The Kobolds of Alterra:

	The Kobolds, long mistrusted by the other races of the world, have long a 
scattered and diverse. Once they were united, at least to some degree, and lived along the 
shore of the bay north of where the city of Graysen now rests. Their tribal civilization 
lived in relative peace, rarely contacting the other races but never acting against them 
for fear of retaliation. They were always awed by dragons and would sometimes go on 
pilgrimages to seek out dragons wherever they were and give them homage. They didn't 
truly worship the dragons at that time, but showed them great respect, and in return, 
good dragons would sometimes pay their nation a visit, which was always a cause for great 
rejoicing among the scaly people.
	However, their humble civilization was shattered about 500 years before the 
formation of the Centarum. One of the nearby tribes of human barbarians, driven into a 
frenzy by the depredations of a blue dragon by the name of Garoloth, ruthlessly attacked 
the unsuspecting Kobold tribes. Garoloth, being both sadistic and clever, had always flown 
toward the barbarian tribes from the direction of the Kobold tribes along the bay, in 
which his lair rested. He knew that the Kobolds, out of respect for dragons of all kinds, 
would never attack him or suspect his scheme, and thus he caused the barbarian tribes to 
believe the Kobolds were supporting or protecting the evil monster. In truth, it was all 
part of Garoloth's scheme to cause death and bloodshed along the shore so that he would 
have an ample supply of food with minimal effort in the coming years.
	Completely unprepared for the sudden aggression of their neighbors, thousands of 
Kobolds were slaughtered by the misguided barbarian tribe. Because they could not really 
fight back, the Kobolds were forced to flee their homes, running in any direction they 
could to avoid the blades and clubs of the humans. The resulting chaos caused the Kobolds 
to be distributed throughout the mainland, some escaping to the northern lands, others 
fleeing southward, and many others seeking refuge in the forests of the Verdigris Weald. 
Gargoloth, hidden by magic, watched with sadistic glee as his efforts paid off and his 
supplies of food, in the form of slaughtered Kobolds and occasional human, grew.
	Although it has not been confirmed, it is said that a silver dragon named Saylias, 
who had taken a liking to the Kobold tribes, surmised Gargoloth's plan when she found him 
devouring the corpses of the fallen in her favorite Kobold city, Kicheeti. Legend has it 
that the two dragons fought relentlessly against one another, but the outcome of the 
titanic battle is not known.

	After their civilization was shattered, the Kobolds, now scattered across a world 
that barely knew them, slowly adopted cultures fitting their new surroundings.
	The Chikiri tribe, who fled to the woodlands of the elves and eladrin, became 
a druidic people. Though they never became as close to nature as their elven neighbors, 
their people became largely druids and rangers who took from and gave back to the wilds. 
The elves are still suspicious of them to this day, not sure what to think of the small 
reptilians who now share a small portion of their woods.
	The Rakit tribe moved near the Halcyon mountains. Having learned quickly that the 
nearby gnomes and dwarves would not allow them near their sacred Halcyon mountain itself, 
the Kobolds began to seek out and worship nearby dragons who live near or within the 
other mountains in the range. The disposition of each particular group of Kobolds within 
the tribe, however, is largely influenced by the dragons they serve.
	Those Kobolds who moved to the south, into the territory of other human barbarian 
tribes, tried to settle as far away from the humans as they could. Eventually, however, 
when the humans began to contact them and trade with them, they reluctantly entered into 
peaceful relations with them, and when the Centarum formed, the Kobolds agreed to live at 
peace with the empire, even though they are largely treated as second-class citizens 
within it to this day.
	Other tribes of Kobolds exist elsewhere as well, each tailoring their culture to 
the circumstances of the area. Some Kobold legends now speak of a tribe of Kobolds who 
witnessed the battle between Gargoloth and Saylias and say that they now search for 
something of great importance relating to the titanic clash of good versus evil.