The Daern is the title given to the Ibyth ruler, often reffered to as Daern, God-Emperor of Ord, or the Goblin King, depending on who you ask. Most goblin-kin are notoriously short lived and lesser leaders among them often grow old and feeble before accomplishing their goals. To combat this and compete with the long lived races of elves and dwarves, the Hobgoblin warlords select a leader every twenty years through trial by combat. The event is know as "Ish'kronn Ast'ronn" or the festival of strong blood, and is seen as the holiest day to Ibyth goblin-kin. This leader is given the title of Daern and is gifted long life through transference of the Spark of Loyalty. Aspects of the new Daern's personality and knowledge are absorbed into the Spark and help guide the Ibyth nation. Those with the strength to gain the Spark of Loyalty generally have the power to defend it for several centuries. For eons, the Daern's cult inner circle was a group of hobgoblin nobility known as the Crimson Cloak, but in the late fourth age, it was replaced by a cabal of orcs called the Cult of Scro.
The magical item Daern's Instant Fortress were first created by Daern Galdan the Gold. Daerns throughout history have guarded the secret to their creation and only rarely gift them to others. The items are notoriously difficult to destroy and it is a safe bet that any individual fortress was personally created by the Daern themself.
List of Daerns[]
Mahg'daern Bonemouth[]
A hobgoblin warlord, was the first emperor gifted with the Spark and founded the tradition of Ibyth emperors being divinely empowered. Unfortunately she only managed to hold onto it herself for 40 years before being replaced by another. Her personality imprinted so strongly onto the spark that to this day, those possessed by the Spark of Loyalty refer to themselves as Daern.
Gan'kak Dwarfwhipper[]
He ruled the empire as the second Daern. While he ruled the empire, Dwarven refugees from Kolzamar and Kazolmor were captured and enslaved. Centuries of hard labor and selective breeding resulted in the modern hill dwarf. His rule lasted for 360 years until he was dispatched by Galdan the Gold.
Galdan the Gold[]
Galdan led his people into their golden age. Treaties with Thessan and the Silver Reach increased prosperity in Ibyth as well as Galdan's arcane power. His reign lasted 1280 years
Croxs the Tall[]
An Orog gladiator held for years in the pits of the dark elves, his people were infused with the wild magic energy of the world cavern. This exposure made him nearly impervious to magic allowing him to dispatch Galdan the Gold with relative ease. His strength based reign lasted only 160 years.
Nek'bar the Recluse[]
He ruled as the Daern for 620 years, establishing the Ibyth Empire's isolatinistic tendancies. His rule was ended at the point of a sword by Vorg a Black Orc from the Scara Mountains.
Vorg Stonewall[]
Vorg was a powerful orc and commanded great stoneworks to be built in his empire. He ordered a massive wall to be built through the Fernhollow forest and a new capital city, Gin'Hob, was erected to house orcs immigrating from across the continent. Unfortunately his treatment of goblins lead to his downfall after 480 years.
Gorty the Goblin[]
This clever goblin preferred to be called Gorty the Great. He was a noted thief who slew Vorg in single combat. Nobody really knows how it happened, but it didn't last long. Gorty gave up the spark after the first 20 years.
M'kubog Manfriend[]
M'kubog was an extremely intelligent Ibyth hobgoblin. He was passionate about returning Ibyth to its golden age and pushed for increased trade with Thessan and the various pirates that made harbor along the Southern Coast. He granted humans territory on the coast, assisting in founding the city of Wingar. He stepped down after 200 years, offering the spark of Loyalty to Mu'nar the Wise.
Mu'nar the Wise[]
Mu'nar was an Ibyth hobgoblin priest and sage. During her short 13 year reign, she openly spoke out against the drow and the vashar. She died under mysterious circumstances. Her death caused much uproar in the Empire as it was the first instance of a Daern being killed outside Ish'kronn Ast'ronn, the festival of strong blood. The Empire held a meeting of the warlords and a grand melee decided who would be the new Daern.
Elfchewer []
The real name of this massively obese black orc is unknown, but what little survived of his rule seems written in by vasharan scribes. Under his guidence, the empire dedicated itself to war with the elves. Much of the empire marched to its death over the next 23 years, including Elfchewer himself. This catastrophic loss of life crippled the Empire, which retreated into the North, a shadow of its former self.
Rogdolg Oakskin[]
A master swordsman and chosen by unanimous concent by the Crimson Cloaks Rogdolg had no interest in being the Daern but accepted the honor regardless. With the exception of fighting alongside the Drow in the Second Moon war his rule was impeccable, lasting 780 years. During his time as Daern, Ibyth and Findle became close allies. His dealings with steward Arundel Shay lead to more open trade and an influx of goblin-kin into Findle. This did not entirely prevent skirmishes between the two nations however. His sword skills were unmatched in the region until the second War of Wings when Chizar the Scro proved her obvious superiority by beheading him with a single stroke.
Chizar the Scro
Chizar the Scro[]
Chizar was a powerful Scro warlord. Her hatred of elves was insatiable. Treaties signed by Rogdolg with Steward Arundel Shay were swiftly broken and open war with the silver reach was ongoing throughout her reign. Chizar's blood lust against the elves waned over time after bonding with the Spark of Loyalty, but her Cult of Scro carry on their genocidal plan at odds with the Crimson Cloak and more even tempered goblin-kin. In 158 V the festival of strong blood was interupted by the lich Funiku Dorobo, an ally of the Cult of Scro in an effort to assassinate the Daern while in combat with the lich's undead minions. The attack was foiled by Blackwell's Crew.