Tiefling
Blood of the Fallen
Tieflings in Erenel are the living echoes of an ancient betrayal, their existence tied not to infernal pacts but to the fall of Vyse Tyranal, the Fallen Elf and his cursed empire. Born from the remnants of the Tyranal Elves' descent into the Below, Tieflings carry the mark of the Stain, a dark legacy that twists their forms and infuses their blood with remnants of the corruption that reshaped their ancestors. Some Tieflings descend directly from the fallen Tyranal bloodlines, while others are born seemingly at random, their transformation triggered by the lingering magic of a long-forgotten past. Whether through lineage, fate, or dark influence, Tieflings are a reminder of what was lost and what may yet return.
To the world, Tieflings are often seen as harbingers of misfortune, their existence stirring fear and superstition among those who have studied the horrors of the Great Sacrifice. Many Elves reject them outright, while humans and other species meet them with unease or fascination, viewing their presence as an omen. Some Tieflings seek to forge their own path, rejecting the shadow of their ancestry, while others embrace the darkness within, searching for meaning in the remnants of their people’s forgotten power. Whether they walk in the light or the dark, all Tieflings must grapple with their place in a world that sees them as something unnatural.
Despite the stigma they carry, Tieflings are resilient survivors, gifted with abilities that set them apart from the reasoning species. Many possess an affinity for tethering into the bond, their souls still touched by what lingers in the Below. Yet, their greatest strength is not their power, but their unyielding will, for whether hunted, feared, or revered, Tieflings are a people who endure, forever seeking a future unshackled from their past.
Cursed Blood
The transformation into a Tiefling is not always inherited. Some Tieflings are born into Elf or Human families seemingly at random, their existence a result of the lingering magic that seeped into the world when Vyse Tyranal and his followers fell. This phenomenon is known as the Stain, a curse that runs deeper than mere bloodlines, tied to the very fabric of Erenel’s history.Children of the Below
Some Tieflings descend directly from the fallen Elves, inheriting the mutations of their ancestors who now reside in the Below.Cursed by Fate
Others are born with the Stain without explanation, their mortal blood warped by the lingering essence of Vyse Tyranal’s betrayal.Marked by the Above's Silence
There are cautionary tales of mortals who seek forbidden knowledge or dabble too deeply in the Below, only to be transformed into Tieflings upon their return to Erenel.Basic Information
Anatomy
Tieflings bear the marks of the Stain, their forms warped by the lingering corruption of the Below. Their skin varies from ashen gray to deep crimson, violet, or even pitch black and often appears unnaturally smooth or faintly luminescent in dim light. Their horns, a signature of their heritage, take many shapes. Some twisting like a ram’s, sleek and curved like an antelope’s, or jagged and fragmented as if partially broken.
They can possess elongated, claw-like fingers, while others have patches of hardened ridges. Their eyes glow in shades of red, gold, or silver, possibly lacking pupils as if gazing beyond the physical world. A Tiefling’s tail is often long and sinuous, flicking with subtle agitation when emotions run high, and their hair ranges in colors from dark obsidian to pale white, ember-like orange, or rich shades of violet and deep blue. No two Tieflings look exactly alike, for their forms are as chaotic and unpredictable as the legacy they carry.
Civilization and Culture
Culture and Cultural Heritage
Tiefling Legacies
A Tiefling’s legacy is determined by which layer of the Below their bloodline is connected to, shaping their appearance, abilities, and the curse they bear. While the Below has six layers of sin, only three have a direct influence on Tieflings, marking them as descendants. Whether their ancestry stems from infernal warriors, abyssal marauders, or cadaverous seducers, Tieflings carry the essence of their origin within their very being.
Broken Reach: Infernal Legacy
The Broken Reach is the first layer of sin, a land of endless war where legions of devils march, conquer, and fall, only to rise again. Tieflings of this lineage are the embodiment of discipline and wrath, their infernal heritage making them natural warriors, tacticians, and unyielding survivors.
Infernal Traits & Appearance
- Horns: Thick and ridged like a bull’s or goat’s.
- Skin: Crimson, obsidian, or molten-bronze flesh with scar-like markings that glow when angered. Some bear small spines along their arms and backs.
- Eyes: Piercing gold, ember-red, or glowing sulfuric yellow.
- Tail: Sinewy and whip-like, ending in a sharp barb or forked tip.
- Other Features: Sulfurous scent, heated skin, and deep voices that resonate with power.
Blood Fathoms: Abyssal Legacy
The Blood Fathoms, the second layer of sin, is a place of unruly chaos and rampant hunger, ruled by beings who thrive on destruction and savage instincts. Tieflings from this lineage are wild, impulsive, and unpredictable, their bodies infused with abyssal energy that manifests in feral traits and untamed magic.
Abyssal Traits & Appearance
- Horns: Jagged, twisted, or asymmetrical, resembling a ram’s or stag’s antlers. Some have multiple sets or spiraled growths.
- Skin: Dark maroon, ashen purple, or mottled black and gray, often scarred or cracked. Some have patches of fur or leathery hide.
- Eyes: Wild, glowing green, violet, or abyssal black with no whites.
- Tail: Thick, furred, or segmented, often ending in a club-like tip.
- Other Features: Sharp teeth, clawed fingers, and voices that shift between growling and melodic.
Nydus Hive: Chthonic Legacy
The Nydus Hive, the third layer of sin, is an unsettling realm of decadence, temptation, and forgotten things, where those who once ruled the mortal world linger in shadow, feeding on desire and obsession. Tieflings from this lineage possess an unearthly beauty, their bodies eerily flawless yet undeniably wrong, exuding an aura of forbidden allure that unsettles even the most hardened souls.
Chthonic Traits & Appearance
- Horns: Elegant, smooth, and curved, often resembling succubus-like ridges or bone crowns.
- Skin: Pale gray, ghostly white, or soft lilac, often cold to the touch. Their flesh seems too smooth, almost porcelain-like.
- Eyes: Hypnotic silver, pale pink, or milky white.
- Tail: Thin and wispy, sometimes appearing ethereal or translucent at the edges.
- Other Features: Elongated fingers, slow deliberate movements, and voices that sound like whispers layered over one another.
Lifespan
Around 150 years
Average Height
Medium (about 4–7 feet tall) or Small (about 2–4 feet tall)
Geographic Distribution
Xarlech
Character played by Rasrika
Lightbound
Lightbound Legacy
Some Tieflings, whether through capture or surrender, have been taken into the custody of the First Wardens, the angelic choir led by Raduriel the Redeemer. These Tieflings, once prisoners of Sanctuary, Prison of True Law, were purged of their past malevolence, their wickedness suppressed by the divine magic of the Light’s Sigil.
This sacred mark serves as a angelic lobotomy, shielding them from their past sins but locking away their memories, leaving them to navigate their new existence without the burden of their former self. Are they truly redeemed, or merely a hollow shell of who they once were? The answer lies in the choices they make, whether they seek to unravel the mysteries of their past or embrace the future "gifted" to them by celestial grace.
Lightbound Tieflings bear faint traces of their fiendish ancestry, but their form has been altered by their time in Sanctuary, making them stand apart from their kin. Their skin glows faintly in the dark, ranging in tones of soft gold, silvery-white, or pale blue, sometimes appearing marbled with veins of radiant energy.
Their horns are smooth and graceful, often resembling curved halos or delicate ridges of polished ivory rather than the jagged growths of their fallen kin. Many possess luminescent eyes and glowing sigils upon their foreheads or hands. A faint halo-like shimmer follows them in moments of deep contemplation, a subtle reminder of their celestial rebirth.
by Forrest Imel
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