"4-Sided Dive: Queries & Quandaries" (4SDx27) is the twenty-seventh episode of 4-Sided Dive, discussing episodes of the third campaign up through "Collecting Legends" (3x105) with guests Laura Bailey, Marisha Ray, Sam Riegel, and Travis Willingham.
Synopsis[]
Marisha Ray is the 27th Tavern Keeper for tonight's episode.
What the Fuck is up with That?[]
- God talk. Braius Doomseed thinks about gods all the time, especially the Lord of the Nine Hells and wonders if he knows that Braius exists. But his new armor helped Braius remember the good times as a follower of the Platinum Dragon.
- Sam is having a hard time being a villain, and this will be the ultimate test of whether he can stay on the villain side or not. Braius has only known Bells Hells for a day-and-a-half, so if Asmodeus asks Braius to prove himself to him by killing one of the group, he'll probably do it.
- The cast talks and theorizes about what happens to the souls of the devotees of the gods going to their respective realms when they die.
- Downfall and Aeor. Sam loved the place and thought it was a cool place to live. Travis liked seeing how the gods were conflicted, seeing how strong the city was, and that Bolo was a dragon.
- Travis thinks that the Lord of the Hells might be the smartest of all Exandria. He played the Prime Deities that were present all along.
- That also showed how much Brennan Lee Mulligan is evil. He plays the best worst manipulator ever. What if he's really evil though?
- Travis has a theory that Ludinus Da'leth could be the Lord of the Hells in disguise. Mainly because Asmodeus can be different people at will and is deceptive. So maybe Ludinus manipulated the Occultus Thalamus to not show Bells Hells that the Prime Deities wanted to not harm the city in the first place.
- Bells Hells have saved Laudna for the fourth time! It was very clutch to keep the soul anchor and to use it in the ritual. Sam wanted to see more Delilah Briarwood, but Laura not so much. Maybe it's going to be like the Mighty Nein and Halas Lutagran in Campaign Two where he was trapped in the astral dreadnought: someone will free her at some point. Sam suggests that Laudna and Delilah become pen pals now.
- Back in Vasselheim! It was fun to see familiar old faces and Travis was glad that they finally meet the greatest character of all time, Grog Strongjaw AKA "Groghery". It took him 31 years to come up with that name. Travis really liked Matt Mercer's interpretation of Grog. Scanlan Shorthalt and Taryon Darrington, both Sam's character from Vox Machina, haven't appeared yet.
- Everyone was impressed with how Matt managed to play all these different characters.
- Bells Hells had to speak up in front of everyone in the Platinum Sanctuary. Laura didn't understand when she spoke up first as Imogen Temult that her speech served as a contribution, but Laura rolled well after that. Braius on the other hand made a good speech but rolled poorly.
- Laura thinks that Matt did a better job of putting a lot of sex appeal into Vex'ahlia when he played her than Laura in Campaign One.
- Sam says that Matt had to play some of those characters a little vague. For example, Highbearer Vord is a man in Campaign One, but they made him a female in The Legend of Vox Machina. Because in Campaign Three, Matt only refers to Vord with the "they" pronoun.
- Sam doesn't know where Scanlan might be and he didn't spoke with Matt about it. Also Sam will need to practice and to heal more for Scanlan's voice with his throat condition when they will eventually come back has Vox Machina for the three attacks.
- Also, coming back as the Mighty Nein too! But where are they right now? Marisha says that it has been technically two weeks in-game time since "The Mighty Nein Reunion: Echoes of the Solstice" (Sx79), a lot can happen in that time.
- Fjord and Jester Lavorre are engaged but Travis jokes about Fjord getting cold feet about it. Laura is shocked about that idea and Sam found the idea awesome.
- The cast wonders if they're going to have Caduceus Clay or Kingsley Tealeaf when they will come back as Mighty Nein. Marisha is hoping for Caduceus. Dani Carr says that Kingsley is the Plank King of The Revelry now so maybe he's off doing pirate stuff. Travis says maybe he's just in jail on Darktow Isle.
- About Chetney Pock O'Pea's number one fan Waylon Amaredda and the C-Poppers. Laura thinks it's because of Chetney's wish he did with Nana Morri, what if he already had fans before the wish he didn't know about, and now Morri will turn the wish in some creepy way? Travis says it's all part of great master plan.
- Dani gives the cast the name that Bells Hells received. Chetney, High Hunter and Lupine Paragon. Lady Fearne Calloway, Fey Scion of the Ancient Flame. Laudna, Fey Scion of the Shadow Tree. Ashton Greymoore, The Reforged Hammer of Paradox. Dorian Storm, Master Muse and Son of the Wind. Imogen, Exultant Hope of the Red Storm. Orym, Savior Blade of the Tempest. Braius, Nascent Might of the Platinum's Call. For Marisha, in canon Keyleth had to prepared these titles before the meeting, maybe even the night before.
Tower of Inquiry[]
- What is your favorite piece of Exandrian lore or what lore topics are your favorite to delved into?
- For Travis it's Molaesmyr and the Shattered Teeth. For Laura it's the Shattered Teeth too. For Marisha it's the underwater nation that Matt mentionned in the MCM London 2023 panel. travis says also that the vast majority of Issylra is still unexplored.
- So far in the campaign, what has been your character's biggest achievement and what has been your character's biggest regret?
- Laura is really happy that Laudna is now free of Delilah. For Travis it's going to Ruidus and come back. Team Issylra saved Hearthdell and Team Wildemount protected Queen Simone Fruunast and King Imathan Talviel of the Diarchy of Uthodurn. They helped Fresh Cut Grass to get rid of Shithead. Chetney's biggest regret was leaving many broken hearts on the Menagerie Coast. Sam has some regrets on how Dancer thinks of FCG and they never pursue Devexian. Laura has regret not getting Liliana Temult off the moon.
- Sometimes tension is high and there are arguments between characters. How do you manage those situations outside of the game and check in with each other as friends?
- They look for the little micro expressions while a tense scene is going down. When there's a little look or a laugh or a grin and then back in the moment, that's a good sign. If you can't find one of those because sometimes it's really deep, half the fun is wondering how far it's going to go. 90% percent of the arguments in game ends up by the players thinking it was a cool moment, drama is a collaborative element.
- How did you come about choosing your characters for Downfall? How hands on could you be on deciding factors?
- That was different for sure because you have a pool of gods to choose from. What gods the players are most interested to play with and finding how these gods could mesh with each other. the only thing set by Brennan was that the Betrayer Gods were going to be NPCs. (For more discussions about Downfall see "4-Sided Dive: Oh My Gods" (4SDx26))
The Deep Dive[]
- Marisha: Does having Delilah in the soul anchor change how approach playing Laudna? Yes. It's a weight lifted off her shoulders and soul and feels she can move forward now.
- Laura: You mentioned in the Cooldown how difficult it is to seperate your thoughts as the Matron of Ravens experiencing Downfall versus Imogen watching a thousand years later. What is that brain gymnastics like and how do you keep it all straight? Trying to think a lot before talking unless Jester is mentioned.
- Travis: Grog made his first cameo! How was it to see your boy and what was the best part? Matt's impersonation was Travis' favorite part. Althought seeing Braius almost picking a fight with him and Grog beeing reunited with Pike Trickfoot was amazing. He's also doing a great bodyguard job.
- Sam: How does it feel playing such a flirty character in Braius after being in FCG's fleshy metal skin for so long? It feels like being back to what Sam does the best. It's a no brainer coming back into that mindset.
- Marisha: Delilah is trapped in the crystal, which Laudna go to metaphorically enter and experience. What do you think of Delilah's prison? It sucks for her but it's nice to see. Maybe Laudna can change the environmment.
- Laura: Ludinus has seemingly confirmed his need for Ruidusborn and that he deeply wants Imogen in particular to join him. What do you think his plans are and how do you feel being a center of his focus? He's going to use the Ruidusborn to break through the Hallowed Cage and Predathos is going to recognize them as a part of himself and either he's going to absorb them to regain its power or Ludinus is going to siphon Predathos into all of the Ruidusborn.
- Travis: What was it like for Chetney to play such a massive part in Laudna's ritual, as the one handling her surgery? He wasn't nervous at all and was fully ready to take the responsability.
- Sam: Braius smoked the Pipe of Remembrance, showing a moment of great intensity where he killed a follower. Why was that the moment chosen and why did you highlight that Asmodeus did not speak to Braius? It was a moment of true devotion to Asmodeus and because it was also a sad moment for Braius. Probably because Sam was still trying to endear Bells Hells to him.
- Marisha: How did Laudna feel standing up to the Council about her powers and connection to death? That was terrifying. But Matt complemented Laudna's speech perfectly as the Trust of Winter, the representative of the Duskmeadow.
- Laura & Marisha: Imogen and Laudna are back together! What was it like playing them on the outs and how does it feel for them both to have reconciled after the Delilah debacle? So much easier to be past this. Breaking up with somebody you see everyday is a weird situation. Also, breaking up with somebody not because you don't want to be with them, but because it just wasn't healthy.
- Travis: Why did Chetney did not tell Ashton about the Bright Queen's offer? Because Travis loves drama. Chetney is sneaky.
- Sam: Braius tool center stage with the Council, speaking highly of his Bells Hells companions. What was it like to play that moment and do his words reflect his true feelings about his new party members? We'll see about that. Braius definitely understood the assignment with his speech and also Sam figured that someone with a high Charisma had to step up and do some lying. Sam thinks Braius likes Bells Hells. They're powerful and trusting.
- Marisha: Laudna and Orym had a few moments together before and during the ritual, with Laudna mentioning she hoped that it would be Orym who took her down. Why did she look to Orym for that option? Because orym feels like the one who can make a hard choice and you also don't want it to be the person you're in love with because that's horrible.
- Laura: We got to see Vex acting as representative for the entire Tal'Dorei Council. What was it like seeing her in a place of such importance? It was great and everything she deserved.
- Travis: WHat was it like for Chetney to meet a true fan of his work and to be surrounded by all his crafter pieces, especially after being referred to as "a guy who makes chairs" in front of Exandria's leaders? First of all, that's not wrong, Chetney had his chair era. Seeing all of this pieces felt wonderful. Maybe the C-Poppers will help to fight Ludinus.
- Sam: You are no stranger to playing a new character late in a campaign, with Taryon in C1 and even Veth Brenatto undergoing a massive physical transformation. How does braius differ for you? Are there ways in which the experiences are similar? This is Sam's trademark. But this time, Braius has a mission from a god to to kill Ludinus and is also in direct conflict with Bells Hells.
- Marisha: How did it feel for Laudna to finally decide that it was time for Delilah's reign to end? What was the exact tipping point for you during the "DeLaudna" fight? She doesn't want to be a liability going to the end of the world, that would've been bad. It was either taking care of that problem or maybe not going to this mission with Bells Hells.
- Laura: Talk to us about that daydream with Liliana and how Imogen felt learning that her mother will be the satellite for the Occultus Thalamus? Did she want to tell her not to broadcast? It's terrible that she has to do that and yes, Imogen did tell her not to do it.
- Travis: You've used See Invisibility quite a few times in both C2 and C3. What was it like to turn on that spell and see a MASSIVE FUCKING DRAGON overhead? Awesome. Seeing a dragon coiled up underneath the ceiling was totally unexpected.
Tower of Inquiry[]
- It's exciting every time we encounter a character from previous campaigns. What glimmers of their younger selves do you think your past characters still have and what are some personality traits you hope they've developed or discovered? G
- Grog maybe hasn't changed much and he probably found love and lost it. Sam is interested to see Scanlan and Pike's relationship post divorce. Marisha loves how Keyleth still has to take deep breaths before she does public speaking. Laura thinks that vex is still mighty hot.
- As more time passes in the universe with each campaign, do you feel that technological advances will surpass magic at some point or vice versa? Is there a balance that keeps each side in check to prevent such a thing from occuring?
- Travis is wondering is the Prime Deities have convey the Dawn Marshals of Vasselheim to keep any new technologies at bay to prevent another Factorum Malleus from happening again. Marisha says that magocracies like the Cerberus Assembly keeps being powerful with that situation too and able to have control and their station. Dani say it was Anna Ripley's goal, having science becoming greater than magic. Laura loves fantasy worlds of games or books where magic and science cancel each other out.
- Some character elements, like Chetney's RTA tatto or Veth's name anagram, seem designed to be revealed much later in the campaign. When you create the subtle details for your character, how do you determine when to reveal them?
- Travis says you can't do it early and you don't want to be the first. FCG's real name was ouly brought later in the campaign because Sam didn't had it in the beginning.
- As someone that wrote 18 pages for their last character, how deep in depth do you get when it comes to a backstory, what's the longest you've spent writing it, and how satisfying was it to finally see it unfold in play?
- Laura's longest backstory was for Jester, but a lot of it was for The Traveler and the story for Marion Lavorre and Jester's dad. Matt changed so much of that before they started playing so that would be a reveal for Laura/Jester when they were playing. Marisha's longest backstory was for Beauregard Lionett, but same thing, a lot of it was about Thoreau Lionett, Isharnai, and everything about Kamordah. Sam says that Nott's backstory was pretty complicated and kept rewriting it as they went and he had to rewrite parts of Braius' backstory because of leaks on the internet. Travis says that Grog was a couple of paragraphs of backstory and Fjord's backstory was done on a flight back to Australia and did several pages. For some reason, Chetney has the longest backstory because he makes no sense.
Quotations[]
Trivia[]
- Like the previous episode, there's no More-Sided Dive for this episode either. But Marisha Ray told that her and Producer Kyle Shire have a some ideas for the next episode of 4-Sied Dive.
References[]
Art: