You have been summoned because I consider you worthy of receiving the greatest of honors, and penances.
I have not called upon our best warriors, nor our most skilled fighters. The ones here present are those who best understand duty, sacrifice, and mercy.
Rejoice, for I have chosen you to be part of the next step towards true justice.
Before you lies the fruit of your own hunts. Those of you who wish to, may take the next step and commune with this new instrument that I have forged for you.
Together we will bring retribution.
Instrument Classification:
Sin Level:
None
Availability:
Scarce
Versatility:
Low
Description:
Retributors are spiritual devices used only within the Eyes of Argos as both weapons for defense and tools for dealing justice. The devices differ from traditional projectile-based weapons in the sense that they harm both the spirit of their users and the flesh of their target. For example: should one use a Retributor to shoot another individual in the leg, their own leg will feel the pain of that impact, albeit to a slightly lesser extent.
The coat of an Argos member sporting a newly-summoned Retributor.
Mechanically speaking, Retributors carry the design philosophies of certain black-powder weaponry. They are light and compact, with a tight accuracy that compensates for a low rate of fire. The damage which a Retributor is capable of dealing depends on the constitutional strength of their operator— a weaker willed man will not strike as powerfully.
Retributors blur the definition between the living and the dead, somehow holding a physical form and being intangible in nature. To first use a Retributor one must "summon" one via their own willpower, a feat which can prove difficult to those unaccustomed to their ways.
The weapons don’t need to be repaired or maintained, and their physical form is directly sustained by the soul of their user, which, accordingly, means that the weapon can be a great burden on the spiritual stability of the ones who wield it.
History and Usages:
"I saw the man channel his spirit, and conjure it via flame. I couldn't tell what kind of threat I was facing, but I knew that it would be king amidst the Backrooms."
— A wanderer describing an firsthand encounter against a Retributor.
Argos initially brought the Retributors to the higher ranks of The Eyes in hopes of redefining the way in which we promulgate our justice. Since their introduction, the instruments have been passed down to most higher-ranking watchers and a few worthy initiates. Once a watcher is bestowed with a Retributor, they form an inexorable bond, although they can be taken away from anyone at The Council's discretion in exceptional cases.
The method in which Argos conjured the devices into being remains unknown— all we truly know is that it is his will that allows them to be in our possession. Each Retributor is unique and made to specifically accommodate to the strengths and weaknesses of its future user. As the watcher becomes more proficient with their weapon, and grows accustomed to its use, the Retributor may slightly adapt to the preferences of its user. This eventually leads to a point of equilibrium, where both being and Retributor are in perfect synchronization.
The rules by which one can use a Retributor are very narrow. One must first take place in a highly secretive, sacred ritual to obtain the weapon, making it nigh impossible for any impious groups to infiltrate and steal the limitless power of the devices for their own gain. From there on, members of The Eyes are only to fire a Retributor when absolutely necessary, solely in situations where no other option is clearly available.
Precautions:
"As powerful as Retributors are, you must remember that they are not only a manifestation of power, but also one of temperance and expiation."
— Highmarshal Arcadia on the dangers of mishandling Retributors
- During intense altercations in which high levels of sin surround the user of a Retributor, it is possible for the instrument to transmit profane impulses and thoughts into the mind of the operator. These appear in the form of distant, distorted echoes that barely resemble a chorus of discordant human voices. If a watcher seeks to master the use of the Retributor, they must be able to combat and overcome these impulses in stressful situations.
- A Retributor is, in a way, an extension of the self, and it must be treated as such. Damage dealt to the weapon can also be reflected on the spiritual aspect of its user, though said situations are unlikely to occur, as, in the words of Argos, the instrument is constructed of "the strongest material humankind is capable of producing."
- Novices are strongly advised to use the instrument with moderation, and only in situations that truly warrant it. Irresponsible and uncontrolled abuse of the device has proven to be capable of causing chronic pain to the wielder. In such cases, the damage has resisted all healing methods attempted by our Sanctifiers.
I recognize that the cost is high, but this is what is expected of us as pursuers of justice.
As a sign of my devotion, and of my faith in this new venture, I will be the first to bind my soul.
For we must feel the pain in every drop of blood we shed.