The Cloven Crystals are the three magical keys to the seals binding Uk'otoa beneath the Lucidian Ocean. They resemble an amber eye with a vertical slit pupil, like a cat's or snake's eye. Uk'otoa urges his warlocks to seek them out and place them in three temples located throughout the Menagerie Coast so that he may be eventually released. Those who use a Cloven Crystal to unlock one of the seals are rewarded by Uk'otoa with control over water; mechanically, the character gains the ability to cast Control Water once per day.
Description[]
The Cloven Crystals are polished stones that are amber-yellowish color with striations that refract light around them.[2][3][4] On one side, there is a pointed oval line carved in about three inches across.[2] They are cold to the touch. If a warlock bound to Uk'otoa touches a crystal, it is immediately magically absorbed into their body.
History[]
There are three Cloven Crystals, each sought by the warlocks and servants of Uk'otoa so that he may be freed from his prison under the seabed of the Lucidian Ocean and again take his place as its ruler. To release Uk'otoa, the Cloven Crystals must be placed into matching pits inside three temples located on Urukayxl, at the Gravid Archipelago, and in the Cyrios End Forest north of Nicodranas. These temples were originally dedicated to Uk'otoa, but they were infiltrated by followers of Zehir at Zehir's command and used to seal him.
In 835 PD and the years preceding, ownership of these crystals was most notably passed between the warlocks Fjord, Avantika, and Vandran.
| Crystal | First appearance | History |
|---|---|---|
| Labenda Swamp crystal | "Lost Treasures" (2x22) | Found in the Gentleman's safehouse in the Labenda Swamp. Eventually separated from Fjord and kept in his Bag of Holding. Tentatively intended to be turned over to the Cobalt Soul, before it was stolen by minions of Uk'otoa and placed in the temple in the Cyrios End Forest by a deep scion, unleashing their patron from beneath the waves. |
| Avantika's crystal | "Dangerous Liaisons" (2x37) | Previously owned by Vandran, who eventually sold it at auction in Port Damali. Avantika killed the collector who purchased it and placed it in the temple on Urukayxl. |
| Tide's Breath crystal | "The Diver's Grave" (2x44) | Apparently acquired by Vandran after he forsook Uk'otoa and hidden aboard his ship, which sank with it. Fjord retrieved it and placed it in the temple at the Gravid Archipelago. |
Labenda Swamp crystal[]
While investigating the subterranean tunnels of the Labenda Swamp in "Lost Treasures" (2x22), the Mighty Nein found a Cloven Crystal resting in a pool of seawater, unusual as all other water in the tunnels were fresh. Before Caleb Widogast could finish casting Identify, Fjord touched it. He immediately entered a dreamlike trance and had a vision of Vandran standing over a body, thrusting a Cloven Crystal into his chest, and summoning the Sword of Fathoms to his hand. While having this vision, Fjord also thrust the Cloven Crystal into his chest, magically absorbing it. Afterward, the Sword of Fathoms had a representation of a Cloven Crystal in its crossguard.[5]
Time is of the essence. Should I not have it by the end of Quen'pillar, I shall be forced to end our agreement and seek a business relationship elsewhere. I warn you: we are fiercely loyal to those who appease us, and staunchly resentful to those who do not.
When recovered, please deliver to Marius LePual at the Wayfarer's Cove. Tell him you have a gift for the Captain.
Avantika
In "The Journey Home" (2x30), Fjord discovered that Avantika hired Ionos Jagentoth to search for this Cloven Crystal, falsely describing it as a family heirloom, and instructed him to deliver it to Marius LePual in Nicodranas before the end of Quen'pillar. Ionos then subcontracted the Iron Shepherds to locate it. Her letter to Ionos, with which she included a drawing of the Cloven Crystal, spurred Fjord to travel to Nicodranas to seek information about his Cloven Crystal and Uk'otoa.[6]
After Fjord eventually destroyed the Sword of Fathoms at the Cinderrest Sanctum in "Clay and Dust" (2x72), he incorrectly believed this Cloven Crystal destroyed as well. It remained inside him, as the representation on the Sword of Fathoms was merely symbolic,[7] and the Wildmother referred to it as a "seed of darkness" that she could not heal.[8] Months later, in "Dark Waters" (2x98), he was attacked by three warlock deep scion and a group of sea spawn sent by Uk'otoa to retrieve the crystal; though Fjord was killed, Uk'otoa's servants fail to escape with Fjord's body and were killed. Fjord was brought back to life in "High Seas, High Stakes" (2x99), and the crystal was separated from him through Greater Restoration. The process caused him to painfully vomit gallons of seawater until the crystal left his body. It was then placed inside Caleb's Vault of Amber for safekeeping.[9]
The Cloven Crystal was again located by Uk'otoa's servants, this time accompanied by an undead Avantika, while the Nein were traveling aboard the Midnight Hammer through the Frigid Depths in "The Chase Begins" (2x112). A deep scion dispelled the Vault of Amber spell, exposing the crystal,[10] and Avantika successfully stole it in "A Heart Grown Cold" (2x113) and fled into the sea. After a quick pursuit, Fjord killed her, retrieved the Cloven Crystal, and placed it in his Bag of Holding.
The Bag of Holding, and thus the crystal, was stolen by the Tombtakers in "Fair-weather Faith" (2x123). Lucien, the leader of the Tombtakers, proved he knew he had possession of the crystal by taunting Fjord with it in "Hell or High Water" (2x136). After Lucien's death in "Long May He Reign" (2x140), Fjord regained possession of the Bag of Holding, which still contained the Cloven Crystal.[11]
Fjord continued to carry the Cloven Crystal with him aboard the Nein Heroez. In late 836 PD, he considered giving it to the Cobalt Soul for safekeeping after he and Jester Lavorre thoroughly investigate the exact location of the third and final temple north of Nicodranas. Upon being reminded that the Nein Heroez was repeatedly attacked at sea by agents of Uk'otoa in search of the crystal, he indicated accelerating plans. However, out-of-character, Travis expressed uncertainty about his ultimate plans for it.
Months after the defeat of Cognouza, the Nein Heroez was attacked by a group of deep scions and a storm giant in "The Mighty Nein Reunited Part 1" (Sx73). By harming Jester, they forced Fjord to turn over the Cloven Crystal. The giant tore apart their ship, but Uk'otoa's minions let them live and left for the temple in the Cyrios End Forest. The Mighty Nein eventually caught up to them, and after doing battle in the temple in "The Mighty Nein Reunited Part 2" (Sx74), a deep scion was able to use the crystal, and (this being the last of the three seals broken) unleash Uk'otoa.
Avantika's crystal[]
Many years before 835 PD, a pirate of the Revelry had a Cloven Crystal. Vandran and Avantika fell into a dispute with this person and they killed them, arranging it to appear as an accident. Vandran took the crystal, which he presumably absorbed.[12][note 1] Between himself and Avantika, this was the only crystal they possessed during their work together to release Uk'otoa.
Growing doubtful of Uk'otoa, Vandran abandoned the quest to free him and fled to Port Damali.[13][12] There, he was apparently able to remove it from himself. He had the crystal sold at auction in the city and used the money to buy the Tide's Breath.[12] Avantika discovered that it had been sold, and she stalked the collector who bought it to an unknown island and killed him.[14] She then absorbed the crystal, causing an eye resembling the Cloven Crystal or Uk'otoa eye to appear in her right palm.[15] Apparently, she did not realize that Vandran was the one who put this Cloven Crystal up for auction, as she told Fjord that she believed Vandran would not part with it; she believed Vandran's crystal to be either the one Fjord possessed or one possibly aboard the Tide's Breath.[16]
Avantika eventually left it at the temple on Urukayxl in "Dubious Pursuits" (2x40), receiving in return the ability to cast Control Water once per day.[17]
Tide's Breath crystal[]
Vandran kept a Cloven Crystal in a metal box aboard the Tide's Breath, hidden underneath a bookcase in his quarters.[18] It was apparently acquired after he forsook Uk'otoa, as the crystal he originally carried was sold at auction to buy the Tide's Breath[12] and ultimately owned by Avantika.[14] When the Tide's Breath sank into the Diver's Grave in early 835 PD, the crystal was taken with it to the bottom of the sea.
In "Dubious Pursuits" (2x40) Avantika expressed her belief that that Vandran would not part with the crystal he originally carried, so she sought to find the wreckage of the Tide's Breath to locate the final unaccounted for Cloven Crystal.[16] After her death, Fjord visited the Diver's Grave in search of it in "The Diver's Grave" (2x44), only to find that it had been taken from the wreckage. It was tracked to Dashilla's lair, where Fjord absorbed it. Afterward, the Sword of Fathoms had a symbolic representation of a Cloven Crystal in its pommel.[19]
Shortly after, in "The Second Seal" (2x47), he left it at the underwater temple at the Gravid Archipelago, receiving in return the ability to cast Control Water once per day and a vision of the third and final temple's location.[20] This caused the representation of a Cloven Crystal in the Sword of Fathom's pommel to disappear.
Three new crystals[]
After the Mighty Nein vanquished Uk'otoa at sea in "The Mighty Nein Reunited Part 2" (Sx74), he was resealed beneath the Lucidian Ocean, leaving only three new Cloven Crystals in his wake. Fjord gathered them, and decided to split them up - handing one to the Cobalt Soul, stowing one in Vokodo's old lair in Rumblecusp, and keeping one for himself.
Trivia[]
- The Cloven Crystals, Uk'otoa's eyes, and Fjord's eyes closely resemble one another.
- Avantika and a deep scion warlock of Uk'otoa bore tattoos resembling Cloven Crystals on their chests.
Notes[]
- ↑ There is an apparent contradiction between Fjord's vision in "Lost Treasures" (2x22) of Vandran acquiring a crystal and Vandran's retelling of it in "Fond Farewells" (2x141). In the vision, Vandran carried the Sword of Fathoms before he absorbed a Cloven Crystal, implying he was in service to Uk'otoa prior. In his retelling, Vandran did not enter into Uk'otoa's service until after he came into possession of the Cloven Crystal. This, however, presumes that Fjord's vision was accurate. It also presumes that the vision was of Vandran acquiring his original Cloven Crystal during his time in the Revelry rather than, possibly, the one later carried aboard the Tide's Breath.
References[]
- ↑ See at Sx74.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 See "Lost Treasures" (2x22) at 2:47:39.
- ↑ See "The Journey Home" (2x30) at 0:52:00.
- ↑ See "Dubious Pursuits" (2x40) at 0:44:35.
- ↑ See "Lost Treasures" (2x22) from 2:57:01 through 2:59:49. Fjord has a vision of Vandran absorbing a Cloven Crystal and simultaneously absorbs the Cloven Crystal found in the Gentleman's safe house
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 See "The Journey Home" (2x30) at 51:12.
- ↑ See "Dark Waters" (2x98) from 5:00:04 through 5:00:24. Matt confirms that the Cloven Crystal in the Sword of Fathoms was symbolic of the crystal which remained within Fjord's body.
- ↑ See "Refjorged" (2x76) at 4:30:10.
- ↑ See "High Seas, High Stakes" (2x99) from 0:58:54 through 1:00:35.
- ↑ See "The Chase Begins" (2x112) at 4:14:46.
- ↑ See "Long May He Reign" (2x140) at 4:04:52.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 See "Fond Farewells" (2x141) at 6:05:41.
- ↑ See "A Hole In the Plan" (2x42) from 3:08:55 through 3:09:24. Avantika's journal details the circumstances of Vandran leaving the path of Uk'otoa.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 See "Dubious Pursuits" (2x40) from 2:43:23 through 2:44:31.
- ↑ See "Dangerous Liaisons" (2x37) at 2:14:34.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 See "Dubious Pursuits" (2x40) from 2:41:01 through 2:49:56. Fjord and Avantika's talk in her cabin
- ↑ See "Dubious Pursuits" (2x40) at 43:39.
- ↑ See "The Diver's Grave" (2x44) at 37:01. Jester finds a box that used to hold a Cloven Crystal
- ↑ See "The Diver's Grave" (2x44) at 3:34:52. Fjord absorbs the Cloven Crystal found in Dashilla's lair
- ↑ See "The Second Seal" (2x47) at 1:58:55.
Art:
- ↑ Fan art of Fjord with the Cloven Crystal, by Dan Bittencourt (source). Used with permission.