Peter the Kobold
Peter become kobold
At the edge of a primeval wilderness populated by beasts, monsters, fey creatures, and beings from other planes, stood a blue-eyed kobold clad in a tattered wizard robe. His name was Peter, and he was sent to these woods seeking help for a problem that no one seemed to understand.
While adventuring with a group, they stumbled upon a strange and mysterious artifact. Peter picked it up and examined it closely, feeling a strange power emanating from the object. After some discussion with his party, he realized that the artifact could be his ticket home. The party led him into the woods, claiming that help awaited him there. Reluctantly, they had to leave for a mission, abandoning him in the woods.
Peter stared into the depths of the wilderness, nervous about what lay ahead. Remembering his time with the party, he spoke the name of the person he hoped would aid him: “Thorne, I summon thee!”
Out of the woods emerged a stern-looking satyr named Thorne. He was the quintessential image of a satyr: goat legs, a hairy male chest, a billy goat beard, and prominent ram horns. His short kilt, fashioned from natural fabric, boasted decorative accents like knots and nature-themed designs.
Thorne glared at the kobold. “What are you doing here, stranger? You don’t belong here.”
Peter, almost pleading, cried, “Please, I need help! This isn’t even my world. I fell into this realm mysteriously, and I just want to go home!”
Thorne raised an eyebrow, taken aback. “Interesting. Judging by your soul, you are not a kobold, are you?”
Peter nodded. “I have this artifact, which I believe can grant wishes. I just don’t know how to activate it.”
He produced the artifact, revealing a weathered stone orb—imperfect in shape yet undeniably captivating. Its surface shimmered with an iridescent sheen, reflecting a mesmerizing play of colors that danced across its rugged, ancient exterior. The hues transitioned from deep purples to emerald greens, glistening like a tranquil pond kissed by moonlight. As it sat in Peter's palm, the orb pulsed with a life of its own, hinting at the power it held within.
Thorne examined the artifact. “Yes, I know of it, but it’s inscribed in an old dialect that I don’t understand.”
“Shit,” Peter muttered.
But Thorne smiled, adding, “I think the elder of a nearby kobold village could help you.”
“Really? Great! Can you take me there?” Peter asked eagerly.
“Sure,” Thorne replied, extending his hand. Peter gripped it tightly.
“Since you know my name, do I get yours?” Thorne inquired.
“My name is Peter,” he answered.
After a short walk through the forest, Thorne called out, “Zippy! Are you here?”
Suddenly, a small, reptilian figure emerged from the shadows. “I am a kobold,” it declared. “I am Zippy!”
Zippy was a small, mischievous kobold with bright, eager eyes. Its mottled green and brown scales shimmered, and it had small, sharp teeth with beady eyes glinting in the dim light. Zippy wore a simple loincloth made from animal hides, adorned with leather straps and pouches filled with various tools and trinkets.
Thorne explained Peter's situation, showing the artifact to Zippy. The kobold’s eyes widened with recognition. “That’s a powerful artifact,” Zippy said.
Peter sighed, “It is…I hope it can send me home. I was a human high school student until I woke up in a kobold’s body. I don’t belong in this world.”
Zippy and Thorne exchanged perplexed glances. “You want to use this artifact to change your form?” Zippy asked. “I’m not sure that’s possible, but I know someone who might be able to help.”
“You do? Can you take me to him?” Peter pleaded.
Zippy nodded enthusiastically. Thorne mentioned he had errands to run, so it would just be Zippy and Peter.
Zippy guided Peter through the forest to a small cave hidden among the trees. The entrance was guarded by two kobolds wielding spears, who eyed Peter warily. Zippy spoke to them in a low, reassuring tone, and they stepped aside, allowing him entry.
Inside, the cave was dimly lit, with flickering torches lining the walls. Peter followed Zippy through winding tunnels filled with kobolds of all ages tending to fires and crafting various items. The air thickened with the smell of smoke and roasting meat.
Eventually, they reached a large chamber at the heart of the cave. A kobold elder, distinguished by its aged scales and elaborate headdress, sat on a makeshift throne. Zippy introduced Peter, who was met with curiosity from the elder.
The elder took the artifact and studied it carefully. “This is indeed a powerful item,” the elder said. “It can grant wishes, but there is a great cost. Are you willing to pay the price?”
Peter replied, “I don’t know. I just want to go home and be a high school student again.”
The elder considered his words and nodded. “I can make that happen, but the artifact will demand a price. Are you prepared to pay it?”
Eager to return to his old life, Peter nodded.
The elder gestured to one of the kobolds, who brought a small pedestal with a bowl atop it. The elder placed the artifact in the bowl and began to chant in an ancient language. The chanting grew louder and more urgent as Peter felt a strange energy building in the room, the air crackling with electricity. He turned to Zippy, thanking it for bringing him to the elder. Suddenly, a blinding flash of light enveloped Peter, swirling him into a tempest of color and sound.
When the whirlwind subsided, Peter found himself standing in a familiar place: his old high school, surrounded by the sights and sounds of his former life. Looking down at himself, he saw his normal, nerdy self—white and black striped long-sleeve shirt, blue jeans, and white sneakers. His glasses rested on his face, and he was overwhelmed by happiness, nearly brought to tears in front of his classmates.
As he walked through the bustling hallway filled with lockers, he noticed a poster on the wall announcing the school's new mascot: the Kobolds. Although it seemed strange, he decided not to judge; he was home and ready to start anew. He overheard a group of students excitedly discussing their latest D&D campaign, where they played as kobolds in the High Forest.
Confused, he approached the school office and asked to use the phone to call his mother and Bob. The stern-looking secretary, glancing at her name tag that read "Gruff," looked up at him with a scowl. “The principal is busy,” she said. “Can I help you with something?”
“Yes,” he replied, “I’d like to use the phone to call my parents.”
“Why?” she inquired. “They’re already here.”
She pointed behind him, and when he turned, he saw a tall, cheerful man with a bushy mustache entering the office.
Peter’s expression turned to shock. “Dad?”
“Yeah, buddy, it’s me!” the man said with a smile. “Is there a problem here?”
“How? You… You died! In a car accident! How are you here?”
His dad began to bleed from the forehead, and concern etched across Peter’s face. “What’s wrong, sonny boy? I thought you wished I would come back from the grave to save you from hell at school.”
Peter dashed past his fake father and out of the office. Out of nowhere, his stepdad Bob loomed in the hallway’s shadows.
“I told you, you little shit! To keep the gay out of my household! Now you went ahead and fucked some ‘reptile’?”
Peter’s eyes widened in panic. “No! You are not real!”
“Your past pains are real!” Bob hissed, before laughing wickedly as Peter fled.
The hallways stretched endlessly, and in a frantic search for escape, Peter found a corner to duck into.
Suddenly, he ran into his mother. “You’ve got to help me with Bob! He’s a psychopath!”
She looked at him with shame. “Why do you have to upset him?”
Peter stepped back in disbelief. “Why do you have to be gay? Bob is bringing me into better status circles where I can connect with the elites. I can’t be known as the mother of a reptile!”
Peter glanced down at himself, realizing he had transformed back into a kobold. Looking up, he spotted his friend Matt.
“Matt,” Peter pleaded, “help me!”
Matt responded apologetically, “I’m sorry, man, but I don’t like you that way. I need to get going; I have nursing to do.”
He walked away, leaving Peter on his knees, yelling, “Don’t leave me!”
Suddenly, his bullies surrounded him, hurling insults. “Freak! Faggot! Embarrassment! Monster! Fairy! Creature! REPTILE! REPTILE! REPTILE!”
Peter curled into a ball, clutching his head and screaming.
Suddenly, Peter awoke back in the cave, surrounded by concerned kobolds. He sat up with a start, his heart racing. He lay on a bed of soft moss, Zippy sitting nearby, looking worried.
“Are you okay?” Zippy asked.
Filled with rage, Peter pushed Zippy aside and confronted the elder. “What the hell was that? This artifact didn’t send me home! I’m still stuck in this weak body in this stupid world!”
Zippy looked at him with concern. “I’m sorry; I didn’t realize it was that important to you. I thought it was just a powerful artifact.”
The elder spoke calmly, “The artifact is indeed powerful, but its magic is unpredictable. It may not have sent you back to your old life but instead created an illusion of your world to honor your wish. A flawed replica, apparently.”
Peter laughed—a defeated, hopeless laugh. He began to laugh hysterically as ice grew from his feet, a snow cloud forming above his head. The other kobolds backed away, wary of the sudden ice storm, but Zippy, displaying bravery, rushed forward and wrapped Peter in a comforting hug.
That gesture brought Peter to a halt. Realizing he was not alone, he began to cry. He wept like a child until the tears finally subsided.
“There, there,” Zippy said softly. “What happened?”
Peter shared his dream and how he hoped the artifact would return him to his old life. The elder kobold listened intently. When Peter finished, the elder spoke solemnly.
“I see,” he replied. “This artifact likely doesn’t understand your world or your kind, so it crafted a version to fulfill your wish.”
Zippy clasped Peter’s hands. “We’ll help you; I promise.”
Peter sighed, looking defeated. “Where will I go now? I thought that the spell would work, and I would be home.”
The elder stroked his chin thoughtfully. “You may stay here with us for as long as you like. We will welcome you into our tribe and do our best to make you feel at home.”
Zippy nodded eagerly. “Yes! We can show you around the forest, introduce you to our friends. You can help us with traps and mining; we can teach you our ways.”
Peter couldn’t help but smile. “Thank you.”
The elder kobold smiled warmly at Peter. “You are welcome here, young one. We will assist you in any way we can.”
Zippy nodded in agreement and helped Peter to his feet. “Come on! I’ll show you around the cave and introduce you to some of the tribe members.”