There has been a substantial amount of discussion as to the fate of Kwerd and what should happen with him after you meet him. Let's get some hard data on how the community feels about him.
I say let him tag along. Can't help but seing him ( towards the end of the game ) falling into a fire pit, clutching a ring... Jokes aside, this (him joining) could have some interesting effect i.e. goblins not going kos, or him turning on you if engaging goblins in battle...
My vote goes to NPC Kwerd... but that's only because I don't really know what you'ld mean by controllable character. edit : I still stand by the NPC
I should have been clearer. I meant like the "Giant" we used to have that was selectable at party creation.
I want to point out that I have not experimented very much with evil parties. I know that the available NPCs for hire that are "evil" do not like to join 5 person groups. Only one evil alignment vignette points you towards them. Kwerd is the perfect opportunity for a solo evil NPC for the beginning of the game. Furnok fills the role of a powerful "easy mode" Elmo style NPC for evil parties. Turuko, Kobort, and Zert are all 2nd level I think. Having Kwerd as a stand alone "evil" NPC for the people that want to have 5 PCs and 1 morally flexible NPC is a great idea. As a side note, years ago playing PnP as a teenager, I had my Best of Dragon II+OA monk hybrid take a goblin as a slave. Yeah I know. Lawful monk, all the rules, weapon proficiencies meta-gamed into a 1d2+11 chopstick based martial art should still not be allowed to keep a goblin slave.....my DM just couldn't argue.....then I took a swipe at the 17th level NPC paladin for talking shit to Toady....Rolled a 20 on an eagle claw attack for 3d10X2. He didn't have the heart to kill me after that. I still have the character sheet. SUPER MONK!
Putting in an option for him to join the group when met would be great, in my opinion. If, that is, having him in the group doesn't mean most of the merchants and NPC's refuse to deal with the party. Personally, I have a lot of trouble picking up new party members if they're only good for adventure/combat play, but otherwise keep my party from interacting with the rest of the game. I don't actually get an evil vibe from Kwerd. I don't know what the intention was, but the idea of a lone goblin straying away from the pack suggests that Kwerd might not be as two dimensional and evil as the average goblin. And I think that's one of the reasons he's stood out so much as a character.
Maybe some dialog should be added if he is in your group, as opposed to NPCs not wanting to talk to you, maybe you could have them make fun of you with added dialog. Like, how much do you get for baby sitting, or, how is the trick or treating going this year, or something like that. Like when you go to a merchant, he automatically ends up with a candy bar in his inventory or something.
I think it should depend on party alignment. For Good parties, no joining, but you can spare him and he thanks you later somehow, or helps you at some point (like, shows you a secret passage around a tough encounter or gives you some helpful item down the road). For Neutral or Evil parties, I'd say make him joinable as an NPC.
