The Eye of Avarice

The manifestation of the  Queen  of Avarice, the Eye of Avarice is a worthy herald of that fell being.

The spell had been hard-fought to obtain.  The Black Janissaries had defended the crypt like madmen. A great number of precious works had been lost in the battle, but the prize remained intact, a testament to the mystical defenses placed upon the work.

The spell itself was simple enough  , but it called for a fortune in gold and jewels. She did not give up of her time for cheap. But the requisite price was gathered, and the summoning successful.

Her appearance was both alluring and dreadful. A great titan of a woman, with her yard-wide eye-sockets swarming with thousands of glittering eyeballs. She was wrapped in a dress made of hundreds of bloodstained but regal dresses, shorn from countless vain and covetous ladies. Her face was hard and severe, surrounded by wild, untamed black hair, and crowned with a golden crown.

She seemed delighted by my offering, scooping up in moments a treasure it took me a decade  and untold blood to gather, but it would be worth it.  She did not speak, but gave me a brief look with all of her eyes, and it nearly shattered my resolve.  She pointed to my left eye and I pulled off the bandage, exposing the gaping socket. Another price, but it would also be worth it. She reached up to her own socket and drew out one of the multitude swarming there.  The orb then flew of its own accord, following a beeline to me, drawn as a needle to a lodestone.  Pain.

When I regained consciousness, She was gone. So was almost everything of value in the chamber. But no matter, the Eye remained, and with it, all the treasure and more would be regained!

The Goddess of Avarice has many minions, who seek to share in her immense wealth, though none really do. They all lust for her wealth, but fear her attention and disfavor.  In return, she holds her minions in little value, none beyond the potential wealth they could bring.  Her most loyal and dangerous servants are the Eyes of Avarice, since they are of her own flesh and blood.

The Eyes enter the world, usually through the direct intercession of the Goddess, often the work of the powerful and greedy who have stumbled upon the rites to draw her attention.  The eyes bond with their hosts and to a lesser or greater degree lend some of their powers.

The rites to summon the Goddess are quite simple, requiring little more than a Name and an appropriately dear sum of treasure. This amount could easily be described as a Kings ransom, but always seems to be just enough to exhaust the summoner's resources, leaving the petitioner a near-pauper.

Depending on the value of the host in the creature's perspective, it will attempt to bond with the host.  There it will gain energy vicariously through its host possession of and lust for wealth.  The host, already disposed towards greed and hording, will be egged on by the Eye towards the acquisition of more and more wealth.

The Eyes will bind with their hosts to differing levels, depending upon their suitability, as follows:

Unbonded Host

This occurs only with incidental or accidental hosts, generally those with insufficient wealth or potential for wealth to satisfy the Eye.  In such cases, it functions as little more than a glass eye for its Host, although it will still gain energy from any avaricious actions. It can  choose to employ its own powers as it wishes, but the host can make no demands upon it.  If the eye wishes, it can bring pain to its host to punish misbehavior.

Minor Binding

For hosts with some potential, the Eye will grant its host the ability to discern wealth of viewed items with great accuracy, and becomes virtually impossible to fool in financial matters. This ability only allows for the perception of general value - some individuals may value an item higher than the population as a whole, but this value is unknown to the host.  The host could be unaware of the nature of the Eye,  it being used as a normal glass eye. Feelings of avarice and greed will be magnified and may cause a shift in the host's personality. 

Moderate Binding

A suitable host - perhaps not an extraordinary one, will receive moderate binding.  The Eye can communicate with its host telepathically or just emphatically as it chooses.  It will enhance the host's perception of value and others perceived value, allowing great advantage in trade. The host cannot directly invoke the Eye's greater powers, though could telepathically request them be employed.

Full Bonding

Normally only the domain of top-level hosts, such as magi, royalty or similar powers. The host is fully aware of the nature of the Eye and may communicate with it telepathically.  The link is full and the host can see the world the same way as the eye, being able to determine the value of items according to anyone nearby. In addition, visual illusions and the like are exposed for what they are. Finally, the host may call upon all of the Eye's powers - the gaze of domination, the gaze of disruption, and the gaze of destruction.

Powers of the Eye

The Eye has several powerful gaze magics it can use - the Gaze of domination, which uses the latent avarice in the target to influence behavior; the Gaze of Disruption which subjects spells and mystical to the primal essence of avarice- a direct channeling of the power of the Queen; and the Gaze of Deshrouding, which will strip any mystical disguises, illusions or invisibilities from the target, laying it bare to plain view.  In addition, the Eyes are avid sorcerers and will learn magic of their own accord given a suitable host.

The Eyes, before Transformation, have but the aforementioned powers, and a limited telekinesis that they can use to move about short distances, and manipulate small objects.  They are fairly tough - being about as durable as thick, solid glass.   This durability means that they could generally only be slain by an attack that would also have slain their Host.  Outside of  Host, they could be dispatched with a sturdy hammer.

After Transformation, their physical abilities are much different.

Transformation

Once an Eye has accumulated a critical mass of psychic energy, they can rebuild their physical form into one capable of holding the vast wealth that they would have accumulated at that time.  They can spend the energy to increase their size and durability, activate additional powers and otherwise become far more formidable.

If there is interest in a system for this, please let me know. Otherwise, consider this an open license to create a monster as powerful as desired. At the very least, one can substitute the more 'conventional' beholder for an Eye at this stage.

Motivation

The Eyes are not the loyal servants the Queen would desire, for too much of her own nature is imbedded within.  Though understanding of her desire, they have desire of their own of matching intensity.  They are driven to seek means to hide their success from the Queen, and constantly intrigue to find some way to free themselves from their tie to the Queen.  It is this intrigue and desire that allows the Eyes to become a real player in a campaign.

Campaign Use

Eye for An Eye

An Eye has located clues to the whereabouts of another Eye's trove, and will attempt to use the PCs to take  over the hoard.  Of course, the current Eye still holds sway over the treasure, well hidden and defended.  The last host may still be present adding to the defense of the trove.

The Eyes need not a host to function, and one wizard, Asmahar the Great, has bound one into his spetar.  He is strong enough to command the eye, but others may not be so lucky.

The Eyes serve well as a non-transferable powerup for a Villain - it provides magical firepower the equal of a formidable wizard, with an assortment of gaze weapons that can function independently of the host.  

Game Specific Notes

For D&D 3.5, I would suggest that the Eye grant the host the equivalent of a Warlock of equal level - giving the host Evocations that can be directed as a swift action. 

The Eye is a slave to the prime desire of its liege - Avarice in all its forms. It seeks,  above all,  the collection of wealth, in any and all forms, or failing that, denying wealth to others.  Their fondest desires would be the subjection of a kingdom, or the capture of a dragon's horde.  It is, however, self-aware and will persue its own course to the end of obtaining wealth, and keeping it.

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