Call of Cthulhu: Shadow of the Crystal Palace 

HEY, there might be some SPOILERS under the thing 2:30 Glad Sam could make it 5:10 Traumatizing Travis 5:55 Intro cinematic 7:30 Episode Starts 8:35 Jonathan Lansey gives a fantastic speech 11:35 The latest in cats 12:20 Laying out the heist 17:10 Ida Cogswell 17:25 Septimus Goodfellow 19:10 Hanako Hayashi 20:00 Alexandra Elise O’Neil 20:20 Dr.Mason Pocket 22:45 Cpt. Bentley Badger 23:40 Naming cats 25:10 Septimus raises the stakes 30:05 Premature lantern 32:25 Scooby Doo/Cthulu crossover 37:30 Nigel Peesee 41:40 Edison took credit for other people’s designs? How surprising! 52:25 What spirits do 53:20 Cat react 57:25 Show me what you’ve got 1:02:05 1890 alarm system 1:04:35 Taliesin does not actually own historical Japanese tech 1:06:35 Sam Riegel’s signature move 1:11:05 Current wars 1:14:35 Taliesin knows what you look like dead 1:18:20 Taliesin is not King Arthur 1:22:55 Totally not evil crystal 1:27:05 Thanks for the update, Septimus 1:28:55 Keep the bag closed 1:30:50 Taliesin provided actual secret compartments 1:33:00 Bentley knows keys 1:35:05 Human hair, or humans FOR hair 1:44:00 Lifting Doctor Pocket 1:54:30 Good pun Taliesin 1:57:30 That’s DOCTOR Pockets to you 2:00:05 Figuring out sanity 2:01:45 Hanako and Bentley 2:06:10 Sanity panic 2:09:05 Alexandra and Dr.Mason 2:13:00 Break Starts 2:18:00 Break Ends 2:25:15 Freaking out together 2:28:40 Septimus sees Them 2:38:30 Taliesin makes a curious suggestion 2:40:20 The centipede defense 2:41:25 The shadows cling 2:45:50 Septimus drops the act 2:48:35 These props are amazing 2:51:25 Alexandra loves the adventure 2:59:40 The wheel slows to a stop 3:02:15 Never open that door if there’s no warrant 3:02:35 Ruby vision doesn’t help 3:14:20 Catastrophe 3:22:15 Surrounded by shadow 3:33:45 Ida goes under 3:36:55 A good poker 3:40:40 Septimus loses his head 3:44:15 Dr.Pocket’s curiosity is satisfied 3:46:55 Septimus has turned 3:47:55 Light 3:49:25 Maryweather begins to fight 3:53:45 Debriefing 3:59:45 Goodbyes 4:04:45 Episode Ends Twitch live viewership of this episode peaked around 21,000 people. The in-game start date for the episode was some time in the 1890’s. I’m not sure this timestamp thing really lends itself to a horror game, but personally I really liked this. Congratulations Taliesin, Lovecraft would have found this truly horrifying. Any moments I missed? Feel free to post them here. Is it Halloween yet?

The only reason taliesin stutters is because he’s converting his first language (ancient Phoenician) into our boring modern english

Taliesin: I love Cosmic Horror Me: Now you're just being narcissistic

I'm so disappointed that the players all dressed up and got in character, but Taliesin just wore his backup pajamas. It's also really weird that they recorded this in his guest bathroom.

"Let's capitalize on this opportunity to name our cats!" Every Lovecraft fan: "Oh noooo..."

The realization that when Taliesin tells Liam “You sense the thing that’s in your notes,” Liam’s notes must actually say, “You don’t know a damn thing; just bullshit.”

I don't know if anyone else has noticed this, but the Crystal Palace DID host a cat show in the late 19th century, and Harrison Weir really WAS the chief judge who resigned in 1890. The secretary's rambling monologue is Taliesin cramming all his research notes into the game to prove he's done his homework.

Travis: Scared shitless His character: heroic, resourceful Liam: Intrigued and having fun His character: cowardly liar

Eldritch God: About to begin the game Travis (Un)Willingham: Can I leave?

Travis: is easily scared and allergic to cats Taliesin: makes him play a horror one shot that starts at a cat show

Dr Pocket: Works at British Museum Group: Discovers strange red artifact stone Dr Pocket: "I call dibs" 10/10 historically accurate roleplay

"Bless your ignorance child." reminded me so much of Percy's "Your secret is safe with my indifference." Taliesin is a gem

I love the horrifying, unsaid, implications of Taliesin’s lore: that being that the Crystal Palace contains all of the eldritch artifact that have been collected over the centuries, and it existence is what keeps the horrors contained and the world safe(ish). Yet the Crystal Palace burned down in 1936, several decades after the story.

when Tal said "it's 1890s Britain, you probably have some shit on you" he was speaking from EXPERIENCE

Why is Taliesin the only one not in a costume? He's just wearing his every-day clothes.

Little detail: I adore the subtle creepiness that the _entire_ time Taliesin is narrating he's sitting in front of a Black Sun Disc (from which shadow tendrils begin to emanate at the appropriate point in the story) 😳

True player solidarity is Taliesin telling Phil that when he starts talking about shadow people he can't stop until stopped by someone else, and everyone else immediately jumping to stop him and calm him down when he starts rambling so he doesn't have to exhaust himself riffing

The Name "Call of Cthulhu" actually refers to Taliesin calling his pet in for dinner.

I want this to be a regular series just so it can end with Mr. Merryweather accidentally revealing his eldritch form, fleeing to California, and changing his name to taliesin jaffe.

I'm just now realising that Liam would play an amazing Gilderoy Lockhart.

5:30 Tal: "I'm getting a taste for it, it's like tasting human flesh" Careful Taliesin, your Taliesin is showing...

Vox Machina couldn't get through doors... Mighty Nein has issues with chairs... These people can't find a light switch

in the immortal words of taliesin jaffe: "We're running. Its bad."

I can't believe Tal did a one-shot to present his family to his friends

Also, wait a second, I just noticed. At around 1:24:13 Liam fully says "I don't have a good Occult, but my Intelligence and Psychology are high." And nobody questions how the supposed spiritualist and medium has a low Occult ability score.

Matt: "You could certainly try" Taliesin after a minute of talking to himself: "Thats interesting"

If you're bad at spotting things in this game, you miss stuff and get killed. If you're good at spotting things, you notice stuff and are driven insane by it...

24:16 I can't believe no one has brought up Erika's cat "Nyan", and the fact that "she's very well *bread*".

"You see in the distance an old, decrepit, small, square castle... Its 5 flags flying from minarets atop each of its corners." "But, if its square... How could there be 5 flags in the corners?" "Good question, roll for sanity." Dont remember where I read this from but absolutely loved it and this reminded me of it. Want more of this!!!

I envy how supportive Taliesin's friends are. His first time running CoC and a naturally anxious person the cast threw themselves fully into this to make him more at ease. Costume, mannerisms, and listening without rushing.

It was so nice of Taliesin to let them stream from his summer home's dinning room.

The sanity rolls here are fascinating here. Especially Ashley’s after opening the chest. “You hear a faint knocking, just on the edge of your hearing” leads to “Oh, it must be some young hooligans outside throwing stones.” I feel it really lends to an overarching theme in most Lovecraftian works, that being humanity’s overriding desire to understand or explain every phenomenon it encounters and the shutdowns when there simply is no understanding or explaining such eldritch occurrences that the staples of cosmic horror

Honestly it comforts me so much to see Taliesin reading from notes as he is dming. I do the same thing since I can’t trust myself to share all the information my players need off the top of my head and I always feel bad watching critical role and seeing Matt able to narrate everything while looking the players in the eyes. But Taliesin was able to pull off an amazing session while reading off of notes which means that I can to!

The idea that in all the cages is now a single rat with cat ears sitting there, alone, right between 300 cat carcasses is somehow great but also disturbing.

Think about this : all the cats get possessed... and then theres this one rat with cat ears glued to its head who is Very Confused

Travis be out here playing Sir Bertrand Bell in every form and era possible. Love it! Haha

lmao i’ve just realised that this is in england and the crystal palace was around when this was set. THATS RIGHT BY MY HOUSE! THERES A CAMPAIGN SET BY MY HOUSE

I will always be in love with the fact that somehow everyone has agreed and accepted the fact that Taliesin himself is a cosmic horror in human form

Anyone else desperately want Taliesin Jaffe to make videos just reading out old horror novels and creepy stories and whatever Because I want it

I know this is old, but the "the speech is still going on in the other room" joke at the end was legit hilarious. I laughed out loud.

Most of my CoC games goes like this. Everyone is calm, thinking they're gonna solve a mystery and kill some cultists, but by the end of it they're fleeing for their lives from some abomination of flesh and bones.

Liam's accents are so good that others can tell when he deliberately lets it slip. That's some amazing acting talent right there.

Taliesin: You have all entered cats in the cat show. Travis: *horrified gasp from off camera*

Yooooo! Tal is genius. When he made Phil's character get stuck rambling on and on about shadow people. Phil is SO GOOD at going on and on and making you feel awkward. HERE FOR THIS

Talisen dming a game based on mythology writen by hp.Lovecraft: *C* *A* *T* Me: *oh no*

So. Travis, Liam and Marisha were just playing their D&D characters in Cthuluverse... a pleasant guy with a secret sword, a magic-man with a secret and love for cats, and an adventurer who spends time with Tibetan monks? I need this fan art.

Who better to introduce Cthulu than the person who had the entity as his childhood pet? Bravo Taliesen.

Talesin chuckling over his plans going well is just so wholesome. Also, pay attention to the background behind Talesin at interesting points

So is no one going to mention that Merrywether calls the remaining three "Poor mortals", and suggests they leave, then proceeds to silently exit the building without making eye contact with anyone? Tf was that??

Marisha wearing sleeves? This really IS going to be terrifying!

"Goodnight poor mortals, i hope your cats survived the night." Is a phrase i didnt know i would shake me a little bit inside.

this is like the fourth time i've watched this and I only now realised that dark halo around Taliesin is background VFX and not some sort of massive mariachi hat

spoilers: Liams character: *fucking dies in a very horrific way* everyone: *is shocked* Liam: *laughing and clapping*

Has nobody mentioned yet that Marisha plays a character who works with/for monks who keep obscure/occult secrets, and wears blue? Alexandra is with the Cobalt Soul.

Only Talisen would write a FOUR PAGE SPEECH for a cat show only not to use the full thing.

The most underrated DM statement "I was so looking forward to murdering you." Love it!

Outside of roleplaying and everyone costumes, Ashely's characters machine actually working I think that was the coolest part of this entire game

I like how everyone starts off being super flirty with each other and then by the end its just panicking

Liam should have just played Caleb who was entering Frumpkin into the contest and accidentally walked in on this shenanigans

Can I just say that to me personally, this might actually be my favourite CR episode ever? I keep coming back to it, over and over again. Just absolutely love Taliesin as a GM, love cosmic horror, and love this story!

"make the story a little less about him and a little bit more about you" this is such a great sentence and such a wonderfull message for any kind of art genre and lore being firstly introduced by a controversial figure

"Well, goodnight poor mortals ".A bead of sweat rolled down my forehead. The characters did not notice it. I almost screamed at my monitor.

Taliesin: How will I get Liam to play in my Cthulhu one shot... Cats.

Travis just keeps surviving Talesins attempts to murder him

ok hold up Liam: **can do a Irish accent flawlessly** Taliesin: **can do a German accent flawlessly** Yet they were switched for Campaign 2?

Now that Fjord feels comfortable with his real accent, he's begun playing Call of Cthulhu with a different Eldritch god.

I think we have a new Halloween tradition that could be started off the back of this one shot. On the closest Thursday night to Halloween Taliesin runs a one shot Call of Cthulhu instead of the usual Critical Role.

I must say it: Phil LaMarr is a national treasure.

this is my absolute favourite critical role one-shot. for two years now, i hope that Taliesin would give us another one like this. I want a continuation of Mr. Maryweather's adventure : )

I don't think Marisha has ever worn so much sleeve before on Critical Role

Best line Ashley Birch "Could you try to enjoy this a little less?" Speaking to Taliesin with his grin.

"I don't know what the fock that does" -Liam O'Brien

I KNOW they're all voice actors but can we just appreciate Travis' English accent for a moment? As a native Brit, it's STUNNING.

Taliesin: "Good evening, children..." Me: "Yes I'm listening take me to these strange new worlds teacher"

Having run a few games of Call of Cthulhu... My goodness, these classy gentlemen and ladies showed just how quickly things can go from "Hmmm, this is quite intriguing" to "AND ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST"

im trying my hardest to pay attention to everyone but my eyes keep getting drawn to Liam, he just looks so damn attractive in the Victorian garb. Also it's adorable how excited he's getting when it starts to get spooky.

Started this one-shot expecting the most horrific of premises, and instead Taliesin started with a cat show. This is going to be delightful. Edit: Travis regressing to Grog's voice when he panics is so funny.

The Critical Role crew truly outdid themselves. The music, set design, costumes, props, and frickin' light effects?! Amazing!! Not to mention the fantastic players and our one and only keeper of arcane lore. This is easily my favorite one shot. Please, Taliesin (& Marisha) more Call of Cthulhu!!

Taliesin’s one shots are always filled with the players dying and I love it, it’s such a change of pace and they know they are actually at risk of being taken out and he gives little to no leeway and wants them all dead. It’s beautiful.

Marisha's lucky that Taliesin ruled her 0-00 roll near the end as 0 instead of 100, cause that was technically a total critical failure by the rules of Call of Cthulhu.

When Liam changed his accent, everyone else's suddenly changed too. Hilarious! This was a really fun one. Reminded me a bit of playing Mansions of Madness with that feeling of a trap lurking around every corner of this elaborate, creepy place. Loved how Taliesin really let them play in the sandbox.

Also known as Talesin Jaffe introduces his family

I loved the reveal with Septimus. I was like "Aaaahhh that's why the occult guy only had 5 points in occult" xD

2:08:35 “You’ve gained a compulsion. You have to- no, you need to check your reflection in every mirror you come across.” Gave me chills 😖

Archie: But what about the shadows and mirror people? Badger: Backburner, Archie! There's an insane cat in here and it has to be dealt with!

"I know what you look like when you're dead" is the most terrifying thing to hear be casually said by Tal.

Of course Talisien is a fan of cosmic horror, what else would an elder god enjoy?

Man i really want them to do a full on Call of Cthulu campaign or at least a short series with Talesin. I love cosmic horrors and the myriads of ways players could kill themselves. I interest to see how many characters they are gonna burn through :D

I watched this two years ago, but when I saw this pop up in my recommended, I just had to say this. What. A. Cast. So much fun. Taliesin was made to GM Call of Cthulhu. I would love to see him do a longer series. That game deserves “Cthulhu Roll” series.

Liam: "I don't like to toot my own horn" Liam: *proceeds to toot his own horn*

It's weird that Taliesin brought his black halo with him. Usually that only comes out at the full moon

Can I just say it’s hilarious that Travis named his cat Achoo, since he’s allergic XD

I like how with call of Cthulhu, the more you look into things the more shit can go wrong, example: Travis and Erika saw the "man" looking at the window who only said one line. Travis looked into it more and lost sanity points while Erika was fine because she didn't investigate.

I get the feeling Liam really enjoys this kind of roleplay. I would watch the hell out of a Cthulu series with this cast.

When taliesin said "i hid your keys" i imagined the players legs chained to the table... he meant car keys

Chaosium really owes a debt of gratitude to Taliesin and the CR players, guests and tech crew for this one. Taliesin started off by not spoiling the prewritten adventure that comes with the CoC boxed set, so anyone who wants to play it will get a fresh start. The adventure Tal wrote was amazing. Clearly, he had access to a lot of special effects and props that most people wouldn't. Nothing like that comes in the box. But it is the story told in imagination that makes it come alive just like every episode of Critical Role where (I don't know about you!) masterful storytelling makes everything seem so real I can almost touch it. Tal could have just as easily used an egg timer or tiny hourglass to simulate how long the heat would drive the Sterling engine. So could you! The rest of the props were mostly atmospheric, just like the outfits. I just loved this story and the game play! I remember playing CoC way back in the early days when Chaosium put out their first set. Good times!

Looking back at this I realize that this is the thing that got me into cosmic horror. He will never see it but big thanks to Talisin for the corruption of my mind

Taliesin: "It's got just enough give to irritate a child for hours. I speak definitely NOT from experience." Me: Well of course not. Taliesin was never a child. He was birthed from the void fully formed and glorious.

Taliesin was once afraid of what may have been in the mist. He is now the that which the things within the mist cower from

It already got me daydreaming when Tal mentioned "a time, when the sun would set, thousands of years ago" but Marisha's final sentence made me wanna play Ten Candles sooo hard !