Sorlandira Amneshai

Andaro and Solandira Amneshai

Knight of Nine Stars

Background

Born into the proud House of Amneshai, Solandira's life has always included the finest of things. Amneshai means "Diamond Sun" in Elven, and her house has always striven to live up to that ideal of its name. The House is wealthy and proud, though they are not noble. Every generation of the House has produced wizards, however, and the arcane arts are written into the very foundation-stones of the Amneshai estates just outside of Rhys.

Solandira was the youngest child of Anaresthia and Eruandar Amneshai. Though they were twenty years different in age, she and her older brother Andaro were inseparable, even as children. Solandira has always idolized Andaro; if Andaro was doing a thing, then Solandira insisted that she be allowed to do so as well. Fortunately, Andaro adored her as much as she adored him, and the siblings frequently took trips into the forests of Sedas, where he taught her the use of bow and blade.

When Andaro was accepted as an apprentice-squire in the Order of Nine Stars, it was only a matter of time before Solandira began pursuing the education in the arcane arts that would allow her to petition to join the Order as well. The Amneshai family has always served the Crown of Stars (as the elven royalty is called), and their many contacts in the upper echelons of Sedasai society ensured that she had the opportunity to make that petition.

As a child, Solandira could not know the political strife bubbling beneath the surface. Upon joining the Order in Rhys, however, she couldn't help but discover it. The early years of her training showed her that while all the mage-knights of the Order take their vows very seriously, they don't all interpret them the same way. What really demonstrated to Solandira that something was wrong, however, was her brother. No longer was he the loving, ever-present friend she'd known. He was now secretive, sharp and always worried. He claimed that it was simply the pressures of service in the Order, and that was clearly true. He was quite the adept, and in service to the Poison Price. He'd traded the once-traditional white robes of the Order for the black garb preferred by all the Prince's mage-knights, however.

When she discovered that the Ebon Knights of Cir were complicit in the capture and questioning of other elves, seeking information on the whereabouts of the Princess Yaris, Solandira knew that she could not stay. So, she freed the prisoners and herself fled in the chaos that resulted, taking with her all her worldly possessions, but leaving behind that which she loved best: her brother Andaro.

Since taking up with the Princess and the part of the Order that followed her into exile, Solandira has been sent on a mission to earn her spurs. She has come south, through the Gates of Nir, to recover a man. She must not only identify her quarry, but also those who might try and steal him away first, and prevent exactly that from happening. So, she has come to Ree, claiming to be interested in studying with some of the wizards of Ree and their inherited lore from ancient Al-Lorin. All the while, she watches, and waits.

Connections with Other Characters

• Barron: Though she does not know it, Solandira has connections with the dwarf cleric Barron. Her brother, Andaro, was with the Nir Gate Caravan that brought Barron to Ree. During the trip, the caravan was attacked by bold lizardmen in the swamps of Kuth, and many of the people carried off - among them Barron. When Andaro - ever the heroic mage-knight - led the recovery foray despite the desires of the caravan to push on, Barron was indebted to Andaro for the rescue. In line with the traditions of the Order of Nine Stars, Andaro gave the dwarf a simple length of leather cording to wear about his wrist, knotted in such a way that another Knight of Nine Stars would recognize the debt and be able to call upon it if they needed the aid. Barron also knows that Andaro journeyed to the ruins of Al-Loran, far to the south, in order to research the necromantic powers there.
• Bran the Blade: Solandira met the strange warrior Bran on the Nir Gates Caravan trip to Ree. In short order, she discovered that he was not in fact human, but an elf rather successfully passing for one. At first, Solandira was appalled at the very idea of disguising one's heritage in such a fashion, but she came to like the older elf. In many ways he is her touchstone with human culture, and she keeps his secret out of respect for his desires, even if she still finds the entire idea bewildering. Though she is far too proud to admit it, she has come to rely on him - the only elf she knows in a world full of humans.
• Gerrin: The small creature attempting to bargain for passage with the Nir Gates Caravan master was the first time Solandira ever saw a halfling. Though she'd read about them in her extensive studies, she'd never actually seen one before. Though the caravanmaster clearly assumed he was up to no good, Solandira interposed on their conversation, insisting that if the man didn't have room for the halfling this trip, that he should plan to have room for him on his next one through, when Solandira herself would be traveling back with them. The man agreed. The halfling is brusque, grating and more than a little greedy, but Solandira has taken a liking to him nonetheless.

The Order of Nine Stars

Though human civilizations have evolved chivalric orders of warriors, in accordance with their brutish philosophies, it is wizardry that has seen the need for such brotherhoods among the elven peoples. Though the original word, aldori, translates to “the glorious” in Common, elves prefer to translate the term to “knight,” that those they meet may understand the proper context for the role of the aldori in elven society. There are a number of aldori orders in existence, but the largest and most influential of them is the Silmeradna, or the “Nine Stars.”

In the philosophy of the Silmeradna, each star represents both a virtue to which the aldori of the Nine Stars should hew, as well as a specialization of magic. These stars are named using poetic expressions, and the Silmeradna aldori speak of them as though they were numinous beings of some sort, like demigods or spirits.

• Ageia, the Star of Shields. Associated with the school of Abjuration, Ageia demands a willingness to defend the weak from the aldori. It is the duty of each of the glorious to use their power to defend those who cannot defend themselves, particularly against sorcerous threats against which strength of arms is insufficient.
• Atfae, the Star of Summons. Associated with the school of Conjuration, Atfae highlights the virtue of obedience to those whom the aldori owes fealty and service. Like the most powerful of demons, elementals and other entities, the aldori owe service in proportion to their power: the more potent they are, the more service they owe.
• Ocura, the Star of Wisdom. Associated with the school of Divination, Ocura teaches that the aldori owe it to their people to practice their arts with wisdom. Impulsiveness and knee-jerk decisions are eschewed in favor of well-researched, thoroughly-considered decisions.
• Owadi, the Star of Whispers. Associated with the school of Enchantment, Owadi requires forbearance, peacefulness and communication first. Aldori of the Nine Stars consider communication a great virtue, and the first recourse in all cases of conflict.
• Penali, the Star of Power. Associated with the school of Evocation, Penali is sometimes said to be the “little sister” of Owadi, for once communication has failed, the aldori must deal with problems without hesitation. Violence - magical or otherwise - is a tool to be used decisively and quickly, with full, precise control.
• Pishau, the Star of Phantoms. Associated with the school of Illusion, Pishau speaks to the elven desire to engage in what is called alavani, or “to pass lightly.” The aldori strive to leave little mark of their passage through their environment, preferring subtlety and secrecy to flashy bombast.
• Ilishai, the Star of Endurance. Associated with the school of Necromancy, Ilishai demands of the aldori a sense of permanence and temperance. They must be unswaying in their devotion, honor and integrity, eternal as the dead are eternal.
• Irannae, the Star of Exchange. Associated with the school of Transmutation, Irannae is the adaptive quality of the Nine Star aldori, who must be cunning enough to adapt their plans and approaches no matter the situation. The aldori ideal is to be unwavering in goal, but unpredictable in implementation.
• Urmagae, the Star of Sorcery. Associated with no school of magic, save the practice of wizardy itself, Urmagae speaks to the practice of magic as a virtue in and of itself. Magic is not merely a means to an end, but an ends in and of itself, worth preserving, practicing and expanding for its own benefit.