This design is part of Crit Knits, a collection of 8 designs each inspired by a member of the Mighty Nein from Critical Role, Campaign 2. If you’re a knitting Critter who wants in on all of them, check out the Crit Knits ebook to snag a discount when you get them all!

ABOUT THE CHOSEN OF UK’OTOA
A very dear friend of mine (ahem, Caoilainn17) changed my life 10 years ago by teaching me how to knit. Eight years later, she changed my life again by introducing me into the wonderland that is Critical Role and Dungeons & Dragons as a whole. One episode of Critical Role and I was a goner - I knew I had a found a new passion and a new lifelong hobby, all in one. I had no idea that Dungeons & Dragons was exactly the game needed to make my nerdy, fantasy-novel-obsessed heart sing. Since then, I have joined a campaign or two of my own and watched (literally, I am not exaggerating) hundreds of hours of Critical Role.

One of my favorite characters from Critical Role Campaign 2 is Fjord Stone, the half-orc warlock played by the genius Travis Willingham. When the ship he was working on sank in the middle of the ocean, Fjord almost drowned. To save his life, he made a pact with a dangerous, many-eyed leviathan named Uk’otoa. This contract gave Fjord tremendous powers but also saddled him with the task of freeing the deadly Uk’otoa from his watery prison. Even while dealing with this difficult balance, Fjord is often the Mighty Nein’s strategist and their voice of reason.

For this design, I wanted the cables to call to mind the terrifying form of Fjord’s patron, Uk’otoa. The medallion on the toe features three “eyes” made of cables and the lines continue up the sock to form cabled fins from twisted stitches and more cabled “eyes”. To make the eyes stand out amidst the cabling, duplicate stitching is done in a contrasting color as you progress up the sock. The lines continue into the ribbing and down the back of the sock as well. The Critical Sheep Phantasm and Sunscarred colorways used in this design also match Uk’otoa’s ocean-colored body and infamous yellow eyes.

Whether you’re a die-hard Critter or just someone looking for a fun, challenging, cabled knit, start up an episode of Critical Role on Youtube and give this design a try! Hopefully, these socks will keep you or a loved one cozy and stylish the next time you happen to find yourself needing to captain a pirate ship.

ABOUT CRIT KNITS
This design is part of Crit Knits, a collection of 8 knitwear designs by myself and the fabulous Mandy Bee. Each of the 8 designs is inspired by a member of the Mighty Nein from Critical Role, Campaign 2 and uses stunning yarn from Critical Sheep, to layer on even more D&D fun.

Also, each pattern in this collection contains a coupon code for an additional Mighty Nein-inspired pattern, so if you’d also like to knit a fabulous Caduceus Clay-inspired tea cozy, check out the Blooming Grove Tea Time Cosy, designed by Mandy Bee.
A 20% off coupon code for the Blooming Grove Tea Time Cosy is available on the last page of the Chosen of Uk’otoa pattern.

ABOUT CRITICAL ROLE
From CritRole.com: What began in 2012 as a bunch of friends playing in each other’s living rooms has evolved into a multi-platform entertainment sensation, attracting over half million viewers every week. Now in its second campaign storyline, the show features seven popular voiceover actors diving into epic Dungeons & Dragons adventures, led by veteran game master Matthew Mercer.

Techniques Used with Tutorials Provided:

• Judy’s Magic Cast-On
• Lifted increases
• Duplicate stitch
• German short-row heel
• Jeny’s Surprisingly Stretchy Bind-Off

Yarn Used in Sample:
Critical Sheep ‘D4 Fingering’ (75% Superwash Merino, 25% Nylon, 450 yds / 411 m per 100 g skein)
MC: Phantasm, 1 skein
CC: Sunscarred, Scraps

Needles:
US 1.5 / 2.5 mm needles, or size needed to obtain gauge, for knitting small circumferences in the round (DPNs, long circular needle for magic loop, etc., as preferred)

Notions:
2 removable stitch markers, 2 cable needles (optional, cabling can be done without a cable needle, if preferred), yarn needle

Yardage Estimates from Sample (Medium Size):
MC: 289 yds / 264 m, 64 g
CC: 19 yds / 17 m, 4 g

Measurements:
SIZES: S (M, L, XL) / 56 (60, 68, 76) sts
Foot circumferences: 7.5 (8.5, 9.5, 10.5) inches / 19 (21.5, 24, 26.5) cm
Length: Customizable for foot and leg

This pattern has been tech edited and test knit.

I would like to extend a very special thank you to:

My fabulous technical editor - Lisa Beth Houchins (MeanestMommy)
And, my wonderful, helpful test knitters - Alexandra (ravenalex), Danielle (Lanois), Larisa (nevolik), Magda (Niecierpek), and Renate (rainbow1907).

Welcome to the Mighty Nein!

Thanks to your generous support, purchases of this and other Crit Knits patterns allowed us to donate $600 to OutRight Action International with our June 2021 Crit Knits profits! OutRight fights for human rights for LGBTIQ people everywhere. They work at the international, regional, and national levels to research, document, defend, and advance human rights for LGBTIQ people around the world. If you’d like to read about OutRight or donate to them as well, check out their website.