For the past few days I have given the Kobolds of this world a great bit of thought. Compared to the native species found in Faerun they are quite advanced and varied in both temperament and behavior. Some are devious and petty minded like their far flung cousins, while others are more diplomatic and civilized. Amazingly some use technically advanced boom sticks that can kill at several hundred feet, while others use slings.
What is even more interesting is how different members of
the same tribe can become given time and outside influence. We recently had a lot of
contact with a jungle tribe from the north during our visits to the eastern
dome. The tribe has split in half with one group worshiping a dark power beyond
the portal and the other half opposing it or at least not wishing to mingle
with it. Our repeated visits to the Dome have given us the opportunity to get to know some of these more amiable Kobolds and even make some cordial exchanges.
During our last trip there Wax, Furet, Jarvis and I ran into Mepo who pointed us towards a small oasis that held the home of the sniper that once tried to ambush us. While we explored his home Jarvis decided to snack on some hemlock because eating random things makes sense to a barbarian. Apart from continuous puking it took a good couple of days for him to recover from the poison.
When we finally got to the dome we ran into the Kobold shaman who was leading some twenty kobolds in a ceremony to open the dome portal doorway to the dark power, which by this time had become bigger. After Wax attempted to reason with them we were left with only one choice...
We ambushed them in a narrow hallway, which slowed their advance. The battle was horrendous and bloody. I can honestly say I hope to never go through something like that again. I am still in wonder how we survived the engagement and for the last couple of nights I kept seeing that red hallway and those fallen kobolds.