Stark of the Fae Folk

When Catarina isn't home. Tell me I'm wrong.

I finished my rewatch/relisten of the Vox Machina campaign in mid-December (although I recently re-embarked on the second half of the Chroma Conclave arc hoping season 3 of TLVOM will be announced (released?? 🤞) by the time I reach "A Bard's Lament"). Predictably, I bawled, AGAIN, but by then I'd already been scribbling and sketching ideas for this for... a couple of weeks? Hence the little WIP preview last month.

I'll never shut up about this moment. It's just as beautiful as it's heartbreaking, in- and off-game, especially taking into account all the context of characters/people involved.

Also, bonus, because after I finished sketching that 6th frame I thought a hug was needed.

For those of you who don’t know, Matt and Liam and Taliesin have both spoken frankly about depression, and Ashley and Travis and Matt have all shared about being/having ADHD, and Matt has also spoken about Body Dysmorphia and growing up with a stutter, among other things. Dani Carr also has mentioned chronic pain, and Liam has hyperacoustis he mentions on occasion (and also one ear that has a different range of hearing) and Taliesin has TMJ and essential tremor:

Ashton’s pain comes from Taliesin’s experience.

Imogen’s overwhelm comes from Laura’s own processing of sound.

Matt could describe painful spells so well because he knows what it’s like.

Liam’s Quest feels so powerful because it explores real experienced hopelessness in the face of depression.

And obviously not everything has been explained—I’d never want to assume a person has PTSD or body issues or anything else based on character, because at the end of the day well researched and realistic depictions are important no matter who they come from and critical role does that better than anything else I’ve ever seen—we know different characters show different elements of their players. And it’s so refreshing and empowering to see disability included as one of those features, without shame or any attempt to be kept hidden.

Thank you, cast of critical role.