Critical Role has had many standout moments over the years — the reveal of the Sun Tree in Campaign 1, Jester’s spectacular use of a magical cupcake in Campaign 2, and Otohan Thull’s near-TPK of Bells Hells in Campaign 3, just to name a few. Now, despite being only 25 episodes in, Marisha Ray has delivered one such moment for Campaign 4, leaving both Dungeon Master Brennan Lee Mulligan, as well as her fellow Schemers, gobsmacked.
[Ed. note: This article contains spoilers for Critical Role Campaign 4 episode 25, “Targeted.”]
When we last left off, the Schemers’ table had just uncovered a deadly plot focused on King Augustus of Timmony. After Photarch Yanessa of the Candescent Creed and House Halovar led the king to a private room at the Archanade gala, our wily players smelled trouble. Ray, playing Murray Mag’nesson, a dwarf divination wizard, cast Invisibility on herself and snuck in behind the pair.
Hell quickly broke loose as assassins, dressed in the colors of Argosia — a nation that Timmony previously rebelled against in The War of Axe and Vine — seemingly attacked both King Augustus and Photarch Yanessa. The King is attacked via the ingestion of poison, delivered by his own mind-controlled druid, while the Photarch gets a crossbolt to the chest.
As the battle raged, Mulligan rolled death-saving throws for the Photarch. On a natural 1, the Photarch failed twice, meaning that unless he rolled well on her last death-saving throw, she would succumb to her wounds and die.
The Photarch is the head of the Sundered House of Halovar and has also been spreading propaganda to fool the people of Aramán into believing that, although there are no Shapers left, their belief in the Candescent Creed’s teachings gives them the magical power to perform wonders. Both the audience and the Soldiers table know this is a lie; the Halovars’ magical abilities are, in fact, enhanced by the blood of the celestial they have locked up in a basement beneath their villa. The rest of Aramán, though, is none the wiser, and while the city of Dol-Makjar is largely considered godless, the Candescent Creed remains a powerful organization.
The Photarch’s influence over Aramán’s people is undeniably strong, giving the Schemers ample reason to want her removed from the game. When Mulligan approached her next roll, Ray employed Murray’s portent roll of six — an ability where Ray makes daily rolls that can be assigned to other players, enemies, NPCs, or herself — to manipulate the outcome and ensure the Photarch’s failure. This is a fantastic use of the divination wizard’s ability, and a really sound and precise move from Ray.
However, this is where it gets spicy.
“You go to replace her death-saving throw to discover she’s not making them,” Mulligan narrates. “What I rolled earlier? That was a lie.”
While the rest of the Schemers appear horrified, Mulligan clarifies that he intentionally rolled a natural 1 to create tension and fear as the story progresses. However, the Photarch was never truly dying. This revelation culminates at the episode’s end, when party-goers, alerted by the commotion upstairs, rush in just in time to witness the Photarch’s body rising from the dead — an act of magical resurrection not seen since the Shapers were alive. If the Candescent Creed was inspiring people through their use of magic before, they are certain to do so now with this display of power.
It may seem like a win for the Candescent Creed, but Ray’s character Murray now knows the intention of House Halovar: to lay the blame on the nation of Argosia for the death of King Augustus (who, after some clever maneuvering from Ray, survives) and the Photarch and sow further discontent that will have people looking to the Sundered Houses for guidance.
That’s why Ray’s portent roll is such a magnificent moment in Critical Role history. Mulligan himself admits he was stumped by Ray’s quick thinking catching him out. “I cannot believe there’s a game system that lets you discover that I’m cheating. […] There was no way for you to discover that in this fight, except for one I didn’t remember.”
Mulligan later confirms in episode 25 of Cooldown that the Photarch staging her own death was a reveal he never intended for the Schemers to uncover. If Ray hadn’t used her portent die, Mulligan would have been able to hoodwink the entire party at the Archanade gala, as well as the entire Schemers table.
While it’s Murray’s word against the Candescent Creed, not all is lost. With King Augustus, who has ample reason to dislike House Halovar for their rampant propaganda in his kingdom, still alive, the Schemers have a potential ally who could help them uncover and spread the truth. Yet, without Ray’s portent roll, the group wouldn’t have even known what information to convey to the King in the first place. It’s a truly tremendous use of the divination wizard’s power — and, not for the first time this campaign, it has made me really jealous of Ray’s skill as a player.
What a skillful move. One that has me quoting Mulligan himself when I say, “That fucking portent, Marisha!”