I am just getting into Dark Sun (hope to run a game this saturday) and have read through most of the 3.5 updates and the revised and expanded 2e handbook.
I'm still just beginning to grab the complex history, but following that timeline, just how many of the sorcerer-kings are left? thanks
Those that are actually out and about number 6:
Hammanu, Nibenay, Lalai-Puy, Dregoth, Daskinor, and Oronis
Of those only the 1st three were SKs in the original box set. Dregoth is actually undead and just kind of returning in a way after a long absence. Daskinor has been mentaly gone for ages, but is still alive and in charge of his city-state. And Oronis has switched sides so to speak.
Andropinus is disposed, but not dead: he is trapped in the Black and so could potenially return.
Kalid-ma who has been gone since 300 years or so before the time of the 1st box set is still gone but retains the potential of being brought back through the reuniting of his orbs.
But yah the basic answer is either 3 of the 7, or 6 of the 15.
I'm still just beginning to grab the complex history, but following that timeline, just how many of the sorcerer-kings are left? thanks
Depends on exactly where your game will start. If it's before the events in the Prism Pentad, there's 7. If your game follows after the novels (assuming you use the events in the books), there's only 3.
The kings (and queens):
Kalak (Tyr) - Snuffed first.
Androponis (Balic) - Imprisoned in the Black by Rajaat.
Nibenay (Nibenay) - Survived by the hair of his chinny-chin-chin.
Lalali-puy (Gulg) - Also still alive.
Abalach-Re (Raam) - Reduced to black goo that even oxy-clean won't remove.
Hamanu (Urik) - Too mean to die.
Tectuktitlay (Draj) - Brained with the Dark Lens. Excedrin headache #34.
Hope this helps. :D
Don't know what the pentad is about...
Whats a good year to start in? I'm a bit lost...
I'm also looking for information regarding the outer planes in Athas, is there much information? After reading the timeline, they seem like even worse places than Athas. Everytime someone touches one, bad stuff happens.
Yada, yada.
Don't know what the pentad is about...
It's the first five novels that get everything started.
Whats a good year to start in? I'm a bit lost...
That depends on how you want your campaign to develop; mine is set in King's Age 190.26, or Free Year 1, while Kalak is still alive, but the events of the novels won't happen here.
I'm also looking for information regarding the outer planes in Athas, is there much information? After reading the timeline, they seem like even worse places than Athas. Everytime someone touches one, bad stuff happens.
There are no Outer Planes on Athas, it's cut off from them, but it has its own versions of the Inner Planes, a plane known as the Grey (where the spirits of the dead go) and one called the Black, which may or may not be filled with demi-planes.
Sorry, one more dumb question before I go to bed...
Without the regular planar physiology, do spells that rely on other planes function?
Such as teleport, calling spells, etc?
I guess I was thinking of the planar gate. Or does that actually allow for travel to the planes outside Athas (planescape)?
Yes- the Planar Gate is was supposedly the only item that could allow travel to the other planes from Athas IIRC- with the possible exception of the Elemental Planes (the Inner Planes right).
Sysane- someone is wearing your Demonic Tutor
Yada, yada.
Don't know what the pentad is about...
Whats a good year to start in? I'm a bit lost...
Depends on which boxed set you have. If you have the first boxed set, you start in Free Year 0 (only Kalak is dead, the others are alive, just as described in Wanderer's Jounrnal). If you have the 2nd Boxed set (Expanded and Revised) then you should start in Free Year 10 (at least). Athas.org's material is currently running in Free Year 11.
As for the planes ... Athas has a long history of being isolated. For my own part, I just abandon the core AD&D cosmology and treat Athas as completely separate. No planescape, no alternate realms ... I basically simplify down to the Grey, The Black, The Elemental Planes, the Astral Plane, and some really, really poorly defined outer planes (And only because of Dreagoth's @#&)$% gate.)
You're not limited to that, of course ... I know of plenty of people who have done Dark Sun / Planescape crossovers. Sometimes, that's one of the easiest ways to get a group unfamiliar with Athas into the setting, outside of starting with "you are slaves".
For DMs who have run DS in 3.5, do you think I should use the "psionics is different" variant to make magic more potent?
Alright, another query (more to come I bet):
For DMs who have run DS in 3.5, do you think I should use the "psionics is different" variant to make magic more potent?
If you're going to keep it true to Dark Sun, Psionics are different from magic. I never could understand saying they're related.
Anyways, does anyone have any experience incorporating the magic of incarnum or pact magic material?
The later I was thinking about treating as specialized defilers. But I am unsure about the incarnum stuff, since DS seems to have a special place for souls.
Because of lazy DMs or one's who don't care to learn psionics (like mine.)
Anyways, does anyone have any experience incorporating the magic of incarnum or pact magic material?
The later I was thinking about treating as specialized defilers. But I am unsure about the incarnum stuff, since DS seems to have a special place for souls.
Psionics should definately be different from magic. I personally use a varient: Arcane Magic is better than Psionics to help underscore the power of arcane magic and offset the severe RP based penalty that comes with it's use.
Basically It goes like this: Transparency is one way. PR only protects against powers, but magic resistance from an arcane source protects against both powers and magic. Detect Psionics only works on psionics, but detect magic (from an arcane source) detects both magic and psionics, etc...
I haven'y heard of anyone using Magic of Incarnum in the setting, it seems like the general opinion is that it doesn't really fit. Unfortunately I don't really know anything about the Pact, Truename, and Shadow Magic yet... I bought Exalted 2nd edition this month instead :D
Shadow is too arcane, and doesn't use a spellbook, so probably wouldn't work.
Truename probably has the most potential... but also has "spells" without a spellbook. It relies on different principles, but I don't know If I see it fitting in either.
What supplements are considered must-haves? I have the box set and revised so far.
The Veiled Alliance (Contains a surprising amount of information about each of the City-States in addition to information about the alliance.)
Dune Trader (Contains detailed information on the merchant houses and their dealings)
City State of Tyr (You guessed it)
Elves of Athas and Thri-kreen of Athas are great sourcebooks for those respective races.
Slave Tribes is also quite good.
Although I wish it was a little more up to date with the timeline, but it seems to be one of the first (if not first) module written for DS.
I know, really bad question, is there any specific page or reference on the exactness of the rarity/transportation and price of water, both in cities and outside? So far I've only read:
A.) It's rare
B.) 250 gallons of water costs 1sp (or roughly 2 and a half bits) although my party really can't carry that much water.
C.) There are limited Oasis' and water can be found in black crust sometimes... I wish it was more specific.
Although I am still reading through the primary sourcebooks, this is one thing that is imperative by the time I run my session tomorrow.
Thanks :P
You guys are a tremendous help
Thanks, It's great, I'm thinking about making a 3.5 update of it. I was thinking about making it available for download, since a lot of the material seems to be available like that, although I don't know the rules regarding such.
It's fine if you update Freedom to 3.5 rules, as long as you keep it for yourself; putting it up for download would be illegal.
I know, really bad question, is there any specific page or reference on the exactness of the rarity/transportation and price of water, both in cities and outside? So far I've only read:
A.) It's rare
B.) 250 gallons of water costs 1sp (or roughly 2 and a half bits) although my party really can't carry that much water.
C.) There are limited Oasis' and water can be found in black crust sometimes... I wish it was more specific.
Although I am still reading through the primary sourcebooks, this is one thing that is imperative by the time I run my session tomorrow.
Well, it's obviously not as rare as iron, particulary in cities, since a gallon water/wineskin is only 2 bits. It's outside the cities where you have to worry about the scarcity.
The link is also posted in part 5 the Dark Sun Archive, stickied on top of the main page of this forum.
Also, where do the cities get enough wood for weapons and the like? Wood doesn't seem to be as much of a rarity as I originally thought.
Well I ran my first session, I was wondering, is there any special items that prevent water from going bad? This was a concern if the parties were transporting decent amount of water with them.
The elves sell an item for just this situation - the instant cleric, just add uhm... water.