New to Dark Sun (again) - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

New to Dark Sun (again)

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
arjomanes
Dec 12, 2007 0:25:46 I haven't played Dark Sun in over 10 years (I bought the first boxed set in Jr. High back in 1990/1991 or so). Shortly after, I stopped playing AD&D for a long time. I started playing D&D again in 2003 and began looking into Dark Sun again this year. I've read through the athas.org site and downloaded the pdf documents.

I'm really a little overwhelmed at how unfamiliar I am with a setting I'd thought I knew a thing or two about. I haven't read the novels, didn't even know there was a 2nd boxed set, etc.

I really like Dark Sun 1.0, and I kind of like the Paizo Dark Sun (though some parts I can live without). I'm not too excited about some of the revisions in the second boxed set, and haven't purchased that.

How do you recommend starting up again with Dark Sun for a new DM?

I own Dark Sun 1.0, Dragon Kings, Dune Trader, MC Terrors of the Desert, Citystate of Tyr, Road to Urik adventure, Dragon 315, 319, Dungeon 110.

Do you recommend I use the timeline on athas.org so I can utilize all the materials available, or do you think I can make a solid conversion using just version 1, material from Paizo, and threads from this messageboard and athas.org? Should I go download a pdf of Dark Sun 2?

I hope I'm not bringing up a topic people are tired of talking about. Even some links or short advice to get me on the right path would help.

Thanks!
#2
j0lt
Dec 12, 2007 9:54:31 I mostly use the athas.org stuff with the original boxed set's timeline.
Other people have advanced the timeline far into the future for their games.
#3
Pennarin
Dec 12, 2007 10:01:40 The community is divided (well, there's no hair pulling really ;) ) in what time period they play on Athas: Many people play the current timeline, and as many play only within the period prior to Kalak's assassination described in the first novel, The Verdant Passage.

That is why an athas.org document such as the Prestige Class Appendix 1 contains templar prestige classes for sorcerer-kings that are dead...so that people who want to disregard the changes implemented by the novels and the Revised Campaign Setting can do so and still take advantage of new 3.5 Edition material from athas.org.
#4
ruhl-than_sage
Dec 12, 2007 21:54:48
Do you recommend I use the timeline on athas.org so I can utilize all the materials available, or do you think I can make a solid conversion using just version 1, material from Paizo, and threads from this messageboard and athas.org? Should I go download a pdf of Dark Sun 2?

If you don't like the revised setting, it's no problem to just stick with the original. I would recommend however that you download PDFs for the Veiled Alliance sourcebook (which has a nice amount of additional information about all the city-states in it) and The Ivory Triangle boxset (which has detailed information about Nibeney, Gulg, and the surrounding area). Elves of Athas, Thri-Kreen of Athas, and Slave Tribes are also very good if you are interested in additional ideas and information about those races and people that don't live in the cities... usually.
#5
cnahumck
Dec 13, 2007 5:54:49 I would recommend that you download everything. The Revised Setting has spaces that are outside of and not even mentioned in the original. The Source books are excellent and further detail some areas, and the adventures even further flesh out areas by allowing you to really get into some areas. It's all worth having, because you can adapt whatever you need.

That said, you can take nothing but the original box and do your own thing.

Whichever floats your boat.
#6
brun01
Dec 13, 2007 8:49:00
Whichever floats your boat.

Shouldn't that be "whichever rocks your skimmer"? :P
#7
arjomanes
Dec 13, 2007 11:28:55 Thanks for the advice. I'll look into getting the revised setting pdf from paizo, as well as some of those sourcebooks you mentioned. I think it's going to take me a little while to go through all the info and decide which time period I want my game to start in. It looks like there's a lot of real quality material here and at athas.org for starting a new Dark Sun game. I'm really excited about this campaign. Thanks!
#8
cnahumck
Dec 13, 2007 13:53:10
Shouldn't that be "whichever rocks your skimmer"? :P

Or in your case "whichever rocks your soarwhale"
#9
brun01
Dec 13, 2007 13:58:50
Or in your case "whichever rocks your soarwhale"

:heehee
#10
vilehelm
Dec 21, 2007 3:20:37 I place my campaign 10 years before Kalak's assassination. The PCs may or may not play a part in it (totally replacing the "heroes of Tyr" in that case. I never liked Rikus anyway).

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 arjomanes Dec 12, 2007 0:25:46	I haven't played Dark Sun in over 10 years (I bought the first boxed set in Jr. High back in 1990/1991 or so). Shortly after, I stopped playing AD&D for a long time. I started playing D&D again in 2003 and began looking into Dark Sun again this year. I've read through the athas.org site and downloaded the pdf documents. I'm really a little overwhelmed at how unfamiliar I am with a setting I'd thought I knew a thing or two about. I haven't read the novels, didn't even know there was a 2nd boxed set, etc. I really like Dark Sun 1.0, and I kind of like the Paizo Dark Sun (though some parts I can live without). I'm not too excited about some of the revisions in the second boxed set, and haven't purchased that. How do you recommend starting up again with Dark Sun for a new DM? I own Dark Sun 1.0, Dragon Kings, Dune Trader, MC Terrors of the Desert, Citystate of Tyr, Road to Urik adventure, Dragon 315, 319, Dungeon 110. Do you recommend I use the timeline on athas.org so I can utilize all the materials available, or do you think I can make a solid conversion using just version 1, material from Paizo, and threads from this messageboard and athas.org? Should I go download a pdf of Dark Sun 2? I hope I'm not bringing up a topic people are tired of talking about. Even some links or short advice to get me on the right path would help. Thanks!
#2 j0lt Dec 12, 2007 9:54:31	I mostly use the athas.org stuff with the original boxed set's timeline. Other people have advanced the timeline far into the future for their games.
#3 Pennarin Dec 12, 2007 10:01:40	The community is divided (well, there's no hair pulling really ;) ) in what time period they play on Athas: Many people play the current timeline, and as many play only within the period prior to Kalak's assassination described in the first novel, The Verdant Passage. That is why an athas.org document such as the Prestige Class Appendix 1 contains templar prestige classes for sorcerer-kings that are dead...so that people who want to disregard the changes implemented by the novels and the Revised Campaign Setting can do so and still take advantage of new 3.5 Edition material from athas.org.
#4 ruhl-than_sage Dec 12, 2007 21:54:48	Do you recommend I use the timeline on athas.org so I can utilize all the materials available, or do you think I can make a solid conversion using just version 1, material from Paizo, and threads from this messageboard and athas.org? Should I go download a pdf of Dark Sun 2? If you don't like the revised setting, it's no problem to just stick with the original. I would recommend however that you download PDFs for the Veiled Alliance sourcebook (which has a nice amount of additional information about all the city-states in it) and The Ivory Triangle boxset (which has detailed information about Nibeney, Gulg, and the surrounding area). Elves of Athas, Thri-Kreen of Athas, and Slave Tribes are also very good if you are interested in additional ideas and information about those races and people that don't live in the cities... usually.
#5 cnahumck Dec 13, 2007 5:54:49	I would recommend that you download everything. The Revised Setting has spaces that are outside of and not even mentioned in the original. The Source books are excellent and further detail some areas, and the adventures even further flesh out areas by allowing you to really get into some areas. It's all worth having, because you can adapt whatever you need. That said, you can take nothing but the original box and do your own thing. Whichever floats your boat.
#6 brun01 Dec 13, 2007 8:49:00	Whichever floats your boat. Shouldn't that be "whichever rocks your skimmer"? :P
#7 arjomanes Dec 13, 2007 11:28:55	Thanks for the advice. I'll look into getting the revised setting pdf from paizo, as well as some of those sourcebooks you mentioned. I think it's going to take me a little while to go through all the info and decide which time period I want my game to start in. It looks like there's a lot of real quality material here and at athas.org for starting a new Dark Sun game. I'm really excited about this campaign. Thanks!
#8 cnahumck Dec 13, 2007 13:53:10	Shouldn't that be "whichever rocks your skimmer"? :P Or in your case "whichever rocks your soarwhale"
#9 brun01 Dec 13, 2007 13:58:50	Or in your case "whichever rocks your soarwhale" :heehee
#10 vilehelm Dec 21, 2007 3:20:37	I place my campaign 10 years before Kalak's assassination. The PCs may or may not play a part in it (totally replacing the "heroes of Tyr" in that case. I never liked Rikus anyway).