| 1 | [[center: [-[[Characters/CriticalRole Main Character Index / Dungeon Master]]]]-] |
| 2 | [[center: [-Tal'Dorei (Campaign 1): [[Characters/CriticalRoleVoxMachina Vox Machina]] ([[Characters/CriticalRoleGrogStrongjaw Grog]] | [[Characters/CriticalRoleKeyleth Keyleth]] | [[Characters/CriticalRolePercivalDeRolo Percival]] | [[Characters/CriticalRoleScanlanShorthalt Scanlan]])\ |
| 3 | [[Characters/CriticalRoleGuestPartyMembers Guest Party Members]] | [[Characters/CriticalRoleAlliesAndOtherCharacters Allies and Other Characters]] ([[Characters/CriticalRoleNPCsEmpireRepublicOfTalDorei Empire/Republic of Tal'Dorei]]) | [[Characters/CriticalRoleVillains Villains]]]]-] |
| 4 | [[center: [-Wildemount (Campaign 2): [[Characters/CriticalRoleWildemountCampaign The Mighty Nein]] ([[Characters/CriticalRoleCalebWidogast Caleb]] | [[Characters/CriticalRoleFjord Fjord]])\ |
| 5 | [[Characters/CriticalRoleWildemountGuestPartyMembers Guest Party Members]] | [[Characters/CriticalRoleWildemountOtherCharacters Allies and Other Characters]] ([[Characters/CriticalRoleNPCsDwendalianEmpire Dwendalian Empire]] | [[Characters/CriticalRoleNPCsXhorhas Xhorhas]]) | '''Villains'''-]]] |
| 6 | [[center: [-Marquet (Campaign 3): [[Characters/CriticalRoleMarquetCampaign Bell's Hells]] ([[Characters/CriticalRoleLaudna Laudna]]) | [[Characters/CriticalRoleMarquetGuestPartyMembers Guest Party Members]] | [[Characters/CriticalRoleMarquetOtherCharacters Allies and Other Characters]] | [[Characters/CriticalRoleMarquetVillains Villains]] -]]][[center: [-The Setting Of Exandria: [[Characters/CriticalRoleGods Gods]] | [[Characters/CriticalRoleHistoricalFigures Historical Figures]] | ''[[Characters/CriticalRoleCallOfTheNetherdeep Call of the Netherdeep]]''-]]] |
| 7 | [[center: [-One-Shots (Exclusive): [[Characters/CriticalRoleOneShots One-Shot Characters (Exclusive)]] | [[Characters/CriticalRoleDarringtonBrigade The Darrington Brigade]]-]]] |
| 8 | [[center: [-Exandria Unlimited: [[Characters/CriticalRoleExandriaUnlimited The Crown Keepers]] | [[Characters/CriticalRoleExandriaUnlimitedCalamity The Ring of Brass]]-]]] |
| 9 | |
| 10 | ---- |
| 11 | |
| 12 | Antagonists encountered by the Mighty Nein. '''Beware of unmarked spoilers''', as these characters (and their identities) are often at the heart of whatever mystery or problem the party is facing. |
| 13 | |
| 14 | [[foldercontrol]] |
| 15 | |
| 16 | !Evil Organizations |
| 17 | |
| 18 | !!Gnoll Pack |
| 19 | [[folder:Gnolls]] |
| 20 | !!Gnolls |
| 21 | |
| 22 | A band of gnolls plaguing Alfield. |
| 23 | ---- |
| 24 | * ArcVillain: The Gnoll group is the main threat faced by the heroes from Episode 5 through Episode 8. |
| 25 | * AxeCrazy: What makes them so dangerous. While already being tough creatures, their absolutely insane ways of thinking, combined with their love of killing, makes them one of the only threats the group cannot reasonably handle with tact so far; these Gnolls kill, laughing hysterically as they do so. |
| 26 | * BackFromTheDead: Several of the Gnoll enemies are Undead, meaning they were somehow revived prior to the heroes arriving. |
| 27 | * ReversePsychology: Jester, Nott and Molly pondered if the gnoll had set up traps in order to lure them down that path, or maybe that they knew they'd think that. |
| 28 | -->'''Caleb''': ...These are dogpeople? |
| 29 | [[/folder]] |
| 30 | |
| 31 | [[folder:Packlord]] |
| 32 | !!Packlord |
| 33 | -->'''Race:''' Gnoll |
| 34 | -->'''Class''': Packlord |
| 35 | |
| 36 | The leader of the raiding pack of gnolls attacking Alfield. |
| 37 | ---- |
| 38 | * DiscOneFinalBoss: While he leads the gnolls, he's not the final opponent encountered by the party in the mines, with the ''real'' final fight being against the Priest of Yeenoghu and the manticore. |
| 39 | * HeinousHyena: As is typical of gnolls, though this one is ruthless even by their standards. He even keeps regular hyenas as {{Mooks}}. |
| 40 | * KingMook: A much stronger version of a [[RunningGag regular gnoll]]. |
| 41 | * SpikesOfVillainy: His armor is covered in bony spines, which we later find out were taken from a manticore. |
| 42 | * ToServeMan: Like all gnolls, he eats humans. |
| 43 | * VillainExitStageLeft: Successfully flees the city during the battle in Episode 5, notably being one of the few Critical Role antagonists to actually manage this, though the party was only Level 3 at the time. He's not so lucky the second time. |
| 44 | [[/folder]] |
| 45 | |
| 46 | [[folder:Priest of Yeenoghu]] |
| 47 | !!Priest of Yeenoghu |
| 48 | -->'''Race:''' Humanoid |
| 49 | |
| 50 | A humanoid wearing a suit of gnoll skin, this priest of Yeenoghu acts as the brains of the Gnoll operation and caretaker of the Manticore. |
| 51 | ---- |
| 52 | * ArcVillain: Is the main force behind the gnoll attacks on Alfield and the surroundings areas. |
| 53 | * BeatStillMyHeart: He feeds the hearts of some of the captured humans to the gnolls and the manticore. |
| 54 | * CombatPragmatist: Knowing he was outnumbered against the heroes, the Priest purposely immobilizes Fjord with a spell so that the Manticore could then target him and take him out without any resistance. [[spoiler:His attempt fell through, however, when Nott killed the Manticore's child, focusing all of her rage squarely on Nott.]] |
| 55 | * GenuineHumanHide: Is described as wearing a patchwork suit made from the skin of many creatures, mostly gnolls. |
| 56 | * KillItWithFire: Meets his end at the hands of Caleb, who uses ''Fire Bolt'' to burn the priest alive. |
| 57 | * ReligionOfEvil: The gnolls, or at least his group, worship Yeenoghu, the ever-hungry demonic lord who some say created them. Yeenoghu is a vicious beast that devours everything in its wake, leaving waves of hyenas to feast on the scraps left behind. |
| 58 | [[/folder]] |
| 59 | |
| 60 | [[folder:Manticore]] |
| 61 | !!Manticore |
| 62 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/manticore.jpg]] |
| 63 | -->'''Race:''' Manticore |
| 64 | |
| 65 | A mother manticore found deep in the gnoll mines. The Priest of Yeenoghu seems to be offering a large amount of their gathered meat to her. |
| 66 | ---- |
| 67 | * AlasPoorVillain: Despite being an inherently evil creature, her last moments are played tragically, as Shakäste realizes her pain over losing her newborn child and gives her a MercyKill. |
| 68 | * TheBerserker: Once [[spoiler: Nott kills its baby]], the Manticore abandons any rational thought and goes into a mad fury to try and kill her for it. Even when Nott is scooped up safely into Beau's arms, the Manticore is so filled with anger it claws through to kill her, even as Beau tries to protect her. [[spoiler: Doing so ends up being a major reason the group wins however, the Manticore becomes so fixated on killing Nott that the others are able to attack with some level of safety]]. |
| 69 | * MamaBear: Goes into a blind fury when [[spoiler: Nott kills her baby]], focusing all her attacks on the goblin. Matt even rules that she has Advantage on strikes against Nott and saving throws against Nott's spells. |
| 70 | * MonsterIsAMommy: Has recently given birth to a child. Nott finds out the hard way that harming her baby is a ''bad'' idea. |
| 71 | * PoisonousPerson: Some of her attacks are poisonous. |
| 72 | [[/folder]] |
| 73 | |
| 74 | !!Iron Shepherds |
| 75 | |
| 76 | [[folder:In General]] |
| 77 | !!The Iron Shepherds |
| 78 | |
| 79 | A feared group of kidnappers, slave traders and murderers operating within the Shadycreek Run for the Jagentoth Family. They captured Jester, Fjord and Yasha. |
| 80 | ---- |
| 81 | * TheDreaded: Anyone who knows about the Shadycreek Run fears them, as not only are they one of the most influential criminal organizations, their members are incredibly powerful. |
| 82 | * KnightOfCerebus: Things take a serious turn for the dark the moment they enter the story. [[spoiler: They're responsible for the losses of 4 party members, 3 taken, one killed.]] |
| 83 | * OhCrap: [[spoiler:As more and more members are picked off by the Mighty Nein during the night attack on the Sour Nest]], the Shepherds start to succumb to this, despite their fearsome reputation. The sole exception is Lorenzo. |
| 84 | [[/folder]] |
| 85 | |
| 86 | [[folder:Lorenzo]] |
| 87 | !!Lorenzo |
| 88 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/lorenzo_human.jpg]] |
| 89 | [[caption-width-right:350:Click [[labelnote:here]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/lorenzo_oni.jpg[[/labelnote]] to see his true form]] |
| 90 | -->'''Race''': Oni |
| 91 | |
| 92 | Leader of the Iron Shepherds who captured Jester, Fjord and Yasha on the way to The Run, and of the group Keg used to be a member of. |
| 93 | ---- |
| 94 | * AnIcePerson: As an Oni, he can create a massive Cone of Cold that does massive damage to anyone near him. |
| 95 | * ArcVillain: The end of Episode 25 sets him up as one, and Episode 26 fully cements it. Matt confirmed as much at the end of Episode 29: [[spoiler: He'd intended for Lorenzo to get away in the Mighty Nein's second confrontation with him in the depths of the Sour Nest, but one tactical error on Matt's end- plus one supreme tactical decision by Marisha- meant one charcoal Oni courtesy of Caleb.]] |
| 96 | -->'''Matt:''' [[spoiler:He was supposed to get away.]] |
| 97 | * AxCrazy: Lorenzo is absolutely rabid. Torturing people, eating people, and enjoying every second of it. |
| 98 | * BaldOfEvil: He's easily distinguished by his bald, tattooed head. |
| 99 | * CruelAndUnusualDeath: [[spoiler: One that he ''absolutely'' deserved. Caleb blows his brains out with a Fire Bolt, burning Lorenzo's eyes right out of his head and reducing him to blackened charcoal from the top down. He even tries to escape during it, crumbling to ash in vain.]] |
| 100 | * DidntThinkThisThrough: In his final battle with the heroes, he decides to fight them head on, initially doing well, until he makes the mistake of landing closer to the ground to attack the others. [[spoiler: Doing so ends up being what leads to his death; Beau's Stunning Strike allowing the group to whale on him, and Caleb finishing him off with a Firebolt]]. |
| 101 | * TheDreaded: To Keg at least, who's so terrified of him Ashly takes all her first round actions at disadvantage. |
| 102 | * EvilGloating: Once the attack on the Sour Nest begins in earnest, Lorenzo subjects the Mighty Nein to taunts [[spoiler:while floating invisibly on the ceiling above them]] every few minutes or so. Said gloating ranges from ReminiscingAboutYourVictims to an EvilLaugh and so on. |
| 103 | * EyeScream: [[spoiler:Liam makes sure to emphasize the visual of Caleb's Fire Bolt burning Lorenzo's eyes out of his skull.]] |
| 104 | * GetBackHereBoss: Repeatedly in his second fight since Oni have the ability to fly, he kept himself out of range. [[spoiler:His failure to keep doing it ended his life, and Matt's plans to make him this on a larger scale.]] |
| 105 | * HealingFactor: One of his more annoying traits. He can heal from very powerful attacks like it was nothing, though of course the more damage he takes, the harder to heal it becomes. |
| 106 | * HellBentForLeather: Matt described his torso armor as being lots of leather straps, noting that it tied into his personality as well. |
| 107 | * HeroKiller: On top of being responsible for Jester, Fjord and Yasha being PutOnABus, he also [[spoiler: inflicts the first permanent party member death of the second campaign, killing Mollymauk.]] |
| 108 | * {{Invisibility}}: Oni have the ability to become invisible whenever they please, which Lorenzo makes good use of in his second fight to sneak up on the Nein and strike them when they least expect. |
| 109 | * ItsPersonal: He took three of the Nein [[spoiler:and killed Mollymauk]]. |
| 110 | * {{Jerkass}}: Gleefully mocks the Nein over [[spoiler: killing Molly]]. |
| 111 | * KarmicDeath: [[spoiler:After spending his time in the series terrorizing the party and brutally murdering Mollymauk, Lorenzo dies a horrible death while trying desperately to escape to fight another day.]] |
| 112 | * KillItWithFire: [[spoiler:A near-dead Caleb burns him alive.]] |
| 113 | * KnightOfCerebus: Critical Role has had plenty of dark moments before, but Lorenzo takes it to a whole 'nother level [[spoiler: by being the first villain to outright [[KilledOffForReal kill]] a party member.]] |
| 114 | * MagicKnight: Is both a brutal melee fighter and capable of casting Cone of Cold. |
| 115 | * ManOnFire: Is doused in oil by Nott and set on fire by Beau. [[MadeOfIron It barely fazes him.]] [[spoiler: Caleb's final Fire Bolt, on the other hand...]] |
| 116 | * MarathonBoss: What makes him so hard to kill is that he has enough health, plus a HealingFactor, to fight against the group without trouble. Even if he gets low, he can [[spoiler:turn invisible and escape for a moment]]. |
| 117 | * NotEvenHuman: Heavily implied by the events of Episode 27. His bed seems larger than an average person's, and he literally eats children. Given his propensity for using a glaive and ability to cast Cone of Cold, combined with the aforementioned traits, shows that he is an Oni masquerading as a human. Confirmed in Episode 29. |
| 118 | * {{Sadist}}: Lorenzo likes to torture his victims to break them down and make them good slaves or food. |
| 119 | * SmugSnake: Infuriatingly so. His ego is one of the most notable things that make him stand out, since unlike many other previous villains, he can actually back it up. |
| 120 | ** [[spoiler: On the other hand, the arrogance expected of this trope is what directly leads to his defeat and death--he ends up grievously underestimating the Nein in their second fight, over-confidently engaging them on the ground instead of remaining in flight, and so exposing himself to a devastating counterattack that ends up killing him.]] |
| 121 | * ToServeMan: Nila's scouting of his room reveals a stone platter with the remains of a meal... bones, including a small skull that doesn't look like an animal's. There's also a scent of decay around the room, as if something recently died. Together this ''seems'' like he is a cannibal, but given he is actually an oni, that isn’t quite the case. |
| 122 | * VillainRespect: As he kills [[spoiler:Mollymauk]], said character spits a wad of blood in Lorenzo's face rather than say any LastWords, causing Lorenzo to simply nod and say, "Respect." |
| 123 | * WouldHurtAChild: It's heavily implied that he eats humanoid children. |
| 124 | [[/folder]] |
| 125 | |
| 126 | [[folder:Wohn]] |
| 127 | !!Wohn |
| 128 | -->'''Race:''' Human |
| 129 | -->'''Class:''' Barbarian |
| 130 | |
| 131 | The Iron Shepherds barbarian. |
| 132 | ---- |
| 133 | * ItsPersonal: In addition to everything else the Shepherds have done, Wohn makes use of Yasha's Magician's Judge greatsword. [[spoiler:Which, despite allowing her to dispel Haste on Keg and stun her, basically guarantees her death at the hands of the rest of the Mighty Nein.]] |
| 134 | * InformedAttribute: Keg claims that Wohn is not as bad as the other Shepherds, but she shows no positive traits during her actual screentime. |
| 135 | * KillItWithFire: [[spoiler: Caleb eventually kills Wohn by incinerating the lower half of her body with the Glove of Blasting.]] |
| 136 | [[/folder]] |
| 137 | |
| 138 | [[folder:Dwelma]] |
| 139 | !!Dwelma |
| 140 | -->'''Race:''' Half-Orc |
| 141 | -->'''Class:''' Druid |
| 142 | |
| 143 | A druid member of the Iron Shepherds. |
| 144 | ---- |
| 145 | * AxCrazy: Keg describes Dwelma as the "creepiest and craziest" of the Shepherds. |
| 146 | * EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: According to Keg, Dwelma has a strange obsession with Lorenzo and would go berserk if something happened to him. Lorenzo doesn't seem to share the same sentiment, as he seems to view her only as another employee upon her death. |
| 147 | * WeHardlyKnewYe: Gets the least amount of screentime of the Shepherds due to dying in the battle on the roadside. |
| 148 | [[/folder]] |
| 149 | |
| 150 | !!The Squalleater Crew |
| 151 | [[folder:Captain Avantika]] |
| 152 | !!Captain Avantika |
| 153 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/avantika.jpg]] |
| 154 | [[caption-width-right:350:Click [[labelnote:here]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/avantika_undead.jpg[[/labelnote]] to see her as a [[spoiler:Deathlock]]]] |
| 155 | -->'''Race''': Elf |
| 156 | -->'''Class''': Rogue / Warlock (Hexblade, Pact of the Tome) |
| 157 | |
| 158 | A cunning pirate captain who commands the ''Squall-Eater'' and has been searching for the Cloven Crystals, so that she can release her patron Uk'otoa from captivity and gain the power to rule the ocean. |
| 159 | ---- |
| 160 | * BackFromTheDead: [[spoiler: In episode 112 she returns as an undead of some kind, and is seeking Fjord so she might retake the Cloven Crystal and free Uk'otoa.]] |
| 161 | * BettyAndVeronica: Jester clearly considers Avantika the Veronica to her Betty, since her ClingyJealousGirl tendencies went up a notch once the captain asked Fjord to visit her cabin. |
| 162 | * TheChosenOne: Considers herself ''the'' chosen champion of Uk'otoa, Fjord's patron. |
| 163 | * TheCorrupter: Plays this role to Fjord, offering him the chance to join her quest to free Uk'otoa and attain infinite power. |
| 164 | * DatingCatwoman: One of her first conversations with Fjord is so sexually charged that it certainly evoked this scenario in the eyes of players and fans alike. She and Fjord end up sleeping together in Episode 40. |
| 165 | * TheDragon: Becomes this to Uk'otoa after [[spoiler:her return as a revenant]], due to Fjord abandoning his quest to free the leviathan. She is his last known champion, and the one he tasks with the retrieval of the Cloven Crystal. |
| 166 | * EverythingSoundsSexierInFrench: Her accent definitely helps add to her sexy appeal. |
| 167 | * EvilCounterpart: Fjord's. They're both sailors chosen by Uk'otoa to become warlocks. But while Fjord just wants some answers and seems ambivalent about the offered power, Avantika will stop at nothing to control the entire ocean. |
| 168 | * EvilRedhead: Has a big mane of red curls. |
| 169 | * FauxAffablyEvil: She's reasonably personable when things are going her way, and seems to genuinely like Fjord's company, but, if her plans for Vandran are any indication, she planned to sacrifice him all along. Not to mention the whole plan to unleash an EldritchAbomination upon the world. |
| 170 | * {{Foil}}: Episode 40 made it apparent that in addition to being an obvious one to Fjord, she is also one to Jester. It can be most easily seen in how Fjord acts around both women. He never lies to Jester, but has lied to Avantika multiple times; saved Jester from drowning, but tried and failed to drown Avantika. Both women flirt with him, but Jester is more playful and ambiguous while Avantika is ''very'' straightforward. |
| 171 | * HalfTheManHeUsedToBe: [[spoiler: After a frantic chase through the ocean Fjord uses a newly Exalted Star Razor to bisect her through her midsection. The resulting pieces are then eaten by a pod of orcas]]. |
| 172 | * {{Invisibility}}: Has access to this spell, and clearly enjoys using it to mess with the Mighty Nein's heads. Once they start plotting against her, the group employs code words, in fear that she's secretly listening in on them while invisible. |
| 173 | * JoinOrDie: Says this almost word for word to get the Mighty Nein to pledge loyalty to her crew after they take over her underling's ship. |
| 174 | * LoveFatherLoveSon: [[spoiler: The Campaign Wrap-Up reveals that she was formerly Vandren's lover. While he and Fjord aren't blood-related, Fjord considered him a father figure growing up.]] |
| 175 | * MakingASplash: Her goal is to obtain power over the entire ocean. After inserting her Cloven Crystal at the Temple of the False Serpent, thereby breaking part of the spell keeping Uk'otoa imprisoned, she is rewarded with the ability to control water. |
| 176 | * NeckSnap: [[spoiler: Meets her end this way, executed by the Plank King for her treason.]] |
| 177 | * PirateGirl: A female pirate captain who is considered beautiful enough to get both Fjord's and Beau's attention. |
| 178 | * PowerTattoo: Has a tattoo of Uk'otoa's eye on her chest and the palm of her hand. The one on her hand is actually a gemstone like the one Fjord absorbed, and it is forcibly removed as part of the ritual to weaken Uk'otoa's bonds. |
| 179 | * ShamelessFanserviceGirl: She is completely unbothered when Fjord accidentally walks in on her while she's naked in her quarters. |
| 180 | * VillainessesWantHeroes: She shows an immediate interest in Fjord that isn't just professional... |
| 181 | * VillainousBreakdown: [[spoiler: When forced to testify honestly before the Plank King, thanks to Beau's ''Extort Truth'' skill, she silently panics and can't meet his gaze. This is what ends up convincing him of her guilt.]] |
| 182 | [[/folder]] |
| 183 | |
| 184 | [[folder:Vera]] |
| 185 | !!Vera |
| 186 | -->'''Race''': Human |
| 187 | |
| 188 | The quartermaster of the ''Squall-Eater'' and Avantika's second-in-command. |
| 189 | ---- |
| 190 | * AnIcePerson: Can cast ''Ice Storm'', which she uses to impede the Mighty Nein's escape from the ''Squall-Eater''. |
| 191 | * CompellingVoice: Bends the guards of Darktow to her will for a short time through ''Mass Suggestion'', commanding them to take the Mighty Nein to the Plank King. |
| 192 | * PlayingWithFire: At one point uses the ''Scorching Ray'' spell against the demon summoned by Fjord. |
| 193 | * UndyingLoyalty: Towards Avantika, and shares her zealous conviction and belief in Uk'otoa. |
| 194 | * WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Vera was knocked out by Caleb's ''Fireball'' spell during the fight with the Mighty Nein, but it isn't clear if the attack did her in, and she isn't mentioned afterwards, leaving her fate unknown. The cast have a small moment of panic two episodes later [[FridgeHorror when they realize]] Matt intentionally worded the scene's description vaguely. |
| 195 | |
| 196 | [[/folder]] |
| 197 | |
| 198 | [[folder:Bouldergut]] |
| 199 | !!Bouldergut |
| 200 | -->'''Race''': Ogre |
| 201 | |
| 202 | Avantika's personal bodyguard and enforcer. |
| 203 | ---- |
| 204 | * BloodKnight: Shows great enthusiasm whenever acts of violence are called for. |
| 205 | * DumbMuscle: A given for an Ogre. |
| 206 | * EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: Despite being TheBrute, [[spoiler: she's downright distraught when the Mighty Nein kill most of the crew.]] |
| 207 | * UndyingLoyalty: Towards Avantika, whom she guards very closely at almost all times. |
| 208 | [[/folder]] |
| 209 | |
| 210 | |
| 211 | !!Cult of the Angel of Irons |
| 212 | [[folder:The Angel of Irons]] |
| 213 | |
| 214 | See its entry in Characters/CriticalRoleGods. [[spoiler:For its true identity, see the entry for The Chained Oblivion in the same page.]] |
| 215 | [[/folder]] |
| 216 | |
| 217 | [[folder:Obann]] |
| 218 | !!Obann, Master of Wills |
| 219 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/obann___mateusz_wilma.jpg]] |
| 220 | -->'''Race:''' Cambion |
| 221 | |
| 222 | The culprit behind the demonic rift incidents across Xhorhas. A mysterious man with a connection to Yasha's past. |
| 223 | ---- |
| 224 | * ArcVillain: Of the "Swords and Angels" arc. Aside from being the first true recurring bad guy of the Nein’s story, he notably takes a much more background role than Vox Machina’s foes, as he has a much smaller presence, and the Nein has personal quests to do at the same time. |
| 225 | * AssholeVictim: [[spoiler:While his FateWorseThanDeath is horrifying, it's hard to feel bad for the man who enslaved Yasha and routinely subjected other people's wills to his own]]. |
| 226 | * TheBadGuyWins: |
| 227 | ** He accomplishes everything he set out to do in Episode 69. He unleashes the Laughing Hand, mind controls Yasha, and comes back to life after being killed, letting him escape with his two companions to continue his work. |
| 228 | ** Does so ''again'' ten episodes later in Episode 79, claiming the Heart of Jourrael from the Wraithroot tree, and having seemingly already claimed the Head of Jourrael from Molaesmyr. |
| 229 | * BigRedDevil: Obann's true form has bat wings, horns, and red skin that all betray his heritage as a devil and his role as one of the most despicable villains in the second campaign. |
| 230 | * BloodFromTheMouth: Happens when [[spoiler:Yasha kills him for good.]] |
| 231 | * BodyHorror: [[spoiler:In Episode 86, he is resurrected in body, but not mind by the Chained Oblivion as "Obann the Punished," who is noted to have an appearance of "a mass of black, blue and dark deep green tentacles and teeth and eyes".]] |
| 232 | * BreakTheHaughty: [[spoiler:His defeat within the Fane led to Tharizdun punishing him by stripping him of his ability to dominate others, which was the power he most prided himself on possessing. The fact that he realized that he had been used just as it happened was icing on the cake.]] |
| 233 | * CameBackWrong: [[spoiler:After his failure in Episode 86, the Chained Oblivion resurrects and mutates his corpse into "Obann the Punished," "a mass of black, blue and dark deep green tentacles and teeth and eyes". However, there's nothing of "Obann" as the players knew him left.]] |
| 234 | * CharmPerson: Has the ability to charm others into viewing him as a friend and obeying his commands for indefinite periods of time. |
| 235 | * CombatTentacles: [[spoiler: Uses these extensively as Obann the Punished.]] |
| 236 | * TheCorrupter: The group deduces that Obann knew Yasha during the part of her life lost to her amnesia, and judging by her dreams of being surrounded by corpses in that period, Yasha comes to think Obann may be the reason she's a fallen aasimar in the first place. |
| 237 | * DeathOfPersonality: [[spoiler:As "Obann the Punished," Obann himself is for all intents and purposes completely dead.]] |
| 238 | * TheDogBitesBack: [[spoiler:Each of his forms is killed by one of his mind control victims. Obann, Master of Wills is killed by Yasha, and Obann the Punished is killed by Jourrael.]] |
| 239 | * TheDragon: Was formerly the "Master of Wills" to Graz'zt, a Demon Prince of the Abyss. He was shamed in the past for some kind of failure, but whether he's trying to get back in his master's good graces or already has is currently unknown. |
| 240 | * EvenEvilHasStandards: Matt revealed via WordOfGod on Talks that there was a possibility of the Mighty Nein getting Obann to stand down by revealing the true nature of the Angel of Irons, although it would have been exceeding difficult. It seems that even [[MindRape Obann]] could recognize that the true Angel of Irons was bad news. |
| 241 | * {{Expy}}: Downplayed trope. There are differences between the two characters, but Obann's control [[spoiler:of Yasha was patterned after the Purple Man's control of Jessica in ''Series/JessicaJones2015''.]] |
| 242 | * FatalFlaw: Pride. His string of successes had made him complacent. Even the Stormlord's protection of Yasha and the Laughing Hand's heart problems were treated as mere inconveniences, albeit annoying ones. [[spoiler:Had he fled after the battle in the Cathedral initially turned against him, he wouldn't have been punished by Tharizdun even had he been killed, and he would have had the chance to dominate Yasha again.]] |
| 243 | * FlamingSword: Wields one in combat. |
| 244 | * {{Flight}}: Obann spends most of his encounters with the Mighty Nein looming above them with his bat wings, well out of range of the party's weapons. |
| 245 | * HateSink: His complete mental domination of Yasha, general penchant for mind control, utter cruelty, and his string of successes against the Nein combine to make cast and viewers alike ''loathe'' him. |
| 246 | * HornedHumanoid: Obann has two long horns that betray his devilish heritage, a strong contrast to Yasha's angelic blood. |
| 247 | * HumiliationConga: Things went brilliantly for him, right up until they didn't. [[spoiler:First the Nein and Pumat killed a lot of his fellow cultists, one of whom was a powerful spellcaster. Then they freed Yasha, depriving him of one of the people he needed for his ritual. Then they killed the Laughing Hand, depriving him of another of the people he needed for his ritual. Then they followed him to the Fane underneath the Cathedral, where they resisted his efforts to charm them into the circles. Then Yasha, his former victim, strikes the deathblow. Then, he get a vision of his precious Angel of Irons, realizing that he had been used the whole time. Then his patron punishes him for his failure. Then, finally, the last thing he ever hears is Yasha throwing his defeat in his face. And, after that, his other remaining victim Jourrael is the one to kill his new form.]] After everything, it's unspeakably sweet to watch. |
| 248 | * KilledOffForReal: [[spoiler:Tharizdun transforms him into a hideous new form as punishment for his failure. Matt confirms that while his body is still around, Obann as he was is ''gone''. And then Obann the Punished is finished off by the Inevitable End.]] |
| 249 | * KnightOfCerebus: He takes an already dark and serious campaign and plunges it into even darker territory, utterly demoralizing and fracturing the Nein, and providing them with a concrete rival and goal that had thus far been lacking. |
| 250 | * LaserGuidedKarma: On four fronts. [[spoiler:Firstly, his former victim Yasha is the one to kill him. Secondly, he calls out to the Angel of Irons as he dies, proving that he was unaware of his patron's true nature, and used as he himself used others. Thirdly, Tharizdun transforms him into a horrifying new form as punishment for his failure. This is poetic justice as Tharizdun basically yells at him for failing at the end, which is very similar to the dressing-down Obann himself gave to the Laughing Hand after the Nein destroyed his heart. Finally, his other former victim Jourrael is the one to finish him off after he became Obann the Punished.]] |
| 251 | * MagicKnight: Wields both powerful magic and a flaming demonic sword. |
| 252 | * MeaningfulRename: [[spoiler:Upon having CameBackWrong, he is renamed "Obann the Punished."]] |
| 253 | * MoreThanMindControl: Obann's charm allows him to telepathically command those under his sway, but while doing so, they remain totally aware of their actions and their very desires seem to be shaped by his influence. After enough time under this charm, most of his victims can't distinguish their real desires from those implanted by Obann's commands. |
| 254 | ** For Yasha, this was especially true when he first recruited her. In the ''[[ComicBook/CriticalRole Mighty Nein Origins]]'' comic, she was hurting so badly from losing both her beloved and her tribe that she surrendered her will to him just so she wouldn't have to think for herself anymore. |
| 255 | * NoBodyLeftBehind: |
| 256 | ** As a Fiend, his body dissolves into sludge when he's defeated. Since the Nein were banking on being able to use Speak with Dead on him, this is a major problem. |
| 257 | ** Inverted when [[spoiler:Yasha kills him in the Fane underneath the Chantry. ''Only'' the body is left behind, and transformed into something horrific.]] |
| 258 | * NotQuiteDead: TheStinger of Episode 69 reveals that even though he was defeated by the Nein and reduced to sludge, said sludge still gives off a faint pulse... |
| 259 | * ResurrectiveImmortality: As a high-rank Fiend, he unfortunately has this ability. Like Hotis from the last campaign, he can only be KilledOffForReal if destroyed in his home plane. |
| 260 | * TimeAbyss: If the Cobalt Soul's records are true, he's been around for a ''long'' time. |
| 261 | * VillainousBreakdown: [[spoiler:Upon his defeat in Episode 86, he is left wondering why he had been forsaken by the Angel of Irons.]] |
| 262 | -->'''Obann:''' [[spoiler:Angel of Irons... why have you abandoned me? I did everything you asked...]] |
| 263 | * YouHaveFailedMe: [[spoiler:Tharizdun resurrects his body (but not his identity) in a new form as a last, postmortem punishment for failing it.]] |
| 264 | [[/folder]] |
| 265 | |
| 266 | [[folder:Vence]] |
| 267 | !!Vence Nuthaleus |
| 268 | -->'''Race:''' Human |
| 269 | -->'''Class:''' Wizard |
| 270 | |
| 271 | An agent of the cult placed within the [[Characters/CriticalRoleNPCsDwendalianEmpire Cerberus Assembly]], Vence has been a thorn in the Nein's side for some time. |
| 272 | ---- |
| 273 | * EvilGenius: His research uncovered the location of the Laughing Hand's prison. |
| 274 | * TheLoad: Jester has scryed on him a few times, allowing the Nein an insight into his actions and by extension the Cult's. He has never noticed any of her scrying sensors, and is called out by Cardinal Respa who does. |
| 275 | ** After that, he took steps to ensure that it won't happen again. Namely, getting his hands on a scry-preventing Amulet like Caleb's. |
| 276 | * TheMole: Within the Cerberus Assembly. |
| 277 | * NiceJobFixingItVillain: He was responsible for placing the artifact in the Braan which weakened the walls between the planes. A swatch of his robe was left behind, and Jester was able to use it to scry on him. |
| 278 | ** His presence in an important war meeting also allowed Jester to stumble into the empire's plans to retake the Ashguard Garrison, giving the Kryn Dynasty enough time to defend themselves and improve the party's standing with the Bright Queen. |
| 279 | * TheRival: Obann views Vence with contempt, but also seems to see him as this because of his research skills and high position within the Cerberus Assembly. |
| 280 | * ScrewThisImOuttaHere: He wastes no time getting out of Rexxentrum after the attempt to loosen the shackle is stopped, and he grabs an Amulet which prevents him from being scryed before he does. He's caught by the time of Episode 92. |
| 281 | * SoleSurvivor: He may be this for the Rexxentrum branch of the Cult of the Angel of Irons. If there are other cultists left in the city, they are probably without leadership now that he cut and ran. |
| 282 | * TheUnfought: As of Episode 99. He is handed over to the Dynasty as part of their peace treaty with the Empire, and never so much as meets the Mighty Nein. |
| 283 | * UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom: The Nein discovering him led them to their encounter with Obann, which caused everything that followed. |
| 284 | [[/folder]] |
| 285 | |
| 286 | [[folder:The Laughing Hand]] |
| 287 | !!Ganix, the Laughing Hand |
| 288 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/the_laughting_hand_by_galacticjonah.jpg]] |
| 289 | -->'''Race:''' Fiend |
| 290 | |
| 291 | The "undying chosen" of Torog, the Crawling King, sealed away by Celestials beneath Bazzoxan. Obann seeks to release it, and other "lost children". |
| 292 | ---- |
| 293 | * BeatStillMyHeart: The Laughing Hand had its heart removed by Torog hundreds of years ago and cast into another dimension. Yet despite all the time and distance between them, the heart has never stopped beating, earning it the title "Permaheart". |
| 294 | * BladeBelowTheShoulder: The Laughing Hand's right arm is a massive blade sharp enough to cut through a demonic gorilla in just a few quick slashes. |
| 295 | * BroughtDownToBadass: [[spoiler: After the Permaheart was destroyed, the Laughing Hand lost its damage resistances, as well as its ability to summon shadow hounds, and its ability to frighten its enemies with its laughter. Despite these losses, the Laughing Hand is still able to unleash a brutal amount of damage on its foes.]] |
| 296 | * TheBrute: Obann uses it like a blunt instrument, and for all its power, it is clearly not very smart. |
| 297 | * DieLaughing: [[spoiler:It continues to laugh as Caleb's spell burns it alive, with its laughter becoming higher pitched and louder as the flames take it, only fading out when it's finally dead.]] |
| 298 | * DiedStandingUp: [[spoiler:Despite Caleb incinerating the monster, its blackened body remains on its feet.]] |
| 299 | * EldritchAbomination: A servant of a Betrayer God that supposedly can't be killed, whose flesh mutates in bizarre ways when injured. |
| 300 | * EvilLaugh: Constantly laughs a deep, disturbing chuckle... and it gets worse. When it's injured, the gashes in its body grow teeth and become more mouths, all laughing maddeningly. |
| 301 | * FlunkyBoss: Capable of summoning a pack of shadow hounds, which can move quickly across difficult terrain and even across walls. |
| 302 | * HopelessBossFight: The Nein treated the encounter like one, electing to run rather than fight. Given Speak With Dead on a celestial corpse earlier revealed that the entity inside the tomb can't be killed, only sealed, it's likely they made the right choice. [[WordOfGod Matt later revealed on Talks Machina]] that the fight wasn't designed to be unwinnable, just [[NintendoHard incredibly difficult]]. |
| 303 | * HumanoidAbomination: It's described as something otherworldly, horrifyingly twisted into a mockery of a humanoid form. |
| 304 | * KilledOffForReal: [[spoiler:Destroying its heart apparently allows it to finally be killed. Caleb does just that with Widogast's Web of Fire in Episode 86.]] |
| 305 | * LaughingMad: This monster is covered in hundreds of tiny mouths that laugh louder and louder the more the Hand is injured. Anyone close to the Hand who isn't strong of will has a chance to be shocked still by the sheer madness of his laughter. |
| 306 | * MortalityEnsues: [[spoiler:After the Mighty Nein destroys the Permaheart, the Laughing Hand is severely weakened, and becomes permanently killable.]] |
| 307 | * SealedEvilInACan: The Hand was granted immortality by Torog, forcing the champion of the gods to imprison him in a tomb deep beneath the earth, guarded by an invisible assassin, endless hordes of zombies, a cavern made of gibbering mouths, and a portal to the MirrorWorld. |
| 308 | * SoulJar: The Laughing Hand's heart was removed from its body and enchanted by sinister magic to make the Hand immortal so long as the heart still beats. Unlike many soul jars, the Laughing Hand can still survive without the heart, but he becomes much more vulnerable to all sorts of attacks. |
| 309 | * TooManyMouths: As it's injured, the gashes in its flesh grow teeth and become extra mouths. |
| 310 | * WasOnceAMan: Was once a mortal champion named Ganix who fought ''against'' Torog. He was punished with FateWorseThanDeath of being turned into an abomination and forced to serve his old foe for eternity. |
| 311 | [[/folder]] |
| 312 | |
| 313 | [[folder:The Inevitable End]] |
| 314 | !!Jourrael, the Inevitable End |
| 315 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/jourrael_close_up___hierothraxs.jpg]] |
| 316 | -->'''Race:''' Drow (Specter) |
| 317 | -->'''Class:''' Rogue (Assassin) |
| 318 | |
| 319 | Also known as "The Caedogeist", Jourrael was the chosen assassin of Lolth, the Spider Queen. She is apparently another of the "lost children" Obann seeks to release. |
| 320 | ---- |
| 321 | * BeatStillMyHeart: Her heart was cut from her body and buried within the Lotusden Greenwood to incapacitate her. This didn't kill Jourrael or the heart, since she cannot die until the contract between Lolth and Asmodeus is fulfilled. |
| 322 | * BrainwashedAndCrazy: She only serves Obann because she is under his charmed compulsion. Although, when she isn't under his control she willingly serves much more powerful evil entities such as Lolth and Asmodeus. |
| 323 | * CompleteImmortality: Jourrael was exalted through an agreement between Lolth and Asmodeus, Lord of the Hells. Thus, she cannot be completely destroyed unless the contract of said agreement is broken. During The Calamity, the best mortals could do to stop Jourrael was sunder her body apart and hide the parts in faraway, secure locations. |
| 324 | * DealWithTheDevil: The Inevitable End is an assassin created as a result of the queen of demons making a deal with the devil, since demons and devils in Exandria are two separate entities. Like many diabolical deals, the contract that created the Inevitable End is unbreakable, so she cannot die until the contract is fulfilled. |
| 325 | * TheDogBitesBack: [[spoiler:She is the one to finish off Obann the Punished, putting an end to her captor.]] |
| 326 | * DirtyCoward: [[spoiler:{{Subverted}}! She initially flees the battle with Obann the Punished without even trying to fight it, but [[ChangedMyMindKid changes her mind.]]]] |
| 327 | * EnemyMine: [[spoiler:Teams up with the Mighty Nein to take down Obann after she is freed from his control.]] |
| 328 | * {{Intangibility}}: Is described as being able to "walk through walls and mountains like water." |
| 329 | * LightningBruiser: Strong enough to one-shot Nott with a critical sneak attack, and she proves ''phenomenally'' hard to hit for the (very unluckily rolling) Nein. |
| 330 | * MagicKnight: The Caedogeist's most dangerous skill is her surprise attacks with her blades, but as a former dark elf, she can also cast spells like Faerie Fire and Darkness to deal with scatter large groups of enemies before picking them off. |
| 331 | * MesACrowd: Uses the Mirror Image spell during her battle with the Nein in episode 85. |
| 332 | * NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast: "Caedogeist," [[WordOfGod loosely translated from a mix of]] German and [[CanisLatinicus Latin]], means "Murder Ghost." |
| 333 | * PetTheDog: DownplayedTrope. [[spoiler:She came back to help the Nein against Obann the Punished. She graciously turns down Caduceus' offer of a hug, and leaves them with a smile and a playful "shh." However, she is still a deeply evil woman (with ties to Lolth and Asmodeus), and she didn't so much help the Nein as strike back at her captor. The Nein just happened to (really, really, REALLY) benefit.]] |
| 334 | * SealedEvilInACan: Both her heart and skull were hidden in two separate locations to keep it from reforming. The heart was buried in the Lotusden Greenwood, and the skull was entrusted to the elves in the Veluthil for safekeeping. [[spoiler:Obann manages to retrieve both from their locations, reviving the Caedogeist.]] |
| 335 | * SoleSurvivor: [[spoiler:Given her immortal state, she survives Episode 86, in which every other member of Obann's cult is killed.]] |
| 336 | * TalkingIsAFreeAction: Averted in episode 84, when she [[spoiler: attacks the Mighty Nein while they're shopping at Pumat Sol's.]] |
| 337 | [[/folder]] |
| 338 | |
| 339 | [[folder:Cardinal Respa]] |
| 340 | !!Cardinal Respa |
| 341 | -->'''Race:''' Human |
| 342 | -->'''Class:''' Cleric |
| 343 | |
| 344 | Apparently a high ranking cleric of Pelor in Rexxentrum, she is in fact a traitor. She was corrupted into the worship of the Angel of Irons some time ago, not knowing that the Angel is in reality Tharizdun. |
| 345 | ---- |
| 346 | * BadBoss: She [[KillItWithFire attacks one of her own fellow cultists in order to get at the Nein.]] |
| 347 | * BitchInSheepsClothing: As a cardinal of Pelor, she would have appeared to be a kind force for good in the world... until she showed her true colours. |
| 348 | * FaceHeelTurn: If she was ever a true follower of Pelor, then her turn to Tharizdun counts as this. |
| 349 | * FalseFriend: At the very least, she poisoned a number of clerics of Pelor. She possibly killed all of them that way. If any survived, her fellow cultists would have finished them off. |
| 350 | * ImpromptuTracheotomy: Nott finishes her off with a crossbow bolt through the throat that pins her to the wall. |
| 351 | * TheMole: Within the clergy of Pelor. |
| 352 | * SmugSnake: She chastises Vence for being an idiot, but she isn't much better. She does call back Obann and co. when the Nein and Pumat break into the Chantry, and her chastisement clued Vence into the fact that he was easy to scry on, but she catches her own guards in her attacks after their ranks had already been thinned, she goes down pretty quickly once combat begins, and she doesn't know about the Angel's true nature. |
| 353 | [[/folder]] |
| 354 | |
| 355 | !!The Tomb Takers |
| 356 | [[folder:General]] |
| 357 | * AntagonistAbilities: Their powers and skills are hand-picked to counter the Mighty Nein's usual strategies: |
| 358 | ** Lucien has an AntiMagic cone that immediately nullifies their spellcasters and prevents them from escaping with polymorph, he is able to intercept Jester's scrying and even turn it back against her, he is immune to Beau's stunning strike, and he has a [[MindRape psychic attack]] capable of knocking out the weaker party members in one hit. |
| 359 | ** Cree can magically track the Nein using their blood, scry on them to prevent them from strategizing, and use the Slow spell to keep them from escaping her melee fighter companions. |
| 360 | ** Otis has [[YouWillNotEvadeMe Grasp of Hadar]] to force Caleb and Veth into melee and prevent the Nein from escaping as well as access to Counterspell to jam the party's spellcasters and force them to waste spell slots. |
| 361 | * ArcVillain: As a group, they are the main antagonists of the late 2020 going into 2021 arc of the story. |
| 362 | * BloodMagic: The Tomb Takers were originally members of an ancient tradition of magic-users that used blood to curse and defeat otherworldly forces like ghosts and witches. |
| 363 | * CastFromHitPoints: As Blood Hunters, most of their members have weapons designed to injure themselves and empower their attacks with BloodMagic. |
| 364 | ** Whenever Lucien draws his scimitars, he drags them across his chest or clavicle to coat them in his own blood. |
| 365 | ** Otis' crossbow has a nail on the trigger that pierces their thumb to let blood drip onto the crossbow and infuse it with an electrical pulse. |
| 366 | ** Zoran's hammer has tiny blades on its head that lets him splatter blood across it to ignite it with magical fire. |
| 367 | ** Tyffial's longsword has a number of hooks along her longsword that she drags her hand along to infuse it with the power of death |
| 368 | * ElementalPowers: Each of the Tomb Takers (aside from Cree) can use their blood to imbue their weapons with the power of the elements. |
| 369 | * GraveRobbing: It's right there in the name. Their primary occupation was once stealing valuables from graves and crypts, and even after becoming part of the Eyes of Nine cult they still pick their victims' pockets completely clean. |
| 370 | * MentalFusion: Due to Lucien's influence they share a mental link that allows them to speak and act in unison. |
| 371 | * NoHonorAmongThieves: While they are all extremely dangerous in their own right, they are still cutthroat mercenaries who are only allied because of Lucien's promise of power. Due to this they are perfectly willing to [[BetrayalByInaction let one of their allies die]] if it benefits them, as shown when they leave Beau to be eaten by a dragon just to get out of a fight. They also are not very efficient on the battlefield because Lucien's anti-magic cone tends to interfere with his teammates' abilities. [[spoiler:Driven home in episode 133 when Tyffial, Zoran, and Otis are knocked out by the Mighty Nein's trap and Lucien and Cree escape with Dimension Door without even trying to rescue them.]] |
| 372 | [[/folder]] |
| 373 | |
| 374 | [[folder:The Nonagon]] |
| 375 | !!The Nonagon/Lucien Tavelle |
| 376 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/lucien_tavelle_robson_michel.png]] |
| 377 | [[caption-width-right:350:]] |
| 378 | [[caption-width-right:350:Click [[labelnote:here]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/somnovem_omega.jpg[[/labelnote]] to see him as [[spoiler:Cognouza Incarnate]]]] |
| 379 | -->'''Race:''' Tiefling |
| 380 | -->'''Class:''' Blood Hunter |
| 381 | |
| 382 | The leader of the Tomb Takers, the Nonagon lead the Tomb Takers for several years, until a ritual gone wrong seemed to kill him, two years prior to the beginning of the campaign. His true nature is shocking and mysterious, so be warned that everything below contains {{spoiler}}s for episodes 111 onward. |
| 383 | ---- |
| 384 | * ActuallyPrettyFunny: In an early congenial conversation Jester announces that they saw [[spoiler:Molly]] with food on his penis. At what point all of the Tomb Takers start laughing. When he points out 'that wasn't me', Beau comes back with 'Same dick'. He starts chuckling despite himself. |
| 385 | * AllYourPowersCombined: [[spoiler:His Neo-Somnovem form uses a combination of Blood Hunter abilities, Beholder eye rays, wizard spells, and brand new abilities like distorting space to teleport, magically pulling enemies toward himself, and inducing a "guilt" effect.]] |
| 386 | * AmazingTechnicolorPopulation: Purple tieflings are rare on Exandria. |
| 387 | * AmazonChaser: His lover [[spoiler:before her death]] was Brevyn, a half-goliath woman who was with him and Cree throughout their time in the Claret Orders and the early days of the Tomb Takers. The way he describes her in ''[[Literature/CriticalRoleTheMightyNeinTheNineEyesOfLucien The Nine Eyes of Lucien]]'', he was clearly smitten with both [[AmazonianBeauty her strength and her beauty]]. |
| 388 | * AmbiguouslyHuman: During his combats, he showed to have abilities that make him more similar to a Beholder in a humanoid form than a Tiefling. His nine eyes seem to have an individual set of magic abilities each (which are different from a normal Beholder's eye rays), and he can create [[AntiMagic an antimagic cone]] to immediately dispel any magical effect in his field of view. And, in line with the normal characterization of a Beholder, he seems to suffer from a superiority complex, he is a mistrusting individual, and he seems to be eager to eliminate other potential candidates for the title of Nonagon because "they are impostors". |
| 389 | ** This is confirmed in episode 139, when [[spoiler:after combining his essence with the Somnovem, he reveals his ascended form: a humanoid beholder with nine eye stalks, each corresponding with one of the Somnovem.]] |
| 390 | * AntiMagic: Lucien is able to project a cone of anti-magic from his eye tattoos in a manner similar to a beholder. |
| 391 | * BackFromTheDead: He was killed when Vess [=DeRogna=] sabotaged a ritual two years before the beginning of the campaign. She scattered his soul in an attempt [[DeaderThanDead to destroy him for good]] so that she could claim the title of the Nonagon for herself. Somehow the Tomb Takers managed to bring Lucien's soul back together, allowing his true resurrection to happen. |
| 392 | * BadBoss: Despite the Tomb Takers being responsible for his resurrection, he shows little to no greatfulness towards them. [[spoiler:He treats the death of three of them as little more than an hindrance and straight up sacrifices [[TheDragon Cree]], sending her to gain some time by slowing down the Nein before warping her into a BlobMonster.]] |
| 393 | * BigBad: Of the entire "Tombtakers" arc and for Campaign 2 as a whole. |
| 394 | * BloodFromEveryOrifice: Lucien's psychic blast leaves his victim with streams of blood coming from the mouth, the nose, the ears, and the eyes. |
| 395 | * BorrowedCatchphrase: Lucien tells Beau about his desire to be made king using the same phrase that Beau and the other members of the group always use whenever they mention Lucien's GoodCounterpart, the post-humous PhraseCatcher Mollymauk. The phrase itself is a reference to a one-off joke Molly made to Beau, hinting that either Lucien's ambitions were subtly influencing Molly or that Lucien may subconsciously remember Molly's time in his body. |
| 396 | -->'''Mollymauk''': I am a god! Long may I reign! Eat of my fruits! |
| 397 | -->'''Lucien''': I'm not here to kill you, yet. I'm here to open a door, to take my reign, long may it be. |
| 398 | * BossSubtitles: Fittingly [[spoiler:for the apparent FinalBoss of the campaign]], he has two: [[spoiler:The Neo-Somnovem during the first stage after initially assimilating the Somnovem]] and [[spoiler:Cognouza Incarnate during the second stage after fusing with and taking direct control of the entire city]]. |
| 399 | * TheChosenOne: The way he talks about the "Eyes of Nine" implies that he was chosen by nine mysterious entities to manifest their will on Exandria and possibly beyond. Even though Vess [=DeRogna=] attempted to take their power for herself and obtained some kind of eye tattoos, it remains unclear whether she ever gained their full powers and/or blessing. |
| 400 | * ContractualBossImmunity: This major ArcVillain cannot be stunned, making him immune to the only status condition powerful enough for the DM to complain about it on-stream. |
| 401 | * ContrastingSequelAntagonist: To Vecna, both are the main antagonists of their respective campaigns, but while Vecna is already PhysicalGod, Lucian was TheChosenOne. |
| 402 | * CurbStompBattle: He managed to easily kill Vess [=DeRogna=], a member of the Cerberus Assembly and one of the most powerful mages on the continent. When the Nein later attempted to steal the threshold crests from the Tomb Takers, Lucien manages to hold his own against ''all of them'', nearly taking out both Beau and Caduceus with a single attack each and rendering Caleb a non-issue with an anti-magic field, forcing the entire party to flee. |
| 403 | * DarkMessiah: He presents himself as one to the rest of the Tombtakers, saying that they'll be able to use the Somnovem's power to shape Exandria to their will and live like royalty. |
| 404 | * DefectorFromDecadence: In the past, he was a part of the Claret Orders, but he grew dissatisfied with and pulled away after learning all he could from them, along with some other members to form the Tomb Takers. He says this is because none of them had much respect for authority. |
| 405 | * DoNotCallMePaul: Lucien hates it when the Nein attempt to refer to him as Molly. Once they start finally fighting against him, he gets more and more agitated as the name is clearly affecting him. |
| 406 | -->'''Lucien:''' Will you please... stop saying that ''name?!'' |
| 407 | * DragonAscendant: Betrays the Somnovem in dramatic fashion at the climax of episode 138, comparing them to toddlers fighting over the power of creation, seemingly taking their power for his own. |
| 408 | * DualWielding: He, like Mollymauk before him, wields a pair of scimitars, though they are different than the one's the Nein buried him with. |
| 409 | * EldritchAbomination: Becomes this after the failure of his [[spoiler: OneWingedAngel form against the Nein. He fuses with the Cognouza ward itself and his whole body becomes the battledfield.]] |
| 410 | * {{Expy}}: His {{Sequential|Boss}} FinalBoss is explicitly stated to be Matt Mercer's love letter to ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'' final bosses. |
| 411 | * EvilCounterpart: {{Invoked|Trope}} as he is quite litteraly an evil version of Molly (or rather, [[AmnesiacDissonance Molly was a good version of him]]). Beau and Yasha both point out that they share a lot of traits including their sense of [[AlwaysCamp showmanship]], taste for [[ConsummateLiar deceit]] and tendencies to [[{{Narcissist}} act as if they knew better than anyone]], but where Molly was kind and [[HeroicSacrifice loving]], Lucien is cruel and [[BadBoss self-serving]]. |
| 412 | * EvilCostumeSwitch: After reviving as himself, he ditches Molly's flamboyant style of dress for a considerably more low-key look. Molly's coat being found abandoned in the dirt is the first hint that Lucien was the one resurrected. |
| 413 | * EyesDoNotBelongThere: Sharing Mollymauk's body, he also possesses seven red eyes tattooed on his body, although his ones seem to be a lot more active than Molly's. This seems to be due to Lucien actually being aware of their meaning and utility. He can also make eyes appear on his enemies, which reduces the power of their saving throws. |
| 414 | * FaustianRebellion: [[spoiler:He turns against his Somnovem masters at the last second, weakening them enough with a FantasticNuke that he can absorb them and take Cognouza for himself. He even forces the Somnovem to act as '''his''' lackeys during the final battle with the Mighty Nein.]] |
| 415 | * FauxAffablyEvil: Lucien comes across as easy going and charismatic when he wishes to, but when it comes down to it, he has no compunction about murdering someone who has surrendered, and openly rejects any attempts [[spoiler:Fjord makes to smooth things over during combat, stating that he’d rather murder the Mighty Nein out of spite than bargain for the threshold crest]]. |
| 416 | -->'''Lucien:''' [[spoiler:Take it if you like; there's more where that came from. We'll just kill your friends and take a little more time than we anticipated.]] |
| 417 | * FightingIrish: In comparison to Taliesin's more ambiguous accent, Matt gives Lucien a strong Irish brogue, and he is powerful enough that he was able to murder Vess [=DeRogna=] with seemingly no issue (though he did manage to catch her while she slept). |
| 418 | * FinalBoss: Of the second campaign, [[spoiler: including a OneWingedAngel form that resembles a horrifying Lovecraftian hybrid of [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI God Kefka]] and [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII Safer Sephiroth]].]] |
| 419 | * FourIsDeath: [[spoiler: The level of the Guiding Bolt that finally slew him for good? ''Four''.]] |
| 420 | * HeroKiller: During his boss fight, he manages to slay both Jester and Caleb with his slashing wings. Jester is brought back during the battle itself (even getting the HDYWTDT after she's revived), while Caleb is revived after Lucien himself is taken out. |
| 421 | * HijackingCthulhu: As of episode 138, [[spoiler:he reveals this to be his actual goal in serving the Somnovem: kill or severely weaken them in order to absorb their power and merge with Cognouza.]] |
| 422 | * IKnowYouAreInThereSomewhereFight: He's on the receiving end of this during his battle with the Mighty Nein. Several members of the Nein keep trying to appeal to Molly, who is within Lucien. Some of them manage to break through and cause Lucien to lose Legendary Actions, buying the Nein more time to [[spoiler: wear both him and the Somnovem down before Jester finishes him with a Guiding Bolt doubled by Path of The Grave.]] |
| 423 | * ImaginationBasedSuperpower: [[spoiler:After absorbing the Somnovem he gains the ability to conjure anything he wants out of the aether. He uses this mainly to summon buildings to fling at the Nein.]] |
| 424 | * KnowNothingKnowItAll: Downplayed. Lucien genuinely does know many things about the events occurring, but likes to give everyone the impression that he is aware of ''everything''. However, he becomes aggravated if people refuse to fall for his act, such as when Beau points out his bad directions are what got everyone lost in a blizzard. |
| 425 | * LightIsNotGood: He is of the Order of Ghostslayers, meaning he can use the Rite of the Dawn to imbue his weapon with light. He is also not a good person in the slightest. |
| 426 | * {{Narcissist}}: Lucien is vain show-man who likes to make a point of showing of his beauty and power, whether by complimenting his own appearance, humiliating his enemies by destroying their magic with a glance, or simply by screaming at anyone who dares criticize him. |
| 427 | * NeckLift: One of his favorite finishers involves lifting a weakened enemy by the neck and blasting them with enough psychic energy to kill them in one shot. |
| 428 | * NightmareWeaver: In his Cognouza Incarnate form, [[spoiler:he can summon tendrils that grasp the Nein and force them to experience their worst fears]]. |
| 429 | * NotSoAboveItAll: As much as he tries to present himself as omniscient, all-powerful, and always in control to the Nein, he seems genuinely unsettled after Jester's uncomfortably on-point and ominous tarot reading. He also can't help but lose his temper at Beau when she tries to get under his skin for his less than stellar navigational skills. |
| 430 | --> '''Lucien:''' [[NeverMyFault Seems like quite a few of you are making your paths as well]]...''*beat*'' Yes I'm lost, alright? You don't have to be a dick about it! |
| 431 | * OneWingedAngel: After [[spoiler:absorbing the [[HiveMind Somnovem]], he becomes Lucien, [[BossSubtitles The Neo Somnovem]], with a change in appearance making him ressemble a deific version of himself with nine protruding tentacles. In his second form, [[EldritchAbomination Cognouza Incarnate]], he fuses with the city itself.]] |
| 432 | * PayEvilUntoEvil: He killed Vess [=DeRogna=] in Episode 114, in part because she had something that he needs for his plans, in part because she was the person who caused his death. |
| 433 | * PokeInTheThirdEye: Jester's attempt to scry on him abruptly ends with a vision of a glowing red eye, similar to the brief vision Gandalf has of Sauron's eye in ''Film/TheFellowshipOfTheRing''. |
| 434 | * {{Pride}}: Molly was a flamboyant showman, but Lucien is dangerously confident in his own judgment and abilities to the point of it being a possible FatalFlaw. When the group gets caught in a second blizzard he insists on continuing to lead rather than waiting out the storm, which gets them lost further. |
| 435 | * PowerGivesYouWings: In a sickening version of this trope, after fusing with Cognouza, he gains a large pair of wings made entirely of flesh and bone, with which he kills Jester. |
| 436 | * PowerMakesYourHairGrow: His hair grows out considerably after he absorbs the Somnovem. |
| 437 | * ProperlyParanoid: Towards the Mighty Nein when he decided to allow them to travel with the Tomb Takers. He wants to awake the Somnovem and bring back their city, while the Mighty Nein want to destroy them along with their city. He decided to keep the Nein alive in spite of their attempt to betray him, but he made them travel exhausted during the first leg of their journey together, he instantly dispelled their Polymorph spells when they were flying too far away for his liking, and he did the same with Caleb's tower because he was never told about it. These measures might seem exaggerated, but Jester was actively trying to damage the backpack containing the Tomb Taker's Threshold Crest so it could fall into the lava river while she was Polymorphed, and the Mighty Nein were planning to use the tower to secretly dispatch their Crest to Nicodranas when Lucien dispelled it. |
| 438 | * PsychicPowers: He can cause intense psychic damage by touch, and also has access to [[SpellBlade the Rite of the Oracle]], which makes his weapons have a glowing, iridescent coloration and deal additional psychic damage. |
| 439 | * RedEyesTakeWarning: He has two regular red eyes and nine additional ones tattoed across his body. While Mollymauk did not understand their meaning and tried to hide them by adding more tattoos so that they did not look too unusual, Lucien knows how to use them and it shows. As for episode 121, he used them to locate Jester through her own scrying sensor, create a HiveMind with the other Tomb Takers, dispel multiple magical effects without any sort of incantation and kill at least three people [[TouchOfDeath just by touching them]]. |
| 440 | * {{Reincarnation}}: In a weird way. [[spoiler:When he dies, he doesn't tend to come back to life as the same person. Rather, Lucien's body was killed and his soul was shattered, but a fragment remained and was revived as Molly, a separate person altogether. Following Molly's death Lucien came back as himself, but after another death and another resurrection, the tiefling became another individual known as Kingsley]]. |
| 441 | * SatanicArchetype: Even barring his existence as a tiefling, Lucien bears various satanic traits. His name is derived from "Light" in Latin, much like the Morningstar (Lucifer). He is very [[AmbitionIsEvil ambitious]] and {{pride}}ful, and manipulated others into corruption with his words and deeds. He [[TheParagonAlwaysRebels left behind the demon-hunting Claret Orders with his fellows]], and [[spoiler:has the (ultimately successful) goal of [[GodhoodSeeker supplanting the quasi-divine power of the Somnovem and taking control of them]]]]. |
| 442 | * SelfDisposingVillain: Played with. After Jester's [[LightEmUp Guiding Bolt]] gets the HDYWTDT on him, Matt describes Lucien clawing at his own wounds and [[BodyHorror tearing himself apart]], probably [[SplitPersonalityTakeover guided by the Molly's guilt, rage and grief]]. |
| 443 | * SelfMadeOrphan: ''The Nine Eyes Of Lucien'' reveals his backstory. He was born into a family of musicians, but his parents were abusive {{Jerkass}}es who violently beat their kids, even TheDutifulSon Elric. When Elric was murdered because the Tavelles didn't pay a large debt to the Jagentoth family, they [[spoiler:had him semi-resurrected as a CameBackWrong creature that moved with his body but had a creepy UncannyValley manner. Lucien was eventually so disgusted with "Sock Brother", as he called the revived Elric, and his parents' abuse that he finally torched the family's wagon with his parents and Elric inside.]] He and his sister Aldreda set out on their own. |
| 444 | * {{Semidivine}}: Lucien has some Infernal ancestry as a Tiefling, and he implies that he was abused for it when he was younger. |
| 445 | * SequentialBoss: The final battle against him takes place over two phases. [[spoiler:First, having just stolen the power of the Somnovem for himself he transforms into the Neosomnovem, a larger, more muscular version of himself with nine tentacular eyestalks. When the Nein wear him down enough in this form, he merges with the city itself and takes on an even more monstrous form dubbed Cognouza Incarnate.]] Matt explicitly describes planning the encounter as a love letter to having grown up playing ''Franchise/FinalFantasy''. |
| 446 | * ShadowArchetype: The more we see of Lucien the more apparent it is that he's more like Molly than the Nein first thought. He retains some of Molly's playfulness and desire to explore new things, likes to act smarter than he is, and is a believer in freedom. The main difference is that Molly was content to enjoy life in the moment, while Lucien [[AmbitionIsEvil is very driven and focused on a single goal, and is willing to harm anyone who gets in his way.]] Matt later revealed on Talks Machina that "Molly is the best parts of Lucien." |
| 447 | * TheSleepless: He can go without sleeping thanks to the power of the Eyes, as the Mighty Nein find out during their first night under the dome when they traveled with the Tomb Takers. No matter who was awake or how much time had passed, ''the Nein were always under his constant watch''. |
| 448 | * TheStarscream: While earlier encounters made it seem as if Lucien's goal was to either serve or join the Somnovem, once the Nein gather them all together in Episode 138, he reveals his plan is to ''subjugate'' them and unite Cognouza's incredible power under one mind: his. The last thing we see is Lucien detonating a bunch of intuit charges as he cackles like a madman. |
| 449 | * ThatManIsDead: Much like how Mollymauk didn't want to know anything about Lucien, Lucien similarly doesn't care about who Mollymauk was in the two years he controlled their shared body. Lucien, for his part, seems more contemptuous of Molly than Molly was of him, referring to Molly as just a "wayward fragment" of his shredded soul that he's glad doesn't exist anymore. And in a greater sense, he also began to view his Lucien identity in this fashion: as merely a vessel for the Nonagon. [[spoiler:Subverted in Episode 136, where being called things associated with Mollymauk causes Lucien to pause in confusion, and he seems to genuinely not want to just kill them out of some sense of comradeship on some level, as if Mollymauk is FightingFromTheInside.]] |
| 450 | ** ''The Nine Eyes Of Lucien'' shows that Lucien feels this way about his pre-Nonagon life after he bonds with the Somnovern. |
| 451 | * TookALevelInJerkass: ''The Nine Eyes Of Lucien'' shows what he was like before his first death. He was ruthless, self-centered and amoral, but he grew up in {{Wretched Hive}}s like the Shadycreek Run and wasn't much worse than anyone else. He still cared about his TrueCompanions and other family members like his sister. [[spoiler:After his resurrection as the Nonagon, he started abusing and manipulating the Tombtakers, treating them as expendable puppets that he had to corral and force into obedience. When most of them are killed by the Nein's ambush, he brushes their deaths off as their being "meant" to take him and Cree there and no further. Later, when the Nein are close to capturing him and Cree, he turns her into a BlobMonster to buy himself time to reach the Somnovem.]] |
| 452 | * VillainousBreakdown: He starts to utterly devolve into nothing but rage in Episode 139 when [[spoiler:the Mighty Nein continuously calls him "Molly," which has been causing him pain and confusion]]. |
| 453 | -->'''Lucien:''' Would you please... stop saying that ''name?!'' |
| 454 | * VillainousUnderdog: As scared as the Nein are to face the Tomb Takers in full, once it's just down to him and Cree, Lucien finds himself severely outnumbered and outgunned. The Nein also have a significant mobility advantage in that they have members who can fly while he doesn't. He still manages to get what he's after, but only through a combination of his superior knowledge of Aeor's layout and using the same trick the Nein pulled on him to ensure they can't attack before he and Cree finish opening a portal to Cognouza. |
| 455 | * WalkingSpoiler: His entire existence serves as one of these given that he is walking around in the body of a previous player character, not to mention his connection to the Eyes of Nine. |
| 456 | * WeUsedToBeFriends: Subverted. While meeting up with him initially appeared to be a case of going to find Mollymauk and feeling betrayed by his return to old allegiances, it becomes clear soon enough that he (and eventually the Mighty Nein) consider Mollymauk [[ThatManIsDead dead and gone]]. |
| 457 | * WhoNamesTheirKidDude: The Mighty Nein, including Molly, are all deeply underwhelmed upon learning his name and start making jokes that Lucien sounds like the name of a melodramatic, angsty teenager. |
| 458 | * XanatosGambit: Downplayed. While not entirely covering every contingency, his plan while the Mighty Nein chase him into [[spoiler:Cognouza means that whether they live or die he still benefits, as even in the case that they catch up to him then he can use them to distract the Somnovem and takeover]]. |
| 459 | * YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness: When most of the Tombtakers die in Aeor, he dismisses their deaths and says they served their purpose. He later [[spoiler:turns Cree into a BlobMonster to slow the Nein down while he gets to Cognouza. He even views the ''Somnovem'' as this, deciding that their madness and bickering keep them from being truly effective. He later hijacks them into being his puppets, putting all of Cognouza under his control.]] |
| 460 | [[/folder]] |
| 461 | |
| 462 | [[folder:Cree]] |
| 463 | !!Cree Deeproots |
| 464 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/cree.jpg]] |
| 465 | [[caption-width-right:350:]] |
| 466 | -->'''Race''': Tabaxi |
| 467 | -->'''Class''': Cleric (Blood Domain) |
| 468 | |
| 469 | A cleric who works for the Gentleman, but also has a past with Mollymauk's previous life as a member of the Tomb Takers. |
| 470 | ---- |
| 471 | * AlasPoorVillain: [[spoiler:While she was decidely antagonistic toward the Nein, they do feel sorry for her gruesome and tragic fate as [[BadBoss Lucien]] ignores her plea for help and instead transforms her into a twisted flesh monster.]] |
| 472 | * BlobMonster: [[spoiler:Her ultimate fate after having been betrayed by [[BadBoss Lucien]].]] |
| 473 | * BloodMagic: Her apparent specialty as a Blood Domain cleric, as she is the one who draws out the vials of the party's blood for the Gentleman. She has a level of telekinetic control over it, enabling her to draw blood out of people and track their movements. |
| 474 | * ChildhoodFriend: Cree was Lucien's oldest and most loyal friend, having known each other when they were street urchins eking out a living in Shadycreek Run. [[spoiler:Sadly, this doesn't save her from being abandoned to advance Lucien's ambitions.]] |
| 475 | * CurbStompBattle: [[spoiler:In the first part of Episode 138, the Mighty Nein and Essek absolutely brutalize her without her able to do a thing to stop them (due to rolling a 3 on initiative), to the point that she begs the Nonagon for aid.]] |
| 476 | * TheDragon: Lucien's closest ally (and the last of his Tombtakers still alive by the end of his arc, aside from himself). |
| 477 | * LockedOutOfTheLoop: She has no idea that Molly remembers nothing about his past before waking up in a grave, as Molly successfully lied and dodged around her questions. [[spoiler:The Mighty Nein later tell her they parted ways with Molly instead of informing her of his death, though in the next episode Fjord ends up coming clean to her.]] |
| 478 | * TheMedic: Cree's ability to magically heal wounds is invaluable in her party composed solely of people who fight by injuring themselves. So far though, she's only been seen healing herself after falling into some lava. |
| 479 | * TransformationHorror: [[spoiler:See OneWingedAngel below. After asking Lucien for help during her fight against the Nein, he obliges by warping her into a BlobMonster.]] |
| 480 | * MsExposition: Provides Molly and the party a lot of information about Molly's past as Lucien. |
| 481 | * OneWingedAngel: [[spoiler:After the Nein give her a CurbStompBattle in the Cognouza Ward, she retaliates by turning into something ''horrible.'']] |
| 482 | * ScrewThisImOuttaHere: When the Nein return to Zadash in search of her to find out more information about Molly, the Gentlemen tells them she left town months ago without explanation. When Jester tries to magically message her, she makes clear she wants nothing to do with them. |
| 483 | * StalkerWithoutACrush: Debatable. Upon learning of Lucien's second death, instead of accepting it and moving on the way that the Nein did, she bided her time until she was capable of resurrecting him. And as a Blood Cleric, she unsurprisingly wore a vial of blood around her neck to serve as her Holy Symbol. The blood in question? Belonged to Lucien. |
| 484 | * {{Telepathy}}: While the Nein is tracking the Tomb Takers through the Tundra, Jester hears Cree's voice in her mind to give her a brief message even though Cree is nowhere in sight. This seems consistent with the spell Sending, except that somehow one of Cree's party members is also able to join in on the telepathic conversation, hinting that they have some sort of HiveMind. |
| 485 | * VillainousBreakdown: In Episode 138, [[spoiler:she is reduced to begging Lucien for aid telepathically. He... obliges]]. |
| 486 | -->'''Cree:''' [[spoiler:Nonagon, help me! Please! Lucien...]] |
| 487 | [[/folder]] |
| 488 | |
| 489 | [[folder:Otis]] |
| 490 | !!Otis Brunkel |
| 491 | [[quoteright:320:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/otis_brunkel.jpg]] |
| 492 | [[caption-width-right:320:]] |
| 493 | -->'''Race''': Halfling |
| 494 | -->'''Class:''' Blood Hunter (Order of the Profane Soul), Warlock |
| 495 | |
| 496 | A blood hunter who left the Claret Orders with the Tomb Takers. After the group disbanded, they put their skills to use in [[WretchedHive Shadycreek Run]] before the Tomb Takers were reformed by the Nonagon. |
| 497 | ---- |
| 498 | * AmbiguousGenderIdentity: Matt described Otis as a female when the Tomb Takers were introduced to the Mighty Nein, but their name is clearly a male one. Matt confirmed later on Twitter that Otis uses the nouns he/she/they, meaning that they are at least genderfluid. |
| 499 | * AttackTheMouth: [[spoiler:After a bitter and mostly one-sided rivalry, Veth walks up to Otis, puts her crossbow in their mouth, and fires to finish them off.]] |
| 500 | * BehindAStick: As a halfling, Otis can hide behind any person taller than them, which they take full advantage of by standing behind Fjord to get away from an ancient dragon. Fjord ends up having to stay completely still to hide them and the situation gets even more ridiculous when Veth also comes to tries and hide behind Fjord. The DM [[LampshadeHanging lampshades]] it by comparing it to when characters in cartoons hide behind thin trees. |
| 501 | * BlackSpeech: Capable of speaking Deep Speech and does so to make a blessing during dinner. Beau was the only member of the Mighty Nein who could understand what Otis was saying and she was pretty disturbed. |
| 502 | * ClosetShuffle: Otis and Veth end up having a minor scuffle when the two both try and hide behind Fjord mid-battle. They end up having to push each other around and try to fit behind Fjord like Tetris pieces. |
| 503 | * {{Counterspell}}: Otis tries to cast Counterspell on another person's Counterspell, revealing Otis is one of a handful of NPC's Matt has given access to what he and the cast call "the best spell in the game." Unfortunately for him, as soon as [[ItMakesSenseInContext the party's wizard returns from the bathroom,]] he casts Counterspell, resulting in a counter-counter-counterspell chain. |
| 504 | * EvilCounterpart: They mirror Veth as a halfling archer with magical abilities. This clearly grates on Veth and contributes to the animosity between them. |
| 505 | * SillyPrayer: In an example of BlackComedy, Otis' idea of saying grace is to let their eyes turn black, speak in a language known only to {{Eldritch Abomination}}s, and ask a distant voice to let them consume sustenance. All the players laugh and balk at the sheer darkness of Otis' response to such an innocent request. |
| 506 | * SitcomArchnemesis: After a few awkward conversations and a failed attempt to cast a spell on them, Veth takes every opportunity to talk about how much she hates Otis and frequently contemplates stabbing them in the back out of spite. This comes to a head when both of them try to hide behind Fjord and end up bickering and pushing each other around while the rest of their allies fight for their lives. |
| 507 | * WallCrawl: The first thing Otis does is walk up a wall and onto a ceiling to dig out a threshold crest from the ceiling of an Aeorian ruin. Whether this is because of the influence of the Tomb Takers' [[EldritchAbomination alien patron]] or a spell Otis cast is left unclear. |
| 508 | * YouWillNotEvadeMe: Otis' Eldritch Blast can pull anyone it hits ten feet closer to them, making them an incredible obstacle to the Nein when the group is trying to run away from Tomb Takers. |
| 509 | [[/folder]] |
| 510 | |
| 511 | [[folder:Tyffial]] |
| 512 | !!Tyffial Wase |
| 513 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tyffial.jpg]] |
| 514 | [[caption-width-right:350:]] |
| 515 | -->'''Race''': Elf |
| 516 | -->'''Class''': Blood Hunter (Order of the Mutant) / Fighter |
| 517 | |
| 518 | A member of the Tomb Takers. After the group disbanded she worked as a bodyguard in Nogvurot until the group was reformed by the Nonagon. |
| 519 | ---- |
| 520 | * AlchemyIsMagic: The basis of the "Order of the Mutant" subclass. |
| 521 | * CharacterDeath: [[spoiler:Killed by Beau after the Nein's ambush successfully took her, Otis and Zoran out and heavily wounded Lucien and Cree.]] |
| 522 | * OutOfFocus: Compared to the rest of the Tombtakers she doesn't get a lot of focus and interacts with the Nein as little as possible during their travels together. |
| 523 | [[/folder]] |
| 524 | |
| 525 | [[folder:Zoran]] |
| 526 | !!Zoran Kluthidol |
| 527 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/zoran.jpg]] |
| 528 | [[caption-width-right:350:]] |
| 529 | -->'''Race''': Goliath |
| 530 | -->'''Class''': Blood Hunter (Order of the Ghostslayer), Fighter |
| 531 | |
| 532 | A member of the Tomb Takers. After the group disbanded he worked as a torturer for the Myriad in Rexxentrum until the group was reformed by the Nonagon. |
| 533 | ---- |
| 534 | * TheBrute: As a half-giant, Zoran literally does the heavy lifting for the Tomb Takers, carrying a massive threshold crest on his back for miles and smashing the Nonagon's enemies with his massive two-handed maul. He's the only member of the group with a decent Strength score and he has little to no options in combat besides just smashing enemies that come near him. |
| 535 | * CoupDeGrace: [[spoiler:After being magically bombarded, Zoran lies unconscious on the ground and can do nothing as Fjord drives his sword into his neck, twists it, and sends Zoran's head rolling away from his body.]] |
| 536 | * ThePigPen: When Veth and Otis are discussing all the smells they get subjugated to at their height, Otis glances at Zoran specifcally when Veth mentions people not bathing enough. |
| 537 | * TortureTechnician: Was talented enough at torture to make it his full-time profession during the time the Tomb Takers were split up. |
| 538 | [[/folder]] |
| 539 | |
| 540 | |
| 541 | !Other Villains |
| 542 | |
| 543 | !!Humanoids |
| 544 | |
| 545 | [[folder:Dayana Prucine]] |
| 546 | !!High-Richter Dayana Prucine |
| 547 | -->'''Race:''' Half-Elf |
| 548 | |
| 549 | The High-Richter of Zadash, Dayana Prucine is a haughty, corrupt individual whom the Knights of Requital seek to overthrow. |
| 550 | ---- |
| 551 | * AssholeVictim: She's such a RichBitch that it's hard to feel bad for her when [[spoiler:she gets blown up by Ulog]]. |
| 552 | * ArcVillain: The focus villain for Episodes 11 and 12. |
| 553 | * BlackAndGreyMorality: While the Knights of Requital [[TheRevolutionWillNotBeCivilized aren't exactly squeaky-clean]] (especially Ulog), she definitely comes across worse in comparison. |
| 554 | * CharacterDeath: [[spoiler:When cornered and the groups plans falling apart, Ulog tackles Prucine and shoves the magical gem he had been wearing around his neck down her throat. It detonates moments later, [[TakingYouWithMe killing them both]]]]. |
| 555 | * CorruptPolitician: She's been bending the law for her own purposes for years. |
| 556 | * CovertPervert: Jester finds a copy of "The Courting of the Crick," a banned historical romance novel, in her room. |
| 557 | * FantasticRacism: Looks down on both tieflings and dwarves. She callously admits that she arrested Ulog's wife knowing she was innocent, just to prove "even the most unassuming dwarf can be a scoundrel". |
| 558 | * FeedItABomb: [[spoiler:Dies from being forcefed one of the stones of a Necklace of Fireballs by Ulog]]. |
| 559 | * HateSink: Has little to no redeeming qualities. |
| 560 | * NearVillainVictory: She very nearly captured the party and Ulog. If not for Ulog succeeding on his roll to grab her, she likely would have had them all arrested, at which point the party would have been in serious trouble. |
| 561 | * RichBitch: Rich, arrogant, sees herself as above everyone, racist, [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking has an extremely gaudy house]]... yep, she fits the bill. |
| 562 | * SecretTestOfCharacter: She epically fails when Molly tests her by spilling water and making direct eye contact when he goes to clean it up. Prucine reacts with visible disgust and demands the Nein not bring tiefling near her, cementing their opinion that she is a complete asshole. |
| 563 | [[/folder]] |
| 564 | |
| 565 | |
| 566 | [[folder:Trent Ikithon]] |
| 567 | !!Master Trent Ikithon |
| 568 | [[quoteright:1000:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/trent_ikithon.jpg]] |
| 569 | [[caption-width-right:1000:]] |
| 570 | -->'''Race''': Human |
| 571 | -->'''Class''': Wizard |
| 572 | |
| 573 | Trent Ikithon is one of the most powerful spellcasters in the Empire in both magical and political influence. He serves as the Archmage of Civil Influence on the Cerberus Assembly, essentially acting as their public face and chief propagandist. He secretly uses his role as a tutor in the Soltryce Academy to scout promising young magic users and {{brainwash}} them (through a combination of "private tuition" and mind-effecting spells) into loyal executioners for the Empire and himself. |
| 574 | ---- |
| 575 | * AndIMustScream: [[spoiler:After the Mighty Nein place an anti-magic collar on his neck and defeat him, he's taken to trial. It's described as being unable to talk or use his hands, being force-fed, and leaving him with nothing but his thoughts about how badly he's messed up. He somehow manages to [[CrossesTheLineTwice double down on this trope]] after being freed from the collar during the [[WhenThePlanetsAlign Apogee Solstice]] by getting himself sealed in a [[SealedEvilInACan Athtiri Menthal]] in an attempt to take his revenge on Caleb and the Nein.]] |
| 576 | * TheArchmage: Naturally, given that he's part of the Cerberus Assembly. |
| 577 | * ArcVillain: He takes over for the Tomb Takers for several episodes of the Eiselcross Arc, as the Mighty Nein seek ways to defend against Lucien. Ways that set them against Trent. |
| 578 | * BigBadEnsemble: With the Tomb Takers, as the Nein gaining his ire results in him hounding them as a secondary antagonist, even being a more present threat for several sessions. |
| 579 | * BrokenPedestal: To Caleb, who followed his teachings and committed horrific acts out of loyalty to him and the Empire before having a mental breakdown. |
| 580 | * EarlyBirdCameo: Briefly appears as part of the unnamed mage duo that deals with the Xhorhasian assassins in Episode 12, gets properly introduced in Episode 18. |
| 581 | * EvilTeacher: Can't get much worse than indoctrinating impressionable young students into unquestionable loyalty to the Empire, exposing them to many different forms of cruelty and using them as experiments, desensitizing them to murder by having them execute dissidents and finally turning them into [[SelfMadeOrphan Self-Made Orphans]] by having them murder their parents as their [[DeadlyGraduation "final exam"]]. |
| 582 | * FakeMemories: Implanted false memories of Caleb's parents plotting against the empire, to convince Caleb to kill them. |
| 583 | * FateWorseThanDeath: [[spoiler: After his trial and sentencing, Trent's fate is described as such...]] |
| 584 | -->'''Matt:''' [[spoiler: Privately, you know that he is placed in the deepest, darkest dungeon in Rexentrum. Unable to speak, unable to use his hands, force-fed, and able to do nothing but think. And think. And think.]] |
| 585 | * FauxAffablyEvil: Constantly wears a facade of oily politeness, but he's an unrepentantly cruel and twisted man. |
| 586 | * {{Flight}}: He is first seen flying in the air, chasing after the Xhorhasian assassins during the attack on the Zauberspire. |
| 587 | * TheFriendNobodyLikes: Friend might be a stretch, but nearly everybody in the Assembly who the Mighty Nein ask about him finds him detestable. |
| 588 | * GasLighting: When he isn't using FakeMemories to manipulate his students, he'll use this. Trent's claim that he has orchestrated everything that has happened to Caleb to strengthen him has the wizard genuinely questioning his own ''free will'', and wondering if everything he does isn't ultimately planned by Trent. |
| 589 | * GlassCannon: As an elderly Wizard, Trent isn't exactly a font of hit points. But he can certainly dish it out. [[spoiler:In his final confrontation with the Nein, he easily hits 50+ damage on several spells, such as Horrid Wilting, and Crown of Stars gives him several motes of light that he can throw as a bonus action for heavy Radiant damage.]] |
| 590 | * HateSink: Compared to the overall moral grayness of not just the Assembly, but also the setting itself, Trent sticks out as a thoroughly wretched man. He brutally tortures and experiments upon students he scouts out as part of his training under the guise of using that trauma to break them down so they can build themselves up even better than before. He then forces those same young people to commit horrific acts of violence as part of proving their dedication and loyalty to the Dwendalian Empire, and as part of their so called final exam forces them to kill their parents after they had been given falsified memories of their parents engaging in treason. The other mages on the Assembly don't like him with their feelings on him ranging from fairly discomforted to outright revolted by his methods and demeanor, and the Mighty Nein have nothing but hatred for him after Caleb recounts his experiences with them. |
| 591 | * HumiliationConga: It's all but stated that the only reason he hounded the Mighty Nein so heavily is that Trent's pride was wounded after Caleb stole a bunch of Amulets of Nondetection from under his nose. When he forces the issue into a confrontation, [[spoiler: his underlings turn on him, he gets manhandled by Beau, his escape attempt is [[YouWillNotEvadeMe Counterspelled]] by Fjord, and he falls 30 feet to the ground, where he is silenced by a magical collar that's stuck to him with ''the most powerful adhesive in existence'', which is also used to glue his hands together. He's then held prisoner for a week or so, force-fed, and eventually thrown in a basket to be carted off to the Cobalt Soul, who find him guilty of many crimes and have him thrown in the deepest, darkest cell in the oubliette.]] |
| 592 | * IfYoureSoEvilEatThisKitten: Forced his students to routinely execute traitors to the empire. |
| 593 | * LackOfEmpathy: [[spoiler:{{Invoked}} in Episode 141. After the Nein defeat him, Caduceus repeatedly casts Command on him, ordering him to "empathize" with the suffering he has caused. Matt eventually states that, although Command can force an attempt at an action, the individual also has to be capable of the action in the first place. In this case, Trent clearly is ''not'' capable of empathy.]] |
| 594 | * MachiavelliWasWrong: Caduceus all but spells this out for him in a KirkSummation, but [[IgnoredEpiphany Trent doesn't listen]]. [[spoiler: If he had, maybe his proteges wouldn't have [[TheDogBitesBack turned on him.]]]] |
| 595 | * MiseryBuildsCharacter: A very firm believer in this. He views Caleb's trauma, namely being forced to murder his parents, being institutionalized in an asylum for over a decade, and everything he went through with the Mighty Nein, as instrumental in helping him reach his true potential, and claims to have orchestrated all of it out of ''love''. |
| 596 | ** [[spoiler: And he still believes it after being imprisoned for seven years, as most of the messages he left for Caleb at the Rexxentrum Archive were him gloating that the time he spent thinking in his cell made him stronger than ever. Caleb and the Nein were just mildly annoyed until [[ThisMeansWar Trent threatened Essek]].]] |
| 597 | * MoreThanMindControl: While his FakeMemories helped push them over the edge, his training gradually mentally conditioned his students into becoming loyal soldiers of the empire... to the extreme. |
| 598 | * NoMisterBondIExpectYouToDine: He invites Caleb and the rest of the Nein to a dinner at his tower, where he is flanked by Astrid and Eadwulf, which he frames as a "family reunion". [[spoiler: He invited Caleb to dinner again in ''The Migthy Nein Reunited: Echoes of the Solstice'', in his childhood home and with his undead parents as special guests. Caleb's decision to spend the night inside his Tower so that everyone could fight and protect Luc at their best [[PunctualityIsForPeasants turns it into a breakfast]].]] |
| 599 | * NoSell: He's capable of casting the very powerful ''Invulnerability'' spell, which makes him completely immune to all damage until it's dispelled. |
| 600 | * NotSoStoic: He likes to present an image of being an unflappable mastermind who is above petty conflicts, but a couple of jabs from ''Caduceus'' of all people is enough to crack his facade. [[spoiler:Later, when the Nein steal some cloaking amulets from him he tries to convince Caleb that he isn't angry but just wants to talk. Except when Caleb blows him off he comes charging after them with a full Volstrucker strike force.]] [[spoiler: He also keeps a smug sneer on his face even after being defeated, gagged, and shackled... except when it's [[ForceFeeding feeding time]], at which point Matt says he gets "a little bitchy."]] |
| 601 | * ObviouslyEvil: Everyone is quite aware of what a piece of work he is, and he makes no effort to not look or act creepy. |
| 602 | * OhCrap: The closest he comes to losing his composure on-stream is when [[spoiler:Beau manages to grapple him and attach an anti-magical collar on his neck with sovereign glue]]. |
| 603 | * PoliticallyMotivatedTeacher: He is a pro-Empire teacher at the Soltryce Academy, who hand-picked Caleb/Bren, along with Astrid and Eadwulf, to become brainwashed agents of the Cerberus Assembly. |
| 604 | * PostFinalBoss: [[spoiler:He faces off against the Mighty Nein in the final episode, after they've dispatched ArcVillain Lucien in the previous one. While he's far from a simple fight, he's less of a challenge than Lucien was.]] [[spoiler: And then he comes back as the main antagonist of ''The Mighty Nein Reunited: Echoes of the Solstice''.]] |
| 605 | * PropagandaMachine: As "Archmage of Civil Influence", he's responsible for constructing the face of the Empire in upper-echelon circles. |
| 606 | * PuzzleBoss: [[spoiler: In his PostFinalBoss encounter with the Nein, the main challenge of the fight is breaking through Trent's ''multiple'' layers of magical barriers that allow him to NoSell most attacks, while dealing with his, Astrid and Eadwulf's ability to use Counterspell. Trent himself doesn't have a lot of HP, but there's also the fact most of the Nein want to capture him alive. Additionally, convincing Astrid and Eadwulf to turn on their teacher forms a side objective for the fight, which the Nein ultimately succeed at.]] |
| 607 | * SecretPolice: Trains his students to be the "Vollstrecker" or royal assassins (also called "Scourgers") of the Dwendalian Empire. |
| 608 | * ShockAndAwe: When he first appears, he kills one of the Xhorhasian assassins with a bolt of lightning. |
| 609 | * SmugSnake: He never seems to stop wearing a smug, nasty little smile. [[spoiler: Even when he's beaten and arrested.]] |
| 610 | * TheSocialDarwinist: Views MightMakesRight as the best way to govern the Dwendalian Empire. |
| 611 | -->'''Caleb:''' [Trent believes] that the unwashed masses relied on their base instincts, and the highest calling was to rise above the muck and control the cattle for the good of all. |
| 612 | * TheSociopath: Trent checks all of the boxes-- he uses people as tools, he lies and manipulates, he hurts people without a second thought, and he's massively self-absorbed-- but it's most obvious [[spoiler: when Caduceus casts Command on him, attempting to force him to Empathize for all that he's done. When the spell finally breaks through his massive Wisdom save, it still doesn't take effect, and it becomes clear that Trent [[LackOfEmpathy literally cannot]] feel empathy.]] |
| 613 | * StealthMentor: Claims to have been one to Caleb-- he takes credit for engineering his institutionalization and subsequent escape from the asylum, saying he did so because he knew that Caleb would only thrive after being broken down and set free. It's not clear how much he [[BelievingTheirOwnLies believes what he's saying]] or if he's just trying to assign himself the credit for Caleb's successes, but none of the Nein buy it for a second. |
| 614 | * StrikeMeDownWithAllOfYourHatred: Trent knows that he's surrounded by [[TheStarscream would-be usurpers]], and actively encourages them to take their best shot, as he would consider any pupil sharp enough to actually depose him to be his brightest student. |
| 615 | -->'''Caleb:''' I do loathe you. I've spent many nights dreaming of killing you with my bare hands. |
| 616 | -->'''Trent:''' ''(leering maliciously)'' Nothing would make me prouder. |
| 617 | * TrainingFromHell: Put Caleb and the other two students through one. |
| 618 | * VillainWithGoodPublicity: The party met him face-to-face, but only Caleb knows the kind of person he ''really'' is. Whether his actions are common within the higher echelons of the Empire or are extreme even by their standards is unknown. |
| 619 | ** At least some of his fellow Assembly members know how he trains prospective Volstruckers. The Martinet [[EvenEvilHasStandards finds his techniques distasteful...]] [[AvertedTrope but he hasn't shut him down]]. |
| 620 | [[/folder]] |
| 621 | |
| 622 | [[folder:Thuron]] |
| 623 | !!Thuron |
| 624 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/thuron.jpg]] |
| 625 | [[caption-width-right:350:]] |
| 626 | -->'''Race''': Drow |
| 627 | -->'''Class''': Fighter (Echo Knight) |
| 628 | |
| 629 | A member of the Xhorhasian Military, the Nein encounter him as they escape the disaster at the Harvest Festival through the sewers. |
| 630 | ---- |
| 631 | * AmbiguouslyHuman: They have a humanoid body type, but no one was able to get a good enough look at them before they attacked and the only thing they said to them was shouted in Undercommon. The ambiguity ends next episode with the reveal of his race. |
| 632 | * AntiVillain: During the Xhorhas arc, it becomes clear that Thuron was simply trying to pull off what the Nein actually achieves successfully: [[spoiler:take the stolen Luxon Beacon back from the Empire and return it to the Kryn Dynasty.]] |
| 633 | * ArtifactOfDoom: The grey, glowing dodecahedron he carries with him that he calls "The Beacon". Whatever "The Beacon" is, it prolongs the life of those that live in Xhorhas (by his own admission he has lived ''four'' lifetimes, which for elves equates to about 3000 years). |
| 634 | * BlackSpeech: He screams something at them in Undercommon, a language commonly described as guttural and harsh. He does speak Common, but doesn't care to use it unless he absolutely has to. |
| 635 | * CastingAShadow: Possess a powerful area-of-effect spell that creates a zone of total darkness, and anyone who enters is unable to see far at all, nor can anyone outside of it see inside. His attacks also are described as causing a dark aura to seep from them, and he can create a "shadowy echo" as a temporary clone for a single successful attack against a target if he either hits a target or is himself hit. |
| 636 | * DidntThinkThisThrough: As the group plans on leaving him behind, albeit with the majority of his stuff, he takes advantage of Molly's attempt to ease him out of his restraints to grab him and try and hold him hostage. Molly quickly points out how stupid it would be to use him as one, [[TheFriendNobodyLikes since nobody really likes him enough to bother]], so he lets him go and leaves. |
| 637 | * EvilCounterpartRace: He speaks Undercommon and the only two other Xhorhasians in the story so far were a drow from "The Courting of the Crick" [[UnreliableNarrator porn book]], and a corpse that might have had blue fingertips, which means it's fairly likely they are a drow. Confirmed in episode 13. |
| 638 | * FlashStep: He can briefly dissipate his physical form to flow like smoke a short distance. This process also leaves behind a semi-translucent copy that he can then step back to in an instant. |
| 639 | * NoSell: As Molly is about to land a critical on him, he uses his FlashStep ability to avoid and switch it with a copy of himself, saving himself from Molly's attack. |
| 640 | * SmallRoleBigImpact: Although only appearing very briefly in two episodes before being killed off, his actions unwittingly cause the Nein to steal the Beacon from the Empire. This ends up having major consequences for both the war and the Nein's overall destiny, for over 40 episodes later, [[spoiler:they end up returning the Beacon to the Kryn Dynasty, gaining the Bright Queen's favor.]] |
| 641 | * SoundOnlyDeath: The Mighty Nein hear the Crownsguard killing him and see some firelight, but his actual death is out of their field of view. |
| 642 | * SpikesOfVillainy: His armor is black, spiky, and has a texture like insect chitin. |
| 643 | * WeHardlyKnewYe: After the party decides to let him go, he gets offed by the Crownsguard about five minutes later. |
| 644 | * WorfHadTheFlu: He was a considerably more powerful than any opponent the Nein had faced up to that point, but was balanced out by starting the fight heavily injured. Taken further once he is released, as he is left without any weapons or his boots, on top of being badly damaged, enabling the Crownsguard to make short work of him. |
| 645 | [[/folder]] |
| 646 | |
| 647 | [[folder:Algar Dyomin]] |
| 648 | !!Algar Dyomin |
| 649 | -->'''Race''': Human |
| 650 | |
| 651 | An influential member of the Clovis Concord in Nicodranas, and a client of Jester's mother, the Ruby of the Sea. Despite her making it clear that their relationship is strictly professional, Algar has become increasingly possessive of her and begun threatening her other clients. |
| 652 | ---- |
| 653 | * AnArmAndALeg: Fjord cuts his hand off after his defeat, to remove his bracelet and break his pact with the genie. |
| 654 | * BoisterousWeakling: For all his talk, he's not especially strong in his own right, requiring bodyguards, a summoned Water Elemental ''and'' a genie to pose a challenge to the Nein. |
| 655 | * ButtMonkey: He goes through a lot of abuse during his fight with the Nein, being hit with a fireball, trapped in the Hunger of Hadar and knocked unconscious by eldritch tentacles, revived only to witness one of his dead bodyguards raised as a spectre, choked out by Beau and interrogated, and having his hand cut off. He comes out of the whole ordeal absolutely ''terrified''. |
| 656 | * CrazyJealousGuy: He wants Marion to be his alone, and has been threatening her other clients. |
| 657 | * JerkJock: Is described as being very muscular, and is, obviously, a jerk. |
| 658 | * LeaveNoWitnesses: Attacks the party after they discover his "servant beneath the city". |
| 659 | * StalkerWithACrush: Towards Jester's mother, the Ruby of the Sea. |
| 660 | * TooDumbToLive: His “servant beneath the city” turns out to be entirely legal, but he acts like it’s a big secret and orders his guards to attack the Nein when they see it, which is automatically suspicious and results in him getting his ass kicked. |
| 661 | [[/folder]] |
| 662 | |
| 663 | [[folder:Lizardfolk]] |
| 664 | !!Lizardfolk |
| 665 | -->'''Race:''' Lizardfolk |
| 666 | |
| 667 | Lizardfolk who live on the outskirts of Urukaxl. Regularly fight with the Yuan-Ti for control of the island. |
| 668 | ---- |
| 669 | * ForeverWar: Engaged with the yuan-ti in one over full control of the island. |
| 670 | * LizardFolk: [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Duh.]] |
| 671 | [[/folder]] |
| 672 | |
| 673 | [[folder:Yuan-Ti]] |
| 674 | !!Yuan-Ti |
| 675 | -->'''Race:''' Yuan-Ti |
| 676 | |
| 677 | A race of snake-folk who live further within the island, and constantly fight the lizardfolk for full control. They occupy the Temple of the False Serpent, which was originally built in honor of Uk'otoa, but they have rededicated it to The Cloaked Serpent. |
| 678 | ---- |
| 679 | * ForeverWar: Engaged with the lizardfolk in one over full control of the island. |
| 680 | * ReligionOfEvil: Their temple worships the Cloaked Serpent, one of the Betrayer Gods, and they actively engage in ritual sacrifices. |
| 681 | * SnakePeople: With snake-tails instead of legs, but keeping the humanoid arms. |
| 682 | [[/folder]] |
| 683 | |
| 684 | !!Monsters |
| 685 | [[folder:The Trostenwald Killer]] |
| 686 | !!Kylre |
| 687 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/kylre.jpg]] |
| 688 | [[caption-width-right:350:]] |
| 689 | -->'''Race:''' Nergaliid (Original creation by Matthew Mercer) |
| 690 | |
| 691 | A member of The Fletching and Moondrop Traveling Carnival of Curiosities, Kylre performed under the name of "The Devil Toad", a frighteningly accurate moniker, as he was, in truth, a fiendish creature known as a Nergaliid that feeds off the life of mortal creatures. |
| 692 | ---- |
| 693 | * AlternateCharacterInterpretation: An {{InUniverse}} example. While most of the party believes Kylre had been evil all along, Molly isn't sure, and instead feels that Kylre might have been trying to suppress his feeding instincts to be with Toya, but accidentally slipped up and let his hunger get ahold of him, especially since there had been absolutely no precedent in all the years Kylre had been with the carnival. |
| 694 | * AmbiguouslyEvil: Although Kylre was responsible for the death of four people in Trostenwald, it isn't made clear if he truly was a evil monster like the party (sans Molly) believe he was. Once [[WordOfGod Matt]] gave more details about how Nergaliid's work, it paints Kylre as being less an evil monster, and more of a tragic creature that made a mistake outside of its control. The Campaign Wrap-Up makes him less ambiguous though, see below. |
| 695 | * DealWithTheDevil: Made a deal with Gustav, as Devils tend to do. He would make sure the struggling circus became profitable, in exchange for being provided victims to feed on. Gustav made sure to only feed him the elderly and fatally ill, and banned them from performances so none would die in public. |
| 696 | * EnemySummoner: Summoned three Imps when fighting the party. |
| 697 | * EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: Despite his fiendish nature, he seemed to genuinely care for Toya, the young Dwarf who often performed with him at the carnival. |
| 698 | * InASingleBound: As a fiendish toad creature, he can leap huge distances during combat. |
| 699 | * LifeDrain: Feeds off the life force of other beings to sustain himself. According to the book Caleb found, a Nergaliid has two forms of feeding: "slow feeding", which does not result in death and usually goes unnoticed by the victim, and "quick feeding", which is nearly always lethal and turns those killed into zombified husks. |
| 700 | * NotHyperbole: His "Devil Toad" stage name turned out to be a lot more literal than anyone expected. |
| 701 | * TheQuietOne: Doesn't talk often, usually limiting himself to a few words at a time in Infernal. |
| 702 | * StarterVillain: The first antagonist of the Wildemount campaign. |
| 703 | * WalkingSpoiler: Figuring out who or what was responsible for the zombie outbreaks in Trostenwald was a big part of the story arc, so mentioning Kylre, and what he really is, gives away the arc's main twist. |
| 704 | * ZombifyTheLiving: Those killed by his "quick feeding" become zombie-like husks, and those killed by husks are also turned. Thankfully, all of Kylre's victims were slain before they got out of hand. |
| 705 | [[/folder]] |
| 706 | |
| 707 | [[folder:Siff Duthar]] |
| 708 | !!Siff Duthar |
| 709 | -->'''Race''': Allip |
| 710 | |
| 711 | A spectral entity the Nein encountered in the ruins of an old necromantic research lab. His research journal implied he was alive during the Age of Arcanum. |
| 712 | ---- |
| 713 | * BattleTrophy: The sword that the party find in Siff's chamber belonged to the bounty hunter that made an ill-fated attempt on Siff's life. |
| 714 | * BerserkButton: Jester makes a joke out of his request for secrets. He does ''not'' take kindly to that. |
| 715 | * GoMadFromTheRevelation: ''Weaponizes'' this during the fight, whispering ThingsManWasNotMeantToKnow to confuse and stun the party. |
| 716 | * MadScientist: The magical equivalent. According to his notes, Siff experimented on refugees to find a method of extending life beyond its natural boundaries. The very presence of Siff's spirit, as well as the many will-o'-wisps that the Mighty Nein encountered throughout the research facility, show that he eventually managed to find a way, by binding a person's soul to an urn containing their remains, in the form of ashes. |
| 717 | * NayTheist: His notes imply he's one of the many human mages during the Age of Arcanum who felt mortals could surpass the gods through their magical gifts. |
| 718 | * PosthumousCharacter: He's been dead for centuries, but his spirit still haunts his old lab and remains a threat to any intruder. |
| 719 | * PuzzleBoss: Defeating Siff's ghost form doesn't permanently destroy him, since can keep reforming as long as the urn containing his ashes is intact. [[spoiler: Said urn is contained in a hidden room behind a bookcase]]. |
| 720 | [[/folder]] |
| 721 | |
| 722 | [[folder:Merrows]] |
| 723 | !!Merrows |
| 724 | -->'''Race:''' Merrow |
| 725 | |
| 726 | A pack of merfolk-like creatures that infested the Gentleman's safehouse. |
| 727 | ---- |
| 728 | * FishPeople: Have humanoid torsos, and fish tails and heads. |
| 729 | * YouWillNotEvadeMe: Making up for their slow land speed, they use harpoons to drag their enemies within biting range. |
| 730 | [[/folder]] |
| 731 | |
| 732 | [[folder:Venom Troll]] |
| 733 | !!Venom Troll |
| 734 | -->'''Race:''' Troll |
| 735 | |
| 736 | A troll that stalked the Labenda swamp area around the safehouse. |
| 737 | ---- |
| 738 | * FireKeepsItDead: Fire is one of the only things that can bypass its HealingFactor. |
| 739 | * HealingFactor: Has a strong one that can only be negated by acid or fire damage. |
| 740 | * NotQuiteDead: Thanks to its HealingFactor, it can ''only'' be [[FireKeepsItDead killed with fire]] or acid, even coming back after Mollymauk got the [[FinishHim HDYWTDT]]. |
| 741 | * PoisonousPerson: Taking any damage except psychic causes it to release a spray of poison from its body. |
| 742 | * WeakToFire: The only way to [[FireKeepsItDead keep it dead]] is through fire or acid. |
| 743 | [[/folder]] |
| 744 | |
| 745 | [[folder:Gear Warden]] |
| 746 | !!Gear Warden |
| 747 | -->'''Race:''' Clockwork |
| 748 | -->'''Class:''' Gear-Keeper |
| 749 | |
| 750 | ---- |
| 751 | * AIIsACrapshoot: The fantasy equivalent. As its name implies, it was designed to be a prison guard. It ended up going on a rampage, and now haunts the lower levels, killing anyone who comes near. |
| 752 | * AntiVillain: It's technically just doing what it was built for... it just does its job a little ''[[KillerRobot too]]'' well. |
| 753 | * ClockworkCreature: A sphere of gears, metal and blades. |
| 754 | * NoSell: The group's plan to blind its eyes with tar was a good idea... until they realize it can retract its eyes to clean them, and has more where they came from. |
| 755 | [[/folder]] |
| 756 | |
| 757 | [[folder:Dashilla]] |
| 758 | !!Dashilla the Dreadful |
| 759 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/dashilla.jpg]] |
| 760 | [[caption-width-right:350:]] |
| 761 | -->'''Race''': Sea Hag |
| 762 | -->'''Class''': Sea Fury |
| 763 | |
| 764 | -->[[labelnote:'''Click here for her song.''']]\ |
| 765 | ''Where once the waters rolled calmly by\ |
| 766 | Where ocean's heart did sing\ |
| 767 | There stalked a lass with a hungry eye\ |
| 768 | And claws that grasp and wring\ |
| 769 | \ |
| 770 | With lantern lure of a glimmer pot\ |
| 771 | With treasure in their eyes\ |
| 772 | Below they swam to the gold they thought\ |
| 773 | would await them as their prize\ |
| 774 | \ |
| 775 | Yet each of them went to surely die\ |
| 776 | Their graves to not be found\ |
| 777 | For Dashilla and her hungry eye\ |
| 778 | Collects the lost and drowned!''[[/labelnote]] |
| 779 | |
| 780 | A legendary sea monster among the pirates of Darktow, Dashilla sinks ships, lures sailors to her lair, slaughters them and collects their valuables. |
| 781 | ---- |
| 782 | * BigBoosHaunt: Her lair is filled with the spirits of "the lost and drowned", which she can make use of as a Lair Action to frighten attackers. |
| 783 | * CollectorOfTheStrange: She'll take any valuables she can salvage from shipwrecks or the sailors she kills, including one of Uk'otoa's Cloven Crystals. |
| 784 | * FemmeFatalons: The song doesn't say "claws that grasp and wring" for nothing. |
| 785 | * HumanSacrifice: What fuels her storm control spell. She seems to mainly use Merrow if she can't find any humans. |
| 786 | * KarmaHoudini: She escapes the Mighty Nein by the skin of her teeth: Matt confirmed she had only 3 hit points left. |
| 787 | * MoreTeethThanTheOsmondFamily: Dashilla's face, apart from her gleaming yellow eyes, mostly consists of a horrifying toothy mouth. |
| 788 | * WeatherManipulation: By pouring blood onto her table, she's able to summon storms. It's likely this is how she sinks ships to find treasure and prey. |
| 789 | [[/folder]] |
| 790 | |
| 791 | [[folder:Thelashas]] |
| 792 | !!Thelashas |
| 793 | -->'''Race:''' Blue Dragon |
| 794 | |
| 795 | A young blue dragon the Nein have the misfortune of encountering while traversing the extra dimension of Twiggy's Happy Fun Ball of Tricks. |
| 796 | ---- |
| 797 | * PuzzleBoss: Intended to be one, with various devices and contraptions in the room set up for the Nein to use to escape. [[spoiler:Ends up being {{subverted}} with the Nein managing to deal enough damage to kill it, with Twiggy getting the HDYWTDT.]] |
| 798 | * TheStarscream: Has an agreement with Halas to guard the manor in exchange for food and treasure, but secretly plans to grow big enough to eat Halas and take over the manor. |
| 799 | [[/folder]] |
| 800 | |
| 801 | [[folder:Incubus and Succubus]] |
| 802 | !!Incubus and Succubus |
| 803 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/the_buses.png]] |
| 804 | [[caption-width-right:350:]] |
| 805 | -->'''Race:''' Incubus and Succubus |
| 806 | |
| 807 | An incubus and succubus who were behind the manipulation of Asarius locals to commit murders. |
| 808 | ---- |
| 809 | * CharmPerson: They both routinely control the Asarius citizens to commit violent acts, and [[spoiler:use this successfully against Caleb, Fjord, and Yasha, to ''great'' effect against the Nein.]] |
| 810 | * CoDragons: To Otaath in opening demonic rifts in Asarius. |
| 811 | * HeroKiller: [[spoiler:Indirect example. Nott's exploding arrow kills the incubus, but Caduceus, who already failed ''two'' death saving throws, also was in range of the arrow. Fortunately, Jester was able to revive him shortly after.]] |
| 812 | * RitualMagic: It's implied the animal killings and [[HumanSacrifice murder of citizens]] they had Asarius citizens commit was in order to fuel the opening of more demonic rifts. |
| 813 | [[/folder]] |
| 814 | |
| 815 | [[folder:Otaath]] |
| 816 | !!Demon Knight Otaath |
| 817 | -->'''Race:''' Minotaur-like demon |
| 818 | |
| 819 | A fiend that resembled a combination of a winged minotaur, Otaath helmed the campaign to open a permanent portal from the Abyss into Asarius. |
| 820 | ---- |
| 821 | * AllThereInTheManual: Otaath's name was never given in the show, and only revealed in the ''{{TabletopGame/Munchkin}}: Critical Role'' card game, of all places. |
| 822 | * AndShowItToYou: [[spoiler: How Beau finally defeats it. However, since it's a very large creature and its heart is equally massive and heavy, this looks a lot less cool than Beau envisioned.]] |
| 823 | * ArcVillain: Of the Asarius episodes. |
| 824 | * DamageSpongeBoss: It took a whopping 235 damage before [[spoiler:Beau finally managed to get the HDYWTDT on it.]] |
| 825 | * HumanoidAbomination: Described by Matt as appearing as a minotaur, being of a fiendish nature, and having elements of an armanite such as conjuring lightning javelins. |
| 826 | * HowMuchMoreCanHeTake: Despite taking multiple hits from the Nein over the course of the battle, it constantly showed little tear and wear. |
| 827 | * ShockAndAwe: Was able to conjure lightning javelins to throw at long distances, dealing terrifying damage. Also wore magical gloves that imbued its claw strikes with additional lightning damage. |
| 828 | [[/folder]] |
| 829 | |
| 830 | [[folder:Dybbuk]] |
| 831 | !!Dybbuk |
| 832 | -->'''Race:''' Dybbuk |
| 833 | |
| 834 | A dybbuk that was behind the murder of many of Soorna's giant tribe, forcing them out of their home. |
| 835 | ---- |
| 836 | * AnimateDead: Would take control of giant corpses to fight against the Nein. |
| 837 | * DemonicPossession: Was able to take control of the dead giant bodies to use to fight against the Nein. |
| 838 | [[/folder]] |
| 839 | |
| 840 | [[folder:Zathkira]] |
| 841 | !!Zathkira |
| 842 | -->'''Race''': Lich\ |
| 843 | '''Class''': Wizard |
| 844 | |
| 845 | A remnant of a forgotten era in history, Zathkira was technically vanquished by the holy knight Shiona, but his evil has resurfaced in the random disappearance of several people in the Menagerie Coast region. Only the half-elf bard Capo following the legend of the Orb of Generosity is onto him and his evil scheme... but is Capo already too late? |
| 846 | |
| 847 | Zathkira is exclusive to the Red Nose Day 2019 event, featuring SpecialGuest Creator/StephenColbert playing as Capo. |
| 848 | ---- |
| 849 | * EvilCannotComprehendGood: In order to figure out where the generosity is located in humans, Zathkira kidnaps several humans and ''vivisects them.'' |
| 850 | * MakeThemRot: A mere smack of his hand can deal necrotic damage. |
| 851 | * ShroudedInMyth: Capo only learned about him from spotting the common elements from his reign of evil and the disappearance of random civilians in present day. |
| 852 | * SoulJar: Finding his phylactery is the only way to end his reign of terror - or at least the most effective way. |
| 853 | [[/folder]] |
| 854 | |
| 855 | [[folder:Gelidon]] |
| 856 | !!Gelidon, the Nightmare In Ivory |
| 857 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/gelidon.jpg]] |
| 858 | [[caption-width-right:350:]] |
| 859 | -->'''Race:''' White Dragon |
| 860 | |
| 861 | A reclusive ancient white dragon who has not been seen in over a century. The Mighty Nein need her help in order to reforge a sword. |
| 862 | ---- |
| 863 | * AnIcePerson: Part and parcel of being a white dragon. |
| 864 | * ConnectedAllAlong: According to Matt on Talks Machina, she was a possible mate of Vorugal and they were "courting" before his death. |
| 865 | * CrusadingWidower: Gender-inverted. "The Nightmare in Ivory" has a double-meaning, hinting at a vengeful bride robbed of their fiancé. Beau actually deduces this meaning and since Gelidon isn't the type to confide in random humans, Matt confirmed her suspicions out of character. |
| 866 | * DumbMuscle: According to Matt, Gelidon isn't the smartest of ancient dragons. |
| 867 | * FemaleMonsterSurprise: Not in-game, but retroactively on the audience via Talks Machina, Gelidon is actually a female dragon. |
| 868 | * HopelessBossFight: This time Matt outright confirmed that the players were ''not'' supposed to fight this thing. An Ancient White Dragon is ''far'' beyond their ability. |
| 869 | * NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast: She is known as Gelidon, the Nightmare In Ivory. |
| 870 | * NewOldFlame: Yes, a ''dragon'' can be one of these. Though there was no reference to her when the dragon Vorugal was wreaking havoc in campaign 1, he turns out to be her mate. |
| 871 | * WeWillMeetAgain: As the Nein makes their escape, she tells them that she has their scent now. [[spoiler:She is telling the truth.]] |
| 872 | [[/folder]] |
| 873 | |
| 874 | [[folder:Isharnai]] |
| 875 | !!Isharnai the Prism Sage |
| 876 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/isharnai.jpg]] |
| 877 | [[caption-width-right:350:]] |
| 878 | -->'''Race:''' Hag |
| 879 | |
| 880 | A powerful hag who feeds on the misery of those who make bargains with her. |
| 881 | ---- |
| 882 | * AffablyEvil: PlayedWith. She is a monster that feeds on other people's torment and directly caused Nott's predicament, but she did so to pay back a favor she owed to the goblin clan and she holds no specific grudge against Nott or the Mighty Nein. [[spoiler:She also is on friendly terms with Jester after her visit and asks the tiefling to bring more cupcakes]]. |
| 883 | * CreepilyLongArms: Matt describes one of her arms as being unnaturally longer than the other. Said arm also sports a set of filthy claws sharp enough to cleave one of Jester's cupcakes in two with only a second's worth of pressure. |
| 884 | * DealWithTheDevil: She offers supernatural deals that seemingly fulfill the victim's wishes but ultimately make them miserable. |
| 885 | * EmotionEater: She feeds on the misery of the people who make "bargains" with her. |
| 886 | * EvilVirtues: She honours the deals she makes, even if those she made them with are killed. |
| 887 | * ForcedTransformation: [[spoiler:She inflicted one on Nott that trapped her in her goblin form. Considering her hut is full of animals in cages, Nott likely is not her only victim.]] |
| 888 | * GreaterScopeVillain: She is directly responsible for both Nott and Beau's backstories, having [[spoiler:cursed the former with her goblin form]] and having [[spoiler:made a deal with the latter's father that led to her abuse and exile]]. |
| 889 | * OddFriendship: With Jester, who seems to pick up on Isharnai feeling lonely and chooses to make her feel geuninely happy. Jester even continues to send her cupcakes long after the party has left her. [[spoiler:Matt revealed in the post-game wrap-up that Isharnai recovered from the ''modify memory'' later and was so genuinely impressed by Jester as a fellow trickster that she didn't go out of her way to seek vengeance.]] |
| 890 | * OutGambitted: [[spoiler:Jester tricks her into eating a blueberry cupcake sprinkled with [[ChekhovsGun Dust of Deliciousness]], then modifies her memory to believe that she had such a great time with Jester that she agreed to lift Nott's curse without forcing her SadisticChoice.]] |
| 891 | * SadisticChoice: Forces one on the Mighty Nein, offering to lift a curse she put on a hafling friend of theirs only in exchange for [[EquivalentExchange an equal source of misery]]. The Nein make several terrible offers to her and ultimately argue between themselves whether to sacrifice their limbs, their friends, or their dreams of peace to help their friend. |
| 892 | * {{Seers}}: She has a reputation for fortune-telling with tarot cards and such, but she also has an eye for D&D's gamier divination magic, which lets her detect Jester's scrying. |
| 893 | * SlippingAMickey: [[spoiler:Falls victim to this courtesy of Jester and a cupcake sprinkled with Dust of Deliciousness, impairing her mind to allow Jester to use ''modify memory'' and avert the SadisticChoice]]. |
| 894 | * TheUnfought: The Mighty Nein had the option to fight against her if they decided not to bargain to break Nott's curse, but since they didn't, Matt brings out the battle map he had prepared for her after they stop playing for the episode. |
| 895 | * WickedWitch: She's an ugly crone who tricks people into accepting misery in exchange for reading their fortune or cursing their enemies. Therefore, it's ironic that she falls victim to the vices of ''Literature/HanselAndGretel'': [[spoiler: she eats baked goods from a magical stranger]]. |
| 896 | * WorfHadTheFlu: [[https://bixbiboom.tumblr.com/post/190573796119/okay-now-im-intrigued Matt implied on Twitter]] that she is a Legendary Creature, which should grant her three automatic saving throw successes each day. For some reason that Matt doesn't reveal, she did not use them. |
| 897 | * WorthyOpponent: Was revealed by Matt in the Campaign Wrap-up to feel this way toward [[spoiler:Jester]], as she recovered from the ''modify memory'' but remained impressed enough by the [[DidYouJustScamCthulhu trickery she fell for]] that she's not willing to seek vengeance... ''[[TheEndOrIsIt yet]]''. |
| 898 | [[/folder]] |
| 899 | |
| 900 | [[folder:Vokodo]] |
| 901 | !!Vokodo |
| 902 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/vokodo.jpg]] |
| 903 | [[caption-width-right:350:]] |
| 904 | -->'''Race''': Morkoth |
| 905 | |
| 906 | Living within its lair in the volcanic island of Rumblecusp, Vokodo has tricked those trapped on the island into worshiping it as a fire god and giving it all their worldly possessions by wiping their memories of before they arrived and making them believe the island is the center of the world. |
| 907 | ---- |
| 908 | * BigBadWannabe: For all of its posturing and pretension to godhood, it's still a mortal creature, and one that's rather easily killed, at that. Beauregard actually does more damage to herself punching its superheated hide than it's able to do to any of the Nein. |
| 909 | * TheDreaded: The villagers think of Vokodo as a largely benevolent god, as long as they provide appropriate tribute, and they're very wary of angering it. Even the Mighty Nein are intimidated by it and spend much of their time on the island attempting to gather resources and allies to confront it. |
| 910 | * ElementalEmbodiment: It has dwelt within the heart of an active volcano long enough to amalgamate some of the qualities of magma and flame into its own body. Its anger causes the water in its lair to superheat, and it's so hot to the touch that Beau actually burns herself while attacking it. |
| 911 | * {{Foil}}: To the Traveler, who is himself a trickster false deity. |
| 912 | * GodGuise: It has set itself up as a god and demands to be appeased with gifts by the people of the island. |
| 913 | * {{Greed}}: One of its two biggest drives. It has an insatiable lust for treasure, using its slaves to bring it everything they mine from the island. |
| 914 | * HumiliationConga: This self-proclaimed god lords over the island of Rumblecusp, demanding fealty and tribute from all who set foot there. Over the course of less than a week, the Mighty Nein went poking around in the "forbidden" areas of its island, deprogrammed its most powerful thrall, burned a few of the ships in its collection, and thrashed it in the very heart of its lair, forcing it to grovel (thanks to Jester's ''Command'' spell) and reducing it to fearful shrieks before ultimately finishing it off with Caleb's ''Disintegrate'' spell. |
| 915 | * MindManipulation: Can hypnotize opponents to daze them in combat. It's all but stated that Vokodo used this ability, or a variation thereof, to brainwash the Vo tribe into subservience. |
| 916 | * NoSell: If Vokodo passes its saving throw against a spell, it doesn't suffer half-damage from that spell (if applicable) and can [[AttackReflector redirect that spell]] against another creature in its vicnity, forcing ''it'' to save or suffer the spell's effects. |
| 917 | * ScrewThisImOuttaHere: At some point, Vokodo crossed paths with something so terrifying that it fled to the Material Plane to escape. [[spoiler:As it dies, the Nein and Vilya are granted a vision of what it is. It is a massive city in the Astral Sea which is somehow ''alive''... and hungry.]] |
| 918 | * ShockAndAwe: It knows the ''Chain Lightning'' spell, but only attempts to cast it once; Caleb is able to shut it down with a ''Counterspell''. |
| 919 | * VillainousBreakdown: Veth's ''Phantasmal Force'' and Fjord's illusion of an [[SpaceWhale Astral]] [[EldritchAbomination Dreadnought]] crack through its imperious exterior and get it to show fear for the first time, but it's being banished to the Astral Sea that really freaks Vokodo out. When Jester drops her ''Banishment'' spell (bringing it back so that the Nein can finish it off for good), it's practically ''blubbering in terror'', implicitly from something it saw after being returned to its home plane. |
| 920 | [[/folder]] |
| 921 | |
| 922 | [[folder:The Somnovem]] |
| 923 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/the_somnovem.jpg]] |
| 924 | [[caption-width-right:350:''"We can make dreams into anything."'']] |
| 925 | |
| 926 | A group of nine red eyes that somehow connects the philosophers of an ancient magocracy to a living city that travels the Astral Sea. The eyes are known individually as Timorei, Ira, Luctus, Glaudius, Vigilan, Elatis, Mirmimus Fastidan, and Culpasi. |
| 927 | ---- |
| 928 | * AntiMagic: Vigilian is able to emit a 60-foot anti-magic cone from their eye, just like a Beholder. This ability doesn't affect the magic of the rest of the Somnovem and its placement is the key to their battle strategy. |
| 929 | * AllLovingHero: Gaudius is a warped version of one. Gaudius hopes to unite the Somnovem and admires the joy and family of the Nein. Their presence and voice is described as oddly comforting, which makes it seem all the more uncanny and disturbing, given the location. |
| 930 | * AlmightyIdiot: As far as anyone can tell, including the Nonagon, the Somnovem are immensely powerful thanks to their time adrift in the Astral Sea, but so consumed with madness and hunger that they have no idea how to direct that power [[SanityHasAdvantages without a saner mind at the helm]]. |
| 931 | * AssimilationPlot: They claim to want to spread their "gifts" and "unite" the mortal peoples of the world. However, based on what happened to Yussa this actually means becoming an empty shell dominated by another mind. |
| 932 | * BodyHorror: [[spoiler:Their form is a grotesque fusion of organic and inorganic material shaped into a living city.]] |
| 933 | * BodyMotifs: They are generally associated with eyes and are able to manifest red eye markings on the people they claim. |
| 934 | * CharmPerson: Gaudius specializes in enchantment and uses an ability similar to the Beholder's Charm Ray. |
| 935 | * ClapYourHandsIfYouBelieve: This was the basis of their philosophy and research. They were obsessed with the possibility of bringing dreams to life and altering reality with imagination. |
| 936 | * DealWithTheDevil: [[spoiler:They have some sort of arrangement with Lucien that involves him gathering threshold crests from the ruins of Aeor in order to release them. Flipped on its head when Lucien decides to "punish" them for their squabbling and [[FaustianRebellion take control of Cognouza for himself]].]] |
| 937 | * EldritchTransformation: [[spoiler:Their time in the astral sea has warped them beyond comprehension. Their form is described as a massive, sentient city that absorbs everything in its path.]] |
| 938 | * EmotionBomb: |
| 939 | ** Those unable to avoid Luctus' gaze fall into a deep sense of grief and sadness, weighed down by their past misery. |
| 940 | ** Culpasi induces immense guilt in whoever falls under their gaze, dealing psychic damage whenever they hit an enemy. |
| 941 | * EveryoneHasStandards: Inverted. The Aeorian mages were engaged in all kinds of strange arcane research, but even they thought the Somnovem were a bunch of crackpots. Devexian comments that they and Cognuza being the only parts of Aeor to survive the Calamity is one of history's cruelest jokes. |
| 942 | * EvilSorcerer: ''The Nine Eyes Of Lucien'' has him find a journal written by [[https://criticalrole.fandom.com/wiki/Nonagon_mage the Grand Archivist]], a wizard born after the Calamity who was the first person the Somnovem contacted. The Archivist's journal describes his conflcit with [[https://criticalrole.fandom.com/wiki/Lorni%C3%AB Lornie]], a more humane wizard who studied the Somnovem's actions. Lornie described Fastidan as a "sick tyrant" for the way he used and abused large numbers of slaves in constructing the threshold crests the Somnovem needed for their schemes. Given their fanaticism, hubris and not seeming to mind Fastidan's use of slavery, it's unlikely the rest of the Somnovem were any better during their mortal lives. |
| 943 | * FromNobodyToNightmare: Based on the words of Devexian and a few documents Caleb finds in the ruins, during the days of Aeor proper the Somnovem were considered a group of fanatical outcasts who were cut off from many important areas of the city. [[spoiler:In present day, they are an abomination capable of threatening all of Exandria.]] |
| 944 | * FusionDance: The psychic storm they encountered in the Astral Plane forcibly merged them with each other and with the city itself, turning them into a twisted monstrosity. |
| 945 | * GeniusLoci: [[spoiler:They became a sentient, malevolent city while in the astral sea.]] |
| 946 | * GoneHorriblyRight: [[spoiler:They succeeded in transporting the Cognouza ward into the astral sea...directly into a psychic storm that shattered their minds and bodies and fused them with the ward itself.]] |
| 947 | * HorrifyingTheHorror: A monster capable of brainwashing whole islands was apparently so horrified of them that it punched a hole through the planes to escape to Exandria. |
| 948 | * ImmortalsFearDeath: Timorei expresses an overwhelming terror that some of the other Somnovem will lead them all to oblivion, so they give the Mighty Nein directions on where to go to kill them. |
| 949 | * LotusEaterMachine: Those under Elatis' gaze see illusions of their loved ones and what they desire the most, running towards them, allowing Elatis to manipulate where they move on the battlefield. |
| 950 | * MeaningfulName: Somnovem is GratuitousLatin for [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin "nine sleepers/dreamers"]]. Each of them introduced so far has a latin name relating to the emotion they embody: |
| 951 | ** Timorei - ''timor'' (fear) |
| 952 | ** Ira - ''ira'' (wrath) |
| 953 | ** Luctus - ''luctus'' (grief) |
| 954 | ** Gaudius - ''gaudeo'' (rejoicing, joy) |
| 955 | ** Vigilan - ''vigil'' (alertness) |
| 956 | ** Elatis - ''elate'' (pride) |
| 957 | ** Mirimus - ''mirim'' (surprise) |
| 958 | ** Fastidan - ''fastidium'' (disgust) |
| 959 | ** Culpasi - ''culpa'' (fault, guilt) |
| 960 | ** Their fused form calls itself "Omega" (the end). |
| 961 | * MeatMoss: The psychic storm that hit the city when it plunged into the astral sea basically turned its inhabitants into this. The entire city is a grotesque mass of flesh mimicking infrastructures. |
| 962 | * MindHive: [[spoiler:The Somnovem are the minds of nine individual wizards forced into an unstable fusion. They also contain thousands of consciousnesses from the residents of the Cognouza ward, although the nine Somnovem seem to be dominant and have largely suppressed all of the others.]] |
| 963 | * MindVirus: [[spoiler:A researcher investigating Aeor apparently made contact with them, causing him to gradually go insane and his writings to devolve into bizarre nonsensical patterns. These symbols in turn cause anyone who views them to [[BrownNote start dreaming of the city]] and gradually start developing [[ClaimedByTheSupernatural eye-shaped markings on their bodies]].]] |
| 964 | * NightmareWeaver: The enemies of the Somnovem have been plagued by nightmares of red eyes and wailing voices, with the implication that the Somnovem are somehow affecting their dreams. This makes sense, given that their philosophy led them to attend to their dreams with an almost religious devotion. |
| 965 | * NumerologicalMotif: More than any other NPC in the campaign, the Somnovem ( also called the "Eyes of Nine") are associated with the number nine. They are a council of nine wizards with mastery over the nine schools of magic whose philosophy heavily involves a plane accessible only on the ninth basement of Aeor. This association is what made the Mighty Nein suspect the Somnovem have some connection to them. |
| 966 | * OcularGushers: Luctus' eye is a dull grey and constantly seeping copious amounts of liquid, as though it were weeping. |
| 967 | * OutOfFocus: The Mighty Nein don't meet Miramus before the final fight and none of them fall under the effect of their eye, leaving Miramus as the least understood eye of the Somnovem. |
| 968 | * OutGambitted: [[spoiler:The whole "Nonagon" deal was about tempting mortals by granting them power and encouraging their "chosen one" to come to Cognouza with the means to bring the ward back to the Prime Material Plane. They never anticipated that their Nonagon would hit them with a FantasticNuke and absorb all of their power into himself.]] |
| 969 | * PlayingWithFire: Ira specializes in evocation and particularly favors the Fireball spell. |
| 970 | * ThePowerOfHate: Fastidan has nothing but disgust for everyone around them. It's so powerful that those under their gaze begin to wither and die under the pressure of their hatred. |
| 971 | * RageAgainstTheHeavens: Like most Aeorians, they despise the divine and view their AssimilationPlot as a way of freeing mortals from the gods. |
| 972 | * RedEyesTakeWarning: Each member of the council is represented by a red eye, and apparently the Somnovem is so horrid that several members of the Nein have nightmares about red eyes after learning about them. |
| 973 | * SealedEvilInACan: [[spoiler:Their plan shunted the Cognouza Ward into the astral sea as Aeor was being destroyed, keeping them alive but also cutting them off from Exandria.]] |
| 974 | * SupernaturalFearInducer: In battle, Timorei's gaze can induce uncontrollable fear. |
| 975 | * UncannyValley: InUniverse. The current form of the Cognouza ward has humanoids walking the streets, going through the motions of daily life and conversations. Upon closer inspection, though, none of them actually talk, their clothes flow into their appendages, and when they walk, their "feet" are always tethered to the ground. In other words, the ward is populated only by eerie flesh-puppets. |
| 976 | * UnnaturallyLoopingLocation: As the Cognouza ward expanded in the Astral Sea, its streets and neighborhoods grew in repeated, fractal patterns, making them difficult to navigate without first creating a psychic link with the city. |
| 977 | * UnstoppableRage: Ira is practically a rabid beast that wants to survive by lashing out at anything and anyone that has ever hurt them, or that ''might'' ever hurt them. |
| 978 | * WasOnceAMan: They were once a group of philosophers and mages who belonged to the various mortal races before the horrific FusionDance they experienced. The Somnovem's entry on [[https://criticalrole.fandom.com/wiki/Somnovem the Critical Role Wiki]] provides links to the individual members, along with fan art speculation of what they might have looked like. |
| 979 | * WeAreStrugglingTogether: Despite being part of a HiveMind, the Somnovem aren't entirely unified. Each of them have their own ideals and neuroses which put them at odds with some of the others. |
| 980 | [[/folder]] |
| 981 | |
| 982 | [[folder:Dieter]] |
| 983 | !!Dieter |
| 984 | [[quoteright:1000:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/dieter_4.jpg]] |
| 985 | [[caption-width-right:1000:]] |
| 986 | -->'''Race''': Dragon Turtle |
| 987 | |
| 988 | When the Nein sail to Rumblecusp to attend Travelercon after the peace negotiations between Xhorhas and the Dwendalian Empire, they're stalked by a massive dragon turtle with a very bad temper and vicious predatory instincts. |
| 989 | ---- |
| 990 | * BreathWeapon: He never uses it on-screen, but Dieter presumably has the same ability to breathe scalding-hot steam at his prey as other dragon turtles. |
| 991 | * DamageSpongeBoss: When he attacks the Nein, they try to defend themselves with the ''Balleater's'' cannons. The one cannonball that actually manages to hit him does 52 points of damage, out of a possible 8d10. He takes it like it was nothing, implying that his hit points are just as sky-high as his armor class. |
| 992 | * EntitledBastard: Jester tries to persuade him to pursue a mate or another ship, but he simply says that he takes what he wants, when he wants. |
| 993 | * EvilIsPetty: He's official Neutral in alignment, but he might as well be evil to the Nein. He's also an extremely petty creature, destroying the ''Balleater'' for the Nein's escaping him. |
| 994 | * InvoluntaryShapeshifting: The Nein manage to escape him by turning him into an ordinary sea turtle and then a sea slug. He doesn't appreciate this, and resumes the chase when their magic wears off. |
| 995 | * KrakenAndLeviathan: He doesn't have any tentacles, but he's large and vicious enough to qualify as a "leviathan." |
| 996 | * NighInvulnerable: Being both a dragon and a turtle, he has a very high armor class. Most of the ''Balleater's'' cannonballs simply bounce off his rocklike hide. |
| 997 | * OnlyKnownByTheirNickname: The Nein never learn the dragon turtle's name. They nickname him "Dieter" based on the first letter of the word "dragon" and the first syllable of "turtle." |
| 998 | * SoreLoser: He takes the Nein's escaping him ''really'' badly. When he finally tracks them down, he tries to strand them on Rumblecusp by destroying their ship. |
| 999 | * SuperPersistentPredator: The Nein manage to shake him off when he initially pursues them. That doesn't stop him from still pursuing them and destroying the ''Balleater''. |
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