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Taladas
Dragonlance location
File:Taladas.gif
Taladas
GenreFantasy
In-universe information
TypeContinent

Taladas is a continent in the northern hemisphere of Krynn, the fictional world for the Dragonlance setting of the Dungeons and Dragons fantasy role playing game.

Publication history

Taladas was introduced in the Time of the Dragon boxed set.[1] Taladas played no major role in the War of the Lance.[1][2]

Introduction

Taladas is another continent on Krynn, and is located northeast of Ansalon. Taladas was devastated on the same day as Istar by a great hail of fire, which destroyed its main empire and split the earth open. The hail of fire caused the central part of the continent to be swallowed by molten rock in a great cauldron of flame. It is now a sea of lava, known as the Burning Sea or the Lava Sea. The heat burned the lands around Aurim, creating ash and glass as well as spewing poisonous gases that killed many people. The inhabitants of Taladas called this event the Great Destruction. Some areas survived, but were deeply transformed : new mountain ranges appeared and a continent was split into two[citation needed].

Taladas is home to many of the same races as Ansalon, but their cultures are remarkably different[vague].

Taladas has its own unique cultures and geography, and the peoples who inhabit Taladas have markedly different views and lifestyles from those of Ansalon.[1] They worship the same gods, who are known by different names and manifest themselves in different ways.[1] The absence of the gods following the Cataclysm had its effect on the development of Taladas, and the clerics of Taladas compensated by finding new way to maintain their influence, and they limited the availability of clerical powers to only a chosen few clerics from each culture.[1]

Inhabitants

The dragons of Taladas have a different outlook and attitudes than those of Ansalon. When Takhisis returned to Krynn, she released the evil dragons and kept them secretly within Taladas. When she later called the evil dragons to join her, some refused to go.[1] When the good dragons searched the world for their stolen eggs, they journeyed to Taladas. Once released from their Oath, not all of the good dragons flew to Ansalon; like some of the evil dragons before them, some good dragons remained in Taladas.[1] The dragons of Taladas are more neutral, with many of the good dragons riddled with guilt. Red dragons of Taladas are noted for their cowardice rather than their traditional desires to destroy.[1]

Other races have diverged and developed differently from those on Ansalon, and the need to survive has colored their outlooks, making the cultures of Taladas darker in mood than those of Ansalon.[1]

The steppe-dwelling Uigan are found in the northwest part of Taladas. The elves of this area are similar to the Uigan, being nomadic horse warriors. On the other hand, the goblins of this area follow a settled lifestyle, living in small villages and hunting for food; they ambush elven and human horsemen, and they make war with the elves.[1]

The Marak kender are a race marked by suspicion and paranoia, just as likely to rifle through a traveler's pockets as kender from Ansalon, but they do so for their own protection, so that magical items cannot be later used against them.[1] The Fianawar, having been driven from their underground homes by the Cataclysm, have developed a fear of the underground.[1] The League of Minotaurs is the largest power in Taladas, and its society, while reflecting the belief that might makes right, also has built-in controls to regulate it.[1] The gnomes of Taladas are split into two distinct groups: the minoi and the gnomoi. The minoi love to build devices but lack the logical minds necessary to make them work effectively. The gnomoi are far more practical and control gnomish society, taking steps to make sure that it stays stable and develops.[1]

Geography

Most civilization is concentrated in Southern Hosk, the southwestern part of the continent. The only true empire since Aurim is located here; the powerful Minotaur League, or the Imperial League. South of the League is the kingdom of Thenol, which is currently at war with the League. Thenol is ruled by Trandamere, Bishop of the evil god Hiddukel (called Hiteh or Hith in Taladas), with the aid of huge armies of undead. A small confederation led by elves, known as Armach, is located near the western coast. Bakali, a race of lizardmen, live in huge swamps covering the southern end of Southern Hosk. Kender can be found in Southern Hosk but unlike their free-wheeling kindred in Ansalon, they are a suspicious, almost paranoid lot.

Northern Hosk is home to numerous human nomads. It is also home to nomadic elven tribes that are extremely aggressive, as well as goblins who live in the mountains.

Neron, the southeastern part of the continent, is mostly covered by jungle and swamp which is home to wild elves, who have mastered a magic strongly linked to nature, and degenerated mind flayers.

Humans, dwarves, kenders and minotaurs live in peace with each other in the Rainward Isles, northeast of Taladas. However, they are threatened by rampaging undead.

The huge mountain ranges close to the Burning Sea are inhabited by ogres, dwarves, hobgoblins and yeti-like creatures.

The eastern, near-barren parts of the continent are home to Traag draconians, a species of draconians created by the servants of goddess Takhisis, but later dismissed as a failed experiment. Many hobgoblins also live there.

The gnomes are the most advanced civilization of Taladas. They mostly live in citadels close to the Lava Sea, and sail the Burning Sea in metal ships. They often have to battle fire creatures living in the Sea. As opposed to the gnomes found in Ansalon, many of the gnomes in Taladas are quite competent and their creations work as intended.

Sea elves, known as the Dargonesti, live west of Taladas.

History

During the Cataclysm, one particularly huge meteorite struck the continent, resulting in erupting volcanoes, and earthquakes that shattered the land. Volcanic dust fell over the continent, the seas were poisoned, and land masses shifted.[1] In the center of Taladas now lies a vast sea of molten lava, surrounded by belching volcanoes. The races and cultures of Taladas were forced to adapt in many different ways to their new environment.[1]

Not much is known about the history of Taladas. The powerful empire of Aurim once existed in the middle of the continent but was destroyed by the Cataclysm. Its people had to flee west and founded two kingdoms. One was Thenol, the other was later conquered by the minotaurs and became the Imperial League.

Armach was created by a Silvanesti war fleet during the war against the Qualinesti. They were brought to Taladas by a powerful storm. Their ships were destroyed and the elves had to settle there. After some armed conflicts, they eventually formed a confederation with their human neighbors.

Extremely old ruins can be found in several parts of the continent, including the lands of the bakali, Neron and the barren eastern lands. Not all of the ruins come from the empire of Aurim.

Religion

The gods of Taladas are the same as in Ansalon, but are known by different names. Among them are:

  • Astar: The god of elves, a hunter and bowman, Branchala.
  • Erestem: The Queen of Darkness, Takhisis.
  • Gilona: The goddess of knowledge and learning, Gilean.
  • Hith: God of deceit, Hiddukel.
  • Jijin: The god of the Uigan, a warrior and protector, Habbakuk.
  • Jolith: A human war god, Kiri-Jolith.
  • Lunis: The red moon. Lunitari.
  • Manith: A god of contemplation, Zivilyn.
  • Mislaxa: A healing goddess, Mishakal.
  • Morgash: God of sickness and decay, Morgion.
  • Nuvis: The black moon, Nuitari.
  • Sargas: The god of the minotaurs, Sargonnas.
  • Solis: The silver moon, Solinari.
  • Zai: A goddess of seas and storms, Zeboim.

Takhisis is worshipped by few. Paladine is almost unknown, although he has a minotaur paladin there. Hiddukel/Hith is the most influential evil god. The priests of Mishakal are a semi-secret organization. They travel often, bringing their powers of healing to those who need it. Among the neutral gods, the most popular is Shinare, who is worshipped by the merchants of the Minotaur League. Reorx is worshipped by the gnomes.

Published materials

Unlike Ansalon, the best known continent of Krynn, Taladas has been relatively untouched by published materials such as novels and game modules. It is mostly detailed in the boxed set Time of the Dragon and in the supplement Taladas : The Minotaurs. A trilogy of adventures titled DLA1: Dragon Dawn, DLA2: Dragon Knight, and DLA3: Dragon's Rest also mostly take place in Taladas.

The events of the computer game The Dark Queen of Krynn, released in 1992, happen mostly on Taladas.

Blades of the Tiger, Trail of the Black Wyrm and Shadow of the Flame are novels in a trilogy set in Taladas, written by Chris Pierson, and were released on April 5, 2005; April 11, 2006; and June 12, 2007, respectively.

In the novel Amber and Blood, the kender Nightshade tells Rhys of another continent, presumably Taladas.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Bambra, Jim (1990). "Role-playing Reviews". Dragon (#161). Lake Geneva, Wisconsin: TSR: 36-38. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  2. ^ Schick, Lawrence (1991). Heroic Worlds: A History and Guide to Role-Playing Games. Prometheus Books. p. 91. ISBN 0-87975-653-5.

Additional reading

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