Critical Recap: Critical Role Mighty Nein Reunited Part 2 – “Uk’otoa Unleashed”

Hello! Welcome to Critical Recap! I’m Dani Carr, the Critical Role Lore Keeper. Let’s dive into our recap of the Critical Role special The Mighty Nein Reunited: Part 2 – Uk’otoa Unleashed!

CONSEQUENCES

Combat begins immediately as the storm giant Thoonum crashes through the trees into the clearing, bringing with him a multitude of Uk’otoa’s scions. He destroys the top of the temple, which Jester tries to bring down in its entirety by using her spell earthquake, but the temple’s collapse takes time. Fjord counterspells the mage’s fly, but the mage is undeterred and simply jumps into the temple, anyway.

Beau, Veth, and Fjord join the mage within the temple, with Fjord reminding the mage that he knew he would see him again. As more light fills the temple from the earthquake and Thoonum’s pounding, snakes begin to pour out of the walls and pillars. The giant jumps down, causing Caleb to fall, but the giant’s weight breaks the floor, causing everyone to fall down to the second level. Yasha, Kingsley, and Jester join in the fray via wings and magic.

Veth gets the final blow on Thoonum after Beau and Caleb debuted a new combo move that makes their enemy vulnerable to a certain element’s damage (in this case, fire) and Yasha decapitates the mage. The Mighty Nein search for the Cloven Crystal among the rubble, but one of the other scions finds it first. He plunges the crystal into the floor and the final seal on Uk’otoa is broken. They dispatch the scions, but Fjord can sense that his former patron is out there. Unleashed.

THIRD GOD’S THE CHARM

The Nein realize that they are within a temple of the Cloaked Serpent – the Betrayer God that created, was betrayed by, and then sealed away Uk’otoa. An angry presence fills the temple and a three-headed snake statue’s eyes begin to glow. Fjord casts arcane gate, but this escape attempt is banished by the entity here, as it demands answers.

Fjord walks to the statue and speaks with the Cloaked Serpent, who demands that Uk’otoa be punished. Fjord explains that they came here to stop Uk’otoa’s release – they could be allies. For this, the god requires a pact for assurance. For one of them to bear his mark so that they can reseal Uk’otoa when he is brought low. The mark comes with a boon, but it will live with them for as long as they have interest.

Kingsley is interested, but Fjord steps up to take the mark. This is his responsibility and he must finish this. Fjord feels the mark sear into his chest as runes burn across his chest and shoulders. The Cloaked Serpent asks if he embraces the shadow or climbs the peak of the mountain – he chooses the mountain. The statue cracks and a rapier is revealed within it. The god tells Fjord to take the Fang of the Spire King and doom his renegade child to the dark.

WHERE TO STRIKE

Fjord takes up the legendary weapon. He asks Kingsley why he was so eager to accept the pact and Kingsley replies that no one else was going to, so why not him? Fjord says that Kingsley has been given a new start, so his choices matter. He gives the rapier to Kingsley, who appreciates the gift. Fjord knows, through his connection to Uk’otoa, that the Great Leviathan roams free south in the Lucidian Ocean.

Caleb can teleport them out, but they have to decide on a destination. They decide not to push their luck at Darktow after Jester messages the Plank King and he threatens her. They teleport to Nicodranas, where they see ominous storm clouds in the distance and hear that people have been having visions of a creature with many yellow eyes. The Clovis Concord navy has been mobilized and sent out to investigate.

The Mighty Nein need a ship. They choose one of the only ships left in the port, Drensala Vis, which means Luck of the Mother in Marquesian. It must be a sign. They meet Captain Adella, who agrees to take them out to the storm and see if they can do some heroics. Caleb flies to Yussa’s tower and requests something of assistance from his mentor. The wizard gives Caleb a few healing potions, which Caleb passes out to the group.

THE SAME CLOTH

They decide to set sail tonight and get a long rest on the way. Jester messages her mother, letting her know that Nicodranas is in danger, so Marion goes to stay with some friends. She also messages Yeza, warning him to take the campers to higher ground. In the night, Kingsley goes to Beau and Yasha, asking what their impressions were of Mollymauk. Yasha says that he was eccentric, fun, and caring. Beau says that Kingsley and Molly are very similar.

That’s why Kingsley asked. He has been trying to figure out where Molly and Lucien went wrong, by talking to Caduceus and Fjord and Jester. Beau explains that Molly was always passionate – the strongest influence on him is whatever he becomes deeply passionate about, what choices he makes and chooses to follow. Beau thinks Kingsley is insufferable, but she also sees how Caduceus, Fjord, and Jester have rubbed off on him.

Kingsley realized that he was running from everything that had happened before, just like the other two had been running from their pasts. He no longer wants to do that. He considers Lucien and Molly as something of parents, so his goal is to do just a bit better than they did. Yasha encourages him to try to go toward the good. Kingsley loves an audience and tries to take care of people. Beau tells him if his respect for Fjord and Jester ever falters, she will kill him again.

WHAT LURKS BENEATH

Before morning, the ship approaches the storm. Fjord can feel that cold sense within him get stronger as they get closer. He casts underwater breathing on everyone and Jester casts water walk. Veth fashions a fluffernutter bomb and goes to the crow’s nest as they watch ships in the distance begin to vanish beneath the waves. Jester casts control weather, attempting to calm the storm a bit. Uk’otoa’s voice then fills their minds, calling them trespassers and that these waters are his. The Great Leviathan rises from the waves in front of their ship and attacks.

Tidal waves assail the ship, but thanks to Jester’s water walk, they can get close to Uk’otoa and attack the various portions of his serpentine body. The numerous eyes are harder to hit, but striking them keeps his fury at bay, which causes lightning attacks when the fury builds. Attacks rain down on Uk’otoa from the Mighty Nein. Caleb polymorphs into a blue dragon and Fjord casts cone of cold, freezing various sections of the body in the water.

Uk’otoa is aghast to have the powers he granted Fjord used against him, as those powers are now in service to the Wildmother. He attempts to influence Fjord, but Fjord can feel the presence of the Wildmother within him and refuses to be controlled. Beau focuses on the head of Uk’otoa while Yasha harries the back, keeping the leviathan from moving. Beau gives Uk’otoa vulnerability to lightning damage, so that Caleb the blue dragon can attack more effectively.

MAKING A STAND

Jester sends her duplicates out in four directions. Uk’otoa manages to control Fjord for a moment, causing him to attack Jester, but this control ends swiftly. Jester casts mass heal from her duplicates, healing the entire party back to nearly full health. Cannons fire and Uk’otoa swallows Beau, but she is wearing the Cape of the Mountebank, so she casts dimension door with the cape and appears safely on the boat. Veth snipes from the crow’s nest and Kingsley activates the Fang of the Spire King, both causing immense damage. Uk’otoa’s many eyes begin to show fear.

With Yasha’s last two strikes, she holds Uk’otoa down for the final blow from the Mighty Nein as a team – Caleb turns Fjord’s blade into a lightning rod, then polymorphs into a dragon turtle and slams Uk’otoa’s head. Kingsley slices off a piece of Uk’otoa’s skin, Jester inflicts wounds, Beau ups the lightning vulnerability, and Veth shoots off a fluffernutter, which explodes as Fjord takes his final strike. He tells Uk’otoa that these were never his waters – they were always the Wildmother’s. The Mighty Nein fell the Great Leviathan and his body sinks beneath the waves.

KEEP HIM LOCKED AWAY

But it’s not over yet. Fjord can still sense Uk’otoa’s presence and the Nein realize that they still must seal him away. Fjord rides dragon turtle Caleb into the water, following the rapidly descending body, which is beginning to heal. Fjord leaves Caleb behind to chase the body and finally make contact. He calls out to the Cloaked Serpent, condemning Uk’otoa into darkness. He transfers the god’s mark into the leviathan and his armor burns away in the process.

As the runes spread over Uk’otoa’s body, he and Fjord are yanked to the bottom of the ocean. Soon, the body vanishes and three new Cloven Crystals float in the water, restarting the cycle anew. Fjord grabs the crystals and casts far step, returning to Caleb. They return to the surface together and reunite with the Nein.

There is a black rune burned into Fjord’s chest – the mark of the Cloaked Serpent. There is still a shard of the Betrayer God within him. However, the Wildmother’s presence has never left. As he focuses on the shard, sunlight breaks through the clouds and vines begin to grow over the mark. The cold within him shrinks as the vines brown and crumble, wiping the mark away. With the ship still intact and no casualties among the crew, the Mighty Nein return to Nicodranas.

ADVENTURE AFTERMATH

Fjord takes the Cloven Crystals and sends them to separate locations. One goes to the volcano in Rumblecusp, one goes to the Cobalt Soul, and Fjord keeps the third location secret. Beau and Yasha return home and relax. Beau keeps her eyes on Ludinus and the Cerberus Assembly and Yasha works with Veth’s camp. She learns that she is good with kids. When Fjord unseats his former headmaster, Grankton, at the orphanage, Yasha and Beau adopt children.

Veth’s camp was a huge success. Only one kid died, but Jester was there as a guest arts and crafts teacher, so she resurrected the child. It ended up as a publicity boost for the camp. Jester loved teaching and opens her own art studio in Nicodranas – Dicks and Other Things. Her graffiti becomes famous around Wildemount. Kingsley visits Caduceus and eventually gets his own ship, which he steals. He rescinds the Nein’s banishment from Darktow and aims to become the new Plank King.

Caleb returns to Rexxentrum and takes a job at the Soltryce Academy teaching transmutation and keeping tabs on the dissolution of the Volstrucker program. He starts a tradition of gathering the Nein once a month to stay in his tower in any location. He keeps an eye out for Essek, who visits soon after the Uk’otoa adventure. Essek arrives in disguise and is eager to hear about Caleb’s grand sea adventure. The two exchange a kiss and head inside as Caleb happily shuts the door on his garden of green beans.

That is it for Part 2 of The Mighty Nein Reunited!

FINAL THOUGHTS

• What. A. Ride. Uk’otoa unleashed and defeated!
• Jester is THE cleric she is THE healer and she is THE moment!!!
• I’ve missed this fantastic group so much. Until next time…
• Oh Mighty Nein.

Catch back up with Bells Hells and Campaign 3 in Episode 41 on Thursday, December 8th at 7pm Pacific at twitch.tv/criticalrole and on youtube.com/criticalrole, or a week later on our podcast! Is it Thursday yet?