Talks Machina 49: Curious Beginnings

is the forty-ninth episode of Talks Machina.

Announcements

 * The Talks Machina intro video will not be shown because it's getting updated, courtesy of Wendy Sullivan Green (aka @WendyDoodles).
 * Critical Role: Vox Machina Origins #4 comic will be coming out on January 24, 2018.
 * The retro poster featuring the cast dressed up for the Intro to Campaign 2 is now for sale.
 * No, the name of Talks Machina will not be changing.

Part 1
The group goes through the official art by Ari, who will be taking over from Kit Buss as the official character artist of Critical Role. Brian posits that Caleb went to a stylist asking for the "homeless Troy Baker".

CritRole Stats:
 * First roll of Campaign 1: Laura with a natural 18 (20 with modifiers)
 * Last roll of Campaign 1: Travis with a natural 20
 * First roll of Campaign 2: Travis with a natural 20
 * The first roll of the intro video is also of Travis rolling a natural 20.
 * Coin spent in : 215 gold
 * Coin spent in : 4 silver
 * Total damage dealt to defeat Vecna: 1,890
 * Total damage dealt to defeat the undead creatures: 74
 * The last time Sam sang a Whitney Houston song was as Scanlan to inspire Shale in.

Laura discusses the photo shoot for Campaign 2's initial thumbnails. Laura is offended by the amount of Sam crotch in the photos. Brian coins the term "front butt".

GIF of the Week
Winner: Jessica Gibson (@GibbyTOD on Twitter); gif of "I have an Intelligence of 6, I know what I'm doing" contrasted with "I have an Intelligence of 14, I know what I'm doing."

Prize: Critical Role "How do you want to do this?" grey zip-up hoodie and tarot cards signed by the cast.

Honorable Mention: Marty (@nietsnik_nl on Twitter); [https://twitter.com/Nietsnik_NL/status/953028952611844098 a gif contrasting "This is the year that we reclaim DIGNITY!" with Sam's entrance in the new intro video].

Prize: Poster of the new episode opening signed by the cast.

Fan Art of the Week
Winner: Sammy (@luckiestsquid on Twitter); Art of the carnival and battle.

Prize: Lacewood complete dice tower system from Wyrmwood Gaming.

Thank My Guests
(From @MissSunFlower94)
 * Texmex Warlockman
 * Loving Pastries
 * Please Bathe I'm Dying
 * In Jail Again Sassy
 * I'm Swearin' Away Off Screen

Talks Machina Becomes the Darkness
Viewership of peaked at around 125,000 people across Twitch, YouTube, and Project Alpha, Geek & Sundry's own streaming platform.