Fiendfolk

Fiendfolk carry infernal or abyssal heritage through bloodlines stretching back generations. This ancestry manifests in distinctive physical traits that immediately mark them as different from their human communities. Most learn early that acceptance requires proving their individual worth beyond their unusual appearance.

Physical Characteristics

Fiendfolk display varied manifestations of their fiendish heritage.

Common traits include curved horns, pointed tails, glowing eyes, and skin in unnatural hues ranging from deep red to pale gray. More recent fiendish ancestry produces dramatic variations: unusual skin textures, extra digits, or features that seem to shift subtly. Ancient bloodlines show subtler marks: mismatched eyes, body temperature running several degrees warmer, or small physical anomalies easily concealed.

Most fiendfolk stand within typical human height ranges but possess superior darkvision and natural resistance to heat. They mature at the same rate as humans but live roughly a decade longer, often reaching 85 years. This extra time frequently allows them to outlive initial prejudices and earn hard-won community acceptance.

Culture and Governance

Fiendfolk follow whatever governmental structures govern their communities, adapting to local customs and laws rather than maintaining separate institutions. They typically form tight-knit support networks within human settlements, sharing information about employment opportunities, sympathetic employers, and communities that judge actions over appearance.

Most participate fully in local economies despite facing employment discrimination. Many excel in trades where skill matters more than appearance: artisans, merchants, entertainers, and scholars. Their artistic expressions often reflect their outsider perspectives, creating works that combine technical excellence with unconventional themes.

Religious practices vary widely, though many gravitate toward faiths emphasizing redemption, personal growth, and individual choice over inherited traits. Quelenthalar's diverse population offers the greatest opportunities for integration, while Cairune's size allows fiendfolk to find specialized niches despite less official tolerance.

Proving Individual Worth

When playing a fiendfolk character, focus on proving individual worth through consistent actions rather than words.

Effective strategies:

• Small acts of kindness
• Reliable follow-through on promises
• Putting others' safety before your own

Consider how your character handles moments when people expect the worst from them. Do they meet low expectations or consistently exceed them?

Remember: One mistake might erase months of good behavior in suspicious minds.

Relations with Other Peoples

Acceptance varies dramatically by location and individual circumstances. Diverse cities provide opportunities where smaller communities see only threats. Rural areas often prove more hostile, while urban centers allow fiendfolk to demonstrate their value through skills and contributions.

Humans: The most important relationship, since most fiendfolk grow up in human communities. Individual reactions range from complete integration to outright persecution. Many fiendfolk consider themselves part of human society despite others' reluctance to reciprocate that acceptance.

Longer-lived Peoples: Dwarves and elves often prove more patient judges, evaluating fiendfolk by decades of behavior rather than initial appearances. Halflings and gnomes typically focus on actions over looks, making them valuable allies when prejudice runs high elsewhere.

Variable Prejudice

Employment discrimination and social prejudice against fiendfolk vary dramatically by location and circumstance.

The spectrum:

• Cosmopolitan cities like Cairune may judge primarily by capability
• Isolated communities might bar fiendfolk from certain professions entirely
• Military units may welcome proven warriors regardless of heritage
• Merchant guilds might worry about customer reactions

Your character's opportunities depend heavily on where they travel and who they encounter.

Character Creation Notes

Constant scrutiny builds exceptional social awareness and strong personal will. Most fiendfolk develop sharp instincts for reading others' reactions and motivations. They excel as warlocks, sorcerers, rogues, and bards, though their human-like adaptability suits any chosen path.

Regional Backgrounds: Urban survivors who built extensive networks from necessity. Traveling merchants who use mobility to stay ahead of reputation. Isolated crafters whose exceptional skills overshadow their appearance.

Cultural Integration: Fiendfolk understand human society from the inside, often knowing multiple communities through frequent relocations or extended networks built for mutual survival.

Key Motivations: The drive to prove individual worth beyond heritage assumptions shapes most fiendfolk worldviews. Consider what achievement might silence doubters, what acceptance your character truly seeks, and how they handle the weight of constant first impressions.