Critical Role Reveals Soldiers' Table and Motivations

The first of Critical Role's three tables has officially been revealed. Near the end of last night's episode, the Soldiers were revealed as Kattigan Vale (Robbie Daymond), Teor Pridesire (Travis Willingham), Thimble (Laura Bailey), Tyranny (Whitney Moore), and Wicander Halovar (Sam Riegel). The group's initial objective will be to track down the smuggler Casimir Gavendale, who betrayed a conspiracy to rescue condemned rogue Thjazi Fang and then left the city in pursuit of Teor's brother Cyd Pridesire.

Casimir's Crow Keepers (a thieves guild) had attacked Thimble immediately prior to the campaign, leading to her not delivering a glyph that would have transported him to safety. Meanwhile, Kattigan and Teor are old associates of Casimir, as they had all served in a mercenary group that rebelled several years prior to the start of the series. Tyranny and Wicander are joining the party as Casimir had dealings with Wicander's family House Halovar, and Wicander is seeking to rectify the wrongs of his family. Tyranny is seemingly loyal to Wicander, having made a pact with him to enter the Material Plane.

Two more tables will be revealed in Critical Role, presumably by the end of the next episode. One group, the Schemers, will likely look to take on the Sundered Houses and their growing influence on Dol Majkar, while the Seekers will likely be tasked with protecting Occtis Tachonis (Alex Ward) from his family and also exploring the state of the afterlife in the aftermath of the gods' death.

 

[Charlaquin]

That was tense but also kind of confusing. Like yes, Marisha's character was rude to him, but she hadn't done anything to threaten him. It just escalated so quickly.

It did escalate very quickly, which I can understand from a characterization standpoint - it was certainly an effective way to communicate how powerful, dangerous, arrogant, and callous that villain is. But, the idea that Brennan has might have actually have killed a PC after it was him who put her in that situation, and she had never interacted with him and had no way of knowing he would have such an extreme reaction to her just being kind of passive-aggressive. Though, in Brennan’s defense, he did not kill her, and gave pretty clear signals that it was very important she leave. Part of me has to wonder if it was really as close a call as he says, or if he was using some hyperbole for entertainment purposes.

 

[overgeeked]

It did escalate very quickly, which I can understand from a characterization standpoint - it was certainly an effective way to communicate how powerful, dangerous, arrogant, and callous that villain is. But, the idea that Brennan has might have actually have killed a PC after it was him who put her in that situation, and she had never interacted with him and had no way of knowing he would have such an extreme reaction to her just being kind of passive-aggressive. Though, in Brennan’s defense, he did not kill her, and gave pretty clear signals that it was very important she leave. Part of me has to wonder if it was really as close a call as he says, or if he was using some hyperbole for entertainment purposes.

Killing characters early to establish tone is a time-honored tradition in storytelling.

 

[Seramus]

Killing characters early to establish tone is a time-honored tradition in storytelling.

Even accidentally! I had a brand new player get killed in the first attack of the tutorial fight in the first D&D game they ever played, thanks to an unlucky crit. It was one of those rare times where we really did pull the old "So... your identical sister walks around the corner and bears witness to this grisly murder."

 

[Charlaquin]

Killing characters early to establish tone is a time-honored tradition in storytelling.

Sure, but I’m not sure it’s the best tone to set for a long-form D&D actual play… again, though, he didn’t actually kill the character so this is all moot anyway.

 

[Charlaquin]

Even accidentally! I had a brand new player get killed in the first attack of the tutorial fight in the first D&D game they ever played, thanks to an unlucky crit. It was one of those rare times where we really did pull the old "So... your identical sister walks around the corner and bears witness to this grisly murder."

I had something pretty similar happen in Curse of Strahd. That spectre in Death House is brutal.

 

[overgeeked]

Sure, but I’m not sure it’s the best tone to set for a long-form D&D actual play… again, though, he didn’t actually kill the character so this is all moot anyway.

Why? We’re still talking about a certain character death from C2 several years ago. It’s a great way to get people talking. It‘s no different than any other long-form TV show at this point. They‘ll have 100+ episodes at 4-5 hours each. They have plenty of time to get a new PC into the action.

 

[Charlaquin]

Why? We’re still talking about a certain character death from C2 several years ago. It’s a great way to get people talking. It‘s no different than any other long-form TV show at this point. They‘ll have 100+ episodes at 4-5 hours each. They have plenty of time to get a new PC into the action.

Again, doesn’t really matter anyway since the character isn’t dead.

 

[Chaltab]

It did escalate very quickly, which I can understand from a characterization standpoint - it was certainly an effective way to communicate how powerful, dangerous, arrogant, and callous that villain is.

I mean he is all of the above, but he's also just unhinged. He's the one who is storming into her college, being rude to the faculty, insulting Murray, and when she talks back he threatens to murder her.

But then given what his family does later in the episode I suppose he came to the city to cross the proverbial Rubicon.

 

[overgeeked]

Again, doesn’t really matter anyway since the character isn’t dead.

Yes, that’s true. I’m still curious why you think it’s a bad thing to do or a bad tone to set in a live play.

 

[Charlaquin]

Yes, that’s true. I’m still curious why you think it’s a bad thing to do or a bad tone to set in a live play.

I mean, it’s not that an early character death would be a bad thing per se. But, in that specific scene, it would have come across as arbitrary and unavoidable. Marisha had zero control over the situation, this character no one playing the game had ever seen before let alone interacted with just rolled up out of nowhere, insulted her to her face, threatened her career. and when she was mildly passive-aggressive in response, threatened to kill her. That’s effective tone-setting because she survived. If she had died, all it would have established is that Brennan, as DM, can and will kill your character on a whim at any moment, and I don’t think that’s a good tone for a game to have.