Laduguer

Laduguer (pronounced: /ˈlɑːdəgwɜːr/ LA-duh-gwur) was the lawful evil dwarven deity of the duergar. The Exile harboured a bitter resentment against the rest of the Morndinsamman ever since he was cast out, although he maintained he left voluntarily. The Gray Protector was a xenophobic god with a doctrine of empowerment through slave exploitation and protection through an unforgiving military program, urging his followers to avoid contact with other races save for limited trade and slave raids

Description

Laduguer appeared as a bald, gaunt, 6 feet (1.8 meters) or 13 feet (4 meters) tall duergar with skin that changed from gray to brown to match his environment and a perpetual frown.

Personality

As a ruler, Laduguer was grim, gloomy, and absent of joy. He was supremely lawful, but while doubtlessly also evil-inclined, much of this was evil turned inwards, bitterness towards rejection and underappreciation. Despite viewing his peers as obsessing with tradition at the expense of progress, he was not a free-thinker himself1 but a harsh and unbending taskmaster who adhered strictly to his own brand of intolerant discipline.18 He demanded his duergar engage in constant toil under harsh conditions, but did reward their dilligence through his protection and teachings on how to craft magical items.8

Relationships

Laduguer viewed the rest of the dwarven pantheon most unfavorably, despising them as indolent and feckless layabouts bound to outdated conventions.

Laduguer was at best tolerated by Dugmaren and Sharindlar — the rest of the pantheon held him in deep scorn.

Deep Duerra, thought to be his daughter, was his only true ally - even she hatched many schemes against him. His race's dominance over the trade of steeders gained him the enmity of Lolth and he had ancient disputes with the demon prince Orcus.

Worshipers

“We walk amongst the filth and dreck - let the harsh command of your eternal tasks drive our footfall.”

— A basic prayer to Laduguer.

The duergar might worship Laduguer, but even they did not love their severe god, stoicly following him (among other reasons) out of the belief that only the strong were worthy of life.

The duergar did not differentiate between secular and religious authority, so Laduguer's clergy served as the nominal rulers of society. They were known as the thuldor ("those who endure") and they kept the race united and powerful against the other races of the Underdark. They were expected to serve in the military.

Many temples included large stables used to care for and breed steeders: large, monstrous riding spiders.

History

Laduguer had been exiled from the Morndinsamman. The gold and shield dwarves claimed he committed unspeakable crimes and was only saved from Moradin's wrath by Berronar Truesilver. The grey dwarves, however, said he was an advocate of righteous, innovative philosophy that offended Moradin so much that he cast him out.1

In 1383 DR, Laduguer and Deep Duerra were both destroyed4 and their home plane of Hammergrim dispersed into the Astral Plane4. Most Worshipers of Laduguer did not realize this, however, as Asmodeus took up the guise of Laduguer in an effort to gain more followers. Duergar began making pacts with devils as a result, securing infernal power for themselves.

Following the Second Sundering, Laduguer was once again present and revered by the duergar, although the circumstances of his return were unknown.