Critical Role Announces Campaign 2 Spin-Off Series

For years, Critters have followed the adventures of Critical Role’s adventuring parties Vox Machina, The Mighty Nein, and Bells Hells. These three groups have ventured throughout the world of Exandria to kick butt and steal audiences’ hearts, and those stories have been filled out through Critical Role’s expansion into other forms of storytelling, such as its animated adaptations, comics, and novels.

However, for every great story told about Exandria’s mightiest heroes, there are plenty of other opportunities to tell stories about the enemies and allies that Critical Role’s parties have met over the years. Thankfully, the latest book set in Exandria seeks to do just that. Enter Critical Role: The Mighty Nein — Stories Untold, by Critical Role and various authors.

Published by Random House Worlds, The Mighty Nein – Stories Untold is an anthology that explores some of the characters that The Mighty Nein have fought with and against throughout Campaign 2. Though there is some overlap and cameos from the Nein themselves, each chapter delves into side characters like Dairon and Essek, both of whom appear in 2025’s adaptation of the second campaign, The Mighty Nein.

As someone who is not up to date on everything about Campaign 2 but thoroughly enjoyed the television series, there is plenty to enjoy in this anthology without knowing Critical Role’s second campaign inside and out. Stories Untold dips its toes into the canon laid out by its animated adaptation while still offering extra insight into moments that campaign-watchers will enjoy. This anthology feels like the best of both worlds.

Each chapter and the character perspective it focuses on is more than strong enough to stand on its own. While it helps to know the intricacies of the source material, the expertise of each author involved in the anthology draws you into the story. “Dreams of Drowning” by Nino Cipri follows Avantika, a character who plays a significant role in Fjord’s story in Campaign 2 but has yet to be introduced in The Mighty Nein.

Cipri weaves a tale of tragedy, heartbreak, and the call to something greater than oneself. It is a typical Dungeons & Dragons adventure that entices any reader to root for the protagonist to succeed, even though this chapter follows one of The Mighty Nein’s many enemies. The fact that you care anyway, despite knowing where Avantika ends up and the harm she inflicts on others, shows how seriously each author takes seeing these characters as protagonists in their own right.

Furthermore, it is not just the written word that has its place in Stories Untold. While the vast majority of the stories are prose, “Super Weasel” by Chase K shakes things up by chronicling the adventures of Jester’s pet weasel, the crimson-furred Sprinkle. Even that tale has a narrative twist showing that no matter how small or large their role is in The Mighty Nein’s journey, each character has a story worth reading about.

Ultimately, the stories of Vox Machina, The Mighty Nein, and Bells Hells draw most Critters’ attention. Yet as Stories Untold proves, all three campaigns are not just about these adventuring parties anymore, but the world of Exandria as a whole. That means even a humble potion seller has a story worth hearing about, and for those who appreciate the adventure in the mundane, this anthology is a welcome addition.

Critical Role: The Mighty Nein – Stories Untold by Critical Role, Betsy Aoki, Kiri Callaghan, Dani Carr, Mae Catt, Mike Chen, Rin Chupeco, Nino Cipri, Nadia El-Fassi, and Chase K is available to purchase now at your local bookstore and other retailers.

Source: Polygon