Tiefling (pronounced: tiːflɪŋ)

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. Tieflings know that this is because of more often than not ancient fiendish lineage, they are the living proof of the devils hiding among us. Their appearance and their nature are not their fault. But those horns, tails, and tainted skin cause them to be accountable for the crime of their parents.
Slightly more common in major cities, where fiend lurking among humans, mating and creating tielfing are also more common.

Characteristics

Physical features

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.
Their skin tones cover the full range of human coloration, but also include various shades of red, blue, white or dark violet. Their hair, cascading down from behind their horns, is usually dark, from black or brown to dark red, blue, or purple. Their blood is blue.
Tiefling can possess hooves and a tail, which tends to be thinner on females. Tail lengths vary in both males and females though they are often on the longer side. They have thick tails, four to five feet long, which lash or coil around their legs when they get upset or nervous.
Most Tiefling have horns. The horn itself has no nerve endings and can be removed; however, they can still become irritated, thus the Tiefling have developed balm. Tieflings' horns can 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.
Their canine teeth are sharply pointed, and their eyes are solid colors—black, red, white, silver, or gold—with no visible sclera or pupil.

Biology

Tieflings have dominant genes, meaning there are no half-tieflings. Offspring born of crossbreeds will mostly inherit the tiefling traits.

Mental traits

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.

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

General Information

Scientific name
Homo altum humili
Geographic Distribution
/
Languages
Common, Infernal

Physiologie

Average Lifespan
90–150 years
Size
Medium
Average Height
150‒180 cm
Average Weight
51.7‒108 kg

Others