Dharwyn Starsgard

**Dharwyn Starsgard** is a Changeling Oath of Devotion Paladin of the Raven Queen and former Oathbreaker, and the progenitor of the Starsgard Family.

## Backstory

### Childhood

The son of Estelle Starkovna and Siggard Gärdestad, Dharwyn lived in the Changeling hamlet of Elmdown in the Vurthavorian country of Hwæssing for the first eight years of his life. Six years after he was born, his mother gave birth to a daughter who was born with a pair of small knobby horns and a stump of a tail; Dharwyn's father departed from Elmdown two days later and returned alone after three weeks. His parents never spoke of the child, and acted as though Dharwyn were telling a fictional tale on the few occasions he mentioned her, leading him over time to believe that he had imagined the entire incident.

During his eighth winter, he witnessed a star falling from the skies into the Nether Mountains to the north of his home from his bedroom window; shortly after, he set out on a mission to find the star and bring a piece of it home, but what he found instead, after several days venturing up the mountain, was a jagged grey stone that hummed with energy. He hurried back to his hamlet to share his discovery, but made another far more devastating discovery instead. In his absence, the town had been obliterated by a company of blood trolls judging by the few scattered corpses he could see through the fire and the flames. Nothing, and no one, had survived.

His world burning around him, Dharwyn fled back up the Mountain; in his terror and his rage, he became lost in the unpredictable terrain that tangled in on itself like a malicious knot. He struggled madly to survive alone in the wilderness for the weeks that followed, and as his desperation and his delirium grew, he began to see a strange symbol in his increasingly feverish dreams: an arc of seven stars within a circle made of jagged grey stone. And just as he reached the edge of death, he quite literally stumbled across a temple tucked into the heights of the mountains, and promptly fell unconscious on its stone steps.

Waking after what might have been only a few minutes or a few months, Dharwyn found himself in a bed in a room, half-blind with exhaustion, and when his vision cleared, the first image he saw was a crest above the door: an arc of seven stars within a circle of jagged grey stone. He had been carried inside by the stewards of the temple, and over time they healed his injuries and restored his health, but he had been so inconsolably enraged at the murder of his family and the destruction of his home that the Asterions decided that their only course of action was to remove the memory entirely, allowing Dharwyn to believe instead that he had lived his entire life at the temple.

### Asterion Order

After spending years learning the fighting style of the Blessed Warrior as a Paladin of the Asterion Order, Dharwyn eventually took the Oath of Redemption and committed himself to the ideal that every creature can be turned from the path of evil with sufficient dedication. He continued training, and at the age of 27, he ventured out into the world with his fellow Asterions to spread the light of absolution, or to defeat those who refused to give up their pursuit of destruction. His values were severely tested, however, when he and his fellow Paladins confronted the necromantic sorcerer Urian, who refused to be dissuaded, and during the battle that ensured, Dharwyn’s ally Terevor had his soul torn from his body and dispelled across the elemental planes of existence.

Dharwyn's remaining ally Benedict was then struck by a spell that compelled him to attack his fellow Paladin, who subsequently succeeded in landing the first damaging blow to the sorcerer; Urian then abruptly came to his senses and revealed that he had been under the mental control of an Aboleth and made to steal the souls of living creatures for its own master. Reeling from loss of Terevor’s soul and the compulsion to attack his ally, however, Benedict ragefully slaughtered the sorcerer without affording him an opportunity to repent or right the actions he'd been forced to commit, engulfing his body in infernal flames.

In the aftermath, Benedict frantically explained that he could feel the fracture of his Oath within his own soul, growing increasingly incoherent as he insisted that their lives and their memories were lies. Dharwyn failed to calm his ally's emotions, and Benedict responded by casting a spell that put Dharwyn to sleep; sixty-one seconds later, Dharwyn woke to find that Benedict had fled and that he could no longer remember the location of the temple of Asterion. Rather than attempting to return, Dharwyn made his way across the continent of Vurthavor, eventually encountering the drow half-elf rogue Falidus, the satyr bard Lucine, and the high-elf cleric Armamore.

### Heroes of Easthaven

Working together, the team completed a successful adventure in and around the city of Nashkel, and shortly after, they traveled north along the Coast Way, detouring down the Way of the Lion to visit Candlekeep on the shore of the Malacian Sea. There, they investigated the book *Mazfroth's Mighty Digressions*, which turned out to be a gingwatzim masquerading as a book, and they headed to Baldur's Gate to confront the Amberdune Pack, who had donated the fraudulent volume to the library. The party managed to negotiate with the jackalweres of Blackgate and collect a real copy of *Mighty Digressions* – as well as *Fallen Tethyamar*, *The Dark Hunger*, *Castanamir's Guide to Gingwatzims*, *Wanderings of a Humble Aasimar*, and *Daughters of Fraz'zt* – that they delivered back to Candlekeep.

From there, the party responded to a call for help from Ten Towns above the Nether Mountains, and journeyed further north along the Trade Way until they reached Waterdeep, then followed the coast past Thornhold and Neverwinter to the town of Luskan. From there, they followed Ten Trail and traversed the Nether Mountains to reach Ten Towns, arriving after nearly a month of travel at the capital city of Bryn Shander. Over the next several weeks, the group rescued a missing adventuring party from Kelvin's Cairn, defeated a Duergar warlord and destroyed a draconic superweapon, met the Hexblade Warlock Addison Snowreaper, and successfully banished the avatar of the Frostmaiden from the Island of Solstice, lifting a perpetual winter from the country of Olyeska.

Recuperating in Easthaven for several more weeks, Dharwyn and Addison were married following the opening of the Ertgardian Theater, after which the group traveled south again to Hwæssing. Shortly after, Lucine returned to the Feywild, after which Armamore settled in the Hwæssian capital of Diathan. Dharwyn and Addison continued traveling, eventually meeting Drow siblings Laviana and Valerion Hylinath and the Fallen Aasimar Harmony Graham, with whom they fought and defeated a colony of Moon Devils and an adult Lunar Dragon lairing in the Sinwatian Mountains. Among the horde of the dragon, the group discovered a Helm of Comprehend Languages, a Ring of Warmth, and a Mace of Smiting, as well as 18,000 gold and six gems worth 1,000 gold each.

Dharwyn acquired a pair of Goggles of Night from a shop in Clearington before the group headed through the caverns beneath the Mountains and deeper into the Underdark in pursuit of a Fire Giant that Graham had been tracking; they defeated half-a-dozen Hell Hounds and a Behir along the way before narrowly surviving a confrontation with the Fire Giant and a pair of Barghests. Among the horde of the giant, the group discovered a pair of Bracers of Defense, a Ring of Shooting Stars, an Amulet of the Planes, and a ceremonial electrum dagger with a Tiger's eye gem in the pommel, as well as 3,000 gold and four gems worth 50 gold each. While navigating the Underdark on their way back to the surface, the group was stalked and eventually attacked by the powerful Rakshasa Kohvus that cast *Dominate Person* on Valerion, compelling the wizard to attack Laviana while it reclaimed the electrum dagger and stabbed Addison with it, trapping her soul in the gem before *plane shift*ing.

The group hurried back to the surface and returned to the town of Clearington, where they delivered Addison to a cleric and discovered that the warlock could not be revived because her soul was trapped in the Infernal Planes. They recruited the Dragonborn Gloomstaker Ranger Galium Matthews and Dharwyn attuned to the Amulet of the Planes, just barely managing to successfully *plane shift* the group to the hells, where Valerion was then able to cast *Scry*, determining the Rakshasa's location in the Second Circle. The group fought their way through swarms of Dretches, Cacklers, Imps, and Quasits before arriving at the Spire of Dolorum, where they battled against half-a-dozen Barbed Devils, including one that had escaped the confrontation with Xardorok Sunblight in Olyeska, before destroying the Rakshasa. The group recovered the electrum dagger, as well as discovering a Javelin of Lightning, a Ring of Mind Shielding, and an Efreeti Bottle.

The team returned to Clearington with the dagger, enabling the cleric to cast *Raise Dead* and restore Addison's soul, and the group remained in the city for a week while the warlock recuperated. Laviana and Valerion left afterwards to return to their home in the Underdark, and another week later, Addison, Dharwyn, and Galium accepted a job to find a man who had journeyed to the Feywild and failed to return. The three ventured into the Sovender Forest and combatted a malevolent Treant before locating a portal that allowed them to cross over to the Plane of Faerie, where they learned that the man had been taken prisoner by a coven of Green Hags. Reuniting with Lucine, they traveled into the realm of the Unseelie Court and through the savage swamplands to find the Island of Dorchadas, where they defeated the coven and rescued the man held prisoner by them, discovering a Staff of the Adder, a Brooch of Shielding, and a Headband of Intellect in the hut.

The party returned with Lucine to Cathair Anghra, recuperating for several weeks before the town was attacked by three ferocious Hydra; the group narrowly defeated the monstrosities, after which they discovered that a mirror had been stolen from the Temple of the Ascendant. Realizing that the attack had been a distraction, the group was eventually able to track the item into the mountains winterward of the city, discovering an ancient stronghold where they confronted the Aberrant Mind Sorcerer Indira Troy; she claimed that the mirror had once belonged to the sídhe girl who eventually ascended to godhood as the Raven Queen, and was capable of imprisoning the Matron of Death herself and stripping her of her divine power. In the ensuing struggle, the mirror was shattered, and both Addison and Dharwyn experienced visions of

Winged Boots

Amulet of Proof Against Detection and Location

Settling with Addison in the village of Ellswear in southern Hwæssing

his former Asterion

Benedict had been killed and raised as a Death Knight

### Summons to Farragh

Declan was visited in a dream by the Raven Queen, who forewarned him that he would receive a summons in the coming days and instructed him to answer the call. Two days later, a letter arrived requesting that he travel to the island nation of Farragh, which had suffered a devastating dragon attack.

Arriving four days after that, he met the Tiefling Fighter Kahlan Karsus, the Halfling Bard Kay, and the Orcish Fighter Kalutar, who had been similarly summoned by the Order of the Breach. The group was then informed that they had been specifically recruited by the Magister of the monastery to escort two teenagers – initiate Ecclesia and occasional dragon Albaz – to the interdimensional Breach at the center of the continent, in exchange for 25,000 gold each.

## Belongings

* **Frostbreaker** (acquired prior to "Arrival at Ten Towns," made magical in "Beyond the Divine Gate")
* **(10) gold pieces**, given by Perilou Fishfinger (in "Coldlight in the Spine")
* **Scrimshaw rabbit**, given by Keegan Velryn following the safe return of his husband (in "Coldlight in the Spine")
* *Yeti horns*, harvested after the Yeti Cavern Skirmish on Kelvin's Cairn (in "Ascending Kelvin's Cairn"), given to Owenn to decorate the Luskan Arms (in "Coldlight in the Spine")
* **(50) platinum pieces**, paid by Grandolpha Muzgardt (in "The Call of the Dragon")
* **(125) gold pieces**, paid by Speaker Markum Southwell (in "Performance of a Lifetime")
* **(325) gold pieces**, recovered from Ertgard's hoard (in "Beyond the Divine Gate")
* **(1,100) silver pieces**, recovered from Ertgard's hoard (in "Beyond the Divine Gate")
* **(2,000) copper pieces**, recovered from Ertgard's hoard (in "Beyond the Divine Gate")
* **Frost giant ring**, recovered from Ertgard's hoard (in "Beyond the Divine Gate")
* *Ertgardian Shield*, a giant-sized shield made of white dragon scales (in "Beyond the Divine Gate"), installed at the Ertgardian Theater in Easthaven (after "Beyond the Divine Gate")
* **(80) gold pieces**, recovered from Iskra's nest (after "Beyond the Divine Gate")
* *Gold ring with black pearl*, recovered from Iskra's best (after "Beyond the Divine Gate"), given to Addison Snowreaper as a proposal gift (after "Beyond the Divine Gate")
* **Headband of Intellect** (acquired from the Lunar Dragon's horde)
* **Goggles of Night** (purchased from a magic shop in Clearington)
* **Winged Boots**
* **Plate Armor +2**
* **(27,500) gold pieces**, paid by the Order of the Breach (in "Fell Off a Cliff That Wasn't There")
* **Silvertongue Crestring**, a Ring given by Mama Kay (in "Fell Off a Cliff That Wasn't There")

## Kill Count

* Kobold #1 (in "Dwarven Valley Skirmish")
* Crag Cat #2 (in "Ascending Kelvin's Cairn")
* Coldlight Walker (in "Coldlight in the Spine")
* Duergar #2 (in "Fortress of Sunblight")
* Duergar #4 (in "Fortress of Sunblight")
* Duergar #6 (in "Fortress of Sunblight")
* Xardorok Sunblight (in "Battle of the War Room")
* Auril's first form (in "Beyond the Divine Gate")

### Level Progression

* Level 1: Paladin 1 – Divine Sense, Lay on Hands (prior to "Arrival at Ten Towns")
* Level 2: Paladin 2 – Blessed Warrior (prior to "Arrival at Ten Towns")
* Level 3: Paladin 3 – Oath of Redemption (prior to "Arrival at Ten Towns")
	+ Level 3: Paladin 3 – Oathbreaker (after "Dwarven Valley Ambush")
* Level 4: Paladin 4 – Fey Touched (after "Ascending Kelvin's Cairn")
* Level 5: Paladin 5 – Extra Attack (after "The Muzgardt Clan")
* Level 6: Paladin 6 – Aura of Protection (after "Battle of the War Room")
* Level 7: Paladin 7 – Aura of Hate (after "The Call of the Dragon")
	+ Level 7: Paladin 7 – Oath of Devotion (during "Paladin of a Fallen God")
* Level 8: Paladin 7 / Warlock 1 – Hexblade's Curse, Hex Warrior (after "Beyond the Divine Gate")
* Level 9: Paladin 7 / Warlock 2 – Improved Pact Weapon, Eyes of the Rune Keeper (after Lunar Dragon Battle)
* Level 10: Paladin 7 / Warlock 3 – Pact of the Blade (after Fire Giant Battle)
* Level 11: Paladin 8 / Warlock 3 – Tough (after Rakshasa Battle)
* Level 12: Paladin 8 / Warlock 4 – Fighting Initiate: Defense (after Hydra Battle)
* Level 13: Paladin 8 / Warlock 5 – Maddening Hex (after Death Knight Battle)
* Level 14: Paladin 8 / Warlock 5 / Fighter 1 – Great Weapon Fighting Style, Second Wind (after "Once More Unto the Breach")

## Appearances

* *Queen of Cold and Frost*
	+ "Arrival in Ten Towns"
	+ "Dwarven Valley Ambush"
	+ "Ascending Kelvin's Cairn"
	+ "Coldlight in the Spine"
	+ "Fortress of Sunblight"
	+ "The Muzgardt Clan"
	+ "Battle of the War Room"
	+ "The Call of the Dragon"
	+ "Performance of a Lifetime"
	+ "The Cabin by the Sea"
	+ "The Sea of Moving Ice"
	+ "Such Wondrous Works"
	+ "Merry Band of Misfits"
	+ "Paladin of a Fallen God"
	+ "Possession of the Orb"
	+ "Beyond the Divine Gate"
* *From Barovia With Love*
	+ "Not Ready for This" (mentioned)
* *Once More Unto the Breach*
	+ "Gathering of Those Summoned"
	+ "On the Surface of the Breach"
	+ "Fell Off a Cliff That Wasn't There"
	+ "The Battle of the Shadowvoid"