I have an area coming up with Kobolds laired up where the players will end up occupying for themselves.
The party by the time they get to this area will be around level 4.
The magic where they laired will be from Jiskan ruins containing magic infused constructs rather than from a creature. Like an old defunct primal powered Aolaz or something thats stuck underground still bearing enough magic for thier eggs to absorb but with no longer enough to function.
Fighting the kobolds or finding a peaceful solution is up to the players but avoiding or dealing with the hazards of the ruins is going to be there regardless.
I was thinking of something like some of the kobold mages and tinkering sorts figured out how to jerryrig one of the smaller constructs to kind of work as part of their defenses. I kind of want the players to have things to fight and traps to overcome in the ruins but not necessarily push them into killing the kobolds, I do want them to feel like there are other options than just killing them.
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I'm expecting that you already know about the Bulding Hazards tables and guidelines, but I'll link to them anyway.
From there, it is pretty much up to your creativity. Jerryrigged constructs could be represented by complex hazards and would be something to sort-of fight. But also wouldn't have any more emotional attachment to the kobolds themselves than any of their other traps. These could also be a created construct monster to similar effect, but not have the hazard disabling options - fight and destroy it only.
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That would be cool. A mix of constructs as creatures, maybe some larger ones that they only got the leg to work so it functions more like a trap when someone walks by.
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Sprinkle around a bunch of "No tresspassing. Violators will be attacked violently." signs and don't have the PCs in combat directly with the Kobolds (just their home defenses) and that should keep the narrative tension of questioning if the PCs are fully in the right in this situation.
Lol I love all of that.
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The good old complex filled with true dead ends that are disguised as passageways to the place a party would want to go coupled with false dead ends that either mechanically or illusorily disguise the actual passageway.
The true dead ends should look well traversed with what looks like recent foot traffic and in them you place any number of mundane or magical traps.
Also, something to keep in mind is that if the kobolds have any inkling that they might be raided they should have hidden passages where the most well-trained casters can sit up as guards to either manually trigger hazards or just rain down pain on any invaders without first being seen, ideally, with ways for them to retreat after they "blow their load" so to speak.
Ok now you have me thinking.
Lots of small sized tunnels interweave between larger ancient chambers. The main passages through the underground ruins cut off by collapsed ceilings and walls in places leaving only the small crawl spaces to move through at times. Signs written in common and Sakvroth litter the surface of the ruins. In common they read "No tresspassing. Violators will be attacked violently." in Sakvroth they read "home" and "safe"
beneath the surface in the heart of the ruins lies a massive elephant statue carved from stone and fortified with metal. The gargantuan form looms over the ancient chamber acting as a support holding the ceiling in place. Clutches of eggs are nested at its massive feet.
GM note - (I leave these for myself when I write down ideas or I will completely forget it) In ancient times this construct held this room from collapsing while its creators escaped (from what? who knows). It has stood in place as commanded since those days and continues to do so now. It was created with primal magic and still holds substantial power today which nourishes the kobold clutches nesting at its feet.
Every entrance to this chamber is lined with traps formed from repurposed ancient technology.
The main entrance made of stonewalls and floors is half collapsed leaving only a narrow passage into the chamber. Large ancient constructs line the side of the hall left whole from the collapse. Kobolds have figured out portions of how to work them causing legs to kick or held weapons to lunge out as they sense movement. the collapsed side falls 20 feet into a ditch filled with uhh something. now to figure out the details, map, and some encounters.