As a fairly amateur Dungeon Master, the idea of Critical Role’s Campaign 4 having 13 characters in a single adventuring party was enough to bring me to tears the moment it was revealed. With 14 different storytellers (including the Dungeon Master of this campaign, Brennan Lee Mulligan), I couldn’t help but wonder how this array of personalities would fit together into Campaign 4’s four-episode overture.
[Ed. note: This article contains spoilers for Critical Role Campaign 4, episode 1.]
Having watched the first episode, I can’t say I’m 100% convinced that they will all fit together. But what I can say is this: this is a bunch of hot weirdos. The fact that they’re all connected through Thjazi Fang — a hero to some, a villain to others, and arguably the most important character in the campaign so far — already has me invested in the interpersonal drama and relationships that are looking to be built.
Most importantly, they’re fun. Throughout the 4-hour episode, I was immediately immersed in the world of Aramán and what each cast member brought to it. So, who are these wacky cast of characters?
Halandil Fang
- Player: Liam O’Brien
- Class: Bard
- Species: Orc
Halandil Fang is a middle-aged orc bard who, like everyone else in the party, is in the city of Dol-Makjar to witness the execution of his brother, Thjazi Fang, a hero of the Falconer’s Rebellion. Halandil himself is well-known as a bard, and has a house in one of the more artistic neighborhoods, a location known as The Rookery. He also owns a theater house, given to him by the Photarch and Revolutionary Council of Dol-Makjar.
Halandil comes across as wise and hard-working, and if his brother is considered a soldier, then he’s easily more of a poet. He’s soft-spoken and clearly cherishes his relationship with his two daughters and son, Shadia, Hiro, and Alogar, and is kind, even at the sudden and unexpected loss of his brother.
Notable fact: Halandil and Thaisha, played by Aabria Iyengar, are not married and do not seem to live together, but they do have a son and daughter together, Alogar and Shiro. Very eager to find out more about this relationship and family dynamic.
Azune Nayar
- Player: Luis Carazo
- Class: Paladin/Sorcerer
- Species: Human
Azune is part of the Revolutionary Guard and an Arcane Marshal in the city of Dol-Makyar, and, like Halandil, was working with Thjazi to help him escape from the hangman’s noose. When things go wrong, Azune is devastated.
Azune fought alongside Thjazi when he was younger, during the Falconer’s Rebellion that happened 12 years ago. Since then, he has grown into a confident young man, with a deep respect for the Fang family.
Notable fact: Thjazi saved Azune’s life during the Rebellion, holding him and searching for medical aid. Azune mirrors this when he holds Thjazi in his arms to deliver his body to the Fang household for the wake.
Thaisha Lloy
- Player: Aabria Iyengar
- Class: Druid
- Species: Orc
Aabria Iyengar’s Thaisha Lloy stands head and shoulders above the crowd. Literally. An orc druid with a deer companion named Hala, Thaisha (as well as Alexander Ward’s character, Occtis Tachonis) had plans to meet up with Thjazi after his escape and help him relocate elsewhere.
Thaisha comes from House Lloy, a smithing house. While her family doesn’t seem to be part of the Sundered Houses, the house Lloy apparently “means something in this city.” What that could be wasn’t really clarified in the first episode of this new campaign, but I’m sure we’ll find out more soon.
Thaisha brings to the wake a little silver box, something which Thjazi asked her to deliver to Bolaire. What this means has yet to be revealed, but we can’t wait to find out.
Notable fact: Thaisha seems to have some (well-deserved) beef with Sir Julien Davos, played by Matt Mercer. However, this may not have always been the case, as Thaisha’s son, Alogar, is training under Julien’s tutelage. I can see that being a point of contention as the campaign goes on.
Occtis Tachonis
- Player: Alexander Ward
- Class: Wizard (Necromancer)
- Species: Human
Thaisha is accompanied to the wake by her friend, Occtis Tachonis, played by Alexander Ward. A human male necromancer from House Tachonis who is small in presence, but with a deep interest in the dead. Accompanying him is a small, undead white fox made up of other foxes, named Pin.
Due to his noble background, Occtis runs in the same circles as the other nobles and their retainers. However, little was revealed about House Tachonis and its connection to the other Sundered Houses.
Despite his background, Occtis was willing to risk it all to help Thjazi escape, as Thjazi had helped Occtis when he was a child. The specifics of that event weren’t given, but it once more goes to show that the love and commitment people hold for Thjazi runs deep.
Notable fact: House Tachonis is considered to be one of the more powerful houses that help govern the city of Dol-Makjar.
Teor Pridesire
- Player: Travis Willingham
- Class: Paladin
- Species: Katari
Teor served alongside Thjazi and Azune during the Falconer’s Rebellion. He is currently traveling with Loza Blade of the Torn Banner, helping other members along the way with contracts. However, after hearing Thjazi was in trouble, both he and Loza Blade hurried to Dol-Makjar to witness the execution.
Having not been in the city for some time, Teor is alarmed at all the changes that have occurred throughout Dol-Makjar. He also discovers that his brother, Cyd Pridesire, was involved in the plan to help Thjazi escape, alongside Thaisha and Occtis. However, that never happened. What’s worse is that Cyd appears to be missing, his whereabouts unknown.
Notable fact: Loza Blade asks Wicander Halovar to recruit Teor as a mercenary/guard. Could this be an eventual storyline that’ll tie into the main plot?
Wicander Halovar
- Player: Sam Riegel
- Class: Cleric (Light)
- Species: Human
Wicander is a human man and a cleric from House Halovar, which oversees the Candescent Creed, a religious arm that aims to ‘spread the word’ of the ‘Light’ in the city of Dol-Makjar.
Wicander is squeamish in a way befitting of his noble background, but he seems to be under a lot of pressure from his family. Despite speaking to his house and assuring Halandil that he would be able to persuade them to free Thjazi, Wicander was unable to do so. Feeling enormously guilty, Wiccander arrives at the wake to drop off Thjazi’s last effects, a scimitar.
Notable fact: Lady Aranessa of House Royce, the former wife of Thjazi, believes House Halovar has a reason for wanting Thjazi’s death and so never had any intention to try and save him from the hangman’s noose. Considering we see in a flashback that the only one who seems to care about Thjazi’s plight is Wicander himself… What could House Halovar have to gain by not saving Thjazi? Only time will tell.
Tyranny
- Player: Whitney Moore
- Class: Warlock
- Species: Demon (Tiefling?)
Accompanying Wicander at the wake is the truly delightful Tyranny. Tyranny serves as Wicander’s aspirant and appears to be quite new to Dol-Makjar and its customs, being a demon and all. Under Wicander and the Candescent Creed’s tutelage, she’s slowly being taught the importance of the ‘Light’ and how to be a moral, upstanding citizen. With middling success.
While she didn’t know Thjazi, she accompanied Wicander to the execution. In all honesty, the handler/retainer relationship between Wicander and Tyranny seems close to psychological torture, which shouldn’t be as hysterical as it is, but their relationship is easily the one I’m most invested in after only watching the first episode.
Notable fact: We’re introduced to Tyranny’s sibling, a fellow demonic aspirant to the Candescent Creed called Enmity. Both of them seem aware they are being used as figures to show the world that, if a demon can turn towards the Light and work to better themselves, then so can everyone. It does make me wonder what other demons we’ll see throughout the rest of the campaign and where they fit in the world of Araman.
Kattigan Vale
- Player: Robbie Daymond
- Class: Ranger
- Species: Human
A male human ranger in his mid-40s, Kattigan is accompanied by Wulfric, his wolf. Clearly a guy who doesn’t think about names all that often, but the wolf is cute, so I’ll let that slide.
A bounty hunter, Kattigan was at Thjazi’s execution but doesn’t often come into the city of Dol-Makyar. He prefers to live outside, in the more rural surrounding areas, mentioning a location called Pineborough. His connection to Thjazi isn’t super clear-cut, but they have worked together in the past and it’s obvious that his death affects Kattigan enough for him to go drink about it later.
Notable fact: Kattigan follows Occtis, Teor, and Azune to Thjazi’s hideout and uses the spell ‘Clue’, which comes from Valda’s Spire of Secrets. This allows him to analyze and track footprints and blood. Kattigan uncovers that the ones who ransacked the place belong to a thieves guild called The Crow Keepers. I do like a detective character, and I can imagine Kattigan will be extremely helpful in uncovering any mysteries the party comes across.
Thimble
- Player: Laura Bailey
- Class: Rogue
- Species: Fairy
A young fairy rogue, Thimble is described as being Thjazi’s “partner in all things” and accompanied him throughout the majority of his life. On the day of Thjazi’s execution, Thimble was attacked by the Crow Keepers, making it impossible for her to slip the glyph that she had been working on into Thjazi’s coat pocket and to help him get away.
It’s a devastating loss for Thimble, who is understandably aggrieved to learn that her partner is dead and the glyph she was working on was all for nothing. What’s worse, the apartment is ransacked and an important magical artefact, the Stone of Nightsong, has been taken.
Notable fact: We’re introduced to Thimble in a moment of heightened tension: Laura has to make a death-saving throw. She succeeds twice, then gets a natural one on the next. Two for two: if she rolls below 10, then Thimble is dead. Thankfully, Teor is around and heals her before it gets to that point. But I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t on the edge of my seat.
Murray Mag’nesson
- Player: Marisha Ray
- Class: Wizard
- Species: Dwarf
Sporting a chin strap beard and clothes that look like they were stitched from a rich person’s rug, Murray looks put together while still having a greasy vibe about her. Did I mention she has gemstone teeth? She has gemstone teeth.
Not much is known about Murray so far, except that she works at the Penteveral, and hung around with Thjazi in the more ‘criminal’ elements of the Dal-Makjar, and that they were good friends.
Notable fact: Just before his last moments, Thjazi tells Halandil to help Murray. It’s not confirmed what ‘help Murray’ means in this context, but I have a feeling that will be answered in future episodes.
Sir Julien Davinos
- Player: Matthew Mercer
- Class: Fighter/Rogue
- Species: Human
Sir Julien Davinos accompanies his childhood friend Lady Aranessa of House Royce, Thjazi’s widow, to the wake. Julien, to put it as amicably as I can, is a bit of an asshole. He tries to dismiss and diminish Aranessa’s grief, and his slimy behavior, perfectly portrayed by Mercer, suggests that he may be looking for more than friendship.
Julien had a real hatred for Thjazi, and it’s confirmed that he had something to do with bringing him in for justice. As you might imagine, that makes him turning up at the wake pretty unpopular with several of the characters, including Thaisha Lloy and Halandil Fang. When Thaisha speaks to him outside, she calls him a “lying scoundrel and a rat who betrayed his father for a last shot of glory.” But Julien seems to see it differently: his family was thrown into disarray by his father’s actions (which are unknown at this time), and it was only he who pulled them back together.
Notable fact: In one of the most shocking scenes of the first episode, Julien has a moment with Thjazi’s body. He reveals that his biggest regret is that he can’t watch Thjazi die twice, then proceeds to spit on his body. I gasped.
Bolaire Lathalia
- Player: Taliesin Jaffe
- Class: Warlock
- Species: Elf
Bolaire has curly, dark red hair and is covered from head to toe. He sports a mask of grey clay, with empty pools of blackness where the eyes should be. What’s extra disturbing is that, despite being a mask, it moves and emotes like a real person’s face.
Bolaire didn’t know Thjazi all that well, as most of their dealings were private and through an intermediary, but he did go to the execution to see if there was anyone who would save Thjazi. Bolaire appears to be a museum curator, with a particular fascination for magical items. Because of Bolaire’s background and job, he is well known by the majority of the cast.
Notable fact: The most fascinating mystery about Bolaire is, of course, his mask. What is it? Why does it move like an actual face? Is it his face? Will we ever see Bolaire without the mask? So many questions, and I can’t wait to find out the answers.
Vaelus
- Player: Ashley Johnson
- Class: Paladin
- Species: Drow elf
Last but not least is Vaelus, played by Ashley Johnson. Vaelus gets introduced at the end of the episode, but not before she drops some earth-shattering revelations.
Hailing from a location known as the Mournvale, Vaelus has traveled far to the wake to accuse Thjazi of stealing something from her and the Sisters of Sylandri, the elven goddess that they worship. In a great cliffhanger, it is revealed that the stolen object is none other than the Stone of Nightsong.
Notable fact: While we didn’t get a lot from Vaelus, we do know that the Stone of Nightsong is an elven artefact that was created by Sylandri to ensure the deceased souls of the elves never had to know the hardship and pain of the underworld, the realm of the dead. Vaelus feels strongly about getting it back, to the point that she’s willing to crash a wake to do so. Considering the last god was slain 70 years ago, I have a feeling Vaelus isn’t going to be feeling too charitable to any anti-religious sentiment.
That’s all we know about Campaign 4’s cast of characters so far, and it’s an intriguing beginning that sets up some very personal stakes from the get-go. What’s significant is that, even with 13 characters, each seems distinct and significant to the world they’re in. I, for one, can’t wait to find out more.
