The Kobolds of Khorvaire

The kobolds of Khorvaire trace their history to the dawn of Eberron. According to ancient legend, kobolds were formed from the drops of blood shed in the battle between Eberron, Siberys, and Khyber. A new generation of dragons descended from Siberys, Khyber brought forth fiends and horrors, and Eberron gave birth to the creatures of nature -- but the kobolds were already there, spawned from the first battle. True or not, this myth is the driving force behind kobold psychology and culture.

Two subraces of kobold exist in Khorvaire: the iredar and the irvhir. These two races share a common appearance, however the key distinction between the kobold subraces is supernatural. Kobolds produce a surprising number of sorcerers, which is a phenomenon they attribute to their supposed bond to the progenitor dragons. Irvhir sorcerers typically possess spells tied to corruption and darkness, while iredar sorcerers usually have powers of defense and binding.

Kobold Traits

Kobolds share certain racial traits as a result of their draconic ancestry.

Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2.

Age. Kobolds reach adulthood at age 6 and can live up to 120 years but rarely do so.

Alignment. Kobolds are fundamentally selfish, making some view them as evil, but this is a common misconception. Most kobolds just want to be left alone, as such they tend toward neutrality. Their reliance on the strength of their group makes them lean toward law.

Size. Kobolds are between 2 and 3 feet tall and weigh between 25 and 35 pounds. Your size is Small.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Superior Darkvision. Accustomed to life underground, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 120 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Natural Armor. You have tough, scaly skin. When you aren't wearing armor, your AC is 11 + your Dexterity modifier. You can use your natural armor to determine your AC if the armor you wear would leave you with a lower AC. A shield's benefits apply as normal while you use your natural armor.

   Scurry. You can move through the space of any creature that is of a size larger than yours.

Trap Sense. Your time spent living underground grants you special insight into the locations of traps hidden in the shadows. Whenever you make a Wisdom (Perception) check to locate traps in dim light, you are considered proficient in the Perception skill and add double your proficiency bonus to the check, instead of your normal proficiency bonus.

Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Draconic.

Subrace. Two subraces of kobolds populate Eberron: the iredar and the irvhir. Choose one of these subraces.

Iredar

The iredar (Draconic for "ones of earth") trace their ancestry to the progenitor dragon Eberron. They are more personable than the irvhir due to greater contact with the surface world.

Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score increases by 1.

Iredar Instincts. Your racial instincts allows you to reproduce some minor magical effects via mundane means. You are proficient with artisan’s tools (alchemist’s supplies) and you produce these spell effects through these supplies. You must have a spellcasting focus—specifically alchemist’s supplies—in hand when you cast spells with this feature.

You know the acid splash cantrip. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the grease spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. When you reach 5th level, you can cast the web spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.

'Kobold Chieftain' image by BryanSyme.