#once Orym likes Dorian for who he is and not who he imagines to be I’ll be so here for do/rym BUT UNTIL THEN??? | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

sleep-escapes-me · 1 month

Text

didn't know they were dating

Imogen x Laudna

word count: 2569

a modern au told through the eyes of convenience store employee, Cynthia, and the observations she makes while working

“Are you able to work independently in a fast-paced environment?”

“Yes, sir. At my previous job, my boss was impressed with how—,”

“You’re hired.”

The evening shift is Cynthia’s new home. She’s grateful for the opportunity at something different but more so for the money. Having hobbies is expensive and horses are expensive. So when your hobby is horses…well.

And school of course. Money for school.

“Welcome to Faramore’s!”

The cheery disposition is easy enough to muster. And once her manager stops randomly showing up during her shifts after the first week, Cynthia realizes the pep isn’t necessary. At least not with the crowd of customers she’s slowly getting used to.

It's a nice job for the pay. The shop she works at is located in a sleepy neighborhood on the city's outskirts so it rarely gets busy. Every night so far has been peaceful. Giving Cynthia plenty of time to finish any homework and people-watch.

She comes to recognize the regulars fairly quickly and learns all their names only because she’s nosy and the receipt is right there.

There's the blue-haired guy with the nice smile, Dorian, who more often than not has a guitar strapped to his back. He usually shows up with his boyfriend, seemingly always coming from a workout at the gym, Orym. His eyes are incredibly discerning if not a little unsettling. He stares at her like he knows all her secrets. But they’re always very polite and ask how she’s holding up in the late hour. Cynthia likes them.

Protein bar Lip balm Ready-to-bake pie crust $15.99

There's the incredibly tall gorgeous woman, Fearne, who always smells like a garden of wildflowers when she walks in. Cynthia’s been scared to ask what perfume she wears after an incident where she caught the woman attempting to steal. Maybe Cynthia is just naive but she thought being caught once would deter further attempts…but that strangely wasn’t the case. She's had to let it go altogether because she just gets so flustered. One playful wink from the woman has Cynthia forgetting all about the incident to the point that she makes an effort to make sure her manager never finds out about the missing stock.

Novelty monkey lighter Cinnamon gum 3 tubes of lipstick Pack of ribbons Costume jewelry Various postcards $0

Then there’s the punk-looking one with the spikey purple hair, Ashton, who always shows up exactly at 1 AM every other night. Cynthia was weary of him at first but then he gave her some really great unsolicited advice on how to not get swindled when negotiating with flaky people. After that night he started tipping her a single dollar and imparting arbitrary wisdom. Cynthia hasn’t yet figured out if it’s some kind of prank…

Two cases of beer Travel sewing kit Toothbrush $20.06

Probably the loudest customers are the two old men who have the strangest conversations every time they enter the store. Cynthia desperately wishes to get in on whatever strange schemes the hairier one, Chetney, seems to always be involved in. Half of them can’t be true but his imagination excites her regardless. The other one rides in on a bright yellow scooter half the time and always wishes Cynthia a smiley day without fail no matter the time of day. He never brings any money or pays for anything so Cynthia doesn’t know his name aside from the obvious nickname, Letters, that she hears thrown around by Chetney. The lack of money always starts an argument between the two old men that she has to awkwardly stand and listen to. She learns new curse words all the time from them.

Wood finisher Scented body oil $18.12 Chamomile tea Cigarettes $12.87

And her favorite; the girlfriends. Or at least that’s what Cynthia assumes they are. It’s hard to tell.

The spooky-looking one, Laudna, tries to make small talk while at the register. Cynthia isn’t shy by any means but it’s sometimes hard to keep up with the odd topics of conversation. Soon enough Cynthia’s learning about her pet rat who’s so old he should be dead and how he’s always jumping off high places attempting to fly. Cynthia nods politely and keeps her opinions to herself.

Mixed seeds Red yarn Super glue $15.26

The other woman Laudna is always with, Imogen, is a bit more demure—or maybe guarded is more apt. Her eyes never leave Laudna and seems content to listen to her prattle on as they shop. She rarely buys anything. It’s usually at the behest of Laudna reminding her of some arbitrary thought.

Pencils Hand lotion $11.07

Imogen comes in alone for the first time since Cynthia started working. There's a nervous titter of energy around her as she runs up and down each aisle like a bat out of hell. Cynthia debates if she should ask if she needs any help before Imogen rushes to the register.

“This all for you today?” Cynthia asks habitually.

Imogen nods with a quiet sigh. “Hopefully.”

Box cake mix Candles Black sprinkles Oven mitts $14.47

Once she’s left, Cynthia muses over how sweet their relationship must be for Imogen to want to bake a cake for her girlfriend. She herself is an abysmal baker so it makes her yearn for a relationship in the future that’s just as thoughtful. She imagines Laudna walking through their front door, the house smelling of freshly baked goods. Imogen walks out of a side room with the cake decorated, candles lit, and a big smile on her face…

She speaks too soon when Imogen comes back in a little over an hour in a visibly sour mood, black crumbs stuck to her shirt.

Box cake mix Frosting $3.69

Cynthia can’t help herself as Imogen sullenly reaches for her purchase. The words tumble out of her mouth. “Havin’ trouble?”

Imogen startles at the sudden question and Cynthia holds back a grimace. She awkwardly gestures to the items she just bagged.

“Using milk instead of water makes a better box cake. More fat is supposed to improve it or something. At least that’s what my mama always says.”

Imogen frowns and checks over her shoulder toward the fridge section. She looks back at Cynthia for a solid two-count and nods.

Milk Energy drink $4.25

Imogen smiles warmly at her, taking her groceries. “Thanks.”

Cynthia beams. “Of course. Hope it turns out well.”

Imogen doesn’t show up for the rest of the night.

Laudna shows up alone one day in a tizzy and Cynthia instantly recognizes something is wrong. It tests her resilience as an impartial convenience store employee to not get involved in customers' business…but Laudna’s frazzled appearance and her very loud speaking over the phone at least paints Cynthia a vague picture.

“Okay, darling, I’ve just arrived. I’m walking to the medicine aisle. Ooh, those snacks Pâté likes are on sale—right, sorry. I am in the medicine aisle. Which one is it?” She pauses. “There’s a yellow label and a blue label.” Another pause. “Are you sure? The yellow label says extra strength.” Pause. “Well, I don’t care if it’s extra money! This is your health! I’m not yelling! Oh, nope. I am. Sorry, sorry. Hold on. I’m grabbing the yellow label.”

Cynthia watches Laudna do that in two more aisles.

“Okay, darling, I’m heading to the register. I’m hanging up. I have to pay.” She frowns. “I'm telling you so you don’t worry.” She looks at the phone then at Cynthia. “She hung up.”

Cynthia bites the inside of her lip to keep from laughing. “Find everything okay?”

“Oh, I hope so.” Laudna’s shoulders droop. “I get so flustered in a crisis that sometimes I forget my own name. Isn’t that just silly? I’m lucky Imogen is always so collected.” She chuckles lightly while nervously pulling at the ends of her hair.

“It’s not silly when you’re worried about someone.”

“You’re so sweet.” Laudna's eyes crinkle with a smile. “You know, I see you working whenever I come in. No matter the time. Do you always work this shift?”

“For the time being, yes.”

“You’re so young,” she muses.

Cynthia hands over the bag to Laudna. “Well, I hope everything is all right with your girlfriend.”

Laudna’s face slowly drops as she processes Cynthia’s words. “Excuse me?”

She scrambles. “Nothing. Nevermind. Here’s your change. Have a good evening.”

Laudna stares at her for a long moment before reaching for her money. Then trails out of the store in a mumbling daze.

Scar cream Pain meds Bandage wrap $25.73

Cynthia resists the urge to run in the back room. Was she wrong? Were they even dating? Were they already married? She’s never seen a ring on Imogen. Or has she? Laudna…definitely had one, right? The shine of a sparkling red ruby ring enters her mind. Fiancé?

Imogen enters the store alone the next night but seems perfectly normal when interacting with Cynthia. She even tells her to have a good night as she leaves.

A bag of chips Two energy drinks $6.86

It isn't until Laudna is back again at the end of the week when the fruits of her fuck up unravel. She doesn't enter with Imogen. Instead with someone Cynthia is shocked to see such a sweet woman like Laudna in cahoots with. The thief!

Cynthia watches the pair peruse the aisles aimlessly until

“Fearne!” The yell comes from the back of the shop. Laudna’s arms can be seen flailing over the tops of the shelves. Cynthia strains to listen.

“It’s all right,” Fearne says. “She doesn’t mind.”

Laudna stutters. “You still shouldn’t steal from such a sweet girl. That could be grounds for termination.”

Fearne hums. “She hasn’t been fired yet.”

Finally, the two of them make their way to the front. Fearne pivots toward the door with a familiar flirty wink before Laudna grabs her arm.

“Where are you going?” she admonishes. “We still have to pay.”

“Oh. Oops,” Fearne giggles. “Silly me. It just slipped my mind.”

Cynthia is mostly sure Fearne didn’t forget.

Laudna's eyes don’t quite look at Cynthia as they approach. Fearne seemingly takes notice and saunters up to the register.

“You must see Laudna here a lot, right?”

Cynthia feels her mouth go dry. She realizes she’s never heard Fearne’s voice this close because the other woman never comes to the register. It somehow even further adores her to the enigmatic woman. Cynthia slowly nods. “Sometimes.”

She leans across the counter. Her eyes twinkle with a mischievous sparkle. “So…are you the one who called Imogen her girlfriend?”

“Fearne! Okay!” She pushes her friend aside and drops a bill down on the counter in a fluster. “That's enough of that. I think we’re done here. Yes. Thank you so much, young lady! You have a lovely evening!”

Cynthia forgets to ring them up.

At this point, it’s been several weeks since seeing Imogen and Laudna enter the store together. Cynthia is so on edge thinking about the two women's situation that it’s starting to affect her sleep schedule.

The curiosity eats away at her until the next time Imogen walks in. The gentle ding from the door’s bell erupts like a blaring alarm for Cynthia. Her focus zeros in on the unsuspecting woman and tracks her around the store like a hawk. The next time she passes by the front, the word vomit hurls from Cynthia’s lips when it’s simply too much to hold back.

“Did you break up?” She blurts out instead of her usual script.

Imogen’s eyebrows furrow. “Huh?”

“Your girlfriend—uhh, or maybe fiancé?” She says it like a question and Imogen stares at her like she’s grown two heads. “Laud—the one woman you’re always here with. The spooky one?” Silence. She should really shut up. “Aren’t you together?”

The other woman goes deathly still. “No…”

Oh.

Cynthia feels the embarrassing red-hot heat flooding her cheeks. “Sorry. I thought you were. It was wrong of me to assume.”

A muscle in Imogen’s cheek tightens. Her mouth opens and closes several times before she asks, “Why would you think we were together?” Her voice is stony. “Did she say somethin’?”

“What?” She doesn’t sound accusatory or angry so Cynthia is confident she hasn’t completely insulted this woman. The word vomit continues. “No. It’s not that. I mean I did mention to her that you were her girlfriend and she never really denied it. I thought—I honestly didn’t think you were dating at first. But after a while it was hard to ignore when the two of you seemed so…” She trails off when noticing how pale Imogen has gotten.

“So?”

“In love?” Cynthia finishes lamely. Her cheeks burn with mortification.

She makes a noise somewhere between an acknowledgment and a whimper.

It’s all Cynthia gets before she turns and makes a beeline toward the back. She stands in front of the liquor aisle for an exorbitant amount of time. Cynthia has half a mind to ask if she’s all right but cowardice of saying the wrong thing again stops her. Finally, she makes a selection and Cynthia has to struggle to not cringe as she rings her up. No pleasantries are exchanged.

Box wine $8.99

She comes in the next day.

Cynthia wants to crawl into a hole.

Box wine Tissues Pain meds $14.68

And the next.

Cynthia considers quitting just to stave off the unparalleled embarrassment and shame coursing through her.

Two bottles of wine Decongestant Pint of ice cream Effervescent tablets $36.87

She never sees her again.

Mainly because Cynthia quits her job at Faramore's soon after. She’s accepted into an apprenticeship across town and can’t justify the commute anymore.

She doesn’t tell her regulars because that seems like a silly thing to do. It’s not like she talks to any of them or knows them beyond the stories she makes up in her head by their brief interactions. It’s strange when she realizes she will miss them. There’s a melancholic kind of insight she garners—missing someone you don’t really know.

Months later Cynthia finds herself in the neighborhood after an event takes her back across town. The curiosity hits her a bit too hard and soon enough she finds herself back at her old store. It’s like walking into a time capsule. She doesn’t feel any claim to the shop as it’s one of many and she’s gone to others in the franchise but it still feels strangely familiar as the bell dings when she enters.

The guy at the register is more apathetic than she cares to comment on. He rings up her items without so much as a greeting.

Gummy bears Bottle of water $4.33

On her way out, the door whooshes open and the bell dings softly. As if in slow motion, in walks Laudna, a big smile on her face, arm around a giggling Imogen’s shoulders, whose own arm is securely wrapped around Laudna’s waist. Laudna leans her head down to kiss the top of Imogen’s head. Then Imogen smoothly turns her face upward and they share a chaste kiss without breaking their stride. They don’t notice Cynthia walk past them.

Maybe Cynthia sheds a single tear later that night when she thinks about them or maybe it's just this very emotional movie she’s watching about a horse that defies all the odds in the end.

#imodna fic #imodna #imogen temult #laudna #my writing #prompt fic #eventually i'll fix this up/add more and publish on ao3 #i'm just glad i finally posted something after 2 months

150 notes · View notes

gobliiine · 2 months

Text

I’m tired of being sad about the last episode so here’s some domestic dorym thoughts

I like to hc that halflings eat A LOT. Like they need to eat a lot more daily than you’d assume based on their size. And someone like orym needs to eat even MORE, because he’s running around and leaping and staying fit.

Anyway I’d like to imagine that someday when Dorian and Orym settle down (shhhh don’t worry about the Morri deal, maybe he gets out of it or maybe they settle down in the feywild, I don’t care) but anyway once they settle down, Dorian takes it upon himself to learn how to cook

I imagine he’s not very good at it at first, having grown up in a very privileged home where his parents didn’t cook because they had people who did that for them. But he tries, and Orym’s very kind about it, even if it’s bad.

So he starts asking around for recipes- especially Orym’s family, and all his favorite foods. Maybe he get some Byrode pie recipes from Opal. he gets tips from them until he starts to get really good at it.

I don’t really have an ending to this, I just think that Orym should be able to retire. I want his passive perception to lower just from being happy and calm and never using it. I want him to eat really good food and get all soft and fat and happy.

#dorym #idk what this is but I keep thinking about it #critical role #dorian Storm #orym of the air ashari

36 notes · View notes

professorthaddeus · 2 years

Text

aaaagh it’s been five hours since the episode ended and i should really be asleep but i’m still up thinking about how horribly painful fearne and orym’s deaths were because !! they literally spent that entire battle watching their friends die around them. FUCK.

orym, our ever-watchful soldier, our protective little fighter who has spent every moment since he lost his family keeping both eyes open in steady vigilance--always the first to step in front of his friends, always on the lookout for any threat, always careful, always determined, always on task. liam said that orym died with a heavy sense of failure, and god, i can’t imagine the magnitude of that feeling. he died failing to keep his friends safe from the threat he was sent to eliminate. he died without completing the mission he swore to see through for his leader, for dad, for will. he couldn’t even get the word out to dorian in the end, couldn’t give him the closure of final words, of one last assurance of love. he died by the sword of the enemy he hadn’t even known until it was too late.

fearne, oh fearne, who still had so much left to live for. fearne, who loved so fiercely in her own way that once she bonded with someone she considered them hers. fearne, watching those people she’d collected like precious treasures scattered far from her reach and dropping like flies. fearne, who once cried “but i don’t know if i want to be without orym,” who had just seen him perish, unable to help. fearne, with so many questions about her past and so much left to explore, who already missed out on a lifetime with her parents, who will never get the chance to find out for herself what a relationship with them could be. fearne, who loved the one who raised her as a best friend and missed the feywild so bad she almost went back with a near stranger, who died without a chance to see her grandma morri and her home one more time.

and do not get me started on laudna (she’s fine, she’s gonna be FINE) going unconscious with the belief that imogen was going to have her life stolen from her one way or another, with the sinking knowledge that she wasn’t able to secure imogen’s happiness--that the one purpose laudna found for herself in this second chance at life would never be fulfilled.

even if this is temporary, i have to believe it was temporary, it was horrific, and they spent their final moments in despair, and i’m not okay

#cr spoilers #critical role #orym #fearne calloway #laudna #i still couldn't muster enough brain cells to manage a full fic so here have my feelings barfed up on my screen isntead #c3e33 #my meta #my ramblings #cr meta

905 notes · View notes

septembermonologues · 1 year

Note

adding to the never shutting up about the dorym implications of the scry party but do you think about how orym was the ONLY person who didn't take his eyes off the scry? like everyone looked at each other reacting to it at least once but oryms gaze was just FIXED on dorian........he hasn't seen him in so long and he didn't know how much of dorian he'll have so he just keeps LOOKING.... he misses dorian so bad who do I have to call to get them back together again?

like i can't imagine someone you've lived on top of and slept in the same bed with every night for actual months and knows so much about you just being whisked away more quickly than you could really process right before things started spiraling rapidly downward. and then your one tie to someone who has become such a rock to you is a 25 word message once a day and somewhere in those messages as you're preparing for what could be the apocalypse for you all you know you get "uh things could be better one of our friends that we sort of parented together is getting dark". and then after failing to stop a world-altering event that you had personal ties to and getting shunted away from one half of your new group you try to message him and get silence. and then spending a day fighting a battle that wasn't yours and could have ended in multiple deaths and spending the night unable to sleep and thinking about your murdered family after you once again had to remind the people around you that the people and goals they think "might not be so bad" murdered them and countless other innocent people. he deserved tangible proof that dorians okay after his broken little "tell me youre okay" and the Everything thats been forced on him.

#i hope any of this makes sense im just talking #im wondering if there's going to be another exu prime special that gives dorian a plausible way to get to orym #i still think that gilmore would help him travel if he could get to one of his stores #c3e61 #cr spoilers #critical role #orym of the air ashari #dorian storm #dorym

110 notes · View notes

blazingstar24 · 2 years

Text

So Orym is Ruidus on his tattoo and Will was Catha. Imagine Ruidus born Orym and Moonweaver worshipper Will!

*********************************************************

Orym’s born under Ruidus’ light. His mother is not the superstitious type and loves her son fiercely. His father left because he wasn’t the type to stay she tells him. He wonders sometimes if it was because of him. Others talk about those who are born under that red light as well. He learns how to deal with it. He lands a job as a Tempest Blade, the Voice of the Tempest doesn’t give two fucks about scary moon shit. She’s seen real evil and this kind young halfling is not it.

And then he meets Will, a fellow guard and a worshipper of the Moonweaver. By all rights, Will should be wary of him, considering what Catha is to Ruidus. And yet, Will doesn’t care at all. They become friends, fall in love, get married. Maybe the “Big moon, little moon” line was something Will used to say all the time as cheeky joke. Maybe Will would say things like he’ll protect Orym from the light of Ruidus, be his safe haven. No misfortune would ever find him when he’s around.

And then the attack happens. Will’s dead. The light of Catha’s gone and there’s only Ruidus now. Orym’s never believed in any of the superstitious things before. He never thought of his misfortunes being anything but life being what it is. But now? Maybe it’s true. They knew the cost of being a guard, but still he wonders was it because of him? So he leaves Zephrah. He can’t stay.

But then he meets the most unlikely bunch of people. A klepto faun from the Feywilds. A pink loving sassy powerhouse girl fresh out of town. A himbo dwarf that has the blessing of a strange goddess. A fire genasi that can see people’s intentions and the unseen. An air genasi runaway prince who has so much potential for good. Not the family he thought he was going to have with Will but they were always ready to ride the winds of life. And maybe he sent these people his way.

But then they find a vestige of Divergence and not the good ones. Lolth’s vestige. And suddenly things have gone to shit. Dariax is having bad dreams, Dorian’s getting corrupted, Opal’s being targeted. Misfortune has followed him again. His dreams have been free from the Spider Queen. A small bit of hope flutters in his heart that the light of Catha is protecting him. And against all odds, they make it through. They aren’t out of danger but they haven’t died.

Oh but now he’s being called back home, back to Will’s resting place. To find his husband’s killer. Of course he says yes. Of course he’s going to do it. And Dorian and Fearne come along because he can’t do this alone, he never could. This means more to him than they’ll ever know. Sleeping like they do brings a sense of comfort and an overwhelming amount of guilt. He’s allowed good things, right?

And he meets this new odd bunch of people. And a young woman who is just like him but has it so much worse. She’s got powers that she doesn’t want and Orym thinks “I got off easy”. And so he does what he can to make Imogen’s life more comfortable because isn’t that what Will did for him? And he’s making new friends once more. Did he send this people to him as well?

Then once more tragedy strikes. Bertrand Bell is murdered in an alley. He wonders was this his misfortune or Imogen’s.

But he’s been dealing with whatever curse this is his whole life now. He’s getting too good at picking up the pieces. Getting too good at pretending that grief doesn’t have him in a chokehold on his bad days. He holds tight to his friends and tries to keep fighting the good fight. Maybe just maybe something new is blooming between him and Dorian. They have a patron in Lord Estheross, things are looking up or as well as they can be with this group.

Dorian’s leaving. Dorian can’t stay and Orym can’t follow. If Will was Catha, his other moon, then Dorian was the sun. Different from Will’s comforting embrace, a hope for a new future. A hope that after the night, the sun rises again. He begins to wonder the same thing he’s been thinking his whole life and then Dorian’s lips touch his forehead. Not goodbye but a see you later. For once in quite a long time, he begins to think about how silly superstitions can be.

A blue flower blooms in the middle of a storm, electricity crackling across his hand. A night’s watch with a wolf. They chose to live with their eyes open he tells Chetney. And for the first time in a long time, Orym opens his eyes to the moons.

#orym of the air ashari #will of the air ashari #dorian storm #dorym #<-just a bit!#cr spoilers #kinda popped off with this idea lol

66 notes · View notes

felagund-fiollaigean · 2 years

Text

C3 Body Swap Headcanons

Body Swap shenanigans. We all love them. Take a cast of characters, apply a healthy dose of funky magic bullshit, and suddenly everyone has to adjust to having a totally different body than what they had before. Cue the antics, angst, hijinks, and a quest to return to their original bodies.

Here's my take on applying that to the C3 squad (name TBA):

- Chetney ends up in Dorian's body. No particular reason why, I just want this short king to get to be tall for a while, and given how different they are in personality and how Chetney was antagonizing Dorian at first, I think it wold be really interesting, not to mention the inherent humor in everything Chetney says coming out of Dorian's mouth. Openly remarking, "Gee, would you get a load of the view from up here!" and "What the fuck do you even do with all these limbs? they just keep going on forever, and what you need so much hair for blue boy?!"

- Ashton winds up in Laudna's body. Dee immediately picks up that something is different, and when she makes inquiries as to who is now occupying Laudna's brain and when she'll be back, Ashton just about jumps out of his skin. I can see a lot of, "Pardon me, but who exactly are you?"/"what the fuck, lady, who the fuck are you and what are you doing in Laudna's head?" Delilah will never know peace. Not to mention someone as athletic as Ashton in Laudna's weak-ass body, it would be interesting for them to adjust to. Discovering they actually fucking love wearing skirts.

- Orym ends up in Fearne's body. First of all, see Chetney's entry where the short king deserves to know what it's like to be tall. Second, Orym was raised in a society of druids and druid-adjacent casters, and while he has a few tricks, never really took to magic himself. So I think it would be interesting for him to experience being able to fully connect to nature magic, not to mention how much mileage he would get out of wildshaping into big fuckoff animals to be able to physically bully enemies away from his friends the way he wants to.

- Imogen gets Ashton's. I think it's very interesting to think of Imogen, who's usually very shy and (as Laura said) tries to hide herself, occupying Ashton's body. They're tall and strong and colorful and loud, and at first it feels uncomfortable to take up so much space, draw so many eyes. But then she gets used to it, and begins to really lean into the powerful build and the swagger and fucking owns it. I want to see Imogen suddenly have the ability to get up close and pummel her enemies into submission. I can imagine "Ashton" getting recognized by someone he has History with, or having to utilize one of his criminal contacts, so Imogen has to give her most convincing performance as him. I know she could pull it off but it would probably be pretty dicey to have an entire conversation without arousing suspicion. As for the constant pain/discomfort/symptoms of having a shattered head and arm, Imogen copes with it well. It's not like she's not used to having voices in her mind she constantly has to block out, the pain is easy by comparison, though the lack of depth perception is the hardest to get used too. Once she gets back in her own body, buys herself a pair of big, heavy boots cause they really did wonders for her confidence. Ashton is very proud. Tells her it suits her.

- FCG can taste things now that he's in Orym's body. The gang takes him on a tour of Jrusar's best eateries (according to Ashton). At first, FCG defers to things Orym likes (pies included), but find that those just don't do it for them, so he gradually begins to request what they think would taste good themself and develops quite the discerning palate in the span of an evening. Licks a copper piece just for funsies and the face he makes is hilarious. Experiences dreams for the first time too, doesn't understand the fuss everyone was making earlier. Has a little too much fun parkouring all over the place, delighted by his newfound mobility. They also find Orym's skillset is pretty well-suited to their ever-present need to Feel Of Use, and go on being just as self-sacrificial as ever, and yeah that made me sad too. There's also a thought here about FCG who is constantly trying to help their friends with their mental/emotional issues having his mind/soul inhabiting a body with memories of loss they don't seem to experience the same way and actually getting to have first-hand experience at that. Has an existential crisis once he reverts to his own body. Misses taste, but as time goes on he begins to forget what it was like.

- Laudna gets Chetney's body. She absolutely vibes with Chetney's skill for crafting and sculpting wood, not that she's not proficient with that sort of thing before, but her mind is opened to so many more possibilities with Chetney's muscle memory on her side. Oh, and she fucking digs turning into a werewolf. I really don't have much else to say about that, she just thinks its the absolute tits. Rips a door off its hinges just for fun, she gets to be creepy and feral while not being made of tissue paper for a while, as a treat.

- Fearne winds up in FCG, because she's Fearne. Everyone else I can only see ending in angst being in a non-living body, but since Fearne is a fey I think she'd be more amused than anything. She tries really hard to make drinking out of herself work, but it never really comes together. Gets a little too much into the spinning saw blade. Casually offers Orym, "you can explore my body if you want," which Orym immediately politely refuses. Mister immediately senses the switch, and now rides around on top of FCG's head.

- And that leaves us with Dorian in Imogen's. I don't have as much to say with this one either, only I think Dorian with high charisma would suit well to Imogen who also has high charisma. I've pretty much ignored how mental ability scores would translate in this scenario, but we can make something out of it now I guess. Takes a bath and tries to just chill under the water like he usually does, and is startled and dismayed to remember he actually needs to breathe and almost drowns as a result. Tries to play his lute and laments Imogen's lack of calluses. Tries to grab something off a high shelf and misses being 6 feet tall. He probably has the hardest time adjusting to his new flesh prison with the voices and all. Imogen apologizes (in Ashton's voice), and Dorian says, "It's not your fault. I don't mind shouldering the burden for a while." Comes out of it a bit subdued and depressed, because as Imogen said, people can really be horrible. But I think hearing the thoughts of those around him and being able to reach out into theirs for a while gives him a different perspective on how his own magic works as a bard, and subtly changes his casting style/method for the better. Guess I did have something to say with this one, okay.

And that's not even touching on the Gender Fuckery that could occur here. I don't want to make any assumptions about everyone's assigned gender at birth, but I have my own trans thoughts about this party but I'll leave that open to reader interpretation in this scenario.

And yeah, that's about it. You got thoughts? I'd love to hear them in the replies.

#critical role #cr campaign 3 #fearne calloway #imogen temult #laudna #dorian storm #ashton greymoore #chetney pock o'pea #orym of the air ashari #fresh cut grass #critical role c3

99 notes · View notes

pandoramusicbox09 · 2 years

Text

Oh god, I just had a cursed thought

It’s been implied a few times already in this latest episode that Dorian might be mistaken for his brother and be captured/killed for the bounty. We also know that Dorian gave the second Sending Stone to Cyrus and didn’t tell the rest of the party.

What if, for some godforsaken reason, Dorian gets taken for the bounty and he’s unable to get back to the group. Orym, immediately uses the Sending Stone to try to locate him and ends up contacting Cyrus instead. At that point, Orym and the rest of the party realize that Dorian’s gone and they have no way of being able to contact him/ find out where he is or where he is being taken or if he’s even still alive.

And now, I’m imagining how Orym will react. I’m subscribed to the idea that Orym is a widower who lost his husband in that attack 6 years ago. There’s some pretty strong evidence to show that Orym is starting to develop feelings for Dorian (the flower in the hair, clutching the Sending Stone so tightly he bruises his hand, Liam himself saying that Orym “really like Dorian a lot” etc.). Can you fucking imagine what would go through Orym’s head at that point? He already had to go through a heartbreaking loss once before. He already had to go through the feeling of being unable to protect someone he loved before. And now, after all this time when he finds himself falling for someone again (which must carry its own set of complicated feelings), he is unable to protect Dorian. Orym could possibly lose him and he is helpless to stop it.

Oh fuck, I just hurt myself thinking about this.

#cr spoilers #critical role spoilers #cr3 spoilers #dorym #ish #orym of the air ashari #dorian storm

80 notes · View notes

fia-bonkginya · 3 years

Note

for dorym prompts: the fact that only the ExU crew know Dorian's real (first) name?? Can only imagine it'll come to bite them?

(i have so many thoughts about this and i really might write a longer thing of this concept at some point? but here's this for now! protective orym and fearne my beloveds)

It took Dorian... too long, maybe, to realize what was happening. It had just been so long, that it took the man who was waving at him a few tries to get his attention.

"Bronte! Hey, Bronte!"

And when that word finally pierced Dorian's brain, it triggered a deep, uncomfortable panic, one that he thought he had left behind, at the same time that he left that name behind. And he froze.

The young man- and, god, Dorian couldn't even remember the man's name, let alone how they knew each other- either didn't notice the panic or didn't care, and took Dorian's eye contact, apparently, as an excuse to start approaching him. The smile on his face did absolutely nothing to hide the calculating, almost predatory glint in his eyes, and Dorian could feel himself moving backwards in time, back to being a scared little kid who never did anything right, back to never being what his family or his peers expected of him, back to being the person who was never, never, enough.

"We all wondered where you went, Bronte," the man continued, still getting closer, and that name coming out of his lips felt like poison in Dorian's veins.

He stumbled back a step, and his brain wasn't going anywhere besides get away and don't say that name, but he couldn't find his voice to be able to make either thing happen. Typical Bronte, claims to be a performer but doesn't even know how to speak when spoken to. Typical Bronte, never says the right thing at the right time, never acts the way he's supposed to, never good enough.

And then, suddenly, he wasn't alone.

Fearne, standing at her full height in front of him, blocking his view of the man almost completely, and Orym, standing beside him, sword held in his clenched fist.

"Can we help you?" Fearne asked, voice soft and sweet, but the snakes on top of her staff were already starting to curl and hiss.

"You leave and come back with a group of freaks, is that right, Bronte?" the man asked, stepping to the side and ignoring Fearne completely. "You know, your mother invited me to dinner this week. I'm sure she'd love to see you."

Beside him, Orym growled. "I don't know who the hell you are," he hissed, "but you need to leave. Now."

"You're a little confused," Fearne said, and there was a smile on her face but none in her eyes. "Dorian, do you know this guy?"

"I... no," Dorian said, and he was almost surprised to find that his voice was working again. His hands were trembling, but he could speak.

The man scoffed. "Dorian? What kind of name is that?"

"It's his name," Orym said, and the look in his eyes made Dorian realize that he was moments away from stabbing this man.

Fearne took a step, closing him in between her and Orym, and finally, finally, the man started to look uncomfortable. "We don't want to make a scene," she said, "and I don't think you do, either."

Orym moved, too, putting his small frame directly in front of Dorian. "I would leave now, if I were you," he said, practically spitting out the words.

The man scowled, but he seemed to finally notice Orym's sword and Fearne's snakes. "Fine," he said, and then he looked up, right into Dorian's eyes, and added, "I'm sure your mother will be glad to know that her dear Bron is back in town." And, with a final sharp smile, he turned and walked away down the street.

Dorian stumbled, all of the energy leaving his body at once, but at the same moment, Orym and Fearne appeared on either side of him, Fearne with a supportive hand on his shoulder and Orym with one on his hip.

"We can still go kill him, if you want," Fearne said, and her tone was light, but there was an undercurrent of intensity to the words, and Dorian knew that she meant them.

"No," he said, shaking his head, trying to get rid of the foggy panic. "No, that's... That would be worse, I think." He blinked, then, looking up, and asked, "Where are the others?"

"We told them to go ahead," Orym answered, and he was doing nothing to hide the quiet rage on his face. "Imogen could feel your... your panic, so she pulled the rest of them away."

And, okay, maybe Dorian would have to unpack that later, the fact that his feelings were loud enough to broadcast right to Imogen, but for now, he just let himself be grateful.

"We heard him say that name," Fearne said, "the one that isn't yours anymore. Are you alright?"

"Not really," Dorian answered, and it was surprising, how easy it was to admit that. "Hearing that name come out of his mouth... I just froze. I don't know what he would have done, but whatever it was, I wouldn't have stopped him."

"But we heard it, too," Orym said, reaching up and grabbing Dorian's still-shaking hand in his.

Fearne nodded once, and reached down to hold his other. "And we stopped him, so you didn't have to."

Dorian exhaled, letting the feeling of their hands in his ground him in the moment. He was Dorian, here on a mission for the Air Ashari with two of the people who were more of a family than he had ever had. "He knows your faces now," he said, voice soft. "If he tells anyone else about you, then-"

"Then we'll handle it," Orym cut him off, squeezing his hand. "We're in it together, Dorian. Whatever it is."

"Always," Fearne agreed, soft, and finally, Dorian let himself smile.

He was Dorian Storm, and no one was going to take that away.

#critical role #dorian storm #orym of the air ashari #fearne calloway #critical role c3 #critical role fic #exu trio #anonymous #ask me #mine #genuinely LOVED writing this one so i hope you like it!!!#it's about chosen names and chosen families and the intersection of those things....

97 notes · View notes

fourthwingingit · 2 years

Text

Ties that bind (fatebound)

A poorly done fic written too quickly by someone who just loves dorym more than is healthy

beta'd by @standbyyourmantis

Orym ran to catch up with Fearne’s longer stride. The skyship would be landing any second and a gods damned fight had broken out so they couldn't be early like they both had wanted. Soon, though.

A smile crept onto Orym's face just as the shipyard came into view. A split second later Fearne let out a whooping cheer as she spied blue skin and ombre hair. She sprinted at full speed, Orym running not far behind as fast as his short humanoid legs would let him. And while it was not usually as fast as Fearne’s long fae stride, he used his second wind to overtake her and take a flying jump into Dorian's arms.

The bright bubbling laughter of his surprised friend rang in his ears before it redoubled as a large pair of arms enveloped them both with a cry of "YOU'RE BACK!". And for the first time in a long time, Orym’s heart settled.

"Well hello there! I knew I would be missed but- well this is- this is just so lovely"

"Well." Fearne took a step back, Orym clung like a koala "You couldn't possibly imagine all the things we've been through. I have a statue now, we saw a man about the moon, stole from an annoying man who maybe tried to kill us, unlocked Ashton’s tragic backstory, bought a bowtie for mister that won't burn.... oh and we also found out that Imogen is maybe seeing the moon and some other magickey supernaturally stuff is happening I guess."

Dorian laughed and oh how Orym loved that he could feel it in his whole body.

"Well it sounds like quite an adventure, I already know a little from our friend here." He gestured to Orym, "He gave me updates via the sending stone most nights."

Orym was suddenly very glad that his face was mostly buried in Dorian's shoulder as it turned a slight pink, he hoped his ears didn't blush like his mother said they did.

"Well, I wanted you to be able to come back knowing what had been going on. And now you're here."

Dorian’s arms settled like a blanket around Orym’s shoulders.

"Now I'm here!" He said, his high voice still reverberated in Orym’s whole torso and it was a luxury he still couldn't believe was his to have.

"Don't go again?" Slipped out, hardly audible and completely garbled into a shoulder

"Hm?"

"Oh! He said don't go again. A sentiment I must agree with I mean really, without you there we're just not complete. No you're my people and I stole you from the Crown Keepers fair and square so you should both stick with me at all times. Okay? How does that sound?" Fearne said, with a softly concerned expression on her face that only just belied her anxiety.

Dorian chuckled "I am going to have to leave again, but when Cyrus is on the throne and things are a little less, euuuughhhh, BAD... I'll be back for good"

Fearne’s ears perked up, her fae nature unable to let the opportunity to get exactly what she wanted pass. "Do you promise? Do you swear you'll be with us forever? That you won't leave us again?"

Orym laughed. And, pretending the watery sound of it wasn't there, he said, "Fearne Calloway I do solemnly swear to try to travel with you and Dorian the most out of anyone else in my life. As long as we're on good terms."

"Fearne Calloway I swear. Once I'm done with this, I'll travel with you and Orym again. I'll even stay as long as I can."

Fearne's smile turned sharp and satisfied, like a hungry traveler given just enough to eat before a long trek that would end in a banquet.

"The pact is forged." Her smile was blinding, and Orym felt the outline of his soul being branded, and for a moment it burned like nothing else.

Then he felt a tether, and without opening his eyes he knew he would be able to find the other two on his first day being blind and deaf in a room full of broken glass and tall furniture. He noticed Dorian breathing the same pattern as him, and knew somehow that Fearne was too. Or rather, they were breathing hers.

"You know? This isn't exactly what I meant, but I can run with it."

"Well you offered a contract to a fae! What did you expect?"

Orym smiled as he found he could just barely feel the contented purring of Fearne’s soul against his and Dorian’s, both awash in shock and affection for the fae girl.

#dorym #dorym fic #i dont post my writing hardly ever so pls be kind #its even rarer that i finish them so please be kind 2 #fearne calloway #fearne calloway is fae and should be feared as such #shes not romantically involved but she is ABSOLUTELY part of the relationship #no i do not know how to explain #my fics

16 notes · View notes

centaurianthropology · 2 years

Text

A Thought on the End of C3E14

Spoiler below, obviously:

I know everyone is sad to see Robbie go, and I’ve really liked his time on the main campaign, but I also think that it was an important part of the group development that he step away for a time. My issue so far this campaign has been that, while the campaign started with three cliques (Imogen/Laudna, Ashton/FCG, and the EXU trio), the other two cliques felt much more fluid once the group began to interact with one another. Imogen and Laudna are clearly deeply devoted to one another, but at the same time Laudna clearly liked spending time with and getting to know all the others. Imogen seemed genuinely interested in getting to know these folks in her own discrete way, as well. Ashton and FCG clearly like one another, but have also only known one another for a few months, so FCG readily integrated into the group, and Ashton integrated exactly as much as they cared to with the group (grudgingly, and with as little emotional investment as they can get away with so far).

But the EXU trio already had a major adventure together. They were bound together much more tightly, and tended to treat the rest of the group as temporary traveling companions, with their trio as their primary focus. And that made sense, given their experiences together and the fact they don’t know these other people all that well. But it still meant that it often felt like the EXU crew were a separate group within the group.

Dorian was really the glue that held that group together. He was the bright light, the social one (interestingly, he was the only one of the three that has made genuine efforts to branch out and befriend the others so far). It makes sense. He’s a bard, while Orym is naturally quiet and Fearne is a fey creature with emotions that are very different to other people’s.

With Dorian gone, I imagine that Orym and Fearne are going to be shook. They were so used to being a trio, and now they’re a duo, and it doesn’t work as well as it used to, and I think that will be the impetus to really see them start to integrate into the rest of the group in a more substantial way. Especially if they’re about to strike out into the Heartmoor, the group will have to finally gel as they camp together and face day-to-day challenges without a wealthy patron or even a bar to fall back on. I want to see Fearne start to get to know the others (and continue to flirt with Chetney), and start to see a little more of the emotion we saw at the end of the episode. She’s an interesting one, as Ashley is playing up her fey nature very well, but it makes me wonder what sort of character development a fey can have. And I think that her integration into this group, her dedication to them, and her friendships with them will provide the gateway for that development.

Likewise, Orym has been very reserved with the group, treating them as much like profressional associates as friends (Ashton has this defense mechanism too), but without Dorian there, he’s going to need to rely on the others, especially since so much of his personal quest seems tied to the Heartmoor. I can see his and Imogen’s quests tied together in a way that will forge bonds. I can see him taking up sparring with Ashton and possibly being the first to really break through with Ashton on a personal level. I can see him loosening up due to his interactions with Chetney and Laudna. I think that this group is every bit as much a character growth opportunity for him as for Fearne.

So I do hope that Dorian comes back after a while, maybe later in the campaign. I think he would be very proud to see how close his friends have become with this new group. I think it would be a different dynamic, less the EXU trio and more a great big group of folk who all care about one another in a much more intricate web of relations. And I for one am looking forward to both seeing those relationships grow, and to seeing Dorian’s reactions to them whenever he comes back.

#critical role #critical role spoilers #cr3 #just some thoughts about group dynamics

34 notes · View notes

saphirered · 3 years

Note

I had a cute thought today after getting sunburn lol - imagine the exu peeps are on the road during the colder months, and one shares a night watch with the reader who is like a walking furnace (maybe tiefling for infernal bloodline) and the reader just... scooches over to their chilly companion and hold them close so they don't freeze 💚💚💚💚🔥

Okay here we go. Hope you enjoy! 😘

(Dorian)

Never did Dorian think he’d be the one to be so cold. It’s impossible to repress the shivering no matter how much he tries to huddle up in a ball pulling his knees to his chest, arms closely tucked under his armpits. It’s like ice runs through his veins and there’s nothing he can do about it. He has half the mind to just put his hands in the campfire until he feels the heat burn but he’d rather not have to deal with burns for the rest of his life just because he felt cold one night.

You’re seated on the edge of camp paying close attention to the road nearby for any passerby's that may threaten you and your group. Once you deem it safe and its late enough to be sure no one traverses the roads at this hour you return to the camp to see Dorian trying to cocoon himself up in whatever he can find. You sit down in your previous spot not too far from him as he tries to get comfortable but simply can’t. The shivering is quite pitiful if not a little adorable.

Dorian’s eyes turn from the fire to you; completely unfazed by whatever cold he’s experiencing. When you take off your scarf and hand it to him he doesn't think twice about taking it and quickly wraps the warm fabric around his hands. How is it your scarf feels this warm? It’s almost unfair. You laugh as he blows air into his fabric clad hands to preserve heat.

“Are you laughing at me?” Dorian accuses with a hint of jest though he might actually just be very jealous of you.

“Maybe a little. Don’t take this the wrong way but you look terrible.” Dorian fake gasps because how dare you tell him he doesn’t look tiptop.

“Well since you seem to have me at a disadvantage, how about you share your mysterious ways to stay warm?” You laugh and scoot closer offering him your hands. Hesitantly he removes one of his from your scarf and when he feels the body heat preserved within you he pulls you in, wrapping his arms around you and making you his own personal heater.

“You’re welcome.” You say as Dorian’s grip tightens in recompense for your comment but mutters a ‘thank you’ somewhat muffled by your shoulder.

“As long as you know I will not let you go until the cold fades.” Dorian pulls away slightly to properly speak to you and regrets his words the moment your smug grin becomes apparent. Maybe he shouldn’t stroke your ego as such but right now the benefits far outweigh the downsides. When you don’t protest and instead welcome his wish he returns to your warm embrace fully burying his head into your shoulder once more. You get some weird looks from the next shift at the genasi having wrapped himself around you without any intend to let go until you have to move again.

----

(Orym)

Orym is no stranger to the cold. He usually sits it out and through until it passes or he’s on the move again. Now when it’s his turn to take watch he can’t really just fall asleep and let unconsciousness carry him to the morning away from the cold night. At first he sits twisting and rubbing at his fingers, wiggling his toes to keep the blood flow and feeling going but when that’s not enough he picks up his sword following the familiar steps of his routines keeping his muscles warm. It preserves some heat but he knows the moment he stops he’ll be freezing again.

You sit and watch Orym go through the deliberate paces, light on his feet, nearly inaudible. The motions are much akin to a practiced dance and you find yourself staring, ears still listening for possible dangers. He repeats the same routine a few times before moving on to a different one and another after that. While he keeps his breathing under control you know he’s exerting himself the longer he keeps this going so you get up and make your way over to him making sure to stay clear of the swinging sword. Not that you’d think Orym would be careless enough to hit you.

“Orym, while I appreciate the entertainment during this uneventful night, don’t you think you should sit down and take some rest too? You’ll be exhausted in the morning if you keep this going.” You gently remind him and Orym doesn’t stop moving but you know he’s aware you’re there and he’s listening.

“I’ll be fine. Don’t worry.” He speaks timed right with another move as of not to throw off his breathing pattern too much. You carefully move in placing a hand on his shoulder and his movements halt. By just a single touch he can feel the radiant heat run through him like a divine light. Orym takes in a sharp breath, tensing up. There goes his routine but then again, he appreciates the warmth running through him.

“Come sit with me?” You ask gently guiding him over towards the fire. Orym obliges and puts away the sword taking a seat next to you. He can already feel the lack of radiant heat drain from his body when you remove your hand to take your seat. He rubs his hands together and even being in your near vicinity you have a warmth around you. He finds himself scooting closer inch by inch to go from frozen wastes to warm summer night but still he longs for just a little bit more.

“Hey, do you mind if I-“ Orym gestures to the space between you two and before he can finish his question you’ve pulled him into your side. He doesn’t refuse the embrace and instead welcomes it taking in a deep breath warmth returned to him.

----

(Fearne)

When you wake up for your shift with Fearne it’s still very cold in the early morning, a little over an hour or two away from the sunrise to hit at the end of your shift, you can’t afford a fire right now being chased and on the run. The smoke and light alone might put you all in a dangerous situation so the group would have to suffer the cold. Sleeping through the cold isn’t the problem. Being awake to keep watch is. At least for some. Not you. You’re fine. While it may be a disadvantage in certain circumstances or when facing the judgement of others, in these cases the infernal bloodline really shines through.

Fearne is huddled up pulling the hems of her dress close around her to keep in the heat. The lack of fire really does her no good. She could create one with the snap of her fingers but doesn’t have the luxury to do so now. Not even Little Mister curled up on her lap does much to preserve her internal warmth. Yet something calls her closer towards you like a moth drawn to a flame. She tries to resist the effect but whenever she moves, changes her position or the likes she feels as if she’s moved another inch closer to you.

You sit carving away at a piece of wood with your knife to pass the time and keep a look out but you’re aware of Fearne moving closer little by little. You don’t want to say anything as you’d probably get an answer you wouldn’t understand anyway and just let her do her thing. The faun’s got her reasons so just let them be. Besides, you don’t want to accidentally wake up the Little Mister again or you might just find monkey excrements stuffed between your belongings again.

“Oh! I get it now!” Fearne speaks to herself, ears perching up when she looks at you you raise an eyebrow and stop your whittling. She begins moving closer towards you carrying the monkey with her. Mister rolls onto his back when she’s seated right next to you and you watch as the previously puffs of smoke turn into puffs of ember. Fearne feels herself get warmer and warmer, heat rising to her cheeks and limbs.

“Looks like my kind of fire and yours aren’t so different after all.” She smiles and it takes you a second to figure out she means the hellfire from your lineage, the Plane of Fire flame of Mister and the wildfire within her. Just being close together raises the temperature for you enough to provide some comfortable warmth. Fearne waits for your permission and when you nod she curls up next to you putting her head in your lap mindful of her horns.

----

(Dariax)

Dariax glares into the campfire. It’s so not fair the fire gets to be warm when he is not. Yes he can warm his hands but the rest of him will remain cold and he’s not putting the rest of him any closer to the fire than he already is. He’s not stupid. A little oblivious at times, maybe but not stupid. He finds himself praying to whatever entity gave him his powers will bring him towards some warmth. A coffee would be nice, or a good roast. He could even do with a stew or some soup but every time he looks at the compass around his neck the arrow points towards you, adding another log or kindling onto the fire to preserve it throughout your watch.

“Dammit. Dammit. Dammit. I know you stupid thing. I know fire is warm but I can hardly throw myself into it without getting burned, now can I!” Dariax grumbles half the mind to throw the thing into the fire to see who’d have the last laugh. Why must this divine shit be so cryptic one moment and completely and utterly useless the next.

You stare at the dwarf in confusion at the sudden outburst as he keeps grumbling. Something’s clearly up but luckily from your peripheral you can see the others are still fast asleep none the wiser about Dariax’s frustrations.

“Everything alright, Dariax?” You ask. Frustration is written over his face but lessens when addressing you and turns a little more spiteful at something inward.

“Yes! Yes! Everything is completely fine.” He grumbles and you raise an eyebrow knowing full well that is not the case. Dariax knows you see through whatever poor attempt of an act he may have tried and failed to put on.

“If you say so. I guess I’ll keep this nice hot cup of tea to myself then.” You pour some water into a cup and use your magic to heat it until it’s steaming. Dariax looks on as if he’s a man stuck in the desert finding water for the first time in days. He hurries over and takes the cup from you before you can take a sip, downing it in one go.

“Ow. That’s hot. That’s really hot.” Dariax instantly regrets downing an entire cup of steaming hot tea. He can feel his throat burning an has no feeling left in his tongue and mouth in general but the warmth settling in his stomach is nothing short of being worth the pain.

“Thank you for calling me hot.” You grin and Dariax is about to say that wasn’t what he meant but it’s not like it’s not true. You are hot. Wait…. oh… Now he gets it. The compass wasn’t pointing at the fire. It was pointing at you. Without any hesitation he scoots closer to your side until he’s right up next to you. You wrap an arm around him and pull him closer into your side allowing your body to exude the heat and share its warmth.

----

(Opal)

Opal fiddles with her thumbs. Why did she agree to take first watch again? Oh right, because you’re there. What she does not appreciate is the temperature decreasing slowly to the point where she can feel the difference, her body not getting enough time to get used to the drop before it grows colder again. What she can’t stand is you seemingly unaffected by this all humming a sweet melody leaning back on your elbows to watch the stars above every so often. Opal is jealous and it’s not hard to tell.

You feel a glare burn into you with the heat of the hellfire your patron draws their power from. All you can tell is that it’s not something you’ve done as moments before you’re still holding pleasant conversation. Opal isn’t upset by something you’ve said or done. She may just be a little petty when it comes to directing her jealousy of your indifference to the cold at you.

“Hey Opal, are you cold?” You ask the girl as she pulls her cropped jacket closer around her shrinking within herself intensifying the glare.

“No. Why do you ask?” Opal scoffs biting her lip to prevent it from trembling as an icy cold gust of wind blows through.

“Oh, I don’t know. It’s just very nice and warm over here closer by the fire. I thought you might enjoy it.” If you know Opal to be anything it’s stubborn and now is no different. Ted must be scolding her as her mood sours considerably.

“I’m good out here. It’s nice and cool in the breeze.” You hear her mutter something else under her breath but can’t make out what from the distance.

“Okay, whatever you say.” You go back to your business letting the human wallow in self-pity. No one but Opal is able to convince herself to get over herself and give into the help of others when she’s trying to prove a point but that doesn’t mean you can’t persuade her to give in and let her take credit for doing something you suggested.

“You know, for a human you’re holding up very well. I don’t think I could sit all the way over there away from the fire weren’t it for my infernal blood keeping me warm. It’s always nice and handy to not need to carry as many layers just to stay warm. Though, some people are bothered by the warmth of my skin upon contact. They say my blood must be boiling in my veins. I just take that as a compliment.”

As you continue on listing the benefits of your infernal ancestry Opal grumbles to herself getting up from her spot and strides over to you. Without a word of warning she sits down in your lap wrapping her arms around your neck.

“Comfy?”

“Shut up.” You’re not going to push your luck and allow the freezing human to cuddle up with you and bask in your natural body heat. Secretly Opal is thankful but Ted’s little ‘I told you so’ does not do well for her mood. Better get used to being her personal heater because Opal is not forgetting this.

#critical role x reader #critrole x reader #exu x reader #exandria unlimited x reader #dorian x reader #dorian storm x reader #orym x reader #fearne calloway x reader #fearne x reader #dariax x reader #dariax zaveon x reader #opal x reader #critical role #exu #exandria unlimited

63 notes · View notes

readbythestarlight · 3 years

Text

c3e1

HOLY SHIT HERE WE GO

okay idk if it’s my TV of what but something about the set loots weirdly cgi?

First Sam ad!!

So far so… normal…?

Ah there we go, that’s more like it

I hope this isn’t a trend of us not actually getting at the table ads but I do love a good Sam song

Ashley my wife I have missed you so much

Oooo I want that hoodie

I NEED THE HENRY CRABGRASS SET IMMEDIATELY

Wait okay so how long after C2 are we I need to know

HERE WE GOOOOO

Apex war okay

I’m not gonna remember any of this lore but I’m loving it

Oooooo!! FIRST CHARACTER INTROS HERE WE GO!!

I haven’t even taken in the table composition yet!! There’s so much to think about!!

Will they be siblings?

Laura: light purple hair, SOFT SOUTHERN?? shy. Human? Sorcerer!! Imogen.

Marisha: GOTH GIRL AW YES. Warlock/sorcerer. Helllll yeah. Oh very goth. Played by Helena Bonham Carter in the motion picture coming summer 2027. Laudna.

Oh good, they know each other already!

DO NOT DENY MY SWEET SOUTHERN GIRL WHAT SHE WANTS

how dare

I am so in love with Imogen’s accent.

First roll! What is our magic number gonna be?

12 it is!

"Nobody knows who is on the Taldore council—" :P

Sam and Tal?? Amazing

WHAT COLOR TAL

WHAT COLOR

Hobo… rogue? I’m betting rogue.

Taliesin: he/they EARTH GENASI IVE BEEN DYING FOR A GENASI PURPLEEEEEE I CALLED IT. Barbarian?? Ashton.

Tal once again killing cosplayers with his character design

It’s a robot holy shit

Sam: F.C.G. oh my god the robot shirt really was a hint I’m dying. A CLERIC ROBOT. A SOUTHERN. ROBOT.

Court of Miracles vibes are off the charts

I love how last campaign we had one character with a southern accent for half a campaign and now we’ve got two

Spire by Fire sounds rad

Awww therapy robot who wants to fix all the broken people awww

"I can’t taste."

FRESH CUT GRAAAAASS! :D

Robby??

Guest?? In the first ep?

Okay okay

Where is Travis I want to know who Travis is going to beeeee

It’s their?? EXU characters??

Ashley: Faunnnnn! Fearne. Druid!!

Liam: Orim. Halfling fighter.

I have some mixed feelings of having pre-established characters, just because I like the fully clean slate? Not a complaint though!

Robbie: Dorian. Bard. Air genasi heck yeah gettin’ all that genasi rep.

So is Robbieeeee like a guest or is he now part of the main cast because this feels like cast and I have some Mixed Feelings

Where is TRAVIS?

Wait wait wait aren’t Orym and Dorian dating?

Ooo please tell me this has to do with Travis

Uhhhh??

Travis? Where is? Travis?

Where?? Is Travis??

IM NOT GONNA BE SEE TRAVIS’ NEW CHARACTER BEFORE I HAVE TO GO TO BED

THERE HE IS oh thank god

oh my god I literally told my sister that I hoped he played an old man and he is IM CRYING

I love that so far the party alignment feels like it’s leaning towards chaotic stupid

"Eldritch blahst"

Traviiiiiiis!

Travis: Sir Bertrand Bell. A fighter. Highest intelligent of the group. I fucking love him.

OH MY GOD Sam and his gas can I’m wheezing

I’m calling it: Travis is a gambler in over his head who needs protection

Made it to break now I gotta go to bed but I’m so excited for this

"Motley crew" is 10000% right

Oh Ashton def has people after him xD

"Fair. *I* would know but."

Lord Estoros

Also I’m so fascinated by a character introduction also being like the first hook of the show

Mmmm they’re sus of Bertrand and tbh so am I

Leave Fresh Cut Grass alone about their name

Former Associate ooooo

Aww

Tragic Backstory right out of the gate?? Damn.

Y’all stop pestering the poor baby

Also if this is what Sam is willing to share episode one imagine how much worse is the actual backstory going to be

Oh fuck we’re getting into the "does this Unit have a Soul?" feels SAM IM NOT READY FOR THIS

Whitestone???

So Laudna right. Undead?

Ashton just being like "just go with it buddy live a little"

6 gold oh no xD

By the way I’d marry Ferne

Okay so the telepathy huh what’s that

The MOOD lighting

Okay okay what’s up with her I need to know

Strange things, huh?

Awww. Okay I like Dorian

Oh poor Dorian awww xD

Ferne is my WIFE

TWO mindreaders??

RIP to Ashton’s purse

The very clean one?? Dorian??

FCG stop you’re so sweet

Bertrand don’t get their hopes up

Travis is playing such a lying liar

I want this Lord Whoever to be a vampire and idk why

I want it

Please I’m such trash for vampires give it to me

He’s SO a vampire right?? Right??

DAMN

I wanted a vampire

Unless it’s a vampire orc

“This campaign is about silver foxes ONLY” god I hope so

God I’ve missed them

#cr spoilers #critical role spoilers #critical role #c3e1

14 notes · View notes

ava1anti · 3 years

Text

I barely use tumblr these days but I’m in here to give some ✨opinions✨ and I despise Twitter’s character count :)

Critical Role Campaign 3: first thoughts

🚨Spoilers Ahead🚨

Characters

The Crown Keepers:

Fearne was instantly my favourite character in EXU so I am OVERJOYED that Ashley is still playing her for (at least the beginning) of the campaign. Dorian and Orym I’m less enthusiastic about, but Liam provides great descriptions with Orym’s martial fighting and I’m chuffed for Robbie that he gets to continue playing DnD with the cast. I’m intrigued to find out more about why they’ve been sent to Marquet. I was kind of hoping we’d be able to see them take the party to Niirdal-Poc but 🤷

Laudna and Imogen:

As soon as I saw Laudna’s design I fell in love with her (gotta love a goth yknow) but the fact Marisha plays her as a sweetheart who doesn’t think she’s AT ALL as scary as she is is super endearing and i think seeing her character interact with others will be super fun. Imogen is probably the character I’m least enthusiastic about right now, but I feel that she’s a little like Opal from EXU in the whole ‘untapped potential’ concept. I reckon she’s going to wind up being the ‘finds out they’re Important’ character.

Fresh Cut Grass and Ashton:

FRESH CUT GRASS IS THE BEST THING IN MY LIFE. I really hope we get more backstory on his little family especially given how… colourful Sam made them out to be. There’s definitely going to be some angst there, given how they weren’t around when their party died and doesn’t know how it happened. Ashton’s character design is fascinating to me and I think that they’re absolutely going to be one of the ‘angst backstories’ of the group.

Bertrand:

I’ve seen so much hate for this character online and I had a conversation with someone on YT about it and actually decided that this could be one of the best character concepts I’ve ever seen. He’s a human fighter, which is considered the “boring” class and race, it seems, by everyone in the community who hopes Travis will move to another character. But here’s my take; THATS THE POINT! Bertrand is an aged human fighter who seems to have been disgraced by noble society (based on how Lord Esteros spoke to him) - he’s in a world of wizards and satyrs and talking robots and he’s just this average guy who doesn’t have magic, who seems to want to prove that he’s still worth the respect he once had as a (sort of) knight. I think that’s an AWESOME concept that could go down so many cool avenues.

Favourites most to least:

Fearne. She’s so sweet looking but TERRIFYING plus she’s my favourite design personally

Laudna. Also one of my favourite characters’ design, and she’s opposite to Fearne in that she’s terrifying in appearance but seems very sweet.

FCG. I think this character will be great comedy relief, but I can absolutely see them also being the character that makes everyone cry tons.

Bertrand. Because I managed to talk myself into it 😂 I really hope that he has the big storyline that balances out how ‘average’ his mechanics are

Imogen. I honestly do think she’s going to be Super Important to the plot, so im intrigued, but as it currently stands she and Orym are interchangeable

Orym. I think he’ll mesh well with other characters but Liam said himself that Orym was intended as a ‘supporting role’

Dorian. Naturally, since Robbie’s a guest, we likely won’t see him (and potentially the other Crown Keepers) for too long.

Setting

I’m not too great at following descriptions in general so I am a little lost on Jrusar. I think the city is inside of each spire? It says carved into so I imagine they’re somewhat like a dolls house. I think that’s so cool, especially given the street set we saw during that first fight. That idea reminds me of something (like a huge building having streets etc on each level within it) I want to learn more about The Hollow especially, and about areas of other spires since we really only see the Core Spire (assumably the middle one) and the conservatory on the Aerie spire.

Fanart and Cosplay 👀

One of the main things that drew me to critical role in the first place was how amazing and creative the fandom is. I’m an artist and (though I haven’t done any for SOME TIME) a cosplayer myself so seeing other people’s work inspires me so much (I’ve already drawn three of the characters)

Here are my favourite pieces so far!

Fanart:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CVicg4dqO5S/?utm_medium=share_sheet