Yet again,
We are left alone.
Third edition by Athas.org status is ... Unknown and without any real form of news on their web site.
Fourth edition by WotC status is ... No longer supported i.e. They made the minimum so peoples can play, but never created anything else or motivated peoples with a stimulating community.
Fifth edition by WotC status is more than uncertain, it's inexistant.
So, what are we left with? Not much to chew on. No adventure, no expansion, nothing.
IMO, the 3.5e was by far the most inspiring. Not only by vanilla D&D, but for Darksun as well, driven by Athas.org.
It would be very interesting to see what are athas.org team intentions (if team still there is).
What's up peoples?
4e Dark Sun was terrible for many reasonsm (imo please no flame). 3e Dark Sun was community driven. I expect the community will continue to drive this world. I wouldn't expect 5e Dark Sun. DnD tends to rotate worlds between the expansions and it's not Dark Sun's turn.
It's rather sad.
It would be so simple to say for the athas.org team if they can no longer be the driver. Maybe the community need someone(s) with the will and time to pump some energy in the Darksun community!
Usually, peoples are more like me. People that lurk around, watching. But if you have a leader or a team that lead, many will follow and push forward.
Either it be 2nd, 3rd or 4th material, it will depend on who will take the lead to push one or all 3 of the settings rules. OR it can be none! Just fluff material for the setting and there are always peoples that loves building characters, stats and crunching numbers for those who like the fluff.
Whatever, athas.org actual team MUST show themselves and inform about the future of the team and athas.org site. At this moment, the community will know how to place themselves toward it's need and do whatever about it.
But it must NOT stay in the actual hiatus it is right now!
Still waiting for a athas.org member to show up here!
I figure Dark Sun is better off as a community driven project for 5e. I don't really trust Wizards' with setting. While TSR has messed up settings too (Dragonlance, Greyhawk, and of course Dark Sun), I'm still bitter about trying to reshape settings like The Realms to appease a vocal group of fans. If they do update the setting, at least we'll have new mechanics to dabble with! (And hopefully they get defiling right this time.)
So I guess I'll be the one to first, say sorry for the slow reply, and second, say thank you (you silly frog you) for being so very patient. As has probably become painfully obvious, communication for athas.org has become an increasing problem for sometime. Unfortunately, it would seem, few of us get together anymore to discuss furthering any goals we might have for the setting. It might not be a bad idea to start recruiting some new talent, but quite frankly, that idea hasn't been discussed either. So, ultimately, the answer to your question is "who knows".....
As this is totally unsatifactory, I'll try to see if I can't get some more concrete feedback from the few who are still active.
Keep lighting that fire, silly frog
My pleasure! :-)
Sorry for the slow response, once again. I have had little luck reaching my colleagues in athas.org. I have however been able to gather enough, from the few who did respond, to let you know that the site is in some dire straits. We've got so few people left, willing/able to contribute, that any upcoming releases will likely come very slow. Another problem we're running into is the lack of available artists and/or cartographers.
As far as any upcoming releases, the news is as follows:
Secrets of the Dead Lands - This is so close to being finished, its just stupid....
....We have had a few minor set backs (especially with the above mentioned lack of a cartographer), otherwise, this would've likely been released already. A couple of edits, in text and on the map, is all that's holding this up.
The Emissary - The companion adventure to SotDL still needs some significant work. The adventure itself is mostly complete, minus a few edits that need to be done. However, a number of the NPC stats remain to be converted. Once SotDL is finished, I imagine this should not take too long, but like I said, there's only a couple of us.
A couple of other projects have been lingering for some time, thus there release is too far off to guess at. Off the top of my head, they are:
City-State of Balic
Faces of the Dead Lands
Lost Cities of the Trembling Plains
Powdery Fields (a guide for the Silt Sea)
...I'm probably forgetting something, I'll have to verify the list as complete.
As for anyone interested in helping us out, just post here, and either Raddu or myself can respond by private message for further details.
HELP NEEDED.....
writers
artists
cartographers (probably just one or two)
I would love to help out in any way possible. I am not much of a cartographer, but I could probably put together something with photoshop if need be. I also know a few people who might also be willing to contribute. I definately can crank out stats like no tomorrow. Let me know.
schizoidray wrote:
I've been dabbling with monster creation for 3rd edition/Pathfinder. If there's any need for that, I'd be happy to jump in somehow.
I think 4E was a very triumphant return for Dark Sun. First and foremost, it had been debated amongst many, including within Wizards, just how many people would be interested in Dark Sun. That question is forever answered: there are many long-time fans of Dark Sun and it was very easy to create new fans.
4E's Dark Sun setting was the most popular of all the setting books. It out-sold all the other setting books, from my understanding. That's a testament to the setting (its inherent appeal), to the quality of Wizards of the Coast's product, and to the way it was supported. Anyone saying 4E didn't support Dark Sun just isn't paying attention. Keeping in mind that Dark Sun's sales are small compared to a setting like Forgotten Realms and keeping in mind that Dark Sun's heyday was at a time when TSR was losing money on every DS product sold, it was a big question whether Dark Sun would be given proper support. We had a preview adventure at DDXP/Winter Fantasy, a Gen Con and PAX special event, two gamedays in stores, a very well promoted Encounters season, a regular column in Dragon/Dungeon with more fanfare than most other regular columns, a great line of introductory articles on the DDI site, and an organized play campaign. That just absolutely blows away any previous support for Dark Sun. Arguably, it is better support than any other 4E setting received (arguably, because in sheer volume and focus FR is ahead, but the approach for DS was superior).
All that said, a setting like Dark Sun should not be promoted indefinitely by Wizards. Wizards is a company. It has employees, bills to pay, and financial goals. It is inevitable that after some time a product line has seen its peak and should receive less emphasis. While those of us that are hardcore would like endless support, there is no financial reason to do that. This is true of everything but the most core of settings (FR, basically). Dark Sun will lie fallow for some time, and it will be better for it. If I worked at Wizards I would make the same decision, despite being amongst the setting's biggest fans.
Dark Sun is in great shape. Wizards has created a ton of content for 4E, and it is strengthened by all of the previous material. This is a deeply developed setting with tons of material, rules, novels, and media. When it comes time to bring in into D&D Next, the setting we love will be poised to once again be a huge hit.
DoctorNecrotic wrote:
Hi folks.
Its been quite a few years but I just thought I'd poke my head back into an old haunt.
quiet ain't it !!!
Some of us aren't quite dead yet... ;)
I'm still working away at 4e Dark Sun. I haven't given up on it yet. Here's what I have done so far;
RACES
Maenad
Gnoll
Tarek
12 FACTION CARDS
Champions of Tyr
Iron Rats
Toothcutters Gang/Tribe
Veiled Alliance of Tyr
Sacred Tarn
Cult of Dust (Ul-Athra + Shahram noble family)
Dregoth the Savior (Includes Yarnath the Skull and Dune Sea Marauders)
Renegades (Timor's conspiracy to take power in Tyr)
House Shom
Council of Advisers
Tyr's Eyes
Werrik's Stalkers / Werrik House
NPC CARDS (* denotes NPC from Dark Sun canon)
*Hephaesteus Dominitian Twile, Snark, Corgan Blakewright, Felix, Kyphus, Ashkana Shahram, *Azzer Lirin, Jimry Bobryn, *Jossi the Juggler, Khala Shahram, *Rowan Risani, Zahnore Shahram, Zardu, Emirik, *Faldar, Pico, Radricus Dimosthenus, *Ul-Athra, *Delem Shom, *Etheros, *Kivrin Toothcutter, *Nori, *Doorub, *Sarhan, *Sintha Valex, Exoya, *Leaza, *Athriliax Denestor, *Haneth Tsalaxa, *Xalos, *Borger, Rakshana Shahram, *Jebea Shom, *Timor, Muldea, *Yarnath, *Dregoth
@Squidfur:
I'm an amator artist & cartographer, but I wish I could help! I'm a Dark Su fan since it's beginning, and here some of my work (it's a 4E campaign seeking 2E flavor):
Mr. Pils,
Can you please check your inbox?
squidfur wrote:
gunslingerKA wrote:
Just thought I'd post that we (at athas.org) are still looking for artists and cartographers who'd like to help out. We are in desperate need, so if you're willing, please post your interest here. We will respond.
Last time I posted at Atahs.org I think they had released the City State of ..., Crap it was one of the lost cirties in the north and I was working on my Athas setting for the free year 1000 or so. I think that was 2007 maybe, 2006 perhaps?
Well time goes by Zardnaar...
Family life take it's RPGer tolls...
Although, younger blood need to arise and refresh the air!
Grummore wrote: