Reference:DRC research notebooks/King Solath

King Solath

Location	Hall of Kings, Ae'gura

Solath took the throne in 1502 at the age of 79. It should be noted that at his coronation ceremony Solath was given a newly designed crown. Ahlsendar had retained his own and it was common opinion among the D'ni that such a crown should not be worn again.

It should also be stated that Solath's father had been the Grand Master of the Guild of Writers and had helped Ahlsendar create the Book that was responsible for the plague. Why Ahlsendar chose Solath in particular he never stated.

Regardless, Solath inherited a fairly stable culture although one that was on the fringe of religious anarchy. The greatest leader of their time had left them and they were a lost people without him to guide them. There were going to be repercussions, although it's doubtful anyone had sensed that they would occur so quickly, most of all Solath.

It was in 1520 that the prophet Nemiya (who had been the Great King's own advisor) wrote The Book of Nemiya and sent the culture into religious upheaval. The book denounced the words of the Great King, calling him a fraud and an imposter, and gave logical arguments to each of his writings. "He killed thousands ... betrayed us ... and left us with no one to guide us ... why do we believe his words ... and expect him to still return ..." the book stated.

At first there was outrage at the writings and Nemiya was declared a fool and heathen, most loudly by King Solath who also apparently took offense to the writing. In 1527 Nemiya vanished, some said killed by an angry mob and others said taken away by angels.

Regardless, by 1550 there was growing sentiment that Nemiya's book carried some truth. There was a growing tide of disharmony within the people and there was nothing Solath could do to stem it. Those who had always thought the Great King would return were beginning to understand that he would not, and they were beginning to grow angrier at the way he had left them. Suddenly, there were numerous reasons to believe that Nemiya's writings may have carried some truth. "Perhaps we have all be betrayed by the man we once called Great," wrote one anonymous writer.

Looking back, credit should be given to Solath for keeping his people as unified as he did. In 1604, he announced his plans to create Karim; a civic district including an opera house and concert hall. The distraction away from the religious arguments was obvious to the public but they seemed to welcome it. There was excitement from his proposal and construction began in 1610. The entire area was not finished until 1650, due to varying construction problems, but when it finally did open, there was a great excitement within the culture.

Solath's wife passed away in 1735 leaving him with two daughters. It was not long after her passing away that he re-married, against the advice of a prophetess, to a younger woman named Jolatha. Jolatha gave birth to Solath's first son in 1748 and though Solath was extremely pleased, many in the religious community were somewhat apprehensive. Public records clearly indicate that Jolatha was a well-known member of an influential cult group known as The Tree although Solath denied that fact to the day of his death.

The culture remained fairly stable until the death of Solath in 1779. He was 356 years old and left the throne to his first-born son.