Bestiary: Kobald

## Summary

Kobalds are semi-aquatic reptilian natives to the mountainous jungle-swamps of the demward Edge, and are also widespread throughout Azrex, the Ivory Coast, and present but somewhat sparser in Camboa.

### Encounters

Kobalds are highly territorial, and react aggressively to any perceived incursion of their territory. It is highly likely, for instance, that players may encounter a scouting party patrolling the edges or somewhat beyond the edges of what the kobalds consider to be their territory. In these cases, if the kobalds asses the players to be a threat (Ie, the players are heading in a direction that looks like it will take them deeper into the kobalds territory), they will fairly unceremoniously attack. If the players look to be moving out of their territory, the Kobalds will track them until they leave, and thereafter for 3-4 days, to ensure they do not turn back.

Deeper within Kobald territory, Players may encounter a hunting party that is searching for food for the tribe. Although not out looking for trouble, a hunting party will still react aggressively to territorial incursion.

Closer to Kobald encampments and sacred sites, Players are likely to encounter encampment-scouts - scouting units who remain near the encampment to protect it from intruders, and *Guardians.*

### Equipment

Kobalds favour obsidian-edged clubs, Slings, and Javelins, with small spiked round-shields. Obsidian Halberds are reserved for the *Guardians,* who are warriors that have been chosen by the gods as defenders of sacred sites. Swords and sidearms are often made of Kobalt and used to disarm opponents, but obsidian is a better choice for damage-dealing weapons. Armour is rarely metal owing to the strength and size of the Kobald's natural scales, making metal armour unnecessary and uncomfortable. Instead, many Kobalds wear leather armour or simple cloth clothing.

### Base Characteristics

These Base Characteristics should be used for quickly generating Kobald NPC's. They are by no means prescriptive, and an individual NPC can have any stat spread as per the DM's wish. This is the basis from which *Archetype* characteristics are derived.

 Fortitude
 -2

## Combat Tactics

Kobalds lack the intelligence to bring significant strategic positioning to a fight. Generally, a group of Kobalds will seek to position themselves between their opponent and their territorial boundaries or, if the battle takes place deep within kobald territory, between their opponent and the Kobald Encampment. Kobalds will even accept a terrain disadvantage in order to interpose themselves between their homes and their enemies in this way, although they are intelligent enough to make use of large-scale natural barriers, such as rivers and cliffs, and defend choke-points, such as valleys and bridges. Kobalds will generally wait in ambush and use their surprise around to soften their opponent with ranged fire and perform a devastating charge, their aim being to scare opponents into running in the opposite direction of their home/territory.

Kobalds will rarely if ever make use of flanking and encircling tactics since - in their eyes - any Kobald not standing between their opponent and their home weakens their defence. Instead, they present a strong, shielded front that can be multiple kobalds deep, and either attempt to hold their ground (if on the defensive) or push their opponent back (when on the offensive). Skirmishers and Support Kobalds remain in the back to support the warriors. As they are on the offence, they are on the defence - a kobald party will are rarely position front-line melee troops to defend their flanks, preferring to stack everything on the angle between an opponent and their territory. This makes Kobalds somewhat vulnerable to stealthy sneak attacks, as they generally do not have reserves that can be interposed when an attack on the flank is discovered. When attacked in such a war, warriors from the rear-lines of the front will peel off to chase the flankers away, but they will be weary of straying too far from their line. Back-line ranged and Support units will often recklessly focus-fire any threats on the flank, making a deception on the flank an efficient way to remove support from the front-lines.