Eye-Rippers

Deep within the twisted hierarchy of the Bloodclaw Warband exists an elite cadre of warrior-priests known as the Eye-Rippers, whose very existence serves as testament to the warband's dark pact with the Eyes of Tezra. Selected through brutal trials in the ever-shifting Maze of Tezra, these initiates undergo transformative rituals that permanently alter both body and mind, binding them to the cosmic horror that their Beholder patrons represent.
The creation of an Eye-Ripper begins with their voluntary surrender of their left eye in a ceremony that mirrors Chief Gruznak's own transformation. The removed organ is replaced with a crystalline orb harvested from the Maze's depths, allowing them to perceive multiple planes of reality simultaneously. This enhanced vision comes at a psychological cost - many initiates go mad from their first glimpses of cosmic truth.
Each Eye-Ripper develops unique mutations based on their individual resonance with the Beholder's essence. Some develop additional smaller eyes across their bodies, while others find their flesh becoming partially translucent, revealing swirling patterns of eldritch energy beneath. Their original eye, preserved through profane alchemy, becomes a component in rituals that expand their influence over subordinate warriors.
The Eye-Rippers serve as living conduits between the Bloodclaw and their Beholder patrons, interpreting visions and omens that guide the warband's strategic decisions. Their ceremonies often involve geometry that appears impossible to observers, creating patterns visible only when viewed through multiple planes of existence simultaneously. These rituals gradually transform the surrounding landscape, creating zones where reality becomes increasingly malleable.
Combat training for Eye-Rippers focuses on exploiting their enhanced perception. They learn to strike at enemies across different dimensional planes simultaneously, their weapons leaving wounds that exist in multiple realities. Their signature technique involves literally ripping out an opponent's eyes while they still live, using the harvested organs in rituals that grant glimpses of possible futures.
The hierarchical structure of the Eye-Rippers mirrors the complex social dynamics of their Beholder patrons. Each warrior-priest maintains a territory within the Maze of Tezra, where they conduct personal experiments in reality manipulation. Rivalries between Eye-Rippers often manifest in subtle ways, such as manipulating the geometry of shared spaces to assert dominance.
Their role in Bloodclaw society extends beyond combat and religious duties. Eye-Rippers oversee the warband's breeding programs, using their enhanced perception to identify potential initiates before birth. They pay particular attention to Chief Gruznak's many offspring, believing his bloodline carries special resonance with their patrons' power.
The Maze of Tezra serves as both training ground and temple for the Eye-Rippers. Its constantly shifting corridors respond to their collective will, creating spaces that defy conventional physics. Deep within the Maze, they maintain chambers where reality has been so thoroughly warped that normal humans cannot survive exposure to the twisted geometries.
Perhaps most disturbing is the Eye-Rippers' ability to share consciousness through their crystalline eyes. During major rituals, they can link minds to form a collective intelligence that mirrors their Beholder patrons' mental patterns. This state allows them to perceive and manipulate reality with frightening precision, though prolonged merger risks permanent loss of individual identity.
Their relationship with the Bloodclaw's shamans is complex and often antagonistic. While shamans draw power from primal spirits and brutal traditions, Eye-Rippers represent a more cosmic form of horror. The two groups maintain an uneasy alliance, each recognizing the other's necessity while secretly maneuvering for greater influence over the warband's direction.
Recent disturbing reports suggest the Eye-Rippers have begun experimenting with incorporating parts of harvested Beholder anatomy into their own bodies. These grafts, while incredibly dangerous and often fatal, allow survivors to channel even greater amounts of their patrons' power. The resulting transformations have produced warrior-priests whose forms increasingly defy description.
The Eye-Rippers' ultimate loyalty remains unclear. While they serve Chief Gruznak and advance the Bloodclaw's interests, their connection to the Eyes of Tezra grants them knowledge of cosmic events that may supersede tribal allegiances. Some whisper they are preparing the warband for a greater role in coming conflicts that will reshape reality itself.
As signs of the Second Black Fire War grow more prominent, the Eye-Rippers' activities have intensified. Their rituals become more frequent and elaborate, their modifications more extreme, and their prophecies more urgent. Whatever cosmic horror they perceive through their crystalline eyes appears to be drawing nearer, driving them to prepare the Bloodclaw for trials that will test not just their strength, but their very conception of reality.

Type

Magic