Dark Sun: world of mutation? - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Dark Sun: world of mutation?

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
Silverblade_The_Enchanter
Jun 01, 2009 6:37:41 something odd cam eup in the 4th ed DS game I started:

My pal fancied playing a goliath, but goaaiths don't exist on Athas, and then something struck me:
why not let him be a human, but the stats/powers of a goliath, because he has been changed, mutated?

Mutation, changed beasts, are part of Athasian lore anyway. In the offical history, it's to do with the Pristine Tower.
In my idea of the setting (I reject the official history, ugh), there's many causes of mutation. Also, in DS, a FANTASY setting, mutation is a lot more than just the normal sci-fi idea of it.

To me, the horriblly harsh environment, weird lingering auras of magic and psionics, the will of powerful creatures determined to adapt and survive, poisons from the great defiler wars and the energies of the terrible Dark Sun itself, and other things, can warp creatures.

So, my friend's character encountered some undead (like meorties or the like), anicent priests who harbour a great hatred for the defilers and the sorceror kings!

they bestowed upon this character a new inner power, and skills
so although he looks and is classed as a "human", he's got the stats etc of a Goliath, and he has the Avenger class, hunting down the defilers and templars of Athas!

Just a thought ;)
#2
mouthymerc
Jun 01, 2009 10:39:16 The Pristine Tower means that you can really allow for anything. If you really think something would be cool, there should be no reason it can't be incorporated.
#3
brun01
Jun 02, 2009 12:23:15 Just like Magnus in PP.
#4
terminus_vortexa
Jun 03, 2009 14:50:52 The "He's a PT Mutant!" plot device is well established in most DS games I've played in, DMd or conversed with members of. It is an excellent avenue to incude those players with a favorite signature race that is not canonical or recognized within Dark Sun. Many DnD players have a race (really, "Species" or maybe even "Genus" would be a better term...) that they prefer to always play as, and won't readily join a game wherein they cannot play as their Insectoid Lizardfolk. On Athas, you have the option of simply stating your PC had a pre or post-natal encounter with the Pristine Tower, maybe make up an Athas-unique name for the race (or not, a-la Magnus) and BAM!! Player satisfied and included, and Athas has a potent and unique new denizen. :D
#5
KrisKobold
Jun 04, 2009 6:09:10 The Pristine Tower certainly provides DMs with the option of providing other races for the PCs from D&D sourcebooks that might not be conventionally available. In my own campaign, a player wanted to play a dragonborn. We worked it out that his dragonborn rather more resembled a common reptile, and he used poison as his breath weapon. This had the effect of making his character seem more mundane than draconic and entirely appropriate to the milieu as a so-called New Beast.

Kris
#6
riddling-reaver
Jun 04, 2009 17:05:59 Won't Goliath's simply be the 4e version of Half-Giants?
#7
terminus_vortexa
Jun 04, 2009 18:21:03
#8
phoenix_m
Jun 04, 2009 20:46:20

Aggreed
#9
RalofTyr
Jun 04, 2009 23:29:12 In truth, every world is mutating.

Dark Sun is just mutating faster.
#10
Silverblade_The_Enchanter
Jun 05, 2009 6:38:47 Half-giants for 4th ed better NOT be goliaths, because half-giants are not like the stupid way they did them 3.5 ed (7'' tall, not large bland as heck), grrr, half-giants are 10' tall and weight half a ton!!
#11
Band2
Jun 05, 2009 11:33:10 That is a good way for introducing such races to Athas.

Another suggestion for the goliath, I saw on a thread somewhere the recommendation of using the goliath stats to play a mul in 4thE Dark Sun. Someone thought that they fit better than goliath = half-giant, but I don't remember any later feedback on how that suggestion worked.
#12
terminus_vortexa
Jun 06, 2009 8:52:39

To clarify the wordless cartoons, the official position of the Terminus Vortexa is that if a Goliath sets foot on Athas as anything other than a New Race , he will kill and eat it. The all-potent Kreen Dragon will migrate from my brain to that of any Dark Sun DM plagued by a Goliath-lover, be integrated into that game, and slaughter the Goliaths. Then the Terminus will further infect the brain of the DM make him kick out the offending player.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Silverblade_The_Enchanter Jun 01, 2009 6:37:41	something odd cam eup in the 4th ed DS game I started: My pal fancied playing a goliath, but goaaiths don't exist on Athas, and then something struck me: why not let him be a human, but the stats/powers of a goliath, because he has been changed, mutated? Mutation, changed beasts, are part of Athasian lore anyway. In the offical history, it's to do with the Pristine Tower. In my idea of the setting (I reject the official history, ugh), there's many causes of mutation. Also, in DS, a FANTASY setting, mutation is a lot more than just the normal sci-fi idea of it. To me, the horriblly harsh environment, weird lingering auras of magic and psionics, the will of powerful creatures determined to adapt and survive, poisons from the great defiler wars and the energies of the terrible Dark Sun itself, and other things, can warp creatures. So, my friend's character encountered some undead (like meorties or the like), anicent priests who harbour a great hatred for the defilers and the sorceror kings! they bestowed upon this character a new inner power, and skills so although he looks and is classed as a "human", he's got the stats etc of a Goliath, and he has the Avenger class, hunting down the defilers and templars of Athas! Just a thought ;)
#2 mouthymerc Jun 01, 2009 10:39:16	The Pristine Tower means that you can really allow for anything. If you really think something would be cool, there should be no reason it can't be incorporated.
#3 brun01 Jun 02, 2009 12:23:15	Just like Magnus in PP.
#4 terminus_vortexa Jun 03, 2009 14:50:52	The "He's a PT Mutant!" plot device is well established in most DS games I've played in, DMd or conversed with members of. It is an excellent avenue to incude those players with a favorite signature race that is not canonical or recognized within Dark Sun. Many DnD players have a race (really, "Species" or maybe even "Genus" would be a better term...) that they prefer to always play as, and won't readily join a game wherein they cannot play as their Insectoid Lizardfolk. On Athas, you have the option of simply stating your PC had a pre or post-natal encounter with the Pristine Tower, maybe make up an Athas-unique name for the race (or not, a-la Magnus) and BAM!! Player satisfied and included, and Athas has a potent and unique new denizen. :D
#5 KrisKobold Jun 04, 2009 6:09:10	The Pristine Tower certainly provides DMs with the option of providing other races for the PCs from D&D sourcebooks that might not be conventionally available. In my own campaign, a player wanted to play a dragonborn. We worked it out that his dragonborn rather more resembled a common reptile, and he used poison as his breath weapon. This had the effect of making his character seem more mundane than draconic and entirely appropriate to the milieu as a so-called New Beast. Kris
#6 riddling-reaver Jun 04, 2009 17:05:59	Won't Goliath's simply be the 4e version of Half-Giants?
#7 terminus_vortexa Jun 04, 2009 18:21:03
#8 phoenix_m Jun 04, 2009 20:46:20	Aggreed
#9 RalofTyr Jun 04, 2009 23:29:12	In truth, every world is mutating. Dark Sun is just mutating faster.
#10 Silverblade_The_Enchanter Jun 05, 2009 6:38:47	Half-giants for 4th ed better NOT be goliaths, because half-giants are not like the stupid way they did them 3.5 ed (7'' tall, not large bland as heck), grrr, half-giants are 10' tall and weight half a ton!!
#11 Band2 Jun 05, 2009 11:33:10	That is a good way for introducing such races to Athas. Another suggestion for the goliath, I saw on a thread somewhere the recommendation of using the goliath stats to play a mul in 4thE Dark Sun. Someone thought that they fit better than goliath = half-giant, but I don't remember any later feedback on how that suggestion worked.
#12 terminus_vortexa Jun 06, 2009 8:52:39	To clarify the wordless cartoons, the official position of the Terminus Vortexa is that if a Goliath sets foot on Athas as anything other than a New Race , he will kill and eat it. The all-potent Kreen Dragon will migrate from my brain to that of any Dark Sun DM plagued by a Goliath-lover, be integrated into that game, and slaughter the Goliaths. Then the Terminus will further infect the brain of the DM make him kick out the offending player.