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Tieflings

Ebon Shar

Explorer
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.
 

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Saitou

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

Diff'rent strokes and all that.
 

Ebon Shar

Explorer
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.
 


jaelis

Oh this is where the title goes?
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.
 
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Saitou

First Post
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

First Post
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

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

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

With Regards,
Flynn
 

Ebon Shar

Explorer
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.
 
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Wormwood

Adventurer
Flynn said:
For that Old School feel, use "Cambion" instead.

Personally, I suggest "Hellspawn" as a good alternate.
Both fine choices and utterly superior.

I guess it's the "-ling" at the end that annoys me. And the "Tief-" part.
 

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