Spelljammer Spelljammer Shows Up In The Wild - Check Out The Tables of Contents

Copies of Spelljammer are starting to show up. Mike Long of Tribality is in receipt of the books and has tweeted some photos!

 

[Charlaquin]

I'd be interested to know what that section looked like when it was "Athaspace." Which changes were made before and after the name change?

I suspect very little changed beyond the name of the planet from Athas to Fyreen and the space from Athaspace to Doomspace. Maybe a few sentences here and there, but I think they were legitimately going to change Dark Sun that radically, and all their playtesters told them it was a terrible idea.

 

[Parmandur]

The war between the primordials and the gods, which ended with the gods being banished, is straight-up the explanation for the lack of gods in the 4e iteration of Dark Sun. I am completely convinced that “Fyreen” had been Athas until a fairly late point in development.

It looks like the plan was to advance the metaplot: Athas’ gods return, get rejected, and destroy the setting in a fit of petty vengeance. The desert world becomes an ice world (gotta “subvert expectations,” amirite?), and they can mine the setting for monsters and one anthropomorphic animal PC race, then literally chuck the rest into a black hole so they don’t have to bother figuring out how to update it for a modern audience without upsetting anyone. Toss in an offhand remark that “maybe the black hole is actually a portal to somewhere else” so they can say they gave DMs the option to keep the setting going in their home games if they want to. Wash their hands of Dark Sun forever.

Seeing this, I’m pretty sure we’re not going to be getting a 5e Dark Sun, which is a little sad, but at least we have closure on the matter. Doomspace can be it’s own thing, Dark Sun gets to Rest In Peace, and I get to finally stop holding out for an official conversion and either use one of the countless fan-made ones that are out there or homebrew my own. This may actually be the best solution Dark Sun fans could have hoped for.

I donknow if it's quite tike to give up on 5E Dark Sun ever happening...but it's last near future window was the 2023 "Classic Setting" that Winninger has teased, and all those Planescape UA options suggest Dark Sun isn't it.

 

[Charlaquin]

If that were the case, they would have just done it. By not doing it, they leave the door open.

Unless they got resounding “DO NOT DO THIS, YOU WILL LOSE EVERY DARK SUN FAN!” back from their playtesters.

 

[JEB]

Seeing this, I’m pretty sure we’re not going to be getting a 5e Dark Sun, which is a little sad, but at least we have closure on the matter.

Yeah, that unfortunately seems like a fair assessment, after this turn of events. If they couldn't even find a way to make it work as a "cameo", they've probably decided it's too much trouble to properly revive.

At least they gave veteran Dark Sun fans some converted monsters to work from.

 

[Charlaquin]

Ok. I’m getting too worked up about this. I need to get off my soapbox and chill out. Sorry, everyone.

 

[Demetrios1453]

Unless they got resounding “DO NOT DO THIS, YOU WILL LOSE EVERY DARK SUN FAN!” back from their playtesters.

shrug

Believe what you will. I'm going to believe the glass is half full.

 

[Charlaquin]

shrug

Believe what you will. I'm going to believe the glass is half full.

That’s fair. Like I said, I think I’m being a bit overdramatic and just need to take a breath and get some perspective.

 

[Yaarel]

Ok. I’m getting too worked up about this. I need to get off my soapbox and chill out. Sorry, everyone.

Heh. Ive been there.

 

[Parmandur]

That’s fair. Like I said, I think I’m being a bit overdramatic and just need to take a breath and get some perspective.

To give some hope for Dark Sun...if the Dragonlance Battle Game Adventyre Path mashup is successful...Dark Sun was initially a Battle.System scenario set-up, amd am Adventure where the PCs lead the Free City of Tyr in a war to free the Tablelands from the tyranny of the Dragon Kings sounds like a good followup.

 

[Demetrios1453]

Newbiedm vod of his walkthrough is up. Spoilers!

I wish his camera was just a bit more clear lol. I'm really straining my old eyes late at night trying to read the blurry text of the parts I'm really interested, like with various monsters and details on exactly how travel works...

I'm impressed with all the ships they managed to squeeze into this. We were all worried when the page counts were released that we would only get a few, and they got in a good amount!