Candela Obscura is a horror drama that premiered Thursday, 25 May 2023 on Twitch, and has aired monthly since, usually on the last Thursday of the month. It has been presented as chapters consisting of three standalone episodes each.[1][2]
The podcasts and YouTube video-on-demand versions for Chapter One were released two weeks following the initial stream on Twitch.[1] Subsequently, the YouTube schedule was adjusted to the Monday following the initial air date.
In June 2024, Marisha Ray announced the show would be paused for the summer to make room for other content, and that it would most likely return in the autumn.[3]
Cast and characters[]
Chapter One: The Circle of the Vassal and the Veil []
| Actor | Character | Specialty |
|---|---|---|
| Taliesin Jaffe | The Lightkeeper | |
| Matthew Mercer | Game Master | |
| Laura Bailey | Arlo Black | Occultist |
| Anjali Bhimani | Charlotte Eaves | Magician |
| Robbie Daymond | Howard Margrove | Professor |
| Ashley Johnson | Auggie James | Criminal |
Chapter Two: The Circle of Needle and Thread []
| Actor | Character | Specialty |
|---|---|---|
| Taliesin Jaffe | The Lightkeeper | |
| Spenser Starke | Game Master | |
| Luis Carazo | Marion Collodi | Medium |
| Zehra Fazal | Jinnah Basar | Doctor |
| Brennan Lee Mulligan | Sean Finnerty | Soldier |
| Marisha Ray | Beatrix Monroe | Criminal |
| Travis Willingham | Nathaniel Trapp | Journalist Detective |
Chapter Three: The Circle of Tide and Bone []
| Actor | Character | Specialty |
|---|---|---|
| Taliesin Jaffe | The Lightkeeper | |
| Aabria Iyengar | Game Master | |
| Ashly Burch | Elsie Roberts | Doctor |
| Noshir Dalal | Rajan Savarimuthu | Professor |
| Gina Darling | Cordelia Glask | Magician |
| Liam O'Brien | Cosmo Grimm | Occultist |
| Sam Riegel | Oscar Grimm | Soldier |
Chapter Four: The Circle of the Crimson Mirror []
| Actor | Character | Specialty |
|---|---|---|
| Taliesin Jaffe | The Lightkeeper | |
| Liam O'Brien | Game Master | |
| Aimee Carrero | Grimoria | Medium |
| Taliesin Jaffe | Leo Amicus | Journalist |
| Alexander Ward | Edgar Lycoris | Doctor |
| Imari Williams | Malcolm Trills | Soldier |
Special: The Circle of the Silver Screen []
| Actor | Character | Specialty |
|---|---|---|
| Taliesin Jaffe | The Lightkeeper | |
| Spenser Starke | Game Master | |
| Laura Bailey | Evelyn White | Celebrity |
| Matthew Mercer | Lester Shaw | Detective |
| Khary Payton | Chey Tanii | Monster |
| Marisha Ray | Jackie Renoux | Journalist |
The World[]
Official map of Newfaire, by Marc Moureau.[art 1]
The city of Newfaire is built on the ruins of an older city called Oldfaire that had advanced knowledge of magick and technology. "The Flare" is the boundary between Newfaire and another realm inhabited by strange and often dangerous creatures. "Bleed" is a reality-distorting residue that is left behind when something crosses the Flare. Candela Obscura is an organisation that investigates these incursions from beyond the Flare, made up of small groups called Circles that answer to a Lightkeeper that gives them their assignments and is at least sometimes a former Circle operative. The members of a Circle are frequently people who have had some encounter with the incursions from this other realm.
Other groups interested in The Bleed which Candela Obscura has encountered in their investigations include the Office of Unexplained Phenomenon (OUP), a quasi-governmental group; the Red Hand, a secret society of aristocrats and artists who covet Bleed-affected objects; and EONS (the Esoteric Order of New Sciences), who seem to have a complicated relationship with Candela Obscura.
Gameplay[]
Character classes[]
| Role | Specialty | Primary Drive |
|---|---|---|
| Face | Journalist | Cunning |
| Magician | Intuition | |
| Muscle | Explorer | Nerve |
| Soldier | Intuition | |
| Scholar | Doctor | Intuition |
| Professor | Cunning | |
| Slink | Criminal | Cunning |
| Detective | Nerve | |
| Weird | Medium | Intuition |
| Occultist | Intuition |
Production[]
The series was created and produced by Taliesin Jaffe and Chris Lockey, and utilizes the Illuminated Worlds System from Darrington Press LLC. Development of the game system and of the show itself began in 2018, around the same time Critical Role was working on "Call of Cthulhu: Shadow of the Crystal Palace" (Sx46).[4] According to Marisha Ray, one of their goals was to "put the horror in humanity and the humanity in horror".[5]
A 26-page Candela Obscura Quickstart Guide PDF was available for download from the Darrington Press website the day of the first streamed episode, including a circle sheet, Field Guide, and five pre-generated blank sample character sheets. In addition to the Quickstart Guide, Darrington Press published the Candela Obscura Core Rulebook on November 14, 2023, featuring the core rules, information on the setting in the Fairelands, sample assignments, and other information for both playing and gamemastering.[6]
The concept art for the main set, a smaller subsidiary set, and several props was created by Shaun Ellis,[7] and the sets were then fabricated by Flip This Bitch[8] Both Shaun and FTB had previously worked with Critical Role Productions in designing and building the set for Campaign Three.[9] Costumes for the show are by Jenny Newman.
Episodes[]
| No. overall | No. in chapter | Title | Original airdate | Link | Runtime |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "Candela Obscura: The Cold Embrace" (CO1x01) | 23-05-25 | VOD | 3:37:36 |
| After witnessing a devastating tragedy, a young street urchin has the veil yanked from his shrouded life - upturning and thrusting him into an esoteric world, guided by the light of a secret order… | |||||
| 2 | 2 | "Candela Obscura: Ravage of Red Lamp" (CO1x02) | 23-06-29 | VOD | 4:18:21 |
| A hunger yearns throughout city streets, as The Circle of the Vassal and the Veil toil to unravel the mysteries of Newfaire's ancient history. | |||||
| 3 | 3 | "Candela Obscura: The Collectors" (CO1x03) | 23-07-27 | VOD | 5:01:53 |
| The Circle of the Vassal and the Veil band together one final time to close unresolved business, as a newfound terror awakens within the permeating void. | |||||
| 4 | 1 | "Candela Obscura: Eye for an Eye" (CO2x01) | 23-08-31 | VOD | 4:36:25 |
| Years after the Last Great War has ended, five investigators unite and defend the Fairelands against an eldritch invasion. | |||||
| 5 | 2 | "Candela Obscura: Flesh and Blood" (CO2x02) | 23-09-28 | VOD | 4:01:35 |
| The Circle of Needle and Thread are forced to question their morality as an infiltrating purge rages on. | |||||
| 6 | 3 | "Candela Obscura: Broken Path" (CO2x03) | 23-11-02 | VOD | 6:13:12 |
| Uncertain who is friend or foe, The Circle of Needle and Thread continue their efforts to end a vengeful hunt. | |||||
| 7 | 1 | "Candela Obscura: The Antiquarian" (CO3x01) | 23-11-30 | VOD | 4:25:15 |
| After a creature known throughout legend emerges within Newfaire, Candela Obscura rallies the only circle they believe capable of taking on this Fairen Folklore. | |||||
| 8 | 2 | "Candela Obscura: The Guardian of Groundswell" (CO3x02) | 24-01-04 | VOD | 3:49:05 |
| The Circle of Tide and Bone confront an aqueous phenomenon, as the Periphery’s fist looms over the district of Groundswell. | |||||
| 9 | 3 | "Candela Obscura: Candles in the Dark" (CO3x03) | 24-01-25 | VOD | 4:45:27 |
| Something deep within Oldfaire beckons the Circle of Tide and Bone, as they leave no stone unturned. | |||||
| 10 | 1 | "Candela Obscura: Seeking Serenity" (CO4x01) | 24-02-29 | VOD | 4:54:30 |
| A new voyage begins... | |||||
| 11 | 2 | "Candela Obscura: The Gilded Graveyard" (CO4x02) | 24-03-28 | VOD | 4:59:29 |
| Past horrors resurface as the Circle of the Crimson Mirror attend a masquerade, along with Newfaire's major powers. | |||||
| 12 | 3 | "Candela Obscura: Into the Abyss" (CO4x03) | 24-04-25 | VOD | 5:33:47 |
| Something primordial stirs within the depths of Oldfaire, as the Circle of the Crimson Mirror searches for missing allies. | |||||
| 13 | 1 | "Candela Obscura Live - The Circle of the Silver Screen" (CO5x01) | 24-05-30 | VOD | 3:46:19 |
| When a vile phenomenon emerges on set, the cameras roll on the Circle of the Silver Screen - Assignment #29 -1128, "Stagecraft". | |||||
Trivia[]
- According to Ivan Van Norman, Head of Darrington Press LLC, "Candela Obscura" translates to "the light in the obscure". A "candela" is a unit of light intensity.[10]. The literal translation is, however, simply "dark candle".
- In a Fireside Chat on Beacon, Marisha Ray said she would be up for DMing a chapter of Candela Obscura and already has an idea.[11]
- If Sam Riegel is ever set to DM a chapter of Candela Obscura, he want it to be like a spy/horror story.[12]
External Links[]
Candela Obscura Quickstart Guide on the Darrington Press official website - San Diego Comic-Con 2023 - Critical Role: Making Candela Obscura! on the Critical Role YouTube channel
- Everything you need to know about the lore of Candela Obscura 🕯️ on the Luboffin YouTube channel
- Candela Obscura Official Trailer on the Critical Role YouTube channel
- How To Play: Candela Obscura (Critical Role's New RPG) on the Critical Role YouTube channel
- Crafting a Mystery with Matthew Mercer - Candela Obscura on the Critical Role YouTube channel
- Creating Characters for Candela Obscura: Vassal & Veil on the Critical Role YouTube channel
- Creating Characters for Candela Obscura: Needle & Thread on the Critical Role YouTube channel
- Creating Characters for Candela Obscura: Tide & Bone on the Critical Role YouTube channel
- Creating Characters for Candela Obscura: The Crimson Mirror on the Critical Role YouTube channel
- Candela Obscura: Game Master Roundtable on the Critical Role YouTube channel
- Candela Obscura Full Credits on IMDb.
- "Our Candela Obscura Original Soundtrack is Out Now!" on CritRole.com
- "‘Critical Role’s Taliesin Jaffe & Anjali Bhimani Tease New ‘Candela Obscura’ Series" on tvinsider.com.
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1
HYPE! CANDELA OBSCURA – OUR NEW HORROR TTRPG SHOW PREMIERES MAY 25TH! on CritRole.com .
- ↑ CRITICAL ROLE PRESENTS CANDELA OBSCURA! on CritRole.com .
- ↑ See Fireside Chat LIVE with Marisha Ray on Beacon at 38:12 through 39:16 (Subscription required).
- ↑ See San Diego Comic-Con 2023 - Critical Role: Making Candela Obscura! at 1:42.
- ↑ See San Diego Comic-Con 2023 - Critical Role: Making Candela Obscura! at 9:00.
- ↑ See "Coming Nov. 14: Candela Obscura Core Rulebook in Standard and Limited Editions!", Darrington Press, October 17, 2023.
- ↑
Shaun Ellis (@shmaba) on Twitter: "So now that you’ve all seen the first episode of #CandelaObscura and read the QuickStart guide (you *have* done that right??) i thought I’d share just some of what I’ve done for this project." (2023-05-31).
- ↑ See "Critical Role: Candela Obscura" on the FTB Design website.
- ↑ See "Campaign 3: Behind the Set" at 08:45.
- ↑ See San Diego Comic-Con 2023 - Critical Role: Making Candela Obscura! from 8:43 through 11:40.
- ↑ Fireside Chat LIVE with Marisha Ray at 38:12 (subscription required).
- ↑ Fireside Chat LIVE With Sam Riegel | Wildemount Wildlings & More! at 50:16 (subscription required).
Art:
- ↑ Official map of Newfaire, by Marc Moureau (source). This file is a copyrighted work. Its use in this article is asserted to qualify as fair use of the material under United States copyright law.
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