Tieflings of Light

Don't be fooled by my horns, I am a good person, I have not killed, I have not stolen, I am a simple bookseller and follower of the light, I swear by the Sun itself.

— A Tiefling of Light to a foreigner

Origins

According to mythology (and to the tieflings of light themselves) their origins can be traced to the Time of the Heroes when most of the time humans and elves were fighting against the Tieflings.
It is said that their turn into the light didn't happen at the same time and at the same place.
One story told by Elves and Tieflings of Light tells us that at a battle between both races the Gods appared to fight alongside the Elves. The Tieflings rather than try to fight for the cause of darkness fanstically as theh used to do became affraid and laid down their weapons begging for mercy. The gods took pitty on them and spared their lives. The Sun god then proceed to purify their souls and made the elves swear an oath of friendship with this Tieflings and viceversa.
Another Myth, widely spread in the continent of Teria tells us that many Tieflings were captured by the Gods and imprisioned inside an orb.The orb sent them to another dimension where they spent hundreds or thousands of years reflexioning about the sins they had commited. And once their souls were cleansed they were allow to return to the mortal plain where they were incorporated into society.
Despite this process there were still some prejudices against them for a while, specially in the continent of Teria, but a couple of centuries before the beginning of the current era most of them had already assimilated into the societies they were living in.

Tieflings in the Kingdom of Iumela

Iumela was, and still is, the region of the continent of Karia where most of the Tieflings of Light live, alongside indigenous humans and harpy groups. For centuries they defended this area, alongside the Elves of Southern Seria, against their evil brothers as well as the Dark Elves. Iumela also became known as Tieflingland because Tieflings were the mayority of the population where an interesting mixture of Tiefling and Human Nari culture developed.

Tieflings under the Lotus Empire

Iumela was annexed by the Lotus Empire founded by the Desert Elf Audyn Dynasty in the 800s BP. The region enjoyed peace and prosperity for many centuries benefiting from the wise rule of the Lotus Emperors. It was during this period that the Lotus Empire government began settling Harpies from the north and also ecouraging human migration from the neighbouring regions in order to strengthen the defenses of Iumela against the Dark Elves.
In the process they created a multicultural society with elven, human and Tiefling influences, all united under a single empire and with a common cause, fight the darkness in the South and prevent it from spreading to other regions of Karia.
Tieflings also benefited for the ideology of the Lotus Emperors, which emphasized that the message of the Elven Gods could be adopted by all creatures who practiced light magic. Thus, many Tieflings converted to the Elven religion and especially to the worship of the sun. Many adopted Elven names, and some, like Almorell the Wise, became Great Viziers, or great generals like Arethyl yn Allman.

Diaspora across Yeia

The diaspora of the Light Tieflings, especially on the continent of Karia, began with the dismemberment of the Lotus Empire after the assassination of its last monarch, Althan yn Kumi El-Audyn, in 176 AP. Iumela regained its independence, under an elective monarchy. From that moment on, Iumela had serious problems controlling the border, despite the help of the Sun Elves and the Seris Empire, even being conquered by the Dark Elves in 490 AP.
Many Tieflings flew to the north helped to the north alongside the Harpies, to the Nari Kingdoms or to Unhelion. While others decided to go the West to the Seris Empire and beyond, even crossing the Suris Strait and settleling in the Blatian Empire, some brought with them centuries of cultural and scientific development under the Lotus Emperors, and some even joined the Order of the Knights of Light in these last two centuries.
In 689 AP after the battle of Yahi Bay and the battle of Argen Pass the coalition formed by Unhelion; the Seris Empire, the Nari Kingdom of Gorhas and the Republic of Valia restored the Kingdom of Iumela, choosing Afarell I as the first king of the restored Kingdom. Soon communities of Light Tieflings began resettling in the area as well as Nari humans and Harpies, like in the old times, but the population of the restored Iumela is just a shadow of its former self, but things are slowly improving.

Light Tieflings society

Organization

The key core of the Light Tiefling society is is organized around the family. In communities in the diaspora this is usually emphasized more since the Tieflings of the light normally live close to each other in the same neighborhoods, although at no time are these separated from the rest of the city, that is to say the Tieflings of the Light are not confined to specific areas, but being small communities in most cases, except in the large capitals such as Ymhilean, Sakouramish, Blati or Boria on the Delta.
The Father and Mother of the family are those who give their blessing for a marriage, who make sacrifices to the gods for the protection of their family and even those who give the go-ahead for their children's work.
Although they generally obey the laws of the countries where they reside, disputes between light tieflings are usually resolved or mediated by the elders of the community. These are also very important figures, and ones that the light tieflings have special esteem and veneration for, since they are generally the priests of their respective religions, and they usually advise other members of the community when a problem arises.

Religious beliefs

On the continent of Karia, most of these Tieflings follow the religion of the elves, and observe the same traditions and rituals as them. This is something they share with some communities of Nari humans and with the Harpies of the north of the continent.
The communities settled in Teria generally follow the religions of the countries where they live. For example, in Blati, the Tieflings are followers of the Reformed Church.
Yemuism is also a fairly widespread religion among the Tieflings of Teria, as it emphasizes their ability to channel magic at the same level as the elves and also because of its emphasis on fighting the forces of evil with light magic.

Customs

Most of the customs of the Tieflings of Light are based on the cultures and countries in which they were born. In this sense they are no different from the majority of the population in those countries. What is certain is that most Tieflings, both women and men, like to have curly hair and adorn their ears with earrings and silk ribbons.

Common professions

Many Light Tieflings have jobs related to culture, many are librarians, teachers of magic, librarians, clerks, but they are also highly valued as bodyguards, mercenaries and adventurers, due to their robust physique. In fact in places like Blati, Boria on the Delta or Baniasmost of the Tieflings have jobs related to Libraries or are members of the local Adventurer's Guilds.