Indexer

Creator
daftPirate

Species
Librarian

Physical Description
Dormant Indexers are amorphous, appearing as large, indistinct inky blobs similar to oozes found in other realms. Usually it resides on top of shelves or in the rafters. In this state, it will be surrounded by a subtle mist (which will become much more apparent with effects that reveal magic).

It does not respond to sound, but will react to powerful vibrations or anything touching it. If that happens, it will become active; the blob will gather and take shape, forming a large six-armed Librarian torso on a serpentine body.

Purpose
The indexers are one of the Library's primary means of protecting itself from plunder by outsiders. Patrons granted access to the Library are given the time necessary to learn the information they came for; no more, no less. Within that time, they are protected from the Library's defenses. When that time expires, the protection expires with it.

The influence of dormant indexers begins to take effect; the miasma they produce steadily isolating each individual trait of a person's essence, "indexing" them. The further into the process they go, the more they will begin to resemble a Librarian. When the process is complete, the individual is "catalogued" and transformed fully. This happens over a matter of days, but being closer to the indexer will accelerate it.

It is as yet unclear if there is any way to undo the process, but it can be halted by escaping the indexer's influence, whether by finding and killing it, or moving beyond it's reach. The trouble with the former is that indexers are fearsome combatants, and the trouble with the latter is that they influence very large areas, and their influence often overlaps.

History
Presumably always a part of the Library's defenses. There is some speculation that they are closer to constructs than sentients; they exhibit no communication or personality, and their extreme hostility could simply be a mechanism to ensure they can continue fulfilling their role. There have also been questions raised about their possible connection to the atrambra, but nothing has been substantiated.

Lore Intersection
A method for the Library to protect itself, to give quests a sense of urgency, and to provide interesting consequences for unwary explorers. Helps explain how some are turned while others seem to avoid being changed by the Library. It also serves as a challenging battle encounter.

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