It is eternally linked to Ionthas/Chaos, with multiple versions of its creation and travels. Let’s look at the last and most up to date history of Ionthas/Chaos and the Graygem. Buy Dragons of Summer Flame: https://amzn.to/3rnyctG
Transcript
Cold Open
It wasn’t until Dragons of Summer Flame and Dragons of a Vanished Moon that we got the most complete version of Ionthas/Chaos and the Graygem’s history from Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman.
Intro
Welcome to another DragonLance Saga episode. My name is Adam and today we are going to talk about Ionthas or Chaos and the Graystone, err Graygem. 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 link. I am referencing Dragons of Summer Flame, Dragons of a Vanished Moon and DLS3 Oak Lords primarily for this information. If you have any thoughts on Ionthas or Chaos and the Graygem, leave them in the comments below!
Discussion
I have covered part of the story of the Graygem in a lot of videos. This is because it is essential in placing wild magic within Krynn, creating the majority of life forms on Krynn and ultimately nearly destroying it. But even that isn’t exactly correct, as the gem itself is only a container. It’s what’s trapped inside that is causing the chaos. And to be precise it’s Chaos itself that is within the gem. There are many variations on how Chaos became trapped and who Chaos is precisely, but it wasn’t until Dragons of a Vanished Moon that we were provided the definitive account by the creators of this wonderful campaign world of Dragonlance. Up until Dragons of Summer Flame the various authors and game designers couldn’t even settle on a name for the Graygem, referring to it as the graystone, graygem, and every variation of spelling imaginable. You would think an artifact as integral to the campaign world would have a more solid presence with it’s contributors, but alas, what is history but the perception of those retelling it?
The Graygem ended up on the Irda’s altar on the isle of Anaitha where The Decider, influenced by Takhisis, used his powerful magic to break it apart with the intention of protecting his isle from the Knights of Takhisis. But that is the third act of the history of the Graygem, so let’s take a few steps back, put away Reorx’s dice, and start from the beginning.
The High God had established the Order of Creation and the Destiny of Souls which he outlined in the Tobril. He then created the gods of Krynn, the most powerful being Ionthas. Gilean guided Ionthas with the Tobril in the creation of the world, aided by Reorx, Sirrion and others. This is in stark contrast to all other creation myths of Dragonlance, but it was the last creation myth written by Tracy Hickman and Matthew L. Martin under the guise of Valthonis (formerly known as the god Paladine) to explain the War of Souls, so I believe it must be shared here. With the world forged, the High God spoke it into existence, he commanded the gods to shape it. Ionthas deviated from the Tobril, grew proud and haughty and supplanted the High God as the true deity. He sent his might across Krynn, undoing the other gods’ work. He found he could not create anything new, but only damage and distort others’ creations.
In his rage, Ionthas turned from the High God and his fellow gods, renaming himself Chaos. Paladine defeated Chaos with the aid of the High God, casting him beyond creation. Chaos, outcast and enraged, grew delusional and believed himself to be their creator of All and of Nothing, and that the other gods were his children, denying the existence of the High God. In the Age of Twilight, as the Ogres grew more incited to war with the Elves by Takhisis, Hiddukel, brought from the Beyond by Takhisis to further her influence among Humans, saw an opportunity to continue war and ultimately benefit himself. He approached Chislev, goddess of woodlands and nature, and convinced her that doom was at hand. He convinced her that if Neutrality were the ruling force, then balance would always remain, never shifting.
Hiddukel instructed Chislev to have Reorx construct a gem that will hold the essence of Neutrality. Saying that it would serve as an anchor to the neutral position on Krynn. Once created a god of Neutrality would be the safekeeper of the Gem. Chislev traveled to Krynn and the industry and war she witnessed terrified her into action. She visited Reorx who doted over her, and when she requested a gem, he was all too happy to comply. When he asked what the essence of neutrality was to fill it with, he suggested Chaos. Chislev was a little fearful Chaos himself would overhear, so suggested perhaps just a small part, just enough to anchor the world. Chislev asked him to deliver it to Lunitari as she is closest to the world.
Reorx forged a clear gray gem of vast size and many facets. It is unpretentious in appearance, but becomes more interesting to the viewer as you gaze upon it. It’s size seems to vary from the size of a full-grown cat, to the size of a hen’s egg. There are innumerable facets with anyone who counts them, coming up with drastically different numbers.
No one knows exactly HOW Reorx captured Chaos within, but suffice it to say, he didn’t capture a small piece of Chaos as planned, but rather all of Chaos himself in the gem. Then, Reorx delivered the Graygem to Lunitari, who placed it at her red center, and coveted it. The gem had this effect on all who saw it, and eventually Reorx approached her after dreaming about it, humbly asking for it back. Lunitari refused. Reorx visited the race he created, the Gnomes and delivered a dream of the Graygem to the most talented among them. He crafted the Self-Propelled Lunar Extension Ladder, with a magical net and a boost from Reorx, and captured the Graygem. Reorx appeared as a Gnome, demanding it, and in the fighting, the gem slipped from the net.
Reorx watched in shock as the gem floated away, and gave chase, as did many others, as it rampaged, causing Chaos throughout Krynn. It altered animals and plants, and affected spell-casting. It was about this time the other gods became aware of the Graygem. Paladine and Takhisis were furious, Chislev was ashamed and Hiddukel laughed uproariously. His plan worked flawlessly. With the power of the gods of magic, a human named Gargath captured the Graygem with Pathfinder and Spellbinder, imprisoning it within his castle. The gnomes who were chasing it for decades, laid siege to the castle, broke through the walls, and laid their hands upon the Graygem. The Graygem worked its chaos and turned those Gnomes who wanted to open it into Kender, and those who wanted to own it into Dwarves. The Graygem then vanished over the horizon. Gargath did not give up his possession and as the gem traveled across Krynn, Gargath and Gnomes gave chase.
The Graygem would be contained and released for thousands of years. The Tree of Life, made as an artifact of Neutrality to house and radiate the life of all, holding infinite wisdom, lured the Graygem and trapped it. When Kith-Kanan was building Qualinost he discovered the Graygem in a Sla-Mori. The Graygem convinced him to build the Hall of the Sky above it, and the gem used its power to rip the Tree of Life from its roots and entrap it within the tower. This freed the Graygem from the Tree’s calling. Eventually the Graygem ending up on the Isle of Gargath, trapped by his descendant until Reorx, traveling with Palin, Tannin and Sturm Majere, reclaim it and Reorx loses it gambling. This is when it is finally captured by the Irda, who break it open, releasing Chaos within. Chaos, who spent millenia beyond creation, tormented with the inability to create on his own, then spent more milenia trapped inside a gem using his magic to continue to twist and distort his fellow gods creations, was finally free. His first order of business after all of that torture, was to resume his challenge to the High God for mastery of Krynn. Exactly how much of Chaos’ plan was influenced by Takhisis is unknown, but she planned for this moment for centuries.
Chaos spread death and destruction throughout Krynn with reckless abandon until, in the Battle of the Abyss, Tasslehoff stabs him in the foot, causing a single drop of his blood to enter the Graygem, trapping him yet again! Darkness falls and out of it the Graygem rises into the void and explodes, forming new stars and a single pale moon. Chaos was not destroyed but was forced to leave in defeat. He demanded the other Gods leave as well, and the FIfth Age began. Herein is a point of contention, for Takhisis steals the world, so the story of the Gods consenting to leave Krynn can be seen as just another fable. In a final ironic twist, it would be the currents of chaos, swirling about the universe that would lead Raistlin Majere to locate the world on behalf of the Gods at the end of the War of Souls, so you could say that Chaos ultimately saved Krynn from Takhisis.
Outro
And that is all I have to say about Ionthus/Chaos and the Graygem. Is this the most elaborate or convoluted MacGuffin to push evolution and change in a Dungeons & Dragons campaign world? Were you happy with it’s destruction in Dragons of Summer Flame? 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, remember:
“The… uh…the fact is, lads, that I’ve… I’ve misplaced it…” “The Graygem!?”
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