Keepers of the Sword
The Kech Shaarat are the largest of the Keeper clans. Founded by the Warlord of the South in the final days of the empire, the Shaarat possess an artifact known as Skai Shaarat—the Great Blade—a sword handed down from warlord to warlord since the days of the Six Kings. While they lack the exotic specialties of the other clans, the Kech Shaarat excel at war. The deep vault of the Kech Shaarat is tied to a demiplane in Khyber known as the Ironlands. This provided them with access to resources and space denied to the other clans, including the byeshk ore the Dhakaani prize for their weapons (as presented in chapter 7), while also keeping them on a constant war footing. Of all the Keepers, the Kech Shaarat have the finest Forge Adept artificers (a new specialization presented in chapter 6), as well as talented Battle Smiths—though the Dhakaani don’t generally employ constructs, these artificers have created innovative steel defenders. On the other hand, the Kech Shaarat have not emphasized the role of the duur’kala as much as other clans, and have a weaker bardic tradition.
The Kech Shaarat have emerged into the open and are the most active of the Dhakaani tribes. The warlord Ruus Dhakaan (no relation to the Kech Ruuska, though his name does mean “Tiger”) has reclaimed several ancient Dhakaani fortresses in the Seawall Mountains, and is working to refortify these ruins. In the course of this expansion, the Kech Shaarat have already absorbed a lesser clan—the Kech Nozhii, who maintained the treasury of the empire—which has expanded their resources. They are actively pressuring the Kech Ruuska to submit to an alliance acknowledging Ruus as the Emperor Yet to Come, and Shaarat warriors have a bitter rivalry with the Kech Volaar.
Ruus has sent representatives to Rhukaan Draal and pledged to support Lhesh Haruuc, but this is a ruse designed to bide time and to take the measure of an enemy. Ruus hasn’t revealed the true nature of his people or the full scale of his forces to the Ghaal’dar, and most Darguuls believe the Kech Shaarat are a Ghaal’dar clan with strange traditions. House Deneith is keen to gain the services of these mysterious warriors, but Ruus Dhakaan refuses to have any dealings with the chaat’oor.
Ruus Dhakaan is a brilliant strategist and charismatic leader. He earned Skai Shaarat with his courage and skill, and should never be underestimated. While he’s determined to claim the imperial throne, he’s also concerned with muut and the good of the empire; he will pressure other Keepers to support his claim, but won’t butcher his own kind. However, he’s ruthless when it comes to dealing with chaat’oor, and doubts whether the modern “goblins” can be redeemed. They may be close enough to dar that they could be worthy servants, but he’s considering whether it’s simpler to slaughter the Darguuls once the dar are united.
The Kech Shaarat are the most aggressive of the clans, and this is an interesting option for an entire party of dar adventurers. A lone Shaarat dar could be an exile from the clan or a spy evaluating the strengths and fighting styles of the chaat’oor. One option is for a Shaarat player character to have challenged Ruus and been defeated; now they seek an ancient artifact that would allow them to face Ruus again and claim leadership over the clan.
Source: Exploring Eberron
The Kech Shaarat (Bladebearers) are the keepers of a mighty artifact known as the Sword of the True King. Their warlord Ruus Dhakaan believes that he cannot rightfully wield the blade until he has united the Dhakaani clans under his rule. Fueled by his ambition, the Kech Shaarat is the most aggressive of the Dhakaani clans, having already conquered and absorbed three lesser clans. If Ruus Dhakaan can unite the clans beneath his banner, he plans to conquer the Ghaal’dar as the first step toward reestablishing the empire of old. If he succeeds in this dream, the Heirs of Dhakaan would pose a potent threat to all of Khorvaire.
The Kech Shaarat make excellent villains if you want to challenge players with an elite goblin fighting force. The Dhakaani are tacticians as well as skilled soldiers, and they act with precision and discipline in all they do. Bladebearer soldiers can be identified by sword-shaped marks branded on one or both forearms.
Source: Eberron Campaign Guide