The Mighty Nein Origins: Nott the Brave

The Mighty Nein Origins: Nott the Brave is the fifth issue of Critical Role: The Mighty Nein Origins. It was written by Sam Maggs, with direction from Matthew Mercer and Sam Riegel, and art was illustrated by William Kirkby with colors by Eren Angiolini. The cover was illustrated by Kirkby and Mildred Louis.

Originally scheduled for publication by Dark Horse Comics on April 6, 2022, the comic was delayed to release in comic shops on January 18, 2023 and in book stores and retailers on January 31, 2023. The comic further explores the backstory of Sam's player character, Veth Brenatto.

Plot summary
Veth looks at her face in the Scymir River in the forest by Felderwin, thinking about how she hates how she looks. She tells herself that there is nothing special, and especially nothing brave, about her. She hears her brothers looking for her, and she flees from them by climbing into a tree. They talk amongst themselves that she only cries because she "can't take a joke" and disdainfully search for her. As she moves from one tree to another, a branch snaps, causing them to find her.

Veth snaps out of this memory and returns to looking for shells in the river. With her basket full of things found during the day, she goes home, where she is happy with her husband Yeza Brenatto and infant son Luc. Yeza is excited to find in her basket some theki root, which Veth remembered he wanted for a while now. He uses the theki root to distill a strong acid. Soon, goblins attack Felderwin. Veth and Yeza collect some supplies and belongings, including a porcelain doll she found earlier and a vial of the acid, and attempt to flee with Luc. They are ultimately captured and imprisoned together at the goblin camp.

Yeza attempts to plead with the goblins, but a prisoner in an adjacent cell tells him that it is futile. They explain that they've been caged for weeks and that the prisoners are used by the goblins as collateral, work, or food. Yeza urges Veth to be brave for Luc, and she agrees to try. Over weeks, Yeza continues to plead with the goblins. Veth attempts to be brave for her son, but she becomes weary. Luc is increasingly ill. She remembers her brothers locking her in an armoire, and she resolves not to repeat the experience. She tells a goblin standing guard nearby (later identified as Khaaz), that she understands that Khaaz is simply doing her job and that forgives her. Khaaz rejects Veth's forgiveness. However, the two bond over having partners they rely on, Veth on Yeza and Khaaz on the camp leader Drekkit. Khaaz reiterates that the prisoners are necessary for the goblins survival. Veth insists that the camp will not notice three missing halflings, but Khaaz refuses to release them and leaves without giving her name.

Using the bones that Khaaz used as toothpicks and discarded, Veth picks the lock on the cage. As Yeza prepares to escape, Veth hesitates out of fear. He reassures her, and they begin to flee. However, Luc beings to cry, alerting the goblins. Veth finds the river and instructs Yeza to follow it home. She rounds back into the forest and takes a crossbow from a goblin. Cornered by the goblins, she attempts to shoot at Drekkit, who catches the bolt. Veth then throws the vial of acid Yeza made the day they were captured and kills him.

Khaaz, furious, ignores Veth's apologies and takes her to Isharnai. In exchange for a favor, Khaaz asks Isharnai to make Veth suffer. Isharnai takes Veth to the water. Instructed to look at herself, Veth sees herself for the first time as Yeza does: pretty, elegant, and loved. As Isharnai drowns her, Veth remembers her brothers drowning her in their childhood.

Veth wakes up as a goblin and is forced to serve Khaaz as punishment for killing Drekkit. Veth finds that a part of her believes that she deserves it for killing someone who was loved. Veth helps Khaaz as a torturer's assistant. Finding that Khaaz is torturing a halfling, she tricks Khaaz into leaving the room and releases them, saying to herself that she had traded a life for a life. Veth herself also escapes to Felderwin. However, Yeza does not recognize her and believes her asking for Luc is a trick. He and the other residents chase her out again.

In the forest, Veth finds the porcelain doll again. Believing "Veth" to be dead, she makes a half-mask from the doll's face. She tries to "put on a brave face" as Yeza always told her, but she believes she is not brave at all. Over time, she uses her skills to steal to survive and begins heavily drinking.

Eventually, she is captured and thrown into a prison. She observes that she could easily escape, but she chooses to take a nap instead. She is woken by the arrival of Caleb Widogast, and she thinks that today things will start to improve.

Returning
These characters previously appeared in Campaign 2.
 * Veth Brenatto
 * Yeza Brenatto
 * Luc Brenatto
 * Isharnai
 * Caleb Widogast, non-speaking appearance

New
These character have not previously appeared in Campaign 2 or any other Critical Role work, though they may have been previously mentioned.
 * Khaaz, torturer and partner of Drekkit
 * Drekkit, leader of the goblin band

Publication
The comic was originally scheduled for publication by Dark Horse Comics on April 5, 2022. Due to the 2021–2022 global supply chain crisis and unidentified circumstances with creative teams, all Critical Role titles were delayed, and The Mighty Nein Origins: Nott the Brave instead released in comic shops on January 18, 2023 and in retailers and book stores on January 31, 2023.

Nott the Brave was originally the fourth installment when Fjord Stone was announced, but Nott the Brave ultimately released fifth after both it and Fjord Stone were subsequently delayed. Nott the Brave will be collected in an oversized library edition, The Mighty Nein Origins Library Edition Volume 1, on September 13, 2023 alongside the first three installments of the series: Jester Lavorre, Caleb Widogast, and Yasha Nydoorin.

Mildred Louis was originally announced as the interior colorist. The graphic novel released with interior colors by Eren Angiolini and cover art colors by Louis.