Goblinoids - the "Dar"
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Nature: Subtype of Creatures
Type: Humanoid

The dar are separated into three unique races which all share a common ancestry and the proud history of Dhakaan:

Golin’dar, "the quick people", known in common as goblins
Ghaal’dar, "the mighty people", known in common as hobgoblins
Guul’dar, "the strong people", known in common as bugbears

Once upon a time, the goblinoids possessed a powerful and sophisticated culture, but it was ruined long ago by extraplanar conflict, civil strife, and the invasion of the humans from Sarlona. Four major goblinoid cultures have arisen from the ashes of the Empire of Dhakaan. Each has a distinct personality and way of dealing with nongoblinoid races. These four cultures are the city goblinoids, the Ghaal’dar, the Dhakaan, and the Marguul clans.
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History

Before humanity ever dreamed of leaving their birthplace on Sarlona, goblinoids ruled the continent of Khorvaire. Known in their tongue as "dar", "the people", the goblinoid races established an empire that controlled most of the continent. Governed by hobgoblin emperors, the Dhakaani Empire lasted for 11'000 years. However, this empire would not last. In -8'000 YK, the daelkyr, lords of Xoriat, began an invasion on Eberron in the area now known as the Shadow Marches.

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The Dhakaani were eventually victorious with the assistance of the druidic sect known as the Gatekeepers and sealed the rifts the invaders had ripped between the planes. The war left the Dhakaani Empire weakened, and the Dhakaani government collapsed to internal power-struggles and civil strife. Goblinoid city-states and smaller nations endured, but lacked the political and military cohesion of the earlier empire. But, the legacy of Dhakaan lives on in dar culture and in the songs of the "dur'kala", hobgoblin bards.

For thousands of years, the dar 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. But during the Last War, in 878 YK, Lord Cail of House Deneith came to the scattered tribes looking for mercenaries to hire out to the warring nations. The success of these goblinoid mercenaries was massive and Deneith became incredibly wealthy.

But, while the war continued to rage, a hobgoblin general of the Rhukaan Taash (razor crown) clan named Haruuc was gaining allies within the goblinoid tribes and among the mercenaries. Then, in 969 YK, Haruuc led a revolt against the people they were supposed to be protecting and laid claim to the area. Harruc named the place Darguun and claimed the title Lhesh Haruuc Shaarat’kor, “High Warlord Haruuc of the Scarlet Blade.”
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Names

●Goblinoid names tend to have vowel sounds that are spoken longer than usual for most languages.
●In male names, these vowel sounds are most often couched between a soft consonant and a hard consonant.
●In female names, the sound lies between two soft consonants.
●Most names have two syllables, but a few have three.
●Some goblins are given names that describe some deed or aspect of the individual.

Goblinoids of the three types use the same names and naming conventions despite tribal differences. The Dhakaani tend to use older names and they rarely incorporate words from Common into names for individuals, but most nongoblinoids find the distinction hard to make.

Male: Drevduul, Gudruun, Kallaad, Krootad, Reksiit, Wuudaraj.
Female: Belaluur, Draraaar, Kelaal, Rekseen, Shedroor, Tuneer.
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City Goblins

During the initial human colonization of Khorvaire, Sarlonan invaders enslaved thousands of goblinoids. Today, goblinoids can be found in most of the major cities of Khorvaire. These goblinoids (mostly goblins, but some hobgoblins and bugbears) have been entirely assimilated into humanoid culture. To a large degree, they remain an impoverished lower class. However, most large cities harbor a significant number of goblin experts and adepts.
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The Ghaal'dar

The fall of the Dhakaani Empire and the human invasion from Sarlona reduced most goblinoids to savagery until a loose confederacy of tribes known as the Ghaal'dar, or “mighty people,” emerged. The history of the Ghaal’dar has been one of constant strife — tribal squabbles broken up by conflicts with the human nations. This changed more than a century ago when representatives of House Deneith approached the chieftain of the Rukhaan Tash in search of hobgoblin mercenaries. Ultimately, this mercenary tradition resulted in the creation of the nation of Darguun.
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The Dhakaan

Invaders from Xoriat and Sarlona shattered the great goblinoid Empire of Dhakaan. However, a few clans strove to maintain Dhakaani values and traditions. Rather than fight against impossible odds, their generals and governors retreated their citizens into caverns and other hidden places, waiting for the chance to emerge and restore the Empire of Dhakaan. The rise of the nation of Darguun is seen as the first step in this battle, and the Dhakaani clans have finally emerged from hiding to seize this opportunity.

The Dhakaani clans are considerably smaller than the tribes of the Ghaal’dar. Many of the greatest secrets of their ancient empire were lost over the millennia, but the Dhakaani warlords held onto the martial skills of the ancient legions — and this discipline makes them a deadly force on the battlefield.

The Dhakaani do not have clerics. They are an agnostic society, and their spiritual leaders are the hobgoblin bards who inspire the communities with tales of past glory. Dhakaani weaponsmiths and armorsmiths practice ancient techniques that produce superior arms and armor, and elite Dhakaani soldiers are equipped with masterwork weapons and armor.
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The Marguul

The Marguul, or “warrior kings,” are a league of bugbear tribes. In the early days of the Ghaal’dar, many bugbears rose up against their hobgoblin oppressors to seize control of their own destiny. The Marguul are fewer in number than either the Ghaal’dar or the Dhakaan, but they are still a powerful force that could play a major role in the future of Darguun.

For centuries, the bugbears have raided the larger hobgoblin communities, taking goblins as slaves and slaughtering the arrogant hobgoblins. In recent years, a few Marguul tribes have established an uneasy peace with the hobgoblins of lowland Darguun, and these bugbears can be found throughout Khorvaire as mercenaries. However, the majority of the Marguul remain in the Seawall Mountains, where they continue to battle any creatures that cross their path.

While the Marguul bugbears lack the discipline of the Dhakaan, they place great value on martial skill and guerilla warfare. Bugbear fighters typically choose Strength-based feats such as Power Attack, Cleave, and Sunder. Marguul clerics worship the Mockery or "Lhesh Shaarat", a bugbear interpretation of Dol Dorn.

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