The cast of Candela Obscura are helping to push Critical Role away from Dungeons & Dragons and into a world filled with horror and possibility. In late may, Critical Role released the first episode of Candela Obscura, a new monthly Actual Play series focused on horror and mystery. Unlike the main Critical Role series that uses Dungeons & Dragons, Candela Obscura uses a new game system built upon a soon to be released Illuminated Worlds system designed by Critical Role’s Darrington Press team.
Videos by ComicBook.com
ComicBook.com had the chance to speak with cast members Robbie Daymond, Laura Bailey, and Matt Mercer (the latter of which is running the first three episode arc of the game) via email about the differences between Critical Role and Candela Obscura, bringing horror to life in actual play, and the challenges of bringing a new game to life for the first time.
ComicBook.com: Is there any difference in how you prepare for a horror-themed game like Candela Obscura compared to a fantasy game like D&D?
Robbie Daymond: I really enjoyed the prep process for horror, because it opens up a whole new set of possibilities for what type of character you create, and the relationships that you can build at the table. There are so many fantasy tropes that have been played over and over again, that have been turned on their head and remixed and done in so many different ways. If you’re trying to create something new and handcrafted and exciting for not just yourself to play, but for the audience to watch, you really have to work hard to do something that’s evocative but original.
I feel like with horror, there’s just less content out there in the TTRPG space, especially getting to play a brand new system like Candle Obscura, where I really had a great time crafting Howard and making choices for him that were morally gray, off kilter, and making his relationships always raising an eyebrow about what’s going through Howard’s mind. So hopefully we created something that is enjoyable for everyone to watch and not too spooky that they have to turn it off
Matt Mercer: There are many differences! Beyond just leaning into the themes of dark mystery, looming dangers, and perpetually growing tension, this genre is now about power fantasy and heroic feats. This genre of storytelling plays best when protagonists are capable but fragile. Where investigation and clever problem solving is lauded over massive damage. These are tales where the odds are stacked against you, and should you all keep your wits about you as the danger grows, you just might succeed, or at least survive… or not. That is the thrill of Horror, and keeping all of these things in mind as I prepare a game is of paramount importance.
Were there any additional challenges to preparing for and playing in a game that hasn’t debuted? Was there more of a learning curve compared to when you play new games on stream that aren’t D&D?
Daymond: For me, the learning curve wasn’t that big because I’m new to all of it. Playing with Critical Role back in Exandria Unlimited was my first ever real TTRPG experience. I had been invited to do a few one shots and whatnot, but I had never really bothered to learn the rules. That said, you know, it’s all Greek to me and I’m just so grateful to have the best teachers in the business, having the creative team behind Candela like Spenser and all the rest of the team and then having Matt there at the table supporting the players and you couldn’t have a better pathway to success than the creator’s at Critical Role. So yeah, absolutely a learning curve but I love games so once we got the swing of it it was just so natural. It’s a really fun system!
Mercer: There is definitely a learning curve, for both players and GM! That is part of the fun of trying out a new system as well! Fumbling through it as you go, realizing what you CAN do and what unique methods of tackling a challenge can succeed, and how to best utilize your character’s specialties to keep you and your crew alive… those moments are golden in those early sessions of a new game system. As a GM, being the arbiter of a new system is another layer of responsibility, but remembering that you are all in this together and to learn it through each other is also important. We’re here to have fun! That all being said, Illuminated Worlds and Candela Obscura are quite streamlined with room to fiddle deeper with practice when compared to many other systems, so it wasn’t challenging to pick up at all.
Laura Bailey: I actually found everything really quick to pick up! Normally when playing a new system – I’m checking the rulebook every few minutes to make sure I’m not forgetting about anything. But with this, the world and environments Matt put us in were so immersive, it was easy to fall in step. Knowing what’s available and when to roll is all very straightforward, so it allows you to be really creative with how you want to play.
Are you a fan of horror movies/stories and how did that impact how prepared for and play in Candela Obscura?
Daymond: I am indeed a horror movie fan. I can’t say that like the low budget gore, fangoria and like gore fest stream of blood type movies are my favorite, but I do love a good horror film. I’ve seen so many I was probably watching horror movies and content well before I should.
I remember being a kid and having Dusk Till Dawn come on while I was over at my grandma’s house watching Cinemax after everybody went to bed and it’s like, you know, that was one of my first real experiences. And then I got into it. I was huge on all the OG stuff. Poltergeist is one of my favorite films of all time. There’s just so many movies that I love, like Evil Dead. I love a little bit of comedy mixed in with it. I love a lot of Peter Jackson’s early stuff like Dead Alive. And I do keep up with all the modern things. I think Hereditary was one of the scariest movies ever made. Suspiria is amazing!
That said, I know this is a little bit different where you got to have your personality shine through from time to time. So I really wanted to create a character that felt like it was in a horror world but I could still express myself and not make it so scary that it was unwatchable. I do think my knowledge about horror movies and coming up with new and spooky ideas and imagery made that a little bit easier
Mercer: I am VERY MUCH a fan of horror! I grew up loving Alien, Nightmare on Elm St, Evil Dead, etc, as well as classic horror video games like Resident Evil and Silent Hill. To this day I adore good occult horror in particular (shout out to Hereditary & The Empty Man). For me, reconnecting with why I enjoy those films so much and how best to slowly draw my players into that terrifying sense of growing, unknown danger was my overall goal. Revisiting some of my favorite bits of media in-genre and capturing what I can of those vibes was part of the prep for me.
Bailey: I LOVE horror. Films yes, but I also love reading horror. I remember discovering Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark when I was a kid, and was obsessed. One of my favorite ways to waste time is reading random creepy pasta stories. I always do it right before bed too, which is so stupid. Love reading it and then I lay awake totally freaked out.
One of the big challenges in the Actual Play space is that while streams and games can feature any game, it’s often more lucrative or easier to just stick with D&D 5E. Do you hope that Candela Obscura provides an example to other big streams to explore other games?
Mercer: I really do hope so! I love myself some D&D. I grew up with it, and it has been the spine of the industry for decades. That being said, while it CAN be altered to run genres outside of Epic Fantasy, many amazing TTRPG systems exist that can run these other genres with more grace, direct intent, and overall success. A plethora of systems only makes for a healthier gaming space, and helps folks find differing and more unique experiences at the table! I hope this inspires folks out there to step beyond their comfort zone and try something new. They just might really like what they discover.
Candela Obscura is set in a world very similar to the real world. Were there any real world inspirations that you drew from when prepping your character?
Daymond: Did I pull real world inspiration? Oh man, how much do I want to give away? Well, yeah, I absolutely always do. I like to add little easter eggs and touchstones. The touchstones to my characters that are, homages to some of my favorite people, though they’re not those people. Let me be very clear.
My character in this show is a PhD college professor as is my mother. Yes, doctor mom. And I am a former part time instructor and master’s degree holder, so I wanted to play something that I knew and I thought dabbling in the world of academics would be fun.
In creating my character’s backstory, I was able to make some choices that were compelling for me and allowed me to make strong decisions at the table. Also his name, his first name is Howard. I’ll let you guys figure that one out.
Bailey: I wanted to create a character that was inspired by, but not tethered to our world. That’s the beauty of having a place like Newfaire as our setting, we can have all of the interesting turn of the century technologies while not being held back by real world imposed limitations. I wanted Alro to be a girl blinded by her gilded upbringing who’s eyes were forcibly opened. While it would be easy to resist that new reality, I wanted Arlo to embrace it and dive in.
Critical Role has done cosmic horror before, with the Call of Cthulhu game by Taliesin that required a PSA on Lovecraft. Was it exciting to dive back into that same genre but with a unique system and world created by your friends that is free from Lovecraft’s baggage?
Bailey: Oh 100%. My friends are freakin’ brilliant – I honestly don’t understand how I got so lucky to have them in my life. Any chance I have to get to see inside their minds and explore something THEY created is fantastic. The world of Newfaire is vibrant and mysterious and so much fun! I can’t wait to find out what the future holds here.
What do you hope fans come away with when they watch the first episode of Candela Obscura?
Robbie: Oh, that’s easy. I have but one hope for after the first episode, and that’s that the people watching want to go play it, simply because I had fun playing it.
I think it’s a great game if you want to introduce someone into TTRPGs and you can’t quite sell them on a four year long campaign. The missions are sort of the standalone experiences that you can also tell a really compelling continuing story through. So my hope is that we fade to black and the credits come up and you run and download the quickstart guide, because honestly, that’s a big part of what we’re doing out here.
One of the favorite things I ever hear as a new player when I go and do conventions or I meet people is that seeing me get into it and play has inspired them to overcome their either fears or trepidations about playing TTRPGs and that just warms my heart and even though we’re trying to tear it out of your chest with Candela Obscura, I’d like it to be warm.
Matt: For me, I want folks to have a good time getting to know the setting of Newfaire, falling in love with these player characters, then beginning to fear for their safety as they fall deeper and deeper down the terrifying rabbit hole. With that, I want them to walk away feeling like this is fun to watch, but would ALSO be fun to play without being intimidated to take a crack at it! It is something new, which is always intimidating, but wanting to dive into this world themselves and create nightmares.
Laura: I hope they wanna jump in with us!
New episodes of Candela Obscura will air on the fourth Thursday of every month. The first episode of Candela Obscura will be posted to YouTube this week.
