Gin from The Hearth in Candlekeep - Puncheons and Flagons

Gin from The Hearth in Candlekeep. The great library fortress of Candlekeep boasts a collection of lore and wisdom that calls to scholars far and wide. Many of its students spend years in the library's stacks, barely venturing beyond the fortress walls. Thankfully, Candlekeep has its own fest hall to entertain its residents, a traditional tavern called the Hearth, with ink-stained blackwood boards, faded tapestries from long-dead kingdoms, and discrete nooks where patrons can hide away with an ancient spell tome or a trashy penny dreadful. Gin is a popular drink at the Hearth, with different botanical blends passed down like arcane lore and tattered handwritten recipes still sometimes found tucked into old books. Gin was first created as a healing juniper-infused tonic, with various alchemical scholars adding citrus, cardamom, angelica, and other botanicals like rose, coriander, lavender, or cinnamon to enhance the recipe. At some point the quest for medicine became secondary to the quest for a good martini. Inkpot Negroni To enter Candlekeep, a would-be scholar must present a written work that the library does not already possess-a significant challenge given that Candlekeep has perhaps the most extensive collection of books and lore in all of Faerûn. Whenever a new arrival comes to the gates with an offering, runners are dispatched to search the stacks and make sure the offered text is unique. Experts in the culinary arts may have some advantage here, as a book of original recipes counts as a written work. At least one seeker has been granted entry to Candlekeep by sitting for 3 days on a rock in front of the keep and writing down recipes. All the recipes were his own innovations, and one was for this radical cocktail with dark vinegar and a tarragon garnish that was intended to resemble a Candlekeep inkpot with a quill. Inkpot Negroni Astral Plane A group of young scribes studying under the archmage Sylvira Savikas were sent on a search in the outer planes to...