A Guide to Candlekeep Mysteries

 

by Clint Cearley

• You can buy Candlekeep Mysteries right here.
• You can get Candlekeep Mysteries on D&D Beyond right here.

This guide is a collection of notes designed to help DMs quickly understand the adventures in this book, and refer to during play for essential information. Basically I'm trying to prepare this adventure for you. I'll also try to identify possible problems that could arise when running these adventures and ways to work around them.

I'll be slowly working on this article over the next few weeks, changing it as needed.

Links

• Free maps of Fistandia's Mansion/Amberdune Hideout
• Color Sarah of Yellowcrest Manor Map
• Elminster's Candlekeep Companion 
  

Candlekeep

by Mike Schley

Fortress on a peninsula. Famous for its library containing a vast collection of books, including the prophecies of Alaundo the Seer.

• Entrance: Double gate (made of black metal, 3x the height of a human) connected to the only road - the Way of the Lion.
• Guards: 5 Avowed priests (MM pg 348) of Deneir.
• Caretakers: The Avowed, a legion of scholars and sages.
• Entrance Fee: A work of writing not already contained within. 
• Guide: Visitors can request a guide/research assistant. Roll on the chart on page 7.

Defenses and Decorum

If trouble occurs 1 archmage (MM pg 342) and 4 mages (MM pg 347) arrive immediately. If necessary, 4 more archmages can be brought in.

Wards: Many magical effects protect Candlekeep:

• You can't teleport in to Candlekeep, or use magic to get in. You must go through the front gates. 
• Fire: Fires larger than a candle are magically suppressed, so spells like fireball do not function.
• Theft: Books stolen from Candlekeep immediately return there via magic. 
• Mythal: The keeper of the Tomes can activate a mythal which blocks everything but air and sound from getting in or out of Candlekeep.

Rules: Those in Candlekeep must follow certain rules:

• No fighting.
• No stealing.
  
• No copying. You can take notes, but getting a copy requires paying scribes to make one.
  
• No damaging/marking/modifying works.

The Avowed 

About 300 priests live here, most of which are commoners (MM pg 344).

The Keeper of Tomes: Highest ranking member/governor. Janussi, a human archmage (MM pg 342).

Readers: Master Sage (pg 9) and Sage (pg 9)

First Reader: "Bookwyrm" Skoda Valanaster - dragonborn master sage (pg 9). Job: Acquire unique tomes and scrolls.

Great Readers: 8 scholarly experts in a certain area of study.

• A'lai Aivenmore: Human master sage (pg 9), worships Oghma. Expertise: Divinity.
• Alkrist: Bronze dragonborn master sage (pg 9). Expertise: Politics/military battles.
• Daral Yashenti: Human master sage (pg 9), poet. Expertise: Music/poetry/literature.
• Fheminor Scrivenbark: Lightfoot halfling master sage (pg 9). Expertise: History/folklore/cultures.
• Kazryn Nyantani: Human master sage (pg 9). Expertise: Natural world/celestial navigation.
• Sylvira Savikas: Tiefling archmage (MM pg 342). Expertise: The planes.
• Teles Ahvose: Human archmage (MM pg 342). Expertise: Magic items, curses, and the Weave.
• V'ziir-Ag: Githzerai master sage (pg 9). Expertise: Aberrations/undead/Far Realm. 

Master Readers: Oversee scribes and teach adjutants. Sages (pg 9) and master sages (pg 9). 

Gatewarden: Kalan Strong, human archmage (MM pg 342). Maintains security at the front gates.

(pg 17) The Joy of Extradimensional Spaces

by Kieran Yanner

Adventure Summary

• The group needs to find a sage named Matreous.
• He went into a hidden Mordenkainen's Magnificent Mansion.
• The group can find the command word to open the entrance to the Mansion in The Joy of Extradimensional Spaces.
• The group goes in, meets Matreous, who exits through the portal.
• The portal then shuts. The group is trapped in the mansion.
• In room M5., the heroes learn that a different command word activates the exit portal. This command word is hidden on the spines of 7 puzzle books scattered throughout the mansion. 
• Once the heroes figure out the command word, they activate the exit portal. Stepping through, they see that an imp has slain Matreous and attacks them.
  

Puzzle Book Locations

1. M3. Library: Letter "R", found in stacks of books, guarded by swarm of animated books.
2. M5. Study: Letter "I", sitting on an armchair.
3. M11. Laboratory: Letter "T", among the books on the middle table. 
4. M13. The Chained Library: Letter "L", on the desk by the chained library.
5. M14. Trophy Room: Letter "Y", guarded by 2 flying swords.
6. M15. Bedroom: Letter "E", Sitting on a chest of drawers.
7. M17. Alchemical Laboratory: Letter "B", propped up against a large beaker.
   

Fistandia

• Mage who spent many years in Candlekeep
• Disappeared (the group may learn that she is still alive, somewhere).
• She bequeathed her books, including The Joy of Extradimensional Spaces, to Candlekeep in her will.

The Joy of Extradimensional Spaces

• Cover: The cover of this book is decorated with gold filigree, depicting the bust of an imposing spellcaster (Mordenkainen).
• Contents: Treatise on extradimensional spaces similar to the Mordenkainen's magnificent mansion spell (PH pg 261).
• Margin Notes: Contains notes on making a permanent magnificent mansion, with command word to open doorway.

Matreous the Sage

• Expert on curses. Discovered the entrance to this mansion - it's actually in the study room in Candlekeep.
• He found the command word in other books tha Fistandia had donated to Candlekeep.
  

Beginning the Adventure:

1. Curse: The adventurers have come to Candlekeep to aid a town that is cursed - its crops have failed/rain has dwindled.
2. Seeking Matreous: The heroes seek Matreous, an expert on curses who stays in Candlekeep.
3. Entering Candlekeep: Remember, in order to enter Candlekeep, the heroes will need to offer a book or writing that is not currently in the library. You could say that the people of the village knew this, and gave the group a book that would qualify.
   
4. The Study: Matreous is said to be in a certain study. Go to study. He's not there.. but there is an open book - The Joy of Extradimensional Spaces. Arcana DC 13 = Find the command word to activate the entrance portal to the mansion: "scepter."
5. Quick Note: We are told that the command word is found in 'other books', but the group finds it in The Joy of Extradimensional Spaces itself. I guess you could say that Matreous wrote it in there.
6. Speak Command Word: Magic doors appear, will fade in minutes. Step through = appear in room M1.
7. Matreous Found: Matreous is indeed in this mansion, and the group meets him just as they step through the portal.
   

(pg 18) Fistandia's Mansion

• Walls: Stone.
• Floor: Wood, mostly covered in carpets.
• Light: Lit by oil lamps.
• Outside the Mansion: Swirling indigo miasma. Enter = 1 level of exhaustion per minute.

Puzzle Books

Opening the portal from the inside of the mansion requires a different command word, hidden in seven puzzle books. These books also bear the image of Mordenkainen.

Imp Figurine

If the group removes this item from the mansion, it becomes an imp that Fistandia had once summoned. In this adventure, the intention is that Matreous takes the figurine out and is attacked by the imp as the portal shuts, trapping the heroes in the mansion.

The Big Pitfall: The biggest thing to be careful about when running this adventure is this scene where the group meets Matreous. He needs to leave this place (exiting through the entrance portal that the group just opened) but the group is meant to stay. The whole deal with this scenario is that the group is trapped in the mansion and needs to find a way out.

If they exit with Matreous, then we have a problem. The tricky part here is... wouldn't Matreous say "we need to get out of here before the portal closes"?? I guess we need to run it where Matreous is so shocked at the group's arrival that he chats them up, steps through the portal, and then is shocked as it closes. Before he can say anything, the imp figurine becomes a real imp and attacks him.

(pg 18) M1. Foyer and Hallway:

The group steps through, the portal does not close right away! Matreous is here, and once he interacts with the group, he steps through, screams (the imp figurine becomes a real imp) and then the portal shuts.

• Matreous (sage pg 9): Is happy to see the heroes. He explains that there must be a way out. Has a imp figurine he wants to take back to Candlekeep for study.

(pg 19) M2. Patio: Don't forget ,the swirling miasma causes 1 level of exhaustion per minute.

(pg 19) M3. Library: Heaps of books. The swarm knocks a bookshelf on the characters (DEX save DC 15 or prone and restrained). Use an action to make a STR check DC 13 to free self.

• Swarm of animated books (pg 19)
• Treasure: Jeweled letter opener (20 gp), puzzle book with letter "R" on spine.

(pg 19) M4. Exercise Room: An animated broom is sweeping the floor. It will ignore the group unless that try to grab it/mess with it.

• Treasure: 4 daggers (1d4 piercing dmg), 4 quarterstaves (1d6 bludgeoning dmg), 20 darts (1d4 piercing dmg).

(pg 20) M5. Study: (Room full of books. Friendly cat (befriend it = Animal Handling DC 10).

• Cat (MM pg 320)
• Investigate room for 30 minutes: Almost all books written by Fistandia. She was a powerful mage, worshiped Mystra. Mystra gave her the mansion. The group can learn from a book in here that the command word to the magical exit is hidden on the spines of seven books in the mansion.
• (Secret Door): Pull book on bookshelf, bookcase slides forward, reveals staircase down to M17-M19,
• Puzzle Book: Letter "I", sitting on armchair.

(pg 20) M6. Kitchen: 2 homunculi (MM pg 188) named Cumin and Coriander. They are friendly. They have a list of clues/hints they can give the group.

• Cats (MM pg 320) are in here, eating.
• Homunculus facts: Arcana DC 15 reveals that a a master can only have on homunculus at a time (Coriander's master is a spellcaster named Freyot). Both masters are alive, because a homunculus dies when its master dies.

(pg 21) M7. Pantry: Sacks of flour, vegetables, meats.

(pg 22) M8. Dining Room: Table, chairs, tapestries depicting process of making wine.

Chair: One chair in here is actually a weakened mimic (MM pg 220). The mimic escaped from its glass container in M19.

Weakened Mimic: AC 12 HP 30 Spd 15

• Pseudopod: +5 to hit, 7 bludgeoning dmg + target grappled (escape DC 10)
• Bite: +5 to hit, 7 piercing dmg + 4 acid dmg. 

Treasure: Silverware worth 20 gp.

(pg 22) M9. Arboretum: Shrubs, small trees, flowers lit by two glowing globes that hang above the plants.

2 faerie dragons (MM pg 133).  These dragons start off invisible. They will each use their euphoria breath on a different character: DC 11 WIS save. Fail = Can't use reactions for one minute, and must roll a d6 on each turn to determine its behavior.

• 1-4: Takes no action or bonus action, uses all its movement to move in a random direction.
• 5-6: Target doesn't move, can make a WIS save DC 11 to end the effect.

Spells: These dragons are orange, which means they are only 6-10 years old. They can cast the following spells once per day each:

• Dancing Lights (PH pg 230)
  
• Mage Hand (PH pg 256)
  
• Minor Illusion (PH pg 260)
  
• Color Spray (PH pg 222)

Treasure: The globes that light the room are driftglobes (DMG pg 166).

(pg 22) M10. Stairs: There is a mundane suit of armor here. Above it is a trap door that leads to an attic. From the attic, floorboards can be removed that allow you access to room M13.

(pg 22) M11. Laboratory: There is a star map on the wall (which gives the solution to the puzzle in M12) and on the middle table is a puzzle book.

Treasure: Puzzle book with letter "T" on the spine.

(pg 22) M12. Planetarium: This room is an illusion depicting a grassy knoll on a moonless night. 5 telescopes pointed at the night sky, and a sphere of clear crystal.

• Puzzle: If the telescopes are pointed at the 5 brightest stars (the ones shown on the map in M11) then a secret door to M13 is opened.
  

(pg 23) M13. The Chained Library: A bookshelf covered in chains, a bench, and a reading desk (with a puzzle book on it). 

The Animated Chain Library (stats pg 24): This thing attacks anyone who comes within 5 feet of it.

Treasure: Puzzle book with a letter "L" on the spine, Defeating the chained library nets the group a nifty +1 flail (1d8 +1 bludgeoning dmg) - a chain with a book attached ("Martial Attack Techniques").  

(pg 24) M14. Trophy Room: Chair, table with books, lit fireplace, pair of swords, heads mounted on the walls (if anything in the room is touched, the swords animate and attack).

• 5 Heads: Stag, wolf, peryton, hell hound, black dragon.
• 2 Flying Swords (MM pg 20)

Treasure: Puzzle book with letter "Y" on the spine.

(pg 24) M15. Bedroom: Canopied bed, washbasin, black cat napping, painting of a gold dragon.

Cat (MM pg 240): The cat wakes up and follows the heroes around the room. 

Treasure: On a chest of drawers is a puzzle book with the letter "E" on the spine.

(pg 24) M16. Balcony: Overlooks the arboretum.

(pg 24) M17. Alchemical Laboratory: Tables with vials and 4 clay figures, stacks of books, paper charts, and blackboards full of complex formulas. 

• Examine Formulas: INT check DC 13, learnt hat goal was to transmute various materials into gold. 
• 4 Clay Figures: Arcana DC 13, learn that these figures are used for creating homunculi (MM pg 188).

Treasure: Puzzle book with the letter "B" on the spine, reagents worth 50gp, and a potion of healing (heals for 2d4+2).

(pg 24) M18. Summoning Room: Circle of runes.

A "Toad": Actually a quasit (MM pg 63), which will attack when approached.

(pg 24) M19. Preserved Menagerie: Glass containers holding creatures. One 4-foot tall vessel is empty (the mimic in M8 escaped from here).

Dead Creatures in Glass Containers: Here are the creatures and some descriptions of them for your players:

• (Cockatrice, MM pg 42): "A small hideous hybrid of lizard, bird, and bat."
  
• (Flumph, MM pg 135): "A small plate-shaped jellyfish with two eyestalks and a mouth on its top side, and many tendrils dangling from its underside." (If the group messes with it, you could say it still has one stench spray chambered, which can shoot a 15-foot-cone of foul-smelling liquid).
  
• (Giant fire beetle, MM pg 325): "A beetle roughly the size of a dog with and orange glow emanating from the underside of its carapace."
  
• (Small grell, MM pg 172): "A small, bulbous floating brain with a wide sharp beak. Its ten long tentacles are made of ring-shaped muscles sheathed in tough, fibrous hide. Sharp barbs line the tip of each tentacle."
  
• (Myconid sprout, MM pg 230): "A humanoid made of fungus, with a vaguely mushroom-shaped head."
  
• (Pseudodragon, MM pg 254): "A tiny dragon with red-brown scales, horns, and a maw filled with sharp teeth."
  
• 4 Severed Hands 
• (Slaad tadpole, MM pg 276 - which is actually alive): "A tiny, white, bulbous reptilian head with a very long tail."AC 12 HP 10 Spd 30 ft. Bite: +4, 4 piercing dmg.
  

(pg 25) Assembling the Books: Once the group has the puzzle books, they'll need to solve the anagram. The word must be spoken within 10 feet of the double doors in M1. to open it. 

(pg 25) Return to Candlekeep: The first character through the portal is attacked by the invisible imp (MM pg 76), Matreous is dead (killed by the sting of the imp). 

Running the Imp: Remember that the imp takes half damage from non-magic weapons, is immune to fire and poison, and it has magic resistance! In order to avoid a swift death, you could have it hover 15 feet above the group, and on its turn fly down, try to sting one character, then fly back up (provoking an attack of opportunity). If it stays within melee reach, it could die in a single round.

Some Items Vanish: The adventure says that certain things the characters might take from the mansion vanish and reappear back in the mansion. Items that remain in their possession:

• "Treasure"
• Books
• Specimens
• Weapons

(pg 26) Mazfroth's Mighty Digressions

I'll be working on this guide for the next few weeks! Thanks for reading.