Wizards of the Coast is scheduled to bring back Dark Sun in early 2027 as an adult-oriented (18+ rated) modern D&D release.
The upcoming revival features mature content warnings for violence, slavery, and nudity, alongside rule expansions like Blood and Power and Edge of Oblivion.
First launched by TSR in 1991 for AD&D 2nd Edition, the setting subverts traditional high-fantasy tropes with a harsh, Mad Max-meets-Conan vibe where resources are scarce, magic destroys the environment, and tyrannical villains rule.
Core Features of Athas • Extreme Scarcity: Water, fertile land, and metal are exceptionally rare. Weapons and tools are forged from stone, bone, wood, glass, or chitin rather than iron. • Defiling Magic: Casting arcane spells requires draining the life force from surrounding plants and soil. This ecological devastation turned Athas into a wasteland, making wizards hated "defilers". • No Traditional Gods: Traditional divine pantheons are absent. Clerics and druids draw their powers directly from the elements or the physical world. • Pervasive Psionics: Psychic power of the mind is common and integrated into everyday life, races, and creatures across the planet. • The Sorcerer-Kings: Brutal, immortal magic-users and tyrants govern isolated city-states amid widespread institutionalized slavery and gladiator pits. • Unique Races: Familiar fantasy races are modified or replaced by survivalist variants, such as feral elves, cannibalistic halflings, insectoid Thri-kreen, and breeding-program Muls (half-dwarf, half-human hybrids).
Wizards of the Coast is scheduled to bring back Dark Sun in early 2027 as an adult-oriented (18+ rated) modern D&D release.
The upcoming revival features mature content warnings for violence, slavery, and nudity, alongside rule expansions like Blood and Power and Edge of Oblivion.
Core Features of Athas
• Extreme Scarcity: Water, fertile land, and metal are exceptionally rare. Weapons and tools are forged from stone, bone, wood, glass, or chitin rather than iron.
• Defiling Magic: Casting arcane spells requires draining the life force from surrounding plants and soil. This ecological devastation turned Athas into a wasteland, making wizards hated "defilers".
• No Traditional Gods: Traditional divine pantheons are absent. Clerics and druids draw their powers directly from the elements or the physical world.
• Pervasive Psionics: Psychic power of the mind is common and integrated into everyday life, races, and creatures across the planet.
• The Sorcerer-Kings: Brutal, immortal magic-users and tyrants govern isolated city-states amid widespread institutionalized slavery and gladiator pits.
• Unique Races: Familiar fantasy races are modified or replaced by survivalist variants, such as feral elves, cannibalistic halflings, insectoid Thri-kreen, and breeding-program Muls (half-dwarf, half-human hybrids).
FULL GAME DETAILS
https://app.roll20.net/lfg/listing/451613/saturday-dark-sun-5-dot-5-free-introductory-game