Day Twenty: Caged (C2)

The proprietor of Dalgin's Exotics—a wiry, clever hobgoblin with a scar on his face that nearly cut through his eye—held the door open to usher his new client in. He hadn't seen too many firbolgs, so the sight of one with brindled black fur and a shock of light gray hair was even more unusual, but Dalgin was nothing if not an opportunist.

“You caught me at a good time, friend,” he chattered, locking the door behind his customer. You could never be too careful in his line of work. “Got a whole lot ready to go the auction block, but you can have first pick, o'course.”

The firbolg stared around Dalgin's shop disdainfully, his cloaked and hooded servant a silent presence at his shoulder. “I was told to expect quality merchandise here.”

I'm sorry, I know things are serious, but all I can picture is Ludinus trying to charm/dominate Beau to make her beat up Caleb to punish them both, except she's too Monk for that and keeps throwing off his influence and he's just getting more and more frustrated and stomping his little feet, and Otohan is like "we can just kill them" "No! I want them to suffer!"

...and then another airship appears with the name Darrington emblazoned across the bow and a middle-aged man in an owlbear pelt drops out of the fucking sky and punches Ludinus through the face while growling a stupid pun about justice.

Oooh! If you’re still taking Mighty Nein prompts, something with Caleb and the rest of the mighty Nein? As in whumped, unable to talk Caleb and a bunch of worried disaster family/friends? :D - @rohanrider3

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Warnings: Blood, implied whipping

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“We’ve got you. We’ve got you,” Nott softly repeated over and over. Caleb’s arms were wrapped tightly around her, but he didn’t say anything. His shoulders shook uncontrollably and he had to be in pain. Lacerations covered his back. Jester and Caduceus were there a moment after both laying a hand on each shoulder. Gentle golden light, and pink lichen covered his back mending the bloody wounds. Caleb was still shaking, but some of the painful tension was gone. 

“You okay Caleb?” Beau asked quietly. She stepped closer but didn’t enter into the space. Caduceus gently backed off to give him room. Jester hovered gently squeezing his shoulder. Nott wouldn’t let him go, and he probably wouldn’t have let her go either. 

Caleb’s head was bent low, but he nodded. He looked like he was going to say something, but then shook his head. 

“It’s okay, it’s alright,” Nott’s voice was almost panicked. She held it together for Caleb, but she could feel dampness on her shoulder. He had been hurt. Much much deeper than just back wounds. She didn’t know what to do other than hold him. He had never cried before. He was trying to hide it now. 

“We just… let’s just… not move for a little.” She said gently running her fingers through his hair. 

“We need to move soon. They’ll be more of em,” Fjord urged. He was at the door keeping a watch making sure no one would get through.

“They will not get through,” Yasha promised at his side hefting her sword. “Take the time you need.” 

“Oh Caleb! I’m sorry, we shouldn’t have trusted them.” Jester wiped her eyes. She hated seeing her friend suffer. She hated that he was hurting and they couldn’t help him.  Caleb shook his head. He looked up. No more tears, but wet lines remained down his cheek. 

Beau shifted trying to contain her anger. What she wouldn’t give to hit those bastards all over again. 

“We… should…go…” Caleb said very quietly. 

Everyone moved at once and rather than chaos it was a well oiled machine. Jester and Caduceus went on either side of Caleb helping him along. Nott had jumped down standing in front of him. Beau and Yasha took the front ready for any enemy that came their way and Fjord covered their backs. 

“Thank you…” Caleb said. Only the clerics heard it. Jester squeezed in tighter in a half hug. 

“Of course,” Caduceus quietly murmured. “We’d never leave you, especially not in a place like this.” 

It hurt Caleb, hearing those words. Knowing they were true. Still unable to believe he deserved people like the ones surrounding him now. 

And perhaps he didn’t deserve them… but he loved them. So, so much. 

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Send me character/pairings and a theme and I’ll do a short M9 story

i firmly choose to believe that the reason there weren't any cats in that house when Bells Hells bamfed in was because both Essek and Caleb are responsible cat parents and they both realized that their usual hierarchy of in-home catsitters (Beau & Yasha -> Jester & Fjord -> Veth, Yeza & Luc -> Caduceus) was depleted because they were all gonna busy with the liveshow shenanigans.

You know who wasn't busy? Kingsley.

You know who was next in that hierarchy? Definitely not Kingsley! (It was probably Dairon, but Dairon was busy running around the Cobalt Soul frantically)

So I love to imagine that the world is going to hell and there's at LEAST four cats in their house that need proper care and nobody is available to do it, so in a last ditch effort (because Mittens needs a special wet food diet and Krumel needs some medication and the others are simply too social to be left alone for too long) Essek phones up Kingsley and asks him.

Only for then, four days later, Essek stops into the house briefly to grab supplies and pauses halfway up the hall when he realizes that the cats are nowhere to be seen.

"Kingsley?" he Sends, trusting of his friend but not entirely sure of his character. "Where are the cats?"

"Oh, I had to go deal with a new trade deal by Port Damali!" Kingsley replies cheerfully. "Don't worry, the cats are with me!"

Essek pauses. Inhales deeply. This was the man he helped save, this was the man he mourned before a literal miracle of the gods brought him back.

"Kingsley," he Sends again, already bitter about the extra spell slot usage. "Are you at sea? Are you on a boat?"

"Yup!" comes the unadulterated happy reply. "The Captain's cabin is nice and roomy, and Krumel loves chasing down mice! Surprisingly helpful on a boat, cats! I might keep 'em!"

Essek physically restrains himself from wasting another spell slot on the tiefling. Instead, he touches the stone held in his palm.

"Caleb," he sighs. "I believe our cats were catnapped by Kingsley."

All he hears on the other end is a fit of laughter.

WIP ft Caleb and Beau

I am.. cooking smth...

Going on a date to the ruins of a lost city that was destroyed by the gods themselves, but the place is filled with terrifying lethal crimes against nature, and then your hot boyfriend is turned into a salmon.

I am FEASTING on the bits and pieces Essek is dropping about him and Caleb's relationship and adventures! 🧡💜

And the implications surrounding the fact that Essek was turned into a fish at some point by the raging wild magic in Aeor cured my artblock. 🙏

Ah yes, my favourite Critical Role dynamic. Sad Wizard x Other Sad Wizard.

I love all of the "Essek respectfully inspects Ashton's brain" takes. But I would like to offer an alternative.

"Morally dubious disaster wizards trying their best when presented with temptation."

Much like the Wizards, I couldn't let this thought go.

My Shadowgast brainrot is sill fully eating my synapses

I won’t be shutting up about them anytime soon ngl

Aabria and Liam having an interaction

Caleb transforms into a white dragon (Gelidon) and Luc enlarges the T-Rex

Squishy wizard