Starspawn

[Mummolus]

Currently, I'm running a Dark Sun game with a level 5 group.

The basic setup of the campaign is as follows:

Heroic: The group deals with merchant houses and their squabbles.
Paragon: The group deals with templars and other more important groups.
Epic: The group deals with Sorcerer-Kings and comparable figures.

I'm running a plot about a series of Far Realm incursions. Idea is that the SK's are acting with a greater purpose, and that the destruction of Athas was a necessary price to establish barriers against the Far Realm. As time goes on, the barriers are weakening and allowing more incursions, and each SK is searching for ways to strengthen it as are a select few other beings aware of the situation. At each tier the group will be more involved in rooting out and combating such things - so far one of the ruins they investigated was populated by a number of small aberrant creatures such as foulspawn and mimics, drawn to the ancient power of the place.

What I'm trying to figure out is exactly where starspawn fit into the equation. Perhaps I'm mentally incapable of distinguishing scientific "stars" from D&D "stars" - from what I can tell the latter are sentient? Problem is that if I can't figure out some way to make it work in my head, I'm missing out on a number of really interesting potential plots and encounters.

The best I can figure out is that Allabar, the Opener of the Way, is the source of all starspawn. It travels the cosmos absorbing energy from actual stars, and depending on their type its offspring have different characteristics. Being intelligent, Allabar has isolated a few particularly useful stars, and uses the energy of whichever one it feels best meets the current need on Athas - hence Spawn of Ulban, Caiphon, etc.

Basically I was wondering if anybody has run or played anything like this before, or if anybody has any suggestions?

Alternatively, if there's starspawn lore I've missed (I've been going through the Monster Manuals, Eberron campaign guide since Xoriat is basically the Far Realm, Manual of the Planes, Psionic Power, Plane Above and Plane Below), could anyone point me in the right direction?

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

Currently, I'm running a Dark Sun game with a level 5 group.

The basic setup of the campaign is as follows:

Heroic: The group deals with merchant houses and their squabbles.
Paragon: The group deals with templars and other more important groups.
Epic: The group deals with Sorcerer-Kings and comparable figures.

I'm running a plot about a series of Far Realm incursions. Idea is that the SK's are acting with a greater purpose

The sorcerer-kings publicly fight, however (such as when Hamanu of Urik killed Sorcerer-Queen Sielba of Yaramuke or more secretly, when several sorcerer-kings "killed" Dregoth). Of course, it could be public relations Could you link the fall of Kalid-nay into that somehow? That could have been a wakeup call.

There are other epic groups too, namely the Order, who might have their own say in this. (Heck, they could even be stooges of the Far Realm.)

What I'm trying to figure out is exactly where starspawn fit into the equation. Perhaps I'm mentally incapable of distinguishing scientific "stars" from D&D "stars" - from what I can tell the latter are sentient? Problem is that if I can't figure out some way to make it work in my head, I'm missing out on a number of really interesting potential plots and encounters.

In one series of sci-fi novels I read some years ago, stars were sentient organisms, equipped with massive power. But perhaps there are two kinds of stars, regular ones and large creatures much closer to Athas that only resemble stars from that great distance.

The Wanderer is a comet that appears every X years. Perhaps it's coming back, and at that point the walls of reality will be especially weak.

Alternatively, if there's starspawn lore I've missed (I've been going through the Monster Manuals, Eberron campaign guide since Xoriat is basically the Far Realm, Manual of the Planes, Psionic Power, Plane Above and Plane Below), could anyone point me in the right direction?

If you know about Allabar, you probably have already read the MM3, where his stats are. I don't know of any other sources of lore.

 

[NexH]

An option I may use in my campaign with some stars is that they are actual (real-world) stars, but the power that supposedly derives from them actually comes from some "elder god" that resides in the star system or uses it as its seat of power.
So for example I have associated Delban with the entity known as Ghulurak (from the 3rd edition DMG 2).

Now, some of these outsider "gods" may be interested in expanding their power or agenda into other worlds, while others may not even notice or care about the "worship" they are being subject to by unsuspecting warlocks.

Alternatively, if there's starspawn lore I've missed (I've been going through the Monster Manuals, Eberron campaign guide since Xoriat is basically the Far Realm, Manual of the Planes, Psionic Power, Plane Above and Plane Below), could anyone point me in the right direction?

Not about starspawn, but about the stars themselves: Dungeons & Dragons Roleplaying Game Official Home Page - Article (Wish Upon a Star)

Interestingly, The Revelations of Melech's description of some stars conjures to mind various kinds of real-life astronomical objects.

 

[Mummolus]

The sorcerer-kings publicly fight, however (such as when Hamanu of Urik killed Sorcerer-Queen Sielba of Yaramuke or more secretly, when several sorcerer-kings "killed" Dregoth). Of course, it could be public relations

I'm more or less thinking of it as like the Greek city-states (with the Far Realm being the Persians for the purposes of this metaphor). Independent states that can recognize a larger threat, but go back to squabbling whenever that threat seems to have passed. I'm thinking that the death of Kalak seriously weakened the barrier and has them all in panic mode as a result.