Candlekeep Correspondence

[maecius]

[ This thread is for in-character letters to Candlekeep faction members, or to Candlekeep NPCs.

It may also be used by the Candlekeep Guard for making and delivering important reports. ]

[rokranon]

The following is a letter from Jonas to Valerius.

Valerius,

My friend, I know that you have your hands full with Candlekeep business, but I must ask for your aid. You know of the Ramset plague. You know of the drow shade, Onyxium. It is my belief that the shade actually controls the plague now. He admitted to infecting a woman recently with it after some deduction from Alistaria. This was the worst outbreak yet. A massive rift of darkness formed, and a host of undead attacked a large amassed force. It took a large number of light spells to close the rift, but not before many of us had been beaten and battered.

I ask that you have some of your scholars, and preferably even yourself, look into ways of defeating this shade. You know how easily it heals from wounds, and there must be a weakness we can use to defeat it.

I am sure you remember the spectral child warning us of the drow being in control of the "black pieces" in our game of good and evil, and that has not happened yet. Do not worry yourself over that, but know that I will certainly call upon your aid when the moment comes.

I will let you get back to your organization, my friend. Stay safe, and Ilmater's blessings upon you.

Sincerely,

Jonas Rokranon

[Jerick Silverkin]

To those it may should concern,

I apologize ahead o'time as m'tone is not as professional as it should be. Yeh see I am quite spirited on this particular topic and yer group unintentionally caused a great bit o'anger in me, so I ask yeh t'please forgive my emotional shortcomins.

All m'life I have sought out knowledge. Nothin'll ever sate m'appetite fer this... nothin! I think that's something yer group can appreciate. That being said, I travelled great distances, by foot no less, t'come to yer keep in hopes of learning. I wish t'learn a large variety on th'arcane:spells, the spell effects, and their origins, how else th'spells have been applied, etc. so I can better understand how they may be applied in the future. I seek t'understand the Weave itself so I can contribute to the Weave Masters as well as sate m'hunger. More specifically, an'for m'own curiosity I wish t'learn more on various constructs so I can improve m'own designs for various items. Lastly... well I am just curious on so many things I wished I could pour through th'tomes t'learn what could be learned t'further innovation and invention... to better those things that can in turn better our lands!

But alas, yer group hordes knowledge like a dragon hordes gold! I understand yer "fee" of an ancient tome... but ancient tomes are... well... ancient, and quite difficult t'come by. There was some mention of 10,000 gold bein good enough, but that offer seemed retracted by the one gaurdin the door. (Yeh can't blame th'poor woman, just doin what she was told).

So... a tome... or ten-thousand gold egh!? So yer library is fer those that are lucky or rich!? Yeh don't see a problem in this!? By Gond, I can't believe such a thing! There is no use protectin knowledge if yeh only share it with so few. There is an injustice here, when an upstanding citizen is barred from learning because he lacks luck and riches. Sadly, that is a theme all to familiar in Faerun.

Here's wot I can offer. I can eventually pony up the gold fer entrance if that offer still remains. I will share whatever knowledge and tomes I come across in exchange fer even limited access to yer library. I *do* encourage the protection and exchange of knowledge after all and yeh do offer plenty of the former, despite the lack of the latter. For this great service yeh should be rewarded, that I cannot deny. Yeh grant me some access... even if yeh wish me t'be escorted... and yeh will have me as a friend to yer keep untill I leave plane of existance.

Please accept m'humblest apologies fer my manners. I know I am quite coarse in this correspondance. Let it be known also that while I am an acolyte o'the Weave Masters, I in no way claim to represent them in this letter. I come on m'own though wot I learn may benefit us all.

I offer m'services to yeh as well if that'll help turn th'tide in m'favor. I am both battle-hardened and skilled in smithing though I prefer the latter. Unfortunately I am both a novice in th'divine and th'arcane though that will not remain true forever and wot I do know is yours if yeh wish.


Yours in knowledge and soon debt,
Bron Ferros, Wanderer of Gond and Perpetual Seeker of Knowledge[/size]


Post Script: Oi, and due to a recent incident I also seek out information on lycanthropes. I hope to gain some defensive knowledge on the matter.

[maecius]

Valerius is quick to respond to his friend, Jonas Rokranon.

Because Jonas is currently staying at Candlekeep as a guest, he does not write back, but instead invites Jonas and Alistaria to dinner, where he discusses their problems at some length and assures them both that he will try to figure out how to destroy the drow shade, Onyxium.

Because Valerius is unwilling to abuse his position, he regretfully informs Jonas that he can't actually put any additional scholars on this problem without payment, but he does promise to look into the issue personally.

And after dinner, he immediately visits the library to do just that.

[maecius]

A package is delivered to the Istari Tower in Baldur's Gate. The letter attached is sealed with Candlekeep's seal -- a castle with flames burning atop its towers -- and addressed to one Bron Ferros.

The letter reads:

To Mister Bron Ferros:

I commend you on your indefatigable quest for knowledge, and I thank you for the kind words that you have written about our community here at Candlekeep.

I am, of course, very sorry that you find the library's entrance fee exorbitant, but I fear that it is unlikely to be lowered or dropped in the near future. The entrance fee is a perennial issue at our voting sessions, and in spite of passionate debate, it always seems to pass unscathed. So long as visitors are willing to pay it, it is my belief that the entrance fee will remain untouched.

As per your alternative suggestions of payment, Candlekeep is always happy to count scholars such as yourself among its friends. I will bring the issue up with my superiors, and see what they think. You are also invited to meet with me at any time, if you would like to discuss your situation or ask about our admission procedures and rules: just inform the Keeper of the Portal that you are here to visit me when asked to state your business at Candlekeep, and you will be escorted to my office.

As a gift, I have enclosed with this letter a book on lycanthropy, written by the venerable sage and former monster hunter, Auric Dantalion. I hope that this book serves you well, and I look forward to meeting you in the future.

Yours in service,

Valerius
Guide of Candlekeep

The package contains a thick, leather-bound tome stamped prominently with Candlekeep's seal. It is entitled On Lycanthropy, and authored by Auric Dantalion. Valerius has bookmarked several chapters for Bron. The chapter on "Pathologic Lycanthropy" deals with lycanthropy as a disease, while "Maledictive Lycanthropy" treats lycanthropy when it is resulting from a curse.

There is a biological and physiological treatment of lycanthropes, which deals with the numerous werebeast phenotypes, and then a huge section on lycanthrope vulnerabilities.

As far as treatments for lycanthropy and defenses against contracting lycanthropy are concerned, Bron would find several in the book. A person inflicted with lycanthropy who eats a sprig of belladonna (also called wolfsbane) within one hour of an attack can sometimes shake off the affliction (DC 20 Fortitude save; if administered by a healer, you can use the healer's Heal bonus if it higher than your save bonus). However, since belladonna is poisonous, a DC 13 Fortitude save is necessary to avoid 1d6 points of Strength damage (followed by a second DC 13 Fortitude save one minute later, to avoid 2d6 additional points of Strength damage).

A remove disease or heal spell (cast by a cleric of 12th level or higher) also cures the affliction, provided it is administered within three days of contracting the disease.

The only other way to remove the affliction is to cast remove curse or break enchantment on the afflicted person during one of the three days of the full moon. (After receiving the spell, the character must succeed on a DC 20 Will save to break the curse; and the caster knows if the spell works).

[Jerick Silverkin]

A follow up letter is sent to Candlekeep addressed to Valerius. The envelope has orange wax sealing it with a pressed image of a cog. This is tied with similarly-colored ribbon to a small package.

Sir Valerius,

You are far more cordial that I believe I'll ever be. Thank yeh for the book sir. This'll prove to be incredibly useful and is exactly wot I sought after to keep wot may have ended up a plague... from spreading t'such a level. The chapters concernin Pathological Lycanthorpy were o' the most use. Hopefully I am wrong and I will never need t'use the information in this book, but at least I am prepared.

I'd like t'return yer token of faith with somethin I have found on m'journeys. I don't know if it'll be a'much use to yeh though, as yeh do have a great many books there and yeh may already have such a book. This one is on the Refinements of Alchemy and has proved quite useful t'me since I found it several years ago in some goblin infested cave. Some learned traveller must of come to an unexpected demise and the little bastids took his gear. If it is not of any use to yeh, I still offer it as a token of m'gratitude. I valued the book greatly and it helped me through a few rather tough recipes.

Enclosed in th'back cover o' the book are some loosely-bound pages. This l'il pamphlet contains notes on some of the recipes offering advice on some of the preparation. The page labeled "In a Pinch" contains some *cheater recipes* fer makin a few potions when yer in a rough spot an'lack th'proper ingredients.

Tis th'least I can do.

I hope this finds yeh well,
Bron Ferros

[madcomposer]

Dear Valerius, accomplished scholar and esteemed Guide of Candlekeep scholars,

I greet you, in the name of the most high mistress of magic, Mystra. My name is Abraham Keene, and I am a fellow student of the arcane arts. It pleases me greatly that a mage of such power as yourself has risen to a position of prominence at Candlekeep and now directs the efforts of that prestigious institution. Your many achievements and escapades have spread your renown far and wide, even to Daggerford, from whence I pen this letter.

Of course, I do not write this letter merely to congratulate you, but I have also heard of some extremely distressing news from Baldur's Gate, a city still near and dear to my heart. It has come to my attention that the insidious Ramset plague has returned to leave its mark upon my former countrymen. Such news saddens me exceedingly. So it is with haste that I, perhaps even as you are perusing this epistle, travel back to Baldur's Gate. I have had much experience in dealing with the Ramsets, and I wish once more to bring my formidable talents to bear on the frightful designs of that pernicious clan. It seems like only yesterday when I participated in the protracted battle which enveloped both Beregost and Baldur's Gate. After that fateful day, it was believed that all trace of the Ramsets had been destroyed; however this recent news seems to demonstrate otherwise.

I have had a long and fruitful relationship with the denizens of that esteemed institution, Candlekeep, and wish to offer my services once again as a scholar and hardened foe of the Ramset clan. I greatly look forward to meeting you sometime in the future and perhaps even to eventually consult with you in order that we might combine our skills and eliminate this dire threat once and for all.

Signed,
Abraham Keene

//From now on, my character Abraham Keene will once again be making appearances on the server. He will try to weasel his way into Candlekeep, primarily for the purpose of satisfying some of his pet projects, including mastery of infernal magic and the eventual acquisition of a Ramset phylactery for his own devious purposes. Of course, neither Valerius nor anyone else has any way of knowing this. //

[maecius]

Valerius responds to Bron's follow-up letter with a short thank you letter, expressing his gratitude for the gift, and assuring Bron that it will be put to good use at Candlekeep.

He once more invites Bron to visit him, if he so desires, and he signs the letter with his arcane mark.

[maecius]

A letter is delivered to Daggerford, bearing the seal of the Order of Candlekeep. It is addressed to a Mister Abraham Keene.

To Mister Abraham Keene:

You flatter me, sir, with your kind words. I am, of course, very grateful for the confidence that you place in me, and in Candlekeep, and I only hope that your confidence proves well founded.

As you have heard correctly in Daggerford, the Ramsets continue to cast a spectral shadow over Baldur's Gate, Candlekeep, and the surrounding hamlets and towns. A virulent plague is spreading through the countryside, and despite our best efforts, we have yet to uncover a cure.

Nevertheless, I feel that it is only a matter of time before we prevail against this threat once more. Our scholars, and the priests and priestesses of Ilmater, are both making progress against it even as I write this letter.

That said, your assistance in this matter would be greatly appreciated, especially if, as you say, you have past experience with the Ramset clan and their dark magics. The faster this situation can be remedied, the better.

I am sure I do not have to remind you of Candlekeep's restrictions and rules, but I would be remiss in my duties if I did not. Please be sure to remember to bring a valuable tome or scroll with you on your person, if you seek access to the library, and remember also that guests are not usually permitted to stay for more then a tenday; though, in your case, Ulraunt may be willing to make an exception if you are assisting us in combating this plague, which drives away visitors and donors, alike.

I greatly look forward to meeting you in person, Mister Keene, and I hope that this letter finds you before you leave Daggerford.

Sincerely,

Valerius
Guide of Candlekeep

[hydrocarbon]

A letter arrives, borne by none other than Arivain, itinerant bard.

Dear sir or madam,

I have a question to most respectfully phrase of the learnéd scholars of fair Candlekeep, loremasters without peer:

Why, in Gond's name, is there a lone wagon wheel just outside your gates?

I will await your reply with the greatest of hope, for this mystery has become most vexing to me. If this contract is accepted, I will discuss payment with the esteemed Guide Valerius. I understand that most requests require thirty days or more for a reply.

Yours In Oghma,
Arivain Fatesinger