What's Dragonlance
Dragonlance was an Advanced Dungeon and Dragons setting owned by TSR. They knew fame with the very sucessful books by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman, books based on the Dragonlance campaign they wrote. Dragonlance universe expanded with a lot a ADD supplement and a neverending series of books. When TSR collapsed, Weis and Hickman took their toys with them and published a new game system that also expandent the timeline: SAGA. It wasn't enough sold to be kept alive. Recently (well, a few years ago), Dragonlance came back to the gaming universe with the popular D20 system.
In the original campaign, the players (taking the role of preprepared characters) struggling in a desesparate situation.
The gods left the world three centuries ago. They threw a moutain on the King-Priest of Istar to punish him for his quest to become a god. The Nation of Istar was destroyed and its remains now lie in the newly formed Blood Sea. All Ansalon was touched by the Cataclysm. Moutains formed, nations were flooded, commercial roads were severed, areas were separated from the continent, volcanoes emerged. And the Gods disappeared and with them, the Divine magic. Only three gods remained to Krynn: Solinari, Lunitari and Nuitari, the three moon-gods of Arcane Magic. 350 years after, Takhisis came in the world in secret, building a new army in Neraka, preparing to take over the world with the aid her children, the Chromatic Dragons and her new perversion: The Draconians.
The Timeline
The scenario will cover the War of the Lance and a part of the Age of Despair preceding it. Most nations will start with very few units and a catastrophic treasure situation. Solamnics will be even worse with a governement unadequate for their large empire.
The Map
It is my Ansalon map, already modified with new rivers and new moutains (they're will be impassable for most, adding more strategy).
The Civilizations
The following nations appear in the scenario: Abanasania (Human), Ackal (Human), Balifor (Human), Blode (Ogre), Daltigoth (Ogre), Ergoth (Human), Goodlong (Kender), Hylo (Kender), Kagonesti (Elf), Kern (Ogre), Kaolyn (Dwarf), Kharolis (Human), Khur (Human), Lemish (Human), Blood Sea Islands (Minotaur), Noordmar (Human), Nuilond (Ghost), Qualinesti (Elf), Sancrist (Gnome), Silvanesti (Elf), Shaifum (Human), Solamnia (Human), Taman Busuk / Neraka (Human), Tarsis (Human), Thorbardin (Dwarf), Throtl (Hobgobelin), Zhakar (Dwarf). 27 in total.
The Gods
Each civ starts the scenario with 1 main god and 1 secondary god, represented by starting (no-era) tech. Each god comes with its own set of buildings, wonders, units and, hopefuly, strategies. The main gods are the 'chief' of their alignments: Paladine, Gilean and Thakisis, respectively God of Good, Neutrality and Evil. Additionnaly, each civilization starts with a secondary god from the same or closest alignement: Solamnia, starting with Paladine worsphip, has Kiri-Jolith (Good God of Power and Honor) as second god and Zakhar, starting with Takhisis cult, has Shinare (Neutral God of Commerce) as second god. Noone can have a secondary god from the main god's opposite side. The secondary gods are: Branchallan, Habbakuk, Kiri-Jolith, Chislev, Reorx, Shinare, Hiddukel, Sargonnas, Zeboim. The 'left-over' gods are not forgotten: Majere, Mishakal, Sirrion, Zivilyn, Chemosh and Morgion are present with Great Wonders accessible only with the chief god of their alignment.
The Races
The third no-era starting tech is the race: Human, Dwarf, Elf, Kender, Ogre, Minotaur, Gobelinoïd. Each comes with specific ressources, buildings and/or units.
With the three starting tech, I hope they won't be two identical civilizations to play.
The Dragons
Dragons, Draconians and Dragonlances were a tricky feature to integrate in Civ-3. They are probably the most recognized entities in Dragonlance (with the Kenders, ok
), so they must have an important role but they can't be too common or their stats will have to be decreased.
So, they all come with Wonders and Small Wonders.
The typical Dragon wonder is built like this: Red Dragonarmy, medium cost, medium maintenance, produces Red Dragon unit every X turns. The Red Dragon can then upgrades to Red Flight, a stronger unit requiring Iron. In order to prevent AI and players to build directly Red Flight, it is be a King unit and thus impossible to build. Each dragon type has its own Great Wonder. Chromatic Dragon Wonders are available to all civilizations starting with Takhisis (Perhaps it will be changed to only Neraka, I'm not sure). Metallic Dragon Wonders are available to all civilizations starting with Paladine.
Draconian production is similar. The Great Wonder "Draconian Ritual" is required for all others Draconian Rituals, it's the main bone of the creation of Draconian and does nothing but being a prerequisite. The typical Draconian Wonder is like this: The Copper Corruption, medium maintenance, requires Copper Egg (Perhaps a generic Metallic Eggs for all the goods dragons ?) and Draconian Ritual, produces a Kapak Draconian. The Kapak Draconian can be upgraded to Kapak Assassin by the same system of Dragon/Dragon Flight. Only Neraka will be able to build the Draconian Ritual.
You have 3 differents way to have Dragonlance in your armies. The 3 require you to start with Paladine. The first is to find a Dragonlance cache: An old room, hidden in the city or in a forgotten ruin, filled with antique Dragonlances. You have the possibility to build Dragonlance Restoration in the nearest city. This building produces a Lesser Dragonlancer every X turns. With again the same system as Dragon/Dragon Flight, you can upgrade your Lesser Dragonlancer to Horse Dragonlancer, requiring Horse of course. The second way is the Silver Arm small wonder, requiring Draconic Metal and producing a Dragonlancer every X turns. Dragonlancer can upgrade to Knight Dragonlancer (If you are Solamnic, per exemple) then to Knight-Dragon (When you've convinced the Metallic Dragons to join your side of the war). The Hammer of Kharas GW works exactly the same way. The third way is to own a Silver Arm and the Hammer of Kharas: You'll be able to produce a Great Dragonlancer, upgrading to Noble Dragonlancer and Wyrm Dragonlancer.
Of course Lesser Dragonlancer is weaker than Dragonlancer who is weaker than Great Dragonlancer.
The Heroes
Some civs start with a Hero, a specific unit a little stronger than the regular starting units. Some will be able to improve with specific ressource. I haven't explored this a lot yet. But it will be something like that:
Silvara, a Kagonesti Hero with modest stats but Invisible and with HP boost. With the Huma Tomb ressource, she will be able to upgrade to Dargent, a strong Silver Dragon.
Ruins
Krynn is a devasted world. There are a lot of ruins and lost secrets in every region. The ruins are an important element of the scenario. They can bring wealth, technologies, new units, new buildings. They are two types of Ruins : The generic Ruins and the specific places. Generic ruins will be abundant and will give access to medium or small rewards. Specific ruins are far more rare.
Xak Tsaroth is one of them. Located in Abanasania, it contains the Disk of Mishakal. These disks are researched by both Force of Good and Force of Evil. To one, it will give cultural and 'happy face' boost. To the other, it will give out some secrets about the good gods (Perhaps two free techs in Civ-3 terms ?).
But both regular and specific ruins can be guarded by fierce barbarians. Horde of Gobelins, rogue Dragon, reptilian creatures or... Gully Dwarves!
That's all for now, folks!
Dragonlance was an Advanced Dungeon and Dragons setting owned by TSR. They knew fame with the very sucessful books by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman, books based on the Dragonlance campaign they wrote. Dragonlance universe expanded with a lot a ADD supplement and a neverending series of books. When TSR collapsed, Weis and Hickman took their toys with them and published a new game system that also expandent the timeline: SAGA. It wasn't enough sold to be kept alive. Recently (well, a few years ago), Dragonlance came back to the gaming universe with the popular D20 system.
In the original campaign, the players (taking the role of preprepared characters) struggling in a desesparate situation.
The gods left the world three centuries ago. They threw a moutain on the King-Priest of Istar to punish him for his quest to become a god. The Nation of Istar was destroyed and its remains now lie in the newly formed Blood Sea. All Ansalon was touched by the Cataclysm. Moutains formed, nations were flooded, commercial roads were severed, areas were separated from the continent, volcanoes emerged. And the Gods disappeared and with them, the Divine magic. Only three gods remained to Krynn: Solinari, Lunitari and Nuitari, the three moon-gods of Arcane Magic. 350 years after, Takhisis came in the world in secret, building a new army in Neraka, preparing to take over the world with the aid her children, the Chromatic Dragons and her new perversion: The Draconians.
The Timeline
The scenario will cover the War of the Lance and a part of the Age of Despair preceding it. Most nations will start with very few units and a catastrophic treasure situation. Solamnics will be even worse with a governement unadequate for their large empire.
The Map
It is my Ansalon map, already modified with new rivers and new moutains (they're will be impassable for most, adding more strategy).
The Civilizations
The following nations appear in the scenario: Abanasania (Human), Ackal (Human), Balifor (Human), Blode (Ogre), Daltigoth (Ogre), Ergoth (Human), Goodlong (Kender), Hylo (Kender), Kagonesti (Elf), Kern (Ogre), Kaolyn (Dwarf), Kharolis (Human), Khur (Human), Lemish (Human), Blood Sea Islands (Minotaur), Noordmar (Human), Nuilond (Ghost), Qualinesti (Elf), Sancrist (Gnome), Silvanesti (Elf), Shaifum (Human), Solamnia (Human), Taman Busuk / Neraka (Human), Tarsis (Human), Thorbardin (Dwarf), Throtl (Hobgobelin), Zhakar (Dwarf). 27 in total.
The Gods
Each civ starts the scenario with 1 main god and 1 secondary god, represented by starting (no-era) tech. Each god comes with its own set of buildings, wonders, units and, hopefuly, strategies. The main gods are the 'chief' of their alignments: Paladine, Gilean and Thakisis, respectively God of Good, Neutrality and Evil. Additionnaly, each civilization starts with a secondary god from the same or closest alignement: Solamnia, starting with Paladine worsphip, has Kiri-Jolith (Good God of Power and Honor) as second god and Zakhar, starting with Takhisis cult, has Shinare (Neutral God of Commerce) as second god. Noone can have a secondary god from the main god's opposite side. The secondary gods are: Branchallan, Habbakuk, Kiri-Jolith, Chislev, Reorx, Shinare, Hiddukel, Sargonnas, Zeboim. The 'left-over' gods are not forgotten: Majere, Mishakal, Sirrion, Zivilyn, Chemosh and Morgion are present with Great Wonders accessible only with the chief god of their alignment.
The Races
The third no-era starting tech is the race: Human, Dwarf, Elf, Kender, Ogre, Minotaur, Gobelinoïd. Each comes with specific ressources, buildings and/or units.
With the three starting tech, I hope they won't be two identical civilizations to play.
The Dragons
Dragons, Draconians and Dragonlances were a tricky feature to integrate in Civ-3. They are probably the most recognized entities in Dragonlance (with the Kenders, ok
), so they must have an important role but they can't be too common or their stats will have to be decreased.So, they all come with Wonders and Small Wonders.
The typical Dragon wonder is built like this: Red Dragonarmy, medium cost, medium maintenance, produces Red Dragon unit every X turns. The Red Dragon can then upgrades to Red Flight, a stronger unit requiring Iron. In order to prevent AI and players to build directly Red Flight, it is be a King unit and thus impossible to build. Each dragon type has its own Great Wonder. Chromatic Dragon Wonders are available to all civilizations starting with Takhisis (Perhaps it will be changed to only Neraka, I'm not sure). Metallic Dragon Wonders are available to all civilizations starting with Paladine.
Draconian production is similar. The Great Wonder "Draconian Ritual" is required for all others Draconian Rituals, it's the main bone of the creation of Draconian and does nothing but being a prerequisite. The typical Draconian Wonder is like this: The Copper Corruption, medium maintenance, requires Copper Egg (Perhaps a generic Metallic Eggs for all the goods dragons ?) and Draconian Ritual, produces a Kapak Draconian. The Kapak Draconian can be upgraded to Kapak Assassin by the same system of Dragon/Dragon Flight. Only Neraka will be able to build the Draconian Ritual.
You have 3 differents way to have Dragonlance in your armies. The 3 require you to start with Paladine. The first is to find a Dragonlance cache: An old room, hidden in the city or in a forgotten ruin, filled with antique Dragonlances. You have the possibility to build Dragonlance Restoration in the nearest city. This building produces a Lesser Dragonlancer every X turns. With again the same system as Dragon/Dragon Flight, you can upgrade your Lesser Dragonlancer to Horse Dragonlancer, requiring Horse of course. The second way is the Silver Arm small wonder, requiring Draconic Metal and producing a Dragonlancer every X turns. Dragonlancer can upgrade to Knight Dragonlancer (If you are Solamnic, per exemple) then to Knight-Dragon (When you've convinced the Metallic Dragons to join your side of the war). The Hammer of Kharas GW works exactly the same way. The third way is to own a Silver Arm and the Hammer of Kharas: You'll be able to produce a Great Dragonlancer, upgrading to Noble Dragonlancer and Wyrm Dragonlancer.
Of course Lesser Dragonlancer is weaker than Dragonlancer who is weaker than Great Dragonlancer.
The Heroes
Some civs start with a Hero, a specific unit a little stronger than the regular starting units. Some will be able to improve with specific ressource. I haven't explored this a lot yet. But it will be something like that:
Silvara, a Kagonesti Hero with modest stats but Invisible and with HP boost. With the Huma Tomb ressource, she will be able to upgrade to Dargent, a strong Silver Dragon.
Ruins
Krynn is a devasted world. There are a lot of ruins and lost secrets in every region. The ruins are an important element of the scenario. They can bring wealth, technologies, new units, new buildings. They are two types of Ruins : The generic Ruins and the specific places. Generic ruins will be abundant and will give access to medium or small rewards. Specific ruins are far more rare.
Xak Tsaroth is one of them. Located in Abanasania, it contains the Disk of Mishakal. These disks are researched by both Force of Good and Force of Evil. To one, it will give cultural and 'happy face' boost. To the other, it will give out some secrets about the good gods (Perhaps two free techs in Civ-3 terms ?).
But both regular and specific ruins can be guarded by fierce barbarians. Horde of Gobelins, rogue Dragon, reptilian creatures or... Gully Dwarves!
That's all for now, folks!
Kayolin was part of the Thorbardin kingdom before the Cataclysm. After, it is separated from Thorbardin with the New Sea. During the War of Lance, it was an ally of Solamnia and even almost a Solamnic province. Zakhar is the "evil" dwarf nation. They live between Sanction and the Khur. There is also a dark storie about the true thoradin and a disfiguring plague but I don't remember it well. Hill dwarfs won't make as nation is this scenario. Their territory is way too small and it's not really a nation but an handful of village and cities without a main power (as Solace and Haven).
Cheers Thorgrimm 
