Nojheim

Nojheim was a goblin man from the Silver Marches who was kept as a slave in the human village of Pengallen.

Description
Nojheim was a typical-looking goblin. He was skinny, had yellow skin and eyes. Wearing human-made clothes, he was relatively well dressed compared to most goblins.

Personality
Nojheim was quite unlike most goblins. He had no wish to harm anyone. Nojheim was highly intelligent and perceptive of the people around him, and wise enough to keep his true nature hidden. He considered himself to lack courage, and was resigned to his fate, just trying to survive instead.

He could speak the local human language fluently.

History
Nojheim grew up among fellow goblins, though he was no typical goblin, developing to be highly intelligent and good-hearted. His mother murdered both his father and his younger sister because they hadn't shared their meal with her, and Nojheim knew this was wrong. He never harmed anyone nor wanted to. He doubted he was actually a goblin at all.

Nojheim was later hunted down and captured by Rico Pengallen, who enjoyed forcing others, common enemies of humankind, to work for him. He performed various chores at Rico's farm, and pretended to be a typical goblin for fear the farmers would fear and hate him for forcing him to confront their prejudices.

In the winter of the Year of the Worm, 1356 DR, a band of ogres and orcs attacked the village and carried off captives, including Nojheim. They kept Nojheim a prisoner too. The next day, the raiders' camp was discovered and attacked by a band of villagers led by Rico, assisted by the drow ranger Drizzt Do'Urden. Taking advantage of the battle, Nojheim fled the camp. Rico was angry at Nojheim's escape, and insisted on going after him, claiming that Nojheim had led a previous raid against the village and was being held for trial. Drizzt volunteered to return Nojheim alive.

Though Nojheim cleverly doubled back on his path and climbed trees to avoid the ground, he could not elude the ranger and his panther Guenhwyvar pinned him. Nojheim pretended to a simple, stupid goblin to mollify the drow, and Drizzt returned him to Pengallen and to Rico. Drizzt later discovered that Nojheim was in fact a slave, and went to speak with him at Rico's farm. Nojheim revealed his true nature and feelings to Drizzt, and they spoke of their respective, similar plights, with Nojheim explaining how Drizzt had a much easier time of it. He forced Drizzt to reconsider his prejudice and pride. Drizzt urged Nojheim to come with him, but Nojheim refused, saying he did not want to be hunted down again.

However, Rico had overheard Nojheim and Drizzt speaking. While Drizzt went to Silverymoon for legal advice, Rico hanged Nojheim, and had the other villagers support his story that the goblin had attacked him. Drizzt returned several days later and wanted to attack Rico for his crime, but left in disgust, unable to do anything about it. Drizzt later reflected that Nojheim had deeply affected his worldview, and he vowed not to let such injustice go uncontested again.