tiefling

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 often solid colors—black, red, white, silver, or gold, although sometimes their sclera is burnt ash instead of white. Depending on the lineage, some even have relatively human-esque eyes. Their skin tones cover the full range of human coloration, but also include various other shades.  In short, tieflings come in various shapes and sizes. 

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.

Lineages 

The physical appearance of a tiefling often depends on the exact ancestry that spawned them, a bloodline that might have remained dormant for generations. Diabolic or demonic tieflings can, besides the common horns and tails, possess a forked tongue, leathery or scaly skin, the smell of brimstone, or unusually warm flesh. Some accounts even hold these tieflings to cast neither shadows nor reflections. Some diabolic tieflings also sport goat-like legs or hooves. Tieflings descended from rakshasa might have furred skin or feline eyes. Those descended from night hags could have small horns, glowing red eyes, or bruised, blue skin.  Some tieflings are not descended from mere fiends at all, but from powerful gods. These tieflings often have their own physical characteristics that set them apart. Tieflings sired by Beshaba, for instance, often have antlers instead of horns and pale, white hair. Those sired by Mask, on the other hand, are known for their tendency to cast no reflection. 
In 1358 DR, a warlock coven known as the Toril thirteen performed a ritual that cursed most tiefling lineages—those of demons, devils, hags, and rakshasas, among others—with the "blood of Asmodeus", changing their original lineage with that of the archdevil himself. This was done to make Asmodeus a "racial god", ensuring him enough followers to attain godly powers. After the Spellplague of 1385 DR, when Asmodeus became a god, the magic of the ritual took effect across all of Toril and afterwards most tieflings living in the 15th century DR were of the Asmodean lineage, no matter which fiend was the original origin of the lineage. 
Prior to Asmodeus's ascension to godhood, the infernal blood could be diluted through intermarriage, but afterward, the union of a tiefling with another race always produced a tiefling child. However, it is quite common for tieflings to stick together and have strong communities for themselves within other, larger communities. 
In the late years of the 15th century, tieflings of other bloodlines began to be born again, but the Asmodean lineage was still the most numerous by a wide margin at the time. 

Perceived Personalities

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. 

Most tieflings are aware from an early age that they are different from others around them, and would give in to strange urges and desires because of their unusual ancestry. Often tieflings born into relatively human households are not raised with the love a normal human child might expect to receive and this shapes most to grow up to expect eventual rejection from all whom they meet. While some would follow this path towards evil, others reject it wholeheartedly and sought to make a good impact on the world around them, sometimes becoming the most heroic characters of all. However, tiefling children raised in tiefling households are often regarded with overwhelming kindness and love, and are raised to value gentleness and community. 
Because tieflings are generally distrusted throughout the world, owing to their fiendish heritage, many tend to be 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 demonstrated friendship and trust towards a tiefling, it would quickly be reciprocated in full. Once that bond is forged, it is rarely broken. 

Combat and the arcane

Those tieflings who sought power through arcane magic are most often warlocks. Tiefling arcane spellcasters of all kinds, however, tend to 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 called kin. Many of the most acclaimed planar researchers are in fact tieflings, although human history books often tend to gloss over this detail.  Tieflings 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 fiendish potential 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 exhibited this trait. Most others learn the thaumaturgy cantrip at a young age, able to manipulate the world around them in small quantities.

Basic Information

Biological Traits

Tieflings tend to have an unsettling air about them, and most people are uncomfortable around them, whether they are aware of the tiefling's unsavory ancestry or not. While some look like normal humans, most retain physical characteristics derived from their ancestor, with the most common such features being horns, prehensile or non-prehensile tails, and pointed teeth, particularly the canines. Some tieflings also have eyes that were solid orbs of black, red, white, silver, or gold, while others have eyes more similar to those of humans. Some had sclera that was much darker than humans', with pupils that glow in the dark. Other, more unusual characteristics included a sulfurous odor, cloven feet, or a general aura of discomfort they left on others. In many other ways, tieflings are similar to humans physically. Tieflings are, on average, just as tall as humans, from 5 feet and 6 inches to 6 feet and 2 inches (170 to 190 centimeters) and of similar builds. Although it is not always the case, tieflings tend to have better reflexes than their human kin. This, along with their natural propensity for hiding and deceit, helps to give tieflings a reputation for thievery and duplicity. 
Often, tieflings have complexion regarded as "unnatural" by humankind, but having more human-like complexion is considered rare by tiefling standards. 
Tieflings who have strikingly inhuman features have often sadly been killed at birth by their horrified parents or others in the community, if the community is not mainly tieflings themselves. Only those tieflings with subtle features or born to someone indifferent to their appearance, either out of acceptance or cruel purpose, are likely to reach adulthood. Those tieflings who do reach adulthood could be expected to age at roughly the same rate. They have life spans roughly 20 to 40 years longer than normal humans. Due to stigma, most tieflings tend to live in their own communities and avoid contact with other folks.

Additional Information

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Darkvision 
Thanks to their infernal heritage, tieflings have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. They can see in dim light within 60 feet of them as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. Tieflings can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Hellish Resistance 
Tieflings have natural resistance to any fire damage.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

Many tieflings tend to navigate towards self-given virtue names and nicknames given to them by loved ones. Often these names are the types to invite good luck and kindness to the bearer of the name. In many communities, the name given to the tiefling by their parents is only used within family, others opting to use nicknames instead.

Major Language Groups and Dialects

Infernal is the language of the baatezu, a subtype of devils, and of the Nine Hells. Infernal was brought to Toril through contact with fiends from other planes. It is described as harsh and snakelike, almost alien in nature, since it developed among beings with thought patterns very unlike those of humanity. Clerics often take the time to learn it, and although Infernal does not have any official transcribed script, it is most often transcribed by clerical alphabets, depending on the region. Apart from being used for communication between the devils, in its written form it is also used to pen down infernal contracts.
The Infernal tongue is tied closely to the baatezu caste system, being divided into four parts. Though each part uses the same basic foundation, each expresses different concepts and uses different words. The tongue of the least baatezu, such as the spined devils, is a simple, harsh tongue suited for shouting commands across a battlefield.
The tongue of the lesser baatezu is equal to any mortal tongue in complexity, used to communicate abstract concepts such as honor or hate. It is less gravelly than the tongue of the least baatezu, though not exactly musical. Most non-devils who learn Infernal learn this variation of it.
The stilted, formal, grating yet strangely melodic tongue of the greater baatezu is full of obscure patterns that seem to meander misleadingly before snapping to an unexpected point. Speaking it properly requires very careful planning and the ability to respond intelligently to phrases based only on the most subtle of cues. It is said that two greater baatezu could hold entire conversations in this form of Infernal using only the beginnings of their sentences. It is nearly impossible for mortals to learn, especially if they do not hold any tiefling ancestry. 
The fourth form of Infernal is the court language of Baator, used only by pit fiends and the archdevils. This form of the language is so utterly corrupt and evil that its malevolence can drag listeners into hateful despair just through hearing its patterns.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

Ignorant people tend to be suspicious of tieflings, assuming that their infernal heritage has left its mark on their personality and morality, not just their appearance. The reality is that a tiefling’s bloodline doesn’t affect their personality. They are gifted with magic from the infernal realms but chart their own course in life.

Genetic Ancestor(s)

• demon

Scientific Name

homo sapiens infernalis

Lifespan

90-150 years

Average Height

170 to 190 centimeters without horns