For over three thousand years, the name @Tiefling has been associated with fear, suspicion, and demonic power. Tieflings are humanoids marked by physical traits that resemble demons—horns rising from their heads, unusual eye colors that glow faintly in darkness, sharp teeth, and skin tones that range from deep red and violet to ash-gray or obsidian.
These traits were not originally proof of evil, but history made the connection inevitable.
During the Demon Age, many of the most powerful demon lords happened to be Tieflings. Their natural affinity for dark magic, combined with their ambition and resilience, made them ideal rulers in the chaotic feudal system that demon lords built across the world.
Some of the most infamous tyrants in history—warlords who enslaved nations and ruled with cruelty—were Tieflings. Because of this, societies across @Fallen Lotus Lands, @Oktoberland , and @Dragoon Island slowly developed the belief that Tieflings were naturally destined to become demon lords.
Even when a Tiefling lived peacefully, their appearance reminded people of the horrors of the Demon Age.
Fear became hatred, and hatred became tradition.
When the Twelve @Saint defeated the demon lords and ended the Demon Age, the world celebrated the victory as the beginning of a new era.
But the victory also unleashed centuries of pent-up rage.
Entire populations had suffered under demon rule for thousands of years. When the demon lords finally fell, many people demanded revenge.
And the easiest target was the race most associated with demonic power.
The Tieflings.
Not long after the founding of the @The Holy Exodia Empire, a quiet but devastating campaign began.
Tieflings were declared too dangerous to exist.
Although the Inquisition never officially announced a genocide, orders began spreading across kingdoms: Tieflings were to be hunted, executed, or expelled.
Many ordinary citizens joined the violence willingly. Entire towns and cities participated in hunting Tieflings, fueled by centuries of fear and hatred.
Tiefling horns quickly became trophies.
Hunters who killed a Tiefling and brought their horns to Exodia authorities were rewarded with 3 @Pure Halo, a payment that encouraged countless bounty hunters and adventurers to join the purge.
For many people, killing a Tiefling became a way to prove loyalty to the new Sanctified world.
Within only a few generations, the Tiefling population of @Oktoberland had nearly vanished.
Entire families were wiped out. Villages were burned. Tiefling refugees attempting to flee across borders were captured and executed.
Many Tieflings fled toward the region that would later become known as @Red Union, a harsh land near the northern forests of @Oktoberland.
But even there they found little peace.
The Exodia Inquisition launched repeated campaigns into the region, using armies and devastating fire magic to destroy Tiefling settlements. Villages were bombarded and burned while soldiers hunted down survivors attempting to escape.
Tieflings were effectively trapped within @Red Union, surrounded by hostile territories where they would be killed if discovered.
With most of their civilization destroyed and the rest of the world hunting them, many Tieflings were forced into a desperate choice.
They turned back to the only beings willing to offer them protection.
@Demon Lord.
While many races saw demon lords as the enemy, demon rulers often welcomed Tieflings into their ranks. To demon lords, Tieflings were useful allies who shared a natural affinity for demonic magic.
Over time, many surviving Tiefling communities became closely connected with demon lord factions, particularly those within the @Red Union.
To the rest of the world, this only reinforced the belief that Tieflings were inherently dangerous.
Today the Tiefling population is extremely small compared to other races.
Most of them live within @Red Union, a land that remains under the influence of the Red Union and protected by powerful demon lords who oppose the Exodia Inquisition.
Tieflings who attempt to travel beyond these lands risk immediate execution if discovered.
Even in places where laws do not explicitly demand their death, centuries of fear and propaganda mean that most people see Tieflings as living reminders of the Demon Age.
For many Tieflings, survival means hiding their identity, covering their horns, or living in exile far from civilized kingdoms.
Tieflings did not all choose the path of demon lords.
Many were simply born with a cursed appearance tied to ancient magic.
Yet for three thousand years, their race has carried the burden of a reputation they cannot escape.
To the people of the Sanctified Cycle, Tieflings remain a symbol of the darkness that once ruled the world.
But to the Tieflings themselves, their story is one of survival against extermination—a people who continue to exist even when the world has tried to erase them.