Tieflings

A Tiefling crouched with a dagger and wand.

Tieflings are medium humanoids of infernal heritage and nature. They are feared and mistrusted throughout most societies, and often prove themselves worthy of such reactions.

## Physiology

Tieflings are derived from human bloodlines, and in the broadest possible sense, they still look human. Like humans, their height typically ranges from 5 feet to a little over 6 feet tall and their weight from 125 to 250 pounds.

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.

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 and purple.

Their hair, cascading down from behind their horns, is usually dark, from black or brown to dark red, blue, or purple. They do not grow facial hair.

## Common Personality Traits

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. Given that so many live up to the wicked stereotype, this is understandable. Though virtuous tieflings do exist, they are exceedingly rare. It can be quite difficult to tell if tieflings that seem virtuous truly are, since they are so often incredibly adept at charming and intimidating everyone around them.

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, leading many of them to pursuits of power and riches, often by whatever means necessary.

It is unwise to trust a tiefling that claims to be a friend. Loyalty is a foreign concept to all but the most rare and virtuous of tieflings.

## Society

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.

#### How Other Races React

Tieflings are less widespread than dwarves, elves, halflings, and humans. In big cities, most people give them a wide berth, but otherwise ignore them. In the small towns and villages that dot the countryside, however, things are different. While Half-orcs are greeted with a practical caution, tiefings are the subject of supernatural fear. The evil of their heritage is plainly visible in their features, and as far as most people are concerned, a tiefing could very well be a devil straight from the Nine Hells. People might make warding signs as a tiefing approaches, cross the street to avoid passing near, or bar shop doors before a tiefing can enter.

## Names

Tiefting names fall into three broad categories. Tieftings 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 tieftings. 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.

#### Typical Male Infernal Names

Akmenos, Amnon, Barakas, Damakos, Ekemon, lados, Kairon. Leucis, Melech. Mordai, Morthos. Pelaios, Skamos. Therai

#### Typical Female Infernal Names

Akta, Anakis, Bryseis, Criella. Damaia. Ea. Kallista. Lerissa. Makaria. Nemeia, Orianna. Phelaia. Rieta

#### Example "Virtue" Names

Art. Carrion, Chant, Creed, Despair, Excellence, Fear, Glory, Hope, Ideal. Music. Nowhere. Open, Poetry, Quest. Random. Reverence, Sorrow. Temerily, Torment, Weary

## Gameplay Traits

#### Ability Score Increase

Tieflings' lntelligence score increases by 1, and their Charisma score increases by 2.

#### Age

Tieflings mature at the same rate as humans, but live up to a decade or two longer, on average.

#### Alignment

Tieftings have an innate tendency toward evil. Evil or not, though, an independent nature inclines most tieflings toward a chaotic alignment.

#### Darkvision

Thanks to their infernal heritage, tieflings have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. They can see in dim light within 60 feet of themselves as if it were bright light. and in darkness as if it were dim light. They can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

#### Hellish Resistance

Tieflings have resistance to fire damage.

### Infernal Legacy

Tieflings know the thaumaturgy cantrip. Once they reach 3rd level, they can cast the hellish rebuke spell once per day as a 2nd-level spell. Once they reach 5th level, they can also cast the darkness spell once per day. Charisma is their spellcasting ability for these spells.

## Tieflings

A Tiefling crouched with a dagger and wand.

## True Traits

Tieflings are a thoroughly demonized race, their nature often hyper-exaggerated and mostly outright fabricated. Below is a more accurate portrayal of the race.

## Physiology

Tieflings exist because a pact struck generations ago infused the essence of an infernal god into their bloodline. Their appearance is not their fault, but the result of an ancient deal by their ancestors, which they and their children and their children's children will always bear the marks of.

Tieflings are derived from human bloodlines, and in the broadest possible sense, they still look human. Like humans, their height typically ranges from 5 feet to a little over 6 feet tall and their weight from 125 to 250 pounds.

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.

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 and purple.

Their hair, cascading down from behind their horns, is usually dark, from black or brown to dark red, blue, or purple. They do not grow facial hair.

## Common Personality Traits

People are always suspicious of tieflings, assuming that their infernal heritage has left its mark on their personality and morality, not just their appearance. The reality.though, is that a tiefling's bloodline doesn't affect his or her personality in any way, besides perhaps a slight leaning toward chaotic alignments. Years of dealing with mistrust does leave its mark on most tieflings, however, and they respond to it in different ways. Some choose to live up to the wicked stereotype, and others act overly virtuous instead. Most are simply very aware of how people respond to them, and are naturally cautious when dealing with most races. After dealing with this mistrust throughout youth, a tiefling often develops the ability to work around prejudice using charm or intimidation.

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. Once a tiefling gives someone loyalty, the tiefling is a firm friend or ally for life.

## Society

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. 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.

Tieflings subsist in small minorities found mostly in human cities or towns, often in the roughest quarters of those places. Sometimes they live among other minority populations in enclaves where they are treated with more respect.

#### How Other Races React

Tieflings are less widespread than dwarves, elves, halflings, and humans. In big cities, most people give them a wide berth, but otherwise ignore them. In the small towns and villages that dot the countryside, however, things are different. While Half-orcs are greeted with a practical caution, tiefings are the subject of supernatural fear. Their infernal heritage is plainly visible in their features, and as far as most people are concerned, a tiefing could very well be a devil straight from the Nine Hells. People might make warding signs as a tiefing approaches, cross the street to avoid passing near, or bar shop doors before a tiefing can enter.

## Names

Tiefting names fall into three broad categories. Tieftings 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 tieftings. 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.

#### Typical Male Infernal Names

Akmenos, Amnon, Barakas, Damakos, Ekemon, lados, Kairon. Leucis, Melech. Mordai, Morthos. Pelaios, Skamos. Therai

#### Typical Female Infernal Names

Akta, Anakis, Bryseis, Criella. Damaia. Ea. Kallista. Lerissa. Makaria. Nemeia, Orianna. Phelaia. Rieta

#### Example "Virtue" Names

Art. Carrion, Chant, Creed, Despair, Excellence, Fear, Glory, Hope, Ideal. Music. Nowhere. Open, Poetry, Quest. Random. Reverence, Sorrow. Temerily, Torment, Weary

## Gameplay Traits

#### Ability Score Increase

Tieflings' lntelligence score increases by 1, and their Charisma score increases by 2.

#### Age

Tieflings mature at the same rate as humans, but live up to a decade or two longer, on average.

#### Alignment

Like humans, tieflings have no tendency toward good, evil, or neutrality; the best and the worst can be found among them in equal measure. They are, however, slightly more inclined toward chaotic alignments than humans.

#### Darkvision

Thanks to their infernal heritage, tieflings have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. They can see in dim light within 60 feet of themselves as if it were bright light. and in darkness as if it were dim light. They can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

#### Hellish Resistance

Tieflings have resistance to fire damage.

### Infernal Legacy

Tieflings know the thaumaturgy cantrip. Once they reach 3rd level, they can cast the hellish rebuke spell once per day as a 2nd-level spell. Once they reach 5th level, they can also cast the darkness spell once per day. Charisma is their spellcasting ability for these spells.