i feel stupid asking this but i am about to go insane. i cant find the candle to put on the altar. i have the book and bell but where is that dang thing

At the north west room the one with the hearth IIRC.Try searching with tab for it!

this is totally and completely off-topic, but who exactly is Artemis Entreri? there was an entire post about him a while back, and everyone seemed to know who he was but me. :( a short explanation would be greatly appreciated.

and yes, the candle is in one of the cabinets in the hearth room southwest of the altar. my first time through, i didn't even realize that room was there until i checked the automap.

Artty is the human Evil version of Drizzt. If you read the books about Drizzt and Co. You'll run into him, in fact he is the main villian in I believe two of those books. So yeah there you are. He's a human assassin, with skills to match Drizzt, well almost.

Artemis was once his equal but drizzt proved that his life was a lie. Artemis later allied with dark elves and now is currently wandering around with Jarlaxle if there is nothing about him in sea of swords.