Dragons of Autumn Twilight: Book 2 Chapters 4 & 5

Tanis and his half of the Companions experience the hatred of the people of Tarsis, lose Tas, and meet the leadership of the city, which isn’t much better than the mob. Their own judgment is interrupted when another elf is presented, the princess of the Silvanesti elves, Alhana Starbreeze. Raistlin and Laurana get to know each other and the reader learns about the Family Majere.

On the way to prison Tanis and friends meet actual Solamnic Knights, learn Sturm isn’t one, and find Tas.  We learn a little bit more about Alhana and the Silvanesti Elves. They’ve fared about as well as everyone else has it seems. We would learn more about Dragon Orbs too, if it wasn’t for those pesky dragons who decide now is the best time to invade, really just destroy Tarsis.

We now have a Patreon for those who want to support the podcast! Benefits include seeing the show notes and getting a shout out. Details are here: https://www.patreon.com/ChroniclesofDragonlancePodcast

Intro/Outro music: Winter Night by Alexander Nakarada

Tarsis the Beautiful! The Companions finally arrive at this fabled city only to find out it ain’t so beautiful. Oh, and those ships that were going to carry the refugees from Pax Tharkas away to someplace else? Not a lot going on with those ‘white-winged’ beauties either…

Despite this apparent set back the Companions head into the city, the reader gets a little history lesson on Tarsis, and the Cataclysm. Then, the party decides to split! With perfect timing too, as they’re also getting arrested. Also, one of your hosts is getting confused.

Welcome to Dragons of Winter Night, the 2nd book of the Dragonlance Chronicles. We’re just starting but this book is already so much darker and somber than the first! And all the characters get surly!

In this first episode of our second season we go over the opening prologue and the first two chapters of the book. Shivam reminds us that he dislikes poetry. Jonathon wonders why a dwarf writing an epic of the reclaiming of the Hammer of Kharas is talking about a character the reader hasn’t been introduced to. We marvel at Elistan’s recovery from dying old man to ripped Silver Fox. The Companions are off to a city no one from the north has seen for 300 years in the hopes of finding a new home for the refugees from Pax Tharkas, we eavesdrop on an unknown Dragonlord and their blue dragon mount and get hints at their evil plans.

We now have a Patreon for those who want to help defray the costs of hosting and editing. Details are here: https://www.patreon.com/ChroniclesofDragonlancePodcast

Intro/Outro music: Winter Night by Alexander Nakarada

In this special interlude episode Shvam and Jonathon are joined by Dragonlance creators and authors, Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman! We learn about how the two found themselves at TSR and how the world of Krynn was created. Some of these stories we believe have never been told before! 

This was literally a dream come true for your hosts and we hope you enjoy listening to it as much as we did recording it. 

We now have a Patreon for those who want to help defray the costs of hosting and editing. Details are here: https://www.patreon.com/ChroniclesofDragonlancePodcast

Intro/Outro music: Winter Night by Alexander Nakarada

Sometimes things are just out of your control. Scheduling issues and family illness prevented a recording this month. 

We'll be back in December with Dragons of Winter Night. Very excited to share our thoughts and feelings with you all then! 

Until then, please join us on the Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1147877956611082

Intro/Outro music: Winter Night by Alexander Nakarada

We’ve reached the end of Dragons of Autumn Twilight! And the Companions have nearly reached the end of this tale! The Companions encounter Flamestrike, Tanis holds her off while they move the children out into the courtyard. Ember and Verminaard show up, ruining the escape. Fizban dies. Chaos reigns. Ember meets Flamestrike, Verminaard meets the Companions, neither of them is better off for the encounter. The traitor is revealed and almost just as quickly killed. The Companions and the prisoners escape. Riverwind and Goldmoon are wed.

While Tanis and the majority of the Companions conspire with the slaves of Pax Tharkas Tas and Fizban explore its secrets. Taz learns, and then forgets, the truth of Dragonlances. Laurana converts one high seeker to the old faith with a parable. Tas and Fizban learn who the traitor is. Tanis wishes he knew, as everyone who could possibly be the traitor is suddenly not where they are supposed to be!

Despite everything the plan to free the slaves moves forward. Tas and Fizban save Sestun only to reveal themselves to Verminaard and Ember. The three flee with the dragon in pursuit. The dragon is wrecking the fort as he pursues them. That giant chain is broken,that ancient cog starts moving. Fizban, Tas, and Sestun fall into darkness...

After the harrowing encounter with the giant slug the Companions are forced to take the path through the tombs of Kith Kanan’s royal guards. Goldmoon’s holy powers ensure they don’t have to fight a horde of zombies. Flint and Tasselhoff find secret doors. The Companions find an evil Drow spirit that splits the party. Your hosts have a discussion of whether there are or are not Drow in Dragonlance.

Tas and Fizban “meet” Verminaard and his dragon, Ember. There is little love lost between the two. We learn of the Queen of Darkness’ plans within plans. We get an update on Fewmaster Toade and Sestun, it isn’t great for either of them. The rest of the Companions work out their “plan” for freeing the enslaved families held in Pax Tharkas. The spy connects with his masters.

Content Warning - Discussions about sex and the many cultural rules around it. 

Tika receives a royal gift, and the Companions leave Qualinost bound for Pax Tharkas. On their way they find an old battle site, amongst the corpses of goblins and humans they find a survivor, Eben, he joins them. Draconians appear, Tika creates a new form of combat in the aftermath of the fight she kisses Caramon. They resume their journey. Suspicions grow. They reach the outskirts of Pax Tharkas. Head towards the secret entrance. More suspicions. Eben recommends a frontal assault on the fortress. The party is followed. They enter the secret passage. Goldmoon and Caramon have “The Talk.” They search for hidden doors only to find a giant slug. The follower is revealed. Tanis receives a royal gift. The Companions have to take another path.

It can be a little confusing when we're talking about the Sla-Mori and which paths they took when and where the giant slug came from, etc. I thought this map from the Dragonlance Atlas would help. The Companions camped at the first intersection after the Secret Entrance. Raistlin felt the evil come from the western tunnel. The door that the slug came out of is opposite (west) of Kith-Kanan's throne. 

We learn all about the history between Tanis & Laurana, how it lead to Tanis fleeing his home, and going out into the world. The plans of the Qualinesti Elves are revealed and we learn the role the Companions must play to enure the Elves' future. In order for the Elves to escape successfully, the Companions will have to sneak into Pax Tharkas and free the enslaved humans there, drawing the attention of Verminaard and a draconian army away from the fleeing elves. 

The Companions have the time honored D&D argument over splitting up the party, ultimately deciding, against Tanis’ wishes, to stay together. Doubts grow about Gilthanas, who will lead them on their journey to Pax Tharkas. Tanis tells Laurana she must grow up and find a reason to live and fight for.