Homebrew
Urd (Winged Kobold)
The dragon scale toughens our skin.
The dragon bone adorns our skull.
The dragon heart flames our sorcery.
We are the dragon, and for the dragon we live.
Long live the dragon.
— An Urd war chant, as witnessed by
Majer Cullen Hightower of Stone Castle
Kobolds are aggressive, insular, and arrogant, but they are also industrious and brave. They are noted for their skills in building traps and preparing ambushes, and of course in the pursuit of mining. They would have you believe that they are distantly related to dragons but I would say in response that so is a gecko. A kobold is a reptilian humanoid that stands between 1.5 and 2 cubits tall, weighing 3 to 4 stone, with scaled skin that runs between reddish brown and black in color, with burnt orange eyes. Direct sunlight seems to present an issue with their eyes and they seem to prefer darker conditions. Their legs are sinewy and digitigrade. They possess long, clawed fingers and a powerful jaw that will remind you of a crocodile. Small white or tan horns protrude from their head, just behind their eyes, and they have long thin, almost whip like tails that are reminiscent of common desert lizards. They often smell of a wet dog or stagnant water. They seem to prefer red or orange garments, which are commonly ragged and dirty. They adorn their bodies with bits of bone and feather, along with tokens taken from those they have killed.
- a portion of a report filed by Adbella Thevon, Iron Way field scholar
Those damn flying Kobolds have grown increasingly aggressive in their
possession of the skies over the the southern tip of the Cascade Range,
east of the Whispering Sands. Something is going to have to be done
about this growing threat. What are we paying you people for?!!
- part of a communique sent by Duke Sirend of Oasis to the Archmage Fara Everflight
Urd, which is a draconic word that simply means "wing", are actually distant relatives of kobolds, in spite of the common "winged kobold" nomenclature. It is said that they once were kobold, even if a lack of written history prevents anyone from tying the two together in the distant past. Urds are just a bit taller than their "cousins", and they possess leathery wings that can stretch out as far as 3 times their height. In flight, the Urd are fast and can maneuver with uncanny agility. In contrast to this, they are not very graceful on land. This is because they are forced to hunch themselves forward to offset the weight of their relatively large wings. This forces them to almost hop when they are walking on land. Much like their distant relatives, Urd rarely wear a lot of clothing and enjoy decorating themselves with natural trinkets such as bones and fruit.
Urd are aggressive in nature, and are often seen as "evil" in the eyes of other races. Because of their belligerent nature, Urd are known to have a lower level of intelligence and are apt to attack without cause. This, of course, is a rough description and may be overgeneralized. Unlike characterization seen in Kobold, gold and other so-called precious metals have little value to the Urd. This is possibly because metals are too heavy to be carried while flying. They seem to value fine leather armor, and melee weapons that are lighter and easier to carry, such as spears. Though they seldom wear more than leather armors, they have been seen using small shields to fit with the effectiveness of their spear. As a currency, the Urd prefer to use shiny stones and gems over metal coins. Like the dragons they claim relation to, the Urd are known to keep hoards of their prized possessions in small hovels high in the mountains. Unlike the kobold, the Urd have developed a culture that more closely mirrors that of the draconic clans.
Like their distant relatives, the Urd are able to see quite well in dark and dimly lit conditions. Also like the kobold, they are at a disadvantage when subjected to direct sunlight or other places of extreme light.
Urd (Winged Kobold) Traits
They are so much more than just a "flying kobold." They are a people unto themselves, even if one of them still occasionally pops up in a clutch of eggs laid by a kobold.
Ability Score Adjustments
You gain a bonus of +1 to both your Strength and your Dexterity, and a +2 to your Wisdom. You suffer a -1 to your Intelligence.
Age
The Urd will reach adulthood at the young age of 6. In spite of this, they have the ability to live very long lives and can live up to 120 years. However, few rarely reach this old age.
Alignment
Urd are fundamentally selfish, and this marks them as "evil" in the eyes of many others. Their reliance on the strength and customs of their clan makes them trend toward order and law.
Size
As an Urd, you are between 30 and 40 inches tall and weigh between 25 and 35 pounds. Your size is considered Small, in spite of the relatively large wing span you possess.
Darkvision
You can see in dim light within 60 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.
Sunlight Sensitivity
You have disadvantage on attack rolls and on Wisdom(Perception) checks that rely on sight when you, the target of your attack, or whatever you are trying to perceive is in direct sunlight.
Pack Tactics
You have advantage on a melee attack roll against a creature if at least one of your allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated.
Flight
You have a flying speed of 30 feet. To use this speed, you cannot be wearing medium or heavy armor, or be over encumbered in any way.
Draconic Legacy
Because of the blood ties you have with the Draconic clans, you gain the following:
- You have advantage on Constitution saving throws when it comes to keeping concentration upon a spell.
- You have advantage on saving throws to avoid or end a frightened condition on yourself.
- You have the ability to cast one cantrip off the Sorcerer spell list. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability score, however.
Language
You can read, write, and speak in Draconic. You can speak enough common to be understood, but you cannot read or write in this language.
Unarmed Attack
With the talons on your long fingers, you are able to strike out with an empty hand to hit a target that is within 5' of you, doing 2d4 damage. You can make this attack as a bonus action, as well as a reaction to an enemy passing from or through your reach.
Comments