FREQUENCY: Very rare
FREQUENCY: Very rare ([Dungeon Level III])

NO. APPEARING: 1-4 or 2-8
ARMOR CLASS: 5
MOVE: 9"
HIT DICE: 4
% IN LAIR: 25%
TREASURE TYPE: Nil
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-6
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Death stare
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
INTELLIGENCE: Animal
ALIGNMENT: Chaotic evil
SIZE: M
LEVEL/X.P. VALUE: III | 150 + 4

At birth, the eye killer is limbless and almost spherical; later it
develops a bat-like upper torso on the body of a large snake. Its
stunted wings cannot support flight. The upper part of its body is a
dark grey-green while the lower part is a medium green flecked with dull yellow.
Its eyes are disproportionately large and apparently lidless.

The creature dislikes daylight and hates bright naked flame.
It dwells in dark places underground, where 2-8 may also (10% chance) be found.

The behaviour of the creature depends almost entirely on the illumination.
If approached and attacked by creatures relying solely
on infravision or on low-level natural ambient illumination, the eye killer will
attack with its coils only, crushing the victim for 1-6 HP of damage (a hit indicates that it
has managed to [wrap] its coils round a victim; each melee round thereafter it
automatically delivers crushing damage of 1-6 HP without a 'to hit' roll).

Death Stare: If an approaching party is carrying lanterns or torches, however, the
eye killer can USE the dreaded Death Stare up to a range of 50'. Its
eyes gather the illumination falling on them, amplify it enormously
and project it back at the light-bearer in a powerful, narrow ray of
intense [light]. This ray strikes a victim as though he were AC10; the
victim must make his save vs. Death Ray or die instantly.
Victims who make their save ttake 3-18 HP of damage. <v, pluralization>
The stare can be reflected though it does not harm the eye killer --
it will simply gather the illumination, amplify it still more, and project
it in the same round at another victim. Fortunately for adventurers,
the Death Stare can only be used once per day.

If torch- or lanternbearers come close to the eye killer, it will not face
the light and will try to FLEE if the illumination becomes intense
(equivalent to <3> torches at a range of 10'). If the illumination is
not strong enough to force its flight, it will attack with its coils
previously described.
 

      by Ian Livingstone