- Art: Cursed Minotaur Amonkhet by David Palumbo
Heritage and Half-breeds: Daemlings
The legacy of the Abyss permeates the material plane. Called Abyssal Tieflings or Daemlings, those born of abyssal heritage are treated with even more distrust than their infernal counterparts.
Abyssal Bloodline
Daemlings are derived from human bloodlines, and in the broadest sense, they still look human. Demonic cultists perform dark rituals to take on a form in the image of their lord, becoming dark monstrosities. The remaining cultists may produce offspring with these monstrosities, beginning a bloodline of daemlings. As a result, they are likely to resemble the demon lord of the cult that started their bloodline.
Bound to the Abyss
Being the progeny of dark demonic rituals, even those daemlings that turn away from their abyssal origins can't fully escape the influence of the demon lords. Some daemlings may hear the madding whispers of their lord in their dreams, summoning them to accomplish their demonic goals. Though not evil by nature, daemlings are intrinsically tied to the chaotic evil of the abyss, whether they choose to embrace or reject it.
Lacking a homeland, daemlings know that they have to make their own way in the world and that they have to be cunning to survive. They are slow to trust and make bonds, but when they do, they hold onto their friends as they do their most precious possessions.
Daemling Names
Daemlings do not have a culture of their own, and are as such likely to use human names. Some younger daemlings, emulating tieflings and seeking to establish an identity, adopt "virtue" names.
"Virtue" Names: Art, Carrion, Chaos, Despair, Fear, Glory, Hope, Nowhere, Quest, Random, Sorrow, Temerity, Torment
Daemling Traits
Age. Daemlings mature at the same rate as humans but live a few years longer.
Alignment. Daemlings might not have an innate tendency toward evil, but many of them end up there. Evil or not, their abyssal heritage inclines many daemlings toward a chaotic alignment.
Size. Daemlings are about the same size and build as humans. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Abyssal Resistance. You have resistance to lightning damage.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Abyssal.
Subrace. The most common daemlings are those that correspond to the demon lord that initially spawned their bloodline. Choose one of the following options.
Baphomet
The Horned King rules from the Lyktion in the Endless Maze. He is savage and cunning, and his aim is to transform the cosmos into his personal hunting ground.
Daemlings of Baphomet are some of the most common daemlings. They are shrewd hunters and brutal fighters, and have horns, fur, and hooves.
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 2, and your Wisdom score increases by 1.
Horns. Your horns are natural melee weapons, with which you’re proficient. When you hit with them, the target takes piercing damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier.
Labyrinthine Recall. You can perfectly recall any path you have traveled.
Legacy of the Endless Maze. You know the thaumaturgy cantrip. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the hunter's mark spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. When you reach 5th level, you can cast the beast sense spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
Demogorgon
The Prince of Demons rules from Absym in the Gaping Maw. He is the embodiment of chaos, madness, and power, and he seeks to empty the multiverse of all things.
Daemlings of Demogorgon are rare, as Demogorgon is paranoid and doesn't often give power he doesn't directly control. Those that do exist are powerful killers accustomed to lurking in the shadows. They might have brownish skin, fur or scales, pointed teeth or nails, or eerie pupilless eyes.
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 2, and your Charisma score increases by 1.
Two Minds of Madness. You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, frightened, or to resist madness.
Legacy of the Gaping Maw. You know the thaumaturgy cantrip. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the charm person spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. When you reach 5th level, you can cast the enlarge/reduce spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
Fraz-Urb'luu
The Prince of Deception rules from Zoragmelokin Hollow's Heart. He is a keen master of lies and illusion, and he keeps his true aims and designs hidden behind cryptic remarks and layers of deceit.
Daemlings of Fraz-Urb'luu are cunning deceivers skilled in seeing through other's deceptions. They may have gray, or green skin that is stone-like in appearance and horns.
Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom score increases by 2, and your Charisma score increases by 1.
Ear for Deceit. You have proficiency in the Insight skill.
Liar's Eye. As a bonus action, you can automatically detect the locations of all illusions and hidden creatures within 10 feet of you until the start of your next turn.
Once you use this ability, you can't do so again until you've finished a short or long rest.
Legacy of Hollow's Heart. You know the minor illusion cantrip. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the disguise self spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. When you reach 5th level, you can cast the invisibility spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
Graz'zt
The Dark Prince rules from his Argent Palace in the domain of Azzatar, also known as the Little Hells. He is a beautiful hedonist, and seeks to have all the cosmos love and worship him.
Daemlings of Graz'zt are possibly the most common, given the Dark Prince's tendency to favor non-demonic followers. They strikingly beautiful and natural seducers, and may have small horns, onyx eyes, obsidian skin, or even have six fingered hands and six toed feet.
Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 1, and your Charisma score increases by 2.
Beguiling Nature. You have proficiency in the Persuasion skill.
Pleasure from Pain. Whenever you suffer a critical hit, you can make one melee weapon attack as a reaction.
Legacy of Azzatar. You know the friends cantrip. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the false life spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. When you reach 5th level, you can cast the hold person spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
Juiblex
The Faceless Lord dwells in the Slime Pits in Shedaklah. It is a noxious ooze that cares not for plots and schemes, and exists only to consume.
Daemlings of Juiblex are very rare, given the Oozing Hunger's ambivalence towards his followers. Those that do exist have an ever gnawing need to consume, and may have translucent skin or lack distinguishing facial features.
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 1, and your Constitution score increases by 2.
Oozing Form. As an action, you can move up to 10 feet through spaces no larger than the size of your skull on your turn. You must end this movement in a space that can accommodate your full size. Otherwise, you take 5 force damage and are forced to the space where you began your movement.
Once you use this ability, you can't do so again until you complete a short or long rest.
Legacy of the Slime Pits. You know the acid splash cantrip. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the grease spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. When you reach 5th level, you can cast the spider climb spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. Constitution is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
Orcus
The Demon Prince of the Undead rules from Naratyr on Thanatos. He was once a mortal mage, but is now a ruthless demon with an intolerance for life. He wishes to end all life and replace all with a necropolice under his command.
Daemlings of Orcus are exceptionally rare, as the Blood Lord has very few living followers and creations that aren't undead. Those that do exist are able to stave off death, and may have ram horns, hooves, and reddish fur or leathery skin.
Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence score increases by 2, and your Wisdom score increases by 1.
Undying Endurance. If you are reduced to 0 hit points, you immediately make a Constitution saving throw. The DC equals 10 or half the damage you take, whichever number is higher. If you succeed, you are instead reduced to 1 hit point.
Once you use this ability, you can't do so again until you finish a short or long rest.
Legacy of Thanatos. You know the chill touch cantrip. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the false life spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. When you reach 5th level, you can cast the ray of enfeeblement spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
Yeenoghu
The Beast of Butchery prowls the Death Dells. He seeks nothing but slaughter and senseless destruction, seeing the cosmos as being made up of only predators and prey.
Daemlings of Yeenoghu are uncommon, as the Gnoll Lord rarely has human cultists. Those that do exist are much like gnolls in their temperament and appearance.
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 1, and your Dexterity score increases by 2.
Bite. Your gnashing jaws are a natural weapon, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with it, you deal piercing damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.
Rampage. When you reduce a creature to 0 hit points with a melee attack on its turn, you can take a bonus action to move up to half your speed and make a bite attack.
Legacy of the Death Dells. You know the thaumaturgy cantrip. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the Tasha's hideous laughter spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. When you reach 5th level, you can cast the crown of madness spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. Constitution is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
Zuggtmoy
The Demon Queen of Fungi resides in her mushroom palace on Shedaklah. She is an alien creature made of molds and fungi, and her only desire is to infect all with her spores.
Daemlings of Zuggtmoy are uncommon, but they may be the progeny of those infested by her demonic spores. They may have mold-like hair, dry skin, or be accompanied by the smell of mildew.
Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 2, and your Dexterity score increases by 1.
Spore Kissed. You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed or frightened. You also have advantage on saving throws against poison.
Legacy of Shedaklah. You know the poison spray cantrip. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the ray of sickness spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. When you reach 5th level, you can cast the suggestion spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. Constitution is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
Lolth
The Queen of Spiders is a powerful demon lord residing in the Demonweb Pits. She is a goddess, most influential among the drow, within the pantheon of the Dark Seldarine. She is known to transform her servants into demons as rewards or punishments.
Daemlings of Lolth are likely to be conniving and hungry for power. They are almost always female, and often look like drow, but with spider eyes, bits of carapace, or thin gray fur.
Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and your Charisma score increases by 1.
Darkvision. Thanks to your abyssal ties to Lolth, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions.You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Demonweb Mind. You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed and resisting madness.
Legacy of the Demonweb. You know the dancing lights cantrip. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the faerie fire spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. When you reach 5th level, you can cast the web spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.