Norker

In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game, the norker is a type of fictional monster for player characters to encounter.

Publication history

The norker first appeared in the original first edition Fiend Folio (1981).^[1]

The norker appeared in second edition for the Greyhawk setting in the Monstrous Compendium Greyhawk Appendix (1990).^[2]

The norker appeared in third edition for the Greyhawk setting in Living Greyhawk Journal #3 (February 2001).^[3] The norker also appeared in Dungeon #98 / Polyhedron #157 (May 2003). The norker appeared as a playable character race in Dragon #343 (May 2006).

The norker appeared in fourth edition in the Monster Manual 3 (2010).

Description

Norkers are a race of humanoids that are distantly related to hobgoblins. They are goblinoids with tough, armor-like hide.

Ecology

Norkers breed more slowly than goblins. They raid and steal from other humanoids, being too lazy to do their own hunting. Sometimes norkers will be commanded by powerful groups of hobgoblins, who will use the norkers as shock troops and cannon fodder.

Environment

Norkers are found anywhere that goblins live, and are also found in the Bright Desert. Their lairs include caves, old ruins, and villages taken by force from other races. They do not build themselves, at least nothing more complex than fences and gates. A norker lair contains one and a half times as many females as males, and twice as many young as males.

Typical physical characteristics

Norkers resemble goblins, except for their three-inch canines and hairless hides, which range from reddish brown to dark gray in hue. They are seldom seen in any clothing apart from a loincloth and a belt, which they use for hanging their favored possessions from.

Alignment

Norkers are usually chaotic evil.

Society

Norkers live in tribes that rarely exert any influence beyond their leaders' immediate reach. These tribes are much smaller than a typical goblin or hobgoblin tribe. Different norker tribes rarely meet, but when they do they often come to blows until it is established which one is dominant. The victors take the fangs of the losers as trophies.

A norker's favored class is rogue.

Religion

Norkers worship Maglubiyet, who is also the patron of goblins and hobgoblins.

Language

Norkers speak a dialect of Goblin. Those of high intelligence also speak Orc.

Campaign settings

Greyhawk

Iuz has been breeding them in great numbers, valuing their tough hide that replaces the need for armor. It may be impossible to crossbreed them with goblins, or Iuz would likely have done so already in the hope of breeding lightly armored, fast-breeding warriors.

References

1. ^ Turnbull, Don, ed. Fiend Folio (TSR, 1981)
2. ^ Breault, Mike, ed, et al. Greyhawk Monstrous Compendium Appendix (TSR, 1990)
3. ^ Reynolds, Sean K. "Enchiridion of the Fiend-Sage." Living Greyhawk Journal #3. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2001.