Tyrants
tyrant.jpg

Tyrants, Beholders, Death Orbs, Star Spawn, Spheres of Many Eyes, the creatures that so changed the fate of Manus have many names, but nothing can truly describe the terrible majesty of a tyrant.

Self-Name: Tyrant (singular), Tyrants (plural), Tyrant (attributive)
Stereotypes: Evil, Monstrous, Xenophobic, Scheming

Physical


Tyrants are immediately identifiable. Masses of flesh with too-many eyes, and often little else. The most well known are essentially a floating head with one, single, cyclopean eye surrounded by a bevy of smaller eyes of short, flexible stalks. Beyond this, the main feature of a tyrant’s anatomy is its massive, gaping maw. Because of these features, tyrants are occasionally known as "spheres of many eyes" or "eye tyrants," although the latter also refers to a specific type of tyrant. Of course they tyrants are chaotic creatures - really little more than an amalgam of flesh and eyes - and many walk of legs, or slither on slimy tails, or drift on the air like balloons. Some lack eye stalks, others lack the central eye, or have no mouth, or many mouth. Their leathery skin ranges from red, to orange, purple, brown, green, beige, truly they can be of any shade. They may be scaly, slimy, soft, or even cold and hard to the touch. No tyrant is ever completely the same as another.

Because their entire body is covered in eyes, tyrants have the capacity to see in all directions at once, making it nearly impossible to surprise them, and leaving little unnoticed by the tyrants. They see in even pitch black, and some see through illusions as mere apparitions, and see magic as currents of colour and radiance in the air. Those that are capable of flight simply hover above ground effortlessly, drifting as if weightless. Tyrants are not particularly strong, but are inherently magical creatures, each of their eyes possessing an innately magical nature. Among the most common of these is their ability to project pure magical energy from their eyes, to varying affect such as instilling fear, beguiling, knocking out, petrifying, disintegrating, slowing, or killing their enemies. Any combination of these is possible, although they often use only two at a given time.

Perhaps most dangerous (at least to the Perian magocracy) most tyrants also have the capacity to use their central eye to project a field of antimagic, which cancels the effects of all supernatural abilities within the field of that eye's vision. In addition to magic from other sources, this also affects a tyrant's own eye rays, suppressing their power. However, the lack of the ability to cast its eye rays at full strength is hardly a hindrance, as turning to face its enemies in this manner also allows a tyrant to attack them with its large, toothy maw. In Peria many tyrants' central eyes are surgically blinded when they are first bonded.

Mental


Xenophobic yet vicious creatures, tyrants are quick to anger, and their patience is short for anyone they deem not "like themselves." Tyrants, as a rule, are greedy, hungering for both wealth and power over others. This is made all the more complicated since more than one variety of tyrant exists (some seemingly completely unique), each believing itself to be the pinnacle of bodily perfection and they view other tyrants who differ from this image in even the most minute details as loathsome enemies and inferiors.

Tyrant minds are divided into two separate entities. Each of these entities thinks and acts on its own accord even though it is bound to the same body as the other half of its mind. Neither half of the beholder's mind trusts the other, so they hide a lot from each other, creating a very paranoid relationship. Sane tyrants are tyrants whose minds are not divided so to speak. There are still two entities within the tyrant, but neither hides anything from the other, making a less paranoid specimen. However, the persona of a sane tyrant is just as likely to be considered insane by anyone else unfamiliar with the beasts. Because there are two entities within a single beholder, that beholder should always be recognized by its full name when in conversation with them, or they will perceive it as speaking to only one of the entities.

Social


If they are not enslaved in the stables of Peria, Tyrants are often found occupying deep, underground caverns, hiding from the victorious conquerors of Manus. Frequently, these lairs are carved out by the tyrants themselves, using their eye rays to mould the environment for their purposes. Often, these lairs are built vertically rather than horizontally like most buildings, with tyrant architecture frequently exhibiting a large number of vertical shafts through which tyrants and other flying creatures can pass with ease, while earthbound creatures find their navigation hindered. Since the departure of the invaders the tyrants have been lost, waiting for a new master. They have been slaves for their entire existence, both to the invaders and now the wizards, and when without a master many are lost and angry. However the most rare and dangerous tyrant, is the one who has realized that he is his own master now.

Language

Places
Alaat-zog, Anakatuv, Atudi'cai, Cerataot, Dirar, Filorhel, Ha'thu, Hara-ichaa, Henki, Hirre, Isimobe, Larbe'ugog, Lunih, Raxer, Resozeah, Rilarias, Rirab, Roxir, Setiras, Socuz-bhola, Tlogotac-gub, Yitavik.

Names
Auarlauranep, Caraurantiid, Gorugorhlz, Iartep, Ibbogga, Maausacha, Nekinat, Nekinathdool, Olel, Othuncakanath, Quaervaxthdool, Rilathxraun, Sclothh, Shatehaqubog, Thachaacha, Tugorhlz, Tgxog, Uluarlauxab, Uskr, Xandul, Xartychaachach, Xlorothxrarr, Xlorot, Xraunraun, Yshu, Yshugnot, Zantriph, Zegnothxrab

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