The Dresden Files > DFRPG
Converting d20 Adventure Modules to DFRPG
Taran:
I'm pretty sure that Butcher said that anything that exists in the mortal mind exists in the Nevernever. Didn't he specifically say that Spiderman exists somewhere in the Nevernever?
Using that logic, I don't see why Kobolds can't exist. Typical D&D kobolds don't have to but taking the broad theme of a kobold and fitting them into the world is fine. Besides, it's homebrew and nothing says we can't adapt D&D kobolds to fit Dresden canon.
They could be tiny demons, closer to imps, they could be Dragon changelings (like small draconians), they could be whatever. In fact, making them small children that were kidnapped brought to the nevernever and changed by magic works as well. It's a bit more sinister but kids have a knack for technology combined with a kobold's knack for trap-making.
In fact, doing a quick wikipedia search, it says that one legend says they are spirits of dead children. A dragon harnessing necromantic magic could probably make use of them.
The same search has them as mine spirits
So, they don't have to be dragon related at all but since they come in many different animal forms, there's no reason why they can't be lizard shaped. Miners offered them offerings to keep them safe in the mines and kobolds were blamed for accidental cave-ins and mysterious deaths (caused by poison gas in the mines). And if they can live in the mortal realm in a mine, I see no reason why they can't live in the mortal world in an internet cafe.
If a network is a mine and holds 'riches' in the form of virtual money (maybe they invented the bit-coin), then their original form gets changed. Or you can abandon the computer lizards for something else. I just like the image of tech-savvy lizards.
Quantus:
--- Quote from: g33k on June 29, 2017, 09:55:07 PM ---You're right about the original material, of course. I'm just... unclear on whether they would be proud of their origin story, or see that as grounds to attack you... ;)
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hehe, read the Norse spin-off of the Percy Jackson series recently. They dont see why everyone finds it so gross. But gods help you if you sit on a barstool without first asking it's Name and History.
--- Quote --- The OP is using a d20-Modern reference, which minimally-adapts D&D Kobolds. I am "stuck on" the OP's frame of reference. Wanting to depart from it, honestly: I don't think D&D tropes work as well in a Modern Urban Fantasy setting. But the OP can take what he wants of all this discussion, and leave the rest behind. ;)
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My Bad, I know nothing of d20 Modern; the closest I ever got was BESM.
--- Quote --- I just wouldn't expect sophistication & cutting-edge stuff from D&D's "Kobold" species. From an exceptional individual... of course! In the modern sense, I'd think more of urban street-gang violence, etc.
Kobolds have their own folkloric antecedents. They're clearly akin to the "Brownies" of Britain, clearly fae.
Attaching them to Dragons is... um. Doesn't happen (until D&D).
That's not to say that I don't like pretty much all of your ideas -- the Dragon as the (ultimate) patron of a cyber-cafe; data-brokers and hackers accumulating a horde of "modern wealth;" etc. I really like these ideas a LOT! I just don't see "shoehorning" either the folkloric "kobold" or the D&D "kobold" into this cutting-edge stuff...
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They were reasonably competent craftsmen in d20 modern, yes? Since they dont have the mortal issue with tech, I figure that trait couldnt be modernized easily. The drive for that modernization is 100% just to give them an excuse to interact with the mortal world at all; I figure at some point they'd either just stay in the NN or else move to some remote/isolated place and avoids mortals entirely. And making them just another street thug race that's useless for anything but violence, while reasonable enough by popular usage, feels like a Waste.
The only reason I get stuck on the idea of tying them to Dragons is the whole Combined Roots of myths and the established fact that Dragons were gods that once-upon-a-time created reptilian servitor races. I know early myth had them as something more like Earth Gnomes or fairies, but Ive always known them as a lizards species, so I want to put them in that category. Im sitting here trying to think of a place they'd make sense that wasnt Draconic, but unless they are just some sort of Were-Lizards or other more shamanistic animal spirits, everything that comes to mind as sufficiently reptilian would /also/ likely get bumped into the Secretly a Dragon category, like Tiamat (confirmed by Bob to exist and get power from DnD, in Backup), or maybe Quetzalcoatl.
And then once we've tied them to DF Dragons/dragons, I just ran with what various disparate details we have about them.
--- Quote from: Taran on June 30, 2017, 01:17:48 PM ---I'm pretty sure that Butcher said that anything that exists in the mortal mind exists in the Nevernever. Didn't he specifically say that Spiderman exists somewhere in the Nevernever?
--- End quote ---
Sorta, Everything including Spiderman exist out in the Multiverse, not in the NN; Parallel worlds are specifically something different. The closest thing I know of is the The Hulk now carries the original mantle of Hercules, and so it now "exist in the minds and imaginations of the fans" (paraphrasing)
RedRobe:
I do enjoy reading all the suggestions and ideas being generated. I may just wait to see what kind of game he players are interested in before I move forward with the kobold thing. I like the idea of rival dragons in the background. My take on kobolds combined their D&D Draconic appearance with their mythological roots. I could see the working kobolds as dragon scions given a chance to work for their dragon relative at one of his/her business ventures to learn about Earth finance. The rival gang could be the take-and-hoard-minded scions of the other dragon.
RedRobe:
I want to share an update on my first Dresden scenario. We spent the first two sessions building the city of Columbus, Indiana, and the characters. The third session we started with the characters meeting at a new fast Greek/Asian fusion restaurant (think Fazoli's) to discuss the local problems with a RCV-developed drug called Red Moon making its rounds through the city. I used the d20 Modern Urban Arcana adventure at the back of the campaign setting as a guide. The PCs stopped a brawl between some unruly kobold gangs. Some issues that came up were grokking how maneuvers work, and tagging of aspects placed on baddies. I used the kobold stats provided in this thread. They were super useful! Thanks to all who helped!
Taran:
What were your issues with maneuvers?
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