Nissling

Introduction To Nisslings

The men glared down at their friends. Three of them were snoring as one or two small quarrels stuck out of their bodies. The fourth man lay unmoving and still, his open eyes as dead as the rest of him. Six of the little quarrels were stuck in his body. All their belts, sheathes, belt purses and packs were gone while their weapons were left on the ground where they had fallen from their hands. The dead man had his midriff neatly cut open and his liver was missing.
"Well, at least they didn't steal their livers," one of the men said to his two companions as he pointed to the three sleeping men.
"Saw us comin'," a second man said. "Now shut yer trap an' git t' carryin' em back t' camp afore them nisslin's come back."
They pulled out all the little quarrels before each man grabbed one of their fallen friends. With much cussing under their breaths, they hauled them back to their camp which had nets stretched over it. Leafy branches had been spread over the nets to hide it from sky attacks.
Captain Four had insisted on bringing the nets and then using them over their camps every day of their expedition. This was the first day her men truly appreciated them.

— excerpt from The Hunt For Golden Jelly copied into Garzio-indar: Peoples page 19

Nisslings believe their kind was created by the mysterious dragon god MoorDoon. How MoorDoon created them is as much a mystery as is what kind and color of dragon MoorDoon is. They believe MoorDoon gave them their wings as well as their tails which they take great pride in. Tail bands and such are the height of fashion amongst nisslings who have little use for clothes other than for warmth if they find themselves in cold places. They do wear belts and harnesses to carry their tools and pouches. The night is their day as their eyes are adapted to darkness.
When it comes to hunting, if it moves, it's probably meat, and thus, meant to be eaten. Nisslings do not go out of their way to hunt people, but they do love a good raid. It is the liver of the fallen that is considered fair food and is to be shared with the victorious. This includes the livers of nisslings who have fallen. To leave a fallen nissling's liver is an affront to that nissling's soul who, according to the MoorDoon teachings, will then haunt the tribe who left its liver behind.
The nisslings believe MoorDoon taught them their tribal way of life and methods for them to stand as equals in a world filled with bigger folk.
Nisslings love to craft traps and set them throughout their tribal lands and within their lairs, to not only catch prey but to keep out invaders. Bows sized for a nissling are not well suited against the bigger folk so they make crossbows instead. Even then, their darts are small but MoorDoon taught them the art of poison.
Most recently, nisslings have discovered that by placing thin windows of dark colored glass over their eyes, held into place with leather straps, they can protect their eyes from the light.

MoorDoon's Secret

MoorDoon's Secret is their most sacred lore. This secret is the trading and crafting of poison. It is so sacred it can never be spoken of, not even when trading or crafting it. Instead, nisslings use niss-cant, a style of hand-talk that uses no sound, only hand gestures. Though there are many types of poisons that nisslings make, only four were taught to them by MoorDoon's Secret.
The first of these is Scumfroggoo which puts its victims to sleep. However, if someone the size of a man takes six bolt wounds from it, they will die. 5e Stats: CON DC: 12 or sleep for 10 minutes (and one poison point which gives -1 to all d20 rolls and is removed with a CON DC: 10 or higher AFTER a long rest. If failed, cannot roll again until the end of another Long Rest. The points will stack. If the target takes 6 poison points they will die, no save.)
The second MoorDoon poison is Snakesnapper, a deadly venom that can drop a man with a single crossbow bolt. It is also a bit hazardous for the nisslings to harvest, as it must be milked from the fangs of living snakes, as MoorDoon's Secret dictates. 5e Stats: CON DC: 14 or take 9 (3d6) 3d6 poison damage plus Woozy (fall prone for 1 rnd) (HOMEBREW RULE: and one Poison Point which gives -1 to all d20 rolls and is removed with a CON DC: 10 AFTER a long rest. If failed, cannot roll again until the end of another Long Rest. The points will stack. If the target takes 6 Poison Points they will die, no save.)
The third MoorDoon poison is Wyvergoo harvested from the tail spines of a living wyvern. One bolt is deadly enough to drop a giant. 5e Stats: CON DC: 18 or take 18 (6d6) 6d6 poison damage plus Dizzy (fall prone for 1d4 1d4 rnds) (HOMEBREW RULE: and one Poison Point which gives -1 to all d20 rolls and is removed with a CON DC: 10 AFTER a long rest. If failed, cannot roll again until the end of another Long Rest. The points will stack. If the target takes 6 Poison Points they will die, no save.)
The final MoorDoon poison is Purpflurp. One bolt can drop a dragon. Where the nisslings harvest Purpflurp from is a secret, and something rarely done, as it requires many of them to go out and get it with only a few returning. 5e Stats: CON DC: 22 or take 36 (12d6) 12d6 poison damage plus Vertigo (fall prone for 1 minute) (HOMEBREW RULE: and one Poison Point which gives -1 to all d20 rolls and is removed with a CON DC: 10 AFTER a long rest. If failed, cannot roll again until the end of another Long Rest. The points will stack. If the target takes 6 Poison Points they will die, no save.)

DnD 5e Stat Blocks

Nissling Hunter (volo p.165) CR 1
Nissling Hoopla (Tome I p.261) CR 2
Nissling Barker (Tome I p.262) CR 4
Nissling Eater (Codex p.237) CR 1
Nissling Bossy Boss (Codex p.239) CR 6
Nissling Egg

Nissling Egg

Generic Variant

Common

Nissling Egg by Pezibear

A three inch oblong white egg covered in brown speckles.

HARDNESS: 12 HP: 3

Nissling Hatchling

Nissling Hatchling

Tiny sauronoid, any

Armor Class: 12 + Dex= 15

Hit Points: 6 (3d6-3) 3d6-3

Speed: 30 ft , fly: 30 ft

STR

7 -2

DEX

16 +3

CON

9 -1

INT

8 -1

WIS

7 -2

CHA

8 -1

Senses: Darkvison: 120'
Passive: 8

Languages: Draconic (Nissling)

Challenge Rating: 0

Young Nissling by Dazzlinkat

Pack Tactics: The nissling has advantage on an attack roll vs a creature if there is a nissling ally that is not incapacitated within 5' of the attack's target
Proficiency: 0
Sunlight Sensitivity: when in bright light or sunlight, they have disadvantage on attack rolls and on PErception Rolls using sight. This can be negated by their Goggles of Day (protects eyes from brightness)

Actions

Bite Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit 1d20+3 , reach 5ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6+3) 1d6+3 piercing damage
Claw Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit 1d20+3 , reach 5ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6+3) 1d6+3 slashing damage

A Nissling looks like a short little dragon that walk about on its hindlegs. It will grow to be about 3' tall.

Suggested Environments

Any land.

Nissling

Nissling CR: 1/4

Small sauronoid, any

Armor Class: 12(natural) + DEX= 15

Hit Points: 6 (3d6-3) 3d6-3

Speed: 30 ft , fly: 30 ft

STR

7 -2

DEX

16 +3

CON

9 -1

INT

8 -1

WIS

7 -2

CHA

8 -1

Senses: Darkvison: 120'
Passive: 8

Languages: Draconic (Nissling)

Challenge Rating: 1/4

by Dazzlinkat

Pack Tactics: The nissling has advantage on an attack roll vs a creature if there is a nissling ally that is not incapacitated within 5' of the attack's target
Proficiency: +2
Sunlight Sensitivity: when in bright light or sunlight, they have disadvantage on attack rolls and on PErception Rolls using sight. This can be negated by their Goggles of Day (protects eyes from brightness)

Actions

Bite Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit 1d20+5 , reach 5ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6+3) 1d6+3 piercing damage
Claw Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit 1d20+5 , reach 5ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6+3) 1d6+3 slashing damage
Light Crossbow Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit 1d20+5 , range 80'/320', one target. Hit: 7 (1d8+3) 1d8+3 piercing damage plus scumfroggo poison CON DC: 12 or sleep for 10 minutes (HOMEBREW RULE: and one Poison Point which gives -1 to all d20 rolls and is removed with a CON DC: 10 or higher AFTER a long rest. If failed, cannot roll again until the end of another Long Rest. The points will stack. If the target takes 6 Poison Points they will die, no save.)

A Nissling looks like a short little dragon that walk about on its hindlegs. It's about 3' tall.

Suggested Environments

Any land.

Nissling ShooShoo

Nissling ShooShoo CR: 1/4

Small sauronoid, any

Armor Class: 12 (natural) + DEX= 14

Hit Points: 12 (3d6+3) 3d6+3

Speed: 30 ft , fly: 30 ft

STR

7 -2

DEX

15 +2

CON

12 +1

INT

8 -1

WIS

7 -2

CHA

8 -1

Skills: Perception: +0 1d20

Senses: Darkvison: 120'
Passive: 10

Languages: Draconic (Nissling), Bexi

Challenge Rating: 1/4

by Dazzlinkat

Pack Tactics: The nissling has advantage on an attack roll vs a creature if there is a nissling ally that is not incapacitated within 5' of the attack's target
Proficiency: +2
Sunlight Sensitivity: when in bright light or sunlight, they have disadvantage on attack rolls and on PErception Rolls using sight. This can be negated by their Goggles of Day (protects eyes from brightness)

Actions

Bite Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit 1d20+4 , reach 5ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6+2) 1d6+2 piercing damage
Claw Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit 1d20+4 , reach 5ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6+2) 1d6+2 slashing damage
Poisoned Handaxe Poison on handaxe last for three sucessful hits before more can be applied as a bonus action. Melee and Range Weapon Attack: +4 to hit 1d20+4 , reach 5ft or range 20'/60', one target. Hit: 5 (1d6+2) 1d6+2 slashing samage plus scumfroggo poison CON DC: 12 or sleep for 10 minutes (HOMEBREW RULE: and one Poison Point which gives -1 to all d20 rolls and is removed with a CON DC: 10 or higher AFTER a long rest. If failed, cannot roll again until the end of another Long Rest. The points will stack. If the target takes 6 Poison Points they will die, no save.)
Weapon Invention: The ShooShoo has 8 options it removes from its pack taking its full action to carry out this attack, each usable only once. Choose or roll a 1d8 1d8 :
1 and 4 and 7. Hissy Ooze: The ShooShoo hurls a flask of Hissy Ooze. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 1d20+4 to hit, range 5'/20', one target. Hit: 6 (2d6) 2d6 acid damage. (Has a total of 3 flasks)
2 and 5 and 8. Sticky Fire: The ShooShoo throws a flask of sticky fire. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 1d20+4 to hit, range 5'/20', one target. Hit: 2 (1d4) 1d4 fire damage plus at the start of that creature's turn is can roll DEX DC: 14 to extinguish the flames or take the fire damage again 1d4 . (Has a total of 3 flasks)
3 and 6. Slop Pot: The ShooShoo throws a clay pot full of green slime at the target, and it breaks open on impact. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 1d20+4 to hit, range 5'/20', one target. Hit: the target is covered in green slime that devours flesh, organic material, and metal on contact, dealing 5 (1d10) 1d10 acid damage each round it is on the target. Sunlight, cold, fire, or radiant damage destroys the green slime. Scraping works as well but takes an entire turn to do so. (Has a total of 2 pots)

A Nissling looks like a short little dragon that walk about on its hindlegs. It's about 3' tall.

Suggested Environments

Any land.

Nissling TrapSsap

Nissling TrapSsap CR: 1/2 or 1 depending on how many traps wounded the enemy before confrontation

Small sauronoid, any

Armor Class: 12(natural) + DEX= 15

Hit Points: 32hp (8d6 +8) 8d6+8

Speed: 30 ft , fly: 30 ft

STR

7 -2

DEX

16 +3

CON

12 +1

INT

16 +3

WIS

13 +1

CHA

8 -1

Skills: Stealth: +6 1d20+6

Senses: Darkvison: 120'
Passive: 11

Languages: Draconic (Nissling)

Challenge Rating: 1/2 or 1 depending on how many traps wounded the enemy before confrontation

by Dazzlinkat

Pack Tactics: The nissling has advantage on an attack roll vs a creature if there is a nissling ally that is not incapacitated within 5' of the attack's target
Proficiency: +3
Sunlight Sensitivity: when in bright light or sunlight, they have disadvantage on attack rolls and on PErception Rolls using sight. This can be negated by their Goggles of Day (protects eyes from brightness)
Thief's Tools: The trapssap is proficient with thieves tools and is seldom without them. If its tools are taken away or lost, it can craft new ones within 30 minutes after finding metal or junk.
Traps And Snares: The trapssap excels at setting traps with DC: 16 With its tools and basic materials, it can set a trap within 5 minutes.
1. CHokieSmokie when triggered, this trap spews out enough smoke to fill a 20-foot-sphere and area is heavily obscures. All air breathers in the area roll CON DC: 16 or get -1 to ALL d20 rolls while in it and for 1d4 1d4 rounds after leaving area. A strong wind can remove the smoke in 1 round.
2. NabJab a poisoned sliver hidden in a lock, box, carpet, door handle, cup, bowl, etc. When triggered, the NabJab makes a Melee Weapon Attack: +6 1d20+6 to hit, reach 0ft., one target. Hit: 2 (1d4) 1d4 piercing damage plus CON DC: 16 or take 12 (4d6) 4d6 poison damage (HOMEBREW RULE: and one Poison Point which gives -1 to all d20 rolls and is removed with a CON DC: 10 AFTER a long rest. If failed, cannot roll again until the end of another Long Rest. The points will stack. If the target takes 6 Poison Points they will die, no save.). On a success take 1/ damage (HOMEBREW RULE: and no Poison Point).
3. SwatssySswing when triggered a great weight, spike, or a blade swings into the victim, the first target in its path. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 1d20+6 to hit, reach 0 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d10) 2d10 blundgeon, pierce, or slash damage, depending.
4. FlingSstring a hidden loop of rope, etc. fixed to a counter weight. When triggered victim must make a DEX DC: 16 or be yanked into the air by their foot and suspended upside down 5 feet above the ground and is considered restrained. ESCAPE DC: 16 or cute the rope AC: 10 HP: 5.

Actions

Bite Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit 1d20+6 , reach 5ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6+3) 1d6+3 piercing damage
Claw Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit 1d20+6 , reach 5ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6+3) 1d6+3 slashing damage
Light Crossbow Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit 1d20+6 , range 80'/320', one target. Hit: 7 (1d8+3) 1d8+3 piercing damage plus scumfroggo poison CON DC: 12 or sleep for 10 minutes (HOMEBREW RULE: and one Poison Point which gives -1 to all d20 rolls and is removed with a CON DC: 10 or higher AFTER a long rest. If failed, cannot roll again until the end of another Long Rest. The points will stack. If the target takes 6 Poison Points they will die, no save.)

A Nissling looks like a short little dragon that walk about on its hindlegs. It's about 3' tall.

Suggested Environments

Any land

Basic Information

Anatomy

A nissling is a sentient creature that walks on two legs. It has arms that end in hands with short strong claws made for digging. Their skulls are shaped like that of a short snouted crocodile with little knobby bone ridges above the eyes and horns on their heads.
Their bodies are covered in scales like that of a crocodile but not as thick and heavy. From their backs sprout a pair of leathery wings. Nissling colors range from rusty green to rusty brown with splotches of near-black markings for camouflage.
A nissling also has a tail nearly as long as the nissling is tall. And the hold it to provide balance and maneuverability when running or flying. The tail is also a matter of great pride.
Unlike crocodiles, nisslings are warm-blooded and able to survive in all temperate regions, though they find extreme cold climates uncomfortable.

Ecology and Habitats

Nisslings love forests, jungles, rocky hills, or swamps where the leafy canopies or hill shadows shelter their eyes from daylight. If the region has trees large enough that there is a hollow beneath their trunks big enough for a nissling to dig, a lair will be made down into the ground. This will be their home hidden from spying eyes. If no such tree exists, they will dig a lair in a hill or ruin surrounded by the wildest growth in the area. This wild growth is often tended and nurtured along by the nisslings.

Dietary Needs and Habits

A nissling eats meat of all kinds, from fish, to insects, to birds, to animals. They can also eat nuts. The drinking of hooch, Nissling for whiskey, is a favorite pastime, and is the only reason they might gather or harvest grains.
During the winter months, nisslings prefer to stay in their lairs eating jerky and nuts they have collected during the warmer times of the year, though they will go out and hunt if there is need.

Additional Information

Social Structure

Nissling tend to live in tribes. Even if they leave their birth tribe, they form a new tribe amongst their friends. A tribe is led by a boss and his elite seconds, called barkers. Equal to a barker is the moodoo and the hoopla. A moodoo is a cleric dedicated to their god MoorDoon. A hoopla is a clever nissling who has learned magic or alchemy or, rarely, both. The bosses and barkers tend to be males as these ranks are determined by combat. Moodoo tend to be females and are often the diplomats of a tribe. They attain rank through study and earning respect over the years as they provide good wisdom to the tribe. Hooplas are equally male or female and generally are those within the tribe who cannot compete well in combats or have been denied training within the moodoo due to tribal politics.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Nisslings do not have ears but they do have ear holes that can close when underwater. This reduces how well they can hear underwater but make up for it by having an instinctive feel for vibrations in the water.
They have eyes best suited for seeing in the dark. They are able to see as well in moonlight and starlight as humans see during the day. In pitch darkness they can see up to one hundred twenty feet. Such wonderful Darkvision makes seeing in daylight, or any brightlight, painful. Recently, nissling have discovered that wearing dark glass over their eyes they can see in daylight and bright light without pain. They call these crude goggles Eye Shields.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

When it comes to names, there is no distinction between male or female. All names must have a proper hissing sound within it. That is the only requirement for a name.

Major Organizations

Nissling do not have a nation. Instead, they live in tribes divided into clans. As the tribe grows they will take new neighboring land and a portion of every clan will be forced to live in the new region as a new clan. These tribes will fiercely hold their territories but have been known to flee should they believe an invading threat to be too great.
Tribes of nisslings prefer rough regions other races do not favor, such as swamps, forested ravines, and rocky hills. These regions often lay within the nations of other races who did not give ermission, or even know a tribe has moved in until the nisslings go raiding.

Average Technological Level

Nisslings are mastermakers of crossbows and use poisoned quarrels, another name for crossbow bolt, to give themselves equal footing in clashes with bigger folk and prey.
Their magic is primitive but useful and their devotion to MoorDoon, a mysterious dragon-god, has given them a strong cleric class called MooDoo.
Ingenuity is highly respected among nisslings. The making of traps and the clever uses of natural hazards can make an invasion into their tribal lands deadly.

Major Language Groups and Dialects

Nisslings speak their own dialect of Draconic filled with two syllable words. Very rarely do they use words of three or more syllables. Syllables with double vowels or filled with 'ss' sounds are also favored.
Nissling will go out of their way to learn the languages of other races they are near to and especially the language of the race whose realm or nation their tribal lands reside in.

Common Etiquette Rules

The eating of people is limited to eating the livers of those fallen in combat or of nisslings who have died from any cause. Only during extremely harsh times will nisslings eat more than the livers of people and then only the meat of those who are not nisslings.
Eating the livers of those fallen in combat is to prevent their ghosts from haunting the tribe. The livers are cut out of the bodies and taken back to the lair where they are roasted over a fire. As they cook, drums and rocks are beaten. Nisslings will dance and howl, their idea of singing which holds no melody but is done loudly.
Once roasted, the livers are devoured, save for a narrow strip that continues to slowly roast into a very dry strip. These strips are called moo. If the liver is of a nissling, it goes to the GimmyGimm, the head moodoo of the tribe. She, all GimmyGimm are female, carefull strings the liver strip with others that have been collected. This string is called the SpookSpook and is brought out when the ancesters must be consulted.
If the liver is from some enemy or victim of their raids, it goes to the nissling who killed them. When there is some doubt as to which nissling killed the enemy/victim, there is a formal trial by combat where the winner then claims the honor of the kill. The moo is kept on a moo string. This moo string is displayed when a nissling is looking to become a barker, which is a commander.
When a tribe grows in numbers where they are too many to live within the lair, the barker with the fullest moo string is promoted to the rank of Boss, or clan chief. This new boss serves under the Bossy Boss, who is chief of the entire tribe, and takes a quarter to one third of the tribe to build a new lair in a neighboring territory. Such expansions are greeted with great celebrations. In the case of a tie, the GimmyGimm will chose which barker becomes the new Boss.

Common Dress Code

Nisslings do not need to cover themselves for decency sake due to their genitalia being in a cloaca. They do, however, where belts and harnesses to carry things.
Cloth is very pretty to nisslings and they will often wear sashes, loincloths, or shoulder garb. Wearing of cloth is also seen as a sign of how good the tribe is at raiding. The more pretty cloth a tribe wears, they greater their tribal pride.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Nissling by Dazzlinkat on HeroForge

Scientific Name

Sauronoid

Average Height

Male nisslings, called muggers when adults, stand about three feet tall.
Females, called gimiks when adults, stand about two and three quarter feet tall.
Height is the only visible difference between males and females as their genitalia is protected within a scaly cloaca.

Average Weight

Males weigh about thirty-five pounds.
Females weigh about thirty pounds.
This slight weight difference has led to two distinct forms of fighting: RaaKaa and DooJuu.
RaaKaa (male combat): Males tend to claw and bite with the intent of ripping their opponent in direct attacks.
DooJuu (female combat): Females will grapple opponents to wrap and trap them with the intent to tire them before going in with claws and fangs. This is also a very defensive style, reducing the chance of a gimik getting injured in a fight.

Nisslings by Dazzlinkat

Reproduction
A female is only fertile during the three moons of winter. If she has chosen a male partner, she lays 4 - 6 eggs in a leafy mound nest within a cave or prepared dark room two moons later. Females will tend their nests without leaving it until the eggs hatch one moon later.
Growth Rate
Once a nissling hatches, he or she can eat the same food as the adults, as long as its cut down to hatchling sized pieces. For the first moon after hatching, the tiny nisslings learn to walk. It takes another moon for them to learn to fly. Once a hatchling can fly, it joins the tribe. The hatchling will continue to grow up raised by the whole tribe. A nissling grows from hatchling to adult in ten years and lives to about eighty years of age.