arclundarchivist

[arclundarchivist]

I was still debating it by second episode, but now I’m 100% positive.

The characters are absolutely based on the main crew of The Wizard of Oz.

Malcolm is the Tin Man (metal arm, family works in munitions).

Edgar is the Scarecrow (tall, spindly, has burns on his body)

Leo is the Lion (cowardly, foppish, literally named after a lion)

Grimoria is Dorothy, a little girl desperately trying to find a home.

[arclundarchivist]

Masterpost

[arclundarchivist]

Caves are weirder and more varied than you think

[arclundarchivist]

I love Ruby and Sun, so you know...pure math here lmao

[Commission info][Patreon][Ko-Fi][Twitter]

[arclundarchivist]

Thinking about Faith and the Hells.

Thinking about how the one voice advocating for the Gods has died. Yet his message carries on.

Thinking about Orym, seeing the cloak of his lost friends Faith and pulling it down, not letting it be made a mockery.

Thinking about Ashton, clutching the holy symbol of Avandra in his fist, unable to let it go. Holding on to their friend’s guiding light. A Titan clasping a mark of divinity. “Who will I be in the morning?”

Thinking about Laudna and her challenges throne to the Gods, to Predathos, to what is established. Who is to blame for her fate, “The fate our creators had for us.” Yet, she knows her creator, yet they are no divinity. Letter’s chose to be more, chose faith, and love and hope. Will she choose that too?

Thinking about Imogen, standing in the eye of the storm, and on the edge of the precipice. She can fall, or she can rise. Yet does she bend to the storm that claims her as its own? No, she stands defiant. There is greatness in her, and she has returned to Home, what happens now.

#critical role #critical role spoilers #cr imogen #cr laudna #cr orym #cr ashton #cr fcg #ruidus

[arclundarchivist]

So many characters that I have such grand plans for~

got a lot of art from various ttrpg campaigns im in that i just never posted? so heres just all of it

campaign / character info under the cut:

1: thats milly! shes my character in a middle earth campaign i recently joined. shes a hobbit warden, which is basically a bard minus spellcasting. shes talky

2: atmos is a poppet kineticist (air/water) in a pathfinder 2e rp server i joined, theyre nonverbal and filled with rage

3: ACE-9, an autognome (flavored as a different race called "cairnicks") warlock/wizard (hexblade/war magic) i made for a one-shot. despite being a warlock/wizard, she was the tank of the party bc she had crazy high AC, which drove my dm crazy (hi @arclundarchivist <3). she ended up sacrificing herself to save her AI patron

4-5: ive posted about zaltus before, hes my leonin cleric, the other guy in those doodles is andanan, the paladin in the party, who zaltus has a weird crush on bc he reminds zaltus of his wife (seen in 8)

6: zaltus got wasted one session and was super normal

7: zaltus is a sub. moving on

8: zaltus's wife was super hot but shes dead now bc zaltus got zorped 600 years in the future. sad

9-11: buoy is an owlin barbarian character ive got prepared for a campaign way in the future that im still playing with the design for

12: joey is my backup character for another campaign the same DM is running, shes a human ranger and she loves pokemon!

13: jacob is an npc from that same campaign, hes a conspiracy theorist who is unfortunately uniquely incapable of seeing supernatural stuff

14: same campaign, these are the folks in the highschool dnd club joeys in. the witches think they have magic and dont, the hunters think magic is real and are right. they hate each other

15-16: a scene from another campaign from the same DM, in the same universe as zaltus! ive posted about chomphuphan, my ursine cleric, and the other character is jengen, the barbarian in the party whos sorta choms father figure now

17: chomphuphans adoptive brother is named onkhot and he broke his leg protecting chom from bandits. theyre angsty

18: jengen had long hair and i didnt know this when i drew him initially. anyway he and chom are friends and jengen drinks fire resistance potions to bang fire giant ladies

#quark art #dnd #dnd art #ttrpg art #ace-9 #zaltus dawnheart

[arclundarchivist]

The Wildmother is the goddess of the wild, but more than that, she is the wild. She is the lap of gentle waves over a warm beach, she is the cold, lightless depths of the ocean. She is forests and groves, she is wildfire and ash. She is every creature of tooth and paw, of torn fur and bloody flesh and the instinct to survive with whatever means available to her.

Why would she stop this?

[arclundarchivist]

I saw someone raise a point, wondering why Lolth is so intent on claiming just Opal, when she could be convincing the whole party through Opal to aid her.

And I think the answer is is two fold.

One Lolth, is the most betrayer of all betrayers. She has no allies, devotees, born of fear sure, but her closest thing to a true champion is running around in Asmo’s service. She has literally stabbed all of the other gods in the back at some point in their history, she can’t comprehend loyalty, which is why Dariax’s kindhearted refusal to turn from Opal cracked through the delusion she was crafting.

Now yes, Melora, while offering the solution, isn’t keen on it, why, well because as harsh as it is, that’s nature, sometimes the host dies so the parasite can survive. Kinda fucked up, but she still have Fy’ra to point at which to target, and it’s Melora’s survival on the line as well.

Secondly, this likely is some form of petty revenge baked in for Lolth.

Opal, as we’ve learned is marked by the Luxon.

The entity, though through no real action of its own, that has stolen vast swaths of Lolth’s former devotees, while many of the others were going mad due to the Influencd of Tharizdun. She was running out of worshippers.

And now, she can spit one of these vast eldritch beings that are even beyond her, by tearing apart one of the “paper dolls” it made, though again, without intent, and shape it into her own perfect pawn.

#critical role #critical role spoilers #exu opal #Lolth #Melora #the luxon

[arclundarchivist]

Spoilers C3E92

Also, Laudna’s lines regarding FCG.

“Not doing what our creators intended for us.”

Is so interesting and I need to know more.

Because clearly, it already speaks to the defiance that has been ingrained in Imogen by seeing how far gone her mother is and the evil of both Otohan and Ludinus.

But Laudna’s been allowing herself to give in to Delilah, though Marisha has been avoiding warlock levels and delving instead into the inate magic that Matilda had prior to the manipulations and torment.

So I’m wondering, if FCG’s sacrifice will finally reawaken her own defiance, and allow her to grow beyond Delilah finally.

#critical role #critical role spoilers #cr imogen #cr laudna #cr fcg #delilah briarwood

[arclundarchivist]

Spoilers C3E92

I’m wondering…. how long this is gonna go for…

Really enjoyed the front half of this episode, felt good hearing the gravity in all their voices, the bitterness that commital to the cause and rage at Predathos and Ludinus, not buying anything Leliana tried to sell, then the Aeor drop and the new faction that was fucking shit up for the Cerberus/Vanguard.

Didn’t expect the swap at all and was initially, honestly pretty excited.

And what’s happening I’ve genuinely been thinking about for months, but man…I don’t think the timing for this really works out the best and I hope it doesn’t last too long, I want to get back to the aftermath of Sam’s passing. I am happy to have Dorian and Dariax back though, and the Luxon lore and Morrighan being the new Champion were interesting story-beats, but yeah, hope it doesn’t take long to get back to the regularly scheduled programming, especially since next week is Candela.

Also lost in it all is a moment I think should have gotten a bit more focus, and I hope to see art of Evoroa and Gona, the first of their kind to ever walk on Exandria, far as we are aware. That’s is so poignant, and think about it, she was freed from likely certain death out of beings up until recently she’s only seen in Dreams, and now she’s walking in her people’s version of Heaven. That’s heavy.

#critical role #critical role spoilers #cr imogen #cr fearne #cr laudna #cr orym #cr ashton #cr chetney #cr fcg #ruidus #cr dorian #exu #dariax zaveon #fy’ra rai #exu opal #exu morrighan

[arclundarchivist]

still thinking about the imagery of the changebringer coin embedded in the wall after the blast, pointing bells hells toward the exit. the final piece of divine guidance from their cleric, who just saved all their lives, pointing them on a path up toward hope

[arclundarchivist]

calling 911 on sam riegel for emotional damage 😭😭😭😭

[arclundarchivist]

"They saved my life, so I'll save theirs"

[arclundarchivist]

"And some connections are made with wire, some are made with blood, some are made with bone, and some are made with wood. But they all matter. And even in this dark cave they make it a smiley day."

-F.C.G.

[arclundarchivist]

Endless Bells Hells

[arclundarchivist]

SPOILERS C3E91

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TURN BACK

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THIS IS NOT A PLACE OF COMFORT!

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Goodnight, Smiley Day

He blinks, and he…. feels the touch of light on his skin.

The warmth of the air around him, he breathes in and he tastes all he has ever wished, oranges and mint and chocolate and water.

Fresh Cut Grass pushes himself to stand and looks around. An idyllic field rolls into the distance, all about him, except for where he currently stands.

A crossroads.

And from it, the paths extend far beyond the horizon, rising into beautiful tresses of the goddess he has only ever seen at a distance.

The Changebringer.

She smiles, and suddenly, she and he are eye to eye, her gentle hand reaching up to caress his cheek.

"I… is this how it always goes?" they ask.

She laughs, gentle yet sad, her eyes surprisingly downcast.

"No… no, it isn't," she states, looking to the sky, and he follows her gaze.

Ruidus bleeds in the sky, scarlet light snapping and biting at the pristine blue, and he can hear… a scream on the wind.

"We live in unfortunate and unusual times." she breathes.

"Yeah… yeah." he agrees, looking up at her after a moment.

"Did I make the right choice?" he asks, clutching for the coin but instead finding her hand.

She gives it a comforting squeeze.

"What do you think?" she asks.

"I…" he pauses.

"Yes." he finally states, and she smiles.

"I don't know what kind of path I'd set them on, but… I'm glad they'll get to keep walking on." he states, "Even if I'm… not there with them."

"Who says you won't be?" the Changebringer asks, gesturing towards the roads winding away from them.

And suddenly he can see his friends.

Ashton, carving a path, grief, and rage shattering stone as his coin, a beacon, clutched tightly in their fist.

Imogen kissing her hand as she lays it on his body, that same hand then tightly grasping her mother's, a road reforged between them, "Thank you, Letters."

Orym, standing firm, bronze armor marked by three blades of grass shimmering defiantly against an oncoming storm, "Together, Grass."

Chetney carving a toy in his likeness to hand to a frightened child, "For a smiley day."

Fearne snatches the coin from Ashton, kissing it and slipping it back, "So we're both with them for tomorrow."

Laudna stands at a crossroads beneath a tree, half livened, half wizened, reaching for the glow even though it burns her hand. There is resolve in her eyes.

Dorian, amidst unfamiliar faces, staring up at the red moon.

"We're fighting for a shiny day."

A confused dwarf looks up at him, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Something a friend always wanted. A good day." Dorian remarks, tapping the sending stone in his palm.

"I love you, Faithful Caregiver." A soft voice murmurs.

They freeze, turning to see FRIDA standing and looking at him, gently smiling, "I'll see you soon."

"No, you… you take your time," FCG mutters, and to his surprise, tears track down his face.

The Changebringer reaches out and wipes them away before pulling him into a tight embrace.

Huh… so this was a hug.

"Do… do folks always feel most alive at the end?"

"Not always. The end doesn't give the journey meaning; it's the joys you find along the way." The Changebringer returns, squeezing him tighter.

He sees Milo, Dancer, Joe, Deanna and Prism, all trying to make sense of the world and the paths set before them.

"You did good." a gruff voice remarks, the whisper of Eshteross.

"But the journey's just begun." a more jovial voice states, Bertrand.

And there they stand, down the road.

"What… what happens now?" FCG asks, looking to the Changebringer.

"Now, we do what we can from this side." she states, "And see this all to the end of the road."

"Alright… alright." he remarks, smiling as she squeezes his hand once more, "I'm ready."

And he heads on down the road.

Goodbye, Fresh Cut Grass. Your love, your faith, your hope, let it ever be a beacon for those who knew you best.

#critical role #critical role spoilers #cr imogen #cr fearne #ruidus #cr laudna #cr orym #cr ashton #cr chetney #cr fcg #cr frida #cr dorian #cr deanna

[arclundarchivist]

Spoilers CRE91!

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Seriously if you haven’t watched, DO NOT READ!

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This… changes so much of the party dynamic.

FCG had faith, he had love, he believed in them and the cause of the Gods and Exandria, and how is this going to affect the party’s views.

He gave his life to put down Otohan, an arm of Ludinus, they can’t turn from that now no matter what.

But I’m worried, some of them might spin this to be spiteful at the Gods again.

Ashton… I’m unsure of.

I have a feeling that Orym is going to incorporate that piece he took into his armor.

Laudna, again denied the power she wanted and down a friend… yeah not looking forward to where that might go.

But Imogen has her mother, she didn’t falter. The Storm Lord was watching, and now… what happens?

What is Sam gonna bring to the table? Is he gonna play a Ruidian?

Is Leliana going to leave with the party?

This has me FULLY EXCITED if a bit trepidatious for whatever may come next!

#critical role #critical role spoilers #cr fcg #cr imogen #cr fearne #cr laudna #cr orym #cr ashton #ruidus #cr chetney #otohan thull #ludinus da'leth