For those of you who may not know, Athas is a fictional world in the setting known as Dark Sun. Dark Sun was written by Troy Denning and Tim Brown and was published by TSR, Inc., in 1991 for the 2nd Edition Dungeons and Dragons® game. The setting was strikingly illustrated by renowned fantasy artist Gerald Brom. Dark Sun offered a compelling new vision for the Dungeons and Dragons game, one that broke free of the traditional medieval trappings of fantasy roleplaying. Troy Denning went on to write a five-part novel series, the Prism Pentad, telling the story of the revolution in Tyr and the downfall of the sorcerer-kings. More than thirty game supplements, adventures, and boxed sets supported the setting, along with novels, short stories, and articles in Dragon Magazine. The setting made a brief return in 4th edition Dungeons and Dragons as a response to its somewhat cult following. The fan base was not the most plentiful but it was enthusiastic. It still is today. Dark Sun 5th Edition materials can be found permeating every homebrew site on every corner of the internet and Dark Sun artwork is still in high demand.

So why do people love it so much?

Dark Sun deviated from the traditional high-fantasy setting and the tropes of Dungeons & Dragons that fans were familiar with and created its own new spin on fantasy. The traditional medieval fantasy settings of Greyhawk and Forgotten Realms were abandoned in favor of a scorched earth, post-apocalyptic desert setting. The high technology themes of Spelljammer and Eberron are certainly not present in Dark Sun. Simply having a weapon made of steel was akin to possessing the most advanced technology in the world.

Magic was illegal, psionics ran rampant, every racial trope of fantasy races was turned upside down, Gods did not exist, the world was cut off from the outer planes, classes changed, fierce monsters with the simple agenda of feeding were often a bigger threat than your fellow man (but not always). Many times the adventure was to simply survive.

In short, Dark Sun was a blast. And still remains a blast to this day, for those who dare to journey to the scorched lands of Athas.

It’s certainly not for everyone though. There is a level of micromanagement when it comes to materials, supplies, water and rations that requires planning and thinking. Playing flamboyant spellcasters is pretty much a big no-no and the themes of survival can sometimes be daunting and tedious to a new player. The setting has an overarching theme of oppression and violence that some may not be comfortable with. The familiar tropes of a fantasy knight or a religious cleric were not found here for those who wanted to stick to them. Many found themselves enamored with the contrast of this setting to the rest, myself included. But if it’s not your cup of tea, that’s totally okay.

So how can you find out if a Dark Sun game is right for you? Well, let me break down a few of the major characteristics of Athas, as defined by the published adventures so that you can decide.

