Duergar

Duergar, also known as gray dwarves, are a subterranean subrace of dwarves that have carved out an existence in the Upside Down, often near volcanoes. Their dark history is dominated by the post-War of Souls period in which most of their race was enslaved by illithids during their retreat into the Upside Down. This long bondage left deep scars on the psyche and soul of the duergar peoples. Their kinship to other dwarven subraces could be compared to that of the dark elves to surface elves.

Personality

Duergar are at heart a grim and bitter race, pessimistic of their future and deeply cynical regarding the motives of others. In a dark inversion of the strong family bonds typical of their dwarven kin, duergar view their kin and clan as adversaries set on holding them back, an expectation that becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy since every duergar comes to believe this from early childhood. As a result, duergar are a dark and cruel race, who show no mercy to their foes and who take great pleasure in inflicting pain on others, a welcome relief from what they believe is a meaningless life, that will end, inevitably, in betrayal.
Duergar are sullen, insular, and tireless workers. They tend to be better neighbors than dark elves, but they are always eager to acquire new slaves to supply their labor needs. The duergar don’t waste slaves in the sort of cruel spectacles other evil races enjoy—they simply work their captives to death.
They are avaricious, short-tempered, sullen, violent, and ungrateful. Duergar nurse grudges for a lifetime and never stop counting the slights (real or imagined) they’ve received. They believe that might makes right, and they have no pity for those who are too weak to defend their property or themselves.
On the positive side, duergar believe in minding their own business (so long as other folks don’t have anything they want) and working hard to excel at their chosen crafts. No obstacle daunts a gray dwarf who has settled on a goal. Duergar may not have much loyalty to anyone other than themselves, but they never leave a job half done.
Because of their pessimism, duergar rarely become adventurers of their own free will and are instead most commonly exiles cast out of their society.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Duergar have many of the same anatomical features as true mountain dwarves, with a stocky build, long beards, and lungs designed for long periods of exertion in oxygen poor environments. Like other dwarves, duergar have great physical fortitude, allowing them to work in dangerous and high-stress situations. This made them ideal slaves for the illithid, but over the course of their subjugation, the duergar also developed a kind of mental fortitude. They now possess a great deal of mental fortitude, meaning they can shrug off many common charms, illusions, and other beguiling spells.
Duergar bear similar dark marks of other mortal races whom have spent too long dwelling the Underdark. Like the dark elves or the svirfneblin, they have grey skin which ranges in coloration from pale ash to purplish-black. Their hair is stark white and their eyes are beady orbs of inky blackness, giving them a haunting appearance. Male and female duergar are predisposed to baldness.
Two of the most remarkable traits of the duergar are their enlarge and invisibility abilities. Either granted to them by the illithid's centuries of experimentation or as a result of the strange magics of the Underdark, duergar are able to temporarily grow to triple their normal size, along with any gear they carry. While enlarged, duergar are far stronger than they are in their normal form, allowing them to take on foes that would otherwise literally dwarf them. Additionally, duergar can temporarily turn invisible, an ability that works particularly well against surface dwellers who rely on sight more than their other senses. Both of these abilities require a duergar to be fairly well rested and can only be used once per rest without over exerting one's self. These abilities are not actually magical but psionic in nature, adding further credibility that they were imparted to the duergar by the illithid.

Growth Rate & Stages

Duergar mature at the same rate as other dwarves. Unlike other dwarves, duergar consider their young fully mature by age thirty so they can better serve their stronghold for longer. However, their lifespans are considerably shorter, usually lasting no more than two centuries.

Ecology and Habitats

Duergar rarely leave the Upside Down, and when they do, it is almost always to bring war and destruction to the surface world. They are most comfortable within their underground strongholds, rarely leaving them unless to scout, hunt, make war, or expand their mining operations. Strongholds are often located near veins of precious minerals, subterranean volcanoes, or sources of water. Much of the subterranean wildlife near a duergar stronghold is wiped out by hunting parties both for food and to ensure the security of mining operations.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Duergar subsist entirely on subterranean food, such as mushrooms, moon wheat, and rothé. Most of their diet is meat, with duergar rarely turning down a creature to hunt and eat. Very rarely, even other Soulborn may be considered on the menu, especially among duergar communities that practice blood magic.

Additional Information

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

The haunting white eyes of the duergar grant them superb darkvision, allowing them to see up to 120 ft. in total blackness as if it were dim light. However, centuries of living in a world with no daylight has caused them to become highly sensitive to the rays of the sun. While in bright sunlight, duergar struggle to see well.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

A duergar’s clan name is often based on his or her chosen profession. Clan names can change over time as clans take up different occupations or win honors in battle.
Male Names: Bruthwol, Horgar, Ivar, Murgol, Thangardt
Female Names: Brilmara, Dorthis, Olga, Ulara, Weltha
Clan Names: Coalhewer, Firehand, Goldcrown, Hammerhead, Ironthew, Steelshadow

Culture and Cultural Heritage

The society of the duergar is a grim reflection of the typical dwarven stronghold. Both places constantly bustle with activity, forges and picks and hammers always at work, but that's where the similarity ends. In a dwarven stronghold, the atmosphere is one of optimistic industry. Dwarves enjoy what they do, and their dedication to furthering the clan and leaving a proper legacy shows through in every aspect of a clan's operation. In contrast, the duergar care nothing for the dwarven ideal of achieving utmost mastery of a craft. For this reason, they pay no mind to their environment or the aesthetics of their creations. In a duergar stronghold, the atmosphere is one of unrelenting drudgery. Where as dwarves see themselves as always working together to achieve a common enlightenment, the duergar see themselves as cogs in an endless machine that one day will bring down all that oppose them. The duergar pray that this will finally bring them the happiness and peace that they have so wanted since their enslavement and liberation.
Duergar often argue that they are in fact the most civilized of all the races because they have but three laws that govern all that they do. These three rules, they argue, is all that the duergar people need in order to survive, prosper, and eventually rule the Underdark and the surface dwellers.

1. Our Pockets Are Never Full: The duergar are fueled in all their actions by two pervasive feelings: ambition that never flags and greed that can never be satisfied. Though they might scheme and plot at great lengths to gain treasure or prestige, success is never a cause for celebration. Each acquisition, once in hand, is like a meal that quickly loses its appeal, leaving the duergar hungry for more. No matter how much wealth or power they gain, it's never enough.
2. Our Fight Is Never Done: As duergar acquire treasure and prestige, they need to become ever mightier to hold on to what they have. When the duergar wage war on other races, they demonstrate that the weak aren't fit to possess that which is meant for the strong. And to the duergar, no creatures are more unworthy of holding wealth than dwarves. When duergar have an opportunity to strike at dwarves, especially in their strongholds, they fight with utmost viciousness and cunning, matching the value of the spoils to be gained with the intensity of their onslaught.
3. Our Resolve Is Never Shaken: Any show of weakness is a mortal sin among the duergar, and that stricture extends to personal conduct as well as to the workings of a duergar clan. Displays of happiness, contentedness, and trust are forbidden. The duergar are bound together in a rigid society, but it is a marriage of necessity rather than choice. In the Upside Down, they must cooperate to survive. Within their society, each individual fills a role assigned to them and must perform it to the best of their abilities. Duergar warriors epitomize the race's abandonment of emotion and individuality. In battle, they wear heavy armor and hateful, scowling masks that hide their identities. When assembled in ranks, the duergar move forward like army ants. They are an implacable, relentless foe, marching over the corpses of their fallen comrades to press the attack.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

Duergar are a coarse and distrustful race who feel that other races are out to get them, regardless of whether they are from the Upside Down or the surface world. In spite of this, duergar are usually willing to trade with outside races, particularly from the surface world, for the sake of profit. The relations between duergar and their sometime-enemies, sometime-friends the dark elves and deep gnomes are especially complicated.
However, the duergar have absolutely no love in their hearts for their closest of kin, the mountain dwarves, who the duergar feel abandoned them to the onslaught of the mind flayers in the wake of the War of Souls. Since then, the duergar have waged war time and time again against the mountain dwarves, demonstrating a deep-seated loathing.

Origin/Ancestry

Protagoras, the Fundamental Axiom

Lifespan

200 years

Average Height

Natural: 3'9"-5'0" Enlarged: 12'2"-15'0"

Average Weight

Natural: 150-200 lbs. Enlarged: 600-800 lbs.

Founding Emanation

Droskar, the Dark Smith

Racial Stats

Duergar

Duergar

Ability Score Increase +2 Con, +1 Str

Size Medium

Speed 25ft

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Superior Darkvision

Accustomed to life underground, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 120 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Duergar Resilience

You have advantage on saving throws against poison, and you have resistance against poison damage. You also have advantage on saving throws against illusions and against being charmed or paralyzed.

Dwarven Combat Training

You have proficiency with the battleaxe, handaxe, light hammer, and warhammer.

Tool Proficiency

You gain proficiency with the artisan's tools of your choice: Smith's tools, brewer's supplies, or mason's tools.

Stonecunning

Whenever you make an Intelligence (History) check related to the origin of stonework, you are considered proficient in the History skill and add double your proficiency bonus to the check, instead of your normal proficiency bonus.

Duergar Magic

When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the <i>Enlarge/Reduce</i> spell on yourself once with this trait, using only the spell's enlarge option. When you reach 5th level, you can cast the <i>Invisibility </i>spell on yourself once with this trait. You don't need material components for either spell, and you can't cast them while you're in direct sunlight, although sunlight has no effect on them once cast. You regain the ability to cast these spells with this trait when you finish a long rest. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for these spells.

Sunlight Sensitivity

You have disadvantage on attack rolls and Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight when you, the target of your attack, or whatever you are trying to perceive is in direct sunlight.

Languages. Eolian, Thulaic, and Shurkash