Kobolds

"You know, you don't have to avoid the kobolds. They're not going to hurt you just because they look like tiny wingless dragons."
"Human! Thank you for your kind words! We do look like dragons!"
"See? Harmless, friendly even."

— Two friends and a kobold

Skygazing but Wingless

Long ago, or so the kobolds tell it, they soared alongside the great dragons. They whisper that their kind once had broad, shimmering wings that caught the light of the sun, and that they had offered them up, a sacrifice of their freedom, to protect the great dragons from calamity. They say it saved the dragons but left the kobolds earthbound, their forms diminished yet imbued with purpose.
This tale is told in a thousand variations, each laced with a thread of truth and a tapestry of embellishment. Yet every kobold carries the same legacy in their bones, a yearning for what was lost and a fierce pride in what was gained.
Their diminutive forms conceal a remarkable versatility. No two clans are alike, for their bodies adapt swiftly to their environments. In the swamps, kobolds develop webbed fingers and amphibious lungs, their eyes glinting like polished jade in the gloom. On the edges of volcanoes, their scales glow faintly red, resistant to sweltering heat and sharp as obsidian. Mountain-dwelling clans grow longer limbs and prehensile tails, scaling cliffs with an ease that defies gravity.
This adaptability is not merely a physical trait but a reflection of their spirit; wherever they go, kobolds find a way to thrive, transforming even the most inhospitable terrain into a home.

Earthbound but Soaring

The heart of kobold culture lies in their stories. They are master storytellers, preserving their history and identity through an oral tradition that is both vibrant and sacred. Kobold bards, called "scalesingers", are revered figured who carry the weight of generations in their tales. Through song, rhythm, and mimicry, they recreate not just events but emotions, drawing listeners into a shared memory.
Every scarred stone and forgotten ruin is a chapter waiting to be read. Kobolds believe their stories hold power - to heal, to warn, and to bind their scattered kin. The greatest of these tales are etched into their very flesh. Runic scars, glowing faintly in moonlight, adorn the scales of elder kobolds, each rune a fragment of their people's collective soul. These scars are not chosen lightly; they are earned through acts of valour, sacrifice, or profound understanding.
Though kobolds often face scorn and misunderstanding from other mortals, they endure. They build labyrinthine warrens, not as hiding places but as sanctuaries for their culture and kind. Though they know they will never regain their wings, they carry their legacy forward, every scar a story, every scale a shield. Earthbound they may be, but their spirits soar - untethered, unbroken, and ever reaching.