AMIA ARCHIVE • View topic

In recent tells with some players, it became apparent that many people lacked lore on Underdark races or felt they couldn't RP them since they didn't know enough background info. on the Race. So I've taken this from 2nd Ed. lore, its quite extensive, hope it helps.

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Svirfneblin - Deep Gnomes [Lore]

To most surface dwellers the gnomes of this race are mysterious denizens of the
Underdark about whom little is known. Those who judge by appearance see them as
stunted and gnarled creatures and believe them to be the Rock Gnomes' evil
counterparts, the gnomish equivalent to the Drow and Duergar. In truth, they are no
more evil than their more numerous cousins; their sinister reputation is merely the
result of ignorance. The Deep Gnomes are the most reticent of all the gnomish
subraces, surviving in an extremely hostile environment entirely by their own wiles.

"Svirfneblin? I loathe them--they are fit only to die on the tip of a Dark Elf's
sword! They scurry about the sunless realms with tenacity. We kill them wherever we
find them, and still they return! They show no fear of our Drow mages, even when
dozens of them perish at a time. Even the priestesses of Lolth, while they slay the
sniveling gnomes in mass, do not inspire enough terror to stop their malicious
intrusion!

"And why do they come? The answer is gems. They thirst for precious baubles
with a ferocity I have never seen. They will drive their tunnels into the farthest
corners of the Underdark, and this is what makes them a threat to me and my people.
"I give you a tale of Desselderekathe, a great cavern network not so very far from
my own home. Its mere existence was naturally a threat to us, and thus--more than a
century ago--we sent an army to destroy it. I myself commanded a company of
lizardriders in the assault.

"Our Drow forces struck them from all sides. My own cavalry entered through the
cavern ceiling and rode down the walls, striking into the heart of Desselderekathe
before the foe knew they were attacked. Our mages cast clouds of poison gas that
settled into the city's low places, and into these we drove the screaming little pests.
"Within a few hours it was over--not a single Deep Gnome remained alive within
the walls of Desselderekathe! We withdrew in triumph, and I myself was decorated by
the matron mother of our city's greatest house! Yet within a decade we heard reports
that renegade Deep Gnomes had moved into the abandoned ruins. We set a garrison
in the place, but they suffered ambush and other treachery--and it proved too
expensive to station a full army in what was otherwise a worthless shell. Though there
were in fact some gem-bearing rock formations in the region, the excavation proved
too troublesome to warrant the return. Seventy years ago we abandoned
Desselderekathe, and now I hear that the place is again full of Svirfneblin! I suppose
we'll have to do it all again, and I know these runts will not allow us to simply repeat
our first attack. We shall have to devise a new tactic, one which may well be more
costly in terms of Drow lives. And for what? Simply to insure our destiny, and our
right to live in peace.

"You see now, I trust, why the Svirfneblin are fit only to be hated, loathed, and
despised?"

--Fassyth Yssarial, Secondboy of House Twylleenimor, Imperial Drow City of
Qaucium.

These diminutive inhabitants of the Underdark are as tenacious at survival as the
just-cited opinion by their mortal enemies indicates. Unlike their Rock Gnome
cousins, they have no friendly neighbors to ally themselves with, forcing them to
become entirely self-reliant. Only the few who have won their trust know that they are
in many ways as social and artistic as other gnomes.

Why do they endure this frankly hostile environment? The answer is simple: they
are drawn by the lure of gemstones, which is more pronounced in the Deep Gnomes
than in any other subrace.

The gem that most draws the interest and devotion of the Svirfneblin is the ruby,
which is the predominant symbol of the race. The Deep Gnomes view these crimson
stones with reverence approaching awe--so much so that they are never used for
mundane practices such as ornamentation of garments, weapons, or armor. Rubies are
reserved for sacred purposes and are often employed to decorate artifacts that are
dedicated to the Svirfneblin gods. They are also favored by Deep Gnome monarchs,
so much so that a Svirfneblin king or queen might have a full ring of rubies around his
or her crown, with others of the precious stone set in the throne and sceptre.
Svirfneblin average between 3 and 3 1/2 ' in height, rarely exceeding this norm by
more than an inch or two. They are creatures of wiry muscle and tough bones, slightly
thinner than their surface cousins but possessing as much strength as any other
gnome.

Like their cousins of the other gnomish subraces, Svirfneblin have prominent
noses. Otherwise their faces are much narrower. Many males have completely hairless
bodies; most females have only thin and stringy hair, which they wear no longer than
shoulder length. A Deep Gnome's skin is rock-colored, predominantly brown or gray.
Eye color is always a shade of gray, sometimes so dark as to be almost black.
The Svirfneblin are not so long-lived as their surface-dwelling kin, living to an
average old age of only about 250 years; a good number meet a violent demise before
this time is up. They mature relatively quickly, however, with the first quarter century
of life considered childhood and the next two decades as a period of disciplined
adolescence. A Svirfneblin is assumed to reach adulthood somewhere around the age
of 45 or 50, though this milestone is not marked by any grand ceremony such as is
performed by the Rock Gnomes. Indeed, the Deep Gnomes don't even keep track of
the passage of days, so there is no way to record one's actual "birthday."

The most valued common skill among the Svirfneblin is that of the miner, with
perhaps 75% of any given community's adult males devoting themselves to that
pursuit. Svirfneblin miners are exceptionally able with pick and shovel, capable of
chiseling a passage through solid stone more quickly than Rock Gnomes or even
dwarves. While mining is broken into specializations, such as choppers (who do the
actual pickaxe work), scouts (who locate promising veins for excavation), and haulers
(who carry the tailings away from the scene), a Deep Gnome miner will be reasonably
proficient at all aspects of his trade. The most alluring target of the Svirfneblin miner
is, naturally, gems. However, these diligent diggers will also pursue veins of metal,
including gold and silver, and they also occasionally gather a stockpile of coal or iron
ore--from which they make a very passable steel.

A smaller percentage of the Svirfneblin work force (perhaps 10%) is engaged in
the processing and finishing of the gemstone material excavated by the miners. These
include polishers, smelters, carvers, and smiths. Though they lack a bit of the
exceptional detail skill of the Rock Gnomes, in the other areas they are at least as
proficient as their surface-dwelling cousins. Indeed (and unlike Rock Gnomes),
Svirfneblin blacksmiths can possess exceptional skill. Their weapons and tools are
generally made by Deep Gnome artisans, and these are nearly the equal of the
products of the highest level of dwarven craftsmanship or Drow weaponsmiths.
Perhaps because suitable habitat is harder to find in the Underdark than on the
surface, Deep Gnome communities tend to be larger than those of the Rock Gnomes.
Generally the Svirfneblin live in thriving cities located in deep cavern networks, often
with more than a thousand residents. However, these communities are generally
separated by great distances from any others of the same subrace, and thus they tend
to be more insular than the towns of the gnomes who dwell on or near the surface.
Indeed, most Deep Gnomes live out their lives without ever seeing another Svirfneblin community beyond the one in which they were born.

Still, festivals and celebrations are as common among these gnomes as they are on
the surface--it's just that the Svirfneblin don't travel from far distances for the
gatherings. Instead, each community tends to have its own special observances, and
though the whole city will turn out for many of them it is rare that any outside guest
would be admitted. Also, these celebrations are not tied to recurring cosmic events,
such as solstices or eclipses; instead, they occur when the city's priests declare that
they are due. These instigations occur more for political and psychological reasons
than by any regular passage of time.

In fact, it's worth noting that Svirfneblin don't even measure the passage of their
lives in years--after all, the cycle of seasons has little meaning amid the eternal chill
of the Underdark. However, if the priests notice that the production of the workers has
begun to lag, or tempers are growing short among the chieftains and warriors, they
will act hastily to initiate a grand festival full of pomp and song, good food and potent
(one hesitates to say 'good') beverage.

Svirfneblin festivals are often invoked to recall great events of the past, though
again these recollections bear no calendar relationship to the occurrence being
commemorated. However, if teams of miners are preparing to embark on one of the
periodic quests for new gems that propel so much of Svirfneblin activity, then the
priests and illusionists will recall stories of grand expeditions in the past, even trotting
out sacred objects encrusted with the jewelry made from the proceeds of these
previous missions. Similarly, if a war is being contemplated, or a raid against some
marauding monster becomes necessary, the warriors will be sent off with tales of
great military campaigns in the past. It's interesting to note that these war stories are
not all tales of victory--the Svirfneblin, perhaps because of the many defeats they
have suffered over the years, have a keen interest in doomed causes and will draw
considerable emotional support from the story of a dramatic last stand made by their
forefathers. Even cautionary tales, such as the obliteration of a city by treacherous
Drow attack, are related at these celebrations and used as a warning against future
lapses of vigilance.

Another unique aspect of Deep Gnome society is that roles are far more rigidly
determined by sex than in any other gnomish culture. Males perform all of the mining
and warrior work that occurs beyond the borders of the community cavern, as well as
most types of jobs within the city as well. Females concern themselves almost
exclusively to the vital tasks of raising and preparing food (in the great mushroom
farms that are a part of every Deep Gnome city) and the care of the young. In fact,
females venture out of their cities so rarely that even the Drow have never
encountered any in the neutral territory of the Underdark. Both sexes wear
nondescript clothing which, with their ability to stand absolutely motionless, helps
them avoid being spotted by enemies.

Besides the many types of fungi that are the staples of the Svirfneblin diet, Deep
Gnomes sometimes maintain a small herd of rothe or other underground mammals.
They are also fond of fish, and each city is likely to have several shallow lakes where
blind trout and other subterranean delicacies are bred and captured. Deep Gnome
women are responsible for tending of all these food sources and serve as the fishers
and cooks as well as the farmers and herders. Also, salt is an important part of every
Deep Gnome meal and is one of the most valued commodities in the trading of the
Underdark. In fact, most Svirfneblin food is so heavily salted that a typical surface
dweller would find it quite unpalatable.

As a beverage the Svirfneblin prefer for daily use a pungent brew made (naturally)
from fungi, fermented by a unique process that involves great amounts of salt and not
a little fish protein. It is highly intoxicating, tasting somewhat like an oversalted and
watery fish chowder. It has been tasted by a few courageous non-Svirfneblins who
(when they finally regain their voices) tend to decline a second serving.

The Svirfneblin also distill a strange drink known as Gogondy about which little is
known other than it is deep red in color, kept in wrought iron bottles, and potent
beyond belief. It has been called the finest wine in the world and is said to grant
strange visions to those who drink it, but more than one human who drank it has
promptly fallen asleep for decades or died after the first glass with horrified looks on
their faces. The Deep Gnomes prize Gogondy almost as much as rubies and will only
give or trade it to their most trusted friends, making it rare indeed.

The Svirfneblin survive in domains that are populated by many implacable
enemies. The two most dire among these are the kuo-toa and the Dark Elves, who
continually seek to drive these gnomes from territory they consider rightfully theirs.
Illithids (mind flayers) often attack individual Deep Gnomes, considering them

I'm hijacking this thread. Can you change the heading to "non drow underdarkers lore" and post some orog/duergar stuff up aswell?

Galenson wrote:

I'm hijacking this thread. Can you change the heading to "non drow underdarkers lore" and post some orog/duergar stuff up aswell?

DONE. Although, I'm no expert on Orogs, I'll dig up what info. I've got on Duergar. Svirfneblin are what I know best though...

From the link collection thread; http://arelith.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=174&t=9259 (Irongron on Svirfneblin lore)

I will add this thread in there as well.

For Svirfneblin Players, here is the Gnomish Pantheon for the Forgotten Folk.

The main god Svirfneblin worship is Callarduran Smoothhands, but a smaller number also worship Segojan Earthcaller (often they worship both). Very rarely, a few pscyhotic evil svirfneblin might worship Urdlen, but they would be total outcasts from the rest of society.

Bear in mind that this is 2nd Ed. lore so you should use it in addition to 3rd. Ed. stuff to fill in the gaps of your knowledge:

http://www.nj-pbem.com/data/Gods/gnomeg ... meGods.htm

*shameless plug bump*

ooh, in 2nd edition lore, Svirfneblin had non-detection as an innate ability. Not sure if the DMs would allow that in play, but its definitely part of their subrace characteristics...

*Slinks in*

Forgotten Realm - Underdark - Duergar wrote:

Grim and determined, the Duergar (or gray Dwarves) lead lives of neverending toil in the great foundry-cities they have built in the Underdark. The gray Dwarves are nearly as widespread and numerous as the Drow, and the typical Duergar realm is every bit as strong, cruel, and wealthy as a great city of the dark elves. But while most Drow cities exist to exalt the high nobility of the dark elves, Duergar cities exist only for manufacture of wealth through unending labor.

Duergar are sullen, insular, and industrious, but they tend to be better neighbors than Drow and are less likely to raid surface land, or seek out victims to torment. They are the preeminent artisans and merchants of the Underdark, and Duergar caravans corpses every corner of Faerun miles beneath the surface. The gray Dwarves are all too willing to enslaves any likely creature that fall into their hands, but they don't wast slaves in the sort of cruel spectacles that the Drow enjoy. Instead, the Duergar simply work their captives to death.

Personality: Though gray Dwarves do display redeeming virtues of courage and determination, they are also avaricious, short-tempered, sullen, violent and ungrateful. Duergar nurse grudges until they die and never stop counting the slights (real of imagined) that they've received. They are inclined to believe that might make right, so most have no pity for those who are to weak to defend their property or themselves against a stronger fore. Duergar are not above launching fearsome raids to garner the gold they love so well from their weaker neighbors.

One the positive side, Duergar believe in minding their own business (So long as other don't have anything they want) and working hard to excel at their chosen crafts. No obstacle daunt a gray dwarf who has settled on a goal. Duergar may not display loyalty to anyone other than themselves, but they never leave a job half done.

Physical Description: The typical gray dwarf stands about 4 to 4-1/2 feet tall, but her physique is lean and hard compared with those of her shield dwarf kin. Her skin is a dull, lifeless, gray colour, and her eyes are black and cold. A male Duergar doesn't have a wisp of hair above his ears, but he may boast a short, wiry beard of iron gray or black hair. The typical female Duergar is likewise bald, but a few have short cropped hair of dull black.

Relations: Duergar re universally disliked by all other beings, including each other. They are churlish and hateful, and they want nothing to do with other races unless they stand t gain something from the encounter. Of the other Underdark races, Duergar find the Svifneblin and the Orogs the least irritating, since the deep gnomes and deep orcs are also outstanding artisans who value hard work. The gray Dwarves can't stand the Drow, probably because they can sense the condescension and mockery behind the dark elf courtesy. Duergar absolutely loath other Dwarves (particularly Sheild Dwarves) and mind flayers because the rest of the Dwarvenkind abandoned Clan Duergar to the thralldom and misery under Illithid rule thousands of years ago. (At least, that's how the gray dwarves view the incident.)

Alignment: Most Gray Dwarves are evil, placing little value on the lives and property of the others. They are consumed by envy of anyone better off than themselves, and they display not a trace of pity for those who are not as fortunate. A fair number of Duergar, wanting nothing more than to be left alone, lean towards hardhearted neutrality, but few ever become truly good.

Religion: The patron deity of the gray Dwarves is Laduguer, the Dwarven deity of toil. Duergar spend little time of effort on any sort of religious observances because they feel that the best way to venerate their grim god is to work. Some gray Dwarves also venerate Deep Duerra, the Dwarven deity of the Invisible Art (Psionics).

Language: Gray Dwarves speak Dwarven and Undercommon. They also make use of Dethek, the rune alphabet of the Dwarves.

Names: Duergar favor surnames that describes the work of which they are so justly proud. Their given names tend to be simple and somewhat gutteral.

Male names: Bruthwol, Horgar, Ivar, Murgol, Thangardt.
Female names: Brilmara, Dorthis, Olga, Ulara, Weltha.
Surnames: Coalhewer, Firehand, Goldcrown, Hammerhead, Ironthew, Steelshadow

Adventurers: Few Gray Dwarves have time for such nonsense as adventuring. However, occasionally an individual with no stomach for the life of unceasing toil appears in Duergar society. These rare gray Dwarves often find it expedient to seek out less hostile surroundings before their fellows decides that they're not pulling their weight. A few gray dwarf adventurers are exiles or fugitives who were drives out of their home cities by vicious feuds between rival clans.

Regions: Duergar rarely stray far from the cities and forges of their youth. Therefore, most take the gray dwarf region.

Last edited by Galenson on Sat, Aug 29 2009, 1:12 AM, edited 1 time in total.

Ok... unfortunately with Orogs, the information is contradicting at best as there are two main schools of thought on what they are. Here's a pretty good post on Orogs though:

http://www.ravensrook.com/dnd/orog.html wrote:

Orog
Medium-size Humanoid

Climate/Terrain: Any Wilderness
Organization: Solitary, Pair (2), Band (2-5), Warband (5-20)
Challenge Rating: 1/2
Treasure: Double Standard
Alignment: usually Lawful Evil
Advancement: As Character Class

Orog are humanoids, closely related to orcs, and more distantly to goblins and hobgoblins, but have not suffered from the dilution of their bloodlines by mixing with goblinoids and giants-kin.

Personality: Orog are fierce, proud warriors and deadly enemies, though not as brutish or belligerent as their cousins. Orog nurture a great enmity for all things fey, elves and their kindred in particular. They husband their strength closely, waiting for the day when Gruumsh should see fit to recognize them once again as the champions of their people and grant them dominion over the lesser races.

Physical Description: Orog features show a distinct relationship to their orcish brethren, but are more refines, and their black eyes gleam with a dark intelligence. Orog males tend to be between 6 and 6 ½ feet, with females only an inch or two shorter. While not as burly as orcs, orog are well-muscled. Orog tend to be dark-skinned, ranging from coal-black to dark grey to brown to reddish-brown, depending on their tribal affiliations. Eye color is black. Orog have dark hair, usually black, dark brown, or a greenish black. Their hairline is somewhat receded, and often forms a widow's peak. The orog nose is broad and consists primarily of two nostrils, which some have interpreted to be pig-like. Orog are liable to take offense at this description.

Relations: Although their numbers are miniscule today, the Orog were once a great threat to a variety of races, and some of these races have not forgotten the past. Orog dominate any group of orcs they regularly deal with. Most orcs view orog with a mixture of dread and awe. Orog view half-orcs much as orcs or humans. Orog hold great disdain for goblins, but will dominate or enslave kobolds, or goblins. Hobgoblins, being stronger, more intelligent, and far better organized, are considered a threat, one to be dealt with harshly when necessary. Humans are considered clever and dangerous, and far too numerous for the comfort of orog. Half-orog are not uncommon among orog slaves, but orog mothers are expected offer up such half-breeds on the altars of gruumsh.

Orog Lands: While the race continues, orog civilization has been in decline for centuries. Where once they raised marvelous cities and Temples to the dark god Gruumsh, they now rule over tribes of orcs. Once respected and feared for their prowess and feats, the orog are largely forgotten by humans. Occasionally relics of their former dominion are uncovered in the wilderness and wastes, but the Orog themselves are rarely encountered, except during rare pilgrimages to forgotten shrines they still tend.

Religion: The chief deity of both orog and orcs is Gruumsh. The hand of Gruumsh is harsh, but orog accept this as a fact of their existence.

Language: Orog speak the mother tongue of orcish, n'uur'rascht. N'uur'rascht has two forms, a glyphic script which is primarily used only by priests, wizards, and the nobility, and a written form which uses it's own alphabet, common among other members of the orog classes. Orog disdain the degenerate language used by orcs, but can speak it perfectly when the need arises. Orog with an Intelligence of 10 or better speak Common and Goblin as well.

Adventurers: Orog adventures are exceedingly rare. Mostly wandering orog are discovered and executed by rival races, such as humans or elves.
Orog as Characters

Orog almost exclusively progress as members of a Character Class (the sample orog represents a typical orog warrior). Most orog are fighters or clerics, but some are warriors or wizards, or more rarely rogues or sorcerers.

disclaimer: It's definately not copy pasted from a sourcebook, the grammar is too poor for that.

Here's some of my personal tips on playing Orogs:

- Orogs are most often only encountered by surfacers when leading other Orcs so their exposure to other deities beyond the Orcish Panthenon (and most likely Malar due to the Gruumsh/Malar alliance) would be low. Embrace that orcish hatred but remember, being an Orog you don't have to be stupid about it.

- All the sources I've read on Orogs say the same thing: they're superior to other orcs and goblinoids both in intelligence and in organisation and will take any opportunity to enslave, bully or forcefully take command of their monstrous humanoid cousins and neighbours. If you're the Orog player, embrace it coz you're going to need slaves and minions to compete with the Drow and the Duergar down under. If you're orc, half orc, kobold or goblinoid, remember that the Orog will most probably be superior in strength to you (barring bugbears and Ogrillions) and will think it is by all accounts superior to you so expect a bit of rough handling when an Orog is nearby.

- Aside from being great warriors, Orog society is a mobile industrial factory. It is natural for an Orog to be a competent smith or miner/refiner which the Amian subrace and job system support. Because of this, they get along with Duergar and Drow who respect your craftsmanship but always remember that you're just another potential slave for both races.

- Because they're an Underdark race, Orogs will always be stunted in size compared to Ogrillions and other orcs. Please keep this in mind before you create an 8 foot monster. Freaks happen so I can't actually stop you from playing an 8 foot Orog.

That's not our orogs. Our orogs are the Underdark Orcs, iirc.

Quote:

Orogs

Orogs are fierce orcs of the Underdark, chased underground by elves and Netheril thousands of years ago. They stand six and a half feet tall and look like big mountain orcs. They have large pale eyes which are sensitive to light.

Orogs live in large cavern cities. Recently, however, many have wondered towards the surface and taken control of mountain orc tribes. Due to their their charisma and strength, they’ve found it easy to bully the lesser orcs into subservience. It’s not uncommon to find orog warlords leading orc armies in northern parts of Faerûn.

Orogs are masterful smiths; forging weapons and armor is a skill practiced in all orog communities. They prefer heavy, spiked armor and simple weapons, such as greatswords. They sometimes trade with drow and duergar, who acknowledge the productivity of their mines. The orogs’ superior equipment and the fact they enjoy the spoils of war rather than the mindless fighting make them considerably dangerous and succesful in their campaigns.

From the Amia Subrace page.

TormakSaber wrote:

That's not our orogs. Our orogs are the Underdark Orcs, iirc.

It was more the fact that it didn't say they were crossbred orcs and ogres is why I chose it. It raises other good points about Orogs, even if it doesn't specifically say they're Underdarkers. But it could be that the idiot who posted that was thinking of Neo-Orogs.

I did say Orog lore is contradictory though. There's actually 3 or 4 variants on what they actually are which is kind of annoying.

The official one is the right one.

Forgotten Realms 3.5 - Underdark - Other races - Orog wrote:

The Orogs, or deep Orcs, are warlike beings who rival Dwarves in their skill at making weapons and other machines of war. Unlike their surface Orc kin, Orogs gather in great cities and consider themselves a martial race, not a savage one. Isolated Orog cities are often found in volcanic area, since the deep Orcs are inured to extremes of temperature and favor thermally active sites for their mighty forges.
Orogs are cruel, strong, and domineering, but not nearly as sadistic as the Derro or an universally hostile to other creatures as the mind flayers or the troglodytes. Therefore, Orgs ted to take up adventuring fairly often. Strong and skilled in battle, an Orog mercenary has little difficulty finding work in the Underdark. Orogs are nothing if not courageous and they can be counted upon to strive tirelessly toward any goal they deem worth achieving.

Seems like the only reason they aren't highly detailed and player race is because WOTC gave them a stupid ECL of 3.

There is also about 4 pages of information on Orogs in "Races of Faerun" but I'm not typing all that out I'm afraid. Best I'll do is toss the information into a separate PDF, as then it doesn't include the entire book and hopefully won't be seen as copyright breach.

I think so long as you cite it and it doesn't exceed a chapter or 10% of the book (whichever is smaller) in length you're good.
Of course, I'm not a copyright expert.

Not even sure it matters since 3.5 is no longer for sale, all 4.0 now.

Duergar Information
http://www.mediafire.com/file/jqnmqzlwnjh/Duergar.pdf

Orog Information
http://www.mediafire.com/file/mmilyeehemz/Orog.pdf

Entire folder

http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=c2b1 ... e452d49e70

Selvec Darkon wrote:

Not even sure it matters since 3.5 is no longer for sale, all 4.0 now.

It really shits me when companies refuse to remove copyright, but no longer provide a means to get the product.
I'm sure if you wrote nicely to Wizards they'd let you buy 3rd ed stuff

Can we move this into the Underdark thread please? Its still useful info.

To this thread, I have found lost Lore of underdark. Talking 1988 stuff on how "Children of the Spider." The darkest elves point of view by Eric Oppen.

This article covers the exchange of drow towards aspects of life, including other races before 'Drizzt' times.

Example clip pertaining to the current Underdark races in how they gotten along. Trust me there is more interesting 'social' clips from the article.

Racial considerations
Dark elves distrust most characters, dark elven or not , who are not members of their noble house or clan, but they do make some judgments by race. Generally, dark elves respect humans of higher level than they themselves can attain. Contrary to Unearthed Arcana, dark elves should have a neutral disposition with respect to Halflings. Unlike the other races to which they bear antipathy, Halflings are not competitors for dark-elven food and living space. Furthermore, Halflings do not even vaguely resemble races whom the drow disdain; as a result, most dark elves are entirely unfamiliar with Halflings.

Gnomes, despite their similarities to Halflings, are another story. Deep gnomes and dark elves have feuded throughout history, fighting over alignment, food, and living space. The deep gnomes are also tempted by the wealth of the dark elves, who share an envious greed over the wealth of the gnomes. This tends to make dark elves prejudiced toward all gnomes, whether, deep or not. The gnomes. Love of pranks and japes makes matters even worse. Although dark elves have a good sense of humor, they find jokes directed at them extremely unamusing.

Hill and mountain dwarves, being easily the most subterranean of all the surface dwelling races, have a long history of conflict with the dark elves. The dwarves usually claim they were tunneling along when the dark elves ambushed them without warning. Likewise, the dark elves claim that the dwarves, having discovered the drow wealth, deliberately tunneled toward their treasure caches. The usual Dwarven-elven differences in outlook merely make things more bitter. To the disdainful drow, dwarves are grotesque, self-enslaved, compulsive hoarders. The dwarves, for their part, can’t understand how any race with the undeniable subterranean skills of the drow can be so flighty. Furthermore, the drow penchant for slavery and evil enrages dwarves.

The dark elves are of two minds about Half-orcs. The few half-orc assassins of levels above those the drow themselves can attain are respected (though never to the same extent that humans of equal level are). Other half-orcs are lumped together with orcs, hobgoblins, and other humanoids in the dark-elven mind. Such humanoids are regarded as useful cats-paws and patsies, but are not deserving of much respect. Thus, half-orcs are often underestimated by the dark elves. The excellent craftsmanship of the gnomes and dwarves is respected by the drow, and the few Halflings the drow encounter are respected for their superlative thieving abilities. But half-orcs have no crafts or arts, nor any real prospect of improving themselves, Consequently, half-orcs often receive exaggerated praise from the dark elves for anything they manage to do. ("Oh, look! You actually managed to kill that monster! Isn’t that wonderful!.”)

Gray dwarves are probably the race with whom the drow feel most at ease. As underground demi-humans, both races have a lot in common. In many areas, both races have discovered that cooperation benefits both sides. Dark elves and gray dwarves have often fought as allies. Likewise, the two races often engage in a great deal of trade. The dangers of the underground environment force both sides to suppress the traditional Dwarven-elven distrust that is typical of their surface-dwelling cousins.

Surface elves, as is well-known, are the people the drow hate most. Even good-aligned, surface-dwelling dark elves share some of this feeling, albeit to a lesser degree. The drow feel contemptuous of the easy life led by the surface elves; in like fashion, the surface elves are revolted by the demon-worship common among the drow. Civil wars and intra-family feuds are usually the most bitter, and the feud between dark and surface elves is no exception. Indeed, many dark elves who defect to the surface because of alignment do not associate with surface elves if possible. Often, these defectors find it difficult to quell their childhood training of fear and hatred for their surface-dwelling cousins.

If want more of this 'insightful' publish by Dragon Magazine#129 Just ask! I have saved it for it what has inspired my own drow RP over the decades.

Please remove "Gray Dwarves". They are are Duergar, and an Underdark race in 3.0/3.5

Duergar are gray dwarves. I did not change what is published for that is copyrights. We all know what is meant in the original name to what it is called today. As said lost lore in reflections.

I would but it would slandering the publish works of another. Even so from the roots of the past in Lore, some things do not change with the exception of system of charts and dice. Contents would still be the same as I have looked over much the differences in them. As in 3rd some expanded information but the core root is retained.

No I mean take the paragraph out about Grey Dwarves. It gives off incorrect lore about Duergar, and makes it sounds like they are surfacer creatures, since all the other entries are on surfacer creatures.

Underdark Races [LORE] Information

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