Patreon Flashback: The Beholder

The mysterious stranger danced between the ogre thugs, dodging their heavy blows with effortless grace. But it was a deadly dance; silver and steel flashed in the moonlight and the two enforcers collapsed without a sound.

Green blood slowly pooled in the gutters as the stranger turned to face Gregor. Even though she was standing still, Gregor found that he couldn't get a clear glimpse of her; it was as if the night mist clung to her like a shroud. All he could see were her eyes, luminous emeralds that pulled him into their depths. When she spoke, her voice was a whisper that echoed in his mind, more like the memory of speech that any human sound. "Gregor Fontaine, you chose the path that led you to this place. Were it not for my intervention you would have died here. Your life is mine, and I will mold it into something of value. You may prosper in my service, or you may yet die; but you will have the chance to bring meaning and honor to your life. Do you understand me?"

The alley had faded from view; all Gregor could see were the stranger's eyes. Her question drove all other thoughts from his mind. Slowly, he nodded.

"Welcome, then," the voice flowed through his mind. "From this moment on, you are one of the eyes of the Beholder."

Once upon a time, Wizards of the Coast held a search for a new fantasy setting. People submitted one-page proposals. Eleven of those proposals were chosen and expanded to ten pages. Three advanced and were expanded to one hundred pages. And my setting—at the time called Thrilling Tales of Swords and Sorcery—was chosen from those three. Over the next year I worked with James Wyatt, Chris Perkins, Bill Slavicsek and others and it became the world we now know as Eberron. In the process, some ideas evolved and others were dropped. One of those was the Beholder, a pulp vigilante in the style of The Shadow or The Spider. It's been almost 20 years, but here's a glimpse at that original idea. The opening quote and what follows here are presented just as they were (and if the opening story is a little melodramatic, well, that was the intent). The "mazarak" were the higher orders of the Quori, a term abandoned over time. I'll also note that while I've described her as kalashtar, the original idea of the Beholder was actually that she was a rogue quori—that rather than being bound to a particular mortal body or bloodline, she worked through direct (voluntary) possession and was actively undercover in Dal Quor.

This content is presented as I wrote it almost twenty years ago. I haven't ever used the Beholder in any of my campaigns, and I'm not going to answer questions about her; this is all that I've ever done with her. But if you want a glimpse into the secret history of Eberron... here's the Beholder.

THE BEHOLDER

Brief Description: A vigilante who uses a network of agents to fight crime and corruption – while working towards a higher purpose.

Alignment: Neutral Good

Base of Operations: Sharn

The Beholder is an enigmatic figure. From the shadows of Sharn she fights crime and exposes the schemes of spies. She's a master of disguise and a powerful psychic warrior; when she appears in person she is swift, deadly, and impossible to identify. However, she prefers to work through her "eyes" – a network of agents with different skills, few of whom know of one another. She will deliver messages – often telepathically – providing information and direction to her agents. Those who serve her are compensated for their efforts, and have the satisfaction of working for what appears to be a good cause. But the true identity and motives of their benefactor remain a mystery.

The truth of the matter is that the Beholder is a being from the plane of the Inspired – a Quori spirit from one of the highest orders of the mazarak. But she opposes the actions of her kindred and wishes to destroy the Dreaming Dark. She is not aligned with the Kalashtar; these renegade spirits do not trust her. Instead she seeks to groom a group of terrestrial heroes to help her overcome her kindred. She believes in the potential of humanity, and with the typical Quori long view is willing to wait for decades if need be. While she is a good-aligned individual, her crime-fighting actions aren't really that important to her; they are simply a way to develop the skills of her agents, and to gauge the courage and integrity of her allies.

The Beholder makes an excellent patron for a party and can provide a solid foundation for the formation of an adventuring group. The Beholder makes a habit of recruiting agents in whom she sees potential – especially those who have placed themselves in difficult situations. It may even be that she manufactures their difficulties to make them more willing to join her cause (see the beginning of this chapter for a sample encounter with the Beholder—that's the story quoted at the start—KB). She will solve their immediate problems, and see to needs like food and comfortable shelter – in exchange for unquestioning service when she demands it. A party of adventurers could all have been recruited by the Beholder and drawn together for her missions; what they do between missions for their mysterious benefactor is entirely up to them. In the meantime they will grow in power, eventually matching the skills of their patron and working with her to fight the Inspired.

The Beholder is not actually Inspired. Instead she has mastered the art of traditional possession. There are three different people who serve as her willing hosts; this is another twist that will make it difficult to determine her true identity, since she actually has three. She can also use her skills to temporarily lend some of her power to an agent who bears her sigil (see 4.5.2—this had rules for voluntary possession that ended up becoming divine channeling in the ECS—KB). Thus, instead of showing up in person to save the day, she can grant a player character additional power, allowing THEM to save the day. This is a strenuous and potentially dangerous act for her – something she would only do in a critical situation – but it adds another element for the DM to play with. She has to spend a certain amount of time in Dal Quor, maintaining her cover identity there. As a result, at any given time she may not be available in.

Story Ideas

• If the heroes do not work with the Beholder, they can still interact with her agents. Commoners can assist the party for seemingly no reason, providing goods or services on behalf of "a friend." The Beholder herself can appear to fight for the party – but a DM should be careful to remember that the PARTY members need to feel like the heroes of the story.
• An agent of the Beholder can die at the party's feet, struck down by an incurable necromantic bolt. Before he dies, he whispers his mission – will the heroes complete his task?
• Even if the party never works with the Beholder at low levels, she may still approach them later and ask for their help in destroying the Dreaming Dark – a long-term challenge for high-level characters.