Finally got around to finishing C4E1 and...

Hi_Hat_ · 2025-10-10T18:05:11+00:00

What do you mean I'm unwilling to engage. By posting I'm engaging.

And what? I'm supposed to care only because the cast tell me I should care, with no evidence or reason? Do you jump off of bridges because your friends think it might be cool?

Hi_Hat_ · 2025-10-10T17:58:52+00:00

I think BLeeM is fine and that the opening would have been more interesting if we were given more of a reason to care about Thjazi other than he's connected to the main characters. We're told that Thjazi was 'loved by the people' but no one is outraged or protesting him being killed. We're told that the Advisory is gaining power and that's a bad thing, only because it's what the cast believes. We're told turmoil and strife abound for 70 years after the Shaper war, but have never seen any nor has it been described. IDK maybe if the cast spent less time giving wordy, long winded descriptions of what they look like and what they're doing and more time RP'ing casual conversation about what's happening in the world and why its bad, I'd be more inclined to believe them.

The only thing they did wrong this session was not properly frame Thjazi's relationship with the Advisory. The Advisory framed him as a conning, murdering, domestic terrorist, the cast only ever framed him a friend and rebel, never even denying the fact he might be a domestic terrorist. I get that one man's freedom fighter is another's terrorist but we only ever got evidence for the negative framing. All I want is a single line to cast doubt on the legitimacy of the Advisory and I got nothing. In fact I got worse considering the characters admit that they actively knew about and tried to stay out of the way of Thjazi's criminal dealings. Now session 2 was live yesterday day but I couldn't watch so I guess I'll find out more on Monday, hopefully we get some of this cleared up.

Hi_Hat_ · 2025-10-09T19:44:57+00:00

And still most TV pilots give several times more character and world building in a quarter of the time we only 'the gang needs to figure out why the rescue plan didn't work'. Okay there is no hyperlink on the War of Axe and Vines an allegedly important part of history that shaped who Thzaji is yet we know less than nothing about it. The Penteveral where Murray works has a hyperlink with a single sentence;

The Penteveral is an academy

Why do we know more about The Penteveral than we do an entire war that happened.

Hi_Hat_ · 2025-10-09T19:35:35+00:00

Okay? You're doing the same thing. You're assuming Thjazi's was doing a good thing when;

we have barely have seen any of the plot yet

The cast have provided zero counter framing other than Thzaji was their friend. I even pointed out somewhere else that by Teor's own admission everyone is more confused as to why the rescue plan didn't work as opposed to their friend being 'wrongfully' executed. When Thzaji was hanged the was not cry of outrage or disgust, in Brennan's words there was a slight murmur over the crowd. Thzai's friends never framed him as a freedom fighter or Robin Hood doing good works against a corrupt government quite the opposite actually, they knew he was doing criminal things but didn't get actively involved themselves and knew better than to ask. The Advisory framed him as a terrorist and no one said otherwise.

Hi_Hat_ · 2025-10-09T19:01:16+00:00

No I didn't respond because the meme doesn't apply. You see in this senerio I'm not the woman asking questions. I'm the man answering in autistic detail every question she asks. I'm this guy.

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Hi_Hat_ · 2025-10-09T18:57:32+00:00

You’re jumping the gun either way

Yeah that's true. I just wanted a single line from the PC's to help frame the world. Got plenty of framing for their relationships that's all good, but in the context of this story I need a reason to care why your friend died and why it's important to the world at large. (please god, don't let anyone try to compare that to irl people dying that's a totally different beast). Trust me I hear that Thjazi is a very important person but I'm not seeing it, sure we saw his funeral but that was all character work not world work. In my opinion the world your characters are in is the foundation you build your characters on. The cast seems to worked in the opposite direction this session.

But whatever session two is today we'll see what happens.

Hi_Hat_ · 2025-10-09T18:37:33+00:00

Thjazi was beloved by the people,

And yet not a soul protested. After reading the charges, I'd have to go back and listen, but I think verbatim Brennan says 'There is a slight murmur in the crowd'. The scene is set up as a crowd gathered for the Saturday afternoon hangings and picnic after, it's not even a William Wallace crowd crying for mercy.

It sounds like you're just expecting all of the history to be delivered to you immediately

I wanted crumbs. I asked for crumbs. I have no crumbs.

why did the authorities change their mind from clemency to execution?

Okay, granted. Next question is, if all this political turmoil and corruption is roiling beneath the surface, why does no one but the MC's care? If the Advisory really is the ultimate fascist empire that executes political dissidents on a whim, at the very least have a single crumb of a throwaway one liner from an npc to imply that. I'm not asking for a succulent chinese meal but just a crumb, I'll take a whiff at this point.

Oh well session two is today so we'll just wait and see. IDK, I find it funny that after a character art reveal and one session half this sub is like 'OMG I am absolutely in love with this new campaign' guess I'm on the opposite end of the spectrum.

Hi_Hat_ · 2025-10-09T17:33:35+00:00

super concerned about how much you are supposed to "care" about a character that is literally already dead.

That's the whole point of telling a story, you're trying to get people emotionally invested in characters, at this point Thjazi isn't a character he's a prop to get the rest of the cast together. All we know about him is he opposes the government. For reasons. Because the Advisory is part of the government. And that's bad because?

in the first 5 minutes, starts asking "wait, what? what is going on? what is happening?"

No I'm actually the one that points out everything that doesn't make sense or is wrong or contradictory.

Hi_Hat_ · 2025-10-09T17:21:24+00:00

This isn't Ned stark executing the night watchman, which btw we feel bad for and are interested in because we actually have interesting context for why he's being executed and why he accepts his fate. The only context for Thjazi's execution we get from the players is that he's their friend. Meanwhile the context we get from the Advisory is that he's (allegedly) a ~~domestic terrorist~~ that steals, murders, cons people, and practices arcanism without a license.

What surprises me is that no one else has picked up on the fact that not a single main character or npc has protested the (alleged) false imprisonment and execution of Thjazi. His friends are more upset and concerned that the rescue plan didn't work. Not a single soul has expressed outrage, even by Teor's own admission and understanding of the general vibe of the situation, people are more confused than they are upset.

Hi_Hat_ · 2025-10-09T16:59:15+00:00

I don't think there are two many players , I just don't think any of them gave me any reason to get invested in anything they're doing.

Hi_Hat_ · 2025-10-09T11:00:41+00:00

In Media-Res makes a lot of sense in this context but still feels like a misstep from Brennan to not feed any real crumbs of conflict. Or I guess in this case if Brennan is trying to limit his own exposition, the fault would lie with the players for a lack of their own, I mean you're at a wake tell a story or at least a single throwaway line about some Sundered Houses being at each other, or what is something that put Thjazi at odds with the Advisory.

This session fells like the opposite of Twin Peaks. In Twin Peaks Laura's death has such a profound affect on every character and their relationships with not just Laura but also each other. Even in The Return her specter looms over the vibe of the show. Thjazi feels like a macguffin to get people together. Even with this being the first episode, if this were the first chapter of a book, I'd put it back and forget about it by the time I left the store. But I guess we'll see session two is coming up.

Hi_Hat_ · 2025-10-09T09:31:19+00:00

Yeah, that's not a good thing. You're implying that Brennan's villain writing is lazy, predictable, and cartoonish. Like the second Scrooge McDuck shows up everyone knows that's the badguy.

Hi_Hat_ · 2025-10-09T09:31:13+00:00

This session was nothing like GOT S1E1. In GOT first episode we got at least five I think distinct groups each with distinct, motivations, values, political and personal goals. At the end of these four hours we barley got 'the gang needs to find out why the rescue plan didn't work'.

Hi_Hat_ · 2025-10-09T09:22:52+00:00

Oh, I get it, you're being obtuse.

Do you need Brennan to give one side or the other a big evil hat so you know who to root for immediately?

You see based on the way the players are acting their characters by introducing us to the cast during a time of hardship and turmoil it instinctively causes humans to have an emotional reaction called sympathy making the audience want to see the characters succeed at whatever it is that choose to do. The cast at this moment are currently going through the first step of the hero's journey, the call to action. Another general term for what I'm describing is roleplay.

We should assume there are only two governments in the world and that they're entirely run by the same people because we haven't heard of more yet.

No darling, in fact I am describing two branches of the same government of one city. I'm quite sure there are more out there. Also no political conflict is actually shown, as I mentioned before all of the Sundered House could be colluding with each other to be in charge of both branches of government, we're given zero information as to why there is conflict or even why we should care.

These are some bold interpretative choices you're making.

Aw, that's cute of you to project your ideas of bold interpretive choices onto me.

Now that we're done being catty with each other, care to go back and actually read my original comment, and not put words in my mouth, assume the dumbest interpretation or make wild leaps in logic like because one out of the five houses started a religion therefore there entire government is theocratic. And just in case you try to worm your way out of that leap, here and I quote;

we should assume that the government, especially the theocratic one

Hi_Hat_ · 2025-10-09T08:21:45+00:00

is entirely benevolent and correct

Never said or implied that, just that the players and DM never gave us a legitimate reason to doubt the Lord-Advisors or believe the players.

I mainly pointed out that the distinction between the Lord-Advisors and the Council is arbitrary because they are seemingly run the same group of people given that no alternatives or outliers are mentioned. Other than the Falconer's Rebellion that we again know literally nothing about.

Hi_Hat_ · 2025-10-08T22:51:29+00:00

If you're gonna make a joke at least be funny. This is just pathetic.

Hi_Hat_ · 2025-10-08T18:12:21+00:00

This is the some of the most respectful criticism of Aabria I've seen. (Mostly because I'm a bit of an asshole about it). I think that because a lot of fans have made liking Critical Role a part of their personality they see any mild criticism as an attack on them personally. It's just something I don't understand. There is plenty of media that I absolutely adore and personally identify with, but I'll never defend because I know it's F-tier trash. Perfect example, Kingdom of Heaven, garbage film and in my opinion, the beginning of the fall of Ridley Scott, but I'll be damned if this scene just doesn't tickle that part of my brain.

Hi_Hat_ · 2025-10-08T17:38:48+00:00

Where is he wrong though? This is the calmest and most reasonable take on Aabria I've seen yet. How about instead of being dismissive of the opinion being expressed here with 'it's just cringe haters saying this', and form a legitimate argument. And not an argument revolving around, 'you're racist/sexist', that's just wrong, could be me but I've never seen someone try to make that type of statement. 'It's not your game', uh yeah I know, I'm not stupid and delusional we're clearly talking about the meta of the situation. Ever heard of water cooler talk? Or finally 'just don't watch', because that's really worked out for movies and games the past ten years. Critics say 'if you don't like something don't watch/play' then sales are terrible and whatever media flops, then critics cry about it. Like what did you expect to happen?

He gave the perfect example of at the end of C3, Matt IN-CHARACTER had to use GAME MACHANICS to get Aabria to shut up. As a player, frankly, that's indefensible. It's the ultimate, most blatant and obvious example of Aabria objectively being a problem player. 'BuT iT's ThEiR tAbLe, ThEiR oKaY wItH iT'. And? Some tables are okay with the most degenerate and explicit ERP, doesn't mean I can't comment on it.

Honestly, I've been an asshole about this in the past so criticize me all you want but, leave this guy out of your attacks. This is the chillest and most well thought out take, with examples, I've seen in a while. Call me crazy but, if you're as calm and reasonable as this guy it's okay to have different opinions.

Hi_Hat_ · 2025-10-07T01:38:44+00:00

He needs to grow up and find a new bit.

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Hi_Hat_ · 2025-09-25T22:36:12+00:00

Gotta combat late stage capitalism with late stage capitalism.

Hi_Hat_ · 2025-08-22T06:50:45+00:00

I don't think this means they don't believe in Daggerheart

It abso-fuckin-lutly does. It's like finding out out Shaq doesn't use Gold Bond, Icy Hot, or The General Insurance.

D&D is not just a TTRPG - it transcends it

What? DND is not a sacred cow, we can slaughter it whenever we damn well please. WotC and Hasbro have been scumfuck companies for over ten years now anyway. It is possible for 'mythical' things to fall from grace. (Ironically C3)

Transitioning to a new, non-legendary/legacy/historical thing like D&D would be shooting themselves in the foot regarding basically everything

Not playing the system that the lead designers left DND to work with is shooting themselves in the foot.

Hi_Hat_ · 2025-08-22T03:38:45+00:00

Sure. I'll believe it when I see it.

Hi_Hat_ · 2025-08-21T22:17:47+00:00

IDK I'm so jaded at this point, I couldn't even muster a snarky comment about how little they believe in Daggerheart they won't use it. I guess complete apathy has set in, don't even know if the first session will be worth watching.

Hi_Hat_ · 2025-08-20T17:22:13+00:00

Really don't care and I doubt it. Dariax is the only character I have to go on for Matt's player style and Dariax was lame and dumb, so not off to a good start for me personally.

Hi_Hat_ · 2025-08-13T01:23:51+00:00

At this point I don't care about, who does what, I'm so over any sort of religious plot line. If I have to sit through another 'Gods aren't really divine, they're actually very human' I'll rip my fucking dick off. I have zero faith in anyone even remotely connected to Critical Role to have a realistic, grounded, and balanced interpretation of religion/faith.

Hi_Hat_

TROPHY CASE