Nopon

Overview

The Nopon are a diminutive race of furry creatures that live in Makna Forest. Though most are content to live in a giant tree village and collect pollen in the forest for their various benefits to Nopon society, many choose to leave the safe environs and strike out into the world. Subsequently, Nopon are the most commonly seen race anywhere on the Bionis. Though many of these travellers become merchants and trade with the Homs colonies and the High Entia in Alcamoth, there are several Nopon scholars exploring lost ruins across the Bionis. Though very odd looking in comparison to the humanoid Homs and High Entia, they are such a common sight on Bionis that no-one bats an eyelid.

Nopon are short, furry creatures with large, prehensile bunny-like ears that they tend to use instead of their small arms to carry and manipulate objects. They have a very low level of technology in comparison to the other two races, but do just fine with their system of hydrodynamic-driven wooden machinery.

Nopon tend to communicate in a sort of broken pidgin English, though the other races are able to understand them well enough. They frequently refer to each other with the honorific "-pon" (such as "brotherpon" or "heropon"), to the Homs as "Hom Homs" and to the High Entia as "bird people" (due to their wings).

In Xenoblade Chronicles X, they are one of several alien races that humans encounter on the planet Mira. Friendly, if skittish, they are one of the first races to befriend the humans and set up vendor stations in New Los Angeles.

In Xenoblade Chronicles 2, the Nopon have an extensive merchant network which they run from the Argentum Trade Guild headquarters on Goldmouth. They are a common sight on most of the game's titans, often trading with locals in major population centers.

Role in Story (Xenoblade Chronicles)

The Nopon, like the High Entia, are largely neutral in the Mechon conflict. Unlike the High Entia, however, this is mostly due to the Nopon being generally unsuited to fighting. They are, after all, three foot tall furballs who have many times more merchants than warriors. In battle, they choose to display slightly more primitive means of combat, including throwing rocks from trained bird-like creatures and using large clubs with their ears.

Though the entire group is familiar with the Nopon race, as they are a common sight around the Colonies where they were raised, they are suitably impressed with their home "town" known simply as "Frontier Village". Situated inside a giant tree, the Homs and Melia are welcomed by the inquisitive Nopon and are given permission to pass through on the way to Eryth Sea after assisting them with a bothersome Telethia, which the Nopon have dubbed "dinobeasts". To this end, they are joined by the mighty "heropon" Riki. It later turns out that Riki was actually forced to volunteer for the dangerous role due to his considerable debts, most of which are due to his spoiled wife and many children.

The Nopon continue to play a minor role in the events that follow, joining the Bionis war council to offer whatever support they could and hosting High Entia refugees when the rest of their race transform into Telethia.

Significant Nopon

• Riki, a playable character in Xenoblade Chronicles.
• Tatsu, a playable character in Xenoblade Chronicles X.
• Tora, a playable character in Xenoblade Chronicles 2.