The upcoming book Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen takes us to Krynn, a high fantasy world of powerful magic, meddling gods, and an epic amount of dragons. But hold on to your helmets because the dragons aren't the only awesome thing about this new book! Not only is this the first time you can grab a physical book along with the digital version on D&D Beyond via the physical and digital bundle, but the board game Dragonlance: Warriors of Krynn can supplement the adventure with mass combat experiences!
Not familiar with Dragonlance and the world of Krynn? This article will touch on the history of Krynn, as well as what you can expect when creating characters for this setting.
- What is Dragonlance?
- The birth and rise of Krynn
- The Cataclysm
- The War of the Lance
- What awaits you in the world of Krynn
What Is Dragonlance?
Dragonlance was created in the 80s by Laura and Tracy Hickman as a world in which they could run their Dungeons & Dragons adventures. These adventures were later retold in a series of novels, referred to as the Dragonlance Chronicles, by Tracy and his writing partner and D&D party member, Margaret Weis.
The popularity of these books helped make Dragonlance one of the most beloved D&D settings, prompting numerous other stories to be told in the world of Krynn via D&D supplements, novels, short stories, and graphic novels.
The Birth and Rise of Krynn
Little is known of the Age of Starbirth, as much knowledge of Krynn's earliest days has been lost to the passage of time. But it is believed that during this era the gods forged the world out of primordial chaos. The first age of mortals, the Age of Dreams, followed this era. It was during this time that the famed Knights of Solamnia and the Mages of High Sorcery were established, as were many of the cultures that hold power throughout Krynn to this day, such as the dwarven kingdom Thorbardin.
During the Age of Dreams, a pivotal moment in Krynn's history came about in the Third Dragon War. It was during this war between the forces of good and Takhisis the Dragon Queen that the dragonlance was first used in battle. This mighty weapon was gifted to the knight Huma Dragonbane, who used it to defeat Takhisis, banishing her and her chromatic dragons from Krynn. After victory was achieved, the good metallic dragons of the realm also departed in order to maintain balance.
In the absence of many gods and the devious dragons that worshipped Takhisis, civilization flourished during what is known as the Age of Might. This era lasted 1,000 years, until humanity's progress became its downfall—for even in Takhisis's absence, seeds of evil took root and bore fruit.
The first step toward their eventual destruction came when the city of Istar grew to become an empire that spanned the continent, in part thanks to the military power that the Knights of Solamnia provided. This empire was ruled by kingpriests who fanatically sought to root out evil from the world—so much so that they came to control every aspect of their people's lives, even their thoughts. Eventually, one kingpriest came into power that was so morally misguided that they strove to become a god so that they might forever rule Krynn in the name of good. This drew the ire of the gods and led to the event known as the Cataclysm.
The Cataclysm: The Catastrophe That Shook Krynn
While some gods of Krynn prefer their influence on the world to be subtle, this was not a time for subtly. When the last kingpriest of Istar put their plan to transcend to godhood in motion, the gods sent Thirteen Warnings to deter their efforts. These signs were ultimately ignored. As a last-ditch effort to avoid the retribution to come, the gods tasked some of their followers with stopping the kingpriest. When this failed, the gods had no choice but to act.
By the hands of the gods, fiery destruction befell Istar. The devastation didn't stop with the kingpriest or even the capital city. Shockwaves of the gods' fury were felt around Krynn, flattening mountain ranges, forming new oceans, and sundering the population in all corners of the world. The only people spared from this calamity were the devout followers of these vengeful gods, who were taken by their deities as they vanished from the world.
After the Cataclysm, Krynn was in ruins. For three centuries—a period known as the Time of Darkness—Krynn suffered mass famine and plagues that ushered in mass migrations. This caused certain less-impacted societies, like the elves and dwarven kingdoms, to close their homes to those that were displaced. Eventually, the citizens of Krynn began to recover, trade routes were reestablished, and life returned to some semblance of normalcy—though the gods remained absent.
Krynn and the War of the Lance
Even as the Time of Darkness comes to an end, the people of Krynn struggle to piece their civilization back to what it was pre-Cataclysm. Unfortunately, evil once again has its sights set on Krynn. With the gods gone and the metallic dragons in exile, the Dragon Queen Takhisis seeks to return to Krynn. From afar, she has raised an army of draconians from the corrupted eggs of metallic dragons. To bolster her forces, she has also recruited a great many people to her five Dragon Armies, promising wealth and glory not seen since before the Cataclysm. Commanding each of her armies are her most cunning, devout, and dangerous followers, the dragon highlords.
This conflict between the people of Krynn and Takhisis' Dragon Armies is known as the War of the Lance, and it is during this legendary battle that Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen takes place.
What Awaits You in the World of Krynn
Even after the destruction caused by the Cataclysm, the lands of Krynn are not without magic, unique creatures, and powerful factions. How will these powerful forces influence the hero you create to challenge the armies of Takhisis?
Mages of High Sorcery
Magic is a strictly controlled power in the world of Krynn. The public has an innate distrust for those who can wield nature's fundamental forces, so much so that magic users are often exiled from their societies. One of the only places those facing discrimination for their arcane talents can turn is the Tower of High Sorcery. This fortress houses the Mages of High Sorcery, who oversee the responsible use of magic across the realm.
If you're looking to create a character affiliated with the Mages, you can choose the Mage of High Sorcery background available in Shadow of the Dragon Queen. Though, to be fully indoctrinated into their ranks, you must undergo a deadly trial to see if you're worthy of a place among the esteemed mages. If you succeed, you'll join one of the three orders that make up the Mages' ranks, the White, Red, or Black Robes.
Despite being referred to as the Mages of High Sorcery, all people that can channel the arcane arts are able to join the order. That said, the strict rules devised by the Conclave—the Mages' governing body—make it unlikely for those with a more free-thinking way of life to want to join their ranks.
Knights of Solamnia
Proud and selfless, the Knights of Solamnia do their utmost to defend the innocents of Krynn. Unfortunately, since the fall of Istar, the Knights of Solamnia have become distrusted by the general populace. When Istar expanded its kingdom, the Knights of Solamnia made a military alliance with the righteous empire, allowing Istar total military dominance over the region.
When Istar was destroyed in the Cataclysm, the Knights of Solamnia received the public's ire as enablers for the kingpriest's plots. Now, the Knights' numbers are greatly diminished as portions of the order have retreated to their strongholds, refusing to defend a people that reject and persecute them. Though some have abandoned their oaths, others have doffed their shining armor and continue their work, disguised so as not to draw the anger of those they defend.
Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen provides a new Knight of Solamnia background for players looking to create a character associated with this conflicted group.
Kender
While maybe not the most powerful force in Krynn, kender are curious beings in the most literal sense. Available as a new playable race in Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen, all kender share an unrestrained curiosity and fearlessness, making them excellent adventurers. These happy-go-lucky folk are masters of provocation and have an uncanny ability to get on the nerves of enemies and allies alike. Whether the kender is endlessly teasing their target, stonewalling an attempt to be intimidated, or displaying a dangerous amount of inquisitiveness, kender are usually running away from or getting into some sort of trouble.
Because of their small stature and nimble fingers, kender make natural rogues. That said, their fearless attitude and naturally good mood can also work well for bards!
Lunar Sorcery Sorcerer
Krynn has three mystical moons from which some sorcerers gain their magic. Players will have the opportunity to play the new Lunar Sorcery sorcerer with the release of Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen. This subclass has abilities that change depending on the lunar phase they manifest, and has access to more known spells than any other sorcerer subclass. Check out our Lunar Sorcery sorcerer guide for more information!
Can You Turn the Tides of War?
Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen and the board game Dragonlance: Warriors of Krynn pit your party against the dark forces of the Dragon Queen in a continent-spanning conflict of epic proportions. Will you have the strength and courage to defend your home world against the forces that seek to destroy it?
Mike Bernier (@arcane_eye) is the founder of Arcane Eye, a site focused on providing useful tips and tricks to all those involved in the world of D&D. Outside of writing for Arcane Eye, Mike spends most of his time playing games, hiking with his girlfriend, and tending the veritable jungle of houseplants that have invaded his house.
have you ever tried "birthright" or using the original companion ruleset for its battle system mechanic? both are really good.
I am interested in why they chose to do this during the war of the lance era and not the "current year" in DL. It does leave out a large amount of material.
I really wanted to buy the bundle since I use both DnDBeyond online content and physical books, but the shipping costs make it a no-go. Why couldn't they include an economy shipping option? It was cheaper for me to pre-order online on DnDBeyond with my bundle discount (I have Legendary bundle purchased, so the discount applies) and then pre-order the physical book on Amazon. What a pain and an obvious miss for WoTC. This could have been done better.
I think they’re going back to DL’s classic roots.
Who here is a botw/AOC fan besides me? 🤨
Who is a botw/aoc fan besides me? 🤨
It's not so much WotC as it is USPS.
https://www.stamps.com/usps/shipping-to-canada/
It's unfair to expect a company to change something out of their control.
No refunds. Misrepresentative art on social media for what media is being sold (Lord Soth cover) in this bundle. Pass.
Also... we just got done eradicating Kender in the multiverse, now they're bringing them back.
I’m hoping they bring Bupu the gully dwarf back! I miss her and her dead rat!
This always felt like a setting that had it's time and then just started repeating the same patterns, not really a fan of it returning. Also, this bundling of physical and digital books bothers me as I have no need or interest in physical books anymore due to personal difficulties and I'm worried Wizards will eventually try to make me pay for something I don't want or need (physical books).
Solution: Keep the digital code cards behind the desk and hand them out at purchase of the physical books.
WotC likes money right? I'm willing to accept a bit of a price hike for a physical/digital bundle, but asking for nearly double the value to ship to Canada of all places is unacceptable. Make the physical copies available at local game stores for normal price, then at checkout, they can offer to sell you the digital code for a bundle price. You accept, and they hand you a card after payment kept behind the desk in a locked container.
Why should I choose the digital + physical bundle (64.99€ + 12.99€ for shipping to Italy) over the physical (40.00€ on Amazon.it, and no shipping cost) and the digital on D&D Beyond (24.99$ = 25.00€ right now)?
It smells just like a commercial trick (with no real advantage) to lure us to your shop, and to make new customers among those that never bought anyting on D&D Beyond until now.
Not the right way to obtain customer's trust...
I love how this was kind of shadow-announced by having a Kender character from Krynn on the Legends of the Multiverse (Spelljammer campaign) show on the official D&D YouTube channel.
Might as well drive myself over to Barnes and Noble and buy my physical copy (pretty sure their free membership gets you a 10% discount) and then buy the digital copy separately. Works out to be about the same price.
Better yet, just buy the pieces of the digital book you actually need(stat blocks, races, subclasses). Who needs compendium content when you have a physical book?
Does the version on Amazon (via WOTC) come with the digital code as well? It does not say so…
Sounds interesting, is it going to be a full setting just as the sun sets on 5e? or another very light tome.
I think kinda like Strixhaven.
It's an adventure with almost no setting details, just a race and two extremely stripped-down backgrounds with no ideals/bonds/flaws.
Typical bare-minimum late 5E sadly.
All the old settings are being rush-released to keep the licence active before the new edition hits.
love Dragonlance :)