What if "Kobolds and Dragons" was really just a mistranslation the whole time?

[Christopher#2411504]

I have spent a bit of time thinking through the differences between Premaster and Remaster Kobold lore. And I have this headcannon that it really comes down to one mistranslation, that was just very, very persistent about being corrected. And I wanted to share it, in case it makes good headcanon for you. Or maybe even proper canon.

Quote:

Every kobold instinctively understands the importance of power, and many are inclined to venerate those who have it, whether they be mighty dragons, cruel fiends, imperious fey, or even ancient artifacts. Kobolds seek out these alliances out of a sense of pragmatism— after all, who would dare bully a kobold who serves an ancient dragon?—but also because kobold eggs incubated near such loci of power take on physical traits (and sometimes abilities) similar to those of the warren's benefactor.

I am guessing that the Kobold dialect for Sakvroth contains a word for [being powerfull enough it would make the clan more secure if we follow them, while also imprinting on the eggs of the young]. Let's say it is "Druxi" for my little theory, so I don't have to keep copy&pasting those big brackets several times.

Whoever wrote that fatefull first translation of Kobold language:
- heard a Kobold description of a powerfull being (from a Kobold point of view)
- heard how the word "Druxi" sounded similar to "Dragon"
- maybe had run into a tribe that actually had a Dragon as its "Druxi"

And just wrote down "Druxi = Dragon".

And like the whole theory of the Alpha Wolf, that "Spinach is full of Iron" mistake or "Oni = Demon", this mistake just stuck around. Word etymologies are littered with examples for those kinds of messes.
Every Kobold learning Common was really confused when "Dragon" kept having a way more specific meaning then "Druxi".
Everyone running into a Kobold tribe with a Dryad, Fiend or the like at the helm thought "ah, they must be the proxy/regent for the Dragon while it is away, hence the same title".
There was a movement to fix the mistranslation, but people kept insisting on referncing that old work. Because "Dragon" was a shorter and easier to read translation, then dealing with the idiosyncracies of Kobold socio-biological traits. We are just now getting to the part where this finally becomes common knowledge: "Every Dragon is a Druxi, but not every Druxi is a Dragon".

[Claxon]

I suppose that's one way to handle.

Personally, I just use the premaster versionof Kobolds because I don't like the change in identity.

And as I understand things, it was primarily out of legal concerns.

[Christopher#2411504]

Claxon wrote:

I suppose that's one way to handle.

Personally, I just use the premaster versionof Kobolds because I don't like the change in identity.

And as I understand things, it was primarily out of legal concerns.

I think they lost it, because those feats got mostly moved into the Dragonblood Ancestry.

And it is not like they lost the Dragon thing. All they did was expand the selection of "tribal bosses".

[Gisher]

Draconic Codex is going to have some dragon-based options for Kobolds, and I'm hoping that those will enable those of us who really liked the pre-remaster dragon-descended Kobolds to recreate those characters without needing to take Dragonblood.

[Claxon]

Christopher#2411504 wrote:

Claxon wrote:

I suppose that's one way to handle.

Personally, I just use the premaster versionof Kobolds because I don't like the change in identity.

And as I understand things, it was primarily out of legal concerns.

I think they lost it, because those feats got mostly moved into the Dragonblood Ancestry.

And it is not like they lost the Dragon thing. All they did was expand the selection of "tribal bosses".

But that's part of what I dislike.

I liked the lore that they were like Dragons-, idolizing dragons and building trap filled little warrens. I can't really explain it, but by expanding them to any powerful entity they have become less interesting to me and their concept less defined.

[Christopher#2411504]

Gisher wrote:

Draconic Codex is going to have some dragon-based options for Kobolds, and I'm hoping that those will enable those of us who really liked the pre-remaster dragon-descended Kobolds to recreate those characters without needing to take Dragonblood.

I will bet that all those new Dragon-y things will be limited to Dragonscaled Heritage.

So it will not free up your Heritage slot, but I guess you get to take more Kobold only stuff?

[The Shifty Mongoose]

I always thought they were just smart little dinosaurs who associated themselves culturally with dragons as a way to suck up to them. Mostly due to my presumption of influence from James Jacobs.

I'm okay with this new kobold diversity, while also enjoying the kobolds who continue to suck up to dragons.

[Archpaladin Zousha]

Yes indeedy! Especially with some of the other bits of lore the Draconic Codex has dropped, such as the theory that at least some dragons keep kobolds around less out of actual usefulness and more because they just find them cure!

Or that magma dragons consider having a healthy, prosperous tribe of kobolds as a status symbol and if they think another magma dragon has a better tribe (or if they think the tribe is being mismanaged, magma dragons have OPINIONS about how the land they consider part of their territory and its resources are used) they'll attempt to steal or bully it out of them!

[Zoken44]

So... we have a lot of lore about how Dragons interact with their Kobold tribes.

and I like this change, and the head cannon of the origin of the misconception (retcon).

So How do fiends and Fey interact with the Kobold warrens that form around them (I dislike "Tribe" as it can be a loaded term. a Warren of Kobolds, a Hold of Orcs, a Town of Humans, a Community of Halflings, a Forest of Elves, a Mine of Dwarves, etc.)

[Castilliano]

What happens to the physiology of a tribe which hasn't imprinted on another species? Or that's shifting from say dragon to fey? Or have parents from two different, strong influences?

[Zoken44]

So for a Fey Warren, I would imagine their scales are actually multi-colored, like in swirls of pastels, as the Fey in charge treats them as purse dogs: fashionable accessories to be shown off for their own clout. They might have abilities revolving around performance and making impressions, and mental spells. their warrens use more illusions and compulsion magics as part of their traps.

Fiends would probably be more like Drill Sergeants preparing the Kobolds to throw their bodies against whatever enemy they direct them at. They have have more prominant horns, though not necessarily demonic horns. which might give them new unarmed attacks, and abilities to divine magic. Their warrens are more militarized with more ramparts and fortifications than traps.

A Lich or powerful Undead would probably be the most destructive to their Warren as they have little care if the Kobolds live or die, and thus be most likely to have their Warren abandon them. Most Kobolds hatched here will have white, gray, and black scales, with very underfed apperances. They will learn a lot about undead and binding them, their Warrens will feature undead as part of their traps.

City Kobold, or Mortal Bound as some Warrens call them, live in large cities either among the populace or in the sewers and catacombs. They typically have dark green or dark red scales, and are often employed by the city, brining them to view the city itself as their Druxi. while Kobolds born in such cities have very mild magical abilities, except those they bring from other Warren blood lines, they tend to be far smarter on average than other warrens. Their trapped Warrens tend to be the most intricate and dangerous (but if you have actual business you will likely be provided a proper map to avoid the traps, or where to stop and wait for someone to disarm a trap).

[Christopher#2411504]

Zoken44 wrote:

So How do fiends and Fey interact with the Kobold warrens that form around them?

We have no concrete examples about that. Just a single line: "Kobold societies regularly adopt laws and cultural norms inspired by their benefactor's personality."

The only non-Dragon Heritage we have is Elemental Heart and it has exactly Zero feats and lore.

I guess that whole "retcon" is mostly just a easy excuse to slap Nephilim, Geniekin or a similar Versatile Heritages on Kobolds?

Notably, the relationship can be entirely without activity from the benefactor. A Artefact can attract a Kobold Warren just by existing in a place. I think a sleeping or sealed Vampire could easily create a Warren of Dhampir Kobolds - without even needing to be aware they exist.

Castilliano wrote:

What happens to the physiology of a tribe which hasn't imprinted on another species? Or that's shifting from say dragon to fey? Or have parents from two different, strong influences?

Apparently they will imprint on the nearest source of strong magic, be that a creature, a person or a artifact:

"Every kobold instinctively understands the importance of power, and many are inclined to venerate those who have it, whether they be mighty dragons, cruel fiends, imperious fey, or even ancient artifacts. Kobolds seek out these alliances out of a sense of pragmatism— after all, who would dare bully a kobold who serves an ancient dragon?—but also because kobold eggs incubated near such loci of power take on physical traits (and sometimes abilities) similar to those of the warren's benefactor."
And they mold their society to fit that benefactor:
"Kobolds have an ingrained cautiousness that keeps them alive. They're secretive or subservient around powerful creatures to avoid becoming victims. This meekness fades once kobolds secure either a formidable benefactor (like a dragon) or a potent source of supernatural power (like an artifact or sorcerous leader). Kobold societies regularly adopt laws and cultural norms inspired by their benefactor's personality. However, kobolds are infamous for sensing a proverbial sinking ship, and once their source of power fails or seems doomed, their morale breaks swiftly."

So their benefactor can be a artifact or even just a strong caster. And once they pick a benefactor, they become territorial towards anyone coming in.

A Premaster character of mine was "Pinky":
- half White Dragon, half Red Dragon, which averages to a pinkish skin color.
- mechanically one part was Ancestry, the other part was Dragon Disciple Archetype
- Pinky thinks that Pinky is to awesome for puny pronouns. Gender indetermined.

With Remaster changes, I made a few adjustments:
- Rime and Cinder Dragon
- the two were rivals with benefits. Each had their own Kobold tribes and lived near each other. The tribes practiced "egg exchange" - each egg spending about half their time near either benefactor. And whatever color they came out as, was the tribe they belonged to. Pinky was the first that did not pick one color
- Pinky itself wants to become powerfull enough to become a Kobold benefactor. A source of magic power that can create more in Pinkies image. Most benefactors do not understand Kobolds, but Pinky would.

[Zoken44]

To expand, as I missed the Artifact option.

Artifact Warrens are strangely the most "Kobold" Warrens, since there is usually no open will shaping the Kobold Warren. These Kobold's scales tend to be in shades of Red, brown and black, though depending on the nature of the magic in the Item they have set up around this can vary. In addition to traps and tricks, expect many counterfiets of the Object Druxie. they do this both as a form of psuedo-worship, and as a means of tricky protection. Object warrens also produce some of the more prolific Kobold warriors (Barbarians, fighters, monks, and Swashbucklers).