Candlekeep and fire elementals

[Chronos]

The great library at Candlekeep draws its name from an ancient protective magic laid on the place: Any flame, even magical flame, larger than a candle is instantly extinguished. Clearly, the purpose of this is to protect the books, and the most prominent effect on adventurers is that spells like Fireball don't work.

But what about fire elementals? At the simplest level, their ability to set things on fire just wouldn't work... but at a deeper level, is not a fire elemental, itself, a flame? Traditionally, magic that extinguishes flames has also had dire effects on fire elementals. Would a fire elemental in Candlekeep be killed? Take continual damage? Be banished to the Plane of Fire? Be shunted to an outside space in the Material Plane? Does it matter how the elemental got there (walked through the gate, summoned there, a druid already inside turned into one)?

[quindraco]

The great library at Candlekeep draws its name from an ancient protective magic laid on the place: Any flame, even magical flame, larger than a candle is instantly extinguished. Clearly, the purpose of this is to protect the books, and the most prominent effect on adventurers is that spells like Fireball don't work.

But what about fire elementals? At the simplest level, their ability to set things on fire just wouldn't work... but at a deeper level, is not a fire elemental, itself, a flame? Traditionally, magic that extinguishes flames has also had dire effects on fire elementals. Would a fire elemental in Candlekeep be killed? Take continual damage? Be banished to the Plane of Fire? Be shunted to an outside space in the Material Plane? Does it matter how the elemental got there (walked through the gate, summoned there, a druid already inside turned into one)?

I would either have the elemental be shrunk to Tiny and scale its hit and damage dice down accordingly, or have it be banished home as soon as it showed up. Probably the latter.

And I'd have a fire genasi go completely bald upon entering.

[Unoriginal]

I would either have the elemental be shrunk to Tiny and scale its hit and damage dice down accordingly, or have it be banished home as soon as it showed up. Probably the latter.

And I'd have a fire genasi go completely bald upon entering.

I would go for the "reduced to Tiny" option, adding that they can't deal more than 1 point of fire damage per round if they try to burn something.

Unless, of course, the Elemental is somehow more powerful than Candlekeep's ward.

An Elemental lord who want to burn down Candlekeep specifically because the fortress of knowledge is preventing natural fires from occuring could make for a fun BBEG.

Or alternatively, the elemental lord who want Candlekeep burn is the underling of an extraplanar BBEG who plans of conquering the Forgotten Realms, and said BBEG has promised Candlekeep to the elemental in exchange for their service. Would make for a good "why are the Elementals working with X?" moment, and finding the answer would be interesting.

[Kuulvheysoon]

Isn't Candlekeep also warded against fiends and elementals anyways?

[Chronos]

If it is, it's not mentioned in Candlekeep Mysteries. All that's listed there is:
* Minor magic protecting against mold, weevils, etc.
* No entering by any means other than the front gate. Flying over the walls is impossible (except by ordinary birds).
* The afore-mentioned fire suppression.
* Any book taken out without permission is magically teleported back.
* In extreme circumstances, the Keeper of Tomes can activate an impenetrable barrier around the entire keep.

I'm not looking for an adventure hook, here. The most likely situation I anticipate is my party's druid either summoning or wildshaping into a fire elemental (either of which would definitely not be more powerful than the ward).

I think I like the idea that he'd only turn into a candle-sized elemental.

[Kuulvheysoon]

If it is, it's not mentioned in Candlekeep Mysteries. All that's listed there is:
* Minor magic protecting against mold, weevils, etc.
* No entering by any means other than the front gate. Flying over the walls is impossible (except by ordinary birds).
* The afore-mentioned fire suppression.
* Any book taken out without permission is magically teleported back.
* In extreme circumstances, the Keeper of Tomes can activate an impenetrable barrier around the entire keep.

I'm not looking for an adventure hook, here. The most likely situation I anticipate is my party's druid either summoning or wildshaping into a fire elemental (either of which would definitely not be more powerful than the ward).

I think I like the idea that he'd only turn into a candle-sized elemental.

Now I have to check my FRCS.

...

Okay, so the book says that (in addition to the wards against fire and mold/insects) it's got wards that prevent teleportation, any kind of "destructive magic" and "other secret properties" (which I suppose means that DMs should feel free to give their players the middle finger).