Walking down the streets of this bustling city, a man tries to shift his hood as he struggles to cover the set of horns protruding from his forehead. As people notice him, they turn after him, spit, clutch their religious symbols. Someone begins hurling insults and soon a mob surrounds the man. As a moment passes, the tiefling stands proudly as he considers whether this occasion calls for a quick tongue or a quick getaway.
Tieflings are creatures of humanoid bloodlines (such as humans, elves, dwarves, etc.) who have an infernal spark in their legacy. Perhaps an ancestor made a pact with a devil, perhaps they were cursed by one. Whatever the cause, this infernal legacy causes mistrust and fear in others, seeing them as creatures of evil. Save for their appearance however, a tiefling is not that different in personality or morality than others in society. Ignorant 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. The reality is that a tiefling’s bloodline doesn’t affect their personality. They are gifted with magic from the infernal realms but chart their own course in life.
Appearance
Tieflings have certain fiendish features mixed with the features of their bloodline. 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. Many have 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 colours—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 other colours, such as red, purple, green, blue, gray, or white. Their hair, cascading down from behind their horns, is usually dark, from black or brown to dark red, blue, or purple. If a tiefling's natural horns, canine teeth, or tail are damaged or cut off, they may slowly grow back over time. A tiefling can have all or some of these features, the rest of their appearance matching their bloodline.
Culture
Few tiefling societies exist as tieflings are rare and born into the bloodlines of other cultures, not forming their own unified entity. As such, tieflings do not have a distinct culture of their own. They do however have certain common personality features, often the result of how they are treated by society.
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.
Virtue Names and Fiendish Features
Many tieflings are named after the conventions of a culture that despises them or given infernal names. A tiefling wishing to break with their society or past, to embody or emulate a concept, or who expect a grim destiny, may choose a virtue name. A virtue name signifies a virtue or other concept that the tieflings values or tries to live up to, a name that reflects them as a person or where they see their future.
For some tieflings who have adopted a virtue names, especially those who adopt them at an early age, their horns and tails grow to reflect their virtue. A tiefling does not need to pick a virtue name in order to embody a virtue. Five general virtues and how they may impact fiendish features are described below.
Strength: Tieflings that value fighting and prowess, being strong or dextrous, develop thicker and more rugged horns. Some even grow hardened protrusions on their skin similar to scales. Their tails grown thick and end in sharp points. They often encase or cap their horns with metals and pierce them with studs to make them hardier. Strength virtue names can be names such as trial, vengeance, glory, mettle, brawn, or fray.
Nature: Tieflings that value nature or dedicate their lives to the animals and the land grow long branching horns, similar to deer antlers, or horns that curl in on themselves, such as those of a ram. Their tails end in tufts of hair. Those on the wilder side of nature may adorn their horns with moss and living plants. Nature virtue names could be wild, season, primal, or life.
Study: Tieflings that value study, knowledge, and academic pursuits may develop asymmetrical horns. One horn is often longer than the other or curls past it. They may also develop a second set of horns shorter than the other. The grooves of their horns tend to have a twisting pattern. Their tails follow this pattern, forking in two at the end or having a twisting pattern. Study virtue names may include arcana, muse, quill, reason, or ergo.
Religion: Tieflings that value religion, devoting themselves to a divine purpose or upholding their values for the betterment of others, their horns grow in a wide arch forming a near-perfect circle above their head. For some, the horns twist upwards again before meeting while for others the horns join into a halo. A perfect circle joined at the end is said to signify piety and goodness. Some engrave religious text onto their horns or suspend a holy symbol within the circle. Their tails grow similarly, arching towards being a circle. Religion virtue names may include piety, repentance, prayer, or miracle.
Social: Tieflings that value social graces, personal charisma, or social manipulation develop smooth, thin, delicate horns that point upwards. They may be wavy but rarely curl in on themselves, giving a graceful elongated look. Their tail may grow graceful and delicate, ending in a point or for some a fan-shape. They often adorn their horns and tail with rings and jewellery, delicate chains or precious gems. Social virtue names may include poise, cheer, eloquence, bargain, gain, or mesmer.
Combined virtues: Tieflings, like all people, are complicated and may embody multiple virtues. This can be reflected in their fiendish appearance. A tiefling their strength to protect nature may grow a mighty set of ram's horns or that of a stag. A studious and religious tiefling, such as a theologian, may grow two sets of horns, one or both sets forming a halo. A studious mage also engages in court intrigue may grow two sets of delicate horns forming two spirals.
Changing Horns and Lack of Virtues: The fiendish features described here develop most easily when the tiefling holds these values from early in life. A tiefling whose virtues change however, may over time see their features begin to reflect this. Meanwhile, a tiefling holding no virtues will likely see their horns grow short and stunted.
Life-Span
Longevity: 120 years
Childhood: 0-15
Adolescence: 15-20
Maturity: 20-70
Old Age: 70-120
Common Names
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.
Some tieflings, 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