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Beholder

'She was the one, He needed at night.'“ What we have between us, is just business. Your body in exchange of my money. ” He sneered while hovering above me, our lips only inches apart but I knew he wouldn't let me touch him. Slowly, I nodded my head in a painful yet hateful trance, “ Right. My body. Your money. ” ______Damien Knight Castillo,The Cold-Hearted, Powerful, Ruthless, Mysterious and Dangerously Handsome CEO of Castillo Corporation started craving only one thing in his life and that was Alice Anderson's body after she sold herself to him for only one night in a secret Auction. The problem was that, he was already married to his beloved wife, Madison Knight Castillo. But an option of a mistress is always open, right?

9.8

105 Chapters

Accidentally Married

She was Dumped. He needed a bride. Jessica was to be married to her high school sweetheart and heartthrob Burke They decided to only go to the courthouse and do something small. Jessica gets dumped on her wedding day as Burke confesses to cheating on her. She is devastated. On the other hand, Xavier is the only grandson of the famous billionaire grandmaster. His grandfather who had been raising him since his parents died while he was still at a tender age is now nearing death. The grandfather wants his grandson to be married before he transfers ownership of the company to him. He doesn't care who the grandson marries he just wants him to settle down. Xavier had contracted a wife to get married to him. The strange girl who he had never seen before doesn't show up on the day of the wedding. Coincidentally, Jessica and Xavier happen to be together in the same courthouse at the same time. While Jessica overhears the conversation with Xavier over the phone she goes to propose marriage to him and then gets married to him. She was usually careful and ooverthoughteverything. She decided to do something spontaneous for the first time and it landed her into a marriage. She was going to get married either way. What happens when two people begin to spend time together? Read on to find out the thrilling love story between Jessica and Xavier

9.5

707 Chapters

The Shadow Alpha

His eyes locked with mine and I could feel the strength of the mate bond gnawing at me, but I forced it down. Devin eyed me with annoyance and prominent in his gorgeous grey eyes.“Alpha Devin, this is my daughter.” Papa Jamie said with pride in his voice. Devin gave him a weird look, but turned to me instead. Before he could speak I cut him off with a surveying look from head to toe. He was still as hot as hell if not more; his body was more built and his face more chiseled than before. He looked all man and sue me for finding it sexy. mate bond. My eyes were void of emotion as I looked at the pack that flanked him and back into his stormy grey eyes. I stuck out my hand with a smirk on my face, “Welcome to the Blue Moon Pack.” He grasped my hand and shocks ran up my arm and through my body as it did his causing his eyes to widen, but before he could react I continued. “I am Alpha Allison Trust Wells.” My tone oozed confidence and mirth. I heard a few gasps, but the biggest reaction I got was from Devin whose eyes widened in shock.~~~A story of hurt, betrayal and second chances in a world of mystical creatures. Allison is a young Shewolf with a gift from the Goddess Selene. Join her as she navigates the web of secrets and lies weaved by the people she once thought of as family and learns forgiveness.Not all second chances are started on a clean slate...

9.6

70 Chapters

His Broken Angel

Women wish to have a husband like Nikaulas King. Clearly, the man was madly in love with his wife for only a person who is madly in love would wed a crippled woman.But was it the truth?Angela Hernandez and Nikaulas King were married for two years. Angela loved him with all her heart but he was in love with someone else, Leah, his best friend's wife.Despite that, she hoped that one day he would take a look at her. One day he will take her name while being inside her and that one day he will reciprocate her love but what she ever got in return was heartbreak and his ignorance because, one she was crippled and second, his heart was already taken.But what would happen when one day she would reject his touch and demand for divorce?This is the story of his broken angel.The story of rejection and obsession

9.5

147 Chapters

Dragon's Misplaced Mate

Blaze is the black dragon, who is the king of the dark realm. The unknown realm in the Fairy. Only a few Fae know about the existence of the biggest realm in Fairy.Blaze is powerful, fierce, domineering, minds his own business and his word is a rule in the dark realm. He is intelligent and prefers to be alone. He doesn't lack the attention of a woman, but no one ever captured his attention for more than an hour.Isabella is a human girl, who was kidnapped from her home to replace her look-alike, Arabella.Arabella belongs to a rich family in fairy, whose mother is a fae and father is a human man. Her father forced her to participate in the bridal run, where a dragon claims a woman as his bride.Isabella wakes up in fairy, all disoriented. Before she could understand what is happening around her, she is being claimed by Blaze, who usually never participates in these runs, as his bride.Will Blaze find out that the girl he claimed is not who he thinks she is?Can Isabella go back home?Will Isabella's hate for dragons become a hinder to their love?What are the reasons behind her occasionally glowing palms?Where is Koni?Or, is it someone else from his family?Will he be successful in Bela?

9.3

201 Chapters

Alpha Reid

SIX-PACK SERIES BOOK FIVE ~ *If you haven't read books 1-4, I highly recommend starting the series with Alpha Gray and reading the prior books in order (Gray, Theo, Jax, Brock) for context before starting this one* REID : I've always exercised complete control in all things. When it comes to my pack, I'm in control as its Alpha. In everyday life, I follow a schedule and value structure and discipline. My friends think I stick too close to the rules, but maintaining order and being in control are the key things that keep me grounded. That's part of the reason why the wait for my fated mate has been so frustrating- because it's the one thing I have no control over. And when I finally meet her, I quickly realize she's equally as uncontrollable, as is the bond between us. I've been waiting all my life for Serena, but when she shows up on the eve of a war, can I really trust her? And if so, will I ever be able to conquer her chaos? ~ SERENA : They say life is full of choices, but mine were stripped from me the moment my pack was attacked and my family was killed. Since then, I've been on autopilot, just doing what I have to do to survive. That is, until the last thing I expect to happen, does; I stumble upon my fated mate. I suddenly have a choice again- give in to the mate bond between Reid and I, or risk losing it all. Can I trust him with my secrets, and can he handle them? Once he knows the truth, will he even still want me? It's an impossible choice, because no matter which one I make, I may still lose everything…

9.9

44 Chapters

Why Did The Beholder Become Iconic In Fantasy Monsters?

3 Answers2025-08-30 07:21:50

There’s something deliciously grotesque about a floating orb with a million maliciously curious eyes, and that’s the first thing that made the beholder stick with me. The silhouette is unforgettable: a spherical body, a giant central eye, a gaping maw, and a crown of writhing eyestalks each firing a different horror. It’s visually immediate in the way a logo or mascot is — you see a single picture and you know you’ve met something both absurd and dangerous. When I was a teenager flipping through the old 'Monster Manual', that illustration seared into my brain and spun into countless doodles and campaign ideas.

Mechanically and narratively it’s brilliant too. Those different eye rays let a designer or referee mix up encounters without changing the creature — paralysis in one moment, charm the next, a disintegration ray when things get spicy. But beyond mechanics, beholders are written as eccentric, paranoid masterminds with lairs designed like twisted laboratories. That personality makes them more than a damage-dealer; they can be a psychopath with architecture, an antagonist with opinions, or a tragic, self-isolating genius. I once ran a session where the party negotiated with a beholder who was obsessed with gardening — surreal, terrifying, and oddly hilarious.

Finally, cultural placement helped. From early tabletop lore to video games like 'Eye of the Beholder' and countless miniatures, the creature became shorthand for Dungeons & Dragons weirdness. I still get a thrill when I see a beholder miniature on a shelf; it promises chaos and creativity. If you want to use one, don’t just make it a bullet-sponge — lean into the gaze, the paranoia, the lair layout, and you’ll get a scene people talk about for months.

What Does 'Eye Of The Beholder' Mean In Storytelling?

4 Answers2025-09-20 14:26:19

The phrase 'eye of the beholder' captures such a vibrant essence in storytelling, don’t you think? It alludes to the idea that beauty and meaning are subjective – what resonates with one person might fall flat for another. Picture a rich tapestry of characters and plots, each interpreted through a unique lens. When I reflect on series like 'Steins;Gate,' I notice how different viewers cling to certain themes or character arcs. What’s considered profound and impactful for someone can be seen as dull or unoriginal to another. That’s the beauty of our diverse perspectives!

Moreover, this notion extends beyond aesthetics; it challenges the very narratives we consume. The bias we possess shapes how we align with protagonists or engage with conflicts. For instance, in 'Attack on Titan,' while some view Eren as a misunderstood hero battling against tyranny, others see him as a reckless antagonist. This dissonance makes discussions lively and reveals the depth of collective storytelling. Ultimately, the 'eye of the beholder' reminds us that stories are as varied as the individuals experiencing them, crafting a wondrous mosaic of interpretations and emotions that enrich our fantastic geek culture!

How Is 'Eye Of The Beholder' Used In Popular Novels?

4 Answers2025-09-20 14:30:47

The phrase 'eye of the beholder' often pops up in popular novels, usually to emphasize the subjective nature of beauty and perception. It’s fascinating how it can shape a character's journey. Take 'Beauty and the Beast' for example. Belle learns that true beauty lies beyond the surface, as she sees past the Beast's terrifying exterior and discovers the kindness buried within. There's a powerful moment in the story where her understanding completely changes the dynamic, doesn’t it? And that concept is echoed in various other works too, like 'The Phantom of the Opera,' which delves into the relationship between physical appearance and inner worth.

Many modern books also explore this notion. In 'Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine,' Eleanor’s view of herself contrasts sharply with how others perceive her, highlighting that beauty is not just a visual thing but also involves personality, quirks, and history. It sparks deep discussions about self-acceptance as the reader journeys with her through life’s ups and downs, proving that what we see is often less important than who we truly are within.

So, whether it's classic fairy tales or contemporary literature, the idea that beauty is in the eye of the beholder serves as a reminder that everyone’s perspective colors how they perceive the world. It's such a rich theme that can lead us to reflect on how we judge ourselves and others, making stories feel so much more relatable and profound. There's nothing quite like getting lost in a story that redefines how we see not only others but also ourselves!

What Movies Explore The Theme Of 'Eye Of The Beholder'?

4 Answers2025-09-20 11:11:48

Exploring the theme of 'eye of the beholder' in movies opens up a fascinating conversation about perception and beauty. A prime example is 'Beauty and the Beast', where the story emphasizes that true beauty isn't just skin deep. The Beast's character is initially frightening, yet Belle sees the good within him. As the plot unfolds, it's not just Belle who experiences this realization but the audience as well, which really speaks to the idea that our perceptions can change based on deeper understanding.

Another stellar pick is 'The Elephant Man', which tells the touching tale of John Merrick, a man with severe deformities. Director David Lynch invites us to confront our own prejudices. Throughout the film, we learn to see beyond Merrick's physical appearance and appreciate his kindness, intellect, and spirit. It reminds us that societal beauty standards can mask our understanding, compelling us to look beyond the exterior.

Then there's 'Shutter Island', where the unreliable nature of perception significantly affects the story. As we follow Teddy Daniels' journey, his initial view of the island and its inhabitants continually shifts, challenging our understanding of reality. Here, the 'eye of the beholder' manifests in psychological and philosophical ways. There are numerous other films that delve into this theme, each offering various takes on how we perceive beauty and truth, which keeps me coming back to analyze them all over again!

How Dangerous Is A Beholder In A Party-Level Encounter?

2 Answers2025-08-27 17:01:50

Nothing makes me rethink tactics faster than a beholder showing up mid-encounter. In 'Dungeons & Dragons' terms, a classic beholder is a high-threat creature at party level because it compresses a lot of dangerous things into one monster: flight, a constant anti-magic cone from its central eye, and a volley of varied magical eye rays that can charm, paralyze, disintegrate, telekinetically toss PCs, or otherwise wreck plans. That mix attacks both your action economy and your assumptions—one round of unlucky saves can remove your healer, pin your frontliner, and silence your spellcaster all at once. If you're running a party of four to five characters at roughly the creature's CR (the canonical beholder sits around challenge rating 13 in 5e), expect the fight to lean toward hard or deadly unless the party has smart tactics or prep.
From my tabletop runs, the real killer moves are the anti-magic cone and the eye rays' variety. The cone neutralizes counterspells, buffs, and many creative spells you rely on, so casters can be turned from MVPs into sitting ducks. The eye rays introduce high variance: sometimes the party tanks it, sometimes your rogue is suddenly petrified and the rest of the team has to improvise a rescue. Lair actions or adding minions turns that tension up to eleven—minions force movement and split attention, lair hazards provide line-of-sight advantages for the beholder, and suddenly what was a single-monster fight becomes tactical chaos.
If you're prepping for one as a player, prioritize cover and mobility, bring countermeasures (silence, long-range options, party members who can handle status effects), and don’t let your spellcasters stand in a line. If you’re on the other side (running the fight), use the environment: chokepoints that favor eye-ray angles, teleport pads, or traps that punish the party for clustering. Small changes—adding a sentient chamber that denies line of sight for a turn, or giving the beholder a cunning pet—can turn a slog into a memorable cinematic boss fight. Personally I love using beholders as puzzles as much as threats: they force the party to adapt, which makes victory way more satisfying when it finally comes.

What Is The Origin Of The Beholder In D&D Lore?

2 Answers2025-08-30 23:10:51

The way I talk about monsters is probably a little sentimental — I grew up poring over maps and the scribbled margins of 'Monster Manual' — and the beholder is one of those creations that always felt like D&D's richest piece of weirdness. In real-world terms, the floating eye tyrant is usually credited as an original creation from the very early days of the game, from the circle around Gary Gygax and other early designers. Its iconic look — a central, malevolent main eye, a fanged maw, and a corona of independently deadly eyestalks — was nailed down in the classic era and then cemented as a staple by the 1977 'Monster Manual'. That book helped turn the beholder from a cool sketch into a codified, widely recognised monster with stat blocks and lore that DMs could drop into any campaign.

In the fiction of the multiverse there isn’t one single origin story that everyone agrees on, which is part of why beholders feel so delightfully uncanny. Different settings and editions lean into different explanations: some treat them as native aberrations of the multiverse — creatures that evolved (or were birthed) from the raw, mind-bending energies of alien planes. Others hook them more directly to the cosmic horror trope by linking them to the Far Realm or to other realms of madness; under that view, beholders are either products of exposure to otherworldly influence or outright immigrants from a plane where reality has different rules. I personally love mixing those ideas: maybe the first beholders were aberrations spawned by a planar rift, and subsequent generations mutated into the many subtypes we see in supplements.

Beyond origin theories, behaviors and society also feed interpretations. Beholders are fiercely individualistic and paranoid, so any origin story has to explain how something so solitary could produce whole lineages and variants (we've got 'gauth' and 'death kiss', among others). Campaign books like 'Volo's Guide to Monsters' and various edition-specific sourcebooks lean into the theme that their biology and magic make them prone to creating strange offshoots and cults. For me, that means when I'm running a beholder, I treat it as both literal monster and living symbol: an entity born of cosmic weirdness and hubris, obsessed with perfection, and terrified of anything that might undermine its absolute view of the world. It's a great playground for horror, politics, and the kind of tense dungeon encounters that make players shuffle their minis and whisper plans.

What Loot Should Players Get After Defeating A Beholder?

2 Answers2025-08-30 22:36:30

If your party just felled a beholder, congratulations — that fight deserves something memorable. I like to think about loot in three layers: immediate practical spoils, weird unique trinkets tied to the creature's nature, and long-term story hooks. For coin and gems, go classic: a pile of coin, a few art objects, and some polished gems that the beholder fancied. Add a handful of uncommon potions and scrolls (maybe a couple of scrolls with illusion and divination spells — the sort of magic a paranoid eye tyrant would keep handy). I often steal a page from 'Dungeons & Dragons' loot tables but twist it: swap one random rare item for something beholder-themed to keep players surprised.

Then come the eye bits, which are where the fun is. I love offering harvested eye rays as single-use reagents — preserved ocular glands that, when used, let a caster or wielder emulate one of the eye rays (force one creature to be petrified, charm, or emit a cone of disintegration-ish energy) but only for a short burst. Another cool drop is an artefact I call the 'Gazer Shard' — a crystalline piece of the central eye that can be attuned and grants a selectable eye effect a few times per day, with a risk: if you overuse it, it lashes back with paranoia effects or temporary madness. There should also be unique trinkets: a stitched beholder-skin hood that grants resistance to psychic effects but makes stealth checks harder because the wearer keeps glancing suspiciously, or a pair of spectacles made from a lesser eye that give truesight for a minute but slowly reveal horrifying whispers.

Finally, I layer in story hooks. The beholder's lair might hide maps to a rival's territory, notes describing mutated servitors (perfect for future encounters), or letters from an obsessed collector willing to pay big for the central eye. I once let my players find a ledger detailing bribes and deals — they sold it to a noble, which unlocked a whole urban political arc. Mechanically, balance is key: one or two rares/very rares at most for a mid-to-high-level party, a handful of consumables and a unique beholder item that grows in power if the players pursue a crafting or corruption story. Let the loot feel dangerous and tempting — that's the real reward in these fights for me.

How Do Artists Design A Cinematic Beholder For Film?

3 Answers2025-08-30 02:37:20

I get excited just thinking about the process—designing a cinematic beholder is like assembling a tiny ecology and then asking a camera to believe it. First I sketch wildly on napkins and the margins of scripts, mixing horror bookmarks from 'Pan\'s Labyrinth' with zoology notes about octopus skin, owl heads, and chameleon eyes. That messy phase is about silhouette and personality: does it read as a menace at a glance? Is there an unexpected sadness in the central eye? I usually iterate three bold silhouettes, pick the most evocative, then refine features like the brow ridge, eyelid shapes, and the armature of the eyestalks.

Next comes physicality: how will those stalks move? I imagine puppeteers balancing smooth organic curves with mechanical joints, or animators building rigs with IK/FK blends so each stalk has both deliberate targeting and subtle twitchiness. On set, we test maquettes under different lighting—I've stood under tungsten bulbs watching specular highlights travel across a glossy eye and thought, "that little reflection sells the life." Textures follow: scaled leathery patches, translucent flakes that catch backlight, small scars to tell history. The lighting department and I match the eye's wetness to the set's practicals so reflections land convincingly.

Finally, there’s sound and camera language: a beholder’s gaze should feel cinematic, so I push for shots that use shallow depth of field, tight focus pulls, and unexpected angles that make the viewer feel watched. We sometimes hide the full reveal in shadows, letting eyestalks breach the frame first, with a signature hum or watery blink for personality. Those late-night tweaks while sipping bad coffee and watching playback are my favorite part—small changes to a blink or a catchlight can turn a creature from fake to unforgettable.

Where Can I Find Beholder Variants For Homebrew Campaigns?

2 Answers2025-08-30 17:54:03

I still get a little giddy thinking about turning a classic beholder into something weird and memorable for my table. If you want ready-made variants, start with the obvious bookshelf suspects: the 'Monster Manual' has the baseline beholder and its kin like the 'death tyrant' appears in various supplements. For deeper, older variants, 'Lords of Madness' (3.5 era) is a goldmine of twisted beholder lore and templates if you don’t mind adapting stuff across editions. On the modern, pay-what-you-want side, Kobold Press’s 'Tome of Beasts' is fantastic — they pack their book with themed options you can drop right into 5e games with minimal fuss.

When I’m building my own, I alternate between two workflows: inspire-first and mechanic-first. Inspire-first means I pick a theme (clockwork beholder, fungal hive-eye, psychic cathedral) and then pick or invent two or three signature eye rays that reinforce that theme — maybe spores that grapple, or a gravity ray. Mechanic-first is more surgical: swap out a few eye rays for status effects (blind, charmed, restrained), give the thing a lair action or legendary actions so the fight feels cinematic, and tune HP/AC/damages to hit your desired CR. Useful online tools: DMs Guild has tons of community-created beholders and templates, D&D Beyond and GMBinder/Homebrewery help with clean statblocks, and Roll20/Foundry marketplaces have tokens and maps if you want to run it online.

If you want conversion tips, I usually: (1) cut or buff hit dice to change durability, (2) replace one high-damage ray with a control ray to make the fight more tactical, and (3) add minions or environmental hazards linked to the beholder’s theme. For flavor and art, search on DeviantArt or Twitter for tokens and portraits, or commission a simple token from an artist on Fiverr if you’re picky. Honestly, the best route is to grab a variant from Kobold Press or the DMs Guild for a quick slot-in, then tweak daring bits at the table. Try tossing a single quirky new ray into a published adventure first — you’ll see how players react and can escalate from there.

How Do Authors Explore 'Eye Of The Beholder' In Their Works?

4 Answers2025-10-09 01:53:10

Authors tackle the concept of 'eye of the beholder' in such fascinating ways! For instance, in 'The Picture of Dorian Gray', Oscar Wilde delves deep into the idea that beauty and morality are not inherently linked. Dorian's journey teaches us that our perceptions shape our realities, often leading to tragic consequences. Throughout the novel, the contrast between Dorian's outer beauty and his decaying morality reflects how society often values appearances over true character. This theme prompts us to question our own biases and the often superficial judgments we make.

Another way this theme manifests can be found in 'Othello' by Shakespeare. Desdemona's love for Othello challenges societal norms and prejudices surrounding race and appearance. This powerful exploration of love and perception resonates across ages, revealing how misjudgments based on appearances can lead to heart-wrenching tragedy. The intricate layers of character development and motives in Shakespeare’s work enhance this complexity, giving us so much to unpack!

These are just a few examples, but they really highlight how subjective perception can shape interpersonal dynamics and moral landscapes. It’s fascinating to see how various narratives force us to confront our own judgments!