ObsidianPortal

Description

The Book Beetle is a golden likeness of a large scarab, just big enough to cover the palm of an average hand. It is set with semi-precious stones, and is ornately detailed in every way. It can be worn like a brooch, and the legs will lock together to hold a cape or cloak in place with ease. Worn in this fashion, it fills the same slot as a pendant or necklace and grants a +5 to decipher script checks.

The real power of a Book Beetle, however, comes when the command word is spoken. The tiny beetle comes to life, revealing its true nature as a construct. It immediately seeks out all magical texts and writing within thirty feet, and devours them. If no magical texts are in the area, it immediately seeks out the oldest mundane texts in the area, and devours them instead.

It can devour approximately one scroll or three spell book pages each round. The Book Beetle can even devour magical writings graven into stone or written on unlikely materials such as dragon hide, though doing so takes twice as long. When devouring mundane texts, the Book Beetle can devour 10 pages or 20 feet of scroll in a round.

Devoured texts are not destroyed, though. When no texts remain within the area, the beetle will immediately return to a pre-programmed destination set by its creator. There, it will instantly reconstitute all the texts it devoured – as though no damage was ever done to them.

Book Beetle

Diminutive Construct

• Crawl 5, Fly 20
• AC 20 (Touch 18), 10 HP
• No Attacks
• Special Qualities:
  • If damaged but not destroyed, the Beetle can cast Mending on itself 1/day
  • Damage Reduction 3/bludgeoning