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The Dhakaani Empire, or the Empire of Dhakaan, was a mighty goblinoid nation that dominated most of Khorvaire over a period extending from around 15,000 to 5,000 years ago.[1] This 10,000-year-period is called the Age of Dhakaan by scholars.[2]

History[]

In the Age of Monsters, Khorvaire was occupied by too 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 in Khorvaire at the time, as they built up great nations on the continent. The greatest of these was the Empire of Dhakaan.[2][3] The Empire of Dhakaan was founded by hobgoblins.[4] Numerous cities of the modern age are built atop the ruins of the Empire of Dhakaan, including Sharn, Wroat, and Korth.[5]

Some 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.[6] The Dhakaani were said to have clashed with the dragonborn before they were forced to retreat back to Q'barra.[2] The Dhakaani also clashed with the Tairnadal elves that had established a colony in Valenar, and forced them back to their homeland in Aerenal.[7] The Dhakaani goblinoids waged a campaign against the gnomes or "jungle rats", corralling them into the wilderness or taking them as slaves.[8] The Dhakaani were pushed back from crossing the Ironroot Mountains by a united nation of dwarves.[2]

The Dhakaani fought a war against invading forces from Xoriat, the Realm of Madness, 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.[7][2] The empire was shattered 7,000 years ago after the forces of the invasion were repelled.[9] The empire is believed to have ultimately collapsed for good some 5,000 years ago.[2]

Society[]

Hobgoblins formed the basis for society in the Empire of Dhakaan. Bugbears were bred as shock troops, while goblins served as slaves.[7]

Dhakaani culture was mainly focused on warfare.[2][9] Their smiths crafted powerful weapons and armor.[2][9] The architecture of observed in the ruins of the Age of Dhakaan is austere or baroque, with calligraphic ornamentation on jewelry and magic items.[2]

Dhakaani goblinoids worshiped no gods and reserved their devotion for the empire itself.[7][4][9] A tradition of female bards known as the duur'kala, the "dirgesingers", was the primary form of magic-use among Dhakaani society.[7][2][4][10]

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.[11]

The Heirs of Dhakaan[]

There are few Dhakaani clans who preserved the traditions of the empire to the modern age. Known as the Heirs of Dhakaan, these groups hid in vaults to preserve their traditions. The remnant clans have emerged in modern Darguun. Some of these clans that maintain the traditions of the lost empire are the Kech Volaar, the "Word Bearers", and the Kech Shaarat, the "Bladebearers".[7][2][4]

Lost relics of the empire exist in the Dhakaani ruins of Khorvaire, which the clans that make up the Heirs of Dhakaan jealously guard and seek to retrieve for their own use.[2][4][9]

Appendix[]

Background[]

In the Legacy of Dhakaan book series by Don Bassingthwaite, the last emperor of the Dhakaani, called the "Shaking Emperor", because he was afraid of everything, fled and disappeared, taking with him a byeshk scepter, an artifact held by countless emperors before him. Lhesh Haruuc, the ruler of modern Darguun, desires the scepter as a symbol of his rule, hoping it will keep his people united.[12]

Keith Baker has suggested on his website that the various subraces of goblinoids of the Dhakaani Empire were more harmonious in cooperating across the three various races than those of the current age. This is attributed to the influence of the daelkyr shattering their "eusocial bond", which allowed cooperation among the three primary subraces (bugbears, goblins, and hobgoblins).[13][14]

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Keith Baker, Bill Slavicsek, & James Wyatt (2004). Eberron Campaign Setting. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 152, 224. ISBN 0-7869-3274-0.
  2. 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 James Wyatt and Keith Baker (2009). Eberron Campaign Guide. (Wizards of the Coast), p. ?. ISBN 0-7869-5099-4.
  3. Logan Bonner and Chris Sims (2008). An Adventurer's Guide to Eberron. (Wizards of the Coast), p. ?. ISBN 0-7869-4855-8.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Keith Baker (2004/08/16). Heirs of Dhakaan. Dragonshards. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on 2016/11/01. Retrieved on 2021/07/22.
  5. Bill Slavicsek, David Noonan, and Christopher Perkins (2005). Five Nations. (Wizards of the Coast), p. ?. ISBN 0-7869-3690-8.
  6. Keith Baker, Bill Slavicsek, & James Wyatt (2004). Eberron Campaign Setting. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 194. ISBN 0-7869-3274-0.
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 Keith Baker, Bill Slavicsek, & James Wyatt (2004). Eberron Campaign Setting. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 210. ISBN 0-7869-3274-0.
  8. Keith Baker (2004/11/29). The Gnomes of Zilargo, Part 1. Dragonshards. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on 2021/05/26. Retrieved on 2021/07/14.
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 Keith Baker (2005/11/28). Weapons of Legacy. Eberron Expanded. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on 2016/11/01. Retrieved on 2021/08/15.
  10. Keith Baker (2005/07/25). Heroes of Battle, Part One. Eberron Expanded. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on 2016/11/01. Retrieved on 2020/12/02.
  11. Keith Baker (2006/01/30). Libris Mortis, Part One. Eberron Expanded. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on 2016/11/01. Retrieved on 2021/08/15.
  12. Don Bassingthwaite (2008). The Doom of Kings. (Wizards of the Coast). ISBN 0-7869-4918-X.
  13. Keith Baker (07/27/2017). Dragonmarks: Goblins. Archived from the original on 04/12/2018. Retrieved on 02/12/2019.
  14. Keith Baker (11/06/2017). Q&A: Player Races, Goblins and Overlords. Retrieved on 02/12/2019.
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