Description
The shortest duergar you've ever seen?? The dark skin seems to suggest that.
But no, a moment's view makes clear this is a svirfneblin! How odd! Typically
pale or at best light gray, this one is almost coal black. The rest though
seems more like what you think of when you think svirf: strong, hearty, and
direct. Callouses cover the hands and almost too many scars on the forearms
to count. Hard to tell what made them, though. The clothes seem sturdy enough
though obviously often mended. Weapons and gear sit at the back and hips,
travel-worn but serviceable. The hair is even darker than the skin, and the
eyes, yes, the eyes! They almost glow they are so pale. The contrast to the
rest of him is so stark! No way to be sure just who he is, but it's clear
enough that
Role
The Story of How We Got Here Part I
Added Thu Apr 30 13:39:28 2026 at level 1:
[This became the longest role I ever wrote, so I apologize to the
readers and say a big thank you to any imm who reads it all! Thank you!!]
What if you could crossbreed a svirf with a duerg? Would you get the perfect
miner? The stronger black dwarf and the smarter svirf, able to dig stronger and
safer, fewer incidents, meaning fewer work stoppages, it would be the best thing
since the invention of a pickaxe! But how? They are not compatible - and that is
known because there was no lack of trying. Suffice to say countless svirf and
duerg women died in agony trying to bear a child of mixed heritage. But just
because the obvious way failed does not mean a way cannot be found. And so
Dortangil, king of Lower Cragstone, ordered his council to come up with a way
to make it happen!
Idea after idea came and was shot down like Ayr'Trinil airship. Day after day
the councilors met and broke, no one having anything remotely like a good idea.
Until... the visiting transmuter guildmaster from the sister city, Upper
Cragstone, came by and overheard the discussion. "Why not use magic? Transmuting
magic in combination with shapeshifting magic in particular? Get the best minds
and have them study two specimens, one of our people - take some worthless grunt
from the mine - and one of the duergs - I'm sure one of the guards in Aran'gird's
trade delegations can go 'missing' - and get to work! This could be quite a
breakthrough! I myself would be willing to lead the transmuting magic team."
A silence came over the room as the group of wise counsellors realized they had
been fools. Of course. Of course! Engineering isn't the way. Magic is the way.
Together they all approach Dortangil and relay their plan. "Excellent! Excellent,
excellent, excellent! Whatever you need, whatever you need! Do be careful when
you take the duerg, no need for war with Aran'gird at the moment. Yes, yes, be
careful with that. But go take whatever little scum off the miner chain gain you
think best. Then get to work!"
The Story of How We Got Here Part II
Added Thu Apr 30 13:40:26 2026 at level 1:
That's how it started. In short order a duerg was lost in the wild part of the
underdark, and a loathsome miner was taken off the gang from down below, and both
put into new quarters. Not the same - they knew they could do nothing naturally.
But next to each other. Three sides solid, one side extra thick glass, so they
could be studied at all hours, day and night. And the poking and prodding began.
Mage after mage after mage came and did test after test after test. And after
collecting all the data they could, they combined their notes and devised a spell.
Complicated and requiring great power, the spell utilized the best of both guilds.
After inviting Dortangil to be witness, all preparations made, the mages cast the
spell! And... both the svirf and duerg exploded in elegant little bits. "Well
well, ladies and gentlemen! Looks like you'll need more time! Back to work!"
Sixteen years. Sixteen more years. More than two hundred test subjects. More than
two hundred dead subjects. More exploded. Some simply collapsed. Some caught fire.
Some dropped to the ground with all fluids instantly leaving their desiccated
husks. There were many times they lost hope, many times they were ready to give
up. But they persevered. And finally, what seemed obvious once said, was said:
"The unborn!" Yes. They had been too late working with already born svirfs and
duergs. Immediately the debate: duerg baby or svirf baby? After much deliberation
the decision was made: svirf. And so the search began! A pregnant woman must be
found!
Things moved quickly now. After all these years it took only days to find a slave
who nobody would miss. More days to come up with how to modify the incantations
to fit an unborn, and a few more days to run a few tests. And then they were ready.
With the King and all councilors in attendance, the mages formed around the
restrained woman and began the spell. Two full hours of chanting, arcane movements,
power draining from artefacts and scrolls and staves. The screams - no end. Until
the last word, shouted by all the mages, all the transmuters and shapeshifters in
unison, and the brightest flash of light, strangely black light and also white
light, blinded everyone. When they could see, they also realized the screams
had stopped. The woman was dead. But the screams had been replaced...by the
wails of a baby. An obviously svirf baby. But a svirf with skin black as
night! They had done it!!!
The Story of How We Got Here Part III
Added Thu Apr 30 13:41:16 2026 at level 1:
Or so they thought. It took only days to realize this baby had no greater
strength or any other duergar characteristics. Just the black skin that would
forever mark this creature as outcast, different, unnatural. At a final meet
among the mages, after all the tests had been done, they had no further use
for this... specimen. Without a second thought they summoned a janitor and
instructed him to take it away and dispose of it. The janitor, cowed to be
in the presence of such august company, simply picked the baby up and walked
out, eyes barely looking up from the floor. It was only as got away from the
crowd that he realized, the baby was still alive! Dispose of it?? They meant
kill it! Kill this little baby! He would not! He could not help but notice
the strange black color, but it was just a baby. It did not deserve to die.
Taking the baby to his own home, the janitor knew he had to care for the
baby alone, never bringing it outside. And he did, without too much trouble,
for the first few years. But as the boy, Ghorberdin he'd named him, grew up,
it became harder and harder. The boy was a regular toddler boy, mobile, not
easily contained. And simply locking a door no longer worked. Soon enough he
realized he had no choice but to leave Cragstone and try to find a life with
the boy elsewhere. After some thinking and work, he had a plan. The boy was
5. He would take him to the upper city and then out to one of the cities.
He would find work and they would be lost among the masses. There he could
raise the boy to be strong enough to survive.
All went well. They arrived at Koellang. Coin changed hands. The lift began
to rise. With every foot the janitor felt a bit of the weight fall from his
shoulders. Closer. Closer. Closer. And then the lift stopped. They were out!
Freedom was just outside! Koellang lifted the gate and stepped back to let
the two of them out. As they walked by, the boy's cloak's hood fell back
exposing his face, his obsidian black face. And for the first time, the
janitor let it stay. As they came to the gate there was a woman waiting to
take the return trip. But of course not just any woman, one of the king's
councilors. Time stopped. No one moved. And then: "You!" shouted the
councilor! Guards, guards, come!! hold this man and boy!!!"
"RUN!! RUN, Ghorberdin, RUN!!!!" shouted the janitor.
The Story of How We Got Here Part IV
Added Thu Apr 30 13:43:28 2026 at level 1:
Run he did, as only a child can. He ran and ran and ran, scrambling in crowds
and out through the pathways of the upper city, making his way past gem farms
and ore carts. And then... the sun! Making random turns he ran as far as he
could. But five year olds are not so strong, and adrenaline wears out.
Exhausted, Ghorberdin fell to the ground, panting, alone, and now afraid.
Beginning to cry, he curled up and sobbed himself to sleep.
When he woke, he found himself on the floor of a hall. A few bits of straw
underneath him. Raising his head he saw dozens of people fighting. But no,
not really fighting. Sparring. Training. "Oy!" Gorberdin's head whipped over.
"Almost killed yer mehself, yah duerg-looking runt!" said a stocky dwarf
running his hand through his belly-length beard. "But then ah see yer ain't
nah stinkin duerg, yer a damned svirf, by Thror! Ain't like any svirf ah've
ever seen or heard ah, but yer a svirf ain't yer!" Nodding, Gorberdin held
very still, not sure where he was or what to do. And before he could say a
word, his stomach spoke first. "Ah! Yer hungry, ain't yer lad! Well lesson
one, yer eatin? Yer workin! Ain't nothin fer free in life and sure as elves
are ugly shites ain't nothing free here. Ah'll give yer a first meal as an
advance, but yer gonna be cleanin the latrines, yer 'earin me lad?" The large
dwarf stared the boy in his eyes directly, not looking away until he nodded.
"Well a'ight then, that's bein settled. Now, what's yer name lad?"
"Ghorberdin." "Ghorberwhatit? Ghorb. From now on yer Ghorb. Now git!"
Ghorb stayed there for the next nineteen years. He worked every day. Not a
single day off. No birthday. No holiday. No gifts. Just work. Moving from
latrines to floors, to kitchens, to, eventually, weapons and armor. Fixing
and cleaning and making sure the training spaces were ready at all times.
But he used his time and learned. He soaked up everything. He was never at
ease. He was the abomination. The outcast. The freak. The black svirf.
He got into more fights than he could count, and over time he lost less. And
eventually he made his way out with enough to hold his own. His only goal?
Kill the mages. All of them. Every single one. And one day, kill the king and
all his councilors. Every single one. He will be strong. He will earn every
drop of blood. And he will not rest until he does.
Eventful Life!
Added Wed May 6 14:04:43 2026 at level 21:
The time came to leave Dregga's hall and make a life for himself. Ghorb
had learned much, but now needed to start putting it into practice, and in
particular gutting some of those mages he so vehemently hates. So far
very few if any people have noticed his skin, his cloak and armor covering it
almost entirely, but he is surprised even in combat, when things are moving
about, they should see. But it seems people just aren't observant, and that's
fine with him. Importantly, he learned of two things when he started doing a
bit of traveling. First was what's called the village of Battleragers. Turns
out he's not the only one who sees the need to get rid of mages and magic!
That was an exciting day. And the way to join was even better - bring a mage
skull! He did, and a few more after that, and is now part of the
village. It's a new home, of sorts, and of course he is glad to have
people it seems he can rely on, but still not a place of comfort, at least not
yet, and maybe never. More a headquarters for work they all share. Time
will tell.
But second, and even more important and exciting, he discovered the holy
text of a new deity, Irskarn. Reading them felt like a chord going off in his
head. His soul, even. It spoke to him. He searched, spent his life once,
and ultimately found the God's holy place. And then, gloriously, the hardest
of all deities gave Ghorb time. Twice! Ghorb has had to think long and hard
about himself, about how to conduct himself and his life, and is already
feeling stronger. He is denying himself his primary source of comfort and
honing himself so in the coldness of life he will not yield. Not break. Bend,
perhaps, but not snap, and instead break his foes. Break their faces with
his fat, thick knuckles! He enjoys that, very much, and is hoping to continue
his learning from the great Unbroken one.
Elder Speaks
Added Sun May 31 19:25:47 2026 at level 40:
"I have watched for years and rarely spoken. The few times I did, little
changed, and even when it did, it did not last. Why should I think you will
be any different, tiny one?" said Rhuean, claws tightening and opening
subconsciously on his staff.
"Ain't in a position t'beh guaranteein anything more'n meh gonnah beh doin
all in meh power. Yer talkin now, so yer seein at least somethin! Ah'm 'ere
tellin yer ah agree w'yer, 'n ain't nobody but tiny few seen more'n yerself.
Ah ain't pretendin ah'm knowin ev'rythin, so if yer gots advice, ah'm 'earin!"
Rhuean looks down from his high height, contemplating the feisty yet serious
little weird black svirf. His claws click as his stare becomes uncomfortably
long, uncaring. Ghorb feels an urge to fill the silence, terribly strong. But
in an act of will he's proud of he remains silent, looking up from Rhuean's
thigh-level.
"The village has been weak. It always has bright lights of courage and strength
but never enough to snowball into what it was in my day. And even then we only
ever had moments, at best a few years, where magic truly was in retreat." Rhuean's
wings flutter so minutely you might miss it, the only sign of his emotions. "If
you want to be the catalyst, if you truly are determined to make more of this
village, it will take a lifetime of work, and no tolerance for weakness."
Rhuean continues, "Word has it you follow the newest of our gods, this Irskarn.
I do not know much, but what I hear and see gives me renewed hope. He seems to
demand what the village has lacked, and if you are going to represent him, then
you will need to demand that from all the huts. Leader or soldier, you must
lead by example! And if you are a leader, your tolerance for anything less than
utmost battle readiness, highest training, strongest adherence to our many years
of tradition, must be next to zero. If you do not have the stomach for what will
be needed, do not start."
"And," he finishes, with a grin so small, so quickly flashing you doubt it ever
existed, "remember to remind Grime the stomachs need to keep coming. Hildebran
and I get thirsty."
Somewhat overwhelmed, Ghorb internalizes the words. After a few moments, Rhuan's
visage as unchanged as marble, Ghorb speaks. "Ah'm gonna do all in meh power fer
just what yer describing. Ah've dedicated mehself t'is Godness Irskarn, 'n bein
Unbroken, 'n ah'd beh 'oldin all around meh to 'at standard as much as ah c'n,
as ah'm thinkin 'es now leadin the village 'n wants 'at. Ah'm appreciatin yer
givin meh yer thinkin 'n if yer e'er wantin t'beh sharin more, just beh shoutin!"
With a last look, Ghorb returns to the more crowded village, his mind swirling with
thoughts and plans.
PK Wins
May 2, 2026 |Lv 16|Voralian City|Admaer vs 1: [16] Ghorberdin (100%, cut)
May 3, 2026 |Lv 18|Velkyn Oloth|Tirelle vs 1: [18] Ghorberdin (100%, slice)
May 3, 2026 |Lv 18|Velkyn Oloth|Admaer vs 1: [18] Ghorberdin (100%, smash)
May 4, 2026 |Lv 18|The Aryth Ocean|Yeuthe vs 1: [18] Ghorberdin (100%, slice)
May 4, 2026 |Lv 19|The River Nanthor|Alsazza vs 1: [19] Ghorberdin (100%, caustic smash)
May 5, 2026 |Lv 20|A Northern Trail|Alsazza vs 1: [20] Ghorberdin (100%, caustic smash)
May 8, 2026 |Lv 23|Ruins of Delar-Tol|Hoic vs 1: [23] Ghorberdin (100%, crush)
May 9, 2026 |Lv 25|The Outpost of Tir-Talath|Khezada vs 1: [25] Ghorberdin (100%, beating)
May 11, 2026|Lv 28|The Past Grove|Aegus vs 1: [28] Ghorberdin (100%, pummeling blow)
May 12, 2026|Lv 28|Khardrath's Planar Sanctum|Alsazza vs 1: [28] Ghorberdin (100%, caustic smash)
May 12, 2026|Lv 29|Hamsah Mu'tazz|Admaer vs 1: [29] Ghorberdin (100%, crush)
May 12, 2026|Lv 29|Darsylon|Qarnaue vs 1: [29] Ghorberdin (100%, punch)
May 13, 2026|Lv 29|The Northern Mountains|Zoldin vs 1: [29] Ghorberdin (100%, parting blow)
May 17, 2026|Lv 31|BattleRager Village|Ulydityar vs 1: [31] Ghorberdin (100%, slash)
May 22, 2026|Lv 36|Hamsah Mu'tazz|Pywereth vs 1: [36] Ghorberdin (100%, punch)
May 23, 2026|Lv 38|BattleRager Village|Ulydityar vs 2: [38] Ghorberdin (89%), [40] Trakcus (10%, swing)
Jun 2, 2026 |Lv 41|BattleRager Village|Mokgol vs 1: [41] Ghorberdin (100%, stinging lash)
Jun 2, 2026 |Lv 41|Udgaard|Snedgud vs 1: [41] Ghorberdin (100%, stinging lash)
Jun 3, 2026 |Lv 41|The Eastern Road|Zanrick vs 2: [51] Yoglolthen (25%, peck), [41] Ghorberdin (74%)
Jun 16, 2026|Lv 50|BattleRager Village|Gilgormosh vs 2: [50] Ghorberdin (25%, parting blow), [51] Kushkuna (74%)
Jun 18, 2026|Lv 51|The Imperial Palace|Teil vs 1: [51] Ghorberdin (100%, stinging lash)
Jun 19, 2026|Lv 51|The Aryth Ocean|Lyise vs 1: [51] Ghorberdin (100%, stinging lash)
Jun 21, 2026|Lv 51|Galadon|Werargroir vs 1: [51] Ghorberdin (100%, punch)
Jun 21, 2026|Lv 51|Voralian City|Werargroir vs 1: [51] Ghorberdin (100%, slice)
Jun 22, 2026|Lv 51|Hamsah Mu'tazz|Idedodine vs 2: [51] Ghorberdin (75%, punch), [51] Wulonan (24%)
Jun 22, 2026|Lv 51|The Spire of the Blood Tribunal|Idedodine vs 1: [51] Ghorberdin (100%, parting blow)
Jun 22, 2026|Lv 51|The Spire of the Blood Tribunal|Werargroir vs 1: [51] Ghorberdin (100%, blow to a vital area)
Jun 24, 2026|Lv 51|Outskirts of Galadon|Vrenni vs 1: [51] Ghorberdin (100%, searing light)
Jun 26, 2026|Lv 51|The Spire of the Blood Tribunal|Idedodine vs 1: [51] Ghorberdin (100%, punch)
Jun 28, 2026|Lv 51|The Shadow Peak Pass|Smisfenth vs 1: [51] Ghorberdin (100%, stinging lash)
Jul 1, 2026 |Lv 51|Hamsah Mu'tazz|Idedodine vs 1: [51] Ghorberdin (100%, punch)
Jul 3, 2026 |Lv 51|The Ashes of NoWhere|Vrenni vs 1: [51] Ghorberdin (100%, punch)
Jul 6, 2026 |Lv 51|The Outlander Refuge|Idedodine vs 1: [51] Ghorberdin (100%, punch)
Jul 6, 2026 |Lv 51|Bramblefield Road|Bruzglot vs 1: [51] Ghorberdin (100%, punch)
PK Deaths
May 22, 2026|Lv 37|The Eastern Road|vs 2: [36] Orxu (17%), [40] Skararruk (82%, punch)
Jun 10, 2026|Lv 41|The Redhorn Mountains|vs 1: [50] Adakoris (100%, bite)
Jun 18, 2026|Lv 51|BattleRager Village|vs 1: [51] Raevyn (100%, slash)
Jun 18, 2026|Lv 51|The Drogran Hills|vs 1: [51] Teil (100%, crush)
Jun 20, 2026|Lv 51|BattleRager Village|vs 1: [51] Dondonxa (100%, claw)
Jun 26, 2026|Lv 51|BattleRager Village|vs 1: [51] Dondonxa (100%, claw)
Jul 4, 2026 |Lv 51|The Eastern Road|vs 1: [46] Calem (100%, claw)
Jul 4, 2026 |Lv 51|BattleRager Village|vs 1: [51] Dondonxa (100%, claw)
Jul 7, 2026 |Lv 51|Feanwyyn Weald|vs 1: [51] Calem (100%, extreme exertion)
Jul 7, 2026 |Lv 51|The Ruins of Ostalagiah|vs 1: [50] Bruzglot (100%, beating)