Ch37 - Candlekeep

Before leaving the library, I ask the library about exchange rate and my 1392g was transferred to 2180p. Appreciative of this, I leave to find Candlekeep in, a small log cabin with a smell of maple coming from it. Entering again, I wasn't surprised to see the size was altered inside. Keeping the same mood of a cozy cabin, a campfire was in the middle of the left-hand wall, shelves above it with awards for 'best inn in candlekeep' displayed. Circular tables held a variety of people in the centre floor, drinking, reading or smoking. At the far end of the room was a reception area, where a tabaxi lady clipped her fingernails with her feet up on the desk.

Walking over, I ask her, "How much is rooming for a week?".

"20p" And she held out her hand, not even looking at me. I sigh at her and pass over the money. "Room's on the left, 2nd floor." She tosses a key at me, jingling in the air. Catching it, I walk to my room. The stairs creek and everything smells stale, it's just not that nice to hear here.

My room was just as expected, a double bed and a random chair opposite it facing a desk, aside from that there was an ensuite toilet and shower. I drop my bag onto the bed and shift into my ghost form, I then summon the ink guardian and use my telekinesis to manipulate the excess ink on it to create the words in the book.

I simply dated it day by day, like a log of events. However, I did miss out the events unrelated to the curse or the lore behind it, as it was unnecessary to add. I zoned out for about 6 hours, until nightfall, snapping out of it I noticed how the writing spread out over the desk and begun logging all the days after that as well. I must have been in a trance or something to do all this unconsciously, I do a quick laugh and simply tap the extra desk writing with my shirt and it all disappeared. A bonus of it being immune to staining materials is that it erases it.

The book was done though, including the fight with Myrkul, where I disguised the identity of Dame Aylin as just 'The Nightsong' and left out Gortash and Orin. Checking it over, I made sure to erase anything too revealing about my companions and me.

Closing the book, I simply titled it 'Nomad in the Shadowfell forest'.

A moment of realisation hit me… I've just wrote a biography on my travels. I've always wanted to do that, and I have. "Huh" I whispered. It was almost like the way I did it was just unfulfilling, I didn't do it out of passion, I did it out of necessity, it felt wrong.

I slid the book away and decided then and there that I will author a series of books on my travels. Volo has his bestiary and I shall have my journal, this I vow.

Finally, I got bored of my room so I head to the library with my log, the librarian scans through it and stamps it 'GRADE 5'. Immediately, the book flies off into the distance and a wooden amulet flew over it to us. "This is yours, submitting G5 knowledge grants you access to G5 books and below." Thank god for that then, I would've appreciated it if he told me before but I can't change that.

I take the amulet and I ask him, "What's your name by the way? I never asked."

"Little one" He spoke, maintaining the eloquence he usually does.

"I'm Charles, weird question but do you know another intelligent ogre called 'Lump the enlightened'?" It's a burning question for me that I had to ask.

His demeanour shifted "Lump was my nephew" he paused for a moment and continued, "Not anymore". I could tell he would speak no more on it and respected it.

"I see, I'll say no more about him then. I'll go find texts on magic tattoos instead." I walked off blindly into the expanse of books, hoping my variety of sights would just somehow label which one to get.

"Sit down at one of the tables and call for the book or genre of your choice." Little one said, not looking up from his work. With a quick thanks, I found an empty table and whispered, "magic tattoos".

Nothing happened for a moment, so I started looking around. Just as I was about to find Little one again, 3 books came barreling towards me from around the corner. I shifted into a ghost and they flew through me and landed silently on the table.

Checking for anymore about to hit me, I shift back into human form and read the book titles, 'Tasha's cauldron of everything', 'A compendium of Magical Tattoos V1.0' and 'Tomb of mystical tattoos LITE'.

(There's a lot more magical 5e tattoo books, but when I read them, they seemed a bit too good for a public library.)

Mumbling under my breath, "Tasha? like the laughter spell?" And so I started with that one. 10 minutes in and all I see is further specifications on subclasses, chapter 2 is purely for warlock patrons. It wasn't until part 3 where spells, tools and weapons were being explained and illustrated. There were a few magical tattoos mentioned, the illuminator's tattoo being one of them.

There wasn't much on them in there but it was helpful on a more general scale I suppose. The compendium on the other hand was perfect, it delved deep into the inks, a lot more tattoos and skills required of the tattooist. Though only the armour tattoos interested me, it mainly gave me ideas on using ink as a ritual material.

Finally, the tomb of mystical tattoos seemed to be a draft for a more complex theory book. There was only a few tattoos mentioned, with some lore beside it. Before I go home and try to make some odd inks, I want to search for some more stuff.

"Rituals" I whispered.

I almost heard them fly off the shelves as at least dozens of books came flying towards me. Turning ghostly again, the books flew through me and piled atop each other on the table. I know for a fact most of these will be completely useless, and I was right. It only took reading the spines to figure it out, all of them were about ritual casting, not rituals. Unfortunately for me, most ritual cast spells are useless to me so I dismissed them.

"Blacksmithing" I mumbled.

Now, only about 7 books flew to me, replacing the others that flew back to their shelves. For me, most of this is useful, all I know is the basics: bending, upsetting and punching really. Dammon told me about blacksmith guilds in Baldur's gate but the only people wearing armour or swords here are the travellers. I suppose I could learn industrial blacksmithing, like nails and hinges.

Ignoring my wandering thoughts again, I begun reading up on the history of blacksmithing. There was no definitive figure in this, just a backstory on how long and what blacksmithing is. However, it did talk about new methods being developed over time, from folding, bending and even worship. It spoke heavily of Moradin, dwarf god of the craft, also one of the most powerful gods.

The next book was 'Blacksmithing 101', a good beginner book that helped me stabilise my foundations. However after that, all the other books begun talking about enchantments, metallurgy and various crafting techniques that they basically refused to expand on enough. I checked the time on the clock, '02:17'. I still have time to look at other areas of crafting, it shouldn't be too hard to learn some.

"Crocheting and knitting"

This time one book came, but talked about all the loops, needles, stitches, threads and material you could need. Next I read up on painting, then sculpting, then it was weaving. By the time 08:00 cane around, I could count as a theoretical expert on most crafts, practical experience could be gained easily here though.

I left the library, saying goodbye to Little One, he shushed me in return. What I want to do for the morning is explore the small city itself, I haven't even gone to the main keep yet. With a small smile, I walk on through the streets, past the overpriced magic items and accidentally falling into a bakery, definitely accidental.

"Uh can I get erm, a cinnamon roll please?" I ask, passing over 7p. The baker, a blonde halfling woman with a sweet smile on her face, spoke up, "Umm actually, I have something else in mind, could you help me with something?" She giggled.

"Do I still have to pay for my cinnamon roll?" I ask the most important question.

"Not if you help me, there's a baker across the street and I think he's up to something, since you're an adventurer, I figured you'd know how to deal with him." She pleaded, sounding unsure of herself, like she stepped out of line.

"I guess I'll have a look, thank you for the roll though." I thank her and walk across the road and just outside the other bakery. I stand just outside the door, trying to eat my pastry as quick as possible, it was really good, still hot. Finally, I activate illusory presence and turn into a ghost. I float into the bakery, this one has a nice steampunk, copper theme, with the pastries behind copper cages.

Floating through it, I go into the kitchen, sticking my head in the fridges for anything immoral or illegal. The only thing here of note is the baker himself, a nighthag by the look of it, his mother obviously an annis hag. I can't help but feel that this is racially motivated, but I didn't want to jump to conclusions and I floated down into the basement. Inside, it was just a bedroom, no secret doors, no chains, no prisoners, it was just a bedroom under a bakery.

I flew back up to the entrance and cancelled my invisibility, I cleared my throat to get his attention. I stood there waiting and looking at the food, honestly it looked even better than the other store. A baked apple, cinnamon and peach cobbler? That's just unnecessary, I can only thank the fact I died, otherwise I might gain weight.

Finally the man hobbles in with a limp, "Hey welcome to Dennis' Bakes, what can I get you?" His scratchy voice greeted me. He was a 7ft tall annis hagspawn, dressed in a bakers' outfit, but he had a nice welcoming smile.

"Uh hi, can I get the apple-peach cobbler please?" I asked.

"Of course, good choice, I always sneak one on my break myself." He jokes and takes 4p for it.

"I don't blame you, they look nice. You know, that lady in the other bakery thought something was suspicious about this place, I told her I'd investigate for a free cinnamon roll." I told him truthfully, I've got nothing to hide, he's clean.

"Erilys? Again seriously?" He half mumbled to hisself, "She does stuff like this all the time, one time she convinced the guard I was eating babies and now I'm on a watch list." He threw his arms out in exhaustion, clearly just annoyed by the situation.

"I think I know how to help you, I can cast zone of truth and I'll try and get the answers you want. If you come to behind the inn tonight, I'll be there with Erilys and a guard, I'll cast zone of truth and get the truth out of her." I gestured with my spoon as I take bites of the genuinely amazing cobbler.

"Damn, I don't know what to say, if you really do that then thank you, you'll save me a lot by doing that." He smiled and thanked me.

I go over to the other bakery and tell Erilys that I'm going to get the truth out of Dennis, I also told her to bring a guard. With that set, I went back to my wandering.