Kobolds

**Kobolds** are a small reptilian humanoid species native to the mountain regions of Almeras, said to have once been descended from dragons. They are aggressively territorial yet very industrious, noted for their skill at building traps and preparing ambushes.

## Description

Kobolds are amongst the smallest of sapient creatures. They have scaly, hairless hides, reptilian heads, and tails. Their hides are typically a rust-brown or reddish black colour, with ivory-coloured nub-like horns. Their heads are described as crocodile-like. Their eyes glow amber or red, and they can see accurately even in lightless conditions to a respectable distance. They are described as smelling like a cross between damp dogs and stagnant water.

Unlike other draconic creatures, kobolds are cold-blooded. The scales covering their bodies are like that of an iguana or other large lizard. The scales that cover their tails are very fine, so that they resemble the naked tails of rats. Kobolds lose and gain new teeth throughout their lives, often saving and making necklaces from them. Kobolds favour raggedy-looking red or orange clothing made from leather or the silk of giant spiders. They never wear shoes, but they are fond of jewellery and other ornamentation. Kobolds shed their skin about once a season, in patches, over the course of a week. They keep themselves well-groomed, regularly polishing their horns, claws, and teeth.

## Culture & Society

Kobold society is tribal with war bands and activity based on clans and clan relations. They have no families or parental system; everything is communal, and populations can climb into the hundreds very quickly if left unscathe, a fact which grants kobolds the reputation of being pests to be eradicated. Kobolds often lay eggs in a common nest, with specialised foster parents to watch over the eggs and wyrmlings (young under one year).

Communities tend to gravitate around mountains, cliffs, and caverns. They prefer dark, damp lairs, which they will often cut out from sheer mountain sides. They are industrious miners and if left to their own devices can carve out massive tunnel complexes, which they quickly fill to capacity thanks to their rapid rate of reproduction. Many kobold lairs are guarded by tamed beasts and complex trap systems. Their lairs are fluid, with new tunnels continually being excavated and old ones collapsed. Most lairs include a temple or shrine, a kiln, an egg hatchery, and a place for storing food. Larger ones also contain places for cultivating food and livestock.

Kobolds have specialised labourers, and different clans prioritise different needs. The majority of kobolds in a clan are workers, who spend time mining and building for the good of the clan. However, some kobolds are bred specifically for more advanced roles in the clan instead. For these kobolds, their role is determined before birth, and they are uniquely capable of fulfilling that nature.

Clans are ruled by their eldest member, who is known as the All-Watch-Smart. Often this leader is a wise magick, who has learned all there is to learn, as far as kobolds are concerned. Kobold laws may change along with their leaders, though generally they prefer exile to execution. In some disputes, kobolds tribes will split entirely in order to spread their kind over a larger region.

## Properties

### Sneaksies

* ***Ability Score Increase.*** Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and your Charisma score increases by 1.
* ***Size.*** Your size is Small.
* ***Speed.*** Your base walking speed is 35 feet.
* ***Superior*** ***Darkvision.*** You can see in dim light within 120 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern colour in darkness, only shades of grey.
* ***Scurry.*** You can move through the space of any creature that is of a size larger than yours.
* ***Nimble-quicks.*** You have a climb speed of 30 feet. Additionally, you can use a bonus action to move up to your speed away from a hostile creature you can see or hear. You must end this move further away from the enemy than you started.
* ***Sneak-sneaks.*** You gain proficiency in the Stealth skill. Additionally, when you damage a creature from a hidden position, you can cause the attack or spell to deal extra damage to the creature. The extra damage equals your level. Once you use this trait, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

### Chemiks

* ***Ability Score Increase.*** Your Dexterity score increases by 1, and your Intelligence score increases by 2.
* ***Size.*** Your size is Small.
* ***Speed.*** Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
* ***Superior*** ***Darkvision.*** You can see in dim light within 120 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern colour in darkness, only shades of grey.
* ***Scurry.*** You can move through the space of any creature that is of a size larger than yours.
* ***Pestilens.*** Your wanton experiments with random chemicals and filth you found lying around have left you immune to all but the most virulent of diseases and poisons. You have resistance to poison damage, and have advantage on saving throws against disease or the poisoned condition.
* ***Bubble-pots.*** You have proficiency with Alchemist's Supplies.
* ***Splodey-boom.*** Whenever you use your Alchemist's Supplies, you get easily distracted and experiment with other things. Once per long rest, after making a check for Alchemist's Supplies, roll a 1d4. Depending on the roll, you gain the following separate to what you were originally trying to make:
	1. ***Whoops.*** Your experiment goes wrong, and explodes. You take 2d6 fire damage, and automatically fail the alchemy check, losing the materials you were using in your original crafting.
	2. ***Ouch-water.*** You were trying to make healy-water, but this stuff is vivid green so that's probably not good. You create a vial of Acid, that you can use. You can only have two of these vials from this trait at any time.
	3. ***Beetle-bugs.*** You spot some nice insects and dunk them in your chemicals. They are not happy. You now have a flask of enraged beetles. You can throw this flask into a 5-foot-square space within 20 feet of you, where a *swarm of insects (beetles)* spawns and rolls initiative. It is hostile to everything. You can only have one of these flasks from this trait at any time.
	4. ***GREEN FLAME!*** Much to everyone's surprise, you successfully create a flask of Alchemist's Fire, that you can use in combat. The substance is volatile and difficult to carry, and you can only possess two flasks from this trait at any time.

### Magicks

* ***Ability Score Increase.*** Your Dexterity score increases by 1, and your Charisma score increases by 2.
* ***Size.*** Your size is Small.
* ***Speed.*** Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
* ***Superior*** ***Darkvision.*** You can see in dim light within 120 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern colour in darkness, only shades of grey.
* ***Scurry.*** You can move through the space of any creature that is of a size larger than yours.
* ***Magick-thing.*** You know the *thaumaturgy* cantrip. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the *chaos bolt* spell once per day. When you reach 5th level, you can cast the *dragon's breath* spell once per day. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
* ***Burn-burn.*** You haven't had the best of luck keeping yourself outside your own spells, but fortunately you have developed a tolerance. You have resistance to fire.

### Makesies

* ***Ability Score Increase.*** Your Dexterity score increases by 1, and two different ability scores of your choice increase by 1.
* ***Size.*** Your size is Small.
* ***Speed.*** Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
* ***Superior*** ***Darkvision.*** You can see in dim light within 120 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern colour in darkness, only shades of grey.
* ***Scurry.*** You can move through the space of any creature that is of a size larger than yours.
* ***Makesy Smarts.*** You have proficiency with Tinker's Tools, and have advantage when using them to make traps and contraptions. In addition, you have advantage on any Investigation checks made to detect traps.
* ***Tricksy Fingers.*** You have proficiency in Sleight of Hand checks, and can add twice your proficiency bonus, instead of any proficiency bonus you normally apply.

### Swolbolds

* ***Ability Score Increase.*** Your Strength score increases by 2, and your Constitution score increases by 1.
* ***Size.*** Your size is Medium.
* ***Speed.*** Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
* ***Superior*** ***Darkvision.*** You can see in dim light within 120 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern colour in darkness, only shades of grey.
* ***Smash-crush.*** When you score a critical hit with a melee weapon attack, you can roll one of the weapon’s damage dice one additional time and add it to the extra damage of the critical hit.
* ***Tough-strong.*** You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.
* ***Kill-kill Angry.*** As a bonus action, you can go on a rampage, which lasts for 1 minute. While on a rampage, when you roll damage for a melee weapon attack using Strength, your Strength modifier is doubled. In addition, at the start of each of your turns while on a rampage, roll a d10. On a roll of 1, you use all your movement to move within reach of a random creature within 30 feet and then use your action to make a melee weapon attack against it. If there are no creatures that you can reach within 30 feet, you instead take the Dash action and use all your movement to move in a random direction. Once you use this trait, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.