Kobold
The Kobold are a short and industrious space-faring race of humanoid canines, well known for their friendly, easy-going nature and boundless physical and emotional energy, bordering on hyperactivity. They originate from the planet Brakis, an alpine world located at the far end of the temperate section of its star's habitable zone, resulting in a lower average climate temperature. Kobolds discovered FTL travel around the same time as humans did, but with a more measured and stable expansion rate.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Kobolds have a similar body layout to humans, with a torso, head, two arms, and two legs. Kobolds also possess a semi-prehensile tail, being able move it with conscious effort, but not with enough dexterity to pick up objects.
Biological Traits
Fur Colouring - Kobolds have fur colours ranging between light grey, to golden blond, to dusky brown and black.
Ears - Kobold ears are typically triangular and stand straight upwards, though long ovoid floppy ears are relatively common as well.
Claws - Kobold hands (called paws) are large and are equipped with sharp, wide claws that can be used for digging.
Tails - All Kobolds have tails, with the type being as various as Earth dogs. Kobolds are incredibly agitated by the process of tail docking, seeing it as a form of criminal mutilation.
Genetics and Reproduction
Kobolds reproduce sexually, with females entering an estrus period every 4 months (Note that female Kobolds show interest in and engage in sexual intercourse outside of their estrus periods, they are just incapable of getting pregnant). Kobolds gestate their young internally for approximately six months and give birth to a litter of 1-3 infants (also known as pups) with the average being 2 (Note the female Kobold breast has two nipples for a total of four nipples spread across two breasts, enabling a female Kobold to breast feed four pups at the same time).
Growth Rate & Stages
Kobolds reach physical maturity at the age of 14 after a puberty period starting at age nine.
Ecology and Habitats
The Kobold homeworld, Brakis, is on the colder side of the temperate range with a winter that lasts for 1/3 of its year. As a result Kobolds favour cooler than average temperatures. Kobolds evolved from communal burrow-dwellers and though they have progressed to fully developed cities they still retain a favouritism for enclosed spaces.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Kobolds are omnivorous, though they have a preference for meat and root vegetables. Since coming into contact with humans a market for dog treats has opened up as a cheap and slightly addictive snack food.
Additional Information
Social Structure
Kobolds are a very communal species, to the point that non-Kobolds may find them to be invasive or nosy. Kobolds are very honest with others of their group and can be quite frank when giving their opinion or suggestion. This behaviour comes from from a combination of the Kobolds' pack mentality and their acute perceptive senses, as it is quite useless to lie about your sex life when your co-workers can literally smell the sex on you and hear you through the walls.
Facial characteristics
Kobolds have faces that seem to vary between being more human in appearance and being more dog-like in appearance. The genetics of this appear to be more deeply rooted in the core genetic sequences of Kobolds than it does in humans, meaning that two dog-faced Kobolds can give birth to a more human-faced Kobold and vice-versa with no indicators showing before being born.
Average Intelligence
Kobolds are well known for their quick thinking though they can be somewhat obtuse due to their single minded thought process.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Kobolds possess stronger senses of hearing and smell than humans, roughly 5 times more powerful. By comparison, Kobolds have weaker eyesight in bright light than humans, but have comparable or better eyesight in dim light, due to the lower amount of cone receptors and higher amount of rod receptors in the Kobold eye.
Symbiotic and Parasitic organisms
A common parasitic species that affects Kobolds is the Brakisian Flea, a blood sucking insect from the Kobold homeworld Brakis. They are treated much like how lice are treated in Human society, though the abundance of fur on a Kobold make the process of removal a very involved and annoying procedure.
Civilization and Culture
Naming Traditions
Kobold names are traditionally made of a short given name, and familial middle name and a pack name (pluralized).
Eg. Reks Gruffson Burrow-Delvers, Molli Hurga Game-Hunters
Beauty Ideals
Having healthy and well-groomed fur is considered a high priority for a Kobold attempting to attract a romantic partner. Conditions such as mange and matting are very unattractive and Kobolds spend significant amounts of time grooming their fur.
Gender Ideals
Kobolds have a fairly even view of both genders, with any job being available to either gender. The only exception being pregnant females, which are expected to remain at home until their pups can join public daycare.
Courtship Ideals
Kobolds have a similar approach to courtship that humans do. Casual sexual relations are more prevalent than humans.
Relationship Ideals
Kobolds have a similar view of romantic relationships that humans do.
Average Technological Level
Kobolds achieved a Tech Level of TL4 before joining the galactic community.
Major Language Groups and Dialects
Kobolds have several native dialects, the most commonly used one known as Barx. Kobolds found outside of their native space tend to pick up Basic as a trade language and can become extremely fluent.
Common Dress Code
Kobolds have no particular dress code, dressing appropriately for whatever activity they are participating in. Outright nudity is unacceptable but many Kobolds will strip to the barest level of modesty when exposed to any climate that is significantly warmer than Brakis.
Culture and Cultural Heritage
Due to their communal nature, Kobolds have a rich culture of cooperation and friendly competition. The amount of well known wars in Kobold history can be counted on two hands, with the only World War being concluded nearly 300 years before their invention of Spike Drives.
Common Taboos
Kobolds have similar taboos to humans, with a particularly stringent view on physical abuse and mutilation. In Kobold space, physical abuse or lasting disfigurement of ones family or pack can result in punishments equal to second degree murder charges.
Common Myths and Legends
One particular myth that is well known across Kobold society is the story of Borek Skrum Lifeherders, a figure similar to David from the David and Goliath story from Human Jewish mythology.
Scientific Name
Homo Sapiens Hypercanis (Wise Energetic Dog Man), Named honourifically after first contact with humans
Origin/Ancestry
Mammalian, Canine
Lifespan
75 years
Average Height
3'6" - 4'3"
Average Weight
60-90lbs
Average Physique
Kobolds are distinctly stronger than their diminutive size would indicate, easily being capable of feats of strength a fit human being would be capable of.
Body Tint, Colouring and Marking
Kobolds have fur colours ranging between light grey, to golden blond, to dusky brown and black. Patterns can include spots, stripes and patches, though solid colouring is the most common. It is common for chest, stomach and facial fur to be lighter in colour than the rest of the fur.
+1 Dexterity
+1 Constitution
-2 Wisdom
+1 Charisma
Starting Alien Focus - Innate Ability - Kobolds have strong senses of hearing and smell and better than average eyesight in dim light conditions. As such Kobold Player Characters are unaffected by negative modifiers to any rolls involving spacial perception such as aiming in obscuring vapour, locating enemies using camouflage technology, etc. It is assumed that sealed environment suits used by Kobolds have integrated systems in the suit to compliment these sensory abilities so Kobold Player Characters can still utilize this ability in areas such as the void of space or toxic atmospheres. Kobolds also possess claws ideal for digging through dirt and less dense types of stone. As such, Kobold Player Characters can gain the benefits of one level of cover greater (minor cover if not in cover, major cover if in minor cover, total cover in major cover) while prone if they spend one Main Action on their turn to dig in.
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