It’s been 13 years since authors Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman wrote a Dragonlance novel, primarily based on the Dungeons & Dragons sport setting whose tone they largely outlined. That adjustments in August when their new guide Dragons of Deceit, the primary within the Dragonlance Destinies trilogy, is printed starring the fan-favorite characters of the authentic novels in addition to a brand new protagonist named Destina Rosethorn. io9 is delighted—and possibly destined as effectively—to solely share this excerpt from the novel.

First, nevertheless, there’s the guide’s official synopsis, which reveals that Destina’s story harkens again to the struggle towards the evil dragon goddess Takhisis from Weis and Hickman’s authentic Dragonlance trilogy from the ‘80s:

“Destina Rosethorn—as her name implies—believes herself to be a favored child of destiny. But when her father dies in the War of the Lance, she watches her carefully constructed world come crashing down. She loses not only her beloved father but also the legacy he has left her: the family lands and castle. To save her father, she hatches a bold plan—to go back in time and prevent his death.

“First, she has to secure the Device of Time Journeying, last known to be in the possession of the spirited kender Tasslehoff Burrfoot. But to change time, she’ll need another magical artifact—the most powerful and dangerous artifact ever created. Destina’s quest takes her from the dwarven kingdom of Thorbardin to the town of Solace and beyond, setting in motion a chain of disastrous events that threaten to divert the course of the River of Time, alter the past, and forever change the future.”

Read the excerpt beneath!

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Tasslehoff Burrfoot was bored.

If the residents of Solace had recognized a bored kender was amongst them, they might have fled for the hills. As it was, the residents had extra essential and joyful issues to consider. Yesterday morning, Tika Majere had given delivery to her second youngster, one other child boy.

Caramon had closed the inn in order that he and Dezra might be together with her and now, the day after, individuals loitered concerning the inn ready to listen to Caramon announce the newborn’s title. At least, that was their excuse. When the Majere’s first son, Tanin, had been born, Caramon had celebrated by gifting away free ale till the casks ran dry.

Tasslehoff had gone to the Majeres’ home yesterday to supply to assist the newborn into the world.

“I’m awfully good at boiling water,” he advised Caramon. “I’m not really sure why I should boil water, but I hear people need lots of boiling water when they’re having babies—and cooking lobsters,” he had added as an afterthought.

Caramon had been so alarmed at this comparability that he had banished Tasslehoff from the home. Tas had gone out the again door and are available in once more by the entrance, considering Caramon had meant to banish another person, solely Dezra had caught him. Grabbing him by the topknot, she had marched him down the steps.

That had been yesterday and had supplied a good quantity of pleasure. But at present, Tas was left on his personal. The inn was nonetheless closed. He had nothing to do besides sit on a fence beneath the vallenwood tree and kick his heels on the rails.

“I haven’t been to the blacksmith forge in a long time,” Tas remarked to nobody specifically. “Not since that day my hair caught fire and Theros Ironfeld dunked me in the horse trough. Who knew that working the bellows as hard as I could would start a confla—confla—conflagration?”

Tas introduced out the massive phrase with delight. “Theros told me not to come back, but it’s a been a long time and I’ll bet he misses me. I’ll just go see him.”

Tas jumped off the fence, grabbed his hoopak—which was a mixture strolling stick and slingshot—and was heading off to go to his good friend when somebody tugged on his fur vest.

“I didn’t do it!” Tas cried instantly and raised his arms excessive within the air.

He circled to see that it wasn’t the sheriff who had maintain of him, however a fellow kender. She was a feminine and form of fairly, or she would have been if somebody had proven her find out how to gown correctly and repair her hair.

“Hullo,” stated Tas.

“Are you Tasslehoff Burrfoot?” she requested shyly.

“That’s me,” stated Tas. “Have we met?”

“No, but I’ve heard about you,” stated the kender. “You’re one of the Heroes of the Lance, and you traveled through time. I’ve been wanting to meet you. My name is Mari Mariweather.”

She and Tas shook arms.

“You haven’t been on the road very long, have you, Mari?” Tas requested, noting her sorry look. “Is this your first Wanderlust?”

“Why . . . um . . . yes,” stated Mari, seeming startled by the query. “How did you know?”

“I don’t mean to hurt your feelings, Mari, for you seem very nice, but you’re dressed like a human.”

Mari glanced down at her uninteresting gray-blue leggings and her uninteresting gray-blue shirt, over which she wore an extended uninteresting gray-blue belted tunic. Tas went on to thoughtfully level out her shortcomings.

“You only have one pouch and it’s empty, though you do have a pocket, and that counts for something. And I don’t mean to fault your upbringing, but didn’t anyone tell you how to tie a proper topknot?”

Mari self-consciously put her hand to the lump on high of her head that was apparently meant to be a topknot, however which was extra like a high straggle, for her lengthy black hair was falling over her face.

“I . . . I guess not,” stated Mari.

Tas felt sorry for her and thought maybe he was being too harsh. He added kindly, “And that is a really interesting gemstone you are wearing. I’ve never seen one like it. In fact, it’s hard to see at all. It keeps changing shape.”

Tas reached out his hand, considering he would contact the gem to make it cease altering earlier than his eyes. But the second his hand got here near it, he felt an especially disagreeable squirmy sensation inside him, as if his abdomen had been making an attempt to crawl off and conceal behind his liver.

Tas drew again his hand, and the horrible feeling went away. He tried to the touch the gem once more, and the horrible feeling got here again. He was entranced, however he didn’t have an opportunity to attempt it once more, as a result of Mari grabbed maintain of the jewel and tucked it contained in the collar of her shirt.

“How do you get your gemstone to make me feel all squirmy like that?” Tas requested.

“Never mind the gem,” stated Mari. “I wanted to visit the Inn of the Last Home, but the sign says it’s closed. Is there somewhere else we can go to get a drink? I’m really thirsty.”

“The inn isn’t closed to me,” stated Tas, including proudly, “I’m family.”

He led her to the inn and jiggled the door deal with.

“It’s locked. Do you have a key?” Mari requested.

“I don’t need one,” stated Tas. “As Uncle Trapspringer always says, ‘Why insult a door’s purpose by locking it?’”

He reached right into a pocket and took out his most prized possession, his lockpicking instruments. He propped his hoopak towards the door, sorted by means of his assortment, selected a stress wrench and a hook, and inserted them into the lock.

“I’ll have us inside in a jiffy,” he stated. He paused in his work to ask, “You don’t happen to know what a jiffy is, do you, Mari? I’ve always wondered.”

Dragonlance: Dragons of Deceit hits guide shops each actual and digital on August 2.

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