Tiefling

Basic Information

Anatomy

Tieflings often have horns, tails and some even wings. They often have fang-like teeth, crazy skin colors (purple, red, orange), and sometimes even demonic bone protrusions, increasing their intimidating visage.

Biological Traits

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.

Growth Rate & Stages

Tieflings mature at the same rate as humans but live a few years longer.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

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

Major Language Groups and Dialects

Tieflings know both Infernal and Common. Infernal, interestingly, is something that is inherently known by tiefling infants, something that is suspected to be because of their blood heritage. To non-fiend or hellish individuals, it's hard to speak infernal without a heavy accent, as the voices of the more native individuals seem to echo with crackling fire and rolling rocks.

Culture and Cultural Heritage

Tieflings are all outcasts, and often band together in defiance of whichever society they are oppressed by. Often, tieflings sign up with thieves' guilds or other dubious organizations, able to freely enact their wills without having to worry about their oppressors.

Lifespan

Approx. 120 years

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Tieflings are colored in strange variances of blue, red and orange, even yellow - Most colors are not off the table when there is talk of a tiefling. It's not unusual for Tieflings to add tattoos to commemorate important events, or to represent their virtue name.