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| Photo by Дмитрий Пропадалин |
Guardians of the Library
(Custos Bibliothecae)
FREQUENCY: Very Rare
NO. APPEARING: 1
ARMOR CLASS: 2
MOVE: 12" (Fly 18")
HIT DICE: 8+8 (always 50 hp) (Greater Guardian: 10+10, always 60 hp)
% IN LAIR: 90%
TREASURE TYPE: Special (see below)
NO. OF ATTACKS: 2
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1–6+3 / 1–6+3 (mace)
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Gust of Wind (breath weapon)
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Immune to fire, sleep, charm, hold; half damage from non-magical weapons
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 30%
INTELLIGENCE: Very
ALIGNMENT: Neutral (orders tend toward Lawful Neutral)
SIZE: L (7' tall)
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes: Nil
LEVEL/XP VALUE:
Guardian: VIII / 3,200
Greater Guardian: IX / 4,500
Guardians of The Library are powerful extraplanar servitors, created by the Unseen Masters to protect the great cosmic Archive known simply as The Library. Their forms appear as animated suits of ancient, rune-marked armor, though the armor is but a shell, within dwells an intelligent elemental force akin to an invisible stalker, but bound by vows of scholarly protection.
They serve as wardens and curators, ensuring the safety of books, scrolls, and ancient grimoires from theft, fire, and willful destruction. Though not inherently violent, Guardians will employ force, escalating as needed, to fulfill their charge. Most patrons of The Library will only see them as silent watchers, pacing slowly down the marble corridors of endless shelves.
On the very rare occasions they speak, their voices are a deep bass and sound hollow, as if the voice is coming from somewhere deep within their suits of armor.
A Guardian attacks with two powerful mace strikes per round, each dealing 1d6+3 damage. Though they carry weapons, these are not enchanted items; they are extensions of their elemental force and vanish if the creature is destroyed.
Once every 3 rounds, a Guardian may exhale a gale-force blast of wind (treat as a Gust of Wind spell cast by a 10th-level Magic-User). Creatures in a 6" cone must save vs. Breath Weapon or be knocked prone and disarmed. The gust will extinguish all non-magical flames instantly and has a 50% chance to snuff out magical fires (e.g., Flaming Sphere, Burning Hands). It is frequently used to subdue would-be thieves or suppress fires before they spread.
Guardians are immune to fire, and suffer only half damage from all non-magical weapons. They are unaffected by sleep, charm, and hold spells, and cannot be turned. They can see invisible, detect heat, and sense intention to harm (as ESP) within 3".
They never pursue to kill unless the lives of other patrons or the integrity of The Library is directly endangered.
Guardians dwell within The Library, an interplanar construct maintained by the Unseen Masters—entities believed to be ancient witches, archmages, or ascended Starchildren. Each Guardian is assigned a section to oversee, and their awareness is attuned to every page, shelf, and ward within that domain.
Once bound to The Library, a Guardian remains in eternal service unless recalled by its Master or utterly destroyed.
Guardians do not eat, sleep, or age. They do not reproduce. Their armor-shells are forged from spiritual metals unknown to mortal smiths. Upon death, they dissipate into rushing air and scattered dust. No treasure is carried save what they guard, which may include scrolls, spellbooks, or occult tomes.
GREATER GUARDIANS
These elite custodians (HD 10+10, AC 0, +4 damage per strike) are found only in restricted or high-risk sectors of The Library, such as the Infernal Stacks, Forbidden Annex, or near tomes written in Supernal. They are also sent to the Prime Material Plane to recover overdue or stolen books, always appearing silently near the offender.
Once per day, a Greater Guardian may Gate in a second Guardian (60% chance, no greater variant), but only if defending The Library itself.
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The phrase "Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?" keeps running through my mind here. Who are the Ascended Masters?