'The Overcouncil'
The Overcouncil is an administrative organ consisting of four members responsible for running the athas.org organization. The Overcouncil oversees administration and membership of the Senate, the Paper Nest and the Templarate. General inquiries can be sent to [email]overcouncil@athas.org[/email]. For topics regarding specific areas of administration, please contact the relevant overcouncil member.
Chris Flipse (flip@athas.org)
Public Relations Contact
IT Director
Gabriel Cormier (gab@athas.org)
Legal Contact
Product Manager
Jon Sederqvist (jon@athas.org)
Human Resources Manager
Marketing Director
Art Director
Peter Nuttall (brax@athas.org)
Setting Specialist
'The Senate'
The Senate is the athas.org product development oversite group. The senate decides which projects and products are to be developed and appointed project group leaders. Inquiries, suggestions and feedback on new or existing products can be sent to [email]senate@athas.org[/email].
Chris Flipse (flip@athas.org)
Gabriel Cormier (gab@athas.org)
Jon Sederqvist (jon@athas.org)
Nels Anderson (feebles_@hotmail.com)
Paul Liss (paul@genome.wisc.edu)
Peter Nuttall (brax@athas.org)
William Kendrick (eyeoftheghost@yahoo.com)
'The Templarate'
The Templarate is a body of rules experts responsible for the game-mechanic aspects of further Dark Sun 3 development, and consists of six seperate Bureaus, each responsible for a specific area of design.
Templarate Coordinator: Jon Sederqvist (jon@athas.org)
Bureau of Classes
Chris Flipse (flip@athas.org)
Jon Sederqvist (jon@athas.org)
Nels Anderson (feebles_@hotmail.com)
Paul Liss (paul@genome.wisc.edu)
Bureau of Equipment
Andrej Damjanovic (andrejd@EUnet.yu)
Nels Anderson (feebles_@hotmail.com)
Roger Burgess III (rburgess3@yahoo.com)
Bureau of Feats and Skills
Andrej Damjanovic (andrejd@EUnet.yu)
Jon Sederqvist (jon@athas.org)
Bureau of Monsters and Templates
Gabriel Cormier (gab@athas.org)
Mark Hope (logarium@yahoo.co.uk)
Nels Anderson (feebles_@hotmail.com)
Nathan Guest (nightcrawler@crimsonsun.org)
David Schartz (davidschwartznz@yahoo.com.au)
Mike Ring (michaelring@comcast.net)
Bureau of Spells and Powers
Andrej Damjanovic (andrejd@EUnet.yu)
Nels Anderson (feebles_@hotmail.com)
Paul Liss (paul@genome.wisc.edu)
Bureau of World Rules
Chris Flipse (flip@athas.org)
Jon Sederqvist (jon@athas.org)
Paul Liss (paul@genome.wisc.edu)
Bureau of Epic Rules
Paul Liss (paul@genome.wisc.edu)
Jon Sederqvist (jon@athas.org)
Chris Flipse (flip@athas.org)
Clifford Hill (darkhelm@hotpop.com)
Doug Hagerty (sekerra@verizon.net)
Nels Anderson (feebles_@hotmail.com)
'The Paper Nest'
The Paper Nest is a body composed of Dark Sun campaign setting experts that reviews the work of the Templarate to guarantee it corresponds with the thematics and flavor of the original Dark Sun setting.
Chris Flipse (flip@athas.org)
Gabriel Cormier (gab@athas.org)
Jon Sederqvist (jon@athas.org)
Peter Nuttall (brax@athas.org)
William Kendrick (eyeoftheghost@yahoo.com)
We The Undersigned, wish to state that this petition is a sincere request that you release an updated merchandise selection to the Dark Sun Campaign Setting, a product that we believe is still quite viable and has great potential to provide you with sizeable amount of revenue.
-this is the petition I'll be posting on http://www.petitiononline.com/petition.html but only if the wording is acceptable. comments?
When I win the lotto...
I put this up on the other thread to see if you all believe the wording is well, if there are no other objections I'll post the petition on the site and start this up.
We ask that if you all want to go out and get sigs to only go to conventions, gaming stores, comic shops, rgp clubs, gaming groups and so on. no harrassment and no pestering those who have no interest in gaming.
This petition is directed to Wizards of the Coast, Inc., a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc. We the undersigned make the following statement; that we wish you to consider contacting the previously designated individuals, all connected with the website http://www.athas.org,and begin discussions into contracting them with the official liscensed production of your property, identified as the Dark Sun setting of your Dungeons and Dragons Role Playing Game, and that you also consider a moderate level of recognition of the following individuals for their tireless efforts in keeping interest in your game setting alive among your client base.
The appropriate individuals to contact are listed on this webpage along with contact information. www.athas.org/staff.php
We The Undersigned, wish to state that this petition is a sincere request that you release an updated merchandise selection to the Dark Sun Campaign Setting, a product that we believe is still quite viable and has great potential to provide you with sizeable amount of revenue.
-this is the petition I'll be posting on http://www.petitiononline.com/petition.html but only if the wording is acceptable. comments?
I would simply list the overcouncil then to avoid redundant entries. We are the only ones with authority to respond to an inquiry from WotC.
Regarding the Overcouncil section: Why list a General Inquiries section and then list everyone's unique email? Why not set up a single address to deal with this, redirect it to everyone necessary, and announce on the petition that the following people are recieving copies (insert list of names and titles here)?
Again, minor streamlining issues. All in all it sounds good.
I'd sign it... If I'm going to spend $30, I'd rather it go to WotC for a hard-cover book than to Kinkos. I also think that WotC could improve on what athas.org has already done (and that's not a knock against athas.org or the amount of effort they have put into DS3.)
Note, everyone, the petition is to inform WotC that there is a responsive market for the production of physical, for-pay 3E materials for DarkSun with Athas.org continuing to be responsible for the production of said materials as the official design group for them -- this would not be a petition to "hand the reins back" to WotC's R&D department regarding DarkSun. Rather, it is in support of resurrecting the product line with the current group responsible for production of official materials being given greater responsibility and financial involvement in that entity.
To put it in layman's terms, it is saying to WotC, "Yo, Wizards, hire these guys to produce DarkSun materials, cause we'd all pay for 'em. Kay?"
Leatherwood's confusion might be rectified by some different text in the introduction to the petition: perhaps a "cover sheet" for those potentially signing that explains the purpose that will not be included with the official petition text sent to WotC.
:fight!:Note, everyone, the petition is to inform WotC that there is a responsive market for the production of physical, for-pay 3E materials for DarkSun with Athas.org continuing to be responsible for the production of said materials as the official design group for them -- this would not be a petition to "hand the reins back" to WotC's R&D department regarding DarkSun. Rather, it is in support of resurrecting the product line with the current group responsible for production of official materials being given greater responsibility and financial involvement in that entity.
To put it in layman's terms, it is saying to WotC, "Yo, Wizards, hire these guys to produce DarkSun materials, cause we'd all pay for 'em. Kay?"
If this is indeed the case, then...I dunno.
Not many employers are prone to give jobs to people who "demand" them.
(Internet users/website forum goers are but a piece of any given fanbase pie)
I think the resurrection of Darksun lies in other avenues personally.
Pitch for a setting revival, and hope that Wizards has enough of an eye to see the impact as made by (at least some of) the people mentioned above.
But good luck with that.
I honestly hope you prove me wrong.
:fight!:That's kind of the point. Athas.Org isn't demanding the job. Most likely for the very reason you've stated. We, the customers, are requesting that Wizards resurrect Dark SUn officially and give the job of producing the intellectual materials to the very capable crew of athas.org.The petition is to show wide-based customer support, and prove it would be a lucrative endeavor.Also, as you've stated internet sites and forum goers may not be enough, but myself and Jesterjeff will be circulating hardcopies of the petition as soon as we get the good word from Athas.org. Real world signatures will mean a lot. We also request that, once we post the petition, those gamers who really want to see this happen will do the same, as in bringing the petition to their gaming circles, to conventions, posting them (with permission) in hobby shops and rpg shops, etc. We realize it will take significant evidence of it's potential worth to get WOTC to do this, and we need everybody's help to pull this off. If everybody pitches in, we can make this happen. :fight!:
My humble suggestion?
Go for the setting revival, and use athas.org as a point of reference...talent sells itself.
:fight!:Noted. But we really want to give them a firm recommendation in this. They've worked very long and hard, and for no real reward, and we want to see them get some reward for their efforts. Ultimately all of this is up to WOTC, but if they published it without athas.org, I'd kinda feel like a jerk for pushing this to happen. :fight!:
Don't take my say as an attempt to take the wind out of your sails...you're on the right track.
And if you really want to push the talent of athas.org, then all you have to do is push/play their version of Darksun.
Use this petition to approximate the fanbase (who you'll turn on by introducing athas.org's version to them) as best you can (everybody doing their own little part), then deliver that approximation to Wizards and hope for the best.
Let's not forget that message boards such as this is one way of approximating (to a certain degree) a fanbase for any given line of products...
The crew at athas.org will get the "phantom nod", but, more importantly, the people will have spoken for new official support for Darksun.
Prioritize, then make it so.
I don't mean to sound patronizing or all-knowing here...I'm just throwin' in some coin.
If it's useless, then just throw it back. :D
This petition is directed to Wizards of the Coast, Inc., a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc. We the undersigned make the following statement; that we wish you to consider contacting the previously designated individuals, all connected with the website http://www.athas.org,and begin discussions into contracting them with the official liscensed production of your property, identified as the Dark Sun setting of your Dungeons and Dragons Role Playing Game, and that you also consider a moderate level of recognition of the following individuals for their tireless efforts in keeping interest in your game setting alive among your client base.
Chris Flipse (flip@athas.org)
Gabriel Cormier (gab@athas.org)
Jon Sederqvist (jon@athas.org)
Peter Nuttall (brax@athas.org)
We The Undersigned, wish to state that this petition is a sincere request that you review the situation regarding the Dark Sun setting. We believe that when you do so you will come to the conclusion that to release an updated merchandise selection to the Dark Sun Campaign Setting, a product that we believe is still quite viable and has great potential to provide you with sizeable amount of revenue, would be the right course of action and that the Athas.org group would be your best choice for a production staff.
:fight!:If Troy Denning can't get the setting for himself, trying twice with CASH I might add, then I can't see WotC turning it over to athas.org for development reasons.
Good luck, I would sign the petition, despite it having a very low chance of succeeding.
If Troy Denning can't get the setting for himself, trying twice with CASH I might add, then I can't see WotC turning it over to athas.org for development reasons.
I didn't know that Denning tried doing that? What reasoning does WoTC have for not releasing control over it especially when they plan on doing squat with it?
I didn't know that Denning tried doing that? What reasoning does WoTC have for not releasing control over it especially when they plan on doing squat with it?
My personal opinion, and giving out a little of what I've heard through the grapevine, is it all boils down to the media area.
They think it has a future as a movie, along with FR, not to mention that Dragonlance is trying to do a movie as well.
So that is what the hold up is. It would be foolish for them to sell it off, producing only the first book like they are doing now, then lose out on that potential.
There's some truth to that as well as speculation, and I can't go into any more detail then what I have, so take it with salt or not.
begin discussions into contracting them with the official liscensed production of your property,
That's sort of already happening.
Not sure how to reword it though.
WotC will publish the first hardcover book, that being the core rules.
Then whoever gets the license is free to publish other books from there.
They changed to this once they saw how well Ravenloft did and they sold that license outright and never published a thing first for the 3.5 setting.
So if Athas.org or whomever were allowed to get access to the license, then WotC would publish the core rulebook, and the rest would go to whoever got the license. If the media rights were to be split along with this, then I can't see any company biting into this unless they didn't need the extra revenue or something.
:fight!: I just think if WOTC is going to do anything with this material, they need to do it NOW, because anyone who played Dark Sun when the rules were current and in publication is like 25 or so by now, and it's been 8 years since anything new was in a bookstore. If they don't strike while the iron's still hot, Dark SUn may end up being a truly forgotten realm 
The idea I had in mind when the whole "call to action" type thing began a couple days ago was that a dark sun core book would be produced by WOTC, not some indep publisher like the dudes who did Ravenloft, but that instead of having, say, Skip Williams and Monte Cook in the credits , it would have the crew from athas.org , probably the overcouncil, as in, they'd author the material, Wizards would publish it, and everyone would get paid accordingly.
Right, I still don't see it happening though, just too much involved, though it would be nice.
I'm still willing to sign a petition for it though.
I just think if WOTC is going to do anything with this material, they need to do it NOW, because anyone who played Dark Sun when the rules were current and in publication is like 25 or so by now, and it's been 8 years since anything new was in a bookstore. If they don't strike while the iron's still hot, Dark SUn may end up being a truly forgotten realm
Don't see it happening, and that's somewhat thanks to Paizo and their bizzaro version of DS.
Look how long Dragonlance lasted before it was revisited, same thing with Ravenloft. Dark Sun is one of the top four (FR, DS, RL, and DL), and I don't see either of the four dying out anytime soon.
:fight!:Good luck, I would sign the petition, despite it having a very low chance of succeeding.
If Troy Denning can't get the setting for himself, trying twice with CASH I might add, then I can't see WotC turning it over to athas.org for development reasons.
This petition is directed to Wizards of the Coast, Inc., a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc. We the undersigned make the following statement; that we wish you to consider contacting the previously designated individuals, all connected with the website http://www.athas.org,and begin discussions into contracting them with the official liscensed production of your property, identified as the Dark Sun setting of your Dungeons and Dragons Role Playing Game, and that you also consider a moderate level of recognition of the following individuals for their tireless efforts in keeping interest in your game setting alive among your client base.
Chris Flipse (flip@athas.org)
Gabriel Cormier (gab@athas.org)
Jon Sederqvist (jon@athas.org)
Peter Nuttall (brax@athas.org)
We The Undersigned, wish to state that this petition is a sincere request that you review the situation regarding the Dark Sun setting. We believe that when you do so you will come to the conclusion that to release an updated merchandise selection to the Dark Sun Campaign Setting, a product that we believe is still quite viable and has great potential to provide you with sizeable amount of revenue, would be the right course of action and that the Athas.org group would be your best choice for a production staff.
I'll sign it and support it for sure, but i'd like to see Troy Denning as the CEO-type on issues related to flavour,
Actually, you probably don't. Denning had basically nothing to do with anything beyond the first Boxed Set and the Prism Pentad. It seems he pretty much despises most everything else that's come out since ...
http://athas.org/articles/troydenning.php
It's been reported that his response to avangions is "Dark Sun doesn't need angels."
:fight!:
:fight!:Yes, i 'probably' do. That's why i wrote it.
Jaanos
Actually, you probably don't. Denning had basically nothing to do with anything beyond the first Boxed Set and the Prism Pentad. It seems he pretty much despises most everything else that's come out since ...
http://athas.org/articles/troydenning.php
It's been reported that his response to avangions is "Dark Sun doesn't need angels."
Nice!
[QUOTE= Or use a modification of Dregoth's God Spell to redirect the conduits for spiritual energy that go to the Inner Planes away from the Paralements, and connect those conduits to the Elemental Planes, thus strengthening the ties of Earth, Fire Wind and Water in their more pure forms back to Athas, and cutting the Paraelemental priests off from their source of power,which could be just the catalyst needed to shift Athas back onto a path towards a new Green Age! I realized I've digressed a bit.....,
:fight!:
:fight!::fight!:
:fight!:Mate, that's one of the best off-beat theories i've heard of!
Jaanos