If I combine the Dark Sun and Ravenloft settings, I get...

[Irda Ranger]

...well I don't know what I get, but doing something like this has been on my mind for a while. So I wanted to get people's opinions on what they thought about it. Tell me what you think

I think Psionics would be dangerous. "Opening your mind" to a world controlled by the Mists can't be a good idea. I think Psionic characters (well, Telepaths) would attract a special kind of madness that leads to cannibalism and self-mutilation. Have you seen Serenity or Firefly?

You could have two kinds of flesh-tearing, brain-eating zombies: the living and the undead. They could go to war with each other, and while the doors are bolted at night you don't know if the screaming you hear outside is the zombie factions tearing into each other or if your neighbor left a window open.

I think in a world starved of moisture the desert plants would absorb a great deal of "Mist."

But mostly I think every Defiler is on a fast-track promotion path with the Mists, since destroying an ecosystem as fragile as Athas' for your own personal advancement is a special kind of evil. And their natural enemies are the Druids who are forced to cast aside their Neutrality.

 

[garyh]

Dark Sun + Ravenloft = Halfling cannibal vampires. It's a scientific fact!

 

[lmpjr007]

Dark Sun + Ravenloft = Halfling cannibal vampires. It's a scientific fact!

I think Albert Einstein proved that.

 

[rowport]

I see it as more "Night of the Living Dead" plus any good Apocalypse/End of the World set-up with a little "30 Days of Night" inital concept tossed in. The setting would be less "friendlier" then most setting, lots of running in fear and hiding. Basically a Zombie Apocalyspe with more intelligent undead creature running the "show" who are NOT tommented by their evil side, they actually like being evil. Undead are the bad guys always.

I agree with this, and would see an Egyptian vibe coming in--lots of mummies and dark haunted tombs. Basically, the desert of Dark Sun collides with the desert of Ravenloft.

 

[Jhaelen]

Well, I kind of did that in my 2E Dark Sun campaign. Since every undead in Dark Sun was unique I borrowed lots of stuff from Ravenloft. My campaign ended with an extensive exploration of UnderTyr which in my game was crawling with undead.

Kalak also wasn't really killed in my campaign. Instead Rikus died and Kalak was failed to retreat. Because of his botched ritual he turned into a dracolich. Not having a 'free' city also went a long way to turn the campaign into something darker than the default setting.

 

[Nikosandros]

This topic was covered in the 1992 Ravenloft accessory "Forgotten Lore".

Is that Forbidden Lore?

 

[VectorSigma]

I second whoever said "go read Zothique".

When I read the OP, my first thought was: "Defilers need to suck up more than just 'life'...they need to suck postive emotions from people around them like Dementors in Harry Potter."

In general, DS + RL = serious awesome potential. Keep us posted!

 

[Snoweel]

I think in a world starved of moisture the desert plants would absorb a great deal of "Mist."

Very nice.

'badwrongplants'

I agree with this, and would see an Egyptian vibe coming in--lots of mummies and dark haunted tombs. Basically, the desert of Dark Sun collides with the desert of Ravenloft.

This was my first thought when I read the OP.

I adore Ancient Egypt in my fantasy and find a way to shoehorn it into every homebrew I make.

 

[megamania]

A few years ago I had a Play by Post that started as a murder that the PCs in Kalidnay were "asked" to solve. Observant players noted the date and asked if this was going to lead to Ravenloft. "wha....? oh no. of course not. hee hee hee"

I had set the events that would lead to already but the group of players fell apart. We had just gathered the basic clues to the murders only and never reached the "red herrins" that would eventually lead to 1/2 of Kalidnay being ripped from the realality that is Athas and placed into the Dread Realms.

Also... no mists.... sand storms if I remember right. And yes, her top templar was in a love/hate situation with her. He wanted her but she had no interest in him. To allow her to die would mean his lost of power and the possibility of her ever loving him while by allowing her to live allowed her to defile everything. As a Dragon-queen she stole energy from sentient things also.

I liked the idea.

 

[edbonny]

Is that Forbidden Lore?

Yes. Duly noted and original post amended. Thank you for pointing that out.