From: ulmo@mux.net (Falconer)
Newsgroups: alt.fan.dragonlance
Subject: Dragonlance FAQ v0.70 - read this first!
Followup-To: alt.fan.dragonlance
Summary: This posting describes the newsgroup alt.fan.dragonlance, including
where to find more information. It should be read by anyone who
wishes to post to the alt.fan.dragonlance newsgroup.
Expires: Thu, 1 February 2007 00:00:00 GMT
Supersedes: <p0ed52hj9gj62ma2v6asf8m0s1i050ihg7@4ax.com>
Archive-name: books/dragonlance-faq
Posting-Frequency: monthly
Last-modified: 2007/01/01
Version: 0.70
URL: http://www.afdl.org/faq.html
Copyright: (c) 2006-2007 Michael Falconer
Maintainer: Michael Falconer <ulmo@mux.net>
Dragonlance FAQ
alt.fan.dragonlance
Maintained by Michael Falconer <ulmo@mux.net>
v0.70 - January 1, 2007
1) Questions about the FAQ
1.1 What is the Dragonlance FAQ?
1.2 Is the information in the FAQ correct?
1.3 How often is the FAQ updated?
1.4 Is the FAQ available on the WWW?
1.5 What has changed since the last version?
1.6 Who is the FAQ maintainer?
2) Back to the Basics
2.1 What is Dragonlance?
2.2 How did it start?
2.3 In what order should I read the novels?
2.4 What is the Dragonlance role-playing game and how do I play it?
2.5 How do I choose an edition?
2.6 What do I need to get started with First Edition Dragonlance?
2.7 What do I need to get started with Second Edition Dragonlance?
2.8 What do I need to get started with SAGA Dragonlance?
2.9 What do I need to get started with Third Edition Dragonlance?
2.10 What about Dragonlance computer games?
2.11 What other products are there?
2.12 Where can I buy the products?
2.13 But I want a product that's out of print! Where can I get it?
3) Raistlin Questions
3.1 Why does everyone talk about Raistlin?
3.2 Who created Raistlin?
3.3 Was Raistlin evil?
3.4 Did Raistlin have a daughter?
3.5 Did Raistlin or Fistandantilus win?
3.6 Did Raistlin love Crysania?
3.7 When did Raistlin really die?
3.8 I heard there is a song about Raistlin. Any info on this?
3.9 When will the third Raistlin Chronicles novel come out?
3.10 How should "Raistlin" be pronounced?
4) Regarding the Races of Krynn
4.1 Can draconians reproduce?
4.2 What are the types of draconians?
4.3 Who are the dragonlords, and which of them are still around?
4.4 Is a dark elf a drow?
4.5 Is a dark elf an evil elf?
4.6 How are Kender, Gnomes, and Dwarves related?
4.7 What are Scions?
4.8 Which races don't exist on Krynn?
5) Questions about Gods and People
5.1 How are Astinus and Gilean connected?
5.2 How are Fizban and Paladine connected?
5.3 What is an avatar?
5.4 Are Zifnab and Fizban the same person?
5.5 How are the gods' names pronounced?
5.6 Is Lord Soth in Dragonlance or in Ravenloft?
5.7 Who helped Gilthanas and Silvara discover the Draconians in Sanction,
in the Chronicles?
5.8 What happened to Gilthanas and Silvara after the events in Chronicles?
5.9 Who were Steel Brightblade's parents? When was he conceived?
5.10 How come Verminaard is alive in Stormblade when he dies in Dragons of
Autumn Twilight?
6) The World of Krynn
6.1 Tell me about the Towers of High Sorcery.
6.2 Can women become Knights of Solamnia?
6.3 What is Taladas?
6.4 What are Chorane, Watermere, Selasia, and Little Taladas?
6.5 What is Ithin'carthia?
6.6 What was the Chaos War?
6.7 What was the Second Cataclysm?
6.8 What is the Fifth Age? What is the Age of Mortals?
6.9 What novels are currently advancing the timeline?
7) The 'Other Worlds' of Dragonlance
7.1 I saw books in the Dragonlance Product List that weren't published with
the Dragonlance setting? What's up with that?
7.2 What is Ravenloft and what is its relation to Dragonlance?
7.3 What is Planescape and what is its relation to Dragonlance?
7.4 What is Spelljammer and what is its relation to Dragonlance?
7.5 What is Forgotten Realms and what is its relation to Dragonlance?
8) Dragonlance Products
8.1 Is there a complete list of Dragonlance products?
8.2 Where is the story of what happened to the Companions at Icewall?
8.3 What novels bridge the gap between Summer Flame and Fallen Sun?
8.4 Which other non-core novels are worth reading?
8.5 Which other game products are worth reading?
8.6 When will there be another Kang's Regiment novel?
8.7 Have some books been published with different cover art?
8.8 Will there be a Dragonlance movie?
8.9 I heard about a Dragonlance book series called The Lost Gods. What is
that and why can't I find it?
8.10 What is Legends of the Lance? What is the Tobril?
8.11 What new books are coming out?
9) Joining the Newsgroup
9.1 What is alt.fan.dragonlance?
9.2 Where can I find a news server?
9.3 What software do I need?
9.4 What is a lurker, a newbie, a dino, and a troll?
9.5 Are newbies welcome?
9.6 What is a newbie to do when he/she enters the newsgroup?
9.7 Are there any rules to follow in the newsgroup?
9.8 What is quoting and how do I do it?
9.9 Why do so-called "fans" complain about Dragonlance?
9.10 What are spoilers?
10) Controversial topics
10.1 What's a controversial topic?
10.2 Why shouldn't I bring up one of these topics?
10.3 Raistlin is a woman?
10.4 Tanis is gay?
10.5 Gem dragons on Krynn?
10.6 A Dragonlance movie and who should be in it?
10.7 Only Weis and Hickman novels count?
10.8 Posting under the name "Raistlin"?
10.9 I want more books on the Heroes of the Lance!
10.10 All books after Summer Flame should be discounted? (aka 5th Age
sucks!)
11) Questions about the Newsgroup
11.1 What are all these "in-jokes" I keep hearing?
11.2 What other newsgroups allow Dragonlance discussions?
11.3 Can I post my fanfic to the newsgroup?
11.4 Can I post binaries to the newsgroup?
11.5 Which authors/game designers/TSR employees post to the newsgroup?
11.6 What are these abbreviations that I keep seeing?
11.7 What is canon?
12) Dragonlance on the Internet
12.1 Did TSR go bankrupt?
12.2 What is the official Dragonlance home page?
12.3 Where are the official Wizards of the Coast "world sites"?
12.4 I want to write a Dragonlance novel. How do I get it published?
12.5 Can I play Dragonlance online?
12.6 Where can I find the Dragonlance mailing list?
12.7 Where can I find the Dragonlance web boards?
1) Questions about the FAQ
*** 1.1 What is the Dragonlance FAQ?
This file dates back at least as far as 1996 and has been consistently
maintained as a repository of Dragonlance lore by the members of the
Dragonlance fan community.
A FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) file usually lists common
questions that appear in online discussion of that topic, and the
answers for which there are a general consensus. If people disagree
strongly and/or there is reasonable doubt about an answer, both answers
are usually permitted. Usually, a FAQ also lists the written and
unwritten "rules" of a group and any specific traditions newcomers
should follow or be aware of. Due to the vast number of new users, many
FAQs also include some general information about netiquette related to
USENET and newsgroups. Any questions about the FAQ itself should go to
the maintainer.
The Dragonlance FAQ can be understood to be roughly divided into two
major sections. The first part, comprising the majority of the
document, answers questions about Dragonlance characters, books,
products, and anything else relevant to Dragonlance. The last few
sections pertain specifically to the newsgroup alt.fan.dragonlance and
other information about Dragonlance on the Internet. You should read
through the entire FAQ before posting to:
a) make sure you know the "rules" of the group
b) see if your question has already been answered previously
*** 1.2 Is the information in the FAQ correct?
The FAQ does not try to be 100% correct in all areas, and leaves room
for discussion. In general, most of the information in the FAQ is
correct, or at least "correct" in the newsgroup (the general consensus
in the newsgroup may set aside TSR literature's answers in favour of
other answers).
*** 1.3 How often is the FAQ updated?
Monthly. An updated version is posted to alt.fan.dragonlance on the 1st
of every month. If you feel anything should be changed in the FAQ,
altering, removing or adding a question, please email the maintainer.
*** 1.4 Is the FAQ available on the WWW?
An updated version of it in HTML and TXT can be found on the web at:
<http://www.afdl.org/faq.html> and <http://www.afdl.org/faq.txt>
This file is also mirrored on the Dragonlance Nexus at:
<http://www.dlnexus.com/features/faqs/afdl.aspx>
*** 1.5 What has changed since the last version?
v0.70: "Return of the Exile" Version
New maintainer, major overhaul of outdated FAQ. Too many questions
added and modified to track. The Dragonlance FAQ and AFDL FAQ are still
one document, but now the newsgroup-specific questions are moved to the
end of the FAQ unobtrusively among general Dragonlance discussion and
online Dragonlance fandom information; and world information is put
first. Although AFDL is quiet lately, this is a great document which
can now serve all Dragonlance fandom.
*** 1.6 Who is the FAQ maintainer?
Michael Falconer <ulmo@mux.net>
Any questions, suggestions, additions, complaints etc, should be
forwarded to the above maintainer. All flames will be reported to
your ISP and forwarded to dev/null as well. Credit also goes to the
previous maintainers, Cassandra Jacobs, Alex Louis, Morten Brattbakk,
Styx, and Stig Erik Sandø.
2) Back to the Basics
*** 2.1 What is Dragonlance?
Dragonlance is a fantasy setting on the world of Krynn with a
cult-like following of fans. Dragonlance features the Knights of
Solamnia, the Wizards of High Sorcery, and its individual pantheon of
gods. Krynn is a planet that, like Earth, is mostly covered in oceans.
The two major landmasses of Krynn are Taladas and Ansalon. Taladas lies
in the northern hemisphere, and Ansalon in the southern, to the south and
west of Taladas. Other landmasses do exist, but most of the action in the
Dragonlance setting takes place on Ansalon. (See also questions 6.4 and
6.5.)
Novels, role-playing games, board games, comics, graphic novels, and
magazines all feature the Dragonlance world. It is published by
Wizards of the Coast and Margaret Weis Productions, and it has the most
loyal novel following of all of the campaign settings published by
Wizards (including Greyhawk, Forgotten Realms, Ravenloft, Eberron,
etc.).
*** 2.2 How did Dragonlance start?
It all began like this. In the mid-eighties, TSR wanted to create a
series of role-playing adventures for their Advanced Dungeons & Dragons
game that focused on dragons. Tracy Hickman and Doug Niles each drew up
proposals for this series, and Hickman's "Dragonlance" concept was
selected. From that point forward, Hickman was the primary person
responsible for the world, theme, and design of the original
Dragonlance series. But many others served a role, as well.
A designer named Jeff Grubb contributed a pile of notes from his home
campaign detailing its pantheon of gods. Hickman incorporated these
nearly wholescale.
Fourteen role-playing books in the Dragonlance series were published
from 1984 to 1986. (These adventures are known as DL1, DL2, DL3, and
so on, with titles like Dragons of Despair, Dragons of Light, and Dragons
of Dreams.) They were primarily written by Hickman and Niles.
At the same time, an editor at TSR named Margaret Weis, working in
close cooperation with Hickman, began to pen a series of novelizations
closely linked in with the adventures. This, the Dragonlance Chronicles
trilogy (1984-85), was TSR's first foray into the novel publishing
business and proved to be highly successful. The Dragonlance Legends
trilogy (1986) by Weis and Hickman immediately followed. These six
novels are known as the Holy Six among fans, and enjoy a position of
ultimate prestige among all Dragonlance writings.
Since then, many other authors have written novels and gaming products
for the Dragonlance series, and Hickman and Weis have sporadically
returned to create more writings set in this world.
*** 2.3 In what order should I read the novels?
It is better NOT to read the novels in strictly chronological order as
they occur in Krynn's internal timeline, but rather in the order in which
they were originally published. This way you will present yourself with
a natural progression of the discovery and evolution of ideas in this
fictional world.
While the series numbers well over a hundred books, a certain few are
considered the "core" Dragonlance books. If you read these, you will be
able to participate in 90% of Dragonlance discussions and read almost
any "non-core" book with ease:
1. CHRONICLES
- Dragons of Autumn Twilight
- Dragons of Winter Night
- Dragons of Spring Dawning
2. LEGENDS
- Time of the Twins
- War of the Twins
- Test of the Twins
3. THE SECOND GENERATION
- The Second Generation
- Dragons of Summer Flame
4. DRAGONS OF A NEW AGE
- The Dawning of a New Age
- The Day of the Tempest
- The Eve of the Maelstrom
5. THE WAR OF SOULS
- Dragons of a Fallen Sun
- Dragons of a Lost Star
- Dragons of a Vanished Moon
6. THE DARK DISCIPLE
- Amber and Ashes
- Amber and Iron
Until you have at least read the abovenamed books, be aware that this FAQ
contains SPOILERS. Read further at your own risk.
Once these novels are covered, you will find as many suggestions for
books to read next as you will find fans. See questions 8.3 and 8.4 for
some suggestions.
*** 2.4 What is the Dragonlance role-playing game and how do I play it?
As well as being a series of novels, Dragonlance is a game which
combines strategy, luck, and most importantly, imagination. Each
player plays a character on Krynn, except for the Dungeon Master, who
represents all the exterior elements of the world. The DM prepares and
referees the game.
While there have been a few Dragonlance computer games, the primary
form is for paper & pencil. It requires some 3-9 people, paper and
pencils, dice, and gamebooks. Different kinds of dice are needed, with
4, 6, 8, 10, 12, and 20 sides. Each player should probably get two of
each. These can be purchased at your local hobby store or online (try
"beginner's polyhedral dice" in your favorite search engine).
The gamebooks will depend on which edition you wish to try. These are:
- First Edition
- Second Edition
- SAGA
- Third Edition
*** 2.5 How do I choose an edition?
Which edition you pick is largely a matter of taste, but it's best for
your wallet and your sanity not to switch around much once you've
chosen one. Converting material between the editions, while difficult
and time-consuming, is possible, especially to the experienced DM.
If there is a particular era in which you wish to game, it would be
easiest to use the rules set for which that era was intended. First
Edition is the game that the Classic Dragonlance (War of the Lance)
campaign was written for. Second Edition saw the Chaos War as well as
some alternate Dragonlance settings including Taladas and Sithicus.
The Fifth Age, from the Dragon Purge to the War of Souls, was designed
for SAGA. The Anvil of Time and the current, post-War of Souls era
use Third Edition.
Provided you are willing to use eBay, out-of-print material can be
easy and cheap to find, particularly the First Edition which was very
popular and enjoyed very large print runs. The Third Edition books
tend to be very expensive, but you can get them new and receive
continued support (at least, until the next edition comes out).
See also question 8.5 for some highly recommended gaming materials that
are generally usable regardless of edition.
*** 2.6 What do I need to get started with First Edition Dragonlance?
*** 2.7 What do I need to get started with Second Edition Dragonlance?
| | | The sourcebook and adventure for the Sithicus campaign is: |  |
|---|
When Black
Roses Bloom |
|
|
*** 2.8 What do I need to get started with SAGA Dragonlance?
| | | First, the DM (or Narrator) will need the core rule set:
There is no player-only book. Please note that the SAGA game does not require the use of dice.
|  |
|---|
Dragonlance
Fifth Age |
|
|
*** 2.9 What do I need to get started with Third Edition Dragonlance?
| | | The following book contains the Anvil of Time adventure: |  |
|---|
| Legends of the Twins |
|
|
*** 2.10 What about Dragonlance computer games?
There were several Dragonlance computer games by SSI, but these are
long discontinued and probably require emulation to run on your modern
system. While there were a handful of arcade style games, the computer
games most often discussed are a trilogy of role-playing style games
which use Second Edition rules in an engine that is the forerunner of
Baldur's Gate:
- Champions of Krynn
- Death Knights of Krynn
- Dark Queen of Krynn
*** 2.11 What other products are there?
There are lots of Dragonlance products. There are board games,
"Choose-your-own-Adventure" books, comic books, calendars, figurines,
bookmarks, computer games, etc. The list goes on and on.
The most complete known Dragonlance Product List can be found at:
<http://www.afdl.org/dllist.txt>
*** 2.12 Where can I buy the products?
Dragonlance products are available at most bookstores, including
online giants like Amazon.com.
*** 2.13 But I want a product that's out of print! Where can I get it?
Most out-of-print Dragonlance products are cheaply and readily
available at eBay.com. You can also try ABEbooks.com and Half.com for
novels, and sites like NobleKnight.com for gaming products.
You can also purchase PDF downloads of some out of print gaming
materials at Paizo.com or RPGNow.com. A few are available for free at
<http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dnd/downloads>
Finally, it can't hurt to burn up a little shoe leather and hunt around
in local used bookstores and hobby shops.
3) Raistlin Questions
*** 3.1 Why does everyone talk about Raistlin?
Raistlin is very popular among Dragonlance fans because, as Weis and
Hickman wrote in the Legends trilogy, there is a little bit of him in
each of us. He is undeniably selfish, cruel, cold, and callous. Yet,
he can be as tender and as gentle as a mother. He has a huge capacity
for both hate and love.
He has appeared in several Dragonlance novels, as well as a Dragonlance
boardgame (Magestones). His fans are as zealous as ever, even after all
these years. Raistlin debates are one of the favorites on many
different discussion forums.
*** 3.2 Who created Raistlin?
Margaret Weis, and arguably Terry Philips. During one of the gaming
sessions in which the plot for the novels were mapped, Terry played
Raistlin. He characterized Raistlin with his own acting, giving
Raistlin a whispery voice and a cynical tone. Margaret Weis became
enchanted with Raistlin (not Terry Philips!) and it is well known
that he is her favorite character.
*** 3.3 Was Raistlin evil?
As Margaret Weis wrote in the Annotated Chronicles, the "key" is
self-knowledge--Raistlin had to come to terms with his inner demons
before he could gain power. He had to recognize the evil within
himself. It is widely accepted that Raistlin was (and still is) evil.
But there is nothing saying that an evil character cannot be admired
for good traits he may have within himself as well.
*** 3.4 Did Raistlin have a daughter?
This question has evolved from the tale which Caramon told in one of
the early Tales books. As it stands, we do not know for certain
whether Raistlin really had a daughter. He denied it in Dragons of
Summer Flame. Some people view this as enough evidence to disprove the
tale, but some have pointed out that if the tale is true, he wouldn't
have known that he had a daughter anyway - according to the tale,
Raistlin had a spell of forgetfulness cast upon him after the ordeal.
The short story can be found in the anthology Love and War, as well
as The Second Generation. It is widely held that he didn't have a
daughter, as the short story is listed as a legend. A legend is
defined as an unverified story, and cannot be used as a standard of
proof for an argument.
*** 3.5 Did Raistlin or Fistandantilus win?
Nobody knows for certain, and opinions about this vary, although it is
implied in the novels (and a painting titled The Last Spell of
Fistandantilus by Keith Parkinson) that Raistlin was the victor. It
seems to be a moot point, since the single figure which emerged
possessed the combined memories and ambitions of both.
*** 3.6 Did Raistlin love Crysania?
Judging by Raistlin's actions toward Crysania, it would be a far
stretch to call it "love," although, as with any Raistlin topic, not
everybody agrees.
*** 3.7 When did Raistlin really die?
Raistlin really died at the end of Test of the Twins. How he is able to
walk mortal lands in Dragons of Summer Flame and Dragons of a Vanished
Moon is never satisfactorily explained, but it's safe to say that it
was the will of the gods and has to do with Raistlin's singular role in
the history of Krynn as Master of Past and Present.
*** 3.8 I heard there is a song about Raistlin. Any info on this?
Yes. There are two that are known about. The first is titled
"Raistlin and the Rose", and is by a Swedish band called Lake of
Tears. It is on their "A Crimson Cosmos" album. The second song is
called "The Soulforged" by Blind Guardian, on their 2002 release "A
Night at the Opera".
*** 3.9 When will the third Raistlin Chronicles novel come out?
Margaret Weis has stated that she never intended for The Soulforge and
Brothers in Arms to fall under a series title such as The Raistlin
Chronicles. Such a series title raises the expectation of a third book,
which Weis has repeatedly indicated will never be.
Instead, Weis (with Hickman) has embarked upon writing a new trilogy
called the Lost Chronicles, which continues the tradition of the
Raistlin Chronicles by filling in the gaps in the early history of
Raistlin and the other Companions. The third and final book, Dragons
of an Hourglass Mage, should round out Raistlin's story nicely.
Those who enjoyed Weis and Perrin's novel Brothers in Arms might also
enjoy Don Perrin's solo novel Theros Ironfeld. There are cameo nods
back and forth between the two books.
*** 3.10 How should "Raistlin" be pronounced?
Harold Johnson came up with the name Raistlin intending it to signify
"Wasting Man," as well as Caramon which means "Caring Man." The
authors, including Weis, therefore, pronounce it so that Raist rhymes
with Waste as intended, but fans may (and do) pronounce it in varying
ways. It really isn't a topic worthy of debate.
4) Regarding the Races of Krynn
*** 4.1 Can draconians reproduce?
Prior to the Chaos war, draconians were unable to reproduce - females
draconians did not exist. However, it is rumored that female draconian
eggs have been discovered, and that female draconians now exist.
Draconians have recently set up their own city, recently, called Teyr.
For more details, see the novels The Doom Brigade and Draconian Measures.
*** 4.2 What are the types of draconians?
Baaz: Baaz are created from brass dragon eggs, are by far the most
common, and are used commonly as ground troops and foot soldiers in
the dragonarmies. They have wings, but cannot fly, although they may
glide for short distances.
Kapak: These draconians are created from copper dragon eggs. Kapaks
served in the dragonarmies as skirmishers and assassins, mainly due to
their poisonous saliva which they smear on their weapons.
Bozak: These draconians are created from bronze dragon eggs. Bozaks
are skilled in magic and stay out of combat, using their inherent
spellcasting ability.
Sivak: Sivaks are the largest and sturdiest draconians, and are
created from silver dragon eggs. The sivaks were elite forcesrces of
the dragonarmies. Most distressing is the sivak's ability to
shapechange into any humanoid they kill. This ability made them excellent
spies. Unlike the lesser draconians, sivaks have strong wings and are
able to fly.
Aurak: Auraks are the most powerful and most uncommon of the
draconians. They are created from gold dragon eggs. Auraks served as
Takhisis' special agents and remained a secret from the Whitestone's
forces for a long time. Auraks have no wings and are naturally unable
to fly.
*** 4.3 Who are the dragonlords, and which of them are still around?
In the Dragon Purge early in the Fifth Age, most of Ansalon was carved
into realms ruled over or protected by especially powerful dragons.
A few of these dragons traveled to Krynn from another world. For more
comprehensive information you'll want to refer to printed products,
expecially the Fifth Age Box. Here is a quick list of them, with the
book listed being the one in which they met their final fate.
Beryllinthranox Beryl Alien Green Dragons of a Lost Star
Brynseldimer Brine Native Sea Eve of the Maelstrom
Cryonisis Ice Native White
Fenalysten Cinder Native Red Price of Courage
Frisindia Freeze Native White
Gellidus Frost Alien White Price of Courage
Iyesta Splendor Native Brass City of the Lost
Khellendros Skie Alien Blue Dragons of a Vanished Moon
Lorrinar Fume Alien Green Price of Courage
Malystryx Malys Alien Red Dragons of a Vanished Moon
Mohrlex Pitch Native Black Spectre of Sorrows
Onysablet Sable Alien Black Lake of Death
Pyrothraxus Pyro Alien Red
Shatraklangg Clang Native Copper
Solomirathnius Mirror Native Silver
Stenndunuus Thunder Alien Blue City of the Lost
Suhnrysanti Sunrise Native Gold
Teranyex Crucible Native Bronze
*** 4.4 Is a dark elf a drow?
In other D&D campaign settings, there are dark-skinned, white-haired,
underground elves called "drow." This is a race of evil elves, who are
hurt by the sun. Drow are not native to Krynn, although there are a few
old Dragonlance role-playing adventure games that have featured drow who
came to Krynn through various means. Most fans have regarded these
adventures as non-canon.
In Dragonlance, the word drow is generally avoided--your typical D&D drow
are not a race on Krynn. If it is used, it refers strictly to a dark elf
of the Krynnish variety as explained in question 4.5 below.
There is an obscure race of dark elves called the Mahkwahb, who are
corrupt Dargonesti. They are a unique sort of underwater reverse drow
(albino skin and dark hair). They are featured in the gaming supplement
Otherlands and in the novel Alien Sea.
*** 4.5 Is a dark elf an evil elf?
No. In Ansalon, "dark elf" is a term used for elves who are outcasts
from the elven societies of Qualinesti or Silvanesti. Many of them are
evil, since being/practicing evil is a crime punished with exile
(Dalamar being the most obvious example). Good elves may also be
outcasts, since both elven societies (especially Silvanesti) are very
conservative and exile elves for a number of reasons. Examples of
good dark elves are Porthios and Alhana Starbreeze.
*** 4.6 How are Kender, Gnomes and Dwarves related?
This has been a controversial issue in the past, but current continuity
trends tend to support the original canon. Namely:
- Gnomes are derived from humans who were cursed by Reorx,
- Dwarves and kender are derived from gnomes warped by the Graygem,
- Gully Dwarves are derived from dwarf/gnome minglings, and
- Dark Dwarves are derived from dwarf/human minglings.
The only alternative theory which still seems to have any support among
fans is the idea that kender are derived from elves warped by the
Graygem. This is supported by the fact that Balif is described as both
a Silvanesti Elf General and the founder of the kender nation of
Balifor. This is a major motif in the writings of Paul Thompson and
Tonya Cook.
*** 4.7 What are Scions?
The scions are a race that sprang from the same origins as the gnomes,
dwarves, and kender. Whereas those three races are unable to use magic
due to the influence of the Graygem, the scions were influenced in an
opposite way, making them extremely mighty in magic, so much so that
they are immortal and possibly incorporeal. There are thirteen of them,
and they pop up in tales from time to time as sort of semi-divine aid
or foes.
*** 4.8 Which races don't exist on Krynn?
There are several races common to other worlds, worlds connected to
the D&D rules system, which do not exist on Krynn (or at least are not
native to Krynn.). While some of them have appeared in stories or
game material, these appearances are generally considered mistakes, or
that the creatures are visitors from another world. A list of
creatures that do not exist on Krynn includes (but is not limited to)
drow (of the dark-skinned breed), gem dragons, orcs, halflings, and
lycanthropes.
5) Questions about Gods and People
*** 5.1 How are Astinus and Gilean connected?
This has been a prevalent topic of debate. Everyone agrees that Gilean
and Astinus are certainly connected, but nobody knows exactly how. Most
people are content to simply equate the two, as is strongly suggested
in the original material as well as Dragons of Summer Flame. The
"revelation" in The Traveling Players of Gilean is not given much
credence.
*** 5.2 Are Fizban and Paladine connected?
Most people are content with the official explanation of Fizban and
Paladine being one and the same (or Fizban being Paladine's avatar).
*** 5.3 What is an avatar?
An avatar is a physical manifestation of a god. The word carries a lot
of connotations from frequent use in the Forgotten Realms series, and
therefore we tend to avoid it in Dragonlance usage, prefering "aspect."
*** 5.4 Are Zifnab and Fizban the same person?
The simplest (and legal) answer, in Hickman's own words, is always:
"Zifnab is NOT Fizban. Zifnab is an entirely different person. Both
Zifnab and Fizban, of course, bear no resemblance to Zanfib, who
appears in our Starshield books. I hope I have cleared this up."
As to the actual nature of Zifnab within the world of the Death Gate
Cycle, Hickman wrote: "Zifnab was actually a Sartan wizard who opposed
the council's decision to sunder the world. Zifnab is not a god ...
indeed, he is actually a chosen and blessed subject of the dragon-
avatars of the Death Gate series."
So why does Zifnab seem, at times, to act just like Fizban? How can he
remember Tanis and Raistlin, and why does he nearly call himself
Fizban? Hickman: "I like to think that Zifnab is very well read." And
so, as far as we know, that is all there is to it: the crazy old wizard
was a fan of Dragonlance, as well as, apparently, Tolkien and James
Bond. The rest is purely speculation.
*** 5.5 How are the gods' names pronounced?
However you want--again, it's not a matter of debate--but author Jeff
Grubb, who came up with these gods for his original campaign, posted to
alt.fan.dragonlance the following as how they were originally intended.
(All Caps are stressed.)
Paladine PAL-ah-dine
Majere Mah-JER-ray
Kiri-Jolith Keer-ee-JOE-lith
Mishakal Meh-SHACK-cal
Habbakuk Hah-bah-COOK
Branchala Bran-CHAH-Lah
Solinari SOLE-eh-NAR-ee
Takhisis Tah-KEY-Sis
Sargonnas Sar-GONE-Us
Morgion MORE-Guy-on (That's the french "Guy"- like "Gee" but with
Chemosh CHEH-Mosh a hard g).
Zeboim Zeh-BOW-im
Hiddukel HID-doo-kell
Nuitari NWEE-tar-ee (Yep, like the french for night)
Gilean GILL-ee-en (Hard "g" again, like in Morgion.)
Sirrion SEAR-ee-on
Reorx RAY-orcs
Chislev CHIZZ-lev
Zivilyn ZIV-ih-lin
Shinare Shih-NAR-ay
Lunitari LOO-neh-TAR-ee
*** 5.6 Is Lord Soth in Dragonlance or in Ravenloft?
Knight of the Black Rose was published years ago, a Ravenloft book
that detailed the death knight's travel from Krynn to Ravenloft
through the Mists. Soth got stuck in Ravenloft, and became a Darklord
of a realm there called Sithicus. The book took place right after the
events of the Legends trilogy. (See also question 7.2.)
Unfortunately, many Dragonlance fans cried foul--they felt betrayed
that the Ravenloft campaign setting would steal one of their favorite
characters. Adding to the confusion, Soth creators Weis and Hickman
maintained that the Soth in Ravenloft was not the real Lord Loren
Soth. Weis and Hickman then had Soth appear in a Dragonlance novel,
Dragons of Summer Flame, and many Ravenloft fans objected to this.
Finally, James Lowder (author of Knight of the Black Rose), along with
Voronica Whitney-Robinson, wrote Spectre of the Black Rose. Spectre
details Soth's recent adventures in Ravenloft, and his eventual
escape. The conclusion shocked many Ravenloft fans; Darklords aren't
supposed to be able to escape Ravenloft. Yet, Soth did, and Spectre
made it possible for Soth to have made his appearance in Dragons of
Summer Flame without causing any issues of continuity.
So, according to TSR official material, Soth left Krynn around 356 AC,
and then returned in 383 AC (date of Dragons of Summer Flame).
*** 5.7 Who helped Gilthanas and Silvara discover the Draconians in
Sanction, in the Chronicles?
Most references lead us to believe it was the Shadowpeople, one of the
'lost races' of Krynn.
*** 5.8 What happened to Gilthanas and Silvara after the events in
Chronicles?
A novel entitled The Odyssey of Gilthanas picks up the tale of
Gilthanas's wanderings. They also feature as minor roles in Day of the
Tempest and Eve of the Malestorm by Jean Rabe, and in the corresponding
game products Heroes of Defiance and Heroes of Sorcery. Their ultimate
fate is a matter left to gaming in the Age of Mortals series of
adventures.
*** 5.9 Who were Steel Brightblade's parents? When was he conceived?
Sturm Brightblade and Kitiara Uth-Matar are father and mother to Steel
Brightblade. His story can be found in the novella "Kitiara's Son,"
one of the five short stories in The Second Generation, an anthology
about the children of the Heroes of the Lance. It is assumed that his
conception would have occurred during the somewhat odd story told in
Darkness and Light.
*** 5.10 How come Verminaard is alive in Stormblade when he dies in Dragons
of Autumn Twilight?
Matthew L. Martin explains: In Chronicles, Verminaard dies at Pax
Tharkas. However, in the original AD&D adventures that tell the story
of the War of the Lance, Verminaard survives Pax Tharkas and makes it
all the way to menace the heroes in Thorbardin, and perhaps even
survives that (by virtue of the 'obscure death' clause). Stormblade was
the first novel after Chronicles to take place 'within' that time
frame, and Nancy Varian Berberick decided to go with Verminaard
surviving the escape of the refugees a la Dragons of Flame as opposed
to having him killed off as happened in Dragons of Autumn Twilight.
The novel Dragons of the Dwarven Depths comes up with a satisfactory
in-world explanation of how Verminaard is able to appear after his
death in Pax Tharkas.
6) The World of Krynn
*** 6.1 Tell me about the Towers of High Sorcery.
The centers for the schooling of magical arts. There were originally
five, but four have been destroyed throughout the Ages--the wizards
destroyed two of the towers after the Kingpriest had incited mobs to
attack them, fearing that the crowds of angry people would stumble
upon powerful artifacts. The Tower of Istar was destroyed in the
Cataclysm. And a mysterious figure destroyed the Tower of Palanthas
shortly after the Second Cataclysm.
Each tower is/was surrounded by an enchanted garden or grove of trees
to protect the tower from unwanted visitors. The Tower of Wayreth uses
a transdimensional field that allows it to appear anywhere withing a
500 mile radius of Wayreth forest, the Tower at Palanthas is protected
by a fear spell, Daltigoth's Tower casts a sleep spell, the Tower at
Istar caused intruders to forget, and the Tower in the Ruins created
intense feelings of passion.
Of the three towers destroyed in the Cataclysm, The Ruins is the only
one left partially standing... barely. It is located in Goodlund,
several miles outside of Kendermore, and is abandoned. (Some sources
claim it is located not outside Kendermore, but on Karthay.) Rumor has
it that the grove of trees standing outside of this tower still
retains the power to invoke passion.
The Tower of Palanthas and the Tower of Istar have recently reappeared
as the Tower of Nightlund and the Tower of the Blood Sea, respectively.
Currently, the Black Robes control the Tower of the Blood Sea, the Red
Robes control the Tower of Wayreth, and the White Robes are fighting the
undead for control of the Tower of Nightlund.
*** 6.2 Can women become Knights of Solamnia?
According to Astinus (page 86 in Dragons of Spring Dawning), a
noblewoman was a Knight of Solamnia during the Third Dragon War and
she rose to the rank of a Knight of the Sword.
Several women are also described as Knights in the "Heroes of Steel"
Fifth Age boxed-set (a primary example being Linsha Majere).
*** 6.3 What is Taladas?
A continent in the northern hemisphere of Krynn, detailed perfectly in
the first Dragonlance boxed-set, Time of the Dragon. Taladas has a
very different "feel" than Ansalon, but the out-of-print boxed set has
gained a cult following, within the cult following of Dragonlance,
because of its many outstanding qualities.
Several different role-playing adventure games were set in Taladas,
but not many--the sales of the adventures weren't spectacular. Some
fans believe this is because Taladas didn't receive any air-time in
the novels until recently.
*** 6.4 What are Chorane, Watermere, Selasia, and Little Taladas?
These are landmasses that were featured in the "Otherlands" gaming
accessory.
Chorane: Chorane is obscurely labeled on the "Tales of the Lance" map
- at the very bottom of the map, it says "to the Chorane: the Land of
Amesh." Chorane is a small, underground land that is beneath the
Icewall Glacier.
Watermere: Watermere is a section of land beneath the sea, near
Taladas. It is inhabited by Dargonesti and several other races,
including evil ones.
Selasia: Selasia is briefly mentioned in "The Black Wing." It is a
series of islands with outlandish creatures on it, such as the
kender-like Bolandi.
Little Taladas: Little Taladas is simply a small island that is near
Taladas.
*** 6.5 What is Ithin'carthia?
Ithin'carthia is the "Isle of the Brutes" first mentioned in Dragons
of Summer Flame. It is dealt with extensively in the novel Return of
the Exile. Rather than just an island, it actually seems to be a
continent, the third true continent of Krynn (after Ansalon and
Taladas.)
*** 6.6 What was the Chaos War?
In Dragons of Summer Flame, the Irda broke open the Graygem.
Unbeknownst to them, the graygem was a prison to an angry Chaos god,
who called himself the Father of All and Nothing. The other gods of
Krynn recognized him as their creator, and Reorx admitted that he had
accidentally trapped Chaos in the gem when he forged it.
Chaos was furious with his children, and he vowed to destroy their
"pretty toy"--Krynn. He created demons and wights out of nothing,
horrors that would torture the inhabitants of Krynn. He formed fire
dragons out of lava, and he waged war on all of Krynn. Eventually,
though, a way to defeat him was discovered, and Chaos failed, thus
ending the Chaos War.
*** 6.7 What was the Second Cataclysm?
The Second Cataclysm is understood to be the event at the end of the
Chaos War that ushered in the Fifth Age. At that point, the three
moons disappeared from the sky and were replaced by another moon--
magic as it had been practiced was no more; the constellations were
completely changed and clerical spells were no more; and soon after
this giant wyrms appeared and initiated the ravaging Dragon Purge. An
explanation for these changes was finally revealed in the War of Souls
series.
*** 6.8 What is the Fifth Age? What is the Age of Mortals?
There are two answers to these questions. In-world, the terms are
synonymous. The Age of Mortals IS the Fifth Age. The Fourth Age, the
Age of Despair, began with the Cataclysm and ended in the Second
Cataclysm at the end of the Chaos War. The Fifth Age, therefore,
encompasses everything that has transpired since then.
In terms of branding and casual discussion, the two terms are sometimes
used to differentiate two periods, where the Fifth Age refers to the
early part including the Dragon Purge and the War of Souls (the time
setting for the SAGA game system), and the Age of Mortals is the latter
part, starting after the War of Souls and continuing through current
products such as Dark Disciple (the time setting for the Third Edition
Dragonlance line).
Since the affect of the War of Souls is so major, some fans even
stubbornly refer to the current post-War of Souls era as a "Sixth Age,"
despite the fact that official products try to downplay such a
division.
*** 6.9 What novels are currently advancing the timeline?
The following are the most recent trilogies to advance the timeline.
There are also some stand-alone novels printed under the Age of Mortals
and Champions series, and tales compendiums, but these are the major
ones:
38 SC
The War of Souls - Weis/Hickman
The Dhamon Saga - Rabe
The Minotaur Wars - Knaak
The Linsha Trilogy - Herbert
39-43 SC
The Dark Disciple - Weis
The Rise of Solamnia - Niles
Taladas Trilogy - Pierson
Elven Exiles - Thompson/Cook
7) The 'Other Worlds' of Dragonlance
*** 7.1 I saw books in a Dragonlance Product List that weren't published
with the Dragonlance setting. What's up with that?
TSR has published a number of campaign settings, Dragonlance among
them. Over the years, TSR started to think of the campaign settings as
connected - a character from Dragonlance could somehow travel to
another campaign setting. A whole multiverse was constructed, in which
there were different levels of planes of existence, including heaven
and hell. Basically, on one plane of existence was Dragonlance, and on
another plane was a different campaign setting. Someone could travel
to that other campaign setting through magic.
In different books, the connections between the different campaign
settings were explored, and some characters even traveled back and
forth between the settings. The books and products where Dragonlance
characters have gone to other campaign settings, such as in Lord Soth,
or where the connections to the Dragonlance plane is explored, such as
in Planescape, are included in the product list.
The connection of Dragonlance to these other settings is highly
controversial among Dragonlance fans. Most now agree that it is a
matter of your point of view. If you are running a Dragonlance game (or
writing a Dragonlance book), then the connections to the other settings
are non-canon. If you are running a Ravenloft or Planescape or
Spelljammer campaign, then there is nothing wrong with using Krynn
and/or its deities/races/whatever as part of it however you please.
*** 7.2 What is Ravenloft and what is its relation to Dragonlance?
The Demiplane of Dread (the setting for the Ravenloft brand) is a sort
of pocket in the planes--it is a plane of existence where the damned
go. There is a realm there named Sithicus inhabited mainly by
Silvanesti elves, but there are also vampiric kender there and a tribe
of humans called the Wanderers. This realm is famous for having been
ruled for a time by Lord Soth (see question 5.6).
There are a couple of other realms ruled over by characters supposedly
from Krynn, but they are not characters otherwise mentioned in
Dragonlance products, nor are their realms particularly Dragonlance in
theme the way Sithicus is.
*** 7.3 What is Planescape and what is its relation to Dragonlance?
Planescape is a campaign setting that details all the different planes
of existence that comprise D&D's multiverse. Krynn, the world of
Dragonlance, has been mentioned in Planescape products. Krynn is
basically viewed as a backwater world by the Planescape folk. Not
many people on Krynn travel the planes, though it is through Planescape
that the wandering Kender have infected other D&D worlds. Krynn's gods
theoretically inhabit the Planes, though they seem to be pretty focused
on Krynn (except for Paladine and Takhisis, who are also known as
Bahamut and Tiamat in the multiverse). See also question 8.8.
*** 7.4 What is Spelljammer and what is its relation to Dragonlance?
Spelljammer is a sort of fantasy space-ship setting. According to
Spelljammer, there are different individual universes in the giant
multiverse. These individual universes are in crystal spheres, and the
spheres are in a beautiful rainbow river called the Phlogiston.
Krynnspace is the name of the Dragonlance crystal sphere. To travel
amongst the spheres, and to travel from planet to planet in the
spheres, you need a spelljammer, or flying magical space ship.
Usually, the ships are in the shape of nautical vessels, although
variations among the different space-faring races do occur.
Despite the bizarre nature of Spelljammer, this is actually the most
credible connection to Dragonlance, and most pervasive in its effect
back upon Krynn. The first Spelljammer novel was set on Krynn, and
among its revelations was the fact that Krynn's Tinker Gnomes were
active travelers among the stars. Another starfaring race, the mind
flayers of Greyhawk and Forgotten Realms, at some point arrived on
Taladas and became the Yaggol. Finally, the War of Souls books seem to
imply a cosmology reminiscent of that presented in Spelljammer.
*** 7.5 What is Forgotten Realms and what is its relation to Dragonlance?
According to Dragonlance Adventures (1987), characters who get too
powerful are sent to other worlds by the gods. Evil archenemy NPCs like
Ariakas and Raistlin were exempt from this rule, supposedly due to the
favoritism of Takhisis. The gist of this rule was that very high-level
PCs were considered inappropriate for Krynn, which is supposed to be
about ordinary people doing extraordinary things.
When the first "Gray Box" Forgotten Realms Campaign Set came out later
in 1987, it conveniently claimed that this new world was the place
where the gods of Krynn send Krynnish mages when they get too
powerful. This works out well for Forgotten Realms, which seems to be
a setting about extraordinary people doing extraordinary things.
8) Dragonlance Products
*** 8.1 Is there a complete list of Dragonlance products?
Wizards of the Coast used to maintain such a list, but they have long
ago let it become outdated. The most complete known Product List is
maintained by the the fans and can be found at:
<http://www.afdl.org/dllist.txt>
The Whitestone Council also keeps a list which is more informative, if
also more selective, at:
<http://www.dlnexus.com/products/list.aspx>
*** 8.2 Where is the story of what happened to the Companions at Icewall?
In Dragons of Winter Night, a poem by Michael Williams at the start of
Book 2 briefly describes a journey by some of the Companions to
Icewall. The story is elaborated upon in a tale called "Finding the
Faith" by Mary Kirchoff, included in the anthology The Magic of Krynn,
which tells the story from the Ice Folk's cleric Raggart's view. Much
later, Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman also wrote their version of the
tale in Dragons of the Highlord Skies (coming in 2007).
*** 8.3 What novels bridge the gap between Summer Flame and Fallen Sun?
There are several novels set in this time period, the Fifth Age proper.
Jean Rabe's trilogy, Dragons of a New Age, is the most infamous of
these, and has long been a topic of raging debates. Suffice it to say
here that Fifth Age defenders and detractors alike have serious issues
with that trilogy. We do tend to agree on enjoying the following:
- Spirit of the Wind
- The Odyssey of Gilthanas
The Fifth Age Comic Book is a good, quick introduction to the Fifth
Age. An electronic copy of this book is freely available online at:
<http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dnd/20031113c>
*** 8.4 Which other non-core novels are worth reading?
Given that there are well over 120 novels involving the Dragonlance
world and characters, no two fans will agree on the good and bad of any
one book. The books with the most passionate haters will tend to also
have passionate adorers. Given that there is an overall lack of
consensus, most fans will agree that the following are must-reads (c.f.
question 2.3):
1. READ AFTER TIME OF THE TWINS
- Lord Toede
- Kingpriest Trilogy
2. READ AFTER DRAGONS OF SUMMER FLAME
- "There Is Another Shore" (The Dragons of Chaos)
- The Doom Brigade
- Draconian Measures
3. READ AFTER DRAGONS OF A VANISHED MOON
- Blades of the Tiger
- Trail of the Black Wyrm
The Barbarians, and The Ergoth Trilogy, both set in ancient Krynn, also
have many fans.
*** 8.5 Which other game products are worth reading?
Aside from the basics listed in sections 2.6 through 2.9, the following
come highly recommended, to novel readers as well as gamers of any
edition:
- The Atlas of the Dragonlance World
- Time of the Dragon
- The Bestiary
- Palanthas
- War of the Lance
*** 8.6 When will there be another Kang's Regiment novel?
Don Perrin isn't writing for Dragonlance anymore, and Weis has no
intention of continuing the series, so we won't see any more stories
about them unless/until she allows another author to write them.
*** 8.7 Have some books been published with different cover art?
Yes. See the Product List for more complete information. Chronicles has
seen at least ten different major editions in the U.S. alone, and
Legends is not far behind. These also originally had different covers
in the U.K. The only book with major differences between editions is
The Second Generation. All older printings with Elmore covers, both
hardcover and paperback, contain an appendix with history and gaming
material on the Knights of Takhisis which is culled from current
printings (Stawicki covers).
*** 8.8 Will there be a Dragonlance movie?
Yes. In 2006, it was announced that an animated version of Dragons of
Autumn Twilight was being produced. Since this is a whole 'nother can
of worms, a separate FAQ was long ago created to serve this topic which
can be found at <http://www.dragonlance-movie.com/moviefaq/>.
*** 8.9 I heard about a Dragonlance book series called The Lost Gods.
What is that and why can't I find it?
There is a Forgotten Realms novel, #15 in the Harpers series, called
Finder's Bane, and a Dragonlance novel, #2 in the Lost Legends series
called Fistandantilus Reborn. These two have nothing to do with each
other. A novel called Tymora's Luck was later written for Planescape--a
setting which tried to tie all TSR settings together--which was
essentially a sequel to Finder's Bane but also incorporated the kender
character from Fistandantilus Reborn and a few other tenuous
Dragonlance links. It was therefore marketed as #3 in The Lost Gods
trilogy, retroactively including the two earlier books in its series
(and encouraging readers to read TSR books from other settings).
According to author Jeff Grubb, Tymora's Luck was moved back to the
Forgotten Realms logo when Planescape otherwise seemed to fare poorly
as a novel line.
*** 8.10 What is Legends of the Lance? What is the Tobril?
Legends of the Lance was a free newsletter which lasted for five issues,
sent out from 1998 through 1999. A few more issues were also "published"
as a web page on the Wizards of the Coast website. At this time Wizards
also began to offer the five print issues as free PDFs on their site. As
time passed and the Wizards site was redesigned many times, this archive
has disappeared. We have requested several times that they return this
archive, with no luck. Therefore, since Wizards freely disseminated the
five issues, we are offering a mirror of the first five issues here
(warning--LARGE files):
- <http://www.afdl.org/dragonlance/Legends1.pdf>
- <http://www.afdl.org/lance/LotL2.pdf>
- <http://www.afdl.org/lance/LotL3.pdf>
- <http://www.afdl.org/lance/LotL4.pdf>
- <http://www.afdl.org/lance/LotL5.pdf>
Margaret Weis Productions has claimed that they will resume publishing
this magazine electronically, but so far this effort has yet to
surface. For a while, there was a fine fan production called The Tobril
<http://www.tobrilmagazine.com/> which filled this gap, but this, too,
has now been discontinued.
*** 8.11 What new books are coming out?
The following list is courtesy of AFDL member Craig J. Ries. For the
most up-to-date and complete information, visit his website at:
<http://dl.silvanthalas.com/>.
January 2007
The Measure and the Truth, The Rise of Solamnia v.3, Douglas Niles
Pillar of Fire, Elements Trilogy v.1 (yr), Ree Soesbee
Dragons of Winter Night #4 (cb), Andrew Dabb & Steve Kurth
Bestiary of Krynn: Revised (hc), Cam Banks & Andre LaRoche
March
The Great White Wyrm, The Champions v.3, Peter Archer
The Ebony Eye, Suncatcher Trilogy v.2 (yr), Jeff Sampson
First Quarter
Races of Ansalon (hc), Jamie Chambers & Sean Everette
April
Dragons of Time, anthology
May
Dragons of the Dwarven Depths, Lost Chronicles v.1 (pb), Weis & Hickman
Warrior's Blood, Goodlund Trilogy v.2 (yr), Stephen D. Sullivan
June
Destiny, Elven Exiles v.3, Paul Thompson & Tonya Cook
Shadow of the Flame, Taladas Trilogy v.3, Chris Pierson
July
Dragons of the Highlord Skies, Lost Chronicles v.2 (hc), Weis & Hickman
Queen of the Sea, Elements Trilogy v.2 (yr), Ree Soesbee
September
The Stolen Sun, Suncatcher Trilogy v.3 (yr), Jeff Sampson
November
Warrior's Bones, Goodlund Trilogy v.3 (yr), Stephen D. Sullivan
December
The Black Talon, Ogre Titans Trilogy v.1, Richard Knaak
Other Assumed Titles
The Measure and the Truth, The Rise of Solamnia v.3, Douglas Niles
Dragons of the Highlord Skies, Lost Chronicles v.2 (pb), Weis & Hickman
The Rebellion, Stonetellers Trilogy v.1, Jean Rabe
Tracy Hickman Presents v.1, Jamie Chambers
Tracy Hickman Presents v.2, Cam Banks
Dragons of Winter, game product, Clark Valentine & Sean Macdonald
Dragons of Spring, game product, Clark Valentine & Sean Macdonald
Dragons of Krynn, game product (hc?)
January 2008
Tempest's Vow, Elements Trilogy v.3 (yr), Ree Soesbee
July
Dragons of the Hourglass Mage, Lost Chronicles v.3 (hc), Weis & Hickman
Other Assumed Titles
Dragons of the Hourglass Mage, Lost Chronicles v.3 (pb), Weis & Hickman
Amber and Blood, The Dark Disciple v.3 (hc), Margaret Weis
Amber and Blood, The Dark Disciple v.3 (pb), Margaret Weis
The Fire Rose, Ogre Titans Trilogy v.2, Richard Knaak
Ogre Titans Trilogy v.3, Richard Knaak
Stonetellers Trilogy v.2, Jean Rabe
Stonetellers Trilogy v.3, Jean Rabe
9) Joining the Newsgroup
*** 9.1 What is alt.fan.dragonlance?
A newsgroup (discussion group on Usenet) that tries very hard to focus
on Dragonlance discussion. It is referred to as AFDL for short.
*** 9.2 How can I join alt.fan.dragonlance?
There are two different types of news servers. One is a web based news
server. The most popular of these is Google Groups (formerly Deja
News), which both archives posts and allows public posting. The
address is: <http://groups.google.com/group/alt.fan.dragonlance>
The other way is to access Usenet directly. Every good ISP (Internet
Service Provider) provides such a server, but you will probably have
to call them and wait on hold a good while before you can find out its
address. The support pages for your ISP may have the address listed
in user support section.
*** 9.3 What software do I need?
If you are using an Internet based news server, such as Google, you
just need to use your web browser. However, if you are using an ISP
news server, be it free or otherwise, Thunderbird or Microsoft Outlook
are fine. Also, AOL provides this service.
If you are using Thunderbird:
Tools --> Account Settings...
Add Account...
Newsgroup account --> Continue
Enter your name and email address --> Continue
Enter your news server per your ISP --> Continue --> Continue --> Done
When that is done, go back to the very beginning of your Mail program,
when it just opens up.
Click on the window that says "Inbox" and scroll down to the name of
your newsserver. Select "Manage newsgroup subscriptions". Search for
alt.fan.dragonlance and subscribe!
The process with Microsoft Outlook Express is almost identical.
*** 9.4 What is a lurker, a newbie, a dino, and a troll?
A lurker is someone who reads alt.fan.dragonlance, but rarely posts (if
at all). It's good netiquette to lurk if you are new to the group, so you
can get a feel for the group and learn some basics. It's poor netiqutte
to delurk with an inflammatory post (or flame).
A newbie is someone who is new to alt.fan.dragonlance, and posts fairly
often. Newbies should read the FAQ before posting. Some do, some don't.
There's no reason to flame a newbie if they haven't, but occasionally
it happens. Don't sweat it.
A dino is an old regular of alt.fan.dragonlance, who has been on for
quite some time. Most have what's considered "attitude", but realize
that it is mostly experience from being on the newsgroup for so long.
Dinos have been through good times and bad, and have seen virtually
every question imaginable. Humour them in their old age.
Trolls are people who post on the newsgroup simply to piss people off.
They say stupid, offensive and hurtful things to either the entire
group, or to specific posters. This is an unmoderated group, and as
such, there is no way to prevent these posts from going up. If you
see a post that qualifies as a troll, DO NOT RESPOND!!! Trolls thrive
on attention, and giving it to them only encourages them to continue
their virulent behaviour. Ignore them, and they will go away.
If a troll continues to post to a newsgroup and the content of the
posts bother you, set up a filter. A filter can be designated to
block specific words in a subject line, an entire thread, or all posts
by a specific author.
Most (if not all) trolls post from either anonymous accounts or
through stolen accounts. Trying to email them or report the email
address will probably fail. If you have the technical skills, you MAY
be able to trace it back to the originating account though.
The same rules apply for junk email postings, or SPAM. Ignore them or
filter them, and above all do no reply!
*** 9.5 Are newbies welcome?
Of course, there's always use for new perspectives. But I recommend
that you read and digest this FAQ quite thoroughly, and then lurk for
a week before you throw yourself into the fray. That way, you'll have
a slight idea of what's going on. When you finally enter the
newsgroup, try avoiding heavy use of caps-lock, bad quoting, yelling,
bad language, cursing, lousy grammar, so-called roleplaying and the
other all-too frequent newbie traits.
Remember: AFDL has been around for quite some time; we have discussed a
lot. Some newbies have barged right in and claimed that they knew
everything, that people should feel free to e-mail them if they have
questions. This just displays arrogance, as well as ignorance. Other
people have claimed that they knew what the real color of Raistlin's
staff, because they were Raistlin. This, as one afdler put, displays
delusions of grandeur.
Also remember that people are posting from all over the world and
English isn't always a poster's first language. Don't criticize
someone for poor spelling or sentence structure. It's considered bad
taste.
Just get familiar with the group before you actually post. And don't get
intimidated if an afdler is mean to you--some people get kicks out of
saying stupid and unfriendly things. Don't reply to people like that.
*** 9.6 What is a newbie to do when he/she enters the newsgroup?
Some people appreciate that you introduce yourself. No extensive
information is needed; just the basics. Let us know who you are and
what we can expect from you. We'll also need your full name, home
address, phone number, social security number, and all of your credit
card accounts.
*** 9.7 Are there any rules to follow in the newsgroup?
Some unwritten rules apply, but they should be looked at more as
guidelines for ensuring a great forum for Dragonlance discussion than
as strict rules (this is the general consensus of the newsgroup):
1) Show common courtesy. Don't be insulting and foul-mouthed.
2) Don't criticize someone's grammer. Not everyone is in the same
country or has the same level of education or computer experience.
3) Do not reply to obscene or bullshit messages, not even to discount
them. Ignore trolls!!!!!
4) Don't start off-topic threads. However, it is considered OK for a
Dragonlance-related thread to develop into an off-topic thread, if it
doesn't dominate the newsgroup.
5) Don't post binaries. If you want to show off a picture, put it up on
a web page and post an URL, or post to alt.binaries and then tell the
people on alt.fan.dragonlance there is an interesting binary there.
6) Roleplaying is discouraged, this forum is mainly for _discussing_
Dragonlance. But this is a controversial topic, so role-playing is not
strictly forbidden. Just be sure not to roleplay in a thread which is
otherwise a serious discussion. (For example, jumping in on a
discussion involving the color of the claw on the Staff of Magius
saying "I know the claw is golden, because I am Raistlin and have
owned the staff for many years" will get you flamed.)
*** 9.8 What is quoting and how do I do it?
Quoting is the inclusion of some of the article you are replying to,
so others know what the heck you're talking about. Your answer, 99% of
the time, should come _after_ the part you quote, so people can read
what you are replying to and then see your answer. Always remember to
quote only what is necessary to understand your answer. Never quote
the signature (unless the signature is what you're commenting on).
Never quote a whole article just to reply in monosyllables. Instead,
snip most of the article.
*** 9.9 Why do so-called "fans" complain about Dragonlance?
In the eyes of a newbie, it may seem that we're a bunch of "cranky
whiners" when it comes to Dragonlance. Many critique new and old
products/novels/authors, often negatively. This should not chase new
posters away. It is out of our love for the Dragonlance world that we
disassemble, analyze, bitch, moan, complain, and piss on it. To quote
the ex-FAQ-maintainer, Stig:
"We are a community of individuals, and we all share
an interest in Dragonlance. We might not like all
parts of Dragonlance, nor do we need to like all parts
of Dragonlance."
...and to paraphrase Eric Keyser (a former regular on
alt.fan.Dragonlance), without criticism, things go stale.
Blindly accepting everything allows the mind to stagnate. We prefer to
whine if we have to, but we always do it in an effort to further our
understanding of Dragonlance, not demean it.
*** 9.10 What are spoilers?
Something extremely necessary. Please pay special attention to this.
A "spoiler" is a post that gives away something important about a
novel/gaming accessory. Most discussion forums do not tolerate this.
As someone has pointed out, it's akin to walking out of a movie
theater and talking about the end of the film while passing by a line
of people waiting to see the next showing of the same movie. If you
were waiting in that line, you'd be pretty pissed off. In essence, you
are "spoiling" the novel/gaming accessory for those people who haven't
read it yet.
If you are going make a post that you feel may "spoil" something for
the rest of the group, include "[(Title of book) SPOILER]" in the
beginning of your header, along with either the title of the item or
the subject you're spoiling (i.e. "[War of Souls SPOILER] The Battle at
Qualinesti!"). That's called a spoiler warning. This not only shows
courtesy and consideration for people who haven't read the item yet, but
it allows for people who *have* read the item to discuss it with you
(after all, one of the first things you want to do after finishing a book
is talk about it, right?).
It's also considered good etiquette to leave several blank spaces in
your post before you start typing. This space (called a "spoiler
space") is useful for people who may have accidently missed the header
of the message and start reading your post.
Also keep in mind that a large number of people who post to and read
Dragonlance discussion forums are not from the United States. That
means they get their items later than the people who live in the U.S.
do. Please give everybody at least six months time, if not more (a
year is recommended for monumental or important work like The Eve of
the Maelstrom and the "War of Souls" books), to read the items before
you stop adding a spoiler warning to your posts about them.
It is assumed that people reading most discussion forums have read the
Chronicles and Legends trilogies, as well as the novel Dragons of
Summer Flame, so spoiler warnings for those novels are not considered
necessary. However, some newbies come to the forums without this basic
knowledge, so please keep that in mind before jumping to a conclusion
about a 'stupid' question.
10) Controversial topics
*** 10.1 What's a controversial topic?
A controversial topic is a topic which has caused bad feelings and /
or flame wars among the members of the newsgroup. There are many
reasons why they've caused such reactions, but the main reason is
because someone felt criticized.
*** 10.2 Why shouldn't I bring up one of these topics?
Many of these topics represent sore spots for people or a darker time
for the newsgroup. The regulars avoid these topics as much as
possible, since we do like to see discussions that are entertaining
and harmonious. Contrary to popular belief, regulars don't enjoy
flaming, but sometimes get so fed up with seeing the same topics over
and over again, something in their dino-brain snaps and they fly off
the wall. For the sake of keeping peace in the newsgroup, don't post
about these topics. If you feel the need to find more information
about them, either read about them here, search for them on the net
(some of them do exist out there), or search through Usenet archives
at <http://groups.google.com/>. If you still can't find the information
you're looking for, try emailing a dino that appears to be friendly to
you. It helps your case more if you've contributed to the group in
some manner.
*** 10.3 Raistlin is a woman?
This is probably one of the most controversial and not-wanted topics
around. It reared its head some time ago, and grew in controversy
because newbies would see the topic line, and flip out thinking
everyone on the group was insane for thinking such a thing. At the
time, it was funny, as most people couldn't believe how infuriated
newbies would get over the subject and how they would attempt to
disprove the statement, without having read the original theory of the
subject. Suffice to say, the entire theory was done as a joke, no one
ever did believe that Raistlin was originally a woman. While many
people want newbies to know about the theory, it is only to prevent
them from asking, not to bring it up again as a discussion. This
topic is dead and over, and no one wants to see it resurrected again.
*** 10.4 Tanis is gay?
Originally written as a partner to the "Raistlin is a woman" theory,
this topic didn't garner the same amount of reactions, but it still
caused many people to get upset. While the Raistlin theory was
grounded in satire, this theory was intended to parody it.
*** 10.5 Gem dragons on Krynn?
Many people have asked that if Dragonlance is supposed to be so
centered around dragons, why aren't there gem dragons in the world. In
general, gem dragons don't fit into the original concept of Krynn, so
they weren't included. Part of what makes Dragonlance so unique from
other worlds is the fact that it is missing certain races. For the
majority of these exclusions, there are logical and valid reasons.
This is not to say that you can't have gem dragons in *your* concept
of Krynn, but be aware that your concept will be vastly different from
everyone else's and this topic has caused many tempers to flare up.
*** 10.6 A Dragonlance movie and who should be in it?
This was long considered the most taboo possible topic. Over the years,
there have been countless threads about possible castings of the Heroes
and whether the movie should be live action or animated. Eventually, it
came to really annoy regulars whenever this tired subject resurfaced.
Now there actually is a Dragonlance movie in the works. It's animated
and it's cast. So the moratorium on this subject has been lifted for
now, as there actually is a solid basis for fresh and interesting
discussion.
*** 10.7 Only Weis and Hickman novels count?
There have been several people who don't enjoy the other Dragonlance
novels and feel the need to state on the forum that only the novels
written by Weis and Hickman are valid to the Dragonlance world. While
everyone's entitled to their opinion, this newsgroup has many of the
other authors in question contributing, and many fans feel that their
works are just as worthy as any novel put out by Weis and Hickman. We
ask that people refrain from bashing all non-W&H books in general.
*** 10.8 Posting under the name "Raistlin"?
Contrary to popular belief, you're not being original if you post
under this name. We've literally seen hundreds of Raistlins come
traipsing through the newsgroup, asking their questions. They usually
stay for about a day, then disappear forever, whether this is from
embarrassment or being flamed off, we're not sure. It's a bad idea
especially if you intend to post regularly, as people won't recognize
you from the several other Raistlins that show up. Try to be unique
and avoid taking the name of a character. Most people use either
their real name, or a name they made up. If you feel the need to use
a character's name, try to personalize it at least, so you stand out a
bit more. Be aware that some people may ignore you regardless.
*** 10.9 I want more books on the Heroes of the Lance!
Another controversial subject, since there seems to be a line drawn
between those that want more Heroes of the Lance stories, and others
who feel they've been overused and should be put to the pasture for
retirement. Many regulars of the newsgroup feel the latter about this
issue. While we've enjoyed reading about the Heroes, most feel their
stories have been told and there's no reason to keep bringing them
back again and again. Some of the ealier novels (such as the Preludes
and Meetings) bought into the cash cow of the Heroes, and because
several of these books were controversial stories, they were not viewed
in a favorable light. Please try to keep the Hero of the Lance worship
to a minimum.
*** 10.10 All books after Summer Flame should be discounted? (aka 5th Age
sucks!)
The 5th Age is an extremely emotional subject for people. There were
some massive changes that took place during Summer Flame and even more
that came out in Jean Rabe's Fifth Age novels. Some people don't
accept these changes and will argue vehemently against them. Not
everyone agrees that the 5th Age was bad, because it moved Krynn
forward, when it appeared to be stagnating. This ties into the Heroes
of the Lance idea... a new phase of the world with new characters.
It's fine if you don't like the 5th Age, but please don't criticize it
without some sort of backing. Too many times there have been posters
saying the 5th Age sucks and they've never read any of the material.
Please try to be informed of something before stating an opinion. It
gives you that much more credit.
11) Questions about the Newsgroup
*** 11.1 What are all these "in-jokes" I keep hearing?
Remember how it was said that a newsgroup is a community? Well
members of the community that have been around for awhile have seen
several topics and jokes come up, which sometimes have caused quite a
commotion and as such, are remembered for quite some time.
Occasionally, these jokes pop up from time to time and sometimes can
be quite controversial. In-jokes are not meant to exclude newbies
from the conversation but are instead a method for which old dinos can
rattle up their brains which are beginning to atrophy due to old age.
Tread carefully around any of these conversations.
*** 11.2 What other newsgroups allow Dragonlance discussions?
Alt.fan.dragons has been known to allow them if they're about dragons.
Alt.fan.fantasy is for discussion of fantasy in general and might
allow a discussion of Dragonlance in relation to other fantasy novels.
The AD&D newsgroup, rec.games.frp.dnd, also has Dragonlance
discussions occasionally.
*** 11.3 Can I post my fanfic to the newsgroup?
If it is related to Dragonlance, yes. Be aware of copyright laws and
what your rights are when you post it.
*** 11.4 Can I post binaries to the newsgroup?
Absolutely not. If you want to share some pictures with us, you can
post them to alt.binaries and then let us know what header you used so
we can find it. It's as simple as that. Some of us are always
appreciative of programs/pictures relating to Dragonlance, but it does
not belong in alt.fan.dragonlance.
*** 11.5 Which authors/game designers/TSR employees post to the newsgroup?
Known ones have included Margaret Weis, Tracy Hickman, Don Perrin,
Richard A. Knaak, Paul B. Thompson (as Mr. Apol), Steve Miller, Michael
Williams, Nancy Varian Berberick, and Jeff Grubb.
Some former regulars of the newsgroup have gone on to become well-known
Dragonlance authors in their own right. This includes most
significantly Chris Pierson, Jamie Chambers, and Cam Banks.
In 2003, Margaret Weis and Jamie Chambers announced that they would
shift their primary attention to their new corporate web boards at
<http://www.dragonlanceforums.com/> in order to better promote their
products. They and other authors still do frequent the mailing list,
however, and to a lesser degree, the newsgroup.
People who used to be on this newsgroup but who seem to have left are
Lizz Baldwin, James Lowder (of Ravenloft fame), Voronica Whitney-
Robinson (also of Ravenloft fame), Sue Weinlein Cook, and Roger E.
Moore (as Grey1998). Larry Elmore has posted once.
*** 11.6 What are these abbreviations that I keep seeing?
Some abbreviations can be figured out by reading earlier in the post
or thread they appear in, while others are used so often they have
become second nature to the posters. Here is a short list of the most
common abbreviations for Dragonlance and related products common to
many discussion forums:
LOL = Laughing Out Loud
IMO = In My Opinion
IMHO = In My Humble Opinion
IIRC = If I Recall Correctly
DL = Dragonlance
RL = Ravenloft
FR = Forgotten Realms
PS = Planescape
SJ = Spelljammer
5A = Fifth Age
AD&D = Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (First through Second Edition)
3e = Third Edition Dungeons & Dragons
3.5e = Revised Third Edition Dungeons & Dragons
W&H = Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman
DoAT = Dragons of Autumn Twilight
DoWN = Dragons of Winter Night
DoSD = Dragons of Spring Dawning
SG = The Second Generation
DoSF = Dragons of Summer Flame
WoS = The War of Souls
DoaFS = Dragons of a Fallen Sun
DoaLS = Dragons of a Lost Star
DoaVM = Dragons of a Vanished Moon
A&A = Amber & Ashes
A&I = Amber & Iron
LoH = The Legend of Huma
DoaNA = The Dawning of a New Age OR Dragons of a New Age series
DotT = The Day of the Tempest
EotM = The Eve of the Maelstrom
RoS = The Rise of Solamnia
KoS = Knights of Solamnia
KoT/KoN = Knights of Takhisis/Knights of Neraka
LoS = Legion of Steel
DL1 = Dragons of Despair
DL2 = Dragons of Flame
DL5 = Dragons of Mystery, etc.
DLA = Dragonlance Adventures
TotL = Tales of the Lance
WBoA = World Book of Ansalon (included in Tales of the Lance)
Leaves = Leaves from the Inn of the Last Home
5A Box = Dragonlance: Fifth Age Dramatic Adventure Game
CoL = Citadel of Light
DLCS = Dragonlance Campaign Setting
AoM = Age of Mortals
KoD = Key of Destiny
BoK = Bestiary of Krynn
ToHS = Towers of High Sorcery
WotL = War of the Lance
SoS = Spectre of Sorrows
HOotS = Holy Orders of the Stars
LotT = Legends of the Twins
KOoA = Knightly Orders of Ansalon
DoA = Dragons of Autumn
PoC = Price of Courage
*** 11.7 What is canon?
In case you haven't noticed by now, Dragonlance has many contradictions
in it. For example, in the Legends Trilogy (1986) and other products
around this time, the Dwarfgate Wars are said to have taken place at
around 100 AC. Some other products later state the date to be 39 AC.
Which is right?
Dragonlance fans have tried to make sense of these various continuity
errors, and many fans have formed their own set of canon. The American
Heritage Dictionary says that canon is "an ecclesiastical law or code
of laws established by a church council." Some Dragonlance fans look
at a contradiction, and they try to make a logical explanation for the
contradiction. If that doesn't work, some fans say that part of the
contradictory material is non-canon, or non-existent in Krynn.
Another example is the novel The Soulforge. Earlier, a book called
Dark Heart was published that detailed some of Raistlin's childhood.
Margaret Weis came along, and wrote The Soulforge, a novel that
completely contradicted Dark Heart. Some fans, in an attempt to
explain away the contradiction, have said that The Soulforge is
"Raistlin propaganda" that was spread around by the Towers of High
Sorcery. Others have said that Dark Heart is non-canon, and Soulforge
is the "right" version of history.
Either way, canon is very controversial topic among Dragonlance fans.
You have to decide for yourself what you consider canon, but remember
that your tastes are exactly that... *yours*. Just because you think
Dark Heart is more true than Soulforge because it was written first,
don't criticize others who believe otherwise. Be open to the fact
that others have their own interpretations of what's canon and what's
not.
The publishers of Dragonlance have their own idea of canon as well.
They have begun using the term "continuity" instead of "canon" in order
to avoid confusion. Whereas fans interested in canon tend to enjoy
researching older books in order to find the original answer, Official
Continuty actually takes the opposite approach in following the most
recent published answer.
In our example above, then, Official Continuity currently has the
Dwarfgate Wars at 39 AC, but many fans consider the 100 AC date to be
canon. Some fans even try to justify both dates! In short, be aware
that legitimate differences in opinion exist. Feel free to calmly,
rationally state your case, but be willing to accept other answers.
12) Dragonlance on the Internet
*** 12.1 Did TSR go bankrupt?
In the mid 90s, TSR, the original publisher of Dragonlance material,
did go bankrupt. There was a period of time where Dragonlance material
wasn't published at all; TSR had gotten itself so deep in debt that it
just couldn't continue.
Fortunately, however, "Magic: the Gathering" publisher Wizards of the
Coast bought up all of TSR's debt and took the company under its wing.
For a while, TSR was a brand under Wizards of the Coast, but now all
D&D and Dragonlance products are simply printed under the Wizards logo.
Wizards of the Coast is now itself a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc.
*** 12.2 What is the official Dragonlance home page?
Wizards of the Coast, which owns Dragonlance and currently publishes
the novel line, keeps a page at:
<http://ww2.wizards.com/Books/Wizards/Default.aspx>
Unfortunately, you have to sort through Forgotten Realms, Magic, and
Eberron content to find any Dragonlance content.
Margaret Weis Productions, which is licensed to produce the Dragonlance
Third Edition game line, keeps an official Dragonlance home page at:
<http://www.dragonlance.com/>. This is a somewhat more helpful site.
Another site is the Dragonlance Nexus at <http://www.dlnexus.com/>.
This was a fan project originally spearheaded by Tracy Hickman at a
time when Wizards of the Coast held a contest to select an "Official
Dragonlance World Site" (the Nexus won). Although the Nexus no longer
claims any "official" status since Weis acquired the license, there is
no question that the Nexus website far outstrips any single other site
in terms of the amount of info that can be found there.
*** 12.3 Where are the official Wizards of the Coast "world sites"?
The list of official sites can be found at:
<http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/arch/owa>
*** 12.4 I want to write a Dragonlance novel. How do I get it published?
Becoming a published author of any kind is a difficult task, to say
the least. But it is possible--we have watched our fellow fans become
Dragonlance authors over the years. Chris Pierson, Jamie Chambers, and
Cam Banks are now major Dragonlance novel and gaming authors. Kevin Kage
and John Grubber have been published in Dragonlance anthologies. All are
former and/or current members of the alt.fan.dragonlance newsgroup, as
well as the mailing list, and we have watched them become Dragonlance
authors.
To become published, it is best to start out small--try submitting a
short story to Dragon Magazine (a monthly publication by Wizards of
the Coast). Get involved with Dragonlance discussions, and become an
active member of the fan community. Get your material edited, and
edited, and edited all over again, preferably by a fan who is familiar
with Dragonlance (to make sure that you don't contradict too much
material) and by someone who isn't familiar with Dragonlance (to
receive an unbiased opinion).
After that, send in your material to Wizards of the Coast. Don't be
surprised or disappointed if you are rejected - publishing company
editors are finicky. You must learn to be persistent; edit your
material, and then send it in again.
All submissions to Wizards of the Coast must follow the standards as
outlined on the Wizards of the Coast web site at:
<http://ww2.wizards.com/books/Wizards/default.aspx?doc=WriterResources>
If you decide to forego the Dragonlance setting and write your own
book, then you can ignore the writers guidelines and shop your work
around to different publishing companies (but you can't use the
Dragonlance setting or the characters in it). For more information,
you can contact the copyright office at the Library of Congress,
Washington D.C., 20559 or call (202) 707-9100. Form TX is used to
register published or unpublished literary works, excluding
periodicals and serials. You can also call (202) 707-3000 for more
information.
*** 12.5 Can I play Dragonlance online?
There are different venues for playing Dragonlance online, such as a
"play-by-e-mail" (PBEM) or "play-by-post" game, or a MUD or MUSH. Plug
the words into your favorite search engine and you should get some
hits.
*** 12.6 Where can I find the Dragonlance mailing list?
The Dragonlance mailing list is hosted by a list server at Wizards and
can be accessed at:
<http://oracle.wizards.com/archives/dragonlance-l.html>
The rules for the mailing list are at:
<http://www.dlnexus.com/features/faqs/dl-l.aspx>
The mailing list is a very different environment from the newsgroup.
The latter exists on Usenet, a relatively unmoderated wilderness on
the Internet. On the other hand, the mailing list has a set of rules
that will be enforced by the moderator. While you may find rules
stifling, this also ensures that junk email doesn't exist and
arguments are usually controlled. Choose whichever community best
suits your purpose or personal choice. Some people subscribe to both!
*** 12.7 Where can I find the Dragonlance web boards?
There is a large forum cooperatively managed by Margaret Weis
Productions and the Nexus at: <http://www.dragonlanceforums.com/>
There is also a smaller forum hosted by Wizards of the Coast at:
<http://boards1.wizards.com/forumdisplay.php?forumid=287>
|
