What are the main knowledge centers of the FR

[johnsemlak]

I'm developing a wizard character following the Loremaster path for FR and am wondering what the primiary knowledge centers/sources are for FR? Libraries, sages, etc. I assume Waterdeep is one place, but I'm looking for more.

I'm interested in potential sources of really obscure knowledge, such as long forgotten magical secrets, races, etc.

I.e. When Gandalf goes to consult ancient tomes on the history of the Ring in LotR, where would he go if he lived in Faerun?

 

[Dark Jezter]

Candlekeep and Silverymoon are two obvious choices. Candlekeep is the largest library in Faerun, while Silverymoon has the famous Vault of the Sages, another large library.

In the Snowflake mountains, there is also a large cathedral called the Spirit Soaring devoted to Deneir, the god of glyphs and images. No doubt that place contains many tomes of obscure knowledge.

 

[johnsemlak]

Ah, Candlekeep...Should have remembered that from Baldur's Gate..

The Cathedral of Deneir also sounds liek what I'm looking for. Thanks

 

[Dark Jezter]

If you're interested in finding out more about the Spirit Soaring, you should read The Cleric Quintet by R.A. Salvatore, which is a five-book series that follows the adventures of a young cleric of Deneir named Cadderly Bonaduce.

Cadderly is now the Chosen of Deneir and one of the most powerful clerics in the Realms (you can see his stats here). Needless to say, he is the highest-ranking priest at the Spirit Soaring.

 

[MrFilthyIke]

Cadderly is now the Chosen of Deneir and one of the most powerful clerics in the Realms (you can see his stats here). Needless to say, he is the highest-ranking priest at the Spirit Soaring.

I'd say Candlekeep, but I'm biased to Balder's Gate (that, and Planescape: Torment kept me from thinking computer RPG's had gone dead).

The Vault is good, but Candlekeep always seemed more like a bunch of academics sitting around hoarding goods.

edit: Gods, can I not TYPE this morning?!

 

[Ferret]

There is also likely to be a large library in each of the main races largest* city, such as in the mithral hall, and that elven place either in cormanthyr or evermeet. Theres probably an artificers library in Lantan and King Oubold might have one about his exploits and orcs. Most of those Libraries is about the race though.

*Perhaps not the largest but they will be fairly large.

 

[Heretic Apostate]

I seem to remember, in the third Drizzt novel (when he reaches the surface from the Underdark), he spent some time at a tower (maintained by one of the relatives of those crazy mages at Longsaddle) that contained the lore of each race. Twilight Hall seems to leap to mind, though I'm not sure...

That would be a good place for a Loremaster to visit, I think...

 

[daTim]

Also, Elminster lives in Shadowdale and he is considered the greatest sage in the lands. I believe Storm Silverhand also lives there, and she is a bard of quite some power; besides both of them are chosen of Mystra.

 

[Bulak]

The temples of Oghma, god of knowledge, are all libraries too.

 

[ruleslawyer]

I seem to remember, in the third Drizzt novel (when he reaches the surface from the Underdark), he spent some time at a tower (maintained by one of the relatives of those crazy mages at Longsaddle) that contained the lore of each race. Twilight Hall seems to leap to mind, though I'm not sure...

That would be a good place for a Loremaster to visit, I think...

You're thinking of the Herald's Holdfast, near Silverymoon. There are five High Heralds in western Faerun, each a living repository of knowledge as well as an unparalleled collector of such.

I'd definitely say that Candlekeep tops the list as far as vast libraries full of dusty tomes go. Some other major repositories would be:

1) The Herald's Holdfast (near Silverymoon)
2) Silverymoon itself
3) Waterdeep
4) Heralds' Hall (near Athkatla in Amn)
5) Almraiven, Calimshan
6) Calimport
7) Evereska
8) Evermeet
9) Halarahh, Halruaa

The Realms also contains many gatherings of wise folk. Elventree, Berdusk, Everlund, and Mulmaster are just a few of the places that I'd say would be good sites for information-gathering in that respect.

As for racial lore: The city of Earthheart in the Great Rift would probably be the best place to go for dwarven lore. It doesn't seem that much survives in the North. Halflings and gnomes appear to lack strong written traditions, and as such I doubt there's a good place to find lore on these races in their own words, so to speak.