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Aggressive, greedy and tyrannical eye despots are the embodiment of pride and hubris, believing themselves superior to all others in all ways. They view their lairs similarly to the way gods view their domain, ruling over them with a metaphorical iron, and often incredibly paranoid, fist.

Outside the Lair

The characters occasionally feel they are being watched but cannot pinpoint the source of their apprehension.
Strange markings appear here and there on the hewn stone walls. Perceptive characters notice the position of these markings changes from day to day.
The despot lives in isolation, far from civilised lands.
Carvings, written in Undercommon, warn adventurers of their entry into the despot’s domain.

What’s Going On?

The despot is asleep, floating several feet above the ground. Its main eye is closed, but its smaller eyes remain alert, scanning for threats.
A group of sinister humans gather together; the despot is giving orders to the lieutenants of its empire.
The despot is interrogating a prisoner; their fearful screams echo around the lair.
The despot floats from chamber to chamber, proudly inspecting its various trophies won in mighty battles.

Major Lair Features

The petrified stone figures of many adventurers are clustered together, arranged as if they were on display.
The petrified stone figures of previous intruders fill the lair, their faces frozen in expressions of utter horror.
Every chamber in the despot’s domain features an abnormally high domed ceiling, their upper reaches shrouded in darkness.
The party’s magic abruptly fails; the despot is watching them silently from the shadows.

Minor Lair Features

A layer of fine stone dust, remnants of when the despot disintegrated the living rock to form its domain, is undisturbed by any footprint.
Patches of thin, translucent slime lie scattered about in small puddles, making some areas very slippery.
Suspended in midair is a life-size statue of the despot, its many eyes replaced with sparkling gemstones.
Here and there, small piles of fine grey dust mark the spot where a foolhardy intruder was disintegrated.

Eye Despot’s Appearance

This creature’s spherical body is covered in a smooth, leathery hide, glistening with an unknown secretion. Strands of saliva ooze from its toothy maw,
Overlapping chitinous plates cover the body of this monstrous aberration like armour, from which a large, menacing eye glowers with hateful intent.
Ten small eyes, each glowing with a different colour, atop writhing tentacles sprout from this creature’s body.
A vibrant blue eye, radiant with magical energy, pierces the darkness. Around it, an indeterminate mass of deep purple fades into the gloom.

Treasure

Wrapped around one of the despot’s slender eyestalks is a magical ring made of solid platinum. Mystical dwarven runes adorn the polished band.
In a chamber containing a wealth of coins and gemstones, a large shimmering ruby stands out as particularly valuable.
Standing tall on a wooden stand is a huge suit of plate armour, once belonging to a fire giant. Traces of dust, all that’s left of its former owner, still lie within.
The feet of an important minion are shod in a pair of fine emerald boots. White, feathery wings sprout from the heels, granting the wearer the power of flight.

Trinkets & Trash

This battleaxe is extremely well-made; unfortunately, it has been turned to stone and is now useless.
Cast upon the ground is a tattered cloak embroidered with the ancestral sigil of a powerful noble family.
A glass jar full of fine grey dust is all that remains of one of the despot’s defeated enemies.
Standing on a tall pedestal in the centre of a large trophy room is the preserved corpse of another eye despot, vanquished in a duel with its bitter rival.

Credit

This is a short system-neutral extract from Monstrous Lair #99: Eye Despot’s Domain by Christopher Broadhurst.

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