Dark Sun Campaign Setting The Complete Guide

#darksun #dungeonsanddragons #rpg
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Dark Sun is the grimdark, post-apocalyptic role-playing game you've always wanted but were too scared to try! This video is the complete guide a new player will need to understand the history, peoples, politics and ecology of the brutal world of Athas.
Let me know how you feel about this (not-quite) forgotten campaign setting,what stories you have about playing it or if you want to try it for the first time. Most important of all should the Dark Sun make it way to 5th edition dungeons and dragons? Get ready for a world of sorcerer-kings, savage halflings, scorching deserts and a scarlet sun!
Chapters
0:00 - Intro
0:35 - Blue Age
3:24 - The Green Age
6:35 - The Cleansing Wars
12:43 - The Age of Sorcerer-Kings
15:08 - Ecology of Athas
25:30 - Creatures of Athas
39:04 - The City-States
1:03:09 Races of Athas
1:04:05 - Elves
1:13:40 - Dwarves
1:16:55 - Halflings
1:21:00 - Aaracokra
1:24:12 - Thri-Kreen
1:32:32 - Muls
1:37:35 - Half-Giants
1:44:32 - Humans
1:46:42 - Weapons and Armor
1:51:02 - Historical Influences on Dark Sun
1:54:18 - Classes of Athas Gladiators
1:58:25 - Defilers and Preservers
2:06:13 - Deities Elemental Priests Druids
2:15:07 - Psionics
2:23:04 - Literary Influences on Dark Sun
2:28:53 - Dark Sun Video Games
2:33:24 - Conclusion
Links
Website for all things Dark Sun: www.athas.org/
Neverwinter Nights Mods: neverwintervault.org/project/...
neverwintervault.org/project/...
KZbin Music Attribution
echos of time
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inner sanctum
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heart of the beast
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it is lost
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desert city
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midnight in the graveyard
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mind scrape
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Constance the descent
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chanter vadodara
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atlantis
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metaphysik
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chee zee jungle primal drive
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lightless dawn
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[@thecosmic8248]

“The titanic overconsumption of a few has left a thousand lifetimes of hardship for everyone else.” I love escapist fantasy hahahaha (:

[@VictorianTimeTraveler]

Okay, this isn't even a fictional setting. This is just an accurate representation of what it's like to live in New Mexico.

[@FlyingAxblade_D20]

LOL! i heard that

[@jacobjensen7704]

Lololol, El Paso native hears ya.

[@sifublackirishdiamondjedi4197]

i agree, i lived in albuquerque and aztec

[@RavelLopez]

ABQ here, can confirm

[@JackPassmore]

I miss ABQ! New Mexico is heaven next to Texas Gulf Coast!

[@cord113]

This is the perfect campaign setting for demonstrating the old saying "it's easy to be a saint in heaven".

[@chazzwozzio]

Reminds me of that one speech made by Ben Cisqo

[@JimothyTheGreen]

My concern is not that Wizards of the Coast won't make an attempt at Dark Sun, my concern is that they will but it won't be good.

[@1986fritzthecat]

I mean... not everything nostalgic has to be remade. Some things can just exist in the time they were made. While I always thought the setting sounded interesting, I never played a campaign in the setting because I'm just not sure how fun it would actually be.

[@philknecht3598]

@@1986fritzthecat psionics are fubar now. They’re just magic. There’d have to be preserver/defiler psychics and that would be dumb. There won’t be a faithful dark sun.

[@VictorianTimeTraveler]

Judging by the new management I would say that you're right The fact is though; the setting exist and no one can stop you from playing in it and perhaps adapting the rules. I for example like to mix some rules from the lesser-known game MYFAROG in with D&D

[@philknecht3598]

@@VictorianTimeTraveler bad decisions are still bad decisions.

[@VictorianTimeTraveler]

@@1986fritzthecat I bet you could make it fun I just heard about the setting today and it seems very interesting. it sort of reminds me of Warhammer 40K. I ran a game in that setting it was well; I thought it was fun, people told me it was all right. the problem was that I was the only person at the table who understood the setting... the lesson for me in that was know your audience Now that I think it over. what went wrong in that game was that I had planned to begin the game by first giving a monologue in my best cool narrator's voice about the *Grim darkness of the far future* well one of the problems was that everyone had already made their characters and they were all half elves and Orcs... well... if you know the setting that totally threw a wrench into where I was going to have them start so I had find a way to make it work Again they did say that it was pretty fun but I still feel like I failed because I was a little bit too much in my own head and I wasn't really considering the type of game that they would want to play

[@erichooper2794]

How is everyone so ripped in darksun without any food

[@michaelsnow1]

That's exactly what I was thinking when watching the Hunger Games

[@Johnosaka]

No carbs, bro. Keto diet grants +1 str and con. Come with -2 penalty to charisma.

[@2013Arcturus]

Go to Haiti, they are all ripped. Low carb, high proteins and constant labor

[@aa-yt7wo]

Everyone who isn't ripped gets eaten by people who are

[@raixuh]

Genetics 😆

[@Minnesota_Fatts]

The first AD&D campaign I was in took place in Dark Sun. The DM had us roll evil or morally ambiguous characters for two or three levels on Faerûn, only to get caught and given a choice: death and damnation to the Hells, or planar banishment to Athas. We all took the latter. It was *the best* campaign I’ve ever played with 2nd Edition.

[@henryruizmeeden]

players should drive the campaign...not odd dm either/or choices...

[@Minnesota_Fatts]

@@henryruizmeeden Not the point.

[@eosdawn6399]

DM didn't drive the campaign based on what he said. What he did is equivalent to rolling stats. Secondly: DM gave options: banished or killed. Reasonable for getting caught. Additional options weren't made because players most likely didn't negotiate, or didn't do it well. We don't know based off OP message, and that's what needs to be known to determine who's driven what.

[@Minnesota_Fatts]

@@eosdawn6399 iirc our DM pitched the campaign as “John Carter meets 1001 Arabian Nights.” We knew that world travel was going to come into the equation, we just didn’t know HOW or WHEN it would happen. There’s a whole host of shenaniganry that could backfire on a ragtag gang of selfish pricks like we were, a good old fashioned portal malfunction would have done the trick just as well as getting captured by a knightly order and put to trial. Knowing now, years later, how Dark Sun PCs *start* at 3rd or 4th level, I think it was an opportunity to flesh out our characters and play style for the inevitable trip/banishment/stuck-in/whatever to Athas and what happened thereafter.

[@eosdawn6399]

@@Minnesota_Fatts c:

[@dragongrazer7620]

Back in the ancient times of 2:nd ed, we played alot of dark sun. My tri-kreen ranger had alot of fun creeping out the elf in the party, by always staring at it while it slept. Also, always volunteering at burying any raiders or bandits that attacked us, and for some reason, his rations were always plentiful *clicks innocently with mandibles* 😇🍖

[@shaftlamer]

Creeping out someone who sleeps?

[@patricklukcy13]

​@@shaftlamerelves don't "sleep" they go into a trance. They could easily observe things around them in the trance.

[@shaftlamer]

@@patricklukcy13 😃

[@contentsdiffer5958]

That was a favorite activity of many a tri-kreen.

[@AlphariusHydra20]

He’s just a little mantis.

[@Reoh0z]

A Halfling & a Thri-Kreen walk into an Elven restaurant, the Hostess screams.

[@FrarmerFrank]

Oh, is that what happened? Had a TriKeen and Halfling in my party while playing Shattered Lands. In fact I had the TriKeen as Leader usually and there was times I had to change the leader becaue someone would refuse to speak to my Trikreen

[@Kelgrafar]

Oh wow, in Baldur's Gate 2 there is a travelling planar sphere that shifted into Faerun. When you enter you meet a party from the Greyhawk setting and they mention a group of halfling cannibals in the next room. They're from the Dark Sun setting! That's cool.. I've never explored this setting. Thanks for your hard work putting this together--

[@cord113]

Just a quick correction, the party you meet in the planar sphere aren't from Greyhawk. They're Knights of Solamnia from Krynn, the world of The Dragonlance Chronicles.

[@Muck006]

The novels set on the Dark Sun are really great ... in that they describe psionic combat "in words" ... instead of "stat-like" ... i.e. a lot of "the attacker transforming into a monster and the defender shaping his mind world (where the combat takes place) to deal with it". That was a really extraordinary description.

[@MrNetWraith]

People keep asserting that Dark Sun never EVER had gods, when in fact the lore actually states that they don't have gods NOW, with the Sorcerer-Kings and Elements taking their place. Athas did once have deities during the Green Age, as explained by the presence of Raaigs; the ancient ghosts of clerics and paladins who still haunt the sacred sites and ruins of long-lost faiths, warding them against any who would defile them.

[@njalsand133]

Instead they used the sun as a mana battery, close neough to a God machine I suppose

[@WizardJim]

You can blame the revised edition for that, pg. 16 states that Athas does not have the spiritual conduits that allow the transfer of energy from worshipper to god, and that consequently gods never formed and never will.

[@remingtonsloan8331]

That might be because the basis for Dark Sun in 4e was "what if the gods had lost the Dawn War?", and so it was stated that there were never any gods. 4e had its own really interesting lore.

[@docnecrotic]

I prefer a weird ambiguity, alongside the uniqueness of the defilers, elemental cults and more. I hated what 4E did by cramming Points of Light style into the setting... but it did that to every setting it touched.

[@paulgibbon5991]

The insertion of the 4e cosmology into EVERY setting (poor FR, what did they do to you?!) was far less jarring in Dark Sun than elsewhere because by the time the game is set in, it's irrelevantly ancient history that mostly provides a reason why there are no gods and why arcane magic is corrupted.

[@BillyTheBigKid82]

It's interesting to see Halflings as the first and most advanced race in a fantasy setting.

[@tarazzzs]

Yeh, this Halflings are metal compare to the rest of ones in other places.

[@TavernsnWyverns]

Do you want a dark sun? Cause that’s how you get a dark sun.

[@BillyTheBigKid82]

@@TavernsnWyverns Eh?

[@TavernsnWyverns]

@@BillyTheBigKid82 just a reference to the show Archer.

[@BillyTheBigKid82]

@@TavernsnWyverns Ah, never seen it.=D

[@mariosavage]

Thank you for this. Almost a year ago, I lost my friend and DM. This was his absolute favorite setting. I recently acquired his entire Dark Sun library and plan to run a game in his honor. This video was a great first step on the way to that goal, so thank you again.

[@battlebread1958]

Hope the game is going well, or went well!

[@asaenvolk]

Blue Age also had Thri-Kreen, but were basically regulated to animals on a few islands, likely due to the effects of an artifact. Some of these artifacts hint at the possibility of an age before the Blue Age. Its worth noting that the Gith were a halfling creation and were decedents of Astral invaders (Githyanki), their arival also caused the deactivation of an ancient artifact that suppressed psionics, this would have lead to the awakening of the Thri-Kreen (supposition, never stated in the supplements, but was likely, when the artifact was temporarily activated, it did degrade their sentience) It wasn't just the Humans that ended the Green Age, there were halflines behind it helping Rajat too, this is where the Shadow Giants came from. The Lizardmen DID survive, up north of the Table Land and they have become civilized. They were saved by Keltis the “Lizard Man Executioner” who relized what was happening changed his ways and invented preserver magic, he is the first of the Avangion Rajat was later slain in one of the novels by Hamanu of Urik A lot of this is rather from obscure sources and the wiki is VERY incomplete.

[@Rajaat99]

It's difficult to get a standard setting history, due to some of the novels not being canon and 4th edition chamging the history. This video has some mistakes, according to 2e lore, but I am not familiar with 4e lore.

[@asaenvolk]

@@Rajaat99 oh, all that was from 2e, much of it from some of the later material. The Gith and Thri-Kreen stuff came from two different adventure packs they put out.

[@Rajaat99]

@@asaenvolk All of your statement, or the video? Your statement was accurate, althought the Lynn Abbey novels were not considered canon.

[@asaenvolk]

@@Rajaat99 Well, all of my statements but the "Rajat was later slain in one of the novels by Hamanu of Urik" one, which is likely the novel you are referring too.

[@scratchyass2369]

Huh, That did seem weird to think you'd have this blasted brutal desert setting but no lizard or snake people. The art for the Avagions really stands out to me, how they make the force of good look alien and eerie.

[@Draeka]

Dark Sun is waiting to be the best marriage of survival and RPG of all time.

[@dacenmarus1618]

I've always been attracted to post-apocalyptic story telling. DarkSun is one of those realms I always wanted to explore. Thank you for this summary.

[@gabeguerrero7865]

I saw Dark Sun books when I was 12 and was always intrigued, but had no one to explore this with. After 26 years, i'm learning 2e and the campaign setting to run it with my friends because of this video.

[@METALGEARMATRIX]

How is your game going? :)

[@matthewbennett1972]

Dark Sun D&D survival mode

[@ForeverYoungKickboxer]

This is an awesome comment hope your game is going well!

[@PozerAdultRacingTeam]

Second Edition is still my favorite after all these years.

[@frankb3347]

While some technically existed beforehand, in some vague form, 2E really established the all the classic (and most popular) campaign settings.

[@vasiliarkhipov2121]

The Dark Sun was always the most appealing D&D setting to me. The art was the first thing that got me. The pictures from 2nd Ed. Dark Sun are the coolest in all of D&D to me. I have no idea what the art style is called, but they just had a vibe. You could really feel the world through the images. You could feel the heat and the desolation and the brutality of the world through the images. You knew everyone you encountered in that world would be a hardened survivor. It was my first experience with the 'Grim-Dark' sort of vibe, and it definitely struck a chord. When I found out I could play a Half-Giant it was over. I was hooked.

[@MenschWerdeWesentlich]

You do know, that Brom had a huge influence on it though, right? If not, look around for his art. Dark Sun wouldn’t be the same without his art.

[@ThePorpoisepower]

@@MenschWerdeWesentlich Brom and touch of Frazetta

[@nicolaspace1182]

Brom counts Frazetta as one of his inspirations and artists whose work he learned from.@@ThePorpoisepower Brom also did art for the Dark Suns CCG.

[@cameronpearce5943]

"The titanic overconsumption of a few has left a thousand lifetimes of hardship for everyone else" that's a damn good quote, and chillingly applicable to our world

[@domm5715]

im afraid its already here, it was 70 degrees in antartica this year....but im terrified for my kids...

[@acedynamo]

only if you buy into the climate hoax.

[@BaronNate]

@@domm5715 dude, Obamas bought a 12-million-dollar home ocean side, wealthy people don't do throw money away like that. Don't listen to climate change garbage, its to control your life. Unless you were there with a Thermometer, and saw it for yourself, don't believe it.

[@MaleusMaleficarum]

Our world struggles with issues of distribution and disproportionate wealth transfers.. not lack of resources

[@Morec0]

@@domm5715 The planet will be fine. Your kids have much more immediate threats bearing down on them.

[@michaeldeaton]

Dark Sun had the best artist (Brom) which really helped sell the setting. Also the best old school D&D PC games were set in Dark Sun. The whole setting is just beyond fantastic. The environmental themes and the radically different world construction really helped set it apart. Loved growing up reading Dark Sun 2nd Edition materials.

[@BobExcalibur]

The Goldbox DnD games were special indeed.

[@Khurzan72]

And Baxa!

[@dogeyes7261]

The environmental themes, but also the historical materialist honesty that low tech societies full of scarcity rely on things like slavery, patriarchy, and fanatic tribalism to maintain cohesion. That's messed up, glad I'm not living under Hammurabi.

[@MrBottlecapBill]

@@dogeyes7261 It's not just low tech societies. :)

[@srbrant5391]

@@dogeyes7261 Slavery, patriarchy and tribalism are not brought on by scarcity. They're brought on by the idea that might makes right.

[@Lazycandle]

I’ve been playing a game called kenshi I now wish to merge the two universes into a campaign

[@patrickhenry6695]

Kenshi is Asian dark sun

[@StarkeRealm]

@@patrickhenry6695 Katana-punk. But, yeah, it's really hard not to look at it as s sci-fi re-imagining of Dark Sun.

[@InquisitorThomas]

It’s Fist of the North Star Meets Dark Sun with no Supernatural Elements.

[@-guy-2686]

Daamn I had the same ideia and I'm actually going to start dming a Dark sun x Kenshi inspired game

[@patrickhenry6695]

@@-guy-2686 make sure players can sell hash haha

[@theterramancer7937]

as someone who really hopes to DM a Dark Sun campaign someday, this is fantastic. Thank you!

[@nicklarocco4178]

When I was young, our friend who would often DM for us, would run Dark Sun only during the summer. Needless to say the midwestern winters felt a little longer waiting to return to Athas.

[@ishvalda_]

I feel like the reason this is such a good dark fantasy setting is because it wasn't some outside, intangible, force that destroyed the world, it was humanity. When the reason the world is ruined is some uncontrollable force, it hits hard, but when its our own falt it hits even harder.

[@g.dalfleblanc63]

Define uncontrollable force? When so many people are lazy, arrogant and complacent. We live under the Oligarchy of a fake 'elite' comprised 70% of £50k a year private schoolers, who smear the poor daily, just so these parasites can take the best jobs for themselves, and the middle class collude with them for crumbs. We need partial direct democracy if we are to survive, that the best people are in the best positions: politicians, scientists et al.

[@McHobotheBobo]

Bloody halflings!

[@lberghaus]

It was Rajaat’s fault, but ultimately he required willing generals and armies to serve as participants in his genocidal wars.

[@Dillpickle1997]

Which is why when it comes to post apocalypse media stuff like nuclear war is typically more interesting and popular than ones like plague or celestial events.

[@matthewbennett1972]

I have had a character idea for years. Mul Gladiator. The Macho Mul Randar Savage OH YEEEAAHHH!

[@ogedeh]

Snap into it!

[@ogedeh]

Mulkamania

[@matthewbennett1972]

Jake the yuan-ti Roberts

[@FlyingAxblade_D20]

"They Drain" & _I'm out of bubble gum_

[@ogedeh]

@@matthewbennett1972 Jake the yuan-ti Roberts is still cracking me up, bravo

[@clairvoyantKos]

I fell in love with the Dark Sun setting the minute I saw it and have been running a campaign for a year. Your video has by far been the most complete introduction to the Dark Sun world on KZbin, what a spectacular video!

[@FrarmerFrank]

I was lucky enough to play Gold Box Series Crimson Sands and Wake of the Ravager on PC

[@Vessekx]

My version of the Mourning (the war-ending magical devastation) in my Eberron campaigns was the discovery of defiling magic in an effort to gain an advantage in the conflict.

[@FrarmerFrank]

Ether based Magic doesnt work in At has cause of the Grey so my PCs from "Elsewhere" developed cannibalizing Experience points temporarily/permanently to power spells and effects using a gem their soul needs to move into as a focus(Gemlords,Immortal) as they have no native affinity to use Life Magic

[@Vessekx]

@@FrarmerFrank, I think autocorrect mangled the first half of your post. I have literally no idea what you were trying to say.

[@user-jt3pn8bi5p]

I've watched this almost three-hour-long video-essay in one breath. Thank you for all the work you've put in it. I think that the introduction of unusual settings such as Ravenloft and Dark Sun are what really sets apart AD&D 2nd edition in the grand scheme of things. I hope to run an adventure in the world of Dark Sun someday in future.

[@skylerheathwaite5601]

This video is one of my all time favorites on KZbin. Your description and analysis of this world are so well paced and articulated; I feel like I'm listening to an oral history of a real place. Very good work.

[@floorboss]

Yup! It's Awesome alot like the _GoT: Histories & Lore_ video stories (originally made by HBO prior to the Expansion) w/ the still anime visuals & passionate BELIEVABLE narration. Watching them, in-between re-watching _GoT S1-5_ was so much fun. Best Fantasy fiction TV ever, those 5 Years. > Warlocks & their doorless tower. > House Bolton History. > The Night's Watch & the Real Night King's origin. Being A few of my favorites.

[@goodlookingcorpse]

You didn't mention the Barsoom series as an influence, but it seems like it must be, in particular the desert setting and the four-armed Green Martians.

[@midnightgreen8319]

It's probably the biggest influence on the setting.

[@jasonGamesMaster]

Although I would say, with the heavy emphasis on ecology, that it is also very clearly channeling Dune, and the emphasis on psionics makes me think a lot of the Marion Zimmer Bradley Darkover series. Barsoom + Dune + Darkover is, I think, is a fantastic way to describe the setting overall, although I don't know if the literature is too obscure for it to be useful for many people, lol. At least there are Dune movies and a crappy John Carter movie to point at, but yeah.

[@hysterical5408]

As someone who isn't into Dark Sun (just couldn't get into it unfortunately) the amount of dedication and love that it's fans have for it is something that I respect highly and hopefully one day new people can be introduced to it and fall in love with it like people did when it first came out. It's a good message, and I hope if it does come back properly it isn't buried under unneeded grimdark angst.

[@VallornDeathblade]

I'd argue that the grimdark angst is part of the fun of this setting. It's a harsh, cruel world because its inhabitants made it this way. Every step of the way they could have made choices that didn't lead to this, but they always chose temporary power or the pursuit of dragonhood over the world, and the summation of those choices drained the life from the world.

[@darthbrooks4933]

I can’t be the only person that goes to sleep to this…

[@cody1570]

Love the conan feel and the dark crystal intro. The dark sun campaign is awesome and the dragon lords are beyond cool

[@kamakiddos4443]

I’ve always wanted to get into DND but never had the kind of friends who would have been into something like this. I’m a huge fan of fantasy though and this campaign setting is so fucking beautiful. Definitely one of the most thought provoking and interestingly woven worlds I’ve come across. It takes a lot of the more symbolic and/or archetypal battles seen in fantasy worlds and makes them more real? Things like fascism, racial cleansing, and ecological horror which are often addressed only in vague notions in most works, are displayed here in such clarity and realism while still exemplifying all that makes fantasy so amazing to indulge in. I definitely hope that someday I’ll get a chance to explore this world through a campaign. It’s amazing.

[@nimlouth]

Just get online! You'll EASILY find people to game with, specially as a GM. I'll recommend you to explore the world of OSR tabletop rpgs and get some one-shots going around roll20. In fact, you could just get Index Card RPG and ask in the forums about people interested in playing dark sun, you'll be amazed at how many awesome players and GMs jump from under the rocks ready to plunder the dunes of Athas!

[@hostilebogeyinbound]

Dark Sun was my introduction into Psionics in 3.5. It's an amazing world, and turns random encounters in the desert wastes traveling between "cities" into life or death situations.

[@brunomarchetti6108]

Incredible work, it warms my hearth to see well made content about Dark Sun. It's my favorite setting in DnD and you made an incredible job protraying it

[@shocbomb23]

Easily Hands down the best Dark Sun synopsis / overview on KZbin. I have such fond great memories of playing Dark Sun back in the day 90s / early 2000s. This video made me want to go find a group again

[@alexknudsen2759]

This is basically Kenshi

[@johnlastname8752]

I hadn't even heard about this setting until now and I'm completely sold.

[@VallornDeathblade]

Dark Sun is such a unique setting and always presents something new and different from other DnD or similar fantasy settings.

[@BenCDBrown]

In the 3.5 Dark Sun I played in, my party managed to find a bunch of Knomish ruins that had ungodly amount of metal in them. So much so we crashed the market in a city state for it.

[@PhyreI3ird]

Damn, I've been watching bits of this every now and then and just finished watching it now. And I have to say even just twenty or so minutes in, it was clear how beautifully the setting instilled hope deep in its core, even if it was so hard to find. The point of the setting was the struggle, not the misery of it. So that takes all of the harsh and brutal edge I love in Shadowrun and Warhammer 40k and gives it actual _purpose._ You did a fantastic job with this video, man! This is a setting primed for so much legitimate, awe inspiring heroism that I think its criminal it hasn't gotten the revival it deserves!

[@jacob2790]

You nailed it. Its about the struggle not the misery. As a dm I like to remind my players often that even though its a game, their characters can die, and not all games or days end in a warm bed at the tavern.

[@frederikbuttel1701]

This is really a great introduction into the Dark Sun setting. One small Criticism though, it would be even better if you made a bigger pause between subjects. For example at 1:13:39 you're finished with elves and immediately start talking about dwarfs without taking time for the subject to breathe.

[@BobExcalibur]

In Mike's defence, I'm not sure how many people look at this video and say "Yeah, this could do with being a bit longer".

[@frederikbuttel1701]

@@BobExcalibur :) Yeah you're right there. Also the KZbin algorithm isn't favorable to long Videos

[@Orengelable]

It's not like I watch at 2x speed. Or is it?

[@lukecarroll4052]

Just use the chapter selection thing, he cut out as much dead air because of the length

[@Humanophage]

@@BobExcalibur I do. It's like an audiobook.

[@joshuachappell5840]

You pass out beside a cactus at Burning Man and the mushrooms really push the molly over the top, and then you hear this through your earbuds as you lie under the table dreaming.

[@the_vintage_feeling]

Your video kept me exquisite company during my stroll in the woods yesterday. Listening to your narration of the intriguing world of Athas, while walking among the elms and cypresses proved to be very exhilarating. Thank you, Michael. If you have a SubscribeStar or Patreon, I will gladly subscribe and donate.

[@storyteller9944]

I’ve listened to this twice now, and I think I’ll listen to it a few more times, good video!

[@danebraudway5763]

I’ve heard of dark sun but never looked into it. This video auto played and I’m sold thank you for making this it’s exactly what I like in dnd and has a awesome world to explore.

[@Lightzy1]

There's content, and then there's COOOONTEEEEEENNNNNTTTTT The darksun computer games I replayed like dozens of times as a little kid. There was something about that setting that totally did it for me. The miserableness, the low magic, the darkness and danger of even going outside. Love it.

[@micaculou8764]

Those computer games were awesome!

[@Lightzy1]

My experience with the first game was absolutely formative for me, as weird as that sounds. I was really really small, I couldn't read, I was just doing the gladiator fights until they became too hard and I died, over and over again. Every time it frustrated me and I quit the game, only to return to it a few weeks or months later, because I enjoyed the combat system. I honestly thought the gladiator fights in the beginning are the whole game. Imagine my shock when I suddenly understood you could escape the arena and that this is only the absolute beginning of the adventure. Man.

[@jasonwilliams5402]

I never grow tired of this video. I fall asleep to it often and dream of this realm. It is so informative and, lore filled.

[@BrandXsps]

Always thought this world was so cool. I bought it and shortly after my friends stopped playing. Never got a chance to try it out.

[@FrarmerFrank]

Only played Shattered Lands(not Crimson Sands) and Wake of Ravager on PC Never played a D&D session but I collect RPG books from when little, especially Choose your own Adventure ones so I have a few Darksun campaign settling books

[@Coopernicuss]

This is 100% the most complete DARK SUN synopsis I’ve ever watched, and I owned both box sets and read a lot of the material at the time. I’d love to see you do something about each city state and it’s sorcerer king leader.

[@possessedchair8144]

Would love to see another longform video like this

[@vandals4873]

Best boxed campaign setting by a mile. This is my D&D, a horrifying brutality simulator. Great vid man!

[@Terestrasz]

Dark Sun was the inspiration for the pathfinder setting of ours. ^^ IT is... a lot lighter though. One of the downsides with grimdark settings is darkness induced audience apathy

[@patrickbuckley7259]

The problem is no matter how dark your setting is, the players will want to shape it, the greatest irony being that it is in such dark settings where players who would typically be psychotic murder hobo's suddenly morph into noble shining heroes determined to spruse the place up a bit...

[@Terestrasz]

@@patrickbuckley7259 I know. It's like how light-hearted and idealistic settings invite murderhobos.

[@emmaivanova3965]

Thank you so much. I've been waiting so long for a good Dark Sun video.

[@dongalt4203]

DS was my favorite campaign setting. I had to train another DM so that I could play. That character went on to be my most epic,going to Krynn, Farunn, and even escaping Ravenloft, before travelling the stars in a Spelljammer. Fond memories.

[@FrarmerFrank]

Heh,heh My PC retirement plan is always plane traveling merchant The Neverwinter Nights Sever (the Aurora Engine Campaign Creation Toolset one,2002) had my Meril's Wayward Star floatstone depot as a "loader module" to jump between campaign with added equipment Heard it might have been ported to GOG?(are they the ones still running Neverwinter Nights multiplayer support and module downloads? Minor b.s. but you can "fold" to a trade post a few days from Last Sea(not sure if the Last Sea quest was uploaded before the original Servers closed)

[@tadasbotyrius2536]

I just wanna say that this video is one of the best campaign setting overviews I have ever watched. information and your story telling capabilities are superb. welldone, plz cover more settings and campains

[@rlarkinson]

I ran a Dark Sun Campaign on and off for close to 12 years with characters that started at 3rd Level and as it stands are now 14th Level. It is still the most often remembered campaign setting that we have ever played simply because it is so different to anything else. This is possibly the most complete description of the setting and its complexities that I have ever come across on You Tube, so well done on that. If other DM's can get their players to stomach the close to 3 hour runtime it would be worth their while, as even with spoilers, there is enough information here to give them an almost full account of the setting and would fully prime them for almost any Dark Sun campaign.

[@kirestus]

Hell yeah! i read a few of the books around 2010 thought it was a really cool setting loved your videos on planescape!

[@The_Crimson_Fucker]

For some reason this setting reminds me a lot of Bakshi's Wizards.

[@TabooX1984]

Regarding 1:37:28 Neeva wasn't a mul. She was a human that was a mated partner to Rikus in the arena. She later married a dwarf sun cleric and gave birth to a male mul sun cleric (Edit:Rkard) who... uh spoiler... Did something really cool. (I'd rather not spoil the possible treat) 😃 👍

[@TabooX1984]

Thanks for the like! I'm still listening/watching your video. Thanks for the video man! 👍

[@TabooX1984]

That was awesome man! Thanks again for the video! BTW, I read the Prism Pentad. Good set of books. I use to have all of them. They got ruined in a flood and I haven't recollected them yet. Some day maybe 👍

[@Coopernicuss]

This is correct. I still have the original 5 books I read when they came out.

[@TheyDarthElmo]

Great job on this I can not imagine how much work it took. This took me from knowing next to nothing about the setting to really liking the idea of running it some time.

[@TigerGoblin]

Thank you. I am starting to write a campaign in Dark Sun and find your video an amazing thorough introduction to the setting. Amazing Work. I watched it all and favorited. I even decided to name the campaign by your epilogue: "Keep Hope Alive".

[@manarayofhope2374]

I have read four of the five darksun novels there wonderful there,s so much you didn't talk about I understand why this video would be four hours long instead of 2 but it definitely did want you were trying to do it for me learn more about a very cool setting thank you

[@chimeraa-0101]

Everything about this was amazing, never been more immersed in a story in my life. The way you explained everything just made it ten times better....have to try this campaign setting out some time.

[@mormountboyz703]

This is an absolutely amazing video and deserves one hundred times the views it has, the amount of effort put in is astonishing and this is an amazing introduction to the setting. I hope to see more out of this channel.

[@wondermuttperez255]

Now if this would come to 5E. That would be sweet.

[@ivynbean]

@Babes & Board Games cultural marxism doesnt exist, people cant even agree on the meaning of that word

[@powerist209]

Well, they did release Out of the Abyss. Yes, Ravenloft edits are questionable, mostly on Vistani but they did left much of its bleak tone intact (Crone cookie makers and some town that bully people into being happy), but it did show that you can have dark-adventures involving slavery and racism (though it did have hope since you do escape to the surface world without slavery and racism...ignoring Thay), though they did make Drows be somewhat acceptable races now that Eilistraee--Think Drizzt as Charlie from Hazbin Hotel--nude-dance in Waterdeep* into tolerating them (so long as they don't have fetishes for her crazy spider mother). *Ignoring Jaraxle, Drizzt's brother, and to be honest, Waterdeep doesn't seem to mind having a Drow as a bodyguard or mercenary. Come to think of it, Drizzt does seem to overshadow them along with Eilistraee.

[@ivynbean]

@Babes & Board Games if anything the right wing nationalist wave that's hitting the world rn is using the truth is subjective thing, not the marxists which dont even truly exist in the west anymore, w the fake news thing and the rise of state run media

[@ivynbean]

@Babes & Board Games lmfao how am I shilling, why r u so mad???

[@jerrywhoomst1116]

@@rocinante8200 "infiltrated by the extreme left" had me laughing.

[@josephbendoski4305]

I loved Dark Sun. Very epic adventures there I will never forget. But this was far deeper than I ever understood the world. Thanks.

[@jeramiahvanelgort3913]

Genuinely one of the best videos about a campaign setting, period. Absolutely amazing work!

[@jonsmith5245]

Im running my very first campaign campaign in person with friends and family and your amazing video has been a great inspiration for it So thank you!

[@alexanderkail1336]

I have not seen the video yet, but wow am I excited to listen to this.

[@alexanderkail1336]

Nice, really liked it. I like to see talk of the Avangions.

[@CheeseN1P42]

Thanks for creating this! I’m a newcomer to darksun this past year but it has floored me and easily become my favorite official setting.

[@ES-gy1ti]

Best overview of Dark Sun that I have seen. Nice job and thank you for all the hours that went into this.

[@Redsoul291]

I'm so hyped to watch this. One of the best settings.

[@doktorazoe]

Your voice is very soothing to listen to! Definitely enjoyed listening to this! Thank you for helping me out in preparing for a dark sun campaign! 💕

[@robertpardo8932]

I just wanna say thanks so much for this video. I watched it over the past few days and it is extremely well researched and executed. I plan on adapting the Dark Sun setting to the Cypher System and your video helped me grasp a lot of things.

[@welcome_to_the_own_zone]

Ive fallen asleep to this countless times. Thank you sir.

[@13courtjester]

Bring back Ravenloft , Dark Sun, Dragonlance and Planescape as dedicated campaign settings. Having Barovia in " Curse of Strahd " be a random town you can just go to is so stupid. Bring back the Demiplane of Dread dammit 😫

[@alexinfinite7142]

Wait I have 5e curse of Strahd and I thought it was in the demi plane of dread?

[@MaleusMaleficarum]

@@alexinfinite7142 there are many other Domains outside of Barovia... what people actually want is the Ravenloft CAMPAIGN setting... with all it's dark, gothic horror elements... elements that include racism, torture, grief, suffering, etc. Things that are not allowed in 2020-2021

[@alexinfinite7142]

@@MaleusMaleficarum ohhhhh... Yeah my settings don't care lol. My players have to contend with a racist pirate queen (she hates halflings) who's bad side they definitely gotten onto

[@1986fritzthecat]

I mean.... all the old books still exist, i feel theyre niche enough that those that are interested are clever enough to use the old lore to make current settings for their campaigns

[@clarkside4493]

Going off Wizards' recent playtest articles and the revisions to Vistani, that's highly likely this year. Having, like, a Vistani's Guide to the Domains of Dread book, that is. Dragonlance too, I think.

[@KingAndy1992]

This is an outstanding video. Such a great DM's resource.

[@charleshalcomb5638]

I just keep coming back to this video. Pure gold.

[@AdamZaleSD]

This is legitimately one of the best lore videos on KZbin and I don't think you even meant to accomplish that. Underrated. Thanks for making this. I had always wanted to learn more about this setting since I was a little kid.

[@Gorandius]

For all fans of Dark Sun, I must recommend the video game Vagrus: The Riven Realms. It's still in Early Access and has consistently seen updates since it was added to Steam & GOG. Rather similar to the setting of Dark Sun. The characters, stories, and lore can be deep and give much room for inspiration.

[@BorkDoggo]

I think that the elves in Divinity: Original Sin 2 were partly inspired by this setting: they only speak in the present with no concept or past or future, the traditional elven weapons and armor are made with wood, bone, obsidian, or other minerals but no obvious metal. They lived in a forest that was turned into a wasteland by a magical weapon. They are also cannibalistic, which may be related to the halflings.

[@FrarmerFrank]

Ironwood is called that for a reason....they want to barge me $5000 to remove a Ironwood tree cause it will wreck their metal citing tools Dont even get me started on properly dried out bones turned into weapons have a durability similar to metal contrary to Shattered LANs and Wake of the Ravager game mechanics (Hawaii Muesuem has 400 year old Bone weapons used along side guns and Cannons)

[@arsenyprokhorenko8649]

Preparing a session now, very good structure and emphasis on the crucial themes of the setting. Huge piece of work, thanks a bunch!

[@thatoneguy9615]

1:02:00 so you're telling me there's actually a race of underground lizard people who are part of a dark cabal trying to take over... This game was ahead of it's time.

[@gavinard5779]

This is the video that made me give Athas a chance. I'd heard of the setting, but never really gave it a chance until watching your video.

[@charlesdebarber2997]

Former Dark Sun: Crimson Sands player. :) I adored Shattered Lands and joined T.E.N. in their last 2 years of Crimson Sands. It was my first MMORPG and I wish I could walk around in Athas one more time.

[@Phoebe5448]

I REALLY want a Shattered Lands remake! Or just an open world purely Athas game in general! Maybe like Skyrim! I want to see what Balic is like!

[@charlesdebarber2997]

@@Phoebe5448 On DSO it had Tyr and Balic. They had a couple ships that functioned at guildhalls on the silt sea. :) Shattered Lands is still one of my favorite games. It delved more into day to day life in the wastes versus the battles between Sorcerer Kings. Starting in the Arena and having to escape was such a strong opening.

[@Phoebe5448]

@@charlesdebarber2997 Ooh! Too bad I never had the chance to get into the MMO. But the intro to Shattered Lands was great! We definitely need a remake!! Being slaves and having to escape is awesome!! 👍

[@charlesdebarber2997]

@@Phoebe5448 I'd argue Shattered Lands still has one of the best stories of a game I have ever played. I was so amazed when I figured out how to kill Balkazar. He had to have killed me 50 times before I picked up on the hints.

[@FrarmerFrank]

I bought Crimson Sands from Software Etc for $5 but returned it as the TEN network had become I won(a bingo site) Being a single player option with localized run pinging with Network for multiplayer would be a Neverwinter Nights 2002 thing,I guess

[@qew_Nemo]

The worldbuilding of Dark Sun is fantastic and you've done a fantastic job of presenting it as well, thank you!

[@MrFireGabe]

This video, which i stumbled upon randomly has led to a absolute *love* for this setting. Its so unique and different from traditional fantasy. The video itself is soooo well put together, amazing work honestly!

[@Just_Call_Me_Tim]

The SUN was sapphire? Edit to add: I'm absolutely in LOVE with this setting, now, though! Amazing writing!!

[@Outrider85]

This is an excellent video with a lot of great information. It's nice to see the classic settings get some love. Would be interested to see a similar video on Spelljammer

[@notreallyalec]

Man AD&D 2e and D&D 3.5 are my favorite editions of this legendary ttrpg because of the vast array of worlds made for them.

[@deadknight1402]

I never expected to feel so inspired with hope by a video about Dark Sun.

[@NoxLegend1]

Mad Max + Fist of the North Star + Conan the Barbarian + Immortals + Dune + DnD = Dark Sun

[@michaeldirlingjr4589]

Amazing work my friend. Darksun doesn't get as much love as it should

[@chocolateshogun2511]

I sat and listened through the whole thing. You brought back so many memories as a teenager. The way you explained the lore was fantastic. You posed a good question. If th world is already dying with no hope of recovery, why be a hero. I think this setting would give new players a lot to think about. Especially what their motivations and morality are. Awesome video.

[@AaronAlso]

Wow! This brings back memories. The longest campaign I have ever played was in Dark Sun, mid 90's, ~5 years. Some of this video is explaining things I didn't know or remember.

[@cameronwells3502]

Grimdark DnD. Toss this at 40k fans and watch them clamor for more.

[@VictorianTimeTraveler]

Think of this. okay you run a game in Dark Sun and then at the end of the first campaign, ship's suddenly drop out of the sky ( plot twist Athos is actually a feral world in the 40K universe) there's an Imperial Guard regiment that is desperate for new recruits. Oh man you can take this in several different directions 1. the party gets recruited into a feral regiment and fight the enemies of the Emperor amongst the Stars. 2. The sorcerer-kings take umbrage with these people that are telling everyone that the Emperor is the one true God, and the party can choose to fight on the side of the Imperium or the sorcerer-kings. It would be a little bit like that anime Gate accept the fantasy people will be competent in melee combat and they will use magic to level the playing field. (P.S. that anime could have been so much better, what a wasted opportunity.)

[@Washeek]

Hi, I'm a 40k fan, where can I get more of this? XD

[@generaljeneral7503]

40k fan here. Started the audiobook after listening to 10 mins of this

[@ithemba]

To my fellow warhammer grimdark afficionados out there: You can always give other grimdark fantasy systems a try. I looooove Zweihänder for that. It comes without a own world or metaplot and it's rules can just be dropped into any world basically - and it's rules are based on the old warhammer RPGs so it's basically a direct fit. There is the corrupting influence of chaos that comes with magic, mutations and insanity and combat is way more brutal and it's consequences more severe (mutilations...) than with DnD.

[@EssmirWolf]

Yes

[@getthegoons]

Dark Sun is one of those Settings I'd love to run anything but 5e in. Everyone having crazy magic superpowers kinda undercuts the setting.

[@nova997]

There would have to be some set ahead homebrewing rules with magic for sure

[@BanjoSick]

I just got the idea to run it with Forbidden Lands!!!

[@Shawndogg98]

One of my new favorite lore videos. I've been intrigued by Dark Sun since seeing the supplement for 2e. You breakdown the info in a way that flows flawlessly from one subject to another.

[@kaboomzzz]

Fantastic video. One of my favorite settings and you really did it justice. Great work.