#half of my full essek playlist is c2 the rest is touching sentiments

[spottedenchants]

Here's the half of my Essek playlist that covers Campaign 2, listed in chronological order!

See below for a breakdown on the 'arcs' in the playlist, as well as extra notes pertaining to how I feel the songs fit with him or his relationship with the noted character/s :3

I'll be updating this when I remember to!

Last Updated: Jun. 16, 2023

1-19: Pre-Campaign 2

For This You Were Born by UNSECRET, Fleurie || Young Essek - the start of Expectations™

The Other Side by Amarante || Young Essek - an encompassing (and genuine) fascination with the unknowns of his studies

Out Through the Curtain by The Hush Sound || Young Essek - feeling isolated

Dearest Brother by Firewoodisland || Verin - Essek’s only tight bond

Behind the Mask by Ivy & Gold || Deirta - comfort, realized disconnect, then distance

Bones by Emily Finchum || Disillusion & pride

Where to Begin by Adam Watts || Essek getting deeper into his studies

Outside In by Circle of Dust || Essek is entirely disconnected from peers as he pursues a higher position of power to expand his study access

Disconnected by Imminence || If he bothered with any self reflection, maybe he’d notice and care that he was lacking sustainable bonds

Cathedrals by Animal Flag || Essek’s father - the fight (“cause if your god's in a building than your god is a stone”) and immediate aftermath (including a ‘staring at the wall for ages’ section)

Conspiracy of Silence by The Swoons || Essek’s father has gone off to Bazzoxan and died

In Your Likeness by Woodkid || Deirta & unfulfilled expectations

Ubu by Methyl Ethel || Verin's POV on Essek's changes

Lost by Jeremy Ravine || Verin’s POV on taking up the Bazzoxan post, as home is not the same anymore

Neon Mirror by Polyenso || Essek is set in his thoughts, Verin leaves

Home. by September Stories || Essek's POV after Verin goes to Bazzoxan

Solitude by Sorry, Peach || Self-isolation bay-bee

Holy by Wolf Colony || The devil’s come knocking

Promiseland by MIKA || Summary looking back on where Essek started and where he's going

20-40: A Choice, and Then Consequences Thrown in His Face

Dawn by Echo Black, Danny Blu || Essek's *knows* he’s supposed to be learning about the beacons, it is what is expected of him, it is what he is here to do

Brighter Than the Sun by Brick + Mortar || Got some more hubris building up, the deal with the Assembly

Resentment by A Day To Remember || The deal with the Assembly has been… relatively unfruitful, but he’s stuck in it regardless

Icarus by Bastille || Reap what you sow hot boi

Pinebox by Birds of Bellwoods || This is fine, he is calm; the Dynasty’s plan to reacquire one of the beacons; this is fine

Heavy Metal War by Speak || The beacon in Zadash has gone missing entirely; now entering active wartime, keep it together

Paranoia by Neoni || The Mighty Nein - they brought back a WHAT

Tip Toes by half•alive || It's fine, he can be careful

Soap by The Oh Hellos || Jester 100% - total tone shift

Leave Me Alone by I DONT KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME || The Mighty Nein - Essek's keeping close tabs on them, but he still wants nothing to do with them; if he's lucky, maybe their endeavors will get them killed

Let You In by Marc Straight, Ellen Rose || The Mighty Nein - they’re… endearing, but…

Cold War by Foreign Figures || The Mighty Nein - Essek’s back on track, he only needs to divert their attention, but also they’re *endearing*

Cold Loud Dark by The Classic Crime || Essek and his Neutral Evil affirmations, he chose this path 

Dark Star by Jaymes Young || Ep 77 Scourger in the cell, Essek is Dangerous™

bury a friend (Cover) by Pomplamoose || The Mighty Nein - are they *genuinely* nice? Surely there is subterfuge to their actions, even now

New Invention by I DONT KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME || The Mighty Nein & Jester - Essek's spinning many plates, coordinating things behind the scenes, but he's realizing the Nein have done something irreversible to him

Watch Your Back by Sam Tinnesz || "We feel pretty confident that there are people within the Empire working against the Empire, and there are people in the Dynasty working against the Dynasty. And if you are one of those people, and we're hoping you're not, then this information will never go any further than this and that's the end of that."

Flames by Tedy || The Mighty Nein - this is a very risky arrangement, but… Essek might just like them

Live While I Breathe by The Moth & The Flame || Ep 91 dinner with the Nein, he’s still working the lies by omission, but maybe something honest can be found here

Bones by Imagine Dragons || A manic sort of self-doubt mixed with finishing the Transmogrification spell

Defeated by Bad Suns || That’s it, the Mighty Nein have won - Essek witnessing Veth’s failed Transmogrification and the Nein’s unwavering determination to help her, and Caleb promises to share his notes

41-54: Putting the Pieces Back

Alcatraz by Oliver Riot || Essek realizing *exactly* how isolated/trapped he’s become

Goldfish by Until The Ribbon Breaks || The Mighty Nein - they still don’t know what Essek has done, maybe he can put things back without them learning the truth- they haven’t learned the truth, right?

Destroyer by Of Monsters and Men || The Mighty Nein - they really ruined everything, didn’t they? Perhaps this is for the better though, maybe some things can be fixed

Stray Italian Greyhound by Vienna Teng || The Mighty Nein & Jester - Snap out of brooding, teleporting to the Whitedawn Lagoon, the parasol... gods he really does care for them, doesn't he?

The Enemy by Andrew Belle || The Mighty Nein - Essek is a danger and a detriment to them, but if they are off doing their own business, maybe that distance is safer

Warchild by Nekokat || Essek has long crossed the point of no return, but it’s not too late to fix things; he can do this

Demons and Angels by LOWBORN || Ludinus - Essek’s trying to break things off

Lying Beast by Run River North || Lord Dezran Thain

Wander. Wonder. by The Arcadian Wild || The Mighty Nein - they came directly here??

Flares by The Script || The Mighty Nein - specifically when Essek is witnessed confronting Ludinus

All The People by The Treble || The Mighty Nein - Essek trying to escape from them and the party

Copper Colored Quiet by letlive. || The Mighty Nein - they’re mocking him- they’re going to kill him and they’re mocking him. At least it’s them.

A Deer Mistaking Candles for Headlights by Crywank || Essek being escorted to the Balleater

Liar by The Arcadian Wild || Ep 97 the Confrontation

55-64: The Confrontation: A Breakdown

Organs by Of Monsters and Men || The Mighty Nein - Essek is sorry for dragging them into his mess, grotesquely visceral vulnerability still wrapped in a pretty package

Too Far Gone by Sir Sly || The Mighty Nein - “there's nothing worse than betraying those you've come to care about before you even came to care about them.”

Dark Matter by Andrew Belle || Caleb - The Speech

Beekeeper by Keaton Henson || The Mighty Nein - why can’t they see he cannot be fixed?

Bleed by Vorsa || The Forehead Kiss™, maybe… maybe Essek has been left better than before

Counting Paths by Matthew And The Atlas || Jester - she holds Essek’s hand through his confession, surely such kindness won’t last

Darkness in Me by Fight the Fade || The Mighty Nein - everyone insisting that Essek can be good, even if he’s unsure how to begin

Paradise Is Lost by GoldTop, Sam Tinnesz || The Confession - Essek explaining that the deal with the Assembly is done

War by Former Vandal || The Mighty Nein - Essek has friends to protect him now, yes?

Wait for the Sun by Chopped Up Tulips || Welcome to the Mighty Nein

65-77: Emotion Soup Part I aka Confrontation Aftermath

If You Care by Evan Barlow || The Mighty Nein - Essek can’t protect them

SoLow by Keegan Calmes || The Mighty Nein - reflecting: regret feels Bad

Sorry by The Moth & The Flame || A little screamy, reflecting: regret, Essek still is who he is

The Fox by North Bloom || A little screamy, trapped in a cycle that he wants to break, somehow

Goner by Twenty One Pilots || The Mighty Nein - a little screamy, feeling doomed and desperately wanting bonds

Dangerous Man by Little Dume || A little screamy, reflecting: self-doubt, self-derision, a sliver of hope

Beautiful Crime by Tamer || Caleb - reflecting: they are rather alike in some regards, aren’t they?

Poison by Felicity || Caleb - reflecting: "you were not born with venom in your veins" but Essek has it now, and that needs to be dealt with

Pyrokinesis by 7Chariot || Caleb - reflecting: as is, they share a volatile dynamic

Honey by Magic Man || The Mighty Nein - reflecting: betrayal before coming to care about them, the look of it on their faces

Mostly by Vian Izak, Juniper Vale || The cumulative takeaway of Essek's reflections, like a quick, distanced observation that he can readily pack away

Blame by Nik Ammar, Oliver Jackson || Sucks to be Adeen

The Coldest Heart by The Classic Crime || Saying farewell to the Nein, got some loose ends to wrap up, but there’s something hollow about it

78-91: Emotion Soup Part II aka Traveler Con Radio Silence

Lonely by Nathan Wagner || Inner conflict, desiring company vs. being undeserving of it

All That You Know by Simon Herron || Self-doubt and self-denial

Darlin' by Goodbye June || What have the Nein done to him? Even in absence, he hears them and can imagine Jester's sendings

Dead Man Walking by Sam Tinnesz || Tensions and suspicions rise

Dear Doubt by Michael Schulte || Oh, he *has* to get out of Rosohna, it is absolutely time to run far away

Spineless by Nick Lutsko || Coward.

I'll Be Good by Jaymes Young || As it says on the tin

The Pugilist by Keaton Henson || A low point, he’s so far from where he has been and he’s bound to be forgotten by those he’d hoped might hold on

It's Not Enough by The Modern Post || Self-doubt, no matter how hard he may try, there’s no way he can really make up for what he’s done

Cry Cry Cry by Scott Helman || The Mighty Nein - reflecting: his friends are gone but it’s fine, he can handle himself just fine

I Won't Lie - Acoustic Version by Go Radio || The Mighty Nein - reflecting: they really offered him a chance at life, didn’t they?

Collide by The Model Youth || Masked paranoia and trying to hold it together

Hurt by Nine Inch Nails || a Matt pick, feels like Essek’s lowest point

I’m Losing Friends by Tanner Swift || The Mighty Nein - and isn't that terrifying?

92-102: The Outpost Commander

Neon Lights by Dancing Years || It's fine, Essek has a job to do and he can focus on that

Paper Mache by Iris Lune || He’s actually not too bad at this outpost business

I Found by Amber Run || The Mighty Nein - they're in Eiselcross too, with challenging tidings, but they’re here

Fellow in the North by Cold Weather Company || Meeting up with the Nein at the Vurmas outpost

Greyscale by Sleeping Wolf || The Mighty Nein - Essek stating guilt/shame and reflection, a desire to undo the harm that has been done

Weight Of It All by Handsome Ghost || The Mighty Nein - oh gods what have they done

When the Truth Hunts You Down by Sam Tinnesz || The Mighty Nein - what have they DONE

Done Better by Roby Fayer and Rotem || Essek explaining the present state of his regret and shame to the Nein

Hypoxia by Thomas Giles || "Just breathe. Just… breathe that fresh air, mindful of the people about. Time. Time. Not weeks, not years. It takes time."

Last Words by Jon Foreman || That time between Ep 124 and Ep 131 when we thought Essek might have been murdered by Wulf while the Nein were hopping around the universe

Two Evils by Bastille || The Mighty Nein - they pick Essek over Trent

103-114: A Test of Character

Into The Storm by BANNERS || The Mighty Nein - to Aeor!

Gravity by Tiggs || Aeor montage - the initial struggle, finding how he fits with the Nein

Waking Up the Giants by Grizfolk || Caleb - librarians in a corner, but also the talk on the 9th floor of the tower

Anti-Gravity by RUNAGROUND || Aeor montage - ambush set up and the Tomb Takers are Here

Brave New World by Kalandra || Aeor montage - resting in the dome, Caleb and Beau wake with new eyes, keeping checks and balances with Caleb

Song From The Edge Of The World by Siouxsie and the Banshees || Caleb - a Matt pick, Caleb giving Essek extra pearls and descending farther into the Genesis Ward

Rewrite The Stars by Zac Efron, Zendaya || Caleb - showboating and T-Dock

Up Down by Boy Epic || T-Dock and the water elemental fight

I Will Follow You into the Dark by Death Cab for Cutie || The Mighty Nein - heading into the Astral Sea

There Are Better Ways to Die by Tanuki || Worry over resting, then the idea for the dunamantic nap

Mad IQs by I DONT KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME || a Liam pick, it's applicable to a lot, but this is here for the dunamantic nap and Essek’s Nat 20

Judgement Day by Stealth || “And if today is to be my final attempt at making good the things I've done, I'd be all right with that.”

115-126: A Resolution

Beautiful Darkside by The Classic Crime || Lucien fight phase 1 and Essek getting momentarily charmed

Heart Of The Darkness by Tommee Profitt, Sam Tinnesz || Lucien fight phase 2

Without You by Ursine Vulpine & Annaca || Jester & Caleb - they died right in front of him, and what could he do about it?

Ally (Self Tilted Nostalgia Version) by We The Kings || Molly's res ritual

Who I Am Hates Who I’ve Been (Acoustic) by Relient K || The first sunrise after returning to the Blooming Grove

Be Good by Roseburg || Maybe things will be okay? Oh. Oh no.

Dreamcatcher by Night Argent || Trent fight!

Wolves of the Revolution by The Arcadian Wild || Witnessing Astrid and Eadwulf in the aftermath of Ikithon’s capture

Forgiven by Relient K || Essek's got quite a ways to go still, and what is this ending if not another beginning?

Solace by Runaground || Reflecting: leaving the Grove has the potential to be a last goodbye, time is running low

Only Thing (Alternative Mix) by Saint Nomad, Fleurie || The Mighty Nein - trepidation about leaving, about missing, about growing

Love Like You by Rebecca Sugar || The Mighty Nein - safe in the Blooming Grove as Essek leaves to continue his business elsewhere

Bonus 1: Unfolding Time by Broken Iris || revisiting the T-Dock with Caleb

Bonus 2: Blood Bonds by Nathan Wagner || Welcome to the Might Nein, enjoy your stay

~

Thanks for reading, here is a cat for you:

♡ॢ₍⸍⸌̣ ʷ̣̫⸍̣⸌₎

#essek thelyss #critical role #97 songs at the time of posting.... #many.... #consider this my c2 finale anniversary celebration xD #thank you everyone that's recommended songs!! #there's only so much i can find on my own xD #been chipping away at this post all month #also i have not watched most of these music videos i just checked to make sure the songs play at the starts and ends without extra stuff #half of my full essek playlist is c2 the rest is touching sentiments #12 and a half hours of hot boi in total #gosh what do i tag this as #chanswers #touchsent lore #why not