Eternal Emperor

The Eternal Emperor commands great respect and fealty from the Eight Great Houses, he commands the military might of the entire empire. Because of the goblin propensity for violence, shrewd emperors of the past and House Warlords direct hostilities outward, where they would otherwise cause a civil war and infighting between houses, expansion, glory and conquest being the driving motivation in goblin society.

The Eternal Emperor is chosen by the Eight Great Houses, though in theory ANY House can have one of its members chosen by the Great Houses if some great deed were achieved. Various factions almost constantly challenge for the leadership of the Empire, and so over time the Hobgoblins developed a strict and rigorous Rite of Succession to determine their leader should a challenge occur.

According to tradition, one within a House is permitted to challenge the Eternal Emperor on the grounds of cowardice or dishonorable conduct and fight in single combat. Should the challenger slay the incumbent, he assumes the role of emperor and gains the mantle of Eternal.

Only men have ever taken the role of Eternal Emperor, women are forbidden from invoking the Rite of Succession or ever becoming Eternal Emperor as the decree was passed down by Sha The Unifyer at his passing.