Derro (Dungeons & Dragons)
Encyclopedia
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 setting
s.
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).
, dwarflike humans, or some hybrid of the two. Their rough skin is white with bluish undertones and spotted with short tufts of coarse hair. Their hair is straight and tends to be tan or pale yellow. Their eyes are most disturbing, lacking visible pupils.
. 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.
campaign setting
, derro are the Delzoun, a dwarven clan who were the result of genetic breeding performed by mind flayers
.
.
's deros are the degenerate, sadistic descendants of a proto-race that live in vast cavern complexes below the Earth.
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
role-playing game
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
. They were first devised for the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons First Edition adventure Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth
Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth
The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth is an adventure module for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. It was written by Gary Gygax and published by TSR in 1982 for the first edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons rules. The 64-page adventure bears the code "S4" and is set in the World of...
. Derro appear in both the Forgotten Realms
Forgotten Realms
The Forgotten Realms is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Commonly referred to by players and game designers alike as "The Realms", it was created by game designer Ed Greenwood around 1967 as a setting for his childhood stories...
and Greyhawk
Greyhawk
Greyhawk, also known as the World of Greyhawk, is a fictional world designed as a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game...
campaign setting
Campaign setting
A campaign setting is usually a fictional world which serves as a setting for a role-playing game or wargame campaign. A campaign is a series of individual adventures, and a campaign setting is the world in which such adventures and campaigns take place...
s.
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
Greyhawk
Greyhawk, also known as the World of Greyhawk, is a fictional world designed as a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game...
setting in the adventure modules Greyhawk Ruins
Greyhawk Ruins
Greyhawk Ruins is an adventure module for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. It was published in 1990 by TSR, Inc...
(1990) and Flames of the Falcon (1990), and the boxed set From the Ashes
From the Ashes (Dungeons & Dragons)
From the Ashes is a supplement for Dungeons & Dragonss World of Greyhawk campaign setting. It was published in 1992 by TSR as a boxed set of materials...
(1992). The derro then appeared in the Monstrous Manual (1993). The derro mutants appeared in Dungeon
Dungeon (magazine)
Dungeon Adventures, or simply Dungeon, was a magazine targeting consumers of role-playing games, particularly Dungeons & Dragons. It was first published by TSR, Inc. in 1986 as a bimonthly periodical. It went monthly in May 2003 and ceased print publication altogether in September 2007 with Issue 150...
#81 (July 2000), including the multi-armed derro mutants, the grimlock
Grimlock (Dungeons & Dragons)
Grimlock is a fictional monstrous humanoid that lives in the Underdark, a vast interconnected system of caves underneath various Dungeons & Dragons campaign settings. Based on subterranean humanoids called "morlocks" created by H.G...
-derro conjoin, and the derro with eyestalks.
The derro appeared in the third edition Monster Manual
Monster Manual
The Monster Manual is the primary bestiary sourcebook for monsters in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. It includes monsters derived from mythology, and folklore, as well as creatures created for D&D specifically...
(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 degenerate dwarvesDwarf (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game, dwarves are a humanoid race, one of the primary races available for play as player characters...
, dwarflike humans, or some hybrid of the two. Their rough skin is white with bluish undertones and spotted with short tufts of coarse hair. Their hair is straight and tends to be tan or pale yellow. Their eyes are most disturbing, lacking visible pupils.
Society
Derro are widespread and are likely to be found in small bands throughout the UnderdarkUnderdark
The Underdark is a fictional setting which has appeared in Dungeons & Dragons role-playing campaigns and Dungeons & Dragons-based fiction books, including the Legend of Drizzt series by R. A. Salvatore...
. Derro warrens exist in many drow and duergar
Duergar (Dungeons & Dragons)
In Dungeons & Dragons fantasy, the duergar, or gray dwarves are a cruel and evil subrace of dwarves.-Publication history:The duergar are named after the dvergar of Norse mythology, who were the builders of Gleipnir...
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.
Derro in the Forgotten Realms
In the Forgotten RealmsForgotten Realms
The Forgotten Realms is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Commonly referred to by players and game designers alike as "The Realms", it was created by game designer Ed Greenwood around 1967 as a setting for his childhood stories...
campaign setting
Campaign setting
A campaign setting is usually a fictional world which serves as a setting for a role-playing game or wargame campaign. A campaign is a series of individual adventures, and a campaign setting is the world in which such adventures and campaigns take place...
, derro are the Delzoun, a dwarven clan who were the result of genetic breeding performed by mind flayers
Illithid
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, illithids are monstrous humanoid aberrations with psionic powers. In a typical Dungeons & Dragons campaign setting, they live in the moist caverns and cities of the enormous Underdark...
.
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 ImperiumSuloise
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, the Suloise, also known as the "Suel," are one of the major races of humans inhabiting the Flanaess....
.
Possible creative origins
Richard Sharpe ShaverRichard Sharpe Shaver
Richard Sharpe Shaver was an American writer and artist.He achieved notoriety in the years following World War II as the author of controversial stories which were printed in science fiction magazines , in which he claimed that he had personal experience of a sinister, ancient...
'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 TSRTSR, Inc.Blume and Gygax, the remaining owners, incorporated a new company called TSR Hobbies, Inc., with Blume and his father, Melvin Blume, owning the larger share. The former assets of the partnership were transferred to TSR Hobbies, Inc....
, 1999. - Cordell, Bruce RBruce CordellBruce Robert Cordell is an American author of roleplaying games and fantasy novels. He won the Origins Award for Return to the Tomb of Horrors and has won several ENnies as well...
; Gwendolyn FM Kestrel; and Jeff Quick. UnderdarkUnderdark (supplement)The Underdark sourcebook for the Forgotten Realms campaign setting of the 3.5 edition of the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game.-Contents:...
(Wizards of the CoastWizards of the CoastWizards of the Coast is an American publisher of games, primarily based on fantasy and science fiction themes, and formerly an operator of retail stores for games...
, 2003). - Gygax, Gary. Sea of Death (New Infinities, 1987).
- Miller, Steve. The DoomgrinderThe DoomgrinderThe Doomgrinder is an adventure module for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game, set in the game's World of Greyhawk campaign setting.-Publication history:...
(TSR, 1998). - Moore, Roger E. "Legacies of the Suel Imperium," Dragon MagazineDragon (magazine)Dragon is one of the two official magazines for source material for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game and associated products, the other being Dungeon. TSR, Inc. originally launched the monthly printed magazine in 1976 to succeed the company's earlier publication, The Strategic Review. The...
#241 (TSR, 1997).
