El Diablo Verde

The ways of the Jyhad are shrouded in subtlety, as cloaking and ephemeral as ancient Night itself. And yet, there is one arena in which the freakish denizens of the dark can flaunt their nature freely, in which Masquerades fall to tatters and the Delirium only exacerbates the onlookers’ blood-mad frenzy. This is the circus of carnage known to World of Darkness sports aficionados as Extreme Wrestling Warfare. This barbaric spectacle, which is televised worldwide and garners enormous pay-per-view revenues, is wildly popular among mortal and Awakened beings alike. In EWW, the jaded fans are accustomed to crazed combat maneuvers and bizarre characters, so even the most monstrous of the night-breed is but another costumed legend, to be revered or reviled as the fans see fit. Although the majority of EWW’s competitors are human (if only nominally so), a fair number of supernaturals compete in the federation, both to hone their combat skills and to wallow in the luxury of indulging their powers in “public.” The Pentex Corporation runs a training camp from which many “steroid”-twisted combatants emerge. EWW’s current cruiserweight champion, lucha daredevil Huitzil Colibri, is whispered to be a jaguar-warrior of the elusive Bastet, while International Champion “Diamond” Duncan Dunsirn’s violent appetites and blood-red kilt inspire gruesome speculation from persons knowledgeable in the ways of the fae. The tag team division is dominated by two of New York’s meanest, Assamite antitribu terror-twins Sucka T. and Farouk “Skorpio” Mustafa; these 23-time champs are collectively known as the 2Hot Nation of Harlem Ghetto Posse Gangsta Experience. A formidable and motley crew, indeed. But the true lord and ruler of EWW — indeed, the mightiest combatant ever to lace up a pair of boots — is unquestionably the masked sensation, the Tijuana Terror, the Heavyweight Champion of the World, the Toughest S.O.B. in EWW, the Mexican Nightmare El Diablo Verde. None can withstand the might of El Diablo Verde. His execution of the awe-inspiring 450° Corkscrew Diablocanrana™, a feat of athleticism seemingly impossible for a combatant his size, routinely brings the bloodthirsty crowd to its feet. His Chupacabra Helldriver™, while seemingly simple, is one of the most effective finishing maneuvers in the sport. His crippling Javelín de Infierno™, a tope suicida/ spinebuster combination, has sent mortals to the grave and weaker Kindred into agonized torpor. And when El Diablo Verde locks on the debilitating Calamar Gigante Clutch™… well, whatcha gonna do when the Largest Arms in the World of Darkness® run wild on you? Once, El Diablo Verde was merely mortal, though he was a mighty luchador even then. He won the Mexican Heavyweight title in his rookie year, at the age of 18, and retained his mask through an unprecedented 50 mask-versus-mask bouts. Alas, El Diablo Verde’s meteoric rise to fame attracted the notice of the dark. Seeking a pawn in their games, a Sabbat pack captured the luchador, gave him the Embrace and sought to administer the Creation Rites. But even death could not still el corazon fuerza of El Diablo Verde! Diablo’s kidnappers ran afoul of another group of undead — whether a Camarilla coterie or a rival pack, Diablo neither knows, nor cares, to this night. In any event, the momentary confusion provided the break El Diablo Verde needed. Grasping the shovel with which his assailants had intended to bury him, El Diablo Verde made his stand in that benighted graveyard. And what a stand! Vampiros fell beneath his mighty blows like wheat before the thresher’s flail! Heads spun from torsos, spines were wrenched bodily from their housings, and many a monster shrieked its last as El Diablo Verde body-slammed it back to Hell! Finally, toward dawn, El Diablo Verde stood alone amid a charnel house of ashes and twisted bodies. Strangely tired, El Diablo Verde lay down in the open grave that had been intended for him and used his mighty brazos to wrench a stone slab over the opening. Then, the victor slept the sleep of champions. Upon awakening, El Diablo Verde quickly realized that he could never unmask in public again. But his sadness was tempered by the unholy strength that flowed through his limbs. He knew the legends of the people, and he realized what he was and what he would need to do. No, he could not CHAPTER TWO 73 stay here. He would flee to el norte, make a name for himself in the great EWW, and should that not work out, well.… But it would work. Was he not mightiest among men, and now mightiest among the Damned as well? Yes… pondering, he realized that many of the EWW combatants’ “gimmicks” must indeed be real! These mockeries openly cavorted and skirmished before the mortal throngs, hiding their evil beneath the thinnest of shrouds, then preying on the fans who supported them! Well, it was time for venganza — they who sought to drag El Diablo Verde into the world of the dead would find themselves counted out for eternity! And so a legend was born. A rabid throng of fans — Los Hijos del Diablo, who wear replica masks, T-shirts and whatever the Diablo Verde franchise cranks out this week — follows El Diablo Verde from arena to arena, rabidly cheering him on while hurling epithets and trash at wrestlers unfortunate enough to be his opponents. Thus far, Los Hijos have little reason to be disappointed — El Diablo Verde is the EWW’s dominant heavyweight, with only a smattering of losses and the title wrapped securely around his undead washboard waist. Now, El Diablo Verde stands alone against those denizens of the dark that prey on the weak and helpless. Come one, come all. El Diablo Verde fears no one! Who’s next? Who’s next?!?!?!? ™ indicates a registered trademark of Ymir Sports Entertainment (a subsidiary of Magadon Enterprises)