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And everything happening this week for Future Fest!

October is almost here, which means that I've been thinking about Frankenstein more than I usually do (six times a day opposed to the normal three). Admittedly, that's because an all new Frankenstein movie is coming from one of my favorite directors - Guillermo del Toro - but now, my Franken-stan instincts are even more stoked after the Critical Role character announcement for Campaign 4. Why? Because if the internet's theorizing is correct, a Frankenstein-esque character is heading into the mystical world of Aramán.

In case you weren't obsessively checking for CR news (it's ok, I know you were), the announcement of the Campaign 4 characters was published on Nerdist September 17. Really quickly before we begin, here are the 13 (!) folks that will be part of the game, along with the liveplayer that's portraying them.

• Matt Mercer as Sir Julien Davinos
• Travis Willingham as Teor Pridesire
• Laura Bailey as Thimble
• Taliesin Jaffe as Bolaire Lathalia
• Ashley Johnson as Vaelus
• Liam O’Brien as Halandil Fang
• Marisha Ray as Murray Mag’nesson
• Sam Riegel as Wicander Halovar
• Luis Carazo as Azune Nayar
• Robbie Daymond as Kattigan Vale
• Aabria Iyengar as Thaisha Lloy
• Whitney Moore as Tyranny 
• Alex Ward as Occtis Tachonis

It's the last character, Alex Ward's as Occtis Tachonis, that has critters all over the internet tossing out Frankenstein's name, and even more importantly, speculating as to whether Ward is resurrecting a rare type of D&D subclass - that is, the reanimator artificer. As you know if you've ever played older editions of D&D, artificers are considered "half-casters," magic wielders that either utilize inanimate objects to cast spells or infuse magic into inanimate objects. Subclasses include alchemists, who use ingredients to make potions, armorers, who construct magic gear, and the far lesser-known reanimators, who turn dead body parts into living things to assist their adventuring party.

Naturally, the idea of using dead body parts is easy to associate with Victor Frankenstein, but in Tachonis's case, there also appear to be visual similarities to the character Oscar Isaac will play when Del Toro's adaptation comes to Netflix. Check out the character's image below, replete with Edwardian-style garb, a book on anatomy, and some adorable familiars who seem stitched together (clock the "button eyes," Coraline fans).

All this to say, we can't be 100% sure  of this writing that Occtis Tachonis is a Frankenstein shoutout, much less that they'll serve as a reanimator artificer. Still, this is great material for your next D&D character creation, wouldn't you say? Especially if, like me, you just can't seem to get horror's very first monster-maker off your mind.

Critical Role Campaign 4 debuts on October 2 on Critical Role's Beacon, YouTube, and Twitch channels. Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein comes to select theaters October 17, and heads to Netflix November 7.

From the lands of Exandria to your very own smartscreens, Popverse has everything you need to know about the TTRPG phenomenon that is Critical Role. Here you'll find:

• Popverse's Critical Role watch order
• An interview with GM Brennan Lee Mulligan
• The cast's appearance at C2E2 '25

...and more. Roll initiative, player. Adventure awaits.