Andvari Stonehelm

ANDVARI STONEHELM

Real Name: Andvari Stonehelm

Class: Mountain Dwarf

Occupation: Mercenary

Group Affiliation: None

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Krynn, Earth-TSR

First Appearance: Dragonlance #30 (May, 1991)

Powers: Andvari Stonehelm was a skilled Dwarvish fighter armed with an axe and skilled at horseriding.

History: (Dragonlance #30, 31) - A village of peaceful Neidar were attacked by the Wolf-Clan, a group of wild, almost feral Mountain Dwarves led by Uurthrym Wolfthane, so they hired protection in the form of Mountain Dwarf mercenary Andvari Stonehelm. Andvari accompanied the Neidar on their travels to the province of Lord Silvercrown to sell him a large cache of weapons for Silvercrown’s annual tournament of champions. They were beset by Andvari Stonehelm and his men, who attacked them, left them for dead, and stole their goods. Andvari had been stabbed and was bleeding badly, but clung to life and crawled into the forest to hide. Lord Silvercrown’s daughter Riva Silvercrown was desperate to prove to her father that she deserved to be a Knight of Solamnia, and when concern was raised that the weapons hadn’t arrived from the Neidar she went into the woods to investigate. She was followed by her brother, who shadowed her on orders of Lord Silvercrown, who didn’t want his daughter getting into any mischief. Wolfthane and his clan found him, saying they had weapons to deliver to his father, so he led them to Lord Silvercrown’s council chambers. Riva discovered the bloody Andvari and brought him to the Neidar village where he received medical treatment. Andvari begged Riva to being the Knights of Solmania to their aid, but she insisted she had the heart of a knight and would be their savior. Wolfthane presented the weapons to Lord Silvercrown, and presented his cursed sword Kinslayer, saying he could forge a weapon that would be its’ equal for the king. Lord Silvercrown was entranced with the sword, and agreed that he desperately wanted it. Riva began training the Neidar in combat, but Andvari told her she was being headstrong and would bring death to the Neidar if she didn’t bring in the Knights of Solamnia to help. Wolfthane spoke to his mistress, a White Dragon, in the caves underneath the Wolf-Clan’s keep, and she demanded he bring her Riva, whom the oracles predicated would cause her trouble in the future. Wolfthane and the Wolf-Clan attacked the Neidar village, capturing Riva and Andvari, slaughtering dozens, and razing the village. Riva begged Andvari for forgiveness, admitting she’d been foolish and stubborn, but promised the fight against the Wolf-Clan wasn’t over. Wolfthane tossed the bodies oif the dead Neidar into the Wolf-clan’s cavern as a tribute to their goddess. He told Riva and Andvari that he and his clan represented what dwarves all originally were, fierce and wild, saying he had to keep dwarven bloodlines pure, which is why he wanted the peaceful Neidar destroyed. He asked Andvari to join him in his genocidal quest, and Andvari refused. Wolfthane decided to sacrifice him to the White Dragon, and Andvari asked to be given the chance to go out fighting. Wolfthane freed him, and Andvari rushed into the dragon’s cavern swinging his ax, but was killed by the dragon’s frost-breathe. Riva escaped her chains and fled, but Wolfthane pursued her. She almost fell off the side of the mountain, but Wolfthane saved her before knocking her unconscious with a punch. He sensed something good and pure in her, and was saddened that the White Dragon had ordered Riva’s death. He couldn’t bear to turn her over to the mercies of the dragon and attacked his mistress, who killed him with her frost-breathe. The dragon urged Riva to pick up Kinslayer, but Riva refused, knowing the sword corrupted all who used it.

Comments: Created by Maddie Blaustein & Ron Randall.