True, but we’re talking about high-level wizards, and to a lesser extent, users of the Way. So unless there’s some sort of (un)natural phenomena preventing teleportation from or into the Basin that’s not a big deterrent. That, and the zhens’ innate ability to cling to obsidian surfaces. So the cliffs don’t seem to be that major of an obstacle.
I’m not saying individuals can’t leave, but explaining the lack of expeditions.
Ultimately, its just momentum keeping the residents in the Deadlands - really the whole point of the Emissary is to rock the boat and upset the whole situation.
Much like the Great Eaethquake/Kreen Invasion plot idea, things start changing now.
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@neujack listened to Dark Sun podcast and you said you wouldn’t mind some extra volunteers to help grind some dark sun content? Reporting in. Also… hi everybody!
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Hello recruit! Welcome aboard.
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Welcome, @Escalante! Bring some extra water with you, it’s a long dry trek.
The City State of Balic could use some help, if you don’t mind a setting book without rules mechanics.
When we get to Balic, you fancy joining us?
Fix the dire problem of the book lacking rules mechanics, and I’ll consider it.
Every other book in the entire game has rules mechanics accompanying setting and lore. We shouldn’t be doing any differently, it’s expected by the customer base.
In the mean time, I will work on my own projects, and recommend people that seem interested and might be willing to overlook the lack of mechanics.
@Escalante I do recommend you give Balic a look over! I have already corrected the first chapter, and turned it into @raddu for review to make sure I’m on the right track, before I proceed to the remaining chapters. But the rest of the chapters are open game if you want to dive in.
(Unless you are like me and really prefer to have crunchy bits to play with.)
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The solution of “Stats agnostic material” was developed because people all wanted to use different editions.
As a way to compensate, our team came upon the idea of modular appedices for each edition which can be attached to the book depending on what edition you like to use.
That would solve the lacking mechanics problem, non?
This would be the first product done as such, correct? (Edition specific appendix at the back)
All the other products to date are done with 3.5 in mind. Even the recent releases of the Emissary and SotDL use a 3.5 rule set.
I’m with @nijineko on this. As a consumer I am expecting a rule set being used. I play PF so 3.5 is an easy conversion for me. And I think most who play 5e DS are used to converting from 3.5 as well.
When I hear rules agnostic I think “no new spells. Now new items. No new abilities. Etc. “
At least if those crunchy bits are put into a 3.5 rule set it’s at least gives a guide post to others as to the relative strength of the rule for the provided fluff. And how it might interact with other abilities. Others can use that as a baseline to convert to their preferred version.
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Due to the Charter which Athas agreed to, all material produced by or for Athas should mandatorily default to 3.5… at least until such time as WotC finally (if they ever do) clarifies that matter.
Appendices with other edition or game rules could be optionally included and would probably be welcome by those niche groups.
My opinion.
(Yes, this may be maintaining a non existant status quo, but I say it is very Athas way of doing things! )
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Nobody said “no new spells. no new items. no new abilities.” I wouldn’t want that either.
Fortunately, those shouldn’t be any harder to put in the modular appendices as anything else.
As for the Athas.org way of doing things… well, I think it’s fair to say this isn’t 2007 anymore. We have to have some way to include newer players, and forcing them to convert everything themselves isn’t very inclusive.
I know it’s hard to visualise something people haven’t seen much of before around these parts, but this has been done and it can be done.
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Thanks I will take a look. I’m jumping in the deep pool and have a great deal of reading to do to catch up! I’ve been listening to the audio books, podcasts , and reading all the 2e material, but I need to catch up on the other editions. I definitely want to help the whole community as time allows me.
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Rules and the editions is a rather challenging problem. I personally appreciate the agnostic approach. Speaking simply for myself, my campaigns will stick to the original 2e rules and the vision those books had. Yes including the slavery. My approach to dark sun won’t be for everyone, in fact may be a minority view, it’s a tough issue to solve. Have rule sets for every edition? Just for the one? I mean its pretty simple thing, either as a GM you convert to the edition you want, use a resource to do it for you, or skip the content that isn’t in the edition you prefer. I don’t see a real ‘good’ answer on dealing with the editions. The dichotomy of this problem will not make everyone happy. Just my greenhorn view on it.
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You’re pretty spot on, i think. We’re not going to make everyone happy.
The best we can do is try to make good decisions and try to make sure the group feels satisfied that we’re doing our best. And do good work along the way.
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