Eyeless Ones

The **Eyeless Ones**, also called the **Valskia**, are creatures from the Astral Sea that appear to be black and have skittering movement. Drifter Sai described them as an erratic, mutating and hostile hivemind. Jhasa describes them as "a danger to all things. They are a terrifying, destructive, hunger-less flock of death. They swarm to worlds and eat all within them."

## Background

The Eyeless Ones are "extra planar aberrations, which are more or less the unholy abomination/combination of aboleths and humanity. Specifically, they are beings that not only serve as eldritch horrors in regards to their creation, but their actual purpose of why they were made was to serve the Great Dream in between the spirit realm. In order to ensure that those who would break the rules of the dream would be punished, and would punish them on behalf of Oun and Wode. The Eyeless Ones do not have eyes because they simply see the spiritual energy of those around them. And the only time they ever truly see is when they enter the Dream Realm".

"The Eyeless Ones are a serious threat from the western sector of the galactic parameter."

The Eyeless Ones can infect other creatures. They have "the ability to implant itself into other creatures, bypassing their genealogy and creating from them subspecies that will eventually assimilate into the greater whole." The "signs of [their] infection include psionic relapse, loss of eyesight, consumption of same species."

### In Glies

The Fable of Not'Chek was used by a soul painter to trap the Eyeless Ones who were falling from the sky invading Glies. However, not all of them were captured within the scroll; "some were captured by physical means. They were buried far to the Northeast, hidden within the Titan's Eye, hidden within the stone of the mountains, hidden behind an old door, sealed from the world. However, the psionic presence of these creatures is very sensitive. You don't know how they awoke, but something woke them up. The presence of a rival predator stirred the Eyeless Ones, and some of them escaped. And as they did, they found the Mistwalkers. A tribe of peaceful, if primitive, creatures, that walk within the mist. And they subjugated them, turned them to their whim. And now, the Eyeless Ones are something else entirely, a combination of a xenomorphic creature from the Astral Sea, and a mythological spiritual creature of Eastern lore. A terrible combination. And for fifty years, they have grown in strength."

"There's only one way to stop the Mists. You must find that which the Eyeless Ones seek. The Eyeless Ones are spurred by a burning vengeance for the one that took their lives from them, that turned them into these creatures. This traitor, you must find the exiled from Ragdar, and bring them to justice. And then the Eyeless Ones will finally have their peace."

After defeating Not'Chek in the Fable of Not'Chek, Mataal communes with the lingering psionic energies of Not’Chek. He sees an Eyeless One embedded in Not’Chek’s body, trapped in the Fable. Mataal realizes that this Eyeless is weaker than him, so he immediately consumes it to empower himself. When doing this he sees the Eyeless Ones have "hidden in the ancient places, waiting for their strength to grow. As war looms on the horizon of the continent of Glies, and despite a new invasive arrival of an undead presence to the north-west, far to the east, in the remnants of the Ominax, where their civilization remains mostly untouched, there the Eyeless Ones grow stronger. Waiting, for when the world is not ready for them."

### Mataal Ika's Crystal Vision

While in the Fable, Mataal Ika receives a psionic attack from one of the trapped Eyeless Ones after he connects six different colored crystals into a star which resonates with his illithari blood. Through this he sees a vision of an advanced civilization. A wave of shadow washes over the populace, transforming them into Eyeless Ones. They leap into the sky and unfurl their wings to fly into the Astral Sea. As the psionic power of an Eyeless One turns its attention to Mataal, his illithari powers awakens and prevents it from converting him. As the psionic creature embeds itself into Mataal, he takes the power as his own to strengthen his own psionic powers which also causes Mataal to see the hivemind.

### Jhasa's Edict to Mataal Ika

At one point in the Fable, Brewbad attempts to commune with his former patron Regalia, The Herald but instead Jhasa answers his call due to their new connection. During their talk Brewbad asks if them completing the Fable will also release the Eyeless Ones in the Fable. Concern washes over Jhasa's face, and she asks why Brewbad knows of them. He points to the crystals which house images of them, and she immediately investigates them. She then assures the party that all the Eyeless Ones in this Fable are only memories, but she can sense the energy of one nearby. Jhasa warns the party that the Eyeless Ones are a hungerless hivemind that should be stopped at all costs, or the planet will be destroyed. Schmeg then asks if they should worry about one of them absorbing an Eyeless One earlier. When Brewbad explains the situation, Jhasa levitates Anaalius and Mataal towards her. Anaalius seems to be fine, but as Jhasa looks at Mataal, her face is filled with fear and sadness.

A harrowing green light starts glowing on the tip of her fingers. As the party sees this, they rush in to protect Mataal. The Handmaiden then puts her hand down and first explains that Mataal is infected with the Eyeless Ones; he must be destroyed. Brewbad interjects, revealing to her that the Eyeless Ones have also infected other creatures in the Mist. Jhasa meditates on it for a few minutes before standing up and pointing to Mataal, telling him: “Mortal man, your life is no longer your own. Seek those without the sight. The eyeless creatures in the night. Claim them, destroy them, and with each piece, restore them to the balance of this world. Do this and the Astral Traveler will see you forgiven.” As Jhasa finishes her edict, a binding contract is formed. Mataal Ika must destroy all the Eyeless Ones on Glies so that he can be rectified. Jhasa then points at Brewbad’s chest and takes her leave.

## References

1. ↑ Shattered Crowns Season 3: Episode 08
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Scrolls of Not'Chek: Episode 05
3. ↑ Wonders Within: Episode 05 (Episode 4 on YouTube, Timestamp)
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Into the Mists: Episode 09
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Scrolls of Not'Chek: Episode 04
6. ↑ Scrolls of Not'Chek: Episode 09