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Dragons of Spring Dawning is the third book in the Dragonlance Chronicles series, written by Tracy Hickman and Margaret Weis. It continues events from Dragons of Winter Night and sets up the premise of the Dragonlance Legends trilogy, also written by Weiss and Hickman

Publication History[]

Originally published in September 1985, this novel has seen multiple reprints with the latest reprint in March 2004. [1] The novel has also been adapted into 12 issue comic book series.

Plot summary[]

BOOK 1[]

The book begins with Tanis Half-Elven in Flotsam. Kitiara has recently left for Solamnia to lead the Dragonarmies in their failed attack against the High Clerist's Tower, which was depicted in the previous novel and resulted in the death of Sturm Brightblade. Taking advantage of her absence, Tanis leaves to meet with the other companions again, unaware that he is followed by the draconian Gakhan, Kitiara's personal assassin. Returning to his friends (Goldmoon, Riverwind, Tika Waylan, Caramon Majere and Raistlin Majere), Tanis tells them the half-truth that he was mistaken for an officer by a Dragon Highlord and forced to continue the impersonation for his own safety. Ashamed of having spend the past several nights with Kitiara, Tanis does not tell them she is the Highlord in question. Only Raistlin realizes the half-elf is lying at least in part and makes a point of telling him so when they are alone.

Later on, the companions arrive at the ship Perechon, where the mysterious Berem (also called "the Everman" and "the Green Gemstone Man") works as a helmsman. The ship sails out to the forbidding Blood Sea of Istar, a sea that was created by the destruction of the legendary city of Istar during the Cataclysm. At the center of the blood sea there is a perpetual storm over a whirlpool. This whirlpool continually churns up the rich red soil of Istar from the sea floor and gives the waters the appearance of blood.

Kitiara leads her forces and her dragon Skie to follow the Perechon. Berem panics when he sees the minions of Takhisis and steers the ship straight towards the whirlpool. Raistlin recognizes Kitiara despite her armor and Tanis tells the companions the full truth of his absence. Although their faith in him has been shaken, the companions choose to continue following Tanis, much to his shame.

The Perechon is caught in the whirlpool and the heroes realize they're doomed. Believing Raistlin's magic is their only hope for survival, Tanis and Caramon find him only to realize he is planning on escaping by himself by using his Dragon Orb to teleport away. When Tanis asks if he can teleport them all away, Raistlin says doing so would tax him more and possibly cause failure, something he refuses to risk. Believing that Raistlin will not harm his brother Tanis orders Caramon to stop him but is shocked when the mage reveals that he already proved he is quite capable of killing his twin during his test at the Tower of High Sorcery. Raistlin vanishes, leaving Caramon shocked by his twin's abandonment. Soon afterwards, the Perechon tips over the edge of the whirlpool and the rest of the companions vanish beneath the waves.

Raistlin's spell brings him to the steps of the Great Library of Palanthas, where the great librarian/historian Astinus lives. Astinus is said to have been the first living thing on Krynn and will supposedly also be the last and he seems to spend every waking moment chronicling the history of the world around him. The strain of working such powerful magic has left Raistlin on the verge of death. When told of his presence, Astinus orders his aesthetics (a semi-monastic order responsible for the preservation and cataloguing of Astinus's voluminous history of Krynn) to bring the mage into the library.

As Raistlin recovers his wits, Astinus refers to him as “old friend”, which confuses him and causes him to wonder if they've met before. Likewise, Raistlin is startled by the fact that he doesn't see the effects of age and time touching the historian's face. Although Astinus claims that they have met before and that Raistlin gave him an object known as the Sphere of Time, he does not go into greater detail than that.

Knowing he will die soon, the mage requests access to the ancient spell books in the Great Library. Astinus grants this, but Raistlin becomes violently angry when he realizes that the spells of these books can't be accessed without "The Key”, a formula that has been lost over the ages because it was so common that no one bothered to write it down. Watching over the wizard who he believes will die soon, Astinus says his good-byes but then accidentally lets slip the fact that the gods Paladine, Gilean and Takhisis, Queen of Darkness, are possessors of "the Key of Knowledge." Calling upon the spirit of that has helped him before (during the Test) and that has spoken through him before (during Dragons of Winter Night), Raistlin makes some kind of dark bargain saying "Save me and save yourself." As he vanishes away, Astinus wonders about what evil he has helped unleashed.

The Master of Past and Present[]

While exploring Palanthas, Tasslehoff Burrfoot and Flint Fireforge have a close encounter with the Tower of High Sorcery of Palanthas. Flint and Tasslehoff come across the tower while wandering the streets of Palanthas, and despite the feeling of terror that sweeps over them, they get closer than any human being has ever gotten. As soon as the pair come within sight of the Shoikan Grove that surrounds the tower and see the dark cloaked shape that drapes its gates, they flee in terror.

Laurana Kanan is meeting with Lord Amothus, the leader of Palanthas, in an attempt to convince the Palanthians to join the war against the Dragonarmies when she is introduced to Astinus. He relates to her the story of the Tower of High Sorcery of Palanthas, telling the elfmaid that “its history is bound up in your destiny." He explains that the tower was one of the five original Towers of High Sorcery. During the Lost Wars, it was abandoned due to the rising mistrust of magic. But after everyone had apparently left and contemporary politicians were about to take possession, a black robe mage revealed himself at the top of the tower and proclaimed “The gates shall remain closed and the halls empty until the day that the master of both the past and the present returns with power!” The mage then flung himself onto the gates, dying from impalement as he cursed the grounds and the grove with dark magic.

Laurana then receives a message from Lord Gunthar Uth Wistan, leader of the Knights of Solamnia, in which he names her as the new commander of the knights stationed in Palanthas (a political move on Lord Gunthar's part to limit political maneuvering within the knighthood). Lord Amothus then places her in command of the armies of Palanthas as well. Laurana seeks advice from Astinus who agrees to answer two questions. Laurana asks Astinus one question of the head (is there another Dragon Orb in existence) and one question of the heart (where is Tanis.) Astinus answers by essentially telling her to forget about both the Dragon Orbs and Tanis.

Gilthanas and Silvara arrive at Palanthas, bringing the legendary good dragons with them. The two explain that together they journeyed to Sanction, the home of the Dragonarmies and discovered the truth about the origin of the draconians. The Dragonarmies had ensured that the good dragons would not join the war against them by taking their eggs hostage. But now in the Temple, Gilthanas and Silvara see that the clerics of Takhisis and the mages of the black robes have been perverting the eggs of the good dragons with in order to spawn the new race of draconians. Having been told what has happened with their eggs, the good dragons are now willing to join the fight and avenge their children. Later that night Gilthanas interupts Laurana while she is making battle plans to tell her that while he was in Sanction he overheard Kitiara talking about how Tanis was serving her. Laurana quietly accepts this information and resumes making her battle plans.

With the Dragonlances in her possession and the good dragons on her side, Laurana organizes a flying cavalry of Knights of Solamnia and has her army take the offensive. She becomes known as the "Golden General" and earns the love and admiration of the people of Solamnia as she leads her army to victory after victory over the Dragonarmies. During one of these battles, Tasslehoff and Flint ride a bronze dragon known as Fireflash (Khirsah), and Tasslehoff capture Kitiara's second-in-command Bakaris (who had insisted on riding into battle despite not being able to use one of his arms) as Laurana's army routs the Dragonarmies from Vingaard Keep.

BOOK 2[]

The Golden General has driven the Dragonarmies out of northern Solamnia and liberates the city of Kalaman in time for the Spring Dawning festival where she is celebrated as a hero in a day long celebration. During the celebrations, Tasslehoff encounters a cloaked draconian (Gakhan) who has a message for Laurana from Kitiara. Kitiara's note says that Tanis has been mortally wounded and wants to see Laurana before he dies which Kitiara will only allow in exchange for Laurana returning Bakaris to her. Flint and Tasslehoff both insist that Kitiara is lying, but Laurana, who already believes Tanis is with Kitiara (due to Kitiara having spoken convincingly of Tanis being with her when the two women met at the High Clerist's Tower and Gilthanas subsequently confirming Kitiara's claim), and who also believes that she understands and can trust Kitiara to honor a truce (based on their encounter at the High Clerist's Tower where Kitiara had behaved in a honorable manner and had not tried to physically harm Laurana even when having the perfect opportunity to kill or capture the elfmaid), is convinced the message is true and decides to make the exchange. Flint and Tasslehoff then insist on accompanying Laurana to the exchange to which she agrees.

Emperor Ariakas, leader of the Dragonarmies, goes to Dargaard Keep to execute Kitiara for the many defeats she has suffered. However, the death knight Lord Soth stays the Emperor's hand, and Kitiara then convinces Ariakas that she has a plan to regain the advantage in the war by capturing the Golden General which will demoralize the Solamnic armies and leave them vulnerable to a counteroffensive.

With Flint and Tasslehoff's help, Laurana sneaks Bakaris out of the city to the rendezvous point where they find not Tanis but rather Gakhan and a pair of wyverns waiting for them. Bakaris and Gakhan then take Laurana prisoner by threatening to have the wyverns kill Tasslehoff and Flint if she resists. Bakaris then orders Gakhan away, after which Bakaris transports Laurana, Flint, and Tasslehoff by wyvern to a location near Dargaard Keep. Bakaris then declares his intent to rape Laurana as revenge for his injuries and imprisonment. Laurana tries to defend herself, but Bakaris overpowers her and knocks Flint unconscious. Bakaris then drags Laurana into a cave, but before he can rape her, Tasslehoff sneaks up behind him and stabs him, after which Laurana attacks Bakaris in a rage and knocks him down onto his own knife, killing him. The three companions are about to return to Kalaman when Lord Soth appears. Soth's power is far too great for the companions, and he takes Laurana.

Following their voyage into the whirlpool, Tanis and his companions, along with Berem the Everman (who reveals he only pretends to be mute) find themselves in the ancient city of Istar, which is underwater and now inhabited by sea elves who saved them from death. The companions meet the sea elf Apoletta and her husband, a red robed human mage named Zebulah. At first Apoletta is reluctant to help the companions or allow them to return to the surface, believing that the war on the surface is none of her peoples' concern. But when Tanis tells her of the Dragonarmies and explains that the good dragons have not been seen, nor even remembered except in legends, she realizes how dire the situation is and relents.

The Companions wash up just outside of Kalaman with only vague memories of the underwater city. They arrive in the city and find Tasslehoff and Flint who tell them everything that has happened. Kitiara then comes to Kalaman and reveals that Laurana has been taken to the Temple of Takhisis in Neraka. Kitiara then demands unconditional surrender from the knights, elves, dwarves, and good dragons and that Berem the Everman must be delivered to her within three weeks, or else she will kill Laurana. Grief-stricken, Tanis resolves to go to Neraka with Berem and attempt to rescue Laurana. Caramon, Tika, Flint and Tasslehoff insist on accompanying him, but Tanis refuses to allow Riverwind and Goldmoon to come along as they have a child on the way. Before Tanis leaves, he and Gilthanas come to understanding, as the elf now also understand the pain of love due to the fact that he feels he can't return Silvara's affections as she's really a dragon. Before they part, Gilthanas calls Tanis “brother” and agrees to take over the defense of the city.

BOOK 3[]

The Companions depart for Neraka and meet up with Fizban and the golden dragon Pyrite (who "polymorphs" into a statue so that he can be carried for the trip). During the trip, Berem runs off and is soon tracked to a rock face with a narrow tunnel. Flint is the first through and the first to enter the bowl shaped, boulder strewn valley known as Godshome. During the chase, Flint's heart gives out and he collapses. Berem, hearing Flint cry out, rushes back to help him and reaches the Dwarf just as Tanis emerges into the valley. As he lies dying, the old dwarf reveals he has had a heart condition that has been acting up and he says farewell to his friends. Looking at Fizban, he claims to at last understand who the old wizard is and asks that he ensure he doesn't have to journey alone. Fizban promises and the old dwarf dies. Fizban then carries Flint to a pool of glassy black rock in the center of the valley, a rock which seems to hold the image of all the stars and moons. Reaching the center of the rock, the pair vanish before Tanis' eyes. In the rock, the constellation of Paladine (which had vanished in the first book of the series) returns to the sky, though when Tanis looks up he still can't see it.

Berem finally decides to tell the companions his full story. He explains he was born near Neraka only a few years before the Cataclysm. He had a sister name Jasla and one day they discovered a jeweled column half-buried in the ground. This was in fact the foundation stone of the Kingpriest's temple and it had landed there after being hurled through various planes of existence. When Berem was overcome with greed and proceeded to pry one of the emeralds loose but Jasla sensed the sacred aura of the place. They struggled and Jasla died when she fell against the column. The Queen of Darkness herself then manifested and seared the emerald into Berem's chest as a reward for freeing him, revealing that this column is like a doorway to the Abyss. Jasla's pure spirit, however, remains with the column and she blocks the Dark Majesty's escape, telling Berem to run as a new Temple of Takhisis is built around the site. Since that day, Takhisis's true goal has been to use the Everman to break his sister's enchantment upon the column and fully return to the world.

The Companions reach Neraka and the Temple of Takhisis, underneath which they know the column remains. When guards become suspicious of them, Tanis decides he's the riskiest prisoner to be discovered and needs to separate from the others. He quickly calls out to Kitiara nearby and joins her, hoping to save Laurana while the others can take care of the column without getting caught. Tanis tells Kit that he has come to offer himself in exchange for Laurana and that he is prepared to serve under her as an officer in the Dragonarmies. Kitiara seems to agree but actually intends for the elfmaid to be tortured by Takhisis and given to Lord Soth to become his undead consort. By forcing him to witness this, Kitiara hopes to break Tanis once and for all and remold him to her liking.

Meanwhile, Gakhan realizes the true identities of the ones who arrived with Tanis. When he tries to grab the Everman though, Berem kills him and an alarm sounds during the battle. Berem hears his sister Jasla calling to him and sets off to find the jeweled column. Caramon follows the Everman while Tika and Tas run off in another direction to draw off pursuit.

Meanwhile, up above, the Grand Council of the Dragon Highlords has begun and Tanis marches into the grand chamber at the head of Kitiara's troops. Emperor Ariakas presides over the council, since he possesses the Crown of Power and, as Kitiara explains "whoever holds the crown rules." All the Highlords are there except for Lord Toede, who has been killed by the Kender hero Kronin Thistleknot. Ariakas and Kitiara's armies nearly come to blows but then the Queen of Darkness herself manifests upon the largest platform in the room and restores order. Lord Soth then brings in a body wrapped in winding cloth and presents it to Kitiara who cuts the cocoon open to reveal a nearly suffocated Laurana. The elfmaid staggers to her feet and then sees Tanis who treats her coldly so as to maintain his cover. Kitiara then presents Laurana to the Queen and asks that Tanis be accepted for service in the Dragonarmies and that Laurana's soul be given to Lord Soth. Tanis then must bow before Takhisis who agrees to grant both of Kitiara's requests and instructs Tanis to lay his weapon at the feet of Emperor Ariakas to symbolize his allegiance. Tanis considers killing Ariakas instead, but realizes the Highlord is a magic-user and has protected himself with a type of force-field. Tanis then hears a voice in his head that seems to be coming from a black robed wizard standing next to Takhisis. The wizard tells Tanis to strike, assuring him that he will be helped to defeat the Highlord's magic. Tanis draws his sword and runs the evil Highlord through with it, surprised to find the Highlord's shield disrupt as he makes the killing blow.

Chaos and Escape[]

Moments later, trumpets blare, are a signal that a very special chamber deep beneath the temple is beset by intruders. The Queen of Darkness commands the black robed wizard to investigate and he vanishes. Tanis wears the Crown which he plans to trade for himself and Laurana's lives, but the elfmaid, believing Tanis corrupt, breaks free on her own. Laurana overpowers Kitiara, stealing the Highlord's sword and knocking her down, and then, when Tanis tries to stop her from running off, she shoves him off the platform and escapes by herself. This causes Tanis to drop the Crown and chaos erupts as everyone tries to grab it.

Caramon and Berem reach the chamber of the jeweled column and but are suddenly blocked by Raistlin, who now wears black robes. Looking stronger and sounding a bit different, Raistlin explains that he allied himself Takhisis to get greater power (and presumably to obtain the Key of Knowledge) and that he has now in turn betrayed her by helping Tanis kill Ariakas. To Caramon's surprise, Raistlin allows Berem to go to the jeweled column. The Everman throws himself upon the column and, killing himself. As his spirit is reunited with his sister Jasla, the Dark Queen's doorway to the real world closes. By using Tanis and the Everman, Raistlin has now taken away his two rivals Ariakas and Takhisis and is now the single most powerful force for evil on Krynn. The Queen of Darkness is banished once more and her temple begins to collapse.

Believing he still owes some small debt to his brother and to Tika and Tasslehoff, Raistlin helps them (even saving Tasslehoff from death) and aids in their escape from Neraka. Raistlin then summons Cyan Bloodbane and flies away, but not before Caramon (who knows that his twin now walks the paths of darkest evil) makes a plea offer to accompany him. Raistlin refuses and tells his twin that they are now as the gods meant them to be, two whole and separate people.

Tanis is able to fight his way out of the great hall and he then runs desperately through the corridors searching for Laurana. He finally catches up with her and pleads for forgiveness only for Kitiara to then arrive. Kitiara offers Tanis one last chance to join her as ruler of the Dragonarmies and warns him that Lord Soth is coming. Tanis refuses and tells Kitiara that he will not only die for Laurana but that he will use his dying breath to ask Paladine to shield the elfmaid's soul from Lord Soth. Laurana realizes Tanis has not become corrupted, and Kitiara reluctantly tells the pair the location of the same exit that the other companions used. Tanis and Laurana flee just as Lord Soth enters the chamber. Lord Soth accuses Kitiara of being ruled by Tanis, but Kitiara insists she has in fact exacted her final revenge upon Tanis and Laurana, performing an act of mercy that will always keep her in Tanis' thoughts. The death knight then presents the Crown of Power to Kitiara.

Endings and Epilogue[]

Exiting the city, Tanis and Laurana meet up with Fizban, Caramon, Tika and Tasslehoff. Fizban then reveals (as Tanis had begun to suspect) that he is really the god Paladine. Tanis also recognizes him now as the old man at the Inn who first spurred them into action by calling for the guards in Dragons of Autumn Twilight. Fizban tell the heroes that both the good and evil dragons will remain on Ansalon and that balance has been restored between good and evil. He says that good was once the dominant force on Krynn during the reign of the Kingpriest, that this bred intolerance and arrogance, forcing the gods to bring about the Cataclysm in order to humble and temper mortals. Fizban explains to Caramon that the spirit who has helped Raistlin at times (and who Raistiln made a bargain with in the Great Library) is the ancient evil wizard Fistandantilus. But he points out that Raistlin is not being possessed and chose his life and his actions all by himself.

Tasslehoff, learning that Fizban is a God, is heartbroken to realize that he will have to say goodbye to yet another friend. To comfort Tasslehoff, Fizban tells him that Flint waits for him beside the forge of the god Reorx. He also implies that Tasslehoff will be experiencing a time travel adventure soon (which will occur in Dragonlance Legends) and decrees that "Fizban" will now be his name among the kender.

Laurana and Tanis go off alone and Tanis presents her old ring to her again. She throws it away however and tells him that it is the symbol of an immature selfish love, promising that she will make Tanis a new ring, made of steel and gold to properly symbolize their love.

As morning dawns, the companions separate. Tasslehoff to travel to Kenderhome, Caramon and Tika to travel to Solace and Tanis and Laurana to travel to Kalaman. In the Epilogue, Raistlin marches through the streets of Palanthas in the middle of the night and claims ownership of the Tower of High Sorcery. Dismissing the spirit of the dead black robe, Raistlin proclaims himself to be the Master of Past and Present whose coming was foretold and he settles into his new home.

Covers[]


Themes[]

This final book seems to deal with the majority of characters fully asserting their individual identity and growing up into a different person than they were in the first book. Raistlin is finally a stronger, independent man who doesn't need to lean on his brother for support. Tasslehoff learns fear for others through grief and becomes different from other kender. Tanis realizes that his love for Laurana is the balance of his dual nature. Laurana completely alters her views on the world and on what love means. Caramon seems to be the only one of the companions who is emotionally stuck, unwilling to let go of his brother or to accept Raistlin's capacity for evil.

Also Known As[]

  • Hungarian - A tavaszi hajnal sárkányai
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