History of Skyfang Raiders
The Unseen Threat Above
The Forgotten Legion of the Sky
For centuries, the Hearthkin have fought the kobolds with an understanding of their enemy’s strengths: traps, ambushes, and superior tunnel warfare. The Skyfang Raiders break that pattern. These terrifying aerial warriors had never before been seen in battle against the Hearthkin, and their arrival marks the most shocking escalation in the long, bloody conflict.
The Isle of Drakthar: The Kobold Homeland
A hidden landmass known as the Isle of Drakthar lies just south and southeast of the western archipelago, a volcanic island of 10,000 square kilometers shrouded in mist and jagged peaks. Here the kobold hatching pits churn out new generations of warriors, and here their most terrifying allies, the Skyfang Raiders, have been bred, trained, and prepared in secret.
The Hearthkin know almost nothing of the island. Treacherous waters, unpredictable storms, and violent creatures guard its shores. Its basalt cliffs and twisting tunnel systems make landing nearly impossible, and its volatile climate has ensured that no Hearthkin expedition has ever returned to tell of it.
For centuries the kobold elders kept the Skyfang hidden, waiting for the right moment to send them against the unsuspecting mainland. Skyfang Raiders are not mere kobolds. They are revered as the chosen of Dreadthorn, the embodiment of his will in the sky.
Origins of the Skyfang Raiders
Kobolds are known for their underground prowess, but one limitation always held them back: they could never dominate above ground. They saw the power of the skies in their draconic ancestors and lacked the wings to follow.
To remedy this, generations of selective breeding and draconic experimentation produced the Skyfang. Kobold shamans hunted down wyverns, drakes, and lesser dragons, captured their eggs, and used cruel and unnatural rituals to force the hatchlings to bond with specially chosen kobold infants.
Alchemical augmentation, brutal training, and magical manipulation transformed the kobold young. Their bodies grew leaner and more aerodynamic, with membranous wings extending from their backs, powerful taloned feet, and elongated snouts capable of precise, devastating bites.
Most failed, dying in pain or going mad from the strain of the transformation. The few who survived were legends in the making.
By the time Emberdown’s war with the kobolds had fully ignited, the Skyfang Raiders were ready, sharpening their claws and perfecting their skyborne tactics. The kobolds held them back because they were never meant to be mere reinforcements. They were meant to be the killing blow.
Now the war has reached a critical turning point, and the time has come for the Skyfang Raiders to fulfill their purpose.