The Crimson SpheRe: DS & SJ

Hey guys,

    just finished this up today. Basically, it's a mini-sphereguide (15
pages...5 pages longer than I expected!!!) to be my unofficial SJ/DS
crossover. I'm posting this in 3 parts: the where (the sphere itself), the
who (the Warden-Kings & other misc. details) and the what (ships & helms).
This was certainly a fun project, with a little help from the Darksun
messageboard :)



The Crimson Sphere

By Adam Miller (aka Night Druid)

Introduction
Far off the beaten track is the Crimson Sphere, home of Athas, the world of
the Dark Sun. Although there are well-explored and documented rivers through
the flow to this sphere, they remain unused. Traders and travelers alike
have chosen to forget the route, for the sphere is said to be cursed. In
over two thousand years, few have journeyed to the Crimson Sphere, and fewer
still have returned.
This document details the sphere around the world of Athas. This is my
interpretation of how such a sphere can exist, and how Athas has remained so
isolated in the Spelljammer universe.

Contents
Sphere Overview
City-States of the Stars
History of the Crimson Sphere
Warden-Kings and their Subjects
Ships of the Crimson Sphere
Artifacts and Helms
Bibliography

Sphere Overview

The sphere of the Dark Sun is massive, or perhaps it seems massive. Between
the outermost world and the spherewall is the Black Gulf, a cold, dark
region that takes no less than two months to cross. The Black Gulf is
haunted by unimaginable horrors; most ships that attempt to cross it are
never heard from again. Those that survive speak of almost constant attacks,
their ships torn and near ruin.
The spelljamming cultures of the Crimson Sphere are quite primitive. If
anything, resources are scarcer than on Athas itself. The largest cities are
ruled over by terrible sorcerer kings who construct armadas from the husks
of gigantic insects. They battle over rare verdant asteroids and tiny caches
of ever precious iron. Always in the shadows are the illithids, awaiting the
time when the might of the sorcerer kings fail and they can sweep over the
cities, expanding their rule.
The ships of the Crimson Sphere are small asteroid-hoppers powered by
psionic helms or terrible lifejammers; true spelljammer helms are unheard
of. Catapults and ballistae are rare devices, highly coveted but impossible
to repair. Ships from other spheres, such as hammerships, are unknown. If
one were found, it would be a one-of-a-kind, a relic to be fought over until
it falls apart from lack of repairs, for none would know how to or have the
materials to properly repair such a craft. Most ships cannot survive a
landing on a large world, as their hulls are too fragile for such things and
their helms too weak to escape the pull of large planets.

Sun
Size I Spherical fire body
The sun of the Crimson Sphere is a large, hot red fiery orb at the heart of
the sphere. Ancient texts once described it as either a hot blue or a hot
yellow sun, long ago. What manner of magic that darken the sun is unknown,
but the illithids are extremely interested in it. If they can darken the sun
more, they will no long be adversely affected by its light, and their power
will increase.
For all the mystery surrounding the sun, very little is found there. It is a
barren wasteland of fire. Neither cities of effreti, or azer, nor any
intelligent creature that makes fire its home dwell upon the sun. Although
the sun is quite barren, occasionally some creatures have been found, such
as elmarin, lavaworms, and the occasional focoid.

Cinder
Size C Spherical earth body
Cinder is all that is left of an unnamed inner world that was consumed by
the sun. It orbits barely an hour's journey outside the sun's corona. So
close is it that Cinder is occasionally charred by solar flares.
The planet is tidally locked. On the far side of Cinder, facing away from
the sun, is a patch of habitable land maybe 90 miles in diameter. This
grassland gives way to thin mountain forests at the center. This is the
domain of the city-state of Mahda. The ruler of this city-state is said to
be an undead creature, his body charred and burned beyond recognition. He
uses his subjects as cattle for his experiments.

Athas
Size E Spherical earth body, 2 moons
The world of the Dark Sun, Athas is a desert world. It is the primary world
of the sphere, and is detailed extensively in the Dark Sun line of products
from TSR.
Few ships visit Athas these days. Even ships from the Crimson Sphere rarely
visit Athas, for the dangers of such a trip almost always outweigh any
benefit. The moons of Guthay and Ral are slightly more inviting, but have
thin atmospheres. A few slave villages can be found on Guthay, well-hidden
in deep caves. The illithids are interested in establishing bases on the
moons, but their efforts are always foiled by the sorcerer-kings.
Behind Guthay is the city-state of Sentinel. It orbits Guthay in a stable
fashion that always keeps the city hidden from Athas. Sentinel is a
disc-shaped city with strong walls and shelters to last a year-long siege.
Rajaat built it as a last line of defense against any invasion of Athas from
other worlds. The Warden-King of Sentinel is Dabi, the Shield of Rajaat. He
was the most trusted of Rajaat's Wardens, but was quickest to betray his
master. Dabi attempted many short-cuts to become a full dragon, and was
horribly deformed by the process.

The Sextant
Size A to B Asteroid belt
In the ancient texts, this thin asteroid belt was a whole world. It
shattered long ago in some unrecorded disaster. Today the asteroids are
found in six clusters that share roughly the same orbit. Most of the
asteroids are barren rocks with thin atmospheres, unsuitable for habitation.
A few, maybe one in every twenty, has enough air and water to support plant
life. The rare verdant asteroids amount to the bread-basket of spelljamming
cultures in the Crimson Sphere. These prizes are fiercely fought over by the
city-states and raided for slaves by the illithids.
Shard Islands - The largest cluster is the Shard Islands. The asteroids are
the domain of the city-state of Hopa. Nearby asteroids are farmed and
fiercely protected by the Hopa navy.
Verdant Stones - The city-state of Nijhal is found at the heart of this, the
most prosperous cluster. There are dozens of farmable asteroids, worked by
slaves of Nijhal. The cluster is well-patrolled by Nijhal's navy.
Cursed Cluster - This cluster is dotted with hundreds of abandoned villages.
Ravishes by battles between the invaders and the Wardens, the Cursed Cluster
has been stripped of all life.
Far Clutch - Most distant of the clusters from the major cities, the Far
Clutch sees little trade. As such, it is a popular hiding place for escaped
slaves. The illithids have begun to prowl the Far Clutch for new sources of
slaves.
Salt Shoals - The ruins of an unnamed city-state are buried somewhere in
this cluster. The Warden-King of the city defied Borys, who ordered the city
destroyed and the land salted as a lesson to those that would defy his
power.
Gray Reef - Found between the Shoal Islands and the Verdant Stones, the Gray
Reef is a warzone. Ships from both city-states stalk each other. Free
villages are becoming few and scattered as they fall one-by-one to one power
or another.

K'ydon
Size C Spherical earth body
A dwarf of a world far beyond the Sextant, K'ydon has much in common with
Athas. Both are dry, desert worlds with little life and scarce resources. K'
ydon is a cold desert with long winters and short summers. Water can be
found trapped in the permafrost tundra, but is difficult to tap.
K'ydon's most remarkable feature is the city-state that shares the same
name. It is ruled by the ruthless Warden-Queen Hu. The city is marked by a
five-sided ziggurat, a solid stone fortress, and a market square. It is
found on the equator in the shadow of four great hills.

Rajaat
Size F Spherical air body, 3 moons
The largest planet in the Crimson Sphere was named by the Wardens for their
master. It is a dark, cold, ash-choked air world devoid of life. The
interior is unexplored but probably hides ships lost during the Cleansing
War as several battles were fought above Rajaat's clouds.
The moons have been conquered by invaders from other spheres. Prime of these
are the illithids, who rule from their throne-world of Th-ki-chu. Slaves
toil away in mindless bliss in caverns under the illithid fortresses. The
ruins of dozens of these fortresses dot the surface of Th-ki-chu, casualties
of the Cleansing War. Such was the destruction that even after two
millennia, the illithids are but a fraction of their numbers when they first
invaded the sphere. Other moons include the remains of Hejin, a broken moon
haunted by undead beholders, and At-ur, the obsidian moon.

Black Gulf
Just beyond Rajaat is the dreaded Black Gulf, the region that divides the
worlds of the Crimson Sphere from the spherewall. The Black Gulf has
swallowed many ships that have dared to venture into its inky depths. From
the accounts of those that survived trips into this forsaken region give a
terrifying account.
At first, light begins to dim all around the ship. After two days, the stars
twinkle out. After the fifth, the sun is no longer visible. Light from
candles and lanterns dim, as if oppressed by some unseen shadow. Always one
feels as if he is being watched. That is when the attacks begin. At first,
lone watchmen at attacked by unseen creatures. Then the attacks intensify.
After the tenth day, the attacks come hourly. While light can drive the
strange creatures away, they can summon darkness at will, snuffing out any
light source. Some creatures are so strong they can rend metal and rip off
and carry away whole sections of ships. After many days, if the ship and
crew have survived to this point, they escape the Black Gulf.

Spherewall
The spherewall is believed to give the Crimson Sphere its name, as it is
very dark red in color from the inside. It has a rough texture, as if like
sand, and cold to the touch. Standard portal spells work on the spherewall,
but any metal that travels through the spherewall has a 75% chance of
changing to stone.
The Stars appear to be great fires just behind the spherewall, burning
furiously to escape from some crystal prison. Strangely, the starlight can
be seen through the Black Gulf from the planets, but those that travel
within the Black Gulf cannot see the starlight.

Additional Astronomicals
The Dead Forest - Somewhere near the Shard Islands is this lost forest of
dead, butterfly-like trees. The trees, once magnificent and vast, are black
and shriveled. Strangely, all have interior hollows, as if they were once
used as dwellings.

The Fallen Forge - This rouge asteroid is perhaps 1000' in diameter. A great
dwarven face is carved into one side of it. Tunnels and chambers run through
the heart of the asteroid's heart, as if built by dwarves of great skill.
Despite many centuries of looting, the Fallen Forge still yields treasure
from time to time, such as gold, gems, and even precious steel weapons.

Forlorn Sargasso - Found not far from the edge of the Black Gulf is this
strange collection of ancient ships. A terrible battle was fought here, one
that left almost fifty ships smashed and ruined. Due to the defiling magic
unleashed during the battle, nothing from the ships could be salvaged; all
wood, metal, and weapons crumble to dust when touched.

The Messenger - A legendary comet that made a regular, 45-year cycle around
the Crimson Sphere, the Messenger has mysteriously vanished. Strangely, even
before the Messenger disappeared, none could approach it. Those that tried
were never heard from again.

Paradise Forlorn - According to legend there is an asteroid with groves of
fruit trees, water in fountains, and lost caches of steel weapons. This
paradise is a false one, for the asteroid will seek to devour any that would
dare tread upon it.

Suntree - The home for space-dwelling thri-kreen is the Suntree, probably
the largest tree in all of the Crimson Sphere. It is several miles tall and
orbits close to the Sun. It is immune to defiling magic, and even resists
preserving magic as well.