#candela obscura chapter 1

[shorthaltsjester]

god i cannot express how impressed in general i am with the storytelling that cr is doing with candela obscura but what really strikes me is how evident it is that the storytelling they do is defined by the hearts of those who are putting it together rather than adhering to a specific idea or image of a given story that they want to uphold. there is such a stark difference between the tones of chapter one and chapter two (to the fault of neither, i’ve enjoyed them both immensely because they both happen to hit parts of the supernatural-horror genre that I am so deeply fond of and so happy to see in a real play medium).

there’s the obvious difference in gming styles, matt has fantasy running through his veins and that’s evident in the way that chapter one ends up having a tone akin to something like the scarier episodes of buffy the vampire slayer. spenser outright references mike flanagan in his pre-interview thing and good grief is that so so evident in his narration and the way he emphasizes the themes emerging in the story in the environment of the world they journey through and choices like the letter from sean’s mother that subvert the audiences ability to rely on a character’s perception.

but the energy the groups of players bring to the storytelling is obviously also so important, too. like, even just looking at the groups prior to watching each I probably could’ve guessed which might’ve had a more lighthearted tone. the combination of ashley, anjali, and robbie already would be one i’d guess a more warm/goofy vibe for (not to say they can’t be serious and dramatic, but the tone of the seriousness is still warm and the world that prompts them towards drama likewise feels warm) and laura, despite her propensity for goofs, does tend to be a chameleon with group make ups. likewise i think we all had a certain (affectionate) fear™ when it was revealed that marisha, brennan, luis, and travis would be reuniting in another short form story and that has certainly held up and been incredibly bolstered by zehra’s absolute commitment and immersion into the story (constantly fucking blown away that this is her first real play she’s incredible).

this is all just to say as someone deeply interested in digital storytelling, i am so so enamoured by cr’s commitment to following their own desires as humans telling stories to one another while adhering to the requirements they have as a company. and also if you haven’t you should watch candela obscura, especially now that spooky season is here.

#candela obscura #the vassal and the veil #the circle of needle and thread #spenser starke #matt mercer #critical role #candela obscura chapter 1 #candela obscura chapter 2 #i want to make it so so immensely clear that when i say chapter 1 was warm i don’t mean like. light because there was some Shit in it #but the world felt much much kinder in chapter 1 and that has a lot to do with matt and his storytelling #but also given the session one where robbie was like :((( idk if i wanna be enemies for this #it speaks to the heart of them All as storytellers that chapter 1 is a Warmer world with people trying their best #whereas spenser has crafted a cold world that the backstories and attitudes of the players and their characters echoes #but it’s still one where the people are trying their best #god i’m just so so impressed with candela obscura

[marvelousbelladonna]

She’s so pretty

I feel like she’s basically Imodna’s child

#critical role #cr spoilers #candela obscura #laura bailey #arlo black #candela obscura chapter 1 #marisha ray #laudna #imogen #imogen temult #campaign 3 #imodna #laudna x imogen #pastel goth #southern gothic

[ashleyjohnsonoftheday]

Day 561

#ashley of the day #ashley johnson #critical role #critical role cast #candela obscura #candela obscura chapter 1 #auggie james #august james #via: candela obscura chap 1

[airesgay]

aw damn here we go

#candela obscura #critical role #idk how to tag this #candela obscura chapter 1

[risingroleakira]

can i point out that it's hilarious the Circle of the Crimson Mirror is the one that starts out with Bones being transported At Sea and not the Circle of Tide and Bone

#it was bones right? #if it wasn't then ignore me lmao i struggle with attention sometimes #candela obscura #candela obscura chapter 4 #candela spoilers #co spoilers #candela obscura spoilers #candela obscura ch4e1 #candela obscura chapter 4 episode 1 #cr spoilers #critical role spoilers #critical role #cr #critrole #critrole spoilers #candela obscura liveblog

[lavendertheys]

Length: 7,271 words Rating: M for non-explicit smut TWs: gender dysphoria

“So, if I’m understanding correctly,” Arlo recaps, “you’re not flat, but you’d very much like to be. That’s your intention.”

Auggie takes a deep breath, lets it out slowly, and nods.

“And how would you do that?”

He has to clear his throat to make his voice work. “There’s this, uh—surgery you can get, to take ‘em away. It’s a whole… it’s somethin’ I’ve been thinkin’ about for a long time.”

Now Arlo smiles again. “Oh, that’s wonderful! If it would make you happy, Auggie, then of course you should get the surgery.”

“It ain’t that simple,” he mutters softly. “Costs a lot of fuckin’ money.”

Arlo blinks. “I have money.”

#candela obscura #arlo black #auggie james #arlie #ao3 fanfic #critical role #cr fanfic #transmasc character #candela chapter 1

[thequeenofmyownscreen]

Auggie, upon learning Arlo's fiancé disappeared : "So... are you single now ? Like, I don't know... (mumbles, stammers) It's not for me. I'm just... wondering, seeing if, like..."

Arlo, serious as hell : "Well, I'm not single, Auggie, we're engaged."

Auggie, bewildered : "You're engaged..."

Arlo : "You and me. Don't you remember ?"

Your Honor, they're FLIRTING

#I LOVE IT I LOVE THEM I SUPPORT THIS #critical role #candela obscura #CO1E02 #Candela Obscura : Chapter 1 #Circle of the Vassal and the Veil

[pocketgalaxies]

it's very cool how the first chapter was focused more externally on the types of assignments a new circle might have to go on and how the different skillsets of each character can be used to accomplish tasks, a very effective introduction to the new game's system and mechanical potential, but the second chapter is SO much more about these people and how they feel about the work they do and how the history of the world has affected them and whether candela is even a force for good, which speaks more to the artistry and roleplaying and storytelling potential of the game. verrrrry cool

#not to say that chapter 1 didn't have storytelling in it bc obviously it did (and i'll miss arlo black forever) #but compared to this chapter it was relatively sparse #2h29m CO2x02 #text #critical role #candela obscura #cr lb #r: the vassal and the veil #r: needle and thread #cr meta #nova shh

[colorfulandblack]

Marion's Starburst Scar is Not a Bleed Scar and Also the Case of the Missing Soul

Here's some theories and thoughts so buckle up

So, ok let me begin with comparing the scars and reviewing what we know about them.

A person gets a scar whenever they receive 4 marks in either body, brain or bleed. This also changes one's character.

We saw Howard's scar, might I add self inflicted, then Charlotte's scar and we saw how the fact that they got them changed their personalities ever so slightly but also what's notable is the difference of the body/brain scar to bleed one. Howard performed a tracheotomy on himself and Charlie arm is rendered useless.

However, Arlo Black, who entered the latest assignment with already one bleed scar which was a result of her sticking her hand into a portal and being exposed to the Flare. Because of this her next bleed scar expanded beyond her hand onto her side of the face and heightened her abilities as an ocultist. Whenever she is exposed to bleed she feels it in her hand.

Sound familiar, doesn't it?

Marion also entered the assignment with a scar. However it was never specified how he got it and which sort is it. Seems pretty certain it is a bleed scar but hear me out cos that's not necessarily the case in my opinion.

Based on previous observations (especially Arlo and the fact that they are both under Weird category) and the fact that the scar seems to soak on the bleed as the blue veins show a bit more each time Marion uses his abilities much like Arlos points to it being a bleed scar. And the fact that after receiving a (second?) bleed scar it expanded up his neck.

But what drives me insane is why the hell is it starburst shaped? How the fuck would that manifest as a sign of bleed or be an indicator that he was exposed to the bleed? Arlo's scar makes sense because her hand was exposed to another dimension/plane.

What if Marion's first scar was a result of body marks?

First of all the fact that it's starburst shaped, for me immediately brings an image of an explosive. Which makes sense as Marion was a soldier and mortars were flying left and right on the battlefield.

It is also not specified when his premotions manifested in terms of had he already have the scar or not? See it is possible that once he started getting those premotions he maxed out on bleed scars pretty quickly. But his abilities are not inherently a sign or result of bleed. He soaks up other people's marks and given the fact he saved Sean and Nathaniel probably several times his tally for body must have been full. They had not encountered bleed during the war!

Again because of the shape of his scar I imagine that it is possible that the last mark he took was a body from a bomb going off. Now that wouldn't just leave a scar, that just puts you in the ground.

Now this is when it gets interesting both based on facts and on my headcanons.

Have you noticed how Marion's "Medium" underneath his portrait looks like a toetag?

I mean it could be just a little note thingy that you attach to gifts or use as a bookmark as a stylistic/aesthetic choice but if the fact that Luis names his character Marion Collodi like the author of Pinocchio who's a MARIONette and sings how he doesn't have any strings left (while Spencer graphically described the Eldrich terror reaching for their soul strings and finding nothing) taught me anything is that NOTHING is random here.

So, here's the thing. Marion dies. Marion dies in an explosion. He dies because he soaked up that last body only it wasn't just a body mark. It was entire fucking life. His scar is a result of body marks being full.

And because it was an entire fucking life his starburst scar becomes the centre of the bleeds that starts to enter his life well before Candela. Because this life that he exchanged was a result of some powerful magik that in the world of Newfaire ways manifests in the form of bleed and therefore marked this spot as it's home and now whenever Marion uses his abilities the scar pulsates and grows.

That is also a reason WHY he hasn't got a soul, because he exchanged it, saving someone's life. I like to imagine it was Sean and they are literally soulmates, two people, one soul. I mean I don't know if their relationship will play out more romantically or platonically/brotherly but they do have an insane bond together and it would make more sense, based on the conversation between Marion and Sean in the metro tunnels alone that they would fight alongside more often that they would alongside (literally in close proximity) Nathaniel. Sean said that Marion would often call the shots, how to maneuver the battlefield and Nathaniel being the lieutenant would put him in more commanding position. I just don't imagine he would tag along Sean and Marion having entire troup to command.

Either way bleed has already entered Marion's body/soul before Candela or any previous contant with bleed and marked him and that's why the thing said that he's a perfect vessel already prepared for whatever evil plan the monster have.

This of course DOES NOT explain the definitely DELIBERATE choice on Luis part of naming his character Marion Collodi, as elaborated above and what the fuck does it mean but perhaps we will learn about it later on.

Or perhaps because Marion is a vessel, because he exchanged his soul for other person's life he will become possessed and become a plaything, a mariontte to some Eldrich terror puppetier. Like some sort of cruel cosmic joke that prays and exploits Marion's heart of gold and innate inability to take care of himself and just soaking those marks left and right.

#shit thats a loooonngg rant #sorry about that #just have a lot of feeling about this #none of my friends watch candela and i have noone to talk to #candela obscura #critical role #candela spoilers? its been long since chapter 1 but ig #candela spoilers #marion collodi #luis carazo #needle and thread #sean finnerty #brennan lee mulligan #spencer starke #nathaniel trapp #travis willingham

[apidgeo]

laura bailey is a horror queen, describing arlo falling back and doing the crawl backwards from threat troupe during their first encounter

#candela obscura #spoilers #critical role #chapter 1: episode 1 #arlo black #c1e1 #candela obscura: c1e1

[mollywauk]

DM: describes an incredibly visceral scene of a creature tearing the heart out of a body

Everyone: Cringing

Brennan: Calmly sips his tea

#candela obscura #candela obscura chapter 2 #brennan lee mulligan #episode 1

[marvelousbelladonna]

The monster was Arlo’s fiancé, Edward

#critical role #cr spoilers #candela obscura #candela obscura chapter 1 #candela obscura spoilers #chapter 1 episode 3 #episode 3 #matt mercer #laura bailey #arlo black

[nellasbookplanet]

Every now and again I'm reminded of how fundamentally different ttrpg liveplays are as a storytelling medium from literally any other and it drives me a little bit bonkers. So much comes down to chance; you can plan and strategize and have some absolutely wild modifiers, but if you roll a nat 1 you still roll a nat 1. It doesn’t matter how important a character is to the narrative and how many plans the players have for them, they can still die at any time and be inevitably lost because the dice told you, sorry, resurrection didn’t work this time. And then we build the narrative around that, an echoing hole that can never be mended, because we have no other choice but to move one.

You never know if a risky choice will be rewarded or punished. You can go into what looks like an easy fight and lose bitterly due to bad luck, or into what should be an impossible one and still win. You will never be reassured by the knowledge that it’s a prewritten, planned out story where some things are bound to happen for maximum narrative impact.

But neither will moments feel cheapened by the knowledge that it was always bound to happen. A character comes back to life in a movie and, well, you know it’s because the narrative needed them and they were never truly at risk; they come back in the game and you know just how easily the dice could have landed on a different number and it wouldn’t have mattered how needed they were.

It can, if we allow it, remind us that purpose and meaning in real life has nothing to do with inevitability or fate; it’s all about what we make it, the choices that arise out of chance, the consequences that come from choice. We create our own narrative out of inherent meaninglessness and chaos and it is beautiful.

#every time the critical role fandom loses it bc someone decides a fight was unfair I'm reminded of all those incredibly narrow survivals #remember when nott survived that blue dragon with 1 HP? #when they only escaped their first lucien fight bc his anti magic cone missed them with the narrowest of margins? #not to mention ashton's recent absolutely wild survival #when everyone told robbie to have his character run at then end of candela obscura chapter 1 bc everyone else was down #and victory seemed impossible - but he didn't and it save them all #or let us not forget the absolutely WILD molly/kingsley resurrection #not victory feels unearned but that would not be true if the stakes weren’t real #we need the occasional iron shepherd or otohan fight that downs the entire party #and before anyone tries to tell me YES i do know ttrpgs also have prewritten and planned elements i do have basic media awareness #it's that intersection of narrative choice and chance that creates absolute gold on occasion #nella talks

[collectionofsinglefathers]

It is amazing to just watch two performers being so so so good at what they do. I’ve been trying to be spoiler free with my posts so I won’t be specific but god, that scene between Marion and Jean at the end of the second episode was on another level. I’ve documented my love for Luis on here before, you don’t have to scroll too far to find the clip I posted from LA By Night that made me fall in love with him in the first place. But this is the first thing I’ve ever seen Zehra Fazal in anything and she has quickly joined the list of amazing performers that I adore. I’ve been going feral for Sean Finnerty, but Zehra’s performance as Jean has been absolutely phenomenal and I’m gonna have to look for other things she’s done cuz I’m gonna need more after this.

And just, coming out of that scene and both Brennan and Marisha being like “oh fuck, wait what, shit we rolled oh god I don’t know what I was doing before, I forgot we were still playing” because of how enrapturing that scene between Luis and Zehra was? That’s so real cuz I felt it too, like I legit forgot about everything else going on, and Spenser speaking up again was truly like the breaking of a spell bringing me back to the rest of the show.

#GOD I LOVE THIS SHOW SO MUCH #chapter 1 was great but FUCK this is affecting me on a whole nother level #critical role #candela obscura #luis carazo #zehra fazal #marion collodi #jinnah basar

[samcat18]

Dear people doing the lighting and music for this ep of candela -- GOOD FUCKING JOB, this is so spooky!!!

#candela spoilers #candela obscura #candela obscura chapter 2 #co 2-1 #this show fucks so hard

[ssantisheep]

I did try to watch candela obscura before but for various reason i just gave but the trailer for chapter 3 got me at the throat. I am feral for it.

#candela obscura #guess who is gonna watch chapter 2&1 #also i am not immune to gangster!sam riegel #(especially if is fucked by old man! liam) #neither i am immune to aabria in general #bonus point if she is the dm #acofaf my beloved #exu darling #and currently stoat hyperfixation burrow's end #the last time i was this hype was for calamity