*Inspiration: **Wild Seed, *Octavia Butler
Tieflings
A man named Tief jumped in the Font of Chimalia (31.19) in the prime of his life and has not aged for many mortal lifetimes. As one of the first outsiders to be trained by the Dustmen (40.20), he managed to evade the island’s dangers by taking advantage of the place’s plentiful shadows. Tief never gained the patience possessed by many immortals. He grew bored studying magic, presiding over a castle in Gore and even with throwing himself into hedonism that has become the subject of epic comedies. During a reclusive period of his life, he raised and traded livestock. He became obsessed with the possibilities of breeding fantastic animals. But like every other endeavor, he abandoned it. But this time, he felt inspired to do something no man had done before.
Tief’s current distraction is breeding humans. Rather, he breeds humans with unusual features or talents until they can barely be called human. He travels the Shrouded Lands and forms bands of outcasts scorned by society for their bizarre deformities and dangerous witch talents. These misfits are taken to villages he owns, provided protection from prejudice they would face elsewhere and given the means to build their own lives. The only thing he asks in return is that they mate with whomever he chooses in order to produce offspring with. This could include their own kin. Those who refuse and attempt to escape are always killed or become repentant. Tief has lost his left arm pursuing a dangerous runaway named, Scalitha the Mauler. But he has since replaced it with an invisible appendage capable of delivering an agonizing shock.
Tief’s largest holding is Baelton (42.11), home to several hundred tieflings.
Their appearances and talents are as varied as the types of birds in the trees. But many second and third generation tieflings have horns, vestigal tails and unusual body odor that many suspect to be signs of demonic heritage.
Connections
- Abdul (5.04) has no genetic traits that interest Tief at the moment, so he is allowed to live with little interference.
- The folk of the Cornfields (03.30) are tieflings with scizophrenic tendencies. He keeps them far from the rest of the population, keeping them intact for when he wants to produce sorcerers.
Hooks
- How does Tief get around?
- Over which castle in Gore did he rule? Does he still have influence in that land?
- He was an epic hedonist. Tell me about his escapades!
- Did he breed any new creatures before giving up on it?
- Where did Tief get his terrifying invisible arm?
- Are there any mutation “hotspots” in the Shouded Lands?
- What abilities do tieflings possess? What do the Witch Clans think of them?
- Where are Tief’s other villages?