#raistlin and magic shows

[skull-bearer]

Chapters: 5/? Fandom: Dragonlance - Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman Rating: Mature Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Dalamar the Dark/Raistlin Majere Characters: Raistlin Majere, Dalamar the Dark, Mari, William Sweetwater, Par-Salian (Dragonlance), Justarius (Dragonlance), Ladonna (Dragonlance), Original Male Character(s), Original Female Character(s) Additional Tags: Coming Back, Second Chances, Changing the Darkness, Towers of High Sorcery, Return, Mind Control Aftermath & Recovery, Optimism, Definitely Upbeat, Friendship, Dating, Alternate Universe - Flower Shop, ish, Healing, Cuddles, Things Get Better, Secret Identity, Secret Identity Fail, magic shows, Raistlin actually having fun for once Series: Part 2 of A Second Chance Summary:

Raistlin is alive again, and determined to make the most of it. He meets old friends, and some both old and new.

Chapter 5 Dalamar finds Raistlin at last.

[overelegantstranger]

the overall problem of raistlin is this is a man who is semi-canonically clinically depressed (i am diagnosing him based on his canonical traits and internal narrative, including the part i just read where he thinks "hold on, I'm happy. have i ever been happy before?") and rather than give him any help whatsoever he's told he needs to learn compassion* and IS CURSED WITH VISION THAT CAUSES HIM TO SEE THE WHOLE WORLD WHITHER AND DIE.

what winter night suggests, honestly, is that Raistlin would have been so fucking happy as a travelling magician doing shows for people, all dressed up in red sequins. and all I can think of is, if he'd stayed in solace, if he'd not spent his teens doing mercenary work and his twenties saving the world, maybe he could have been happy. maybe he'd have had some sense of self-worth.

*this annoys me so, so much. Raistlin has compassion!!! He's just also a snarky asshole.

[clash-of-the-wizards]

CLASH OF THE WIZARDS ROUND 1-B BOUT 10

MOIRAINE DAMODRED (Wheel of Time) VS RAISTLIN MAJERE (Dragonlance)

Propaganda under the cut!

PROPAGANDA

MOIRAINE DAMODRED "What if Gandalf was a middle aged milf trying to drag the Chosen One to his destiny kicking and screaming? Stop Rejecting the Call, already, we have an apocalypse to win! In the tv show adaption, she’s played by Rosamund Pike & dating the wizard pope."

"Moiraine trained to become an Aes Sedai (an order of female mages) in the White Tower from a young age. She witnessed a prophecy about the Dragon Reborn being reincarnated to save or destroy the world, and dedicated the next 20 years of her life to finding the Dragon and protecting him from forces of evil that would try to use him to end the world. Moiraine is driven and ruthless in the service of her cause. She has sacrificed her personal desires and ambitions to live a life of constant danger and terrible secrets, in the hope of preventing the world from falling into Shadow. When the stakes are the continued existence of everything and everyone, how could she give less than everything she has?"

RAISTLIN MAJERE "Sadly created several decades too early to be a true tumblr sexy man, the magically powerful, emotionally tormented, sickly, evil for power he tries to use for good (sort of), Raistlin Majere is a classic poor little meow meow. Originating as the twin of Caramon Majere, in Wiess & Hickman’s ADD campaign, Raistlin is a hero* of the War of the Lance. He’s been featured in an impressive number of Dragonlance books (and the ‘08 animated movie), while alive, dead, returned, and undead. Check out his Wikipedia page! *hero/antihero/antagonist. It’s complicated when you’re in a ton of pulp action novels"

[honourablejester]

Homebrew Magic Item: Gauntglass

Well. More like a homebrew magic material? You got a couple of options for how to use it and what objects to put it in.

Raistlin Majere’s hourglass eyes from Dragonlance were a bit of an inspiration for this, as were Dracula’s blue spectacles in 1992’s Bram Stoker’s Dracula (we will not speak of the plot of said movie, but the costumes were absolutely stunning). And, as always, there’s a bit of the Masque of the Red Death in here too. Can’t go wrong with Poe.

GAUNTGLASS

Gauntglass is faintly bluish clear glass, the manufacture of which (or, possibly, mining of which, if you listen to certain rumours) is a closely guarded secret. Gauntglass has one very simple property and effect: it reverses the perception of vitality. Any living creature viewed through or reflected in gauntglass will appear as if dead, and any corpse or undead creature will appear as they were in life. In addition, gauntglass, tied as it is to more arcane perception, is not affected by illusions. It will show death as life and life as death, regardless of what masks either should wear.

Gauntglass has been used in several ways and objects over the years.

A small gauntglass handmirror is considered a useful tool for monster hunters and other people who have reason to believe they may encounter the undead, possibly disguised as corpses or, worse, as living people.

Gauntglass spectacles are also considered useful for such endeavours, though they are considered more dangerous and mentally damaging over time, as the more permanent view of all living things in a state of decay around the wearer has … adverse effects. Gauntglass spectacles are also used by some investigatory organisations, as a way to identify badly damaged or decomposed corpses by viewing them as they would have appeared in life.

Larger gauntglass mirrors have been used as both defenses against undead, such as in public buildings, and as macabre decorations by those who can afford the material in large quantities. For several years there was a craze among certain sections of the nobility for the danse macabre, lavish parties set in ballrooms ringed with gauntglass mirrors, so all there would see their deaths awaiting them in their reflections as they partied.

There have been rumours, also, of gauntglass lenses being used in larger apparatuses. In particular, there are rumours of a telescope of gauntglass, through which one can witness the dead stars and moons and perhaps worlds that litter the skies. Dead, of course, because of the effects of gauntglass. But one wonders if there will come a time when what appears to be a living star will be viewed through the bluish glass …

[kendertrove]

Dragons of Autumn Twilight highlights, part 3

-The draconians chase the group into the woods but then stop, figuring they have nowhere to escape to. Too bad the draconians didn’t block off Darken Wood.

-Sturm has a concussion from the fight and sees a white stag no one else can see. The stag leads them to Darken. Is it a hallucination as a result of his concussion, or a vision sent to guide him like the one that appeared to his hero Huma in the Age of Dreams? The world will never know.

-Raist is trying to put the pieces together but nobody wants to listen to him. “Children’s stories” indeed.

-Even though Raistlin knows more about Darken Wood than the rest of them combined, they still don’t want to listen to him. Surely he’s exaggerating the danger, right? Well, that’s the kind of thinking that gets you eaten, my friend.

-Soon after they stop, the group is surrounded by revenant warriors who can only communicate by using Raistlin’s voice. He gets overloaded a few times when the revenants all try to talk at once – that doesn’t seem pleasant.

-Tas gives the revenants the story thus far, in a way that wouldn’t make any sense at all if you hadn’t read the earlier scenes for yourself. I do love Tas’s stories.

-Since the party has the blue crystal staff everyone’s looking for, centaurs show up to take them to the Forestmaster.

-I’m honestly not sure how i feel about this whole sequence. It’s weird that in all the Dragonlance books i’ve read, this is the only part with centaurs, pegasi, and a unicorn. They just don’t seem to fit in with the rest of the world at all. Not to mention that the centaurs insist on addressing the party in Middle English, without any knowledge of grammar works in Middle English. I could go on a whole long rant about this, because it’s not – or shouldn’t be – that hard. The centaurs have worse grammar than gully dwarves, and that’s saying something.

-The Forestmaster throws them a party and tells them about the draconians and where Goldmoon needs to go next. When i write it out this way, it seems awfully contrived.

-Everyone’s trying to guess what the “greatest treasure” waiting for them in Xak Tsaroth is. Coins? Jewels? A magic sword? Flint figures “a keg of ale, and Otik’s spiced potatoes.” Someone has his priorities in order.

-As a side note, i found a recipe for Otik’s spiced potatoes once (i think in the Annotated Chronicles or Legends?) and it’s been a staple of my family’s diet ever since. I think it’s my favorite way to eat potatoes.

-The Forestmaster promised them all a ride to Xak Tsaroth, but her pegasi stop less than halfway because they’re scared to go any further. What was even the point then?

-Everyone has to be under a magical sleep while flying. What’s the point of that, either? I mean, i get that naturally landed beings might panic while up in the sky, but i think Tanis’s group aren’t getting enough credit. They know they’re going to fly, and it’s probably safer if you’re consciously holding on rather than just flopping around unconsciously.

[echo-bleu]

Tidbit Tuesday

Thanks for the tag @thescrapwitch!

I have been writing very little lately, and crucially no Silm fic, but my Last Trial obsession is holding me fast and I started a couple of Dragonlance fics as a result, so I do actually have some writing to show.

Dalamar should finish him off. He couldn’t think, he couldn’t— Takhisis had not come, but Raistlin would forever be a danger to the world. A master too powerful, too ambitious—much like Fistandantilus before him, he would come back to haunt them all. He couldn’t be allowed to live. Or was that was Par-Salian had convinced him of? Caramon and Tanis were both yelling behind him, but Dalamar couldn’t make sense of their words. Couldn’t make sense of anything but Raistlin before him, but the agony in his body and the echoes in his head, the world reduced to a small point. A spear, at the tip of his fingers. A choice. Finally taking a great gulp of air—had Dalamar loosened the spell without meaning to?—Raistlin met his eyes. “Shirak,” he mouthed, one hand twitching. Nothing happened. And Dalamar knew. The choice was barely a choice at all. He let the spell go. Raistlin fell to his knees, coughing and hacking once more. “What are you doing, you need to kill him—” Tanis was still yelling at his back, but Dalamar cut him off. “He is no danger to us anymore. He has no magic.”

tagging @chthonion @t-lane-writes @thelordofgifs @camille-lachenille

[onewomancitadel]

I think you could almost definitely write a Darklina romance that kept in accordance with the themes the author wanted to explore which would chiefly have to involve the persona of the Darkling dying. You would definitely have to keep the decentralisation of magic. There is no version of a Darklina endgame I can envision that doesn't completely change the fabric of the books to become an entirely separate series though.

The idea never was for Alina to become empowered by the Darkling, he's a corrupting force, but it ends up textually muddied because of the intertextual influences and the way the author really, really clearly flirted with the idea and felt bad about it. To the point the shame Alina should feel feels like the shame the author feels for enjoying bad wizards (as she's attested to in interviews).

The problem is that of course the worldbuilding of the books is sort of pseudo-realistic (not really) and so is its handling of magic ('small science') and its morality is similarly sort of high fantasy through a cynical lense so I understand why she went with the death penalty for the Darkling since Bardugo is not all that imaginative and her ethics seem pretty questionable. But the symbolic 'death' of the Darkling would have ameliorated this. Taking on a mortal identity and living out his days with Alina - his symbolic assumption of humanity answering her own rejection of all-consuming power - is possible to make work.

But I don't think I've ever seen any transformative works of the Darklina pairing explore this (correct me if I'm wrong) mostly because what's appealing about Darklina is that dark fantasy which you're supposed to feel bad about. It's a problem to the author, of course, when you don't feel bad about it. (Did I mention I hate finger wagging narrative).

It doesn't help that Alina/Mal in the books is laughably terrible (like - seriously misogynistic and not cute, though it's really funny because shipping Darklina means you want women to get hurt apparently) and so of course there's going to be interest in the alternatives. The show adaptation is trying very hard to fix this as it's an obvious weakspot (which doesn't speak too strongly to the author's writing abilities since it's the endgame romance that everything was building towards).

Most of the time ideas and themes you want to explore are not the problem and they can be worked out and fixed. The thinking and execution in The Grisha Trilogy and its implicit commentary on its influential material (e.g. the Raistlins of fantasy) are really where it gets embarrassing. That plus I don't think she researched anything Russian or Chinese whatsoever for any of her worldbuilding and there's no justifying it. The Greg Trilogy indeed.

[storytelller-drabbles-english]

«The Last Trial». Takhisis, Raistlin Majere, Rosamun Majere. Death (#1)

Notes:

I write in Russian and use a translator. If you find any errors, please let me know about it.

___

Takhisis stretched on her throne in boredom. After damn Raistlin Majere sealed the Gates of the Abyss to save the world (and locked her inside), nothing interesting happened in the Abyss itself.

He's weak. He is so weak, but he was able to defeat her, the very Mistress of Darkness! Takhisis hissed irritably, not wanting to admit final defeat. She'll get to him. She would make him pay for everything he had done! She closed her eyes, searching for him in the Darkness.

Where are you...

I'll find you...

He was sleeping peacefully. In the dream, he was with his mother and brother and seemed very happy. The sky above them was bright blue, the twins' mother, Rosamun, was smiling at them both, and the boys were snuggled up to her, basking in the rays of the warm sun. Takhisis hissed softly, letting out his nightmares. She crouched in the shadows, watching and waiting for the right moment. Very soon she will break it. He will become an obedient toy in her hands and then she will force him to open the Gate. Takhisis smiled softly, tasting the sweet taste of his fear when he realized she was here. She knew what needed to be done in order to start breaking him — to take his mother, the most precious thing he has.

In the blink of an eye, everything changed. The sky quickly overcast and the wind came. Rosamun tightened her arms around her sons, as if she understood what was going to happen. But she couldn't stop it. Caramon and Raistlin clung to their mother, but only one of them clearly understood what would happen next and therefore clung to his mother more desperately.

When tentacles reached out from the Darkness, Raistlin screamed and jumped to his feet, and then ran forward, trying to protect his mother.

"Raistlin," Rosamun called softly, looking at the approaching tentacles. They circled around him as if they couldn't go any further. Then they surrounded him. The sphere was getting darker and darker…

Rosamun got to her feet, clasping her eldest son's hands in hers.

"It's all right, honey," she assured him, leaving a long goodbye kiss on his forehead, "I love you".

"I love you, Mom," Caramon's voice reached Takhisis.

Rosamun moved toward Raistlin, looking around warily. She seemed to hold her breath until she approached her youngest son.

She easily walked right into the shadows, driving them away from herself and Raistlin, but they were still circling nearby. When the young magician looked at his mother in bewilderment, she sat down next to him.

"I love you, Raistlin. Please don't give in to the Darkness," Rosamun looked at him seriously, "it won't lead to anything good."

When Raistlin nodded, she gently hugged him and kissed him on the forehead. He held out his hands to his mother, but she pulled away, walking towards the shadows.

"No, Mom!" He cried desperately, clinging to the hem of her dress. "Stay, Mom, stay! Don't go there!"

"I have to, honey," Rosamun smiled sadly at him, "please go to your brother, okay? He will help you."

"I love you, Mom, don't leave! Please don't leave!" Raistlin was getting more and more desperate and was already on the verge of tears.

She gently unhooked his hands and gave Caramon a little push.

"Go. And goodbye," came to him with the wind.

Raistlin's desperate cry was drowned out by the descending Darkness.

"Don't touch them. You need me, so take it, but don't touch my children," the woman whispered.

"I can't swear," Takhisis smiled.

"Raistlin is a smart boy, he won't mess with magic like I do, and Caramon isn't interested in it," Rosamun smiled with relief, "they're safe. You can't touch them."

"Why won't it? See for yourself."

Takhisis showed the astonished mother how her sonhad really changed.

"Your son defeated me and imprisoned me in the Abyss with the help of magic", the goddess hissed.

"No…" Rosamun whispered in amazement, shaking her head as if refusing to believe it.

"He defeated me, but soon I will break him... with your help."

The woman didn't even have time to turn around. Rosamun's scream was swallowed up by Darkness.

Takhisis smiled. From now on, she would be the only one in his dreams. She'll break it. And then he will come and open the Gates to her.

And she will win.

Photo by Julia Gubina (https://vk.com/photo-48269334_457256277)

[mage-of-black-robes]

Verses

V; Main - Takes place on Krynn throughout the course of the musical, when Raistlin is working toward his goal of overthrowing Takhisis, but before he time travels back to Istar.

V; Lord of Nothing - Takes place after the musical, when Raistlin is getting used to the measure of godhood he has attained. He is tortured by visions of Takhisis mocking him, and by the void that the Abyss has become as a result of her death, but desperate to make something new of it and himself. Eventually, he becomes a guide for the ambitious and vengeful, as well as the Mad King of Darkness, drawing demons and chromatic dragons alike into his thrall via a series of trials where he proves his might. He seeks not to conquer the world of Krynn, as he has already attained the throne he so craved, but to manipulate and punish the wicked in equal measure. He has come to a sort of understanding with Paladine and the other gods: as long as they and their followers keep out of his realm, he will refrain from waging war.

V; Change of Heart - Upon realizing that he’s fallen in love with Crysania, Raistlin finally begins having some second thoughts about his plans. Takhisis possesses her as normal, but instead of strengthening his resolve, it forces him to face the fact that he’s throwing away his life along with the lives of countless others, and that combined with the fact that he’s coping with his first real love sends him into an existential crisis. Seeing the perfect opportunity, Takhisis begins torturing him with visions of his past and possible future, from memories of being relentlessly bullied as a child to nightmares of being trapped in the Abyss forever as her servant. He’s tearfully reliving his murder of the illusory Caramon at the end of his Test of High Sorcery when Crysania finally breaks free of her possession and intervenes, with the real Caramon showing up just in time to help her drive Takhisis away. Raistlin is left unconscious and exhausted, but when he awakens, he tells the pair that they need to seal the portal as thoroughly as possible, and that he never should have tried to open it. He and Crysania work together rather excellently to do so. A lengthy confession and apology from Raistlin follows, and after a lecture from Caramon about all the damage caused by the wizard’s machinations, the trio vow to do what they can to provide relief to the war torn lands of Krynn, with Caramon splitting off from Raistlin and Crysania because he needs time away from his brother. Eventually, after years of working with him, Crysania forgives Raistlin enough to confess that she has fallen in love with him, too, and the two get married!

V; isekai - an AU in which Main Verse!Raistlin gets yeeted into any other setting (modern, BG3, Curse of Strahd, DC, Marvel, etc.) via portal shenanigans, a magical mishap of some kind, or a rogue Nautiloid snatching him and a few others up as it bamfs in and out of Krynn. DM me for details if you want a thread like this! I love it a lot, and am happy to talk it out.

Modern Verses

Background - Raistlin and Caramon Majere were born in Detroit, Michigan to a Russian immigrant mother and factory worker. Caramon came out first, and was born healthy and strong, but Raistlin’s birth was far more difficult, resulting in a number of health problems. The doctors gave him a few days. His mother, however, was equally stubborn as she was nurturing, and with her care, he beat the odds. He was a sickly child, and very much an introvert despite his natural charm. Caramon was always the more outgoing of the two, playing with the neighborhood kids and defending his brother from bullies. When they were around five or six, Raistlin began to show both signs of a genius level intellect and interest in his mother’s occult studies. His father wasn’t enthusiastic about it, so she taught the boy spells when he wasn’t home. A few months later, Raistlin’s and Caramon’s father was killed in a work place accident caused by the foreman’s negligence, but their nosy widow neighbor declared that Raistlin was a wicked child, and that it was his fault. Furious and heartbroken, their mother packed up everything, sold the house, and moved them out of Detroit following the funeral. They settled down in a small town in Connecticut. It was an adjustment, for sure, but the family was able to start over again. Eventually, their mother remarried, and they wound up with a cool lawyer for a stepdad. Caramon started playing football in middle school, and Raistlin finally found his voice when he joined the choir, as well as a love for the stage. When they entered high school, he immediately got involved with the theater department, auditioning for the annual musical and getting the lead. Caramon saw how much fun his brother was having, and decided to follow suit in their sophomore year. They became nearly inseparable after that, filming various skits and duets to put on their YouTube channel. It didn’t stop Raistlin from surging ahead in terms of academics, though, and he wound up graduating a year early. He was accepted into multiple universities at seventeen, but ultimately decided on Harvard.

V; Modern 1 - Raistlin is a university student, majoring in Performing Arts and minoring in Occult Studies. He’s well on his way to a Master’s Degree, but is aiming for a Doctorate. He also has a love of Dungeons & Dragons and other improv heavy tabletop games.

V; Modern 2 - With a shrewd strategy, relentless ambition, and cunning mind, Dr. Raistlin Majere has made waves in the spiritual side of the academic world. His numerous essays and journals detailing definitive proof of demons, devils, and ghosts have rocketed him to stardom as one of the world’s foremost occultists, and he now enjoys a tenured position as a professor at Harvard University, teaching Demonology and Occult Studies. Rumors swirl about him practicing black magic, but when his students ask, he always deflects, and time seems to fly by. The few who have dared to meet his gaze directly after such conversations swear that his pupils have an hourglass design, but it’s gone when they look again. He doesn’t hide the fact that he’s a Satanist; that’s something his mother taught him, and he will always be proud of it. He does, however, make a huge effort to debunk a lot of the gruesome myths surrounding Satanism.

AUs/Wishlist

Pokémon - Raistlin is an occultist first and a trainer second, running ghost/dragon/dark type team.

Gilmore Girls - same as the modern verse, but the twins grew up in Stars Hollow. Raistlin, Caramon, and Rory were thick as thieves throughout their childhood, with the boys being the closest things she had to brothers. They taught her a decent bit of Russian, and often dragged her and Lane into their skits and other theatrical shenanigans. Rory joined Caramon in defending Raistlin from bullies, making Lorelei incredibly proud, and this trend continued when they went to Chilton together; in return, Raistlin did the same for her, privately hexing any entitled brat who tried to get under her skin, and publicly embarrassing them with his razor sharp wit. The two stayed close throughout high school, but grew apart after Rory chose to go to Yale instead of Harvard.

V; Regency - compliant with Bridgerton, but not strictly tied to it. Essentially, Raistlin’s mother remarried into a noble family when he and Caramon were both little, after their father died. Adjusting to life in the ton has been difficult, but they’ve managed, and at 25, Raistlin has finally been pushed and prodded enough to find a suitable spouse. He’s not fond of the marriage mart. At all. For many reasons! But his good looks and bookish nature have made him quite the desirable bachelor. Caramon, who’s already been married for five years, assures him that he will find the right person in time, but Raistlin would much rather be holed up in his study, poring over ancient tomes and solving the mysteries of the occult.

V; Fairytale/Fantasy - Once a noble hero, the great wizard Raistlin Majere fell to the temptation of dark magic, though he claimed he only wished to use it for good. After a spell went horribly awry, drastically altering his appearance and degrading his health, he was revealed, put on trial, and sentenced to exile in the Marwood for treason and witchcraft. Bitter and vengeful, Raistlin retaliated by putting a curse on the king and his family. Every heir to that throne would be compelled to try and find him upon their coronation, only to be doomed to wander the Marwood until they met a gruesome end. The curse would only be lifted if one managed to find him and bring him back to the palace. He then disappeared in a puff of smoke, and hasn’t been seen since, though his twin brother, Caramon, has organized many a search party.

V; DC - Raistlin Majere is an occultist living in Gotham. Has the potential to become a villain or antihero, but doesn’t yet have the motivation. He mainly focuses on his studies.

V; Marvel - During the battle of New York, Dr. Majere was giving a guest lecture on demonology at a local university when chaos erupted. The lecture hall was destroyed by Chitauri, and many students were injured or killed. Raistlin tried to save as many as he could, demonstrating his arcane prowess, but it cost him dearly. Only by making a deal with a demon as he lay dying in the wreckage did he manage to make it out alive. Hair bleached white, eyes turned a sickly yellow, and skin rendered golden, he was forever changed, and swore vengeance upon every cretinous wretch that dared to invade his world. He keeps himself hidden away, now, but when a threat arises, the Black Mage always shows up to hex a bitch into next week!

V; Yu-Gi-Oh! - As an occultist, Raistlin has quite a fascination with the spiritual aspect of Duel Monsters, though he’s more of an expert on European demonology and black magic than on Ancient Egypt. He became a duelist at a young age, and upon discovering that he could see and communicate with duel spirits, bonded with a powerful spellcaster known as Chaos Sorcerer. As devoted as he is to his studies, he still makes time to duel in tournaments on occasion, as he finds it entertaining to trounce others with his Spellcaster/Fiend deck, and he has aspirations of defeating all the major duelists in the world (Kaiba, Pegasus, Yugi, etc.) at least once. Just for fun. And perhaps to boost his ego. His twin brother is also a formidable duelist, though Caramon is a professional and takes the tournament circuit far more seriously…when he’s not out drinking his friends and rivals under the table. The two have even competed in tag-team tournaments before.

V; Rockstar - Modern AU in which Raistlin ends up becoming the lead singer of a gothic glam rock band named Lord of Nothing. The group prospers mostly on talent and iconic appearance alone (a mix of goth/punk black leather and dark fantasy, with Raistlin appearing as a silver-haired mage), though a bit of black magic has gone a long way. He just hopes it won’t come back to bite him later. The rest of the band has no idea that he’s been conducting dark rituals here and there to boost their popularity.

V; Wizarding World - Raistlin and Caramon are the orphaned twin heirs of the pureblood Majere family. After their parents were murdered by Death Eaters, the two moved from Russia to Scotland to live with their mother’s sister. They got their Hogwarts letters a couple of years later, and attended in the same year as the Golden Trio. Despite having vowed to protect each other no matter what, Caramon was sorted into Gryffindor, while Raistlin was sorted into Slytherin, and thus marked the beginning of their slow drifting apart. Raistlin excelled in Transfiguration and Defense Against The Dark Arts, but quickly became thirsty for knowledge of the Dark Arts themselves, eager to find a way to avenge his parents and become more powerful than the wizards who’d killed them.

[adacalmlove]

Hi there Ada,

My name is Dylan and I came upon you're chibi drawing of Raistlin pre-black robes awhile ago and fell in love with it. I really want an animated version of it to use as an Avatar and was wondering if it would be possible to commission you to make one. The animation would be nothing to complex, just basically him walking, blinking and maybe some sort of magic effect on the staff head. If you do not do animations, would it be possible for me to purchase a license from you with permission to commission an animation for it from somewhere else like fiver?

Hello! Thank you so much for your attention to my work and for sharing your love for this character! I don't take commissions due to limited time. You can use the drawing for non-commercial use in any way for free

I would be grateful if you show me the result!

[deaddoveadventures]

@lcftyambiticns

When the first letter had failed to evoke a reply from the infamous wizard of Ramazith’s Tower, Raistlin had merely been peeved. However, when his second letter remained unanswered as well, the young mage’s annoyance quickly turned into seething frustration with the other’s apparent incompetency. His third—and final—letter had therefore borne the marks of a concise but biting writing style that echoed the author's caustic, yet cunning nature. At last, this seemed to have done the trick, as Raistlin found himself overcome with feverish excitement when he finally held the invitation to the wizard’s tower in his weak and shaky hands. Receiving an answer, however, proved to be only one of a multitude of challenges that opened up to him when he read the other’s brusque response.

The first one presented itself in the time limit that Lorroakan had set for him. Making it from Waterdeep to Baldur’s Gate in a tenday was nigh to impossible for a healthy and experienced adventurer on horseback. For a sickly, chronically ill, and inexperienced mage, this equaled a criterion of exclusion. Once again, Raistlin cursed the gods, then the wizard, for the cruel joke they had made out of him. But he’d show them, Lorroakan and, should this endeavor prove fruitful, the gods alike. One day, they would follow the limitations he set for them, instead.

Then, there was the second challenge the young wizard was faced with: his brother, Caramon. Unhealthily attached to his twin, the bigger and stronger fighter never left his sibling’s side for long, let alone long enough for Raistlin to travel such a far distance on his own. Setting his pride aside, Raistlin knew he had to be clever about this one. As much as he hated to admit it, Caramon’s strength and good health were the only cards played in his favor here, and the young mage couldn’t afford to miss out on this opportunity. In the end, it had taken very little persuasion from the wizard to convince his twin to accompany him to Baldur’s Gate, the temptations that such a big and busy city offered being too strong for an adventurous and naive soul such as Caramon’s to ignore. Taking only the bare minimum with them to avoid unnecessary ballast, they had left early on the very next day.

During their trip, many times Raistlin thought he was going to die if not by exhaustion, then by the trail of unlucky events that seemed to follow them, wherever they went; one of them involving a galley they had booked to hasten their journey. Yet by sheer force of will, and, as Raistlin was reluctant to acknowledge, the loving care of his brother Caramon, the pair had finally made it to their destination; on time and in one piece.

Now, standing in front of Sorcerous Sundries, however, with the impressive Tower of Ramazith only one portal away, the fighter had outstayed his welcome. No plea, no words of concern or love that the other offered could have gotten through to the haggard wizard, whose golden hourglass eyes were fixed on his destination ahead, an uncanny fire burning within them. “Begone!” he hissed as he raised his staff in a defensive manner. “I will be fine. And so will you if you use whatever brain there’s left inside that thick skull of yours to concern yourself with the many opportunities given to your lot by this city.” Leaning heavily on his staff, he began walking towards the magical marketplace’s entrance. “I, for one, will concern myself with mine.” Emphasizing the last word of his sentence, he left his twin behind and never cared to look back. Upon stepping through the gate and inside the hallway, Raistlin was overcome with the sheer presence of the magic that surrounded him. Knowing all those scrolls, books, magical artifacts, all of this power could be at his fingertips made his body quiver, sending him first into a feverish haze and then a violent cough that shook him to the very core. People were staring, but the wizard, being used to scorn and rejection, paid them no heed. His attention was reserved for the receptionist, a Tiefling, who sat uncomfortably on the other side of the desk the sickly mage approached. “I demand to speak with Master Lorroakan.” His voice was hoarse and weak, ravaged by his earlier coughing fit, but the determination that coated his words left for little rebuttal. “You will find my name noted down, certainly. It is Raistlin Majere.” With satisfaction, the wizard watched as the Tiefling’s expression went from defensive to apologetic. “Of course,” the Tiefling answered, slightly nervous, “Head upstairs. You can find the way into Master Lorroakan’s tower up there.” Raistlin turned away without a word of thanks, however, the bruises on the receptionist’s face hadn’t gone unnoticed by his cunning gaze. So that was the kind of wizard he was making dealings with. It matters not, the young mage thought, as he stood in front of the portal. If I succeed, he will be the one trembling before me.

Golden was the sunlight that shone through the tall windows of Ramazith’s tower; as golden as the hourglass eyes that pierced the red-haired mage, who sat in his chair at the other end of the hallway. They couldn’t be more different, one man healthy and considered good-looking by some, the other sickly, and marred by horrors one dared not imagine. And yet, their ambition and lust for power unified them, tied them to a shared fate inside the walls of this very tower. “I will not concern you with useless banter.” Raistlin’s hissing voice echoed through the silence like chalk being scratched across a bone-dry blackboard. “As I told you in my letter six tendays ago,” he paused, allowing for the remainder of Lorroakan’s shortcomings to linger between them before he continued: “I have good reason to believe that you are in possession of The Veil of Shadow's Refuge. A cloak that will indeed hide you from Shar’s very gaze.” Raistlin wheezed, clinging to his staff for support, as he suppressed the urge to break into another humiliating cough. “Even when harnessing the powers of the Shadow Weave.” His gaze cloudy from the fit of weakness, the glint that flared up within his eyes for a moment stuck out like a sore thumb. Eerie, uncanny. “I trust you have done preparations and looked through your inventory in advance. As it stands, you’ll probably have failed to find it.” A mockery of a smile crossed his thin, cracked lips. “That’s because it isn’t here. Not in the traditional sense. It’s—” Failing to hold it in any longer, Raistlin’s body shook violently as it was wrecked by the unhealthy-sounding cough he had tried to stifle earlier. Blood stained his lips when he was finally done. „—in its own demiplain.“ Producing a piece of cloth from his wizard robes he wiped away the crimson spots on his face, unfazed.

𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐎𝐑: @deaddoveadventures

⸻ ℒorroakan had deliberately ignored Raistlin's first two letters. If he were to respond to every request from mages seeking guidance or access to his artifacts, he'd be occupied all day. Thus, he had Miklaur dispose of most of them without giving them a second thought ; he didn't consider them worth his time.

However, Raistlin was persistent, so at last, he bothered to open his third letter. In it, Raistlin described — as vaguely as possible — his research into an artifact that could facilitate delving into the Shadow Weave without the associated risks. That indeed caught Lorroakan's attention and even warranted a response:

✑ » 𝓓ear Raistlin,

While your research has certainly captured my interest, I must caution against discussing it further through written correspondence. Given the delicate nature of the subject, it is best to exercise caution.

Therefore, I extend to you the privilege of visiting my tower in person where we can discuss your findings in more detail. If what you claim about this artifact is true, and it indeed resides within my tower, I may consider allowing you to assist me in its retrieval.

Be warned, however, that a collaboration with me comes with strict conditions. Should you fail to meet my expectations or prove to be a hindrance in any way, our arrangement will be terminated without hesitation.

I trust you can make it to Baldur's Gate in a Tenday.

Regards, Lorroakan «

[kendertrove]

Dragons of Autumn Twilight highlights, part 2

-Flint doesn’t like boats, but they’re taking one anyway. Aren’t friends great? A pack of angry goblins is a powerful motivator. Flint catches up to the boat like Sam chasing Frodo into the river.

-Two constellations have disappeared from the sky. If that’s not the most powerful sign that something serious is going on we’ve had so far, i don’t know what is, but no one other than Raistlin seems to care.

-Raistlin gave up his health for his magic. I’m really happy with how they’ve shown this. He frequently breaks out into coughing fits, is regularly shown to be the frailest member of the party, has to rely on Caramon’s help at times even though he doesn’t want to; it’s not like how some authors show disability, where they only trot it out when it’s convenient to the plot. It’s as pervasive a part of his character as his bitterness and sarcasm.

-All kinds of things have a way of falling into Tas’s possession. It’s a good thing, too, or they might get lost. Tas also collects maps.

-Nobody can think of a way to get to Haven without getting caught except for Raistlin, who suggests Darken Wood. No one wants to take that route. Guess where we’re going next?

-Goldmoon tells Tanis how she got the staff. Riverwind was given it as a sign of the true gods, but he was going to be stoned to death for blasphemy anyway. The staff teleported him and Goldmoon to the road to Solace.

-Tas sees some clerics that give him an “eerie feeling.” I wonder how it would feel to not be able to experience fear, but to still get warning signs from your subconscious that something’s wrong? That is basically what fear is. Maybe it’s not so much that kender can’t feel fear, as that their brains aren’t wired to interpret it properly.

-Surprise! The clerics are actually evil lizard-men who turn to stone when you kill them. Enter the fight scene.

-Some of my favorite scenes are when we see Raist and Caramon fighting side-by-side. They made a good team.

[isolationstreet]

I respectfully disagree.

I'm not factoring appearance into this and and instead going off acting choices and even if I was going off looks Ruslan definitely not 5'9" 135lbs with sunken frail features warped by both magic and a life filled with hatred and mistrust.

The biggest thing is I prefer Evgeniy and Yaroslav over Ruslan because it think the heart of the show is the fact that Raistlin truly believed in nothing other than the desire to gain more power he never wanted to make the world not even when he was with Crysania. The only time Raistlin could ever see the possibility of something having existed beyond his own lust for power was when there was nothing left in the universe he both conquered destroyed and hes left desperate angry and alone unable to change like hes always been and thats the real tragedy of his character not that he wanted to change the world but his methods were misplaced

im rewatching the 12.10.2019 last trial video of Yaroslav Bayarunas and Elena Minina and i truly think its my favourite version Соблазнение. Yaroslav just so perfectly captures the whirlwind of emotions Raistlin experiences in that scene; The anger, disgust, hatred  confusion, lust, fear, doubt, joy, excitment. Its the one scene where Crysania has the upper hand. Yaroslav is the only Raistlin to fully lean into the fact that seducing Crysania was never part of his original plans. Raistlin is someone who entirely dedicated himself to magic and has always looked down on people who do engage in both interpersonal and physical relationships now for one of the first times in his life he’s experiencing something new, unexpected, and he’s entirely out of his depth.

Yaroslav just plays it absolutely beautifully. He’s visibly shaken by his new feelings for Crysania. His voice falters as he struggles to maintain control of himself, unsure of whether or not he’s willing to deviate from the plan he so carefully crafted to indulge in newfound desire. It’s a profoundly expressive performance  

I think it contrasts beautifully with how Evengey Egorov plays the scene, which is also a brilliant performance. HIs Raistlin retreats deep into his own mind. he maintains a near completely controlled exterior. Rather than wearing his heart on his sleeve he opts to become aloof as he carefully calculates each of his actions, weighing how they’ll affect Crysania and the greater mission as a whole. 

[warlock-enthusiast]

Dragonlance week #6 - changes

I'm late, I'm late! But here some mild Raistlin x Dalamar, because they were one of my first ships.

Fandom: Dragonlance

Characters: Raistlin x Dalamar

Rating: M

@dragonlance-week

------

With his conflicting emotions, Dalamar found himself staring at his master. The subtle movements of his fingers, his self-assured usage of magic. Damnation. He hated himself for lacking concentration and focusing on Raistlin instead of learning the spell.

“Come here, dark-elf.”

Dalamar gulped and quickly hid beneath the hem of his hood. “Of course.”

“Closer.”

Did Raistlin smile? No, he must’ve imagined it. His master seldom showed emotions besides cruelty and sarcasm.

Raistlin’s skin smelled like herbs and ointments though. Dalamar felt heat beneath those black robes and hoped that his body wouldn’t betray him. He needed to get his minds of such things, of his master. Maybe he’d be allowed to visit a town, preferable one large enough to offer the services of a brothel. Just to clear his mind. Hire some slender, young guy and be done with it.

“I need the diamond dust.”

Dalamar handed it to him and cursed himself for letting his mind wander.

In comparison, Raistlin didn’t move a single muscle and watched the ingredients and spell sheet in front of him. “The brimstone and a dash of ash.”

“This isn’t brimstone.” His master turned around to watch Dalamar.

“Ah… I….”

His eyes appeared bright and clear. “Dalamar, you need to focus.”

“I know.”

“Then focus.”

Nodding, he stood a bit straighter.

Focus!

The incantation seemed to be in draconic, an old and strange language, which had returned to Krynn a few years ago. Dalamar though himself capable of understanding the most of it, but faced troubles with the barbaric sounding syllables and watched his master’s mouth forming each word with precision.

Suddenly Raistlin’s body shook. At first it sounded an awful lot like coughing but after a few seconds it turned into laughter.

Actual laughter.

“Master?”

“I’m sorry, my apprentice, but …” Another fit of laughter. “You can’t hide your secrets. All of them are clearly written on your face.”

“You want this?” Raistlin laughed even louder. “This broken body? This remains of someone that once was a mere human? This tainted flesh.”

His golden eyes sparked with mirth.

“Dalamar, you’re even more stupid than I’d thought.”

Anger cursed through his veins and Dalamar took a step closer and grabbed Raistlin’s wrist. “I’m not stupid for wanting… this.”

He forced his body close to the other man and his words sounded like a whisper. “Foolish, yes, but not stupid.”

“That is debatable.” Raistlin smiled.

Dalamar forfeit his life, leaned in, and kissed him then. His life was already over, his mark on the world nothing more than a faint echo. But he wouldn’t go without giving in just for once. Consequences be damned.

But instead of killing him, Raistlin moved to free his wrist and grabbed Dalamar by the robes. He pressed his mouth against his and well, his master wasn’t a particularly skilled kisser, but didn’t lack the passion when he pushed him against a cabinet.

Where did he find the sudden strength?

Raistlin's lips tasted like wine and a sweet afterthought and they kissed until both needed to break apart to breathe again. Dalamar didn't dare to open his eyes, because flushed, golden skin would look far too desirable and inviting.

Dalamar opened his mouth to say something meaningful, maybe something to explain himself. “Not in front of the brimstone.”

Well, that wasn't meaningful.

Raistlin took Dalamar’s hand, but wouldn’t meet his eyes, as if afraid of breaking the spell between the two of them.

“Yes. Yes, come with me.”

[maiaofmischief]

Raistlin is really showing off the spells today, huh. First featherfall, then the light spell and now sleep.

Can I just say I love the language they chose for magic? I always wanted to sit down and make a list of all the different ones they use throughout the different books for reference to use in my own Krynn game.

"Ast tasarak sinuralan krynawi" apparently is the incantation for the sleep spell in Krynn.

[missn11]

Salty asks, VTM -- 5, 6, 13 (Nines), 23

@robotslenderman ohh time to be a little salty then... XD

5. Has fandom ever ruined a pairing for you?

Okay I have two pairings that got ruined for me personally due to reading one fic with them and it made me nope out hard.

The first one was Jill Valentine/Albert Wesker, I’m a big fan of hero/villain pairings and hey why wouldn’t I like this one? Well, I read a fanfic with this pairing and it wasn’t good, poor reasoning why the two should be together and demonising of Chris Redfield who rightfully has a issuse with Wesker, cause you know he had been attacked and his sister threatened by Wesker and also he kind bretrayed S.T.A.R.S! XD

I think the author could have done a better job if they acknowledged the complincations with loving someone who has donenbad things to you and your friends in the past. It could have been good but they instead put me off the pairing. I might be willing to try find fics that do a better job of writing this pairing in the future but I’m in no rush.

Now this second pairing though, I’m sorry but the author nuked Raistlin/Tika for me that I still feel icky even thinking of the pairing, which sucks cause there were some things in the canon that made me see potential.

Like Raistlin Majere is this super grumpy mage, whose plotline in the first three Dragonlance books is that he is going towards becoming evil and Tika is a sweet but no nonsense barmaid turned hero, who ends up with Raistlin’s twin brother Caramon Majere and at one point when the Dragonlance party needed money, Raistlin put on magic shows and Tika made him this bedazled red robe for him and it’s sweet ^_^

So I could have been on board but the only fic where at first Raistlin bascially sexually assults Tika for a bit until (I think?) she’s into it and they fuck but it’s so awful and unsexy and I was grossed out that the author had Tika fantasie about that moment years later when married to Caramon -_- so that ruined that pairing for me hard. If anyone knows of any fics that have this pairing and way better than this and aren’t demonising towards Caramon, please let me know.

6. Has fandom ever made you enjoy a pairing you previously hated?

I never hated LaCroix/Nines but I had a hard time seeing something in canon since they hated each other so much! XD But then I started seeing fics on the pairing and remembered ‘hey I like enemies to lovers so why shouldn’t I like this pairing?’ due to how good the fics were and was hooked on LaCroix/Nines even since and it became the building block for my eventual OTP3 LaCroix/Nines/Ming Xiao. (the other building blocks was of course LaCroix/Ming Xiao and Nine/Ming Xiao XD) Honestly there some really great fics of LaCroix/Nines on A03 that I really implore you to look at if you are interested in the pairing https://archiveofourown.org/tags/Sebastian%20LaCroix*s*Nines%20Rodriguez/works

13. Unpopular opinion about Nines?

I suppose an unpopular thing about Nines in my book is the thing I’ve seen in some fics is that I don’t think he would be sexually aggressive with his partner(s) without making sure that they are okay with it first? And I have talked about this before (maybe? or I’ve reblogged people talking about this, so I doubt this is unpopluar by this point XD) but I do find it super annoying that 15+ years later, Nines can’t decide to be actually the leader of the Anarchs or not, like it’s super tiring and kind pisses me off in LA by Night as well since he lets Annabelle (a two month Kindred) be the face of the rebellion, at least he mentors her but fucking hell!) Also I don’t love it when people have Nines as a ball of anger at times or waiting outside of Ventrue tower basically preaching the Anarch cause in fics! (that last one is funny to me tbh, I kind would love if people lampshade it!) XD

23. Unpopular character you love?

While Ming Xiao isn’t unpopular when it comes to fanart on here but I wish there were more fics of her in general, there is so much you can explore with Ming Xiao and the Kuei-jin that it makes me sad there isn’t a lot, and I know it’s because most people haven’t looked into the Kindred of the East source books but I do think you should check them out, since they add so much context to her and the Kuei-jin’s actions through out VTMB. (but you do have to take some of the stuff said in the books with a pinch of salt at times since late 90s and likely written by white men who don’t understand everything about East Asian mythology)

That’s all I can think of atm, thanks again to @robotslenderman for letting me be a little salty again! XD