Tiefling

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 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.
Ability Scores: Choose one of:

• (a) Choose any +2; choose any other +1
• (b) Choose any +1; choose any other +1; choose any other +1

Size: Medium
Speed: 30 ft.
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.
The ancestral pact that has sealed your fate can be tied to one of the lords of hell or to the Chaos of the Abys. When you choose this race at character creation you must pick one of the following traits.

• Legacy of Kaixik: You know the friends cantrip. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the charm person 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 suggestion 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.
• Legacy of Meridian: You know the thaumaturgy cantrip. Once you reach 3rd level, you can cast the False Life spell as a 2nd-level spell with this trait; you regain the ability to cast it when you finish a long rest. Once you reach 5th level, you can also cast the Hold Person spell once per day with this trait; you regain the ability to cast it when you finish a long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
• Legacy of Narchisear: You know the mage hand cantrip. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the burning hands 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 flame blade 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.
• Legacy of Nox: You know the thaumaturgy cantrip. Once you reach 3rd level, you can cast the Command spell as a 2nd-level spell with this trait; you regain the ability to cast it when you finish a long rest. Once you reach 5th level, you can also cast the Enthrall spell once per day with this trait; you regain the ability to cast it when you finish a long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
• Legacy of Strix: You know the minor illusion cantrip. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the Hunter's Mark 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 invisibility 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.
• Legacy of Vix Az: You know the Infestation cantrip. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the ray of sickness 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 crown of madness 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.
• Legacy of Zartathrun: You know the thaumaturgy cantrip. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the searing smite 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 branding smite 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.
• Legacy of Zethek: You know the thaumaturgy cantrip. Once you reach 3rd level, you can cast the hellish rebuke spell as a 2nd-level spell with this trait; you regain the ability to cast it when you finish a long rest. Once you reach 5th level, you can also cast the darkness spell once per day with this trait; you regain the ability to cast it when you finish a long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
• Legacy of Zissia: You know the ray of frost cantrip. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the armor of Agathys 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.
• Legacy of the Abys: You know the thaumaturgy cantrip. Once you reach 3rd level, you can cast the Chaos Bolt spell as a 2nd-level spell with this trait; you regain the ability to cast it when you finish a long rest. Once you reach 5th level, you can also cast the darkness spell once per day with this trait; you regain the ability to cast it when you finish a long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.

Basic Information

Anatomy

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.

Additional Information

Social Structure

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.

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, and 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 quest. For others, its a grim destiny.
Male Infernal Names: Akmenos, Amnon, Harahas, Ekernon, Tados, Kairon, Leucis, Melech, Morthos, Pelaios, Skamos, Therai
Female Infernal Names: Akra, Anakis, Bryseis, Criella, Ea, Kallista. Lerissa, Makaria, Nemeia, Phelaia, Rieta
Virtue Names: Art, Carrion, Chant, Creed, Despair, Fear, Glory, Hope, Ideal, Music, Nowhere, Poetry, Quest, Random, Reverence, Sorrow, Torment, Weary

Major Language Groups and Dialects

You can speak, read, and write Common and Infernal.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

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, a tiefling learns to extend the same trust to them. And once a tiefling gives someone loyalty, the tiefling is a friend or ally for life.

Lifespan

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

Average Height

Tieflings are about the same size and build as humans.

Related Ethnicities

• Aedreth Native (Aztlani)
• Aedreth Settlers
• Chahari
• Ereos
• Jianyu
• Midgard
• Muten
• Nemthraz
• Northern Aetrus
• Yashiro