Dragonlance 17 - Dragons Of A Vanished Moon (62 page)

pursue values of the spirit despite effort and trial. Monks are the most conspicuous among Majere's followers, but he is also revered by many mystics and theologians, as well as the intellectual

and spiritual gold dragons.

Mishakal, third among the gods of Good, is nearly as beloved as Paladine among the people of Krynn. Healer and Consoler, Mishakal strives to bring aid and comfort to those suffering in body and mind. Of the virtues, Hope is Mishakal's special concern, as she inspires mortals to trust in the promises and plans of the High God and the inevitable triumph of Good. She is also the patron of natural love, be it between parents and children, brother and sister, or man and wife. The silver dragons, who share Mishakal's concern and empathy for mortals, revere her deeply.

Of all the gods of Light, Kiri-Jolith, Sword of Justice, is the most martial. Tireless in his pursuit of Justice, Kiri-Jolith inspires his followers, among them the copper dragons, to protect the innocent and punish the forces of Evil. He is not merciless in this crusade, though, and directs his servants and those who look to him for guidance to temper justice with mercy and not to be carried

away by bloodlust and wrath.

Habbakuk, close ally to Kiri-Jolith, is Prince of Beasts and Lord of the Seas. He promotes respect for the natural glories of Krynn and teaches mortals to see in them a reflection of the glory and virtue of the eternal. At the same time, he inspires Temperance, which keeps the passions of mortals' animal qualities in harmony and balance. With the metallic dragons, he shares a fondness for the sea.

While Habbakuk teaches devotion to natural beauty, Branchala

inspires art, courage, and generosity. He encourages the people of Krynn to use artistic talents to lift the eyes of others heavenward and to muster courage, face fear, and strive for

goodness despite danger and opposition.

Last among the gods of Light is counted Solinari, Keeper of the Silver Moon and the White Archmage. All White Magic falls under his dominion, and all wizards in service to good pay him honor and accord. In return, Solinari teaches them Wisdom,

helping guide them in knowing when to use their great gifts to best further the goals of Good and keeping them from being

consumed by their hunger for magical power, as happens to so many mages of the Black Order.

The Gods of Neutrality

Brass and bronze dragons often consort with the neutral gods. Gilean, the Observer and Keeper of the Tobril, is the most impressive

of the neutral gods in terms of power, but he has very few followers on Krynn. Cold in heart and passionless in spirit, Gilean merely watches, intervening only when it appears one side in the great conflict may end the 'experiment' prematurely. Though he does not seek followers, he accepts the allegiance of historians, scientists, and others who strive for pure and objective knowledge.

Reorx, Lord of Earth, is also patron of craftsmen. His concern is with the attention of the maker to his craft and the quality of the results. He is the special patron of the dwarves, who are descended from humans he took into his service and taught secrets.

While Reorx takes an interest in craftsmanship, Shinare is patroness of trade, taking a delight in the cycles of exchange, commerce, and economic development. Though admired by honest merchants, she is only revered by those who, while trustworthy,

see nothing in life beyond their business. Many such tradesmen eventually fall prey to avarice and slip, knowingly or unknowingly, into Hiddukel's grasp.

Sirrion, Master of Flame, is primarily concerned with his chosen element, but also maintains an interest in inspiration and creativity. Alchemy is a favored subject, as well as other pursuits that seek transformation, or singular moments of beauty or intensity.

Most chaotic among the Neutral powers, his tendency to focus on the moment without a thought for consequences has made him often a pawn of the gods of Evil.

Chislev, Lady of the Woods, concerns herself with the natural world of Krynn, as it is and for its own sake rather than as a

reflection of Good, as is true of Habbakuk; nor does she attempt to dominate nature and use it as a weapon, in the manner of Zeboim. She concerns herself above all with the plants and trees of Krynn, more so than the beasts of the world. Of all the Neutral powers, she is perhaps the most likely to intervene in the affairs of the world, trying to protect nature from the ravages of Evil or the unintended damage caused as a side effect when Good defends itself and the world against the assaults of darkness.

Zivilyn, Seeker of Wisdom, is aide to Gilean and companion to Chislev. Unlike Gilean, who pursues knowledge of what is outside

mortals, Zivilyn encourages mortals to look within, finding wisdom in their own hearts. His approach sometimes brings tranquility, sometimes madness. Zivilyn sees both as viable paths to self-knowledge and enlightenment.

Last and seventh among the gods of Neutrality is Lunitari, Lady of the Crimson Moon and Red Sorceress. As the Mistress of Red Magic, wizards of the Red Robes pay her homage. Lunitari has a fondness for illusion and trickery, which makes her favored by confidence men, but her primary concern is magic for magic's sake, rather than as a part of the order of creation or a tool for her own domination.

The Gods of Darkness

With Chaos banished, Takhisis, Queen of Darkness, became the foremost opponent of Truth and Light upon Krynn. It is said by some that she betrayed Chaos and stole much of his power. What is generally accepted is that she inherited his megalomani-acal pride. She sees herself as the center and rightful master of all creation. Though she finds this, the queen of vices, distasteful in others, it is useful in tempting mortals away from the High God and into her clutches. The Dragon Queen also retains an interest in lust. She seeks disordered pleasures of the spirit—adoration and submission—for herself, and she stirs up disordered desires for pleasures of the flesh in mortals, so as to more easily entice them down the path of darkness.

Sargonnas the Vengeful stands next to Takhisis in the courts of the gods of night, and resents this deeply. Indeed, Sargonnas resents every slight and insult, and thus he is dominated by the vice of wrath which he champions, encouraging rampant bloodshed

and harsh punishment for the slightest offense. Blue dragons,

who evince fiery tempers, are his special favorites.

Chemosh, the Lord of the Undead, stands as counterpart to Majere and a master of wicked counsel. He specializes in sloth, that chill of the spirit that quenches the flames of love and faith and, while promising comfort and ease, turns life into a cold, joyless,

loveless mockery. In many cases, this culminates in the shadowed

life of the undead that Chemosh nurtures and cherishes. The white dragons, prone to this same coldness and long slumbers,

are often associated with the Prince of Bone.

Morgion the Seething dwells alone. He lost the glory and majesty that he so prized in the early days, when he chose to stand with Takhisis in her rebellion. He was wounded in the All-Saints War, reduced to wrack and ruin. Like his fellow gods of Evil, he both suffers from and encourages his particular vice. In his case, it is the sin of envy, which resents the good of others and seeks to reduce all to common misery. Morgion especially enjoys the spread of disease, which causes suffering of the flesh, and deceit, which often brings about torture of mind and soul. Any who feel themselves injured by the good of others or seek to bring someone low find the Spreader of Disease a ready ally. Because of this, he is favored by the spiteful green dragons, who resent and hate virtue and desire to cause pain and anguish in body and spirit.

Hiddukel, Prince of Tarnished Gold, is perhaps the most often invoked of all the Evil Powers, being the patron of avarice. Thus he is honored by thieves, corrupt merchants, and all seduced by the lure of gold. Hiddukel does much to foster this devotion, being himself dominated by the greed for souls. Red dragons, the most avaricious of all their kind, often pay tribute to Hiddukel and seek his aid in their acquisitions.

Zeboim, Lady of Tempests, pays scant attention to the intrigues of the gods or the affairs of mortals. As representative of gluttony,

she spends much of her time trying to consume as much as she can beneath the seas of Krynn, ranging from individual sailors to entire ships, cities, or islands. Black dragons are her pets, due to their love for water and their own insatiable hungers.

Nuitari, Master of the Dark Moon and Black Wizard, stands last among the gods of Evil. Desiring recognition and prone to vanity, he fosters the growth of black magic and attempts to choke out the work of Solinari and Lunitari so that he alone will be recognized as the source of magic in the world. His followers

are often obsessed with increasing their magical abilities, becoming the greatest wizards in history, and being feared or revered as such.

The Creation of Mortals

When the All-Saints War was brought to an end, the Firstborn mortals were created on Krynn, male and female.

All mortals spring from the thought of the High God and have their souls created by him. The gods of Good and Neutrality, as well as the High God himself, bestowed gifts upon the first parents

to help them function in the world and achieve their destinies.

The gods of Evil, though, were at work from the beginning of these new mortals' lives, and though they also promised gifts, they in truth lured the Firstborn to fall from their original state, be weakened in body and soul, and be cast under the shadow of the Dragon Queen.

Whether the three oldest races were created distinct from each other, or diverged from one father and mother into three races at some point in history, is a matter best left to your scholarship and dispute. Suffice it for now that within the earliest generations, elves, ogres, and humans were all present on Krynn.

Of the three races, the elves proved most faithful to the High God and least seduced or deceived by the wiles of Takhisis. Thus, they have retained many of the original gifts, such as a long life-span, physical health, and a clearer, more focused will. Their greater control of their passions makes them less likely to succumb

completely to the temptations of Evil, although they still must guard against that' weakness. Pride, selfishness, and sloth are the most dangerous characteristics of elvenkind.

The Irda, being strongest and physically most beautiful of the races, were coveted by the Dark Queen, who expended much effort to seduce them, and largely succeeded. The Irda did not lose their physical or mental gifts immediately, yet their will and intellect were darkened, and a seed of decay was planted within them, which would bear bitter fruit in the Age of Dreams. Thus did they become ogres.

Regardless, ogres retain a crude moral sense and a capacity to choose Good. However, while there are differences in ogrish cultures,especially those before and after the collapse of the last ogre empire and the historical decline of their race, all ogres exhibit anger, vanity, avarice, lust, and gluttony. Most ogres shrug off concerns about "Good" and "Evil" and willingly enslave themselves to their desires. Despite this, ogres still must be dealt with in a compassionate fashion, for they are not wholly Evil nor irredeemable.

Humans occupy something of a middle ground, neither as committed to Good as the elves nor as enslaved by Evil as the ogres. Despite this, humans have the greatest potential for either Good or Evil and are often the key movers in the historic events of Krynn, as they have achieved the greatest glory and goodness, yet also fallen into the most appalling depravity.

And so the Age of Starbirth ended and the Age of Dreams began, with the gods of Good determined to do their best to

realize a wondrous future for Krynn.

The Progression of Souls

Mortals are born into the world of Krynn for two purposes— each ordained by the High God. The first is internal: for the growth and enhancement of their own souls and those of others as they develop faith and exercise their agency of choice between Evil, Neutrality and Good. Some souls, when challenged by Evil,

choose to darken or lose themselves in the fires; others pass through such tests without failing but without attaining higher virtue; still others are purified and shine brighter than the stars, reflecting and radiating the High God's Light.

The second purpose is external: that mortals should take up their role in shaping the world of Krynn, bringing it to perfection, and, in the wake of the deeds of Chaos and the fall of Takhisis and her cohorts, repairing the wounds of Evil. The freedom of will given to mortals by the High God means that mortals may turn to dark ends. Yet the High God weaves Neutrality and Evil into the unfolding of the Tobril, inevitably bringing forth Good out of Evil. What mortals have called Fate is the expression of the High God's subtle but prevalent will upon Krynn.

Death, feared by so many mortals, is both an end and a

beginning. For souls who have chosen by their faith and actions to stand with the High God, death is an end to the trials of this life and a gateway to sharing in the love and glory of the High God. Those who chose to turn their backs on the High God, though, cast themselves into the Abyss, tormented by the wickedness they embraced in life. More than that I cannot say, for some things must be left to faith.

Some mortals fear the passage to the world beyond, either out of fear of the unknown or, if they are wicked mortals, a suspicion of what awaits them. In some cases, the Evil god Chemosh responds to this fear and offers mortals a chance at a fake and

perverted form of immortality. This attempt to "cheat death" and

circumvent the progression of souls is but a sad joke that Chemosh delights in perpetrating. Those who accept his temptation find themselves trapped within their dead bodies or otherwise bound to the world of Krynn, doomed to a horrid existence until destroyed or freed from Chemosh's bonds. Even dragons are not immune to Chemosh's seductions, as the recent case of Cyan Bloodbane indicates. Some wizards have pursued a similar fate through dark magic. I have heard it said that Chemosh and Nuitari conspired to release the secrets of lichdom into the world for their own gain.