Solomon Stanina
Solomon of Kaspitov is a devout Templar of Arior, a towering figure of unwavering faith and relentless dedication. Born into the harsh streets of Arialor’s capital, his life was shaped by hardship, loss, and the unwavering belief in Arior's doctrine of justice. Trained by the Order of the Larian Blade, Solomon took a vow of secrecy and donned blood-red armor, a symbol of his chosen path—martyrdom and purification. Unlike his fellow knights, who bear the traditional golden and purple, Solomon represents the darker, more wrathful side of Arior, seeing himself as an instrument of divine punishment.
Driven by the desire to cleanse the world of heretics, Solomon's mission is clear: unearth the secret cabals corrupting the faith in Sarusa, Umera, and the Southern Nations, and bring about a holy crusade to reform the lands of Treria and Thortyr. Armed with a massive Zweihander and tower shield, he is a fearsome force on the battlefield, relentless in his pursuit of purity. Solomon believes that only through fire and blood can the world be returned to Arior’s light.
Solomon of Kaspitov: The Templar in Red
Solomon was born in Kaspitov, capital city of Arialor, a land dedicated to the worship of Arior, the God of Light, Truth, and Divine Justice.
From an early age, Solomon was raised by his older brother, Doran, after the death of their parents in a plague that ravaged Arialor. Doran was a devout servant of Arior, and he instilled that same fierce devotion in his younger brother. Doran, though, was often absent, vanishing for days, sometimes weeks at a time, returning only with enough coin to scrape by. The squalor in which they lived—bare stone walls, a damp cellar for a home, and only the barest of meals—was seen by Solomon as the will of Arior, a test of his faith.
Solomon never questioned Doran’s absences, instead clinging to his faith as his brother had taught him. But one day, Doran did not return. Weeks passed, and hunger gnawed at Solomon. He prayed each night for his brother’s return until one evening, a man clad in the armor of the Larian Blades appeared at the door. This man, Archibald, revealed the truth: Doran had died serving in the holy crusade of Arior. He had been a secret member of the Order of the Larian Blades, an elite order of templars dedicated to rooting out heresy and spreading the light of Arior in lands far and near. Solomon was told he should be proud, for Doran had died a martyr’s death in service to the faith.
Moved by grief and inspired by his brother's sacrifice, Solomon was taken in by Archibald, who saw potential in the young man. Thus began Solomon’s training within the Order of the Larian Blades. This order bore a fearsome reputation for their discipline and strict adherence to the Old Codes of Arior, a merciless interpretation of justice and purity. Solomon excelled in his training, growing both in faith and physical prowess. His zeal for Arior became a fire that burned within him, driving him to endure the grueling physical and mental tests.
Solomon's physical size became one of his defining features. Towering over his peers, his strength was so great that he could wield a Zweihander with one hand while carrying a tower shield in the other. His adherence to Arior’s old doctrines, which called for absolute obedience, harsh punishment of heretics, and the purification of the faith, grew into something of an obsession.
In time, the day came when Solomon was to be fully inducted into the Larian Blades. He journeyed to the grand Basilica of Arior, the heart of faith in Arialor, where the Grandmaster of the Order prepared to bestow upon him the sacred golden and purple armor that marked all Larian Blades. But in that moment, Solomon refused the armor. Instead, he made a sacred oath, declaring that he would not don the colors of his order nor show his face to the world until he had fulfilled his divine mission: to rid the Southern nations of heresy and bring about the total reformation of the faithful.
The red armor he chose had deep significance. In the Tome of Aeons, the color red is often associated with martyrdom, bloodshed, and penance. Solomon's choice of red over the purple and gold marked him as one who had embraced suffering and sacrifice over worldly recognition. In his mind, the red symbolized the blood of his brother and all those who had fallen in service to Arior, as well as the blood of the heretics he was sworn to purge. His was a path of pain, not glory, and he saw himself as the sword of Arior's wrath, sent to cleanse the world in fire.
His mission was clear: He would travel the lands of Sarusa, Umera, and the Southern Nations to uncover the secret cabals of heretics that whispered in the shadows. His ultimate goal was to bring about a grand crusade, a war of purification that would rid the world of the Cult of the Sun, and those who worship the old sun god. Solomon would see those lands reformed and brought back to the true faith under Arior's righteous hand.
He spoke little, only when necessary, and never removed his helm. Those who fought alongside him in battle described him as a red ghost, a force of nature that wielded his Zweihander with frightening precision, cutting down heretics as though guided by the hand of Arior himself. His shield bore the sigil of Arior's flame.
Morality & Philosophy
For him, right and wrong are absolutes—heretics, blasphemers, and the unfaithful must be purged without hesitation or mercy. Compassion and forgiveness have no place in his worldview; he believes that sin can only be cleansed through fire, blood, and sacrifice. His rigid sense of morality allows no room for compromise, and he views his violent methods as necessary evils in service to a higher, divine purpose. To Solomon, there is no greater honor than to serve as the sword of Arior’s wrath.
Faith is proven through action, sacrifice, and suffering. He sees the world as a battleground between Arior’s light and the corrupting forces of heresy, believing it is his sacred duty to wage this eternal war. Solomon views pain and hardship as divine tests of his devotion, embracing them as part of his path. He rejects the more lenient interpretations of Arior’s teachings, believing that only through unwavering discipline and the eradication of impurity can the faithful bring about true salvation. His ultimate goal is a world cleansed of sin, where Arior’s light reigns supreme, achieved through a holy crusade if necessary.
