Laura forcing the entire cast to do Jester impressions while trying to retell the most rambling story ever is THE most Jester thing she's ever done and I am so here for it.

I completely forgot that Jester has the ability to say 10,000 words in the span of 10 seconds

shes russian! shes italian! shes yiddish! shes french! shes from brooklyn! shes jester!

Laura: "Heart-shaped rock." Liam: "Hut-shaped rock." Sam: "Rock-shaped hut."

The Traveller just sat on Jester's bed getting progressively drunker and trying to recite the same story clearly.

Jester is literally that kid going “have you ever had a dream where-you um- you cou- um you, you, you could do anything” while everyone else goes cross eyed.

From Laura to Liam there was an instant jump from Jester telling a rambling fairy tale to Dr. Doofenshmirtz doing a rambling monologue and I am HERE for it

Ashley Johnson going "HELLO my name is Jesturr" five times in wildly different accents really does give me life

Everyone: “The desert four days north of Nicodranas.” Matt: *confused geography noises.*

*most everybody's Jester impression:* [varying degrees of eastern European accents] *Ashley's first attempt at a Jester impression:* [heavy Brooklyn accent]

I love that at the end of Ashley's story there's no treasure. You find this hippogriff named Shmoopie, give him the desert plum, and then just hang out and have a good time.

The genius of this is: every story derailed still sound exactly like jester, so it's almost impossible to know what was added by the others. Jesters so chaotic it all would be realistically from her

After Liam's story: Hey this might actually go pretty well. After Sam's story: Nope never mind.

Jester: Ocarna Everyone else: Shmootzie

"Four days north of Nicodranas lays a dessert..." matt.exe stopped responding

Ashley saying “three” but holding up TWO fingers is primo CritRole energy

“Why is this video an hour long?” *watches jester telling the story* “Oh god”

Laura: So my mom was preoccupied working Everyone: Ruby of the sea is the best lay ever

I love that Laura started with "if you eat the plum, you will be stuck in the grove forever" and later Taliesin calls it the Persephone Plum.

Laura Bailey's Traveler: Fairly good impersonation of Matt Mercer Sam Reigel's Traveler: Obbey the Rat.

Matt: wizard kills wolf. Makes soup. Laura: the entire plot of Game of Thrones

Laura putting mistakes and corrections in the original story was genius. It's like gift wrapped hand grenades for the rest of the cast :D

Matt usually: Master of Improv, perfect eloquence when acting and storytelling, makes 4 page monologues without a stutter in the wildest accent. Matt here: story telling skills of a 4th grader in the school play with stage fright

I think my favorite part of watching each Narrative Telephone back to back is the slow evolution of Ashley Johnson's swelling hatred for the game.

First episode: Nice little tale about Pumat Sol Second episode: Directions for building IKEA furniture without the manual

Liam started with a pretty solid Jester impression at the beginning and ended with “AHHHHH YES, PERRY THE PLATYPUS”

Laura's Traveller voice: Slightly Vex-ish, sultry, pleasant to the ear Sam: hULLow jEhsteR

Talisien saying „she was busy being the best lay ever“ was just underrated

Laura: A Boulder that's shaped like a heart Sam: A hut in the shape of a boulder

The way Laura Bailey can go from Jester to Matthew Mercer being the traveller in a second flat is mind blowing

What cracks me up is that Sam tells his kids about the campaign adventures as a bedtime story each week. Now I'm wondering exactly how much narrative telephone has been going on at the Riegel household all these years!

Liam's "oh man, you guys!" is actually quite spot on for Jester. xD

Now they all sort of know what it feels like to be on the receiving end of Jester’s sending spell 😂

Ashley, in a booming russian man voice: Hello it's me, Jester

Sam: *forgets some important details* Me: Saaaam Sam: *starts adding his own details* Me: SAAAAAM Sam: I did not add anything in there!! Me: SAAAAAAAAMMM!!!

JESTER'S TALL TALE - CHANGE LOG + addition - reduction * detail change v2.0 (Liam) + childhood set in Nicodranas (not mentioned before) * starting location of travel changed from "beautiful city ruled by a secret dragon" to Nicodranas - beautiful city is removed * dragon is now in the desert * fruit now grows in the grove generally instead of just 1 special tree * "4 days east" instead of "4 days north west" to the boulder * "heart-shaped" became "hut-shaped" * hippogriff's name is now Schmazerwoof - the cave is now a "special place" v3.0 (Sam) + Jester's mother is now the "ruby of the sea, the best lay ever" + mother is busy schtupping instead of busy working. + there was farmland in the grove - dragon was removed * the tree/s that grow the elysium fruit became the Picadilly plum tree; the "plum" is no longer a title of an unknown treasure * punishment for eating the fruit in the grove is now vague * the hut-shaped boulder is now the rock the hippogriff lives in * hippogriff's name in now Schmortzy from Okarna - the hippogriff falling in love from the fruit - the song - climbing on her back and flying to a cave * the Picador's Plum treasure is now a vague "prize" that showers you with gold and riches + the hippogriff and the its lair disappears when you turn around after receiving the treasure; you are unsure if they really existed + the smell of the plum fruit is notable/"plum-y" + that transition to the next storyteller v4.0 (Travis) * 4 days north of Nicodranas became 5 days north + the desert is not able to grow fruit - farmland in grove was removed * hippogriff's name is now Shmopley/Shmoopsy * the "hut-shaped rock it lives in" is now the "lair that looked like a stone" v5.0 (Marisha) * Jester's mother is now "shmoopsing" one of her clients - desert's ability/inability to grow fruit was not mentioned + the hippogriff's location is now in a forest * hippogriff's name is now "Shmoopsy Ploopsy" * the "lair that looks like a stone" returned to a "hut that looks like stone but was not stone" * the hippogriff's reward for giving her a Piccadilly plum are "wishes and lots of treasure" v6.0 (Matt) * mother is now "shmoopsing" a customer - the Piccadilly plum is also now a desert plum * the "hut that looks like stone but was not stone" is now just a "stone hut" + the hippogriff is now thankful for the plum you give them, hence the reward you receive - wishes were remove as something the hippogriff granted * the stone hut was now "never there to begin with" after you turn around v7.0 (Taliesin) - the customer aspect is now removed - the desert/Piccadilly plum is now "a desert plum named Persephone" - the grove in the middle of the desert is removed * "4 days east from the desert" became "3 days" * "stone hut" is now a "hut stone house" * hippogriff's name is now "Schmutzy" + the hippogriff's appreciates the taste of the plum in addition to being grateful * the hippogriff's "treasures" became "presents" v8.0 (Ashley) * mother is back to just being busy because of a job + "desert plum named Persephone" is now "delicious desert plum named Persephone" * "5 days north to a desert" became "5 days into a forest" * "3 days east from the desert" became "3 days east of Nicodranas" * hippogriff's name is now "Shmoopy" - hippogriff's location is no longer in a forest * the hippogriff no longer gives out presents after receiving the plum, you just hang out together after

I love how pretty much all of them committed to Jester’s accent.

I like how Laura intentionally had jester confuse a detail. She is trying to mess with everyone

We really went from “Jester rolls a nat 20 to tell the story” to “Jester rolls a nat 1 to tell the story”

can we just talk about Laura’s Travaler voice? like UGH I’M MELTING

Last time I was this early, Hunter wolfs had beaks..

“hello my name is jester. i live in a house. my mom has a job doing things.”

I love how Travis is labeled as "Mr. Laura Bailey" in the beginning xD

matthew: “you’ve all been 5 days north of Nicodranas! you know there’s no desert!”

Can we appreciate how *everytime* Alshey has to make the accent of a character she isn't playing, they turn out to be from 1950's New York?

IS LIAM PRETENDING TO BE CALEB PRETENDING TO JESTER?! an accent within an accent!

Matts complete and utter panic doing this portrays ADHD memory perfectly

I love how close Liam got to Laura's original. It's like they play characters that interact with each other so much they learned to speak each other's languages

Wait, we lost “eating the fruit traps you”, and THEN we gained Persephone?!

Liam - your professor on zoom Sam - one-time Emmy award-winning musician skyping his agent Taliesen - college student calling home from halls Matt + Marisha - parents use the computer in their pastel-goth teen's bedroom Ashley - twitch streamer plays Life is Strange Laura + Travis - family vloggers recording a podcast

The shock and dismay when they're _all_ hearing Laura's original recording... I'm tearing up, I'm laughing so hard! 😂🤣

I kinda wanna see someone animate these stories with all the variations the story goes through.

Tbf, this is hardest for Tallesin since they're playing in his second language English not his native language of Eldritch

Jester: My mom was working. Everyone else: MY MOM IS THE BEST LAY!

1. Liam did such a good job I'm so proud of him 2. Oh my god Sam why 3. The funny thing is, when Taliesin renamed it Persephone plum, he inadvertently added the "don't eat it or you will be trapped there foreveeerrrrrr" part back in 😂

I just noticed Sam has his Emmy casually sitting in the background

I love how Matt Mercer, world renowned master of storytelling and improv, was reduced to nervously reciting the facts. XD

A frighteningly accurate depiction of asking my players to recap the last session

I love how Travis remembering the Hippogriff's name sounds straight out of Rick and Morty: "Schmooltzy Schoorply Shultzy Schmoop Schmooply"

Fairly sure Laura was talking about Marquet being run by J’mon Sa Ord when she said “City run by a secret dragon”.

And here are the awards for the cast of Critical Role: Most deviated: Sam Riegel Most animated: Marisha Ray Best Memory: Liam O'Brien Calmest start: Travis Willingham Most adorable attempts: Ashley Johnson Best comeback from a blank mind: Matthew Mercer Most rustic background: Taliesin Jaffe

CAN WE TALK ABOUT LAURA’S TRAVELLER IMPRESSION

Laura you mad genius. Having the very first telling already being second hand and rambling was some peak jester chaos energy

"She was too busy being the best lay ever." OMG Taliesin that absolutely SLEW me I dont even know why.

Laura: You travel to a desert in Marquet. Liam and co.: You travel to a desert near Trostenwald. Matt: is broken.

I like how "Elysium Fruit" eventually, and independently, circled back to Ancient Greek afterlife mythology with "Persephone Plum".

So... this is a totally accurate depiction of what would happen if Jester played this game with herself eight times?

Liam: I don't remember but Caleb does because his memory isn't terrible like mine Also Liam: *does this*

* Liam starts with an impeccable Jester impression * Me: okay. Starting strong. * Followed by Sam * Me: oh no. Sam: * Italian accent? * It is me Jeeester. Me: O O H. N O O.

No one: Sam Riegal: SHMORTZY THE HIPPOGRIFF

Ashley: Hello! My name is Jester... uhhh sounds like Borat! "Hello! My name a-Jester! This is my mother, she is number one prostitute in all Nicodranas! Very nice!"

Matt looks like an insane person when he tries to tell this story and I am crying of laughter because of it

WHY IS NO ONE TALKING ABOUT LAURA’S TRAVELER VOICE! THAT WAS AMAZING!

Ruby of the sea is the best lay ever IS THE ONLY THING THAT STUCK....and Laura didn't even say it.

Matt’s horrified expression when they started watching his video starts is giving me LIFE!! 🤣

"As long as it doesn't have a beak again I'm happy." this one was SUPPOSED to have a beak, Matt!

Laura: Picador's plum Sam: [notable culture hub] plum Marisha: [deli food] plum Taliesin: [mythological underworld goddess] plum

I love Sam’s subtle flex by having his Emmy in the background lmao

Ashley: “You gotta be f**king kidding me!” 😂

In summation: Laura: Jester Liam: “Zemnian” Jester Sam: “Italian” Jester Travis: “Borat” Jester Marisha: “Oh hello” Jester Matt: “The best lay ever” Jester Taliesin: “German” Jester Ashley: “Brooklyn/Damian” Jester

Laura: "you find a forest grove in a desert" Ashley: "you find a desert plum in a forest"

Me already in tears when Ashley's version comes on for the 2nd time: Help! It's again!

"This hippogriff's name is Boning, but in Zemnian."

Laura: "I dont think it was that hard" Everyone else: **stunned silence**

I like how Taliesins panic reaction was to immediately shave his head

The confidence at the beginning of each retelling: A+ Watching the confidence fade as the story continues:A++

"When you turn around for the treasure, his stone hut will be gone. And it was never there to begin with." You kill me, Marisha.

So I doubt I was the only one who caught onto this, but there was a wild coincidence of the fruit being called Persephone in the end. Laura said that if you ate the fruit, you could never leave the grove. This is analogous to the story of Persephone in Greek mythology, where she enters the Underworld but becomes trapped there after eating food. Totally coincidence but interesting nonetheless.

I love the fact that because of the “that’s just one story” tag, Jester is implied to be telling all of these stories straight in a row.

Laura: "Perhaps my list of actions was a little too long." Matt: "No, all you've done is set the bar now." Inside Taliesin's mind: "It's cute that you think so."

Ashley doing Jester, "so anyway's how are them Mets doing?"

taliesin: struggling wildly to summarise the story me: staring in confusion at the four eyed hippo in marker on his wall, completely distracted

I know Caleb has the "keen mind" feat but it seems like Liam has it too

Liam did a somehow recognizable Jester impression, then Sam made a Mario accent😂

I just really loved that Laura's original story was referencing Ank'Harel, and it's secret dragon ruler, J'mon Sa Ord. But Liam immediately decided no we're not going with that, it's all staying local in Wildemount.

How did Talesin change the name of the plum to Persephone, the name of the character in a myth about eating a fruit and getting stuck somewhere?!?! He didn't know the plum was meant to not be eaten or you'd be trapped?!?! He used his eldritch knowledge to retro-actively add in a metaphor and reference to a relevant Greek fable!!!!

I want Taliesin to do his story as Lucien pre-Mollymauk and reveal backstory he never got to.

couple of things: 1) taliesin's squawk laugh is the greatest thing i've ever heard 2) i wanna know how many times marisha has accidentally smacked matt while laughing 3) we were really close to getting a hippogriff with a name playing off 'boning' and i will never let that go 4) everyone's reaction to 'persephone plum' was beautiful that's all i love them so much

Apparently the hippogiff's name completely changing in the first retelling is the new wolf's beak. I wonder if this is going to happen every time. xD

This fulfilled my dream of hearing every cast member *attempt* Jester's accent