Solace is a welcome waypoint for travelers all over Abanasinia, and was the location where the Heroes of the Lance first reconvened and began their journey to rediscover the gods. You can buy the Atlas of the Dragonlance World here: https://www.dmsguild.com/en/product/3164/war-of-the-lance-3-5?src=hottest_filtered&affiliate_id=50797
Transcript
Cold Open
Solace survived two wars and countless kender. Let’s take a look at its incredibly tumultuous history.
Intro
Welcome to another DragonLance Saga episode. My name is Adam and today I am going to talk about Solace. I would like to take a moment and thank the DLSaga YouTube members and Patreon patrons, and invite you to consider becoming a member or patron by following the links in the description below. You can even pick up Dragonlance media using my affiliate links. I am referencing The Soulforge novel, Tales of the Lance boxed set, The Atlas of the Dragonlance World, and War of the Lance sourcebooks for this information. If I leave anything out or misspeak, please leave a comment below!
Discussion
There is a place in the heart of Abanasinia where the wind hums softly through the branches of towering vallenwood trees… A place where homes rest not upon the earth, but high above it—nestled in the leaves, swaying gently with the breeze. This is Solace, the tree-born village that became the cradle of the War of the Lance, and one of the most beloved locations in all of Krynn. Solace lies near the eastern shore of Crystalmir Lake, between the Kiri Peaks and the road that runs west then south toward Haven. Before the Cataclysm, this was a crossroads for travelers from the north and west, even connecting to the grand roads that once led to Istar itself. But after the fiery judgment of the gods, Solace became something different—a haven for the lost.
Its founders were refugees. People fleeing the chaos that tore apart the old world, who finally stopped running when they reached this valley. They built a new life among the great vallenwoods, immense trees that rose hundreds of feet above the plains. At first, they took to the trees for safety—fleeing goblins and raiders who stalked the roads. But soon, life above the ground became a way of life. Over generations, Solace became a city in the sky.
The architecture of Solace is like nowhere else in Ansalon. Each home is built directly into or around a vallenwood tree, using the trunk itself as a wall, and the broad limbs as roof beams.
By law, no part of the living tree may be cut or burned. The buildings are designed to rest upon them without harm, connected by wooden bridges and rope walkways that sway with the motion of the forest. When storms sweep through Abanasinia, the homes creak and rock in the wind—an unsettling feeling to visitors, but to the people of Solace, it’s the heartbeat of their home. Even the smallest cottages perch high in the branches, while larger structures—shops, taverns, and meeting halls—hang forty feet or more above the ground. The only exceptions are the forge and the stables, which must stay below, near the road that winds through the town.
And towering among them all stands the legendary Inn of the Last Home. Built around the bole of an immense vallenwood, its colored glass windows catch the sunlight filtering through the leaves. The inn’s ale is dark, its potatoes are spiced to perfection, and its atmosphere is known throughout Ansalon. It was here that destiny gathered—where the Heroes of the Lance first reunited after years apart. Tanis Half-Elven, Sturm Brightblade, Flint Fireforge, Tasslehoff Burrfoot, and the Majere brothers—Raistlin and Caramon—met again beneath its roof, joined by Tika Waylan and others who would change the world.
When the Red Dragonarmy invaded Abanasinia, Solace burned. Dragons tore through the vallenwoods, setting the treetop homes aflame. A red dragon even ripped the Inn of the Last Home from its perch and dropped it to the ground below. But like the town itself, the inn endured. After the war, it was rebuilt and raised back into the trees—symbolic of Solace’s unbreakable spirit. Despite its small size—barely five hundred souls—Solace has long been the beating heart of Abanasinia. It sits at a crossroads between cultures: to the south, the elven kingdom of Qualinesti; to the east, the plains of the Que-Shu barbarians; and to the west, the trade road that leads toward Haven.
For generations, Solace has been known as a town of travelers—a resting place for adventurers, wanderers, and those who have nowhere else to go. Its people are friendly and open-minded, but practical too. Lawlessness is bad for business, and the folk of Solace keep a sharp eye on both their ledgers and their neighbors. The land around Solace is lush and varied. To the west lies the Darken Wood, home to unicorns, dryads, and the mysterious Forestmaster. To the north, the plains of Abanasinia stretch toward the Straits of Schallsea, golden with grain under the fickle summer sun.
Winters here are harsh—snow can block the mountain passes and cut Solace off from Haven entirely. But when the thaw comes, traders return, and the bridges of Solace are once again alive with laughter, music, and the smell of Otik’s famous potatoes.The War of the Lance left Solace scarred. The vallenwoods were blackened, homes destroyed, and the people driven to live in caves and hovels while they rebuilt. But the trees grew quickly—miraculously so—and within a few short years, new homes sprouted in the branches once more.
Caramon and Tika Majere, who had both fought in the war, eventually became the inn’s new owners. Together they raised a family there, keeping the hearth lit for travelers as Otik once did. In later ages, Solace continued to be a place where the world’s fate seemed to converge. The Tomb of the Last Heroes, just outside the village, became a sacred resting place for those who perished in the war against Chaos—Tanis, Goldmoon, Riverwind, and the Knights of both Solamnia and Takhisis alike. Guarded by Solamnic Knights, it remains a pilgrimage site for travelers from across Ansalon.
During the Age of Mortals, Palin Majere—nephew of Raistlin—founded the Academy of Sorcery in the hills overlooking Solace. It became a beacon of learning in a new era, where wild magic flourished and the gods were silent. But tragedy struck again when the green dragon Beryllinthranox attacked. Palin’s son, Ulin Majere, destroyed the academy rather than let its power fall into draconic hands. Today, only ruins remain—picked over by youths chasing legends of lost magic. Even so, Solace endured. Refugees gathered around it in a sprawling camp known as Sad Town, seeking hope in the shadow of the vallenwoods.
The Legion of Steel, born from the chaos of that age, made Solace its home for many years before moving on. Through every war, every age, and every loss, Solace has rebuilt. It is the constant—the home that always waits at the end of the road. Solace is more than a village. It is the soul of Abanasinia, a place where the past and future of Krynn meet among the branches of the vallenwood trees. A home for wanderers. A resting place for heroes. And a reminder that even in a world scarred by gods and dragons, the simple warmth of hearth and home can endure forever.
Outro
And that is all I have to say about Solace. What do you think of this small town? Would you like to live high up in the Vallenwoods? Do you think the town would be famous if it weren’t for the Heroes of the Lance? Leave a comment below.
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After writing a battle scene between gods and dragons, nothing beats going shopping. With a coupon.
