Solomon Garundy

Standing at the shore of the swamp water, the dark cloaked character bends down with his palm hovering the greenish liquid.  The night is quiet, save the buzzing of insects and croaking of frogs.  The cloaked figure removes several items from a pouch and begins scraping the wet dirt with a dagger.  With the runes on the ground, the figure rises with guttural chants and purposeful arm movements.  The water begins to bubble and turn a glowing yellowish-green as a humanoid figure emerges from the waters, its skin a sickly grey.  Hovering in the air, water dripping from the corpse, its eyes flutter open and it lets out an agonizing yell.

- - -

120 years earlier…

Solomon was tall for a dwarf, a hulking 5’3”.  He had broad shoulders and an even broader smile.  In the community where he lived he was a local legend.  Despite his enormous size and strength, he was more known for his kindness.  Most of the time Solomon would travel from his home in the mountains to nearby areas to deliver goods and protect the merchants in his group.  Thieves trying to rob the caravan were met with Solomon’s meaty fist, or his sharp glaive if things really got out of control.  He, however, much preferred to resolve things more amicably.  Back at home, he tried to keep the peace by volunteering to keep watch at night for any wrongdoings.

One night, while on patrol, Solomon heard commotion in a nearby shop and went to investigate.  As he stepped into the building, his head was met with some large, solid object.  Dazed, but still conscious, he was able to barely see several men in a room.  One raised a staff and blasted him with something that made him unable to move or speak.  He could feel rope being applied to his hands and feet but was unable to see anything due to the bag over his head.  Time was incalculable due to the darkness and, for the first time in his adult life, Solomon felt fear.  After what felt like an eternity, he was removed from whatever carriage carried him through the bumpiest roads and dragged across the ground.  The stench in the air let Solomon know he was in a swampy area.  With all his might, he pulled at the ropes, but he could not break free.  As a reaction to his trying to escape, he was met with solid objects pounding his flesh.  Finally, a deep voice said, “Thagrad Redbeard sends his regards.”

Solomon again felt his body moving and instantly was shocked by the freezing cold waters of the swamp.  Again struggling against the restraints, his body began to sink to the bottom with hands pressing down.  Water filled his lungs and his body convulsed uncontrollably.  Despite the bag over his head, he was able to see a bright light in the distance.  His body, on its own began to float in that direction.  He felt a sense of calm.

After his body went limp, the men lifted Solomon out of the water.  They removed the sack from his head to make sure he was truly dead.  “Let the alligators have a feast,” and the body was shoved back into the watery grave.

- - -

Now…

The cloaked figure removes his hood to reveal a horned head.  He smiles at the floating corpse and magically brings it to the shore.  “I have found you; you are mine… for now.  My employer has paid me handsomely to find you and pull you from these waters.  The tales of you are true then, though the location of where your body was dumped was off.  No matter, what is important is that you are here, and you have purpose.”  The tiefling places a red hand on the animated corpse’s shoulder and says, “your name is Solomon and you will do what I command.”

While this creature is speaking, Solomon is unable to focus on the words.  Instead, he is trying to figure out, who he is and why he is hovering above water.  Where is he?  So much confusion, the rage in him builds to where he wants to rip the horns off the tiefling's head and beat him to a bloody mess.  However, some force he cannot explain stops him.

There are two moments that stop Solomon’s rage, first, when the tiefling says the name Solomon and the other when he presents Solomon with a brain to eat.  Solomon grabs the brain and begins to devour it.  At first, Solomon thinks it the most delicious thing he has ever experienced, however, when the thoughts of the brain start flooding his own, Solomon experiences pure ecstasy.  Now, he can see memories, feel love, experience joy, all through the memories of this brain.

- - -

After years in the servitude of Xarakas Casnon, the tiefling necromancer, Solomon is given over to his true master, Seilus Godfrey.  Solomon was resurrected because of the lore of his size and strength, Seilus wanted to have a giant dwarf for his collection as well as use him for whatever labor he could think of. Solomon does not care for the work he does, he only exists to one day find a way to get his own memories. Until then, he will continue to gorge on the memories of others.