I'm interested in a more Eberron-flavored backstory for tieflings without totally breaking what's been established, so here's what I'm floating:
***
The race that would become the tieflings of Ohr Kaluun had been obsessed with arcane power for centuries. Through their study of magic and the Prophecy, the Kaluuni deduced the location of a bound rakshasa lord, Ti Eflo, the Wrath in Blood. Believing they wrest the power of the demon lord, they set to fulfilling the conditions of the Prophecy which might free him. As his cage was weakened, the power of the fiend began to sweep across the land, and the Kaluuni realized that they could never hope to actually command the power of this being for themselves, and that they had instead doomed their people and the world.
As the demon's essence continued to escape and poison the land, the Kaluuni sought ways to repair his prison, but no method seemed to suffice. Just before enough of Ti Eflo's essence had bled out to reconstitute the fiend, the leaders of the Kaluuni devised a plan which they believed might rebind the demon, inspired by the sacrifice of the couatl.
With the consent of most of their people, the Kaluuni magelords developed a ritual to again trap Ti Eflo. Modifying the flawed ritual which would have simply stolen the power of the rakshasa, and calling on the power of the couatl, the Kaluuni bound the demon lord into their own blood. Over the following generations, the Kaluuni became the tieflings. They are cursed to carry the essence of the rakshasa lord within their own bodies, but their suffering keeps the evil in check. So long as their race exists, Ti Eflo cannot return to the world.
In Ohr Kaluun, after the binding of the demon lord, the tieflings developed a rigid code of self-discipline so that they would not fall prey to the occasional temptations to evil that called to them from their flesh. With the rise of Riedra, Ohr Kaluun was destroyed, and most tieflings of the day have no idea of the darkness that lurks within their blood. Tieflings all across the world feel the call to rage that lurks in their flesh, and many succumb to their darker impulses. Worse, with their empire long destroyed, the population has decreased greatly. In several centuries, there may be only a handful of the race left, and Ti Eflo may then be freed.
***
The basic idea comes from a few different places. First, I didn't really like the idea that tieflings came from "bargains with devils," as devils don't really hold a prominent place in the lore of Eberron. Second, because of the Silver Flame, fire in Eberron does not have the same symbolism as it might in other fantasy settings. It's a different kind of force. I like the tieflings' flame resistance coming not from a connection to hell but rather having changed their blood so that it can act like the binding flame. Third, I like that this apparent "demonic race" is likely to end up in conflict with the Silver Flame, even though the very purpose of the tiefling race is allied with the mission of the Church.
Not sure on the name of the raja, but I definitely like this idea better. . . it still might fit if the common idea about tieflings was that they made bargains with devils though, with this being 'the real truth.'
I agree with the name; I just wanted a placeholder. I also figure "tiefling" has to come from somewhere.
I also enjoy the idea of an entire race in conflict. Unlike, say, the kalashtar, whose very existence seems to be an unambiguous good for the world, the tieflings are different. Each one is potentially a source of evil, as each is prone to bursts of rage inspired by the rajah whose essence they carry, but the destruction of their race would be undoubtedly worse - unless an organization like the Silver Flame might have a plan to exterminate them or bind them all at once to trap the fiend at the same time.
I really like the idea of Binding the Rajah within their blood. Makes me remember an old homebrew campaign where a powerful lich used a bloodline as his phylactery.
Holy crap that's awesome. Please tell me one of the PCs was part of the bloodline. XD
Maybe 'Tiefling' is Old Common for 'Warlock' or 'Demon-binder'?
I want to keep the feel of being power hungry with no regard to the consequences.
There's definitely room for that. In fact, the part about the Kaluuni "realizing their mistake" and heroically binding the rajah to their blood to save the world might be propaganda, or a comforting racial myth.
The reality might be that the already corrupt people simple began binding the rajah to their blood to increase their power - perhaps to prepare for a war of conquest - and it was only after they had changed their race that they realized they'd erred. The influence of the rajah led the tieflings to turn on each other in fits of rage, tearing apart their nation and making it easy pickings for the Inspired.
In the present day, most tieflings are unaware of their origins, but they know the pleasure of giving into rage. There may one or more secret orders of tieflings who remember the truth (or something close to it) and try to guide their race to a different destiny.
Cool idea, It will surely put a strange twist on a Tiefling Blood of Vol seeker.
That's a very interesting idea. Tieflings who understand something of their past might hold a heretical faith that lies somewhere between the Blood of Vol and a Khyber Cult. Taking on the idea of the Divinity Within and the Seekers' belief in the power of blood, such tieflings might come to a different conclusion. Rather than seeking the divinity that exists within their own blood, they are content to steal the divinity of others. After all, it already worked before. Such a cult might hunt down outsiders like rakshasas, angels, and devils to steal their spiritual essence, claiming it for themselves.
But The Wrath of Blood would be named Tieferion in my games. :D
Holy crap that's awesome. Please tell me one of the PCs was part of the bloodline. XD
Of course they were!
Back on Tieflings, maybe the ritual they did to bond the Rajah to their blood required the sacrifice of many of their numbers. As such, maybe the Skulks in the War Mazes come from the Shadow Lord Kul Uulan's sacrifice.
Rekko