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Author Topic: Kobolds - update 20/01/ - Guards!  (Read 17697 times)

Offline Schrumpfkopf

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Kobolds - update 20/01/ - Guards!
« on: July 06, 2016, 03:09:38 PM »
I am planning a little range of Kobolds and the one thing I am struggling with is to find proper allied creatures. We were pondering with giant rats, bugs that can be herded into battle and such, but none of it felt quite right.

Does anyone here have a good idea?
« Last Edit: January 20, 2017, 04:15:30 PM by Schrumpfkopf »
westfaliaminiatures.com - proper stuff in 28mm

Offline JollyBob

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Re: Kobolds
« Reply #1 on: July 06, 2016, 03:15:39 PM »
Kobolds are mine goblins, right?  ???

So a tunnelling creature, maybe some kind of battle-mole? Those ones with the star shaped noses would look freaky, or the naked mole-rat....

Big hands and gnashy teeth!

Offline Khadrin Stonetooth

  • Scientist
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Re: Kobolds
« Reply #2 on: July 06, 2016, 03:20:51 PM »
If I remember well when described in Dee and Dee Kobolds had wild boars if living in dark forests or giant weasels if living in subterranean settings.

Offline PhilH

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Re: Kobolds
« Reply #3 on: July 06, 2016, 03:27:53 PM »
Beetles sound good, especially the rhino versions. Or cockroaches too?

Offline Skyven

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Re: Kobolds
« Reply #4 on: July 06, 2016, 03:47:31 PM »
Rock eating worms and mobile, exploding, poison fungi. And slime molds and giant woodlice (trilobites).

Offline Cubs

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Re: Kobolds
« Reply #5 on: July 06, 2016, 04:12:06 PM »
Salamanders!
'Sir John ejaculated explosively, sitting up in his chair.' ... 'The Black Gang'.

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Offline Diablo Jon

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Re: Kobolds
« Reply #6 on: July 06, 2016, 04:43:13 PM »
Early D&D they were yappy dog men so perhaps something canine. I noticed the more modern D&D incarnations of Kobolds are Lizard/draconian types like so maybe a big old dragon  :D or some drakes.

Offline Vermis

  • Scatterbrained Genius
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Re: Kobolds
« Reply #7 on: July 06, 2016, 04:54:30 PM »
Huge cave cockroaches, feasting on enormous piles of bat shit and any creature that falls dead to the cave floor. Or any creature unlucky enough to fall to the floor and succumb to the toxic gasses emanating from the generations-old heaps of effluence.

And that's before you fantasy it up.

Offline Khadrin Stonetooth

  • Scientist
  • Posts: 244
Re: Kobolds
« Reply #8 on: July 06, 2016, 05:13:36 PM »
Sorry Diablo Jon but they always been described as reptilian even in D&D 1st ed. They were described as scaly and laying eggs. ;)

Offline Hobgoblin

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Re: Kobolds
« Reply #9 on: July 06, 2016, 05:35:15 PM »
Sorry Diablo Jon but they always been described as reptilian even in D&D 1st ed. They were described as scaly and laying eggs. ;)

I don't think that's quite right. In the first edition of D&D, the only description is "Treat these monsters as if they were Goblins except that they will take from 1-3 hits". And in Chainmail, on which D&D was built, they seem to be the same thing as Goblins (which, etymologically, makes sense).

All the scaly, egg-laying stuff came later, I think - as did the resemblance to dogs.

Offline Khadrin Stonetooth

  • Scientist
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Re: Kobolds
« Reply #10 on: July 06, 2016, 05:52:28 PM »
Never played Chainmal (to me it's not D&D but its father lol) but in the monster manual 1st ed they are. Well anyway, that's not really an issue. Let's go back to Schrumpfkopf's request.

Offline Hobgoblin

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Re: Kobolds
« Reply #11 on: July 06, 2016, 05:58:20 PM »
Never played Chainmal (to me it's not D&D but its father lol) but in the monster manual 1st ed they are. Well anyway, that's not really an issue. Let's go back to Schrumpfkopf's request.

Nor me! Yes, I think it's AD&D where the doggish/reptile thing comes in. In the illustrations to first-edition D&D, a goblin has a long beard (and why not?) as does an elf, a gnoll has no resemblance to a hyena and an orc is devoid of any porcine features.

Yes, indeed: how about some blind - indeed eyeless - albino trolls that have evolved that way at the roots of the mountains and which are quadrupedal for the most part? I imagine the kobolds prodding them into battle with pointed implements. Also, giant grubs!

Offline Diablo Jon

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Re: Kobolds
« Reply #12 on: July 06, 2016, 06:15:49 PM »
Sorry Diablo Jon but they always been described as reptilian even in D&D 1st ed. They were described as scaly and laying eggs. ;)

Dungeons and Dragons red book Dungeon Masters guide circa 83 (OK not the earliest reference)

These small, evil doglike humanoids.

AD&D 2nd edition complete book of humanoids

they have two small horns atop their dog like heads

also

dog-like voices

you can see why I might have thought they were dog like  :D

As an aside the second book mentioned has kobold characters down as having non-weapon proficiencies for animal training giant weasel and animal training wild boar...

Offline Schrumpfkopf

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Re: Kobolds
« Reply #13 on: July 07, 2016, 09:48:53 AM »
Thanks for the fantastic feedback. To me Kobolds are cold blooded creatures and the similarities to dogs are mere coincidence.
That said am I not particulary keen on fiding something that comes from the same gene-pool.
I think rather large insects fit the bill. A proper Centipede comes to mind.

Anyway - thanks again. It's interesting to see the development of the Kobolds.
« Last Edit: July 07, 2016, 01:23:36 PM by Schrumpfkopf »

Offline Timbor

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Re: Kobolds
« Reply #14 on: July 07, 2016, 06:35:04 PM »
I think something like a pillbug would be awesome as a mount, or a warbeast...

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