My argument is FLAWLESS and my logic is sound. This is WHY I made Izen a drider. It was so he could be big and intimating and carry his homies around…

So ready to get this found family simulator GOING

Phaela the Tiefling @couchtaro || Red the Warlock @lorebreaker || Theseus the scarecrow @eaudecrow || Yancy the Sorcerer @coffeecakecafe

self care is when you put your dnd party in a container

group one is Pringles, with @justabitscrewy @eaudecrow @couchtaro @lorebreaker and dm’d by @bacoj8

group two is Smoke & Mirrors with @dragonborndicehoarder @sleepyforestbeast @hellscribbles and dm’d by @controlledchaosetc

group three is Chosen Fates, with justabitscrewy and lorebreaker again!

in theory these will eventually be acrylic charms haha

One lump or two?

I just realized I don’t think I ever posted this? A moment in which @lorebreaker and @eaudecrow made me so soft and melty. Theseus had asked to repair Red’s battle damaged sweater and returned it… embellished. One of his first acts of creativity, unknowingly gifted to the god of creativity :’)

META Pt 2 - LUCRETIA AND THE RED ROBES:

(For the first three times Lucretia talks about the red robes see Pt 1.)

EPISODE 51 - Start of The Suffering Game. The director brings the boys in, about to send them off to Wonderland. Magnus is still grappling with finding out he’s a red robe at the end of The Eleventh Hour. We get this right before Magnus decides he’s busting into the brig to talk to Robbie/Pringles:

Magnus: I… I need to ask… I’ve been thinking about it, it’s been a while since I’ve been able to talk to you. I feel like if there are other participants in the maze we run the risk of running into more Red Robes.

The Director: I find that unlikely. The Red Robes obviously, to my surprise, are still in operation, but there cannot be that many of them.

Magnus: But if we do run into one, what, is there anything the Bureau knows about them? Anything you can tell us?

The Director: They are extremely dangerous. They cannot be trusted. If you see one, report it to me over your Stone of Far Speech immediately. And just run away, you are not ready. Don’t listen to a word they say, they will lie to you to get you to do whatever they want, but their purposes are evil, Magnus, they are- they are beings of pure, concentrated evil.

Magnus: But how do you know?

The Director: I - I’ve had my fair share of run-ins with the Red Robes.

Magnus: And they’ve all been evil?

The Director: Invariably. Any other questions?

[snorting and giggles from Justin/Taako and Clint/Merle]

(I include that last line cause HA jokes on you two, too! You’re ALSO red robes of evil!)

Okay so. Lucretia obviously still has the party line to tow. She can’t be all, “Actually, they aren’t so bad, we just had a difference of opinion so I essentially roofied them all and stuck them in new lives while I handle shit Lucretia-Style... which turned out to also be bad so here we are with you three.”

But let’s break that down further. Starting with:

A.) “...there cannot be that many of them.”

So obviously she can account for five of the seven of them.  As mentioned above, as of most of the way through Crystal Kingdom she knows Barry is alone. But even if he’s since found Lup, there’s still only two.

I think Lucretia expects it’s just Barry, though. But the umbra staff being with Taako could mean Lup resurfaced and found Barry. POSSIBLY. (Also, I could make an argument that Lucretia saw the umbrella and figured out that’s where Lup was at some point between Taako showing up with it and Taako breaking it but that’s a-whole-nother post. Short answer: There were a LOT of smart people on that ship who should have worked that one out in the time they were searching for Lup. They can be forgiven because they hadn’t found the umbrella at that point either. But Lucretia... ANYWAY.)

B.) “They are extremely dangerous.”

Well, I guess if you read this as “dangerous to Lucretia’s plans and the boys staying unaware of their own histories” then we have to rate this as true.

If you mean dangerous as in “a threat to your health and well being” then we have to say: Eh? True and false? Like, it’s not great for mental well being to have the rug pulled out from under you in regards to a hundred years of your life and your family that you forgot.

But... Even if this is Barry and Lup together, they aren’t going to HURT them. I mean even if Lucretia believes the absolute worst of Barry and Lup she’d still never think they would HURT Taako, Magnus, or Merle.

C.) “They cannot be trusted.”

Now this right here... this is the statement that made me want to write this entire post.

Let’s put ourselves in Lucretia’s shoes here. You’ve done this thing. You’re at the end of the whole deal. The end is in sight. At this point, you’re probably spinning a lot of plates, juggling a lot of knives, keeping a lot of balls in the air, whatever metaphor you like. SO to that we can say this was just words flowing out of her mouth trying to keep things going.

And Lucretia is scared! She knows Wonderland is a bad, bad place. She knows that not only could this mean the end of the relic gathering, this could mean losing Taako, Magnus, and Merle. So there’s a lot on the line here and it’s understandable if she’s verbally scrambling.

But she’s saying this to Magnus who has - unknown to her - learned he’s a red robe. THEN SHE DOUBLES DOWN ON IT! She says: 

D.) “they will lie to you to get you to do whatever they want, but their purposes are evil, Magnus, they are- they are beings of pure, concentrated evil.”

So when he follows up with a question asking if all red robes are evil her response is, I think, seriously crucial. Because she answers: “Invariably.”

I think that answer is why Magnus decides he’s gonna talk to Robbie/Pringles. He knows something is up for her to make that blanket statement because even if he can’t explain how he was involved, he knows there is missing information. And he knows he’s not getting it from her.

I think that word right there: “invariably” is what sets up Magnus to trust the red robe in Wonderland. He MIGHT have trusted him based on the fact that he (Magnus) found out he’d been one. He MIGHT have relied on the red robe based on the fact that Wonderland sucked. They needed help.

But I think if she’d given him a different answer? If she’d said something about some of the red robes might have believed they had good intentions or SOME kind of answer that would have allowed Magnus to believe there was room for his history to have included being a red robe? I think Wonderland might have gone differently.

The red robe (okay, lemme just call him Barry at this point) had tried again and again to prove he was trustworthy. He’d saved them from Captain Bane. He’d tried to give them hints along the way with the patches and the explanation about the planar system. He’d worried for their safety in Refuge and told them he was proud of them. He’d hung on through so much - seeing them in Phandolin, realizing Taako had Lup’s umbrella, being told by three of the people he’s closest to the in the world that NO WAY DID THEY TRUST HIM. He’d saved Merle’s kids! He’d been worried about Taako on a freaking date with a reaper! (This one I’m willing to debate. It COULD be taken that Kravitz suddenly sensed Lup in the umbrella but he’d been around Taako with the umbrella for an extended period of time so it seems weird he should suddenly sense a lich and even weirder that, when handed the umbrella he’d say “nope, not this.” So I think all signs point to Barry being around and Lup reacting and trying to protect him. But if you want to say Kravitz sensed Lup ‘surging’ in power or something I guess that’s a valid take as well.)

But I list all those things to say: He’d gone through all that and done so much to try and help them, try and let them know, and they’d misunderstood, misremembered, or simply ignored it. They absolutely forgot he saved them from Captain Bane, no question there. 

So Lucretia had done her groundwork well. Even if they had suspicions, they did trust her, they did fall on her side.

She lost Magnus with that word “invariably” though. It led him to kidnapping the guards and trusting Barry and being on Barry’s side and saying: “Uh. Listen, uh, Taako, Merle, I know that’s a little weird, and you’re just gonna have to trust me on this one: He’s with us. I think. More or less.”

And we all know how it plays out. But let’s stop on one more moment. Because then, in Episode 67 you have what I just refer to as “that scene”

Griffin: What do you do?

Justin: I pull out the Umbra Staff and I point it at Lucretia.

Griffin: Um, she’s just kind of staring you down-

Taako: [voice cracking] Ten. Nine.

Griffin: She says,

Lucretia: Taako, I know you’re upset—

Taako: Eight.

Travis: I pull the Flaming Raging Poisoning Sword of Doom and point it at her.

Lucretia: Listen -

Taako: Seven.

Lucretia: Please listen to me, please.

Taako: Six.

Lucretia: Please stop— okay.

Clint: I look at the other two and say,

Merle: What the hell are you doing?

Taako: Five.

Magnus: The chance to explain yourself was… mmm about a dozen memories ago.

Taako: And honestly, 7 seconds ago, I’m doing this cool countdown. [shouting] You fucking took everything from me!

Lucretia: I know that things went wrong, I know I shouldn’t have kept you all in the dark for as long as I did. I swear, I had no idea how arduous a task this was gonna be, I know I have a lot for atone for. But please, just— I’m begging you let me finish this and then we can talk about it.

Taako: [defeatedly] …Fine.

Merle: [slight hysterical laugh] What are you finishing?

I bring this up because even after everything they learned when they got their Stolen Century memories back... This is how it breaks down: Taako is furious because she took his memories of his sister. Merle is confused. And Magnus steps up to second Taako. (AND I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT: Travis’s voice breaks when he says he pulls out the sword.)

And I think a portion of that? Still comes back to that word “invariably.” Because Magnus believes himself to be a good man and - albeit indirectly - Lucretia told him he wasn’t.

A Guide to The Adventure Zone metaplot

So recently, I re-listened to the entirety of TAZ in prep for the ending and took notes; as we head into the finale next week, I wanted to share them! This is a comprehensive look at every plot thread, bit of foreshadowing, and yet-unresolved ideas as we head into endgame. This involves heavy spoilers through the most recent episode (66) and assumes you have already listened or read the content before.

The full is under the cut!

A QUICK NOTE: Transcripts of every episode can be found here, and while I didn’t include timestamps, the “front/back half” description here refers to before or after the ad break, which the transcripts note the location of.

Without further ado, we start with...

Episode 5 (Here There Be Gerblins: Chapter Four), the first half- Taako gets the Umbra Staff; it’s funny to note it chucked Merle across the room first, and also that Taako whiffs a fucking arcana check on it and just eats a bit of the robe, which will probably never come up again but in my heart of hearts it was. Also, Merle's first Zone of Truth and the first time the Bureau is mentioned.

Episode 7 (Moonlighting: Chapter One), the second half- Intro of the Voidfish, Johann, and the specifications of the first inoculation. Lots of tiny tiny details about the Relic War. I’d give specific timestamps but I really just rec reading the transcript in full from the Voidfish intro on. Episode 8 (Moonlighting: Chapter Two), the first half- Lucretia's intro! Again, lots of tiny details, though the characterization here is all over the place because the boys don't know what the hell they're doing yet. Regardless, the important thing here is what Lucretia tells them about the relics, the war, and the timeline- and with what we now know from the future, she’s telling the (partial) truth. (Taako also makes a joke about the last relic being Love, which is funny re: ep 60 and the way the Starblaster works as powered by bonds). The second half isn't as important, but it DOES involve Magnus' first robot arm-ripping AND the first time the Umbra Staff responds to Taako; important to note that it’s described as "warm". Episode 17 (Lunar Interlude I: Carnival Chaos), the first half- What we now know to be the first appearance of the Hunger's scouts at the carnival- it’s never explicitly explained, but I believe the effect was so prominent because the Moonbase isn’t on the ground and therefore closer to the edges of the plane. It’s important to keep in note Lucretia's reactions to all of this; episode 17 takes place a week after the boys bring back the second relic, and adding that to Lucretia’s staff, having 3/7 relics means almost half the Light was assembled and that’s as much as the Hunger needed to find this plane- which starts our timeline of a year until episode 59. Episode 18 (Petals To The Metal- Chapter One), the second half (though honestly just the last 5 minutes)- Taako Blinks into the ethereal plane for the first time, and the Hunger is there, watching (as we see mentioned later during Stolen Century). It’s important to note that Griffin mentions later in ep 28 that the Petals arc only took place a few days after the Midsummer Festival.

Episode 27 (Petals To The Metal- Chapter Ten), the second half (Sloane's fight onward to the end)- A few interesting things here. One, Taako's Extra Big Fireball from the umbra staff is of note; it could be the Arcane Core but it's just as likely Lup's first influence (if we don’t count it responding to him in ep 8). Also, the last 10ish minutes with Captn. Bane and the first appearance of Lich Barry. The verbiage here is of specific note- he describes the pull to the Relics as a "hunger". Episode 28 (Lunar Interlude II- Internal Affairs), all- This is where Griffin has obviously finished the plot and where he intends to start putting the work in motion towards the overarching plot. There’s a LOT of schtick to parse through at the start but what’s primarily important is what Lucretia says about the red robes- that they’re ones who created the Relics, and never to even speak to them- isn’t technically a lie. We also know that the 2 days the boys were gone is when Barry took over Pringles to get into the moonbase, and from there on out was kicked off through magic- likely why he went to approach them directly before they made it back. Also, ANGUS MCDONALD BOY DETECTIVE’S REAPPEARANCE I’m sorry I love him so much I had to mention him somewhere. There’s also a lot of Voidfish info here- Johann's speech (about being forgotten, the Voidfish's first response to Magnus (WHICH KICKS MY WHOLE ASS WITH EMOTION) and its song, and Lucas' jab of "What if it reproduces asexually and pops out a baby that makes us forget about it???" Ha. Haha. Ha. The second half is all character building, but it IS the first mention of the Flaming Poisoning Raging Sword of Doom and the fucking Glutton's Fork which continues to haunt me for all the vore it added to this podcast. The actual important thing here is the end of this episode is where Garfield makes off with Magnus' shield... and blood, so that’s our timeline on the vat in the back (a full year, since Petals took only a few days after the Midsummer Festival). Episode 29 (Crystal Kingdom- Chapter One), in the middle before the break- The IPRE badges under the Candlenights tree. While it’s possible Barry left them somehow when he was possessing Pringles there’s still no good answer as to how these got here and it just Never Comes Up Ever Again. This is also where we learn Lucretia's name, and it’s important to note her reaction to people using it- especially the boys, in the sharp way we see her try and disconnect. This is also the first time we ever see her writing in her journals. Episode 35 (Crystal Kingdom- Chapter Seven), all - The Cosmoscope. Our first explanation of planes, other worlds, and “possibly” planetary travel, and is important for noting how Griffin describes the planar system. Also, Barry again, who continues to use the phrase "hunger of all living things" and "the light of creation itself" and I'm a little mad I didn't put THAT one together until writing this. Additionally, Barry's noticing of the umbrella and Lup- "You found her", before he's wreathed in flames (which is likely what Paloma refers to in her later prophecy to Taako in episode 49). Noelle also has her subsequent lich scanning, of catching Barry... but also possibly Lup, as it’s the same wording Kravitz uses later in episode 50 when the Umbra Staff starts to respond. One of the mirrors in Lucas' trash bin, as well, had the Hunger scout's eyes inside- Black Opal, that “didn’t resonate with any planes”; Griffin later describes the Hunger as the 13th plane, and Magnus took this mirror, so maybe it can be put to use later on. Episode 38 (Crystal Kingdom- Chapter Ten), in the middle- Kravitz' discussion of how many times the boys have died- Taako (8), Magnus (19), and Merle (57). Magnus says "he think he'd remember" if he died that many times- again, Ha, Haha, Ha. Also, if you're looking for fun, Magnus eats the fucking Philosopher's Stone in the last 15 minutes.

Episode 39 (Crystal Kingdom- Chapter Eleven), the second half- The big thing here is obviously Maureen's Prophecy at the end and the setup for our 7 person team, as follows: The Twins (Lup and Taako), The Lover (Barry), The Protector (Magnus), The Lonely Journal Keeper (Lucretia), The Peacemaker (Merle) and The Wordless One (Davenport). This also sets the groundwork for the Voidfish only being able to erase things from living creatures (a la Barry's Lich form knowing things outside of his body he can't know in flesh unless inoculated). Additionally, Lucretia's bit about the destruction of the cities informs her character and motivation a LOT and I feel is important for understanding that (especially since, from the things we hear in episode 66, all the incidents mentioned are primarily things that happened to the boys’ relics). It's also entirely not relevant to the metaplot, but getting the Philosopher's Stone out of Magnus here is such a good bit. Episode 40 (Lunar Interlude III- Rest and Relaxation), all, esp. the end of Taako's and Merle's segments in the first half- The end of Taako's segment has the Umbra Staff burning L U P in the wall- which he doesn't recognize at all and it  kills me all the time. Its also interesting that the cantrip Angus casts right before that scene is Produce Flame. This may also be where Angus starts investigating the Bureau as a whole and starting to figure things out as he mentions in episode 59. Aside from that, all the boys have important character builders here, but at the end of Merle's talk, Lucretia's note about her adventuring days is very telling- how she "lost dear friends over her choice, but it was the only one to make". This is one of the clips referenced in Lucretia’s bit in episode 66 and it just ends me. Also, again, no relevance to the plot, but the Leon bit here is my favorite one the boys have ever done with the candies. I just fuckin' lose it. Episode 41 (The Eleventh Hour- Chapter One), the very beginning and very end- Griffin drops some Voidfish info, and there’s a little reaction during Boyland's remembrance rights that might be important (about how the Voidfish processes information) Remember- the Voidfish can help the brain implant info, as well as erase it, as we see played with later in episode 64. Also the tiny line at the end from June as the boys enter Refuge- "It's you" as she recognizes Magnus. Episode 42 (The Eleventh Hour- Chapter Two), the very beginning and very end- Tiny bit of discussion regarding the Red Robe when the boys enter Refuge and see the statue. The other thing of note is what Griffin says as the first loop in Refuge comes to an end- "There’s something about the dying that’s familiar." There's been a lot of Istus associations with the planar jumps, but this could also be a reference to Magnus being the one who made the Chalice. Regardless, this was an important early plot call-out. Episode 45 (The Eleventh Hour- Chapter Five), the middle (right before the ad break)- Paloma's Big Prophecy from the black crystal- its description is the exact wording Griffin uses to describe the Hunger later, and describes two things we see in the future, the "sea of tar" from the Astral Plane (episode 57), and the ash being a destroyed world minus the Light of Creation (episode 61). Paloma’s words to Taako being “Remember: there is always a third option”. This is one of the BIGGEST unresolved plot threads heading into the finale and should be kept heavily in mind as the setup for endgame. We may have gotten a reference to it again in episode 66, from Magnus, but it’s uncertain. Episode 47 (The Eleventh Hour- Chapter Seven), the first half with Istus and also the very end- Meeting Istus!  This entire scene is important but things to note here: she mentions the boys don't exist in other iterations of the multiverse, and mentions they have been her agents for "a long time", likely discussing the Hunger, though it's unclear if she even knows the full extent of it as she seems baffled by their existence. We don’t have a clear idea of if the gods exist over the entire multiverse or there’s different iterations for each plane. Also, gods say fuck, and that is wonderful. Its also important to remember what she gives the boys: Merle's time travel orb (which has not been used), Taako's bag of necessity (which ABSOLUTELY still hasn't been opened) and of course, Magnus' Chance Lance. The final thing here- Istus disappearing and saying she can grant them the time to make "a difficult decision" in the future; this is also unresolved going into endgame. Also, at the very end, the Temporal Chalice speaks of being The Light Of Creation. Its our first insight into the Relics being linked, and it's an important note that these things REMEMBER a time before this plane, and therefore have some form of sentience; this may also come into play with the final confrontation with the Hunger. Episode 48 (The Eleventh Hour- Chapter Eight), the first half- The big backstory episode! The jumping-off point is obviously all the static in the boy’s memories which helps us establish exactly when the boys arrive/what takes place before and after the war. This is where we get our solidified timeline- Griffin mentions in Magnus' part the static is "about 12 years ago", and Julia's death was "5 or 6" years ago. It should also be noted Taako's extra pockets of static forgetting, which is of course Lup. It’s also funny to note at the end of the ep that the boys mention missing Barry and being "genuinely regretful" that he died in Phandalin, which at this point was definitely a joke but great accidental foreshadowing, guys. Episode 49 (The Eleventh Hour- Chapter Nine), the second half- Lich Barry's back! With the whole "do you trust me" scene, where we hear Barry's voice as he tries to address Lup- from what we’ve seen, it seems less like he knew she was in the Staff, and more trying to reach out in a desperate attempt to keep his Lich form together. He also talks about the Hunger again. Also, Paloma has one more prophecy for Taako: "In your hour of greatest need, you will find the power that you seek from the man wreathed in flames." This is likely referring to Barry as he burned in ep 35, and this may be an allusion to trusting him. Also there’s the last 6 minute epilogue- Magnus' scroll (revealing he’s a Red Robe and made the Chalice), Merle noticing the stars beginning to go out (now that we’re about 2/3rds of the way through the year since episode 17), and Kravitz is back, which I adore but has little significance to the metaplot. Episode 50 (Lunar Interlude IV- The Calm Before The Storm), the first half- The end of Taako's date (with the Umbra Staff attacking Kravitz), the end of Merle's section (Lich Barry saving Merle's kids) and Magnus' whole character section for the Voidfish swim. Griffin hammers VERY hard on Mavis being 12 in Merle's section, and not much older than Mookie, and this is further defined proof from what we hear in episode 66 about being in this plane for 12 years. Meanwhile, the Kravitz section relates to Lup being in or controlling the umbrella (which seems more like controlling, from what we hear in episode 58), and Magnus' section is our big "there's a second Voidfish" reveal, along with the visions from the Voidfish (that we now know are the actions Magnus takes in ep 64). This is another one where I just advocate reading the entire transcript/relistening to the whole section because it’s full of little details. Also, again, no real big plot relevance, but Taako cons Garfield out of the sword at the end, and I laugh until I cry every fucking time. I also adore the implications that to regrow the Magnus Body, Garfield needed some Real Magnus Sideburns for the vat. He takes blood, skin, and sideburn. The three things you need for a genuine Magnus. Episode 51 (The Suffering Game- Chapter One), the first half and a bit at the end- Now we're getting into the shit; Lucretia sends them out TWO DAYS before the next midsummer, as close as she can manage to not sending them to Wonderland at all before the Hunger's arrival, and only after rigorous training. She is genuinely scared that this is where she’ll lose them, where it felled her. We also get the age reveal for Lucretia, and Magnus breaks in to see Robbie and figures out he was possessed by Lich Barry. This is also where Merle's spells start going fucky, as the Hunger starts to assault the surrounding planes (including the plane where the Gods reside). Episode 53 (The Suffering Game- Chapter Three), the first half- Taako sees the Hunger's scouts in the Ethereal Plane; it’s all over, as compared to the bits of it in episode 18, signifying its closeness to the plane. Plus, Cam's later discussion of liches is our first look at knowing about Barry and Lup’s physical state, and the whole "trust Barry, love Barry" sequence in episode 58 sustaining his soul, even in a mortal body. Episode 56 (The Suffering Game- Chapter Six), a bit at the front, a bit at the back- There’s a lot of unmentioned stuff Barry is doing here that’s largely unimportant, but the thing to notice is Merle's call to Pan- he’s not answering, he’s not there. We know that due to timeline the boys spend less than a day in Wonderland so this is incredibly quick. Later, we get a note how Edward and Lydia used necromancy to make Wonderland- obviously, Barry has to be a necromancer to be a lich, but this is our foreshadowing about the Bell being his relic. There’s also the scene of seeing the astral plane covered in that tar when Taako saves Magnus during Arms Outstretched, just as Paloma predicted in ep 45, where Kravitz is having a no good terrible bad time.

**NOTE: From here on out, descriptions will be referring to whole episodes.** Episode 57 (The Suffering Game- Chapter Seven)- We're IN it now; from here on out we’re looking at full episodes of straight plot. Magnus' visions are important details to the world everyone came from (2 suns, purple sky), plus that the Chalice is absolutely Magnus' relic. Also, of course, The Barry Bluejeans Reveal. We also have the hammering home of how little time the boys spent in Wonderland, since Barry says “tomorrow will be fateful” for the Hunger landing, so it had to be less than a day. Theres also Magnus' other visions: the Starblaster escaping a plane and the Voidfish and a book- what we now know to be the last time Magnus saw the Voidfish as Lucretia erased his memory in episode 66. Episode 58 (Lunar Interlude V- Reunion Tour)- Damn near Everything. Barry's story is the most important at the start- our knowledge that he doesn’t know where Lup is. There’s also the heavy implications here that Lucretia has the ship (though she may not anymore). There’s so much here to unpack I advocate just listening to the whole sequence This is also important to detail how Barry thinks of what happened between him and Lucretia- he says she "vilified" him, obviously very hurt by Lucretia taking this into her own hands. My original notes (before ep 66 dropped) involved thinking of Barry and Lup running off together and it hurts, my heart hurts, everything hurts. And speaking of my heart hurting, there’s Lup's interjection from the Band of Telepathic Thought, detailed as “coming from a cave a few hundred meters away”; Griffin specifically said that Barry’s cave in this episode was VERY close to WaveEcho Cave, implying that not only is Lup alive in her Lich form, she’s not IN the umbrella- just controlling it. Theres also Kravitz in the Astral Plane, which is important to see how the Hunger is taking down the other planes in the system. The very last sentence of this ep may also be John's first technical appearance in the podcast as we formally meet The Hunger. Episode 59 (Lunar Interlude V- Reunion Tour- Part Two)- What ISN’T happening here, to be honest. Magnus' voidfish swim (which we now know to be ep 64's contents), the reveal Lucretia isn’t destroying the relics and what she voidfished, the whole thing about everyone being from another world, LUP,  DAVENPORT, JUST. ALL, CHRIST, ALL OF IT. This is honestly the episode where so much pops off I can't make like play-by-play things because there is just Way too much content. If you're looking for a Very quick thing to refresh post-Stolen Century, listen to Lucretia's ending speech, and the epilogue at the very end after the MaxFun plug, but we all know this one is just Shit Pops Off: The Episode. Episode 60 (The Stolen Century- Chapter One)- Again, so much. A few cliff notes- this is where we learn the Light of Creation fell in that world a year before, so with the Hunger coming they just got very very lucky (and/or here comes Istus to preserve like, all life and fate). Davenport's discussion of bonds is also important, and likely a good allusion to how the endgame is gonna play out- "Bonds are what power this ship, and its what’s going to allow us to go to places we never even dreamed of." (funny ref: Taako's power of love joke in ep 7. Accidental foreshadowing is so good.) There’s also the realization of no permanent deaths right at the end here. Episode 61 (The Stolen Century- Chapter Two)- We find out our basic tenants of the journey- the Light falls when they arrive, a few days later the scouts appear, The Hunger comes 1 year later, and if they can't pick up the Light, the plane is destroyed and the Hunger gets stronger. This is also where it’s named (thanks Lucretia). I love this episode when it comes to character building and solid character choices- Merle's chronicling and the congregation at the end of the mushroom cycle, plus Lup and Taako's argument with the robots are fantastic example of what sets them apart. This is around the time the Mcelroys start acting really really hard and it has not stopped killing me. Also, "light them the fuck up" and "she thinks of her friends, and she prays for sunrise" ruin me completely. I want to say  Lup also puts forward what feels like a lot of foreshadowing for her survival- pushing on how she believes those consumed by the Hunger can be saved. Griffin Mcelroy, you owe me one Lup, and I plan to collect. You better believe, Griffin Mcelroy. Episode 63 (The Stolen Century- Chapter Four) - The obvious most important parts here is the Parlay technique- Merle's communications with The Hunger, aka John, and what he wants/how the Hunger came to be (and of course, what Merle holds important to him in their journey). This also seals down Merle's role as The Peacekeeper in the prophecy. The verbiage here that Griffin uses is important- that John is tying planes on through bonds, and bonds are what give it power, in the same way the ship uses bonds to jump from plane to plane. It should be noted this episode starts at cycle 30 and goes to 47 (tho Griffin also says Merle is killed "a few dozen times", so it’s likely episode 64 happens before the final scene with John). Other things to note- Taako's food bond, which is yet unresolved, and better not be the Taco Quest so help me god. (My gay heart is hopeful for Kravitz.) UPDATE: A keen-eared listener pointed out this scene is underscored with the track The Cosmoscope- supposedly the song playing when Kravitz appears in the mirror. I haven’t confirmed this myself, but I WANT TO BELIEVE. Episode 64 (The Stolen Century- Chapter Five)- [bangs fists on table] VOIDFISH EPISODE VOIDFISH EPISODE VOIDFISH EPISODE!!!!!!!! I'm mad at how balls-to-the-wall Travis is about this characterization and how much it kicks MY ENTIRE ASS. Important things here: the other Voidfish are gone, absorbed into the Hunger; Lucretia learns about inoculation here and absolutely keeps it a secret, and that the Voidfish can directly implant memories, not just erase them, though it is unknown why the Voidfish doesn't do this in their plane. It’s possible they can’t outside of the plane it was made in (though that seems unlikely), or that it requires more Voidfish to do? But I think this should be kept in mind as a potential future option for undoing the second inoculation. I also just adore that Davenport sings? It has nothing to do with fucking anything but I love that he does it’s just Good. We also see the possible coining of Magnus’ tried-and-true line; Magnus rushes in. Episode 65 (The Stolen Century- Chapter Six)- The entire trial scene is pretty important character building here, but the very end is the most important (with the long overlapping prophecy), “The six of you will fall short of glory, so it is known, and so it has always been known". Plus, Lucretia's segment about creating a “barrier” is the start of her plan as referenced later in episode 66. Griffin gives more specifications of how the Voidfish works as well, with remembering the action, not the information. Also, we finally have Lup and Barry becoming liches- and Taako being the main thing that anchors Lup to herself, not just Barry, probably explaining why the Umbra Staff has been responsive to only him Episode 66 (The Stolen Century- Chapter Seven)- This episode is all timeline breakdown. We start with the magical items for the boys (Taako's Krebstar magic glave, Merle's Gilley stick, and Magnus' Bearface helmet snd "#2thnecklace" pendant which will be coming back quickly). We also now know Lup made the Umbra Staff. This is where we get the ideas for the Relics, too- we know it was Barry and Lup's idea, and everyone agrees, but Lucretia, who was working on a barrier (as referenced in ep 65). There’s an interesting line in this conversation- Magnus wishes they had “a third option” of beating the Hunger and killing it. While we can’t promise proper forshadowing from the Boys since Griffin wrote the end, it would make sense if he’s referring to Paloma’s Prophecy to Taako in episode 45. We also have proof of who made which relic- the Phoenix Fire Gauntlet (Lup), the Oculus (Davenport), the Gaia Sash (Merle), the Philosopher's Stone (Taako), the Temporal Chalice (Magnus), the Animus Bell (Barry), and the Bulwark Staff (Lucretia); I pick this spelling in particular because a “bulwark” is a defensive wall, but can also be used to refer to “an extension of a ship's sides above the level of the deck.”. I also just love Griffin trying to retcon Merle's family to cover his ass from the Gerblins arc. Everything else is final timeline clarification- it’s 10 months after they land in this plane until the Relic War starts, and goes another 10 months past that until Lup disappears; Lucretia then erases everyone’s memories 4 months later, at the 2 year mark. leaving a 12 year timeline in this cycle, as suspected in ep 50. We have confirmation that Lucretia found out about innovation in episode 64 too. The end of this ep is the final timeline breakdown- Lucretia placing everyone in these worlds, spending 8.5 years recovering the staff and creating the Bureau, half a year until the Voidfish makes the baby, and then a year on the timeline of the rest of the podcast. And now we're back in it, right where ep 59 left us, ready for it to all pop off.

I hope this helps in your relistening and prep for the finale! This is it, everyone!

Visit Pringleton today!!!!! Got a little weird with this one, had a lot of fun. I love this party so dang much and its just a delight every time we get to play dnd together. :’)

Clockwise starting with the spider:

Izen (mine) | Phaela @couchtaro | Yancy @coffeecakecafe | Red @lorebreaker | Theseus @eaudecrow | and the lovely DM: @bacoj8

tfw when your ride or die homie is a druid and y’all both agree that she NEEDS to be able to turn into a giant bear she DESERVES it

And CR rating is definitely not the issue here you just need to get closer this time right

Izen and Phaela! Best girl phaela belongs to @couchtaro

so. behold, Yancy’s stuff (ﾉu.u)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

I know this is the second time I’ve done one for him but he wasn’t fully cooked last time listen

Yancy is everything to me,, Everything

(edit: forgot his dang barrier tattoo)

Izen is my beautiful boy who gets to be scary + sweet and also scary + scary.

And Phaela getting hurt in session 3 was just the perfect opportunity for the party to see Izen’s truly horrifying side. :3c

Best girl Phaela belongs to @couchtaro!

Theseus!!! He’s a scarecrow, a watcher, a shepherd, a puppet, our hard hitting paladin and just our bestest lil guy!! I cherish everything about him, and every time @eaudecrow uses their Theseus voice at the table it’s just an absolutely gift.

Izen body language refs!! Featuring his bff Phaela (belonging to @couchtaro ) for fun and scale because i love her so so much :)

I have a lot of fun thinking about Izen’s physicality, and being a 7-10” drider just gives him a LOT of options when it comes to how big he wants his physical presence to be. He tries to present himself as non-threatening as possible — doing everything he can to take up as little space as he can manage. But, when he’s with familiar people, he can relax — and that means being larger and taller than most everyone else around him.

And when he’s angry — he’ll use any advantage he has to ensure that no one will threaten him or his.

Phaela

Fourth in my portrait series is my own girl, Phaela Murphy, tiefling soup twilight cleric and circle of stars druid. DM is @bacoj8.

Flowers

Huckleberry (Vaccinium parvifolium) : simple leisure, faith. Phaela's patron god, Thelona, is the god of simple pleasures.

Cineraria: always delighted

Queen Anne’s lace/Wild carrot (Daucus carota): sanctuary, home

Celery (Apium graveolens): Feasting, festivity

Stephanotis: desire to travel, friendship. Phaela and her best friend Izen live together in her truck, traveling from town to town in search of work and sights to see.

Bloodroot/Sweet slumber (Sanguinaria canadensis): protective love

Purple hyacinth (Hyacinthus): Benevolence, rashness, impulsivity, play, grief, please forgive me. Phaela's virtue name is Temerity, which suits her well-meaning but somewhat impulsive need to help others. She is playful and kind, but carries a deep grief as well.

Bluebonnet (Lupinus subcarnosus): self sacrifice, survival

Meadow cress (Cardamine pratensis): ardor, devotion, enthusiasm. According to folk belief, this flower brings bad luck if brought into the home. It is not included in May Day wreaths and garlands because some believed that wearing it would offend the fae, who would drag you underground into another world. Phaela was separated from her home forever when, in order to ditch a deal with a hag, she trapped herself in the Shadowfell.

Night Convolvulus (Convolvulus): night, repose, rebirth, affection, embrace

Sunflower (Helianthus): warmth, nourishment, devotion. This flower is redundant, I just wanted it as a treat. Yellow :)

Forget me not (Myosotis): Clinging to the past, do not forget me, faithful love, memories. Ough.

Check out the rest of the Pringles Party!

Theseus | Izen | Yancy | “Red”

Three sessions in, and the party has officially seen Izen’s Form of Dread!

Izen’s form of dread is something that he sees as a boon — a parting gift from his friend and patron that would protect him on the surface. He avoids using it around people, only because he knows he’s intimidating enough without it — but when he’s backed into a corner he wont hesitate to prove that he’s the scariest beast in the room.

Theseus

Theseus, scarecrow oath of the watchers paladin and shepherd of souls, belongs to @eaudecrow

Flowers

Asphodel (Asphodelus): the land of spirits. In Greek mythology, a field of asphodels in the underworld was the dwelling place of neutral souls.

Dame Violet (Hesperis matronalis): watchfulness

Black bindweed (Dioscorea communis): support

Boxwood (Buxus): Constancy in friendship. Labyrinthine hedge mazes are traditionally made of boxwood shrubs.

Rattlesnake root ( Prenanthes purpurea): protection, shield, guarded steps. This plant was thought to grant protection from being caught up in a group of supposed to “friends” who are in actuality threatening and dangerous.

Heath (Epacris impressa): solitude

Witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana): a spell is on me.

Straw: constancy. Broken straw: broken contract, trouble.

Corn poppy (Papaver rhoeas): good and evil, light and darkness, life and death, fun-loving, avoidance of problems, oblivion. The ancient Greeks believed that corn would not grow without poppies growing nearby. In Greek and Roman myths, poppies were used as offerings to the dead and in modern times are often a motif found on tombstones. Poppies are some of the first flowers to fill holes in disturbed ground, so old battlefields often fill with poppy.

Giant milkweed (Calotropis procera): purposelessness, a monstrosity

Check out the rest of the Pringles Party!

Yancy | Izen | Phaela | “Red”