#duergar

While duergar may not put as much elaborate unnecessary detail in their craft as surface dwarves they find enjoyment in it nonetheless, perhaps their art is less in the making of the weapons and more in the use of the weapons. Maybe they have duels as an art form! The sheer skill of their craft is the art.

And I cannot stress enough. They know what happiness is. Their society is just built on rational thinking over emotion.

(also I can absolutely see them practice something similar to traditional chinese fire dances - I don't know what they're called but they're cool)

Where svirfneblin may be a lot shyer, they certainly haven't lost their gnomish whimsy, though communicate this in more subtle ways because survival is a higher priority. Surface gnomes think of them as pessimistic/cynical/depressed but in reality they're just more realistic and grounded, and y'know. not super trusting of strangers.

They're introverts who do think community is very important for them and they find strengthening bonds with leisure vital for their social ecosystem. It's just that they have internal adhd, not external adhd (they'd rather have game nights than dance nights). And art IS important to them. Just less so than surface gnomes because. well. survival.

Also deep gnome males aren't all bald. Some are, sure, but mostly those who often leave their settlements for trade or other reasons actually shave their hair off! Gender does not matter and you'll probably find a lot of bald female gnomes too. This is because their bald head can more easily sense changes in the air currents around them, and it therefore allows them to react quicker in the face of unseen danger. It's something these guys have learned can be the difference between life and death.

But that's why the surface folk, and even the majority of the underdark races who aren't gnomes, just think svirfneblin are bald

I'd add something about the drow but tbh their society is REALLY fleshed out so I don't have much to add. ... and also as fascinating as they are, I'm honestly also just more interested in the other societies of the underdark

Derro just don't have any concept of social cues. At all. They're all wildly autistic. Their culture also involves a lot of substance usage, and that combined with their many quirks gives them the insane reputation they currently have. Sure they don't trust anybody but one of their own (due to the whole being left behind as mind flayer slaves thing) but while there are derro groups out there who absolutely take a lot of pride in killing as much as they possibly can, those are extremists and shouldn't be used to judge Derro society as a whole. They're a paranoid people, and the prejudice against them honestly only makes them worse and behave more extreme.

It's a similar situation for Kuo-toa. Their appearance is weird, their culture is weird, so they must be insane, right? Yeah no they're just different. Other races can't really keep up with them, so they're branded as crazy. Of course they also worship gods that the others don't know, saying the fishfolk invented the gods themselves, but I personally think gods will start to exist when they have people who worship them. Therefore, technically, almost everybody has invented their gods themselves. It's just that the Kuo-toa god doesn't align with their known pantheon and people are afraid of what they don't know and label it insane.

(also personally I headcanon the Kuo-toans as one of the not evil races of the underdark cause come on man we have enough slavers. can we please have chill stoner fish instead)

Illithid culture is probably the one society that lines up most with their stereotype. They're a cruel people, as they actually can taste the emotions and think of them as... a good seasoning, I suppose. Not to mention they absolutely believe they are the superior people, and everybody else is a threat, a thrall, a meal, or a future illithid.

The reason this is the case is the Elder Brain. Mind flayer society isn't a true hivemind, the elder brain doesn't think for them and they're their own person, it's just that each and every one has been indoctrinated into this line of thinking from birth as it is vital for the Elder Brain's survival. Illithids are a brainwashed cult worshipping their Elder Brain like a god. The Brain can psionically control its subjects to a degree, but much rather has them already do whatever it wants without having to force them. It does absolutely directly control them when it feels it's necessary, though.

Illithids do truly think they're doing the right thing by changing the races around them into one of their own, they think it is a kindness, a gift, a blessing to lift the primitive humanoids into the advanced and obviously superior psionic society of the illithid.

But, if a mind flayer breaks away from its Elder Brain for any reason, they have the potential to start seeing that their worldview is fundamentally flawed. They don't have much of a capacity for natural empathy, but if they want to, they can learn how to mimic it. An illithid could potentially become a very kind person if given the chance to.

... Though, if you see a mind flayer - probably best to not let your guard down regardless. Unfortunately the kind ones are very much the exception.