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#1 dasch_dup Sep 16, 2007 13:58:27

A new idea I am developing for my campaign. I envision it as sort of an unemotional Blood War that I feel fits in harmoniously with the grim nature of Athas. Elementals by nature are neutral beings. In normal circumstances they do not interfere with those of the material planes. However, the conditions present on Athas have caused the elementals of the athasian inner planes to take action in ways they normally would not. Granting elemental powers to dedicated clerics, they seek to shape the world in their image. The first elemental pacts made with athasian mortals were granted during the 4th World's Age in the midst of the world-spanning Rhulisti civilization. Earth and fire elementals, jealous of the overwhelming power feeding the inner planes of Air and Water, sought out worthy individuals who would strive to increase their influence throughout Athas. These clerics, of Earth and of Fire, crusaded about the land working to increase the dominance of their respective elements and thus redirect the flow of this power to the realms of their masters. In response, the elementals of air and of water began offering pacts to counter these actions and maintain dominance over Athas. As the Blue Age became the Green Age the elemental balance shifted. The powers of Earth and of Fire increased while that of water decreased. After the defilers of the Cleansing Wars wrecked havoc upon the once verdant lands of Athas, the nature of the elemental pacts changed. No longer did the elementals of Earth, of Air, of Fire, and of Water make war upon each other for dominance, they sought only to preserve themselves in the face of a new threat to their power. The defiling magic of Rajaat caused a desecration to spread about the inner planes lake a plague. The Wasting, as it has become known, has given rise to new inner powers - the paraelementals of Sun, of Silt, of Magma, and of Rain. With every defiling spell cast, the elemental planes grow weaker as the paraelemental planes grow stronger. The paraelemetals, while always existing among the other inner planes, have now carved out large realms of their own and seek to dominate the elementals as they were once dominated by them. In emulation of their forebears, they now offer pacts to those who desire to serve them in exchange for the power they offer. Design Notes: The Elemental Pacts are based on information in the Dark Sun Timeline of Athas and upon information within Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. The idea was developed to account for the fact that elemental clerics existed upon Athas prior to the Wasting.