Discovering: Kobolds (Patreon)

Saturday post from the computer of the resident Griffon.

Hello again everyone! This post is going to be all about a main group of creatures that will feature in Homestead called Kobolds! All of this tasty lore was written by Silk Wright. It goes over some questions that might be common about just what Kobolds are and what they are all about, so without further ado:

1. What exactly ARE Kobolds? By that, I mean where do they originate? Are they like Kobolds from DnD?
   
   Kobolds in Cancordis are one of the first Descendant races. They are specifically a Second-Branch Descendant race, meaning they are directly descended from a Progenitor race, the first mortal races to come after the Gods themselves. Kobolds' history cannot be easily detached from the dragons' history. At the beginning of the world, a God decided to take a prideful form and, in their self-admiration, created a mortal race in their image, yet gave each part only a sliver of their magnificence to keep them all lesser. This race came to be known as the Dragons. They were granted far more strength and ability than any other mortal race of the time, with incredible lifespans, powerful breath that could change the environment, and speed beyond most mortal comprehension.
   
   In the earliest of days, it's said that the God from which Dragons were granted their forms cursed some who were too prideful, rendering their children smaller, weaker, and less potent. Yet some other mythos believe that the Dragons themselves created Kobolds from nothingness, using bits of their water and flame to create new life. However, most modern scientists agree that Kobolds were a genetic anomaly that stabilized itself by seeking like mates, whether with other Kobolds or mortal races, eventually spawning the further subset species known as Kirin.
2. Do the Kobolds live anywhere centrally? Or are they spread out across Cancordis? And What kind of personalities do they have? Do they have a central personality that has some wiggle room? Or are they all relatively unique?
   
   Kobolds, as a race, dominate the Great Cape and generally inhabit the Western portion of the world; whether in the watery recesses of the Southern Cap or near the Burning Peak of the north, kobolds stand varied. There are many tribes of Kobolds, but in general, there are four major ones. Corresponding to the seasons, there are the:
   
   Atoili'Kai - The Tribe of Refreshing Thought. Closely associated with the Kobold ideal of Spring and Water. They value momentum, the idea of past actions leading to future growth, the same concept many civilizations have of 'planting seeds.' They value adaptation, the ability to flow and move around obstacles or obstructions in life or love. They encourage empathy, understanding, and knowledge, often being the patrons for great schools of learning in Kobold culture. These schools not only teach academia but also focus on emotional and divine understanding, seeking to mix sciences with spirituality. This tribe is most often found by the coastline or near rivers, even building over or under the water. They try to integrate flowing water into their architecture, whether through personal waterfalls or even pumps.
   
   Pharkal'Kai - The Tribe of Forward Flame. Closely associated with the Kobold ideal of Summer and Fire. They value progress through hardship, learning from one's failures to achieve success, much like firewood fuels a flame. Conflict, being just another form of failure, will lead to greater understanding and, ultimately, greater ability not just for the self, but for all. Aggression, ambition, and power are all simply steps to achieve a greater state of divinity, that anything worth doing is worth doing with all of your spirit and ability. The most militaristic of the Kobold tribes, they too value growth and learning, though their systems of learning tend to involve a lot more debate. Thus, many tribe leaders, military commanders, and some of the most prominent Kobold debaters tend to come from the Pharkal'Kai. They tend to inhabit more ashen, volcanic regions, such as near the Third Peak or, in some cases, even inside of a volcano proper. They, if able, tend to prefer fire or molten rock for their heating systems and favor heavy stone for their construction materials.
   
   Wawoi'Kai - The Tribe of Free Playing. Closely associated with the Kobold ideal of Autumn and Air. They value change, the idea that all things must eventually shift, adapt, or be left behind. Chaos, liberty, the notion that restraints only hold back the spirit and that one is at their purest when they are free to do as they see fit. Creativity, expression, and fulfillment, that purpose comes from within, not without, and that each individual has something they can add to the world, once again through change, and that expecting things to remain as they are is in itself a form of death. Some of the most artistic and innovative individuals tend to come from the Wawoi'Kai, and they tend to be some of the first voices to speak up when met with oppression or restriction. They favor regions of forest and meadow, often thicker, leafier canopies rather than the colder evergreen regions. They usually try to incorporate woods and flowers into their structures, some of the most radical of the tribe even choosing to live amongst the branches.
   
   Tekk'Kai - The Tribe of Forever. Closely associated with the Kobold idea of Winter and Earth. These are some of the physically largest kobolds of the various tribes, and they value perseverance, the ability to persist through any hardship and resist any eroding influence. Whether physically or mentally, these are the hardest kobolds to get to change their mind once it's set, and likewise, some of the hardest to stop once they begin to move. They value tradition, believing that what once worked can work again. Stubborn, but admirable, and yet not entirely without change themselves. Death is revered in their culture, it being something of grave importance, a reunification of the soul and the Divine. Traditions are laid to rest in their culture in a similar fashion of gravitas, and new methodologies are developed, but slowly, painstakingly. This tends to lead to long neutral periods in their leadership, every action observed from all possible angles. These kobold can inhabit even the most punishing of environments, being some of the only ones able to survive in badlands, deserts, and steppe regions. They are often seen living underground, sometimes leading to fantastic caverns hollowed out beneath the sands, giving their cities a certain gravitas, which is fitting considering the weight that the Tekk'Kai put on death.
   
   Buld'Kai - The Tribe of Divinity. Also known as The Great Tribe, this is a tribe formed of the cooperative spirit of all the other tribes, unifying to create what is perceived by some as a Kobold Utopia. It is the aggregate efforts put forward by the leaders of the other major tribes to compete with new rising nations in terms of both ability and resources; to attempt to put aside any differences in culture in order to 'reach a new age' and 'come closer to Divinity.' Influences of all the tribes, both major and minor, melt together in The Great Tribe, creating a culture wholly its own, and lineage has begun to blur with the younger generations, leading to what many call the next step in draconic heritage.
3. What do Kobolds typically look like? Like Dragons? Or more like big lizards?
   
   Kobolds, as a race, vary in exact shape and size, but they all share similar physical traits. Coats of scales, spines of some sort, often along their back and head. Their eyes are slitted; their irises tend to be colored in a shade similar to their horns and spines. Many have prominent brow ridges, similar to the eyebrows of other races. Some still have wings, tails, or horns of different sizes and quantities. Kobolds are most commonly described as 'small dragons' or 'giant lizards'.

And thats all we are able to currently share with Kobolds! But as their image is fully realized, players will be able to learn much more about our scaly friends through player interaction and dialogue! These were just some broad questions I thought of, but if any of you have any additional questions, then please, do not hesitate to ask! Thank you all once again, and I hope you have a lovely saturday. Until next time, this has been the resident Griffon with your saturday post!

~ DongDiagram

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