Sturm Brightblade

Sturm Brightblade (322 - 351 AC) is a fictional character in the Dungeons & Dragons inspired fantasy world of Dragonlance.

Early Life

Sturm Brightblade was a descendant of one of the last true knights of Solamnia. He discovered this fact at the end of the quest to find his father, the Solamnic Knight Angriff "Brethel" Brightblade.

A friend of Tanis Half-Elven, Sturm was a proud warrior who didn't fear death or torture, only dishonor and the shame that had been put upon the knighthood's name. Brightblade wielded his father's ancient blade, Brightblade, and wore his family's ancestral armor.

At a young age, Sturm fled Solamnia with his mother, Lady Illys "Anna" Brightblade, after his father disappeared and his family was driven from their ancestral home by an angry mob which hated the Knights of Solamnia. They settled in the small town of Solace to live ordinary lives, although Sturm never forgot his dream to join the illustrious ranks to which his father had belonged.

Growing up in Solace, Sturm met and eventually befriended the group that would become known as the Heroes of the Lance. Although serious and stern, Sturm was a loyal friend and an honorable man. During his younger years, he was sent on a quest to defeat a mysterious being called Lord Wilderness by the father of his later rival, Derek Crownguard. Despite his bravery and dedication to the order, Sturm was not made a knight.

When the companions decided to separate for five years, Sturm travelled north to Solamnia with Kitara Uth Matar. During their time together, they had sexual relations, and Sturm proposed marriage as the only honorable course of action. Kitiara haughtily refused and the two separated. Sturm would die not knowing that this encounter had led to the birth of a son, Steel.

The War of the Lance

While walking down the road back to Solace, for the companions' reunion, Sturm encountered two barbarians named Goldmoon, who carried the Blue Crystal Staff, and her lover Riverwind. Sturm vowed to protect the two and took them to meet his friends in the Inn of the Last Home.

Sturm participated in the companions' adventures in Darken Wood, Xak Tsaroth, and Pax Tharkas, but never revealed to anyone the truth about his status as a knight. When Sturm travelled with his friends to the city of Tarsis, he met and instantly fell in love with an elf princess named Alhana Starbreeze, the daughter of the Speaker of the Stars. Alhana likewise fell in love with Sturm for his bravery and his chivalry, giving him a Starjewel, a token of bonding that no elf had ever given a human before. Sadly, after mere hours together, the two were parted during the sacking of Tarsis, . Sturm shared the same dream as all the other Heroes of the Lance, the nightmare of the Speaker of the Stars, and then travelled to the frozen realm of Tarsis, where the frozen corpse of a dead Knight of Solamnia gave Sturm an ancient dragonlance.

Sturm and his friends left Icewall, and met with the refugee Qualenesti, elves on the island of Ergoth. Sturm parted with his company and went to the Council of Whitestone with a knight named Derek Crownguard to deliver the broken dragonlance and the Dragon Orb they had recovered from Icewall. Derek argued against Sturm's admission to the knighthood, but Sturm was at last made a knight under the sponsorship of Gunthar Uth Wistan.

Although he was young, Sturm was experienced in battle, and was made third in command of the armies at the besieged High Clerist's Tower, under Crownguard and his lackey, Sir Alfred MarKennan. Unfortunately, Crownguard had been driven insane by his lust for power and his hatred for Sturm. He made a suicidal charge against the dragonarmies and all the Tower's defenders were killed save for Sturm, his knights, Laurana Kanan, Flint Fireforge, and Tasslehoff Burrfoot.

In the battle that followed, Sturm was slain by Kitiara Uth Matar while buying time for Laurana to set a trap for the blue dragons attacking the fortress. After the end of the War of the Lance, he was buried in the High Clerist's Tower catacombs along with his sword and the Starjewel. He is usually referred as one of the greatest knight heroes, along with Vinas Solamnus and Huma Dragonbane. Sturm's sacrifice also rallied the people of Ansalon to support the formerly-despised Knights of Solamnia, making victory for the forces of good possible.

Many years after his death, Sturm's tomb was visited by his son, Steel Brightblade, who had no idea at that time that the legendary Sturm Brightblade was his father. Sturm's ghost appeared before his son and, although Steel was following the path of evil, Sturm was proud that his son had become an honorable man. He gave Steel his sword and the Starjewel he had worn before returning to his rest.

Sturm's Sword

It is interesting to note that exactly what type of sword Sturm carries seems to be unclear. Much of the artwork depicting Sturm, as well as the figurine released by Ral Partha in the "Heroes of the Lance" minatures box set show him carrying a one handed sword. However, the game materials list Sturm's weapon as a two handed sword +3. Later Dragonlance supplements name the weapon as the Brightblade. It is inscribed with runes of friendship that give the sword's wielder a bonus to charisma checks. It is also said that the sword will not break unless its owner breaks first. Persumably, this means that as long as the one using the Brightblade stays true to the code of the Knights of Solamnia, the weapon will not shatter.

Family tree

Caramon Majere (Elder)

Unknown Woman

Gilon Majere

Rosamun

Gregor Uth Matar

Tika Waylan

Caramon

Raistlin

Kitiara Uth Matar

Sturm Brightblade

Tanin

Palin

Usha

Laura

Steel Brightblade

Sturm

Ulin

Linsha

Dezra

References

• Margaret Weis; Tracy Hickman (2000). Dragons of Autumn Twilight: Chronicles vol. I. Wizards of the Coast. ISBN 0-7869-1574-9.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
• Williams, Michael (1992). The Oath and The Measure. Wizards of the Coast. ISBN 1560763361.
• Margaret Weis; Tracy Hickman (2002). The Second Generation. Wizards of the Coast. ISBN 0-7869-2694-5.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
• Margaret Weis; Tracy Hickman (2002). Dragons of Summer Flame. Wizards of the Coast. ISBN 0-7869-2708-9.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
• Weis, Margaret (2003). The Soulforge: Raistlin Chronicles vol. I. Wizards of the Coast. ISBN 0-7869-1314-2.
• Matt. "Wizards of High Sorcery". Wizards of High Sorcery. Retrieved September 11. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)