Codex (Species)

The Codex, also known as Opus and Vade Mecum, appear to be a species in the earliest stages of its origin, tiny in population and limited in experience, though their precise origins remain a mystery. Somehow, at some point, certain tomes and texts in the Library began to manifest their own intelligences. Producing humanoid bodies around the core text from which they awakened, Codices are in a very real sense, embodiments of knowledge. Seemingly born from the particular combination of knowledge, magic, and possibility within the Library, and still uncertain about their place inside it (much less beyond) they are a rare sight under any circumstances. They are, however, quick to trust, and eager to learn and share learning.

Physical Description
As might be expected for beings born from books, Codices appear to be made of paper. Their skin is dry and often with a subtle coarseness, usually in a pale bone or slightly yellowed color with tiny inked script crossing their bodies at random. Some have been known to have blackened skin, with their features picked out with pale inks. They share roughly the same kind of height and weight ranges as humans, but there can be significant variety in their features.

One may have a face with no features other than two faintly glowing holes where the eyes should be, while another may have a fully formed mouth, nose, eyes, and ears, all of finely folded paper. Yet another might instead have these features illustrated onto their head, with the eyes and mouth appearing as ink moving on the surface. Sometimes these features are realistically depicted, and sometimes, more artistically so. Similarly, some have human-like rounded digits, while others have fingers that are more geometrically folded and almost claw-like.

Cultural Description
Culturally, the Codices have experienced little development. Keeping as exclusively to themselves as possible, they experience a prevailing uncertainty about what lies beyond their tiny communities, which is reinforced by the perilous darkness of their home dimension. This is in constant conflict, though, with a strong sense of curiosity which leads some Codices to brave the unknown and set out to learn by experience, often alone.

Though they are usually timid with outsiders, among themselves, Codices display vibrant personalities which are derived from the text they awoke from. Thus the more adventurous of their kind tend to be those born from stories of adventure and records of discovery. Likewise, the more sociable of them came from biographies of diplomats and treatises on politics, and so on and so forth. Because they are usually quick to trust, it does not take long for outsiders to discover this aspect of the Codex people.

Codices and Librarians
Even among the higher castes of the Librarians, knowledge of the Codices is scant and inconsistent, recorded as fiction as often as they are recorded as fact. The common threads do point to the existence of multiple Codex communities, but never acknowledge more than a few. They are in places in the Library that other living beings rarely visit, and comprise only a few dozen individuals. This existence contents them, and few elect to strike out on their own. Those who do leave are usually smart enough to understand the value of navigating the Library's dangers in good company, and won't leave unless they can convince others to join them, or are able to join with adventurers who encounter them by chance.

Behind the Scenes

 * The Codex was originally created by the user daftPirate
 * The Codex was canonized on December 22, 2020