It's up. It's.
Up. It's up.
Cheers. Cheers.
They've been doing this for hours.
Yeah. Like, I haven't even been here
for that long, but they've been doing this for.
Hours. Yeah, just so the audience
knows, Kat and Noel decided to have like a champagne toast to
celebrate the end of the episode without us, even though we're
recording tomorrow and we're all going to see each other.
At that time, they just wanted to flaunt their obvious wealth
for the peasants, Juniper and me.
All right, hello, everybody, and welcome to our Q&A live stream,
the last Q&A live stream of Dames and Dragons.
Yay. Yeah, it's wild.
It's crazy stuff. I am Cat.
I am no longer your DM. I'm just some guy.
That's crazy. That's a harsh start.
I don't know how to interact with you without the hierarchy.
Yeah, it's tough for me. I'm still in charge.
Am I supposed to bully? You.
No, I'm still in charge. OK, that makes sense.
That makes sense. Hi.
I'm Noelle. And I'm also just some guy.
I don't play Fran and she's not a Janossi wizard.
Well, she. Changed her, her species and.
She is somewhere, I guess. OK, I'm Juniper.
I'm not some guy. Whoa.
I'm I'm Juniper and. Hey, that's self-confidence.
That's cool. That's awesome.
And I play. That's awesome.
Shut up. I played you're Kate.
Hey, actually, I have such bad. Your energy is is atrocious.
It is vile. It's because.
No LS sitting next to each other.
Yeah, I know. Shouldn't have all that fucking
champagne. We've got in the same you guys
have energy and you guys have have live stream, you know in
different rooms we. Have like in our house like just
trying to live I have. You guys have to wake up in the
morning and record energy. You guys have like rich couple
that runs a small business on vacation streaming, Yeah, coming
in to stream for their like poorly underpaid like employee.
We, we own it Airbnb and we just spend every time like just
insulting the people who come to stay.
For Airbnb, we run a podcast where we insult the people who
stayed at our Airbnb. Oh, you talk shit about them?
Yeah, I was going. To Airbnb that did that though.
Like I would go there. So I'll be as a fictional
podcast premise like that would be really good it.
Would be really good. That's really.
Good. Anyway, where are you?
Anyways, I play, I played Corbin and no longer he's been, he's
been cut loose, he's floating away.
Powerful stuff. Hi, I'm Errol.
You know me. He, he, he.
I played Slake and as I previously stated, will never do
so again. Not even under duress.
Not even if the very earth should split and the heavens
should fall from their foundations.
And we're going to Q some AS baby.
We're going to Q some ASQASI feel like if we do a bonus
episode or something in the same world with the same characters I
think. Wait, me and Juniper will be
playing Fan and Corbin? Yeah, I won't.
But I'm saying what I'm saying. Is.
Errol Errol will be playing Blake.
Yeah. It's like.
He'll never be addressed. I have a deep cut.
Errol could play Shaw. Remember Shaw, do you remember?
Shaw, we remember Shaw. That's right.
Special. Boy.
I brought Arrow in as a as a one time guest to play this fun
little character I came up with and and here we are.
And later I refuse to leave. We refuse to let you.
The secret truth is that you actually murdered Sophia to take
her. Yeah.
Well, I mean, you know, I just, it just seemed like a really
good opportunity for me. Right.
And that's important, and that's the most important thing.
OK, let's cue some A's. My first one is how did it feel
to finally defeat Torva? That's a great question.
I want to know. I mean it felt great for me
because Corbin got to strike the the death blow so I felt like AI
felt like a main character for a little while.
That's cool as opposed to normally.
You are a man's name character. No, I know, but you know what I
mean? Like, I felt like, I felt like a
chosen one. I was like, oh, you felt like
the pro tag? Yeah, I felt like the pro tag.
I was like, yeah, that was fun. I feel like it was like many
things in real life where you build something up and it's like
very scary, you know? And then you get older and you
change as a person and then you look at the thing that used to
be like a huge deal and very intimidating and you're like,
whatever, fuck you. I'm going to, I'm going to put
an icicle in your butt. You know, like.
Yeah. That is absolutely.
Some of the Thunder of the fight was taken out by the multiple
ice Spears that Prince that Prince threw directly at Torva's
ass. I had the hee hee ha ha during
this fight OK, and I realized that I didn't treat it with
extreme gravity, but it did have extreme gravity and I only
realized that once he was dead. Obviously, I mean, you did a
great job with the editing. Who did the editing on that one?
Is that Juju Juniper? No.
Or was that you, Noel? Because everybody was mad at me
because I missed editing. Yeah.
It was me. It was me and.
I think you were right. Because that was the one that
was like, it was like half crazy and half me because we recorded
twice. Yeah, yeah.
So I I will say you guys did a really good job editing it.
I think that like I mean, I remember us having the he, he ha
ha, But I don't feel like that overwhelmed.
No, the finished product. Yeah, I will say.
It's in the unedited version. To be clear, it did.
Yeah, we were not. We were talking non-stop about
his asshole. Really fixated on tour of his
asshole like. Some of us.
Were guys might have yeah, true, you guys might have been
listening being like, man, they're talking about his
asshole a lot. But like, just please know you
have no idea. That's so much 115th.
Yeah, I. Put out so much, like I put all
the outtakes about that together into a clump, I feel like.
And it was long, yeah. I will, I will say how I felt at
the end of the Torma fight was like profoundly relieved because
like for me that final battle was eight years in the making of
like I knew from I wouldn't say like the first episode, but but
definitely from the end of the first arc that that was where
everything was leading to. And then I also knew that that
wasn't the end. I was just so glad to be getting
to like this. And it felt like that was the
point at which I was like, OK, now things are wrapping up.
This is like the first checkpoint.
And then it was the chi fight and there was the forces fight.
And like those three fights had been living in my brain for like
7 years. So the specifics of them, like
these specific mechanics, I didn't come up with those until
I don't remember how much time before we recorded.
I I ended up doing a lot of the prep for pretty much the entire
final battle tour of a fight Kai fight.
I end up doing all of that way before we recorded, which I
don't usually do. I usually only do my prep like
the week before. Yeah, I think we kept getting
delayed partially is why. Yeah, we get we got delayed and
then things just kept taking longer than I thought they
would, which is like always what happens in D&D.
But I had really planned out those battles a long time ago.
And thank God, at the time I was playing a lot of Baldur's Gate,
so I had like more fun mechanics than I would have had before I
played Boulders Gate because that game is like, it's not a
perfect primer on how to play DND, but it is a really good for
like, I think like if you're a DM, it is a really good game to
play to like remember like, oh, this is how movement mechanics
make the game more fun because usually we ignored movement.
And then this fight I was like, I'm going to put the platforms
and stuff that they have to move around on.
We have to keep track of movement and that makes it more
fun. It did feel more unique for that
reason too, like I felt like more unique fight which was good
I think. Yeah, yeah.
So it's like, it's really funny how actually utilizing all of
the rules of the game makes it more fun.
Crazy, I know. Absolutely.
That doesn't sound like us. I know.
That doesn't sound like us, I know.
Like maybe you're possessed by someone.
That question is from Flicker B on Tumblr.
So I have another question from our beautiful listeners.
This is from Anonymous on Tumblr and they said what is your
favorite element of character growth for the character you
play? Slash What have they done that
makes you proud of them? Kat, I I assume you can answer
for Mary or another MPC, whatever you think.
Yeah, I think the character growth I'm most proud of is
Dawson. He did not grow.
He did not change. He remained true to himself
right up to the very end. That's beautiful.
Wow. And that made you proud.
And made me so proud, yeah. That's that's, that's
interesting. That's a valuable lesson for all
of us. That says a lot about your
values, Kat. If I'm, if I'm being honest,
that's a very hard question for me to answer because it's, it's
a lot less organic for me than it is I think for you guys.
Because anytime like if I'm like, Mary's going to have this
character growth, I would be like, this is a plot point that
I am planning out weeks or months in advance.
So it's it's a little bit different for me, but I'm proud
of Dawson for never changing and for always remaining true to
himself, which is horrible. Do you know pro?
What about you? Mean of you to call me out like
that, but I guess I can say I liked that.
I think I managed to pull off for Corbin character growth from
the form of like, I think he just generally got more mature
towards the end. Definitely, like I think he was
not so like because I know at the very beginning I played him
kind of like a crybaby I think, and he had no tears, but I think
he got more like emotional. Yeah, I would say he became more
emotionally vulnerable. Yeah, for.
Sure. Which I think was good, and I'm
proud of him because I think he allowed himself to exert more of
his actual intelligence towards the end because he came up with
like the plans and stuff that we did for that.
So I was proud as proud of him for not just being the stupid
little joke boy. I mean, he still was.
But like, you know what? He had multitudes, more so
towards I. Think you did a good job of
balancing that of him still being the stupid little joke boy
but also having deaths. And I think a lot of that
character growth was actually in the arc when Noel was gone, when
it was gone, yeah. Because without Noel being a
straight man I think, I mean not that Corbin became a straight
man by any means. I think Slake did more so than
Corbin, but I think it helped him to find his mojo.
Yeah, mojo is a way better choice of words.
It helps him to find his mojo. Thanks, Cat.
But you know what? I'm glad I said it for the
expression you're making right now.
Wow. Errol, what about you?
I mean, I feel like I've definitely talked about this
before and so I've probably said the same thing, but just, you
know, for me, it's very much like Slake learning to be more
open about expressing anger and, you know, not feeling like they
need to people please. So, you know, I'm proud of them
for when they yell at Fran and Corbin.
I'm like, good job good. Job I was.
Also proud of Slake for that. Yeah, I it was fun listening to.
I've only listened to the beginning of our last epilogue,
but I had fun listening to Slake Tackling Fran into the ocean,
Yes. Yeah, I love that.
I love that. I just listened to the epilogue
and I it did make me a little emotional.
Like I, I didn't, I wouldn't say I cried because I was out in
public at the time, but I did have a little like, oh.
I cry in. Public Noel, you dodged the
question I feel like. I have not dodged the question.
Hey Noel, why are you dodging the?
Question. I haven't.
Why are you dodging the question?
Very funny that you would tell me I was dodging the question
when I was about to be like, hey guys, you didn't let me answer.
So like, I mean, Fran has gone through like a lot of character
development right at the end. I don't know if I could say I'm
proud of. Her I'm proud of your toxic.
Daughter her choices. I do love my toxic daughter and
make her as toxic as possible. I think like right in the last
couple of episodes, I think you did a really good job, Noel, of
like really bringing because that was a really tricky needle
to thread, bringing Fran around from like she did this horrible
thing, but then bringing it around to still being like
sympathetic to her choices. And I think you really did a
good job threading that needle. So I'm proud of you.
Thank. You, thank you.
That's that's very kind. I'm also proud of you and your
acting and your ability to be emotional and vulnerable on the
microphone. We all, we all love you.
No, I'm so proud of you. Thanks.
Guys, I wish I was there to like.
Thank you, guys. Thank you.
I remembered suddenly that I could actually touch you.
Yeah. That you kind of make it worse.
For her, I wish I was there so I could make it worse for her, God
damn it. It's really nice.
I would say a moment that like I liked as a part of Fran's
character development that is didn't happen recently was like
was literally back in like arc 2 and Dan Mar like Fran tried to
leave the party at one point. That's right, yeah.
I like, I remember really liking that part because she's
basically like, I got raised by Torfell, like I should leave.
Yeah, I remember that. And then recently, I think the
part that I liked the most was her writing her fucked up weird.
Letters. Yeah, I loved the letters.
They were so funny. She's trying her best in a very
Fran way. I think one thing that was
interesting for all three of us was like, I think we could have
gone in a very like and then Corbin from then on, he cried
when it was normal and like he got in a healthy relationship.
And Fran, like Fran stayed with her friends and like she never
was. She never was an avoidant
attachment person ever again. And like Slake was like just he
like they just became like a badass who just like yelled at
people all the time. Like we could have, we could
have done this like very obvious changeover.
But I think, I think it was nice when I was listening, No, I was
giving notes for the edit and listening to the epilogue.
I thought that that was something that I thought was
kind of interesting and very nice is that we we had character
development, but they also were like still kind of fucked.
Still kind of fucked. Up.
They're child soldiers, they're always going to be a little
fucked. Up from that, I was very
intentional about that because I get annoyed when that happens in
stories. When it's like.
Characters go through finale and then suddenly they're mentally
healthy and they have no problems.
And everything is fine. Right, that's one of my like pet
peeves first stories, unless it's like, I don't know, like a
really young kids story or something, you know, right.
So I was like. We're not that.
But we're not that. So I was very intentionally
like, no, Corbin is like, still wrong, but he's better.
He's better, but he's still wrong.
All right, let's do another question.
All right, sorry. Let's see.
This question is from Lynx Arongo Schmidt from the Spotify
comments. Is there any story you wanted to
tell that didn't happen? Yeah.
Especially for Cat, but like for you guys too if you had
character things. So I was listening back to my
playlist that I made like way, way back in the early days of
this podcast. And it's really interesting for
me to listen back to it because I'm someone who takes a lot of
inspiration from music. I've posted it on our Discord at
least once or maybe twice. I posted that playlist just as
something I thought would be fun for other people.
I might do this for Patreon. I might do a little annotated
version of that playlist and just like point out like here's
which songs inspire which like arcs and stuff.
Because there's some really specific ones where if you
listen to the song, you'll be like, oh, that's Pavia.
Like the whole plot of the song is Pavia plot.
I like that song. Yeah, it's it's called
Renaissance Spy for Mean. Yeah, it's great.
That's Pavia, but there's one song by the Mountain Goats which
is not. I would not say the Mountain
Goats are my favorite band, but they are on every playlist I
have multiple times so that I think they might actually end up
being my favorite. Band.
I know this about you, Kat. You talk about them constantly.
I know, I know. And I'm like, I'm not that big a
Mountain Goats fan. I haven't seen them in concert
ever. I've seen Saint Motel in concert
five times, but I've never seen the Mountain Goats and I never
talked about Saint Motel. So anyway, Errol, you should
listen to Saint Motel. You'd really like that.
I can listen to Saint Motel and the Mountain.
Yeah, great. Anyway, the song is, oh, I
forget the title of it, but it is a song that I ended up so I
had this whole plot line that ended up sort of being recycled
for horse camp, but I it it was going to be a much more serious
plot line about the Voneer. And like there was a character I
had in mind of this voneer who would have met the party and
sort of been this tragic figure who was dying, but also undead,
but also like trying to still be a good person.
I had this whole idea for it, but it just, it just never ended
up fitting in. It just I, I never found a plot
to fit it in. And then when Frost Camp came
around, I was like, well, I got. The.
Vone idea. I mean I got this idea.
It's not too late. I mean, maybe that'll, that'll
come up in the next campaign. I, I don't know, I think.
I mean, I mean I love an undead. Gap like he wants to be a
voneer. Don't forget about that like.
That's true. That was their life goal as soon
as they found out about them. That's so true.
What what is the title? I'm looking at the title of the
song. It is.
Damn these vampires by the mountain.
Goats. Oh nice.
And it is a song about vampire Cowboys, so it's a great song.
Enjoy. That sounds kick ass.
Yeah, it's a great song. I really enjoy it.
I mean your plot also. Yeah.
Thank you. Yeah, it would have been cool,
but I just never found a spot to put it into the podcast.
I think just when you guys ended up going to the the horse
fields, it just was not the right like tone for where we
were at in the podcast. Like it was just after Fran had
left. So it was it was sort.
Of like such a downer like. It would have been such a downer
and we really needed an upper at that point.
So I, I, I ended up just dropping that storyline.
But that's one that I, I, I always think of like I wish I'd
found a way to fit that in besides a horse camp because
that that was just a very not. The right tone, really, but
like. Not the right tone, but I
recycled some of the ideas in there.
There's a question from the chat Solarpunk asks Cat.
Tell us what Dessa tracks inspired you, please.
Oh yes, Dessa is another one of my favorite artists.
I will say Poor Atlas was a big one.
That's on that playlist that I talked about Poor Atlas and then
also Velodrome. Velodrome is another one that
that was. Actually a great song.
Yeah, so that song is about fate and inevitable fate.
And that was actually a song that really inspired the gods
and how they are all the lyrics and that are like we lean to
turn in the velodrome. All lines are curved in the
velodrome. It's kind of a song about being
trapped in this inevitable fate. And that's that really inspired
my take on godhood. That's cool, yeah.
Did anyone else have regrets? You know, stuff you wish you'd
been able to do with your character you didn't get to,
etcetera. I think I did pretty much
everything that I wanted to do with Corbin.
Like I could have done other things, but then he would have
been like a different character, so.
Yeah, I had fully intended for Alden to be Corbin's Phelan.
You know, that's so funny. And like when it it just didn't
work out like it and it. Worked out it.
Worked, but that's what no. No.
How else could Corbin be in a relationship?
Well, that's The thing is when it came back in the epilogue,
because we didn't really talk, I think.
Juniper, you did not respond to my message asking about what
Corbin would be doing in the epilogue.
Oh yeah, I I totally didn't. I didn't say.
Shit, you didn't, you did not. So you made all of that up on
the spot. And when you were like, and he
is with Alden, I was like, yes. I mean, I knew, I knew that,
like, Corbin, just based on the interactions that they had, I
knew that it was a thing where, like, they had too much in
common to not, like, gravitate towards each other in some ways.
But I also couldn't see them having, like, a stereotypically
functional relationship just based on how much they would
have butt heads, like, just in extreme.
But I like that for Corbin, I think that if he was in a
relationship, it would be like that.
Like, he's not. Yeah, like he couldn't have a
fail in exactly, but I think it worked out for him, yeah.
You love to see it. Yeah.
Errol, do you have anything, anything that you wish would
have happened? I have only one and it's really
stupid but I think about it sometimes.
Yeah. But it's not a Slake 1, it's a
Mr. Wennel 1. Well, it could still happen.
It could still happen. Well, no, it's a it's a past
one. It's specifically, well, I play
him so infrequently, so it's very precious.
And I remember we did one episode where we were doing like
Cat had us give like back story stuff.
Oh yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah.
And we didn't know exactly what she was going to do with it.
So it was like give moments. And so one of my moments was
stealing the gloves from Dawson. And I hadn't, like, fully
plotted anything out. But in my brain, like when we
were doing it, when we were improving it, I like, wasn't
sure how much I should be doing and how much not to do.
But like, in my brain, I always pictured his initial meeting
with Dawson, that Wentzel would have like, flirted with Dawson
and that, like, the way that he stole the gloves would have been
a way that really particularly was egregiously irritating and,
like, cheeky and pissed Dawson off a lot.
And I wanted, you know, that bitter X's vibe.
But I, I don't know, I choked. I mean, I mean, I still think
they have a little bit of a bitter X's.
Body definitely. Thank you, I do all the best.
I feel like it's more like one sided where it's like on
Wentle's side they're bitter exes and on Dawson's side he's
just like, this is a little worm I can use.
Oh yeah, a little worm. And that's correct and.
I love that, absolutely. Correct.
The one thing that I would have loved to see is not for my own
character. I would have loved to see slake,
like actually like fall in love. Oh.
Yeah. Yeah, the marriage gag was funny
it. Was really funny, but but yeah,
that's my only thing I think, from any of our characters.
Yeah, well, you know, you never know, but.
You know what if we do? I mean like if someone else is
willing to place like other than you.
Yeah, and. Place like bonus episode because
you're never playing like again. Oh, I forgot.
So someone else would have to. Of.
Course of. Course, of course.
Then maybe they can fall in love in a bonus episode.
Yeah, well I can play slakes love interest since I refuse to
ever play. There you go.
There you go, That'll be great. All right, from Bam Norden felt
on Patreon, For as much as everyone makes reference to
specific media pieces and Pokémon that we won't judge
anyone here for being vocally horny towards, that's confusing.
Is is there a specific piece of media that really influenced
you, who you are and how you make art?
Yeah. So many.
So many, Yeah. So, so, so many, I mean, I think
anybody who has listened to this podcast can understand that I'm
very influenced by Ghibli. All my black blobbies, love my
black blobbies. I don't have those black
lobbies. I think that is definitely one
of the biggest touch points. And then also Peter Jackson's
Lord of the Rings trilogy. Yeah, that is absolutely a huge
influence for me, along with like the JRP GS that I grew up
with. Those were also a big like,
touch point for me. Super deep cut, but Skies of
Arcadia. You've mentioned skies of.
Arcadia. I mentioned it on a previous
Q&A. If you haven't listened to the
other Q&A's though, this is a new one for you.
Enjoy it if you have never played it before.
It's a wild game, but very fun. Yeah, I would say mine are like
very similar to yours. I mean, I guess like, of course,
Kingdom Hearts has the most impact on me of any media.
Of all my God. Yeah, and I recently met up with
one of my Kingdom Hearts friends from childhood and she's a
doctor now. Love it and it was amazing.
You'd love to see it. Yeah, yeah.
And then I would also say, like in addition to those, the first
Pirates of the Caribbean movie is, you know, it has its flaws
socially, but film wise is the perfect film.
That's true. That's true, though.
That's true. And I've never gotten over it.
And then I would say nobody has read these with the fucking Dark
Tower series by Garth Nix. Thank God, Cat.
Yeah. It's why this is This is why.
This is why we we know each other.
We're bonded. We're bonded.
We're bonded, I've read, I've reread those like 10,000 times
and I'm obsessed. I don't know, I haven't read
those in forever. Impact me.
Yeah, those still today, but like nobody else reads.
Those are great. They're not his most popular
series, but I didn't like his other stuff.
No, Sorry, Garth. Sorry, Garth.
You don't like the same real books they.
Were fine yeah I, I, I have a dark tower bitch only.
That's OK, that's OK. I've I've also haven't read
those in a long time. I know that the audio book is
really good. It's.
I think like most people would say they're objectively better
than Dark Tower, but not me because I'm not objective.
Thank you for your salute. Arrow, arrow.
What about you? Yeah, I was thinking about this
because like, you know me, I have so many things that I'm
insane about. Arrows.
Sorry, continue Arrows. Yeah, I know, and I never shut
the fuck up about them. But I mean, I'm trying to think
of stuff specifically that's more applicable to this campaign
because like there's a lot of stuff for never nowhere to.
Be. Oh yeah, I was going to say I
could name the ones for. Never.
Yeah, yeah. You'll never know where, you
know, I'm basing on my obsession with silent film melodramas and
like Mr. Wendell was a little bit inspired by my obsession
with silent film comedies. And then Slake is entirely
silent film, unrelated. Nice.
But I feel like, you know, my big like, YA books growing up
were like Holly Black's, like teen fiction.
Yeah. Yeah, yeah, Holly Black's a big
one, too. And then obviously, Kingdom
Hearts. Yeah.
And then the other thing I was thinking about.
Golly, I hope it didn't leave my little brain.
And a secret third thing. And a secret third thing.
We'll come back to that later. Yeah, Jennifer, what about you?
There's a million, I think that in terms of like unrelated to
the podcast, in terms of like my writing and the mood that I
always cultivate or try to cultivate in like my writing and
art. I actually think the biggest
like inspiration and possibly to me as a person is literally
Stargate SG-1. No, shut the fuck up, it's
Stargate SG-1. I'm not even kidding, I.
Didn't mention Stargate SG-1. I'm such a fucking idiot.
Idiot, right? God damn it.
But yeah. Stargate SG-1 is also one of my
big influences. Yeah, It's like, like the tone
of Stargate SG-1 is like the tone that I strive for with,
like, pretty much everything I create.
Yeah. Where it's like dramatic but
goofy and like, I just feel like it strikes the perfect balance
of tone of any media that's ever been made in the history of the
world. Also Star Wars.
Deeply. Yeah.
Deeply, deeply inspirational. Also, Studio Ghibli
specifically, though, for me, how's Moving Castle?
Like specifically, how's Moving Castle?
I mean, it's such a fucking banger.
Yeah, it is a banger. That's the one I've watched
most. Yeah, that and also the book
How's Moving Castle? Which I love.
Yeah, go to the book. Yeah.
I actually like the book better than I did too.
I both did separately both. I think they're very different.
They're very, very different. Yeah.
And I think completely, like, judged completely separately.
Yeah. Diana Wynne Jones I love Diana
and. James And then obviously Kingdom
Hearts, obviously Final Fantasy 710 like pretty much 10 up,
although I was 10 into 13 but very much 7 and 10 I think are
my 2 favorites and a lot of various books.
Honestly, Final Fantasy 10, like I know it gets kudos, but it
doesn't get the kudos it deserves.
It does not get the kudos it deserves it deserves.
Final Fantasy 10 is nearly a perfect game.
It does. Almost.
Go back and play that one. Aside from all the gameplay, you
should ignore that. That part is part of the.
Perfection. That is part of it.
I don't exactly remember what was going on but I do remember I
didn't finish that game because I got soft locked by like second
part of it. Like I messed up something and I
could not progress any further like.
Part of the perfection. Yeah, I want to go back and try
though, because I, I know it's, I've heard lots of good things.
But I mean, the gameplay is psycho, it's not good.
I was going to say. The storyline is amazing.
I was going to say, I've heard a lot of good things and I
realized it's from you. From you, the number one Final
Fantasy 10 defender and Final Fantasy 10 two, which is better
than Final Fantasy 10. I said it, I said it, and I
won't take it back. I have one more.
I have one more that also has a big influence on me.
Sorry this doesn't influence my art but I think it did influence
my personality and that is psych.
Oh, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
I agree with that. I would agree with that too.
You helped. Me remember my other.
Thing. Yeah, 63rd thing.
What was it? Which was motherfucking like the
specific era of like, team star kid musicals that were coming
out when we were in high school and college, right?
Dude like star, Oh my God, Starship.
Starship, Oh my God, Starship yeah, like those are feel like
for like comedy and like character interaction were.
Some of the best shit. Dude Starship is my favorite.
Like hands down. I love Starship star kid like of
all time. And then also, I just wanted to
throw in there fucking Labyrinth.
I can't believe I forgot to say Labyrinth.
Yeah, that's labyrinth crazy, obviously, yeah.
Yeah. Do we want to answer one more
and then like take a break? Yeah, I think it's.
Yeah, whatever's clever. All right, so this next one is
also from Bam Inordfeldt on Patreon.
And it is, I think, a quick question.
What has the grieving process been like, if any, from moving
on from this story? I have not grieved.
I, I think for me, I, I've talked about this a little bit,
I think is that this campaign went on much, much longer than I
initially planned for it to. I thought we would have wrapped
up several years ago And, and I don't want to say like I was
like like rushing to the end or anything like that.
I really, I'm really, really proud of the work we've did.
I think everything wrapped up so well and I enjoyed every part of
it up right up till the end. But by the time it was done, I
was I was very, very ready to be done with it.
Yeah, I feel like it felt more like, Oh my gosh, this huge
accomplishment, like this thing that we're going towards and it
didn't really. I feel like for us, it is like,
like it's like so wonderful that we got to finish it, yeah.
People who have ADHD finishing a big don't.
Finish things. It's hard.
Yeah, it's so hard to finish things.
Yeah. So I felt accomplished.
I felt really glad to have finished it and to have put out
a product that I am really, really proud of and to have
stuck the landing and really excited for the next thing we're
doing. I, I've, you know, I've started
thinking about the next thing we're doing like a year ago, so.
That's yeah, you did. That's true.
Probably more than a year at this point.
Yeah, more than a year. Probably way more.
Yeah.
By the time I was riding the final battle for this, I was
also thinking about what we were doing next.
I had the reefest moment of sadness when we finished the
last episode, the last epilogue, when I realized that it was the
last time I would play Corbin forever, no matter what.
I had a brief, I had a brief moment of sadness, but it lasted
for like a minute tops. And then I was like over.
But I did, I did experience that emotion.
And I think it's important to note.
Thank you for sharing it. Thank you for sharing your
emotions. With us, I'm also growing.
Thanks, Noel for that patronizing gesture.
Noel and I are just proud of you patronizing shoulder shakes.
But by the by, I agree very much.
I was so excited for the new characters and the new like
campaign that I didn't linger very much on any kind of sadness
and I have been and was very ready to move on to a new
character. While the other thing too is
that like literally yesterday is the day that we can say like
we're actually like done. That's true.
So I don't know, I feel like I'll maybe feel more like like
if I play Franigan. Yeah, that's true.
That's true, actually. Yeah, probably.
What about you, Errol? Yeah, I was thinking about it
because, yeah, I think what I remember this is just so me,
like when we were initially talking about, you know, ending
this campaign and moving on to the next one.
I think initially I did have my kind of usual anxiety of like
feeling, yeah, a little sad, like, oh, it's going to be over
and I'm going to do something new and what if I don't do a
good job and a little scared, like, yeah, I'm going to have to
make a new character and like, what if the chemistry is not
right and I don't do right? And but then, like, because we
had such a long process of when we, you know, started to talk
about we're wrapping up to when we came to wrapping up.
Yeah, by the time we actually got to it, I was like, I've
processed that shit. I have been working on my
character for a long ass time and I'm really excited about
him, so yeah. Yeah.
Absolutely. Yeah.
It's not like we like came to the end.
And then we were like, Oh yeah, yeah, yeah.
We were like, literally we're like, we're almost done.
And then we podcasted the same thing for two years.
Yeah, Yeah, that. Is exactly what happened, yeah.
Actually, that is exactly what happened.
I drew so much art of my new character before like.
Yeah, I've been doodling this little fucker for like over a
year. Oh, also one quick question
before we do our break, I want to do a very fast question from
the chat. Yeah, for sure.
Els asked because this will be a quick one.
Did the team have backup characters in case a guardian
died? Or was that not a thing with
Mary on the team? And I will say no, certainly did
not have a backup character. Backup.
Characters I would have. Died to have to come up with
another character. You would have.
And I think, well, and I, I think that was something that we
really decided early on. And I think that's something
that is a decision that every table, any tabletop game, but
especially with D&D, you have to kind of decide very early on is
like, is this a game where true death is a possibility?
And we decided very early on that it was not, this is not a
campaign where I was like, there was always the possibility, like
it could happen. But I think if it did happen,
what it would have done is kicked off a storyline in which
they would have brought back. The character or like, I think
if one of us had come to you and been like, I think narratively
it would be good for this character.
Corbin. Needs to die.
Yeah, like if I come to you and I was like, I want Corbin dead
for like the emotional gut punch that that would.
Yeah, You know, I guess I did do that a lot towards the end.
I was like, if you guys want to kill Fran, like.
Yeah, you were caught in dead. Every day I go start recording.
Yeah, yeah. We start recording and Noel
would be like, so you guys want to kill Fran and we'd be like.
Stop asking. Stop asking.
Ask to kill. Fran.
No. Ask, of course we want to like,
obviously, yes, a million times. I mean like.
I didn't really think that there was like a narratively, like, I
mean like I didn't have a narrative idea in mind of how it
would be satisfying, but I was just like, if there is a way
that it would be narratively. Satisfied we could make it
happen. Why do you want to die so big
You're. So fucked up, Noah.
I just, I just feel like killing someone off at the end is fun
and fresh. I mean, it's not fresh, but it's
fun. Yeah, yeah.
So I think I will say that is something that every table needs
to decide on their session zero. It's like is this going to be a
deadly campaign or not? Because that's just let's just
like expectation setting and we decided very early on that it
was not that we. Basically were like, if that
happens, like yeah, they'll be like major consequences in terms
of the story, but like. We'll get a Will Deus Ex marry
it? Yeah, yeah, or whatever or
whatever, Yeah. Hello everybody.
Welcome to the mid roll of our Q&A episode.
Is there an echo in here because I had to remove all the soft
furnishings from my office because I got a puppy.
So sorry about that, but endure for this mid roll.
Thank you. 1st, a little bit of housekeeping.
The next episode is going to be our Dame Jin dive.
So if you are a Patreon and you subscribe at the bonus episode
tier, there will be no interruption in content.
But for those of you who are on the main feed, their next
episode is going to be our How to Play Blades in the Dark
episode, which will be two weeks after that.
So four weeks after now. So if you are jonesing for that
last little bit of D&D content that we do before we dive into
the new game that we're going to play, which is Blades in the
Dark, make sure you subscribe to our Patreon so that you can hear
our wonderful wrap up to our wonderful bonus campaign.
I'm really proud of how that one wrapped up too.
I think we really stuck the landing on that one almost as
much as we stuck the landing on the main campaigns, or maybe
even more, maybe even more. So I think you guys are going to
love it. If you've been following the
Damian Dive campaign, I think you are going to really enjoy
the finale. So make sure you subscribe to
our Patreon if you are not already.
Let's see, next announcement is that the Arc 8 soundtrack is now
up on Noel's band camp. So go to
legendlark.com/soundtrack and you can get that sweet, sweet
music made by our dear Noel and put it directly in your ear
holes. OK, so next we are going to
thank our new patrons. I might be be thanking some of
you twice here because I think somebody forgot to mark these
complete on our Patreon interface.
So if you're being thanked twice, it's because we love you
doubly, that is. Thank you to Alex, Tempest,
Ella, Endless, Cupid, Vibelette, and Ilefid.
Thank you all for subscribing to Patreon.
Thank you for supporting us. We could not do this without
you. We love you, we love you, we
love you. Next, I am going to thank our
Spotify reviewers. That's right, Apple podcast is
dead. Spotify has risen and that's
just where we're getting more engagement.
So we would love to shout out to those who are leaving comments
on Spotify. We are going to respond to a
couple of those comments here. And honestly, just thank you
guys. That's my big response to all of
you who commented. It is really heartwarming to see
all of your messages about our finale episode.
I really have enjoyed seeing people's reactions and it really
warms my little heart. I can't say how much this
podcast means to me, has meant to me, and will continue to mean
to me. And just seeing that it has
meant so much to all of you guys has really been heartwarming.
So thank you so much. Just a shout out a couple of
them because there are quite a few, but Lily pads are neat.
It was 99. Mallory Pallery 11 Fraxy Ashley
Kim Everest Thank you all. Cyberpunk dot Neverland.
That's a great username. So thank you so much to
everybody who commented. We love you, we love you, we
love you. In the future, if you would like
us to respond to your comment, leave us a question.
We might answer it. Just make sure they're normal
questions. And now if I ask you guys to
make normal questions, you're going to make weird questions.
So I don't know, I guess make weird questions.
Reverse psychology, Speaking of what is new, or rather what is
old that is new again. We are going to be trying to get
back into the social media game as we all fell off it real hard
during the pandemic and especially after the jitter
exploded and was taken over by fascists.
So we are on Tumblr, we are on Blue Sky, and we're getting into
Instagram. We'll we'll get back to you on
that one. We have to figure out how to use
Instagram because we are all unspeakably old.
But on Tumblr, we are Legend Larkpod and we are that on Blue
Sky as well. So give us a follow and we'll be
posting some more dank content over there.
Do the kids still say dank? No idea.
I am unspeakably old, as we previously mentioned.
I also want to mention that we have a fan run Discord.
We mentioned it actually, I think in a few minutes here in
the episode. We give them a big shout out.
But if you are not already hanging out in our Discord,
please go check it out. The people over there are really
nice. It's a really well run Discord.
Thank you so much to the mod team over there who are doing a
great job. I'm about to, I think, thank
them again in just a minute here, but they deserve double
shout out. Thanks, so check out our fan run
discord as well. I believe it can be found by
going to legendlark.com/discord so please go check it out.
Finally we have our message to Chantelle.
Chantelle, the last age has fallen, the curtain has closed.
But hark on the horizon, a new lark has risen.
And from the ashes of our old campaign will rise a new one, a
dark 1A blade full one. So Chantel.
The code word is Barb slash bast.
The sleeper agent is active Go. Will there be a conclusion for
the newscaster in the void and or will they appear again in the
future? There will not be a conclusion
for the newscaster in the void. They may appear in the future
though. I have a couple ideas about how
we're going to do recaps on Never Nowhere.
Yeah. I haven't decided yet exactly
what we're going to do. I think it'll kind of depend on
how we end up structuring. Like, yeah, I don't want to say
too much. How?
We end up structuring end up structuring thing.
I don't know, I've considered even maybe bringing my brother
in because my brother is a very talented voice actor as well,
doing these projects. So we'll see.
It depends on his schedule, too. Yeah, my brother actually, he
did something for our podcast. He was.
Yeah, he did. He did a pirate song.
The pirate song on the pirate island.
Yeah, my. Brother.
Kat's brother of pirate song fame.
His name is Aiden. Aiden.
His name is Kat's brother. I know, but.
We did think about making a recap of the last arc literally
for that reason, and then we were like, that's a lot of work
for the bit. It's a.
Lot, yeah, for the bit, yeah, but.
Also like for something that like I don't know how many
people even want to ever listen to.
It I think it'd be so funny though.
It would be really funny, like we almost did it.
We almost, almost did it, but we didn't do that.
Sorry guys. Yeah, sorry.
One more chat question because everyone has been asking it on
every platform. Everyone wants to know what
happened to Slakes wife. I assume she's dead.
She died. She died Christ's wife.
Is fine. It's actually like, not funny
that you would joke about Slick's wife being alive still,
Cat. She's fine.
She doesn't even know. She doesn't even know that she's
married to. Slick.
That doesn't stop her from being dead as hell.
No, she's, she's very much alive.
Actually, she got married to somebody else.
So I. Damn good for her and Carmen's
at least. Like why she died, but yeah, we
don't know. I know, I know.
I just told you she got married so.
She could be, she could be dead or she could be maimed, or she
could be like, in horrible pain. She'd be in prison.
She's alive, She got a dog, she got a dog.
I'll never know. No, no, she's, she got a dog.
The dog's name is Crisper and. Spelled like the Gene Editor.
Also, frankly, I hardly know her so.
Incredible. I'm sad Crisper's dead.
He's alive too. One question that is gravely
important is what has happened to the horses?
Oh my God I can't believe that I almost fucking forgot.
Yes. So what happened to the horses
Peaches? And what was Corbin's horse's
name? Brother, I couldn't tell you.
I thought it was dope. I thought you were saying it was
brother. I don't.
Have. That would have been.
Really funny, truly don't remember the name of of Corbin's
nightmare horse. I don't remember what I named
the horse Grandpa. I don't think I named it
Grandpa. So Sterling Solar Park has me.
Sterling. Anyway, the horses.
Anytime the horses were not on screen, they were frolicking in
a field with wild hay and oats. In heaven.
In heaven they all think pocket dimension they.
Were when they're not on screen, they're dead.
What if the horses have their own like, like what if there's a
horse Torva that they're fighting and whenever we're not
like summoning them, they have to like they're busy like trying
to save horse habilis. Habilis.
I like to think that they're Schrodinger's horse, so when
they're not in the podcast, they're actually existing in a
state of superposition where they're at all places, at all
times, in all forms. Yeah, What's going to happen to
them now that magic is like kind of changing in the world?
They're still. Going to live in heaven,
they'll. Still be like that.
They have horse magic. Their magic is not tied to the
forces or the gods or anything. They've got independent magic
coming from a horse horse. Horse.
Yeah, the horse force. The horse force of pros?
Yeah. The boy doing its own horse
thing. Wow.
Yeah, untamable. Still around?
Yeah, that tracks. That makes a lot of sense.
Should I read another question from the chat or Yeah, if we
have Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Husashi Don, who we all know as
she Don from from Final Fantasy. Will Juniper, Noel or Errol DM
anything big or small in the future?
Do they want to whether they do or not?
I'd love to know this too. I've been meaning to learn how
to GM for seven years, so we'll see if that happens.
IGMDA little bit after college, but I don't think I was good at
it. I would get really nervous.
I feel like I'd get nervous too, yeah.
That's how I feel about myself too, but kind of for different
reasons. I've thought about it and like
if you asked me and I didn't think about it at all on a gut
punch, I would say yeah, but I don't actually think I would
enjoy it. Like maybe for like a one shot.
If I could do something small all and weird and like maybe not
combat based and not a lot of math like if I.
Find with combat actually. I think Errol, I think you would
be really good at running something like Honey Heist,
where it's like a very simplified system that is a very
goof space. I do love goofs.
Yeah, we do have the RPG we bought at the Ren Fair that we
need to play eventually. Yeah.
About the butter pins. I like how I have extensive
notes on how to GM it. OK.
We just have never had a chance to.
Do it. To do it, that's about the
campaign. Yeah, maybe that's the best
campaign for this. Yeah, we could.
We could that. 'D be.
Fun, but I'm I struggle too much to finish my own stories like
outside of this. And then I also struggle too
much with like, I'm a creative control freak when I'm writing
the story and so like, I just don't think it would be fun for
anybody like. I know what you mean.
Like I struggled with that. Damning too.
I'll be honest, I don't want to give up control.
Oh, thank God. No, and I love that cat because
I don't want to take control. I've married the player in
various things. I'm already married and that's
that. We don't park this polygamy in
this country, but we sounds. A really harsh rejection, but I
respect. You.
Thank you. What was I saying?
I got distracted by considering polygamy.
Marriage from mine I. Don't know, do you?
Want to give up control cat? Yes I don't I, no, I I've played
as a player in other campaigns and this is going to sound
incredibly bratty, but I do get bored as a player because it is
not always about me and I'm not always talking.
And if I'm not talking, then I'm it's hard for me.
I'm painful. That's why you're a perfect,
perfect GM cat. I'm so we need each other.
We need you, yeah. Thank you.
That's. Wonderful.
I am not an extrovert, but I have extrovert energy that I can
spend on this. Yeah, because I love to world
build and come up with fun stuff, but I also like I don't
like talking for too long. Like, even when I stream, I get
like, I'm fucking tired and I I just would want to control
everything. I don't know, maybe I'd be OK at
it, but I just feel like I wouldn't have a good time.
Like, even if I did OK, I think I wouldn't enjoy it as much as
being a player because I feel like I can just cause so much
chaos as a player that I couldn't do without being an
asshole as Adm Yeah, and. I think on the flip side of
that, whenever I am a player, I am one of those players who
comes to it with way too much back story and way too many
plans for my character because I'm, I'm used to D Ming and, and
having all that, that total control.
So yeah, I I love being a forever DM and I love my
players. I love all of my friends so
much. We love you, Kat.
We're so fucking lucky. All right, we're going to move
on to some campaign agnostic questions.
Well, sort of. This is from Canvas of a Billion
Suns on Tumblr. Question for Kat, although I
think maybe we could also have input on this, but I know you've
talked about doing bonus stuff in the future with the Guardians
and I think everyone's hoping that the cross camp crew
returns. Beyond that, do you think you'll
set any more campaigns in Aviles?
Probably not, at least not for a long time.
Like we said earlier, I'm we spent a really long time in this
world and I really ended up kind of telling all the stories that
I wanted to tell in it. And I'm very proud of all the
work I did with Avilis. Someday I might do a world book.
I don't know. I think right now my biggest
thing is that I just need time away from it just because, like
I said, it's been a long time. I've been in this world for a
long time and I I really want to work on new stuff.
Yeah, that's understandable. I'm very excited about the new
stuff you're working on. Me too.
Another one that is semi campaign agnostic.
What is a piece of merch that is simply too impractical to make
or sell, but we wish we could? The belt buckle, The belt
buckle? The belt.
The belt buckle. Oh my God, the belt buckles.
The belt buckle. Put that on the podcast, yes?
I've completely forgot. Remind me about the belt?
Buckle it was it was Stir my worms.
The belt buckle that we were like, we need to actually make
this and then we were like, we can't do it it.
Would be insanely impractical to to produce for a product that
would not sell. It would be clear, it would sell
like to three people. It would be honest.
I I love stupid shit like only three.
Of us. I was wouldn't.
No, I know it would. Be like, yeah, I'm going to get
it. And then like, wouldn't.
Me. It would be me.
That question was from James on Patreon, by the way.
Yeah. I think there were others.
There's other stuff though. I know we've we've had stuff
that we've wanted to like we. We are a font of ideas.
Yeah, we are merch and everything else but.
Unfortunately, merch costs money to make, and it's.
Like complicated and it takes a long time to find manufacturers
and stuff and. But my favorite is the idea of,
yeah, making merch of, like, really dumb bits, Yeah.
Like, savage shit. What is the best to me?
Like the Sturmi Worm's belt? Yeah.
Like a Sturmi Worm's belt buckle that's like a cowboy belt
buckle, which literally like it's the best idea.
In the world. I forgot all about it.
Honestly, like you know what, if we ever are find ourselves in a
financial situation where we need to start a business,
another business, we should go into those incorporated no, we
should go into we should go into like weird apparel.
Or if we ever find. Yeah, if we ever find a little
weird apparel. A financial situation where like
it doesn't matter if we make a product that doesn't sell ever,
then we should also make sure what my worm spell.
Fuckers, you know that? That's a classic.
That's a classic financial situation that a lot of
businesses find. Themselves, a lot of businesses
find themselves in that classic financial situation, so I think
we should just keep it in the back of our minds.
Maybe we could be like the upfront for like organized crime
and then it wouldn't matter that we didn't sell, Yeah.
Then you don't wanna. Sell.
Yeah. It's a money laundering scheme.
Yeah, for sure. All right.
Absolutely. We'll.
Tuck that in our back pocket, yeah.
My worms, money laundering. One person, I think an anonymous
on Tumblr asked how do you balance the podcast with your
normal jobs? I die, yeah, we don't just.
Die. We all have full time jobs and
it's a lot. I'll be honest, I have one of
those sort of you, you hear about them corporate jobs where
like yeah, Junior and I have similar jobs where like
technically we have a 40 hour job that is perhaps 20 hours
most weeks, but we do have to sit at our desks for 40.
Hours we have to be there the. Whole time we have to be at our
desk for 40 hours, but only have perhaps 20 hours, sometimes
less. We also have one of those really
rare jobs where we get to work from home pretty much all the
time, so that does make it easier for us to to do editing
and stuff, I think. Yeah, I do a lot of.
Noel and I are in person, boys, Yeah.
And so we just have to die.
And that's why we had a hiatus that we didn't that.
Is partially why we had a hiatus also though like a ton of shit
was just happening in our personal that's.
True. It wasn't just jobs.
Yeah, it was like so much everything.
Yeah, yeah. So sorry about that.
Yeah, yeah, sorry. We can't say it won't happen
again because we do all have lives.
Yeah, well, but we do also have an audio editor now that has
helped. Yes, that's like I was, that's
what I was gonna, that's what I was gonna say is so we, we have
died less because we have hired on an audio editor.
We have Ray Van Winkle helping us out with the yeah, some of
the passes on the edits and it's she's amazing.
Has been so wonderful. Yeah, and so amazing.
It's been really, really good. Yeah, we love her.
Yeah, we love. Thank you, Ray.
Ray. Ray.
We love you. We forgot we were going to take
the discord mods. That's right, we didn't forget.
Well, we were right, we remembered it.
Right now I want to put in a big shout out here in the middle of
the episode. Meant to do it at the top of the
episode, but here we are in the middle of the episode instead.
Big shout out to the mods on our fan discord.
We are not in there a ton. We've left that very much to be
a fan run space and I just want to give a big shout out to the
mods over. There.
Thank you guys so much. Thank you so much for all you
do. Such a great job.
And I'm a really good job. Creepy, yeah.
Because I was riding of this because I, I started learning
just to see people's reactions to the finale and I just think
they've done such a, a great job making that a really fun and
welcoming community. So if you're not on yeah, the
fan Discord, please join it. I don't remember what it's
called off the top of my head, but it's probably Legend Lark on
Discord. No, let me see, I'll just code
and. Change to legend Lark, but you
if you want to go to the discord you can go to
legendlark.com/discord. I set up a A.
You're so, you're so smart. You're so smart and good at
website. Can get there and you can join.
Yeah, yeah. Make shout out to those guys.
All right. More questions, more questions,
more questions. All right.
So those were my campaign agnostic ones.
I was thinking maybe then we would move into questions about
our new campaign, of which there are several.
So never know where questions. A question for Cat and a
question for the players. 1st. I'm going to well it could, this
could be for you, 2 Cat I guess, but from Guy Lepic on Patreon.
What was different about how you made your characters for the
second campaign? Did you approach it differently
the second time around? So I would say, I mean, it's not
really our second time around, but like this is our second time
around for doing something that is long term.
And I do approach that differently than like if I'm
making something for a short thing, because usually if I'm
making something for a short thing, my number one priority is
like, what bit am I gonna? Yeah.
What bit am I am I gonna do
throughout when I'm creating a character for a long thing, both
when I did Fran and when I created my new character Pepper,
I was like, I need to have more than that.
Like we can have bits, but like that's not the priority.
The priority is kind of more like who is who is this person?
But in terms of, like, Pepper creation being different than
Fran creation, I've said this before, but my main priority
with making Fran was to cause problems.
And I got the sense before I made Pepper that some other
people's main priority was to cause problems.
So I was free from that responsibility.
And so my main priority with her was just like, what sort of
story do I want to tell? You know, like, what, what?
What do I have percolating around in my head?
Hell yeah. I feel like I was thinking about
it and it's really funny because yeah, it's not the second time
around. I feel like it's for the podcast
for me. It's like kind of the third time
around. And like I feel like I just keep
getting more and more insane in terms of like putting a lot of
thought into it because Slake I feel like, you know, kind of a
loose sketch. And then like went all was
definitely more developed with back story and concept.
And then this fucking guy with my new character, Friedrich, I
just, like, went completely nuts.
And I guess it's because I had so much time, Like both Slake
and Wental, I had to develop a bit more quickly, but I had a
really long time to come up with this character.
And so I was like, yeah. And.
And when I made Slake, I was like, what's going to be, you
know, good for the party that already exists and what would
slot in and be funny and have good chemistry?
Whereas with this new character, I'm just like, I'm synthesizing
all of my weird interests into a character that I think will be
funny to play, but will also, you know, scratch all of my
weird itches. So.
Similar to Errol, I also was fully self indulgent when
creating my character. I was like, I just want to make
a bitch because part of how I approach also making characters
for, like Noel said, a long campaigns is what kind of
character can I tolerate playing for a long time?
Yeah, 'cause sometimes that is not always the character for a
short campaign. And like, that's sometimes I
think that's almost why I like my shorter campaign characters
like more almost because they're like, so like short and sweet
and beautiful and stupid. But I want more than that for a
long campaign. Yeah.
So I was very self indulgent with Valerian.
And I also specifically wanted to do a character that was not
like Corbett. I wanted to do a character that
was very different from Corbin in like a lot of different ways.
And I also, like Noel, got the sense that someone else was
going to be the primary troublemaker.
But I also wanted to have a character that was like a little
bit of a conflict, like had some conflict going on, or like a
character that could by no means of their own intention, 'cause
conflict, right? Whereas I feel like, I mean, I
guess Friedrich doesn't really want to cause conflict, but I
feel like. I mean, Fran didn't want to
cause conflict. That's true, Yeah.
Friedrich. Friedrich is just a walking con.
Nobody ever know what her insane.
Yeah, it's. True.
I will just say, so we before we started recording the campaign,
I sat down with each of them, each of these.
Guys, Oh yeah, this is the the main difference, yeah.
I. Actually, that's true.
That's. True.
Yeah, I sat down with each each of the players individually and
like talked through their character and like there was a
little sheet that we did that was like, what are your goals?
And like we, we actually went through some more like session 0
type stuff which we didn't really do in the in the first
campaign. I didn't do at all.
We'd showed up, no recording more and introduced ourselves to
each other. Yeah, it was in the cat.
Yeah, Yeah. And, and it all worked out
really well and I think it turned out fine.
But it is a thing that I've learned from it, you know, being
a more experienced GM now, it's just having that, that sort of
session zero with each player, especially on something that's
going to to be long term like this, but very funny.
So I would say like I met with Noel and it was like, no, I was
like, here's what I have for my character.
It's fine. I think we ended up talking like
in detail for maybe, I don't know, 10 minutes.
And then otherwise we're just like.
I mean, that's, that's me fighting against my control
problems because I can't, I can't plan out that much.
Otherwise I'm like, it's not going the way that I imagined.
Absolutely. And then when I met with
Juniper, I just realized I ate Japanese food with each of you.
Independent. But yeah, so with Juniper,
Juniper had I think a little bit more.
I think we had some really good discussions and like clarified
some nebulous thoughts that you had.
And we we like clarified those ideas.
And then Errol came to me with a thesis and an entire character
arc spanning the entire campaign fully planned out.
We are locked and loaded with Errol's like everything for
Errol. We are locked and loaded.
I am so excited for all. That stuff, I'm psyched.
I'm psyched. But it was I just, I think the
the difference between the three of you was very, very.
Funny to me. So funny.
And I met with Errol first, too. So I was like, I kind of like
expected that. I was like, OK, everybody's
going to have Errol's level of preparation.
And it was like, no, actually, Errol's insane.
Yep, I'm insane. And I was like, she has red
hair. I'm surprised that I was in the
middle of the road. Yeah.
In terms of preparation, surprised that I was on.
That believe I do. I expect it to be the least, but
yeah. Yeah, no.
Yeah, but you can't imagine how little I came with.
Well, I feel like with you Juniper, like we just had some
really good like we. Had good combos we.
Had a really good conversation about like what you're like
clarifying your characters motivations and stuff which like
that was really good. Especially when I'm making a
character that I'm going to share like with Adm in some
ways, or like with other people in a campaign like this, I
actually prefer making it like that because then it makes me
feel less like, obviously he's my character, but it makes me
feel less like yeah of it because it's like, oh, we.
Kind of like worked. On some of.
It like together and like we yeah.
So I I I enjoyed that that's how we did it because it makes me
feel yeah, yeah. Kind of on the same note, Brian
on Patreon asked Kat, were there any things that you
intentionally made different about the new campaign that you
can tell us about? Like stylistically you wanted
more X or you wanted to play with Y or was it just an excuse
to have a more dashing Dawson focus game?
Kat Yeah, I. Had I?
No, I did. Some some things very
intentionally different. One of the things I did is the
new setting is going to be a lot more flexible in terms of like
what kind of stories we can tell.
I'm not going to say a ton about that right now, but just like
I've created a world that gives us a lot of room to play.
And what I can say a little bit more about is that this is also
going to be a campaign that has more off ramps.
Because I think the biggest thing that I learned from doing
this campaign is that having this big long, you know, very
grand story, very hero's journey type story, it locked us into a
path that we were stuck on for eight years.
And it was a wonderful eight years.
It was a. Great, eight years.
But we did, yeah. So like I.
Have built in very. Intentionally into this world
and into this campaign that, you know, we have multiple ending
times where we can say like, you know, maybe we want to pause.
If we want to like pause and do something else, do another post
camp, who knows, we have that option without it being kind of
an inorganic thing. So that's, I think the biggest
lesson that I learned from doing this campaign is just to have an
off ramp, like have multiple off ramps, have ways to end the
campaign when you're ready to be done with it.
Because yeah, I, I loved the campaign.
I loved James and Dragons, but eight years is a long time,
gang. Eight years is 2 presidencies
OK? Let's move swiftly on from that.
So interesting. OK, Brian, again from Patreon.
Tonally, never know where it feels very different.
Could you talk about that, even if it's not actually true?
So like this is judging just from our little preview episode.
Yeah, that was like 5 minutes with each of our characters, 5
minutes before. Yeah, it's.
It is going to be really totally different I think.
A big part of it is a little bit, it's a little more grown up
because we are, we are more grown up than we at the
beginning of Games and Dragons. We were all at the beginning of
Games and Dragons. We were all, you know, in
college or just out of college. And it was very much more of a
why a tone to it. Yeah, this is we're all in our
30s and we hate capitalism. So like that is going to be more
of the theme of this campaign is US hating capitalism, I guess.
Yeah, I was thinking more like we're.
Going to do horrible. Things to our.
Characters and we're going to like it.
Wow. We'll see.
We'll. See, we'll see for yourself,
but. Yeah, like I'm also.
Speaking for Aaron, I mean something.
Well, I mean to be fair. I've already done.
I mean, you don't know his back story yet, but anyway.
But the point. Is something that I actually.
Thought once we got into recording, though, like, is
that, you know, we're still so goofy.
Yeah, Right. Yeah, yeah, No, that's true.
Like. Yeah, I'll say like the goofs
will be remain. The same.
We are still the same. We're still still the same
people. We can't stop.
Yeah, stop who we are, but the
overarching themes. It is not going to be a hero's
journey sort of story where they are going to go up against a big
bad. There's not going to be even
clearly a big bad. It is going to be a little bit
more ambiguous and I think it it's going to be a a story that
gives us room to tell a lot of different stories within it.
And I'm really excited for that. And I think too, the characters
themselves are. More mature and also not as like
Fran, even though she had like some toxicity to her, like very
much still was like a hero's protagonist.
And I think these are much more Gray characters.
They're not nearly as like like even though I mean, I know we
did. We talked, we got, we, I don't
know, like without saying too much, well, no, I mean.
Like I'm thinking about like all of the.
Times that we said really fucked up shit as friend and Corbin,
it's like, it's like. Corbin But yeah, I I do.
I think you're right that. These are more mature
characters. Also in the fact that they're
not teenagers. They're all adults.
Yeah, they're all adults. Because we're all adults and I
think we're, we're kind of all. Ready to tell stories from I
mean, I it's interesting like I mean we.
To some extent we were like, oh, we're teens, but like being
like, I don't know how old we were freaking early 20s and
being like, oh, I'm playing like a 17 year old.
It was kind of like, oh, like that's a person who's kind of
like me, but like younger. Like, I feel like if I played a
17 year old now, I'd be like, Gee, thanks Mr. That's true.
That's true, especially 'cause I.
Work with 17 year olds. And I know they're like.
Yeah, it's very different. Yeah, I love your outfit.
They're cute. Actually, they're usually like,
Gee, Mr. Well, I hate your. Outfit.
But you know, Gee, Mr. Well, you look like you have a.
Tumblr I did get told that I did get told that by a student and.
Another student I laughed and she said I love that laugh and
she didn't even know the meme it was so horrible.
And then I told her. About the meme, she was like
you're. Old for knowing about Justin
Bieber so. That's what it's like working.
With 17 year olds, yeah. Like, I can't believe how
critically. You were injured.
I these these things happen to me at least once a week.
Your your resiliency is is. So brave, You're so brave,
you're so brave. Thank.
You. Thank you.
Have another question?
So. Savannah?
Stevenson asks. The new setting also seems quite
fantasy and magic oriented so far.
Would you guys ever be interested in doing a campaign
that leans more towards sci-fi or modern fantasy?
And I know Kat will have answers, but I wanted to say
like, don't be so sure that it's fantasy and magic oriented.
Yeah. I.
Think I need to find. Like a system that I really like
for modern fantasy or sci-fi. I know there's a bunch of
systems out there who that do it, but I think that the
differences in technology in something like modern fantasy or
sci-fi are such that I I wouldn't want to run that as D&D
and I wouldn't want to run that as a system that is not geared
towards it. Yeah, Yeah.
Otherwise it just feels like you're you're.
Trying to fit a square. Peg into a round hole.
I know there's like scum and villainy is I think the Star
Wars blades in the Dark module. I've heard some really good
things about that. It would also have to be like,
not a suit like. I'm sure there's like a great
Star Trek like RPG, but I've played the Star Trek RPG.
Yeah, yeah, we've played it. Yeah, but it would be like.
Weird to do like a campaign. Off of that and be like and be
like, but it's not Star Trek. But it's not Star Trek.
I wanna do I. Wanna do a thinly veiled
Stargate SG? One we'll do a party of 1
Juniper. LDM and you'll.
Be Jack O'Neil Yes, I'll be Jack O'Neil yes, it's gonna.
Be us, we don't have to. It'll just.
We also see there because no, you haven't seen it.
Yeah, you guys can. You guys can play like.
You guys can play alien Genghis Khan and stuff.
Oh my God. Chantal would actually Chantal
on the podcast. Wait, shit.
OK, well, we just have to think about that.
We just have to think about it. Oh my God.
Chantal and Juniper and I became friends because we all love.
Sargas, literally that's how we bonded.
And we bonded with another kid but we are not friends with.
Him. Yeah, unfortunately.
I mean, it's not like we. Got mad at him or anything.
We just didn't hate him. It just didn't stick, and Noelle
and I became friends because Noelle.
Was forced to drive me and Sophia that's right that's right
that's right that's right our. Parents paid her.
Yes, that's right. My God, you were like their.
Chauffeur. Yeah, I was, I was a chauffeur
with it was a driving. With Stacey And sometimes Noelle
wouldn't want to take us home. Yeah.
I just would take them to my house and I'd be like, we're
hanging. Out and we're friends they were
like I'm in danger anyway I love you Noel so all right let's see
oh OK we were just talking about that we should like talk about
this what system are you guys using for the new campaign This
is from ace on Patreon I know you mentioned not doing D&D this
time so I was curious yes so I mentioned scum and villainy as a
blades. In the dark module, I know that
because we're playing Blades in the Dark.
Blades in the Dark. Glaze in the dark.
Which is? It is a.
Really, really fun system. It's very fast-paced.
It's I, I read this recently and I was going to share it with you
guys, but I'll share it with you live instead.
The way that it works is that like the actions you take should
be oriented to what fits on a comic book page.
So like it has this really fast-paced, it's really fail
forward oriented. It's a super fun system and I
created a custom setting for it because I love world building.
But I do think actually the setting that with it is really
well done and actually and like the book is really well laid
out. If you ever want to like play
Blades in the Dark, it is super easy to pick up and play and
like create. We're going to make a How to
play Blades in the Dark episode. We are edification.
We're going to make it. We're trying to learn how to
play Blades in the Dark. We're.
Not recording it tomorrow apparently because I haven't.
Written it all good. OK.
Oh. I have a specific one for.
Juniper, you don't have to answer this if it's a spoiler.
OK? Is it a spoiler to ask if
Juniper? 'S character is.
Meant to be historical emperor Valerian or just an emperor
named Valerian? Didn't know there was a
historical emperor. I was so curious.
Did not know I looked. It up, it's a Roman Emperor I.
Think yeah, I looked. It up, he was kidnapped.
He was the first Roman. Emperor ever to be kidnapped and
taking prisoner and he was killed in captivity.
Wow, cool, I love that. That is.
Amazing, I didn't know that. No, I just.
Litter that in your back pocket. I'll keep that in my back pocket
for sure, though. I literally named Valerian
Valerian because I was like, I looked at him and the first name
that popped into my head was Valerian.
And I was like, actually, I think I named him after the
flower because it's a flower. Yeah.
All right. So my last question.
Is what? I guess non spoilery thing are
you most excited about for the new campaign?
OK I have to think non spoiler. Thing because there's I mean, it
doesn't have to be totally non spoiler.
But like, okay, no, I will kill you.
No, I am in. Person with you and I can.
Kill. You can kill me.
You can't kill me. It'll take me longer.
It'll take me longer to kill. Juniper I know, I know who I can
talk about in the. Next campaign that I'm very
excited about. Yeah.
Debbie, Debbie, Debbie, I was going to say.
Debbie, Debbie. We're all excited about Debbie.
We literally have not even met Debbie yet.
I have. I feel like we did you you.
Met Debbie off. Screen I have.
Not I've not given like I've never heard of Debbie.
Yet. That's true.
You.
I am so excited. She's a character that, like,
has been rotating in my head like a hot dog at a gas station
for ages. Her name is Nurse Debbie.
She's a pediatric nurse. First name Nurse, last name
Debbie. Well, actually her her name is
Nurse Debbie. O'Neill she is related to Jack,
Relation to the Jack. O'Neill I actually said.
O'Neill And I was like, Why do I know that?
Name, because it's Debbie. Last name.
Yeah, Debbie O'Neill. She's a she's a pediatric nurse.
She wears Care Bear scrubs, she gives out lollipops at her
clinic, and you might say, how is this a character from the
campaign? That I heard a preview of.
Well, just wait. Just just wait.
Just you wait. You'll just wait and.
Then you'll know she has a. Whole elaborate back story that
you. Guys don't know anything about
yet. I hope someday you find out,
because I am. I just love.
I will. I'll make efforts to find out,
Cat. Because like, I'm obsessed with
Nurse Debbie and I will do what I need to do.
The interactions so far, even off screen between Nurse Debbie
and Juniper's character have been incredible.
So I even really, and I'm sorry, I know that Errol gave you like
an entire character arc for their character.
I have an entire character arc planned specifically between
Valerian and Nurse Debbie. So I'll send that.
I'll send that PDF to you later. It's 20 page and I cannot wait.
So I cannot wait because I'm. She is my favorite.
Character. I have a lot of good good really
good characters that I've come up with a really good MPCS for
this campaign, but Nurse Debbie is top of the list.
She came to me second after the main antagonist for the
campaign. Amazing.
Nice. So good I have been.
Daydreaming about what it's. Going to be like to finally.
Meet her. Yeah.
I can't wait. I cannot wait for.
You guys to meet? Her.
She's my finest work. So good.
Oh my God. Jennifer, what are you most?
Excited about well, I just. Told you and it's nurse.
Debbie, yeah, you've got a bad story to or yeah, you've.
Got a plan. I'm excited.
I'm. Trying to think of a way to word
this without giving out actual too many spoilers.
I'm excited to play in a world that is very malleable.
I'm excited to see how that. Goes yeah, I'm very.
Excited to play around in that space.
Hell yeah. Errol, what about you?
Oh so. Many things.
I mean, I'm excited. You know, I've been playing
Slake, who, you know, is kind of sweet and hesitant and, you
know, worries a lot about other people's feelings.
And I'm very excited to be playing a character who's just
very, very different from Slake and, you know, to, you know,
have some some messiness there, some drama.
I'm, I'm really excited to see how the relationships between
our characters are going to grow and develop.
It's already been so much fun just having them interact.
Yeah, there there's a lot of like, yes.
Juicy Friction Juice and the friction have been really,
really fun. It's so good and funny.
Noel, what about you? I would say I have two.
Things I for one same. Thing as Errol, I'm excited to
play a character who's really different from Fran and plays a
really different role in the group She's not really like I
don't know, like she's less of a Fran and more of like a seeker,
the gap type yeah yeah, more than.
Fran, at least in most. Ways And then I also am excited
because I decided that even though we have played many times
games where they literally have bards and I never played a Bard,
I decided in this game where they don't have bards, I'm going
to play Bard. So I'm excited to do the.
Music for Pepper. That's gonna be fun.
I have I. Think I have some some.
Interesting songs to share? Hell yeah.
And I've got one thing to add which also answers a question
that. Mushashi Don just put in the
chat. Is Cat going to give an NPC to
the team again to keep them from doing decision paralysis?
I'm excited to not have a DMPCII.
Loved Mary, she was a wonderful character.
I do feel like my having a DMPCI think limited or railroaded
certain moments that could have been more open to exploration if
I did not have her as a character.
So I am excited to not have a DMPCI.
Am trying to make the narrator more of a character.
Oh yeah, I love that. Yeah.
So I that's kind of where. I'm going to have a little bit
more voice. Is is.
I'm going to make the narration more of its own character rather
than having my own PC, but I'm excited to not have that.
I think that's going to be, it's going to be a fun change for me
and it'll help me focus a little bit more on being the eye in the
sky rather than on the ground. Makes sense.
Hell yeah. I have a couple.
Last quick questions from Chad, if you want.
Yeah, let's do it. So from.
Part. In Nobody Killer, nobody in
particular, Yeah, is. Pepper starting a lonely hearts.
Club Band. No, she works alone.
But she's not. Yeah.
Not a lonely hearts club band starter.
And then the other question I wanted to put in was from Riadi.
I think Patrick, is Noel going to put that song from the
epilogue episode on Band Camp or anything?
Oh yeah, I will put it on Band Camp.
Hopefully this summer I want to, or maybe before this summer.
We'll see. I want to.
Maybe release my fake Kingdom Hearts songs.
Yes yes on like Spotify. But I might like I might.
So I like I have like long versions of all of them.
I might make it the long version so I don't.
Oh my God, nice. I'm so hyped.
This is my wish. This is my.
Wish but I. We'll see if I have time and
energy to do it. Yeah, it's fair.
I love your. Kingdom Hearts.
Songs. I love all of your music.
Thank you. I didn't know there was going to
be another. Kingdom Hearts song.
At the and so it like it hit me, I was out on my walk and
suddenly I hear my beautiful friend Noel's beautiful voice
coming through my headphones and I'm like, yes, I thought so
listen to it. I'm going to take rye somewhere.
Oh, he's looking at me. Oh, yeah.
OK, Speaking of. Speaking.
Of that, Speaking of the man. Who is?
Looking at you, I think it's probably time for us to end
things. Thank you so much.
All of our wonderful Patreons who are here on the live stream,
thank you so much to all of our wonderful listeners.
Thank you so much to everybody who has supported us in the last
eight years. We truly could not have done all
of this without you. Seriously.
Yeah, when we started this podcast.
I didn't think. Anyone would listen.
I truly was like that. I'm just doing this mostly as an
excuse to make my friends play D&D with me on a regular
schedule. And the success that we found
doing this and, and finding this community of people who vibe
with our humor and, and enjoy what we do has been so, so
special and it's really been wonderful.
So thank you so much to everybody who has supported us.
Thank you for all of you who will continue to support us in
their new campaign. Yeah, thank you.
Thank you. Thank you.
Thank. You.
Thank you. Thank you for coming.
Thank you everybody. I love you, we love you, we
love. You.
Kiss. Kiss, kiss, kiss love love love
love love kiss kiss kiss kiss fall in love bye.
I'm going to start getting the stream.
Starting OK stream is starting. Get ready to.
Clink, get ready to. Clink, my God.
Oh my God, you. Guys so mad at you.
I'm not mad about the wine. I'm just mad about the whimsy.
I again, I'm mad about the principle.
Yeah. Yeah, we're.
Literally live. Yet.
We're not live so. You're just doing this for no
one. You look stupid now you're just
doing this for fucking no. One.
And you look foolish. It's so foolish.
Foolish. It's not live they can't hear.
You. Is it live yet?
No. It's about.
To be Hold on.