Dragonlance Dragonlance Creators Reveal Why There Are No Orcs On Krynn

Talking to the Dragonlance Nexus, Dragonlance creators Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman revealed why the world of Krynn features no orcs -- in short, because they didn't want to copy Tolkien, and orcs were very much a 'Middle Earth' thing.

Weis told Trampas Whiteman that "Orcs were also viewed as very Middle Earth. We wanted something different." Hickman added that it was draconians which made Krynn stand out. Read more at the link below!

Why are there no Orcs in Krynn? Weis and Hickman give us the answer! – Dragonlance Nexus

dragonlancenexus.com

 

[GMforPowergamers]

All it shows is that people aren't perfect and make mistakes. Only the reader can decide if the feel of Krynn changed when they read that novel.

agai, just show how it did and I will drop it.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

I REALLY want a new version of DS.

I loved 2e darksun (well half of it, greening stuff and moon halflings not so much) but the 4e reimagining was REALLY great too. I would LOVE a 5e version

So ... I've tried to skim all the comments in this thread, and I assume I haven't missed it ... but ... you don't seem to be a big fan of Dragonlance. Which is okay! Earlier, you said this-

this is what i have been saying somehow the likers of DL think that orcs not being there and towers of wizardy being color coded alignment are the onyl things that make dragonlance cool or different, when I see both as foot notes at best.

That's not what someone who loved Draglonlance would say!

But I am uncertain, assuming that's the case, why you are so invested in arguing with people who do like the setting and are excited about it?

I don't care for Dragonlance that much myself. I remember when when DLA1 first came out, and it was kind of cool- it was the first run at changing the default settings. Now, I ended up not caring for it- cool ideas like "steel pieces" quickly lost their luster upon examination, I was never on board with kender, and I quickly realized while trying to run the DLA series of modules that they didn't work as ... you know, adventures. But between the books and the campaign setting, there were cool ideas that a lot of people really loved!

I am glad that the fans are getting what they want. And it seems weird and somewhat mean to be arguing with the people that love the setting that you should be dictating what is in it over what they (and the creators of the setting) want ... doesn't it? Are you planning on playing a long, all-orc campaign in Dragonlance?

Dragonlance is getting released. Be happy for the fans. Stop trying to tell them that you know what is best for the setting that they love. Hopefully, Dark Sun will be released, and they will return the favor.

 

[Maxperson]

I think such importance is misplaced. Like if someone was trying to sell me on what made Krynn a cool setting and they led with "there's no orcs", I'd say they missed quite a bit. If "no orcs" was even in their top ten, I'd say they missed a lot.

It should be an afterthought. "Oh, and there's no hordes of orcs, so it doesn't feel quite so Tolkienesque in that regard."

Nobody said you would lead with it. Why do you guys keep trying to turn, "Orcs not being present alter the feel of the setting for some people" into "Orcs being present is the only, biggest, baddest concern than we have with the setting!!!!!!"?

Right, and that's the kind of setting fidelity that I would say is misplaced. It's not a novel or a movie. It's a game. If you're going to allow an orc in play anyway, then just allow it. The need to allow it, but with the caveat that they're from another world... that's just odd.

What's odd would be having to put 50,000 beholders into Middle Earth if I wanted one that wandered in from the void(another plane) like Ungoliant did.

There's absolutely nothing odd with keeping orcs off of Krynn as a race, but allowing one to wander in.

I don't think it is dismissive or inappropriate at all. I think it is putting things in the proper perspective. It's all fiction, so any idea of what's "true" is just misguided.

And this is just hugely arrogant. You've just declared your perspective to be the one true proper perspective and everyone else's to be "just misguided.

We all get to decide how we feel about the various fictional elements that go into a book, movie, game, setting or whatever. Your feelings on the matter aren't better or more important that mine, and mine aren't misguided or minor just because they don't match up to yours.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

Where does this orc tribe come from?

the same place as everyone else... one of the good gods or neutral gods made them eons back

Where are they?

over there

What were they doing during all the major events in Krynn's history.

they are so few they are foot notes... none of them were big players in them, but several were supporting background NPCs

What are they doing now?

living, farming, hunting, forgeing... some intermix with humans and some becomre heroes in THIS story... infact here is the PC.

done nothing changed.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

And if orcs are not in the game at all, it is also not an issue.

but here they are in the PHB

 

[GMforPowergamers]

Sure, I can include all of that that if you want in my post, but you're missing my point entirely. It doesn't change the fact that said posters are not going to jump in and direct you how the orc fluff, the orc ascetic and the mechanics are not the aspects one should be focussing on when it comes to a DL setting.

okay so what SHOULD we be focusing on? I'll hear you out

 

[Minigiant]

Minotaurs were an available race in 1987's Dragonlance Adventures, so yes.

Well that solves that.

Minotaurs were officially the replacements of Half Orc PCs and Draconians were replacements of Orc NPCs.

Orcs and Half Orcs on Krynn were spelljammer crew, planewalkers, or gated with epic magic.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

If that's true, then why not just have all humans, and be done with the problem completely?

I have done that before. I mean I talk about that campaign like all the time on here. I just don't do it for every setting, and when I do it I can answer why I am doing so without it being 10+ years out of date.

 

[Maxperson]

nope replace elves with Dragonborn or Orc or Owlin, and its' the same.

Then I'm not sure what to tell you. You don't get it and probably never will.

I don't think anyone argued otherwise.

Then you agree that half-orc assassins were not present in the setting for the first two years. Modules are not a setting.

 

[Micah Sweet]

but here they are in the PHB

What difference does that make?