Guardians

The Forrmynður (Forr-MYN-thurr), also called Forrmyður by themselves, or Guardians, are the inhabitants of the sites and the wardens of the Vault whose job it is to keep whatever is locked inside the Antechamber from "hatching". The Forrmynður were not born as such, and were formerly animals or humans who were changed into Forrmynður.

## The Changing

Animals or humans changing into a Forrmynður can happen in one of two ways. In the case of humans when a human not of the Families becomes has a great desire to know about a site, they become obsessed with it and slowly lose their sense of self. They feel a desire to be with the site so intensely that the idea of leaving causes them despair and physical pain. They are obsessed with learning the truth, and while losing themself in their obsession they are eventually able to read the glyphs and "see" the truth. It is at this point when they begin to shed their skin and eventually the person they were is gone, replaced by the Forrmynður. Not all humans who become hooked by a site become Forrmynður, the ones who don't being taken like the rest.

The second way is if the human is infected by a bite or scratch from a Forrmynður. The bite area becomes infected and is not helped by any kind of medical aid. The skin begins to slough off, replaced by leathery black skin beneath. At this time, the infected feels an intense need to be with the site and experiences symptoms similar to the ones described before. The later stages of the transformation have not been seen but it can be assumed that they too lose their sense of self and become Forrmynður. This is what happened to Jónas Þórirsson and Ava Olivia Moreno, though the latter did not change completely as she committed suicide in the destruction of the Patagonian Site. It can be assumed that animals experience similar symptoms, discounting the obsession and desire to know.

## Appearance

When Forrmynður are dormant they take the form of statues that resemble their active form. In their active form, their appearance is reminiscent of what they were when they were alive, but bigger, sharper and with leathery black skin. Human Forrmynður are tall and thin with disproportionately long and clawed fingers and toes. They can assume the form and voice of any person they have killed, though they cannot copy memories. Forrmynður can switch between forms instantly at will without any effect on the environment. They are very strong and are largely resistant to projectiles. Forrmynður are able to carve into stone and tear through wood like paper.

## Personality

Formerly human Forrmynður retain the memories of the human they once were, but the person itself is gone entirely, replaced. They do not have the personality, emotions or attachments of the human. They are single-minded and care for nothing aside for their purpose, but they are capable of emotion, having become agitated and hostile after the Piedra site was blown up by Ava.

Though Forrmynður are not human to any extent, they have been shown to possess a small degree of cognitive empathy per their intelligence. They generally do not kill for the sake of it. They are able to cognitively understand that killing a person causes distress and pain in the rest of their group and attempt to offer a kind of condolences by returning the hearts and teeth of the victims to their group in a stone box. This is then interpreted by the group as mockery or cruelty, but in truth it is meant to represent their smiles and figurative hearts, which is based on something said to them by the earliest of the Families. The Forrmynður ironically do not understand the distress they cause by putting hearts and teeth in a box and honestly believe that they are doing the groups a kindness.

## Behavior

They are capable of fairly coherent speech, though they do not converse often. They have a human level of intelligence but lack actual humanity, though they are not cruel and do not harm people for the sake of it, only doing so when necessary to fulfill their purpose. However, they break this rule when particularly agitated. They exhibit a strange willingness to choose not to use violence at times. At the weather station of Ny Alesond, a Forrmynður in the shape of Rosa De La Torre knocked on the door while staring at Amelia, making no attempt to enter forcefully despite very much having the ability to do so if it wanted.

Forrmynður are smart and know how to manipulate humans, using the faces and voices of dead loved ones as lures. A Forrmynður deliberately caused damage at Outpost Fristed, knowing that it would draw a repair team. Forrmynður drag humans through the sites and down into the catacombs toward the Antechamber, where they are killed. Most of the corpse is used for some unknown purpose toward keeping the contents of the Vault sealed, but the hearts and teeth of the victims are removed and placed inside stone boxes in the anatomical theatre.

It was originally thought by the repair team that this was a kind of mockery, but the Forrmynður actually intend it as a kind of commiseration, albeit a misguided one, but the intent is sincere. This is based on something told to them by the earliest of the Families, something to the effect of "You may take our people, but we will keep them in our hearts and remember their smiles.", which they interpreted to mean hearts and teeth. From then on, they began removing the hearts and teeth from their victims and returning them to their groups, as a kind of condolence or apology for their loss. This usually doesn't have the intended