Talking Crit

Zadash is a large and complicated city.  There are things afoot in the city streets, and we're still trying to figure out who is going to land where on the spectrum.  A few giant rants, and a phase spider later, The Mighty Nein have some phat lewts in their hands.  This did lead to an interesting situation regarding loot, gold, and trust.  Caleb and Mollymauk had a small interaction that had a ton of weight to it.  This has led to some interesting fan theories about Caleb's past.  Was he a former soldier?  he seems well organized, and knows some battle tactics.  Was he a former criminal?  He knows how to move money, and met Not in jail.  This gives us our Question of the Week. Question of the Week looks at Caleb's background.  Two big ones come to mind, The Soldier and The Criminal.  Does Caleb fall into either of these categories.  We should start paying attention to his actions over the next few episodes to see if anything gains attention.  Does he have a criminal contact we don't know about?  Do lower ran

It has been a jammed packed couple of episodes.  There was a little bit of everything to be had.  There was a little comedy, a little political drama, a little social commentary, a little bit of internal group drama, and a little bit of a cataclysmic event.  There are so many questions that got left with an exclamation mark at the end of the episode.  Who is in power in Zadash?  What caused the Zauber Tower to explode?  Who are these cloaked individuals?  Of course, this sets up our Question of the Week? Brendan and I have been theorizing for a bit that the Cobalt Soul is not all it is cracked up to be.  We think there may be some Ras'al'Gul type of motives at work here.  So, with a recent strike at a symbol of power, is the Cobalt Soul involved?  Put your vote in and let us know what you think. https://twitter.com/FotoGuy79/status/981351424154992641 Shout outs this week are as awesome as always.  The first goes out to Lluis and this awesome 1980's poster of The Mighty Nein.  The font, the poses, the colou

The group will bend, but they will not break.  There have been some tense moments for the Mighty Nein in the past few weeks.  They're still cursing their bonds together, but it is not coming easy.  In reality, D&D reality, it's only been about 10 days since they've been together.  Trust is something that is earned, and it doesn't come quick.  Regardless, the group has been having some serious conflict about how they each operate.  Not takes on a more motherly role in the group, and Mollymauk changes his role, potentially.  This new addition of Lucian could be an interesting twist for the group, and a much needed distraction.  You can't trust them carny folks, with their gamblin', and their alternate identities. Of course this leads into our Question of the Week. Question of the Week investigates whether Mollymauk is actually the Tiefling he claims to be.  Could it be an alternate identity, or could this be Molly Prime, or Lucian Prime, argh my brains.  Please give your vote and let us know what you thin

What a wearied web we've weaved for Mollymauk.  A past life long left for dead, and a new life to build from the literal ground up.  We got a ton of backstory for one of our beloved Tieflings.  We also got some surprising news from Yasha about her origins. How does she feel about Xorhas making a small incursion into Zadash and the Empire?  There is a pre-amble before a dungeon crawl, as we getting ready for some old school combat and treasure hunting.  There's a lot to digest before we jump into a crawl, are we going to be ready for what The Mighty Nein has to accomplish for The Gentlemen? Remember to always take a long rest before dungeon crawling after consuming a massive amount of plot.  You don't want to cramp while fighting mimics. While were digesting all the backstory, is all of it true?  In fact, is Mollymauk being 100% honest about his past and how he came to be?  This means it's time for Question of the Week. Question of the Week is getting Critters to look at the past of Mollymauk.  Is he being

It is a busy week for us, so this weeks episode will be a special Critter focused show.  The art was so good this week, we felt we had to give recognition to the amazing work that was done.  Let's just into all the great work that was done, and let's ask the Question of the Week. Question of the Week asks what is that thing coming out of the floor?  Ya know, just your usually questions that you have to ask in a D&D campaign.  Could it be Siff Duthar?  Could it be an undead monstrosity?  Is it something different?  We will find out this Thursday, so get your votes in and let us know what you think the creature is going to be. https://twitter.com/talkingcrit/status/989263287291338753 The shout outs this week were unbelievable.  The art that was made was some of the best, it could be the best week of Critter art.  The first shout out goes to Rini and her awesome cosplay of Nott.  This is brilliant cosplay and brilliant photography.  The first thing that jumps off the screen is the colour.  That pop of gre

Episode 68 is here.  We're covering the last two weeks as we look at puzzles on a podcast or stream.  We also look at what the M9 have been up to, and some more of the subtle clues hidden in plain sight.  Are Brendan and I digging too deep with crazy fan theories or is there something actually there? Question of the Week looks at the Crawling King.  Has he been hiding in plain sight the entire time?  Are we ignoring the signs of the Betrayer God?  Could we just be a couple of crazy D&D fans, who have last a connection with reality?  All things are possible.  Place your vote and let us know what you think the Betrayer God is up to. https://twitter.com/talkingcrit/status/991879924406403072 Shout outs this week have more cosplay coming at us.  This amazing Zahra cosplay is perfect.  The horns are beautiful.  I'd love to know if they were 3D printed or if they were warble made.  It is an incredible pice fo work.  The portrait is also an amazing shot.  The positioning and the post editing is superb. You can

The weather is amazing, Spring is in the air, if you live in the northern hemisphere, and what better ways to spend it than by watching some people play Dungeons & Dragons on the internet.  The Mighty Nein have left the city and successfully dodged conscription before the war.  Will there be enough distance between themselves and the war?  Caleb and Nott had some major backstory revelations which cut pretty deep into all of our emotions.  There's also some great fan theories about Fjords past.  Is it all that he claims?  If you head over to the Winds Road Tumblr, Rose has come up with an amazing theory that may be the exact truth.  Read it, absorbed, form your own theories with it; it is a great thought with some compelling evidence behind it.  This leads into our Question of the Week. Question of the Week uses Rose's theory that Fjord was The Hawker.  An anti-Empire vigilante that has been scouring the Menagerie Coast for months, before disappearing.  This all follows a similar trial that Fjord has been

It's a double episode as we talk about a guest player, a new NPC bird, and some inter-group controversy.  We also take a closer look at at Fjord's past, and the stories he has told us.  Curious, no one did an insight check to see if he was telling the truth?  We have some crazy fan theories, as we are want to do, and we would have to know what other Critters think. Question of the Week, is Fjord telling the truth about his past?  Did he plot to blow up his crew or is he a victim of sabotage in storage?  Please vote and let us know what you think.  We'd love to hear your crazy fan theories, no matter how outrageous.  Sometimes it's just fun to speculate about what's going on in a roleplaying game. https://twitter.com/talkingcrit/status/1007115336905183232 Our shout outs this week go to celebrate an awesome month of Pride and Women in Gaming.  June is a time to celebrate the LGBTQ community, and the community of women who are making table top RPGs a better place to play.  We've said it before and we'll say i

The Mighty Nein are mighty good at seeking revenge, sort of.  They went back for the venom troll and got justice for stealing their gold, uh I mean, for killing their guide.  That's why they went back right?  With their first objective down, they headed north for the second part of The Gentlemen's quest.  Along the way they encountered some old friends; or rather, some old friends encountered them.  Maybe those bandits will have a change of heart or maybe the M9's will seen them sooner than later.  They are heading towards Hupperdook, and it looks like their first night will be a party night.  Beau seems like she's ready to clown around town with some gnomes.  Jester is ready to, but she's also riding a bit of a high as she finally got to hear form her mother.  Which follows suit with the Question of the Week. We've asked it before, but now we're making it an official Question of the Week.  Who is the Ruby of the Sea?  We think there is similarity between her voice, via sending, and Zahra from Campaign 1.  P

The Mighty Nein have arrived, survived, and thrived in Hupperdook.    What is it about gnomes that makes them hardcore partiers.  They learned some hard truths about drinking in a party town; number one being: Don't drink around pick pockets.  Also, try and avoid fighting prison automatons.  There's something about rolling balls of bladed death that captures the imagination, and shrapnel to the face.  There was fights, there was high emotion, and a tearful goodbye and Matt Mercer managed to create another tsunami of tears with Kiri's goodbye.  We also saw Nott pick a pocket and become a new firearm owner.  This leads into our Question of the Week. Question of the Week looks at Percy and Nott.  Will Nott's theft ping Percy's radar?  Will we see the Heir of Whitestone come out east and deal with a reckless goblin?  Place your vote and let us know what you think will happen. https://twitter.com/talkingcrit/status/1015447085884174336 The first shout out this week goes to Dani G and this image of Beau.  The lin

It was a helluva episode last week.  There was a lot to tackle and digest.  We will do our best to go over our feelings, and see if we can help everyone process their feelings.  Mollymauk, what a great character, and what a journey he has been on.  We recorded this before Talks Machina, so we had no idea what Talisen and Matt would reveal in that episode.  That being said, the question on all our minds was, is Mollymauk coming back? Question of the Week asks this very thing.  Will he come back in some form or other?  Please place your vote and let us know what you think.  It was an emotional night for everyone, and we're all still trying to process all things in our hearts and minds.  We hope everyone has had a chance to recover. https://twitter.com/talkingcrit/status/1019393402465423360 The first shout out goes to Imogen and @downpourin for this epic Keyleth cosplay.  The costume, the setting, the photography are all amazing.  If you needed a representation of an epic druid in the wilderness, they both de

This will be a quick one this week.  There is a lot happening, we are in the middle of a sound upgrade, which means learning a whole bunch of new gear.  We are also trying to close out Season 4 of the Diecast Podcast, as Shep is going to be out of city for the next few months.  So we are jumping right into it as we get back to learning and creating a new recording setup.  We've already had a few test runs, and they sound awesome.  Let's just jump into Question of the Week.   As far as Question of the Weeks go, this one is out there.  It may not be connected to reality, but it's fun to come up with something so crazy, it might be true.  We take a look at the new NPC, Ophelia Mardun.  There is something that gives off the vampire vibe, and we can't quite put our fingers on it.  In fact, they may be covered in blood when we do, or ketchup.  It's hard to tell at a distance.  Please give your vote, and let us know if you think Ophelia is that which hides in the shadows. https://twitter.com/talkingcrit/stat

It's a hot one out there.  Life is pretty hectic, so we don't have a lot of postings to talk to you about.  Here is the new episode on the new sound gear. Once the summer calms down a bit, we will be back full tilt.  Until then, we hope you enjoy the sound, and we hope you have fun listening.

Let's just jump into it.  It was one of the best episode Critical Role has ever made.  It was crazy, it was fun, it was off the rails and onto sails.  Let us know what you thought, because there's a ton to cover. Question of the Week looks at a more sinister side, what was the Mighty Nein's worst act they committed in that episode?  The hand chop, the power going out, or the act of piracy.  Place your votes and let us know. https://twitter.com/talkingcrit/status/1045153082395394048 The shout out this week goes to Jeremiah, and this amazing portrait of Beau.  The style and the colours want to make it subdued, but the ferocity in Beau's eyes blow it out of the water. This is a great example of showing the character. It's a nice subtle contrast that works well, and shows her personality.  You know she has been in the thick of combat with her battle scars.  The texture and style mixes well to give off the Beau attitude that we love. Thank you for creating this, it is amazing. https://twitter.com/jermsdraws

We are back, sort of. Jonny is going solo tonight on a mini one off of Talking Crit.  While Brendan is out celebrating marriage in the most spectacular way, Jonny is going to do some solo podcasting.  It's a look at how Travis Willingham has been changed by his character, Fjord.  He's also going to talk about why interviews like Todd Kendreck and Brian W. Foster are important to D&D and the community.  The skills and talents they bring to an interview are helping to make this community stronger. If you're interested in having a conversation about gaming, journalism, gaming, and everything in between; then sit down and share in the conversation. Here is the interview Todd Kendreck does with Joe Manganiello, it's worth a watch and a study. https://youtu.be/kAUfngq89cg   Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast for automatic updates and episodes. You can tune in via iTunes or Google Play. If you want to leave a review and a rating, that would help us out a lot; or join along in the fun, and leave

We are back and on track with Talking Crit, just in time for the Thanksgiving break. *Forehead slap* We go over the Fjord story arc, what we think it means, and what we think is coming down the road for the future. We hope everyone has an awesome Thanksgiving holiday, and as our shout out, please check out the amazing Holla Back Nerds Molly vs. Caleb Rap Battle video. Sometimes the internet is too clever for its own good. This is an amazing job by this group of cosplayers, videographers, and song writers. They know their stuff, and they drop some scoring burns by both Molly and Caleb. Check it out, enjoy your holidays, and we'll see you in December. https://youtu.be/CcnYhQT3lys   Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast for automatic updates and episodes. You can tune in via iTunes or Google Play. If you want to leave a review and a rating, that would help us out a lot; or join along in the fun, and leave a comment or question for us, you can always use our twitter handle @TalkingCrit or the hashta

Brendan and I are back to talk about the last two episodes of Critical Role.  The Boat Fight and the Hag Fight were both intense and dangerous, but for different reasons. We speculate on the alignments of the Mighty Nein, and if Fjord is going to turn evil, or stay evil, in his pursuit of Uka'toa. This segues into our Question of the Week.  Please note I muffed up the spelling in the poll. I'm sure everyone heard the universal forehead slap.  Our question for you is, Are the Mighty Nein Evil?  Give us your vote and let us know what you think. You can also send us a tweet and let us know your thoughts and feelings on their alignments. Something seems amiss with those alignments. Our shout out this week goes to Jason deBit, who made this excellent video for artists who are feeling left out of the community. It's encouraging, and it spreads the love and resolve that this community has. It is worth a watch if you're feeling down, and worth spreading around if you think some artists are feeling the same wa

This week on Talking Crit we go over the Happy Fun Ball Full of Tricks, and the massive fight that happened. Blue Dragons abound as an emotionally charged end to the episode left us all catching our breaths. Was it the best fight of the series so far?  That leads us to the Question of the Week. Was the Blue Dragon Fight the best fight of the series? It's hard to say, there have been so many past fights that have left their mark, but this fight was something special. Place your vote, and let us know where you would rank this fight? The first shout out this week goes to Emilie (I apologize for messing up the name, sometimes my brain doesn't want to play nice.) This portrait of Twiggy carries the hope and fun nature that she had on the show. It has that  holiday card feeling to it, and you can't help but smile when you see it. The colours are fantastic, and her playful style comes off the screen. Excellent work, Emilie. This is a fantastic piece. Our second shout out goes to Caio Santos, and this la

A good look at the latest episode for Critical Role

Thank you for everything. From Brendan and I, thank you for all the support, all the love, and all the art that was shared. Please enjoy this amazing animation from Jayce R. It's beautiful, it's sad, and it's appropriate. Love a family member, and keep following and sharing artists. =) <3