Brennan Lee Mulligan is coming out swinging with the world he has forged for Campaign 4 of Critical Role. “The Gods are dead” is a shocking way to begin a story, but that is exactly what Mulligan has done. Aramán is “still suffering from the fallout of dead gods and living in the shadow of a tumultuous rebellion.” This is in many ways the complete opposite of what Critical Role has explored thus far in Exandria.

The Gods of Exandria played key roles in the lives of two of Ashley Johnson’s characters. Pike Trickfoot of Vox Machina was a cleric who worshipped Sarenrae, aka the Everlight. Yasha Nydoorin had a relationship with Kord, aka The Stormlord. They each were an important part of both characters’ evolution throughout their respective adventures. Pike grew to be one of Sarenrae’s most powerful clerics. While the Stormlord helped Yasha find her purpose and place in the world.

Ashley Johnson Shares Her Reaction To The Gods Being Dead In Campaign 4

Johnson’s penchant for exploring a relationship with the Gods makes the lack of Gods in Aramán even more intriguing. In an exclusive interview with Temple of Geek, Johnson was directly asked if the Gods being gone played into her character creation process. Johnson answered, “Yes. Yes.” She then explained how the drama of the Gods being dead in Aramán sparked an idea for her character and their historical knowledge.

Ashley Johnson:

I think a lot of it was, after hearing about the world that Brennan created, I had some different ideas. But after we sort of got the rundown of what Aramán was going to be like, that the gods were dead. It was just so dramatic. I wanted to maybe take on a character, which I don’t usually do, of someone who might be more familiar with history and has been there for a long time. And I’ve always wanted to play an elf, which I never have, which is weird. I’m excited.

Many questions remain about Johnson’s character, Vaelus. She appears to be a Drow, a type of dark elf, with many scars. Most of her face is hidden in the official character art holding what appears to be a thurible. Johnson revealed in a teaser video that she’s very tall and her favored weapon is a whip.

“I’ve Always Wanted To Play An Elf”

Beyond Johnson confirming that the Gods being dead influenced the character creation process, there are two notable pieces of information in her answer. Vaelus’ familiarity with history and that she “has been there for a long time.” This could point to Vaelus being much older than other characters. In the trailer narration, Mulligan, as the voice of Thjazi Fang, reveals that their grandparents rose against the Gods.

This could potentially indicate that Vaelus may have been around when the Gods were killed. Elves live for centuries. If the Gods were killed only two generations ago, this shift in the way of the world is still a relatively new development historically speaking. Vaelus may have a first-hand account of the difference between Aramán with Gods versus without.

She may also understand how the relationship between Gods and mortals of this world devolved to the point of revolt. If this is true, it’ll be interesting to see how this understanding and experience shaped her perspective on the world. She may have insight into the larger mysteries of this world due to this knowledge as well. Vaelus may be an enigma, but Johnson has teased a lot of exciting possibilities with the revelations about her character creation process.

Campaign 4 of Critical Role premieres on YouTube, Twitch, and Beacon on October 2nd at 7pm PT.