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of life, whether they be as merchants, magewrights,
scholars, or scoundrels. While the gnomes of the Five
Nations aren't as inherently devious as their Zil cousins,
they share the Zil emphasis on the importance of family.
As a gnome character from the Five Nations, you
might have a network of connections to the community
your grew up in, likely built on the exchange of informa
tion. Alternatively, you might seek your own path in life,
avoiding the intrigues your cousins adore.
GNOMES AND DRAGONMARKS
The Mark of Scribing appears among the gnomes of
House Sivis. The gnomes of this house were among
the first of their kind to leave Zilargo and live in human
lands. They love bureaucracy and intrigue as much as
the gnomes of their homeland, but they have carefully
cultivated a reputation for impartiality and secrecy,
since their services rely on trust.
Today, House Sivis provides avenues of communica
tion across Khorvaire. Translation, mediation, inter
preting, and legal advocacy all fall within House Sivis's
broad purview, and they maintain the network of mes
sage stations that allow cross-continent communication.
GOBLINOIDS
HOISTING THE HEAD BY THE FADING PLUMES OF THE
ruined helmet, still tied under the chin by a cord, Haruuc
raised it in one hand and his bloody sword in the other.
"Your lord is dead!" he howled in the human language.
"The battle is done! By my sword, I claim this place and
name it Rhukaan Draa/, the crown city of Darguun, the
land of the people!"
-Don Bassingthwaite, The Doom of Kings
The goblinoid species-goblins, hobgoblins, and bug
bears-were once the dominant civilization in Khor
vaire, with the goblinoid Empire of Dhakaan ruling the
continent for thousands of years. It was crippled by a
long conflict with the daelkyr and their aberrant armies;
even though the daelkyr were defeated, the seeds of
madness took root in the empire and tore it apart. Today
there are four primary goblinoid cultures in Khorvaire.
CITY GOBLINS
Goblins dwell in most of the major cities of the Five
Nations. When humans first came to Khorvaire, they
enslaved many goblins and built their cities on the foun
dations of Dhakaani ruins. Galifar ended the practice of
slavery, and these goblins are now citizens of the Five
Nations. Gifted goblins can be found in all walks of life,
and goblins served in the armies of the Five Nations
during the Last War.
TH E GHAAL'DAR
The Ghaal'dar tribes arose from the remnants of the
Dhakaani Empire. Hobgoblins are the leaders of the
Ghaal'dar, enforcing their will on their goblin and bug
bear peers. The history of the Ghaal'dar is filled with
CHAPTER 1 I CHARACTER CREATION
strife; when they weren't fighting Galifar or Zilargo, the
tribes usually turned on one another. This came to an
end with the Last War. House Deneith hired Ghaal'dar
mercenaries, and this gave focus to the divided tribes.
A brilliant hobgoblin, Haruuc, united the Ghaal'dar,
and under his leadership they seized control of what is
now Darguun (see chapter 2). The aging Lhesh Haruuc
remains as the ruler of Darguun, and many fear that his
death could throw the region into chaos.
As a Ghaal'dar goblinoid, you hold your place through
cunning and strength. You may have been a former mer
cenary now seeking adventure. You could be working
as an emissary for one of the Ghaal'dar tribes or even
Lhesh Haruuc himself. Or you could have been driven
from your tribe by the actions of a rival; perhaps you're
seeking allies to reclaim your birthright.
THE MARGUUL
The Marguul bugbears threw off the yoke of the
Ghaal'dar long ago, seizing territory in the Seawall
Mountains in the south of Darguun. They are infamous
raiders, and while they have brokered a truce with the
Ghaal'dar, anyone venturing into the Seawall Mountains
had best travel with a Marguul guide.
As a Marguul bugbear, you are savage and proud of it.
The Marguul worship the Mockery and believe in victory
by any means necessary: there is no such thing as honor
on the battlefield. It's certainly an unusual choice for a
player character, but if you've taken a liking to a particu
lar group of the small folk, you could be a powerful ally.
THE HEIRS OF DHAKAAN
Though the Dhakaani Empire defeated the alien
daelkyr, the war left seeds of corruption strewn through
out the empire. As Dhakaan began to fall, a number
of generals and governors gathered their forces and
retreated into shelters deep within the earth, deter
mined to preserve their civilization until the Empire
could finally be restored. After thousands of years, their
descendants have finally emerged, competing among
themselves to determine which leader deserves the im
perial crown. Once this is settled, they will turn to the
conquest of Darguun and Khorvaire.
The Dhakaani are far fewer in number than the
Ghaal'dar; they had to carefully limit their population in
the underground vaults they've dwelled in for the past
age. However, they have held onto the martial discipline
and techniques that allowed their ancestors to dominate
the continent. Their weaponsmiths are superior even
to the artificers of House Cannith, and they are experts
in the working of adamantine and other exotic metals.
Anyone who presumes to look down upon goblinoids
should be surprised by the skills of the Dhakaani.
The Heirs of Dhaka an are an agnostic society and
don't have clerics, paladins, or druids. Their focus is
on martial excellence, and their spiritual leaders are
bards, who tell tales of past glory. Among the Dhakaan,
goblinoids work together. Hobgoblins are the strategists
and commanders, typically having the skills of fighters,
bards, or rangers. Bugbears cultivate a focused battle
rage and are typically barbarians. Goblins are largely
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