Darguun
Capital: Rhukaan Draal
Hallmarks: Dungeons, goblinoid mercenaries, ruins
Goblins and their kin have always been part of Khorvaire. Their ancient empire spread across the lands now held by other nations, and goblin foundations still stand underneath many human cities. This empire collapsed into savagery, and when humans arrived from Sarlona, they drove the goblins from their ancestral lands. Thus, goblins have long been a disenfranchised people, living in the shadows of newer nations or in wild lands shunned by humans.
The land now called Darguun was once part of Cyre. The hobgoblin clans known as the Ghaal’dar were based in the Seawall Mountains, but during the war, the demand for mercenaries drew an ever-increasing number of goblins out of the mountains to fight for Cyre and Breland. Late in the war, a brilliant hobgoblin named Lhesh Haruuc Sharaat’kor recognized that the goblins had become the dominant military power in the region. Uniting the Ghaal’dar under his banner, Haruuc seized the territory he was supposed to protect. The Five Nations were unprepared, and Breland quickly negotiated an alliance with Haruuc to secure the border. Cyre fought the goblins until the Day of Mourning, but the majority of delegates involved in forging the Treaty of Thronehold chose to recognize the new nation of Darguun to ensure peace.
Darguun is a young and volatile nation, ruled by Lhesh Haruuc Sharaat’kor. Haruuc remains a brilliant strategist and tactician, but many wonder whether he can maintain the web of alliances that hold the Ghaal’dar together, and whether he and his people will be content to abide by the terms of the treaty. Other goblins still hidden in the mountains—the enigmatic Heirs of Dhakaan (see chapter 4)—could pose a threat both to the goblins and the rest of Khorvaire.
Traditionally, the Ghaal’dar worshiped a form of the Dark Six. House Deneith introduced the Sovereign Host to the region, and some goblins have embraced this faith, especially the gods Dol Dorn, Dol Arrah, and Balinor.
- House Deneith has a strong presence in Darguun. No one will employ goblin armies in the wake of Haruuc’s betrayal, but security forces value smaller units of goblinoid mercenaries for their ferocity and skills.
- Darguun is a frontier nation. Although recognized by the Treaty of Thronehold, it doesn’t abide by the common laws of the treaty nations. Law enforcement is unpredictable, and acts considered criminal in other nations are part of life in Darguun.
- A number of bugbear-dominated clans known as the Marguul inhabit southern Darguun. Some of the Marguul refuse to acknowledge the authority of the Ghaal’dar hobgoblins; these clans are especially dangerous and violent.
- Lhesh Haruuc united the Ghaal’dar clans and seized control of Darguun nearly three decades ago. If you are a non-goblin from this land, you may have been born in captivity. Were you forced into bondage, or did you adopt Darguul customs and earn a place in their society?
The Gathering Stone
This fortress enclave of House Deneith serves as a staging area for goblin mercenaries who wish to work for the house. It provides a stable and secure haven for travelers passing through the region, provided you’re on good terms with House Deneith.
Gorgonhorn
This fortified village lies close to the Mournland. Once it maintained the front line against Cyre. Now, the hobgoblins stationed here protect their people from the horrors that crawl out of the warped realm. If you’re a goblin soldier, you might have served in Gorgonhorn. It’s also a base for the scavengers and salvagers who venture into the Mournland.
Lyrenton
Once a thriving Cyran town, Lyrenton is a ruin on the very edge of the Mournland. It’s shunned by the Ghaal’dar, who believe it to be cursed. At night, a terrible wailing that echoes among the ruins can be heard for miles across the plains.
Rhukaan Draal
The largest city in Darguun serves as the seat of Lhesh Haruuc Sharaat’kor. As the hub for trade, travel, and diplomacy, it also a provides a haven for fugitives and smugglers. Lhesh Haruuc dwells in a fortress known as Khaar Mbar’ost, the Red House.
Wyvernskull
If you’re a Ghaal’dar sailor or guild artisan, this small city—Darguun’s primary seaport—could be your home. The goblinoids who live here are a sociable, rowdy lot who are also, by and large, friendly toward strangers.