Darrington Press and Dark Horse Comics has announced a graphic novel series based on Candela Obscura, the hit tabletop horror role-playing game, itself based on the Critical Role series. Written by Tini Howard and Blake Howard (Vampire: The Masquerade — Winter’s Teeth), with art by Fernando Heinz Furukawa (Dragon Age: Knight Errant), colors by Charlie Kirchoff, and lettering by Ariana Maher, the book will follow a new group of characters associated with the titular secret society, who protect the Fairelands from the evils of the occult.
It will revolve around Amelia Ashford, a junior member of the Circle of the Riddle and Key, as she embarks on an unauthorized quest to learn about the Empress Iomene. “Deep within Oldfaire, among the crumbling ruins of the House of Iomene, Amelia finds a strange relic that attunes her to the Empress herself! Iomene strikes an enticing deal: she’ll answer Amelia’s questions in exchange for her unwavering devotion.”
The official synopsis continues, saying, “It’ll take some tricky maneuvering to slip one past her Circle, especially when stern Javri’s set on ousting Amelia for her troublemaking. But as she starts to prove herself to Empress Iomene, Amelia realizes great power — and darkness — hides inside the mysterious artifact. Though the young investigator might be gaining the Empress’s trust, is that trust mutual?”
Candela Obscura was created by Taliesin Jaffe and Chris Lockey, and debuted on Twitch and YouTube in 2023, before making its game debut later that year. The series ran for four seasons, each consisting of three episodes, and a special until 2024, and cast members included Matthew Mercer, Laura Bailey, Ashley Johnson, Zehra Fazal, Marisha Ray, Travis Willingham, Brennan Lee Mulligan, Luis Carazo, and more.
Vol. 1 of the graphic novel will be released on August 3, 2027, and retail in hardcover at 56 pages for $17.99. Other Dark Horse books based on Critical Role titles, like Vox Machina and Tales of Exandria, are available now.
