Kobolds

The short, scaled and spry residents of the The Dim Periphery are called kobolds. Adapted to the strange and hostile environment of the Fringe, kobolds have evolved to better navigate their environment, and settlements dominated by them are oft influenced by the demands of their homelands, even on a societal level. Kobolds shouldn’t be able to eke an existence out in the Dim by all accounts; only sheer luck sees them through. Kobolds know this, and capitalize on this luck, which for them, is a very real and influenceable force.

Basic Information

Anatomy

When and how kobolds came to be is unclear. Some believe that they are descendants of Saurians who migrated into the Fringe, slowly adapting to the new world they arrived in. Others hypothesize kobolds are actually descendants of dragonborn, half dragons, or perhaps some common intermediary ancestor. The fact that some kobolds, called urds, grow wings at some point in their life – generally shortly after maturation – lends a bit of credence to this theory. Others still simply believe that kobolds are a species unto themselves, and that any resemblance to other humanoids is superficial.
No matter their true origins, kobolds bear precious few physical similarities to any of those races. Not much larger than Goblins or gnomes, these reptilian humanoids have low muscular density and comparatively fragile bones, due to living in a low-gravity environment. Like most races their size, kobolds boast superior natural agility, able to allowing them to escape or outmaneuver the much larger creatures that hunt them. Kobolds need very little to fuel themselves, and can live over a century, falling just short of a halfling’s natural life span. Unlike other reptiles, kobolds are warm-blooded, a necessity for creatures that live in the cold stretches of the Fringe.

Additional Information

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Kobolds can be found in any part of the Dim, though there are occasional kobold settlements closer to the surface, particularly near the lands near the edge of each shell such as Colossus Reach, Halfhill, Friggamn, and the Amber Ocean. Kobolds also live in low-gravity and near-zero-gravity environments. The latter group leverage their natural agility to great effect, able to climb and jump among stalactites with the same adroitness as monkeys in trees.
The largest population of surface-side kobolds is located in the Eminent Territories. Kobolds there are thoroughly assimilated to the culture, having carved out their place in the pecking order to be just below dragonkind. Kobolds of the territories more strongly believe their lineage is tied to that of dragons, or at least perpetrate that belief. Regardless of the truth, kobolds of the territories, through mixed bloodlines, generally have a scale color that reflects one of the various colors of dragon - in some cases, reflecting the metallic breeds as well.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

As expected of any species indigenous to the Dim, kobolds have superior sight, able to see with or without natural light. Unique to kobolds, however, is their ability to ride the tides of Luck. When a kobold beats the odds to avoid the psychic intrusion of a cranium rat, or dodges out of the way of a kruthik’s acidic spray, they can turn that good luck into more good luck. Of course, no one can ride the tide forever, but for a kobold, when it rains, it pours.

Civilization and Culture

Culture and Cultural Heritage

Kobolds tend to have very tightly knit social groups out of necessity. A single kobold stands a Unitian’s chance in Omen'an alone, and even small groups of kobolds are hard pressed to survive. Even still, many kobolds maintain a level of independence and self-autonomy. Kobold society exists to serve the kobold, rather than the other way around. A kobold would rarely be expected to self-sacrifice for the good of a settlement, and individual wealth, power, and above all, luck, are still metrics by which one’s standing is evaluated. Kobolds are finely tuned to the tide of luck; a quasi-sixth sense that allows them to get through even the most harrowing circumstances. Luck is a fickle thing, however, and must be carefully guarded. People who have no respect for luck, or simply are ignorant to its workings, can disrupt the luck of a whole community, and thus endanger all of the members of that society.
Kobold settlements are thus quite secluded, and often guarded with traps meant to stall, incapacitate, or even kill intruders. A bearer of bad luck could taint the whole settlement, and cost the lives of its residents. Similarly, kobolds can be quite slow to fraternize with other races, not due to any fundamental xenophobia, but because those ignorant to the tide of luck may accidentally ward off good luck or call down bad luck. When meeting others of their kind, kobolds will generally have a rather elaborate exchange, in which they learn each other’s personal and communal taboos, as to not disrupt each other’s luck. Like any sapient species, the exact forms of their societies vary, however these evolutionary factors do bring about a few similarities between them. For kobolds, these are common taboos and practices that are known to guide the flow of luck.

Common Customs, Traditions and Rituals

The biggest of these common traditions are totems – caches of luck, carefully crafted and painstakingly tended to. Any permanent kobold settlement will have a totem – usually located near the center, though there is no taboo regarding placing it elsewhere – that is well defended (unless their taboo demands otherwise) and often prayed to by those down-on-their-luck.
The second, and easily most distinctive practices, are the vizards. Vizards can be thought of as personalized totems. They are masks, made of wood, bones, clay, metal, or a plethora of other materials, and store luck for the wearer. Every vizard has two sides; a public facing side, and a self-facing side. To look upon the self-facing side of another’s vizard is an extreme taboo, to the point that phrases like “he/she knows the inside of everyone’s vizard” or “he/she is peeking into my vizard” express that someone is a gossip, or is overbearing, respectively. Beyond these two commonalities, the practices and traditions of a kobold settlement can vary wildly.

by Rollin Kunz

Lifespan

120 years

Average Height

2-3 feet tall

Average Weight

25-35 lbs.

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Kobolds come in many different colors. The most common color is red, though in theory all manner of colors are possible. Kobolds typically have monochromatic scales, however it's possible (particularly with parents of different colors) to have patterns of different colors develop.

Geographic Distribution

• The Dim Periphery/Outer Fringe