Kobold

Kobolds tend to avoid the outside world due to their smaller stature and general cowardice and often occupy the less traveled montane and cavernous areas of Trorune. Though they remain a species that is highly adaptive to harsh wildernesses and bustling urban sprawls, embodying a spirited tenacity that defies their small stature.
Standing at around three feet in height, Kobolds bear the physical, reptilian traits that have defined their race for generations. Their scaled hides range in color, from deep earthy tones to vibrant shades that sometimes echo their draconic ancestry.
Often found living in intricate tunnel systems and subterranean dwellings, Kobolds are masters of adaptation. Their communal nature fosters a society that thrives on cooperation and a shared sense of purpose. Despite their meager size, their ingenuity and resourcefulness are apparent in the traps, mechanisms, and constructions they craft with meticulous precision.
Kobolds hold dragons, particularly Chromatic Dragons, in reverence, considering themselves the descendants of these powerful beings. This deep-seated belief influences their way of life, from their behavior to their interactions with other races. The presence of a dragon's influence will often directly shape a Kobold tribe, as they strive to prove their devotion and gain favor from their draconic ancestors.
While many view them as mischievous or even malevolent, Kobolds have a strong sense of community and loyalty. Their society is organized around a loose hierarchy, with leaders who wield authority and wisdom, or arcane magic, sometimes both.
The situational courage and determination of Kobolds should not be underestimated. Despite the challenges they face in a world dominated by larger races that can and will make swift work of single Kobold, when in groups they demonstrate a resilience that belies their size. Whether defending their territory, devising intricate traps, or forging alliances with unlikely allies, Kobolds display an unwavering spirit that echoes the powerful legacy of their dragon forebears.

Basic Information

Genetics and Reproduction

A female Kobold can lay up to six eggs per year, and an egg matures for two to three months before it hatches. Furthermore, Kobolds are sequential hermaphrodites and can slowly change their sex when put under extreme biological and ecological duress. If most of the males or females in a tribe are killed or die off, some survivors change over several months until the tribe is balanced again. In this way, a tribe can quickly repopulate with just a few survivors.

Growth Rate & Stages

Kobolds are considered adults around five years and are considered elder in their early to mid-twenties however, most succumb to violence, accidents, or disease by this age and stage in their life.

Ecology and Habitats

Kobolds are cold-blooded and thus prefer more temperate and tropical climates. Kobold tribes that inhabit colder regions tend to be smaller in population, more aggressive in their hunting, and less picky about the source of their food, since it is scarce in such areas.
Partly out of fear, Kobolds prefer the security of a cave to living in the open air, and can be found in any sort of terrain that can support tunneling. While tribes that inhabit swamps or live along a coastline and borrowing into the soft ground is problematic, these Kobolds will often entrench themselves in dense woods, hills, or large rock outcroppings, creating their warrens well above the water line.
Kobolds reside most commonly in hilly or mountainous terrain. Such locations are usually abundant with natural caves suitable for living space, plenty of room to burrow and expand their warrens, and ready sources of food. Although lairing in these locations can put Kobolds in competition with surface-dwelling humanoids, relying on their ability to avoid detection often means their warrens go unnoticed by these larger rivals.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Although their sharp teeth would suggest they are carnivores, Kobolds are actually near-indiscriminant omnivores, and can eat just about anything, including meat, fruit, tree bark, bone, leather, and eggshells; a newly hatched Kobold’s first meal is usually its own shell. A hungry tribe will leave nothing behind from a kill, eating everything that’s edible and using the rest to make tools or adornments.

Additional Information

Social Structure

Kobolds have a tribal society in which they all take on specialized roles that protect and sustain the tribe. The strongest are trained to be hunters and warriors, the most clever are crafters and strategists, the toughest are miners and beast-wranglers, and so on. Even a stupid or physically weak Kobold can still be given a role to ensure that they are a benefit to the tribe, whether it is something as simple as picking mushrooms for food or watching over hatchlings; all understand that their actions, no matter how minor or inconsequential, directly contribute to the tribe's overall survival.

Civilization and Culture

Gender Ideals

Because Kobolds lay eggs, and these eggs don’t require much tending, Kobold females are not exempted from war or work. Because of this and other biological factors, Kobolds tend to not have assigned gender roles for young or adults. A leader, sorcerer, miner, or crafter is as likely to be female as it is male.

Relationship Ideals

Kobolds choose mates primarily for convenience rather than any semblance of affection. This lack of emotional bonding means they have no concept of marriage or other permanent family relationships. Their eggs are placed in a common tribal hatchery with little to no effort to keep track of parantage.

Culture and Cultural Heritage

Unlike humans, Kobolds do not fear or outwardly shun arcane magic. They see magic as part of their connection to dragons, and are proud to be blessed with the ability to wield such power; these blessed youngsters are trained by elders, and the training has an almost religious significance to it. Most magically-gifted Kobolds specialize in either damaging magic that is used in mining, augmentation of materials or tribe-mates, or divination to find sources of raw materials and foresee threats to the tribe. However, the species as a whole is rare to wield divine sources of magic or use healing magic as most Kobolds are so frail that a single hit from a human’s weapon can kill one of them.
As far as piousness is concerned, Kobolds believe that they were created by Tiamat from the blood of dragons — a view supported by their reptilian appearance. In every Kobold tribe, the legend of the creatures’ origin is passed down from elder to hatchling, giving each individual and every generation a reason to feel pride and self-respect. While Kobolds prefer to run away than fight, to live off the scraps of others, and they are often dominated by larger humanoids, they know that there is greatness within them and they are proud that they were chosen to be the blood-kin of dragons. As a result of this pride Kobolds will willingly serve Chromatic Dragons and worship them as if they were demigods. This isn’t a casual sort of worship or lip service; Kobolds are often awed and enamored in the presence of a dragon, as if an actual avatar of a deity is in their presence. Kobolds fall all over themselves to obey orders of a dragon, even going against their fearfully practical nature to follow even dangerous orders.
Kobolds usually don’t worship Tiamat directly, they will and do recognize her as the dragon-goddess of all Chromatic Dragons.

Common Customs, Traditions and Rituals

Kobolds tend to not engage in funeral ceremonies; a deceased Kobold is typically burned or disposed of in some other convenient way or, in a more cannibalistic tribe, eaten. Kobolds observe a loose form of reincarnation, believing that if they die in service to their tribe, they will be brought back to life as the next egg laid in the hatchery. This belief is further entrencthed when a particularly important or respected member of a tribe dies; the hatchery is closely monitored and the next egg laid is immediately separated from the rest and carefully protected. Once it hatches, the resultant young Kobold is groomed to fill that or another position of importance.

Common Taboos

Most Kobold tribes avoid eating what they call “talking meat” — intelligent creatures — as such behavior will sometimes prompt retaliation on the tribe. The fear of starvation, however, can make them morally flexible about this particular principle and if their options are either attacking such creatures or going hungry, Kobolds err on the side of practicality. Other tribes, particularly ones in lightly or non-populated areas, practice cannibalism, believing it is foolish to waste good meat.

Scientific Name

Draco minima

Lifespan

20-35 years; however a rare few have crest over a century

Average Height

2-3 feet

Average Weight

25-40 lbs