#dhwty-writes

Also I saw that the encyclopedia exandria lists Tishar and Umleta as avatars of Gruumsh and Lolth respectively and while I don't disagree, I'm not sure how people arrived at that conclusion. What do you think about those two?

With regards to Melora and Torog (more re: assumptions in a second) you didn't miss anything but I think this is best understood as the fact that we as the audience know a lot, but we still don't know the whole story - that's the entire premise of this miniseries! Perhaps this was a romantic relationship once, or perhaps it's just familial. I want to soapbox for a second re like, the idea that actually this series isn't accessible for new viewers. It is! I think you'll get more out of it if you have the full experience of Critical Role in the same way that you get much more out of say, Calamity or Campaign 3 (and will have way better theories and analysis) if you watched the previous campaigns than if you didn't, but this is a self-contained story that you could watch on its own and still find satisfying (vs, say, a random episode of Campaign 3 midway through).

More generally, sometimes works of fiction leave things ambiguous or up to context clues or drop hints that gain additional meaning later. Asha and Zaharzt's conversation is one of those. Be patient; we may learn more. Or we might not! Sometimes you never find out every single piece of information and that's okay!

eisfuura: who is your favorite npc

A kiiiisssssss?

I wasn’t sure if I wanted to do this years down the line or if I wanted to do it when they were young, let’s see where my hands go!

—

“Hey Eskel.”

Eskel rolled over in his bed to look at who spoke. “Geralt?” He asked. “You should be resting.”

“Vesemir said I’m alright to come back to sleep with the other boys, as long as I take it easy,” Geralt explained. “You want to go hang out at one of the towers?”

“It’s late,” Eskel said, chuckling lightly. “If we get caught, then-“

“Come on,” Geralt interrupted. “Don’t you trust my doubly enhanced senses to alert us?”

“Vesemir said your senses didn’t change. Shut up.”

Geralt snickered. “So are we going?”

Eskel shook his head with a sigh. “Alright.”

“Come on, Eskel,” Geralt insisted. “Pretty sure I saw someone in the main hall, we have to go quick!”

Eskel paused, panting for breath. “I’m-“ he waved his free hand, the other against the wall of the stairwell. “Geralt, I’m tired.” Despite his exhaustion, he really was glad to see Geralt so active and adventurous. He’d been worried about his recovery after the extra mutations— but the way he grinned and jumped around, getting into trouble and causing general mischief, Eskel knew he’d be alright.

“Just a little further,” Geralt said, glancing over his shoulder and grinning at Eskel.

Eskel felt his chest squeeze tight with emotion as he pushed himself off the wall, jogging after him up the stairs. Yeah— he was happy Geralt was okay.

“You made it,” Geralt applauded lightly, tugging Eskel into the larger room by a hand. Eskel followed the tugging, collapsing onto the first chair he got to, panting lightly for air. “You out of shape, Eskel?”

“Shaddup,” Eskel replied. Geralt was sparkling with energy, pent up from days of rest— Eskel was more than happy to see him so vivacious. If only he wasn’t so exhausted from worrying about him, he could share in the energy. He closed his eyes, tilting his head back against the chair.

“I feel so lucky to be alive,” Geralt says. “But I’m so full of energy now, from sitting for a week straight. I thought I’d be tired, but...”

Eskel jolted awake, eyes flinging open when hands landed heavy onto his thighs. Geralt’s face was right up near his, grinning like crazy, eyes bright. “Wha-“

“I could run for hours!” Geralt laughed, closing his eyes.

Heat crept up Eskel’s neck and spread through his chest, nerves coiling in his gut as he felt the overwhelming urge to lean in close, to kiss him— that a connection might spread some of Geralt’s light into him. He didn’t fight the urge as his hand moved into his hair— stark white, illuminated by the faint light of the moon.

Geralt opened his eyes, and shock replaced his gleeful expression. “Eskel... your heart is racing.”

“I missed you,” Eskel whispered, tracing his thumb over the back of his neck. Geralt’s cheeks turned a light pink, and his eyes flicked down to Eskel’s mouth where it was inches from his. When they met Eskel’s once again, his pupils had turned large and round, his eyebrows lifting slightly.

“I...” Geralt started to speak, but, as if compelled, the distance between them closed, and their lips touched.

The fingers on Eskel’s thighs curled, though the sensation was secondary to the emotion sweeping through his chest, searing heat and a growing feeling of rightness— this felt like it was meant to be. But they were young, could it really be that simple?

Eskel tilted his head a little and the angle was better, his hand on Geralt’s neck shifting to cup his jaw, draw him closer-

“Hey!”

Eskel separated abruptly from Geralt, damp air between them as the voice rang through the tower room. Geralt was still looking at him, warm air running over Eskel’s chin as his breathing picked up.

“You’re supposed to be asleep. Go back to your dormitory, both of you!”

Eskel’s hand tightened on Geralt’s jaw the same time Geralt’s fingers tightened on Eskel’s breeches.

“Another time,” Geralt whispered softly, the promise tingling over Eskel’s lips. Then he stepped back, looking over to their intruder. “Sorry Rennes,” Geralt said. “I got a little excited to be up and moving. Eskel didn’t even want to come, right?”

Despite the truth in Geralt’s words, he was starting to feel more and more like this was where he wanted to be.

—

Thank you!! Good choice, I love talking about Eskel 

How I feel about this character: *vibrating uncontrollably* I like him a normal amount

All the people I ship romantically with this character: Geralt, Jaskier, Geralt AND Jaskier, Lambert, does the succubus count?

My non-romantic OTP for this character: also Geralt

My unpopular opinion about this character: I don’t think I have one? I pretty much agree with everything I’ve seen people say about him. 

One thing I wish would happen/had happened with this character in canon: I would like more of him :((((

my OTP: Geralt x Eskel. They have so much history and are the only ones who really understand what each other went through (as much as anyone can understand what Geralt went through) because they were there together.

my cross over ship: I don't really do crossovers.

a headcanon fact: Geralt and Eskel alone are perfectly competent in (most) things, but when you put them together they are an absolute nightmare. Example from just this morning: their potions are atrocious, they get the job done, but they are harder to swallow than most. One day when Lambert calls them on how awful they are (Aiden's potions don't taste like they're dissolving you insides) they respond with 'oh yeah, we could do that if we measured the ingredients and paid attention to the time'. See also: they were absolute monsters when they were young. ALSO, because I can’t resist: at some point Eskel just starts collecting stray animals (mostly goats) and winds up with Scorpion, Lil’ Bleater and a horde of animals that follow him to Kaer Morhen every winter (Geralt is 100% an enabler and if he finds hurt/abandoned goats, he will bring them to the keep for Eskel)

hmm, I think I will ask some mexicans I know irl, maybe it’s a regional thing as well?