History

The Empire de Dhakaan was built on a foundation of martial skill. For thousands of years it dominated Khorvaire, until the coming of the Daelkyr. For all of their skill, the Dhakaani Gobelinoids could not stand against the might and madness of the Lords of Xoriat. By the time the Gatekeeper druids bound the Daelkyr and their servants in the depths of Khyber, the empire was a Ombre of its former glory. Over the course of millennia it collapsed into savagery, and by the time Humainity arrived on Khorvaire, all that was left of the empire was ruins.

Or so it seemed. As the empire crumbled, a few of the greatest generals and leaders took their clans into hiding, determined to preserve the knowledge of the Dhakaani through the darkness they saw coming.

With the rise of Darguun, the clans have emerged once more. If they united behind a single ruler, the Dhakaani clans could easily unseat the Lhesh Haruuc, and if they conquered Darguun, the Dhakaani could pose a threat to the other nations of Khorvaire.

There is one huge obstacle – none of the clans agree who should be emperor. Who is the true heir of Dhakaan? This issue has led to endless conflicts between the modern-day Dhakaani clans that so far have kept them from posing a threat to the wider world.

One of the major differences between the Dhakaani and the other Gobelinoids of Khorvaire is the degree of interracial cooperation within a clan. Among the Ghaal'dar and the Marguul, the strong rule the weak. Leadership is founded on fear, and the weaker races hate the stronger Les Tyrans.

Among the Dhakaani Gobelinoids, this is not the case. Each species has a role to serve in society, and each embraces this role. The hobGobelins rule not through force of arms but because the Gobelins and Gobelours respect their ability to maintain structure and discipline. The strength of the Gobelours is turned against the enemies of the clan. These racial roles are examined below.

Dhakaani HobGobelins

HobGobelins have always formed the foundation of Dhakaani society, from its beginnings to the present day. They are the most disciplined of the Gobelinoids, both in battle and in court. The hobGobelins rule Dhakaani society, and their power is rarely contested; their leadership skills have been proven over the centuries so that the Gobelours and Gobelins accept their respective roles in society.

HobGobelin soldiers receive highly specialized training to serve as infantry, archers, or cavalry. The typical Dhakaani soldier is a 2nd level fighter, and all of his feats will be focused on his military specialty. An archer will have Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, and either Far Shot or Rapid Shot. A cavalry trooper will possess Mounted Combat, Ride-By Attack, and either Trample or Spirited Charge. The feats of an infantry soldier vary based on attribute scores. The fighting style of the Dhakaani infantry emphasizes speed over strength, so Power Attack and its related feats are rarely seen. Commun feats include Combat Expertise, Improved Disarm, Dodge, Mobility, and Weapon Focus. Elite soldiers are renowned for their use of Spring Attack and Whirlwind Strike. The Dhakaani are also known for their use of chain weapons – flails and spiked chains. Chain masters enjoy displaying their skills with trip and disarm attacks.

A Dhakaani army is both tightly structured and surprisingly flexible. The military is based around small units of infantry that can quickly adapt tactics and formations to evolving combat conditions. HobGobelins are trained to work together, using techniques like Aid Another and flanking to maximize their effectiveness against powerful opponents. Dhakaani hobGobelins do not adhere to any sort of code of honor in battle, nor do they seek glory like the Gobelours berserkers. A hobGobelin soldier takes pride in his skills but in battle his only goal is to achieve an objective as quickly and efficiently as possible, whether it is killing the enemy, seizing a gate, or scouting a location.

While there are a few exceptions in folklore, military service is traditionally seen as a role for male hobGobelins. Females, however, have many important roles in society. The most Commun form of magic among the Dhakaani is that of the bard, and this talent typically manifests only among the females of the clans. Dhakaani bards are known as duur'kala, “dirge singers”; they are treasured both for their abilities to inspire troops and to perform healing magic. The duur'kala are the spiritual leaders of the Dhakaani. They use tales of past glory and ancestral deeds to bind communities together and inspire them to a greater future.

Alchemy, healing, and diplomacy are also seen as female arts; the male hobGobelins fight battles, and the females heal the wounds, both physical and political. While bardic talent is very rare, many female hobGobelins have levels in expert, reflecting intense training in these advanced arts.

Dhakaani Gobelours

From an early age, Gobelours are raised to think of themselves as the heroes and martyrs of Dhakaani civilization. They are taught to believe that their strength is the single greatest weapon of the Empire. Most are eager to prove their mettle and worth in battle.

Virtually all adult Gobelours, both male and female, are barbarians of at least 1st level. Dhakaani barbarians are not stereotypical savages; instead, the barbarian class represents a specialized form of combat training, with the Rage ability reflecting a consciously cultivated state of battle Furie. In combat, Gobelours barbarians serve as skirmishers and shock troops, smashing into the ranks of their enemies and using their immense strength to scatter and break formations while the strictly disciplined hobGobelin ranks move up behind them. The favored class of the Dhakaani Gobelours is barbarian.

Dhakaani Gobelins

With their prolific rate of reproduction, Gobelins form the largest segment of any Dhakaani community. Dhakaani Gobelins receive far more respect than their counterparts in other Gobelinoid cultures; most fill the roles of peasants and tradesmen, performing noncombat tasks that support the hobGobelin and Gobelours soldiers. Recently, a few Gobelins have explored the modern arts of arcane magic and artifice, especially among the Kech Volaar clan (see page 154 of the Eberron Campaign Setting). These Gobelin wizards and Artificiers are slowly winning respect among the clans and becoming an important part of the culture.

Two Dhakaani clans are formed entirely of Gobelins. Both are renowned for their impressive skills. The taarka'khesh (“silent wolves”) is a corps of Gobelin scouts trained to provide intelligence in the field during military operations; taarka'khesh scouts take rogue and Ranger levels. The shaarat'khesh (“silent blades”) are an elite order of spies and assassins. The shaarat'khesh have long practiced a martial art designed to transform an unarmed Gobelin into a living weapon. As a result, shaarat'khesh Gobelins pursue both rogue and monk levels, using the Monastic Training feat. By ancient tradition, the Silent Clans do not take sides in any conflict. Instead, they act as mercenaries, providing their services to all sides and fighting their brothers when they face one another on the battlefield. This reputation for complete impartiality and reliability has kept the khesh alive for thousands of years. Its own clan will execute a Gobelin that betrays the secrets of a client. Generally speaking, one must be born into a khesh clan to learn its ways, but on rare occasions skilled Gobelins from other clans have gained admission to one of the Silent Clans.

Using the Héritiers de Dhakaan

The Héritiers de Dhakaan have two primary roles in an Eberron campaign. The first is as a source of Gobelinoid opponents that can provide unexpected challenges for high-level adventurers. Parties that think of Gobelinoids as pushovers are in for a surprise when they encounter the Dhakaani; these Gobelinoids can have significant PC class levels and excellent equipment, and they should respond with the finest tactics that the DM could devise. Just like the Seigneur des Lames, Dhakaani NPCs scale up in power as the adventurers rise in skill; Tuura Dhakaan and Ruus Dhakaan are heroes of their people and will become more powerful in time. Adventurers may encounter Dhakaani treasure hunters seeking to reclaim the relics of their empire. If the DM wishes, he can play up the fact that these artifacts, by rights, do belong to the Dhakaani. An adventurer who lays claim to the Breastplate of Khamvuul Norek and refuses to relinquish it to the Héritiers de Dhakaan is, from their perspective, a Commun grave robber.

Another way to use the Héritiers de Dhakaan is to have the PCs become actively involved in the struggles between the Dhakaani clans. If the Kech Sharaat gain power over the other clans, they will eventually pose a threat to the people of the Cinq Nations. Perhaps the Kech Volaar are more reasonable, and the party needs to help Tuura Dhakaan deal with her enemies to maintain the balance of power. Perhaps Lhesh Haruuc of Darguun hires the party; the hobGobelin king wants the characters to weaken all of the Dhakaani clans, to prevent them from undermining his newborn nation.

The Dhakaani clans are also a good source of Gobelinoid player characters. A member of the Kech Volaar might join with a party of Humains and demiHumains in hope of finding Perdu Dhakaani treasures to return to her clan. For a changel of pace, the players could make an entire party of Gobelinoids. Why not see what it's like to play on the other side for a while?

Because of their emphasis on the arts of war, the Héritiers de Dhakaan can be a good way to bring exotic prestige classes into Eberron. Perhaps the sharaat'khesh Gobelins use the ninja class, while the most gifted swordsmen of the Kech Sharaat follow a tradition similar to that of the samurai. Exotic weapon masters, kensai, bladesingers, marshals, and tactical soldiers could all find a place in the clans. If a nonGobelinoid character wants to pursue one of these traditions, he needs to establish a connection to the clan. Perhaps his family was enslaved during La Dernière Guerre, and he earned his freedom through display of martial skill. Perhaps he can earn the friendship of a clan by finding Dhakaani artifacts and returning them to one of the chiefs!

Kech Volaar (Wordbearers): The Wordbearers have gone to great lengths to preserve the lore of the Dhakaani Empire. Though Kech Volaar is one of the smallest Dhakaani clans, its armorers and stonemasons are unmatched in all of Darguun. This great skill has allowed their fortifi cations to hold against Kech Shaarat and other aggressive clans. Led by Tuura Dhakaan, the strongest dirge singer the clans have seen in over a thousand years, the Wordbearers keep the memory of the ancient goblinoid empire alive. Instead of seeking conquest through military victory, Tuura intends to prove her right to rule by gathering the lost artifacts of the ancient empire—both to serve as a symbol and to provide her with enough magical power to overcome her foes. Kurac Thaar, the clan’s warlord, is as fanatically devoted to Tuura and her vision of the restored empire as the rest of Kech Volaar.

Kech Volaar goblinoids often venture beyond Darguun in search of Dhakaani ruins, but they do not work as mercenaries. They rarely interact with other races except in the pursuit of a mission. Symbols depicting important events are often tattooed on members of the clan; those who read Goblin can learn much about an individual through the study of these markings.

GOBLINOI D S (HEIRS OF DHAKAAN) War drums are sounding in the depths beneath Darguun. Bugbear champions hone their adamantine greatswords, and hobgoblin dirge singers call the legions to battle. The warriors of Dhakaan are preparing to reclaim their stolen lands, and the nations of Khorvaire have no idea what's coming. During the struggle with the daelkyr, some Dhakaani leaders saw the madness spreading among their people and knew it would destroy their civilization. They led their forces into deep subterranean chambers and severed all contact with the outside world. In recent years these ancient clans-who call themselves the Kech Dhakaan (“bearers of [the traditions of] Dhakaan”)have finally returned to the surface. The Dhakaani are utterly devoted to war, matched only by the Valenar elves in their devotion to the martial arts. Their weaponsmiths and armorers know techniques that even the artificers of House Bombardier cannot duplicate. Throughout the Last War, no nation faced any other force that had the skill and resources of the resurgent Dhakaani. But there is one obstacle to their rise: the Heirs of Dhakaan have no emperor. The goblinoids are divided into clans, and each clan, or kech, believes its leader has the right to control all the others. And so the champions of Dhakaan continuously compete with each other to prove their right to rule. The Kech Sharaat (Bladebearers) believe that leadership is best achieved through force of arms. The Kech Volaar (Wordbearers) believe that knowledge is the greater weapon, and they seek to recover artifacts and weapons that were lost when the empire fell. These and several less influential clans are competing for overall leadership, while the spies and assassins of the Khesh'dar (Silent Folk) remain neutral in the struggle, gathering information on the modern world and serving every clan. At the moment, the Heirs of Dhakaan are maintaining a low profile. They fight most of their battles underground, and occasionally dispatch small squads to carry out missions on the surface. Humans usually don't know enough about goblins to tell the difference between the Dhakaani and the people of Darguun. The truth of the matter is gradually spreading within Darguun, but no one yet realizes the power of the force that lies beneath their nation. THE HEIRS AND THE WAR The Last War caused the Heirs of Dhakaan to finally stir and emerge from their deep vaults. They recognize that humanity has been weakened by its self-inflicted wounds. The rise of Darguun and the proliferation of that nation's Ghaal'dar mercenaries enables the Dhakaani to move around Khorvaire without drawing undue attention. And the Mourning, ultimately, demonstrated that the races of the Five Nations could not be trusted with ruling Khorvaire. It was time for the Dhakaani to return and subjugate the other races to their firm hand once again.

The Heirs of Dhakaan are devoted to war, with an unmatched focus on sheer martial skill. Their weaponry and artillery are of the highest quality, and they place their trust in strength of arms, not on magic. The Dhakaani don't worship gods, and no clerics or paladins are among them. The Kech Volaar have picked up some of the elven traditions of wizardry, and all clans have bards known as duur'kala (dirge singers), but in general the Dhakaani don't rely on magic on the battlefield.

GoBLINOID NPC s Characters who approach the Heirs of Dhakaan expecting a ragtag band of goblinoids are in for a rude awakening. The Heirs of Dhakaan are well equipped and fight with precision and efficiency, coordinating their efforts to eliminate spellcasters and other obvious threats. Dhakaani squads are utterly devoted to their kech leaders and their empire. All are bound by the principles of muut and atcha (honor and duty), but they believe that humans and their kin don't deserve to be treated with honor. All the goblinoid races work together among the Dhakaani, and all are convinced of the superiority of their culture. When forced to fight other Dhakaani, they will usually spare the lives of their opponents, but against all other adversaries-including other goblinoids- they are ruthless.

The Heirs of Dhakaan Raat shi anaa: the story continues. In the distant past, six mighty kings rose to power. Each sought to do their duty to their people: to bring them prosperity and security, to defeat all who would threaten them. Time and again, the six kings clashed on the field of battle, but the kings were matched in cunning and their warriors were equals in courage and skill. No victory could be won, and no compromise could be found. Jhazaal Dhakaan called the six kings together, and none could resist her summons. She brought them to a field soaked with blood and strewn with blunted blades. Jhazaal Dhakaan sang the song of the dar, reminding the kings that they were all one people. She sang the song of muut, of the duty all dar share. She sang the song of atcha, of the glory awaiting the people, of the heroes of the past and of those yet to come. With her words, she wove a dream, and she gave that dream to the six kings and to all who followed them. It was with this song that the Empire of Dhakaan was born, and it is this dream that guides us still. Our empire was so grand that even the spirits grew jealous. The Lords of Madness crawled out of the shadows. They made monsters of our children and sought to break our people with terror. But no power could stand against the champions of Dhakaan. Our heroes blinded the Lord of Eyes and cut the roots of the Rotting Queen. They fought the great Corruptor and brought him down, but even as he fell, he whispered to the hero who defeated him. His foul words lingered, clinging to the champions, and they drowned out Jhazaal’s song. As the whispers spread, those who heard them forgot the ways of muut and atcha. They forgot the glorious dream. They forgot what it meant to be dar. The duur’kala and the chot’uul came together, but there was no easy answer; only time would still the poisoned words. Our greatest leaders each took one of the treasures of our people and bore them down into the depths, into ancient fortresses that neither enemy nor poisoned word could penetrate. And there we remained, waiting for the echoes of that ancient curse to die, waiting to restore the dream of the people. Now that time is upon us. We have risen from our vaults and returned to a world that has been twisted by madness. Chaat’oor—defilers—have built foul cities on our foundations. The so-called “goblins” who remain have forgotten their glory and what it means to be dar. We must unite the Keepers of Dhakaan. We must reclaim our ancient treasures and crown the Emperor Yet to Come. And under their banner, we shall cleanse this land and restore our tarnished dream. Raat shan gath’kal dor: the story stops but never ends.

Goblin History Little is known of the origins of the goblinoid species. Aereni records describe warring goblinoids on Khorvaire around forty thousand years ago, when the elves settled on Aerenal. But recent studies suggest that the goblinoids themselves appeared quite suddenly around this time. It’s commonly believed that the goblinoids evolved in vast caverns below the surface, but some modern scholars hold competing theories. Kel Kador of the Library of Korranberg believes that the goblinoid subspecies were magebred from a common ancestor, and that this goblin progenitor might still be found underground. Hass Holan of Morgrave University has advanced a more exotic theory—that the goblinoids may have emerged from a demiplane within Khyber, from a warlike realm that has yet to be found. The goblins themselves have little interest in the origins of the dar—a Goblin word meaning “the people.” For them, the history of Dhakaan is the history of the dar. The two are considered synonymous, and regardless of their origins, the Dhakaani culture emerged approximately sixteen thousand years ago. The legend that opens this section deals with the roots of the Empire of Dhakaan, when six hobgoblin kings fought over ancient Khorvaire. Jhazaal Dhakaan was the greatest duur’kala bard of the age and the artifacts she crafted are testament to her remarkable power; the warhorn Ghaal’duur in chapter 7 is one of her creations. If the legend is to be believed, Jhazaal Dhakaan performed a feat of epic magic. She crafted the dream of an empire and bound the goblinoids of the time to this dream. This Uul Dhakaan—Dream of Dhakaan—gave the ancient goblins oneness of culture and purpose, uniting them under Jhazaal Dhakaan as the first marhu—emperor of Dhakaan. The Dhakaani empire spread across Khorvaire, pushing the dwarves back into the depths of Khyber and driving the dragonborn into the eastern jungles. The Dhakaani repelled Tairnadal colonists, and drove orcs, gnolls, and other minor cultures into the wild frontiers. The golden age of Dhakaan lasted over five millennia, with goblins ruling over the lands that would later be claimed by Galifar. As the legend suggests, this prosperous era ended with the Xoriat incursion, when the daelkyr led armies of aberrations into Khorvaire. The daelkyr destroyed Dhakaani cities and transformed goblinoids into aberrations, such as dolgaunts and dolgrims. After a long and bitter struggle, Dhakaani champions turned the tide. The orc Gatekeeper druids bound the daelkyr in Khyber, but it was Dhakaani warriors who scattered their armies and hunted down the beasts that survived. But as legend tells, the daelkyr achieved victory even in defeat. Dyrrn the Corruptor created a psychic contagion that severed goblinoids from the Uul Dhakaan, and further encouraged chaotic behavior and irrational beliefs. Leaders among the duur’kala—dirge singers looked to for wisdom and guidance—identified the threat but couldn’t find a way to stop it; isolation was the only answer. Determined to preserve their culture, Dhakaani forces sealed themselves in subterranean fortresses, vowing to return only after the Kapaa’vola—the Treacherous Whisper—had faded. These armies called themselves the Kech Dhakaan, Keepers of the Empire— a term still used today to encompass all Dhakaani clans. On the surface, the remnants of the empire fragmented and collapsed. As far as the Kech Dhakaan are concerned, the history of the Empire of Dhakaan came to an end the moment Dyrrn the Corruptor unleashed the Kapaa’vola. But in truth, the empire lingered for centuries after the Keepers left; the wider world doesn’t even know the term Kapaa’vola, and history books consider the fall of Dhakaan to be a long and ugly affair. Dyrrn’s curse caused paranoia and wild beliefs to flourish, further driving the survivors apart. The discipline and knowledge of Dhakaan were lost, and the traditions of the daashor—artificers of Dhakaan—and the duur’kala were forgotten. New religions and cults emerged. Some tribes embraced the Dark Six, while others revered a wider pantheon. Under Dhakaan, the goblinoid subspecies were united; in the wake of the Kapaa’vola, the strong dominated the weak. Some tribes developed unusual and complex traditions, while others were cruel and feral. When human explorers found these warring tribes living in the ruins of grand cities, many assumed that the goblinoids had claimed the remnants of a human civilization they destroyed. This false narrative was used to justify countless atrocities. Humanity slowly displaced the goblinoids, seizing the lands that once belonged to Dhakaan. Goblins were often subjugated, while bugbears and hobgoblins were driven into the wilds or the upper levels of Khyber. In time scholars learned the truth—that the foundations they’d built upon were goblin cities, not human. But few people cared; in their eyes, the goblinoids were merely savages, children of the Dark Six, dangerous and cruel. It was in this time that the terms goblin, bugbear, and hobgoblin took root, even among the former dar themselves. The oppression of goblins persisted for more than a thousand years, while bugbears and hobgoblins remained hostile forces in the fringes, dwelling in the wild lands ignored by humanity. When Galifar Wynarn began his conquest of the Five Nations, he promised freedom to any goblin who fought under his banner, Goblin soldiers played a vital role in the war that followed, and Galifar remained true to his word. Despite this freedom, goblins were still often treated with prejudice and suspicion, and denied education and other tools for success. Even today, goblins can be found in every major city of the Five Nations, but an overwhelming number live in poverty. In the shadow of Galifar, goblinoid cultures continued to develop and evolve. The most widespread were the Ghaal’dar tribes of the Seawall Mountains. While they remained severed from the Uul Dhakaan and knew nothing of the hidden Keepers, the Ghaal’dar recovered scraps of their ancient history. The hobgoblins pursued muut and atcha—their duty to their people and their personal honor—though they knew these only as abstract concepts. They honed their anger against the chaat’oor–the non-native defilers—who had stolen their ancient lands. Some of the Ghaal’dar tribes served as mercenaries during the Last War, learning more about the chaat’oor in the process. And then in 969 YK, chieftain Haruuc of the Rhukaan Taash led the uprising that claimed the lands of southern Cyre and founded the nation known as Darguun. Little did he know that other eyes were watching. Khesh’dar scouts and spies had been gathering information on the world above since the beginning of the Last War. The founding of Darguun made it even easier for the Silent Folk to move within the world. The duur’kala of the Kech Dhakaan concluded that the Kapaa’vola had faded; these Ghaal’dar might be victims of the daelkyr curse, but associating with them posed no threat to the Uul Dhakaan. And so, over the last two decades, the Keepers of Dhakaan have emerged from their vaults and returned to the world above.

The Two Meanings of Ghaal’dar Ghaal’dar is the Goblin word for “mighty people.” It has always been the Dhakaani term for the hobgoblins, just as the goblins are golin’dar (“quick people”) and the bugbears are guul’dar (“strong people”). When used in lowercase—ghaal’dar—it refers to a hobgoblin of the Kech Dhakaan. However, when capitalized—Ghaal’dar—it’s the name of the federation of hobgoblin-dominated tribes that dominate modern Darguun. The Ghaal’dar tribes are not Dhakaani; they mimic some of their customs and are proud of their imperial history, but they were twisted by the Kapaa’vola and differ from the dar in many important ways. Likewise, dar means “people.” While common in the Goblin language, within this book, it’s generally used to refer to the Dhakaani goblinoids who were unaffected by the Kapaa’vola. Today, the Ghaal’dar and other Darguuls have largely adopted the human words for their kind—goblin, hobgoblin, and bugbear. Dar—the golin’dar, ghaal’dar, and guul’dar—are the original goblinoids who resisted daelkyr corruption.

The Uul Dhakaan To unite the Six Kings, Jhazaal Dhakaan created a dream they could share—a vision that bound them all together. However, this isn’t just a metaphor. When mortals sleep, their spirits touch Dal Quor and create temporary dreamscapes. Jhazaal Dhakaan bound the spirits of the dar together, creating a vast, permanent dreamscape within Dal Quor—a vision of the ideal empire. With the spirit of every dar tied to this place, when one of them sleeps, they dream of the empire and their place within it. The Uul Dhakaan isn’t oppressive. Each dreaming dar has their own unique dreams within the Uul, and just like normal dreams, these are a place to process recent events and experiences. But the Uul Dhakaan provides a foundation that shapes and flavors those dreams, teaching and inspiring even while allowing the dar to process their own experiences. The Uul Dhakaan also retains the memories of all those who have gone before. While dreaming in the Uul Dhakaan, a warrior could experience a battle against the daelkyr that occurred thousands of years ago, fighting alongside one of the greatest heroes of that age. A smith could forge a blade alongside a legendary daashor. These things aren’t real; both the hero and the smith are dreams, pieced together through memory. And as with any dream, the dreamer likely won’t remember most of it after they wake up. But it remains in their subconscious as a source of inspiration and instinct. The dar know what the empire could and should be. They know the role they are supposed to play, the meaning of muut and atcha. And they feel the connection to the dar around them, understanding they all share that common vision. As discussed in the next section, this reinforces the other aspects of the Dhakaani psyche, strengthens their martial discipline, and underlies their adherence to caste roles. The Uul Dhakaan is a dream, and for most dar, it’s nothing more than that. It’s not something they discuss with outsiders, nor something they give much thought to from day to day; dreaming of the empire is just a part of life. But there are a few people within each kech who deal with the Uul Dhakaan in a more concrete fashion: Chot’uul. The “dream watchers” are an order of monks who monitor the Uul Dhakaan and protect it from corruption. In addition to specialized training and mental discipline, the chot’uul employ tools to retain their full consciousness and memories while dreaming, even allowing them to bring prized possessions into the dream. These uul’kur and kra’uul items are described in more detail in chapter 7. The chot’uul protect the Uul Dhakaan from quori manipulation, the corruption of the daelkyr, and other spiritual threats. Duur’kala. A dirge singer’s training often includes time within the Uul Dhakaan. An uul’kur allows the novice duur’kala to experience historical events within the dream or to study with the memory-shades of duur’kala masters. Uul’kala. The “dream singers” are dirge singers who specialize in walking in dreams. The deep vaults of the Kech Dhakaan are spread across Khorvaire, and the uul’kala act as their ambassadors and emissaries, maintaining communication between each kech and planning strategies. This serves a similar role to the speaking stones of House Sivis, for a duur’kala equipped with an uul’kur can report back to superiors in their dreams. While useful, this practice isn’t as widespread as the speaking stones of the Five Nations. Uul’kur are a limited resource, and even with one, it takes skill to navigate within the dream. There are kech vaults that lost their last uul’kala over the centuries in isolation, and as a result, that clan’s fate remains unknown to the present day. The Uul Dhakaan serves as a foundation for the Dhakaani psyche, reinforcing their beliefs and traditions. But it’s not an oppressive force, and for most Dhakaani, it’s simply a source of instinct and inspiration. In creating a Dhakaani character, consider whether the Uul Dhakaan holds any special importance for you.

Adventuring in the Uul Dhakaan The Uul Dhakaan is a stable region within Dal Quor. Dar are naturally drawn to it when they sleep, but it’s possible for other creatures to stumble on it by accident, or even to seek it out. Chot’uul monks guard the dream, along with guardians formed by the dream itself, but this security isn’t absolute. There are many reasons adventurers might seek out the Uul Dhakaan. It holds the memories of the Dhakaani Empire, and could contain secrets about a weakness of daelkyr or locations of ancient relics. The King’s Citadel might try to infiltrate the dream to learn more about the plans of the Kech Dhakaan. A Dhakaani character might need the help of other adventurers to repair some sort of disruption or corruption within the dream; are the chot’uul unable to see it, or have they themselves been corrupted? Again, while it is a repository of knowledge, the Uul Dhakaan is a dream, not designed for maximum efficiency or ease of use. Elements shift and change. You can revisit an ancient battlefield, but you’ll have to find that battlefield, or find a way to call it up from the collective well of memories. The uul’kala and chot’uul are trained to find their way around the dream-empire, but such travel isn’t always quick or easy. At the DM’s discretion, a character that serves as an uul’kala or a chot’uul might possess rituals that allow them to draw allies into a dream, each maintaining full consciousness within the Uul. Otherwise, dream adventures will require tools like the uul’kur presented in chapter 6. So far, the quori have largely ignored the Uul Dhakaan. If anything, the stability of the dream-empire supports the overall goals of the Dreaming Dark, and the chot’uul are always watching for outside forces manipulating the dream. However, a campaign could explore a quori attempt to subvert the Uul, or consider the consequences of an alliance between the uul’kala and the Dreaming Dark. The Uul Dhakaan was formed in the current age of the Dreaming Dark; the Dhakaani know nothing of the quori belief in the Turning of the Age, and no one knows what will happen to the Uul Dhakaan when this occurs.

Who Knows About the DhakaaAKAAni? When humans first came to Khorvaire, they knew nothing of the fallen goblin empire. What does the typical citizen of the Five Nations know today? Can a Brelon soldier tell the difference between a Ghaal’dar mercenary and a Dhakaani duur’kala? For that matter, what do the Ghaal’dar hobgoblins know about the Heirs of Dhakaan? Anyone who has received the common education of the Five Nations knows that there was a goblin empire that fell before humans arrived on Khorvaire. Recalling the name “Dhakaan” requires a successful DC 10 Intelligence (History) check. With a DC 15 check, a character also knows broad details—the territory controlled by the empire, the timeline of its rise and fall, the role of the subspecies, and its clashes with other cultures. A DC 20 check provides very detailed information: the importance of muut and atcha, the names of specific rulers, perhaps even the knowledge of the Kapaa’vola and the belief that some clans fled from this threat. Goblinoids of Darguun are more broadly familiar with their history, and would certainly know the name of the Empire of Dhakaan, know about the duur’kala and the Silent Clans, and understand the idea of muut and atcha, even if they don’t experience these concepts in the same way as the dar. Darguuls must still make a history check to recall the names of specific heroes or events tied to the empire, but generally receive advantage on such checks. So this is what people know about the fallen empire—but what about the Kech Dhakaan and its many clans? Do people know the origin and goals of the Keepers? This is more complicated, as the Kech Dhakaan have chosen to hide in plain sight. Before Darguun, goblinoid tribes and clans were scattered across the wilds of Khorvaire. When Haruuc established his nation, many unknown tribes stepped out of the shadows to take a place in his court. This was a perfect opportunity for the Kech Dhakaan and its Silent Clans. Two of these clans, the Kech Volaar and the Kech Shaarat have both revealed themselves to the Darguuls; but they have concealed their age, their power, and their resources. The Ghaal’dar know the Kech Volaar as an isolated clan of scholars with talented duur’kala. They know the Kech Shaarat as proud and deadly warriors. But the Ghaal’dar don’t know that these clans have a direct tie to the ancient empire, that they possess powerful Dhakaani relics and daashor artificers, or that these clans are preparing to choose a new emperor of their own. Likewise, the Ghaal’dar don’t know anything about the Uul Dhakaan, and they don’t understand the fundamental differences between the modern goblins and the ancient dar. And because the Kech Dhakaan hide their true numbers and capabilities, the Ghaal’dar don’t realize just how powerful these clans are; most of the Ghaal’dar tribes believe that the kech are small and somewhat backward, out of touch with modern life. If the Darguuls know little about the Kech Dhakaan, the people of the Five Nations know even less. When traveling abroad, the Heirs of Dhakaan generally take advantage of the broad ignorance of goblin culture, allowing people to assume that they’re Darguul mercenaries. They won’t hide their names or distinctive equipment, but it’s a rare human who recognizes Dhakaani designs. Generally, the only way someone knows details about the Kech Dhakaan is if they’ve had personal experience with them. What Defines the Dhakaani? To understand the Dhakaani, one must know the factors that shape them—biological, cultural, and supernatural. Some of these factors apply to all goblinoids, while others were weakened or destroyed by the Kapaa’vola, and apply solely to the Kech Dhakaan. As with any race or culture, these are generalized traits, and any individual dar could stray radically from this foundation. But it’s a place to begin when creating a Dhakaani player character or NPC. Biology At a glance, the goblinoid subspecies are as different from one another as humans and halflings. The subspecies can’t interbreed and have different lifespans. But a primal connection binds the dar together, with scent, body language, and other subtle factors uniting them; at an instinctual level, they feel more comfortable around goblinoids than they do with other humanoids. Born Underground. Goblinoid civilization began in the caverns of Khyber, and the Kech Dhakaan have lived in subterranean vaults for countless generations. They are comfortable in close and barren environments, and may find vast open spaces to be disorienting. Living in Darkness. Tied to their subterranean origins, the dar are used to living by the dim light of luminescent fungi or with no light at all. While absolute darkness impairs their darkvision, it’s still possible to see and operate under those conditions, and many goblin tunnels have no light whatsoever. As a result, the dar have no inherent fear of darkness. They generally prefer to be active in times of dim light when their night-blind enemies are disadvantaged but the goblins can see freely, and Dhakaani communities come alive as night falls. Lawfully Inclined. At a primal level, the dar seek structure and hierarchy. They prefer to work in groups and to have a clear plan of action, and tend toward lawful alignments. This doesn’t mean that they feel any compulsion to follow the laws humans impose; rather, they are more inclined to work with others and to respect authority within their own communities. This basic instinct strengthens both the cultural drive of muut and the impact of the Uul Dhakaan. Inherently Rational. The minds of dar are inherently pragmatic and rational. They have trouble engaging with entirely abstract concepts or things that cannot be proven. They prefer history to fiction; while the duur’kala inspire troops with stories, these are tales of things that actually happened. As a result, divine spellcasters are rare among the dar, as they struggle with the transcendental faith required to channel divine magic. While this could be considered a cultural trait, it’s tied to the underlying psyche of the dar; they take well to structure and discipline, but struggle with pure faith. The Kapaa’vola weakened this trait within the wider goblinoid population, and there are priests of the Sovereigns and Six among the Ghaal’dar hobgoblins, but even there, priests, paladins, and divine magic are less common than among humans and their kin. Body Language. The pointed ears of the dar are more flexible than human ears, and are an important part of the body language of the dar. Hobgoblins have especially expressive ears, and it’s common for hobgoblin soldiers to use their ears to signal allies when silence is required, the same way a human soldier would use hand gestures. Two quick flicks of the ear is a common signal to allies to be on guard. Consider the ears of a dar in describing its mood. Muut and Atcha Dhakaani society revolves around the concepts of muut and atcha. Muut is typically translated as “duty,” though it can also be seen as “the honor of the empire”—someone everyone must work to maintain. Muut is what is expected of you, what you owe to your comrades. Dhakaani don’t expect thanks for doing something that has to be done; rather, they are disgusted by those who shirk their responsibilities. The closest dar equivalent to “thank you” is ta muut, which simply means, “You do your duty.”

By contrast, atcha refers to “personal honor” or “glory,” an opportunity to exceed what is required of you. No dar is content to simply do what is expected; the quest for atcha is a powerful driving force that urges dar to chase their full potential. In battle, the exhortation paatcha means, “This is a chance to gain honor!” The Ghaal’dar have adopted the concepts of muut and atcha, but merely as abstract concepts. For the dar, muut and atcha are the driving poles of daily life. Every dar knows muut; they know what is expected and what they owe to the empire. They feel a deep bond to their fellow dar, and know that in pursuing muut, they serve the common good. At the same time, they yearn to attain atcha—to exceed expectations, to do deeds that will be remembered by those who follow you. The deep role of muut and atcha is shaped both by childhood training, by daily life, and further by the Uul Dhakaan. So while Dhakaani have personal desires and ambitions, muut should always come first. The Dhakaani idea of “honor in victory” is quite different from that of Dol Arrah and the people of the Five Nations. The Dhakaani prize victory and efficiency, both on and off the battlefield. Atcha comes from standing your ground against seemingly impossible odds and from displaying skill and discipline. There is honor in using cunning to defeat a superior foe, so guerilla warfare, ambushing a foe, and even assassination are acceptable tactics, if this is what muut requires. Dar must be ready to die for the empire—but when possible, it’s always better to kill for the empire. Muut demands that dar honor their debts and keep their promises; but ultimately, muut only binds dar to dar, and some feel no shame in lying to the chaat’oor who have stolen their lands and pillaged their tombs. Dar United The culture of the Kech Dhakaan is relentlessly martial. The Keepers are armies who have been keeping the dream of the empire alive for thousands of years. There is no place for indolence or waste among the Dhakaani; surviving countless generations in the deep vaults required strict discipline. The young are assigned roles based on their subspecies and their aptitudes, and progress is based on performance. Now that the Dhakaani have returned to the surface, resources are more plentiful and life is less austere. However, thousands of years of strict tradition remain in place. Within the Kech Dhakaan, all of the dar subspecies are celebrated for their strengths and what they have to offer the empire. This is reinforced both by the principle of muut and by the Uul Dhakaan. While different subspecies fill different roles in their community, it’s important to note that among the Dhakaani, all roles are respected. Among the surface-dwelling Darguuls, goblins are often oppressed and dismissed, forced into menial tasks—by contrast, the Dhakaani are grateful for the service of the golin’dar, whether they are skilled crafters or menial workers. The goblin who cleans the latrines is serving the demands of muut as fully as a formidable hobgoblin warlord. The ghaal’dar lead because they are natural leaders. The guul’dar use their strength for the greater good. These things are simply understood, and the ghaal’dar don’t have to use force to enforce their rule. Stemming from this sense of unity, dar avoid killing other dar whenever they can. The Kech Dhakaan have different views on the future course of the empire, and each kech hopes to fill the throne. But they recognize that they are few against a world, and can’t afford to carelessly spill the blood of other dar. This principle doesn’t apply to the modern goblinoids of Darguun, the “bugbears” and “hobgoblins.” Physically, these creatures are dar, but they don’t know the Uul Dhakaan, and they don’t understand muut as the dar do. The leaders of the Kech Shaarat believe that while it may be possible to use the Darguuls, ultimately, they are not dar and must be treated as enemies. Some of the Kech Volaar are searching for a way to reconcile to these lost kin, expanding the Uul Dhakaan, undoing the damage of the Kapaa’vola and restoring its victims to the fold. Others among the Volaar argue that coexistence should be considered, that the isolationism of the empire must be reconsidered in the face of the widespread, powerful nations of the modern age. But compromise has never been a virtue of the Dhakaani, and what happens next will depend on the Emperor Yet to Come. While the principle of muut calls for individual sacrifice for the good of the empire, the dar generally have no great empathy for other species, and they are willing to take harsh action to secure the prosperity of their people. The Dhakaani don’t subjugate other species—but not because of compassion. Rather, they consider it inefficient to try to force their values and traditions on creatures who have no concept of muut and who don’t share the Uul Dhakaan. Thus, Dhakaani tradition has always been to drive enemies out of their territories, or if such exile is impossible, to kill them. They are fine with coexistence—as long as the enemy exists over there, and as long as the dar don’t need more land. Clan Before Family Family lines are of minimal importance among the Keepers. Rank must be earned, not inherited from a parent, and family names are only used within a clan. In a formal situation, the full clan name is used with no article (“Dhaaka of Kech Volaar”). Leaders often use the surname Dhakaan as a way of indicating that the empire itself is their family; thus, Tuura Dhakaan of Kech Volaar and Ruus Dhakaan of Kech Shaarat aren’t actually related, it’s a formal affectation. Depending on their purpose in the wider world, it’s common for dar to use a “traveling name” among gath’dar—a general term for non-Dhakaani, without the pejorative tone of chaat’oor. The Kech Volaar and Kech Shaarat have both revealed their presence (though while posing as Darguul clans) and their names are used freely; other clans may or may not choose to operate openly.

Fashion and Art The dar are soldiers. Most wear common uniforms, which have diverged slightly across clans, but the core designs are similar. Dhakaani uniforms and armor are durable and functional, designed to be worn comfortably for extended periods. Officers often sport hornlike protrusions on their helmets or shoulder plates that indicate rank. Many dar also wear an armored mask that covers the lower face; for lower-ranking soldiers, the design of the mask is usually tied to the clan, while for officers, it may evoke an honored ancestor or an imposing beast. Many dar make use of tattoos or scarification. Kech symbols are a common marking, but some—notably the Kech Volaar—take this further, with an ongoing series of tattoos that reflect the bearer’s life and accomplishments. Dhakaani art, like the rest of their culture, is practical and functional. Dar aren’t fond of abstraction, and their art is primarily instructional (depicting an ideal to strive toward) or commemorative (preserving the deeds of heroes). Dar art can be realistic—faithfully representing historical figures—or symbolic—depicting Dhaakani ideals in simple and iconic ways. Dar clothing and art is generally designed to be viewed in dark subterranean tunnels, where darkvision conveys color in shades of gray. As a result, color combinations can seem quite odd to human eyes, but this is because they aren’t chosen for their color, but for how they appear in the dark.

Cuisine The Kech Dhakaan began as armies, and further had limited resources in the deep vaults; as a result, their food focuses on practical nutrition, and waste is unacceptable. Dhakaani cuisine is simple, hearty, and very portable once prepared. Food tends to be thick and chewy, with sour and bitter flavors central to the dar palate, and strong spices sometimes used to mask undesirable tastes. On the surface, a grain known as noon is a primary source of sustenance. In the subterranean vaults, a fungus called suur fills this role. Surface-dwelling dar enjoy lizards and snakes—sources of both eggs and meat—while in the depths, blind cave fish and insects are common sources of protein. Suur and noon are usually eaten in the form of starchy balls. Other Dhakaani meals are typically boiled or steamed in flavored liquids, such as eggs boiled in broth. In addition to being used for seasoning, pickling is a crucial form of preservation. Dehydrated meats, especially chewy lizard and fish jerky, are also common staples. While sweet foods are rare within the kech, the golin’dar have a noted sweet tooth. Traveling goblins often indulge in sweets and desserts while traveling with gath’dar. However, dar are often lactose intolerant, and as a result, might avoid many gath’dar foods.

Traditions and Equipment Dhakaani daashor are the finest weaponsmiths on Khorvaire, their skill at metallurgy outstripping even House Bombardier. Their traditions blend mundane skill and transmutation to create and manipulate remarkable alloys, including adamantine, mithral, and byeshk, and Dhakaani champions often wield weapons forged from such material. Dhakaani equipment is designed for durability and efficiency, rarely gaudy or bejeweled. Likewise, armor is tough and flexible—often with the properties of mithral or adamantine armor—but not dramatic in style. Dhakaani magic items are either created by the daashor (who specialize in armor and weapons) or by gifted duur’kala. Dhakaani magic rarely focuses on evocation effects, and they have no tradition of elemental binding. While the Dhakaani lack the wide-scale production capacity of House Bombardier, they’ve had thousands of years to build supplies. Elite units are often equipped with uncommon magic items, such as adamantine armor, cloaks of protection, gauntlets of ogre power, and vola’khesh (described in chapter 7). Shaarat’khesh assassins may use hats of disguise, bags of holding, or cloaks of elvenkind—though not by that name!—and sometimes more powerful weapons, such as daggers of venom or Keeper’s fangs (also in chapter 7). So while the Dhakaani dar are relatively few in number compared to the people of the Five Nations, they’re not only disciplined and highly skilled, but also well equipped. When the empire was at its height, the daashor and duur’kala could create grand artifacts and eldritch machines, such as Ghaal’duur and the grieving tree presented in chapter 7. The creation of such artifacts was never trivial, and relied on remarkable talents, knowledge lost during the daelkyr incursion, and the use of rare substances and planar conjunctions. As such, while it’s possible for the Dhakaani to create new artifacts, they are primarily concerned with recovering and reclaiming ancient treasures forged in the past. The Kech Dhakaan are deeply concerned about how many of their treasures have been claimed by chaat’oor, and react with anger toward other species carrying Dhakaani relics.

The Kech Dhakaan As the Kapaa’vola spread and the Empire of Dhakaan quickly unraveled, many of its greatest leaders sealed their followers in deep vaults. Each of these units took responsibility for preserving one of the pillars of the empire. Together, they called themselves the Kech Dhakaan—the Keepers of the Empire. The name of each individual clan was given based on their chosen ideal; thus the Kech Volaar are Keepers of the Word, and the Kech Shaarat are Keepers of the Sword. Uul’kala helped to coordinate this effort and to maintain communication between the isolated vaults over time, but there are kech vaults that never had uul’kala, and others who lost their uul’kala over time.

While the Dhakaani are renowned for their weaponcraft, it may be surpassed by their skill with fortifications and civic engineering. Many of the greatest cities of the Five Nations are built on Dhakaani foundations, and ruins of other Dhakaani fortresses still linger after many thousands of years. These techniques are the treasure guarded by the Kech Draal, and Draal daashor specialize in the transmutation effects and the shaping of earth and stone. Every kech has its architects, just as the Draal have their soldiers and their duur’kala—but stonework and mining are the pride of the Kech Draal. The Kech Draal have little interest in filling the throne of the Emperor Yet to Come. While they look forward to building the next empire, they have no interest in competing with the other Keepers; they seek only the realization of the dream. They have not yet made their presence felt in the world, and it is up to the DM where their deep vault lies. It’s possible that they are beneath Wroat or Korth, secretly dwelling below the deepest foundations of a modern capital. The golin’dar play a more central role in the Kech Draal than in many clans. While the clan is formally led by the dirge singer Kuula Dhakaan and the warlord Druun Dhakaan, the ghaal’dar consult with a golin’dar council on all major decisions. The golin’dar Taala is the senior voice on this council, respected for her wisdom and skill. The neutrality of the Kech Draal can make them a good choice for a Dhakaani character, as they can find a welcome with any of the Keepers. A Draal character might be gathering information about the world, seeking lost treasure, or even just eager to survey the styles of architecture that have developed over the past millennia.

When the kech sages identified the threat posed by the Kapaa’vola, some chose retreat—hiding in the deep vaults and waiting for the curse to pass. One of their leaders, Khaas Dhakaan, had no interest in hiding. Gathering the greatest heroes of the age—Dhakaani champions, Khesh’dar assassins, Gatekeeper orcs—Khaas led his army into the depths of Khyber, and into the demiplane that served as the prison of Dyrrn the Corruptor. Khaas swore to end the Treacherous Whisper and to recover artifacts stolen by Dyrrn and its minions—artifacts that Khaas believed could restore the splintering empire. Khaas and his champions were never heard from again, neither in the waking world or in the Uul Dhakaan, and it was assumed that they were lost. In truth, they were trapped within Dyrrn’s demiplane, fighting an endless struggle against the minions of the daelkyr. Time moves strangely in Dyrrn’s realm, and by the reckoning of the Ghaalrac, it has been less than three centuries since they set out on their mission. Trapped in a realm of madness, the Ghaalrac have blended Dhakaani and Gatekeeper techniques with the symbionts of the daelkyr, with results that others might find horrifying. They have crafted powerful living weapons and artifacts, along with magebred champions with unnatural powers—armored bugbears with the regenerative abilities of trolls, goblin assassins with the ability to slip through space. They have found ways to bind aberrations to their will, and have forced beholders and grells to serve them. The descendants of the Gatekeeper orcs that ventured into Khyber with the Kech Ghaalrac remain to this day, having found their own place in the clan’s caste system as specialists in druidic magic. However, the traditions carried by these once-Gatekeepers vary greatly from their surface counterparts, in part because they’ve been cut off from the natural world. While still driven by the goal of fighting aberrations, after hundreds of years in an alien land, the orcs of the Kech Ghaalrac would seem similarly alien to other Gatekeepers. Now, after centuries of struggle in Khyber, the Kech Ghaalrac have returned. The current leader—who also uses the name Khaas—possesses what the Ghaalrac call Ur’taash, the “First Crown.” It’s said that this was the final creation of Jhazaal Dhakaan, forged to unite the empire; it protects his mind, allows him to communicate with Ghaalrac squads across great distances, and possesses powerful coercive abilities. Khaas claims to have torn this crown from Dyrrn’s grip as he dealt a mortal blow to the Corruptor. He believes that it is the Ghaalrac who broke the power of the Treacherous Whisper, and that only they can restore the Empire of Dhakaan. Khaas and the other leaders of the Kech Ghaalrac carry the names of heroes of ancient Dhakaan: Torrm of the Gatekeepers, the master assassin known only as Khesh, the mighty guul’dar Korrga. The original heroes are long dead, but these dar claim to be their descendants and carry their ancient weapons. They possess tremendous power, and they intend to use it. But there are many questions about the Kech Ghaalrac. Are they truly what they claim to be, or have they been corrupted by Dyrrn and turned into tools of the daelkyr, whether they realize it or not? They aren’t part of the Uul Dhakaan as experienced by the other Keepers, but they have their own version of the dream that sustained them through the long war, and believe that it is the other clans who have lost sight of the dream. The other Keepers will know nothing of the Kech Ghaalrac until the Clan of Heroes reveals itself; will they support Khaas Dhakaan of their own volition, or be compelled by the power of Ur’taash? Or will the Heirs of Dhakaan oppose these transformed heroes? The Kech Ghaalrac can appear anywhere that suits the needs of the campaign. When they appear, it should be dramatic. One option is for them to seize the Gathering Stone, House Deneith’s fortress in Darguun; this strikes a dramatic blow against chaat’oor and gives the Ghaalrac an opportunity to bend Darguuls to their will. Khaas Dhakaan believes that dar and Darguul alike are all flawed—but that all can be redeemed by the power of Ur’taash. The Kech Ghaalrac is an unlikely origin for a player character; their story works best when people don’t know if they have been corrupted or are righteous, despite their unnatural tools and techniques. However, a Dhakaani character from another kech could be determined to uncover the truth about the Kech Ghaalrac. Or a character could be the distant descendant of one of the Ghaalrac heroes, seeking to learn the final fate of their ancestor and to recover a prized relic from the Ghaalrac champion who carries it.

Siege warfare and combat engineering are the specialties of the Kech Hashraac. The Dhakaani don’t employ siege staffs or evokers, and the Hashraac has spent generations developing new weapons to dominate the battlefield. If the DM wishes to add the conventional firearms and cannons presented in the Dungeon Master’s Guide to a campaign, the Kech Hashraac could have developed these weapons during their long isolation. Alternatively, the Hashraac could specialize in the enhanced artillery described in chapter 1, alchemical explosives, or an entirely new form of weapon. The Kech Hashraac have yet to reveal their presence to the world at large. While few in number, the force they command could be vital in any conflict that lies ahead. Will they support another kech claiming the imperial throne, or will they pursue it themselves? The warlord Duul Hashraac leads the clan; he is noteworthy both for being a daashor as opposed to a common warrior, and for using his clan name instead of “Dhakaan” as his sobriquet. Duul is proud of what his people have achieved; whether he seeks the throne or serves as kingmaker, he believes the Kech Hashraac hold the keys to Dhakaani victory. The Kech Hashraac are a logical choice for a Dhakaani Artillerist artificer; the artificer’s magic can be tied to the tools the DM chooses to provide to these Keepers. A Hashraac player character could be dispatched to study the battle magic of the Five Nations, to seek out rare components needed for new weapons, or to investigate the Mournland and the theory that the Mourning was caused by battle magic. Alternatively, a Hashraac artificer could have left the clan to pursue their own unorthodox weapons research, hoping to return in triumph once they have perfected their techniques.

Long ago, interaction with the Aereni line of Vol led to the dirge singer Iraala becoming the first dar vampire. She shared this gift with her lover, the warlord Muurat. In the centuries that passed, the two were placed in charge of the covert operations of the empire. Spying and assassination remained the domain of the Khesh’dar, but the Kech Nasaar served both as internal security and as commandos specializing in guerilla tactics and psychological warfare. It was the Kech Nasaar who first recognized the threat of the Kapaa’vola, and set the Keeper seclusion in motion.

Over their long seclusion, the Kech Nasaar have continued to study unconventional paths of warfare. Nasaar duur’kala often train in the techniques of the bardic College of Whispers, while elite soldiers of the Kech Nasaar might be Gloom Stalker rangers (from Xanathar’s Guide to Everything). Under the leadership of Iraala and Muurat, the Nasaar have also explored the arts of necromancy, though it’s up to the DM to decide just how far they’ve continued down this path. Do they have squads of vampire commandos? Have they developed entirely new forms of undead? Given their penchant for psychological warfare, Nasaar agents could sow terror and confusion by raising the bones of soldiers who died in the Last War, making it seem like the vengeful dead yearned to continue the battle. Or perhaps the Nasaar have developed techniques allowing them to seize control of undead raised by other necromancers—a technique that could cause untold chaos in Karrnath.

Iraala and Muurat continue to lead the clan, giving a direct tie to the ancient empire. The edict of a long-dead emperor asserted that no dead creature could wear the imperial crown; while the services of the Nasaar were valued, the dead are severed from the Uul Dhakaan and cannot draw on the wisdom of the past or see Jhazaal’s dream. The Nasaar could have fallen into true darkness in their isolation, and now seek to seize power for themselves. On the other hand, despite being cut off from the Uul Dhakaan, Iraala and Muurat remember the actual glory of the fallen empire, and could be the truest devotees of the concepts of muut and atcha, placing the needs of the empire above their personal ambitions. As in ancient times, they might seek to guide the living emperor, and to ensure the Dhakaani Empire follows the proper course.

A player character from the Kech Nasaar could follow unusual paths. A Nasaar dar might be gathering information for the clan, or they could be tasked to monitor the activities of the other Keepers, especially the Kech Ghaalrac and Kech Shaarat. Iraala may have hidden artifacts across Khorvaire before the fall; a Nasaar character could seek to recover these in her service, or could have gone rogue to pursue one of these treasures.

Beasts served many important roles in the Empire of Dhakaan. The Ruuska dar fill much the same role that House Létourneau does for the Five Nations: tending and training the many beasts of the empire, while always searching for—or creating—new beasts to fill a need. Ruuska is the Goblin word for “tiger,” and tigers and dire tigers are often used as cavalry in the vanguard of Dhakaani armies. But the Kech Ruuska breed all manner of beasts, from fierce guardians to clever messengers and simple livestock. Just as there are soldiers in every kech, there are tenders in every vault who maintain the beasts of that vault. However, the Kech Ruuska specialize in breeding and training them, producing the finest Beast Master rangers, and keeping the widest range of exotic creatures in their arsenals. The Ruuska also work with magebreeding and may have produced entirely new beasts or monstrosities previously unknown on the surface. While the Ruuska don’t have a spiritual bond to the natural world, they might have developed a form of druid—a Moon druid serving as a specialist in assuming animal forms and controlling beasts. The Ruuska have also experimented with lycanthropy. It’s up to the DM to decide if they were able to control and weaponize the curse, if their efforts ultimately came to nothing, or if lycanthropy has spread throughout the Ruuska—a secret they are concealing from the other clans.

The Kech Ruuska are led by the Beast Master warlord Lhaar Dhakaan and the duur’kala Oruul. The Kech Shaarat are putting considerable pressure on the Ruuska to support their claim to the crown. It remains to be seen if Lhaar bows to these threats, or whether the Ruuska seek an alliance that lets them turn the tables on the powerful Shaarat.

The Kech Ruuska are a good option for a Dhakaani ranger. The clan can also be an interesting way to add new or exotic beasts or monstrosities into the world, and could be an intriguing foil for a storyline involving House Létourneau.

The Kech Shaarat are the largest of the Keeper clans. Founded by the Warlord of the South in the final days of the empire, the Shaarat possess an artifact known as Skai Shaarat—the Great Blade—a sword handed down from warlord to warlord since the days of the Six Kings. While they lack the exotic specialties of the other clans, the Kech Shaarat excel at war. The deep vault of the Kech Shaarat is tied to a demiplane in Khyber known as the Ironlands. This provided them with access to resources and space denied to the other clans, including the byeshk ore the Dhakaani prize for their weapons (as presented in chapter 7), while also keeping them on a constant war footing. Of all the Keepers, the Kech Shaarat have the finest Forge Adept artificers (a new specialization presented in chapter 6), as well as talented Battle Smiths—though the Dhakaani don’t generally employ constructs, these artificers have created innovative steel defenders. On the other hand, the Kech Shaarat have not emphasized the role of the duur’kala as much as other clans, and have a weaker bardic tradition.

The Kech Shaarat have emerged into the open and are the most active of the Dhakaani tribes. The warlord Ruus Dhakaan (no relation to the Kech Ruuska, though his name does mean “Tiger”) has reclaimed several ancient Dhakaani fortresses in the Seawall Mountains, and is working to refortify these ruins. In the course of this expansion, the Kech Shaarat have already absorbed a lesser clan—the Kech Nozhii, who maintained the treasury of the empire—which has expanded their resources. They are actively pressuring the Kech Ruuska to submit to an alliance acknowledging Ruus as the Emperor Yet to Come, and Shaarat warriors have a bitter rivalry with the Kech Volaar.

Ruus has sent representatives to Rhukaan Draal and pledged to support Lhesh Haruuc, but this is a ruse designed to bide time and to take the measure of an enemy. Ruus hasn’t revealed the true nature of his people or the full scale of his forces to the Ghaal’dar, and most Darguuls believe the Kech Shaarat are a Ghaal’dar clan with strange traditions. House Deneith is keen to gain the services of these mysterious warriors, but Ruus Dhakaan refuses to have any dealings with the chaat’oor. Ruus Dhakaan is a brillant strategist and charismatic leader. He earned Skai Shaarat with his courage and skill, and should never be underestimated. While he’s determined to claim the imperial throne, he’s also concerned with muut and the good of the empire; he will pressure other Keepers to support his claim, but won’t butcher his own kind. However, he’s ruthless when it comes to dealing with chaat’oor, and doubts whether the modern “goblins” can be redeemed. They may be close enough to dar that they could be worthy servants, but he’s considering whether it’s simpler to slaughter the Darguuls once the dar are united. The Kech Shaarat are the most aggressive of the clans, and this is an interesting option for an entire party of dar adventurers. A lone Shaarat dar could be an exile from the clan or a spy evaluating the strengths and fighting styles of the chaat’oor. One option is for a Shaarat player character to have challenged Ruus and been defeated; now they seek an ancient artifact that would allow them to face Ruus again and claim leadership over the clan.

The Kech Uul are a small clan. Their vault is a fortified monastery hidden deep in Khyber. This is the seat of the chot’uul, the monks who watch over the Uul Dhakaan and protect the dreams of the empire. This clan also has the largest number of uul’kala bards, and knows the most about how to produce dream keys and dreambound objects. The Kech Uul have yet to return to the surface of Khorvaire. Its people spend much of their time within the Uul Dhakaan itself, using drugs and meditation to enter the dream even while waking. The monks of the Kech Uul are devoted to protecting the dream from outside influences, but they’re also experts in navigating the dream itself; if a Dhakaani dreamer is searching for a particular memory or wishes to speak with the dream-vestige of an ancient hero, a Kech Uul monk can be an invaluable guide. Likewise, the uul’kala of the Dream Keepers are the backbone of long-distance communication between clans; the uul’kala maintain message stations at various points within the dream, and can pass a message from one dreamer to another. There are several ways that the Kech Uul could fit into a campaign. They can serve as a neutral resource supporting all clans, maintaining communication and offering guidance through the dream. However, it could be that they’re not what they seem. The Kech Uul have always worked to protect Jhazaal’s dream from outside influences, but it’s possible the clan has been partially or fully replaced by quori imposters, who plan to influence the Emperor Yet to Come to serve the ends of the Dreaming Dark. Or perhaps the Kech Uul was destroyed long ago by the daelkyr or another threat; the Dream Keepers continue to serve their function, but they’re actually long dead, and the chot’uul encountered in the Uul are simply dream-vestiges, memories lingering in Dal Quor. The name of the Kech Uul’s current leader is unknown outside the clan. Uul dar often wear masks or veils; they do not seek atcha, and desire only to help others achieve Jhazaal’s dream. A player character tied to the Uul dar could be an uul’kala, a bard (likely of the College of Glamour) pursuing a dream-vision or searching for dream-related artifacts. An exotic possibility is that the character believes it’s possible to bring other species into the Uul Dhakaan, allowing for a peaceful union; if this is the case, is this goal supported by the clan elders, or is the character an eccentric renegade? Alternatively, any dar character could have a mentor from the Uul dar, who visits them in their dreams offering guidance and inspiration.

The Kech Volaar believe that knowledge is power. Their deep vault holds scrolls and tablets recording thousands of years of imperial history. While they have strong warriors and a proud martial tradition, the Volaar value the song over the blade and have the strongest duur’kala of any clan. While the Volaar weaponsmiths aren’t a match for those of the Kech Shaarat, the clan leaders recognize the value of arcane magic over pure mundane might. The Volaar have long worked to push the limits of duur’kala magic, and to master the techniques that created wonders such as the Uul Dhakaan and the greatest artifacts of the old empire. The Volaar have experimented with warlocks—working with supernatural patrons under carefully controlled conditions—and sought to cultivate sorcerers when they have appeared among the dar populace. Since their return to the surface, the Kech Volaar are working both to recover the greatest artifacts and treasures of the empire, and to study the arcane techniques of the modern gath’dar. Where the Kech Shaarat believe that Dhakaani might can sweep aside any enemy, the Volaar recognize the arcane power wielded by the Five Nations and the dragonmarked houses, and are doing everything they can to study and master this unfamiliar science. Perhaps because of this, the Kech Volaar are also the most conciliatory of the Keeper clans. They are the most willing to interact with the gath’dar, both because they recognize the need to understand these possible enemies, and in the hopes that some form of coexistence may be possible. Like the Kech Uul, Volaar leader Tuura Dhakaan wonders if the Uul Dhakaan can expand to incorporate other creatures—if the empire can unite gath’dar as it does the dar. Despite these hopes, the Kech Volaar are devoted to the dar above all else. They are the Keepers of History, and they know the sacrifices their ancestors had to make and the bitter wars against the chaat’or and the taarn (elves). They are wise and willing to seek all paths to prosperity, but will never surrender the dream of the eternal empire. Tuura Dhakaan has revealed herself to the world, and has sent representatives to the court of Lhesh Haruuc. Like the Kech Shaarat, the Volaar have concealed their true history and power. Volaar duur’kala often travel among the Ghaal’dar sharing stories, helping to educate them about their glorious past and the traditions of muut and atcha; this ties to Tuura’s hopes that the “goblins” can be redeemed and drawn back to their past glory. Tuura is determined to claim the throne of the Emperor Yet to Come; she hopes to find the strength needed to compel the Kech Shaarat through reclaiming powerful artifacts and building allies. The Kech Volaar are one of the most active Dhakaani clans. Adventurers could encounter Volaar reclaimers across Khorvaire as they search for Dhakaani relics. A Volaar wizard or artificer could be struggling to master the techniques of the gath’dar, while a duur’kala could be an envoy sent to recover an ancient treasure or to seek allies among the outsiders.

Under Dhakaani tradition, the golin’dar—goblins—are traditionally laborers and artisans. While the guul’dar and ghaal’dar train for war, the golin’dar maintain the hearth. But there is a force that stands outside this tradition, lurking in the shadows of the Dhakaani Empire. These are the Khesh’dar—the Silent Folk—golin’dar who use their speed and cunning as spies, scouts, and assassins. While the Khesh’dar are part of the Uul Dhakaan, they have always remained separate from its traditions. They have always served the emperor and their warlords, but they do so in their own time. Their refuges have always been hidden, even before the Kapaa’vola. The ascetic Khesh’dar aren’t compelled by money or power; they choose when to offer aid, and set a fair price on their services. The Khesh’dar take no sides in disputes between clans, and they do not seek to rule; in the present day they serve both the Kech Shaarat and the Kech Volaar. However, they don’t accept missions that they see as threatening the empire itself; as a result, they rarely accept a charge to kill a warlord or a duur’kala. Because of this long tradition of secrecy, even the warlords of the Kech Dhakaan don’t know where the vaults of the Khesh’dar are located, or just how many of the Silent Folk are out there. Goblins are spread throughout Khorvaire and most of the great cities of the Five Nations have significant goblin populations, and this provides an easy opportunity for the Khesh’dar to move freely throughout the modern world without drawing attention. The Khesh’dar have been active throughout the last century, spying on the chaat’oor and building up resources and safe houses across the Five Nations. They’ve recruited many eyes among the modern city goblins and the goblins of Darguun, though these contacts rarely understand exactly who they are dealing with. The Khesh’dar likewise have spies and agents among the golin’dar of every Keeper clan, ensuring that there are few secrets hidden from the Silent Folk. The Khesh’dar are split into two primary traditions. The Taarka’khesh (“Silent Wolves”) are swift scouts, experts in wilderness reconnaissance and targeted strikes. The Taarka’khesh typically rely on worg cavalry; many develop an unusual primal bond with their worg companions, and the golin’dar view the worgs as partners, not beasts. Though worgs don’t have an innate tie to the Uul Dhakaan, the Beast Master rangers of the Taarka’khesh can summon their worg companions to them while dreaming. The second Khesh’dar tradition is that of the Shaarat’khesh (“Silent Blades”), spies and assassins trained to operate within cities. Both usually operate covertly, disguised to blend in with the local goblin population. However, each order has a distinctive half-mask that is worn over the lower face during formal interactions. It’s up to the DM to decide just how widespread the Khesh’dar are. They may have a single deep vault and only a few hundred operatives, or it could be that they are the largest of the Dhakaani clans, with outposts hidden across Khorvaire. They may have been building networks for thousands of years, simply waiting for the Keepers to rise before putting these resources to use. But are they truly content to serve any emperor? Or do the Khesh’dar have a hidden agenda of their own? Is it possible that they’re tied to the Lords of Dust . . . or even to the dragons of the Chamber? The Khesh’dar could serve as an espionage agency patron for a group of golin’dar adventurers. More likely, a single character could be an undercover operative of the Khesh’dar, either pursuing a deep, long-term mission or simply gathering intelligence while waiting for specific orders. It’s not unusual for the Khesh’dar to seek to cultivate useful allies among the gath’dar. It would be unusual for one of the Khesh’dar to explain their traditions to an outsider, but it’s not impossible that a Khesh’dar could form a bond to a gath’dar comrade over the course of their adventures. Dhakaani NPCs Members of the Kech Dhakaan can be found across the world, seeking information, relics, and pursuing the goals of their people. They can be deadly foes—or unexpected allies against a common foe. While most of the characters on the Dhakaani NPCs table aren’t spies, they won’t volunteer information about their people or background unless they come to know and trust someone; generally, they allow others to believe that they’re from an obscure Darguun clan. Dhakaani NPCs d8 NPC 1 Khaar is a guul’dar barbarian of the Kech Ghaalrac. He’s stalking a cult of the Dragon Below that serves Dyrrn the Corruptor, intending to kill them and take their symbionts for himself. He could be an ally if the adventurers are already fighting the cult, or he might expose a cult they weren’t yet aware of. 2 Hezhaal is a ghaal’dar duur’kala of the Kech Nasaar. The young dirge singer is an unexpected ally for adventurers battling the Emerald Claw, and is interested in destroying their “monstrous” undead. She’s a skilled necromancer herself, and is studying the techniques of the gath’dar; she’s particularly interested in the Odakyr Rites used to create Karrnathi undead. 3 Jhoraash is a golin’dar artillerist. While exiled from the Kech Hashraac for his reckless experiments, he is devoted to his clan and Dhakaan. He’s determined to create a weapon so wondrous the Hashraac will take him back. He always has a dangerous device to test, and could prove a serious threat to adventurers without even meaning to. 4 Haara is a guul’dar hunter of the Kech Ruuska. She can be found in the wild, putting the latest generation of magebred beasts through their paces. Is she hunting a monstrosity that attacks the adventurers, or are the heroes themselves her prey? It’s possible that Haara is a lycanthrope—the result of Ruuska experiments with the curse. She is fierce and joyful, and respects both skilled hunters and druids. 5 Ulaash is a ghaal’dar blademaster of the Kech Shaarat. He’s joined the Deathsgate Guild to test the skills of chaat’oor warriors; he may challenge martial adventurers to a duel. He respects those who show courage and skill. 6 Doovol is a young golin’dar monk of the Kech Uul, who hides her face behind a veil. She appears to an adventurer in their dreams, and offers advice and useful information. What’s her bond to the adventurer? Does she believe they can be brought into the Uul Dhakaan? Or is she simply a disguise for a manipulative quori? 7 Ketaal is a ghaal’dar daashor of the Kech Volaar, a student of both wizardry and artifice. He has joined the Wayfinder Foundation, which provides him an opportunity to study both gath’dar magic and the secrets of the ancient giants. He’s a brillant scholar and valued member of the Foundation, even while he’s gathering information for the Kech Volaar. 8 Duum (“Drum”) is an old golin’dar storyteller, named for her deep, powerful voice. She can be found among the goblins of a major city, sharing tales of the ancient empire and collecting news and rumors. While she has no desire to engage in violence, she’s a deadly assassin of the Shaarat’khesh.

The Emperor Yet to Come For the Kech Dhakaan emerging from their vaults, the modern world is a waking nightmare. Modern goblinoids are hollow mockeries of the true dar. Foul chaat’oor hold the lands of the empire and pillage the treasures of the People. But the dar still have their dream. They know what the world should be, and know that together, somehow, they can defy the chaat’oor and restore the eternal empire. However, a long path lies ahead. The dar are badly outnumbered, and can’t take on all of the Five Nations in open combat. They don’t yet understand the enemy or know what they’re capable of. The Kech Volaar, in particular, realize the power of the wide magic of the Five Nations and the dragonmarked houses, and recognize they need to know more. There’s also the question of whether there’s any hope for the modern goblinoids. Can they be instilled with Dhakaani values? Or are they no better than chaat’oor? Only a new emperor can make this decision. But the last emperor was lost to the Kapaa’vola before the Kech Dhakaan descended into the depths, and no single kech has the power to create a new emperor. The duur’kala speak of the Emperor Yet To Come, with the belief that once all the Keepers rise, a single emperor will somehow win universal acclaim, uniting them all against the chaat’oor. But whether they be lhesh, duur’kala, or daashor, it’s unclear what will bring this to pass. The Kech Uul believe that when a single dar has the support of the majority, the Uul Dhakaan will reveal them—that the emperor will be proclaimed and crowned within the universal dream. But even if true, what will trigger this? The Kech Shaarat believe that power will determine the emperor. They have already absorbed the Kech Nozhii and are pressuring the Kech Ruuska, using a combination of force and fear to convince the smaller clans that the path to victory lies through uniting under a single clan. The Kech Shaarat would prefer not to kill other dar, but Ruus Dhakaan is willing to take steps to prove his power and right to lead, and Shaarat and Volaar agents have clashed in the field. Tuura Dhakaan of the Kech Volaar is following a different path as she pursues the crown. She seeks to recover lost artifacts, reminding the dar of their glory while also amassing powerful tools. There are a few she is especially keen to find: Ur’taash, the First Crown; Guulen, the Rod of Kings; and Ghaal’duur, the horn of Jhazaal Dhakaan. Ur’taash is currently in the possession of the Khesh Ghaalrac, though its authenticity is in question. The whereabouts of Guulen and Ghaal’duur remain unknown. Beyond this, Tuura is evaluating the modern world, working to see if others could be useful allies. So while the Kech Shaarat remain convinced that this conflict is solely based on dominance within the dar, the Kech Volaar believe that knowledge of the modern world is vital to any long-term success. Other Keepers may devise their own paths to winning allies or the throne, and there may be Keeper clans that have yet to be revealed. For now, the Kech Dhakaan are focused on gathering information and competing among themselves. Once they unite behind a single leader, they’ll have to decide how to deal with the Darguuls, the dragonmarked houses, and the Five Nations.

So: let’s talk specifically about the Dhakaani. Here I speak both of the civilization that spread to dominate Khorvaire and the modern goblins who have preserved its traditions. Again, in my opinion there is a fundamental psychological difference between the Dhakaani and the Ghaal’dar; it’s not just that the Ghaal’dar weren’t raised in Dhakaani society, but also that their ancestors were subtly influenced by Xoriat and lack the eusocial bond and innate discipline of the Dhakaani goblins. But: What are the core elements of Dhakaan? Why was the Empire so successful?

If orcs can be seen as easily embracing the primal and divine, the Dhakaani are a fundamentally martial culture. War is in their blood. Some sages have theorized that the goblins are a magebred race, that their subspecies are the result of some long-forgotten force — A dragon? The Overlord Rak Tulkhesh? — crafting a warrior species. This is reflected by their natural instinct to hierarchy and discipline, but also by a racial genius for the arts of war. All of the Dhakaani can follow any martial path, but each subspecies has its specialties. Hobgoblins are exceptional fighters and warlords. The goblin Sharrat’khesh and Tarkha’hhesh are gifted rangers and rogues. Bugbears often serve as scouts, but the iconic Dhakaani bugbear is the barbarian. But the Dhakaani barbarian isn’t a primal savage; rather, their “rage” is a carefully cultivated state of ecstatic frenzy.

Honor and Duty, Atcha and Muut

Much like the Tairnadal, this martial mindset bleeds into all aspects of Dhakaani life. The Empire is always in a state of battle-readiness; if it’s not actively expanding, it’s preparing for the next inevitable conflict. The Heirs of Dhakaan have been in seclusion for thousands of years, but they have never lowered their guard or ceased their training. This also reflects the direction of Dhakaan society. As called out by Don Bassingthwaite, Dhaakani culture revolves around the concepts of muut and atcha. Muut is essentially about the honor of the Empire, and can be roughly translated as duty; atcha is personal honor. The most common form of thanks is ta muut, essentially “You do your duty.” Meanwhile Paatcha! is an offer of honor, typically an exhortation of a commander to his troops – this is your chance to gain honor! The key is that the Dhakaani are always considering these concepts: how you are fulfilling your duty to the Empire, and how your actions reflect on you. The key here – and a statement that’s often misunderstood – is that the Dhakaani idea of honor on the battlefield is very different from human concepts. I’ve said before that Dhakaani “don’t care about honor on the battlefield.” What I mean by that is that Dhakaani have no compunctions about killing a helpless foe, about killing civilians if it’s strategically logical, about ambushing an enemy, and similar actions that we generally consider dishonorable. The Dhakaani are concerned with victory. Honor comes from following the orders of your commander, from standing your ground against any odds, from displaying both skill and discipline. Do what you have pledged to do, and do it well. So Dhakaani take personal honor far more seriously than most human soldiers – but it’s important to understand what “honor” means to them.

An Evil Society?

People have asked if the Dhaakani were an evil society. In my opinion, if you mapped them to an alignment it would be lawful neutral: highly structured and disciplined, but neither exceptionally cruel, corrupt, or altruistic. Note that the two primary Dhakaani leaders mentioned so far are Ruus Dhakaan, the lawful neutral leader of the Kech Shaarat; and Tuura Dhakaan, the neutral leader of the Kech Volaar. Dhakaani society is neither cruel nor kind: it is efficient and expedient. It is a society driven by constant war, and warfare is carried out in the most efficient and effective manner possible. They’d generally avoid targeting civilian populations not because it’s the morally correct thing to do, but because destroying them is a waste of resources that could be used in the future. Their leaders do what is best for the empire, which often means doing what is best for the people. But if it was for some reason necessary to wipe out an innocent village for the good of the Empire, they’d do it without hesitation… but they’d do it for the good of the Empire, not for personal gain. Again, corruption is extremely rare among the Dhakaani (though it can certainly be found among the Marguul and Ghaal’dar). Pursue muut above all and then your atcha. So the Dhakaani may often oppose player characters – but that doesn’t make them evil.

A secondary aspect is the role of slavery in the Empire. The Ghaal’dar and Marguul practice slavery, but in my opinion it was relatively rare in Dhakaan. The eusocial bond and racial caste system are the foundation of the Empire. Every goblin has a clearly defined role and embraces that role. Members of other species have no sense of muut and atcha. They are difficult to control, will always seek to rebel, and have no clear role in the first place. In some ways the Dhakaani can be seen as ants: they spread as efficiently as possible, and they don’t seek to compel other insects to work as slaves in their anthills; they simply kill rivals or drive them away. So it was with the Dhakaani. They spread to dominate the best lands in Khorvaire, and they drove their enemies into the lands they didn’t want. This isn’t to say that slavery was unknown, but it’s a rare practice that comes into play when a specific slave has a skill the Dhakaani need – a translator, a wizard, etc – as opposed to a major institution within the society.

Magic and Metallurgy

There are many things humans take for granted that the Dhakaani have never developed. But the Dhakaani are the finest armorers and weaponsmiths in the known world, superior even to House Bombardier and the Tairnadal. They have mastered metallurgy and learned to produce and work with alloys that other races haven’t even discovered. Adamantine is a Dhakaani specialty; Bombardier has learned to work with this metal, but it is costly and difficult, and they don’t understand it as the Dhakaani do.

This leads to the question of magic. The Dhakaani never developed the traditions of the wizard or sorcerer, and as noted above, they don’t have divine classes. Their primary sources of magic were bards and artificers. However, it’s important to recognize that these classes were NOT identical to Bombardier artificers or Phiarlan bards. These core classes existed, but they would have had their own unique subclasses and specific spell lists. They may have developed paths that aren’t seen today, and may never have done things that we commonly associated with the classes. Specifically…

Dhakaani artificers are primarily armorers, weaponsmiths, and combat engineers. They don’t use constructs but excel at combat fortifications and siege warfare. Among hobgoblins this is primarily a male tradition, but exceptional goblins of both genders can follow this path.

Bards are the duur’kala, “dirge singers.” This path is almost exclusively followed by female hobgoblins. The duur’kala fill the roles that clerics do in many other societies; they are healers, diplomats, and spiritual leaders. They inspire the troops in battle. They heal the injured – note that in 5E, bards are nearly as gifted healers as clerics, and their spell list includes both raise dead and resurrection. They’re also vital to communication and coordination; note that the bardic spell list includes sending, clairvoyance, and various forms of teleportation. Powers of suggestion and charm are vital when mediating disputes and maintaining order within the Emopire, and equally useful for negotiating with enemies. So we generally depict the bard as an entertainer or vagabond. Within the Dhakaani, the duur’kala are leaders and healers with critical roles both on and off the battlefield. There’s nothing frivolous or light-hearted about them.

The critical point here is that lacking the paths of wizard or sorcerer, the Dhakaani rarely used magic as a direct weapon in combat. They relied more on the skill of well-equipped soldiers than on fireballs or cloudkill. The duur’kala heal and strengthen soldiers, but magic isn’t the primary weapon. It’s simply a branch of arcane science the Dhakaani never explored. But they’re interested in it now. They realize that the arcane magic wielded by the people of the Five Nations is an extremely effective weapon. The Kech Volaar are at the forefront of experimenting with this, and goblins are learning the arts of wizardry – and this is a place where you may find Volaar kidnapping human wizards to try to learn their secrets. But it’s still a new program, not one they’ve fully explored.

Known and Unknown

A critical thing about the Heirs of Dhakaan is that they’ve been in isolation for thousands of years. We haven’t gone into great depth about their achievements to begin with, and it’s entirely possible that a particular clan has developed something new over the course of centuries. Consider the following possibilities…

• We’ve presented the Kech clans as being relatively small – having controlled their populations and remained within a single region. However, you could decide that a particular Kech spread and expanded and has a vast underground territory… that what’s been seen is just the tip of the iceberg, and that they already have armies on par with any of the Five Nations.
• In a campaign I ran, I introduced a Kech clan that worked with necromancy. They bound the spirits of warriors into spheres, and could channel this power in devastating magical blasts. These spirit orbs could only be controlled and used by a duur’kala, and if the bard died, her sphere would explode – potentially taking out her killers. This did present a particular Kech with a form of powerful offensive magic – but that magic was still controlled by bards.
• Tied to this… if you want to introduce firearms into Eberron, a very logical approach would be to give them to a particular Dhakaani Kech. This fits with the Dhakaani martial approach – again, more emphasis on developing weapons than magic. This could be a way to have a small Kech have a dramatic impact on Khorvaire… and it would be up to you how the other nations responded to the introduction of these weapons.

In Dragon 413 I introduced the Kech Ghaalrac, a Dhakaani force that has continually fought the Daelkyr since the incursion. These goblins have blended Gatekeeper horrid magebreeding, Daelkyr symbionts, and Dhakaani industry to create a wide range of innovations. So feel free to explore such things.

GENERAL QUESTIONS

Would it fit the Dhakaani Empire if I used the Roman Empire as inspiration for their society, architeture, martial tactics and weapons and armours?

Nothing in Eberron is intended to directly map to our world, and Dhakaan is no exception. There’s certainly some base similarities to Rome – military discipline, widespread empire – and some similarities to feudal Japan or ancient India. And critically, Rome is a HUMAN civilization; Dhakaan is fundamentally an ALIEN civilization, shaped by things like the presence of the multiple goblin species. A few points of sharp dissimilarity to Rome:

• The most critical element is the racial caste system, which in turn underlies the concept of muut. Everyone knows they are a part of the greater whole, and there is a natural instinct that encourages them to work together – something humans (and even the Ghaal’dar) lack.
• Tied to this, a core practice of the Roman Empire was to assimilate other cultures – to spread their cultures and traditions to their conquered people. The Dhakaani have no interest in this – if you’re not a goblin, you can’t have muut – and they general drove their enemies from their lands, or simply eradicate them.
• The Dhakaani Dragonshard calls out that the Dhakaani used infantry, cavalry, and archers. The hobgoblins favored speed and precision over strength and chain weapons (flails, spiked chains) are common. It also notes “A Dhakaani army is both tightly structured and surprisingly flexible. The military is based around small units of infantry that can quickly adapt tactics and formations to evolving combat conditions.” So a Dhakaani force can act in a large formation, but then suddenly split into many smaller units.
• Looking to architecture: As I’ve called out earlier, the Dhakaani don’t need windows for light, and a Dhakaani fortress would only have slits for archers and visibility. In many cases their fortresses and cities are at least partially underground or carved into mountains.
• Looking to armor, I see Dhakaani armor as being considerably more sophisticated than Roman armor, as well as being made from finer materials. Part of the point is that Dhakaani armor is better that what the Five Nations uses: more flexible, better coverage, lighter. Even their run-of-the-mill armor would still be considered masterwork. Again, this is an area where the Dhakaani are MORE advanced than the Five Nations.

As a side note, in the past we’ve suggested Dhakaan as a place to introduce martial traditions that don’t have a clear place in the Five Nations, including the Samurai, Kensai and Ninja classes.

I know during the Dhakaani Empire they fought a huge battle against the Daelkyr, with the assistance of the Gatekeepers saved Eberron. But who were the main enemies of the Dhakaani empire before that?

The Dhakaani fought every other major intelligent race on Khorvaire at some point. There was a time when orcs were spread across Khorvaire; the goblins DROVE them into places like the Shadow Marches, and the same may well be true of gnolls and other species. They fought the Tairnadal elves and the Dragonborn of Ka’rhashan, and may have clashed with the dwarven civilization that was also destroyed by the Daelkyr (the predecessors of the Morin). Beyond that, you have all the threats that linger today. The Lords of Dust were just as active then, and you had undead, lycanthropes, and the threat of other planar incursions.

Can you go into a little bit of the relationship between Lhesh Haruuc and the Dhakaani? If I remember correctly from the novels, they sort of grudgingly respect his position, but don’t really see Darguun as a proper goblin nation.

As always, it’s worth noting that the novels – like this blog – are not canon. Both are possible interpretations, but you can always go in a different direction in your own campaign. So with that said, here’s my opinion.

The ancestors of the modern Heirs of Dhakaan went into isolation because they believed a curse was destroying their civilization. Thousands of years later they have returned… and discover that it’s exactly what happened. There are these alien creatures living in their ancestral lands, and the modern “goblins” are savages with no muut. Lhesh Haruuc shows that there is still a spark of Dhakaani spirit left in these corrupted creatures, but overall the Ghaal’dar – and even moreso, the Marguul – are a deeply disturbing display of how far their people have fallen. The critical question is whether it is possible to salvage anything, whether these modern goblins can be integrated into a new empire… or whether, in fact, the first step in restoring Dhaakan should be purging these disgusting remnants. I believe that this is a matter on which the Kech leaders differ; offhand I’d say that Tuura prefers integration and education, while Ruus advocates wiping them out. Part of the question you need to answer here is how many soldiers do the Heirs of Dhakaan have? How deep are their vaults, and how many Kech forces are out there? COULD they choose to wipe out the Ghaal’dar, or do they need their numbers?

So, in my opinion the relationship between Dhakaani & Haruuc varies by Khesh – and Haruuc himself is likely very on the fence as to whether these goblins are allies or enemies. Even in the best case, Tuura would want to reestablish Dhakaani society, and it’s worth noting that the Ghaal’dar have more freedom and individuality than the Dhakaani. In causing that eusocial bond to atrophy, the Daelkyr introduced an element of chaos in that strongly lawful goblin psyche – and the modern goblins may find they don’t want to be Dhakaani.

Are dirge-singers incorporated into the current Dhakanni military as a learned specialty serving specific tactical needs or more as a rank denoting authority in certain fields? Or something else entirely?

Something else entirely and somewhere in between. Dirge Singer isn’t a rank on its own, and you surely had different categories and ranks of duur’kala within the Empire; I would expect that some duur’kala focused specifically on healing, while others dealt more with diplomacy, lore, etc. So a low-ranking duur’kala specializing in healing might accompany a unit of soldiers in a support capacity – while a high-ranking diplomat/loremaster might assume control of a military unit for purposes of a particular mission. If you look to the Dragonshard**, the fiction essentially depicts a duur’kala who is leading a unit of soldiers to reclaim a relic, because she’s their lore expert – but when it comes to battle, the military commander would take over.

The Dhakaani dominated the centre of Khorvaire, roughly corresponding with the modern Five Nations, but did they ever have a maritime culture?

In my opinion, their maritime culture was largely limited to river and coastal travel. As you suggest, the presence of Shaarat suggests that they did value rivers, which is logical for a widespread society. We’ve never discussed goblin incursions on Aerenal or suggested a goblin presence in Xen’drik. With that said, in my Bermuda-Triangle-influenced Lamannia adventure I have a massive Dhakaani galley lost en route to Xen’drik, but the idea is that it was a pioneering attempt and it didn’t go well.

At one point, the PCs in my campaign were told that we were “honorable…for humans”. That raises my question: I’m guessing that “honor” in this case would be atcha – personal honor. We dealt honestly and respectfully with the dirgesingers and Tuura Dhakaan in particular, and returned a batch of Dhakaani treasures to the Kech Volaar. But would Dhakaani recognize any kind of “muut” among non-goblins?

I think you’re correct: humans could have atcha, but it would be hard for them to have muut. Muut is a reflection of the fact that in Dhakaan, every goblin HAS an established role and duty. It’s part of your blood and your instinct. You know what muut demands, or you should… whereas atcha is more about personal choice and action. Your actions helped the Empire, but you were acting based on personal integrity, not because of your established duty owed to the Empire. It’s possible that they would see a Brelon soldier doing his duty to Boranel as having a human form of muut, but essentially, they don’t see humans as having a society that has muut; humans are acting in a way that vaguely resembles a true society, but they are still basically disconnected savages with no real sense of the common good.

Without wizarding or sorcerous practices, were the otherworldly invaders a surprise to the Dhakaani? Were they aware of the planes/worlds?

The planes are an integral part of Eberron. The Dhakaani may not have had wizards, but they dealt with the effects of manifest zones and coterminous/remote periods. Note that Sharn is built on the foundations of a great Dhakaani city – meaning the Dhakaani chose to build their city in the manifest zone. In addition, both Arcana and Religion are bard skills; the Dhakaani might not believe in gods, but the Religion skill would still encompass knowledge of outsiders, undead, etc.

Did the Dhakaani have a concept of an afterlife, or was your honor in this life to you and the Empire what mattered?

Honor in this life is what matters, and it’s what ensures you are remembered in the future. You set an example that inspires others, and that lives on.

If they are not ants I guess there are some good or evil Dhakaani. So there are some moral discussion on what should be done or how to interact with other races.

Absolutely. The point is that all of those discussions would take for granted the basic assumption that the good of the Empire is paramount. Evil Dhakaani likely argue that all other species should be eradicated; good Dhakaani would press for enemies being allowed to flee and to settle in lands of no use to the Empire. As that’s what ended up being the more common practice, there’s certainly good Dhakaani out there. With that said, I’d maintain that most Dhakaani tend towards neutrality and also that corruption is not tolerated. One of the characteristics of an evil alignment is putting your desires ahead of the needs of others, and a Dhakaani caught pursuing their own agendas over the good of the Empire would be executed.

In general, I wonder what Dhakaani do when they don’t prepare for war.

Easy… prepare for war. Like the Tairnadal, this is the structure of their lives. If you’re a soldier, you hone your skills, drilling and engaging in tactical exercises and wargames. If you’re an artisan, you do the work that needs to be done, and then you work on honing and refining your skills. If you’re an armorer, spend any spare time you have working on ways to make even better armor.

Essentially, a critical part of “prepare for war” is to be the best you can be – so when they have spare time, Dhakaani are almost always going to be practicing whatever it is they do so they can be better at it. A typical Dhakaani just perfects their talent, while an exceptional Dhakaani looks for new ways to innovate and improve upon the current techniques. And bear in mind that for the Dhakaani, that’s fun. As a bugbear barbarian, you love spending some downtime sparring with a comrade… even if you spent the day training, this is where you just fight for fun, proving your talent.

With that said, even for the Dhakaani there must be times when they relax, right? So what do they do? Here’s a few things.

• Listen to the Duur’kala, who regale you with tales of past heroes and the glory of the Empire, reminding you WHY you work so hard every day.
• Not all such entertainments would just be “listen to a bard.” There would likely be some that are acted (with a question being if there are professional Dhakaani actors, or if it’s simply an honor for a soldier to step up and take on the role of a hero). And I think you get more dramatic reenactments that double as war games.
• Dance. I imagine that the Dhakaani have forms of dance that are similar to kata or the Maori haka – again, something that hones or expresses preparation for war, but nonetheless, it’s still a dance.

The main point – again, like the Tairnadal – is that for a Dhakaani, work isn’t a chore, it’s the focus of your life. You strike for muut and atcha. You gain muut by doing what you must do, and atcha by going above and beyond that. Engaging in activities that hone your skills IS entertainment. So essentially, Dhakaani look at Ghaal’dar or most humans and see them as incredibly slothful and unfocused, wasting the potential and with no sense of communal good.

How do the Dhakaani see love/sex/mate?

I think Dhakaani feel love as others do, and there is certainly a duty to produce offspring and honor to be gained by guiding them on the proper path. With that said, family is less important than the Empire; when children reach an age that their aptitudes can be determines, I expect they are fostered in a school that focuses on those skills. So if you’re a goblin miner and your son has the potential to be one of the Shaarat’khesh, he goes to join the Khesh’dar and you may not see him again for years, or ever. Accepting that is muut. It’s also the case that within the Kech, reproduction would have to have been controlled to manage limited resources. We’ve established that goblinoids – especially goblins have a high rate of reproduction, and if the Kech are relatively small today that has to have been an intentional choice.

With that said, bear in mind that there’s an aspect here of the Dhakaani are not human. As humans, we are inherently alone. Love is in part about finding a companion, about building a family, and about ensuring its survival and prosperity. The point of the eusocial bond is that on a fundamental, biological and psychological level, Dhakaani goblins feel a bond to one another that humans don’t. Basically, they have a general love for each other that we don’t have as humans. The strength of the Empire is that it isn’t simply a political construct; its people work well together because they feel an inherent connection and loyalty to their comrades. So a Dhakaani goblinoid can certainly have a specific greater sense of love for a particular individual – but they have a broad real sense of connection to all the people of the Empire that we as humans don’t have with one another. And I’m saying that this was one of the critical things that was lost in the wake of the Daelkyr, and the loss of that connection that caused the Empire to collapse and led to civilizations like the Marguul and the Ghaal’dar. So again, this is a fundamental difference between the Heirs of Dhakaan and the Ghaal’dar.

Where was the heartland of the Empire? Was it a single palace under a singular Emperor, or were there multiple emperors ruling at once across the land?

We’ve never said where the Empire began; what works best for your story? We’ve implied that there was a single Emperor, but there were certainly regional leaders who served as the Imperial authority within an area.

Do you think Darguun has any large scale dealings with Droam? Do you think their people or governments see each other as kindred spirits considering their histories?

In my novel The Queen of Stone, Darguun sends emissaries as part of the diplomatic mission to the Great Crag. No mention is made there or elsewhere that I’m aware of about any other significant dealings between the two nations. Darguun is already on thin ice regarding its own recognition as a nation, and a close alliance with a nation seen as something of a terrorist state wouldn’t help that. I’m sure that the Daughters have reached out to Haruuc with just such arguments – “We’re all outsiders, we should stand together” because Droaam needs allies. But what can Droaam offer Darguun – especially that would be worth endangering relations with Breland to gain? And as for being kindred spirits, they’re really not kindred spirits. Looking specifically to goblins, prior to the rise of the Daughters of Sora Kell most goblins in the region were oppressed by more powerful creatures – as they often are among the Ghaal’dar and Marguul. The fact that they have their own warlord in Droaam is a significant change that is thrilling for the goblins (and what makes them among the most loyal supporters of the Daughters) – and something that could actually cause trouble for the hobgoblin-dominated Ghaal’dar or bugbear-led Marguul if their goblin population is inspired to rebel. Essentially, yes, they are all “monsters” and deal with prejudice from humans – but culturally they don’t have a lot in common.

I wonder if dhaakaani would have been doomed against a free overlord or could have found another way to battle/imprison it.

Technically, the Dhakaani were doomed against the Daelkyr; it was the alliance with the Gatekeepers that enabled their defeat. So, if they fought an Overlord, it seems you’d end up with something similar. I could easily see a story based on the partial release of Rak Tulkhesh shaking the Empire thousands of years before the Daelkyr. Dhakaani skill might not be able to end the conflict, but this is where you could have a critical alliance with the Ghaash’kala of the Demon Wastes… champions of the Silver Flame who might leave the Labyrinth to bind the demon. Which brings us back to the difference we’ve established between orcs and goblins. The orcs are innately passionate and drawn to primal and divine paths; the goblins are innately pragmatic and drawn to martial paths. Goblin pragmatism and discipline allowed them to dominate Khorvaire; but Orc faith may have saved the world multiple times.

Just how secluded and hidden were the Kech clans? Thousands of years, operating entirely in secret, hidden from their fellow Dar, hidden from all the other underground races, yet never physically changing?

There’s a few different things to consider here.

• The Dhakaani goblins already had a partially subterranean civilization; consider that the goblin ruins of Shaarat extend deep below Sharn. There were likely many goblins who already spent the vast majority of their lives underground. So that alone wouldn’t be enough to justify a physical change; goblins are already adapted to subterranean life.
• We’ve never said they were hidden from all subterranean races. The Kech Ghaalrac are specifically called out as having been fighting a continuous war against the Dhakaani. Other Kech may have had to deal with other foes. They may even have had to fight corrupted Dhakaani in the last days of the Empire. However, these conflicts never extended to the surface.
• So yes: The Dhakaani avoided all contact with the surface. Remember, their premise – which was correct – was that there was some form of psychic infection corrupting the goblins on the surface. They needed to avoid all contact with them until they could confirm that this curse was no longer a threat – something they were only sure of relatively recently.

Where did Ghaal’dar clan Bards come from if they weren’t somehow trained by the Kech Volaar?

Where do Brelon fighters come from if they aren’t trained in Karrnath? The Ghaal’dar are a unique culture that has evolved in the wake of Dhakaan. Their combat and bardic traditions might have hints of Dhakaan techniques that have lingered through generations, but they are not the same: a Ghaal’dar bard is NOT a duur’kala. We’ve never particularly established that the Ghaal’dar HAVE a well-established bardic tradition; it might be that Ghaal’dar bards are basically self-taught mavericks. In 5E bards don’t have to know lore, so a Ghaal’dar bard could be more like the orcish Passion mentioned above.

How did the hidden clans come into the light? Did Haruuc know of the Dhakaani Kech clans before starting his rebellion? Did House Deneith have contact with them? Could a pre-969 Hobgoblin or Bugbear tribal chief hire a Khesh’Dar assassin or spy?

Haruuc knew nothing of the Kech when he started his rebellion. Full details of the Return have never been provided, and are something that would have to wait until there’s an ability to truly create new setting material, especially since each Kech has its own story and approach to contact. However, there’s a few basic things that have been established. The ECS notes Kech Volaar goblinoids often venture beyond Darguun in search of Dhakaani ruins, but they do not work as mercenaries. They rarely interact with other races except in the pursuit of a mission.

Beyond that…

• The Khesh’dar were the first to return. They spent a few decades gathering information, confirming that it was safe to return, and establishing a basic intelligence network so the Kech weren’t returning blind. They might have sold their services to the locals, as working with modern goblins would be a good way to blend in and gain information, but they wouldn’t announce themselves as the Khesh’dar; they’d simply present themselves as talented mercenaries.
• Before the Heirs of Dhakaan can decide how to deal with outsiders, they need an Emperor. As such their primary focus is dealing with each other – whether through conquest or diplomacy. The Kech Shaarat are assimilating others through combat, but these are calculated actions. The Kech Volaar are seeking to prove their right to rule by recovering artifacts. Every Kech should have a specific path it is following to assert its claim to the Imperial crown – or, barring that, have chosen another Kech to support.
• The rise of Darguun has been specified as a trigger for the Return. One of the primary reasons for this is that it provides them with cover to act without drawing attention . Thanks to Darguun, there is a location where there’s a strong goblin presence. As Darguun is a Fort-du-Trône nation, Ghaal’dar have freedom to move throughout the Five Nations – and most citizens of the Five Nations don’t know enough about goblins to know the difference between Kech soldiers and Ghaal’dar. So a group of Kech Shaarat soldiers don’t walk around bragging about being Kech Shaarat. They pursue their objective quickly and efficiently, avoiding contact with outsiders whenever possible, and trust those outsiders won’t know that they aren’t just some sort of Ghaal’dar.
• Tied to this: the basic premise that the Kech see everyone in Khorvaire as potential enemies. It’s POSSIBLE the Ghaal’dar can be salvaged, but it’s equally possible they’re corrupted abominations that will have to be wiped out. And if they are bad, humanity is worse. These things have stolen their lands and defiled their cities and tombs. So they aren’t walking up to House Deneith and saying “Hi! Do you want to hire us as mercenaries?” – unless they’re doing it specifically to infiltrate the House and learn its weaknesses. They aren’t here to make friends, and any contact with outsiders is going to be founded on the premise of Are you a threat, and if not, what is your value to our long term agenda?

So the main point of the Heirs of Dhakaan is that they are NOT known to the world at large. They are engaged in a shadow war with each other, and adventurers who interact with them are essentially pioneers on the edge of an exciting developing situation. It’s up to you to decide whether the Dhakaani see a reason to interact with the PCs or will simply pursue their agenda as efficiently as possible. But this is about the fact that in Eberron, PCs are supposed to be the protagonists of the novel. When they run into the Kech Dhakaani, they are DISCOVERING something cool – there’s powerful ancient goblins, and they’re in conflict with other ancient goblins! –not just bumping into something that’s already well known.