diff --git a/tools/dice_maiden-down.rb b/tools/dice_maiden-down.rb
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..46bccc9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/dice_maiden-down.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+#!/usr/bin/ruby
+# frozen_string_literal: true
+
+# simple ruby script for stopping dice maiden eye shards - used with systemd service
+p `eye stop shards`
diff --git a/tools/dice_maiden-up.rb b/tools/dice_maiden-up.rb
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..e39746a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/dice_maiden-up.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+#!/usr/bin/ruby
+# frozen_string_literal: true
+
+# simple ruby script for starting dice maiden eye service and reporting basic result - used with systemd service
+eye = system('eye load')
+
+if eye
+  puts 'eye is loading dice maiden service'
+else
+  puts 'eye failed to load dice maiden service!'
+end