Tanis Half-Elven | DragonLance Saga

[@DLSaga]

Thank you for watching today's Dragonlance Setting video. What do you think of Tanis Half-Elven? Was he royalty or not? Was he too stubborn for his own good? Leave a comment below.

[@tiamatmichellehart6821]

Given your reminding us what *happened* during the events described 4 minutes in, I can see why Tanis looks especially like Harrison Ford!

[@thebrotherskrynn]

He was royalty where it counted; in his heart in the end. He wasn't terribly bright it's true, he was impulsive and didn't control his tongue the best and had an incredibly short-temper. But his heart was ever in the right-place (for the most part), I just love Tanis. He's not as cool as my fav Companion Sturm, or as mighty as Raistlin, but he almost never failed to rise to the occasion.

[@Ghostmaker-c4u]

I thought he was a great character. Tanis had all these human qualities and no interest in being an elf.

[@Ghostmaker-c4u]

“I’ve never heard you lie before half-elf.” That line was amazing.

[@DLSaga]

Yea. Brings back good memories.

[@Scavenger_4_Tech]

I dont know y but this made me tear up

[@Yuri-pw3iy]

Tanis the Shadow years is the best novel out of the main series I have ever read. Still read it with the rest.

[@DLSaga]

It didn’t resonate as much with me, but it was a fun read.

[@trieze90]

I didn't enjoy him at all when I was younger. However, reading it when I was older I enjoyed him and I must say I shed a tear during Dragons of Summer Flame. Don't know if he was always the best leader, but he tried.

[@DLSaga]

That's what I liked about him. He wasn't cut and dry. You never knew exactly where he was coming from. Especially when he slept with kit in Flotsam.

[@kristencollins521]

Shed a tear? Dude I literally threw the book down, never finished it and wrote the authors in a RAGE

[@trieze90]

@@kristencollins521 Clearly the authors succeeded in establishing an emotional link. Sorry to hear you didn't finish it. I've done that with books too.

[@drewstar8611]

My favourite character! I post on a lot of these vids but I just wanna say thank you for keeping the world of dragonlance alive it’s by far THE BEST fantasy world ever created IMO!!

[@DLSaga]

I appreciate your time and attention to the channel!

[@aedwardsss]

I find it interesting that Tanis is often described by fans as a “Ranger” even though his initial stat block in the module makes him ineligible for the class, while Riverwind is definitely a Ranger

[@DLSaga]

Yea a glance at their character stats clarifies it.

[@aedwardsss]

@@DLSaga I also feel like this is the natural reaction to Aragorns relationship with Arwen and Eowyn. Dragonlance takes this relationship dynamic and makes it worth following. It’s like Tanis is the realistic version of Aragorn. A truly flawed version.

[@orangexlightning]

The irony of Tanis is despite only being half of one, he feels the most human out of any of the cast.

[@DLSaga]

That is very true!

[@jamistarbrite]

the Story of Tanis Inspired me to Adopt the Role of a Half Star Elf as I do now in Second Life .

[@DLSaga]

That’s fun

[@socksieboy01]

When I read his death I literally gasped and said out loud “no!”

[@DLSaga]

I love that.

[@Yuri-pw3iy]

It was so not a "heroic" death just so random...like war

[@soliloquypenguin6770]

I named my son Tanis. It's his middle name. I wanted to use the long version but couldn't find it in time. Hope you mention it.

[@DLSaga]

That’s cool.

[@vorpalinferno9711]

You named your son Tanis because he was conceived using the same methods?

[@Ragitsu]

@@vorpalinferno9711 Awesome Tanis.

[@bwg4608]

Good video (and three cheers for including “The Ransom Note” in the background montage). I do though have to disagree with the statement that “Tanis loved Laurana but wanted Kitiara” which I think rather understates Tanis’s passion for Laurana, for while it is certainly true that Tanis loved Laurana, he was also repeatedly shown to be very strongly sexually attracted to her as well. "Laurana ..." Tanis repeated, thrusting the dagger back into his belt with a shaking hand. He pushed her away and sat up angry at himself for frightening her and angry at her for awakening something deep within him. For an instant, when she lay on top of him, he was acutely conscious only of the smell of her hair, the warmth of her slender body, the play of the muscles in her thighs, the softness of her small breasts. Laurana had been a girl when he left. He returned to find a woman-a very beautiful, desirable woman. ¬-Dragons of Autumn Twilight, Book II, Chapter 7 Tanis looked down at the small, slender hand on his arm and gently put his own over it. Only a few months earlier the touch would have irritated him, causing confusion and guilt as he wrestled with the love for a human woman against what he told himself was a childhood infatuation with this elfmaiden. But now the touch of Laurana's hand filled him with warmth and peace, even as it stirred his blood. -Dragons of Winter Night, Book I, Chapter 1 Tanis thought of Kitiara and he thought of Laurana, but he was interested to note that the old painful thrill didn't knot his soul anymore when he said Kitiara's name to himself. No, now it was Laurana- the silly little girl who had been no more than a spoiled and irritating child only months before- who made his blood burn and his hands search for excuses to touch her. ¬-Dragons of Winter Night, Book I, Chapter 4 Thus I would contend that Tanis both loved and wanted Laurana.

[@DLSaga]

Thank you for watching! Yea, I added that photo for you, lol.

[@bradveach4832]

Tanisha half evening is the t embody meant o dragon Lance. All had great drama. But his was the one that twined it all together❤

[@DLSaga]

Thanks for watching!

[@thebrotherskrynn]

Now that I've finished my psychological video of Raistlin, I just want to talk/think about Tanis. Thanks so much for this video, came out at the perfect time, love Half-Elven, he's an incredibly flawed character. I wonder how much of his depression has to do with his uncle and cousin Porthios's abuse (anytime I crack open a book that includes them, speaking about or to Tanis, I just wish Cyan Bloodbane had done to those two, what he did to Lorac). Though I do find it sad, how Tanis could not live up to their expectations (in his youth I mean). Oh one point of contention; I'll disagree that Crysania loved an ideal of Raistlin, as she did in the end win out and redeem him, so maybe she saw a side of Raistlin nobody else did (given their hatred this isn't surprising) (I'd compare her love for him, to the love Luke had for Anakin, it led Luke astray but in the end did win out). As he and Crysania are vastly different from Kit & Tanis. Tanis was in love with an ideal, but once he realised the truth about Kit, he cut himself off from her, and chose Laurana. And this is another difference between him and Raistlin; Tanis is inherently better-equipped to be good and is a better person over-all than Raistlin. Who in turn, was raised and hated his whole life by Kit, Flint and Tanis, and thus ill-equipped to be better than he was. Though he could have tried harder, as Tanis did. Sorry for the long post, this video is incredibly thought-provoking, and while I'm a bit more fond in some ways of Tanis to Raistlin. I wonder how different things might have been had he curbed more of the Companions poor-treatment of the mage, and if he had in turn sought to curb Raistlin's darker side rather than making use of it. Though poor Tanis had enough on his plate with his own turmoil, he could hardly be blamed for Raistlin's poor-decision making. With that said, I think he was a pretty good leader to an extent considering how little he had to work with, and how generally uncooperative most of the Companions were towards one another. If you disagree, I really can't wait to see you pick apart this post, as I love your viewpoint on things Adam, as it is very different from my own, and hope you have very good holidays!

[@DLSaga]

Per the Crysania loving Raist and Tanis wanting Kit, those were direct quotes from the authors and sourcebooks. We the reader don’t have to agree, but that was the intent.

[@Yuri-pw3iy]

what....the.....ffffff.....

[@colinleat8309]

Only complaint... videos should be at least 3 times as long. 🤘😁🖖🇨🇦

[@DLSaga]

I can respect that

[@nonnayerbusiness7704]

Tanis was said to be inspired by Captain Kirk... but I think he ended up most resembling Hamlet.

[@DLSaga]

Ooh I seem to recall hearing that somewhere.

[@ajdynon]

@@DLSagaI remember when Margaret Weis came down here to Australia for a convention, she mentioned saying to Tracy Hickman that she didn’t get Tanis’ character, and he replied, “Simple. He’s Captain James T. Kirk of the Federation starship Enterprise.”

[@randomusernameCallin]

For me Tanis is the archetype of a 4e warlord.

[@DLSaga]

Interesting. I’ll have to break out my dusty 4e PHB to fully grasp your connection. I always loved how he was started out as a fighter but looked like the epitome of a ranger.

[@randomusernameCallin]

@@DLSaga Well, a 4e warlord is a martial leaders. He using tactics to aid allies in battle.

[@JoseMolina-ij3xx]

One of the books about Tanis Half-Elven is so non-canon that I sometimes wonder if the author of that book even read any Dragonlance novel. This book is known as Tanis Shadow Years. IT would be interesting to view the non-canon aspects of this novel and how it contradicts the rest of Dragonlance lore.

[@DLSaga]

I’ll get around to reviewing it.

[@solowolf7418]

Tania is my favorite character from Dragon Lance. I could relate to a person who struggled yet did the right thing. I feel he was the opposite of Raistlin. Both were outsiders except Tanis does the right thing while Raistlin does the wrong thing

[@DLSaga]

Mine too!

[@johnjohn-bh4cu]

Tanis should have been thumbed between the eyes and told to wake up, look around him and accept what he had and forget about that little black haired kit

[@solowolf7418]

@@johnjohn-bh4cu No disagreement there

[@bwg4608]

@@johnjohn-bh4cu It's crazy that Tanis even considered Kitiara given how wonderful Laurana was.

[@michaelthompson5933]

I always found the emphasis on how he was conceived a bit too much on the nose and in your face way to often and has way to little hatred of humans for it to be mentioned so many times

[@DLSaga]

There are conflicting accounts between rape and consensual human relation… does that matter to ya?

[@michaelthompson5933]

@@DLSaga not really he is just to good spirited for someone carrying around the kind of baggage growing up with elves always talking about it

[@michaelthompson5933]

@@DLSaga I think a better way to put it is they just don't have him grappling with his anger towards humans enough

[@hannahr0071]

sexy times for Tanis.

[@DLSaga]

lol yep. He’s a stud.

[@SSquirrel1976]

Tanis is no Tasslehoff, but really who is? Tanis always felt wishy washy, and especially in the earlier books they hadn’t really stretched out on their writing yet. Tasslehoff and Raistlin are still my favorites.

[@DLSaga]

That’s cool. I thought Tanis was relatable, while the others were just fun to read.

[@robertchapman7451]

Half elf but all to human. 😢

[@DLSaga]

100%

[@kursed34]

Still the dumbest death in my opinion

[@DLSaga]

It's all good. We all have our least favorites. What was the best death in your opinion?

[@muttonssun9003]

i always think that kitiara is a way better choice

[@DLSaga]

Kitiara is an awesome character!

[@desertdreamer8224]

I suspect Kitiara completely agrees with you.

[@bwg4608]

How? Every positive quality Kitiara possesses, Laurana possesses in equal or greater measure, and Laurana is also a kind and loyal person (two qualities that are completely alien to Kitiara.) Laurana also genuinely loves Tanis while Kitiara only values him as a prize. Laurana is the infinitely better choice.

[@desertdreamer8224]

@@bwg4608 I think your forgetting. some people like a bad girl even if it doesn't make sense. Kitiara has that "evil" hotness that can attract a lot of people.

[@bwg4608]

@@desertdreamer8224 Some people like using meth also. That some people might make an objectively foolish, ruinous choice doesn't make that choice any less foolish and ruinous.