Kobold

Kobolds were aggressive, insular, yet industrious small humanoid creatures. They were noted for their skill at building traps and preparing ambushes, and mining. They were distantly related to dragons and were often found serving as their minions.

Description

A kobold was a reptilian humanoid, standing between 2' and 2'6" (60cm – 75cm) tall, weighing 35 to 45 pounds (16 – 20kg), with scaled skin between reddish brown and black in color and burnt orange to red eyes. Their legs were sinewy and digitigrade. They had long, clawed fingers and a jaw like a crocodile. Small white or tan horns protruded from their head, and they had rat-like tails. They would often smell of wet dog and stagnant water. Kobolds liked to wear red or orange garments, which were usually ragged. They could live up to 130 years.
Some rare kobold children had wings, known as urds or dragonwrought. It was possible to identify an urd egg because the shell would be speckled with flecks additional colour, which became more numerous throughout the incubation period. While winged kobolds were often disparaged by ordinary kobolds, ritual demanded that dragonwrought eggs be taken to a sacred hatching place so that dragonwrought kobolds could be raised above ground in case they were able to fly and needed to learn to use their wings.
Kobolds were resentful of their short stature and hated members of other races who poked fun at them for this. Most felt as though they ought to compensate for their small size in other ways, such as humor or aggression. They would naturally tend to hate larger creatures, and although they would show respect and obedience if required, they always looked for ways to display their resentment.
The ultimate goal of the kobold race was to conquer as much land as possible. They would plan and dig mines industriously, while laying cruel traps for interlopers, preferring an ambush to direct confrontation. If they ever confronted an enemy, they would try to overwhelm foes with sheer numbers. Among the monstrous humanoids, they were known for cunning plans, and unlike many others, would also share those plans among the entire tribe. General plans and goals would be common knowledge, and detailed plans were shared with all who asked to allow them to work fruitfully for the good of the tribe. Their society was influenced by their lawful evil alignment. Kobolds were confident and happy to remain separated from the other races.

A kobold prospector

Society

Kobolds lived in the dark, ideally underground or thick forest, in tribal societies. Their lairs were often overcrowded, although when one tribe became too numerous, it split into numerous smaller ones. The overcrowding eliminated the concept of privacy, so kobolds slept in communal areas where nudity was not regarded as shameful or offensive, even to the opposite sex. Kobolds wore clothing for function or ritual, but not to prevent nudity. The common overcrowding often led to conflict, and two kobolds would fight to settle their differences, although these fights were not usually lethal. This led to a lack of deep-rooted divisions or grievances in kobold society. They were respectful of authority figures, and would obey diligently, particularly when their ruler was of lawful evil alignment.
Kobolds had specialized laborers, yet the majority of kobolds were miners. They possessed darkvision and were particularly sensitive to bright light. Kobolds preferred exile to execution, and in some disputes, kobolds would split tribes in order to spread their kind over a larger region. Kobolds had natural tendencies towards sorcery. Kobolds were similar to dragons, but while dragons had warm blood, kobolds were cold-blooded. Due to this, they were susceptible to cold, especially if it was brought on quickly. They enjoyed swimming and would gather to bathe together, especially after shedding. Kobolds would take a lot of care maintaining their claws and teeth, using smooth stones to polish claws and chewing roots to clean teeth.
It was unknown how kobolds were of dragon heritage. While each kobold valued its own life, the tribe came first. They considered the success of their tribe to be their own success.

Mating

Kobolds did not maintain monogamous relationships, and due to the importance they placed on propagation, they chose mates by practical measures rather than love or other emotions. Mating was an impersonal act for kobolds.

Crafting and Mining

Kobolds often created their lairs by mining them from the rock. Mining was a meticulously planned and conducted process where nothing was left to chance. Divination magic was used to locate ore and mineral deposits. A high proportion of a kobold tribe were miners. Each family group was expected to cut its own room, the walls of which they would adorn with a pictorial history of the family.
The greatest art for kobolds was trapmaking. The use of invention and cunning in traps was the mark of a good trapmaker. The other art form was the pictorial representation of the tribe's history, created on the walls of a specially created room in every lair. Kobolds enjoyed making jewelry from the gems and precious metals they encountered while mining. They could be possessive about their personal jewelry collections, and much effort was put into crafting beautiful jewelry, unlike other items, which were functional rather than aesthetically pleasing.

Religion

The main deity of the kobolds was Ypirétis, the god of survival and stealth, who hates all living things besides their kin. Despite the fact that their patron was a part of the Draconic Pantheon, kobolds only rarely worshipped other draconic gods.
Kobolds were also known for serving dragons and praising them as gods. A kobold tribe would present a dragon with tributes and sacrifices and whatever they thought it may like; they might have even seen it as a great honor to be devoured by the creature. If a kobold tribe was not accepted by a dragon they might start working for it in secret. Once a tribe settled to serve a dragon, their entire existence was to serve their dragon in every way.

Relations

Kobolds held a hatred for nearly all other humanoid races and enjoyed killing and torturing them, in particular gnomes and fey creatures. The former was a result of an ancient feud, from when the gods warred on the Material Plane. During this conflict, the head of the Gnomish Pantheon Grap Gelukkig tricked Ypirétis to the edge of a cavern where he was then pushed into a near bottomless cavern. It was this event that also led to the kobold desire to exercise caution whilst searching for gemstones.
Kobolds were known to use dire weasels as mounts.

Player Race Features

• Ability Scores. Choose any +2; choose any other +1.
• Size. Small.
• Speed. 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 in dim light. You discern colors in that darkness only as shades of gray.
• Draconic Cry. As a bonus action, you let out a cry at your enemies within 10 feet of you. Until the start of your next turn, you and your allies have advantage on attack rolls against any of those enemies who could hear you. You can use this trait a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
• Kobold Legacy. Kobold's connections to dragons can manifest in unpredictable ways in an individual kobold. Choose one of the following legacy options for your kobold.
• Craftiness. You have proficiency in one of the following skills of your choice: Arcana, Investigation, Medicine, Sleight of Hand, or Survival.
• Defiance. You have advantage on saving throws to avoid or end the frightened condition on yourself.
• Draconic Sorcery. You know one cantrip of your choice from the sorcerer spell list. Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma is your spellcasting ability for that cantrip (choose when you select this race).
• Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Draconic.