Derro

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The first derro was created by an astral deva named Polyxo. While experimenting with soul energy at Quelmollendë, she intended to make a variant of the dwarves that was more accustomed to living in the deeper areas of the Underdark. Her experiments using soul energy to create new life forms were only a partial success. This was because the souls she used were destined for the Abyss. Normally, these souls would be the chattel of the demon lords, destined to begin anew as a pitiful mane. Polyxo re-purposed these chaotic evil souls, using them to create new life forms. For most of those created in this manner, the outcome was something degenerate, mutated, twisted, or prone to insanity. The derro were one of these.

Polyxo released most of her creations into the Underdark - even those spoiled by dark energies. She claims that it will all be in balance. I feel otherwise - these derro as just demons in mortal form.

- Naraz-Nâru, from his book Gulun Barkûn - "Polyxo's Dirty Creations"

Naraz-Nâru's words have truth in them because over time they have become a more vicious and brutal race. They are almost always chaotic evil. When dealing with other societies, if the derro have the advantage they will take out their neighbors and enslave them. If the enemy cannot be beaten on the field, they will resort to atrocities like genocide, poisoning water and food sources, and using disease against their foes.

Derro can be found in their own despotic city-states, serving as soldiers of some evil lord, or interred in prison camps of those too compassionate to put them down. They rarely live in societies of equality, because for them domination runs in the blood, they are either serving till they get the strength to overthrow or the ones barking out orders. In the Underdark, even the drow fear the presence of derro on their borders. The early history of Eclavfryn tells of frontier settlements and outposts being wiped off the map by derro war bands. In many cases, the entire population was lost and all manner of heinous atrocities committed on the dead. This often resulted in the creation of vengeful undead which sought to take out grievances on any who entered their devastated settlements. Eclavfryn's contact with the derro has been told the same in many other area across the Underdark.

When the derro left Quelmollendë, they broke up into small groups and fanned outward from Kazgon and then into other regions of the Underdark. Like some other subterranean races, they have colonized distant parts of the realm by way of the Earth Seam.

Many derro are psionic. This usually comes about by accident when they get near deep rocks. When exposed to these mutative rocks, they have double the normal chances of acquiring wild talents. One of the Polyxo's books at Quelmollendë explains what was used in creating the first derro. It says that Polyxo used ground-up rocks matching the description of deep rocks in all her experiments with soul energy. Most derro that are psionicists take the path of the wilder.

As a degenerate and highly mutative species, derro have a number of off-shoots including derro mutants, multi-armed derro mutants, grimlock-derro conjoins, and derro with eye-stalks.