Hobgoblin

Burly and muscled, hobgoblins stand a few inches shorter than the average human, and their long arms, thick torsos, and relatively short legs give them an almost apelike stature. Hobgoblins’ skin is a sickly gray-green that darkens to mossy green after long exposure to the sun. Their eyes burn fiery orange or red, and their broad faces and sharply pointed ears give their features a somewhat feline cast. Hobgoblins lack facial hair, and hobgoblin women are bald. Except for their size, hobgoblins bear a strong physical resemblance to their goblin cousins.

Hobgoblins eschew strong attachments, even to their young. Matings are matters of convenience, and are almost always limited to hobgoblins of equal rank.

Any resulting baby is taken from its mother and forcibly weaned after 3 weeks of age. Young mature quickly—most take no more than 6 months to learn to talk and care for themselves. Hobgoblins’ childhoods last a scant 14 years, a mirthless span filled with brutal training in the art of war.

Male Names: Arak, Bekri, Doruk, Fethi, Grung, Hagla, Haluk, Kurat, Malgrim, Mevlut, Oktar, Saltuk, Turgut.   Female Names: Afet, Ceyda, Ela, Esma, Huri, Kurmu, Maral, Masal, Melda, Nisa, Nural, Sekla, Sena, Tansu, Vesile.

The Dhakaani Empire was once a mighty goblinoid nation that dominated most of Khorvaire over a period extending from about 15,000 years ago to about 5000 years ago. This 10,000-year-period is called The Age of Dhakaan by scholars.   In the Age of Monsters Khorvaire was occupied by few races to oppose the expansion of the goblinoid people (known as the dar, or the people in their native Goblin). The goblinoids clashed with various tribes of orcs and lizardfolk (as well as dragonborn), and other humanoids present on Khorvaire at the time, as they built up great nations on the continent. The greatest of these was the Empire of Dhakaan.   The Empire of Dhakaan was founded by hobgoblins. Numerous cities of the modern age are built atop the ruins of the Empire of Dhakaan, including Sharn, Wroat, and Korth among others.   10,000 years ago the Dhakaani clashed with many humanoids to consolidate their power. The Dhakaani encountered lizardfolk in the Talenta Plains and forced them across the Endworld Mountains into Q'barra. The Dhakaani also clashed with the Tairnadal elves that had established a colony in Valenar, before the elves were called back to their homeland for unknown reasons. The Dhakaani goblinoids waged a campaign against the gnomes or "jungle rats," corralling them into the wilderness or taken them as slaves. The Dhakaani were pushed back from crossing the Ironroot Mountains by a united nation of dwarves.   The Dhakaani fought a war against the invading forces from Xoriat, the Realm of Madneess, which exhausted the resources of their empire around 9,000 years ago; the Daelkyr were eventually defeated by the Gatekeepers, an order of orc druids. The empire was shattered 7,000 years ago after the forces of the invasion were repelled. The empire is believed to have ultimately collapsed for good some 5,000 years ago.   Dhakaani culture was mainly focused on warfare. Their smiths crafted powerful weapons and armor. The architecture of the ruins of the Age of Dhakaan are austere or in turn baroque, with caligraphic ornamentation on jewelry and magic items.   Dhakaani goblinoids worshipped no gods and reserved their devotion for the empire itself. A tradition of female bards known as the duur'kala, the dirgesingers, was the primary form of magic-use among Dhakaani society.   Records exist of necromancer cults within Dhakaani society for a time before being destroyed by an emperor, which may have followed a powerful entity from the Age of Demons.

• 16,000 years ago

The clans of the Dhakaani tribe, united to form a great empire which stretched, at its height from the Shadow Marches in the west to modern Darguun and the Talenta Plains. Easily contending with, and possibly exceeding both Riedra and the giant kingdoms of Xen'drik in terms of sheer geographical size. It was an empire of great arts, particularly in architecture and metalworking, for which the goblinoids had a natural inclination. And no other Khorvairan race could stand before their armies.

• 10,000 years ago

Colonial Aereni elves clash with the Dhakaani, but manage to maintain a foothold in what is now Valenar.

• 9,000 years ago

Daelkyr invade Eberron from Xoriat, the Plane of Madness. The hobgoblins will fight the invaders for thousands of years.

 

• 5,000 years ago

Scholars maintain a general consensus that this is the approximate end of the hobgoblins' empire, though it had long been in slow decline. Civil Wars ravage what is left of the Empire. The gnomes of south central Khorvaire take this opportunity to move into abandoned Dhakaani settlements, creating the foundations of modern Zilargo

 

• Kingdom of Galifar

Hobgoblins are used as expert mercenaries under the employ of House Deneith.

• Last War and Modern Times

 

• 969 YK

The Lhesh Haruuc leads clans of Ghaal'dar to revolt, creating the nation of Darguun.

 

• 986 YK

The Daughters of Sora Kell lead the monsters of western Breland in revolt. The goblinoids of Droaam participate in the revolution, which is successful in the following year when Breland removes its settlers from the region, pulling back to the east side of the Graywall Mountains. Droaam declares its own sovereignty.

 

• 996 YK

The Treaty of Thronehold recognizes the goblinoid nation of Darguun, but not the nation of Droaam, which holds a large percentage of goblinoids.