D&D General Candlekeep Questions

[FitzTheRuke]

I'm running Decent into Avernus and one of the adventures from Candlekeep Mysteries, and both groups are going to be in Candlekeep soon. I've got a few questions for the community here. I don't mind if answers are based on Realms Lore or just good DM's opinions (preferably both!). I'll try to keep the questions, and ask that you keep the answers spoiler-light (or feel free to use spoiler tags if you wan to get into the details).

1) My Avernus group is heading to Candlekeep riding griffons. They are a party of five, with five NPCs along. How many people does Candlekeep allow entry for the cost of one book? The adventures seem to handwave it as "the party" as far as I can tell.
2) One of the NPCs along is a Prisoner, taken without authority from Baldur's Gate.

Spoiler: Prisoner

It's Thavius Kreeg

I don't get the impression that Candlekeep has any prisons or magistrates, or likely any interest in adjudicating law. Do you think they'd be turned back to Baldur's Gate to resolve that issue? The party seems to be aware that they took him from Baldur's Gate without authority, but they seem to think that they can just turn him in to "the authories" (for unproven crimes) in Candlekeep.
3) You have to give them a book or scroll that is not all ready in the library to get into Candlekeep. What if you are from there? Do the Keepers have family that just live there? Is there much in the way of civilians? I assume citizens of Candlekeep are exempt?
4) It seems that the gift of the book gives you access to the Library for a tenday. Can you come and go during that time?
5) I kind of expected that Candlekeep had at least a small part of the city that was accessible without the book, and that you needed a book to get into the library but it appears that the whole place only exists to support the library, and there's no access to it at all without a book. So there'd be no reason for refugees to travel there, for example. You can't enter without a book, and you can't stay more than ten days. Seems right?

I guess that's all I have for now. I welcome any interesting discussion on the place.

 

[Demetrios1453]

I'm running Decent into Avernus and one of the adventures from Candlekeep Mysteries, and both groups are going to be in Candlekeep soon. I've got a few questions for the community here. I don't mind if answers are based on Realms Lore or just good DM's opinions (preferably both!). I'll try to keep the questions, and ask that you keep the answers spoiler-light (or feel free to use spoiler tags if you wan to get into the details).

1) My Avernus group is heading to Candlekeep riding griffons. They are a party of five, with five NPCs along. How many people does Candlekeep allow entry for the cost of one book? The adventures seem to handwave it as "the party" as far as I can tell.
2) One of the NPCs along is a Prisoner, taken without authority from Baldur's Gate.

Spoiler: Prisoner

It's Thavius Kreeg

I don't get the impression that Candlekeep has any prisons or magistrates, or likely any interest in adjudicating law. Do you think they'd be turned back to Baldur's Gate to resolve that issue? The party seems to be aware that they took him from Baldur's Gate without authority, but they seem to think that they can just turn him in to "the authories" (for unproven crimes) in Candlekeep.
3) You have to give them a book or scroll that is not all ready in the library to get into Candlekeep. What if you are from there? Do the Keepers have family that just live there? Is there much in the way of civilians? I assume citizens of Candlekeep are exempt?
4) It seems that the gift of the book gives you access to the Library for a tenday. Can you come and go during that time?
5) I kind of expected that Candlekeep had at least a small part of the city that was accessible without the book, and that you needed a book to get into the library but it appears that the whole place only exists to support the library, and there's no access to it at all without a book. So there'd be no reason for refugees to travel there, for example. You can't enter without a book, and you can't stay more than ten days. Seems right?

I guess that's all I have for now. I welcome any interesting discussion on the place.

As for number 2, Candlekeep does have its security and holding cells. Neither are terribly extensive, as crime is a rarity, but they are there. Candlekeep pretty much functions as its own city-state, basically. Only if the threat were truly monumental would they call upon Beregost or Baldur's Gate to help (and it would have to be pretty monumental with a spectral dragon guardian in the basement ready to be called upon!)

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Candlekeep is full of high level wizards, it can defend itself better than most nation-states. It also has legal experts more knowledgeable than anyone in Baldur's Gate. It is self sufficient, self contained, and relatively crime-free. It likes to keep outside issues outside, so it's unlikely they would allow your prisoner inside the walls. The party can free him, kill him or clear off. There are some families, mostly of support staff, but most of the Avowed are likely to be celibate if you look at historical models.

Edit: D&D Beyond have just put out an article: Welcome to Candlekeep: A Beginner's Guide to the Realm's Greatest Library . The bullet-pointed bit is probably most relevant.

 

[Rellott]

I'm running Decent into Avernus and one of the adventures from Candlekeep Mysteries, and both groups are going to be in Candlekeep soon. I've got a few questions for the community here. I don't mind if answers are based on Realms Lore or just good DM's opinions (preferably both!). I'll try to keep the questions, and ask that you keep the answers spoiler-light (or feel free to use spoiler tags if you wan to get into the details).

1) My Avernus group is heading to Candlekeep riding griffons. They are a party of five, with five NPCs along. How many people does Candlekeep allow entry for the cost of one book? The adventures seem to handwave it as "the party" as far as I can tell.
2) One of the NPCs along is a Prisoner, taken without authority from Baldur's Gate.

Spoiler: Prisoner

It's Thavius Kreeg

I don't get the impression that Candlekeep has any prisons or magistrates, or likely any interest in adjudicating law. Do you think they'd be turned back to Baldur's Gate to resolve that issue? The party seems to be aware that they took him from Baldur's Gate without authority, but they seem to think that they can just turn him in to "the authories" (for unproven crimes) in Candlekeep.
3) You have to give them a book or scroll that is not all ready in the library to get into Candlekeep. What if you are from there? Do the Keepers have family that just live there? Is there much in the way of civilians? I assume citizens of Candlekeep are exempt?
4) It seems that the gift of the book gives you access to the Library for a tenday. Can you come and go during that time?
5) I kind of expected that Candlekeep had at least a small part of the city that was accessible without the book, and that you needed a book to get into the library but it appears that the whole place only exists to support the library, and there's no access to it at all without a book. So there'd be no reason for refugees to travel there, for example. You can't enter without a book, and you can't stay more than ten days. Seems right?

I guess that's all I have for now. I welcome any interesting discussion on the place.

1. I’m pretty sure it’s supposed to be a book a person, but I would handwave it.
2. Candlekeep has some security and stuff but isn’t exactly in the law enforcement sector. They handle internal issues and Candlekeep-threatening issues. Not a random dude (however plot-important) from Baldur’s Gate with no clear evidence of wrong-doing on his part. You could hand-wave it, or force the adventurers to do some critical thinking and RP. That’s up to you.
3. I don’t think there are many families there. If there were, I would imagine there’s some sort of way to have permanent access to the Court of Air (the small non-library part of Candlekeep where seekers come and read).
4. I don’t know. I would expect that doesn’t come up often, as they’re a bit out of the way - it’d probably take a tenday to get anywhere and back, if not longer, without teleportation magic. But teleportation magic doesn’t work in Candlekeep. I don’t think there’s a strict end-cap for staying at Candlekeep, though there may be an end-cap for how long you can have a book. A lot of it’s probably case-by-case. The Candlekeep book does describe a character who’s been hanging out there for what sounds like at least several weeks or months, if not years.
5. There is the Court of Air, where non-library workers eat, sleep, and read. I’m pretty sure you have to have the book to gain access to even this area, though, as the library proper is off limits without specific permission for special guests.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

Thanks everyone. All useful information.

I've been thinking that I will make it so that they allow a Seeker (who pays for entry with a book) to bring a single servant along. They take your word for who a "servant" is, within reason. So two PCs per book, tops.

I think without some pretty great RP (and some high persuasion rolls) there's no way the Avowed want to get involved with the potential political spit-storm of dealing with the prisoner, and will suggest that they take THAT piece of business back to Baldur's Gate, or barring that, Waterdeep (there's Lord's Alliance stuff involved). They may be happy to allow Seekers to search the library for evidence or legal precedence that will help their case, but they're not a law court or a prison, and they don't want to get involved.

As far as my other game goes, it sounds like I can allow a limited number of players to be from Candlekeep, if their background makes it make sense, but it does sound like there's not a lot of civilians, so they can't just be anyone who grew up there, without more thought put into it.

Sound good?

 

[Paul Farquhar]

1. I’m pretty sure it’s supposed to be a book a person, but I would handwave it.

No, it's a negotiation. The more rare and special the book is, the more people can come in or the longer they can stay.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

No, it's a negotiation. The more rare and special the book is, the more people can come in or the longer they can stay.

Oh, good to know.

 

[Alzrius]

I'll note that there may be some answers to the OP's questions in Confrontation at Candlekeep (affiliate link), a 2014 adventure from WotC that takes place at the library in question.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

I'll note that there may be some answers to the OP's questions in Confrontation at Candlekeep (affiliate link), a 2014 adventure from WotC that takes place at the library in question.

Hmmm. I must have read that back when it came out (I own a FLGS and I ran all the Dungeon Delves and D&D Next Playtest adventures). I don't remember it at all, though...

 

[Earth2Carnifex]

I have a small town named Foggy Bottom, just outside of Candlekeep where support staff live, along with many writers, historians and yes high level wizards. Anyone making trouble in Foggy Bottom would quickly find themsleves having to deal with the Home Owners Association and may the gods have mercy on your soul if the Ladies Book Club becomes involved.

In a situation like this, unless the prisioners crimes directly affected Candlekeep, they would be sent to Foggy Bottom to deal with it.