Derro (Dungeons & Dragons)

This article is about the race in the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. For other uses, see Derro (disambiguation).

Derro

Characteristics
Type	Monstrous humanoid
Stats	Open Game License stats

The derro are a fictional species of monstrous humanoids in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. They were first devised for the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons First Edition adventure Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth. Derro appear in both the Forgotten Realms and Greyhawk campaign settings.

Publication history

The derro first appeared in the first edition in the adventure module The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth (1982), and was reprinted in the original Monster Manual II (1983).

The derro appeared in second edition for the Greyhawk setting in the adventure modules Greyhawk Ruins (1990) and Flames of the Falcon (1990), and the boxed set From the Ashes (1992). The derro then appeared in the Monstrous Manual (1993). The derro mutants appeared in Dungeon #81 (July 2000), including the multi-armed derro mutants, the grimlock-derro conjoin, and the derro with eyestalks.

The derro appeared in the third edition Monster Manual (2000), and in the 3.5 revised Monster Manual (2003).

The derro made an appearance in the fourth edition Monster Manual 3 (2010).

Physical description

Derro appear to be a degenerate subspecies of a dwarves, augmented and twisted by ancient dark magics. Their rough skin is white with bluish undertones and is spotted with short tufts of coarse hair, which is well tended and trimmed in highly ritualistic tribal patterns. Their hair is straight and tends to be tan or pale yellow, and is often worn with weaves or tribal braids. Their eyes are most disturbing, as they are a uniform pale yellow in color and glow with a faint sickly yellow light, lacking in both iris and pupil.

Society

Derro are widespread and are likely to be found in small bands throughout the Underdark. Derro warrens exist in many drow and duergar cities, and independent derro strongholds lie in the deepest reaches of the Underdark. Derro scouts and marauders search the areas near and around their settlements for victims to enslave and torment.

The derro are a strange and sadistic race; furthermore, they are clever, stealthy, and murderously insane. It is very common for a derro to devote his or her self to some strange quest, such as collecting only certain types of gemstones for a magical device or slaying as many members of a particular race as possible. Other derro are assigned specific missions by powerful derro savants. These mission-driven derro might join a company of comrades to fulfill their irrational goals.

Religion

The two known gods of the derro are Diirinka and Diinkarazan.

Derro in various campaign settings

Derro in the Forgotten Realms

In the Forgotten Realms campaign setting, derro are the Delzoun, a dwarven clan who were the result of genetic breeding performed by mind flayers.

Derro in Greyhawk

In the World of Greyhawk setting, derro are thought to be the result of breeding a race of slaves from dwarven and human stock by the Suel Imperium.

Possible creative origins

Richard Sharpe Shaver's deros are the degenerate, sadistic descendants of a proto-race that live in vast cavern complexes below the Earth.

Additional reading

• Boyd, Eric L. Drizzt Do'Urden's Guide to the Underdark TSR, 1999.
• Cordell, Bruce R; Gwendolyn FM Kestrel; and Jeff Quick. Underdark (Wizards of the Coast, 2003).
• Gygax, Gary. Sea of Death (New Infinities, 1987).
• Miller, Steve. The Doomgrinder (TSR, 1998).
• Moore, Roger E. "Legacies of the Suel Imperium," Dragon Magazine #241 (TSR, 1997).

External links

• "Illuminating the Night Below: The Derro City" by David Ross, 29 February 2000 – 13 August 2002

Image

• Image of a derro (at right), illustrated by Vance Kovacs