Darguun

Goblins and their kin have always been part of Argones. Their ancient empire spread across the lands now held by other nations, and Goblin foundations still stand underneath many Human cities. This empire collapsed into savagery, and when humans arrived, they drove the goblins from their ancestral lands. Thus, goblins have long been a disenfranchised people, living in the shadows of newer nations or in wild lands shunned by humans.

The land now called Darguun was once part of Verdun. The Hobgoblin clans known as the Ghaal’dar were based in the Seawall Mountains, but during the Last War, the demand for mercenaries drew an ever-increasing number of goblins out of the mountains to fight for Verdun and Hosuth. Late in the war, a brilliant hobgoblin named Lhesh Haruuc Sharaat’kor recognized that the goblins had become the dominant military power in the region. Uniting the Ghaal’dar under his banner, Haruuc seized the territory he was supposed to protect. The Five Nations were unprepared, and Hosuth quickly negotiated an alliance with Haruuc to secure the border. Verdun fought the goblins until the Day of Mourning, but the majority of delegates involved in forging the Treaty of Thronehold chose to recognize the new nation of Darguun to ensure peace.

Darguun is a young and volatile nation, ruled by Lhesh Haruuc Sharaat’kor. Haruuc remains a brilliant strategist and tactician, but many wonder whether he can maintain the web of alliances that hold the Ghaal’dar together, and whether he and his people will be content to abide by the terms of the treaty. Other goblins still hidden in the mountains - the enigmatic Heirs of Dhakaan - could pose a threat both to the goblins and the rest of Argones.

Traditionally, the Ghaal’dar worshiped Maglubiyet and other fiendish deities. House Olander introduced the the concept of "good" to the region, and some goblins have embraced this faith, especially the ways of Kord.

House Olander has a strong presence in Darguun. No one will employ goblin armies in the wake of Haruuc’s betrayal, but security forces value smaller units of goblinoid mercenaries for their ferocity and skills.

Darguun is a frontier nation. Although recognized by the Treaty of Thronehold, it doesn’t abide by the common laws of the treaty nations. Law enforcement is unpredictable, and acts considered criminal in other nations are part of life in Darguun.

A number of Bugbear-dominated clans known as the Marguul inhabit southern Darguun. Some of the Marguul refuse to acknowledge the authority of the Ghaal’dar hobgoblins; these clans are especially dangerous and violent.

Lhesh Haruuc united the Ghaal’dar clans and seized control of Darguun just over three decades ago. Non-goblins from this land may have been born in captivity or forced into bondage, while others might have adopted Darguun customs and earned a place in their society.

Darguun is a logical point of origin for goblins, hobgoblins, or bugbears.

Among the Ghaal’dar, individuals must constantly prove their strength and skill to gain and hold the respect of their kin. Ghaal’dar rarely kill in a casual battle; they fight to prove a point but kill only when they must.

The Ghaal'dar may challenge their peers and the like in times of peace, but when blades unsheathe for war, they stand by their clan—or those allies they have bonded with—until death. This loyalty doesn’t extend to warriors of other Ghaal’dar clans.

Goblin ancestors once forged an empire even greater than the Verdant Realm. Some even believe that their people can reclaim this lost glory. The Dhakaani were renowned for their martial skill and their discipline. Muut roughly translates to “duty”—duty to one's empire, clan, and commander. Muut is expected; if an individual has no muut, they have no place in battle. Atcha corresponds to “honor,” especially personal honor gained by virtuous deeds that transcend the expectations of muut.

Thirty years ago, this region was part of Verdun. The goblins converted towns and villages and raised new settlements, but many ruins and abandoned farms remain. The region is also peppered with dungeons dating back to the ancient goblin empire; these can be found in the vast Torlaac Moor or beneath the Khraal rainforest.

Darguun was born in the Last War, and the scars of its birth are still raw. Most of the population of Verdunians fled the goblin uprising, and those who remained were killed or enslaved. As a result, many burnt-out farms and abandoned villages have stood empty for decades. The broken paths of the lightning rail make travel into the interior difficult, and only the largest cities offer the basic services common elsewhere in the treaty nations.

Any significant settlement is likely the domain of a single Ghaal’dar clan. While these clans give their fealty to Lhesh Haruuc, every clan lord holds absolute power in their town. Some clans are friendly to outsiders and welcome commerce. Others despise non-goblins. Lhesh Haruuc has abolished slavery in Rhukaan Draal, but some of clan lords continue this practice.

Overall, Darguun is a nation that is still finding its identity—a kingdom that seeks to be more than a seized territory. The goblins carry the legacy of a mighty empire and stand in the shadow of the nations around them. Haruuc wants to draw out the best in his people, to harness their strengths and achieve their potential. The rest of Argones waits to see if the Ghaal’dar have the will to remain a nation, and if Darguun can survive when Haruuc passes away.