Join me as I review Dragons of Time edited by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman, live! Share your thoughts on this final ‘Dragons’ anthology, released by Wizards of the Coast on April 10, 2007. You can buy a copy here: https://amzn.to/4nAfQ29
Dragons dead, and dragons alive. Every size, type, color, and strange mood. Some good, some bad, and some not very snuggly.
Welcome to an evil wizard’s macabre puppet show. Meet a chain of fools locked in a showdown with a brass dragon. Read the latest edition of “The Flying Dragon.”
These and more fantastic tales come from Richard A. Knaak, Jean Rabe, Paul B. Thompson, and other Dragonlance authors telling new tales of Krynn and of dragons that have shaped the world.
Table of Contents
“Homecoming” by Lizz Weis, “Chain of Fools” by Cam Banks, “Jaws of Defeat” by Paul B. Thompson, “Unforgotten” by Jean Rabe, “I Read It in The Flying Dragon” by Douglas W. Clark, “Aurora’s Heart” by Rachel Gobar, “The Dragon’s Claw” by Jake Bell, “Bloodrage” by Kevin T. Stein, “The Vow” by Richard A. Knaak, “Song of the Mother” by Lucien Soulban, “The Eight” by Mary H. Herbert, “No Strings Attached” by Miranda Horner and Margaret Weis
Welcome to another DragonLance Saga review episode. It is Majetag, Darkember the 4th. My name is Adam and today I am going to give you my review of Dragons of Time edited by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman. I would like to take a moment and thank the DLSaga members and Patreon patrons, and invite you to consider becoming a member or patron, links are in the description below. You can even pick up Dragonlance gaming materials using my affiliate links. This is my perspective only, and if you have any thoughts or disagree with mine, I invite you to share them in YouTube chat.
Darden, brother
Erwyn, father
Camron, Cam,
Alban, town
Emberlynn, Em, narrator
This is an interesting story about a family waiting for their son to return home after the War of the Lance. His name is Darden, and his sister Emberlynn has a secret pet she is keeping in the barn. Darden has PTSD from the war and his sister invites him to visit her pet. It turns out to be a black dragon wyrmling! Darden tries to kill it but it is saved by Emberlynn as she runs off into the wilderness. She encounters a giant cave spider’s lair which begins to stalk her. Darden chases after his sister, sure the wyrmling is going to kill her as he witnessed dragons decimate entire towns in the war. When he finally catches up to Emberlynn, she is wrapped up in the spider’s web. He begins trying to rescue her, but the spider pins him down and the wyrmling begins to lurk from the distance. It attacks the spider, forcing it to retreat, and frees the two from the webs as Darden finishes the spider off with his sword. He convinces Emberlynn to leave the wyrmling here and they return home with the intention of visiting it. The black dragon wyrmling is intelligent and begins to feed on the humanoid victims of the cave spider. It plans on returning to town when it’s larger to enslave and feed on the silly humans there. This story is great as it presents the wyrmling as an innocent pet, but then showcases its evil intentions that are hidden from its caretaker while it is small and vulnerable. I really like the direction this took, but I wish they would have taken more time to explore the PTSD of Darden, like him freezing in the battle or going crazy momentarily with the Cave Spider. Something to make the mention of it in his dreams make sense.
Hullek Skullsmasher, former dragon highlord, green dragonarmy, half-ogre
Mudskip, goblin
Gnoll
Nerakans
Qwermish, town near Solamnia
This was a fun story about the former Green Dragon Highlord Hullek Skullsmasher, a half-ogre who was cursed by a wizard with feeblemindedness and could only speak the word Hullek. He was captured by the Whitestone forces during the War of the Lance and chained to a goblin named Mudskip, a gnoll and two Nerakan humans. They were on their way to a prisoner exchange and Hullek convinced them all to lean against a massive bridge edge which toppled, and they crashed into the ground. They fled and discovered a town on fire. They put out the oven fire and discovered a dragon. They weren’t sure of its color at first but it was revealed to be a Brass Dragon. Hulk set a plan in motion to kill the dragon and it seemed the dragon was falling into the trap only to turn at the last moment which caused the chained group to fall into a river. The dragon laughed and told them it was waiting for the townspeople to return to apologize for being out of the war for so long. She asked them to relay the message and left after freeing them. They told the townspeople they rescued them from the dragon and were treated like heroes. Even though Hullek never could speak more than his name, he was relatively happy now. It was fun seeing them try to work together with nothing but one person able to put together tactics by only saying Hullek, it reminded me of the Oh Brother Where Art Thou film.
Raider, Red Dragon
Cirrus, Copper Dragon
Ro the Venerable, Master of the Mountain,
I didn’t expect this type of a tale, or ending to it. It starts with a red dragon kicking their children out of their lair. Raider, a red dragon left to find his own lair. He is as bold and confident as any red dragon. He finds a peak but senses another. It ends up being a copper dragon, who he fights. And let me quickly just say this, this was one of the best described dragon on dragon fights I have read. It was long, drawn out, but filled with clever tricks and maneuvers. The battle until they both hear a voice booming in their minds. It is The Master of the Mountain. It ends up being a very ancient dragon who has become part of the mountain as it’s so large it cannot fly. It tells the two younger dragons that only the winner of their conflict will gain their treasure and dominion of this mountain. The dragons continue to battle and eventually the copper leads the red into a trap, and he flies headfirst into a rock wall. This breaks his wings and injures him greatly. Ro the Venerable, The Master of the Mountain, then captures the copper dragon, Cirrus, and transforms her into gold, becoming part of the mountain, but he lets Raider leave. He says he is keeping the weak and impetuous red dragon around to sire more weak and impetuous red dragons, thereby maintaining the balance in the world. The dragon hates this notion but he doesn’t dream of attacking Ro, and is given one night to get off Ro’s mountain. Raider walks off the mountain with new determination to be a powerful red. It’s a nice story with the theme being there’s always someone more powerful than yourself. And survival is not always because you are the fittest.
Rurik,
Nador Ironfist,
This was a bit of an odd tale. It features two dwarves, Rurik and Nador who hired a third dwarf after having bought a map to a treasured statue together. They distrust each other so much, they split the map in half and with the hired digging third dwarf, went after the statue. They were searching the Kharolis mountains for a while, arguing over the treasure. Rurik insisted it was one of the dragon statues Paladine forgot to infuse with life, and Nador insisted it was a magical dragon statue crafted by a silver dragon and hid here during the war of the lance. They have constant mocking banter between the two of them which is fun to read, and the third dwarf is doing all the hard work. They eventually find the statue, and Rurik and Nador begin arguing and fighting each other while the third dwarf transforms into a massive silver dragon and flies off with the statue. This doesn’t deter the two from arguing about who was right and the color of the dragon that stole their treasure. If there is a moral to this story, it has to have something to do with focusing on the task at hand, don’t be so greedy that you lose your prize, and only hire those you trust. Else there really is no point to this story, just an opportunity for an author to argue between two characters.
Randall Wicket, Sticky
Nutter’s Ridge
This is a tale about a reporter named Randall Wicket. He has been writing incredibly boring stories for the local paper about quilting societies and such, and wants to write about something grander, more exciting. He gets inspiration one night at the pub when a traveling bagpiper arrives in town. He used the traveler as a source for a fictional story. He took it to the editor and after some questioning and complaining about the possible fabrication of the paper, they printed it. This went on for weeks, with the stories getting wilder and sources getting more fictitious. He then makes up a story about a local cow who gives birth to a snake. This prompted a massive visit to the rancher demanding an auction. The rancher was an advertiser in the paper and complained to the editor. Get your writer in check, or else. THis could mean he won’t pay for ad space or something even more sinister. So the editor warns the writer, yet publishes a new fictitious story about a cutthroat alley in town where a murder occurred. The editor told the writer the following day to follow up on the paper, and the writer after having received local admiration for his articles, finally believed his editor understood his vision, and lef tot get the story. Once the writer got to the alley, he discovered something in the end. As he approached a figure turned and slowly started approaching him, haunted and dead looking. From behind, someone grabbed him, and slid a knife across his throat, killing him. Then we cut to another writer being told the story as a cautionary tale. Don’t make up stories and you will do just fine. It was a fun story about murder, faux journalism and the reality of business interests. We truly are beholden to those who pay our bills. Bite the hand that feds, and you can end up hanging.
This was a dark story, arguably, the darkest I have ever read in Dragonlance. It deals with the rape of young women, the torture of children, and murdering them. I mean, dark stuff! It starts with the character Aurora who was tormented by her father for not being a man, and forced to fight her whole life. When bandits raped, tortured and murdered her family, they let her live after cutting off her ear. She ended up going into service of the Solamnic Knights as a special spy garrison. She snuck into the Dark Knights employ as a child spy and reported their doings back to the Solamnics, though she didn’t see any difference between them. She finally finished her service when she came across a building where a young boy was being brutalised by dark knights. She killed one before she was caught and tortured. She eventually killed them and freed the boy but was grievously wounded in the process. The boy was a polymorphed golden dragon and flew her to safety and tried to heal her before flying off himself. He was considering killing her for having been seen so vulnerable and helpless. She awoke after the dragon left and that was the end of the story. It was rough, and spoke of the brutality of war, regardless of the side you are on. It also spoke to one’s inner demons, those tortured memories that are forever present and are used as much for motivation as inner torment. In a sick way, I wish there were more stories like this in this war torn campaign setting.
Damian,
Brotherhood of Death
The Great Mother
Whoa, what a fun story to read on Halloween! The story is about an acolyte of Chemosh in the Age of Mortals named Damian. I know, on the nose. He isn’t respected by his mentor, but he is by the Great Mother, the leader of the Brotherhood of Death. She lived when the gods were on Krynn, and believes they will return. Damian is in the graveyard, plundering the graves for artifacts to give for the coming ritual. He finds a corpse that offers him a dragon claw bracelet. It promises him power and that Chemosh has returned and looks kindly on him. He leaves to show it to The Great Mother and his master is there as well, refuting his story about Chemosh returning. As Damian leaves their audience, his mentor kills the great mother. Damian returns to find her corpse and grab the knife on her bed. His mentor reenters the room with monks and declares Damian the killer. He is presented for trial the following day before the ceremony, and summons The Great Mother to unlife who points to his mentor as the killer. A great skeletal dragon flies overhead and lands next to Damian as it kills those monkeys that are disloyal to Chemosh. Damian becomes the new leader of the brotherhood and is offered death by the dragon which he accepts. Then he awakens to other graverobbers opening his grave and he offers them the dragon claw bracelet. This is what I have always loved about Chemosh, even those who worship him are tormented by him, and they seem to be okay with it. That is why the Dark Disciple trilogy was so great in my opinion, it presented an entirely different side to Chemosh and his worshippers.
Scout
Fury
Canus
Noble Draconians
Bundesphar
Quid, faithful to Zivilyn, born of green dragon egg
Arana
Shadow
Look this would be an infinitely better story if the author could write. It was clipped, written in shortened phrases and because of that, it was incredibly difficult to read. The story is really about a Noble Draconian, the only story I have ever read about a Noble Draconian thus far, named Quid. He is a follower of Zivilyn and a protector of the forest. A thread of Chos opened a portal to the Abyss in his forest and a demon of Morgion came through. Quid’s assistant, a forest protector, Centaur went to investigate and killed the demon, but was infected by chaos first, and the demon’s infected blood ran into the stream, infecting all the forest animals as well. Quid comes across a Bundesphar, a creature who is bonded to his wolf and together become incredibly powerful, and inseparable. They are running through the forest killing the chaos infected animals when they are wounded. Quid finds them and offers them a chance at killing the centaur as he closes the portal. They try to no avail, then out of nowhere there is another Bundesphar there helping, who offers to close the portal. While the first bundesphar’s wolf is dying he refuses to let him die alone and drinks his blood. After a ritual he realizes he has to close the portal from the inside but it means he will be in the Abyss forever, tormented with this disease. He chooses to do so, and Quid destroys the demon’s corpse and turns the river to stone. It is a very poorly written tale with a bunch of german language influencing it, and it breaks the immersion completely. Apparently the Dark Queen created these Bundesphar in the age of might or so, and this one was living since them. I don’t know, I don’t think I will ever read this again, and all I want to do is forget I read it the first time.
Chonos, minotaur
Ulthar
Emperor Faros
Ambeon
Skorios, dead elf
Brass Dragon
Furon, red dragon
Kylus, Ulthar’s son
Now this was an interesting tale. It’s set after the minotaur empire took control of Silvanesti and renamed it Ambeon. There was a battle between minotaurs and ogres and one minotaur Ulthar, a friend of Chonos, was killed. Before he died he had his friends Chohnos swear to deliver his axe to his son Kylus. Chonos agreed even though he was badly wounded himself. He began to travel to the fort when he saw a brass dragon with its rider overhead, and then they were attacked by a red dragon. They fought and the brass dragon flew to the ground. As Chonos continued on he came across the dragon who was mourning his dead rider, Skorios. The dragon burns the rider in a funeral as Chonos asks for help. The dragon isn’t in the mood to fight or kill the minotaur, so he tries to get him to leave, but the minotaur refuses. He knows he won’t make it to the fort to deliver the axe, he’s just too weak, but the dragon could help. He tells the dragon his story, and the dragon still refuses. It tells Chonos ogres are coming, and he flies away. Chonos fights as best he can but he is overrun by the ogres. The Brass Dragon returns to kill the ogres and takes pity on the stupid minotaur’s vow. He plans to take the axe to the fort, and then return to the elven resistance fighters. Not only is the end of the Age of Mortals that I know of, set with elves fighting the minotaurs to retake their homeland, but it features the concept of elves fighting the minotaurs to retake their homeland! This is something I have wanted to read about since War of Souls. I hope there are more tales about this. I really enjoyed this short story, proving that Knaak can really write well, even when it’s not dealing with Kaz or Huma.
Ashkoom, ocean strider
Brysis, sea elf, dargonesti
Echo Fury, war dolphin
Stone-Splitter, dragon Turtle
Crest Breaker giant whale
King-Titan shark
Abyss-lurker
Apoletta, steward of Istar, sea elf
This was an interesting story set in the ocean. We don’t get many of them, so I really appreciate when they come along. It is centered on Ashkoom, an ocean strider, and Brysis, a dargonesti as they are enjoying the sea, Echo Fury, Brysis’ a war dolphin arrives and tells them of a pod of whales. They go to investigate and they are led by a massive crest breaker whale. They try to get close to them and are pushed off. But the whales are headed into Stone-Splitter, a dragon turtles territory, not to mention the other monsters that dwell in the area. The group tries again to dissuade the whales, but are attacked by a giant eel. One whale saved Brysis from the eel, but she is wounded and all the blood in the water is sure to attract predators. THey saw a massive king-titan shark with a bunch of other sharks pass overhead earlier, so they know they are close. When Brysis tries to warn the whales, they share a vision about how they are leading the dangerous predators away so their herd of whales coming in their wake can make it through this area. They are mass migrating away from these waters. Knowing that they are headed to their deaths knowingly, the group decides to help as best they can. They battle massive crabs, squids, abysslurkers and finally Stone-Splitter. But as soon as he arrives, the group leaves and the whales thank them for their aid. They return to Istar waters and Apoletta is there to get the download. This was great and it just makes me want to play an underwater campaign. The story about water creatures helping other water creatures is a great one, and while it’s really no different than a land adventure, in concept it feels very different and fresh. I want more underwater adventure stories.
Linsha Majere,
Crucible, hogan bight, bronze dragon
Sir Hugh Bronan,
Eight brass dragon wyrmlings, eight, ashfall, caldera, smoke, fumarole, firestream, sulfur, windstone
This was an interesting if needlessly elaborate story. It is about Linsha Majere who is watching eight brass wyrmlings for Crucible the Bronze Dragon, or Lord Bight, the Governor of Sanction in his human form. One of the brass ruined a tapestry of Bights, and Linsha demanded he take it to be cleaned. She tracked the brass who ended up going into one of the temple’s underground tunnels to search for a treasure to replace the item, and an earthquake trapped Linsha under the mountain and allowed a fire dragon into the area as well. The brass goes back to get its nest mates and they all mount a rescue. They try to get to where Linsha may be, but she is unconscious and unresponsive, then they run across the fire dragon. One of them gets their wing torn and singed and they seek the aid of shadowpeople after escaping the dragon. The shadow people tell them about a dam holding back an underground stream they could use to get rid of the fire dragon, and they all continue their search. They eventually find Linsha and the Fire dragon finds them. One of the brass lures the dragon to attack him, hitting the dam and forcing it a mile downstream, and the group brings Linsha to Crucible’s lair. He collects the fallen knight and brings her to safety. The eight wyrmlings return home after their adventure. That was kinda it. A rescue mission. It was nice returning to Linsha after reading all her stories, but it really didn’t have her do anything. It was really about the wyrmlings. And to be fair, I don’t care about them at all.
Philip, tavern keeper
Tansy, barmaid
Trent, gentleman bran
I did not expect this story. It’s about a barmaid named Tansy who is working when a black robe magician has been coming in and sexually harassing her, even groping her. She makes a deal with a local man named Trent to help her rob the black robe. She flirts with him and gets him really drunk, then leads him to his room. That is where they jump him. She makes a comment about how this is similar to a puppet show as she is hitting him with a fireplace poker. As she leaves she hears him mutter something in the arcane tongue. He cast a spell on her to make her his puppet like in a puppet show where she is forced to relive the experience as he is controlling her for the glee of the viewers. She realises that she is now trapped. It’ s cautionary tale about theft, feeding into delusions, and robbing an evil black robe wizard. I enjoyed it, though it was far too short and there was no real conclusion other than the reveal of the trap by the Black robe.
All in all, I thought this was an interesting collection, with a few really good stories and a couple that I will not miss after this review. If you are a fan of Dragonlance, or any of these authors, you should definitely read this book. If you are more of a casual non-completionist fan, I think you could skip it.
And that’s it for my review of Dragons of Time edited by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman . What did you think of the anthology? Did you want more Dragons anthologies without dragons? And finally, are these anthologies valuable to fans of the lore? Feel free to email me at info@dlsaga.com or leave a comment below.
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This channel is all about celebrating the wonderful world of the Dragonlance Saga, and I hope you will join me in the celebration. Thank you for watching, this has been Adam with DragonLance Saga and until next time Slàinte mhath (slan-ge-var).
