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/Multiple Locations	20	Reanimator	Correctly follow Gale's instructions to resurrect him. If Gale is played as an Origin, he earns this inspiration as soon as the Scroll of True Resurrection is received. If he is a companion, it is necessary to have another Sage character in the party. The scroll from opened pouch can be thrown into lava stream at Grymforge to bypass notes and talking with a mephit.
	26	Whispers from the Grave	Glean some wisdom from speaking with the dead. Granted for the first time any party member uses Speak with Dead in a playthrough, regardless of the spell source. If the first interrogation of a corpse happened with no Sage character in the party, it cannot be obtained anymore.
	30	The Forbidden Arcane	Read Omeluum's notes on illithid magic. The book can actually be found in following places: In Act One: Bought from Omeluum itself after completing his mushroom quest. In Act Three: Bought from Nansi Gretta in Lower City.
Act One
Multiple Locations in Act One	25	Secrets of the Necromancer	Discover the strange nature of the Thayan tome. The tome is in the Apothecary's Cellar, and the gem which unlocks it is in the Whispering Depths.
Blighted Village	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, not necessary by the Sage character.
Dank Crypt	20	Secrets of the Sundering	Unlock and read the Book of Dead Gods. This one is granted for passing any ability check or use class-based dialogue option to simply unlock the book. Available to gain only in the initial interaction with the book.
Emerald 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, a DC 10 Intelligence, and two DC 10 Religion checks) in the Inner Sanctum of the Emerald Grove (not necessary one party member to pass them all).
	20	Secrets of the Shadow Druids	Discover and read Faldorn's Canticle. This book is in Kagha's locked chest in the Inner Sanctum of the Emerald Grove, behind the stone bookcase.
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. As the goal is to read the book, this time Illithid Persuasion works.
Shattered Sanctum	25	The Phases Unfold	Solve the moon puzzle sealing the door to the Underdark. Rotating floor plates must be moved until four black dots come into the spot of light. The inspiration is granted for solving the puzzle, not for opening the way to Underdark. It can be gained as well after using a lever or entering the Underdark through other points.
The Risen Road	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 succeed a passive History check.[See: Bugs] If the party had already passed a History check on the "Union" fresco in the Inner Sactum, the inspiration is gained without another check.
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 near the Selunite Outpost Scribbled Notes written by Filro in the Dread Hollow The Great Furnace of Grymforge found on the corpse of Xargrim in the Myconid Colony Instead of reading Scribbled Notes, talking with Filro's corpse via Speak with Dead also counts.
	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. A fresh bloom from Dread Hollow or the tower's garden must be placed or thrown close enough to affect the turret. Alternatively, a character carrying it in the inventory must come close to the turret.
Act Two
Multiple Locations in Act Two	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.
Gauntlet of Shar	60	History Never Forgets	Open the way into the Gauntlet of Shar. Solve the puzzle in the room with Isobel's sarcophagus, pressing the buttons under frescos in correct order: "Moonrise Towers", "Grief", "General".
	75	Emblem of the Moonmaiden	Discover the truth about the Nightsong. Granted by simply reaching Aylin's trappings down in the Shadowfell.
	75	Rat King	Discover the truth behind the numerous rats in the Gauntlet of Shar. Make Lyrthindor take his human form. Granted after the dialogue with him ends. Bargaining with him while he is still a rat locks the party out of gaining the inspiration. Available regardless of dealings with Yurgir.
Last Light Inn	50	Theskan Tactician	Help Mol win the game of lanceboard. This inspiration is granted if using any available method, including rigging the board. Available only if Mol survived the events if Act One, and only before Marcus assaults the Last Light Inn.
	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. The brain puzzle is in the far end of the Necrotic Laboratory.
Moonrise Towers	50	Secrets of the Necromancer	Solve Balthazar's secret study puzzle. Succeed a passive DC 10 Perception Check, interact with the "Musty Tomes", and then place a Heart on the activated altar. Some similar objects, like Severed Heads, work as well. This inspiration is given if the party interacted first with any other active book except the "Musty Tomes", but survived the consequences and opened the study.
	60	A Little Too Familiar with the Grotesque...	Solve Balthazar's secret study puzzle without making a mistake. Succeed a passive DC 10 Perception Check, interact with the "Musty Tomes", and then place a Heart on the activated altar. Some similar objects, like Severed Heads, work as well.
	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). Then, fail the check to free your hand, or choose to "Do nothing". Granted regardless of the result of the subsequent check against being dragged down to the Oubliette. Despite the party can learn about the "meat sound" only from Mig, the inspiration is granted without speaking to her as well.
	60	To Have Loved and Lost	Discover the source of Ketheric's shame. Read the letter locked in the Opulent Chest near the bed in his room. If exploring the room before witnessing Ketheric's trial, it is not yet guarded by Squire.
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. Pass DC 10 Religion check on the altar to Shar in the hidden room and sacrifice your blood.
	60	Snuffed Spark	Find the dead aasimar's journal. This journal is in the mortuary workshop in the House of Healing morgue.
	60	Tenets of Loss	Open the way into the Sharran Sanctuary. Interact with the three plaques on the sides of the monument in the city square. If started with the wrong one, continue triggering them around until the full line appears.
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. The inspiration is given regardless of whether the concurrent passive Nature check succeeds.
Act Three
Multiple locations in Act Three	170	A Foul and Awesome Display	Use the Runepowder Bomb given by Wulbren. This is granted simply on witnessing the bomb explode, even if it happens due to any NPC's actions.
	170	All Knowledge Is Worth Having	Finish reading the Thayan tome of necromancy. Granted upon passing the final Wisdom Saving Throw on reading Necromancy of Thay. While the Tharchiate Codex is found in Sorcerer's Vault, the inspiration can be gained anywhere.
House of Hope	170	An Exotic Charter	Obtain access to the House of Hope portal. Granted after crossing the portal from Devil's Fee.
Lower City	170	Blood of the Covenant	Find out how Araj's blood experiments are going. Obtainable only if the player character gave Araj a vial of their blood in Moonrise Towers in Act Two. Granted after initial talk with Araj, regardless of the player character's decision.
	170	Membership Admittance	Ask Havkelaag to join the Society of Brilliance. Available only if the Githyanki Egg was not sold to Lady Esther in Act One. Mutually exclusive with ⁠Alien in the Big City and ⁠Nature of the Beast.
	170	Rennaissant Ingenuity	Uncover the machinery powering the printing press. Granted upon speaking to Jelliwig initially, before changing the block.
	220	The Returned Cap'n	Behold the true Captain Grisly in all her piratical glory. To obtain the inspiration, Grisly must be knocked out in the Blushing Mermaid's basement. The inspiration is granted once Ethel is permanently dead.[See: Bugs]
	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. Granted upon destroying Kerri's potrait in the secret cubby in Oskar's Atelier.
Rivington	170	A Grand Prize!	Figure out Akabi's scheme and obtain the 'grand' prize. Must pickpocket the ring from Akabi, then win the 'jackpot'. Bards have an additional option: succeed first DC 20 Perception check, then DC 15 Performance check.
	135	Assistant to the Extra-Planar Agent	Take up Valeria's serial killer investigation. Promise Sister Yannis in the Open Hand Temple to investigate the double murder after Valeria leaves.
	135	Knowledge of the Heart	Get a fresh perspective on your relationship with a companion. This one is granted only on obtaining the best possible result. Granted regardless of Orin impersonating the dryad. The Sage character is not necessarily participating one, they can simply witness.
Upper City	220	Stopping the Repetition of History	Defeat Lorroakan. This is granted for killing Lorroakan only, regardless of whether Nightsong is alive and / or present. Mutually exclusive with ⁠The Karsus of Our Times.
	220	The Karsus of Our Times	Give Nightsong to Lorroakan. Mutually exclusive with ⁠Never To Be Chained Again, ⁠How High They Fall and ⁠Stopping the Repetition of History.
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. Granted regardless of the further scanning result.
Wyrm's Rock Fortress	170	Coronation of the Dreadmaster	Meet Gortash in Wyrm's Rock and witness his coronation. Granted regardless of the party's decision on Gortash's proposition.
	170	Crossing's Namesake	Find the undying sentinel underneath Wyrm's Crossing. This one is granted immediately upon interacting with Ansur's remains in The Wyrmway.
	170	Heavy is the Head	Find the Helm of Balduran. It is entirely possible to walk around Ansur's remains and pick up the helm.

Bugs

• Due to a coding bug, the ⁠A Natural Alliance inspiration does not trigger if the Dark Urge interacts with the skeletons.
• If fighting Ethel's pawns before her, ⁠The Returned Cap'n inspiration may not trigger even if Quenora Grisly was spared, for unknown reasons.