ECL 0 or ECL 1
Reaction Level (if known):
Given the monstrous appearance of this race, they fall into Level 6 (Kill on Sight) if not disguised when in civilized areas.
In Arabel - Level 3 (Discriminated)
Outside Arabel - Category 4 (Hated)
Diaboli (singular Diabolus) hail from a demiplane just slightly out of phase with the rest of the multiverse. Called by humanoids the Realm of Dream and the Demiplane of Nightmares, this realm borders coterminously with the Region of Dreams and the Ethereal Plane. Unfortunately for the diaboli and the creatures that share their frightening home, the boundaries between their reality and those of the Far Realm — a place that exists outside of reality and from which pseudonatural creatures originate — seem particularly thin. As such, the maddeningly chaotic taint of the Far Realm constantly seeps into the demiplane like a breached dam trickling water.
On their home demiplane, the diaboli act much as humans do on the Material Plane: they farm, hunt, build villages and towns, interact peacefully with some of the creatures they share their home with, and they violently oppose others. Some diaboli become philosophers of renown, while others skulk the dark alleyways waiting for their next mark. Unlike humans, diaboli have a unifying belief in the superiority of anarchy. They build their societies around the belief that since they cannot provably define any one form of government as better than any other they must simply live without governments.
Despite their chaotic natures, diaboli strongly believe in traditions and ancient mores that continue to maintain their societies. Along with these strong and repeatedly proven customs, diaboli hold together their otherwise free-willed societies with a mixture of traditions, taboos, customs, and a strong sense of fair play. "Do what thou wilt but harm none" unifies the diaboli and acts as the great truth from which all traditions and taboos grow.
Societies of diaboli on the Material Plane seem at once both oddly familiar and strangely disconcerting. They build their villages in a haphazard manner, seemingly without any consideration for the defense of structures — much less with an eye toward moving around effectively between the buildings. Their buildings resemble ruins, with beams and timbers protruding at odd angles from leaning stone walls. Various colors of paint cover random areas of the structures, camouflaging them somewhat from a distance.
Fearsome in form if not personality, diaboli often elicit reactions of fear or loathing from those who see them. Silhouetted at a distance, a diabolus might pass as a thin-legged human. Once details become apparent, any resemblance to humans quickly disappears. The torso, arms, and head of a diabolus have humanlike musculature and structure, but its legs resemble those of a ram or goat. Diaboli also have long tails that end in small barbs. Small vestigial horns rise from the top of a diabolus's head and its elflike pointed ears stick out at severe angles. A diabolus's hands appear humanlike except they lack a fifth small finger, rather having three fingers and a thumb.
Diaboli skin color ranges from mauve and lavender to the deepest near-black violets. In addition to skin color, diaboli vary in the amount of hair they can grow. Bare diaboli grow no hair over the entirety of their bodies. Common diaboli grow white and silver hair just as humans do, and males often wear long but well-groomed beards. Hirsute diaboli also grow coarse, white, goatlike hair from the waist down. Diaboli of all three types share the same abilities; any differences among them form culturally.
All diaboli have reptilian eyes ranging from angry reds to bright yellows. Their long tongues fork like those of snakes and provide the diaboli with similar olfactory clues. Wide, prominent noses dominate their faces.
Diaboli innately fear most humans and humanoids they meet and find the forms of such creatures repulsive. For their part, many humans and humanoids feel the same way about diaboli. Only rarely do the two groups put aside their revulsion of one another and make attempts to communicate and trade. Even after the diaboli and native humanoids set up peaceful lines of communication, a tension always exists between two such groups. At worst, this quiet unease leads to cool but respectful meetings, but even at best a gathering of diaboli and humanoids brings about an air of extreme politeness, as if both sides fear insulting or otherwise provoking the other.
Adventurers from both sides often make the initial steps of peaceful communication — many find it difficult not to befriend those with whom they frequently face lethal dangers. Because they themselves often live at the fringe of their societies, adventurers often judge a companion not by appearance but by competence, and most diaboli adventurers prove quite competent.
There are two types of Diabolus templates available.
The Adapted Diabolus are more attuned to living upon other planes, but it has cost them some of their resilience against mortal magics.
No Ability Score modifiers
Type Change: Outsider
(Note: Character will lose any racial bonuses/feats from creation, as this is not a template but a different race.)
Subrace field: Adapted Diabolus
Alignment: Any Chaotic
On Skin:
Feats:
The Alien Diabolus have kept to their more alien nature, providing them with an extreme resilience to mortal magics, but develop at a slower rate as a result.
No Ability Score modifiers
Type Change: Outsider
(Note: Character will lose any racial bonuses/feats from creation, as this is not a template but a different race.)
Subrace field: Alien Diabolus
Alignment: Any Chaotic
On Skin:
Feats: