World of Dark Sun

The World of Dark Sun consists of a number of features for the Dark Sun campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game.

The Dark Sun campaign setting takes place in Athas, a land ravaged by sorcery where its savage inhabitants struggle to survive against such difficulties as ecological disaster, resource depletion, and the depredations of the powerful sorcerer-kings who lord over the few bastions of civilization.[1]:4–5 Beyond the relative safety of the city walls lie arid wastes consumed by the heat of the dying sun, a hostile ecosystem filled with ferocious monsters, and mysterious ruins of civilizations long dead. Several features distinguish Dark Sun from more traditional high fantasy worlds. The darker, grittier fantasy themes inspired creators to either eliminate or significantly change the standard fantasy races; for example, halflings are largely cannibalistic savages rather than affable river folk, and elves are deceitful, nomadic herders and thieves rather than wise and noble forest dwellers.[2] Athas has no true gods and arcane magic, believed to be the source of the land's downfall, is outlawed. Lastly, Dark Sun coincided with the release of the Psionics Handbook in 1991 and these rules were tied in making psionics as common to Athas as arcane magic is to other fantasy settings.[3]

Creation

Athas's actual creation is not clearly defined in either the Expanded and Revised edition or the 4e Dark Sun campaign setting. The Expanded and Revised and Dark Sun 3 have the most detailed account of Athas's fictional origins but none of the source material describes anything earlier than the Blue Age and no creation myth is mentioned.

History of Athas

Dark Sun 3 describes Athas as having five ages: The Blue Age, the earliest age where Athas was covered with great bodies of water; the Green Age, the second age where Athas is a vital paradise filled with verdant plants and new life; the Brown Age, where the land has been desolated by the evil machinations of Rajaat and the world is oppressed by his former Champions, the sorcerer-kings; and the Age of Heroes, the age when mortals begin to break free from the oppression of the sorcerer-kings.

The Blue Age

The Blue Age was marked by a vast, life-giving sea, and the rise of the halfling rhulisti. The magic of this era was known as Life-Shaping.

During the Blue Age, Athas was a water-rich planet covered with vast bodies of water. During this age halflings, known as the rhulisti, built a sophisticated civilization without the aid of arcane magic or psionics. The rhulisti were ruled by the elite nature-masters who were gifted in Life-shaping: the ability to reshape the basic building blocks of life. Nature-masters worked used their lifeshaping powers in harmony with nature to grow cities from plants and create an advanced civilization. Divisions appeared among the nature-masters when others began experimenting with what the nature-masteres viewed as unethical uses of Life-shaping. These rebels were known as "nature-benders", as they were called, caused a schism which escalated into an all out war. Though victorious in the war, the nature-masters were responsible for the end of the Blue Age. They accidentally spawned a poisonous Brown Tide while attempting to increase the power of their empire by doubling the output of the seas. As the Brown Tide spread, the world's great seas began to die, as did all life on Athas.[4]:9–16[5]:223, 272

Dark Sun 3 suggests that the Blue Age took place between 14,577 and 14,025 years before the assassination of Kalak of Tyr.[5]:223

Rebirth And The Green Age

The Green Age was marked with the destruction of the Brown Tide, the sun changing from blue to yellow, the seas receding in favor of a plant rich landscape, the fall of the rhulisti civilization, and an abundance of new races on Athas.

The rhulisti, seeking to save Athas and themselves, used their mastery of nature to build an instrument to kill the Brown Tide. They called it the Pristine Tower and they used it to harness the power of the sun to destroy the Brown Tide. Using the Pristine Tower came with a price, however. Though they successfully eradicated the Brown Tide the world had changed significantly. The sun turned from blue to yellow, the waters receded from the great seas revealing a verdant paradise, and a great period of vitality and creation began known as the Rebirth. The surviving rhulisti either transformed into new human and demi-human races, or withdrew into the mountains forgetting their former civilization. This period of a lush, green world was called the Green Age.[4]:9–16 Civilizations of the various races flourished via the newly discovered power of psionics and the first great cities of the Tyr region, such as Tyr, Bodach and Giustenal, were founded during this age.[5]:223, 272

Other notable events of this period are the discovery of psionics, the migration of the thri-kreen into the Tyr region and their subsequent migration from those cities into the wilderness due to persecution, and the birth of the Mind Lords.[5]:224

This age takes place between 13,965 and 7,889 before Kalak's assassination.

The Time of Magic

The Time of Magic was ushered in by the First Sorcerer Rajaat and his introduction of arcane magic to Athas shifted the balance of world power from psionics to magic. This age was marked by great genocidal wars known as the Cleansing Wars, and the ravaging of the land by a magical technique known as defiling.

During the Rebirth a race known as the pyreens mysteriously appeared. They were long lived, reclusive, and had strange powers unknown to the other races. Among them was one named Rajaat whose body and mind were warped by being born so close to the Pristine Tower.[5]:275 Though he was physically ugly he was extremely gifted intellectually and psionically and it would be his actions that would usher in the Time of Magic. Rajaat could not accept himself as he was and sought a reason or a cure for his self-hatred in the past, but the past only further confirmed his self-loathing. He made contact with the halflings of the Jagged Cliff and drew followers from among them to assist him in the discovery of a novel means of manipulating life energies. After two hundred years, he discovered what would come to be known as arcane magic. Rajaat discovered that there were two means of casting spells; one way which made use of nature but did not destroy it, called preserving; and another way, which was more powerful, but destroyed nature to fuel its spells, called defiling. Rajaat had difficulty mastering his new found powers and his experiments with magic proved dangerous; Rajaat nearly destroyed himself and desolated a portion of the Jagged Cliffs in the process. Seeking a way to harness these new found powers without harming himself, he returned with his halfling followers to the site of his birth: the fabled Pristine Tower. There, he spent the next three thousand years refining the art of arcane magic and altering the tower to become an instrument of his ultimate goal. Rajaat had come to the conclusion that the Rebirth had been a mistake, the new races were abominations, and the only way to save the world was to return it to the purity of the Blue Age.[5]:224, 272

When Rajaat emerged from the Pristine Tower he offered to tutor anyone in magic who showed promise. Psionics were an important source of power during this period but they were tightly controlled by the nobles. Rajaat, knowning what it was like to be rejected by society, agreed to teach anyone including societies and outsiders. He taught preserving magic to anyone capable of learning and observed which races seemed to have the most potential for magic. Schools and colleges for magic sprang up a lead by Rajaat's trusted disciples. Outwardly, Rajaat preached a rhetoric of peace and sodality encouraging mages to work together rather than feud; conflict was forbidden. Secretly, however, Rajaat segregated the students he considered of questionable morality or character and taught them defiling magic. As magic proliferated it became an important source of temporal power helping people to transform their position in society and to shape the world at large, and eventually surpassing psionics in importance. Mages took on a new found political importance which allowed Rajaat to set the stage for his true intentions. Rajaat had decided that humans had the greatest capacity for defilement and that they would be the vessels for his ultimate purpose. Rajaat called to him his loyal followers and his best students and lied to them by arguing that the now ruling preserver mages were corrupt and were going to use their powers to dominate or destroy. His followers vowed to help him end the growing tyranny of the preservers which began the Preserver Jihad.[5]:224, 272 The Jihad was wildly successful essentially driving preserver magic so far underground that it virtually ceased to exist leaving defilers as the dominant spellcasters on Athas and cleared the way for the next stage of his plans.[5]:224, 272

The Cleansing Wars

Rajaat selected fifteen of his students, all of whom had powerful psionic gifts as well as a talent for arcane magic, and used his powerful talisman, the Dark Lens, to transform them into his Champions. These Champions become the instruments of his master plan to bring about the return of the Blue Age via the extinction of all races save the halflings. In fact, had the halfings not been immune to Rajaat's powers he would have made them his Champions instead. Besides their arcane and psionic gifts, the Champions were gifted with immorality as well as the powerful ability to fuel their magic by drawing life energy from living creatures through obsidian orbs. The Champions were each given titles based on the races they were tasked with destroying. The creation of the Champions exacted a terrible price, however, the sun had changed to a dark crimson color.[4]:9–16 The Champions of Rajaat were:

Rajaat unleashed his genocidal Champions and their human armies upon the world thus instigating th Cleansing War. The Champions used large-scale defiler magic to accomplish their master's will desecrating vast tracts of land in the process to fuel their destructive magic. Some of the Champions, such as Wyan and Nibenay, succeeded in their task while others, only came close or failed, such as Sielba and Borys. The genocide explains many of the changes to the traditional fantasy races. Elves, for example, became nomadic in order to escape the Andropinis' efforts while the dwarves dug their civilization deeper making it difficult for the Champions to exterminate them. The pyreens also attempted to help the other races survive the genocide seeking to root out the source of Rajaat's power but the Rajaat's downfall would not come from the resistance but from among his Champions.

The Rebellion

The Champions had been kept ignorant of Rajaat's plan to give Athas solely to the halflings but when Hamanu learned of this he informed Borys who enlisted many of the other sorcerer-kings in staging a rebellion against their master. The combined force of thirteen of the fifteen Champions proved enough to defeat Rajaat but they were unable to destroy his corpse. The two sorcerer-kings who remained loyal to Rajaat, Wylan and Sacha, were beheaded when they and Rajaat's former halfling guards attempted to resuce their vanquished master from the Hollow.

Rajaat may have been defeated but that came at a price. Fearing Rajaat may return for retribution Gallard (Nibenay) separated Rajaat's life essence from his physical form and placed the essence in an enchanted stone known as the Black Sphere. The Black Sphere was then hidden in a sub-dimension of nothingness called the Hollow deep within a shadow dimension known as the Black. Gallard's ritual contained a flaw, however. Without the use of the Dark Lens, which had been stolen during the Cleansing War, they would have had to find some other way to fuel the magics that kept Rajaat imprisoned. The spell to bind Rajaat was no trivial matter- none of the Champions could cast the spell alone. Borys, who had offered himself as Rajaat's warden, was offered a ritual created by Dregoth that would transform him into a dragon and allow him to cast the spells of imprisonment without aid. In order to perform the ritual all of the Champions had to complete part of the required ten-step process themselves. The Champions empowered themselves with Dregoth's rituals but these first steps towards dragonhood had strange side effects. The ritual unleashed strange elemental energies and connected the Champions to the Elemental Planes. These new sorcerer-kings could not access the power of these planes themselves, but as a result of their connection, could imbue divine spellcasting abilities in others creating templars out of their most loyal servants. The full, ten-step process proved too much for Borys and he went mad and embarked on a century long defiling rampage, desolating vast tracts of at a previously unheard of rate to feed his hunger. Shocked by what they had unleashed, the remaining sorcerer-kings fortified their city-states and hid from the dragon's madness. The defiling during the Cleansing War had been substantial but Borys defilement during his bedlam was the tipping point that truly turned Athas into a hellish desert. After a century, Borys emerged from his madness. Seeing the Rajaat's prison was about to disintegrate he levied one thousand slaves from each of the sorcerer-kings so he could defile them to fuel the magic that kept Rajaat imprisoned.[4]:9–16 [5]:280[5]:224, 279

Other events of this period include the creation of the Dead Lands by the leaking of a massive flow of obsidian from the Elemental Planes, and the slaying of King Rkard, last of the dwarven kings.[5]:225

This age lasts from 7,889 to 1,970 years before Kalak's assassination.

The Brown Age or the Age of the Sorcerer-Kings

The Brown Age or the Age of the Sorcerer-Kings was marked the desolation caused by Borys; madness and the tyranny and slavery engendered by the sorcerer-kings. Reading and writing was forbidden, arcane magic was outlawed, and history was revised to erase the sorcerer-kings misdeeds. Pogroms were led against the druids in order to prevent them from opposing the sorcerer-kings by disseminating the true history they learned from their connection to the spirits of the land. Muls and half-giants were created as a race of slave soldiers during this period.[5]:280 The period is marked by the machinations of the sorcerer-kings who Rather than caring for their citizens the sorcerer-kings struggled amongst themselves to increase their own power.

Sielba is killed during a power grab against Hamanu over his obsidian mines. Sielba's death eneraged Borys but Hamanu appeases him with the riches looted from Sielba's fallen city-state, Yaramuke. Borys used these riches to build the great city of Ur Draxa and places the Black Sphere at the center where he can better protect it.

Several sorcerer-kings also attempt th ten-step process to become a dragon. Dregoth was slain by Abalach-Re and Hamanu for fear that he would become of Borys did after his transformation. The city-state of Kalindney was likewise destroyed by its sorcerer-king, Kalid-Ma, after he went insane in a botched attempt at the process. Borys, Kalak, and Hamanu slay him when he assaults the Tyr region in his madness.

Borys levies of one thousand slaves proved controversial and two of the sorcerer-kings attempted to resist or fell short. Daskinor was successful at refbuffing Borys' but the conflict drives him insane. Eldaarich became an isolated prison city. Andropinis of Balic fell one hundred short of his one thousand slave levy. In retaliation, Borys takes the rest of the debt from among Andropinis' templars. Balic's slave raids intensified across the Tablelands in order to not fall short again.[4]:9–16[5]:226

Oronis was the only sorcerer-king to truly care for his citizens well being and his city-state of Kurn flourishes as a result. Oronis, with the help of the wizard Bestern, develops a preserver version of the metamorphosis spell becoming Athas' first avangion. The spell is later hidden by Oronis after Borys kills his protege, the second avangion, Nerad.

Dregoth is resurrected as an undead sorcerer by his templars. Dregoth deciphers halfling records found beneath his city-state and creates several generations of dray. He later discovers the Planar Gate and leaves Athas to explore the Outer Planes.

The Age Of Heroes

The Age of Heroes was marked by great magic, the death of sorcerer-kings, and revolutionary changes to the Tyr region.

Sorcerer-king Kalak of Tyr is assassinated in a slave rebellion led by Rikus, Agis, Neeva, Tithian, and Sadira. Tithian becomes the next king of Tyr and outlawed slavery but secretly continued to supply Borys with his levies. Hamanu retaliates against Kalak's assassination and attempted to take Tyr's iron mines. He is defeated by Rikus' Crimson Legion, but the legion is later crushed while assaulting Urik.

The wizard Saidra seeks out the Pristine Tower, and in exchange for pledging to kill Borys, she is transformed into the first and only Sun Wizard by the shadow giants. She possessed the power to draw magical power from the sun which made her nearly and equal to the sorcerer-kings. Borys is killed by Rikus with the his former sword, Scourge, but dragon's thrashing causes it to break in two. The black ooze that leaded from the sword is used by Saidra used the ooze to kill both Abalach-Re and Borys.

Tithian, with the aid of Agis of Asticles, discovered the location of the Dark Lens. He killed Agis and then used the Dark Lens to frees Rajaat from his prison in the hopes that he would reward him by transforming him into a sorcerer-king (Rajaat refused). Rajaat's escape, and the ensuing battle with his former Champions devastated Ur Daxa. Rajaat imprisons Andropinis in the Black, and crushes Tectuktitlay's skull with the Dark Lens. The remaining sorcerer-kings retreat and Sadira steals the Dark Lens. Her and her son, Rkard, cast a sun spell using the Dark Lens that boils away Rajaat's shadow which was the key to his tremendous power. His body is finally destroyed and his essence is returned to the Hollow. Tithian, having been in contact with the Dark Lens as Rkard cast his spell, is transformed into the Cerulean Storm. Sadira magically seals the Dark Lens and Scourge in a volcano called the Ring of Fire. The result of the spell to destroy Rajaat caused a tremendous earthquake creating the Great Rift, a passage to the Crimson Savannah, and access to the Kreen Empire.

The result of the Age of Heroes was the destabilization of the Tyr Region by the power vacuum created by the loss of several sorcerer-kings, and the environmental upheaval created in the wake of the Cerulean Storm. Aftershocks from the earthquake that created Rift threaten the region with further destruction.

The Wanderer discovered the lost halflings, the Rhul‐thaun, of the Jagged Cliff, and the Mind Lords of the Last Sea. The dray receive a sign to begin preparations for the supreme rise of Dregoth and the invasion of Raam.

Afterward

In May 2004, David Noonan wrote a brief update for the setting for the 3rd edition rules.[6] The setting took place three hundred years after events the assassination of Kalak and the re-imprisonment of Rajaat. The guide outlined some of the important events that had taken place since then. Two new races, the elans and the maenads, were added to the setting as well. The guide largely focuses on the city-states and the remaining sorcerer-kings.

The city-state of Raam was on the verge of collapse after the death of its sorcerer-queen but the psionic dragon-lich Dregoth (known as Dregoth the Savior in the city-states) swept in and transformed many of the riotous inhabitants into undead. He now rules the city-state where the living walk side-by-side with zombies and skeletons.[6]: 65. The adopted son of the deceased sorcerer-king Tectuktitlay had been installed largely as a figure head by Tectuktitlay templars, The Moon Priest, and the psionic order House of the Mind. Azetuk somehow managed to learn enough magic and psionics, and with the help of a splinter group of templars, transformed himself into a dragon. He destroyed the House of the Mind and took control of Draj. He now demands regular blood sacrifices in his temples.[6]: 68 Balic had also fallen into chaos after the disappearance of their sorcerer-king Andropinis. The lost sorcerer-king had been banished to a demi-plane in the Black and had to fight his way through the Outer Planes to return to Athas. He did not return alone, however. The exiled sorcerer-king returned with an army of maenads carrying his banner. He retook the city-state and now rules once more.[6]: 65 Tyr remains free from sorcerer-king rule and has managed to defend its walls from multiple assaults from Urik. The city-state is now ruled by a mixed council of nobles and preserver mages from the Veiled Alliance.[6]: 76

4e Changes

The Fourth Edition version of the setting is less specific about the history of Athas. It is implied that the world was once vital and rich in water as suggested by the ruins of previous civilizations. The Green Age is mentioned but what happened before it is referred to vaguely as whispered myths.

Most Athasians are unaware of the true history of their world. Various scenarios are suggested to account for player character knowledge such as the Dragon of Tyr laying waste to the land, a magic driven apocalypse, or a desolating conflict or war. What is confirmed is that the Green Age endd it gave way to an age of war and suffering known as the Red Age. The Red Age was marked by wars and chaos which resulted in the current age sometimes referred to as the Desert Age. It is also suggested that the sorcerer-kings may be immortals who are responsible for the world's current problems, or are simply descendants of the sorcerers from the previous ages who put an end to the Red Age wars and founded the known city-states. All of this is disputed, however, even the length of time between ages.[1]:16

The Fourth Edition setting provides a brief history for the Dungeon Master that is significantly different, though not necessarily in conflict with the previous source material. At the end of the Green Age, the gods of Athas were driven away or destroyed by demonic primordials. The loss of divine control created a flaw in world which made arcane magic possible. Similar to the previous history, Rajaat described as a powerful psion who discovers magic, but is corrupted by the inherently flawed power. He learns defiling magic and teaches it to a select few students naming them his Champions.[1]:208

The Red age begins with Rajaat beginning the Cleansing War by commanding his Champions to destroy all the impure races. In their zeal to accomplish their masters will the Champions defile recklessly thereby desolating the world. Seeing the mass destruction to the environment caused by their defiling magic the Champions reconsider their actions, and Borys leads a rebellion against Rajaat overthrowing him. Rajaat is vaguely described as being imprisoned in a place of nothingness outside the world. The overthrow of Rajaat ended the Red Age and ushered in the Age of the Sorcerer-Kings or the Desert Age. The Champions each took control of or founded city-states in the Tyr Region and installed themselves as absolute monarchs.[1]:208

Setting

Once a blue planet teeming with life, Athas has since been stripped of its fertility by the use of corrupting magic known as Defiling Magic, and the decay of its sun. It is a sun-burnt land forsaken by the gods, water, and hope. The natural resources have been depleted and a lack of metal has resulted in the use of wood, obsidian and bone for weapons, tools and other common equipment - metal objects are rare and expensive. In such a harsh and unforgiving land, even the most mundane of creatures has developed psionic abilities in response to the constant struggle for survival.

Many thousands of years ago, through a combination of psionic power and defiler magic, a number of individuals set themselves up as sorcerer-kings, each ruling one of the city-states strewn across the sandy wastes of Athas. The societies that resulted are strongly hierarchical, heavily reliant on slaves, and partial to blood sports.[7] Outside these cities lie vast expanses of deserts, mountains and desolate wilderness areas inhabited by monsters and tribes of humanoid races struggling for survival. In Athas, death by natural ageing is considered a great achievement, worthy of celebration and reverence.

The Tyr Region

The campaign setting of the Dark Sun world generally takes place in the Tyr region of the world of Athas. The Tyr region encompasses thousands of square miles, stretching from the Hinterlands in the west to the Valley of Dust and Fire in the east, and from the Dead Lands in the south to the Troll Grave Chasm in the north. Within the region of Tyr are several large city-states, ruled by the former Champions of Rajaat now turned to dark Sorcerer-Kings.

Culture

The Tyr Region is the center of culture in Athas. The vast majority of human, humanoids, and thri-kreen dwell in either the city-states or the outlying villages. Though the city-states differ in many ways they all share a common social hierarchy with very few exceptions. The sorcerer-kings are the absolute monarchs of their domains and are assisted in ruling by their templars. Below them are the nobles and/or merchant houses. Below them are the free citizens, and then the slaves.

Outside the city-states are the villages which are little more than mud huts or shacks clustered around oases in far flung locations.[4]:30

Geography

The Sea of Silt

Water has long since ceased to flow in major rivers or lakes on the surface of Athas, and can only be found in small pockets and in the Last Sea. There are some oases, occasional small lakes and streams, as well as creeks and rivulets West of the nearly impassable Ringing Mountains of Forest Ridge. Forest Ridge is also the home of halflings, which in the Dark Sun world are small creatures that live in tribes in the forest and do not hesitate to capture and eat intruders to their realm. This makes the prospect of going West across the Ringing Mountains rather daunting.

In the place of an ocean, the world of Athas has a sea composed entirely of silt, thanks to the life-stealing effects of defiling magic. The loose surface silt is very fine and so is difficult to traverse and very easily coats the lungs. A strong wind from the Silt Sea can force people in nearby villages to remain indoors, though some make use of a mask-like silter which is placed over the mouth and nose and kept wet in order to help the user breathe.

The silt sometimes becomes hard-packed a few metres below the surface, but this is of little help to humans attempting to cross the Sea. Giants often make use of the packed silt further below and can occasionally be seen wading chest-deep, as one might wade through a swamp. Humans have built vessels that can navigate these silt roads much like giants do, though the going is much slower and both humans and giants still have to deal with the creatures that live in the Sea.

There are also the Shipfloaters, psionicists that use a large obsidian orb to focus their power and telekinetically levitate their ships through the air.

The Tablelands

The Tablelands are waterless expanse of scrub plains, sandy wastes, and salt flats stretching between the foot hills of the Ringing Mountains and the Silt Sea. The Tablelands contains the city-states and most of the villages that make up Athasian civilization.[4]:29–44

The Ringing Mountains

The Ringing Mountains are a range of reddish, sandy peaks west of the Tablelands.[4]:29–44

The Hinterlands

The Hinterlands are anything west of the Ringing Mountains. They are largely scrub plains similar to the Tablelands but are uninhabited by intelligent societies.[4]:29–44

The City States

From then on, each of the remaining Champions stopped warring on the races of Athas and became a sorcerer-king or sorcerer-queen of his or her own city-state.

The seven city-states are the center of civilization for the Tyr region, and very possibly all of Athas. Each city-state is distinct in its laws, customs, economy, style, and culture. Some are still ruled by their sorcerer-kings while others have managed to overthrow them and attempt to find their way with out their former rulers.[4]:44

Balic

Balic is located southeast of Tyr on the shores of the Forked Tongue Estuary.[4]:64–66 The city-state is ruled by Dictator Andropinis, the self-proclaimed only "elected" sorcerer-king of the city-state. Andropinis keeps a tight grip on the city-state's government and law-makers know better than to pass laws that would displease their rule. His prudent largesse with the merchant class has made Balic one of the wealthiest city-states in the region. Balic also enjoys a degree of democratic tradition, civic participation, and free speech so long as there is no direct criticism of the sorcerer-king, or his status as an elected official.[1]:134–143

Draj

Draj is located on a vast mud flats east of Raam.[4]:57–59 Draj is ruled by the mad sorcerer-king Tectuktitlay who's image is omnipresent within the city-state. Tectuktitlay calls himself the Father of Life and falsely claims to be a god. According to his priests, he is the issue of moons Ral and Guthay gave Athas their son Tectuktitlay, a god in mortal flesh, to liberate the people from suffering. It is said that he made the earth fertile again with only a word and sheltered his followers within the city he created with a sweep of his hand. Whether or not Tectuktitlay is actually a divine being varies from person to person but most citizens regard the sorcerer-king as a blessing, despite his insidious presence. Tectuktitlay controls the populace through his templars known as Moon Priests. The society within Draj is organized clans who all practice the same profession. Draj produces and abundance of grain and hemp.[1]:134–153

Gulg

Gulg sits inside of the Crescent Forest, almost directly east of Tyr. Gulg is unique because sorcerer-queen Lalali-Puy "grew" the city out of vines and trees rather than building it out of bricks and stone.[4]:61–63 Lalali-Puy is the absolute ruler of the city-state and owns everything and everyone within it and holds the ultimate power of life and death. She is regarded by her people as the beloved forest goddess Oba. Gulg's government is handpicked by Lalali-Puy herself, but citizens have the right to appeal directly to the goddess to resolve issues. The city-state is abundant in grains, plants, and the products of herd animals.[1]:156–159

Nibenay

Nibenay is located east of Tyr the northern tip of the Crescent Forest.[4]:59–61 Nibenay is ruled by its eponymous sorcerer-king, also known as the Shadow King. The reclusive Shadow King immerses himself in his arcane studies in his royal compound and largely leaves the governing to his templars. The recent assassination of the sorcerer-king Kalak has prompted the Shadow King to take a more active interest in his domain. The Shadow King's templars are all women and all considered wives of the Shadow King (though this is largely symbolic). They form the heads of the immense bureaucracy that makes up Nibenay's government.[1]:134–153

Raam

Raam is located east of Urik and is the most populous city-state boasting 40,000 inhabitants. Raam is ruled by the self-styled Grand Vizier -the beautiful but ineffectual sorcerer-queen Abalach-Re. Abalach-Re's templars are spies for their mistress rather than bureaucrats. The city has a rigid caste structure that the sorcerer-queen her templars have exempted themselves from, a fact that has built resentment from the populace. Abalach-Re's decadence and neglect have caused the city state to teeter on the brink of disintegration and anarchy.[1]:134–153

Tyr

Tyr is located in the fertile valley in the foothills of the Ringing Mountains.[4]:46–49 After the demise of its sorcerer-king Kalak, the former templar Tithian took the throne and outlawed slavery. His rule is contested by other factions seeking to take control of the city.[1]:134–143

Urik

Urik is a highly militarized city-state located northeast of Tyr, between Dragon's Bowl and the Smoking Crown. It is ruled by the self-styled King of the World-the sorcerer-king Hamanu. Urik is a stable and well-ordered but oppressive bureaucracy that is tightly controlled by Hamanu and his templars. Hamanu takes an active role in every level of government in all civic functions. Rule of law stems from the supposedly divinely inspired Hamanu's Code. The Code ostensibly protects all people so they may grow and prosper, but in truth, are designed to protect the interests of the rich and powerful.[1]:134–143

Villages

Beyond the city-states are villages, some permanent some temporary, that do the region between the city states. The villages act as trading posts, client villages, and waystations for those traveling between the city-states.

Ruins

Bodach

Bodach was once the city of arcane might but is now just a legendary ruin within the Salt Meres. The once-beautiful city is now overrun by the undead, protectors of a secret treasure.[1]:163

The Jagged Cliffs region

The Jagged Cliffs region is another region of hundreds of square miles, north of the Tyr region. It extends from the Crimson Savannah in the west to the Sea of Silt in the east, and the Burning Plains to the north. Two of the city-states of the sorcerer-kings reside here.

Eldaarich

Eldaarich is the city of the former champion of Rajaat, Daskinor Goblin Death. The city is like a prison to its citizens due to Daskinor's paranoia.

Kurn

Kurn is the city of Oronis (formerly Keltis), a sorcerer-king who abandoned the draconic transformation path and instead turned to preserving magic to become an avangion. Oronis moved most of his populace into "New Kurn," a hidden and disguised city that is rigorously policed to keep it safe, while "Old Kurn" is little more than a shell and a set of illusions to prevent outsiders from realizing the changes that have transpired.

The Crimson Savannah

The Crimson Savannah is an area of vast plains with sharp bamboo-like plants, inhabited by the various Kreen races (mantis-like humanoids).

The Dead Lands

The Dead Lands are an area of vast obsidian plains to the south of the Tyr Region. They were inadvertently created by the Defiler Qwith, an agent of Rajaat studying the inner planes.

The Last Sea

The Last Sea is the last large body of water on Athas, and is a throwback to the Green Age. It was preserved during the Cleansing Wars by the mysterious Mind Lords - psions of a caliber that recalls the age of Athas's pinnacle of psionic power. They still rule the valley region of the Last Sea, called Marnita, but have moved their minds into obsidian orbs hidden in the city of Saragar. Their immense age (over nine thousand years and counting) and the lack of physical sensation has driven the various Mind Lords to dementia.

Beyond The Tyr Region

Culture

The regions outside Tyr are largely unpopulated by intelligent cultures. What few cultures exist outside Tyr are the Silt Sea dwelling creatures known as the Euripis, the merchant city of Celik, thee Pterrans in Pterran Vale and Lost scale, and the cultures of the Dead Lands. What few villages, herders, raiders, hermits, and hunter-gatherers subsist while contending with the harsh environment and terrible monsters.

Magic

Magic in Dark Sun departs from the traditional fantasy campaign settings in a number of ways. Divine magic is virtually unheard of with clerics and druids deriving their power from elemental forces or demons, and arcane magic is largely outlawed. Alternatively, psionics, which aren't considered magic by Arthasians, is broadly accepted and practiced by virtually everyone and everything.[1]:5

Divine and Primal Magic

Ruins of ancient shrines and temples are proof that, in previous ages on Athas had gods, but today Athas is a world with out gods.[1]:5[1]:16 Sorcerer-kings pretend to be gods creating false mythologies to increase their legends, but Athas has no true deities.[1]:16 Divine spellcasters derive their powers from the elemental planes, either directly, or through intermediaries.[4]:16–17 True divine magic is virtually unheard of in Athas so clerics revere indifferent elemental forces, malevolent sorcerer-kings, or demonic primordials none of whom offer the care and comfort of a true deity.[1]:16

Elemental Clerics

Clerics make a pact with one of the four classical elements or some domains unique to Athas. In exchange for serving this element the priest gain supernatural gifts. These elements are entirely neutral forces who care only about the preservation of their given form in the material world. The elemental forces care little for the conduct or actions of their priests. So long as they adhere to the pact made with their patron element they will continue to receive patronage in the form of spells and other benefits. The elemental priests build not churches, have no rhetoric, dogma, or scriptures to draw insight or inspiration from. Even servants of the same element have little in common other than sharing a patron deity. Clerics serve their patron element alone with no orders or followers to assist them.[4]:17

Druids

Like the elemental priests the druids serve natural forces, but unlike the priests, the druids serve nature more generally and are deeply concerned with the ecological balance. Instead of serving one of the four classical elements, druids instead bind with a particular natural feature or aspect of Athas such as sand or forests. The druids see themselves as the servants and guardians of the nature spirits of a given place, and gain their powers from the elemental planes through these spiritual intermediaries.[4]:17

Templars

Templars are the imbued with their powers from one of the sorcerer-kings. Though the sorcerer-kings would have the populace believe they are gods they derive some of their magical might from the elemental planes much like priests and druids. Sorcerer-kings are able to bestow spellcasting abilities on their servants known as templars.[4]:17

Arcane Magic

Arcane spellcasters are controversial on Athas as the power to cast arcane magic is derived from the energy of living things which is shaped into spells. There are two types of arcane spellcasters: preservers and defilers.[4]:17–18 Arcane spellcasters are almost universally despised because it is believed that defiler magic caused the current ecological problems. Most arcane spellcasters hide their true identities and practices out of fear of persecution. There are remote pockets of tolerance, however. Elves offer sanctuary to arcane casters and supply the black markets with spell components. The city-state of Tyr allows preservers to practice openly, and the sorcerer-kings often secretly keep defiler "court wizards".

Preservers

Preservers take great care to not upset the ecological balance when casting their magic. They have a deep respect for life and only take enough life energy to produce the spell effect and no more.[4]:17–18 What distinguishes preservers from defilers is really a matter of choice as any arcane spellcaster may choose defile at any time.[1]:80

The Veiled Alliance

The Veiled Alliance is a secret organization of arcane casters operating mostly in the city-states in the Tyr region. This secret society is devoted to protecting preserver magic and destroying defilement. It exists largely as isolated cells of preservers and membership is earned through sponsorship. Given the nature of their work they are viewed as rebels by the sorcerer-kings and are actively hunted by their templars. working protect arcane magic.[1]:66[4]:17–18

Defilers

In contrast to the preservers, defilers have little respect for life caring only for the power that can be gained from ravaging the earth. Defilers drain the vitality out of everything they draw power from leaving only death, desolation, and sterile, blackened earth.[4]:18 Generally, arcane spellcasters can only draw power from the surrounding earth and plants, but some powerful magic-users can draw power from those they have a mental or emotional connection to.[1]:134–153 Extremely powerful spellcasters, such as the sorcerer-kings, can use defiling as a weapon on anyone they choose regardless of their connection to them.[1]:134–153

Sun Wizards

Sadira of Tyr, through a powerful esoteric process, is able to fuel her magic via the sun instead of living things. No one knows how she did this nor has anyone else been able to repeat it.[4]:18

Psionics

Psionics are not considered magic by the inhabitants of Athas. In fact, it serves a similar purpose that arcane and divine magic serve on other worlds.[1]:16–17 Called "the Way" Psionicists draw their power from their inner reserves rather than from some outside force. Psionics is extremely common among Athasians with most living things having at least some capacity for the Way. Some advance far beyond their natural gifts shaping minds, and bodies, souls, and this ability to shape the world around them with their minds is called "the Will". Psionics is a key tool used by Athasians to survive both the desert wilds and the politics of the city-states. Some believe that psionics are so widespread an evolutionary means of survival in Athas' deteriorating environment. Unlike arcane magic, psionics are broadly accepted both in and outside the cities. Unlike divine magic, psionicists often organize themselves into organized schools to study the way.[4]:18–19

Cosmology

In the 2nd and 3rd edition settings Dark Sun has a unique cosmology that differed from the standard D&D cosmology. The material plane is surrounded by three coexistent transitive planes; the Astral Plane, which is the standard plane from the core cosmology; the Elemental and Paraelemental planes; and the Gray and the Black, which are unique to the setting. The rest of the planes from the D&D cosmology do not exist in Dark Sun.

In the 4th edition, the cosmology was brought in line with the World Axis cosmology described in the core rules.

Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition

During 2nd edition, and continuing into Dungeons & Dragons 3rd edition, the Gray seemingly surrounded Athas, sealing it away from the rest of the Great Wheel. Yet, Athas seemingly has all of its connections to the Inner Planes (now known as the Elemental Chaos) but access to the Ethereal, Astral, and Outer Planes is mostly impossible. For this reason, souls of the dead could not reach the outer planes, nor could any conventional deities arise on Athas due to a lack of outer planar connections.

The Elemental and Paraelemental

These two planes have a unique relationship to Athas. In this version of the cosmology these planes have been embroiled in an age-old conflict between the elementals of the Elemental Plane and the paraelementals of the Paraelemental plane called the Unseen War. The results of this battle directly effect their corresponding substances shaping the fundamental structure of Athas' Material Plane.

The Black

The Black is a coterminous and coexistent plane that is an exact negative reflection of the Material Plane. In this plane everything that exists, or could exist, within the Material Plane also exists here. The plane is highly mutable, however, with a tendency to shift, change, or move. Nothing is settled, nothing stays still for long, and any changes made to the Material Plane are also made to the Black. The Black is a distinct plane all its own but also penetrates the Material Plane in a limited manner wherever there are shadows. Magic and psionics may draw power from the Black.

The Black is inhabited by the halfing servants of Rajaat that were imprisoned there during the Champion's rebellion. Also within the Black is the body of Tithian of Tyr, and the former sorcerer-king Andropinis. There is the potential for other creatures to dwell or be awakened from the Black.

The Black corresponds to the Plane of Shadow in the Great Wheel cosmology.

The Hollow

The Hollow was a simple void that existed beneath the Black on Athas. It served as Rajaat's prison.

There were contradiction as to whether it was a natural place or created by the Champions. Hamanu in the Cerulean Storm stated that "Beneath the Black is the Hollow, where nothing is missing because nothing remains: not the future, not the past, not even the Gray. Nothing. Simply nothing." This would seem to imply it is natural. However, in Rise and Fall of a Dragon King, Nibenay suggests that he created the Hollow beneath the Black.

Neither shadow nor light existed nor could exist in the Hollow, and nullifying Rajaat's use of the Dark Lens and trapping him.

The Gray

The Gray coexists so closely with the Material Plane that it can be seen vaguely seen from the Gray. Beings within the Gray are invisible to those on the Material Plane, however. It is a vast, featureless plane that stretches out into infinity. Moving deep enough into the Gray brings one to into the Deep Gray though distance and direction are virtually meaningless on this plane.

Outer planes of the Thri-Kreen

The Thri-Kreen of Athas supplement states that the Thri-Kreen instead have a heaven in the Beastlands and a cold hell in Baator, which are both traditional D&D outer planes. 4th edition used a simplified default cosmology with only six major planes, each of which has a corresponding creature origin and Dark Sun was brought in line with the simplified cosmology.

Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition

In the World Axis Cosmology, with the exception of the sorcerer-kings, Athasians know little more about their cosmology than what they can observe in the sky. Athas has two moons, Ral and Guthay. Ral is the closest of the two moons and is said to be cover in green seas. Guthay is the smaller and more distant of the two and is said to be shrouded in golden mists that hide lust scarlet jungles.[1]:16

The Astral Sea

The Fourth Edition source book refers to the Astral Seas as "empty" with the only things found being desolate ruins and monsters.[1]:16

Lands Within The Winds

The Lands Within The Winds are a tiny, enigmatic plane that exists alongside the material world. Alternatively known as "the Feyworld" or "the Kingdoms of the Invisible". The realm is inconsistently present, existing only remote deserts or mountains. The Lands Within The Winds are believed to be no larger than the Tyr region itself. The Lands Within The Winds are home to a mysterious, elf-like race called "the eladrin" who build palaces hidden within the plane.

The Gray

The Gray is a ghostly reflection of Athas filled with ruins haunted by the restless dead. It is also home to numerous strange races including shadow giants, nightmare beasts, and a race of devils seemingly stranded in the Gray. It is believed that in previous ages the Gray was the gateway to the realms of the gods or other planes, but the divine realms are now empty and no easy connections exist between Athas and the other planes. Mostly, the Gray contains little more than abominations and empty ruins.[1]:17

Elemental Chaos

This vast, churning plane underlies everything else and is believed to be the source that forged the world. Also known as "the Elemental Planes" or "the Inner Planes" Athas is close to this plane and connections to it can be found in volcanoes or in the deep desert.[1]:17 The chaotic impact of the Elemental Chaos increases the farther away one gets from civilization.[1]:17

Deep within the Elemental Chaos is the evil plane of the Abyss, which is home to demons and other evil entities.[1]:17

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 Baker, Richard;Schwalb, Robert J.;Thompson, Rodney. Dark Sun Campaign Setting. Wizards of the Coast, Inc., 2010.
  2. ↑ "Dark Sun: James Wyatt Spotlight Interview". Wizards of the Coast. August 14, 2009. Retrieved June 9, 2015.
  3. ↑ Appelcline, Shannon. "Dark Sun (2e)". dndclassics.com. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Slavicsek, Bill. Dark Sun Campaign Setting: Expanded And Revised. TSR, Inc., 1995.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Brax Fernandes, Bruno; Flipse, Chris; Jon // Oracle. Dark Sun 3. Athas.org., 2008.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 "The Dark Sun's DM Guide" (PDF). Dungeon Magazine. May 2004. Retrieved June 8, 2015.
  7. ↑ Ramshaw, Cliff (February 1996). "Games Reviews". Arcane. Future Publishing (3): 64–65.
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