Link is here:
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/mi/20090410a
Obsidian swords are not a concept unique to Darksun.
There will be no confirmation of Darksun until WotC specifically and officially announces the fact. All that occurs between now and then is strictly rumor and conjecture regardless of how true any given fact may be.
That said...I certainly hope it does mean Darksun's in...but if the post before mine is true, it's likely not related to Darksun at all.
Even if it were some sort of direct reference to Darksun, and even if it did indeed mean that Darksun would be the next setting, it is not specifically and directly confirmation of the fact.
There will be no confirmation of Darksun until WotC specifically and officially announces the fact. All that occurs between now and then is strictly rumor and conjecture regardless of how true any given fact may be.
That said...I certainly hope it does mean Darksun's in...but if the post before mine is true, it's likely not related to Darksun at all.
They did say that this month we'd get hints in the Previews.
I'm more inclined to see this as confirmation that someone in the DDM sculpting/design team is a fan of the Malazan Book of the Fallen. That's freaking Karsa Orlong!
Obsidian swords are not a concept unique to Darksun.
"Lead us, war leader!"
@ Duskweaver: I don't get your reference. The only thing I can guess at from what you said is "Malazan" might be from the campaign setting Maztica? 'Cuz if not, than Athas, the world of the Darksun is a good guess because name me another TSR setting where Obsidian features so prominantly, or even at all...
@ Jhanzur: Yep.
Duskweaver: I don't get your reference.
That's OK. I wasn't really being serious anyway. The Malazan Book of the Fallen is a series of novels by a Canadian author called Steven Erikson. They're really quite good, if you don't mind the truly absurd number of named characters (most of whom don't survive through even one book). The world they're set in started life as a homebrew RPG setting, although for GURPS rather than D&D IIRC.
That 'goliath' is still blatantly Karsa Orlong. To me, anyway.
(Then again, I never played Darksun, so I might be missing something)
Except in 4e the material your weapon is made out of doesn't matter much, and obsidian is a real-world material. I think it's a stretch.
(Then again, I never played Darksun, so I might be missing something)
Darksun, Iron (Thusly steel) is scarce. So, they instead make weapons from materials like Bone/Obsidian more commonly.
1. Darksun has been covered in Dragon.
2. Defilers in the April Fools joke.
3. Obsidian weapons.
4. Timing of Eberron & Psionics.
It adds up, but we don't have that final puzzle piece. Now if Amazon will just spoil things for us. :D
Okay, look at it this way:
1. Darksun has been covered in Dragon.
2. Defilers in the April Fools joke.
3. Obsidian weapons.
4. Timing of Eberron & Psionics.
It adds up, but we don't have that final puzzle piece. Now if Amazon will just spoil things for us. :D
I do believe that Athas was also mentioned in the Manual of the Planes. I don't have the book, though (but I wish I did!), so I can't confirm.
Most hints so far have really been pointed towards Dark Sun. At any rate, it fits the PoL premise really well, and I would be delighted to finally see official support for it (having never played 2e).
I am still of the belief/impression that it will be 1 new power source per PHB.
I do not believe Psionics has been confirmed for the PHB 3. I just think people are just hoping tremendously for it.
I am still of the belief/impression that it will be 1 new power source per PHB.
See, I believe there is no way that would happen. Its bad for sales. Why make the PH3, 4, and 5 only for one power source each when you can split the power sources among the three books and get fans of x source to buy at least 2 of the 3 other Players Handbooks.
See, I believe there is no way that would happen. Its bad for sales. Why make the PH3, 4, and 5 only for one power source each when you can split the power sources among the three books and get fans of x source to buy at least 2 of the 3 other Players Handbooks.
Because the edition only has a certain life expectancy. And unless its 4 yrs they would run out of power sources rather quickly. What we have seen in the PHB2 is most likely what we should expect to see for the life expectancy of the edition.
Just speculation but we will just have to see what they preview us the next several months. That will give us the hints we need as to what will be in the PHB3
4. Timing of Eberron & Psionics.
Psionics hasn't been confirmed for any particular time yet AFAIK, and I'm not sure that Eberron (much less its timing) serves to prove anything about Dark Sun.
That said, I'll be a lot happier about Dark Sun than I'll be about Dragonlance.
Psionics hasn't been confirmed for any particular time yet AFAIK, and I'm not sure that Eberron (much less its timing) serves to prove anything about Dark Sun.
That said, I'll be a lot happier about Dark Sun than I'll be about Dragonlance.
1. Eberron support Psionics.
2. Psionics rules have been hinted at recently by Rouse at ENWorld. (Sure it was a word jumble, but COMEON!)
3. Psionics and KI have shown up in the past usually with each other.
Shall I go on?
3. Psionics and KI have shown up in the past usually with each other.
Something of a devil's advocate stance here, but ... examples?
Something of a devil's advocate stance here, but ... examples?
Planescape. Mostly the Githyanki/zerai crossover material. Also, often we would have a lot of cross pollination of concept in 3.X era.
1. Eberron support Psionics.
2. Psionics rules have been hinted at recently by Rouse at ENWorld. (Sure it was a word jumble, but COMEON!)
3. Psionics and KI have shown up in the past usually with each other.
Shall I go on?
That's all pretty circumstantial, TLC.
Let's be straight here: I think you're probably right about Dark Sun. That said, I don't think that all of the things you're citing as "evidence" are nearly as meaningful as you seem to think.
Okay, look at it this way:
1. Darksun has been covered in Dragon.
I must have missed it. Which issue was that?
I do believe that Athas was also mentioned in the Manual of the Planes. I don't have the book, though (but I wish I did!), so I can't confirm.
Athas is mentioned once, along with Oerth, Kyrnn, and a few others. No details, just a name drop.
Most hints so far have really been pointed towards Dark Sun. At any rate, it fits the PoL premise really well, and I would be delighted to finally see official support for it (having never played 2e).
Please please please please please...
Because the edition only has a certain life expectancy. And unless its 4 yrs they would run out of power sources rather quickly. What we have seen in the PHB2 is most likely what we should expect to see for the life expectancy of the edition.
I rather think they'll stop making PHBs after a certain point. I know the idea is "1 PHB, DMG and MM per year", but like all marketing plans the unspoken addendum is "for now". When they can't come up with enough stuff to fill a book they think we'll buy, they'll switch to doing something else.
I must have missed it. Which issue was that?
It was a 3rd Edition conversion in the dead-tree version of Dragon.
I must have missed it. Which issue was that?
Dragon 364
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/drcamp/20080630
It was a 3rd Edition conversion in the dead-tree version of Dragon.
Actually, there was also an article on 4e hazards in issue 364. Not much to go on, but still.
I'm agnostic on what the next setting will be, BTW. I'm hoping NOT Greyhawk or Dragonlance, but other than that I'd be fine with anything.
I rather think they'll stop making PHBs after a certain point. I know the idea is "1 PHB, DMG and MM per year", but like all marketing plans the unspoken addendum is "for now". When they can't come up with enough stuff to fill a book they think we'll buy, they'll switch to doing something else.
I agree. Personally, I think that following a "___ Power" book for all eight power sources, they'll be looking at publishing a 4E revision (which will NOT be called 4.5E). By that point, there will be a huge number of options available to characters which will probably need at least some rebalancing. Additionally, by that time the core books will probably be 5 years old, so a refurbishing will be in order.
People tend to forget that every edition of D&D has had a signficant revision at some point, and personally, I think a revision would be a good thing. It would improve 4E, and extend its lifespan for a few extra years, during which time the product line could be buoyed by additional published adventures and campaign settings for perhaps even another five years.
That's all pretty circumstantial, TLC.
All I really have to work with is circumstantial though. Note in my original post, we lack that final piece of credible evidence. But since I'm floating in the realm of conjecture, that's what I got to work with.
All I really have to work with is circumstantial though. Note in my original post, we lack that final piece of credible evidence. But since I'm floating in the realm of conjecture, that's what I got to work with.
Sure, but if we're floating in the realm of conjecture, then "confirmed" isn't really an appropriate word at all. :P
Sure, but if we're floating in the realm of conjecture, then "confirmed" isn't really an appropriate word at all. :P
I agree, but I didn't start this thread.
This would be the 2nd such hint I've seen that suggests Dark Sun as the next setting.
I agree, but I didn't start this thread.
Not to mention, the OP didn't say, "Dark Sun, confirmed!", he said, Darksun confirmed?!". In other words, it was an exclamatory question, not an exclamation.
And yes, this looks to be a second possible hint, along with the explicit mentioning of the defiler in the witchalok article.
Plus, in Ampersand this month, they mentioned Bill Slavicsek's history, out of the blue, 11 issues in, in a sidebar labeled "In Case You Don't Know Him". In that sidebar, they mention the older edition D&D settings he has worked on. Those are Dark Sun, Ravenloft, and Spelljammer. Of those, the latter two are already folded in to the Points of Light and D&D core in general. Eberron is also mentioned, as a newer setting under his belt, which is the 2009 setting. There appears to be no rational reasoning behind the addition of this sidebar now, at this late a date in the magazine's online run, other than to possibly provide the hint we were told about. It seems quite out of place.
Now, that last bit is obviously also complete conjecture, as is all the information we've been provided. However, each one has mentioned Dark Sun, or been somehow linked to said setting.
Not to mention, the OP didn't say, "Dark Sun, confirmed!", he said, Darksun confirmed?!". In other words, it was an exclamatory question, not an exclamation.
And yes, this looks to be a second possible hint, along with the explicit mentioning of the defiler in the witchalok article.
Plus, in Ampersand this month, they mentioned Bill Slavicsek's history, out of the blue, 11 issues in, in a sidebar labeled "In Case You Don't Know Him". In that sidebar, they mention the older edition D&D settings he has worked on. Those are Dark Sun, Ravenloft, and Spelljammer. Of those, the latter two are already folded in to the Points of Light and D&D core in general. Eberron is also mentioned, as a newer setting under his belt, which is the 2009 setting. There appears to be no rational reasoning behind the addition of this sidebar now, at this late a date in the magazine's online run, other than to possibly provide the hint we were told about. It seems quite out of place.
Now, that last bit is obviously also complete conjecture, as is all the information we've been provided. However, each one has mentioned Dark Sun, or been somehow linked to said setting.
The Witchalock article probably isn't a very reliable hint, considering it was an April fool's joke, and written by the Penny Arcade crew.
The Witchalock article probably isn't a very reliable hint, considering it was an April fool's joke, and written by the Penny Arcade crew.
It's actually the perfect way to put out such a hint. Remember, hints aren't supposed to be giant hammers smacking you in the face. They are supposed to be subtle, to the point where you shouldn't even ever be sure that it actually is a hint at all.
The Witchalock article probably isn't a very reliable hint, considering it was an April fool's joke, and written by the Penny Arcade crew.
The use of the term "defilers" there is utterly out of place, both from the Penny Arcade perspective, and from the perspective of a traditional take on D&D being twisted for April Fool's. Just because it was written by the PA crew does NOT mean that WotC didn't look it over, ask if a single word could be changed, and thus edit in the hint.
I would not say ANY article that actually makes it to WotC's site or publications "isn't a very reliable hint" by simple virtue of having to go through WotC editors, and then be approved by those same editors or their supervisors. In other words, it only sees publication through the WotC filter. Which means it is fair game for such shenanigans as changing one word to "defilers".
Note the sentence in question: "Defilers entertain children at Witchalok birthday parties."
Literally ANY name of ANY wicked-oriented class could replace the word "defilers" in that sentence without changing its meaning and connotation whatsoever. For all we know, that word was originally "sorcerers", or "witches", or "blackguards", or "evil clowns".
No, that article cannot be ruled out, sorry.
Well they did say we would get hints this month towards what the next setting is, didn't they?
This would be the 2nd such hint I've seen that suggests Dark Sun as the next setting.
The implication was that the hints would be in Ampersand. While it is certainly possible that they could release them elsewhere, the place that they said hints would be was in the next few Ampersands.
Plus, in Ampersand this month, they mentioned Bill Slavicsek's history, out of the blue, 11 issues in, in a sidebar labeled "In Case You Don't Know Him". In that sidebar, they mention the older edition D&D settings he has worked on. Those are Dark Sun, Ravenloft, and Spelljammer. Of those, the latter two are already folded in to the Points of Light and D&D core in general. Eberron is also mentioned, as a newer setting under his belt, which is the 2009 setting. There appears to be no rational reasoning behind the addition of this sidebar now, at this late a date in the magazine's online run, other than to possibly provide the hint we were told about. It seems quite out of place.
Are you talking about the bar that has been in multiple Ampersands already? At the very least it goes back to 372. I'm sure if I looked furth back it would be there too. Every author has one of those after their articles, and has for as long as I can recall.
Are you talking about the bar that has been in multiple Ampersands already? At the very least it goes back to 372. I'm sure if I looked furth back it would be there too. Every author has one of those after their articles, and has for as long as I can recall.
So they did. I'm so used to seeing that in the actual issues, as a non-bolded bit at the END, ala the "About the Author" blurbs at the end of each article, that I didn't even realize that they do it as a quote-blocked, colored sidebar in the excerpt version. Thus, that I read this one outside of the issue itself, rather than the way I normally read Ampersand, made the sidebar format stuck in the center of the article stand out like a sore thumb, when compared to the method by which they stick it unobtrusively at the end of the article in the issues themselves.
So, no, that isn't evidence at all, and I retract that statement. :D
However, the "defilers" bit in the Witchalok article, and the obsidian-sword wielding goliath miniature preview do both still stand out as potential previews. These stand out even more in light of the other major game worlds receiving no hints whatsoever (and no, I do not consider Planescape and Ravenloft to be major worlds, especially with the 4E convention of folding them into the core lore itself, in the PoL setting and beyond).
I'm agnostic on what the next setting will be, BTW. I'm hoping NOT Greyhawk or Dragonlance, but other than that I'd be fine with anything.
I'm fine with anything. 'Cause if I don't like it, I won't buy it, and it won't matter.
I might get the Player's guide if there's something awesome in there I can put in my homebrew or Eberron games, but past that ... I can't think of any CS I'm really 'wanting' to see after Eberron.Not to mention, the OP didn't say, "Dark Sun, confirmed!", he said, Darksun confirmed?!". In other words, it was an exclamatory question, not an exclamation.
(Insert Princess Bride quote regarding others' perceptions of word meanings.)
Something is either confirmed or it isn't confirmed. Since it obviously is not confirmed, that's all there is to it; the word "confirmed" currently has no place in this discussion.
The word you are looking for is "speculated".
(Insert Princess Bride quote regarding others' perceptions of word meanings.)
Something is either confirmed or it isn't confirmed. Since it obviously is not confirmed, that's all there is to it; the word "confirmed" currently has no place in this discussion.
The word you are looking for is "speculated".
No no, the word he is looking for is not speculated. It is one one level higher, at least according to my newly created chart!
Order of Confirmation Levels From Highest to Lowest
-Published
-Confirmed
-Potentially Confirmed
-Likely
-Hinted
-Potentially Hinted(where Dark Sun is)
-Speculated
-I Just Made It Up
-Never Suggested
Now learn the chart, and take it to heart. And don't even think of applying the chart onto the chart. Bad things happen when you do that.:P
No no, the word he is looking for is not speculated. It is one one level higher, at least according to my newly created chart!
Order of Confirmation Levels From Highest to Lowest
-Published
-Confirmed
-Potentially Confirmed
-Likely
-Hinted
-Potentially Hinted(where Dark Sun is)
-Speculated
-I Just Made It Up
-Never Suggested
Now learn the chart, and take it to heart. And don't even think of applying the chart onto the chart. Bad things happen when you do that.:P
lol If it wasn't you posting this, R, I'd have thumbed my nose indignantly at it.
I still might. :P