The 1990s were a strange time in the world of gaming, as gamers' tastes evolved beyond the basic fare of the ’80s and demanded new and innovative settings and sourcebooks. TSR Inc., the publisher ofDungeons and Dragonsat the time, met that demand with a campaign setting that flew in the face of everything it had released before. In doing so,it created a dark horse of a setting that still influencesDungeons and Dragonsto this day.
As conversations about the future of a live-action TV show continue to circle around in the wake ofParamount choosing to ignore the opportunity, aspiring showrunners may want to consider this strange world as they decidewhatD&Dadventures and lore to adapt. After all, modern viewers clearly like their fantasy to be dark, sothe twisted world ofDark Sunwould give them exactly what they wantwithout just copyingGame of Thrones.
Dark Sun Is Grim And Cutthroat Enough To Please Even The Most Cynical Fan
It Could Compete With Shows Like Game Of Thrones
First appearing in 1991 in theDark Sun Boxed Set,the world of Athas is unlike any ofDungeons and Dragons' other settings. Gone are the beautiful vistas, the trees, and the water — and really everything else. Athas is a wasteland laid low ages ago by an apocalypse brought on by the best of intentions. What little plant life there is struggles to survive beneath a harsh red sun, and civilization is limited to a handful of city-states controlled by mad sorcerer-kings.
Most disturbing is how magic on Athas sucks the life force out of anyone or anything nearby, making arcane spellcasting a secret, terrible thing rather than a demonstration of power.
The familiar fantasy species appear inDark Sun—elves, dwarves, humans, halflings and the like — but are joined by twisted hybrids, like the mul and the horrifyingly insectoid thri-keen. Metal is scarce, so most adventurers use equipment made from bone or ceramic. Most disturbing is how magic on Athas sucks the life force out of anyone or anything nearby, making arcane spellcasting a secret, terrible thing rather than a demonstration of power.
The World Of Dark Sun Has A Unique Aesthetic We’ve Never Properly Seen In D&D Media
It Would Stand Out In A Live-Action TV Show
WhileDark Sunhad a few media tie-ins from TSR, getting a handful of novels released in the ’90s, as well as a few video games,it never received the same support as settings likeForgotten Realms. In fact, Wizards of the Coast ignoredDark Sunentirely when it tookD&Dover for the game’s 3rd Edition era, although it did release a sourcebook for it in 4th Edition, and someDark Sunmaterial has since appeared in 5e.
D&D’s Spelljammer Brings Back A Dark Sun Mechanic
The Spelljammer campaign for Dungeons & Dragons has introduced Defiler Magic from Dark Sun, bringing this older mechanic into the new edition.
All of this means thatDark Sunis a genuinely untapped vein of potential for any upcoming live-actionDungeons and Dragonsmedia. This unique world, with its sun-blasted deserts and barbarous inhabitants who can’t afford such niceties as a good alignment when they’re just trying to survive, provides plenty of opportunities for conflict and storytelling. It has the kind of grimness that would let aD&Dshow stand shoulder-to-shoulder with series likeGame of Thrones.
In all of Athas, there is only one dragon, the dread Borys of Ebe. The most powerful creature in the world, he is a massive, twisted monster fueled by hatred and rage, and once sucked the life-force out of every dwarf in the city of Kemalok.
As a setting,Dark Suncertainly has its good points and weak points. But withDungeons and Dragonscharacters often having the ability to hop between planes of reality in one way or another, Athas doesn’t have to be the focal point of a series. It could merely be one interesting location out of many. Of course, in traditionalD&Dcosmology, Athas is dangerously isolated, so any adventurers that wind up there may struggle to escape — which sounds like a fantastic premise for a show in and of itself.
Dungeons & Dragons
TheDungeons & Dragonsfranchise is a fantasy adventure series based on the iconic tabletop role-playing game. The franchise includes both live-action and animated adaptations, with the most notable being the recent filmDungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves(2023), which brought the fantasy world of D&D to a broader audience with its blend of humor, action, and classic D&D elements. The franchise explores themes of heroism, friendship, and the unpredictable nature of adventuring in a magical world filled with dragons, wizards, and mythical creatures.
