Beholder

**The Beholder** was a hideous many-eyed monster that was sealed away in the Great Library of Atlas. A creature born from the dead god Kaasma, it was extremely malevolent and attempted to immediate assault anyone nearby when it was freed.

## Description

### Appearance

The Beholder appears to be a large spherical mass of flesh with a large mouth and a single large eye resting in the centre of its face. It has five eyestalks on either side of its body which it can freely move about.

### Personality

The Beholder is a malicious creature that brings destruction to whatever it sees with little warning. It does not express any other personality traits beyond that.

## History

The Beholder is a creation of Kaasma, sent to Io to cause havoc in the name of its master. It was sealed away using Auroran technology at some point in its history by unknown individuals, who then housed it in the Library of the Holy City of Atlas. In Io's prime reality, the Beholder was likely destroyed along with the rest of the city upon the defeat of DIV and VOID. However, in alternate realities, it remained in the Library after the city ascended into the sky. At some point centuries later, two adventuring parties in parallel realities clashed with the Beholder, mananging to defeat it.

## Story

### Release and Defeat

The Beholder remained trapped in the Library in the Altered City of Atlas until a group of pirates arrived seeking answers. The curious halfling Khairen accidentally released it when she nudged some of the machinery. The young navigator Alice immediately sensed its evil presence and the crew engaged it in combat. The fight proved to be difficult, with the Beholder nullifying their magics and inflict all sorts of negative conditions upon the crew. The creature lost two of its eyes stalks before the crew began to wear it down. In desparation, it used all its power at once, causing Alice and Layton Beardthrone to become petrified. However, it was eventually put down by the crew's combined efforts. After the battle, the changeling Zehani examined the creature, identfying it as having been created by Kaasma, just like him.

## Powers and Abilities

* **Anti-Magic Cone**: The Beholder's central eye creates an area of antimagic within a 150-foot-cone. The area works against the beholder's own eye rays.
* **Eye Rays**: The beholder has ten eye stalks, each of which possess a different magical power. The Beholder shoots these magical eye rays at random, choosing one to three targets it can see within 120 feet of it. The different eye rays include:
	1. **Charm Ray:** The targeted creature must succeed on a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw or be charmed by the beholder for 1 hour, or until the beholder harms the creature.
	2. **Paralyzing Ray:** The targeted creature must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
	3. **Fear Ray:** The targeted creature must succeed on a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
	4. **Slowing Ray:** The targeted creature must succeed on a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the target’s speed is halved for 1 minute. In addition, the creature can’t take reactions, and it can take either an action or a bonus action on its turn, not both. The creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
	5. **Enervation Ray:** The targeted creature must make a DC 16 Constitution saving throw, taking 36 (8d8) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
	6. **Telekinetic Ray:** If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 16 Strength saving throw or the beholder moves it up to 30 feet in any direction. It is restrained by the ray’s telekinetic grip until the start of the beholder’s next turn or until the beholder is incapacitated. If the target is an object weighing 300 pounds or less that isn’t being worn or carried, it is moved up to 30 feet in any direction. The beholder can also exert fine control on objects with this ray, such as manipulating a simple tool or opening a door or a container.
	7. **Sleep Ray:** The targeted creature must succeed on a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw or fall asleep and remain unconscious for 1 minute. The target awakens if it takes damage or another creature takes an action to wake it. This ray has no effect on constructs and undead.
	8. **Petrification Ray:** The targeted creature must make a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the creature begins to turn to stone and is restrained. It must repeat the saving throw at the end of its next turn. On a success, the effect ends. On a failure, the creature is petrified until freed by the greater restoration spell or other magic.
	9. **Disintegration Ray:** If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw or take 45 (10d8) force damage. If this damage reduces the creature to 0 hit points, its body becomes a pile of fine gray dust. If the target is a Large or smaller non-magical object or creation of magical force, it is disintegrated without a saving throw. If the target is a Huge or larger object or creation of magical force, this ray disintegrates a 10-foot cube of it.
	10. **Death Ray:** The targeted creature must succeed on a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw or take 55 (10d10) necrotic damage. The target dies if the ray reduces it to 0 hit points.

* **Short-Range Teleportation**: The Beholder can teleport short distances in an instant.
* **Levitation**: The Beholder uses its magics to keep itself hovering above the ground for greater mobility.

## Etymology

To "*behold*" something is to see or observe something, especially if it is of an impressive or remarkable nature. A "*beholder*" is one who does such.

Beholders are infamous monsters found in Dungeons and Dragons. Sometimes referred to as "eye tyrants", they are nearly all powerful evil creatures who are constantly plotting to accumulate wealth or power. Viscous and greedy, they deem all other lifeforms to be beneath them. A well-known Beholder is Xanathar, the leader of a very influential thieves' guild.

## Trivia

* The Beholder confirms that most Aberrations in the World of Io series are born from Kaasma.
* The Beholder's presence in the City of Atlas implies that Kaasma had previously attempted an invasion of sort prior to the death of the gods. It is unknown who sealed it away or how.