"There are rumors of people possessing the ability to commune with earth. They are known to be incredibly strong and durable, and can make the very grounds underneath them quake. Instead of making the ground shake, a good listener can also hear through the ground to sense nearby movement of animals and people.
"Those proficient with the Gift of the Kobold are able to manipulate dirt and stone, shaping and moving it as one might soft clay. It would seem that with more practice, kobolds lose the need to even touch the material. Instead they simply move material out of their way or in the way of an adversary with a wave of the hand.
"However, the next time you are on a skyship and you see someone who looks nervous, lost and alone, you may be looking at a Gifted that possesses the Gift of the Kobold and is missing his best friend … the ground."
- from the Travel Log of Duro Xaa, The Word Dancer, as provided to Captain Froederik Wiki