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View Full Version : How to recruit a (potentially Dragon-less) kobold tribe into the basis of an empire



malachi
2011-04-16, 02:12 PM
In my 4e game, one of the characters in my group is a Dragonborn ranger who has a vendetta against dragons (black ones in particular) and wants to create an empire of dragonborn (and potentially kobolds) that rises up against dragons, or at least shows their superiority. He has promised my character (a wizard) large rewards for helping his character's dream come true.
Other than that small bit of background info, this isn't really edition specific, so I posted it here rather than in the 4e section.

The kobolds in question are living in a forest, and have been troubling people around them for a while. We were sent to remove them from the area by any means necessary (it was assumed we'd kill them, but the guy giving us the job doesn't really care if the kobolds live or die, so long as they're not bothering people anymore). There are likely to be elves nearby. Also, we have some proof that we killed a black dragon previously.

How should we attempt to bargain with the kobolds in order to have them join the empire? (All of the players in the group think having kobold underlings would be awesome, which means there'll probably be at least a moderate attempt to get their characters interested in it as well).

Removing the kobolds is supposed to be a test for admission into a mercenary guild (strange, since we already worked for the guy in removing an ancient evil from the world).

Oh, and finally, we're around level 3, so the empire creation will definitely take a while to get off the ground, but we want to start now.
Any advice for how to gain control of the kobold tribe?

LibraryOgre
2011-04-16, 02:19 PM
"What do you want?" -Mr. Morden, Babylon 5

That's what it's going to come down to. What do the kobolds want? Do they want to be well-fed? Offering to take them someplace they can get food will probably do pretty well. Do they want to recover a particular artifact? Getting it for them will help get you on their good side.

My opening would involve the Universal Greeting (Bah-weep-Graaaaagnah wheep ni ni bong!), offering them an energon treat, and waiting for them to reciprocate. It works every time. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzE2BoNW6bc) You might try the equivalent, meatbag, version of these.

Aidan305
2011-04-16, 02:23 PM
In general, what kobolds tend to look for most is protection. It's a big harsh world out there, more so if you're a kobold.

Kobolds are one of the best races you can get working for you. Their skill with traps and mining is unsurpassed (while the dwarfs would like to think differently, we all know it's true). They're also naturally skilled in magic and a very industrious people. If you can arrange for them to use these talents to your advantage in return for the necessary protection from adventurers and bigger monsters, then you're almost guaranteed a happy, loyal tribe of kobolds.

malachi
2011-04-16, 02:29 PM
My opening would involve the Universal Greeting (Bah-weep-Graaaaagnah wheep ni ni bong!), offering them an energon treat, and waiting for them to reciprocate. It works every time. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzE2BoNW6bc) You might try the equivalent, meatbag, version of these.

Hahaha! I think my character will have to go visit a library to learn the Universal Greeting before heading out to meet the kobolds.

As for what they want, we don't really know. We were just told there were reports of kobolds in the area, and we want to add them to the empire. I suppose the dragonborn would be down with feeding them and such.


In general, what kobolds tend to look for most is protection. It's a big harsh world out there, more so if you're a kobold.

Kobolds are one of the best races you can get working for you. Their skill with traps and mining is unsurpassed (while the dwarfs would like to think differently, we all know it's true). They're also naturally skilled in magic and a very industrious people. If you can arrange for them to use these talents to your advantage in return for the necessary protection from adventurers and bigger monsters, then you're almost guaranteed a happy, loyal tribe of kobolds.

So we just need to prove that we have the strength to offer them protection from a) the government which has declared them outlaws for living outside of the kobold reservations (I'm pretty sure the only kobolds living in the reservations are those that already lived there when they were declared as such), and b) from dirty, dirty gnomes.

And from dragons, I suppose, given that they seem to be living in the lands we'd want to take the kobolds to.

Thanks for the help, guys.