Caleb Widogast

Caleb Widogast, born Bren Aldric Ermendrud, is a human wizard and a member of the adventuring party known as the Mighty Nein. He is played by Liam O'Brien.

Appearance

Caleb has blue eyes, a cleft chin, and reddish-brown hair. Caleb's long coat hides two holstered books (one a spellbook and the other a book of letters to his parents), one on either side. He has a series of scars on both of his forearms where crystals were embedded into his skin by Trent Ikithon; when he met the Mighty Nein he wore bandages on his arms and hands in order to conceal these scars. He first revealed the scars to the party in " A Game of Names " (2x49), and later permanently removed the bandages he used to conceal them. Caleb has a soft Zemnian (German) accent.

When Caleb first appeared on Critical Role, he was filthy, unshaven, and had messy hair. He had slept in his filthy travel clothes, including a long coat. After meeting the adventurers that would later become the Mighty Nein, Caleb visited an expensive bathhouse in Trostenwald, but he did not clean his clothes nor wash from the neck upward. After arriving in Zadash, Enchanter Pumat Sol cleaned Caleb with magic consistent with the spell Prestidigitation and it marked the first time the Mighty Nein witnessed a clean Caleb, which upset Nott. Caleb smeared mud on his face when Jester demeaned the amount of money his parents made.

Caleb has shifted towards being clean-shaven, tasking Yasha with aiding him in shaving in " Stalker in the Swamp " (2x21) and switching to a razor when she cut him in " Wood and Steel " (2x58). He purchased new, stylish clothes in " Agreements " (2x61), throwing away his old tattered ones.

After reading from Lucien's cursed tome, Caleb had a dream from the Somnovem and became marked with a red eye tattoo on his right shoulder, similar to Lucien's tattoos. After a second dream from the Somnovem, a second red eye tattoo appeared in the center of his shoulder blades on his back. The third eye appeared on the palm of his left hand, and the fourth over his heart. Upon Lucien's final defeat, the red eyes vanished, and his body was restored to its pre-Pattern state.

Personality

Caleb is reserved, not wanting to draw too much attention to himself or his companion Nott. He showed little interest in the secrets of people besides Nott, hoping to avoid answering questions about himself. However, as befits a wizard, he is very curious when it comes to history and magic. Caleb's generally dour and isolated manner morphs into an open and jubilant mood upon purchasing new books. He does not consider himself to be remotely brave.

Caleb possesses a deep self-loathing due to the circumstances of his parents' death. He believed that he was fully responsible despite being magically beguiled and the reassurances of both Nott and Beauregard that he was not to blame; he neither wanted nor accepted their consolations. He originally appeared to want revenge against Trent Ikithon; however, his present goal seems to be to prevent any more children being recruited and trained as he was.

As a young boy Caleb was focused, persuasive, driven, and eloquent, though later in life he used his charismatic personality more to deceive people. Despite how he was originally received by other students at the Soltryce Academy who came from a higher social standing, he was still willing to aid them when they asked for help with arcane lessons, showing that he had a compassionate heart.

Caleb is methodical, sometimes to a fault. He has painstakingly counted objects on multiple occasions, once using the length of counting to cheat a merchant and even counting crossbow bolts as he removed them from his chest.

Caleb shows a high degree of intellect, despite being humble about it. He admits he can be good with puzzles or with ideas, but that it does not warrant taking a leadership position within the Mighty Nein. This is contrasted with Trent Ikithon's belief that Caleb is one of, if not the greatest, student that he has had and could take a place in the Cerberus Assembly. He is gifted with magic, history, and mathematics which he uses for his arcane formulae. His flashes of brilliance has saved the Mighty Nein more than once.

At the beginning of the story, Caleb had very "sticky fingers" when it came to magical objects and would try to take anything magical if he thought he could get away with it. He pursued magical knowledge and artifacts even if it meant risking his life.

Caleb has evolved from being withdrawn, untrusting, and on at least one occasion considering leaving the party, to the person who of them all perhaps cares most about keeping them together. His motivations were at first selfish, centered around what they could do for him (and Nott). Gradually, however, he began thinking of the Nein as his new family. His focus was frequently on allowing the others in the group to be with their own families as much as possible, and he took the time to understand each of their desires and memories. On Rumblecusp, he created a dome filled with memories for each party member, and when he built Widogast's Nascent Nein-Sided Tower, he provided individualized rooms for each party member based around their interests and their pasts.

Background

Born Bren Aldric Ermendrud, Caleb was from a small town named Blumenthal near Rexxentrum in the Zemni Fields. His father Leofric was a member of the Righteous Brand.

His mother and father were incredibly poor, to the point that he once said they hadn't made fifty gold in their entire lives, though this may have been an exaggeration.

Critical Role: The Mighty Nein Origins: Caleb Widogast

Bren attended the Soltryce Academy at 15 (around 817 PD), and stated that for the first time he felt as though he belonged. He dreamed of becoming a teacher in the Academy. However, he came under the tutelage of the abusive Trent Ikithon a bit over a year later. Trent singled out three students from Bren's hometown (Bren, Eadwulf Grieve, and Astrid Becke), and used them in human experimentation, embedding crystals into their skin in an attempt to increase their power. Caleb later learned that these crystals were refined residuum. All three of the students were also trained to interrogate and execute dissidents to the Empire as Volstrucker, or "Scourgers". In addition, at some point during this time, Bren fell in love with his fellow students, both Astrid and Eadwulf, and had a polyamorous relationship with them.

When Bren was around 17, as a test of his three students' loyalty, Trent modified their memories so they believed that their parents had betrayed the empire. The three killed their parents, but Bren "broke" when he heard his parents' screams from inside their burning house. Bren spent the next eleven years in the Vergesson Sanatorium until a fellow patient touched him, removing both his madness and his fake memories. After that, he killed one of the guards, took a necklace to hide from Ikithon, and escaped. He started going by multiple aliases and hid from Trent for the next five years. During this time, Caleb discovered that people did not pay attention to poor, dirty wanderers and maintained a disheveled appearance to escape notice. While he still had hopes not to let his parents down, Bren considered murdering them to be an unforgivable act on his part.

Pre-stream

Approximately five years after his escape from the asylum, Nott and Caleb met in a small jail (where he introduced himself to Nott as "Caleb Widogast"), from which they escaped together. Caleb came up with their escape plan, using Frumpkin to bring a piece of wire into their cell which Nott used to pick the lock. Caleb proceeded to set the jail on fire and scream for help. The guards promptly fled, and Caleb and Nott walked out of the jail together, staying together first out of convenience, but then for several months. They survived by petty theft, trickery, and con schemes, living from hand to mouth as wandering hobos.

The day before they met the rest of the Mighty Nein, Nott and Caleb were attacked by a pack of gnolls hiding in grass, and Caleb was knocked unconscious. Nott fed him the health potion Caleb carried on his belt, saving his life. Nott blamed herself for their inability to stay in any place for long without getting into trouble. It was Caleb's idea to stay in Trostenwald to find new companions "to tag along with."

Adaptation background

Liam O'Brien will reprise his role as Caleb Widogast in the animated series The Mighty Nein which adapts the second campaign. Like the original campaign, Caleb will speak Zemnian; O'Brien highlighted that includes "scenes with subtitled Zemnian". Showrunner Tasha Huo highlighted the wide range of magic wielded by the Mighty Nein and how the show reflects each character's background and individuality through their magic. Huo commented "for instance, Caleb — a meticulous and severe young wizard — requires rare materials, measured and used precisely, to cast spells. His magic will look nothing like that of the other characters".

Leofric and Una Ermendrud

Una and Leofric were Caleb's parents. Leofric was a soldier in the Empire forces, and both Una and Leofric believed strongly in the Empire.

Caleb had a happy childhood in the farming community of Blumenthal, and was selected to attend the Soltryce Academy. When Trent Ikithon gave his students the final task of killing their parents who were supposedly traitors to the Dwendalian Empire, Caleb "broke" when he heard his parents screaming inside their flaming house.

Caleb believes that killing his parents was an irredeemably evil act, and his goal when he met the Mighty Nein was to change time to erase the event. He has since realized that the more patriotic thing to do, and a better way to honor his parents, would be to make sure that the corruption of children by the Empire is stopped.

After helping Beauregard expose the corruption of the Cerberus Assembly, Caleb visited his parent's gravesite and took out the second book from his coat. This book contained letters that he had written to them while traveling with the Mighty Nein. Caleb then cast Teleport to move the book between his parent's bodies. When he had to face Trent for a second time, years later, he used undead versions of Una and Leofric against the adventurer, but he, despite having conflicted feelings about them, knew those creatures weren't his mother and father.

Frumpkin

Caleb is fond of Frumpkin. Outside of times when he uses Frumpkin to advance his goals, Caleb treats Frumpkin like a domestic cat, frequently showing him physical affection and getting emotional support from him in stressful or sad moments. Caleb knows that Frumpkin prefers to be in cat form, but is willing to change him to other forms when necessary. Frumpkin is named after Liam’s childhood cat of the same name.

Caleb was willing to share Frumpkin with others as a reward or when he sensed they too needed emotional support. For instance, he gave him to Yasha to hold when she rejoined the party,, he sent him to Kiri to try to calm her, and loaned him to Beauregard to thank her for not telling anyone about his past.

Though Frumpkin has died on multiple occasions, this does not seem to bother Caleb or Frumpkin. Caleb has stated that Frumpkin has a good sense of humor about it. He has let Nott eat Frumpkin twice. Even though Frumpkin's deaths are temporary, Caleb takes it personally when someone other than Nott kills him.

Caleb decided to release Frumpkin after coming to terms with his past and his possible chance of death at the hands of Lucien.

Veth Brenatto

Caleb and Veth are best friends and love each other unconditionally, often referring to themselves as part of a family. They met when they were both going through very difficult times, and have supported each other throughout their journeys, helping each other overcome many obstacles. The two have been overly protective of each other since before they met the Mighty Nein.

Caleb cares a lot about Veth. He has taught her many magic tricks, and when she started creating her own spells, he was very impressed and proud of her. He tirelessly helped Veth find a way to be a halfling again, and was the one who finally transformed her back into her true self. He has also supported her and helped come up with solutions when Veth shared her doubts about staying with the Mighty Nein versus living with her husband and son. Veth has a lot of love for Caleb, often checking up on him and looking for ways to make him happy. Veth once described Caleb as being like a son to her. Later, she said she had been attracted to him when they first met, but no longer feels that way about him. Veth has told Caleb that he was the "second love of her life", to which Caleb responded, "I love you too, Veth the Brave."

Beauregard Lionett

Caleb and Beauregard are very good friends. Although their relationship had a rocky start, they quickly came to rely on each other and eventually grew very close. The two are also the dedicated researchers of the group and will team up when trying to solve a problem.

Being the only two Empire-born human citizens in the Mighty Nein, Caleb and Beau have a rather unique friendship among the group, and have a lot in common. Although Beau is much more expressive and confrontational, they share a similar awkwardness in social situations. They were both raised in the Dwendalian Empire, but think it is a flawed nation and want to actively make things better for the people of the Empire, especially if it means dismantling the current power structure. They also share a sharp analytical mind and vast general knowledge, especially when it comes to history.

Beau was one of the first people to hear about Caleb's past, and never shared his secret until he was ready to do so himself. Caleb has shown trust in Beauregard numerous times by choosing to hang onto her shoulder while his senses were transferred into his companion, Frumpkin. Beauregard has called Caleb her best friend, and Beauregard is probably the person Caleb trusts most after Veth.

Jester Lavorre

Jester and Caleb are very close friends. Their relationship has evolved significantly since the beginning of the campaign. It had a rocky start, as Jester came from a sheltered, lavish upbringing and Caleb had a very troubled past and came from a poor household, which meant their worldviews were very different. Initially, their interactions mostly involved teasing from Jester. However, it has since evolved. Caleb developed a crush on Jester, which has heavily influenced his goals and view of the world. Jester has in turn come to rely on him to provide emotional understanding and support.

Caleb has been "a little in love" with Jester since their waltz in " The Hour of Honor " (2x24), although he regards his feelings as "useless" and "a problem" and feels that either Beau or Fjord would be better for her. Caleb appreciates Jester's positive attitude and playfulness that remind him of the life he could have had, if things had gone differently for him, and during the time before he revealed his past to her enjoyed the fact that she saw him as he could or should have been. Although he hides his feelings, Caleb often goes out of his ways with gestures to please or help Jester, and she always thanks him sweetly. Jester has never mentioned romantic feelings towards Caleb, but cares a lot about him platonically. She often includes him in conversation, teases him, and tries to cheer him up. She has several times admitted to him her doubts and fears that she hides from the rest of the party.

In the following years Jester gave Caleb some drawing classes in their free time.

Fjord

Caleb and Fjord are friends. Upon joining forces, Fjord and Caleb quickly developed a collaborative working relationship. As an aspiring magic-user himself, Fjord complimented Caleb on his spells and sought his advice on arcane matters. Caleb admired Fjord's mind and his ability to get things done. Their relationship became more strained when the Mighty Nein infiltrated the High Richter's house in Zadash and during the Mighty Nein's time at sea. Caleb became suspicious of Fjord and his motives and noticed that his accent sometimes changed. However, Caleb seemed to sympathize with Fjord's conflicted feelings finding out that his mentor Vandran turned out to be a different man than Fjord thought he was.

At the Diver's Grave, Fjord was curious about the purpose and power of Dashilla's altar, and urged Caleb to explore it. Caleb offered to do so in return for unspecified favor at some point in the future, and they both cut themselves and used their blood to activate the altar, stopping just before completing the ritual. Liam O'Brien later confirmed on Talks Machina that Caleb was manipulating Fjord in this scene, and that he hated himself for doing so.

Caleb respected Fjord's desire to tell him about his past at his own pace. After Fjord lost his powers by throwing the falchion into the lava of Kravaraad, Caleb stepped forward, gave him his Glove of Blasting, and asked the group for other magic items to help him out. He also mentioned to Fjord that his sense of diplomacy had nothing to do with any magical gifts, but rather his persuasive nature. After being gifted Melora's boon, Fjord asked Caleb if he wanted the Glove of Blasting back. Caleb told Fjord that he could keep it.

On the ship sailing to the peace negotiations, Fjord apologized to Caleb for holding the sword to his throat during the heist in the High-Richter's home in Zadash, admitting that it came out of his desire to control the situation. Caleb told him that Fjord had been justified in his actions, revealing that he had killed his parents for the Cerberus Assembly. Although he believed he himself was ruined, he wanted to do something to make up for it. Fjord said he knew that Caleb had done terrible things, but he saw a good man and a good friend, and that the party would look to Caleb for cues on how to deal with the Assembly.

Yasha Nydoorin

Caleb and Yasha are friends. Caleb likes Yasha due to their similar personalities and mutual dislike of, and uncomfortableness with, close contact. After asking her for advice regarding social situations, Yasha listed off a few things that she believed would make people like Caleb more (which he wrote down) and shaved his face with her sword after Caleb mentioned that he missed being cleanly shaven. Caleb asked if this made them friends, and Yasha said that it did.

Caleb and Yasha have similar tragic backgrounds, feeling responsible for the death of a loved one. They bonded over their feelings of guilt and grief. On Rumblecusp, Caleb told Yasha that she deserved happiness and that he was glad to be friends with her. Yasha then gave him a big hug.

Mollymauk Tealeaf

Caleb and Molly were friends. When Caleb dissociated after burning a man to death in a gnoll lair, Mollymauk doused the flames, slapped Caleb in the face and encouraged him to deal with those feelings later. Molly then asked if he was alright, and kissed Caleb on the forehead. When the party later pressed Caleb on his dissociation and he pointed out that it was a traumatizing experience, Molly suggested using alcohol to numb the pain.

Caleb was present for Molly's death and funeral, eulogizing him by saying "shine bright, circus man." In Cognouza, Caleb was the one who attempted to bring Molly back to life by sacrificing his transmuter's stone.

Caduceus Clay

Caleb and Caduceus are friends. Upon meeting Caduceus, Caleb whispered multiple times to Beau that he "like(s) this man." He appreciates Caduceus' calm demeanor. After Clay nearly drowned multiple times, Caleb gave him Mollymauk's Periapt of Wound Closure. Caduceus is also one of the few members of the Mighty Nein that did not mind Caleb's smell, and thought he smelled "fantastic." While the two have very different takes on the concept of destiny, they nonetheless get along and support each other.

Essek Thelyss

Caleb and Essek are lifelong friends, and are romantic partners after the end of the campaign. Their friendship began after the Mighty Nein were assigned to Essek’s stewardship, and Essek agreed to tutor a curious Caleb in dunamancy. A connection soon sparked between them thanks to their shared passion for magic.

Their relationship became complicated after the revelation that Essek had given the beacons to the Cerberus Assembly. However, Caleb saw deep similarities between their mistakes, and encouraged Essek to make amends for his crimes. When they reunited at Vurmas Outpost, Essek showed new regret for his actions, and couldn’t make eye contact with Caleb at all.

The two wizards rebuilt their bond during their time in Aeor, discussing their past sins and working together. Some months after Lucien and Trent were defeated, they returned to the Temporal Dock in Aeor. Essek said he didn’t want to change a thing about his past, since his mistakes had led him to be here with Caleb. Caleb destroyed the T-Dock, and the two later began a romantic relationship. By 843 PD they were still together, and Caleb had been teaching Essek some Zemnian. Moreover, Essek seemed comfortable calling his partner by his birth name, "Bren", in front of other people. During this period of their lives the two of them shared a home in Rexxentrum and were apparently very passionate lovers, since all the rooms in the house counted as "sex rooms". Given Essek's nature as a fugitive, especially after the end of the Era of Reclamation, Caleb had multiple plans ready to help his partner if the Kryn Dynasty ever tried to capture him.

Eventually the two wizards separated due to the differences in elven and human aging, but they remained close friends for the rest of Caleb’s life.

Astrid and Eadwulf

Astrid, Eadwulf, and Bren were all from the small farming community of Blumenthal in the Zemni Fields of the Dwendalian Empire, although they didn’t know each other before being selected to attend the Soltryce Academy in Rexxentrum. There, they were close friends, and at some point Bren entered into a serious romantic relationship with Astrid and Eadwulf when they all were in their late teens. The three were selected to undergo Trent Ikithon's Volstrucker training together and were used in his human experimentation of embedding refined residuum crystals into their skin. All three of them were also trained to interrogate and execute dissidents to the Empire. While Bren went insane after murdering his parents, Astrid and Eadwulf passed Trent's final test and became successful Scourgers.

Caleb saw Eadwulf at the Vergesson Sanatorium when the Mighty Nein were checking on the Luxon beacon held there. Caleb greeted him as they were leaving, saying it was good to see him again. Eadwulf returned the greeting, saying that Bren/Caleb looked good, but remaining impassive.

While in Rexxentrum, Caleb went privately to see Astrid at her home. She welcomed him, was seemingly honest in her responses to his questions, and invited him to stay longer. When he left, she told him he was welcome back any time and she would like to see more of him. When the Mighty Nein returned to Rexxentrum after Traveler Con, Caleb and the group received an invitation from Trent Ikithon to have dinner with him, Astrid, and Eadwulf at Trent's home in The Candles. The dinner was tense, culminating in Trent's revealing that he believed Bren had the potential to replace him as a member of the Cerberus Assembly. Eadwulf and Astrid told Caleb that if that happened, they would follow him and do as he commanded. Caleb brought up his prior conversation with Astrid where he had the impression that she was being groomed for Trent's seat, and she nervously shut down the inquiry. After the dinner when Eadwulf and Astrid walked the party outside to the gate, Astrid asked Caleb if he meant what he said inside, that he meant to stop Trent, and Caleb confirmed. Her response: "Race you to the top."

Astrid and Eadwulf were present in the Mighty Nein's battle against Trent, eventually turning on their abuser and helping Caleb defeat him. They later collaborated with Caleb and Beau in sharing their story with the Cobalt Soul.

Luc Brenatto

Luc is the son of Caleb's best friend, Veth, and Caleb has made multiple efforts to comfort and connect with Luc. In one instance, Caleb invited Luc to help him work on his teleportation sigil. Later, Caleb told Luc that he had potential and, in the future, if Luc wanted to learn magic, he should come see Caleb (Luc would eventually learn the Dancing Lights cantrip in 837 PD, thanks to Caleb's teachings to the Wildemount Wildlings). Years later Caleb had become Luc's official godfather and teacher, and loved him accordingly. Because of this, he was strict with him when needed, expressing his concern about him being exposed to danger too soon, or the way he spoke about Veth in his most rebellious moments; despite the occasional disagreement, Luc admired him a lot.

Quests

At the start of the campaign, Caleb had unspecified plans for when he became powerful enough to "bend reality" to his will, which have evolved as the campaign has progressed. One of the first indications of his goals was his hope that he would not let his parents down. While spending downtime in the Archive of the Cobalt Soul in Zadash, Caleb researched methods of controlling time. He also objected vociferously when Beau mentioned this, since he had never mentioned it to her. Gradually, it was revealed that his long term goal when he met the Mighty Nein had been to change time to erase his murder of his parents. He has since realized that the more patriotic thing to do, and a better way to honor his parents, would be to make sure that the corruption of children by the Empire is stopped. In " Fond Farewells " (2x141), Caleb destroyed the T-dock chamber in Aeor, removing the possibility of time travel for himself and future adventurers.

Caleb hoped to kill specific members of the Cerberus Assembly, including Trent Ikithon, out of both a desire for revenge and a hope to end the recruitment and corruption of children in the service of the Dwendalian Empire. However, after they encountered Ikithon in their audience before King Dwendal, he stated that although he had imagined choking the life from Ikithon, he now thought they needed to work with him. Caleb accepted Ikithon's invitation to dinner with the Mighty Nein, Ikithon, Astrid, and Eadwulf present, and Ikithon insinuated that Caleb's mental healing and escape from the Vergesson Sanatorium had been orchestrated by Ikithon to strengthen Caleb's potential as an eventual Cerberus Assembly member, even if that meant he would attempt to kill Ikithon. After an abrupt battle between Trent, Astrid, Eadwulf, and the members of the Mighty Nein, Trent Ikithon was subdued and brought before a court to expose his corruptive involvement in the Cerberus Assembly.

At Caleb's urging, in " Frigid Propositions " (2x109) the Mighty Nein met with Vess DeRogna in her residence and accepted her job offer to explore Eiselcross.

As a boy, Bren dreamed of being a teacher at the Soltryce Academy. In Caleb's epilogue, he fulfilled this dream.

Proficiencies

• Skills: Arcana, Deception, History, Insight, Intimidation, Investigation, Perception, Persuasion

Notable items

• Spellbook: With a picture of a "dick-butt" drawn by Jester on the page containing the Friends spell.
• Component pouch
• Dagger
• A burnt spellbook
• Siff Duthar's burnt spellbook
• A symbol of Corellon
• Small clay cat's paw
• Pearl obtained from Nott's polished brass ring (used as a material component for casting the Identify spell)
  • This ring was obtained from Kylre's corpse, which Jester then wore and coyly allowed Nott to steal from her finger
• Sending stone (obtained from the Sutan's place).
• Spellbook with the name burned out taken from Halas's library
• Jar of beads (taken from Halas's library)
  • Caleb later revealed that these are Beads of Nourishment, thereafter referred to by the party as "boba".
• Book on the ice fields of Eiselcross (taken from Halas's library)
• Stone of Good Luck (Requires Attunement, currently attuned)
  • Loaned to Luc Brenatto for the battle against Trent Ikithon
• Driftglobe
• Ring of Evasion (Requires Attunement, currently attuned)
  • Removed in order to attune to an Amulet of Proof against Detection and Location
  • Re-worn by replacing the Stone of Good Luck
• Elven Chain (retrieved from the lair of Gelidon)
• Wand carved from a burned tree (gift from Calianna)
  • Used as a component when casting Widogast's Nascent Nein-Sided Tower
• Antimagic collar
  • Arcane Cortex
• Stormrider Boots
• Pieces of stained glass from the Chantry of the Dawn
• Handmade wooden cat sculpture
• A small turtle statue sculpted by Jester as a child.
• A pair of Yeza's thong underwear (to be used as a focus for Teleports to Veth's home).
• A small piece of a threshold crest
• Intuit charge
• Staff of Power (on loan from Allura) (Requires Attunement, currently attuned)
• Three pieces of amber (used as components when casting Widogast's Vault of Amber)
• Tuning fork for the Elemental Plane of Fire
• Amulet of Proof against Detection and Location (Requires Attunement)
  • Obtained by Caleb after killing Ikithon's guard in the Vergesson Sanatorium
  • Given to Vokodo
  • Retrieved by Veth and returned to Caleb. Pocketed by him but not worn.
  • Given to Fjord
  • Returned to Caleb by Jester, who had been given it by Fjord
  • Covered in residuum by Caleb and used to cast Mind Blank
• Multiple Sending stones:
  • Sending stone attuned to one held by Beauregard, acquired post-campaign
  • Sending stone attuned to one held by Orym of the Air Ashari
  • Sending stone attuned to one held by Keyleth of the Air Ashari
• Ring of Telepathy (120-foot range) acquired from Ikithon upon his defeat
• Rod of Absorption (Requires Attunement) acquired from Ikithon upon his defeat

Former items

• A Luxon beacon (inside of a lead-lined box) (entrusted to Jester) (given to the The Bright Queen)
  • The beacon was found to contain a nearly incomprehensible amount of power when Caleb used Identify on it. It is in the shape of a dodecahedron.
• Periapt of Wound Closure (Beau looted from Molly's corpse and tossed it to Caleb) (transferred ownership to Caduceus after a series of near-death experiences) (Requires Attunement)
• Jester's haversack (Caleb carried Jester's haversack while she was being held by the Iron Shepherds.)
  • During this time it contained the beacon and Jester's sketchbook.
• " Happy Fun Ball of Tricks " (given to him by Twiggy) (Given to Yussa Errenis)
• Glove of Blasting (given to Fjord)
• A diamond that Caleb used when casting Chromatic Orb
  • Given to Jester as a component for Incite Greed.
• Ioun Stone of Fortitude (gifted to him by Fjord) (Requires Attunement)
  • Removed to free an attunement slot for the Staff of Power
• Transmuter's Stone
  • Destroyed casting Raise Dead on Lucien's body in an attempt to bring back Mollymauk Tealeaf.
• A book of letters to Una and Leofric Ermendrud.
  • Teleported into Una and Leofric's grave.

Paper and ink

• 500 gp-worth of high quality ink (used to transcribe spells into his spell book)
• 200 gp-worth of high quality parchment and ink (unused)
• 1250 gp-worth of high quality parchment and ink(used to transcribe spells into his spell book)

Copied spells and consumed spell scrolls

• Invisibility (obtained from Nott)
• Shocking Grasp
• Hold Person (retconned from Shocking Grasp at the start of " Fleeting Memories " (2x14))
• Catapult (transcribed and destroyed)
• Expeditious Retreat (transcribed and destroyed)
• Feather Fall (transcribed and destroyed)
• Shield (transcribed and destroyed),
• Protection from Energy
• Levitate
• Major Image (transcribed and destroyed)
• Greater Invisibility (transcribed and destroyed)
• Scroll of Protection from Aberrations (destroyed)

Variant human abilities

• Bonus Skill Proficiency
• Bonus Feat (Keen Mind)

Feats

• Keen Mind
• Skilled (Perception, Intimidation, Persuasion)
• War Caster

From the Eyes of Nine

During the Nein's involvement with the Tombtakers, Caleb was exposed to the "Pattern" of the Somnovem through the fractals in Lucien's journal. Over time, he ended up with unnatural boons bestowed by the red eyes. These abilities disappeared with the eyes after Lucien's final defeat.

• First eye: Mild telepathy with others bearing eyes (120 feet)
• Second eye: Darkvision
• Third eye: Ability to see through illusions
• Fourth eye: Ability to see into the ethereal plane - unused

Wizard abilities

• Arcane Recovery (8 slot levels)
• Arcane Tradition (Transmutation)
  • Transmutation Savant
  • Minor Alchemy
  • Transmuter's Stone
  • Shapechanger
  • Master Transmuter
• Ritual Casting
• Spellcasting (Intelligence-based ability)
• Spell Mastery (Shield, Fortune's Favor)
• Signature Spells

Wizard spells

As a 17th-level wizard, Caleb knows five cantrips, and his spellbook contains at least 38 spells. He can prepare up to 22 of these spells per day.

Caleb has copied at least twenty-four additional spells into his spellbook. Caleb currently has an ancient spellbook from Halas's library containing Magic Jar, Trap the Soul, and Clone.

20th-level wizards typically only know 5 cantrips. It is unknown why Caleb knows six, though he may have been given an additional one as in the case of Caduceus Clay's Decompose.

Caleb has cast or is known to have copied the following spells into his spellbook:

Appearances and mentions

• Campaign Two, every episode played by Liam except " Rime and Reason " (2x75) [Marisha]
• Campaign Three
  • " Red Moon Rising " (3x50) [DM]
  • " The Apogee Solstice " (3x51) [DM]
  • " Escape From The Past " (3x58), mentioned only (unnamed)
  • " Somewhere Out There " (3x59), mentioned only
  • " Reunited " (3x64), mentioned only
  • " A Path of Vengeance " (3x65), mentioned only
  • " Nice " (3x69), mentioned only
  • " Phantasmal Parley " (3x72), mentioned only
  • " Kindling the Spirits " (3x73), mentioned only
  • " A Gathering of Heroes " (3x76), mentioned only
  • " The Promise and the Price " (3x77), mentioned only
  • " Doorways to Darker Depths " (3x86), via Sending [DM]
  • " Where The Red Fearne Glows " (3x94), mentioned only (as "Bren")
  • " Gathering of Needs " (3x95), mentioned only (unnamed)
  • " Shadows New and Old " (3x96), mentioned only (unnamed)
  • " Ancient Sins " (3x97), mentioned only (as "Bren")
  • " Reconciliation " (3x102), mentioned only
  • " Cages " (3x103), via Sending [DM]
  • " In the Shadow of War " (3x110)
  • " The Nein Hells " (3x111)
  • " The Assembling of Legends " (3x112)
  • " Assault on the Malleus Key " (3x113), mentioned only, indirect
  • " To the Arx Creonum " (3x115)
  • " The Weave Mind " (3x116)
  • " The Red End " (3x120), via Sending
  • " A New Age Begins " (3x121)
• Specials
  • " A Familiar Problem: Sprinkle's Incredible Journey " (Sx68) (unnamed) [DM]
  • " The Mighty Nein Reunited Part 1 " (Sx73)
  • " The Mighty Nein Reunited Part 2 " (Sx74)
  • " The Mighty Nein Reunion: Echoes of the Solstice " (Sx79)
  • " Total Party Kill: Chicago Live 2025 " (Sx95)
  • " Tag Team at the Teeth – The Misty Ascent " (Sx97)
  • " Tag Team at the Teeth – Beyond the Shroud " (Sx98)
  • " Oaths & Ash – Indianapolis Live Show 2025 " (Sx100)
  • Planning the Perfect Wedding with Jester and Fjord, mentioned only
  • " Jester and Fjord's Wedding - Live from Radio City Music Hall " (Sx103)
• Wildemount Wildlings (show)
  • " Welcome, Campers!" (WWx01), mentioned only
  • " Wilde Out " (WWx03), mentioned only
• The Mighty Nein Origins
  • Caleb Widogast
  • Acquired Taste
• The Mighty Nein
  • The Mighty Nein (animated), Season One (every episode)

Quotations

• "It's on the table though, so on the table it will stay." (Caleb telling Nott when not to steal)
• "Leave me alone, I'm reading." (Caleb telling Jester not to bother him while he reads his new book)
• "I'm a dirty hobo and I reek of yesterday's garbage." (Caleb describing himself.)
• "I'm either a clown or a toad-killer. Let's see what it is."
• "Well, my social anxiety is getting the best of me; I'm taking a walk. Goodbye."
• "I am going to tell you the story of how I murdered my mother and father."
• "Anybody can make lights. Anybody could send a message through a wire. I want to bend reality to my will."
• "You were always a better dancer than me, Astrid." (Drunkenly told to Jester during their waltz)
• "Shine bright, circus man." (Caleb's last words to Molly)
• "Brave, dead... it's semantics, really." (Caleb taking the lead on the infiltration of Sour Nest)
• "They. Are. Going. To. Die." (Caleb upon Frumpkin being killed in the Sour Nest)
• "You shouldn't have killed my cat." (Caleb's words when he killed Lorenzo in the Sour Nest)
• (to Nott, discussing hijacking The Mist) "I know that did that it didn't go very well, but this is our new family, right? So we want the family to stick together."
• Twiggy: (after Caleb succeeds on the saving throw against Tasha's Hideous Laughter) "Funny, right?"
  Caleb: "Yeah I'm not a happy guy."
• "My name was... Bren Aldric Ermendrud."
• (to the Bright Queen) "I am of the Empire. But I am no friend to the Empire."
• "Yes, I was trained to be a terrible person. Yes, I was a student of the Cerberus Assembly. Yes, I murdered those most dear to me, yes. And yes I want to see specific people dead. And if that lines up with something that can save where you and I are from, where Veth and Yeza are from, where our friends live...then all is one!"
• (to the captive Scourger) "I don't know how my brothers and sisters could stomach wearing a mantle of loyalty, knowing that it was woven so thoroughly from sin. And I am very sorry for you."
• (during Essek's interrogation) "I know what a fool I have been for years. And I am looking at him as if I am looking in a mirror."
• (to Essek) "You were not born with venom in your veins. You learned it."
• (to Essek) "Maybe you and I are both damned. But we can choose to do something, and leave it better than it was before."
• "A long time ago you asked me about myself and I just never answered. I value this family, Fjord, because I killed my own, for these people that we are going to deal with."
• "Yasha, let yourself a little happiness."
• "Astrid and Eadwulf were willing to do anything that... Ikithon asked of them. And their final test was to kill their own flesh and blood. And they did so. And I am like them. W--was... Am. Am like them."
  Beau: " Was."
• (after admitting he killed his parents to the full party) "I suppose I enjoyed being seen as I should have been. Or could have been. [...] Whatever we’re doing here, I have come home in the hopes of atoning. And that idea has evolved quite a bit over time, and I’m not sure what the exact answer is. But I mean to atone."
• (to Ikithon) "I often feel like a failure and a success within the same hour."
• “Ja, I want [Trent] dead. He ruined my life. He look my life away from me. And I fucking helped! But I'm not going to risk all of you right now.”
• (to Ikithon) "In every barrel of apples, there is one with a rotten worm in it. I am that worm."
• (as post-campaign guest lecturer at the Soltryce Academy) "If I could leave you with one challenge as we break for today, it would be to set aside the "what" and the "how" for some time, and to consider the "why". As each of you leaves the Academy and you go on to poke and prod at the edges of reality, ask yourselves what the knowledge and power you've gained here is for. Transmutation is a powerful tool for change. How will you use it to alter the world around you? And to what end? And ask yourself, how will it change you? When I studied at this school myself, that question was never on any exam. Maybe it should have been. Also, make time in your studies for history or you will be doomed to repeat it. History is littered with sharp-minded individuals like yourselves who bit off more than they can chew, and it somehow always comes back to bite them in the butt."