Warning! SPOILERS for Critical Role campaigns 1, 2, and 3!
Critical Role’s campaigns are complex and connected as the series moves between the adventures of Vox Machina, the Mighty Nien, and Bells Hells. This is partially due to how Critical Role grew beyond what anyone could have imagined, including the cast who created it in the first place. What started as a single birthday one-shot of Dungeons & Dragons grew into three live-streamed campaigns, each with hundreds of hours of play, a series of comics, and soon-to-be two animated series. All these properties take place in the same universe, making it dizzying to approach such a deep story and world where everything is connected in a living, breathing setting.
Overall, the main voice actor cast of Critical Role, Taliesin Jaffe, Marisha Ray, Travis Willingham, Laura Bailey, Ashley Johnson, and Liam O’Brien, each embodying different characters for each campaign as they go on their adventures. The team began their livestream series of these adventures in 2015 and hasn’t stopped since. Since they’ve been creating stories for going on eight years, there’s a lot to cover for anyone wanting to start the series, so here’s a general idea of what’s happening in each campaign.
3 Critical Role’s Campaign 1
beginning of the adventures of Vox Machina, a group of mercenaries. Vox Machina comprises Vex and Vax, a ranger and rogue, respectively; Keyleth of the Air Ashari; Percy de Rollo, an exiled nobleman; Pike, the cleric of the Everlight; Grog, an exiled Goliath barbarian; and Scanlan, the bard. Throughout their adventures, some of the main heroic deeds the group takes on are to face the Briarwoods who murdered Percy’s family, seek out and destroy the beholder K’varn, prove their worth to the Slayer’s Take in Vasselheim, fight the Chroma Conclave, discover the Vestiges of Divergence, and stop the return of Vecna, an evil god.
When & Where Campaign 1 Takes Place
Critical Role‘s Campaign 1 takes place on the continent of Tal’Dorei, one of the main continents in the world of Exandria. In the story's narrative, the first series takes place over two years, including a year-long time skip from the year 810 to 812. Tal’Dorei is a republic formerly a monarchy, but now it is run by the Council of Tal’Dorei, with Vox Machina as its appointed protectors. The country is diverse and varied, with some notable locations, including the capital city of Emon, the city of Whitestone, Westrunn, and Stillben.
How Campaign 1 Connects To Campaigns 2 And 3
Campaign 1 is special to Critical Role in that it sets up many large world events and artifacts that continue to affect the other properties while also being a very classic, heroes-journey D&D campaign. This includes introducing mighty artifacts such as the Vestiges of Divergence, which also come into play in Exandria Unlimited, and the impact of the Chroma Conclave on Exandria. Additionally, Campaign 1 sets up Wildemount and Marquet, the settings of Campaigns 1 and 2, and introduces notable characters who continue to appear throughout the series. Overall, Campaign 1 crosses over with the Search for Grog, the Search for Bob, and Dalen’s Closet one-shot adventures.
2 Critical Role’s Campaign 2
Campaign 2 of Critical Role follows the Mighty Nein, featuring Caleb Widogast, the wizard, Yasha, the barbarian, Nott the Rogue, Jester the cleric, Beauregard the monk, and Caduceus, the cleric. This campaign is more militaristic than Campaign 1, as it follows the escalating conflict between the Dwendalian Empire and the Kryn Dynasty, the latter of which is a land where more ‘monstrous’ people tend to live. Overall, Campaign 2 also focuses more on the nature of divinity, a theme that was touched on in Campaign 1 but came into greater focus with the Mighty Nein as the group investigates the betrayer gods, roots out corruption, and examines the Cerberus Assembly.
Where And When Campaign 2 Takes Place
Due to one of the main conflicts escalating war between the Dwendalian Empire and the Kryn Dynasty, Campaign 2’s setting is particularly important. This time, the story takes place on Wildemount, a continent across the sea that Vox Machina never visited but heard of. Some main locations here include the Menagerie Coast, Nicodranas, Port Damali, the Greying Wildlands, and the Lucidian Ocean, where an important campaign arc takes place. As for where Campaign 2 falls in Critical Role’s overall timeline, it takes place about 20 years after the events of Campaign 1 and lasts for about a year in-game.
How Campaign 2 Connects To Campaigns 1 And 3
One of the largest connecting elements between Critical Role‘s Campaigns 1 and 2 is that Wildemount is where Percy’s nemeses, the Briarwoods, came from, especially since the murderous couple also had ties to the Cerberus Assembly. The Cerberus Assembly is a powerful sect of archmages that advise the Dwendalian Empire and is a group that comes into play in Campaign 3, too. Along with the Assembly, Campaign 2 also introduces a hint of the moon lore that’s become important in Campaign 3, all while considering the Vestiges and dragon threat from Campaign 1, too.
1 Critical Role’s Campaign 3
Finally, Campaign 3 follows the adventures of Critical Role‘s Bells Hells, a group that was unique in that some of its characters were first introduced in Critical Role’s mini-series Exandria Unlimited. This time, the group comprises Fearne the faun, Laudna the warlock, Imogen the sorcerer, Ash the barbarian, Fresh Cut Grass the cleric, Orym the fighter, Chetney the barbarian, and Dorian, the bard. Differing from the past two campaigns, Campaign 3 is more of a mystery that uncovers a conspiracy about the Apogee Solstice. This magical event influences the leylines of Exandria and the world’s magic. This leads the group to investigate moon conspiracy theories introduced in Campaign 2.
Where And When Campaign 3 Takes Place
Critical Role‘s Campaign 3 takes place on the continent of Marquet, where Vox Machina uncovered answers about Vecna’s rise and earned the loyalty of J'mon Sa Ord, the ruling brass dragon of Ank'Harel. The campaign takes place sometime after the events of Campaign 2, and while Critical Role hasn’t fully established how much time has ed between the two, it’s soon enough that the characters from Campaign 2 show up and are still adventuring. However, it does take place after the events of Exandria Unlimited, which began in 842. Some key locations in Marquet include Jrusar, Aeshanadoor, and the Oderan Wilds.
How Campaign 3 Connects To Campaigns 1 And 2
One benefit of playing in such a large, interconnected world as Critical Role does is that there’s been a lot of lead-up to the Marquet campaign. From Campaign 1, Vox Machina’s beloved shopkeep, Shaun Gilmore, hails from Marquet, and Vox Machina had the opportunity to travel the continent a bit. Campaign 3 also features characters first introduced in Exandria Unlimited and Bertrand Bell from The Search for Grog. Characters from Campaign 1 have also interacted with those of Campaign 3 in a much bigger way. This is especially true given that Laudna has close ties to Whitestone. In addition, characters such as Fresh Cut Grass are based on discoveries that the Mighty Nien made in Campaign 2.
