Tiefling

Bleeding, Papu dove for cover as the claw came crashing down where he stood. Regardless, the beast was on top of him in an instant. He braced for what was sure to be the final blow. Just then, an arrow pierced the creature’s neck. Then one took it in its eye. The monster took one last staggering step toward the shaman before keeling over. “I thought I was done for. I don’t know what I’d do without that beautiful horned head of yours!” he huffed as Wither hopped down from her perch. “You softened it up for me, eshgham,” she smirked wryly. He wouldn’t think they were so beautiful if he knew where those horns came from, the thought pushed itself into her mind, forcing her to shove it aside. Papu must have seen the all-too-familiar shadow pass over her face; he quickly distracted her. “The old ruins are over the next hill - we’ll be rich by nightfall, my dear,” he hurried. “Don’t jinx it!” she said beaming and hurried to keep up.

Tieflings are creatures born of malice and brimstone. Feared by mortal society for their sinister appearance and the infernal taint that they are known to possess, Tieflings live apart. Despite having no control over their heritage, they are shunned and cast out. Touched by Evil Tieflings are the result of fiends mingling with humans. Born of human mothers, they are either the fruit of a direct physical coupling between fiend and mortal, or part of a bloodline - a consequence of an old pact made by an ancestor. Tieflings are humanoids that bear a set of large horns on their heads. These horns vary greatly with antelope, goat, and ram horns being prominent. They also sport large tails, usually thick and 4-5 feet long, but other varieties have been observed. Their eyes are solid black, red, or white, or more rarely, they have a reptilian appearance. Their skin varies greatly depending on their human background, but usually with a red hue. Stories report that jet-black, shiny skin is possible. The tieflings' canine teeth are large and wickedly pointed. Cast to the Shadows No society of tieflings is known to exist. Therefore, they must survive amongst the mortals that fear, and often loathe them. This prejudice and the difficulties that it brings to a tiefling’s life-experiences creates a strong sense of self-sufficiency and defiant independence. Like half-elves and other marginalized hybrid races, tieflings tend to gravitate toward dangerous and lonely endeavors. Often their ostracization limits the opportunities available to them and many turn to a life of crime. Some tieflings, angry at the mortals that have shunned them, turn toward a dark path and embrace their infernal heritage through dark magics.

There are no tieflings native to the Bukana isles. This fact has attracted many foreign fiend-touched to a land with little prejudice toward their kind, particularly one with so many opportunities. In particular, many Harasani tieflings of shayatin heritage have made the voyage. While locals may not understand the nature of a tiefling’s appearance, there is yet something fundamentally disturbing about their presence, so their lives are still far from easy here. There have been some notable tieflings to attain success in the islands, particularly in the criminal underworld and in the monster-hunting field. Love and Gender No generalizations about tiefling gender or sexuality can be made. Many individuals exist across all identity spectrums.

Tiefling Names Most tieflings have names consistent with the culture in which they were raised. For those who are part of closer-knit bloodlines, sometimes infernal names are used. Often, a tiefling will take a nickname, either of an animal, or trait to which they aspire.