Kobolds and Gnomes in the same party

[Rejusu]

I'm playing a game with a number of new players, in fact I'm the only one who isn't new. I'll be helping out the DM by running the first few sessions for him but then I'll be joining the party. I have learned however that the party contains not one, but two gnomes (a ranger and a druid). And here I am with my venerable dragonwrought kobold (playing a dragonfire adept, going for a mainly supporting role).

Now I'm sure the gnome players don't know of the animosity between our two races but I do. I'm wondering what to do about it. Should I just ignore it? My kobold is a NG desert kobold so I could rationalise that the desert variety (as non miners) don't have the same attitude towards gnomes. But what about the gnomes?

[Red Fel]

Gnomes and kobolds share the same racial enmity made famous by elves and orcs, and for similar reasons - the gnomish deity collapsed the bestest mine evar on top of the kobold deity. For the lulz.

Technically? They should want to kill each other.

But the heck with technically. Technically, Drow should be kill-on-sight in most adventuring parties, yet have become paragons of goodness because Drizz't. Technically, Evil Outsiders are Evil, period, yet we have a canonically Lawful Good Chaotic Evil Succubus Paladin, because twue wuv. Technically, there are "always Evil" races, and fluff that demands two beings annihilate one another upon meeting, and players ignore that under either the Rule of Cool or the rule of table cohesion.

Should there be discomfort and hostility? Probably. Be aware of the animosity, and let the gnome players know it exists. But if players are willing to play such opposing concepts, they'd better come to the table willing to learn to get along in character. They don't have to be jolly drinking buddies, but a certain minimum of grudging civility is expected.

Otherwise, don't play a character they'll want to murder.

[Fouredged Sword]

You are playing a NG desert Kobold. I would play it off as being a cultural thing that you are aware of, but don't really buy into. You don't care too much about the problems the miners have with gnomes, because you are not a miner. You are a trader at heart, and traders don't make money for their draconic overlords by hating groups of people who are potential markets.

[Joe the Rat]

Dragonwrought, eh? What's your lineage? If you say "Copper," you're golden. Er, cupric. Copper dragons and gnomes get along famously.

As a desert kobold, Brass would be local, and appropriate. I would think that any dragon as obnxiously chatty as Brass Dragons would be right in the Gnomish wheelhouse. Though I suppose if you took something dull like one of them Olympic dragons (Gold, Silver, and Bronze), it'd be hard to argue that you're a nasty, nasty thing.

The point is, if you're from the metallics, and play up the Dragonwrought over the Kobold, both in your outlook and your lineage, it gives the gnomes reason to not try to kill you in your sleep. The natural racial animosity would make for good roleplaying - The "I don't like you, but will grudgingly accept you and eventually perhaps consider you as friend." You know, like elves vs. dwarves, of half-orc vs. everybody

[Rejusu]

Radiant actually. I uh wanted the bonus to spot. >_>

I'm still descended from goody two shoes dragons though and radiant is relatively fitting with the desert considering it's element is light.

[Fax Celestis]

Olympic dragons

I freaking lol'd.

[Joe the Rat]

Radiant actually. I uh wanted the bonus to spot. >_>

I'm still descended from goody two shoes dragons though and radiant is relatively fitting with the desert considering it's element is light.

Between the culture difference and the goody-goody heritage, you should be good for no animosity from your side. Or at least tolerance.

[HammeredWharf]

Even a normal NG kobold would be quite likely to forget and forgive. Hating other races because of ancient history is generally not what good people do. If the gnomes are also good, they could not care for similar reasons. Or maybe they're CN hipsters and hate racism because it's what their LN archenemies do. There's plenty of reasons to ignore this stuff, especially because PCs aren't supposed to be average members of their races.

[otakumick]

be a follower of Io rather than Kurtulmak and you are likely to be tolerant of and capable of befriending(theoretically) the gnomes... assuming the little vermin don't manage to irritate you to the point of deciding gnomes are evil.

[Deophaun]

DFA? Well, if you're at least level 6, pick up humanoid shape. There's no reason for the gnomes to ever know you're a kobold.

[prufock]

You are an individual hero, not a faceless cultural wash. I'm not sure why this should be an issue at all, unless the party encounters other racist members of either group.

[Psyren]

You are playing a NG desert Kobold. I would play it off as being a cultural thing that you are aware of, but don't really buy into. You don't care too much about the problems the miners have with gnomes, because you are not a miner. You are a trader at heart, and traders don't make money for their draconic overlords by hating groups of people who are potential markets.

This is exactly what I would do. Heck, on some level you could even feel the miners deserved, because who in their right mind would be digging around under a mountain and not expect it to fall on their heads one day?

As for the gnome's attitude to you - just cross that bridge when you come to it.