Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 zombiegleemax Dec 09, 2005 10:37:05	Okay i love psionic so i have done some research on Dark Sun, and from what ive found i love it imensely, but thats just the problem...i cant find that much on it so i used the information ive found combined it with my own ideas and the XPH and Sandstorm and created my onw Dark Sun off shoot. Now this is by no means a attempt to rip Dark Sun, it just basically a setting with alota of dark sun influenc. Any opinions and ideas you may have to what i have so far would be greatly apperciated, and be honest. Red Sands Campaign Setting A homebrew world using the Dungeons and Dragons 3.5 rules Influences drawn from: Frank Herbert’s Dune, Dark Sun, Dying Earth, Planet of the Apes, The Onslaught Cycle (magic the gathering) “For ten centuries the dread might of the Sand Shapers have held sway of the Red Sands, complacent in their power. For ten centuries the twelve cities have waged war against one another, as countless warriors have died forgotten. For ten centuries the church of Taalia, queen of the sun, has reigned supreme, the old ways forgotten and branded as blasphemy. Inch by inch, civilization has been swallowed up by the unforgiving waste, and no force has risen to stop its encroachment. And for ten thousand years, since the Night The Sky Became Fire, The Red Sands Campaign Setting takes place on the dying world of Golalga a thousand years after a great cataclysm known as the night the sky became fire, or simply the Starfall. Golalga is a harsh inhospitable desert world that very much resembles Mars. Endless plains of strewn, crimson rock and towering burgundy sand dunes dominate the landscape. The rays of Taalia, the sun goddess, beat down unceasingly on this burnt world, stealing what life that does not fight for survival. Twelve city-states, ruled by cruel and tyrannical wizard-kings, known as Sand Shapers, is all that remains of a once great human empire. An empire now lost to time and the sands. War is common among the cities, as each of the Sand Shapers wishes to dominate this broken land. The mighty church of Taalia, with it’s many competing sects, also strives forever for more power. The church engineers massive projects, building enormous ziggurats to appease their fickle sun goddess. The path of the mind (psionics) is common in Golalga, and it seems that the Starfall engendered this new power. As such many are trained as mind witches among the city-states. Everyday is a struggle for survival in this harsh and brutal world. The skies darken with the threat of flame storms, terrifying flay winds roar across the waste tearing apart those caught in their grip, and the ground erupts with geothermal activity. Water is worth is weight in gold, and rightly so, for the world is dominated with brine seas, evaporated slit lakes, jagged badlands, and arid salt flats. In fact it is truly a wonder that life manages to endure on this hostile world. Golalga is a world in need of hope…..a world in need of heroes. Section 1 races Humans- For good or ill humanity dominates the world of Golalga. Most humans dwell in one of the Even in this inhospitable land the ever adaptable humans are still the dominate race, although this by no means ensures any type of security. Humanity in fact is very fractionalized, existing in twelve ethnically and culturally distinct city-states. These cities often war against each other and other races, and human city-states are notoriously uncooperative with one another. Human also exist as numerous barbaric wasteland tribes. These wastelanders as they are referred to by the city dwellers subsist by hunting and gathering and well as raiding small settlements and desert caravans. Dromites- Below the sands, there are hidden cities. Massive hives extending for hundred of miles into the earth, where the temperature is constant. These are the realms of the Dromites. The Dromites of Golalga are a rigidly lawful race, and their life and death is utterly dedicated to their individual Hive Queen. Dromites rarely leave the safety of the hives for various reasons. First, each Dromite must receive special permission from their Hive Queen in order to venture out into the waste, and this is only done for special missions. Secondly, there is a general prejudice against the Dromites, because of their insect like appearance. This is greatly due to the threats presented by the encroaching hordes of Xill that dwell in the desert depths. This viewpoint, however, is completely unfounded as the Dromites themselves are ardent foes of this evil race. Dromites have an equally disdainful view of surface dwellers, considering them brutal and stupid layabouts who chose no purpose to their lives. Each Dromite chooses a life path upon maturity; three major paths are that of the Hive Tender (druid), Hive Warden (psychic warrior), Mind Master (psion). Dromites have little interest in religion, and even less in arcane magic. Dromites scene outside of their hive is either individual sent on a spefic mission by their Queen, are refugees, scouts, or renegades. Game Rule Note: whatever life path a Dromite chooses is their favored class. Also the Dromites of Golaga have these ability scores +2 Int, -2 Cha, -2 Str Xephs- Called Sand Runners by some, the Xephs of Golalga are semi-nomadic desert dwellers. During the sweltering summer months Xeph clans dwell in permanent underground villages called conclaves that are usually carved out of rock. Most of these conclaves are in the Bo’mak Badlands and in the Great Rift. During he winter Xeph clans wander the Long Sand hunting, raiding, and trading. Xephs fallow the Way of the Knife a pesudo-honor code that expounds the virtues of bravery, honesty, clan loyalty, and battle hardened ferocity. While not overly warlike, they are somewhat xenophobic and distrustful of the other races of Golalga. However, unlikely as it is Xephs and the Asheratis get along quite well, probably due to both races respect for the harsh desert. Xephs are quite religious and clerics are common among them. The Xephs have their own sect of cleric known as Sun Runners who believe that through devote worship to the sun goddess she shall end them a messiah who will lead them to a paradise a green a lush paradise. Rangers, clerics, and especially soul-knives are found among this desert dwelling race. Half-Giants- The insatiable desire for warfare and conquest of the City-State of Gorath is well known among the Twelve Cities. About a century and a half ago, Zanul the Iron Fisted, the 23rd Warlord of Gorath received permission from his Sand Shaper lord to breed a near inexhaustible supply of immensely strong but subservient warriors. Through breeding between captive fomorians and psionically-endowed humans the race of half giants was born. Much to his dismay Zanul (and ultimately led to his demise) underestimated the will of his new servitors, and the half-giants rebelled. Since this slave revolt, in which Gorath has only recently recovered, Half-Giants have multiplied fourfold and spread throughout the waste. They are valued highly as mercenaries and muscular brutes and many take up the path of the physical warrior of fighter and sell their services across the warring cities. They are also highly valued as slave labor or gladiators and slave traders pay a high price for captured Half-Giants. Many half-giants have found a niche for themselves among the barbarian wastelanders where their battle prowess is well respected. The half-giants who make a life for themselves are usually barbarians. other races: (fluff to be posted later) Ratlings Elans Maenads Bhukas Asheratis Classes: Cleric Fighter Phy Warrior Barbarian Sorcerer Druid Wizards Rouge Ranger Psion Wilder
#2 zombiegleemax Dec 09, 2005 11:06:40	Bhukas- the peaceful desert goblinoids, the Bhukas are generally considered a non-factor among the political struggles of Golalga. In fact many consider this docile race weak and rife for exploitation. This outlook has lead more than one slave trader to his death, for tracking a tribe of Bhukas across the waste is a dangerous proposition. No other race in Golalga is as adapted to the rigors of the wasteland as the Bhukas, except for perhaps the Asheratis. While it is true the Bhukas do attempt to avoid conflict and are not nearly as warlike as the other races, to underestimate them is folly. For the Bhukas thrive where other races perish. Even so the other races, especially humans who see them as an expendable force of slave labor, often exploit Bhukas. The Bhukas live in a primitive pastoral society with Stone Age technology, however they are very socially organized, and interactions between Bhuka tribes are quite complicated. Bhukas are deeply religious, worshiping the spirits of the desert, elemental forces, and The Great Mother (an aspect of Taalia). Shamans are the most highly respected members of Bhuka society and as such druids are the most likely encountered Bhukas by other races.
#3 Sysane Dec 09, 2005 11:22:08	Interesting. It blends DS with Sandstorm into its own semi-unique game world. I'd suggest trying to find some Al-Qadim material as well. You may find some of that material useful.
#4 zombiegleemax Dec 09, 2005 11:41:04	Asheratis- While many races are able to survive in the waste, the only race that actually seems to enjoy it are the Asheratis. This race of daredevils, dwell in the Long Sand, where they swim through the immense golden dunes as if they were fish in the sea. Asheratis are an anomaly among the peoples of Golalga in the sense that they are a carefree race of fun loving adventures. They see the harsh and brutal world in a whole different light than the others of the waste. They see the world as a land of excitement, and a life of adventure is expected of their kind. Most outsiders never see an Asheratis village, buried deep in the sands where only they can breath through the dust and grit. Asheratis are fickle creatures, however family loyalty is strong among them. Capricious as they are, rouges are very common among them, but all aspects of adventuring intrigue them so there are a great many multi-class Asheratis. Conversely, Asheratis hate being beholden to any one path so classes or paths that require rigorous training or devoting distained. Therefore, clerics, wizards, and psions are rare among them. Game Rule Note: Asheratis are described in Sandstorm Ratlings- Accomplished scavengers and adept opportunist, Ratlings live where ever they will be had. Material wealth is the end all, be all in Ratling society. Some Ratlings do form villages for themselves, which basically consist of randomly ordered burrows in the sand. But most live wherever they are tolerated, which is often among humans. Ratlings are notorious liars are scoundrels, willing to do anything to get ahead. Ratlings, do not see themselves this way, they just believe that in such a harsh world only the most cunning and opportunistic survive. They have little to no interest in magic or religion, unless the former some how help them attain more material wealth. Ratlings are infamous for developing grand schemes to get rich quick, often-using unscrupulous means. When it comes to combat, on the other hand, Ratlings are completely full of cowardice, and warriors among their kind are almost unheard of. Nonetheless Ratlings adventure frequently, often to recover lost artifact for a bygone age. Surprisingly enough archeology is considered the highest form of learing among their kind.
#5 Pennarin Dec 09, 2005 15:07:27	thats just the problem...i cant find that much on it As a tangent to creating your own Dark Sun you might want to acquire the original, cheaply, using RPGnow, Amazon, Alibris, or eBay.
#6 zombiegleemax Dec 09, 2005 17:11:10	thanx pennarin ive been looking every where for that
#7 zombiegleemax Dec 09, 2005 17:13:39	Maenads- The Maenads of Golalga were once humans. Somehow, unbeknownst to even the most learned scholars, they were transformed by the Starfall. Now the maenads are a race of demi-humans imbued with untamed psionic power. Branded as mutants by their former brethren, they are a beleaguered people. The Maenads have no real place within the Twelve Cities, and often wander the waste in search of some unknown purpose, thus Maenads often take to adventuring in Golalga. Considered low class or even slaves in the City-States, and shunned by the barbarian tribes, Maenads often live among other races, especially Asheratis wanders, and who harbor no ill will for them. In recent years, many Maenads have formed small villages on the desolate coast on the Brine Sea. Increasingly these villages have grown larger and more prosperous, and the large town of Ul’art, has now become a haven for outcast of all sorts from Ratling thieves, Dromite renegades, escaped slaves and fugitives. Game Rule Note: Maenads are describes in the XPH
#8 figmentofyourimagination Dec 10, 2005 1:07:33	I must say, I do like this blend of campaign worlds. I second Sysane on the suggestion to check out Al-Qadim. RPGnow also offers those products. I hadn't heard of Sandstorm before, so now I'm going to check it out. Thanks for sharing your work with us! :D