Read the opening pages of Dragons of Deceit, the first new Dragonlance novel in more than a decade

The beloved Dragonlance sequence returns this summer time with Dragons of Deceit, the first guide in a new trilogy of Dungeons & Dragons novels by creators Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman. Polygon sat down with the pair not too long ago to debate the guide and the franchise they helped carry to life practically 40 years in the past. We may also share an unique excerpt — the first few pages from quantity one of the Dragonlance Destinies sequence.

Dragons of Deceit begins removed from the woods of Solace and focuses on a household that has possible by no means even heard of Otik and his legendary spiced potatoes. Its important character, Destina Rosethorn, comes from a noble lineage that makes its house far to the north in the land of Solamnia — quickly to be the entrance strains in the coming War of the Lance.

Image: Philipp Urlich

“The wonderful thing, I think, about the Rosethorns,” Hickman informed Polygon in an interview over Zoom, “is that they represent a completely different view of this war in that they are right in the middle of it. This isn’t something that’s happening in a very distant place. This is their home. This is their life.”

“The beautiful and predictive destiny I think that Destina has […] is completely broken by these outside forces and events,” he continued. “Dragons of Deceit is very much about this idea that the destiny we are expecting for ourselves is not the destiny that awaits us, and how do we deal with that really crushing disappointment that that represents.”

Destina won’t be alone on her journey by means of the land of Krynn, a incontrovertible fact that was made clear in late 2021 with the reveal of Dragons of Deceit’s cowl by artist Philipp Urlich. The noblewoman stands proudly in the heart of the body, flanked by none different than Tasslehoff Burrfoot — one of Dragonlance’s unique Companions. To her left is a new character, a mysterious dwarf named Wolfstone from the kingdom of Thorbardin. Behind them stands the equally mysterious copper dragon named Saber.

A synopsis of Dragons of Deceit was launched a number of weeks in the past and confirms that point journey will play a half in the narrative. Fans of the unique novels will little doubt acknowledge the Device of Time Journeying, which performed a central function in the Dragonlance Legends trilogy amongst others. Both Weis and Hickman commented on the energy that point journey gives them as storytellers.

“I think the great thing about time travel is the exploration of what if,” Hickman mentioned. “‘For all sad words of tongue and pen, the saddest are these: It might have been!’ I think that, intrinsically, the idea of What could have happened? What might have happened if we made different choices? If different things had happened? What destiny would we have?”

“It lets you explore depths of the characters that otherwise you wouldn’t get,” Weis added with a hearty chortle, “because nothing ever goes smooth. Whenever you’re dealing with time travel and supernatural, magical things like that, you’re always tempting fate.”

Not way back, the future of this new Dragonlance trilogy was itself in doubt. Weis and Hickman filed a $10 million lawsuit towards Wizards of the Coast, which owns the Dragonlance mental property, in the fall of 2020 alleging breach of contract. That swimsuit was settled in the winter of 2021, paving the approach for the Dragonlance Destinies trilogy to proceed to publication.

“My working relationship with Wizards of the Coast was just excellent,” Weis informed Polygon, emphasizing that she was in the end given the inventive freedom to jot down the guide she and Hickman needed to jot down.

“I think that it all comes out here in the end,” Hickman added. “The story that we have told is the story that we set out to tell, and it was the story that we really, very much wanted to bring to our fans and to the people who love Dragonlance. So, for us, the outcome really could not have been better.”

A new D&D journey guide, titled Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen, can be in growth at Wizards. Weis and Hickman performed no function in its writing or design. Dragons of Deceit comes out Aug. 9 and will likely be out there at native booksellers and on-line. The writing duo add that the manuscript for the third and closing novel in the trilogy has been accomplished and is in the first rounds of enhancing with their writer, Penguin Random House.

Destina joined her father and mom in the photo voltaic after the noon meal. The photo voltaic was the most nice room in the fort, for the afternoon solar shone by means of the quite a few home windows, lighting it and filling it with heat.

Atieno was in significantly good spirits. Among her individuals, a lady attained womanhood at the age of fifteen.

Gregory joined them, bearing a wood field containing his present. He grew more cheerful, as he all the time did when he was in his spouse’s presence. He kissed her and wished her pleasure of the day she had given him his daughter, his happiness.

“What is my gift, Mama?” Destina requested.

Atieno introduced Destina with a golden chain.

“Gold for the sun, for the sheaf of wheat, for the leaves in autumn,” mentioned Atieno. “Gold for the goddess of the yellow star.”

Destina was to not be lured into more dialogue of gods that didn’t exist. She hung the chain round her neck and thanked her mom.

Gregory introduced his daughter together with his present: a silver chalice adorned with a kingfisher motif. The kingfisher chook, with its vivid blue-sky and orange-fire plumage, had been chosen as the mascot for the knights by Vinus Solamnus, their founder. The kingfisher symbolized braveness and hope, for it was mentioned that on the day of the creation of the world, the daring kingfisher was the first chook who dared to take flight.

“For your hope chest, Daughter,” mentioned Gregory.

“Papa, thank you! This is beautiful.” Destina flung her arms round her father’s neck and kissed him.

Gregory embraced her after which poured wine for himself and his spouse to rejoice.

Image: Jared Blando

“Please, Papa, just a little for me in my new chalice?” Destina begged. “After all, Mama says that I am a woman today.”

She held out the chalice, and Gregory poured a number of swallows of crimson wine from the pitcher into the cup. Gregory and Atieno drank a toast to their daughter. Destina replied with because of her mother and father for giving her life and sipped the wine, admiring the chalice as she did so, turning it round and round in her hand. When she had completed, she handed the cup to her mom.

“You must tell my future in the dregs, Mama,” Destina mentioned.

Atieno gazed into the chalice the place the lees had sunk to the backside.

“What do you see, Mama?” Destina requested.

To her astonishment, Atieno gave a cry of horror and flung the chalice away from her. The silver cup hit the stone flooring with a resounding clang and rolled beneath a chest.

Atieno made a warding gesture together with her hand and muttered a few phrases that Destina didn’t perceive and presumed had been what her mom termed “magic.” Atieno then jumped from her chair and ran from the room.

Gregory stared after her in concern. “What is wrong with your mother? What did she say?”

“It seems Mama saw a bad omen in the dregs, and I believe she spoke a magic charm to ward off evil.”

“What was the omen about?” Gregory requested.

“I . . . um . . . couldn’t really understand her,” mentioned Destina. “I will go speak to her.”

She went in search of her mom and located Atieno at the window in her bedchamber, gazing out at the vivid blue sky above and burnished orange leaves under.

“Come look at the lovely colors, Destina. They are the colors of the kingfisher. Blue above and orange beneath.”

Destina was not in kingfishers or the colours of autumn. The Measure prohibited the perception in omens and portents, and Destina tried to obey, however she had so many questions and never one of the thirty-seven volumes of the Measure might reply them.

Atieno continued to gaze out the window. Destina noticed tears on her mom’s cheeks, and she or he grew even more frightened. Destina had by no means in her life seen her mom cry.

“Mama, what did you see in the dregs?” Destina demanded.

“How can we face what is coming?” Atineo requested. “How can we bear it?”

She turned to face Destina and mentioned softly, “My poor child . . .”

Destina took refuge in the Measure. “Mama, remember what the Measure says: ‘Paladine forges the sword, but man chooses how to wield it.’ That means each person is responsible for what he or she does in this life. The Measure also warns: ‘Trust not the soothsayer, for his words are lies to snare the unwary.’”

“And my people say: ‘The wolf is born to kill. The sheep is born to be killed,’” Atieno mentioned, fixing her with shimmering darkish eyes.

“Mama, please tell me what you saw in the chalice!” Destina mentioned desperately.

“Bring the chalice to me,” mentioned Atieno. “I will show you.”

Destina hurried to the photo voltaic to fetch the chalice. She needed to get down on her palms and knees to retrieve it from beneath a chest. She returned to her mom and held it out to her.

Atieno recoiled, refusing to the touch it.

“Look into it, Daughter, and tell me what you see.”

“Mother, you know I never see anything except dregs,” Destina protested.

“If you see, look!” Atieno insisted.

Image: Philipp Urlich

Destina sighed and peered into the cup, and this time she noticed that the dregs had fashioned a recognizable sample. She laughed and mentioned earlier than she thought, “Isn’t that funny, Mama. The lees are in the shape of a dragon. See, here is the tail and the head and the wings . . .”

She heard a strangled gasp and seemed up at her mom. The blood had drained from Atieno’s face and lips, leaving her brown pores and skin grey and leaden. “You saw the dragon! The same omen. I hoped I might be wrong, but you confirm it!”

“Mama, you are frightening me,” mentioned Destina. “I saw the shape of a dragon. These are nothing but lees, the dregs, dead yeast. Here, I will show you!”

She dipped her index finger into the chalice and ran it round the inside. The dragon disappeared, staining her finger crimson. Destina lifted her finger to point out her mom.

“There, Mama. You need not worry. The dead yeast is gone and so is the dragon.”

Atieno stared in horror at the crimson blotch on Destina’s finger. Then she sank into a chair, wanting so sick that Destina shouted for her father.

Dragons of Deceit

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