Player's Guide to Athas

Confused? Intimidated? Excited? Here's a quick guide to help you get started in the harsh world of Athas.

Limitations

You may be wondering if the harsh environment and laws of Athas will limit your character options. The answer is: yes, but not as much as you might think. While ultimately this will come down to GM discretion, here are some general guidelines:

Freedom to Adventure

In the Free City of Tyr, which is perhaps the most common starting location, there are few restrictions on character options. Magic is regulated, but not banned, and slavery is illegal. Weapon ownership is allowed, and metal items can be owned by commoners--although expect them to be coveted and potentially stolen.

You can play a rogue, or warlock, or any other class you like. No one will arrest you for your class, as "class" is not an in-universe concept. Someone who gets caught stealing is a thief, regardless of character class, and rogues who aren't caught stealing are not thieves, as far as anyone knows.

In other city-states, the restrictions may be tighter. For example, in Urik, magic is heavily regulated, and in some city-states, metal items are forbidden for commoners. If your campaign starts there, expect guidelines from the GM, or ask for them if not given. Perhaps you are invited to be an adventurer in service to a noble, merchant prince, or the Sorcerer-King themselves, which may grant you a waiver to use restricted items or magic in order to profit your patron. Or, perhaps the game's premise is that you are, in fact, outlaws, whether openly or in secret.

Outside the city-states, there probably aren't any authorities to enforce restrictions, but survival is much harder, and the environment itself may limit your options moreso than laws. Generally, PC skills and powers tend to make said survival easier, so hopefully this aspect of the setting won't feel restricting.

In any case, the setting's first duty is to provide options, flavor, and opportunity--never to restrict. So if it seems as if a normal player option might be restricted, ask your GM how your character can work within the setting to achieve their goals.

Of course, there is a caveat that applies anywhere in Athas: power, money, treasure, and even influence are great to have, but they also attract attention. The more powerful you are, the more likely you are to be targeted by rivals, enemies, and opportunists. So be careful with how you wield your power, lest you become a target for those who would seek to take it from you.