Derro
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Traits
Ability Score Adjustment
Derro are sneaky, tough, insane denizens of the Underdark. Their Dexterity and Constitution scores increase by 2 each, and their Wisdom score is decreased by 2.
Vulnerability to Sunlight
Derro are extremely adapted to the dark, perhaps banished there for some ancient racial sin. Being in sunlight makes them more vulnerable to all damage, which worsens as they remain in sunlight and lessens as they stay in darkness for long periods of time.
Racial Abilities
Derro receive a +4 racial bonus to Hide and Move Silently, and may cast the spell Darkness on cooldown. They receive the Use Poison feat for free, allowing them to apply poison without any chance of affecting themselves. They have Darkvision, and a Spell Resistance score of 16. They do not receive Dwarven War Axe feats when taking Battleaxe feats.
Favored Class
Being ferocious, murderous warriors that roam the Underdark, Derro are particularly adept at becoming Fighters.
Language
Derro can speak, read, and write Undercommon and Dwarven.
Height and Weight
Derro are small, degenerate creatures. They have a size of Small, and typically stand three and a half feet tall, give or take a few inches, and weigh between 60 and 80 pounds. They're somewhere between a halfling and a dwarf.
Typical Alignment
Derro are evil, hateful creatures. They are almost always chaotic evil, but they can be of any non-good and non-lawful alignment.
Introduction and Description
Stalking the deepest reaches of the Underdark, Derro zealously pursue a cause only they could comprehend, because to all others- even other Derro- it's completely insane.
With bluish-white skin, pale hair, and eyes of sheer pupil-less white, these subterranean terrors are common threats to those crossing the Night Below.
Derro are small ambush hunters who make great use of their local terrain and locally sourced poisons to bring down prey and travelers.
Personality and Outlook
Derro make fine company in the buffet of wickedness that is the Underdark, sharing in their neighbors' love of sadism and death. The Derro are not stupid; in fact, some say they invented the Repeating Crossbow, as they retain their dwarven ancestor's cunning.
They are, however, completely insane. They often devote themselves to absurdly particular 'quests,' such as touching every goblin or slaying every celestial. Practicality does not get in the way of ambition for Derro, nor does rationality. A typical Derro might not even remember why they started their crusade.
Society and Culture
While they are murderous bandits and marauders that haunt the vaulted halls killing for sport, they're not entirely savage. They often congregrate in bands or villages where they coexist mostly peacefully. They are also often found in their own small districts in larger Underdark settlements, where they behave enough to not be banished.
Powerful Derro become Savants, leaders of their people. Other Derro tend to listen to the Savants, and will follow their nonsensical orders to the best of their ability. Their hatred is mostly reserved for surface races and rival civilizations, rather than other Derro.
Religion and Deities
Just like their followers, the gods of the Derro are completely insane. Diirinka is the chief god of the Derro, a god of magic and cruelty. Diinkarazan was Diirinka's twin brother, and was betrayed and imprisoned in the Abyss to be tortured and driven mad. Both were banished from the Dwarven pantheon for forgotten reasons, and were sons of Moradin.
Relations with Other Races
Derro must necessarily co-exist with the other races of the Undardark who practice civilization, lest they be wiped out. While independent bands of Derro exist, large villages and city-warrens must make friends with their neighbors or be destroyed as a threat.
NWN Creation
In order to create a Derro, players must use a Normal award. They must create a Dwarf character with a non-good, non-lawful alignment. The race has an ECL of +1 and therefore may only select one Major Gift and one Minor Gift.