War of the Lance

Lore & Background

The turning point of the conflict involved the legendary Dragonlances, powerful weapons forged from dragonmetal—a special alloy—that could pierce the scales of even the most powerful wyrms, though they were not the only means of slaying dragons; other magic items and high-level heroes could also achieve this. The war culminated not in a single siege, but with the decisive defeat of the Dragonarmies at the Battle of Neraka, which ended the conflict. Takhisis was not banished during this war; her banishment occurred later, after the Chaos War in 383 AC. The gods began returning in 351 AC, during the war's final year, but this was a late-war event, not a mid-war phenomenon—their return helped restore divine magic and lift the Dragonarmy's restrictions on arcane magic, though magic had always been accessible to those who studied it.

In Their Own Story

The wind howled through the ruins of Palanthas, carrying the acrid scent of sulfur and ash. A lone rider clad in white armor paused atop a crumbling wall, his hand gripping the hilt of a sword that hummed with a faint, holy light. Below, the shadow of a red dragon eclipsed the setting sun as it unleashed a torrent of fire upon the fleeing refugees. 'Hold the line,' he whispered to himself, though no army stood behind him. He was the last shield between the innocent and the dark. As the dragon's roar shook the stones beneath his boots, he drew his blade, knowing that today, hope would either die or be forged anew in the fires of war.

Reader's Guide

The War of the Lance is the central narrative of the Dragonlance Chronicles, serving as the defining event for the world of Krynn. It begins shortly after the Cataclysm, a magical disaster that reshaped the continents and left humanity vulnerable to the resurgence of evil. At the heart of the conflict are the Dragonarmies, legions of humans and orcs enslaved by the Dark Queen Takhisis through the power of dragons. These forces sweep across Ansalon, enslaving populations and burning cities. Resistance is initially disorganized, but it coalesces around the Knights of Solamnia and a group of unlikely heroes known as the Companions. The war explores themes of betrayal, redemption, and the cost of freedom. The split within the Knights of Solamnia highlights how fear can corrupt even the noblest orders. Ultimately, the war is won not by overwhelming force alone, but by the unification of the people of Krynn against a common enemy, proving that hope can survive even in the darkest ages.

Did You Know?

• During this war, the gods of Krynn were largely absent or silent, leaving mortals to fight without divine intervention for most of the conflict.
• The iconic Dragonlances were powerful weapons capable of killing dragons, but they were not the only means; other magic items and high-level heroes could also slay them in canon. No single 'Lance of the Dawn' exists in c
• The war concluded with the defeat of the Dragonarmies at the Battle of Neraka, not with Takhisis's banishment; she was banished from Krynn after the Chaos War in 383 AC.