Inkbound Leeches

Inkbound Leeches represent one of the most insidious biological weapons deployed by the Dark Pantheon during The War for Eternity. These parasitic entities, created through the combined corruption of Eelia and Elarus, serve as both psychological and physical weapons against the forces of the Omnium Theocracy.

A swarm of Inkbound Leeches emerging from a blightzone during the siege of an outer district

Physical Characteristics

Inkbound Leeches appear as writhing, obsidian-black parasites roughly the size of a small vehicle. Their bodies are covered in shifting glyphs and symbols that seem to move and rearrange themselves constantly, an effect that can induce severe disorientation in observers. Unlike natural organisms, they possess no conventional sensory organs, instead sensing their prey through an inexplicable awareness of conscious thought and emotional states.

The creatures' most distinctive feature is their ability to secrete a substance known as "void ink" - a viscous, midnight-colored fluid that appears to consume both light and matter. This substance plays a crucial role in their feeding process and their ability to corrupt both organic and inorganic materials. The ink itself appears to have semi-sentient properties, responding to nearby emotions and thoughts with varying degrees of aggressive behavior.

Origins and Creation

The genesis of Inkbound Leeches can be traced to the aftermath of the Razing of the Athenaeum, where the Bibliocast Scribes first deployed prototype versions of these creatures. These early specimens were created by exposing normal parasitic organisms to concentrated streams of corrupted knowledge drawn from burned texts and scrolls. The process was later refined by combining this corrupted knowledge with aspects of Elarus's capacity for inflicting suffering and Eelia's addictive properties.

Method of Attack

Unlike Gorathadons which rely on brute force, Inkbound Leeches employ a more subtle but equally devastating approach to warfare. When they attach to a victim, they begin injecting their void ink directly into the target's bloodstream or equivalent circulatory system. This ink doesn't simply poison the body - it begins to overwrite the victim's memories and thoughts with corrupted knowledge drawn from texts destroyed during the Razing of the Athenaeum.

The victims of Inkbound Leech attacks often survive the initial encounter, but find themselves plagued by intrusive thoughts and fragmented memories that aren't their own. Many report experiencing vivid recollections of events they never witnessed, often including detailed accounts of atrocities committed during the ancient wars of the Lort'zyn. This psychological contamination frequently leads to madness or, in some cases, conversion to the forces of the Dark Pantheon.

Defensive Measures

The Cyber Paladins have developed several countermeasures against Inkbound Leech attacks, including specialized electromagnetic fields that disrupt the creatures' ability to sense consciousness. Additionally, the Hollow Horde has found that certain toxic compounds can neutralize the void ink before it can take effect, though these treatments must be administered quickly to be effective.

One of the most effective defenses has proven to be psionic dampening fields, which can interfere with the leeches' ability to transmit corrupted knowledge into their victims' minds. However, maintaining these fields requires significant energy and specialized equipment, making them impractical for widespread deployment across the Theocracy's vast territories.

Impact on Military Strategy

The threat posed by Inkbound Leeches has forced significant changes in how the Theocracy conducts defensive operations. Traditional fortifications must now include specialized containment protocols to prevent leech infiltration, while combat units require new forms of protection beyond conventional armor. The psychological impact of these creatures has also led to the development of new screening protocols to identify potentially compromised personnel before they can pose a threat to their companions.

Cultural Impact

The existence of Inkbound Leeches has profoundly affected how many species within the Theocracy view knowledge itself. Many now regard unknown texts and information sources with deep suspicion, fearing they might contain corrupted knowledge that could attract these creatures. This has led to the rise of Knowledge Purifiers, specialized scholars who work to verify the safety of recovered information before it can be widely distributed.

See Also

• The Biblioclast Scribes
• Void Corruption
• The Razing of the Athenaeum

References

• "Parasitic Corruption in the War for Eternity" - Vitinvesto's Research Compendium
• "Tactical Analysis: Dark Pantheon Biological Weapons" - Theocratic Navy Strategic Command
• "Psychological Impact of Corrupted Knowledge" - Archives of the Astral Questors