HAPPY NEW YEAR + WORLD LORE

With overwhelming votes towards Tieflings, it's my pleasure to announce that this month's lore drop will be in regards to the fiendish race that walks the world!

But first, a thank you. Once again it's been an incredible year thanks to all of you! We couldn't have made it this far and honestly thanks to your pledges we've once again made huge strides in our comic and video series! Seriously guys and gals, orcs and elves, I cannot thank you enough. New Art assets, new music, and three extremely hardworking editors that are going out of their way to ensure content is made quickly and beautifully.   

From the bottom of our hearts here at Heretical Fun House we want to thank all of you who believe in our future of content creation and have stuck with us. Whether you're here from the very beginning, hopped onboard midway, or just recently tagged along, we appreciate all of you to no end.   

Have a happy new year everyone, and look forward to some amazing content we've got prepared this 2024!!!   And now you're world lore-    


TIEFLINGS - The Fiends Left Behind Or Unknown Heroes?

"They are like us, in that they walk on two legs. They are with us in that they feel. They love, they weep, they sing, dare I say they even worship the gods that do not always love them back. They are as we are in both body and in spirit, but in soul there are seeds that make their journey that much harder. They are like us in that they believe therefore they are, that which is alive and of strong body and perhaps even stronger spirit. But the mind is a cage that can take even the strongest, the wisest, and the most cunning, and whittle it down to its most bareness. A Tieflings mind shall forever be its' greatest weapon, and sadly its' greatest fall. For there is a sickness born of sin, and they are its unwanted children whether they wish to be or not."

-Rudolph Mannicarium's "Guide to the World"

Tieflings have always been a rarity in the world. As tradition has dictated they are the offspring whose ancestors had once consorted with the vile demon or the cunning devil. A tieflings parents may be simple human farms, royal elven ambassadors, stout and traditional dwarves, or even powerful Orc Warlords. Their origin matters not as it is their ancestors choices that have cursed their descendants to hold their sin upon their bodies. Many superstitious families had long since done away with a child born of such curses. Many had given them away, left them to the wilds, or tolerated them for so long before no longer being able to bear the shame. In truth, the world sees fit to either remove a Tiefling from their home, or in places like the island nations of Archades they saw fit to indenture them as exotic servants to be sold. The only nations that seems tolerate them are Hakaran and various Eastern Nations, and only Norkmen sees fit to welcome a Tiefling into their home. In the Manakara Imperium they are tolerated provide they adhere to quarantine and remain with areas designated for the sick, the unwanted, and the violent.

- Yarrow Songbird, Tiefling Sorcerer. 35 years of age, half human, unknown Tiefling lineage.

For in Norkmen, all worship the Lord of War, The Father of Blades, the Steel-Smith, the Grandfather of Honor, Tarkun. The God of War whom rose to prominence with the help of a "Horned-One" as many tribes call them. Though some tribes see them as good luck charms to capture and enslave, many Norkmen tribes see Tieflings as honored guests welcomed in the halls of even High King Bjorn Mountain-Son (The current High King of Norkmen). They are more often than not free to roam as they please, and stay with any tribe as long as they wish. Provided they adhere to the rules of being a guest and remain courteous. As Norkmen is a violent nation they are not against brutally punishing the "Horned-Ones" that are seen as either weak or rude in taking advantage of Norkmen hospitality.

As the Cataclysm raged on their populations skyrocketed, and made many a fearful peasant wary of their presence. Whether intentional or not, Demons during the Cataclysm left Tieflings to their own devices if not outwardly threatened. This fueled the fire as many began rumors that Tiefling blood could cover one's scent from Demons. A rumor that saw their populations drop almost as much as they continued to rise. The rumors were soon dispelled when it showed to have no effect, leading instead to the believe that Tieflings were agents of Demons sent to spy on mortal kingdoms.

- Marrow Songbird, Tiefling Sorcerer. 35 years of age, half human, unknown Tiefling lineage.

This oppression, strife, and hatred, only drove many Tieflings to flee behind the lines of Demons to survive, or even make deals with the invaders to save themselves and their families. This free passage only made it that much more difficult that stayed behind to prove they were of no threat to wherever they called home.

As the Cataclysm ended, the treatment of Tieflings slowly improved over the last few years. In Hakaran they are stilled widely accepted, as in Hakaran all that matters is the money in one's pocket. Archades' predatory business practices still have many of them signed into extensive indentured servitude, while further East, nations that are not tolerating Tieflings usually have them killed on sight as they are seen as Remnants of Demonic invaders.

The Mankara Imperium still holds their Quarantine requirements  strongly, but why? This is the question that many may ask. Is it simple superstition? Prejudice? Or is there something more?

Well that is where it gets complicated. In many nations it is boiled down to superstition, in the far East it is simple prejudice. But in the Imperium it is much more scientific in their division.

Tieflings come with a unique Physiology. During the beginning of the Cataclysm a disease called The Rot made a ravenous comeback. Demons infected with this parasitic sickness would ruthlessly hunt for targets to spread their vile plague to before it caused them to die both in the material realm and The Abyss, destroying them permanently.  The Rot is a vicious disease originally from the Abyss which is capable of infecting anyone and anything. The disease causes outbreaks of bulbous pus filled sockets, extreme fever, flesh to decay and rot, and madness to spread. The infected will seek to spread the disease before they themselves meet a violent end. Whether it is the grace of the gods or simple physiology, mortals that die to this disease may at least find peace in knowing it does not obliterate their souls as it does to Demons.

Tieflings are, however, only able to carry to this disease. It does not effect them and in truth many show no signs. But whatever they touch may know within several weeks in the infection has taken hold. These Quarantine zones in Imperial cities serve as a way for Tiefling citizens to show they are uninfected. After extensive screening and medical testing they may even be allowed to join society outside Quarantine zones, but only for so long. The Rot is a stubborn disease that can remain dormant for years before awakening. It is because of this that, while allowed into regular areas of civilization in the Imperium, Tieflings are not permitted to own land or integrate beyond their brief and often supervised visits.

The Imperium has, compared to other nations, done a considerable amount to ensure its citizens are not left behind, but only to an extent and only for those that follow its extreme and often dehumanizing rules.

Lastly there is the mind. The blood of a Tiefling is a mix of one race such as human, elf, orc, dwarf, or more, and that of a Demon or Devil. Thus the Physiology of a Tiefling leaves it doomed in the most unfortunate of ways. All Tieflings hear the whispers of the Abyss or the Hells. It tempts them, guides them, attempts to subjugate them. Not all fall, and many can even enjoy a peaceful life into an old age depending on their non-fiendish parent origin.

However, the blood will only cause the whisperers to grow louder as time goes on. All Tieflings, no matter their strength of body or mind, are doomed to eventually lose their minds. They will inevitably be dragged into mania even if it is on their Death bed in their final moments. Tieflings try to suppress their emotions, as emotional outbursts provide a doorway for the Whispers of the Abyss in their blood to latch onto them, amplify, and force them to do things they may otherwise not wish to. So it is not uncommon for Tieflings to often be stoic individuals, or also extremely expressive in their emotions that walk a fine line against the whispers.

This blood, however, does not necessarily decide where their soul shall recede, and Tieflings may walk the path of a Cleric and find themselves walking with their respective Gods in the afterlife for those that believe. But the Whispers do all that they can to tempt a Tiefling towards damnation.

Sadly because of the inevitable mania, many Tieflings adopt a nihilistic outlook on life, seeing that they are doomed and thus enjoy a life of hedonistic enjoyment or "living in the moment" attitude. But not all, as many see our own Warlock Mythra Honeydew being quite the expressive and loving party member, full of cheer and kindness to those around her. Not only that, but the Heroes that ultimately saved the world by closing many portals from the Abyss also had a Tiefling amongst them, who was said to have been a selfless and kind hearted soul worthy of the praise.

-Mythra Honeydew happily embracing her friend the Artificer, Desmond Anders

This attitude has, as many expect, also led to less than savory interactions with their kind and thus a lower overall opinion.

To end, Tiefligns life a cursed life with many cards stacked against them. But they are not wholly lost or evil by default. There is hope and many are beginning to see that they are simply people born with a curse not of their choosing. There is still much healing to do and many to convince otherwise of their nature, but all things change with time.  The world fears and hates Tieflings in many nations, but only because of the curses brought upon by their ancestors. Time is healing these fractured relations, and it is ultimately the individual, not the collective, that determines who is good and who is evil.

Thank you for reading! HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!