Critical Role is set to embark on a new narrative journey with "Age of Umbra: Sallowlands," a miniseries that will utilize the Daggerheart tabletop role-playing game system, rather than Dungeons & Dragons. This new campaign, premiering on July 9, will feature a cast that includes Laura Bailey, Jennifer English, Vico Ortiz, Abubakar Salim, and Zachery Renauldo, with Matthew Mercer returning as Game Master.
Laura Bailey, known for her extensive work with Critical Role, recently offered a glimpse into her new character, Sister, during a segment on the talk show "Fireside Chat." Bailey described Sister as a "hot, big fungril" witch, distinguishing her from a previously portrayed fungril character, the rogue Sweetpea Betabean. Bailey noted that her new character possesses magical abilities and is considerably more imposing than Sweetpea.
Bailey indicated that the characters in "Sallowlands" are generally "quite creepy." This aligns with the dark tone established in previous "Age of Umbra" miniseries and Matthew Mercer's description of the setting as "Soulsborne-esque, super dark and deadly." The Daggerheart system itself is designed to be more story-driven, integrating mechanics with narrative to create impactful moments at the gaming table.
Sister's design has been described as unsettlingly beautiful, resembling a mushroom that has been exposed to prolonged sunlight. She is identified as a fungril hedge witch. Abubakar Salim, another cast member, will also be playing a fungril, albeit one with giant ancestry.
The "Age of Umbra: Sallowlands" miniseries promises a blend of horror elements and deep narrative, characteristic of Critical Role's content when exploring darker themes. The campaign will delve into the mysteries and dangers of the Halcyon Domain, a land characterized as corrupted and nightmarish.