Duergar¶
Contested
Named in the open question Joraan or Jorawan: the legend that the Duergar betrayed their deep-dwelling cousins the Joraan depends on a classification the 2015 lore revised.
The Duergar are the Deep Dwarves, the Burningeyes, outcasts among the other Dwarves who "dwell only in the deepest caverns and trade with orcs, goblins, dark elves and worse" (S384). In the Fifth Age they are the most valuable slaves of the Silek and, in the Buried Realms, servants of Asmodeus (S025, S199).
Also called: Burningeyes (S387); Deurgar in the Sancturi campaign notes (S199, S200).
Appearance¶
"The Duergar are otherwise known as the Burningeyes, and they make their homes in the deep underdark. Their red eyes reflect even the tiniest amount of light, giving them the appearance of burning. Hence, their name" (S387, S498).
The outcasts of the deep¶
"The Duergar are outcasts among the other dwarves. They dwell only in the deepest caverns and trade with orcs, goblins, dark elves and worse." In the Age of Magic they were some 8% of the dwarves, "North-east, scattered" (S384). The 2014 Compendium pairs them with the Joraan: "The Joraan were the cousins of the Duergar, dwelling in deep halls, but without their cousin's tendency toward brutality and dark allies. Legend holds among the other dwarves that it was the Duergar that betrayed the Joraan and led them to their destruction" (S384, S372). The 2015 lore moves the Joraan, renamed Jorawan, among the Mountain Dwarves as the Bronzebeards and leaves the Duergar alone under "Deep Dwarves" (S387).
The Fifth Age¶
Duergar smiths are the prize slaves of the Silek, who "generally use dwarven or duergar slaves" for metalwork: "Some particularly valuable slaves (Duergar smiths for instance) are given some leeway with their living conditions, but are still handled very harshly (tortured or beaten) if they fall out of line" (S025). In the deep places beneath the Broken Sea the Sancturi campaign lists "Demonic Deurgar (Asmodean)" among the powers of the Underdark, beside the Hollows of Belphegor, the Elder Brain and the twisted elves of Zur'Exhil (S199, S200).
Gap
No source describes Duergar society, numbers in the Fifth Age, settlements, gods or how they came to serve Asmodeus.