the-last-knight-of-avalir

[the-last-knight-of-avalir]

This could be my Essek brainrot in me speaking but I often think about if Mighty nein hadn't redeemed Essek how that would've gone.

I keep thinking about Essek's last lines in episode 141 where he just says, "I'm scared to think what other terrible things I could've brought".. I feel like that was sort of Matt nudging that the Bells hells could've been fighting him instead of Liliana/Otohan..

Everybody say thank you, Jester Lavorre

[the-last-knight-of-avalir]

Literally nothing will make me more evil than just being sort of overwhelmed by Noises

[the-last-knight-of-avalir]

the Nein are the best because literally every one of them is feral but it's the upper class political aide who gets put through the domestication arc

#essek thelyss #critical role

[the-last-knight-of-avalir]

some of my favorite replies to this tweet. happy lesbian visibility week!

[the-last-knight-of-avalir]

Orym's argument against Ludinus Da'leth and the Ruby Vanguard is essentially "The purpose of a system is what it does."

This is a systems theory coined by Stafford Beer around 2001. He posited there is "no point in claiming that the purpose of a system is to do what it constantly fails to do." It does not matter what someone tells you a system does if it does not reliably do that. The things it does consistently do are the actual purpose of the system.

Ludinus (and Liliana) claim the purpose of the Ruby Vanguard's violence is to free Exandria of oppression from the gods. Orym's point is that they have not consistently protected anyone from oppression. They consistently murder innocent people, indoctrinate vulnerable people into doing terrible violence (including children), support a ruling class that dominates the population through mind control and eugenics, and seek to release a predator so terrifying that the warring alien gods and native primordials worked together to seal it away as a threat to both of them.

So the logical conclusion is that the purpose of Ludinus' system is not to free anyone from tyranny, it's to install himself as the tyrant. And it does not matter what Ludinus says it's for or even what he believes it's for. The purpose of a system is what it does. And Orym has been personally and repeatedly victimized by what it does. Why wouldn't he keep reminding them of that?

Add onto that, the Ruby Vanguard is a death cult. They lure people in with believable lies. They use propaganda to control how people view them and to convince people to support them. Liliana has been groomed into a true believer who genuinely thinks what she has been told is true and that Ludinus' system does what he says it will. She has been convincing other people of this for years. Not because she's an inherently bad person but because everyone generally tries to convince others that what we believe is true. It is actually dangerous to let a cultist try to talk you into the cult's perspective. That's why Orym shuts it down.

Orym was already on edge but it's fully in a breakdown after FCG's sacrifice. One more iteration of Ludinus' system consistently murdering the people he loves. But he still told Imogen he wants her to have a good relationship with her mom again. He wants Liliana to make it through the other side of this. But that has to involve consistently stating the reality of what's happening against what she believes.

Ludinus believes in the rapture of the revolution. Burn everything to the ground on a fundamental level and a new perfect society will grow, with him to guide it. The reality is that kind of power vacuum consistently leads to horrific violence and conditions often get much, much worse. Especially for vulnerable people, who often do not survive. A lot about the gods' relationships to mortals probably needs to change, but this an incredibly dangerous gamble to fix it.

The purpose of a system is what it does. Any suggestion otherwise is cold comfort to Orym's family in the ground.

[the-last-knight-of-avalir]

Actually, another bit of worldbuilding I’ve really enjoyed is the ruidus glass Matt keeps mentioning. That’s the exact color you get from iron ions in glass (or crystalline silicates). Ruidus is red from all the iron and the glass is teal from all the iron. They’re slightly different ions, rust is iron (III) oxide, which forms best in an oxygen rich atmospheric environment, while blueish glass contains iron (II) oxide which is more commonly found in the mantle. Still, very fun and speaks to the depth of research he’s doing.

#critical role

[the-last-knight-of-avalir]

So that's 2 out of 2 failed postmortem letters for Taliesin.

#critical role #candela obscura

[the-last-knight-of-avalir]

This man travelled by sea, ventured into the dungeons, witnessed the Horrors and almost died multiple times all looking like THIS. That's literally a robe. Iconic.

#critical role #candela obscura

[the-last-knight-of-avalir]

So Matt was like: mushroom people (affectionate) and then Liam was like: mushroom people (derogatory)

#critical role #candela obscura #critical role spoilers #cr spoilers

[the-last-knight-of-avalir]

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.

#critical role #candela obscura

[the-last-knight-of-avalir]

Top-Tier Villain Motivations

They will be safe. It doesn't matter who else or what else burns as long as They will be safe.

I will be safe. The hunger and the cold will never touch me again.

Fuck any bitch who's prettier(/cooler/better-liked/better at making dumplings) than me.

Yes, Master

Love me. Love me. Love me. Love me. LOVE ME!

I know the terrible things these so-called "heroes" will do if I don't stop them (<- is absolutely wrong)

I don't want a better future, I want a better past!

No other way to get performance art funded these days

[the-last-knight-of-avalir]

extremely enamored with the image of ludinus in aeor trying to figure out where the fuck all of the ancient technology he was relying on disappeared to, followed by a smash cut to essek in a cozy demiplane, wrapped in a handmade sweater and casually labeling all the artifacts from his third aeorian honeymoon with caleb

#critical role #cr spoilers #critical role spoilers

[the-last-knight-of-avalir]

Something I appreciate so much about Exandria is that they've all pretty clearly decided that homophobia doesn't exist in this fantasy world- because why should it when it's much more interesting to let characters just feel how they want to feel free of societal stigmas and the characterizations they cause- and despite this Imogen Temult STILL manages to act like a disaster lesbian who watched doctor who in middle school and was afraid to talk to girls until she was 25 at every turn

[the-last-knight-of-avalir]

literally woke up in a cold sweat to make this

#critical role #cr spoilers

[the-last-knight-of-avalir]

some things never change

#critical role #critical role spoilers #cr spoilers

[the-last-knight-of-avalir]

"calling your mom and sending her into a personal crisis about what's right" critical role meant for fulfilling fantasies you dream of but can't accomplish in the real world, like experiencing a heroes journey with fantastical adventures, being able to cast spells, and being able to change your mother's mind.

#so true #critical role #critical role spoilers

[the-last-knight-of-avalir]

Help I don't understand the whole Opal-Ted situation. Like, their mom split her soul in two? Or Opal did? Is she a reincarnation of her mom? What is happening

#critical role #cr spoilers #critical role spoilers #critrole