What is a kobold?
A kobold is a spirit of German folklore. Two types are known: kobolds that settle in houses and kobolds that live in mines. They are often described as small human-like beings and are said to rarely show themselves to people.
House kobolds and mine kobolds
House kobolds are hard workers who help with housework and kitchen tasks during the night, but if you forget their reward of food or tease them, they get angry and play tricks or make mischief, it is said. Mine kobolds, on the other hand, were feared as troublesome beings that made noises in the tunnels, led miners astray and caused cave-ins.
The origin of the element “cobalt”
Medieval German miners thought that ores that looked like silver ore but yielded no silver when smelted and gave off poisonous fumes were “the work of kobolds,” and called them kobold. The metallic element extracted from this ore in the 18th century was named “cobalt” after the kobold. In modern games, kobolds often appear as small dog-like or reptilian monsters and are mentioned alongside goblins.
