Kobold

## On Kobolds

*"They call themselves cousins to dragons. Have you ever heard a more ridiculous thing?"- Nurwil, aasimar bartender, making conversation with some patrons.*

*"Can't take a joke, that's for sure."- Fizzlewing Bangpop, gnome cleric, referencing the old battle between Gnarl Glittergold and Kurtulmak.*

*"Got a work ethic on them, I've seen one dig for hours, that's an admirable trait in any being."- Umron Blackbeard, dwarven prospector, on the one kobold he knew.*

*"Cannon fodder.." -Grorlan The Filthy, orc warlord, on what purpose kobolds serve.*

Some beings seemly exist just to be punching bags for others. Kobolds fulfill this role for plenty of races. What keeps these diminutive reptile-folk going is two things; their eternal optimism and their limited connections to dragons. Kobolds believe they are the greatest race to ever inhabit Apia, that Kurtulmak, their great and powerful god, put them on Apia to teach other races the value of work, art and toil. Each kobold is a hero in his own mind, one who can change the course of Apia forever no matter how many times he falls. Their connection to dragons is impossibly distant but kobolds fervently believe that same draconic blood flows in their veins, giving them a sense of confidence they don't deserve. Good dragons gently try to persuade the local kobold tribe to give up that hero worship and steer them towards more positive outlooks. Evil dragons use kobolds as unpaid labor and raiders.

## Appearance:

Kobolds are reptilian humanoids, standing between 2' and 2'6" tall and weighing 35 to 45 pounds. They have scaled skin between reddish brown and black in color with eyes ranging from burnt orange to ruby red. Their legs are sinewy and digitigrade. They have long, clawed fingers and a jaw similar to a crocodile. Small white or tan horns protrude from their heads and rat-like tails whip behind them as they move. They often smell dry and dusty, despite their soft scales. Kobolds like to wear red or orange garments, which are often simply but efficiently constructed from sturdy materials. Kobolds are naturally very cleanly and enjoy dust baths, shedding their old skin and hot baths in tubs or sprins when available. All kobolds refuse shoes whenever possible as they are extremely uncomfortable for their long toes.

## History:

The history of the dragonkind is well known. When Bahamut and Tiamat, the divine dragons and first of their kind, shed their blood in the war against giants and aboleths that divine blood formed the first dragons. Those dragons, in turn, aided their divine parents in the war against these ancient foes. These first dragons were more akin to demigods than the modern dragons of today and when the first green, mighty Vassacius, was injured in battle with one of the primordial storm titans, his blood mingled with the giant's magic and formed Kurtulmak the first kobold, the grandson of Tiamat. Tiamat took a liking to Kurtulmak and named him warden of her treasure hall. He dotted on her in turn and happily served her for millennia. When Tiamat joined Loth, Gruumsh and the other evil gods during the Godswar, Kurtulmak, despite not being evil himself was ever loyal and followed his beloved Tiamat into the war. In response to his loyalty, she fashioned for him a race of servants, the kobolds. Kurtulmak loved his kobold clan and organized them into work crews and teams, mining away in the Hollow. So impressed was Kurtulmak with the goddess' divine treasure-hoard that he attempted to emulate it on Apia, carving large caverns to fill with gems. He worked side by side with his kobolds, building underground lairs for the tribes and gathering fine gems and jewels.

Kurtulmak was a dour, humorless god who focused on little beyond his work. This drew him into conflict with Gnarl Glittergold, the god of the gnomes. Both were competing for the same underground territory and skirmishes between kobolds and gnomes were becoming common. Gnarl, ever the prankster, played a joke on Kurtulmak by trapping him deep underground in some unknown pocket dimension. The kobolds anguished over the loss of their god-king and redoubled their efforts to dig deep. They still mine constantly in the hopes that someday Kurtulmak will be discovered. Like most races, kobolds were enslaved by the mind flayers and beholders and put to work in vast underground mines. They were particularly used to dig up silver to feed the great vanity of their beholder masters. This shared suffering is reflected today in kobold working songs and tight family bonds. When Latrell's rebels made their way from hold to hold, many mines were conquered and their slave populations freed. Many of those slaves were kobold tribes who marched alongside Latrell and his forces, heroically laying their lives down for the good of the tribe. Today, kobold tribes can be found across Apia and The Hollow. Some control underground cities all their own, others are integrated into dwarven or deep gnome settlements.

## Geography:

Kobolds are common in the upper lairs of The Hollow, where many tribes hold dominion over certain veins of ore. Others are located within their own surface cities or inside kobold districts of others. Notably they are found at "The Neck" where kobolds make up a sizable portion of the Free City of Tolgarde's population.

## Personality:

Kobolds claim they are the descendants of dragons and that some day they will be as mighty as those dragons they so admire. They are a hard-working, industrious people that believe in pulling their own weight and doing the best job they can. Each sees himself or herself as a mighty dragon and thus knows that no matter what obstacle befalls them, they can overcome it. Working in some capacity within a mine is the aspiration of most kobolds, who happily toil away seeking both riches (for their tribe) and the fabled lost palace of Kurtulmak, that he may return to lead them once more. A kobold is happiest when preforming a task and then resting after a hard day of work. Many have some creative outlet, usually in the form of sculpture or working songs. These songs are quite popular among the industrious kobolds. They prioritize the well-being of the tribe above personal gain as each kobold identifies as part of the tribe first, rather than an individual. The tribe's success is their own success, the tribe's wealth and well-being is their own. Silver added to the communal pile is considered as valuable as that which is given to the individual.

Kobold work ethic is partially religious in nature, with priests of Kurtulmak standing at various points along the mines offering prayers and words of encouragement, sometimes acting more a foremen than priests. They also lead kobolds in the "Awakening the Dragon," ceremony at the start of each day. During this ceremony, each kobold meditates for an hour on the draconic aspect within them, trying to summon that inner flame and inner heritage to improve themselves that day. The perpetual journey towards perfection is the goal of all kobolds. They are notoriously cleanly creatures who, after a long day in the mines, will have a warm bath in the steam vents followed by laying on a hot rock to dry. If such treatment is unavailable, a kobold will at the very least wash his or her face and hands thoroughly with soap and water, hopefully shedding its skin at the earliest opportunity.

## Society:

Kobolds are communal with many large families sharing one warren and sleeping chamber. Being polygamous as a rule, kobolds of both sexes have multiple wives or husbands who, in turn, have multiple wives or husbands. The eggs resulting from these marriages are stored and raised communally, and kobolds of the same egg pile refer to each other as "clutch-mate," a title comparable to "sister" or "brother." Due to the kobold reproductive cycle involving periods of "heat," much like a dog, large families are the norm. Tribes are led by a chieftain called a "caretaker," who alone does not share his wives with the tribe. He is supposed to stand in for Kurtulmak until the god's return, hence the title, and is trained to demonstrate the fine kobold arts of mining, trap-making and artisanal work. Kobold caretakers are supported by shamans and clerics who interpret the will of Kurtulmak and advise the him on all matters, spiritual or otherwise.

Due to the love of traps inherent in all kobolds, their warrens, while safe and sound to a kobold, are notoriously dangerous to outsiders. The clean, warm burrows are organized and well lit, deep underground like a badger's hole though far more orderly and sound than those of the animal. Large weasels, beetles and other creatures adored by kobolds are kept as guardians and pets. Each warren has a connected mine and, in the event a tribe grows too large to be sustained within its current region, the chosen settlers will not rest until they find a new location that can be mined and a new colony set up.

## Religion:

Kobolds almost universally worship Kurtulmak their god-ancestor. A select few, depending on alignment, honor Tiamat or Bahamut. Rarely a kobold tribe will worship Dozna, though why this happens is completely unknown to outsiders.

## Alignment:

Most kobolds are lawful neutral, putting their tribe's needs above any other concern. Some tribes are lawful evil and others lawful good but almost every kobold has at least one lawful axis on their alignment. While neutral kobolds do exist only the lonely or mad fall into chaos.

## Relations:

Kobolds at least those of neutral or good alignment, get along quite well with dwarves. They share a love of hard work, sacrifice and beauty in simple artistry. Good kobold tribes and dwarf holds often have profitable relationships. Dragonborn, lizardfolk and any race even vaguely connected to dragons are treated practically as demi-gods by the kobolds who revere that connection to the dragons. Ratfolk, desmodu and mongrelfolk are all considered worthwhile allies by good aligned kobolds, who trade with them openly. Evil kobolds will work alongside duergar quite happily for the same reason their good aligned counterparts seek out dwarves. Some evil tribes will work with derro or kuo-toa but such relationships are short-lived. Kobolds of all alignments hate gnomes and deep gnomes with a passion. Good aligned kobolds reflect this hatred as polite, or not so polite, disdain. Evil kobolds reflect it with violence.

## Language:

Kobolds speak draconic, though with a notably kobold accent. Many also speak accented common or dwarven.

## Names:

Kobold names are short and to the point. They are simple and efficient to say with very little deference between sexes. Some may takes titles or honorifics like "The Bold" or "Platinum Scales," but this is not universal.

**Example names:** Nid, Rirn, Snett, Keg, Raka, Ada, Movi, Nehzo, Snolpi, Zape

## Adventurers:

While rare, kobold adventures are well known. Many are survivors of raids or cave-ins with nowhere else to go. Others are seeking their draconic heritage, attempting to preform mighty deeds that will unlock their legendary potential. Some seek great riches, others fame and a few adventure in the hope of finding Kurtulmak. Whatever the reason, despite their small and seemingly frail nature, a kobold adventurer is not to be underestimated.

## Traits:

Take originally from Races of Dragon, kobold traits are described below...

Ability Score Modifiers: +2 Dexterity, -4 Strength, -2 Constitution

Size: Small

Type: Humanoid (Dragonblood, Reptilian)

Base Speed 30 feet

Darkvision 60 ft.

+1 natural bonus to AC

+2 racial bonus to Craft (Trapmaking), Profession (Miner) and Search checks; Craft (trapmaking) is always considered a class skill.

Light Sensitivity: Dazzled when exposed to bright sunlight or a daylight spell

Natural Weapons: 2 claws at 1d3

Slight Build: You get to count as one size category smaller when it's advantageous, such as for size modifiers or when squeezing through a tight space.

Weapon Proficiency/Familiarity: Kobolds are proficient with light and heavy picks regardless of class

Favored Class: Rogue, Sorcerer