Kobolds
With direct dependency from dragons themselves kobolds rule throughout the earth as the thin, lithe creatures the world knows them to be. Briliant tinkerers, expert trapsmiths, and the greatest miners throughout the world, a tribe of kobolds is truely a force to be reckoned with, and a danger to any adventure.
Mechanics- Size: Small. +1 AC & Attack Rolls. -4 penaly on Grapple Checks. +4 Bonus on Hide checks. Uses small weapons. Lift/Carry capacity 3/4 normal for STR.
- Speed: 30ft
- Humanoid (dragonblood, reptilian): For all effects related to race, kobolds are also considered dragons, and reptiles.
- -4 STR, +2 DEX, -2 CON
- Tough Skin: +1 natural AC.
- Darkvision: 60ft. Can see metals in color, but otherwise in black and white.
- Light Blindness: Abrupt exposure to any bright light blinds a Kobold for 1 round. On subsequent rounds, they are dazzled as long as they remain in the affected area.
- Trapmakers: Gains Craft (Mechanical) as a class skill. Gains a +2 bonus on this check when creating traps.
- Languages: Draconic.
Kobold Racial Feats:True Kobold, Wings of Dragonkin.
Basic Information
Biological Traits
Genetics and Reproduction
Known as prolific breeders, Kobolds females are known to decide upon partners to ensure fertilization. Kobold Females can lay between two to six eggs once every four months. At most this happens up to three times a year for a female. Similar to other creatures, Kobolds clutches can have multiple fathers.
Growth Rate & Stages
Ecology and Habitats
Primarily living within natural or man-made caves and cavern complexes, kobolds live a fairly sedientary life. Kobolds have a natural urge to seek out special resources and metals underground, developing cave systems that rival even the greatest Mountain Dwarf. Frequently, kobolds will find mountains worth of raw metals, and set about developing them into ingots for trade.
Dietary Needs and Habits
As an omnivorous species, kobolds are used to roots and fungus that grows within their cave system. When rodents, vermin, or other forms of meat are available they are quickly consumed by the group in steaks or soups, depending on what tools or resources are available.
When gathering food, kobolds will travel in packs in order to find food. either as hunters or gatherers in groups of mixed sexes, with designated spotters to ensure group safety. This food is brought back to the community for preservation or immediate consumption, depending on the needs of the community.
Biological Cycle
As cold blooded creatures, kobolds require less food than other intelligent races during warmer seasons. During this time they shed their skin near the beginning and end of the warm seasons, in large flakes or chunks to reveal shiny new scales underneeth. Kobolds will usually spend the majority of their time underground to help mitigate this shedding, as the smaller flakes are easier to clean up and require less treatment.
Additional Information
Social Structure
Society surrounding Kobold culture starts primarily with religion. Weither beliving in Pollox or his two siblings, kobolds will always follow the rules set in place by the high cleric or shaman of the tribe. To kobolds, the word of the religious leader of the tribe is the absolute pinnacle of law. Even an outsider may become the high shaman of a Kobold tribe, especially a well learned dragon.
When not lead by a religious leader, the most experienced of a tribe will take the mantle of leadership for day to day, or longer operations. Most within Kobold society will follow the demands of this leader without question similarly too a shaman. Usually a shaman will take over this role as well, but failing that, will work closely with the most experienced within the tribe.
Beneath the shaman, children are the most important rank within society, with adults in times of great crisis, sacrificing themselves to even allow the children a chance to grow older, instead of themselves.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Kobolds primarily are found underground in all regions. Because their lineage comes from dragons, the coloring of the scales can usually indicate what the climate outside of the underground can indicate. For example, if the kobolds of a region have white scales, this indicates a snowy, or tundra region, similar to the outlands. Kobold tribes that move around tend to ignore this statistic however, and makes an imperfect assessment of the aboveground, especially when dealing with the vast underground of Grott .
Average Intelligence
When looked upon by an outsider. Kobolds can be seen as savage, unintelligent, and overall, a waste of time to converse with or bother. Seen as a lesser species compared to most, the kobold is left to their own devices so long as they do not bother those "above" their station. It is this exact ideology that makes Kobolds so dangerous.
Kobolds use this 'untouchable' status to their advantage at nearly every turn. Their large supply of metals earn every member of a tribe more wealth and contentment than any other mortal short of a king could even dream of beholding. Their lairs are riddled with traps by those who consider them, "just another stupid mongrel," when trap making is considered an art form in most Kobold societies. And finally, the most dangerous mental gymanstics that one must consider when dealing with Kobolds are their closest allies, Dragons.
No matter the culture, no matter the location in the world, there is a close kinship between kobolds and Dragons as they all behold truths onto the same gods. Weither worshiping Pollox , Chromnis or Pruledna, all dragons see kobolds, if not as equals, as worthy and trustworthy allies. Other than a prediliction, and ease of picking out metals in the dark, the kobold is no more intelligent than any other race.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Thanks to their heritage, Kobolds have developed the ability to see even in the darkest of the caves within Grott. Unlike most other darkvision within the intelligent races of Pondera, Kobolds retain color when dealing with metallic objects or surfaces. This allows kobolds to better mine, and set traps within cave systems they call home.
Kobold hearing, smell, and other sensory capabilities are average alongside all other intelligent races.
Symbiotic and Parasitic organisms
Alongside dragons being an ancestral relative of Kobolds, dragons form a close symbiotic relationship with tribes of Kobolds. Kobolds will usually pay tribute to dragons to ensure protection from stronger or more dangerous foe, but over time dragons may grow to trust Kobolds with other tasks, should the tribe grow strong enough. Everything from protecting dragon eggs in case of wayward adventurers, to farming cattle, or even buying supplies from town. Kobolds and dragons are very much closely regarded friends.
Lithe and thin creatures that they are, Kobolds are considered physically weaker compared to most other races. Their small size, thin frame, and inconsistent diet add up to a fairly frail race compared to most. Kobolds more than make up for this with their tough scales, and their limber frame gives away their quick and stable footing on most surfaces. Though easy to fell eventually in one on one combat. Their quick nature makes dealing with groups of Kobolds a true challenge for new adventurers.
The ancestry of a Kobold is most closely observed in the color of their scales, and the placement of their horns. Though not always the case, a Kobolds closest ancestor on the male side of the family, will share the same color scales. The closest ancestor on the female side of the family will share the same horn placement. Usually the ancestry develops from the original source of their draconic bloodline, and will match the original placement of horns and colors of scales to Dragons.
Comments