Dragonlance
Dragonlance is a high fantasy setting and shared media franchise developed for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, centered on the world of Krynn and featuring novels, adventure modules, artwork, and other products that emphasize themes of heroism, moral conflict, and draconic warfare.[1][2]
Originally conceived by Tracy Hickman and his wife Laura Hickman as a story-driven campaign involving dragonlances and riders, the project was expanded under TSR, Inc., with Tracy Hickman collaborating with editor Margaret Weis to produce the inaugural Dragonlance Chronicles trilogy—Dragons of Autumn Twilight (1984), Dragons of Winter Night (1985), and Dragons of Spring Dawning (1985)—which chronicle the War of the Lance on the continent of Ansalon.[2][3]
The franchise's core RPG elements debuted through a series of 14 Advanced Dungeons & Dragons modules (DL1–DL14) released from 1984 to 1988, integrating narrative-driven gameplay with the novels to create a cohesive epic of good versus evil gods, chromatic and metallic dragons, and diverse heroes including half-elves, kender, and Knights of Solamnia.[2][1]
Dragonlance distinguished itself by pioneering the linkage of bestselling tie-in novels with RPG campaigns, influencing fantasy literature and gaming by prioritizing character development and philosophical undertones over pure mechanics, and has sustained a dedicated following through subsequent expansions, including the Legends trilogy and modern returns by Weis and Hickman.[1][3]