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Matt Mercer is, in so many ways, the face of modern TTRPG storytelling. As founder of Critical Role's land of Exandria, Mercer played a huge part in the creation of the liveplay medium and, maybe even more impressive, the evolution of Dungeons and Dragons from niche nerd culture to stadium-filling showbiz. How ironic is it, then, that by Mercer's own admission, he never finished his first D&D campaign?

The story comes from an interview Mercer did with Forbes, in which the now-iconic GM explained his origin story with TTRPGs. After being gifted a Dungeons & Dragons Monster Manual by his grandma at a very young age, the voice actor's next experience with the game that would have such an impact on his life was later in his teenage years. 

"When I was in high school," recounts Mercer, "I was part of the 'Popular Arts Club' which was the public facing term for a nerdy comic book/video game club. The guys who were the heads of the club were track kids; fit, secret nerds. I helped do some design work for the club and they asked if I wanted to play in their Dungeons and Dragons game."

"I ran home," the GM continues, "Made a character and joined their game. I came in with this backstory to my character, showed up and they were just these slapstick players. Which is fine, but I had built this idea in my head of a collaborative story and an imaginative world. But no, we’re maying dick jokes and talking about barbarians. I ended up leaving that game after a few sessions, asked two of my friends if they wanted to play and then learned to DM on the fly because nobody else would."

Even though we take Mercer at his word that the campaign he describes wasn't a fulfilling one, we can't help but wonder what it looked like, and moreover, how it affected the history of Critical Role and TTRPG liveplay. For example, though the world of Exandria is leagues bigger than Mercer's fabled first time at the table, it's not like anybody's gotten rid of the dick jokes. 

Critical Role's Campaign 4 debuts on October 2 on Critical Role's Beacon, YouTube, and Twitch channels.

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.