Kobold

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Kobolds are spirits of German folklore. The name comes from the German word kobalt or kobold meaning "evil spirit", and is often translated in English as goblin.

The most common version, Heinzelmännchen, is similar to Robin Goodfellow and brownies: as household elves of ambivalent nature, they sometimes perform domestic chores, but play malicious tricks if not appeased (Hinzelmann is a particular example).

Kobold is often used in German to translate the word 'Leprechaun', a type of Irish fairy goblin.

Another type of kobold, more similar to the gnome, haunts mines and other underground places. The name of the element cobalt comes from kobold, after the poisonous and troublesome nature of the typical arsenical ores of this metal (cobaltite and smaltite) which polluted other mined elements (compare nickel).

"Kobold" is also an uncommon surname found in German speaking areas.

[edit] Kobolds in fantasy fiction

See also Kobolds in gaming

  • In the fantasy novel Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke, one of the main characters is a kobold. However, she is called a "Brownie" in the English version. (She has a humanoid shape, but furry and with a head like a cat's.)
  • In the fantasy novel The Spirit Ring by Lois McMaster Bujold, kobolds inhabit mines in the fantasy world in which the book takes place. The first kobold in the book is described as about two feet tall, brown, and with black eyes. Kobolds as presented in this book also enjoy milk, and the way they drink it is described as cat-like.
  • In the fantasy novel Revenge of the Shadow King by J S Lewis and Derek Benz, kobolds are mercenaries hired by Morgan La Fey. They can see through solid objects and are resistant to iron, which kills other faeries. They are a kind of goblin with armor, used to working in mines.
  • Neil Gaiman's novel American Gods returns to the traditional legend, depicting Hinzelmann as an ambivalent spirit that guards an apparently perfect small Wisconsin town.
  • Terry Brooks series Landover features two kobolds. One is the King's protector, while the other is the castle cook. Their names are Parsnip and Bunion.
  • Robert A. Heinlein's novel Friday contains numerous references to kobold dwarfs. They are "living artifacts", or genetically engineered beings, drawn from human stock, but built to be the perfect miners.
  • In the Suikoden series of video games, Kobolds are sapient anthropomorphic dogs.
  • In the PC MMORPG Ragnarok Online, Kobolds are anthropomorphic warrior dogs.
  • In the Warcraft series of computer games, Kobolds are anthropomorphic rats. They are often found in mines and have candles atop their heads which they are very protective of.
  • In Dungeons & Dragons kobolds are descended from Dragons and are somehow related to Goblins as well. They are low level creatures that often attack in a pack. You can find more information on D&D kobolds in the Monster Manual, Version 3.0 or later, published by Wizards of the Coast.
  • In Magic: the Gathering, Kobolds are red-aligned creatures most well known for costing nothing to cast;
  • In the Suikoden series, Kobolds are a type of recrutable charecter.

[edit] See also