brian 333
2022-10-30, 09:43 AM
This living creature is a shapechanger with a singular diet: it eats books. Scrolls, tablets, plaques, stacks of note paper, or anything which is primarily a written work will be consumed. As it digests the book it becomes able to duplicate it, word for word, letter for letter. It even copies the mistakes. To most observers, the mimic is indistinguishable from the last written work it devoured.
The duplicated works can be read as if they were the original items. In fact, this is what the book mimic wants. A bit of the reader's psychic energy is drained each time the mimic is read. The portion is tiny: a mere 10 exp per reading, which is hardly noticeable unless the reader has no experience points. (This can lead to level loss, with a level 1 character reduced to level zero becoming a mindless automaton until a lesser restoration spell is used, which will bring the character to 1 exp: enough to regain awareness.)
Once the book mimic has attracted attention to itself it can be recognized as a living creature. It begins life with 1d3 hp, but it is able to gain levels. It does this by consuming magical writings. Each scroll orison or cantrip it consumed grants it 10exp, and each scroll spell level it consumes grants it 100 exp.
The book mimic has intelligence. In its infant state it has an Int of 1. It will consume one volume per month, if allowed, 'forgetting' the previously consumed text and mimicking the latest.
The book mimic gains a level when it has stolen enough experience points from readers or through consuming magical writings to do so. Every time a book mimic gains enough exp to level up it gains an additional 1d3 HP and 1 point of intelligence.
For each point of Int, a book mimic can recall and mimic a written work which it has consumed. A book mimic with Int 3 can 'know' three books. A reader who is aware of the nature of the book mimic can request that it take the form of one of the desired books. The book mimic is able to know the reader's intent via its ability to draw exp from the reader, but this in no way should be regarded as an ability to read minds.
The mimic has some difficulty duplicating a spellbook. The complex formulae for spellcasting require the mimic to understand the spell as if it was a wizard. In order to duplicate the spell with enough precision for a wizard to prepare it for casting, the book mimic must have an Int score equal to 10+spell level. If a book mimic ingests a wizard's spellbook any spells above the mimic's Int limit will be garbled and unusable, (though there may be enough information to begin research on the spell.)
There is a similar issue with spell scrolls. If the book mimic cannot know the spell due to its Int limit, the consumed scroll is wasted. A spell it can know can be cast as a scroll, with a consequent loss of the exp the scroll provided.
A book mimic gains no benefit from consuming duplicates of a book it has already consumed, except that it may replace the oldest known book on the mimic's list of books it can mimic. For example, a level 3 book mimic can know 3 ordinary non-magical books. If it has consumed a copy of Don Quixote then consumed two other books, consuming another copy of Don Quixote will have no effect. If another book has been consumed, kicking Don Quixote off the 'known books' list, then consuming Don Quixote again will replace the current book on the bottom of the list.
(Optional: a book mimic usually looses the oldest book on its list when it consumes a new book, which goes on top of the list and becomes the default appearance for the book mimic. A book mimic with an Int of 3 may be taught to consume books without changing its list, or to replace books from higher up the list rather than simply the oldest. A book mimic with an Int of 9 may self-select books to retain or replace.)
A book mimic which has not eaten a book in the last 30 days will grow increasingly hungry. It will consume anything with a high cellulose content. While starved, the book mimic cannot be used as a book, and 'starvation rations' are insufficient to allow it concentrate on mimicking a readable book.
A well fed book mimic reproduces via budding. The bud is placed in a book and over the next month it consumes and becomes the book. (Before that it appears to be a flattened wad of gum.)
Book mimics are motile, with a top speed of 1ft/round. This never really improves. A book mimic which has been starved for more than a year becomes sessile. In this state it is indistinguishable from the last book it consumed, and it will not awaken until it has been read. If it can consume a book in the next thirty days it will remain active. Otherwise, it will resume its hibernation until reawakened and placed in proximity to written works.
The duplicated works can be read as if they were the original items. In fact, this is what the book mimic wants. A bit of the reader's psychic energy is drained each time the mimic is read. The portion is tiny: a mere 10 exp per reading, which is hardly noticeable unless the reader has no experience points. (This can lead to level loss, with a level 1 character reduced to level zero becoming a mindless automaton until a lesser restoration spell is used, which will bring the character to 1 exp: enough to regain awareness.)
Once the book mimic has attracted attention to itself it can be recognized as a living creature. It begins life with 1d3 hp, but it is able to gain levels. It does this by consuming magical writings. Each scroll orison or cantrip it consumed grants it 10exp, and each scroll spell level it consumes grants it 100 exp.
The book mimic has intelligence. In its infant state it has an Int of 1. It will consume one volume per month, if allowed, 'forgetting' the previously consumed text and mimicking the latest.
The book mimic gains a level when it has stolen enough experience points from readers or through consuming magical writings to do so. Every time a book mimic gains enough exp to level up it gains an additional 1d3 HP and 1 point of intelligence.
For each point of Int, a book mimic can recall and mimic a written work which it has consumed. A book mimic with Int 3 can 'know' three books. A reader who is aware of the nature of the book mimic can request that it take the form of one of the desired books. The book mimic is able to know the reader's intent via its ability to draw exp from the reader, but this in no way should be regarded as an ability to read minds.
The mimic has some difficulty duplicating a spellbook. The complex formulae for spellcasting require the mimic to understand the spell as if it was a wizard. In order to duplicate the spell with enough precision for a wizard to prepare it for casting, the book mimic must have an Int score equal to 10+spell level. If a book mimic ingests a wizard's spellbook any spells above the mimic's Int limit will be garbled and unusable, (though there may be enough information to begin research on the spell.)
There is a similar issue with spell scrolls. If the book mimic cannot know the spell due to its Int limit, the consumed scroll is wasted. A spell it can know can be cast as a scroll, with a consequent loss of the exp the scroll provided.
A book mimic gains no benefit from consuming duplicates of a book it has already consumed, except that it may replace the oldest known book on the mimic's list of books it can mimic. For example, a level 3 book mimic can know 3 ordinary non-magical books. If it has consumed a copy of Don Quixote then consumed two other books, consuming another copy of Don Quixote will have no effect. If another book has been consumed, kicking Don Quixote off the 'known books' list, then consuming Don Quixote again will replace the current book on the bottom of the list.
(Optional: a book mimic usually looses the oldest book on its list when it consumes a new book, which goes on top of the list and becomes the default appearance for the book mimic. A book mimic with an Int of 3 may be taught to consume books without changing its list, or to replace books from higher up the list rather than simply the oldest. A book mimic with an Int of 9 may self-select books to retain or replace.)
A book mimic which has not eaten a book in the last 30 days will grow increasingly hungry. It will consume anything with a high cellulose content. While starved, the book mimic cannot be used as a book, and 'starvation rations' are insufficient to allow it concentrate on mimicking a readable book.
A well fed book mimic reproduces via budding. The bud is placed in a book and over the next month it consumes and becomes the book. (Before that it appears to be a flattened wad of gum.)
Book mimics are motile, with a top speed of 1ft/round. This never really improves. A book mimic which has been starved for more than a year becomes sessile. In this state it is indistinguishable from the last book it consumed, and it will not awaken until it has been read. If it can consume a book in the next thirty days it will remain active. Otherwise, it will resume its hibernation until reawakened and placed in proximity to written works.