Critical Role’s Schemer table is redefining a fundamental aspect of Dungeons & Dragons

Critical Role Campaign 4 has rolled into another arc, swapping the perilous, war-torn lands of the Obridimian Empire for the shadowy, political machinations occurring in the city of Dol-Makjar. Heading this new arc is the Schemers, a group that, from their very first episode, looks to be very different from the two previous tables we’ve seen.

Since Campaign 4 debuted in October, fans have been introduced to Dungeon Master Brennan Lee Mulligan’s world of Aramán, shaped by fascinating characters, lore, and magic that works very differently from Critical Role’s previous stomping grounds of Exandria.

Campaign 4 also introduces a format change, adopting a West Marches-inspired approach that splits the 13-player cast into three tables. We’ve had Soldiers (a table where nonviolent answers are few and far between) and Seekers, who are more interested in uncovering mysteries of the world of Aramán. The Schemers, however, have been described as focusing on “intrigue, espionage, skulduggery, and relationships with each other, NPCs, institutions, and the machinations of power.”

On the surface, the Schemers table — featuring Murray Mag’Nesson (Marisha Ray), Azune Nayar (Luis Carazo), Bolaire Lathalia (Taliesin Jaffe), and Halandil Fang (Liam O’Brien) — seems pretty broad. But, the difference between this table and the previous two is night and day.

[Ed. note: This article contains spoilers for Critical Role Campaign 4 episode 19.]

One of the defining concepts of Dungeons & Dragons is that players come together at a table and head out on an adventure. Typically, this means leaving the city and venturing into various environments, slaughtering enemies, discovering new places, and picking up loot along the way. You don’t need to worry about making it back for your day job, because as an adventurer, the only job you need to care about is ensuring you survive wherever your quest takes you.

That might be a simplistic view of a typical Dungeons & Dragons adventuring party, but it’s not inaccurate. Both the Soldiers and Seekers tables have ventured out with specific goals in mind: finding Casimir and bringing him to justice, or seeking answers on the current state of the Golden Orchard. The Schemers table, however, is, as Marisha Ray sums it up, “the employed” table.

Unlike the other characters in the Soldiers and Seekers table, the Schemers all have jobs and responsibilities that keep them rooted in the city of Dol-Makjar. Bolaire is a curator of the Lloy Wing at the Archanade museum. Murray is the bursar of The Penteveral magic school, and Azune is one of the few remaining arcane marshals of Dol-Makjar. Even Hal, who has more freedom as a theatre director, has reason to stay in the city.

Image: Critical Role

Following these characters as they go to work is a fascinating departure from the previous two tables, and one that Ray picked up in episode 19 of Cooldown. While she described the Soldiers and Seekers as “on a path/highway” that Mulligan has built, the Schemers could spend the whole episode advancing the plot by talking among themselves. Carazo also described the table as more of a “sandbox,” a term used to describe an open-world style of play that gives players more room to explore and set their own goals without being limited to a linear plot.

While it’s still early days for the Schemers, their first episode had us switching between all four players going on their own separate journeys related to their jobs. Instead of dealing with monsters, world-shattering lore, or mysteries, the Schemers’ table’s sense of adventure is the banality of everyday life under the oppressive rule of the powerful Sundered Houses. In fact, one of the most exciting aspects of the latest episode was Marisha Ray’s portrayal of Murray, who used her position as bursar to scheme her way into spending more time with Bolaire at the Archanade to continue their plans to undermine the Sundered Houses. Instead of using fists or magic, Murray had to rely on her background and social skills, which, as an intelligence-based character, isn’t easy.

The Schemers table will likely not have the same epic confrontations and world-changing reveals of the Soldiers and Seekers, but just because their adventure is ‘quiet’ in comparison, doesn’t mean it won’t be interesting. The Schemers are right at the center of the viper’s nest: will they be able to strike at the heart of the ruling power unscathed, or will it all go wrong? We can’t wait to find out.

Campaign 4 is available to watch live on Twitch, YouTube, and Beacon.tv on Thursday nights at 10 p.m. PDT. If you can’t catch the episode live, don’t worry — Critical Role posts the episode to YouTube the following Monday at 3 p.m. EDT/12 p.m. PDT.