Brief History
Tieflings are sometimes called the fallen angerians, and it is often rumored that angerians with black wings are at least partially a tiefling. However this is not true at all. Tieflings are a race that should perhaps be confined to Xodod, and in the distant past they were. Tieflings are a race not from Nor'Ova itself, but from the spiritual realm of Xodod, the realm of the many hells. Tieflings however actually predate Xodod itself, though none alive today would know their true history.
The original Tieflings were a race similar to the Angerians of Nor'Ova created within a realm of magic by Zodo himself before he had been stripped of form and separated into the 6 aspects. Zodo created them as a counter to the elves, wanting to show that as the forge of creation he needed no master forger. He wanted to show that he was greater than the other gods, greater than even El Anon who used him to create the universe. Zodo was also fearful of his prize creations being taken so he fashioned a realm rich in magic and hid the original tieflings there. Perhaps it is fitting or perhaps it is cruel fate that the very realm Zodo created for his tieflings would become the realm to imprison his soul.
When Yu'Zodo - the Soul of Zodo was sealed within his magic realm he lacked the restraint and the balance his other aspects provided. In furious anger he tore at the seams of the magic realm and transformed it into a realm of eternal punishment. There Yu'Zodo funneled through every soul that passed on that he could, trapping them there and punishing them for all eternity. If he must be punished, Yu'Zodo reasoned, so must all of the other gods and he would punish them through the suffering of their creations.
Caught in the middle of all of this was the race he had created. Blind to their very plight, Yu'Zodo's anger twisted the tieflings changing them into the race that they are now. Their appearance became demonic, their soul became heavy with the anger and sadness of a trapped god, and the tieflings did whatever they must to survive.
It was the Great Magic War that gave them their escape. Although the mortal war that would be Nor'Ova's apocalypse was not experienced upon the other realms, it did affect Xodod in a way that was unforseen. For a moment when the very world fell there was a tear into the veil that separated the realms. Many of the tieflings, as well as some other darker creatures, took this moment to escape. They escaped into the caverns deep within the Crystal Mountains and there they survived until the long winter finally lifted.
When the tieflings finally appeared before the races of Nor'Ova, they were not met with the same reverence as the Angerians. They were met with fear, distrust, and in some cases lust. The tieflings had only ever known the cruelty of Xodod, of its demons and of Yu'Zodo. They did not try to convince the Nor'Ovan's that they were peaceful or that they were good. They simply went their own way.
They are regarded as a xodod-demonic race by many. Their seductive and darker tenancies have been known to seduce powerful world leaders and bring down nations. Scorned by the pious and loved by the lustful, the tiefling is a race marred in superstition. But do not let the nay-sayer's fool you, there have been plenty accounts of noble and honest tieflings just as their have been accounts of dark and sinister angerians.
Positives & Negatives
Tieflings boast a natural immunity to pyromancy and psionic spells (20%). They however have a 2 penalty to their Mental Balance checks against other mind control spells, but this is only with spells, as the tiefling is quite capable of maintaining control against other forms of mind control. They are scorned by the pious. Those with any dark morality points may find themselves needing to make a will check not to find themselves seduced by the tiefling, even if the tiefling isn't trying to seduce them. Their darker nature starts them off with -10 dark morality points, but this can be overcome with dedication to the more noble way of living. Tieflings excel in thievery and performance, and always crit with fire or space magic.
Tieflings know the struggle of survival having long survived in literal hell. They are not easily intimidated nor do they give into fear, only really ever fearing Zodo. They are however angered when they see the powerful take advantage of the weak, having experienced generations of that themselves, and they have an instinctual hatred for all things El Anon.
Tieflings do have large leathery bat-like wings, however they aren't able to truly fly. This is because they lack the hollow bones needed for flight, they are much too heavy to fly as they are. This wasn't a problem for their ancestors in Xodod, but it affects them here. Tieflings can however glide for long distances.
Tiefling also have an interesting quirk similar to Angerians, although they can be born under any element, they are limited to only one of the two affinities for each element. They are as follows:
- Earth: Earth - Geomancy
- Air: Air - Aeromancy
- Water: Water - Aquamancy
- Fire: Flame - Pyromancy
- Life: Energy - Navitamancy
- Death: Death - Necromancy
- Time: Past - Praeteriamancy
- Space: Mind - Psychomancy
They excel with natural magic and charm and make entertainers and runic mages.
Racial Skills & Talents
Tieflings start with the following skills:
| Skill | Stat Cost | Range & Area | Duration | Check Roll | Effects | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Distraction | 1 Soul | any within a 3x3 space area | instant | Normal Perform +1 |
Targets in affected area must make normal focus check to not lose concentration, or their spells they are casting will fail to cast. |
N/A |
| Gliding | 1 Power | movement range | instant | Normal Acrobatics |
You can glide, moving up to double their ground movement rate horizontally for every 2 spaces you fall. |
be a tiefling or dracokin |
| Hellish Rebuke | 2 Soul | self affecting 1 target | instant | Normal React |
When hit with a melee attack the tiefling can release a burst of heat. This deals the attacker the tiefling's arcana trait score as fire damage, no matter the element of the tiefling. |
be a tiefling |
| Hide | 1 Soul | self | instant | Normal Stealth +2 |
Hide behind objects or in shadows giving the enemy a penalty of -3 to Perceive to find you. |
N/A |
| Seduction | 1 Soul | 1 target within 6 spaces | 1d6 rounds | Normal Charm |
Charm chance to seduce target to fight for you and defend you. |
N/A |
| Shadow Meld | 2 Soul | self | 1d6 rounds | Normal Stealth |
The tiefling can wrap their wings around them, blending into the darkness. This gives them a bonus of 2 to Stealth. |
be a tiefling |
Tieflings also have the following talents:
| Talent | Effects | Requirements | Handicap Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dark Seduction |
Any sentient person of the opposite gender must make a normal mental balance check to not be seduced by the tiefling if within 2 spaces of the tiefling. Any dark or chaos points this person has is used as a penalty to this check. Any light or order points is used as a bonus for this check. |
must be a tiefling |
False Love: The seduced might think that they are in love with the tiefling which puts the tiefling in an awkward place. Any slight against the tiefling causes the seduced with false love to have to make a normal mental balance check against berserk, which would break the seduction. Furthermore the tiefling would not be able to target the one in false love without breaking the seduction. The chance of this happening is determined by a normal luck check by the tiefling. |
| Memories of Xodod |
When the tiefling's vitality is down to the last 15%, the tiefling becomes desperate and their melee attacks are empowered by memories of the flames of Xodod. This increases your melee damage by your Arcana doubled. This state only happens when your Vitality is at 15% or less. |
must be a tiefling |
Eternal Fear: Should the Tiefling's Vitality drop to 1 the tiefling will be stunned by fear until the vitality is restored. |
| Tiefling Mentality |
A tiefling who is berserked or enraged does not have any of the negatives from this. |
must be a tiefling |
A Weaker Rage: this of course means that the tiefling isn't truly enraged. The bonus to attack given by the enraged status effect is reduced by 25%. |
| Xodod's Anger |
A tiefling who is in rage can apply the same rage effects to spells and skills. |
Be a tiefling and be enraged. |
Once the enrage or berserk status effect is over the tiefling is dazed for 1d3 rounds. |
Lifespan
Tieflings have two stages of life. The first stage, childhood, last from birth until 15. During this stage the young tiefling grows and develops it’s many skills needed for survival. The young tiefling stays at home during this stage.
The second stage, adulthood, last from 16 until death. During this stage the tiefling travels the world, looking for a purpose for their life. Death is feared by tiefling. They view death as a an end of life, and usually fight it to the very end for they fear returning to Xodod.
Living Habitat
Tieflings can be found all over, and it is common to see a tiefling travel.
Food & Sleeping Requirements
Tieflings require 2 meals a day consisting of meats and water. They must sleep a full night’s cycle every night or suffer from fatigue.
Appearance
Tieflings are average and slender. They look like elves, but with bat like wings. Their wings are black and leather-like Their hair color can be any shade of blond, any shade of brown, black, red, or white. They have no body or facial hair. Occasionally a tiefling can have white wings. These so called “holy tieflings” are so revered that they are usually made leaders of tiefling communities. One out of every 20 tiefling may develop horns. These horns tend to be like the horns of a ram. They spiral and curve from the side of their heads above their ears. The horns speak to a past they rather forget for it means that tiefling might have some demon blood. Those tiefling with horns always have a bonus of 1d8 to Runic Power and a penalty of -2 to Influence and Persuade but +2 to Intimidate. Despite popular belief, tieflings do not have tails.
Culture
Tieflings do not worship any of the gods. Instead they hate El Anon and fear any aspect of Zodo. They are not atheists nor could they ever be since they know of at least two gods existing.
Tieflings don't care as much about family legacy. They tend to not give family names to outsiders, keeping that part as knowledge only for themselves.
Tieflings celebrate once every year their freedom to live on Nor'Ova.
Male Tieflings have more authoritative power within tiefling communities, but female tieflings are the ones who get things done with the other races. Together they share responsibilities, neither placing one or the other higher.
Racial Relations
Tieflings are revered or wanted sexually by many races especially those with darker inclinations. It is only those within the races that are pious that do not get along with the tiefling. Angerians for the most part do not like tieflings. Tieflings do not care though, they will befriend anyone if it suits their needs to do so. They will also mark someone as their enemy. On some days their friend will be their enemy and vice versa, it really depends on what that person did, what the tiefling is feeling, the weather, or whatever. Yes, tieflings are fickle. They just don't care about what others think unless it benefits them. And why should they? They survived xodod. They are happy to just be free of that place.