The River of Time has tributaries which turn from the main timeline and create alternate ones. Let’s explore this alternate timeline: Kingpriest Ascendant. Buy the Legends of the Twins sourcebook: https://preview.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/3252/legends-of-the-twins-3-5?affiliate_id=50797
Transcript
Cold Open
Through his will alone, he would not allow Paladine to deny him!
Intro
Welcome to another DragonLance Saga episode. My name is Adam and today we are going to talk about the Alternate Timeline – Kingpriest Ascendant. I would like to take a moment and thank the DLSaga members, and invite you to consider becoming a member by visiting the link in the description below. You can even pick up Dragonlance gaming materials using my affiliate links. I am referencing the Legends of the Twins sourcebook for this information. If I leave anything out or misspeak, please leave a comment below!
Discussion
We have always had a form of time travel in Dragonlance, from the beginning! Whether it was Fistandantilus reaching through time, Raistlin traveling back in time, or alternate timelines all together being formed from a character’s desire and will. We have also already explored the Hourglass in the Sky alternate timeline, so today, I would like to explore yet another one. This is the Kingpriest Ascendant timeline. There are few more potent characters in Dragonlance’s history as the Kingpriest, as he caused the Cataclysm. He irrevocably changed Krynn. But what if he didn’t fail in challenging the gods? What if he was elevated to the Godpriest as he desired? Let’s explore this idea a bit further.
In an alternate timeline, the Kingpriest would not be denied. His power was so vast and immense, bolstered by those who celebrated and worshiped him, unhindered by a pantheon of gods weakened by his destruction of their followers, temples, and reputations. Only the mighty Paladine remained as the protector of the balance. This timeline sees the Kingpriest successful in binding Paladine’s essence, his power, his very being to the Kingpriests own spirit, and this is how he became the Godpriest. The Cataclysm never happened. Istar rises to levels of power and geographical reach which challenges the memories of the great empires of old like Ergoth. From the golden spires of Istar to the Khalkist mountains, the Godpriest’s empire and will is law!
His Brotherhood of Querists and Knights of the Divine Hammer enforce the Godpriests law, faith and reach, pushing it ever outward. This expansionism ran up against the boundaries and bordering nations such as the ancient Minotaur kingdoms, and the nation of Solamnia. Terrorist guerrilla cells who were wronged by Istar operate from both without and within the empire of Istar, plotting its downfall. These groups include the Kender’s Game and the Burning Robes. It is not simply enough to be a good person, you must profess and prove your devotion to the Godpriest, lest you end up on the wrong side of an impromptu inquisition which makes the witch trials of Scotland, Spain, and America look like child’s play. The Brotherhood of the Querists travels outside Istar’s borders, pursuing anyone who may have committed even the most minor of infractions against Istar.
The campaign would be wholly defined by whether the players support or oppose the Godpriest. They may join rebel cells to fight against the nearly omnipotent Godpriest and his empire and thus free Paladine or work to preserve this version of good spreading across Krynn, stopping any and all who would not bend the knee to the Godpriest’s will. It would be great storytelling to have a group start on one side of the greater conflict, and through the course of the campaign, slowly change their perspective and switch sides altogether, fighting those they once considered brothers in arms or faith. This would of course require some great roleplaying and players willing to be swayed by NPC’s and situations. Do not hamfist a perspective or course, allow the players interactions to dictate who their characters develop into. The morals of a character are vastly different than those of the players, and therein lies the power of storytelling and role-playing.
This timeline presents a very narrow minded point of view. Anyone raised in a religious household can understand the fanatical behavior of those who would do anything for their god. But what if your god was a man? We have many examples of cult leaders in our world and the trajectory of their lives and actions to pull from. The course of events in this timeline differs from the main river of time at key points: The River Shifts in 923 Istar Ascendant or IA. Catan MarSeverin meets Beldinas the Monk, and they gather an army to depose the corrupted Kingpriest Kurnos the Usurper. Kurnos sends a demon to kill Cathan as Quarath opens the gates of Istar to Beldinas and his army. Beldinas resurrects Cathan and a young Loren Soth has a spiritual epiphany and devotes himself to Beldinas who is appointed the new Kingpriest. In 924 IA Odarian was appointed the new Kingpriest’ s counselor and the eradication of evil began by the Divine Hammer. In 930 IA First Son Odarian established the Brotherhood of Querists. These priests investigate those accused of evil. In 932 IA the Divine Hammer marched against the Minotaur Kingdoms at the behest of Odarian. The battle turns and the Divine Hammer is forced to retreat for the winter. In 936 IA, the Kingpriest signed the edict against Dark Magic. In 938 IA failed attempts on the life of the kingpriest lead the Divine Hammer to kill Fistandantilus and the Orders of High Sorcery are declared illegal.
In 939 IA The Kingpriest uses the Miceram, the Crown of Power to war against the grove around the Tower of High Sorcery and destroys the tower and wizards who exit it to battle him. In 940 IA the Divine Hammer turns against the Kender of Hylo, but Lord Soth, a gentle Knight of Solamnia convinces them the Kender will come around and they return to Istar where the Kingpriest denounces and imprisons the knights. The Divine Hammer continues the minotaur crusade in 943 IA taking Mithas and destroying their temples. The minotaurs capture the knights and execute them in public, including the First Son Odarian. Istar turns against the Silvanesti in 945 IA for supporting Hylo, the Divine Hammer removes all elves from their empire. In 946 the Gnomes joined Istar. In 947 IA the Kingpriest marched against Daltigoth, raising the Tower and losing an eye in the battle after having disrupted the moons themselves. The crusade continues against the Minotaurs with heavy casualties on all sides. Slavery was reinstated in 948 for heretics and anyone opposing Istar’s Faith. In 949, the Neutral gods were outlawed as heretics to the Faith. In 950 IA the Kingpriest leads a high Crusade against the Tower of High Sorcery in Palanthus, raising it to the ground and Astinus of Palanthus disappears, never to be seen again. The Kingpriest tortures and brainwashed elves through ritual and creates the Purified who serve him as personal protectors.
This is where the kender’s Game begins, stealing weapons from the Divine Hammer and publicly embarrassing them. From 954 to 956 the Kingpriest became increasingly strict and residents of Istar began to have second thoughts about him, including Cathan twice-born. The wizards destroy Losarcum tower of High Sorcery before the Kingpriest can and Wayreth tower becomes sacrosanct. The Iron Revolt occurs in 957 where slaves across the empire led by Cathan and Lord Soth refuse to work to bring attention to their plight and worship Paladine instead. The Kingpriest declares any heretic unable to be a true worshiper and kills them all. The edict of Thought Control was passed in 960 IA and the Querists began reading the minds of all citizens. In 961 IA an attempted coup was thwarted by the Kingpriest leading Lord Soth to be publicly hung in the streets, the new First Son Revando executed and burned, and Cathan Purified becoming the High Protector of the Faith. In 963 the Kingpriest summons Paladine and binds him to his soul. This parks an eternal Godspyre in the heart of the Temple of Istar allowing the Godpriest to touch all souls on Krynn for one night. One in three of every living being dies instantly on the Day of Ascension. In 964 the Purified travel to Losarcum to face off against the Mages who have formed the Burning Robes who vow to bring Istar to its knees.
In the next episode I will outline the organizations you will find in this timeline, and some of the more relevant locations, but for now…
Outro
that is all I have to say about the alternate timeline – Kingpriest Ascendant. Do you enjoy exploring alternate Krynn’s? Would you ever play a campaign in the Kingpriest Ascendant timeline? And finally would you support or oppose the Kingpriest in this timeline? Leave a comment below.
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How dark will it be inside the dragon’s belly? How bad will that smell?
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