Earlier this week, Critical Role published a trailer unveiling an all-new horror-themed real-life game series, Candela Obscura. The monthly show will debut on May 25, 2023 on Twitch, and will not only feature beloved recurring guests Anjali Bhimani (Ms. Marvel) and Robbie Daymond (Exandria Unlimited), but will also feature Illuminated Worlds, an all-new tabletop role-playing system from Critical Role’s Darrington Press publishing arm.
Candela Obscura follows a group of characters ranging from criminals and professors to psychics and magicians as they come together to battle a mysterious and chaotic magical force. The series was announced in a suitably atmospheric trailer, helmed by eldritch dad Taliesin Jaffe (whose creepiest critical role credits include running the Thursday night two shots Vampire: The Masquerade game and Call of Cthulhu: Shadow of the Crystal Palace). Jaffe will serve as the game’s beacon keeper (see below), with Matthew Mercer serving as game master. The series’ first arc will span multiple episodes, taking players into a world tinged with monsters and mysteries.
What is a lighthouse keeper?
According to a blog post on the Critical Role website, a Lightkeeper is an “enlightened veteran” of the gaming world whose role is to guide other players through the twists and turns of the world. Co-stars Bhimani and Daymond will be joined by Critical Role regulars Laura Bailey and Ashley Johnson. Together, the cast will serve as a group of investigators tied to the Candela Obscura, an esoteric order that retaliates against various sinister magical threats. As Lightkeeper, Jaffe will appear at the start of each episode, providing prologues to set the stage for viewers.
Candela Obscura takes place in the fictional world of the Fairelands, a coastal valley in the country of Hale. Hale, on the other side of a long war, is awash with “spiritualism and rowdy debauchery” as well as the “sudden influx of technology and wealth” in its hub city, Newfaire. The series was originally created by Jaffe and Chris Lockey, with Spenser Starke (Alice has disappeared) and Rowan Hall (Will & Fable) as lead designer and writer, respectively. Steve Failows directed the series and co-produced alongside Maxwell James.
What is the Illuminated Worlds system?
Illuminated Worlds is Darrington Press’ own D6-based RPG system, designed to facilitate shorter, story-driven campaign arcs. The system was created by Stras Acimovic and Layla Adelman, and should allow players to use the system in virtually any environment, with a defined critical role in showcasing the system through Candela Obscura. The game was announced in late April by Darrington Press, alongside other upcoming releases like daggerheart And queen at midnight.
If you go to Gen Con this year, you’ll have the opportunity to experience the system’s gameplay sessions for yourself. Along with the release of the actual play, Darrington Press announced that they would publish the Candela Obscura Quick Start Guidewhich will allow readers to browse documents associated with Candela Obscura and find out how the Illuminated Worlds system will tie into the game. Expect to be able to download it for free on Thursday, May 25, and start with an explainer video debuting the same day.
The Illuminated Worlds system isn’t Critical Role’s first foray into new systems, but Candela Obscura reflects its notable investment in expanding beyond Dungeons & Dragons with longer-running real-world game production. Candela Obscura will eventually get its own rulebook from Darrington Press, although an official date for its release later this year has yet to be announced.
In the meantime, you can see new episodes of Candela Obscura the last Thursday of each month, starting May 25 on Critical Role’s Tic And Youtube canals. Podcast and YouTube VOD episodes will roll out with a slight delay to typical Critical Role videos, two weeks after the initial broadcast.
