The Burnt World of Athas

The official Dark Sun website

Ah! Hello there. Grak! Be a good boy, and inform the Overcouncil that we have visitors. Quickly now, you can finish your sweetmeats when you get back.

You'll have to forgive him, he's a bit slow. Good help has been impossible to find since Tithian freed all of our slaves. Now then, what is it I can do for you?

What is Dark Sun?

Dark Sun is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game. Set on the desert world of Athas, Dark Sun is about the struggle for survival.

Nine city-states cling to life in the Tablelands. Until recently, they were ruled by powerful Sorcerer-Kings, both tyrants and protectors. Now, only five remain; the other cities are cast into chaos and violent strife. Soon, the desert may swallow them, as it has so many times before. The wastes are riddled with the ruins of cities long dead.

It is a world where magic drains the very essence of life. Ancient wars have left vast swaths of the planet sterile; even now, druids fight a losing battle to preserve the environment. To practice magic is to tempt death at the hands of the mob, yet the cities themselves are ruled by the most powerful of defilers.

10 Key Facts that Every Dark Sun Player Should Know

Originally released in 1991 by TSR for the 2nd edition of AD&D, Athas.org has been the steward of the Dark Sun campaign setting since the release of D&D 3rd edition in 2000. In that time, we have released updated core rules, two monster manuals, numerous setting supplements, such as City State of Draj and Wisdom of the Drylanders, and the epic adventure Dregoth Ascending. You can see a list of all of our products here

Announcements

Under a Crimson Sun 5e adventure available now!

Posted by Raddu about 4 hours ago

Cover of Under a Crimson Sun adventure featuring a sand storm. Floating is a sun, inside the sun is part of a map of the region. It says Reavers of the Silt Sea at the top and Under a Crimson Sun by Robert Adducci at the bottom.
RSS-01 Under a Crimson Sun cover by Raddu and Avangion
Amidst the Silt Sea of Athas, your silt skimmer is attacked by furious giants seeking revenge for a merchant’s deceit. As you struggle to survive the harsh wasteland, battling thirst, predators, and elusive enemies, the line between ally and adversary blurs. Can you outwit the giants, navigate the treacherous landscape, and unveil the mysteries hidden beneath the crimson sun, or will you become bones buried beneath the silt?

This 5e adventure is best played with a group of 3-6 characters of 3rd level

This adventure is part 1 of the Reavers of the Silt Sea organized play campaign by June Soler.

RSS-01 Under A Crimson Sun

Lost Cities of the Trembling Plains and Faces of the Forgotten North updated!

Posted by Adam Cieszlak 20 days ago

The Pristine Tower Development Group and Athas.org are proude to announce that updated versions of both Lost Cities of the Trembling Plains and Faces of the Forgotten North have just been released.

In addition to a number of updates and refreshed pieces of art that both books received, Faces of the Forgotten North now also features Encounter Tables, a table of Monsters Ranked by Challenge Rating, and brief mechanical descriptions of several new monsters described in Lost Cities of the Trembling Plains.

Echoes of the Vanished released!

Posted by Raddu 20 days ago

LOTRS1-3 Echoes of the Vanished is complete, more brutal adventure awaits under the Dark Sun of Athas.

AD&D 2e/ D&D5e / Pathfinder2e Compatible

Here is the link to the complete package including all assets: LOTRS1-3 Echoes of the Vanished 2026-1-23 - Google Drive

All Lands of the Ravaged Sun content is 100% free, however if you have not already (or if you want to continue to contribute as you access new content), and you see value in our efforts, please consider a donation, and We’ll add you to our thank-you list: https://buymeacoffee.com/landsoftheravagedsun

Here is the link to all our campaign guides and bestiary documents: Campaign Guides and Bestiaries - Google Drive

You can keep up with our progress and access the first two modules (Whispers of Dread and Temple of the Earth Drake) by checking out our blog: https://landsoftheravagedsuncampaign.blogspot.com/

Trilogy 2 Update: Module 2-1 is well into the writing stage and is shaping up to be our most ambitious one yet, the city of Celik is holding secrets, and a very grim-dark journey awaits!

“The sands remember every step, the wind whispers every betrayal. Survival is the only truth.”

Echoes of the Vanished spreads by Darvin Knorr

Order of the Stick: Dim Sun, a Dark Sun parody

Posted by Raddu 23 days ago

You can now purchase Dim Sun, the Order of the Stick Dark Sun parody.

The cover and example page of OOTS: Dim Sun Dark Sun parody
Order of the Stick: Dim Sum cover by Rich Burlew
A loving tribute to one of the game’s classic campaign settings, Dim Sun is an original parody story that sees our favorite band of heroes, the Order of the Stick, reimagined for this grim setting that is somehow both incredibly dark and surprisingly sunny. Watch as they struggle to work together and defeat the evil sorcerer-king Xy-Konn once and for all in this all-new fantasy-comedy-adventure story with 24 full color pages of brand-new jokes and obscure references.

This is a digital edition PDF. This title is not available in print.

Kickstarter Backers: If you were a backer of the OOTS Kickstarter, this story was released to you for free, and you can access through the most recent update to the Kickstarter page.

Articles

A Day in the Life of #1 - Kerej of Balic

Written by Michel Joseph Dziadul, and first published on 2026-02-08

The “A Day in the Life of…” series is a collection of short stories focusing on a single day in the lives of Athasians who rarely shape history. Not the heroes who challenge sorcerer-kings or unearth ancient relics, they are the countless others who scrape together ceramic bits through toil and cunning. Told through their eyes, these stories breathe life into Athas, highlighting the constant daily struggle endured by the common folk.

This installment follows a day in the life of Kerej, a bitter and angry cook who scrapes by for survival at his food stand in the center of Balic.

Encounters of Athas #11 - Spyros' Splendiferous Sundries

Written by Methvezem and Adam Cieszlak, and first published on 2026-02-01

A scalding wind washes over the village, bringing with it only oppressive heat, rather than a cooling respite. A cloud of dust rises up in the distance, moving against the wind - possibly traders, but probably raiders. As the dust cloud draws closer, its nature becomes obvious; tiny copper bells jangle with every stride of the pack animals, and colorful pennants flutter and snap in the hot breeze. Not just any trade caravan, Spyros’ Splendiferous Sundries has come to town!