The Adventure Zone: MaxFunCon East Live

December 1, 2016 12:00 PM

Griffin and Rachel had a baby! But that's not the only bundle of joy being delivered this week! We have a very special episode recorded live at MaxFunCon East! Our adventurers have been through a lot together, but they don't always work so well together. Well, the BoB higher ups have noticed and they've decided to do something about it! So join the fellas (and a very special guest!) as they grow closer as coworkers and friends!
posted by Tevin (21 comments total)

I was bummed we got a non-canon episode at first but ... this was choice.
posted by Tevin at 12:28 PM on December 1, 2016

Did y'all hear there will be an Adventure Zone graphic novel.
posted by drezdn at 3:13 PM on December 1, 2016 [1 favorite]

I missed it--did we find out who Art Goodfriend was supposed to be? Was he actually an enemy from their past?
posted by Anonymous at 10:41 PM on December 1, 2016

Oh man, I was out and out guffawing on the train home, and must have looked like a nutter. I will often crack a smile or even quietly giggle while listening to a comedy podcast, but something about Stewart's calm and complete character work just slayed me.

schroedinger, I don't think we did get a confirmation of who Art Goodfriend was. Maybe the Juicy Wizard from Rockport Limited?
posted by X-Himy at 8:52 AM on December 2, 2016 [1 favorite]

The Rockport Unlimited was also my guess. I greatly enjoyed Brent as a temporary addition. And hearing Clint exclaim about the spells he has was enjoyable; and there were lots of moments that had me laughing.

Congrats to Griffin and Rachel!
posted by nubs at 4:43 PM on December 2, 2016

I missed it--did we find out who Art Goodfriend was supposed to be? Was he actually an enemy from their past?

I actually didn't think he was - I thought that was just part of the show he was putting on for them. Particularly since he was so non-specific about it.
posted by showbiz_liz at 12:21 PM on December 4, 2016

So, nothing to do with this episode whatsoever, but it occurred to me a couple days ago -

Has this entire campaign been one iteration of a massive time loop? Wipe the guys' brains using a baby Voidfish from one of those eggs, reset time with the chalice. That would explain all the dying they supposedly did pre-Eleventh Hour that they didn't remember. I just went back to listen to the Eleventh Hour because I was thinking about this, and Griffin does say that the first time they die 'feels familiar.'
posted by showbiz_liz at 12:22 PM on December 4, 2016

OK and furthermore:

The red robe guy at the end of that arc seemed very surprised that Tres Horny Boys resisted the lure of the cup - if they are stuck in a loop, maybe every time they experienced this loop before, one of them said yes to the offer. Possibly because they made worse mistakes on previous loops and wanted to fix them. That would explain why we had a whole episode dedicated to that offer, even though it was obvious to us that none of them would take the cup up on it - it sort of seemed like a waste of time THEN, but it may be narratively important later.
posted by showbiz_liz at 12:47 PM on December 5, 2016 [1 favorite]

There are a lot of pieces floating around that make me wonder about either a time loop or some level of alternate universes going on; the boys all seem to have gaps in their memories that have not been impacted by exposure to the (current) Voidfish. And you have some other bits of weirdness that have cropped up - Klarg showing during Petals to the Metal while still being under charm person, for example - which I'm starting to think means that Tres Boys have been working things from the outside in addition to being in the mix.

There have been hints that the relics aren't being destroyed, but rather kept, so I'm starting to think that this ends with the Boys facing off against the Director over ownership of the relics; the Cup gets used and they all go back in time during that fight (hence the horrible "war") that gets referenced but seems to have little physical indication in the present, and the Boys win but find themselves "locked" outside of the new unfolding timeline, able to influence events inside it but not act directly for some reason, only able to give nudges and supports here and there. Perhaps the whole thing becomes a wager between themselves and the Director over how it would unfold without X or with Y present. I have a lot of faith in Griffin to give me something a little surprising.
posted by nubs at 2:49 PM on December 5, 2016 [1 favorite]

I'm starting to think that this ends with the Boys facing off against the Director over ownership of the relics; the Cup gets used and they all go back in time during that fight (hence the horrible "war") that gets referenced but seems to have little physical indication in the present, and the Boys win but find themselves "locked" outside of the new unfolding timeline, able to influence events inside it but not act directly for some reason, only able to give nudges and supports here and there.

The issue with this interpretation is, it would imply that the Red Robes are the guys from the future, rather than from the past. But I doubt Griffin would make up a bunch of specific dialogue/actions which are meant to have been delivered by future Red Robe'd Takko, Merle, and Magnus, because that removes Justin, Clint, and Travis' agency in the story going forward.

So, I think what you are saying, or something similar, has happened already, but that this loop will end differently.
posted by showbiz_liz at 2:58 PM on December 5, 2016

The issue with this interpretation is, it would imply that the Red Robes are the guys from the future, rather than from the past. But I doubt Griffin would make up a bunch of specific dialogue/actions which are meant to have been delivered by future Red Robe'd Takko, Merle, and Magnus, because that removes Justin, Clint, and Travis' agency in the story going forward

I don't see why the Red Robes can't be both future & past; once we have time travel in the mix. But the agency question is why I'm leaning towards alternate realities being in play - Other-Realm Takko, Merle & Magnus can be acting under DM control in this reality, without taking away agency from the existing players.
posted by nubs at 3:29 PM on December 5, 2016

While y'all are talking about red robes I just want to say Stewart's comedy work there was impeccable. He knew he was just there as a backup to the main characters but he nailed Brent with unflinching precision. I don't know how much of it was premeditated but his self-criticism with the totem was one of the best bits out of the whole series.
posted by Mr.Encyclopedia at 7:34 PM on December 5, 2016 [3 favorites]

Brent from HR was awesome, and I know kinda want a spinoff series of the "others" from the BoB; Brent from HR, Stacey from Accounting, and Joel from Maintenance as they head off on a grand adventure.
posted by nubs at 7:48 PM on December 5, 2016

Loved every minute of this one-especially the HR pieces, which were especially satisfying as I've spent the last week in HR double speak hell.

But wasn't he Brad, not Brent?
posted by purenitrous at 7:50 PM on December 5, 2016

Stuart both is part of a super-long-running podcast and also plays a shit-ton of DnD, to the point where the bathroom of his bar is wallpapered with pages from old DnD books. I can't think of a more perfect guest for this show.
posted by showbiz_liz at 8:02 PM on December 5, 2016

But wasn't he Brad, not Brent?

thatsthejoke.gif
posted by nubs at 8:04 PM on December 5, 2016 [1 favorite]

I got frustrated by the fact that so many TAZ reblog tumblrs seem to be run by teenagers and/or be extremely specific in their Mission, and went ahead and set up my own. So if you want to roll around in a never-ending stream of Quality Adventure Zone Fan Content without ever having to read a reply to an irritable anon ask, The Davy Lamp is waiting FOR YOU.

There are currently something like 110 posts in the queue so it should be updating steadily through the holidays at least, regardless of what I get up to.

....Man, I really need to make more of a point to come hang out in these threads -- y'all are EXACTLY the kind of people I want to be TAZing with!
posted by Narrative Priorities at 1:08 PM on December 13, 2016 [4 favorites]

(ALSO: I have been to the Hinterlands bar a couple of times, and it is LOVELY.)
posted by Narrative Priorities at 1:08 PM on December 13, 2016 [1 favorite]

So if you want to roll around in a never-ending stream of Quality Adventure Zone Fan Content without ever having to read a reply to an irritable anon ask, The Davy Lamp is waiting FOR YOU.

This rules, insta-follow
posted by showbiz_liz at 1:16 PM on December 13, 2016 [1 favorite]

I tripped over a couple of young teens yelling at each other and I was like "I am literally over twice their age I DO NOT have the patience for this shit." And I spent the next three hours scouring the tags for Good Shit. And I have ZERO regrets about this mode of processing my momentary fandom frustration.
posted by Narrative Priorities at 1:40 PM on December 13, 2016 [1 favorite]

The official Tumblr used to reblog good fanart, but they stopped doing it a while ago (probably because all the McElroys got busier). I definitely wished I could find another blog that did that.
posted by showbiz_liz at 1:44 PM on December 13, 2016 [1 favorite]