Kobolds of the Fallen Halls by Creighton Broadhurst is a role playing game supplement published by Raging Swan Press for the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game. As such, it is covered by the Open Game License and some of it is therefore considered to be Open Game Content. This is one in a series of supplements which cover nonhuman tribes, in this case a tribe of kobolds that has been split into two. The location has been retroactively added to the Gloamhold campaign setting, south of the village of Longbridge.
This is a twenty-seven page bookmarked PDF which is available from RPGNow at the regular price of $2.99 but which was purchased at the reduced price of $0.13 as part of a special bundle deal. The Kobolds are also one of the tribes included in the compilation supplement, TRIBES Anthology I.
Two pages are the publisher’s standard, plain, front and rear covers, one page is blank, two pages are the front matter, one page has the Contents which also has lists of new spells, new feats and stat blocks by CR as well as a short poem, one page is a standard one, Reading Stat Blocks, which explains how they are laid out and around half a page is the Open Game License.
Kobolds of the Fallen Halls begins with a full page title. In this section there is the history of the two tribes; these were formally one tribe of kobolds ruled by two green dragons living in a former dwarven hold. Following the death of the adult dragons, one of their offspring started to take control but a black dragon intervened, causing control of the hold, and of the tribes, to be split in two, resulting in an ongoing conflict. Also covered are the kobolds’ appearance, ecology & society, lair and combat and tactics. Two pages cover this and this can be found as an extract in GM’s Monthly Miscellany: September 2014.
Vongyth is two pages on the dwarven hold itself. This describes the general layout of the hold, dividing it into four main areas, but it isn’t mapped. A sidebar has various terrain features that can be added.
New Feats is a single page of seven new battle feats for the tribes. There are three each specific to each tribe and a last one that is used by both.
New Adept Spells is a single page of four new adept spells used by one of the tribes. There are sidebars on the adepts of the two tribes; one tribe is more proficient than the other.
Dragon Hoards is a single page and lists the treasure that each dragon possesses.
The Tribes begins with another full page title. Each tribe is detailed separately with brief details on them and encounter groups, followed by stat blocks for various members, both specific and general. This is a four page section that finishes with each tribe’s dragon, giving details on their personality, behaviour and adventure hooks.
Kobolds of Vongyth is a single page and has a d20 list of items to find in a kobold’s pocket and stat blocks for female and young kobolds, which are the same for both tribes.
Traps of Vongyth is another single page and has four traps with sidebars on reading the stat blocks and augmenting the traps.
Finally, there is around half a page on Designing Additional Tribal Members.
Kobolds of the Fallen Halls in Review
The PDF is extensively bookmarked, with major and minor sections included; only the sidebars would appear to be excluded. Although the Contents are not as in-depth, they are hyperlinked. Navigation is therefore above average. The text maintains a two column format and a couple of minor errors were noted. There are a number of black and white illustrations, most if not all of which are probably stock, but are suited to the subject matter.
Kobolds and dragons are regular foes of players; the former often as cannon fodder and the latter as more serious opponents. What has the greatest potential for character involvement is the conflict between the two tribes, and the two dragon. One of the dragons is also quite willing to make, and keep, deals with outsiders that benefit her, so players could actually help resolve the conflict, perhaps for a price.
The dwarven hold itself is probably quite dangerous to explore; decades of the kobolds building traps to keep out the opposing tribe has apparently riddled the place with them, making certain areas very difficult to get into. It’s a shame that there isn’t a map of the hold, but then this supplement is intended as a tribal supplement, not a dungeon crawl.
The new spells and new feats, a common feature of this range, help distinguish the kobolds and give them abilities that players will not be familiar with. The tribes can also be easily be placed in a GM’s own campaign – there is a sidebar on this – as they were placed in the Gloamhold campaign at a later date. All told, Kobolds of the Fallen Halls is an interesting supplements with conflicts that can involve players and it can be found by clicking here.
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