RAISTLIN MAJERE!
About Raistlin:
It is hard for me to think of another character in all of dungeons and dragons who has gained the same level of awe among players. I remember a time when you could see a bit of Raistlin in every wizard brought to the gaming table. One player might use Raistlins' cough, another his whispering voice, and another his sarcastic wit. I myself liked other characters in the Dragonlance world better, but even I had a deep respect for Raistlin as not only an iconic character, but as an example of what happens to those who allow their lust for power to control them.
For me, watching Raistlin change throughout the Dragonlance novels was a great character study. Here is a person who started life sickly and barely alive. As he grows through childhood he is bullied by his peers and if it had not been for his brother, it is likely this torment would have been even worse. Eventually Raistlin finds something that not only gives him power, but offers him a chance to be one of the elite, this is of course magic.
With magic now under his control Raistilin begins to earn both the respect and fear of those around him. Suddenly Raistilin goes from needing his brothers protection to being part of a deadly team and gaining a feeling of independence. However, in the middle of this growth Raistlin body, not in the best of health to begin with, is broken. While he still has the power of magic, he becomes more dependent on his brother than every before. These events make it easy to understand his anger at the world.
So, here we have a young man who has started out in a bad situation that really only got worse. The only real change in his life is the power of magic. With little else to hold onto Raistlin embraces that power and nurtures his anger. Eventually Raistlin is presented with an opportunity to gain power. This power of course has a price and that is to embrace evil and bow to the Queen of evil. Yet, if we have learned anything about Raistlin, it is the fact that he can not abide any being having more power than him and this will become a problem for not only Takhisis but the rest of the world as well.
Eventually Raistlin challenges Takhisis and is on the very brink of victory, we all know that he is going to do it. There is no power in all of Krynn that could convince him to surrender his chance at what he craves the most. Yet, he does, and he does so when his brother Caramon tells him of the empty universe which is his fate if he kills Takhisis. Talk about a plot twist. Eventually Raistlin escapes the abyss and helps rescue the world which allows him his final rest which is about as good of a redemption story as you are going to get.
Why Raistlin?
The way I figure it Asmodeus is going to want someone almost as devious as he is running the offense. I gave this a lot of thought and finally narrowed it town to Elminster or Raistlin but Raistlin edged out ole' Elminster when I considered the hour glass eyed magi's ruthlessness. In football offense is not only about getting the ball into the end zone, it is also about deceiving the defense. Raistlin has what it takes in spades. I remember reading the first Dragon Lance books when I was a kid and how blown away I was by Raistlin becoming a member of the black robe wizards. It amazed me that he was so power hungry. Then he followed this up by coming within a hairs breadth of defeating Takhisis.
It is this combination of ambition, ruthlessness, and talent that really cause Raistlin to shine. As one of the most iconic characters in not only the Dragon Lance universe but Dungeons and Dragons as well he also brings a great deal of notoriety to the team. I know that if I were a defensive coordinator I would hate trying to match wits with Raistlin.
to learn more about Raistlin read this article at Drgaonlance Nexus
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