D&D General What Are Dragonlance's Weis & Hickman, and Actor Manganiello Cooking Up?

Actor and D&D superfan Joe Manganiello and Dragonlance co-author Tracy Hickman have both posted a cryptic image on their respective social medias showing themselves, along with Margaret Weis standing together in front of a large dragon statue at Wizards of the Coast's offices in Renton, Washington.

Hickman's image was accompanied by the words "Something is coming...", and in Manganiello's case "WE'RE BACK", to which Wizards of the Coast replied "Welcome back to the table!" A later photograph from Weis also included Laura Hickman and Dan Ayoub, who was named head of Dungeons & Dragons back in July of this year.

The posts have sparked speculation as to what they might mean, with guesses ranging from a revival of Manganiello's Dragonlance TV show project--which was no longer in development after he stated in February 2024 that "Dragonlance is not a property WotC are interested in developing further currently"--to a new Dragonlance-based D&D adventure.

Weis and Hickman co-wrote a new Dragonlance trilogy in recent years following a legal dust-up with Wizards of the Coast which was ultimately dismissed without prejudice, so it would seem that any bad blood from the dispute has been left in the past.

The question now remains--what are they all cooking up this time?

 

[pukunui]

I've never seen anyone without a complexion closer to white, go pale from any condition. Call it whatever you want, she has lighter skin, and in a few spots, a tan.

So actually, I'd argue ever single one of those passages suggests pale white/light skin tones.

Everyone can “go pale” due to a vasovagal response. It’s literally the blood draining from your head. It may be more noticeable on a white person with a tan, but that doesn’t mean they’re the only ones who can go pale.

To me, Laurana’s got more of a Mediterranean complexion than a Germanic or Scandinavian one. Spaniards, Italians, and Greeks are all still “white”, even if they tend to have more of an olive complexion.

But Elmore generally painted Laurana like she was a pointy-eared Viking, so of course that’s how people think of her.

 

[Scribe]

To me, Laurana’s got more of a Mediterranean complexion than a Germanic or Scandinavian one. Spaniards, Italians, and Greeks are all still “white”, even if they tend to have more of an olive complexion.

So, any mentions of olive skin tones?

Or is it pale and/or tanned, with all the art showing a very typical pale blond elf?
To go with Tanis, a pale red haired half elf, who comes from the same culture?

Man why make it more difficult than it is?

And just to be clear, I'm openly biased towards keeping to the visual representation as established by the books AND the Elmore art.

Just so that is openly and clearly established, in case anyone thought that was not already clear.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

but that doesn’t mean they’re the only ones who can go pale.

People with very dark skin tones tend to look more grey when they blanche.

To me, Laurana’s got more of a Mediterranean complexion than a Germanic or Scandinavian one.

"Tans easily" describes me too, is classed as Type 4 by the cosmetic industry and is associated with Mediterranean folk. Hence the family rumours that my great grandfather was a Greek sailor.

 

[QuentinGeorge]

People seem desperate to want to depict the characters as anything other than what they've been depicted traditionally.

The continent of Ansalon (where the novels are set) adjoins the south pole, so the native folk (esp in the south) are likely fair-skinned. The darker folk of Ansalon (northern Ergothians, Nordmaar, Kalidnay) all live at the north. Solace (the home of fully 50% of the Companions the Lance) is in Abanasinia, towards the south. If you are going to make anyone darker, it actually makes sense to make Sturm Brightblade, the Solamnian immigrant, it. Goes with his moustache.

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

We are going to see changes in the same way other cinematographic adaptations of novels: Harry Potter, Hobbit & Lord of the Rings, Witcher, Song of Ice & Fire.. This can't be avoided and it doesn't mean it was a bad adaptation.

Some times the plot has to be altered because production reasons, for example an actress' pregnancy.

I guess the production will be a different continuity and then some different events could happen.

* If the producer was Netflix we could joke the production will be cancelled after the first season ended with a dammed cliffhinger. This could be a reason to bet the producer will be Disney.

 

[Velderan]

People seem desperate to want to depict the characters as anything other than what they've been depicted traditionally.

The continent of Ansalon (where the novels are set) adjoins the south pole, so the native folk (esp in the south) are likely fair-skinned. The darker folk of Ansalon (northern Ergothians, Nordmaar, Kalidnay) all live at the north. Solace (the home of fully 50% of the Companions the Lance) is in Abanasinia, towards the south. If you are going to make anyone darker, it actually makes sense to make Sturm Brightblade, the Solamnian immigrant, it. Goes with his moustache.

The Dragonlance atlas that was published in 1987 had this map of the climate of Ansalon, which largely matches what was in the 1e Dragonlance Adventures book. It shows Solamnia as mostly being a temperate climate. Same with Northern Ergoth. Both elven kingdoms are in the transitional mixed climate between temperate and tundra. Places like Nordmaar and Estwilde are in the desert, savanna, and equatorial climates which IIRC is where the human of Maquesta Kar-thon's parents was from. There was a mercenary Vanderjack who was dark skinned and I'm fairly certain he was from Nordmaar, but it's been a long time since I read anything about him so I might be remembering that wrong.

@pukunui Did the novels mention where Theros was from? I couldn't find anything in the game material I have available and quickly skimming Dragons of Autumn Twilight I only saw a mention of his skin color but nothing else that might explain where he's from.

 

[môrgondír]

Idris Elba was great in the MCU Thor movies despite not matching most pre-MCU visual depictions of Heimdall - probably my favorite MCU Asgardian overall

Pity that Thanos killed him =(

 

[pukunui]

The Dragonlance atlas that was published in 1987 had this map of the climate of Ansalon, which largely matches what was in the 1e Dragonlance Adventures book. It shows Solamnia as mostly being a temperate climate. Same with Northern Ergoth. Both elven kingdoms are in the transitional mixed climate between temperate and tundra. Places like Nordmaar and Estwilde are in the desert, savanna, and equatorial climates which IIRC is where the human of Maquesta Kar-thon's parents was from. There was a mercenary Vanderjack who was dark skinned and I'm fairly certain he was from Nordmaar, but it's been a long time since I read anything about him so I might be remembering that wrong.

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@pukunui Did the novels mention where Theros was from? I couldn't find anything in the game material I have available and quickly skimming Dragons of Autumn Twilight I only saw a mention of his skin color but nothing else that might explain where he's from.

It's established canon that the humans living in Northern Ergoth (and who were the main citizens of the pre-Cataclysm Empire of Ergoth) look like stereotypical real-world Africans, with black skin and curly/frizzy/kinky black hair. Both Theros and Maquesta are of Ergothian ancestry. (Maquesta's identity as a half-elf is a post-Chronicles retcon.)

Riverwind and the Plainsfolk are described as "dark-skinned", but it seems that is meant to be different to the "ebony" or "dusky black" skin of the Ergothians. Goldmoon is specifically called out as being "unusual" looking for Plainsfolk.

The other humans of Ansalon seem to default to generic European, whether that be the people of Kalaman in the north or the people of Port Balifor in the east.

Interestingly, the dwarves and elves don't really get much in the way of physical descriptions in the Chronicles. Tas does because kender were new, and so do the tinker gnomes (who have brown skin IIRC). In terms of the elves, it's mainly only the four female named characters who get physical descriptions. I suppose they're meant to be (mostly) representative of their respective peoples.

Laurana has "woodland brown" / tanned skin (that goes pale when she's nervous, scared, etc), honey-colored hair, and green eyes.

Alhana has porcelain white skin, black hair, and lavender eyes.

Apoletta has pearly white skin, greenish hair, and green eyes.

Silvara has unusual silver hair, blue eyes, and dirty skin. She's always depicted as white, but since the Kaganesti are even more Native American-coded than the Plainsfolk are, you'd think her skin would be more reddish-brown.


As an aside - Tika's hair is always described as red, and she's pale with freckles. Typical ginger. But Elmore has always painted her with more auburn-colored dark red hair. Tanis, meanwhile, has "reddish-brown" hair, but Elmore has always painted him as looking more ginger than Tika.

People seem desperate to want to depict the characters as anything other than what they've been depicted traditionally.

I've just been trying to show people that Elmore took plenty of creative license in his portrayal of the DL characters in his paintings. His depictions don't always match what's actually in the books.

 

[QuentinGeorge]

It's established canon that the humans living in Northern Ergoth (and who were the main citizens of the pre-Cataclysm Empire of Ergoth) look like stereotypical real-world Africans, with black skin and curly/frizzy/kinky black hair. Both Theros and Maquesta are of Ergothian ancestry. (Maquesta's identity as a half-elf is a post-Chronicles retcon.)

The Northern Ergothians were not the main citizens of Ergoth pre-cataclysm. That was the people of Southern Ergoth (around the capital Daltigoth), who looked different. The northerners became dominant because they were the undestroyed province of the Empire.

The southerners looked like this:

 

[QuentinGeorge]

Silvara has unusual silver hair, blue eyes, and dirty skin. She's always depicted as white, but since the Kaganesti are even more Native American-coded than the Plainsfolk are, you'd think her skin would be more reddish-brown.

That's because she's not Kagonesti - she's a silver dragon.