"Fun" fact: Matt has said that approximately 2/3 of the population of Emon died in the initial attack, around 70,000 people. The ice blast is great, like, you explode from the sheer impact of the high speed ice, and whatever is left is flash frozen. Absolutely brutal. I love Vorugal's design so much, sort of a rhino crossed with a bulldog.
God, it was such a banger in the game. "So you listened to the king's address, and now watch as I take out three huge dragon figurines that you can't even break through."
Turns out, a bear gets less and less useful in combat at the players level up to bigger challenges. And it's really hard to transport a bear over large distances, or through tight spaces.
The only thing I would be missing from this reaction is the sphynx's most devastating diss to Scanlan : "No one cares about you, I am no different".... OOOOOF
As a Myth nerd Sphynx are found in both Greek and Egyptian myth but look vastly different Ossesa is based in Greek style while her mate is heavily Egyptian.
Spoilers I mean, it’s a weird moment they focus on and the pieces are there for people to notice. He is the first to actually catch on so well that I’ve seen, but on the other end so many just completely don’t even question it.
I think a lot of people who had seen the campaign beforehand would immediately catch on and think “LARKIN WATCH,” but for someone without that knowledge to see a small thing out of the ordinary and come to the right conclusion within a minute, I’m very impressed.
Man, I'm really enjoying your reactions to this series so much. I love how deep you get into it. I can't wait for you to see the rest of this wild ass journey.
Like the lights and look of the setup. Mic is fine. My only suggestion is to get a foam cover as your plosives come through more than you’d probably like. Not a biggie. Dragon in the first season was a young adult Blue Dragon. The rest of the conclave are ancient White (ice), Black (acid), Green (poison), and Red (fire) dragons. I love how each of the dragons are unique in design and how they move and even sit. The moment when Grog attacked and confidently rolled a 19, and Mercer said, “it doesn’t hit.” was an epic moment as the whole table realizes that this was not the time to fight. When the design team pitched the idea of Thordak’s side vents, Matt said his reaction was a resounding, “Hell yes!” Buckle up. It’s quite a season. Can’t wait to watch it with you. Earth breaker Groon is a Level 20 Monk and priest of the Storm Lord.
This video showed up on my recommended but you know I can't start with the s2 reaction. So I've just binged all of your LOVM reactions and now I'm caught up. Love hearing your thoughts and interpretations. Like I've seen other comments mention, your intuition and/or skill to pick up small details that are really important amazes me. It's easy to miss but everytime you point something out I'm sitting here like "HELL YES!". Thank you for the wonderful reactions and I'm glad you are enjoying this! Looking forward to see the rest 😄
4:26- I know they answer this later, but yes he was a member of the Conclave. If you remember, he had a rug with each of the chromatic dragon colors so that was intended as a hint/tease towards the Conclave
Yes, the holes in the wings will hamper the flight: specifically, they will slow the dragon down. However, it will be a neglectable difference, given the size of the wings *AND* the proportional size of the wings compared to the holes.
If you go back to episode 2 of season 1, they notice a carpet in General Krieg's basement with 5 dragon heads: blue, red, white, black and green. Krieg was secretly the blue dragon. Here come the other four. And remember, in his lair cave, Keyleth found a small stone wall with 4 embedded orbs in it, one of which turned into a green dragon's eye, said "intrudersss..." and the wall crumbled. In this episode, the green dragon looks at Keyleth and says "I know you." For each season, the first and last episodes don't have intros.
19:30 I agree, isolationism isn't, in genral, a great philosophy. That being said, Highbearer Vord does have a point in at least one regard: Vasselheim would probably be ok if the dragons attacked them like they did Emon. They'd lose people, sure, but it would still be standing after the fact. Vasselheim is the oldest city in this world. It survived the Calamity. A 200+ year period where _the gods themselves_ were waging war against each other, on the face of Exandria. They have the power of every major Prime Diety behind them. Not to mention a huge number of clerics, paladins and monks.
21:15 -ish : On the point of how talented these guys are.... what's actually happening atm in the ongoing campaign is INSANE prove for talent. Also - that dude in the gunpowder store - yeah, not dead. He's even better in the campaign.
Fun fact that i don't believe they ever touch on in the animated series. The first dragon they fought, compared to the ones that showed up, was MUCH younger than the others. For dragons age = power
Egyptian mythology The sphinx is a benevolent guardian of the pyramids and a symbol of the pharaoh's power Greek mythology The sphinx is a treacherous monster that eats humans who fail to answer its riddle. The sphinx is often depicted with the body of a lion, the head of a woman, and the wings of a bird. The sphinx has appeared in many Asian cultures, including India, Sri Lanka, Burma, and Thailand, commonly shown as guardians of different things depending on the area of asia, like protectors of the north or of royalty, or something else and mostly depicted as female in asia lore, The sphinx became known in Asia through Egyptian influence, but its meaning there is uncertain. The oldest sphinx statue ever found was in modern-day Turkey and dates to around 9,500 BCE In dnd they are magical, immortal, and intelligent creatures that guard the secrets and treasures of the gods: Appearance Sphinxes have the head of a human, the body of a lion, and the wings of an eagle. They are muscular and have forepaws strong enough to tear a humanoid in half. Abilities Sphinxes can roar three times per day, with each roar getting louder and having different effects. Creatures within 500 feet of the sphinx that can hear the roar must make a saving throw. Types There are two types of sphinxes: androsphinxes and gynosphinxes. Androsphinxes are 12th level clerics that usually prepare Wisdom-based spells. Gynosphinxes are 9th level wizards that usually prepare Intelligence-based spells In pathfinder- Neautal alignment, Sphinxes are the divinely-appointed guardians of Osirion. They are said to have created the first living monoliths, and knowledge of their language is necessary to become a living monolith. they are known for their love of knowledge and are found in the desserts.
Not really a spoiler but the Black Powder Merchant at the end of Ep. 2 is named Vincent. And he did not, in fact, die in that particular explosion. He is also voiced by Matt Mercer. In the original campaign every time they met him he had a few less fingers.
iirc Sphynxes differ from egyptian to greek mythology. In greek mythology the Sphynx or Phyx was daughter to the beast Typhon and Echidna and thus sister to Hydra, Chimera, Cerberus and Orthos. Then there is this thing in Oedipus where the sphynx blocked the way to Thebes and whoever wanted to pass, had to solve her riddle or be devoured - whereas the egyptian sphynx "only" resembles different sovereigns and stand for those rulers and their might.
The flirting between Zahra and Vex has arguably been toned down a little from the campaign, in which Zahra used her tail to smack Vex across the ass on at least one occasion.
you want sphinx lore? I got sphinx lore! so, there are two mythological variants of sphinx - the greek variant, sometimes called a gynosphinx, which is a body of a lion, wings of a bird and head of a woman visually, generally treacherous and hungry, most prominently featured in the story of Oidipus, they're the ones giving deadly riddles;; in the egyptian tradition, they're masculine, thus sometimes referred to as androsphinxes, and they're often connected to the pharaohs. they're more about the wisdom and advice and reverence. in DnD, you can find them both, with sort of inverted personalities. Gynosphinxes are said to be intellectual, looking to knowledge and wisdom and staying out of conflicts; Androsphinxes are more volatile in immediate conflict, but overall leaning towards kindness and conflict-neutrality
im glad ur back and u holding ur new mic looks aesthetic but if u dont like it dont feel like u have to do it, everything looks nice, and as a bi, i love the bisexual lighting
And now on to S2E2, where things start moving in plotwards directions: - Vassalheim, as was explained in part of the previous episode that was trimmed out of the TH-cam edit, is a city of temples devoted to every member of the Exandrian pantheon, and home to the largest concentration of military might on the continent (second only to Emon, at least before Brimscythe dismantled their army while posing as General Krieg -- this operation was in the works for a while). - Even though Trinket is a Very Good Boy, he _is_ still a _bear._ Letting him wander around a crowded city is just _asking_ for trouble. - Geographical isolation is an asset when it comes to siege defense -- the farther an attacking force has to travel to reach its target, the less resources they'll have to devote to the attack, and the longer it'll take for resupply convoys and reinforcements to arrive. Vassalheim is a _highly_ defensible location, but unfortunately, that's with _ground troops_ in mind -- Umbrasyl could reduce the city to slag on a flyby without even giving its defenders a second glance. - Both of these episodes' edits glossed over the initial glimpses of a major character, but as she'll be taking the stage in Episodes 3 and 4, I'll hold off on introducing her for now. Just let it be known that, right from the start of the season, Vax has been seeing an ominous, masked woman wreathed in ebony feathers and surrounded by ravens. - Craven Edge likely _did_ talk to Sylas, but it's not like he needed _convincing_ to slake either his _blade's_ thirst or his _own._ - The Slayer's Take was more prominent in the game, as the party did some work for them prior to the events that kicked off the series. - Earthbreaker Gruun, voiced by Ike Amadi, is a Monk -- Way of the Open Fist, I'm sure -- and a Dawn Marshal of the Storm Lord, the pantheon's war god. Basically, the _last_ person you want to fight 1v1. (The only thing _worse_ is trying to fight a Way of the Kidney Punch Monk -- hat-tip to Heartleaf Games for creating _that_ PvP nightmare class.) - Correct again: *Osysa,* patron of the Slayer's Take, is a gynosphinx, and one of the oldest living things on the entire world of Exandria -- the conflict you hear her speak of, the war between the gods, was something she was there to witness firsthand. (She's mated to an androsphinx, you'll meet him later.) - How sweet that you think Ripley would be willing to work with Vox Machina. She signed on with the _Briarwoods,_ remember, because they were willing to pay for her services -- and now there's a _new_ batch of patrons in town, sitting on a literal _hoard_ of resources that she could use, and who might have an opening for a capable agent on a per-diem basis if the offer is right. - Looking forward to next week's episodes, and Episode 3 in particular -- nominated for an Annie Award, if memory serves. You'll see _why._
One of the coolest moments of the Dragon’s raid into Emon was Grog trying to attack them: Travis: “I attack, I rolled a 19” Matt: “19 fails” Table: freaks out Travis: “did you all listened?, 19 fails”
Alright, I've got a bowl of hot chicken, a drink, and a freshly-laundered blanket -- I'm ready for some cozy reacting to my cozy reactor! Season 2, let's go: - The designs of the Chroma Conclave do not disappoint, for sure. You saw *Brimscythe the Iron Storm* in Season 1 -- _these_ four are _bigger._ Ancient Dragons are BBEG material, and this group has _three_ of 'em! - The opening massacre at the palace shows off several of the Conclave members, its trio of Ancient Dragons: *Raishan, the Diseased Deceiver,* the poisonous Green Dragon (VA: Cree Summer); *Umbrasyl, the Hope Devourer,* the acidic Black Dragon (VA: Matt Mercer); and *Vorugal, the Frigid Doom,* the icy White Dragon (VA: Liam O'Brien). Any _one_ of them could've destroyed Emon -- with all of them on the warpath at once, they could destroy all of Tal'Dorei. - The moment in the game when Grog charged at Raishan went something like this: Travis declared his intent to Rage and attack, rolled somewhere north of 20 (I think it was 22, factoring in the bonuses), DM Mercer said "Miss!", and the entire table suddenly realized that if their heaviest hitter couldn't even _scratch_ this dragon, *_this was not a fight they could win._* - Adding to the danger, on top of their insane Armor Class, each of the Conclave's members possesses innate magical abilities. In Raishan's case, for example, she's able to Dispel magical attacks or effects -- bad news for a party that relies on casters to back up its front line. - The Chroma Conclave's membership is mostly Ancient Dragons, but its leader is... _something _*_beyond that._* Witness the overwhelming power of *Thordak, the Cinder King* -- enough raw firepower to erase an entire _mountain,_ and without so much as a _scratch_ to show for it. (He's voiced by the late, great Lance Reddick, in what may well be his final role -- he passed away after Season 2, but they had him in the studio long enough to record all of his lines for Season 3 before he passed, so his inimitable voice will carry on in his stead.) - The scene of them saving Gilmore could've gone _very_ differently. In the game, they only returned to the store after the initial attack, in hopes of scavenging supplies that the looters had missed -- they found Gilmore trapped in the cellar, injured and nearly dead, and were able to stabilize him in time. If they'd passed on returning, he likely would've died. - The items they gathered are all identifiable magic items, if you're familiar with the tables in the Core Rulebooks. - There _is_ something extremely important about that green-eyed kid. And you correctly remembered that some dragons can shapeshift. I'll leave it at that, if only because you already called it. - Most cities big enough to be important do have a means of instant transportation -- usually a permanent teleportation circle, but it's not unusual for a prominent square in the city to have a large tree at its center. (Of course, when it comes to teleportation spells, they don't _always_ send you where you _expect_ them to.) - Correct: Umbrasyl _is_ the first boss, or at least the first BBEG out of the BBEG Squad. This is gonna be a _marathon,_ and there's a lot of powering-up the team needs to do first.
Just wanted to politely correct the AC. Travis (Grog) used Rage, Frenzy Rage and Great Weapon Master and on his first roll got a 19. "Nineteen misses" was Matt's reply. Travis had such an endearing surprised pikachu face reaction and Sam (Scanlan) replied "19 misses?", to which the rest of the party woke up. Grog's second attack was a 22. "Twenty-Two barely hits" was Matt's response. Meaning 22 was Raishan's AC. This was when they realised, they were in deep trouble.
@KikiSohma That 22 being the impact that shattered his axe. Thanks for the corrections, I probably should've double-checked before starting the episode.
@@Nitrinoxus I think the 19 probably shattered the axe in the Legend to be fair 😂. Didn't have a chance to attack a second time with his favourite head chopper 🥲. No worries, I just love Travis's surprised face at "19 misses" 😂, so it lives rent free in my brain.
@KikiSohma I think I got thrown off because I remembered the 22 roll, but couldn't remember the 19. Numbers have a bad habit of getting mixed up in my memory.
7:44 I haven’t really heard anyone talk about the parallel here with 1x11: Keyleth jumping in front of Vex to shield her from Delilah’s magic vs Percy pushing Vax out of the path of Umbrasyl’s acid. Of course the whole group cares about each other and are protective of each other, but they (and we as an audience) all know how close the twins are and how it would affect each if something happened to the other. I just think it’s interesting that Keyleth and Percy saved Vex and Vax, respectively. It’s almost as if they’re each protecting the opposite twin as well. That couldn’t mean anything, right? ;)
u sure cut out alot of the episode in favor of pause talking, i get edit for copyright but i prefer seeing ur real time reaction to certain moments over extended chats about overall plot, most ppl save that for the end
"Maybe we got something something better... inspiration." Yep, your RP that session was so good, your DM gave you an extra D20 to roll on any Attack, Ability Check, or Saving Throw you choose next session! Make sure you use it at the right time... 🫣
"Fun" fact: Matt has said that approximately 2/3 of the population of Emon died in the initial attack, around 70,000 people.
The ice blast is great, like, you explode from the sheer impact of the high speed ice, and whatever is left is flash frozen. Absolutely brutal.
I love Vorugal's design so much, sort of a rhino crossed with a bulldog.
it might not even be the impact but instead all the water in the human body expanding as it freezes because water increases in volume as it solidifies
@@drunown9756 That too! FUN!
The destruction of Emon was HUGE for the players as they had literal years of attachment to that city even before the livestream campaign.
Literally devastating actually omg
God, it was such a banger in the game. "So you listened to the king's address, and now watch as I take out three huge dragon figurines that you can't even break through."
4 lol and on top of that he destroyed this amazing city he built in the world lore. So freaking great man.
Yes the bear was a problem and source of comedy in how to deal with Trinket all campaign. Was even a source of tension between Scanlan and Vex.
Turns out, a bear gets less and less useful in combat at the players level up to bigger challenges. And it's really hard to transport a bear over large distances, or through tight spaces.
The only thing I would be missing from this reaction is the sphynx's most devastating diss to Scanlan : "No one cares about you, I am no different".... OOOOOF
As a Myth nerd Sphynx are found in both Greek and Egyptian myth but look vastly different Ossesa is based in Greek style while her mate is heavily Egyptian.
And Persia
That was me that recommended you to Matt! And I can't wait to see your reactions to Season 2! :D
You gotta be kidding me man, you realized something SO impossible to know yet so soon. I swear your intuition stat is a 20
Now im dying to know xD i guess try to remind me when it comes up lol
Holy shite. I saw the comment and was waiting for it and he did not disappoint.
Absolutely, that's a Nat20 on Insight. Very impressive.
Spoilers
I mean, it’s a weird moment they focus on and the pieces are there for people to notice. He is the first to actually catch on so well that I’ve seen, but on the other end so many just completely don’t even question it.
I think a lot of people who had seen the campaign beforehand would immediately catch on and think “LARKIN WATCH,” but for someone without that knowledge to see a small thing out of the ordinary and come to the right conclusion within a minute, I’m very impressed.
okay, a casual druid is maybe my favorite thing. I'm not trying to save the world I'm just here to deliver donuts
18:21 This is the animators not wanting to draw Trinket in every scene. He’s almost constantly with them in the early parts of the campaign.
Man, I'm really enjoying your reactions to this series so much. I love how deep you get into it. I can't wait for you to see the rest of this wild ass journey.
For context, Vasselheim was the only city to survive the Calamity which wiped out most of the population of Exandria.
Like the lights and look of the setup. Mic is fine. My only suggestion is to get a foam cover as your plosives come through more than you’d probably like. Not a biggie.
Dragon in the first season was a young adult Blue Dragon. The rest of the conclave are ancient White (ice), Black (acid), Green (poison), and Red (fire) dragons. I love how each of the dragons are unique in design and how they move and even sit.
The moment when Grog attacked and confidently rolled a 19, and Mercer said, “it doesn’t hit.” was an epic moment as the whole table realizes that this was not the time to fight.
When the design team pitched the idea of Thordak’s side vents, Matt said his reaction was a resounding, “Hell yes!”
Buckle up. It’s quite a season. Can’t wait to watch it with you.
Earth breaker Groon is a Level 20 Monk and priest of the Storm Lord.
Actually Vasselheim has been the last bastion of civilization before, so they know what they're doing.
This video showed up on my recommended but you know I can't start with the s2 reaction. So I've just binged all of your LOVM reactions and now I'm caught up. Love hearing your thoughts and interpretations. Like I've seen other comments mention, your intuition and/or skill to pick up small details that are really important amazes me. It's easy to miss but everytime you point something out I'm sitting here like "HELL YES!".
Thank you for the wonderful reactions and I'm glad you are enjoying this! Looking forward to see the rest 😄
It's so good to hear Lance Reddick one last time.
I'm so excited for your reaction to the next two episodes!
4:26- I know they answer this later, but yes he was a member of the Conclave. If you remember, he had a rug with each of the chromatic dragon colors so that was intended as a hint/tease towards the Conclave
Yes, the holes in the wings will hamper the flight: specifically, they will slow the dragon down.
However, it will be a neglectable difference, given the size of the wings *AND* the proportional size of the wings compared to the holes.
If you go back to episode 2 of season 1, they notice a carpet in General Krieg's basement with 5 dragon heads: blue, red, white, black and green. Krieg was secretly the blue dragon. Here come the other four.
And remember, in his lair cave, Keyleth found a small stone wall with 4 embedded orbs in it, one of which turned into a green dragon's eye, said "intrudersss..." and the wall crumbled. In this episode, the green dragon looks at Keyleth and says "I know you."
For each season, the first and last episodes don't have intros.
19:30 I agree, isolationism isn't, in genral, a great philosophy. That being said, Highbearer Vord does have a point in at least one regard:
Vasselheim would probably be ok if the dragons attacked them like they did Emon. They'd lose people, sure, but it would still be standing after the fact.
Vasselheim is the oldest city in this world. It survived the Calamity. A 200+ year period where _the gods themselves_ were waging war against each other, on the face of Exandria. They have the power of every major Prime Diety behind them. Not to mention a huge number of clerics, paladins and monks.
21:15 -ish : On the point of how talented these guys are.... what's actually happening atm in the ongoing campaign is INSANE prove for talent.
Also - that dude in the gunpowder store - yeah, not dead. He's even better in the campaign.
6:33 “A nineteen doesn’t hit” demonstrated perfectly.
Nineteen misses?
@ *surprised Pikachu face*
Fun fact that i don't believe they ever touch on in the animated series. The first dragon they fought, compared to the ones that showed up, was MUCH younger than the others. For dragons age = power
Egyptian mythology
The sphinx is a benevolent guardian of the pyramids and a symbol of the pharaoh's power
Greek mythology
The sphinx is a treacherous monster that eats humans who fail to answer its riddle. The sphinx is often depicted with the body of a lion, the head of a woman, and the wings of a bird.
The sphinx has appeared in many Asian cultures, including India, Sri Lanka, Burma, and Thailand, commonly shown as guardians of different things depending on the area of asia, like protectors of the north or of royalty, or something else and mostly depicted as female in asia lore,
The sphinx became known in Asia through Egyptian influence, but its meaning there is uncertain. The oldest sphinx statue ever found was in modern-day Turkey and dates to around 9,500 BCE
In dnd they are magical, immortal, and intelligent creatures that guard the secrets and treasures of the gods:
Appearance
Sphinxes have the head of a human, the body of a lion, and the wings of an eagle. They are muscular and have forepaws strong enough to tear a humanoid in half.
Abilities
Sphinxes can roar three times per day, with each roar getting louder and having different effects. Creatures within 500 feet of the sphinx that can hear the roar must make a saving throw.
Types
There are two types of sphinxes: androsphinxes and gynosphinxes. Androsphinxes are 12th level clerics that usually prepare Wisdom-based spells. Gynosphinxes are 9th level wizards that usually prepare Intelligence-based spells
In pathfinder- Neautal alignment, Sphinxes are the divinely-appointed guardians of Osirion. They are said to have created the first living monoliths, and knowledge of their language is necessary to become a living monolith. they are known for their love of knowledge and are found in the desserts.
I get you; I can't sit still, either!
Kash, the guy with the light spear is Ron Stoppable from Kim Possible
oooo baby we are back for more!!! thank you for these videos I love your energy and reaction stylee 🙏 yap away, king. we here for it
Not really a spoiler but the Black Powder Merchant at the end of Ep. 2 is named Vincent. And he did not, in fact, die in that particular explosion.
He is also voiced by Matt Mercer. In the original campaign every time they met him he had a few less fingers.
He's named Victor
They did a fantastic job adapting proper D&D chromatic dragons.
This reaction was SICK. 😆
Now its time to get some serious gear
YESSSS SEASON 2 LETS GO
iirc Sphynxes differ from egyptian to greek mythology. In greek mythology the Sphynx or Phyx was daughter to the beast Typhon and Echidna and thus sister to Hydra, Chimera, Cerberus and Orthos.
Then there is this thing in Oedipus where the sphynx blocked the way to Thebes and whoever wanted to pass, had to solve her riddle or be devoured - whereas the egyptian sphynx "only" resembles different sovereigns and stand for those rulers and their might.
The flirting between Zahra and Vex has arguably been toned down a little from the campaign, in which Zahra used her tail to smack Vex across the ass on at least one occasion.
you want sphinx lore? I got sphinx lore!
so, there are two mythological variants of sphinx - the greek variant, sometimes called a gynosphinx, which is a body of a lion, wings of a bird and head of a woman visually, generally treacherous and hungry, most prominently featured in the story of Oidipus, they're the ones giving deadly riddles;; in the egyptian tradition, they're masculine, thus sometimes referred to as androsphinxes, and they're often connected to the pharaohs. they're more about the wisdom and advice and reverence.
in DnD, you can find them both, with sort of inverted personalities. Gynosphinxes are said to be intellectual, looking to knowledge and wisdom and staying out of conflicts; Androsphinxes are more volatile in immediate conflict, but overall leaning towards kindness and conflict-neutrality
21:56 It’s Eric from Boy Meets World! 😂
im glad ur back and u holding ur new mic looks aesthetic but if u dont like it dont feel like u have to do it, everything looks nice, and as a bi, i love the bisexual lighting
Season 2, time to level up for our crew
LETS GO!!!
In my dnd I play a black dragon it's the acid dragon
Nice light
❤
And now on to S2E2, where things start moving in plotwards directions:
- Vassalheim, as was explained in part of the previous episode that was trimmed out of the TH-cam edit, is a city of temples devoted to every member of the Exandrian pantheon, and home to the largest concentration of military might on the continent (second only to Emon, at least before Brimscythe dismantled their army while posing as General Krieg -- this operation was in the works for a while).
- Even though Trinket is a Very Good Boy, he _is_ still a _bear._ Letting him wander around a crowded city is just _asking_ for trouble.
- Geographical isolation is an asset when it comes to siege defense -- the farther an attacking force has to travel to reach its target, the less resources they'll have to devote to the attack, and the longer it'll take for resupply convoys and reinforcements to arrive. Vassalheim is a _highly_ defensible location, but unfortunately, that's with _ground troops_ in mind -- Umbrasyl could reduce the city to slag on a flyby without even giving its defenders a second glance.
- Both of these episodes' edits glossed over the initial glimpses of a major character, but as she'll be taking the stage in Episodes 3 and 4, I'll hold off on introducing her for now. Just let it be known that, right from the start of the season, Vax has been seeing an ominous, masked woman wreathed in ebony feathers and surrounded by ravens.
- Craven Edge likely _did_ talk to Sylas, but it's not like he needed _convincing_ to slake either his _blade's_ thirst or his _own._
- The Slayer's Take was more prominent in the game, as the party did some work for them prior to the events that kicked off the series.
- Earthbreaker Gruun, voiced by Ike Amadi, is a Monk -- Way of the Open Fist, I'm sure -- and a Dawn Marshal of the Storm Lord, the pantheon's war god. Basically, the _last_ person you want to fight 1v1. (The only thing _worse_ is trying to fight a Way of the Kidney Punch Monk -- hat-tip to Heartleaf Games for creating _that_ PvP nightmare class.)
- Correct again: *Osysa,* patron of the Slayer's Take, is a gynosphinx, and one of the oldest living things on the entire world of Exandria -- the conflict you hear her speak of, the war between the gods, was something she was there to witness firsthand. (She's mated to an androsphinx, you'll meet him later.)
- How sweet that you think Ripley would be willing to work with Vox Machina. She signed on with the _Briarwoods,_ remember, because they were willing to pay for her services -- and now there's a _new_ batch of patrons in town, sitting on a literal _hoard_ of resources that she could use, and who might have an opening for a capable agent on a per-diem basis if the offer is right.
- Looking forward to next week's episodes, and Episode 3 in particular -- nominated for an Annie Award, if memory serves. You'll see _why._
One of the coolest moments of the Dragon’s raid into Emon was Grog trying to attack them:
Travis: “I attack, I rolled a 19”
Matt: “19 fails”
Table: freaks out
Travis: “did you all listened?, 19 fails”
Nineteen misses?
Alright, I've got a bowl of hot chicken, a drink, and a freshly-laundered blanket -- I'm ready for some cozy reacting to my cozy reactor! Season 2, let's go:
- The designs of the Chroma Conclave do not disappoint, for sure. You saw *Brimscythe the Iron Storm* in Season 1 -- _these_ four are _bigger._ Ancient Dragons are BBEG material, and this group has _three_ of 'em!
- The opening massacre at the palace shows off several of the Conclave members, its trio of Ancient Dragons: *Raishan, the Diseased Deceiver,* the poisonous Green Dragon (VA: Cree Summer); *Umbrasyl, the Hope Devourer,* the acidic Black Dragon (VA: Matt Mercer); and *Vorugal, the Frigid Doom,* the icy White Dragon (VA: Liam O'Brien). Any _one_ of them could've destroyed Emon -- with all of them on the warpath at once, they could destroy all of Tal'Dorei.
- The moment in the game when Grog charged at Raishan went something like this: Travis declared his intent to Rage and attack, rolled somewhere north of 20 (I think it was 22, factoring in the bonuses), DM Mercer said "Miss!", and the entire table suddenly realized that if their heaviest hitter couldn't even _scratch_ this dragon, *_this was not a fight they could win._*
- Adding to the danger, on top of their insane Armor Class, each of the Conclave's members possesses innate magical abilities. In Raishan's case, for example, she's able to Dispel magical attacks or effects -- bad news for a party that relies on casters to back up its front line.
- The Chroma Conclave's membership is mostly Ancient Dragons, but its leader is... _something _*_beyond that._* Witness the overwhelming power of *Thordak, the Cinder King* -- enough raw firepower to erase an entire _mountain,_ and without so much as a _scratch_ to show for it. (He's voiced by the late, great Lance Reddick, in what may well be his final role -- he passed away after Season 2, but they had him in the studio long enough to record all of his lines for Season 3 before he passed, so his inimitable voice will carry on in his stead.)
- The scene of them saving Gilmore could've gone _very_ differently. In the game, they only returned to the store after the initial attack, in hopes of scavenging supplies that the looters had missed -- they found Gilmore trapped in the cellar, injured and nearly dead, and were able to stabilize him in time. If they'd passed on returning, he likely would've died.
- The items they gathered are all identifiable magic items, if you're familiar with the tables in the Core Rulebooks.
- There _is_ something extremely important about that green-eyed kid. And you correctly remembered that some dragons can shapeshift. I'll leave it at that, if only because you already called it.
- Most cities big enough to be important do have a means of instant transportation -- usually a permanent teleportation circle, but it's not unusual for a prominent square in the city to have a large tree at its center. (Of course, when it comes to teleportation spells, they don't _always_ send you where you _expect_ them to.)
- Correct: Umbrasyl _is_ the first boss, or at least the first BBEG out of the BBEG Squad. This is gonna be a _marathon,_ and there's a lot of powering-up the team needs to do first.
Just wanted to politely correct the AC.
Travis (Grog) used Rage, Frenzy Rage and Great Weapon Master and on his first roll got a 19. "Nineteen misses" was Matt's reply. Travis had such an endearing surprised pikachu face reaction and Sam (Scanlan) replied "19 misses?", to which the rest of the party woke up. Grog's second attack was a 22. "Twenty-Two barely hits" was Matt's response. Meaning 22 was Raishan's AC. This was when they realised, they were in deep trouble.
@KikiSohma That 22 being the impact that shattered his axe. Thanks for the corrections, I probably should've double-checked before starting the episode.
@@Nitrinoxus I think the 19 probably shattered the axe in the Legend to be fair 😂. Didn't have a chance to attack a second time with his favourite head chopper 🥲.
No worries, I just love Travis's surprised face at "19 misses" 😂, so it lives rent free in my brain.
@KikiSohma I think I got thrown off because I remembered the 22 roll, but couldn't remember the 19. Numbers have a bad habit of getting mixed up in my memory.
@@Nitrinoxus That is alright. If it wasn't for the fact it lives rent free in my brain, I totally would have forgotten these numbers too 🙃
Too many bullseye guesses on so many near impossible hint. I almost certain of a pre-watch.
I'm sorry but I do NOT like the new mic
edit: I should be more specific. It has somewhat of an ASMR-like effect that I just can't stand
7:44 I haven’t really heard anyone talk about the parallel here with 1x11: Keyleth jumping in front of Vex to shield her from Delilah’s magic vs Percy pushing Vax out of the path of Umbrasyl’s acid. Of course the whole group cares about each other and are protective of each other, but they (and we as an audience) all know how close the twins are and how it would affect each if something happened to the other. I just think it’s interesting that Keyleth and Percy saved Vex and Vax, respectively. It’s almost as if they’re each protecting the opposite twin as well. That couldn’t mean anything, right? ;)
u sure cut out alot of the episode in favor of pause talking, i get edit for copyright but i prefer seeing ur real time reaction to certain moments over extended chats about overall plot, most ppl save that for the end
Stupid question, if you have a minute
sigma
"Maybe we got something something better... inspiration."
Yep, your RP that session was so good, your DM gave you an extra D20 to roll on any Attack, Ability Check, or Saving Throw you choose next session!
Make sure you use it at the right time... 🫣