Dragonlance

One of the first fantasy series that I actively read is the Dragonlance series, originally created by Tracy Hickman together with Margaret Weis. One reason why it is so enchanting is that it has a very well developed history, starting with the creation of the fantasy world of Krynn, followed by the time of Huma, how the Kingpriest of Istar brought about the Cataclysm, and subsequently the events of the War of the Lance.

You probably won't expect that a world so rich in history actually started with a series of books written about one of its most recent (at that time) events, the War of the Lance. The Chronicles trilogy was how it all started. While the first book was largely based on how the game module was played, subsequently, the story didn't follow that game modules as closely.

What really draws me into the story is how richly the characters were developed. You can almost hear Raistlin whispering, and imagine how innocently cute Tasslehoff is. Flint really is the rough dwarf with a soft heart, and Fizban is the meddling fool who somehow always manages to pull it off.

While the main characters are the Heroes of the Lance, I think the central character is Raistlin, for he somehow manages to appear throughout the Ages of Krynn, being the Master of the Past and Present. He goes back in time to attain the power he needs to attain godhood, and even when he failed, he still somehow came back to partake in the Test of High Sorcery for his nephew Palin. He played a role in defeating Chaos, and also in foiling the Dark Queen's plans after that.

As with Dungeons and Dragons, the Dragonlance world has evolved over the ages, with its most recent form being the Age of Mortals. But to me, I think the most exciting time for roleplay would be the Age of Despair, during the War of the Lance. Maybe Wizards of the Coast will relook at this time period when they choose to release the Dragonlance campaign setting for the 4th edition of Dungeons and Dragons.

The official Dragonlance gaming site
Dragonlance at Wizards of the Coast
Dragonlance Nexus, a Dragonlance fansite
ForgottenLance, a reference site for Dragonlance
Dragonlance: Dragons of Autumn Twilight movie site