Trial by Firelight | Critical Role | Campaign 3, Episode 2 

HEY, there might be some SPOILERS under the thing 0:00 Haloween intros 4:00 Sam, Marisha, and Travis all speak like native New Yorkers 7:20 Laudna absolutely should have had a Long Island accent 8:40 Robbie and Ashley talk about Kith and Kin 10:40 Robbie’s Merch Corner 13:25 Episode Starts 15:45 Recap Ends 18:05 Battle begins 20:05 Getting as far away as possible 23:35 Travis sounds so meek 28:55 Travis-Fearne is delightful 31:05 Optimism 33:15 Bertrand posts up 37:25 Eshteross starts wrecking shop 39:45 Laura is hangry 44:05 HOLD ME BACK 46:55 Seeing those CEO abs 49:45 Robbie is so good 50:35 Trying to flambe Eshteross 55:10 Ashton makes sure Bertrand gets a little damage 59:35 A conversation with Lord Eshteross 1:04:35 First whispers of campaign 3 1:08:45 Matt has to think up a good lie 1:11:40 Always judge a book by its cover 1:14:55 Sucking Fearne’s hair 1:15:55 Top 3 breakfast spots 1:20:30 Marisha brings out the candy 1:25:30 Guessing the Crown Keeper’s backstory 1:27:45 Holey robit 1:28:50 We only want to learn about these robots 1:30:30 Pate de Rolo 1:32:30 Marisha spoils the Legend of Vox Machina 1:34:25 Bertrand Bell, champion of Vox Machina 1:35:25 Sometimes I remember that there is a canonical character named Stonejaw Strongjaw 1:40:10 Listen to the rat 1:42:50 Bertrand pays for everything 1:44:50 We’ve come to kill you 1:47:10 The first mission of campaign 3 1:50:35 Fearne taking some shinies 1:51:25 How does Travis live like that 1:56:50 Talking hammer 1:57:30 Making our way 1:59:20 Stage fright 2:05:25 Bertrand the lookout 2:06:30 Break Starts 2:16:30 Break Ends 2:17:40 Inside team 2:20:25 Dennis 2:25:05 Robot voice 2:32:35 Halfling luck, what a novel concept 2:37:25 Constantly thinking of your own name 2:39:05 Make my way 2:44:35 Thinking about cheese 2:50:25 Outside team 2:54:20 Making my way 2:55:10 Liam’s sneeze spooks Ashton 2:57:45 Princess carry 2:59:55 Simurghs are from joust 3:01:25 Dorian and Laudna are not a good team 3:03:20 Making my way 3:04:00 Bertrand and Fearne 3:07:40 Laura attacks Liam’s trail mix 3:09:35 We should kill them all, just kidding… unless…. 3:12:10 Following orders 3:12:50 Fearne enters 3:15:10 Thinking at each other 3:18:15 Walking casually 3:19:15 I found this trash 3:24:45 Travis doesn’t know what to do with his chest 3:26:25 Learning how telepathy and messages works 3:29:35 Must be a crab 3:30:35 Planning the BnE 3:43:05 Travis sheet peeks 3:45:20 Team Back Door 3:47:30 Fearne’s accent 3:49:05 Team Full Frontal 3:52:10 Cut to 30 episodes later, leaving a 50 gold tip 3:53:25 This is the moment 3:59:25 Feelin my way 4:00:30 Laura’s not used to having to make short messages 4:01:45 FCG and Laudna both have deeply unsettling message styles 4:04:05 No crack 4:07:20 Episode Ends The in-game start date for the episode was some time in 843PD. Marisha’s flask says “CANDY! Limit one per person. Travis, I’m talking to you” with a box of candy attached to the flask. In honor of spooky season, maybe check out SCP Foundation. It's a massive crowdsourced collection of weird and creepy stories about a fictional paranormal containment organization. They're great DM inspo, they've taught me a lot about how to describe things to make them scary. The Top Ranked or Fan Curated lists are great places to start. Just remember: You do not recognize the bodies in the water. Any moments I missed? Feel free to post them here. Is it Thursday yet?

Laudna: Looks scary, is actually nice Fearne: Looks nice, is actually scary

Travis and Ashley playing barbarians: "I would like to rage" Taliesin playing a barbarian: "I am *going* to rage"

Man Ashley absolutely nails roleplaying a fey, just something clearly inhuman in how Fearne acts at any given moment

I love how Imogen and Ashton are the only ones who aren't unnerved by Laudna consistently. Imogen because she loves her, Ashton because they thinks she's dope.

Bertrand: Y'know what, I'll let them speak for themselves. Fearne, Immediately: *we're here to kill you...* Bertrand: apart from that one

Bertrand: "EXCUSE YOU THEIR NAME IS DE ROLO YOU UNCULTURED SWINE" Also Bertrand: "Frog... Grog... Strongbone"

Marisha: "im gonna unhinge my jaw" matt: *VISIBLE CONCERN*

"You never take copper.....you take silver if hes an asshole, and you take gold regardless" damn, Ashton is a king

Ashley: is a wildly talented voice actor with several fantastic characters under her belt Also Ashley: starts every impression with *exactly* the same "uhh hello" without fail

Laura really took to Dming so easily it's almost astonishing how closely she mimics Matt's style.

travis, in absolute disbelief, looking between marisha roleplaying puppeteering a dead rat and matt: "what.. happened... when she was making this character" and matt just "... a lot" 1:31:20

Marisha built an entire character around creeping Travis out

49:59 Laura: "You're on the ground and healing him, that's so sweet!!!" Matt: "That's what real healers do" LMAO THE *S H A D E*

Travis’s reactions to Laudna are everything. His little “The fuck happened when she was making this character?” to Matt was hilarious.

God, Marisha's character is so freaking creepy and the rest of the cast just keeps enabling her, it's great.

I’ve never heard Chaotic Good so perfectly encapsulated than in Taliesin’s comment: “Never take copper, that’s just kicking someone when they’re down. You take silver if they’re an asshole and you take gold regardless but you never take copper.’

Shout out to the new Critters who are still trying to learn everyone's names and their second episode turns out to be THIS episode... EDITED TO ADD: Here, new fans - have some essential older study material! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-7_oH58pq0Ac.html (zero spoilers, just goofy fun)

ashton: what do you want to eat? laudna: the souls of the innocent imogen: a bagel laudna: NOOO imogen: two bagels

3:04:21 Fearne: "Do you have any children?" Bertrand: "Not that I know of, you?" Fearne: *"Not that I know of"* And I'm pretty sure Robbie was the only person who caught how weird that comment was

Bit late to this, but I like how Travis played a 5th level character who has such a huge powerspike ability-wise with extra attack and a +3 magic weapon by distinctly choosing to make him do nothing in combat, very sporting of him

1:34:47 Taliesin getting "De Rolo" wrong, immediately followed by Travis getting "Grog Strongjaw" wrong, absolutely made my day.

The way Robbie recoils at Laura's impression of him, it's like a vampire being held at bay with a crucifix.

Between cosplaying Robbie and The Gentleman, I'm starting to think Laura was born to rock a tasteful mustache chin-beard combo

"I think we should kill them all" *Matt immediately shows interest and fear* "Just kidding" *Matt laughs and begins to fidget* A DMs life story in a nut shell

Travis : * Attempts to avoid a romantic RP situation by making the character old AF * Ashley : * Jokes on you, I'm into that shit *

Fresh Cut Grass: we were all named after specific tasks. Oatmeal just chopped firewood and made up campsites :) Fearne, desperately trying to talk about Pussy: *what were the other one's tasks*

I love that you can almost see the little "!" above Liam's head when Marisha mentions Whitestone and the name "De Rolo".

Out of all the potential Halloween costumes they could've done, the fact they chose to dress up as each other is absolutely brilliant (especially Ashley as Travis lmfao)

Ferne: "I think we should kill them all :)" Bertrand: *nervous laughter*

As a DM, watching every player break out their pens and start jotting down notes when Matt mentions something new is inspiring.

Everyone being goofy goobers and there's Orym. Every time he talks the entire team gets quiet and becomes serious, it's hilarious

As the seasons go on I'm increasingly impressed with Marisha's level of body comedy. She uses her body and her facial expressions better than probably anybody on the cast. Laudna is a perfect character for her.

Taliesin's really good at these nonpretentious thief's codes. "You don't take copper, take silver if they're an asshole, take gold regardless" this season, and "don't steal from people who are happy" last season.

Robbie taking psychic damage literally from the moment Laura said “hey” was transcendent 😹

Me, at the start of the campaign: oh boy Laudna's pretty spooky Me, upon meeting Pâté: OH SHE'S BABY

Talesin was just EATING it up talking bout Whitestone and Percys family

Ashton: “who here has crimed before?” Crown Keeper Trio: *nervous unsure sweating*

Everything about Laudna in this episode was perfectly highlighted and heightened by the Taliesin get-up

Ashley’s “We’ve come to kill you” was perfect in the delivery, how did she think of that so fast 😂😂

Whenever Laudna casts Message to anyone except Imogen, everyone has to repeat whatever she says in a dozen echoing unholy disembodied whispers and that just has to be the rule. I hope they make it a running gag for Campaign 3 because that was GOLD lmao

"Robbie, that's Laura's husband!" made me laugh way too hard.

Half of Ashley's beard falling off when Matt gets a nat 20 is one of the finest moments of physical comedy I've seen on this show

I adore how at 4:00:30 when Laura has to send her first message as Imogen the spirit of Jester just takes over her entire body for a couple of seconds

Matt’s fearful “Jesus!” As they’re doing the Laudna whispers is so good

"Of all the isims, optimism is the most optimistic!" I'm stealing that.

Oh my god, I utterly ADORE the cast doing the Laudna message effect and making it all creepy. I desperately hope they continue that throughout the entire campaign.

I like how Sam obviously spent some time working on his arms for an accurate Marisha costume.

Every time Matthew Mercer makes a sex joke one year is added to my lifespan

Laudna is amazing and creepy but that "I don't remember" from Fearne when asked who she wanted to kill is just incredible

I am still, hours later, absolutely CRYING at Sam perched on the chair and his introduction as Marisha 🤣 and of course Matt’s ON POINT version of Laura

I love that Laudna and Imogen has a similar interaction and vibe as Nott had to Caleb, compliments, whole-hearted belief and both telling their friend they could get into a school if they wanted to, it's very wholesome to see

I love how the cast doesn’t always do the most optimal for combat and sometimes just does what’s either funny or within their character

Travis, continuing g the fanboying over his friends playing barbarians with Ashton, is so amusing.

Love how Travis immediately jumped to add the creepy vibe to Marisha's Message spell and the rest of the cast fell in like dominos on it. They didn't even look at it each other, just "we do this now." lol. Wonderful improv. Matt was so legitimately surprised by his players yet again that it cracked him up.

Travis "I HATE HORROR" Willingham when laudna messages Orm, says *ArE yOu WeLl?* like a god damn demon

I love how when Ory was in the darkness and having messages sent to him, everyone played along to make it the creepiest thing ever. 10/10

I really love how softspoken Orym is, he's such a wonderful lil guy.

Marisha's character is quickly becoming my favorite of this campaign. Side note: I'm pretty sure her original goal was to unsettle Travis as much as possible.

Honestly I think bertrand is my favorite character. Not often you find someone who is just deplorable, a compulsive liar, so hungry for the spotlight and pathetically craven but even so you can tell deep down that he is good. All the other characters are great but bertrand has the biggest opportunity for change and it'll be hard because he is most likely so set in his ways.

"Should we make our way over..." Entire cast: "MRREOW"

Sam standing in his chair like Marisha killed me.

Orym: we don’t have to fight! Laudna: so you’ve chosen death?

This is the second Halloween episode where Laura Bailey with facial hair has stirred something new in me

Travis' reaction to Laudna UNHINGING HER JAW is my favourite thing :') 35:27

tal's face when Laudna explains some of her backstory - he is just having one hell of a time watching someone else be spooky

Hearing Ashley’s voice come out of that trucker-version of Travis is a delight every time.

I clicked into this not knowing it was a Halloween episode, it was the best confusion I have ever felt

Travis to Matt: What the hell happened when she made her character? Matt to Travis unphased: A lot!

I love how everyone was trying to help and reach out to Orym sitting there all alone in the dark and all they did was gradually disturb him more 😂

I really like Robbie. He's such a nice addition to the cast.

"They got books. I'm looking for answers." That is such a cool line.

Everyone messing up the names of their old characters is the funniest thing I will ever witness. Even funnier than Sam's gas can.

Robbie is soooo goood holy shit, he merged with the group so well Hope he will stay through whole campaign

“That umbrella has a knife in it” -Orym “That knife is actually nunchucks” -F. C. G.

One small detail: The music. There are ways in which this campaign is aiming to be different. So far it's... the atmosphere. The colors. Imogen's light purple hair. FCG's gold metalic body. Fearne's teal and aquamarine clothes. It feels like ... Campaign 2 had a vibe that could be painted with red, white and black colors. It was a very dramatic campaign, with lots of trauma, loss, love, tragedy. The Witcher 3 OST matched that story, and that atmosphere _perfectly._ I'm still acclimatizing to this new campaign, this weird new color palette so to say, both physically and emotionally. This soft music somehow fits into it and helps with getting on their vibe. Is it just me?

Laura Bailey is a comic genius. Her reaction to Liam's sneeze is worth watching several times.

Laudna: *uses Message on Oryn* Oryn: *panicked kung-fu* Me: *dying of laughter*

Ashley delivering Fearn’s lines in her sweet voice, dressed as Travis, is EXACTLY what I needed today. Oh, how I love these nerdy ass voice actors!

Ashley: Stonejaw Travis: I'm gonna fucking.. *warning finger* Ashley: TRY IT~

"Laudna"'s multilayered voices of her message spell is freaking amazing. I cried laughing. Terrifying for Orym in the dark warehouse lmfao. Matt's "Jesus" him saying "wow, this will be in my nightmares"

Bertrand: " I consider myself more of a consultant." Ok there gilderoy lockhart

Ashley's having so much fun sowing chaos as Fearne, and Marisha's Laudna is just wonderfully creepy.

Travis "What happened when she was making this character?!" Matt's face..... "A lot" DED

Oh my god Laudna’s whispers should always be like this shit, canon.

Faerne's "Not that I know of" went dangerously underappreciated :')

Laudna: "the de Rolos all sort of... died" Taliesin's expression: 🙃 excuse you (1:32:50)

It’s hard to tell if Taliesin’s reaction to Pate was his own or Ashton’s XD

I love how Dorian laughs at "Don't tell Pate" then immediately doubles back when he realises what she just said

bertrand, ready to shit his pants in fear: "W-who?" fearne, with the fury of a million suns, "/who/?"

All these characters are fun, but the Orc Lord Mercer is doing, has to be one of the most interesting NPCs I've seen in a while.

Robbie and Marisha were absolutely slaying in their costumes

I just like when Pate is introduced, Travis just turns to Matt and is like "The Fuck?!" and Matt is like "Talk to her not me".

The interaction between Travis and Ashley when talking about Grogs last name was priceless, she knew it would get to him and it went perfectly 😂

Deep cut joke by Robbie around 00:50 to the time in C2 Matt made the sounds of uncorking a bottle of wine then pouring it and Liam freaked out. If i hadn’t been able to see him NOT pouring a glass of wine I’d have thought it was happening IRL myself.

Although I'm certain administering a content production company with friends is really freaking hard, it's so nice to see they're just so good and close with each other, and this special thing is what makes the show really exceptional.

Dorian rolling over to heal Orym, and insisting to stay behind when Imogen and Bertrand are leaving. Friendship goals!

Fearne is an absolute psychopath and I love it, she gives off that vibe of someone who will brutally murder people and smile at them as she does it, "we're here to kill you", "I think we should kill everybody", "let's turn him inside out" Ashley has really gotten to grips with how to play a Fey character and I love it! She's so chaotic, yet gentle but unnerving. Yeah you could say Laudna is a psycho too but honestly I think she's just weird and creepy maybe only slightly mad but Fearne comes across as a total psycho

Orym speaks and everyone falls silent. He has such a presence with that soft voice!! 🤩🤩🤩

That first battle was insane! The chaos. I continually had my jaw dropping :O Also, kinda new here but the more I watch the more I'm just blown away by Matt's voicing and acting of the characters. All peeps in the group are fantastic at their acting, but Matt seriously makes this for me. I don't have the ability to imagine things like most people very well, so Matt's voices and body movements bring these characters to life for me in a way that I actually can picture them. It is fantastic.