Caramon Majere
Raistlin‘s twin and Kitiara’s half brother, Caramon is a massive fighter. Caramon has a psychological disorder, he needs to feel needed or he becomes a drunk. He helps bring the companions to victory, but it is much harder for him to bring himself to victory.
(Picture by Clyde Caldwell, from the cover of The Companions)
Name: Caramon Majere
Race: human
Books: Chronicles, Dragons of Autumn Twilight, Legends, The Soulforge, Brothers In Arms
Quotes: Caramon’s quote page
Family: Parents, Rosamun and Gilon (died in The Soulforge); Twin Brother, Raistlin; half sister, Kitiara Uth-Mater; wife, Tika; sons, Palin, Tanin, and Sturm; daughters Laura and Dezra
Love(s): Tika
Friends: The Companions
Description: Caramon is left handed. He is a giant, covered with massive muscles, and very handsome. In his old age (he’s still running around in his eighties), he stays brawny and tall, and his hair turns iron gray.
History: Caramon was born in Solace along with his twin brother, Raistlin. Their older half sister, Kitiara, took care of them throughout their youth, and taught Caramon swordsmanship. Caramon held odd jobs as a farmer until he and Raistlin left Solace so Raistlin could take his Test at the Tower. After Raistlin passed his test, thereby becoming a real mage, the brothers left to become mercenaries. They later met up again with the rest of the companions back in Solace and fought in the War of the Lance. At the start of the war, Caramon was twenty-five. Caramon, being the big muscle guy and all, helped the companions, and also his physically weak brother Raistlin. He fell in love with Tika during the War of the Lance and married her afterwards. The two of them moved into The Inn of the Last Home. Caramon became a drunkard for a while, but later recovered when he learned that he did not have to constantly help others. This lesson came when he went back in time to help Raistlin (who had also gone back in time), and came back to the future to find Solace in shambles. He convinced Raistlin that becoming a god would only lead to pain and stopped him. He and Tika had half a million children, including Palin who takes after his Uncle Raistlin, becoming a mage (white) and eventually becoming head of the white robes. He lives a long life (into his eighties), and becomes the most popular person in Solace. He nearly dies when his beloved wife, Tika, dies, but he holds on a couple more months and doesn’t die until the War of Souls. Then he comes back to haunt his son, Palin, and warn him not to kill Tas.
Psychology of Caramon: Caramon dislikes and distrusts magic, so it is hard for him to come to grips with Raistlin’s and Palin’s practicing of magic.
The Caramon debate: Just how smart is Caramon? At the beginning he was portrayed as a dumb fighter, but he evolved into the careful thinker who looked at every angle… Perhaps he does indeed look into every angle and search for the best solution, but that makes him organized, not intelligent. He lacks the power of quick thought and misses out on a lot of jokes, especially Raistlin’s sarcastic comments. He does, however, understand some fundamental things, and while not as smart as Raistlin, his little “Look Raist, bunnies.” thing shows that he does have some secret knowledge about Raistlin that most people don’t have.
He and Raistlin are considered two people who belong in the same body, Raistlin being the body’s brains, and Caramon being its brawn and good looks. Though Caramon isn’t quite a blithering idiot (and he occasionally surprises us even early on), Raistlin is still the brains, which I think is essential, because Caramon gets to be the body. When Raistlin takes the test and the fake Caramon has magic too, Raistlin can not stand it because Caramon’s getting more than his half. On the other hand, a central theme of Legends is that Caramon has to become a whole person. He must learn to live with who he is, and see that he isn’t dependent on being someone else’s “half.”
