Critical Role is set to launch its next Daggerheart campaign miniseries, Age of Umbra: Sallowlands, on July 9. The series ventures into a world where the abandonment of gods has plunged the land into a nightmarish existence, forcing its inhabitants to adapt for survival. The narrative follows five adventurers journeying into the mysterious Sallowlands, drawn by rumors of a thriving metropolis. Actor and new Critical Role player Vico Ortiz, who portrays the galapa seaborne seraph Caguama, shared insights into their character and the themes of the new series.
Ortiz, who has prior experience with tabletop role-playing games, noted that the specific setup and depth of Age of Umbra: Sallowlands are new to them. Their connection to Critical Role began through professional networking in Los Angeles, eventually leading to an invitation to join the cast. Ortiz humorously recalled a history of characters dying in one-shot games, expressing initial apprehension about their character's fate in Sallowlands.
The cast was presented with the dark, Elden Ring-esque aesthetic of the campaign as it developed. Ortiz described seeing the artwork and character concepts as a pivotal moment in understanding the tone of Sallowlands. "Oh, Caguama has seen some shit," Ortiz remarked, leading to the development of a detailed nine-page biography for the character. The name Caguama itself carries multiple meanings; in Puerto Rico's indigenous language, it translates to "sea turtle," which is also the nature of Ortiz's character. Coincidentally, it is also slang for a large beer in Mexico, a duality that Ortiz found amusingly resonant with the audience.
Ortiz was drawn to the Seraph class, finding parallels between the world's fear of magic and their personal experiences. "I saw a lot of parallels with that and also being trans and non-binary, and how sometimes we're scared of our own magic because we've been told that it's bad," Ortiz explained. The character Caguama, a 102-year-old sea turtle seraph, embodies this theme of struggling with and overcoming the fear of one's own power, particularly in the face of past trauma and loss.
Developing Caguama involved extensive collaboration with Dungeon Master Matthew Mercer. Ortiz aimed to create a character who, despite their age, navigates grief, pain, and guilt in unorthodox ways, shying away from violence. The character's journey is one of holding onto hope through glimpses of a magical past, with Ortiz ensuring their Caribbean heritage would influence the portrayal. This involved extensive research into the campaign's lore, communities, and history, culminating in a comprehensive backstory document for Caguama.
The party dynamic in Sallowlands is characterized by diverse perspectives shaped by individual experiences with the setting. While characters like Caguama and Alphonse share similar pasts, their approaches to challenges differ significantly. Ortiz noted a developing kinship between Caguama and Sister, stemming from a shared interest in exploring magic. "Dillwyn, who's so precious," Ortiz added, describing a dynamic where Caguama sometimes exhibits an elder-like energy tempered by a childlike wonder, a result of long periods of reclusion.
Grief and loss are central themes for Age of Umbra: Sallowlands. Every character, including the centenarian Caguama, has experienced profound loss, often related to the disappearance of their communities. The series aims to explore how this collective loss manifests and impacts the characters. "Everyone has lost community," Ortiz stated. "The thing that unites them is that they've lost community, and how does that loss manifest? How does that grief manifest?"
Ortiz expressed surprise at the narrative power of the dice rolls, describing them as magical and profoundly influential in shaping the character and story development. "The way the dice were speaking felt very magical," they said. Even unfavorable rolls contributed to the unfolding drama and character arcs in unexpected ways.
When asked to summarize Sallowlands in three words, Ortiz offered: "Fear, compassion, resilience."
Age of Umbra: Sallowlands premieres July 9 on Twitch, YouTube, and Beacon.tv at 10 p.m. PDT. Episodes will be available on YouTube the following Monday.