Sol Stellasdottir

Sol Stellasdottir

Female Dwarf Bard: Played by Len

Sol Stellasdottir is of course as her name suggests, the daughter of Stella, a Gold Dwarf who now owns and runs a tavern.  Sol was brought up as the daughter of a tavern wench in a largely dwarven town in the foothills of the mountains high above Noldir.  As she grew she came to realise that all her peers had two parents, while she had but one.

When she asked her mother about her father, she was met with a mixture of emotions depending it seemed on Stella's mood.  Sometimes there was a longing far-away look and the words.   "He was a fine young dwarf, the son of an adventuring cleric of Moradin, and destined for the same life."

Sometimes the look was intense loathing, and the words were, "That fool ran away before you were born and before his wife was wed."   Sometimes it was sadness, and the words "It was his fate to serve a dragon, like his father before him."  This was often followed by a look that Sol came to know as pity, aimed at Sol herself.

Sol learned how to serve the tavern's customers and that if she told her little stories to them, they would often give her better tips.  As age grew, so did her stories, and so did the attention of the customers.  Not all the attention was innocent, and she came to learn how it might be that a young cleric might have become involved with her own mother all those years ago. She had certainly inherited her mothers Gold Dwarf good looks.

Sol grew into the comely Dwarven lass she is now.  Well practised in telling tales and speaking easily with strangers. One day, a message came for Stella, delivered by a dwarf who looked to have travelled far.  Stella cried, and pointed to Sol.

That friends is how I came to Skyborne.  Now, if you will forgive me, I have to unpack the measly contents of my travelling bag, for I believe this is now my home.

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"I have been sent for by one of the Exarchs of Arynquitubahr.  I am supposed to see someone called Grolsch apparently."

"I am Grolsch Grolschsohn.  I am also your father child."

"What! You're not even a dwarf, you are half dragon at least!  How can you be my father?  I can believe that you are Grolsch, you are sufficiently Dragon-looking to be the Exarch of a Dragon, but you are no father of mine.  My father was a dwarf, just like my mother.  He did run off and serve a dragon, or so I am told, but he was a dwarf, and a cleric of Moradin."

"You are right.  Right in all you say.  But I am also right.  I was once the young cleric of Moradin that dallied with Stella, your mother.  I think I owe you a lifetime of explanation.  Unfortunately, Though you may, I no longer have a lifetime to spare.  I am your father as sure as Jax is a Dragon, and a Dragon she most certainly is."

"When I was still young, and your mother was the love of my life, I discovered that my father was pledged Exarch to Arynquitubahr, the Amethyst Dragon that Both I and some few others once served.  All too few of us survived."  With this, he looked around the room, as though it were full of his friends confirming his tale.  "My father, Grolsch Brewersohn did terrible things, but I see now he did them for good reasons.  He had signed as Exarch to Arynquitubahr, and the term of that service was for more than just the span of his own life.  It was for the lifespan of his line, for ever.  That meant that I too was bound to serve Arynquitubahr, as were my line.  For ever."

"So your father signed a contract that makes me bound to serve this Dragon for the rest of my life, and if I have children they are bound also?  That I so unfair!  How could he do such a thing?"

"Quiet child, let me finish." The ageing dragonborn dwarf asked, almost kindly.

"My Father believed he had tricked the dragon.  He had but one child - me.  He cunningly forced me to become devoted to another God, a Dragon, and the dedication rites included becoming as you see me now, a Dragonborn Dwarf.  You may not be aware, but Dragonborn are unable to sire children, so he believed his line would end with me.

I hated my father for what he did.  I was tricked into devoting myself to a second God, and tricked into a life of servitude.  Yet because of what he did, I have experienced great things.  I have faced Dragons, looked them in the eye.  I have slain monsters the likes of which I had never even heard of.  I have fought demons and won.  I have made friends such as a dwarf can only ever pray to Moradin would one day deign to speak with him.  I have had friends who were human, elf, half-elven, gnome and even my greatest friend now, the Dragon Jaxtasha."

"So I am to serve in your stead?"

"No child.  Arynquitubahr is no more.  She lies dead I am afraid.  My pledge is ended.  You serve no one.  You are not bound to serve by any oath my father or I have sworn.  I brought you here so that I might look my daughter in the eye, and ask your forgiveness.  For if Arynquitubahr still lived, you would indeed be bound by my father's pledge.  I tried to hide your existence, and that is the single reason why I was unable to ever visit and watch you grow."

"So. So. That's not fair either!  You tell me just enough to whet my appetite for your stories, and to know how exciting a life you have led, then you tell me I cannot follow in your footsteps!  You taunt me with becoming an Exarch, to serve a Dragon.  Then tell me I am too late, the Dragon died?

What kind of father are you that lets me believe I can have the excitement and reward of serving after you, then tells me you want forgiving for nearly letting me do those things?  I demand you let me serve a Dragon.  If you won't let me, I will damned well go and find someone who will."

Grolsch smiled at his feisty daughter.  Perhaps Jax would accept her as a new Exarch.

"I will ask my friend.  I know she needs Exarchs.  She is new to the game, and will need brave servants.  Perhaps you can prove yourself worthy to sign in your own right.  But before you decide, I beg that you understand that you would be pledged to serve the dragon and your offspring, should you have any, would be bound by your pledge, just as I was bound by my father's."

"I think I have seen enough in your eyes to tell me that you no longer hate your father.  That means you would happily sign again if I were not an issue."

At first the Dragnonborn dwarf did not answer, he simply stood silent for several seconds.  Then finally he relented, and nodded almost imperceptibly.

"I will not always be here for you child.  I have much to do, and it now seems to take much longer than it once did.  When we served Arynquitubahr there were many of us, Jaxtasha has few Exarchs, so those of us there are must work harder.  I am not pledged to Jaxtasha.  Once she knew of your existence she refused to allow me to sign because it would bind you also.  She has been a good friend to me over the years, and I to her; but remember child, she is a Xorvintaal Dragon.  You must treat her with the respect she deserves. You will get no favour from her because you are my daughter.

She may be my friend, but if you pledge, she will be your Xorvintaal Dragon. Do not ever forget that."

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