They were the leader of an enormous pack of kobolds. All of them had found a gold vein. All of their burrows were very well defended. The humans seemed to treat them politely enough to their faces, because they had gold, but also talked hatefully behind their backs due to being kobolds. Then, when potentially deadly dangers arose, the humans realize it's not the gold that's the true value of having a kobold's friendship. -- Anon Guest
Kobolds, Gobelliin, and occasionally Gnomes are often viewed as pests. They get everywhere, or they keep turning up. They have a knack for being in placed where other beings are unlikely to go. They exist, more or less, in the cracks where civilisation often doesn't look.
Haddercleft had excellent territory for goats, but shit for anything else. They eked out an existence from people passing through their mountains, and was generally another little place where heroes came from. Until someone put their foot in the wrong place and discovered the Kobold burrow.
Some might say they made the mistake of giving the cluster of Kobolds some of their cheese. Or... they would have at the time. Kindness to the Unwelcome is generally repaid by the kind of undying loyalty that becomes socially inconvenient.
In this case... it became very convenient.
Threlkaal became queen of the burrow by regularly bringing in cheese, leather, and cashmere or angora cloths for the throng. Nestlings hatched in cashmere fluff. The horde had ready access to bone and horn and a certain amount of offal. Of course she offered some crops from the Everdark, but the humans of the sunlands much preferred the shiny yellow metal with little in the way of practical use.
When acceptable life is scavenging, gathering, and the occasional hunting foray, things like gold and monetary exchange are a little difficult to understand. Barter was a little easier for them.
It wasn't that the Kobolds were stupid. It was that they had different values to those they dealt with.
They did learn fast.
They found treasure that the sunsiders kept away from others. They found troves that kings tried to take with them. They started minting their own coins as they made their own settlement under Haddercleft.
They kept the passes safe, free of charge. Simply because the passes kept the people coming in, and giving the people of Haddercleft more interesting things to trade.
Wheat, rice, oats, and other grains lead to tastier breads, which Undercleft really liked to have. Underground or over it, people liked silk and lace. They liked gemstones, too.
Threlkaal soon learned what the sunsiders considered precious. She did attempt to remain fair with the sunsiders, but it was difficult. Especially when sharp Kobold tympana picked up what her main contact, Marmion, said about her and her tribe.
"Trash dragons," the Human sighed, "They eat garbage, find treasure in trash, and breed like maggots... but by the gods they're good for the economy."
Threlkaal let it pass. She had a low opinion of the Humans to match. They were incredibly fussy, they valued weird things, and they were too darn big. But by the gods, they had some very tasty food and good cloth and clever devices.
Then the Trolls attacked.
One thing Kobolds are good at is traps. All those landslides that Underhadder had prevented? Were set off on the Trolls. The few who made it through to Haddercleft fell under Kobold fire arrows fueled by phosphorus or alchemical fire.
The Humans were shocked to discover that their lives and livelihoods were saved by a host of small Dragonkindred. Including their own queen, Threlkall.
Who could not resist the impulse to walk right up to Marmion and say, "Not bad for a bunch of trash dragons, is it?"
Marmion apologised on behalf of his fellow squishy meat giants.
[Photo by Ricardo Gomez Angel on Unsplash]
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