Guest DM on D20 Caribbean Cruise

I have been selected to be a guest Dungeon Master aboard the Event Cruises D20 Cruise. The cruise is from Orlando, FL and visits Puerto Costa Maya, Mexico, and Cozumel, Mexico, between April 27th and May 2nd, 2024.

The cruise will be filled with D&D, as well as workshops, and other games. If you are interested, please use the link below to check it out.
https://event.cruises/d20-cruise-a-ttrpg-vacation/
If you are able to join me, use my code: BRENTDUNGEON for $50 off.
The games on the cruise will be 5th edition D&D, but I am going to run it in OSR fashion, with death being very possible. But there are other DMs as well, if you want a more tame experience.

Most importantly, if you are going, let me know, so we can meet and hang out!

Guest DM on D20 Cruise

I have been selected to be a guest Dungeon Master aboard the Event Cruises D20 Cruise. The cruise is from Orlando, FL and visits Puerto Costa Maya, Mexico, and Cozumel, Mexico, between April 27th and May 2nd, 2024.
The cruise will be filled with D&D, as well as workshops, and other games. If you are interested, please use the link below to check it out.
https://event.cruises/d20-cruise-a-ttrpg-vacation/
If you are able to join me, use my code: BRENTDUNGEON for $50 off.
The games on the cruise will be 5th edition D&D, but I am going to run it in OSR fashion, with death being very possible. But there are other DMs as well, if you want a more tame experience.

Most importantly, if you are going, let me know, so we can meet and hang out!

Thoughts and analysis of Wizards OGL response.

Wizards of the Coast is not affiliated with this blog, which is their loss..

First, it is important to say that I am not a lawyer and I do not work in corporate media relations. I am a decades long D&D player and creator of D&D content. When the leaked Open Game License 1.1 (OGL) was release, it worried me a bit. Was Wizards going to shut down my blog, or demand I make changes? I didn't think so, but you never know.
A week passed, then two, with no response and I started to worry a little bit more. Was everything true? Then, on the 13th of January, 2023, they released a response to the leak and backlash of their OGL plans. I decided to put my thoughts and predictions for what their response is really saying. I tend to be a pessimist though, which may be why I like Dark Sun so much.

I have included the Wizards of the Coast statement below, but I interrupt it with my own responses. To read the uninterrupted statement, click here.

Adventure Idea 6

 For DM eyes only.

Green Age Ogres, before the Cleansing Wars

Ogres in many other settings are savage, brutish, and animal-like. They are raiders, scavengers, and eaters of intelligent flesh. They are often unkempt and live in squalid conditions.
However, Ogres are not outline or defined on Athas, so why can't they be something else? They are descendants of civilized Halflings, after all. What if the ogres of Athas were noble and intelligent? I believe, if so, it would make the genocide of their race much more tragic.
Following is what I have decided ogres were in my Dark Sun campaign.

In the height of the green age, Ogres had several kingdoms spread throughout Athas. Ogres were known for their great strength and stonemasonry skills. There were fearsome combatants and were natural allies with the dwarves.
Ogres did have a particularly bizarre custom, at least to outsiders, of devouring the hearts of their honored dead. They believed the strengths of the dead would be transferred, at least in part, to the devourer. This included their own dead, as well as worthy enemies. It was this cannibalistic practice, among others, that were misrepresented in order to build a coalition against them.

Adventure Idea 5

 For DM eyes only.

Moon Phases and Dates

Imagine, your character is keeping watch while the rest of the party sleeps. You hear a noise and stare intently into the darkness to see what made it. You ask the DM, "How much light is there?" And the DM gets a look on his face like he never even thought about how bright the moons would make it.
Well, Rovewin of Athas.org made this awesome calendar of moon phases so this doesn't happen to your DM, or to you if you are the DM.

Special thanks to Rovewin, for allowing me to share this with all Dark Sun fans.

The Athasian Elemental Planes Part Nine: The Plane of Sun

The Paraelemental Plane of Sun

The dark crimson sun drifts lazily through the emerald sky, baking the soil of Athas. The sun scorches all it touches and increases the paraelementals power. Only clouds decrease the power of the plane of sun and those are exceptionally rare.
The Paraelemental Lords of Sun were the first lords to seek the total destruction of the planes of air and fire, convincing the lords of magma and silt to join them. Over the millennia, the plane of sun changed from an intensely hot, active blue, to a cooler, lazy yellow, and it is now a cool, crazed crimson. The sun lords are in constant plain, freezing and driven mad by the outside forces that changed them.

Hazards

Unprotected visitors to the Paraelemental Plane of Sun are instantly burned to ash. Even the darkest areas of the plane are over a hundred times hotter than the hottest Athasian day. In addition, the air is toxic and the plane has no surface to stand upon. The plane is a gigantic sphere that has a center and inner layers, but no outer boundary.
The Paraelemental Plane of Sun is divided into seven layers. In the very center of the plane is the core, with the other layers forming concentric spheres around it. Most of the planes natural inhabitants live on the fifth, sixth, and seventh layers of the plane. Moving between the layers is obvious, as pressure, gravity, and heat increase or decrease noticeably.
Interestingly, the inhabitants of the Paraelemental Plane of Sun will not go out of their way to attack visitors. They do not fear invasion and see visitors as curiosities at best. They're winning the Elemental War and are confident in their eventual success.

The Athasian Elemental Planes Part Eight: The Plane of Silt

The Paraelemental Plane of Silt

The Silt Sea is an outward manifestation of the power that silt has on Athas. Silt chokes the air and erodes the land and it's spreading across the face of the Tablelands, determined to grind everything into dust. The Plane itself is an endless silt storm that chokes any breathing creature caught in it.
It is whispered that the Paraelemental Plane of Silt was once the Paraelemental Plane of Mud, but there hasn't been enough moisture to sustain it for thousands of years. It is said that the loss of moisture drove the lords of mud, now silt, mad and that is why they seek to destroy everything in their path. Whatever the plane used to be, it is now an open, empty place, swept with dry winds and scouring grains of silt.

Hazards

Visitors will find that the Paraelemental Plane of Silt is very dangerous. There is air to breath, but it is so choked with silt and dust that it is not breathable. The silt also abrades the visitors skin and leaves them a bloody mess. The Paraelemental Plane of Silt is unwelcoming and unforgiving.

The Athasian Elemental Planes Part Seven: The Plane of Rain

The Paraelemental Plane of Rain

The minuscule amount of rain that falls on the face of Athas is a welcome site to all. The endless green sky of the Paraelemental Plane of Rain was once filled with clouds that poured rain into each other. Like the endless skies of the Elemental Plane of Air, there is no end to the plane. Dark clouds drift through the sky, pouring out water and sending out flashes of lightning.
Once, these storm clouds filled the endless sky and soaked travelers to the bone. The clouds crackled with lightning and roared with thunder. The entire plane was one giant storm. Now, the plane is more empty sky than dark clouds. The rain still comes, but it is more of a drizzle than a downpour. Lightning less commonly crashes between the clouds and when thunder rings out, it sounds like a lament for what once was.

Hazards

Visitors will find that the Paraelemental Plane of Rain is very welcoming. There is air to breath and, while the temperature is warm, it is not too hot. However, visitors much be weary of lightning storms and boiling hot rain

The Athasian Elemental Planes Part Six: The Plane of Magma

The Paraelemental Plane of Magma

A churning mass of molten stone forms an ocean of lava that spews acid and poison into the air. Jagged crags made of obsidian and basalt rise out of the magma and reach for the endless toxic sky. Anyone who travels to this plane unprepared will not live long to regret it.
Long ago, the Paraelemental Plane of Magma was small and lazily drifted toward the Planes of Earth and Fire. The inhabitants of the plane were content to wade and swim leisurely through the molten stone. Now, huge storms that form cyclones of magma and acid rain rage across the plane; while the inhabitants of the plane howl in madness and cry for the destruction of all that will feed their plane.

Hazards

The largest pits of lava on Athas cannot compare to the destructive might of the Paraelemental Plane of Magma. The heat and pressure of the liquid stone are sure to burn and crush anything that enters it. A simple protection from fire spell would not protect a visitor from the crushing pressure or toxic gas.

Adventure Idea 4

A special thank you to gigabein for their assistance.

For DM eyes only. Players should not read on.

A man is fleeing some templars in any city-state and bumps into the party, literally. No words are traded and the man flees. The templars catch up with him and kill him.

The Athasian Elemental Planes Part Five: The Plane of Water

Symbol by Vedeskaja.

The Elemental Plane of Water

It is very difficult for a vast majority of Athasians to imagine an infinite amount of water. There is no surface or floor on the Elemental Plane of Water, just endless water. During their entire life, most Athasians might see a barrel of water that holds tens of gallons, or an underground cistern that holds hundreds, but the idea of endless water is often unfathomable.
Once, the water of the Plane of Water was cool and fresh. Some areas were salty, but some creatures preferred it. The plane was rich in nutrients and oxygen for the creatures living there. Now, much of the Plane of Water is fouled by mud and gives no life giving oxygen to its inhabitants. The endless sea has also lost nearly all of its coolness and there are huge portions of it that have become too hot to live in.

Hazards

Visitors with the right magic or psionics and the ability to swim will find the Elemental Plane of Water one of the most hospitable elemental planes. However, with the degradation of the plane and the constant bombardment of the forces of the Paraelemental Plane of Silt, the Plane of Water is becoming more and more hazardous.

The Athasian Elemental Planes Part Four: The Plane of Fire

Symbol by Vedeskaja.

The Elemental Plane of Fire

Death awaits any traveler who comes to the Elemental Plane of Fire unprepared. This plane is destruction incarnate and destroys anything that comes to it without adequate protection. The plane appears as a burning ocean of liquid fire under a sky of flame.
Once, the flames were a plethora of different colors, such as red, orange, and white, the colors were based upon how hot they burned. Now, the flames are almost universally red. They are still hot enough to cook a visitor, but not always hot enough to melt copper or iron. The flame that makes up the plane grow colder as the Plane of Fire slowly becomes super heated air, or molten slag.

Hazards

You'd have to be pretty thick headed to think that the Elemental Plane of Fire is a safe place. This plane hungrily consumes all it touches, fire rules supreme here. If a thing can burn, it burns immediately upon entering the plane. Even some things that normally can’t burn do so in certain places on the Elemental Plane of Fire. Visitors traveling here unprotected suffer damage just by being on the plane. Worse, travelers have to figure out some way to breathe fire or they’ll suffocate faster than they’ll burn to death.

The Athasian Elemental Planes Part Three: The Plane of Earth

Symbol by Vedeskaja.

The Elemental Plane of Earth

Aarakocra would go mad on the Elemental Plane of Earth. The only way to get around is through tunnels and not many of them are very wide. Anyone even slightly claustrophobic wouldn't be able to stand the enclosed earthen walls.
That is not to say that the Plane of Earth is nothing but unyielding rock, there is variation. Every type of stone and dirt can be found here. Of course there's granite, slate, and sandstone; but there's also marble, pumice, and obsidian. There's even soil that is so rich, the plants on Athas could thrive on it for a millennia. Of course that soil is slowly being replaced by dead, dry dust, or is being melted into molten slag.

Hazards

If a traveler is not claustrophobic, the Elemental Plane of Earth is not too difficult to traverse; as long as one is willing to dig. Also, a visitor would have to bring their own source of air, as the Elemental Plane of Earth does not have native air to breathe. On top of that, the Plane of Earth actively tries to fill in the tunnels that are made through it. Tunnels will eventually close at a rate of one foot per Athasian day. Anyone trapped in a closing tunnel will be crushed by the earth of the plane itself and take 1d2 points of damage per round. It is possible to prevent the plane from closing these tunnels, but only the natives of the plane know the secret.

The Athasian Elemental Planes Part Two: The Plane of Air

Symbol by Vedeskaja.

The Elemental Plane of Air 

Ancient writings say the Elemental Plane of Air was once clear and pure. That gentle breezes were common and the air was fresh and clean. They mention clouds rolling through the emerald skies, some even say the sky used to be blue. Today, the Elemental Plane of Air is much different.
Now, the air is stale and dry. Dust swirls through the plane and clouds are as rare as a cool breeze. While it is unlikely a traveler will suffocate, the air in the Elemental Plane is not as refreshing as it once may have been.
All natives of the Elemental Plane of Air have geared their societies and themselves in the battle for their home. This Elemental War rages across all Elemental and Paraelemental Planes. This war has been raging for untold millennia and is not going well for the Elemental Plane of Air.

Hazards

Even though the Elemental Plane of Air is stale and listless, it is still the most inhabitable Elemental Plane for Athasian travelers. The most common dangers a visitor can expect, besides the inhabitants of the Plane itself, are storms, heat waves, and black blizzards. Storms are becoming more uncommon as the plane slowly gives way to the Planes of Sun and Silt. Heat waves and black blizzards are growing in regularity and strength.

The Athasian Elemental Planes Part One

The Elemental Planes of Dark Sun.

The Elemental Planes of Athas are separate from the Elemental Planes in the rest of the Multiverse. This series of articles will attempt to explain the differences and give dungeon masters some ideas, as their players characters take part in the battle for the survival of all creation.

The Elemental Planes are the physical, tangible, material that birthed Athas and all of its creations. Due to the tampering of defilers, life-shapers, and nature benders some of the elemental planes have been altered. Possibly forever.
When most Athasian residents think of the elemental planes, they often only think of just the four elemental planes. They picture the raging inferno of the Elemental Plane of Fire or the endless emerald skies of the Elemental Plane of Air. They envision the unfathomable depths of the Elemental Plane of Water and the crushing stones of the Elemental Plane of Earth. Such thinking is limited in scope, for there is a lot more to the Elemental Planes than these four.
The Elemental Planes are very different from Athas itself. Everything in the Elemental Planes appears and feels more real. The Elemental Planes are raw, powerful, and deadly. They care little for the inhabitants of Athas, save those who can help or harm the planes themselves.
The Elemental Planes consist of four major planes and four minor ones. The major planes are the elemental planes of Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. The four minor planes are the paraelemental planes of Silt, Sun, Magma, and Rain. Although they are called minor, it does not mean the power in those planes is weaker than the major planes.

Yuan-ti of Athas Part Eight: Yuan-ti PCs

Players may want to play an outcast yuan-ti. This is possible, but only as a assuddha (pureblood). An assuddha can pass for human 80% of the time. They only have slight differences from true humans, such as slit eyes, a forked tongue, or maybe even small fangs.

Yuan-ti assuddha are made just like any other character using the following modifications.
Racial Ability Requirements: Strength 5/20, Dexterity 5/20, Constitution 5/20, Intelligence 10/20, Wisdom 5/20, Charisma 7/20.
Racial Ability Adjustments: +1 Dexterity, -2 Constitution, +2 Intelligence, -1 Wisdom
Assuddha have fast reflexes, which grants then a  natural armor class of 9 in non-surprise situations.
Assuddha are medium sized creatures.
Class Restrictions and Level Limits: Fighter 16, Gladiator N/A, Ranger N/A, Defiler 12, Preserver 10, Air Cleric 8, Earth Cleric 14, Fire Cleric 12, Water Cleric 8, Druid 10, Bard N/A, Thief 12, Trader 12, Psionicist Unlimited.
All yuan-ti start with their own language and one other of their choice.
If a yuan-ti rolls animal affinity for their wild talent, they automatically get snake, giant as the affine animal.
Height and weight should be rolled on the human chart.
Starting age has a base of 50 with a variable of 2d10.
Maximum age has a base of 400 with a variable of 5d20.
Middle Age for a yuan-ti assuddha is 200. Old Age is 300 and venerable is 400.

Yuan-ti of Athas Part Seven: Phohora

Phohora (Histachii)

Climate/Terrain: Any
Frequency: Very Rare
Organization: Unit
Activity Cycle: Any
Diet: Carnivorous
Intelligence: Low (5-7)
Treasure: Nil
Alignment: Chaotic evil
No. Appearing: 2 - 24
Armor Class: 8
Movement: 12
Hit Dice: 2 + 2
Thac0: 19
No. of Attacks: 3 or 2
Damage/Attacks: 1-2, 1-2, 1-3 or As Weapon
Special Attack: See Below
Special Defense: See Below
Magic Resistance: Nil
Size: M (5'-6' Tall)

Morale: Fearless (19-20)
XP Value: 120

Phohora are bred by the yuan-ti to be completely loyal and fearless soldiers for the yuan-ti nation. They are found guarding yuan-ti brood chambers and patrolling yuan-ti settlements. Histachii are hairless creatures. Their gray or yellow-green skin is tough and scaly, and smells faintly of rotting meat. They have beady, bloodshot eyes, and their forked tongues continually dart in and out of their mouths. Their dull yellow teeth are like tiny hooks, razor-sharp. Their fingernails are black and twisted, resembling the claws of a lizard.
Phohora speak yuan-ti and they can speak to snakes.

Combat
Phohora attack any nonreptilian creature or humanoid on sight, unless their yuan-ti masters
give them orders to the contrary. Unsophisticated fighters, most phohora charge directly at their
opponents, attacking with their claws and teeth. Phohora will fight to the death.
Some phohora wield simple weapons, such as clubs or spears. If they wield a weapon, phohora only get one attack per round in addition to their bite attack. Once per day, they can become berserk. In this state, they are so enraged that they gain a +2 bonus to their attack rolls. The berserk condition persists for 2-12 (2d6) rounds.
Phohora are immune to all types of hold and charm spells.

Habitat/Society
Phohora are evil. They are completely loyal to their masters and follow their orders to the letter. Phohora speak the yuan-ti language. They can also speak with any snake or snakelike creature. Phohora do not collect treasure.

Ecology
Phohora are carnivorous, eating any warm-blooded creature they can catch. Phohora can live for up to fifty hundred years.

Yuan-ti of Athas Part Six: Assuddha

Assuddha (Pureblood) Climate/Terrain: Any Frequency: Rare Organization: Nation or Tribe Activity Cycle: Any Diet: Carnivorous Intelligence: Average to Very (8-12) Treasure: J, K Alignment: Any evil No. Appearing: 1 - 6 Armor Class: 6 Movement: 12 Hit Dice: 6 or As Class Thac0: 15 or As Class No. of Attacks: 1 Damage/Attacks: See Below Special Attack: As Class Special Defense: As Class Magic Resistance: Nil Size: M Morale: Elite (14) XP Value: 270 or based on class.

Psionic Summary
All Assuddha's are wild talents.