Silverfish

*"Our first encounter with these, they were, well, unidentifiable. Crushed up, caved in, in a pile between shelves, a thick ichor congealed all around them. We weren't sure they were bodies, let alone what type, until we later saw what appeared to be a small party of them being set upon by some of the guardians we had seen previously. They appeared to be trying to flee with books, but were no match for the Library's grim guardians."*

*-daftPirate*

Silverfish have been a nuisance to the Librarians as long as they can remember-- and that is a very, very long time. They are believed to have been the results of a failed experiment in introducing biological reproduction to the Librarian species. Reproducing outside of the will of the Author, they lacked the drive to serve the Library's needs and were rejected by the Author and the Librarians. They infest the shelves and consume the books, and are engaged in constant struggle with their supposed kin.

## Physical Description

Silverfish have shining silver carapaces, from which their names are derived. Their general body plan is more insectoid than that of Librarians, having large eyes, pincers rather than teeth, jointed antennae, and short abdomens ending in claws that function as reproductive organs, as in the earwigs of the material planes. Unlike Librarians, all Silverfish possess only four limbs. The typical male silverfish is very small, close in size to the smallest of the Librarians, and walks with a hunched, nearly quadrupedal posture. Females, on the other hand, are extraordinarily large, and possess large wings and claws. The third sex, the brute male, is closer in size to a typical female, but lacks the distinctive wings or claws. Certain species in the library feed on Silverfish, and their flesh has been described as grey in color and metallic-tasting.

Silverfish reproduce rapidly, as is necessary to sustain a population that is constantly being hunted down by Librarians. Male silverfish (although not Brutes) impregnate the females, which lay hundreds of eggs at a time. At birth, silverfish are dull white in color and have no arms or antennae; these grubs are easy prey for Librarians, other groups of Silverfish, and any other creature wandering the shelves. Young Silverfish will typically remain with the group they hatched with until they reach sexual maturity. At this point, the females, whose wings are now at their strongest, will depart the group in search of another, unrelated group of Silverfish to bond with. This ensures genetic variety among the species and prevents inbreeding.

## Behavior

The intelligence of Silverfish has been a subject of debate. While some (especially the Librarians) would be inclined to view them as no more than simple animals, advanced tool use has been observed among their species. The male silverfish frequently carries a sword fashioned from bones and teeth; although inelegant, it shows ingenuity and capacity for invention. Silverfish wear clothes, can learn to speak, and even occasionally can be taught to work with the Librarians, rather than against.

Typically, however, Silverfish life is focused on the consumption of books and scrolls. Rather than feeding on the paper itself, they seem to consume the knowledge contained within. In their own strange way, Silverfish seem to have just as much appreciation for the ancient texts as Librarians do. Silverfish colonies are dominated by the females; while roving bands of males exist, those who encounter a female will almost immediately submit to her. Females who lead a colony are known as Queens, and are an especial challenge and target for those wishing to combat Silverfish infestations; a single Queen lays hundreds of eggs at a time, but is always guarded by her entire colony, making a dangerous task for a would-be exterminator.

## Behind the Scenes

* Silverfish were originally created by Goo
* They were officially made canon on December 18, 2020

## HeroForge Links

Male Silverfish

Queen Silverfish