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Undead and their place in Athas cosmology

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
zombiegleemax
Sep 16, 2005 1:21:00 I'm noticing that the undead are coming up pretty frequently in the sourcebooks.

What are your opinions on the undead and their place in the Athas' world? Considering how Athas doesn't have any gods, what are these creatures?

Do you think there's a lot of undeads in Athas compared to other settings?
#2
flip
Sep 16, 2005 8:54:32
I'm noticing that the undead are coming up pretty frequently in the sourcebooks.

What are your opinions on the undead and their place in the Athas' world? Considering how Athas doesn't have any gods, what are these creatures?

Do you think there's a lot of undeads in Athas compared to other settings?

The undead have always had a sort of "special" place in Athas. Even before the Dead Lands were concieved.

There are a lot of undead in Athas compared to most other settings. Ravenloft, obviously, has us beat there. And I really can't speak for Forgotten Realms. It seems clear that an demilich on every corner is necessary to offset the arch-mage on every corner. Those things appear more than Starbucks in Seattle ....

We can back away from the idea of "gods" cursing you to undeath. And it's also made clear that the Elementals don't like the undead -- they are not a part of the "natural" order of things.

There are examples of people beliving in something so strongly that their spirit refuses to go into the Grey upon death. The Crimson Knights beneath Tyr, Dwarven Banshees. There are examples of those choosing undeath in order to live forever: Karshiga and T'liz. I get the feeling that True immortality is something reserved for Advanced Beings and Pyreen.

Mostly, it's those with a strong sense of purpose who refuse to go into the Grey. Dune runners, with their failed missions, Banshees haunting the site of their failure and the like. Athas has a very strong bend towards the "free-willed" undead. There are other types, those who have been raised by necromancers, or more powerful undead, of course, but most have a mind of their own.
#3
Kamelion
Sep 16, 2005 10:23:46
I'm noticing that the undead are coming up pretty frequently in the sourcebooks.

Yeah - like Flip says, plentiful undead have always been an integral part of the DS setting. One of the earliest Dragon articles on the setting was a treatment of undeath under the dark sun.

What are your opinions on the undead and their place in the Athas' world? Considering how Athas doesn't have any gods, what are these creatures?

I have always thought that the absence of gods on Athas was a major factor in the presence of more undead than usual. After all, with no bountiful afterlife awaiting you on the other side of death, there is more reason than ever to cling to your existence. An abject fear of and aversion to dissolution in the Grey seems to me to be a strong motivating factor in becoming undead.
#4
korvar
Sep 16, 2005 11:05:38 To me, it's part of the "post Apocalypse" feeling of Athas - nasty things left over from The Cleansing Wars.

Sort of like Mad Max, only instead of radioactive zones and contaminated water, you get mad undead...

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 zombiegleemax Sep 16, 2005 1:21:00	I'm noticing that the undead are coming up pretty frequently in the sourcebooks. What are your opinions on the undead and their place in the Athas' world? Considering how Athas doesn't have any gods, what are these creatures? Do you think there's a lot of undeads in Athas compared to other settings?
#2 flip Sep 16, 2005 8:54:32	I'm noticing that the undead are coming up pretty frequently in the sourcebooks. What are your opinions on the undead and their place in the Athas' world? Considering how Athas doesn't have any gods, what are these creatures? Do you think there's a lot of undeads in Athas compared to other settings? The undead have always had a sort of "special" place in Athas. Even before the Dead Lands were concieved. There are a lot of undead in Athas compared to most other settings. Ravenloft, obviously, has us beat there. And I really can't speak for Forgotten Realms. It seems clear that an demilich on every corner is necessary to offset the arch-mage on every corner. Those things appear more than Starbucks in Seattle .... We can back away from the idea of "gods" cursing you to undeath. And it's also made clear that the Elementals don't like the undead -- they are not a part of the "natural" order of things. There are examples of people beliving in something so strongly that their spirit refuses to go into the Grey upon death. The Crimson Knights beneath Tyr, Dwarven Banshees. There are examples of those choosing undeath in order to live forever: Karshiga and T'liz. I get the feeling that True immortality is something reserved for Advanced Beings and Pyreen. Mostly, it's those with a strong sense of purpose who refuse to go into the Grey. Dune runners, with their failed missions, Banshees haunting the site of their failure and the like. Athas has a very strong bend towards the "free-willed" undead. There are other types, those who have been raised by necromancers, or more powerful undead, of course, but most have a mind of their own.
#3 Kamelion Sep 16, 2005 10:23:46	I'm noticing that the undead are coming up pretty frequently in the sourcebooks. Yeah - like Flip says, plentiful undead have always been an integral part of the DS setting. One of the earliest Dragon articles on the setting was a treatment of undeath under the dark sun. What are your opinions on the undead and their place in the Athas' world? Considering how Athas doesn't have any gods, what are these creatures? I have always thought that the absence of gods on Athas was a major factor in the presence of more undead than usual. After all, with no bountiful afterlife awaiting you on the other side of death, there is more reason than ever to cling to your existence. An abject fear of and aversion to dissolution in the Grey seems to me to be a strong motivating factor in becoming undead.
#4 korvar Sep 16, 2005 11:05:38	To me, it's part of the "post Apocalypse" feeling of Athas - nasty things left over from The Cleansing Wars. Sort of like Mad Max, only instead of radioactive zones and contaminated water, you get mad undead...