Tieflings (Wildemount)

TIEFLINGS
Centuries have passed since the tieflings first faced persecution for their fiendish heritage in the Age of Arcanum. Although a certain mystique still surrounds their kind, most people in Wildemount grew up alongside tieflings, and the tides of war have brought tiefling soldiers, merchants, and entertainers into even the most rural and isolated regions of the continent. For the most part, only overzealously devout paladins and folk raised on the dark tales of an ancient age might actively wish harm on tieflings.
Exandrian tieflings have a wide array of skin tones, all of them vibrant and colorful. The most common hue is a deep crimson, but shades of purple, blue, green, and even yellow and pink have been seen throughout the world. It's not known what causes these variations, as even tiefling parents with the same skin tone can have children of wildly different colors.

TIEFLINGS IN THE DWENDALIAN EMPIRE
Most imperial tiefiings live in the cities of the empire or in small communes in the countryside. Many are encouraged by their parents to join the Crownsguard or the Righteous Brand to valiantly serve the empire, and a direct connection can be drawn between the tieflings' ancient persecution and their focus on military service. Centuries ago, countless tieflings joined the armies of the Julous Dominion in hopes of winning glory and proving themselves the equals of their oppressors. Over time, many found acceptance in the eyes of the Julous people and its government, eventually becoming hardline loyalists of the Julous Dominion. Their spirits were thus crushed when the dominion fell to the mighty armies of the invading Dwendalian Empire. Three generations have passed since the fall of the dominion, and many adult tieflings still remember the war stories their grandparents told them as children. The empire's propagandists have been quick to capitalize on this, stoking a hunger for glory that sees the lives of eager tiefiings fuel the imperial war machine.

TIEFLINGS ON THE MENAGERIE COAST
Tiefiings' extravagant skin tones and striking horns are considered attractive in the culture of the Clovis Concord, and many tiefiings have capitalized on this reaction to become entertainers. Some of the best-known tiefiing actors, gladiators, and musicians found their start on the Menagerie Coast-as have innumerable entertainers of the bawdier sort, including the prominent Nicodranas courtesan known as Ruby of the Sea. Many such performers have gone on to perform at the court of King Bertrand Dwendal, or to tour the distant lands of Tal'Dorei and Marquet.

TIEFLINGS IN XHORHAS
Some legends talk o f how the first tieflings were born in Ghor Dranas. Asmodeus, Lord of the Nine Hells, is said to have tempted a number of that city's original inhabitants into tying their bloodlines to his own infernal power in exchange for magical knowledge. Though the truth of the tale is impossible to confirm, Rosohna maintains a significant tiefiing population, and tiefiings are a common sight in Kryn society.

A BIT MORE ABOUT TIEFLINGS (from DND BEYOND - D&D Basic rules p.42)
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.
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.
Tiefling Names
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

Basic Information

Biological Traits

Tiefling Traits
Tieflings share certain racial traits as a result of their infernal descent.

Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence score increases by 1, and your Charisma score increases by 2.
Age. Tieflings mature at the same rate as humans but live a few years longer.
Alignment. Tieflings might not have an innate tendency toward evil, but many of them end up there. Evil or not, an independent nature inclines many tieflings toward a chaotic alignment.
Size. Tieflings are about the same size and build as humans. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision. Thanks to your infernal heritage, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Hellish Resistance. You have resistance to fire damage.
Infernal Legacy. You know the thaumaturgy cantrip. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the hellish rebuke spell as a 2nd-level spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. When you reach 5th level, you can cast the darkness spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Infernal.

Tiefling Subraces
There are no official subraces for tieflings, however that does not mean we cannot come up with some options. If you wish, we can homebrew a subrace to fit your character or you may choose to select one of the Tiefling subraces in the Unearthed Arcana document "Fiendish Options" from Wizards of the Coast. As this document is playtest content, we will work together to iron out any wrinkles. The "Half-Breed" homebrew race may be worth looking at for more customization. Lots of options are possible, such as the infamous little blue tiefling - Jester Lavorre from Critical Role, a trickery domain cleric whose Hellish Rebuke ability does cold damage instead of fire due to her fathers Water Genasi heritage.

MUTUAL MISTRUST
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. Shopkeepers keep a close eye on their goods when tieflings enter their stores, the town watch might follow a tiefling around for a while, and demagogues blame tieflings for strange happenings. The reality, though, is that a tiefling’s bloodline doesn’t affect his or her personality to any great degree. Years of dealing with mistrust does leave its mark on most tieflings, and they respond to it in different ways. Some choose to live up to the wicked stereotype, but others are virtuous. Most are simply very aware of how people respond to them. After dealing with this mistrust throughout youth, a tiefling often develops the ability to overcome prejudice through charm or intimidation.