Every new campaign for Critical Role provides a shakeup in some way, whether it’s a new location or cast of characters. With the upcoming fourth campaign, the Actual Play series sees its biggest change yet with Brennan Lee Mulligan in the Game Master’s seat.
Mulligan, who runs games for his own Actual Play series Dimension 20 over on Dropout and the Critical Role miniseries Calamity, will take helm of a full campaign set to begin on October 2. During Critical Role’s live event on Saturday, he came on stage as part of the announcement. This new campaign will be set outside the Exandria setting of the first three—”Vox Machina,” “Mighty Nein,” and “Bells Hells”—and help to give original Critical DM Matthew Mercer a break.
“We’ve been enormous fans of Brennan’s for many years now, and…he felt like the perfect storyteller to take our community somewhere entirely new,” said Critical alum and CEO Travis Willingham. “Critical Role has always been about genuine connection through storytelling first and foremost, and as Brennan himself will tell you, he’s still played more TTRPGs away from a camera than in front of it. His passion and drive for worldbuilding is infectious, and it’s been an absolute joy to spark off him as we forge ahead.”
For Dimension 20 fans wondering how this change affects that show, Mulligan will still to lead that show. Per Variety, he recently renewed his contract with the media company for another three years, which includes a “new long-term contract for nonstop new seasons of D20,” said Mulligan on Instagram. At least two of those seasons will bring back the Intrepid Heroes who’ve headlined Fantasy High, Unsleeping City, and the current season Cloudward, Ho!. His separate Actual Play series Worlds Beyond Number will also continue.
“Needless to say, I’m finally playing almost as much tabletop as I’d like to!” he continued. “It’s a gift, honor, and privilege to set out on this new epic adventure with Critical Role.”
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