Pol

:"For saint Pol de Léon, see Paul Aurelian.":"Pol is also the abbreviation for Polystachya, a genus of orchid." "Pol" is a fictional character in Melanie Rawn's fantasy novels in the Dragon Prince and Dragon Star trilogies and is the hero of the "Dragon Star" trilogy.

Dragon Prince character| name = Prince Pol


bgcolor = silver
fgcolor = purple
race = "diarmadhi"
birth = 704, Feruche, Princemarch
colors = diamond, emerald, topaz, and pearl
rings = Desert topaz and Princemarch amethyst, Andrade's moonstone
dragon = Azhdeen
titles = High Prince, "Faradh'rei", "Diarmadh'rei", Ruler of Princemarch, Prince of the Desert
princedom = Princemarch, The Desert; iridescent dragon

Pol was born to Prince Rohan of the Desert and Ianthe, daughter of High Prince Roelstra; however, he did not know the circumstances of his birth for many years. He believed his mother to be the beloved Sunrunner wife of his father: Sioned. Pol possessed the Sunrunner gifts, though he was trained not at Goddess Keep like most Sunrunners, but by old friends of Sioned. Pol was first and foremost to be a Prince.

Biography

Dragon Prince Trilogy

Pol was conceived while his father, Rohan, was held captive by Ianthe in Feruche, a keep on the border of Princemarch. Ianthe had three other sons, while Rohan's wife Sioned had been rendered barren due to the plague that had swept the Continent. Drugged and later enraged by Ianthe's taunting, Rohan committed rape, giving Ianthe exactly what she had wanted: his son.

When Pol was born in the year 704, Sioned returned to Feruche with Tobin and Ostvel and claimed him as her own. She burned the keep and Ianthe to the ground. Sioned held him and named him Pol for the stars as she discovered that starlight could be woven just like that of the sun and moon. She used this new found discovery to create a starlight dome around Rohan and Roelstra in order to ensure a fair duel and to watch over Rohan. Rohan won the duel, ended the War of 704 with Princemarch and became High Prince. At first Rohan did not want to accept Pol, but as he looked upon his son, loved him deeply. Though he had won Princemarch as well, Rohan bestowed a regency upon Roelstra's daughter, Pandsala, until such a time as Pol could claim it for himself.

When Pol turned fourteen, Masul, an imposter heir of Roelstra, came forward claiming the right to Princemarch. As Pol himself was not knighted and too young to take up the challenge himself, his cousin Maarken stood in his stead. During this time the Star Scrolls had also been discovered. They were ancient texts of the long thought dead "diarmadhi", or sorcerers. During Maarken's battle with the imposter a sorcerers came out of hiding and fought against the young lord, nearly felling him. Rohan stepped in to save his nephew, slaying the imposter and securing Pol's right to Princemarch. On the way back from the "Rialla" where the challenge had taken place, Rohan decided to build the palace of Dragon's Rest for Pol.

In 723 Urival and Morwenna, Sunrunner friends of Sioned, came to train Pol in the Sunrunner arts. Although Maarken, also a Sunrunner Lord, had been trained at Goddess Keep, Rohan and Sioned thought it better that Pol, as future High Prince, not be under the governing of Goddess Keep although the new Lord of Goddess Keep was his cousin Andry.

Five years later, during which Pol had become ruler of Princemarch, rumors of sorcerers spread and the other remaining sons of Ianthe came forward to claim their right to Princemarch. It was now that Pol's true birth was revealed to him. At first he was angered and felt betrayed, but later told Sioned that she would always be his mother. Through his birth, Pol was not only a "faradhi", but "diarmadhi" as well. He used studied the Star scrolls and used both his Sunrunner and sorcerer knowledge to defeat Ruval, his eldest half brother. During this duel Pol set the desert ablaze and cleansed any hint of plague away. Dragons returned to Rivenrock, the domain they had fled when escaping the plague, after years of abandoning it.

During this time, as a plot to seduce Pol, the sorcerers and Miyon, Prince of Cunaxa and an enemy of the Desert, introduced Pol to Meiglan, Miyon's daughter. Meiglan was herself a shy and innocent young woman and was not a part of her fathers machinations. Although aware - and warned - of Miyon's plot, Pol fell in love with Meiglan and she with him. They were wed in 728. Two years later they had twin girls, Jihan and Rislyn, both with Sunrunner and/or sorcerer gifts.

Dragon Star Trilogy

In 737 the Vellant'im attacked the Continent. Their goal to defeat the Desert and kill the "diarmadhi", who used to rule them. Pol fought alongside Rohan, Sioned, and his cousins, but his disposition was more like that of his grandfathers' than Rohan's: he hungered for battle and the chance to meet his enemies head on. Though Rohan was a mighty warrior, he loved peace, and at times Pol chafed under his father's command during battle. Then he and the others were forced to retreat back to Stronghold, where his father died of a heart attack before the keep fell. Sioned, in rage and grief, set the keep ablaze with flame. Pol, devastated at the loss of his father, became the new High Prince and Prince of the Desert.

Pol fought a year-long war, using all that he was to defeat the enemy: Prince, "faradhi", and "diarmadhi". He was the High Prince of all: Sorcerers came out of hiding and rallied at his banner, while his dragon friend, Azhdeen, fought at his side as did Andry, his estranged cousin and the Lord of Goddess Keep, Sioned, Maarken, and coutless others. During this time, however, Meiglan and Rislyn were captured by Miyon and taken to the "Vellant'im". They waited to kill Meiglan in front of Pol. Rislyn was freed, though she had been blinded.

High Prince Pol and his followers finally defeated the "Vellant'im" at Skybowl and drove them from the Continent. After the cleansing of Stronghold, Pol lit the Keep ablaze. "His Fire. For all of them, for however long it would burn." (Skybowl 776)

Family Links

*Rohan: father
*Ianthe: birth mother
*Sioned: mother

*Meiglan: wife
*Jihan: daughter and heir
*Rislyn: daughter

Azhdeen

"Azhdeen" is Pol's reddish-gold dragonsire. In the Old Tongue, the name "Azhdeen" means 'Dragon Brother.' Azhdeen first came to Pol during his duel with his half-brother, Ruval, over the right to Princemarch. As Pol's Fire raged across Rivenrock, Azhdeen flew overhead. Ruval, wearing Pol's face, snatched at Azhdeen with sorcery as he had done to three other dragons. Azhdeen struggled against Ruval's control and then against Ruval's and Pol's as Pol fought Ruval for dominance. Ruval made Azhdeen attack Pol, but the dragon was clumsy as he struggled for freedom. Pol released his hold; instead of anger and hate, he projected his love and awe of dragons. Therefore Azhdeen bonded with Pol, broke free of Ruval's control, and killed Ruval. Days later Ruval's charred remains were found in the Long Sand.

Pol and Azhdeen are alike in spirit, in that both are fierce warriors and both have hot tempers. During the "Vellanti" war, Azhdeen stayed by Pol's side as long as he could, even fighting at his 'brother's' side.