Caleb Accidentally Adopting/kidnapping A Tabaxi Child Because He Thought They Were A Cat And Is Now Too

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.

They're both highly ridiculous prople but somehow it's working to their advantage

So many discussions about old man Caleb ! I had to turn it into this WWDITS meme.

@flappingduster-scribbles ‘s shadowgast baby is in here, as well as mine.

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🥺

Jester’s pride

Caleb and Essek discuss children, of all things.

--

"Aren't you worried?" Caleb asks softly, his voice full of concern as he holds Essek's hand in his own. "About outliving them?"

It wasn't a topic either of them had brought up: instead, Beau and Yasha has approached them about it, offering to be surrogates should they desire a child of their own. A very sweet offering, but one that prompted a discussion.

Outliving your child was among the worst things most parents could think of.

And yet.

"It is a concern, yes," Essek confesses, giving Caleb's hand a gentle squeeze. "I will not pretend it is not. But...I am a drow. I will likely live for centuries more, unless my own foolishness catches up to me. And you won't be there, because you are human, and if we were to have a child, they would also be a human, or perhaps a half-elf," he presses the gentlest of kisses against Caleb's temple. "And I would outlive them as well, and it would be hard. I'm not pretending it wouldn't be."

He pauses for a moment, taking the time to brush a stray ginger lock back behind Caleb's ear before he resumes speaking. "But if I am lucky, I will live to see our child marry, and have children of their own. And their children will perhaps have children. And five or six centuries from now, we may have great-great-great grandchildren, and one might have your hair, or your eyes, or your nose," he kisses the nose in question. "And it would remind me of you, long after you are gone. I could think of no greater gift you could leave to me than that."

There are tears welling up in Caleb's eyes, but neither of them acknowledge it. "Ja, okay," Caleb nods, and kissed his husband. "Let's have a baby. Let's leave a legacy."

I did not expect to get hurt by my own anonymous ask… @kurosmind​ has a galaxy brain. First time interacting with a fandom, and I’m already spreading angst…I’m so, so sorry, this scene just popped up in my brain and wouldn’t let me be

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?

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.

Look at this !!!! This is amazing !!! Op wrote a great one shot about my silly little post !!

The Terribly Sad and Tragic Affair that Is the Fake Funeral of Shadowhand Essek Thelyss

Apparently, I am not only drawing for the Critical Role fandom, but writing for it, too. After months of nearly no progress I just vomited out 3k words this Tuesday and it only went downhill from there.

This fic is based on this post by @anne-o-nyme, I really hope I managed to capture the energy of it.

Have fun!

Summary: There were eight strangers in the foyer of his dead brother’s towers and Verin Thelyss was slowly losing his patience.

After the sudden “death” of Shadowhand Essek Thelyss, it is his brother Verin’s job to empty out his towers. The Mighty Nein show up to help (and maybe steal a few things).

OR: Verin is grieving, Essek just wants his stuff back, and the Mighty Nein are the Mighty Nein.

Warnings: I didn’t tag this with MCD, because Essek is technically alive and kicking. Since Verin doesn’t know that though, and this fic is written from his POV, this is dealing with grief and includes depictions of depressive thoughts as well as anxiety attacks. For more explicit warnings, please mind the tags on AO3. Take care of yourselves, and let me know if I forgot anything.

Read on AO3

There were eight strangers in the foyer of his dead brother’s towers and Verin Thelyss was slowly losing his patience. “Listen,” he said with what little calm he had left, “I know that by returning one of our beacons you became heroes of the Dynasty and were placed under Es— My bro— his stewardship. But this here—” he gestured vaguely at the interior of Essek’s towers that had always been too cold, too empty, but not like now, never like now— “This is a very difficult situation for me, so if you could please leave, that would be greatly appreciated.”

Afficher davantage

I can't believe I've never showed off my wonderful Inquisitor, Oromis Lavellan. Living rent free in my head since 2014, here is the boy !

Playful and charming, his flirting is as sharp as his arrows. Beware of his frivolous manners, he's more likely to order an assassination than extending a helpful hand with no strings attached.

Bonus outfits : Haven winter coat, dalish summer, Orlesian party