Magicks and Abilities
Kobolds are not
known to possess any inherent magicks; however, kobolds are highly proficient
at learning universal magicks, and the matriarchs nearly always learn
witchcraft, alchemy or some other form of non-racial magick.
They have the
natural ability of darkvision and the ability to prevent pregnancy in
themselves. Similar to goblins, kobolds are able to gain power from eating the
hearts of creatures affected by the Culling, however this increase in power is
not anywhere near as dramatic as it is when goblins perform the same action.
However, unique to kobolds, is the ability to gain power from cannibalizing any
aether or nether creature, including dragons and demons. Many scholars believe
that this hints at massive reserves of untapped magickal potential in the
kobold race as a whole.
Known and Unknown History
Shortly after the
formation of the multiverse and the beginning of life on IIo, dragons
discovered a deadly disease preying on their kind. The then god-like dragons
were able to trace its origins back to their ancient enemy whose destruction
was caused by the formation of the multiverse. The demonic residue of that
ancient enemy plagued their race and caused many of the dragon-gods to fall.
The dragons did what they could, but much like their ancient enemy, they could
not eradicate the plague without destroying the host--when that cost was their
home universe, they gladly paid it, but now that the cost was the life of a
dragon, they could not.
Still, as the most
powerful and wisest life-form in the multiverse, the seemingly immortal
dragon-gods arrived at a solution. While they could not eradicate the disease,
they could exorcise it. And so the dragon-gods banished from their bodies any
trace of their former enemy. In so doing, the residue took from them a memory
of its former host. Thus, the kobolds came into existence.
Born from draconic
blood and demonic essence, the kobolds had all of the genetics and background
to become one of the most powerful races of creatures in the multiverse.
Luckily for the multiverse, their history has been one of subjugation and
defeat. It goes without saying that wherever the dragons encountered their
unholy progeny, they stamped them out. When the saurians came into existence
and the dragons were Lessened once more, the kobolds began to carve out their
own niches on prehistoric IIo.
Still, they were
always considered a pest, and the kobolds could never reach an accord with
either the dragons or the saurians. From the latter, the best they could hope
for was to be ignored. Thus the kobolds began to dig deep into the earth. This
made the kobolds one of the first races to settle Tarchannenalt--the World
Below.
When dwarves began
awakening in the depths of the earth, it was with great prejudice that they
carved out their own kingdoms from kobold-controlled land. Again, the kobolds
were pushed to the brink of extinction.
Nevertheless, the
kobold race was nothing if not resilient. Traces of ancient kobold
civilizations can be found, both aboveground and below, all the way up through
the elven conquest of IIo and to the Seal of the Seven Archmagi of the Humes
that banished most of magick from IIo for 20000 years. It was then that any
kobold unaware of their magickal heritage became painfully knowledgeable of the
magicks. A mixture between demonic and draconic magicks, their magick, and as a
consequence their species, was unable to exist in IIo post-Seal.
Luckily, kobolds
continued to exist in the many subRealms of IIo--pocket dimensions formed by
the Seal to compensate for magicks too powerful to cancel. Kobolds lived and
thrived in some of these tiny worlds, and were exterminated in others.
With the Sundering,
kobolds once more journeyed into Tarchannenalt and IIo proper. Again greeted as
pests, they found in the newly created aviadins kindred spirits, and gladly
settled into a parasitic relationship with cities of creatures too busy and important
to deal with the small kobolds.
Beliefs, Legends, and Religion
Kobolds are
remarkably free of demonic corruption and influence. Their legends and beliefs
more closely resemble any people long oppressed. They have many heroes that
they believe once led them to glory and will someday rise up to lead them into
the spotlight again. Kobolds aware of their demonic heritage still do not
practice demon worship, instead choosing to utilize whatever powers they can
glean from their heritage to acquire more power for themselves--perhaps enough
to become a hero.
Kobolds inhabiting
the sewers of other races frequently join cults and subversive religions
present within those religions. With humes, this is usually through cults
dedicated to the Nemesis or to Plague. Perhaps surprisingly, kobolds within
communities of lizardfolk and aviadins rarely believe the propaganda of the
aviadins; kobolds feed on the dead of aviadins as freely as they do lizardfolk.
Relations, Alliances, and Vendettas
Dragons have long
forgotten their relationship with the kobolds, but they can detect the remnant
of draconic magick and demonic residue within individual kobolds. This
knowledge is on a subconscious/intuitive level more than not, and so dragons
will find they are (perhaps unfairly) prejudiced against kobolds.
Kobolds rarely find
they are able to coexist with any creature containing aether magick, as they
are usually unable to control their cravings to consume the flesh and magicks
of these creatures. Kobolds are not compelled to consume creatures capable of nether
magicks, but once a kobold realizes how powerful they can become eating others,
rarely will a kobold make peace.
Kobolds are often
found to be friends with goblins, but goblins do possess a fraction of nether
energy, and so kobolds are just as often found to be eating goblins.
Kobolds are terrible
foes when they are in a position of strength. Luckily, individual kobolds are
nearly always weaker than those they meet and can be dealt with fairly. As long
as a kobold population is not strong enough to easily overwhelm others, they
will usually seek peace. If it is more profitable for kobolds to maintain peace
than war, then they will do so. This explains why kobolds do not overrun
lizardfolk communities after the regular purging of lizardfolk adults.
Subraces/Relatives
Kobolds are somewhat
related to both dragons and demons, a fact that allows them to use certain
artefacts of those races.
Kobolds remain
remarkably unchanged over the millennia since their creation/expulsion, and
possess no genetic differences from the first kobolds.
Class Tendencies and Racial Specific Classes
Kobold males are
almost always some type of fighter, while females are more likely to learn
abilities of universal magick-users.