Guild of the Scholars --- Candlekeep

[lan]

hmm most interesting letter...

so then, I take it we are all starting as acolytes and the Guide Valarius is in charge of our training. So then what type of training do we receive and how exactly to we become full fledged Seekers/monks of CK? Will there be an even or some given tasks. Or just after a certain amount of time we gain and learn the knowledge needed?


edit: nvm talked to Valarus IC and sorted it out

[sinsemilla]

Mission Report:

Name: Maximus Angrius
Mission: Investigate Possible Artifact Location
Location: Nothern Cloakwood - Abandoned Estate

Details:
Rumors reported claims of possible artifacts in or near Cloakwood, I investigated the location, and spoke with people in that area. I was told that an abandoned house was further north and that it was controlled by a powerful wizard.
Upon entry, the claims so far were true, constructs controlled the lower floor of the house. With help from Abby Winters, Mist Leafsmoker, Tonan Ashaler, Elohir and Alastaria (sorry cant member last) We searched the lower section of the house.

So far the location is still unknown, however further investigation is warranted.

I would like to give special Thanks to those mentioned for help, and I would like to consider them as friends of Candlekeep.

[maecius]

Some more updates for you all. This time we'll be going over uniforms, acolyte promotion, and the creation of roleplaying threads. I'll also be updating the roster with several new recruits.

UNIFORMS: Uniforms are an excellent way to set ourselves apart as a faction, and to instill a sense of community. The Lore uniforms differ slightly from the uniforms I will be suggesting here, because in the server all of the NPC monks wear blue, and hence, we will try to fit in with them.

For guards, blue-colored armor seems to be the norm, modeled off of the NPC guards that you can see standing around the city. I'll leave it to Sinsemilla to be more specific, if he chooses.

For scholars, the robe colors, by rank, are:

Acolytes = Black Robes
Seekers, Scribes, Readers = Blue Robes

The higher offices wear whatever robes they desire, with the adornments of their office. However, no one but the Keeper of the Tomes is allowed to wear all white robes. Not even visitors to Candlekeep.

I won't strictly enforce these uniforms, especially when you are outside of the city, but when within Candlekeep, I would appreciate it if you were in uniform. I will eventually purchase some black robes to pass out to new acolytes -- just as soon as I get keys to pass out with them.

ACOLYTE PROMOTION: Most players probably don't want to be acolytes for very long. It's the probationary rank, and only a lot of fun if you are playing a student.

To promote yourself from acolyte to seeker, I will request players send me a PM stating their interest in moving forward. I will then send you a short test, to ensure that you have a good handle on the Lore of Candlekeep, and that you are able to represent us as a faction. All of the answers can be found in this thread, so all you have to do to pass the test is make sure you've read up on Candlekeep.

In character, the way this will work out is that your character will have been administered a similar test by a Reader of the Order of Candlekeep. If you pass the test out of character, your character likewise passes, and are recommended to the current Guide for promotion. They are then recommended to Ulraunt for induction to the Order of Candlekeep as a full brother or sister, and ceremonially welcomed into the family.

I am still working on the promotion schema from Seeker onward, but it will be more roleplay and character related. For the jump from Acolyte to Seeker, I just want to make sure that everyone knows what they are joining, and understand the rules and ways of Candlekeep.

ROLEPLAYING THREADS: I'll be opening three roleplaying threads for us in the Elfsong Tavern forum.

Candlekeep Role Play: This thread will be for in-character roleplaying, for when you want the other members of the faction to be aware of your characters actions and behaviors, or for when factioneers in different time zones need to interact and cannot easily do it in-game.

Candlekeep Correspondence: This thread will be for in-character letters to and between Candlekeep faction members. It will also be used by the Candlekeep Guard for making their reports.

Candlekeep Research: Because so many of the other players and factions turn to Candlekeep for answers to DM-quest mysteries, we will utilize this thread to let the DMs know what questions Candlekeep faction members are currently puzzling over. It is always up to the DMs how much we can learn from our libraries and our divination magic, but this at least lets them know that we are looking into things. It can also be used to post personal, in-character research projects, writings, and research grant funding requests.

ROSTER: Finally, here is our current roster. I've changed Valek Wyndsoul to Valek Sunborn. (I don't know why I mixed that up). I also forgot to write down Gil (bong08)'s full character name, but I will get it the next time I see the character in-game; if Gil's player doesn't post it here first.

CANDLEKEEP SCHOLARS
Amber Rose (jasonpauldegraaf): Seeker
Gil ... (bong08): Acolyte
Jack Grimm (naelven): Acolyte
Moldrister Karemen (hnefi): Acolyte
Qin Tara (litara): Acolyte
Tomar the Black (lan): Acolyte
Valerius (maecius): Guide
Zelene Galuisurr (xeus32): Acolyte

CANDLEKEEP GUARD
Isabella Villame (asmodeakier): Watcher
Lathian Saravol (loadric): Private
Maximus Angrius (sinsemilla): Gatewarden

FRIENDS OF CANDLEKEEP
Jared Burns
Jonas Rokranon
Valek Sunborn
Weave Master Exarch Elias Goodmane

As always, feel free to correct me where necessary, to comment where you'd like, and to ask questions if you have them.

[lan]

It would be nice to hae simple hand spun black robes for the Acolytes, like Tomars simple brown attire and the blue monk's robes of the npc's that walk around CK

[sinsemilla]

I will be designing new Uniforms for the PC guard, of course then see if I can get it approved by the devs for issue. I will be maintaining the blue colors as the are, at the moment I prefer we stay with, light blue accents, dark blue cloak. The NPC guard wear light blue cloaks, I think this should separate us from gate guards.
I personally do not wear a helm, but a helm is a part of guard unifrom and should be worn when going into combat of any type. Out of RP respect when you speak to people at the camps and such, remove the helm. Helm should be the standard fighters helm, goldish tint (similar to the Fist, as it is really the only available)
I have a couple specific shields in mind, but I will post screens of the designs.

[DM williamfredrickson]

You might want to add Markon Ascaron to the "Friends of Candlekeep" list... I DMed a series of events for him in which he assisted Jared Burns on an important mission for Gorion ;D

[sinsemilla]

We can do that. All the more friends we have to support us at Candlekeep the better of we will be.
And so glad you posted in here, I have spoke to DevJLF2N about this guild and what we are doing at the moment. I asked him if it be possible to get support on all this and he agreed.
So now I ask the DM's if any of you would jump in sometime and find myself and Valerius so we can go over what we could use, and see where you could help us out.

Also the Jail located in the Headquarters does have a working key. I will also be asking a DM for 3 copies of it to start. As well as for a few copies to the Library.

As stated above we have intentions of paying the guard for their job and supplying some but not all gear at a sufficient level, as you progress in rank it will be possible to supply better quality gear and weapons, but as I said some not all. We have to keep it on limits so that a balance is maintained. Unfortunately there will be no XP bonuses as all the guard will be spending ample time helping seekers, meaning gaining xp.

I would like to get all the initial members to post available time so we can all meet and discuss some of the things we will be needing.
These things must be kept within reason as we do not need to burden the DM's or Dev's with any more than absolutely necessary.
Any request that you have should come directly to Valerius if he is not available then talk to me. As I said we need not bug the DM's with more than is needed, and request to them should be from us.

We are on our way.

[DM Sir Carnifex]

Keys need to be handed to the individual by a DM. Since they are toggled to cursed or plot or something so they cannot be dropped/stolen, a player cannot transfer them. I tried it with the Druid Grove and Tarsakh ended up having six keys he couldn't get rid of.

[sinsemilla]

Well we definitely don't need that.
So when you are in Sir C hit me up, as your time allows.
No rush.

[Jiszo]

Add Escontido Muerto to the roster. I will have to rp him into joining later when time allows. I'll probly hit up maecius when I have the time to rp it.

[Jiszo]

May 9, 2009 14:19:43 GMT -5 @sinsemilla said:

Thanks for the position.

The following is OOC:

I would like to suggest that for the Guard we recruit levels 5 and up, and break up our rankings in the guard by level and time with the guild.
I am working on a method of gold compensation for the guard. It may mean it coming out of pocket at times but I believe it can be done.

Of course we will need to set some specific guidelines and some duties, but I like the idea of the Guard escorting seekers as well as any that come to the keep looking for our help.

Also to help on finance of all of this, we could look at having our own PC merchant, someone who can sell what is not needed at the keep or used. We could all kick in for a starting bank and be sure to give any gear we want sold to them.
Course these are just some ideas I have, I will see what it will take to get the inn added in, and may even be able to design it myself, if the Big Devs approve it.

I will be posting on the board in game today, notifying of recruitment to the guard.

I will see you all in our new home at the keep!

why not the seeker that the guard is escorting pay the seeker? it could be a nominal fee for there services.

[maecius]

Really getting late, but I found a Q&A with Ed Greenwood (the creator of the Forgotten Realms campaign setting) which explains how he sees Candlekeep, which we can draw some inspiration from if we'd like. I'll also post an updated roster, while I'm at it. Enjoy!

CANDLEKEEP Q&A WITH ED GREENWOOD: The question was, "Where on Faerun could some commoner find a rare book or some other knowledge which would satisfy the monks [of Candlekeep] to let them in?" Ed Greenwood's answer:

"Most common folk of Faerun have neither the time nor coin to spare to travel far just to "learn things." Instead, they consult (and pay, in rural areas payment often being in the form of food) the nearest sage, or bard, or local temple priest, or failing that an elder in the community, traveling minstrel, or (often for the price of a tankard of ale) a widely-traveled merchant who's stopped for the night with his caravan (or a peddler, who's stopped all by himself :} ). If they dwell in a city and are members of a guild, they'll ask fellow guild members, or through those members contact other citizens who may know what they want to learn. If it's genealogy and general history, the Heralds (spread across the Heartlands) can provide that lore.

"Candlekeep is a temple (abbey, actually) of Oghma*, and yes, it can be consulted by those who can jump the hurdles of its entry policy. But its primary purpose is to preserve writings. It's rather like the Library of Congress in the United States: you don't go there to borrow the latest Stephen King (there are smaller local libraries for that) but if you were an American citizen, you depend on the L of C to keep two copies of everything published in the country safely stored for the reference use of select citizens and future citizens. It's the "repository" side of librarianship, rather than the lending side.

"This is only "kinda weird" from an enlightened modern viewpoint of libraries being open to all (a very recent phenomenon, looking down the centuries of recorded history) rather than exclusive. "Ordinary people," after all, can always get a local priest of Oghma to 'look something up' at Candlekeep via the lines of communication within the priesthood of Oghma (in other words, neither the "ordinary person" nor the local priest has to travel to Candlekeep; a request is sent, and yes, an answer may take a long time to come, but unless it involves magical lore, probably won't be all that expensive IF the questioner is a devout or regular worshiper of Oghma).

"Your question "Where on Faerun could some commoner find a rare book or some other knowledge which would satisfy the monks to let them in?" was asked by the Knights of a senior priest of Oghma (in Highmoon), who replied with a smile, "That's easy: write a book of poems, and take it. Find an old family diary, or ledger from some vanished but locally-important business, and take it. Write down local folktales, ghost stories, and beliefs, in your own words, and proffer that. Even if we have all those stories already, told by someone else, we won't have YOUR telling." The most common problem arises when someone finds an old book and judges (wrongly) that it's so rare and precious that the monks will accept it. The monks are always looking for what they DON'T have, or a complete and unblemished copy of something they only own damaged copies of, and so on.

"And the entry hurdles only apply to someone coming to the gates to try to get in and browse in person. Most folk send written requests to Candlekeep, and the monks spend time daily researching and writing out replies (which are sent via the clergy of Oghma back to the questioner). So the knowledge ISN'T "locked away" as you put it: only the tomes containing it are, to best preserve them. And yes, the monks ARE "hoarding the knowledge mainly for themselves and those with means and privilege to access them." Life, in the Realms as in our real world, isn't fair. However, the monks are bound by the dictates of Oghma, and provide what some folk would see as an astonishingly easy and open-handed access to the contents of their library (just not the books themselves).

"No, it doesn't "bother Mystra at all that Candlekeep is storing magic spells," because the monks will, for fees, copy out many of the spells and provide them to the wider Realms upon request. It's against her creed for HER clergy to try to hamper the sharing and spread of use of magic, not for the clergy of others. To her, Oghma and his priests admirably fulfill the 'safe repository' function I mentioned earlier. There are a few spells considered too powerful and dangerous to share out without very good reasons, yes, but every wizard across Faerun who knows such spells holds a similar attitude about the wisdom and advisability of those magics being freely shared. Only the Chosen, clergy, and servants of Mystra are bound to act more generously in sharing magic and magical lore.

"Yes, paupers have a hard time getting written answers out of Candlekeep (as do persons known to have burned or stolen books). However, these individuals rarely want or need a written reply from Candlekeep -- and when they want one, can always try to have someone else do the asking for them. Petitioners at the gates who are known to have rescued books or aided writers ARE often let in, as are those prepared to worship Oghma.

"Candlekeep, like all long-lasting institutions, has acquired its own quirks and odd rules and strange customs over the years, but is above all a place where written expression is hoarded and celebrated. It makes no attempt to be a public lending library, though it does share knowledge (in exchange for fees, in the same way a farmer shares milk in exchange for fees: so that the farmer can afford to keep farming).

"However, your PCs' local attempts to learn things can provide fascinating roleplaying opportunities. Just ask the Knights; they once spent three weeks of real-world playing time trying to pry some records out of Court scribes in the vast, labyrinthine Royal Court building in Suzail."

*: This statement strangely contradicts the Lore, which states quite clearly that Candlekeep is nondenominational. We will continue playing as the Lore dictates on this point.

All in all, it's an interesting way to look at Candlekeep. I can tell that our correspondence thread in the Elfsong will be popular already.

ROSTER: Our most up-to-date roster is as follows ...

CANDLEKEEP SCHOLARS
Amber Rose (jasonpauldegraaf): Seeker
Escontido Muerto (jiszo): Acolyte
Gilandri'lith Asunluana (bong08): Acolyte
Jack Grimm (naelven): Acolyte
Moldrister Karemen (hnefi): Acolyte
Qin Tara (litara): Acolyte
Tomar the Black (lan): Acolyte
Valerius (maecius): Guide
Zelene Galuisurr (xeus32): Acolyte

CANDLEKEEP GUARD
Augustine (z3n0): Guard
Isabella Villame (asmodeakier): Watcher
Lathian Saravol (loadric): Guard
Maximus Angrius (sinsemilla): Gatewarden
Meagan ap'Fawr (krutch23): Healer

FRIENDS OF CANDLEKEEP
Alaster Dawnchild (xshadowprophet)
Jared Burns (gestaltwandler)
Jonas Rokranon (rokranon)
Markon Ascaron (magicshisha)
Valek Sunborn (zealote)
Weave Master Exarch Elias Goodmane (cort)

As always, feel free to correct me where necessary, to comment where you'd like, and to ask questions if you have them.

[Jerick Silverkin]

To further Meacius's point:

This is a time before the printing press (Which -correct me if I'm wrong- I think does actually get invented some time after the Time of Troubles). Books of any type are highly valuable since they are hand-written by some scribe or scholar. Imagine having to copy your biology book by hand... every year... gah. Now imagine that for every one of your textbooks.

Now having an exceptionally rare book where books are already rare... well you can see why this place won't lend you a book!

Oh and yes, my char Bron demands open access to knowledge for in-character reasons. I would love for the public to have access to everything in Candlekeep. It's exactly why I can't be a member of your guild, I'd be trying to sneak everyone in!

Good post Maecius, very informative for those that don't know much about the keep.

[sinsemilla]

May 12, 2009 19:22:54 GMT -5 Jiszo said:

why not the seeker that the guard is escorting pay the seeker? it could be a nominal fee for there services.

As Seekers and Readers have access to the Library (Which is a value of 10k gold) and most of which can use scrolls that can be produced there, where most of the guard being fighters cannot. I would say that the seekers and readers are paid well in this exchange as stated in Maecius post above.

[sinsemilla]

Please update the following

CANDLEKEEP GUARD
Maximus Angrius (sinsemilla): Gatewarden
Isabella Villame (asmodeakier): Keeper of the Portal
Lathian Saravol (loadric): Guard
Augustine (z3n0): Guard
Tahlaer: Guard trainee (will get the rest when I see him next)
Meagan ap'Fawr (krutch23): Candlekeep Physician


Add these as well please.

FRIENDS OF CANDLEKEEP
Mist Leafsmoker (Mist Leafsmoker)
Rendo Leafsmoker (Mist Leafsmoker)
Cyron Zarva (Cyron Zarva )
Slenthir Elvenstrem (Cyron Zarva )
Arivain (unknown)