Dimension 20: Fantasy High

While writing code and some of the posts on this blog, I listened to and watched Fantasy High which is also on YouTube thankfully, as I do not have a subscription to Dropout although I am tempted to get one! In fact, I’m listening to Fantasy High: Sophomore Year while writing this. And I gotta say, damn that was fucking awesome.

Spoiler warning for Dimension 20: Fantasy High

Introduction

First let’s talk a bit about what the show even is. It seems like all the actual math and levelling up and everything else is mostly done off-camera. We don’t see anyone doing anything with math other than rolling dice and adding and subtracting modifiers. Therefore we, as the audience (or maybe that’s just me), don’t think that the races and classes matter a lot except for some bonuses and stuff.

World

Brennan Lee Mulligan, amazing at this as he is, created his own world. This world is high fantasy with dragons, elves, goblins, etc. but they are in a specific part of the world where they harness magic in a way that it is indistinguishable from technology. Crystals that act like phones, cars that work, and multiple other inventions and things.

Party

Fig Faeth

Fig Faeth on her bed with her guitar

Fig is a Tiefling Bard (again, not that really that important) that thought she was an elf until her horns sprouted, sending her parents, Gilear and her mom who’s not that important, to divorce. Her mom cheated on Gilear with a demon who she wants to (and eventually does) find. Fig constantly rebels because of her mom’s betrayal. She is played by Emily, who is absolutely hilarious.

Fabian Seacaster

Fabian Seacaster practicing his swordsmanship

Fabian is a Half-Elf Fighter who is defined by his dad, Bill Seacaster, a pirate through and through. Arr ye see Bill Seacaster be very strong and infamous captain at that. His dad dies eventually, by Fabian’s sword. It is crazy because this happens in like one of the last episodes and it was kind of foreshadowed earlier because Bill said he killed his father too. And Fabian has his eye taken from its socket where shortly after he gets his fathers eye-patch. It is all incredibly cool and, if you haven’t seen it then you should not be reading this and instead watching the show because there are bigger spoilers yet to come.

Gorgug Thistlespring

Gorgug Thistlespring in his parents house

Gorgug is a Half-Orc Barbarian that has adopted gnome parents, so his parents live in a house that is way too small for Gorgug. He is pretty shy and introverted his parents teach him a song to stay calm but as a Barbarian, that doesn’t really pan out as he needs to rage to be more effective against the threats they face. Gorgug is also looking for his biological father and asks everyone if they are his father. Some of the best responses are by Bill Seacaster who, after some conversation, determines that it is possible that Gorgug and Fabian are twins from two different women. And my favorite response was from Principle Aguefort, who simply said: “I was just about to ask you the same thing”. Which is such a weird response but totally in character for Aguefort.

Adaine Abernant

Adaine Abernant having breakfast with her family

Adaine Abernant is a Elf Wizard. She is the daughter of an ambassador and she hates it. Her older sister got into the fancy school she couldn’t get into and that is why she has to go to Aguefort Adventuring Academy. Her sister could do no wrong in her parents eyes, and she despises them for that. After it is later revealed that her sister was going to parties and drinking and doing drugs they just tell her Adaine that it can’t be true. Even when it is revealed that Aelwyn (Adaine’s sister) is part of a cult, they still release her from prison and flee.

Riz Guggak

Riz Gukgak with a cup of coffee in his hand

Riz is an unlicensed (eventually licensed) detective that is investigating some girls that disappeared. Riz’s mother is a police officer and one of the best allies of the party. His mom helps them defeat the big bad and there are a ton of other little things his mom does for the party. In one of the first episodes Riz gets bullied and gets thrown into a waste basket and called The Ball. This nickname sticks and Fabian calls him this exclusively for the rest of time.

Kristen Applebees

Kristen Applebees praying

Kristen is a believer of Helios the Corn God. After the second episode where Kristen dies and goes to heaven, she meets Helios and is put off by how Helios behaves. She thought Helios was like a frat bro and disliked that. When she entered heaven, Kristen smuggled Aguefort with her. After this experience she questions her religion throughout the entirety of the series. In the finale she meets Aguefort again and she creates her own god called “YES!” which is literally just the letters “YES!”. Exclamation mark and all.

Representation of the god YES!

She also has the spell Spirit Guardians who represent the person’s beliefs and because she struggles with her faith these are philosophers for a time who give philosophical lessons while kicking peoples asses.

NPCs

Arthur Aguefort

Arthur Aguefort

Aguefort is the Principal of the Aguefort Adventuring Academy, surprisingly (to no-one). He is amazing as he does NOT make any sense. Like I’ve already mentioned with Gorgug and his response to Gorgug’s signature question. Also in one of the first episodes killing Mr. Gibbons and himself to give life back to the party members that died. That was a big shocker for everyone, including Lou who freaked the fuck out, as did I.

Bill Seacaster

Bill Seacaster smiling and enjoying some wine

Bill is an amazing character, the party hangs out with him a few times and it’s great the stories are amazing. One of his stories was that he had a crewmember who was literally a tornado. That tornado was apparently at one of Fabians birthday parties and the tornado comes to his funeral as well. His death in the fire was, again, just amazing. It was incredibly cinematic and well-acted.

Gilear Faeth

Gilear Faeth

Gilear is the most amazing, he is a complete mess but we love him for it. He is a mess, by that I mean he is almost the embodiment of depression. He is not depressed but he is very close, maybe he just isn’t depressed because of he is an Elf. He is like more of a mess than an Elf should even be possible to be. His body is in a terrible condition that is worse, again, than should even be possible. His choice of depression food is yogurt and he eats it a lot and mentions it more than he should.

Goldenhoard

Goldenhoard

Goldenhoard is the vice principal and becomes the principal after Agueforts death. I also suspect that there is something going on between him and Fig… Eventually it is revealed that Goldenhoard is the big bad of this campaign. Some stuff happened to allow Goldenhoard to return to his true self, a dragon. He was defeated by Aguefort and his party, or so it is implied and he was bound to train the next adventurers in the academy.

Dungeon Master

Brennan Lee Mulligan is an amazing DM. His descriptions and all the work he put into everything is amazing, without him the series obviously wouldn’t exist but it also wouldn’t be as great as it is. I am thinking of starting a campaign with some friends and when I do I aspire to be like Brennan. Although I know that I can not be as good as Brennan has way more experience and because this is also literally his job.

Final thoughts

Those were all the characters and memorable moments and things I wanted to talk about. It was fun to listen to even though it was sometimes just more for noise than anything else. I liked it a lot but I wouldn’t say I loved it, maybe that is just because of my inattention at points.