Oculus Vigilans
- Armor Class
- 4 [15] body; 7 [12] main eye/eye stalk
- Hit Dice
- 4+4
- Attacks
- Bite (1d6) or Eye Power
- Special
- spell-turning main-eye cone, 3-6 eyestalk powers, surprised only 1-in-6, eyes disabled by any hit, returns home if blinded
- Move
- Fly 9
- HDE/XP
- 6/400
Description
An oculus (plural oculi) is a strange monster, a floating chitinous sphere with a single large eye. How an oculus floats is a matter of much conjecture, but at present there is no agreement among the sages and wizards who have studied them. All oculi ever encountered have been very intelligent, hateful, and cruel; they do not willingly associate with any other intelligent creature, not even other oculi. Only adult oculi have ever been discovered, and their means of reproduction are entirely unknown.
The Oculus Vigilans (sometimes called a Sentinel Eye) is an unusual member of the oculus family, for unlike the others they are not hateful nor voracious. One appears like most oculi, being a spherical body with a single large eye, a mouth below it (though in the case of this species the mouth points almost downward), and between 3 and 6 (1d4+2) eyestalks. The eyestalks are arranged starting near where a humanoid might have an ear, then proceeding up and over the main body in an evenly-spaced line ending with the last eye stalk where a humanoid's other ear might be. They are pale gray in overall coloration, sometimes tinged faintly with green or blue.
The main eye of an oculus vigilans has a power similar to a ring of spell turning, projecting a cone of contrary magical force 100 feet long and 20 feet wide at the base (farthest point). Spells cast within this area of effect will rebound just as if the oculus were wearing such a ring.
The other eyes of the oculus vigilans have powers selected from the following list:
Oculus Vigilans Eye Powers
| Roll | Power | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cure (Cause) Serious Wounds (Cause only) | As the spell, but with a range of 60 feet. The oculus vigilans must make an attack roll; on a hit, this power inflicts 2d6+2 damage to any living creature hit. |
| 2 | Confusion | As the spell. |
| 3 | Create Food and Drink | As the spell, as if cast by a 9th-level Cleric. |
| 4 | Create Food and Drink | As the spell, as if cast by a 9th-level Cleric. |
| 5 | Cause Fear | As the reverse of the Remove Fear spell. |
| 6 | Hold Monster | As the spell, as if cast by a 9th-level Magic-user. |
| 7 | Telepathy | As the spell Detect Thoughts (ESP), but the oculus vigilans can not only hear thoughts but project its own thoughts so the target creature can hear them as well. |
The GM should choose or randomly determine (by whatever means they desire) which powers each eye possesses, noting that normally no oculus vigilans has the same power in two or more eyes. The main eye of this monster can target only those in front of the creature, but all of its eyestalks can turn to focus on those who are behind it as well as in front.
Oculus vigilans are only surprised on a roll of 1 on 1d6 due to their many eyes. Any hit to an eye (whether the main eye or an eyestalk) blinds and disables it.
These creatures come from another plane of existence, and are summoned or otherwise compelled to service by powerful wizards or priests. They will be assigned to guard some location or treasure, but do not have (nor care to have) any of their own. They are normally faithful to whatever bargain they have made, but if one is blinded in all its eyes it will return to its own plane, disappearing instantly as its next action in combat.
Source note: This creature is converted from The Basic Fantasy Field Guide of Creatures Malevolent and Benign – Omnibus Edition, 1st Edition Release 4, © 2010–2025 Chris Gonnerman, R. Kevin Smoot, James Lemon, Matt Sluis, and Contributors. The Basic Fantasy Field Guide textual material is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International; this page adapts that creature to White Box.