I have never played D&D in the Dragonlance setting, but I’ve read a lot of the novels. I’ve read all the early Weis/Hickman novels up through and just after the War of the Lance, the War of Souls trilogy (which, not knowing any better, I read first), and several of the “side story” trilogies written by other authors. I’m currently reading Amber and Blood by Margaret Weis, the final book of The Dark Disciple trilogy, which follows immediately after the War of Souls. On the other hand, I have somehow, purely by chance, not read any of the books that take place during the Chaos War that came between the War of the Lance and the War of Souls (unless the Linsha Trilogy was set during that time).
I said all that to say this: While reading The Dark Disciple trilogy, I was quite surprised to learn that there is a Dragonlance deity named Majere. I’m obviously familiar with Caramon & Raistlin Majere from the early novels, and Caramon’s sons, and Linsha Majere is apparently Caramon’s great niece or something like that. But the thing is, in all those books I’ve read, no deity named Majere was ever mentioned in any capacity until Amber & Ashes, the first book of The Dark Disciple - the main character is a monk dedicated to Majere.
My first thought was that Raistlin or Caramon had somehow ascended to godhood and I just hadn’t read the book in which it happened. But later in The Dark Disciple it’s mentioned that Majere is one of the original gods who was around when Krynn was created.
So … has Majere been there all along in the novels and/or campaign setting, and he was the one god that Weis & Hickman somehow didn’t manage to make mention of in any of the earlier books? Has it been explained somewhere why Caramon & Raistlin’s family name is the same as a god? Or did Margaret Weis just pull the god Majere out of a hat for the purpose of her latest novels?
(I will also note that these solo Weis books aren’t nearly as much fun to read as the Weis & Hickman books. I get the impression that Weis is the one who comes up with the great stories, but Hickman is the one who brings the characters to life and makes me care about them. I’ve been enjoying The Dark Disciple’s story, but I just don’t find myself caring about the characters like I did the “classic” characters.)
Majere has been a god since the beginning. Jeff Grubb designed the pantheon for his homebrew campaign and created him, if memory serves. He was originally just the god of monks, and perhaps wisdom as well (also Zivilyn’s area). According to the creation myth, Majere was summoned by Paladine from the Beyond to serve as his advisor. This is why he would have been aware of certain very Spoiler issues that the other deities didn’t know.
As to why Gilon Majere (Raistlin and Caramon’s father) took the name Majere, I really couldn’t tell you. I’m sure there are stories out there (everything else about the companions has been told, often many times over). There are references to Gilon and Caramon signing their names with a rose, the symbol of Majere, so they were aware of the name. It might not have been considered unusual, not unlike Viking names with Thor- in them. (I could easily be off base with that).
The twenty-one deities of Dragonlance were pretty well set at the start of publication and haven’t really changed. Each deity has grown, however, as more writing was devoted to them. In the beginning, however, most attention was given to Paladine, Mishakal, Reorx, Gilean, and Takhisis. So it isn’t unusual that you wouldn’t know a lot about Shinare, Majere, Zeboim, or Sirrion from the major novels.
There was no ascent to godhood by the Majeres, though Raistlin tried. Read the Legends trilogy. That trilogy basically finishes the story started in Chronicles, so if you liked that one it is the natural sequel.
Huh - Sirrion is another one I’d never seen mentioned. Zeboim was mentioned several times in Douglas Niles’ minotaur trilogy, and The Dark Disciple trilogy that I’m currently reading has more Zeboim than anybody really needs (Zeboim seems to be a goddess with major Borderline Personality Disorder).
Yup, read that, which is one reason I wondered, “Wait, did Raistlin ascend after all some time later?”
There was a brothers book, called Brothers Majere, that talked a bit about the God Majere. It also went into great detail about the bunnies. It’s part of the ‘prequels’ series that takes the characters through what they were doing just before the War.
Thanks. Must have been a server burp or something. I just got a notification of a reply, followed the link, and thought, “I’m positive I replied to these replies already.” Wonder what happened. This copy of the OP has an extra paragraph, but there’s nothing about an edit there, so it looks like one of my “Preview” clicks somehow posted and showed me the preview at the same time
Aye, I always liked the Dragonlance deities, but it took Paladin a long time to learn some common sense. And many f their other gods were apathetic to the point of insanity or just as bad. Takhisis more or less embodied the concept that “Wvil will always triumph, becaue Good is dumb.”
Of course, then she made a few rather silly moves herself…
