Kobolds

Kobolds are small lizardlike creatures. The second lowest form in the dragonkin cycle, Kobolds are frequently mistreated by the dragonborn and dragons above them. Most often, Kobolds are used as servants, or base defenders, as their penchant for making traps helps them survive any incursions.

Kobolds serve either dragons or the celestials, depending on if a higher form rules over them, and what the higher form wants them to worship.

## In game mechanics

***Ability Score Increase.***  Your Dexterity score increases by 2, your Intelligence score is increased by 1, and your Strength score is reduced by 2.

***Age.*** Kobolds reach adulthood at age 3 and can live up to 120 years but rarely do so, most often dying or transforming into the next stage long before they have a chance to die of old age.

***Alignment.*** Kobolds are fundamentally selfish, making them evil, but their reliance on the strength of their group makes them trend toward law.

***Size.*** Kobolds are between 2 and 3 feet tall and weigh between 25 and 35 pounds. Your size is Small.

***Speed.*** Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

***Darkvision.*** You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

***Trap Makers.*** You have advantage on wisdom (perception) checks and intelligence (investigation) checks to find any mechanical traps. You also have advantage on intelligence (investigation) checks to understand and disarm mechanical traps.

***Grovel, Cower, and Beg.***  As an action on your turn, you can cower pathetically to distract nearby foes. Until the end of your next turn, your allies gain advantage on attack rolls against enemies within 10 feet of you that can see you. Once you use this trait, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

***Pack Tactics.*** You have advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of your allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated.

***Sunlight Sensitivity.*** You have disadvantage on attack rolls and on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight when you, the target of your attack, or whatever you are trying to perceive is in direct sunlight.

***Languages.*** You can speak, read, and write Common and Draconic.

## Of dragons

While a lowly form of dragons, all kobolds know that they may eventually become a dragon. As such, they are incredibly prideful, often bordering on delusional as to their levels of power and domain. An outside observer, were they to see a group of kobolds interacting with one another, would be astounded at just how culty and regal the kobolds inner ceremonies can be.

As a dragon, kobolds have long lives, and longer memories. Indeed, a kobold that successfully grows into a dragon will remember any slight done to it during any stage of its life, and obsess accordingly once it has power.

## Hunker down and fortify

Kobolds are not very adventurous creatures. As such, they do not explore, instead turning to making their cavernous homes a fortress filled with traps, some obvious, some very cleverly hidden. A kobold base is one of the most dangerous locations that someone can wander into, with the other dangerous location being a dwarven mine to the underdark.

Kobolds are cowardly as well. This means that any venture into a kobold fortress will not actually see any kobolds unless the invaders manage to corner the slippery bastards, though that is unlikely. Instead, an expedition will venture into the caves, losing members of their troop left and right as the traps spring. If they brought enough numbers/are careful about the traps, and the kobolds watching them make this connection, the kobolds will flee through one of the doubtless other cave exits.

### War parties

If a dragonkin infestation is discovered in the Vachinae mountains by orcs, goliaths, or giants, they will gather a veritable army to attack the infestation. With weapons such as poisonous gas, the ability to collapse the caverns, and numbers to actually encircle a mountain, the giant-kin host is really the only successful dragonkin hunter group around. They use overwhelming force, along with higher magic from giant shamans, to kill and eradicate anything they find.

## Dragonkin cycle

The dragonkin cycle is the lifecycle of dragons. Included are the following stages, in chronological order

* Lizardling
* Kobold
* Dragonborn
* Dragon