Kobold
The diminutive, malformed reptilians born from draconic clutches who yearn to reclaim their mighty heritage
To those interested in playing characters of the Kobold species, it is important to understand a curious quirk of the Kobolds as a people - upon their death, Kobolds are invariably reincarnated back into their tribe or surrounding area(Though reincarnations can also irregularly restore them anywhere across Zheng-Kitar or the Planet of Ea), their bodies born anew some weeks or months following their death. These reincarnations most commonly restore them to life as kobolds, though depending on their lives they can be returned as more animal-esque reptiles or even more mighty beings such as Dragonborn or sometimes even Dragons. Kobolds rarely remember much about their past lives, if they remember anything at all, though it is not impossible for them to do so - as many kobolds tribes often hold belief that the truly mighty will keep more of their memories upon their death and subsequent reincarnation. For their part, Kobolds have different understandings of their phenomena depending on their origin - more ancient, traditional Kobold tribes that dwell underground typically attribute this reincarnation to the ancient Kobold Folk hero Zurgenvanthias, who their shamans speak of as the only creature in all of creation whose soul could not be cleansed by the Tenfold Gates - who proved untouchable and untarnished by Takamagahara and The Soul's Journey and became an existence beyond mortal life itself, who they believe blessed his people the Kobolds with a pale echo of his own undying nature - acting as judge to Kobolds who perished and reincarnating them depending on how they lived their lives, often referring to him as "The King Under the Mountain" or "The King Below", believing that he went into hiding deep below the world and gave his kin the Kobolds dominion of all beneath the earth to guard until he wakes anew to lead them to the world above in salvation. Kobolds who dwell in more modern or surface-dwelling communities or who have integrated into other cultures entirely have either entirely forgotten Zurgenvanthias and his tales or view him with scorn - a curse to be escaped from due to the enmity it brings from some servants of the Spirit Kings, and from Takamagahara itself. Regardless, this nature often informs the Kobolds' warped view of death - which, in subterranean communities, often manifests as a complete lack of fear of death and dying and sometimes even Thanatomania; Obsession with Death and what lies beyond. Keep this in mind when making your kobold - what is their opinion on their species' unique relation to death? Do they welcome it, or embrace it, rejoicing in death as a way to meet their greatest hero Zurgenvanthias? Or do they hate it, fear it, and wish to avoid it? Or perhaps they know nothing at all.
Base Racial Traits
Ability Scores: (+2 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence, -2 Constitution) Kobolds are nimble and smart, but physically weak. Type: Kobolds are humanoids with the reptilian subtype. Size: Kobolds are small size creatures and gain all the bonuses and penalties because of it. Speed: Kobolds have a base speed of 40 feet. Senses: Kobolds possess sharp Draconic Senses, and gain both Low-Light Vision and Darkvision out to 20ft, but also Scent out to 30ft which increases to 60ft vs large concentrations of the element associated with their scale type(See Below). Their Low-Light Vision allows them to see 4x further in conditions of low-light instead of 2x. Languages: Kobolds begin play speaking The Regional Language(See Languages of Zheng-Kitar) that reflects their origins, and Draconic. Kobolds with high intelligence can choose between the following bonus languages(Ezdhûlian, Giant, Ignan, Terran, Infernal, and Abyssal.) Savage Maw: Kobolds gain a Bite Attack as a primary natural attack that deals 1d6 damage at base at Small Size, with a 19-20 Critical Range and a x2 Critical Multiplier. This Bite attack deals 1d4 Elemental Damage of the Type associated with their Scales(See Below), and allows them to make a free Trip Attempt against damaged targets that does not provoke Attacks of Opportunity. Puissant Beast-Tamers: Shunned by most sentient creatures, Kobolds have a natural affinity for beasts and animals - who they often view as kinder and gentler friends. Kobolds gain a racial +4 on Handle Animal and Ride Skill Checks, and gain the Wild Empathy Class Feature of Druids as a Druid of their HD. Quick Steps: Kobolds, with quick legs and lightning-fast reflexes, are unaffected by nonmagical difficult terrain and gain a +4 racial bonus on Saves and CMD vs effects that would knock them prone. Additionally, Kobolds take no penalties for squeezing and can move unhindered through barriers and obstacles that would normally impede movement but are not airtight - such as Wall of Thorns, Entangle, and Grease, but not a Wall of Force, Wall of Ice, etc. Out of Sight, Out of Mind: Kobolds, possessed of abnormally little presence, can take advantage of this to hide in plain sight - allowing them to use the Stealth skill even while being observed. As long as they are within 10 feet of an area of dim light, a Kobold can hide themselves from view in the open without anything to actually hide behind. She cannot, however, hide in her own shadow. Stealth is always a class skill for Kobolds. Our hearts forever hers: Though the legacy of the Aenorian Empire may fade and crumble, the Kobolds shall never forget the kindness of the Scalequeen or her kin - Once a day when they would be reduced to below 0HP or slain by any means short of a Death Effect, Kobolds can channel their Aenorian heritage and the memory of their beloved Scalequeen to ignore that damage and return to 1HP instead. When returning to 1HP with this trait, the rush of ecstatic and overwhelming love that floods their minds automatically dispels/breaks all mind-affecting effects they are suffering from. Flexible Tail: Kobolds possess a short, scaly tail that allows them to retrieve objects stored on their person as a swift action. They can use this tail to hold items, but cannot wield weapons with it. Dragonscale: Kobolds gain a +2 Natural Armor and Resistance 10 to the Element Associated with their Scales(chosen below). Kobolds must select from one of the below options at Character Creation - gaining the associated ability and using the option's associated element to inform other abilities their races. DCs for the below abilities, unless otherwise noted, are based off the Kobold's INT.All according to plan: As an immediate action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity, a Kobold can make a smug declaration revealing that their cunning plan has come to fruition - this allows the kobold to manifest a Trap of a design and nature of their choosing in any square within 30ft of themselves, but whose CR cannot generally exceed their HD. This even allows the Kobold to manifest traps that replicate the effects of spells whose level does not exceed 1/2 their HD. However, to activate this ability, the Kobold must smugly describe a series of events that led to the trap's creation, either by themselves or how they came to be aware of it - so long as the events described are even the smallest bit plausible(GM Discretion), the ability activates. Kobolds may use this ability successfully once per day - future uses of this ability require the Kobold to succeed on an Intelligence check with a DC equal to 15 + 5 per usage after the second, resetting at dawn each day, or the ability fails and they lose the action.
- Black-Scaled(Acid): Gain the ability to breathe underwater, as well as a Constant Speak with Animals effect targeting only reptiles.
- Blue-Scaled(Electricity): Gain bluff as a class skill and the Sound Mimicry UMR. At the start of your turn, all hostile creatures adjacent to you take 1d6 Electricity Damage. Damage increases to 2d6 at 10th Level.
- Green-Scaled(Acid): Gain the effects of a constant, extraordinary Pass without Trace effect and the ability to breath underwater. Gain the ability to cast Tree Stride 2/day and Shillelagh 3/day as Spell-Like Abilities.
- Red-Scaled(Fire): Gain the ability to see through magical and normal fogs, mists, smoke, and similar obscurement. At the start of your turn, all hostile creatures adjacent to you take 1d6 Fire Damage. Damage increases to 2d6 at 10th Level.
- White-Scaled(Cold): Gain the ability to shape Ice and Snow at-will as per Stone Shape that only targets Ice and Snow. Gain a Burrow Speed equal to 1/2 your base land speed.
- Brass-Scaled(Fire): Ignore penalties due to Sandstorms, Snowstorms, and Hot Weather Environments. Once every 1d4-1 rounds, you can call upon the desert wind as per gust of wind as a Standard Action that does not provoke Attacks of Opportunity, save that any creature in the wind's path must make a Fortitude save or be blinded for 1 round by the sand.
- Bronze-Scaled(Electricity): Gain the ability to breathe underwater, and the ability to as a Standard Action(Usable every 1d4+1 rounds) that does not provoke Attacks of Opportunity emit a 15ft cone of Repulsion Gas - all creatures within the cone must make a Will Save or be compelled to do nothing but move away from the Kobold for 1d4 rounds. This is a mind-affecting compulsion effect.
- Copper-Scaled(Acid): Gain the effects of a constant, extraordinary Spider Climb effect, and the ability to as a Standard Action(Usable once every 2d4 rounds) that does not provoke Attacks of Opportunity emit a 15ft cone of Slowing Gas - all creatures within the area must succeed a Fortitude Save or be slowed as per the spell for 1d4 rounds.
- Gold-Scaled(Fire): Gain a +1 Luck Bonus on all Saving Throws, and the ability to as a Standard Action that does not provoke Attacks of Opportunity emit a roar that allows you to make an Intimidate Check to demoralize all creatures that can hear the roar within 30ft of you. Gain Intimidate as a class skill. This ability counts as the "Dazzling Display" feat for Feat Prerequisites.
- Silver-Scaled(Cold): Gain the effects of a constant, extraordinary Air walk effect. At the start of your turn, all hostile creatures adjacent to you take 1d6 Cold Damage. Damage increases to 2d6 at 10th Level.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Kobolds are exceptionally small in stature, but in many ways possess anatomies and morphologies that largely resemble those of mighty True Dragons, though often in muted and sometimes even mocking ways. In many ways, their anatomy is best likened to that of a mutated Draconic Wyrmling - like a Draconic Child who, due to evolutionary misfortune, is doomed to never truly evolve into its full potential. To Draconic Scholars, the anatomy of a Kobold is much like that of a Wyrmling of matching Scale Color, albeit warped and twisted - much like one might experience confusion when beholding two puzzles with identically-cut pieces, where the image upon the first puzzle is a hazy and distorted mockery of the clear and beautiful image upon the second.
While they possess all the same skeletal, muscular, and other bodily systems of dragons - ranging from their powerful hearts that pump with elemental power to their durable scales - Kobolds are simply less impressive across the board; possessing bodies whose capabilities are stunted and incapable of evolving beyond what is, to True Dragons, the abilities of an infant. However, thanks to their humanoid stature, they are a great deal more nimble than Draconic Wyrmlings - and their incredibly colorful scales, though certain colors such as Carnation or Purple are often mocked, give them a beautiful appearance.
Biological Traits
Kobolds are small, bipedal reptilian humanoids. Most stand around 3 feet tall and weigh about 35 pounds. They have powerful jaws for creatures of their size and noticeable claws on their hands and feet. Often kobolds’ faces are curiously devoid of expression, as they favor showing their emotions by simply swishing their tails. Kobolds’ thick hides vary in color, and most have scales that match the hue of one of the varieties of chromatic dragons, with red scales being predominant. A few kobolds, however, have more exotic colors such as orange or yellow, which in some tribes raises or lowers an individual’s status in the eyes of his fellows.
Genetics and Reproduction
Rather uniquely, Kobolds were a species whose origins remain fairly well documented - if not difficult to pick the facts from the myths. Kobolds, originally, were nothing more or less than stillbirthed or aborted True Dragon Fetuses whose maturation within their parents' eggs was disturbed or otherwise failed; the resulting "failed egg", if left undisturbed for long enough periods of time(In a true testament to the power and resiliency of Draconic Biology), begin to attempt to salvage the birth and spawn a Kobold from the egg - the failed Draconic Fetus clinging to live and evolving into a form that would at least allow it to cling to life. Thus were the first Kobolds born - and thus are many of them born even today, though in much fewer numbers than in ages past, as True Dragons have left the mortal world behind or simply grown tired of the Kobolds that so many of their kind simply find distasteful.
Indeed, for much of their history, this was the only way by which Kobolds had a hope of reproducing - as their biologies, while not completely sterile, were so mangled and mutated from their stillbirth that the act of reproduction was simply impossible most of the time. However, for reasons that remain somewhat unclear to modern Zheng-Kitaran scholars of their species, the Kobolds of Zheng-Kitar underwent a radical genetic mutation some two or three thousand years ago that spread across their populations continent-wide like a plague - and when the dust had cleared, their horrendously mutated internal biology had largely re-aligned itself, allowing for normal reproduction and the laying of eggs at long last.
Ever since, Kobolds have come to lay hard-shelled eggs that incubate for a period between 45 and 60 days, after which they hatch using their distinctive cranial horn buds. Sexual dimorphism is very limited, with non-kobolds rarely able to tell the differences between the sexes. Most kobolds are quite short-lived, with a typical life-expectancy of around 30 years before typically dying through violent means. However, when their lives are not cut off early, they have also been known to live for quite a long time, with the oldest kobolds claiming their age to be nearly 100, though such an ancient age is incredibly rare.
Kobolds remain fertile throughout their entire adult lives, with females able to produce an egg once every 20–25 days. Given ideal conditions, however, females can lay a clutch of up to six eggs, and require a coupling only once every six years in order to produce viable eggs. Kobold females become more fecund as they age: a 30-year-old female may be able to lay 50 to 60 eggs per year, while an 60-year-old female may lay up to 100 per year.
Once they lay their eggs, Female Kobolds and Kobold Parents in general tend to abandon their children - once the eggs have been laid, they are typically buried deep enough to be protected but close enough to the surface to crawl out once they hatch. In this way, most Kobolds never know their true parents - one's scale color is all that often tells of one's lineage, but with the amount of kobolds in the world reuniting with one's biological parents is all but impossible. Thus, Kobolds treasure their bonds with their hatchmates more than anything - though they are often willing to do anything and everything to survive, those hatchmates that survive with them to adulthood are closer than anything in the world.
Growth Rate & Stages
Although only six to eight inches in height at birth, infant kobolds are able to quickly take care of themselves, often spending the first hour after birth eating the remains of their shells. Cannibalizing other clutchmates is not unheard of and is seen by many adults as a sign of strength. Hatchlings grow quite quickly and double in size every year until achieving their juvenile state at around three. They are considered to be full adults around age 10, but can move and talk by time they are no more than three days old - though such a hatchling kobold is overwhelmingly simple-minded and weak.
Kobolds reach middle age around age 30, grow old around age 45, and become venerable at age 65.
Ecology and Habitats
Kobolds may have once lived within the tunnels, warrens, and underground caverns that dwell beneath the surface of the world, but if this is so they have long since abandoned their tunnel dwelling ways and have come to live in the light of the surface in the most arid and inhospitable deserts and wastelands of the world. Kobold bodies are practically born to survive in this harshest of conditions thanks to their innate biological need for relatively little food and drink for survival, their diligent work ethic, and their innovation and nigh-obsession with wealth and power. They often carve out their homes within the deserts and wastelands of the world and less commonly within jungles and forests, and often do so viciously and in as territorial a way as possible.
They often steal and thieve from those near them, and they often develop a reputation as thieves and stealing pests for these activities...they are also fastidious animal tamers and beast riders, and are renowned the world over for their incredible talent for taming even the most titanic of giga-creatures that call the desert their home, as they have a natural talent as a people for ingratiating themselves with the more powerful. Though they can be negotiated with and dealt with when they take up residence or move into an area, many prefer to either make displays of force to subjugate them, move away, or simply hope for coexistence.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Kobolds are omnivores and will eat almost anything their sharp teeth can chew and their strong digestive system can process. Like other reptilian creatures, kobolds have a slow metabolism, which means they require little food and drink to survive. This adds to their diligent work ethic, as they require few meal and water breaks, and increases their ability to survive in the nutrient-poor and often extremely arid and inhospitable desert and wasteland environments.
Biological Cycle
As they age, Kobold scales grow more and more pale and they bodies become more and more infirm. Their scales soon begin to wither and fall off, and in extreme old age their already frail bodies begin to deteriorate even further into uselessness. In time, even their minds begin to falter and break down, though many die violent deaths before even reaching this point.
Additional Information
Uses, Products & Exploitation
As children of Dragons, many believe that the eyes, blood, and heart of a Kobold hold magical value, but this theory has been mostly discredited - if there is any power to the bodily parts of the kobolds, one would need a truly vast amount of them from many kobolds to form any sort of notable power.
Facial characteristics
Kobold faces are long, scaled things with long draconic snouts, prominent and flared nostrils, and very visible eyes. Their faces, because of their odd shapes, are often sharp and angular, thanks to their scales and snouts.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Kobolds are mostly found in the arid deserts and wastelands of the world, but many decide to move to more humid climates and take up residents within the forests and jungles of the world, while a few stubborn tribes eke out an existence in the frozen snow drifts of the north as well, looking to distance themselves from their equally greedy kin.
Average Intelligence
Despite their nasty personalities, Kobolds are highly intelligent creatures with a natural knack for machinery and engineering.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Continuing their racial theme of biology that failed to fully grow into adulthood, Kobold senses are undoubtedly sharper than most humanoids thanks to their Draconic Senses - yet those senses truly pale in comparison with those of their True Dragon ancestors. These senses allow them to see in the dark and see superbly in conditions of low light, and allow them to smell not only other creatures, but concentrations of the elemental energy that matches their scale color.
Civilization and Culture
Naming Traditions
Kobolds tend to have names reflecting what environment they are raised in, though all Kobolds tend towards short, guttural names with harsher tones. Their name is typically earned, like their titles, once they live long enough and/or perform some great deed.
Kobolds in the desert, underground, and arid regions of the world have one name only, which tends to be short and biting, and influenced by middle-eastern naming conventions.
Desert Male Names: Nelrek, Tazim, Hakem, Jalal
Desert Female Names: Sanaa, Ayesha, Zinah, Ghariba
Kobolds in forested or jungle areas tend to have the most traditional or classic kobold names.
Forest Male Names: Moob, Dhunzo, Zerolu, Vromol, Qolk, Irlenk
Forest Female Names: Olku, Gethraa, Nisre, Sisgul, Zudri, Asgre
Finally, Kobolds in frigid or freezing climates such as tundras and snowy areas tend to have nordic-influenced names, though still short and quick to pronounce, typically shortened from full Nordic Names as they tend to steal the names of the other creatures that prowl the tundra and cut them down for better kobold use - namely the Jotun and the Dai-Yukai.
Tundra Male Names: Alvis, Sigurd, Bjor, Gusta, Hroa, Aki
Tundra Female Names: Eiru, Nann, Ingerd, Eldri, Urd, Gudr
All Kobolds as well tend to have a title to set them apart from others with the same name. Surnames are all but unheard of to most Kobolds - they rarely live long enough to warrant them, and familial units are similarly strange to the Kobolds, who abandon their young after letting them hatch. Their title is typically earned, like their names, once they live long enough and/or perform some great deed.
Titles: of [Village or area name], the Mighty, the Tree-Leaper, of Frigid Drifts, of Golden Wind
Genetic Ancestor(s)
Lifespan
65 years
Conservation Status
Kobolds are by no means an endangered people, and are often exactly opposite, a people most numerous and plentiful. Their homes are usually out of the way and hidden, either underground or otherwise, but their numbers are plentiful.
Average Height
1.64ft - 3.6ft (0.5 - 1.1 Meters)
Average Weight
19lbs - 30lbs (9 - 14kg)
Average Physique
Kobolds are physically quite infirm, and their bodies are much less hardy than the average humanoid's. They instead rely on their natural deftness of body and mind to solve their problems and avoid their foes.
Body Tint, Colouring and Marking
Kobold scales are usually Black, Blue, Greed, Red, or White - though other colors such as Carnation, Gold, Purple, and even the incredibly rare Transparent Scales are uncommon but possible. They almost never grow hair - when they do, it resembles the hair of Dragonborn - that is to say, dreadlock-like tendrils that sprout from the back of their heads and their chins. This tendril hair is more a bit more common for Kobolds in cold climates.
A greatness achieved together
All that the Kobold achieved, they have done together - no race on Zheng-Kitar is as skill at working alongside each other as the Kobolds, for good reason - without this togetherness, they could not survive the dangers of the world above that they long ago ventured up into. Now, they move together in large nomadic clans through the world's deserts, forests, jungles, and tundra, laying eggs to further their species and abandoning them to make their own way in the world - to live or die according to their own power and the power of their hatchmates. Together, Kobolds of the modern day have done great things - including the legendary taming of the five great worms by the ancient desert Kobold Clans, the subjugation of the Gigasnake by the jungle Kobolds Clans, or the construction of the mythological ice-coated mountaintop city of Bzeth'Nir by the ancient tundra Kobold Clans - together they have done amazing things, and achieved things none thought them capable of. It is precisely because of this weakness, however, that Kobolds rely on each other - and though they often bicker and fight and war amongst each other, a given kobold clan is as tight and thick as thieves, bound together as hatchmates and grown from birth to survive alongside each other. There are many things a kobold would do for power or more, it is said, but never would they betray a hatchmate - to do so is to deny what it means to be a kobold.
Amazing Beast Tamers
Though few would guess it, Kobolds are some of the greatest beast tamers on all of Zheng-Kitar - whether it is a natural ability to ingratiate themselves with the strong and animals or perhaps a result of generations of training, the fact remains that Kobolds are some of the most experienced creatures in the art of beast taming there are - even beating out elves and other races in touch with nature. This skill of their is so profound that is knowledge of the extreme training, technique, power, and loyalty of animals trained by kobold handlers has spread throughout most of the known world - many creatures the continent over come to kobold camps and designated animal camps to buy trained animals from experienced kobold beast tamers. The secret of how they do their training is unknown - their skill is so legendary, that they are even capable of training massive gigacreatures that roam their local envirionments, from purple worms to giant gigasnakes and even massive Remorhazes - they are capable of great feats, and even greater ingenuity. Much like humans, they are a race that is a living example of how their own weakness has inspired them to seek even greater heights - and while many yet retain their savagery and rob and steal and attack any who come close, they are as varied in their purpose as the stars in the sky.
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