Paladine's Fortress: The Citadel of Solinari

AD&D (1e/2e) Rules

by Marc Dotson

Gripping for dear life, you steel yourself against the ravaging wind as you whip through the clouds. Your hands are tight around the golden feathers of the griffin beneath you, and the very sight of the beast takes your breath away, let alone its speed.

With a trilling roar - the mixed call of the griffin - you swoop into the clouds ahead, losing sight of the solid and safe ground below. With another call, you join in; the griffin's trilling roar and your shout of fear and delight soar through the air with the same courageousness and bravery as the risky flight itself. Rounding another bend, you come within sight of the place you seek, the floating citadel in the clouds...

Paladine's Fortress: the Citadel of Solinari.

The beauty of the glistening snow white spires of the magical citadel brings tears to your eyes - and yet you blame it on the rushing wind. Formed and maintained by the followers of the Gods of good, the Citadel of Solinari, also known as Paladine's Fortress, was created to help the people of Krynn - and so it shall.

On a warm gust of air, the griffin comes to a stop on the steps of the Citadel entrance. A man, wearing the white robes of Solinari, stands there to greet you as you jump off the kindly griffin who then turns and begins to fly off into the magnificent sunset.

"We were anticipating your arrival," the mage says kindly. "You may wander about the Citadel at your leisure. If you have any questions, just ask." With a smile, he walks off toward the Tower of Solinari, leaving you to decide your course.

The Tower of Solinari

The wind catches the folds of your travel-worn cloak, pulling it away from your protective grasp against the bitter cold. Many thoughts spread through your mind: why you came to the Citadel, and what you hope on finding here. These thoughts fall away, however, as the full view of the Tower of Solinari comes into site.

Made of white and gray marble, the Tower of Solinari is a perfect match to the Tower of High Sorcery at Palanthus before the curse, before the life's blood of an evil mage claimed the beautiful and ornate Tower for it's own and twisted it into the hideous visage of today. The Tower is tall and straight, crafted through the use of the Magic. Window slits gape here and there, the soft glow of candle light shining within, casting a warm radiance that invites you further.

The gates are of the purest silver. Upon touching their warm surface, they swing open, inviting you to the strong wooden doors of the Tower's entrance. You walk swiftly through the awesome courtyard, now empty, to the doors that lead into the Tower proper. Without even knocking, the door swings open, a kindly and wizened old face stares out to you from the soft darkness beyond. The old man in snow-white robes beckons for you to come in, and you do so without hesitation.

The room that you enter into is plain and neat. The walls are white and gray, and the floor is covered in gray rugs. Two huge doorways lead into the main part of the Tower, and from slightly glancing in, you can see the ceiling a hundred feet above the crowd of white-robed magi.

The old man finally addresses you, "I am Starintal, aide to the Master of the Tower. We were notified of your arrival, and we welcome you with open arms. If there is anything we can do for you on your quest, please, just ask." Turning, he leaves the opening chamber into an adjoining passage off to the left, one that is reflected at the right. A younger man approaches you from the Main Chamber of the Tower. "Welcome, traveler. I am Devair, apprentice here at the Tower of Solinari. I will be your guide today. If, at any time, you have a question, please ask."

The Brotherhood of Magic

Devair turns to the hall at the right, his hands disappearing into the folds of his deep white robe. He waits for you to catch up, and then continues on his slow and tedious walk down the hallway that twists slowly to the left, heading around the tower. Doorways to study and meditation rooms line the passageway, but the young man pays them no head. His eyes are concentrated at the white stone floor as he calmly considers what to tell you.

His shoulder-length black hair and pale complexion seem to fit the norm of a wizard, or as much as you've seen and heard of them. At the very hem and edges of his robe are sprawled silver runes, exquisitely rendered in an unknown tongue. This magi has apparently passed the Test, his robe showing that he was fit enough to enter the Order or High Sorcery.

He turns to you and says, softly at first, but with a strength borne of knowledge, "The origins of the Wizards of High Sorcery stretches to the Age of Dreams. The stars were not yet set in the sky, and the world was gifted by the presence of the three Gods of Magic. Solinari, Lunitari, and Nuitari. They all had great love for the new world forged by their parents, the magic, and the spirits called stars."

"The love for the spirits was held by all the pantheon, which eventually led to the All Saints' War. The three gods of magic chose not to engage themselves in the battles, but decided that they would instead orbit the planet as our three moons." After a side glance at your quizzical face, he smiles and says, "Yes, three moons."

"Their hearts were always turned to the stars and their fates during the war. During the Saints' battles, they each began to search Krynn for one mortal follower, one that would uphold their love for the Magic. Each of the three followers were given the keys to the Lost Citadel, a place of magic that exists beyond the circles of the universe. Here, the gods taught them the Foundations of Wizardry:"

• All wizards are brothers in their order. All orders are brothers in power.
• The places of High Sorcery are held in common among all the orders and no sorcery is to be used there in anger against fellow wizards.
• The world beyond the walls of the towers may bring brother against brother and order against order, but such is the way of the universe.

"Once the apprentices returned to Krynn, they founded the Orders of High Sorcery, through the divine direction of the Gods of Magic. Our deity, Solinari, son of Paladine and Mishakal, founded the White Robes. The Order of magi devoted to the White Magic, a quiet and constructive magic. It is well known that the quickest and easiest path to power is through the Black Robes, under Nuitari," the young magi grimaces at the word, "but the ultimate power can only be attained through the slow and steady path of the light. The Red Robes stay neutral, not willing to choose sides...or believing that some equilibrium can be attained through complete passiveness." Devair seems to have corrected himself. You see that it must be hard for him to accept Red Robes for what they are.

But, not letting his own emotions effect his discussion with you, he continues. "Before the Cataclysm, there were five towers of High Sorcery. One in Palanthus, Istar, Daltigoth, Wayreth, and the Ruins. After the Lost Battles, only three remained standing; and after the Cataclysm, only two were kept upon the world of Krynn. The Tower of Palanthus, which this Tower replicates, was inhospitable, cursed by a Black Robe."

"The only Tower left was Wayreth, and it became the 'headquarters' for all wizards on Krynn. It is here that the Orders of High Sorcery are still ruled, the Conclave of Wizards presiding there. The Conclave consists of twenty one wizards, seven archmages of each order. One archmage from each order serves as the order's Master, and one of the twenty one members serves as the Master of the Conclave, the highest ranking position of any wizard on Krynn."

Devair stops, apparently arriving at the desired destination. You had both been walking for quite some time, and you are surprised at the expansiveness of the Tower. He motions to room to the right, the door being a little larger than the rest, and one huge strange rune carved into the surface of the pine wood planks. "It is here I have been leading you," the young magi says, in a quiet anticipation that respects and marvels at the room and what lies beyond it.

The White Magic

The door opens easily, and you find yourself in a small library. There are shelves full of white, blue, and red leather bound books. Their are strange runes written on every one. "This is a small collection of the collected spells here at the Tower, a larger section is located towards the pinnacle and the Walk."

You walk in, eyeing the books curiously. Tall and narrow windows provide illumination on the entire seen. The mage takes a seat at one of the tables, and motions for you to do the same. You can see him preparing to continue his speech. After placing yourself in front of him, he continues. "Father Solinari founded the white magic, the good magic, a righteous order of magi. The light is a quiet and constructive magic, not the pompous and overzealous disastrous magic of our counterparts."

"As I have mentioned before, the greatest knowledge can be attained through the light. Remember that. The dark is alluring, pretending to present great power through destruction," he pauses, a line of worry etched on his brow. "Evil cannot create, it can only destroy. Destruction is simpler, easier, and faster than creation. They make themselves partake of the power by doing so...and not just the Black Robes...all Evil."

"Good shall prevail, but the trials we face can block the way. Use the trials as stepping stones not hindrances. I cannot let you look at these books, for fear you might lose your sanity, but I thought this room would set a calm setting for the message I have given to you. Wars may rage outside these walls, but here, we are always working to better ourselves, and others." He stands, smoothing his robe after he does so.

"I recommend that you visit the rest of the Citadel, if you have not done so already. There is a list of spells you may ponder over in the Library."

"May Paladine go with you..."

Temple of Paladine

Clouds, soft and pink with the setting sun, waft over and around the Citadel, sometimes obscuring the great view of the white marble structures. As the Citadel maneuvers through a particularly thick branch of clouds, you are enveloped completely in the mists. Many thoughts pass through your wandering mind, but always lingers the serenity and peacefulness that you have experienced thus far at the Citadel. It was nice to get away from the world and visit something spiritually uplifting, something that you could grasp to in a world that was constantly slipping.

The mists slowly disperse, the last pink tendrils catching onto your cloak, not wanting to let go, but are pushed softly away in the slight wind. You look up and see the Temple of Paladine in its full majesty. A little taller than the Tower of Solinari, the Temple is wider at the base and rises to a large room-sized point at the very tip. Out of the sides of the tower raise six smaller towers, their points just beneath the single tower in the very center. Each separate tower is just as elegant as the larger main tower. The tower is constructed of the same white marble found throughout the Citadel, and it is most likely the most elegantly built.

While the Tower of Solinari is created of magic, this building is obviously dwarven made with a distinct elven design. The very sight of the Temple brings a sudden peace to your troubled heart, and you once again feel uplifted, as if you could soar in the clouds off of your own accord. You slowly walk through the beautiful gardens encircling the amazing structure, admiring the assortment of flowers and other plants growing there. Many white-robed patrons are working their way through the gardens, in their own contemplation, or speaking with friends and acquaintances.

You smile briefly, and continue towards the main entrance to the Temple. There are no gates barring the way, the Temple is open to all. As you step inside the walls of the structure, your feeling of peace deepens. This truly is a holy place. A white-robed cleric notices you, and slowly moves over to speak with you. It is a human woman; she speaks with a distinctly heavy Solamnic accent. "Welcome, child. If you would just remove your shoes and cloak," she motions over to a side room to place your belongings. You do as told, your cloak being replaced by a white garment and your traveling boots being replaced by soft slippers.

"I am Natalia, Daughter of Paladine," the woman speaks slowly, with deep reverence for the building and what it stands for. She motions for you to walk with her, and you do as told, staying at the same slow and respected pace.

The Pantheon of Light

The woman speaks to you in a half-whisper, "I suspect that you have come to Paladine's Fortress seeking inspiration, enlightenment, and knowledge." As you nod in reply, she continues, "May Paladine bless you, child. You have made your first step to a change of heart. I suspect you wish to know about the Holy Orders and their purpose on Krynn?" Another nod and she continues.

"The creation of the world is a long and beautiful tale. Let it suffice that the twenty-one gods that make up the Pantheon were called from Beyond by the High God, or born to the gods shortly thereafter. Seven gods to each eternal family of Good, Neutrality, and Evil. The great Astinus of Palanthas has stated, "Every mortal act has an immortal audience," and this can be readily true in a world where the gods are always watching."

"The Pantheon of Light, as the eternal family of Good is often known, is from which the Divine Magic of Good is given," a soft sound, like a summer breeze, spirits down the halls - the sound of elven singing. Natalia, unhindered by the beautiful music, explains the Pantheon of Light in detail:

Paladine

The Dragon's Lord
40th/40th Level Male Cleric/Wizard

Paladine is the chief of the gods of Good and patron of the Knights of Solamnia, specifically those of the Order of the Rose. He influences order, hope, light, and guardianship. His colors are silver and white. Spheres of influence include law, wards, thought and war. Paladine's avatars are the muddled old wizard Fizban the Fabulous and a platinum dragon.

Mishakal

Healing Hand
25th Level Female Cleric

Mishakal is Paladine's consort and mother of Habbakuk, Kiri-Jolith and Solinari. Mishakal influences healing, knowledge, fertility, life, beauty and blessing. Her color is any shade of blue; in her avatar form, she enhances the natural blues of objects around her. Mishakal influences the spheres of numbers, thought; travelers and wards.

Majere

Master of Mind
35th Level Male Cleric

Majere is the patron of organization and industry. He influences meditation, control, thought, faith, mercy and inspiration. His colors are copper and red, while his spheres of influence are law, thought, time and wards.

Kiri-Jolith

Sword of Justice
29th/29th Level Male Fighter/Cleric

Kiri-Jolith is the patron of Solamnic Knights of the Sword. His constellation threatens the Queen of Darkness in the night sky. He influences war, battle, courage and heroism. Colors are brown and white. Kiri-Jolith's spheres are law, war and wards.

Habbakuk

Fisher King
27th Level Male Druid

Habbakuk is Kiri-Jolith's younger twin. He is the patron of the Knights of the Crown. Habbakuk's influences are animal life, the sea, creation and passion. His colors are navy blue and white. His spheres of influence are travelers, time and war.

Branchala

Song of Life
35th/35th Level Male Fighter/Bard

Branchala is the bard who imbued Krynn's creatures with the music in their souls. He influences elves, kender, music, forests and beauty. Branchala's colors are yellow and green. Spheres of influence include numbers, time and travelers.

Solinari

Mighty Hand
40th Level Male Wizard

Solinari is the patron of the White Robes and of good magic. His colors are white and silver. Solinari's spheres are thought, numbers and time. He rarely appears in avatar form since his moon is closer to Krynn than the other gods are.

The Divine Magic

The singing grows steadily stronger until you find yourself at a courtyard at the rear of the temple. A large group of elven patrons in white and blue garments stand in the middle of a beautiful array of flowers, singing their praises to the dim sky. Natalia smiles at your innocent wonder, and continues. "The Divine Magic, as we call it, is a great gift in which we take much care. We call it Divine for it comes from the power of the spirit, from faith in the gods, not the concoction of some potion as the Wizards trust." She takes a breath, slowly, the aroma of the garden sweet in the cool twilight air. "But, since the White Robes are patrons of Solinari, we respect them for their just causes, but we do not agree fully with their teachings."

"Harmony does not exist in the least bit between the Holy Orders of the Stars, the group that all true clerics are apart. Unlike our brethren, we tolerate nothing that isn't exact and persistent to that of Good. This may seem harsh at first, but the joy and harmony that springs from it are well worth the hardships and work."

"The Order of Good is led by the Chosen Prophet, a cleric of Paladine. His is assisted by six Prophets, each a cleric of the six other gods of Good. There can only be one Chosen Prophet on Krynn at any given time, the position being the highest and most holy of any on Krynn."

"Our spells work through our faith. Our Order strives to epitomize all which is Good and Righteous." Natalia looks at you long and hard as her eyes grip you with a strange glow. "You have the power within you to turn to the Gods to have your faith grow...you just have to search for it." Those words ring loud in your ears, and the visage of what could be burns bright on your mind.

"I must lead you back to the entrance now. I hope this has been uplifting for you." The open gateway to the temple looms near, and you slowly and surely replace the garments of the Temple with your traveling clothes. Natalia turns to you once more as you start to leave, "You may study more at the Library, if it is your desire."

The cool air and beautiful grandeur of the floating Citadel greets you once more. The soft voice of the Daughter of Paladine touches you again:

"May Paladine walk with you."

The Great Library

Twilight glints in a rosy hue off of the windows in the many structures erected on the surface of the Citadel, the sharp reflected rays seeming to only enhance the beauty and peacefulness of the view which few had seen; far above the world, constantly hidden in a seemingly magical veil of clouds. Taking in the vastness, you marvel at the Tower, the Temple, the Castle, and a large building that now seemed to be calling to you. It is huge, but not tall. Made of the same white and gray marble, the building is flat to the ground, stretching out across a large area.

On top of the building is a network of beautiful gardens and lawns. A few people sit here or there, reading and talking. This is obviously the Library, another jewel in the beautiful crown of the Citadel. You hurry down across the lawns to a small doorway. The white aspens set around the Library shake in the warm wind, seeming to keep a vigilant watch over the Library and what it contains.

Etched on the walls of the Library are scenes depicting the Great Ages of Krynn. You stop for a moment to look, but then continue in your haste into the warm and inviting recesses of the dim building. The wooden door creaks slightly as you open it and step into the softly-lit room. Orbs of light hang in a way so it illuminates but does not disturb the passerby or the person reading intently. Magical by origin, the orbs glow and float on their own accord.

The walls are covered still with the runes and etchings of the Ages. The floors in the large entryway are covered in fine rugs, and furniture is placed near the walls, where many people are sitting and reading from small books or larger tomes. One such person looks up from their book, and in a flash is up and talking to you.

"Hullo!" the little creature in red leggings and a dark-gray cloak squeaks. On instinct, you reach for your moneybag, but then realize that this is no regular Kender. The small thing smiles brightly, "I am Sphefairia of Kendermore. I'm an aide here at the Great Library." The Kender is obviously a female, and a strange one at that. You have never heard of a Kender who actually spent time in a Library - let alone being an aide!

"You can stop gawking, you know," Sphefairia says, almost impatiently. "I'm a Kender Scholar, but I've bet you've never heard of one. That's all right, neither have I!" Smiling, she turns, expecting you to follow, and heads through a door in the wall on the farthest side of the chamber. The door opens to the center of the Library. A flight of wooden stairs head down to the floor which contains scores of bookshelves and hundreds of books. Ranging from all sizes and all kinds of binders, the room is littered with tables and chairs where space can be found to read and ponder. Eleven other doors like the one you stand by now are spaced along the fringes of the oval-shaped chamber, all of them apparently heading out to side rooms like the one you just passed through.

The walls of this room are also covered in etchings and carvings, and the ceiling raises to a wide dome at the top. The woodwork is finely accompanied by a solid rust-colored rock that holds well and is pleasing to the eye. "Boy, you sure do like to stare a lot! We get a lot like you here," the Kender says again, constantly smiling.

"You can go anywhere you'd like, read anything you like. If you see any guys or gals in brown robes tending to the books, say hello! They're the aesthetics, and they are constantly working to keep the Library operating and expanding." With a nod, a smile, a flash of gray cloak, and a click of the door, the Kender is gone.

Tales

You make your way down the stairs and into the expansive library. The aroma of parchment and leather bindings is sweet. Passing a few visitors, giving a welcome nod to each, you make your way to a row where a brown robed aesthetic is carefully tending to a quite empty shelf. The man turns to you, and nods cordially, turning back to his work of stacking some new black leather-bound books onto the shelf. The man has snowy white hair, complimented by an equally white moustache, and a weathered old face that seems to glow with kindness. In the midst of his work, he says, "This shelf is full of the work of those right here at the Citadel. It's great stuff, only the best, but we're always looking for more to add to it." He speaks in a half-whisper, his voice reminding you surprisingly of your own grandfather's.

Smiling, he looks at you out of the corner of his eyes. "So why don't you take a seat, get comfortable, and read some of these? I don't keep them presentable for nothing, you know." You smile back and turn to look at the rather small collection of works. There are just a few books there, each bound with dark leather with white or silver writing. Running your hand over the smooth leather, the books seem to come alive, calling you to read their words of misty enchantment...

The Knight's Charge - Trianus is a young Knight of Solamnia, ready to battle all the evil in the world. He travels with a caravan of knights and pages as they make their way to North Keep in the dark days of the War of the Lance.

A Magi's Shadow - Jenin Creed, a young and ambitious red robe magi living in Palanthus weeks before the Second Cataclysm, is about to be taught a great lesson about the dark recesses of the soul, his past, and his foreseeable future.

Poems

Upon drawing a close to one of the stories, your eyes turn heavenward; in curiosity, and maybe a little reverence. The beautifully derived carvings spread across the slightly-domed ceiling are a site to see. The masterpiece that hangs over you shows a great globe - a world - hanging in the midst of multitude of glittering stars. Near the world stand a group of beings overlooking it. There are seven of them, and each separate face is full of compassion and love for the world.

You smile and move your eyes away from the site. Placing the book you were reading back on the shelf, you start to make your way further into the forest of shelves and parchment. After taking a few steps, you hear a low voice slowly saying lines of poetry. Coming around the corner of a book shelf, you see a dwarven man with a large tome in his hands. Small spectacles are perched on his bulbous nose, and his weathered hands are carefully going over the page in an effort to keep place.

The brown-robed dwarf starts as he finds you looking at him. "Excuse me," he says in a very heavy Thorbardin accent, "I didn't realize you were standing there." You smile, and introduce yourself. "I am Splint of the Urkhan Sea," he follows. "So we have another visitor. Good, good. I guess you haven't had the chance to read up on some of our poetry. Great stuff, great stuff." He hands you a tome from the bookshelf and brandishes a grin. "Please, have a seat. Nothing from Quivalen Soth, but it raises the emotions just as well."

Spells

Thoughts of peace come easily in this quiet and reverent place. The spirit of the room is one of pondering, exploration, knowledge, and pure intent. Nowhere else in all of Krynn have you found a place so devoted to Good, to improving the world, and striving towards peace as the Citadel - and the Library is a large portion of that legacy. Taking a deep breath of the aromatic library air, you once again come to your feet and start walking through the rows of shelves.

The room seems to dim to a mystic gray as you fall within the proximity of a certain area of the Library. There are few lights here, for some reason, and it seems particularly empty. Startled, you start through the shelves to a meadow-like clearing in the forest of shelves. A large wooden table is placed in the very center, adding another strange sensation arching up your back. This was the middle of the library, usually the tables and chairs were farther out, skirting the edges to provide a better setting and illumination, but here was the table in the unnatural dimness. A figure suddenly appears from a row of shelves across from you. You don't start, but he does. The human looks young, in his twenties, and as he gathers up his dropped scrolls, he mutters in the voice of a scholar or an aesthetic, "Excuse me, I was surprised to see you standing there. Usually I feel the person approaching."

You look at him with eyes full of wonder. What was he talking about? Seeing your look, he quickly covered up. "Oh, I'm sorry, perhaps I should explain. This is where I study the volumes of magic spells contained in the library. It's almost like my private corner of the Citadel, but apparently not so." Seeing that you understand as you turn to leave, he cries out, "No!" in a voice that seems too sharp and loud in the library. The voice doesn't echo, as you thought it would. "Please," he covers up again, "Sometimes my private corner is too private. Would you like to stay and look over a few scrolls and tomes with me?"

Library Submissions

You come upon a small counter at the back of the Library - across from where you first entered. Behind the counter stand a few aesthetics who are quickly sorting and adding their collection of tomes on the counter to the ones already in the Library. Asking a question as to what they are doing, they eagerly answer, "This is where anyone may submit there own works to be added to the Library. Do you have anything?"

Editor's Notes:

Paladine's Fortress was originally posted on the web by Marc Dotson, and is reprinted here with his permission. Paladine's Fortress serves as a locale for gamers to add into their games, with flavor text added to enhance the experience.

This item has been published here with permission from the author(s) and may not be reproduced without permission. This is a fan submission and its contents are completely unofficial. Some characters, places, likenesses and other names may be copyright Wizards of the Coast.