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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Wyrmshadows" data-source="post: 3967705" data-attributes="member: 56166">However in a world were devils, demons and other supernatural horrors aren't merely the province of ignorant supersitition but are terrifyingly real, there is no such thing as being born with demonic characteristics and it being "no big deal, Jimmy has some little horns, smouldering red eyes and this little tail."Little Jimmy would be a pariah, not because of some misplaced fear of the dark, but because in his veins runs the blood of beings of pure unmitigating evil. If in this hypothetical fantasy world there is even a lick of believability to human nature (or elven, dwarven, halfling, etc. nature) folks rightly fear what lurks beyond the light and Tieflings represent the terrible reality that yes, monsters of pure supernatural wickedness exist. Even if Jimmy is a nice guy he will have a huge mountain to climb in regard to social acceptance because his very existance will evoke primal fears in those he deals with.Of course someone can run a D&D setting that is as cosmopolitan as Star Trek where no one notices differences and everyone just gets along because everyone is enlightened and understanding. However in Star Trek type milieus there is no deep, dark supernatural realm of perpetual horror like the abyss. I would bet that if for example the Klingons were a demonic race, even the oh-so-enlightened Federation wouldn't be all that understanding.I see it this way. When a creature possesses the bloodline of creatures whose evil is such that normal mortal minds cannot even conceptualize it fully ie. demons or devils, this creature is going to perpetually be an outsider at best and hunted and killed at worst. Even though a loyal cadre of companions could come to accept a tiefling, no human, elven, dwarven, etc. community as a whole will even come close to accepting him.If I recall directly in the Forgotten Realms, a pretty damn cosmopilitan setting IMO, Queen Alustriel refused admittance to Drizz't into the city of Silverymoon where she rules because even though she knew he was a hero, her people would never tolerate a drow in their city.I can't conceive of a demon blooded humanoid being treated better than a drow. At least drow are understandable mortal evil elves. Drow are hated but regular humans can conceive of an evil elf with ebony skin. How many normal folks can really comprehend a human whose bloodline is that of the worst evil in the cosmos?Wyrmshadows</blockquote>

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