Severus Stonehand is a Daewar Dwarf from Thorbardin. Severus was not the Daewar Thane in Thorbardin, only a very influential noble or religious figure. After the Second Cataclysm, he claimed the role of Prophet of the missing god Reorx. When Thorbardin sealed itself against the Dragon Overlord Beryllinthranox, Severus left with a column of followers and refugees on a quest to reclaim Thoradin from the Zhakar dwarves. The crusade was successful. Severus appointed himself High Thane of Thoradin and continues to rule Thoradin.
Description[]
Severus is a strong and charismatic dwarf. He was an aristocrat[1] who had open disagreements with the High Thane[2]. He is known to have excellent hearing[1]. He wears a bone helm, known to the Daewar as a symbol of determination. At the time of the crusade on the Nation of Zhakar, he wielded a powerful axe named Avenger[3] and he had an unusual preference for shuriken as a ranged weapon. He commonly wears plate mail in combat. During the crusade against Zhakar, he was in possession of the Gauntlet of Ventyr. Severus figured out the powers of the Gauntlet and drained most of it’s Fourth Age power reserves before the Gauntlet disappeared[4].
He was a zealot priest of Reorx and considers himself a prophet. His faith was tested by what he considered a high level of corruption in the church of Reorx in Thorbardin. He was ostracized for his public pronouncements on it and grew a deep suspicion of organized religion in general[5]. Before the Chaos War, he prophesied a coming storm of chaos, and during the time of no gods he prophesied the return of Reorx. He was known to be egomaniacal and intolerant of any challenges to his beliefs or teachings. Some sources claim that he allowed no one to live who made such challenges[1]. It is unclear if he was a true cleric of Reorx before the Chaos War but he mastered the Mysticism of healing, divination, and channeling afterward[1]. There is no record of him attending the Citadel of Light. He has always claimed that his powers came from Reorx, even when the god was missing from the world, and it is disputed if he sincerely believed that or if it was a cynical ploy used after Reorx left the world. Some dwarves believed it was a betrayal to use this new magic after the departure of Reorx. In the Daewar clan, the use of this magic brought civil unrest as the dwarves hotly debated the use of the new forms of magic[6]. However, during Reorx’s absence, Severus maintained that his divinations still came from Reorx[7].
History[]
There are no complete sources regarding Severus’s rise to power and crusade on Zhakar. The most complete is the tome Races of Ansalon which covers the modern dwarven nations extensively. All other sources mention Severus in passing.
The Chaos War[]
| It was started by that damned maniac Severus Stonehand. He’s been preaching about doom and disaster; says there’s storms of Chaos on the horizon. Now he’s got half Daebardin believing him, ready to move right out of here. The other half is just about ready to throw them out. | ||
—Daewar Thane Gneiss Truesilver, The Last Thane (Novel), Chapter 6 | ||
Before the Chaos War, Severus already had a strong following in the Thorbardin city of Daebardin and had prophesied a Storm of Chaos coming. This had deeply divided the Daewar clan [8]. After the Chaos War his following grew, with the largest portion being the Lokhar (Unclanned or “Unclaimed”) dwarves of the Thorbardin city of Lobardin. The sermons frequently called dwarves to reunite the lost clans of dwarves[7], reclaim the ancient realm of Thoradin[9], and defeat the great evil within it[7]. At some point before his exile, Severus had claimed the title Prophet of Reorx[7].
Beryl attacks Thorbardin[]
In 412 AC (29 SC), Beryl sends green dragons to attack Thorbardin. Severus and the High Thane Tarn Bellowgranite disagree on how to respond. Severus recommended using a leftover Creature of Chaos to fight the dragons[2] while the High Thane believed Thorbardin should be sealed. The order of events is unclear, but Thorbardin was sealed and Severus’s group uses the egg of a Fire Dragon to cause an explosion that kills two green dragons at the cost of vast devastation in Thorbardin. Severus was exiled for the act[10].
Many dissenters chose to leave Thorbadin with Severus[11]. The Golden Hammers of Thorbardin, elite soldiers of the Daewar clan, had a schism and half left to join Severus[12]. Most of the Daewar clan[13] (or perhaps just half[12]) joined Severus. They were joined by the refugees of the Chaos War[14]. This led to a power shuffle among the clans of Thorbardin. The Daewar were the second most powerful clan and ancient allies of the Hylar but after the exodus the Daewar became the weakest clan in Thorbardin[15]. Over the following decades, the Theiwar and Daergar clans filled the power vacuum[13].
Most likely, small numbers of other clans in and outside of Thorbardin joined the Crusade. Severus later set up a Council of Thanes in Thoradin, modeled after the Council of Thorbardin, that seems to include more than just the Daewar and Zhakar clans. Severus was also known to send out followers, such as Rohar Hammerflint to hire adventurers of any type to assist them[16].
Mysticism garnered a bad reputation in Thorbardin because of it’s association with Severus[17]. He was accused of using his powers to persuade so many of the Daewar to follow him[6] but other sources say that he had no such magical ability[1]. This does not exclude the possibility that he had followers who used such power, or that Severus could have used an artifact or relic to augment his natural persuasive abilities.
At that time, Severus came into possession of the Gauntlet of Ventyr. It is unlikely that he received official permission from the High Thane to remove it from his treasury[18] and it’s possible that his followers removed it before handing it over to him[4]. The Gauntlet was dormant due to the absence of the gods of magic but one of Severus’s followers, an unnamed dwarven scholar[4], was able to awaken it[19]. Severus came to understand it’s powers during the Crusade.
Crusade Against Zhakar[]
Severus had preached about reclaiming the ancient realm of Thoradin since at least the Chaos War[9]. He lead a great column of dwarves from the Kharolis mountains to the Khalkist mountains for that purpose[10].
In 413 AC (30 SC), a year and a half after Severus was exiled, they arrived at the Nation of Zhakar[10]. They found Zhakar sealed up just as Thorbardin was[20]. It’s unknown how (perhaps with the aid of adventurers[16]) but Severus opened a dialogue with the High Thane of Zhakar and the Council of Prelates[20]. Some of the Zhakar dwarves said that there is a great evil beneath Zhakar that will be freed if they join Severus[16].
Severus offered to use his mysticism[11],[10] to cure them of the mold plague that cursed the Zhakar dwarves in exchange for their allegiance[14]. This split the dwarves and led quickly to a civil war in Zhakar[7]. Most sources say that Severus cured the plague, but he only cured the Zhakar that allied with him[21]. Severus’s followers and the Zhakar faction that joined them quickly and easily defeated the forces of the High Thane and the Council of Prelates[10],[22],[20]. Even among the Zhakar allies, may resented his teachings and demand for subservience[7].
By the end of 413 AC, Severus had claimed the title of High Thane[7]. All Zhakar dwarves who do not bow to him are exiled from the mountain[11],[23]. He renames the land Thoradin[11],[10] and claims dominion over it. He sets up a Thorbardin style political system with a High Thane advised by a council of Thanes, which can over-rule the High Thane’s dictates with a unanimous vote[20].
During this time, either during the battle or soon afterward, Severus nearly drained all the power from the Gauntlet of Ventyr. Before it was fully drained, the artifact disappeared. A human woman named Trenna was last seen near the Gauntlet. Severus sent dwarves across the land to hunt her down[19],[4].
Thoradin Reborn[]
| It was the expedition of the Mad Prophet, Severus Stonehand, who brought dwarf culture back to the First Home. Though the Daewar exiles face many challenges, including fiery mountains and hostile neighbors, they strive to forge a new nation upon the ruins of the old. | ||
—Gretchan Pax, Priestess of Reorx, Heir of Kayolin (Novel), appendix | ||
Soon after consolidating power, Thoradin explored the region and searched for allies against the nearby Ogres, Knights of Neraka, and exiled Zhakar dwarves. An entire valley of crystals created by Chaos is found. Their forces drive out the ogres who control the valley[7]. A secret passage from Thoradin to the Valley is found and used to maintain control of the region[16]. They begin trading the crystals as the ogres had done.
Adventurers are hired to explore some of the abandoned, ogre controlled, or exiled Zhakar controlled, regions of Thoradin[16].
Mysticism remains a strong force in Thoradin and very few continue to follow the religion of Reorx[24].
Many of the exiled Zhakar consolidate under the leadership of Lord Brule Vaportwist. He is assisted by Coal Flamebringer, known as Bringer of the Black Flame. The Flamebringer and his followers worship a great fiery worm-like creature that dwells in the depths of Thoradin. In 417 AC, they uncover a secret entrance to Thoradin and Vaportwist’s forces descend into the depths to find the Black Flame[7].
By 419 AC, the forges of Thoradin were again in full operation and the interior of the mountain was being restored. Severus attempted negotiations with the Knights of Solamnia in Sanction but was refused. They next started negotiations with the Knights of Takhisis[7].
Around that time, the first sighting of the Black Flame happens in the deepest halls of Thoradin. The tale is un-recorded but Severus discovers that his mysticism is powerless against it[22].
In 420 AC, General Abrena was assassinated and Sir Morham Targonne took control of the Knights of Takhisis in the region. A trade deal was quickly established where Thoradin provided arms and armor to the Knights[7]. The Knights hope to learn the secret of the dwarves "Fireweapon". All knights are under order to steal it if they get a chance and would gladly break the treaty for it. It’s possible they worked with the exiled Zhakar to that end[25]. It’s unclear if the Fireweapon is a secret technology, the egg of Chaos used in Thorbardin, a misunderstanding of the Black Flame, or some other thing.
Severus’s powers of Mysticism begin to fade and he hides it from his followers[7]. His powers waned leading up to the Great Storm where they failed entirely. After collapsing mid-sermon, he was bedridden for days. He declared that Reorx gave him a vision of a coming evil and Thoradin prepared for an invasion from the surface. However, the Zhakarian Black Flame followers invaded from below. Attacks continued through the War of Souls but stopped suddenly and mysteriously when the gods returned[7].
Age of Mortals[]
| Many of our people will recall the Mad Prophet, Severus Stonehand: he, too, betrayed his own and because of him the Daewar clan has fallen from high favor in Thorbardin... Now Reorx has revealed to me the true scope of the Mad Prophet’s insanity, for the many Daewar who left Thorbardin with their leader were borne to a sea of fire, with three great mountains spuming smoke into a black sky and liquid rock pouring through the very fabric of the world. They found madness in the shell of Zhakar, and there, Reorx has shown me, they all perished. Their faithlessness in Reorx, their foolishness in adhering to false prophecy, was their undoing, and let it stand as a common lesson to all the rest of us, my people. | ||
—The Secret of Pax Tharkas (Novel), prologue, “Being a Proclamation of the Word of Reorx, Through the Vessel of His Most Faithful One: The King of Thorbardin, High Thane Jungor Stonesinger” | ||
After the War of Souls, an Earthshaker Horax, nearly sixty feet long, surfaced near Thoradin and terrorized Severus's dwarves for over a week[26].
The Legion of Steel developed a small group in Thoradin. They keep tabs on Severus and treaty between Thoradin and the Knights of Takhisis. They were making preparations to limit the influence of the Dark Knights[27].
In 423 AC, Jungor Stonesinger led the revolt in Thorbardin and became High Thane there. He proclaimed that Reorx gave him a vision that Severus and all of his followers found madness in Thoradin and perished[28]. At roughly the same time, Gretchen Pax (who was a child in the Crusade against Zhakar) left Thoradin to see other dwarven lands of Throbardin and Kayolin, inadvertently letting western Ansalon know of the success of Thoradin[29].
Also at that time, clerics of Reorx began to emerge in Thoradin. The clerics insinuated that Severus’s vision and Reorx’s vision were not the same, leading to the first internal conflicts in Thoradin[7].
In 424 AC, Thoradin allied with Khur against the ogres that were encroaching on Thoradin’s southern mines[7]. Around the same time, Severus dispatches Durn Ironspark with a squad of dwarves to investigate unusual actions by the ogres[30].
In 426 AC, the Black Flame was seen again in the deepest levels of Thoradin. Severus’s Mysticism remains useless against it and the failure increases the tension within Thoradin[7]. Around the same time, the Ogre Titans invade northward. They reach Neraka and conquer all of the surface lands of Thoradin. Severus and his people are effectively trapped between the ogres and the Black Flame.
Conflicting Accounts[]
The Odyssey of Gilthanas seems to conflates two eras of Severus's story when talking about the Valley of the Crystals. When Rohar Hammerflint hires adventurers it sounds like the Nation of Zhakar has not yet been conquered by Severus. This could mean that the initial infiltration of the Nation was aided by adventurers. It could also be interpreted as the High Thane Severus asking adventurers to infiltrate the City of Zhakar within Thoradin.
The initial encounter between Severus and the The Great Worm of Black Flame is described at two points. In Fifth age, book 2 "Dusk or Dawn" it occurs before the War of Souls. In Races of Ansalon, it occurs after the War of Souls. It could be a mistake in date for the newer source, since the story exists in a pre-War of Souls text. It may be that it was two separate events. It should also be acknowledged that the Worm and the Flame are not necessarily the same being despite the many similarities.
Terminology[]
Zhakar can refer to one or more dwarves of the Zhakar Clan, the clan as a whole, The City of Zhakar within Thoradin, or the Nation of Zhakar organized by those dwarves in the Age of Despair. The dwarves of Ansalon use the term all three ways, sometimes using multiple meanings at the same time.
High Thane and King are used interchangeably in Thorbardin and Thoradin. The various documents choose different terms to use when meaning the same thing. There is a technical difference and Thorbardin's official documents will refer to such a person using both titles sequentially.
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Fate Deck Character Card
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Fifth age, book 2 "Dusk or Dawn", p 95
- ↑ Fifth age, book 1 "Book of the Fifth Age", p 88
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 The Last Tower - Legacy of Raistlin, book two "Adventures in Magic", p 11
- ↑ A Saga Companion p 23
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Races of Ansalon p36
- ↑ 7.00 7.01 7.02 7.03 7.04 7.05 7.06 7.07 7.08 7.09 7.10 7.11 7.12 7.13 7.14 7.15 Races of Ansalon p34
- ↑ The Last Thane, chpt 6
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Rebels and Tyrants, "Shard's Memory"
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 More leaves from the inn of the last home p250-251
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 Fifth age, book 2 "Dusk or Dawn", p 29
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Races of Ansalon p49
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 dark thane, chpt 9
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Races of Ansalon p35
- ↑ dark thane, chpt 13
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.4 Odyssey of Gilthanas, appendix: The Valley of Crystal
- ↑ Races of Ansalon p38
- ↑ The Last Tower - Legacy of Raistlin, book two "Adventures in Magic", p 93
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 Towers of High Sorcery p 61
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 Bertrem's Guide to the Age of Mortals, chpt 12 "Everyday politics of Ansalon"
- ↑ Races of Ansalon p 33
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 Fifth age, book 2 "Dusk or Dawn", p 72
- ↑ Races of Ansalon p34-35
- ↑ Holy Orders of the Stars p 24
- ↑ heroes of steel, book one "Night and Day", pg 43
- ↑ Bestiary revised p 64
- ↑ Knightly Orders of Ansalon p 123
- ↑ The Secret of Pax Tharkas, prologue, “Being a Proclamation of the Word of Reorx, Through the Vessel of His Most Faithful One: The King of Thorbardin, High Thane Jungor Stonespringer”
- ↑ Heir of Kayolin, prologue, chpt 25, appendix
- ↑ Battle Lines II – Rise of the Titans, 63-64