Overview

An Evil Eye is a floating, bat-winged aberration drawn to places soaked in fear, panic, and desperation. Its body is dominated by a single swollen eye veined with sickly color, constantly twitching as it tastes emotion in the air. Fear is not merely food to it—it is sustenance, currency, and instinct.

Appearance

The creature resembles a hovering orb of dense flesh with leathery, bat-like wings sprouting from its sides. Its central eye never blinks, only narrowing or widening as it focuses. Thin veins pulse beneath its surface, glowing faintly when fear is nearby. A faint, wet giggle escapes it when prey hesitates or falters.

Behavior and Intelligence

Evil Eyes are cunning but not truly wise. They possess enough intelligence to speak Common, using soft voices, half-truths, and false concern to lure travelers into danger. They often pretend to be lost spirits, trapped familiars, or helpful scouts offering “safe paths” through dangerous territory.

They rarely attack alone. Instead, they guide victims toward ambushes, lairs, or cursed ground where stronger creatures wait. When combat begins, the Evil Eye hovers just out of reach, weakening prey rather than killing them.

Feeding on Fear

Fear radiates from living creatures like heat, and the Evil Eye feeds by absorbing it through prolonged exposure. Panic, hesitation, paralysis, and terror all strengthen it. The more helpless a victim becomes, the richer the feast.

When an Evil Eye has fed heavily—especially during massacres, prolonged terror, or ritual slaughter—its body swells, veins darken, and its eye fractures with internal light. At this stage, it may undergo a horrific transformation.

Paralyzing Gaze

The Evil Eye’s stare carries a numbing supernatural pressure. When it fixes its gaze on prey, muscles lock and breath shortens as fear crystallizes into paralysis. Victims remain conscious, fully aware, making them easy targets for surrounding threats.

This gaze is often used to hold prey still while allies strike or drag victims away.

False Guidance

Evil Eyes delight in deception. They can:

1. Give convincing directions that lead into traps
2. Pretend to warn of dangers while steering prey toward worse ones
3. Offer protection in exchange for obedience
4. Mimic concern, pity, or urgency

Their lies are rarely obvious and often mixed with just enough truth to sound believable.

Ecology and Habitat

Evil Eyes are most often found in:

1. Abandoned settlements
2. Battlefields
3. Cursed roads
4. Dark ruins
5. Places plagued by fear or rumor

They tend to linger where terror is frequent but not immediately fatal, allowing them to feed slowly and grow stronger.