Kobold

Kobolds are aggressive, inward, yet industrious small humanoid creatures. They are noted for their skill at building traps and preparing ambushes, and mining. They are distantly related to dragons and are often found serving as their minions.

Basic Information

Anatomy

A kobold is a reptilian humanoid, standing between 2' and 2'6" tall, weighing 35 to 45 pounds, with scaled skin between reddish brown and black in colour and burnt orange to red eyes. Their legs are sinewy and digitigrade. They have long, clawed fingers and a jaw like a crocodile. Small white or tan horns protrude from their head, and they have rat-like tails. They will often smell of wet dog and stagnant water. Kobolds like to wear red or orange garments, which are usually ragged.
Like other reptiles, kobolds shed their skin periodically. A growing kobold might do this as frequently as weekly, but a developed one usually sheds once per season. Unlike snakes, kobolds do not shed their entire skin at once; they instead shed portions of it over a period of time, much like lizards do. The process is usually accelerated by rubbing. Bitterleaf is often applied after shedding to help the new scales acquire strength and shine.
At some point in time, kobolds learned to domesticate dire weasels to serve them as guards and hunters. This has resulted in lycanthropic kobold dire weasels. Around one in ten thousand kobolds is a natural lycanthrope in this manner.

Civilization and Culture

Culture and Cultural Heritage

Kobolds are resentful of their short stature and hate members of other races who poke fun at them for this. Most feel as though they ought to compensate for their small size in other ways, such as humour or aggression. They will naturally tend to hate larger creatures, and although they will show respect and obedience if required, they always look for ways to display their resentment.
The ultimate goal of the kobold race is to conquer as much land as possible. They will plan and dig mines industriously, while laying cruel traps for interlopers, preferring an ambush to direct confrontation. If they ever confront an enemy, they will try to overwhelm foes with sheer numbers. Among the monstrous humanoids, they are known for cunning plans, and unlike many others, will also share those plans among the entire tribe. General plans and goals will be common knowledge, and detailed plans are shared with all who ask to allow them to work fruitfully for the good of the tribe. Their society is influenced by their lawful evil alignment.
Kobolds live in the dark, ideally underground or thick forest, in tribal societies. Their lairs are often overcrowded, although when one tribe becomes too numerous, it splits into numerous smaller ones. The overcrowding eliminates the concept of privacy, so kobolds sleep in communal areas where nudity is not regarded as shameful or offensive, even to the opposite sex. Kobolds wear clothing for function or ritual, but not to prevent nudity. The common overcrowding often leads to conflict, and two kobolds will fight to settle their differences, although these fights are not usually lethal. This leads to a lack of deep-rooted divisions or grievances in kobold society.

Lifespan

50 years

Average Height

2' – 2'5"

Average Weight

35–45 lbs