DL series
The DL series is a series of adventures and some supplementary material for the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons role playing game. These modules along with the Dragonlance Chronicles trilogy of novels, which follow one possible adventure series through the modules, were the first published items that established the Dragonlance fictional universe. The original DL series was released from 1984 to 1986, with the final two modules added to it in 1988. In the 1990s these roleplaying adventures from the original series were collected and revised for 2nd Edition AD&D as the three DLC Dragonlance Classics modules. There were also versions of the module series released in 1999, 2000 and 2006.
About the ''DL'' module series
The DL series of modules were different from previously published Dungeons & Dragons modules in two ways. First, instead of being stand alone adventures, or a short series of adventures, they combined into a single large plot arc. This arc covered the War of the Lance. Second, players didn't use their own characters, as in other modules, they played preexisting characters such as Tasslehoff Burrfoot. This allowed for shorter character arcs within the larger story.Early history
The Dragonlance game project began with an idea by Tracy and Laura Hickman of a world dominated by dragons. As they drove from Utah to Wisconsin so Tracy could take up a job with TSR in 1981 they discussed this idea. In 1982 Tracy proposed at TSR a series of three modules featuring evil dragons. When this plan reached then head of TSR Gary Gygax it fit well with an idea he had considered of doing a series of 12 modules each based on one of the official Monster Manual dragons. The project was then developed, under the code name "Project Overlord" to plan the series. The original group included Tracy Hickman, Harold Johnson, Larry Elmore, Carl Smith and Jeff Grubb. The Dragonlance Series Design Team was later expanded to also include Margaret Weis, Douglas Niles, Bruce Nesmith, Mike Breault, Roger Moore, Laura Hickman, Linda Bakk, Michael Dobson and Garry Spiegle.Structure of the series
Dragonlance is a story, in contrast to many other Dungeons & Dragons adventures, particularly those that came before it, which are location or event based.The module series is built around the structure of three "books" that are split up similarly, but not the same, as the Dragonlance Chronicles novel trilogy. Each "book" runs through four modules and contains sections of the adventure called chapters which have a continuing numbering system through that individual "book".
The first book, Tales of the Autumn Twilight, is in DL1-4. The first four modules "form the first stage in a massive quest-adventure using the same set of characters". DL5 is a sourcebook providing background on the setting useful for running all the adventures. The second book, Tales of the Winter Night, runs through DL6-9. The third book, which is never named, runs through DL10 and DL12-14. DL11 is a wargame that can be played by itself or as a campaign tool to create a backdrop for the individual adventures. DL15 and DL16 are anthologies of adventures. DL15 also contains source book material. These two were not originally part of the DL series but were added two years after the series was completed. The adventures included do not feature the main characters from the rest of the DL series, but are adventures that occur in and around the War of the Lance that the initial series details.
Relationship to the novels
Later in the development process it was decided that a trilogy of fantasy novels would be released with the modules. Originally an external writer was hired, but the design group found themselves more and more disillusioned with his work. At this point it was suggested that Hickman and Margaret Weis, an editor in TSR's book department who had become involved with the project, ought to write the books. They wrote the five chapters over a weekend and were given the job to write the accompanying novels based on that.The first Dragonlance novel Dragons of Autumn Twilight was written after modules DL1-4 were completed. However, as Hickman and Weis felt this was too constraining and made the novel feel too episodic, they reversed the process for Dragons of Winter Night and Dragons of Spring Dawning and completed the books before the related modules. Aside from the novels, the modules were designed to connect with action figures and other merchandise relating to the concept.
Dragons of Autumn Twilight parallels the events in DL1 Dragons of Despair and DL2 Dragons of Flame. The events of DL3 and DL4 are not detailed in the novels but are consistent with leading up to the start of Dragons of Winter Night, which covers the events of DL6-10 and parts of DL12.
The authors were very careful to make sure that while the locations and settings of the novels coincided with the modules, and they equally made sure not too much was given away about the modules by deliberately changing some details about the modules. One of the purposes of the novel was to give Dungeon Masters a "truer feeling for the game world... This is hard to get across in the often dry, reference format of a game adventure module." People who play the games can recall how something similar happened to their group as they read the book, or someone who has already read the book can see the relationships between the book and experiences while playing.
Impact of the ''DL'' modules
The first Dragonlance item published after the original module/novels series was a hardcover Dungeons & Dragons manual called Dragonlance Adventures. This book, released in 1987, provided resources to allow Dungeon Masters to continue campaigning in the Dragonlance world. Two additional modules featuring anthologies of adventures, not planned as part of the original series, were added to the DL series in 1988, DL15 Mists of Krynn and DL16 World of Krynn.The success of the original Dragonlance modules eventually led to several series of Dragonlance modules with the module codes DLA, DLE, DLQ, DLS and DLT.
Graham Staplehurst of White Dwarf magazine felt that after the first four modules had been released, the series had "developed into something potentially larger than any other linked venture ever produced by TSR", and that it "presumably will outstrip even the famous Giant-Drow series produced by Gary Gygax".
Gordon Taylor reviewed the first 14 Dragonlance adventures for White Dwarf #86, and stated that "Dragonlance is ultimately a fantastic story, but maybe not the greatest series of AD&D modules That is not to say that Dragonlance is not packed full of epic and memorable adventures."
Scott Taylor of Black Gate in 2015 rated the Dragonlance series as #8 in "The Top 10 Campaign Adventure Module Series of All Time, saying "they aren't my favorite series, but they certainly deserve to be included with honor on this list."
In his 2023 book Monsters, Aliens, and Holes in the Ground, RPG historian Stu Horvath noted that the design of the adventure modules did not allow for creative play, saying, "The action is mostly on rails. There is a goal; there is one way to achieve it, and players move from 'Point A' to 'Point B' in order to do so, usually with a bit of pointless dungeon exploration in between. This framing strangles the events of many of the modules, even when a more relaxed approach was possible." Horvath concluded, "The original Dragonlance saga has moments of brilliance, but it never really delivers on its promise of world-shaking high adventure."
The ''DL'' modules
DL1 ''Dragons of Despair''
- Author: Tracy Hickman
- First published: March 1984
- Description: Dragons of Despair is the first Dragonlance product ever released, the start of the first major story arc in the Dragonlance. This events in this module corresponds to the first half of the novel Dragons of Autumn Twilight. The characters start on a road east of Solace after five years of looking for "lost clerical magic." An invading army has forced refugees out of the North, and Dragons have returned to the world after a long absence. They must follow the clues to restore the power of the old gods to the world of Krynn.
- Playable Characters: Tanis Half-Elven, Sturm Brightblade, Caramon Majere, Raistlin Majere, Flint Fireforge, Tasslehoff Burrfoot and Goldmoon.
- Notable first appearances
- * Characters: All PCs listed above, Riverwind, Tika Waylan, Fewmaster Toede and Khisanth.
- * Races: Draconians and Aghar.
- * Places: Xak Tsaroth, Solace and Haven.