"Protect the worlds we will! For none are more up to the task than my fabled Star Knights! Those with evil intent quake in our presence!"
- Dante Lionmane
Overview
Sir Dante Lionmane was a retired Knight of Solamnia who founded a military company known as the Star Knights to protect the inhabitants of the various worlds of Krynnspace from evildoers. However, the Star Knights only had a single ship, a dragonfly, and as such were forced to focus their efforts on patrolling wildspace between the planets Krynn and Reorx. Because the company was so small, they could only tackle threats from spelljamming vessels their own size or perhaps slightly larger. If they encountered a significantly more powerful threat, however, they were forced to rely on aid from allied vessels based at the port of Palanthas on Krynn, or the various ports on Reorx.
To finance their operations, the company provided a passenger service between Reorx and Krynn, though they also often received donations from grateful merchants and shipowners - the Star Knights had a well deserved reputation for coming to the aid of damaged ships and transporting wounded sailors to Ansalon. Dante and his captain put aside a portion of their earnings with the goal of eventually purchasing a galleon and expanding the company.
Personality
Dante was at peace in wildspace, and felt more at home onboard his dragonfly than he ever had anywhere on Ansalon. He fully intended on living out his remaining years on his ship, and had given strict orders to be "buried" in the clouds of freezing vapor when he died.
Despite having vanquished a number of foes and achieving some successes, Dante remained troubled about the future of the Star Knights. It was a point of concern that he and his knights could not face larger ships in battle whose crews posed a threat to Krynn or Reorx. He was quite aware that his dragonfly was simply too small to face significantly larger ships, and he considered it a sign of weakness that his knights had to seek out allied vessels for aid. Further, the old knight feared that he would die of old age before his company had saved enough gold to acquire a larger vessel, such as a galleon.
Possessions
Dante possessed a suit of enchanted plate mail and an enchanted shield, and carried a magical longsword and a ring of warmth. He also owned a dragonfly spelljammer.
Relationships
Crew
When Dante formed the Star Knights, he recruited six additional knights and a white robed wizard named Amaan whom he appointed captain of the ship and his eventual successor. The old knight strove to ensure that his small company remained close-knit and focussed on their duty. He considered each and every one to be his children, and he was always careful to make sure their morale remained high and that they were steadfast in their purpose to keep Krynn and Reorx safe.
History
Dante Lionmane, a retired Knight of Solamnia, discovered the joys of spelljamming a decade ago, while visiting friends at Ansalon's only spelljammer port located near the city of Palanthas. Dante, who was 65 at the time, sold all of his possessions, except his armor and sword, and used the money to purchase a dragonfly ship.
Recruiting a small group of warriors, the old knight formed a military company known as the Star Knights, and had been sailing wildspace ever since. Dante concentrated the company's efforts on Krynn and Reorx, as it was easier for them to patrol a limited area. At 75, Dante remained the nominal leader of the company, though he named Amaan, the company's primary helmsman, as ship's captain and eventual successor.
Appendix
External links
- Ansalon article at the Chronicles of Astinus, a wiki for the Dragonlance campaign setting.
- Knights of Solamnia article at the Chronicles of Astinus, a wiki for the Dragonlance campaign setting.