Dragonlance Wiki
Register
Advertisement

Krynn is the third planet in the Krynnspace solar system. Many different races dwell on its surface. The gods of Krynnspace's main focus is on this planet. It is the main chessboard of their games.

The world of Krynn was forged by Reorx, when he struck his hammer to the Anvil of Time, forcing Chaos to slow his cycle of destruction, during the Age of Starbirth. It is believed that five major continents exist on Krynn, though there are many islands and lesser land masses as well.

Surface & Climate[]

Krynn's surface is mostly covered in water. Two dominant continents make up its land with 3 lesser continents and other smaller landmasses, islands. The equator is tropical but becomes more temperate near the poles. Each polar cap is arctic in nature. This areas surface is covered in snow and ice.

List of Continents[]

Krynn c 351 AC

Krynn circa 351 AC

Adlatum[]

Main article: Adlatum

Taladas[]

The larger continent lies far to the northeast of Ansalon in the northern hemisphere. It's landmass is about 1,900 from west to east and 1,300 from north to south. The Cataclysm, known to Taladans as the Great Destruction, broke the continent into several large land masses all clustered around the Burning Sea. Notable geographical features include the Guurlamskas Ocean to the north, the Windless Ocean to the south, and the aptly-named Western Ocean.

Two unique features are the Shining Lands, where the land is made up of black sand that cuts like razors and the ground is like a black glass lake. The other area is the Burning Sea, this section of Taladas is where the gods stuck on the day of the great cataclysm. Nothing but a molten sea remains.

Ansalon[]

Perhaps the most well-known of Krynn's continents, Ansalon is located in the southern hemisphere. Ansalon is bordered by the Turbidus Ocean to the north, the Courrain Ocean to the east, the land of Icereach to the south, and the Sirrion Sea to the west. Ansalon was once a single land mass, except for a few islands such as the Isle of Sancrist. The Turbidus Ocean bordered western Ansalon at that time, until the Cataclysm destroyed the Empire of Istar and caused massive shifts in both land and sea. Ansalon is approximately 1,300 miles from east to west, and 1,000 miles from north to south. Notable islands near Ansalon include the Blood Sea Isles, Northern Ergoth, Southern Ergoth, Sancrist Isle, Schallsea, and Storm's Keep. These lands have all the basic land features, although between the god Chaos and the Dragon Overlords, some have been altered during and after the second cataclysm.

Chaos ravaged the land during the Second Cataclysm. In his wake, all areas he touch were altered in some way. Notable places are Teeth of Chaos and Footprint of Chaos.

The Dragon Overlords used means of magic to change the surrounding lands of their realms. Making the extreme geographical features more to their liking. Most dramatic alteration was the lush land known as Kendermore. This land was turned in to a barren waste land, dotted with volcanoes.

Icereach[]

Icereach may or may not be a continent, but it is one of Krynn’s largest land masses. Much of Icereach is unexplored, and it may extend south for thousands of miles. Icewall Glacier connects the frozen land to Ansalon. It is here in this region that Chorane located.

Ithin'carthia[]

Located somewhere east of Ansalon, the small continent of Ithin'carthia is the home of the blue-skinned Tarmak and their subjugated Damjatt and Keena neighbors. The Tarmak brutes are a strange people that respect only power, and consider it an honor to be burned by dragon breath.

Bodies of Water[]

Small land masses and Islands[]

North of Ansalon, near Krynn's equator, are eight islands collectively known as the Dragon Isles. This island chain is considered a myth to most of those on Krynn, and is the home of the good dragons.

  • Spine of Taladas

The Spine of Taladas is a coral island chain located southwest of Taladas but northeast of the undersea Watermere. The Irda island of Anaiatha was once here, but broke off during the Cataclysm. The remainder of that island is called Selasia, and is the largest island in the Spine.

See also: List of Dragonlance locations

History[]

The majority of the history of Krynn is actually the history of Ansalon, as it is the most well-known continent. The history of Krynn is measured in the following time periods: PC, or Prae Cataclius, meaning before the Cataclysm, AC, or Alt Cataclius, meaning after the Cataclysm, and SC, or Secundus Cataclius, a time period that overlaps AC and means the time after the Chaos War. It is also divided into five Ages, the Age of Starbirth, the Age of Dreams, the Age of Might, the Age of Despair, and the Age of Mortals.

Age of Starbirth[]

Main article: Age of Starbirth

The Age of Starbirth saw the creation of the world and the formation of the first races.

Age of Dreams[]

Main article: Age of Dreams

The Age of Dreams contains the First Dragon War fought by the elves under Silvanos Goldeneye against the evil dragons. The elves prevailed against the evil dragons using magical stones that were lost after the war. Kender, minotaurs, and dwarves begin to settle, however the dwarves disturb the magical stones and unleash the evil dragons again. This begins the Second Dragon War, which is ended by the great power of several mages, however this power scars the land of Ansalon. These mages learn the law of magic and form the Wizards of High Sorcery and the Towers of High Sorcery. After this war, the Kinslayer War is fought, and Qualinesti is founded. Later, the Rose Rebellion is led against the Empire of Ergoth and Solamnia is founded by Vinas Solamnus. In addition, Istar is founded in this Age. The Third Dragon War erupts, leading to the great sacrifice by Huma Dragonbane to keep Takhisis away from the world.

Age of Might[]

Main article: Age of Might

The Age of Might sees the rise of Istar. Paladine holds great stock in the relatively new nation. Istar grows and begins trading, growing stronger and stronger until it is a major world power. Istar fights with several nations in protest to their growing power. The Kingpriest begins rulership of Istar and declares itself the moral center of the world. Istar begins to lose sight of the balance between good and evil and tries to eradicate evil in the world. Mages are persecuted by the Kingpriest, and they are forced to retreat to the Tower of Wayreth. Soon, the Kingpriest demands from the gods the power they gave to Huma Dragonbane in hopes of destroying all evil. The gods grow angry and they hurl a fiery mountain at Ansalon, an event known as the Cataclysm.

Age of Despair[]

Main article: Age of Despair

The Age of Despair is a time of famine and of evil. Nations descend into squalor, and the Knights of Solamnia become a dishonored group. Takhisis readies herself to launch the War of the Lance upon Ansalon. When the War of the Lance erupts, the Heroes of the Lance fight back against Takhisis, leading to the defeat of her armies at several fronts and her total defeat at Neraka when Berem, the Everman and the secret to either Takhisis's final defeat or success, is allowed to die. After the War, Raistlin Majere begins his plans to ascend to godhood and this culminates in the destruction of Palanthas. Also, the Knights of Takhisis are formed by Ariakan. The Chaos War erupts and in its terrible wake the Age of Mortals begins.

Age of Mortals[]

Main article: Age of Mortals

The Age of Mortals sees the appearance of the Dragon Overlords, a group of incredibly large and powerful dragons who take control of the lands of Ansalon. With the loss of traditional arcane and clerical magic, Palin Majere establishes sorcery and Goldmoon establishes Mysticism. Years later, the War of Souls comes to Ansalon, where it is discovered Takhisis stole the world from the other gods in order to become the sole god. Several Overlords die during this time, including Malys the Red, the greatest of the Overlords, and Beryl the Green, the ruler of Qualinesti and the areas around it, and Khellendros the Blue, ruler of the lands around Solamnia. Takhisis herself is killed because she has been stripped of her immortality, and Paladine also descends into mortality. At the current time setting of the novels, the world of Krynn is still reeling from the War of Souls.

Krynn's Sky[]

There are three moons on the planet of Krynn, and each is the face of one of the gods of magic. They chose not to put themselves in stars or planets, but to be as close to Krynn as possible so as to watch it. Wizards of High Sorcery draw power from these moons and their respective gods. The moons are the white moon Solinari, representing the god of good magic, the red moon Lunitari, representing the god of neutral magic, and the black moon Nuitari, representing the god of evil magic. Nuitari as a moon is little-known; it can only be seen by those who use it for their magic. Most people believe in only two moons, Solinari and Lunitari. The moons often are referred to or translated as the same name as the magic gods themselves, therefore not always its rightful name.

In addition, the other gods of evil and of good have a constellation representing them, whereas the other gods of neutrality, aside from Gilean, who has a constellation, have planets. The constellations will occasionally vanish when it is believed that the appropriate god is walking on Krynn. All constellations briefly vanished during the Cataclysm, and the constellations of Paladine and Takhisis vanished during the War of the Lance.

During the three decades between the Second Cataclysm and the War of Souls, when Takhisis stole Krynn from the other gods, a single pale white moon was the only moon of Krynn (this satellite had no name and disappeared after the world was returned to the gods and the other 3 moons returned). In addition, all the stars had changed.

See also: Night Sky of Krynn

Religion[]

There are seven Gods and Goddesses for each alignment of good, evil, and neutral, including the three gods of magic, each of which corresponds to a different moon. Solinari influences good magic, Lunitari influences neutral, and Nuitari influences dark magic.

There are also several "pagan" gods, worshiped by barbarian clans. These gods hold no real power or sway over the people of Krynn. They are merely imposters of one form or another.

Appendix[]

External Links[]

References[]

  • Amber and Ashes
  • The Annotated Dragonlance Chronicles
  • The Annotated Dragonlance Legends
  • Blades of the Tiger
  • The Dark Queen
  • Divine Hammer
  • The Dragon Isles (Novel)
  • Dragonlance Adventures
  • Dragonlance Campaign Setting
  • Dragons of a Fallen Sun
  • Dragons of a Lost Star
  • Dragons of a Vanished Moon
  • Dragons of Summer Flame
  • Dragons of the Dwarven Depths (PB) p. 331
  • Fifth Age Dramatic Adventure Game: Book Two
  • The Legend of Huma
  • Night of Blood (Novel)
  • Otherlands
  • Return of the Exile
  • Sacred Fire
  • Tasslehoff's Map Pouch: The Age of Mortals
  • Tasslehoff's Map Pouch: The War of the Lance
  • Tasslehoff's Map Pouch: Legends
  • "The Continent of Ansalon" maps
  • Time of the Dragon: The Guide Book to Taladas
  • Towers of High Sorcery (Sourcebook)
  • Wizards' Conclave (Novel)
Advertisement