Amac Productions

HOLY F*CKING SH*T!

What did I just witness? Seriously?

I had a sudden revelation as to why the Mighty Nein freaked the eff out over finding a little baby dragon in the Happy Fun Ball. I honestly thought to myself and then out loud to my girlfriend – a DM – that the game is literally called Dungeons and Dragons. It feels pretty obvious that you would encounter a dragon at some point.

Shouldn’t this be an exciting moment?

No.

I learned that in the Happy Fun Ball and from my girlfriend.

Dragons are scary AF.

If you’re not powerful enough or prepared or literally not knowingly going to confront a dragon, you should just run away. Probably a good way to get the party killed.

Like the first encounter with a dragon occurred – for me – in the Happy Fun Ball of campaign two. It was a pretty mild encounter, and they escaped with all their lives – mostly – and the dragon was killed. So yay.

Then I carried on watching the campaign and we came across the scary as hell ice dragon in the middle of Aoer that was exceedingly pissed at everyone. Even with the ‘help’ of the Tombtakers, this was deadly as hell. So much so that the Tombtakers used this to escape with what they needed from the Mighty Nein.

Leading to an encounter my girlfriend and I have mixed takes on.

Because I think the Mighty Nein could take them in a direct fight if they hadn’t used most of their energy and spells on the dragon. While the Tombtakers used minimal spells and effort during the battle, allowing them more power when the Nein confronted them. I feel it would have been a better fight if they hadn’t used so much effort on a freaking dragon.

Okay, moving on.

We’re talking about Vox Machina here.

And they’re dragon situation. Which is out of hand.

Honestly, that’s putting it mildly.

Four full grown dragons just laid waste to everything, and they were not content letting anyone escape.

In fact, they followed the people who tried to escape to Vox Machina’s house. Which I’m sure is going to need some work after this.

Well, the whole freaking capital is going to need some work. Right after the whole announcement about him stepping down from power or something. I mean, who cares anymore? He’s dead and the capital is in ruins while its citizens are being hunted down by four large dragons.

Must admit though, Matt outdid himself with the names of the dragons but mostly – the group name. The Chroma Conclave.

Nothing good sounds like it’s going to happen with a name like that. Nope.

Vox Machina want to save the day, but also they barely managed against just the one. What do we do with four?

I suppose we could house some people. Sure, come on in. We’ll help you – oh holy sh*t, that’s huge dragon planning to murder us by melting us to death..?

You know what? No one died pleasantly in this episode. It was all kinds of wrong and nasty. People were melting, poisoned, crushed, flame broiled, and so on. No mercy from these dragons.

Who then decided that mass murder was not enough. Got to melt a home in the middle of the castle. There we go. I’ve remodeled with death and destruction, exactly as I like it.

They are awful.

I am also not sure how we’re going to defeat them.

Also, I’m fresh off watching The Mighty Nein series – which is evil as well. But politically evil. Everyone has a secret agenda to gain their own power and move up in the world or conquer their enemies. Very out for themselves type of horror.

However, the evil dragons from the sky scared me a bit more.

It might be because I live with the sort of political evil on a daily basis. I’m just getting desensitized to it. It’s still absolutely terrifying, don’t get me wrong.

But the four dragons laying waste to everything when I did not expect it was crazy. I have watched the second campaign, I have a vague understanding of the events happening. Here? I’m totally clueless. Making it terrifyingly shocking.

I felt like Vox Machina.

Just flabbergasted and uncertain.

Like how do you recover from that?

Those little kids they managed to save – their lives are gone. Everything will be different for them. The lives they thought they might have, have gone up in ashes with their families and friends. They’ve been sucked along to a completely new place.

Which is somehow unreachable…?

With these crazy people who aren’t sure they can do anything to save the day. But ultimately decide some assholes must save the world, may as well be them. Or die trying.

I did like the little moment when we stopped to look at Whitestone and realize that a difference was made. They stood up for Whitestone and saved it. Now it’s rebuilding.

It’s not perfect, but things are getting better. That’s what matters.

They wouldn’t have had this, if not for Vox Machina intervening.

It was a nice touching moment in between the chaos.

I would also like someone to explain Whitestone to me. Last season, no one was able to check on Whitestone. Or anyone who did, never came back. Which – somehow – wasn’t suspect to anyone. Because…?

No one thought it weird that the De Rolos didn’t leave much, nor the Briarwoods.

Like, is it difficult to get to? Can you only get to it through the giant tree in the center of the place? Is it over a mountain? Is there a special knock everyone is taught as babies?

EXPLAIN TO ME. Please. I want to understand.

Maybe I should find Matt’s description of Whitestone. Maybe that will help. His descriptions are always amazing.

Anyway, Vox Machina decides to help, and they leave through a tree again. I feel like this is going to be a thing. Matt joked at the beginning of the second campaign it was nice to take a break from having to prepare the world every week. Because they could up and decide to go somewhere with their abilities and he needed to be prepared.

Yes, I can see how that’s exhausting. Especially if Keyleth has this power really early on.

Overall, this is a solid episode. It picks up where we left off and gets into the second season’s problems with little hesitation. Of course, the story flows easily given they know what they’re going to do. But I love it all the same.

However, coming off the Mighty Nein is a little jarring for me. I’m used to those characters – clearly. Which means I hear the voices and keep misnaming the characters or just using the actor names because I’m jumbled with characters.

I wonder if this is how my multilingual girlfriend feels trying to find the word in the right language.

There’s emotional depth to episode and just sheer carnage that gives you a solid representation of what Vox Machina is up against with the Chroma Conclave. They’re going to help or more power before they try fighting four dragons.

Four dragons.

Four dragons.

Did someone upset Matt when he thought this up? I mean, not even from the campaign. Did he have a bad day at work and think, I can make some truly awesome dragons, but evil.

There are a lot of moments when I want to pick apart Matt’s brain for storytelling tips and other times where I think – nah I’m good.

Like the giant evil baby with the light on its head. If you know, you know. It still freaks me out.

But then he has a wonderful twist that makes me understand so much of his build-up and I’m like damn… I want to know how he does that.

Matt Mercer, you are wonderful.

As is all the actors from the show and the campaigns.

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