well… honestly though. if critrole was a planned, scripted show with even a single queer person on a massive writing team, the fact that fjord is a charming, boyish cowboy/sailor combo (i mean, fucking really) who wears a lot of leather, is the constant canon butt of jokes about seamen and swords and you name it; that he has intimate connections to other men in his past, including a mentor who evidently raised him (”my mentor, my captain, my – “) and indeed a male peer that he has a ““long history”” with, and expresses immediate, consistent discomfort when women flirt with him (which they do, often at the will of the game master) –
– and that he’s a monster boy, who grew up surrounded by people who weren’t like him, who viciously teased him for being different until he internalized it so badly that now he’s thirty and doesn’t know how to act in any way that isn’t making himself useful and more palatable to others, that he’s never met or even seen another personlike him, probably hadn’t realized they even existed until he was older –
…my point is that if all of these things collided in a single character on purpose over the course of these nine months, the writing team behind him would be BEATING US OVER THE HEAD with it. it’s not subtle! again, maybe it’s my experience studying this stuff talking, but honest to god, this is what queercoding is. fjord is like four of the fucking village people rolled into one dude.
BUT (and this is important) all the meta and Knowing The Code in the world won’t make a lick of difference in an improv show like this. my personal opinion is that it’s entirely possible they have no idea the amount of explicit gaycoding they’ve stumbled into, which… really wouldn’t be their fault. it’s just something i’m sick and tired of fandom calling me bonkers for, that’s all.
Episode 37 just happened and everyone is a beautiful and dirty fucking pirate, I swear to God. Be prepared for many, many innuendos in this episode folks.
The episodes start with a plan to get aboard the other ship without revealing who they truly are. Fjord disguises himself as the captain they murdered back a the coast but with a slit throat. A way to hide his voice since he does not know how he originally sounded. Several individuals board the boat and demand their cooperation, least they sink their ship and leave them for dead.
With some persuasion, they reach the other ship as one of the other crew brings the Mystake onto the island for repairs. Once aboard, the illusion fails and the captain, Avauntica, tells them to either join her crew or sink to the bottom of the sea. Not ones wants to die, so they agree for the time being.
As they talk with her, they discover they discover that there is an entire being and entity that resembles the one Fjord recognizes with dreams awoken by bile similar to Fjords. Though, she can hold it better than him. Through some conversation and some truths being told, Avauntica grows a sort of fondness and connection to Fjord. She allows them on board with their own personal rooms and a semi-decent welcome to her ship as they all await her companion’s return looking for the temple they seek.
Nott decides to go satisfy one of her Itches by stealing from the cargo. It actually goes well and she has some fruit and gunpowder. Afterwards, Avauntica usurers Fjord to her quarters, privately. Caleb, being a little perv, sends Owl-Frumpkin to watch over the evening, recounting how “kinky” it is getting.
Avauntica tells of being chosen. Of releasing the serpent, the being that haunts Fjords dreams. The one that tells them both to watch. To learn. To consume. To release him and free the creature from its bindings. To control the sea. She shows the eye on her hand as Fjord shows her the eye on his sword.
They part with an understanding of no longer being the only ones, with the blessing of the eye incorporated into their beings. Caleb watches her a little longer, little disappointed that they didn’t bang, and notices her performing some sort of ritual to the shrine above her door to this serpent. When he returns, they discuss the conversation, the possible keys and people connected to release this serpent.
When Fjord recounts the conversation and the eye, Yasha and Fjord think back to the red eyes and tattoos that were on Molly’s body (a resounding “Yes!” from the heavens when Jester asked if Fjord has seen Molly naked). The question about the previous chosen and Molly’s possible connection lingers in the air.
Despite these questions, the group agrees to be quiet about what they know and act as if they are reaching the goals that Avauntica and the crew wants in order to be inconspicuous. They believe Avauntica is unstable and manic. Caleb asks if Fjord wants what she wants and he says he only really wants to understand the powers and what happened to his friend. And, promises that he doesn’t want what she wants.
They go to sleep and Fjord has another dream. His patron, stares back at him as Fjord climbs a stare. A statue prevents his ascension and a word “Provoke” enters his mind. He destroys it and keeps going. More statues, each one, with the face of a person he knows. At the top, water has disappeared and as he stares at the pool of water on the platform “Watching” is spoken. No light enters the water. Fjord doesn’t know what the patron wants from him. He sticks his head into the water and, with an explosion of steam, it feels powerful and good. The word “Reward” sounds. As he looks out into the distance, dozens of ships sail towards Fjord. He uses his powers and destroys the ships.
And he wakes up.
Another wet dream with seamen scattered everywhere (blame Sam, not me).
He lies about having his dream. And keeps lying as people ask him things. Beau mostly brushes it off but tells him that his dreams aren’t normal. While everyone moves on, Caleb and her have an intense conversation about lying, keeping secrets and knowing what you want.
Above the deck, the man they have been waiting for, Gemedi, has finally reached the party. He warns of the danger, of the lizard/snake people and tell the to bring what they can. Beau mentions that the place where they found Fjord’s little eye was possibly one of the temples they are about to enter. As they make their way to the jungle, the session ends and the crowd goes wild.
As the jungle makes its way into view, questions of where they are going and what they all want swirl in their heads. They wonder what lies ahead of them and begin to wonder what sort of creature or creatures await them. Loyalties and alliances are now hanging in the balance as the truth becomes far more hidden and convoluted than we thought possible.
Here’s to bright futures, big smiles and good times with some hell to be raised.
I think it makes sense that Fjord has a -2 in survival because he has canonically tried to eat multiple swords, which is not a thing that people with above average survival skills tend to do
I drew these a while ago, but I think they still look OK, so I’m just going to go ahead and post them now! Some Critical Role illustrations, featuring my favourite members of the Mighty Nein. Having CR to look forward to every week helped me through some tough times this year, it has a very special place in my heart.
I present the finished Mollymauk tribute piece! Been chipping away at this over the past few weeks. Clip studio paint and photoshop express on IPad Pro.
Creator's Archive 