5 Brennan Lee Mulligan moments that Make me Excited for Critical Role’s Campaign 4

The fourth campaign of Critical Role begins tonight and as many fans know, this campaign will not have longtime GM Matt Mercer at the head of the table. Campaign 4 will not only feature a new world, but also a new GM in Brennan Lee Mulligan.

I am a huge fan of Brennan and his GM style so I am excited to see what he has in store for the CR gang, the new additions to the cast and the world of Araman that has been created for this campaign. Brennan has explored the past of Matthew Mercer’s Exandria in Calamity, Downfall and Divergence and each foray has deepened my love for that world, its lore and its rich history. My excitement over Brennan’s taking the reins is based on some truly memorable moments from previous Critical Role games that he has led.

So here are some of my favorite moments from Brennan Lee Mulligan behind the screen at Critical Role.

Bolo

Exandria Unlimited: Calamity

Set during the Age of Arcanum, Calamity showcases the members of the Ring of Brass, a group of individuals who represent the highest echelon of society in the floating city of Avalir before their ambitions led to the beginning of the Calamity that devastated the world of Exandria. As the Calamity represents one of the darker chapters in the history of that world, there are also moments of fun throughout the series and one of my favorite moments in the introduction of an NPC (Non-Player Character) named Bolo played by Brennan.

During a party thrown by Patia Por’co (Marisha Ray), one of her fellow Ring of Brass members Loquatius Seelie (Sam Riegel) tells the assembled group, including his ex-wife, that he has invited a young woman to be his date for the party. A young woman named Bolo. Brennan springs at the chance with some amazing improv as he deftly gives her a deep, haughty voice and mannerisms that caught everyone at the table off guard and led to some of the funniest moments of the story. I love this moment because it showcases how sharp witted and funny Brennan can be even with a character that was only in one scene but left a memorable impression on everyone.

A love letter to Matthew Mercer

Exandria Unlimited: Divergence

Taking place at the end of the Calamity, a group of mortals must traverse a ruined and struggling Exandria as the prime deities and the betrayer gods continue their battle across the world. Matthew Mercer joins the table as a character named Garen Hearthheart, a one armed dwarf who tells others that he is a maker, not a fighter.

Throughout the course of the series, the group faces everything from corrupt servants of fallen betrayers to the lord of the hells himself, but Brennan does something sublimely clever throughout this series as he weaves this story and Matt’s world together to present him with a final gift in the final moments of the story. A love letter to the creator of Exandria who has (without knowing it) been creating that very world as a player in the game. It is a brilliant, incredibly sweet reveal that had me in tears when Matt finally saw the finished product.

Scaring the hells out of his players

Exandria Unlimited: Calamity

One of the highlights of Calamity was the reveal of Asmodeus, the lord of the hells. As much as I love and admire Matthew’s gift for creating voices for his NPCs, Brennan blew me away with a personification of evil that didn’t have a deep, haunting resonance, but sounded like someone in need or even a friend. As the Ring of Brass is confronted by the emerging Asmodeus, Zerxus Iilerez (Luis Carazo) gets the full brunt of the lord of the hells fury as he gives a chilling speech to the First Knight of Avalir.

Brennan creates a performance that is uniquely scary and engaging performance as Asmodeus and even gives some moments that, if you pay attention, challenge your own perception of things including evil.

Why do we tell stories

Exandria Unlimited: Calamity

Some of my favorite moments of any campaign are when the GM takes the time to talk to the players about the story they are telling or have completed. It’s a way to digest the minutiae as well as the significant. The end of Calamity gives Brennan the opportunity to not only sum up the adventure of the Ring of Brass, but also comment on the broader topic of storytelling and its impact on the world. Rather than try to summarize what he said, I think his words are perfect the way they are;

“Why do we tell stories? To try to make sense of a world that can be terrifying and enormous. In Exandria, I don’t know that your story will long be known. I don’t know who will remain to tell it, but it did happen — and it did matter. And though the Calamity is here, because of you, it will not be here forever.”

The Fury of the Gods

Campaign 3: Downfall

Towards the end of campaign 3, Brennan joined the table again to bring viewers back to Exandria’s past to see the events that led to the gods bringing down the flying city of Aeor. Not only does Brennan show that gods taking on human form to infiltrate the city and bring down its defenses, but he also showcases their journey to Exandria itself and what they were before they were forced by circumstance to choose.

At the end of the series during the final battle to bring down the device that could destroy the gods, the players make a series of rolls that unlock their divine powers. As they regain their godly abilities, Brennan shows them throughout those moments that they are not the heroes of the story and through his guidance as GM you see how that power affects each of the players as they go from levels to joy to realization and even sober contemplation as they unleash their unmatched power on everything around them and what it means for the city and its people. Only a great DM can help players realize both the highs and lows of unlimited and unchecked power.

Those are just some of the moments that made me excited to see Brennan behind the screen for Critical Role’s fourth campaign starting tonight. What are some of yours? Let me know in the comments and “Is it Thursday yet?”