Dhakaani

Following the defeat of the Daelkyr, a number of Dhakaani leaders saw the signs of spreading madness. They constructed deep vaults and retreated from the world, taking their best and brightest with them. In doing this, they avoided the subtle curses that afflicted the rest of the goblins. For thousands of years they have honed their skills, and now they have returned. Currently they are split into Kech factions. They have no Emperor and this has kept them from uniting. Their numbers are limited, as each Kech carefully controlled population to deal with limited resources. But their martial discipline is rivaled only by the Tairnadal. Their smiths produce arms and armor superior to the work of House Cannith. Dhakaani champions are a match for any hero on Khorvaire. And they aren’t happy to see these soft creatures living in their ancestral lands. The Dhakaani are few in number and still divided… but they are a force to be reckoned with, and a way to surprise players who think of goblins as savages.

Culture

Shared customary codes and values

Every aspect of society among the fracture clans of the Dhakaani is regimented and militarized. Being that Goblins are not prone to fantasy or faith, they never developed religions or magical traditions of their own. Instead they rely upon the their ancestral oral tradition of passing down the un-embellished deeds of their greatest heroes.

Average technological level

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 and they’re vital to communication and coordination. 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.

Languages spoken

• Goblin

Common Alternate Race Traits

• Cave Crawler

  Some goblins are born and raised in caves and rarely see the light of day. Goblins with this trait gain a climb speed of 10 feet and the +8 racial bonus on Climb checks associated with having a climb speed. Goblins with this racial trait have a base speed of 20 feet and lose the fast movement racial trait.

• Eat Anything

  Raised with little or no proper food, many goblins have learned to survive by eating whatever they happen across and can digest nearly anything without getting sick. Goblins with this trait gain a +4 on Survival checks to forage for food and a +4 racial bonus on saves versus effects that cause the nauseated or sickened conditions. This racial trait replaces skilled.

• Hard Head, Big Teeth

  Goblins are known for their balloon-like heads and enormous maws, but some have even more exaggeratedly large heads filled with razor-sharp teeth. Goblins with this trait gain a bite attack as a primary natural attack that deals 1d4 points of damage. This racial trait replaces skilled.

• Over-Sized Ears

  While goblins’ ears are never dainty, these goblins have freakishly large ears capable of picking up even the smallest sounds. Goblins with this racial trait gain a +4 bonus on Perception checks. This racial trait replaces skilled.