4e Dark Sun & War of the Burning Sky

[Nebulous]

I'm really looking forward to Dark Sun coming out, and although i have not played or run WotBS i think it looks great. For those of you famililar with the latter, what do you think of blending Dark Sun with War?

How hard would it be? What major overhauls would be required? Is it too difficult to even be feasible? I guess we can just assume that 4e DS will be thematically the same as 2e DS. I was just wanting a good story to run in Dark Sun, and although WoTC will inevitabley release some adventures, i suspect that better can be done.

thanks

nebulous

 

[Marius Delphus]

Try asking this one over in the War of the Burning Sky forum; it'll probably get more attention from people who can answer. Good luck!

 

[RangerWickett]

Hoo boy. I'm not thoroughly familiar with DS, but I suppose some thematic similarity exists. The main villain is the "vastly powerful magic-user" style of foe, and at the start of the campaign there is a power vacuum after the demise of a warlord called 'the Old Dragon,' so I dunno, that could fit with sorcerer kings. The most powerful magic imperils the world, and the main villain is sending out inquisitors to try to capture hostile spellcasters, which would fit very well with the fear on Athas of defilers.

I have to admit, though, the campaign setting doesn't mesh with DS's desert style: magical forests, swamps, nations that can go to war, wintry wastelands. People wear plate armor, there are at least two huge cavalry charges, the PCs ally with a college of wizards, and there's actually a theatrical play. These things are not likely in stock Athas.

You probably could do it just by reskinning things, though I imagine you'd have to be fairly loose with DS continuity, or just keep the general style of the setting and have the events take place "over there" off the main map. The campaign spans several nations, and I don't think there are good analogues in DS as written.

But if you like the overall theme of "the world is hostile, and magic is perilous," WotBS and DS fit pretty well, I think.