Palimpsest

A palimpsest was a piece of parchment that became animated by the magical runes it contained for long periods of time.

Description
A palimpsest looked exactly like a normal sheet of parchment. They could move about as if blown by a gust of wind.

Combat
These creatures hid in areas where it was common to find parchment such as within books, on desks, or in scroll cases. They could sense sound and movement and attacked when their target was nearby and barely moving, usually completely surprising a target and drawing them into their page and absorbing their energy. The features of an absorbed target would appear on the palimpsest as a sketch. Absorbing a target took several minutes and left the creature vulnerable, which was why palimpsests usually only attacked solitary targets.

Victims of a palimpsest attack could only be restored via a wish. Palimpsests were immune to harm from edged weapons and all forms of fire. A shocking grasp spell had a chance to dislodge a victim being absorbed. Lightning bolt and chain lightning had greater chances of saving a target in the same manner.

Society
These were solitary creatures but rumors existed that they could reproduce by splitting themselves into separate creatures.

History
Palimpsests were created in the Ethereal plane and were capable of drawing spellcasters into other planes. Some believed they were first created by the Arcane in order to gather magical energy.

A palimpsest killed Eltaor, the fourth Coronal of Uvaeren, in -6300 DR.

Rumors & Legends
An entire library full of palimpsests was rumored to exist somewhere within Undermountain, set there as a cruel joke by Halaster Blackcloak. Adventurers from Skullport even claimed the titles of palimpsest volumes were enticing such as Elminster's Black Book.