The History of Darnoth & Sonnlinor Hera Braidstone
By Sonnlinor Hera Braidstone
Long has the dwarven hold of Mildenhaul, in the Spine of the World mountains, been known for their dragons. Gold dragons to be precise. However the dwarven and gnomish citizens are also known to have dealings with silver dragons as well. This is their story.
Many years ago, Mildenhaul sent emissaries to the Ten Towns to aid in troubles that befell the area at the time. A young Sonnlinor Hera Braidstone, newly ordained in the temple of Moradin, was sent by her father, Sonnlinor Honorus Braidstone, so that she may learn the meaning of serving others. At the time, the Ten Towns had a strong dwarven and gnomish representation, though humans outnumbered all other races.
Six months into the young Sonnlinor’s service, Icewind Dale was besieged by a particularly harsh winter, cutting off trade & travel for a time. Against the odds, a messenger raven managed to make it to Mildenhaul from Thornhold, far to the south. A battle between a mated pair of silver dragons and an infamous elder red wyrm, self titled ‘Korthal the Glorious’, ended in the death of both silvers and the rescue of their clutch of eggs. Valkurian monks, from the harbor citadel, Sailor’s Rook, managed to secure the clutch of five eggs and delivered them to protection in Thornhold.
As the Stoneshaft dwarves that ruled Thornhold were long term allies of Mildenhaul, and well knew the history of the ruling Gold Council, Thane Gertrude Stoneshaft reached out to their northern allies for support. Who better to assist with defense from a great red wyrm, or the safe upbringing of baby dragons, than other dragons? It just so happened that a young Deedle Braidstone was already in Thornhold at the time, delivering important intelligence on some goblin activity that might affect both holds in the future.
Mildenhaul sent out two envoys south to Thornhold, one by dog sled, and one by dragon wing. Gate Seargent Harran Braidstone, one of Hera’s and Deedle’s older brothers, was with the sled team when it was besieged by frost giants. Only Harran and the sled team driver survived; managing to regroup in Waterdeep.
The Patron Gold Dragon, who ruled with his mate and offspring, arrived first with two dwarven riders, and found Sailor’s Rook, a Valkurian monastery offshore of Thornhold, smoldering from the recent dragon attack. The Patron immediately set up a vigil to guard against Korthal while the dwarves worked to secure safe transport of the silvers’ clutch.
The Matron Gold Dragon and her riders set up guard on a cliff face just outside of Thornhold’s gates, to keep watch upon the skies. Sister Gold and her brother, Alastor, patrolled the skies between Sailor’s Rook and Thornhold. This was the first time anyone had seen the entire Gold Council far outside the gates of Mildenhaul , which of course, put the dwarf hold at great risk; one that Korthal did not fail to take advantage of.
Eventually, the Mildenhaul dwarves, Gold Dragons and Pathfinder Deedle were able to get the entire clutch of eggs out of Thornhold, meeting up with Harran and Hera inWaterdeep. Unbeknownst to the rescue party, Mildenhaul was attacked from below by a group of goblins and bugbears, by order of Korthal; taking advantage of the confusion of the situation.
Darnoth, an adult silver dragon within the Talons of Justice and long time friend to the Gold Council and Mildenhaul, learned of the battle between his brethren silvers and Korthal, and came to Mildenhaul to assist. Along with the besieged dwarves, Darnoth aided in the defense of Mildenhaul, staying until all of Korthal’s forces were slain, then took flight to find the rescue party north of Waterdeep, aiding in their escort back to the citadel. Sadly, three of the five dragon eggs were destroyed in the fervent struggle to safety with only two eggs surviving to hatch.
Darnoth’s association with Mildenhaul began shortly after hatching in Myth Drannor, many years before. During the fall of this legendary realm, Brand Braidstone, a Xothor, rescued a group of newly hatched silver and bronze dragons, fleeing with them through the elven gate, the valley of Khedron, and on toward Mithril Hall. All seven hatchling dragons entered into the Talons of Justice and as they aged, dispersed across the realms to do the work of Bahamut.
Darnoth was the only dragon of this group of rescues that kept in regular contact with his savior, Brand, and the Braidstone clan, carrying over to the newer dwarven hold founded in the lair of the Great Gold, Valencar; Mildenhaul.
During the rescue of the silver dragon eggs, Darnoth and young Sonnlinor Hera developed a lasting bond, finding the duty of protecting the innocent too heavy to carry alone. After arriving in the Golden Halls of Brogendenstein and developing the Mordinsamman temple, Hera often wrote to Darnoth, keeping him abrest of events across the seas. Darnoth, in turn, would write back, relaying events in the Spine of the World.
When Hera was made Regent of the Golden Halls, her eldest brother Duran Braidstone, a Hurndor in Mildenhaul, and Darnoth, came to assist her in her duties in the Golden Halls as well as to Arelith proper. While Duran worked to secure financial success for the Golden Halls and provided much needed advice to his young sister, Darnoth offered security that only a dragon could.
Hera and Darnoth traveled all over the archipelago, aiding vassaled Guldorland against the Banite Cult, dealing with drow and other underdark races, aiding Wharftown at the time against piracy and Banite infiltration, and other causes across the islands. After many years and many trials, Hera left Brogendenstein in the capable hands of Rugnan Ironbelly, and left with her two young sons, to join her husband, Gorann, who was waiting for her at Mildenhaul. There she remains to this day, serving in the temple of the Mordinsamman.
Darnoth, on the other hand, remained at Brogendestein, honoring a request from Hera herself, as a guardian for the Halls she grew to love.