Campaign 4: Every New Character & Their Actor
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CRITICAL ROLE CAMPAIGN 4: Every New Character & Their Actor
article by Rotem Rusak
Critical Role‘s Campaign 4 is just around the corner. The fourth core chapter of the beloved TTRPG actual play series is on the way, and this time, it will be helmed by Brennan Lee Mulligan—yes, for the first time in 10 years, Matt Mercer won’t be the game’s Game Master, he’ll be in the player’s seat. Of course, he’s not the only one. Critical Role recently revealed an all-star cast of season D&D players who would be taking a seat at Campaign 4‘s table. But who they would play remained a secret… Until now. Critical Role Campaign 4 has officially revealed the character name and official character art for each of its 13 cast members/players. Let’s take a look at all the new adventurers we’ll meet in Aramán.
In Critical Role Campaign 4, the characters will be divided into three groupsOpens in a new tab: the Soldiers, the Seekers, and the Schemers. In short, the soldiers are “are the people who are interested in a traditionally charged combat and conflict-driven story mode—where the non-violent answers were few and far between.” The Seekers are “people that tie directly into lore, cosmology, magic, big questions around problems facing this universe that are in the weave of the dance between divinity and arcane, and magic, and demons, and fairies, and dragons, and these big kinds of questions. It’s very classical fantasy.” And the Schemers are into “intrigue, espionage, skullduggery, and relationships with each other and other NPCs and instituations and the machinations of power. Their adventuring looks like cloak and dagger.”
We believe that the Soldiers will wear orange/red. The Seekers will wear blues and purples. And the Schemers will wear teal/green.
Matt Mercer Will Play Sir Julien Davinos. If we’re correct in our estimations, Matt Mercer’s character will be one of the soldiers. Sir Julien Davinos also appears to be a human fighter or maybe a rogue.
Travis Willingham will play Teor Pridesire. He seems to be a Leonin paladin or maybe a monk. We believe Travis Willingham’s character will be part of the Seekers.
Laura Bailey will play Thimble, who seems like she belongs to the Schemers group if her grin is anything to go by. We think Thimble is likely a fairy rogue.
Taliesin Jaffe will play Bolaire Lathalia. If you ask us, Bolaire Lathalia is Jigsaw from the Saw movies OR perhaps a changeling warlock, we’ll take either. Taliesin Jaffe’s character looks to be part of the Soldiers in Critical Role Campaign 4.
Ashley Johnson will play Vaelus, who appears to be a drow cleric or sorcerer. Ashley Johnson’s character looks like they belong to the crew of Seekers in Critical Role Campaign 4.
Liam O’Brien will play Halandil Fang. Halandil Fang is a future Tusk Love cover model and/or/plus a half-orc bard. We love him already. We bet Liam O’Brien’s character joins the Soldiers in Critical Role Campaign 4. He is giving Chris Pine in the Dungeons & Dragons movie.
Marisha Ray will play Murray Mag’nesson who appears to be a dwarven wizard or maybe a bard. We’d bet that Marisha Ray’s character will join the Schemers.
Sam Riegel will play Wicander Halovar who looks like a aasimar wizard or maybe a cleric. Sam Reigel’s character will most likely be a Schemer if his outfit has anything to say about it.
Luis Carazo will play Azune Nayar coming across as a human paladin and definetly a Soldier.
Robbie Daymond will play Kattigan Vale who looks like a human ranger or maybe a druid or barbarian. We’re into his vibes. We’re also into Robbie Daymond’s character seemingly being a Seeker.
Aabria Iyengar will play Thaisha Lloy who seems to be a half-orc sorcerer or warlock. Aabria Iyengar’s character looks like she’ll be part of the Soldiers in Critical Role Campaign 4.
Whitney Moore will play Tyranny who looks like a tiefling cleric or maybe something unexpected like a monk. We feel like Tyranny is absolutely a Schemer.
Alex Ward will play Occtis Tachonis. Occtis Tachonis reads like a human artificer/alchemist to us. We bet that Alex Ward’s character will be a Seeker based on their mystical-looking pets. These cuties could be his familiars or maybe homunculi. He could also be a reanimator artificier, one of the Unearthed Arcana classes from D&D.
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Programming Schedule: Week of September 15th, 2025
(critrole.com)
Please note that these broadcasts are only scheduled for the times listed below.
Tales From The Stinky Dragon
Campaign 3: Kanon
A team of trained soldiers is caught in the middle of a war between distant deities and under-dwelling devils. As they turn the tide of this celestial crusade, a voice beckons them from the beyond—destiny or doom?
- Episode 26 releases Monday, September 15th on Beacon and the Tales From The Stinky Dragon Patreon at 12am Pacific.
- Episode 26 releases Wednesday, September 17th on your favorite podcast streaming platform and the Tales From The Stinky Dragon YouTube at 12am Pacific.
Critical Role Abridged
All the twists and turns of an episode of Critical Role in half the time! In Critical Role Abridged, the rich tapestry of a Critical Role campaign is lovingly distilled to its most pivotal, hilarious, and poignant moments in about 60-90 minutes per episode.
- Campaign 3, Episode 69 releases Tuesday, September 16th at 10am Pacific on YouTube
- Campaign 3, Episode 69 Podcast out Tuesday, September 16th on your favorite podcast streaming service at 5am Pacific
- Campaign 3, Episode 91 releases Tuesday, September 16th at 10am Pacific on Beacon
UNEND, Season 2
After their voyage of exploration goes awry, the crew of the Ship find themselves adrift in an unfamiliar realm where everything they know is called into question. With their beliefs, their bonds, and their lives at stake, they must decide how much they’re willing to sacrifice to find a way home.
- Episode 14 releases Wednesday, September 17th on the Midst Podcast YouTube at 10am Pacific and your favorite podcast streaming service at 5am Pacific
- Episode 16 releases Wednesday, September 17th on Beacon, Midst.co, and Podcast Subscribers at 5am Pacific
Campaign Four | Official Trailer
- Releases Thursday, September 18th at 10am Pacific on Beacon and YouTube
TGiT
Thank Goodness it’s Thursday!
Critical Role Foundations 90s Charity One-Shot Benefitting NCWIT | Sponsored by Ebay Live
Join Game Master Matthew Mercer and CRF President Ashley Johnson as they invite 90s stars:
Danielle Fishel, Rider Strong, and Will Friedle(from Boy Meets World),
Christine Lakin (Step by Step), and
Jodie Sweetin (Full House)
to the table for our Daggerheart Charity One-Shot; TGiT(Thank Goodness It’s Thursday)!
All proceeds will go to the Critical Role Foundations newest charity partner NCWIT.
Head to Ebay Live during the stream where we will be auctioning off signed Critical Role/Darrington merch, players dice, character sheets, and more over on bit.ly/CRFebay
The money raised through auction items sold and donations made through Tiltify during the live one-shot broadcast will help effect the game! Unlock messages from special guests, unleash a cataclysmic event or provide aid at bit.ly/CRFtiltify
- Airs LIVE on Thursday, September 18th at 7pm Pacific on Beacon, Twitch, and YouTube
- VOD available immediately after the stream ends on Beacon and and YouTube
- Part 1 Podcast out September 25th on your favorite podcast streaming service at 5am Pacific
- Part 2 Podcast out September 30th on your favorite podcast streaming service at 5am Pacific
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Oaths & Ash Live at Indianapolis
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Oaths & Ash
Runtime Break start 4h 21m 2h 17m
Where we last left off, having traveled to the island of Evaterena (within the Shattered Teeth) in pursuit of the still-at-large mastermind and villain Ludinus Da'leth, Bell's Hells and the Mighty Nein found themselves split between the physical world and a spiritual layer between realms, their crews scattered, seeking answers. Divided as they may be, they found an ally in the mysterious Ethel Rivergold, a being who straddled both layers of reality with one crew climbing to the peak of the time-locked and sundered mountain, the other delving within its spiritual depths. Bell's Hells and the Mighty Nein discovered a nightmarish entity that was corrupting and spreading chaos from both realms. Upon the entity's destruction, the two separated Ethel Rivergolds became one and returned to their true form as the very spirit of the island.
Both teams now restored (and walking the physical realm once more) they now stand at the mountain peak staring up into the dense clouds of the Shattered Teeth above, hoping to follow their lead to Ludinus' hideaway floating somewhere in the sky, just out of reach.
As everyone sits (still recovering from the recent forays with these massive boss-like entities), you watch as Imogen (crackling with energy) rockets off into the clouds above, vanishing into the gray. Imogen, as you cruise upward (the winds trying to batter you, but the very field of your psychic energy buttresses them from your body and you continue to push), upward, upward. You hear the breaking of the sound barrier as she emerges from the darkened clouds up into a full freshly sunset sky (the blues and purples are just beginning to vanish and cascade beyond the horizon). You can see the rest of the cloud bank that seems to surround you at all angles to the infinite horizon and the shadow of two distant sky whales just barely cresting and breaching before vanishing below. And maybe 200 feet above you, you see a rocky landmass hovering there, locked in place through some unseen magic, and the outline of what looks like a small structure.
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Everything To Know About Campaign Four!
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IT HAS BEGIN! It’s a new world, a new campaign, and a new game master at the helm but WE’RE. JUST. GETTING. STARTED.
With Campaign Four, we’re venturing beyond our world of Exandria to explore the uncharted lands of Aramán. So whether you’ve been here for a decade or are just discovering Critical Role for the first time, you can jump right in for an epic new story.
Hero to many. Enemy to some. When Thjazi Fang is marked for execution, various figures from across his remarkable life unite to uncover the truth behind his grim fate. In a land still suffering from the fallout of dead gods and living in the shadow of a tumultuous rebellion, these disparate people will come together across the fractured world of Aramán and connect in ways they never imagined.
As hope and victory fade, a question hangs over Aramán: without the Gods, what great deeds now fall to us? And who, or what, shall grab their crown for themselves?
New Campaign
Campaign Four will follow the tradition of our previous three campaigns – nerdy-ass voice actors playing Dungeons and Dragons.
However, this time we’ll be playing with 2024 rules! You’ll even see a few custom subclasses thanks to Jeremy Crawford and Chris Perkins – our newest members of Darrington Press. We have lots of surprises in store.
We’ll also be switching the format of Campaign Four to a West Marches style campaign! The first four episodes will serve as our Overture – we’ll set up the story and introduce the characters before breaking off into smaller groups, allowing you to explore this vast and wondrous world through the perspectives of three distinct rotating tables: the valiant Soldiers, the vigorous Seekers, and the veiled Schemers. As their fates intertwine, this allows us to delve deeper into Aramán – a world of wonder with sorcery stemming from the graveyard of the gods.
You’ll surely recognize this style of storytelling featuring multiple groups of protagonists from iconic fantasy tales like The Lord of the Rings or Game of Thrones.
The Main Cast of Campaign Four
Campaign Four of Critical Role follows a stellar cast of players including Laura Bailey, Luis Carazo, Robbie Daymond, Aabria Iyengar, Taliesin Jaffe, Ashley Johnson, Matthew Mercer, Whitney Moore, Liam O’Brien, Marisha Ray, Sam Riegel, Alexander Ward, and Travis Willingham, with Brennan Lee Mulligan weaving this grand tale as our Game Master.
When & Where?
Campaign Four will premiere Thursday, October 2nd with instant access on Beacon.tv and streamed to our YouTube and Twitch channels.
VOD:
- Beacon members will receive instant access to our VODs at 7pm Pacific on the day the episode is released!
- The VOD will also be available on YouTube the following Monday at 12pm Pacific.
Podcasts:
- Beacon members will receive instant access to the full podcast episode at 7pm Pacific on the day the episode is released!
- The ad-supported podcast version will also be available on your preferred podcast platform at 5am Pacific in two parts: the first one week after the premiere, and the second shortly after on the following Tuesday.
Critical Role Cooldowns: Beacon members will also get exclusive access to all episodes of Critical Role Cooldown for Campaign Four, where the cameras keep rolling and you get a front row seat to the cast’s post-show reactions!
Fireside Chat with Matthew Mercer & Brennan Lee Mulligan!
Join us TONIGHT for a special Fireside Chat where both Brennan Lee Mulligan and Matthew Mercer will be joining us LIVE from the tavern to deep dive more into Campaign Four, discuss the West Marches format, and answer your burning questions directly from the Beacon Discord!
Now…our Fireside Chats are typically a Beacon Exclusive show…BUT since this is an extra special episode, we are making this Fireside Chat available for everyone!
This livestream will start TONIGHT (August 21st) at 7pm Pacific on Beacon, YouTube and Twitch, so be sure to tune in!
While we embark on this new journey through Aramán, we also want to assure you that Exandria isn’t going anywhere! There are still stories to be told and we’ve still got plenty more to share between our live shows, animated series, comic books, novels, Critical Role Abridged (with all new artwork in a shortened format), and more!
Critical Role has always been about friends telling incredible stories together and Campaign Four will bring even more friends to our table for our most ambitious story so far!
Is it Thursday yet?
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Thank Goodness It's Thursday!
(critrole.com)
Critical Role Foundation & eBay Live Present:
TGiT
(Thank Goodness it’s Thursday)
Booyah! Thank Goodness it’s Thursday because the Critical Role Foundation & eBay Live are bringing you a blast from the past!
You’re just days away from stepping into the freshest throwback ever—because the Critical Role Foundation is teaming up with eBay Live to bring you a nostalgic ’90s‑themed Daggerheart one‑shot, TGiT, streaming live AND auctioning off incredible items! You’ll have the chance to bid live on rare merch from Critical Role, cast memorabilia, signed art, and best of all, donate to a great cause! All of your wonderful donations and auction dollars will benefit NCWIT, The National Center for Women & Information Technology, CRF’s new charity partner.
So, dust off your MC Hammer pants, scrunchies, slap on a slap bracelet, and get set for a fantasy adventure filled with radical quests, radical gear, radically good vibes and some of your favorite 90’s celebrities!
The Briggety Break Down
What’s Happening?
Toss out the TV Guide because on Thursday, September 18, 2025 at 7pm PT CR & eBay Live are taking over your eBay Live, Beacon.tv, Twitch, & YouTube screens with some Critical Role cast members and special guest dabbling in fabled Daggerheart gameplay—but this time, with all the flair of the 1990s. Think grunge, y2k, neon, and most importantly CHARITY!
Funds will be raised via:
eBay Live auction
and
Tiltify
to support NCWIT and the Critical Role Foundation’s emergency relief efforts.
What is eBay Live?
We are beyond excited to be partnering with the lovely folks at eBay Live, an interactive, real-time shopping platform where buyers and sellers connect through live-streamed events on eBay. While you enjoy the nostalgic gameplay LIVE, you’ll also be able to bid in real time on super cool items to support the cause and chat with one another at the same time! Also, SOME items will continue to be available to bid on through Sunday September 21st.
FYI: In order to enjoy the stream on eBay Live and bid on auction items, you will need to log in or register for an eBay account.
What is NCWIT?
NCWIT, The National Center for Women & Information Technology, equips its community of nearly 1,600 universities, companies, non-profits, and government organizations nationwide with resources for recruiting, retaining, and advancing women from K-12 and higher education through industry and entrepreneurial careers in computing and technology. If you want to know more about this wonderful organization, head over to ncwit.org.
How You Can Support:
- WATCH THE STREAM!!: Tune in via eBay Live, Beacon.tv, Twitch, & YouTube at 7pm PT on Thursday, September 18th.
- Support via eBay Live auctions: You can bid live on Critical Role memorabilia—signed merch, art posters, and more—all of which will be auctioned exclusively on eBay live, with proceeds going to NCWIT. And, whoa baby, eBay Live will be contributing up to $10,000 in matching funds! As a note: SOME items will continue to be available to bid on through Sunday September 21st.
- Donate via Tiltify: So you just want to support the cause? No problem! If you don’t happen to see the Critical Role item you’ve been pining for in this lot of auction items, WE GOTCHA DUDE! With charitable donations via Tiltify you’ll still be able to contribute to CRF’s newest partner, NCWIT. BUT WAIT…THERE’S MORE! The more money raised the more YOU can affect the game. Unlock messages from special guests, unleash a cataclysmic event, or provide aid to the players. So, if you wanna see it, GIVE GIVE GIVE—every cent counts! CHECK OUT ALL THE DONATION TIERS AND MILESTONES HERE.
They’re All That and a Bag of Chips!
TGiT is bringing you Daggerheart like never before with the coolest cast of characters oozing with ’90s flair joining our resident home-skillets, Matthew Mercer as Game Master and Ashley Johnson (President of the Critical Role Foundation) playing a new original character, Karen Marie Thomas! Check out the rest of the lineup—it’s literally bananas!
Will Friedel playing Joey “Squack” Powers
Danielle Fishel playing Reseda Hart Myers
Rider Strong playing Lucas
Jodie Sweetin playing Kasey AKA K.C.
Christine Lakin playing Sam “Samantha” Stone
Recap
All the homies are coming full force with a gang of laughter, hella pop‑culture shout‑outs, tongue‑in‑cheek references, floppy disks, dial‑up—oh and did we mention surprise guests such as….SIKE! We aren’t giving up the 411 that easily! You gotta tune in to find out 😜 BUT here’s a recap of the 411 on TGiT:
When Is It?
Thursday, September 18, 2025 at 7pm PT
Where to Watch
eBay Live, Beacon.tv, Twitch, & YouTube
What’s in the Auction
Exclusive and discontinued CR merch, signed cast memorabilia, beautiful art prints, and more on eBay Live. Check it out: bit.ly/CRFebay
Charity Focus
NCWIT as well as CRF’s emergency relief fund
Who’s Playing?
Matthew Mercer, Ashley Johnson, Will Friedle, Danielle Fishel, Rider Strong, Jodie Sweetin, and Christine Lakin
Mark Your Calendars
Get in the mirror and practice your best air guitar to get ready for a one‑shot that’s totally outta control. Whether you’re grunge or preppy, raver or surfer, tootsie-rolling or break dancing, this Daggerheart throwback will raise the roof—and raise funds for a great cause.
Stay tuned for sneak peeks of auction items, art reveals, and some serious ’90s jams coming your way soon. Critters, assemble—nostalgia is about to hit so hard… but for a charity! See you all on September 18th at 7pm PT—peace out ✌️!
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Programming Schedule: Week of September 8th, 2025
(critrole.com)
Please note that these broadcasts are only scheduled for the times listed below.
Weird Kids
Season Finale!
Ashley Johnson and Taliesin Jaffe deep dive into their lives as the Weird Kids! This is a formal invitation to all the misfits, outcasts, and weirdos to take a seat at our table and join these former child actors as they embrace their unique upbringings and celebrate all things weird and wonderful.
- Episode 24 releases Tuesday, September 9th at 5am Pacific exclusively on Beacon
- Get a sneak peak of Episode 24 on Tuesday, September 9th by checking out @TheWeirdKidsPod YouTube Channel
Critical Role Abridged
All the twists and turns of an episode of Critical Role in half the time! In Critical Role Abridged, the rich tapestry of a Critical Role campaign is lovingly distilled to its most pivotal, hilarious, and poignant moments in about 60-90 minutes per episode.
- Campaign 3, Episode 68 releases Tuesday, September 9th at 10am Pacific on YouTube
- Campaign 3, Episode 68 Podcast out Tuesday, September 9th on your favorite podcast streaming service at 5am Pacific
- Campaign 3, Episode 90 releases Tuesday, September 9th at 10am Pacific on Beacon
Port Chetney Pock O’Pea of Bells Hells into Daggerheart
This isn’t Travis Willingham’s first rodeo when it comes to porting his character into Daggerheart! In this third and final installation of porting Bells Hells characters to Daggerheart, watch as Travis and Matthew Mercer build Chetney Pock O’Pea of Bells Hell using the Daggerheart Core Set, current playtesting content in the Void (the Gnome ancestry), as well as an in-development Blood Hunter class and Blood domain!
To watch Chetney in action, watch the full video of our Daggerheart Live Show right now on Beacon.tv!
- Releases Tuesday, September 9th at 12pm Pacific on YouTube and Beacon
UNEND, Season 2
After their voyage of exploration goes awry, the crew of the Ship find themselves adrift in an unfamiliar realm where everything they know is called into question. With their beliefs, their bonds, and their lives at stake, they must decide how much they’re willing to sacrifice to find a way home.
- Episode 13 releases Wednesday, September 10th on the Midst Podcast YouTube at 10am Pacific and your favorite podcast streaming service at 5am Pacific
- Episode 15 releases Wednesday, September 10th on Beacon, Midst.co, and Podcast Subscribers at 5am Pacific
Oaths & Ash:
Indianapolis Live Show 2025
Dangerous forces gather as members of Bells Hells deal with their dark bargains and deadly debts mounting to be collected.
Featuring the founding cast of Critical Role, Robbie Daymond, and led by Game Master Matthew Mercer; this show will be our very first one-shot set in the world of Exandria and powered by Darrington Press’s roleplaying game: Daggerheart.
- Airs Thursday, September 11th at 7pm Pacific on Twitch and YouTube
- Rebroadcasts Friday, September 12th at 12am Pacific and 9am Pacific on Twitch
- VOD out Monday, September 15th at 12pm Pacific on YouTube
- Part 1 Podcast out September 18th on your favorite podcast streaming service at 5am Pacific
- Part 2 Podcast out September 23rd on your favorite podcast streaming service at 5am Pacific
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NY Wedding Pop-Up Store Hours Announced
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You are cordially invited to celebrate Jester & Fjord as they set sail on married life! Enter a reception at the Lavish Chateau for exclusive and limited keepsakes in the Critical Role “Tie-The-Knot-Pop-Up-Shop” from October 3rd-5th in New York City.
RSVP for Your Half Hour of Shopping Here
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Programming Schedule: Week of September 1st, 2025
(critrole.com)
Please note that these broadcasts are only scheduled for the times listed below.
Tales From The Stinky Dragon
Campaign 3: Kanon
A team of trained soldiers is caught in the middle of a war between distant deities and under-dwelling devils. As they turn the tide of this celestial crusade, a voice beckons them from the beyond—destiny or doom?
- Episode 25 releases Monday, September 1st on Beacon and the Tales From The Stinky Dragon Patreon at 12am Pacific.
- Episode 25 releases Wednesday, September 3rd on your favorite podcast streaming platform and the Tales From The Stinky Dragon YouTube at 12am Pacific.
Weird Kids
Sam Riegel is making his way to the booth to chat with Ashley Johnson and Taliesin Jaffe about his life as a fellow Weird Kid!
Come take a seat at our table and join these former child actors as they embrace their unique upbringings and celebrate all things weird and wonderful.
- Episode 23 releases Tuesday, September 2nd at 5am Pacific exclusively on Beacon
- Get a sneak peak of Episode 23 on Tuesday, September 2nd by checking out @TheWeirdKidsPod YouTube Channel
UPDATE for Critical Role Abridged
We’re taking a super quick break from Critical Role Abridged and we’ll be back next week on September 9th on both YouTube and Beacon!
Port Dorian Storm of Bells Hells into Daggerheart
Robbie Daymond is here to port Dorian Storm into Daggerheart. Watch as Matthew Mercer and Robbie sit down and build the blue bard that has captured all of our hearts to level 8 within the Daggerheart system!
To watch Dorian in action, watch the full video of our Daggerheart Live Show right now on Beacon.tv, or catch it on YouTube and Twitch premiering September 11th at 7pm Pacific.
- Releases Tuesday, September 2nd at 12pm Pacific on YouTube and Beacon
UNEND, Season 2
After their voyage of exploration goes awry, the crew of the Ship find themselves adrift in an unfamiliar realm where everything they know is called into question. With their beliefs, their bonds, and their lives at stake, they must decide how much they’re willing to sacrifice to find a way home.
- Episode 12 releases Wednesday, September 3rd on the Midst Podcast YouTube at 10am Pacific and your favorite podcast streaming service at 5am Pacific
- Episode 14 releases Wednesday, September 3rd for Beacon, Midst.co, and Podcast Subscribers at 5am Pacific
Roll For Mythicality: Rain Supreme
Liam O’Brien, Marisha Ray, Matthew Mercer, and Sam Riegel are joining Rhett & Link and game master T.J. Chamber for a Roll for Mythicality Daggerheart adventure!
In this Daggerheart one-shot, our adventure is set in an alternate 1990s Seattle infused with a strange new magic. Our heroes are a fledgling grunge band imbued with fantastic abilities, but can they fight off the evil forces of “selling out” in time to pull off their big live show?
- Releases Wednesday, September 3rd at 3am Pacific on Mythical Society
Join Mythical Society
Half off membership with the code CRITMYTH
Narrative Telephone
Rhett & Link from Good Mythical Morning are making their way to Narrative Telephone!
Much like the game of telephone we all played in elementary school, Narrative Telephone involves a group of friends telling and re-telling a short story from one person to the next; with only their memory to help them recount what they heard. As the story inevitably changes and distorts, it becomes more and more outlandish and hilarious.
- Releases Wednesday, September 3rd at 12pm Pacific on Beacon
- Releases Wednesday, September 17th at 12pm Pacific on YouTube
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SacAnime Winter 2025 with Sam and LIam
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Emotional Milestones
Critical Role celebrates 10 incredible years! Join Liam O'Brien and Sam Riegel as they share emotional milestones, revisit unforgettable characters, and reflect on their journey from Vox Machina to Mighty Nein and beyond. In this heartfelt panel, they discuss the challenges of returning to iconic roles, the joy of storytelling, and the powerful connections forged through the world of Dungeons & Dragons. From behind-the-scenes casting stories to their favorite campaign moments, this video is packed with laughter, nostalgia, and inspiration.
⏱️ Timestamps ⏱️ / ❓ Questions ❓
0:00 Anime Convention, Don't Age, Fan Cast, Swallowed, Did Not Make Any Sense
0:21 Critical Role Panel
1:06 How has it been visiting past characters from the previous campaigns in Critical Role?
3:24 Is there anybody that you would like to bring into that you have not worked with before?
6:05 Is there a character from your home game that you would like to cameo in the main campaigns?
8:43 What was our first dungeon and dragon character before Critical Role?
10:19 Have the emotions come back, and how have you been handling those emotions and bringing them into the writing room?
13:51 What was the most heart-wrenching moment in Critical Role for you?
17:01 What has been your favorite monster that you have fought in Critical Role?
18:56 What are some of your favorite character interactions that you had with another cast?
21:15 What would happen if Vax'ildan goes to Scanlan asking for help on how to make a love song for Keyleth?
22:50 Was Scanans emotional departure speech planned?
25:50 What sound would you put if you could put any song in the Vox Machina series?
28:17 What is something that you like about your character and their biggest flaws?
31:18 Which Deities of the pantheon is your favorite?
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Programming Schedule: Week of August 25th, 2025
(critrole.com)
Please note that these broadcasts are only scheduled for the times listed below.
Weird Kids
Ashley Johnson and Taliesin Jaffe deep dive into their lives as the Weird Kids! This is a formal invitation to all the misfits, outcasts, and weirdos to take a seat at our table and join these former child actors as they embrace their unique upbringings and celebrate all things weird and wonderful.
- Episode 22 releases Tuesday, August 26th at 5am Pacific exclusively on Beacon
- Get a sneak peak of Episode 22 on Tuesday, August 26th by checking out @TheWeirdKidsPod YouTube Channel
Critical Role Abridged
All the twists and turns of an episode of Critical Role in half the time! In Critical Role Abridged, the rich tapestry of a Critical Role campaign is lovingly distilled to its most pivotal, hilarious, and poignant moments in about 60-90 minutes per episode.
- Campaign 3, Episode 67 releases Tuesday, August 26that 10am Pacific on YouTube
- Campaign 3, Episode 67 Podcast out Tuesday, August 26th on your favorite podcast streaming service at 5am Pacific
- Campaign 3, Episode 89 releases Tuesday, August 26th at 10am Pacific on Beacon
Making Fearne Calloway of Bell's Hells in Daggerheart
Join Matthew Mercer as he guides Ashley Johnson in building the beloved Fearne Calloway of the Bells Hells in Daggerheart.
To watch Fearne in action, watch the full video of our Daggerheart Live Show on Beacon.tv starting August 28th!
- Releases Tuesday, August 26th at 12pm Pacific on Beacon and YouTube
UNEND, Season 2
After their voyage of exploration goes awry, the crew of the Ship find themselves adrift in an unfamiliar realm where everything they know is called into question. With their beliefs, their bonds, and their lives at stake, they must decide how much they’re willing to sacrifice to find a way home.
- Episode 11 releases Wednesday, August 27th on the Midst Podcast YouTube at 10am Pacific and your favorite podcast streaming service at 5am Pacific
- Episode 13 releases Wednesday, August 27th on Beacon, Midst.co, and Podcast Subscribers at 5am Pacific
Oaths & Ash: Indianapolis Live Show
Dangerous forces gather as members of Bells Hells deal with their dark bargains and deadly debts mounting to be collected.
Featuring the founding cast of Critical Role, Robbie Daymond, and led by Game Master Matthew Mercer; this show will be our very first one-shot set in the world of Exandria and powered by Darrington Press’s roleplaying game: Daggerheart.
- VOD and Podcast out Thursday, August 28th at 7pm Pacific on Beacon
Critical Role Cooldown | Oaths & Ash | Indianapolis Live Show 2025
Get a backstage pass to our Indianapolis Live Show! You’ll be right there with the cast at Fishers Event Center immediately after our Daggerheart live show to experience the cast’s post-show reactions.
- Releases Thursday, August 28th at 7pm Pacific only on Beacon
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Programming Schedule: Week of August 18th, 2025
(critrole.com)
Please note that these broadcasts are only scheduled for the times listed below.
Tales From The Stinky Dragon, Campaign 3: Kanon
A team of trained soldiers is caught in the middle of a war between distant deities and under-dwelling devils. As they turn the tide of this celestial crusade, a voice beckons them from the beyond—destiny or doom?
- Episode 24 releases Monday, August 18th on Beacon and the Tales From The Stinky Dragon Patreon at 12am Pacific.
- Episode 24 releases Wednesday, August 20th on your favorite podcast streaming platform and the Tales From The Stinky Dragon YouTube at 12am Pacific.
Weird Kids
Ashley Johnson and Taliesin Jaffe deep dive into their lives as the Weird Kids! This is a formal invitation to all the misfits, outcasts, and weirdos to take a seat at our table and join these former child actors as they embrace their unique upbringings and celebrate all things weird and wonderful.
- Episode 21 releases Tuesday, August 19th at 5am Pacific exclusively on Beacon
- Get a sneak peak of Episode 21 on Tuesday, August 19thby checking out @TheWeirdKidsPod YouTube Channel
Critical Role Abridged
All the twists and turns of an episode of Critical Role in half the time! In Critical Role Abridged, the rich tapestry of a Critical Role campaign is lovingly distilled to its most pivotal, hilarious, and poignant moments in about 60-90 minutes per episode.
- Campaign 3, Episode 66 releases Tuesday, August 19th at 10am Pacific on YouTube
- Campaign 3, Episode 88 Podcast out Tuesday, August 19th on your favorite podcast streaming service at 5am Pacific
- Campaign 3, Episode 88 releases Tuesday, August 19th at 10am Pacific on Beacon
UNEND, Season 2
After their voyage of exploration goes awry, the crew of the Ship find themselves adrift in an unfamiliar realm where everything they know is called into question. With their beliefs, their bonds, and their lives at stake, they must decide how much they’re willing to sacrifice to find a way home.
- Episode 12 releases Wednesday, August 20th on Beacon, Midst.co, and Podcast Subscribers at 5am Pacific
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New Beacon Discord Mystery Game
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Word Clue Mystery Game with Clues Left in Various Social Media Platforms
(Found in the Beacon discord thread What-Do-You-Seek)
From the fan-made google doc
On Thursday, August 14th, in the weekly newsletter, Critical Role included an image at the very end with seemingly random letters. The Image was clickable and contained a link that sent you to the Beacon Discord, where a new public channel available for non-beacon members appeared: #what-you-seek. The channel only allows commands to be typed, and certain code words would return clues in your DMs if typed in the channel...
For example: the word !great, which is spelled out in the diagonal line, turned out to be a word that gave a clue. The “official” release order of this hint against the Instagram message (see next), is not clear due to the staggered sending of the newsletter.
light ver
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2
Programming Schedule: Week of August 11th, 2025
(critrole.com)
Please note that these broadcasts are only scheduled for the times listed below.
Weird Kids
Ashley Johnson and Taliesin Jaffe deep dive into their lives as the Weird Kids! This is a formal invitation to all the misfits, outcasts, and weirdos to take a seat at our table and join these former child actors as they embrace their unique upbringings and celebrate all things weird and wonderful.
- Episode 20 releases Tuesday, August 12th at 5am Pacific exclusively on Beacon
- Get a sneak peak of Episode 20 on Tuesday, August 12th by checking out @TheWeirdKidsPod YouTube Channel
Critical Role Abridged
All the twists and turns of an episode of Critical Role in half the time! In Critical Role Abridged, the rich tapestry of a Critical Role campaign is lovingly distilled to its most pivotal, hilarious, and poignant moments in about 60-90 minutes per episode.
- Campaign 3, Episode 65 releases Tuesday, August 12th at 10am Pacific on YouTube
- Campaign 3, Episode 65 Podcast out Tuesday, August 12th on your favorite podcast streaming service at 5am Pacific
- Campaign 3, Episode 87 releases Tuesday, August 12th at 10am Pacific on Beacon
Fireside Chat with Chris Perkins and Jeremy Crawford!
Get to know iconic duo and newcomers to Darrington Press, Chris Perkins and Jeremy Crawford, by joining us at the tavern for a Fireside Chat! They’ll answer questions from our Beacon Discord about TTRPGs, their careers, their creative process, and more.
- Airs LIVE on Tuesday, August 12th at 7pm Pacific only on Beacon
UNEND, Season 2
After their voyage of exploration goes awry, the crew of the Ship find themselves adrift in an unfamiliar realm where everything they know is called into question. With their beliefs, their bonds, and their lives at stake, they must decide how much they’re willing to sacrifice to find a way home.
-
Episode 11 releases Wednesday, August 13th on Beacon, Midst.co, and Podcast Subscribers at 5am Pacific
-
Episode 11 will release Wednesday, August 27th on all other platforms
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LoVM Season 4 Sneak Peek
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Prime Video Season 4 Teaser Scene (yT link)
Next year will be the Year of Fck Sht Up! Our heroes return for more debauchery in The Legend of Vox Machina Season 4 in 2026!
Season Four of The Legend of Vox Machina finds our heroes scattered across the globe on separate journeys, but when a cataclysmic threat befalls Exandria - they must reunite to face a foe darker than they could imagine.
The Legend of Vox Machina is an Amazon MGM Studios, Critical Role, and Titmouse production for Prime Video. The series stars Critical Role founders and cast members Laura Bailey (The Last of Us: Part II), Taliesin Jaffe (World of Warcraft), Ashley Johnson (The Last of Us), Liam O’Brien (Marvel’s Avengers), Matthew Mercer (Baldur’s Gate 3), Marisha Ray (Fallout 76), Sam Riegel (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), and Travis Willingham (Marvel's Avengers). The Critical Role cast also serves as executive producers alongside Brandon Auman (Star Wars: Resistance), Chris Prynoski (Metalocalypse), Shannon Prynoski (Fairfax), and Ben Kalina (Big Mouth).
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Programming Schedule: Week of August 4th, 2025
(critrole.com)
Please note that these broadcasts are only scheduled for the times listed below.
Tales From The Stinky Dragon
Campaign 3: Kanon
A team of trained soldiers is caught in the middle of a war between distant deities and under-dwelling devils. As they turn the tide of this celestial crusade, a voice beckons them from the beyond—destiny or doom?
- Episode 23 releases Monday, August 4th on Beacon and the Tales From The Stinky Dragon Patreon at 12am Pacific.
- Episode 23 releases Wednesday, August 6th on your favorite podcast streaming platform and the Tales From The Stinky Dragon YouTube at 12am Pacific.
Weird Kids
Ashley Johnson and Taliesin Jaffe deep dive into their lives as the Weird Kids! This is a formal invitation to all the misfits, outcasts, and weirdos to take a seat at our table and join these former child actors as they embrace their unique upbringings and celebrate all things weird and wonderful.
- Episode 19 releases Tuesday, August 5th at 5am Pacific exclusively on Beacon
- Get a sneak peak of Episode 19 on Tuesday, August 5th by checking out @TheWeirdKidsPod YouTube Channel
Critical Role Abridged
All the twists and turns of an episode of Critical Role in half the time! In Critical Role Abridged, the rich tapestry of a Critical Role campaign is lovingly distilled to its most pivotal, hilarious, and poignant moments in about 60-90 minutes per episode.
- Campaign 3, Episode 64 releases Tuesday, August 5th at 10am Pacific on YouTube
- Campaign 3, Episode 64 Podcast out Tuesday, August 5th on your favorite podcast streaming service at 5am Pacific
- Campaign 3, Episode 86 releases Tuesday, August 5th at 10am Pacific on Beacon
Live Show: Indianapolis: Oaths & Ash
For one night only in YOUR local movie theatre, see Critical Role Live: Oaths & Ash.
Dangerous forces gather as members of Bells Hells deal with their dark bargains and deadly debts mounting to be collected.
- In Theaters ONLY August 5th at 7pm LOCAL TIME in a movie theater near you!
UNEND, Season 2
After their voyage of exploration goes awry, the crew of the Ship find themselves adrift in an unfamiliar realm where everything they know is called into question. With their beliefs, their bonds, and their lives at stake, they must decide how much they’re willing to sacrifice to find a way home.
- Episode 10 releases Wednesday, August 6th on the Midst Podcast YouTube at 10am Pacific and your favorite podcast streaming service at 5am Pacific
San Diego Comic-Con 2025: 10 Years and Still Rolling
Ashley Johnson, Marisha Ray, Taliesin Jaffe, Matthew Mercer, Laura Bailey, Travis Willingham, Sam Riegel, and Liam O’Brien take a reflective walk down memory lane and look back at the last 10 incredible years of adventure. Plus, they’ll answer some of the crowd’s burning questions!
- Releases Thursday, August 7th at 12pm Pacific on Beacon and YouTube
Tag Team At The Teeth: The Misty Ascent
Melbourne Live Show 2025
Check out our 2025 Melbourne Live Show!
When characters from both the Mighty Nein and Bells Hells find themselves mysteriously split across parallel realms in The Shattered Teeth, they must unite against a common threat….
Join Game Master Matthew Mercer and the cast of Critical Role as Fearne Calloway, Caduceus Clay, Imogen Temult, Fjord Stone, Beauregard Lionett, Orym, and Braius Doomseed work together to uncover the truth behind their interdimensional separation in this unforgettable live adventure!
- Airs Thursday, August 7th at 7pm Pacific on Twitch and YouTube
- Rebroadcasts Friday, August 8th at 12am Pacific and 9am Pacific on Twitch
- VOD out Monday, August 11th at 12pm Pacific on YouTube
- Part 1 Podcast out August 14th on your favorite podcast streaming service at 5am Pacific
- Part 2 Podcast out August 19th on your favorite podcast streaming service at 5am Pacific
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Official Campaign 4 Announcement
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Critical Role Direct: Campaign 4 Announcement
Join us in a new world for a whole new story led by Game Master Brennan Lee Mulligan on Thursday, October 2nd.
Matthew Mercer will still be at the table, but this time as a player. We can't wait to share more with you in the coming weeks!
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Daggerheart Showcase & Live Demo at Gen Con 2025
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A New Era of Heroic Roleplaying
Join Matthew Mercer, Spenser Starke, Elise Rezendes, and guests at our Gen Con 2025 panel and discover what's next for Daggerheart! We’ll have a first look at upcoming partnerships, a live game demo that dives into the rich worlds awaiting you, special guests joining our table, and a giveaway for the live Gen Con audience!
Whether you're a seasoned adventurer or new to TTRPGs, this event will immerse you in the game's innovative mechanics, deep storytelling possibilities, and breathtaking art.
"Oops! All Vests!"
Elite Designers
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Programming Schedule: Week of July 28th, 2025
(critrole.com)
Please note that these broadcasts are only scheduled for the times listed below.
Weird Kids
Ashley Johnson and Taliesin Jaffe deep dive into their lives as the Weird Kids! This is a formal invitation to all the misfits, outcasts, and weirdos to take a seat at our table and join these former child actors as they embrace their unique upbringings and celebrate all things weird and wonderful.
- Episode 18 releases Tuesday, July 29th at 5am Pacific exclusively on Beacon
- Get a sneak peak of Episode 18 on Tuesday, July 29th by checking out @TheWeirdKidsPod YouTube Channel
Critical Role Abridged
All the twists and turns of an episode of Critical Role in half the time! In Critical Role Abridged, the rich tapestry of a Critical Role campaign is lovingly distilled to its most pivotal, hilarious, and poignant moments in about 60-90 minutes per episode.
- Campaign 3, Episode 63 releases Tuesday, July 29th at 10am Pacific on YouTube
- Campaign 3, Episode 63 Podcast out Tuesday, July 29th on your favorite podcast streaming service at 5am Pacific
- Campaign 3, Episode 85 releases Tuesday, July 29th at 10am Pacific on Beacon
UNEND, Season 2
After their voyage of exploration goes awry, the crew of the Ship find themselves adrift in an unfamiliar realm where everything they know is called into question. With their beliefs, their bonds, and their lives at stake, they must decide how much they’re willing to sacrifice to find a way home.
- Episode 9 releases Wednesday, July 30th on the Midst Podcast YouTube at 10am Pacific and your favorite podcast streaming service at 5am Pacific
We’re taking a quick mid-season break from UNEND to fine-tune our upcoming episodes and we’ll return with an even more cosmologically chaotic voyage in two weeks!
- Episode 11 will release Wednesday, August 13th on Beacon, Midst.co, and Podcast Subscribers at 5am Pacific
- Episode 11 will release Wednesday, August 27th on all other platforms
Daggerheart Showcase & Live Demo:
A New Era of Heroic Roleplaying
Join one our very own Matthew Mercer for an exclusive showcase of Daggerheart at Gen Con 2025!
- Airs Thursday, July 31st at 8am Pacific on Beacon and the Darrington Press YouTube
- VOD Available immediately after the stream ends.
Tag Team At The Teeth: The Misty Ascent
Sydney Live Show 2025
Check out our 2025 Sydney Live Show! When characters from both the Mighty Nein and Bells Hells find themselves mysteriously split across parallel realms in The Shattered Teeth, they must unite against a common threat….
Join Game Master Matthew Mercer and the cast of Critical Role as Jester Lavorre, Ashton Greymoore, Yasha Nydoorin, Caleb Widogast, Veth Brenatto, Chetney Pock O’Pea, and Laudna work together to uncover the truth behind their interdimensional separation in this unforgettable live adventure!
- Airs Thursday, July 31st at 7pm Pacific on Twitch and YouTube
- Rebroadcasts Friday, August 1st at 12am Pacific and 9am Pacific on Twitch
- VOD out Monday, August 4th at 12pm Pacific on YouTube
- Part 1 Podcast out August 7th on your favorite podcast streaming service at 5am Pacific
- Part 2 Podcast out August 12th on your favorite podcast streaming service at 5am Pacific
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CR Talks LoVM Season 4 and M9 at SDCC
(i.ytimg.com)
Critical Role Team Hypes The Legend Of Vox Machina Season 4 & Teases The Mighty Nein's Future (ScreenRant)
The Mighty Nein & The Legend of Vox Machina stars Travis Willingham, Sam Riegel, Laura Bailey, Talisen Jaffe, Marisha Ray, Ashley Johnson, Matthew Mercer, and Liam O’Brien hype their beloved Critical Role-inspired shows.
What Vox Machina Need You To Know About the Mighty Nein (IGN)
Matthew Mercer, Marisha Ray, Travis Willingham, Laura Bailey, Ashley Johnson, Taliesin Jaffe, Sam Reigal and Liam O'Brien of Critical Role join IGN to discuss the reveals from their massive SDCC 2025 panel for The Mighty Nein and Legend of Vox Machina. Along with a Mighty Nein release date on November 19, The Legend of Vox Machina was renewed for its filth and final season.
The team discusses the stark differences between the two campaigns, as well as the joys and challenges of recording the two stories in tandem for the first time. Be sure to stick around for all of them trying to condense Campaign 2 into one sentence!
SDCC 2025 Panel
San Diego Comic-Con 2025 for the Critical Role panel in Ballroom 20.
Moderated by Whitney Moore and featuring the cast: Matthew Mercer, Laura Bailey, Taliesan Jaffe, Ashley Johnson, Sam Riegel, Liam O'Brien, Marisha Ray and Travis Willingham.
Big Announcements at Comic-Con! (Rotten Tomatoes)
The Cast of The Legend of Vox Machina & The Mighty Nein (Travis Willingham, Sam Riegel, Matthew Mercer, Laura Bailey, Ashley Johnson, Liam O'Brien, Marisha Ray, Taliesin Jaffe) Talk About Their Big Announcements at Comic-Con!
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[Spoilers Age of Umbies Finale] Episode Discussion
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Age of Umbra: The Tomb of the Heretic Saint
Runtime Break start 3h 46m 2h 22m
Last we left off, these survivors of the troop, enduring that have traversed much of the eastern edge of the Halcyon Domain, pushed through Amber Reach, lost friends and others that walked into shadow and have found just the four of them now trudging forward beyond the Ashcall Quarter, the Celsian Athenaeum, the Cinnabar Quarter, and eventually, through the Aurumweald, until finally you arrived at your destination, the Barrow of Blind Repose. A little battered, a little exhausted, you look at the (heavily grown-over) sealed front door to this mountainous subterranean tomb to the heretical Saint Evelyar (of which the research back in Desperloch pointed to the possibility of a Blessed Branch might be, an object that is capable of starting or restarting a Sacred Pyre like the one that was destroyed back in your home village, leaving it vulnerable) while the distant shrieks of the Umbra continue to screech and echo on the horizon.
So as you arrive and settle in, with your final destination before you, what would you like to do?
Previous Episode: Escape from the Reach
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2025 Generation Analog Talks Punk Philosophy
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GENERATION ANALOG 2025 "PUNK"
- Keynote: "A Master Plan: Hip Hop, TTRPGs & The Power of Imaginative Defiance"
- Session A: Punk Politics and Power
- Session B: Punk Pedagogy and Play
- Session C: Punk Sex and Gender
- Session D: Punk Presence and Future
- Presidential Lecture: "Not Dead, Still Punk"/"10 Years of Analog Game Studies"
Analog Game Studies
The official journal of Analog Game Studies. Scholarly content about tabletop, live-action, performance, and generally awesome games. Read more at our website analogamestudies.org.
CriticalProf
Professors Em (Friedman) and Emily (Kugler) talk about the way that games represent the eighteenth-century, literary history, and much more.
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CR Content Promoting Mental Health
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Weird Kids Episode 15
Recent episode that was well-received by the community and helped others to feel seen and less alone in their journey.
Mental Health Stream with Pat Rothfuss, Holly Conrad, and Matt Mercer
Join Patrick Rothfuss as he speaks with Holly Conrad and Matt Mercer about mental health as part of the Worldbuilders 2017 fundraiser.
Matt Mercer Talks Critical Role, Body Dysmorphia, Cancel Culture, Internet A$$holes & More
Marisha Ray Talks Being Tinker Bell, Constant Online Harassment, The Future of Critical Role
The Power of “Yes” and Finding Your Passion: A Candid Conversation with Sam Riegel
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First Look at Mighty Nein Animated Series
(i.postimg.cc)
Meet Critical Role's gang of misfits in Vox Machina spinoff
article by Nick Romano
Members of Critical Role, as well as new showrunner Tasha Huo, preview what's to come in the "Legend of Vox Machina" spinoff series.
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The heroes known collectively as the Mighty Nein are indeed mighty... but they're not exactly nine.
That's one of the many inside jokes among the members of Critical Role, the Dungeons & Dragons troupe of actors that became an online sensation for livestreams of their fantasy role-playing campaigns, which are now adapted into two animated shows for Amazon's Prime Video.
After three successful seasons (and a fourth on the way) of The Legend of Vox Machina, based on the group's first table-top adventure, The Mighty Nein now adapts the core events of Campaign 2. And, sure enough, Entertainment Weekly's exclusive first look at the spinoff show features six (not nine!) of the new band of misfits... at least for now.
"Not to spoil anything for the audience, but all of your favorite gags, all of your favorite inside jokes and weird things that happened during the Campaign 2 live-play, we love those things too, and we're going to try to preserve as many of those as possible," Critical Role's Sam Riegel, an actor and executive producer on both Vox Machina and The Mighty Nein shows, tells Entertainment Weekly. "I won't say how and when that joke is made, but if you loved it in the campaign, I guarantee it will make an appearance in the animated series."
The Mighty Nein takes place in the same fantasy world as The Legend of Vox Machina, called Exandria. But instead of the land of Tal'Dorei, the series hones in on a completely different continent, known as Wildemount, which hosts the Dwendalian Empire to the west, the Kryn Dynasty to the east, and the Menagerie Coast along the sea. The show also takes place many years after the events of Vox Machina. However, Tasha Huo, The Mighty Nein showrunner and EP, promises "a lot of fun intersections" between the two animated series.
"We want to make sure that everyone understands those two stories do happen in the same world at the same time, even though they're separated by, I think, 20 years," she says.
The members of Critical Role, all of whom worked on The Legend of Vox Machina, now return as very different characters.
As seen in EW's sneak peek, Riegel voices Nott The Brave, a foul-mouthed alcoholic goblin girl who's a master of stealth and crossbow; Liam O’Brien voices Caleb Widogast, a disheveled human wizard adept at fire magic; Marisha Ray voices Beauregard Lionett, a human monk of the Cobalt Soul order who's part MMA fighter, part kick-ass detective; Laura Bailey voices Jester Lavorre, a blue-skinned tiefling and a prankster whose best friend is an invisible god named the Traveler; Travis Willingham voices Fjord Stone, an orphaned half-orc sailor who washes ashore after a shipwreck with mysterious magical powers; and Taliesin Jaffe voices Mollymauk Tealeaf, a purple-skinned tiefling who serves as a flamboyant tarot reader for a traveling carnival.
Not seen is the character played by another crucial Critical Role member; Ashley Johnson will voice the role of Yasha Nydoorin, a barbarian woman and a roving mercenary from the wastes of Xhorhas in the Kryn Dynasty.
"We really had an opportunity to kick things up a notch in terms of character building, world building, and storytelling techniques," Riegel says. "It has echoes of Vox Machina, obviously because it's based in the same world and made by the same people, but I think it's going to scratch itches that Vox Machina doesn't scratch."
Willingham, who also serves as an EP on top of his Fjord Stone role, adds, "We like to scratch all sorts of itches. With The Legend of Vox Machina, we started with our heroes altogether at once. We really want to buy into who these characters are from The Mighty Nein and how they come together slowly — as pairs, sometimes staying lone wolves for as long as possible, and really fighting for what it is they're looking to achieve in the story. That's the thing that really is going to separate Mighty Nein from Vox. You'll see all of them fighting for their own goals and really resisting working together as a team for quite a long while."
Unlike the characters from LVM, Huo points to something she loved from watching Critical Role's original Mighty Nein livestream campaign: all the secrets the characters keep from one another as the plot progresses.
"A big thing that drew me to that show was just the trauma of all the characters," she explains. "So the show reflects a more mature, more elevated storytelling. There's more drama, there is more filmmaking involved. We really try to treat the show like a live-action show, which is tonally different than Vox Machina, but still keeping within the same world."
In terms of what story the show is adapting with this first season, fans will surely have theories once they get a glimpse of Essek Thelyss, a drow wizard from the Kryn Dynasty.
Matt Mercer, who created the world of Exandria and serves as Critical Role's de facto Dungeon Master, voices Essek, a crucial figure during a certain conflict that involves the Kryn Dynasty, the larger Empire in Wildemount, and a stolen artifact.
"One of the things Matt harped on over the years is that, as much as everybody loves their favorite hot boy, Essek Thelyss, he for a very long time was not a very good person," Willingham comments.
Similar to how LVM adapted the more nefarious characters to the screen, like the Briarwoods, The Mighty Nein will expand upon Essek's story, showing story material that happened "off screen" (metaphorically speaking, since there are no screens in a table-top campaign). "You'll see the machinations both happening in the Empire and the Dynasty, all the things moving behind the scenes, and really who was Essek," Willingham continues. "How did he get to be in the place where he was, moving these large pieces and affecting a large portion of the world in The Mighty Nein?"
As for The Legend of Vox Machina season 4, which was announced for renewal in October, Riegel, Willingham, and the rest of the Critical Role crew are still cranking away. When EW speaks with the Mighty Nein team, they had just completed a new recording session "with someone in New York" in the wee hours of that morning.
"I think there's some announcements coming at San Diego," Riegel teases. "I don't know about release dates yet, but season 4 is awesome. It's so cool, and there's lots of twists and turns coming, lots of unexpected new characters."
In true LVM style, Willingham jokes, "Certainly no musical numbers of any kind."
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Critical Role
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"Is it Thursday Yet?"
Community to discuss anything Critical Role related.
Drop by our welcome post and share any feedback/suggestions if you have any. The FAQ post is also a thing.
What is Critical Role?
Critical Role is a group of nerdy-ass voice actors who sit around and play Dungeons & Dragons.
Streams every Thursday at 7pm PT and then rebroadcasts the following Friday at 12am and 9am PT on Twitch.
trigger warning
Due to the improv nature of Critical Role and other RPG content on our channels, some themes and situations that occur in-game may be difficult for some to handle. If certain episodes or scenes become uncomfortable, we strongly suggest taking a break or skipping that particular episode.
Your health and well-being is important to us and Psycom has a great list of international mental health resources, in case it’s useful: http://bit.ly/PsycomResources
Current shows
- Age of Umbra: Daggerheart 8-part series in the Halcyon Domain where dark winds known as the Umbra assail the landscape.
- Critical Role Campaign 3: Main D&D 5e campaign. Recently completed and re-releasing as Abridged
- Candela Obscura: Horror drama campaign using their own game system.
- 4-Sided Dive: Talkshow with a roundtable discussion of 4 guests, to talk about recent episodes and answer fan questions. Streams every first Tuesday of the month at 7pm PT
- Narrative Telephone: The narrator tells a tale and passes it along to a cast member who can listen to it only once before retelling it to another... How weird can things possibly get?
- Midst: Sci-fi fantasy radio drama, streams Wednesdays.
- Re-Slayer's Take: podcast about a lesser-known band of heroes updates Mondays 5am PST
- Tales from the Stinky Dragon New episodes air Wednesdays every two weeks.
- Weird Kids 20-episode podcast with Ashley and Taliesin on their interests and perspectives.
Basic Rules
- Follow server Code of Conduct
- Be kind to others
- No spoilers in titles
- For spoiler posts, mention the episode number in the title (e.g.
[Spoiler C3E61]) - The post body can contain any spoiler up to the episode in title
- Comments should not spoil any episode after the tagged episode
- For spoiler posts, mention the episode number in the title (e.g.
Links
- Critical Role's official website
- Critical Role on Twitch
- Critical Role on YouTube
- Critical Role Podcast C1E0 - C2E19
- Beacon
- The artsy MIDST episode list
- The Witch Wolf (webcomic by Loremaster Dani Carr & Bree Williams)
Resources
- Interactive Map of Exandria
- Interactive Timeline
- Dharma Tree's Timeline
- Episode Transcripts
- Encyclopedia Exandria
- Critical Role wiki (fandom)
- Critical Role Stats
- The Omen Archive
- Episode Discussion Index
- CR Funny Moments (TVtropes)
- CR ABridged Art Archive
- Other Live Play TTRPGs
- CR Bibliography
(google docs spreadsheet)
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founded 2 years ago
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