Cast out of his homeland for his devotion to magic, Dalamar was the only wizard to volunteer to apprentice under Raistlin Majere. Let’s learn more about Dalamar the Dark. Buy Towers of High Sorcery: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/2940/Towers-of-High-Sorcery-35?affiliate_id=50797
Transcript
Cold Open
There is no wizard as devoted to the magic as Dalamar.
Intro
Welcome to another DragonLance Saga episode. My name is Adam and today we are going to talk about Dalamar the Dark. I would like to take a moment and thank the members of this 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. I am referencing the Legends, Dragons of a New Age, and War of Souls trilogies, including the Dragonlance Adventures Sourcebook and dragonlance.fandom.com for this information. If I leave anything out or misspeak, please leave a comment below!
Discussion
Dalamar’s life is one of influence. He was at the key position to influence history at every point of his life. Not only did he rise to the head of the conclave of the Orders of High Sorcery, but he would interact with both gods and men to shape Krynn through military and political maneuvering. His ambition may have been greater than his capacity to achieve, but his devotion to balance and the magic is unparalleled by any other wizard.
Dalamar was born Dalamar Argent to House Servitor in Silvanost. The Silvanesti elves live in a caste system, so each house has social and political barriers. Because of this Dalamar would only have been able to advance as a mage up to a students capacity, but Dalamar wanted more. He would find spell books and study them in secret until he was discovered. With his attention to his daily duties failing, Dalamar was sent to House Cleric and there he was afforded the opportunity to continue studying magic. When the Dragonarmy attacked Silvanesti, Dalamar proposed a counterattack which brought him little prestige, and while the plan was good, it ultimately failed and Dalamar migrated to Southern Ergoth with his countrymen.
While there he met the Kagonesti elf K’gathala and had an affair with her as she taught him their magic. Dalamar took the name Dalamar Nightson and stayed in Silvamori for years. When Raistlin Majere ended Loracs Nightmare, Dalamar made note of the wizards name and accomplishments, and would rise to the opportunity years later to study under him. Dalamar pledged himself to Nuitari, something Silvanesti elves are forbidden from doing, and was caught by Wildrunners and ultimately exiled by Porthios and Alhana Starbreeze. Dalamar was cast from the light, and became known as Dalamar the Dark. Dalamar would return the favor to Alhana and Porthios in years to come. For now, Dalamar needed to find the Tower of High Sorcery and take his test.
It would take much searching of ancient ruins before the Forest of Wayreth called to Dalamar, and in his test he was presented with the opportunity of stopping Lorac from taking the Dragon Orb from the Tower of High Sorcery in Istar. Dalamar refused to save Silvanesti, and chose devotion to the magic instead. He was accepted into the Order of the Black Robes and sent by Ladonna to kill the renegade that murdered Dalamar’s benefactor in Silvanesti. After succeeding, he was offered the chance to study under Raistlin Majere, in order to spy on the renegade wizard. Dalamar knew that this was incredibly dangerous, but he would learn more for Raistlin than any other wizard, and accepted. It would cost him as his Shalafi would burn five wounds into his chest for the deceit, and unknown to Dalamar, he was playing into Rastlin and later, Lord Soth’s schemes.
Dalamar would nearly be killed by Kitiara in the Blue Lady’s War, his one time lover, and after the war, he became the head of the Order of the Black Robes, and when the conclave assaulted Storm’s Keep in an attempt to stop the Knights of Takhisis, Dalamar was nearly killed again, as was the head of the Conclave. This allowed Dalamar to rise to the highest position any Wizard is able to, and became the point man for every major political move that would follow. Traitors to Silvanesti and Qualinesti provided Dalamar with the opportunity to help exile Porthios and Alhana from the elven kingdoms and the moment of revenge was too sweet to pass up. He also received a month in Silvanesti as payment. While he had achieved all of his goals, his love for his homeland was ever present, but his devotion to the magic would not wane.
Dalamar would be plagued by the true master of both past and present, even in death, as the servants of the tower would still obey Raistlin. When Palin was given the Staff of Magius, it confounded Dalamar, and when Raistlin left the Abyss and stood in his tower, Dalamar was more than happy to send Palin and his old Shalafi to Solace during the Chaos War. This war would change everything however, and in the aftermath, Dalamar was confounded by the loss of his magic. He was taught Necromancy by Takhisis in the guise of the Shadow Sorcerer, and learned of Khellendros’ desire for the Tower of High Sorcery, so he teleported it to Nightlund where Dalamar lived in exile with his necromancy, essentially trapped for over thirty years.
When Mina returned with the One God, which was revealed to also be Takhisis, Dalamar and Palin refused to serve her and were killed. Their spirits were trapped and Dalamar would barter for his resurrection and the return of his magic. After Takhisis’ death, he would be given it. For the first time in his life, Dalamar realized he was no longer the driving force in Krynn, and decided to aid Coryn Brinefolk. When Coryn saved Jenna and Dalamar, they would assist her in saving the Tower of High Sorcery in Wayreth. Dalamar would be reinstated as the Head of the Order of the Black Robes, while Jenna would be the Head of the Conclave. Jenna assigned Dalamar to watch over the Tower of Wayreth and rebuild it, and this is where Dalamar lives to this day.
His life was initially one of stifled ambition, only to realize his greatest dreams through hard fought sacrifice and loss. He rose to the highest position of power on Krynn and after the Chaos War, Dalamar struggled to find a place for himself. He was at the top of his game only to be laid low. Even with his resurrection and the return of his magic, he was a shadow of what he had once been. Perhaps this is where he truly earns his name Dalamar the Dark, not for the loss of his homeland, but for the loss of his power and influence that he spent his lifetime working toward.
In the end, his devotion to the magic tempered his ambition and pride, and he finally lives his life in service to the magic, rather than using the magic for his own ambition. Dalamar is wise beyond his years and has suffered as much as anyone on Krynn. He has survived when those he schemed with did not. He paid every price for the magic and would do it all over again. So whether you agree with his personal politics or not, you have to respect him for his mastery. His mastery of both himself, the magic, and his maintenance of the balance that is so integral to Dragonlance.
Outro
But that is all I have to say about Dalamar the Dark. Do you think he got a fair shake in the Fifth Age? Should he have schemed with traitors to the elven homelands? And finally, did he ever become more influential than his shalafi? Leave a comment below.
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