This is just a placeholder for a new monster that will be introduced in the Library of Yemuria adventure. It is a magical construct.

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The Dread Docent is a Jeckyll and Hyde style magical construct.  When the Library of Yemuria was in its heyday, the Docents served as walking repositories of information.  Between the four of them, they knew every object that was stored in the Library, as well as where it was likely to be found and a little bit of history about it.  They were magically programmed with an organizational system, and let loose to keep the Library organized according to that system.

The School of Dominion built in a fail-safe, however, in the event that the unthinkable happened and they were cut off from the Library, or someone tried to break into the Library without the proper words to pass the various protections surrounding it.

The Collapse was the unthinkable.  When the fail-safes went into effect, the Library turned into a fortress, and the Docents became the Dread Docents.  Their secondary function was activated, and they are not the lumbering, nigh-impervious defenders of the Library.

The only way to deactivate the Dread Docents, to return them to their previous state of helpful Library wardens, is to complete a series of puzzles which test various areas of knowledge.  The School of Dominion wanted to ensure that no mere tomb-robber or beastfolk scoundrel could delve into their arcane secrets, but only those who are able to prove that they have knowledge and intelligence enough to deserve what the Library offers.

Docent State

In their Docent state, the magical construct guardians of the Library of Yemuria serve to assist in using the Library itself and in locating pertinent items and texts on any given subject.  They remain very difficult to damage or deactivate, but they have standing instructions not to kill.  Even if someone insists on trying to damage objects in the Library, the Docents will simply grapple them and carry them to a holding-cell the School of Dominion had installed in the event that saboteurs somehow found the Library and were able to enter, or if irresponsible students of Dominion went too far.

Dread Docent State

In their Dread Docent state, these magical constructs are entirely and relentlessly aggressive to any intruder they detect - anything larger than Tiny in size is cornered and smashed to pulp (the pulp is then carefully cleaned up by the Dread Docent when all threats are neutralized).

The Dread Docent has three primary attacks - a slam attack, using its long adamantine limbs to pummel intruders; a crushing grasp to use on any intruder who is grappled and then pinned successfully, grinding flesh and bone to jelly; and a gaze attack emanating from it's single shining eye which stuns the target.

In the event that a Dread Docent is destroyed, it releases a wave of necrotic energy which blinds all in the area of effect who do not make a saving throw - the last revenge of the School of Dominion against those who would steal their secrets.

Changing States

The Dread Docent reverts back to the Docent state when all four puzzles are successfully solved, and does not return to the Dread Docent state until such a time as the Library is attacked, it receives the proper command words (long lost, even to the School of Dominion), or it is attacked outright with lethal force.  In that event, the four puzzles reset - but if the solutions to the puzzles are known, re-solving them is a simply a full-round action that provokes attacks of opportunity.

Design Note

The Dread Docent is not meant to be overcome in combat, but to be part of a puzzle-solving scene in the Library of Yemuria adventure.