Norn
@ Norn 
| |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | 23 |
| Attacks |
Weapon 1d8, weapon 1d6 |
| Base level | 20 |
| Base experience | 588 |
| Speed | 12 |
| Base AC | 0 |
| Base MR | 80 |
| Alignment | 0 (neutral) |
| Frequency (by normal means) | Unique |
| Genocidable | No |
| Weight | 1450 |
| Nutritional value | 400 |
| Size | Medium |
| Resistances | Cold |
| Resistances conveyed |
None |
|
The Norn:
| |
| Reference | monst.c#line3170 |
The Norn, @, is the Valkyrie quest leader. Like the player and player monster Valkyries, she has cold resistance; unlike other Valkyries and the quest guardians, she is neutral in alignment. The Norn possesses a pair of weapon attacks.
The following information pertains to an upcoming version (NetHack 3.7.0). If this version is now released, please verify that it is still accurate, then update the page to incorporate this information.
If a player valkyrie starts out lawful, the Norn will be lawful; she otherwise defaults to neutral.Generation
The Norn is placed within the center of the Shrine of Destiny on the Valkyrie quest home level at level creation, standing next to a chest.
Strategy
While she is little different than any other quest leader, if the Norn begins moving before you are admitted to the Quest, she can in theory step on a fire trap in the ice and drown, rendering the game unwinnable; in practice, this is a very rare occurrence.
The following information pertains to an upcoming version (NetHack 3.7.0). If this version is now released, please verify that it is still accurate, then update the page to incorporate this information.
The Norn and other quest leaders have been made significantly stronger, since killing quest leaders no longer makes the game unwinnable.
The changed stats are as follows: Speed becomes 15 (from 12); MR becomes 90 (from 80), and both her weapon attacks become 4d10 (from 1d8 and 1d6 respectively).
The Norn also starts with a +5 banded mail and a +4 long sword.Origin
The Norns (Old Norse norn, plural nornir) are deities in Norse folklore that are responsible for shaping the course of human destinies. The origin of the name is uncertain and may derive from a word meaning "to twine", which would refer to their twining the thread of fate; the name is also suggested to be related to the Swedish dialect word norna (nyrna), a verb that means "secretly communicate" - this relates to the perception of Norns as shadowy, background figures who only reveal their secrets to people as their fates come to pass.
In the Völuspá, the best known poem of the Poetic Edda, three particular Norns - Urðr (Wyrd) of the past, Verðandi of the present, and Skuld of the future - are described as powerful maiden jötnar whose arrival from Jötunheimr ended the golden age of the gods. The trio draws water from their sacred well to nourish Yggdrasil, the tree at the center of the cosmos, and prevent it from rotting. Pre-Christian Scandinavians also attested to additional Norns who visit a newborn child in order to determine the person's future. These Norns could be malevolent and cause tragic events in the world, or be benevolent and protective.
Encyclopedia entry
The Norns were the three Norse Fates, or the goddesses of fate.
Female giants, they brought the wonderful Golden Age to an end.
They cast lots over the cradle of every child that was born,
and placed gifts in the cradle. Their names were Urda,
Verdandi, and Skuld, representing the past, the present, and
the future. Urda and Verdandi were kindly disposed, but Skuld
was cruel and savage. Their tasks were to sew the web of
fate, to water the sacred ash, Yggdrasil, and to keep it in
good condition by placing fresh earth around it daily. In her
fury, Skuld often spoiled the work of her sisters by tearing
the web to shreds.
Nations by Herbert Spencer Robinson and Knox
