Join me as I review Chosen of the Gods by Chris Pierson, live! Share your thoughts on this first novel in the Dragonlance Kingpriest Trilogy, released on November 1, 2001 by Wizards of the Coast. You can buy a copy here: https://amzn.to/3XQVcQ0
About Chosen of the Gods
The first book in the historical Kingpriest trilogy, which chronicles the origins and development of a noted figure from the Dragonlance Legends trilogy, linking this new series to one of the most popular trilogies in the entire Dragonlance saga.
The Kingpriests have reigned for centuries in the name of Paladine, the supreme god of good. But danger lurks in the empire’s heart. The Kingpriest has foreseen his own death, and dark forces converge on the Temple, vying to control the throne.
Following a prophetic dream, a high priestess of Paladine sets forth in search of a worker of miracles, one who can lead the way to the triumph of light over darkness: the Lightbringer, the true chosen of the gods.
Review
Intro
Welcome to another DragonLance Saga review episode. It is Bakukal, Fierswelt the 21st. My name is Adam and today I am going to give you my Spoiler review of Chosen of the Gods by Chris Pierson. I will be spoiling the story, so if you don’t want to know it, stop watching now! I would like to take a moment and thank the members of this YouTube channel, 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. This is my perspective only, and if you have any thoughts or disagree with mine, I invite you to share them in YouTube chat.
The story picks up with the First Son of Paladine, Kurnos. This is an ambitious man who has found himself in the service to his god, and in that role found contentment. He is summoned before the Kingpriest, Symeon IV with Ilista, First Daughter of Paladine, and Loralon, Emissary to Silvanesti. They are told by the Kingpriest that he was visited by Palaine in a dream and told to name his successor, as he would be called to his god’s side soon. Due to this vision, he has named Kurnos his successor. The contentment that was within Kurnos fled, and ambition once again crept in. As he was contemplating the honor, he spied a dark robed figure which scared him, but upon turning away and back, the figure was gone.
This is all concurrently happening as a plague named Longosai is running rampant through Ansalon. We are introduced to a young man named Cathan MarSevrin, who has lost most of his family to the plague and turned against Paladine because of it. He runs away and joins a bandit group led by former Baron of Luciel Vale, Tavarre. He is training these wayward children and young adults how to fight and raid. They assault the Reverend Son Blavian, and Cathan literally kicks the shit out of him. He is berated and punished for it, but the hatred for the faith due to his lost family runs hot within him. They steal the money he was carrying, and as word gets back to the Kingpriest, Kurnos suggests sending the army to deal with the bandits. Ilista and Loralon both condemn the act of attacking their own populace with the army, and instead trying to deal with them on a more personal level, with local authorities. Kurnos is upset and clearly hot blooded himself.
Ilista is bothered by the immediate suggestion by Kurnos and goes to sleep worrying about what will happen when he ascends to the Kingpriest. That night she is visited by a vision of Brother Jendle, a fat monk. He shows her the Lightbringer, and she knows it is her mission to seek this man out. She immediately tells Loralon who together they visit the Fibuliam, the archive of heretical objects as decreed by the Kingpriest. This archive reveals a text with the prophecy of the Lightbringer, and this confirms Ilista’s mind. She tells the Kingpriest and Kurnos, who is now upset that he will be usurped or passed aside for this Lightbringer if Ilista is successful in locating him. But the Kingriest gives her leave to seek the Lightbringer out.
She travels all over Solamnia and Istar to no avail, until finding a note in her tent from the Lightbringer, saying to travel not to Xak Tsaroth, but rather into the mountains to meet him. This is a wonderful start to the story, with a ton of backstory and connections to future events, even a throwaway line about Chaos roaming the land, referencing the Summer of Chaos. They speak in the ancient dialect with translation in many phrases, and it all serves to immerse you as the reader into this ancient world even more. While it feels very much like the Holy Roman Empire, it also feels relatable as the supposedly holy men and women are all flawed as all humans are. It’s a necessary touch of realism to the fantasy that is at the heart of why I love Dragonlance.
And then, while playing Khas with Kurnos, the Kingpriest has a stroke, and Kurnos hears the voice of what he believes can only be that black robed figure, telling him to let the Kingpriest die, and he will rule. Kurnos ultimately cannot do that, so he runs off for aid. The Kingpriest is barely alive and will die shortly, and Kurnos is placed as acting Kingpriest, with the voice returning. It’s been some twenty odd years since I read this I believe, so I am not absolutely certain I recall all of this story, but I want to say the figure is Fistandantilus. We will find out shortly I guess. Meanwhile the bandits are moving to attack a city, and after seeing his younger sister with the plague, decides to join the attack, and strike back at Paladine.
The bandits under Tavarre’s command joined a larger group commanded by Ossirian, a bandit lord. Together they all took over the city of Govinna. There Cathan killed the governor’s captain and took the Reverend Son Durinen captive, bringing him to Ossirian. He asked as a boon to return to Taol where his sister was dying of the plague. Ossirian sent the entire bandit group under Tavarre back, and then sent the demands of the Kingpriest that if they sent healers and food, they would retire from the city, if not, they would take more cities. Kurnos was infuriated, but the Kingpriest, while very ill, still insisted on not sending soldiers.
This sent Kurnos to fuming in his quarters where Fistandantilus, yes, I recalled correctly, offered him a magical ring with a demon’s soul within it. He said that if Kurnos wouldn’t take the ring, someone else would, and Kurnos decided to use it to kill the Kingpriest. The Demon attacked him, and it caused another stroke, yet the Kingpriest lived on, with his life hanging by a thread.
Ilista and her Knights of Solamnia traveled into the mountains when a massive storm was unleashed, and a flock of Wyvern’s attacked, killing two knights and taking Ilista off. The Lightbringer saved her, and when she awoke, she was in a monastery of Majere, the monks led her to their leader, a young man named Belindas. Belindas is incredibly talented with healing and she gave him the test, confirming that he is the Lightbringer. Then they all leave to return to the capital. En Route they come across the bandist group led by Taverre, and Cathan felled the lead Knight with a sling, and Belinda heals him to everyone’s shock. Then Cathan sends him to his sister, and he heals her, spending the next few days healing all of the sick in Taol. Tavarre tells Ilista that he will let them go, and the bandits swear their faith and loyalty to Belindas. Ilista contacts Loralon and tells him everything that transpired, as he is informed of the Kingpriests ultimate death.
Kirinos is ordained the new Kingpriest and immediately sends the equivalent of two battalions to crush the bandits in Taol, knowing full well Beldyn and Ilista are there, hoping they will be killed. He also decrees that they are both traitors to Istar and banned from the clergy. When Ilista hears of this she is understandably devastated, though she questions whether Kurnos is just or not, after all she is bringing the Lightbringer to Istar and he may take the throne from Kurnos. They all hear of this and in a last ditch effort Beldyn heals the remaining villagers and they all ride to Govinna to take up with Ossirian after seeing the oncoming army.
Fistandantilus is busy trying to get Kurnos to use the ring yet again to kill his enemies, but up till now, he has refused. The army is giving chase to the bandits who choose to cross a large river and Beldyn destroys the bridge. The Knights of Solamnia sacrifice themselves to valiantly face the army themselves, allowing the villagers to flee safely. This act of self sacrifice is anathema to everything I hold dear, I choose life, but I cannot help but respect and be moved by it, especially in Dragonlance. Beldyn destroys the bridge with a massive earthquake, and they all continue en route to Govinna.
They arrive as Ossirian is dealing with refugees from everywhere. He heard about Kurnos and the army and realized everything he did was in vain. There would be no suing for peace or aid for the residents, as the plague had finally reached them as well. Then the bandits arrive with Ilista and Beldyn. He immediately is surrounded as everyone cheers him, his reputation preceding him, and he is sent to the Little Emperor who is dying with a crossbow in his gut after a failed escape attempt. Beldyn miraculously heals him, and he begins to say he who wears the crown rules. In reference to the Miceram, the Kingpriests legendary crown of power, which went missing in the last kingpriest war.
Ilista sees a vision of Beldyn wearing it then with the Little Emperor saigon that she fears she is in fact a traitor to Istar, questioning whether she is doing the right thing. The Kingpriest fearing Loralon was still communicating with Ilista, bans him from teh capital and sends his demon finally to murder Ilista and Beldyn and it kills Revered Son Durinen as he was telling them that his line hid the Miceram away and that it was in the catacombs. Then guards run in only to be slaughtered, Ossirian steps up to the demon and is murdered, then Ilista tries to turn it away with her holy medallion, only to be killed in the process, though she was successful.
Beldyn is devastated and calls for Cathan. He tells him about the Miceram and they plan to retrieve it the following day after the funeral rites. Beldyn is openly denouncing the Kingpriest to the people of Govinna, who are supporting his calls to throw down evil once and for all, including Kurnas the Usurper, and that he, being the Lightbringer, will be the new Kingpriest. Everyone is championing him, and Cathan and Beldyn enter the catacombs to retrieve the Miceram.
Deep in the catacombs they eventually arrive at the Miceram but it is protected by the undead. While Cathan valiantly stands against them, they are overwhelmed and both are brought to unconsciousness. Cathan wakes to see the spirit of the former would be Kingriest Paddian who tries to convince Cathan to don the Miceram himself. He ultimately refuses and brings the miceram to an unconscious Beldyn surrounded by undead priests. He brings them both out of the catacombs as the town is under siege.
Tavarre is doing his best to turn away the Scatas army, but there are simply too many of them. The city will ultimately fall, when he is called to Beldyn’s chambers. He arrives to see Beldyn unconscious and Cathan unable to wake him. Tavarre tries to take the Miceram to help in the war effort but Cathan refuses, and he returns to the wall. Cathan sees the ghost priest again and demands that he wake Beldyn, now that it has been three days. Reluctantly he does, and Beldyn brings Cathan to the tower of Govinna. At the top he uses his magic to bring down the city walls, allowing the army to enter the city.
While Beldyn was out, Kurnos is compelled to send the demon after Beldyn again, and finally relents. The demon arrives as Beldyn is about to be crowned Kingpriest by Cathan during the battle and when the crown is laid on his head, holy light spills across the city, healing the wounded and destroying the demon. All militants stop what they are doing to marvel at the miracle and the two forces join in unity behind Beldyn and against Kurnos. After burying the dead they march to Istar. Kurnos is now terrified and when Fistandantilus appears, he demands aid. The wizard grants him one last spell to murder Beldyn, but he has to be in front of him.
As the army arrives at Istar, only a small contingent is allowed inside. They meet Kurnos and demand he step down, which he does, but asks to be forgiven. As Beldyn goes through the ritual, Kurnos casts the spell at him, and Cathan jumps in front of it, dying in the process. Beldyn condemns Kurnos to the High Clerist’s tower, where in the lore, he plays Khas against the High Clerist Yaris when the Cataclysm strikes, making a wonderful tie in, but later in the novel the author renege on the connection having the Demon at Fistandantilus’ behest murder him. Talk about a lost opportunity to maintain canon from back in the original AD&D DL modules! Beldyn resurrects Cathan, and Fistandantilus tells Kurnos before he was killed that this was all his plan, and Kurnos was nothing but a pawn.
Cathan is granted the position of a Knight of Solamnia and will be knighted with the late Lord Holger’s squire Loren Soth. Another great connection, and at the coronation is instead knighted as the first of the new Kingpriests own knighthood, the Order of the Divine Hammer. I am reminded of the Council of Nicea and Emperor Constantine in our own history when Beldyn denies the balance and champions only his god Paladine. It is very much like the Holy Roman Empire going from embracing local religions and cultures, to white washing it all through Catholicism. It forced the world into ignorance, darkness, bigotry and hate, and in Dragonlance forced a mountain down on the city.
This was a wonderful novel that dragged a bit early on, and picked up steam half way through. The author is fantastic and the battles are the perfect mix of up close atrocity and battlefield wide chaos. I would highly recommend this novel to any Dragonlance fan, religious fan and history buff.
Outro
And that’s it for my review of Chosen of the Gods by Chris Pierson. Did you like the fanaticism of Beldyn? Can you imagine this being an HBO series? And finally, how do you feel about the real world parallels? You can email me at info@dlsaga.com or comment below.
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