Raistlin Majere
Encyclopedia
Raistlin Majere is a fictional character
from the Dragonlance
series of book
s created by Margaret Weis
and Tracy Hickman
. Raistlin played an extensive role in the two main series of books, particularly in Dragonlance: Legends in which he was both primary protagonist and antagonist. He is brother to Caramon Majere
, half-brother to his protective sister Kitiara uth Matar, and a significant member of the Heroes of the Lance.
Born to a mother prone to trance-like fits and a woodcutter father, Raistlin inherited his mother's aptitude for magic. He undertook the arduous Test of Sorcery, which he passed, but in the process acquired golden skin, and was cursed with hourglass eyes which see the effects of time on all things. His health, while never robust, was ruined further, leaving him weak and subject to frequent bouts of coughing blood. Initially wearing the red robes of neutrality, as the first series progresses Raistlin's powers increase while his mood and actions darken, and he eventually adopts the black robes of evil part-way through the War of the Lance
.
Raistlin, although physically very weak, is extremely intelligent, and possesses uncommonly powerful magical abilities. While ruthless in his pursuit of power, he holds to a code of conduct which repays all debts and protects those disadvantaged through no fault of their own. His relationship with his much stronger, better-liked and good-natured twin brother Caramon is fraught with tensions as Caramon seeks to protect and shelter his weaker brother, while denying his cruelty and penchant for hurting any others while in pursuit of his goals.
saga. Raistlin was given to one of the players, Terry Phillips, to play. As Margaret Weis describes in the foreword of her prequel book, The Soulforge
, Terry Phillips is the man responsible for much of Raistlin's sarcastic and caustic character, taking it to depths that neither she nor Hickman had ever imagined. Raistlin is also Margaret Weis's favorite character. According to Hickman in the foreword to The Soulforge, "[we] were just settling in to the game when I turned to my good friend Terry Phillips and asked what his character was doing. Terry spoke...and the world of Krynn was forever changed. His rasping voice, his sarcasm and bitterness all masking an arrogance and power that never needed to be stated suddenly were real. Everyone in the room was both transfixed and terrified. To this day Margaret [Weis] swears that Terry wore the black robes to the party that night."
Raistlin is best described as the archetypal antihero or tragic hero
. He is a Mage of High Sorcery, first bearing the Red Robes, marking him as a worshipper of Lunitari. During the five years in which the future Heroes of the Lance go their separate ways, Raistlin, after taking The Test in the Tower of Wayreth, has changed. He acquires golden skin and is cursed by Par-Salian, the head of the Mages Conclave on Krynn, with hourglass eyes that cause him to see Time as it affects all things. (This appearance was originally invented by Dragonlance cover artist Larry Elmore
, "because it would look just great"). His body is wrecked and he becomes even more sickly and physically weak than before. In Raistlin’s vision, all things wither and die before him; though longer-lived races, such as Elves
, are said to only appear to age slightly, while the Irda do not age to him at all. Raistlin views magic as a way to compensate for the lack of physical strength and personal charisma that his brother has, and the inadequacy he feels about having to rely on others
A torn individual, Raistlin exhibits a strong superiority complex (as far as his power in magic and his intelligence are concerned), and knows almost nothing of true loyalty to others (although, despite this, Raistlin usually keeps his promises and pays his debts). He only follows Tanis Half-Elven, the unofficial leader of the companions, because he feels that doing so will ultimately benefit him. (At one point, early in Dragons of Winter Night
he tells Laurana: "I do not follow Tanis. We are merely traveling in the same direction... for the time being.") He is also condescending and extremely resentful regarding his lack of physical strength, especially as he is often forced to rely on his twin brother for support, generating feelings of jealousy towards his twin rather than feelings of affection and gratitude. Raistlin harbors a secret hate for his twin’s physical power and easygoing manner, and for the attention and comradeship it seems to earn him, as Raistlin’s own appearance and secretive nature causes others to be mistrustful and apprehensive.
These factors ultimately culminate in Raistlin’s turn to evil, donning the Black Robes of evil wizards (those who worship the Black Moon, Nuitari), and, through a deadly deal he made during the test in the Tower of High Sorcery with an ancient and legendary Archmage of terrible power, Fistandantilus, eventually rises to become the most powerful mortal on Krynn
.
Contrary to his usual nature, Raistlin holds a soft spot for others who are treated poorly because of weaknesses that are not their fault (such as gully dwarves). He identifies with such people, and is thus quick to help them as he is quick to help himself. There are also rare instances when Raistlin feels genuine regret that he cannot return to the times of his childhood, when he was capable of feeling love. This is somewhat of a regular occurrence throughout the saga, and to a large degree adds to his relative depth.
, Raistlin Majere and his twin brother Caramon were born in the town of Solace, Abanasinia, to a woodcutter named Gilon Majere and his wife, Rosamun (who, because she possessed magical abilities but was forced to suppress it by her upbringing, had a habit of slipping into uncontrollable trances). They were preceded by an older half-sister, Kitiara uth Matar, the product of Rosamun’s first marriage to a purported ex-Solamnic Knight, Gregor uth Matar. Raistlin was born sickly and on the verge of death. In fact, the midwife felt that the baby Raistlin should be allowed to die as an act of mercy. Only due to Kitiara’s stubborn refusal to let him die (and subsequent treatment and care) did he finally overcome the infantile ailment and live.
Possibly as a result of this early illness, Raistlin was always a sickly child, but possessed a fierce intellect, in stark contrast to his slow-thinking, but not unintelligent, physically stronger twin. In fact, according to the common lore of the world of Krynn
(supported by statements made by the god, Paladine, in the closing chapters of Dragons of Spring Dawning), identical twins were considered to be one person split in two. For this reason, Raistlin believed he had been given the mind, and Caramon the body.
Kitiara, still driven by a desire to find a use for her brothers, was annoyed by Raistlin for this same reason. She knew Caramon would make a great warrior, but she did not know what to do about his brother. The answer came when a powerful archmagus of the White Robes, named Antimodes, stopped for a night in Solace. Kitiara, after much effort, persuaded the archmage to talk to Raistlin, who impressed the archmage with intellect and wisdom beyond what Antimodes felt should be possessed by a child of six. He was also frightened by another trait Raistlin possessed: the desire to control others. However, after this meeting, Antimodes personally saw to Raistlin’s enrollment in a school for magic, even paying for his first semester’s tuition.
As years passed, Raistlin learned the basics of the arcane tongue from his schoolmaster, and was taunted and isolated by his schoolmates who termed him "the Sly One". However, Raistlin, rather than being upset by this lack of acceptance, enjoyed the fact they feared him enough to try to destroy him. Soon enough, the time came for Raistlin to take the first test of magic. After writing the words "I, Magus" upon the lamb’s skin, and a desperate prayer to the gods of magic (he was also visited by the three gods of magic who made him swear to worship them), the words lit up with such ferocity that the skin was utterly consumed.
It would be several more years before Raistlin finally learned to cast his first spell. The twins were sixteen. While Raistlin was away for his schooling, a widow by the name of Judith began to take care of Rosamun, the twin's and Kitiara's mother. Widow Judith was a believer in the snake god Belzor, who had a growing following; it appeared as if Judith was of great help for Rosamun, for their mother showed evidence of much improvement under the widow's care...nevertheless, Raistlin was not fond of the woman, and she held him in disdain for his interests in magic.
His father, Gilon, was mortally injured in a terrible logging accident, and was brought back to Solace just in time to say a few last words to his sons. Widow Judith comforted the distraught Rosamun, insisting that the god Belzor would perform a miraculous healing for her husband. When Gilon died, Widow Judith argued that it had been Rosamun's lack of faith, her daughter Kitiara's unsavory lifestyle, and Raistlin's study of magic which caused the god to forsake Gilon in his time of need. When Raistlin spoke out against Judith's claims, the woman made to attack him. The people of Solace had apparently heard enough, for they ran Widow Judith out of town. Rosamun, struck dumb by the sudden loss of her husband, fell into one of her trances, sinking so deep that she never re-emerged. She died three days later. At her funeral, driven nearly senseless and hallucinating with his grief, Raistlin showed great disregard for the inclement weather that oversaw it, and fell into a deep fever. He only survived due to the unexpected return of Kitiara, who fought death over her brother once more and, like before, defeated it. It was after Raistlin’s recovery, when Caramon was overcome by terrible dreams, that Raistlin finally learned what it took to use the magic and cast a sleeping spell over his brother.
Raistlin and his brother formed a friendship with other citizens of Solace who would one day become their fellow Heroes of the Lance. These friendships and the mentorship of Flint Fireforge and Tanis Half-Elven helped fill the gap that the sudden loss of their parents had created. Raistlin’s skills continued to grow even as he developed a love for herbalism and played an instrumental role in saving Solace from a plague.
In the twins’ early twenties, they accompanied Flint, Tanis, and the kender
, Tasslehoff Burrfoot
, to Haven for a market fair. It was there that Raistlin encountered the cult of the false god Belzor, and where he again met the Renegade Wizard, Judith, who was using magic to bamboozle the townspeople into believing in her. By revealing she was using magic and not the powers of a god (by casting a spell of his own), Raistlin proved that she was a charlatan, destroying her cult and at the same time invoking the wrath of the townspeople against himself, coming dangerously close to being burned at the stake.
However, the spell Raistlin had used was illegal for him to cast, as an untested mage, by the law of the Conclave of Wizards. Rather than discipline him, less than one year later, the Conclave decided to summon Raistlin to the Tower of High Sorcery at Waywreth Forest to take the Test. This in itself was astonishing for no one so young had ever taken the grueling test, which touted death as the price of failure. Raistlin and his brother left Solace, being unable by Conclave law to tell anyone where they were going, and made their way to the Tower.
The Soulforge
, which is the true account of Raistlin's Test according to Astinus of Palanthus, finds Raistlin in the Inn Between on the outskirts of the town of Haven. After being invited to drink with three elves, named Liam, Micah and Renet, they offer Raistlin a job. They need a mage to go into the house of the town's mageware shop, owned by Lemuel, a friend of Raistlin's, in order to rob it of the treasures said to be there. Raistlin, initially planning to warn Lemuel, agrees to go in after the elves tell him that they know of secret spellbooks hidden in the shop. After entering the house and going into the basement alone, Raistlin encounters the evil Fistandantilus. Realizing that he is taking the Test, and that the elves (in actuality powerful dark-elf mages themselves) will kill him for even speaking with Fistandantilus, the evil lich offers him a bargain: Raistlin's life force in exchange for the power to pass the Test and defeat the elves.
Raistlin accepts, and when Fistandantilus unlocks the basement door after teaching Raistlin a spell, the elves attack, casting a magical fireball too quickly for Raistlin to react. In desperation and out of instinct, Raistlin throws up his hands to stop the fireball that is hurtling towards him. However, instead of obliterating him, it "burst on him, over him, around him. It burst harmlessly, its effects dissipated, showering him with sparks and globs of flame that struck his hands and astonished face and then vanished in a sizzle, as if they were falling into standing water." Raistlin casts the spell learned from Fistandantilus, and kills the three dark elves.
After the battle, Raistlin notices that his skin has turned a gold color, forming a magical armor that had protected him from the fireball. Fistandantilus denies that he created the armor for Raistlin, telling Raistlin that it is an armor of his own making. Realizing that this armor will protect him from Fistandantilus taking his life force, Raistlin reneges on his bargain. As he leaves the cellar, an enraged Fistandantilus threatens Raistlin, telling him that his Test is not yet over, and that if even a crack should appear in the armor, Fistandantilus will take the life promised him.
Finding himself magically transported back to the Tower of Wayreth, Raistlin believes his Test is over. Feeling a breath of air hitting his neck, Raistlin manages to turn his body, changing what would have been an instantly killing knife thrust into one that does severe damage but leaves him alive. Liam, one of the dark elves, had survived the spell in the basement. In pain and failing strength, Raistlin overcomes the deeply wounded dark elf, and kills Liam with his own blade. Raistlin realizes that the blade Liam wielded had been covered with poison, and passes out, expecting to die.
Raistlin regains consciousness to find his brother, Caramon, walking towards him. Caramon picks Raistlin up, intending to bring his brother out of the Tower and away from the Test, which inflames Raistlin's feelings of weakness. As Caramon carries his brother out, the floating head of Fistandantilus appears, intent on taking what little life force Raistlin has left. As Raistlin prepares to cast a final spell that he knows will kill him in his weakened state, Caramon suddenly conjures lightning that strikes the floating head. After another blast of Caramon's magic lightning, the head of Fistandantilus disappears, leaving Raistlin to wonder what just happened. Caramon tells Raistlin that the spell was something he could always do, but since he preferred sword and shield, he had never told Raistlin. Raistlin snaps:
"It wasn't the physical pain that clouded his mind. It was the old inner pain clawing at him, tearing at him with poisoned talons. Caramon, strong and cheerful, good and kind, open and honest. Caramon, everyone's friend. Not like Raistlin-the runt, the Sly One. 'All I ever had was my magic,' Raistlin said, speaking clearly, thinking clearly for the first time in his life. 'And now you have that, too.' Using the wall for support, Raistlin raised both his hands, put his thumbs together. He began speaking the words, the words that would summon the magic...Beneath the layer of cold, hard rock, jealously bubbled and seethed. Tremors split the rock. Jealousy, red and molten, coursed through Raistlin's body and flamed out of his hands. The fire flared, billowed, and engulfed Caramon."
After killing his brother, Fistandantilus comes to claim Raistlin's life, reaching into Raistlin's chest and grabbing his heart. Raistlin grabs at the mage's wrist, telling Fistandantilus that while he may take his life, he would serve Raistlin in return.
Raistlin later learns that he did not in fact kill his brother. The Caramon in the tower had been an illusion created by Par-Salian, formed to show Raistlin the depths of his own hatred and arrogance. The real Caramon had been a witness to his brother's fratricide, in the hopes of severing the connection between the two brothers. This plan backfired however, as Caramon forgives Raistlin, believing him to not be in his right mind because of the Test, and with Raistlin's health severely crippled, Raistlin is even more dependent on his brother than ever. Any memory of Fistandantilus is gone (Par-Salian believing that this was Fistandantilus's own doing, so Raistlin would not fight him), and Raistlin believes his health has been destroyed due to the battle with Liam. Par-Salian, in order to teach Raistlin compassion and patience, curses him with the eyes of the sorceress Raelana, turning his pupils into an hourglass shape that shows him the effect of time on everything: "Youth withers before those eyes, beauty fades, mountains crumble to dust". As compensation for what he deems a necessary cruelty, Par-Salian gives Raistlin the Staff of Magius, one of the most powerful magical artifacts in existence, as well as a recipe for herbal tea that will help relieve Raistlin's now constant and wracking cough. Told to never tell anyone the story of what had happened in the Tower, the two brothers leave, with Raistlin now wearing the Red Robes of Neutrality.
During this same period, Kitiara had traveled to Sanction and met Ariakas: the man who was currently favored by Takhisis
. Ariakas did not yet trust Kitiara, and he gave her a mission to lure Immolatus, a red dragon, to his command. The dragon, embittered by the loss of his treasure, had declined orders to join forces with Ariakas. Kitiara's guile and quick-thinking led to her triumphant return to Ariakas with dragon in tow.
It was when Raistlin first encountered Immolatus that a new ability of Raistlin's cursed eyes was revealed. Upon encountering a dragon garbed in mortal guise, he could see partially through its transformation. In the book Brothers in Arms, the first encounter with Immolatus is described as such:
Immolatus mistakenly thought that Raistlin was a descendant of Magius, for he possessed the Staff of Magius. After Raistlin was intimidated by the disguised red dragon, he escaped the tent and returned to his own army's camp. It was Immolatus' mission to locate for Takhisis
the eggs of the gold and silver dragons that lay in the mountains where the nearby city of Hope's End was besieged. Raistlin and Caramon, taking their wounded to a temple that had once belonged to Paladine, Leader of the gods of Light, found themselves exploring it, along with Scrounger. It was there that the twins ran into Immolatus again. At of the end of Brothers in Arms, Raistlin and Caramon remain with the army.
was engulfed in the conflict that would be known as the War of the Lance
. During this time, Raistlin helped to fight the darkness threatening to consume all of Krynn. He and his companions played a critical role, and would collectively become known as the Heroes of the Lance. Raistlin's magic powers increased at a dramatic rate as the war progressed. He gained control of a potent artifact known as the Dragon Orb of Silvanesti which he took from the dying elven King Lorac Caladon.
While caught in Lorac's Dragon Orb-induced dream he makes his first appearance donning black robes. To that point he had not yet converted to the side of evil. However his presence in the dream donning black served as foreshadowing. A common device in the early parts of the Chronicles series is Raistlin's hearing of an unknown voice in his mind. During this dream Raistlin hears this mysterious voice telling him that in order to save his life and the life of his comrades he must be willing to accept the black robes. Later while dying in the Library of Palanthas he pledges his loyalty to the God of Evil Magic, Nuitari, and accepts the black robes.
His acceptance of the black robes, however, was not approved by the Conclave, effectively making Raistlin a renegade wizard. It wasn't until later, when Raistlin has manipulated events to put himself in a position of power over the Conclave, that he demanded they make no effort to hunt him, or to interfere with him in any way. The Conclave agreed, and Raistlin's intervention prevented the death knight Lord Soth
from destroying the Tower of Wayreth and the wizards within.
Fistandantilus was able to petition the Dark Queen for a mysterious item known as the Key of Knowledge, which Raistlin was able to use to unlock a number of ancient tomes and gain vast power in the process. His ambition, however, was such that he betrayed the Dark Queen, ultimately bringing the War of the Lance to an end and leaving him as the most powerful force on Krynn.
He then took up residence in the Tower of High Sorcery of Palanthas, fulfilling an ancient prophecy
that had foreseen his appearance as the Master of Past and Present. He spent two years inside the Tower, learning its secrets, studying spells and experimenting.
Such was his power then that two years later, the historian Astinus, in Time of the Twins, described Raistlin's entry into the Tower as this:
Although the Conclave had previously believed that Raistlin harboured plans to conquer the world, they later learned through Raistlin's apprentice (and Conclave spy), Dalamar, that Raistlin's ambition stretched much further than this. Raistlin studied Fistandantilus' voluminous works on crossing the threshold between god and man, and decided to embark on an attempt to usurp Takhisis
, the Queen of Darkness. To recover knowledge lost during the Cataclysm
Raistlin travelled backwards through time to just before the Cataclysm, during the reign of the Kingpriest. Challenging the still-living Fistandantilus, Raistlin wins the duel and steals the archmage's identity, memories, and life force. The white wizard Par-Salian sent Caramon, cleric of Paladine Crysania and by accident the kender
, Tasslehoff Burrfoot
to the same time period in a desperate attempt to stop him. The presence of Tasslehoff horrifies Par-Salian, as unlike humans, elves, ogres and dragons, kender are capable of changing time. Crysania's presence is an effort to waken her from a coma brought on by confrontation the Death Knight Lord Soth
, which can only be accomplished by the Kingpriest of Istar. However, this plays into Raistlin's plans as access to the Abyss, the realm in which Takhisis resides, is through a gateway that can only be opened through the combined actions of a black-robed wizard of purest evil and priest of Paladine of purest good.
Tasslehoff, at Raistlin's prompting, remained in Istar in an effort to stop the Cataclysm by activating a time-travel device in the Temple of Istar. Instead he is forced into the Abyss where he manages to escape with the assistance of an also-trapped gnome. Raistlin, Caramon and the now-awakened Crysania escape the Cataclysm and travel forward in time to Dwarfgate Wars
, which are initiated by Raistlin in order to access the portal to the Abyss in Zhaman. In the guise of Fistandantilus, Raistlin attempts to open the portal. His actions are interrupted through Caramon's simultaneous use of his own time travel device, which results in a titanic explosion. Unlike the actual Fistandantilus, Raistlin is able to control the magical fluctuations and enter the Abyss with Crysania. Caramon and Tasslehoff are pushed into the future, where it is revealed that Raistlin was successful in defeating Takhisis and going on to destroy the other gods and all life on Krynn. Unable to create new life, Raistlin becomes the sole living creature in the universe, a snake devouring its own tail
.
Caramon and Tasselhoff attempt to stop Raistlin by returning to the time of his initial entry to the Abyss and confrontation with the Dark Queen. Caramon confronts Raistlin with his experience of the future and Raistlin's solitary, meaningless existence. Convinced of the truth of Caramon's statements, Raistlin tells his twin to take Crysania back to Krynn and gives up his life preventing Takhisis from passing through the portal. Though grieved at Raistlin's fate, Caramon has a vision of Paladine rescuing Raistlin's spirit and the story is retold throughout Krynn which leads to Raistlin becoming a popular hero
.
Raistlin returned again, a year later, during the Chaos War
. He was instrumental in the defeat of Chaos, even though the gods had stripped him of his power as the price for his hubris
.
Raistlin's spirit also assisted the gods to find Krynn
at the conclusion of the War of Souls
, after Takhisis
who was claiming to be the "One God" stole Krynn
and transported it to another part of the galaxy
. His soul is still lingering because he refuses to go on unless it is with his brother Caramon. He was able to locate Krynn
because he could sense Tasslehoff Burrfoot
using the device of time journeying. Then, with his brother Caramon and the Heroes of the Lance, Raistlin finally joined the River of Souls, and disappeared for the final time.
. The Swedish band Lake of Tears
recorded a song called "Raistlin and the Rose" for its 1997 album Crimson Cosmos. "The Soulforged", by German metal band Blind Guardian
, is another song inspired by Raistlin's story. The song appears on the band's 2002 album A Night at the Opera
. The Name Raistlin was further adopted by one of the guitarists of the German black metal
-band Fenfire as his stage name. "Wishmaster", a song by Finnish
metal band Nightwish
also pays tribute to Raistlin. Among other references, the song uses the word "Shalafi" (the elven word for "master", used by Dalamar toward Raistlin), and there is a lyric that reads "if you hear the call of arcane lore / your world shall rest on earth no more." The song first appeared on the 2001 album of the same name. The song is one of the most popular among the fans and is still played in concerts. In 2010 a Russian musical titled "Последнее испытание (The Last Trial)" emerged, telling the whole story of Legends in 39 songs, written over more than 10 years by Anton Kruglov and Jelena Chanpira.
headlined the animated movie Dragonlance: Dragons of Autumn Twilight
, voicing Raistlin, who was one of the main characters in the film . The tag line of the movie "Chaos. War. Death. This is what I see." is a quote from Raistlin.
appeared on the NY Times bestseller list for several weeks in 1986.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
from the Dragonlance
Dragonlance
Dragonlance is a shared universe created by Laura and Tracy Hickman, and expanded by Tracy Hickman and Margaret Weis under the direction of TSR, Inc. into a series of popular fantasy novels. The Hickmans conceived Dragonlance while driving in their car on the way to TSR for a job application...
series of book
Book
A book is a set or collection of written, printed, illustrated, or blank sheets, made of hot lava, paper, parchment, or other materials, usually fastened together to hinge at one side. A single sheet within a book is called a leaf or leaflet, and each side of a leaf is called a page...
s created by Margaret Weis
Margaret Weis
Margaret Edith Weis is a fantasy novelist who, along with Tracy Hickman, is one of the original creators of the Dragonlance game world and has written numerous novels and short stories set in fantastic worlds.-Early life:Margaret Weis was born in 1948 in Independence, Missouri, and later attended...
and Tracy Hickman
Tracy Hickman
Tracy Raye Hickman is a best-selling fantasy author, best known for his work on Dragonlance as a game designer and co-author with Margaret Weis, while he worked for TSR...
. Raistlin played an extensive role in the two main series of books, particularly in Dragonlance: Legends in which he was both primary protagonist and antagonist. He is brother to Caramon Majere
Caramon Majere
Caramon Majere is a fictional character from the Dragonlance books. He is depicted as a fighter and is one of the main characters in Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman's first Dragonlance trilogy, The Chronicles...
, half-brother to his protective sister Kitiara uth Matar, and a significant member of the Heroes of the Lance.
Born to a mother prone to trance-like fits and a woodcutter father, Raistlin inherited his mother's aptitude for magic. He undertook the arduous Test of Sorcery, which he passed, but in the process acquired golden skin, and was cursed with hourglass eyes which see the effects of time on all things. His health, while never robust, was ruined further, leaving him weak and subject to frequent bouts of coughing blood. Initially wearing the red robes of neutrality, as the first series progresses Raistlin's powers increase while his mood and actions darken, and he eventually adopts the black robes of evil part-way through the War of the Lance
War of the Lance
The War of the Lance is a fictional war in the Dragonlance setting, created by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman.-Publication history:The War of the Lance is the prime conflict in the Dragonlance saga....
.
Raistlin, although physically very weak, is extremely intelligent, and possesses uncommonly powerful magical abilities. While ruthless in his pursuit of power, he holds to a code of conduct which repays all debts and protects those disadvantaged through no fault of their own. His relationship with his much stronger, better-liked and good-natured twin brother Caramon is fraught with tensions as Caramon seeks to protect and shelter his weaker brother, while denying his cruelty and penchant for hurting any others while in pursuit of his goals.
Character profile
Raistlin Majere was created by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman as one of several characters to be involved in an epic Advanced Dungeons & Dragons campaign which they had written and designed. This was the beginning of the DragonlanceDragonlance
Dragonlance is a shared universe created by Laura and Tracy Hickman, and expanded by Tracy Hickman and Margaret Weis under the direction of TSR, Inc. into a series of popular fantasy novels. The Hickmans conceived Dragonlance while driving in their car on the way to TSR for a job application...
saga. Raistlin was given to one of the players, Terry Phillips, to play. As Margaret Weis describes in the foreword of her prequel book, The Soulforge
The Soulforge
The Soulforge is a fantasy novel written by Margaret Weis and set in the Dragonlance campaign setting. The novel was first published in January 1998, and covers the early life of the character Raistlin Majere.- Plot summary :...
, Terry Phillips is the man responsible for much of Raistlin's sarcastic and caustic character, taking it to depths that neither she nor Hickman had ever imagined. Raistlin is also Margaret Weis's favorite character. According to Hickman in the foreword to The Soulforge, "[we] were just settling in to the game when I turned to my good friend Terry Phillips and asked what his character was doing. Terry spoke...and the world of Krynn was forever changed. His rasping voice, his sarcasm and bitterness all masking an arrogance and power that never needed to be stated suddenly were real. Everyone in the room was both transfixed and terrified. To this day Margaret [Weis] swears that Terry wore the black robes to the party that night."
Raistlin is best described as the archetypal antihero or tragic hero
Tragic hero
A tragic hero is the main character in a tragedy. Tragic heroes appear in the dramatic works of Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, Seneca, Marlowe, Shakespeare, Webster, Marston, Corneille, Racine, Goethe, Schiller, Kleist, Strindberg, and many other writers.-Aristotle's tragic hero:Aristotle...
. He is a Mage of High Sorcery, first bearing the Red Robes, marking him as a worshipper of Lunitari. During the five years in which the future Heroes of the Lance go their separate ways, Raistlin, after taking The Test in the Tower of Wayreth, has changed. He acquires golden skin and is cursed by Par-Salian, the head of the Mages Conclave on Krynn, with hourglass eyes that cause him to see Time as it affects all things. (This appearance was originally invented by Dragonlance cover artist Larry Elmore
Larry Elmore
Larry Elmore is an American fantasy artist whose work includes creating illustrations for video games, comics, magazines and fantasy books. His list of work includes illustrations for Dungeons & Dragons, Dragonlance, and the comic strip series SnarfQuest...
, "because it would look just great"). His body is wrecked and he becomes even more sickly and physically weak than before. In Raistlin’s vision, all things wither and die before him; though longer-lived races, such as Elves
Elf (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, elves are a fictional humanoid race that is one of the primary races available for play as player characters. Elves are renowned for their grace and mastery of magic and weapons such as the sword and bow...
, are said to only appear to age slightly, while the Irda do not age to him at all. Raistlin views magic as a way to compensate for the lack of physical strength and personal charisma that his brother has, and the inadequacy he feels about having to rely on others
A torn individual, Raistlin exhibits a strong superiority complex (as far as his power in magic and his intelligence are concerned), and knows almost nothing of true loyalty to others (although, despite this, Raistlin usually keeps his promises and pays his debts). He only follows Tanis Half-Elven, the unofficial leader of the companions, because he feels that doing so will ultimately benefit him. (At one point, early in Dragons of Winter Night
Dragons of Winter Night
Dragons of Winter Night is a fantasy novel by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman, based on the Dungeons & Dragons gaming modules. It is the second book in the Chronicles Trilogy, preceded by Dragons of Autumn Twilight and followed by Dragons of Spring Dawning. It was the second Dragonlance novel,...
he tells Laurana: "I do not follow Tanis. We are merely traveling in the same direction... for the time being.") He is also condescending and extremely resentful regarding his lack of physical strength, especially as he is often forced to rely on his twin brother for support, generating feelings of jealousy towards his twin rather than feelings of affection and gratitude. Raistlin harbors a secret hate for his twin’s physical power and easygoing manner, and for the attention and comradeship it seems to earn him, as Raistlin’s own appearance and secretive nature causes others to be mistrustful and apprehensive.
These factors ultimately culminate in Raistlin’s turn to evil, donning the Black Robes of evil wizards (those who worship the Black Moon, Nuitari), and, through a deadly deal he made during the test in the Tower of High Sorcery with an ancient and legendary Archmage of terrible power, Fistandantilus, eventually rises to become the most powerful mortal on Krynn
Krynn
Krynn is the fictional world of the Dragonlance novels, co-written by Tracy Hickman and Margaret Weis. It has also been used in many other books, set in the Dragonlance universe. It is also used as the main setting in the Dragonlance campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing...
.
Contrary to his usual nature, Raistlin holds a soft spot for others who are treated poorly because of weaknesses that are not their fault (such as gully dwarves). He identifies with such people, and is thus quick to help them as he is quick to help himself. There are also rare instances when Raistlin feels genuine regret that he cannot return to the times of his childhood, when he was capable of feeling love. This is somewhat of a regular occurrence throughout the saga, and to a large degree adds to his relative depth.
Early life
As described in the fantasy novel The SoulforgeThe Soulforge
The Soulforge is a fantasy novel written by Margaret Weis and set in the Dragonlance campaign setting. The novel was first published in January 1998, and covers the early life of the character Raistlin Majere.- Plot summary :...
, Raistlin Majere and his twin brother Caramon were born in the town of Solace, Abanasinia, to a woodcutter named Gilon Majere and his wife, Rosamun (who, because she possessed magical abilities but was forced to suppress it by her upbringing, had a habit of slipping into uncontrollable trances). They were preceded by an older half-sister, Kitiara uth Matar, the product of Rosamun’s first marriage to a purported ex-Solamnic Knight, Gregor uth Matar. Raistlin was born sickly and on the verge of death. In fact, the midwife felt that the baby Raistlin should be allowed to die as an act of mercy. Only due to Kitiara’s stubborn refusal to let him die (and subsequent treatment and care) did he finally overcome the infantile ailment and live.
Possibly as a result of this early illness, Raistlin was always a sickly child, but possessed a fierce intellect, in stark contrast to his slow-thinking, but not unintelligent, physically stronger twin. In fact, according to the common lore of the world of Krynn
Krynn
Krynn is the fictional world of the Dragonlance novels, co-written by Tracy Hickman and Margaret Weis. It has also been used in many other books, set in the Dragonlance universe. It is also used as the main setting in the Dragonlance campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing...
(supported by statements made by the god, Paladine, in the closing chapters of Dragons of Spring Dawning), identical twins were considered to be one person split in two. For this reason, Raistlin believed he had been given the mind, and Caramon the body.
Kitiara, still driven by a desire to find a use for her brothers, was annoyed by Raistlin for this same reason. She knew Caramon would make a great warrior, but she did not know what to do about his brother. The answer came when a powerful archmagus of the White Robes, named Antimodes, stopped for a night in Solace. Kitiara, after much effort, persuaded the archmage to talk to Raistlin, who impressed the archmage with intellect and wisdom beyond what Antimodes felt should be possessed by a child of six. He was also frightened by another trait Raistlin possessed: the desire to control others. However, after this meeting, Antimodes personally saw to Raistlin’s enrollment in a school for magic, even paying for his first semester’s tuition.
As years passed, Raistlin learned the basics of the arcane tongue from his schoolmaster, and was taunted and isolated by his schoolmates who termed him "the Sly One". However, Raistlin, rather than being upset by this lack of acceptance, enjoyed the fact they feared him enough to try to destroy him. Soon enough, the time came for Raistlin to take the first test of magic. After writing the words "I, Magus" upon the lamb’s skin, and a desperate prayer to the gods of magic (he was also visited by the three gods of magic who made him swear to worship them), the words lit up with such ferocity that the skin was utterly consumed.
It would be several more years before Raistlin finally learned to cast his first spell. The twins were sixteen. While Raistlin was away for his schooling, a widow by the name of Judith began to take care of Rosamun, the twin's and Kitiara's mother. Widow Judith was a believer in the snake god Belzor, who had a growing following; it appeared as if Judith was of great help for Rosamun, for their mother showed evidence of much improvement under the widow's care...nevertheless, Raistlin was not fond of the woman, and she held him in disdain for his interests in magic.
His father, Gilon, was mortally injured in a terrible logging accident, and was brought back to Solace just in time to say a few last words to his sons. Widow Judith comforted the distraught Rosamun, insisting that the god Belzor would perform a miraculous healing for her husband. When Gilon died, Widow Judith argued that it had been Rosamun's lack of faith, her daughter Kitiara's unsavory lifestyle, and Raistlin's study of magic which caused the god to forsake Gilon in his time of need. When Raistlin spoke out against Judith's claims, the woman made to attack him. The people of Solace had apparently heard enough, for they ran Widow Judith out of town. Rosamun, struck dumb by the sudden loss of her husband, fell into one of her trances, sinking so deep that she never re-emerged. She died three days later. At her funeral, driven nearly senseless and hallucinating with his grief, Raistlin showed great disregard for the inclement weather that oversaw it, and fell into a deep fever. He only survived due to the unexpected return of Kitiara, who fought death over her brother once more and, like before, defeated it. It was after Raistlin’s recovery, when Caramon was overcome by terrible dreams, that Raistlin finally learned what it took to use the magic and cast a sleeping spell over his brother.
Raistlin and his brother formed a friendship with other citizens of Solace who would one day become their fellow Heroes of the Lance. These friendships and the mentorship of Flint Fireforge and Tanis Half-Elven helped fill the gap that the sudden loss of their parents had created. Raistlin’s skills continued to grow even as he developed a love for herbalism and played an instrumental role in saving Solace from a plague.
In the twins’ early twenties, they accompanied Flint, Tanis, and the kender
Kender
Kender are a type of fantasy race first developed for the Dragonlance campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role playing game published by TSR Inc. in 1984. The first kender character was created by Harold Johnson as a playable character in a series of role-playing adventures...
, Tasslehoff Burrfoot
Tasslehoff Burrfoot
Tasslehoff Burrfoot is a fictional character of the kender race from the Dragonlance series of novels, written by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman. He was born in Kendermore. His parents are unknown and he has few known relatives. He has a sister, and also claims to have an Uncle Trapspringer...
, to Haven for a market fair. It was there that Raistlin encountered the cult of the false god Belzor, and where he again met the Renegade Wizard, Judith, who was using magic to bamboozle the townspeople into believing in her. By revealing she was using magic and not the powers of a god (by casting a spell of his own), Raistlin proved that she was a charlatan, destroying her cult and at the same time invoking the wrath of the townspeople against himself, coming dangerously close to being burned at the stake.
However, the spell Raistlin had used was illegal for him to cast, as an untested mage, by the law of the Conclave of Wizards. Rather than discipline him, less than one year later, the Conclave decided to summon Raistlin to the Tower of High Sorcery at Waywreth Forest to take the Test. This in itself was astonishing for no one so young had ever taken the grueling test, which touted death as the price of failure. Raistlin and his brother left Solace, being unable by Conclave law to tell anyone where they were going, and made their way to the Tower.
The Test
The Soulforge
The Soulforge is a fantasy novel written by Margaret Weis and set in the Dragonlance campaign setting. The novel was first published in January 1998, and covers the early life of the character Raistlin Majere.- Plot summary :...
, which is the true account of Raistlin's Test according to Astinus of Palanthus, finds Raistlin in the Inn Between on the outskirts of the town of Haven. After being invited to drink with three elves, named Liam, Micah and Renet, they offer Raistlin a job. They need a mage to go into the house of the town's mageware shop, owned by Lemuel, a friend of Raistlin's, in order to rob it of the treasures said to be there. Raistlin, initially planning to warn Lemuel, agrees to go in after the elves tell him that they know of secret spellbooks hidden in the shop. After entering the house and going into the basement alone, Raistlin encounters the evil Fistandantilus. Realizing that he is taking the Test, and that the elves (in actuality powerful dark-elf mages themselves) will kill him for even speaking with Fistandantilus, the evil lich offers him a bargain: Raistlin's life force in exchange for the power to pass the Test and defeat the elves.
Raistlin accepts, and when Fistandantilus unlocks the basement door after teaching Raistlin a spell, the elves attack, casting a magical fireball too quickly for Raistlin to react. In desperation and out of instinct, Raistlin throws up his hands to stop the fireball that is hurtling towards him. However, instead of obliterating him, it "burst on him, over him, around him. It burst harmlessly, its effects dissipated, showering him with sparks and globs of flame that struck his hands and astonished face and then vanished in a sizzle, as if they were falling into standing water." Raistlin casts the spell learned from Fistandantilus, and kills the three dark elves.
After the battle, Raistlin notices that his skin has turned a gold color, forming a magical armor that had protected him from the fireball. Fistandantilus denies that he created the armor for Raistlin, telling Raistlin that it is an armor of his own making. Realizing that this armor will protect him from Fistandantilus taking his life force, Raistlin reneges on his bargain. As he leaves the cellar, an enraged Fistandantilus threatens Raistlin, telling him that his Test is not yet over, and that if even a crack should appear in the armor, Fistandantilus will take the life promised him.
Finding himself magically transported back to the Tower of Wayreth, Raistlin believes his Test is over. Feeling a breath of air hitting his neck, Raistlin manages to turn his body, changing what would have been an instantly killing knife thrust into one that does severe damage but leaves him alive. Liam, one of the dark elves, had survived the spell in the basement. In pain and failing strength, Raistlin overcomes the deeply wounded dark elf, and kills Liam with his own blade. Raistlin realizes that the blade Liam wielded had been covered with poison, and passes out, expecting to die.
Raistlin regains consciousness to find his brother, Caramon, walking towards him. Caramon picks Raistlin up, intending to bring his brother out of the Tower and away from the Test, which inflames Raistlin's feelings of weakness. As Caramon carries his brother out, the floating head of Fistandantilus appears, intent on taking what little life force Raistlin has left. As Raistlin prepares to cast a final spell that he knows will kill him in his weakened state, Caramon suddenly conjures lightning that strikes the floating head. After another blast of Caramon's magic lightning, the head of Fistandantilus disappears, leaving Raistlin to wonder what just happened. Caramon tells Raistlin that the spell was something he could always do, but since he preferred sword and shield, he had never told Raistlin. Raistlin snaps:
"It wasn't the physical pain that clouded his mind. It was the old inner pain clawing at him, tearing at him with poisoned talons. Caramon, strong and cheerful, good and kind, open and honest. Caramon, everyone's friend. Not like Raistlin-the runt, the Sly One. 'All I ever had was my magic,' Raistlin said, speaking clearly, thinking clearly for the first time in his life. 'And now you have that, too.' Using the wall for support, Raistlin raised both his hands, put his thumbs together. He began speaking the words, the words that would summon the magic...Beneath the layer of cold, hard rock, jealously bubbled and seethed. Tremors split the rock. Jealousy, red and molten, coursed through Raistlin's body and flamed out of his hands. The fire flared, billowed, and engulfed Caramon."
After killing his brother, Fistandantilus comes to claim Raistlin's life, reaching into Raistlin's chest and grabbing his heart. Raistlin grabs at the mage's wrist, telling Fistandantilus that while he may take his life, he would serve Raistlin in return.
Raistlin later learns that he did not in fact kill his brother. The Caramon in the tower had been an illusion created by Par-Salian, formed to show Raistlin the depths of his own hatred and arrogance. The real Caramon had been a witness to his brother's fratricide, in the hopes of severing the connection between the two brothers. This plan backfired however, as Caramon forgives Raistlin, believing him to not be in his right mind because of the Test, and with Raistlin's health severely crippled, Raistlin is even more dependent on his brother than ever. Any memory of Fistandantilus is gone (Par-Salian believing that this was Fistandantilus's own doing, so Raistlin would not fight him), and Raistlin believes his health has been destroyed due to the battle with Liam. Par-Salian, in order to teach Raistlin compassion and patience, curses him with the eyes of the sorceress Raelana, turning his pupils into an hourglass shape that shows him the effect of time on everything: "Youth withers before those eyes, beauty fades, mountains crumble to dust". As compensation for what he deems a necessary cruelty, Par-Salian gives Raistlin the Staff of Magius, one of the most powerful magical artifacts in existence, as well as a recipe for herbal tea that will help relieve Raistlin's now constant and wracking cough. Told to never tell anyone the story of what had happened in the Tower, the two brothers leave, with Raistlin now wearing the Red Robes of Neutrality.
Mercenary Work
Not long after Raistlin left the Tower of High Sorcery, he and his brother found themselves in financial straits. It was also at this time that they heard of an army of mercenaries (led by the Mad Baron of Langtree) - information given to them by the white-robed wizard Antimodes, a close friend of Par-Salian. During this period Raistlin and Caramon encountered two new friends: a brown-robed mage (brown robes given to those who never take the test) named Horkin, and a half-kender named Scrounger.During this same period, Kitiara had traveled to Sanction and met Ariakas: the man who was currently favored by Takhisis
Takhisis
Takhisis is a fictional character from the Dragonlance universe. She is the main goddess of evil and head of the Dark Pantheon.- Titles and forms :...
. Ariakas did not yet trust Kitiara, and he gave her a mission to lure Immolatus, a red dragon, to his command. The dragon, embittered by the loss of his treasure, had declined orders to join forces with Ariakas. Kitiara's guile and quick-thinking led to her triumphant return to Ariakas with dragon in tow.
It was when Raistlin first encountered Immolatus that a new ability of Raistlin's cursed eyes was revealed. Upon encountering a dragon garbed in mortal guise, he could see partially through its transformation. In the book Brothers in Arms, the first encounter with Immolatus is described as such:
What Raistlin saw was a blurred portrait, two faces instead of one, two faces in a botched painting, as if the artist had allowed all the colors to run together. One face was the face of a human wizard. The other face was more difficult to see, but Raistlin had a fleeting impression of red, vibrant red, glittering red. There was something reptilian about the man, something reptilian about his second face. (298)
Immolatus mistakenly thought that Raistlin was a descendant of Magius, for he possessed the Staff of Magius. After Raistlin was intimidated by the disguised red dragon, he escaped the tent and returned to his own army's camp. It was Immolatus' mission to locate for Takhisis
Takhisis
Takhisis is a fictional character from the Dragonlance universe. She is the main goddess of evil and head of the Dark Pantheon.- Titles and forms :...
the eggs of the gold and silver dragons that lay in the mountains where the nearby city of Hope's End was besieged. Raistlin and Caramon, taking their wounded to a temple that had once belonged to Paladine, Leader of the gods of Light, found themselves exploring it, along with Scrounger. It was there that the twins ran into Immolatus again. At of the end of Brothers in Arms, Raistlin and Caramon remain with the army.
Involvement in the War of the Lance
After Raistlin passed his Test in Brothers Majere, AnsalonAnsalon
Ansalon is a continent on Krynn, the fictional world of the Dragonlance campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game....
was engulfed in the conflict that would be known as the War of the Lance
War of the Lance
The War of the Lance is a fictional war in the Dragonlance setting, created by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman.-Publication history:The War of the Lance is the prime conflict in the Dragonlance saga....
. During this time, Raistlin helped to fight the darkness threatening to consume all of Krynn. He and his companions played a critical role, and would collectively become known as the Heroes of the Lance. Raistlin's magic powers increased at a dramatic rate as the war progressed. He gained control of a potent artifact known as the Dragon Orb of Silvanesti which he took from the dying elven King Lorac Caladon.
While caught in Lorac's Dragon Orb-induced dream he makes his first appearance donning black robes. To that point he had not yet converted to the side of evil. However his presence in the dream donning black served as foreshadowing. A common device in the early parts of the Chronicles series is Raistlin's hearing of an unknown voice in his mind. During this dream Raistlin hears this mysterious voice telling him that in order to save his life and the life of his comrades he must be willing to accept the black robes. Later while dying in the Library of Palanthas he pledges his loyalty to the God of Evil Magic, Nuitari, and accepts the black robes.
His acceptance of the black robes, however, was not approved by the Conclave, effectively making Raistlin a renegade wizard. It wasn't until later, when Raistlin has manipulated events to put himself in a position of power over the Conclave, that he demanded they make no effort to hunt him, or to interfere with him in any way. The Conclave agreed, and Raistlin's intervention prevented the death knight Lord Soth
Lord Soth
Lord Soth, the Knight of the Black Rose , is a fictional character in the fantasy realms of Dragonlance and later Ravenloft...
from destroying the Tower of Wayreth and the wizards within.
Fistandantilus was able to petition the Dark Queen for a mysterious item known as the Key of Knowledge, which Raistlin was able to use to unlock a number of ancient tomes and gain vast power in the process. His ambition, however, was such that he betrayed the Dark Queen, ultimately bringing the War of the Lance to an end and leaving him as the most powerful force on Krynn.
He then took up residence in the Tower of High Sorcery of Palanthas, fulfilling an ancient prophecy
Prophecy
Prophecy is a process in which one or more messages that have been communicated to a prophet are then communicated to others. Such messages typically involve divine inspiration, interpretation, or revelation of conditioned events to come as well as testimonies or repeated revelations that the...
that had foreseen his appearance as the Master of Past and Present. He spent two years inside the Tower, learning its secrets, studying spells and experimenting.
Such was his power then that two years later, the historian Astinus, in Time of the Twins, described Raistlin's entry into the Tower as this:
Two years ago, he entered the Tower of High Sorcery. He entered in the dead of night in darkness, the only moon in the sky was the moon that sheds no light. He walked through the Shoikan Grove - a stand of accursed oak trees that no mortal, not even those of the Kender race, dare approach. He made his way to the gates upon which hung still the body of the evil mage who, with his dying breath, cast the curse upon the Tower and leapt from the upper windows, impaling himself upon its gates - a fearsome watchman. But when he came there, the watchman bowed before him, the gates opened at his touch, then they shut behind him. And they have not opened again these past two years. He has not left, and if any had been admitted, none have seen them. (11 & 12)
Legends
Raistlin's attempt at godhood was chronicled in the Dragonlance Legends Trilogy. The trilogy also explored the relationship between Raistlin and his twin Caramon.Although the Conclave had previously believed that Raistlin harboured plans to conquer the world, they later learned through Raistlin's apprentice (and Conclave spy), Dalamar, that Raistlin's ambition stretched much further than this. Raistlin studied Fistandantilus' voluminous works on crossing the threshold between god and man, and decided to embark on an attempt to usurp Takhisis
Takhisis
Takhisis is a fictional character from the Dragonlance universe. She is the main goddess of evil and head of the Dark Pantheon.- Titles and forms :...
, the Queen of Darkness. To recover knowledge lost during the Cataclysm
Cataclysm (Dragonlance)
In the Dragonlance books, the Cataclysm was a catastrophic event that occurred when the Kingpriest of Istar demanded to be given godlike powers in order to eliminate evil from the world.-Background:...
Raistlin travelled backwards through time to just before the Cataclysm, during the reign of the Kingpriest. Challenging the still-living Fistandantilus, Raistlin wins the duel and steals the archmage's identity, memories, and life force. The white wizard Par-Salian sent Caramon, cleric of Paladine Crysania and by accident the kender
Kender
Kender are a type of fantasy race first developed for the Dragonlance campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role playing game published by TSR Inc. in 1984. The first kender character was created by Harold Johnson as a playable character in a series of role-playing adventures...
, Tasslehoff Burrfoot
Tasslehoff Burrfoot
Tasslehoff Burrfoot is a fictional character of the kender race from the Dragonlance series of novels, written by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman. He was born in Kendermore. His parents are unknown and he has few known relatives. He has a sister, and also claims to have an Uncle Trapspringer...
to the same time period in a desperate attempt to stop him. The presence of Tasslehoff horrifies Par-Salian, as unlike humans, elves, ogres and dragons, kender are capable of changing time. Crysania's presence is an effort to waken her from a coma brought on by confrontation the Death Knight Lord Soth
Lord Soth
Lord Soth, the Knight of the Black Rose , is a fictional character in the fantasy realms of Dragonlance and later Ravenloft...
, which can only be accomplished by the Kingpriest of Istar. However, this plays into Raistlin's plans as access to the Abyss, the realm in which Takhisis resides, is through a gateway that can only be opened through the combined actions of a black-robed wizard of purest evil and priest of Paladine of purest good.
Tasslehoff, at Raistlin's prompting, remained in Istar in an effort to stop the Cataclysm by activating a time-travel device in the Temple of Istar. Instead he is forced into the Abyss where he manages to escape with the assistance of an also-trapped gnome. Raistlin, Caramon and the now-awakened Crysania escape the Cataclysm and travel forward in time to Dwarfgate Wars
Dwarfgate Wars
The Dwarfgate Wars, also known as Dwarven Warsis a fictional war in the Dragonlance settings.The Dwarfgate Wars was fought between the Hill Dwarves and the Mountain Dwarves living in Thorbardin...
, which are initiated by Raistlin in order to access the portal to the Abyss in Zhaman. In the guise of Fistandantilus, Raistlin attempts to open the portal. His actions are interrupted through Caramon's simultaneous use of his own time travel device, which results in a titanic explosion. Unlike the actual Fistandantilus, Raistlin is able to control the magical fluctuations and enter the Abyss with Crysania. Caramon and Tasslehoff are pushed into the future, where it is revealed that Raistlin was successful in defeating Takhisis and going on to destroy the other gods and all life on Krynn. Unable to create new life, Raistlin becomes the sole living creature in the universe, a snake devouring its own tail
Ouroboros
The Ouroboros is an ancient symbol depicting a serpent or dragon eating its own tail. The name originates from within Greek language; οὐρά meaning "tail" and βόρος meaning "eating", thus "he who eats the tail"....
.
Caramon and Tasselhoff attempt to stop Raistlin by returning to the time of his initial entry to the Abyss and confrontation with the Dark Queen. Caramon confronts Raistlin with his experience of the future and Raistlin's solitary, meaningless existence. Convinced of the truth of Caramon's statements, Raistlin tells his twin to take Crysania back to Krynn and gives up his life preventing Takhisis from passing through the portal. Though grieved at Raistlin's fate, Caramon has a vision of Paladine rescuing Raistlin's spirit and the story is retold throughout Krynn which leads to Raistlin becoming a popular hero
Hero
A hero , in Greek mythology and folklore, was originally a demigod, their cult being one of the most distinctive features of ancient Greek religion...
.
Raistlin's return
In the later short story, The Legacy, Caramon's son Palin is summoned for his Test, winding up at the Tower of High Sorcery in Palanthas. Dalamar attempted to bring an illusion of Raistlin there for Palin's Test; however, Raistlin summoned himself there. In his monologue, he states: "I didn't do it for you, mages! I didn't do it for the conclave! I didn't do it for my brother! I had one more debt to pay in my lifetime. Now I have discharged it." It has been revealed by Margaret Weis that this "last debt" was to magic itself.Raistlin returned again, a year later, during the Chaos War
Chaos War
The Chaos War, also known as the Second Cataclysm, is a fictional war in the Dragonlance setting. The war was massive, drawing in nearly all the people of Ansalon, as well as the gods themselves...
. He was instrumental in the defeat of Chaos, even though the gods had stripped him of his power as the price for his hubris
Hubris
Hubris , also hybris, means extreme haughtiness, pride or arrogance. Hubris often indicates a loss of contact with reality and an overestimation of one's own competence or capabilities, especially when the person exhibiting it is in a position of power....
.
Raistlin's spirit also assisted the gods to find Krynn
Krynn
Krynn is the fictional world of the Dragonlance novels, co-written by Tracy Hickman and Margaret Weis. It has also been used in many other books, set in the Dragonlance universe. It is also used as the main setting in the Dragonlance campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing...
at the conclusion of the War of Souls
War of Souls
The War of Souls is a fictional war set in the popular Dragonlance fictional universe. The series follows the heroes of The War of the Lance to fill in many details of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game storyline...
, after Takhisis
Takhisis
Takhisis is a fictional character from the Dragonlance universe. She is the main goddess of evil and head of the Dark Pantheon.- Titles and forms :...
who was claiming to be the "One God" stole Krynn
Krynn
Krynn is the fictional world of the Dragonlance novels, co-written by Tracy Hickman and Margaret Weis. It has also been used in many other books, set in the Dragonlance universe. It is also used as the main setting in the Dragonlance campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing...
and transported it to another part of the galaxy
Galaxy
A galaxy is a massive, gravitationally bound system that consists of stars and stellar remnants, an interstellar medium of gas and dust, and an important but poorly understood component tentatively dubbed dark matter. The word galaxy is derived from the Greek galaxias , literally "milky", a...
. His soul is still lingering because he refuses to go on unless it is with his brother Caramon. He was able to locate Krynn
Krynn
Krynn is the fictional world of the Dragonlance novels, co-written by Tracy Hickman and Margaret Weis. It has also been used in many other books, set in the Dragonlance universe. It is also used as the main setting in the Dragonlance campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing...
because he could sense Tasslehoff Burrfoot
Tasslehoff Burrfoot
Tasslehoff Burrfoot is a fictional character of the kender race from the Dragonlance series of novels, written by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman. He was born in Kendermore. His parents are unknown and he has few known relatives. He has a sister, and also claims to have an Uncle Trapspringer...
using the device of time journeying. Then, with his brother Caramon and the Heroes of the Lance, Raistlin finally joined the River of Souls, and disappeared for the final time.
Raistlin's daughter
A legend of Raistlin that sprung up after the events in Test of the Twins was the story of "Raistlin's Daughter", which tells of Raistlin having a daughter with an Irda. Caramon himself denied the story, though if the story was true, he would have no memory of the event. During the Chaos War, Usha Majere, a human girl reared by the Irda was introduced, and she suspected that she was Raistlin's daughter. However, when Raistlin encountered her, he denied it, stating that Usha was born of two human parents and was certainly no daughter of his. He also asserted that no magic in the world could steal the knowledge of having been loved.Soulforge gamebook
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Adventure Gamebooks #4 Soulforge allowed the reader to take the role of Raistlin and attempt to pass the Test of High Sorcery.Music
References to Raistlin have appeared in several other media, most notably in heavy metal musicHeavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
. The Swedish band Lake of Tears
Lake of Tears
Lake of Tears is a Swedish band, generally considered to play gothic metal and doom metal. However, their sound has evolved considerably over the course of their career, expanding to include psychedelic rock, progressive metal, and, most recently, death metal....
recorded a song called "Raistlin and the Rose" for its 1997 album Crimson Cosmos. "The Soulforged", by German metal band Blind Guardian
Blind Guardian
Blind Guardian is a German power metal band formed in the mid-1980s in Krefeld, West Germany. They are often credited as one of the seminal and most influential bands in the power metal and speed metal subgenres...
, is another song inspired by Raistlin's story. The song appears on the band's 2002 album A Night at the Opera
A Night at the Opera (Blind Guardian album)
- Chart positions :Album – Billboard - Band :* Hansi Kürsch – lead and backing vocals* André Olbrich – lead, rhythm and acoustic guitars* Marcus Siepen – rhythm guitar* Thomas "Thomen" Stauch – drums & percussion...
. The Name Raistlin was further adopted by one of the guitarists of the German black metal
Black metal
Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, shrieked vocals, highly distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, blast beat drumming, raw recording, and unconventional song structure....
-band Fenfire as his stage name. "Wishmaster", a song by Finnish
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
metal band Nightwish
Nightwish
Nightwish is a Finnish symphonic metal band from Kitee, Finland. Formed in 1996 by songwriter and keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen, guitarist Emppu Vuorinen, and former vocalist Tarja Turunen, Nightwish's current line-up has five members, although Tarja has been replaced by Anette Olzon and the...
also pays tribute to Raistlin. Among other references, the song uses the word "Shalafi" (the elven word for "master", used by Dalamar toward Raistlin), and there is a lyric that reads "if you hear the call of arcane lore / your world shall rest on earth no more." The song first appeared on the 2001 album of the same name. The song is one of the most popular among the fans and is still played in concerts. In 2010 a Russian musical titled "Последнее испытание (The Last Trial)" emerged, telling the whole story of Legends in 39 songs, written over more than 10 years by Anton Kruglov and Jelena Chanpira.
Dragonlance movie
Kiefer SutherlandKiefer Sutherland
Kiefer Sutherland is an English-born Canadian actor, producer and director, best known for his portrayal of Jack Bauer on the Fox thriller drama series 24 for which he has won an Emmy Award , a Golden Globe award , two Screen Actors Guild Awards and two Satellite...
headlined the animated movie Dragonlance: Dragons of Autumn Twilight
Dragonlance: Dragons of Autumn Twilight
Dragonlance: Dragons of Autumn Twilight is a 2008 animated film, the first to be based on the Dragonlance campaign setting of Dungeons & Dragons. It is based on the first novel in the setting, Dragons of Autumn Twilight by co-creators Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman, both of whom supplied creative...
, voicing Raistlin, who was one of the main characters in the film . The tag line of the movie "Chaos. War. Death. This is what I see." is a quote from Raistlin.
Reception
The character was popular enough for Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman to base the Dragonlance Legends Trilogy around the character's relationship with his twin. The final book of the trilogy Test of the TwinsTest of the Twins
Test of the Twins is a fantasy novel by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman. It is the third and final book in the Dragonlance Legends, which along with the Dragonlance Chronicles are considered the core Dragonlance novels...
appeared on the NY Times bestseller list for several weeks in 1986.
External links
- Raistlin Majere at Dragonlance NexusDragonlance NexusThe Dragonlance Nexus is a Dragonlance fansite that was created in 1996 as "Dragon Realm". The site was overhauled and a new name was given to it as the "Dragonlance Nexus". Beginning on November 28, 2005, the site began publishing articles written by established authors starting with an article on...