Where mountains were monasteries and lush green forests gave way to imperial cities, a small Bavarian province held a variety of land owners who were few, yet influential to the servants of the land.  Three of the lords resided in tall castles in this region, and one in particular was called Schonsilberstein.  Its name was earned from the silvery colored rocks that shimmered around the fortress, blessed by the rays of a beautiful sun.  The lord, Helmut von Schonsilberstein, ruled peacefully with his lady Sabine, yet their union was short lived as the birth of their child Sophie claimed her life.

Helmut held a heavy heart for many years and his sad spirit was revealed through his relationship with his daughter.  Since he was often ‘distant’ to her, Sophie grew up in the company of a housemaid Antje who became her teacher and companion.  As the years grew on she learned the arts of quilting, dancing, foreign languages,  and courtly manners.   Time continued and as she began to learn the art of  music, her father was wary because, like her mother, she began to grow in beauty.

It was Antje’s wish for Sophie to continue her lessons, but she began to realize that the lord’s daughter had to either find a suitable husband, or be sent to a nunnery to devote her life to God.  While Sophie had a calm heart, she had no desire to live her life in a convent, so her father arranged a marriage to a wealthy baron.

The baron was indeed a rich man and was anxious to marry in order to have a heir to his fortune.  He seemed kind, so she hoped with time she would love him.  The wedding day was set to be a peaceful one, but Sophie was unaware that an assassin hid in the crowd as they repeated their vows before a priest.  When the two walked down the aisle as husband and wife, a poison dagger entered the baron’s side and he immediately fell dead.

The assassin was caught and questioned.  After a long interrogation, the killer said he worked for a pope in the Imperial city of Ulm who felt the baron wasn’t loyal to a bishop there.  Also, since the baron had no children or siblings, Sophie immediately inherited the castle and all landholdings.  With bravery not typical of a normal woman, she arranged a meeting with the bishop to reassure him of her loyalty.

After a very large tithe and using part of her fortune to create two convents in honor of the bishop, he was reassured that she was a loyal servant of God and the Holy Roman Empire.  She also donated much of her time and money to other areas of the church, including a monastery where Geldrich resided.  Her future days were mostly spent in leisure and with extra time, she came to know the wandering bard Fiona, who continued to teach her about music.  With her left over resources, she rebuilt her home and for years the peasants stood in awe as they looked upon its pure white walls that reflected the light of the sun.  To honor her mother, she still holds the name of Schonsilberstein and named her castle Silberberg.