Dragonlance
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- For the dragonlance weapon as seen in the Dragonlance world, see Dragonlance (weapon)
Dragonlance is a large series of fantasy books and a Dungeons & Dragons campaign setting. Draconians and kender are creatures unique to this fantasy world. The majority of the novels take place on the continent of Ansalon, though some have taken place on the lesser known Taladas.
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[edit] History and influence
This series was originally published by TSR, Inc. during the early-to-mid-1980s as a supplement to their Advanced Dungeons & Dragons game products. It is currently published by Wizards of the Coast, which purchased TSR in 1997. Wizards of the Coast has licensed Sovereign Press to publish further Dragonlance game material.
The world of Dragonlance was the first fictional world to be professionally produced as a role-playing game world, with product tie-ins (novels, role-playing modules, figurines, etc.) prepared and manufactured when it was first released. Before Dragonlance, fictional role-playing worlds evolved from the amateur creations of the games' players (with the most notable example being the Greyhawk campaign setting), or from previously existing fictional settings (I.C.E's MERP) or settings based in the real world. The success of the Dragonlance series encouraged role-playing game producers to invent and market additional fictional game worlds, such as the Ravenloft series.
The central books of the Dragonlance series were written by the authoring team of Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman. Other notable writers within the series include Richard A. Knaak, Douglas Niles, Roger E. Moore, Don Perrin, Jean Rabe, Paul B. Thompson, Tonya C. Cook, Michael Williams and Chris Pierson.
For most of Dragonlance's history, the "main storyline" has meant those books that were set in the world's "present" and moved events forward. For example, until Time of the Twins, almost all novels were set before the Chronicles trilogy, often in ancient history.
The series have inspired different works outside literature. "Wishmaster," a song by Nightwish, is based on the Raistlin and Dalamar's relationship as apprentice and master, referencing the Inn of the Last Home, while "Wanderlust" uses the same name of the kender passion for traveling. The Swedish metal band Lake of Tears recorded a song called "Raistlin and the Rose" in their 1997 album "Crimson Cosmos," while the German group Blind Guardian wrote "The Soulforged," another song inspired by Raistlin's story, which appeared on the band's 2002 album "A Night At the Opera."
[edit] Main storyline
[edit] Fourth Age
The Dragonlance story is set over 300 years after the Cataclysm, an event in which the gods grow angry at man's arrogance, drop a fiery mountain (truly a meteor) onto the nation of Istar, which rearranges the face of the planet Krynn, and appear to depart from the world. According to the story, mankind was too angry to accept them. A war is developing, and a group of friends meet with an exiled barbarian couple carrying a Blue Crystal staff. They are called the newly formed group of travelers, also known as the Companions. They begin a journey in which they learn about the staff's secret, the real meaning of the departure of the gods, the return of the dragons and the fabled weapons known as dragonlances. They eventually defeat the Queen of Darkness, and end the War of the Lance.
Some two years after that, the mage Raistlin Majere, who has become very powerful, begins an attempt to ascend to godhood. He weaves into his plan his brother Caramon Majere, the cleric Crysania, and the kender Tasslehoff Burrfoot. He eventually stops this plan, realizing he would succeed, but in that would lead him to a life of eternity alone. He understands this after his brother sees the future and reveals this to Raistlin. Raistlin sacrifices himself and stays in the Abyss, which proves his redemption. Though never attaining godhood, he does however have a unique afterlife experience. This story is told in the Legends trilogy.
[edit] Book list
The main storyline of the original Dragonlance series has been written by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman, with multiple books written by several authors including the aforementioned ones covering different years in between and sometimes during the main events.
The Chronicles Trilogy relates the events since the meeting of the Companions until the end of the War of the Lance and the defeat of the Dragonarmies of Ansalon, covering years 350 to 353 A.C.
The Legends Trilogy covers the Blue Lady's War in 357 A.C., as well as Raistlin Majere's and Caramon Majere's adventures in the past culminating in Raistlin's attempt at godhood. Since the books also feature time travelling, it includes information about the Cataclysm and the Dwarfgate Wars, in the year 39 A.C.
The Second Generation is a single compilation book which picks the most important tales from the Tales series and details the children of the Companions, all of which become players in the later story. This book is considered in the main storyline, as it is needed to be read in order to understand events that happened between the War of the Lance and the Chaos War. However, it is possible to read Dragons of Summer Flame without reading The Second Generation. These two novels developed characters that would later be seen in the War of Souls trilogy.
Dragons of Summer Flame (originally intended to be a trilogy but shortened to a single book due to publisher's pressures) covers the Chaos War, also known as the Second Cataclysm, in the year 383 A.C. The gods and mortals join forces to defeat Chaos in his attempt to destroy Krynn. The war ends with the withdrawal of Chaos and the gods of Krynn, in a divine agreement to keep the world safe.
A strange storm courses through Krynn, beginning the War of Souls, covered by the trilogy of the same name in the year 421 A.C. (38 S.C. in the new year nomenclature), The end of the war brings the return of the gods, the death of Takhisis and the departure of Paladine as head of the good gods in order to maintain the balance between Good and Evil.
On 11 July 2006, the first book of the Lost Chronicles trilogy was released,[1] detailing the events surrounding the recovery of the Hammer of Kharas, between the first and second books of the Chronicles Trilogy, the War of the Lance from Kitiara Uth Matar's and Lord Soth's point of view, and how Raistlin Majere took the Black Robes in Neraka during the third book. The first one of this trilogy is called Dragons of the Dwarven Depths. These books will fill gaps left in the original Chronicles Trilogy, and may be considered to fit in the main storyline.
These books are considered to be the core Dragonlance books. Other books may contradict these, In particular, The Meetings Sextet and the Preludes novels, which detail the lives of the companies prior to the War of the Lance, contain many inconsistencies. when compared to the original trilogy. Nancy Varian Berberick, a Dragonlance author, explained that authors had to work with the written novels and gaming modules, which accounted for some continuity issues.[2] An example of these problems can be found in the Dragons of a New Age trilogy by Jean Rabe, which was written before the War of Souls trilogy.
[edit] Dragonlance movie
- For more details on this topic, see Dragonlance: Dragons of Autumn Twilight (movie).
On 14 July 2006, the casting of the Dragonlance animated movie was announced, including Kiefer Sutherland as voice of Raistlin and Lucy Lawless as voice of Goldmoon.[3]
It has a release date of "Autumn 2007."
[edit] Dragonlance audio books
Abridgements for many of the Dragonlance novels have been released in Audio book form. The Chronicles Trilogy and Legends Trilogy were published by Random House Audio Books in audio cassette form. Dragons of Summer flame, The Doom Brigade, Soulforge and Dragons of a Fallen Sun were released by Soundelux Audio. There is no information on why the rest of The War of Souls Trilogy was not released in audio form.
In 2005 Brilliance Audio released an unabridged Dragons of the Dwarven Depths on audio CD.
[edit] Games based on Dragonlance
Tabletop:
Electronic:
- Dragonlance on the original Nintendo
- IBM/PC games by Strategic Simulations, Inc.:
- Heroes of the Lance
- War of the Lance
- Champions of Krynn
- Death Knights of Krynn
- The Dark Queen of Krynn (also available on Macintosh)
[edit] See also
- Dragonlance timeline
- List of Dragonlance characters
- List of Dragonlance creatures
- List of Dragonlance locations
- List of Dragonlance novels
- List of Dragonlance artifacts
- List of Dragonlance deities
- Dragonlance: The New Adventures set of young adult novels
- Creation of Krynn
- Ansalon
- Taladas
- Krynn
- Krynnspace, the area of Spelljammer devoted to Dragonlance
- Dragonlance Nexus fansite
[edit] References
- ^ Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman. Dragons of the Dwarven Depths. Wizards of the Coast. Retrieved on 2006-07-18.
- ^ Nancy Varian Berberick. Gaming module posting. Dragonlance forums. Retrieved on 2006-07-17.
- ^ Kiefer Sutherland Headlines Final Movie Cast. Wizards of the coast. Retrieved on 2006-07-17.
[edit] External links
- Dragonlance.com (Official Gaming Site)
- Dragonlance - Official The Fifth Age Online Comic
- Dragonlance Movie Site - official site for news about movies based on Dragonlance.
- Dragonlance Nexus (Major fan site)
- TSR Archive Dragonlance product list
