Kobold
"Rare is it when us Kobolds are found intimidating, often being looked down on by surface dwelling creatures. Little does the surface know what goes on beneath its small portion of the world. Underneath the minuscule part of this existence is a large thriving community of us Kobold people, making dens larger than they could possibly imagine. We have a natural skill for building winding dirt made corridors and stone halls. We have managed to learn to tunnel so well that the mere thought of something along the lines of a collapse is considered a joke. People consider us Kobolds to be a primitive, dumb creatures; however, what they don't know is the fact we have mastered survival. From our years of fighting back against our predators, we have learned that our size can be used as an advantage. It has allowed us to slice at their legs and set up traps where they can not see us, to better gain an upper hand. We have learned how to hunt in packs, negotiate with surface dwelling scum, and to expertly craft traps, for those dumb enough to peruse our massive dens."
Physical Description
Kobolds are small bipedal reptilian creatures with scales that offer little or no defense. They range from two to three feet tall, and the average around twenty five pounds, being about forty five pounds at their absolute heaviest. They have a lean build that doesn't offer any benefits to their strength, but allows them to be fairly agile.
They have multiple colors of scales that they can have, but only one color at a time. They share similar colors to Dragonborn, and depending on the clan determines their scale color. They vary from shades of rosy red, to the muddy colors of swamp green, or the beautiful colors of the sky. The full list of colors they can be is blue, red, green, white, yellow, black, or any color in between those.
The varying colors they have serve no purpose except the fact that it helps them all distinguish what clan they hail from. The scales have no actually effect on how they deal with elements, but is from their years of seclusion from the other clans that makes them segregated to those colors. Ateirn are red, Edar are green, Leirith are yellow, Mejir are black, Neitl are white, and Tihuirl are blue.
A Kobolds Life
The life of a Kobold is one where they are surrounded by a community that cares for the protection of every Kobold. The Kobolds weak physical builds they have to make sure everyone within their community is fine or else they may be doomed. Kobolds do not have husbands or wives, instead when they find it necessary for survival they will breed, and have eggs. When they lay the eggs, they put them in a community nest. Once they hatch from their egg, the Kobold is raised by the entire society and people specifically tasked with looking after the small children. As soon as they are born, they are assigned a name, either from their appearance or for whatever job they are lacking people in currently.
Kobolds revere Dragonborn as verifiable demigods, and Dragons as the most powerful beings in existence. They fear no Dragon, and if it chooses to kill them they see it as them having done something to upset the god and take it willingly as punishment. They would never willingly hurt a Dragon, but would hurt a Dragonborn if they were from another clan of Kobolds. They hope to be able to somehow gain the power of becoming one of these gods.
Kobolds would get annihilated if they were to live their lives on the surface, because of enemies who have far more strength then them. So instead, they take refuge under the ground. Making elaborate tunnels and rooms that are filled to the brim with traps meant to combat against intruders. After enough time of making tunnels, people have recognized their skill for even a fraction of what it's worth. Kobolds send diplomats and negotiate with surface dwellers to do tasks for them, such as make irrigation systems or help them with cave ins, for a price of course. However, the one thing they will never deal with, is Gnomes.
A short temperament
Centuries ago, there was a Kobold who was aspiring to be exhausted to Godhood. He was seen as the one who would ascend all other Kobolds and become one more powerful than any other. In his time in the world he had expanded the Kobolds across more faces of the Earth than any other Kobold before him. He seemed to be unstoppable in his exploration capabilities. His name, was Kurtulmak.
However, one day arose when he came across a new territory of land. It seemed like it had recently been inhabited, but the Kobold people couldn't find anyone in sight. Once they left the area, the Gnomes came out of hiding. The gnomes had hidden themselves out of fear of this Draconic race, and in doing so the Kobolds were now planning to take their land. A leader of the Gnomish people, Garl Glittergold, devised a plan to rid their people of the Kobolds.
On one of the following days, Kurtulmak scouted ahead to make sure there were no inhabitants there. He saw one person around his height, and he chased after them. He wanted to take their land, but he wanted to see if he could be their ally before he plundered their lands. The gnome ran into a cave, and he chased in after them. The Gnome took a right, and Kurtulmak followed them, but they suddenly disappeared. He turned around, and saw the exit was sealed off. Before he had realized what had happened, Kurtulmak became entrapped in a maze to stay in for all eternity.
Without their leader, the Kobolds fell into disarray. The land they had stolen or explored into was taken, and in a last ditch effort they split into several groups to run into the nearest caves or holes they could find. Seeing no better option, they decided to start digging, and deeper they went into the Earth. All the groups believed they should handle this situation differently, so they all separated into clans and started worshiping different Gods from one another. One thing was common among all them however, they hated Garl Glittergold and any Gnome in their path. Some say that Kurtulmak is still wandering that maze to this day, searching for a way out to sick his revenge upon Garl Glittergold, the Gnomes, and his gods for abandoning him to that maze.
Kobold Names
Kobolds revere the Dragonborn people as demigods, because of their powerful builds and close relation to actual dragons. This means that because the Kobolds want to be as close as they can to the Dragonborn and dragons, they use their names to name those who are heroic in their eyes.
The Kobold people can be revered as heroes with either gender, and can be given any job. This leads the particularly legendary Kobolds to have more powerful names, despite what their gender is. They see no shame in the rankings of what their jobs may be, since it is purely based off of what they were assigned to at the time with what was needed.
At birth the Kobolds are given a name based on whatever role they may be possibly assigned to, being based off of what's needed. If they have ever done something particularly heroic, their name will be replaced by that of one of their believed demigods or gods. They attempt to use creativity when naming them based off the job, though some of them may be far too literal.
Kobolds give their names in order of Clan names, then either their birth name or their heroics name, depending on which they have been given.
Birth Names: General names are defining features of what they look like, such as; Tallone, Oneeye, Greenskin, Ahkchoo, Snaggletooth, Tailless, or Softscale.
Hunter Names: Hunter names are other predatory animals, usually related to lizards (with some exceptions) such as; Raptor, Gator, Komodo, Cobra, Deinonychus, Hawk, or Viper.
Digger Names: Digger names are different minerals, rocks, and gems. Such as; Ruby, Emerald, Bloodstone, Carnelian, Sunstone, Jasper, Agate, Alabaster, Diorite, Granite, or Cobalt. Trapper Names: Trapper names are typically linked to various forms of traps, such as; Conibear, Snare, Steel-Jaw, Pad, Cage, Cable, or Foothold.
Negotiator Names: One of the most uncommon type of Kobold, these ones talk with surface dwellers to keep the peace. Names are usually be more straight forward such as; Peacekeeper, Humanspeaker, Quicktalker, Silvertongued, or the very literal Negotiator.
Scavenger Names: The Kobolds that are given these names are assigned to collecting the food from the hunters, and 'Scavenging' from surface dwellers. They are given the names of what they might be collecting such as; Venisonhide, Shelfitem, Bearmeat, Smallbook, Berrybush, Throwrug, Wolfpelt, Onesock, Lizardscale, Lessercoin, or Cowleather.
Miscellaneous Names: This group is the types of Kobolds with the smaller more oddball jobs, such as; Eggkeeper, Foodmaker, Watcher, or tasks of that sort.
Heroic Names: These names are only given to those who have done something of high regard, or to the newest hatched Kobold. Kobolds believe in reincarnation for the great, so when a Hero has died it is believed he is hatched again. These names are those of dragons or Dragonborn, but not limited to them. They could be any of the following; Bahamut, Tiamut, Aasterinian, Chronepsis, Faluzure, Kurtulmak (This one can be used positively or negatively, depending how the Kobold did), Gaknulak, or Dakarnok.
Clan Names: The list of the main Kobold clans are as follows; Ateirn, Edar, Leirith, Mejir, Neitl, or Tihuirl.
Kobold Traits
Kobolds are experts at traps and creating tunnels. They use their brains, numbers, and agility to outsmart stronger races.
Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and your Intelligence score increases by 1.
Age. Kobolds reach adulthood at age 6 and can live up to 120 years but rarely do so.
Alignment. Kobolds are fundamentally selfish, making them evil, but their reliance on the strength of their group makes them trend toward law.
Size. Kobolds are between 2 and 3 feet tall and weigh between 25 and 35 pounds. Your size is Small.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision. Your races years under the ground have taken effect on your eyes, they have adapted to being in the darkness. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Trap Master. From years of trapping your underground tunnels, you now are able to better recognize and deal with traps. You gain advantage on creating and disarming traps. On top of this you gain the Dungeon Delver feat (See PHB Pg.166).
Revised Pack Tactics. If at least one of your allies is not incapacitated and within 5 feet of your target, you ignore disadvantage on your attack rolls.
Nimble Hands. You gain proficiency with Tinkers Tools and Thieves Tools.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Draconic.
Other information
Some text (Size, Ability Score Increase, etc.) are all from the officially text, while other parts I made.
Version 1.1.2 version of the race. Changes include:
-Removal of Sunlight Sensitivity.
-Removal of Burrowing and an increase of 5 ft. to Speed.
-Rebalancing of Pack Tactics.
I did run the changes by a group to work on balancing.
Dragon names are from the Dragon D&D Wikipedia page, and the clan names are from 3.5e except Ateirn.
Done with help by the people of the Pair'o'dice and Discord of Many things discord communities.
I am in no way claiming I created the concept or lore of the Kobold, I simply created what is in my opinion a better balanced and flavored version of the Volo guides to monsters version of the race.