Nekker

Imagine a drowner(link) that burrows tunnels, climbs trees, is more vicious than usual, and when ambushing its prey, it does so with many of its kin. Now you have a good idea of what a nekker is. These primitive fey creatures are the bane of the wilderness and found in numbers across the world, preferably near roads. The inhabitants of forest villages fear them, and animals give their nests a wide berth. Nekkers typically live in cave networks with a maze of tunnels giving access to the surface, where they can easily retreat if things turn sour. Some particularly bold nests will extend their tunnel to inside a settlement, harassing the inhabitants day and night.
Innocence Lost: Legends say that the nekkers were once gentle and playful fey, living quietly in the realm of Arcadia. A powerful Archfey, known only as the Lady of Thorns, twisted their entire race and turn them into the vicious and pesky beings they are today. The Lady used the nekker to find and trick children with the spark of magic to wander into the Feywild, never to be seen again. Some say the Lady was a crone or hag, keeping herself alive by feeding on the children, other legends pretend that she was a dryad queen. Nobody knows who the Lady really was and what happened to her. None have heard of her in centuries, still, the nekkers remain, doing her bidding.

Nekker Family

Nekker

A lone nekker is harmless. Five are dangerous. Ten can kill even a veteran monster slayer. Individual nekkers are weak, easy marks compared to other monsters; Nekkers do not tend to fight as individuals. One must be ready to repel many foes at once. If you see one, expect anywhere from 2-10 more. They burrow from beneath the ground or fall from trees and swarm upon their prey. Though primitive, the tactic is surprisingly effective. Nekkers overwhelm their targets through sheer numbers, surrounding them, then pummeling and clawing victims to death. Even veteran adventurers can fall prey to this. When facing large groups of nekkers, it is best to take advantage of tactics that can harm several opponents at once, such as spells and explosives that can help thin out the swarm with ease. As with other agile creatures, running from nekkers is not the best idea, for the monsters will catch up to their prey and swiftly kill it with multiple hits of their claws.

Nekker Warrior

Particularly troublesome are the larger, stronger individuals known as warriors, a rarer breed of nekkers. Nekker warriors are a larger version of the nekker and typically distinguished by their red-painted faces. Nekker warriors support their smaller companions when they prepare an attack or ambush.

Nekker Phoocas

Strange Breed: Phoocas are a strange breed of nekker that seem to have an irrational hatred for every creature with a spark of magic, to the exception of thornhearts that they revere like prophets. They are fierce hunters and have the ability to drain the energy from spells, leaving spellcasters vulnerable to their vicious claws. Phoocas paint their body in dark green or brown colors, while practicing some sort of ritual scarification, piercing their skin with razorvine thorns. Magic Magpie: Phoocas are somewhat the magpies of the nekkers; they steal any magic item they can get their hands on, going to great length and danger to acquire them. They always bring their prize deep inside the nekker's burrow, offering it reverently to thornhearts. Mages learn to protect their studies against these intruders, for hiring parties of adventurers to recover prized possessions becomes quickly more than an annoyance.

Nekker Thornheart

Astrological Ceremony: During rare astrological events, when the barrier between the Feywild and the Material world is thinning, the nekkers will venture into settlements, led by phoocas, looking for children with the spark of magic in them. Tragedies usually follow, as the nekkers swarm slaughters the entire village and every mage, priest or druid they can find. The children found are taken to the Thorn Garden, a fey crossing at the deepest point of the nekker's burrow, filled with deadly razorvines. During a strange ceremony, the heart of the children are pierced with a Thornshard, one of the many magical thorns that used to be part of the Lady of Thorn's dress, a sacred item for the nekkers. The ones that survive turn into nekkers known as thornhearts, wielding a fraction of the Lady's power. Prophets of the Lady: Thornhearts are seen as prophets and heralds by the nekkers, revered as priests of the Lady. They are thought to one day find again the Lady of Thorn. Thornhearts are larger and have more expressive faces than regular nekkers, akin to the innocent face of a child. The thorn in their heart is clearly visible, pulsating with magic. They have some basic understanding of fate magic, wielding a form of raw primitive power. These abilities make them natural leaders of their race, channelling their inner strength to inspire their cowardly kin to daring feats. Thornhearts often wear jewellery made of bones & razorvines, and mark their faces with blue and green pigments. A Thornheart's Lair: A thornheart lair is located deep underground, after a maze of tunnels and caves leading to a place called the Thorn Garden, a crossing to the Feywild surrounded by deadly razorvine and beautiful eerie lights.

Basic Information

Dietary Needs and Habits

Carnivore.

Civilization and Culture

Culture and Cultural Heritage

Nekkers are social creatures, gathering in something akin to tribes, for they can only repel the attacks of stronger assailants with sheer numbers. They use war paints to establish social status, and will occasionally fashion tribal icons out of bones, wood and razorvine(link), which they seem particularly found of. When nekkers venture out as a war or hunting party, they are led by thornhearts, their prophets and leaders. Thornhearts give orders, turning a wild band into an organised unit, thus they should be eliminated first. As malicious as they are, nekkers are cowardly creatures by nature and will not hesitate to flee if too many of them are slaughtered or an opponent seems too dangerous. This obviously changes when a thornheart is leading the tribe, exalting them.

Common Myths and Legends

Legends say that the nekkers were once gentle and playful fey, living quietly in the First World. A powerful archfey, known only as the Lady of Thorns(link), twisted their entire race and turn them into the vicious and pesky beings they are today. The Lady(link) used the nekker to find and trick children with the spark of magic to wander into the First World, never to be seen again.

Some say the Lady(link) was a crone(link) or hag, keeping herself alive by feeding on the children, while other legends pretend that she was a dryad(link) queen. Nobody knows who the Lady(link) really was and what happened to her. None have heard of her(link) in centuries - but regardless the nekkers remain, doing her bidding.

“Take heed, gents, there be nekkers under this bridge. If you all cross at once, without slowing or stopping, there's nothing to fear. But if your cart throws an axle and you get stuck out there... Well, close your eyes and pray to your gods.”

— Kurt Hammerbach, city guardsman.

Type: Fey (evil, subterranean)
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral

Conservation Status

Pest. Kill on sight.