Dragonlance Legends
Encyclopedia
The Dragonlance Legends are a trilogy of fantasy novels written by Margaret Weis
and Tracy Hickman
, which take place in the Dragonlance
setting. This series is the sequel to the Dragonlance Chronicles, and explores the lives of Raistlin
and Caramon
. The trilogy has two major story arcs:
Other featured characters are:
The three books in the series are Time of the Twins
, War of the Twins
and Test of the Twins
.
, Raistlin Majere makes plans to challenge Takhisis
, the Queen of Darkness, and assume her place in Krynn
's pantheon of gods. To do so, he requires the aid of a cleric of Paladine to open the portal that leads to Takhisis's abode in the Abyss. He chooses Crysania of Tarinius for this purpose, misleading her into believing that she may be able to sway him from the evil path that he walks.
Crysania attempts to enlist the help of Caramon, Raistlin's twin, in a journey to the Tower of High Sorcery in the Forest of Wayreth. However, Kitiara has learned of Raistlin's ambitions and hopes to deprive him of Crysania's help by sending the death knight, Lord Soth
, to kill Crysania.
Crysania is incapacitated, but Caramon and Tasslehoff are able to bring her to the Tower of High Sorcery. Raistlin has travelled back in time to the days just before the Cataclysm
in order to study with the dark wizard Fistandantilus. Caramon asks the Conclave to send him back in time as well, with the dual purpose of healing Crysania and killing Fistandantilus.
Sent back in time to Istar, with Tasslehoff as an unintended companion, Caramon discovers that Raistlin has already killed Fistandantilus and taken his place. Crysania is healed by the clerics of the time, and Raistlin convinces her to help him destroy Takhisis. Caramon comes to the realisation that his twin cannot be redeemed, and tries to kill him just as the Cataclysm strikes. His attack fails, and Raistlin casts a time travel spell, taking himself, Caramon and Crysania to another time.
Having assumed Fistandantilus's identity, Raistlin soon discovers that he seems doomed to repeat Fistandantilus's past actions as well. As the three travellers head south, they almost unwittingly begin to amass an army under the pretence of attacking the dwarven kingdom of Thorbardin, just as Fistandantilus did - an effort that led to Fistandantilus's death.
Raistlin gains hope that history can be changed when Tasslehoff reappears, having escaped the Abyss - he was sent there with the Temple of Istar when it was destroyed. The army reaches Zhaman and Raistlin begins the spell to open the portal, with Crysania's help. However, his magic is disrupted when Caramon and Tasslehoff attempt to use a magical device to return to their own time.
Raistlin battles Takhisis's minions in the Abyss with Crysania's help. Crysania is mortally wounded, but Raistlin leaves her behind, telling her that he no longer needs her.
Caramon and Tasslehoff arrive in Palanthas to find it under attack by Kitiara's forces. They fight their way to the Portal in the Tower of High Sorcery, and Caramon enters the Abyss to stop Raistlin.
After seeing the future that will come about if he leaves the Abyss, Raistlin chooses to stay behind to stop the Dark Queen from passing through the Portal into Krynn, while Caramon and Crysania flee to safety. With Raistlin's help, Caramon seals the Portal shut, and Krynn is saved.
Margaret Weis
Margaret Edith Weis is a fantasy novelist who, along with Tracy Hickman, is one of the original creators of the Dragonlance game world and has written numerous novels and short stories set in fantastic worlds.-Early life:Margaret Weis was born in 1948 in Independence, Missouri, and later attended...
and Tracy Hickman
Tracy Hickman
Tracy Raye Hickman is a best-selling fantasy author, best known for his work on Dragonlance as a game designer and co-author with Margaret Weis, while he worked for TSR...
, which take place in the Dragonlance
Dragonlance
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 conceived Dragonlance while driving in their car on the way to TSR for a job application...
setting. This series is the sequel to the Dragonlance Chronicles, and explores the lives of Raistlin
Raistlin Majere
Raistlin Majere is a fictional character from the Dragonlance series of books created by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman. Raistlin played an extensive role in the two main series of books, particularly in Dragonlance: Legends in which he was both primary protagonist and antagonist...
and Caramon
Caramon Majere
Caramon Majere is a fictional character from the Dragonlance books. He is depicted as a fighter and is one of the main characters in Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman's first Dragonlance trilogy, The Chronicles...
. The trilogy has two major story arcs:
- Raistlin MajereRaistlin MajereRaistlin Majere is a fictional character from the Dragonlance series of books created by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman. Raistlin played an extensive role in the two main series of books, particularly in Dragonlance: Legends in which he was both primary protagonist and antagonist...
's aspirations to godhood, and his twin Caramon MajereCaramon MajereCaramon Majere is a fictional character from the Dragonlance books. He is depicted as a fighter and is one of the main characters in Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman's first Dragonlance trilogy, The Chronicles...
's attempts to stop him; and - The machinations of Kitiara uth Matar, the twins' half-sister, and her attack on the city of Palanthas.
Other featured characters are:
- Crysania of Tarinius, a Revered Daughter of Paladine
- Tasslehoff BurrfootTasslehoff BurrfootTasslehoff Burrfoot is a fictional character of the kender race from the Dragonlance series of novels, written by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman. He was born in Kendermore. His parents are unknown and he has few known relatives. He has a sister, and also claims to have an Uncle Trapspringer...
- Raistlin's dark elf apprentice, Dalamar Argent
- the death knight, Lord SothLord SothLord Soth, the Knight of the Black Rose , is a fictional character in the fantasy realms of Dragonlance and later Ravenloft...
; and - Tanis Half-Elven.
The three books in the series are Time of the Twins
Time of the Twins
Time of the Twins is a fantasy novel in the Dragonlance series written by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman. It is the beginning of the Dragonlance Legends Trilogy, a series detailing the journey of fictional twins, the warrior Caramon Majere and the mage Raistlin Majere, along with the cleric...
, War of the Twins
War of the Twins
War of the Twins is a fantasy novel by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman, in the Dragonlance series of novels. It is the second novel in the Dragonlance Legends trilogy, a series detailing the journey of the fiction twins Raistlin Majere and Caramon Majere, along with Crysania and Tasslehoff Burrfoot...
and Test of the Twins
Test of the Twins
Test of the Twins is a fantasy novel by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman. It is the third and final book in the Dragonlance Legends, which along with the Dragonlance Chronicles are considered the core Dragonlance novels...
.
Time of the Twins
Two years after the War of the LanceWar of the Lance
The War of the Lance is a fictional war in the Dragonlance setting, created by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman.-Publication history:The War of the Lance is the prime conflict in the Dragonlance saga....
, Raistlin Majere makes plans to challenge Takhisis
Takhisis
Takhisis is a fictional character from the Dragonlance universe. She is the main goddess of evil and head of the Dark Pantheon.- Titles and forms :...
, the Queen of Darkness, and assume her place in Krynn
Krynn
Krynn is the fictional world of the Dragonlance novels, co-written by Tracy Hickman and Margaret Weis. It has also been used in many other books, set in the Dragonlance universe. It is also used as the main setting in the Dragonlance campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing...
's pantheon of gods. To do so, he requires the aid of a cleric of Paladine to open the portal that leads to Takhisis's abode in the Abyss. He chooses Crysania of Tarinius for this purpose, misleading her into believing that she may be able to sway him from the evil path that he walks.
Crysania attempts to enlist the help of Caramon, Raistlin's twin, in a journey to the Tower of High Sorcery in the Forest of Wayreth. However, Kitiara has learned of Raistlin's ambitions and hopes to deprive him of Crysania's help by sending the death knight, Lord Soth
Lord Soth
Lord Soth, the Knight of the Black Rose , is a fictional character in the fantasy realms of Dragonlance and later Ravenloft...
, to kill Crysania.
Crysania is incapacitated, but Caramon and Tasslehoff are able to bring her to the Tower of High Sorcery. Raistlin has travelled back in time to the days just before the Cataclysm
Cataclysm (Dragonlance)
In the Dragonlance books, the Cataclysm was a catastrophic event that occurred when the Kingpriest of Istar demanded to be given godlike powers in order to eliminate evil from the world.-Background:...
in order to study with the dark wizard Fistandantilus. Caramon asks the Conclave to send him back in time as well, with the dual purpose of healing Crysania and killing Fistandantilus.
Sent back in time to Istar, with Tasslehoff as an unintended companion, Caramon discovers that Raistlin has already killed Fistandantilus and taken his place. Crysania is healed by the clerics of the time, and Raistlin convinces her to help him destroy Takhisis. Caramon comes to the realisation that his twin cannot be redeemed, and tries to kill him just as the Cataclysm strikes. His attack fails, and Raistlin casts a time travel spell, taking himself, Caramon and Crysania to another time.
War of the Twins
Crysania and the twins arrive in the Tower of High Sorcery in Palanthas, approximately one hundred years after the Cataclysm. Raistlin is chagrined to find that the portal to the Abyss has moved to the fortress of Zhaman, far to the south.Having assumed Fistandantilus's identity, Raistlin soon discovers that he seems doomed to repeat Fistandantilus's past actions as well. As the three travellers head south, they almost unwittingly begin to amass an army under the pretence of attacking the dwarven kingdom of Thorbardin, just as Fistandantilus did - an effort that led to Fistandantilus's death.
Raistlin gains hope that history can be changed when Tasslehoff reappears, having escaped the Abyss - he was sent there with the Temple of Istar when it was destroyed. The army reaches Zhaman and Raistlin begins the spell to open the portal, with Crysania's help. However, his magic is disrupted when Caramon and Tasslehoff attempt to use a magical device to return to their own time.
Test of the Twins
The magical device catapults Caramon and Tasslehoff into the future, where they are shocked to find that the world has been almost destroyed by the battle between Raistlin and Takhisis, leaving it ravaged and lifeless. They travel back to the present to stop Raistlin from leaving the Abyss.Raistlin battles Takhisis's minions in the Abyss with Crysania's help. Crysania is mortally wounded, but Raistlin leaves her behind, telling her that he no longer needs her.
Caramon and Tasslehoff arrive in Palanthas to find it under attack by Kitiara's forces. They fight their way to the Portal in the Tower of High Sorcery, and Caramon enters the Abyss to stop Raistlin.
After seeing the future that will come about if he leaves the Abyss, Raistlin chooses to stay behind to stop the Dark Queen from passing through the Portal into Krynn, while Caramon and Crysania flee to safety. With Raistlin's help, Caramon seals the Portal shut, and Krynn is saved.