Palin Majere

Palin Rintalaisin Majere (born in 362 AC) is a fictional character that appears in the Dragonlance series of books.

Biography

He was born in Solace, as the son of Caramon and Tika Waylan Majere. Like his uncle Raistlin Majere, Palin became a wizard, but took up the white robes of good, rather than follow his uncle's dark path. Initially his father did not want him to take the Test of High Sorcery, but later relented.

Palin's Test

To prove his worthiness as a wizard, Dalamar took Palin to the Tower of High Sorcery of Palanthas, where he crafted an illusion in which Raistlin requests help from Palin to escape the Abyss.

Palin is able to do so, but is forced to risk his life in order to close the Portal to the Abyss before Takhisis could use it to return to Krynn. His actions to always act on behalf of Paladine allowed him to earn the white robes he would wear during his life as a wizard. Ironically, Palin's Test marked the return of Raistlin Majere to Krynn, who gave the young wizard the Staff of Magius.

After his Test, Palin traveled with his brothers, Tanin Majere and Sturm Majere, seeking adventure while they attempted to prove their worthiness to join the Knights of Solamnia.

Chaos War involvement

At the beginning of the Chaos War, in a battle that took his brothers' lives, Palin was captured by the Knights of Takhisis and was forced to travel to the Abyss in search of Raistlin. Surprisingly, Palin succeeded in retrieving the once powerful archmage, and brought him back to the Inn of the Last Home.

In the final battle against Chaos, Palin performs admirably, casting a powerful war spell of Magius that even the war-wizard himself could never master. At that split second, Palin surpassed both his Uncle Raistlin Majere and Magius as the most powerful wizards to have walked Krynn as his uncle said he would after Palin completed his test.

During the war, Palin fell in love with Usha, a girl raised by the Irda. They were married after the conclusion of the conflict. They lived in Solace to be near Caramon and Tika. Palin and Usha had two children: a son named Ulin and a daughter, Linsha.

Conclave ascension

Eight years after the Chaos War, Palin became head of the white robes, although he received little enjoyment from the hollow position, as traditional magic had disappeared during the Chaos War, and Palin's main duties consisted of making sure the orders didn't tear each other apart. He was made Highmage and Head of the Conclave thirteen years later.

Wild sorcery discovery and development

Palin was grieved to find out the magic he loved had departed with the gods. When he was approached by the Shadow Sorcerer and the Master of the Tower of Wayreth, who offered to teach him the new, "wild magic", Palin accepted, unaware that the Shadow Sorcerer was Takhisis in disguise and that she planned to use him to aid her own plans for Krynn.

He created a school of magic, the Academy of Sorcery, where students came to study the new form of magic. He formally dissolved the old orders of magic, and invited former wizards to come and study the new art.

Unfortunately, like wizardry before it, sorcery began to fail, the reason unknown. One of those to suffer from the increasing erratic nature of sorcery was the dragon overlord Beryllinthranox. She destroyed the Academy, captured Palin and tortured him in order to force him to reveal what was happening to the magic. When she realized he knew no more than her, she released him.

With the new magic failing, just like the old, Palin sank into a deep depression. He spent most of his time searching for magic, and neglected his wife and family. He had become a bitter and twisted man with nothing to live for.

War of Souls involvement

He later met Tasslehoff Burrfoot, who had traveled forward in time. He went with Tasslehoff to Solace where he met Mistress Jenna, a friend of Dalamar the Dark.

During the War of Souls, Palin was slain by Mina, only to be forced to serve Takhisis in an undead state along with Dalamar. At the end of the war, they were resurrected by Solinari, Lunitari and Nuitari. The gods offered to restore the ability of both men to wield magic, an offer which Palin declined. He had lost or neglected many things because of his love of magic, primarily interpersonal love and friendship. Palin wanted to focus on these things, having concluded that they were more important than being a powerful mage. His uncle, the great magus Raistlin, proud of his nephew's choice, said his decision was the one he could not have made himself.

Post War of Souls

After the War of Souls, he became partial owner of the Inn of the Last Home along with his sisters, Laura and Dezra. His wife Usha also confessed she had cheated on him during the War. However, recognizing that his own desperate search for magic had effectively left his wife without a husband, the two have begun to repair their marriage.

Palin continues to avoid involving himself in affairs of magic, but he did help Dalamar refound the Tower of Wayreth by gifting the elf his own first spell book. Dalamar at the time was locked away from his own tower, and therefore had no access to his own spells. Once Dalamar left Solace with the book, Palin's last connection to his old life was gone.

Recently, as of a few years after the war, Palin became the mayor of Solace.

References

• Margaret Weis; Tracy Hickman (2002). The Second Generation. Wizards of the Coast. ISBN 0-7869-2694-5.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
• Margaret Weis; Tracy Hickman (2002). Dragons of Summer Flame. Wizards of the Coast. ISBN 0-7869-2708-9.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
• Margaret Weis; Tracy Hickman (2000). Dragons of a Fallen Sun: The War of Souls vol. I. Wizards of the Coast. ISBN 0-7869-1807-1.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
• Margaret Weis; Tracy Hickman (2002). Dragons of a Lost Star: The War of Souls vol. II. Wizards of the Coast. ISBN 0-7869-2706-2.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
• Margaret Weis; Tracy Hickman (2003). Dragons of a Vanished Moon: The War of Souls vol. III. Wizards of the Coast. ISBN 0-7869-2950-2.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
• Nancy Varian Berberick (2004). Prisoner of Haven. Wizards of the Coast. ISBN 0-7869-3327-5.
• Douglas Niles (2004). The Wizards Conclave. Wizards of the Coast. ISBN 0-7869-3351-8.