Darguun
In ages past, hobgoblins and other goblinoids controlled Khorvaire. Over the course of thousands of years a host of goblinoid nations rose and fell. The greatest civilization of this age, the hobgoblin Empire of Dhakaan, bred goblins and bugbears as slaves and warriors. The ancient empire has returned, in a weaker, less influential form, in the new nation of Darguun.
Darguun, carved from what was once the southwesternmost borderlands of Cyre, contains a variety of environs. Nestled to the east of the Seawall Mountains, Darguun has fertile plains to the north, a dense tropical forest to the east, and a vast moor to the south. The mighty Ghaal River empties into the Kraken Bay and literally divides the nation in half, separating the battlefields of the Last War from the unexplored reaches of the southern shore.
For thousands of years the goblinoids lurked in the shadows, hiding deep within the Seawall Mountains and venturing out only to engage in an occasional raid on Brelish or Cyran settlements. It was human greed that finally brought them back into the light. Lord Cail of House Deneith led an expedition into the Seawall Mountains one hundred twenty years ago (878 YK) to seek goblinoid recruits for his mercenary armies. He discovered more than a dozen tribes and clans scattered throughout the mountains. With clever words and a lot of gold, Cail won the trust of a few of the chieftains. A host of hobgoblin warriors and their goblin slaves returned to Breland with Cail. These savage hobgoblins were seen as a novelty; it became prestigious for wealthy aristocrats to employ hobgoblin guards. Then the Last War began.
Both Breland and Cyre soon turned to House Deneith to supplement their armies, and Deneith in turn brought ever-increasing numbers of goblinoids out of the mountains. Deneith’s profits soared, but ultimately this reliance on goblinoid soldiers had disastrous results. After seventy years of war, tens of thousands of well-armed goblins and hobgoblins were spread across the Cyre-Breland border. With the rise to prominence of the ambitious young hobgoblin Haruuc, all the conditions for the creation of the nation of Darguun were in place.
A cunning tactician and charismatic leader, Haruuc realized that the human and near-human forces in the region were no match for the combined power of the goblinoids. He arranged secret meetings with other chieftains, and through promises, threats, and appeals to racial loyalty he won most of the tribes to his cause. In 969 YK, the hobgoblins turned on the people they were supposed to be defending. Hundreds of humans were slain, while others fled into neighboring lands or were captured as slaves. Haruuc laid claim to the area, naming it Darguun and claiming the title of the Lhesh Haruuc Shaarat’kor—the High Warlord Haruuc of the Scarlet Blade—for himself.
Breland and Cyre were completely unprepared for this treachery, and neither nation could spare enough forces to reclaim the land. The King of Breland quickly made a deal with Haruuc, offering recognition in exchange for continued protection along the eastern front, but warfare between the goblinoids and Cyre continued right up until the Day of Mourning (see The Mournland for details). Eager to put an end to the war, Karrnath, Aundair, and Breland formally acknowledged the sovereignty of Darguun with the Treaty of Thronehold. With clearly delineated borders defining the new nation, Lhesh Haruuc swore to restrain his followers from future violence against the three nations. Thrane, however, has demonstrated disfavor with the Darguun accords, and the knights templar of the Silver Flame may yet seek to avenge those killed in the original uprising.
In general, most nations see the presence of Darguun as a necessary evil. Far more goblinoids were hidden away than most people thought possible, and since the rise of the nation many tribes have migrated from other parts of Khorvaire to claim a place in the new hobgoblin domain. Weakened by the Last War, the Five Nations have neither the energy nor inclination to battle the goblins. For their part, the goblinoids have abided by the terms of the treaty. House Deneith has reestablished relations with Haruuc and with a few of the tribes now residing within the nation and swearing fealty to Haruuc. Three questions remain: Will Haruuc be content developing the territory afforded him by the agreements of Thronehold? Can he actually keep the many goblinoid tribes that have flocked to his banner under control? Will he seek to reclaim the glory of ancient Dhakaan?
Demography and Population
800,000 (39% goblins, 29% hobgoblins, 13% bugbears, 6% kobolds, 6% humans, 4% gnomes, 3% other)
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