“A Daggerheart Critmas Story”

Game Master Matthew Mercer leads players Travis Willingham, Laura Bailey, Liam O’Brien, Sam Riegel, Taliesin Jaffe, Ashley Johnson, and Marisha Ray through a special Daggerheart Critmas one-shot with the spectacular Lenore Riegel (aka Momlan) serving as our Master of Ceremonies at the Freedom Mortgage Pavilion!

[Setting: ~~Grundlebrush~~Springvale Springs]

The holidays have come. A time of reflection on the year past and hope for the 'year to come' forward. A time that gathers friends and family, a reminder of the communities we cherish. During the latter half of the 1980s, in within the sleepy Midwest town of Springvale Springs, the holidays have also meant chaotic shopping, slushy road conditions, and small town drama.
But this night, the eve before Christmas itself, a gentle snowfall blankets the river-wound little town as the afternoon sun glows gently behind the darkened clouds. This afternoon, before the eve of Christmas carries a unique tension alongside the joyful excitement and anticipation, as neighbors play pleasantries while silently judging each others' decorations. Businesses prepare to close for the evening while parents dash around for last minute presents, and then the hush begins to fall across the water tower, the playground, the arcade, the mall. Christmas Eve is nearly here. But it is here in this suburbban cul-de-sac, within a modestly decorated home (this very nice abode that belongs to Mayor Cameron Blake and his newly-wedded bride, Iris Ginsburg-Blake). A central abode which is a beacon of hope for Springvale Springs. It is here that they've invited a small gathering of friends to this.
As soft incandescent light-colored strings reflect across the snow, the first group begins to arrive at the door. Here within the house itself, gentle music plays, the rooms of antique furniture (that is rarely ever used or sat upon) all arranged perfectly to present an air of affluence and importance. After all, it is the mayor. We have Bethany walking in to check in on her father.

~~___~~

Please note that these broadcasts are only scheduled for the times listed below.

The Re-Slayer’s Take, Season 2

Follow the escapades of the second-coolest monster hunters this side of Exandria: The Re-Slayer’s Take! After six misfit mercenaries are rejected from the elite monster hunting group, The Slayer’s Take, they band together, battling supernatural creatures across the rugged continent of Issylra.

• Episode 12 releases Monday, December 16th on your favorite podcast streaming service at 5am Pacific
• Episode 14 releases Monday, December 16th on Beacon at 5am Pacific

Tales From The Stinky Dragon

Campaign 3: Kanon | Second Wind

Go behind the scenes of Tales from the Stinky Dragon Campaign 3: Kanon with the cast and crew as they discuss each episode, player decisions, DM secrets, and life stories in this exclusive bi-weekly show!

• Episode 6 releases Monday, December 16th on Beacon and the Tales From The Stinky Dragon Patreon 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 35 releases Tuesday, December 17th at 10am Pacific on YouTube
• Campaign 3, Episode 35 Podcast out Tuesday, December 17th on your favorite podcast streaming service at 5am Pacific
• Campaign 3, Episode 57 releases Tuesday, December 17th at 10am Pacific on Beacon

4-Sided Dive, Episode 30

Discussing up to Campaign 3, Episode 117

Join Ashley Johnson, Liam O’Brien, Robbie Daymond, and Marisha Ray for our last 4-Sided Dive of the year!

• Airs Tuesday, December 17th at 7pm Pacific on Twitch and YouTube
• VOD and Podcast out Tuesday, December 17th at 7pm Pacific on Beacon
• VOD out Wednesday, December 18th on YouTube at 12pm Pacific
• Podcast out Friday, December 20th on your favorite podcast streaming service

UNEND

Season 1

Several decades after the events of MIDST and Moonward, a supernatural ship and a remarkable crew set forth on an expedition to explore the highest heights, deepest depths, and furthest reaches of the known cosmos. But their journey is fraught with peril as they discover truths and realities far stranger than any of them could ever have imagined.

• Episode 10 releases Wednesday, December 18th on the Midst Podcast YouTube at 10am Pacific and your favorite podcast streaming service at 5am Pacific
• Episode 12 releases Wednesday, December 18th on Beacon, Midst.co, and for Podcast Subscribers at 5am Pacific

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. They then gather to watch the results and react, comment, commiserate, and joke about the chaos that ensues.

• Episode 3 releases Wednesday, December 18th on Beacon at 12pm Pacific
• Episode 3 releases Wednesday, January 8th on YouTube at 12pm Pacific

A Daggerheart Critmas Story

Game Master Matthew Mercer leads players Travis Willingham, Laura Bailey, Liam O’Brien, Sam Riegel, Taliesin Jaffe, Ashley Johnson, and Marisha Ray through a special Daggerheart Critmas one-shot with the spectacular Lenore Riegel (aka Momlan) serving as our Master of Ceremonies.

• Airs Thursday, December 19th at 7pm Pacific on Twitch and YouTube
• VOD and Podcast out Thursday, December 19th at 7pm Pacific on Beacon
• Rebroadcasts Friday, December 20th at 12am Pacific and 9am Pacific on Twitch
• VOD out Monday, December 23rd at 12pm Pacific on YouTube
• Podcast out December 26th on your favorite podcast streaming service at 5am Pacific

A Daggerheart Critmas Story

Live Show Experience!

Check out our LIVE SHOW EXPERIENCE of “A Daggerheart Critmas Story” at the Freedom Mortgage Pavilion! In this more theatrical version of the show, you’ll get a close up look at our players and experience the performance just as our audience did at the venue.

• Releases Thursday, December 19th at 7pm Pacific only on Beacon

A Daggerheart Critmas Story | VIP Pre-Show

Check out our VIP Pre-Show of “A Daggerheart Critmas Story” as the cast adds the finishing touches to their characters with our VIP Audience and answers some burning questions!

• Releases Thursday, December 19th at 7pm Pacific only on Beacon

A Daggerheart Critmas Story | Cooldown

Join Matthew Mercer, Travis Willingham, Laura Bailey, Liam O’Brien, Sam Riegel, Taliesin Jaffe, Ashley Johnson, and Marisha Ray as they discuss the events of “A Daggerheart Critmas Story” after their show at the Freedom Mortgage Pavilion.

• Releases Thursday, December 19th at 7pm Pacific only on Beacon

Please note that these broadcasts are only scheduled for the times listed below.

The Re-Slayer’s Take, Season 2

Follow the escapades of the second-coolest monster hunters this side of Exandria: The Re-Slayer’s Take! After six misfit mercenaries are rejected from the elite monster hunting group, The Slayer’s Take, they band together, battling supernatural creatures across the rugged continent of Issylra.

• Episode 11 releases Monday, December 9th on your favorite podcast streaming service at 5am Pacific
• Episode 13 releases Monday, December 9th on Beacon at 5am Pacific

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 6 releases Monday, December 9th on Beacon and the Tales From The Stinky Dragon Patreon at 12am Pacific.
• Episode 6 releases Wednesday, December 11th 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 34 releases Tuesday, December 10th at 10am Pacific on YouTube
• Campaign 3, Episode 34 Podcast out Tuesday, December 10th on your favorite podcast streaming service at 5am Pacific
• Campaign 3, Episode 56 releases Tuesday, December 10th at 10am Pacific on Beacon

Fireside Chat with Robbie Daymond

Our loveable, hilarious, and immensely talented friend, Robbie Daymond, is making his way to a Fireside Chat with our Beacon Bits!

• Starts Tuesday, December 10th on Beacon at 7pm Pacific
• VOD available immediately after the stream ends

UNEND, Season 1

Several decades after the events of MIDST and Moonward, a supernatural ship and a remarkable crew set forth on an expedition to explore the highest heights, deepest depths, and furthest reaches of the known cosmos. But their journey is fraught with peril as they discover truths and realities far stranger than any of them could ever have imagined.

• Episode 9 releases Wednesday, December 11th on the Midst Podcast YouTube at 10am Pacific and your favorite podcast streaming service at 5am Pacific
• Episode 11 releases Wednesday, December 11th on Beacon, Midst.co, and for Podcast Subscribers at 5am Pacific

Critical Role: Campaign 3, Episode 117

Bells Hells continue on their adventure…

• Airs Thursday, December 12th at 7pm Pacific on Twitch and YouTube
• VOD and Podcast out Thursday, December 12th at 7pm Pacific on Beacon
• Rebroadcasts Friday, December 13th at 12am Pacific and 9am Pacific on Twitch
• VOD out Monday, December 16th at 12pm Pacific on YouTube
• Podcast out December 19th on your favorite podcast streaming service at 5am Pacific

Critical Cooldown: Campaign 3, Episode 117

Get a backstage pass to Campaign 3, Episode 117! You’ll be right there at the table immediately after Matt says “Is it Thursday yet?”, experiencing the cast’s post-show reactions.

• Releases Thursday, December 12th at 7pm Pacific only on Beacon

Please note that these broadcasts are only scheduled for the times listed below.

The Re-Slayer’s Take, Season 2

Follow the escapades of the second-coolest monster hunters this side of Exandria: The Re-Slayer’s Take! After six misfit mercenaries are rejected from the elite monster hunting group, The Slayer’s Take, they band together, battling supernatural creatures across the rugged continent of Issylra.

• Episode 10 releases Monday, December 2nd on your favorite podcast streaming service at 5am Pacific
• Episode 12 releases Monday, December 2nd on Beacon at 5am Pacific

Tales From The Stinky Dragon, Second Wind

Campaign 3: Kanon

Go behind the scenes of Tales from the Stinky Dragon Campaign 3: Kanon with the cast and crew as they discuss each episode, player decisions, DM secrets, and life stories in this exclusive bi-weekly show!

• Episode 5 releases Monday, December 2nd on Beacon and the Tales From The Stinky Dragon Patreon at 12am Pacific.

Daggerheart: What You Need To Know!

Game Designer Matthew Mercer walks you through everything you need to know about the gaming mechanics of Daggerheart!

• Releases Monday, December 2nd on YouTube at 12pm Pacific

Be sure to check out our new Darrington Press 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 33 releases Tuesday, December 3rd at 10am Pacific on YouTube
• Campaign 3, Episode 33 Podcast out Tuesday, December 3rd on your favorite podcast streaming service at 5am Pacific
• Campaign 3, Episode 55 releases Tuesday, December 3rd at 10am Pacific on Beacon

#EverythingIsContent

Magic: The Gathering Cards – Commander

Liam O’Brien, Ify Nwadiwe, Emily Axford, and Matthew Mercer unite for an all-new TCGplayer themed episode of Everything Is Content to play Magic: The Gathering, Commander!

• Airs Tuesday, December 3rd at 7pm Pacific on Twitch and YouTube
• VOD out Tuesday, December 3rd at 7pm Pacific on Beacon
• VOD out Thursday, December 5th at 12pm Pacific on YouTube

UNEND, Season 1

Several decades after the events of MIDST and Moonward, a supernatural ship and a remarkable crew set forth on an expedition to explore the highest heights, deepest depths, and furthest reaches of the known cosmos. But their journey is fraught with peril as they discover truths and realities far stranger than any of them could ever have imagined.

• Episode 8 releases Wednesday, December 4th on the Midst Podcast YouTube at 10am Pacific and your favorite podcast streaming service at 5am Pacific
• Episode 10 releases Wednesday, December 4th on Beacon, Midst.co, Podcast Subscribers at 5am Pacific

Critical Role: Campaign 3, Episode 116

Bells Hells continue on their adventure…

• Airs Thursday, December 5th at 7pm Pacific on Twitch and YouTube
• VOD and Podcast out Thursday, December 5th at 7pm Pacific on Beacon
• Rebroadcasts Friday, December 6th at 12am Pacific and 9am Pacific on Twitch
• VOD out Monday, December 9th at 12pm Pacific on YouTube
• Podcast out December 12th on your favorite podcast streaming service at 5am Pacific

Critical Cooldown: Campaign 3, Episode 116

Get a backstage pass to Campaign 3, Episode 116! You’ll be right there at the table immediately after Matt says “Is it Thursday yet?”, experiencing the cast’s post-show reactions.

• Releases Thursday, December 5th at 7pm Pacific only on Beacon

DAGGERHEART FIRST LOOK: WORLDBUILDING WITH CRITICAL ROLE – LIVE FROM PAXU

Critical Role founders and Daggerheart contributors take the stage at PAX Unplugged LIVE to showcase key features of Daggerheart in an interactive, collaborative panel focused on the campaign frame Beast Feast.

Panel Participants: Matthew Mercer, Ashley Johnson, Spenser Starke, Rowan Hall, Massood Haque, Dani Gage
Artist: Shaun Ellis Moderator: Elise Rezendes

• Airs LIVE on the Darrington Press YouTube Channel at 4pm EASTERN on Friday, December 6th

Backstage Pass to our Daggerheart Critmas Show!

Get a LIVE backstage pass to our Daggerheart Critmas Show as the cast prepares for the big event!

• Airs Saturday, December 7th at 1pm EASTERN only on Beacon
• VOD available immediately after the stream ends

Watch the episode live on Twitch and YouTube at 7pm PST. Restreams on Twitch at midnight and the next day at 9am PST

Runtime	Break start
4h 48m	1h 15m

Episode 116: The Weave Mind

Last we left off, the Mighty Nein (after trekking alongside Bell's Hells to the red mooon Ruidus) keeping low within the core of the city Kreviris until they were notified that the assault on the Malleus Key had commenced (and when they were likely in the best position to separate and tackle their two separate goals). The Mighty Nein set off with the Volition waiting for a detonation on the outskirts of the Prime Pillar citadel, known as the Arx Creonum.
With a massive explosion, a portion of the outside of this stronghold was destroyed and left exposed. You trudged up these cables that were fired upon it and then some of you fell from them. But you managed to salvage the arrival. The battle along the outskirts of the exposed portion of the citadel (the exterior battlements, where numerous Reiloran guardians were defending against the arriving attackers and yourselves as well): defeating a number of them and managing to dart into the exposed interior (among one of the many broken floor openings to the core of the stronghold).
You began to sprint down one of these long marble hallways with the sound of Gaz Tomo covering your rear, charging towards where you think the Weave Mind might be hiding within. You hear the sounds of echoing footfalls throughout distant hallways. You're uncertain to figure out at the moment if they're getting closer or further away. You also hear the sounds of shouts, the impacts and crumbling of stone, and the occasional shaking of the Arx Creonum. The chaos right now is so fresh, that you're unable to really ascertain any specific details, but you do know that there are other figures moving throughout these halls ahead and beyond.

Previous Episode: "To the Arx Creonum"

• CritRole Recap
• Episode Discussion
• YouTube VoD
• Alternate Front End VoD

Piped: https://piped.video/watch?v=ItU-MlTRp60

Critical Role Cast Teases Its Future and a Potential "Passing of the Torch"

Laughing (and crying) together, the tabletop RPG giants reflect on their legacy and what comes next, from live-action to video games

by Dana Reboe

After 50 years creeping from the margins of popular culture into the mainstream, Dungeons & Dragons is now bigger than ever. Evolving beyond its roots as a pen and paper tabletop RPG (TTRPG), D&D has inspired countless imitators, novels, movies, video games and — most importantly — generations of storytellers and creators, who learned to broaden the scope of their imagination by playing the game.

It’s those storytellers now whose impact in the era of YouTube, Twitch livestreaming, and podcasting have reinvented Dungeons & Dragons for a new generation, capitalizing on the rise of longform content and direct fan engagement to build a major following and make the often daunting world of tabletop roleplaying more accessible. Among them, Critical Role has been the most prominent.

Initially began as a home game for friends, the series jumped to Geek & Sundry’s Twitch and YouTube channels as a live actual play, where a bunch of “nerdy ass voice actors” (Travis Willingham, Matthew Mercer, Marisha Ray, Laura Bailey, Ashley Johnson, Taliesin Jaffe, Sam Riegel, and Liam O’Brien) spend hundreds of hours building out their own fictional world, improvising their way through each step along the way.

Fast forward to the present and Critical Role has blossomed into so much more than its cast could have expected. After splitting from Geek & Sundry in 2018, Critical Role began its rapid expansion to other platforms, beginning with a Kickstarter that raised more than $11.3 million to create their first animated series, Prime Video’s The Legend of Vox Machina.

Today, Critical Role has evolved into a multimedia enterprise consisting of the core show (which has three campaigns), one-offs and spin-off web series, supplementary comics and books, an animated series (with another on the way) produced by their own production company, Metapigeon, and even their own subscription-based streaming platform, Beacon, which houses a whole suite of their content. They’re also moving beyond the core of D&D, developing their own tabletop gaming systems, such as Candela Obscura and soon-to-be-released Daggerheart, through their publishing arm, Darrington Press.

But after achieving so much over the course of their near-decade long journey, the team behind Critical Role is at a crossroads. With The Legend of Vox Machina recently picked up for a fourth season and their third live-play D&D campaign (Bell’s Hells) rapidly approaching its climactic end, there’s a feeling that a very large chapter is about to close. But what comes next remains a mystery to fans and the creators alike.

Rolling Stone recently sat down with the Critical Role cast to discuss their many projects, what their evolution looks like, and to reflect on the ever-growing legacy that they’ve built together.

RS It’s safe to say that there are a lot of spinning plates in the air. What has it been like to watch the brand evolve from posting snippets of your home game on Vine to a multimedia juggernaut?

Matthew Mercer: I think for a lot of us this continues to be beyond our expectations. We work so hard to make what’s in front of us the most honest and best it can be. And each time we get past that milestone, more opportunities open. It’s this perpetual momentum of looking up from our work and going, “Oh, wait, what’s happening?” And then following those threads. It’s been a very wild progression that I’m still wrapping my head around.

Travis Willingham: I would say it’s nothing short of a dream. Whether it was the live stream turning into comic books, making merch, and having a community, to the animated series and all of these evolutions, it’s been a very willful pursuit. These are things that require will and hard work, a larger team and bringing on people that are smarter and better than we are to help enrich what we’re doing. To see the fruits of this labor pay off and continue to pay off, it’s extremely rewarding. We know we’re in very rarefied air that we’re creators that own the IP and these characters and we can be involved in them. We’re able to portray them. Our DNA is all over everything that we do. So in that way, it’s extremely special. It’s something that we have lofty ambitions for and we keep trying to climb as high as we can.

RS How selective are you about including the characters you’ve created in pre-established IP like Pillars of Eternity? Are we going to see more of that in the future with characters from Vox Machina or (Campaign 2) The Mighty Nein?

Willingham: Any chance we get to dive into different worlds and work with artists and companies and dev studios we think are a good landing spot for the IP in these characters, we’re going to jump at. But it makes us hungry for more of our own stuff.

Marisha Ray: I’d say we’re very protective with our characters and our IP. If we partner with somebody, our grubby little hands are in every step of the process and all the reviews and making sure that everything still feels like our DNA is there. And that’s kind of continuing to keep that integrity and quality control while also getting really excited about seeing these partnerships because we’re nerds at heart.

RS Fans are starting to see some crossing of the streams between the campaigns. With Episode 110 of Bell’s Hells, and then The Legend of Vox Machina, you’re pushing the boundaries of your own continuity and storytelling. What are the challenges of that, as players and creatives?

Sam Riegel: The biggest challenge is keeping our voices straight in our heads because we’ve played so many different characters over the years. And Matt is so good at flipping from one character to another, to another, to another. He’s got practice, but we are dumb at it [laughs]. We’re so used to playing one character for three years. Flipping back and forth between characters we’re struggling to get to Matt’s level of expertise at that, but it’s so fun to be able to see all of the fruits of our labor and Matt’s labor come together after all these years and create really just such a full, exciting, diverse world.

Laura Bailey: Since we’re working on The Legend of Vox Machina and The Mighty Nein animated series, the characters are fresh in our heads. We’re getting to be those characters every week. So, it wasn’t like jumping in from ground zero at least with these last episodes.

RS When adapting your campaigns into animated series, how do you boil down hundreds of hours of story into something more manageable? What story beats do you decide to keep or add? What do those conversations look like?

Mercer: I mean, it’s a protracted conversation. Before planning anything like this, we have extensive writers’ rooms where the cast gets together with the writers for the season of these projects. And we break down together over weeks the important things for us as players that happened to our characters, that happened to the story and essentially piece out what is necessary to tell the story in a very fruitful and important way. And then we have to decide which ones don’t make it or how we can merge things for the adaptation, bringing forth the heart of what we enjoyed about it originally. It’s a big challenge, but it’s also a really fun puzzle to piece together.

And then to the point of having the hindsight of all this world that we’ve explored since those stories were first told, we have the opportunity now to go back and even weave them tighter together. We’ve colored in some of those fog of war, dark spots in the world’s history since we first did this. And it’s a really cool chance to further tie it all together and make the world even that much more broad and detailed and expansive. It’s a wonderful puzzle to solve together.

RS What challenges were there in developing The Legend of Vox Machina? What lessons have you learned that you’re carrying with you into creating The Mighty Nein animated series and beyond?

** Willingham:** Ours is a very unique show in that we have a billion main characters. There are seven of us walking around at any time, which we found out in animation is hard to draw. It’s a challenge for animation studios. There was a bit of a learning curve in the first couple of seasons about how many characters could be in each shot. How would scenes work? Do we need to reduce the amount of faces that are there? Just so that the animation process is simpler. We’ve seen in seasons one and two was a more honest adaptation of the campaign.

And now in season three, what we’ve really been excited to explore, utilize and sort of reveal is a divergence from some of those story beats that happened in the campaign. We’ve told that story. And a lot of those moments, as Matt mentioned, that happened in the live stream are perfectly laid in that improvised live space. And we want to replicate those if we can. But in a lot of situations, we’re looking for ways to improve the story or give fans who think they know what is coming is something new. We want to unsettle them. We want to breach their expectations and make them guess and become new fans as well. In exploring new ways that we can approach this story and sort of deliver the same sort of oomph, that ability to make you laugh one second and cry the next, that’s what’s really been exciting about the animated series.

RS I wish I could have recorded my reaction to Xerxes in The Legend of Vox Machina because my brain broke. [laughs]

Willingham: That’s what we wanted. Brain breakage.

RS As Campaign 3 draws to a close, there’s a lot of buzz about what potentially comes next. What can you tease about the next couple of years?

Ray: We have so many plans. We still have so many dreams, all those things that Travis was touching on earlier that we want to pursue, that we want to achieve. We’re looking and taking as many opportunities as we can while people are still watching us and enjoying what we do [laughs]. In terms of the channel and gameplay, we’re still going to be playing games together. We’re looking forward to maybe playing other games. Of course, we have Daggerheart that Darrington Press has been working so hard on. We’re excited to show that off in meaningful ways and also working with other creatives and other storytellers. We’re continuing to try and think outside the box as we go on, while still holding true to what we love doing, which is just a bunch of nerdy-ass voice actors playing games.

RS You’ve developed Candela Obscura, Daggerheart, and new ways of playing tabletop. For a lot of people, Critical Role is the blueprint. Does that responsibility ever weigh on you?

Ray: I feel like when we started, still playing in Laura and Travis’s living room, we got this opportunity through Geek & Sundry and Felicia Day to stream the game. Our first thought was, “Oh, putting the thing you love on the internet is kind of scary.” And then our second thought was, “If this introduces even just a handful of people to the joy that we get to experience playing tabletop games and everything that is open up to us as a group of friends, then we’ve done something.” We’ve always approached this by inviting other people to play. So, I hope that that’s still maintaining and still true to this day and even further on a wider scale. The heart of the goal is still there.

Liam O’Brien: I love it. I was one of the kids in the Eighties who was hiding in my bedroom with this stuff and didn’t know anybody who played it. And when we played it together for the first time as adults, we were so excited, like electrified by it, and to see that bubble out exponentially so that other people can do it too. And we’ve heard countless stories of friend groups, second families, like we are to each other. That is such a huge gift and just makes me happy. Like it was such a great effect of all this. And I don’t know why it happened, but it did.

RS Let’s talk about the balance between innovation and preservation. How have you found new ways to create and tell new stories while paying homage to stories from the past?

Mercer: That’s a good question. It’s trying to straddle two different diverging paths. When you’ve built an established audience, there is an instinct to cling to what’s comfortable, but also we as creators, as artists, as performers, want to perpetually challenge ourselves and surprise each other. That’s what makes this so fun for us at the table, it’s surprising each other and trying to surprise our audience. And that comes with both how we play the game and how we want to create things that are whole cloth and new. We all have so many weird ideas and inspirations that come out of playing together, that come out of riffing on ideas, dreams we have, and people we get a chance to collaborate with.

We are very lucky that we built this space where we can explore these things, both as new IP and bringing in new radical ideas into the worlds we have already created. I’ve had dreams since high school to play a game with friends in a world consistently over multiple campaigns and now getting to do so and bridge it all together in a really epic moment is something that I’ve always dreamed but even through that process it’s created all these other weird spinning off thoughts and ideas. We’re all just riffing on each other. I would say we’re cognizant of the challenge and responsibility, but also what makes all this so special is that we don’t care and we do what feels right and important to us and trust that it will resonate with other people, too.

Riegel: The first audience for anything Critical Role makes is the eight of us. Be it the live play or the scripts for animated series or new ideas that Marisha wants to put on our channel. And if we can make the eight of us entertained and laugh or cry, it usually works on a bigger scale. And if it doesn’t, at least we got eight laughs out of it.

RS You’re continuing to show the world the power of storytelling by including new perspectives; Tales from the Stinky Dragon, and MIDST. Can you talk about what goes into working with these new IPs and what you’re looking for to branch out the world?

Ray: It honestly came down to, “Oh, these people are cool and they remind us of us” [laughs]. So much of what drove those partnerships was being able to envision them as a part of the greater Critical Role and Beacon family. And both of them were really seamless fits and we’re excited to find more partners that fit that bill.

Riegel: We are a group that loves to create things, but we’re also a group that are fans of things and fans of creators. And with Metapigeon we’ve been able to develop brand new stuff, ideas that have come from within this group, as well as finding other creators out there who have ideas for graphic novels or TV series or animated series. We have features that are in development, feature films. We also have a live-action series that we recently pitched and another animated series that has nothing to do with the world of Exandria that’s already in development. We have lots of great, cool, amazing ideas. The television and film development game is hard, but there’s eight of us and we have lots of ideas. Odds are in our favor. If we have a 1% success rate, we have way more than a hundred ideas. So something is bound to stick.

RS As voice actors, video games are your bread and butter. So, is there talk amongst you of creating your own? The Critters would like to know.

Bailey: We’ve been talking about creating a video game since we first started playing together.

Willingham: I would say it’s an active pursuit on our end. The last few years we have been having necessary conversations to figure out how to do that smartly. It’s, you know, it’s an entire enterprise that’s separate from what we do on Beacon, Twitch, or YouTube, it’s separate from the animated series and it comes with its understanding that has to be undertaken. Those are all things that we’ve been actively pursuing. But the concise way of saying it is that we are starting to come to the end of a long road that we’ve been undertaking for the last couple of years.

And hopefully, we’ll have something really exciting to share, maybe around the end of the year, maybe at the beginning of 2025, just in time for our 10-year anniversary. But it’s something we’ve definitely had our minds on. Those collaborations we’ve had with various partners have been little toe dips in the pool just to see how it feels. You know, there’s a lot of upheaval in the interactive space right now. And we’ve seen studios sort of bear and weather those strains. It’s trying to become smarter about it and find out how we might fit into that larger ecosystem.

RS How have you changed as people and creatives? What have you learned about yourselves and each other in this journey?

Bailey: When we started 10 years ago, we were a bunch of slapdick actors, you know what I mean [laughs]? Who did not have a lot of responsibility outside of showing up to set, reading our script, and making sure we get a good performance. What I’m saying is I watch Travis every single day and he’s grown exponentially in these last 10 years. When we made him our CEO, it was because he knew how to incorporate our business. And he took that responsibility and he’s just grown and grown and grown so much. And to see him and Sam really undertaking that executive producer role on the animated series as well, just 24-seven noses to the grindstone, making things happen. And I’m blown away with every single member of this group, with how they’ve taken their responsibility within the company and grown it. I want to cry right now. Everybody’s grown so much as a person that it’s just been so beautiful to see.

Ashley Johnson: It’s wild to me. Now I’m going to get emotional too. You’re all making me very emotional. Put it in the article. Let me ruin the moment [laughs]. It’s wild sitting here and thinking about the 10 year journey we’ve been on, sitting down at a table, our foundation starting with collaborating and then doing everything people said not to do, which is start a company with your friends. But every step of this journey never gets old. It blows me away that we’ve been able to branch off on our own, leaving a protective umbrella of somebody else taking care of us, now we’re the umbrella and being able to sort of make our own decisions creatively. Putting a bunch of creatives and artists in a room and being like, “Okay, you guys have a business together.” And, we all trust each other so much and we love creating together because that’s where our relationship and friendship started. And thinking about the future with what we’re going to be able to do and what our plans are. I can’t wait.

RS What advice would you give yourself from 10 years ago with the knowledge that you have today?

Riegel: There was a moment. There’s been a bunch of moments over this journey where we all checked in with each other and we’re like, “Are we doing this?” I wouldn’t change any of those moments, but it’s fun to look back and just be so grateful that we said yes, that we said, “Yeah, let’s give it a shot and put our faith in each other because we’ve done so much great stuff.” And I think we’ve all become, well, I’ve become a better person as a result [laughter]. I mean, Ellen DeGeneres just released a whole comedy act about how being famous made her mean, I feel like it’s the opposite with us. We pulled a reverse Ellen. We’ve become nicer, and kinder. We have a foundation where we give money away to charities, I am so grateful that we said yes to all of those moments along the way.

Taliesin Jaffe: Never forget the rough times. Never forget how hard it was, never forget those moments of real distress, especially that unique distress that comes if you’re a creative wondering every week whether this may be the end. It was a great run. And then never get to the point where you feel like you just deserve it without any real thoughtfulness or effort.

RS How excited should the community be about what you all have cooking for the 10th anniversary?

Riegel: Mid. We’re probably going to have a newsletter [laughs]. We have so much stuff planned for next year between the live shows and The Mighty Nein animated series and new shows on Beacon and one shots and mini-series and who knows what after campaign three and merch.

Jaffe: It’s whatever delights us. That’s what’s coming up. It’s whatever delights eight people.

Ray: Our 2025 is packed.

RS When you think of legacy, what does that mean to you as a company, a brand and as people?

O’Brien: Storytelling and art tell us so much about ourselves as people. It is at the center of being a human being. And it has been for centuries and centuries. I think that’s why we’ve approached it with so much love, care, and heart. And so, if there’s a legacy from what we’ve done, I think that it lives at tables all across the world where other people are approaching the story with so much love and heart and care.

Mercer: Outside of the creative legacy and storytelling legacies, we’ve worked so hard to build the foundation of this company that we want to be the rest of our lives in a way that will shepherd everything we want to create. And in time shepherd to the next generation of storytellers. I hope to one day pass the torch to a bunch of incredible people with new ideas and new perspectives and give them the space to tell their stories. And we can be the distant creative grandparents to them and be proud from the shadows. This is an enduring opportunity to be a place that fosters that sort of experience and enables the ability of people to engage with it. And I plan to be doing this till I am withered and gray.

Matt and Marisha take the GQ Couple's Quiz

(youTube link)

It’s the GQ Couples Quiz, as we put Critical Role’s Marisha Ray & Matthew Mercer’s relationship to the test. What’s Matthew’s favorite couple’s vacation? What’s Marisha’s top bucket list item? What day would they both relive together? Watch to find out the answers to all these questions and more.

With the release of Arcane and Vox Machina so close together; I thought to take a crack at what an Arcane-y style adaptation of ExU Calamity would look like.

It's honestly the best DnD story I've ever seen, if not one of the best stories in general. And of course, Nydas is my favorite.

Consider this a boon!

IceeyArt

Watch the episode live on Twitch and YouTube at 7pm PST. Restreams on Twitch at midnight and the next day at 9am PST

Runtime	Break start
4h 41m	1h 45m

Episode 115: To the Arx Creonum

After an interlude following the legendary troop known as Vox Machina (as they were one of the groups helming the assault on the Malleus Key), they managed to destroy the Key and free the arcane lock that keps Ruidus essentially clued in orbit to Exandria (and possibly tearing apart the very fabric of magic in the world) as well as freeing their ghost of a long-lost ally, Vax'ildan, and in the wake of that battle, given an evening reprieve on what could be the last evening on Exandria for some or all.
While they were gone and dealing with this assault, back on Ruidus, the two troops, Mighty Nein and Bell's Hells, have been lying in wait after notifying that they were in place and the assault was to begin.
Going a little bit back in time to their perspective, we return to moments after they had given the order to begin the assault where they now wait for word back that the distraction has begun and they can begin their business. So here, underneath the surface of the red moon Ruidus in the subterranean half of the capital city of Kreviris (Vaterra Krevirirs, the massive, winding city of strange, twisted, rock-carved streets) the city that now seems partially abandoned by the populace that is preparing for a relocation to Exandria at the promise of the Weave Mind to see a new life ahead. Many have left already and currently walk as a massive caravan to the Bloody Bridge, (that may not await them when they arrive) while others are still gathering their final supplies. Here, civilians still cluttering the streets, heading towards the exits towards the surface to join the rest of the populace (where other stragglers might still remain to keep their homes here).
Bell's Hells and Mighty Nein, you have been keeping low after making contact with Gaz Tomo (a member of the Volition). Those that still remain are apparently plotting an attack on the Arx Creonum (the massive citadel stronghold that is the home to the Weave Mind) affixed along the Prime Pillar of glass built out of the ancient remnants of Predathos' original form. Here, laying low in this b-side chamber, you have some time to prepare, discuss, and plot before you are given the 'go-ahead' from Allura that the assault has engaged below, and you are free to pursue your individual options.

Previous Episode: "Fight for the Bloody Bridge"

• CritRole Recap
• Episode Discussion
• YouTube VoD
• Alternate Front End VoD

Commander at Home #50 - Hugs vs Bello vs Gor Muldrak vs Lara Croft w/ Matthew Mercer and Ben Brode

Commander at Home is a Magic the Gathering gameplay show hosted by Brian Kibler and Olivia Gobert-Hicks. We invite you into our home as we play Magic with our friends, complete with all the sweet plays, sharp banter, and soft dogs!

Decklists:
Hugs
Bello
Gor
Lara Croft

Please note that these broadcasts are only scheduled for the times listed below.

The Re-Slayer’s Take, Season 2

Follow the escapades of the second-coolest monster hunters this side of Exandria: The Re-Slayer’s Take! After six misfit mercenaries are rejected from the elite monster hunting group, The Slayer’s Take, they band together, battling supernatural creatures across the rugged continent of Issylra.

• The Re-Slayer’s (bonus) Take with Jasmine Bhullar releases Monday, November 18th on your favorite podcast streaming service at 5am Pacific
• Episode 11 releases Monday, November 18th on Beacon at 5am Pacific

Tales From The Stinky Dragon, Second Wind

Campaign 3: Kanon

Go behind the scenes of Tales from the Stinky Dragon Campaign 3: Kanon with the cast and crew as they discuss each episode, player decisions, DM secrets, and life stories in this exclusive bi-weekly show!

• Episode 4 releases Monday, November 18th on Beacon and the Tales From The Stinky Dragon Patreon 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 31 releases Tuesday, November 19th at 10am Pacific on YouTube
• Campaign 3, Episode 31 Podcast out Tuesday, November 19th on your favorite podcast streaming service at 5am Pacific
• Campaign 3, Episode 53 releases Tuesday, November 19th at 10am Pacific on Beacon

Fireside Chat

The immensely talented storyteller and resident Crit Role Art Dad, Liam O’Brien is coming to the tavern for a Fireside Chat!

• Airs Tuesday, November 19th LIVE at 7PM Pacific exclusively on Beacon
• VOD available immediately after the stream ends

UNEND, Season 1

Several decades after the events of MIDST and Moonward, a supernatural ship and a remarkable crew set forth on an expedition to explore the highest heights, deepest depths, and furthest reaches of the known cosmos. But their journey is fraught with peril as they discover truths and realities far stranger than any of them could ever have imagined.

• Episode 7 releases Wednesday, November 20th on the Midst Podcast YouTube at 10am Pacific and your favorite podcast streaming service at 5am Pacific
• Episode 9 releases Wednesday, November 20th on Beacon, Midst.co, Podcast Subscribers at 5am Pacific

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. They then gather to watch the results and react, comment, commiserate, and joke about the chaos that ensues.

• Episode 2 releases Wednesday, November 20th on Beacon at 12pm Pacific
• Episode 2 releases Wednesday, December 4th on YouTube at 12pm Pacific

#EverythingIsContent

Queen by Midnight: Quarter Past

Laura Bailey, Aimee Carrero, Taliesin Jaffe, and Aabria Iyengar reunite for an epic rematch as they show of our new expansion, Queen by Midnight: Quarter Past!

• Airs Wednesday, November 20th at 7pm Pacific on Twitch and YouTube
• VOD out Wednesday, November 20th at 7pm Pacific on Beacon
• VOD out Friday, November 22nd at 10am Pacific on YouTube

Critical Role: Campaign 3, Episode 115

Bells Hells continue on their adventure…

• Airs Thursday, November 21st at 7pm Pacific on Twitch and YouTube
• VOD and Podcast out Thursday, November 21st at 7pm Pacific on Beacon
• Rebroadcasts Friday, November 22nd at 12am Pacific and 9am Pacific on Twitch
• VOD out Monday,November 25th at 12pm Pacific on YouTube
• Podcast out November 28th on your favorite podcast streaming service at 5am Pacific

Critical Cooldown: Campaign 3, Episode 115

Get a backstage pass to Campaign 3, Episode 115! You’ll be right there at the table immediately after Matt says “Is it Thursday yet?”, experiencing the cast’s post-show reactions.

• Releases Thursday, November 21st at 7pm Pacific only on Beacon

Watch the episode live on Twitch and YouTube at 7pm PST. Restreams on Twitch at midnight and the next day at 9am PST

Runtime	Break start
5h 6m	2h 47m

Episode 114: Fight for the Bloody Bridge

Last we left off, the Mighty Nein and Bell's Hells had trekked to Ruidus and had set up themselves at the point of plan divergence towards the core and the Weave Mind. Meanwhile, we came back to Vox Machina that were helming the assault on the Malleus Key itself, and as such, drawing attention away from their more subtle plan within the depths of the red, ruddy moon.
They gathered their forces, found old friends who are now centaurs, then prepared themselves in Vasselheim, gathered allies, bolstered themselves, and joining a number of oterh skyships that descended after the initial beginnings of the assault, landed within the middle of the Tishtan Excavation site (the massive ancient stronghold now risen through the psychic powers of the Weave Mind) broken and standing frightening.
They battled their way through the core of where they had landed, heading towards where the Malleus Key currently stood. We left off just as they began to find the core of their goal.
This was the site that you had gained eyes on as you began to approach on that far end. So you haven't engaged yet, but you are on the cusp of it.

Previous Episode: "The Assault on the Malleus Key"

• CritRole Recap
• Episode Discussion
• YouTube VoD
• Alternate Front End VoD

Audiobook Link

A merchant’s daughter who yearns for adventure gets more than she bargained for when she falls for a broodingly handsome stranger in this saucy romantasy from the New York Times bestselling author of The Hurricane Wars.

As the daughter of an ambitious merchant, Guinevere’s path has been predetermined: marry into a noble house of the Dwendalian Empire, raise her family’s station, and live quietly as a lordling’s obedient wife. But Guinevere longs for a life unbounded by expectations, for freedom and passion and adventure.

Those distant dreams become a sudden reality when her caravan is beset by bandits, leaving her guards slain and Guinevere stranded alone on the dangerous Amber Road. Her only chance of survival is to travel alongside Oskar, the aloof half-orc who saved her during the attack.

Unlike Guinevere, Oskar’s path is not so set in stone. With his mother dead and his apprenticeship abandoned, all that’s left is a long, lonely walk to a land he’s never seen to find family he’s never met. The last thing he needs is a spoiled waif like Guinevere slowing him down—even if the spark between them sizzles with promise.

Despite his cold exterior, Oskar is brave and thoughtful and unlike anyone Guinevere has ever met. And while Guinevere may be sheltered, she brings out a softness in him that he has never dared to feel before. As the flames of their passion grow, they realize that soon they’ll need to choose between their expected destinations or their blossoming romance.

Written by New York Times bestselling author Thea Guanzon at the behest of Critical Role’s Jester Lavorre, Tusk Love brings the most romantic story on Exandrian bookshelves to life.

Maximumfun(dot)org Presents

Triple Click

A podcast Kirk Hamilton, Maddy Myers, and Jason Schreier talk about video games and sometimes other things, too.

presenting...

Triple Quest

A 5e actual play show that just launched by the hosts of the Triple Click podcast (Kirk Hamilton, Maddy Myers, and Jason Schreier) and they hired Matt Mercer to DM for them!

The first episode is approximately 100 minutes

Please note that these broadcasts are only scheduled for the times listed below.

The Re-Slayer’s Take, Season 2

Follow the escapades of the second-coolest monster hunters this side of Exandria: The Re-Slayer’s Take! After six misfit mercenaries are rejected from the elite monster hunting group, The Slayer’s Take, they band together, battling supernatural creatures across the rugged continent of Issylra.

• Episode 9 releases Monday, November 11th on your favorite podcast streaming service at 5am Pacific
• Episode 10 releases Monday, November 11th on Beacon at 5am Pacific

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 4 releases Monday, November 11th on Beacon and the Tales From The Stinky Dragon Patreon at 12am Pacific.
• Episode 4 releases Wednesday, November 13th 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 30 releases Tuesday, November 12th at 10am Pacific on YouTube
• Campaign 3, Episode 30 Podcast out Tuesday, October 15th on your favorite podcast streaming service at 5am Pacific
• Campaign 3, Episode 52 releases Tuesday, November 12th at 10am Pacific on Beacon

4-Sided Dive, Episode 29

Discussing up to Campaign 3, Episode 113

Join Taliesin Jaffe, Marisha Ray, Sam Riegel and Laura Bailey as they discuss divine powers, Exandrian politics, epic crossovers, and all the nostalgic characters that have entered the campaign.

• Airs Tuesday, Nov0ember 12th at 7pm Pacific on Twitch and YouTube
• VOD and Podcast out Tuesday, November 12th at 7pm Pacific on Beacon
• VOD out Wednesday, November 13th on YouTube at 12pm Pacific
• Podcast out Friday, November 15th on your favorite podcast streaming service

UNEND, Season 1

Several decades after the events of MIDST and Moonward, a supernatural ship and a remarkable crew set forth on an expedition to explore the highest heights, deepest depths, and furthest reaches of the known cosmos. But their journey is fraught with peril as they discover truths and realities far stranger than any of them could ever have imagined.

• Episode 6 releases Wednesday, November 13th on the Midst Podcast YouTube at 10am Pacific and your favorite podcast streaming service at 5am Pacific
• Episode 8 releases Wednesday, November 13th on Beacon, Midst.co, Podcast Subscribers at 5am Pacific

Critical Role: Campaign 3, Episode 114

Bells Hells continue on their adventure…

• Airs Thursday, November 14th at 7pm Pacific on Twitch and YouTube
• VOD and Podcast out Thursday, November 14th at 7pm Pacific on Beacon
• Rebroadcasts Friday, August 16th at 12am Pacific and 9am Pacific on Twitch
• VOD out Monday, August 19th at 12pm Pacific on YouTube
• Podcast out August 22nd on your favorite podcast streaming service at 5am Pacific

Critical Cooldown: Campaign 3, Episode 114

Get a backstage pass to Campaign 3, Episode 114! You’ll be right there at the table immediately after Matt says “Is it Thursday yet?”, experiencing the cast’s post-show reactions.

• Releases Thursday, November 14th at 7pm Pacific only on Beacon

Creating Characters for our Daggerheart Critmas Live Show!

The cast of Critical Role roll up their characters in Daggerheart ahead of our upcoming Daggerheart Critmas Story Live Show! .

• Releases Friday, November 15th at 12pm Pacific on YouTube and Beacon

Watch the episode live on Twitch and YouTube at 7pm PST. Restreams on Twitch at midnight and the next day at 9am PST

Runtime	Break start
5h 06m	2h 44m

Episode 113: Assault on the Malleus Key

Bell's Hells and the Mighty Nein had traversed through the hidden portal to Ruidus, had gone to the depths of the Ruidian capital city of Kreviris and made contact with the remnants of the Volition, set themselves up, prepared for the assault on the Malleus Key to commence and be the distraction they need to divide and hit their targets within the red moon.
As they gave message, we cut to a short time before this where the members of Vox Machina present in Vasselheim begin to collect the rest of their allies so they can be part of the spearhead of this attack on the Malleus Key and the fortress that has risen from the surrounding dust of the Tishtan Site in the Hellcatch.
As you went to Whitestone and gathered Percival de Rolo, Cerkonos the Flamespeaker from Pyrah had joined you from Vasselheim, and the one member you had a hard time locating for quite some time seemed to be on a trek in Wildemount.
Upon catching up with Scanlan Shorthalt himself and his troupe of traveling midlife crises (transformed into purple centaurs) were making their "leather jacket road trip" across that distant continent before you let him know that you needed his help once more. Upon him decidin to join, you all had a group hug as he mentioned that he had to tell the other guys and let them know what's going on.
So here in the darkened, star-filled night in the Barbed Fields of the exterior range of Bazzoxan in the plains of Xhorhas, the Wastes, you disengage from your group hug and Scanlan (lower horse body and tail) the rest of your friends await you to join their band not far from where you currently converse.

Previous Episode: "The Assembling of Legends"

• CritRole Recap
• Episode Discussion
• YouTube VoD
• Alternate Front End VoD

An announcement on Beacon with cartoon characters of the cast advertised today.

"Beacon bits!"

New Updates Every Wednesday on Beacon.tv

I have found that the artist has a YouTube page

Dylan Does Draw

Very few details have been released thus far, so check this post for updates.

Please note that these broadcasts are only scheduled for the times listed below.

The Re-Slayer’s Take, Season 2

Follow the escapades of the second-coolest monster hunters this side of Exandria: The Re-Slayer’s Take! After six misfit mercenaries are rejected from the elite monster hunting group, The Slayer’s Take, they band together, battling supernatural creatures across the rugged continent of Issylra.

• Episode 8 releases Monday, November 4th on your favorite podcast streaming service at 5am Pacific
• The Re-Slayers (Bonus) Take w/ Jasmine Bhullar releases Monday, November 4th on Beacon at 5am Pacific

Second Wind, Tales From The Stinky Dragon

Campaign 3: Kanon

Go behind the scenes of Tales from the Stinky Dragon Campaign 3: Kanon with the cast and crew as they discuss each episode, player decisions, DM secrets, and life stories in this exclusive bi-weekly show!

• Episode 3 releases Monday, November 4th on Beacon and the Tales From The Stinky Dragon Patreon 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 29 releases Tuesday, November 5th at 10am Pacific on YouTube
• Campaign 3, Episode 29 Podcast out Tuesday, November 5th on your favorite podcast streaming service at 5am Pacific
• Campaign 3, Episode 51 releases Tuesday, November 5th at 10am Pacific on Beacon

UNEND, Season 1

Several decades after the events of MIDST and Moonward, a supernatural ship and a remarkable crew set forth on an expedition to explore the highest heights, deepest depths, and furthest reaches of the known cosmos. But their journey is fraught with peril as they discover truths and realities far stranger than any of them could ever have imagined.

• Episode 5 releases Wednesday, November 6th on the Midst Podcast YouTube at 10am Pacific and your favorite podcast streaming service at 5am Pacific
• Episode 7 releases Wednesday, November 6th on Beacon, Midst.co, Podcast Subscribers at 5am Pacific

Critical Role: Campaign 3, Episode 113

Bells Hells continue on their adventure…

• Airs Thursday, November 7th at 7pm Pacific on Twitch and YouTube
• VOD and Podcast out Thursday, November 7th at 7pm Pacific on Beacon
• Rebroadcasts Friday, November 8th at 12am Pacific and 9am Pacific on Twitch
• VOD out Monday, November 11th at 12pm Pacific on YouTube
• Podcast out November 14th on your favorite podcast streaming service at 5am Pacific

Critical Cooldown: Campaign 3, Episode 113

Get a backstage pass to Campaign 3, Episode 113! You’ll be right there at the table immediately after Matt says “Is it Thursday yet?”, experiencing the cast’s post-show reactions.

• Releases Thursday, November 7th at 7pm Pacific only on Beacon

Four songs and album art have been discovered for a Critmas album.

youTube Playlist

Spotify Playlist

Track listing:

• Winter's Crest Festival Time (sung by Pumat Sol)
• Silent Mind (sung by Imogen)
• Twelve Days of Grogmas (sung by Grog and Pike)
• It's Critmas (sung by the CR cast)

Lyrics to Silent Mind:
Silent mind, peaceful night
All is calm, all is quiet
Moon above us and storm passing by
Hold your loved ones close by your side
Dream in comfort and peace,
Dream in comfort and peace.

Silent mind, peaceful night,
Take a breath, feel alive
Hear the Winter’s Crest theater outside
Singing songs as we sit by the fire
Sharing holiday joy,
Sharing holiday joy.

Silent mind, peaceful night
Welcome guests, shine a light
Join together from places afar
Always grateful for all that we are
Friends forever we’ll be,
Friends forever we’ll be

Further details to come...

Happy Halloween Critters!

From a Cage-match of cast costumes and 2025 live shows galore to tongue twister Narrative Telephone challenges and UN-known happenings in UNEND, there are plenty of updates in store this week as we take a break from streaming for the last Thursday of the month - and get ready to go trick or treating!

Need a little Exandrian magic to light your way this All Hallows' Eve? There's plenty of tales from Critical Role Abridged, The Re-Slayer's Take, and behind the scenes on TikTok to tide you over to next Thursday.

Now let's get dressed up, grab our candy buckets, and head to Critical Role Land for some autumnal updates.

🔥 🎃 🔥

We're Heading Down Under In 2025

There's still time to snag tickets for our 2025 LIVE show dates in Sydney and Melbourne!
🇦🇺 Sydney - June 19, 2025
🇦🇺 Melbourne - June 25, 2025
Our general ticket sales begin this weekend, so keep an eye out - the US shows went quickly thanks to all your incredible enthusiasm. Looking to get a jump on tickets in the future? Get exclusive pre-sale access with a BEACON membership.

Narrative Telephone Is Back & Better Than Ever

Join the cast as they reunite in person for an all-new installment of Narrative Telephone! With extra effort, they'll endeavor to carefully re-create a deceptively simple yet delightfully devious ditty from the master of mirth himself Matthew Mercer, (whew), come complete the chaos with your own stitches and remixes on Instagram and TikTok and share the twisted narratives you create by tagging us.

In The Frozen UN, Four Riders Approach

A tonal shift is about to occur...

Experience UNEND Episode 4 from the creators of MIDST - now available on YouTube and wherever surreal, paranormal space exploration podcasts are found. PLUS voyage all the way through EPISODE 6 TODAY with your BEACON or Midst.co membership!

A Legendary Tome Of Adventuring Art

Celebrate the completion of Season 3 of The Legend of Vox Machina with this magnificent new art book from our friends at Dark Horse Comics and Prime Video - complete with cast commentary, character breakdowns, concept art, and a behind-the-scenes look into the creation of the show with series writer Meredith Kecskemety!

That's all the ghosts and goblins we've got for this week, thanks for sharing some of your Halloween with us.
Looking to get our latest news at the speed of magic? Get messages from Critical Role Land right on your phone and get an exclusive 15% off coupon by signing up for our handy new SMS alerts.
Until next our newsletter appears, try not to summon up anything with too many teeth, watch out for candy corn, and remember to stay kind. We'll see you next week for Episode 113 (eek)!

Watch the first campaign on Twitch and YouTube any time you want!

"The Sun Tree"

The party recently had an encounter with the Briarwoods. Two individuals that were responsible for a lot of strife in the background of Percival's history. Seemingly responsible for the destruction of his entire family, and have for the past five years been essentially ruling his home city and castle. They were out for a political banquet with Sovereign Uriel in Emon and the party members of Vox Machina, they were all invited to be part of this. It didn't quite go as planned. There was a scuffle and the Briarwoods absconded back to Whitestone. They send a couple assassins out to attempt to take out their driver, who was spilling information and essentially was going to be Vox Machina's way of being free of any sort of political issues (based on their actions that evening) and after much discussion and preparation and purchasing a lot of mirrors, the party took their transit over to the east-northeast towards Whitestone, where they began to traverse the Alabaster Sierras to the north (using the mountain range as opposed to going directly through the forest).
There they managed to avoid encountering a bunch of harpies that were distracted by eating the horses they left behind. They camped for the evening and began to make their way through some sort of a mountainous valley that led in towards the forest surrounding Whitestone. While they were traveling down this pass, there was a rumbling, and some sort of really fast, rapid-moving large blue creature that leaped down in front, catching them off-guard.
As this huge, blue-scaled reptilian-like creature (with multiple arms and legs) comes skittering down the side of the cliffs, blocking off the entirety of this passage, snarling at you with sharp teeth and this sparking-blue electrical energy jutting out of the corners of its mouth. I want you all to roll initiative.