#the somnovum

[critter-genfic-events]

Genfic Recs: Featuring Monsters

This week, we have seven fics that deal with monsters - fighting monsters, encountering monsters, making deals with monsters, and from time to time - becoming monsters. Check them out underneath the cut, and if you like them, don't forget to comment or kudos!

undine by ashinan (2893,Teen) Warnings: None Pairings:

Pre-Campaign 2, Fjord has a mermaid encounter

Reccer says: Beautiful and terrifying

till you face the looking-glass by batyatoon (810,General) Warnings: None Pairings:

What if the monsters in the mirror maze had been a different kind of nightmare?

Reccer says: A fascinating look at the mid-campaign Mighty Nein, and an amazing horror premise

clothe, burn, bury by OctoberDays (1211,General) Warnings: None Pairings:

A post-canon possibility of who Keyleth will be after 600 years of living, and what time and fury and grief will do to your heart.

Reccer says: I love stories that look at what it would be like for Keyleth to outlive everyone around her, and this is an amazing look at what might happen to her, long in the future.

A Plea and a Price by ShimadaGenji (1915,Teen) Warnings: Pairings: Mollymauk Tealeaf & Fjord Stone

Mollymauk rejoins the Mighty Nein after his own death, unaware of the circumstances that brought him back. Fjord on the other hand realizes that with every favor...

Reccer says: This fic has infected my brain, it's an amazing what if

The Gifts of the Somnovum by TheInfamousFly (1628,Explicit) Warnings: Body Horror, Suicidal Thoughts, Paranoia, Anxiety, Manipulation, graphic descriptions of violence Pairings: The Somnovum & The Mighty Nein

The Mighty Nein rested for 8 hours in Cognouza. That gave the Somnovum a chance to reveal to them the beauty of their plan.

Reccer says: I liked it

Stepping Stones on the Way to Glory by TheInfamousFly (5554,Mature) Warnings: Slavery, Torture, Body Horror Pairings:

A collection of some of VM's and M9's greatest foes most treasured thoughts.

Reccer says: It's an interesting premise, and covers a lot of ground quickly!

The Fathoms Below by Lady_King (6423,Teen) Warnings: Graphic depictions of violence Pairings:

while shipping a priority item, the crew of the Nein Heroez attract some attention from the deep...

Reccer says: Fantastic battle descriptions with a cute little button at the end

This is one of our weekly communally-generated gen rec lists. Every week we announce a new theme and allow anyone to submit a fic recommendation. Please note that the summary and content notes are provided by the reccer, and may be different than what the author has provided. Please assume good intentions all around. <3

And hey, anyone includes you!

This week a little too dark for you? Well, next week's theme is humor! If it made you laugh, rec it!

Then, it'll be hurt/comfort, Yasha Nydoorin, and then Clothing.

Any fics coming to mind?  Well, then use this form to submit!

If you're looking for some more, check out some fics written in the critter genfic bingo tag, or the older rec lists! Or you can request your own card and join in on the fun!

#critical role #critter genfic rec lists #gen fic #monsters #horror #Vox Machina #the mighty nein #Fjord Stone #Mollymauk Tealeaf #Kingsley Tealeaf #The Somnovum #keyleth of the air ashari

[dent-de-leon]

Given that all of Molly’s spells are enchantments, has he ever wondered what that’s like on the other end…? Would he ever ask Caleb to try and charm him, just to see how it feels?

As King, would he ask Caleb for it as a distraction, an escape—something to quiet all the warring memories and haunting nightmares; all those messy, complicated feelings that keep bubbling to the surface? A way to just let himself feel for Caleb without getting caught up in too many tangled pasts, without seeing his Magician’s body lying lifeless in that ruined city?

Tealeaf, who only knows enchantments—who was a performer in all his other lives, whose become accustomed to playing a part and wearing a mask when he must, who still struggles with letting himself be vulnerable and bearing his heart. Who always loved fairytales, who still lingers on the warmth and comfort of pretty dreams. “Never trust the truth. The truth is vicious—the truth thinks you owe it something. None of that. I like my bullshit—it’s good, it’s happy, it makes other people happy…”

“Once upon a time, there was a happy family…”

Caleb indulging him at first, trying to make him happy, trying to offer a gentle distraction from all the pain he still carries from life after life.

But stopping once he sees the signs, the all too familiar, faraway look in his eyes. Caleb teaching him the importance of staying grounded, explaining what his own past means to him—why he still holds onto it and never lets himself forget. Learning to forgive himself and move forward; making peace with the boy who was once Bren, while still carrying his home in his heart.

Being there to take Tealeaf’s hand and keep him anchored.

#widomauk #Mollymauk and Caleb thoughts haunting me once again #my thoughts are that molly would want to try being charmed out of curiousity and would find it fun #whereas Lucien—if the somnovum are anything to go by—i think he’s very much susceptible to being charmed #because he has all this fear and has been through so much and wants so badly to believe in something #and then I think king would think it’s interesting at first but find it kind of addicting #Caleb being willing to try it at first if he thinks they’re just having fun or because it helps king sleep better with the nightmares #but then quickly becoming wary and stopping if it becomes something that king keeps trying to lose #himself in as an escape

[c-kiddo]

thing is , taliesin jaffes cr characters all so cunt because they would all definitely spit up blood but all for their own unique different reasons and vibes. but babygirl ur mouth is full of blood

#like we got being possessed by a demon. id spit up blood if i had a demon made of revenge and grief in me #we got getting murdered and ur chest being ripped open #we got too much hallucinogenic and perhaps a little poisonous flowers . whaddever. just girly things #and then jus straight up getting in fights for fun #they are so slay #kiddo say #post from tha drafts #i feel like . if theories abt cad kind ODing on the flowers r true and thats how he saw god (the somnovum that he mistook for god maybe?) #then he definitely had a throwing up rot and bile and blood moment. to me. for the drama. #hes so surrounded by decay i think he deserves to have an angsty moment of decaying himself too .

[lumuraa]

Evandrin, having a heartfelt and emotional reunion with Elias that was seven years in the making, now safe with him in the Astral Sea:

The entire Cougnouza Ward from Aeor, Avalir's rival floating city from across Exandria, just bamfing in near the same time and then slowly proceeding to turn into a tormented hive mind flesh city:

Evandrin:

#like way the kill the mood SOMNOVUM #GEEZ #critical role #cr spoilers #exu calamity #exu spoilers

[lessattitudemorealtitude]

Caleb being so paranoid and careful after he finds out about the letter to Astrid Nott and Jester sent, to the point where he’s not even sure he wants Nott’s family to stay at the Chateau...

I remember thinking he was probably a little over paranoid. Then his worst fears actually happens, and it’s like “Oh shit, I guess he wasn’t being overly cautious...”

#critical role #critical role rewatch #i think if they did get caught by trent #they would have just talked about the somnovum #and he would have helped them with it #while trying to corrupt Caleb #which would have been delicious to watch #but we got hot boi instead #which I'm also down for #I'm sad alongside liam that his persuasion roll w/ essek failed #caleb widogast

[the-story-of-how-we-died]

I know the anti/pro-god stuff is aggravating to constantly interact with, but I must admit... It must feel good to be Matt Mercer rn, having finally come up with a plot that people actually talk about (since the Briarwood arc) instead of just the characters XP

#cr #critical role #seriously tho #like #nobody talks about vecna #or the somnovum #(is that how you spell it? I think it's evocative that I have to even ask XP) #not to shit on matt or anything #his worldbuilding is on point #but a lot of the overarching plots (or even one-off arcs)... fall a little flat lol

[evilroachindustrial]

“[Mercer] decided genocide was the answer” is now the wildest fucking take I’ve seen about the end of CR2.

#I legitimately do not know what the fuck this person is talking about with this answer #FYI -- this is in response to someone wondering why some folks seem to hate Mercer for no particular reason #I-Is this person talking about destroying the Somnovum? #Is *THAT* the genocide? #cr discourse #just gonna slap that on there to see if anyone else has thoughts as to whatever the fuck this person could be referring to

[wireless-telegraph]

Watch me consume TNEOL three times this year and still get upset every time because no one thought to try a remove curse spell in game

#even on just beau and caleb #tneol really made it obvious to ne that book was hella cursed #and i just can't help but wonder what would happen if they managed to cast before the point of no return #aka most of the tomb takers dying #tneol spoilers #lucien tavelle #for context i was mad no one cast it in game when cr2 was live and the book really clocks how right i was #luciens downfall was a mix of pride grief and a curse that morphs the psyche #i think about the horror lucien felt upon remembering the somnovum and them reminding him he can't leave before the curse seemed to take #hold agian. and thinkig about Vess nullifying its effects and how hard Molly tried to use his poor Cha to bring clarity to Lucien #i have a lot of thoughts about all of this

[wizardnuke]

hey i am going to be so abnormal if we get a lucien pov ft. all the voices in his head

#WOULDN'T YOU ALSO BE BATSHIT CRAZY IF YOU HAD TEN WHOLE PEOPLE TALKING IN YOUR HEAD AND MESSING WITH YOUR SENSES #THEE SOMNOVUM NINE WHOLE PEOPLE. AND THEN MOLLYMAUK TEALEAF IS IN THERE TOO

[nellasbookplanet]

That what if poll, but campaign 2 specifically:

A note: this isn’t about wanting to replace the campaign we got or thinking any of the above routes would've been 'better', it’s all curiosity about what could’ve been

#critical role #cr2 #not gonna lie A LOT of these are the alternate realities i plan to play with in my molaesmyr fic (if i ever get back to it) #nella talks cr

[foggy-tea94]

More thoughts on recent Critical Role Campaign 3 recent episodes

Some of this might be hot takes. 🤷🏻‍♀️

People are all up in arms about somebody pressuring Imogen to do something she is afraid to do, and certain parts of the fandom and some of the characters themselves are all up in a tizzy.

I don’t recall ANYBODY being in a tizzy like this when over half the damn party was trying to pressure Fearne into taking the shard, which she said on multiple occasions over pretty much every episode since they got the damn thing until she took it in the Feywild, that she didn’t want it, that she was scared of what it would do to her.

Where are the people calling Imogen and Laudna out for pressuring Fearne to do something she said she was scared to do, on more than one singular occasion? Where are the people calling them bad and evil and awful for that?

But Orym telling Imogen that they need her here in this fight because they can’t win this without her, and pressuring her to use her connection to Ruidus, which she has been all gung-ho to do—even excitedly done, in previous episodes, is the ultimate bad guy here? 

The math ain’t mathin’ here people.

Either villainize all attempts at peer pressure within the party, or just maybe, look at things in the context of the situation. Don’t pick and choose which ones are acceptable and which ones aren’t.

If Orym is a piece of shit for pressuring Imogen, then so are Imogen and Laudna for pressuring Fearne.

Now putting that rant aside, I love all of the cast and I love all the characters of Bells Hells. None of them are perfect and they all have their issues, and I love it. I think it’s all so juicy. Let these characters become like people, let them feel like people!

I actually really like this campaign. Not more than I liked campaign one, but I feel like I get the story line more than what I did with campaign two. To me, campaign two didn’t feel cohesive until Eiselcross, Aeor, or heck just before the Somnovum. The story doesn’t get cohesive at least until they were in Xorhas at the very earliest. While with campaign one and campaign 3, their goals/purposes/linear story arc overall, has been way more cohesive from the start. Things tie back in at every twist and turn, leading towards the overall story.

So I’m all down for good inter-party conflict and found family. Whatever the cast of critical role wants to throw at us.

#bells bells #c3 ep83 #critical role #orym of the air ashari #fearne calloway #imogen temult #laudna #hypocrisy #hypocrites

[britcision]

You think you’re used to having weird dreams until you dream a Supernatural episode but Sam and Dean wander off about 10 minutes in and then it’s Lucien from Critical Role running around plotting “evil” with and against the monster of the week with Merry and Pippin as his henchmen

(I was Pippin)

(I could not persuade Lucien to take the monsters seriously, but I did manage to do pretty good persuading them not to eat me right away by singing)

The monsters in question were sorta… shapeshifters that could steal your appearance by taking your hand, and then they’d eat your significant other so that they could feed their babies

Their main issue was that if they took your shape when you had a temporary issue like being covered in glue they’d copy the issue too and it wouldn’t just go away for them

They were fucking great monsters, super compelling, and for some ungodly reason while Aragorn was leading Frodo and Sam to safety (they hadn’t met him in Bree so they met for the first time all fleeing said monsters along a beach) I-As-Pippin and Merry were engaged in Yu-Gi-Oh-Abridged style shenanigans with Lucien-As-Marik

(Including he wanted to break into a secret office through a window over the door so he stood on each of our shoulders and held a pose as we stood to lift him up

We were fucking hobbits it did not get him high enough but dangit he tried)

Anyway while Lucien was trying to do Evil Shenanigans including for some reason stealing a Winchester’s backpack that the monsters also REALLY REALLY wanted, Merry and I were trying to get the attention of the actual Winchesters to explain what was going on

While usually hanging out with at least one monster in disguise, who sometimes knew we were onto it but was having fun watching us flail

Neither fucking Winchester were even remotely inclined to be on camera or present except for a single bloody scene where Sam Winchester read from a book in the backpack to me, Merry, and our monster buddy and very earnestly convinced the monster that he thought we were hunting a fish

The monsters were not fish and our guy in particular seemed perplexed by this very wrong take but clearly didn’t want to discourage us from being wrong

For some reason the way we actually beat them was by putting lube on a playground structure that I-As-Pippin then had to step through while held hostage, lead them through, and then let them turn into me which for some reason made them all permanently very slippery

This did not noticeably fucking help me or let me escape but it did make their feet hurt for some reason and we had Scooby Doo Chase Shenanigans while I tried to work out why the fuck this was the plan and how it was supposed to help

(Lucien, meanwhile, was being entertained by the boss monster and trying to use his Somnovum powers to mind control him or resist being mind controlled in a fancy mansion

We did have to pause here because I pointed out (while not in the scene) that Lucien’s main flaw is Wizard Hubris, and this couldn’t be post-Somnovum Lucien because he had no extra eyes and wasn’t a shirtless tentacle man

We-the-audience-and-players-of-this-show-that-is-clearly-a-dnd-game agreed that this was pre-Somnovum and he hadn’t gone to actually control them yet, but he was manipulating them and using their powers for his own “evil” ends

Said evil being about as menacing, again, as Marik from YGOTAS and not his more effective evil form

Tbh Merry and Pippin as his evil henchmen was about right)

I did work it out before I woke up (not that it made sense) because apparently the main issue with this lube was that it was making all the monster babies too slippery, so while they were all chasing me and the other protagonists around the babies were occasionally being yote like a slip n slide

Hypothetically the monsters were supposed to find this very distracting and upsetting, but they hadn’t really noticed either until I asked what the fuck this was supposed to achieve and why it was the grand solution

Note: this was not in any way a scary dream, I get monster-chase dreams a lot but very rarely in a way that upsets me even in dream as anything more than a minor nuisance

(Or I get annoyed when the dream cheats because I successfully got away, doubled back, and tailed the monsters so I knew where they were and then the dream reset them to directly behind me)

There was a pretty compelling plot to this one so while I was stuck being Pippin and trying to move the plot myself, I was mostly just watching it like a tv show

Also Jaskier was running around being monster-adjacent (not sure if he actually got turned at some point) and joined in for my musical number to persuade the monsters not to kill me

Pretty sure he seduced at least two because there were less of them after that and I remember thinking that this was the quintessential bard scene and why bards are fucking great to play in dnd

(I think most of the actual show was supposed to be about Frodo, Samwise, and Aragorn escaping the monsters but fuck them I had way more fun watching/being Pippin and Merry on Lucien shenanigans

Trying to persuade Lucien that the monsters were a problem and not potential allies was…

A trip)

#dreams #listen i know the general rule is your dreams are not interesting to other people #but this one was fucking bomb #had a fantastic time #10/10 would recommend Lucien-and-his-hench-hobbits #required reading: supernatural + critical role campaign 2 + lord of the rings #supernatural without the winchesters fucks actually #they were notably there in the background doing something else #they were just never on screen or being remotely fucking helpful #i guess maybe they met up with aragorn and the main plot #but our b plot was better #i don’t know why lubed up monsters was supposed to help #but i guess they did not successfully eat me #so that’s a win

[dent-de-leon]

Do…do you ever wonder what the Somnovum would’ve tried to offer Mollymauk to tempt him back down the Nonagon’s path? Do you think they would have forced him to remember how he lost his whole family, just so he would be heartbroken enough to shatter the world like Lucien—

#I am just…thinking… #molly being tempted by the somnovums power and simultaneously trying to run from Lucien and shut it all out #would be…something— #as it is I hope we get to explore more of molly resisting Lucien’s will in the animated series— #we know from the comic molly used to dream of the city and that makes me so sad

[c-kiddo]

(put caleb and beau here anyway for fun, even tho im pretty sure they arent since they were already in cr3 and didnt glow)

#i think . based on the stuff w somnovum and other weird city visions and etc etc. . that molly/kingsley and cad would make sense #molly especially had shenanigans going on #kiddo say #i feel like someone made a good point abt cad but i dont remember it anymore so shrug noise #edit: i think it was about the visions and dreams and his weird connections to the somnovum and things .. idr if thats all of it

[demisexualemmaswan]

-paces like a big cat in an enclosure at the zoo-

the eyes of nine, somnovum eyes were red

and the prefix som means dream

with the aeor thing they found

is the somnovum related to predathos and ruidus

but if so how?????

Matt!!

Matt!!!!!!!!!!

#critical role spoilers #critical role #somnovem cr

[foxqueen-katarian]

What if the Somnovum are the Weavemind, and they spliced their brains when they jumped Cognouza into the astral sea.

Something something 'I don't sleep, only dream'

#critical role spoilers #also there was the breaking chain when they defeated Lucien #which we all assumed was to Tharizdun but what if it was tethering them to Ruidus