
Join me as I unbox The Gates of Thorbardin by Dan Parkinson. Released September 26, 1990 by TSR Inc. This is the second volume in the Dragonlance Heroes II series. You can buy Stormblade here: https://amzn.to/3SuAnZY  




https://youtu.be/bFDGNRHfGfo




About The Gates of Thorbardin



Magic and Peril Under the Earth



Deep beneath the mountain fortress of Skullcap, legend has it, are the remains of the dark wizard Fistandantilus and the path to the gates of the dwarven kingdom of Thorbardin. Buried somewhere along that perilous path is the magical helm of Grallen, son of King Duncan, tragic hero of the Dwarfgate War. The finder of Grallen's helm, it is prophesized, will be rewarded and honored by a united Thorbardin -- but he will also open the gates of the realm to fresh horror and chaos.



In The Gates of Thorbardin, Dan Parkinson, author of Starsong, continues the history of the dwarves of Krynn in the tradition of Nancy Varian Berberick's best-selling Dragonlance novel, Stormblade.

The Gates of Thorbardin Unboxing

This podcast is a celebration of the one-of-a-kind, high fantasy setting Dragonlance. It will include information about the Dragonlance Saga and the world of Krynn, including features on characters, events, stories, art and more!

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You may not know it, but Kronin Thistleknot is one of the most influential kender besides Tasslehoff Burrfoot. Let’s learn a little more about Kronin Thistleknot, kender Barbarian. Buy the War of the Lance sourcebook: https://preview.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/3164/war-of-the-lance-3-5?affiliate_id=50797  




https://youtu.be/-NHRfAhkZ4k




Transcript



Cold Open



Let’s just say, hunting him doesn’t end well for the hunter.



Intro



Welcome to another DragonLance Saga episode. My name is Adam and today we are going to talk about Kronin Thistleknott the kender barbarian. I would like to take a moment and thank the DLSaga members, and invite you to consider becoming a member by visiting the link in the description below. You can even pick up Dragonlance gaming materials using my affiliate links. I am referencing the Annotated Chronicles, the novel Lord Toede and the War of the Lance sourcebook for this information. If I leave anything out or misspeak, please leave a comment below!



Discussion



When we are speaking of influential or memorable kender, let’s be honest, the list is pretty short. There are the kender who seem to be clones of Tasslehoff Burrfoot, then there are the one-off, wild ones like Nightshade. But in the vast world of Krynn there must be more kender of legend. Uncle Trapspringer seems to be the most influential kender of all time, simply due to how many claim to be part of his family and celebrate his exploits, but I would hazard a guess, only some of you know of Kronin Thistleknott. Now here is a kender who did some truly amazing things! 



Kronin Thistleknot comes from a small town in Hylo called Legup. The town’s inhabitants are known to be a bit more antagonistic in their dispositions, and Kronin shares this trait in spades. Some kender in the region claim ogre or mountain dwarf blood flows in their veins, but you know kender and their wild tales. Kronin has a rugged and regal bearing. He is unlike most kender in every way. He has a strong and straight stature, standing taller than most kender, and rather than wearing a topknot, he cuts his minnow silver hair short. His piercing blue eyes are arresting when they are fixed on you, and his scarred ear due to an encounter with an ogre from Kern speaks to his tenacity and persistence in battle. He is a husband and father of Paxina Thistleknot, Kronn-alin Thistleknot, and Taywin Kroninsdau. Being a father myself, I can only imagine parenthood forced him to develop his mellow ability to relax and truly consider a situation before reacting, truly atypical behavior traits amongst kender.



While visiting distant relatives in Kendermore with his family, the Black Wing of the Dragonarmy invaded. Seeing as there was no central leader in Kendermore to square off against the invaders, Kronin stepped up and talked, coerced, and bribed the other kender, serving as a resistance leader for them against the Black Wing of the Dragonarmy. Kronin centralized the resistance power from all the disparate groups, and consistently and successfully struck back at the Black Wing. For his military leadership and strategy, the council of elders awarded the title of Grand Marshal to him, a title he adopted with enthusiasm. Kronin would offer assistance to Gunthar Uth Wistan during the Whitestone Forces counter attacks against the Dragonarmies, proving that while the Whitestone forces were none too thrilled about the prospect of a division of kender warriors at their side, kender were more courageous than most. They stood and fought while others backed down and hid. 




Kronin Thistleknot, Kender Barbarian


Join me as I review The Oath and the Measure by Michael Williams, live! Share your thoughts on this fourth novel in the Meetings Sextet series, released on June 1, 1992 by TSR Inc. You can buy a copy here: https://amzn.to/3UDP8dN




https://youtube.com/live/6Xt-C-hXp3g




About The Oath and the Measure



Secrets of the past.



Although Raistlin and Caramon urge him not to go, Sturm Brightblade attends an annual Solamnic ceremony that is interrupted by . . .



A stranger, taunting challenge. Clues from the past. Death.



Once he accepts a mysterious gauntlet, young Sturm must make a dangerous journey with some curious friends, rescue a fair if querulous maid, defeat a traitor knight, and learn the secret fate of his long-lost father. He must also learn the meaning of honor.



The fourth installment in the popular Meetings Sextet tells the story of Sturm Brightblade, the noble Solamnic Knight, in the years before Sturm joined up with the other companions of the best-selling Dragonlance series.



Review



Intro



Welcome to another DragonLance Saga review episode. It is Misham, Fleurgreen the 9th. My name is Adam and today I am going to give you my review of The Oath and the Measure by Michael Williams. I would like to take a moment and thank the DLSaga members, and invite you to consider becoming a member by visiting the link in the description below. You can even pick up Dragonlance gaming materials using my affiliate links. This is my perspective only, and if you have any thoughts or disagree with mine, I invite you to share them in YouTube chat.



This story begins in much the same way as the film The Green Knight, where Sir Gawain had to go and fight the green knight after it interrupted Arthurs council. I don’t want to say it was a rip off of that tale, but it is awfully close to it. There are also some great shakespearean vibes when ghosts appear. But I would expect nothing less from Michael Williams, who also connects this tale to his two previous stories about Galen Pathwarden, who we know befriended Sturms grandfather. 



The story begins at a Yule festival in the High Cleristt’s tower where Sturm made a pilgrimage to after his mother passed. There is a chapter where Caramon and Raistlin try to dissuade Sturm from going, but it clearly didn’t work. So he’s attending this festival and all the knights begin singing a song to Huma and the green Man, Lord Wilderness otherwise known as Vertumnus suddenly appears. But, he appears differently to each knight. Sturm sees him as the green man, with vegetation sprouting from his body. Vertumnus is mocking the knights and Sturm stands to confront him. The green man recognises Sturms’s surname and they begin to battle, with Sturm being cut in the shoulder. Then Sturm runs the green man through, and it dies, momentarily.



The green man rises and challenges Sturm to give a life for a life and face off against him in the spring in his Southern Darkwoods. By the Measure, Sturm is honor bound to go, even though he is not a knight. The whole scene before and after this challenge, which Sturm obviously accepts, is great! We get a bunch of lord knights bantering back and forth and truly get the vibe of how disconnected they each are, but still are structured by their order. I really enjoyed the back and forth, it reminded me of my military time. 



So they train Sturm and he is even given his fathers shield, and they tell him stories of his father and grandfather. Supposedly his father Angriff made a deal to spare his soldiers lives by approaching a druid alone,

The Oath and the Measure Review


Join me as I unbox Steel and Stone by Ellen Porath. Released in September 1992 by TSR Inc. This is the fifth volume in the Dragonlance Meetings Sextet series. You can buy Steel and Stone here: https://amzn.to/4b8WifS 




https://youtu.be/Y-SNKoBK6Uo




About Steel and Stone



New York Times–bestselling series: It’s hate a first sight for Kit and Tanis in this Meetings Sextet novel about their complicated enemies-to-lovers relationship



The tempestuous affair between Kitiara Uth Matar and Tanis Half-Elven begins with the sword.



Life isn't simple for the hotheaded pair. They must contend with a carnivorous, two-headed troll; a deposed leader who believes Kitiara is the cause of the ruler's troubles; a vindictive mage who seeks peculiar vengeance; and Kit's hulking former lover. They also meet a beautiful magic-user hiding a painful secret, and a giant owl with a sardonic sense of humor.



Here is the long-awaited story of the meeting of Tanis and Kitiara, a tale of love, lust, betrayal, and revenge that takes the reader through Krynn and south to the glacial Icereach.

Steel and Stone Unboxing


I had the privilege of contributing to Mr. Welch's Happy 50th Birthday D&D; from 50 D&D; Channels. My contribution presented below, focused on my discovery of Dungeons & Dragons through the original Basic Set, and my introduction of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons by a friend in middle school. This fantasy tabletop role-playing game has kept me in contact with childhood friends and my children who are now adults. Enjoy my contribution below, and check out Mr. Welch's original compilation. It's worth your time.




https://youtu.be/84D4fQDDcaI


Dungeons & Dragons 50th Anniversary


Advanced Dungeons & Dragons forces players to think of their characters as vulnerable; encouraging players to be inherently creative. This concept is missing from most Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition players. Buy the AD&D; Players Handbook: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/17003/players-handbook-1e?affiliate_id=50797 




https://youtu.be/4cMzxeiSNtU




Transcript



Cold Open



You would be a better player if you played this game.



Intro



Welcome to another DragonLance Saga episode. My name is Adam and today we are going to discuss how Advanced Dungeons & Dragons makes you a better player. I would like to take a moment and thank the DLSaga members, and invite you to consider becoming a member by visiting the link in the description below. You can even pick up Dragonlance gaming materials using my affiliate links. I am referencing my thirty-four years of dungeon mastering and playing tabletop role-playing games in every edition of Dungeons & Dragons. If your opinion differs from mine, that’s great, leave your thoughts in the comments below!



Discussion



When modern players who started playing Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition because of popular culture series like Stranger Things, or actual play online shows like Critical Role, they were presented with a game that on its face tried to be balanced, but as with any game which has continually added character options for a decade, the system is anything but. It does, however, provide players with heroic characters whose only struggle is to keep their players interested in playing them after six to ten levels. Why would a player grow bored playing a character after that long? Well there are a plethora of reasons, but at the top of the list would be homogeneity. With few exceptions, you could strip away specifics and all characters can melee, fire off some form of magical attack, heal themselves with a short rest and excel at skills whose ability score can go up to twenty or more! The whole premise of encounters seems to be based on an action game like God of War. Run into combat, kill as quickly as possible, rinse and repeat. 



You can make a fair argument that player and dungeon master styles are what encourage that style of playing, but when the game presents player characters in this light, it’s hard to see anyone playing them any different without a background in role-playing or playing older versions of the game like Advanced Dungeons & Dragons. This could easily be tracked back to Original Dungeons and Dragons, but I prefer AD&D; because Dragonlance was designed for it originally, and seeing as I am writing, performing and producing this video, you’re stuck with it. Now, before you throw your hands in the air and repeat the mindless drone like phrase of OK boomer or dismiss my thoughts as nothing but a grognard’s constipated complaints, I would initially ask you to stop giving into obvious and trite internet culture’s witless banter, and then give me a few minutes. I am running a 5th edition game right now, and I have run past 5th edition games. I play tabletop role-playing games, not a single edition of a role-playing game. This gives me something called perspective, a concept that seems to be lacking in social media and our culture at large.



Perspective is also something that is integral to being a good role-player in general. It allows you to immerse yourself into a character. To understand the motivations and drives of a given character based on their race and class. Another way of saying that is that your choices on behalf of the character are informed by thei...

The Gates of Thorbardin Unboxing

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