By Steven Markley (smarkley@ocean.otr.usm.edu)
But back to the Diablo. Chihuahuas are tiny little things, underestimated and overlooked. But they possess enough anger and fierceness for ten wolves, and this is why the Wyllie wanted them as his chosen race. Also, a werechihuahua is a pretty silly concept, and as they grow in number and power they spread the power of inanity throughout the Tellurian. This strengthens the Wyllie.
The Diablo run around in packs and attempt to rip the supernatural and mundane beings they encounter to shreds. They have no agenda, other than to kill, murder, destroy and slay (in that order.) If they are in an altruistic mood, they will only maim, mutilate and hurt their victims. This is why there are so few eyewitness accounts of them. Those who are fortunate to survive an encounter with them assume the Diablo are something else: metis, Bone Gnawer runts, deformed Black Spiral Dancers, crack-addicted Ratkin, 1000-year old Nosferatu ghouls, renegade animal fomori or the results of bad acid trips. The strange Delirium effect they produce is said to effect even "Awakened" beings, such as other changers, vampires, mages and the like. This is because unless someone is truly enlightened -- worships and serves the Wyllie -- their minds can't comprehend the glory that is the Diablo!
But don't assume that because you are Wyllie-corrupted you are safe from the Diablo. They hate all things, each other and even the Wyllie itself who adores them so; only the degree of loathing varies. For example, their enemy races are the Sprouts (Awakened mage asparagus with Arete and Spheres) and the Heliosians (solar-powered vampires.) They are devoted servants of the Wyllie as well, and have no idea why the Diablo have declared war on them in particular. But the Wyllie in his wisdom created them this way for a reason.
Inane, yes? That's the point.
Most Diablo are born from humans (not that you'd know it by the way they act.)
Metis (Bastards): Gnosis 2
Diablo treat their metis with utter contempt, just like they treat homid and canine Diablo and everyone else. Almost all Diablo metis have the Metis Deformity: Hairless. Go figure.
Canine (Leghumpers) : Gnosis 3
Are known for their tendencies to soil carpets, run around and bark, chase cars and to attempt to have sex with nearly anyone or anything. And when they shift to canine form, they really let loose!
Str +0, Sta +0, Man -0, Wit -0.
Most Diablo have a tendency to be thin and sickly looking in this form, but some are fairly plump. All are high-strung and full of nervous energy.
Hasbro: (near-man)
Dex +1, Sta +2, App -2, Man -2
Imagine Don Knotts with prominent canine teeth and eyes full of hate. The Hasbro form is emaciated-looking, bug-eyed and doesn't get laid much.
Skinos: (The optimist sees this form as half-dog, the pessimist sees this form as half-man)
Str +2, Dex +3, Sta +3, App 0, Man 0
Str +1 Bite, diff 5; Str +2 Claws, diff 6; Str -5 lick, diff 9
A Crinos Chihuahua-type thing, it resembles a nasty Ratkin/Black Spiral Dancer cross on steroids. It isn't bigger than a normal human, but is damned scary nonetheless.
Pisspo: (near-doggy)
Str +2, Dex +4, Sta +3, Man 0, App 0
Str +2 Bite, diff 5; Str -2 leg-hump, diff 8
A German Shepherd-sized Chihuahua. If you see this, run. Immediately.
Canine: (doggy)
Str -1, Dex +5, Man 0
Str +1 Bite, diff 5; Cha -3 growl, difficulty 10
A regular Chihuahua, which is, if you think about it, scary enough in its own right.
As with most other changers, four or more successes on the Rage Roll indicates a shift to Skinos form and Frenzy, although some Diablo think this is too conservative and meditate to achieve the two successes equal Frenzy trait of the weresharks.
Whenever six or more successes are rolled on the Rage roll, the Diablo enters the magnum opus of their existence, the Thrall of Extreme Pissiness: the Diablo will tear everything in sight to shreds (furniture, cars, people, Garou) and bark a lot.
Piss 'n Vinegar: Kicking ass and taking names, not taking crap off anyone, and generally being saucy are ways to gain this type of Renown.
Cojones: Pronounced ka-hoe-nays. Balls. Guts. Bravery to the point of utter stupidity. Activities like jumping on a Methuselah on a dare, or playing chicken with a semi gets you lots of Cojones. Much of this Renown is awarded post-humously.
Bitterness: The more callous, spiteful and hateful you become, the more Bitterness Renown you gain. Doing things such as spitting on a wheelchair-bound child or gnawing off a bag lady's face while in Homid form will get you this type of Renown.
For simplicity's sake, Rank is determined by total Renown. Use the Ragabash table (Like someone will actually use this or something.)
Bourgeois: The Bourgeois (pronounce buzh-wah) are the rare Diablo who are either canines content to be kept and coddled as house pets, or rich homid socialites who like to associate with the upper class. They are as high strung as any other Diablo, though they often keep themselves doped on Valium and other anti-anxiety medications. They are as close to outcasts among their kind as Diablo can get, but make no mistake, when riled, they can throw down with the best of them. Many a party has been eaten by a Diablo hostess who had red wine spilled on her light teal carpet.
Scrappers: The Scrappers make up the bulk of the Diablo, and are the stereotypical werechihuahua. They live just about anywhere they want, but are most common in the American Southwest. A group of Hell's Angels Diablo had established a caern of Rage called the Mosh Pit south of Los Vegas one time, but they drained it completely dry within a few weeks. There have been no reports of Diablo caern-building before or since.
Land Piranha: There are -- honest to God -- packs of feral chihuahuas running around in the wilds of Mexico. They are considered threats because a pack of several dozen dogs will swarm livestock and devour them, and will do the same to lone unarmed people if the rumors are true. The Land Piranhas are a Tribe of Diablo that breeds with these vicious things, and are mean and dangerous even by Diablo standards. This tribe is the Diablo's answer to the Red Talons.
Inanity Rating | Effect |
1 | The target simply can't accept the Diablo on any level, and therefore can't see him at all. The Diablo is invisible for all intents and purposes. This can be a deadly delusion if the Diablo is Frenzying, which is the case more often than not. |
2 | The viewer still can't accept the Diablo's existence or perceive it clearly, but knows it is seeing something that is very, very wrong. Many will often immediately seek to rectify this offense to their understanding of the universe by throwing themselves in front of buses or jumping off of bridges. |
3 | As 2, but the response is reduced to any combination of screaming, gibbering insanely or weeping. |
4 | The witness can perceive the Diablo, but tries to rationalize it away. A mortal might try to convince himself its a man in a costume, while a mage would try to write it off as a weird Garou of some sort. |
5 | The witness sees the werechihuahua, and knows this thing is an aberration to all that is logical and right. Most will demand justification for the creature's existence from the Diablo ("How can you be? How!?") or even attack it if the witness is something violent and stupid like a Sabbat vampire or your average Garou. |
6 | As 5, but the witness is rational enough to talk calmly (most Diablo aren't, however.) |
7 | The witness perceives some underlying, bizarre wisdom governing the Diablo... |
8 | The witness can perceive the Wyllie, the manifestation of Inanity, if he is educated by the Diablo or one of its servants (though the werechihuahuas aren't patient teachers.) |
9 | The viewer sees the beauty of the Diablo and the Wyllie. |
10 | The witness by now is devoted to serving the Wyllie, knowingly or not.... |
Foaming (level 1)
Bowing Up (level 2)
Vibrating Eyes of Maddening Hatred (level 2)
Abyssmal Ball of Phlegm (level 3)
Jalapeno Breath (level 3)
Bad Dog (level 4)
Nip (level 4)
My Bark is Worse than my Bite (level 5)
Shake, Rattle and Rage (level 5)
Rite of Death (Level 1) (This is used to call a bunch of Diablo together for the purpose of killing something.)
No other Rites are known to be used by the Diablo.
Fleshbiter: This dagger is popular among those of the thief class. It is +1 to hit, and does 1d4+1 damage to all creatures but evil priests, in which case it is +2 to hit and does 2d4+2 damage. Its Speed Factor is 1. It gives the wielder +10% on his chances to Move Silently and Hide in Shadows when attempting a Backstab. Any non-thief who touches this weapon takes 1d6 hp of shock damage. 500 XP
"Stereotypes? Sony, Magnavox are good. Emerson's a cheap piece of shit, falls apart."
Humans (including Diablo Kinfolk): Hate.
Garou (all tribes): Hate. Upstarts.
Bastet: Hate! Always hide in trees.
Rokea: Hate, but we will let them live 'cause they don't invade our territory and they think like us.
Other Bete: Hate.
Vampires: Hate. Taste funny.
Mages: Hate.
Wraiths: Hate. Can't bite them.
Changelings: Hate, but they make good chewtoys.