Athasian

Athasian is a fictional desert world, the primary setting for the Dark Sun campaign setting of the role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons. It is a planet ravaged by arcane magic and ecological disaster, leaving it a barren wasteland under a relentless, twin-sunned sky. Civilization clings to existence in scattered city-states, often ruled by tyrannical sorcerer-kings who wield immense power derived from draining the life force of the planet itself.

The magic on Athas is not the benevolent force often depicted in other fantasy settings. It is a destructive and corrupting power that scars the land and its users. Defiling magic, which draws its energy from living things, is common, leading to widespread environmental degradation and the creation of monstrous creatures. Survival is a daily struggle, with scarcity of water and food being constant concerns.

The inhabitants of Athas are a diverse and hardened lot. Races familiar to D&D players, such as humans, elves, dwarves, and halflings, exist but are often adapted to the harsh environment. Psionics, the ability to manipulate the mind, is a prevalent and often necessary skill for survival on Athas, with many individuals possessing innate psychic powers. The world is characterized by a pervasive sense of desperation, where morality is often a luxury few can afford, and the strong prey upon the weak.