Candlekeep Role-Play

[DaloLorn]

(... I thought there was a CK thread here... but I missed it on my first check. )

A brass half-dragon, recognizable to veteran guards and Avowed as ex-Acolyte Shali Menner, could have been seen chattering away with Guide Villame, Scribe Edelgarde, and several others outside the gates a couple of days ago. At one point, the young dragonblood rushed to get a room at Winthrop's inn, before emerging shortly afterwards in gleaming mithral plate and rejoining the conversation.

There was also a considerable overuse of magic in the interaction. Onlookers would have seen the dragonblood cast size-altering spells on herself and others (occasionally getting shrunk herself in retaliation), fail miserably at disjuncting such, or assume the forms of giants, golems, and metallic dragons before accompanying a young mage to Baldur's Gate.



Yesterday, the same half-dragon materialized just short of the edge of Candlekeep's wards and staggered towards the Keep, multiple badly bloodied holes prominently contrasted against her shining armor. Pale and weakened, it was a testament to Shali's wards and draconic fortitude that she had not collapsed where she arrived; that her breathing and voice gradually steadied over the course of her subsequent dialogue with the Guide was instead indicative of some measure of restorative magic. Nonetheless, after retiring to her room at Winthrop's, Shali would not emerge again for the rest of the day.

[DaloLorn]

After a short conversation with Scribe Edelgarde and her apprentice, Shali left the Keep yesterday. Her destination and purpose weren't specified, but most of her belongings - including all her weapons, her armor, and an overwhelming majority of her valuables and magical items - were left behind at her room at Winthrop's. It would perhaps be easier to compile a list of things she had taken with her, save for the fact that nobody knows precisely what she owns.

The two women she spoke to could confirm that the dragonblood was, at minimum, in possession of a few potions and scrolls, and wearing her tunic, circlet, and cloak. One could infer that she was either completely confident in her swift return, or deeply concerned about the possibility of losing anything she took with her - if not even her very life.

Her swift return, at least, has not yet occurred, and she remains unaccounted for.

[DaloLorn]

Shortly after her return from captivity yesterday, Shali returned to Winthrop's to retrieve her belongings. Sometime later, she departed the Keep again.

Today, Edelgarde's ex-apprentice could be seen teleporting to the edge of Candlekeep's wards, accompanying a dark-skinned tiefling woman. Slung over the tiefling's shoulder was the lifeless, bloody body of the half-dragon in full combat equipment. The young mage carried her sword while the tiefling carried the corpse into the temple of Oghma.

Both before and after Shali was restored to life, the trio's arrival at the Keep sparked a heated debate when Scribe Edelgarde entered the temple and learned what had transpired. Eventually, the women who brought Shali in left the temple, but the argument didn't end there: Shali had regained enough of her strength - owing largely to Edelgarde's magic - to argue about what to do about a "Shamble".

By the end of it, the dragonblood seemed to surrender to despair, saying she was going home. She then left the Keep in tears, her circlet held in one of her hands, and teleported away as soon as she was clear of the wards.

Whether she really returned whence she came, or chose a different destination, she is not seen in the region again.

[JustAnotherGirl]

A brunette ranger is seen entering the gates of Candlekeep. She looks dirty, as if she's been on the trail for days on end. Her eyes carry a weariness, and she seems to hold a heavy weight on her shoulders. She is seen speaking quietly and briefly with the nearest guard. She can be overheard asking him to get a note to someone as soon as possible. The envelope she hands over has Edelgarde's name hastily written across the front. She leaves as quickly as she entered.

(( PM sent to the player with the contents of the note. ))

[Almarea90]

Scribe Edelgarde can be seen passing through the front doors carrying an unconscious red-haired tiefling. The unconscious tiefling is covered in blood. Surprisingly enough, instead of heading towards the infirmary she would go straight to the Spellflickering Tower.

[Anrilor]

Fliers appears posted at the local board.

The Halls of Inner Light Presents:
The Grand Revel of Lliira

The Halls of Inner Light welcomes one and all to the Grand Revel of Lliira, a litany on the Joybringer's dogma followed by celebration, feasts, drinks. All are welcome, be you rich or poor, Lost or lonely souls, the shunned or even a foe! Both the litany and the celebration will be held in the Heartfire Tavern located below the Halls in the evening of the 25th of Eleint 1357. This is one party you don't want to miss! I hope to see you there!

Heartwarder Alyssia Leonhart
High Lady of the Halls of Inner Light

(((26th of September, 1700 EST 2100 GMT

[Rhifox]

Greetings,

I hope this missive finds you in good health and spirits.
I am writing to inform you that I have made a copy of the book you requested. Feel free to visit Candlekeep at your earliest convenience to peruse it.

In faith,

Edelgarde

Upon receiving Edelgarde's letter, Tarina traveled to Candlekeep to examine the book: Infernal Pacts, Volume 8, by Hektoxe in 316 DR. Considering what happened at Ulcaster, she took some preparations: she invoked a protection from evil on herself and a detect illusion, and an analyze dweomer spell on the book to ensure there were no hidden enchantments that could open some portal or command her to forget what she read and the like. She doubted anything could get into Candlekeep, since its wards were better-maintained than those in Ulcaster, but better safe than sorry. She did not cast true seeing, though - the last time she tried to peer into the deeper truths of some great dark entity, it invaded her mind through her third eye and tore her soul to pieces.

Once she made sure there were no threats from the book itself (and if there was, Edelgarde could help her in removing them), she began to study. The topics: the harvester devil, Therasmond; his enemy, the ghaele Elyn'Aethiel; and the thing that had appeared before them in the ruins. Anything important she found she recorded on fine vellum with a lead-based ink, under a basic code. It was a simple letter rearrangement, but different enough that she was not writing the names down verbatim. Any symbols or sigils she found were recorded in pieces on several pieces of paper, to be assembled together only when needed for the appropriate spells. Likewise, she cast illusory script upon the parchment, hiding its dark information mystically as well as physically.

She had dealt with many dark entities before, and her mistakes had taught her some lessons.

[eternal night]

A woman wearing the traditional acolyte robes is seen around the keep holding a blackwinged bird on her arm, feeding it and talking to it for an extended amount of time until the bird flies away.

[Hoihe]

In the first tenday of Nightal, Reader-Captain Dacino visited Candlekeep, and lingered longer than her usual agreement of submitting periodic reports on her research. She would have disappeared beneath the barracks, an act that was soon followed by a flurry of activity by the rough men and women the dimunitive elf recruited years ago to Candlekeep to staff the library fortress's expeditionary vessel. Anyone who looked or inquired would have learnt that one last voyage was planned for the Year of the Prince.


On the 8th day of Nightal, after the Reader-Captain left, she soon returned with a cohort of elves. One, a blue haired man wearing baggy but comfortable robes, another a blue haired elf with a blue coat, and a blonde sun elf dressed like a proper sailor. Attached to this cohort was a red-headed man, one the locals would well recognize: Adrian Baker. This group, led by the Reader-Captain in her ocean-blue naval coat, disappeared beneath the barracks of Candlekeep, and were not seen for eight days to follow.

From the walls, the guardsmen would have seen the Sea Seeker, in her tri-masted majesty, haul anchor from within the safety of Candlekeep's crags and once set a fair distance from the rocks through the laborious process of using a series of ropes and pulleys prepared ahead of time to leave her shelter with sails furled, she set sail to the North-West.



The vessel was fitted for deep sea voyage, away from the Sword Coast, with sails to exploit the wind without constraints of directionality matched with the original of winds.

And then, for eight days - no word of the Seeker came. But on the eight, she returned. And despite her Captain's reputation for losing a mast or two during her voyages, the Sea Seeker returned with nary a change to her sleek form. Nary a change, bar some barnacles sitting on her hull.

The vessel's captain would have met with Demetrius after the ship was secured proper in her port, offering the avowed man a bundle of papers - a freshly drawn chart depicting their voyage, copies of the Captain's log and a short-form report, promising further after introspection.

[eternal night]

((Making a Lecture Event in Candlekeep on the 22nd and 23rd of December, there will be several at different times of the day, usually between

CST 2pm to 3pm - 9pm to 10pm - 4am to 5am
GMT 9pm to 10pm - 3am to 4am - 10am to 11am

[eternal night]

Thought the day before the lecture was given without delay and with several assistants.






Though, the following days, the acolyte misses two of the lecture dates, and is seen arriving late to it, looking like she hasn't slept for days.

[Almarea90]

Two weeks after her departure, the tiefling scribe can be seen approaching Candlekeep's doors again. Her horse is still loaded with books like the day she left, but an attentive eye would notice the titles are different.

Shortly after, Edelgarde can be seen tending to the shrine of Deneir. No word is uttered, although prayers are committed to ink and parchment, as the written word is sacred to the Lord of All Glyphs and Images.



((OOC: after two weeks of holidays I am back again among the living))

[eternal night]

Several fliers are posted on the Candlekeep billboard to announce of an upcoming Conference given by none other than by Lady Madam Netanya.

((13th February))

[Heretic]

Several fliers are posted on the billboard of Candlekeep and Baldur's Gate to announce of an upcoming lecture given by Netanya d’Abdelledion’dy’Quellium, Matron House Divine.

[OOC: 13th February @1900 GMT, 4pm US EST]

(bumping)

[zhevrun]

A strange figure is seen around the gates of Candlekeep: a fusion of elf and draconid, tan of skin and golden of scale with long black hair tied back. Introducing himself as a 'wandering seeker', he asks to be directed to any scribes or sages who might have come into contact with the rumored bronze dragon that may or may not have been engaging with Candlekeep. To those more curious, he explains what is already mostly apparent: he is dragonblood, and seeks the wisdom and mentorship of his noble full-blood kin to help learn more fully about his own progressing transformation. A makeshift campsite decorates the coast nearby as he awaits answers from any who might.