Lord Soth (person)

One of the chief villians in AD&D's world of Dragonlance.

In the Age of Might, years before the Cataclysm, there was a noble Knight of Solamnia. Lord Soth belonged to one of the ruling houses of the nation of Solamnia.

Plagues swept the land in the latter years of the Age of Might, slaying many of Soth's uncles. At last, only Soth's father Aynkell Soth, remained. But Aynkell was not a knight; being a younger son, he was merely a second-rate clerk. However, he had a son who had pledged loyalty to the order of the Knights. The elder was established as steward of the land until his son came of age.

Lord Soth may have been an only child, though some records suggest that he killed his half-brothers and sisters. Among them, purportedly, was at least one half-elf maiden, thanks to the indiscretions of Soth's father.

For a time, young Soth was a good and noble soldier of justice and freedom. He was awarded the highest honor of the Solamnic Knights, the Order of the Rose. Soth married a nobleman's daughter, Lady Gladria of Korinne, who brought a large dowry. Sadly, she proved to be infertile.Lord Soth was greatly disappointed, for he craved an heir. He soon took to riding the countryside with his thirteen loyal men-at-arms, looking for adventure and to escape his home and wife.

On one such journey, Soth witnessed a band of ogres attacking a group of elf maids. He rescued the maidens, and the youngest, Isolde Denissa, fell in love with him. They soon became secret lovers, and she became pregnant. Soth murdered his wife so he could marry his new love and have a legitimate son, Peradur.

When his new wife eventually found out about the ghastly crime, she prayed to Mishakal that he be given a chance at redemption. Soth himself prayed to Paladine, as he knew the Cataclysm was drawing near. The two gods answered them. He was charged with a quest to stop the Cataclysm and save the world from doom, thus sacrificing his life for salvation.

As he rode forth on his quest, he encountered Isoldes former companions, the elf maidens whose lives he had saved. They were not grateful, however, for they were jealous and ashamed of their failure to prevent Soth's seduction of their friend. They spoke lies to him of Isolde's infidelity. In anger, Soth turned back from his quest to punish his wife -- the alleged adultress.

Returning to Dargaard, he confronted Isolde and tried to strike her down. At that very moment, the Cataclysm struck. The elfmaid and her child were consumed in flames. When Soth refused to rescue them, Isolde cursed him. He was consumed by the flames, and became an undead creature of the dark. His wife's curse doomed him for eternity to remain in the world, living one tormented lifetime for each life his folly had brought to an end.

Soth would forever sit in his now blackened keep of Daargard and brood on his crimes. His thirteen retainers were transformed into skeletal warriors serving him, and the elf maidens became ever-keening banshees, haunting the halls of his keep.

Most of the information gleaned from the Player's guide to Krynn, second edition AD&D.