Tiefling
From Free net encyclopedia
A tiefling is a creature in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Tieflings are planetouched — descended from evil creatures of the outer planes — demons, devils, evil deities and other evil creatures. Although their evil ancestor may be many generations removed, the taint lingers. Tieflings are predisposed to evil alignments, but tieflings of other alignments exist.
The good counterparts of tieflings are called aasimar. In the Forgotten Realms campaign setting, both tieflings and aasimar are more common. Tieflings even have elven and orc counterparts (Fey'ri and Tanarruk, respectively).
In the Planescape campaign setting, tieflings are a common race available to player characters, though they are mistrusted and reviled by many inhabitants of the planes.
Tieflings tend to have an unsettling air about them, and most people are uncomfortable around them, whether they are aware of the tiefling's unsavory ancestry or not. While some look like normal humans, others retain physical characteristics derived from their ancestor, such as horns, pointed teeth, cloven hooves for feet, tails, red skin, etc.