Dark Sun: Athas, Its Moons and You

[Robtheman]

Regarding the Moon as a source of power for the Halflings.

Halflings seem to have the ability to cultivate life in the crescent of forest NW of the tablelands. They defend it fiercely and guard their secrets well by eating any who manage to discover them.

The Green Moon actually works in concordance with the second moon. When both moons shine on the same tract of land it is possible for the land to be healed somewhat. The Halflings know this but they don't realize why it works as they mold and grow the flora around them and raise their buildings from the earth itself. Perhaps the Veiled Alliance are aware as well.

The method of travel to the Green Moon is lost to Athas' population. However your party stumbles upon obscure references while exploring pre-defiled era ruins. The truth lies deep in the Halfling infested lands.

The Halfling leaders sought refuge on the Green Moon, in spirit alone. The Green Moon is actually a pocket dimension - introduce artifact of choice. Most of them fled before the raging energies of the defilers only to find themselves trapped in their final home, preserved by it's powerful magic. What has their captivity cost them? Can they be saved? Did their Gods escape with them?

 

[Wik]

I vaguely remember one book mentioning that a spelljamming ship crashed into one of the moons? Or am I completely misremembering things here?

For what it's worth, I'd avoid the moons from Athas. To me, the thrill of a Dark Sun campaign is that the material plane is ALL there is. You can't leave Athas - you're stuck there. The moons should simply be distant, unreachable objects.

The best way to implement them, if you want to, is to have them come in phases, and set up some sort of system where they can modify rituals and have mild effects on the weather and climate. That alone would give them mystique, while keeping the focus where it should be: on the desert. Mind you, this is all my opinion - ignore me by all means!

 

[Larni]

Don't forget the life shaping halflings in the Messenger. That may be making it's return in ones campaign, bring space faring goodness (or badness depending on your take on revised DS lore).

 

[TrainedMunkee]

Regarding the Moon as a source of power for the Halflings.

Halflings seem to have the ability to cultivate life in the crescent of forest NW of the tablelands. They defend it fiercely and guard their secrets well by eating any who manage to discover them.

The Green Moon actually works in concordance with the second moon. When both moons shine on the same tract of land it is possible for the land to be healed somewhat. The Halflings know this but they don't realize why it works as they mold and grow the flora around them and raise their buildings from the earth itself. Perhaps the Veiled Alliance are aware as well.

The method of travel to the Green Moon is lost to Athas' population. However your party stumbles upon obscure references while exploring pre-defiled era ruins. The truth lies deep in the Halfling infested lands.

The Halfling leaders sought refuge on the Green Moon, in spirit alone. The Green Moon is actually a pocket dimension - introduce artifact of choice. Most of them fled before the raging energies of the defilers only to find themselves trapped in their final home, preserved by it's powerful magic. What has their captivity cost them? Can they be saved? Did their Gods escape with them?

All excellent ideas. It has been excepted that the Primordals killed the Gods, though. Hence the empty upper planes, but if it is a pocket dimension that could work.

I vaguely remember one book mentioning that a spelljamming ship crashed into one of the moons? Or am I completely misremembering things here?

For what it's worth, I'd avoid the moons from Athas. To me, the thrill of a Dark Sun campaign is that the material plane is ALL there is. You can't leave Athas - you're stuck there. The moons should simply be distant, unreachable objects.

The best way to implement them, if you want to, is to have them come in phases, and set up some sort of system where they can modify rituals and have mild effects on the weather and climate. That alone would give them mystique, while keeping the focus where it should be: on the desert. Mind you, this is all my opinion - ignore me by all means!

I remember that it was near impossible to get to the Athas sphere from other spheres in Spelljammer. I had a party that did it once, but we bent the rules to do it.

I agree that the setting is great and it should be the focus. I was imagining a high level adventure to the moons, once my group needs a change of pace. With the 4e rules the other planes are reachable.

Don't forget the life shaping halflings in the Messenger. That may be making it's return in ones campaign, bring space faring goodness (or badness depending on your take on revised DS lore).

I enjoyed Spelljammer in it's time, but would go with something a little more realistic, hence the gates and travel via Sigil in other settings. I am strongly in the unrevised camp. I am enjoying the 4e rules, but wish that they would have went with non-free Tyr etc.

Space

 

[Pbartender]

What material is out there on Athas's moons? I'm refering to the refernce of the moons being a garden paradise and a John Carter Mars type of enviorenment, if you don't know who John Carter is look up Edgar Rice Burroughs, Google knows all. Is this a new idea? It mentions the posibility of gates to the moons. If this is a new idea, bravo to which ever author came up with the idea.

I'm awfully curious about this as well, since I've got a variation of Dark Sun in mind that sits down to dinner with Wells and Burroughs... Barsoomian Mars existed, the War of the Worlds actually happened, and Athas is what became of the Earth after we lost.

So, my dilemma is... Do I eliminate Athas' two moons, and use Earth's singular moon as-is? Or do I use Athas' twin moons, and come up with a reason why one moon became two?

 

[TrainedMunkee]

I'm awfully curious about this as well, since I've got a variation of Dark Sun in mind that sits down to dinner with Wells and Burroughs... Barsoomian Mars existed, the War of the Worlds actually happened, and Athas is what became of the Earth after we lost.

So, my dilemma is... Do I eliminate Athas' two moons, and use Earth's singular moon as-is? Or do I use Athas' twin moons, and come up with a reason why one moon became two?

Like your ideas a lot, being a fan of both authors. I would go with two moons. Make it as exotic as possible. The second moon contributed to the loss of moisture. It was originally a comet that was captured by the invaders and put into orbit. To help with the pacification of earth and create an environment more hospitable to the invaders. They used up earth's resources and have moved on. Hundreds of years later earth's current inhabitants have no idea about this, just myths. Sorcerer-Kings are decedents of the invaders left behind after the mass exodus, through psionic gates. Most earthlings are of mixed earthling/invader descent, SKs are just purer genetically and have harnessed Athas' natural resources in the form of arcane, primal and the rest.

 

[Robtheman]

The "pocket dimension" was adapted from Rel's campaign story hour. His involved a refuge for the Dragonborn Emperors. They were driven mad by extended proximity to the spaces between dimensions, I believe.

It doesn't need to break Darksun canon. A pocket dimension can function like a large bag of holding. No connections to any other planar location. It exists within Darksun.

If you don't like the idea of a planar existence you could perhaps introduce something involving phasing existences. Perhaps the Lost Tribes wander the forests and can only be seen under the light of twin full moons. Halfling lore states they are the dead seeking revenge on defilers that killed them, doomed to wander aimlessly.

In truth they are the spirits of the Halfling tribes that escaped the defilers. Did their souls get separated from the surface of Athas and carried into the waxing and waning of the moon cycles? Do they channel themselves to the surface of Athas when the moons light is at its fullest? Are they searching for a way to communicate with their devolved brothers on Athas? What secrets knowledge do they harbor from the Green Age that could counter the might of the Sorcerer Kings?

 

[hafrogman]

I'm awfully curious about this as well, since I've got a variation of Dark Sun in mind that sits down to dinner with Wells and Burroughs... Barsoomian Mars existed, the War of the Worlds actually happened, and Athas is what became of the Earth after we lost.

So, my dilemma is... Do I eliminate Athas' two moons, and use Earth's singular moon as-is? Or do I use Athas' twin moons, and come up with a reason why one moon became two?

That's no moon.
That's a space station!

 

[TrainedMunkee]

That's no moon.
That's a space station!

Lol, so long as there are no angst ridden Jedi or I mean Mind Lords, who are bad actors.

 

[TrainedMunkee]

The "pocket dimension" was adapted from Rel's campaign story hour. His involved a refuge for the Dragonborn Emperors. They were driven mad by extended proximity to the spaces between dimensions, I believe.

It doesn't need to break Darksun canon. A pocket dimension can function like a large bag of holding. No connections to any other planar location. It exists within Darksun.

If you don't like the idea of a planar existence you could perhaps introduce something involving phasing existences. Perhaps the Lost Tribes wander the forests and can only be seen under the light of twin full moons. Halfling lore states they are the dead seeking revenge on defilers that killed them, doomed to wander aimlessly.

In truth they are the spirits of the Halfling tribes that escaped the defilers. Did their souls get separated from the surface of Athas and carried into the waxing and waning of the moon cycles? Do they channel themselves to the surface of Athas when the moons light is at its fullest? Are they searching for a way to communicate with their devolved brothers on Athas? What secrets knowledge do they harbor from the Green Age that could counter the might of the Sorcerer Kings?

Actually I'm a big proponent of rules as a guide line rather than end all and be all. I was trying to make the point that in a pocket dimension, you could have the Gods.

Excellent ideas Robtheman. I especially like the phasing existence idea. Could a hero shaman have such a spirit as his guide? As the heroes progress in level the spirit grows more open about his origins, which lead to the grand quest of saving the Halflings, journey to the moon and saving the planet.