Inside the Nerdworld Business’ Coolest Alliance: Behind-the-Scenes Look

• Brennan Lee Mulligan and Matthew Mercer have formed a strong alliance in the nerdworld business.
• “D20” and Critical Role have sold out major venues like Madison Square Garden and the Wembley Arena.
• Both men are also close friends, and they worked together on “Downfall,” CR’s latest campaign arc.

Brennan Lee Mulligan of “Dimension 20” fame recalls the moment he first met Critical Role’s Matthew Mercer with the infectious joy of someone who has found his gaming soulmate.

Mulligan was working on “Um, Actually,” a web series on the streaming platform Dropout. For one episode, he was tasked with writing errors into a round of “Dungeons & Dragons” combat depicted in comic panels. Mercer was a guest on that November 2018 episode. At the time, “Critical Role” was just beginning its rise as a significant player in the nerdworld business.

Mercer, known as a “rules lawyer,” had to spot all the mistakes in Mulligan’s setup. Impressively, he caught all of them, including some that weren’t even on Mulligan’s list.

After filming wrapped, they stood at the elevators in their West Hollywood studio, discussing their “D&D” games. “There’s love at first sight, and this is one of those variations,” Mercer told BI. “I immediately knew: ‘I’m going to know this person for a very long time and look forward to seeing them again.'”

Now, these two men have built a formidable alliance in the nerdworld business. Their shows draw crowds to large venues: “Dimension 20” sold out Madison Square Garden for their January 2025 gig, and “Critical Role” has packed venues from Wembley Arena in London to the Greek in Los Angeles.

Beyond performing, they also play significant roles behind the scenes. As the chief creative officer at Critical Role, Mercer works with his eight friends on various ventures, from Amazon-backed animation series to board game projects. Mulligan, on the other hand, is a key creative mind at Dropout, a streaming platform aiming for Emmy nominations.

Mulligan directed his first Critical Role miniseries, EXU Calamity, in May 2022. Mercer reciprocated by game mastering for “Dimension 20’s” Ravening War, a six-episode campaign aired in May 2023.

Mulligan told BI he had long admired Critical Role and delved deep into Mercer’s lore while working on EXU Calamity. Later, he was invited back for “Downfall,” a three-episode arc that aired in July.

Mercer mentioned that collaborating with a guest game master like Mulligan requires a “strong sense of trust” due to how dear the stories in Exandria are to him. “I was anxious about living up to what I envisioned, then joyfully realized that someone I trusted could do it better justice,” Mercer said of Mulligan.

Mulligan would consult Mercer with broad outlines of his narrative plans but enjoyed “total freedom” to improvise at the table, which he found “really gratifying.” “With Matt, it’s never restrictive. It’s much more like: ‘Here’s an area I need to protect for the upcoming campaign, and everything else is the playground,'” Mulligan said.

It helps that Mulligan and Mercer are always on the same page, from mythological references to their shared vision for the story. Together, they built the sprawling landscape of Aeor, from a glamorous speakeasy where robots and humans party together to the brutalist architecture of key city wards. They also created a battle set, detailing where the gods of the Exandrian pantheon clashed against dragons, monsters, and powerful mages.

“We pulled minis together for that battle and really went all out,” Mulligan said. “I was just off camera behind the curtains, watching everything unfold, giddy and crying. It was wonderful,” Mercer added.

Mercer and Mulligan agree that, aside from storytelling and work, they cherish the opportunity to hang out together. “As someone who struggled to find community at various points, the passions I loved weren’t always easy to share,” Mercer said.

Telling stories for his friends, Mercer says, is his love language, and he’s glad to do that with Mulligan.

“The CR crew have become the closest people in my life outside of family. These collaborations allow that family to expand, bringing more people into the community,” Mercer said.

Mercer is now back in the game master’s seat for Critical Role’s third campaign. When asked if he would fancy being a player at Mulligan’s table, possibly piloting a fan-favorite character like the elven wizard Essek Thelyss, Mercer said, “Nothing wrong with pitching it. I’d love to.” He added that if another adventure with Mulligan comes up, he’s game.

Source: Business Insider