Mighty Nein

The Mighty Nein are an adventuring party and the protagonists of Critical Role in Campaign 2, starting with Chapter 9.

Meeting in Trostenwald


The seven individuals who would become the Mighty Nein first met in Trostenwald in 835 PD. Up to that point, they had been traveling in three groups:
 * Caleb and Nott helped each other break out of prison about five or six months prior, and had since been traveling and pulling cons together.
 * Jester and Fjord had met in Port Damali before running into Beauregard a few weeks later. They were heading toward the Soltryce Academy.
 * Mollymauk and Yasha were members of a carnival that had just arrived in town.

Caleb, Nott, Jester, Fjord, and Beau all happened to be staying at the Nestled Nook Inn, where Molly and Yasha came to advertise their carnival. Later, when the carnival turned suddenly violent, the seven of them worked together to defeat an undead menace and became embroiled in a local investigation. They formed an alliance to clear their own names, then chose to travel together to Zadash afterward.

Yasha alone did not leave Trostenwald with the rest of the group, and was prone to disappearing on her own business for stretches of time. However, the group made a point of meeting up with her when they could. (Out of character, Yasha's absences were due to Ashley Johnson's frequent scheduling conflicts.)

On the way to Zadash, the party passed through the town of Alfield while it was under siege by a pack of gnolls. The group helped the Crownsguard repel the assault then tracked the gnolls to a nearby abandoned mine. With the assistance of a mysterious human cleric named Shakäste, they cleared the mine of gnolls and rescued several townspeople from Alfield who had been captured.

Ignoble Deeds for a Gentleman
Caleb described the new party as "a motley group of assholes". In the city of Zadash, the group encountered various factions: the local Crownsguard, the Righteous Brand, a dissenting group known as the "Knights of Requital", and a local crime boss known as "The Gentleman". After doing a few odd jobs, the party finally decided to ally with the Gentleman, agreeing to do two jobs for him north of the city.

On their way to their first task in the Labenda Swamp, the party encountered a defenseless Kenku girl named "Kiri". They decided to bring her along with them and protect her.

They completed their task (securing a safe house owned by The Gentleman's organization) with the help of a draconic sorcerer named Calianna. They also helped Cali accomplish her goal to find and destroy a ritual bowl used for contacting Tiamat. In the tunnels underneath the safe house, the party discovered a mysterious yellow orb. As soon as Fjord touched the orb, he had a vision of his former captain and mentor, Vandren, absorbing the same orb. The rest of the Mighty Nein saw Fjord push the orb into his chest and absorb it. When he came out of the vision, Fjord was unaware of what he had done. Later a yellow eye the same color as the orb appeared in the hilt of Fjord's sword.

On their way to the second task in Shadycreek Run, they passed through the town of Hupperdook and found a new home for Kiri. While continuing on the road to Shadycreek Run, half the party (Fjord, Jester, and Yasha) were kidnapped by a group of slavers known as the "Iron Shepherds". (Out of character, Laura Bailey and Travis Willingham were absent for several episodes after their child was born. Ashley Johnson was absent due to her filming schedule in New York.)

Keg, a dwarven fighter and former member of the Iron Shepherds, joined the party to get revenge on the Iron Shepherds for killing a friend of hers. Beau, Caleb, Keg, Molly, and Nott journeyed to Shadycreek Run to find and rescue their friends. In the meantime, Nott considered Caleb to be the de facto leader of the Mighty Nein. During an attempt to ambush the Iron Shepherds, Lorenzo (their leader) managed to slay Mollymauk after he was rendered unconscious by his own Blood Maledict.

Chapter 11: Iron and the Coast
Beau, Caleb, Keg, and Nott buried Molly then continued on to Shadycreek Run. They were joined by Nila, a firbolg druid whose mate and son were kidnapped by the Iron Shepherds. Arriving in Shadycreek Run, they found that their task for The Gentleman overlapped with their own desire to kill the Iron Shepherds.

They sought help from Caduceus Clay, a firbolg cleric who lived in and tended to a nearby cemetery. The group (now consisting of Beau, Caduceus, Caleb, Keg, Nila, and Nott) snuck into the Sour Nest, the Iron Shepherds' headquarters. After defeating some of the Iron Shepherds, they found Nila's mate and son in the basement. Nila left to escort them back home.

Moving further into the basement, the party discovered their old friend Shakäste also imprisoned. With his assistance, the party defeated Lorenzo and the rest of the Iron Shepherds.

Fjord, Jester, and Yasha were found alive. Shakäste left to escort the other captives home while the Mighty Nein and Keg stayed the rest of the night in the Sour Nest. While looting the house, they found a letter from someone named Avantika hiring a crime family to find an orb like the one Fjord absorbed. Once the orb is found, it is supposed to be delivered to Nicodranas.

After spending the night with Beau, Keg snuck out in the morning. The reunited Mighty Nein escorted Ophelia Mardun (a business associate of The Gentleman) back to Zadash. On the way, they stopped at Molly's grave so Fjord, Jester, and Yasha could pay their respects. Yasha told the party that she would find them again when she was ready and took off on her own. The Mighty Nein arrived safely in Zadash with Ophelia, fulfilling their contract with The Gentleman. They took a week of down time in Zadash for personal projects.

When they got back together, Fjord asked the group to travel to Nicodranas. He wanted to find out what the people who wanted the orb he absorbed knew about it. They agreed. Jester introduced the Mighty Nein to her mother, Marion Lavorre. The party offered to help Marion deal with Algar Dyomin, a possessive client causing problems for her. While investigating, they ran into Yasha in a bar. She agreed to join them again, for now. The Mighty Nein discovered Algar was a Clovis Concord agent keeping a marid (water djinn) enslaved. It was being forced to use its elemental abilities to power some of the machinery of the city. They freed the marid and coerced Algar into leaving Nicodranas.

The Mighty Nein went to the docks late at night, following a lead that a meeting about the orb was happening. The party found the meeting happening near a ship docked in the harbor and tried to listen in on it. The crew of the ship noticed them and attacked. The battle attracted the attention of the Zolezzo. The Mighty Nein continued attacking the crew, eventually defeating them and gaining control of the ship. Ignoring Zolezzo orders to stop, they set sail into the harbor with a stolen ship.

Chapter 12: Followers of the False Serpent
Sailing away from Nicodranas on their stolen ship, the Mighty Nein discussed where to go next. They discovered a map to where Avantika (who is apparently a pirate captain) was waiting for the yellow orb. They decided to go to there to find out what Avantika knows about the orb. The Mighty Nein snuck back to Nicodranas, hired a crew for the ship, then sailed to the island of Urukaxl. Fjord commanded the ship (now renamed The Mistake) under the name "Captain Tusktooth".

Avantika and her ship, the Squall-Eater, met The Mistake at Urukaxl. Speaking with Avantika, Fjord learned the identity of his warlock patron- a powerful sea creature named Uk'otoa, The Great Leviathan. Uk'otoa has been sealed away for centuries. Three yellow orbs (called Cloven Crystals) are the three keys to release Uk'otoa. Avantika (also a warlock of Uk'otoa) intends to release Uk'otoa by putting the three orbs into three temples around the Lucidian Ocean. She already has one crystal and knows the location of one of the temples- Urukaxl. The Mighty Nein agreed they had no choice to but to play along with Avantika's desire and appear to help her, for now.

The Mighty Nein traveled with Avantika inland on Urukaxl to the first temple. Sneaking (sometimes fighting) past the yuan-ti and Lizardfolk inhabitants of the island, they reach an inner chamber of the temple. Fjord and Avantika raced to place their crystals in the temple to unlock the first seal. Avantika is faster than Fjord and is rewarded with the power to control water. Later that evening, Avantika questioned Fjord about his sword. She told him she knew a man named Vandren (Fjord's mentor) that carried the same sword and also had a cloven crystal. Fjord got caught in a lie pretending not to know Vandren then ended up agreeing to work with Avantika to unseal Uk'otoa and sleeping with her.

Now part of a pirate crew, the Mighty Nein sailed to Darktow Isle, an island controlled by the union of pirates known as The Revelry. Avantika introduced them to Wyatt Marinos, current Plank King of The Revelry. After Jester and Nott broke into Avantika's quarters and left obvious traces, a fight broke out on the deck of the Squall-Eater between the Mighty Nein and Avantika's crew. The Plank King's guards broke up the fight and arrested everyone. During the following trial, the Mighty Nein presented evidence that Avantika planned to overthrow the Plank King with the power she would gain from releasing Uk'otoa. He judged her guilty of treason and executed her. The Plank King banished the Mighty Nein from Darktow Isle and confiscated The Mistake. They were forced to immediately leave on the heavily damaged Squall-Eater.

The Mighty Nein sailed to the site of the shipwreck where Fjord had last seen Vandren. Diving underwater, they found the shipwreck looted by a sea fury named Dashilla. They found her lair, defeated her, and recovered another Cloven Crystal.

Enroute to a safe port to repair the ship, the Mighty Nein discovered a stowaway. A gnome named Twiggy was on the run after stealing the Happy Fun Ball of Tricks, a mysterious magical artifact. Caleb Widogast accidentally opened a portal using the artifact and transported the party and Twiggy into an extradimensional manor. Making their way through deadly traps and fighting their first dragon, the party barely managed to survive and find the exit. Now docked on Bisaft Isle, Twiggy left the Happy Fun Ball with the Mighty Nein and set out of her own adventure.

Following one of Fjord's dreams from Uk'otoa, the party sailed their ship (now repaired and renamed the Ball-Eater) to the site of a sunken temple to Uk'otoa. The Mighty Nein dove underwater to the ruins. Fjord placed one of his two cloven crystals in the temple. He saw a vision of the third and final temple and was rewarded with the power to control water. The Mighty Nein agreed not to release Uk'otoa, and it was time to get back on land. As long as the third cloven crystal remained absorbed into Fjord's sword, Uk'otoa would stay sealed away.

Chapter 13
The Mighty Nein sailed the Ball-Eater back to Nicodranas and made Orly Skiffback the new acting captain of the ship. They gained entry into a mysterious mage tower and made an alliance with Yussah Errenis. The party gave him the Happy Fun Ball of Tricks in exchange for his protection whenever they come back to Nicodranas. The Mighty Nein traveled to Felderwin (the area where Nott is from) after hearing the Kryn Dynasty had attacked the town.

Upon arriving, they discovered that Nott's halfling friend Yeza Brenatto has not been seen since the attack, but no body has been found. Searching the ruins of his apothecary, the party found a silver tripod, a vial of an unknown substance, and Cerberus Assembly research notes describing experiments with Dunamancy. One of the names mentioned in the notes was Trent Ikithon, Caleb's former teacher who modified his memory and tricked him into killing his parents. Nott cast Disguise Self to look like a halfling woman and went to the house where they were told Yeza's son, Luke Brenatto, has been staying since the attack. Old Edith, the woman who has been looking after Luke, recognized Nott's disguised form as "Veth", Luke's mother.

Nott revealed to the Mighty Nein that she had not been born a goblin. She was born a halfling named Veth. She and Yeza were married; Luke is their son. Goblins kidnapped the family. They split up in an escape attempt. Luke and Yeza got away, but Veth did not. The goblins took her to a magic woman then drowned her. Veth the halfling woke up in a new body and became Nott the goblin.

Name
Upon defeating a gnoll pack that had raided the town of Alfield, the adventurers earned some renown for themselves. The local watchmaster, Bryce Feelid, asked for a group name for their Crownsguard paperwork. After conferring among themselves, the group settled on The Mighty Nein, a nod to Caleb's Zemnian accent.

From an out-of-character context, Liam O'Brien had been using German words and a German accent as a stand-in for Caleb's Zemnian. The rest of the cast picked up on this and would yell "Nein!", the German word for "no", whenever a nine was rolled or referenced. The joke became a running gag over several episodes. When asked to come up with a group name on the spot, nein was the first thing the group landed on, plus mighty for strength.

It has become a running joke that new people the party meet mistake "Nein" for the number nine. They are often confused that the party does not have nine members.

Horses

 * Crapper (left in Felderwin)
 * John (left in Felderwin)
 * Loaf (left behind along the road from Hupperdook to Shadycreek Run)
 * Loo (injured by ankheg on the outskirts of the Crispvale Thicket, put down after the battle)
 * Toilet (left in Felderwin)
 * Winter's Crest/WC/Water Closet (injured by ankheg on the outskirts of the Crispvale Thicket, put down after the battle)
 * Fernando (let loose on request by Ophelia)
 * Waterloo (let loose on request by Ophelia)
 * Mamma Mia (left in Felderwin)
 * Dancing Queen (left in Felderwin)

Moorbounders
The Mighty Nein purchased three moorbounders in Asarius from a livery called Zorth's Pits, run by a goblin named Zorth.
 * Clarabelle (bonded to Caduceus Clay)
 * Jannik (bonded to Caleb Widogast)
 * Yarnball (bonded to Jester Lavorre)

The Mistake (formerly The Mist)

 * The Mighty Nein hijacked The Mist from Nicodranas then renamed the ship The Mistake.
 * The Mighty Nein were forced to abandon The Mistake on Darktow Isle after being expelled from The Revelry.

Ball-Eater (formerly Squall-Eater)

 * The Mighty Nein joined the crew of the Squall-Eater while it was captained by Avantika.
 * The Plank King gave the Mighty Nein Avantika's ship as a reward for uncovering her plot to overthrow him.
 * The Mighty Nein renamed the ship the Ball-Eater before re-entering Clovis Concord territory to prevent it from being recognized as a pirate ship.
 * Fjord handed over command of the ship to their navigator Orly Skiffback when they returned to Nicodranas.

Trivia

 * The name, The Mighty Nein, was most likely chosen because of Caleb's German accent and the parties joy in Liam saying the German word nein.
 * The name may also be a reference to the 2016 video game "Mighty No. 9", whose voice cast included Matthew Mercer as Pyrogen (Mighty No. 1), Steve Blum as Countershade (Mighty No. 8), and Yuri Lowenthal as Beck (Mighty No. 9).
 * None of the religious members of the Mighty Nein follow the approved deities of the Dwendalian Empire. Jester worships the Traveler (who may not be an actual deity), Molly worshipped the Moonweaver (he publicly worships the Platinum Dragon as a front), Caduceus worships The Wildmother and Yasha worships the Stormlord. Though Beau is nominally tied to the worship of The Knowing Mistress (a state-approved deity) as a Monk of the Cobalt Soul, Beau has only expressed interest or faith in her once
 * In Episode 8, Nott informs Jester that she never knew her age, since goblins don't celebrate birthdays, but that she is between 6 and 9 years of age - an "almost grown goblin." Caleb declares that today - Miresen (turns out to be the 21st of Sydenstar 826 P.D.) - is Nott's ninth birthday "Congratulations," Caleb says, "today you are a mighty nine"
 * Nott saying she is somewhere in between 6 and 9 years old may be a reference to a sexual act as Sam Riegel (Nott’s actor) can be childish with humorous intent when it comes to those kinds of things.
 * Nott’s age could also be a reference to Scanlan’s starting age in the first campaign which was 69.
 * Later in the same episode, while the group is bedding down for the evening, Fjord rolls a nine on a perception check to group giggles. The DM responds "Your mighty nine allows you to keep an eye out..."
 * Every magic user of the Mighty Nein can cast the spell Disguise Self.
 * Caduceus Clay can cast Disguise Self once per short rest with the firbolg racial ability Firbolg Magic. When casting the spell with this ability, Caduceus may appear three feet shorter instead of one foot shorter, like the spell normally allows.
 * Fjord has the Eldritch Invocation Mask of Many Faces, allowing him to cast Disguise Self at will.
 * Jester Lavorre always has Disguise Self prepared as one of her Trickery Domain spells.
 * Nott chose Disguise Self as one of her Arcane Trickster spells.
 * Caleb Widogast has Disguise Self in his spellbook as a Wizard spell.
 * All of the Mighty Nein contrast heavily with the players' previous characters:
 * Fjord is very intelligent but one of the weaker members of the Mighty Nein, whilst Grog had low intelligence and was the muscle of Vox Machina. Also, as a Warlock, Fjord casts quite a bit of magic in addition to his melee combat, in contrast to Grog's complete lack of magic.
 * Beauregard is a self-admitted cynic with no qualms about hurting innocent people if it's necessary and adamantly refused to accept the Way of the Cobalt Soul until she was beaten into accepting. In contrast, Keyleth was an idealist who was traumatized when she accidentally killed an innocent child and happily set off on her Aramente. Both have poor social skills but Keyleth was socially awkward whilst Beau is just abrasive.
 * Caleb is a pure magic user while Vax was mostly a physical fighter. It is referenced a lot in the first campaign that Vax has no arcane knowledge in the beginning, while Caleb as a wizard has much arcane knowledge. Vax made himself look presentable, while Caleb actively works to cover himself in dirt and mud. Vax spent his entire life with his sister, while Caleb's closest friend in the party is Nott who he only met comparatively recently. Vax regularly ran straight into danger with no problem risking his life for his friends, while Caleb always hangs back away from danger and considers himself to be a coward.
 * Nott is a huge contrast to Scanlan. Low charisma, awful singing, constantly nervous and jumpy where Scanlan projected confidence, and a goblin when Scanlan hated goblins for killing his mother (although Nott also hates goblins). Scanlan hated Trinket the bear, while Nott - as a pickpocket - loves trinkets.
 * Vex was a smart and serious member of Vox Machina often coming up with plans and strategies while Jester acts ditzy and is a prankster. While Vex had difficulty trusting people growing up, Jester is an optimist who feels it's always better to trust someone even if they're obviously deceiving you. Jester is also less concerned about money than Vex was, having grown up being spoiled by her rich mother and having little understanding of how difficult earning coin was whereas Vex lived in the woods, worked hard for every coin she earned and was an expert haggler when it came to prices.
 * Mollymauk had only slightly above-average intelligence whereas Percy was the smartest member of Vox Machina. Percy placed importance on politeness, moderation and appearing noble whilst Mollymauk was ostentatious, shameless and revelled in being chaotic. Molly was a melee fighter with some ranged spells whilst Percy was a ranged fighter with some melee capabilities. Percy sought revenge on those who harmed him and destroyed his family in the past; Molly had completely forgotten his past, permanently living in the moment and not wanting to know what happened. Molly was also genuinely nice despite coming off as untrustworthy, whereas Percy appeared straightforward but harbored a dark side and didn't always care about collateral damage.
 * While Mollymauk based his life around excess and hedonism, Caduceus Clay has lived a sheltered life based around healthy living and far removed from the influence of vice. Whilst Molly dealt increased damage from his blood hunter abilities, Caduceus' main talent lies in healing. While Mollymauk evaded death once by clawing his way out of his own grave, Caduceus ran a graveyard and had been taught his whole life about the natural state of death.
 * Yasha is a Barbarian and pure physical brawler, a huge contrast to Pike's role as the group's healer. Yasha is also very closed off and blunt, where Pike was friendly and extremely kind. Yasha is one of the party's tallest and strongest members, Pike was a tiny gnome. Also, Pike used divine magic and worshiped Sarenrae the Everlight, whilst Yasha is a fallen aasimar which are a group whose inner light has been replaced by shadow.