Read the beginning of the first Dragonlance novel in more than a decade

With the return of Dragonlance, this summer’s beloved series will be available again Dragons of Deceit, the first book in a new trilogy of Dungeons & Dragons novels by creators Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman. Polygon met with Tracy Hickman and Margaret Weis to talk about the book, as well as the franchise that they brought to life almost 40 years ago. We can also share an exclusive excerpt — the first few pages from volume one of the Dragonlance Destinies series.

Dragons of DeceitIt begins well beyond the forests of Solace, and is centered on a family who has probably never heard of Otik or his famed spiced potatoes. Its main character, Destina Rosethorn, comes from a noble lineage that makes its home far to the north in the land of Solamnia — soon to be the front lines in the coming War of the Lance.

Image: Philipp Urlich

“The wonderful thing, I think, about the Rosethorns,” Hickman told Polygon in an interview over Zoom, “is that they represent a completely different view of this war in that they are right in the middle of it. This isn’t something that’s happening in a very distant place. It is their home. This is their life.”

“The beautiful and predictive destiny I think that Destina has […] is completely broken by these outside forces and events,” he continued. “Dragons of Deceit is very much about this idea that the destiny we are expecting for ourselves is not the destiny that awaits us, and how do we deal with that really crushing disappointment that that represents.”

Destina won’t be the only one on her trip through Krynn. This was evident in 2021 when the revelation of Dragons of Deceit’s cover by artist Philipp Urlich. The noblewoman stands proudly in the center of the frame, flanked by none other than Tasslehoff Burrfoot — one of Dragonlance’s original Companions. A new character is to her left, the mysterious Wolfstone dwarf from Thorbardin. The equally mysterious Saber, a copper dragon is just behind them.

An overview of Dragons of DeceitThe release of the novel, which was released a few weeks ago, confirms time travel. The Device of Time Journeying is a key component of the Dragonlance Legends trilogy. Hickman and Weis both commented on how time travel gives them the ability to tell stories.

“I think the great thing about time travel is the exploration of Imagine what it would look like,” Hickman said. “‘For all sad words of tongue and pen, the saddest are these: Perhaps it was!’ I think that, intrinsically, the idea of Imagine what could have been? If we had made other choices, what would have happened? What if different events had occurred? Which destiny would you choose?”

“It lets you explore depths of the characters that otherwise you wouldn’t get,” Weis added with a hearty laugh, “because nothing ever goes smooth. Whenever you’re dealing with time travel and supernatural, magical things like that, you’re always tempting fate.”

It was not too long ago that the fate of the Dragonlance Trilogy’s future was at stake. Weis, Hickman, and Wizards of the Coast filed a lawsuit for $10,000,000 against them in the fall 2020. They claimed breach of contract. This suit was settled in 2021. The Dragonlance Destinies trilogy will now be published.

“My working relationship with Wizards of the Coast was just excellent,” Weis told Polygon, emphasizing that she was ultimately given the creative freedom to write the book she and Hickman wanted to write.

“I think that it all comes out here in the end,” Hickman added. “The story that we have told is the story that we set out to tell, and it was the story that we really, very much wanted to bring to our fans and to the people who love Dragonlance. So, for us, the outcome really could not have been better.”

A new D&D adventure book, titled Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon QueenWizards is currently working on a similar product. Weis and Hickman had no part in the design or writing of it. Dragons of DeceitIt will be released Aug. 9, and can be purchased at your local bookshops or online. According to the writing team, the manuscript for their third and final novel of the trilogy is complete and in the initial rounds of editing at Penguin Random House.

After the lunch, Destina was joined by her mother and father in the solar. Because the afternoon sun shined through all the windows into the solar, it was warm and inviting.

Atieno was a person of great spirits. A girl of her generation reached womanhood when she was fifteen years old.

Gregory attended the ceremony, carrying his wooden gift box. He grew more cheerful, as he always did when he was in his wife’s presence. He wanted his joy and expressed his gratitude to her for giving him his child, his happiness.

“What is my gift, Mama?” Destina asked.

Destina received a chain made of gold from Atieno.

“Gold for the sun, for the sheaf of wheat, for the leaves in autumn,” said Atieno. “Gold for the goddess of the yellow star.”

Destina wasn’t going to get drawn into yet more discussions about gods who didn’t exist. She wrapped the chain around her neck, and thanked her mom.

Gregory gave his daughter a gift, a silver cup decorated with a Kingfisher motif. Vinus Solamnus the founder chose the mascot of the knights as the kingfisher with its bright, blue-sky, and orange-fire plumage. Vinus Solamnus, their founder, chose the kingfisher as the mascot for the knights to symbolize courage and hope. It was believed that the brave kingfisher flew first on the Day of Creation.

“For your hope chest, Daughter,” said Gregory.

“Papa, thank you! This is beautiful.” Destina flung her arms around her father’s neck and kissed him.

Gregory was able to embrace her before pouring wine for both his wife and him.

Jared Blando

“Please, Papa, just a little for me in my new chalice?” Destina begged. “After all, Mama says that I am a woman today.”

Gregory reached for the chalice and took several sips of red wine from his pitcher to her. Gregory and Atieno made a toast for their daughter. Destina thanked her parents and enjoyed the wine. She admired the chalice and turned it upside-down in her hands as she sipped, thanking them for their sacrifices. She finished the wine and handed it to her mother.

“You must tell my future in the dregs, Mama,” Destina said.

Atieno gazed at the chalice from which the lees had fallen to the bottom.

“What do you see, Mama?” Destina asked.

Atieno, to her surprise, cried horror and grabbed the chalice from her. A loud bang rang out from the surface of the stones and the cup rolled underneath a chest.

Atieno made a warding gesture with her hand and muttered a few words that Destina did not understand and presumed were what her mother termed “magic.” Atieno then jumped from her chair and ran from the room.

Gregory looked at her with concern. “What is wrong with your mother? What did she say?”

“It seems Mama saw a bad omen in the dregs, and I believe she spoke a magic charm to ward off evil.”

“What was the omen about?” Gregory asked.

“I . . . um . . . couldn’t really understand her,” said Destina. “I will go speak to her.”

Atieno, who was looking up at the sky and orange leaves below, led her to her mother’s bedroom.

“Come look at the lovely colors, Destina. They’re the colors of the Kingfisher. Blue above and orange beneath.”

Destina didn’t care about kingfishers and the autumn colors. Destina refused to believe in portents and omens. Destina attempted to comply with the Measure but had so many questions that not one volume of the Measure could address them.

Atieno continued gazing out the window. Destina saw tears on her mother’s cheeks, and she grew even more frightened. Destina hadn’t ever seen her mother weep before.

“Mama, what did you see in the dregs?” Destina demanded.

“How can we face what is coming?” Atineo asked. “How can we bear it?”

She turned to face Destina and said softly, “My poor child . . .”

Destina found refuge in Measure. “Mama, remember what the Measure says: ‘Paladine forges the sword, but man chooses how to wield it.’ That means each person is responsible for what he or she does in this life. The Measure also warns: ‘Trust not the soothsayer, for his words are lies to snare the unwary.’”

“And my people say: ‘The wolf is born to kill. The sheep is born to be killed,’” Atieno said, fixing her with shimmering dark eyes.

“Mama, please tell me what you saw in the chalice!” Destina said desperately.

“Bring the chalice to me,” said Atieno. “I will show you.”

Destina raced to the sun to retrieve the chalice. It was so heavy that she could only reach her knees down and grab it under a chest. She held the item out for her mother, who returned her to retrieve it.

Atieno retreated, refusing touch it.

“Look into it, Daughter, and tell me what you see.”

“Mother, you know I never see anything except dregs,” Destina protested.

“If you see, look!” Atieno insisted.

Image: Philipp Urlich

Destina smiled, then looked in the cup. The dregs formed a pattern. She laughed and said before she thought, “Isn’t that funny, Mama. These lees look like a dragon’s tail. The tail is attached to the head. . .”

The sound of a strangled gasp was heard by her daughter and she looked at her mother. The blood had drained from Atieno’s face and lips, leaving her brown skin gray and leaden. “You saw the dragon! This is the same omen. I hoped I might be wrong, but you confirm it!”

“Mama, you are frightening me,” said Destina. “I saw the ShapeA dragon. These are only lees and dregs of dead yeast. Here, I will show you!”

She put her index finger in the chalice, and then ran the inside of the glass. She felt her finger turn red as the dragon vanished. Destina raised her finger in order to display her mother.

“There, Mama. Don’t worry. The dead yeast is gone and so is the dragon.”

Atieno stared in horror at the red blotch on Destina’s finger. She sank down into a chair and looked so sick that Destina called her father.