Kobold (Almish)

Small but tenacious, proud warriors and pioneers of invention

One of many small beast-kin dominated by their larger and more aggressive neighbours, Almish kobolds fled the surface world in ancient times, long before the War of Empires raged. In Alm’s cavernous underworld they found a truly sinister salvation; one they now refuse to name, calling it only the tyrant god. This malevolent deity claimed them as its own, ensuring their survival as long as they satisfied its hunger, and saw to it that they flourished in number despite its vast appetite.

However, the kobolds discovered more than just religion in Alm’s hidden heart; they also found the incredible relics of the Precursors. With these they would finally take fate into their own hands, secretly studying and restoring the artefacts until they could do the unthinkable—assassinate their god.

Thus did the Almish kobolds change the course of history, revealing the tyrant’s divinity—perhaps all divinity—to be a ruse. This world-shaking event changed the way Alm perceived religion forever, and made the kobolds the pioneers of the what would later become known as “technology”.

Play a kobold if you want…

• to be a little bit lizard, a little bit weasel and a little bit dog.
• to be an inventor of machines and magecraft.
• to come from the people who murdered a god.

Physical Qualities

Unlike many beast-kin, Almish kobolds have no clear resemblance to a single animal, but rather a curious mix of mammalian and reptilian traits. They are small and thin creatures, long-bodied like a weasel, whose natural stance is sitting over their haunches. Though they stand flat-footed and walk upright slowly, they can drop effortlessly to all fours for a remarkable burst of speed. Their tails are long and surprisingly muscular, eventually tapering to a point from a thick base that aids their balance.

Their long, toothy snouts are distinctly reptilian; some are broad and rounded like that of a crocodile, while others are pointed like a skink or even beaked like a tortoise. Their long, floppy ears are distinctly more dog-like, as are their fur coats, ranging from long and shaggy to short and bristly. Beneath their fur, they have tough leathery skin and hard bony scales; some have barely any fur at all, and even sport reptilian crests or fins.

An Almish kobold has a slightly shorter lifespan than a human, though they also mature somewhat more quickly. They exhibit no reliable sexual dimorphism—indeed, their sexual characteristics are not normally visible under their fur, meaning they care little for clothing beyond useful or pretty accessories.

Playing an Almish Kobold

Almish kobolds have a history of both fear and pride; most are stubborn, slow to trust, and distinctly uncomfortable with authority. However, this contrary streak makes them fiercely protective of their kin, including those outsiders they consider family. As adventurers, they are tough, determined creatures whose courage belies their small size.

Possessed of a frenetic energy, Almish kobolds are difficult to control or keep up with. They are renowned for a sort of bizarre sideways-thinking that leads them to ideas other creatures might never reach. Their off-the-wall solutions often seem incomprehensible to others—even moreso the disquieting devices they create—but it’s difficult to argue that they aren’t effective. Not all kobolds are gadgeteers, of course, but most still tend toward creativity and unconventional cleverness.

Philosophy is not a traditional area of interest for kobolds, but since the death of their “god”, it has become a point of much curiosity. If one god is a lie, what of godhood as a whole? What of the promised afterlife? Much debate moves through kobold communities regarding this topic, though most of it seems a simple contest of exaggeration. It is broadly believed that they will eventually vote in the most outrageous theory.

Almish Kobolds are perceived as… Inventive, impulsive, inquisitive, energetic, irreverent, courageous, industrious, tough, sceptical, stubborn.

Names: Arytiss, Chicahua, Edar, Leirith, Manauia, Mejir, Nanixtl, Neitl, Skeltr, Talz, Tihuirl, Vaess.

Kobold children are only sometimes given names, and are more often called by nicknames. A kobold chooses their true name when they reach adulthood, a tradition meant to embody the importance of choosing one’s own fate.