Blinkers

This article, Blinkers, is property of Illusive Dream.

Blinkers, also known as Mage Killers is a small highly elite force under the banner of Ravenhold, serving zealously, even fanatically towards their goals. Trained with the sole purpose of killing spell casters of various colors and types, individuals adhering to strict codes and dark teachings in order to learn the secrets in order to slay their enemies. Little more then rumors to the outside world; however, Mages of the various kingdoms are fearful of this task force. They are directly controlled by Epona Bloodraven, albeit, supreme control falls under Aeron Bloodraven.

Taking years of training to become a 'Blinker', excrutiating and going through many painful processes in order to obtain the abilities and skill set in order to fufill their goal. Deeply loyal to their mistress, the Blinkers are few, only a handful are allowed to exist at a time to ensure loyalty and the maximum amount of power in the individuals. Enemies of various kindomgs, the Ravenhold keeps this group hidden as a elite military sect, loyal to the death. As well; the Blinkers work as spies and assassins for their masters: given cover identities in order to not be found.

It was been rumored that the Blinkers gain their inhuman strength and abilities through a nightmarish artifact left over by dead gods. This artifact granting them the power they need in order to hunt and succeed without failure.

Location

The Blinkers are a decentralized force, working under covers wherever they are required. Cast admist the nation, leaves in the breeze. To be called back to their home whenever the time comes, taking their operations upon themselves when desired of their superiors. Blinkers work well in pairs, and as such, two Mage Killers are commonly close in distance to provide ease of distribution. Blinkers are trained as well to be a void to magical perception, their potential and powers invisible to the most skilled of sensory.

However, when called together as a whole: the Blinkers will use a series of caverns under Baron known as the Chambers of the Never-There. A labyrinth of tunnels, magically imbued to cloak magical signatures, providing them the outlet to torture victims of magical prowess, and to hide their mana pools en masse, as to not draw the attention of any would be colored mages, or from the likes of Cinqluer. Working in total secrecy, only convening here if called by their leader: Epona Bloodraven.

Structure

Appearance of the Blinker

Raised with the mindset of Cultists, worshipping their 'gods', the Ravenhold and it's rulers. Trained ruthlessly, they are instilled with torture through magical means, allowing them to realize their hate and fear of magic, training them to be hounds, the mages their prey. Dying with zeal if they are caught, finding honor in death. There is an order to this group of Assassins and Spies however, specific duties, specific ranks, specific goals.

• Listener

The role of listener is the most important rank in the carde of the Mage Killer Society they have. He/she takes direct orders from their leader, then handing them out specifically to those with the talents best suited to take out their contracts. The Listener is also extremely gifted with his/her ability skillset, mastering their magus killing techniques to their finest, in order to retain both respect, and instill fear into the targets he/she will rarely take on in missions. The Listener works alone, only aiding a pair or group of Blinkers if the situation is dire.

• Silencers

The rank given to the skilled Blinkers, those who have accomplished various objectives and slain many. With success comes increased talents. Near this time, individual Silencers will have become an expert or mastered atleast a few of the spells in their deck of abilities, making them a much larger threat. Working in pairs, Silencers are primarily used for the missions requiring a more tactful brutality. Sending a message to their victims, a ripple of silence intended to shut down the goals of the slain. Once a Mage Killer has become a Silencer, they will continually work together with a specific other, allowing perfect cohesion. Trained to endure stressful situations, times of panic; the Ravenhold will continually test their capabilities, forcing the restraints and limits to their breaking points. To glean the ultimate potential.

• Speakers

The voices of the Blinkers, few and far between, their only goal is to whisper the words that their masters desire of them. To find, and 'recruit' others into their fold. This recruiting process can either be through subtle influences that guide the intended-to-be, to them. As well, this recruitment can in turn kidnap young street orphans of the cities, prevelent in the Capital; so that they may train them from a young age and grant them the most promise, easily molded. If a Speaker is ever caught, they will speak a spell of highly dangerous potency, sealed on their tongue. This seal, once activated, will distintergrate their tongues and vocal chords, preventing any words from being spoken, commonly leading to immense trauma preventing repair through mending or magic.

• Eyes and Hands:

The Eyes and Hands of the Blinkers are the next step for a Mage Killer to ascend to. Given the specific duty in serving the higher ranking of their order, they will be used as spies and infiltrators, making their way into locations without a hint of their presence. Whether this is through the deft of night, or through acting out a part of a given role to complete their mission. The Eyes and Hands are the most likely of all to be caught, as they are in the forefront of danger, in their disguise or during a mission. If captured, the Eyes and Hands are deemed banished from the order, and are given an intense set of mental defenses in order to resist and counter interrogation. Even going as far as to place a rune on the lobe of their brain that will prevent them from speaking about their superiors. The Blinkers will most commonly kill their own Eyes and Hands in order for the rune to stay hidden, and their secrets more importantly.

• Proxies

Considered the most dangerous out of any of the covert ranks within the Blinkers, it is a position not chosen. It is given. Choosing a few particular people, and thieving away them in the night, or secluded place during the day, they will retrieve them and return them to their headquarters for the sole goal of repurposing their minds. Whether or not the individual is already in the organization or not does not matter to the Blinkers. Imprinting memories, falsifying identities and giving the proxy a singular goal. To activate and be used when the time comes. From citizens, to milita, to outstanding politicians. Nothing is beyond the reach of reprogramming a mind for the Blinkers. In the moments notice, a bodyguard could be turned into a deadly assassin for the Blinkers, installed with the knowledge and skill sets, magic used to uninhibit these traits only once activated. Little else then the identities they take until their masters have use of them.

• Mage Killers

The lowest of all the ranks, it does not however mean they are not deadly. Sharpened tools of lethality, sworn to slay all magic users that are enemies of the House. Taking down their intended targets in a drove, destroying all foes under the command of Epona and Aeron. Rarely failing, the Mage Killers are a threat to be reckoned with: for they have a singular programmed reasoning behind all their actions: to kill Mages, and to hate magic. Suffering with it's curse, only so that it may be used to kill those that abuse it. Fighting fire, with fire.

Training

Blinkers are trained from an early age, near the years of seven to thirteen. At this time, Ravenhold will be searching for individuals in various realms with physical promise, and an alignment with magic. Using both of these aspects, they are trained to learn several spells; but they are limited to these. As well, no Blinker may learn magical spells above the rank of 3, inhibiting them from becoming the mages they hunt. Using fire against fire, the Mage Killers hunt down their enemies with techniques specific orientation to destroy their intended target. The spells they are able to learn; is all that they may learn, and are naturally inhibited from obtaining any other spell from any other magical field. Rarely working in groups, however, the Blinkers do work in pairs, using their prowess to subjugate even the most of dangerous enemies.

Their loyalty instilled into them through fear, worship, and intense torture. To hone their mind and body, Blinkers undergo a series of trials upon their initiation, challenging them: killing the weak, the strong surviving. Leaving only a handful of Blinkers for the elite squad, this ensures their talent is unrivaled when it comes to praying upon their magical contracts.

Mage Killers as well; are trained with the abilities to gain advantage over their victims, using items and various other means if neccesary to gain leverage in the battles and assassinations. Once a victim is slain, the Blinkers are given the privledge of absorbing the magical blood their targets once held, drinking it with the aid of Black and Blue Magic, using it to enhance their own mana regeneration, allowing them to increase their limit of spells they may cast.

As well, Blinkers are instilled with a sort of fanatic love of the House Bloodraven, serving loyally and zealously. This process is ineviteble, and breaks the strongest of minds. Any that would attempt to resist would be killed, any that tried to escape would face similiar punishment.

Blinker Techniques

• Telekinesis
• Telepathy
• Blink
• Runic

Tactical Support Abilities

• Invisibility
• Teleportation
• Esuna
• Scan
• Haste
• Slow

Mage Killer Abilities

• Magic Break
• Silence
• Sap

Squad Limited Abilities

• Night
• Nightmare

Due to the way they are trained, Blinkers are entirely unable to be healed by any form of magic, absorption or through White Magic, and must be tended to through natural means. This is due to the process of which they were trained, disabling their body from converting mana to health, health to health; limited to the way things are genetically renewed. As well, Blinkers will die in a much shorter time then others would; the aspect of absorbing the essence of the dead corrupts their own body, destroying them slowly like a cancer. The age at which most Blinkers would die if they lived long enough would be near 40-50. As such; any veterans in this age group are immensely respected and are dubbed the luckiest and strongest of the group.

Weaponry

Having a multitude of various dirty tricks up their sleeves, Blinkers are rarely unperpared for their magical foes, keeping with them a series of poisons that would inflict nausia, dizziness, deterred focus, hallucinations, hemorrage, nerve damage, paralyziation, and various others. Using the best of the best, they conjure and concoct their own toxic mixtures, masters of poison making, some better then others: but all providing the same results: major hinderance, and eventual death.

As well, the Blinkers have various others items of use, ropes, taught and dryed with magical properties, preventing the material from being caught on fire. Sometimes chains if neccesary, incendiaries of various sorts to provide cover, or to sabotage the housing a foe might take cover in. The Mage Killers are ruthless, destroying many innocents, reports of destruction of an entire city's block been used to destroy a single mage taking cover in a building.

Mage Killers specialize in daggers, fist weapons, short swords, single headed axes, throwing knives, nets, and crossbows. Using their weaponry, hidden admist their person, all coated in poisons to debilitate for the kill, Blinkers are more then enough of a threat by themselves to two mages: a pair of them being all too ready to take on a group with proper planning and use of strategy, mainly ambush and selective tactics.

Purpose

Their single goal is to live loyally to the Ravenhold, working as magical assassins. Slaying enemies that would be of threat to the other classes, using innate skills. With percision skill sets, hindering an enemy with a flurry of stuns and silences, preventing movement and the utterance of various spells. Cohesive, functioning as pairs, the Blinkers are renknowned as the Mage Killers for their talent in murdering even the most skilled of colored and non-colored mages.

Their side objective is to remain hidden, while still gleaning fear from their assassinations and warning signs. To the society, the Mage Killers are mostly legend, even a mythos. Something to deter others from using thier magical talents if born with any. To the likes of Cinqluer, the Mage Killers are an all too true reality. Something to fear and be scared of at night when you sleep. Victims of the Mage Killers are occassionally sent a message, prior or post mortum, simply stating with a dark hand print, used with the blood of the fallen mages: "We Know."

Behind the Scenes

Ranks are a tribute to those in the realm of Skyrim, the Elder Scrolls Series, held by members of the Dark Brotherhood.