Tiefling
"But do you see the way people look at you, devil's child." Those black eyes, cold as a winter storm, were staring right into her heart and the sudden seriousness in his voice jolted her. "What is it they say?" he asked. "One's a curiosity, two's a conspiracy-" "Three's a curse," she finished. "You think I haven't heard that rubbish before?" "I know you have." When she glared at him, he added, "It's not as if I'm plumbing the depths of your mind, dear girl. That is the burden of every tiefling. Some break under it, some make it the millstone around their neck, some revel in it." He tilted his head again, scrutinizing her, with that wicked glint in his eyes. "You fight it, don't you? Like a little wildcat, I wager. Every little jab and comment just sharpens your claws."To be greeted with stares and whispers, to suffer violence and insult on the street, to see mistrust and fear in every eye: this is the lot of the tiefling. And to twist the knife, tieflings know that this is because a pact struck generations ago infused the essence of Asmodeus—overlord of the Nine Hells—into their bloodline. Their appearance and their nature are not their fault but the result of an ancient sin, for which they and their children and their children’s children will always be held accountable.
-Erin M. Evans, Brimstone Angels
Infernal Bloodline
Tieflings are derived from human bloodlines, and in the broadest possible sense, they still look human. However, their infernal heritage has left a clear imprint on their appearance. Tieflings have large horns that take any of a variety of shapes: some have curling horns like a ram, others have straight and tall horns like a gazelle’s, and some spiral upward like an antelopes’ horns. They have thick tails, four to five feet long, which lash or coil around their legs when they get upset or nervous. Their canine teeth are sharply pointed, and their eyes are solid colors—black, red, white, silver, or gold—with no visible sclera or pupil. Their skin tones cover the full range of human coloration, but also include various shades of red. Their hair, cascading down from behind their horns, is usually dark, from black or brown to dark red, blue, or purple.Self-Reliant and Suspicious
Tieflings subsist in small minorities found mostly in human cities or towns, often in the roughest quarters of those places, where they grow up to be swindlers, thieves, or crime lords. Sometimes they live among other minority populations in enclaves where they are treated with more respect. Lacking a homeland, tieflings know that they have to make their own way in the world and that they have to be strong to survive. They are not quick to trust anyone who claims to be a friend, but when a tiefling’s companions demonstrate that they trust him or her, the tiefling learns to extend the same trust to them. And once a tiefling gives someone loyalty, the tiefling is a firm friend or ally for life.Basic Information
Anatomy
Your tiefling might not look like other tieflings. Rather than having the physical characteristics described in the Player’s Handbook, choose 1d4 + 1 of the following features: small horns; fangs or sharp teeth; a forked tongue; catlike eyes; six fingers on each hand; goat-like legs; cloven hoofs; a forked tail; leathery or scaly skin; red or dark blue skin; cast no shadow or reflection; exude a smell of brimstone.
Biological Traits
Tieflings have a number of abilities gifted to them by their fiendish heritage. By and large, tieflings are alluring and intelligent creatures, with a seductive aura in spite of their obviously evil ancestry. To a large degree, tieflings are more capable of guile than a great number of races, but these are not their dominant qualities. Tieflings also have an innate resistance to heat and have a hint of bloodlust that gives them a slight edge in combat. Tieflings also have access to an ability known as infernal wrath, which channels their innate rage and potential for evil into their attacks for added effectiveness. Some tieflings also learn to unlock their fiendish potential further, sprouting wings such as those borne by many fiends. Some tieflings also have the innate ability to cast a darkness spell, though not all of the race exhibits this trait.
Additional Information
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Being the result of fiendish interference with humans, tieflings have no true homeland and are found throughout the world of Dragonforged. The race is particularly common, however, in Cantor. Tieflings also once had a large presence in the Ganasian Islands, where many were seen as the embodiment of spirits; though the latter's population was said to have been vastly exaggerated.
In the 17th century, tieflings were most commonly found in Cantor, where the race was believed to have first appeared in ancient times. Many tieflings are also found throughout the Dragonforged continent, particularly in the cosmopolitan city of Glasgow, as well as parts of the Ulkan peninsula.
Civilization and Culture
Naming Traditions
Tiefling names fall into three broad categories. Tieflings born into another culture typically have names reflective of that culture. Some have names derived from the Infernal language, passed down through generations, that reflect their fiendish heritage. And some younger tieflings, striving to find a place in the world, adopt a name that signifies a virtue or other concept and then try to embody that concept. For some, the chosen name is a noble quest. For others, it’s a grim destiny.
Male Infernal Names: Akmenos, Amnon, Barakas, Damakos, Ekemon, Iados, Kairon, Leucis, Melech, Mordai, Morthos, Pelaios, Skamos, Therai
Female Infernal Names: Akta, Anakis, Bryseis, Criella, Damaia, Ea, Kallista, Lerissa, Makaria, Nemeia, Orianna, Phelaia, Rieta
“Virtue” Names: Art, Carrion, Chant, Creed, Despair, Excellence, Fear, Glory, Hope, Ideal, Music, Nowhere, Open, Poetry, Quest, Random, Reverence, Sorrow, Temerity, Torment, Weary
Culture and Cultural Heritage
Like other races that are the result of the breeding of two or more others, tieflings have no true culture they could call their own. However, there are many archetypal features of tieflings that are not necessarily innate. This includes their attitude regarding their heritage, and while some tieflings embrace it, others are repulsed by it, forging the two most common stereotypes of tieflings.
The former tieflings, who are proud of their fiendish past, are often fascinated by the dark and sinister events that touch the world, but are not necessarily evil or inclined to perpetuate them. Some tieflings of this type choose to use their knowledge of evil and their own fiendish abilities to thwart these dark plots and schemes. Others seek to learn more and to emulate these evil deeds.
Other tieflings are ashamed or even frightened of their heritage and wish only to escape the shadow that lurks over them as a result. Some do this through constantly doing good, as though to make up for the evil that begot them. Others instead hide and try to go unnoticed as they pass through the world, preferring to be ignored and forgotten than noticed and made a target because of their past.
Regardless of their motivations, tieflings often distrust one another, sometimes even casting the same preconceptions on one another that others do on them. In spite of this, many secretly desire to have another tiefling nearby, if only to experience some small kind of kinship. Some of these tieflings gather as partners-in-crime, while others are sought out by good tieflings who hope to redeem others of their race.
Personality
Tieflings are known for their cunning and personal allure, which make them excellent deceivers as well as inspiring leaders when prejudices are laid aside. Although their evil ancestors could be many generations removed, the taint lingers. Unlike half-fiends, tieflings are not predisposed to evil alignments and vary in alignment nearly as widely as full humans, though tieflings are certainly devious. The celestial counterparts of tieflings are called aasimar. Although it was not always the case, tieflings tend to have better reflexes than their human kin. This, along with their natural propensity for hiding and deceit helped to give tieflings a reputation for thievery and duplicity. Most tieflings are aware from an early age that they are different from others around them, and are given to strange urges and desires because of their unusual ancestry. Few tieflings are raised with the love a normal human child might expect to receive and this shapes most of the race into bitter individuals who expect eventual rejection from all whom they meet. While some would follow this path towards evil, others reject it wholeheartedly and seek to make a good impact on the world around them, sometimes becoming the most heroic characters of all. Few can maintain this discipline however, and most tieflings fall somewhere between both extremes. Because tieflings are generally distrusted throughout the world, owing to their fiendish heritage, many are themselves distrusting and self-reliant. Tieflings are also proud and secretive by nature and possess a dark demeanor. Unfortunately, this only helps to further the reputation tieflings have for being social outcasts and untrustworthy scoundrels. However, members of other races would find that once they demonstrate friendship and trust towards a tiefling, it would quickly be reciprocated in full. Once that bond is forged, it is rarely broken.Arcane & Divine
Those tieflings who seek power through arcane magic are most often warlocks. Tiefling arcane spellcasters of all kinds, however, feel a draw towards the fiendish energies of the planes and tiefling wizards commonly specialize as diviners for the purposes of seeking knowledge of the Lower Planes or as conjurers so that they might summon the dark spirits whom they call kin. Those tieflings who are religious are a varied lot, since no god held more sway over tieflings than any other, though Asmodeus, as the lord over the fiendish race of devils, may come close. Most tieflings call on one of the primary gods of their homeland, though there are exceptions. Leira, the goddess of luck, for instance, appeals to many of the race, owing to tieflings' collective sense of misfortune. Many evil tieflings who channel their dark emotions into aggression often find themselves in the service of Talos, as well.Interspecies Relations and Assumptions
Tieflings, in general, don't get along well with the other races of the world and are slow to trust others of any race, even their own. This animosity that tieflings have for others is taken to its extreme in the case of aasimar, whom tieflings instinctively fear or loathe. Devas often have a similar reaction, making it difficult for members of either race to successfully interact with each other. Of all the common races, tieflings feel the most kinship with half-orcs, who are similarly a target of revulsion and hate.
Lifespan
Tieflings mature at the same rate as humans but live a few years longer.
Average Height
Tieflings are about the same size and build as humans.
Average Weight
Of similar weight to humans.