A Reason To Be Quiet: The Librarian Warlock

“Agatha, the Warlord Thraxar is coming for the Tome of Destruction!” A teenage boy had run up to her desk. He was agitated.

The librarian glared at the boy. She was unimpressed. She concentrated for a moment, and was able to discern that The Tome was where it had always been, on the third floor behind a steel door. “The Tome is secure. But I can make things interesting for him.” She frowned as she uttered words of power and the library became as quiet as the grave. Fog filled the library as doors closed and locked themselves. She even set a trap just behind the doors for the invader. She then decided to summon a skeleton as a contingency.

Just as the skeleton appeared behind her, the doors slammed open. A huge barbarian with an axe in one hand and a lit torch in the other entered. “I am Thraxar! You will give the Tome of Destruction or I will burn this library down!”

Agatha glared at him, focusing on the torch. It went out. “Really?”

The barbarian walked steadily towards her, fully intent on her death. Then he walked into a circle and froze. He fell to his knees, dropped his ax, and went to his knees. “Please summon the guards.”

The barbarian had fallen into her trap: The circle had triggered an enchantment. “If you insist.” She sent the skeleton out to the nearest guard post. Within minutes, he was arrested and on his way to the local dungeon.

“They never learn that you don’t mess with the librarian.”

Some powerful entities love secrets and knowledge, and are concerned that not enough mortals share this concern. Ergo, they have made deals with various mortals to give them power in exchange for protecting libraries. These warlocks are charged with protecting storehouses of knowledge and the secrets that they hold, and are given enough power to ensure their security. Good librarians encourage the sharing of these secrets (to responsible parties) while hiding the secrets to world-wide catastrophe while evil librarians hoard those secrets. Chaotic librarians do exist, but are rare: They look for old books, scrolls, and tablets in the weirdest places in hopes of glory. Librarians hold the knowledge of the world at their fingertips, and they know its power.

[Design Considerations: The idea was to create a warlock indebted to a deity of knowledge. The spells allow them access to knowledge, ways to defend the library, and protect secrets. This warlock frequently works with bards, clerics, and wizards, and may sometimes multi-class into those classes. They prefer spells and abilities that keep them hidden and can help defend a building and secrets. Feats that interest them include Keen Mind, Musician, Ritual Caster, Shadow-Touched, Skilled (any Wisdom- or Intelligence-based proficiency or language), or Skill Expert. If you take the Magic Initiate feat, look at the chill touch, light, mage hand, and message cantrips and the identify, shield, and sleep spells.]

Level 3: Spells of The Library

Your patron ensures that certain spells are always prepared by you, once you reach a particular level.

• Level 3: comprehend languages, continual flame, illusory script, silence
• Level 5: summon undead, tongues
• Level 7: greater invisibility, Leomund’s secret chest
• Level 9: modify memory, wall of force

Level 3: Find Book

You can cast find book without expending a spell slot.

Level 6: Extinguish Flame

You can extinguish a 10’ cube of fire. You can use this ability once per point of Proficiency Bonus; you regain spent uses per short rest.

Level 10: Protect Library

You can cast summon undead without expending a spell slot. It is cast as a 5th level spell. You can use this ability one per point of Charisma bonus, and regain spent uses every Long Rest.

Level 14: Fortify Library

You can cast guards and wards without expending a spell slot. You can use this ability once per Short Rest.