Kobold [revised]

“Kobolds are a lot less cute when they learn how to cast fireballs”

                                                                                        — Volo

Kobolds are often dismissed as cowardly, foolish, and weak, but these little reptilian creatures are clever with their hands, and viciously work together in order to overcome their physical limitations. Kobold are short in stature, despite the draconic blood running in their veins, with the tallest of them barely reaching 3 feet and weighing no more than 35 pounds. Because of their small size, kobold often have to adopt unorthodox means of achieving victory. This usually leads to traps, which kobold are well known for crafting.

Unlike the true dragons they worship, kobolds don't have set colours that reflect certain personality traits. Whole tribes usually are the same one or two colours, and the colour of a kobold has no bearing on its abilities or skill set. Kobolds display many of the traits that true dragons display, and are often either proud, or vain (or both). While individual kobolds prefer to run away from a fight, they know that there is greatness within them and are proud that they were chosen to be the blood-kin of dragons. Despite this, a typical kobold acknowledges its weakness in the face of a hostile world. However, a kobold finds satisfaction in its work, the survival of its tribe, and the knowledge that it shares a heritage with mighty dragons. While the individual kobold can be cowardly, this changes when they fight directly alongside their tribe. They believe that they will be rewarded in the afterlife if they die in the service of their tribe, and as such are far less fearful. Kobolds, aside from the occasional adventurer, are also quite content with their lives, provided they can mine and be with their families, and receive the occasional praise from dragons.

Kobolds are renowned for their worship of dragons, in which case they cast aside any pride they have and willingly and proudly serve such mighty creatures without a thought of treason. If the dragon expresses cruelty, they will tolerate it or simply go away instead of seeking revenge. They even display strong acts of courage while within their service. Strangely, they have the same sentiment towards dragonborn and half dragons, whom they consider to be dragons. This often
leads to the annoyance of dragonborn, many of whom
hold resentment towards dragons for past slavery.
However, their obsessive loyalty and devotion, and their
skill at handling the sewage
of draconic communities,
causes the other draconic
races to tolerate their
presence. And those that
are able to put their pride
aside acknowledge that more
than one draconic community has
been saved by using the kobolds
overwhelming numbers and
unorthodox way of fighting.

Kobolds are naturally skilled at tunneling. Similar to dwarves, they have a near-instinctive sense of what sections of stone or earth are strong or weak, are bearing a load or are safe to excavate, or are likely to contain minerals or offer access to water. This ability enables them to fashion secure homes in places where other creatures wouldn't feel safe. Their favorite past time is bathing, and they seek out natural springs and hot springs. The latter also being quite popular with half dragons.

Kobolds take advantage of their size by creating small-diameter tunnels that they can easily pass through, but that require larger creatures to hunch or even crawl to make progress. Due to their small size, many kobold often feel that there's safety in numbers. As such they rarely strike out on their own, unless it's a mission of great importance or they are serving or proving themselves to a dragon.

A kobold can be fooled with smooth words or a quick wit, but when the kobold figures out it has been tricked, it remembers the affront. And when possible will retaliate against that person somehow, even if merely in a petty way.

Though they are far less grudgeful against draconic races, feeling that they act so because they must prove their worth.

Kobold Names

Kobold names are derived from the Draconic tongue and usually relate to a characteristic of the owner, such as scale colour, distinctive body parts, or typical behavior. For example, "Red Foot, "White Claw" and "Scurry" are Common translations of often-used names. A kobold might change its name when it becomes an adult, or add additional word-syllables after important events such as completing its first hunt, laying its first egg, or surviving its first battle. Because kobolds can change sex to suit a tribe's needs, they don't differentiate between male or female names.

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Kobold Names: Arix, Eks, Ett, Galax, Garu, Hagnar, Hox, Irtos, Kashak, Meepo, Molo, Ohsoss, Rotom, Sagin, Sik, Sniv, Taklak, Tes, Urak, Varn.

You are resourceful and clever for a kobold, although quite eccentric as well. You gain the following benefits:

• Your created traps (found on page 84 of Xanathar's Guide to Everything) deal double the standard damage, and you can create one within 1 minute once between rests.
• You carry six of your inventions with you, and you can use each of the options below as an action once. Their DC is 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier. All initial damage caused by your inventions increases by an additional 1d6 at 8th level, 12th level, 16th level and 20th level. You also add your proficiency bonus to the attack rolls of your insect swarms. You can choose to panic and use one of your inventions as a bonus action instead of an action, however you must then roll a d6 die to determine which invention you use. If you roll a used invention, then nothing happens. While using an invention this way, you can choose not to cause its effects. You can only use one invention each turn. After finishing a long rest, and spending 10 minutes to forage and prepare, you can regain all expended uses of your inventions.

1- Acid. You hurl a flask of volatile acid to a location within 20 feet of you. Those within 10 feet of that location must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking 2d6 acid damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

2- Pocket Sand. You throw sand at a creature within 5 feet of you. The target must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or be blinded until the end of your next turn.

3- Scorpion on a Stick. You attack a creature within 5 feet of you with a scorpion tied to the end of a 5-foot-long pole. The target automatically suffers 1 piercing damage and it must make a Constitution saving throw, taking 2d6 poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. On a failed save the target is also poisoned for 1 minute. The affected target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success.

4- Skunk in a Cage. You release a skunk into an unoccupied 5-foot-square space within 20 feet of you, which immediately sprays its musk at a random creature within 5 feet of it. The target must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the target retches and can't take actions for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, and whenever it takes damage, ending the effect on a success.

5- Volatile Fire. You hurl a flask of fire to a creature within 20 feet of you, who must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the target suffers 1d6 initial fire damage, and 1d6 additional fire damage at the start of each of its turns. A creature can take an action to extinguish the flames.

6- Wasp Nest in a Bag. You throw a small basket into a 5-foot-square space within 20 feet of you. A swarm of insects (wasps) emerges from it, immediately takes its turn after yours, and attacks the nearest creature until that creature is reduced to 0 hit points, after which the swarm disperses.

These inventions look like a mess of scrap or alchemy, therefore others are unwilling to purchase them.

Other creatures are also unable to use your inventions.