Heartwarming / TFS at the Table

The Natural One-ders

• Wake awkwardly fixing Eloy's flute.
• When the party at the start of Episode 2 starts Ezra immediately searches out the Gimme brothers and buys them a drink to thank them for their explosive bolts. Ezra is convinced without them he would've died back there, it's a surprising contrast to how he treated them the last time (blackmailing them) and it shows how devoted each player is to their character.
• The fact that Wake and the gang have no plans to get rid of Nedra, the punch-happy Tiefling they freed from slavery, despite being warned that her heritage could cause trouble for them later on if her real parents show up.
  • Taken a step further in the Q&A at the end of Chapter 2 Episode 5. When the guys ask Zito what Nedra thinks of them, he says that she would just think "Ho hum, another day another pirate crew, wonder how long until they try to get rid of me", but the fact that they've refused to abandon her, shown her real kindness and are actually trying to help her has made her legitimately care about the team, viewing the main trio as surrogate brothers.
  • In Chapter 2, Episode 11, she is revealed to be the daughter of a Balor demon. And said Balor demon is looking for her. Even after this, nobody so much as suggests the idea of abandoning her.
• Wake's insistence to Calliope that they will protect her from the Wendigo, even when he's cursed himself.
• When they actually do confront the Wendigo, it tries to offer them deals to let them go freely in exchange for giving up the crew members it has cursed (Wake and Onslow). They don't even consider it for a second and attack it, determined to save everyone. They succeeded, and saved the rest of the people it had cursed on the island to boot.
• Wake's adorable date with Calliope in Chapter 2 Episode 8 is full of these moments. Overlaps with Tear Jerker when he admits that he sees Ezra and Eloy as True Companions and has nightmares about losing them like his previous two families.
• Wake's heart-to-heart with Nedra after her defeat in the Bulkard combat arena, which is so successful, thanks to a natural 20, that it actually changes her class from Barbarian to Fighter. More importantly, as we learn much later it effectively neutralizes her Manchurian Agent nature as a glabrezu in the guise of a tiefling, which was also the cause of the malicious voices influencing her.
• It's subdued, but Ezra has a moment when his crew are preparing for Eloy's battle of the bards, seeing his dream of putting on a show finally coming together.
• Eloy promising to tell Grandefalt's story, no matter what Caster decides to do with him. Likewise, the party's reaction to Risf's encounter with the God of Death and resulting curse. While Redd, Caster, and Barabus are increasingly horrified as the encounter is described, conlcuding with Redd deciding that they need to kill Risf, Wake instead shares in their excitement while Ezra and Eloy refuse to entertain the notion of killing them just because they might be dangerous. After all he's their friend.
• When Wake returned to ship disappointed that Calliope was to part ways with the crew, Ezra went to try console Wake with his own wisdom.
• When the subject of the morality of his crew engaging in drug-making experimentation is brought up, Ezra practically considers it a team-bonding exercise, and, as captain, is more focused on that than anything else. The morality, and, to a lesser extent, the lucrative potential of their current activity are secondary in his mind so long as his crew is bonding. There's also the fact that Onslow, Pliskin, and Risf started the whole drug-making thing because they wanted to help Skrung out with the constant pain he's in after losing his right arm.
• Ziaka learning to hug from Nedra. At the start of the session following the return from the underwater expedition, she initially fails to properly hug but by the end of Chapter 2, she properly hugged Ezra when he offered to shake her hand.
• In the process of being so happy that it grants them the ability to speak with it, the Collective One reveals itself to be a big kid of a god, getting as giddy and excited with Wake about Kick the Bloater Fish and the god's slam-dunking the Abyssal at the end of Chapter 1, forming a thumbs-up from sand, and manifesting itself in that same lava snake form again just to wave goodbye to the One-ders. Plus, through Zi'aka, they're granted the ability to always find land. All in all, in a way, the One-ders have made a friend with an actual god.
• While the out of universe reaction caused laughter, in-universe Ezra's and Wake's "Y-you called me captain?" moment is this.
• Wakes second heart-to-heart with Nedra where he says he'll be a student alongside her learning from the world instead of being her master. Most notably, she tells him how she's gotten used to being passed around and not really having people that she feels genuinely cared for her, and Wake assures her that no matter what happens, she'll always have a place she belongs with him.
• The entirety of Chapter 3 Part 13 is this, amidst all the comedy from Eloy's second Bard College battle (re: a contest of Your Mom jokes cause psychic damage).
  • After abruptly leaving the party at the end of Part 11 under heavy emotional stress, Wake temporarily rejoins the party for this one last hurrah, as Eloy's hype man alongside Ezra. Though he manages to escape notice, Wake slightly cheats by saving Eloy from certain defeat and thus earning him the win, which Lani considers Wake's last gift. Thereafter, with a calmer mind and in a more peaceful setting, he is able to better explain the reasons and feelings behind his departure, and a handshake between Captain and departing crewman becomes a powerful group hug among the trio, with Wake "One Piece crying" while Ezra manages to try to make his crying ManlyTears.
  • Eloy's final blow against Broadway McSlander has him flashing back to Eloy's offscreen Training Montage From Hell the night before with Skrung, who hurled all abuse possible at the centaur to toughen him up, which ended with him getting up and taking Eloy's hand, proudly proclaiming "You're ready!". Bonus points for that being the image that completes Eloy's learning of a new potentially Game-Breaker spell.
  • Yeldin's Viking Funeral, crossing over with Tear Jerker. Barring the now ghoul-ified and at large corpse of Gulfurr, all of the old crew and some of the new crew, including Dagon, plus the One-ders' Naval and Volition allies, and even Woe, gather for the ceremony. Eloy, Wake, Pliskin, Redd, Risf, Onslow, and Skrung each leave various mementos to pay their last respects. When Gore guides Woe to give Yeldin a push to set it on its way, Ezra has the honor of launching the bolt that will ignite the ship. He ends up barely missing, but in a fitting group moment for the three original One-Ders, Wake's Elemental Attunement and Eloy's Bardic Inspiration, and both with their hands on Ezra's shoulders, allow the bolt to strike true and ignite Yeldin. It sets of Redd's special magical fire for the occasion, which creates a magical display of the One-Ders' flag for all to see.
• By all accounts, Jillian's death should be a plain Tear Jerker on account of how horrible it was, even if was a result of a desperate attempt by Dagon to save her and help get them out of their fey spider-riddled mess. However, unlike with Gulfur's rather pointless death, the party learns more about the plant potions and ultimately put the knowledge gained from the tragedy to good use in saving a group of captured people from some cruel Femorian slavers. In particular, one little girl who had been horribly beaten and traumatized by them, and Keldemov's healing and Sun Guard garb break her from her trauma enough for her to go with him then Charlotte. In short, Jillian may have been the first casualty of the Deram's Folly crew, but unlike with Gulfur, something good immediately came from her death and lives were saved.
• Amidst all the harshness of the new world following the Fall of Eburkal, there's still much humanity that dwells in this more unforgiving world. And it comes from a moment with Wake and Edward Caster, of all people. The two are cordial when they run into each other in Rite, and Caster doesn't really seem that much different from last we saw him. Of course, and what makes this cross over into Tear Jerker, Wake's uncharacteristically genuine politeness toward him makes more somber sense as he knows that Caster lost his wife and beloved daughter in the Fall, and is barely holding himself together from grief. Wake can only express his sympathies, and Caster can only reply with an "UUNH" that sounds like he's about to break down.
• More glimmers of light in this darker world: Despite Wake being banned from the carvehouse for constantly pestering them for a boat to continue trying to sail to Eburkal's ruins to find the likely-dead Ezra and Eloy, and Pliskin himself who works there as exasperated about it, when the two do get a chance to interact outside, a moment has them bumping forearms in their common shark-ness. It helps that Pliskin has since been able to control his transformations, so can change just his arm.
• When the party enters the Vesa Bay tavern and find Onslow, Raleev, and Kowalski, Wake decides that rather splitting off to meet with his former crewmate, he decides to introduce his new companions to him. Onslow's response to Wake calling for him is a mild chide for not going for a hug, which they do. It shows that even though they've since gone their separate ways, Onslow still holds the One-ders like dear friends, even if Wake is the only one of the original trio left.
• Wake gives his Yiggberry medicine to a couple he's travelling with to help their sick baby, asking for nothing in return. The mother even starts crying with relief that her baby isn't suffering as much.
  • In the previous episode, he gives one of the medicines they found in the carriage wreck to the storekeeper, whose apothecary husband is also afflicted. While he does ask for something in return, it's just Bristlebean coffee, and it's clear that were it not for being curious about the coffee that seems to be the reason for such a long line to the store, he wouldn't have asked for anything back.
• While they're on the boat, Morgan gives his Yiggberry medicine to them as well, seeing how stressed the family has been during the voyage.
• For whatever reason, AJ's somehow slightly nicer and more cooperative in his second appearance, getting along much better with the current party than he ever did with the original party. Even Wake isn't that much more annoyed with him anymore. He even gets along with Chromagil and especially Morgan, who he finds a kindred spirit in with regards to being screwed over by the gods. He's much more cooperative in helping out with the current predicament and even proving very helpful during the investigation in the ensuing fight. Granted, he ends up getting some treasure and even one of the items on his list, but he's not dragging a reluctant party this time around and he was helping out BEFORE he learned he'd be getting the cyclops eye. Even then, mostly because he has no use for it, he gifts Morgan a soul-related weapon looted from the Captain that'll be helpful to the spiritualist.
• The Jolly Sharks, so much about them, particularly their spokesmen, Bone and Heady:
  • They are very amiable fellows when they meet and interact with the party via Morgan's Lingua Mortis. While they are initially hostile and wary, it's only out of being careful. Once the team shows they are trustworthy, they are pretty friendly.
  • They offer their aid to the party, answering to the signal of "crawdad". This saves the party when they encounter the pair of glabrezu menacing the underdark.
  • The above aid was given when the party initially lied that they knew their captain. They actually take the news that it was a lie pretty well, particularly because the party likewise confesses that the pirates have long been dead, manifesting as skeletons and ghosts because of their unfinished task. They actually also take the revelation of their being lingering ghosts and skeletons oddly well.
  • Traveling further with the party to Dimswell, and with Bone and Heady sitting in the conversation with the elder Galdarv. They learn the true loving nature of their captain, and, more importantly, the bigger war happening around them and what's at stake. Even when Wake allows them to finish their task so they can pass on (also to appease Vekhar, who takes kindly to helping the lingering dead to move on), the ghostly pair promptly declare their willingness to help the One-ders, even just to travel on their ghost ship to send word out to the rest of the One-ders' allies from all over La Cirrinus to join the final battle. It helps that their unfinished business is so tied to current events and the One-ders' current mission of returning the Daystar, their captain's son to his mother.
  • Speaking of the Daystar, the pirates indirectly learn that their captain was a loving man, even to a fey woman and the offspring they produced. In turn, it reveals that they all have one advantage over the demons: the ability to love.
  • In short, they're a much, much more pleasant and benevolent pirate version of the Dead Men of Dunharrow, who they're often compared to. They do live up to the name "Jolly".
• Redd casually revealing that she and Zia'ka got married off screen. Even better is the way she revealed it.
  Redd: Huh, so my wife's a god now.
• Grammy has a moment of O.O.C. Is Serious Business, including a Cerebus Retcon with regards to her cooking, but the person she chooses to have this short heart-to-heart with is Wake, the lone surviving member of the original trio and the one who's always enjoyed her food, even after the truth of what she does to make it edible. It's such a moment of weakness for her that her usual raspy and aggressive voice cracks, revealing the sad person she actually is, up to and including Wake momentarily seeing what's implied to either be her true form or what she used to look like: a beautiful Triton woman. Regardless, the character moment shows that despite everything, she does value and trust Wake enough to let that much of her guard down with him.
• Before the final charge against the demon fleet, Wake is genuinely happy to see Pabsvadri again fighting alongside them. Though the latter attempts to snark, he's cowed down into returning the greeting nicely by Woe, who has had her eyesight restored thanks to the blight cure Valtara wished for.
• The mere image of ships from the Grand Design, Rite, the Navy, and almost every ally the One-ders have met all banding together into one massive fleet bring to mind the "Portals" scene from Avengers: Endgame: heroes from every corner of Kelpie banding together for one final struggle against their common enemy and to save their world.
• Not only did they stop the Onrush, but every single one of their allies survived the final battle! Everyone gets to earn their happy ending:
  • Morgan spends a year living it up with the south sea pirates. At the end of that year, he celebrates his birthday with all his friends before finally passing on into the afterlife with the Jolly Sharks.
  • Chromagil convinces the rest of his people to see the world, successfully integrating michonids into society (and showing them the wonders of drinking). Also, thanks to his dealings with the fey courts, he becomes a warlock patron.
  • Though Wake is saddened by the news of Calliope's death, he is able to overcome his depression, in part thanks to how Morgan handled his own passing. Wake and Nedra spend a few years travelling the world helping those who were affected by the Onrush, before finally settling down on Venin Island and building a dojo (complete with a fairy dragon sanctuary). Wake lives a long, full life before finally passing away himself, leaving Nedra in charge of the dojo. And passing on means he is reunited with Calliope, as well as Ezra, Eloy, and Morgan.
• Wake, knowing that this is the move that will end the Onrush, and thus free Morgan from his duty and the living, gives him the honor to press the Big Red Button that will fire the Wave-Motion Gun. Morgan then takes Wake's solid arm and one of Chromagil's, and he has all three of them press the button together. It definitely does the job, but Morgan is allowed to linger for one more year to enjoy peaceful times.
• Morgan's birthday and farewell party, has a moment with each of the party, handing them all of his items bar the Departing that he can't take with him - his pipe with Chromagil and his pistol to Wake, along with the Chromatic Round that serves as his contract to Slobhan, as well as his charisma ring to Redd and Zi'aka - having heartfelt hugs and farewells before he passes on along with the Jolly Sharks. As mentioned above, this allows Wake to be able to begin moving on and finding closure from Calliope's death. The fact that Morgan was able to linger for one more year, despite the fact Morgan basically exhausted all his energy with the last casting of Forsaken Chains, plus the fact that his curse was lifted with his duty done, it implies that it's partly a reward from Vekher for not only fulfilling his duty, but the god of death being merciful. It helps that Morgan has no hard feelings about moving on, even after a year of what he describes as being able to live more of a life than he ever did back when he was actually alive.
• There is something sweet about Nedra in the epilogue. By the time Wake chooses to pass on, and pass on the Vennin dojo to her, she's grown much Older and Wiser, no longer the impulsive bloodthirsty tiefling she used to be. Even when she's suddenly haunted by the voices that once menaced her again, she's that much more restrained and wise that she is able to come to the conclusion of her true origins of her own, and that her journey to Barnacle Bay to face the demon there is not for the thrill of the fight like her younger self would have been concerned with, but to actually deal with said menace like the threat that it is.
• Skrung FINALLY gets to go back to his home dimension. ...buuuuuut he actually gets sent back into the past. It actually doesn't bother him, because not only can he use the knowledge of technology from both his realm's future and Kelpie's, but it's implied that he'll be his own father. Not what anyone expected, but still pleasant to see our much-put-upon goblin finally get A happy ending.
• More Played for Laughs, but the fact Pabsvadri had not only grown attached to Woe, his handler, but in fact was attracted enough to her to want to be his mate is kind of sweet on the part of the adolescent troublemaking dragon, even if that attraction is pretty comically one-sided. Even if his interactions with Woe mostly amount to her arriving just to Dope Slap him for causing trouble, it still gets her attention anyway.
• When Edward Caster reunites with Wake to help begin the work to clean up the ruins of Eburkal, he's taken even more levels in kindness, and has none of his previous snobbiness, not just because Wake is a hero of the Onrush, but because he likely feels grateful to his former Sitcom Archnemesis for avenging his slain family.

Foolproof

• The party quickly takes a shine to Patty, with Belghast calling her adorable after learning her Running Gag command phrase is "hugs & kisses", and Blugen immediately defending her from her racist coworker.
• The (secret-but-obvious) relationship between Mitzy and Zap, with them eagerly supporting each other and refusing to leave the other behind in a dangerous situation.
• Kyle is an absolute sweetheart, being empathetic towards the characters he talks to, and trying his best to avoid even desecrating the dead. So it's no surprise that Blugen and Belghast immediately accept that he's been a Mock in disguise all along, or that in the campaign's final scene, Belghast uses some of his share of the reward to officially hire Kyle.
• In the final session's wrap-up, Zito remarks how often the party managed to stumble into exactly where they needed to be in order to prevent a planned casualty, and how in the end, they saved EVERYONE (except the culprit, though his body was never confirmed dead).

Other Campaigns

• In Terror at Blighted Plains, Bosco plays the game as a fairly amoral werewolf fully willing to go along with a plan to murder innocent people if it keeps him alive. At the end of the game for his last act he leaps onto a man with silver bullets to save Caitlyn's character from him.

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