question. Sorry, why do we choose the subplots that we've chosen? And Matt is pretty good about giving us some options, especially early on in the campaign.

There were some threads that we could've pursued and didn't. I don't remember any of them right now, but, what, this campaign in particular, it feels like anything moon or moon adjacent is the thing that we do. Right. Like, focus on that. Yeah. But, um...

So, yeah, this... A little group interest. This... Yeah, that's the thing. Like, everybody's kind of... What do you think about this? Yeah. I think as soon as we heard the word moon, we were like, we're going to the moon.

That was 80 episodes ago. We did get pretty laser-proof. As soon as we heard the word moon, we were like, we're going to the moon. That was 80 episodes ago. We did get pretty laser-proof. But we just did a little tangent to go to the Fey Realm. Yeah, which was great. And that was, why did we decide to do that? Because we- Because we wanted to see her nana.

I know, but there was no plot reason to do it, like other than just emotionally we needed it. And because we could like, didn't really get some downtime without fucking up the timeline. Yeah. And it felt like everybody was like bubbling. Yeah. Ready to burst and we didn't want to do that

in a time where we needed to have our shit together. Yeah. So, everybody was grouchy. It's the last midnight in, what's the song in? Into the Woods? Into the Woods, right right before it's a last? Yeah, yeah, that's what it would have been like us fighting the moon. You're right. You're the one to blame Give the one to play you're responsible. Yeah, we got on the same page ish It's your fault, that's that's why I said the song before it's last minute Then another question. Oh

We choose those ones because we like them. That's why we choose them. Yeah. They seem like the most interesting. But also- Remember in campaign two when Matt was like, you can join the Empire. Everything. Or you can join the Resistance.

And we were like, well, we hate all these. Yeah. Let's go to Rosanna. Yeah. And we didn't do it. Pretty much. No, we all chose mine. We laid out like three things and we were like, meh. So much of a commitment to choose one.

Is there a third option? Yeah. That's kind of what happened. We're gonna dig underground for 100 miles. He's like, it's too far to dig. We're gonna keep trying. There's gotta be a secret menu option. Yeah.

We're gonna turn into a giant mole and keep digging. Right. And finally we made it thing. From Sayuriel, Sayuriel, what are three visual details about your characters that you enjoy seeing in fan art? I.e. weapons, accessories, poses, symbolism, palettes, emotions, clashing moves.

That is a great question. That is a a good question. That is a really good question. These are fantastic questions. What incredible questions from our audience, from our Critters, who can submit these questions by going to critrole.com slash tower. Yeah.

Plug. Slash not tower anymore. Boy. Slash spreadsheet. We have enough of these URLs. Yeah. Same URL. Critrole.com slash spreadsheet.

I know personally, I love seeing people's interpretations of Lobna's form of dread. The more, like, spooky and creepy they go with her. Awesome. And pate, too. It's fun seeing the different pate versions. I like the fan art where, boy I don't know how to describe it, but where like,

FCG is not a robot, but is like. A human? Well yeah, like I've seen interpretations of like, it spells hells, but they're all. Like in college. High school students. Yeah, I really like the modern age. Yeah, those are fun.

That is cute. I like when I see freckles on Imogen. I like glasses on Imogen. It's super cute. I have never made a cannon, but I really like the look of glasses in the fan art. This is so cute. She's such a fucking klutzy I really like the look of it. Glasses are fan art. This is so cute. She's such a fucking klutzy fail.

You could retcon it like we're up on the moon in these dust storms and like, oh, Laudna, you wear my goggles. And then you're like, oh, oh, oh, I hurt my eyes. Can I say something now? Can I say something about the game? I told Matt and I had talked to Matt about how I wanted to have glasses now. Can I say something about the game? I told Matt, and I had talked to Matt about how I wanted to have glasses,

and I'm like, I just need to find some glasses in game. We just need to find them. And then we did, and they gave, and I think it was you, you gave them to Fern instead of giving them to me. No, Ashton gave me those. Ashton gave them to you, and nobody gave me the glasses, and I didn't want to ask for them. And then you gave them to our daughter. You gave them to Gwendolyn. Oh shit, I did. And now we don't have them anymore, and I was like, I never got the glasses and I didn't want to ask for them. And then you gave them to our daughter.

You gave them to Gwendolyn. Oh, shit, I did. And now we don't have them anymore. And I was like, I never got the glasses. Oh, no, I didn't know that. I would have given them to you. Were they magic glasses? They were eyes too charming.

They made you more charming. I wanted them so fucking bad. And you have an attunement slot. I know. Go steal them from the other girl. And so, yeah, I had been like, I'm gonna get to have the glasses, I'm gonna have the glasses in the game, and then they were gone.

You should have said something! They were sitting in my inventory, and I've been trying to figure out what to do with them. You should have said something! Where did we get these glasses? You need to be honest and open with each other. Yeah, it happened before our trust exercise. Dang it!

That should have been my secret, I said in the crevasse. You should. I remember. Yeah, in the crevasse. You should. I remember. I wanted to get you for your secret Santa present. I feel like I just love the fan art so much. I just love it so much. There's so many talented artists out there

and I love I just like I obviously wanted to create a character that was very sort of like pinnipy and curvy. And I like when people sort of, I like everybody's interpretation of the characters. Yeah. Fern is like, no matter the interpretation, it's always great. Yeah.

And I think it's always great. Yeah, and I think it's a vibe. Like I love when artists, cause a lot of times I feel like there's some ferns that I've seen where there'll be like a smirk or just like, I like when they add some little personality in there. But I just love all of it. Like I, and I have an album on my phone and I just keep them on my phone.

I love them and I'll change my wallpapers. I just love them. I like when they play with hairstyles too. I like seeing everybody with different hair lengths. Well, thank you, Ruvi, Luke Calahorn and Cyriel. I'm sorry I mispronounced your names. I get it all the time. No.

And look, if you have an evergreen fan question for our spreadsheet of inquiry, you can I'm sorry I mispronounced your names. I get it all the time. So just. Yeah. And look, and if you have an evergreen fan question for our spreadsheet of inquiry, you can enter it at critrole.com slash tower. Hey, yeah. Are you the host or am I? Oh, I was just hyping you up. Ooh. I was hyping you up.

Yeah, you're a great hype man. Thank you. I really feel it, you know? Well, Yeah, you're a great hype man. Thank you. I really, I feel it, you know? Thank you. Well look, it is time to slide into the deep dive. Woo! Dani, do we have some deep dive questions for our guests? In deep dive.

Oh, we have cups. Yes, these are for you. Oh, why thank you. You have some beautiful cups. Jesus, all of these cups? All of them. Damn. Dude, he has gonna keep them.

He's gonna, oh, you're gonna make her. Normally we'd have the cast pull these cups. All of them? Damn. He's gonna keep them. Oh, you're gonna make her jump out. Normally we'd have the cast pull from these cups. No bits, no bits allowed. No, no, no, but, oh, thank you. Oh wait, are we, oh, you're pulling from them? Yes. That's funny. Okay, I like it.

One by one, normally they pull from these cups, one by one, but you see, since I am the host, I will be pulling the questions and asking them while it rests on my belly. Which one's your favorite cup? Mm. Yeah, that's a great first question. Which cup do you like best, Abu? I like the flowery one.

Yeah, you do. Yeah, you do. I'm gonna lean into it. Okay. Thank you. What have we got here? Ashley. Mm-hmm?

How does Fern feel about Chetney taking a deal with Nana? How would she feel if she knew Aurum had taken a deal as well? Ooh. That's right, we don't know. Wait, does Fern know that Chetney took a deal? She does.

She does not know Aurum took a deal. He did that one in secret. I think she thinks it's fantastic. Like, anything that Nana could offer. I mean, Fern obviously thinks the absolute world of Nana. And I think she is not necessarily, well, hasn't seen sort of the repercussions or consequences of deals gone bad so she doesn't fully know

what can happen she saw bush people but she doesn't know why they're that way yet but for all she knows these people tried to kill her.

That's true. Yeah. That, that, that was, that was prior to her time. She's like, Nana has her reasons. Nana has her reasons. And, you know, I think she's excited about it. I think she's excited about it. Okay.

Seeing that they're making deals. And I feel like for her, it's like, oh, you must love my Nana then as much as I do to sort of make a deal with her because you want to still be in her life. So that's her view on it. I have a question for you guys. What color is this? That's lavender.

Hairy-winkle? What the fuck am I wearing? Lilac. Salmon, salmon. This is lavender. He's wearing salmon. That is closer to salmon. That is closer to salmon. That's closer to salmon.

That's coral. That's coral-y salmon. Yeah. You look beautiful. Thank you, so do you. I'd go periwinkle with the cup. Yeah, I'm gonna look up another. From the lavender cup.

That's me. I am lavender. This is for Marisha and Laura. Oh. How are Lordner and Imogen feeling about the state of their relationship right now? Delilah is once more part of the equation and Imogen is more drawn to Ruidus than ever.

Ooh. I mean, this is a lot of juicy stuff that has to be resolved in the game. I know, we haven't talked about it in the game. We haven't talked. So it feels weird to say it at this point. Have a scene right now. That'll be like a little action.

You guys are about to, and then talk. Okay. Yeah, well I mentioned earlier, I definitely still have the like. That playing in your head a lot. Yeah, image of being like, it's weird that she's back and watching. I think I was pretty like,

aggressive with my terms as I said it to you. I said I was disgusted at the fact, like thinking about a lot of Delilah watching it. And you were like. And Lana's just been like, oh. I mean, that's gonna affect you at times. It would, 100%. Or make it better, you never know.

It'd be a little funner. Make some weird exhibitions. Make some weird exhibitions. Make sense of each other holding back. Well, yeah, especially because, like, I've stopped wearing the circlet now, too. Wow. That's great.

Oh, yeah, so you can hear again. Mm-hmm. Oh, man. Yeah, I think it's exciting. We've, at least in game, we've always had happy relationships. Yeah. Wow, though.

How could any, not just you two, but in a relationship where one person can hear the other's thoughts all the time, how would that ever work? Well, let Ashley Johnson tell you. What women Want. What Women Want, yeah. There will happen to me in a whole ass movie. I will tell you.

Oh, brilliant. All right, let's go for another one here. Yeah. All right. Sam. Ooh. How is FCG feeling about the change bringer after the conversation in Whitestone?

He seems to trust her less now. For sure, he trusts her less, but there's not really a lot of options. It's not like I can go god shopping. The gods are under attack and they're- Rodathos, evil moon. Rodathos will eat the gods. He's trying to eat the gods are under attack. Rodathos, evil moon. Rodathos will eat the gods. He's trying to eat the gods.

And so far, the change bringer, my god, the change bringer has only helped, has acted cagey, but has not done anything to hinder or lead us astray, as far as I know, she's only been good and helped us, so. Just flipping her hair in your face? Yeah, just like, protect me. Oh, that's all an interpretation. It could also be, protect me.

True, true. I don't know. I guess I'm on guard a little bit, but I don't have any other options. Wait, didn't a god talk to you? That's right. In the last game? By the Stormlord.

You did. Oh, that's right! You did. Yes. Wait, how did that, oh, Gruun. Gruun. Yeah. Gruun was like, hey, you wanna talk to my god?

Oh, that's awesome. He basically was like, I can three-way us right now. Get him on the line. Just through a was like, I can three-way us right now. Get them on the line. What you want to do. Are you a storm lordy? Oh, of course that makes sense. I mean, it makes so much sense to me. I was like, I don't know why I didn't.

She's got lightning powers, thunder powers. And that's one of the other things that I revealed in the honesty crevasse. Was that I had reached out throughout my life to the gods and no one had ever I had never heard back from anything and had no signs and and it's like especially like well fuck them then if like you reach out and the change bringer is talking to you and yeah I'm an asshole yeah and like you're getting like but you get instant feedback right and like Orm gets instant feedback, and it's like I Reached out so many times, and there's no signs nothing like no, that's a big deal

Can you refresh me was it a positive interaction or was it just sort of intimidating and? first first contact He said Uh, he said, um, I don't remember what he said. But was it like, don't fuck this up? I feel like it could've been a feeling. Yeah. Yeah, I liked it.

You liked it? It was very, and don't fuck it up. Yeah, like I see good things in you, don't fuck this up. Yeah. That's an invitation. It was cool. Yeah. I feel like it could go either way,

between like, I'm watching you, to just a little bit threatening. Yeah. Hot. Hot. That is, yeah. You can summon him pretty easily. You've got lightning power.

I took one from the- That's the Laudna. You have my eye, there is greatness in you. Do not let us down. Do not let us down. That's like a lot of change bringer-y stuff too. All the gods right now are saying don't. They're so demanding.

They have to be, they're about to die. I know, it's like your gods. What are you asking me for? What is a god not demanding? Well, fair enough, true. Marisha. Yes. Despite Lordner's own nerves about their chances on Ruidus,

she was the one encouraging the others about the moon and encouraged Fern to take the shard. Is this Laudna's resilient optimism coming to and the forefront again? That's a good question. It's really wordy. I think yeah I think Laudna is always going to try to be optimistic, maybe to a fault. But I think Laudna slash Marisha is also a little like, I mean, as we've said, like season of the witch. Like really wanting to, I don't know, especially the ladies, like leaning into giving and giving into the power just a little bit. Giving into that witchy bitchy power.

Witchy bitchy power. Okay. I think it's that. So it's a little chaotic, a little optimistic, but also a little scotch of that kind of probably power hungry kick that she has running in the back of her head. Yeah. Dark as fuck.

Ashley. Yeah? What was it like for Fern to go off on her own in the woods of Whitestone? Did she consider leaving Bell's Hells or did she just need some space? I think she just needed some space. I think as we've kind of talked about before and earlier, Foresighted, where Fern is obviously really uncomfortable with um showing her emotion

i'm so comfortable with it me ashley so it's definitely not um no i think um yeah i think it's it's just like this is a lot of tension there's a lot of of just i don't think she knew how to handle what was going on. So sorry about the mic. She didn't know what was how to handle. So it was like, I'm going to go be alone and just try to deal with this on my own and then come back in a very unhealthy way and pretend that everything's fine. Even though we had our exercises exercises I think at some point she will get a little bit more comfortable with being able to talk about her feelings but I think it was just like one of those

I gotta go, I gotta be alone I need to be alone, I don't want to talk to anybody I don't want anybody to look at me let me go be alone I mean that says a lot about your childhood right the people that you talked to were like little creatures yeah anybody that was on your equal footing of like keeping you accountable

yes so something that I'm kind of dropped in as like a little easter egg which I don't know if anybody caught it maybe well we've kind of talked about it, but I said like when I would get lonely, a new creature would always show up. So Nana would send in like, all of a sudden, you know, Fern would be out in the woods or I'd be out somewhere and she would meet a new fun creature.

Bompers or peepers. So I think that was an effort of Nana to try to make her life full, considering the conditions that she grew up in. But it's like, that is my version of like, I homeschooled through high school, so I'll always feel like a weird homeschooler. So that's sort of like how Fern, when she's with people,

is like, she's like a homeschooler, if that makes any sense. Like where you're like, they don't really know how to like interact with people sometimes, meaning me, I guess. Where it's like, it's kind of that thing, where it's like at some point she'll grow up and figure out how to interact with her feelings and people.

You know what's really cool? I just had a, sorry, I just had a moment there, just listening. Like, this is so cool. The fact that you guys talk about your characters in such depth, like, and so, and there's just so much going on, like it's rich. Like it's exciting. And it's like, you going on. Like, it's rich. Like, it's exciting.

And it's like, you know, I think of other people who play D&D or any of these role-playing games. And just the amount of depth and heart that comes into it. It's fucking awesome. That was really cool. Sorry, I just... You drew that out of us as an interviewer. That was just a question, man. I'm just doing my job.

Thanks. Sam? Here's a question for you, because I feel like we talk about this a lot, since you play, sort of in that, I don't know why I'm pointing fingers today. I'm so sorry.

My finger's away. Like, now I feel like I can't talk. Do you? I feel like we talk about a lot of how- Tell us more about your homeschooling. Yeah. I feel like I'm just like spiraling into weakness. Oh no. We talk about a lot how some D&D is so much therapy a lot of the time.

Yeah. You know, where you're playing and you're like, oh no, Methinks I'm working out some shit right now. Do you ever feel that way when you play? Oh, 100%. Yeah, 100%. I think the reason why I'm a chaotic player is because I had such a regimented upbringing, right?

You know, I grew up in a Muslim household. I was, you know, grew up in a very small sort of like, I guess you guys would call it like a cul-de-sac in a way. Yeah. And what do you, what do you call it? A cul-de-sac. There's no silly, silly word. There's no silly, silly word.

Is that what you call it, like an ND or something? No, but like, but the thing is, is like, you know, I the thing is, I grew up in a place where I had to be good, right? I was always a big lad as well when I was growing up, so easy to be a target, to get in fights. And so you just had to stick to your line. And so what I find whenever I play is playing into the chaos or the impulse is almost that sense of like, yeah, this is where I can be free.

This is where I can do anything and be anything I want. And I think like that to me is what's so freeing about it. And you end up, funnily enough, finding all these little intricacies and characters that were living in the back of your head that you didn't realize existed until you've put them down on paper and you're doing it. So, yeah, I think it is.

I think there is a slight element of therapy to it, which is great. Yeah. For sure. Like, so freeing. So do you feel like you make characters that are a little bit different than yourself to explore those sides? Yeah, I think so. I think so.

Because I think it's one of the only places you can do it, especially as actors. Like, most of the time as actors, you get given a script, you do the characters, what's on the page, and you gotta deliver what's on the page, right? But then, in D&D, you can do whatever the fuck you like. You know, and I think that's where the freedom and play comes in.

Even with improv, to a degree degree there is some feeling of, you know, there's a freedom in it obviously because you're yes-anding, but at the same time there is a sense of like here are the boundaries to a degree, whereas I generally feel with D&D or any sort of tabletop game there is a feeling or a sense of, no I could do anything, and I think that's what's really beautiful about it and really cool about it, which again, is completely in contrast to, as I say, like how I grew up, which was very like, do this, do that,

don't do this, don't do that. Yeah. Next question. I love it. Shit. We love it. We love it. We love it.

Okay, we got one for Sam. Sure. With the successful group bonding, does FCG feel like they are getting better at therapy? How does he feel about having his memory taken by Nana Mori? Well, this therapy session, two-part episode, I think was the best therapy that FCG has ever been a part of by far the only problem with it is he's not sure how much was him and how much was Nana Mori because he and Nana Mori planned this but then so that he could participate Nana Mori wiped his memory of the planning of it so

FCG doesn't remember how much came from him or how much came from Nana Mori I think he hopes that at least half came from him yeah um but I think yeah it didn't it inspired me to uh to do maybe to try more bonding stuff and more connecting with my friends and maybe it doesn't have to be like a sit-down therapy session maybe just talking and being open is enough it was it was really nice though I'm glad it I was actually really excited also as just a player that like it was it was sort of my idea to do the the therapy games or whatever was It was your idea. Yeah, you threw it out in game.

But then afterwards, when we ended that session that night, I was like, oh God, Matt, have I painted you in a corner? I made you do a bunch of bonding exercises. And he was like, no, no, it's going to be great. But I'm just pleased that it worked. It was just a good couple episodes. So it was really, really fun. And the mini games that he worked. It was just a good couple episodes. It was awesome. It was really fun. And the mini games that he made.

They were so much fun. Oh my god, it was so fun. Who did the map one? You did the map one? Uh-huh. One of you? I was blindfolded once and then I gave directions twice. How was it to be blindfolded?

Yeah, to be on the blindfolded side. So wiggy. For a long time. Yeah, so he did this thing where three of us got blindfolded, and then the other players at the table were able to, had to give directions to like, so you could lead your mini across a map, but it was all winding and everything,

and if you went too far and you fell off, you would die, basically. You lost the challenge. So we were like, go forward, go forward. Stop, stop, stop. Go a little bit to your left. To the left. And we had to like talk to him around, you know,

little, little, little. It was, it felt like a home game. It really did. It felt like a home game again. I was like, whoa, this is cool. But it must have been also like being blindfolded on camera for 10 years. It was very, very long time. Being blindfolded on camera for

Being blindfolded and like having I Was the second one to go so Travis went first and I could hear you guys giving direction to him But I had no concept at all of what he was moving of What the map that he was trying to like I didn't know how big the map was I didn't know Like anything so when I was given my like little mini i was like holding on to it with like you don't know how because i thought i was gonna like fall off the edge and yeah it's just it was all about the girls were like what yeah yeah so like that definitely and then like poor talison because talison went last and i feel like we were playing that little mini game for at least an hour.

It was a while. So Taliesin- I was blindfolded for a long time. Because Matt wanted everybody to be blindfolded who was going to do it so that you couldn't get context for what it was. So Taliesin's just sitting over there. Like 40 minutes.

45 minutes. Yeah, just not talking, just blind. It was strangely relaxing though, because like I never get to take naps during the day. And I put the blindfold on, it was so dark. And I was just like. It was like, I had a headache going into it. The headache was gone when I took the mask off.

Wow. Yeah. That's cool. We did it. Got another question here for Marisha. Did Laudna consider reaching for pate? Pate? Yeah.

Is it pate or pe? Pate. Pate is my dead flying rat. Wow, okay. With a bird skull. He's so cute. Well, did Laudna consider reaching for pate for comfort when she

was in Delilah's grasp? How does she feel about her familiar now that she can actually talk to her? Oh. But he can actually talk to her, sorry. Yeah. Well, yeah, I mean Pate came a little bit later in Laudna's journey. So she had Delilah first for, like, a considerable amount of time. Right. So I think, and then that being that close to Whitestone, Delilah's influence, I think she just, I mean, as we talked about after the game, she just kind of, like, reverted and went back.

And, like, P and went back and like, Pate's great and all, but it's not like he's a complex conversationalist. Um, he's basically- What? What? What? What? What? What? Yeah, he doesn't- he's can't, you know, I always think of Pate as basically Laudna's Wilson, all a castaway. Oh wow. Yeah, where it's like.

She's just keeping it her same. Just there to keep her sane. Not really someone who she can get like, like Pate is basically just an extension of like Laudna's subconscious, her brain. So it's like talking to herself essentially. Whereas Delilah is a whole other thing, whole other entity. So.

You know what Pate is going to say. Yes, because it's basically. What do you think about this? Yeah, yeah, yeah, me too. Yeah, exactly. Laura. Yes. What was it like for Imogen to trust her friends as they guided her during Nana's test?

Oh, speaking of. Yeah. It was great. Yeah. Moving on. Laura. Yes. What was it like for, no.

All just not possible. Laura. Yes. What was it like for... How does Imogen feel impersonating her mother or leaning into being Liliana Talmud's daughter at the key? Right. Very nervous about it. It's funny because she doesn't know her mother at all. She doesn't really have any memories other than a vague, every once in a while,

like a vision of her as a child, you know, like looking up at her. But the music came in, right? So I feel so conflicted But the music came in right at this moment. So I feel so conflicted about, Imogen feels very conflicted about who Liliana actually is. Cause I know I've said this before and I keep wishy-washy-ing going back and forth.

For so long, this voice that she was hearing, Liliana disappeared when she was a little teeny weeny kid and she would have nightmares and Liliana's voice was always in her nightmare, like waking her up to the fact that it was a nightmare and telling her to get out. And so she always took it as a comfort as like this voice, this is my mother, she's protecting me.

And then like, as we've discovered more and more about her now it's like wait is what's wrong here and was I reading it wrong this whole time and she's actually a bad guy is she a bad guy but she's conflicted and she's like double agenting it and still wants to help me um and then we get to this big fight and Liliana doesn't help us at all like in the moment of like truth she abandons us right so I've kind of come to terms with the fact like oh she's she's actually bad I read it wrong this whole time she's a terrible human being um and then this is like skipping that question fully but and then i have the fucking thing with pradathos where like the embrace happens and then i hear her in my head

before i like gave in fully to pradathos no don't do it don't do it no yeah and so it's like weird she's trying to protect you but she's also a bad guy it's like maybe she maybe it's that thing where like once you get with prodothos you can't fight that okay yeah you can't yeah but seriously you can't fight that that draw right and maybe liliana has been so close to it for so long that she can't do anything but give into the the influence when she's around it but she has the subconscious that second part of her brain that's always like i want to keep my daughter away from it if i can like don't come near pradatos because i don't want you to suffer the same you just gave into it but i just gave into it so what's that gonna mean for liliana i don't know you're gonna turn into your mom.

Maybe I will, maybe Trent will just have a couple of lavender hair. You'll have a baby with Laudna and you'll have to be in her head her whole life saying don't do what I did. Yeah, run. Means that, not that I'm a parent, but. It's time. That you know of. You're just skipping, parent, but. It's time. That you know it.

You're just skipping. You're like, yeah. First time, it's time. It's time. Shut up everyone, it's time. For another poll from the spreadsheet of inquiry. Spreadsheet of inquiry. What is the next question on the spreadsheet?

I had more important things to do, which were give my boss water. But according to the spreadsheet of inquiry, Evelyn G wants to know. Yes? If given the opportunity, do you think your character would rather meet their past or future selves, and why? Wait, wait, wait, say it again. Given the opportunity, would your character

rather meet their past or future selves, and why? I think I'd like to meet my past self. Well, yeah. Because I don't know who I was and what I was built for. And... Well, now you know what you were built for. Yeah, I guess so. But I still have the question of like, am I more than that?

I feel like... Are you and Barbie the same movie? I'm Barbie. Oh my God. Oh my God. Did Margot Robbie rip off her character from me? Oh my gosh. I'm blonde. Wait, can somebody make an FCG super cut to the Billie Eilish song? Hip hop.

Not that one. No, I know. The serious one? Yeah, but no, I want to know. I was created by someone to do a purpose, yes, for a purpose, to entertain girls. And I need to know if I can be more than that or if that's just what I am and I should just embrace it. I was created to be a killing machine 2,000 years ago. It took me a second that you were talking about Barbie and I was like, wait, FCG was created to be a killing machine 2,000 years ago. It took me a second that you were talking about Barbie, and I was like, wait, FCG was created for...

No. For girls. Um, yeah. Wait, what all can you do? Fresh hair goes to the baby. I did not know. All my attachments. You had some attachments.

Math is hard. Oh my god. I feel like a fern could go either way I feel like the future really scares her but I feel like you know oh we're matching um I feel like the future scares her but I feel like she only really knows her past, which sounds so... It's not like FCG where it's like she knows her past so well, but... I don't know. Probably the future. I don't know. I think she'd be scared for either one. Of course. I'd say past for

Laudna, because once again, I don't think... Laudna's already dead. What's her future? Maybe life. Maybe there's a way to enliven you. But to like go back and meet Matilda who hadn't been like burdened with what we're seeing now. Yes. That'd be pretty. Yeah.

It was so long ago, she's kind of forgotten some elements of that. So, probably past. What about you? I would go future. Yeah. Future about you? I would go future. Yeah. Future, why? Because Imogen always wants to know,

and she wants to know, she would want to know if she goes bad or not. Okay. Next question, please, Dani. Well, friendly.local.hag on Instagram asks... Amazing name. Yeah, that's a great name. What is the most fascinating aspect of Exandria's worldbuilding to you?

E.g. myths, legends, geography, fauna, flora, culture, etc. Holy shit. That is too hard to put into one thing. Ugh. All of the- Exandria is the world that we play in. That you play in, right. Yes, that Matt has created and intricately weaved.

I guess it's not the, it's not any one thing for me, and I'm sure it's not any one thing for anybody, but I guess it's not any one thing for me and I'm sure it's not any one thing for anybody but I guess it's just the complexity of how it all goes together and if you like the flora and fauna is related to the history which is related to the gods which is related to wars which is related to the gods, which is related to wars, which is related to past campaigns,

which is related to calamity, which is like, it's all, there's a reason why the flower is called this name, and it has to do with a god that we haven't even heard of yet, you know? But Matt knows what it is, and we'll find out three years from now. It's like like it's amazing yeah it's incredible don't know how he does it i don't know it's crazy i'm always so impressed with

how he like his concept of time too and like if we dilly dally too long then like things just the world just keeps moving and everyone and everyone and you guys watch his packs keynote speech yeah it was so good and like at the end he had this like whole bit at the end that was basically like kind of like itch name main character syndrome it was kind of like it was like hey just remember like everyone around you has their own fleshed out lives and experiences and their own problems going on and and he's like and i and he was relating that to his campaigns and like the world building in his campaign where it's like yeah we as like our adventuring party may just stumble across like a random farmer.

And, but this, you know, and he mentioned, he was like, I always, whenever I build like NPCs beyond their function to what the story and the players are gonna be, I also just jot down like another little thing, like another fun little factoid about their lives that they might not ever come up. But like, oh, this person's really into beading. And I don't know. Beading.

Beading. Beading. You know? This person masturbates six times a day. I don't know why. They're really into competitive pumpkin growing. Yeah. Yeah. They've won a pumpkin growing contest.

I don't know. This is why Matt is good at what he does. We don't do that. They're really into forming sausages. I don't know, I feel like it's the most Matt Mercer thing to say a word that then everybody else does. Yes, yes.

I will say, and this is kind of expanding on what you were saying, where I feel like whenever we visit places, we do feel the history of it. Like I think about, I don't know why this place, I think about the barbed fields a lot. Yeah, it's super cool. Just because like that visual to me of like knowing- That's your Roman Empire? Yeah! That's my Roman, yes.

How often do you think about the barbed fields? I think about the barbed fields at least like three times a week. But it just, it was like visually these, these like spires or whatever it was coming from this, this battle that happened so long ago. And just like, we always feel the history of like, oh, this place has been here for a very long time. It doesn't feel like something he just made up because everything, everything has a reason. Yeah.

By the way, that would be a sick EXU calamity sort of. A barbed field. Barbed fields, I don't know. Yeah, I want to know why that, I still am always like, why did that happen? What are those? I also still think when we were in London and our panel in London,

and he just like randomly drops like, oh yeah, and all the underwater nations. Yes. And we were like, what? Like, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. I didn't know this was a thing that we could do. What are you talking about? Mermaid campaign.

Mermaid campaign. Yes. Mermaid at least like three shot. You know what I mean? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. It's gotta be at least a few. Sure. It can be longer.

And I want to be in it. Do you want to play in that one? Do you want to be a mermaid? I want to be a mermaid. You would be to play in that one? Do you want to be a mermaid? You would be a great mermaid. Oh, I'd love that. 100%. Do you know who I am?

Yeah. I am a fucking fucking mermaid. I am King Triton. I'm telling you, I watched Ariel. Thank you, oh God, is that me? No, it's fine, no, it's fine. Thank you, Evelyn G. and Friendly Local Hag. Now remember, if you have a question

you want to submit to us, you can enter it at criproll.com slash tower. And with that, we're gonna be taking a quick break. But if you are a podcast listener or a person who skips the C block, we have a special treat for you because when we come back from our break, we'll be extending our conversation and asking

any leftover questions. There's a few less because there's no more bits on Foresighted Dive. Not a single one. Not a single one. Bye. On this episode

of Foresighted Dive, our chosen game nicely suits the audio-only format of a podcast. So enjoy an extra helping of chaos. If you're enjoying this episode so far, be sure to drop a rating and a review on whatever podcast platform you're using. Your thoughts may just encourage a new critter to dive in themselves. All right, let's get back to it and play some games.

Welcome back to Foresighted Dive. We have an extra special treat for you tonight because we are, yes, you guessed it, talking more. Let's keep talking. Come on, everyone. Let's talk. Talking. Hi, Danny. Hi.

Hi, Danny. Hi. I joined y'all. I'm the lore keeper for those who don't watch our show. I don't know why you're watching this now. Butterfly crown. Thank you. Is that new?

It's kind of new. It's another Claire's purchase. Did you? Is it really a Claire's? Claire's? Okay. I don't know what Claire's policies are it's another Claire's purchase. Did you really? Is it really a Claire's? Okay, I don't know what Claire's policies are. I'm not advocating for anything Claire's does. Maybe they'll sponsor us.

I love Claire's. I wanna say that with again, I know nothing about Claire's other than they make accessories that I love. They do make good accessories. Earlier. Claire's is like Sanrio to me. Yeah. Like going into them, I'm like,

It's nostalgic. Yes, I feel like middle school, elementary school vibes. Those are real butterflies too. They are, yeah. They were killed. Yes, again, I do not endorse anything Claire's does. Unless it's really good, in which case, you go Claire's. I've got a question.

Yes. What would, what accessory would your characters have secretly or not even secretly that you would say, you know, kind of represents your- Like a fashion accessory? Fashion anything. A finger, that's, I mean, not necessarily a fashion accessory. We have actually had a character who did have a finger

as like part of their kit. There you go. So let me know, like what's in your pockets, guys. If I was to dive into Fern's pocket, for example, what would I pick? Oh my god, there's too many pockets. There's so many pockets, so many marsupial pouches. Multiple.

I think one of the things that I had written down as something that she has in her inventory of things that she took, which I think I might have given it to somebody at this point but i still feel like she probably has multiple of these are um people's braids what yeah like like she's just like i just love it i just have to cut it off this person and like i i have like multiple long haired braids in my bag because i think it's funny that she's like, I love this, I want it, it's mine.

Did this come up in EXU? I think, wasn't that, yeah, it was far back. I feel like I remember this. Yeah, it might be. It's like this is unlocking a recessed corridor in my brain. It might have come up in EXU. I've had it for a while. I don't remember.

I feel like that's something Fern wouldn't do at this point. Probably not anymore. I don't feel like she'd cut off somebody's braid because I think in this plane she's like, oh, that's weird. Alive. They were alive.

Yeah. And just like sitting watching a show and she was just like, ugh. Cut someone's braid. Wow. I really regret asking that question. And teeth. Teeth!

Teeth and hair. How? Teeth, how? You've collected teeth before. I mean, I have a little bit of a teeth thing too. You do, that's why you like those teeny weeny dice. Yeah, I love them. Wait, wait, wait, wait, you as Ashley have a- What does that mean?

I don't really know what that means, but I like teeth. You like loose teeth. Yeah. As you're saying this, you're like- Don't tell people, they're gonna get people sending you- No, so my- If we go to a con- Don't send me teeth, I don't want your teeth. Just bring your're like, don't tell people. They're going to get people sending you teeth. No, so my, my. If we go to a con. Don't send me teeth. I don't want your teeth.

Just bring your baby teeth. Don't bring teeth. Holy shit. I think, because I think they're so, they're just so weird. They're like our bones on the outside. That is young. By definition, exactly what we are.

Yeah, and then we get to see them, and like, they do so many different things. They make you, they show your happiness, they show when you're like, you know. They chew. My niece spent the night at my place a couple nights ago, and she lost a tooth. Did you lose your mind? I was like,

I love this is happening at my house. You had a little niece situation? Yeah. Wait, did the tooth fairy do that with your house? We didn't, she doesn't. If you're a child watching, turn off the show right now. She said, she's like, we don't do the tooth fairy at my house.

Oh! Well, they used to, because my sister used to go ham and put little glitter footprints. And, but- That's really cool. Leeloo's too in on it. She's too like, that's not a thing anymore.

She's nine. If you stop believing, then the tooth fairy stops showing up. So you never stop believing. Correct. I'm with you. Yes. I still believe.

I still believe. She said, she's like, well, I don't want to get rid of my tooth, so I'd rather keep the tooth than take the money. And I was like, well, what if I keep the tooth? And I pay for it. I was like, I don't want to keep the tooth? And I pay for it. I was like, I want to make a little necklace out of it. Maybe I'm the tooth fairy.

Maybe that's Fern's end game. She becomes the tooth fairy. I actually really love this. What if it was that you take a tooth, it's a take a tooth, leave a tooth? Take a tooth, leave a tooth, yeah. I kind of love that. So wait.

Big gap. In Exandria, the tooth fairy pulls a tooth and puts somebody else's in it. Yeah. That's so fucking scary. You just wake up with a little samurai. All different sizes. That actually is an anthology book that I keep pitching,

is like little like horror stories or just like folk tales from different areas of Exandria. And I really love that as like a book, as a version of the tooth fairy that's in like Issylra or something. The tooth fairy changes your teeth or something. Yes! Why can't I like this? Because I mean, burn could be the tooth fairy. Because like the tooth fairy is obviously

a Feywild. Oh yeah. Right? And you're like walking in and out. Why is that a thing? Why is that a thing? I like this. Yeah. She pays you for your teeth. Yeah. Right? And you're like walking in and out. Why is that a thing? I like this. Yeah, I should do this.

She pays you for your teeth. So wait, did you end up keeping your niece's tooth? Yes, I have it. What did you give her? In my pocket right now. Yeah, what did you give her? Coloring book. Just some candy.

Oh, nice. Can you get more teeth? Oh, I can get more teeth? Do you have plans for the tooth? I kind of want to like, this is really weird. This is weird? No, I know. I kind of want to dip it in like some,

I want to make like a little necklace out of it. Sure. Like encase it in resin or something? Yeah, yeah. You could do like what I have with the purse. Like that, and like dip the little part of it in gold. Yeah, make a little. How big is it?

She was such a boss taking it out too. Oh, she took it out? Yeah. Damn. Because it was wiggling and she's like. Did she do the wiggle wiggle twist and pull? Yeah. And I was like, do you want me to out too. Oh, she took it out? Yeah. Damn. Because it was wiggling. Did she do the wiggle wiggle, twist and pull? Yeah. And I was like, do you want me to do it?

Oh, God. And she's like, no, no, no, I can do it. And I was like, are you sure? She's such a boss. She's such a boss. I see mine was always that I would just like play with it for so long that I would just pop out. I would just, ooh.

I was like, fuck. The slow pop after days. Yeah. Isn't it crazy that we experienced our teeth coming out? Falling out. Yes. Isn't it crazy that we experienced our teeth coming out? Falling out? Isn't it crazy that we're born with a second set of teeth? Just in your skulls. At once that just goes away and then we get a new one.

And those full adult sized teeth are just in the fucking, in the skull. Ew, that's gross. It's weird. Yeah, have you ever seen like when kids get their heads x-rayed before they push it out? They get a whole other round of teeth? Yes, it's weird.

Did you know that? You've seen this? No, I did not. They're just in there when you're pulling. Yeah, your extra teeth are already there. You just saved it on your phone. So if it's small enough, you could send it to literally any of our

dice people and put it in a D20. Oh, that would be cool. It's really tiny. It was a, like a little thing. So it'd fit in a D20, yeah? Make it, put it in a D20 mold? I don't hate it. I don't hate it.

Do the canines have the two? The two prongs or is it just a single? It's just a single. Yeah, so. Got your, yeah. Yeah, so. Gotcha. Yeah, that's cool. Hair thing and a teeth thing. Not necessarily fashion or accessories, but.

Oh, you know. Oh, you know. Yeah. So yeah, who's next? Oh, that was just one question. Yeah. What accessory does FCG have? A what?

Wow. Oh, wow. A teled A doll. A what? Wow. Oh, wow! campaign I had some idea that like he would savor different oils like he liked different motor oils. What about essential oils? Yeah he was gonna sample a bunch of oils but then I dropped all that so now he just eats coins. I don't know what he has now probably a bunch of baking stuff. Last time I invented that he has a sourdough starter with him at all times. That's true. Which is pretty great.

Yeah. I mean, I feel like you've talked about the sourdough starter before too. It's in my life a lot because Quyen is just you, Sam talking about sourdough starter. Quyen is constantly working on her Levan and her keeping her starter going. She shares her starter with other people.

She posts about it on her stories a lot. It's very exciting. Does she ever sell loaves anymore? Because I want to buy those right now. She did a pop-up last year. I miss her cookies. Her cookies and her bread. I just had them.

Ashley just had one of her cookies two nights ago. Girl! I did. What? Why? How? Ashley came over to my house for dinner, whatever. I was really hoping that I was gonna have cookies waiting for Q when I came to take care of Rigatoni. What?

Sorry, Q made pho, which is my favorite. You made sushi! I know, I know, you love pho too. Laura and I both like pho, prefer it to ramen. It's okay, I'm fine, everything's fine. No big deal, I'm just. I had to, I was hungry. I know my place.

I'm just a poor, lonely girl, I needed somebody to feed me. I took care of Rigatoni and there were no cookies. I'm sorry. You could have eaten anything in the fridge though and I hope you did. I don't remember. I did order a pine and crane that was very good. Oh thank you sweetie.

By the way, Abu, this is possibly the best question that's ever been asked on this show. Yeah, I know. We've been talking for a solid 15 minutes. About nothing. And we're only half way through. This whole C block is gonna be one. I kind of love it. Yeah.

I kind of love it. I think it's what it is. Go ahead, hit us. Oh man. I don't know. I mean, Imogen has this. I know, I was gonna say the scarf. I was gonna say the scarf. Is there a story behind the scarf

or is it just a pretty scarf? I just thought, you know. Is it keeping her head on from falling off? Green ribbon. She's a green ribbon. Children need more scary stories. Yes. Was that from Are You Afraid of the Dark?

No, Scary Stories. I don't think so. No, it was just because of the Dark? No, Scary Stories. Scary Stories. I don't think so. No, it was just because of the dust, because she was a horse girl. Oh. But she doesn't have the scarf on in the newest. But she still owns it, right? Like when we get to the moon, you can whip it out.

Yeah, you've mentioned it since like the- I always talk about it, yeah, I do things with the scarf. I imagine it's just in her pocket. And also the magical scarf that we got. Why are you looking at me? Wait, what do you do with a scarf? What do you think do with a scarf? What do you think happens with a scarf?

It's a silk scarf or something? I mean, I can think of things you can do with a scarf. A blindfold or one of those like. Oh, oh, oh, oh. You can tie, you can wrap around the mouth. There's all kinds of things. That's true. Scarf play.

Scarves? Scarves are multi-guy. That's not where I was going with it, but okay. And also Nana Mori gave her a scarf now too. Or gave us a scarf and she took it out. Oh, do you have the scarf? I have the scarf. Because it was purple.

That's true. I love it. Why is it different in any way? It's just... It's a magic scarf. Oh, that's right. But I was picturing it as a big, like, square silk scarf when he was describing it,

and then, like, the picture when I typed it in was like a long, just a scarf. But it's a square scarf. And that new thing for Nana Mori, it does magic mouth, and that's it? And it does magic mouth, it does suggestion. That's a good one. And you can cast fear, but the problem with it is that the DC is 15.

That's my DC all the time, by the way. That's pretty low, that's low. I know. But most of your spells are not, Suck. Are healing or attack-based, right? So they have to do either a deck, well, it's just an attack roll.

Guiding Bolt is an attack roll. I can't do much. No, I know, I was a cleric. You were not a cleric. But, um. No, I know I was a cleric. But like all of Imogen's spells are saves. Like she has very, very, very few spells

that are like attack. You're right, you're right. Cleric is my favorite fucking class. They're such a good class. It's so good. Like for any game. You can do anything with it. It's so much fun.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, end game, like level 20 cleric with the free divine intervention. I mean, it's garbage. Clerics's so much fun. Yeah, end game, like level 20 cleric with the free divine intervention. I mean, it's garbage. Clerics are so much fun. He would think that. What about you? Laudna.

It's tough, because I'm another one with a bunch of accessories that I'm very vocal about. I also collect bones. What about the scissors? The scissors? Yeah. Ooh, good call. You don't really use them, but they're on your. They're on me. Was that gonna be like your primary weapon

at the beginning? No, I just, I liked the idea of her being a little crafty hag, just a little. Ready to craft something. Ready to craft at any time. And then also there's just, honestly, it was just because I was like, what's spooky? Ooh, scissors.

Yeah. Scissors. Rusty scissors are just kind of like. They're creepy. A little creepy by nature. They squeak. Like I think, and yeah, and I think like, especially like old school, like heavy duty metallic shears.

Yeah. I feel like. I feel like you'd accidentally chop your finger off with if you miss. Yes. Yeah. So it's just kind of honestly meant to add to the. I feel like you'd accidentally chop your finger up with if you miss. Yes. Yeah. So it's just kind of honestly meant to add to the mystique. Scissors are just a great vibe for sapphic characters. Yeah.

Yeah. Sure. Yeah. Yes. Yeah. Unintended yes. You know what I think about, though, all the time? You know what my Roman Empire is?

It's not even my accessory, but that coin that you had at the very beginning of the campaign. What coin? That we dropped down in the cold. Oh, the Coin of Delving. The Coin of Delving that Aurum dropped? Yes.

I, one of my like weird goals is at some point to go get that, it could be a one shot after this campaign is done, where we go find that coin. It's still in my inventory, it's just unchecked. Oh. I'll put it back. Wait, who did that originally belong to? Me.

It did? Okay. I think it was his lover. It was Dancer. I got it at the beginning of the campaign. It was like one of my starting items or something like that. Was it supposed to be Dancer's or something? I think so. It was like from, he starting items or something like that. Was it supposed to be dancers or something? I think so. It was like from, he had this,

and it could cast light or something, right? It could cast light. And then he had it for like three games, and then it wasn't even him. I loaned it to Orim, and Orim dropped it. Orim used it. That's the thing, is it was a coin. He dropped it on purpose.

Yeah, that's the thing, is it's a coin of delving, which means that whenever you drop it, it gives you a ping and you know how far it dropped. It's a coin you're going to eventually lose. But we thought maybe we would go down there. I think that's what it was, is we were like, oh, let's, cause yeah, Dani is right. We technically used the coin exactly how it was meant to be used. For its purpose. But I think we were like, oh, let's, cause yeah, Dani is right. We technically use the coin exactly

how it was meant to be used. But I think we were like- If you don't get back the rock, you throw down the well. Well, what if the well is only like 100 feet? It's your special rock. I think it was that we didn't- Don't throw up the special rock. We didn't anticipate it being like,

oh, this just fell into the- This was like a thousand feet. This is a thousand feet. Yeah. It was like, well, never mind. Yeah. Oh, I forgot about that. Sorry about that.

Yeah. But it also, you were so sad about it. And I want to get it back. Orm felt terrible. Yeah. As he should. Gave him permission to do it. Maybe end game I'll go evil and kill him

and that'll be the... That's a reason? Yeah, that's it. I like that. You fucking idiot, you lost my coin! Wait, in your D&D game, what class do you play? So at the moment, I am playing a fighter. Really?

What specialization? So this is the thing. So the D&D that we're playing at the moment isn't actually the classic D&D. It's Mass Effect variant of D&D. That's so cool! Playing a soldier. In this D&D you get ship fights and you also get like, you can modify your armor. You can build your armor.

You can add all these cool mods to your gun as well. And like there's different kind of like half cover, full cover, all these crazy other rules as well. You get shields and stuff and it's like really dope. Do you have any bionic upgrades? So I don't, I'm pure soldier. So like I'm just complete decked out full custom armor, Turian sort of.

Oh, you're Turian. Yeah man. Amazing. Yeah, whereas all my friends have all the bionic powers and stuff, but I'm just like soldier through and through. That's sick. And on our session zeros, my best mate who's, funnily enough, writing at my game studio, he's telling me what to do at D&D and I pay him. Anyway, no, on our session zeroes,

he gave us these impossible missions where everyone had their own, and I haven't actually asked what the other guys did, but everyone else failed their mission apart from my character. And I don't know what it is, but I think the soldier class in this is so, so powerful. So what you're saying is that canonically you're the best.

Pretty much. No, I am Commander Shepard. Yeah, yeah. But Turian. So, yeah. And this is my favorite shop on the set of this. Yeah, it's like, honestly, it was honestly, it was so, it's good fun.

So that's what I'm currently playing at the moment. But normally whenever I do D&D, I play Paladins, but I go for the oath of conquest. Oath of conquest. So I'm like, I'm always dark. Yeah. Dark paladin. That's what I'm like. Woo!

That's so cool. What accessory does your soldier have? My soldier has a cloth called Lugada's Cloth, which during a campaign, which is the same campaign in which he left, basically, fighting for the government, he witnessed mass atrocities and one child he tried to save couldn't. And so he kept that cloth as a reminder of why he should never join the army or fight for any big group. So now that's why he's a freelancer,

because he carries jobs and he's immersed in it, but he's fucking good at it. So yeah. Sick. That's rad. I love that. I wanna play that game. I know.

I just wanna watch that game. I just need you to send me email updates about what's going on in that game. Is this an official Mass Effect? I don't think it's official. I think it was like fan made. Fan made? Yeah, I think like, yeah, my mate,

cause we're all Mass Effect fans. So we were just like, yeah, let's just play this campaign. And again, as I say, it was, you know, very much homebrew sort of like trying to figure out the mechanics and everything. Sam Maggs? Can you believe it? Yeah.

Mass Effect, I know. Yeah. Honestly, it was such a fun, yeah, it's great fun. It's great, great fun. Would you consider yourself more of a sci-fi guy or high fantasy? Oh man, that's tough. That is a tough question. That is tough.

That is hard. I probably am more science fiction. And the big reason why is because I think that it's closer to home so as an audience member or someone who's watching it it's easier to get people to relate to something yeah it is with high fantasy I think high fancy you can kind of lose yourself in right yeah you can lose yourself in the magic of it the dragons and everything but whereas sci-fi, it can be so close to home and you don't even know it, it's really interesting and entertaining.

Yeah, for sure. I think that was the one thing that I loved, even when doing Raised by Wolves, was just how out there it was, but how close it was as well. Yeah. It's that whole, I mean, yeah, we've got flying snakes. I mean, that's not very close, but...

Flying snakes are real. Flying snakes are fucking real. I've seen them. Like. Okay, I have a horrible, I have a horrible phobia of snakes. When I was very little, my parents bought me a National Geographic book

about snakes thinking it would help my phobia. Then I opened up the book and I saw that flying snakes were a real thing and I closed the book. You serious? Flying snakes? No, yes, I'm telling you, look it up. But none of you have a phobia of snakes because they're really scary. What? If you don't send me No, yes, I'm telling you, look it up. But none of you have phobia of snakes because they're really scary.

What? If you send me anything with snakes, I will cry. Wow. Laura's looking it up right now. Flying snakes? That's the thing, so yeah. It's like they fall from trees and this is, and they call the phone,

I think I'm angry. They actually glide. And they like, they'll do it to like get her across rivers and stuff, right? Yes, it's awful. I think I know what you're talking about. It's awful. They'll like glide.

Yeah, they can like actively glide. It's horrifying. I'm actually gonna like have to throw up. Like this is making me uncomfortable. Wow. Don't look at it. Chrysopelia, more commonly known as the flying snake or gliding snake.

What the fuck? Flying snakes are mildly venomous. Oh my God. Mildly. Mild. It's like a mild curry. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Do not scroll past this, please.

Their range is Southeast Asia, southernmost China, India, and Sri Lanka. What's their flying range? Yeah, yeah. What is their flying speed? And outside Danny Carr's house. Things to know. How far?

About 300 feet from the tops of trees. No! Whoa! Wait, wait, but they're on, but is that like a 300 foot tree? Speed around 25 miles per hour. Oh my god. No!

Falling? They're just jumping. They're just jumping. A snake should not be able to jump. It shouldn't be able to jump. Wait, wait, though, wait. Yeah, they'll launch themselves into the air and glide down it.

How do they fly? But they're not flying, they're just falling. They'll launch themselves into the air and glide down. Ah! But they're not flying, they're just falling. They're just gonna go like this. It's a snake, it's not like they have wings. No, I think they can. Maybe they can. No, legitimately, we're calling you.

I think, yeah. I hate this, I hate when we fall. Look at the picture. Stop. Okay, let me see. You control it with the tail. No, no, no, no. It's a still picture.

Of course it looks graceful. He looks like he's falling out of the sky. I think they fall. I wanna see a video. We're falling, they're not flying. I love we're talking about this incredible Sorry. Species of snake that can do this incredible thing

and Sam's like, it's just falling. What? That's not that cool. Can you glide through the air, Sam? Well, it chose to call itself a flying snake. It's better, like, it's gonna that cool. Can you glide through the air, Sam? Well, it chose to call itself a flying snake. It's better, like, it's gonna earn that. That chose, by the way, was a huge tangent. You had not finished talking about it.

No, I think that was, that's, but look at how close to life it is, right? Flying fucking snakes. I'm with you. Didn't have that kind of conversation. I'm with you on that, because I lean more sci-fi than I do high fantasy. Right. Like, more, You don't care for our show very much? Not really. I lean way, yeah, I much prefer sci-fi than I do high fantasy. Right. You don't care for action very much? Not really.

I lean way, yeah, I much prefer sci-fi. I just think it's so much more, it's fascinating because it just feels, weirdly even though you could probably see it as kind of crazy and opposite of the spectrum, it just feels closer to home. Yeah, it's a good point. It's easy to cover like, you know,

the atrocities of mankind and capitalism and all the themes that we relate to, that we have to deal with. Right. But on a hyper consequence scale. So yeah, because I love sci-fi too. Give me a top three sci-fi films that you love. Is that too hard? Or love. Is that too hard? Or books. Is three too hard? Or books.

Or video games. Or video games. IPs. Okay. Friends. Or give me however many you want. I'm saying give me top sci-fi friends. Oh, I thought you meant like Friends, the television show.

No. No. Friends? I don't think that's sci-fi. No, no, it's sci-fi. Sci-fi? Yeah-fi. Sci-fi? Yeah. Okay.

Cheers. I would say. Promise we've moved past 1997. Yeah. I would say Annihilation is pretty up there. I love Annihilation. Books as well? If we're doing books as well.

Annihilation books. Yeah. That series. Yeah. I think film-wise I'm thinking i'm thinking the film gorgeous i mean it's a beautiful film yeah um and the concept that's so genius which is kind of similar to what you're saying where you're like it's broad but also like it's just close yeah yeah oh god um i am a massive fan of probably the Alien series. Yes.

I've heard of that. That's me all day long. Alien's fucking dope. Yeah. And, oh God. Something else that begins with A. All AAA IPs. Arrival.

Arrival's very good. Arrival's fucking good, yeah. But no, I'd say if we're gonna do video games as well, I'm a huge fan of Mass Effect. I think Mass Effect is fucking dope. It's a great franchise. I've never played Mass Effect. Oh, Ashley, you would love it! You would!

Ashley! Well, you like Dragon Age. But it's the same vibe. It's the exact same vibe, but it's the same. But is it hard to go back? You know, when you go to like- Is it so early, early? Yeah.

Well, I guess- No, they just- They did. That's how I ended up playing it. Is it a remaster? Yeah. Because they did a remaster that came a couple years ago. The Legendary Edition.

Yes. And it was fucking great. And that's how I started playing it. Cause I was, I didn't play it whenever it first came out. And so, but then the remaster came out. You would love it, dude. Hell yeah. Yeah. Give it a go. Definitely. It's really, really good. What's the console that's on? Everything. it first came out and so but then the remaster came out you would love it dude hell yeah yeah give it a go yeah definitely it's really really good what's the console what's on everything

everything okay it's on switchies i think yeah don't quote me on that steam deck steam deck so bad they're so nice see and i'm the opposite i'm high fantasy because i like the fact that it's a little bit it it's more literally fantastical than our real life. I like that I can get lost in the magic and the world building in something that does not mirror the world that I'm in because holy shit, the world that I'm in kind of sucks a lot of the time.

And so I'm like, what if there were dragons in magic and it was just a little bit easier and pretty dresses. See, that's the one thing sci-fi does not have going for it. No pretty dresses. No, that's not true. That's not true. How about a dollar? Star Wars is just fantasy in space.

That's, but sci-fi is often- No, no, no, no. Star Wars is just high fantasy in space and on that controversial note Are you gonna name I'm I'm sorry I was thinking the fucking Bruce Willis fuck was the name What's his name? Fifth Element! Fifth Element! Fifth Element! That's a great costume. And on that lovely dress. Pretty dresses. They are pretty dresses in Fifth Element. I will give you that. For four-sided diving.

So good. I'm gonna try and exit again! Okay, okay, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry. You can do it. You got this. You can do it. Wait, one more thing? No.

I'm so sorry. I want to thank, I want to thank And also. Marisha Ray, Laura Bailey, Sam Riegel, Ashley Johnson. Me. And our fabulous law keeper, Danny Carr. I've been your totally human, non-Android host, Heber Bacassilin. Good night. Critical Role and youtube.com slash Critical Role with the VOD available on YouTube the very next day. And of course, each episode releases right here on the Critical Role podcast network one

week after the initial broadcast. We'll see you next month for our next dive.