"Ah, Candlekeep, you ask? Why it's a sight to behold, yes, but more importantly, an edifice of singular cultural and scholarly import! No, you can't miss it. Standing atop a rocky crag overlooking the Sea of Swords, the massive citadel has endured the elements for centuries and defied the degradations of time. Visible for miles around, Candlekeep's many round towers shoot skyward like lit candles surrounding an enormous altar to knowledge.
And that it is: an altar to knowledge. For Candlekeep has the largest repository of written lore in Faerûn. The library holds thousands upon thousands of historical documents, spells, prophecies, lost recipes, old songs, collections of folklore, and journals written by ancients whose lives shone briefly before being snuffed out long centuries in the past, but whose writings live on like embers burning under blackened ash, deep in the stacks.
Anyone can enter Candlekeep, with one condition, hehe. The donation of a work of writing not already contained in its voluminous collection…"
Hiya folks! Accepting applications for a Candlekeep Mysteries play-by-post game here on the DNDB forum.
This will be a whimsical game aglow with curiosity and relationship-focused role-playing. Do you like writing and enjoy thinking about and portraying your character’s thoughts and emotions? This might be the game for you. :)
Particulars
Stats: Standard Array
Starting Level: 1st level
Class, Race, etc: No limits
Character Requirements
1. Your character is a good person.
2. Your character holds an interest in scholarship, be it personal or academic.
How to Apply
Post a character concept in this thread including:
- Name, class, background, and motivation (i.e., the character’s specific interest in scholarship).
Player Requirements
1. Mature, responsible and communicative individuals interested in a 90% RP gaming experience.
2. Thou shalt not ghost the game.
3. Only apply if you have not played or read through Candlekeep Mysteries.
Hi, I really like this game concept and figured I'd throw my hat in the ring :)
Character Concept
Name: Sylerias "Cy" Brightleaf Class: Bloodhunter Race: Half-Elf (Wood) Age: 147 Physical Description: Sylerias is a half elf of average build, though a little more muscled than most. He wears his shoulder-length brown hair in a low pony or lets it fly freely. His green eyes contrast with the color of his tanned skin. His typical attire consists of metal armor with leather straps and pouches containing various reagents and potions. His greatsword is always strapped to his back unless danger is near. Background: Sylerias is a half-elf (wood elf) that was the son of two prominent members of a blood hunter order hidden deep within the mountain forests near Cormyr. His mother was a great warrior, swift and sure, while his father kept the lore for their order safe and acted as their leader and guide. He was trained there along with many others, some born into the order and others adopted. One day his mother returned to their order hall, having defeated a beast she had never seen before. Although she was victorious in battle, the wounds she received where great. His father searched and searched the combined knowledge in their libraries but could not find any information on the disease that afflicted her or the beast that caused it. The order did everything in the power to help her but after several days, she was gone. No one knew what had happened but one thing was sure, this was no ordinary illness, and was something magical and ancient. In his grief, Sylerias left his order on a quest to the great libraries of Candlekeep hoping that they might contain knowledge about the disease and the beast that held it so that he might stop it from hurting anyone else. Motivations: Sylerias is on a quest to visit the libraries of Candlekeep to research the disease that killed his mother and find a cure for it.
Very cool! I've heard a lot about Candlekeep, but not yet read/played it - would love to jump in.
Name: Osmund Rusk
Class: Barbarian
Race: Hill Dwarf
Background: Acolyte, raised in the ancestral cult and monastic practice of the hilltop dwarf clans near the well-traveled pass through the Cloud Peaks. While this background constitutes a major part of his worldview, some of the more ascetic practices of his culture never quite sat well with Osmund's temperament. Primarily, he worked in the clan's apiaries and breweries and built up considerable physical hardiness as a bell-ringer.
Motivation: Due to some misunderstandings within the family (to be explored later at DM discretion, or left vague if not relevant to character and story), Osmund's place within the clan was put into question and to resolve things peacefully he was sent north on a mission to study and, if possible, retrieve certain histories and records of legendary hilltop dwarf-lords, so as to cement the territorial claims of his clan against the gradual encroachment of the larger (and wealthier) mountain holds, deeper in the peaks. In offering at the gates of Candlekeep, he brings vellum copies of a rare saga from dwarf-history, painstakingly reproduced by hand across several generations.
I think that about covers it! I'm happy to tweak Osmund as needed, in case something doesn't fit in the world-lore or would be better for the party overall. Thanks for your consideration!
Physical Appearance: Xalothir is a tall, slender young man with soft marble skin, white hair, and sunken eyes. His arms are tattooed with ancient runes - old Imaskari letters that sometimes thrum with power.
Backstory: Xalothir is a Deep Imaskari, born into the depths of the Underdark amidst the remnants of the ancient Imaskari civilization, From a young age, he displayed an innate affinity for magic, a legacy gifted by generations of arcane experimentation and ensorcellment that marked his lineage. Raised among the labyrinthine tunnels and crystalline caverns of the Underdark, Xalothir’s gift for magic was encouraged and nurtured. But unlike the more conventional methods of the wizards and artificers of his people, his magic was rough, unpolished. He grew frustrated with his slow, unpredictable progress. He hungered not just for knowledge, but for the raw, untapped potential that lurked within his bloodline.
When he became old enough, he left his enclave, seeking answers and perspective from the world above. After wandering for months, he heard of great repositories of knowledge—none more famed than Candlekeep. There, he would seek not only books of magic but also mentors who could help him understand and master the powers that thrummed within him. He knew that within the sanctum of Candlekeep lay secrets that could elevate him to heights unseen by his ancestors—a destiny forged from the fusion of ancient lineage and boundless ambition.
Motivation: Xalothir, like many gifted young people, thinks he is special. Destined for great things. He has a responsibility to nurture his gift, learn more about the peoples outside his humble home, and eventually help his people prosper and integrate with the modern world.
Donation: Xalothir has made a copy of his journal, written entirely in Roushoum. While he does not think it is particularly noteworthy, he knows that the experience of every person is unique. Surely his story is not already housed within Candlekeep.
I've never played an artificer before but would like to try and starting at level 1 is probably the best way. He has a goal of creating a magical network of information storage and remote access (ie a magical internet) via portable terminals.
Name: Rogi
Class: Artificer
Race: Human (variant)
Background: Too practical for most wizards to teach, his focus was on using magic to solve everyday problems ordinary people faced, rather than power for its own sake or academic theories. He was flabbergasted by how little imagination was dedicated by these wizards to practical applications of their spells. Rogi was fortunate to find a like-minded artificer in a gnome from Lantan to learn from, but eventually it was time to begin his own work.
Motivation: It's said that knowledge is power, and Rogi agrees wholeheartedly. It's too bad, then, that this power is so concentrated in so few hands and unavailable to most people who could benefit from it. Such a power imbalance almost always leads to abuses by those who have it, and history is replete with examples of mages and clerics lording it over everyone else. The world, in his view, has need of an equalizer so that good people who are weak could defend themselves from bad people who have magic. Not interested in abstract arcane theories, his dream is 100% practical: bring knowledge of magic to the people at large, so that they don't have to go to a fortress library just to access it. Of course, he's smart enough to not let his thoughts be known by the very gatekeepers of knowledge here at Candlekeep. He will need a tremendous amount of knowledge, wealth and power to accomplish his dream and the very concentration of lore here made Candlekeep the obvious place to start. But his goal is ultimately antithetical to the very idea of a fortress library.
Erudisia Odewright is pleased to make your acquaintance, certainly, charmed and such a delight etc. etc. but must dash, and all forgiveness and good wishes she must beg from your good graces, and your sister’s and your wife’s, and father and mother, too. Write to her mother, or her uncle and they shall— ah, but she is already gone.
The second daughter of an enfeoffed adventurer and his sorcerous elven wife, Erudisia is often remembered by passing acquaintances as ‘in motion’, as fleeting as a summer wind, and as lithe too. Those who know her from Moonshae society say she was born under the Western Wind of the New Year, blessed by Aardrie Faenya , for flighty as she is, she dances as well as any high elf four hundred years her senior in practice.
The truth is both simpler and more unbelievable. In the course of her father’s adventurer career he came across a trapped Noble Djinni. The wish he received in gratitude changed his life into one of endless fortunes. However, it was only many years later he came to find that the opportunity to accept a wish was his reward for his aid, and repayment was not waived.
Erudisia therefore serves a Noble Djinni of the Plane of Air. The most graceful of her father’s children, she has borne the Mark of Storm since her birth, and her task is an endless service.
Fortunately it is one in which she takes endless joy, for the payment due the decadent genie is story, and opera, and poetry and novel, opening doors to Erudisia beyond those of merely dancer and actor, things she might have been denied without her patron’s demand.
Erudisia comes to Candlekeep to seek story and tradition unknown to the elven islands to the west, and hopefully to her Genie Patron also.
She brings with her to Candlekeep a short script of her own composition. A short form story in iambic tetrameter; poetry in the style of the epic oral traditions of the elves of her homeland
Class: Warlock (Genie- Djinni)
Race: Half-elf (Mark of the Storm - but flavoured to be nothing to do with Eberron - it just seems a good fit for a Djinni warlock)
Background - Noble.
Patron - I think Djinni are meant to be, in D&D, lovers of luxury and hierarchy and riches. Erudisia’s Patron’s luxuries are those of literature, art and works of great scholastic merit. His demesne and her genie-space are a great library. He is not unlike a literary critic, and takes great pleasure in dissecting stories and underpinning motifs and structure in the media she brings to him. It’s not all written word however, he’ll also study plays and dance and critique blocking and direction. More 1950s Oxford Don than modern day film critic in vibe. I don’t see him as a major part of the day to day part of her role play but he’s the ‘bank roller’ who is always in the back of her mind, driving her to seek new things, even when she’s still half way through old things.
Physical Appearance: Meredith is a young woman of mixed heritage ( Calimshite, Rashemi and Damaran), her dark hair is straight and glossy and cut relatively short with undercuts, her fingers are often ink stained though she does take pride in her appearance as part of her hosting duties within the Bard's Wisdom. She has a amber-brindle female domestic cat called Malaka who accompanies her everywhere.
Backstory: Meredith has spent the last two decades of life in the employ of Kamal el Kitaeb of Calimport working with his library ' Bards Wisdom'. Recently he sent her north bearing a tome with which to buy entry to Candle keep, she is unsure exactly why she has been sent here though her employer intimated that all would become clear. In the meantime she intends to continue her own personal research into the various felines and feline adjacent species of Faerun..
Motivation: Meredith sees the entire trip north as a waste of her time which could be better spent on her treatise and branch studies.
Donation: Meredith was given an ancient Halruun text by Kamal to deliver to Candlekeep......it does not appear to be about cats, food or anything else of particular interest so she hasn't looked through it.
I present to you, one Bell Wheather. (and for some reason, the 'Wh' is pronounced like Stewie does in the show, Family Guy)
Miss Wheather was asking 'why' since she was a child. Later, that became 'how'. Continually at a person's knee trying to gain insight into the world she lived in. Once she stumbled into the printed word -- she was in her own form of heaven.
Of course, when a tutor passed word to the local tower about a child with a sharp mind and voracious appetite for knowlege -- Bell's parents were more than happy to accept the scholarship and sent Bell packing! Bell studied hard and never cultivated all those interpersonal skills -- like drinking ale until dawn before a big exam or snogging the boy in town that claimed he was the secret love child of the local lord. No, our studious Bell kept herself surrounded with books and practiced all she could uncover into the ways of wizardry.
Of course, the tower could only keep her so long and then they started talking about 'student loan repayments'. This threw Bell for a curve for she knew her parents had little in the way of coinage and her 'book learning' had yet to be put into practice. So, she graduated (was sent packing) with a contract that stated she would send monthly payments of coin and/or any new books and scrolls she might come upon until such time as her debt was repaid.
Yay! Student Loan Debt!!!
Okay, it wasn't quite that bad (quite). Her favorite mentor had given her a letter of introduction and a map showing the way to Candlekeep -- " ... the largest repository of written lore in Faerûn..." Bell hopes to hone her skills and learn as much as she can before she must being 'repaying the bill' to the tower (and probably Candlekeep).
Name: Bell Wheather Race: Human, Female Class: Wizard - 1
Offering the tome: "Pointy End First -- A guide to Martial Combat for the Mystically Competent" by Marian W. Baker
Description: Big round glasses perched on a button nose. A blonde cloud of hastily finger combed hair. That self same button nose always stuffed deep in a book.
Tossing my hat into the ring. I've always wanted to play in a campaign based around Candlekeep!
Name: Circe Somerset Class: Wizard Background: Cloistered Scholar Motivation: While growing up, Circe had always held a fascination with magic. Her family was well enough off to afford a tutor, and with his guidance she quickly worked to understand the basics of the Weave and how to manipulate it to her will. The natural course, they all reasoned, was for the tiefling to attend a wizarding college.
Once enrolled and attending classes, she tackled the assignments with an abundance of enthusiasm- perhaps too much. That enthusiasm was how she ended up before the department heads. She'd insisted that it wasn't her fault that her instructor hadn't put up better guards and wards on the quasit that had been summoned for study. Anyone could have gotten a bit too close and broken the arcane circle binding it! The fledgling mage's pleading landed upon deaf ears, and the administrators were in agreement. Circe would be expelled.
Disgraced, dismissed, but undaunted, the tiefling scholar sought out other avenues of study, with her first (the only one, rather) stop one of the most prolific bastions of learning: Candlekeep.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Juniper Summers in Drakkenheim - Mind and Matter Delphine Bennett in TheDark Below Ilmrae Zolier in Dragon Heist - One Hell of a Summer Loralai Darkleaf in The Storm King's Thunder Eris Tourmaline in An Adventure in the Mountains Circe Somerset in Candlekeep Mysteries
Motivation: Thalindor’s interest in scholarship is driven by a desire to uncover the hidden histories of the world and learn about his potential heritage. Growing up on the streets, he discovered ancient texts and forgotten lore amidst the rubble and ruins of the city. He dreams of becoming a historian and anthropologist, using his knowledge to impact those with similar backgrounds.
Character Concept:
Thalindor is a young half-elf with quick reflexes and a keen mind. He was abandoned by his human mother when he was nearly 5 years old, spending most of his youth in orphanages. He has never come to know his father, but has a small token from what he assumes is his patriarch. His life on the streets taught him to be resourceful and stealthy, skills he now uses to explore abandoned neighborhoods and forgotten libraries. Despite his rough upbringing, he has a deep appreciation for knowledge and a burning curiosity about how the world and its cities work. He hopes that by immersing himself in Candlekeep’s collection, he can gain access to its vast resources and continue his studies. Thal’s ultimate goal is two pronged is to uncover his heritage and use his discoveries to help others from disadvantaged backgrounds. Using knowledge of a forgotten past to lead to a more equitable future.
Motivation: Curiosity, Why can Dragons and Dragonborn harness the elemental powers but other races cannot, and further to the question how can he use this innate ability to make machines and better society.
Background: Rasprax is a young adult Silver Dragonborn, he has recently been cast out of his tribe for grave robbing. A gold Dragonborn friend of his had recently died and given permission for Rasprax to study his body for the purposes of discerning the exact nature of the elemental powers that Dragonborns possess, he was denied by the council and chose to dig the grave at night anyway. Caught, Rasprax was exiled but still continues to follow his dream to make society better by making things easier through a mixture of magic and technology. Rasprax passed through a Gnomish village of tinkerers and learned a great deal about making machines and now he must find out more about his (and other dragon kind's) innate abilities and find out how he can harness the power in a safe way to build useful machines, for travel, or for lighting or whatever els e he can think of
motivation: Growing in the streets was hard, my older brother and I lost our parents early on, dad to picking the wrong mark and mom to sickness. My brother did what he could to keep us feed and out of trouble for the most part. About six years ago he went and got himself arrested for stealing food. I was taken in by what I thought was a nice older man, turns out he's a wizard of some sort, Order of Scribes or something another. He noticed I had a natural affinity for the arcane, so he cleaned me up and taught some of what he knew, even gave me a spell book. He was called away on "business" a couple of weeks back and advised me to make my way to Candlekeep, even wrote me a letter of introduction and gave me a wrapped book saying to give it to them, and instructed me to "delve into the origins of magic and the very nature of magic". So, here I am applying for a scholarship in the hopes of bettering my life and getting off the streets. Me, a Cliffstalker, dreaming of becoming a learned person of importance.
Thanks everyone for your interest in this campaign. Every character posted looks interesting, and it was difficult to winnow down the numbers to a manageable group size. I have reached out directly to those I have selected. To everyone else, happy gaming & thanks again!
Edit: Didn't see it was already closed. Happy gaming everyone!
Here is my application, hoping is not too late. I would love to partecipate!
Name: Danaar Kheva (Male) Class: Cleric - Knowledge Domain (Oghma) Race: Dragonborn (White) Background: Sage (Librarian) Motivation: Raised in the Ten Towns of Icewind Dale in a multi-ethnic environment by fishermen parents, soon Danaar felt he had to follow his own path. He was always fascinated by books and the mysteries they could hold inside them... would it be a novel, a poem, or a long forgotten piece of history. So, despite his appearance, he managed to find a job as a librarian in a small town with many books. The months and years went by and finally Danaar grew unhappy: he read all the books.. twice.. and his beloved job became more and more like a cage for him. Then Prior Avenence came in. He managed to see Danaar soul, his lust for knowledge, and gifted him with the holy book of Oghma: after reading it, Danaar had no doubts and took his vows. Today he is a Cleric of Oghma, sent by his temple in search for knowledge and discoveries, and opposing who support ignorance and deceit.
Recruiting for Candlekeep Mysteries
"Ah, Candlekeep, you ask? Why it's a sight to behold, yes, but more importantly, an edifice of singular cultural and scholarly import! No, you can't miss it. Standing atop a rocky crag overlooking the Sea of Swords, the massive citadel has endured the elements for centuries and defied the degradations of time. Visible for miles around, Candlekeep's many round towers shoot skyward like lit candles surrounding an enormous altar to knowledge.
And that it is: an altar to knowledge. For Candlekeep has the largest repository of written lore in Faerûn. The library holds thousands upon thousands of historical documents, spells, prophecies, lost recipes, old songs, collections of folklore, and journals written by ancients whose lives shone briefly before being snuffed out long centuries in the past, but whose writings live on like embers burning under blackened ash, deep in the stacks.
Anyone can enter Candlekeep, with one condition, hehe. The donation of a work of writing not already contained in its voluminous collection…"
Hiya folks! Accepting applications for a Candlekeep Mysteries play-by-post game here on the DNDB forum.
This will be a whimsical game aglow with curiosity and relationship-focused role-playing. Do you like writing and enjoy thinking about and portraying your character’s thoughts and emotions? This might be the game for you. :)
Particulars
Stats: Standard Array
Starting Level: 1st level
Class, Race, etc: No limits
Character Requirements
1. Your character is a good person.
2. Your character holds an interest in scholarship, be it personal or academic.
How to Apply
Post a character concept in this thread including:
- Name, class, background, and motivation (i.e., the character’s specific interest in scholarship).
Player Requirements
1. Mature, responsible and communicative individuals interested in a 90% RP gaming experience.
2. Thou shalt not ghost the game.
3. Only apply if you have not played or read through Candlekeep Mysteries.
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
Hi, I really like this game concept and figured I'd throw my hat in the ring :)
Character Concept
Name: Sylerias "Cy" Brightleaf
Class: Bloodhunter
Race: Half-Elf (Wood)
Age: 147
Physical Description: Sylerias is a half elf of average build, though a little more muscled than most. He wears his shoulder-length brown hair in a low pony or lets it fly freely. His green eyes contrast with the color of his tanned skin. His typical attire consists of metal armor with leather straps and pouches containing various reagents and potions. His greatsword is always strapped to his back unless danger is near.
Background: Sylerias is a half-elf (wood elf) that was the son of two prominent members of a blood hunter order hidden deep within the mountain forests near Cormyr. His mother was a great warrior, swift and sure, while his father kept the lore for their order safe and acted as their leader and guide. He was trained there along with many others, some born into the order and others adopted. One day his mother returned to their order hall, having defeated a beast she had never seen before. Although she was victorious in battle, the wounds she received where great. His father searched and searched the combined knowledge in their libraries but could not find any information on the disease that afflicted her or the beast that caused it. The order did everything in the power to help her but after several days, she was gone. No one knew what had happened but one thing was sure, this was no ordinary illness, and was something magical and ancient. In his grief, Sylerias left his order on a quest to the great libraries of Candlekeep hoping that they might contain knowledge about the disease and the beast that held it so that he might stop it from hurting anyone else.
Motivations: Sylerias is on a quest to visit the libraries of Candlekeep to research the disease that killed his mother and find a cure for it.
Very cool! I've heard a lot about Candlekeep, but not yet read/played it - would love to jump in.
Name: Osmund Rusk
Class: Barbarian
Race: Hill Dwarf
Background: Acolyte, raised in the ancestral cult and monastic practice of the hilltop dwarf clans near the well-traveled pass through the Cloud Peaks. While this background constitutes a major part of his worldview, some of the more ascetic practices of his culture never quite sat well with Osmund's temperament. Primarily, he worked in the clan's apiaries and breweries and built up considerable physical hardiness as a bell-ringer.
Motivation: Due to some misunderstandings within the family (to be explored later at DM discretion, or left vague if not relevant to character and story), Osmund's place within the clan was put into question and to resolve things peacefully he was sent north on a mission to study and, if possible, retrieve certain histories and records of legendary hilltop dwarf-lords, so as to cement the territorial claims of his clan against the gradual encroachment of the larger (and wealthier) mountain holds, deeper in the peaks. In offering at the gates of Candlekeep, he brings vellum copies of a rare saga from dwarf-history, painstakingly reproduced by hand across several generations.
I think that about covers it! I'm happy to tweak Osmund as needed, in case something doesn't fit in the world-lore or would be better for the party overall. Thanks for your consideration!
Name: Xalothir Nosredan
Class: Sorcerer (Runechild)
Background: Far Traveler
Physical Appearance: Xalothir is a tall, slender young man with soft marble skin, white hair, and sunken eyes. His arms are tattooed with ancient runes - old Imaskari letters that sometimes thrum with power.
Backstory: Xalothir is a Deep Imaskari, born into the depths of the Underdark amidst the remnants of the ancient Imaskari civilization, From a young age, he displayed an innate affinity for magic, a legacy gifted by generations of arcane experimentation and ensorcellment that marked his lineage. Raised among the labyrinthine tunnels and crystalline caverns of the Underdark, Xalothir’s gift for magic was encouraged and nurtured. But unlike the more conventional methods of the wizards and artificers of his people, his magic was rough, unpolished. He grew frustrated with his slow, unpredictable progress. He hungered not just for knowledge, but for the raw, untapped potential that lurked within his bloodline.
When he became old enough, he left his enclave, seeking answers and perspective from the world above. After wandering for months, he heard of great repositories of knowledge—none more famed than Candlekeep. There, he would seek not only books of magic but also mentors who could help him understand and master the powers that thrummed within him. He knew that within the sanctum of Candlekeep lay secrets that could elevate him to heights unseen by his ancestors—a destiny forged from the fusion of ancient lineage and boundless ambition.
Motivation: Xalothir, like many gifted young people, thinks he is special. Destined for great things. He has a responsibility to nurture his gift, learn more about the peoples outside his humble home, and eventually help his people prosper and integrate with the modern world.
Donation: Xalothir has made a copy of his journal, written entirely in Roushoum. While he does not think it is particularly noteworthy, he knows that the experience of every person is unique. Surely his story is not already housed within Candlekeep.
Tentative Sheet: https://www.dndbeyond.com/characters/127359275/pAht0k
Another medical problem. Indefinite hiatus. Sorry, all.
Loremistress Hilde Ironfist, Mountain DwarfCleric of Moradin, Forge Domain.She is driven to unearth ancient dwarven tomes and techniques regarding lost smithing skills. She is 207 and open to new adventures.Leaving the queue. My husband just brought me Candlekeep Mysteries so I am in the group of have been reading. Have a good game everyone!
I've never played an artificer before but would like to try and starting at level 1 is probably the best way. He has a goal of creating a magical network of information storage and remote access (ie a magical internet) via portable terminals.
Name: Rogi
Class: Artificer
Race: Human (variant)
Background: Too practical for most wizards to teach, his focus was on using magic to solve everyday problems ordinary people faced, rather than power for its own sake or academic theories. He was flabbergasted by how little imagination was dedicated by these wizards to practical applications of their spells. Rogi was fortunate to find a like-minded artificer in a gnome from Lantan to learn from, but eventually it was time to begin his own work.
Motivation: It's said that knowledge is power, and Rogi agrees wholeheartedly. It's too bad, then, that this power is so concentrated in so few hands and unavailable to most people who could benefit from it. Such a power imbalance almost always leads to abuses by those who have it, and history is replete with examples of mages and clerics lording it over everyone else. The world, in his view, has need of an equalizer so that good people who are weak could defend themselves from bad people who have magic. Not interested in abstract arcane theories, his dream is 100% practical: bring knowledge of magic to the people at large, so that they don't have to go to a fortress library just to access it. Of course, he's smart enough to not let his thoughts be known by the very gatekeepers of knowledge here at Candlekeep. He will need a tremendous amount of knowledge, wealth and power to accomplish his dream and the very concentration of lore here made Candlekeep the obvious place to start. But his goal is ultimately antithetical to the very idea of a fortress library.
Erudisia Odewright is pleased to make your acquaintance, certainly, charmed and such a delight etc. etc. but must dash, and all forgiveness and good wishes she must beg from your good graces, and your sister’s and your wife’s, and father and mother, too. Write to her mother, or her uncle and they shall— ah, but she is already gone.
The second daughter of an enfeoffed adventurer and his sorcerous elven wife, Erudisia is often remembered by passing acquaintances as ‘in motion’, as fleeting as a summer wind, and as lithe too. Those who know her from Moonshae society say she was born under the Western Wind of the New Year, blessed by Aardrie Faenya , for flighty as she is, she dances as well as any high elf four hundred years her senior in practice.
The truth is both simpler and more unbelievable. In the course of her father’s adventurer career he came across a trapped Noble Djinni. The wish he received in gratitude changed his life into one of endless fortunes. However, it was only many years later he came to find that the opportunity to accept a wish was his reward for his aid, and repayment was not waived.
Erudisia therefore serves a Noble Djinni of the Plane of Air. The most graceful of her father’s children, she has borne the Mark of Storm since her birth, and her task is an endless service.
Fortunately it is one in which she takes endless joy, for the payment due the decadent genie is story, and opera, and poetry and novel, opening doors to Erudisia beyond those of merely dancer and actor, things she might have been denied without her patron’s demand.
Erudisia comes to Candlekeep to seek story and tradition unknown to the elven islands to the west, and hopefully to her Genie Patron also.
She brings with her to Candlekeep a short script of her own composition. A short form story in iambic tetrameter; poetry in the style of the epic oral traditions of the elves of her homeland
Class: Warlock (Genie- Djinni)
Race: Half-elf (Mark of the Storm - but flavoured to be nothing to do with Eberron - it just seems a good fit for a Djinni warlock)
Background - Noble.
Patron - I think Djinni are meant to be, in D&D, lovers of luxury and hierarchy and riches. Erudisia’s Patron’s luxuries are those of literature, art and works of great scholastic merit. His demesne and her genie-space are a great library. He is not unlike a literary critic, and takes great pleasure in dissecting stories and underpinning motifs and structure in the media she brings to him. It’s not all written word however, he’ll also study plays and dance and critique blocking and direction. More 1950s Oxford Don than modern day film critic in vibe. I don’t see him as a major part of the day to day part of her role play but he’s the ‘bank roller’ who is always in the back of her mind, driving her to seek new things, even when she’s still half way through old things.
https://www.dndbeyond.com/characters/127341766/WLKBa2
Name: Meredith Lystfuller
Class: Bard
Background: Sage
Physical Appearance: Meredith is a young woman of mixed heritage ( Calimshite, Rashemi and Damaran), her dark hair is straight and glossy and cut relatively short with undercuts, her fingers are often ink stained though she does take pride in her appearance as part of her hosting duties within the Bard's Wisdom. She has a amber-brindle female domestic cat called Malaka who accompanies her everywhere.
Backstory: Meredith has spent the last two decades of life in the employ of Kamal el Kitaeb of Calimport working with his library ' Bards Wisdom'. Recently he sent her north bearing a tome with which to buy entry to Candle keep, she is unsure exactly why she has been sent here though her employer intimated that all would become clear. In the meantime she intends to continue her own personal research into the various felines and feline adjacent species of Faerun..
Motivation: Meredith sees the entire trip north as a waste of her time which could be better spent on her treatise and branch studies.
Donation: Meredith was given an ancient Halruun text by Kamal to deliver to Candlekeep......it does not appear to be about cats, food or anything else of particular interest so she hasn't looked through it.
https://www.dndbeyond.com/characters/127372216/4JgYwA
I had to try...
I present to you, one Bell Wheather. (and for some reason, the 'Wh' is pronounced like Stewie does in the show, Family Guy)
Miss Wheather was asking 'why' since she was a child. Later, that became 'how'. Continually at a person's knee trying to gain insight into the world she lived in. Once she stumbled into the printed word -- she was in her own form of heaven.
Of course, when a tutor passed word to the local tower about a child with a sharp mind and voracious appetite for knowlege -- Bell's parents were more than happy to accept the scholarship and sent Bell packing! Bell studied hard and never cultivated all those interpersonal skills -- like drinking ale until dawn before a big exam or snogging the boy in town that claimed he was the secret love child of the local lord. No, our studious Bell kept herself surrounded with books and practiced all she could uncover into the ways of wizardry.
Of course, the tower could only keep her so long and then they started talking about 'student loan repayments'. This threw Bell for a curve for she knew her parents had little in the way of coinage and her 'book learning' had yet to be put into practice. So, she graduated (was sent packing) with a contract that stated she would send monthly payments of coin and/or any new books and scrolls she might come upon until such time as her debt was repaid.
Yay! Student Loan Debt!!!
Okay, it wasn't quite that bad (quite). Her favorite mentor had given her a letter of introduction and a map showing the way to Candlekeep -- " ... the largest repository of written lore in Faerûn..." Bell hopes to hone her skills and learn as much as she can before she must being 'repaying the bill' to the tower (and probably Candlekeep).
Name: Bell Wheather
Race: Human, Female
Class: Wizard - 1
Offering the tome: "Pointy End First -- A guide to Martial Combat for the Mystically Competent" by Marian W. Baker
https://www.dndbeyond.com/characters/111128417
Description: Big round glasses perched on a button nose. A blonde cloud of hastily finger combed hair. That self same button nose always stuffed deep in a book.
Tossing my hat into the ring. I've always wanted to play in a campaign based around Candlekeep!
Name: Circe Somerset
Class: Wizard
Background: Cloistered Scholar
Motivation: While growing up, Circe had always held a fascination with magic. Her family was well enough off to afford a tutor, and with his guidance she quickly worked to understand the basics of the Weave and how to manipulate it to her will. The natural course, they all reasoned, was for the tiefling to attend a wizarding college.
Once enrolled and attending classes, she tackled the assignments with an abundance of enthusiasm- perhaps too much. That enthusiasm was how she ended up before the department heads. She'd insisted that it wasn't her fault that her instructor hadn't put up better guards and wards on the quasit that had been summoned for study. Anyone could have gotten a bit too close and broken the arcane circle binding it! The fledgling mage's pleading landed upon deaf ears, and the administrators were in agreement. Circe would be expelled.
Disgraced, dismissed, but undaunted, the tiefling scholar sought out other avenues of study, with her first (the only one, rather) stop one of the most prolific bastions of learning: Candlekeep.
Juniper Summers in Drakkenheim - Mind and Matter
Delphine Bennett in The Dark Below
Ilmrae Zolier in Dragon Heist - One Hell of a Summer
Loralai Darkleaf in The Storm King's Thunder
Eris Tourmaline in An Adventure in the Mountains
Circe Somerset in Candlekeep Mysteries
Name: Thalindor “Thal” Nighthawk
Class: Rogue
Race: Half Elf
Background: Urchin
Motivation: Thalindor’s interest in scholarship is driven by a desire to uncover the hidden histories of the world and learn about his potential heritage. Growing up on the streets, he discovered ancient texts and forgotten lore amidst the rubble and ruins of the city. He dreams of becoming a historian and anthropologist, using his knowledge to impact those with similar backgrounds.
Character Concept:
Thalindor is a young half-elf with quick reflexes and a keen mind. He was abandoned by his human mother when he was nearly 5 years old, spending most of his youth in orphanages. He has never come to know his father, but has a small token from what he assumes is his patriarch. His life on the streets taught him to be resourceful and stealthy, skills he now uses to explore abandoned neighborhoods and forgotten libraries. Despite his rough upbringing, he has a deep appreciation for knowledge and a burning curiosity about how the world and its cities work. He hopes that by immersing himself in Candlekeep’s collection, he can gain access to its vast resources and continue his studies. Thal’s ultimate goal is two pronged is to uncover his heritage and use his discoveries to help others from disadvantaged backgrounds. Using knowledge of a forgotten past to lead to a more equitable future.
Name: Rasprax Shuxil
Class: Sorceror (Storm)
Race: Dragonborn (Silver)
Motivation: Curiosity, Why can Dragons and Dragonborn harness the elemental powers but other races cannot, and further to the question how can he use this innate ability to make machines and better society.
Background: Rasprax is a young adult Silver Dragonborn, he has recently been cast out of his tribe for grave robbing. A gold Dragonborn friend of his had recently died and given permission for Rasprax to study his body for the purposes of discerning the exact nature of the elemental powers that Dragonborns possess, he was denied by the council and chose to dig the grave at night anyway. Caught, Rasprax was exiled but still continues to follow his dream to make society better by making things easier through a mixture of magic and technology. Rasprax passed through a Gnomish village of tinkerers and learned a great deal about making machines and now he must find out more about his (and other dragon kind's) innate abilities and find out how he can harness the power in a safe way to build useful machines, for travel, or for lighting or whatever els e he can think of
https://www.dndbeyond.com/characters/127413448
Name: Leigh Cliffstalker
class: wizard
race: human
Background: urchin
motivation: Growing in the streets was hard, my older brother and I lost our parents early on, dad to picking the wrong mark and mom to sickness. My brother did what he could to keep us feed and out of trouble for the most part. About six years ago he went and got himself arrested for stealing food. I was taken in by what I thought was a nice older man, turns out he's a wizard of some sort, Order of Scribes or something another. He noticed I had a natural affinity for the arcane, so he cleaned me up and taught some of what he knew, even gave me a spell book. He was called away on "business" a couple of weeks back and advised me to make my way to Candlekeep, even wrote me a letter of introduction and gave me a wrapped book saying to give it to them, and instructed me to "delve into the origins of magic and the very nature of magic". So, here I am applying for a scholarship in the hopes of bettering my life and getting off the streets. Me, a Cliffstalker, dreaming of becoming a learned person of importance.
Thanks everyone for your interest in this campaign. Every character posted looks interesting, and it was difficult to winnow down the numbers to a manageable group size. I have reached out directly to those I have selected. To everyone else, happy gaming & thanks again!
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
Edit: Didn't see it was already closed. Happy gaming everyone!
Here is my application, hoping is not too late. I would love to partecipate!
Name: Danaar Kheva (Male)
Class: Cleric - Knowledge Domain (Oghma)Race: Dragonborn (White)Background: Sage (Librarian)Motivation:Raised in the Ten Towns of Icewind Dale in a multi-ethnic environment by fishermen parents, soon Danaar felt he had to follow his own path. He was always fascinated by books and the mysteries they could hold inside them... would it be a novel, a poem, or a long forgotten piece of history. So, despite his appearance, he managed to find a job as a librarian in a small town with many books. The months and years went by and finally Danaar grew unhappy: he read all the books.. twice.. and his beloved job became more and more like a cage for him.Then Prior Avenence came in. He managed to see Danaar soul, his lust for knowledge, and gifted him with the holy book of Oghma: after reading it, Danaar had no doubts and took his vows.Today he is a Cleric of Oghma, sent by his temple in search for knowledge and discoveries, and opposing who support ignorance and deceit.Here is my application, hope there is space for a bard (dwarf)