Artwork by doubleleaf

An unusual golden-scaled kobold, Marten possesses a long, sinuous tail and impressive horns for his size. Reaching nearly three feet in height, he is hefty for one of his kind, with broad shoulders and a stout frame corded with muscle.

A self-proclaimed "professional artifact retrieval specialist extraordinaire," Marten seems well-equipped for the job: Light chain-and-leather armor; greaves that protect his digitigrade legs and splayed, talon-tipped feet; dark-tinted goggles to protect his sensitive eyes from the light; and a full complement of deadly-looking weapons and expertly maintained tools. On his back is a large backpack, securely strapped to his body by loops over the shoulders and a belt at his waist. Atop it—tightly strapped on so that it doesn't bounce or move—is a small anvil. Vials and bottles of every shape and color—many of them glowing menacingly—weigh down his belt, rucksack, and bandolier. Prominent among them is a sturdy metal flask stamped with a hammer-and-anvil device, in gold.

The draconian's weaponry is unmistakably of dwarvish make and has seen hard use, as well as infinite care from its owner. The pickaxe poking over his shoulder and the buckler fastened to one forearm share the same complicated artistry and angular runes as the massive crossbow Marten carries, a war engine nearly as big as the kobold's whole body and composed of many complex and intimidating mechanisms beyond the basic design of more typical mechanical bows.

Most visible and memorable among all of this is the kobold's beard—a veil of fine chain links attached to rings slipped over or pierced through the small horns lining his chin and jaw. Golden wire is threaded through the polished steel, and small rubies, topazes, and citrines wink out from the metal in a symmetrical pattern, some of them dangling from the bottom edge of the meshwork like delicate beads. The unusual accessory is half armor, half jewelry, and obviously the work of a skilled and inspired artisan.