This hobgoblin has spent most of his life trying to keep the warring tribes and sects of goblin culture together, dreaming of a new Dhakaani Empire. From humble roots, Haruuc rose to become the Lhesh (loosely translated as “king” or “high warlord”) of the new nation, Darguun.

When Haruuc was young, he heard the tale of Jhazaal Dhakaan. At first, he was skeptical of the idea of a powerful and well-run empire consisting mostly of goblins. He had lived his childhood in squalor, and every goblin he had seen was either dead by the hands of the other races or under their control, one way or another. Like most goblins, he resented this, but accepted it as the fate of his race. The night he heard the story of the bard-queen, he fell asleep in front of the fire on the hard earth. When he awoke, he remembered having a profound vision: he saw himself seated at the top of a mountain, a flaming crown on his head, overlooking an endless horizon of goblin troops. From that day, Haruuc had more drive than any goblin of his time. He would intimidate, backstab, invade, and subjugate anyone he had to get to the top of that mountain.

During the Last War, Lhesh rose through the ranks of mercenary squadrons (usually hired by the Cyre military, absorbing everything the humans taught him about organization and governance. While he did not copy their structure outright, his knowledge of the non-goblin world allowed him later to negotiate successfully at the Treaty of Thronehold for Darguun’s recognition as an official nation.

As Cyre floundered in the mid 60’s, Lhesh began to cash in all the favors and political capital he had collected among the tribes. In 967YK, the Army of the Scarlet Blade formed ranks around their new leader and began to seize territory from their Cyran masters. By 969, the Cyran government ceded control of the territory (though never admitting defeat), and Lhesh declared independence.

He took the full title of Lhesh Haruuc Sharaat’kor (High Warlord Haruuc of the Scarlet Blade). The Khar Mar’bost (“Red House”) serves as his palace in the center of Rhukaan Draal. In the intervening years, Lhesh has tried to organize his people, with help from advisors claiming to carry the legacy of the Dhakaani Empire. While warring with his neighbors would be too risky at this point, Lhesh Haruuc has been able to keep his military trained by using the feyspire Shae Joridal as a sort of target practice. The goblins have been besieging the feyspire for almost twelve years, and while the fey residents have been able to keep them at bay, the combat experience has created a new elite cadre of goblin warriors. The Lhesh also maintains relations with House Deneith to continue the tradition of goblin mercenaries, but on the condition of taxes returning to Darguun.