Critical Role's major D&D campaign officially returns — what to know

In October 2025, Brennan Lee Mulligan of Dimension 20 and Dropout fame took Mercer's place to lead the new Dungeons & Dragons Critical Role campaign. Unlike the previous campaigns, set in the fantasy world of Exandria, Campaign 4 has Mulligan and his players weaving a tale of magic, death, and revolutions in the godless world of Aramàn. Mulligan also applied a West Marches frame to the campaign, dividing his 13-player cast into three tables representing three D&D playstyles, labeled Soldiers, Seekers, and Schemers.

While there has been plenty of politics and scheming in Exandria, Campaign 4 has felt like a much more serious, almost Game of Thrones-esque story from the very beginning. Its four-episode overture introduced Critters to a somber world, one where mortalkind is still finding its place after overthrowing their gods 70 years before in a conflict known as the Shaper’s War. Magic does not quite work as it used to, and the people of Pasitar — from the common folk to the faerie communities — are helpless within the tyrannical grip of the powerful Sundered Houses who wish to restore themselves to their former glory. What are our heroes to do? Viva la revolution, that's what.

Campaign 4 officially returns in three weeks. With 31 episodes, most ranging from about 3 to 6 hours, we understand if powering through hundreds of hours of D&D feels like a lot to ask. Thankfully, that’s where we come in. Here’s everything you need to know about Campaign 4 Arc 1 before Critical Role heads into Arc 2 later this month.

Everything you need to know about Campaign 4’s first arc

Campaign 4 defied all expectations of what the start of a D&D campaign should look like by bringing its 13 players together for a special event: the funeral of Thjazi Fang. Thjazi, a hero to some, an inspiration to others, and a downright baddie to a select few, was a war hero who eventually attempted a revolution (The Falconers' Rebellion) to bring down the magical Sundered Houses, most of whom have a major presence in the city of Dol-Makjar.

This did not work out for Thjazi, who was eventually captured and executed on the orders of House Tachonis. While Tachonis and the rest of the Sundered Houses might have believed his death would end talk of rebellion and revolution, that was far from the case. At the moment of his death, Thjazi left several clues and threads for his friends and family to uncover.

To seek these answers, the players split up into three tables. The Soldiers table, featuring pixie rogue Thimble (Laura Bailey), katari paladin Teor Pridesire (Travis Willingham), aasimar sorcerer Wicander Halovar (Sam Riegel), demonic aspirant Tyranny (Whitney Moore), and surly ranger Kattigan Vale (Robbie Daymond), went to seek revenge on the low-life Casimir, who betrayed Thjazi to the Tachonis. They also went to save Teor’s brother, Cyd Pridesire.

Next came the Seekers table, featuring human fighter-rogue Sir Julien Davinos (Matthew Mercer), orc druid Thaisha Lloy (Aabria Iyengar), drow paladin Vaelus (Ashley Johnson), and hollow-one wizard Occtis Tachonis (Alexander Ward). The Seekers sought Thaisha’s missing son, Alogar Fang, and instead uncovered the true reason for the Tachonis’s plot to kill Occtis — to turn him into a godlike creature, completely under their control, and use him as a weapon to attack their enemies, specifically House Royce and their ancestral seat, the Golden Orchard, a demiplane where the fae live.

Last but certainly not least was the Schemers table, featuring dwarf divination wizard Murray (Marisha Ray), orc bard Halandil Fang (Liam O’Brien), warlock Bolaire Lathalia (Taliesin Jaffe), and human sorcerer/paladin Azune Nayar (Luis Carazo). Left in the city of Dol-Makjar, the Schemers set out to undermine the Sundered Houses by recruiting people to their cause. They were largely successful, bringing individuals and groups neglected or mistreated by the Sundered Houses under their wing to form a new, burgeoning rebellion.

The three tables eventually reunited in Dol-Makjar before splitting off again to address three separate events in the city that same night. The first was the meeting of the Sundered Houses, which only further underscored their plan: to restore themselves to greatness and ensure their power is never challenged.

Next came the play at the Hallowed Round, where Thjazi’s grand plan was revealed: to transform the theater into a place where a bridge to the orcish afterlife, the Dying Fields, could be built. Vaelus's destruction of the Stone of Nightsong made this possible by enabling the bridge's construction.

Last but not least was the rescue of Mara the Wing — a member of the mysterious group Thjazi had been part of, The Cloak. This meant delving deep into Obrimus Manor, the home of House Tachonis. Though Mara was rescued, Teor and Cyd both lost their lives in the depths of Obrimus Manor’s crypts. Julien also found out that Thjazi’s soul was connected to his shadow, indicating that Thjazi is still very much alive in some form.

All three tables later reunite at Hal’s house, where Mara the Wing revealed that The Cloak’s goal was to restore the bridge to all the other afterlives, which had been lost after the end of the Shaper’s War.

What are the tables for Campaign 4’s second arc?

With three distinct goals, the players are again divided into separate tables. The Soldiers table are led by Thaisha. She plans to go to Dol-Rungja to visit her grandmother and other druidic circles, aiming to persuade them to abandon their neutrality and join the fight against the Sundered Houses.

This time, the Seekers are Thimble, Occtis, Julien, Values, Bolaire, and Kattigan. They are traveling to the Golden Orchard via the Miller’s Road to meet with Mara the Wing and her contact there, though they may also stop at Timmony to meet their new ally, King Gus.

Lastly is the Schemers table. Hal, Azune, Wick, Tyranny, and Murray are staying behind in Dol-Makjar to deal with the political unrest there.

When does Critical Role Campaign 4 return?

Campaign 4 will return on Aug. 27 — two weeks after the finale of Sallowlands. Like previous Campaign 4 episodes of Critical Role, the show’s return will be 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.