Quickling (dNetHack)
n quickling 
| |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | 3 |
| Attacks | |
| Base level | 1 |
| Base experience | 22 |
| Speed | 36 |
| Base AC | 4 |
| Base MR | 0 |
| Alignment | 0 (neutral) |
| Frequency (by normal means) | 0 (Not randomly generated) |
| Genocidable | Yes |
| Weight | 120 |
| Nutritional value | 30 |
| Size | tiny |
| Resistances | none |
| Resistances conveyed | none |
|
A quickling:
| |
| Reference | dNAO 3.25.0 - src/monst.c, line 1419 |
- For the monster in SLASH'EM and its derivatives, see quickling (SLASH'EM).
A quickling, n, is a type of monster that appears in dNetHack, notdNetHack and notnotdNetHack. The quickling is a tiny female fey humanoid nymph: she has infravision and a low-light vision of 2, can be seen via infravision, teleports at random while moving, and will seek out weapons and other items to pick up. Quicklings have 6 points of AC in the 'dodge' category.
Quicklings have a single weak weapon attack.
Generation
Quicklings are not normally randomly generated in the main dungeon, and will not normally appear in Gehennom. Normally-created quicklings may be generated as peaceful towards neutral heroes.
Quicklings are generated asleep 4⁄5 of the time unless the hero has the Amulet of Yendor, in which case they will always be generated awake.
Quicklings can appear as minions of Hermes.
Each monster in a throne room occupied by an elf, Elvenking or Elvenqueen has a 9⁄100 chance of being a quickling. They may also appear as default prisoners in other throne rooms.
Quicklings make up 1⁄20 of the monsters randomly generated in the forest and ford areas of the Mordor Ruins Quest.
Mistweaver quicklings aligned with the Black Mother can be generated by the hostile blessed while they are unseen. Mistweaver quicklings can also be summoned by the summon young monster spell, which does not respect extinction and will not cause them to disappear after a set amount of time. Quicklings generated in the Lost Cities (all floors of the Neutral Quest below the Rilmani town) are always aligned with the Black Mother, and will be generated as peaceful if the hero is in her cult and has good standing with her.
Zombified quicklings can appear among the many undead that are randomly generated in the Anachrononaut quest and Android quest after level creation.
Quicklings have a 1⁄2 chance of being generated with a mirror, and an independent 1⁄2 chance of generating with a potion of object detection.
Origin
The quickling is a type of small, humanoid fey creature that originates in Dungeons & Dragons, where they debut in the 1st Edition Monster Manual II. Quicklings are at most 2 feet tall, with pale blue or blue-white skin, hair that is often snow white, and elfin features that are sharper and more feral than those of usual elves. They often live in forests where the Unseelie hold sway, living near poisoned or cursed springs as well as areas where the presence of powerful chaotic beings linger. As their name indicates, quicklings possess blindingly high speed that make them indistinct blurs whose words cannot be properly heard or understood unless they actively speak more slowly. They are cruel, devious and capricious, as well as hyperactive and preferring not to slow down, to the point that they constantly pace and shift in place whenever they are forced to be "stationary."
Over the game's various editions, quicklings are generally inclined towards evil (if not specifically chaotic evil): they spend most of their vexing slower beings, and generally delight in causing mischief and suffering, especially when the blame falls on others and causes further discord. The quickling's size and speed are said to be the result of their being transformed from a taller race that was lazy and egotistical, causing them to be late constantly when answering summons from the Queen of Air and Darkness. Quicklings typically fight with daggers and short swords, and some are also natural casters that utilize spells such as "forget", "levitate" and "ventriloquism"—they often rely upon their speed to ambush and outwit foes, focusing their attacks on weaker targets while evading tougher ones. Quicklings are known to serve as spies, assassins and saboteurs for fomorian rulers.
Encyclopedia entry
A blur of color and a hint of movement are the only clues most
people have of the existence of the quickling. Great speed and
small size make it difficult to find and focus on these swift
beings.
