#cr fic recs

[catalists]

Chrome’s Shadowgast Fic Rec List, Vol 2

Alright, as threatened, it’s time for another list of fic recs, since you guys keep churning out absolute bangers. If you missed the first list, check it out here.

As before, the rules:

I’m limiting this list to one fic per author (but may repeat some authors from list #1.) I also link author profiles, so please check out their other fics as well!

 These are MY personal favorites. That means if you reply “you’re wrong because you missed X”, no I’m not.

Without further ado, (More of) My Favorite Shadowgast Fics:

* = fic is rated M or E 

Dunamancy 101: The Practical Application of Romance Upon Two Unsuspecting Wizards by Dragonslaeyr

Professor Caleb Widogast and Dr. Essek Thelyss' students just wanted a break from the sheer amount of assigned readings they had. As it turned out, both professors were single.

Events escalated from there.

It’s epistolary! It’s outsider POV! It’s a university AU! It’s literally everything you love! This fic is hilarious, heartwarming, and brilliantly rendered in the form of syllabi, chat messages between Essek and Caleb’s students, emails, and Rate My Professor reviews.

Refuge by kae_hunter

Essek watches Caleb languidly through the lashes of his usable eye. He has unquestionably just endured the worst day of his entire life: his title, his Den, the respect of his Queen, everything he’s worked towards for the past half-century, crumbled to dust in an instant. Adding injury to insult, he barely survived the two separate ambushes set by his former colleagues long enough to deliver himself as a warning to possibly the only people who might avert the impending apocalypse. In the past half hour, he has been repeatedly (and very painfully) jolted to and from the brink of death like a child’s yo-yo. And yet...

And yet, seeing this human’s face—this foreigner, who, not so long ago, he might have imprisoned or killed as “Empire scum” without a second thought—the tender studiousness of Caleb Widogast’s expression, as he gently dabs at Essek’s eyelid with a damp cloth... Essek finds himself strangely at peace with it all.

This is an older one--to the point where it’s not canon compliant anymore--but still 110% worth a read. The author has wonderfully vivid language and a superb blend of emotion and humor (and Yussa’s appearance is a ton of fun).

Hard Mouth* by road_rhythm | @road-rhythm

There's something in Caleb's dreams. It wants him to know that he's not alone. It wants him to know that he'll never be alone again.

Elves don't dream, so all Essek can do is watch.

A long canon-divergence fic that assumes Caleb didn’t take Mind Blank has his eighth-level spell and Trent Ikithon played a longer game in trying to take him down. If you’re looking for the emotional equivalent of getting repeatedly knifed in the gut, this fic is for you! Warning for dark themes; please be mindful.

It used to be if you don’t like it you could leave by thought

In which the humans do a politics, the Xhorhasians learn about potatos, and everyone decides five hundred years of living in disguise and on the run isn't actually a great life plan, Essek.

This fic is an absolutely delightful post-canon Shadowgast epic. It has it all: Essek and Caleb slowly inching their way into a relationship Without Talking About It, while all of Xhorhas is talking about their torrid love affair, with incredible dialogue and a beautiful look at the rest of the Mighty Nein on the side. Can’t recommend this one enough for the thoughtful worldbuilding and warm fuzzy feelings. Also, title is from “Rome” by Dessa, which is a banger.

The Upward Arc of Sun and Moon* by marsastronomica | @marsastronomica

Shadowhand Essek Thelyss of the Kryn Dynasty has been selected to spend the year at the Soltryce Academy, teaching the basics of an esoteric school of magic known as dunamancy. While the goal is to build better relations between the Dwendalian Empire and the Dynasty, it’s also the best way to prove to his mother he is committed to furthering the reputation of their well-regarded Den.

Renowned former adventurer Caleb Widogast has recently been appointed the Archmage of Civil Influence. Beloved by the common folk, Caleb finds himself frustrated with cutthroat peers and a morally lackadaisical aristocracy. Being able to attend every dunamancy lecture, plus new students and old friends, should keep his troubled mind away from unfinished business.

Though Essek and Caleb met three years ago, a misunderstanding put them at odds. The more they talk, the quicker Essek falls into his first romance…which unknowingly leads them both into a web of underhanded machinations.

Oh, man, I can’t say enough good things about this epic-length (seriously, long as hell, and if you’re anything like me you won’t want to stop reading) fic. It’s a gorgeous alternate universe, blending elements of canon with a university AU. The development of Caleb and Essek’s relationship is thoughtful, the dialogue is excellent, and the author even got me to enjoy things that usually aren’t to my personal taste.

Lay Your Bones by LadyOrpheus

Footsteps pad down the hall and past the stairs. Actual footsteps. Verin can’t remember the last time he saw Essek walk on his own two feet. He feels a twisted knot form beneath his sternum; something isn’t right.

Thinking only of justice and restoring his family's honor after Essek's betrayal, Verin Thelyss finds something he never expected, an Essek he never expected. A mission for justice turns into a race against time and a family finds their world upended.

A really powerful blend of kidfic and one of my personal favorite genres, ‘Essek gets arrested by the Dynasty and the M9 save him’. The use of POV is excellent and the characters are written thoughtfully and realistically.

a mirror to the sky* by renquise

Essek shows up on Caleb's doorstep in the bitter cold of winter.

It is still early in the day, barely three-sixteen, but the sun is already disappearing between the city houses, leaving only blue light in the streets. The temperature is falling with the sun and the moons are high in the sky, white and pink shadows against the blue. Essek is dark and indistinct in the doorway, the shape of him muffled by a heavy cloak, and they have need of each other’s complicated company.

As with all of renquise’s fics, this is a beautiful and delicately written fic about intimacy. The dialogue is exquisite, the language and POV is impeccable.

Out of Season* by aboxthecolorofheartache | @aboxthecolourofheartache

Caleb knows what it is to be hunted.  He sees it in Essek’s careful placement of his minimal luggage, how he has not unpacked anything more than what is needed at the moment, the modest respectability of his nightclothes, how he sets his boots by the bedroom door instead of on the tray in the foyer.

The Dynasty’s memory is longer than lifetimes, and Kryn lives are already long.  Ludinous Daleth keeps fat ledgers.  Their quarry will go to ground tonight with his head on Caleb’s pillow."

Another post-canon fic about Essek on the run, and Caleb, and Essek and Caleb together. If you enjoy being punched in the gut by your own emotions, this fic is for you! This fic is so well constructed, and it manages to hurt a lot and be warm and hopeful at the same time.

the fire kept closest (burns most of all)* by mousecookie | @ariadne-mouse

“Okay, you definitely have something new,” Beau said when he stalled for too long. “Spill.”

Essek continued to chew his thumbnail.  “Tour group on the lava field.  There was a sudden breakout from a soft spot.”

“...And?”

He took a breath, then shrugged.  “It looked like hands?”

(Aka, the spooky volcanology AU that absolutely no one asked for.)

The concept of this fic is fucking bonkers but the emotions it will cause you to have are worse! I feel especially compelled to recommend it because It’s Really That Good, No Really, I Swear. Funny and heartwrenching in equal measure.

The Climb by Chekhov | @thechekhov

It’s... the stupidest thing. Essek grits his teeth. It’s a trained habit - a way to redirect some of the pain without showing any symptoms. A Shadowhand never shows his hand, and it is this he excels at - a poker face, a well-concealed illusion of poise and grandeur and tolerance. But today, he is unlucky. Because there is little that escapes the keen mind of Widogast - and here he has quite the disadvantage. It is, quite literally, his least favored terrain. Stairs. ---

When keeping mages in an enclosed terrarium, please keep in mind the following: They need lots of places to hide and explore. Provide enrichment opportunities for them to keep them from getting bored - plenty of books, hidden treasures, and secret chambers. And if you're feeling bold, think about including an Anti-Magic staircase just to challenge them. See what they do with it.

A light-hearted one to end the rec list with; while of course I love Essek and Caleb at their most tortured, have a delightfully funny one with great, snappy dialogue where they’re only at the mercy of their own pride, stupidity, and each other.

And if you’re still on the hunt for more Shadowgast fic, there is my own ouevre, but I will rec my most popular one:

only code it knows is rote survival by Chrome

 Essek clung to her; his fingers gripped the front of her coat. He looked small in a way he never had before, frightened in a way that Caleb hadn’t fully processed he could be. It wasn’t Essek’s nervousness, the anxiety of a brilliant man who could see danger all around him, who could see the falling dominoes and the way the web he had woven had entangled him. It was the fear of a small child, or indeed, a stray cat—the fear of a creature trapped in a terrifying world it did not understand.

 Essek, brilliant Essek, Essek who believed he could find the answers to everything, unable to understand a thing—the thought of it stabbed at Caleb’s heart.

---

In a world where Trent makes it back to Eiselcross before the Nein do, Essek spends a night under the effects of the Feeblemind spell. Caleb undertakes a duty of care, and the Nein learn how Essek feels about them beneath everything.

#shadowgast #essek thelyss #caleb widogast #cr2 #cr #critical role #fic recs #cr fic recs #critical role fic #cr fic

[mllekurtz]

shadowgast wip recs part 3.5

(part 1 - part 2 - part 3 - part 3.5 - part 4 - part 4.5)

these were supposed to go in the rec list i posted the other day, but they fell through the cracks. apologies! i'm posting them as an addendum because some of these will probably be complete before i have a dozen wips to make a full rec list again.

1) Monsterchen (T, 5/?) by drow_skies/@drow-skies aka the long essek one, and yes, i know, but this? this is a good fic. i laughed. i cried. crack taken seriously is a respectable genre, especially when it veers into angst. the premise (essek is turned into a small creature with an intelligence of, i believe, less than 5 by weird aeorian magic, and caleb's attempts to undo the spell are futile) is actually super believable, and this long essek can't believe i typed this twice now is incredibly cute. please do yourself a favour and read this.

3) some things time can't fix (M, 2/3) by Chrome/@catalists aka the daemon au, in which the dynasty's punishment for traitors is to severe the bond between them and their daemons (for those who are not familiar with his dark materials' universe, daemons are tangible manifestations of one's soul, so it's as bad as it sounds: literally worse than death). if you are looking for a fic that breaks your heart right off the bat and then lovingly kintsugi's the pieces back together, this is the one for you. there is deep, crushing desperation followed by hope; beautiful, delicate, deep and cathartic.

3) On the tip of the tongue (M, 8/9) by dunadancy since i've apparently only been reccing angst lately, i would now like to offer you a fic that always makes me laugh out loud several times, often in the same paragraph. this is a brilliant, charming what if? in which essek helps the nein with a honeypot scheme; both the plot and the slow burn are extremely entertaining, the multiple povs are handled very well, and the original characters are perfect both in and of themselves and as a stand-in for the audience ('sorry boss, i ship it' must be one of my favourite lines in any fic ever).

#as always: reach out if you are a creator and want tags added or removed! #shadowgast #critical role #cr fics #cr fic recs #wip rec list #mlle's fic recs

[mithrilwren]

CR Fic Recs!

I did this last year, so I figured I might as well do it again! I haven’t read nearly as many fics in 2020 as I did in 2019, but I think I’ve made up for it by getting better at remembering to bookmark the ones I liked, haha. Without further ado, and in vaguely chronological order, here are some of the fics that stood out to me during this wild and crazy year!

never to touch (and never to keep) by cerealmilk. Jester finds out about Beau’s crush, and Beau handles it... exactly as well as you’d expect. A great mix of Beaujester angst and ultimate catharsis.

icarus to your certainty by @essektheylyss. Shadowgast, but in spaaaceeeeee. Which sounds kinda silly on paper, but this fic will break your heart if you let it. It’s a wonderful character study wrapped in a gorgeous AU, with some of the most interesting worldbuilding I’ve seen in a long while.

For the Girl in the Garden by @winterling42. Here’s another AU - this time, the Hunger Games! I’ve seen similar AUs come and go in other fandoms, but I don’t know if I’ve ever seen one that captures the emotional energy of the situation quite like this. I’ve enjoyed every installment of this series, but this Beaujester centric snippet is still probably my favourite.

The Barest Moment by @gnimmish. Oh, the pining. A short Beauyasha fic with the perfect amount of hesitance, uncertainty, and love mixed in.

How to struggle gracefully by @sky-scribbles. The M9 get invited to dinner with the Thelyss household, and find out a bit more about Essek’s relationship with his mother. Let’s be real, I’d read any iteration of this premise, but this particular telling hits all the right angsty, ouchy, punch-you-in-the-stomach beats. 

just don’t lie to me by @capitola. I’m always a sucker for introspective Nott/Veth stories, and this is no exception. In this Widobrave piece, still-a-goblin Nott contemplates what she might have missed out on by lying to Caleb about her age, and it’s just... so good.

rational animals by @the-littlest-goblin. I’m generally not a fan of post-canon fics, but my god, even if you aren’t, make an exception for this one. Its non-linear narrative weaves such a compelling tale about Caleb and Essek’s complicated relationship post campaign, told in snippets of interactions and brief moments of calm amidst the chaos of two turbulent lives. It is utterly believable, and now one of my favourite Shadowgast fics of all time.

#critical role #cr fic recs #beaujester #beauyasha #shadowgast #widobrave

[xhorass]

for the aspec list: it's not the main focus, but A Man of Letters by Arisusan has ace!Fjord and his and Caleb's relationship is kind of like a qpr

Sorry it took so long to get back to you, but thanks for the rec! I’ll definitely check this out (especially because QPRs are *chefs kiss*)

#asks #anon #cr fic recs

[ivadeshin]

I've read everything on this blog and I need more!!! Do you have more crit role fics elsewhere or any recs of other fics???

All my CR fics are here on this side blog, and they’re also going (more slowly, but also more organized and slightly edited) to my ao3. As for recs, um, *shuffles papers*

Caleb Widogast Needs Help by PrincessSteve - Widomauk, rated T. I want to point out that I normally roll my eyes at modern AUs in this fandom. IT FEELS LIKE SUCH A WASTE TO ME. This one’s summary drew me in instantly and delivered. I’ll leave it at that. 

Like Real People Do by myriadofcolors37 - Fjester, rated E. Good vibes losing-our-v-card smut.

Downside of the dogpile by Natural_Log - Fjaleb, rated E. Listen, I’m a sucker for the snuggle pile trope. And the bed sharing trope. This could have been almost any ship and I’d’ve enjoyed it.

#critical role #cr fic recs #Anonymous

[ariadne-mouse]

Here's some fanart for @saturdaysky's fantastically unsettling Essek & Ikithon fic, Rare Gift. Go read it and get the imagery just as stuck in your head as it is in mine! If you like it, their recent Caleb & Ikithon fic, fulcrum, also has a similar mood. Mind the tags for both.

#sky you have a way with words #and that one *plink* moment is branded on my brain #thank you for the inspiration :) #I really enjoyed polishing up the draft of this I had #and I learn more about CSP every time I make something! #critical role #fanart #essek thelyss #op #fic recs #ariadne draws CR #c2

[kurosmind]

The Ruins that Remain - Chapter 3

The Last of Us AU, Written by @narwhalish, beta-ed by me

Chapters: 3 / 17 | Read here!

Caleb dances and dreams

Fandom: Critical Role (Web Series) Rating: M Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major (canonical) Character Death Relationships: Essek Thelyss/Caleb Widogast, Essek Thelyss & Verin Thelyss, The Mighty Nein & Essek Thelyss

#critical role #shadowgast #cr fanfic #essek thelyss #caleb widogast #fic rec #kyra and kuro's tlou au

[terezis]

do u have essek fic recs? i tried ao3 and immediately got depressed by “blah blah blah lifespan” any era is good!!

you're in luck bc i only read cr fic if essek is in it

set vaguely around the xhorhas arc:

unsweet, bitter by softlyblue; character study, begins pre-canon

because i could not stop for death by sockablock; in which essek and caleb figure out that caleb is consecuted.

the stubborn grace of being love regardless by chrome; au wherein jester offers to marry essek so he doesn't have to have an arranged marriage for the sake of his den. is extremely good and i love how the author writes jester.

set vaguely around the eiselcross arc:

tales from eiselcross by cers; the mighty nein ask essek for help fighting the tombtakers.

sunlight before exhaustion by treevitality; different but equally tasty take on the mighty nein asking essek for help LOL

fist-fighting with fire just to get close to you by kaeda; wherein caleb and essek have a hard time keeping their thoughts... private... after the mighty nein figure out that the eyes of the somnovem give them telepathy. LOL.

wild magic is for lovers by jakia; caleb and essek experience the effects aeor has on their magic.

set vaguely post-canon, but written before the epilogue:

proof by contradiction by chrome; at the behest of the mighty nein, dairon attempts to rescue essek from the cerebus assembly. written pre-ep141, so not rly canon compliant anymore... but extremely good regardless

clear waters by wanderinghooves; wherein essek has communes with the wildmother, has some soup, and is in love with caleb.

smelling of roses by idontreallylikebutteflies; more recovery from the final battle fic, very tasty, lot of sg

unsure, distrustful and eternally remorseful by idontreallylikebutterflies; the mighty nein meet essek's brother.

#cr spoilers #i had more than i thought i would... i just think he's neat #fic recs

[delilah-briarwood]

Slow Fall

Beau was in her element. Helping down-on-their-luck-villagers, fighting random Fire Nation soldiers, kicking ass — this is what she was born for.  

 Okay, some people would argue she was born to find and protect and aid the Avatar or whatever, but nobody knew who that was yet, so Beau was off the hook for that. For now.  

 The Cobalt Soul Avatar shit wasn't even a destiny she was born with anyway. It was just something her dad forced her into when he realized she wouldn't be his perfect little wine-lord princess. So who could blame her for totally ignoring her futile Avatar finding quest?

A moodboard for @flashhwing ‘s BeauJester ATLA au

#critical role #beaujester #beauregard lionett #jester lavorre #beau lionett #cr2 #cr fic #the mighty nein #beaujester fic #fic rec #beaujester moodboard #cr moodboard #smoke friend #behold a creation

[renquise]

@ariadne-mouse​ Sfadfhds you’re too kind thank you for enabling like. Everything I absolutely love to write with these two.

--

The feast that Jester prepares for them is a wonder. 

Caleb asked one of the calicos to bring him a glass of sweet dessert wine: not enough to dull his wits, but enough to loosen his unease, if only a little. It’s strange, perhaps, to feel replete, pleasantly full with good food and good drink, and to know that what awaits them is not an easy night, but perhaps oblivion. 

Essek keeps glancing over at his wine cup. He has his own goblet between his fingers, sipping carefully at it. A Lionett vintage, if Caleb heard correctly.

“Is there something wrong?” Caleb asks when Essek glances at his goblet yet again. 

Essek shoulders sit tight, despite the easy atmosphere. He looks a little sheepish when Caleb speaks. His shoulders loosen very deliberately with the usual control that Caleb has always seen of him.

Essek clears his throat, and gestures to the finger-width of straw-gold wine still in his glass. “To leave the last of your wine--ah, it is considered to bring ill health, in the Dynasty.”

Caleb grins. “Do you believe in bad luck, Herr Thelyss?” 

Essek laces his fingers before his mouth, his eyelashes dipping low. “I think I told you before that I make my own luck.”

Caleb raises an eyebrow. It’s not a no. “Quite literally, yes. You taught me how to, as well.”

“But. Ah. For the sake of my peace of mind, please.” Essek reaches out to his goblet, giving the base a neat quarter-turn with the tips of his long fingers--a gesture that seems almost reflexive, the same way that Caleb knocks his fist on the table when they sit to eat.

Caleb turns his wine cup towards Essek and takes the last gulp of it. Essek’s eyes flick to his throat as he swallows, and he--he sets that observation aside for now, because there’s no time for it, not now. Essek’s shoulders lie more smoothly when he sets the cup down again. 

It shakes him, how badly Essek wants them to survive: that this mage capable of wrenching the fabric of reality to his needs would call upon these simpler magics on the off chance that they might serve as protection.

Caleb holds his hands out. Essek looks down at them, then back up at him, uncomprehending. 

“Your hand, please, if you will.”

Essek puts his hand in his, palm-up. His hands are smooth and cool. The tips of his fingers are a little cracked with the cold. Caleb tucks Essek’s thumb into his palm and curves Essek’s fingers around it. He squeezes Essek’s fist lightly. The tips of his fingers fit neatly in the valleys between Essek’s knuckles. It feels like a somatic component of a simpler kind, a child’s magic: one that does not reach to pluck the net of fate, but a wish, a hope for more time.

Caleb clears his throat. “There, that’s for good luck.”

Essek’s eyes flick up to his, then to their joined hands. Caleb lets go. 

Essek flexes his fingers, then repeats the gesture, his face wry. “We’ll need it, I think.”

“Mm. We’ve done our best to prepare. Everything else is yet untold.”

“Indeed.” Essek raises his glass to him and drains the last of it.

--

(Drop me some prompts or some song recs :Db)

#critical role #cr fic #shadowgast #prompt and song rec sunday picnic #words tag

[catalists]

Chrome’s shadowgast fic rec list, vol 1

Well, well, well, if it isn’t the consequences of my own obsession with wizards. I might make another one of these eventually if y’all keep churning out absolute bangers, but in the meantime, here is a list of my top Shadowgast fic recs.

One rule here: I’m limiting this to one fic per author--but many people on this list have a broader oeuvre you should definitely check out.

Your disclaimer: this is not a full literature review, but rather my personal favorites. Caveat lector!

* = fic is rated M or E

sleeping in the shadow of an other self by nonwal | @nonwal

Essek has a moment to consider that gravity-based trust exercises have never worked for him, and then the spell hits. He leans back into it, falls, falls.

(In which Essek is resurrected by the Mighty Nein and framed for innocence.)

Okay, listen. If you haven’t read it yet, you’re missing out. There’s a reason it’s at the top of the list. 30k of absolutely phenomenal characterization of not only Shadowgast but all the M9 and the coolest plot to ever plot. Not only a fantastic first read, but a phenomenal re-read as well.

multitudinous echoes awoke and died in the distance by mousecookie | @ariadne-mouse

Caleb takes a step forward and stumbles.  As he catches himself he realizes something very odd.  His hands are shadowy and translucent.  His whole body is a shadow, in fact.  If he holds his palm up to the sky, he can see the stars twinkling faintly through it.

Sharp talons of panic dig into his chest.  He feels solid - if he grabs his own wrist, he has mass, but it is wrong.  Everything is wrong.  What is happening?

Prepare Fireball, commands a voice in his head.  

The voice is familiar.  

It takes him a moment to realize it’s familiar because it’s his.

An absolutely fabulous pre-relationship fic, written before the end of the show but you wouldn’t know it from how perfectly it nails the dynamic. Ariadne has written a ton of other fabulous Shadowgast fics and I encourage you to read them all--I’m just limiting this list to one fic per author to try and cover more ground.

Great Minds by bluebirdsongs

Essek uses more high-level dunamancy in battle, and Caleb tries to reverse-engineer it when he can't sleep. AKA What if we were both wizards and I cast Tether Essence on us to save your life?

This is a gorgeous fic, both for how it handles Caleb and Essek’s conversation--with profound deftness--and for the treatment of magic-as-math. A beautiful exploration of both dunamancy and Caleb and Essek.

to make a cradle of your palm* by renquise

Essek offers Caleb his spellbook, open to the page of a new spell.

As Caleb suspected, his adaptation of Essek's gravity spell was different in its conception, for all that the result was the same. The architecture of this similar spell speaks of a different thought process, a different set of basic assumptions. It is beautifully engineered, efficient in its use of components and energy: a simple spell requiring only a length of silk thread and yet capable of reaching over a great distance and causing great damage, if applied with intent to harm.

“If you would like, you can, ah. You may—" Essek gestures at his own throat, a quick, inelegant spread of fingers. "Test the application of pressure that the spell exerts."

It takes Caleb a moment to register what Essek is proposing. He is a delicate speaker, as always.

Oh man, this one just goes for the jugular (ha) in the most perfect way. The prose here, like everything renquise writes, is absolutely masterful, and the tension between Caleb and Essek is exquisitely rendered.

fist-fighting with fire just to get close to you by kaeda | @the-kaedageist

Caleb caught Essek’s eye across the dome, and Essek returned his small smile. “It would seem that it is trickier than expected to keep things on a…private channel,” Essek thought at him.

“Unfortunately,” Caleb replied.

“Unfortunately for all of us,” Fjord interjected.

(Spoilers for campaign 2, episode 138)

Kate has a fabulous gift for getting the Mighty Nein’s voices exactly right, and this fic is no exception. This takes the hive mind/telepathy of the eyes to its hilarious, heart-warming, logical conclusion and it’s an absolute joy to read.

(perhaps i may) elaborate by demonstration* by marsastronomica | @marsastronomica

After the second fight, they rest again. There’s still time left in the day, and they may as well push as far as they can. Essek and Caleb find time between action to talk. And negotiate.

This one is an absolute banger. The flirting! The tension! The incredible intense game of chicken that Essek and Caleb are playing this whole fic...it’s amazing, you can hear the dialogue in their voices, this is another one that I read and then had to tell everyone about. And now I’m telling you about. Go read it, it kicks ass.

I’ve been lost before (and I’m lost again, I guess)* by toneofjoy

Caleb has plans to take down his old coaches. Essek has secrets. They climb rocks, make new friends, explore professional boundaries, learn about consequences, and maybe even fall in love. It’s the Shadowgast climbing AU.

AUs can be a tough sell for me, but this one’s not. Half the joy in this is the fabulously vivid world that is built by the author who absolutely knows the ins and outs of competitive climbing and expertly shares it with the reader. The other half is the beautiful growing relationship between Caleb and Essek, which is a consistent joy to read. It’s still a WIP, but I promise it’s worth reading along.

the other things that make us* by saturday_sky | @saturdaysky

Essek returns, when he can, to the sanctuary of Caleb's home. The peace of it is a balm against the tedious peril of the road, which has more misery to share than Essek had ever thought. It's nice to have a place where he can lose himself: in a book, in arcane study, in the confusing allure of Caleb's smile.

It's nice. And the cats miss him, Caleb says.

[First chapter is a complete story. Second chapter will be a follow-up epilogue to it.]

This one hurts in the best possible way. I can’t highlight my favorite bits without giving it away, but the emotional beats of this absolutely beautiful post-canon fic are top-notch and the reveal of information is perfectly executed.

darkness to me is only water to the sea by treeviality

Essek knows how his story ends. There is a place in Rexxentrum where executions are carried out, wooden steps leading up to a wooden platform. There hangs a noose, swaying lightly in northern wind, while polished cobblestones shine bright in golden light.  

There will be birds, Essek imagines, and when the lever is pulled and gravity takes hold of him one last time, he hopes they take flight.

This now-AU take on Essek being arrested is lyrical and beautiful and the author has a tremendous grasp of language and also how to rip your heart straight out of your chest and then gently replace it.

---

And, if you’re still looking for fic, I have a few, but one of my favorites is:

we never do go over (we always gotta go through) by Chrome

In the last fight with the Tombtakers, Essek Thelyss bends reality to keep them all alive and pays the price. As he copes with the aftereffects of his own magic and the party takes the long journey back to the surface, Essek and Caleb finally confront what they are to each other.

or,

Five times Essek woke up with level(s) of exhaustion and one time he didn't.

#shadowgast #essek thelyss #caleb widogast #critical role #cr fic #cr fic recs #fic recs #fic rec #cr

[mllekurtz]

shadowgast fic recs: the ace edition

there is a special place in my heart for demisexual essek thelyss and fics that explore that part of him in the context of his relationship with caleb.

all the fics listed here have outstanding, nuanced, interesting ace rep. this is not a comprehensive list! feel free to add your own recs!

The Art of the Possible by CatgirlTheCrazy (E, 3.6k, complete) Essek's libido was an annoyingly unreliable thing. Caleb, on the other hand, was pretty much always open to sex. Making that disparity work was not a simple matter. (a striking, realistic depiction of shadowgast discussing and testing boundaries when it comes to sex)

Something There That Wasn't There Before by DotyTakeThisDown (E, 12k, complete) Essek stumbles on a romance novel on Caleb's shelf, along with a few truths about himself. (a modern au with an explicitly demisexual essek who finds himself attracted to caleb and is very unprepared for it. the excerpts from the romance novel he reads are as good as the fic itself)

moon shine (just for your view) by marsastronomica (T, 8k, complete) Post-131. Despite their greatest efforts and as quick of a pace as they dared, foul weather dashed their hopes of arriving at the guarded entrance before nightfall. The Mighty Nein, now eight, spend a relaxing final night in the tower before planning to set out at first light and see what is to come. (while not explicitly tagged as such, the demi vibes of this essek are so strong. i especially love how out of balance this essek feels when confronted with the possibility that caleb wants to kiss him)

the shape of your intimacy by kaeda (E, 9k, complete) “I love you, Essek Thelyss,” Caleb whispered. The tears were back abruptly, the laughter faded on his lips. Essek closed his eyes and felt wetness on his cheek. “I love you too,” he whispered. “Luxon, this is horrible.” Caleb laughed again. He pressed a kiss to Essek’s mouth, just brief enough to leave Essek wanting more. “It is quite a lot, is it not? But we will get through these terrible feelings together, you and I.” Essek made a face at him. “Do not sweet talk me, Caleb Widogast.” (a lovely, delicate, honest, and funny exploration of a first time)

Sungrazer by Paratale (E, 4k words, complete) Caleb is almost too hot for Essek to handle. (while not explicitly an ace fic, the ace vibes are off the roof. the tag 'the mortifying ordeal of taking your pants off' says it all)

Something Old, Something New by Chanse (SpottedEnchants) (T, 15k, complete the wizards play a game, test out a new 8th-level spell, and have a nice chat. (open, honest conversations about sexuality and relationships in my shadowgast recs? it's more likely than you think)

For My Love Lies Patiently by voidfiish (E, 13.5k, complete) An exploration of Caleb and Essek's relationship, throughout and after the campaign, and how they came to love each other. (their mutual bafflement at the idea of falling in love with each other is super sweet and funny)

#this was going to be longer and more elaborate but it was either going to be posted this way or not at all. sorry! #the spoons are what they are these days #thanks to the friends who helped put this together! #shadowgast #critical role #cr fic #critical role fics #fic recs #essek thelyss #caleb widogast #my fic recs #demi essek #ace essek

[professor-rye]

There had been rumours about his and Caleb's sordid love affair long before it was technically true. Essek was simply... playing into them a little, to help his defection go a little more smoothly. Rosohna would gossip about it for a few months, and then the rumour mill would move on, as it always does. (it doesn't). Or: how Essek and Caleb accidentally inspired (at least) a few dozen smut novels.

Okay, this fic had me literally wheezing. It's fucking hilarious and I just have to share it holy fuck

Rated T | 5470 words | Shadowgast

#Critical role #cr fan fic #fan fic rec #shadowgast #I fucking died yall this was amazing

[xhorass]

pass on the summer part two by @jumanjiicostco

“Will you light this for me, liebling?”

#critical role #the mighty nein #cr2 #caleb widogast #caleb x astrid #caleb x astrid x eodwulf #caleb x eodwulf #astrid x eodwulf #critical role edits #cr edits #cr fic recs #my edits #idk i was thinking about it because i love the energy of that part #and then i was like maybe i should make an edit for it? #i've never made an edit for a fic before tho so hopefully this turned out okay

[elissastillstands]

There had been no circlet on Opal's head when she ripped into that first man from Syngorn. There had been no circlet when she hoisted his head into the air and felt nothing save a ringing, light-headed triumph.

This is what she knows: power is only power. It is given weight in the hands which wield it.

POWER IS ONLY POWER: a playlist for Exandria Unlimited's Opal, from Byroden to beyond.

"Take the Journey" by Molly Tuttle // "Homemade Dynamite" by Lorde // "Primadonna" by MARINA // "Venus Fly" by Grimes and Janelle Monáe // "brutal" by Olivia Rodrigo // "Don't Play" by Halsey // "The Morning After" by Meg Myers // "Hallucinations" by PVRIS // "Jerome" by Zella Day // "Bitch Better Have My Money" by Rihanna // "I am not a woman, I'm a god" by Halsey // "Lo Vas A Olvidar" by Billie Eilish and ROSALÍA

Playlist linked HERE | AO3 linked HERE

#flashing gif #critical role #critteredit #exandria unlimited #exu #opal critical role #opal exandria unlimited #cr opal #fanmix #i displaced all my stress over the past two weeks onto this playlist. so if you wish. please come talk to me about it. #i have much (perhaps too much) to say. #there are two halsey songs but only because i initially made the mix before iichliwp came out. #(thank you to M who gave me recs for pop songs. he recced brutal before we realized it was on aimee's playlist. because it's perfect) #also hello denizens of cr this is for a fic i wrote a while ago yes i am relentlessly and shamelessly self-promoting

[omniscientwreck]

Ok it's time for a fic rec!

Everyone please go read I Dream Of You Amid the Flowers by @an-alien-draws here is a link so you can go read right now!

It's got everything: Shadowidomauk, Essek and Molly being fancy lads, musing on memory, well written smut, longing, our boys being soft etc I could go on forever.

I love this fic!! Go read it!!

#critical role #fic rec #essek thelyss #caleb widogast #mollymauk tealeaf #Shadowidomauk #cr fanfic #tm9 #listen i just love this fic!!!!!