The Far Realm and Athas: Speculations - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

The Far Realm and Athas: Speculations

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
Pennarin
Jun 25, 2010 23:08:59 Even though in regular D&D life was either created by primal spirits, primordials, or the gods, the Far Realm seems to exist independently of all of it: the creatures it spawns have older, mysterious beginnings, and even have their own origin, Aberrant.

The designers for 4e Dark Sun have surely made the Far Realm fit within Athas' cosmology...but how?

Ideas?
#2
ian.thomson
Jun 26, 2010 8:57:18 I'm thinking something like the Outer Dark in the Conan stories, it's just this place where stuff comes from that you'd be better off not knowing about. Trying to make sense of it doesn't make sense because Ia Fthagn Cthulhu. Honestly, if it doesn't fit, then it kinda accomplishes it's purpose as the far realm.
#3
FlashbackJon
Jun 26, 2010 16:10:59 I know this isn't what Pennarin is asking about, per se, but I know I'm curious as to whether or not there is a precedent in Athas' cut off cosmology for a place like the Far Realm. Since it's almost completely tied to the stars and astology, it seems like you could even include it without going metaplanar.
#4
ian.thomson
Jun 26, 2010 20:17:55 Kinda what I was hinting at with the outer dark bit: the far realm is just the fantasy way of saying "outer space," "aberrations" are just the fantasy term for aliens. You could drop almost drop the Far Realm wholesale even into gamma world by calling it "outer space." Hm, the astral sea could be run as the local galaxy, or at least the solar system.

After digging up my copy of MGP's Conan RPG, I think I'm going to use "outer dark" in place of "astral sea" and "beyond the outer dark" to refer to the far realms. I may also use "outer dark" as shorthand for both the astral sea and the far realms.
#5
Raddu76
Jun 27, 2010 11:47:25 "Unlike magic, which drew energy from the land and converted it into a spell, the force Agis was about to use came from somewhere other than Athas - though no one knew exactly where. Some practitioners believed they summoned it from another dimension." -- The Verdant Passage p71

My girlfriend and I are reading the Verdant Passage to gear up and get her into the setting and I came upon that passage and I immediately thought....Far Realm. Then when I got home was surprised to see this thread.

What could be retcon'd to include aberration or what aberrations were already on Athas? The Pristine Tower could be a gate to the Far Realm that was instrumental in the altering of the Champions.
#6
arcanum_and_obscura
Jun 27, 2010 11:55:48
Evangions look like an aberrant.

Depending on the artist, the Dragon does too (like on the cover of Dragon Kings). He even goes insane for awhile.
#7
big_goon
Jun 28, 2010 12:15:02 WotC has been throwing around references about the mutation caused by defiled terrain (see the sun-warped flats article). I don't know how much connection will exist between Athas and the far realms, but it does seem like mutations, aberrations, zombies-eating-your-brain might just be warped products of defiling.

I'd also like to point the cosmic-powered-sorcerer in the Encounters game. Could Agis be a cosmic-powered sorcerer? No, but they might be talking to the same monster.
#8
seker
Jun 29, 2010 7:46:38 Actually an interesting take would be that is why Athas is sealed off from the outer planes and the gods...

Think about it the Rhulisti and the lifeshaping they did seems awfully familiar... think illithids technology. The mutation effects of the pristine tower... the brown tide... changing the sun... symbiots... It all really really fits with the aberrations.

Add in the huge influence later of psionics... that arcane magic is strange and alters/drains the enviroment... The metamorphosis into dragons and avangions... All seem to fit with the far realms.

So what if it is the powers the rhulisti wielded that sealed off athas... and the far realms are entwined with athas. (whether you are looking at portals to the far realms... there is an active link, underground perhaps.... or even athas actually is a far realm for other worlds... think about it all the races are twisted forms of the original races, and are they themselves are twisted degenerate forms of the original race.)

just a thought.
#9
EhtoZed
Jun 29, 2010 8:20:56
"Unlike magic, which drew energy from the land and converted it into a spell, the force Agis was about to use came from somewhere other than Athas - though no one knew exactly where. Some practitioners believed they summoned it from another dimension." -- The Verdant Passage p71

My girlfriend and I are reading the Verdant Passage to gear up and get her into the setting and I came upon that passage and I immediately thought....Far Realm. Then when I got home was surprised to see this thread.

What could be retcon'd to include aberration or what aberrations were already on Athas? The Pristine Tower could be a gate to the Far Realm that was instrumental in the altering of the Champions.

4E psionics in the PHB3 already uses the far realm as an explanation for psionic magic. I don't have my book here but I think Ioun had soemthing to do with it.

Personaly I found it kind of uninspiring and I wonder if they'll make any mention of it in the Campaign Guide.

#10
Pennarin
Jun 29, 2010 10:29:36 seker? of I-know-you fame?
#11
phoenix_m
Jun 30, 2010 2:25:39
Random thought for the day: What if Athas is on the far side of the Far Realms? That could explain the separation from gods and the outer planes.
#12
Duke5150
Jun 30, 2010 3:57:51

Random thought for the day: What if Athas is on the far side of the Far Realms? That could explain the separation from gods and the outer planes.

So, the "Other Side" then? Now we have the known universe (astral sea, elemental chaos, middle world and it's echos) We've got the "OutSide"(far realm) which exists beyond the known universe and then we've got the "OtherSide" (athasian space) Which is home to things like flying dolphins, transforming whale/petunia ships and super advanced robot brain worlds that watch really bad tv shows.
#13
seker
Jun 30, 2010 6:51:07 heya pennarin, long time no see...

Yes this is me from way back in the epic section of athas.org.

Just been on hiatus for a long time from the desert lands. (been working on some other systems just for fun)

Though I am loving what I am seeing from 4ed darksun so far. (Some of the things like themes reminds me alot of how i was doing things in my d20 version of darksun I was working on.)
#14
xlorep_darkhelm
Jun 30, 2010 10:10:13
So, the "Other Side" then? Now we have the known universe (astral sea, elemental chaos, middle world and it's echos) We've got the "OutSide"(far realm) which exists beyond the known universe and then we've got the "OtherSide" (athasian space) Which is home to things like flying dolphins, transforming whale/petunia ships and super advanced robot brain worlds that watch really bad tv shows.

Oh, so basically the Doctor Who universe.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Pennarin Jun 25, 2010 23:08:59	Even though in regular D&D life was either created by primal spirits, primordials, or the gods, the Far Realm seems to exist independently of all of it: the creatures it spawns have older, mysterious beginnings, and even have their own origin, Aberrant. The designers for 4e Dark Sun have surely made the Far Realm fit within Athas' cosmology...but how? Ideas?
#2 ian.thomson Jun 26, 2010 8:57:18	I'm thinking something like the Outer Dark in the Conan stories, it's just this place where stuff comes from that you'd be better off not knowing about. Trying to make sense of it doesn't make sense because Ia Fthagn Cthulhu. Honestly, if it doesn't fit, then it kinda accomplishes it's purpose as the far realm.
#3 FlashbackJon Jun 26, 2010 16:10:59	I know this isn't what Pennarin is asking about, per se, but I know I'm curious as to whether or not there is a precedent in Athas' cut off cosmology for a place like the Far Realm. Since it's almost completely tied to the stars and astology, it seems like you could even include it without going metaplanar.
#4 ian.thomson Jun 26, 2010 20:17:55	Kinda what I was hinting at with the outer dark bit: the far realm is just the fantasy way of saying "outer space," "aberrations" are just the fantasy term for aliens. You could drop almost drop the Far Realm wholesale even into gamma world by calling it "outer space." Hm, the astral sea could be run as the local galaxy, or at least the solar system. After digging up my copy of MGP's Conan RPG, I think I'm going to use "outer dark" in place of "astral sea" and "beyond the outer dark" to refer to the far realms. I may also use "outer dark" as shorthand for both the astral sea and the far realms.
#5 Raddu76 Jun 27, 2010 11:47:25	"Unlike magic, which drew energy from the land and converted it into a spell, the force Agis was about to use came from somewhere other than Athas - though no one knew exactly where. Some practitioners believed they summoned it from another dimension." -- The Verdant Passage p71 My girlfriend and I are reading the Verdant Passage to gear up and get her into the setting and I came upon that passage and I immediately thought....Far Realm. Then when I got home was surprised to see this thread. What could be retcon'd to include aberration or what aberrations were already on Athas? The Pristine Tower could be a gate to the Far Realm that was instrumental in the altering of the Champions.
#6 arcanum_and_obscura Jun 27, 2010 11:55:48	Evangions look like an aberrant. Depending on the artist, the Dragon does too (like on the cover of Dragon Kings). He even goes insane for awhile.
#7 big_goon Jun 28, 2010 12:15:02	WotC has been throwing around references about the mutation caused by defiled terrain (see the sun-warped flats article). I don't know how much connection will exist between Athas and the far realms, but it does seem like mutations, aberrations, zombies-eating-your-brain might just be warped products of defiling. I'd also like to point the cosmic-powered-sorcerer in the Encounters game. Could Agis be a cosmic-powered sorcerer? No, but they might be talking to the same monster.
#8 seker Jun 29, 2010 7:46:38	Actually an interesting take would be that is why Athas is sealed off from the outer planes and the gods... Think about it the Rhulisti and the lifeshaping they did seems awfully familiar... think illithids technology. The mutation effects of the pristine tower... the brown tide... changing the sun... symbiots... It all really really fits with the aberrations. Add in the huge influence later of psionics... that arcane magic is strange and alters/drains the enviroment... The metamorphosis into dragons and avangions... All seem to fit with the far realms. So what if it is the powers the rhulisti wielded that sealed off athas... and the far realms are entwined with athas. (whether you are looking at portals to the far realms... there is an active link, underground perhaps.... or even athas actually is a far realm for other worlds... think about it all the races are twisted forms of the original races, and are they themselves are twisted degenerate forms of the original race.) just a thought.
#9 EhtoZed Jun 29, 2010 8:20:56	"Unlike magic, which drew energy from the land and converted it into a spell, the force Agis was about to use came from somewhere other than Athas - though no one knew exactly where. Some practitioners believed they summoned it from another dimension." -- The Verdant Passage p71 My girlfriend and I are reading the Verdant Passage to gear up and get her into the setting and I came upon that passage and I immediately thought....Far Realm. Then when I got home was surprised to see this thread. What could be retcon'd to include aberration or what aberrations were already on Athas? The Pristine Tower could be a gate to the Far Realm that was instrumental in the altering of the Champions. 4E psionics in the PHB3 already uses the far realm as an explanation for psionic magic. I don't have my book here but I think Ioun had soemthing to do with it. Personaly I found it kind of uninspiring and I wonder if they'll make any mention of it in the Campaign Guide.
#10 Pennarin Jun 29, 2010 10:29:36	seker? of I-know-you fame?
#11 phoenix_m Jun 30, 2010 2:25:39	Random thought for the day: What if Athas is on the far side of the Far Realms? That could explain the separation from gods and the outer planes.
#12 Duke5150 Jun 30, 2010 3:57:51	Random thought for the day: What if Athas is on the far side of the Far Realms? That could explain the separation from gods and the outer planes. So, the "Other Side" then? Now we have the known universe (astral sea, elemental chaos, middle world and it's echos) We've got the "OutSide"(far realm) which exists beyond the known universe and then we've got the "OtherSide" (athasian space) Which is home to things like flying dolphins, transforming whale/petunia ships and super advanced robot brain worlds that watch really bad tv shows.
#13 seker Jun 30, 2010 6:51:07	heya pennarin, long time no see... Yes this is me from way back in the epic section of athas.org. Just been on hiatus for a long time from the desert lands. (been working on some other systems just for fun) Though I am loving what I am seeing from 4ed darksun so far. (Some of the things like themes reminds me alot of how i was doing things in my d20 version of darksun I was working on.)
#14 xlorep_darkhelm Jun 30, 2010 10:10:13	So, the "Other Side" then? Now we have the known universe (astral sea, elemental chaos, middle world and it's echos) We've got the "OutSide"(far realm) which exists beyond the known universe and then we've got the "OtherSide" (athasian space) Which is home to things like flying dolphins, transforming whale/petunia ships and super advanced robot brain worlds that watch really bad tv shows. Oh, so basically the Doctor Who universe.