Critical Role: The Mighty Nein Origins: Nott the Brave is the fifth issue of Critical Role: The Mighty Nein Origins written by Sam Maggs, with direction from Matthew Mercer and Sam Riegel, art by William Kirkby, and color by Eren Angiolini. The cover was illustrated by Kirkby and Mildred Louis.[1] Originally scheduled for publication by Dark Horse Comics on April 6, 2022, the comic released on January 18, 2023.[2] The comic further explored the backstory of Sam's player character, Veth Brenatto.[3]
Publisher's summary[]
Plot summary[]
The halfling Veth Brenatto narrates that she's always hated her face and never considered herself brave. She is shown as a young girl running swiftly through a forest, chased by other teens from her village including a brother. More recently, she remembers gathering shells in a creek near her home, then heads home to the family apothecary where her husband Yeza and baby son Luc greet her happily. She has found an abandoned doll with a china face, and the rare theki root which allows Yeza to brew a vial of powerful acid.
Suddenly they hear commotion outside, and see the town overrun by goblins. Grabbing the bare necessities, including the doll and the acid, they run, but are captured by the invaders. Veth tried to stay brave, but as time wears on and Luc grows weaker, she grows despondent. One night, she picks up a conversation with a passing goblin, telling her she forgives her. The goblin tells Veth that she and her husband Drekkit run the goblin camp, and that they need to capture slaves to survive. Although they bond a little, the goblin is unsympathetic to Veth's pleas and walks off.
Veth finds some nails in their cage and picks the lock. The halfling family escapes into the woods, but Luc's cries alert the goblins. Veth separates from her family, drawing off the attention of the pursuing goblins, and is captured after she confronts the goblin leader Drekkit, in desperation throwing Yeza's acid in his face and killing him. Drekkit's wife, furious, drags her through the woods to the hut of a mysterious hag, telling her, "Make her suffer." Veth was taken to a stream, where she saw a reflection of herself as Yeza saw her: beautiful and loved. Thrust beneath the surface, she came to herself in the form of a goblin condemned to serve Khaaz, Drekkit's widow, as a slave and as an assistant to the clan torturer.
One day, the torturer was working on a captured halfling seeking information. Veth (now Nott the goblin) hid in the rafters and when the torturer went in search of her, released the halfling and escaped. She returned to her village and to Yeza, but he failed to recognize her and drove her out at crossbow-point. Fleeing through the woods, she found the ceramic doll she had given Luc and fashioned a half-mask from its face. She spent the next years surviving through odd jobs and petty thefts, drinking heavily. Eventually she was thrown into jail, in the same cell as a red-headed hobo, but she mused that, "Today, things might just get a little bit better."
Development[]
The comic was originally scheduled for publication by Dark Horse Comics on April 5, 2022.[5] Due to the 2021–2022 global supply chain crisis and unidentified circumstances with creative teams, all Critical Role titles were delayed,[2] and The Mighty Nein Origins: Nott the Brave was delayed multiple times, but released digitally and at major retailers on January 18, 2023.[4][2]
Media[]
Editions[]
| ISBN | Released | Publisher | Format | Price | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9781506723785 | January 18, 2023 | Dark Horse Comics | Hardcover | $17.99 | [4] |
| 9781506723884 | January 18, 2023 | Dark Horse Comics | Digital | $10.99 | [4] |
Library Links[]
Available for free at Hoopla, through participating public libraries:
- Critical Role: The Mighty Nein Origins: Nott the Brave (2023)
- Critical Role: The Mighty Nein Origins Library Edition Vol. 1 (Jester, Caleb, Yasha, Nott)
References[]
- ↑
Dark Horse Comics (@DarkHorseComics) on Twitter: "Nott's tale will be next in the upcoming line of @CriticalRole: The Mighty Nein Origins graphic novels! Shown, the full cover by artists @chamonkee & @artofmlouis. Available for pre-order now" (2021-08-24).
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2
Updates from Critical Role and Dark Horse Comics on Dark Horse Comics' official website (backup link)
- ↑
Your Guide to Critical Role and Dark Horse’s Comic and Art Books on CritRole.com
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Product Listing on Penguin Random House's site, the company Dark Horse is partnered with for distribution.
- ↑ Product listing archived August 25, 2021 at Penguin Random House.
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