Kobolds were never a big part of the lore, a little comedic, but they were gritty also.
They infest mines and attack people, while being very dim witted, unable to form proper sentences.
In Warcraft 3 and Vanilla WoW they viciously take over mines by murdering all the miners in them.
They don’t do it because of some kind of evil “Candle King” they do it because that’s how they are naturally. It’s in their instinct to do these things, like how it’s in Trogg’s instincts to do similar, because they’re close to almost an animal, barely sentient.
In War Within it seems they got changed to be childrens cartoon characters with zero edge? Every time I dealt with them it made me angry and annoyed. And suddenly they can give big long speeches on friendship and how working together and making new friends saves the day?
A small thing but a good example of how the writing team is turning the universe into an ultra-safe, non-gritty rated G thing.
The quests should’ve involved the player and Brinthe leading a team of mech-suit Machine Speakers into the mines to kill them all. THAT is Warcraft. Not whatever weird story they gave us with the Kobolds in TWW.
Have you done the quest for the grandma Kobold? You need the light so giant spiders and scorpions won’t kill you in the dark. That granny was pretty rough with her story telling. The first three death is the only option then you race on some moles.