Solomon of Arimania

**Solomon of Arimania** is a knight crusader under the service of the Holy Justainian Empire. He was born in 84 M.E. in a small village somewhere in central Arimania, though where he will not tell.

## Biography

Born in 84 M.E. Solomon grew up in a very religious household. Even so, he was much more religious than his siblings, engaging in various pilgrimages with local monks to distant monasteries and holy sites starting around age ten. His parents were wine makers and of a moderate income; they brought Solomon twice with them to Justainia to attend to business affairs. Both times Solomon was in awe of the city. When he was thirteen, Solomon dedicated himself to the local monastic chapter and became a scribe.

As Solomon learned to read he began to indulge in texts on various saints and holy men, learning about the more controversial saints. By sixteen, he had come to believe in his own form of Justainism, considered to extreme for even the monastic order he belonged to. For example, he became obsessed with the story of Saint Imogen Wilem II, Queen of Flowers and her Nine Feats. He saw her first three feats as being divine commandments not only to her, but to all men and began to follow them. He controversially believed that the Lord of the Pierced Breast and Justain were the same entity.

In 103 the monks became tired of his actions and had him removed from the order for heresy. Unwavered, Solomon decided to make for Justainia to join the ranks of the Crusader Knights of the Holy Justainian Empire. On his journey to the city, he fell asleep in a field and awoke to a white stallion in full plate armor standing over him. He saw it as a gift from God, naming it Hyperbolia after the divine stallion. He arrived in 104 and joined the ranks that same year. Solomon rose in the ranks due to his unwavering devotion to the cause and willingness to commit acts of inconceivable violence towards anything if asked. Soon he was serving directly beneath the commanders of the Crusader Knighs.

Solomon served uneventfully until 112 M.E. when he received vision. In it, the Sun spoke to him saying instructing him to go west, for his true calling lies beyond the sea. Solomon immediately deserted the order, took a boat from Findentus to Carraco, and began searching for something. During this time he continuously had dreams of a strange and alien world.

## Visions

Solomon received his first vision of a world of fields of white lilies, on the shore of a white lake, beneath a white Sun. The white Sun began to speak to him, saying, "Kneel child, and hear mine voice. Go west, beyond thy Fayosi Sea to that sunset kingdom where daemons walk amongst men and find thy calling, for there is the place and the time and the hour of thy atonement." He woke up after.

His second vision occurred several times while on the boat to Carraco, Caldos. In it he was at the shore of the white lake again and behind him was now a black forest, distant and looming. Each time he had the dream, the forest became closer and closer until finally it was upon him and he was forced towards the lake. He woke up after touching the water.

His third dream occurred once within Carraco, while sleeping in an inn. In it, Solomon found himself within the center of the lake, but the water was only up to his ankles and wrists. He was on his knees, naked, hands splayed in the water before him. His helmet remained on. A woman was calling his name and when he looked up he saw her standing away from him, body turned from him but masked face looking at him. Her skin was dark and her arms and legs adorned in gold adornments in the forms of an animals limbs and besides the mask she was naked. "Do not be afraid. Do not cry." She told him, sensing the tears welling in his hidden eyes.

When he looked back up two more figures had joined her, one a man wearing a loin cloth and a mask like a monster's face and the other covered completely in a triangular robe without holes for site. "We love you Solomon." She said to him before walking to him and kneeling to touch his shoulder. "Remove your mask."

He felt compelled to do as she said, despite that breaking one of his vows, but he did and as he did he heard her whisper "good" before he awoke.