The Soolian Paradox

The Soolian Paradox, written by Frodi Brekkholm, is a book about the phenomenon commonly called the Soolian Paradox by scholars studying the lineage of the Soolian people. The book disagrees with the claim that the Soolians can trace their lineage to gnomes that used to live around the Soolian bay. Rather, the text proposes that the pureblooded Soolians may actually be descendants of so called sea People. It draws heavily from archaeological findings in Artemis.

Prelude: The Gnomes
“There is evidence that the proto-Soolians were gnomes, and the modern Soolian is related to them” … “Cease this conversation of gnomes, they simply never existed.” -Conversation between a scholar and H.K. Block Fjell.

Little is known of the Soolians. Where they came from, who they are, and more importantly: what they are. The Soolian bay was once home to a sizable gnomish population. This has led several scholars to believe that the modern Soolians derive from these gnomes, especially after specific archeological findings that proved gnomish prevalence around Rolk. (Footnote: 1) However, there are caveats: The skeletons found at the archaeological sites are no taller than 4 feet, whereas the modern Soolians are usually taller than the average human. It is theorized that humans integrated with the gnomes and came to replace them after years of inter-mingling. However, this explanation lacks sufficient evidence. Especially when it comes to the most pureblooded Soolians, particularly the Fjell bloodline, as they may exhibit traits that are neither human nor gnomish, such as turquoise-like skin, increased lung capacity, and strength; this conundrum has been nicknamed the ‘Soolian Paradox,’ because the most pureblooded Soolians manifest traits that are inconsistent with archeological findings. Therefore either of the following has to be true: (a) those believed to be pureblooded Soolians are not, in fact, pureblooded, or (b) that the origin of the Soolians is something we have yet to find out, until now.

Chapter 1: Artemis
''“They have overrun the palisades! We have no hope of withstanding them. The people from the sea show no mercy. Oh, Gods have mercy!”'' -Stone tablet excavated from the Artemisian archaeological site, believed to have been the last words of a gnome soldier; carved by gnomish surgeon Grahim Twinpeak.

At the start of Abydos Fjell’s reign, Frodi Brekkholm was sent to Artemis with the help of a few companions. Artemis was a long-abandoned settlement, noteworthy because it was carved out of a mountain. In our records, it was frequently called a fortress, capable of withstanding any attack by sea. However, no living Soolians had ever traveled there. Therefore we were tasked with exploring the fort and, if possible, restoring it. Nevertheless, Brekkholm was more preoccupied with the archaeological value of this voyage, as it could give us critical insights into the machinations of the first Soolians. What we found was a gold mine—hundreds of stone tablets written in a tongue that was not too dissimilar to our own. The tablets were written by gnomish surgeons or doctors who were literate and carved their patients’ last words into stone. This has given us great insights, and it is now clear that the Soolians and gnomes were two separate and distinct groups. The Soolians seemingly conquered Rolk and other early settlements, but somehow Artemis managed to stay clear of Soolian control, possibly because it could withstand any attack by sea. (Footnote: 2)

Chapter 2: Sea People
''“The Soolians have always been a seabound people, and our maritime tradition has always guided us. If a Soolian stays on land for too long, they are known to get sick, for Soolian stock is made for the sea.”'' - From the Soolian Guide to Statecraft, used in most higher education in Soolia and supposedly written by an unknown Fjell ancestor.

Despite the abundance of written records found in Artemis, the origin of the Soolians is still largely a mystery. Some of the tablets detail an attack by sea but do not clearly state whether their attackers were literally from the sea or using boats. Soolia has always had a maritime tradition, invested in extensive fleets, and had a propensity for piracy. So it is possible that the first Soolians were simply experienced human pirates, or perhaps the gnomes were attacked by some type of race that lived in the Soolian bay, and these people eventually founded what we now know as Soolia. Soolia lacks any written records before the unification of the Soolian clans by Bjørn Fjell, so there may never be a clear answer to this mystery.

Chapter 2(a): Blood
“... and thus, through an intricate blood ritual, Jimothy became a Fjell and H.K. Block Fjell’s blood-brother.” -Excerpt from H.K. Block Fjell’s autobiography. The author was supposedly a scribe in the High King’s court.

The direct descendants of the Fjell family are not the only ones that have exhibited features stated in the prelude. Jimothy Fjell, H.K. Block Fjell’s blood brother, also manifested inhuman features after an intricate ritual that purportedly united the two. This has led some scholars to conclude that the power is directly tied to an ancient blood ritual that must have included the first Soolians. Of course, that is purely speculation, though one cannot deny that there is some power dwelling in Soolian blood.

Chapter 3: Bjørn Fjell the Uniter
''“Bjørn Fjell managed to unify the fractured Soolian clans into one nation. He did not spill the blood of his brothers but used diplomacy to unite them. In this, he became the Uniter: A symbol to be revered, and whose teachings should be followed.”'' -From a history lecture taught to Soolian children.

Bjørn Fjell has long been revered as a symbol of unity within Soolia, a great man that managed to unify the Soolian clans under one banner. Of course, this created an inefficient oligarchy; however, this was amended by Block Fjell’s reign, where Soolia was restructured into an absolute monarchy. The other founders of Soolia have mostly fallen into obscurity, but the Fjell family has managed to stay relevant as the ruling family of Soolia. With the new information that has been uncovered with the Artemis expedition, we have to consider how we approach this history; or do we?

“Unite them under one banner, and they will start to see their shared commonalities rather than dissimilitude.” -Bjørn Fjell the Uniter, sourced from the earliest transcripts from the Histories of Soolia, preserved by scholars since the start of the Fjell reign.

It is ultimately believed that Bjørn Fjell’s campaign was relatively peaceful. Even if it may have temporarily disturbed the peace with the gnomish population, it created a golden age of tranquility. What would you choose: a short-lived uneasy peace or a longstanding order built on the bodies of a few inconsequential gnomes? The Fjell family is virtuous. That is a fact. Any records that contradict that fact are nothing more than hearsay and rumors.

Conclusion: Paradox No More
In summary: the supposed ‘Soolian Paradox’ or rather discrepancy between modern Soolians and gnomes is explained by the fact that they are two differentiating races that have both lived around the Soolian bay at different times. This has not only been confirmed by the living record that is the Fjell bloodline but also by stone tablets carved by the aforementioned gnomish population. The Soolians can trace their lineage back to the so-called ‘Sea People’ rather than the gnomish population that lived around Rolk and Artemis. Soolians are a seafaring people, not bound by mountain and rock like the gnomes. We live freely, a right afforded to us by Bjørn Fjell and our other Soolian forefathers.