#dark sun

Me: If it's ain't a modern edition for my beloved Dark Sun. Which you left to die in the samds of Azath in 199fucking6. I don't care, didn't ask, plus ya-

Wizards of the Coast:

Me: Oh.....OH! IT'S DARK SUN? DARK SUN IN 2027?????

(yes i am now conditioned to think of dark sun... whenever i see an ellipsis)

(the moon and sun looking at each other and over the ones lost in slumber... when the bright moon lost their way - moon being close to grief and loneliness and sun being anger and also loneliness, them both being entities that show the way forward for ppl)

My first introduction to the Dark Sun campaign setting for Dungeons & Dragons was through the computer game Dark Sun: Shattered Lands. Over the years, I've studied the lore and tried several times to run the setting for my gaming group, first using the 3.0 update in Dragon Magazine, and later the Athas.org 3.5 material. For many years, I converted classes and monsters into my own homebrew version of Microlite20, but aside from a few solo-play attempts, I never actually got to play it. I've bought most of the 4E material from DriveThruRPG and even considered picking up a fan-made 5E conversion once or twice. But still: no play.

When Wizards of the Coast stated that Dark Sun was considered a "problematic" setting due to its controversial themes, I honestly didn't expect to see a new official version for many years. But shame on me and my lack of faith, because now WotC has announced a new Dark Sun release for 2027. I had promised myself that if a new version ever appeared, I wouldn't miss the chance to buy the books. And then I looked at the art for the new edition.

Now I'm a bit skeptical.

Of course, I understand that WotC will change the setting to some degree. Even though most of Dark Sun remained intact in the 4E version, they still altered details and added new elements. I've never been fully on board with the metaplot or the progression of the story in the novels, but I've accepted them for what they are. The metaplot works best when it remains mysterious, and the novel storyline can safely be ignored, since the game belongs to you and your players.

But with the new art, and with a slightly conspiratorial mindset, it looks like WotC might be preparing to significantly change the plot and perhaps the entire world of Dark Sun.

Let's analyze two of the art pieces and walk through my thoughts.

The first illustration

I love this piece, its grandeur, its epic scale. Facing off against the Dragon of Tyr (which is what I imagine the dragon-like creature represents) is something worthy of a campaign finale. It also captures the power level of a dragon in Dark Sun perfectly.

But a few details make me wonder where WotC is heading.

First, the sun. I assume the bright disk behind the dragon's head is Athas' dark sun. But what is that line descending from its center? It appears in another illustration of what looks like a dark city, where the sun seems to be "bleeding" downward. You can also see it in the battle scene behind the half-giant gladiator(?). So, is the depletion of the sun's power still part of the new Dark Sun? Is the pillar going straight down to the Pristine Tower? If so, it's a cool concept; I can get on board with that, but will it be every Dark Sun fan's cup of tea?

And speaking of Dark Sun fans: how will they react to what appears to be technology in the setting? The central figure seems to wield a hi-tech glaive, and the torn-off arm looks cybernetic. Is WotC introducing technological elements into Athas?

The second illustration

This image is so deeply science fiction that it's impossible to ignore. The futuristic structure in the background, the figure on the left connected to some kind of technological device out of frame, and the almost holographic, blue-shimmering humanoid on the right make me wonder what I am looking at.

It's safe to say this is not the Dark Sun we knew. Dark Sun 2027 looks like it will be something entirely different, turned up to eleven and beyond.

Two theories

1. The "I'm overanalyzing" theory

The art might be conceptual, or simply a stylistic reinterpretation of Dark Sun. The "technology" in the illustrations could be psionic enhancements and artifacts, or biotech created by the life-shaping halflings. Perhaps WotC is leaning into the weird-fantasy aspects and drawing inspiration from what’s visually influential today, such as Denis Villeneuve's Dune films.

2. The "complete rewrite" theory

WotC might be preparing to rewrite Dark Sun from the ground up. They've already labeled the setting as problematic, so why not do a full makeover?

In this version, Athas might still be post-apocalyptic, but built on the ruins of a high-tech world. Instead of defiling magic draining nature, perhaps it was the overuse of technology that destroyed the environment. The player characters might discover powerful artifacts in the ruins, technological devices that appear magical to them.

But wait, hasn't this been done before? Yes. Jack Vance's Dying Earth and Monte Cook's Numenera are two clear examples.

Is WotC really going in that direction? Dark Sun has always had hints of these themes, but are they now bringing them to the forefront?

I like the concept. I like the idea of such a world. But will it be Dark Sun? Or just a bleak copy of something else?

Maybe not. Time will tell.

EDIT:

1. Athas is a psionically prevalent plane, making it a perfect place for the illithids to evolve

2. There are gaps in Athas's history, but we know in the past it was also a very highly psionically technical planet, along with prevalent use of life-shaping technology. It fits in very well with the illithid ships

3. Athas is no longer accessible via spelljaming ships. Since it is cut off from the rest of the multiverse, it would make it a perfect place for the former illithid empire, and why the illithids can't return to their homeworld.