D&D General Original Dark Sun creators update their Dragon Kings world to 5E

Dark Sun, which was born in the early 1990s, had a lot of architects. Brom brought us the iconic art, while Tim Brown and Troy Denning created the initial setting itself. Mary Kirchoff was in the initial concept team back when it was called "War World". Steve Winter came up with the post-apocalyptic desert background, David "Zeb" Cook wrote the first adventure. Bill Slavicsek carried the torch in the mid-90s, designing the expanded boxed set, and Rich Baker was lead designer for the D&D 4E version of the word, working with Robert J. Schwalb. Many more, of course, contributed to Dark Sun over the years.

In 2014 Tim Brown created an apocalyptic desert setting called Dragon Kings, based on the world of Khitus whose resources had been depleted, and whose rulers--the titular Dragon Kings--had long disappeared. It was system neutral. It was very much a spiritual successor to Dark Sun. As a system neutral setting, the Dragon Kings World Book contained no rules or mechanics, although PDF rules conversions for Pathfinder, Savage Worlds, and other game systems were released. Additionally, the world had a rock album which accompanied it.

Fast forward to 2026, and some of the original Dark Sun creators have teamed up to bring us a 5E version of the Dragon Kings setting. Troy Denning, Bill Slavicsek, and Rich Baker are joined by Savage Worlds' Shane Hensley and iconic artist Brom to bring Khitus to Backerkit in September. This will be a hardcover release--a standalone game, powered by 5E, although it will also contain 2E conversion rules.

Ruleswise, we can expect a standalone 5E game, psionics, six new species, survival rules, monsters, rules for 'dangerous and alive' sorcery and, of course, plenty of world information.

The Dragon Kings are gone. The rains vanished with them.

Dragon Kings returns in a brand-new edition suitable for 5E play, with conversion rules for 2E included. Created by award-winning Dark Sun® co-creator Timothy Brown, Dragon Kings takes players to Khitus, a desperate sword-and-sorcery world of blood and sand, dangerous magic, elusive rulers, and civilizations struggling to survive.

The brand-new edition comes from award-winning Dark Sun® co-creator Timothy Brown, who has brought together an incredible group of creators who helped shape the original Dark Sun® setting, including Troy Denning, Brom, Bill Slavicsek, Rich Baker, and Shane Hensley.

Together, they’re returning to the kind of savage sword-and-sorcery fantasy they helped define, this time in the world of Khitus. Dragon Kings is a complete 5E-compatible tabletop RPG, with conversion rules for 2E included, set in a dying world where dangerous sorcery, awakening psionic powers, and the struggle for survival shape every adventure.

The Dragon Kings crowdfunding campaign includes:

• The Dragon Kings Core Book with the complete setting and 5E-compatible rules
• Conversion rules for 2E
• Maps
• Adventures
• Setting-appropriate dice
• Game Master's screen
• Audiobook
• 30+ new creatures
• 60+ pieces of commissioned original interior artwork

Of course, with the official D&D 5E Dark Sun coming out next year, it's reasonable to ask why choose this version rather than WotC's. Tim Brown, on the campaign page, says "By making Dragon Kings its spiritual successor, I can revive the concepts that never made it into Dark Sun and take them somewhere more desperate, more dangerous, and a little more hopeful."

You can follow the Backerkit campaign now, ready for its September launch. The game will be published by Strange Owl Games.

 

[Swanosaurus]

Only 5e?
They kept saying that this would come with its own bespoke system, as an alternative ...

 

[BrokenTwin]

I'd love a hard cover of their Savage Worlds rules, shame that's not on offer as well. Updated to the current SW ruleset, if it hasn't been already.

 

[abazaba]

Looks interesting. Also (partly because of the timing) : I wonder if - since this is described as the 'spiritual successor to Dark Sun' - this will actually outsell (or at least do as well) as the 'Dark Sun' products WotC has announced.

 

[Afroconan]

I remember a lot of hype around this back in the day and then it seemed to have a rather tepid welcome.

Hope the current context is more favorable to it. That's a great cast working on that product.

 

[Willie the Duck]

I'll be very interested to see any first looks we might get on the survival rules. My main gripe with Dark Sun was that the survival rules never lived up to the dream of the setting theming (yes you could die of heat and thirst; but the game didn't make that exciting, interesting, entertaining, and dictated by your decisions and actions very well).

 

[dave2008]

Looks interesting. Also (partly because of the timing) : I wonder if - since this is described as the 'spiritual successor to Dark Sun' - this will actually outsell (or at least do as well) as the 'Dark Sun' products WotC has announced.

Not likely. Even if it is deemed by lovers of Dark Sun (DS) to be a more faithful adaptation of the original DS and all those fans skipped the WotC reboot, the official DS is likely to significantly outsell this product based on people new to the game and have no true idea of what DS is!

 

[Zardnaar]

Not likely. Even if it is deemed by lovers of Dark Sun (DS) to be a more faithful adaptation of the original DS and all those fans skipped the WotC reboot, the official DS is likely to significantly outsell this product based on people new to the game and have no true idea of what DS is!

This. I doubt it will make it here but could be interesting.

Postage probably kills the idea though.

 

[tmanbeaubien]

I'm very interested!

But in keeping with the discussion about Merch and Early Bird specials in this thread:

Thread 'On TTRPG Kickstarters, merchandise, and 600% markups'

Aug 14, 2026

It's pretty well known at this point that to have a million dollar TTRPG crowdfunder, you need a lot of merchandise along with the actual core game product you're selling. Sometimes this takes the form of gaming accessories which complement the core product itself--dice, cards, GM screens, maps, and so on--and sometimes it takes for the form of more generic merchandise--pins, hats, plushies, even denim jackets.

The Average Pledge Level

In fact, in the Million Dollar TTRPG Kickstarter Club, only two creators out of 58 have managed to make that magic million without the...

• Morrus
• Replies: 111
• Forum: *Tabletop General

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[J-H]

Nice. I've always liked the idea of DS, but haven't ever played a game set in it. I'll have to take a look at this when it comes out to see if it skips the gratuitous gore and nudity that WOTC is apparently going for.