The Kobolds, or Korob as they call themselves in their tongue, are a race of sapient marsupials that have made their appearance in Aos roughly at the same time as humanity.
Kobolds are on average a little more than one meter tall with elongated heads, long drooping dog-like ears and a long prehensile tail. They are covered in short fur, the color of which can be in shades of orange, brown, blond, white and grey, or a patchwork composition of those colors. Overall, the kobolds look like a mix between a dog and a lizard, shaped together into a vaguely humanoid form. They can easily shift from a bipedal posture to a quadrupedal one in case of need, though they usually prefer to stay upright. Kobolds are also quite stronger than their slim physique might suggest, especially when it comes to instant strength, though they do lack resilience compared to other species. Their senses are also extremely sharp, especially their night vision and their hearing.
Kobolds are omnivorous, though they do show a predilection for bugs and mushrooms, which they breed and cultivate underground.
Kobolds are very intelligent and have an instinctive understanding of engineering and geology. The average kobold would be able to correctly guess the general structure of a cave at a glance, while the experts amongst their kin are without a doubt some of the best engineers in the world. Combined with their physical characteristics, this trait makes the kobolds uniquely suited for underground dwelling, as they are peerless miners and cave explorers.
Kobolds are extremely social creatures, instinctively forming large, well-organized groups and generally collaborating with each other without strife or need for supervision. However, the downside of their social nature is that kobolds tend to suffer great mental distress whenever they are alone and isolated from their kin. They also suffer greatly from herd mentality, being almost incapable of opposing their groups decisions, even if those are detrimental.
Kobolds usually live together in large groups, creating large underground complexes of caves and tunnels which serve as their homes, workshops and mines. Despite the size of their nests, however, their living quarters tend to be extremely cramped, since kobolds like to sleep next to each other in large piles, with absolutely no regard for privacy.
Kobolds also have a rather peculiar form of innate magic. While the average kobold actually has very little aura or magical capabilities, under specific circumstances —which are currently unknown— they can undergo some sort of awakening, becoming what they call a Spirak, or Tinkerer as the term is roughly translated in Imperial. This awakening greatly amplifies the innate engineering skills and aura of a kobold, and it also allows them to infuse their aura into their mechanical creations, resulting in devices that can quite literally break the rules of physics. The Tinkerers themselves seem to have little to no control over this creative process, being unable to set off this skill at will and instead relying on instinctive inspiration. The results of these creative moments are also left up to chance, as the nature of the devices Tinkerers build follow absolutely no logic. These machinery can be anything from weapons to mechanical golems to everyday commodities, though they tend to always be incredibly efficient. These devices can usually be utilized only by other kobolds, though some are restricted to being only operated by Tinkerers since they can be dangerous if handled incorrectly. However, some human sorcerers have been known to be able to make use of kobold devices.
Kobolds do not particularly like conflict and very much prefer to hide in their underground strongholds rather than fight, but if cornered they can prove to be dangerous opponents. Their engineering and mining prowess makes them exceptionally good at siege warfare, not to mention that some of their Tinkerer devices are also extremely deadly weapons, capable of causing great destruction on a very large scale. They are also known to field large numbers of infantry units, the majority of which are well equipped with good quality armor and weapons and surprisingly disciplined due to the kobolds’ ability to act together as one. However, kobold armies sorely lack in mobility, especially since they have no cavalry units at all, and their morale can also be an issue because once they start routing it is almost impossible to rally them.
Kobolds are currently very rare in the Empire, since most of their settlements have been destroyed during the Great Kobold Uprising, when the entire race, guided by the Supreme Tinkerer Mek-Mek, betrayed the Empire and tried to conquer it through force of arms. It was only through great sacrifices that they were defeated, and afterwards the surviving kobolds have mostly been expelled from the Empire borders and forced into the wilderness beyond, either in the Northlands or the Caligare Forest. For this reason, despite having previously been considered a client species of the Empire, kobolds are now considered a race of monsters like the goblins or the orcs.
—Excerpt from A Wayfarer's Guide to the Unknown Volume III, Creatures and Monsters by Septim Logan, published by Auric Golden Press
Tek-Tek was filled with disappointment as he looked at the content of his bowl. It was supposed to be a soup, but in reality it was mostly just a light broth of stale edible grass, with only a few insects and a single, itty-bitty scrap of meat providing any sort of nutrition. It was by all means a miserable meal, completely insufficient for a scout who had just spent two days running through the snow, but he couldn't really complain since this was literally the best that could be found.
The kobolds had set their main camp in an abandoned city in the Ashwood Hills, which was in surprisingly good repair due to the fact that the goblins had recently inhabited it and was by any means an almost ideal shelter for the thousands of kobold refugees who were fleeing north. There was only one problem: there was no food to be found there. The kobolds were trying their best to refill their dwindling supplies, sending hunters and foragers into the forest, but unfortunately they could find very little since it was the middle of winter.
“At least this soup is hot.” Tek-Tek thought, trying to cheer himself up, as he started lapping the content of the bowl with his tongue.
The warmth of the soup, combined with the fireplace he was sitting in front of, managed to chase away the winter chill from his bones, and he managed to relax a little. However, the atmosphere was so bleak that not even this managed to significantly improve his mood.
He was currently sitting in the main hall of the city, which had been chosen as the temporary headquarters of the Council of Elders, the de-facto ruling body of the kobolds. Tek-Tek had arrived there only an hour before, half frozen and deadly tired, but he had not been given any time to rest as the Elders wanted to hear his report as soon as possible. Luckily though, the Elders had quickly listened to him before giving him a seat near the fireplace and a hot bowl of soup while they discussed among themselves.
“It's best to avoid the bugs as much as possible.” One Elder said. “We have to change our route and get around them. The tunnel we dug for the orcs is still open, isn't it? We could use it to get into the Empire safely.”
“That would take weeks!” Another replied. “Our food reserves won't last that long!”
“And we also don't know if there are other bug colonies on the other routes.” A third Elder chimed in.
“Well, we do know for certain that the bugs are on our current route.” The first Elder insisted. “So it’s better to try our luck with another.”
“Half our people would die of starvation before we get there!” The second Elder cried.
“Better to lose half than all of them.” The first Elder replied sternly. “I don't like it any more than you do, but this is our only option to save at least some of our people.”
“Yeah? And why do I get the feeling that you don't count yourself amongst those that would starve?” The first Elder asked in a sarcastic tone. “Or are you planning to give your own rations away so that others could survive?”
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The two Elders looked at each other with hostility as tensions began to rise in the room. However, before the situation could escalate, a new voice spoke in a calm and yet authoritative tone.
“Fellow Elders, that’s enough!”
Everyone turned to the one who spoke, a gray-furred kobold sitting near the fireplace right next to Tek-Tek. This Elder was dressed in a smithing leather apron and was somewhat taller than most other kobolds. However, his most striking feature was without a doubt the prosthesis he had in place of his right arm, a mechanical hand that somehow moved as if it was a real limb.
The weird kobold was none other than Gar-Gar, the most senior Tinkerer of the colony and currently the closest thing the kobold refugees had to a leader.
“We have no time to waste bickering with each other.” Gar-Gar continued. “The fate of our colonies rests in our hands, and every moment we lose is another life lost. So we have to decide what to do right here and now.”
“That's what we've been trying to do.” The first Elder protested.
“I know. But let's not lose focus, shall we?” Gar-Gar replied calmly. “Before actually deciding anything, we have to make a list of all the options available to us and evaluate each one's pros and cons. Only then we shall be able to see what choice is the best. Does everyone agree?”
There were a few murmurs, but after a while the other Elders collectively nodded, showing their support.
“Very well.” Gar-Gar said approvingly. “Now, let's start with the options we obviously aren't going to pick. We can't turn back and we can't stay here either, since both options are basically suicide. So the only option left is to move to the Empire. Am I right?”
No one protested, so the Tinkerer continued.
“Now, the only question is how are we going to get there and I think that there are only two possible answers: we could follow the fastest route and meet the bugs along the way or take a detour to avoid them. The pros of the first option is that we would get to Medelan before we completely exhaust our food reserves, while the pros of the latter is that we'd avoid a confrontation with that specific bug nest. Does anyone disagree?”
Once again, no one spoke.
“Good. Now for the cons. The problem with the first option is obvious, since we'd have to fight the bugs and if we are defeated we’d almost certainly be wiped out. However, the cons of the second one are just as bad. A lot of our people are going to starve to death along the way, and even those who are going to make it are going to be greatly weakened. Meaning that we would be too weak to defend ourselves if we find another threat on that route.” He paused, leaving time for the other elders to process his words. “So both options ultimately have the possibility of us being wiped out in the worst case scenario. However, the best case for the first one, to defeat the bugs with minimal casualties, is better than that of the second one, since a lot of our people would still starve on the way even if everything goes perfectly.” He paused again, and looked at the other Elders. “If that’s the case, the only logical option is to choose the first route, and fight the bugs.”
There was an astonished silence for a moment, and then multiple Elders started talking all together.
“That's madness!”
“We can't defeat the bugs! If we could, we wouldn't be running in the first place!”
“There has to be a better way! We could...”
“Please!” Gar-Gar cried, raising his mechanical arm in the air. “Let me explain my reasoning first. You'll be free to express your opinion afterwards.”
Though there was some grumbling, the other Elders stopped talking and listened.
“Thank you.” The Tinkerer said. “Now, it’s true that the bugs are fearsome opponents, and that we were unable to defend our homes from them. However, that was mostly because of their sheer numbers. We have actually been able to destroy a few individual nests, and it's only when bugs from multiple nests attacked us simultaneously that we were forced to run away.” He made a ferocious smirk. “However, the bug nest that Tek-Tek found seems to be isolated from the others. I think it's pretty safe to assume that these bugs were cut off from the rest of their race and forced to move up north, probably by the goblins or the orcs. If that's the case, our chances of victory are definitely good, especially if we strike quickly and decisively with all of our forces!”
There was a lot of murmuring, but now dissenting voices were noticeably fewer than before.
“How about sending scouts to find out which routes are actually safe?” The first Elder asked.
“We don't have the time for that.” Gar-Gar replied. “A lot of our people would be starving even if we move today. To wait for the scouts to explore those passages and come back would mean to condemn most of our population to their death.” He shook his head. “No, the clock is ticking against us. We have to come to a decision right here and now, otherwise it’s going to be too late.”
The Elder Tinkerer rose up from his chair and announced:
“I'm calling for a vote now, with no abstentions allowed. Does everyone agree?”
There was a lot of murmuring, but then, after a short while, the other kobolds agreed to it.
“Very good.” Gar-Gar said. “Now, anyone in favor of taking the quickest route and fighting the bugs, raise your hands.”
At first the Elders seemed reluctant to actually commit themselves, but after the first few started raising their hands the others followed suit. In a minute or so, most of them had agreed with Gar-Gar’s plan, and even those who were initially most opposed to it, realizing that they were in minority, finally gave in to peer pressure and raised their hands as well.
“Very well. We are all in agreement then.” The Tinkerer said. “In that case, we should discuss our battle plan before getting ready to depart.”
“Actually, it might be better to get ready to depart right now.” The one who had spoken was Kur-Kur, the Elder in charge of food supplies. “If we’re going to fight against the bugs we really need to be as strong as possible, which means that we can’t do any further rationing, and our food supplies should last us a week at best. Given that a week is exactly what it’d take us to reach the border, we should depart today.”
“I see.” Gar-Gar nodded. “In that case, I think we should really follow your advice and get moving post haste. We can discuss our battle plans on the way. Is everyone in agreement?”
Everyone expressed their consensus.
“Very good. Then let's adjourn the meeting and let's get to work.”
The Elders started to leave their seats, but before they could leave Tek-Tek spoke.
“Uhm... sorry to bother you, Elders, but there is something that has been bothering me and I'd like to ask your opinion about it.”
The Elders stopped and turned towards the scout.
“What is it, Tek-Tek?” One of them asked.
“I just find it odd that there is a bug nest so close to the human territories.” The kobold explained. “I mean, the Empire is supposed to be strong, right? So then why haven't they dealt with the bugs already?”
The Elders looked at each other, some looking puzzled while others seemed just annoyed by this delay.
“Well, the Imperials probably have yet to discover that nest.” One Elder suggested. “Dealing with the orcs probably kept them occupied for a while, so it's quite normal that a single bug nest might have gone unnoticed.”
“Or even if they noticed them, they might be underestimating the bugs as simple animals.” Another Elder chimed in. “That’s basically what we did too.”
“I know, that's a possibility.” Tek-Tek conceded. “But... I can't help but fear that maybe we're overestimating the Empire. I mean, we're betting everything on their help, but what if they can't defeat the bugs? What if they are weaker than we believe? And even if they could help us, why should they? They could decide to leave all of us to die for all we know.”
A few Elders grimaced at these words, their expressions becoming rather worried, but then Gar-Gar spoke again.
“The Empire is definitely strong enough to defeat the bugs, don’t worry about it.” The Tinkerer said calmly. “We still keep some contacts with it, and we know that it’s still pretty much the strongest nation in Aos. That's also why we decided to help the Blue Oni get to them, so that they could deal with him for us, which I have no doubt that they have done by now.” He paused, and the other Elders all nodded in agreement. “However, as for their willingness to help us, you're quite right. There is little love between our kind and the Empire. However they aren’t completely merciless, and probably they are going to give us at least some food to get past the winter, especially since we can pay for it."
“That still sounds very risky though. I mean, we’re literally betting everything on their goodwill.” The scout asked.
“It's because we have no other choice.” Gar-Gar replied in a grim voice. “We can't defeat the bugs ourselves, and the Imperials are the only ones strong enough to help us.” He paused, realizing that his words had a negative impact on everyone's morale, and then added in a more reassuring tone: “Still, given that the bugs are a threat to them as well, it’s likely that they will accept our help to defeat them. One can’t have enough allies in a war, after all.”
The other Elders murmured in agreement.
“I actually think that's all the more reason to destroy that bug nest ourselves!” Another Elder chimed in. “By doing so, not only are we doing the Empire a favor, but we'd also prove to them that we can hold our own in a fight, and are therefore good allies!”
“Well said.” Gar-Gar concurred. “We need all the goodwill we can gather from the Empire, since we're basically going to be at their mercy once we arrive in Medelan.”
The Elders once again expressed their agreement. Meanwhile, Tek-Tek still felt that there was something amiss with the whole situation, especially given the size of the hive he had seen. It seemed impossible for such a big nest to not be noticed. However, the scout refrained from expressing his doubts, deciding to trust his Elders.
After all, wiping out the bugs couldn't possibly be a bad thing, could it?
