Red Eye

> "The Red Eye peers into the darkness, its' gaze illuminating all sin before it. None shall escape our sight, and by extension, our judgment." -Prime Exorcist Neranye
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## Origins and Summary

The Red Eye are a group of religiously motivated people, mostly originating from within the Feydorian Empire. They originally started out as a splinter from the Church of Khaide, which was burned down by raiders in its' original iteration. Forever bitter from this piece of their history, the members of the Red Eye took up a more militaristic approach to their structuring. While some of their members are quite powerful, only recently did they begin attaining a large enough following to describe themselves as an army.

In the wake of the catastrophe that devastated Earnwold, they garnered much of a following upon declaring demons as the cause for it, and swearing retribution on them. Now they spend their time trying to wipe demons from the face of Langar (within the boundaries set by the law) while also promoting a higher standard of living, through holiness in all things. ...And of course, strengthening themselves further, that they may deter non-demonic threats to themselves and their fellows, such as vagabonds and necromancers.

## Structure

> "Never again shall good people be found vulnerable to the likes of bastards and bandits! As our illuminating gaze pierces a hellion's black heart, so too shall our halberds pierce the husks of our empty, shameless foes." -Divine Regent Centiphoss
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The Red Eye's military structure calls for certain protocols to be rigorously enforced when it comes to their daily conduct, to ensure maximum security for their comrades. For instance; nobody must travel alone. They do not travel in groups smaller than threes, and anyone bearing a rank above Abolitionist is always accompanied by an escort of at least six. Lesser captain-type authorities are simply accompanied by the squad that they reside over.

The following is a list of ranks within the Red Eye, in descending order.

* Divine Regent
* Primes, Saints
* Abolitionists
* Exorcists, Paladins, Inquisitors
* Centurions, Templars, Petitioners
* Spirit Sisters, Priests, Clerics, Archivists
* Footmen, Initiates

The Divine Regent rules above the rest of the Red Eye, and is considered the best suited to interpret the will of the gods to the Church.

'Primes' are the most decorated individuals in their field, and are recognized with great authority. They keep the title of their original rank, with the addition of a word such as Prime, High, or Grand to denote extra authority. For example: the Grand Cleric has more authority than the other clerics.

Saints are venerated throughout the Red Eye as being a gift from the gods themselves, for their unmatched prowess in all things.

Abolitionists are specialists whose skillset defies the other classifications set by their ranking structure, but is recognized as vitally important to the church. They are given a position high in their command structure, as they are trusted to make good use of the faithful men and women, in order to maximize the effectiveness of their unique abilities.

Exorcists are quite adept at seeking out the unholiest enemies of the church and eliminating them with great efficiency.

Paladins are, well, Paladins.

Inquisitors quietly monitor the spread of heathen beliefs and dissent toward the church, pursuing ever more creative ways to counteract said encroachments.

A Centurion is a tremendously strong warrior of the Church, laden with nigh impenetrable armor, a mighty shield, and is suited with a party of subordinates to lead. Typically given command of mostly initiates, and tasked to inspire said initiates to be something greater. Kind of like a Paladin.

A Templar is a soldier whose zeal and dedication are matched only by their martial prowess. They have taken vows of poverty and obedience, and pledged themselves ready to die for their faith.

Petitioners are ritual leaders, and quite adept at summoning the Holy Constructs which supplement the formations of the Red Eye.

Spirit Sisters are female members of the Red Eye (no, really) who prioritize the preservation of all things. This includes healing, cleaning armor, caring for the animals, maintaining temples, etc. Spirit Sisters who are deployed in combat groups act as dedicated combat healers.

A Priest is a supporting holy caster, who speaks prayers above the din of battle, and takes part in processions and communal prayer. Typically seen with holy books floating in orbit around them, though this is not exclusive to their class.

Clerics form the backbone of the Red Eye as an organization, boasting prowess in both physical combat and holy incantation. Heavy armor and holy magics make for a potent individual.

Archivists are a relatively new addition to the retinue of the Red Eye. They use low-yield magic for cunning ploys and indirect solutions to problems, while also acting as the Red Eye's librarians and accountants, to keep track of their monetary wealth.

Footmen are soldiers of average capability, mostly acting as men-at-arms while they hone their earthly trades and practices, such as smithing, farming, and masonry. Not particularly zealous, but respected nonetheless.

Initiates are more faith-driven newcomers to the Red Eye, who are in the process of being fine-tuned into a more specialized member of the church's hierarchy. They work with footmen during times of calm, to be taught life skills for use beyond their altars.

## Beliefs, Practices, and Doctrine

> "Cower and despair, those of you who hear the cacophony of our chorus. Judgment comes for the devils and darkfriends, oh so slowly." -Saint Fiodora Red Gaze
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The Red Eye's beliefs are centered around a theme of creation, and they despise demons and dark beings for having behaviors that are inherently destructive. While hostile demons are obviously destructive, they view the more civil demons within the citizenry as vile and decadent, whose goal is to corrode earthly society into cesspools of sin.

In the face of trying to find lawful solutions to the demon problem, the Red Eye have taken to offering an alternative to outright destruction and exile for the demons. Hellions may come to them and surrender, asking for a conversion, or purification, turning them into a mundane. This procedure can only be performed upon consenting demons, who are embracing peace and remaining relatively still.

Procreation and intimate bonding is policed as well, for they view procreation as one of the gods' most refined processes on this plane of Langar. Thus, they view counterproductive or mismatched relationships as an offense. Inter-species relationships are forbidden. Inter-species child bearing is forbidden. Homosexual relationships cannot result in child bearing, and are thusly forbidden. Hermaphrodites/transsexual individuals are forbidden from marrying and procreating, but they can be changed with sanctioned creation rituals if they so choose. Hybrids, or, mixed offspring resulting from an inter-species relationship, are forbidden from marrying and procreating. Despite their offensive origins, however, hybrids are not held in scrutiny.

And yet, despite all this, premarital sex is not forbidden. Marriage is not the bond, but a testament to a bond forged far sooner. Prostitution is still forbidden.

> "There are few things in the world more beautiful than the complex machinations that make up an individual personality. Behind each of those terrible pointed hoods, there is a different, beautiful person. Their reasons for joining are not all the same. Some joined for revenge, or security, or faith, or because their friends did. But just as their reasons for joining are different, so too are their particular senses of justice." -Spirit Sister Tzo Viadk
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One should note that, just because the Red Eye's standards of decency say something, doesn't mean said standards are all rigorously enforced. A good portion of their members do not care to see certain policies enforced on others, and are simply there for a holy community.

Also, it is very important to note that the Red Eye treats demons and earthly individuals violating the standards of decency very differently. A coven of succubi would be attacked outright, whereas a hermaphroditic love triangle would go mostly ignored, or sneered at. The standards of decency are mostly set for their own members exclusively, and while they would like to absorb all of society in their holy embrace, those outside their order cannot really be policed in any fashion. Compared to demons, inter-species relationships and hybrids are a non-issue.

One practice that is mandatory for each member of the Red Eye is dedicating one's self to one god from the pantheon of Langar. They are allowed to freely worship any gods they so choose, but they must pick one god in particular whose domain most agrees with them and their personal philosophy. Healers typically agree with Amal, those intent on vengeance typically dedicate themselves to Honiel, so on and so forth.

Now, while demons are all condemned, individuals of a dark nature are a case by case basis. They have recognized the legitimate contributions that vampires have made to society, typically while retaining a high degree of class. Werewolves make for efficient laborers, as well as valiant warriors. And the sentient undead can be quite the literary contributors.

## Constructs

> "Blessed are we, to have these amalgamations of divine wrath by our side! Let them enter the fray, shining against the darkness like so many glorious lights twinkling in the cosmic void!" -Grand Petitioner Gauquinn
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Holy constructs are a new and exciting addition to the Red Eye's retinue. They are essentially small golems constructed of a temporary marble and brass makeup, with a holy disposition. The more arcane-gifted members of the Red Eye can summon them, with Petitioners being the best at it by a wide margin. They come in a variety of different shapes and sizes, for different purposes and the like.

Though their forms are adorned with rather church-like aesthetics, such as marble and stained glass, they are quite clearly combat oriented, and not good for much besides simple tasks.

## Locations

### Grindstone Cathedral

The cathedral is built like a fortress, and surrounded by small plots of farmland, being watched over and guarded. It serves as the main base of operations for the Red Eye, with sentries manning its' battlements and bell towers at all times; it has four belltowers at each corner, and a large steeple over the entrance. Beneath the cathedral is a labyrinth of rooms used for many different purposes, between administering disciplinary measures and keeping a fairly efficient bureaucratic system. Red Eye units are constantly coming and going, drilling in the woods surrounding the area. Their presence here is nothing short of substantial.

### Crimson Steppe

The Crimson Steppe is a chapel with red stained glass windows, sitting on top of a floating island in the sky. A good portion of their army typically trains in the area beneath the Crimson Steppe, following it wherever it floats off to. People may access it via the rope ladders hanging off the sides of the island.

### Postnook Tavern

The Postnook is a tavern within Earnwold, where holy people like to drink without having to suffer the debauchery that goes on in most other taverns and inns. Even religious folk who are unaffiliated with the Red Eye will go there for a while, to be among like-minded individuals. It has rooms for rent, as well as ritual chambers in the basement for prayer and ...other services of a questionable, but not unholy persuasion.