"I didn't hear you come in." "We're not quite open yet." "Don't mind me, young one." "I just need to rest these tired bones while I await this evening's festivities." "With all these goblins around, I'm afraid this place isn't as festive as it used to be." "Maybe you could distract me with a tale?" "Very well." "I know just the one." "Now, how does it start again?" "I've never been good with beginnings." "Oh, yes." "The stars." "Since the dawn of time, the Gods of Light have watched over the world of Krynn from the heavens." "They have given us many wondrous gifts, bountiful harvests, moral guidance, and, most amazing of all, magical healing." "I thought the Gods of Light left us and took their healing with them." "So it is said." "But the Gods of Light have always been opposed by the Queen of Darkness, Takhisis, and her evil allies." "In the First Age, she and her dragon armies waged a war to dominate the world, and she was winning." "But the peoples of the world, men, elves and dwarves, united behind the Gods of Light and prayed for help." "In the end, with the help of the Gods of Light, especially the warrior god, Paladine, the good peoples of Krynn prevailed, saving the world from the evil reign of Takhisis." "Unfortunately, this victory made the people arrogant." "Now believing themselves more powerful than their protectors, the people began to command the gods to do their bidding." "The gods' response was swift and devastating." "The Cataclysm changed the very face of Krynn." "The gods were never heard from again, leaving the people of the world to fight for survival without their help, without their guidance." "Belief in the gods waned, shattering the unity of the races." "Elves, dwarves and men grew to distrust and fight one another." "And so began the Age of Despair." "Three hundred years have come and gone and still the gods remain silent in the heavens." "DDo you think they'll ever return?" "DUnfortunately, one already has." "And without the Gods of Light to protect us, Krynn is surely doomed." "Takhisis, my queen." "I return with news of our impending victory." "Rise, Highlord Verminaard." "I've destroyed Silvanesti in the east." "Now only the northern lands remain to be taken." "But have you located the staff?" "I've dispatched forces to scour the lands." "The staff will be found." "Do not underestimate the danger it poses." "That staff has the power to reawaken the Gods of Light." "It must not be allowed to reach Xak Tsaroth." "I will let nothing interfere with your plans, my queen." "I'm sending my greatest warrior to guard the city." "Even if the staff reaches Xak Tsaroth," "Onyx will make sure the Disks of Mishakal remain in our hands, so the prophecy can never be fulfilled." "Fail me, Verminaard, and it will be the last thing you ever do." "I trust only you to carry out this task." "Capture the staff, and guard the Disks with your life." "Yes, my lord." "Tanis?" "Is that you?" "DHello, old friend." "DOId?" "Well, you've learned no manners in five years." "Hoisting me around like a sack of potatoes." "I hope no one saw us." "DFlint, you haven't changed at all." "DYou have." "Why the beard?" "Weren't you ugly enough?" "I've been traveling in lands dangerous to those with elven blood." "The beard helped hide my heritage." "I guess it's the only good thing my human father ever gave me." "What are you doing sitting out here?" "It's just a few more miles to Solace." "I'm not too old to make it without resting, if that's what you're getting at." "DI just needed to finish this whittling." "DI see." "Well, we do have friends waiting for us at the inn." "I wouldn't want to be late." "A little overeager for our reunion, aren't you?" "Now, who might you be so anxious to see?" "Kitiara, maybe?" "I figured she'd be your choice." "I mean, Laurana's beautiful, sure, but it was complicated, what with the elves and all." "And her father really didn't like you." "DYeah, can we just go?" "DFine." "So did you find what you went looking for?" "Proof the gods have returned?" "No." "I heard tales of magical healing, but it was all trickery." "I never found any real healing magic, which means it's true." "The gods abandoned Krynn 300 years ago." "I guess my faith in them was misplaced." "Sorry, Tanis." "I know how important this was to you." "Horse!" "And hobgoblin." "Halt!" "No one is allowed to walk within the limits of Solace after dark." "DYou are under arrest." "DBy whose authority?" "My own." "I am Fewmaster Toede, leader of the forces keeping Solace safe from undesirable elements like yourselves." "DSearch them for the staff!" "Dlf any of you goblin scum touch me..." "We've been away from Solace for many years." "We didn't intend to break any laws." "If you'll just let us pass..." "If they resist, kill them." "I advise you to back off." "Now." "Only one thing I hate more than a gully dwarf, and that's a goblin." "DWhat are you slime doing in Solace?" "DSlime?" "At least I'm not a halfDbreed." "Tanis!" "Tasslehoff?" "Next time, don't get started without me." "I don't want to miss any of the fun." "Like we need a kender's help." "My human side got the best of me." "I shouldn't be so aggressive." "They were asking for it." "Come on." "You know how Caramon eats." "If we don't get to the inn soon, there won't even be a crumb left, and I'm starving." "Great." "You can never get that goblin smell out." "DThen throw it away." "DI can't do that." "It's Flint's." "DWhy, you little thief!" "DYou dropped it during the fight." "I just picked it up for you." "You should be thanking me." "Look!" "Sturm and Caramon are already here!" "Tas!" "Watch your purse, Caramon." "That little kender has sticky fingers." "Nice beard." "I'm sure it'll look good when it grows in." "Very funny." "Dls your brother coming?" "DI am already here." "I see my appearance startles you." "A small price to pay for the power I have achieved, I assure you." "He's been this way since the test at the Tower of High Sorcery." "What about Kitiara?" "She'll be here, Tanis." "Our sister never misses a party." "DTag, you're it!" "DCan't catch me!" "You're it!" "Hey, how come you're so short?" "Well, it makes it easier to sneak away from goblins or evil wizards." "Evil wizard?" "I never met an evil wizard before." "I guess it's their lucky day." "We've got one right here." "DI thought you boys would be thirsty." "DLittle Tika Waylan." "You grew up fast." "All right, Brinna, Erik." "These nice men have had a long journey home." "Let them relax." "But I wanna hear about their adventures." "Look, Greybeard's about to tell a story." "You don't want to miss it, do you?" "I'll only go if he does." "Now how can I turn down an invitation from such a cute little girl?" "Lead the way." "Tika, you still serve Otik's spiced potatoes?" "Coming right up." "To old adventuring companions, reunited." "So, Sturm, did you track down your father?" "All I found of him were these, his armor and his sword." "So, you are a knight now, are you?" "I encountered some trouble with goblins on my way here." "So did we." "They wanted to impound Raistlin's staff for further investigation." "The ones we ran into were looking for some kind of staff, too." "DI wonder why it's so important." "DThere is talk of war, armies of strange creatures gathering in the wilderness." "Perhaps these things are related." "You folks need anything?" "Now, then." "Once upon a time, the great hero Huma Dragonbane..." "My parents said he wasn't real." "DWho?" "DHuma Dragonbane." "Huma?" "That name sounds familiar." "Oh, dear, now I've lost my train of thought." ""Once upon a time, the great hero Huma Dragonbane..."" "Oh, yes." "Thank you, little boy." "Once upon a time, the great hero Huma Dragonbane led the Knights of Solamnia against the evil dragons of Takhisis, the Queen of Darkness." "Thanks, Tika." "Tanis, this came for you." "Well?" "Who's it from?" "Kitiara." "She says her duties with her new lord are keeping her busy." "She sends her best." "We all took a sacred oath to be here." "Well, that's done it." "The circle is broken, the oath denied." "Bad luck." "Bad luck." "New lord?" "I wonder if it's business or pleasure." "With the mighty dragonlances," "Huma and the knights destroyed the wicked dragons, and Huma offered his thanks to Paladine." "Blasphemy, heretic!" "Corrupting our youth!" "Call the guards!" "Leave him alone." "That can't be good." "How dare you speak to me like that?" "I'm the High Theocrat of Solace." "This man is not a heretic." "His stories are true." "The ancient gods are real, and they have returned." "She's been deluded by charlatans." "It's amazing what people will believe." "Witch!" "She must be arrested as well." "Where are those guards?" "I'm confiscating this." "No!" "The chieftain's daughter says you will not take it." "I take what I want." "Hurry!" "Knock him down, so we can put out the flames." "DHealing magic?" "DLook at the staff!" "The goblins said they'd destroy Solace if they caught anyone harboring the staff." "DYou'd better get out of here." "DI was just trying to help." "DTell that to them." "dwell, you've done it again, haven't you?" "DWe must leave." "DRun?" "From this rabble?" "There's something about that staff." "We can't let it fall into goblin hands." "Then I will stay and face these foul goblins in mortal combat." "Sturm, there's a lady to protect." "DWe have to get her out of here." "DA lady?" "Right." "DMadam, I am your servant." "DWe don't need your help." "Look, you're strangers here." "We know our way around." "We can get you to safety." "Very well, lead us out of here." "Raist, hang onto me." "Raist!" "DThere they are!" "DCome on!" "Look what we've found." "Give me the staff." "Kill them!" "I'll get reinforcements!" "DGoing somewhere?" "DGet them!" "Stop them!" "Let's get out of here before more of them show up!" "Great!" "We're trapped between the goblins and the water." "Now what are we gonna do?" "Flint, I'm gonna give this to you straight." "We're taking a boat." "I am not getting in that boat!" "That accident was 10 years ago." "Look, I'll make sure Caramon sits still." "Absolutely not." "I took a vow." "DTanis, search parties." "DEveryone in the boat, now!" "Flint, get in!" "I'd rather take my chances with the goblins." "There they are!" "Seize them!" "DThey're getting away!" "DWait!" "DToede." "DArchers, flame!" "Archers, loose!" "Loose!" "Put those flames out!" "We're sitting ducks!" "Hey, sit still!" "Raistlin, you have anything up your sleeve?" "More than you'll ever know." "DGood work, Brother!" "DStop them!" "They're getting away!" "Do it again!" "Get the big ugly one this time!" "I can't." "I must rest." "You said you'd achieved great magical power." "No matter how powerful a wizard is, he's limited to the number of spells he can cast each day." "I know that, but I've never seen a wizard get so exhausted just from casting spells." "The test in the Tower of High Sorcery almost killed him, that's why." "Interesting." "And why do you talk in that funny language when you're casting?" "I healed that man's burns without saying anything." "Well, maybe the staff helped a little." "Tanis, the constellations of the gods, Takhisis the Queen of Darkness and Paladine the Valiant Warrior, they're gone." "It's only a bunch of stars, Raist." "DWhat do you think this means?" "DChaos." "War." "Death." "That is what I see." "We hid the boat." "Thank you for risking your lives for us, even though we are strangers." "I'm Tanis." "The brothers are Caramon and Raistlin." "The knight, Sturm Brightblade." "Flint Fireforge carries our wine, and Tasslehoff Burrfoot is our clever little locksmith." "And you are?" "DGoldmoon and Riverwind." "DWe're strangers no longer." "Feeling any better?" "DPerhaps my staff will..." "DNo." "My body was my sacrifice for my magic." "DThe damage is permanent." "DYour staff healed that man at the inn." "DHow?" "DI don't know." "DI haven't had it very long." "DWhere'd you get it?" "Riverwind discovered it on a quest to an ancient abandoned city." "He..." "We believed it was a gift from the Gods of Light, but the people of our village called us heretics and condemned us to death." "When they tried to stone us, the staff magically transported us to safety." "Only the true gods can grant real healing magic." "Maybe this is proof they've returned." "We came west hoping to discover the truth about the staff." "The Highseekers in Haven might be able to tell us where it came from," "Dwhat its powers are." "DEnough!" "We never asked for your help." "In the morning, we go our separate ways." "We can't let this magic fall into the hands of the goblins." "The staff will be safer with more protectors." "Listen with those big pointy ears." "I don't trust you, halfDbreed." "Speak to him like that again, and I will cut you down where you stand!" "If it's a fight you want, you shall have it." "Riverwind!" "I'm sorry." "Like the rest of my people," "Riverwind doesn't trust those who aren't human." "And what of you, my lady?" "Once I held the same prejudice, but no longer." "We will be honored to travel with you and your friends." "Tas, you got a map?" "I didn't steal anything!" "I mean, let me check." "Hey!" "Laurana gave me that ring." "This?" "You must've dropped it back at the inn." "You're lucky I picked it up." "So, you think the staff might lead to the Gods of Light?" "Does this mean your faith in them has been resurrected?" "It means I'm open to the possibility." "DHighlord, the Blue Crystal Staff..." "Dlt's been found?" "No, my lord." "It was tracked to one of the plainsmen tribes." "The village was searched thoroughly, but it wasn't there." "Takhisis will not be pleased." "No, wait, my lord." "The staff was seen in a place called Solace." "If the enemy has the staff, they may also know about the Disks." "Warn Onyx, and send my elite troops north to Solace." "One way or the other, I will have that staff." "You think there might be goblins living in there?" "I wish." "I'll fight the living any day of the week, but not the dead." "DThe dead!" "DAII you need to know, kender, is that none who enter Darken Wood ever return." "Sounds like an adventure just waiting to happen." "We're already on an adventure." "DWe can stop for a rest, if you want." "DWho, me?" "I'm fine." "Actually, this is a good place to stop for a moment before we round that bend." "DFor the record, I could keep going." "DI know." "DTas, can you scout ahead?" "DFinally, something fun to do." "Now, look." "No roaming off the road." "Keep your hands out of people's belongings." "Unless they're bakers, or fishmongers, or..." "Caramon, you mind?" "Don't worry, Tanis." "Be right back." "Your one true love's a sailing ship that anchors at our pier" "We lift her sails, we man her decks We scrub" "Crazy kender." "Can I get you anything, Raist?" "I am preparing my spells." "All I require is to be left alone." "Well, I'll be right over there if you need me." "No, we can't." "Problem?" "He is a shepherd, and I am a chieftain's daughter." "No matter how I feel about him, we cannot be together." "Being rejected because of your heritage isn't an easy thing." "Perhaps you and Riverwind have something in common after all." "Monks!" "Monks!" "Monks!" "Monks!" "DMonks?" "We can handle monks." "DI don't like this." "Stay calm." "Sturm, you do the talking." "If they're really monks, they should respect a knight." "Greetings, brethren." "Hail, Knight of Solamnia." "Tell me, do you come now from Solace?" "We traveled through, yes." "We are seeking a sacred crystal staff of healing, last seen in Solace." "Do you know of it?" "One of our brothers is ill." "He'll die without its blessed touch." "DI'm afraid we can't help." "DI bear the Blue Crystal Staff." "DI can help you." "DWe are grateful for your aid." "By the gods, what are these things?" "Don't stab them!" "They'll turn to stone and trap your sword." "Now, Raist!" "Sturm!" "My father's sword." "Don't worry." "I'll get it." "Stay still." "You've lost a lot of blood." "He's dying." "I am in your debt, my lady." "Did anyone see that?" "Tanis, look!" "More of those lizardy things!" "Hurry!" "Into the forest!" "But that's Darken Wood!" "It's full of undead!" "We've got no choice, unless you want to jump off that cliff or fight more of those things." "I think we lost them." "What do you sense?" "There is a great and powerful magic laid on this forest." "devil?" "DOnly to those with evil intent." "Then you are the only one who need fear this wood, mage." "Listen." "Sheathe your swords." "Trust me, they won't do you any good." "Trust you?" "I think not." "When it comes to the ways of magic, he knows what he's doing." "I hope." "You who have been long dead, use my voice to speak with the living." "Who trespasses in the Darken Wood?" "Hello, I'm Tasslehoff Burrfoot." "These are my friends." "If you have entered this wood with evil intentions, you will not live to see the moons rise." "No, no, no." "You've got it all wrong." "We're on a quest." "It all started with this Blue Crystal Staff." "And we..." "Blue crystal?" "Yeah, and..." "Hey, wait a second!" "Leave her alone!" "My hand, it's so cold." "Follow me." "Raist!" "diet's go." "DWait." "Raistlin's done some shady things in his quest for power." "What if he's leading us into a trap?" "I don't think we have a choice." "Are you all right?" "I'm fine." "Put aside your fears." "Safety exists here, if it exists anywhere on Krynn." "The draconians will not find this place." "Draconians." "So that's what they are called." "Food!" "Drink!" "Thank the gods!" "Please, come to me, bearer of the Blue Crystal Staff." "DCan you tell us about the staff?" "Dlt's intended for good, to combat injury, illness and disease." "But in these times, it will also become a weapon against the very evil that seeks to banish it from the world." "Did the staff come from the Gods of Light?" "Is it a sign they've returned?" "That I do not know." "If you wish to find such answers, you must travel beyond the Eastwall Mountains to an ancient city, Xak Tsaroth." "DWhat'll we find there?" "DGreat evil." "But if you prove yourselves worthy, you will receive the Disks of Mishakal." "The Disks of Mishakal?" "Sacred texts lost in the Cataclysm." "They contain the truth of the gods." "If that truth remains hidden, the world will fall under the shadow of evil and untold number of innocents will suffer and die." "Then we must retrieve the Disks." "Tanis, I appreciate everything that you have done for us," "Dbut I don't expect you to accompany..." "DWe don't need the help of a halfDbreed!" "DWe'll finish this alone." "DThen you'll die alone." "Can I speak to you?" "With this rise of evil, I'm getting worried about Kitiara." "I was thinking about looking for her, but maybe this quest is more important." "Dlf you know something, tell me now." "Dln a vision, I saw an army overrun Haven, Solace and the elven lands." "The Disks of Mishakal might be the key to destroying such a force." "So we should go to Xak Tsaroth?" "Do you think we were chosen for this quest?" "So my vision leads me to believe." "Why?" "I can't even sort out my own life." "I'm not a hero." "Then you must become one, or the world is doomed." "They will take you as close to Xak Tsaroth as they dare." "Horses!" "Just what I need." "Remember, Goldmoon, present the staff boldly, never wavering, and you will prevail." "Dwarves were not meant to fly." "They're too frightened to go on." "We'll have to cross the mountains to Xak Tsaroth on our own." "DWhere are we?" "DThe plains of Abanasinia." "DOur village lies to the east." "DNo!" "Tanis, look here." "Who is this Verminaard?" "Obviously the one responsible for this atrocity." "On my honor, I will make him pay for this." "I found draconian tracks leading away, toward Xak Tsaroth." "There's nothing we can do here." "We'll have our revenge when we get to the city and find the Disks." "The tracks go this way." "How beautiful." "A temple to the Gods of Light." "Gully dwarves!" "The stupidest, most vile creatures that I ever..." "Look!" "Draconians!" "Hide!" "This is a big city." "There could be hundreds of those things." "How are we gonna search for the Disks without getting spotted?" "We need an ally who knows the city, one who can help us avoid the patrols and lead us to the Disks." "And where do you propose we find such an ally, mage?" "We don't find one." "We make one." "Hello, little one." "You make me lose dinner!" "It's safe." "You can come out now." "DWhat did you do to her?" "DA spell of friendship." "It looks like you overdid it a little." "DMeet our new ally." "DBupu!" "Good to meet!" "All treasure in city here." "And the draconians don't know about this passage?" "No, bosses." "Secret." "DHere." "Locked." "DAIIow me." "DNo want to wake her." "DBy the gods, a dragon." "Come on." "Look for a book with a dark cover," "Dstamped with runes of silver." "DYes." "Find for you." "So that's why you wanted to come here." "For a spell book." "It could help us in our fight against the evil army." "Don't give me that." "You want its power for yourself." "Don't point fingers, Tanis." "You seek the gods for one reason, because you think they can resolve the war between your elven and human halves before it tears you apart!" "I don't need a lecture from someone who's willing to endanger the lives of his friends, even his own brother, to get what he wants." "I think I found them." "The Disks of Mishakal." "Let him go!" "DYou destroyed my village." "done step closer and the mage dies." "Bring me the Blue Crystal Staff, lady of the QuéDShu." "Obey me, or I will kill your friends, one by one, until you alone are left begging for mercy." "I know what I must do." "If you believe in the gods, you must trust them, and me." "Don't let Riverwind stop me." "DGoldmoon!" "DShe knows what she's doing." "Good, you know your place." "Now, lay the staff down before me." "As you wish." "Go!" "Save the Disks!" "Goldmoon!" "No!" "This is your fault, halfDelf." "I could've stopped her." "We have to get out of here!" "Back through the secret passage!" "Riverwind, you'll be killed if you stay!" "DTanis, come on!" "DGo!" "I'm right behind you." "DTanis went back for Riverwind." "DBy the gods, they're dead." "DWhat happened?" "DThe plainsman saved you." "DThe Disks?" "DHere." "But there's a problem." "We cannot decipher them." "They're written in a language I've never seen." "So that's it?" "Goldmoon died for nothing?" "You know, I'm really getting sick of these guys!" "We should leave the city before we run into more of them." "I go with you, but will miss my tribe." "Bupu, you have been a good and true friend, but I have to travel down a dark and dangerous road." "DI can't ask you to go with me." "DBut you be sad without Bupu." "I'll be happy knowing you're back with your people." "DYou sure?" "DI'm sure." "Then I go." "First, take present." "DThe Spellbook of Fistandantilus." "DYou like?" "Yes, little one." "I like." "Thank you." "Farewell, Bupu." "It's not your fault, Tanis." "DI let her sacrifice herself for nothing." "DShe acted out of faith." "Then I know who's to blame!" "What kind of gods are you that you demand a human sacrifice?" "I wanted to believe in you!" "Well, we don't need you!" "I don't need you." "Goldmoon?" "Tanis, I told you, faith is the answer." "Goldmoon, you're alive." "I never should've doubted." "If you're still alive, what about the dragon?" "The dragon?" "Destroyed." "Only through my faith in Mishakal have I been reborn, and she's made me a true cleric with the gift of healing." "Mishakal, heal this man who has served you so well." "She can heal without the staff." "That hasn't happened since the gods left 300 years ago." "The gods didn't leave us." "We turned away from the gods." "And, hey, she cast that spell without using those funny words." "Why can't you do that, allDpowerful mage?" "She's channeling the power of a god, you dolt." "I'm wresting arcane energies from the very fabric of the universe." "Dlt's completely different." "DMy lady, the Disks of Mishakal." "Even Raist couldn't read them." "Can you?" "No, but Mishakal tells me there is one who can." "One with the strength and wisdom to unite the world against the forces of evil." "DThe armies!" "War has begun." "DWe must return to Solace quickly." "There we will find the great leader we are seeking." "Seems you found the proof you've been looking for." "Only a real miracle could've brought Goldmoon back." "I thought I'd feel different somehow, but I feel the same." "Well, then maybe the problem's never been up there." "Maybe it's always been in here." "I heard that." "I heard people start to lose their minds when they get old." "Not my head, your head!" "I'm just saying that maybe what you've been really searching for is faith in yourself." "Solace!" "DChaos." "War." "Death." "DWelcome home!" "Move and I'll kill the kender." "Disarm them and take their gear." "We can't let them have the Disks." "If they realize what they are..." "It'll be all right." "I have cast a spell upon our belongings." "Any who touch them faces a hideous death, painfully devoured by the great worm Catyrpelius!" "I've never heard of that spell." "Put them in the wagons." "Where are you taking us?" "To Verminaard's slave mines in Pax Tharkas." "My lord will be pleased to have slaves of your caliber." "Caramon?" "Tanthalas?" "I almost didn't recognize you with that beard." "You look human." "DTanthalas?" "DMy elven name." "This is Gilthanas, my cousin." "Theros!" "He was helping the elves escape Verminaard's genocide." "He now pays for his loyalty with his life." "DI'm a healer." "He needn't die." "DAway!" "Let him die in peace without any of your barbarian rituals." "DGilthanas, she's a true cleric." "DThat's impossible." "Mishakal, grace this man with your blessing." "If his destiny be not yet fulfilled, heal him, so he may live and serve the cause of truth." "DWhoa." "We're moving." "DGilthanas, what happened here?" "Dragons." "Red dragons?" "We fought a black dragon in Xak Tsaroth." "Dragons, you say?" "Hey, you're that crazy storyteller from the inn." "Yes, the name's Fla..." "Forb..." "Fizban!" "That's it." "That's not a name." "It's not?" "That's too bad." "I was rather fond of it." "DYou know something of dragons?" "DDragons?" "Where?" "Oh, yes, dragons." "Long ago there were countless dragons in the world." "They were a nightmare to behold and they dominated the lands." "What happened to them?" "The Gods of Light bestowed a gift upon the good people of the world." "The dragonlances." "They had the power to destroy dragons." "But that was long ago, and the dragonlances have been lost." "Now it seems the dragons have returned." "I saw you heal that man." "Can you help my daughter?" "Brinna!" "Mishakal, please heal this child if it is her destiny." "Thank you." "It doesn't hurt anymore." "Her injuries were too great." "You couldn't save her." "I guess even Mishakal isn't strong enough." "No, I'm not strong enough." "In the past there were clerics so faithful that they could channel the magic of the gods to bring back the dead." "Now only the Disks of Mishakal can return that power to the world." "Finally, Porthios and his archers!" "DThis is our chance to escape." "DHow?" "They took my lock picks." "Where are the gods when you need them?" "Here, let me." "Knock!" "DMagic?" "Why didn't you do that before?" "DNo one asked me to." "The prisoners are escaping!" "DWe need a diversion." "DComing right up." "Now, let's see." "What's that called?" "Oh, yes." "Fireball!" "DWe must retrieve the Disks!" "DOver there!" "Tas, get your lock picks and free the other prisoners." "Everyone else, grab what you can." "Hurry!" "Porthios, thank you for..." "NonDelves are not allowed here, Tanthalas." "I suggest you flee from this area as fast as you can." "These people need your help." "It is enough that we have freed them, human." "DWe elves have our own problems." "DTanis?" "You will take everyone into Qualinesti and provide for the refugees." "We will do nothing of the kind." "Humans caused the gods to turn their backs on the world." "You're wrong!" "The gods never left." "I'm one of their clerics." "I saw her heal a man who should've died." "The Speaker of the Suns may wish to see this for himself." "I saw her come back from the dead by the power of the Gods of Light." "Perhaps Gilthanas is right." "The Speaker will want to investigate this claim." "DYou will be our honored guests." "DMore like honored prisoners." "DYou seem to know many of these elves." "DI was born here in Qualinesti." "And you're not welcome in the land of your birth?" "A human killed my mother's husband and then raped her." "She died in childbirth." "A human father makes me only halfDelven." "The elves could never accept me, so I left." "I understand what it's like to be an outcast, but no matter what, you have to believe in yourself." "Of course, my village stoned me for my beliefs." "Rest here while I report to the Speaker." "Food!" "Finally!" "Tanthalas!" "Laurana, someone might see us." "I can't believe you're back." "I guess you heard the elves are leaving Qualinesti." "DThey are?" "Why?" "DLaurana!" "I've got a lot to do." "I'll see you later." "I bid you welcome, Tanthalas, son of my brother's wife." "Greetings, Speaker." "I'm called Tanis now." "You deny your elven heritage by taking a human name?" "Your mother would be appalled." "It is you, woman of the plains, who concerns me most." "You claim to have healed this man, Theros Ironfeld?" "Your son Gilthanas saw me heal him." "He was overwrought and may have mistaken witchcraft for healing." "She is a healer, a true cleric of the Gods of Light." "DWhy should I believe you?" "DLook on this." "Blasphemy!" "Stop this nonsense!" "Who are you?" "DWhat was that name?" "DFizban." "DBut like I said, it's not really a name." "DSolostaran, call off your guard." "If the Gods of Light have truly returned, then perhaps there is hope some of us will survive." "DWhat are you talking about?" "DSee for yourselves." "There's Solace!" "DWhat are those?" "DArmies of dragons and draconians brought to this world by the evil goddess, Takhisis." "Even now, there at Pax Tharkas, High Dragonlord Verminaard gathers his forces to invade our homeland." "Verminaard." "He murdered everyone in our village." "He has declared his intention to wipe out the elves, as well." "But surely this city is easily defended?" "Without the dragonlances, we cannot withstand armies of dragons." "We must abandon our lands and flee." "Even so, the dragon horde moves far more swiftly than we can with our women and children." "DWe may still be overtaken." "DSo we're too late." "Takhisis has already won." "No, there is a chance." "If you and your companions can delay Verminaard's forces, we can reach the sea before they arrive." "How can we stop an entire army?" "Infiltrate the mines at Pax Tharkas and incite a rebellion among the slaves." "That should divert Verminaard's attention." "Why haven't you already sent elves on this mission?" "The slaves are humans." "They will not listen to an elf, but they may listen to you." "Besides, this will give you a chance to rescue more of your human brethren." "But Pax Tharkas is a fortified citadel." "We'd never even make it through the gates." "Gilthanas knows a secret way into the fortress." "He will guide you." "I don't know." "We're on a quest to find a leader who will unite the world against Takhisis." "Please..." "Tanis, my people will be destroyed." "Help me save them." "I know your choice is difficult, but you must decide quickly." "Almighty Paladine, if you're listening, I need guidance." "I want to be the hero you wish me to be, but I'm afraid." "As the world falls underneath the shadow of Takhisis," "I find myself filled with doubt." "I know what I have to do." "I just don't know if my faith is strong enough." "Tanthalas, please don't throw your life away." "Come away with us, where you'll be safe." "There comes a time when you have to risk your life for what you believe in." "Leave with me, and we can finally be married." "I'm sure my father would perform the..." "Your father once said I was half of one thing and all of nothing." "DHe'll never agree to our marriage." "dof course he will." "Gilthanas was my best friend and even he turned against me when he found out about us." "The elves have no love for me." "They'll learn to love you as much as I do." "You're still so naive." "DBut, Tanthalas, I..." "DDon't call me that!" "And stop trying to convince me of something that'll never be true." "It's over." "I've fallen in love with a human woman, Kitiara." "With her, I'm accepted for who I am." "We have just received word that Onyx was defeated at Xak Tsaroth." "DAnd the Disks?" "DTaken." "Then we must finish this before the Gods of Light can interfere." "By nightfall, I want the elven stronghold destroyed." "Yes, my lord." "The elves are my kin, no matter how much they try to deny me." "I'm going to Pax Tharkas alone." "Take the Disks and leave with the elves." "The human slaves are in as much danger as the elves." "It is my duty to rescue them." "I believe the one I seek may also be among the slaves." "Your quest is mine." "I go where you go." "Hey, there's no way you're leaving me with all these elves!" "Accept the inevitable, Tanis." "For good or ill, we face this mission together." "DDon't forget me." "DNo." "You're going with the elves." "I go where I choose, and I choose to go with you, Tanis HalfDEIven." "Then we leave within the hour." "This is gonna be fun!" "I've never fought a whole army before." "The SlaDMori." "The Secret Way." "All right, everyone know the plan?" "Find the slaves and send the women and children back out this way, while we and the men keep the draconians busy." "That should give the elves enough time to escape." "What in the name of the Abyss are you doing here?" "You said you were risking your life for something you believe in, and so am I." "You're going back to the elves." "You can't let her go alone." "If she's captured, she might alert the draconians to our plan." "All right, but stay out of the way." "It's dark in there." "I can take care of that." "Into the tunnel." "I mean it." "Get inside that tunnel now." "Don't make me get your father." "Everyone remember how to get back here." "It's our only way out." "The gate's open." "Why don't they escape?" "We're here to rescue you." "Hurry, before the draconians..." "You!" "You're the witch that caused the attack on Solace!" "It's because of you that we're all here!" "This is your fault!" "My wife is dead because of you!" "Verminaard is the one who took your wife from you, as he took my family from me." "I'm not a witch." "I'm a cleric of Mishakal." "DWhy should we believe you?" "DThis man is dying." "If you're really a cleric, you can save him." "Mishakal, if it be your will, cleanse the disease from this man's body." "Thank you." "I'm Elistan, the leader of these people." "We need to get all of you out of here." "No." "Verminaard's placed our children under the guard of a dragon." "If we try to leave, they'll be killed." "That's why they don't try to escape even though the cell is unlocked." "Then we'll have to rescue the children from the dragon." "No, we can't face a dragon." "You saw what they did to Solace." "Don't worry, Tika." "We've faced a dragon before." "We can handle it." "The way to the dragon's lair is guarded by draconians." "If we have to fight the draconians, the dragon will surely hear us and slay the children before we can free them." "There must be a way to get past the draconians without a fight." "I have an idea, but you're not gonna like it." "I want to make one thing clear." "This never happened." "You're early this morning." "DThe children need their exercise." "DI'd love to give you some exercise." "Steady." "But Verminaard's got us pulling doubleDduty with the army marching out." "Maybe later." "I've never seen an uglier woman in my life." "Who is it?" "We're here to take the children for their exercise." "The little ones had a restful night." "Keep an eye on little Erik." "I think he's getting a cold." "This dragon is halfDblind and insane." "This is going to be easier than I thought." "We'll watch out for him." "Come along, children." "Come on." "Where are you going?" "The courtyard is the other way." "They're getting a special treat today, courtesy of Verminaard." "We're taking them to the roof to look at the mountains." "Well, be careful they don't fall off." "My children's wings haven't grown in yet." "DShe thinks they're her own offspring." "DWe'll keep them safe." "Is anyone willing to stay and fight?" "A good number, but they want to make sure the women and children are out of the fortress before they turn against Verminaard." "Then we should get back to the secret tunnel as soon as possible." "DDraconians." "They found the tunnel." "DBut that's our only way out." "Except for the main gate." "You mean where the entire draconian army is gathering?" "They're too busy getting ready for war." "We can sneak right past them." "Dlt's too dangerous." "DWe're trapped like rats." "Tanis, what should we do?" "DI don't know." "DNow hold on just one second." "You can't give up now." "But there's no way we can make it out of here alive." "If the gods did return, they've abandoned us when we need them the most." "Wasn't it your faith in each other and in the Gods of Light that got you this far?" "Faith is your greatest weapon against Takhisis." "Embrace it and you'll become beacons of light" "Dto lead the slaves out of darkness." "DI don't know if I can!" "It's because you doubt that you fail." "You're the only hope for these people and for the elves." "Hold on to your faith, even in the moment of death, and the Gods of Light will come to your aid." "But if you waver, the Queen of Darkness will prevail." "This is our chance, but we have to move fast." "Shut the gate!" "The slaves are escaping!" "Verminaard!" "Verminaard." "I offered you a chance to work for the further glory of my queen, but you have denied her, and now you will pay with your lives!" "Let the children go!" "I will destroy the men, the women and the children!" "Excellent, Lord Verminaard." "Kill them all." "Are there any you can still save?" "DNo, they're already dead." "DWe can't just stand here!" "DBut how can we fight a dragon?" "DWith another dragon." "Verminaard's killing your children!" "You have to stop him!" "Destroy them all!" "Where are you going?" "Stand back." "I'm going to blast open the gate." "Now, what's the name of that spell?" "FurDsomething..." "Firs, Foof, Fireball." "Fireball!" "DRight." "DEveryone get down!" "Fireball!" "Fizban!" "Feather!" "The gate!" "Goldmoon, Riverwind, Flint, lead the slaves out." "Take Laurana and Tika with you." "DThe rest of us will hold off Verminaard." "DBut, Tanis..." "Go!" "You have to protect the slaves and the Disks." "Good luck, my friend." "DMay the gods be with you." "DFollow us!" "Be careful." "He's a cleric of Takhisis." "Just as Goldmoon can call upon Mishakal for the power of healing, he can call upon Takhisis for the power of death." "Surrender your weapons and I will ask the Dark Queen to spare your lives." "Takhisis, destroy!" "Die!" "No!" "Midnight!" "I can't see!" "Tanis, help me!" "Hold!" "DFools!" "You'll never escape." "DThe Gods of Light have returned to destroy you and your queen, Verminaard." "Look around you, halfDelf." "What evidence do you see that the Gods of Light have come back to the world?" "Your gods can't save anyone." "Your faith is misplaced." "And now innocent children will die for it." "No!" "Midnight!" "I can't fight them off any longer." "Perhaps everyone's right." "You are too old for this." "I am not old!" "Slay him, my servant." "You'll never win." "The Gods of Light will..." "The prophecy is broken." "Nothing can stop the Dark Queen." "She will rule the world and all will bow before her." "DNo." "DEven now you know it's true." "I can sense it." "You doubt your gods." "Paladine, where are you?" "Takhisis is real." "You can see her power for yourself." "Commit yourself fully to her, and I will spare your life." "DNo." "Never!" "DThen you will die." "You can kill me, Verminaard, but that won't change anything." "The Gods of Light have returned." "The people will unite under their banner to destroy Takhisis!" "Paladine?" "But the prophecy is broken!" "How could you have returned?" "Unwavering faith." "You thought your victory was inevitable, but you were wrong." "The world will rise up against you." "You may have interfered with my plans for the moment, Paladine, but the world will be mine." "I promise you!" "Takhisis, why have you abandoned me?" "There was a flash of light, and then I was freed from Verminaard's spell." "Takhisis severed her link with him." "All his power came from her." "Hey, you all right down there?" "Verminaard!" "My children will live!" "No!" "Fizban!" "They killed the dragons!" "Run away!" "Fizban saved my life, but the shaft collapsed before he could get out." "I couldn't rescue him." "Tanis, what's wrong with me?" "I've never felt like this before." "There's nothing wrong with you." "You're gonna miss him." "We all are." "DThey're the Disks of Mishakal." "DYou can read it?" "Yes." "Why?" "And so, with Paladine's blessing, the two who stand before you have now become one." "Riverwind and I were kept apart by the traditions of our people." "But if we are all to survive the rising tide of evil, we must overcome the ways of the past." "Together we will create a new tribe in the name of the Gods of Light!" "Thank the gods!" "Cheer up!" "We destroyed Verminaard's army and saved the elves." "It's a great victory." "We may have won a battle, but the war has just begun." "If we are going to have any hope of surviving it, we need to find the dragonlances, if they still exist." "I thought she was so naive, but she handled herself well on the field of battle." "She's more courageous than I thought." "Maybe I made a mistake." "Too late." "She seems to be enjoying the company of someone else." "Perhaps that's for the best." "I just hope Kitiara has managed to survive all this, wherever she is." "You summoned me, Dragon Highlord Kitiara?"