Riverwind

Last updated
Riverwind
Dragonlance character
GoldmoonRiverwind.jpg
Goldmoon and Riverwind. Illustration by Keith Parkinson.
First appearance Dragons of Autumn Twilight (1984)
Created by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman
Voiced by Phil LaMarr (2008 animated film)
In-universe information
AliasRiverwind of the Que Shu
RaceNomad
GenderMale
ClassFighter (Barbarian)
HomeQue Shu

Riverwind (also known as Riverwind of the Que Shu tribe or Riverwind of the Que Shu) is a fictional character appearing in the Dragonlance series of Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game supplements and novels, created by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman and published by TSR (and later by Wizards of the Coast).

Contents

Riverwind made his first public appearance in the first novel of the original Chronicles Trilogy, Dragons of Autumn Twilight , in 1984. However, the character's proper creation was during a tabletop role-playing game session where Tracy and Laura Hickman, Margaret Weis and Terry Phillips, between others, developed the basic storyline of Dragonlance. [1]

Throughout the series, Riverwind became a well known character and, in 14 years, authors made him the protagonist in two novels, Riverwind the Plainsman (1990) and Spirit of the Wind (1998).

Introduction

Patrick Lucien Price, author of the "Bertrem's essay on numerology" short story, published in Leaves from the Inn of the Last Home (1987), describes Riverwind as a character that demands change, seeks variety and new opportunities to develop himself, also a natural leader of men and generous, impressionable, a humanitarian. [2]

Few facts are given about the early life of the character itself, a shepherd living just outside the village of Que Shu, a barbarian settlement in Ansalon, in the fictional world of Krynn. Laura Hickman and Kate Novak detail, in the short story "Heart of Goldmoon" published in the Love and War (1987) recompilation, Riverwind's faith in the ancient gods and especially in Mishakal, goddess of healing, although the common belief in the tribe was that the high priestess's ancestors become gods. [3] Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman give a reason in the short story "True Knight", published in The Cataclysm (1992) recompilation, as Riverwind's family is not a native from the Que Shu tribe, but instead his ancestors, Michael, a cleric of Mishakal, and Nikol, daughter of a knight, travelled to the plains shortly after the Cataclysm, the event in which the gods threw a fiery mountain to punish Krynn arrogance, and kept practicing their religion. [4]

In "Heart of Goldmoon", Hickman and Novak also inform the reader about the journey to the Hall of the Sleeping Spirits, in which Riverwind acts as a bodyguard to Goldmoon, protecting her life when Hollow-sky, the other bodyguard traveling with them, tries to force her to marry him. With Riverwind and Goldmoon declaring their mutual love, the story ends with Riverwind affirming his intention to request a Courting quest, which would give him the right to marry Goldmoon.

Paul B. Thompson and Tonya C. Cook give details of such quest in the novel Riverwind the Plainsman (1990), which takes place during the five-year period prior to the reunion of the Companions at Solace. [5] According to Thompson, unlike some of the characters, "Riverwind wasn't fully developed in the earlier books. We essentially had a character and had to make up a lot of background for him". [5] The character, needing to find proof that the ancient gods existed, travels to Xak Tsaroth and retrieves the Blue Crystal Staff, a holy relic blessed by Mishakal herself, guarded by Khisanth, a black dragon. [6] Although the novel ends with the delivery of the staff, in Dragons of Autumn Twilight (1984) the authors explain, through Goldmoon, that the tribe tried to stone him when he could not explain how the staff could prove the existence of the old gods. [7] However, before they started stoning, Goldmoon embraced him, and both vanished from the tribe. [8]

Character art for Riverwind was first created by Larry Elmore. According to Elmore, Margaret Weis appreciated Keith Parkinson's attempt to incorporate Weis's vision of Goldmoon as "Native American with a Celtic touch". [9]

Development through the series

Chronicles Trilogy

As in the "Heart of Goldmoon" short story, Riverwind is given the role of Goldmoon's protector in Dragons of Autumn Twilight (1984). Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman kept his involvement at a minimum, only describing him as a character with a serious demeanor. The War of the Lance sourcebook (2004) indicates that he is a man of few words, proud and wary of strangers, who does not make friends easily and people have to go a long way to earn his regard. [10] It is only after Sturm Brightblade—Squire of the Knights of Solamnia and one of the members of a group of friends who met them in Solace—feels his honor has been insulted that Riverwind's behavior is modified, becoming somewhat friendlier. [11] He is particularly distrustful of those not of human race or magic users, and so Raistlin earned his constant mistrust while he was surprised the first time Tanis was introduced as the leader of the Companions.

Understandably, it is in battle sequences where the authors give him more protagonism, effectively drawing on his past as a trained warrior. It is in one of those sequences, against the black dragon Khisanth in Xak Tsaroth, where Riverwind is mortally wounded by the dragons' acid breath. However, Goldmoon, after meeting the soul of her mother and the goddess Mishakal, goddess of healing, is able to restore him to health.

It is at the end of the first book, when Riverwind marries Goldmoon just outside Pax Tharkas after defeating Lord Verminaard, that Riverwind receives more attention from the authors. [12]

Weis and Hickman continue diminishing the protagonism of Riverwind in Dragons of Winter Night (1985). In the second half of Dragons of Spring Dawning (1985), the authors reveal that Goldmoon is pregnant, and the couple decides to stay in Kalaman, ending their participation in the Chronicles Trilogy.

Lost Chronicles Trilogy

In Dragons of the Dwarven Depths , Tanis leaves Riverwind in charge of the safety of the refugees from Pax Tharkas while the rest of the companions search for an entrance to the underground dwarven kingdom of Thorbardin. Riverwind oversees the refugees as they evacuate to Thorbardin ahead of an attack by the remnants of the Red Dragonarmy.

Legends Trilogy

As the Legends trilogy, written by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman in 1986, focuses on the twins Caramon and Raistlin Majere, Riverwind's appearance is small. In Time of the Twins (1986) Riverwind visits Caramon and Tika Majere at the Inn of the Last Home to refuse to escort Lady Crysania to the Tower of High Sorcery of Wayreth [13] and to inform them that his son, Wanderer, is already three years old, and the birth of his twin daughters, Moonsong and Brightdawn.

By wearing the Mantle of the Chieftain, the authors point that he has been named Chieftain of the Que Shu and a number of other tribes like the Que Teh and Que Kiri, which must mean that he was successful in bringing peace. [14]

Chaos War series

There are no books about the attacks of Chaos's armies to the Abanasinian tribes. Chris Pierson's novel, Spirit of the Wind (1998), informs that the Knights of Takhisis, knights under the service of Takhisis, goddess of evil, invaded the area bringing brutes, barbarians from northern isles, forcing some tribes to join the Que Shu village to repel the attack, while others separated and left for the mountains. He also hints that at least shadow wights, creatures that possess souls, vanishing them from the world of Krynn, including others' memories of them, attacked the tribe, as Moonsong and Brightdawn explain that their brother, Wanderer, has a three-year-old son, but nobody, not even Wanderer himself, remembers his mother. [15]

Age of Mortals series

In Spirit of the Wind (1998), Chris Pierson covers the last weeks of Riverwind's life. Afflicted by a terminal illness that had been the cause of his father's death, and without Mishakal, who left Krynn after the Chaos War, to give clerical powers to Goldmoon to heal him, he travels to the Inn of the Last Home to inform Caramon and Tika about it. [16]

The novel continues explaining that a couple of kender arrive requesting Caramon's help to stop Malystryx, the red dragon overlord, from destroying their home town, Kendermore. Riverwind decides to help them, and is involved in the defense of the city. With the imminent invasion of the dragon and the ogre armies supporting her, Riverwind and Brightdawn travel to Blood Watch, where Malystryx's Peak was situated and her only egg was laid. Brightdawn dies on her way to the lair while fighting the nest's guardian, Yovanna, [17] but Riverwind is able to crack the egg open and slay the embryo within it, forcing Malystryx to go back to the lair and slay him. With Riverwind's sacrifice, the kender were able to flee safely to Hylo, as Malystryx was too depressed to chase them. [18]

Reception

Lauren Davis of io9 commented on how the heroes of the Dragonlance Chronicles feel like a dysfunctional family, describing the Plainsfolk Riverwind and Goldmoon as "so-called "barbarians" in a strange land", and noted that Riverwind "is proud and protective of his wife above all". [19]

In the Io9 series revisiting older Dungeons & Dragons novels, Rob Bricken commented that "A regular barbarian who loves Goldmoon. Goldmoon’s father sent him to find a magical artifact in hopes that Riverwind would die on the journey. Instead, he came back with the Blue Crystal Staff and PTSD. Both he and Goldmoon then left the tribe together to discover the origin of the staff." [20]

Other media

Video games

Riverwind appears as one of the player characters in Advanced Dungeons & Dragons: Heroes of the Lance . [21]

Miniature figures

Riverwind was included in Ral Partha's Dragonlance Heroes boxed figures set of lead miniatures. A reviewer for Dragon magazine felt that Ral Partha did a good job of matching their figures to the characters' descriptions in the books, and described his figure: "Riverwind is dressed simply with buckskin and a furred shirt showing a lot of detail, stretching from his shoulders to below his waist. From waist to boots, he is clad in a tight-fitting material that shows hints of the muscles underneath. A simple belt holds a breech cloth, a sheathed sword, and a buckskin-fringed pouch. On his back is a buckskin-fringed quiver full of arrows, with individual shafts and feathers showing. His head and hair are unclad except for a headband. A look of grim determination is on his face as he holds a bow in his right hand. His arm muscles are clearly shown, as are the bow guards." [22]

Dragonlance movie

Actor Phil LaMarr voices Riverwind and Gilthanas in the animated Dragonlance: Dragons of Autumn Twilight movie, [23] directed by Will Meugniot, written by George Strayton and produced by Toonz Animation, Commotion Pictures, Epic Level Entertainment, Kickstart Entertainment and Paramount Pictures .

See also

Related Research Articles

Dragonlance is a shared universe created by Laura and Tracy Hickman, and expanded by Tracy Hickman and Margaret Weis under the direction of TSR, Inc. into a series of fantasy novels. The Hickmans conceived Dragonlance while driving in their car on the way to TSR for a job interview. Tracy Hickman met his future writing partner Margaret Weis at TSR, and they gathered a group of associates to play the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. The adventures during that game inspired a series of gaming modules, a series of novels, licensed products such as board games, and lead miniature figures.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kender (Dragonlance)</span> Type of fantasy race

Kender are a type of fantasy race first developed for the Dragonlance campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role playing game published by TSR, Inc. in 1984. The first kender character was created by Harold Johnson as a player character in a series of role-playing adventures co-authored by Tracy Hickman and Margaret Weis. Weis and Hickman's Dragonlance shared world novels introduced the kender to readers and players alike, largely through the character Tasslehoff Burrfoot, who became one of the main protagonists in the series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Raistlin Majere</span> Fictional character from Dragonlance books

Raistlin Majere is a fictional character from the Dragonlance series of books created by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman. Raistlin played an extensive role in the two main series of books, particularly in Dragonlance Legends in which he was both primary protagonist and antagonist. He is twin brother to Caramon Majere, half-brother to his protective sister Kitiara uth Matar, and a significant member of the Heroes of the Lance. In the animated movie adaptation, Dragonlance: Dragons of Autumn Twilight, Raistlin was voiced by Kiefer Sutherland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sturm Brightblade</span> Fictional character

Sturm Brightblade is a fictional character from the Dragonlance series of role playing games and novels, based on the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons franchise. The character was created by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman and is published by Wizards of the Coast.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tasslehoff Burrfoot</span> Fictional character

Tasslehoff Burrfoot is a fictional character of the kender race from the Dragonlance series of novels, written by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman. He was born in Kendermore. His parents are unknown and he has few known relatives. He has a sister, and also claims to have an Uncle Trapspringer. He has three uncles, by the names of Remo Lockpick, Bertie, and Wilfre. He also has a cousin, Latchlifter Furrfoot.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caramon Majere</span> Fictional character

Caramon Majere is a fictional character from the Dragonlance books. He is depicted as a fighter and is one of the main characters in Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman's first Dragonlance trilogy, the Dragonlance Chronicles. Caramon and his brother Raistlin Majere's relationship was explored in the NY Times Best Seller Twins Trilogy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Goldmoon</span> Fictional character

Goldmoon is a fictional character from the Dragonlance fantasy series of novels and role playing games, originally published by TSR, Inc. and later by Wizards of the Coast.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kitiara uth Matar</span> Fictional character

Kitiara Uth Matar is a fictional character appearing in the Dragonlance campaign setting created by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman. She is the daughter of a disgraced Solamnic Knight named Gregor Uth Matar and his first wife, Rosamun. She is also the half-sister of both Raistlin and Caramon Majere.

Tanis Half-Elven is a fictional half-elven character in the Dragonlance series of books, which were published by TSR, and are now published by Wizards of the Coast. He is first introduced in the book Dragons of Autumn Twilight by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman, in Chapter 1: "Old Friends Meet. A Rude Interruption." They introduce him saying that he was half-elven, armed with a longbow and a sword and wearing leather armor.

<i>Dragons of Autumn Twilight</i> 1984 novel by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman

Dragons of Autumn Twilight is a 1984 fantasy novel by American writers Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman, based on a series of Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) game modules. It was the first Dragonlance novel, and first in the Chronicles trilogy, which, along with the Dragonlance Legends trilogy, are generally regarded as the core novels of the Dragonlance world. Dragons of Autumn Twilight details the meeting of the Companions and the early days of The War of the Lance. The novel corresponds with the first two Dragonlance game modules, Dragons of Despair and Dragons of Flame, but with a different ending. It introduces many of the characters that are the subject of later novels and short stories.

<i>Dragons of Winter Night</i> 1985 novel by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman

Dragons of Winter Night is a fantasy novel by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman. Based on the Dungeons & Dragons gaming modules, it is the second book in the Chronicles Trilogy, preceded by Dragons of Autumn Twilight and followed by Dragons of Spring Dawning. It was the second Dragonlance novel, being released in 1985. It is the second novel in the Dragonlance Chronicles trilogy, which along with the Legends Trilogy introduces the Dragonlance world. Specifically, it details the darker days of the War of the Lance.

<i>Dragonlance: Dragons of Autumn Twilight</i> 2008 American film

Dragonlance: Dragons of Autumn Twilight is a 2008 American animated fantasy adventure film. It is the first film to be based on the Dragonlance campaign setting of the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. It is based on the first novel written for the campaign setting, Dragons of Autumn Twilight (1984), co-written by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman, both of whom gave assistance for the film's screenplay adaptation by George Strayton. The film was directed by Will Meugniot and distributed by Paramount Pictures, directly to video.

Dragonlance Legends is a trilogy of fantasy novels written by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman, which take place in the Dragonlance setting. This series is the sequel to the Dragonlance Chronicles, and focus on Raistlin and Caramon. The trilogy has two major story arcs:

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.

<i>Dragons of Despair</i> 1984 book by Tracy Hickman

Dragons of Despair is the first in a series of 16 Dragonlance adventures published by TSR, Inc. (TSR) between 1984 and 1988. It is the start of the first major story arc in the Dragonlance series of Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) role-playing game modules, a series of ready-to-play adventures for use by Dungeon Masters in the game. This series provides a game version of the original Dragonlance storyline later told in the Dragonlance Chronicles trilogy of novels. This module corresponds to the events told in the first half of the novel Dragons of Autumn Twilight by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman. Its module code is DL1, which is used to designate it as the first part of the Dragonlance adventure series.

Preludes is a series of novels comprising two trilogies set in the Dragonlance world of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game.

The Dragonlance Chronicles is a trilogy of fantasy novels written by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman, which take place in the Dragonlance setting. This series is the first set of Dragonlance novels, and is followed by the Dragonlance Legends series.

References

  1. ↑ Weis, Margaret (1999) [January 1998]. "Foreword". The Soulforge. foreword by Tracy Hickman. (5th ed.). Wizards of the Coast. ISBN   0-7869-1314-2.
  2. ↑ Price, Patrick Lucien; Williams, Michael; Swan, Kevin; Wells, William; Moore, Roger E.; Grubb, Jeff; Niles, Doug; Novak, Kate; Breault, Mike; Dobson, Michael; Haard, Bruce; Johnson, Harold; Kirchoff, Mary; Bartyzel, Kris (1993) [February 1987]. "Bertrem's essay on numerology". In Margaret Weis; Tracy Hickman (eds.). Leaves from the Inn of the Last Home (2nd ed.). Wizards of the Coast. p. 172. ISBN   0-88038-465-4.
  3. ↑ Hickman, Laura; Novak, Kate (1987) [October 1987]. "Heart of Goldmoon". In Margaret Weis; Tracy Hickman (eds.). Love and War (9th ed.). Wizards of the Coast. pp. 212–216. ISBN   0-88038-519-7.
  4. ↑ Weis, Margaret; Hickman, Tracy; Anthony, Mark; Carter, Tonya R.; Fahnestock, Todd; Knaak, Richard A.; Moore, Roger E.; Niles, Douglas; O'Donohoe, Nick; Parkinson, Dan; Thompson, Paul B.; Williams, Michael; Williams, Teri (July 1992). "True Knight". The Cataclysm (6th ed.). Wizards of the Coast. p. 343. ISBN   1-56076-430-9.
  5. 1 2 Larson, Will (June 1990). "Novel Ideas". Dragon . No. #158. Lake Geneva, Wisconsin: TSR. p. 80.
  6. ↑ Thompson, Paul B.; Cook, Tonya C. (1987) [January 1990]. "Chapter 26, "Whom the gods favor is a hero born—Astinus, the Iconochronous"". Riverwind The Plainsman (1st ed.). TSR. pp. 300, 310–313. ISBN   0-7869-3009-8.
  7. ↑ Weis, Margaret; Hickman, Tracy (1984) [April 1984]. "Chapter 7, "The story of the staff. Strange clerics. Eerie feelings."". Dragons of Autumn Twilight (4th ed.). Wizards of the Coast. pp.  73–74. ISBN   0-7869-1574-9.
  8. ↑ Weis, Margaret; Hickman, Tracy (1984) [April 1984]. "Chapter 3, "Knight of Solamnia. The old man's party."". Dragons of Autumn Twilight (4th ed.). Wizards of the Coast. p.  35. ISBN   0-7869-1574-9.
  9. ↑ Phillips, Casey (February 2010). "QandA with Larry Elmore", Chattanooga Times Free Press . Distributed nationally by McClatchy-Tribune News Service, February 19, 2010.
  10. ↑ Weis, Margaret; Hickman, Tracy; Chambers, Jamie (1984) [April 2004]. "Chapter Six: Personalities". War of the Lance (1st ed.). Sovereign Press. pp.  273–274. ISBN   0-7869-1574-9.
  11. ↑ Weis, Margaret; Hickman, Tracy (1984) [April 1984]. "Night in a cave. Dissension. Tanis decides.". Dragons of Autumn Twilight (4th ed.). Wizards of the Coast. pp.  61–62. ISBN   0-7869-1574-9.
  12. ↑ Weis, Margaret; Hickman, Tracy (1984) [April 1984]. "The Wedding". Dragons of Autumn Twilight (4th ed.). Wizards of the Coast. p.  431. ISBN   0-7869-1574-9.
  13. ↑ Weis, Margaret; Hickman, Tracy (1986) [February 1986]. "Chapter 2". Time of the Twins (3rd ed.). Wizards of the Coast. pp.  41–42. ISBN   0-7869-1804-7.
  14. ↑ Weis, Margaret; Hickman, Tracy (1986) [February 1986]. "Chapter 1". Time of the Twins (3rd ed.). Wizards of the Coast. pp.  32–34. ISBN   0-7869-1804-7.
  15. ↑ Pierson, Chris (1998) [July 1998]. "Chapter 6". Spirit of the Wind (1st ed.). Wizards of the Coast. pp. 73–74. ISBN   0-7869-1174-3.
  16. ↑ Pierson, Chris (1998) [July 1998]. "Chapter 2". Spirit of the Wind (1st ed.). Wizards of the Coast. p. 34. ISBN   0-7869-1174-3.
  17. ↑ Pierson, Chris (1998) [July 1998]. "Chapter 24". Spirit of the Wind (1st ed.). Wizards of the Coast. pp. 304–308. ISBN   0-7869-1174-3.
  18. ↑ Pierson, Chris (1998) [July 1998]. "Chapter 26". Spirit of the Wind (1st ed.). Wizards of the Coast. pp. 334–337. ISBN   0-7869-1174-3.
  19. ↑ "Why Dragonlance should be the next fantasy film franchise". 11 February 2014.
  20. ↑ Bricken, Rob (August 11, 2021). "Dungeons & Dragons & Novels: Revisiting Dragons of Autumn Twilight". io9. Retrieved 2021-08-12.
  21. ↑ "Fantasy Roleplaying: Heroes of the Lance" (review). Crash . No. 62. March 1989. p. 71. ISSN   0954-8661 . Retrieved March 29, 2007.
  22. ↑ Bigelow, Robert (March 1990). "Through the Looking Glass". Dragon . No. #155. Lake Geneva, Wisconsin: TSR. pp. 106–107.
  23. ↑ "Cast". Cinemagine Media Ltd. Retrieved 2006-09-23.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.