Tieflings

Ebon Shar · Mar 6, 2008

I've always liked the concept of tieflings, but something has always bugged me. I've just realized that its the actual name that I don't like. Tiefling. Blah. Nothing in the name demonstrates a demonic background. It sounds like a guy who lives in a tree and makes cookies.

I think I could get behind the race a bit more if they were called something like Demonkin or Devilborn. Something, anything a bit more ominous.

Saitou · Mar 6, 2008

Seeing as how Tiefling is derived from Tyrfing, the cursed sword, I find the name fitting.

Diff'rent strokes and all that.

Ebon Shar · Mar 6, 2008

Saitou said:
Seeing as how Tiefling is derived from Tyrfing, the cursed sword, I find the name fitting.

Diff'rent strokes and all that.

I'm not sure where you got that information. Wikipedia says this:

The name "tiefling" was coined by Wolfgang Baur, when original Planescape designer David "Zeb" Cook asked for a Germanic-sounding word for humans with fiendish blood. Baur derived the name from teufel, or "Devil" in German. The direct translation of tiefling, however, would be "deepling," since tief means "deep." A closer derivation from teufel would be teufling

Still, Wikipedia has certainly been wrong before.

Wormwood · Mar 6, 2008

Tieflings.

Great concept.

Crap legacy name.

jaelis · Mar 6, 2008

Devilborn huh? We already have dragonborn, I suppose elves could be forestborn, dwarves rockborn, eladrin feyborn, halflings shortborn and humans would just be born. We could play dungeonborn and dragonborn!

I guess I prefer tiefling.

Saitou · Mar 6, 2008

Ebon Shar said:
I'm not sure where you got that information. Wikipedia says this:

The name "tiefling" was coined by Wolfgang Baur, when original Planescape designer David "Zeb" Cook asked for a Germanic-sounding word for humans with fiendish blood. Baur derived the name from teufel, or "Devil" in German. The direct translation of tiefling, however, would be "deepling," since tief means "deep." A closer derivation from teufel would be teufling

Still, Wikipedia has certainly been wrong before.

First I've heard of it.
I prefer my version, honestly

I reject your reality and substitute my own!

DandD · Mar 6, 2008

For me, it's quite near to the german word 'Teufel', as a minimisation becoming 'Teufeling', and then made english, therefore the name 'Tiefling'.

Of course, the race still looks totally silly, with their giant cow-horns and that impractical tail, but oh well, you can't have everything, I guess...

Flynn · Mar 6, 2008

For that Old School feel, use "Cambion" instead.

Personally, I suggest "Hellspawn" as a good alternate.

With Regards,
Flynn

Ebon Shar · Mar 6, 2008

jaelis said:
Devilborn huh? We already have dragonborn, I suppose elves could be forestborn, dwarves rockborn, eladrin feyborn, halflings shortborn and humans would just be born. We could play dungeonborn and dragonborn!

I guess I prefer tiefling.

Sorry, I reacted improperly to an unnecessarily caustic post. It wont happen again.