The durdrn were created by a god known as Vorshee the Thumbless. Vorshee saw the Divine Emperor creating all the other races and wanted to make one of his own. He wasn't very good and what he created were the durdrn. The Emperor was angry with Thumbless for his presumption and as a punishment cast him down to earth and embedded his feet in two mountains - the two highest peaks in Vorsheeva are called the "Feet of Vorshee". The Divine Emperor was about to destroy the durdrn too, but then took pity upon such pathetic creatures. Instead he gave them to one of his daughters, the Snow Princess, as pets. She has looked after them with great care ever since.

The durdrn are child-like in nature. To sum them up in a few words, they are naive, credulous, trusting and open. Their friendliness, kindness and curiosity helps them to survive in a hostile world, plus perhaps the divine favour of the Snow Princess. On more than one occasion a hostile incursion into Vorsheeva has met with unseasonable blizzards and avalanches. The inquisitive nature of the durdrn meant that they intermingled with the Empire very early in its history. Lacking much imagination themselves they adopted the Empire's mythology and culure, including the story of their origins. The durdrn in Vorsheeva are more or less Imperial, with suitably durdrnish changes. Other durdrn can be found throughout the Empire as citizens, usually in a menial role (rich families often employ a durdrn to look after the children, for example). Their compassionate nature gives them a strong affinity for the teachings of Manrupashnar.