Fireside Chat for WWW ep13 "Of the Gentle Sea"
Added 2023-08-22 12:20:45 +0000 UTCThe seaweed is always greener, in somebody else's lake. You dream about going up there, but that is a big mistake! Just look at the world around you, right here on the ocean floor. Such wonderful things surround you! What more is you lookin' for?
Comments
Sliding in here very late to the party to go: WAS THAT "WIPEOUT" AT THE END?? MY GOD, I AM SCREAMING
Kit
2024-09-12 04:36:08 +0000 UTCtaylor is the rick perry of this show and i am constantly in awe of his exquisite choices and technique - to match the comedy and drama in tone with sound editing is incredible
Christopher Underhill
2024-03-31 19:15:42 +0000 UTC44:33 has big “horse loose in the hospital” energy
Juno
2023-12-19 05:57:54 +0000 UTC"I'm living on this but." -Aabria, 51:54. Solid gold.
GrumpyTrees
2023-12-13 08:45:29 +0000 UTCWhen Ame helped Naram in his decision of crisis, I am really hoping she'll clap back to Souvi's earlier comment of "He was stupid enough to get caught, this is what he gets" with something like "this is what the wizards get for being stupid enough to catch a god". I'm so hopeful that Ame gets mad at her soon! Souvi needs a lesson in her own argument patterns XD
Lucas Sharrett
2023-12-06 15:06:35 +0000 UTCI loved loved loved that Ame was the one to make the decision in this. Because Eursolon already made his choice in the ep, the selfless knight/paladin choice of "A great spirit is trapped unjustly and if I have to lay down my life to free him so be it." Lou said during the episode that he felt content despite being trapped. And Ame who also has her own selfless moments ("I need to go to the shrine in the kudzu and if the spirit strangles me while I perform my duty, so be it") but here she has to make an impossible choice: which innocent has to suffer: my friend who made the decision to take the unjust imprisonment and potential death on himself to free another innocent? Or the people who unknowingly are part of a system that caused this imprisonment? I am also fully in the ACAB corner but by the end of the day, the soldiers are not at fault of what the wizards did. Their system just enables them. So, which side does Ame condemn? And can she make that decision with her dearest friend on the line? Fucking great storytelling I can eat that off a platter, MWAH. (Also the reveal of what would have happened in the other case? Brutal.)
Meonlights
2023-11-01 08:23:16 +0000 UTCFavourite death description so far for sure was the hot coal down throat burning it was amazing
Just_another_queer
2023-10-31 07:38:24 +0000 UTCReally sad to hear they cut the damage rolling from the episode. I kind of got lost in the sauce on that aspect of why it was important that Eursalon became a Paladin at that moment, and I love the numerical stuff.
Boston Brimhall
2023-10-09 23:02:11 +0000 UTCwoke up at 5am and thought id listen to this so i wouldnt wake anyone up this early. jokes on us all because im 6 minutes in and CACKLING
Moss
2023-09-23 11:15:53 +0000 UTCIf y'all ever develop a standard on-boarding document for your guests, I would be super into seeing that! They are all so well-informed about the events you are discussing, and just feel so welcomed - I want to bring that into my daily life more!! ;-)
Jonesey
2023-09-19 14:03:18 +0000 UTCThey've written their characters with a lot of room to grow so that it feels more satisfying to watch them evolve and change along the way. Don't lose heart. These storytellers know what they're doing.
Brianne Nurse
2023-09-10 20:52:06 +0000 UTCYES. GOOD. Thank you. I loved that line in the episode and I'm very glad to see it come up again here!
Brianne Nurse
2023-09-10 20:43:22 +0000 UTCIs anyone else having trouble listening to this ep? I’m getting a “not authorised” error in Overcast when I try to download it. I’ve tried removing and adding the RSS feed but no luck, and I can still get other fireside episodes.
Siobhan Daysh
2023-09-06 23:10:53 +0000 UTCDid...did he play a stereotypical surfer song because hundreds of empire soldiers drowned? God I love this show.
Isaac Bryce
2023-08-31 19:50:40 +0000 UTCThe way Aabria said “It’s what the people pay five dollars for!” is so satisfying to my brain for some reason 😂
Talon V
2023-08-31 07:19:28 +0000 UTCI felt like when I first listened there was more back and forth in the "the fish has a wife" section but I may have imagined it or got it mixed up with another section.
Christie Joesbury
2023-08-30 01:11:47 +0000 UTC"We've got fish at home" was such a "we've got McDonald's at home" mum moment 😂
Christie Joesbury
2023-08-30 01:08:22 +0000 UTCFuggin RAW to have “surfs up” music end this card 😂😂😂
christie botos
2023-08-30 00:42:37 +0000 UTCI love that Taylor can shit post via outro song.
Brittany-Marie
2023-08-30 00:36:06 +0000 UTCI am absolutely blown away. My gods
Ben Fogle
2023-08-29 18:19:06 +0000 UTCThe outro song is so unhinged... well done
Kronese
2023-08-29 04:05:42 +0000 UTCAhoohoo!
PokéRedstone
2023-08-29 02:00:22 +0000 UTCAbsolutely heartless outro music choice. Callous. Inspired.
Doctor Quixote
2023-08-28 08:38:14 +0000 UTCI hope y’all know how amazingly talented y’all are! This episode was fantastic. Brennan you’re a gifted DM, Taylor this was scored beautifully. Erica, Aabria, and Lou ( Chefs kiss!). Love from Charleston,sc.
LuChiChi4
2023-08-27 19:53:33 +0000 UTCI'm agnostic/atheist but Naram's kindness and care... gods That's compelling.
Cobalt Paradox
2023-08-26 20:06:23 +0000 UTCTo the Wizard! On the wall! 'Til the Wild One's fate befalls! This Witch incites a brawl!
Cobalt Paradox
2023-08-26 19:40:09 +0000 UTC"It hurts this cast whenever they make a pun, and they welcome the pain greedily."
T-A-B
2023-08-26 18:30:42 +0000 UTCI wish it was clearer too. I'm hoping Suvi being chastised improves her perspective but it's really tough to listen to how toxic she has insisted on being so far
Stephen
2023-08-26 06:22:49 +0000 UTCSecond: Citadel Wizards banding up and hating the party for their actions in this town would be more than warranted and would be a rational plot development. 100% agreed. I would even...expect it at this point. I can't WAIT to see how the Citadel operates and wizards slip through the cracks.
Alec Simkiss
2023-08-26 02:00:27 +0000 UTCReplying to the first: Your analogy of nuclear power doesn't quite work because nuclear power isn't a living breathing thing, but I understand your meaning behind it. It is a rash decision, and I agree with you on that point, but the fact that it is a being capable of thought and emotion and choices even if it seems not human, you must consider that Eursolon is also a spirit. It is more than not trusting the government, but it is incredibly complicated. Even with as carefully controlled as Naram was, he killed hundreds of people to save one. A dangerous but fascinating observation. Spirits are not to be messed with, and people should have means of protecting themselves against them, for certain. Eursolon is much more human to us, but they are literally kindred spirits. If we apply one law to Naram, how does that apply to our player? Two living breathing forces in the world, emblemaric of what they individually represent. We do not wish to see all spirits in chains to the world of wizards, including our main character, no? Or do they all "get what they get" as Suvi says?
Alec Simkiss
2023-08-26 01:57:36 +0000 UTCThe Lou name bits every week are hilarious.
dark_neverland
2023-08-26 01:56:14 +0000 UTCI know there’s the idea of thinking “You couldn’t wait just one more day?”, but even before Morrow lost it and committed treason I thought to myself “There’s no way he’d shut his operation down without a fight”. Plus he ended up having loyalists who followed him despite being outranked, so I don’t think Steel would’ve had an easy time arresting him and freeing Naram. There would’ve been some kind of battle either way, and freeing Naram at the start ensured his death would be avoided.
Jordan Youssef
2023-08-26 00:12:47 +0000 UTCI just became a member of the Patreon last week and binged everything up to this point. I’m so glad to be caught up but now I’m gonna be so impatient having to wait for new releases 😂
Jordan Youssef
2023-08-25 23:01:39 +0000 UTCErika totally made the right call for Ame, the story, for the people of the village. A hundred percent.
Liv
2023-08-24 23:23:14 +0000 UTCThis is a quick thank you to Erika! Your drider in Bloodkeep convinced my girlfriend to play dnd with me and she is DEEPLY into it after 4 sessions. She is dedicated to beco,ing a shamanic leader to her own little tribe of hunter gatherers now and will defend her people till death claims her! Your performance and wild energy really inspired her to try it! (Also I made a homebrew drider race so that helped...but you got the ball rolling)
nick lucas
2023-08-24 19:27:25 +0000 UTCTrolleys all the way down
Caleb Jackson
2023-08-24 19:17:29 +0000 UTCHi Alec. Thanks for replying. I love talking about this stuff. I guess I have a two-fold answer, one in story and one out of story. One: Imagine you are in a town with a nuclear power station. Three people arrive. They nose around on their own for about five days. They discover it is not just dangerous, but hurting the workers. They contact the wider government and an official says, "Oh shit, we have to shut this down safely. I'll be here tomorrow to do that." One of the three new arrivals says, "I promised I would shut the station down," drags out the workers and smashes the electronics. Boom. Even when the damage is mitigated that's a verrry questionable heroic choice, given that officials were on the way, because the guy "didn't trust the government". Two: This is a story, and stories are, you're right, about individuals making individual journeys. I agree that this was a stirring, empowering moment for Eursalon's character. It lead to an awesome battle that I found thrilling. I also think that, because stories need drama, there would have had to be complications even if they waited. I think the journey is great, but it is set in a wider world. I love the characters, but if a bunch of Citadel relatives of the dead wizards and soldiers went after Eursalon and Ame (and even Suvi, for not saying that Steel wanted the creature released to either Morrow or Galani), I would consider that a reasonable reaction and an interesting plot complication.
Ecceptable
2023-08-24 18:00:15 +0000 UTCI also thought of Tommen Lannister in that exact moment!
Phoenix Johnstone
2023-08-24 16:54:30 +0000 UTCYes! We are. The 14th episode will conclude this arc. Also, I don't know if they are going to take breaks? I haven't heard them mentioning that.
Alec Simkiss
2023-08-24 16:13:44 +0000 UTCAlso, to reply about Eursalon changing his mind: look up the Heroes Journey, specifically the Refusal of the Call. "A Hero Refuses the Journey because of fears and insecurities that have surfaced from the Call to Adventure. The Hero is not willing to make changes, preferring the safe haven of the Ordinary World." Eursalon deeply wants to make the world better for spirits in the same way Ame does, but he just got his friends back after a lifetime of hurt in the real world. His friends kept him here out of innocence and ignorance, but a sin is still a sin. Naram is his reflection in a much bigger form, and he even RESCUED Eursalon. To leave him there is wrong, and he knows it. He is scared of losing the ones he loves after he has already lost so much. With a promise of his word to protect his friends and the world and return the favor, he has answered the call with the depth of his heart and reclaimed his scent, his honor. I fundamentally disagree that it is terrible for character growth, and I would instead kindly suggest to reflect on how you see Eursalon as a character. From my perspective, there was no other choice but this for Eursalon to personally make.
Alec Simkiss
2023-08-24 15:51:30 +0000 UTCEsther, thank you for stating your opinion! I wanted to engage further on this with my own thoughts on your hypothetical. I agree that Eursalon made a rash decision, but I wouldn't say it was necessarily bad. Having to wait another day to do the "right" thing is an awful, and honestly dishonorable feeling when it is in his hands to change immediately when it is such a wrong. What would have happened is that Steel would have resorted to extreme measures if trying to honor Orima & Naram after freeing him would have gone poorly, and that the party would have further had to act. Steel's position as a powerful wizard of the citadel does NOT guarantee things wouldn't have gone to shit. Consider as well, Brennan had contingencies for bad town altering if Ame had made a different choice. The game HAS to hand agency back to the players, but that doesn't mean their options are good ones considering their past choices. This is an incredibly structured game where the right answer is absolutely unclear. On paper, I would agree with you that letting things go with Steel would have been a near guaranteed success, but it is one that removes all the players agency on having anything to DO with Naram. It would have simply meant passing the torch to Steel under her authority, and she would have only ALLOWED Eursalon and Ame to fulfill their promises to the best of their ability under supervision. The entire party would be subject to the charms and propaganda and watchful eye of Steel that Suvi deals with. Steel is already trying to convince them all to come to the Citadel...they tread dangerous waters where nothing is clear.
Alec Simkiss
2023-08-24 15:44:13 +0000 UTCJust searched for Finn Lemon on Bluesky and found a picture of a cute bird :)
Robin Hayward
2023-08-24 15:37:35 +0000 UTCFUCK them wizards!
Alec Simkiss
2023-08-24 15:25:46 +0000 UTC/j
Alec Simkiss
2023-08-24 15:22:43 +0000 UTCI think we're both talking around and about many different points. Which can be good if no one's frustrated by it. (?) I, too, am on the fence about Spirits and their nature. It's true their sentience gives them a claim to more care from humans like Maro and Steel than they would have for impersonal forces. I think you made a good point about cultural associations making us dislike the Empire's subjugation and be more tolerant of the Nature spirits' dictatorial tendencies. What if instead of Ocean and Forest nature spirits, calling up associations to Princess Mononoke, there was a Smallpox nature spirit? For years that was a force that people had to live with and learn to deal with. It didn't hate us. It acted according to its nature and it could be prevented and mitigated. Then we learned how to end it, and we wiped it off the face of the earth, which was the right call.
Ecceptable
2023-08-24 12:43:17 +0000 UTCBrennan says “Ursalon or 100’s of wizards” Aabriah checks her sheet: human, wizard, of the empire. “Yeah, I’mma sit as far away as possible.”
James Greer
2023-08-24 12:34:29 +0000 UTCTrolley Problem all the way down...dang that's an awful mood
RoseWitch
2023-08-24 10:11:11 +0000 UTCI'm still not 100% sure I'm even talking about the same thing you are 😂 but you got my brain going down this thought spiral, so that's fun!
Sarah Sutton
2023-08-24 07:06:35 +0000 UTCI think the dissonance happens because WE can see that Nauram is a sentient being, but Maro (Marrow?) is just...drilling for oil. Steel has a more nuances perspective, because she recognizes that what he's doing is bad, but she still views Spirits as amoral beings and not quite people. Which I think brings me back to your point about Spirits getting a "pass." Suki sees that spirits aren't just amoral forces of nature, they make choices and can be reasoned with so she can't view them as dispassionately as Steel does. Yet she can also see that they still aren't beholden to humans by power or moral constraints, which is frustrating and confusing. That doesn't even take into account how Eursulon breaks the whole system by seeming so human but still not quite submitting to human rules. All in all I find the whole topic fascinating. Obviously.
Sarah Sutton
2023-08-24 07:04:40 +0000 UTCTo clarify, when I say amoral, I don't mean "bad," just unconcerned with morality rules. In that sense, spirits aren't "amoral" the way "nature" is amoral. So when we use spirits as an analogy for nature, it gets uncomfortable. I think many of us are predisposed to judge the concept of "Empire" as evil because of pop cultural references, Star Wars being an obvious one (Firefly, Dune, etc), as well as the obvious IRL imperial "baddies" in history. And for good reason, but yeah, you can't reduce it to a simple good/evil delineation. Especially for the every day citizens of said "empire." And even if it is simple to determine that the Empire is evil because of how it subjugates people, we don't view subjugation of nature the same way. It's stupid and irresponsible to pillage the Earth, but not necessarily immoral. However, if "nature" is sentient it changes things dramatically. Maro isn't fishing for tuna, he's enslaving a Being.
Sarah Sutton
2023-08-24 07:04:19 +0000 UTCExactly!!
Ignacio Segura Montero
2023-08-24 05:02:31 +0000 UTCOoof, stories bring up a lot of different stuff, don't they?!? You're welcome for joining and thank you for the discussion! One of the reasons I comment is I love talking about the different aspects of a story. I'm split. I love Naram and I get a kick out of Orima. I think Steel's right about taking the spirits on their own terms. But I also wonder why The Empire/Citadel is framed as a bad amoral power and Orima a good one. (Maybe it's my contrarian nature coming out. Everyone treats the Citadel/Empire like a default Baddie. Why? Because they're a community of millions, and thus more complicated than the cute little village Ame lived in? Because they're a huge group of varied people rather than a whimsical bunch of badger-fire-bear spirits cavorting around the legs of a humorously neglectful Bear Daddy?)
Ecceptable
2023-08-24 03:22:50 +0000 UTCEntirely agree that Maro was bad and his apparent ignorance of Great Spirits doesn't excuse it. If you're asking my opinion about spirits getting a "pass", I think that for forces of nature, they are negotiating a lot and making a lot of choices. I'm not sure if being old and powerful is enough of an excuse. I think Ame is a great ambassador and given the circumstances she was in she made the right choice. When we see a Naram swimming around we honor him. If we can avoid conflict with an Orima with a nice meal at a temple we do that. But if the Hurricane Great Spirit comes over and knocks over houses and drowns people, maybe we round up 100 Galani-level wizards and then there's no Hurricane Great Spirit and we don't feel bad about it whether it was his nature or his choice or think it's "not our place" to resist him.
Ecceptable
2023-08-24 03:12:11 +0000 UTCI dont comment much but I just want to sing the praises of the show. The way the sound mixing adds so much atmosphere to the live play as well as the way they have chosen to let this story breathe and go where it needs to go before finally building up to those "milestones" has made these final episodes feel so much more epic than anything before. If I can make one criticism is that I don't think the editing on Eursulon striking the spear worked very well in the execution. Between the end of ep012 leaving what happened up in the air (only to be spoiled by the Fireside) and then finding out in this fireside that there was so much more drama at the table that we missed out on because of the editing out of mechanics, it just seems like it could have been done better. EDIT: Accidentally posted before finishing my compliment sandwich. I just want to reiterate that everyone is doing a bang up job because this is the only RPG liveplay that I feel I have to listen to as soon as its posted.
Ernesto Regalado
2023-08-24 03:12:07 +0000 UTC☝️ I don't know if I actually believe any of that lol. I just found myself making parallels to the way the Christian culture I grew up in bent logic into pretzels and suspended rational thought to ascribe morality to behavior that was, at best, the self-serving chaotic amorality of an all-powerful being who simply didn't have to be good or fair because you couldn't stop them either way. Worship was inevitably a calculated act of self protection rather one of love and admiration. Apparently the idea of excusing Orima or Nauron's choices because they are objectively "good" triggered that lovely bit of childhood trauma. 😂 Thanks for joining me.
Sarah Sutton
2023-08-24 02:59:45 +0000 UTCI'm curious about this idea of spirits getting a pass. Maybe it's growing up with Ferngully and Princess Mononoke, etc that has predisposed me to assume that Spirit = nature = universally good and thus excusing their choices. While the choices of spirits are not exactly the same as the truly amoral chaos we see in the savagery of nature in our world, but I do see the analogy. When there are forces so much stronger than you, it doesn't make sense to ascribe morality or responsibility to those forces or twist yourself into knots about whether their choices are good or fair, because those forces do not subscribe to those rules. More simply, they don't care about fairness and you can't change them by force, logic or reason. They don't care if you believe them to be good or evil. So defending OR condemning their choices is a waste of energy. Rather, Maro wasn't bad because he treated a Powerful, Good Being with disrespect, Maro was bad because he did something stupid and selfish that put people in danger.
Sarah Sutton
2023-08-24 02:52:30 +0000 UTChttps://media.tenor.com/TkjqMlgnawMAAAAC/consequences-keanu-reeves.gif
Sarah Sutton
2023-08-24 02:36:16 +0000 UTCI love it when a methodical, patient person, a planner who takes the time to get everything just right, also has chaos goblin shitposter energy. And I feel like that's everyone in this project, although we get to see it the most starkly I think with some of Taylor's editing and sound choices. Truly incredible. Also as soon as I finish up some current work I'm gonna draw round baby Eursulon because I must.
Hex Sharpe
2023-08-24 01:43:51 +0000 UTCBrennan’s outro was glorious
Brendon Speed
2023-08-24 01:05:22 +0000 UTCI have loved all the sound design so far, though I do wish there was 8-13% less cut content, even if that content isn't as professionally polished as the rest. I think a lot of the charm of actualplay are those moments where a player has to dig a little or things get sidetracked. I'd be interested in raw cuts for episodes or outtakes, something that didn't give Taylor a heap of more work.
Greg Mellander
2023-08-24 00:35:54 +0000 UTChey friend, i hear you and can understand this concern. however i think there’s a strong possibility that you nor any of us have all the facts. perhaps Lou isn’t as comfortable in this setting where he has to analyze the choices of his character like the rest of the cast. perhaps Lou prefers to take a back seat and listen to his friends thoughts on the episode instead, even take inspiration from their theories. perhaps a multitude of other reasons because everybody is their own person going through their own things. approaching a situation with this kind of attitude doesn’t benefit anyone and very likely won’t force the results you’re requesting. i can fully understand and respect you feel a certain way, but making assumptions can be dangerous and sometimes just feeds the negative feeling. take care and i hope you have a nice rest of your week.
bails
2023-08-24 00:26:30 +0000 UTCLove this!!!!!!!!!!
Am3thystFlam3
2023-08-24 00:18:29 +0000 UTCCan’t imagine listening to this series without these fireside chats! They are such a master class in how this group of creators are making this story sing. Of course every moment could have different choices and different paths and I am 100% down for the journey these folks are gonna choose. Thank-you Aabria, Brennan, Erika, Lou, Taylor, and anyone else making this story into existence 🔥
Jenny
2023-08-23 21:57:33 +0000 UTCI’m still completely pissed off, like it’s so uncalled for that this episode was so big, so much happened for Eurselon, and Lou still doesn’t have the fucking courtesy to show up for the fireside chat. We’re 13 episodes in, people, when are we gonna get up in arms about this? It just feels like Lou doesn’t care enough to show up for the bonus content smh
YakisobaBaby
2023-08-23 21:33:35 +0000 UTCNauram is the hottest character I've never seen a picture of
Locemo
2023-08-23 19:36:05 +0000 UTCSo we are getting an episode next week? I was worried how long it would be in between seasons.
Osiris Nightwood
2023-08-23 19:20:11 +0000 UTC;)
Worlds Beyond Number
2023-08-23 19:17:07 +0000 UTCtaylor moore im in love with you
Joules Sage
2023-08-23 18:58:55 +0000 UTCPossible hot take, but, choosing to fuck over the wizards is absolutely the correct choice. Edit: this was made so much earlier in the episode...holy shit that was some new information.
On the Fence
2023-08-23 16:57:29 +0000 UTCThe smell of honey and sound of Eldritch music waft toward you on the wind, and you take heart, for you know the Knight of the Gentle Sea is with you.
Will Twiner
2023-08-23 13:44:09 +0000 UTCThese fireside chats are fantastic. I love hearing about the alternate outcomes and how Brennan consults the players on certain things. Thanks for sharing! Crackle crackle
Katlynn
2023-08-23 09:35:42 +0000 UTCoh, the cognitive consonance i got from hearing brennan say that exact thing. i briefly attained nirvana.
Danny Black
2023-08-23 05:33:27 +0000 UTCWizards get their Arcane Tradition at level 2
Aabria Iyengar
2023-08-23 03:22:49 +0000 UTCI hear you, Dream "steady the old mouth" Tanaka, coming out because Orima is so cool!
blue piou
2023-08-23 02:18:07 +0000 UTCI think you're right that it is the better choice for the story. This was more emotionally fulfilling for the characters and dramatic for the narrative, for sure! But if the family members of the many dead wizards and soldiers got together and decided to hunt down the Spirit and Witch who arrived at the city less than a week ago and decided that they got to privately make some big decisions that affected everyone who lived there, I think that would be understandable.
Ecceptable
2023-08-23 01:18:01 +0000 UTCAbriya's "wanna take her on a date" is such a vibe holy shit Also Brennan' "you imperial fucking stooge" and "if you come to Port Talon you get what you fucking get" I was cryyyyyying how can you do that to me
Jackaloop
2023-08-23 01:05:51 +0000 UTCThe way I imagined it for both Eurselon and Ame’s characters is they they don’t fully trust Steel to keep her word. Neither of them have the familial trust that Suvi does—to them she’s another powerful cog of the Empire, and the Empire hasn’t come off as very trustworthy for either of these characters. All they’ve seen from her (excepting the one time in childhood) is her refusing to listen to their side of the forest story and making them “choose” between mind reading or prison. Was Eurselon’s decision impulsive and reckless? Absolutely. But I think it’s in keeping his character, particularly after his rage and trauma and blood bonding with Naram.
thebillmm
2023-08-23 01:01:53 +0000 UTCBruh. That title slaps
Warren Summers III
2023-08-23 00:40:25 +0000 UTCTaylor's hilarious, y'all (fully cackling at Wipeout at the end of the episode)
Katie P.
2023-08-23 00:04:45 +0000 UTCOh, I agree entirely with you there. Naram didn't deserve it at all. It was unjust and sadistic, although I believe Steel mentioned punishing or trying Maro when she arrived. Since stories need conflict and this story is being told by talented people, I'm sure something would have happened if they had waited. That's one of the reasons why I'm so curious about what it would have been.
Ecceptable
2023-08-22 23:46:51 +0000 UTCIs it weird to say that Ahme seems like a better Al Gore? "THERES TERRIBLE NATURAL AND POWERFUL CONSEQUENCES TO NOT HONORING AND RESPEXTING THE NATURAL FORCES OF THE EARTH"
FusRohNahSon
2023-08-22 23:39:17 +0000 UTCFor what its worth, if something like it comes up again, I would much rather have had that Divine Smite bit stay in the edit. Absolutely doing a great job of pairing the episodes down to the good bits, that's just a moment where the mechanics and the numbers are absolutely part of the drama of the story, and I would have liked to go on that emotional journey with Lou. It's moments like that that make this different than just cooperative story telling with someone in charge.
Heliks
2023-08-22 23:34:15 +0000 UTCWhy would Naram deserve that kind of treatment though? A being I’d classify as Lawful Good and already dedicated to Port Talon’s benefit was impaled and used for magical item production at great suffering. You can argue that Maro was overstepping the Empire, but he’s in charge, and trying to subjugate the spirit world was going to produce violent blowback at some point. You could say Steel might have placated the gentler Naram, but Orima might not have been so easily pacified. Then there’s the question as to who is the next Wizard who is going to risk messing with Spirits in order to rise in the ranks. One is bound to think they’d succeed where Maro failed.
Sharlin Espinal
2023-08-22 23:32:49 +0000 UTCI can see your point about great spirits, although I think narratively they've all had more intention and agency than a storm. Entirely disagree about Ursalon, though. Two days ago he was going to leave Naram in the trap. That morning he was going to wait a day. Suddenly he can't wait until morning to free an immortal being. It's like suddenly deciding to blow up the prison when the warden's on the way with the keys. I do think it's a beautiful poetic thing for him to do, but a part of me sees it as an awful thing to do for one character's personal growth.
Ecceptable
2023-08-22 23:25:05 +0000 UTCI can’t answer with that image from John Wick 4 of John drinking and just saying “Consequences”, so please just picture that in your head.
Ignacio Segura Montero
2023-08-22 23:22:40 +0000 UTCI feel like the comparison to elves doesn’t really fit, the fey in settings like these are abstractly different in how they see the world and how powerful great spirits are that like Steel said getting mad at them is pointless, akin to raging at a storm. Also Ursalon did nothing wrong, he kept his promise.
Blazon Glover
2023-08-22 22:50:53 +0000 UTCTake it from me
Agiddysea
2023-08-22 22:02:03 +0000 UTCI gotta say, still kind of Team Wizard. I think Ame made the right choice, but it was built on Ursalon's bad one. I don't know why the spirits get a pass when it's clear they make choices all the time. I prefer witch diplomacy for sure, but I'm with Suvi in that if powerful beings with their own world come into yours it's worth it to be able to deliver an elbow to the jaw to them every now and again. (Kind of like I feel about the elves in LoTR.) The hypothetical I'm most interested in is what if Ursalon had just waited twelve hours. I'm sure something would have happened, but what?
Esther
2023-08-22 21:44:45 +0000 UTCIm so glad to hear about the roads not taken, and stunned about the ‘not enough damage’ but wait here comes the smite! details. I also am with Brennan, I wouldve chosen the wizards to die no question. Naram was the guy trapped and tortured for no reason,, and the wizards even the unknowing ones who did the crime unto him.
Adri Void
2023-08-22 21:40:52 +0000 UTC41:00 He got blue shelled right before the finish line
Chris Kagamine
2023-08-22 21:11:31 +0000 UTCLoved this episode and this chat so much. I could talk about how the hit of this finale action lands all day, but the thing I’ll take away the most is the feeling that we got to see Brennan truly bare his teeth as a DM for the first time in the show. (Esp with the consequences for the roads not taken)
Michael Anaya
2023-08-22 20:42:53 +0000 UTCI'm in Brazil w Lou! bad news we do have reception here he's just ignoring your texts :((
Nic M. Neves
2023-08-22 20:13:58 +0000 UTCThe family dinner of my nightmares. I’m going to Ursalon’s room. Seriously, I loved ep#13 but the fireside made me so stressed with the half expressed, joking not-joking aggression, citadel vs nature fissure. Every episode pushes the party members further apart. Does Suvi really consider Ursalon her brother? Was one distant summer enough to bond Ame and Suvi? Are we telling a story about the foundation of morally opposed enemies? I wish I could say I was up for that.
Beignet Gesserit
2023-08-22 20:05:48 +0000 UTCPlease tell me I’m not the only one who had a little private dance party to that outro. Love it, Taylor
Friday the Fierce
2023-08-22 19:46:31 +0000 UTCIs it time to drop the bit? Fin Lemon? Sigh . . . 🤪
Micah Baird
2023-08-22 19:45:30 +0000 UTCTaylor waterboarding himself at the end of the episode was my favorite part 😂
Meghan Lewis
2023-08-22 19:44:42 +0000 UTCso excited for these playlists!!!
Jaron Williams
2023-08-22 19:23:29 +0000 UTCI would have gotten away with it too if it wasn't for you dang kids and your little fox too.
David Paterson
2023-08-22 19:18:17 +0000 UTCTattoo idea : a trolley full of all the guest stars on the fireside
Code0scar
2023-08-22 19:16:40 +0000 UTCI feel you.
Nathan Levine
2023-08-22 19:10:06 +0000 UTCI've never been bored when listening to WWW, don't get me wrong. I'm in love with this journey and its characters. I'm aware my opinion about editing for content/time may not be shared by many here. It's more of a damned if you do, damned if you don't sort of scenario from my limited perspective because as a consumer of of creative media, I'm ALWAYS wishing for more of those little character/player/lore moments that aren't crucial to plot, or flow, or vibe. It's why I smashed the money button to immediately sign up for the fireside chats here which are infinitely delightful. The editing of this show is actually sublime, and brilliantly optimized for the podcast format much more so than CR or D20 (much of which I've only had time to listen to rather than watch), and I understand that tradeoff leads to sometimes leaving out juicy emotional moments from players or characters. Each little tease of those 'lost moments' in the fireside chat have me with my face in my hands wishing to have witnessed it. At the end of the day, I'm just a greedy listener who'll never have enough of this content. It's a character flaw on my part, I'm aware. I do love this kind of conversation btw.
Nathan Levine
2023-08-22 19:09:27 +0000 UTCWizards get subclass at level 3. But I am pretty sure she is going to go blade singer. In other interviews she said war mage would be the obvious choice but she is going to go with something a little different. There was some description of Steel with a sword which would make sense for Suvi to emulate. Plus I think on the boat Suvi and Eursolon were sparring with swords, and Bladesingers are the only wizards with swords.
Audge
2023-08-22 19:05:44 +0000 UTCAlso, when does Witch take their subclass?
Perverseness
2023-08-22 18:58:38 +0000 UTCI cannot wait for Suvi to make 2nd and announce her sub class. I am hoping for warmage
Perverseness
2023-08-22 18:58:10 +0000 UTCI kinda wish that the damage threshold bit had been left in? I understand prioritizing narrative but I am listening to this bc I like DnD and want the “at the table” feeling of stressing over the numbers on the die. regardless, it was still an absolute fantastic episode and I’m sure I’m in the minority for preferring it that way
Vi
2023-08-22 18:24:36 +0000 UTCThe trolley problem!
Emma Rose_D20_is_my_church
2023-08-22 17:59:43 +0000 UTCThere needs to be an animation to the outro song of the characters dancing the pulp fiction dance whilst the oil derrick collapses into the sea.
Nicholas Luna-Sepeda
2023-08-22 17:52:04 +0000 UTCAs a long time Taylor fan very cool to hear the performers reaction to the editing out of dice rolls to keep the story fluid, I listen to a few TTRPG podcasts and I’ve only seen Taylor do it, and he does it well
Jack Malizia
2023-08-22 17:48:07 +0000 UTCNothing like a big sexy tentacle man to help y'girl study 👀👀👀
Caia Hull
2023-08-22 17:45:07 +0000 UTCAhahahah no wait someone write this down
Aabria Iyengar
2023-08-22 17:30:25 +0000 UTCI find sometimes the editing out of mechanics can be a bit jarring - I don't know if that is a personal preference but it feels like the classic 'oh did I zone out and not actually read the last 2 pages of this book because something happened and I think I missed it'. Explaining this stuff in the Fireside really helps out! That being said, I am enjoying this podcast and it's editing immensely and hope to enjoy another 9 (ish?) years of it.
geansai
2023-08-22 17:26:38 +0000 UTCBRAZIL MENTIONED 🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷
eric
2023-08-22 16:43:10 +0000 UTCJust one patron’s thoughts on if we are wanting to really get in the weeds on the fireside but I loved hearing it and definitely was thinking this would be similar vibes to NADDPOD short rest (which they definitely have been) where Murph will share those thoughts and mechanics that we maybe don’t see! But also have just the out of character reactions and tangents or bits. Thank you for your stories and your dedication! You all are creating and have created such beautiful art.
Nicole Jordan
2023-08-22 16:25:21 +0000 UTCIts pretty clear that WWW is not meant as a classic liveplay, so I do really like that they cut for flow, because there is no other DnD-Show that is that nice to listen/watch to. I never get bored on an episode of WWW, which I can not say about Critical Role or even Dimension 20. If you prefer longer, less edited formats, you have like literally all other shows out there. I highly appreciate the different approach!
Theo Traumato
2023-08-22 16:18:14 +0000 UTCthis made my day.
Nathan Levine
2023-08-22 16:09:12 +0000 UTCI think 'cutting for flow' is sometimes not the best choice, (even if it's the efficient choice) especially when such raw moments happen. The raw reactions are more worthwhile for me to tune in to rather than efficient editting out of player reactions. Even if those reactions aren't necessarily optimized for the podcast form, it's one of the reasons liveplay is so fun to watch. It might be worth bumping the time up maybe twenty or minutes or so to include this kind of thing. Listening to those moments are also fascinating and exciting. That all said, the sound design is GODLY. It's so immersive and fantastical, truly some of the best I've ever listened to.
Nathan Levine
2023-08-22 15:54:09 +0000 UTCAlso I am SO excited for Eursalotter to be a thing in this game!!
Mae Worthington
2023-08-22 15:26:49 +0000 UTCTaylor is the goddamn god of sound design and editing
Mae Worthington
2023-08-22 15:26:06 +0000 UTCI mean they didn’t die from the fall, they died from the bludgeoning damage from the wave of water.
Will Twiner
2023-08-22 15:11:35 +0000 UTCEursalon’s actual tittle better be Knight of the Gentle Sea.
Will Twiner
2023-08-22 15:08:30 +0000 UTCThought I’d share that the quote Brennan gave about a boot on your throat and being told to take it off ethically was from one of the Adventuring Parties for a crown of candy.
Zinnia133
2023-08-22 15:04:00 +0000 UTCOhmygod that's perfect, that's hot as hell
Caia Hull
2023-08-22 14:58:42 +0000 UTCI thought the same thing as Mr. Lemon! I totally though Marrow was going to fall out the window to his death.
Robert Harrington
2023-08-22 14:56:31 +0000 UTCFlying monkey army of wizards *chefs kiss* a plus imagery
Cait Batchelor
2023-08-22 14:54:58 +0000 UTCa lofi cover of the Great Bear romp tune, can you imagine
melanee
2023-08-22 14:52:18 +0000 UTCSuvi reading a book while a kaiju wreaks havoc in the background should be the new "lo-fi girl" loop
Caia Hull
2023-08-22 14:50:11 +0000 UTCMarzipan man is so apt - a bit too shiny, a bit too sweet, slightly melted in the slightest heat Like a reverse Green Lantern
mguin
2023-08-22 14:45:03 +0000 UTCI was right there during the episode. Or... Superhero landing!
Jess Rogers
2023-08-22 14:26:29 +0000 UTCI think the sports analogy works even better because it's like someone tried to tell them, "I think the other team is going pull something, be careful." And the player responded, "I don't care what they're doing, we're going to win." If they hadn't gotten tunnel vision, they might have been aware that the circumstances weren't entirely in their favor.
Danial Gibson
2023-08-22 14:26:28 +0000 UTCGah! It was so fun to hear..Finn Lemon.... Give us the tidbit about needing Divine Smite to get enough damage to break out Naram! I hadn't noticed we never got the damage roll on that swing.
Jess Rogers
2023-08-22 14:25:49 +0000 UTCThe ending music. You're a sick man Taylor. But you are very funny, which I guess makes it okay?
Christian Kavanagh
2023-08-22 14:22:06 +0000 UTCNot Galani experiencing just regular sexism Umora.
Sara
2023-08-22 14:20:21 +0000 UTCMhmm
PhatChance
2023-08-22 14:07:00 +0000 UTCYou guys are doing and amazing job ❤️❤️❤️Thank you so much!!
Stephanie Fofi
2023-08-22 13:58:11 +0000 UTCThe referenced CH skit https://youtu.be/s4pxtiLR928
SvenTS
2023-08-22 13:32:18 +0000 UTC"Oops, All trolleys!" KILLED ME. 😂
Rachael
2023-08-22 13:31:51 +0000 UTCThe image of the table in stitches about the thought of Morrow going Full Tommen was hilarious, and the energy in those Firesides is worth the subscription alone
BardicDesperation
2023-08-22 13:29:39 +0000 UTCI think it was a lot of soldiers and low level mages ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Trey Lord
2023-08-22 13:22:21 +0000 UTCI swear to Naram, the surf rock music at the end ejected me into outer space
Trey Lord
2023-08-22 13:21:03 +0000 UTCNew subscription tier: Trolley Master
Charles Shields
2023-08-22 13:15:49 +0000 UTCOh I am SO excited to listen!
LB Brimer
2023-08-22 13:13:26 +0000 UTCIf that pic isn't the ipitome of anxiety, I don't know what is lol
Dijonna Terry
2023-08-22 13:12:31 +0000 UTC"Oops all trolleys" on T-Shirts and Mugs. Sell sell sell!
Charles Shields
2023-08-22 13:10:21 +0000 UTCDamn, the reveal of 'what if Ame had hesitated'
SvenTS
2023-08-22 13:04:40 +0000 UTCdid none of the derrick wizards have feather fall😭😭😭
Jack Francis West
2023-08-22 13:03:40 +0000 UTCA hoo hoo, hand rubbing as I get ready for my lunch walk, can't wait to listen to this one!!
Sanja Trinki
2023-08-22 12:45:49 +0000 UTCA-hoo-hoo and crackle crackle!
SvenTS
2023-08-22 12:32:48 +0000 UTCThe picture has me dying frfr
LucidDreamerVex
2023-08-22 12:24:16 +0000 UTCOh yeah, huge trolley problem vibes on this one. We love a good narrative dilemma.
Jacob Given
2023-08-22 12:24:02 +0000 UTCAh yes the “oh god oh no oh fu” scenario
David
2023-08-22 12:23:03 +0000 UTCUnder the sea, under the sea!
Xavier Gamboa
2023-08-22 12:22:55 +0000 UTCmagnum opus
Jack Francis West
2023-08-22 12:22:50 +0000 UTC
