As Most People I Have Become Obsessed With Baldur's Gate, So I Present You Lady Faelyn Luckystar, Hero

YES ! That was amazing op !!! 

Hi fellow shadowgast lover ! I need your take on this : what if ann older, distinguished and grizzled Essek (like, around 500 years old or something) was sent back in time against his will / to stop some nefarious threat, and met a young Caleb ? Obviously he wouldn't want to alter the timeline, but the temptation to protect his beloved from all the pain he will go through ? The drama ? What would be Caleb's reaction to meeting a powerful Kryn wizard ? Critical Role fandom, I need your wisdom.

I was going to have a cohesive response but my brain IMMEDIATELY went on “Essek gets back to the time Caleb was in the Sanatorium, disguises himself and he’s actually the one that breaks him free of the Feeblemind” (I know it’s not confirmed but I’ve always thought that the whole sanatorium business was Caleb being Feebleminded - it’s basically impossible breaking free of a Feeblemind after it takes hold without some sort of external help)and I’m… I’m having feelings about Essek seeing Caleb again after centuries but not being able to do anything about it I’m–Maybe he protected him, from a distance, in the years before Caleb met Nott. Essek is determined and focused enough to know he cannot afford to mess up the timeline, but watching over him isn’t that, right?

!! please send me the link once it’s finished, op !! 

I don’t know if anyone else had this idea before (…probably) but I would LOVE to see a fic about Essek’s fake burial.

Listen, picture Verin, heartbroken, very confused about these outsiders who showed up unannounced at his brother’s funerals, claiming to be his friends (”Essek do not have friends !”), and insisting on helping him empty out his tower.

First stage : polite confusion

Second stage : passive aggressive doubts from Verin

Third stage : Verin is convinced these people are huge liars and are trying to loot his dead brother’s precious belongings.

Final stage : Verin starts throwing stuff at the Mighty Nein. Chaos ensues. They end up teleporting with Verin in the Clay’s kitchen in front of a very surprised Essek, in his lounging clothes, busy drinking tea and drawing hearts around Caleb’s name in his spell book.

Essek just wanted to get some of his stuff back.

To all the people who had this brilliant idea

follow up from this :

 https://anne-o-nyme.tumblr.com/post/658319203995156480/but-whos-that-charming-fellow-who-flirted-with

This is definitely how CR season 3 will ends. I’m calling it.

---

[zzaap]

“Oh hi Schatz ! You’re back early !”

“The moon is haunted.”

“What ?”

“The moon is haunted, Caleb.”

---

To all the people who asked what was written on Caleb’s book : 

“Kryn courting : so you’ve decided to date a drow, what to expect in a relationship”

Holy shit OP how *dare you* make me have *feelings* about this AU again ??

It’s one of those nights where Essek knows he’s had too much to drink, not enough that he’s well and truly drunk, but enough that the worlds gone a bit soft around the edges and the very quiet part of his brain that tells him when things are a bad idea is silent. It’s one of those nights and Essek is lonely, and sad in a way he’d nearly forgotten he could be.

‘Lux, why, why did you choose me? I don’t, didn’t, even believe you were real. I, I’m nothing special, and there are others who could serve you far better and more willingly than I ever will.’ Essek knows he shouldn’t ask, that you don’t question miracles, but between the wine and the ache in his chest he can’t bring himself to care just now.

“Because you were the only one who questioned. Because you above all others know the pain of not knowing, not understanding. You sit in my light and ask how and why, when others have allowed their devotion to blind them.” Hands softly smooth Essek’s hair from his face, “I love you most dearly because how could I not? How could I not love you as I love myself?”

Lux’s hands tip Essek’s face up so their eyes meet, for a breath, a heartbeat Essek stands outside himself, suspended in the expanse of the Luxon, and sees himself as Lux must. Sharp edges and fractures only better refract the light of a thousand stars dancing just below his skin, and the heavy weight of potentiality that suffuses the air around him.

“You are my most beloved because of how brightly you shine in the dark.”

Lips are pressed to his forehead as Essek’s eyes slip closed, tomorrow he will again question his situation, the how and the why, but for now he will sleep.

related to this post, where the Mighty Nein organise Essek’s fake funerals 

https://anne-o-nyme.tumblr.com/post/659298258508726272/anne-o-nyme-i-dont-know-if-anyone-else-had

The Funeral

Essek’s death had to be believable. It was paramount to his ability to remain connected to the Mighty Nein (even if disguises would be necessary) for he did not wish to put them in continued danger with his presence but they were at risk as long as the Dynasty’s gaze remained fixed on hunting him down. So it was that the Mighty Nein were soon happily planning a great scheme of theatrics, sending messages back and forth, and ultimately coming together in the Blooming Grove for a family meeting on the matter. Kingsley had stalwartly refused to support the usurping of his position as “handsome, ‘you should be dead’ purple man” of the group so he remained upon the Nein Heroez, getting further acquainted with crew. Jester was drawing out plans while the others offered their contributions.  

“Should we throw him a funeral too?” Yasha asked.

Veth immediately interjected, excited to stir the pot, “Oh I see, so when you thought all of us might be dead, you couldn’t be bothered, but when Essek dies you’re happy to throw a funeral. I get it. I see where we all stand.”

Yasha’s brows knit together in confusion.

“No Veth… I mean you were the one who taught me funerals were important… I thought.”

Veth immediately softened at the gentle giant’s sincerity and placed an arm on her forearm.

“Okay. As long as you’ve learned your lesson.” she said softly to assure Yasha she was not mad but still stalwartly refusing to give up the bit. The rest of the Mighty Nein were holding back laughter.

“You know it’s not a bad idea,” Fjord added “it would make it more believable if we’re seen to be, like, visibly grieving. Do the Kryn have funerals, Essek?” Essek snapped to attention, upon hearing his name. He had been rather distracted admiring the way the breeze was blowing through Caleb’s long, ginger hair. It felt oddly intimate to see someone with their hair flowing free for the wind to play with, no styling whatsoever, but then, Essek supposed that was simply a marker of his upbringing in a culture where no one would ever be willing to appear disheveled in the slightest. He attempted to recall what had been said but it was no use.

“My apologies, what was that?”

Beau rolled her eyes.

“Oh god. He’s absolutely useless lately. Hey! Lovesick weirdo! We are trying to make a plan to save your life so you might want to tune in.” Beau knocked on his head as if checking to make sure it wasn’t hollow. Essek, though his expressive ears seemed to pull back in embarrassment, turned to her with the blankest of expressions, practiced from many years of maintaining composure for the sole purpose of annoying a younger sibling.

“I apologize, I was busy theorizing about what may have happened in the dynasty during my absence and while attempting to unravel the incredibly complex web of political intricacies, I happened to miss what was said.” his scathing tone didn’t have the slightest effect on Beau.

“Yo guys, new nickname for Caleb: political intricacies.”

The Mighty Nein exploded into laughter, chortling at the quip.

Read More on Ao3

Come and see the most adorable half drow babies cuddling from the amazing @flappingduster !! 

The cuteness is killing me TT u TT

@anne-o-nyme reawakened my babygast feelings and I couldn’t resist the quick sketch of our two shadowgast kiddos🥺

Give me more Shadowgast Baby !

Don’t think about Caleb lecturing a hall of students with a tiny baby strapped to his chest, occasionally pausing to adjust them to a more comfortable position.

Don’t think about all the speculation about which of his revolving door of lovers got knocked up (the prevailing theory is the purple Tiefling who disappeared after only a month; the slightly pointed ears, pale hair and lack of horns do nothing to deter this theory).

Don’t think about Caleb tucking his chin and whispering in Zemnian with a awestruck expression, before returning to the lesson at hand.

Don’t think about soft new parent Caleb.

Caleb accidentally adopting/kidnapping a Tabaxi child because he thought they were a cat and is now too embarrassed to take them back to where he found them.

It’s one of those nights where Essek knows he’s had too much to drink, not enough that he’s well and truly drunk, but enough that the worlds gone a bit soft around the edges and the very quiet part of his brain that tells him when things are a bad idea is silent. It’s one of those nights and Essek is lonely, and sad in a way he’d nearly forgotten he could be.

‘Lux, why, why did you choose me? I don’t, didn’t, even believe you were real. I, I’m nothing special, and there are others who could serve you far better and more willingly than I ever will.’ Essek knows he shouldn’t ask, that you don’t question miracles, but between the wine and the ache in his chest he can’t bring himself to care just now.

“Because you were the only one who questioned. Because you above all others know the pain of not knowing, not understanding. You sit in my light and ask how and why, when others have allowed their devotion to blind them.” Hands softly smooth Essek’s hair from his face, “I love you most dearly because how could I not? How could I not love you as I love myself?”

Lux’s hands tip Essek’s face up so their eyes meet, for a breath, a heartbeat Essek stands outside himself, suspended in the expanse of the Luxon, and sees himself as Lux must. Sharp edges and fractures only better refract the light of a thousand stars dancing just below his skin, and the heavy weight of potentiality that suffuses the air around him.

“You are my most beloved because of how brightly you shine in the dark.”

Lips are pressed to his forehead as Essek’s eyes slip closed, tomorrow he will again question his situation, the how and the why, but for now he will sleep.