Kender | DragonLance Saga
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 12 ก.ย. 2024
- They are possibly the most divisive element of Dragonlance. You either love 'em or hatem, let’s get to know a bit more about kender! Buy Races of Ansalon: www.drivethrur...
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Transcript
They were originally created as the equivalent of a halfling in Dragonlance but in comparison they are so much more...
Intro
Welcome to another DragonLance Saga episode. My name is Adam and today we are going to talk about kender. I would like to take a moment and thank my collaborator patrons, the Heroes of the Lance, and invite you to consider becoming a patron or member of this channel by visiting the links in the description below. You can even pick up Dragonlance gaming materials using my affiliate link. I have referenced sourcebooks from every edition including the original modules for this information.
Discussion
In DL1 Dragons of Despair, Kender are introduced for the first time in Advanced Dungeons & Dragons. They are originally described as looking like wizened 14-year-olds and unlike halflings, they wear shoes. These folk have two special abilities (in addition to the usual halfling abilities): 1. Taunt. Any creature a Kender taunts may end up wildly attacking immediately and at a disadvantage. Kender are masters at enraging others by verbal abuse. 2. Fearlessness. Kender are immune to fear, magical or non-magical. They are, however, curious about everything: a tendency that often gets them into trouble.
In DL5 Dragons of Mystery, we are introduced to the idea of the kender’s Wanderlust. It is described as thus: At some time in their lives, all kender suddenly get the uncontrollable urge to travel and “make the great map of every land”. No kender going through Wanderlust has ever completed the full map of his or her wanderings. Most kender have a great collection of maps-some useful, most obsolete. It is also in this sourcebook that we are first introduced to the Greystone of Gargath, and the detailed history of Krynn. You see, though not all races agree with the details of who came first and who was created from whom, it was because of the Greystonee that kender exists at all, and in some versions of the story, dwarves as well. You see, when gnomes were assaulting Gargath’s keep to recover the Greystone on behalf of the god Reorx, as the story goes: Under the power of the gem, the gnomes changed. Those who lusted after wealth became the dwarves. Those who were curious became the first kender. There is a splinter group of scholars that disagree with this, asserting that kender sprang from elves instead.
It isn’t until the Dragonlance Adventures sourcebook that we get the full picture of this truly one-of-a-kind race. All Kender are small enough to resemble muscled human children, rarely growing taller than four feet in height. They seem to be fond of a variety of braids or ponytails. They have pointed ears, and wear their emotions on their faces! They have vulgar sensibilities when it comes to taunting, with their appearance turning slightly devilish for the time. They are referred to as wizened as they accumulate a fine network of lines about their faces as they near forty years of age. This makes them appear curious to all but other kender, who find the lines attractive. When excited, kender can speak rather quickly, not as quickly as gnomes mind you, and they tend to ramble in their stories, making it difficult for others to follow their tales. In their countless pouches, pockets, and belt packs, kender carry a wide assortment of junk: feathers, stones, rings, string, teeth, toys, whistles, paper, charcoal sticks, ink, tinderboxes, buttons, chalk, figurines, handkerchiefs, marbles, mice, dried meat, bones, dried fruit, coins, candles, and so forth. Kender live to 100 years and beyond, always retaining their youthful flair for life.
The race spread all across Ansalon during the Age of Dreams. The earliest kender of note was Balif, close friend to the elven lord Silvanos, who swore allegiance to him at the first Sinthal-Elish. Bailiff founded Balifor, the first kender kingdom. He died in 2750 Prae Cataclius. In 2600 Prae Cataclius, the second kender kingdom was established in northwestern Ansalon. This was called Hilo, named after either the flying citadel they crashed into the Sentinel Mountains, or the geographical ranges of towering mountains and sea level plains...
Thank you for watching today's Dragonlance Setting episode. What do you think about kender? Do they have a bad rap because of players playing them in ways that frustrate other players? Should the DM take the 'handling' over for the player? Do you use them in your home campaigns at all? Leave a comment below.
Probably not well known, but the origins of the Kender race, and the character of Tasslehoff was based on one players halfling character from a D&D game played at TSR back in the day. Harold Johnson, who at the time was a former employee of TSR (no idea if he still works for WotC as I lost contact with him around about the time of the buy-out) was playing a halfling thief character to witch if memory serves, was also attended by either Weis and or Hickman. Yes, THAT Weis and or Hickman. The attending author(s) of the soon to be written Dragonlance novels was SO enamoured by the way Harold was playing his character they created the entire Kender race, their customs, their society and everything else you mentioned in this video, around this one character. Harold was my 'go too' guy for D&D information and clarification back in the day. A genuine legend in my opinion that took the time out of his day to answer the phone whenever I called and be happy to discuss D&D a length. He even told me, back in the day that they were looking to make an animated movie, the now infamous cartoon of "Dragons of Autumn Twilight". I remember offering my voice to a character if they were looking for any particular accents (I am Australian) if the voice of Raistlin was needing something a little different... Sure I would be happy to voice Caramon as well, just to keep things even.... He even sent me some (at the time) out of print boxed sets he had, in his own words, "laying around the office"... Anyway, just thought you would like to hear some little known information about the Kender. I digressed a little, but its my 2 steels worth.
I think that is great! Thank you for sharing your experience with Harold johnsonn.
I also learned of this story from another video. What an amazing beginning .
We know
Awesomeness
Thank you Adam. One of my favorite D&D characters was a Kender Cleric I played in the late 90s.
Hell yea, that's cool. What god did he/she worship?
@ 4:02 The Ransom Note! My all time favorite painting. Thanks for including it.
I had to include it, but honestly more for a painting of a Kender than the note iteself.
Another excellent video! This is the second video that I'm sharing with my live Dragons of Despair group. The first was the Primer video.
All but 2 of the 8 players are familiar with Dragonlance. Only 4 of the 8 have ever played a roleplaying game.😬 But all are super stoked to learn. Playing as the original heros and even ordered the mini set!
I've decided to use these videos as a basic achievement reward. As they "unlock" different races , places and lore I'll send them certain videos.
I'll have to be careful of spoilers. 😉
I'll comment and like as I share and I'll ask them to do the same.
Keep up the AMAZING work!
That’s very cool, I’m glad these can help and be leveraged for the new players. Best of luck with the game!
Tasslehoff... man.... memories. Love the Kender!!!
He's pretty great!
When my brother was alive, one of his favorite characters to play was a kinder. Annoying little thing. On one of our quests, he picked up a random golden statuette (random like wasn't important so it was just a statuette) after enough bugging the DM enough, off the top of his head, dm huffs "it's a dildo ok that's what it is, can we move on now". My character was a nymph hybrid, had my own colony, and this kinder just running around trying to "give" this statuette to any nymph who would take it. Another time, inside a cave system, he got mad and started throwing these random pots everywhere. They were Greek fire I believe, the whole cavern caved in on the group, fortunately, we had a magic tent we erected and got into in the knick of time. We had a love/hate relationship with this kinder...lol He was really good at "finding" items people misplaced or dropped.
haha, that's funny
I love Kender! I played a Kender in my old RPG group. We were all really good friends and messed with each other all the time. So me being a Kender was just another way to mess with my friends in game. And vice versa.
Basically, if I needed a tool (or whatever) that I didn't have and another party member had, I conveniently had already stolen it (DM approval, of course). I was the perfect catalyst to get the story going for the DM. "Harrleigh You notice a weird, purple hued light coming from under the door to the right. Sometimes it was the right way to go, sometimes it wasn't. The DM would also add things to my inventory without me knowing. Sometimes the new item got me in trouble. Others it would help us out.
I don't remember using my taunt that often. We had plenty of fighters in the group and I think I mostly hung back slinging rocks at the monsters.
As long as everyone "buys" into the concept and just has fun with it, Kenders are awesome. If someone is being "That guy", the kender probably won't (shouldn't) last long
I prefer the DM managing the handling. It’s supposed to be subconscious after all. Thanks for sharing your experience!
I also remember Kender being mentioned in the Gnomes and Halflings book. Often times, the halflings view them as kinfolk, albeit that absolute lack of good halfling common sense is absent in Kender. Kender stowing away on Tinker Gnome Spelljammer ships are how they get to other realms and meet other races and cultures and of course, new items and curiousities.
There are no halflings in Dragonlance.
My screen name is the shortened name of my very first kender PC, who was also my very first D&D character. I fell in love with the Kender through Tas when I read Autumn Twilight, and have been a fan ever since
That’s cool. Thanks for sharing.
I have played a kender, and she happened upon an item that helps her travel through different times and realities. She is retired now, but my husband uses her as an npc at times. I will be bringing her to full life at the ren faire that is happening next month. I thank you for this video that gives me a better understanding of my character.
That’s awesome! I’d love to see the cosplay.
my all time favorite race
Very cool
I love kender from their topknot to their hoopak, the fact that they look like 14 year old children is the icing on the top besides who could ever stay mad at them... for long.
I appreciate your comment.
I beg your pardon?
You know what is weird I just read the DragonLance beginning Trilogy and Tass does experience fear but it discribed as not fear for himself but for his friends.
I’m rare cases when they do feel it, they don’t recognize it
Tas is my Favorite character to follow.
He's funny, he's saved everyone as much as he's gotten them into trouble. He's great!
I play a variant human raised by Kender. It's so fun. Basically a bladesinger Kender. We're using 5e and 3.5
That sounds interesting!
Kenders are the best thing that ever happened to the idea of a halfling race. Usually, we use them for a bit of humor; allow me to give you an example:
Player A: I sit down to rest and smoke for a bit
DM: Erm... You don't own (and have never owned) a pipe
Player A: Kenders! ¬¬
Thank you for sharing your experience!
It's been my experience that most players do not have what it takes to properly play a kender. They almost always (and I have heard so many similar stories outside of my own groups), end up playing kleptomanic halflings with a vicious streak. Many DMs do not know how to properly run a game for them and these two factors lead to very bad experiences and general hatred of the race. I have successfully played a kender (A fighter/rogue/Master Thrower/bard) one time and I worked very closely with my DM to ensure that he remained innocent and kenderlike, and not a halfling with kleptomania.
Thanks for sharing. At least you got it right :)
@@DLSaga Mischa Bramblecoat remains one of my all time (30+years) favorite characters.
Even time traveling devices may be found in those Pouches
As scary as that sounds, it's true.
I vaguely remember a Kender talking about a Halfling community he wanted to visit that the Dwarves told him about
Though I think his extended stay with the Dwarves had them pointing him in the direction of the Green Fields 😹
As there are no Halflings in Krynn, I can't imagine that being so. However, there have been literary errors in the past so who knows.
I LOVE Kender, such a wonderful race. My friends when I played one, hated Kender!
Haha
I played a Kinder in post war of the Lance game. He was Jestanten a Divine Soul in third edition of Fizban and use as his holy symbol the kinder spoon of turning. No it is not known for turning undead but it can do that. It is known for changing it appease into looking like so many other spoons, even into a spork a few times. Maybe one day it will become a full fork not even I know its full powers. It does this to protect it form being misused. Jest talks of his uncle Tas and his friend Fizban I still have no clue why the knight think he is some great warrior knight. There is no reason to lie and why they get so mad when I correct them. I also help the kids learn of Fizban and the other gods of good giving out wooden spoons with a FF on the top of the handle in a fire ball. Hopefully one day he will cast it well placed it is sad that age is getting better of him like that.
Lol whoa. That is great.
@@DLSaga We had a Knight in the party and funny enough they ended up being best buds but they think each other is insane. A very Flint and Tas friendship.
if ADHD was a race
haha
I'm interested on your take Adam on the tweaks that they've made to Ke der and their abilities in the new Unearthed Arcana WotC have published for playtest
I have a news episode of the Unearthed Arcana when it was first released.
@@DLSaga Great!
I must have missed that. I'll check it out. Thank you.
Back in the day I played a Kender Barbarian. They are fun to play and annoying for DMs and other players because they are chaos incarnate. Random does not come close to defining them.
They are very different depending on the author or player.
@@DLSaga agreed. Allowing me to play a Barbarian was technically against the rules as well, so when I essentially played as papa Smurf with light fingers, memory problems, and anger management issues it wasn’t as much of a problem. The pocket dumps were mechanically the biggest issue, TBH. A lot of rolling. The other Kender, thief, was the chaotic stupid one and even got me flustered a few times when he maliciously messed with the other party members.
kender pockets are the best
I love it when a bunch get together and rifle through each others pouches.
💗Kender💗
Lol
You can't call Tas a thief. .a kender heirloom is anything in a kender household for longer than 2 weeks! (though the Kender with claw hammers will have those as well )
This is true!
Great video. Kinder show how a lack of malice can still be trouble most of all to themselves.Just keep them away from my books. I am not opposed to the lava idea.
haha
Thank you
You're welcome
Point of Order, Balif was not actually a Kender, he was Silvanesti Elven. it was said he was Kender as a Smear by Balif's rivals. Though they say Balif was supposedly friends to the Kender, however there is some question if they were even in the same time period, as Balif existed around the time before the first Dragon War, and that might be before the time Dwarves and Kender appeared on Krynn.
I have not read the novel that featured him, but based on the sourcebooks all the way up to the latest, that was his story. One thing about DL we have to remember, there was a lot of rewriting and changing the story. I always start from the original then move forward. Thank you for the correction/clarification.
@@DLSaga Look up the Plainsmen series Balif is featured there. :)
actually I like those stories, very early in Krynn history, where Humans and Elves are basically at Bronze age level technology and great depictions of the influences of a Single Bronze and or Single Green Dragon.
OMG, it's me! I am Kender! The race based on ADHD 😅
Lol
Into the volcano with them!
lol, Thanks for watching!
Always wanted to play a Kender but every DM I've had hated them.
I'd let ya.
I have had 2 kenders in games I have run. Anymore would be welcome.
Based DMs.
Kender, vagy kannabisz!
lol what?
Kender are problematic in that they come pre-loaded with a bunch of features that makes it almost impossible NOT to be a pain the party's behind even if you are a balanced player, let alone one of those people who loves to kick everyone else's sandcastles and then hides behind a character sheet. I'd rather have a Pathfinder Gnome than a Kender, they have every potential to be even weirder and funnier to play than Kender and can still turn it off if necessary.
To each his own. I never heard about Kender being horrible in a game till I made this channel. We always had them and I guess we were lucky our player wasn’t a dick.
Kenders would be awesome as Internet trolls and keyboard warriors, with unlimited and creative ways to taunt and insult others.
Oh yes!!
The best catfishing ever. Taunt and tease online, then relieve you of your wallet when you meet in person.
@@DLSaga would give the nigerian "princes" a run for their money...
They'd be more of phishing scammers and doxxers than anything.
Kender are the worst. I get their thievery is a part of their culture, and I respect that, but chopping the hands off thieves is a part most human cultures, and I want equal respect paid to both societies and their traditions.
Lol omg, that’s brutal
Tas only taunts in Tarsis
I am not sure this is accurate. He was talking smack through the Chronicles and Legends.
I find this a perfect description of ADHD... Except that as humans in society we do know fear, and have a certain sense of private property.
I never really thought of it that way. Thanks for watching!
It's interesting all the hate I've seen lender get from the more 'serious' d&d players then they turn around and play a race goofier than lender .I've had only one lender , a thief of course , didnt choose handler cause I wanted the backstab ability (2e rules ) if you play them right they can be 'devilishly ' (as you say) fun to play .kronin thistlenot and the slaying of lord thoede is one of those occurances of lender cooperation and they kept the black dragon army bottled in land east of kendermore after the war of the lance .
I really love having them in a group. I never have the Kender control the handling though. It's supposed to be spontaneous and unconscious as I see it, and so the DM will make those rulings with a quick roll of the dice. This also eases up on the PC griefing people complain about.
@@DLSaga The way I handled it was collect character sheets at the end of the session and randomly redistributed some items in the party. I.e. the Kender character put somethings back just not always to the right person. Nothing super important like someone's favorite weapon, wand, or ring and never money, shiny gems on occasion but nothing of substancial value. Mostly harmless or mundane stuff, occasionally I may relocate a quest item, but more often than not I'ld also use this as a way to seed plot items the party may have missed or something to get them back on track. The main key is keep it playful and never malicious, unless of course they piss off the kender, than all bets are off with taunt, but even then it is still more Steve Martin ala Roxanne during the screen where he mocks his own big nose than intentionally hurtfull or spiteful.. A kender in a party should add levity, wonder, and good natured 'this is another fine mess you've gotten us into Olly'.
@@jbaker389 That's a great way to handle it! Thanks for sharing.
Name checks out.
@@jbaker389 agree, I like the way you run them
First
Good to see Tasslehoff!