With the understanding that kobolds generally live in scattered disconnected packs without a central societal hierarchy uniting them, it seems odd to me that their aim as a species should be conquering territory or subjugating others as the Forgotten Realms wiki suggests. Such an attitude towards other beings is not unsustainable for such a disorganized people who would find themselves quickly put down by local military forces were they to attempt any sort of a conquest,. It is also simply not the kind of philosophy that would naturally arise in semi-gregarious communities in the first place. I imagine kobolds more in keeping with their Germanic folklore roots, as beings of many dispositions. Some are indeed mischievous or even violent. They trap and rob unwary travellers when they can, and are occasionally quite brutal, though this varies from pack to pack. Others, however, put their naturally keen minds to more noble purposes. They may become merchants, artisans, miners, or treasure hunters, working with people of other races in more mainstream society. The other races of the world possess competing views of kobolds. Some see them as industrious and bright, if occasionally unruly, and believe they bring good luck to miners and sailors. Others, some of whom may have encountered the more dangerous packs that roam the world, tell stories of their cunning traps and schemes, and warn travellers to stay on sunlit paths to avoid them.

The version of kobolds I use in my worldbuilding is subdivided into two subraces: ship kobolds and mine kobolds.The mixed reputation of kobolds in general applies to both subraces, though ship kobolds are usually viewed more positively. Ship kobolds will be covered in this post.

Ship kobold packs spend most of their time at sea, individual packs often forming part of the crew of large vessels or commanding their own. Ship kobolds are stockier than mine kobolds, more brightly colored, and do not have as serious of an aversion to sunlight; they can spend time in the sun without detriment to their performance in tasks and combat, though they cannot see as well in daylight and still prefer to be sheltered belowdecks. Many ship kobolds live their entire lives on a single ship, hatching in their nests in the darkest parts of the hold and only occasionally coming ashore. Most of them have a neutral alignment, their main goal being making a living and keeping themselves fed. Their intelligence makes them perfect fits for the smuggling trade; one particular pack of crewhands was discovered to have trafficked forty barrels of flying snake venom through the Wide World's most secure trade checkpoint.They form strong attachments to one another, and to members of other races whom they may share a ship with; sailors who have travelled with kobold crewmates will attest to their loyalty and sense of purpose.

However, there are plenty of ship kobolds who practice piracy. A small ship can house many more kobolds than it can humans, making them very dangerous as soon as they enter boarding distance. They are known to use the geography of islands and coastlines to their advantage, running larger vessels aground on rocks, trapping merchant crews in coves, and using their keen vision to strike by night.They do not take prisoners, preferring either their members of their packs or voluntary additions to their crew, rather than captives who may not share their loyalty. Instead, they take whatever valuables they need to keep up a living, and strip ships of tools, workable metal, and raw materials to repair their own craft and fashion weapons. The remaining crew who survive the initial raid are left to make their way to the nearest port; one merchant's account even claims that the kobolds who raided his ship left them with even more food and fresh water than they had on board before the raid, ensuring that the survivors would make it to land.

I imagine kobolds as centered around sorcerer clans. 

It seems to be a popular view that kobolds lose their minds over dragons, and their somewhat dubious relation to them. I have no real opinion on that, except to say that.

In my games, and my game worlds, kobolds are centered around sorcerer clans. The 'ruling class' of any large grouping of kobolds are sorcerers - there are other kinds of magic users, but the true sorcerers rule supreme, and lesser magical ability means lower in the hierarchy. Of course, most kobolds have no magical ability, so there's ample room for kobold commando's or what have you to be better off than your rank and file filthy spear-bold.

Such a clan generally possesses one or more items of power, be they orbs or staffs or grimoires or crowns. Overall, it's a mad scramble for the top, and ownership of one or all of the items of power. And of course, depending on the clan, the items could be more or less powerful. But it's worth noting that the current ruler of any kobold clan is potentially rather more powerful than might be expected of such an underrated race. 

From time to time, it may come to pass that the mad scramble to the top comes to a halt: Some lucky, or capable, kobold has managed to rise to the top and stay there, and stave off the likeliest contenders - leaving only those who realise their chances are slim. This produces a stability - at least for a time - during which such a clan may turn it's gaze outwards

Now, not all clans are the same. Some have been stable for generations, and have established stable territories, and relations with neighboring lands. Others, mad on power and lust for conquest, set their sights on world domination - or similar - to mostly predictable results and outcomes. 

But a force of kobolds isn't to be sneezed at. While they certainly aren't great at massed formation warfare, they can bring comparatively vast magical might to bear: The rate of spellcaster per capita is way higher among kobolds than among most other races. Few need fear the average filthy spear-bold. But eldritch knights, soulknives, outright sorcerers and more are far more dangerous than most expect.

I'm sure that there are many different twists on kobold society, from those of us who have a soft spot for them. Here's mine.

Back in the 1E days, I chose to play these NPCs as smarter and more sophisticated than their general description of the time suggested. Back then, none of us played them as PCs. About a year ago, I returned to RP gaming, after 20+ years away, and joined a group in a Forgotten Realms based campaign. I learned that kobolds were now part of the PC lineup.

Stumbling upon this video by Mr Rhexx, strongly tied to Realms lore, I decided that I really like his take on kobold culture, overall. It matched much of what I had envisioned, back in my old DM days. I even like the lore, learned there, that ties them to dragons. As all of us who enjoy lore tend to do, I ran with that, and went a bit further.

Kobolds are tied to dragons; not as mindlessly obedient slaves, but as the caretakers and care givers that the god of all dragons, IO, intended for them to be. According to their lore, dragons are the living conduits that bring magic to the world that they reside on. This makes them sacred to the Kobolds, who treasure the power that the magic grants to them. To lose a dragon is to lose some measure of magic in the world. An egg or wyrmling represents a conduit that will grow in strength, over time.

Back when humans were no more than primitive hunter-gatherers, the Kobolds had already built cities and had established an advanced, wealthy culture. Trade between these cities was common. All of this to better provide for the needs and the desires of the dragons that they willingly cared for. Back then, dragons competed with each other for the right to "rule" over one of these cities. The losers either died, or went off in search of a lesser tribe to care for them.

These reptilian kings and queens were often little more than figureheads, when it came to the actual operation of this civilization. The dragons were kept occupied with regular feedings, gifts, and entertainment; the city's kobold population being more than sufficient to provide for them in this way. In the minds of the kobolds, their dragon was kept there, well fed and contented, as a jealous guardian of the city's treasure. These kobolds believed that their cities, and the tribes that ran them, would outlive this dragon. Therefore, the treasure actually belonged to the kobold tribe.

These sophisticated kobolds had one more, quite powerful, means of providing for the survival, health, and prosperity of their tribes. There is a perhaps forgotten ritual spell, taught to the first kobolds by the god IO. It is difficult; it requires thoughtful preparation, the cooperation of dozens of tribal members and takes hours to properly cast. The end result? Their dragon would sleep for X years, determined by the number of hours spent participating in the ritual and singing the verbal component. [Now you know why dragons sometimes sleep for years on end ;) ]This Ritual of The Long Sleep provided the kobold caretakers with a respite from the demands of their dragon; to allow the tribe, and the local resources, to recover, so the tribe could better serve their dragon upon its awakening [refreshed and in full health]. This also gave any adjoining people, towns, etc., time to recover from the dragon's predations, and perhaps even time enough to forget that a dragon dwells nearby.

The devastation brought down on the Kobolds by Garl Glittergold [or perhaps instead just pressure from the growing human civilization, etc.] left these great underground and surface cities in ruins, and scattered the surviving kobolds. Move toward present day. Many tribes still do what they can to provide for dragons, but even the most powerful of the surviving tribes can no longer muster the numbers and resources needed to build their dragon a city. The best that they can do these days is provide one with a comfortable lair. Other tribes may feel that they cannot provide for a dragon, without the tribe suffering for it. These tribes will do what they can to avoid attracting the attention of a dragon.

Quote from ctrt0877 >>

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The version of kobolds I use in my worldbuilding is subdivided into two subraces: ship kobolds and mine kobolds.The mixed reputation of kobolds in general applies to both subraces, though ship kobolds are usually viewed more positively. Ship kobolds will be covered in this post.

Ship kobold packs spend most of their time at sea, individual packs often forming part of the crew of large vessels or commanding their own. Ship kobolds are stockier than mine kobolds, more brightly colored, and do not have as serious of an aversion to sunlight; they can spend time in the sun without detriment to their performance in tasks and combat, though they cannot see as well in daylight and still prefer to be sheltered belowdecks. Many ship kobolds live their entire lives on a single ship, hatching in their nests in the darkest parts of the hold and only occasionally coming ashore. Most of them have a neutral alignment, their main goal being making a living and keeping themselves fed. Their intelligence makes them perfect fits for the smuggling trade; one particular pack of crewhands was discovered to have trafficked forty barrels of flying snake venom through the Wide World's most secure trade checkpoint.They form strong attachments to one another, and to members of other races whom they may share a ship with; sailors who have travelled with kobold crewmates will attest to their loyalty and sense of purpose.

However, there are plenty of ship kobolds who practice piracy. A small ship can house many more kobolds than it can humans, making them very dangerous as soon as they enter boarding distance. They are known to use the geography of islands and coastlines to their advantage, running larger vessels aground on rocks, trapping merchant crews in coves, and using their keen vision to strike by night.They do not take prisoners, preferring either their members of their packs or voluntary additions to their crew, rather than captives who may not share their loyalty. Instead, they take whatever valuables they need to keep up a living, and strip ships of tools, workable metal, and raw materials to repair their own craft and fashion weapons. The remaining crew who survive the initial raid are left to make their way to the nearest port; one merchant's account even claims that the kobolds who raided his ship left them with even more food and fresh water than they had on board before the raid, ensuring that the survivors would make it to land.

 

 

 I like this notion. Separating their appearance from the undergrounders can also separate them in time; like an evolutionary branch, or at least a powerful magical force steering them away from their cousins.

Quote from Acromos >>

I imagine kobolds as centered around sorcerer clans. 

It seems to be a popular view that kobolds lose their minds over dragons, and their somewhat dubious relation to them. I have no real opinion on that, except to say that.

In my games, and my game worlds, kobolds are centered around sorcerer clans. The 'ruling class' of any large grouping of kobolds are sorcerers - there are other kinds of magic users, but the true sorcerers rule supreme, and lesser magical ability means lower in the hierarchy. Of course, most kobolds have no magical ability, so there's ample room for kobold commando's or what have you to be better off than your rank and file filthy spear-bold.

Such a clan generally possesses one or more items of power, be they orbs or staffs or grimoires or crowns. Overall, it's a mad scramble for the top, and ownership of one or all of the items of power. And of course, depending on the clan, the items could be more or less powerful. But it's worth noting that the current ruler of any kobold clan is potentially rather more powerful than might be expected of such an underrated race. 

From time to time, it may come to pass that the mad scramble to the top comes to a halt: Some lucky, or capable, kobold has managed to rise to the top and stay there, and stave off the likeliest contenders - leaving only those who realise their chances are slim. This produces a stability - at least for a time - during which such a clan may turn it's gaze outwards

Now, not all clans are the same. Some have been stable for generations, and have established stable territories, and relations with neighboring lands. Others, mad on power and lust for conquest, set their sights on world domination - or similar - to mostly predictable results and outcomes. 

But a force of kobolds isn't to be sneezed at. While they certainly aren't great at massed formation warfare, they can bring comparatively vast magical might to bear: The rate of spellcaster per capita is way higher among kobolds than among most other races. Few need fear the average filthy spear-bold. But eldritch knights, soulknives, outright sorcerers and more are far more dangerous than most expect.

I too like the idea of sorcerer clans. It makes sense to me. In fact, I'm currently playing a very tribal type of kobold sorcerer, dedicated to manipulation of mineral substances above all other concerns. Not a well balanced PC, powers-wise, but great fun for story building.

For most of the last many years, I based kobolds on the Tharks of Barsoom, culturally.

Quote from first_rolled_a_die_in_1976 >>

I too like the idea of sorcerer clans. It makes sense to me. In fact, I'm currently playing a very tribal type of kobold sorcerer, dedicated to manipulation of mineral substances above all other concerns. Not a well balanced PC, powers-wise, but great fun for story building.

 Thanks and likewise. There's a nice thread to your lore, it makes sense and it's coherent. 

I think I just hate subservient races - like kobolds basically enslaving themselves to dragons. I like for dumb brutes like ogres to be manipulated by smarter races, but races of human level intelligence should be able to build some level of succes for themselves. So mostly, all my various races have ... something going for them. 

For kobolds? It's magic. Lot's of it. But in a shifty, chaotic way - not the famed academies of arcane lore that humans have, nor the innate ease of the elves (Old wives tale! There are no elves!), sorcerers coming and going. But when a powerful sorcerer amasses a lot of those powerful artifacts too, and whips one - or more - of the tribes into a coherent force, they're actually quite terrifying.

I suppose that the kobolds of my lore look on it not as servitude or enslavement, but more akin to animal husbandry, with the added danger of high intelligence, combined with the hazards associated with living under most any form of monarchic rule.

Animal husbandry in the same way that humans will keep and care for unpredictable and potentially dangerous animals, like cattle, in exchange for milk and other products. Like keeping bees, and reaping the sweet reward won with the pain of a few stings. The tribe keeps a dragon, and reaps the reward of having a conduit of magic close at hand, as well as a powerful guardian of the tribe's treasure, and some measure of tribal security ["I hear they have an ancient dragon," tends to discourage all but the most potent of NPCs/PCs]. That dragon may kill and possibly eat the occasional tribes-member. It may go out on a hunt, and bring the wrath of the nearest townspeople against the tribe, but the magic, and the tribe's ability to quickly make up for any (given) loss in (their) numbers, generally makes these losses acceptable for them. As individuals, they also take comfort in their strong belief in certain reincarnation, and further rewards in the afterlife for outstanding actions in the service of their people.

Like many monarchs, the dragon's desires and demands may, on occasion, cause grief for the tribe. I would argue that other species of monarch are often no better to, or for, their subjects than a dragon might be.

This attitude makes much more sense, if one truly has a tribe-first mindset: "How can I become most effective in working toward the betterment of my people, my tribe?" Gaining respect and position among one's people that way, rather than, "How can I gain power and wealth within this culture?" Within this lore, the kobold social structure, and mindset, is intentionally foreign to our modern human standard, here on Planet Earth. I take some measure of comfort in these folk not being quite so human in their behavior. None of this mindset minutia makes for improved game rules based play, and is not forced upon any PC, but I'm finding it enjoyable to play one this way.

Regarding the magic aspect, and the terrifying potential of a large, well organized tribe(s) of these folk, I'm with you there 100%. Especially when defending a long-established lair, a powerful tribe can wear down even the most powerful of adventure parties.

Quote from AEDorsay >>

For most of the last many years, I based kobolds on the Tharks of Barsoom, culturally.

 Nice! I can see that! Thanks for the reminder. I haven't read anything from Ed in at least 40 years. Time for a review, I'd say.

Quote from first_rolled_a_die_in_1976 >>

Quote from AEDorsay >>

For most of the last many years, I based kobolds on the Tharks of Barsoom, culturally.

 Nice! I can see that! Thanks for the reminder. I haven't read anything from Ed in at least 40 years. Time for a review, I'd say.

I read my ERB about once every 5 years or so, lol. I've used Amtor stuff as well, lol.