Same. The Planar Gate is a sentient (although not independent) being. The Planar Gate should at least be given a chance to explain why it exists before the PCs destroy it. For example, Planar Gate speaking in the third person:
“This is the Planar Gate. This entity exists for the research of the planes beyond the Gray. If you destroy this entity, Athas will be completely isolated. The planes beyond the Gray have an abundance of metal and magic. Instead of destroying this entity, this entity can send you there”.
The Planar Gate likely has some sort of self preservation protocol.
I’ve always thought it good to be stolen or sold. Probably by a SK. Any of them would be interested, though Nibenay is just logical. Whilst the Lion King’s Regalia goes to Hammanay.
I guess we’re into DM Fiat here. I read it like this: the description of the gate states that it bases its decision on “intent”, and if the intent is “blatantly evil” it refuses. It doesn’t give any mechanic for detection of intent, nor any check or so. So we could decide it detects all intent no matter what, or we could decide that intent could be masked and the gate needs to do some kind of check. Either way works, just depends on your flavor.
There’s several instances where the gate has been used for nefarious reasons by Dregoth.
Bringing the sharg to Athas as a possible weapon. Killing dragons from other worlds to decorate New Giustenal with their remains. Capturing a fire giant shaman for interrogation, etc…
All evilly motivated uses of the mirror that fall in line with the examples given PAoA. Only rationalization is that the gate isn’t infallible and was tricked.
I’ve never liked the whole ‘the PCs should damage the gate so Dregoth can’t use it’ railroad. Surely a better idea would be to reason with the Gate (it is sentient after all), and maybe help it move itself somewhere no one can find it? The Planar Gate isn’t listed as having the ability to move itself, but neither did the Guardian of Forever. Plus the idea of a self-moving Gate popping up where least expected (or wanted?) appeals to me. Anyone else got any thoughts on this?
I kinda want Dregoth to keep it, but maybe struggle with unlocking it, or getting around it’s limitations. Dregoth and his link to the other planes is one of the more interesting antagonists in Dark Sun, and I’m loath to kinda neutralize his plans by taking away his planar gate so soon. Not sure how that would work though. Maybe if the PCs convince the mirror of Dregoth’s true intentions, it shuts down for him, but his mission then becomes how to reactivate it, which could lead to some interesting storylines. Maybe Dregoth freaks out at being shut into Athas forever, having experienced what is out there, after exhausting every other option realizes that he needs to fundamentally drop his evil schemes, so that the planar gate reopens. Redemption! Or is it…
Well, Planescape also called Rajaat a halfling, so I don’t really care that much about what it says on the matter. Spelljammer and Planescape (and even Ravenloft, for that matter), had massive problems with just using parts of campaign worlds without the writers knowing the first thing about them or considering the consequences.
Edit: Yep, it is Dead Gods, Pg’s 67-68. Happily ignoring, of course, the consequences of a Deity like Tenebrous reaching Athas, or what the Gray would have to say about the matter, or really, anything else (like how he ever became aware of Athas in the first place, much less the rhulisti and life-shaping). It’s not really plot important either, its just a shout-out that makes no sense.
It never made sense that if Dregoth has access to planar travel why come back to a dying world as a 29th level wizard your bad-ass pretty much anywhere. Take your Dray and go.
As far as the Planar Gate, he could easily bring a portable hole or bag of holding and ship tons of metal weapons to his troops on Athas.
Now I’m imagining Dregoth bringing a bunch of bags of holding with him through the Planar Gate and accidentally breaking it with a giant astral rift sucking in everything
This is because Dregoth wants to become the first god of Athas. Every other world he visits has deities already, so going to those worlds involves competition he doesn’t want. He also understands that deities are strongly connected to faith, to the point that in Planescape they will wither away without worshipers. So if Dregoth can expand his influence across the Tyr region and be worshiped as a god by all of the people of the Tyr region he should slowly ascend towards divinity.
Now we know this isn’t quite how Athas works, whatever is interfering with other planes reaching Athas is also interfering with deities as we know them in D&D influencing Athas. Dregoth is a victim of working on incomplete information and will kill hundreds of thousands of people for nothing if the PCs don’t stop him.
Edit: Though knowing Dregoth, even if he had this situation explained to him and believed it for some reason I doubt he’d leave Athas. The land is unique in its lack of deities and I’m positive he’d instead search for a way to ascend into the first god of Athas. Maybe he’d look into the Vortices that made Templar possible…
