But the reason, I think, that the concept of Dark Sun is so intriguing, is that it follows a fantasy setting to its logical conclusion. Arcane Magic must have a power source, and in this world it is the life essence of plants and other living creatures. I also appreciate how the setting makes subtle commentary on humans discovering a power source, and then recklessly abusing it and taking the world to the brink. I know this is a bit of a tangent off of the Tarrasque, but this has a point, I promise.
Well, this legendary thread on rpg.net applied the same concepts to the Tarrasque as a monster. Basically, it takes the 3.5 Tarrasque's insane regeneration stats, exploits it, following it to a possible logical conclusion. To summarize, the beast was captured with enchanted adamantine chains, and a city-state was formed around it to contain and monitor the beast. However, the inhabitants eventually discovered that the Tarrasque could be harvested for sustenence, reagents, durable materials, and studied at great length. Eventually the ruling class of this city, "Tarraston", inherited some of the properties of the beast by consuming it regularly. They continually vivisect and harvest the beast, and it will regenerate at an alarming rate - a virtually limitless resource.
The Tarrasque's blood and meat is able to sustain the city indefinitely. Its elite warrior class is outfitted with Tarrasque-hide armor and razor sharp bone weapons. Crops around the city can be irrigated by blood, reducing the need for water.
The point is, is that this seems to fit into the world of Athas almost perfectly. The initiator of this reviling exploitation? A sorcerer-king. The elite class that now depends on the twisted arcane power granted by this arrangement? Templars. The scarcity of water, metal, and other resources on Athas are problems all addressed by harvesting the Tarrasque. A massive slave population is needed to sustain such an immense operation. Such a city-state would be under totalitarian rule, with literacy and education restricted to prevent any unsanctioned magic users from interfering in this operation. This powerful city-state has many unique and valuable resources to trade, and integrates perfectly into the merchant culture that is so prominent in the Tyr region. And, overall, this is such a disgusting exploitation of life, it is the perfect act of Arcane Defiling.
Not to mention the really clever symbolism it has - The embodiment of man's exploitation of the natural world, heedless of the consequences. Following a fantasy element to its logical conclusion. This idea is also very ironic in a way, for perhaps the beast has to feed. This city-state then has to mobilize to round up slaves, rural desert dwellers, nomadic tribes, and perhaps prisoners from an adjacent civilization, all in order to feed the beast. The Tarrasque, presumably, still awakens every few years or so to devour as much as it can. And so its captors take on the original nature of the Tarrasque, rampaging the countryside and consuming anything they can find in order to sustain an insatiable hunger (maybe even forests, stone, obsidian, etc.) In this way, it is comparable to the levy of hundreds (or thousands) of slaves that the Dragon-King demands from every city-state. I know in some Dark Sun lore, this arrangement does not seem to be sustainable. Perhaps feeding the Tarrasque is not either? Or perhaps it truly is an infinite resource, with a terrible cost.
Since I am not extremely well-versed in Dark Sun lore, I still wonder about some of the specifics of this. I know, for example, that some of the Sorcerer-Kings are missing. Could one of them have plausibly founded this city-state? Also, how would this tie in to the Dragon-King, and his tithe? Perhaps this nation refuses to pay up? How would other Sorcerer-Kings react to such a powerful city-state? Where would such a city belong in the Tablelands? (I was thinking Road of Kings region.)
And as for possible problems... do you think this is workable in Athas? Does this perhaps overcome too many restrictions (scarcity of resources), or maybe imbalance the economy of the Tyr region?
Anyway, I'm open to any thoughts or additional ideas. I am already pretty set on including it in my Dark Sun campaign, but I wonder what other DMs and players think of this. And, lastly, sorry for the wall of text.
My only suggestion is staying away from using the Tarrasque as the plot hook there. Past incarnations link that creature to the gods and on a whole isn't very "Athasian." Make something up or maybe sub-in a modified Nightmare Beast.
Then again, I must be one of the few people who can emphasize with a creature known for devouring entire continents...
My only suggestion is staying away from using the Tarrasque as the plot hook there. Past incarnations link that creature to the gods and on a whole isn't very "Athasian." Make something up or maybe sub-in a modified Nightmare Beast.
I don't know about older editions, but as far as I remember in 3.5, the Monster Manual entry left the origins of the Tarrasque pretty ambiguous, presumably to allow DMs to customize it. It did, however, suggest at some possible origins for the creature.
In the 4.0 MM, it is pretty specific.
"The tarrasque is a living engine of destruction created by the primordials to obliterate the works of the gods. It sleeps within the world's core, stirring occasionally. When it wakes, it burrows up to the surface and begins a continent-wide rampage ... The tarraqsue is inexorably bound to the world ..."
It does have something to do with gods, but 4e Dark Sun is a world in which the Primordials overcame the Gods. As far as the 4e Tarrasque goes, it makes sense for a weapon of the primordials to be abandoned and forgotten, and subsequently exploited by mortals. They already defeated the gods, so they just left their creation behind, as it is bound to the material plane.
Then again, I must be one of the few people who can emphasize with a creature known for devouring entire continents...
Well, yeah, the idea is ethically appalling. But that seems to be a pretty consistent trend in Dark sun... the world is a harsh, savage, and cruel place.
And as for possible problems... do you think this is workable in Athas? Does this perhaps overcome too many restrictions (scarcity of resources), or maybe imbalance the economy of the Tyr region?
Anyway, I'm open to any thoughts or additional ideas. I am already pretty set on including it in my Dark Sun campaign, but I wonder what other DMs and players think of this. And, lastly, sorry for the wall of text.
My biggest gripe is the "free" resources aspect (as if killing a Terrasque is free...).
As you know, the Divine Power source is gone. The Arcane power source drains life form land around it (even preserving magic). Psionic power drains life from the user (this is detailed in some of the Dark Sun novels... but I don't know if this is written in the campaign setting).
The point is, while different kinds of magic exist, the energy and power must come from some source. Nothing is free - everything has its cost.
While I respect the idea, and it might work... there might be some residual consequences to the growth. The Terrasque might drain the land of resources while it regenerates. The blood and flesh is corrosive and/or toxic, and mutates or poisons individuals who drink from it. The hide is defiler-aspected, and slowly corrodes the wearer. The corpse eats away at the fabric between worlds, demon spawn and promordial creatures slowly leak from the Abyss or other planes and begin attacking the town and as time passes, greater demons start to pass through. Etc...
And as for possible problems... do you think this is workable in Athas? Does this perhaps overcome too many restrictions (scarcity of resources), or maybe imbalance the economy of the Tyr region?
Anyway, I'm open to any thoughts or additional ideas. I am already pretty set on including it in my Dark Sun campaign, but I wonder what other DMs and players think of this. And, lastly, sorry for the wall of text.
My biggest gripe is the "free" resources aspect (as if killing a Terrasque is free...).
As you know, the Divine Power source is gone. The Arcane power source drains life form land around it (even preserving magic). Psionic power drains life from the user (this is detailed in some of the Dark Sun novels... but I don't know if this is written in the campaign setting).
The point is, while different kinds of magic exist, the energy and power must come from some source. Nothing is free - everything has its cost.
While I respect the idea, and it might work... there might be some residual consequences to the growth. The Terrasque might drain the land of resources while it regenerates. The blood and flesh is corrosive and/or toxic, and mutates or poisons individuals who drink from it. The hide is defiler-aspected, and slowly corrodes the wearer. The corpse eats away at the fabric between worlds, demon spawn and promordial creatures slowly leak from the Abyss or other planes and begin attacking the town and as time passes, greater demons start to pass through. Etc...
Yeah, there will be residual effects. Consuming the blood and flesh constantly will warp the inhabitants of the city. The nobles of the city will be consuming pure blood and the most potent meat, gaining regeneration and a long lifespan, at the cost of entirely warping their physiology. The warrior and templar caste will bathe themselves in the blood, and I would like to have a specific paragon path or theme to that effect. Or a template of some sort to add to them. Not quite sure.
If I include the tarrasque in the DS game that I'd like to run one of these days, I'm probably gonna have it be the source of food and building materials for Ur Draxa. No negative effects, but take out the Dragon and bang! Tarrasque wandering the Tyr region. The people would probably begin worshipping the Tarrasque as the Dragon, thinking the heroes only angered the Dragon.
Borys could certainly take down the Tarrasque, but it would be a lot of trouble. The Dragon would pretty much be grounded, and would have to rely on the fact that he gets to act multiple times a round, has better range, and is harder to hit (even without flight). The main advantage the Dragon has is that the Tarrasque is, in the end, a big, dumb, animal who won't be able to form some really good tactics that the Dragon would use constantly, nor gather any allies. After coming back for a second fight, Borys would make darn sure to keep it alive but captive.
Alternatively, the Tarrasque could be wandering around on some other part of Athas. The area covered is only a small part of the world. Or maybe the world it's bound to is one of Athas's lush moons (there's a reason it's not inhabited!).
It's a good idea that could make for some interesting gaming. Don't get too hung up on supposed 'canon'. Just do what will be cool and fun for your group.
Agreed! The best thing about RPG's is that you get to change things to suit you. Don't play in Wizard's Dark Sun, play in Your dark sun!
I think the tarrasque idea is awesome.
Alternatively, the Tarrasque could be wandering around on some other part of Athas. The area covered is only a small part of the world. Or maybe the world it's bound to is one of Athas's lush moons (there's a reason it's not inhabited!).
Or perhapse someone on one of the other Material Plane worlds such as Oerth or Toril managed to banish it via some epic level spell to an alternate world (Athas).
I'm not sure where I read this, but I remember seeing that Dregoth also did some planar traveling in search of a means to achieve his goals to ascend to true godhood, so this may be worth looking at as well. Dregoth's almost as powerful as The Dragon (having needed only one more step to become a second Dragon if I remember correctly) and could have subdued and captured the Tarrasque in order to bring it back as either said means to achieving godhood (The Tarrasque is most often classified as an abomination, all of which bear a divine spark from their deific parent, which I'm sure the Dread King would wast no time in "harvesting") or as a useful tool and endless supply for his defiling magics to give him the edge over the other Sorcerer Kings until he could claim the means to his ascension.