Why do tieflings look like devils?

Tieflings bear their distinctive devil-like appearance as a direct consequence of ancient infernal pacts made by their human ancestors with powerful entities from the Nine Hells.

The Infernal Origin of Tiefling Appearance

The striking and often unsettling features of Tieflings, such as horns, tails, and unusual skin tones, are not a random mutation but a genetic legacy of a dark bargain struck centuries ago. Their lineage traces back to the human inhabitants of the fallen kingdom of Bael Turath.

Ancestral Pacts with Infernal Powers

In the ancient kingdom of Bael Turath, the ruling noble houses sought to gain an edge and "improve their bloodline." To achieve this, they made desperate pacts with formidable infernal powers. These humans, driven by ambition, did not fully comprehend the profound and permanent physical transformation that would befall their descendants.

The consequence of these unholy alliances was a deep, inherited alteration to their very essence. The offspring of these pact-makers began to manifest physical traits reminiscent of the entities with whom their ancestors had bargained. This meant taking on the appearance of demons from the Nine Hells, as described in ancient lore.

A Legacy of Transformation

This infernal taint manifests in various ways across Tiefling individuals, making them distinctly non-human. While their forms can vary widely, the common thread is their resemblance to fiendish beings, setting them apart from other races and often leading to prejudice or misunderstanding in many societies.

To summarize the key points regarding their appearance:

The devil-like features of Tieflings are therefore a living testament to the powerful and long-lasting consequences of their ancestors' desperate gambit for power.