Kobolds

Kobolds are a cowardly, sadistic race of short humanoids that vigorously contest the human and demi-human races for living space and food. They especially dislike gnomes and attack them on sight.

Barely clearing 3 feet in height, kobolds have scaly hides that range from dark, rusty brown to a rusty black. They smell of damp dogs and stagnant water. Their eyes glow like a bright red spark and they have two small horns ranging from tan to white. Because of the kobolds' fondness for wearing raggedy garb of red and orange, their non-prehensile rat-like tails, and their language (which sounds like small dogs yapping), these fell creatures are often not taken seriously. This is often a fatal mistake, for what they lack in size and strength they make up in ferocity and tenacity.

Kobolds speak their own language; some (75%) speak orc and goblin.

Combat
The kobold approach to combat uses overwhelming odds or trickery. Kobolds will attack gnomes on sight, but will think twice about attacking humans, elves, or dwarves unless the kobolds outnumber them by at least two to one. They often hurl javelins and spears, preferring not to close until they see that their enemies have been weakened. Kobolds attack in overwhelming waves. Should the kobolds be reduced to only a three to two ratio in their favor, they must make a morale check. Kobolds are wary of spellcasters and will aim for them when possible. This diminutive race also enjoys setting up concealed pits with spikes, crossbows, and other mechanical traps. They usually have view ports and murder holes near these traps so that they can pour flaming oil, missile weapons, or drop poisonous insects on their victims.

Kobold war bands are armed with spiked clubs, axes, javelins, short swords and spears. Their shields are seldom metal, but are normally wood or wicker. Chiefs and guards tend to have the best weapons available.

Kobolds have 60-foot infravision but do not see well in bright sunlight.

Habitat/Society
Kobolds live in dark, damp places underground and in overgrown forests. They can be found in almost any climate. As kobolds are good miners, any area with potential for mining is fair game for settlement.

The average kobold tribe has 40 - 400 adult males. For every 40 kobolds in a band there will be one leader and two bodyguards. In a lair there will be 5-20 bodyguards, females equal to 50% of the males, young equal to 10% of the males and 30-300 eggs. There will also be a chief and 2-8 guards. Further, there is a chance there will be guard animals: 2-5 wild boars or 1-4 giant weasels. There may be one or more shamans.

Their society is tribal but can be further broken up into war bands based on specific clans. As many as 10 families can be part of a clan, and each clan usually is responsible for controlling the area in a 10 mile radius from the lair. Kobolds recover treasure from the bodies of their victims and often carry them back to their lair as food. In some instances, kobolds will not kill their victims, but will sell them as slaves.

Kobolds are distrustful of strangers. They hate brownies, pixies, sprites and gnomes. Gnomes are never eaten or taken prisoner.

Ecology
Perhaps kobolds are so cruel because they are easy prey for larger humanoids and hungry monsters. They have many enemies, and even the dwarves have had to admit that the numerous kobold-goblin wars have kept the number of goblins down to a safe level.

Kobolds can live 135 years.

KOBOLD RITUAL
The Draconic Rite of Passage (see page 43 of Races of the Dragon) is a ritual that grants any kobold who completes the rite a 1st-level sorcerer spell-like ability of their choice, usable once per day. To recharge this ability, a kobold must complete the Searching for the Dragon meditation each day, which equates to same amount of time a sorcerer must spend concentrating to replenish their spells. The following ritual is an extension of the Draconic Rite of Passage.

Greater Draconic Rite of Passage
The Greater Draconic Rite of Passage is a powerful ritual handed down from dragons to kobolds as a reward for their undying loyalty. In the same way that chromatic and metallic dragons gain integrated levels of sorcerer spellcasting as they age, this ritual allows kobolds to awaken a small amount of their own arcane might.

Prerequisites: Only kobolds of stout Magical capability, who have successfully completed the Draconic Rite of Passage, and taken Draconic Reservoir can undergo the Greater Draconic Rite of Passage. A kobold requires no one else to perform the rite; it is a solitary activity.

Benefit: Upon completing this rite, a kobold gains new spells per day and an increase in spell effectiveness as if also gaining more power over his/her abilities. The kobold does not, however, gain any other benefit a sorcerer would have gained (familiar abilities, and so on).

The benefit of this ritual is automatically factored into the 15 minutes that a kobold sorcerer spends concentrating to ready their daily allotment of spells. No kobold can benefit from this rite more than once.

Time: A kobold who undergoes this rite must first endure nine days of fasting (the equivalent of three days for a kobold in a region above 40 degrees F). Immediately thereafter, the kobold must succeed on a Concentrating to enter a deep trance that lasts for 24 hours. If the concentration is broken, the rite must begin a new.