For all the races in all the worlds… what about the subraces? Heritage of Heroes brings you variant racial features for Midgard to help your hero stand out from the pack.
The following variant traits allow you to play a tiefling descended from chaotic demons rather than lawful devils. Your other tiefling traits remain the same.
Abyssal Tiefling Names
Tieflings with abyssal heritage usually go by their family name, an Abyssal surname that has been associated with their family for generations. Among friends or colleagues, they use a name they chose themselves, often adopting the name of a deceased companion, or of a mythical or historical figure.
Male Abyssal Names: Aanik, Blaalibas, Ghorr, Hlalanop, Judnok, Kuss, Vevundur, Zendruckur
Female Abyssal Names: Fell, Ghirox, Keerys, Makkendis, Rizku, Vrixadie, Yyn
Abyssal Tiefling Traits
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 1, and your Charisma score increases by 2.
Chaos Resistance. You have resistance to psychic damage and advantage on saving throws to resist madness.
Corrupting Gaze. You know the thaumaturgy cantrip. Once you reach 5th level, you may use an action to cause one creature who can see you to go briefly mad. The creature must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be afflicted with short-term madness for 1d6 rounds. The DC of this saving throw is equal to 8 + your Wisdom modifier + your proficiency bonus. You may only use this feature again after completing a long rest.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Abyssal.
Chaotic Mutations
Most abyssal tieflings appear to be normal humans with small horns protruding from their scalps. Many pass for humans much more gracefully than infernal tieflings. However, those whose chaotic bloodline is especially potent bear strange physical mutations that inspire fear and disgust in common folk. You may roll 1d10 or choose one of the following mutations.
- Blood Fur. Your arms, legs, and face are covered in thick crimson fur.
- Glabrezu’s Arms. Two tiny, vestigial arms grow from your abdomen.
- Fractal Horns. The two horns atop your head branch into curling, splitting antlers. Tiny horns may cover other parts of your body.
- Hezrou’s Stench. The stench of rot and excrement clings to you no matter how hard you clean.
- Marilith’s Tail. Instead of legs, you have the lower body of a massive serpent.
- Nalfenshee’s Muzzle. Two thick tusks sprout from your jaw, making your speech indistinct and muffled. Your nose is replaced with a piglike snout, and your eyes are reduced to red pinpricks beneath a heavy brow.
- Quasit’s Talons. Your feet end in two toes tipped with vicious black claws. You also have inverted, digitigrade legs.
- Dancing Shadow. Your shadow doesn’t follow your body unless it wishes to. You have no control over it, though you can communicate with it. It always returns to you at moonrise.
- Vrock’s Beak. Your head is pointed and your hair replaced with gray feathers. You have a great black beak where your nose and mouth should be.
- Decaying Wings. Your back is marred by four tattered, insectoid wings. They flutter pathetically as you jump or fall through the air. Some tieflings choose to have them amputated, leaving four thin scars as a sign of their heritage.
Characters exposed to corrupting demonic energies for dangerous lengths of time can develop these mutations as well.
Another one knocked out of the park! I really enjoy this variant, as opposed to the Unearthed Arcana version. Really plays into the madness themes of Rage of Demons!
Can you clarify what “short-term madness” actually means in game, though?
Rules for Madness can be found in the Dungeon Master’s Guide or the System Reference Document. It might be best if the race makes a reference to where rules on madness can be found, since it involves d100 charts.