By Popular Demand...We should LOVE the Kobold not hate him

[Grungi]

nooooooo tis not ramblings, i unearthed his secret plan when i formulated my own attack of the xvarts which failed miserably after they all settled for killing a lone bovine, i know his dark secrets, i know what goes on with kobolds after hours *maniacal laughter*

and you dont break a kobold into your house, when you let it in it breaks your house [img]smile.gif[/img]

[I wish my name was Baggins]

Originally posted by Grungi: nooooooo tis not ramblings, i unearthed his secret plan when i formulated my own attack of the xvarts which failed miserably after they all settled for killing a lone bovine, i know his dark secrets, i know what goes on with kobolds after hours *maniacal laughter* and you dont break a kobold into your house, when you let it in it breaks your house [img]smile.gif[/img]

Does anyone listen to the insane ramblings of this loon?

[I wish my name was Baggins]

Sorry guys...I had a great message going but got a 404 message and it disappeared so I will try to duplicate it later.

[Grungi]

i hate it when that happens, just finished an essay practically and then it eats your message never to be seen again, if your writing a really long'un go to notepad and put it there first then cut and paste in, saves ALOT of trouble [img]tongue.gif[/img]

and im not the sacksville loon! im as sane as can be for someone who assembled an army of xvarts for world domination (why oh why didnt i choose helmed horrors or invisible stalkers!) ill set my xvarts on you so long as they bypass convinient cows they'll whup your baggins behind [img]tongue.gif[/img]

[Lord Brass]

May I begin by thanking my admirable "opponent" Keraptisdm and offer my sincerest apologies for being absent from this remarkable group for so long. Matters on a distant island have taken much of my time, as has the pressing (if not depressing)local varsity with which I find myself affiliated.

My opening would be this: Tread carefully my esteemed colleagues. Pitting Xvart against Kobold will only resort in a miniscule and temporary shortening of their respective numbers throughout the Sword Coast. It will, however, achieve the unenviable success of producing new rivalries for the two races. The end result? Both parties will have another, more immediate, opponent to
deal with; the result will be increased numbers and a more militant disposition.

Speaking of dispositions, it is to the Kobold culture and religious community that I fear setbacks will most provocatively occur. The power bloc extant in Kobold society maintains its policy of inter-racial divide, tribalism and exterior antipathy for a reason: to control the Kobold masses. However, we also have the divisive (and equally binding) rôle of the "church". For Kobold society, this takes the form of their god Kurtulmak. It is said of Kurtulmak:

'He hates all life but kobolds, and is said to have taught the first kobolds the important arts of mining, ambushing and looting.' ¹

It is not the nature of K.A.K. to dismiss out of hand the noble goal of integration to Faerûn society, however, the social/cultural aspects of kobolds, a precociousness and drive that separates them from their
contmeporaries, must be held to include the place of Kurtulmak within kobold psychology proper. Apropos to this, there is the dual aspect of tribal/
religious control mechanisms that must be handled delicately and with all due care. Each aspect will not appreciate an exterior force - even one as diminuative as the halflings - to move in and dominate such mechanisms; the individual (and collective) tribal/religious leader's place within their own society depends on maintaining separate blocs for kobolds, away from the main.

Thus, we see that such contemporary power structures will (quite) likely claim that halflings and "good" folk in general, are attemtpting to dilute, if not destroy, the very cornerstone foundations of kobold culture. How will Faerûn, and the B.Y.O.B. in particular, respond to such an accusation?

The B.Y.O.B. will (quite rightly) claim that the grassroots benefit of education allows the kobold freedom of choice. This is true, but consider that such an education will enable the kobold of today, or future generations, to ask:

'Where am I from? Why am I here? What is my place in society?' 'Why are we/I still frowned upon in some quarters?' and 'Why does kobold literature, art, poetry and the theatre only begin in DR 1181+?'

Will you ban their god? Force them to accept a divisive stance on their own "state" religion? Claim that they cannot worship Kurtulmak at least in his/its present form, and force them to change? You will do naught but produce internecine conflict in the kobold society's very heart and mind.

Such a question must be asked before the line has been crossed and this issue is used as a fireball to reignite the flames of war. How will the present kobold religious/political structure become integrated into the Sword Coast? Will there be forced change, or the willingness of social revolution leading to enlightenment? Will the rôle of the B.Y.O.B. be that of the touch-paper to cultural utopia, or as the harbingers of social genocide? Has B.Y.O.B. any intention of trying to make such changes, or does it desport a willingness to let the nature of it's work cloud over the issue as irrelevant?

Make no mistake, you my esteemed colleagues may say that any religion which depicts such a narrow rôle for its followers is not a religion worth belonging to. You may say that the education you are attempting to bring to young kobolds will allow them to see this and the problem will never arise. Perhaps the notion that the established élite will soon hold no sway over the younger, fresher minds means that this argument has no claim. Then I say this to you: are we all not victims of such old men holding power over the younger, brighter future? How can we claim that kobolds must change if we
do not ourselves.

Has not the Sword Coast the makings of war between Baldur's Gate and Amn darking our door as we speak? We cannot begin change in others, however noble a goal, until such change begins within ourselves. The average Faerûnian does not understand the very nature of the world or society that he/she/it lives in. Right now, in our very "backyards", forces are at work which seek to use and abuse the weak, dispirited social vacuum of the Sword Coast to further their own ends. Surely this must take priority over a great many other works, however noble the goal. Would you really seek to integrate the kobold into a society which is at war with itself? Ask yourself what sort of rôle model or benefactor that would make us.

Address issues such as these my colleagues, and the Sword Coast will rest easy.

¹ 'Legendes & Lore' by Messrs. Kuntz & Ward
Pub. Tarser Inc. © DR 1167 Being an account of divers religions, factions, cults and gods (both noble & foul) as bestride the fair lands of Abeir-toril

On a more personal note, I would like to second the motion to have Legolas as chairman. The post of Chair for the rather heated debating forum that exists within the first tier of the Societal Action Group of Faerûn would be most ably filled by his shoes. Also, he looks good on screen, and he was cracking in Moria.

[ 12-22-2002, 06:22 PM: Message edited by: Lord Brass ]

[Grungi]

heh and baggins im not an extremist, my views on kobolds are moderate, wanting to shove their heads into a food blender 1 inch at a time is not extremist IMO, oh wait sorry thats gremlins, kobolds are fine so long as they do my cleaning without complaint [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Myrddin L'argenton]

Originally posted by Grungi: heh and baggins im not an extremist, my views on kobolds are moderate, wanting to shove their heads into a food blender 1 inch at a time is not extremist IMO, oh wait sorry thats gremlins, kobolds are fine so long as they do my cleaning without complaint [img]smile.gif[/img]

Hang on, Kobolds do have a place in society. They live in the sewers so that evil Ogre-Mages can use them for their evil purposes and get killed by good adventurers such as myself. Or they live in the sewers eating garbage and liing in packs. Simply put it's not a matter of them being rat cross dogs but their limited intulect. Kobolds don't have the brains.

(Damn Keyboard!!)

[ 12-23-2002, 11:10 AM: Message edited by: Myrddin L'argenton ]

[I wish my name was Baggins]

Originally posted by Myrddin L'argenton: Hang on, Kobolds do have a place in society. They live in the sewers so that evil Ogre-Mages can use them for their evil purposes and get killed by good adventurers such as myself. Or they live in the sewers eating garbage and liing in packs. Simply put it's not a matter of them being rat cross dogs but their limited intulect. Kobolds don't have the brains. (Damn Keyboard!!)

See it is closed-minded stereotypical thinking like this that is preventing the integration of the Sword Coast to its advantage and greater good...I swear I am starting to believe that 4 out of every five poeple who can swing a sword do not have the brains or social responsibility that the gods granr common tree stumps.

[Grungi]

tree stumps have social responsibility? baggin's arguments are becoming more bizarre than mine (can it be possible!) [img]tongue.gif[/img] the only responsibility i can see a tree stump having is to hold the tree up, and as its a stump looks like it failed

[Myrddin L'argenton]

Originally posted by I wish my name was Baggins: [/qb]

See it is closed-minded stereotypical thinking like this that is preventing the integration of the Sword Coast to its advantage and greater good...I swear I am starting to believe that 4 out of every five poeple who can swing a sword do not have the brains or social responsibility that the gods granr common tree stumps.[/QB][/QUOTE]

This is not stereotyping, this is true. Come on how many kobolds come upto Elminster and starts a conversation on the problems of the realms. Or do they say to adventurers `This my sewer. Humans keep out' and then attack you? My answer is the second one. Not to mention I do agree on Grungi's point.

[ 01-06-2003, 08:14 AM: Message edited by: Myrddin L'argenton ]