Beholders are the creations of Belashyrra, the Lord of Eyes. They are large, organic floating orbs dominated by a large central eye, with a mouth filled with vicious teeth below it. Most beholders have ten eye stalks protruding from their bodies, and have a variety of magical abilities that they can activate via their eye stalks. In particular, true beholders project an anti-magic field from their central eye, which makes them extremely threatening for most denizens of Eberron. They were used by the armies of the Daelkyr as a form of living, magical artillery.
When the Daelkyr were pushed back into Xoriat or into Khyber by the Gatekeepers, most of the beholders were banished to Xoriat or chose to be imprisoned with their creator in the Citadel of Lidless Eyes in Khyber. Few remain on Eberron, with some forming cults around them or living among other children of the Daelkyr. Peculiarly, however, many of the remaining beholders have abandoned the ways of their creators, becoming solitary and seeking philosophy and reflection