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Fendrikor
Learned Scribe

Australia
189 Posts

Posted - 20 Jul 2017 :  10:35:50  Show Profile Send Fendrikor a Private Message  Reply with Quote  Delete Topic
Candlekeep is a repository for all knowledge... but how free would they be on allowing access to knowledge such as the nature of Faustian Pacts with Devils and the Archdevils of Hell?

My guess would be they do not alow the reading of these books by laymen... not without wards that protect against evil at the very minimum. The books are written in infernal. And may take days of complex jargon filled language to trawl through including an intelligence check to figure out the wording or a wisdom check to figure out the implications and string things together.

Thoughts?

'Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup'

Gary Dallison
Great Reader

United Kingdom
6350 Posts

Posted - 20 Jul 2017 :  11:32:52  Show Profile Send Gary Dallison a Private Message  Reply with Quote
My first question would be, who wrote the book and why

My first thoughts are

A mortal would not do such a thing except for his own research purposes and would destroy them afterwards because if he made a pact with an evil outsider he would not want anyone to know about it as it would paint a massive evil target above his head and if someone knew how he did it they might be able to undo it or steal or usurp the power for themselves.

The evil outsider in question may create such a document to encourage those desiring power to engage in evil acts (and ultimately sell their soul) but such a documeny would be inherently and obviously deplorably evil and worthy only of destruction.

If candlekeep did decide to keep it theb im guessing it would be locked away in the deepest vaults and guarded by the most powerful of protections. None would be able to read it (for their own protection and everyone elses) except by special dispensation from the 1st reader

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Ayrik
Great Reader

Canada
7966 Posts

Posted - 21 Jul 2017 :  06:52:41  Show Profile Send Ayrik a Private Message  Reply with Quote
The "fees" and conditions for accessing Candlekeep are already described in Realmslore. It's common for visitors to donate items of comparable value to those they wish to peruse at the Keep.

Candlekeep certainly has copies of magical tomes - such as the Book of Vile Darkness - or such as spellbooks which contain "evil" spells like spiritwrack, cacodemon, trap the soul, twisted/specific versions of contact other plane, etc - or such as writings describing true names, rituals, oaths, curses, symbols, telesma, and other sundry invocations for (summoning?) many fiendish beings - or such as planeslore and diablerie galore which can lead characters to Hell. Not to mention all the various scriptures, philosophies, and studies written about certain faiths and cults and religions (existing or long extinct). Not to mention all the various materials deliberately placed within Candlekeep's library by devils and archdevils themselves (or their agents and servitors, or by random evil liches, whatever).

Baatezu (devils) are known to bargain for souls on the Fugue plane - probably often enough for such dealings to be well-documented in the Keep.

To be sure, the covers and pages of these things could be magically secured. Or the cases and shelves and doors and chambers in which they are kept.
And one may indeed need to prepare spells and protections before perusing such evil tomes.
One may also need to understand an intrinsically evil language like "Infernal". Although read magic, comprehend languages, and tongues may be enough. Not really an issue, though: avid postulants (aspirants? suppliants? instruments?) of powerful evil invariably manage to decipher whatever languages and facts are needed to attain dark and forbidden knowledge.

[/Ayrik]
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