This would be for Darklance Adventures, my sequel to War of the Dark Lance.
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AN AGE OF DRAGONS
To me, the War of the Lance and the return of the gods was the dawning of a new age. In DLA, this was called the Age of Dragons. Without Chaos' presence, it would make some sense to keep this name, especially with what happens during this age.
WAR OF THE DARK LANCE
The War of the Dark Lance was the war where the Knights of Takhisis come to conquer Ansalon, and they bring with them something to even up the score - the darklance. The darklance, also known as the abyssal or shadow lance, is a corrupted version of the dragonlance. You can never create
one, but you can corrupt one.
In the war, a Summer of Frost had come across Ansalon, freezing the Blood Sea and bringing a large glacier from Icewall all the way up to Tarsis. Icewall Castle becomes a flying citadel, and houses the area where dragonlances are corrupted.
In the end of the war, it appeared that good would be defeated. The Knights of Solamnia were driven back.
STEEL'S LEGION
Steel Brightblade turns against the Knights of Takhisis. He assembles a resistance to fight against the forces of evil. He sacrifices his life when facing the Queen of Darkness herself, at the moment she is entering the world.
Palin Majere is among these, and the result is that he will discover a real need to stick with family. More on this below.
At this point, I'm not so sure on details, but here are some of the end results.
TAKHISIS - DRAGON OF ALL COLORS AND NONE
As Takhisis enters the world, she is assaulted, and she splits into 5 dragons. Each one is a representation of a portion of her personality. The blue dragon is the Dark Warrior, the green is the Temptress, etc. etc. Each of the 5 dragons are slowly becoming more individualistic.
At the same time, there is a subconscious out there that has no form. It is working on reassembling the portions of Takhisis into the chromatic dragon once more.
Paladine and Gilean become mortal as well, so as to maintain the Balance.
MAGIC
Magic in Darklance will be categorized as arcane and divine. The only differences is how the various magic-users gain their magic.
The divine energies once belonging to Paladine, Gilean, and Takhisis permeate the world. Suddenly, some people discover within themselves the ability to cast divine spells. These people are called mystics.
Wizards will remain the same. Clerics will as well, save that you cannot have clerics of the fallen gods.
Since Wild Sorcery won't be around, then I'll have sorcerers be able to join the WoHS.
ACADEMY OF HIGH SORCERY
Palin Majere becomes an accomplished spellcaster, but he feels the need to be close to home. He proposes the formation of an Academy of High Sorcery near Solace, to which the Conclave agrees. The Academy is dedicated to the memory of Raistlin Majere.
Palin, however, devises some non-orthodox ways of teaching spellcasters, known as the Realms of Sorcery.
WAR OF SOULS
The subconscious of Takhisis has gained enough power, and begins to make its move, taking on a new cleric - Mina. For the most part, the events in War of Souls plays out, with the end goal being the reformation of Takhisis.
Anyway, I'm not sure where this goes from here. It has a lot of elements from the 5th age, just taken in a different way. There's lots of room for growth as well.
Anyway, I may or may not write this up for the Nexus over the winter. We'll see how my schedule goes.
Also, as requested:
War of the Dark Lance
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When the original Darklance stuff began, it was years ago prior to Second Generation and Summer Flame. My buddy Dave came up with corrupted dragonlances. This has grown through multiple campaigns over the years. I began to include the Knights of Takhisis after reading Second Generation.
Dragons of Summer Flame was when Darklance went from being the "What's next?" of Dragonlance to being an alternate campaign setting. It wasn't meant to be a "What if the 5th age didn't happen?" type of thing. However, I cannot ignore that Chaos does not show up in this timeline.
So, what I tried to do was to come up with a timeline with a bunch of "What ifs?" as well as some new things, but also one that incorporated the 5th age elements.
My plans right now are to work on this over the winter. It won't be an overnight project by any means.
Anyway, thanks for the input. Looking forward to other thoughts and suggestions.
I have to start finding the time to submit to the Nexus, my job is to demanding of my time, but I would really like to contribute something.
Half of my post are done from work... gotta love the internet.
Thanks again.
I like your Darklance Adventure campaign idea, as it provides an interesting “what if” storyline. Id like to read more about it.
What year do you plan on having it be centered on?
Something Id like to see first is an “outline” or “overview” of what you have in mind for the campaign setting. This might help to lay the ground work for writing the campaign and allows you to get a good idea of what you have an need to work with.
See below for some ideas.
George
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Darklance Adventures Campaign Overview (v1)
Purpose/Goal of Campaign:
Setting:
Key Elements by Age/Era:
--Used:
--Not Used:
Revised Timeline:
Resources Used:
Misc. Ideas
Originally posted by Giorgio
I like your Darklance Adventure campaign idea, as it provides an interesting “what if” storyline. Id like to read more about it.
What year do you plan on having it be centered on?
Well, War of the Dark Lance is an alternate Chaos War. In some ways, I'd like for it to be after the War of Souls, to be current (as current as an alternate timeline could be).
My other thought is to have this be right after the War of the Dark Lance.
Something Id like to see first is an “outline” or “overview” of what you have in mind for the campaign setting. This might help to lay the ground work for writing the campaign and allows you to get a good idea of what you have an need to work with. See below for some ideas.
I've got an initial outline in the works. I don't want to post it quite yet, as I don't want to spoil anything.
Thanks for your thoughts!
Originally posted by Fangorn_Bozak
Definitely agree that the events that you have posted have a very feasible plot. Corrupting dragonlances instead of hashing up one is much better. By the way,are you going to hint of the "new continent"your working on in your write-up?
Adlatum will probably not be touched upon in any future Darklance product, although I may make a quick mention of it. I'd rather leave details of Adlatum for the Adlatum project.
Is their a website with info on this project?
George
Originally posted by Giorgio
Is their a website with info on this project?
There's nothing up yet on Adlatum, but will be soon.
You can find War of the Dark Lance by clicking here.
On anohter note, when is the Key of Destiny supposed to be relaeased. I thought that it was this month and now I am told that it is in November.
Originally posted by Amaron Blackthorn
Actually not a bad idea for a campaign for people who dont like the 5th Age stuff.
This is what I worry about. Allow me to explain.
WotDL wasn't originally meant to be an alternate history. It was just how the original campaigns landed up. Problem is, Dragons of Summer Flame went in a different direction than the game I was running went. So at that point, it was an alternate history.
Basically, I don't want to portray Darklance as "What if the 5th age never happened?". I think it could come across as that at a first glance. This is why I try to keep so many 5a elements in the alternate history.
I want Darklance to be something that both 4a and 5a fans can enjoy. I think it's partially why I go back to the original Age of Dragons idea, rather than having that 4a vs. 5a split.
The question in my mind is how to present Darklance as a way that is appealing to both 4a and 5a fans.
On anohter note, when is the Key of Destiny supposed to be relaeased. I thought that it was this month and now I am told that it is in November.
Unfortunately, there have been some delays. November should be correct.
Originally posted by Dragonhelm
This is what I worry about. Allow me to explain.
WotDL wasn't originally meant to be an alternate history. It was just how the original campaigns landed up. Problem is, Dragons of Summer Flame went in a different direction than the game I was running went. So at that point, it was an alternate history.
Basically, I don't want to portray Darklance as "What if the 5th age never happened?". I think it could come across as that at a first glance. This is why I try to keep so many 5a elements in the alternate history.
I want Darklance to be something that both 4a and 5a fans can enjoy. I think it's partially why I go back to the original Age of Dragons idea, rather than having that 4a vs. 5a split.
The question in my mind is how to present Darklance as a way that is appealing to both 4a and 5a fans.
Unfortunately, there have been some delays. November should be correct.
Even though you didn't intend it to be a "What IF" for Dragonlance, I'd have to say it turned out to be the best "What IF" floating around out there. I know its alot better then the one I came up with before the TSR's annexsation by WOTC. It involved an alternate for the First Cataslysm by having a multi-sided "Great War."
The Holy Alliance: Istar and Solamnia Vs. The Coalition of Defience: Ergoth, Thorbardin, Thoradin, Tarsis and Hylo.
With Balifor, Sancrist, and the Elven nations trying to stay neutral.
Various Plainsmen and Khur nations would take their own side.
I included a non-human "behind the curtain" faction called the Entente' from beyond Krynn with a steam and sorcery edge, which occupied the Nordmaar Isles. Their goal: To help an Oriental people (the Mesakie) find a new home on Ansalon. What land they would take would depend on whos side of the war they would take, if any.
The players would greatly determine the course of events. (because I think player driven games are the best in my opinion. I know alot of gamers don't like being lead by the nose so to speak.)
To make a long summary short: the PC's joined with Lord Soth and help keep him stop the Kingpriest. As gamers in DL they knew already what was going to happean, which is why I didn't make it easy for them. Not by a long shot
Eventually they stopped the Kingpriest (paying a high price in the process) and convincing the Entente' to aid the Coalition but promising to leave Krynn after they helped the Mesakie make a homeland out of annexed territory from Istar (i.e. all non-desert Istar and even leting the minotaurs reclaim their own lands). Solamnia could do little since the Entente and Ergoth forces linked up in the Vingarrd River region, thus spliting Solamnia in half and forcing the Knights back to the High Clarist Tower and the inner plains of Solamnia.
I had planned a post war campaine (sp?) which climaxed with the "Dwarf-gate" Wars thirty five years later and ending with the Entente' leaving Krynn to help keep the balance, but starting a "Renaissance" on Ansalon as a legecy of their presence and Solamnia being full restored and forming an alliance with the Mesakie and Thorbardin to help keep a revived Empire of Ergoth in check and guard against whats "left" of Istar.
Kinda of lame now that I look back on it. Oh well.
Originally posted by DaemonAngel
Even though you didn't intend it to be a "What IF" for Dragonlance, I'd have to say it turned out to be the best "What IF" floating around out there.
Thanks, man. I really appreciate that.
Really, I think it will come across okay if I incorporate some of the 5th age elements in the write-up. I just need to sit down and do it.
Kinda of lame now that I look back on it. Oh well.
Not at all. That was very thought out and detailed.
Originally posted by Amaron Blackthorn
Daemonangle, how did you deal wit the Wizards of High Sorcery in your campagin?
Well, dealing with the Wizards of High Sorcery was the hardest part to work with (that and making it really hard for the PCs to help Soth AND persuade the Mesakie and Carthens to help the Coalition. Why would a Steam & Sorcery need anyone's help?, but I dicress). Since the Entente come from beyond Krynn then they used magic from different sources The Carthens themselves drew from creation itself for their magic, plus they had a pscionics. This alone would cause alot of conflict with the Wizards of High Sorcery, since the magic users of the Entente would be seen as "Renegades," and a threat to the Balance and Laws of Magic that the WOHS enforce. The challenge is convincing the Conclave that the Carthens and Mesakie (who use sorcery) also followed their own set of laws governing magic (the Carthens themselves know personnally the majesty and devestation that both Magic AND Technology are capable of, and as a race they are much older then the High Ogers).
This challenge I gave over to the Players: To mediate between the Entente and the WOHS, and like the thing with Lord Soth I didn't make it easy.
A compromise was made between the Conclave and the Carthens; that by the time the war was concluded the Carthens would follow the Good Dragons example and leave Krynn when the Mesakie settled in their new home (and take their "machines" with them). Ironicly, after the war the WOHS would face the same Sorcery problem with the Mesakie that their WOHS post War of Souls counterparts would face with primal sorcery. Though with the Mesakie, those who practice sorcery follow rules and laws even more restrictive then the WOHS itself (many Asiatic cultures were known for their rigid societies). Thus reducing the chaos facter with sorcery.
The Conclave for its part in the war was to remain mostly neutral. In exchange they would have the Towers in Istar and Palanthas (if they could get in) returned.
Sorry that was probably a longer answer then you were expecting. ;)
Basicaly a Deal was struck between the Conclave and the Entente. A clash between members of the WOHS and mages and telepaths onboard one of the Carthens larger airships proved costly for both sides, thus giving alot of incentive for a diplomatic agreement. Except for the Destuction of Winston Tower, the Carthens and Mesakie kept their use of magic to a minimun so not to provoke the Conclave. The Carthens had to be even more carefule with their steam age tech., then their magic so not to effect the Balance of Krynn (very benign for a 19th Century industral people aren't they?) at lest not to much.