Gauth

A gauth, sometimes referred to as a lesser beholder, was a beholderkin that fed on magic as well as flesh. They were a rapacious and despotic species that sought to exact tribute from anything weaker than itself and often attacked adventurers merely to acquire their wealth.

Description
A gauth was a 4 to 6 foot (1.42-1.83 m) wide. They had six eyestalks, along with four feeding tendrils that sprouted from the lower half of its' body. The most obvious feature of a gauth was its central eye, which was surrounded by a ridge of flesh and 12-15 small 'normal' eyes used for sight. The most known breed was brown and mottled purple and gray, although there were variants of similar color and texture to beholders.

Personality
Gauth lacked the extreme xenophobia of beholders, so they might have formed into clusters and generally did not fight each other over prey, although they would normally ignore each other and seek to distance themselves from others of their kind. They would threaten other weaker entities into bringing it treasure and food. They might pretend to be beholders to accomplish this aim, as many ignorant creatures might have been unable to tell the difference.

Abilities
Rather than an antimagic cone, the central eye of a gauth would mentally stun those looking at it from too close. They would intentionally draw attention to themselves when attacking so as to capitalize on this ability. The rays of a gauth's six eyestalks had effects similar to the spells dispel magic, inflict moderate wounds, ray of exhaustion, scorching ray, and sleep or paralysis. They also possessed the ability of darkvision out to 60 feet (18.3 m). Their most unique eye ray was their Devour Magic Ray, (also known as their Dweomer Drain Ray) which allowed them to sap away at magical items. This would temporarily neutralize magically imbued items and could drain the charges of wands and rods. They were capable of picking up items with their tendrils and this could wield certain items if so desired. Some were known to possess a mild regeneration, although this wasn't always present. The death of a Gauth would cause all the energy in their bodies to explode outwards as raw magical force.

Ecology
While Gauth can technically survive on meat, they preferred to consume magic, and if they could not intake magic within several weeks they would be forced to return to their home plane. When consumed by a Gauth, magical items resting in it's stomach would slowly lose their power. Items with charges would lose a charge every few seconds while permanent items would lose their powers within a day. Powerful artifacts could not be drained, and they would spit out the objects themselves after sapping the magic. They would usually appear on the Material Plane when their was a flaw in the ritual for summoning Spectators. Gauth lived for approximately a century and a week after their death, two smaller Gauths would form. Aside from size based issues, they shared all their parents abilities.

Society
Gauth were most likely to be operating alone, but could be found in clusters, or lording over other creatures. They would demand servitude from any creature they could and often pretended to be true beholders, using the misconceptions of lesser creatures to compel tribute through meat, treasure and magical items. They would also impersonate spectators, in order to dupe ignorant wizards into trusting them with magical items. Despite their xenophobia, beholders might have employed Gauth as lieutenants in their forces.

Appearances

 * Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn