The Chaos War | dlsaga.com

The Chaos War nearly destroyed Krynn, if it weren’t for heroes willing to stand up to Ionthas, the father of all and nothing, and the gods finally accepting they are the true threat to their precious world. Let’s learn more about the Chaos War. Buy Dragonlance: Fifth Age Dramatic Adventure Game: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/186462/Dragonlance-Fifth-Age-Dramatic-Adventure-Game-SAGA?affiliate_id=50797

Transcript

Cold Open

Which comes first: the chicken or the egg? Or more specifically, Reorx’s gambling problem or Hiddukel’s trickery?

Intro

Welcome to another DragonLance Saga episode. My name is Adam and today we are going to talk about The Chaos War. 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 Dragons of Summer Flame, Dragonlance: Fifth Age Dramatic Adventure Game, Chaos War Adventures, Seeds of Chaos & Chaos Spawn and the Dragonlance Campaign Setting sourcebook for this information. If I leave anything out or misspeak, please leave a comment below!

Discussion

There are two primary reasons for the Chaos War. The first was Wizards of the Coast buying TSR and wanting to capitalize on a then dying franchise, Dragonlance, and the second was Ariakan Ariakas. How was Ariakan and the Knights of Takhisis to blame you may ask? The Greygem was captured by the Irda on their hidden island of Anaiatha. It was the Knights of Takhisis who were exploring the smaller islands and landmasses scattered around Ansalon who discovered Anaiatha, which terrified the native Irda. The Irda Decider made the choice to crack open the Graygem and use its magic to shield their island from the world. This is the single act that released Ionthas, otherwise known as Chaos, who made war on Krynn, causing what would be referred to in the first half of the Fifth Age as the Second Cataclysm.

The Chaos War was defined by the Gods and mortals of Krynn coming together under the control and direction of the Knights of Takhisis to stop Chaos. The Chaos War began with the breaking of the Graygem in 383 Alt Cataclius, only thirty years after the War of the Lance. This was a time of reconstruction. Diplomats were working to ease relations between the good nations of Krynn, the Knights of Solamnia were in the middle of a r eformation under the direction of the Grand Master Gunthar Uth Wistan, Raistlin Majere traveled back to the Age of Might and challenged the Gods, Kitiara Uth Matar known as the Blue Lady waged War on Palanthas with Lord Soth, and the Knights of Solamnia released Lord Ariakan. While the Que-Shu rose under the leadership of Goldmoon and Riverwind, Ariakan also grew a new knighthood based on the Knights of Solamnia, but with the direct influence from Takhisis. They developed the knighthood in secret off the northern coast of Ansalon in the Turbidus ocean on a hidden isle called Storm’s Keep.

The Knights of Takhisis were such a vital threat that after conscripting the Tarmak from Ithin’carthia, nothing seemed to be able to stop them. Even after Caramon Majere and Tanis Half-Elven tried to convince the Knights of Solamnia of their might, no one took their threat seriously. So with military precision, the Knights of Takhisis invaded Ansalon from its northeastern coast, and it was as if the Dragonarmies had returned but with honor and discipline. Palin Majere would hear his uncle’s voice in his head and traveled with Steel Brightblade to the Tower of High Sorcery in Palanthas and entered the Abyss. There he found Raistlin Majere, and together they spied on the pantheon of deities discussing the threat of Chaos. Chaos being released by the Irda caused a massive heatwave all across Krynn.

While the Knights of Takhisis were conducting their lightning campaigns, capturing Kalaman, Eastern Solamnia, Neraka and most of Ansalon’s heartland, Because of the sweltering heat caused by Chaos, crops withered and died, rivers turned to muddy trickles and countless lakes and ponds evaporated and disappeared. The sky was blanketed by a constant haze, disease raged unchecked, and many clerics preached of Storms of Chaos coming from the north. Divine magic was also unpredictable as the gods were busy trying to deal with this new dire threat.

The Knights of Takhisis began their assaults on Silvanesti, Qualinesti and Southern Ergoth with their divided force, simultaneously as Lord Ariakan set his sights on The High Clerist’s Tower. The Gods made the decision to unify the people of Krynn under the Knights of Takhisis in order to stand against Chaos. The High Clerist’s Tower, which had stood as a protective beacon of Solamnia for well over a millenia, fell in a single day, taken by Lord Ariakan and the result were the countless deaths of Knights of Solamnia, and the Hero of the Lance, Tanis Half-Elven. Within a month Southern Ergoth and Qualinesti and all the land from Nordmaar southeast through the Khalkist Mountains including Kendermore, and south through the Plains of Dust, and west into Solamnia and Abanasinia were all conquered by the Knights of Takhisis. Only Northern Ergoth, Silvanesti, Thorbardin and some Khalkist hill dwarves resisted. Mount Nevermind erupted as the gnomes tried to use War Machines against the Knights of Takhisis. As Ariakan maintained command from the High Clerist’s Tower, his forces easily took control of Palanthas, and then the storms of Chaos hit. Takhisis calls her dragons and Knights into the Abyss to strike back at Chaos and his minions, but tells Lord Ariakan to hold a wing back at the High Clerist’s Tower, so after the battle, they can easily maintain control of the devastated world.

Elves and Ogres fight side-by-side to protect Blőde and Silvanesti. The Vingard Mountains begin to burn and Chaos begins to release fire dragons underneath Thorbardin. A rift opens in the Turbidus Ocean as flames herald the release of Shadow-wights which utterly erase their victims from the River of Time and memory, daemon warriors and fire dragons. They wreak havoc upon western Noordmar, Estwilde, the Northern Wastes and the plains of Solamnia. The minions travel to the Sirrion sea as Dalamar the Dark leads wizards into the rift. And then Chaos reached the High Clerist’s Tower. Lord Ariakan fell with every single knight, the only survivors were the wing held back as Takhisis requested. The sun stops its procession across the sky, the stars and moons vanish, and Chaos runs wild across Ansalon. Frost Wights plague the Icewall Glacier, he gouges a huge canyon through the Solamnic Plains, the Lords of Doom outside Sanction erupt and the Blood Sea boils as the Maelstrom stops. The world is lost.

Reorx and Palin recover the pieces of the Graygem with a plan to recapture Chaos, and enter the Abyss with the spellbook of Magius. In a chaotic war of desperation, Metallic and Chromatic dragons led by Steel Brightblade attack Chaos. Tasslehoff Burrfoot cuts Chaos’ toe and Usha catches a drop of the blood in the Graygem. Having any aspect trapped in the Graygem forces Chaos to leave, only if the gods leave with him. In this moment, the Graygem explodes shooting tiny crystals into the air and the survivors find themselves in a field outside Solace where an image of Fizban, retconned to Takhisis, tells Palin that Magic and the gods are gone, and this is now the Age of Mortals. Islands called the Teeth of Chaos emerged from the ocean where the rift once was. Residual chaos minions continue to terrorize the land as they are slowly defeated by the survivors.

In less than a year, the Knights of Takhisis had more control of Ansalon than any force Takhisis ever created, only to be utterly decimated by Chaos. The land was devastated by the short lived war which would again, come to be known as the Second Cataclysm, and the people of Krynn would find a way to continue on. As they always do. The Tomb of the Last Hero’s was constructed outside Solace to honor the fallen Knights of Takhisis, Knights of Solamnia and other heroes who fell in the battle against Chaos.

Outro

And that is all I have to say about The Chaos War. What do you think of Ionthas, should he have left after a drop of blood was captured? Did Raistlin’s role in the Chaos War make sense? And finally, did you enjoy this transition from the Age of Despair to the Age of Mortals? Leave a comment below.

I would like to take a moment and remind you to subscribe to this YouTube channel, ring the bell to get notified about upcoming videos and click the like button. This all goes to help other Dragonlance fans learn about this channel and its content. Thank you for watching, this has been Adam with DragonLance Saga and until next time, remember:

I’ve never had my guts ripped out before and, while it would certainly be entertaining, I don’t suppose it would be conducive to a long life.