Inspired by Critical Role? Want to run your own campaign in their world? This is your ticket to Exandria!
This book is a guide to the world of Exandria, specifically Tal' Dorei. It contains a LOT of stuff. There's history, lore, sub-classes, plot-hooks, and, yes, post-epilogue info about Vox Machina. And gorgeous art. This artwork is stunning. I'll go into some of the extensive content here.
If you want to set up shop in this setting, you have all you need here. A detailed map of the Tal' Dorei continent is included in the front, and each area of it has its own section detailing all its stuff. Towns, environments, brief history, persons of interest, plot hooks etc. What I also like about this is how flexible it is. There's a lot of detail but nothing demands a particular direction.
The plot hooks create a general start to the adventure, and they point to a possibility, but it is vague enough for a Game Master to do with it what they want. There is little baggage except for what the Game Master and players sign up for by choosing this campaign setting. Even then, there is advice for making changes, such as considering how the addition of a large city would affect the local area and its history.
The sub-classes sound like fun. Barbarian-Juggernaut especially sounds like fun to play: position control against a single large enemy, charging through smaller mobs, and breaking through structures (both in and out of combat; There Was a Door).
The Vestiges of Divergence are here, both those from Critical Role campaign 1 and some others. I like the guidance given on how to unlock them as the campaign goes on. It is incentive to be invested in the character and to role-play, while also not being strict about how it has to happen, no alignment-straitjacket style thing.
Vox Machina info is everywhere, but it is well integrated. Each member has their own section at the end of the book with their post epilogue activities and a stream-lined character sheet, but they are not confined there. They are included as relevant:
Keyleth is in the section for the Air Ashari, being their Voice of the Tempest and leading them into a new era; Percy and Vex are in Whitestone, tinkering and leading the Grey Hunt. respectively. There's a footnote about how the group started in the wretched hive of Stillben, etc.
Art is gorgeous. The map of the setting, the illustrations of characters and places, the full page spread of the WildMother and the LawBearer with the backdrop of their respective divine domains....Whatever Critical Role Studios/Darrington Press paid the illustrators; the result was worth every cent.
Trickster Eric Noves gives Tal-Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn an A+
Click here for my previous book review: Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? volume 5
Brian Wilkerson is an independent novelist, freelance book reviewer, and writing advice blogger. He studied at the University of Minnesota and came away with bachelor's degrees in English Literature and History (Classical Mediterranean Period concentration).
His fantasy series, Journey to Chaos, is currently available on Amazon as an ebook or paperback.
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