Sage

Sage is a character background with skills and inspirations themed around the pursuit of scholarly knowledge. Gale and the hireling Sir Fuzzalump have this background.

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You are curious and well-read, with an unending thirst for knowledge. Learning about rare lore of the world will inspire you to put this knowledge to greater purpose.

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Background features

• Arcana Proficiency: Gain Proficiency with Intelligence (Arcana) Ability Checks.
• History Proficiency: Gain Proficiency with Intelligence (History) Ability Checks.

Background goals

Performing certain actions that align with this background rewards Inspiration. These goals can be accomplished by any member of the active party, and Inspiration points are pooled, up to a maximum of 4. Completing an inspiration event also grants experience to characters with this background. While not necessarily all-inclusive, listed below are known events which grant inspiration points.

Location	XP Reward	Name	Description
General
Anywhere	20	Reanimator	Correctly follow Gale's instructions to resurrect him. Only the party member interacting with Gale's flute gets the inspiration. Alternatively, the Scroll (Gale's Pouch) can be thrown into the lava at Grymforge while a Sage character is within 6 meters of that spot.
	26	Whispers from the Grave	Glean some wisdom from speaking with the dead.
Act 1
Blighted Village	30	A Natural Alliance	Recognise the druid and Harper armour. A party member must interact with either of the two skeletons under the broken bridge at X: -9 Y: 498 and pass a  DC 10 History Check. If the party had passed a History check on the "Union" fresco in the Inner Sactum, the inspiration is gained without another check.
	25	A Solitary Spider	Read the arachnomancer's journals at the bottom of the well. There are four journals to be read: Bloody Journal, Burnt Journal, Tattered Journal, and Web-Covered Journal. The inspiration is given after reading them all regardless of the order. The Sage character is not necessarily the one to read the journals.
	25	Secrets of the Necromancer	Discover the strange nature of the Thayan tome.
Dank Crypt	20	Secrets of the Sundering	Unlock and read the Book of Dead Gods. Shared with ⁠Divinity Undone inspiration.
Druids Grove	20	Roots of the Grove	Learn local history from the druidic frescos. Requires passing ability checks on all four frescos (a  DC 5 History Check, a  DC 10 Intelligence Check, and two  DC 10 Religion Checks) in the Inner Sanctum of the Emerald Grove. This inspiration is also granted if the checks are passed by different party members.
	20	Secrets of the Shadow Druids	Discover and read Faldorn's Canticle. This book is in the locked chest in the Inner Sanctum of the Emerald Grove
Goblin Camp	25	Secrets of the High Chieftain	Read Volo's Guide To Goblins. This book is owned by Booyahg Piddle on the top of one of the towers in the central part of the outer camp.
	25	The Phases Unfold	Solve the moon puzzle sealing the door to the Underdark. The puzzle can be solved even after opening the passage to the Underdark via the hidden lever and the inspiration will still be granted.
Underdark	30	If I Can't Have It...	Discover the secrets of the the Adamantine Forge from all three drow wizards. The party must pass the ability checks to decipher the following 3 items: Memory Shard taken from Dhourn Scribbled Notes written by Filro The Great Furnace of Grymforge found on the corpse of Xargrim
	30	Secrets of the Matron	Read the obscure text by a drow matron. This book is in the forgotten drow stash at X: 84 Y: -207.
	30	Secrets of the Sussur Tree	Disable an arcane turret using a sussur flower.
	30	The Forbidden Arcane	Read Omeluum's notes on illithid magic. Can be purchased from Omeluum after completing ⁠Help Omeluum Investigate the Parasite or from Nansi Gretta in the Lower City.
Act 2
Gauntlet of Shar	60	History Never Forgets	Open the way into the Gauntlet of Shar. The inspiration is granted after successfully solving the fresco puzzle in the Grand Mausoleum.
	75	Emblem of the Moonmaiden	Discover the truth about the Nightsong.
	75	Rat King	Discover the truth behind the numerous rats in the Gauntlet of Shar. Shared with ⁠Sole Survivor inspiration.
Last Light Inn	50	Theskan Tactician	Help Mol win the game of lanceboard. Shared with ⁠Helping the Little Guy, ⁠Orphan Camaraderie, and ⁠Shuffling the Board inspirations (the latter in case of rigging the board).
	60	Waking the Sleeper	Wake Art from his catatonic slumber.
Mind Flayer Colony	95	Brain Blast!	Successfully complete the mind puzzle in the mind flayer colony.
Moonrise Towers	60	A Little Too Familiar with the Grotesque...	Solve Balthazar's secret study puzzle without making a mistake.
	50	Secrets of the Necromancer	Solve Balthazar's secret study puzzle.
	50	They're in the Walls!	Discover what the 'meat sound' is. Interact with the Cracked Wall up over the kitchen area (accessible from the Moonrise_Towers#Rafters) Select "Do Nothing" or fail the first ability check to activate the cutscene where the Absolute introduces itself Shared with ⁠A Different Kind of Muse inspiration.
	60	Thorm Family Secrets	Discover the fate of Ketheric's family members. Requires interacting with Ketheric, Isobel, Gerringothe Thorm, Malus Thorm, and Thisobald Thorm. The order is irrelevant.
	60	To Have Loved and Lost	Discover the source of Ketheric's shame. The letter is in the locked chest in Moonrise_Towers#Ketheric's chambers. Shared with the ⁠Ketheric's Loss inspiration.
Reithwin Town	60	Hippocratic No More	Find the Surgeon's Research Notes. This journal is in the laboratory of the House of Healing morgue.
	60	Partaking in Local Customs	Perform the ritual in the Sharran Sanctuary. Shared with ⁠Honing the Darkness inspiration.
	60	Snuffed Spark	Find the dead aasimar's journal. Shared with ⁠Blessed's Final Rest.
	60	Tenets of Loss	Open the way into the Sharran Sanctuary.
Shadow-Cursed Lands	50	Corrupted Beyond Recognition	Find and read the Dead Druid's Journal about how the shadow curse came to be. The journal is on the skeleton at X: 109 Y: 183.
Act 3
House of Hope	170	An Exotic Charter	Obtain access to the House of Hope portal. Granted after actually entering the House of Hope through the portal. Shared with the ⁠Horizon Walker inspiration.
Lower City	30	All Knowledge Is Worth Having	Finish reading the Thayan tome of necromancy.
	170	A Foul and Awesome Display	Use the Runepowder Bomb given by Wulbren. Granted even if the bomb is used not in the Steel Watch Foundry.
	170	Blood of the Covenant	Find out how Araj's blood experiments are going.
	170	Membership Admittance	Ask Havkelaag to join the Society of Brilliance.
	170	Rennaissant Ingenuity	Uncover the machinery powering the printing press.
	220	The Returned Cap'n	Behold the true Captain Grisly in all her piratical glory. To obtain the inspiration, the party must permanently kill Auntie Ethel without first fighting her pawns separately in The Blushing Mermaid - Basement, and spare Grisly in the fight. If Grisly is knocked out before Ethel dies, the inspiration is not granted, even if talking to her afterwards in the tavern.
	220	Using the Proper Means	Find and use the Torch of Revocation. Obtainable only if Oskar Fevras was saved from the Zhentarim Basement in Act One.
Rivington	170	A Grand Prize!	Figure out Akabi's scheme and obtain the 'grand' prize. Pickpocket the Djinni Ring from Akabi and then win the jackpot. The inspiration is granted after Akabi awards you the "prize". Bards have an option to win the game without pickpocketing the djinni.
	135	Assistant to the Extra-Planar Agent	Take up Valeria's serial killer investigation. The party must offer their help to Sister Yannis in the Open Hand Temple after Valeria leaves. Shared with ⁠Drama Sleuth and ⁠Trusting Your Instincts inspirations
	135	Knowledge of the Heart	Get a fresh perspective on your relationship with a companion. Get the best possible outcome from Zethino's relationship quiz. The Sage character is not necessarily either the one taking the quiz or their romantic partner.
Upper City	220	Stopping the Repetition of History	Defeat Lorroakan.
	220	The Karsus of Our Times	Give Nightsong to Lorroakan.
Wyrm's Crossing	135	New Normal	Let yourself be scanned by a Steel Watcher. The inspiration can be obtained only at the South Span Checkpoint when first interacting with a Steel Watcher. If the party gain access to the Wyrm's Crossing by any means of bypass, it cannot be gained anymore.
Wyrm's Rock Fortress	170	Coronation of the Dreadmaster	Meet Gortash in Wyrm's Rock and witness his coronation. Shared with ⁠Personal Invitation inspiration.
	170	Crossing's Namesake	Find the undying sentinel underneath Wyrm's Crossing.
	170	Heavy is the Head	Find the Helm of Balduran. Shared with ⁠Great Helm of Legends inspiration.