Dragonlance

[MAB77]

Sagas from the lands of Krynn are filled with valiant heroes destined to discover ancient secrets and vanquish terrible evils. It is a world shaped by the hubris of a once powerful king priest that brought down a mighty cataclyms on the land. A world shaped by the mighty wars opposing the vast dragonarmies of Takhisis, the Queen of Darkness, against the forces of light such as the Solamnic Knights and the Heroes of the Lance. A world shaped by cruel dragon overlords that sought to subjugate the land to their will. This is a world of great adventures, a world in need of Champions, this is the world of Dragonlance.

Ansalon is the most well known continent of Krynn. The vast majority of the setting's action takes place there. This resource will focus mainly on the people and history of that continent.

Table of Content

• The Major Races of Krynn
• The World of Krynn
• People & Cultures (part 1)
• People & Cultures (part 2)
• Magic
• Religion
  
  • The Gods of Good
  • The Gods of Neutrality
  • The Gods of Evil
• History
• Sources

[MAB77]

The Major Races of Krynn

Note that this server supports the following races from the Dragonlance setting: humans, dwarves (mountain, hill, dark & gully), elves (silvanesti, qualinesti & kagonesti), kenders (true & afflicted), gnomes (tinker, thinker & wild) and half-elves. Each are described in greater details in our Subrace Roleplaying Resources and Lore thread. The various human cultures from Ansalon are described below in the "People & Culture" section. Ogres, minotaurs and draconians are not supported, but could figure in a player character's background story.

Humans
Humans were among the first races created by the gods. They represent the Neutral portion of the triangle, and thus they were gifted with the freedom to choose their own ethical and moral paths. Due to their short lifespans, humans are viewed by longer-lived races as ambitious and impatient, restless and dissatisfied with their lot in life. Humans live throughout Ansalon, with cultures so diverse that the differences between individual humans are as great as differences between elves and dwarves. A race of extremes, humankind keeps the great pendulum of history constantly swaying between good and evil, law and chaos. Although each human culture differs from every other, a basic distinction can be made between so-called “civilized” human societies and the primitive, nomadic tribes. Both cultures believe their way of life to be superior to the other. City dwellers think of the nomads as ignorant savages, while the tribesfolk look upon city folk as soft and misguided.

Dwarves
The history of the dwarves is a rich and full story of their creation of not only the magnificent items but also of a lasting civilization. From their initial creation of the legendary Kal-Thax, to the Great Halls of Thorbardin this is a civilization that has fought against countless foes and for endless causes. Dwarven history is history that begins back during the Century of Tide (3200 PC). They are broadly distributed between four types of dwarves: the mountain, hill, dark & gully dwarves.

Elves
Elves are one of the many races that are found on the world of Krynn. The two most prominent elven nations are those of Qualinost and Silvanost. The Kagonesti, the wild elves of Ansalon, live in South and North Ergoth. Whereas the Dimmernesti and Dargonesti make their homes in the oceans of Krynn. Elves are slender and slight in stature, and most have magical abilities.

Gnomes
Gnomes are the tinkerers of Krynn, designing grand machines for every imaginable task. Distant cousins of the Dwarves, gnomes who chased after the Graygem are rumoured to have been transformed from gnomes into Dwarves and Kender, depending on whether they coveted the stone or were curious about it. Other type of gnomes include the thinker gnomes, held as mad by their tinker cousins for producing devices that actually work, and the wild gnomes whom share a special connection with nature.

Kenders
Kender are unique to Krynn, though somewhat similar to the Halflings of other worlds. Kender appear to be small Human children—slight of build, beardless, about three and half to four feet tall. Kender generally live for 100 years (or until their curiosity kills them). Wanderlust is uniquely a kender trait, which is the fever which possesses young kender and causes them to travel the world over. Kender wander for years, settling down after they feel they have wandered down all the roads their heart desires. They are utterly fearless and seem utterly unable to keep themselves out of trouble, or their hands from other's possessions. Following the destruction of Kendermore, many kender have become infected with a disease that causes them to lose the confidence they once had, and allows them to feel fear. These kender are referred to as 'Afflicted Kender'.

Ogres
Ogres are the firstborn of the Gods of Evil. The ogres were once the most beautiful and intelligent creatures of Krynn. They ruled a mighty empire and enslaved Humans as their servants. During the Age of Dreams, Igraine, a powerful Ogre governor learned compassion from a human slave when he saved Igraine's daughter from certain death. Igraine decided that slavery was wrong and tried to explain to the other ogres how they were wrong in enslaving humans. Igraine was called an insane heretic and sentenced to death. Igraine fled with his followers to an island in the Dragon Isles and hid there. The humans then rose up and rebelled against their former masters. The ogres were cast down and made as ugly and cruel as their dark souls were. Their empire was crushed. The ogres remained in the mountains and kept their nation around the Blöde region. Eventually the mountains were literally overrun with ogres and some of them had to migrate onto the plains for living space. These plains ogres formed the nation of Kern. The two nations drifted apart over time, although they still traded with one another.

Draconians
Draconians are a race of dragon humanoids, also called dragonmen because they walk upright and are human-sized. Draconians have scaly bodies like a dragon's, a snout and short stubby tail. Created in order to fill the ranks of the dragonarmies of the Dark Queen Takhisis, the generals of the dragonarmies generally used draconians as shock troops. They are not natural creatures of Krynn. They were created from the eggs of metallic dragons using dark magic called the corruption ritual. These rituals were carried out by Dracart, a wizard of the Black Robes, WyrIlish, a priest of Takhisis, and Harkiel, a dark-hearted red dragon. One egg yielded dozens of young draconians. depending on the color of the dragon egg the draconian can be one of 5 types: Aurak, Baaz, Bozak, Kapak, and Sivak.

Minotaurs
Minotaurs are a seafaring people that live on the isles of Mithas and Kothas, on the northeastern shores of the Blood Sea of Istar. They are intensely proud creatures and do not take insults kindly. The goals of their race are simple: the destruction of all the other races of Krynn. They are exceptionally bigoted, seeing all other races as lesser beings. The only other creatures most minotaur hold in a high regard are the Knights of Solamnia, renowned for their code of honor; this is their one saving grace, in the minotaur's eyes.

[MAB77]

The World of Krynn

Only the most learned wizards, sages, and gnome scholars understand the true size and nature of the world and know much about lands other than their own. The wise believe that there are five major continents on Krynn, with many island chains dotting the vast oceans. The setting covers mostly the continent of Ansalon, and rarely Taladas, other lands are largely a mystery.

Ansalon

Ansalon is a small continent in the southern hemisphere of Krynn. It is bordered by the Turbidus Ocean to the north, the Courrain Ocean to the east, the land of Icereach to the south, and the Sirrion Sea to the west. The Turbidus Ocean bordered western Ansalon at that time, until the Cataclysm destroyed the Empire of Istar and caused massive shifts in both land and sea. The continent is roughly 1,300 miles from east to west and fewer than 1,000 miles from the arctic tundra in the south to the tropical climes near the equator in the north. Notable islands near Ansalon include the Blood Sea Isles, Northern Ergoth, Southern Ergoth, Sancrist Isle, Schallsea, and Storm's Keep.

Originally a large, unbroken land mass, Ansalon was fractured during the First Cataclysm, which caused some lands to sink beneath the ocean while new lands emerged from the sea. During the Age of Might, the land was properly surveyed and mapped, but after the First Cataclysm this information became obsolete. Those in later ages who follow an ancient map might journey to a seaport that had been landlocked for a hundred years. Even at the height of civilization there are vast miles of untamed wilderness, some of which have been taken over by goblins, ogres, or worse creatures. Dragons slumber in caves or keep watch from the tall mountain peaks.

Chaos ravaged the land during the Second Cataclysm. In his wake, all areas he touch were altered in some way. Notable places are Teeth of Chaos and Footprint of Chaos. The Dragon Overlords used means of magic to change the surrounding lands of their realms. Making the extreme geographical features more to their liking. Most dramatic alteration was the lush land known as Kendermore. This land was turned in to a barren waste land, dotted with volcanoes.

Map of Ansalon

Spoiler: show

Taladas

The larger continent of Krynn is far removed from Ansalon, so much so that those living on each continent lose all knowledge of the other by the middle of the Age of Dreams.  It lies to the northeast of Ansalon in the northern hemisphere. It's landmass is about 1,900 from west to east and 1,300 from north to south. Taladas was devastated by the First Cataclysm, which caused massive changes in the landmass. Jagged mountains run across the land like the spines on a dragon’s back. Two unique features are the Shining Lands, where the land is made up of black sand that cuts like razors and the ground is like a black glass lake. The other area is the Burning Sea surrounded by a cooling land mass. This section of Taladas is where the gods stuck on the day of the great cataclysm. Nothing but a molten sea remains. The Taladan residents are of the same races as the people of Ansalon, though the cultures have evolved and progressed separately.

Map of Taladas

Spoiler: show

Dragon Isles

The Dragon Isles are the ancestral homes of the good dragons, where many of them dwell by choice. These Isles serve as their home after their self-imposed exile from Ansalon during the Age of Might and early Age of Despair.

Adlatum

A mysterious continent on the world of Krynn, to the north and west of Ansalon and west of Taladas. Nothing is known of this land. Most people on other continents do not even suspect its existence.

Ithin'carthia

Located somewhere east of Ansalon, the small continent of Ithin'carthia is the home of the blue-skinned Tarmak and their subjugated Damjatt and Keena neighbors. The Tarmak brutes are a strange people that respect only power, and consider it an honor to be burned by dragon breath.

[MAB77]

People & Cultures (part 1): Civilized Humans

Over the vast span of Ansalon’s history, great civilizations have risen and nearly as many have fallen. The elves, who are able to trace their kingdoms back to the Age of Dreams, are nonetheless reminded more than once that nothing lasts forever. Humans build mighty empires and glorious cities as testaments to their greatness, their ruins later standing as a reminder to beware of overweening pride. The dwarves delve beneath the mountains, building mighty kingdoms but often isolating themselves from the outside world. Gnomes continually tinker and build, forever obsessed with technology, too caught up in the present to remember the lessons of the past.

Other races are part of the civilized world as well, even if they are not acknowledged by their more numerous counterparts. Minotaurs, considered savages by humans and elves, channel their passions into building a society that promotes the strong over the weak. Sea elves form breathtaking cities of coral, unknown to those who live on land. Even draconians, once considered only as expendable shock troops, try to create a future for themselves in the Age of Mortals.

This section will focus on the human societies of Ansalon.

Humans are by far the most populous race on Ansalon. They are also the most adaptive and ambitious, dominating whatever land in which they live through sheer numbers and collective force of will. Much of this stems from a deep-seated desire to experience and accomplish as much as possible during their comparatively brief lives. Being the children of the gods of balance, humans fully embrace the gift of free will. Humans run the gamut from the purest, shining example of good to the most debased, vile specimen of evil, in contrast to the elves and ogres who tend towards either end of the moral spectrum.

Humans can be divided into two distinctly different, yet still physically similar, groups. Civilized humans are the men and women who have chosen towns and cities over the wilderness, while the nomads remain close to nature, living and dying at the whims of the land. Neither group is inherently better than the other, but both look at life in very different ways. Both groups tend to look at the other with disdain; the city dwellers considering their nomadic cousins to be ignorant savages, while the different tribes tend to think of city folk as pampered and weak.

Humans have also developed cultures in other lands beyond the oceans surrounding Ansalon. The three human cultures on the small continent of Ithin’carthia, the Tarmak, Damjatt, and Keena, have made new homes on Ansalon’s shores through the invitation of Ariakan. Although outwardly quite different from other humans, they are nonetheless a prime example of the varied and diverse nature of humanity.

Most civilized humans in the current era can trace their origins to three distinct ethnic groups: Ergothians, which includes the people of Solamnia; Istarans, or the Kalinese as they are now more properly known, which includes all those humans whose families survived the destruction of Istar; and Kharolians, which includes Tarsis and much of Abanasinia. All three groups could theoretically trace their origin to Amero’s people from the Age of Dreams, who built the first civilized human city of Yala-tene. The impact of the Cataclysm upon the spread and diversity of these three civilized human groups cannot be understated, however. Few humans in the Age of Mortals can truly claim to descend from only one of these three or solely from civilized humans; many will find that even as few as two or three generations ago, their family lived a nomad life on the plains, in the mountains, or on the seas of Ansalon.

Abanasinians

Despite the attention it has received in the past 70 years, or perhaps because of the attention, Abanasinia is still a frontier region. Bandits roam the woods and mountains, and goblins are moving into Qualinesti to the south. The region is not lawless, however. Each of the towns and cities has a militia or hired soldiers. The Knights of Solamnia and the Legion of Steel each have a strong presence. The people have endured much since the War of the Lance, but most will say they are stronger for it. Then they’ll immediately tell you they’re about due for some peace and quiet.

The city and townsfolk of Abanasinia are generally a practical, independent, and hard-working lot. The frontier mindset has been ingrained into their being after many generations of living in sometimes-hostile territory. With the number of travelers and drifters flowing through the area, and the number of people fleeing lives elsewhere, Abanasinians tend not to ask questions or pry into people’s past. They are content to take people at face value, though there is always a certain amount of wariness when dealing with strangers.

The everyday life of a civilized human in Abanasinia varies depending on where they live. In a bigger city, such as Haven, life is much the same as in any city. The rich and privileged rule over those who are not; the common folk work for them. In smaller towns and villages, everyone works, regardless of station. This isn’t to say that life is constant drudgery—it isn’t—but in the smaller towns and villages, many residents have roles vital to the continued survival of the community. Even in Solace, the Lord Mayor Palin Majere will lend a hand where he can.

Few of the civilized humans who live in the towns and cities of Abanasinia can trace their roots to the region. Most came to the region after the Cataclysm or during the War of the Lance, fleeing the chaos and destruction that reigned in many other places. As the different people from different lands mingled over the years, they created a culture all their own. These customs will vary from town to town, depending on the backgrounds of the residents. More than most other places, the cities and towns of Abanasinia truly are a melting pot of the various human cultures of Ansalon.

Ergothians

For almost one thousand years, Ergoth was the dominant human nation on Ansalon. Ergothians ruled from the northern and western shores of the continent to the Kharolis Mountains in the south and the forest of Silvanesti in the east. Through mismanagement and rebellion, Ergoth was slowly whittled down in size. The final blow came with the Cataclysm; Ergoth was torn asunder with the rest of Ansalon, much of it sinking into the sea. Only two islands were left of the once mighty empire, Northern and Southern Ergoth. Since the Cataclysm, when one speaks of Ergothians, they are referring to the dark-skinned, sea-faring folk from Northern Ergoth, even though close to a fifth of the population are light-skinned. Most other vestiges of the old empire and its people have been lost to time.

While there is obviously no one alive in the Empire who experienced the glory days of Ergoth, there is a sense that they are something less than they once were. Stemming from that feeling, most Ergothians approach life as though it is something to be conquered, both for the betterment of themselves and Ergoth as a whole.

Much of everyday life for Ergothians is geared toward the sea and the trade it generates. Even if their occupation does not put them in contact with water, almost every Ergothian somehow contributes to this driving force in the nation’s economy. The few who don’t, innkeepers and other service jobs, still benefit from the sea trade. For the sailors, life is a mix of the exciting and boring. Boring are the days out at sea with no land in sight. Exciting are the port calls all over Ansalon. Exciting and dangerous are the clashes with pirates, minotaurs, and creatures of the sea. To Ergothians, the sea is life, and their mastery of it will restore them to the forefront of Ansalonian politics.

The culture and customs of Ergothians today are little like the Ergoth of old. While some things may be similar, such as the Emperor and the Imperial Senate, many of the every day customs have changed. Many customs, like most everything else in an Ergothian’s life, revolve around the sea. The churches of the Blue Phoenix (Habbakuk) and Rann (Zeboim) each have great influence in the lives of Ergothians. However, Zeboim tends to be worshiped just enough to placate the tempestuous goddess, while Habbakuk is genuinely revered. Ergoth’s aristocratic warrior class, the Cavaliers, keep faith in Corij (Kiri-Jolith) strong, but his congregation is much smaller than in earlier-eras.

With the influx of Solamnics in the past 40 years, some of their traditions are beginning to take root amongst the people of Ergoth. While the Emperor doesn’t seem too concerned, some Ergothian nobles are looking for any excuse to oust the Solamnics and their traditions from their empire.

Kharolians

When most outsiders think of Kharolis, they think of the Lordcity of Tarsis, though this betrays an ignorance of the region’s long and diverse history. Kharolis extends west of Tarsis to the Southern Sirrion Sea; Tarsis proper, the heavily forested lands to the south of the Kharolis Mountains, is sparsely populated by humans, but the lands further west and beneath Qualinesti are home to thousands of people living a fairly rustic existence in woodland villages and seaside fishing towns. There were larger towns there once, though the Cataclysm and years of war with Ergoth wiped many of them off the map. A majority of ethnic Kharolians makes up a good percentage of the populations of Abanasinia and southern Solamnia and Lemish. However, in Tarsis, the ability to trace one’s bloodline back a hundred generations is an affirmation of the importance of a pure Kharolian heritage, and no one in the region will ever admit to sharing this heritage with the rest of the continent.

Kharolians are light-skinned, slender, and dark-haired people, with a fondness for bright colors, jewelry, and, in Tarsis, masks. Kharolians with blond hair or blue eyes are mixed-race descendants of the Highlanders of Icereach and typically occupy a lower rung in society. Half-elves are quite common in the rural areas and woodlands, and many of the villagers and townsfolk of Kharolis betray some elven ancestry in their facial features. These people will generally avoid the Lordcity for fear of being accused of racial impropriety, which never reaches the level of bigotry but remains a cause of much social awkwardness. Some sages outside of Kharolis will point out most Kharolians, even the purebred nobles of Tarsis, have elven blood; they have merely chosen to ignore the signs.

Nerakans

The Nerakese people take their name from the Valley of Neraka and the city of the same name, although which holds true for each Nerakan depends on the current political climate. Most are ethnically Kalinese, a mixture of mountain nomad and Istaran survivors. Adult men are generally shorter on average for humans, though they are swarthier, stockier, and typically hardier than their neighbors to the west. Nerakan women are often taller than the men, widely known for their exotic looks and razor-sharp temperament. As a group, civilized Nerakans embody the brutal, backstabbing, cutthroat, and mercenary approach to daily life of their distant Istaran ancestors before the Holy Orders took over. With a century of cults to Takhisis and other dark gods playing a major role in Neraka, these traits have returned vigorously in the Age of Mortals.

Jelek, Neraka, Telvan, and Kortal are the major population centers of Neraka and the Taman Busuk region. Civilized Nerakans live entirely within the walls of these settlements or in extensive fortified compounds nearby. Nomads, ogres, and worse have taken the rest of the mountainous region. The Dark Knights and their various factions dominate Nerakan life, though in the years after the War of Souls, the faction aligned with Baltasar Rennold and Galen Nemedi seized political power. Every wealthy Nerakan has one or more family members in the Dark Knights, though typically the head of the household is not one of them. Since even conducting an everyday business transaction carries with it the threat of a knife, Nerakans of all social classes are known as paranoid, mistrustful, opportunistic, and cunning. Although they are no longer a part of Neraka, the people of Sanction may be considered Nerakan.

Nordmen

The people of Nordmaar have seen more than their fair share of trials and tribulations. The upheaval of the Cataclysm changed their homes, but until the War of the Lance, they prospered where many others suffered. However, the War of the Lance was the beginning of a string of misfortunes. The Dragonarmies occupied Nordmaar’s cities during the war, and the occupying forces weren’t driven out until some years later. The Knights of Takhisis conquered Nordmaar just prior to the Chaos War. That war brought shadow wights down on the land like a great swarm, erasing whole families from existence. Their losses in the Chaos War caused the Dark Knights to withdraw from Nordmaar in the early Age of Mortals, leaving the Nordmen to fend for themselves.

The outlook of the city dwellers and their nomadic cousins is both similar and vastly different. The Nordmen, as the more civilized people of Nordmaar are generally known, have no problems with—and indeed embrace—the trappings of society that come with living in an urban environment. While still a somewhat suspicious and insular people, the Nordmen have begun to look outside their city walls and are opening their eyes to the lands of Ansalon beyond their immediate borders, as indicated by their recent acceptance of the Solamnic Knights in most of their cities and towns. Regardless of how they seem at outsiders, Nordmen are a fierce, independent lot who feel they are capable of standing against any threat.

While their lives may not be as free and unbridled as their Horselord cousins, the men and women of Nordmaar’s towns and cities still love their freedom. They do not shirk their duties and jobs; they are hard workers. However, they feel that only one of their own has the right to lead them. As the Dragonarmies and Knights of Takhisis found, it takes a powerful army to hold the cities of Nordmaar. Being subjected to those powerful armies in the past has led to the Nordmen’s fierce love of freedom today. The new king, Nacon II, is a Horselord nomad, but he is coming to understand and appreciate the lives of the city dwellers and how to rule them effectively.

The Solamnics once described Nordmaar as the last stronghold of good in the north. The Nordmen of the cities and towns are included in that statement. Since the Solamnics deal mostly with the Nordmen, not the Horselords, some Nordmen even say it is a statement about them and not their nomadic cousins. Regardless of who is referred to, Nordmen take great pride in the rough, but good, nature that is generally attributed to them. This overall goodness combined with a culture in love with freedom makes the inhabitants of the cities and towns of Nordmaar a people worthy of the trust and respect of any ally.

Nordmen are of mixed Solamnic and Kalinese ancestry. They are tall and fair-skinned, with hair ranging in color from reddish-brown to pale blond. A number of darker complexioned Nordmen, whose ancestors were inhabitants of the island archipelago which rose from the sea after the Cataclysm to become modern Nordmaar, populate the coastal towns of the region. There is no prejudice or thought given to differences in skin tone, complexion, or background in Nordmaar, although the life one chooses — city or steppes — says a great deal. King Nacon II is looked upon by some Horselord nomads and city folk alike as being an aberration, a nomad who has chosen to live in the big city.

Solamnics
For centuries, the people of Solamnia were known for their relationship with the Knights of Solamnia. While some Solamnics would argue, most people not of Solamnia said the people of the region were just extensions of the Knighthood. In many ways, those people were right. Living with the Solamnic Knights instilled much of the knightly honor and way of life into the Solamnic people, making them generally hard working and trustworthy. They remained as such even through the years of hardship after the Cataclysm, though a bit a cynicism crept into their psyche. Now that their country has been freed from Khellendros and they have united under Emperor Jaymes Markham, the Solamnic people can see great things on the horizon.

The average Solamnic citizen is steadfast, loyal, and hard working. Centuries of living under the rule of the Knights of Solamnia reinforced these traits in most of the population. The Cataclysm left much of the population cynical and bitter, though still good under the surface. In aftermath of the Chaos War, the Solamnic people began to change.

Those who stayed in the north after Khellendros claimed it for his own were forced to live under the rule of the Knights of Neraka. While the Dark Knights treated those who followed the laws fairly, this changed the generation born under their rule in subtle ways. No longer was the virtue of good upheld in their lives, only those of order and subservience. Young adults who grew up in this way are still proud of their nationality, and most have no love for the Dark Knights, but they also don’t automatically cling to the old ways of honor taught by the Solamnic Knights. These people welcomed Shinare into Solamnia and believe in a more practical approach to life. The people of southern Solamnia changed little in the aftermath of the Chaos War. They clung to the Knights of Solamnia and their views of loyalty and honor. The Knighthood depend on this as they support Jaymes Markham as he drives the army of the half-giant Ankhar out of Solamnia.

Life for many Solamnics is in turmoil. There is war in the southern regions of the country, which has all of Solamnia working to support Emperor Jaymes Markham’s armies of knights. While for some life continues as always, most of Solamnia has a war mindset. Many places also see the return of some of the families who fled Khellendros for other areas of Ansalon.

For most of Solamnia, the culture of the people and the culture of the Solamnic Knights is the same. Holidays, customs, and naming conventions are all shared between the Knighthood and the people they protect. The Solamnic Knights embody the principles and the culture of the people of Solamnia, for it is said all Knights are sons and daughters of Solamnia. Thus, the Order grows and changes as its members grow and change, sometimes for the worse but usually for the better.

Solamnics are light-skinned people of Ergothian and Kharolian stock, although they are essentially an ethnicity all their own after 1,500 years of independence. Their hair color ranges from black to light brown and occasionally blonde, with redheads more common in the western isles such as Sancrist. Although the Solamnic Knights are famous for their distinctive moustaches, few Solamnimen outside of the Orders affect one.

[MAB77]

People & Cultures (part 2): Nomadic Humans

For hundreds of years before the first permanent dwellings were erected and their ancestors decided to stay in one place, humans roamed the length and breadth of Ansalon. These nomads lived off the land, existing in harmony with nature. Today these people are thought of as primitive, barbarian, and savage. However, regardless of how others think of them, nomads take fierce pride in the ability of their people to exist, and even thrive, in lands others shun as inhospitable. Mountains, forests, plains, tundra, and deserts are places nomads have conquered and still call home today.

Though every tribe differs, most nomads harbor a deeply ingrained distrust of other races, including city dwelling humans and other nomads. Even in the best of times, relations between nomadic tribes and outsiders are strained. However, despite their generalizations of other races, nomads tend to give individual members a chance to prove themselves worthy of respect. Once respect is won, outsiders usually discover that no one is a more steadfast ally than a nomad.

Abanasinian Plainsfolk

The Plains nomads of Abanasinia are descended from the nomads who roamed Ergoth in the years prior to the Cataclysm. Four large tribes found themselves isolated on the Abanasinian Plain after the fiery mountain fell. The Qué-Shu, Qué-Kiri, Qué-Teh, and Qué-Nal tribes had to adapt to this new wilderness, though the Qué-Nal tribe was driven from the plains to the island of Schallsea shortly after the Cataclysm. The War of the Lance had a devastating effect on the tribes of the Plains, greatly reducing their numbers and sending thousands into forced exile.

For decades following the war, Abanasinian Plainsfolk held what few nomadic tribes ever have—a place on the political stage of Ansalon. This was due entirely to Riverwind and his wife Goldmoon, Prophet of Mishakal, both Heroes of the Lance. The effect on the daily lives of most Plainsfolk was minimal, but it did result in their leaders being called away for various reasons over the years. When Riverwind died and Goldmoon permanently moved to the Citadel of Light, the issue largely disappeared. The united tribes are now ruled by Riverwind and Goldmoon’s aging daughter, Moonsong, who keeps the
tribes as far from civilized human politics as possible.

For most of the time, the Plainsfolk, like most nomads, were very xenophobic, even attacking those not of their tribe on sight. This mindset faded after the tribes were united. Riverwind and Goldmoon were very cosmopolitan for nomads, and they taught the tribes to give strangers a chance. There is still a small measure of the old xenophobia among the tribes, but not nearly to the extreme prior to the War of the Lance.

The nomads of the Plains of Dust, led by Riverwind’s son Wanderer and his grandson, Cloudhawk, are essentially the same culture, merely displaced. This cultural background may also be used with some minor changes to represent other plains tribes elsewhere in Ansalon. Plainsfolk have tanned complexions from years spent outdoors, which can make some of them look older than they truly are. Their hair and eyes are usually dark, although a rare individual has honey-colored or platinumblond hair.

Ice Folk

The nomadic tribes of Icereach are a synthesis of two distinct pre-Cataclysm cultures—the nomadic Arktos tribes and the somewhat more civilized Highlanders. For hundreds of years before the Cataclysm, the two cultures thrived in harmony with the more enlightened ogres of Winterheim in Icereach, which was separated from continental Ansalon by the sea. After the Cataclysm, the Icewall Glacier surged northward over the course of only a decade, altering the region forever. Those humans who survived the upheaval formed a single, unified tribe, which became the Ice Folk. A few formed permanent settlements on the edge of the Plains of Dust, such as Zeriak, but most lived as the Arktos always had—wandering from camp to camp, following the wild elk herds, and battling the vicious thanoi tribes who had become their immediate neighbors.

Ice Folk have a strong mystical tradition. Their fabled frostreavers, battleaxes carved from magically hardened ice, have allowed them to stave off the monstrous threats that have sought to overwhelm them, from the Dragonarmies, the thanoi, the Dark Knights (who largely avoided Icereach) to the ongoing dominance of the region by the twin dragons Ice and Freeze. The Winternorns, arcane oracles with a mastery of the magic of Icereach (see Towers of High Sorcery), guide and advise the Ice Folk alongside representatives of the Holy Orders of Habbakuk, Zivilyn, and Chislev. Paladine’s followers, such as Raggart the Elder during the War of the Lance, continue to foster the Platinum Dragon’s ideals as mystics.

Physically, Ice Folk are a tall, hale, blond or red-haired people. The men are usually bearded, and the women wear their long hair in braids. Furs and skins feature prominently in their dress, and while the frostreavers are rare and held only by the greatest of warriors,

Nomads of Khur

The fiercely independent and proud people of the deserts of Khur are renowned for their ability to weather even the most inhospitable climates and the most tyrannical oppressors. Like the Ice Folk, the nomads of Khur were once many different groups; tribal folk from the region of Dravinaar united with stragglers and survivors from the impact of the fiery mountain under the leadership of the great khan Kaja. His seven sons, Garmac, Weya-Lu, Mayakhur, Hachakee, Mikku, Tondoon, and Fin-Maskar, inherited their father’s khanate but divided the tribes among them. Garmac’s tribe, the Khur, swiftly rose to prominence and gave the region its name. The other sons sided with or against Garmac, and their inter-tribal battles characterized much of the first three centuries of the Age of Despair.

The Dragonarmies invaded Khur during the War of the Lance, but it was the brutal warlord of the Khur tribe, Salah, who truly locked Khur into a future of insurrection and violence. Salah and his family have maintained control of Khur ever since, using their alliances with evil forces, such as the Dark Knights, to oppose resistance within their domain. Most nomads of the desert consider this to be the fault of civilization; each tribe now has a nomadic
population and a civilized one, further complicating the politics of the region.

The nomads of Khur believe very strongly in fate, or maita, which enables them to deal with tragedy and misfortune stoically. They see everything as having a purpose, and while the gods govern the world, it is up to each individual to understand his maita, and live accordingly. Khurish law is harsh and strict, yet the nomads live lives full of adventure, laughter, and faith. The Khurish people who have settled in the coastal cities of the region have lost much after years of Dragonarmy or Dark Knight rule; the nomads believe that one day, their cousins will abandon the cities to the sirocco winds and return to the desert.

Within the past ten years, many events of note have taken place within Khurish lands, from the passage of the Heroes of the Heart through Ak-Khurman and the blockage of Dark Knight ships to the role the Mikku nomads played in aiding a small band of heroes pursuing the mystery of the Key of Destiny. Most recently, with the influx of elven refugees around Khuri-Khan and the growing frustration of the Dark Knight-supported Khurish ruler, Sahim-Khan, the Weya-Lu tribe rose to power under the leadership of the influential matriarch, Adala. She has united the various nomadic tribes of Khur together to oppose what she sees as the corrupt rule of Sahim-Khan and, more importantly, the alien presence of the elves.

The Khurish olive skin and distinctive hawkish features come from the Dravinaar people, although some intermarriage of Solamnic and Nerakese bloodlines
has produced occasional fair-skinned or dark-skinned individuals.

Nordmaarian Horselords

The broad, grassy prairies of western Nordmaar are home to nomadic riders, members of the Huitzitlic tribe and cousins to both the Xocnalic of the Great Moors and the tribes of Khur. The nomads have only one fixed city, Wulfgar, built with the assistance of the Solamnic Knights. The Khan of the Wastes holds his winter court there, while his people spend the cooler part of the year in the lowlands near the Great Moors and the jungles. In the spring and summer, the Huitzitlic move westwards to the slopes of the Khalkists, where their horses foal, and the nomads avoid the worst of the sweltering temperatures.

The Horseland people have spent the better part of the last few hundred years fighting occupying forces, invading dragons, and hordes of shadow wights boiling forth from the mad will of Chaos. Although ties to Solamnia have recently been reforged, the Huitzitlic are still a suspicious people. The King of Nordmaar, Nacon II, is also Khan of the Wastes, so for the first time in a hundred or more years, the Horselords have a sovereign to whom they are unshakably loyal. The previous king, Shredler Kerian, was a civilized human and too soft for the fierce tribes of the prairies.

The riders of the Wastes are tall and well muscled, with olive-colored skin and black hair. Occasionally, a child is born with bright green eyes and blond hair; such a child spends most of her youth being looked down upon, but those who live to adulthood are often the most talented warriors. Gold, leather, and semi-precious stones, like onyx, jacinth, and turquoise, are common in Horselord clothing and equipment; the riders themselves favor scale
mail armor crafted by Nordmaarian smiths in the foothills of the Khalkists.

Sea Nomads

The people known as Sea Nomads, or Saifumi, are descendants of the remnants of Istar’s maritime population and Ergothian buccaneers. Dark-skinned and born to a life aboard ship, the Sea Nomads number in the thousands, living on great floating family vessels, fleets of smaller caravels, or in coastal enclaves, such as Sea Reach on the island of Saifhum. Sea Nomad society is as volatile as the sea; pirate kings and chieftains come and go, usually only lasting as long as they can maintain their wealth and pay their crews. Saifumi value their family before any larger group, and blood feuds are common if a family member is wronged or killed.

With their dominance of the northern oceans, Sea Nomads come into conflict frequently with both the Ergothians, who seek to bring the Saifumi back into their culture, and the Minotaur Empire. Because the Saifumi have no respect for what the minotaurs call honor, their tactics infuriate minotaur captains, and sea battles between the two races can be bloodthirsty and savage.

Saifumi men and women alike keep their lustrous curly black hair cropped close to the scalp. They dress in bright, flamboyant clothing made from silks and expensive cloth and wear gold earrings, bracelets, and other trinkets. When Saifumi go into battle, they often strip to the waist and brandish a cutlass or trident; the sight of such a fearless pirate is enough to send most opponents running.

The Sea Nomad culture includes a significant percentage of mixed-race individuals, such as half-elves, half-ogres, and half-kender. These Saifumi are given just as much opportunity as their fully human kin, although many make an effort to pass as human when consorting with drylanders.

Taman Busuk Nomads

The mountain folk of the Taman Busuk region comprise the greater proportion of humans living in the Khalkists and the valleys snaking through them. The civilized Nerakans have good reason to fear their savage cousins, for while the two groups share a common ancestry, the mountain nomads of the Taman Busuk have no patience for those who do not respect the land nor live directly upon it. Although the Queen of Darkness recruited most of these bloodthirsty people for her armies in the War of the Lance, alongside the men of Jelek and Sanction, the Dragonarmy officers soon learned to keep them as separate as possible from their city-dwelling neighbors.

Mountain life is rough, and the Khalkists are home to a host of terrible and fierce creatures. Ogres, goblins, and trolls are the least of a nomad’s worries. Even before the Cataclysm, when the natives of the region were ignored provincial subjects of the Kingpriest, each nomad lived and died in the basalt spires of his homeland, and each generation has grown progressively stronger. Death is quick and sudden for the Taman Busuk nomads, but the nomads across the plateaus and peaks have survived tremendous challenges already.

Ethnically, the Taman Busuk nomads are related to the Abanasinian Plainsfolk and the Ergothians; Ackal Ergot was from this region. They are rugged, swarthy folk with skin ranging from light to dark, depending on the individual tribe. Nomads organize themselves into extended family tribes with individual totems, icons, ancestor spirits, or other quasi-religious trappings; those who live near the ancient ruins of Godshome adopt one of the true gods as a tribal patron, assigning the deity a measure of ancestral honor. Therefore, it is common for outsiders to find extraordinarily detailed shrines and temples in the middle of nomadic settlements.

[MAB77]

Magic

Arcane Magic

Arcane magic is the purview of wizards, from those who take the Test of High Sorcery to renegades who disregard the laws set down by the three gods of magic. Arcane magic involves the direct manipulation of the forces of creation. These are cataclysmic forces, as witnessed in the Age of Dreams when the deities of magic were forced to intercede to save mortals from unleashing powers beyond their understanding. Since arcane magic holds such destructive potential, the gods of magic invoked what has become known as the Curse of the Magi. The Curse of the Magi causes spells to fade from a wizard’s memory once they are cast, forces mages to rest from the draining effect magic has upon one’s health, and requires them to study their spells over and over again. Without these prohibitions, mortals might unleash mass destruction even surpassing that of the Cataclysm itself. In the wake of the Cataclysm, when the other deities withdrew from the world, the three gods of magic remained. Represented by the three moons that orbit Krynn, wizards knew with more certainty than any others that the gods had not truly left, but were merely waiting for the right time to “return.”

Once Chaos was defeated, the three moons disappeared, replaced by a single moon that held only a painful reminder of Solinari’s lambent light, Lunitari’s crimson glory, and Nuitari’s stygian darkness (though Nuitari’ shadow could only be seen by wizards of the Black Robes). With the disappearance of the three moons, arcane magic also disappeared. In the absence, many wizards turned to new, untested “primal” sorcery, though they resented the loss of power they’d once had. No longer bound by the laws of magic set forth by the three deities, sorcerers could wield steel and spell in each hand, but gone were the days of truly powerful magic. Or so many believed.

With the revelation of Takhisis as the One God and her eventual defeat, the gods were once more able to return to Krynn. Once more, the three deities of magic took their positions in the night sky, bringing with them the arcane magic of old. Perhaps former wizards will return to their familiar magic. Some may decide to continue following the more independent, free-form path of sorcery. And perhaps it may be possible to meld the two.

Divine Magic

The ability to rebuke or command the spirits of the dead, the ability to cure wounds, even the ability to bring the dead back to life—these powers are granted to mortals who call upon the gods with intense faith. These powers lie within the realm of divine magic. Divine magic differs from arcane magic as widely as primal sorcery differs from mysticism. The ability to cast divine magic relies upon the caster’s faith and dedication to a single deity above all others. In return for their devotees’ faith and dedication, the gods give these chosen mortals abilities possessed by no others in Ansalon.

There are periods in Ansalon’s history when faith in the deities has waxed and waned, usually at one extreme or another. None could doubt the Kingpriest’s faith in his beliefs, though his interpretations were definitely suspect. The height of Istar was the height of deism, quickly followed by the Cataclysm. People blamed the gods for the Cataclysm, turning away from worship and instead blaming the deities for abandoning them in their time of need. For more than three hundred years, no cleric walked on Ansalon. The coming of the War of the Lance also signaled the return of faith — particularly in the worship of Takhisis the Dark Queen and Mishakal the Healer, who acted to counter the clerics of the Dark Queen.

After Chaos was defeated and the Chaos War ended, the gods apparently removed themselves completely from involvement with mortals, the result of a bargain with Chaos. Again divine magic would seemingly disappear from the world, until at least the War of the Souls and the return of the gods.

Primal Sorcery (“Wild Magic”)

Primal sorcery is the magic rediscovered in the wake of the Chaos War. Many consider it a new magic, but it is actually the oldest kind of magic—the magic of manipulating the natural energies imbuing the world, energies that were heightened with the passage of the Graygem across Krynn. Unlike High Sorcery, primal sorcery is more difficult to harness and seems much less powerful, particularly to those who were used to the “old” magic, and therefore primal sorcery is often referred to as “wild magic.” What primal sorcery lacks in strength, however, it makes up for in terms of flexibility—sorcerers are not as constrained by the Curse of the Magi. Though using sorcery can be just as physically and mentally taxing, its practitioners are known for their ability to seemingly create new spell effects and to manipulate existing magic.

Mysticism

Unlike primal sorcery, which is a rediscovery of an ancient magic, mysticism is something far more recent, coming into its own during the Fifth Age. While in the past people may have displayed characteristics of mysticism, such as the lost elven ability of telepathy or the precognitive dreams of Raistlin’s mother Rosamund, its abilities and limitations were never explored until its full discovery
by Goldmoon. Where sorcery enables an individual to manipulate the elemental forces of creation, mysticism enables its wielders to draw upon the powers of life itself, strengthened by an individual’s heart and soul. Of the two forms of magic, many consider mysticism to be more natural and nurturing, while primal sorcery is forceful and cold. Those who use mysticism often describe a warmth that spreads through their very being, not dissimilar to the feeling experienced by those who draw upon divine magic— though the experience of mysticism can be merely a pale shadow of the exultation of channeling the divine.

Note that this form of magic is not supported on this server.

[MAB77]

Religion

The Gods of Krynn

The deities are extremely active in the lives of those who live upon Krynn. As Chaos tries to destroy the world through disruption and disorder, the gods work to maintain the world through order and law. The deities have very different ways of going about their work, however, based on their own philosophies. Takhisis (before her demise) believed that order must be imposed on all beings of Krynn. If all beings would only subjugate themselves to her, she would decide what was best for them and how the universe would be ordered. The other gods of Evil more or less agreed with her in this, although each had (and still has) his or her own plans for the world. Paladine (as a god, and, presumably, now as a mortal) believes that all beings must be taught to love order and law, so that they will embrace these concepts and live together in peace. The other deities of Good subscribe to this philosophy. Gilean believes that every being should be free to choose between good or evil or decide to follow neither philosophy, but stick to the middle path. The gods of neutrality agree with Gilean and see their role as acting to maintain the balance. The deities of Good and Evil may be found in the world, working with their chosen to bring about their separate ends. The gods of Neutrality may also be met in the world, working to insure that neither side gains the upper hand. And Chaos may also be found in the world, fomenting turmoil and war. Thus the balance, decreed by the High God, is maintained. Following the War of Souls, Mina eventually became the Goddess of Tears, she elected to stand apart the gods of good, evil or neutrality in order to maintain the balance.

The constellations and celestial symbols of Krynn

Each of the gods have a celestial symbol in the night sky. For most gods of good and evil, as well as for Gilean, a god of neutrality, this take the place of a constallations bearing their names. The 3 gods of magic are represented by the three moons of Krynn. The other gods of neutrality have planets in their names within the Krynnish solar system.

The constellations of Krynn (pre-War of Souls)

Spoiler: show

The constellations of Krynn (post-War of Souls)

Spoiler: show

Worship of the False Gods

It is said that nature abhors vacuum, and nowhere is this best exemplified than in the worship of the myriad of false deities that spring up after the First Cataclysm. When the gods apparently left, all prayers went unanswered. To fill the void, people searched for new gods (or something akin to the deities) to worship. One of the most widespread of these false religions was the Seeker movement. Founded by a group of former clerics, the initial goal of the Seekers was simply to help the people in the dark years following the First Cataclysm. During that time, the Seekers traveled to different lands, “seeking” some sign of divine might. When they failed to find it, the upper echelons decided that false hope was better than no hope at all. To this end, they created a pantheon of false deities and used arcane magic to simulate miracles. The Seeker movement gained a foothold in Abanasinia, but was less welcome in the rest of Ansalon. In Solamnia, the knights refused to believe in new gods or old. The elves felt misused by the deities and chose to wait for the gods to come to them, asking pardon. The Que-Shu turned to ancestor worship or made deities of the living. And all through the land, the return of Takhisis and the evil deities could be felt. In time, the Seekers of Abanasinia became corrupt, using their power to further their own ambitions. This, more than the return of the gods, led to their downfall.

Mina, Goddess of Tears

Mina's place outside the pantheons is served as the Goddess of Tears, bringing comfort to any who feel sorrow and come to her, regardless of their alignment. She was originally the goddess of Innocence, but following her corruption by Takhisis, and her later trials, the Goddess of Tears is her final outcome. Most of the gods in the pantheon accept and welcome her, except for Chemosh, who is opposed to her in all things. Mina dwells alone in the Ethereal Plane, rather than living with the other god, and refuses to accept clerics or worshipers. She does not grant spells to anyone, but instead sometimes directly intervenes on behalf of those who pray to her, though she is always mindful of the magnitude and nature of these, lest her actions disrupt the balance. These prayers fall on deaf ears in the Demiplane of Dread as the Unspoken Pact prevents any form of direct intervention from the Gods.

[MAB77]

The Gods of Good

Paladine
Bah’Mut (Istar), Draco Paladin (Ergoth), The Dragon’s Lord, Dragon Father (Wemitowuk), Dragonlord (Mithas), E’li (Silvanesti), Emperor of Dragons (Istar), Fizban (Goodlund), The Great Dragon (Solamnia), Mirrorsnake (Falthana), Pala (Ancient Plainsmen), Paleas (Irda), The Platinum Dragon, Platinum Father (dragons), Skyblade (Goodlund), Thak the Hammer (Thorbardin), Tlacoatl (Nordmaar), The Valiant Warrior, Valthonis, Whizbang (Goodlund)

Greter Deity
Home Plane: The Dome of Creation
Symbol: Silver triangle, Platinum dragon, Pine tree, or Anvil
Colors: Silver, white
Celestial symbol: Platinum Dragon constellation
Alignment: Lawful Good
Portfolio: Order, hope, light, redemption, good dragons, kingship
Cleric Alignments: LG, NG
Domains: Law, Good, Protection, Sun
Favored Weapon: Longsword

Paladine was one of the first gods summoned by the High God from the Beyond. He represents the divine power of majesty, and is patron deity to the gods of Good. He supports the soul’s drive to strive for greatness, and is representative of leadership. He is also representative of the ideal of redemption, striving to bring those who have fallen to darkness back into the light.

He was the patron of the Knights of the Rose until the War of Souls. He was also the highest deity of the elves, who referred to him as E’li. Paladins especially flocked to his cause. Paladine was husband to Mishakal, and father of Kiri-Jolith, Habbakuk, and Solinari. He was advised by Majere. Paladine was opposed to all the gods of Evil, but especially to Takhisis.

Clerics of Paladine acted as legal officials and advisors in trials.

At the end of the War of Souls, Paladine gave up his status as a god and became mortal in order to balance out the punishment given to Takhisis – the stripping away of her immortality.

Branchala
Astarin (Silvanesti), Astra (Qualinesti), Bardilun (Thorbardin), The Bard King, Bran (Ergoth), Estarin (sea elves), Gardener (Mithas), Song of Life, Songmaster (Goodlund)

Intermediate Deity
Home Plane: The Dome of Creation
Symbol: Bard’s harp or silver flute
Colors: Yellow and green
Celestial Symbol: The constellation Harp
Alignment: Chaotic good
Portfolio: Music, poetry, bards
Worshipers: Bards, elves, kender, travelers
Cleric Alignments: CG, CN, NG
Domains: Chaos, Good, Luck, Trickery
Favored Weapon: Rapier (“Leaf Blade”)
Preferred Vestments: Yellow and green robes, vestments or clothing, silver medallion of faith

The Bard King, Branchala, brings joy to the people of the world through melody and merriment with his unending song of life. The beating of the heart is one part of a symphony, bringing all the world’s populations together to experience the harmony of living. Companion to Habbakuk, Branchala seeks to bring the beauty of the music of the natural world to all its creatures. Elves, kender, bards, and druids venerate Branchala for his love of the inner beauty of the soul.

Clerics of Branchala are called to spread music and art across the world, to introduce the people of Krynn to the beauty of the written and spoken word, and to bring pleasure through the appreciation of art in all its forms. His clerics hold a special place in many societies, particularly eleven and kender communities, playing an important part of almost every festival and celebration from marriages to funerals, spring dances to martial marches. Clerics of Branchala use music and stories both to entertain and to teach.

Much like the followers of Habbakuk, the clerics of Branchala have a very loose knit organization. Young clerics are taught the words and prayers of Branchala by mentor priests and are then free to spread the word and music of Branchala. Celebrations of Branchala are held at different times in different communities. Followers and priests invite the community to participate in a celebration of life. During these celebrations, the clerics seek out new followers of the faith. Clerics of Branchala are wanderers at heart and have no set community or path to follow. They travel from village to village, lifting people’s hearts through song and story. They have little need for material possessions, and use any money they are given for their performances to assist the needy.

Dogma
Let the divine music guide your steps in life’s dance. Art is done for art’s sake. Always give your utmost performance, whether you play for a king or a pauper. Respect nature, as it is the source of life. Always end the day with a good story. Use your talents to benefit those in need.

Habbakuk
Abbuku the Fisher (sea elves), the Blue Phoenix (Ergoth, Qualinesti, Silvanesti), the Fisher King, Skylord (Balifor, Goodlund), Sea Lord (Mithas)

Intermediate Deity
Home Plane: The Dome of Creation
Symbol: Blue phoenix
Colors: Deep blue and white
Celestial Symbol: The constellation Blue Phoenix
Alignment: Neutral good
Portfolio: Animals, water, passion
Worshipers: Rangers, sailors, druids, farmers
Cleric Alignments: CG, LG, NG
Domains: Animal, Good, Travel, Water
Favored Weapon: Scimitar (“Kingfisher’s Helm”)
Preferred Vestments: Hoodless robes of light blue with a hooded stole of deep blue, silver medallion of faith

Habbakuk, also known as the “Fisher King” to his worshipers, created and rules all creatures of land
and sea. Rangers and sailors especially revere him and seek his protection against Zeboim, goddess of the sea and storms. Habbakuk makes creatures in his likeness, and he is feral and merciless and cruel as the wolf, gentle and timid as the rabbit. The natural harmony of predator and prey embodies Habbakuk, who is as much feared as he is loved. Because he represents the eternal cycle of nature, Habbakuk becomes a symbol of eternal life beyond death, as exemplified by his phoenix aspect.

The clergy of Habbakuk is divided between clerics and druids. The clerics of Habbakuk work to serve the needs of a community: assisting in fishing, hunting and in preventing animal attacks or looking after herd animals. As a result, they are greatly respected in their own lands. The druids, on the other hand, often live apart from others, secluding themselves in the forests, and preferring the society of animals above that of man. They are therefore viewed as heathens and pagans by other priesthoods, while the common people may simply see them as crazy old hermits. Druids are not afraid of or prohibited from fighting those who would harm their charges. Druids guard their protected areas and are swift to punish those who enter with evil intent. Druids are also quick to help those in need, though their lack
of social skills may make them seem cold, fierce, and abrupt.

All clerics and druids of Habbakuk protect nature from those who would destroy or squander it. Once during his lifetime, a cleric of Habbakuk (not a druid) must leave friends and community to wander the land, taking nothing but a walking stick and the clothes he wears. This walkabout purifies the cleric and teaches him the true ways of nature and of Habbakuk. The walkabout ends when the cleric has either performed a service for his god (usually protecting or restoring nature from a threat), or Habbakuk sends the cleric a sign.

Clerics who live in communities tend the animals, both wild and domestic. They can also perform simple healing, and may be found assisting the local cleric of Mishakal. They try to spend a part of each day in the wilderness, communing with nature and praying. If the cleric is faithful, no animal will attack him.

The druids have little to do with community life. They see to the welfare of their  protected land, performing such duties such as planting saplings, nurturing young animals, guarding against forest fires, and assisting those in need (those who show respect for nature, at least).

The clerics of Habbakuk are not well organized, having no central authority to which they must answer. Clerics learn the ways of the deity from a mentor cleric or from the god himself, who sometimes comes to those who seek him out in faith and humility.

The most important holy day for clerics of Habbakuk is The Feast of the Sea. First instituted by Habbakuk’s clergy during the foundation of the Ergothian Empire, the feast takes place every fifth month on the thirteenth day. The feast is one of the few holy days celebrated by the Ergothians. For those located near the sea, the day is used to dedicate new ships or offer small, private gifts to the sea god, in the hope that the Fisher King will protect ships against Zeboim. The highlight of the day is the Great Regatta, in which every ship participates. The winner is dubbed the Sea Lord and treated as a guest of honor at the evening’s festivities.

Dogma
Live in harmony with nature, respect all the living things. Treat animals well, for they are a gift of the deities to the world. Those who live in harmony nature are close to the gods. Those who despoil the land are the enemy. Always be prepared to fight to protect the land and its creatures in your care.

Kiri-Jolith
Corij (Ergoth), Emperor (Mithas), Jolith (Kharolis/Tarsis), Kijo the Blade (Thorbardin), Krijol (sea elves), Qu’an the Warrior (Uigan), Sword of Justice

Intermediate Deity
Home Plane: The Dome of Creation
Symbol: A bison’s horn, also horned battle axe (Thorbardin, Kharolis)
Colors: Brown and White
Celestial Symbol: The constellation Bison’s Head
Alignment: Lawful good
Portfolio: War, courage, honor
Worshipers: Fighters, Knights of the Sword
Cleric Alignments: LG, LN, NG
Domains: Good, Law, Strength, War
Favored Weapon: Longsword (“Sacred Defender”)
Preferred Vestments: Gold scale armor with brown surcoat, copper medallion of faith

Kiri-Jolith is the deity of glory, honor, obedience, justice, and righteous warfare. He is the eldest son of Paladine and Mishakal, and the twin brother of Habbakuk. Paladins and fighters who embrace good revere Kiri-Jolith, as do the Knights of Solamnia, especially the Order of the Sword, of which he is patron.

Clerics of Kiri-Jolith seek out evil and tyranny to wage war against them. Clerics train daily to be prepared in the fight against evil. They are organized with military precision, and every cleric and paladin knows his places within the ranks. They speak often of their faith, inspiring courage and honor among their listeners. Clerics join the ranks of the Knights of Solamnia, most joining the Order of the Sword.

Clerics of Kiri-Jolith hold a ceremony known as the Day of the Hunt at the beginning of each season. The clerics spend this day seeking out wrongs to right and helping people in need.

Dogma
Good is its own reward. Honor and courage are life. Cowardice is reviled. Fight if the cause is just; never retreat while evil opponents remain on the battlefield.

Majere
Mantis of the Rose (Qualinesti), Manthus (Ergoth), Master of Mind, Matheri (Silvanesti, sea elves), Nadir the Dreamsender (Mithas)

Intermediate Deity
Home Plane: The Dome of Creation
Symbol: Copper spider, single rose (Qualinesti, Silvanesti), mantis (Solamnia)
Colors: Copper and red
Celestial Symbol: The constellation Rose
Alignment: Lawful good
Portfolio: Discipline, loyalty
Worshipers: Monks, theologians, scholars
Cleric Alignments: LG, LN, NG
Domains: Good, Knowledge, Law, Meditation
Favored Weapon: Unarmed strike (“Merciful Discipline”)
Preferred Vestments: Red or copper robe, copper medallion of faith

Of all the gods, Majere is perhaps closest in mind to the High God. Majere best understands the purpose of the world and the unfolding of the High God’s plan as Krynn travels down the River of Time. Though Majere’s following is small, his clerics are influential; Krynn’s greatest theologians and teachers come from the ranks of Majere’s clerics, and his teachings have influenced the other orders of Good.

Clerics of Majere are called to a severe but rewarding discipline. Taking vows of poverty, obedience, and chastity, they focus on achieving enlightenment and holiness through selfdiscipline and the contemplation of goodness. Many pursue the martial arts to learn physical and spiritual control, while others practice the martial arts to both receive and spread illumination, and focus on clarifying and understanding the doctrines of the deities of Good. While many of Majere’s clerics  go out into the world to teach the ways of Good and counter the lies and temptations of Evil, all of them receive their training in monasteries. The monasteries in a given nation or region fall under the authority of a High Abbot or Abbess, who typically runs the largest or most venerable house of Majere in the area. The High Abbots in turn report to the Prophet of Majere.

The chief holy day celebrated by followers of Majere is the Night of the Mantis. The monks and priests of Majere set aside this night to fast, chant or meditate. The festivities begin early in the afternoon and last until midday the following day. This night helps the monks renew their focus on self-discipline and serves as an induction for new initiates of the order.

Majere is Paladine’s closest friend and advisor among the gods of Good, and typically counsels him on the best way to serve the will of the High God. The other deities of Good pay much heed to Majere’s teachings and prophecies as well. Majere and Zivilyn have something of a rivalry. Majere teaches his followers to find enlightenment conforming themselves to the will of the High God, while Zivilyn favors a more neutral approach. Majere fervently opposes the Evil gods, especially Chemosh.

Dogma
All souls are called to holiness and purity of life. Attainment of this is a mortal’s highest calling. Seek holiness both by overcoming the Evil within and opening yourself to Good. Discipline the unruly passions of the body, and look within to find your own faults and strengths. Seek not glory or perishable things, but the eternal joy of light. Obey those properly set above you, and be gentle but firm to those below. Pray always, and always seek the truth. Look to the world around you; in the order of Creation you will find keys to holiness. Help call others to virtue, but do so through teaching and example, not force and fear. Oppose evil with fervor, but without hatred. Show mercy when possible, but be hard when necessary. Above all things, have faith. There is an order and a purpose to creation, and as long as you do not turn your back on goodness, your life shall not be in vain.

Mishakal
Bearer of Light, The Blue Lady (Balifor), Empress (Mithas), Healer in the Home (Kharolis/Tarsis), The Healing Hand, Ka-Mel-Sha, Ke-en (sea elves), Light Bringer (Solamnia), Mesalax (Thorbardin), Meshal (Icewall), Mishas (Ergoth), Quenesti Pah (Silvanesti), Quen Illumini (Qualinesti), Skymistress (Goodlund)

Greater Deity
Home Plane: The Dome of Creation
Symbol: Blue infinity symbol
Color: Sky blue
Celestial Symbol: The constellation Infinity
Alignment: Neutral good
Portfolio: Healing, mercy, fertility, beauty
Worshipers: Healers, artists, midwives, scholars
Cleric Alignments: CG, LG, NG
Domains: Community, Good, Healing, Protection
Favored Weapon: Quarterstaff (“Healing Strike”)
Preferred Vestments: Sky blue robe, silver medallion of faith

Mishakal is the healing hand, revered throughout Ansalon as the “Healer” and “Light Bringer.” Mishakal is gentle and compassionate. She seeks to heal ills and minister to all creatures (whether good, neutral, or evil) through her servants on Krynn. Her gentleness should not be confused with weakness, for Mishakal touches every corner of Krynn with her power. If her power is ever roused to anger, she proves formidable, especially with the other deities of good beside her.

Clerics of Mishakal must heal anyone who asks, regardless of alignment. Though some clerics may charge a nominal tithe for healing (which may grow exponentially larger for those who are evil), Mishakal forbids her clerics from withholding healing from those who cannot afford it. They must work toward the good of the community in which they live.

The priesthood has one leader, the Chosen Prophet (of whom there is one each generation), who is served by a council of priests who represent various regions of Ansalon. Those priests serving small communities answer to their regional superior. Most of Mishakal’s clerics travel extensively. For example, a cleric living in Darrow Nest in Solamnia travels throughout his chosen area to help those living near him.

At least once each year, clerics of Mishakal proclaim a Holy Day of Mishakal, usually to coincide with the anniversary of some important event. The date varies with location. The High Priest of the local temple decides which days are Holy Days. Clerics of Mishakal also attend to birthings and baptisms, blessing newborn children, and consecrating the names chosen by the children’s parents.

Mishakal is Paladine’s wife and advisor. They are the parents of the twin gods, Kiri-Jolith and Habbakuk, and of Solinari. The worshipers of Mishakal diametrically oppose those who follow the evil god Morgion. Worshipers of Morgion seek to spread disease and decay, which are anathema to the precepts of Mishakal’s healing hands.

Dogma
Heal all who require it, even if they are your enemies. Drive out disease, cut away decay, and bring light to those who live in darkness and ignorance. Heal the wounded land, promote harmony and peace, and lend help where it is needed—particularly to those who cannot help themselves. Do not raise weapons in anger, but defend yourself and those whose lives are in danger. Honor those who have passed on to a better life, but remember that your duties lie with those who are left behind. Comfort their pain, bandage their wounds, show them compassion, and ease the sorrow in their hearts.

Solinari
Beacon (Mithas), God’s Eye (Thorbardin), Ivory Disk (Hylo), Mighty Hand, Solin (Ergoth), White-Eye (Goodlund, Balifor)

Intermediate Deity
Home Plane: The Dome of Creation
Symbol: White circle or sphere
Color: White or silver
Celestial Symbol: The white moon
Alignment: Lawful good
Portfolio: Magic, arcane knowledge
Worshipers: Wizards of the White Robes
Cleric Alignments: LG, LN, NG
Domains: None (does not grant divine spells)
Favored Weapon: None
Preferred Vestments: White robes, staff of wood with a golden dragon’s claw

Solinari is the hand of white magic, the patron deity of all the White Robe Wizards of High Sorcery. Solinari’s primary ambition is to spread magic throughout the world, and to bring more worthy mages to the Order of the White Robes. He works closely with his cousins Lunitari and Nuitari to protect and foster magic on Krynn.

Unlike the other gods, Solinari does not have a clerical order dedicated to his worship. Instead, he serves as the patron deity for the White Robe Wizards of High Sorcery. Solinari’s followers are taught that magic is a gift to be shared with the world, used for the benefit of all.
Mages of the White Robes are frequently found on expeditions in the company of clerics of Mishakal and Paladine. White Robe wizards seek out lost libraries and magical items in an effort to increase their knowledge and to expand the use of magic in the world. They come to the aid of others whenever their magic or expertise may be needed.

Solinari’s followers do not observe any holy days, but are particularly aware of the phases of the silver moon that bears Solinari’s name and is the symbol of his care for his followers. The moon Solinari reaches its point of High Sanction once every 36 days, causing the power of his followers to increase during this phase of the lunar cycle. The Night of the Eye—a rare event when all three of the moons are in alignment—is the height of magical power on Krynn and is a sacred day for all mages, as their power is at its strongest.

Solinari is the son of Mishakal and Paladine, and the younger brother of the twin deities, Kiri-Jolith and Habbakuk. Solinari’s followers are opposed to the goals pursued by the followers of Nuitari, but both sides will cooperate to ensure the continued existence and expansion of magic in the world.

Dogma
Devote yourself to magic. Enhance and expand the use of magic in the world. Work to promote goodness and good works. Use your magic for the benefit of all. Actively search out all manner of knowledge. Use what you learn to improve the world and the study of magic. Bring other worthy candidates to the study of the art. Guard magic against those who would destroy it.

[MAB77]

The Gods of Neutrality

Gilean
The Gate of Souls, the Sage, Void

Greater Deity
Home Plane: The Hidden Vale
Symbol: An open book
Color: Gray
Celestial Symbol: The constellation Book of Souls
Alignment: Neutral
Portfolio: Balance, knowledge, learning, freedom, watchfulness
Worshipers: Scribes, historians, teachers
Cleric Alignments: CN, LN, N, NE, NG
Domains: Knowledge, Liberation, Protection
Favored Weapon: Quarterstaff (“The Sagestaff ”)
Preferred Vestments: Hooded gray robe, silver medallion of faith

The brother of Paladine and Takhisis, Gilean is the chief of the deities of Neutrality, the keeper of the Tobril—the book of knowledge and true names, and the record of the High God’s plan of creation. Often appearing passionless and uncaring, Gilean is an observer, choosing to interfere in the development of mortals only when the order of Creation is challenged. Even then, he upholds the rights of mortals to choose their own  Destiny.

Clerics of Gilean usually act as scribes, librarians, or historians. In this role, they may be wanderers, traveling from place to place in pursuit of their studies or they may choose to remain in one locale, recording everything important that happens and sharing their knowledge with the community. Some clerics of Gilean are teachers or instructors in universities or other institutions of learning, where they are highly respected and very much in demand. Traveling clerics often venture fearlessly into dangerous lands to search for lost knowledge. All knowledge is considered sacred. No cleric of Gilean may ever destroy a book, no matter what it contains. Clerics of Gilean pray for their spells every morning with the rising of the sun. The Month of the Book is the most important devotional period for the faith. The period of time is not fixed by the calendar, but chosen by the cleric. Clerics must spend this month in service as historians or archivists, dedicating themselves to studying a chosen body of work, serving a library or teaching in a place of learning. During this time, clerics may not earn wages for their services (though they may accept payment in the form of food, water, and board).

Gilean’s constellation is positioned between good and evil, as he is the mediator between those two sides. Gilean plays peacekeeper, hoping that the world will be spared a war that could destroy it and the knowledge within it. He has only one child, Lunitari, who sprang fully formed from him. The other Neutral gods are those he gathered to him from the Beyond, who aid in the order of Creation.

Dogma
Seek knowledge, for knowledge will not seek you. Be calm and deliberate, and share all the knowledge you come across. Knowledge transcends good and evil, so do not be a slave to Darkness or beholden to Light. Do not judge, and do not use knowledge to sway others to any side, for knowledge knows no choice or dictum. Emotion clouds learning. Strive to be evenhanded. Know that truth is elusive and belief is transitory, but knowledge is eternal and everlasting. Above all, knowledge is a pursuit without ending. Record knowledge while you are able. Ignorance is the greatest enemy.

Chislev
The Beast, Kisla the Mother of Sea Creatures (sea elves), Wild One (Mithas)

Intermediate Deity
Home Plane: The Hidden Vale
Symbol: A feather of brown, yellow, and green
Colors: Brown, yellow, and green
Celestial Symbol: The planet Chislev
Alignment: Neutral
Portfolio: Nature, wilderness, beasts
Worshipers: Druids, farmers
Cleric Alignments: CN, LN, N, NE, NG
Domains: Air, Animal, Earth, Plant
Favored Weapon: Shortspear (“Green Protector”)
Preferred Vestments: Brown robes, green hood and leggings, wooden medallion of faith

Chislev is nature incarnate. According to legend, the seasons change with the moods of her heart: her sorrow brings the fall, her despair the winter, her hope the spring, and her joy the summer. She can be furious and dangerous as a hurricane or calm as a meadow in spring. When she is angry, she musters the violence of nature against those who offend her. Every animal and plant on Krynn reveres Chislev, as do the members of many humanoid races.

The church of Chislev is composed mainly of the hermitlike, forest-dwelling druids. A few clerics of Chislev may be found, often living in farming communities. While sometimes considered heathens by clerics of other gods, Chislev’s druids defend the forests and hills against those who would despoil them. Her druids spend their days traveling their protected areas, which can be as small as a pond or as large as a forest, correcting any imbalances they find. They usually spend the morning praying for spells, healing animals, and keeping watch for poachers or those setting traps and snares unlawfully. Their afternoons are dedicated to tending the tress and plants of Chislev’s domain. They spend the night praying and sleeping.

The day of Harrowing is an important day for Chislev’s druids, as it marks one of the few times when they leave their enclaves and travel to human settlements, to bless the crops so that they will yield a good harvest. At Harrowing, the druids are welcomed by the communities, though many are wary of them. The clerics and druids of Chislev celebrate all solstices and seasonal changes, since they reflect their goddess’s presence in the world.

Chislev and Zivilyn love each other profoundly. They have no children, because, to Chislev, the animals and plants are her children. Chislev’s moods can vary wildly—although not as much as Zeboim’s, whom she despises. The enmity between Zeboim and Chislev dates from the All-Saint’s War, when Chislev helped to defeat the Sea Goddess. Chislev is allied with Habbakuk and her clerics work with him to restore areas damaged by fire or war. She opposes Shinare, as industry has a way to destroying the environment, but thus far theirs is a verbal dispute. She despises Morgion’s
cultists for their reverence for decay and pestilence.

Dogma
Nature has no beginning and no end. The balance of nature must be maintained at all costs. Nature should be protected and nurtured, not enslaved or despoiled. There is a place for technology and new developments, but these should always be second to the true gift that is nature.

Lunitari
Luin (Ergoth), Maid of Illusion (Mithas), Night Candle (Thorbardin), Red-Eye (Goodlund), Veiled Maiden

Intermediate Deity
Home Plane: The Hidden Vale
Symbol: Red circle or sphere
Color: Red or magenta
Celestial Symbol: The red moon
Alignment: Neutral
Portfolio: Magic, arcane knowledge
Worshipers: Wizards of the Red Robes
Cleric Alignments: CN, LN, N, NE, NG
Domains: None (does not grant divine spells)
Favored Weapon: None
Preferred Vestments: Red robes

Lunitari is the veiled maiden of neutral magic and patron of the Red Robe Wizards of High Sorcery. Like her cousins, the other deities of magic, Lunitari’s primary ambition is to further the cause of magic in the world. Lunitari has no clerical order. She is honored and respected as the patron deity of the Red Robe Wizards of High Sorcery. Her followers are more numerous than those of Solinari or Nuitari, and work to bring magic to the world and maintain the delicate balance that exists between good and evil magic.

Red Robes find that their powers wax and wane with the phases of the small red moon, which reaches the point of High Sanction once every 28 days, at which time their powers are at their height. The Night of the Eye is a rare occurrence when all three of the moons are in alignment. This marks the night when all magic on Krynn is at its peak, and is the most sacred day in the calendar of all Wizards of High Sorcery.

Lunitari is the daughter of Gilean, and is said to have sprung, fully formed, from his thoughts. Lunitari is a vivacious young woman and a trickster, using her magic to create illusions designed to amuse and entertain. She seeks to balance the ambitions of her cousins, Solinari and Nuitari, and opposes any deity who threatens the continued existence of magic on Krynn.

Dogma
Devote yourself to magic. Enhance and expand the use of magic in the world. Work to maintain the balance between good and evil magic, and promote the use of neutral magic. Bring other worthy candidates to the study of the art.

Reorx
Anvil (Elian), Forge, The Weaponmaster (Mithas)

Greater Deity
Home Plane: The Hidden Vale
Symbol: Forging hammer
Colors: Slate gray and red
Celestial Symbol: The planet Reorx
Alignment: Neutral
Portfolio: Creation, gambling, artisans, engineering
Worshipers: Dwarves, gnomes
Cleric Alignments: CN, LN, N, NE, NG
Domains: Earth, Fire, Forge, Luck, Strength
Favored Weapon: Warhammer (“Reorx’s Strength”)
Preferred Vestments: Slate gray tabard, suitable for use at the forge, or red robes (formal)

According to the dwarves and gnomes, Reorx, the god of the forge, is the greatest deity of the entire pantheon. Reorx is the supreme god of the dwarves, who consider themselves his chosen people—although gnomes also consider themselves the “true chosen of Reorx.” In actuality, Reorx loves both races equally.

The church of Reorx is known for its stability. With their passion for organization, dwarves establish a rigid hierarchy for Reorx’s church, with one dwarven cleric, the Starmaster, as leader. All other clerics have their own positions within the church. Within a dwarven clan, the clan cleric is nearly as important as the thane. Known as Forgers, the clerics have a say in all important events in dwarven life, such as naming young dwarves and the rites of adulthood. Forgers are also given the gift of producing the best swords of the dwarven realms.

The gnome branch of the faith does not have as much influence, but is important nonetheless. Gnome clerics of Reorx work hand in hand with the priesthood of Sirrion to produce much of the metal necessary for gnome invention.

A dwarven Forger is expected to work the forge from morning to evening, unless traveling (and even then, the Forger may take along a portable forge) or presiding over one of the church’s ceremonies. After the work in the forge is done, the cleric prays for his spells.

Gnome clerics work on their Life Quests, which are usually church related. Gnomes also pray for spells at the evening.

A cleric of Reorx must create, during his or her lifetime, an object (weapon, armor, or other item made of metal), that honors Reorx. This object or invention must be made with the cleric’s own hands and must have an extraordinary quality or artisanship. This work can often take years to complete.

Harnkeggerfest is a hill dwarf festival honoring the clerics of Reorx. Reorx’s clerics take vows and award prizes during the festival, which is always a time of feasting and celebration. The 19th of Mishakal is the holiest of days dedicated to Reorx. Blacksmiths, revered during this day, spend it forging particularly exquisite items. Many of Reorx’s clerics choose this day to finish their life project. Harnkeggerfest is also observed in Mount Nevermind, where the gnomes exhibit their new inventions for all to see. The gnome name is “Dayforshowingoffallthemarvelousinventionswehavebeen-workingthislastyearandcleaningupthemessafterward.”

Reorx works with Shinare, goddess of commerce and industry, to spur dwarven economies. He grants inspiration to the gnomes, so they can invent wonderful machines. He does not try to directly guide kender, but he is fond of them and watches over them.

Dogma
There is beauty in creation. Nothing in life is better than crafting something lasting, and the process is as important as the finished item is. Never be idle when you can be working. Rituals and tried-and-true formulas are well and good, but innovation is vitally important. In all things, strive to master your skill, honor your peers, and enjoy the results of your work.

Shinare
Balance of the Scales (Mithas), Silver Master (Thorbardin), Walking Liberty (Ergoth), Winged One (Elven Lands), Winged Victory

Intermediate Deity
Home Plane: The Hidden Vale
Symbol: Griffin’s wing
Colors: Gold, silver, and brown
Celestial Symbol: The planet Shinare
Alignment: Lawful neutral
Portfolio: Wealth, commerce, travel
Worshipers: Merchants, traders, dwarves
Cleric Alignments: LN, N
Domains: Law, Luck, Travel
Favored Weapon: Light mace (“Jeweled Delight”)
Preferred Vestments: Fine robes, jewelry and gold

Shinare is “Winged Victory,” the female goddess of wealth, industry and commerce. The dwarves revere her as the “Silver Master,” the male patron of industry and wealth. Shinare’s followers are merchants, mercenaries, and traders. Thieves and rogues occasionally offer a prayer to Shinare, perhaps hoping she might be in an indulgent mood that day.

Clerics of Shinare are industrious. They work hard to amass wealth and prestige, but they must not be greedy, for that way lies the dark path to Hiddukel. They must serve to better the community in which they live, and thus Shinare’s clerics are the principal founders of many business ventures in Krynn. Because they can bring prosperity to a community, Shinare’s clerics are universally respected and admired.

Shinare’s clerics are never permitted to be late in the payment of taxes or tithes, nor do they cheat on taxes, but always pay their fair portion. Some clerics travel the land, assisting struggling business owners with advice and capital. These traveling priests are a welcome sight in cities and small towns, for they act as moneychangers and mediate disputes between merchants. All clerics of Shinare are expected to pursue their own mercantile careers as well as serve in the priesthood, and almost all guilds and syndicates on Ansalon are served by the patronage and support of a cleric of Shinare.

Clerics of Shinare pray for their spells in the evening. The Day of Hearing is the Holy Day of the faith. On this day, clerics listen to people explain their ideas for business ventures and invest in those that sound profitable. The Golden Week is an important ceremony for the priesthood. During this week, from the first of Sirrion to the fifth, the cleric fasts and takes an inventory of his wealth. He makes plans for the coming year and reviews his investments. This is a private ceremony, but on the fifth day the cleric holds a grand party for all his friends and employees.

Shinare’s companion is Sirrion, the god of creative fire. While Shinare is practical and pragmatic, Sirrion is a dreamer and an artist. Each deity complements the other. Although their relationship is far from stable, they work together to make the world and its people prosperous. Shinare is fond of Reorx, due to their shared interests, and because of the strong bond between artisan and merchant. Shinare’s sworn enemy is Hiddukel, whose greed and shady business practices give all business owners a bad name.

Dogma
Industry and commerce is the way to riches. Work hard and you will be rewarded with wealth. Greed will destroy what you have worked to gain. Poverty is lack of effort. Never tolerate laziness or ignorance. The clever and the industrious find opportunity and fortune in the world. Lead others in enterprise and safeguard transactions. Be fair and honest in your business, for deception is the road to ruin—yet do not shy from competition, for it is the wellspring of all fortune.

Sirrion
The Alchemist, Firemaster, The Flowing Flame, The Wizard (Mithas)

Intermediate Deity
Home Plane: The Hidden Vale
Symbol: Multicolored fire
Colors: Bright reds and yellows
Celestial Symbol: The planet Sirrion
Alignment: Chaotic neutral
Portfolio: Fire, strength, sun
Worshipers: Alchemists, lovers, fighters
Cleric Alignments: CE, CG, CN
Domains: Chaos, Fire, Passion
Favored Weapon: Heavy flail (“Flaming Strike”)
Preferred Vestments: Flowing red and yellow robes, with gold and copper flame symbol

Sirrion is the god of creativity and passion. He sculpts the fire of the soul into beautiful forms and controls every physical flame, from the fiery sun to the candle’s meager light. Alchemy is his domain, as it is the art of transforming one state into another, often through the use of purifying fire. Sirrion sparks forest fires to clear old tress and let new ones grow. He burns those who play with fire to teach them to respect it. Only when fires rage out of control do they belong to Sargonnas, the deity of volcanoes and destruction.

Sirrion is not a god who cares for mortal worshipers, though the power and beauty of fire draw many to him. He sends away those who desire only power, but accepts those who love fire for its beauty. He actively recruits followers only when Shinare, his mate and the goddess of material wealth, appears to be gaining the upper hand between them. Like the flames, Sirrion flares quickly into fiery passion and smolders long afterward. His clerics are passionate in nature, but erratic and changeable.

A cleric of Sirrion must tend to an ever-burning fire in his home or temple. He prays and gains spells before the fire during the morning. Inner fires are not forgotten, and each day the cleric must sculpt his inner fire into a new form. During the afternoon, the cleric tends to communal fires, such as those in smithies, taverns, and other public places. During the evenings, especially in small towns, the cleric may sometimes build a great bonfire, using his powers to cause the flames to dance and change color, to entertain the children and teach them about their own inner fires.

Sirrion’s clerics also act as firefighters. Whenever a fire breaks out in a building or forest, they use their spells to try to control it. They are also knowledgeable in the use of fire to clean out the old and make way for the new. This can bring the faithful of Sirrion into conflict with those who view fires as destructive.

On the Eternal Day, the clerics of Sirrion renew the spells that maintain the eternal fire. Solstices and equinoxes are holy days for the clerics, days of watchful tolerance. These are the only days when they let their fires go out, because Sirrion’s erratic mood shifts may cause them to turn destructive.

Because Sirrion is the god of passion, lovers often bring gifts to his clerics to keep the fires of love burning.

Sirrion’s mate is Shinare, the goddess of industry and commerce. Theirs is a fiery relationship. Shinare is opportunistic and pragmatic, while Sirrion is an artist. Despite this, their love is profound.

Dogma
Fire is life, fire is death. Fire is honest. Fire does not discriminate. Fire is the instrument of change. Fire is a useful and extraordinary tool. Remove the fear of fire from the people and teach them all the good things that fire can do for them. Harness the flame to bring light and warmth into the world. Never allow a fire to rage out of control, for all flame that burns should have a purpose. Seek the fire in others and in yourself.

Zivilyn
Tree of Life, Wise One (Mithas), World Tree

Intermediate Deity
Home Plane: The Hidden Vale
Symbol: A great green and gold tree
Colors: Green and gold
Celestial Symbol: The planet Zivilyn
Alignment: Neutral
Portfolio: Wisdom, foresight, prophecy
Worshipers: Philosophers, mediators
Cleric Alignments: CN, LN, N, NE, NG
Domains: Insight, Knowledge, Mediation
Favored Weapon: Quarterstaff (“Enlightenment Cane”)
Preferred Vestments: Simple moss-green robe, no hood, gold medallion of faith

Zivilyn is the deity of wisdom, the “Tree of Life,” bearer of all the insight of the universe. His branches reach into every time and place, into the past and the future. Zivilyn exists simultaneously in all times and places. His realm is awareness, balance, and understanding. Zivilyn is calm, confident, certain of himself. He never rages or storms. He is the wisest of the gods.

Zivilyn teaches his followers that wisdom transcends both good and evil and is a force in itself. He requires that his clerics recognize that wisdom comes with age—the older the cleric, the higher he stands in the hierarchy. The Starmaster, the high priest of the order, is appointed by Zivilyn himself and gifted with great powers of enlightenment. Zivilyn’s clerics serve as counselors, mediators, philosophers, and diplomats in their communities. They facilitate rather than teach. In places that lack clerics of Paladine, clerics of Zivilyn act as legal officials and advisors
in trials.

Clerics of Zivilyn pray for their spells in the evening, after eating and meditating upon their day’s events. The Day of Reflection, 25 of Mishamont, is the most important day for Zivilyn’s clerics. The day starts with a fast and a fervent hymn to Zivilyn. At noon, the clerics set off alone for solitary areas where they spend the remainder of the day in mediation.

Zivilyn works with his mate Chislev to maintain balance in the world of Krynn. He acts as Gilean’s closest advisor, for wisdom and knowledge go hand in hand, and Gilean’s aloof, cold nature requires the soothing temperance of Zivilyn’s compassionate understanding. Zivilyn is opposed to the consuming hatred shown by deities such as Sargonnas and Takhisis, and the martial ambition of Kiri-Jolith, but Zivilyn counts no god as his enemy.

Dogma
Wisdom is timeless. Act after you have studied all courses of action. Be mindful of your place in the universe. Be free of material influence. Seek understanding, not facts, for knowledge is fallible whereas wisdom is not. Choose no side in war or conflict. Be an advisor to those who seek peace. All wisdom comes from within and moves without. Wisdom cannot be learned or borrowed and knows only balance. Time and space are all one in balance. Be at peace with nature, for it is the cradle of wisdom, and be at peace with yourself, for you are the vessel of wisdom.

[MAB77]

The Gods of Evil

Takhisis
The Dark Warrior, Darklady (Ogres), Dark Queen, Dragon Queen (Ergoth/ Silvanesti), Erestem (Taladas), Five Great Dragons (Jarak-sinn), Her Dark Majesty, Kadulawa'ah (Tarmak), Lady Chaos (Mithas), Lady Duerhelis (Irda), Lady of Hell's Anger (Irda), Mai-tat (Tarsis), The Many Headed Dragon, Matat (Ancient Plainsmen), Mistress of Dragons, Mwarg (Hobgoblins), Nilat the Corruptor (Icereach), The One God, Queen of Darkness, She of the Many Faces (Hylo), Tamex the False Metal (Thorbardin), Tii'Mhut (Istar), Ysoruh (Ice People)

Greter Deity
Home Plane:
Symbol: Black crescent
Colors: Black, iridescent black
Celestial symbol: Many headed dragon constellation
Alignment: Lawful Evil
Portfolio: Night, evil dragons, hatred, control, intrigue, chaos
Cleric Alignments: LE, NE
Domains: Destruction, Evil, Law, Trickery
Favored Weapon: Heavy Mace

Takhisis was sister to Gilean and Paladine, and was the goddess of control and Evil. Takhisis, along with Paladine, was called from the Beyond to be custodians of the world. She was the head of the Evil gods, consort to Sargonnas, and mother to Zeboim and Nuitari. Takhisis was responsible for the corruption of the Chromatic Dragons, and appeared in one form as a dragon with heads of blue, black, white, red, and green.

During the Third Dragon War, Takhisis attempted to conquer Ansalon. She was defeated when a Knight of the Crown named Huma thrust a Dragonlance into the heart of one of her aspects. Huma exacted a promise from her, sworn "by the High God, to leave Krynn and never enter it again. She would renege on that promise during the War of the Lance, when her chromatic dragons entered the world again. Ansalon was nearly conquered by her Dragonarmies, led by Ariakas, the self-proclaimed Emperor of Ansalon.

During the Chaos War, Takhisis had new followers in the form of the Knights of Takhisis, created by Ariakas' son, Ariakan. They nearly conquered Ansalon, when the mad god Chaos attacked Krynn. She forced the gods of Good to withdraw their support from their followers so that her Knights of Takhisis could unify Ansalon and be in a position to fight the mad god. During the final battle with Chaos, Takhisis had supposedly fled to save her own hide. In reality, Takhisis moved Krynn from its place in time and space to a spot in the universe that not even Zivilyn could see.

Under the guise of the One God, Takhisis discovered and manipulated the godling Mina, making her first cleric in the Age of Mortals and a tool of vengeance against the world. Mina would soon take control of the Knights of Neraka (formerly the Knights of Takhisis) and lead an army of the dead in the latest bid to conquer Ansalon. When the gods rediscovered the location of Krynn, they stripped Takhisis of her immortality. Takhisis was then run through by a broken dragonlance, wielded by the elf prince Silvanoshei.

Chemosh
Aeleth (Ergoth), Chemos Jotun (Icewall), Dron of the Deep (Tarsis), Khemax (Thorbardin), Lifebane (Mithas), Lord of Death, Orkrust (Hobgoblin)

Intermediate Deity
Home Plane: The Abyss
Symbol: Yellow skull
Colors: Black and sickly yellow
Celestial Symbol: The constellation
Yellow Goat’s Skull
Alignment: Neutral evil
Portfolio: Death, undead, murder
Worshipers: Crazed cultists, necromancers
Cleric Alignments: CE, LE, NE
Domains: Death, Evil, Trickery, Undeath
Favored Weapon: Sickle (“Harvester of Souls”)
Preferred Vestments: Black robe, white skull mask, bone medallion of faith

One of the first to join the Queen of Darkness in her rebellion against the High God and the order of Creation, Chemosh is the creator and ruler of the undead. Chemosh raises and animates corpses and imprisons souls by tempting mortals with promises of eternal “life,” dooming them to a horrible existence as his undead slaves.

Chemosh’s teachings to mortals are an elaborate framework of lies intended to sway them to his side and portray himself as a benevolent god
in a cruel world. The dogma followed by his worshipers (and sometimes even clerics) doesn’t necessarily reflect the deity’s true views, for the beliefs he fosters are intended to dupe mortals into his control.

Clerics of Chemosh seek to undermine the works of the orders of Good, turning mortals away from life to the mockery of life offered by the Lord of Death. Most of Chemosh’s followers work in secret, expanding their numbers through false promises of immortality. Such secrecy means that the hierarchy of Chemosh’s church has no centralized authority. Many clerics hold their positions for generations, using their powers to cling to control even after death by transforming themselves into liches or other dread beings.

Chemosh’s clergy celebrate a secret ritual during the autumn solstice, asking their master to preserve them from the eternal winter of death. New worshipers of Chemosh are typically consecrated to their dark master on this night, pledging themselves to Chemosh in return for what they are told is an escape from oblivion. Rituals of “rebirth” take place year-round, as clerics animate corpses to further Chemosh’s power.

Chemosh is subordinate to the Queen of Darkness, and his servants often cooperate with her clerics and followers. Chemosh holds a special hatred for Majere, who embodies faith in the ways of the High God and discipline in pursuing virtue.

Dogma
The world issued from Chaos, who has no purpose or grand plan for it. Mortals have no souls. The flesh is all that matters. Death is a gate to oblivion. The gods of Good delude their worshipers with promises of life after death to enslave them. Service to Chemosh is rewarded with true everlasting life.

Hiddukel
Betrayer (Mithas), Hitax the Flaw (Thorbardin), M’Fistos (Istar), The Prince of Lies, Usk-Do (Hobgoblin)

Intermediate Deity
Home Plane: The Abyss
Symbol: Broken merchant scales
Colors: Red and bone
Celestial Symbol: The constellation Broken Scale
Alignment: Chaotic evil
Portfolio: Wealth, thieves, lies
Worshipers: Dishonest merchants, thieves
Cleric Alignments: CE, CN, NE
Domains: Chaos, Evil, Treachery, Trickery
Favored Weapon: Dagger (“Vengeance Sting”)
Preferred Vestments: Robes made of fine red silk with bone color in the sleeves

Hiddukel, god of ill-gotten wealth and deals, is the patron deity of dishonest businessmen, merchants, and thieves. A cunning dealmaker, Hiddukel trades on greed. He is the only god who could barter with Takhisis and come out ahead. Hiddukel constantly seeks to secure bargains, which entail the swapping of wealth in exchange for a soul. Although he is calculating and predatory, Hiddukel often takes the guise of a fawning and fumbling merchant. Those tricked into bargaining with him may gain what they think is their heart’s desire, only to find it brings them misery in the end.

Very few people willingly become clerics of Hiddukel. Usually the deity dupes or tricks a person into becoming a cleric. Hiddukel prizes treachery in his clerics, even when their treachery turns against him. His clerics are ordered to pursue and attain wealth by any means necessary, and seek to get the best of everyone in all bargains. His clerics operate in secret, under the guise of legitimate concerns. Large cities are often home to hidden cells of his worshipers. Clerics of Hiddukel often lead double lives, appearing to respected members of the community by day, conducting illicit activity by night. The church of Hiddukel is only nominally organized. Apart from the Nightmaster, every cleric works for himself, constantly scheming and backstabbing to steal the Nightmaster’s position.

Hiddukel’s clerics pray for their spells at dawn. The most important ceremony of the church is the Day of Bartered Souls. Every year, a cleric of Hiddukel must present Hiddukel with a tally of those he has either corrupted or driven into ruin. Those who fail face the wrath of the god.

Hiddukel is the enemy of Shinare, and their mutual hatred is transmitted to their followers. Hiddukel offers rewards, such as slaves and riches, to his followers who kill clerics and destroy temples of Shinare. Hiddukel also opposes Reorx—but the deity of greed is a coward at heart, and does nothing to risk angering the irascible god of the dwarves.

Dogma
Greed is the driving force in the world. Those who deny that they love money are lying. Nothing in the world is as important as wealth. Acquire riches, no matter who or what stands in your way. Lies give the truth meaning. Discover someone’s deepest desire and you will find the key to his soul.

Morgion
Anthrax Goatlord (Hobgoblin), Black Wind, Gormion (Tarsis), H’rar (Ergoth, Istar), Morgax the Rustlord (Thorbardin), Morgi (Icewall), Pestilence (Mithas)

Intermediate Deity
Home Plane: The Abyss
Symbol: A hood with two red eyes
Colors: Deep brown and black
Celestial Symbol: The constellation Diseased Hood
Alignment: Neutral evil
Portfolio: Disease, planning, suffering
Worshipers: Crazed cultists
Cleric Alignments: CE, LE, NE
Domains: Destruction, Evil, Pestilence
Favored Weapon: Heavy flail (“Disease Cloud”)
Preferred Vestments: Loosefitting gray robes with hood

The god of pestilence, decay, and disease, Morgion is widely feared by almost all humanoid races. Those few who worship him are reviled and almost always conduct their worship in secret. Even the other evil deities refuse to associate with him. Morgion feeds on fear, and he uses the ravages of disease to spread fear among humans. Morgion rarely deigns to speak to his clerics. He prefers to do his foul work in secret even from them.

Morgion lives in a bronze tower at the edge of the Abyss. He never leaves this tower and never reveals his plans, not even to those responsible for carrying them out. He is surrounded by a host of diseased spirits. He has the aspect of a rotting humanoid figure, neither male nor female, with a goat’s head.

The church of Morgion is composed of slaves. Morgion waits until disease seizes hold of a person, then he offers the person a deal: respite from the disease in exchange for life-long servitude. Those who accept find themselves “cured” by the power of Morgion, though the price they are forced to pay is often more than they can bear. They are then sent forth to carry disease to other people, to gain Morgion more followers.

Cultists of Morgion gather in small cells — usually no more than three clerics—whose calling is to spread disease and suffering to everyone they encounter. Cultists of Morgion may be found in large cities or small villages, in elven lands or on the minotaur islands. They must work in secret, for if they are ever discovered, they are in peril of their lives. Above all, they fear the clerics of Mishakal, their sworn enemies.

Morgion cultists are also commanded to study and create poisons. A Morgion cultist will usually have a small alchemical laboratory in his house, dedicated to the creation of new and powerful poisons. They are particularly expert at creating those that mimic the effects of disease. The Nightmaster, the leader of the cult, can create even more virulent poisons, such as the Scarlet Plague. Every cleric carries at least 3 doses of a poison dust that he can use against enemies. Morgion’s clerics pray for their spells in the dead of night.

Due to the need for secrecy, the church has no holy days or religious celebrations. The destruction of an enemy of singular value might be considered important, but not so much as to warrant a special ceremony.

Dogma
Disease breeds fear. Fear is power. Spread disease and reap the terrible reward.

Nuitari
Black Hand (Balifor), Darkness (Elian), Devouring Dark, Nightreaver (Mithas), Ungod (Thorbardin)

Intermediate Deity
Home Plane: The Abyss
Symbol: Black circle or sphere
Color: Black
Celestial Symbol: The black moon
Alignment: Lawful evil
Portfolio: Magic, arcane knowledge
Worshipers: Wizards of the Black Robes
Cleric Alignments: LE, LN, NE
Domains: None (does not grant divine spells)
Favored Weapon: None
Preferred Vestments: Black satin cowl, black velvet cape

Cousin of Lunitari and Solinari, Nuitari is the devouring darkness, the patron of the Black Robe Wizards of High Sorcery. Nuitari’s primary ambition, like that of his cousins, is to spread magic—preferably black magic—throughout the world. Nuitari also works to bring more mages to the Order of the Black Robes.

There is no clerical order devoted to the worship of Nuitari. Rather, he is the patron of the Order of the Black Robes, instructing them in the ways of magic. Black Robe followers of Nuitari are taught that magic is secretive, and that its power is to be coveted. Those who use magic to gain power are often seduced by Nuitari, who promises them that they will gain powerful magic much faster if they worship him, rather than the careful Solinari or the cautious Lunitari.

Black Robes do not observe holy days for Nuitari, although they look forward to the High Sanction of his black moon every 8 days. At that time, their power is at its height. Like all other mages, Nuitari’s followers eagerly await the Night of the Eye, for the magical power of Krynn is at its height on this night and the Black Robes are able to cast their spells at the zenith of their power. Nuitari’s black moon is but a hole in the stars for those who do not worship him. For his followers, the moon’s black radiance is brighter than that of the silver or the red moons.

Nuitari is the son of Sargonnas and Takhisis, and the twin brother of the goddess of the sea, Zeboim. Nuitari detests Sargonnas, who dislikes magic and those who wield it. Nuitari distrusted his mother, Takhisis, whom he suspected of trying to subvert his followers, convincing them to worship her. Nuitari’s mages are opposed to the goals pursued by the followers of Solinari, but they will put such differences aside and work together if the very existence of magic is threatened.

Dogma
Serve magic and serve me. Magic is power; keep it secret and keep it safe.

Sargonnas
Argon (Istar, Ergoth), The Firebringer (Hylo), Gonnas the Willful (Icewall), Kinis (Qualinesti), Kinthalas (Silvanesti), Misal-Lasim (Tarsis), Sargas (Mithas), Sargonx the Bender (Thorbardin)

Greater Deity
Home Plane: The Abyss
Symbol: Stylized red condor
Colors: Red and black
Celestial Symbol: The constellation Condor
Alignment: Lawful evil
Portfolio: Vengeance, conquest, strength, rage
Worshipers: Minotaurs, bounty hunters, fighters
Cleric Alignments: LE, LN, NE
Domains: Evil, Fire, Law, War
Favored Weapon: Greataxe (“Horns of Fury”)

Sargonnas is as a mystery to the peoples of Ansalon, a role he fosters. The brooding deity prefers to work alone and in isolation. Though at times he is forced to ally with them, he feels no commitment to the other dark gods. He despises the deities of Good, with the exception
of Kiri-Jolith, for whom he feels a grudging respect. Sargonnas is an angry, militant, and treacherous god, demanding strict obedience from those who follow him.

Minotaurs are his most devoted followers, choosing to worship him above all other gods. They call him Sargas and believe that he has the aspect of a minotaur. To them, Sargas represents power gained by brute strength and held with honor. Minotaur view with disdain any human or member of another race who claims to worship Sargonnas, often refusing to admit that this deity is the same god as Sargas.

Most of Sargonnas’s nonminotaur worshipers view the god as a deity of vengeance. His clerics are often sought out by wronged individuals
seeking to take unlawful revenge on those who have harmed them. Bounty hunters often worship Sargonnas.

The first of Argon is the most holy day of the priesthood. It was on this day the minotaurs became the chosen ones and revolted against the Kal-Thax dwarves (who had enslaved them), slaughtering every dwarf in the community. Though initially celebrated by minotaurs, this holiday has since been adopted by Sargonnas’s nonminotaur followers, who celebrate the belief that might makes right.

Sargonnas was Takhisis’s consort, albeit an estranged one, before the latter god’s death. Their children are Zeboim and Nuitari.

Dogma
Wreak vengeance on those who wrong you. The weak have no place in society. Strength is power. Power is gained through strength and held through honor. Be loyal to those who are loyal to you. Destroy those who betray you. Never show mercy, for mercy dishonors both you and your enemy.

Zeboim
Darkling Sea, Maelstrom (Mithas), Rann (Ergoth), Zebir Jotun (Icewall), Zura the Maelstrom (sea elves), Zyr (Tarsis)

Intermediate Deity
Home Plane: The Abyss
Symbol: Turtle shell pattern
Colors: Green and red
Celestial Symbol: The constellation Dragon Turtle
Alignment: Chaotic evil
Portfolio: Sea, storms, envy
Worshipers: Sailors, pirates, evil druids
Cleric Alignments: CE, CN, NE
Domains: Chaos, Evil, Storm, Water
Favored Weapon: Trident (“Triad”)
Preferred Vestments: Easy to discard robes with sea motif emblazoned on them

Little known by those on land, widely feared by those who sail the seas, Zeboim is the goddess of the sea and storms. Moody and wayward,
she flies into rages that whip the seas into a frenzy and send ships to the bottom of the ocean. She is flighty, however, and may be appeased by sailors who make the right offering. Zeboim represents the sea’s uncaring and tempestuous nature, though she also has fleeting moments of tranquility.

Clerics of Zeboim have the dual nature of their goddess. They are not above resorting to extortion, frightening sailors and ship owners into paying tithes in exchange for good weather. When on land, priests of Zeboim take a ritual swim early in the morning, in any weather condition, to pray for their spells. While on board a ship, a priest of Zeboim is a welcome addition to the crew, leading the sailors in prayer and making offerings to the Sea Queen. On board ship, priests pray for spells at sunset.

The Sea Queen’s Share is an extraordinary ceremony that is performed every eight months when the moon Solinari is full. In this ceremony, the cleric sacrifices most of the wealth he has acquired to the Sea Queen. If she is pleased with the sacrifice most of the objects will float back. If not, they are never seen again.

The most holy day of the faith is a day of violent thunderstorms and cyclones for the regions of Nordmaar and the Blood Sea. Priests of Zeboim gather on the seashore to make sacrifices to the glory of the Sea Queen to protect all those on the sea or living near it.

Zeboim has little concern for the other deities. The exception is Habbakuk, who has dominion over all creatures of the deep — a dominion Zeboim feels she should rule alone. The two detest each other and wage war continually, a constant battle that is said to create the waves that crash endlessly against the shore. Zeboim is ambivalent toward her father, Sargonnas, sometimes courting his favor and that of minotaur sailors, who worship her, other times spurning him and condemning his followers to death in the sea. Zeboim was always careful to never cross her mother, Takhisis, however — at least not until the death of Ariakan, when Zeboim began to doubt her mother’s commitment to the war against Chaos.

Dogma
People respect and fear fury. No sailor is safe unless the Sea Queen wills it, therefore worship her and offer her many gifts. Eventually, the sea will consume all, and all lands will drown under the power of Zeboim. Adore her or be lost to the storm.

[MAB77]

History

Ages of Krynn

The history of the world of Krynn is recorded in the massive Iconochronos, penned by the immortal Astinus of Palanthas. Even during Astinus’s mysterious absence after the Chaos War, the Order of Aesthetics continues his task and sees to it that history is recorded. These volumes are kept in the Great Library of Palanthas and are available to all who are interested. The history of Krynn is divided into ages, which separate the significant eras and characterize the time in which people live.

• Age of Starbirth: An era known only in legend, song, and clerical scripture. During this time, the world of Krynn was forged and the mortal races were created.
• Age of Dreams: A time of myth and legend, where mighty heroes of good battled evil and the people learned lessons that would prove important in later eras.
• Age of Might: The forces of good were dominant in this period, when civilization reached its peak and the evil races were subjugated or driven back. In this era, the mortal races demonstrated tragic ignorance that ultimately spelled the end of their golden age.
• Age of Despair: Plague, famine, and war marked this era. Peace could only be won at a terrible price. Yet this was also an age of rediscovery, in which the people of the shattered land reconnected with their past and reestablished their relationship with the deities. At the end of this age, the world was changed forever by the Second Cataclysm.
• Age of Mortals: In the current age, the people of Krynn learn to direct their own future and discover that even the highest can be brought down and lowest can rise above all others.

Age of Starbirth

The Age of Starbirth is the first of the ages of Krynn, and is said to begin with the High God. The High God accepts the offers of Paladine, Gilean, and Takhisis and lets the three gods select their companion deities. Paladine and his companions become the Gods of Light. Takhisis and her companions become the Gods of Darkness. Gilean and his companions become the Gods of Balance. Reorx shapes Krynn and the first dragons under the guidance of Paladine and Takhisis. The other gods, excluding Chaos, aid in the creation of Krynn as a habitable world.

Takhisis corrupts the first dragons in her image, creating the first chromatic dragons: red, blue, black, green, and white. A grief-stricken Paladine asks Reorx to craft monuments to his lost children. Paladine gives life to these monuments, thus creating the first metallic dragons: gold, silver, copper, bronze, and brass. Takhisis's treachery causes a great war on Krynn known as the All-Dragons War. The gods withdraw from Krynn before their war destroys the world. The Gods of Light build the Dome of Creation, the Gods of Darkness create the Abyss, and the Gods of Balance create the Hidden Vale.

The three pantheons discover the potential of the stars, which are spirits in reality, and the All-Saints War begins. The fighting is stopped by the High God, who proclaims that each pantheon may offer one gift to the spirits. The gods of Light provide the spirits with physical forms so as to enjoy Krynn's pleasures. The gods of Darkness "gift" the spirits with ambition and desire. The gods of Balance give free will to the spirits. The spirits are born into the world of Krynn as the races of ogres, elves, and humans. Each family of gods creates one god to honor the truce, and the Gods of Magic are born: good Solinari, neutral Lunitari, and evil Nuitari.

Reorx is persuaded to craft a powerful gemstone that will contain the essence of neutrality. Reorx tries to infuse the gem with a portion of Chaos, but entraps the god himself. Reorx gives the gem to Lunitari, who puts it in the red moon that shares her name. The gemstone becomes known as the Graygem.

Age of Dreams

The Age of Dreams is often considered the beginning of recorded history, and runs ca. 9000 PC - 960 PC. Three time periods collectively form the Age of Dreams: the Foundation (ca. 9000 PC - 5000 PC), the Time of Light (ca. 5000 PC - 2000 PC), sometimes referred to as the Age of Light, and the Time of Knights (ca. 2000 PC - 960 PC).

Foundation
Ogres, elves, and humans establish homes and the beginnings of civilization. Reorx gathers a select few creative humans and teaches them his craft. Ogres begin enslaving humans. An ogre governor named Igraine learns compassion and is declared a traitor by his race. Igraine and his followers call themselves the Irda and move to a distant island. The ogre empire descends to barbarism as human slaves revolt and elven civilization comes into its own.

Time of Light
Reorx curses his chosen humans for their arrogance, changing them into the first gnomes. Centuries later, a gnome is tricked into retrieving the Graygem from the red moon. The Graygem escapes immediately after touching down on Krynn and brings wild magic into the world. The gem's chaotic nature transforms animals, plants, and races across Krynn, resulting in the eventual creation of dwarves, kender, and many other races.

The First Dragon War begins when the elven king Silvanos brings his people to a forest inhabited by chromatic dragons. The dragons fight the elves for control of territory. The three gods of magic provide the elves with five dragon stones, which capture the spirits of the first dragons. The dragon stones are buried, stopping the war, but the other deities punish the gods of magic for their interference.

Dwarves and minotaurs conflict as the new kingdoms of Kal-Thax and Mithrandus are built. The minotaurs are enslaved until a dwarven civil war causes the abandonment of Kal-Thax and the creation of Thorin. The kingdom of Ambeoutin is built in honor of the minotaur who led his fellows to freedom. As Balif leaves the elven kingdom of Silvanost to establish Balifor, the twin minotaur realms of Mithas and Kothas are formed when Ambeoutin's sons fight to a draw for control of the empire.

Dwarves find the buried dragon stones and return them to the surface, ignorant of the stones' history. The first dragons are released from the stones and strike at Silvanesti, beginning the Second Dragon War. The war ends when three mages command the earth to swallow the dragons. Their magic is successful but thousands of lives are lost in the backlash, and the gods of magic take the three mages into their tower. The three mages become the first Wizards of High Sorcery and help to found the Towers of High Sorcery. The dwarves, realizing the havoc they unleashed, close Thorin.

Ackal Ergot founds the Empire of Ergoth, while misplaced kender found the nation of Hylo. Ergoth's influence expands and the empire opens trade with the elves. Sithel's mysterious death leads to the Kinslayer War, which pits Ergoth against Silvanesti. Dwarves leave Thorin to build Thorbardin and are drawn into the conflict. Thorin is renamed Thoradin after its decline. The lawless town of Bright Horizon is founded. The Kinslayer War ends with the signing of the Swordsheath Scroll and the founding of Qualinesti. Thorbardin dwarves forge the Hammer of Honor and present it to Ergoth as a peace offering.

Time of Knights
Kith-Kanan, king of the Qualinesti, convinces dwarves, elves, and humans to erect Pax Tharkas as a declaration of peace. The remaining dwarves of Thoradin disappear without cause. Ergoth bears witness to a succession of brutal kings looking to exploit the empire for their own ends. Vinas Solamnus rises to the rank of Praetor and marches on Vingaard to quell a rebellion. He becomes sympathetic to their plight and thus begins the Rose Rebellion. He marches on Ergoth with a mighty army, forcing the emperor to grant independence to many states. Shortly after the nation of Solamnia is founded, Vinas forms an order of knights dedicated to the cause of Good. This knighthood is known as the Knights of Solamnia.

Vinas brings order to Bright Horizon, which is renamed Palanthas. The High Clerist's Tower is built and Palanthas is redesigned by dwarves. The Great Library is built and the historian Astinus makes his first known appearance. The nations of Istar and Sancrist are formed. Ergoth continues its decline as Silvanesti withdraws from the world.

Takhisis begins the Third Dragon War by sending her dragons across Ansalon in massive numbers. The Wizards of High Sorcery create the dragon orbs to defend their towers. Huma Dragonbane and the silver dragon Heart sacrifice their lives to defeat Takhisis, who agrees to depart Krynn as long as the world is whole.

Age of Might

The Age of Might focuses primarily on the rise and fall of the empire of Istar and runs ca. 1000 PC - 0 PC.

A cleric of Paladine protects the city of Istar during the war, endearing the populace to the church. Dwarves return to Thoradin and open trade routes with Istar. Solamnia allies with Hylo and grants mining rights to the dwarves of Thorbardin. The Thorbardin dwarves found the kingdoms of Kayolin and Hillow and begin work on the Tree of Life. As the elves continue their self-imposed isolation, the Ogre Wars occur as ogres attempt to drive the dwarves from Thoradin. Balifor begins a trade war with Istar over the empire’s trade laws, and the kender tax is signed. Istar expands into Silvanesti naval routes and is blockaded. Shortly thereafter, Istar signs the Swordsheath Scroll. Thoradin follows suit after a second conflict with ogres. Barbarian raiders from Estwilde raid Istarian caravans and are confronted by Solamnia, which re-signs the Swordsheath Scroll.

Istar's expansion continues until it becomes Ansalon's major power, and claims itself the moral center of the world. The first Kingpriest takes power in 280 PC. The empire of Istar begins enforcing the Kingpriest's policies and repressing freedoms. Frustrated elves withdraw into their forests. The Kingpriest of 118 PC gives the Proclamation of Manifest Virtue and draws up a list of evil acts that result in execution or arena time. Istar’s priests begin losing their clerical powers. The Kingpriest of 94 PC adds to the Proclamation by declaring that certain races are evil. The empire of Istar conquers the minotaurs and forces them into slavery. Istar becomes the religious center of Ansalon. Tensions mount between the Istarian clergy and the Wizards of High Sorcery, until Kingpriest Beldinas starts the Lost Battles by sending Istar to war with the Towers of High Sorcery in 19 PC. Two towers are destroyed but the wizards agree to exile themselves to the Tower of Wayreth, ending the conflict. Istar begins using mind readers to ensure that no one is thinking evil thoughts.

Ultimately, Kingpriest Beldinas prepares to ascend to godhood with the aid of the Disks of Mishakal. The people of Istar applaud the effort and are sent Thirteen Warnings by the gods to warn them of their folly. True clerics vanish, trees weep blood, and the city of Istar is battered by a continuous storm. The citizens of Istar and their Kingpriest mistake the signs as being the work of Evil. The Kingpriest continues his preparations, and on the third day of the new year, the Cataclysm occurs. On both Ansalon and Taladas, lands are torn asunder, new bodies of water form, and innumerable lives are lost. The empire of Istar is destroyed, Ergoth is separated from the mainland, Thoradin becomes Zhakar, and the New Sea is formed. Most clerical power vanishes from the world.

Age of Despair

The Age of Despair begins with the Cataclysm, and runs ca. 1 AC - 383 AC. Two time periods form the Age of Despair: the Time of Darkness (ca. 1 AC - 331 AC) and the Time of Dragons (ca. 331 AC - 383 AC).

Time of Darkness
The fallout from the Cataclysm lasts for centuries. Plague and famine wrack the lands. Knights of Solamnia are unjustly persecuted as scapegoats. Lawlessness and banditry run rampant. The Seeker movement begins as people look to new gods. Beleaguered hill dwarves and humans attempt to gain entry to Thorbardin for food and begin the Dwarfgate War. The archmage Fistandantilus destroys both armies as well as the fortress of Zhaman, but disappears. The dwarven hero Kharas, sickened by the acts of his people, takes the Hammer of Honor and departs Thorbardin. He leaves a prophecy saying that no dwarf will rule Thorbardin without the hammer, which becomes known as the Hammer of Kharas.

Takhisis brings the sunken Temple of Istar to the Abyss, and takes the temple's Foundation Stone to Neraka to be used as a gateway for her and her forces. The Temple of Neraka is created as a result. She secretly awakens the chromatic dragons before returning to the Abyss to gather her might. While Takhisis is away, Berem and his sister Jasla find the Foundation Stone. Berem, covetous of the gems on the stone, accidentally kills his sister, whose spirit takes up residence in the stone. A green jewel from the Foundation Stone embeds itself in his chest, granting him immortality. Takhisis cannot reenter Krynn until the stone is whole, and dispatches her forces to find it. The chromatic dragons steal the eggs of sleeping metallic dragons. Takhisis awakens the good dragons and secures a vow of noninterference in her war. In exchange, she promises to return their eggs at the war’s conclusion.

Time of Dragons
Takhisis places her forces under the command of her Dragon Highlords. Evil creatures are drawn to the cause, and the Highlords ally with other nations to increase their might. Draconians are created from the captured metallic dragon eggs and used to bolster the Dragonarmies or to aid in finding Berem. As the Dragonarmies gather their might, the Companions pursue separate leads in search of the lost gods.
War of the Lance

The Dragonarmies invade Balifor and Nordmaar in 348 AC, beginning the War of the Lance. Silvanesti is attacked; the elves flee to Southern Ergoth as elven king Lorac Caladon attempts to repel the invasion with a dragon orb. His failure results in the corruption known as Lorac's Nightmare. The Dragonarmies continue their expansion and control much of Ansalon by 351 AC. The reunited Companions meet Riverwind and Goldmoon, whose blue crystal staff proves the existence of the gods of Good. The Companions free refugees from Pax Tharkas, kill Dragon Highlord Verminaard, recover the Hammer of Kharas for the dwarves, and flee south.

The few remaining free nations send representatives to Whitestone Glade to discuss an alliance. The Companions rediscover dragonlances and retrieve the dragon orb from Silvanesti, which slows the forest’s corruption. Theros Ironfeld and the Companions help form the new alliance.

The Golden General defends the High Clerist's Tower from the Blue Dragonarmy with the help of Sturm Brightblade, who dies in battle against Kitiara Uth Matar, Dragon Highlord and a former Companion. Gilthanas, D’Argent, and Cymbol infiltrate Sanction and discover the truth about the metallic dragon eggs. The good dragons, upon learning this information, enter the war with a vengeance. The Dragonarmies falter, and the armies of the Whitestone Council lay siege to Kalaman.

The Companions, now known as the Heroes of the Lance, discover Berem and head to Neraka to reunite him with Jasla and the Foundation Stone. Berem sacrifices himself to free Jasla and reunite the gem as Tanis Half-Elven kills Duulket Ariakas, leader of the Dragon Highlords. The Temple of Neraka explodes, and the dragonarmies fight for their own power. The War of the Lance ends.

Raistlin Majere enters the Tower of Palanthas and is declared the Master of Past and Present. Good and evil dragons withdraw from the fighting. The Dragonarmies occupy much of Ansalon but are swiftly driven back by the Whitestone armies. The Knights of Solamnia proclaim their first Grand Master since the Cataclysm. Raistlin, along with his twin brother Caramon Majere, the priestess Crysania, and kender Tasslehoff Burrfoot, travels to the days of Istar to challenge Takhisis. Raistlin defeats Fistandantilus and, with Crysania, enters the Abyss. Kitiara Uth Matar, also known as the Blue Lady, rallies her forces and attacks northern Solamnia. Her army strikes at Palanthas with the aid of a flying citadel. The army is repelled and Kitiara is killed. Raistlin sacrifices himself to keep Takhisis from entering the Portal to the Abyss.

Lord Ariakan, a Dragonarmy prisoner of war, is released by the Knights of Solamnia. He receives a vision and begins forming the Knights of Takhisis. Two elves of different nations, Porthios Kanan and Alhana Starbreeze, marry in hopes of creating peace between their nations. Goldmoon and Riverwind unite the tribes of Abanasinia. Tanis and Caramon visit Storm's Keep and meet Steel Brightblade, son of Sturm and Kitiara. Tanis fruitlessly tries to warn the Knights of Solamnia, the Temple of Paladine, and the Wizards of High Sorcery about the Knights of Takhisis. Years later, the Wizards of High Sorcery attempt to assault Storm’s Keep and are soundly defeated. Porthios ends Lorac's Nightmare but he and wife Alhana are exiled from the elven realms.
Chaos War

The Knights of Takhisis begin their conquest of Ansalon, which frightens the few remaining Irda. The Irda break the Graygem and free Chaos, who destroys their island before retreating to gather his strength. Silvanoshei, child of Porthios and Alhana, is born.

The Knights of Takhisis occupy most of Ansalon within a month but before they can secure their lands, the return of Chaos heralds the start of the Chaos War. Fire dragons, shadow wights, and other Chaos-spawned creatures attack the entirety of Krynn. Forces of good and evil alike are destroyed by the minions of Chaos. Lord Ariakan is slain and Takhisis withdraws her presence from Krynn. The Vision given to the Knights of Takhisis vanishes.

Reorx, with help from Palin Majere, Usha, and Tasslehoff, retrieve the broken pieces of the Graygem. The few remaining Knights of Takhisis join forces with their former Solamnic prisoners in mounting an attack against Chaos himself. Tasslehoff stabs Chaos in the toe, and Usha catches a drop of Chaos’s blood in the Graygem. This is used as leverage to force Chaos to leave Krynn.

The gods supposedly agree to leave Krynn as well, but this is nothing more than a trick by Takhisis. Using the gods' fight with Chaos as a diversion, Takhisis consolidates her power and at the right moment, moves the entire world to a place where she can be the only god. She takes the guise of Fizban, an avatar of Paladine, and explains to Palin and Usha that the gods had to agree to leave Krynn as well. Both clerical and wizardly magic is gone. Takhisis tells Palin that another type of magic exists and that the Age of Mortals has begun, then she retreats to gather her strength and await the next phase of her plan.

Age of Mortals

The Age of Mortals begins with the fallout from the Chaos War and the theft of the world by Takhisis, and continues to the present. This history runs ca. 384 AC - present ( 427 AC as listed here).

The Last Heroes' Tomb is built as a memorial to those lost in the Chaos War. The Dragon Overlords appear on Krynn. Dalamar the Dark secretly moves the Tower of Palanthas to Nightlund before Khellendros, the blue overlord, can attack it. Malystryx, the red overlord, kills thousands of kender at Kendermore before Riverwind distracts her; many of those kender near the destruction become afflicted kender. The Dragon Overlords learn how to absorb the spirits of slain dragons and the Dragon Purge begins. Sara Dunstan founds the Legion of Steel. Goldmoon discovers the Power of the Heart as Palin continues hunting for the new magic mentioned by Fizban, secretly Takhisis, in the Age of Despair.

The green overlord Beryllinthranox attacks Qualinesti. Knights of Takhisis begin expanding out from Neraka as draconians form the nation of Teyr. The black overlord Onysablet turns New Coast and Blöde into swampland and begins experimenting on the creatures of her domain. Goldmoon founds the Citadel of Light on Schallsea. Silvanesti surrounds itself with a magical shield that prevents all entry. Gellidus, the white overlord, rules Southern Ergoth. More dragons control different territories of Ansalon.

Dark mystics reinstitute the Vision for the Knights of Takhisis. Takhisis makes her first appearance as the Shadow Sorcerer. Beryl controls Qualinesti as Brynseldimer, the sea dragon overlord, terrorizes the Dimernesti elves. At the Last Conclave, the Shadow Sorcerer teaches sorcery to Palin Majere - now Head of the Conclave - and the Master of the Tower. Palin disbands the Orders of High Sorcery. Beryl attempts to conquer Thorbardin and the dwarves seal their gates, but some dwarves follow Severus Stonehand in leaving the mountain. Palin founds the Academy of Sorcery. Malys calls an end to the Dragon Purge. Severus cures Zhakar of a mold plague and restores its name of Thoradin.

Mina, a red-haired orphan girl, washes up on Schallsea and is raised at the Citadel of Light. The Heroes of the Heart bring hope to the people by killing Brynseldimer and thwarting Malys's plans to ascend to godhood. The magics of sorcery and mysticism begin to fade. Morham Targonne changes the Knights of Takhisis to the Knights of Neraka. Mina leaves the Citadel of Light. Beryl's forces apparently destroy the Academy of Sorcery, though Ulin Majere is the true source of the academy's destruction. Palin is captured and tortured by Beryl’s troops and later released.

A great storm sweeps over Ansalon, beginning the War of Souls and calling to the dragons. Goldmoon's body returns to its peak, much to her dismay. Metallic dragons who try to answer the call are imprisoned by Takhisis. Goldmoon sees the spirits of the dead. The minotaur emperor Chot es-Kalin is overthrown, and a new emperor is crowned with backing by the Forerunners. Out of the storm, Mina appears to a group of Knights of Neraka and proclaims her devotion to the One God. She begins gathering an army. Tasslehoff Burrfoot emerges from within the Last Heroes' Tomb, carrying the Device of Time Journeying and a fantastic tale. He is brought to Palin, and the pair travel to the Citadel of Light. Iyesta and Stenndunuus, the brass and blue dragonlords, are both slain by Abyssal lances. Beryl attacks the Citadel of Light, seeking Tasslehoff and the device, but he escapes with Palin. Goldmoon follows the river of spirits. Mina's army penetrates the Silvanesti shield and enters Silvanesti. Cyan Bloodbane, creator of the shield, is killed and Silvanoshei uproots the Shield Tree, destroying the shield.

Gilthas, king of the Qualinesti, leads his people to safety as Laurana (the Golden General) and Marshal Medan lay a trap for Beryl. Beryl's death spasms level Qualinost and create Nalis Aren, the lake of death. Goldmoon follows the spirits to the Tower of Nightlund where she meets Mina, who reveals that Takhisis never abandoned the world and exists as the One God. Goldmoon dies, and Mina places her body within an amber cocoon. Mina then confronts Khellendros, who mortally wounds himself as his breath weapon is turned back upon him.

Raistlin Majere uses Tasslehoff and his time-traveling device to form a link to Krynn so the other gods can return. The gods convene to determine Takhisis's punishment for her treachery. Mina's army capture Sanction, and Mina kills Malys with the aid of a dragonlance and a death dragon. A smitten Silvanoshei heads to Sanction after Mina, and Alhana leads the elves to Sanction to rescue her son. As the elves are away, minotaurs attack and seize Silvanesti. Tasslehoff and his allies journey to the single moon and free the captured metallic dragons. Tasslehoff returns to his own time and dies, completing the link between the old Krynn and the new. As Takhisis prepares to enter Krynn, the gods strip her of her godhood. Paladine is stripped as well to maintain the balance. Takhisis prepares to kill Mina but is herself slain by the love-struck Silvanoshei. Mina kills Silvanoshei, gathers the body of Takhisis in her arms and promises to hunt down the elven race. The War of Souls ends with the gods' return to the world, and both clerical and wizardly magic return to the world. The single pale moon is replaced by the familiar triple moons and the old stars return to the sky, except the constellations of Paladine and Takhisis.

The sorcerer Kalrakin acquires the Irda Stone from Nalis Aren and attempts to destroy the Tower of Wayreth. His attempts are thwarted by Dalamar, Jenna, and the young Coryn, who reestablish High Sorcery in the world.

[MAB77]

Sources: Dragonlance Campaign Setting (d20), Races of Ansalon, Holy Orders of the Stars

On-line Resources: Dragonlance Fandom