Drone

The Drones are perhaps the only species in the Library with a definite origin; they are the descendants of Silverfish who, domesticated by the Librarians in the distant past, have been radically altered from their ancestral appearance and behavior.

Physical Description
Drones are perhaps best described in relation to Silverfish. Standing upright, the male Drone is the same height as his Silverfish cousin, but has four arms rather than two, and wings are present in both sexes. Drones have dull black chitin, darker than that of Librarians, and their antennae, eyes, and claws are green. They lack the prominent abdomens and reproductive pincers of Silverfish, although they still lay eggs in some manner.

Like Silverfish, Drones show sexual dimorphism, although less extreme than in their wild kin. Female Drones are considerably taller, though they are not any more heavily built. There is also a third sex of Drone, called the Big Friend, which is built rather along the lines of a Silverfish brute. Female Drones lay eggs, which hatch into larvae who are cared for by the other Drones. When old enough, a young Drone is taught to help in the Library.

Cultural Description
Drones are highly intelligent, on levels comparable to a standard humanoid. They are capable of high degrees of literacy, necessary for filling their role in the world of the Library. Drones act as the odd-jobs men of the Library, taking care of things that the Librarians have either overlooked or just plain forgotten the existence of. When patrons have needs that the Librarians cannot understand-- things like "food" or "surgery," it is frequently the Drones who will either help them, or direct them to a Librarian who can help them.

Social hierarchy in the Drones is much less pronounced than among Silverfish. Drone Queens do not exist, because all Drones are subservient to the Librarians. Females still enjoy a greater social status, and a single female may have as many as ten mates at a time. The Big Friends are highly honored for their role in keeping the Library safe, especially by protecting the vulnerable drones from predation by Silverfish or other dangers.

The Library contains a unique peril for the Drones; for unknown reasons, they are especially susceptible to cursed and forbidden knowledge. If a Drone reads such an eldritch text, they can easily become Corrupted, turning against their Librarian masters and the other inhabitants of the Library. Corrupted drones can be distinguished by their horns, red and black coloration, and the presence of Silverfish-like abdomens.

Behind the Scenes

 * Drones were originally created by iliketacos778
 * They were officially made canon on December 18, 2020

HeroForge Links
Male Drone Base

Female Drone Base

Corrupted Male

Corrupted Female