Tieflings
Tieflings are a rare and, in many cultures, tragic "species." They are not a species as we understand it; there is no tiefling ancestor or evolutionary line. Tieflings are born when a person is exposed to or performs certain forms of magic. This magic corrupts and changes the body. Sometimes the mage themself will be changed, but more often than not, it is their children that bear the mark of their mistakes.
Tieflings are looked upon with pity in most places, and disgust in others. The nature of magic required to create a tiefling is gruesome indeed, and some cultures consider the plight of the tieflings, particularly in their reckoning stage of life, to be a curse inflicted on the bloodline for practicing forbidden arts.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Tieflings will resemble the species of their mother, with several key differences. All tieflings sport horns that grow from their forehead (though a few have had them further back in the skull.) They also have metallic skin that has a slight sheen, and often comes in fantastical colors or tints. All tieflings have a mouthful of fangs (a few of which have venom), and some tieflings grow thick claws from their fingertips.
Genetics and Reproduction
Tieflings have difficulty reproducing (low sperm and egg count), but when they mange to conceive, it is often an easy pregnancy and an uncomplicated birth. They can breed with almost any species, but there is a chance that any child they conceive will also be a tiefling.
Growth Rate & Stages
Tieflings grow slowly regardless of their mother race, and often take a quarter more time to reach maturity. Once they reach adulthood, however, their aging seems to crawl to a standstill. They also take on more demonic features as they age. It is unknown if this transformation will result in a tiefling becoming a full demon, as no tiefling has ever been recorded as living a full life.
Tiefling life stages are divided into four parts. The first is infancy. At this stage, a tiefling looks identical to a child of their mother race, though often they will have brightly colored eyes. The second state is awakening, which often starts when a child is around the equivalent of five human years in their development. This is when the demonic features will began to manifest. The nubs of horns will grow out of their forehead, and their skin will gradually change to a demonic hue, and take on a metallic appearance. If not already present, fangs will begin to grow (often the best way to find a tiefling in some races is if the baby teeth fall out and are replaced by fangs) and ears will begin to sharpen. The third stage is reckoning, which is equivalent to adolescence. At this point, tieflings will gain access to one (or more) out of a variety of abilities that seem universal across what few tiefilngs have been recorded. They will often have a period of great restlessness and what they often describe as "cosmic boredom," which may come with a nearly irresistible urge to mischief and adventure. The fourth stage is silencing, which is when a tiefling's development seems to reach its peak, and slow almost to a halt. Physical aging seems to stop, and the period of restlessness often fades.
Additional Information
Facial characteristics
Tieflings have bright eyes that have a slight glow. Their teeth are sharp and their gums are often dark, almost black. They have horns that sprout from their forehead or scalp. They can have anywhere from two to six horns in a variety of patterns.
Lifespan
Unknown
Average Height
Based on mother species, often a little bit taller
Average Weight
Based on mother race, often a little lighter
Body Tint, Colouring and Marking
Tieflings' skin is often slightly shiny, and they usually have their mother's skin tone with a more metallic tint over it.