Previously on Critical Role, the Mighty Nein traveled to Nott’s hometown, the village of Felderwin. They knew that the town had just suffered a sneak attack from Kryn soldiers, but the heroes were not prepared for the secrets the village had in store for them. They visited the Brenatto Apothecary, the shop of someone Nott knew as Yeza. They learned that bizarre arcane experiments on a Kryn power called dunamis were being performed there by the Cerberus Assembly, aided by the loyal-but-foolish alchemist Yeza.  

They also met Nott’s son, Luke. A young halfling who believed that his mother was dead. That she had been killed by goblins.

This episode, Jester asked Nott for answers. Is Luke her real son? What happened to her? Nott explained that she was once a halfling woman named Veth. She and Yeza were married, and had a child named Luke together. (Note that “Nott the Brave” is an anagram of “Veth Brenatto” and Nott has used the aliases of “Veth,” “Bren,” and “Otto” while in disguise throughout the campaign so far.) Veth died. One long, hard winter, she and her family tried to flee from Felderwin to somewhere with more food, but they were attacked by goblin raiders in the wilderness.

Veth broke off from her family to draw the goblins off. It worked. The goblins cornered her, tied her up, and took her back to their camp. Veth flung acid her husband had made into the face of their chieftain, and he died from the burns. The chieftain’s wife, incensed, took Veth to the clan’s shaman and commanded her to make Veth suffer. They took her to a river and drowned Veth in it. Even now, Nott can still feel the water in her ears and eyes and nose—explaining her debilitating hydrophobia. And then she died.

But not long after, she woke up again. She looked at her hands and saw them green and shriveled. Somehow, she had been reborn as a goblin. The goblins bound her once more and enslaved her. Nott’s told the rest. She managed to escape. But now she has a new mission. Nott begged for Caleb’s help in finding Yeza Brenatto, her halfling husband. Caleb’s old organization, the Cerberus Assembly, probably has him in their custody, forcing him to help them with their dunamis experiments.

But Caleb had a secret to reveal, too. His name was Bren Aldric Ermendrud, not Caleb Widogast. He had revealed some choice details about his story to Nott and Beau several months ago, but he finally came clean to everyone else. He came from the imperial capital, Rexxentrum, and attended the Soltryce Academy to learn magic. He was plucked out of his classes by the Cerberus Assembly, and was being primed to study the secret art of dunamancy, but before his instruction in this unknown art could begin, he “went a little crazy, and ran away.” He’s been on the run from his former teachers for a long time. He warned them that, if the Cerberus Assembly caught even a whiff of him, everyone’s lives would be in grave danger.

With all this new information bouncing around in their restless minds, the group traveled to an inn in Felderwin and bought a room for the night. Jester cleverly asked after Yeza, but learned precious little new information. Beau interviewed some townsfolk, using her status as a member of the Cobalt Soul to get information out of people.

The party learned from a group of soldiers that the Kryn soldiers attacked after a creature with giant jaws burst through the ground. The next morning, Caduceus asked the Wildmother for guidance: “What is Yeza’s destination?” A voice on the wind whispered to him Ghor Dranas—the ancient citadel of the Betrayer Gods, and the capital of the Kryn Dynasty. Yasha said that the entire city was covered in perpetual night.

Jester risked contacting Yeza with sending, and he responded. He knew not where he was. It was dark, and he had to stay quiet, but he thanked her for telling him that Veth was still alive. Jester then arranged for Nott’s son, Luke, to be escorted to Alfield. They paid some Righteous Brand soldiers to help keep Luke and Old Edith safe on the journey.

The Mighty Nein then burrowed into the collapsed tunnel the Kryn dug to invade Felderwin, and began their underground journey towards Xhorhas. The true adventure has just begun.