Kobold

Barely 3 feet tall, kobolds have scales of rusty brown to rusty black, two little horns of tan or white and eyes glowing like red sparks, and they reek of wet dog and stale water. Ragged red and orange clothing, limp rat tails and a yapping language make them easy to underestimate, a frequent and deadly error. Three in four also speak orc and goblin.

Numbers and trickery are everything. They attack gnomes on sight but tackle humans, elves or dwarves only at odds of two to one or better, throwing spears and javelins until foes weaken, then rushing in waves. Should the ratio fall to three to two, they test morale. They single out spellcasters.

Hidden spiked pits, crossbow traps and similar devices are favorites, watched through peepholes and murder holes for dumping burning oil, missiles or venomous bugs. Typical arms are axes, spears, javelins, short swords and spiked clubs with wood or wicker shields, the best kept for chiefs and guards. Infravision reaches 60 feet; bright sun imposes -1 to hit.

Damp caves, mines and overgrown woods in nearly any climate suit them, and good mining ground draws them anywhere. A tribe has 4d10x10 (40-400) adult males. Every 40 have a leader and two bodyguards, each 4 hp with HD 1-1, AC 6 and 1-6 damage. The lair adds 5d4 (5-20) more bodyguards, females numbering half the males, young a tenth, 3d10x10 (30-300) eggs, and a chief with 2-8 guards of 7 hp each, HD 1+1, AC 5, 1-8 damage. A 65% chance means beasts guard it: 2-5 wild boars (70%; HD 3+3, AC 7, 3d4 gore) or 1-4 giant weasels (30%; HD 3+3, AC 6, 2d6 bite and blood drain). Shamans may also appear.

Clans of up to 10 families form war bands and hold territory 10 miles around the lair. Victims are looted and often carried home as meat, though some are sold as slaves. Suspicious of outsiders, kobolds loathe pixies, sprites, brownies and especially gnomes, who are never eaten or taken captive.

Being prey for bigger humanoids and monsters may explain their cruelty. Dwarves grudgingly admit that kobold-goblin wars keep goblins in check. Kobolds may live 135 years.

These distant cousins stand 3 feet tall, with frail bodies, short ivory horns, scales mottled yellow to brick red and 8-foot bat wings. They hunt by night with 60-foot infravision, bombing prey with jagged 2-3 pound stones for 2d4; an unaware target is AC 10, one actively dodging AC 2 before Dexterity. One in four carries a light spear (1d4). Every 20 urds follow a subchieftain with 7 hp and AC 7; a flock of 100+ has a chieftain with 10 hp, half the time in magical leather armor. Lairs hold 1d6 shamans able to converse with bats as speak with animals. Urds can pass 100 years but seldom reach 50.