The future of Athas - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

The future of Athas

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
Mulhull
May 04, 2007 16:27:28 I'm not sure I'd want to do a campaign 200 or 300 years after the Prism Pentad, but anyway, what do you think will happen? Will the remaining sorceror-kings reach full 30th level Dragonhood? Will the Kreen/Dead Lands inhabitants invade the Tyr Region? Daskinor come out of his paranoia, etc? And new avangions and elementals reshape Athas?
#2
zombiegleemax
May 04, 2007 18:26:33
I'm not sure I'd want to do a campaign 200 or 300 years after the Prism Pentad, but anyway, what do you think will happen? Will the remaining sorceror-kings reach full 30th level Dragonhood? Will the Kreen/Dead Lands inhabitants invade the Tyr Region? Daskinor come out of his paranoia, etc? And new avangions and elementals reshape Athas?

I'd say that's entirely up to the DM. Dark Sun is one of those campaign settings where there's been little or no changes over thousands of years... then all of a sudden, a lot changes. Whether things would stagnate back to their original form or change entirely is entirely speculation.

If you're using the Prism Pentad as a base, though, one thing I do think is that the climate of Athas would change, dramatically. Some that Paizo did NOT account for in their write-up.

The Cerulean Storm, in the short-term, just spins off destructive rainstorms that damage more than they heal. However, the presence of such a massive area of moisture on Athas would, eventually I think, increase average rainfall. So Athas may in 200-300 years time actually be less of a desert.

In fact, one may wonder if this wasn't what Rajaat intended to do in the first place... it would be the first step towards reversing Athas backwards towards the Blue Age.

Anyway, such a simple premise would dramatically alter the campaign setting. Enough that you could change the political landscape of the Tablelands in any way you choose.

One thing that wouldn't change, though, is the lack of metal. I'd surmise, since metal was plentiful in the Green Age, that other parts of Athas that were never settled probably have large iron deposits, so it's really only geographical limitations that prevent the inhabitants of the Tablelands from locating new sources of iron. Remember that the ancient Phoenician's sailed as far as Britain in search of tin to create bronze... if the land was safer and easier to travel for long distances, then new sources of metal would be discovered. In that case, Tyr may be in trouble.
#3
zombiegleemax
May 04, 2007 21:46:15 I've always been kind of partial to the whole "surrounded by a nearly-infinite number of kreen on all sides of the Tyr Region" idea that was part of the original envisioning of Athas.
#4
Zardnaar
May 05, 2007 2:03:47 Next time I play I'm thinking of playing in Free Year 1015. Athas will be marginally nicer but the Tyr valley will more or less be a paradise . Basically Sadira tames the Cerulean Storm and uses water from it to increase the rainfall in the Tyr Valley although Urik and the rest benefit to a lesser extent. The River Agis forms and runs beneith the Elven bridge before emptying into swampy marshlands near Alturak. Alturak, Kled and Tyr are more or less a small country and the citizens of Tyr are literate due to papyrus from the Nile er I mean the River Agis.
As for the cities

1. Andropinis rules Balic and was set freen in FY 1010 or so.

2. Sadira is a non eviol Sorceror Queen of Tyr. As a side project of here transformation she got a elemental vortice. Tyr is a superpower compared to the rest of the cities- bigger population, iron, plentiful food but the other cities have more or less allied against it should Tyr get expansionistic.

3. Gulg is still ruled by Lalali-Puy. She is now the Forest Goddess and the Cresent Forest has expanded
.
4. Nibenay Is even more reclusive and its rumored he is dead. His Templars still get spells

5. Urik. Hamanu returns (see Rise and Fall of a Dragon King) although to most people he never left. He has been cleansed of Rajaats taint and is no longer a Dragon. he is still LE though and is still Hamanu. Perhaps he is also a preserver now.

6. Raam is now ruled by Dregoth. He has abandoned the Dray and has managed to create a new body that is alive.

7. Draj is ruled by that little punk in the Revised boxed set whose name I can't remember. He has since become a Dragon and a Sorceror King.

North of the Tyr region a new raceknown as Psiforged are carving out the Crystal Empire. The Kreen are preparing for a new invasion after the last one fizzled for some reason (plague?)

And the Dragon has been sighted again.
#5
cnahumck
May 05, 2007 11:41:34 Are the psi-forged remnants of the gnomish armies of the cleansing wars? Cause they are in my campaign.
#6
Zardnaar
May 05, 2007 17:45:15
Are the psi-forged remnants of the gnomish armies of the cleansing wars? Cause they are in my campaign.

IMC the Mindlords created them as the leader believed they needed to work/live again in flesh and bllod bodies. Option B was go inbsane in the obsidian orbs.The Psiforged look like humans form the Green Age but with crystal coloured eyes(ruby, saphire etc) and their hair colour matches their eye colour. They are basiclly human replicated flesh over a crystal skeliton created by an epic Psionic power using the life seed.

Addtional sentient ones were created to repopulate Saragar and when there were enough The Mindlords looked at expansion and created extr ones and shipped them outside Saragar. The Crystal empire incorporates alot the territory north of Lava Gorge west to the Jagged Cliffs, est to theSea of Silt. Psiforged scouts have reached the Tyr region and are marching on Pillage. They have also been involved in the Kreen Civil War.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Mulhull May 04, 2007 16:27:28	I'm not sure I'd want to do a campaign 200 or 300 years after the Prism Pentad, but anyway, what do you think will happen? Will the remaining sorceror-kings reach full 30th level Dragonhood? Will the Kreen/Dead Lands inhabitants invade the Tyr Region? Daskinor come out of his paranoia, etc? And new avangions and elementals reshape Athas?
#2 zombiegleemax May 04, 2007 18:26:33	I'm not sure I'd want to do a campaign 200 or 300 years after the Prism Pentad, but anyway, what do you think will happen? Will the remaining sorceror-kings reach full 30th level Dragonhood? Will the Kreen/Dead Lands inhabitants invade the Tyr Region? Daskinor come out of his paranoia, etc? And new avangions and elementals reshape Athas? I'd say that's entirely up to the DM. Dark Sun is one of those campaign settings where there's been little or no changes over thousands of years... then all of a sudden, a lot changes. Whether things would stagnate back to their original form or change entirely is entirely speculation. If you're using the Prism Pentad as a base, though, one thing I do think is that the climate of Athas would change, dramatically. Some that Paizo did NOT account for in their write-up. The Cerulean Storm, in the short-term, just spins off destructive rainstorms that damage more than they heal. However, the presence of such a massive area of moisture on Athas would, eventually I think, increase average rainfall. So Athas may in 200-300 years time actually be less of a desert. In fact, one may wonder if this wasn't what Rajaat intended to do in the first place... it would be the first step towards reversing Athas backwards towards the Blue Age. Anyway, such a simple premise would dramatically alter the campaign setting. Enough that you could change the political landscape of the Tablelands in any way you choose. One thing that wouldn't change, though, is the lack of metal. I'd surmise, since metal was plentiful in the Green Age, that other parts of Athas that were never settled probably have large iron deposits, so it's really only geographical limitations that prevent the inhabitants of the Tablelands from locating new sources of iron. Remember that the ancient Phoenician's sailed as far as Britain in search of tin to create bronze... if the land was safer and easier to travel for long distances, then new sources of metal would be discovered. In that case, Tyr may be in trouble.
#3 zombiegleemax May 04, 2007 21:46:15	I've always been kind of partial to the whole "surrounded by a nearly-infinite number of kreen on all sides of the Tyr Region" idea that was part of the original envisioning of Athas.
#4 Zardnaar May 05, 2007 2:03:47	Next time I play I'm thinking of playing in Free Year 1015. Athas will be marginally nicer but the Tyr valley will more or less be a paradise . Basically Sadira tames the Cerulean Storm and uses water from it to increase the rainfall in the Tyr Valley although Urik and the rest benefit to a lesser extent. The River Agis forms and runs beneith the Elven bridge before emptying into swampy marshlands near Alturak. Alturak, Kled and Tyr are more or less a small country and the citizens of Tyr are literate due to papyrus from the Nile er I mean the River Agis. As for the cities 1. Andropinis rules Balic and was set freen in FY 1010 or so. 2. Sadira is a non eviol Sorceror Queen of Tyr. As a side project of here transformation she got a elemental vortice. Tyr is a superpower compared to the rest of the cities- bigger population, iron, plentiful food but the other cities have more or less allied against it should Tyr get expansionistic. 3. Gulg is still ruled by Lalali-Puy. She is now the Forest Goddess and the Cresent Forest has expanded . 4. Nibenay Is even more reclusive and its rumored he is dead. His Templars still get spells 5. Urik. Hamanu returns (see Rise and Fall of a Dragon King) although to most people he never left. He has been cleansed of Rajaats taint and is no longer a Dragon. he is still LE though and is still Hamanu. Perhaps he is also a preserver now. 6. Raam is now ruled by Dregoth. He has abandoned the Dray and has managed to create a new body that is alive. 7. Draj is ruled by that little punk in the Revised boxed set whose name I can't remember. He has since become a Dragon and a Sorceror King. North of the Tyr region a new raceknown as Psiforged are carving out the Crystal Empire. The Kreen are preparing for a new invasion after the last one fizzled for some reason (plague?) And the Dragon has been sighted again.
#5 cnahumck May 05, 2007 11:41:34	Are the psi-forged remnants of the gnomish armies of the cleansing wars? Cause they are in my campaign.
#6 Zardnaar May 05, 2007 17:45:15	Are the psi-forged remnants of the gnomish armies of the cleansing wars? Cause they are in my campaign. IMC the Mindlords created them as the leader believed they needed to work/live again in flesh and bllod bodies. Option B was go inbsane in the obsidian orbs.The Psiforged look like humans form the Green Age but with crystal coloured eyes(ruby, saphire etc) and their hair colour matches their eye colour. They are basiclly human replicated flesh over a crystal skeliton created by an epic Psionic power using the life seed. Addtional sentient ones were created to repopulate Saragar and when there were enough The Mindlords looked at expansion and created extr ones and shipped them outside Saragar. The Crystal empire incorporates alot the territory north of Lava Gorge west to the Jagged Cliffs, est to theSea of Silt. Psiforged scouts have reached the Tyr region and are marching on Pillage. They have also been involved in the Kreen Civil War.