Kobolds: Dragons of the Endworld Mountains
Small and easily overlooked, two populations of Kobolds have made
Q'barra their home since the Age of Demons. The Eberron-worshipping Iredar live in the Endworld Mountains, while the Khyber-worshipping Irvhir live in the Khyberian caves and tunnels that run below the surface of Q’barra.
Beliefs
Like their brethren in the rest of Eberron, the kobolds of Q’barra believe themselves to be blessed by the progenitors, having spawned directly from their spilled blood in the primordial conflict. The Iredar believe that they are the children of Eberron, while the Irvhir believe they are the spawn of Khyber. Unlike any other religion in the world, the kobolds offer prayers of intercession and thanks directly to the progenitors.
Iredar
Allegedly the first druids, the Iredar kobolds are proud of their divine heritage and see themselves as protectors of the fundamental balance in the world. Even the rise of the fiendish overlords—a first order concern for the dragons of Argonnessen—takes a lower priority in Iredar ideology than maintaining Eberron’s hold on Khyber herself. However, Iredar clans are primarily focused on their immediate material concerns which centers around the encroachment of the other races on their territory, land that they will bitterly defend.
Irvhir
Possibly the first “Cult of the Dragon Below,” the Irvhir kobolds do not usually worship the fiendish overlords, often seeing them as siphoning power away from Khyber, their true master. However, they delight in summoning fiends and binding them to their tribe’s service, as they believe that all fiends must serve Khyber and that as Khyber’s closest representatives kobolds have a special right to fiendish servants. The Irvhir kobolds are typically xenophobic, seeing other races as the living embodiment of Khyber’s unjust imprisonment.
Social Structure
Kobolds communities typically consist of several dozen members, although they can grow as large as a few hundred. The ternmolik (stonescales) fill civilian roles— agriculture, crafts, and entertainment. The gix (claws) are hunters and soldiers. Finally, the iejirastrix (blood seers), are mystics who wield magical powers drawn from the progenitors and guide their community with prophetic powers.
Both ternmolik and gix can ascend to leadership positions, but the seers and mystics usually take up advisory roles within the communities. The iejirastrix also serve as liaisons between communities, negotiating both borders and mutual assistance in addition to sharing their visions.
The Touch of Masvirik
Born of the progenitors, the kobolds of Q’barra are particularly vulnerable to
Masvirik’s influence. While the xenophobic, fiend worshipping Irvhir kobolds make for natural allies of the
Poison Dusk, the corrupting touch of the Cold Sun twists the wills of the Iredar as well. Poison Dusk kobolds make heavy use of poisons, harvesting the local flora and fauna for ingredients. While adventurers can certainly expect poisoned weapons and traps, they should be more concerned about poisoned supplies. Whether it's the party’s own rations or the local town’s well, having a source of safe food and water is no guarantee in conflicts with the servants of Masvirik.
The Kethend’irthos
The Kethend’irthos are a group of Iredar kobolds who live in the southern reaches of the
Endworld Mountains. Their leader, Garu, was recently elected as the first gix to lead in generations, after the previous leader Meepo was slain by a treasure-hungry band of brigands. Forced to reckon with the outside world, this historically isolationist tribe is aghast at the environmental depravations of the colonists of
Hope and conflicts have been growing in scope. While the tribe started small, targeting nearby dragonshard mining operations, the iejirastrix Ohsoss hopes to one day rouse the primal spirits to action. Meanwhile, the party that slew Meepo let slip that they found khyber shards in the tunnels past the Kethend’irthos warren, drawing both the attention of
House Tharashk and independent mining operations.
The Kothar’miirik
The Kothar’miirik live in Khyberian tunnels near the Adder River, underneath the domain of Count Tieri ir’Sano of New Galifar. These Irvhir kobolds have always caused some trouble, but the last few months have seen the kobolds grow bolder, not just stealing from defenseless farms in the dead of night, but actively conducting raids and engaging with Count ir’Sano’s troops. In secret, the Kothar’miirik were gifted a dragon egg by a mysterious benefactor on 20 Olarune, 994 YK, and the freshly hatched wyrmling has already taken command and control of the tribe to satisfy its avaricious nature. The mysterious benefactor might have been a rogue dragon abandoning a child, or it may have been an agent of the Chamber or the Talons of Tiamat seeking to influence the Draconic Prophecy.
