#spoilers exu calamity

[rosemarydisaster]

That joke Brennan made about how "we all take turns causing the calamity" got me thinking how all of the characters make for a perfectly balanced view of the Age of Arcana Society. It makes perfect sense that Zerxus hatred of the Gods and the wizard bunch's hubris are causing doomsday. Because sure, they make extremely personal decisions, but those decisions only make sense in the Age of Arcanum.

Meta incoming, spoilers for episodes 1 and 2 of EXU: Calamity, the entirety of Campaign 2 And very minor spoilers of Campaign 1

Keyleth always doubted the Gods intentions in campaign one, but she was massively outnumbered by holy champions, paladins and clerics. Some characters debated her, but most thought that it was really dumb to question the Gods. Besides, her distrust extended to the betrayers and she would have most definitely doubted anything from Asmodeus mouth. She has knowledge of the betrayers that the people in Avalir has forgotten.

Essek is good example of a person in current time with Age of Arcanum mentality. He stole a part of God to do his funky little experiments with...and his hubris caused a huge fucking war. The fact that him and the Cerberus assembly were just a handful of wizards and not an entire civilization of them explains why it was only a normal war between to countries and not the apocalypse. But also, he sees redemption through a group that has two clerics and a paladin, helping them put to end a civilization of the Age of Arcanum. The fact that Essek completely redeems himself fighting the hive mind of a civilization that though itself above Gods it's quite poetic.

Even the fact that Fjord knew better than to try to pursue more power through Ukotoa indicates how everyone in modern day is pretty fucking aware of the "Stranger Betrayer danger". They know, even without being super educated in history, that there's stuff you shouldn't fuck with. You know who tried to ascend to Godhood (using a fucking city from the Age of Arcanum)? Fucking Lucien, and he dies! Why? Because our good guys and every ally they can call upon know that that is very bad.

This is the reason why the Calamity group works so well, because they truly represent the Age of Arcanum attitude. That is why they are causing the End of The World As They Know It. Not because they are Zerxus, Patia or Nydas specifically; but because they are Zerxus, Patia and Nydas from the Age of Arcanum.

They hate the Gods, they genuinely think they can be better, they are incapable of seeing their own faults and they are completely sure that they are the ones in control in every conversation.

Why does Zerxus trust the motherfucking Lord Of The Hells? Because he has a confirmation bias. He hates the Gods and Asmodeus pretty much tells him that he is right. Hell, Zerxus even prompts him! He is the one saying "the others mistreated you" (the others are bad, he meant). And Asmodeus is over there like "...yeah, sure, that works for me". It's not so much that he needs to lie, but that Zerxus wants to believe his own version so much that he ends up trusting the Master of Lies without even a fucking insight check. And he probably doesn't even worry about his friends because they've been trash talking the Gods the whole time. He also doesn't seem to need approval. He thinks he has the right to decide in the name of all Exandria because He Is Right. He may hate Avalir, but he is just as self important as the rest os them.

That's also very present in Laerryn's investigation. She just assumed it was the best thing ever, and when Loquacious asked why, she was shocked. She surrounded herself with people that saw things exactly as she did, creating an echo chamber. And when someone from outside that chamber disagreed, they all shut down the criticism. They think freedom and knowledge justify anything, and they immediately started working on how to shut down the Arboreal Cortex the second it interfered. They did not think for one second "oh, this must be important!", No. Laerryn went "I hate this thing I did not built and that I don't understand so I'm going to try to bypass it because it must not be that important". Once again, if it doesn't revolve around them, it must not be that critical.

Patia (I love her) is Mrs Nepotism I-am-better-than-all-of-you. She works hard, I'm sure, but she also expect things to be handed to her. She is owed greatness, so if she works hard she deserves to best the Gods themselves, don't you think? She is the most Cutthroat when it comes to Hubris while Nydas may disguise his under a childlike wonder for the unknown. But let's remember how he did not care at all about how dehumanizing it was for the Sphinx to be in the parade. He simply put on a charming face and convinced them of going on with the show. In fact, his first scene was a masterclass on how not to care about reality, only about maintaining an image. Selling The Dream.

Loquacious is just (from what we know) a shady vacuous man that enjoys being the center of attention. He reminds me of Effie Trinket and Caesar Flickerman, but with a hint of duplicity and hidden intentions. One can only guess what his secrets are, but I doubt that he is as innocent as he sells himself to be. But even so, he represents the vast majority of people. The one's that don't care enough about the Gods to truly hate them. The ones that give for granted the wealth and commodities this Age gives them

Cerrit is also there, congratulating his friend on her "we are basically Gods" machine, not seeing a problem with it (mind you, Loquacious saw no problem either. He just not that interested). He disdains the people that try to copy the Matron of Ravens, and he is an extremely capable detective machine at the service of Avalir. He's a cop, never trust a cop. They work for the system and (as I've been saying this whole post) the entire system, not only of Avalir but of the Age if Arcanum, is corrupt.

They will all take turns causing the Calamity because the Calamity is not just doomsday, it's the colapse of a civilization all by itself. Asmodeus and interplanar travel are just nukes, it's the people that push the button.

#critical role #spoilers critical role #spoilers exu calamity episode 2 #spoilers exu calamity #exu calamity #spoilers exandria unlimited #zerxus ilerez #laerryn coramar seelie #loquacious seelie #nydas okiro #patia por'co #cerrit agrupnin #brennan lee mulligan #Asmodeus exu #critcal role meta #cr #spoilers cr

[chungledown-bimothy]

Lou and Erika where y'all at with air and heart??

#dimension 20 #exu: calamity #the ravening war #burrow's end #brennan lee mulligan #matt mercer #aabria iyengar #burrow's end spoilers

[counterspelling]

Endless Burrow's End

#dropoutedit #dimension20edit #d20edit #burrow’s end #burrowsendedit #myedit #dimension 20 #d20 #d20 spoilers #burrow’s end spoilers #dropout #endless burrow’s end #critteredit #critical role #exu calamity #criticalroleedit #critroleedit #the ravening war #aabria iyengar #brennan lee mulligan #matt mercer

[the-last-knight-of-avalir]

Luis's face when his decision to play a deeply traumatized and tragic character plagued by visions is starting to have narrative consequences

#critical role #critical role spoilers #candela obscura #exu calamity

[polarsirens]

gentlemen, witness Houdini manifest.

#dimension 20 #mentopolis #mentopolis spoilers #daniel fucks #chief alexander tightass #fanart #my art #31 being the number that sends me back straight to exu calamity…….. dang #this chief was hit with the entire force of escaping an apocalypse in the face

[anakinnaberrie]

the opening of Calamity | the opening of the Ravening War

#d20edit #dimension20edit #criticalroleedit #critteredit #brennan lee mulligan #matt mercer #critical role #dimension 20 #exu calamity #the ravening war #* #the ravening war spoilers #d20 spoilers #1k

[critcatbar]

I can't remember if I ever actually posted about this, but...

Ever since Matt first described the Judicators and their masks, I immediately thought of the descriptions in Calamity about how the betrayer gods basically used up, corrupted, and disfigured their clerics as basically just belief-power batteries. I have to watch [Calamity] again for the actual description but I remember it being gnarly.

I just... have a gut feeling that's basically what the Judicators are. The weapon of the betrayer gods turned against them. That despicable method used in the name of good. Carefully guarded and limited, but not hidden or eradicated because it's too useful. Too powerful to just let die out.

I feel like... If anyone ever successfully removed one's mask... these respective followers of "good" and "evil" would be indistinguishable.

#cr spoilers #critical role #cr3 #exu calamity #fan theories #fan theory

[its-your-mind]

Laerryn Coramar FUCKING Seelie fucked up those Primordials SO GOOD that the land where they had been is moving and boiling and shifting over a MILLENNIUM LATER don’t you DARE look at me and tell me there has ever been a more powerful arcanist than the fucking Architect Arcane of the floating City of Avalir who near-single-handedly prevented the total annihilation of Exandria by modifying her INCREDIBLY COMPLEX AND ADVANCED AND POWERFUL MAGICAL DEVICE while her city FELL FROM THE SKY and the people she loved most in the world died defending her. The Shattered Teeth ARE STILL FUCKING MOVING. FUCK.

#critical role #bells hells #exu calamity #laerryn coramar seelie #c3 spoilers #cr3 spoilers #exu calamity spoilers #c3e71

[captainofthetidesbreath]

#Exandria Unlimited: Calamity #ExU Calamity #Critical Role #The Ravening War #Dimension 20 #TRW spoilers #I'm gonna gif this later bc it's funnier as a gif #trw things

[cranesofibycus]

final boss: names

+ bonus Marisha’s Brennan impression:

#cr spoilers #critical role #cast: marisha #cast: laura #cast: matt #cast: sam #gifs by b #c: 3 #ep: 3x30 #exu: calamity #guest: brennan #this made me laugh so hard and for no reason

[pandaspwnz]

just finished rewatching EXU: Calamity and once again cried so much. It really is one of the most masterful stories I've ever seen/heard, and absolutely the best actual play series ever done, bar none. I'm in such awe of Brennan's dm'ing skills, I adore Marisha's beautiful showing of emotions, I love seeing how much Sam and Travis love their children via how much they feel for these fictional ones, Luis' portrayal of Zerxus was so heartfelt and grounded, Lou always brings his whole soul into what he does and this was no exception, and Aabria being willing to make the difficult choices and how she shows Laerryn's dedication is just. Ugh. chefs kiss. Not to mention the group dynamics, the Aabria-Travis hype man squad, the Marisha-Lou/Marisha-Luis grabby shenanigans, how Sam and Aabria play the perfect divorcees, they're all just so fantastic and did such a good job, etc etc. I truly love Calamity so much, I can't believe it's a real show, I can't believe how fucking GOOD it is. Every single one of those people brought their A-game, but I really do especially have to call out Brennan Lee Mulligan. The way that man portrays people and humanity, how even in the end of things he speaks of the importance of hope, how he narrates and weaves the most beautiful tales and makes it so alive and tangible, how he knows exactly when to drop in some comedy amidst tragedy without detracting from it... he's simply fantastic. I'm in awe of them all!!

#exu: calamity #i have a headache from crying. it's honestly mostly sam's fault if he cries i start bawling #okay i lied i cried at so many things so THANK YOU MARISHA for crying just as much as me!! i love that! #exandria unlimited: calamity #brennan lee mulligan #sam riegel #aabria iyengar #marisha ray #travis willingham #luis carazo #critical role #exu: calamity spoilers #my post

[rosemarydisaster]

When you see a devil in the city you're supposed to protect and start questioning if maybe you shouldn't have made a deal with sexy sexy Asmodeus:

#critical role #spoilers critical role #spoilers cr #spoilers exu calamity #spoilers exu calamity episode 3 #exandria calamity #exu calamity #exandria unlimited: calamity #zerxus ilerez #Luis Carazo

[thequeenofmyownscreen]

Matt : "Evontra'vir, the Great Tree of Atrophy. It's a powerful ancient tree spirit whose roots supposedly winds between the realms of life and death to watch over the cycle of renewal. Its home is on the island of Kalutha, in the midst of the Shattered Teeth."

Some of the former cast of ExU Calamity who are sitting right there :

#love the energy #Travis' alarm sounds are so loud this episode #critical role #cr spoilers #cr campaign 3 #CR3E68 #exu calamity #exandria unllimited calamity

[counterspelling]

The Ravening War 1.01

#brennan lee mulligan #matt mercer #zac oyama #dimension20edit #d20edit #the ravening war #trwedit #theraveningwaredit #myedit #dimension 20 #d20 #d20 spoilers #the ravening war spoilers #trw spoilers #trw #critteredit #exu calamity

[the-last-knight-of-avalir]

Things that typically happen during an Apogee Solstice:

- epic celestial events

- great feats of magic

- Aabria materialises at the table to play someone's ex

#critical role #cr spoilers #critical role spoilers #critrole #bells hells #exu calamity #aabria iyengar

[polarsirens]

The Ring of Brass endures.

i have made the mistake of beginning this series at a very emotionally low point and now i am just.... grieving for all of these people. of this city. of this land and i don’t think i will be okay for a long, long while. i know this is not my usual terror content but i just ... made this and i wanted to save it somewhere. oh my god i’ve never watched d&d, let alone critical role before i literally don’t go here but this series.

i will need some time to recover but oh. i am just continuously weeping while drawing my hands are all curled up. i only wanted to see more of brennan lee mulligan because i saw a short on youtube and thought he was a comedian i did not expect this. (again i’m sorry for inflicting this upon you all and offer you a textless version ??)

#exandria unllimited calamity #exu: calamity #exu:c spoilers #zerxus ilerez #evandrin alterra #patia por'co #laerryn coramar-seelie #loquatius seelie #nydas okiro #cerrit agrupnin #brennan lee mulligan #maya agrupnin #my art #i was actually making something for the first episode #and i thought i could finish drawing that while watching later episodes #and then boom my heart is shredded into pieces and i;m on the floor #never mind episode one episode four my dude......... #six hours of grief #haven't felt this amount of grief over doomed characters since the terror