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Dragonlance

The original Dragonlance logo
Creators	Margaret Weis and Laura and Tracy Hickman
Country	United States
Language	English
Genre	Fantasy
Published	1984–current
Media type	Novels, game accessories, film, audiobooks

The second Dragonlance logo, used on most of the books and Dungeons & Dragons supplements set in the world.

Dragonlance is a shared universe created by Laura and Tracy Hickman, and expanded by Tracy Hickman and Margaret Weis under the direction of TSR, Inc. into a series of popular fantasy novels. The Hickmans devised the concept that became Dragonlance while driving in their car on the way to TSR for a job application. At TSR, Tracy met his future writing partner Margaret Weis, and they gathered a group of associates to play the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. The adventures during that game inspired a series of gaming modules, and a series of novels, as well as licensed products such as board games, and lead miniature figures.

In 1984, TSR published the first Dragonlance novel, Dragons of Autumn Twilight. It began the Chronicles Trilogy, a core element of Dragonlance. While the authoring team of Tracy Hickman and Margaret Weis wrote the setting's central books, numerous other authors contributed novels and short stories to the setting. Over 190 novels have used the Dragonlance setting, and have been accompanied by a supplemental campaign setting in the Dungeons & Dragons – style for over a decade. In 1997, Wizards of the Coast LLC purchased TSR, and licensed Dragonlance to Sovereign Press, Inc in 2001 to produce game materials; this licensing agreement expired in 2007.

The fictional Dragonlance world of Krynn contains numerous characters, an extensive timeline, and a detailed geography. The history of Krynn consists of six ages. The novels and related game products are primarily set in the fifth age, The Age of Despair. Since February 2009, the sixth age, the Age of Mortals, has been used. The Heroes of the Lance, created by Weis and Hickman, are the popular protagonists of the Chronicles trilogy, the first books set in the Dragonlance universe. Along with D&D's world of the Forgotten Realms, Dragonlance is one of the most popular shared worlds in fiction.

The world

The Dragonlance world is described in numerous books and novels. The setting contains numerous characters, an extensive timeline, and a detailed geography.

Krynn

Dragonlance is set on the world of Krynn. The majority of the novels take place in the various regions of Ansalon, a small continent, though some have taken place on the continent of Taladas, northeast of Ansalon. Its major gods are Chaos and his children: good Paladine, neutral Gilean, and evil Takhisis. Depending on the time period, the evil chromatic and the good metallic dragons are rare or plentiful. Humans are Krynn's most common humanoid race, but elves, dwarves, kender, gnomes, and minotaurs share the world. Clerics derive magical powers from their gods, and wizards derive their power from the three moon gods, Solinari, Lunitari, and Nuitari. Hickman had previously preached as a missionary in Java for two years, and uses Indonesian in Dragonlance spells.^[1] During Krynn's various wars, armies of draconians are used as troops. Draconians are created by corrupting a dragon egg, thereby creating a reptilian humanoid. The eggs of good dragons create evil draconians, and the eggs of evil dragons create good draconians.

Fictional history

The history of the world of Krynn, and thus the settings for both the novels and gaming supplements, is roughly split into six separate ages. The first age is the time of creation, when the gods are born and Krynn is formed. The Age of Dreams, the second age, is marked by the rapid growth of the world's first great civilizations. During the Age of Light, a myriad of new races appear. This era is also marked by three great wars between dragons and their minions. Following the Third Dragon War, in the Age of Might, the Cataclysm obliterates the great empire of Istar and changes almost all of Krynn's surface. A 300-year depression follows this event, in what is called the Age of Despair. This period also marks the War of the Lance. When Dragonlance was first introduced to Dungeons & Dragons, events happened during The Age of Despair. Since February 2009, the Age of Mortals has been used for most of the setting's new novels.

Characters

The Heroes of the Lance: from left Raistlin, Caramon, Tanis, Tasslehoff, Flint, Goldmoon, Riverwind, Sturm, Tika, and Laurana. Tracy Hickman keeps this Larry Elmore painting on the wall in his office.^[2]

The Heroes of the Lance are the protagonists of the Chronicles trilogy, the first books set in the Dragonlance universe. They were created by Weis and Hickman, then fleshed out as player characters in games of Dungeons & Dragons at Hickman's apartment. Hickman asked game designer Terry Phillips which player he had been given to play. Phillips played as wizard Raistlin Majere, and according to Hickman, when Phillips replied "the world of Krynn was forever changed. His rasping voice, his sarcasm and bitterness all masking an arrogance and power that never needed to be stated suddenly were real."^[3]

Several other Heroes of the Lance were played by various people. Authors Gary and Janet Pack played the half-elf Tanis Half-Elven and the Kender Tasslehoff Burrfoot, respectively. Author Douglas Niles played the dwarf Flint Fireforge. TSR employee Harold Johnson played the Solamnic knight Sturm Brightblade. The rest of the Heroes are the barbarians Goldmoon and Riverwind, elf Laurana Kanan, and humans Caramon Majere (Raistlin's brother) and Tika Waylan. Weis played Fizban the Fabulous.^[4]

In the beginning, Margaret Weis had problems depicting Tanis Half-Elven in the novels. Tracy Hickman finally told her "He's James T. Kirk of the Starship Enterprise." After that explanation, Margaret had no more troubles while writing about Tanis.^[5] Other noteworthy antagonists, and sometimes protagonists, are the Death Knight Lord Soth and Kitiara Uth Matar, the half-sister of Raistlin and Caramon, and leader of one of the Dragonarmies of Ansalon. According to Hickman, Lord Soth is the most unpredictable character to write about, saying "Every time that character made an appearance in one of our books he would try to run off with the story."^[6]

Publication history

Creation

Tracy Hickman and Margaret Weis at Gen Con 2008

Hickman developed his world creation technique by writing and self-publishing with his wife Laura the adventure modules Rahasia (1979) and Pharaoh (1980), and writing TSR's Ravenloft (1983).^[7] He was unemployed in 1982, and TSR offered him a job based on his submission of several modules.^[1] That year, while driving from Utah to Wisconsin to start a job with TSR, Hickman and his wife created the Dragonlance universe concept. During the trip, Hickman and his wife discussed two ideas they had had for several years: an entire world used to support a storyline, and a world dominated by dragons.^[4]

Their ideas were well received by TSR, whose marketing department felt they had enough dungeons, but not enough dragons. Hickman suggested a series of twelve modules, each featuring a different dragon. TSR employee Harold Johnson suggested that Hickman should try to get additional support from other TSR staff members and, after a period of months, Hickman had the support of Jeff Grubb, Larry Elmore, Roger Moore, Doug Niles, Michael Williams, and others with whom they discussed ideas for the project. Meanwhile, Weis was editing and writing various Endless Quest books for TSR. The Dragonlance group decided that novels should accompany the game modules; TSR reluctantly agreed and hired a writer.^[4] Hickman became the design coordinator for "Project Overlord", the cover name for what would later be known as the Dragonlance saga.^[8]

TSR decided to create a franchise; including modules, board games, lead figures, and – for the first time – novels. Weis had been hired as an editor, and with Hickman they began working with the author hired to write the novels. They weren't satisfied with the author, and decided they should be the ones to write the books.^[1] They collaborated over a weekend, writing the prologue for the first five chapters of the first novel,^[1] Dragons of Autumn Twilight, based on the module Dragons of Despair.^[9] TSR liked their treatment and gave them the assignment, firing the author. After two years of development, TSR released Dragons of Autumn Twilight as a supplement to the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons game products.^[10] TSR had doubts about the finished novel's sales potential, and attempted to order 30,000 copies, ultimately ordering the minimum print run of 50,000. The success of the novel prompted TSR to publish more copies to meet demand.^[1] Dragonlance eventually received ancillary products such as novels, calendars, computer games, and art books.^[11]

Further development

In the mid to late-1980s, a rift developed between Weis and Hickman and TSR. They were feeling under-appreciated by the company, and when TSR turned down their Darksword series of novels, they went to Bantam Books. Bantam made them an offer, which they accepted, and they stopped writing Dragonlance novels for TSR.^[1] They returned to write Dragons of Summer Flame for TSR in 1996, thinking it would be their final Dragonlance novel. At the time, Dragonlance gaming had been converted to the SAGA System, with limited success, and that combined with TSR's general financial troubles put the setting's future in doubt. Wizards of the Coast bought the troubled TSR in 1997, and Weis and Hickman then proposed Dragonlance's War of Souls trilogy; eventually published in 2000–2002. All three novels made the New York Times bestseller list and the setting was revitalized commercially.^[4] The central books of the Dragonlance series were written by the authoring team of Weis and Hickman, however, many other writers have made contributions, including Richard A. Knaak, Douglas Niles, Roger E. Moore, Don Perrin, Jean Rabe, Paul B. Thompson, Tonya C. Cook, Michael Williams, Nancy Varian Berberick and Chris Pierson.

In 2001, Wizards of the Coast licensed Sovereign Press to publish further Dragonlance game materials. This began with the newly-revised Dragonlance Campaign Setting in 2003, which used the new Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition.^[4] On April 23, 2007, Weis announced Wizards of the Coast did not renew Sovereign's license, and that Dragonlance RPG game supplements and accessories would only be released through the end of the year.^[12]

Reception

Dragonlance is one of the most popular shared worlds, where writers place adventures in a world created by other writers.^[13] The first Dragonlance trilogy, Chronicles, launched the Dungeons & Dragons line of novels, with many of its characters spun off into other novels.^[14] Along with Forgotten Realms, Dragonlance is TSR's most popular series of novels. According to The 1990s by Marc Oxoby, what is most notable about the series is that "what may at one time been considered disposable, escapist literature" found "unprecedented popularity" in the 1990s.^[15] All of the Dragonlance novels remained in print during the decade, turning Weis and Hickman into literary stars and boosting sales of their non Dragonlance novels. Although the series was initially published in paperback, its success led to hardcover printings. The hardcover version of Dragons of Summer Flame had an "impressive" first printing of 200,000 books.^[15] Every Dragonlance novel by Weis and Hickman since 1995 has been released in hardcover, and some previous novels have been re-released in hardcover collectors editions.^[16] Dragonlance made TSR one of the most successful publishers of science fiction and fantasy in the 1990s.^[17]

By 2008, there were more than 190 novels in the Dragonlance franchise. ^[9] Weis and Hickman's Dragonlance novels have made over 20 bestseller lists, with sales in excess of 22 million.^[17] The pair's novels have been translated into German, Japanese, Danish, Finnish, Spanish, French, Italian, Hebrew and Portuguese, and have sold well in the United States, Britain, and Australia.^[1]

Not all critics have praised Dragonlance and Weis and Hickman. According to author Stephen Hunt, Wendy Bradley of Interzone magazine does not think highly of their work. Hunt feels that it's unusual for authors to receive such loathing among "fantasy's literary mafia", saying 'Behind every critic's scorn laden insult, there lays that unsaid thought at the end: "But I could have written that!"'^[1] Visions of Wonder, edited by David G. Hartwell and Milton T. Wolf and published by the Science Fiction Research Association, argues that Dragonlance is published under the "omnivore theory" of publishing. In this theory, the readership is made up of teenagers, and completely replaces itself every three to five years. This allows publishers to release subpar novels and still reach a small yet profitable audience.^[18]

Novels

The main storyline of the original Dragonlance series has been written by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman, with multiple books written by several further authors, 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.
• The Legends Trilogy covers the Blue Lady's War, as well as Raistlin Majere's and Caramon Majere's adventures in the past culminating in Raistlin's attempt at godhood. The books feature time travel, and focus on events in Istar shortly before the Cataclysm, and the ensuing Dwarfgate Wars.
• 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 must be read to understand the events that happened between the War of the Lance and the Chaos War. This novel developed characters that would later be seen in the War of Souls trilogy.
• Dragons of Summer Flame covers the Chaos War, also known as the Second Cataclysm. 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.
• Dragons of a New Age describes the rise of the Dragon Overlords and introduces the Fifth Age of Dragonlance. It leads into the War of Souls trilogy.
• The War of Souls trilogy begins as a strange storm courses through Krynn, heralding the War of Souls. The end of the war brings the return of the gods, Takhisis's death and the departure of Paladine as head of the good gods, in order to maintain the balance between Good and Evil.
• The Dark Disciple trilogy follows the death of Takhisis and the departure of Paladine, when the lesser gods strive to maintain dominance.
• The Lost Chronicles trilogy is a companion to the original Chronicles. Each book of the trilogy fills in sections of the story previously left untold. It tells the story surrounding the recovery of the Hammer of Kharas,^[19] how the Companions retrieve the dragon orb from Ice Wall, how Kitiara Uth Matar and Lord Soth became allies, and how Raistlin Majere took the Black Robes in Neraka.

Campaign setting

Dragonlance Adventures, the first Dragonlance campaign setting sourcebook

TSR created Dragonlance as a campaign setting for the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons system in 1982. They published the first sourcebook, Dragonlance Adventures, in 1987. When Advanced Dungeons & Dragons changed to its 2nd edition, the Dragonlance campaign setting changed with it. However, in the 1990s, Dragonlance was converted to use the new SAGA role playing system, which uses cards to determine the effects of actions. In 1996, Dragonlance: Fifth Age roleplaying game was released; the game used cards to produce random results instead of dice, and emphasized storyline development.^[10] When the 3rd edition of Dungeons & Dragons came out, Dragonlance was again represented by a new sourcebook (Dragonlance Campaign Setting), although no new adventures were published by Wizards of the Coast. Wizards of the Coast also turned over all responsibility for maintaining the Dragonlance setting in the 3rd edition to Margaret Weis's home company Sovereign Press.

In other media

In 2008, Dragonlance: Dragons of Autumn Twilight was released direct-to-video, an animated movie based on the first Dragonlance book of the same name. The animation was produced by Toonz Animation, and starred the voices of Lucy Lawless, Kiefer Sutherland, Michael Rosenbaum, Michelle Trachtenberg.^[20] A number of video games are also set in the Dragonlance world: including Heroes of the Lance (1988), Dragons of Flame (1989), War of the Lance (1989), Dragonstrike (1990), Shadow Sorcerer (1991), Champions of Krynn (1990), Death Knights of Krynn (1991), and The Dark Queen of Krynn (1992).

The series has inspired mention in music as well, including "Wishmaster," a song by Nightwish based partially on the relationship between Raistlin and Dalamar as a master and apprentice. The Swedish metal band Lake of Tears also 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 in the band's 2002 album "A Night At the Opera."^[21]

See also

Dungeons & Dragons portal

Dragonlance portal

• List of Dragonlance locations
• List of Dragonlance deities
• Dragonlance Nexus fansite

References

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)

Dungeons & Dragons campaign settings Overview Al-Qadim • Birthright • Blackmoor • Dark Sun • Dragonlance • Eberron • Forgotten Realms • Greyhawk • Kara-Tur • Kingdoms of Kalamar • Lankhmar • Masque of the Red Death • Mystara • Planescape • Ravenloft • Rokugan • Spelljammer

From Wikiquote

Dragonlance (1984 - present) is a large series of over 190 fantasy novels.

Heroes

Flint Fireforge

• (to Tanis) "Why the beard? You were ugly enough."

• "Of all the hatreds, the ones between families are the cruelest."

Laurana Kanan

• "Do not be ashamed, Tas. Be thankful you can feel pity and horror at the death of an enemy. The day we cease to care—even for our enemies—is the day we have lost this battle."

• "Until we conquer the evils within ourselves we can never conquer the great evil that threatens to engulf us!"

• "Touch this body and you will die. Your dragon will not be able to save you." (defending Sturm's body from Kitiara)

Raistlin Majere

• "Magic will be my sword."

• "If I am to be judged by those who come after me, let me be judged by the truth."

• "Bupu, you have been a good and true friend to me. You saved my life and the lives of those I care about. Now you will do one last thing for me, little one. Go back. I must travel roads that will be dark and dangerous before the end of my long journey. I can not ask you to go with me."

• "Hope is the denial of reality. It is the carrot dangled before the draft horse to keep him plodding along in a vain attempt to reach it."

• "I'm saying we should remove the carrot and walk forward with our eyes open." (Response when he was asked if he had any hope.)

• "If we stop living because we fear death, then we have already died."

• "Some of us are not destined to meet again in this world!"

• "I will let nothing stop me. Look at Caramon's face, Tanis. He knows! I killed him once. I can do it again."

• "I will do this. Nothing in my life matters except this. No moment in my life exists except this moment. I am born in this moment, and if I fail, I will die in this moment."

• "I wanted to tell her that sometimes, in my long sleep, I dreamt of her." (referring to Crysania, his would-be love)

• "I have sinned enough against the world. Teaching magic to a kender would ensure my damnation."

• "Learn to control the power. Never let it control you!"

• "Death is life's one great certainty."

• "Bow only in reverence, never in subservience."

• "So dark. Endless darkness, eternal. It was not the absence of light that was so frightening as the absence of thought, of knowledge, of comprehension. Our lives, the lives of the living will go on. The sun shines, the moons rise, we will laugh and talk, and he will know nothing, feel nothing. Nothing. So final. It will come to us all. It will come to me."

• Raistlin: This alters time.
  Astinus: This alters nothing...Time flows on, undisturbed.
  Raistlin: And carries me with it?
  Astinus: Unless you have the power to change the course of rivers by tossing in a pebble.
  Raistlin: Watch, Astinus. Watch for the pebble!

• "Just because a mage wears the Black Robes does not make him evil."

• "Weep as I wept once, long, long ago. Then you will realize, as I did, that it does no good. No one hears you, sobbing in the night alone."

• "I sacrificed myself for myself!"

• "Someday, fat innkeepers will bow to me."

• "In a world of the faithless, you are the only one who is faithful. And, because of that, you will be reviled, ridiculed, persecuted. But I see one who loves you, who will risk all to defend you."

• "In my sight, it is always winter, always night."

• "Hope lives. No matter the mistakes we make, no matter our blunders and misunderstandings, no matter the grief and sorrow and loss, no matter how deep the darkness, hope lives." (From Dragons of the Hourglass Mage)

Sturm Brightblade

• "Est Sularus oth Mithas."
  • Translation: "My honor is my life."

• "To the Abyss with the Measure! Where has the Measure gotten us? Divided, jealous, crazed! Even our own people prefer to treat with the armies of our enemies! The Measure has failed!"

• "The Forestmaster said to us, in Darken wood, that we should not mourn those who have fulfilled their destiny. Mine is fulfilled."

Tanis Half-Elven

• "If we deny love that is given to us, if we refuse to give love because we fear the pain of loss, then our lives will be empty, our loss greater."

• "We will close our eyes and begin to dream our eternal dream."

• "It’s the sensible, logical thing to do, of course, which is why we don’t do it."

• "The darkness might conquer, but it could never extinguish hope, and though one candle, or many, may flicker and die, new candles would be lit from the old. Thus hopes flame always burns, lighting the darkness until the coming of day."

• "People want to believe in something-even if they know it is false."

• "Don't judge Raistlin, Laurana. Things aren't always black and white, as you elves are inclined to believe. The mage has saved our lives more than once. I have come to rely upon his thinking- which, I admit, I find easier to rely on than blind faith!"

• "Only the dead are without fear."

• "We'll have to go out through the kitchen."

Tasslehoff Burrfoot

• "Sometimes it hurts to care, doesn't it, Caramon? But it's better than being empty inside."

• "Is this something you two do regularly? I've heard married couples do some strange things but this seems kind of weird—"

• "We kender may not be the smartest folk. But we know that we should be fighting dragons, not each other."

• "It's the small things that make the difference."

• "Raistlin! You have on black robes! How wonderful! Can I touch them? Oh, all right. You needn't glare at me like that. It's just that they look so soft. Say, does this mean you're truly bad now? Can you do something evil for me, so I can watch? I know! I saw a wizard summon a demon once. Could you do that? Just a small demon? You could send him right back. No?"

• "Well...it's a problem that will be solved by wiser heads than mine. I'm along for the fun."

Caramon Majere

• "But you have to live with yourself, Raistlin. And there are times in the night when that must be damn near unbearable." (speaking to Raistlin)

• "We raise our children to leave us."

• "Raistlin made a mistake- a terrible, tragic mistake. And he did what few of us can do- he had courage enough to admit it and try to do what he could to rectify it, even though it meant sacrificing himself."

Huma Dragonbane

• "I am a knight of Solamnia. I am the hand of Paladine, of Kiri-Jolith and of Habbakuk on this world. You are on Krynn. You are mine, Queen of Darkness."

Tika Waylan Majere

• "I'd like the business cooler and the weather warmer."

Palin Majere

• "If I have done nothing else of value in this life, I have loved and been loved. And that is all that truly matters."

• "Did you give Tanis a sword, then bid him break it? Did you give Sturm a shield and tell him to hide behind it? Oh, I know! That is different. That is something you understand. You've never understood me, have you, Father?"

• "Yet without the darkness, we would never be aware that the stars exist."

• Steel: "How many spells do you have?" Palin: "One, but it's a good one."

Fizban

• "No discipline in the younger generation. His father- now there was a puffball...."

• "Arrest the tree! Obstructing sunlight! Thats the charge!"

• "Good? Triumph? Not so, Half-Elven. The balance is restored. The evil dragons will not be banished. They remain here, as do the good dragons. Once again the pendulum swings freely."

• "No, really? I was feeling a bit under the weather this morning, but I had no idea it was as bad as all that. So I'm dead. Done for. Bought the farm. Kicked the bucket. Was it a nice funeral? Did lots of people come? Was there a twenty-one gun salute? I've always wanted a twenty-one gun salute."

• "Have you seen my hat?"

• "Now what was that spell again?"

• "That got 'em! Wonderful spell, Fireball—"
  —Fizban the Fabulous, Dragons of Spring Dawning

Par-Salian

• "Kender are the true innocents of this world. They remind us that we spend a great deal of time and energy worrying about things that are not very important."

• "The gods asked for a sword, and now I can give them one; you." (speaking to Raistlin)

• "Time is a great flowing river, vaster and wider than any river we know. Throw a pebble into the rushing water – does the water suddenly stop? Does it begin to flow backward? Does it turn in its course and flow another direction? Of course not! The pebble creates a few ripples on the surface, perhaps, but then it sinks. The river flows onward, as it has ever done."

Other

• "We do not mourn the loss of those who die fulfilling their destinies."
  • The Forestmaster

• "Say our lives are measured not by gain, but by giving."
  • The Forestmaster

• "Ingenious—because you see if the sponges come down a little late, an alarm goes off, releasing a huge barrel of water and, since the sponges are already there, it's easy to clean up the mess."
  • Gnosh

• "The mage's soul is forged in the crucible of the magic. You choose to go voluntarily into the fire. The fire might very well destroy you. But if you survive, every blow of the hammer will serve to shape your being. Every drop of water wrung from you will temper and strengthen your soul."
  • Antimodes

• "The magic will not solve your problems. It will only add to them. The magic will not make people like you. It will increase their distrust. The magic will not ease your pain. It will twist and burn inside you until sometimes you think that even death would be preferable."
  • Antimodes

• "You will be beset with failure, but never give up hope. If that happens, you will know defeat."
  • Valthonis

• "Most of us walk in the light and the shadow, Tasslehoff, but there are the chosen few who walk this world, carrying their own light to brighten both day and night."
  • Crysania

• "Is it eradicating evil? Or are we like children, left alone in the house at night, who light candle after candle to keep away the darkness. We don’t see that the darkness has a purpose – though we may not understand it – and so, in our terror, we end up burning down the house!"
  • Crysania

• "A man with nothing to die for has even less for which to live."
  • Guerrand DiThon

• "I think you would have liked Antonias, Father. He was the man I was supposed to be."
  • Vinas Solamnus

• "Rules! Does the magic control you, Red? Or do you control the magic?"
  • Master Horkin

• "Nothing happens by chance. Everything happens for a reason. Your brain may not know what it is. Your brain may never figure out what it is. However, your heart knows, your heart always knows."
  • Master Horkin

• "The magic is in the blood, it flows from the heart. Every time you use it, part of yourself goes with it. Only when you are prepared to give of yourself, and receive nothing back will the magic work for you."
  • Theobold Beckman, quoting Par-Salian

• "We pity him. We hate him. We fear him – all because there is a little of him in each of us, though we admit it to ourselves only in the darkest part of the night." (referring to Raistlin Majere)
  • Justarius

Villains

Kitiara Uth Matar

• "I am what I have made myself. In a world where most are ignorant peasants, I have made myself a warrior. I take what I can and give when I like. I don't need you, dragon. I don't need anyone!"

• "Come on, you insignificant firefly! I have seen bigger sparks from steel and stone!"

• "If you think I would demean myself by sleeping with a man to get information, you're wrong, my friend."

• "Fear can turn you inside out or you can make fear work for you. Use it like another weapon. Fear is a funny thing. It can make you weak-kneed, make you pee your pants, make you whimper like a baby. Or fear can make you run faster, hit harder."

Steel Brightblade

• "We will sing the hero songs ourselves."

• Steel:"*To Chaos* You are wrong! We are everything. We are hope!"
• Chaos:"Hope? I see no hope! I see only despair! *To the Solamnic Knights* Paladine is dead. You fight alone. *To the Knights of Takhisis* Takhisis has fled. You fight alone. There is no hope. You have no gods. What have you left?"
• Steel:"Each other."

Takhisis

• "I have souls enough, Ariakan. It's the living I want."

Dalamar

[Conversation at the beginning of the Book Three within Dragons of Summer Flame set during the Chaos War.]

Tanis: "What the-" Tanis gripped the top of the wall to steady himself. "Dalamar! Where did-?"

Dalamar: "Palanthas. I traveled the roads of magic and do not have time to listen to you spluttering. Are you in charge here?"

Tanis: "Me? Good heavens, no! I'm only-"

Dalamar: "Then take me to someone who is," Dalamar said impatiently. "And tell these fools to sheathe their swords before I turn them into pools of molten metal."

• "Don’t look downcast. You will have a chance to die. You are being sent on another task."

Soth

• "I have no desire for a device that would carry me backward in time. Unless...unless it would take me back to undo what I did. Perhaps then I might make use of it. But what would be the use? If I had it to do over again, the outcome would be the same. I would make the same decisions, commit the same heinous acts. For that was the man I was."

Racial

Kender

• "No road is ever old"
  • Kender saying

• "Every path is the right path, unless it's the left fork"
  • Kender saying

• "Don’t change color to match the walls. Look like you belong and the walls will change color to match you."
  • Kender proverb

• Anything easy is more trouble than it's worth.
  • Old kender saying, Dragons of Winter Night

Dwarven

• "Durth Zamish octh Durth Tabor"
  • Translation: "Strange times makes strange brothers."
  • Dwarf saying

Poetry

• "As the old gods lost their power, we called to the blank sky into the cold, dividing gray to the ears of the new gods. The sky is calm, silent, unmoving. We have yet to hear their answer."
  • Excerpt from the "Canticle of the Dragon"

Return this man to Huma's breast.

Beyond the wild, impartial skies.

Grant to him a warrior's rest.

And set the last spark of his eyes.

Free from the smothering clouds of wars.

Upon the torches of the stars.

Let the last surge of his breath.

Take refuge in the cradling air.

Above the dreams of ravens where.

Only the hawk remembers death.

Then let his shade to Huma rise.

Beyond the wild, impartial skies.

• Funeral song for a Solamnic Knight

The day has passed beyond our power. The petals close upon the flower. The light is failing in this hour Of day's last waning breath.

The blackness of the night surrounds The distant souls of stars now found, Far from the world to which we're bound, Of sorrow, fear and death.

(Chorus) Sleep, love; forever sleep. Your soul the night will keep. Embrace the darkness deep. Sleep, love; forever sleep. (Chorus) The gathering darkness takes our souls, Embracing us in chilling folds, Deep in a Mistress's void that holds Our fate within her hands.

Dream, warriors, of the dark above And feel the sweet redemption of The Night's Consort, and of her love For those within her bands.

(Chorus)

We close our eyes, our minds at rest, Submit our wills to her behest, Our weaknesses to her confessed, And to her will we bend.

The strength of silence fills the sky, Its depth beyond both you and I. Into its arms our souls will fly, Where fear and sorrows end.

(Chorus)

• The Song of Death
  • Mina, The War of Souls

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