Duergar Roleplaying Notes


Duergar are cold, calculating, and ruthlessly pragmatic. Unlike their surface-dwelling 
cousins, they do not fight for honor, pride, or glory - they fight to conquer, survive, 
and ensure their clan's dominance. Every action they take is a calculated move in a 
greater game of power, and weakness is intolerable in any form.

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Personality & Attitude
Duergar do not brawl for fun. A fight is a matter of strength, discipline, and survival, 
not some foolish display of emotion. They do not tolerate stupidity or recklessness - 
those who waste time with nonsense will quickly find themselves discarded. They are stoic 
and disciplined - suffering is nothing to them. A Duergar in battle does not taunt or 
rage like a dwarf; instead, they grind their foes down with relentless precision. Cowardice 
is punishable by death. A Duergar does not retreat unless it is strategic, and they 
certainly do not beg for mercy - only the weak beg. Emotions are a liability. Where mountain 
dwarves are hot-blooded and stubborn, Duergar are cold and methodical. They do not get 
drunk and sing in taverns - they drink to clear their minds or dull the stress of command.
Leisure is a foreign concept. If a Duergar is not working, training, or advancing the 
interests of their clan, they are wasting time.

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Greed & Ambition
Gold, power, and influence matter more than anything. While mountain dwarves love gold, 
Duergar need it - wealth is a direct measure of power. Duergar do not share freely. 
Everything is earned, hoarded, or taken by force. Even within the same clan, Duergar are 
expected to compete for resources - if you can't keep your wealth, you don't deserve it.
A foolish Duergar dies broke. They will never waste resources on frivolous things, and 
every trade, bargain, and investment is calculated.

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Society & Discipline
Clans come before all else. A Duergar serves their clan's interests above personal 
attachments, even if it means betraying a sibling or sacrificing a friend. They do not act 
without purpose. Unlike dwarves, who jump into a fight for honor or vengeance, Duergar do 
nothing unless it benefits them or their clan. Loyalty is conditional. They are only as 
loyal as their leaders are strong. If a leader shows weakness, they will instantly be 
removed without hesitation.

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Beards, Drinking, and Honor
Beards are respected, but not sacred. While mountain dwarves treat their beards as a source of 
extreme pride, Duergar only care about their beards as long as they are practical. If cutting 
it makes them more intimidating, more efficient, or helps them infiltrate an enemy stronghold, 
they will do it. Drinking is for focus, not revelry. They drink to calm their minds, steel their 
nerves, or celebrate a victory - not to get drunk and brawl for fun. Honor is an illusion. A 
Duergar does not fight for pride or fairness. They fight to win, survive, and dominate.

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Attitude Toward Other Races
-Dwarves are naive and wasteful. They share, they sing, they fight for honor - that's all 
 nonsense to a Duergar. Their surface kin are soft and don't understand that strength is 
 the only truth. They hold the other demi-human races of the surface with a similar disdain.
-Drow are untrustworthy, but useful. Duergar trade with the Drow, but there is no trust - only 
 temporary convenience. The moment a dark-elf stops being useful, they are an enemy.
-Orcs and goblinoid races are weak, disposable fodder. Whenever a Duergar sees them, they 
 see a tool to be used, enslaved, or crushed beneath their boots.
-Giants and trolls are a threat that must be eliminated. While mountain dwarves love to fight 
 both, Duergar see them as rivals for dominance - and rivals must be destroyed.
-Humans are a weak-willed and short-lived race. There are many human individuals that can be 
 manipulated to further a Duergar's individual dark ambitions, and there are many that deserve 
 to just be stepped on like bugs.