Dragonlance Dragonlance Adventure & Prelude Details Revealed

Over on DND Beyond Amy Dallen and Eugenio Vargas discuss the beginning of Shadow of ther Dragon Queen and provide some advice on running it.

Running a Session Zero for Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen

When starting a new adventure, it's a good idea to get on the same page as your party. Here's how to run a session zero for the upcoming Dragonlance adv...

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This epic war story begins with an invitation to a friend's funeral and three optional prelude encounters that guide you into the world of Krynn. Amy Dallen is joined by Eugenio Vargas to share some details about how these opening preludes work and some advice on using them in your own D&D games.

There is also information on the three short 'prelude' adventures which introduce players to the world of Krynn:

• Eye in the Sky -- ideal for sorcerers, warlocks, wizards, or others seeking to become members of the Mages of High Sorcery.
• Broken Silence -- ideal for clerics, druids, paladins, and other characters with god-given powers.
• Scales of War -- ideal for any character and reveals the mysterious draconians.

The article discusses Session Zero for the campaign and outlines what to expect in a Dragonlance game -- war, death, refugees, and so on.

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[Stormonu]

Unlike most others here, I really like my white & black hats.

I suppose it’s one reason I loathed the new Battlestar Galactica and a lot of Game of Thrones - everyone was rather despicable, and I just don’t like that, especially in my RPG’s. I like to know feel like the monster that’s getting the smack down deserves it.

 

[Scribe]

again this is why devorcing as much from alignment 9that is at best an argument waiting to happen) is best

I believe I get what you are saying, but unsurprisingly, I disagree.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

I believe I get what you are saying, but unsurprisingly, I disagree.

okay what benfit do you find in tieing things to alignment? especially since getting people to agree on what they mean is almost impossible

 

[Scribe]

okay what benfit do you find in tieing things to alignment? especially since getting people to agree on what they mean is almost impossible

Logical restriction.

God of EVIL MAGIC - Black Robes - Evil (or god help us at LEAST non-Good) Alignment.

Its that simple.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

Logical restriction.

God of EVIL MAGIC - Black Robes - Evil (or god help us at LEAST non-Good) Alignment.

Its that simple.

but why? What logic is there? They are not clerics getting power from these gods, they are wizards aligned with the order

 

[Scribe]

but why? What logic is there? They are not clerics getting power from these gods, they are wizards aligned with the order

No, they are Wizards part of the order policing Magic, as it is a potent, dangerous force, in order to protect themselves, and eachother, because even the greatest of Wizards needed time to rest, prepare, and would wear down eventually.

The goal is to protect the 3 branches of Magic, Good, Neutral, Evil, as again "Balance" was (emphasis was) a central facet of the setting.

Evil Magic must exist. Evil Magic users, must exist, the Order (all 3) must be protected.

 

[MonsterEnvy]

He is the Black Robes Patron, but they don't get power directly from him.

As well he's the God of Ambition, and using magic for ones self.

 

[DarkCrisis]

Unlike most others here, I really like my white & black hats.

I suppose it’s one reason I loathed the new Battlestar Galactica and a lot of Game of Thrones - everyone was rather despicable, and I just don’t like that, especially in my RPG’s. I like to know feel like the monster that’s getting the smack down deserves it.

What’s funny is I see the world isn’t so black and white as it used to be. Everything from cartoons to games all the way up to “the world”. This seems to be a product of the 80s and before, perhaps.

He-Man is good, Skeletor is bad. Just because. GI Joe good, Cobra Bad.

Biggest example I’ve seen is Luke Skywalker. All around good old hero type. Even into his life in the old EU.

Then Last Jedi happened and he’s a sad sack failure. And I’ve seen people who prefer this. “It’s more realistic.” Is something I was told. I found that really sad.

Like unbendable goodness just isn’t something to look for or up to. Heroes need to be flawed. Perhaps massively so. (Yes I know Luke and other old heroes had flaws.)

So you come to D&D. Elves good, Orcs bad. Just because. White Robes good. Black Robes bad. (Red Robes neutral) Just doesn’t make sense to them and frankly, doesn’t even seem like it can be imagined. It can’t be “just because it is” there has to be a reason. “Why are the White Robes good?” “Why are Orcs bad?” “Why is Skeletor bad?”

I suppose back in the day we just took things at face value. The good guys are the good guys because they are the good guys and the bad guys are bad cause they just are and that’s all we needed to know to play a game or enjoy a show.

People getting super attached to Anakin in the prequels, I always found odd, we know where they story goes. It’s like a lot of people watched the prequels first and had the biggest shock at the end. For me, Anakin was always just Vader waiting to happen.

Anywho, questioning everything I think is good for the world at large but it seems to me to lack imagination when it comes to the little things like games. I don’t need a reason for Rolf the Warlord to be evil, he just is cause the story needs a villain. And goblins follow him because the story needs henchmen.

Why are black robes evil? Because they are. It’s just a game. Super easy.

 

[Veltharis ap Rylix]

How does one define "good" magic vs. "evil" magic? Is it just parceling out the various schools of magic to one group or another?

If so, can "evil" magic be used by good people for good purposes, or "good" magic for evil? Could a necromancer use their powers over the undead to help plow fields during a labor shortage and peacefully seize control of rogue zombies, ghosts, etc. to limit the harm they cause while working to put them to rest? Could an abjurer use their mastery of "defensive" magics (namely counterspell and antimagic) to hunt down and render other wizards powerless as are murdered for the abjurer's gain? If "evil" is being used to do good, or "good" to do evil, does that not serve to help maintain the Balance?

The practice of arcane magic is distinct from divine magic in that practitioners are not bound by a set of philosophical dogma they must adhere to. This is true even in Dragonlance, because while the Mages of High Sorcery seemingly force such a restrictive worldview upon their number, there exist renegade wizards who are able to practice arcane magic without it.

So what good does saying that Evil magic can only be used by Evil people who wear the designated Evil attire accomplish? Because to my (very much outsider) perspective, it looks like loosening alignment restrictions would both allow the three orders within High Sorcery to be more interesting and nuanced as well as actually do more to serve the all-important Balance than just playing the numbers game of trying to make sure each team always has an equal quantity of members so the proverbial scales never tip.

 

[Alzrius]

So you come to D&D. Elves good, Orcs bad. Just because. White Robes good. Black Robes bad. (Red Robes neutral) Just doesn’t make sense to them and frankly, doesn’t even seem like it can be imagined. It can’t be “just because it is” there has to be a reason. “Why are the White Robes good?” “Why are Orcs bad?” “Why is Skelator bad?”

The funny thing was that there were reasons, and still are. It's just that a lot of people have decided that they don't find those reasons acceptable.