Ladonna (ca. 296 AC - ? AC) was a powerful Black-Robed mage who was the head of the black robes during the Age of Despair. A great timeless beauty, Ladonna was admired both in her youth and in later life, and refused to use magic to alter her appearance or hide her age. Following the War of the Lance, Ladonna was described as a striking woman with iron-gray hair that she wore in intricate braids. She stood at 5 feet tall and weighed 115 pounds. Ladonna was always garbed in lustrous black robes that were inlaid with silver runes of protection, and bore many jewels on her person, as she had a weakness for fine jewelry.Early LifeIn her youth even though she wore the black robes of Nuitari, Ladonna grew close to a young white robe known as Par-Salian. The pair soon became inseparable and fell in love, believing that their dedication to magic would bridge their own philosophical choices between the path of Solinari and that of Nuitari. In time, both Par-Salian and Ladonna grew more powerful and rose through the ranks of their own orders. Ladonna became apprenticed to a powerful sorceress of the black robes known as Arianna. The final straw between Ladonna and Par-Salian happened when the white robe had an affair with Arianna. A heartbroken Ladonna ended her relationship with Par-Salian. Following the affair, Arianna gave her newborn daughter to Ladonna, to send to a trusted family in Palanthas to raise for her. Ladonna sent the child on a ship to Palanthas, however the ship vanished without a trace. This became the only regret that Ladonna would ever feel over the course of her life. Only a few years later when Arianna died, Ladonna claimed her role as chief overseer of the library in the Tower of Wayreth, as well as a seat on the Conclave. Age of DespairBy 339 AC, Ladonna was already serving in the capacity as Mistress of the Black Robes, along with Justarius who led the Red Robes, and Par-Salian who served as Master of the Conclave and head of the White Robes. After several decades of witnessing mages enter the Towers of High Sorcery to prove themselves, it wasn't until 353 AC until she was truly impressed by one such apprentice. A young Silvanesti known as Dalamar entered the Tower of Wayreth and passed the Test of High Sorcery. Ladonna requested the services of the new mage to kill the dark mage Tramd o' the Dark, who whilst a black-robed mage, had been becoming a rival for Ladonna for some time. Ladonna is further impressed when Dalamar returns a short while later with proof of the Tramd's death. The Mistress of the Black Robes brings Dalamar before the Conclave, who are particularly pleased with Ladonna's charge and gives him the task of spying on the archmage Raistlin Majere. Ladonna had already long ago learnt to allow her rivals to underestimate her, and through use of her magic, as well as assassination and murder to kill off any challengers to her position as head of the Black Robes. Following the War of the Lance, she is well aware of the power of Raistlin Majere and fears him. She is well aware that Raistlin could easily destroy her and take her place on the Conclave if he chose. Even though Dalamar reported back to the Conclave several times on Raistlin's actions, Ladonna and the rest of the Conclave find themselves powerless to do anything about the mage. In 356 AC mounting pressure eventually led to Par-Salian stepping down as Master of the Conclave. For years, Ladonna had privately hoped to claim the seat of power as soon as Par-Salian retired. However her chief rival for the role, Justarius, was elected as the new master. Ladonna then stepped down as Mistress of the Black Robes, and is believed to have retired with Par-Salian. Rumors exist that in the following year 357 AC, Ladonna and Par-Salian journeyed to a demi-plane in search of the Lost Tower of High Sorcery, where they faced an archmage known as Spyranus. Aided by a group of adventurers and ultimately the god Gilean, they were successful in defeating Spyranus and returning back to Ansalon. The validity of this final adventure is uncertain. Alternate KrynnsMagocracyIn this alternate version of Krynn, Ladonna was also a black-robed mage who was in love with Par-Salian, a white-robed mage during her youth. However Ladonna was kidnapped by barbarians from the Plains of Dust and killed, cutting her life short before she could achieve magical greatness. Kender TalesLadonna has been referenced many times with her name being spelled "LaDonna", but this is not the spelling of her name. References- Dragonlance Adventures, p.111
- Tales of the Lance: World Book of Ansalon, p.106
- Legend of the Twins, p.44-46, 108
- Brothers in Arms, p.9
- Dalamar the Dark, p.1-3, 223-227, 247, 262
- Medusa Plague, p.4-5, 26, 56, 311
- Night of the Eye, p.96-98
- The Annotated Dragonlance Legends, href="http://www.dlnexus.com/products/363.aspx"Time of the Twins, p.180, 183, 185, 191
- The Day of the Tempest, p.127
- The Dragonlance Comics Issue #13, p.2, 4
- The Dragonlance Comics Issue #14, p.6, 24
- The Dragonlance Comics Issue #15, p.9, 19
- The Dragonlance Comics Issue #16, p.6, 24
- The Second Generation, p.92
- The Seventh Sentinel, p.139, 252
- Wanderlust, p.216
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