80's Dungeons & Dragons character

[Nicholas Schoonbeck]

My friend named his 1st born son Niko, after a character from an old book - we think an old D&D novel. His exwife thought perhaps it was a Drow character but so far I can't find it. The actual name is probably longer & he shortened it to Niko. He's passed away so we can't ask him. If anyone has any ideas, I'd be thankful.

 

[CassFrank]

There is a novel series (part of the Thieves World Series) called the Sacred Band… by Janet Morris (1987, etc) with a main character named Nikodemos which is shortened to Niko. The first book, Tempest, has this blurb: “Niko: No godling he, just a warrior who has found the secret of his soul in the mysterious Western Isles--and so wields a pure and faithful power that makes him all too attractive to the gods and elementals of a world infested mainly with murderers and thieves…”