WELCOME TO THE INN
Greetings, friends, and welcome back to another exciting issue of the
Dragonlance News!

As we enter the new year, the time has come to look forward to the
future, and to reflect upon where we have been. Certainly, there
have been many changes within the last year, and there are exciting
things in the works for 2003.

So grab your hoopaks, and step into the Nexus. The portal to
adventure awaits!


WHITESTONE COUNCIL 2-YEAR ANNIVERSARY
It's hard to believe that the Whitestone Council has been around for
two years, but we've passed the test of time!

In January 2001, the Council came together with the purpose of
keeping Dragonlance gaming alive. Wizards of the Coast had announced
that they would no longer produce Dragonlance gaming materials.

There was one other who had the dream of keeping Dragonlance gaming
alive as well. Tracy Hickman announced his idea for the Dragonlance
Nexus to the online gaming community. Tracy invited the Whitestone
Council aboard for his idea, and the Dragonlance Nexus was born!

Shortly after that, a new project was born: Dragonlance Adventures
3rd Edition, or DLA3e for short. The Whitestone Council began work
on the new definitive online sourcebook for Dragonlance, using the
new D&D 3rd Edition rules.

Much has changed since this time. The Council has expanded its
horizons, and now works on both Dragonlance.com and the Dragonlance
Nexus. We're working with Sovereign Press on future Dragonlance
products as well, including the much anticipated Dragonlance Campaign
Setting, or DLCS for short.

We look forward to supporting the Dragonlance community in the year
to come.


2002 IN REVIEW
This last year saw some amazing changes in the world of Dragonlance,
including two major events.

The first major event was the finale of the War of Souls series, with
the release of Dragons of a Vanished Moon. I won't spoil the book
here, as some may be awaiting the paperback version. However, I will
say that the results of Dragons of a Vanished Moon will leave a
lasting effect on the world of Krynn for years to come.

The other major event was the announcement that Sovereign Press had
gained the license to produce Dragonlance gaming materials. I still
remember that day when I received an e-mail from Margaret Weis
herself asking for my phone number. I almost knew what she said
before she said it. Margaret called, and she told me the good news.
Furthermore, she said that she would like to keep the Whitestone
Council involved. I was even lucky enough to have the honor of
making the announcement online.

Shortly after, in April, Paladin and I had the honor of meeting
Sovereign Press. We traveled to their office in Wisconsin, and had a
wonderful time. There was a lot of history to be seen, including a
tour of Lake Geneva.

Oh, and I would be remiss if I were to forget one other event in
2002. GenCon this last year saw the funeral of Bertrem the
Aesthetic. There were many guests at the funeral, including Fizban
the Fabulous himself! I also had the honor of speaking at his
funeral, alongside many of the well-known Dragonlance authors. It
was an experience I'll never forget.


YEAR OF THE LANCE
The year ahead will be a memorable one for Dragonlance fans
everywhere.

Dragonlance novels will continue the story that began in the War of
Souls trilogy, including a new Minotaur trilogy by Richard Knaak!

Sometime around July or August will see the rebirth of Dragonlance
gaming in the DLCS! Dragonlance will be reborn using 3rd Edition
rules, and we'll see a number of products from Sovereign Press
following that! The DLCS will be written by Sovereign Press, and
produced by Wizards of the Coast.

Also, keep watching Dragonlance.com and the Dragonlance Nexus for the
best in fan materials! We've got lots of materials coming your way,
including some special surprises.


FINAL THOUGHTS
It certainly has been a long road since this simple farm boy founded
the Whitestone Council. Since my time with the Council, I've seen
lots of changes with Dragonlance. I've had the honor of being within
the company of Dragonlance authors and creators. I've grown in my
knowledge of Dragonlance, and I've also had the honor of serving the
Dragonlance community.

The Council has grown and evolved, much as how Dragonlance continues
to grow and evolve. With the changes in the novel line, and the
rebirth of the gaming line, Dragonlance is back with a vengeance!

Take care, my friends. I hope that 2003 will be a great year for all
of you.

Long live the Lance!
Trampas Whiteman
"Dragonhelm"
Co-Chair, Whitestone Council
Dragonlance.com & Dragonlance Nexus