Empire of Diablos

The Empire of Diablos




The Empire of Diablos sporecast http://www.spore.com/sporepedia#qry=ssc-500479937938

The Diabloians
Faction: Peacekeepers

The Empire of Diablos, despite being a member of the Peacekeeper faction, is much more similar to the Warlords in many ways. Though their thirst for violence and war is unquenchable, they follow a very strict code of honor and discipline.

Origins
The planet Diablos, home planet of the Diabs (aka Diabloians), is a large terrestrial world that is distinguished by its blood red seas. The planet's gravity is about 1.5 times that of Earth. It is a harsh world that demands strength in order to survive.

Description/Biology
The Diabloians are among the tallest of the Peacekeepers, with males standing 9 feet tall on average. They are physically strong (due largely to the high gravity of planet Diablos) their muscles have evolved to be very dense and are able to lift many times that of other races. Their bones are unusual in that they are light and porous yet manage to be remarkably strong. The Diabloians take on a devilish form. They retain the bat like wings of their ancestors which allow them to glide for short distances. They have long serpentine tails with three blade like horns at the tip. Males are equipped with horns on their heads that form a crown like shape. Females are lighter in build and lack the horned crown of males. They have mammary glands and provide milk for their young suggesting that they evolved similarly to the mammals of Earth. Their young are born live but with a somewhat gruesome twist. Two eggs are always fertilized at conception and are paired with the same gender (always two boys or two girls, never 1 boy 1 girl). When the unborn offspring are fully developed an instinct kicks in. The two potential newborns fight each other to the death with only the winner being born. It is believed that this is a survival mechanism developed due to the harshness of the environment and scarcity of resources, it ensures that only the strongest of the two will survive and thus be more of an asset to the group and help the species survive. It is a grim reality that they live with to this day. This is the same survival mechanism that causes "The Frenzy" in adults.(see The Frenzy)

Diet/Health
Diabloians are able to eat things that are highly toxic to most other species. This is due to the harsh nature of their home planet where food was scarce and often poisonous. The Diabloian's legendary "iron gut" allows them to enjoy the many foods of other races. Foreign food is one of the biggest sources of trade within the empire. Exchanging food is a powerful sign of trust to Diabloians due once again to the scarcity of their home world. However when they achieved space travel they found that their own food was often toxic to their allies.<> it is strongly recommended that all races avoid or use caution when eating Diabloian cuisine, as it could at best cause hallucinations, and at worst send you to the hospital.

As mentioned earlier, evolving on the relatively high gravity planet of Diablos has made even average Diabloians exceptionally strong. They have large compartmentalized hearts adapted to cope with the gravity. On planets with more moderate gravity Diabloians are capable of impressive feats. However on lower gravity worlds it is important for them to maintain a strict exercise regimen to avoid muscle degeneration. It is also a common practice to visit the Gravity Chambers once a day to maintain good health. These are special rooms that create artificial gravity similar to that of Diablos, and keeps their bodies, organs, and bones from atrophying. Those who can afford it can also buy personal Gravity Pod beds which allows them to sleep in Diablos like gravity.<> Tourists are encouraged to use caution when visiting Diablos. The gravity may be uncomfortable but is not lethal to most species. It is wise to go through a training program prior to your visit and those with health conditions should consult their physicians before planning a trip to Diablos.

Culture
One of the core values of the Diabloians is glory on the battlefield, and death on the battlefield is considered honorable. When their stress levels reach their maximum (such as in prolonged battle)and they revert to an animalistic state of mind,known as "The Frenzy", and go berserk. Males are most susceptible to this but it can occur in females as well. Because of this a value that they hold in high esteem is restraint. An ancient prophet of the Diabloians preached, "To be able to overcome your urge to kill, to not let yourself be overtaken by the ecstasy of war. This is the truest mark of strength, not the size of muscle nor sharpness of blade. To be able to defeat your enemy is easy, but to defeat the beast within is the greatest challenge of all." It is this belief in honor and discipline that guides them today. The Diabloians are a culturally diverse people with many religions and philosophies. In one such religion, known as Repentism, followers spend their lives repenting for their original sin, in this case the "original sin" refers to the fact that they had to murder their twin siblings in the womb. The Empire has complete religious freedom to this day, allowing citizens to practice any religion they wish. Some citizens of the empire have adopted the religions of other races including Spodeism, the Shamanistic religion of the Feathercrown, and even Zen Buddhism from Earth, though these are considered a minority. Along with religious equality, the Diabloians are far more gender equal than many other races. In the past females were excluded from serving in the armed forces. Lacking some of the horns and strength of males they were thought to be inferior warriors. However this inspired females in the earliest generations to overcome this handicap by inventing the first stone weapons. A vast majority of great innovations throughout their history were invented by females, including the Faster Than Light engine they use today. It is widely believed that the Diabloians would still be fighting each other with their horns, teeth, and claws if it weren't for the innovations of their female population.

Various customs, social norms, and traditions
While they are a philosophically diverse people, there are many customs and traditions that are common to all Diabloians in the empire. When the planet was unified (end of civ stage) the many cultures mingled together and eventually adopted common customs. A long held tradition of the Diabloians, since first colonizing new worlds, is that every Diabloian must at one point in their lives make a pilgrimage to the home planet of Diablos. This is a custom that is about returning to the planet that mothered their civilization, some would say that you are not a true Diablioian if you have never set foot on the home world. Many believe that it allows their bodies to experience the conditions that their species evolved in. The air is filled with organic particles that are symbiotic with Diabloian physiology, and high gravity that they would only be able to feel in gravity chambers (or colonies of similar mass to Diablos). It is considered an ill omen to die without ever setting foot on the home world. Because of this, the Diabloian armed forces will pay all travel expenses to any who enlist, who wish to visit Diablos before going into active duty. (more to be added over time)

The Age of Blood
The Diab civilization began many thousands of years ago. Early Diabs were part of very scattered clans each with their own unique culture. But one thing that was shared between the clans was war. Early Diablos was a constant battlefield as the clans fought tooth and claw for every inch of livable land. Over thousands upon thousands of years clans grew and were crushed, assimilated into other clans or were wiped out altogether. At the time the Diabs were not the only sentient species on the planet. Several other species existed who also fought for territory and food. The Diabs however were the most successful and it was not long before they completely wiped out the other races. It is theorized that some if not all Diabs at the time actually devoured these other species. Eventually after eons of warfare with each other the clans had assimilated into large countries. These wars continued up until the invention of faster than light space travel, finally the Diabs had enough space for all of them and they were united under a single empire. Space travel was not an easy challenge to meet, the higher gravity of Diablos (about twice that of earth) made rocket based space ships incredibly expensive and impractical. It was not until experiments with anti-gravity technology that practical and efficient space travel was possible. Because of this the Diabs were "planet-bound" much longer than most other civilizations of similar age. The invention of affordable and practical faster than light travel opened the door to massive expansion as the riches of the galaxy became open to those with the courage and the drive to seek them.

The Age of Expansion, and First Contact
The "opening of the the stars" as it was called at the time lead to massive land rush's as the Diabs raced out into the new frontier to claim land and wealth for themselves. They discovered many worlds rich with valuable ores and teaming with new exotic life forms. The Diab population exploded in these often far less hostile conditions, helped by the discovery of new medicines from alien plants and spores (similar to the invention of penicillin on earth). As they frantically colonized the surrounding space it was not long before they made first contact with another sentient alien species. This race however was not peaceful and attacked the far less advanced Diab ships, plundering them. As they destroyed more and more ships they became bold and openly attacked a Diab colony, assuming the Diabs to be too weak to oppose them. This was a grave error, the raiders were quickly disposed of by the local militia and their ships captured by Diab boarding parties. Using these ships the Diabs unlocked many secrets of more advanced ship and weapon designs. Reverse engineering the captured ships the Diabs quickly produced a massive armada in an industrial boom fueled by the many metal and resource rich planets that the Diabs had settled, Diablos itself being overly abundant with valuable heavy metals.

The Age of Steel
With their new found technology the Diabs counter attacked against the alien species. While the alien's economy and industry were in decline, resorting to raiding other neighboring species, the Diabs were in a veritable industrial renaissance. Though the alien ships were still superior to the newly built Diab warships the diabs could outproduce them ten times over, overwhelming their armada with superior numbers and tactics gained from eons of war. Over a hundred or so years of war followed as the Diabs systematically destroyed enemy ships and raided their colonies. Even more deadly on the ground the Diab soldiers easily overtook the physically inferior aliens with a brutality that would not be seen since. In the end they were crushed, their worlds plundered and their empire in ruins. They were eventually driven to extinction. This would be the last species to be wiped out by the now interstellar Empire of Diablos, but it would not be the last to fall victim to the new Empire's drive to expand and conquer.

The Age of Strife
As the Empire's domain expanded through the stars it became increasingly difficult to govern the ever growing population. The Empire was (and is to this day) made up of several remaining large clans from the Age of Blood. The Diab's true nature is that of warriors, and the peace they had shared with each other would only last for so long. As tensions mounted old clan grudges reemerged. Civil war rocked the Empire for hundreds of years as whole star clusters separated from the Empire under their old clan banners. Some of the large clans even split up into smaller clans, re-adopting the clan names of those that had been assimilated. Today the united clans of the Empire of Diablos only make up about 45% of the entire Diabloian population. The remaining population and star systems belong to various clan names and maintain independence from the Empire. A tenuous peace exists between the clans and the Empire and open hostilities have since ceased. Differing ideologies and old clan rivalries still exist and keep them from unity. However pacts exist between the clans that agree on one thing, if the Empire of diablos ever attacked one of the clans in an act of imperialism, all the other clans would unite their armies in mutual self defense. Many agree that if the independent clans ever joined the Empire there would be little that could oppose them.

Warfare and Tactics
The Empire of Diablos has two main fleets, the Inner Fleet and Outer Fleet. The Inner Fleet is based near the galactic core and is in constant warfare with various hostile races (not the grox anymore hah, will have to think of something better). The Outer Fleet is based in the outer reaches of the galaxy and battles against the Warlord Faction races. The Diabloians favor lightning warfare, overwhelming their enemies in fire power and man power. Their ferocity in battle has become infamous, especially when "the frenzy" takes hold of them. There are few things more terrifying than a frenzied Diabloian. When the battle needs more firepower than the standard land war can provide, the Diabloians bring out the big guns of their Heavy Warships. Frigates, Destroyers, Cruisers, and Dreadnoughts are the most massive ships in the Diabloian Armada. All have a somewhat rare capability among massive space vessels in that they are capable of operating within atmosphere. This is partly due to the way they are designed and supported but most of all because of massive and complex anti-gravity generators. These generators make it as if the massive vessel were in the zero-g environment of space, preventing the hull from buckling under it's own weight. Because of this Diabloian Warships often get in close for supporting ground forces and bombardment.

The Frenzy


This soldier's will has failed him. He is now a slave to his own instincts! Adrenaline surging through his body has tripled his strength and quadrupled his brutality! It will take up to 30 hours (the length of a Diablos day) before he returns to normal but how many will he kill before then? A frenzied Diabloian is extremely dangerous only the most potent tranquilizers can hope to calm him. Most restraints are useless and easily shredded. They direct all of their fury at whoever induced the frenzy (usually the enemy) so they can be somewhat helpful in warfare. However there is no guarantee that they will not attack friendlies, members of their own race, or even their friends or lovers, so caution must be used around them at all times. They are also un-phased by pain, and will continue to attack even when suffering debilitating injuries. Thankfully most Diabloians are able to keep this primal instinct in check, and are trained to do so at an early age. During a raid on a Zaretian war factory, there were reports of a frenzied Diabloian soldier found with a Zaretian Brute's severed arm in his mouth. The frenzy is an exhausting state, and after it has subsided most Diabloians will be too tired to stand. The muscles are strained and need to rest and repair. Frenzying can have a deteriorating effect on the individual's health if it happens too often, as the damage to the muscles accumulates without a chance to heal.

The Peacekeepers
However as fierce and bloodthirsty as the Diabloians can be, they ally themselves with the Peacekeepers. They do not view weakness as something to be purged, but to be pitied. They feel that waging war against an opponent who is weak is not worth the effort. Instead they ally with weaker empires and trade technology, arts, and knowledge which they believe in the end makes both empires stronger. One of the main reasons the Diabloians have joined the Peacekeepers is because their code states that only strong opponents will bring honor in victory. They not only believe that the Warlords would be a suitable challenge but condemn the acts of the Warlords against "weakling" races as dishonorable in the highest sense. However some Peacekeepers were initially distrustful of the Diabloians, concerned that the Empire of Diablos was far too aggressive and war like. In diplomatic talks with the Peacekeepers one Rach diplomat stated "The Empire of Diablos only aids us because of our strong enemies, but what will happen if we defeat the Warlords? Will they then turn on us when they have no more Warlords to kill?" Admiral Korsair of the Outer Fleet responded, pounding his metallic hand on the conference table, "Do you think us rabid beasts!? An alliance is a sacred bond between Empires that must not be broken! Even if the Warlords are defeated there will always be new enemies.  And when they emerge, Diablos will be there." Despite this the alliance remains strong and many of the Peacekeepers are "just glad they are on our side."

Admiral Vlad Korsair


The Empire of Diablos has two main fleets, the Inner Fleet and Outer Fleet. The Inner Fleet is based near the galactic core and is in constant warfare with various hostile alien races (was the grox but the canon is being questioned). The Outer Fleet is based in the outer reaches of the galaxy and battles against the Warlord Faction races. Vlad Korsair is the Admiral of the Outer fleet.

Originally the Admiral of the Inner Fleet, he was transferred to the Outer Fleet. During a fierce engagement with an enemy fleet, his command ship was disabled and going into core meltdown. He bravely stayed behind, helping his wounded men escape from the doomed ship. He went back in for one last look for survivors but was caught in an explosion that tore off his right arm and wing and half of his tail, blinded his right eye, and broke both of his legs. The then young sergeant Stryfe Drasckilkov risked his life to pull the Admiral to safety. It was uncertain if Korsair would even survive the night. Unable to move, let alone command his fleet, Korsair's position as commander of the Inner Fleet was relinquished to Eva Vastiir. Korsair survived and his missing body parts were replaced. Rather than subject him to the dishonor of forced retirement, the council instated him as admiral of the Outer Fleet, which protects the Empire from threats outside of the core. With few threats outside of the core, the Outer Fleet saw relatively little action. Korsair became depressed, longing for his glory days on the front lines. Then, word of several militant factions banding together, calling themselves "The Warlords" reached the Admiral. With a wicked grin he rallied his soldiers. "Brothers and Sisters, we have a reason to live again!"

There were some who questioned Korsair's motives when he initially brought Diablos into the galactic war, believing him to be putting personal glory before the good of the Empire. However it became clear that the Warlord's needed to be reigned in after the first battle of Norsus. Here, a massive Zaretian and Margan invasion forced the founders of the Peacekeepers, the Rach, to flee into the warp (followed closely by their Margan pursuers) abandoning their homeworld. Many years after the war began Korsair still leads the Outer Fleet. Initially after the Diabs entered the war many called for Korsair to lead the peacekeepers in place of the then General Gorach (now emperor). He refused stating that he preferred to remain commander of the Diabloian warfront where he would not be "tied down by bureaucratic lunacy" He instead recommended that the Aeveria Confederation be responsible for organizing the alliance, pointing out how they were rather familiar with dealing with multiple species alliances.

Admiral Eva Vastiir


Eva Vastiir is Admiral of the Inner fleet of Diablos. She is cunning, ruthless, and her cold glare makes even the fiercest Diabloian warriors cower in fear. She replaced Admiral Korsair as commander of the Inner Fleet after his injuries left him unfit to command.

Skarrd Heldav


"Nothing personal, just business."

A Diabloian mercenary, he sells his services to the highest bidder Peacekeeper and Warlord alike. If you need something killed or destroyed he's your man, provided you've got the money. He wields a modified version of what was originally a vehicle mounted rail gun.

He's a free agent and can be hired by both Peacekeepers and Warlords. He has no qualms about killing fellow Peacekeepers (including other Diabloians) so long as he gets his payment. He's not exactly evil, he's just not exactly good either. He does have some principles though. He sticks with his contracts after he has accepted them, so he can't say... be hired to protect a cargo freighter and then be called by a Warlord and offered double to blow it up. "I'm already under contract, if you want to blow this thing up you'll have to do it yourself. Of course you'll have to get through me first." If you double-cross him (fail to make payment, sell him out, and otherwise break the terms of the contract) he will kill you, and that's the end of the discussion. He doesn't come cheap either, but he'll give you a discount depending on how much fun he had during the fight.

The Rach and The Zaretians
The Zaretians had begun the final phase of their plan to eradicate the Rach and their assault of the Rach homeworld Norsus commenced. Diablos forged an alliance with the Rach after learning of the escalating galactic war. Though none of the warlords directly threatened Diablos at the time Diablos decided to enter the war on the Peacekeeper side, the only reasoning being to even the odds against the warlords and their own personal glory in battle. The Rach needed an army, and Diablos wanted a war. While General Gorach activated the Rach elite units to combat the Zaretians on the planet's surface, Diablos began an attack on the Zaretian blockade surrounding the planet catching them by surprise. Unable to fend off both simultaneous attacks the blockade fell apart and what remained of the Zaretian fleet was forced into retreat. From that moment on the Zaretians became one of the primary enemies of the Diabloians in the war. With their homeworld and military in ruins the Rach began an exodus, abandoning Norsus to find a new place to call their own. With their sophisticated stealth technology they disappeared into the black, hiding away from the war that had already cost them so much. With the Rach gone the Diabloians stepped forward to become the dominant military force of the Peacekeepers. Having helped the Rach escape the Diabs left Norsus to continue their fight against all other Warlord powers, eventually the empty planet was taken by the Zaretians. It was not know what had actually happened to the Rach until ten years later when they reemerged from the warp and began their bloody fruitless campaign to retake Norsus.

The IAE
The Empire's relationship with the IAE has never been very good. After a failed first strike by a bumbling Diabloian commander the IAE had the excuse they needed to justify entering the war against the Peacekeepers. "It's almost as if they made the whole thing up just so they could have the moral high ground..." responded a disgruntled Admiral Korsair to questions on the topic. The IAE remains one of the Diab's most tenacious enemies. What their troops lack in fighting ability they make up for with advanced technology, especially when it comes to vehicles. Relations with the IAE are as low as they've ever been after the decimation of the civilian planet of Eumara, even fomenting "witch hunts" for Diabloians in nearby star systems by the outraged IAE civilian population. Admiral Korsair has stated that the one responsible for the tragedy, Vice-Admiral Kaldev, is currently being hunted by "elite Diabloian forces" and urges and equally outraged Diabloian people that the traitor will be brought to justice for his crimes. Korsair has admitted to feeling personally responsible for the tragedy, having himself appointed Kaldev to a vice-admiral. "I am shocked and appalled, the Kaldev that I appointed was never the sort who would do such a thing, he was a man of great pride and honor and followed the code almost religiously. Whatever possessed him to do this is beyond me, however it cannot be denied that he must be stopped and made to answer for what he's done.  They may be our enemies but as Diabloians we must take responsibility for our failures, just as I must take responsibility for my subordinates and my poor judgment."

(to be continued)

Diablos Marine Corps


The main fighting force of the Empire; the marine corps is all volunteer and fully integrated with both men and women serving on the front lines. While formidable in all fields of war, infantry is the Diabloian's specialty. The high gravity and harsh nature of their home planet has given the Diabloians amazing physical prowess. This coupled with an intense training program makes the Diabloian Marine a dangerous foe. Traditionally, Diabloian soldiers would fight to the death, dying with honor being preferable to capture, and taking no prisoners. It was considered respectful to kill a defeated soldier rather than capture them. However, when the Diabloians entered the space stage, they have had to "unlearn" this tradition as most other empires they go to war with would rather live to fight another day.

Armor


Soldiers wear an advanced set of armor. The first layer is a skin tight jumpsuit, weaved of microfibers. It is flexible and light, and allows for unhindered movement. When it is struck with a projectile it becomes as hard as steel and absorbs the blow, minimizing the damage to the body. The second layer is made up of thick armored plates that protect vital organs. The signature mask of the Diabloian marine is customized to fit the wearer. Males have holes drilled in their masks that fit to their horns. The mask provides protection to the head and face and electronically integrates the soldier to their suits. The mask provides a heads up display, showing life signs, suit integrity and various other functions. The mask also monitors brain activity and stress levels. If a soldier's stress levels are too high they become "frenzied." When the mask detects that stress levels are reaching dangerous levels it signals the suit to administer a sedative, keeping the soldier from frenzying. While it is not possible to completely stop the frenzy, the suit can manage it and soldiers can go for much longer times without frenzying.

The Valkyries: Diablos special forces


The Valkyries are a highly trained special forces unit, skilled in stealth and sabotage. The Valkyries are an all female unit, a tradition dating back to the age of warring clans. They were tasked with retrieving the captured corpses of fallen warriors from enemy clans, and bringing them back to receive a proper burial. A largely ceremonial role, much like the Valkyries of Norse lore, they were seen as gathering the fallen to bring them to the "Eternal Battlefield." This is a very dangerous role; sending a young woman into a camp of ravenous soldiers (who likely haven't seen a woman in months) can lead to a very unpleasant fate. They were trained in stealth, learning to blend in and move silently, and skilled Valkyries could steal a body and return home before the enemy even realized it was missing. However there are also practical reasons for using females for stealth roles. Biologically, female Diabloians are much less susceptible to the effects of "the frenzy" and tend to be more calm under pressure. This makes them much better suited to roles that require more finesse and composure. Today, the Valkyries are tasked with high priority missions ranging from espionage, to sabotage, to assassinations. They are lightly armored to allow better movement. They wear microfiber jumpsuits like the marines, and light plates. However they are equipped with an advanced kinetic barrier generator. Kinetic barriers surround the wearer with a force field of sorts, detecting high velocity projectiles and absorbing damage. They also are equipped with a stealth generator, allowing them to be "cloaked" for a short time.

The Anti-BioMatter Task Force


The BioMatter is a threat to every life form in the galaxy, the task force is a specially trained military branch with the goal of preventing and removing a BioMatter infestation. The Diabloians first learned of the BioMatter threat after receiving a distress call from a lost Diabloian scouting party. They tracked the signal to the Salatran owned world of Phrytaurs, where they found that the survivors of the crash had gone Frenzy and were taken to the nearby Salatran Laboratory to wait out the effects. When the search party reached the Laboratory they found a lone space captain who informed them that the Laboratory had been overrun by an organism called the BioMatter, and had to be locked down to contain the threat. The captain reported that there were no survivors and that the Diabloian scouts had been mutated by the BioMatter. Upon learning this, the Diabloians launched an investigation into the BioMatter, and learned of multiple incidents in which the BioMatter had completely engulfed entire planets and stripped them of all life. It was deemed necessary to form a specialized force to combat this threat, and an allied force of races was formed and named The Anti-BioMatter Task Force. The Diabloians took the lead of this force and are the most adamant about the total destruction of the BioMatter. They believe that the BioMatter fights without honor or creed, mindlessly slaughtering only to feed its own unquenchable apatite, they also take serious offense to the BioMatter's tactic of possessing and mutating the corpses of fallen soldiers to use for it's own ranks. This is the greatest insult as it denies the soldier his "honorable death" and forces his former comrades to fight him.

The Diabloian units in the Force are highly trained individuals who are specially equipped to fight against BioMatter. Their suits are designed to withstand acid attacks and they wear breather masks for infiltrating deep into infected areas where the air is thick with a green miasma created by the BioMatter. Their weapons fire charged particles that burn holes through BioMatter flesh and cauterize the wound preventing regeneration, as well as standard explosive rounds that deal heavy damage. Each Bio-Trooper also carries a destabilizer blade (often mounted as a bayonet) which as the name suggests uses a special electric field that destabilizes the molecules of BioMatter flesh, preventing it from holding its form and regenerating. The most powerful Bio-Trooper units are known as Specialists, who are made up of only the most physically and genetically outstanding individuals of the Diabloian race. They are cybernetically enhanced and go through hellish training. They also must go through a dangerous surgical procedure in which a chip is installed into their brain which inhibits their ability to "Frenzy". This ensures that they keep a level head even under the most grueling circumstances. They lead attacks into the heart of BioMatter hives, equipped with the massive and powerful "Lancer" beam cannon which fires an enormous charged particle pulse capable of eradicating even massive birthers, as well as a more powerful destabilizer blade. These members of the force are highly classified and the exact number of these individuals is unknown but estimated to be fewer than 100.

The Paragons
The absolute finest of Diablos' warriors, the Paragons are the ideal that all diabloian's strive for. Paragons are soldiers who have proven themselves to be the best of the best with heroic accomplishments and sometimes centuries of service. Wearing the warpaint of their ancestors they inspire confidence and boldness in all soldiers who look upon them and lead them to victory. Depending on what weapons they arm themselves with they can also be known as Hammer Master's and Hail Gunners. The Paragons are few in number, with only a handful taking part in any large campaign. However their presence is so feared by the enemy and such a moral boost for the diab forces that they can often turn the tide of battle. Paragons are also sometimes tasked with bringing in dangerous diabloian criminals, specifically traitors, such as former Vice-admiral Kaldev and the mercenary Skarrd Heldav. While their combat skills make them suitable for dealing with such dangerous individuals, it is also considered symbolic because of what Paragons represent. Seeing a Paragon reminds the traitor of the ideals that they have forsaken and, in essence, they die at the hands of Diablos itself for their transgression.

Technology
Diabloians are fairly slow to embrace new ideas (especially males), preferring to rely on time tested techniques and strategies. While Diablos lags behind somewhat in military technology(relying heavily on troops rather than equipment and vehicles) compared to more tech savvy races such as the IAE, the technology they do use is fairly impressive.

Gravity and Anti-Gravity technology
Evolving on a planet with intense gravity forced their technology to move differently from how ours developed. Launching rockets into space with conventional fuels proved far more costly than even our own space shuttles, since it takes vastly more fuel to escape Diablos' gravitational pull. Diabloians were forced to develop Anti-Gravity technology much sooner than most other races, and thus have extensively incorporated gravitational technology into their way of life. Most notably is their use of massive warships, the Cruisers and Dreadnoughts. These massive ships are somewhat unique in the war as they are of few ships of that size that can safely enter the atmospheres of planets. Many massive interplanetary ships of other races are built in space and are thus only designed to work in a weightless environment. The Cruisers and Dreadnoughts of Diablos are crucial in landing invading troops onto planets and providing fire support, and are probably the most advanced weapons in the Diabloian war machine. It is possible for them to enter atmosphere because of their massive Anti-Gravity envelope, and because of their over all structure and design specifications. Anti-gravity is also extensively incorporated into the infrastructure of Diablos and other high gravity colonies. Large bridges and skyscrapers often use anti-gravity technology to aid in weight baring. They also require gravity technology for their off world populations, including their soldiers and colonists from planets of lower gravity. This is for use in their gravity pods or chambers that simulate a Diablos like gravity to keep their bodies healthy. Their gravity technology is also used in other ways, like the forging the Diabloians remarkably strong metal alloys. When forging the metal used in their armor and weapons for vehicles and soldiers, the Diabs use a precise gravity machine that pulls all of the atoms of the red hot metal into a near perfect structure for durability as well as compressing the metal into an incredibly dense and strong alloy. The draw back to this is that Diabloian metal is much heavier than those of other races though much more durable, however the strength of Diabloians is enough to move relatively unhindered by the hundreds of pounds of armor that they wear, much like how a horse barely even notices a heavy rider on their back.

Vehicles
The Empire makes use of several ground vehicles. Though their military relies mostly on infantry, their armored vehicles are still necessary. Most Diabloian vehicles are heavily armored and utilize "Pyre" weaponry similar to the standard assault rifle and other small arms, only on a much larger scale. A vast majority of Diab vehicles do not use wheels or tread but rather anti-gravity hover tech.

Rapid Armored Transport (RAT)
The Diab Rapid armored transport also known as the RAT is one of the only war vehicles in the Diabloian arsenal that uses wheels and tires. As it's name suggests it is primarily a transport vehicle for infantry, functioning much in the same way as a modern Humvee does. It carries up to five infantry; a driver, passenger, back seats and a place in the ball turret. It's leg like suspension system makes it well suited to bumpy and obstructed terrain. It is equipped with two heavy pyre machine guns with armor piercing capabilities, effective against infantry and light vehicles. A group of RAT's firing on a single target are also capable of destroying larger more heavily armored vehicles. They are also equipped with two rocket pods for more heavily armored targets and buildings. RAT's are fairly armored for a vehicle of it's class and many have compared it to the capabilities of a light tank, despite being a transport.

Trivia

 * Diabloians believe it is dishonorable to attack civilians in war for ANY reason. This is because they believe that war is only a place for warriors and that victory achieved through such underhanded tactics is no victory at all.


 * While female Diabloians are free to serve in the military, only a small percentage become infantry, the majority of infantry are male. Most females become pilots or operators and mechanics aboard cruisers. A majority of snipers are female as well, not to mention the all female special forces division, the "Valkyries".


 * Conversely, few males become pilots, snipers, or special operatives as they are viewed as ill suited for jobs that require multitasking, patience, or finesse. Ironically there are some organized movements of males looking to dispel this negative stereotype.


 * One of the most controversial debates for the Diabloian race is the argument over "natural" and "protected" births. Technology now exists for Diabloians to remove one or both unborn babies from their mother's womb, preventing them from causing harm to each other and thus allowing both infants to live.  The "Protectors" believe that the "first trial" (the moment when both unborn's are triggered into a frenzy like state, forcing one to kill the other before birth) is a leftover relic from their evolution, necessary at one point to ensure the strongest survived, but no longer wanted in this era of technology.  The "Naturalists" however believe that this evolutionary trait is what has kept their race as strong as it is, and that tampering with that may lead to a "weakening" of the Diabloian race.  The debate has been raging for many years and shows no sign of resolution.


 * The Admirals of the fleets, presently Admirals Korsair and Vastiir, have absolute power over all military units in their region of space, Korsair representing all of space involved in Epic War. The fleet is broken up into several divisions each under the command of Vice-Admirals who answer only to the Admirals.  The title of Admiral is the highest honor that any soldier can rise to, only those who are considered "paragons" can ever hope to become Admirals or Vice-Admirals.  Admirals and Vice-Admirals abusing their power is almost unheard of in Diabloian history.  Vice-Admiral Kaldev is one of the very few in Diabloian history to be stripped of his title after the atrocities he committed at the IAE colony of Eumara.  He is currently being hunted down for his crimes and is likely to face execution if captured.


 * When Diabloians disagree over something strongly, or have had their honor insulted, it is considered respectable and honorable for them to settle these disputes in single unarmed combat, or duels. These duels are generally not to the death and the loser must accept defeat with respect as it is considered dishonorable to dispute it.


 * If a Diabloian loses a limb it is often replaced by a mechanical prosthetic. While technology exists to simply grow a new limb or organ using their cells it is considered impure to do so.  The reasoning behind this is that "once you lose a part of you, trying to replicate it is to insult the purity of the body"  While a mechanical limb helps them to continue to function in life, it also serves to remind them of what they have lost.  In duels, it is required that prosthetics be removed before beginning as they are not considered part of the body and could be classified as weapons.


 * The commands of superior officers are absolute in the Diabloian military. However if a soldier feels that the officer (of any rank) is abusing his power they have the right to invoke an honor duel called "Vahlrak" which loosely translates to 'defiance' or 'mutiny'.  If the challenger can over power the superior officer then they essentially replace them, becoming the new commanding officer.  However this is fairly rare as only those who have proven themselves exceptionally strong in both body and mind become officers and few cases of abuse have been recorded.  Even more rare is for an officer to actually be beaten in this way.  If a challenger fails then they cannot challenge again and they are not punished for insubordination.  This however has a severe draw back in the case of Vice-Admiral Kaldev, as his absolute control over his fleet division means he has a dangerous force at his disposal.  After the incident at Eumara he cut off all communications between his fleet division and the rest of the Outer Fleet.  His subordinates are his prisoners, even if a soldier invokes Vahlrak it is almost impossible that they would be able to best him as he was reported to be in a strange state similar to Frenzy.


 * Admiral Korsair was challenged to Vahlrak by one of his officers after the incident at Eumara. Korsair ordered that secret supply drops be delivered to pockets of surviving colonists as they awaited rescue from IAE forces.  The officer disagreed with Korsair's order, he believed that helping their enemies while Kaldev escaped was wrong, while Korsair argued that as a matter of honor Diabloians must take responsibility for their actions.  After a heated argument the officer invoked Vahlrak, stunning the rest of the crew.  Korsair accepted and as the rules required he removed his arm, wing, eye, and (to the shock of the crew and challenger alike) his life support vest.  His lungs were damaged in the explosion from early in his career, requiring him to wear a life support vest to keep them functioning. However he quickly rendered his challenger unconscious and that was the end of the matter.


 * All Diabloian held worlds end with the suffix "os" Examples being Diablos, the colony Larvos (attacked by a Reaper experimental Weapon) and Kronovos (over which they are battling with IAE forces.) This is because "os" in the Diabloian language is roughly equivalent to "land" or "world"  For example, Diablos roughly translates to "Land of Purification."


 * Diabloians have an average lifespan of 300 years. Unlike humans however, they do not gradually age as they get older but stay roughly the same.  It is only in the last few decades of their lives (roughly around 250) that they rapidly begin to age, becoming more frail, wrinkly and any other common signs of age.


 * Diabloians can grow hair just like humans. However only females grow heads of hair, while only males can grow beards.  This is because males have very different scalps to females, thicker and rougher because their distant ancestors banged their heads together for dominance.  It is customary for males to shave their beards until they reach about 200 years old, and are considered an elder.  Elder's are very respected in Diabloian culture for their wisdom and experience.  Though there is no law saying that one must grow a beard when they turn 200, their is social stigma against those who let it grow before they have reached the appropriate age.

more to be added as I think of them*