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Goldeagle
Acolyte
Australia
8 Posts |
 Posted - 08 Feb 2019 : 06:33:47
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As a follow up to the previous post:
I would like the help of those more knowledgeable than myself to help in this task.
(If anyone is in contact with 'Ed Greenward', it would be great to get his input/approval)
Let's base this in 1490DR
The most recent known knowledge is gathered from:
- 'AN INTRODUCTION TO CANDLEKEEP' by Ed Greenwood, 2004 (1477DR ??)
- 'Confrontation at Candlekeep' Teos Abadia, Greg Bilsland, Shawn Merwin in consultation with Ed Greenwood, 2013 (1486 DR ??)
- 'The Herald' by Ed Greenwood, 2014 (1487DR)
The hierarchy or rank-and-file of those occupying 'The Candle Keep' go something like this (with a brief description of the role). I am also adding in those Characters that have been mentioned, in the appropriate position. (If I have any incorrect information, please advise me)
- The 'Avowed'
- Acolytes - who are newcomers (Deal with mainly the labour, sweaty jobs)
Two dozen Acolytes (postulants in training to become monks). Their duties include kitchen work, cleaning and repairs, and study (all under supervision/tutelage of monks). (Added by Ed Greenwood)
Four dozen monks, known as the Avowed. Their duties include guarding Candlekeep, research among its vast and ever-growing library to write down new interpretations and added information in guides that function more or less like encyclopedias, scribe duties to copy out relevant passages on topics for paying clients (whose fees keep Candlekeep running) and taking daily part in the Endless Chaunt of Alaundo. (Added by Ed Greenwood)
- Scribes- majority of the work
- numerous roles
- one is the Tome Keeper that records and checks the quality of all types of documents presented at entry of the gate.
- Martana Gilthwaite - Healer
- Guards
- 5 Purple-vestmented monks tend the entrance
- Thaerabho - was a monk who frequently guarded the the gates of Candlekeep
- Larth - was a monk who frequently guarded the gates of Candlekeep.
- Sedris Greydawn
- Tranton Highroad
? (I think another 6) ?
- - Others guard on the Walls and in the towers
? (How ever many) ?
- Master Readers - Senior or learned monks among the Avowed (“sages”), (Sages & Elder monks who oversee scribes and teach acolytes)
currently 14 strong,
- Oldrin Haladain
- Elegy Overleaf - Scribe
- Master of the Kitchens (head cook)
Master of Herbs (head gardener)
Master of Care (doctor)
- The Echoes (Echo of Kitchens, Echo of Herbs, Echo of Care, and so on).
- Warden of the Gate (who examines and judges writings gifted to Candlekeep as the price of entry) deals with visitors, security, and supplies for the community.
? (1 Main) ?
- Echo Warden
- Guide (head of instruction of acolytes and scribes aspiring to an office)
- Myndlar - hailed from Athkatla but settled in Candlekeep. (1487DR - The Herald)
- Chanter - (who leads the Endless Chant) continuing the ongoing recitation of the prophecies of the Great Seer Alaundo
- Nabeirion - was a high-ranking monk of Candlekeep.[1] (1487DR - The Herald)
- - The Chanter has no Echo, but rather four Voices (monks who possess perfect pitch, pleasant singing and declaiming voices, and who know the Chant in every detail and facet of intonation).
? (How ever many) ?
- 8 Great Readers - Council of elder Avowed that oversee operations
- Albaeron Thalion [Male - Human]- was a high-ranking monk and a Great Reader of Candlekeep. (1487DR - The Herald)
- Tavrim Utherian
? (6 more) ?
- First Reader - Maintaining the Integrity of Candlekeep's scholarship, and even expanding literary resources.
- Franiford Othar
- Keeper of the Tomes - Governs the Great Library (Word is Law)
- Quinlapp - (No other description)
From their ranks the senior offices are filled: the governing council of eight Great Readers, the First Reader, and the Keeper of the Tomes.
The Keeper rules Candlekeep; his or her word is law, and settles all disputes. The Keeper’s Echo is the First Reader, who is responsible for daily discipline and communications among all who are within Candlekeep’s walls.
The Great Readers debate policy and make recommendations to the Keeper (the Keeper or First Reader or both attend all their formal meetings), and spearhead projects (such as rebuilding or expansion of the monastery, expeditions to acquire valuable books and records, and recruitments of suitable candidates to become monks whenever the ranks of the Avowed are judged too sparse; this is rare, but it was the case after the deadly events of THE HERALD).
- Occupants of Candlekeep
- Master of House (innkeeper of the House of Rest)
- Winthrop - was the innkeep of the Candlekeep Inn. He was known for his good-humoured nature and frequent jests.
- Abdel Adrian - mercenary warrior. In 1479 DR, Abdel appeared to be in his sixtieth year despite being well over a century old. He had lost none of his obvious strength or stature but his hair had begun to turn grey and his face appeared more wizened.
? (How ever many) ?
If there is anything else, please let me know.
Thanks
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Edited by - Goldeagle on 15 Feb 2019 02:45:59
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Zeromaru X
Great Reader
Colombia
2476 Posts |
Posted - 08 Feb 2019 : 07:08:12
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I'm going to think about it. If you're ok with it, I can device a few NPCs for this. I'm also going to check my 4e sources for any NPC mentioned there.
For the moment, I just going to note that you should remove Abdel (he either died or ascended to godhood in 1482 DR). |
Instead of seeking change, you prefer a void, merciless abyss of a world... |
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Goldeagle
Acolyte
Australia
8 Posts |
Posted - 08 Feb 2019 : 07:22:21
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Thanks Zeromaru X,
That would be great. |
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Ayrik
Great Reader
Canada
7989 Posts |
Posted - 08 Feb 2019 : 11:03:27
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| Won't see me in any canon. Always avoiding all those pesky reporters, interviewers, and photographers. You might be amazed at how many interesting things (and interesting scribes doing interesting things) you can find while skulking through forgotten rooms and passages. |
[/Ayrik] |
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The Masked Mage
Great Reader
USA
2420 Posts |
Posted - 08 Feb 2019 : 12:47:45
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Agreed - notoriety is overrated - leave me to my research. :)
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SABERinBLUE
Acolyte
30 Posts |
Posted - 09 Feb 2019 : 19:52:30
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I've done some pretty extensive research/invention on this topic. I'm playing a character right now who was raised in Candlekeep and I tried to make everything jive with canon as much as possible.
Im going to summarize what I wrote for my character and bold text when it intersects with official canon. Sound good? Sounds good.
EDIT: Reading back over this, I don't see that I actually said much in the way of data that you don't already have in the OP. I should clarify that in my account, where I invented something like a name or events or whatever, I invented it because I could find nothing official to put there after a considerable amount of effort, using sources like this site, various wikis, poring through sourcebooks past and present, etc. I don't claim that I didn't miss something, but I reached a point where I felt very comfortable making stuff up. That should be a decent benchmark to you on some level.
As early as 17 Flamerule, 1472 DR, the Keeper of the Tomes was a human male named Vandred Brightcloak, a strict and stern man. The First Reader is a dark-skinned human male from Chult named Castor Quinlapp. There are two monks watching the gate named Sedris Greydawn and Tranton Highroad. A baby is teleported to the doorstep of the keep and, upon realizing that she is possessed by a devil whose influence can only be blocked within the Wards of Candlekeep, Brightcloak acquiesces to Quinlapp's demands that she be allowed to live in the monastery. This is my character, eventually known as Elegy Overleaf.
As early as Midsummer, 1472 DR, there is a monk named Franiford Othar who specializes in magical instruction.
On 9 Kythorn, 1485 DR, Elegy Overleaf is formally instated as an Avowed with the rank of Seeker.
On 2 Alturiak, 1486 DR, Elegy Overleaf is raised to the rank of Scribe.
On 5 Mirtul, 1487 DR, a contingent of devils and devil-worshippers invaded Candlekeep, temporarily disabling the Wards, but are fended off by a visiting group of adventurers. The defense is coordinated by First Reader Quinlapp. These events are the subject of the DnD Next Playtest module "Confrontation at Candlekeep." At some point after this, the Great Shield, a function of the Wards which bars the library to outsiders, is raised until the Sundering calms down. In my writing, I assumed that it was raised because of the above attack, but I don't believe this is confirmed by canon.
On 12 Marpenoth, 1487 DR, The Battle of Candlekeep takes place. Elminster, having infiltrated the Library, discovers that worshippers of Shar have been killing Avowed and replacing them with disguised doubles. A pitched battle ensues wherein Larloch steals the incredible power of the Wards of Candlekeep and teleports to Myth Drannor. Elminster follows and manages to use that power to stabilize the Weave, essentially restoring it to a largely pre-Spellplague state. These events take place in "The Herald" by Ed Greenwood. In the book none of the current officers of the Library are named that I can recall, definitely not the First Reader or the Keeper. The Keeper is described as being at least severely injured during the battle, and I chose to kill his character at that time. I do not believe that the book goes that far. I additionally chose to elevate Quinlapp to the office of Keeper, though it must be mentioned that this is not an automatic promotion upon the death of a Keeper. Keepers are voted for. I additionally elevated Franiford Othar to the office of First Reader. Soon after the events of the Herald, I decided that Quinlapp would most likely order all Avowed to acquire at least basic knowledge of combat and/or battle magic, to protect the library in the absence of the Wards. During this time there is an Avowed who works as a healer named Martana Gilthwaite.
On 3 Tarsakh, 1489 DR, the Wards are restored to a semblance of their former power after months of effort on the part of Elminster. This isn't canon, but I figured it probably would need to happen at some point.
On 18 Flamerule, 1489 DR, a host of Avowed sets out on an expedition across Faerun under the command of Great Reader Tavrim Utherian. The expedition has several goals, among them to visit the Leaves of Learning in Cormyr and to check on Spirit Soaring against rumors that Deneir has returned, but the final goal is to visit the land of Halruaa, said to have returned during the Sundering. The Loremaster on the journey is the aged Master Reader Oldrin Haladain. Keeper Quinlapp and First Reader Othar stay behind at the Library.
As late as 10 Marpenoth, 1490 DR, Spirit Soaring is still in ruins, just as at the end of "The Ghost King." I got this personally confirmed by R. A. Salvatore via Facebook, which was super cool of him. The visiting expedition do a lap around the ruins singing the Endless Chant out of respect for Cadderly.
On 24 Mirtul, 1491 DR, a mass teleportation in the Northdark goes freakishly awry and places a host of battle-ready drow in the midst of the expedition while it trudges through the Plaguewrought Land toward Halruaa. All but two of the Avowed are killed, and the rest are teleported back to the Underdark. My group's playthrough of Out of the Abyss begins.
Well that went on a bit! I hope some of this is helpful! I also recall, though it was never relevant to my backstory that the Chanter is served by Voices named after Cardinal directions: The Voice of the North, The Voice of the West, and so on. They are NPCs in Baldur's Gate 1. You can find them as soon as you start a new game chilling in a group spouting prophecies.
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Edited by - SABERinBLUE on 09 Feb 2019 20:35:03 |
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Zeromaru X
Great Reader
Colombia
2476 Posts |
Posted - 10 Feb 2019 : 00:22:41
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SABERinBLUE, I'm going to steal your stuff and headcanon it for my Realms! Is a really good stuff, so thanks for sharing.
Goldeagle, I guess that this is enough for the basic population of Candlekeep. SABERinBLUE covered the essential NPCs, and if you need some other NPC, you can make it as the need arises.
So, allow me to share this:
Other:
An adventuring band compossed of Jada Firehair (female human bard), Eiravel Meliamme (male [moon] elf cleric of Labelas Enoreth), taciturn Kilvar Ironaxe (male dwarf fighter) and Dargor (male dragonborn sorcerer), who are trying to gain entrance to Candlekeep. They don't have any books -- they didn't knew they needed a book! --, but the dragonborn is from Laerakond and is willing to share one of his "ancestor songs" (as his people preserve history through oral tradition instead of books) and the monks at the entrance are considering the offer (not everyday do you have a being from Abeir willing to share the story of its world at the Keep!)
*This is what my players are currently trying to do in my home campaign  |
Instead of seeking change, you prefer a void, merciless abyss of a world... |
Edited by - Zeromaru X on 10 Feb 2019 00:30:02 |
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SABERinBLUE
Acolyte
30 Posts |
Posted - 10 Feb 2019 : 01:35:45
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Great stuff, Zeromaru! There's more where that came from in fact. I'm currently in the process of getting my campaign journals to the point where I'm ready to scan and upload them. There's more detail to what I've already shown here, occasional musings on what it means to be an Avowed of Candlekeep, examples of Candlekeep internal paperwork and record keeping, that kind of thing. As I say, I'm working on scans, but here's crappy photos of what I'm talking about:
Paperwork:
http://www.paragonsigma.com/journals/IMG_7114.JPG
A sketched portrait of Keeper of the Tomes Castor Quinlapp (wearing official raiment, I've got rough designs of the garb of various ranks in the works):
http://www.paragonsigma.com/journals/IMG_7112.JPG
A drawing of one of the many tome chambers within Candlekeep:
http://www.paragonsigma.com/journals/IMG_7083.JPG |
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Goldeagle
Acolyte
Australia
8 Posts |
Posted - 13 Feb 2019 : 23:35:35
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In response to post by SABERinBLUE
I am currently editing the list I made, entering the characters you mentioned.
There are a lot of other positions. Please, interview all the people you know, so we can find out who is in Candlekeep.
Thanks |
Edited by - Goldeagle on 13 Feb 2019 23:36:41 |
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Zeromaru X
Great Reader
Colombia
2476 Posts |
Posted - 13 Feb 2019 : 23:49:51
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Ed said he is going to post a list of current inhabitants of Candlekeep (near 1500 DR) soon. So we can wait, if you want for something canon.
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Instead of seeking change, you prefer a void, merciless abyss of a world... |
Edited by - Zeromaru X on 13 Feb 2019 23:50:35 |
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SABERinBLUE
Acolyte
30 Posts |
Posted - 14 Feb 2019 : 05:15:51
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| Haha shit, that's almost disappointing at this point given how much I put into the lore of my game. Oh well, alternate universes and all that. It is cool that he's doing it. |
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SABERinBLUE
Acolyte
30 Posts |
Posted - 14 Feb 2019 : 21:57:50
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| Oh, Goldeagle, it bears mentioning that if you're adding Elegy to your list--which I honestly hadn't expected--she was promoted to Master Reader in late 1491 DR. Didn't mention that before. |
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Zeromaru X
Great Reader
Colombia
2476 Posts |
Posted - 15 Feb 2019 : 11:46:59
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quote:
Originally posted by SABERinBLUE
Haha shit, that's almost disappointing at this point given how much I put into the lore of my game. Oh well, alternate universes and all that. It is cool that he's doing it.
Your Realms are yours, so I don't see as your work is wasted or something. My Realms are a bit different from the canon Realms, and I guess that's true for many scribes here. |
Instead of seeking change, you prefer a void, merciless abyss of a world... |
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SABERinBLUE
Acolyte
30 Posts |
Posted - 15 Feb 2019 : 17:53:42
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| Oh sure, it's not like it'll have any effect on my game or anything. That's all fine. There's just still that part of me that knows that everything in my game COULD jive with official canon if it WANTED to, kind of thing. Everything is rad though, I have a lot of fun with this. |
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cpthero2
Great Reader
USA
2286 Posts |
Posted - 28 Feb 2020 : 07:40:08
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Master Zeromaru X,
Do you happen to know if there is an exhaustive tome that describes every facet of Candlekeep, even beyond canon, such as staffing positions (all), name of every staffer, how many tomes total, law and order, etc.?
Best regards,
quote:
Originally posted by Zeromaru X
quote:
Originally posted by SABERinBLUE
Haha shit, that's almost disappointing at this point given how much I put into the lore of my game. Oh well, alternate universes and all that. It is cool that he's doing it.
Your Realms are yours, so I don't see as your work is wasted or something. My Realms are a bit different from the canon Realms, and I guess that's true for many scribes here.
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Higher Atlar
Spirit Soaring |
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Let's occupy The Candlekeep
