Cloistered Scholar

Every scholar, I presume, is not, necessarily, a man of sense.

— Samuel RIchardson

As a child, they were inquisitive when their playmates were possessive or raucous. In their formative years, they found their way to one of Valine's great institutes of learning , where they were apprenticed and taught that knowledge is a more valuable treasure than gold or gems. Now they are ready to leave their home - not to abandon it, but to quest for new lore to add to its storehouse of knowledge.
The great libraries are always in need of workers and attendants, some of whom rise through the ranks to assume roles of greater responsibility and prominence. They might be one of these, dedicated to the curatorship of a body of lore and history.
Perhaps instead they were taken in by scholars, and now they have struck out to increase their knowledge and to make themselves available to help those in other places who seek their expertise. They might be one of the few who help to catalogue and maintain records of the information that arrives daily from across Valine.
Their bonds are almost certainly associated either with the place where they grew up or with the knowledge they hope to acquire through adventuring. Their ideals are no doubt related to how they view the quest for knowledge and truth - perhaps as a worthy goal in itself, or maybe as a means to a desirable end.

Type

Research / Scientific

Cloistered Scholar 5e Background Info

Cloistered Scholar (Skilled Background)

Skill Proficiencies History, plus your choice of one from among Arcana, Nature, and Religion

Tool Proficiencies One type of artisan's tools

Languages Two of your choice

Equipment

• The scholar's robes of your cloister
• A writing kit (small pouch with a quill, ink, folded parchment, and a small penknife)
• A borrowed book on the subject of your current study
• A pouch containing 10sp

Features

Library Access
Though others must often endure extensive interviews and significant fees to gain access to even the most common archives in your library, you have free and easy access to the majority of the library, though it might also have repositories of lore that are too valuable, magical, or secret to permit anyone immediate access.
You have a working knowledge of your cloister's personnel and bureaucracy, and you know how to navigate those connections with some ease. Additionally, you are likely to gain preferential treatment at other libraries across Valine, as professional courtesy shown to a fellow scholar.

Traits

d8	Cloistered Scholar Personality Trait
1	I use polysyllabic words that convey the impression of great erudition.
2	I've read every book in the world's greatest libraries- or I like to boast that I have.
3	I'm used to helping out those who aren't as smart as I am, and I patiently explain anything and everything to others.
4	There's nothing I like more than a good mystery.
5	I'm willing to listen to every side of an argument before I make my own judgment.
6	I . . . speak . . . slowly . . . when talking . . . to idiots, . . .which . . . almost . . . everyone . . . is . . . compared . . . to me.
7	I am horribly, horribly awkward in social situations.
8	I'm convinced that people are always trying to steal my secrets.

Ideal

d6	Cloistered Scholar Ideal
1	Knowledge. The path to power and self-improvement is through knowledge.
2	Beauty. What is beautiful points us beyond itself toward what is true.
3	Logic. Emotions must not cloud our logical thinking.
4	No Limits. Nothing should fetter the infinite possibility inherent in all existence.
5	Power. Knowledge is the path to power and domination.
6	Self-Improvement. The goal of a life of study is the betterment of oneself.

Bond

d6	Cloistered Scholar Bond
1	It is my duty to protect my students.
2	I have an ancient text that holds terrible secrets that must not fall into the wrong hands.
3	I work to preserve a library, university, scriptorium, or monastery.
4	My life's work is a series of tomes related to a specific field of lore.
5	I've been searching my whole life for the answer to a certain question.
6	I sold my soul for knowledge. I hope to do great deeds and win it back.

Flaw

d6	Cloistered Scholar Flaw
1	I am easily distracted by the promise of information.
2	Most people scream and run when they see a demon. I stop and take notes on its anatomy.
3	Unlocking an ancient mystery is worth the price of a civilization.
4	I overlook obvious solutions in favor of complicated ones.
5	I speak without really thinking through my words, invariably insulting others.
6	I can't keep a secret to save my life, or anyone else's.