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As the latest Critical Role season gains momentum, preparing for the concluding part of its introductory phase and dividing the players into three distinct parties, viewers are still discovering more about the enigmatic realm of Aramán, crafted by Dungeon Master Brennan Lee Mulligan. The previous setting, the universe of earlier campaigns, relied heavily on well-known D&D lore. However, one of the most exciting elements of this new season is how Mulligan reinterprets those common tropes to build something truly original.

A Fresh Perspective on Angelic and Fiendish Beings

Fans have already encountered Aramán’s sad and twisted version of the Celestials, but the third installment, titled “The Snipping of Shears,” also delivers some background about their fiendish counterpart, the demons. This term has been used somewhat broadly in the current season, but what’s most interesting is that it also includes characters that would be categorized as “tieflings” in other D&D settings, such as the demon warlock Tyranny, portrayed by Whitney Moore.

Historically, tieflings are mortals with infernal heritage, but it seems that in Aramán, they’re true demons whose essences have taken up residence in a physical form as the result of a deal. In the latest episode, it was revealed that demons dwell in a place called the Pit, ruled by an ominous being called High Prince Ksha'aravi. This powerful figure struck a deal with House Halovar, in which he would provide them with demons to use as servants and as paragons of redemption for the Candescent Creed. As payment, he would get mortal souls and some of the a mystical substance, a material with holy qualities produced by the the family.

Understanding the New Lore

If you find all this puzzling, many share your confusion. The Dungeon Master is a master of teasing, and he’s being very careful about how much he discloses in each episode. Still, we can assume from what has been shown that Aramán’s tieflings are demon souls who occupy a physical form. This is an interesting twist on one popular D&D character species, and one with the potential to make it more engaging.

The Origins of The Fiend-Touched

The beginning of this race dates back to 1994 and the iconic Planescape Campaign Setting for second edition AD&D. They were loosely defined as mortals with extraplanar ancestry, implying it originated from devils, chaotic fiends, or other malevolent entities. Planescape author the designer revealed in a later interview that he left the tieflings' origins vague on purpose because he simply wanted to create an character type for a redeemed fiend/antihero persona, partially to attract the gothic and emo mindsets. Later versions of D&D, however, clarified and restricted those origins (a choice that the creator disapproved of), leading to the current consensus that tieflings all have lineage that traces back to the infernal dimensions.

Although the details about that heritage differ a lot, the common point is that these characters are humans with the infernal lineage running through their veins. In the game, infernal creatures are the inhabitants of the Lower Planes of evil alignment, such as the Abyss, the the infernal realm, the prison plane, the fiery pit, the maddening chaos, and probably a few more that I’m forgetting. This cosmology is common to almost all fantasy worlds, including the world of Exandria, which has had its fair share of Fiend appearances. Although these malevolent beings are native to the Lower Planes, they can be called forth to the Material Plane or access it through gateways. They come through with their physical bodies, but they can only be truly slain on their native planes.

Diverging from Tradition

The description of the Pit and its denizens made in the third episode of this season steers away from these common elements. The High Prince feels a lot like the archdevil, the ruler of the Nine Hells, with all that scheming and spirit trading, but my impression is that the demons of Aramán lack a true physical body, or at least one they can use to access the “mortal realm” (or whatever its name is in the world). Tyranny explicitly states in that episode that she was “provided with a form” just six months ago, and before that she was just a “swirling soul” in the infernal abyss, so this appears to be the origins of tieflings in Aramán (upcoming installments may reveal traditional tieflings actually exist, but given that Tyranny is a player character, this is unlikely).

The Creator’s Intent

Going back to Zeb Cook’s interview, he explained that he designed the race to fill a particular niche: the afflicted, quasi-damned hero/heroine, that wasn’t represented in the game’s high fantasy character lineup at the period. Planescape co-writer Colin McComb added in that discussion that "Tieflings resonate because they're dark and edgy. They've got an automatic built-in secret. They're misfits and isolates, and they have a valid cause to avoid communities (and be shunned by it).” Over the years, however, the darkness that was integral to the background of tieflings got diluted, and they evolved into a highly favored playable race with additional magical abilities and a striking, unique appearance.

Returning to the Edge

There’s nothing wrong with that. You can play a happy-go-lucky tiefling who never contemplates about their fiendish bloodline, if that’s what you like. Nevertheless, I think that Brennan Lee Mulligan’s version shines exactly because it doubles down on that “evil” beginning, making it an integral part of the character. By all intents and purposes, these demonic characters have a form only because of Ksha'aravi’s dealings with the the noble house. When she has the inevitable emancipation arc, freeing herself from the chains of her infernal kin, it will seem impactful and intense because her character species’ origin is woven into the setting’s lore.

Looking Ahead

Besides this interesting new look at the fiend-touched, I’m also curious to discover additional details the infernal realm and this world’s fiends. I’m a big nerd for the game’s universe structure, especially the mythology of the Lower Planes. One could study about strife in the Nine Hells, chaotic battles between Demon Lords, and the mysterious origins of the yugoloth all day. Yet, this lore is fairly uniform in every D&D setting, so there is anticipation for some fresh, significant expansion to it.