RPG: ‘Candela Obscura’, the RPG Behind ‘Critical Role’s Eldritch Spin-Off Series, Gets a Release Date
Critical Role’s publishing imprint, Darrington Press, announced the release date for their game of occult investigations, Candela Obscura.
Have you been watching Critical Role’s Candela Obscura? The monthly horror(ish) anthology not only features some of your favorite TTRPG streamers and actors, but it also highlights the forthcoming TTRPG of the same name. And today, Critical Role’s publishing imprint, Darrington Pressed, announced at last the release date for the core rulebooks.
On November 14th, the Candela Obscura Core Rulebook releases worldwide, including a special art deco-ish collector’s edition hardcover book for all you fans of shiny, gold etched books out there. Which, I can’t say as I blame you.
If you haven’t watched the series, here’s what you need to know about Candela Obscura in a nutshell. It’s a horror-themed game that uses the Illuminated Worlds ruleset, which is itself heavily inspired by Blades in the Dark. Unsurprising, considering one of the lead designers for the Illuminated Worlds system is Stras Acimovic, who is well known for working on Band of Blades and Scum and Villainy which are themselves Forged in the Dark.
In Candela Obscura, designed by Spenser Starke and Rowan Hall (along with Taliesin Jaffe of Critical Role), players are in a vague turn-of-the century fantasy pastiche where they’re part of a secret order dedicated to investigating the strange and the occult. You know, stuff like this:
And the book is coming soon. Here’s a look at the announcement.
Candela Obscura – Core Rules Coming November 14th!
Within the secret society Candela Obscura, individuals of varied talents work as a team—known as a circle—to investigate strange occurrences and dangerous magick, fighting back against a mysterious source of corruption and bleed. The first game to use the Illuminated Worlds System designed by Stras Acimovic and Layla Adelman, the Candela Obscure Core Rulebook includes everything you need to start a thrilling and terrifying game session, including rules, playable character options, sample campaigns, and expansive setting information both inside and beyond the city of Newfaire.
Available to purchase at Darrington Press Guild Stores and Critical Role online shops starting November 14, both the standard ($39.99 USD) and limited edition ($59.99 USD, faux leather with an exclusive cover design, debossed and filled with metallic ink) books contain:
- 204 pages, with a satin ribbon to keep your place
- The core rules to play and create your Candela Obscura investigators and their circles
- Over 90 pages detailing the turn of the century-inspired setting of the Fairelands, and in detail the city of Newfaire and the ancient ruins beneath known as Oldfaire
- 4 full example assignments for gamemasters to dive in with their players
- Over 30 example assignments to explore far-flung corners of the Fairelands and the organizations and people operating within it
- An extensive guide to preparing for and gamemastering Candela Obscura
- Immersive, in-world ephemera and notes strewn throughout the chapters—illustrations, sketches, research notes, correspondences, advertisements, maps, and more to bring the Fairelands to life
See you in the Fairelands come November!
