D&D 5E "Doom Sun" − reconstructing a 5e Dark Sun setting for the DMs Guild

[Yaarel]

I think...

I am going to say that the Dragon-Kings went to the Moons and are trying to take them over to reestablish their sovereignties. "Moons of the Dragon-Kings" has a great vibe to it.

That checks out. Defiling seems to work on other worlds too (planets and moons).

According to 1995: Rajaat discovered defiling around −8000 around the time of the discovery of magic itself. He used it to make himself and his students immortal and taught them how to defile directly from living creatures, and that caused the sun go dark crimson.

Much later, the sorcerer-kings become able to grant divine spells (= transfer defiling energy) to Templars, in a separate event around −2000.

According this timeline, defiling simply works on plants ... on any planet.

As far as I can tell, according to 1991, defiling plants also works anywhere.

 

[MonsterEnvy]

I’m hoping that modern wotc leaves Dark Sun alone. They have no business touching that amazing setting.

If you’re going to try and recreate Dark Sun, do it Justice, please. Don’t sanitize it and astroturf it for “modern” audiences.

They already touched it during 4e.

 

[MonsterEnvy]

5e needs a more neutral term for inhabitants of the astral sea.

I have zero interest in referring to creatures as "gods" if my characters dont view them that way.

Earlier editions had "outsiders", "immortals", "supernals", sometimes "celestials" in a wider sense.

I think I will start referring to them as "astrals". This includes everyone, astral elves, githyanki, angels, devils, celestials, fiends, aberrations, aasimons, demons, and creatures that call themselves gods.

Powers was used for gods.

 

[Maxperson]

The Dark Sun setting is very religious. But it is nontheistic.

Athas isnt about gods. To try to force gods into it undermines the premise of the setting. It is about human(oid)s taking responsibility to make the world a better place. Meanwhile simply surviving is a serious challenge.

To get a better understanding of what nontheistic religions are like, including monism and animism, is helpful to the flavor of the Dark Sun setting.

Athas is nontheistic now, but it wasn't always so. I'm not trying to force gods into it. There WERE already gods in its past. Just none now.

 

[Yaarel]

Athas is nontheistic now, but it wasn't always so. I'm not trying to force gods into it. There WERE already gods in its past. Just none now.

There were NEVER gods in the past. Athas has always been nontheistic.

For example. 1995 2e Dark Sun Campaign Setting (page 16):

"Athas is a world without true gods. As far back as the earliest days of the Green Age, people have believed in gods, but there exists no true gods on Athas. Unlike the other worlds of the multiverse, where true gods do exist, Athas has never had any, and it never will."

The planet Athas has never had gods. It is unlike some other D&D settings where gods might be part of the setting’s premise.

 

[Yaarel]

Powers was used for gods.

"Powers" doesnt feel neutral enough. Being powerful is part of the way D&D imagines gods. But might≠right. Power is irrelevant.

The term "astrals" feels more neutral. It describes their habitat in the astral dominions and astral sea. They are creatures made out of thoughts. Other creatures are like that there too.



Plus, the jargon "powers" is too close to "power sources" and similar.

 

[Morrus]

I’m hoping that modern wotc leaves Dark Sun alone. They have no business touching that amazing setting.

If you’re going to try and recreate Dark Sun, do it Justice, please. Don’t sanitize it and astroturf it for “modern” audiences.

It seems to me this account's sole purpose is to rail against diversity and inclusion in D&D. You've now had several warnings, and you're ignoring them, and clearly intend to continue. This is the last warning. One more, you're going to be asked to leave.

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

"Powers" doesnt feel neutral enough. Being powerful is part of the way D&D imagines gods. But might≠right. Power is irrelevant.

The term "astrals" feels more neutral. It describes their habitat in the astral dominions and astral sea. They are creatures made out of thoughts. Other creatures are like that there too.



Plus, the jargon "powers" is too close to "power sources" and similar.

Powers mean just that: they are powerful. But not perfect, not right, not good, not deserving. Just powerful.

Its petty good catch all for uber-powerful, amoral creatures like gods/archfey/arch-demons/elder evils/elemental overlords etc

I'm personally a big fan of Final Fantasy's Eidolon or Espers or Aeons.

Maybe Forces? Too close to Star Wars.

 

[Yaarel]

Powers mean just that: they are powerful. But not perfect, not right, not good, not deserving. Just powerful.

Its petty good catch all for uber-powerful, amoral creatures like gods/archfey/arch-demons/elder evils/elemental overlords etc

I'm personally a big fan of Final Fantasy's Eidolon or Espers or Aeons.

Maybe Forces? Too close to Star Wars.

If referring to unusually powerful creatures, I am ok with calling them "epics", referring to their corresponding leveling tier.



That said, I like how 4e distinguishes between "planar origin" and "creature type".

PLANE
materials
ethereals (feys, shadows)
elementals
astrals (celestials, fiends, aberrations)

 

[Maxperson]

There were NEVER gods in the past. Athas has always been nontheistic.

For example. 1995 2e Dark Sun Campaign Setting (page 16):

"Athas is a world without true gods. As far back as the earliest days of the Green Age, people have believed in gods, but there exists no true gods on Athas. Unlike the other worlds of the multiverse, where true gods do exist, Athas has never had any, and it never will."

The planet Athas has never had gods. It is unlike some other D&D settings where gods might be part of the setting’s premise.

Yes, yes. The 1995 version retconned things. We already established that. I also established that the 1991 setting mentions gods in the distant past.