The Emerald Door

The Emerald Door—the main point of access to the Inner Ward—stands at the western end of the Court of Air. It is fifteen feet tall and made of a translucent dark green stone that glows with an inner light. A magical spell seals the door, which is further warded against all damage. Here, a Keeper of the Emerald Door stands at all times to welcome newly arrived seekers. The Keeper uses runners to help seekers secure lodgings at the House of Rest and places to study in the Pillars of Pedagogy.
Keepers of the Emerald Door politely dispel any mistaken notions seekers might have about passing through the Emerald Door and exploring the Great Library beyond. The Inner Ward is off limits to seekers without special dispensation, which must come from the Keeper of Tomes, the First Reader, or one of the eight Great Readers. When permission to enter the Inner Ward is granted by such an individual, it’s customary for the beneficiary of this consent to receive a signed and sealed letter of admittance. The wax seal must be intact and unbroken when the letter is presented to the Keeper of the Emerald Door. The Keeper determines the letter’s authenticity by opening and reading it. If the letter passes muster, the Keeper returns it, opens the Emerald Door, and allows the letter’s owner to enter the Inner Ward. Unless a shorter or longer duration is specified in the letter, permission to occupy the Inner Ward lasts for a tenday, during which time the letter’s recipient can come and go as they please.


A seeker who is denied entry to the Inner Ward can still enjoy the bulk of Candlekeep’s collected works. The seeker need only ask an Avowed adjutant to fetch the desired works and deliver them to the seeker’s preferred place of study in Candlekeep (usually a chamber in the Pillars of Pedagogy). Not all books in the collection can be checked out in this manner, however; the rarest and most dangerous tomes can be accessed only by creatures who are granted passage through the Emerald Door.

If a request is made for a work that has been checked out by another Candlekeep resident, it could be days or weeks before that work becomes available.

Type

Architectural Element, Entrance / Entryway