Saltpetre Campaign without context

Blades x D&D AU

MC: I’d like to seduce the centipede monster thingy.

Mal: Are you fucking serious?!

DM: Uhh… oookay? Roll a persuasion check.

Mal: And you’re just letting him do this?!

DM: *shrugs* I guess?

Mal: *turns to everyone else* Guys, back me up here!

Tyril: Well, the DM has spoken.

Imtura: And look, MC is already rolling.

Nia: I’m kidnapped so I can’t do anything.

MC: *rolls d20*

Mal: There’s no way he would succe—

MC: Natural 20.

DM: The monster is flattered and is now blushing.

Mal: *flips table*

Today's Liars Quote of the Day:

Rook: You told me yesterday we'd talk today. So talk.

Sigmar: Ugh, you're not going to let this go are you.

R: Nope.

S: I spent all day trying to think of what to say.

R: What lie to tell me, you mean?

S: Yes. I couldn't think of anything though.

Just some thoughts on Ashton's choices tonight...

That was a lot, and I'm seeing ppl feeling a lot of different ways about it (and all of those are definitely valid feelings after this roller coaster)...but what else were they gonna do?

Everyone agreed that the shard was either going to Ashton or Fearne and Fearne had just told him she.didn't.want.it. Plus, in 4 sided dive this week, Ashley explained exactly why she/Fearne was afraid to have the shard. Yes, they 100% should've told the group what was happening and planned better. HOWEVEVR the last time everyone was talking about the shard, most of the group was kinda pushing Fearne to take it so she and Ashton could be emperor and empress.

I think Ashton had the wrong motivations for the most part, and it was risky as shit, but with Fearne adamantly not wanting the shard, I get it. Also, it's a very in-character choice whether you like that character trait or not. I personally loved the big move that even Matt wasn't expecting.

It was a HUGE swing, just like Vax running after a dragon alone, Grog pulling from the deck of many things in the last moments of a campaign, Jester trying to pull one over on a powerful hag using a cupcake and some magic dust everyone else had forgotten about, or Caleb pulling out the beacon for the Bright Queen. It's not like Tal is the first one to take a big dangerous swing that could've ended badly for everyone. He's not even the first one to make a big swing like that with no real plan after step 1: do the thing.

All of those moments go down as memorable and sometimes even amazing once they worked out/the stress level was down, and I think this one will too.

Side shout out: That druid-cleric healing tag team work from Ashley and Sam was some of the smartest/most resourceful DnD I've seen at their table. They really pulled it out and did the impossible with a huge assist from Aabria.

I also haven't been this stressed over a DnD game in years, and never for one that I wasn't playing in. I can't WAIT for next week!

don't wanna Discourse but my only take on this as someone who has been playing dnd with close friends for many years is that no Players (characters are a whole other story) did anything Terribly Wrong. Tal made a very strong, risky character choice that provided drama, made sense for his character, and only permanently/mortally endangered his own character. Strong, often questionable, choices make good stories and they all know that. None of us can know what the players felt but i'd hazard a guess the commotion at the end was mostly a sign of how invested these friends get in the stories they're telling and how much they care for each others' little made up guys

Tal gets (loving) shit for how long his turns take sometimes but tbh shoutout to him for making up a new barbarian subclass that requires him to change his ENTIRE STRATEGY every time he rages. Like I fucking LOVE this class it seems like it would be SO FUN to play and Ashton is such a perfect character to have it but ALSO as a dnd player that is terrifying. The possibility that I can’t plan my whole turn in advance is simply NO. Chaos barbarian is so cool and so changes the WHOLE game and tal is OWNING that shit. It’s so good.

It’s been a while since episode 33 and 34 of Campaign 3 (the Otahan attack and the triple deaths) and It’s fine if people are more into the narrative than the actual DnD aspect of Critical Role as it’s a story put online for us to enjoy and critique, but to ignore it completely… like just people deciding then and there that ‘Laudna has to stay dead to shake up the party just like the Mighty Nein!’ Just got on my tits so much, just disregarding Marisha’s own thoughts and feelings about her own character and if she’d want to bring them back or not. Which she very clearly did.

Thank the lord Matt said in one of the four sided dive episodes that he asked Tal if he wanted to try and bring back Molly, because Molly not having an attempted resurrection ritual wasn’t due to the circumstances of Molly’s death in an isolated area with no cleric, its not narrative happenstance, no attempt was made because Tal didn’t want to try because it’s not what he intended with Molly. It ended up the way it was because it’s DnD and Matt let’s his players have some agency.

You can analyse the narrative on its own, but it can’t be fully separated from what the players want and what they do because they think it’s fun or interesting. I get and agree if some fans don’t like the narrative and they can just turn it off, that’s fine, I don’t like narrative plot points in all campaigns, but it’s just improv and dice at the end of the day, and I think steadfast hoping that the cast will pick a decision on what is most narratively interesting from a pure writing standpoint to the point of writing whole posts about why it would be the best choice and why it would be bad if the group doesn’t do that indtead of understanding the cast will pick what they think is fun/interesting to play, seem like people don’t enjoy Critical Role for being what it is

Not our usual Eberron M or Smal Tal Gang, but I did have the honor of running a 5-part zombie apocalypse-themed homebrew world dubbed "Medrow." (Originally planned to be a 3-shot, but player shenanigans so, oh well...)

This has been a highlight of my DnD career. If you are a player, I 100% recommend you to try your hand at DMing at least once if you ever get the opportunity. You won't regret it.

@plinchy Thanks for playing!!

The party from left to right:

Aerith, elf Druid

Thankred Summers, human Rogue-Paladin

Millie (DM's npc), gnome sidekick/apothecary

Tamisra, elf Blood Hunter

Cynthia, centaur Fighter (plinchy)

This isn't goodbye... just a "See you later!"

people i'd like to get to know better!

alias / name: chimes / robyn

birthday:  jan 4th

zodiac sign: capricorn

height: 168 cm

hobbies: gaming, writing, sewing, art, skating, biking, swimming, dnd, fashion, & singing loudly to myself.

favorite color: black

favorite book: iron widow by xiran jay zhao

last song: afterimage by northlane

last film / show: dungeon meshi. anyone else excited for ep 11 this week?

recent reads: driving manual...

inspiration: i have character playlists that i'll put on when my muse wheel lands on them. sometimes just hearing a song associated w a muse will get me motivated to write about them it's that easy. for talon specifically its that and talking abt them, playing or seeing a relatable meme.

story behind url: i think this is like. the third or fourth url change for tal by now. do you know how hard it is to get edgy urls these days? anyway talon's pre-rework passive was called mercy. the irony. you get it.

fun fact about me: im working on an original comic story atm that i plan to share online when the first chapter is ready... using my partner & close friends as my testing audience but i've collected more memes than i have page sketches finished atm but im Totally working on it, just con merch making is priority right now- i guess thats 2 fun facts.

tagged by: @dolls-runeterran-dollhouse ♡ once again late to this so no clue who's completed it. if you havent filled it out yet steal it & tag me!

Hey ghouls,

It's Monday again, which means it's time for our 4th and final cast announcement for season three.

May we present... 

The inimitable Marnie Warner, who is back as Eulalie's sister, Parker. What would this haunting even be without the sibling drama?!! Marnie Warner is a Chicago based theater and voice actor. You can hear her in podcasts across all genres, including Hit the Bricks, H.G. Wells Has His Regrets, Morland P.I, Where the Stars Fell, and Two Flat Earthers Kidnap a Freemanson. When not doing theater-type things, she’s probably reading, going out for breakfast, or looking at cats on the internet. For more information, visit her website at marniewarner.carrd.co/

Mihai Matei joins us this season as Cemetery Ghost and Poltergeist 4. Mihai is a London based VA whose hobbies include DnD, games and cycling. Find Mihai on Twitter @MihaiMateiVA

Natalie Hunter, returns as one of the voices of The Apartment! Natalie Hunter is a voice actor, singer, and screenwriter, and works as a research administrator by day. She is passionate about storytelling, the ocean, her cat Luna, and coffee. Find Natalie online at nataliehunter.carrd.co

Nick Mercer joins the haunting as FF House Ghost 1 and FF House. Nick Mercer is a voice actor and audiobook narrator with an incredibly versatile narration style, ranging from “friendly, positive guy next door” and “intelligent, articulate professional.” His background prior to voiceover includes Theatrical Performance, Music Production, Sales, and Education. Nick lives in North DFW with his beautiful – and genius – wife Corrie , their daughter Zoey, and their two dogs, Maisie and Loki. When he’s not firefighting or performing voiceovers, Nick loves watching anime, playing D&D, and platinuming FromSoft titles.  Find Nick online at NickMercerVO.com

Paul H. Rollins is back as Nick, the gruff brute-squad member of You Haint Seen Nothin' Yet. Paul is a musician, aerosol artist, and cat caretaker with a M.S. in Microbiology.

Ray O'Hare joins us this season as Bill, McMansion, and Longfellow's ghost. (Oooh, there's that morbid Victorian poetry, huh?) Ray has over 20 years of professional stage experience, and as a voice actor has appeared in video games, animation and audio drama. He lives in the Boston area with his wife and daughter, and past jobs include toy demonstrator for FAO Schwarz, historical reenactor, and graveyard tour guide.

Roanna Cruz joins us this season as Poltergeist 5! Roanna is a bilingual Filipino American voice actor based in Los Angeles. Whether it's a commercial, animation, game, or audio drama, she just loves collaborating on productions and having fun in the recording booth! To learn more about her, visit RCruzVO.com.

Sian Luxford joins us this season as Professor 1! Sian Luxford is an actor based in Sydney, Australia. After working in screen acting for over two decades, Sian decided to take the leap into voice acting in 2023, and quickly fell in love with it. Sian is thrilled to be joining the amazing cast of The Way We Haunt Now. Find Sian online at sianluxford.com

Sneha Kumar joins us as E. Drawing Ghost 3 and the Airport Gate Attendant. Sneha Kumar is a voice actor who has been in the field since 2018. She mostly focuses on character work, but is always interested in diving into other areas of voiceover work. Along with being a voice actor, she is also a singer, self-taught dancer, a cosplayer, and currently attends Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) for sound design. She is very excited to be a part of the cast and deliver a wonderful performance! Find Sneha online at https://skumarvoice30.wixsite.com/sneha-kumar

We're so delighted Tal Minear is returning as Myrtle, who's GOING to make the rest of You Haint Seen Nothin' Yet think about the consequences of their actions, dammit! Tal is a SoCal based voice actor, sound designer, and fiction podcast producer. They're the creator of Re: Dracula, Sidequesting, What Will Be Here?, and several other productions that can be found hiding under rugs and around corners. Tal can be heard in audio fiction shows such as Tales of the Echowood, Mayfair Watcher's Society, Deconstructive Criticism, and more. Find them online at talminear.com

Tarek Esaw joins the haunting this season as Poltergeist 3! Tarek Esaw is an Arkansas-based voice actor with a background in theatre. When they are not drowning in schoolwork or struggling at their 9-5, you can catch them at a D&D session or binging horror movies. Their voice can now be heard in the audiodramas Among the Stars and Bones as Hudson Desha, Tales From the Fringes of Reality as Sparrow, and the upcoming animated pilot Myths in Manhattan as both Julius and Pour. Find them on Twitter: @TarekEsawVO

Tim Lowe is back as our weird and wonderful radio host, Jon Harker, who, hmmm.... no.... spoilers. You'll just have to listen to find out. Tim is a podcaster and voice actor who has appeared in numerous shows. He regularly hosts Minds at Yeerk and has made several guest appearances on shows such as Judging Book Covers and Panelology. He has appeared in a variety of shows such as The Lafresian Chronicles, Tunnels, and Haunted Hell House of Horrors. He can be found on Twitter @Remobware which he will be more than happy to explain if you tweet at him.

Trenton Butt joins us this season as E. Drawing Ghost 1. Trenton Butt is a twenty-one year old voice actor, finishing their final year of college while also pursuing voiceover at the same time. They have been featured in various award-winning video games, indie animations, and trending podcasts, as well as being a published author. When not in the booth, they can be found either bothering their dog Letty, or playing video games. Find Trenton online at trentonbuttvoices.com

And that's it, folks. That's our slate of ghosts, ghouls, haunted humans, and show-within-a-show characters for season three.

I'm pretty sure this cast is the best one there is to be found in the void, and I can't wait to show you what we've created... sometime this month. 

Yours ghoulishly,

Courtney

Top Ten Evil DM Moments >:)

Got into a bad bout of insomnia and decided to work on a piece from a few years ago that my friend still tells me they think about regularly: Taliesin

Taliesin, or Tal, (he/him) is my bard from an old DnD campaign who I adored playing, and I was given a lot of freedom in their creation. He’s young, maybe 16 or 17, and was raised by a family friend after the loss of his parents as a toddler. The family friend, Mundi (they/them) who was played by the co-DM’s, became a mentor and guardian to Taliesin and I just loved their dynamic. Eventually I wrote up bits of Tal’s backstory and this one became both the longest and my favourite.

(I’ve never posted writing like this before so I’ll do my best with tags and info)

Summary: Taliesin tells the story of a fateful encounter he experienced when he was eight

TW: blood, animal death, bodily harm, bodily harm to a child, trauma, eye gore/imagery

Word count: 5k

Thanks for reading :3

Last illustration is Taliesin, now 16-17 ish, at one of the many taverns the fleet may end up at during their travels. He likes to tell this story as well as many others, and he’s always got a proud parent watching from nearby

Damn, what I would do for more content.

You know what? I love Dragon Age games, but they are not without flaws. Some are more glaring than others, but the flaw I want to talk about today is... lack of background specific content. Ok, Bioware doesn’t want to invest time into origins anymore. Fine. I think it is a stupid choice, as origins are like sessions 0 in DnD, where you can playthrough your own background instead of come to session 1 with the fully written out character. And even then Origins were not exactly the same. Some facts were already pre-established, but it was fun to have them, to spend some time IN the place you come from, in order to immerse yourself in the character. I cannot stress how interesting it would be to actually see invasion of Lothering from Hawke’s perspective at the end of a very normal, very peaceful day, instead of skipping it and go straight to running away. Or how nice it would be to actually be part of Lavellan clan and see how much similar and different it was from the Dalish clan we could start in DAO. Or how Tal Vashoth’s mercenary life or Carta’s life looked before they headed to the Conclave. Speaking about Tal Vashoth, they are actually what sprung this post to be, as I just sat today and randomly thought “How nice it would be if Adaar and Bull could ACTUALLY discuss living outside the Qun after his character quest”. The game gives all the main characters some opportunities to say something about themselves, but most of those things are quickly shot down by companions, who literally in some cases tell you your own customs as if they knew better. Those opportunities that we were given, never felt good enough to me. They felt small, as if the game wanted us to forget that avatars are distinct characters in their own right and overwrite it with the Herold of Andraste. Small dialogues here and there, some hidden special options... to some it is enough. To me, it feels cheap. My Adaar, Lavellan, Trevelyan and Cadash could have SO MANY interesting conversations with companions, best if all were turned into cutscenes specifically about that one topic we were discussing, instead of always being just an afterthought, some addition to the other topic, more important topic, that we were discussing. Solas has probably the most conversations in which we can talk with him about the Dalish, but it is because he is an elven god, born in times long past. Most other companions are not given the same luxury to discuss topics of identity, beliefs and culture with us beyond some random conversations here and there in which, like I already said, we are never allowed to actively tell the companions that they are wrong about the customs they just told us about to our face.

If you ever were angry that you couldn’t just start a discussion with Dorian about Alienages and Tevinter Slavery, to draw similarities and differences, to talk about what the status of elves is derived from (human hatred and bias), or if you wanted to sit with Bull as Adaar and comfort him about not being part of the Qun, and tell him everything you know about how Tal Vashoth live, their life philosophy, where and how they find fulfillment without the shackles of the Qun, you will understand what I am talking about. I am aware there is content. I just think there should be more of it, that it should be treated as important too, to make players more willing to replay the game and try to play as every avatar they can, beyond some small hidden dialogue options. I want to be able to correct companions when they’re wrong, just like an elven Warden could with Leliana for example. I want more, and more meaningful conversations with companions. I want us to discuss topics, relate to one another. I want Carta Cadash to talk with Varric and reminisce about stuff they share, and argue or debate about stuff that make them different. I want to be able to tell Cassandra as Trevelyan that no, mages are not whining and asking for more than they deserve. I want to scold her for treating people who were prisoners all their lives as if they were a bunch of whiny brats who are unhappy that they do not have satin linens on their beds, instead of a group of people who actively feared they will be murdered in their sleep by Templars at Haven. Give me those disapprovals Cassandra, I don’t care! You need to hear that mages are not willingly standing in the fire. That being born in the fire is different from consciously stepping into it and staying there and complaining it is hot. I want to be able to talk to all the Chargers, beyond Krem. I want to be able to chat with Dalish about dalish clan differences and similarities, and what they discovered and where they went last with their clans as Lavellan. I want Adaar to compete with Chargers about which group of mercenaries was better, the Chargers or the group that Adaar originally belonged to. I want them to have a drinking match, screaming who defeated more opponents or survived more deadly encounters! Yeah, I know I want a lot. But it is just the world building that I feel is lacking. The connections forged in camaraderie, arguments and debates. I don’t understand players who skip dialogues, or whine about “cutscenes / story arcs being too much talk, not enough action”. I am sorry that the dialogues that are the foundation of RPGs and writing, are standing in the way of some mindless slaughter, dudebro. Maybe they should have picked a different game then, if RP in RPG is bothering them so much.

12 and 50 for lula and 16 and 33 for jordan??

tyy tyyy

12. Do they have any sense of style? Regardless of the answer do they believe they have a sense of style?

back in the day lula liked bright colors (yellows/oranges mostly) but went for comfy over any sense of style. she didn't really care much about having a style, she spent too much time being amazed and overwhelmed by freedom. tal in her current form is all function.

50. What is your favorite thing about them?

i love love love a character with identity issues. getting to scramble this guy's brain is my favorite thing in the world.

16. Do they have or want kids?

absolutely not. miss "commitment who?" would be so afraid of having kids. she would like to be a cool aunt or something, but she'd be the awkward aunt in reality, she's nervous around kids.

33. Do they play ttrpgs? If so what kind of characters do they play? Or are they more likely to GM?

HELL YEAH. definitely back in her sidestep days. her first experience with ttrpgs started with dnd and a folk hero fighter character that got killed off accidentally and it emotionally destroyed her so badly she never touched dnd again (she plays other ttrpgs now) she definitely would like to try DMing but also she'd be so nervous to create something herself and then share that with a group (even if it was just with the rangers or the mob crew)

Imagining House of the Dragon characters playing D&D(Dnd) I can see Aemond being a lot like Tal with Mollymauk Tealeaf/Lucien Tavelle from Critical Role C2

Dumping my thoughts about critical role in the tags, don’t mind me!