Long ago, Ashan’s angels blessed a clan of dwarves and entrusted them with a sacred task. They had imprisoned an archdemon far beneath the surface, and were in need of mortal guardians to watch over the prison. The duergar agreed and descended to depths beyond what any other dwarf had travelled before. They took up their vigil with pride, honourably fighting off demons, drow, goblins, and other evil creatures for centuries, all while maintaining and reinforcing the archdemon’s prison.

The archdemon’s call for freedom was unceasing. For years, then decades, then centuries, the duergar fought a near constant war against demons, drow, goblins, and other evil creatures seeking to free the archdemon. The duergar clerics pleaded with Ashan for aid, to no avail. The gods may have allowed the angels to act on Tolomar to seal away the archdemon, but they now considered the matter the mortals’ problem, their pact with the duergar inviolate.

And so it went, the duergars’ faith slowly fading as they sacrificed their lives for gods who didn’t truly care if they failed. If the archdemon were freed, the angels would simply imprison it once more.

Then, on the cusp of disaster, a lone genie appeared amidst the defenders. The cloaked figure prophesied the fall of the duergar, and the apathy of the gods at their fate. It predicted the archdemon would be released upon the world, only to be imprisoned once more by the army of angels waiting just beyond Tolomar’s Firmament. It told them the gods didn’t care about their lives, only their souls, which would be used to replenish the ranks of the immortals, or sent back to live again and again until refined into what the gods considered a proper match.

The genie spat on the gods’ plans, and offered the duergar a new pact. They would continue to honour their pledge to Ashan, doing everything in their power to prevent the archdemon’s release, as the powerful creature would unleash untold suffering upon the world before the angels defeated it again. But, they would pledge their souls to the Div, who would give the duergar enough power to actually succeed in their mission. The Div would become their new patrons, and grant them enough power to achieve victory against the evil forces assailing them, no matter how many times they threw themselves at the duergar.

Incensed, angry, and desperate, the duergar agreed, turning away from the gods in favour of the Div. And the Div were true to their word, granting the duergar the ability to withstand any poison, see through any phantasm, and even shrug off paralysis. Their darkvision was sharpened, and they became capable of hiding their presence from their foes and growing to the size of a giant.

The cunning duergar used these new powers to their advantage, routing the army that had threatened to wipe them out. But Ashan was not pleased. For their crime of turning from the gods in favour of the Div, the god of Justice cursed the duergar to never again feel joy until the moment of their death.

Today, they are a twisted reflection of their ancestors. The hairless, grey-skinned dwarves have been living in a constant state of warfare for centuries. Their society is devoid of the rigid social rules dwarves have, instead reflecting a strict meritocracy. Duergar bow to no one, and acknowledge no authority beyond what the individual can hold. Indeed, they care very little for any social mores, claiming they don’t have time to be polite when they’re constantly preparing for the next demon attack. The greatest lead the way, and the rest follow as best they can or risk being left behind. The weak endanger the whole community. Those that are unable to find something to do to help the community are cast out, fodder for the duergars’ enemies.

Duergar labour without rest, viewing their lives as unending toil and suffering. On their death, they experience one true moment of joy before their souls go to the Div. Until that day comes, it is their duty to do everything they can to contain the archdemon, and so every aspect of their community and culture revolves around that singular task.

Old treaties dating back to when the duergar first descended to the depths of Tolomar require other dwarven kingdoms to supply them with resources not available to the duergar, in exchange for the duergars’ service. As the centuries passed, and the duergar descended further and further into moral decay, the other dwarves saw these treaties less and less favourably. No new clan has signed in 800 years. As clans die out, their part in the treaty does as well. Yet the duergar abide ferociously to the terms of the treaties, supplying military assistance in case a dwarven clan facing war requests it. The form and specifics of their military assistance, however, depends entirely on how well the requesting clan has behaved towards the duergar over the years.

Alignment: Duergar tend to be lawful evil.

Classes:
Psychic Warrior: Strong points in the duergar lines, psychic warriors take on the toughest enemies the regular warriors wouldn’t have a chance against. Their honour is matched only by their sacrifice.
Aegis: Whenever there is a breach, duergar aegises rush to fill it. These warriors are the duergars’ best defenders, taking punishment none other could withstand to buy enough time for others to evacuate the wounded and for reinforcements to reach the area.
Soulknife: Elite warriors, duergar soulknives are symbols of duergar resolve and will. Though their blades may break against a foe’s strike, the duergar reforges it in an instant to sink into that enemy’s heart.
Tactician: Duergar tacticians are among the best strategists in the world, their talents sharpened to a razor edge by constantly having to succeed against superior numbers. They are most often the ones giving the orders on the battlefield, able to rally and direct their soldiers like no one else.
Marksman: While the nature of underground battle limits the potential of ranged weaponry, some duergar undergo elite training to turn even a short distance into a powerful advantage. Roughly half of duergar marksmen take the spearman archetype.
Vitalist: Powerful battlefield healers, duergar vitalists specialize in returning pain to their enemies. Most are either soulthieves or sadists.
Inquisitor: Dedicated to saving the world from the false promises of the gods and their servants, duergar inquisitors seek out hostile outsiders and seek to drive them back beyond the Firmament and out of mortal affairs.
Stalker: Stealthy and careful, stalkers serve as duergar scoutmasters, surveying enemy forces and destroying enemy scouting forces. If a particularly valuable target should present itself, however, stalkers have no issue serving as assassins.

Standard Racial Traits
Ability Score Racial Traits: Duergar are hearty and observant, but also belligerent. They gain +2 Constitution, +2 Wisdom, and -4 Charisma.
Type: Duergar are humanoids with the dwarf subtype.
Size: Duergar are Medium creatures and thus have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Base Speed: Slow and Steady- Duergar have a base speed of 20 feet, but their speed is never modified by armor or encumbrance.
Languages: Duergar begin play speaking Common, Dwarven, and Undercommon. Duergar with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Aklo, Draconic, Giant, Goblin, Orc, and Terran. See the Linguistics skill page for more information about these languages.
Defense Racial Traits
Duergar Immunities: Duergar are immune to paralysis, phantasms, and poison. They gain a +2 racial bonus on saves against spells and spell-like abilities.
Stability: Duergar receive a +4 racial bonus to their CMD against bull rush or trip attempts while on solid ground.
Magical Racial Traits
Enlarge Person Spell-Like Ability (Sp): A duergar can use enlarge person once per day, using its character level as its caster level and affecting itself only.
Invisibility Spell-Like Ability (Sp): A duergar can use invisibility once per day, using its character level as its caster level and affecting itself only.
Naturally Psionic: Duergars gain the Wild Talent feat as a bonus feat at 1st level. If a duergar takes levels in a psionic class, he instead gains the Psionic Talent feat.
Psionic Aptitude: When a duergar takes a level in a favored class, he can choose to gain an additional power point instead of a hit point or skill point.
Senses Racial Traits
Superior Darkvision: Duergar have superior darkvision, allowing them to see perfectly in the dark up to 120 feet.
Weakness Racial Traits
Light Sensitivity: Duergar are dazzled in areas of bright light.