Talks Machina Episode 21

Talks Machina Episode 21
The thumbnail for "Talks Machina #21: 'Jugs and Rods'" (TMx21), featuring Laura Bailey, Ashley Johnson, Brian Wayne Foster, and Taliesin Jaffe.
Episode	Talks Machina,​ Episode 21 (C1E94a)
Airdate	2017-04-18 19:00 PDT
Running time	1:14:18
Episode link	VOD
Starring
Laura Bailey – Herself Taliesin Jaffe – Himself Ashley Johnson – Herself Brian Wayne Foster – Himself
Order
Previous	"Talks Machina #20: 'Bats Out of Hell'" (TMx20)
Next	"Talks Machina #22: 'Liam's Quest'" (TMx22)
Airdate Order
Previous	"Jugs and Rods" (1x94)
Next	"Liam's Quest: Full Circle" (Sx16)

"Talks Machina #21: 'Jugs and Rods'" (TMx21) is the twenty-first episode of Talks Machina. Laura Bailey, Taliesin Jaffe, and Ashley Johnson discuss "Jugs and Rods" (1x94) with Brian Wayne Foster.

Synopsis

Announcements

• "Liam's Quest: Full Circle" (Sx16) Thursday night with the whole Critical Role cast
• Critical Role survery on the Geek & Sundry website is over
• New episode of Signal Boost with Angela Hill
• Gil Ramirez's "Don't Fuck me Gill!" t-shirt up for sale until April 22: booster.com/dontfuckmegil
• New Wednesday Club tomorrow

Q&A

[5:07] BoatsBoats911: Ashley and Taliesin: Do you think Percy would have signed a contract with a devil if Pike was with the group in the Nine Hells? How do you think that would have gone differently?

• Taliesin says Percy would still signed the contract, but definitely not in front of everybody like he did because he knows Pike would have give him a very bad look, which Ashley agrees upon.

[6:26] Tunhk: To Laura: How does it feel knowing every other character thinks Vex is the coolest and prettiest?

• Vex doesn't think she's cool and finds herself pretty lame the moment she is by herself.

[7:13] EchoIndia: For Taliesin: Were you planning to Scry in Scanlan from the very second you asked for the scrying eye, or did it occur to you last second?

• Planned all along, searching for an opportunity to ask for the Eye.

[8:03] @NinjaSudo: To Ashley: A million voices cried out at once w/your "Scanlan Night Talks" moment. Was this thought of before or improv?

• It was improvised. Ashley/Pike wanted to express her resentment toward Scanlan's departure, still feeling bitter for not being present in that moment and saying more as Pike in that moment.
• Laura and Taliesin: If Ashley/Pike was with Scanlan when he left in "A Bard's Lament" (1x85), his whole approach would have gone differently but not necessarily changing the outcome of him leaving. Maybe Scanlan and Pike would have had a conversation on the side where he would have probably made Pike cry a lot.

[10:41] Seedy88: For Laura: What was Vex thinking when her duties as Grand Mistress of the Grey Hunt were explained to her? How did it measure up to her expectations? Also, please give Trinket a big hug for me!

• It was what Laura/Vex thought they were going to be and Taliesin was happy the way it turned out. Similiar to her feeling in the aftermath of Saundor's death, Laura is upset there aren't third, happy option of her dealing with the intelligent gray render who just protecting his territory and offsprings.

[14:56] Seedy88: For Taliesin: What made Percy decide he wants the Earring and gate stone back from Scanlan? Is he afraid he might further alienate Scanlan if he asks for them back?

• Percy has *some* anbandonment and serious anger issues, and wanted to find a object to release it upon. However, Percy thinks he manages his anger without a hitch, which he doesn't.

[18:11] Schneeland: To Ashley and Taliesin: Both of you gave impressive displays of how your characters deal/struggle with Scanlan's departure from the group. Was that something born (solely) out of the moment? Or would you say Vox Machina feels incomplete without him?

• There's an aspect that is definitely missing, but Sam is still there so that helps. Ashley says because she didn't play as many games with Tary, she kept thinking/seeing Sam as Scanlan when she looks at him accross the table. Old habits die hard.

[20:15] @Pvtvito: For Laura: If Percy had told you the render was a creature of protection and not evil would you have approached it differently?

• Of course. She would have tried to talk to him before fighting.

Gif of the Week

Lady Kima on tumblr rendition of "Scanlan Night Talks"

[23:28] DerAlpi: To Taliesin: What is Scanlan for Percy right now: A part of the family, an (old) friend or somebody he used to know? Why is Percy angry with Scanlan? Is it because he left or is it because how/in which manner he left?

• It's leaving the group and abandoning his responsabilities. The way he left is also part of the anger, Scanlan was calm, almost as if he was happy about leaving.

[25:30] Schneeland: To Ashley: Pike sometimes seems conflicted between taking the caring role she assumes most of the time and the “Grog-like” way of just doing whatever feels right in the moment, including smashing things/opponents. Had pike been to the Hell, do you think there would have been a risk of her attitudes shifting toward the latter?

• Ashley would like to visit Hell if only to see if Pike's aligment changes. In the beginning of their pre-stream home games, Ashley struggled playing a "good" character, but gradually started to love it.

[27:56] VexVaxVoxVix: Taliesin: How much of the details/specifics of The Grey Hunt was you and how much was Matt?

• All Matt. Taliesin's only contribution was coming up with the title the week before saying it out loud in the game.

[29:00] MiscreationOO: For Taliesin: You seemed very stressed during the Grey Hunt, particularly towards the end. Had Percy considered (or you even) that it might be an actual life or death battle that she may not have come out of? And how would he have reacted if this was how she died?

• Taliesin/Percy didn't think she was going to die necessarily. He was more worried Vex failed the Grey Hunt and then come baclk later to try again, both Percy and Vex would have felt terrible.

[30:13] How long before you guys watch the Scrying segment to see what happened?

• Neither Laura or Ashley have watched it yet. They will do it though.

[30:29] Sera_goldaxe: Taliesin: How excited were you to do TWO reverse whispers on two different shows?

• He couldn't believe it happened and was very happy about it.

Fanart of the Week

Carlos Ruiz aka @Kairuiz_

[32:45] Caroline Hope Jackson: Ashley: If Pike had the chance to say one last thing to Scanlan before he left, what would it have been? Would Pike have considered leaving with him?

• It crossed Ashley's mind when she watched "A Bard's Lament" (1x85), but it's uncertain because there's a difference between being a spectator and participating in the moment. Ashley made a mental note of things she would like to say to Scanlan if she ever got to talk to him about it. But that's just the theory, who knows what will going to happen if they ever get to see him again?

[34:13] Scullery_plateau: Laura: Which does Vex think of more as home now; Greyskull Keep or Whitestone?

• Whitestone. When Laura/vex said "Let's go home", she didn't realized she was talking about Whitestone.

[34:39] DerAlpi: To Ashley: Does Pike feel somewhat guilty for Scanlan’s anger and departure, because she and Percy pranked him?

• Yes, for sure. Ashley never thought he would be mad at something like that, of all people.

[35:28] The_Netherlad: To Everyone: Now that there's a time skip, what are each of your character’s hobbies? For Percy, we know that he is a bit of a bookworm. What do Vex and Pike like to do during their time off?

• They will open and run a backery in Whitestone.

[36:37] @BubblerluvJoy: Laura & Ashley: As one of the only girls I know that plays D&D. I get a lot of crap. Do you? How do you handle it?

• For both of them, Critical Role is their first ever experience of D&D and they weren't exposed to other games.

[37:45] WeiryWriter: For Taliesin: As far as I can recall there has not been an on-screen conversation between Percy and Cassandra about his relationship with Vex. Can we assume that that has just happened off-screen or does she not “officially” know? If she doesn’t know why do you think Percy told her?

• "People think de Rolos are much warmer then they really are." Percy do not intervenes in Cassandra's buisness and she does the same. Although, Taliesin thinks Cassandra probably suspects their relationship at this point.

[39:32] Sanderf90: For Laura: For the first time in their young lives Vex'halia an Vax'ildan will be spending quite some time away from one another. Do you think either of them is ready for that or will Vex get restless?

• They haven't figured out yet what they will do during their year off, but this past year of gameplay has been Vex and Vax growing into their own people. It makes sense they're able now to step away from each other. It's sad and Laura doesn't know yet how Vex is going to deal with that once she will be on her own in Whitestone.

[44:04] TiamatZX: Everyone: How psyched are you about the upcoming one-shot? And how do you feel, Taliesin and Laura, knowing that the insanity that happened when you last traversed Liam's crazy world has only just begun?

• Everyone is super excited. Also, they're excited to see Matt be a player.

[46:15] Raevun: Taliesin: Percy has been wary of leadership for a while, but now he has reached a point where he wants to help run Whitestone. Will his penchant for tinkering and his paranoia influence how he shapes his home?

• Yes. Taliesin doesn't think Percy is paranoid because he's wary of people and he's delighted anytime he's proven wrong.

[47:32] Gabbey Lacono: Ashley: How difficult for you is it rp wise to have Pike attended big events; like fighting Raishan and Thordak, but you not really experiencing it yourself? Have you re-watch the episodes so that you know to rp or talk about them?

• Ashley watches as many episodes as she can and when she has the time to catch up, which is not always. Ashley doesn't mind when Matt or the cast RP as Pike because she feels sometimes that they know better than if she was actually doing it.

[49:14] YoungCedeling: Taliesin: Percival lives amongst several high powered legendary heroes. Similar to the likes of Batman, has he devoted any time coming up with contingency plans if any of them were to ever go rogue?

• Yes, but he won't reveal them for obvious reasons.

[50:25] Aegis_of_Ages: Ashley: Do you feel like you'll deal with a time skip easier since you are used to coming back to the game in wildly different circumstances that when you left it?

• She hopes. Like said before, they need to figure out where their characters will be after the time skip. Ashley thinks she will be in the same boat (sort one) and maybe she won't feel so out of place.

[52:53] Aegis_of_Ages: Laura: Vex doesn't talk much about being a ranger. Does she have an affinity for nature aside from the connection to Trinket?

• Yes she does. Not in the same affinity as Keyleth has, but Vex would prefer to be outside. She's growing accustomed being part of whatever Whitestone is for her, but she's more comfortable to not be around people. She wears a mask when she's around people and is more ankward inside than she lets on.

[53:50] Jessica Johnson: Ashley: In pike's backstory, Wilhand is named her great-great grandfather, and we know he raised Pike. What happened to her parents and grandparents? Does she have other family?

• There's a story there but Ashley doesn't want to reveal it just yet in case it might come up in games. Originally, Pike's hair was black with a purple streak but bleached white after she died from the hands of the glabrezu and subsequently resurrected.

[55:37] @ChildofLuthien: Taliesin: Percy broke this honesty streak by Scrying on Scanlan. What does it mean for him to be falling into old habits?

• "He's very specifically just good enough not to irritate people enough to know that they shouldn't hang out with him."

[56:55] To everyone: If you were talking to you younger selves, how excited would there be about your jobs right now?

• All three think they would be very happy.

[57:39] For all: What would your blurb on the back of Tary's book say?

• Taliesin: "A fascinating edition to the [...] chronicles of Emon. The most precise description of birds than anyone could hope for."
• Laura: "Don't believe the lies."
• Ashley: "I enjoyed the artwork in particular. Great read, but the artwork is fantastic. By the late and great artist Dotye, someone we used to know."

After Dark

[1:00:10] To Ashley: If Pike had a companion, what would it be?

• Baby seal in a car, red panda, baby snow owl.

[1:01:17] Is there anyone you'd like to see Cassandra with?

• Hard no from Taliesin. Nobody has an idea though.

[1:02:00] Taliesin: Do you have anything up your sleeve for what Grog's title will entail or will that be all Matt's doing?

• Taliesin hasn't thought about it at all. Now he has ridiculous and mean ideas.

[1:03:08] Everyone: How do you feel young kids watching your show?

• Conflicted. As long as the parents know they're watching, it's fine. But it's definitely not a show for kids.

[1:04:23] Ashley: Can you talk a little bit about the differences in role playing your character at DnD versus a TV show? What kinds of different challenges and advantages do they offer?

• The biggest difference is that one is full improvisation and the other is fully scripted with lines that needs to be studied and memorized.

[1:05:54] Everyone: What's your favorite spell besides one from your class?

• Chromatic Orb and Chromatic Spray. Taliesin misses Prestidigitation from the Wizard he played in the past.

[1:06:53] Laura and Taliesin: What Taylor Swift song do you feel best fits Percy and Vex's relationship?

• They don't feel Percy and Vex are a Taylor Swift couple. Taliesin put in the first Percy playlist Punk Rock Girl by Dead Milkmen for Vex and Laura put F-cking Boyfriend by the Bird and the Bee for Percy.

[1:07:39] What is something that nobody has ever asked you about your character?

• "What does Percy smell like?" or "Who's Pike love interest?".

[1:08:29] If you guys were on Survivor, who would win?

• Grog, most likely. Ashley feels Pike would win because she can heal herself and Grog would never eat Pike if he ever turns into cannibalism. Although Pike would not let anybody die.

[1:10:10] Laura: What the tattoo on your wrist mean?

• Ashley and Laura have a group of friends that have matching tattoos. Laura on her wrist and Ashley on her middle finger of her left hand. "There are compasses" each with its direction.

[1:11:38] If the next episode was staged as a Vox Machina high school reunion, what do you think each of the characters superlatives would be?

• The cast had a hard time to find superlatives.

References

Art: