Editing Dragonlance (section)

== World ==
The ''Dragonlance'' world is described in dozens of books and novels. The setting contains numerous [[List of major Dragonlance characters|characters]], an extensive timeline, and a detailed geography.

=== Setting ===
[[File:Ansalon Post Cataclysm.png|thumb|Map of Ansalon, where the majority of the novels take place.]]
''Dragonlance'' is set on the world of Krynn. Most of the novels take place in the regions of [[Ansalon]], a small continent, though some have taken place on the continent of Taladas, located northeast of Ansalon. The world's major gods are the High God and his children: good Paladine, neutral Gilean, and evil [[Takhisis]]. The gods are opposed by Chaos, who seeks to destroy Krynn. Depending on the period, the evil [[Chromatic dragon|chromatic]] and the good [[metallic dragon]]s are rare or plentiful. Humans are Krynn's most common humanoid race, but [[Elf (Dungeons & Dragons)|elves]], [[Dwarf (Dungeons & Dragons)|dwarves]], [[Kender (Dragonlance)|kender]], [[Gnome (Dragonlance)|gnomes]], and [[Minotaur (Dungeons & Dragons)#Minotaurs in Dragonlance|minotaurs]] occupy the world as well. Clerics derive magical powers from their gods, and wizards derive power from the three moon gods, good Solinari, neutral Lunitari, and evil Nuitari. Hickman had previously served as a [[Mormon missionary]] in [[Java]] for two years and used [[Indonesian language|Indonesian]] in ''Dragonlance'' spells.<ref name="Hunt"/> During Krynn's various wars, armies of [[draconian (Dragonlance)|draconians]] are used as troops. Draconians are created by corrupting a dragon egg, creating a reptilian humanoid. Any dragon egg can be used to make a draconian, although the ones most commonly used are good dragon eggs because the evil kings want more evil dragons to hatch.

Other gods of the setting include the gods of good Branchala, Habbakuk, Kiri-Jolith, Majere, and Mishakal; the gods of neutrality Chislev, Reorx, Shinare, Sirrion, and Zivilyn; and the gods of evil, Chemosh, Hiddukel, Morgion, Sargonnas, and Zeboim.

=== Fictional history ===
The history of the world of Krynn, and thus the settings for both the novels and gaming supplements, is roughly split into five separate ages. The first age is the time of creation, when the gods are born and Krynn is formed. The Age of Dreams, the second age, is marked by the rapid growth of the world's first great civilizations and the appearance of myriad new races. This era is also marked by three great wars between dragons and their minions. Following the Third Dragon War, in the Age of Might, the Cataclysm obliterates the great empire of [[Istar (Dragonlance)|Istar]] and changes almost the entire surface of Krynn. A 300-year depression follows this event, in what is called the Age of Despair. This period also marks the [[War of the Lance]]. When Dragonlance was first introduced to ''Dungeons & Dragons'', events such as the Lost Wars happened during The Age of Despair.<ref>{{cite book | first1=Tracy | last1=Hickman | first2=Margaret | last2=Weis | author-link1=Tracy Hickman | author-link2=Margaret Weis | title=[[Dragonlance Adventures]] | publisher=[[TSR, Inc.]] | year=1987 | isbn=0880384522}}</ref> Later [[Age of Mortals]] novels and game supplements took Krynn into  the Fifth Age (the Age of Mortals).<ref name="Cook 1996"/><ref>{{cite book | first1=Margaret | last1=Weis | author-link1=Margaret Weis | first2=Jamie | last2=Chambers | author-link2=Jamie Chambers | first3=Christopher | last3=Coyle | author-link3=Christopher Coyle | title=[[Age of Mortals: Dragonlance Campaign Setting Companion]] | publisher=[[Sovereign Press, Inc]] | year=2003 | chapter=Foreword}}</ref>

=== Dragonlances ===
Dragonlances are weapons first created in the Third Dragon War, designed with the purpose of killing evil [[Dragon (Dungeons & Dragons)|dragons]], and are the only weapons with which mortals who cannot use magic can kill dragons.{{CN|date=November 2018}} Dragonlances have this power because of the way in which they are created, which requires the use of "two god-blessed artifacts".{{CN|date=November 2018}}  

Dragonlances are rare and not commonly traded. There are lesser dragonlances, which are made when only one of the artifacts is used to create them, and greater dragonlances, which are made when both artifacts are used to make them. Greater dragonlances are blessed with the power of Good, unlike lesser dragonlances.<ref name="dragonlances">{{cite book|title=[[Dragonlance Campaign Setting]]|last1=Weis|first1=Margaret|last2=Perrin|first2=Don|date=August 2003|publisher=Wizards of the Coast|isbn=0-7869-3086-1|edition=1st|page=288|chapter=Chapter 3, Magic of Krynn, "Dragonlances".|author-link=Margaret Weis|author-link2=Don Perrin}}</ref>

There are two sizes of dragonlance. The smaller footman's dragonlance is around eight feet long and functions as a [[polearm]], while the larger mounted dragonlance is around sixteen feet long and most commonly used when mounted on a dragon.<ref name="dragonlance sizes">{{cite book 
 |first1       = Tracy
 |last1        = Hickman
 |author-link  = Tracy Hickman
 |first2      = Margaret
 |last2       = Weis
 |author-link2 = Margaret Weis
 |title       = [[Dragonlance Adventures]]
 |date        = 1987
 |edition     = 1st
 |publisher   = TSR, Inc.
 |isbn        = 0-88038-452-2
 |chapter     = The World That Was, Magical Items of Krynn, "Weapons".
 |page        = [https://archive.org/details/dragonlanceadven00hick/page/94 94]}}
</ref><ref name="dragonlance sizes 2">{{cite book
 | first1=Harold|last1=Johnson|author-link=Harold Johnson (game designer)
 | first2=John|last2=Terra|author-link2=John Terra
 | title = [[Tales of the Lance]]: World Book of Ansalon
 | date = 1992
 | publisher = TSR, Inc.
 | isbn = 9781560763383
 | chapter = Special Artifacts of Ansalon, Magic Weapons
 | page = 156}}
</ref>

=== Characters ===
{{Main|List of Dragonlance characters}}
[[File:Dragonlance Characters around a campfire by Larry Elmore.jpg|thumb|The Heroes of the Lance: from left [[Raistlin Majere|Raistlin]], [[Caramon Majere|Caramon]], [[Tanis Half-Elven|Tanis]], [[Tasslehoff Burrfoot|Tasslehoff]], [[Flint Fireforge|Flint]], [[Goldmoon]], [[Riverwind]], [[Sturm Brightblade|Sturm]], [[Tika Waylan|Tika]], and [[Laurana Kanan|Laurana]]. Tracy Hickman keeps this [[Larry Elmore]] painting on the wall in his office.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dragonlance.com/features/articles/10031.aspx|title=Articles: Tracy Hickman Interview: Lost Chronicles Book Tour and Journeys Beyond!|last=Whiteman|first=Trampas|publisher=Dragonlance.com|access-date=February 22, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080919114815/http://www.dragonlance.com/features/articles/10031.aspx|archive-date=September 19, 2008}}</ref>]]

The Heroes of the Lance are the protagonists of the ''Chronicles'' trilogy, the first series of ''Dragonlance'' books. They were created by Weis and Hickman, then fleshed out as [[player character]]s in gaming sessions of ''Dungeons & Dragons'' at Hickman's apartment. One player at this initial gaming session was game designer Terry Phillips, who was playing as [[Raistlin]]. According to Hickman in the foreword to ''The Soulforge'', "[we] were just settling in to the game when I turned to my good friend Terry Phillips and asked what his character was doing. Terry spoke...and the world of Krynn was forever changed. His rasping voice, his sarcasm and bitterness all masking an arrogance and power that never needed to be stated suddenly were real. Everyone in the room was both transfixed and terrified. To this day Margaret [Weis] swears that Terry wore the black robes to the party that night".<ref>{{cite book |last=Weis |first=Margaret |author-link=Margaret Weis |title=The Soulforge |series=The Raistlin Chronicles |orig-date=1998 |year=2003 |publisher=[[Wizards of the Coast]] |location=[[Renton, Washington|Renton, WA, USA]] |isbn=0-7869-1314-2 |page=Forward |no-pp=yes}}</ref>

In a "Traveling Road Show" put on to publicize the novels, the Heroes of the Lance were played by various people. Authors Gary and Janet Pack played the half-elf [[Tanis Half-Elven]] and the [[Kender (fantasy)|kender]] [[Tasslehoff Burrfoot]], respectively. Author [[Douglas Niles]] played the dwarf [[Flint Fireforge]]. TSR employee Harold Johnson played the [[Knights of Solamnia|Solamnic knight]] [[Sturm Brightblade]]. The rest of the Heroes are the barbarians [[Goldmoon]] and [[Riverwind]], elf [[Laurana Kanan]], and humans [[Caramon Majere]] (Raistlin's brother) and [[Tika Waylan]]. Weis played Fizban the Fabulous.<ref name="Archer"/>

In the beginning, Margaret Weis had problems depicting [[Tanis Half-Elven]] in the novels. Tracy Hickman finally told her that "he's [[James T. Kirk]] of the [[Starship Enterprise|Starship ''Enterprise'']]". After that explanation, Margaret had no more difficulty writing about Tanis.<ref name="kirk">{{cite book | first1=Margaret | last1=Weis | author-link=Margaret Weis | first2=Tracy | last2=Hickman | author-link2=Tracy Hickman | title = The Annotated Chronicles | url = http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=products/dlant/887780000 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20030625071025/http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=products/dlant/887780000 | url-status = dead | archive-date = June 25, 2003 | access-date = July 1, 2006 | edition = 1st | publisher = Wizards of the Coast | isbn = 0-7869-1870-5 | page = 74 | date=November 1999}}</ref> Other noteworthy antagonists, and sometimes protagonists, are the Death Knight [[Lord Soth]] and [[Kitiara Uth Matar]], the half-sister of Raistlin and Caramon, and leader of one of the [[Dragonarmies of Ansalon]]. According to Hickman, Lord Soth is the most unpredictable character to write about: "Every time that character made an appearance in one of our books he would try to run off with the story".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sffworld.com/interview/187p1.html|title=Interview with Tracy Hickman|last=Patrick|date=May 21, 2006|publisher=SFFWorld.com|access-date=February 20, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070910004539/http://www.sffworld.com/interview/187p1.html|archive-date=September 10, 2007}}</ref>

===Locations===
The world of Dragonlance is set on the planet of Krynn, with most of the action taking place on the continent of Ansalon. Some of the key countries and areas on Ansalon are the Plains of Dust, Solamnia with its great metropolis, Palanthas,<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Croitoriu |first=Michaël |date=March–April 1999 |title=Palanthas |language=fr |magazine=Backstab |number=14 |page=56}}</ref> the Blood Sea Isles, the Empire of Ergoth, Istar, and Sancrist, the elven kingdom of Silvanesti,<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Croitoriu |first=Michaël |date=May–June 1999 |title=[[The Sylvan Veil]] |language=fr |magazine=Backstab |number=15 |page=52}}</ref> as well as the dwarven realm of Thorbardin. Important cities and towns and other locations include Solace (location of the Inn of the Last Home, and Sad Town), the High Clerist's Tower, Palanthas, Kendermore, Port Balifor (location of the Pig and Whistle Tavern), and the various Towers of High Sorcery.

===Races===
Like in many ''[[Dungeons & Dragons]]'' campaign settings, the fictional world of the ''Dragonlance'' campaign is shaped by the division by race, with white humans as the central focus, but also including elves, goblins, and many others.<ref name="EFHF">{{cite book |last=D'Ammassa |first=Don |date=2006 |title=Encyclopedia of Fantasy and Horror Fiction |location=New York |publisher=[[Facts On File]] |page=58 |isbn=978-1-4381-4063-6}}</ref><ref name="HY">{{cite book |last=Young |first=Helen |date=2016 |title=Race and Popular Fantasy Literature: Habits of Whiteness |location=New York, Oxon |publisher=[[Routledge]] |page=42-43, 93 |isbn=978-1-138-85023-1}}</ref> With the species in many cases clearly assigned to "good" and "evil",<ref>{{cite thesis |last=Clements |first=Philip J. |date=December 2019 |title=Dungeons & Discourse: Intersectional Identities in Dungeons & Dragons |page=113 |url=https://etd.ohiolink.edu/pg_10?0::NO:10:P10_ACCESSION_NUM:bgsu1573729920432102 |access-date=October 8, 2020 |archive-date=September 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200917120731/https://etd.ohiolink.edu/pg_10?0::NO:10:P10_ACCESSION_NUM:bgsu1573729920432102 |url-status=dead}}</ref> some critics have suggested that the setting had the [[Dungeons & Dragons controversies#Cultural representations and racism|potential to raise racist expectations]].<ref name="HY"/> The authors take an active stance against racist ideology and ensure that a "fascistic genocidal campaign to wipe-out species that are considered 'impure'" would have catastrophic consequences.<ref name="HY"/> In contrast, the authors emphasize the need for tolerance and cooperation between the races.<ref name="HY"/>