"Candlekeep? I've been there. Boring as hell. If you want to go there for fun, don't bring me along. I can't stand those lunatics!" The moment Korgan Bloodaxe heard aboard the ship that Solam wanted to visit Candlekeep, he shook his head so hard it nearly fell off. He was a rough man, utterly at odds with Candlekeep's refined atmosphere. More importantly, he had visited Candlekeep once—and never gone back afterward.
In his words, Candlekeep might be the most boring place in the world. It was small and had no entertainment facilities. The only place to relax was a single tavern. One tavern in an entire city—could you believe that? Worse still, the tavern even rationed its alcohol. Each person could only have three drinks! And they were beers. If you wanted hard liquor, the glasses were even smaller.
And the reason for this was simply that Candlekeep's learned sages feared someone might get drunk, cause trouble, and damage precious books...
Naturally, there were no casinos, no brothels, no gladiatorial matches. You weren't even allowed to speak too loudly! As far as Korgan Bloodaxe was concerned, that place was Hell!
Candlekeep had a saying that perfectly represented its character: "Any who destroy knowledge, whether with ink, fire, or sword, bring about their own destruction. Here, books matter more than human lives." This was Candlekeep's absolute law.
Here, knowledge and books were the most important things. Anyone who dared violate this rule would face the merciless judgment of Candlekeep's guardians.
The highest authority in this fortress lay with the Keeper of the Tomes. His assistant was the First Reader, and this second-ranking figure was traditionally the most knowledgeable sage in Candlekeep's monastery. Candlekeep was also a vast monastery. Those within it were monks who craved knowledge and were willing to devote