Flaming Eye

The traditional symbol of piracy among the Vilani, much like the skull and crossed bones on old Terra.

Description (Specifications)

Some variation exists for the symbol itself. Usually depicted as a stylized but symmetrical almond-shaped eye with pupil, it can include either several small flame curls above the eye, usually to the left of center, or as a larger curl of flame enveloping the pupil and extending above the eye. Color is used sparingly; the traditional use on spacecraft is against a black background, so the elements of the symbol are frequently in white, sometimes with some yellow or orange flames.

A common, if somewhat romanticized, presentation of the symbol is used by pirates successful enough to have programmable hull coloration. The pirate ship hails and approaches the target under some pretense and is first seen in the colors of either a known shipping company or as an independent. Once the pirates feel they have ther target where they want it, the hull is shifted to black with the Flaming Eye prominent on which ever surface the target can see, perhaps animated or using forced perspective so that the Eye appears to be looking right at the target.

It is a sight no honest merchant ever wants to see.

History & Background (Dossier)

Used by Vilani Pirates on pre-spaceflight Vland, the symbol would remain in use as the Vilani expanded into space. Despite their best efforts, or perhaps because of them, piracy would find a place in the expanding realm of the Vilani Main and beyond. In many cases the pirates were the Vilani themselves, fallen in fortune and years from home. In other cases, only some of which were romanticized by more civilized folk, the symbol would come to be used by those who acquired Jump Drive and then turned to prey on their benefactors. Not all cultures the Vilani encountered had their own traditions of piracy, so the trappings of the Vilani were used, including the Flaming Eye.

For most of their common history, this did not include the Vargr, who had their own symbols and forms of silent intimidation. The mere sight of a luridly striped ship shaped like a hungry predator's head was often enough. Only sporadically used with malice aforethought during the Long Night, and occasionally during the years of the Third Imperium, the Flaming Eye would be increasingly used by Vargr corsairs with grievances and malice during the Rebellion.

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References & Contributors (Sources)

This article is missing content for one or more detailed sections. Additional details are required to complete the article. You can help the Traveller Wiki by expanding it.

This list of sources was used by the Traveller Wiki Editorial Team and individual contributors to compose this article. Copyrighted material is used under license from Far Future Enterprises or by permission of the author. The page history lists all of the contributions.

• James Holden, Joe D. Fugate Sr., Terrance McInnes. Vilani & Vargr (Digest Group Publications, 1990), .
• Thom Gressman, J. Andrew Keith, Joe Fugate, Nancy Parker, Bill Hezeltine. The Flaming Eye (Digest Group Publications, 1990), .
• Martin Dougherty. Out Of The Darkness (Avenger Enterprises, 2006), 140.