Beholders are a monstrous and powerful species of aberration. Beholders are highly intelligent and extremely dangerous, with the ability to use powerful magic and psionic abilities to control and manipulate their surroundings. They are known for their xenophobic nature, viewing all other creatures as inferior and often seeking to dominate or destroy them.
Appearance
Beholders have a large central eye, which is surrounded by 10-12 smaller eyes on long stalks that protrude from the top of their spherical body. Each of these eyes is capable of seeing in all directions, and each is capable of emitting magical rays with its own unique effect, such as paralysis, fear, or disintegration.
The spherical body of a beholder is covered in tough, scaly skin, and it has several tentacle-like appendages protruding from its top. Beholders are diverse in appearance, with no particular coloration or texture being most common.
Abilities
Beholders are incredibly powerful creatures, capable of manipulating reality with their innate magic. They are immune to most forms of magic and possess a number of powerful abilities, including the ability to levitate and the ability to create powerful anti-magic fields.
In combat, beholders are incredibly dangerous opponents, able to fire multiple eye beams at once and employ a number of defensive abilities to protect themselves from harm. They are also incredibly intelligent and strategic, able to plan and coordinate complex attacks against their enemies.
Beholders are also known to be extremely paranoid, often perceiving threats where there are none. They are distrustful of other creatures and will go to great lengths to protect their lairs and possessions.
Culture
Beholders are solitary creatures, rarely forming communities or interacting with other beholders. They are fiercely territorial and will attack any creature that enters their domain, even other beholders.
Beholders are also known for their obsession with treasure and magic items. They will hoard anything of value, and their lairs are often filled with vast amounts of wealth and magical artefacts.
Despite their solitary nature, beholders have been known to form alliances with other creatures, typically those who can provide them with valuable resources or services. However, these alliances are usually short-lived, as beholders are notoriously difficult to trust.
Language and Names
Beholders have their own unique language, which is a combination of vocalisations, body language, and magical signals. They also have the ability to communicate telepathically with other creatures, although they are often reluctant to do so.
Beholder names are usually unpronounceable by other creatures, consisting of a series of clicks, hisses, and other guttural sounds. They may also have nicknames or titles that are easier for other creatures to use.
Reproduction
Beholders reproduce asexually and unintentionally. Beholders warp reality while sleeping and their subconscious mind can spawn a fully-grown beholder instantaneously. If it was dreaming about itself, it may have created an exact duplicate of itself, otherwise it could spawn a beholder-kin or even a completely unique beholder-like creature. It is possible for a beholder to dream another creature into existence. However, for that to happen, the behold has to possess intricate knowledge and understanding of another creature's bodily systems, generally achieved through years of studying and dissection. Without such knowledge, only a misshapen mishmash of a creature could be dreamed to life.
Diet
Beholders require food and water like many other creatures found upon Runetalras. A healthy beholder can survive for twenty days without food or water, however, most eat and drink daily.
Beholders can eat just about anything organic, but they do have preferences. They tend to enjoy eating small mammals and birds alive, humanoid flesh, leafy vegetables, and exotic mushrooms. Their favourite drinks are blood, wine, and food colouring. Visually impressive meals were always preferred, particularly colourful ones.
History
Due to their individualistic nature beholders have not had a significant impact on the history of Runetalras, however, individuals of their race have proved influential.
Beholders appear in some of the earliest legends and myths of the mortal races of Runetalras, so it is widely assumed that members of their race arrived early prior to record history. The most significant beholders have existed within the Underdark where they have led petty kingdoms, sometimes for centuries, where they slaved and led regimes of terror.
It has rumoured that beholders have been secret leaders of various powerful factions throughout Runetalras, though there has been little evidence for these claims.
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