Here are all the open projects. Many of them are just notes, some have art some do not, none of them are formatted fully. There may be further documents that I do not have, these are from some time ago. If anyone wants to pick these up and take ownership of them let me know and we’ll reach out to the last owner to see where they’re at. Enjoy!
It includes: The North:
City State of Kurn - some maps & docs
Prison State of Eldaarich - Maps/Icons & a document
Trembling Plains - lots of maps documents & images
Secrets of the Deadlands - Lots of maps documents and images
The Emissary - Maps and tons of documents in various states
City State of Celik - beginning stages, just a powerpoint slide show and notes
City State of Balic - single document in pretty good shape
Unseen Ways - Psionics for 3e design notes and some writing
Hi Rob, thanks for posting this. Besides maps and Faces of the Dead Lands, what else needs completing on SotDL? The core document seems reasonably finished. It’s difficult to see what needs toing to it from a skim read.
Hi @Kalindren , I’m part of a group that is actively working to help complete SotDL. It’s been more than half a year we have been updating stuff. We have the task to convert all 2e NPCs and creatures we can find in these documents to 3.5e to fit what’s been done by Athas.org. We are over 55% done. This is a work of love, but it’s going in the right direction.
As for the main document (fluff and description), it’s out of our hands. We managed to motivate the latest guy that was working on it to complete it. There are some health issues so we understand things are slow, but they actually move!
I don’t have any timeline. I’m just hoping we will keep the faith and continue converting, while this other guys eventually end his work so we can put everything together.
If you want to know more about what’s happening with SotDL and the companion books Faces of the Dead Lands and the Emissary adventure, I’ll be happy to fill you in.
Athas.org doesn’t technically have “permission” to do 5e, just 3e.
I’ve personally been arguing hard for edition-agnostic content. You could certainly finish the doc as as, as an official Athas.org release, and then release the 5e content personally as an addendum via the forums…
I believe the exclusivity ended with the publication of 4e Dark Sun according to the agreement. Athas.org is a fan site. It also happens to have been official during 3E so It’s got gravitas.
I’ll try and contact the authors and get their permission.
Think what you want (i mean no offense), but that’s a VERY contentious point around here.
Personally, i feel that Athas.org can release 3e DS content and declare it Official. And the site can release all the content (of any edition they/we want) as long as they’re clear that THAT specific release/ content is a unofficial fan work.
Nothing stops the site from releasing fair-use fan works, not even a contract; its a legal copyright-law right of the site/members. I think we just need to be clear about what we call "official 3e content " and what’s a fan work.
(Also, I’m pretty sure we’re the only people who care anymore, but if i had setup this site and the 3e contract, I’d be super careful too…)
No, I agree Athas.org is the official place for 3e Dark Sun content, but Paizo’s 3.5 version was also considered official (at least it had all the indications of saying such). I am sure in the last 10 years since 4E DS was published WotC has not approached them about anything remotely related to the setting.
The folks that frequent this site are big fans of the setting in general and 3.x editions so it is what it is. Most old forumites and former active members have moved on from here, they’re not even active on our FB group either.
Also Athas.org has not published a 3E product since before 4E was launched. I dont think they intend on publishing anything. The above released items are just labors of love for those willing to work on them.
I am grateful that Robert released them, might as well let folks have a crack at thing talked about a decade ago (now if I could get my hands on an original SoDL and DA 2e manuscripts without the 3E additions for personal use that would be awesome).
The problem in very simple terms is that the Official Fan Site License has never been revoked and has no expiration date. Despite new licenses being released (5e OGL, DMs Guild) they do not override the original license that Athas (and the other official Fan Sites) still has ongoing.
Furthermore, when WotC staff has been asked, they decline to give any answer at all confirming or denying anything relating to the Official Fan Sites. Much like the 3e SRD and OGL, they can’t take it back except through the terms of the License, which stipulates co-ownership and mutual agreement, something no other license has. The only other exit clause is if someone licenses the 3e material and setting… Something that seems rather unlikely with 5e proving fairly popular.
Athas dot org should continue to be the place where 3.5e content is produced. Not only is the license still extant, 3.5e has completed its full print run. Anything produced (or revised! Desperately needed, especially the Dark Sun prestige classes) will have the advantage of being able to compare against every 3.5e product published by WotC, rather than a moving target, which was the case when Athas dot org was actually producing content.
Unless WotC actually starts producing 3.5 content again, then quite literally, WE ARE 3.5.
(“We” meaning all the official fan sites that still have active licences… Rest in peace, Ravenloft… ironically.)
We can revise, errata, FAQ, devise alternate rules and mechanics, and progress storylines as we see fit because the material is co-owned. Or until WotC finally speaks up. Either way, I’d rather fly with it while we can.
I’d like to pick up some of the Trembling Plains work. I’ve put a lot of material together for the Eloy as well as developed Azeth’s Rest quite a bit. If anyone else is working on this project, please let me know.
It’s also worth mentioning we’ve collated a much more comprehensive list of projects available for people to work on, based on additional discoveries. I want to keep in touch with everyone who is working on something so we don’t step on each other’s toes, but also so if anyone needs support we can send people and resources their way:
