Critical Lit

By Amelia Som, Dan Dillon, Sal Tamarkin, I-Hsien Sherwood

Critical Lit is a podcast where we revisit and retool (and lambast and lampoon) classic tabletop RPG adventures. Part book review, part heckling commentary, all in good fun. Hosted by industry veteran... more

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FAQs about Critical Lit:

How many episodes does Critical Lit have?

The podcast currently has 18 episodes available.

Critical Lit episodes:

February 25, 2026 Curse of Strahd Deep Dive 15: Fowl Play
For want of a dress, Krezk was lost. The Abbot gets serious about playing dress-up, Ireena takes a dive, fine feathered fiends guard the pass, and the roc just has the munchies. But the true villain, of course, is Sangzor, the gruffest goat on the mountain. In this episode: the second half of Chapter 8 and all of Chapter 9 (Areas of the Abbey S20-S24, Special Events, Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue, Barovian souls, hunting for a dress, a happy ending for Sergei and Tatyana, Areas of Tsolenka Pass T1-T9, petrified vrocks, snow maidens, Roc of Mount Ghakis, Sangzor shenanigans).
Support us on Patreon to hear monthly bonus episodes: https://www.patreon.com/CriticalLit
Contact us:
Email: [email protected]
Bluesky: @CriticalLit.bsky.social
Dan Dillon: @dandillon.bsky.social
I-Hsien Sherwood: @ihsien.bsky.social
Amelia Som: @ameliasom.com
Sal Tamarkin: @sal.gay
Cover art by Aram Vartian: @aramvartian.com
...more
1h 25min
February 11, 2026 Curse of Strahd Deep Dive 14: Build-a-Bride Workshop
Mutual aid! In my D&D? The Krezkites share everything: food, labor, and a growing horror at the screams emanating from the Abbey above. The empty graves strewn about town are almost as problematic as the portrayal of the people labeled "mongrelfolk" in this book. In this episode: the first half of Chapter 8 (The Village of Krezk, approaching Krezk first, Areas of Krezk S1-S5, Burgomaster Dmitri Krezkov, Krezk Lore, Shrine of the White Sun, Areas of the Abbey S6-S19, mongrelfolk publication history, portrayal of mongrelfolk, The Abbot, Vasilka, Vasilka as Fated Ally, The Madhouse, Clovin Belview).
Support us on Patreon to hear monthly bonus episodes: https://www.patreon.com/CriticalLit
Contact us:
Email: [email protected]
Bluesky: @CriticalLit.bsky.social
Dan Dillon: @dandillon.bsky.social
I-Hsien Sherwood: @ihsien.bsky.social
Amelia Som: @ameliasom.com
Sal Tamarkin: @sal.gay
Cover art by Aram Vartian: @aramvartian.com
...more
1h 45min
January 28, 2026 Curse of Strahd Deep Dive 13: Eight Crazy Knights
Strahd may have tried to bury these gays, but they refused to stay down. In Chapter 7 we meet a goodly order of knights and their defeated dragon lord. What starts off as a side quest to lay unquiet dead to rest soon becomes a tragic love story that reaches across the centuries and literally brings light to this forsaken land. In this episode: Chapter 7 (Argynvostholt, The Order of the Silver Dragon, Revenants of Barovia, Areas Q1 - Q53, Vladimir Horngaard, Sir Godfrey Gwilym, Lighting the Beacon, Special Events).
Support us on Patreon to hear monthly bonus episodes: https://www.patreon.com/CriticalLit
Contact us:
Email: [email protected]
Bluesky: @CriticalLit.bsky.social
Dan Dillon: @dandillon.bsky.social
I-Hsien Sherwood: @ihsien.bsky.social
Amelia Som: @ameliasom.com
Sal Tamarkin: @sal.gay
Cover art by Aram Vartian: @aramvartian.com
...more
1h 40min
January 14, 2026 Curse of Strahd Deep Dive 12: Baker's Coven
Dream Pastries™ are Pediatrically Delicious! Uhh, Tragically Suspicious? Chapter 6 of Curse of Strahd is a bigger deal than its page count lets on. Looks can be deceiving, but the hags don't bother with all that. What you see is what you get, and that's a whole lot of trouble. In this episode: Chapter 6 (Old Bonegrinder, night hags, hag covens, Areas O1 - O4, The Megaliths).
Support us on Patreon to hear monthly bonus episodes: https://www.patreon.com/CriticalLit
Mockman Press D&D Walkthrough maps: https://mockman.myshopify.com/collections/walkthrough-map-prints
Contact us:
Email: [email protected]
Bluesky: @CriticalLit.bsky.social
Dan Dillon: @dandillon.bsky.social
I-Hsien Sherwood: @ihsien.bsky.social
Amelia Som: @ameliasom.com
Sal Tamarkin: @sal.gay
Cover art by Aram Vartian: @aramvartian.com
...more
1h 23min
December 31, 2025 White Plume Mountain Deep Dive 02 - Weapon of Choice
Consider us Schick-pilled. We wrap up both our holiday hiatus and the 1979 TSR adventure White Plume Mountain in surprisingly high spirits: arms adorned with shiny new weapons, blood infected with instant super-tetanus, and bellies full of crab forearms. In this episode: Rooms 5-27, origin of I6 Ravenloft, Wave, Whelm, Blackrazor, just about the biggest giant crab anyone's ever seen, End Note, back cover.
Support us on Patreon to hear monthly bonus episodes: https://www.patreon.com/CriticalLit
Contact us:
Email: [email protected]
Bluesky: @CriticalLit.bsky.social
Dan Dillon: @dandillon.bsky.social
I-Hsien Sherwood: @ihsien.bsky.social
Amelia Som: @ameliasom.com
Sal Tamarkin: @sal.gay
Cover art by Aram Vartian: @aramvartian.com
...more
1h 50min
December 17, 2025 White Plume Mountain Deep Dive 01 - Deranged and Fanatical Evil Gnomes
It's an old school holiday hiatus! We're tackling the first half of S2, the 1979 TSR adventure White Plume Mountain, written exactly one time (to his eternal chagrin) by Lawrence Schick. In this episode: publication history, front cover, map, Introduction, Dungeon Features, Wandering Monsters, Rooms 1-4.
Support us on Patreon to hear monthly bonus episodes: https://www.patreon.com/CriticalLit
Contact us:
Email: [email protected]
Bluesky: @CriticalLit.bsky.social
Dan Dillon: @dandillon.bsky.social
I-Hsien Sherwood: @ihsien.bsky.social
Amelia Som: @ameliasom.com
Sal Tamarkin: @sal.gay
Cover art by Aram Vartian: @aramvartian.com
...more
1h 40min
December 03, 2025 Curse of Strahd Deep Dive 11 - Til Decay Do Us Part
As we wrap up Chapter 5, all is not well in Vallaki! Never mind the devil cult hobbyists or the rampaging tiger. The coffin maker has six secrets buried in the attic, and they're waiting for a chance to feast. In this episode: The second half of Chapter 5 (Wachterhaus, Arasek Stockyard, Rictavio, Coffin Maker's Shop, Blinsky Toys, Town Square, Vistani Camp, Kasimir Velikov, Festival of the Blazing Sun, Tyger hunt, Wachter coup, St. Andral's Feast).
Support us on Patreon to hear monthly bonus episodes: https://www.patreon.com/CriticalLit
Contact us:
Email: [email protected]
Bluesky: @CriticalLit.bsky.social
Dan Dillon: @dandillon.bsky.social
I-Hsien Sherwood: @ihsien.bsky.social
Amelia Som: @ameliasom.com
Sal Tamarkin: @sal.gay
Cover art by Aram Vartian: @aramvartian.com
...more
1h 48min
November 19, 2025 Critical Lit: Curse of Strahd 10 - That's So Wereraven
All will be well! Provided you avoid the murderous man with the barbed devil arm and his eerie collection of identical dolls. Or the incel wizard. The bone thief and his shovel. The priest with a secret. Gaze into the mirror and name your victim. Keep smiling, because you must. All will be well. In this episode: Chapter 5: The Town of Vallaki (pronunciation, maps, Vallaki Lore, St. Andral’s Church, Blue Water Inn, Keepers of the Feather, Rictavio, art style, Burgomaster’s Mansion, Izek Strazni, Magic Mirror, Victor Vallakovich).
Support us on Patreon to hear monthly bonus episodes: https://www.patreon.com/CriticalLit
Contact us:
Email: [email protected]
Bluesky: @CriticalLit.bsky.social
Dan Dillon: @dandillon.bsky.social
I-Hsien Sherwood: @ihsien.bsky.social
Amelia Som: @ameliasom.com
Sal Tamarkin: @sal.gay
Cover art by Aram Vartian: @aramvartian.com
...more
1h 23min
November 05, 2025 Critical Lit: Curse of Strahd 09 - Crypt Walk
Castle Ravenloft Final Level: Exit here for Entombed Enemies, Plot Devices, Bat Guano, and Bridal Returns. Trust me, you don't want to talk to customer service. In this episode: Chapter 4 (Dungeons and Catacombs, Brazier Room, Crypts 1-40, Sergei's Tomb, Strahd's Tomb, Barov and Ravenovia's Tomb).
Support us on Patreon to hear monthly bonus episodes: https://www.patreon.com/CriticalLit
Contact us:
Email: [email protected]
Bluesky: @CriticalLit.bsky.social
Dan Dillon: @dandillon.bsky.social
I-Hsien Sherwood: @ihsien.bsky.social
Amelia Som: @ameliasom.com
Sal Tamarkin: @sal.gay
Cover art by Aram Vartian: @aramvartian.com
...more
1h 58min
October 22, 2025 Critical Lit: Curse of Strahd 08 - Innocents and Insensibility
A cape a day keeps the Dark Powers at bay! Never mind the young woman of indeterminate age in the King's Bedchamber. Just don't use the bathroom if you value your privacy—or sanity. In this episode: Chapter 4 (Treasury, Gertruda, capes, Spires of Ravenloft, Escher, Tower Peaks, Larders of Ill Omen, Kitchen, Cyrus Belview, Chamberlain's Office).
Support us on Patreon to hear monthly bonus episodes: https://www.patreon.com/CriticalLit
Contact us:
Email: [email protected]
Bluesky: @CriticalLit.bsky.social
Dan Dillon: @dandillon.bsky.social
I-Hsien Sherwood: @ihsien.bsky.social
Amelia Som: @ameliasom.com
Sal Tamarkin: @sal.gay
Cover art by Aram Vartian: @aramvartian.com
...more
1h 39min

FAQs about Critical Lit:

How many episodes does Critical Lit have?

The podcast currently has 18 episodes available.

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