Godshome

Let’s explore Godshome deep into the Khalkist Mountains, where mist-choked vales and impossible geography hide this sacred and dangerous location on Krynn. You can buy The Atlas of the Dragonlance World here: https://www.dmsguild.com/en/product/182424/atlas-of-the-dragonlance-world-1e?affiliate_id=50797 https://youtu.be/7Hq7F2dGtOo Transcript Cold Open Today we journey deep into the Khalkist Mountains, where mist-choked vales and impossible geography hide one of the most sacred—and most dangerous—locations on all of Krynn. Intro Welcome to another DragonLance Saga episode. My name is Adam and today I am going to talk about Godshome. I would like to take a moment and thank the DLSaga YouTube members and Patreon patrons, and invite you to consider becoming a member or patron, you can even pick up Dragonlance media using my affiliate links in the description below. I am referencing The Odyssey of Gilthanas, The Atlas of the Dragonlance World, and War of the Lance sourcebooks for this information. If I leave anything out or misspeak, please leave a comment below! Discussion In ancient ages, “Godshome” referred to two different sacred sites: the first was The City of Godshome. A vast pilgrimage center, a city-within-a-city, shaped like a great wheel of fifteen districts. Each district served the worshipers of a different deity, all radiating outward from the enormous Great Temple of the Stars, which contained cathedrals for all twenty-one major gods. Before Istar’s rise, every devout worshiper in Ansalon dreamed of making the pilgrimage here at least once. Each district was self-contained—with its own inns, temples, shops, and residences. But access was tightly controlled: one gate in the outer wall, and passage between districts only through the Great Temple—and only with approval from its high priest, the Worshipful Master of the Stars. Yet not every deity maintained a district. The gods of Nature—Habbakuk, Chislev, and Zeboim—kept their holy sites elsewhere, far from the city’s walls. The gods of Magic likewise had no temples here, for every journey to a Tower of High Sorcery was a pilgrimage of its own. The second reference was Godshome Vale. Hidden deep in the Khalkists, this secret valley was the true holy site. Only those chosen by the gods—and approved by priests in the city—could find the trail leading to it. Even then, the path would twist back into the foothills unless the gods allowed the pilgrim to pass. For the worthy, the gods themselves administered tests—tests of devotion, character, and divine purpose. Many died attempting them. But those who survived emerged in a bowl-shaped valley surrounded entirely by sheer cliff walls. At its center stood twenty-one colossal stones representing the gods, encircling a perfect disc of polished black stone that reflected the sky, constellations, and moons of Krynn—regardless of the time of day. This was the place where the gods revealed themselves. As Istar’s Kingpriests grew in ambition, they sought to centralize all worship in their gleaming capital. They taxed the pilgrim roads to Godshome, let banditry flourish, and built temples meant to overshadow the Great Temple of the Stars. In the final century before the Cataclysm, the propaganda campaign succeeded. Many now viewed Godshome as corrupt, fraudulent, or blasphemous—though it was Istar’s own meddling that created this perception. Finally, the Kingpriest ordered the legions of Istar to march on the city. For nearly twenty years, the priests and holy warriors of Godshome held out, uniting across pantheons in a desperate defense of their sacred home. And then—one night—they vanished. Every one of them. Without a trace. Istar’s armies entered the silent city at dawn. Hours later… the Cataclysm struck. A fiery mountain struck Ansalon causing tidal waves and massive earthquakes. The city collapsed, thousands of soldiers died, and only a handful survived to speak of what became of Godshome. Since that day, the city has remained a haunted ruin. Ghostly soldiers wander the shattered districts, eternally searching for their vanished priests. Adventurers report treasures scattered through the rubble—but none of the great sacred artifacts have ever been recovered. While the city lay in ruin, the true Godshome, the vale hidden in the mountains, remained a place of divine power. When the Heroes of the Lance journeyed toward Neraka, the befuddled wizard Fizban led them through the Khalkists, where supernatural wonders lurked: ancient bridges of vallenwood, miraculous golden spans of magic, and yes—entrances to the legendary Glitterpalace, the fabled home of Paladine. Within its crystal-walled halls were the three great divine tests: first, The Test of Wisdom, in the heart of a volcano, second was The Test of Valor, in the ghostly remains of Vingaard Keep, and third was The Test of the Heart, on a moorland plateau overlooking Kalaman. Each test revealed merely...