Xvart
Encyclopedia
A xvart is small fictional humanoid creature found in the Dungeons & Dragons
fantasy
roleplaying game.
#9 (October 1978).
The xvart first appeared in the first edition in the original Fiend Folio
(1981). The module The Sentinel
(1983) details an xvart lair. In the article "Hey, Wanna Be a Kobold?" by Joseph Clay in Dragon
#141 (January 1989), kobolds
, xvarts, goblins
, and orcs
were presented as player character
races along with two new character classes the "Shaman" and the "Witch Doctor".
The xvart appeared in second edition in the Monstrous Compendium Fiend Folio Appendix (1992).
The xvart appeared in third edition for the Greyhawk
setting in Living Greyhawk Journal #1 (September 2000), in "Enchiridion of the Fiend Sage." The xvart appeared in Dragon #339 (January 2006), where it was also presented as a playable character race.
The xivart appeared in fourth edition in the Monster Manual 3 (2010).
with orange eyes. They are 3 feet (0.9 m) tall and usually wear loose cloth doublet
s. Xvarts live in hilly, cavernous regions, and are usually of chaotic evil / chaotic neutral alignment
.
In 4th edition, Xvarts were originally gnomes
enslaved and experimented on by the fomorians
. They escaped to the Plane of Shadow thanks to a pact with a coven of hags
, where they mutated further, their skin becoming deep blue in order to blend better with the shadows of the plane. Since then, many have spread back to the Feywild and Toril
.
, based on the Forgotten Realms
setting. They are common in the southern areas of the map and have a village due west from Nashkel. Their village consists of wooden huts where they are most populous in the game.
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
roleplaying game.
Publication history
The svart was created by Cricky Hitchcock, and first appeared in White DwarfWhite Dwarf (magazine)
White Dwarf is a magazine published by British games manufacturer Games Workshop. Initially covering a wide variety of fantasy and science-fiction role-playing and board games, particularly the role playing games Dungeons & Dragons, RuneQuest and Traveller...
#9 (October 1978).
The xvart first appeared in the first edition in the original Fiend Folio
Fiend Folio
Fiend Folio is the title shared by three products published for successive editions of the fantasy role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons...
(1981). The module The Sentinel
The Sentinel (module)
The Sentinel is an adventure module for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game, set in the game's World of Greyhawk campaign setting.-Plot summary:...
(1983) details an xvart lair. In the article "Hey, Wanna Be a Kobold?" by Joseph Clay in Dragon
Dragon (magazine)
Dragon is one of the two official magazines for source material for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game and associated products, the other being Dungeon. TSR, Inc. originally launched the monthly printed magazine in 1976 to succeed the company's earlier publication, The Strategic Review. The...
#141 (January 1989), kobolds
Kobold (Dungeons & Dragons)
Kobolds are a fictional species featured in the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game. Aggressive, xenophobic, yet industrious small humanoid creatures, kobolds are noted for their skill at building traps and preparing ambushes...
, xvarts, goblins
Goblin (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, goblins are a very common and fairly weak race of evil humanoid monsters. Goblins and Kobolds are commonly non-human monsters that low-level player characters will face in combat. In D&D, goblins aren't smaller cousins of orcs, but are a part of...
, and orcs
Orc (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, orcs are a primitive race of savage, bestial, barbaric humanoid.-Publication history:The orc was one of the earliest creatures introduced in the D&D game. The D&D orc is largely based upon the orcs appearing in the works of J.R.R...
were presented as player character
Player character
A player character or playable character is a character in a video game or role playing game who is controlled or controllable by a player, and is typically a protagonist of the story told in the course of the game. A player character is a persona of the player who controls it. Player characters...
races along with two new character classes the "Shaman" and the "Witch Doctor".
The xvart appeared in second edition in the Monstrous Compendium Fiend Folio Appendix (1992).
The xvart appeared in third edition for the Greyhawk
Greyhawk
Greyhawk, also known as the World of Greyhawk, is a fictional world designed as a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game...
setting in Living Greyhawk Journal #1 (September 2000), in "Enchiridion of the Fiend Sage." The xvart appeared in Dragon #339 (January 2006), where it was also presented as a playable character race.
The xivart appeared in fourth edition in the Monster Manual 3 (2010).
Description
Within the Dungeons & Dragons universe, Xvarts are bald, blue-skinned humanoidsHumanoid (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, humanoid is a type of creature, or "creature type". Humanoids are any creature shaped generally like a human , of Small or Medium size, with few or no supernatural or extraordinary abilities...
with orange eyes. They are 3 feet (0.9 m) tall and usually wear loose cloth doublet
Doublet (clothing)
A doublet is a man's snug-fitting buttoned jacket that is fitted and shaped to the man's body which was worn in Western Europe from the Middle Ages through to the mid-17th century. The doublet was hip length or waist length and worn over the shirt or drawers. Until the end of the 15th century the...
s. Xvarts live in hilly, cavernous regions, and are usually of chaotic evil / chaotic neutral alignment
Alignment (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, alignment is a categorization of the ethical and moral perspective of people, creatures and societies....
.
In 4th edition, Xvarts were originally gnomes
Gnome (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, gnomes are one of the core races available for play as player characters. Some speculate that they are closely related to dwarves; however, gnomes are more tolerant of other races and of magic, and are skilled with illusions...
enslaved and experimented on by the fomorians
Fomorian (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game, the fomorian is a giant. Fomorians are hideously ugly, and grossly deformed behemoths. They may be loosely derived from the Fomorians of Irish mythology.-Publication history:...
. They escaped to the Plane of Shadow thanks to a pact with a coven of hags
Hag (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, hags are witchlike beings that use magic to spread havoc and destruction, and slay all whom they encounter.-Dungeons & Dragons :...
, where they mutated further, their skin becoming deep blue in order to blend better with the shadows of the plane. Since then, many have spread back to the Feywild and Toril
Toril
Toril, meaning bullpen in Spanish, can refer to:* Toril - a District in Metro Davao in The Philippines* Toril - a Barangay in Island Garden City of Samal, Metro Davao, The Philippines* Toril y Masegoso, a town in the province of Teruel, Aragón, Spain...
.
Other media
Xvarts make random appearances in the computer game Baldur's GateBaldur's Gate
Baldur's Gate is a computer role-playing game developed by BioWare and released in 1998 by Interplay Entertainment. The game takes place in the Forgotten Realms, a high fantasy campaign setting, using modified Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition rules...
, based on the Forgotten Realms
Forgotten Realms
The Forgotten Realms is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Commonly referred to by players and game designers alike as "The Realms", it was created by game designer Ed Greenwood around 1967 as a setting for his childhood stories...
setting. They are common in the southern areas of the map and have a village due west from Nashkel. Their village consists of wooden huts where they are most populous in the game.