The Eyes of Venar’Tal is an air and sea dominance branch in the Geban Empire's military structure, established under Emperor Venar’Tal Kareth during the Era of Imperial Conquest. Following the death of his father Emperor Venar'Tolarg during a Northern Thazvaar campaign—his body never returned—the young prince hardened into a war leader. Recognizing Thazvaar’s hyper-defensiveness, he founded the Eyes to enable unmatched sea and air monitoring, using reconnaissance, navigation, infiltration, and sabotage to break enemy defenses.
This branch commanded aerial and naval forces across the Empire, combining covert operations with high-altitude relays and rapid deployment. Strategic use of airships enabled troop delivery, bombardment, and airborne espionage, leveraging key strongholds like the liberated Berinu base. Their ocean-fortress in Berinu was later targeted by the Infinite Maw.
Affiliated elite units included the Sky Hammers, airborne shock troops who launched coordinated airship strikes but eventually declined due to piracy and logistics strain. The Emperor’s Shadow executed assassinations, psychological subversion, and seeding of future rulers. The Bare Hand handled internal destabilization, deploying infiltrators to sow chaos undetected.
After the Era of Fracture, the Eyes dissolved into imperial chaos. The Emperor’s Shadow merged into the Underworld, laying the groundwork for the Shadow Rulers. The Sky Hammers faded completely, while the Bare Hand continued targeted sabotage against rising factions.
During the Shadow Rule era, former Eyes elements were reabsorbed into covert systems. Shadow Operatives drew on Bare Hand sabotage, while surviving air/sea infrastructure supported relay maintenance. The Emperor’s Shadow seeded regional coordination in both Geba and Thazvaar.
Throughout the Warlord Eras, former operatives conducted infiltration, assassination, and psychological warfare to destabilize warlords. Bare Hand legacies enabled undetectable sabotage and aided deployment of Recursion Bombs.
In modern Geba, the Eyes no longer exist formally. However, their legacy persists: the Emperor’s Shadow inspires covert doctrine, Shadow Operatives operate globally from the underworld, and Bare Hand tactics continue shaping covert governance.