#Liam Ravenloft

[itsangrynar]

After the BG3 ending, Elie goes to find a way to help Astarion to walk under the sun. He does find a solution but that includes a deal with Myrkul. He must keep a young pure blood bhaalspawn in his care for 18 years without getting attached.The reward, the location of a sun ring and restless immortality The baby is Liam, my current Dnd necromancer and the reason why Elie and Astarion distanced from each other for some years :')

[zuulosdovah]

everyone in my dnd party deserve a dragon age keep style romance icon because i love them very much

[visceryl]

Age of Corruption - D&D

Here’s a little short story based on a Dungeons and Dragons campaign our group runs. I absolutely adore this group with all of my being. Liam belongs to @angrynar. Elijah belongs to @kas-voton. Safin belongs to @noceurro. Benny belongs to @zuulosdovah. Fennorin belongs to me. Sar belongs to someone off of tumblr!

--------------------------

“Excuse me?”

Fennorin’s voice rang out in cold shock as white wisps of hair coated red from battle hung down in his face. His chest heaved, the fists locked around his longsword trembling with effort. 

He watched the lanky boy of sickly pale skin hover over a drow. Liam sported a grin sharp and wicked enough to make a heart jump twice in shock, then recoil of fear. A spell buzzed upon his fingertips, the will of the weave tainted black with necrotic misuse. It raised the drow’s veins to the surface of his skin, crowding them with boiling agony. 

The captive yelled out in his mother tongue. A rough, deep language that turned to the sad wails of a creature mourning its emintent fate. The open cavern of the Underdark did little to dampen the echoes of his begs. 

“He deserves to die!” Liam barked back. “They all deserve to die!”

Even Elijah shifted nervously behind the servitor. A fresh ooze of blood filled the spaces between his fingers as they pressed between the loops of his armor where a blade had embedded in flesh. 

“No, Liam!” 

The servitor of Corellon staggered forward a step, his foot dragging over bones that littered the floor. Skulls, ribs, fibias, tibias. From wicked beasts that hunted the unofficial layer escaped from hell to surface dwelling races dragged to the belly of its depths. He stumbled, letting his sword crumble from his hands.

Steel on stone pierced the tension with a resounding clatter.

“This isn’t you! This isn’t what Kainan would have wanted!” 

Liam’s lips curled upon the holy worshipper’s approach. He hated him. He hated the elf that made his insides boil simply by being around him. He hated the way Fennorin always put himself in the way of his nature, parading himself around like a saint when he’d done no better a time or two. 

He wasn’t holy. He put Kainan in the ground and would do the same for anyone here, but not Liam. Death didn’t have to be the final line. He knew how to bring them back even if it wasn’t the same. His fingers curled tighter into the drow’s hair, wrenching his head back to look upwards into his own hellish gaze. 

“You’re wrong. I’ve always been this.”

“I know that’s not true. I don’t care what’s in your blood, Liam. You will always be my family, and I will not let you do this alone. We will get you through this together, whatever those fanatics say, they’re wrong!”

Fennorin was close now. Close enough to reach out for the mage. 

For a moment, Liam’s grip on the drow sagged, letting his head turn back to the floor. He leveled his gaze on Fennorin, jaw clenched so tight it jumped with strain. No one said anything. No one even moved.

The battle had nearly wiped everyone out. Elijah, hanging at sanity’s edge as he waited for any chance to step in if needed. Safin on the ground with Benny’s head in her lap as she eases the bleeding from a nasty wound. Sar pulling on his ears and cursing Allustan for dragging him into a mission he was too faint of heart for. They were all so tired.

Liam skimmed his gaze over them with wavering resolve. He’s wrong. He lies. He just wants to get you to turn yourself over so he can finish you. The voice lingered maliciously in the back of his head. Hostile and full of blinding rage. His fingers twitched in the drow’s hair, the spell held at ready surging wildly once more. 

“Please,” Fennorin begged, his voice softer. The pale skinned elf reached a bloody hand out for his friend to take.

Not this time.

Jet black fogged over Liam’s eyes and the drow dropped discarded to the floor. His own hand leapt up, latching to the servitor’s and the spell released. It shattered through the elf’s defenses. 

A scream lit up the silent cavern as visions of hell warped and tore at Fennorin’s mind. Liam held fast. His dark energy challenged the divine glow rooted at his friend’s core, watching veins of black crawl up Fennorin’s arm, corrupting. 

The elf’s footing quickly caved and a skull splintered beneath him as his knees crashed to the ground. Blood began to soak through his trousers around the area, but the pain went unrecognized up against Liam’s influence.

Elijah fumbled for his blade in a panic. Fingers slipped slick over the pommel before pausing in hesitation. Could he truly raise his sword up against his friend? No. For all the fear coiling tight in his stomach, he knew the blade would never pierce Liam’s skin. But he held it aloft, leveling the mage threateningly. 

“Let him go, Liam! You don’t want to do this!”

Black eyes flicked mindlessly to the large boy. “Except I do.”

He released Fennorin with a shove far beyond his own strength. Like a god swiping down on an ant, the elf was sent crashing back into Elijah, narrowly avoiding the sharp end of the raised blade. 

It was immediately dropped for strong arms to coil around Fennorin. Elijah staggered back, brandishing the weight as the elf struggled to find his footing. He could feel the heavy breaths rattling in Fennorin’s chest, the shivers of mental exhaustion trembling in every muscle.

Liam didn’t wait to level another spell at them. His fingertips curved into wicked claws, his teeth elongated and carnivorously sharp. Rivulets of blood clung to his lower lip and whitened teeth from shredding through the inside of his own cheeks. The spell cracked like a whip, a jet of ebon darkness striking the both. 

Kill them. You don’t need them. 

He watched as Elijah’s grasp on Fennorin loosened. A gasp parted the brunette’s lips, his body arching in a twist of anguish. Both were back on their knees in an instant. Fennorin’s weight rocked onto his forearms as they brandished upon the cold ground. An awful choking strangled in his lungs, strings of blood pooling his mouth and dribbling down his chin.

“That’s enough,” Safin finally declared. She eased Benny from her lap, her palm facing outwards to Liam as a small wooden splinter began to enlarge at the center.

“Don’t.”

Fennorin’s voice scraped out raw, his shoulders shaking. He rose from his curled position like a ghoul from the ground, pallid features turning up to Liam. “It’s not him, Safin. Please don’t hurt him.”

Safin’s gaze flicked between the two wearily. There was the slightest hint of hesitation as if a consideration of ending it had been taken. But she trusted their healer. Fennorin wasn’t perfect. He was stubborn and sometimes blinded by his own faith, but he always got them through everything.

She grimaced and lowered her hand.

Liam’s lips parted in a toothy grin that spanned ear to ear and while her’s lowered, his raised. Another flare of magic readied to smite down the servitor. He stepped past Elijah who lay unseeing, invisible nightmares plaguing his waking mind.

His footsteps stopped in front of Fennorin, an air of disgust wrinkling his nose. The mage knelt down to level them both, the hand flaring with mana coming to rest gentle upon the elf’s cheek. “You should have let her,” he whispered. “This is me now, Fen. Accept it.”

The hand scalded at Fennorin’s cheek. He forced his gaze to remain on Liam’s, his own hand fumbling within his robes to latch onto something solid hung at his neck. 

“I can’t accept that.” 

Liam’s features contorted into an angry snarl. His hand burned hotter on the elf’s cheek, near branding him with necrotic energy. “Why not!?”

Tears surfaced in Fennorin’s eyes like he’d already accepted he could very well die here trying to save Liam’s soul. A sob strangled in his chest. He tore the silver chain from around his neck and feebly lofted his holy symbol up.

It was met with the psychotic laughter of a devil. 

“That won’t work on me, Fennorin. I’m still very much alive.”

“That’s not what it’s for,” Fennorin presses. The salt of tears mixes with the taste of metal heavy on his tongue. His cheek leaned towards Liam’s touch and he managed to grab hold of his other hand, forcing the holy symbol of Corellon into his grasp. “Whatever is in your head, it’s not your god, Liam. Real gods don’t ask their followers to change who they are for them. You have not been abandoned.”

Liam curled his fingers around the symbol carved of pure silver, threatening to bend it in his iron grip. “You’re lying.”

“I’m not.”

Something twisted in Liam’s chest as he stared down his friend. How did he answer with such certainty even facing death itself? How did he just sit there and take it? He was the Spawn of Bhaal. A visage of true evil to spread death and destruction in the wake of his angered and forgotten god while Fennorin was a visage of true good. A healer to uphold the light even in crippling darkness. They couldn’t have been further opposites. Why did he care?

“I’m not lying, Liam. The dark gods are cruel. They’re devils disguised as holy beings, and all we can do is endure them, but I promise you, the real gods would never abandon you. You’re no elf. You’re no healer or student of the arts. But Corellon loves you. He loves you because I love you and every night I pray to him to save you! I pray for him to protect you from the devil infested blood running through your veins because blood is not a defining quality! It is a building block of life that gives you the sentience to be your own person. And the person you are is one of my best friends. For that… you will never be abandoned. Corellon will protect you even long after I’m dead.”

“Shut up!” 

Liam’s voice raised in an angry roar, his hand lifting from Fennorin’s cheek only to connect again in a vicious slap that tore claws across his cheek. 

The elf yelped out, his head snapping to the side as skin split beneath the force. It almost burned as much as the magic had. “I will always love you,” he repeated, the words forced through tears.

Another slap.

Then a fist. It sailed into Fennorin’s gut.

Liam couldn’t think. The anger that boiled inside him shifted gears to someone else. That voice. The lingering catalyst to his demise. A noise tore from his chest, sounding of a wounded animal in the night. 

His body shuddered before giving out. He collapsed against Fennorin as the black faded, returning the whites of his eyes and the subtle stormy blue of irises. The holy symbol remained clutched in his grasp as sobs overtook him. He pressed himself closer to the warm glow of the servitor who’s fresh wounds left him complacent against the boy.

“I’m sorry,” he finally gasped. “I’m sorry, i’m so sorry.”

Fennorin swallowed the rock lodged in his throat, releasing a breath that shook his entire being. Arms worked around Liam with an exhausted squeeze, swathing him in an embrace. He pushed his face down to the mage’s shoulder.

The magic holding Elijah released as Liam lost himself in clinging to his friend. 

“I forgive you.” The words that tumbled from the elf wrenched another sob free from Liam and fingers twisted into robes. Desperate. “We’re going to fix this. I’m not going to abandon you. Ever.”

The two held each other fiercely, Fennorin soothingly stroking Liam’s hair until finally the sobs faded and breaths evened out. Sleep took the mage like a silent lover in the night, coaxed by the warmth of his friend.

[malaismere]

Campaign 3 Predictions - Compiled

So, as a fan of compiling statistics, I've been keeping track of race/class predictions for campaign 3 for the past...at least a year, from tumblr, reddit, and twitter. with EXU over, and my spreadsheet hitting 400 (?!), I figured I'd share the fandom's current predictions

Travis

Human (30), Dwarf (29), Elf, Shifter (11), Half-Elf (10)

Cleric (103), Bloodhunter (63), Wizard (50), Fighter (49), Druid (46)

Lycan bloodhunter (41), Forge cleric (26), War cleric (16), Eldritch Knight fighter, Bladesinger wizard (14)

Marisha

Elf (16), Genasi, Tiefling (14), Dwarf (13), Dragonborn (11)

Paladin (112), Rogue (53), Fighter (43), Cleric (40), Warlock (37)

Eldritch Knight fighter, Glory paladin (14), Artillerist and Armorer artificer, Battlemaster Fighter (8)

Liam

Dwarf (25), Halfling (18), Tiefling (13), Elf (12), Warforged (11)

Druid (77), Cleric (72), Bard (71), Fighter (59)

Stars druid (16), Dreams druid (10), Eloquence bard (8), Alchemist artificer, Whispers bard, Twilight cleric (7)

Sam

Dwarf (34), Kobold (24), Goliath (17), Warforged (15), Kenku (13)

Sorcerer (106), Cleric (98), Druid (63), Wizard (47)

Wild Magic sorcerer (61), Wild Soul barbarian (14), Twilight cleric (8), Life and Forge cleric, Wildfire druid, Divination wizard (7)

Laura

Elf (21), Human, Tabaxi (19), Genasi (15), Gnome, Aasimar (10)

Barbarian (75), Sorcerer (74), Bard (64), Warlock (60)

Wild Soul barbarian (14), Wild Magic sorcerer (12), Glamour bard (10), Shadow monk (9)

Taliesin

Warforged (16), Elf, Changeling (14), Gnome, Genasi, Tabaxi (8)

Sorcerer (68), Rogue (65), Warlock (55), Bard (45), Wizard (43)

Aberrant Mind sorcerer (18), Whispers bard, Phantom rogue, Soulknife rogue (11), Mastermind rogue, Clockwork sorcerer (9)

Ashley

Elf (26), Human (18), Tiefling (17), Half-Elf (12), Dwarf (11)

Rogue (95), Bard (91), Monk (43), Ranger (41), Warlock (38)

Swashbuckler rogue (21), Glamour bard (13), Mercy monk (9), Drunken monk, Wild Magic sorcerer (8)

I also (although less consistently) collected continent/setting predictions. Marquet was the top (49), then Issylra (29) and the Shattered Teeth (22). For non-continent settings, some form of Spelljammer was the top (19), followed by the Age of Arcanum (17), and Planescape/Planehopping (15). Underdark, Ravenloft, Blightshore, and a return to Tal'Dorei were also suggested multiple times.

Much longer and rambly discussion (and my own predictions) under the break.

Top predicted races were Dwarf, Elf, and Human (~100). Dwarf and Elf haven't been played before, so that tracks, and I don't think it's out there to assume we'll get at least one human again. Also, post the whole thing with Essek and long rests, people really started jumping on Elves (which, fair). Warforged, Dragonborn, Tabaxi, Genasi, Tieflings, and Changelings all are pretty prominent (~50).

Of the races not yet established as existing in Exandria, Warforged and Changeling were the most popular (Warforged now dubiously canon post-Aeor, and Changelings dubiously canon with the LoVM bartender), followed by Shifters, Leonin, Kalashtar, Fairies, Grung, Ravnica races (Loxodon, Simic Hybrid, Vedalken), Van Richten's Races (Dhampir, Reborn, Hexblood). Locathah and the other Feywild/Strixhaven races are the only officially published races at 0 suggestions. The lowest previously seen race is Gobins at 2, one of which was for Sam again, and the lowest PHB race was Half-Orc at 17.

Class wise, Sorcerer was actually the most predicted class (which kind of tracks, as it's the one that hasn't shown up even as multiclass), followed by Cleric (generally assumed as compulsory), Paladin (only as a multiclass), and Rogue (also assumed as compulsory, but way less so. Not surprisingly, Bloodhunter, Ranger, and Artificer were the lowest.

Wild Magic Sorcerer was far and away the most suggested subclass, the only one to break 50, although it hasn't hit 100 quite yet (I think it will by the time the final characters are announced though). EK Fighter, Lycan Blooodhunter, Forge Cleric, Swashbuckler Rogue, Wild Soul Barbarian, Stars Druid, Glamour Bard, Bladesinger Wizard, Eloquence Bard, and Echo Knight Fighter are the other top subclasses.

Every official subclass has been suggested except for Berserker Barbarian, Grave Cleric, and Transmutation Wizard (previously played), Battlerager Barbarian and Banneret/Purple Dragon Knight (SCAG subclasses, which are widely unpopular), and the dubiously-official Planeshift subclasses. Open Seas Paladin is the only Matt homebrew to not be suggested at least once. For dead UA, Satire Bard, Brute Fighter, Giant Soul and Stone Sorcerer, and Raven Queen Warlock have all been suggested, usually only once, although many of the suggestions were collected while classes were in UA for Tasha's, Van Richten's, and Fizban's which is technically still UA but announced so...

With Travis, the predictions bounce between two main ideas - a melee spellcaster (Forge/War/Tempest cleric, Bladesinger/War wizard), or going back to a melee class (Bloodhunter, Fighter) but with a bit more mechanical interest (Lycan, EK/Echo/Rune/Battlemaster). I think those are both solid predictions, and while I really, really doubt we'll see a Lycan bloodhunter or a Forge cleric, I think the general vibe is probably spot on.

My own prediction is one of the more out there, but still in line with the general thinking - Artillerist Artificer. Travis is definitely a very tactical player, and it would be cool to see him get a turret for the battlefield, plus all the general utility/versatility of the artificer. Alternatively, I really could see a rogue, although more like what Mastermind or Inquisitive is trying for as opposed to how they actually turned out, if that makes sense.

Race wise, the top guesses are fairly plain, outside of shifter (which is mostly tied into the "werewolf" vibe). None of them would shock me, but I don't have any predictions.

I think that everyone's right on the money with Marisha as a paladin. Her next character being high charisma seems spot on, and I think moving to a half-caster also tracks. EK/Echo/Rune/Psi fighters would also fit, although they don't lean towards high charisma, or a warlock, maybe a more melee one.

Rogue seems unlikely purely due to the fact she's played one before, kind of. Matt and Marisha have both talked some, but her first game wasn't Vox Machina, but a previous game Matt had run where she'd played an assassin. You can do non-assassiny rogues, but still.

(Other fun facts about this game because it's wild: apparently the session she sat in on before playing involved half the party getting eaten by ghouls. the party joined up with another half-tpk'd party (marisha and the replacement characters) to get the raven queen to bring their dead friends back, and a fate-touched rogue swore service to the Raven Queen in order to bring the last party member back.)

My prediction for Marisha is also paladin, although I don't have any thoughts on the subclass, with genie warlock as a second because they are fun. No real thoughts on race other than I too would love to see tiefling Marisha.

Most people are going with a support caster for Liam, which I totally buy. Caleb definitely leaned towards support caster, even if he usually did end up played as DPS. Druid has taken the top given the polymorph->wildshape vibe, although it's still very yclose with Bard and Cleric. Suggestions for fighter dropped after EXU, and while Liam does play a lot of fighters, I doubt we'll see it for C3.

Honestly, Liam is the one I have no predictions for outside of 'support caster'. I'd lean away from Cleric and towards Druid or Bard, but it's hard to say. I also think Artificer deserves to be in the running, as it seems like something Liam would really enjoy, but also...might not want to go Int-caster to Int-caster. My only real thought on race is that I want to see whether Marisha and Liam choose the same again.

Top guesses for Sam is, far and away, Wild Magic Sorcerer. This was also the top guess for C2. I do not think Sam will play a Wild Magic Sorcerer. In general, though, the vibe is going back to fullcaster - Sorcerer, Cleric, Druid, Wizard. I think full caster is probably right.

Sam is so hard to predict because it isn't what he'd choose, but what Liam chose for him. I think it's either something really standard or something really out there, and since I can't guess the really out there, I'll go for the standard - Elf Wizard or Dwarf Cleric, leaning towards Dwarf Cleric, due to the support class and the fact that Sam's mentioned never playing a religious character.

The main vibe for Laura is definitely "DPS" which is understandable. I don't know if I agree with it, but I understand it. Aside from Barbarian, the rest of the vibe is spellcaster - and I don't think we'll see a completely no magic character from her either.

Prediction wise...I understand barbarian, but I'd actually go with Ancestor or Beast over Wild Soul. I could actually see a Bloodhunter from her too, although leaning away from Vex vibes. I think I'd want to go with Wizard, though I'm not certain on that. I would bet Tabaxi but idk, I could see her avoiding that for Travis' sake.

Everyone always names Taliesin as the hardest to predict (he had the lowest count at 354, under even Ashley at 365, to everyone else's ~380/400) but I don't think he's harder to predict than Sam. The thing that makes him hard to predict is that he likes to build characters to fit the party, which he (probably) won't be doing, same as with Molly. The other main thing he tends towards is mechanical complexity in a way that suits his characters.

The main driving influence in the top suggestions is Eldritch Weirdness. Aberrant Sorc, Whispers Bard, Phantom Rogue, Warlock in general. I don't disagree with any of the subclasses, but I really don't think he'd go eldritch for eldritch sake, if for at the very least being...he has always been this weird and it's yet to be a driving force behind any of his characters before. Like the Taliesin-is-an-elder-god thing, I think this is mostly people who don't hang out around occultists. Look, I've had multiple people sell me their actual souls, and you don't see all my characters being warlocks.

That being said, I don't think I disagree with the top classes, just the subclasses. I definitely agree with Sorcerer as a good choice for him, although I'd actually go Clockwork, as I think it has a fuck-with-the-DM vibe. Taliesin is the most heavily suggested for dunamancy subclasses, which wouldn't surprise me, but I think he might avoid on the sole point of not wanting something too tied with the last campaign. A lot of people also name the psionic subclasses, which I'd be more likely to second if they had kept the weird mechanic from the UA, but don't disagree with, excepting my issue with Aberrant Mind.

My out there guess is that he's going to choose a multiclass build. He definitely enjoys playing around with weird builds (Owlbear, he did a non-CR oneshot as a monk/stars druid). On the one hand, a lot of these builds work best for oneshots or starting at higher levels, as they can take a bit of time to come online, but with such a large party, I think it will still function.

(my actual prediction for Taliesin is that his character is weirdly reminiscent of either the aasimar echo knight or the elf blood cleric from the exandria game I'm running.)

Ashley is being predicted as a Dex/Cha build, and I'm totally here for it. Pre-Fearne, I was leaning Ranger, especially Fey Wanderer for a fey build, but post-Fearne, I'm going Rogue, especially Swashbuckler. I agree that seeing a high Cha Ashley would be great, especially to let her be more center-focused than Yasha had been, and swashbucklers are just...really fun. Also, the whole Aeor arc really left me wanting to see Ashley as the go-ahead-and-scout character, just to watch her push buttons.

For continents...I understand why people are guessing Marquet, since it's currently the most explored. I think that if they're going to do Marquet, then Matt will sit down with a cultural consultant. I say will over should, because I won't make any value judgements, but I think it's in line with what Matt and CR would do in that situation.

I can't really tell whether this is a prediction or what I'd like to see (the two are distinct but often difficult to untangle) but I'd actually go with Issylra, and specifically playing up the (at least initial) set up of explorers and adventurers heading out into the wilds. I will also place my bets on them having some sort of more steady home base, and my hopes on that they get an airship. My wildest out there guess is that the plot will move towards either planescape/spelljammer in the upper levels, tying into some of the seeds from the end of C2.

I have seen a handful of people predicting table seating order, which is both very minor and also the thing that I may be most interested in. A while back, someone made a post pointing out that the main romantic relationships were all cross-table, while the strongest platonic relationships were same-table or side by side. Because I am the sort of person that I am, I did statistical analysis on ao3 fics....and it's statistically significant. So I am trying to see whether or not, based purely on C3E1, I'll be able to predict what the top ships for the campaign will be.

This rambling has mostly gotten out of hand because I don't have much opportunity to talk about this, but, you know. If you send me predictions I will give you the current odds gambling style, so that you'd know how much you'd win if you'd place a bet, because I did the tables up as a joke for something else and now I kind of want them to be used for something.

[another-rpg-sideblog]

Since we launched Darrington Press, one product has been asked for again and again: the popular and out-of-print Tal’Dorei Campaign Setting.

Today, we are delighted to announce that the sourcebook is coming back, in a shiny new form: Tal’Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn—lovingly hashtagged #TalDoreiReborn for short. This definitive sourcebook brings the locations, people, creatures, and character options of Critical Role’s Tal’Dorei to your gaming table, complete with 5th edition stats for new magic items, subclasses, and even the members of Vox Machina. Whether you’re a fan of the original sourcebook or are totally new to Tal’Dorei, this book is for you.

Vastly More Pages and a Changed World

Tal’Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn updates, revises, and expands significantly upon the original. It nearly doubles the page count at a whopping 280 pages, adding content across the board. Further, the very state of the world has changed: the setting of Tal’Dorei has been advanced two decades in its future, to the time of the Mighty Nein in the second campaign of Critical Role. See how the adventures of Vox Machina and the conclusion of Campaign 1 have affected the land!

Everything You Need

Tal’Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn contains everything needed to unlock the rich campaign setting of Tal’Dorei and make it your own:

A guide to each major region of Tal’Dorei, with story hooks to fuel your campaign

Expanded character options, including 9 subclasses and 5 backgrounds

Magic items such as the Vestiges of Divergence, legendary artifacts that grow in power with their wielders

Dozens of creatures, many featured in the Critical Role campaigns

New lore and updated stat blocks for each member of Vox Machina

An Unbeatable Creative Team

The sourcebook’s lead designers are Critical Role Game Master and Chief Creative Officer Matthew Mercer, Hannah Rose (Explorer’s Guide to Wildemount, The Wild Beyond the Witchlight, Mythic Odysseys of Theros), and James J. Haeck (Explorer’s Guide to Wildemount, Waterdeep: Dragon Heist, Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus). Additional contributions are provided by Critical Role cast members Laura Bailey, Taliesin Jaffe, Ashley Johnson, Liam O’Brien, Marisha Ray, Sam Riegel, and Travis Willingham; as well as John Stavropoulos (Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft, X-Card, Wizards of the Coast: Game Design Coach) and Aabria Iyengar (Exandria Unlimited, Misfits and Magic, Pirates of Salt Bay).

Release Information

Tal’Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn will release in late 2021/early 2022, first at Darrington Press Guild stores and Critical Role shops (US, UK, CA, and AU) and followed two weeks later at other friendly local gaming stores.

Tal’Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn will also receive a deluxe treatment from the team at Beadle & Grimm’s, featuring in-world player handouts, battle maps, a GM screen, and much more. Be on the lookout for future details from Beadle & Grimm’s coming soon!

What's new from the original Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting?

This book totals 138 pages above the original Tal’Dorei Campaign Setting, published in 2017 by our friends at Green Ronin. It applies updates and improvements throughout, in addition to advancing the setting two decades into the future, up to the time of Campaign 2 of Critical Role featuring the Mighty Nein.

Existing owners of the book can look forward to all manner of new content in Tal’Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn:

Over a hundred new illustrations and maps

Over a dozen new magic items

4 all new subclasses, and a slew of updated subclasses for play in Exandria and beyond

Dozens of new creatures and adversaries, amounting to 18 new stat blocks

All members of Vox Machina (and some companions!) have been given full stat blocks as well, perfect for bringing these adventurers directly into your games

Oodles of updated lore and setting information, including information about who sits on the Tal’Dorei Council and what has happened in the two decades following the end of the Vox Machina campaign

Both the original book and Tal’Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn use the 5th edition ruleset, so content across both sourcebooks remain compatible at the same table.

Which formats will the book release in?

On the Critical Role shops, sales of the book come bundled with a free PDF. In brick and mortar stores, sales of the book are print-only. There will be no sales of PDF-only products at launch.

[criticald1ce]

Because everyones doing this I might aswell:

Critical Role Campaign 3 Predictions:

Travis: I think Travis is going to go back to the ol' reliable one two. I'm currently tending towards just a simple Fighter but I could see him possibly playing a Monk aswell. 'Not quite sure. When it comes to race I have *no* idea...so I'm just gonna say uh...Half-Elf because why not?

Marisha: For Marisha I am thinking a Paladin. Something that can be up in the middle of everything taking hits while also supporting the rest of the party. For race, once again, I'm at a loss though I am just gonna say Tiefling.

Liam: Because it would fit in fantastically with Liams trademark Angst, I think it's either gonna be Warlock or Blood Hunter for him. And as a race possibly a Tiefling aswell or alternatively Changeling maybe? I could also see him use one of the Lineages from Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft.

Sam: First off.....KOBOLD! I mean come on...it would just fit in with his theme of small characters. I would find it funny though if he busted down the door with a Goliath, Minotaur or something of the sort. As a class, I could see him being a cleric somehow...idk...

Laura: I think Laura is going to play a rogue just because of two primary factors: 1. Money...enough said. 2. So many dice to roll for Sneak Attack. For Race...again don't really know maybe a Drow...that might be interesting.

Taliesin: I HAVE NO IDEA HONESTLY. He's such a Wildcard I could see him play anything and somehow make it work. Maybe a Sorcerer/Wizard could work well for him. Alternatively I would love if he just made another Blood Hunter out of spite. For Race...I could see him do a Warforged maybe or something like a Kalashtar or just good old human really.

Ashley: WE GOT ASHLEY FOR A WHOLE CAMPAIGN HYPE!! Now, I think Ashley s'gonna play a Druid but I would love for her to play a bard. As a race I am thinking some kind of Genasi. Currently I am tending towards either a Water or a Fire Genasi.

Aaaand that is it my predictions as to what the cast is going to play...

No Matter what they'll play though, I am sure it will be an absolutely fantastic cast of loveable characters and I can't wait to see what kinds of adventures they'll have in Marquet. It's the first time I catch the beginning of a campaign and I am BEYOND HYPED!!!

[geekylainelove]

That’s So RavenLoft

- Liam O’Brien

The giggles guys, the giggles xD

Stoke the Flames - Episode 30

[cameoamalthea]

It wasn't Liam's daughter but it did happen in her campaign! Found the tweet. "The Ranger in my daughter’s Ravenloft game was offered the gift of Vampyrism and decided to murder their wolf companion and drink its blood to jump start the process. They grow up so fast."

OH ok, one of her friends. Still, kids are great! I love D and D.

[nochiquinn]

episode 95: one year later OR y’ever want to just murder your family members

LEEEET'S DOOO THE TIIIIME WAAAAARP AGAAAAAIN

I finally catch the actual start of the episode and my roomate was talking to me so Matt suddenly in my earbuds scared the shit out of me

"that can go a number of ways" same

taliesin has to look at that ALL NIGHT, at least the stein is protecting us from it

"nothing bad will ever happen again" "lol no"

welp I am prepared to miss a full half of this episode, based on how twitch is behaving

things I am currently aware of: grog copied his uncle's tattoo, beat kurn up a lot, got a drunk to pull A Card

"I WISH TO BE THE MOST POWERFUL SORCERER IN ALL CREATIOOOOOON"

grog plays 52 pickup

random: ashley's hair is really pretty tonight

Your Barbarian Can Read

THE SLAYER'S CAKE

"you're not getting a tax break" "WHAT"

zephra and chill

vax's barbed wire tribal antler tattoo

elfs gonna elf

behold the C R I S I S O R B

"you're not allowed in that room"

tary did nothing but enchant for five months

ROYAL CONSORT

fuck it's the falmer 

"entities"

(jokes only mala will get)

"luminescent illuminations"

"what did you kill in your year off" "time"

DOTY 2.0 

did he give doty an arm wrestling arm

LAURA

tary and vex being bros is my entire jam

"I was going to just stab you with it"

profiderolos

matt will never come up with a name they don't make fun of

taryon teaches them how to vacation

goddammit twitch you were doing so well

jesus christ pike

sandcastle ravenloft

science brotrayal

this is a full on anime beach episode I love it

"but they need their skin to live!"

vex: what the fuck did I do?!

ahhh blue hair, I need to go blue again

laura's face is a work of goddamn ART

roll to fucking murder your brother

the entire rest of this game is liam getting revenge for the bathtub scene

"WHY ARE WE US"

discord: vax "I've been vored by a dragon, nothing else is even remotely as bad" 'ildan

"I know you have to fiddle your dangle, I'm well aware"

liam looks like someone wearing his dad's suit jacket

I can't wait for him to summon a fucking worldeater

grog: this is an entirely reasonable fear that you have

mccoughnatree

wait is it

no it's not, boo

(I legit thought it might be scanlan)

so much secondhand awkward right now

"it's like the sacksville bagginses just rolled right in"

critrole version of an SOS text

keyleth ready to throw down

"I'm so excited" 

awww JB is the good cousin

(please tell me JB is the good cousin)

you passive that aggression pike

"the beard confuses me" same

liam's eyebrows at the word "jovial"

I'm grog silently crying in the corner

vehx maechena

literal abelist vex'ahlia

JB's gonna fucking kill grog in his sleep

the moderate silverware is my indie folk group

jokes on them it's all chicken

chicken wine

oh no tary is learning there are multiple ways to be abusive

aaand liam is gone

does grog not have his own dedicated pantry 

polymachina is canon

"there's a lot of courage, we make it every year"

I feel like ogden can secretly see the universe

"we'll talk later" that's a threat

HA I was right

"the dreams that come often often come to pass" I'm keeping that

you know who this sounds like? this sounds like fucking Mr. Ages from NIMH.

also giving the girl a break from being the sole caretaker for the old man?!

is pike's personal arc to carry madame zeroni up the mountain

I'm glad I'm not the only one who heard that as creepy

it's the fucking galochio curse psychonauts confirmed

oh man it even works with the doty joke from earlier, with tary as dogen. “No, Doty, I could never do that. I could never............kill everyone.”

grog just wants to live a life covered in gnomes

"GO BUY TSHIRTS!!!"

[itsangrynar]

"What happened to me? " Couldn't resist the urge to do it with my current campaign characters. We are playing Age of worms and my guy is a bhaalspawn :') First part Benny (swashbuckler) Second part Fennorin (servitor) Third part Liam (necromancer) Audio by @DannyPhantomexe

[itsangrynar]

Elie Ravenloft is my BG3 Tav, years later he is also the adoptive father and Master of Liam, my necromancer in my currently campaign.

TLDR; Elie and his husband 🧛‍♂️ had a fight over being parents, they separated for some years. During that time Elie tried to be a good master but failed miserably and "died". Vampire husband comes back, saves Elie with some friend's help and end up together again

BUT....

During that time, as well, Liam ended up turning himself in what he wanted to destroy

The ultimate edgelord bhaalspawn

[itsangrynar]

D&D got fucking wild my dude Happy valentine's for everyone 😘 So for context, Fennorin (the star elf) is our servitor and he is a newbie in this kind of stuff WHILE Liam is my necromancer (and bhaalspawn) who turned from a silly naive boy to a fucking homewrecker. Life is good, earth is healing

[itsangrynar]

Age of worms

First 3 characters from our current campaign Fennorin (servitor), Benny (swashbuckler) and Liam (My necromancer)